General Gaming Article

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• Microsoft's Newest Scroogled Ad is Another Misfire
• AMD Explains Performance Variance Among Retail and Press Sample Radeon R9 290X Cards
• Column: To the NSA Your Data Is Valuable Ore
• Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition Review (2013)
• Here's How You Can Snag a Dell Venue 8 Pro for $99
• Gateway Launches Line of Budget Touchscreen Laptops Starting at $330
• Newegg Daily Deals: Gigabyte G1.Sniper Z87 Motherboard, AMD FX-6300 Vishera, and More!

Microsoft's Newest Scroogled Ad is Another Misfire Posted: 06 Dec 2013 01:31 PM PST Make the bad man stop This whole "Scroogled" campaign Microsoft has going reeks of pettiness and misguided priorities. The latet ad has a company pitchman walking up to seemingly complete strangers with a Chromebook in hand and asking them what kinds of things they do on a laptop. He then uses their answers to explain why a Chromebook is a poor choice, be it because it can't install Microsoft Office (though he neglects to mention you can run Office 365) or whatever other specific app isn't supported. Some of the criticisms are fair, albeit not fully explained, the above Office example being one of them, and that doesn't even take into account Google's own productivity software. But whatever, if installing Office is a deal killer, then yes, a Chromebook is a terrible choice. The other big negative is that a Wi-Fi signal is required to get the most out of a Chromebook. You can still work on things offline, but it's not quite the same. So, if you're frequently without Wi-Fi, there's another reason a Chromebook isn't an ideal choice. However, the issue isn't whether or not the Chromebook is a good or even serviceable option -- user reviews left on Amazon suggest that not only is the Chromebook popular, but that buyers are generally happy with their purchase after the fact -- but Microsoft's approach to this whole thing. Near the end of the newest ad, Microsoft focuses on the Asus T100, a Windows 8/8.1 convertible. It's introduced at the 1min 09 mark, at which point the pitchman explains its features and functions for all of 10 seconds. TEN freaking seconds. That's how much time Microsoft spent promoting its own ecosystem in an advertisement that runs 1min 43sec long. Given how badly the original Surface bombed and the slow rate of adoption to Windows 8/8.1, Microsoft should think about spending less time disparaging Google and put more time and energy into showing off (and improving) it's own products, don't you think? In any event, here's a look at the ad: Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

AMD Explains Performance Variance Among Retail and Press Sample Radeon R9 290X Cards Posted: 06 Dec 2013 12:24 PM PST Some variance in performance is to be expected, AMD says Following the launch of AMD's Radeon R9 290X graphics card, a handful of sites noticed that the sample cards sent to the press were performing faster than their retail counterparts. It has been suggested by some that AMD essentially cherry picked the best cards for reviewers, though AMD says there's a valid reason for the performance gap. According to AMD, it has to do with the new PowerTune mechanism in the R9 290 Series. "Based on feedback from the enthusiast community, we've implemented an all new PowerTune mechanism in the AMD Radeon R9 290 series that exploits the full capability of the individual GPUs rather than clamping performance to a least-common-denominator type of capability level. This has the advantage of improving overall performance but does result in some degree of performance variability," AMD said in a statement to Legit Reviews. "These changes will also result in some degree of run-to-run test variability based on environmental and operational conditions in un-controlled test environments." AMD added that the performance variability of retail cards shouldn't be significantly different than press samples and that it should occur both above and below what reviewers recorded, "however it appears that most reported performances are biased towards the low side." That being the case, AMD said it is "actively investigating" the cause and promises to provide another update at the conclusion of its investigation. In the meantime, be sure to check out our benchmark run of the 290X. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Column: To the NSA Your Data Is Valuable Ore Posted: 06 Dec 2013 12:18 PM PST Whether you love it or hate it, the technology behind it all is here to stay Poor Edward Snowden. The former NSA subcontractor has sacrificed his career to expose US government surveillance programs that were revealed years ago. Except for minor details, data-mining operations like "PRISM" were outed in 2006, and have been underway since at least 2003. Newspapers may be dinosaurs, but they beat the Internet to this story by seven years. Outside Washington, D.C., perhaps the least surprised people were in Silicon Valley, where companies design much of the technology that enables data mining on this vast scale. In 2006, a whistle-blower revealed a secret room in a San Francisco AT&T central office where mysterious equipment had its own intravenous connection to the network. It had existed for three years. Also in 2006, USA Today detailed the data-mining operation we know today as Prism. That same year, I wrote about a prototype processor with 4,096 cores. It was designed for commercial video processing, but an early adopter was In-Q-Tel, a government-sponsored venture capital fund that promotes research and development for the CIA. Nobody would talk about the CIA's application, but I can make some good guesses. Keep in mind that intelligence agencies needn't collect and store the data they search. Private sector companies already do that. Those companies sell the data to each other and mine it for money. The government mines it for security threats. Both types of miners get lots of help from specialized processors designed for networking. We absolutely need these processors to scan Internet traffic for malware and to speed network packets to their destinations. That these chips can also be used for mass surveillance is either a bonus or a menace, depending on your viewpoint. But the technology is here to stay, because big data has become a profitable commodity for the private sector and an irresistible resource for cops and spooks.

Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition Review (2013) Posted: 06 Dec 2013 11:48 AM PST Spend lots of gold for minimal tweaks Brief personal confession: I've been a huge Baldur's Gate fan ever since I was a kid. I used to ceremoniously dump CD-ROM after CD-ROM into my not-so-impressive desktop PC in an effort to digitally recreate some of the crazy fun I used to have in ol' Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 2nd edition — you know, that real-life geek game that nobody ever admitted to playing (I swear, I didn't.)  Time to start creating a character.  Goodbye, afternoon. Baldur's Gate was, quite simply, a fairly sprawling title for its time. It allowed those who didn't always care for figuring out what THAC0 was to still have an enjoyable, D&D-themed experience without having to lug around five different tomes of rules, maps, and critical hit charts (my personal favorite). BioWare's isometric Infinity Engine presented some pretty visuals, the storyline was compelling and constructed in such a fashion as to draw players in without overwhelming them with options for equipment and powers, and you got to fight alongside a "miniature giant space hamster" and his larger, rage-filled companion. What's not to like? Now that the Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition has finally seen the light of day, we have a better answer to that question. And it's as we feared: The game is exactly what you expected it to be. It's Baldur's Gate II, done up fairly well to play on even the most advanced of modern-day systems (no small feat, we're sure, given how difficult it was to play legacy titles on one's souped-up PC prior to the rise of sites like GoG.com). Therein lies the problem, though. Even in a perfect world, which the Enhanced Edition comes close to presenting (minus some bugs here and there), there's not all that much that's actually "enhanced" about this title. Sure, you get some additional characters to play as — which you could conceivably roll up yourself, were you so inclined. Yes, you get the combination of both Baldur's Gate II games (Shadows of Amn, the primary title, and the Throne of Bhaal expansion). That's helpful. And, hey, some bonus combat questing in the form of an integrated side campaign called The Black Pits 2: Gladiators of Thay. Neat-o. One of our favorite Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition bugs: The "Where the Hell is the text that says what this spell does" bug... We don't mean to sound overly dismissive. If you're a fan of the series, you'll absolutely love the Enhanced Edition — which is a bit like saying if you like 1950s music, you'll love a new classic station on the radio. Maybe. The problem with said game is that it commands a pretty high asking price as of this article's writing ($25) for what amounts to the exact same game you played right around the turn of the century. For that kind of cash, roughly half the price or so of a modern, graphics-blasting title (or more than double that of similarly awesome role-playing games like Avernum: Escape from the Pit), we expected a bit more. For starters, we were hoping for a game that's completely free of any and all bugs (especially given that the Baldur's Gate modding community is almost fanatical about these fixes themselves). Beyond that, we looked for a better multiplayer experience than what the Enhanced Edition delivers — a simple online games listing with every single game password-locked in some capacity (so much for joining up random games, strange as the concept might be for a title like Baldur's Gate II). The Infinity Enhanced Engine — now tweaked to support resolutions of all kinds out of the box — still presents a classic Baldur's Gate look and feel. Interface? Resized, but still Baldur's Gate. Gameplay? Baldur's Gate. Menus? You get the idea. Firing up the Enhanced Edition worked seamlessly on our fairly formidable system, but that's about all this title really has to offer. You're basically paying $25 to ensure that you don't have to mod the game, nor fiddle with annoying settings, just to get it to work. We did have fun running our way through some of the game's more iconic opening scenes (oh, Irenicus, you Cowled Wizard-killer you). We also found ourselves a bit frustrated by the overall Baldur's Gate experience which, as overemphasized, remains the same. Your characters feel as if they're moving at a bit of a snail's pace throughout Shadows of Amn. Arranging your party on screen over, and over, and over can be a bit annoying, even with the tried-and-true "formations" that one can pick from. Baldur's Gate Survival Tip #14: Don't piss off the giant angel that can one-shot you and your friends. Inventory management continues to be a tedious process for power gamers (there's still no "pick up all" button!). Even figuring out the weapons your characters are best at wielding requires you to frequently jump and scroll between multiple screens' worth of information. Heaven forbid you don't memorize icons for your wizards, priests, and the lot, lest you have to hover, and wait, and read the appearing names of each of your spells or abilities whenever you might need to use them. Since Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition is a wee bit different than the other iterations of Baldur's Gate II that exist (including the more typical version one can find on GoG.com), the onus falls upon mod-makers to update their tweaks for the new title. That's a wee frustrating, especially if a particular mod you care for isn't one that's being actively worked on any more (or hasn't been for quite some time). Do we love Baldur's Gate II? Yes, yes we do; more as a result of the sheer nostalgia we have for a game that, at one point, sucked up a considerable amount of our free time (and increased the creativity of our curses whenever we were one-shotted by a lich, dragon, or mind flayer). And we'd greatly enjoy the no-fuss gameplay that the Enhanced Edition brings to the table; we just can't justify the price. At $10, recommending this classic game would be a no-brainer (we'd trade in a space hamster to be able to purchase it once and play it on all of our devices). Even $15 isn't that bad of a deal, given that you're plunking down $5 more than Gog.com's version for an experience that's much, much more seamless. At $25, however, we start to think that modding the version of the game from Gog.com doesn't sound like that bad of an idea — there are plenty of installation guides for the comprehensive number of mods that work for the game, and all you're really missing out on is the skippable Black Pits business. Heck, Gog.com even tells you how to mod the game yourself. That's pretty good service for a $10 asking price. Our recommendation? If you really need to relive your classic AD&D days, then you've already stopped reading this review and you're halfway toward rolling up your character stats. If you're on the fence, or have no idea what Baldur's Gate even is, go pick up GoG.com's title. Unless Beamdog's remake makes it to a Steam sale — which it surely will — you'll be more frustrated by how much you spent for an experience that's survived the test of time, but doesn't have all that much to show for it.

Here's How You Can Snag a Dell Venue 8 Pro for $99 Posted: 06 Dec 2013 08:57 AM PST Microsoft's 12 days of deals promotion kicks off on Monday If you're reading this, it means you're interested in finding out how to get a Dell Venue 8 Pro for $99. The answer is simple: Be fast. Starting Monday, December 9, Microsoft will begin its 12 days of deals promotion in which it will offer up a new item each day at a discount. Dell's Venue 8 Pro is kicking off the promotion, though you'll have to be super fast to snag one for a Benjamin. Here's how it works. According to CNET, Microsoft's retail stores will offer up the Windows 8.1 tablet for $99 to the first 20 buyers only. After that, it jumps to $199 for the rest of the day and/or until the store runs out of stock. Some stores will have as little as 10 units available at $199, others will have more. If you prefer to try your luck online, the $99 price tag will apply to the first 100 orders, after which it jumps to $199 until stock is depleted. Once Microsoft runs out of stock, it goes back to the normal selling price of $299. Considering the substantial discount, these tablets are likely to sell out quick at $99, and probably at $199 as well. Your best bet is to call your local Microsoft store and find out what time they plan to open on Monday. As for online sales, it's not yet clear what time the deal will go live. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Gateway Launches Line of Budget Touchscreen Laptops Starting at $330 Posted: 06 Dec 2013 08:25 AM PST Touch computing doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg If you spend enough time with a tablet or smartphone, you may find yourself instinctively wanting to tap at your notebook on occasion, too. More and more models are starting to support touch input, including ones with a low cost of entry. If that's the goal (touch computing for cheap), it doesn't get much more budget friendly than Gateway's new touchscreen models: 10.1-inch LT41P and 15.6-inch NV570P. Starting with the smaller model, the LT41P features a 1366x768 resolution powered by Intel Celeron processor options, 2GB of DDR3L memory, up to 500GB of storage space, 802.11n Wi-Fi, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port, SD card reader, HD webcam, and 5 hours of run time. It's obviously a basic laptop, but with a low starting price of $330. Gateway's NV570P starts at $450 and sports a 15.6-inch HD touch display, 3rd generation Intel Core processor options, up to 8GB of DDR3 RAM, up to 750GB of storage capacity, DVD burner, 802.11n Wi-Fi, two USB 2.0 ports, a USB 3.0 port, SD card reader, HD webcam, and Windows 8. "The new Gateway LT41P and NV570P lines are great mobile companions for people who want the convenience and enjoyment of a touch-screen display with the productivity of a built-in keyboard," said Eric Ackerson, Gateway product marketing manager. "The 10-point touch interface is a natural way to interact with the notebook, as it enhances so much of what busy PC users enjoy, such as educational apps, browsing websites, scrolling through reports and playing games. The new Gateway lines are ideal for customers who put a premium on productivity-enhancing technology that still lets them stay within their budget." Both models are available now. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Gigabyte G1.Sniper Z87 Motherboard, AMD FX-6300 Vishera, and More! Posted: 06 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Top Deal: You had the foresight to pick out a case with a side window so you could show off your parts and epic cable management skills, now you need components worth gawking at. A solid foundation that's both sexy and well equipped is featured as today's top deal -- Gigabyte G1.Sniper Z87 motherboard for $160 with free shipping (normally $190; use coupon code: [EMCWVXR34]). This is a high-end board decked out with gold plated audio hardware,  Killer E2200 networking, and a host of other features. Other Deals: AMD FX-6300 Vishera 3.5GHz (4.1GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Six-Core Desktop Processor FD6300WMHKBOX for $110 with free shipping (normally $120 ) WD Black Series WD1003FZEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $89 with free shipping (normally $100 ) G.Skill Sniper 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBSR for $53 with free shipping (normally $75 ) Thermaltake Chaser Series Chaser MK-I (VN300M1W2N) Black SECC ATX Full Tower Computer Case for $115 with free shipping (normally $160; use coupon code: [EMdCWVXR33]; additional $25 mail-in rebate)

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MMO Updates

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• Tamriel Infinium: The true meaning of The Elder Scrolls Online skill lines
• New Spellcasting Pathfinder dev blog declares game 'half done'
• The Stream Team: Drafting decks in the Hearthstone arena
• FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer
• Some Assembly Required: How EverQuest Next Landmark could redefine PGC
• The Daily Grind: What do you expect from an MMO expansion?
• The Stream Team: Butchering mobs in The Secret World's Slaughterhouse
• The Guild Counsel: How to lead and still have fun
• SMITE's Nu Wa uses the elements to smi... crush her enemies
• The Summoner's Guidebook: Evelynn, League of Legends' new top jungler
• Here are three Legend of the Condor Heroes: Zero vids
• The Eldar invade Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade
• SOE offers EQ and EQII rewards with Landmark pre-orders
• BioWare devs streaming SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter on Dec. 6
• DayZ alpha will be an actual alpha
• The Stream Team: Knocking on Haukke Manor's door in Final Fantasy XIV
• Black Gold Online unveils The Chambers of Greed instances
• League of Legends contract for 2014 prevents streaming of other games
• Allods Online unleashes the Wind of Changes today
• PlanetSide vs. PlanetSide 2: The key differences

Tamriel Infinium: The true meaning of The Elder Scrolls Online skill lines Posted: 06 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, New Titles, Opinion, Dungeons, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription, MMORPG, Tamriel Infinium I have always thought it presumptuous to declare that anyone can know the true meaning of anything. However, I believe that players might be led slightly astray by the latest Elder Scrolls Online video. I don't think that the ESO creators were lying because I do believe that it is distinctly possible to take on nearly any role no matter the class or race choice. However, as in every other MMO in existence, only certain combinations will reign supreme, and unfortunately, I also suspect that if you wish to fill a specific role, you will have to pick specific classes. Thanks to some of the data fan sites have gathered from convention playthroughs, we can guestimate which combinations will fill which roles the best. In order to understand where I'm coming from, let's explore how the progression system works. The minimalistic user interface for ESO displays four components related to your skills. Your health bar depletes every time an enemy lands a hit. The magicka bar indicates the amount of spell-slinging power you have. The stamina bar depletes when you perform a physical action like dodging or swinging your axe. Then you also have the toolbar, which gives you five active ability slots and an ultimate slot. When you reach a certain level, you will be able to actively switch between two toolbars based on your weapon. Your weapon, armor, and skills determine which role you play in a group. Continue reading Tamriel Infinium: The true meaning of The Elder Scrolls Online skill lines Tamriel Infinium: The true meaning of The Elder Scrolls Online skill lines originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Spellcasting Pathfinder dev blog declares game 'half done' Posted: 06 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Classes, Game Mechanics, New Titles, News Items, Dev Diaries, Crowdfunding, Pathfinder Online In the most recent dev blog for Pathfinder Online, CEO Ryan Dancey announced that the game is half done, stating,"We're a little bit past the halfway point of development before Early Enrollment." Luckily for those eager to hear specifics about said progress, the blog goes into more detail -- a lot of details! These details, provided by Designer Stephen Cheney, focuses on changes to the spellcasting system. After bumping into difficulties with the system as first proposed, devs came up with some solutions to address concerns. The new system includes a new class of weapon that produces expendable effects (called spells for casters and maneuvers for non-casters) and alterations to the Refresh system. The expendables are also dropped as loot and treated like learned feats, which also prompted a few changes in active feats. You can read up on all the details in the blog post. [Thanks to Crysillis for the tip] New Spellcasting Pathfinder dev blog declares game 'half done' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Spellcasting dev blog

The Stream Team: Drafting decks in the Hearthstone arena Posted: 06 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Hands-On, Trading Card Games, Livestream, The Stream Team, Hearthstone Have you ever played a game that infests your brain like a benevolent mental parasite that stays with you long after you get up from the computer chair? Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft is one of those games that permeates your thoughts as you eat lunch, commute, and walk the dog. It even greets you as you drift into the blissful rest of unconsciousness, filling your dreams with summoned creatures and conjured fireballs. Join Massively's Richie as he delves into his latest obsession and drafts an arena deck live at 10:00 a.m. EST. Game: Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Host: Richie "Bog Otter" Procopio Date: Friday, December 6th, 2013 Time: 10:00 a.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Drafting decks in the Hearthstone arena The Stream Team: Drafting decks in the Hearthstone arena originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer Posted: 06 Dec 2013 06:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Patches, News Items, Final Fantasy XIV, Dungeons, Housing Why wait for the Producers Letter Live in just a little over a week to get a preview of Final Fantasy XIV's big A Realm Awoken patch? Square Enix has released a new action-packed 10-minute trailer touring 2.1. Along with the video, the studio has launched a new site dedicated to A Realm Awoken that includes details about the upcoming content, such as new bosses and lore, along with a host of new screenshots. Get a look at the action-packed adventures that await in The Wolf's Den, The Crystal Tower: Labyrinth of the Ancients, and Thornmatch as well as the new quests, housing, and much more in the video below. Continue reading FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer FFXIV's A Realm Awoken patch sports new website, trailer originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Twitter

Some Assembly Required: How EverQuest Next Landmark could redefine PGC Posted: 06 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Some Assembly Required, Player-Generated Content PGC means Players Got Creativity! OK, no it doesn't really, but it could (and it's better than Pungent Goat Cheese!). As you know, in our MMOverse, the acronym stands for Player-Generated Content, which is not only the backbone of Some Assembly Required but easily my favorite part of gaming. And what is player-generated content if not a demonstration of player creativity? Unfortunately, for several years, my favorite part of games seemed to be the least important focus for MMO developers. PGC, if it is brought in at all, is relegated to the back seat (or locked away in the trunk). Luckily, times are a-changing. Just a glance over the past year shows that the aversion-to-PGC attitude is shifting; more sandboxes have gone into development with more and more features than in the last few years. But one game, above them all, is going beyond adding a few features. EverQuest Next Landmark is not just letting PGC into the car; it's plunking it in the driver's seat and handing over the keys, and in doing so could potentially redefine PGC as we know it. And that's a good thing! Instead of being treated as non-essential fluff, PGC could be seen as a vital ingredient to any MMO. Continue reading Some Assembly Required: How EverQuest Next Landmark could redefine PGC Some Assembly Required: How EverQuest Next Landmark could redefine PGC originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Daily Grind: What do you expect from an MMO expansion? Posted: 06 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Races, Miscellaneous When World of Warcraft's Warlords of Draenor expansion was revealed last month, I was stoked to see what will be included but disappointed to see what will not -- namely, a new class or race. Admittedly, not every WoW expansion has seen these two additions, but each one has seen one or the other. It's not a rule, spoken or otherwise; it's just become something that folks expect. Thinking it over, I also found that I expect several additions in any expansion for any games: some sort of new landmass to explore, new gear to wear, and usually some new mechanic or skill for character development. In WoW, I'd certainly expect a level cap bump too, though I'd grumble about powercreep in most others (don't go getting any ideas, Guild Wars 2)! Let's put aside quibbles over the line between expansions and patches today and just focus on expansions. What, specifically, do you expect out of a content release that a studio labels an "expansion"? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind! The Daily Grind: What do you expect from an MMO expansion? originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 06 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Butchering mobs in The Secret World's Slaughterhouse Posted: 05 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Video, Massively Meta, The Secret World, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team, Buy-to-Play It's finally here: The Secret World dungeon run you have all been waiting for! Heck, Massively's MJ even broke out of prison earlier this week for it. Are you ready to plumb the depths of The Slaughterhouse? MJ is. OK, maybe she is, maybe she isn't -- but she's doing it anyways. Join us live at 9:00 p.m. for a two-hour show as MJ tackles the last of her Elite dungeon requirements to qualify to face the Gatekeeper. If this run is a success, then she is one step closer to having hew own nightmares... Nightmare Mode dungeons, that is. Game: The Secret World Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Thursday, December 5th, 2013 Time: 9:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Butchering mobs in The Secret World's Slaughterhouse The Stream Team: Butchering mobs in The Secret World's Slaughterhouse originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Guild Counsel: How to lead and still have fun Posted: 05 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Guilds, Opinion, The Guild Counsel Leading is hard. Whether it's a sports team, an office of workers, or a guild, there are many challenges that all leaders share and make even the toughest person want to walk away. And because running a gaming guild is less of a job and more of a hobby (or at least, it should be!), it's hard to get good people to step forward and run things. We're all here to have fun in game, after all, and if leading a guild detracts from that, it's not surprising that some shy away from it. But running a guild isn't always about taking power and making hard decisions. In fact, there are plenty of successful guilds that have rejected the top-down mentality. Can leading a guild really be that easy? Continue reading The Guild Counsel: How to lead and still have fun The Guild Counsel: How to lead and still have fun originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

SMITE's Nu Wa uses the elements to smi... crush her enemies Posted: 05 Dec 2013 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Classes, Free-to-Play Elemental mage-lovers have a new champion for their cause in Nu Wa, SMITE's guardian of heaven. Nu Wa is a half-human, half-snake master of elemental forces. She harnesses the powers of earth, water, fire, etc., to attack from a strategically safe distance. Some of Nu Wa's powers include throwing down a fog to stealth allies, summoning clay soldiers, launching a flame strike on a flammable foe, and casting the pillars of heaven to create an electrical field. Today's update also includes an optional Amethust Nu Wa skin, a revamp to the friends UI, and an improved beginner tutorial. You can check out Nu Wa's backstory and powers in her official video reveal after the break along with plenty of giant tortoise mutilation and gratuitous cleavage. Continue reading SMITE's Nu Wa uses the elements to smi... crush her enemies SMITE's Nu Wa uses the elements to smi... crush her enemies originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Patch notes

The Summoner's Guidebook: Evelynn, League of Legends' new top jungler Posted: 05 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: PvP, Opinion, Free-to-Play, MOBA, League of Legends, The Summoner's Guidebook It shouldn't be a surprise that Evelynn is one of my favorite characters in League of Legends. Before the 3.14 patch, she was one of my go-to picks in the jungle. Now, I have not yet played a normal or ranked game in 3.14 that was on a character other than Evelynn save for one game where I was stuck playing mid (and lost horribly). I probably could have played Eve there too. Every game thus far I've gone 5/1 or better in the laning phase. She's just that good now. While there are a few other junglers that are considered to be very strong, I feel that Evelynn is the best of the best right now. She clears fast, deals tons of damage, and scales well with items. But more importantly, she can do what few other junglers do well: gank. Continue reading The Summoner's Guidebook: Evelynn, League of Legends' new top jungler The Summoner's Guidebook: Evelynn, League of Legends' new top jungler originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Here are three Legend of the Condor Heroes: Zero vids Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play Remember Legend of the Condor Heroes: Zero? It's undergone a bit of a name change since we reported on it two years ago, but it remains Perfect World's first attempt at an open world action MMORPG. It's also currently undergoing limited testing, according to MMO Culture. The site is spotlighting a trio of videos focusing on both classes and the environment. The game is of course heavily focused on martial arts, and it's also inspired by the wuxia novels of Louis Cha. Click past the cut to see some gameplay. Continue reading Here are three Legend of the Condor Heroes: Zero vids Here are three Legend of the Condor Heroes: Zero vids originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments MMO Culture

The Eldar invade Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade Posted: 05 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Races, Warhammer 40k Warhammer 40,000: Eternal Crusade's racial roster continues to expand, as Behavior Interactive officially added the Eldar Craftworlds to the races and sub-factions page today. As the name and common sense implies, the Eldar are ancient, old, and qualified for senior citizen discounts in every part of the galaxy. However, as they have access to advanced technology and powerful psychic soldiers, they're not content to putter around Walmart on scooters but are instead right in the thick of the intergalactic conflict. Interestingly enough, the Eldar can also see their own future in which they meet a bitter end, but they fight on with severe denial even so. The Eldar invade Warhammer 40k: Eternal Crusade originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments The Eldar Craftworlds

SOE offers EQ and EQII rewards with Landmark pre-orders Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, EverQuest, EverQuest II, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Promotions, EverQuest Next, Sandbox Here's a gift idea for that sandbox MMO nut on your Christmas list: EverQuest Next Landmark Founder's Packs. Well, probably just one Founder's Pack, but you get the idea. SOE has updated its website with pre-order gifting functionality, and the company has also added a wee bit of extra incentive for current players of both EverQuest and EverQuest II. That incentive takes the form of an in-game flag corresponding to your Settler, Explorer, or Trailblazer Founder's Pack purchase. You can either use the flag as a home decoration or "carry it along with you during your adventures in Norrath." SOE offers EQ and EQII rewards with Landmark pre-orders originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

BioWare devs streaming SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter on Dec. 6 Posted: 05 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (Real-World), Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic If you're curious about Galactic Starfighter but you're not inclined to pay a Star Wars: The Old Republic subscription to access it before 2014, you might want to check out BioWare's Twitch channel on Friday, December 6th at 5:00 p.m. EDT. The announcement post bills the event as "three hours of intense free-flight dogfighting in space," and as a bonus it will be hosted and commented upon by developers. BioWare devs streaming SWTOR's Galactic Starfighter on Dec. 6 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

DayZ alpha will be an actual alpha Posted: 05 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Real-Life, Launches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Post-Apocalyptic, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play Early adopters are in for a rough ride when the standalone version of DayZ first enters Steam's early access program. According to a post made by Dean "Rocket" Hall on the game's official forums, DayZ's initial limited launch will be "a true-blue alpha." Hall noted that because the team is rebuilding "massive areas of the engine," many of DayZ's core features will not be seen for months. Buying early will be a recipe for disappointment. It's a chance for those who want to be part of that whole process. For them, the process is as much a part of the game as the whole experience. For many, this is the opposite of what they want. To enable a smooth launch, we're really targeting it at a core audience who want to get deeply involved in a very barebones experience that is a platform for future development. In other words, it's an alpha. Dean did not provide a release date, so we'll continue to keep this filed under Soon TM. DayZ alpha will be an actual alpha originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Forum PostRock, Paper, Shotgun

The Stream Team: Knocking on Haukke Manor's door in Final Fantasy XIV Posted: 05 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Massively Meta, Final Fantasy XIV, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team, Subscription There's just something exciting about experiencing a Final Fantasy XIV dungeon for the first time; the new sights, the new sounds, the new creatures... even the creative new ways to die can be appreciated, if not enjoyed. And Massively's MJ wants to share that first-time feeling with you as she races toward that stop in her storyline. Storyline progression, queues, and PUGs permitting, she's going to knock on the door of Haukke Manor and show herself right in. What awaits her? Well, she doesn't know! Join us live at 2:00 p.m. to be a part of the journey towards the dungeon. Game: Final Fantasy XIV Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Thursday, December 5th, 2013 Time: 2:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Knocking on Haukke Manor's door in Final Fantasy XIV The Stream Team: Knocking on Haukke Manor's door in Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Black Gold Online unveils The Chambers of Greed instances Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Dungeons, Steampunk A new feature is coming to Black Gold Online in addition to the main quest-line and normal dungeons that players already enjoy: The Chambers of Greed. These instances chambers, or greed pockets, bring variety to the game by offering challenging side activities that blend PvE and PvP and give another avenue for acquiring new gear by slaying higher level monsters and completing assorted other tasks. Unlike the openness of the over-world, The Greed Chambers have a darker, mysterious ambiance aimed at making players watch their every step. These chambers, which are more challenging that quests of the same level, will have hidden entrances to get inside. Players will need to discover these entrances themselves by getting in close, slaying a gatekeeper, or tripping some other trigger. Peek inside these new instances in the video below. [Source: Snail Games press release] Continue reading Black Gold Online unveils The Chambers of Greed instances Black Gold Online unveils The Chambers of Greed instances originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

League of Legends contract for 2014 prevents streaming of other games Posted: 05 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, News Items, Free-to-Play, Legal, MOBA, League of Legends The last thing that anyone at Riot Games wants is to provide free advertising to League of Legends' competitors. The first thing that the company wants to do is promote the professional gaming side of the community. In the contract for players taking part in the game's 2014 championship series, the company is aiming to kill two birds with one stone by preventing professional players from streaming any competing games during the duration of the 2014 season. Games considered to be "competition" include World of Tanks, World of Warcraft, Hearthstone, Dota 2, and StarCraft. An official response from the company states that this is comparable to the restrictions placed on pro athletes in several sports. Players in the official Reddit thread are upset by this decision, claiming that the comparison to professional athletes is both inaccurate and inapplicable in this particular context. It remains to be seen whether or not this will impact the game's championship numbers in any fashion. League of Legends contract for 2014 prevents streaming of other games originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments GameSpot, Reddit response thread on restrictions

Allods Online unleashes the Wind of Changes today Posted: 05 Dec 2013 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Patches, News Items, Free-to-Play, Allods Online Come gather, you players of Allods Online; at 4:00 p.m. EST it's patching time. Accept it that soon there'll be new battle lines. If the game for you is worth playing, then you'd better get ready to adapt to the climes, for the winds they are a-changin'. Seriously, you can't title a major update Wind of Changes and have the wind remain the same; it's right there in the title. Bob Dylan-inspired introductions aside, what's actually changing with this update? Plenty. The game is adding a new mail system and a variety of new mounts, along with major revamps of the Dominion system and the new Scarlet Bastion PvP map. There's also the new Class Change system and Astral Modifiers to ensure that you really feel how much the environment really is, well, changing. But you don't have to take our word for it; you can watch the trailer just past the break. Continue reading Allods Online unleashes the Wind of Changes today Allods Online unleashes the Wind of Changes today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Patch announcement

PlanetSide vs. PlanetSide 2: The key differences Posted: 05 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, PlanetSide, Business Models, Classes, Game Mechanics, PvP, War, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Livestream, PlanetSide 2 If you're a PlanetSide player who has been around since the beginning, I don't need to explain the differences between the original and its follow-up, PlanetSide 2. But if you're an old-school player who has never touched the second version, a new-school player who's never played the original, or a player who's brand-new to the universe completely, then this article about the PlanetSide duo and what sets the two games apart is for you. The first and most important difference is each game's population. I am not exaggerating when I say that the original PlanetSide is today merely a shell of its former self. I tried on several occasions to find a fight to join and was only once able to locate a tiny battle in one small corner of the world. That's something to keep in mind if you give the elder game a deeper look. Continue reading PlanetSide vs. PlanetSide 2: The key differences PlanetSide vs. PlanetSide 2: The key differences originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 05 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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