General Gaming Article

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• GeForce GTX 770 Reviews: Asus DirectCU II OC vs Gigabyte WindForce 3X OC
• MSI GT60 (2013) Review
• September 2013: Dream Machine
• August 2013: Expert's Guide to PC Hardware
• Google Niantic's Reality MMO "Ingress" Leaves Beta, Now Open to Everyone
• Mad Catz Treats Flight Sim Fans to Saitek X-55 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. Throttle and Stick
• Netgear's Lawsuit Alleging Asus of False Advertising Can Proceed, Judge Says
• Lian Li's PC-V358 Micro ATX Case Sports a Hinged Design
• Google, HP Recall 145,000 Chromebook 11 Chargers Following Reports of Overheating
• Newegg Daily Deals: MSI Gaming N780 TF 3DG5/OC, Antec Nine Hundred Black Case, and More!

GeForce GTX 770 Reviews: Asus DirectCU II OC vs Gigabyte WindForce 3X OC Posted: 17 Dec 2013 03:10 PM PST An overclocked and super-cooled silicon smackdown Last month Nvidia launched the GeForce GTX 770, and showed us the "stock" board with a cooler originally featured in the GTX Titan. At the time, Nvidia said its add-in board partners would be offering versions that were overclocked and custom-cooled, but we didn't know that was all that would be available. As it turns out, spotting a GTX 770 with the Titan cooler is about as rare as seeing Gordon Mah Ung at an Apple store, so kiss your Titan-cooled GTX 770 dreams goodbye for now. The good news is that you're now forced to choose from a flurry of premium-looking cards including these two sweet overclocked and super-chilledboards from Asus and Gigabyte. Both boards feature loads of custom hardware, specialized fans, overclocking software, and totally silent operation. Sounds like the perfect ingredients for a matchup to us! Asus GeForce GTX 770 DirectCU II OC The Asus GTX 770 DirectCU II OC deviates wildly from Nvidia's reference design, replacing it wholesale and saving only the GK104 silicon. Not only is the cooling apparatus entirely new (at least compared to Nvidia's reference cooler), but Asus also uses its own custom PCB with specialized components, including Super Alloy Power(SAP)caps and chokes for more efficient operation and increased longevity, custom VRMs with their own heatsink, and power diagnostic LEDs. It even then threw in a backplate for better cooling and increased rigidity,too. Despite the cooling assembly's size, you can actually remove the whole thing with just four screws (compared to the stock cooler's 22 screws), allowing for easy spring cleaning. The best part is that all this technology will only cost you a whopping $10 more than the stock card, making it somewhat of a bargain. Also, this is a 2GB card and Asus has informed us it has no plans to bring a 4GB version to market. Asus has delivered a 100 percent non-reference design with custom PCB and cooling. Of course, for a $10 premium you shouldn't expect sky-high overclocks, and Asus keeps it real with a mild 12MHz overclock, though that can be pushed much higher (see below). Overclocking benefits aside, the main value of the Asus card is that it's built with top-of-the-line parts and runs cool and quiet. The card is able to achieve this superior cooling performance despite taking up the same dual PCIe slots (the GTX 680 DCII had a three-slot cooler for the same GPU, mind you). Helping you maximize the card's performance is Asus's GPU Tweak utility, which lets you adjust clock speeds, voltages, fan performance, and more. We like GPU Tweak but wish it displayed real-time clock speeds in a more easy-to-read fashion. In testing, we saw the Asus card eke out a small performance advantage over the stock card, and we ran all tests with the card overclocked, as well. The highest we could get this little puppy was 1,241MHz, and we had to up the voltage to its maximum setting of 1.2V. We thought we'd be able to nudge it up to 1,280MHz or so but every time we did that it was not stable. However, the most glaring difference is that this card runs very quiet regardless of what's thrown at it. Under load for hours, it held its own with a maximum temperature of 72C compared to the stock cooler's average maximum of about 80C. The GPU Tweak software lets you set maximum temp (remember this is a GPU Boost 2.0 card), increase voltage, adjust clocks, and monitor all these settings, too. It's great software, but we prefer EVGA's PrecisionX with its real-time clock-speed display. It's just easier to read at a glance. All in all, there's very little to complain about here. Yes, it has the exact same performance as Gigabyte'scard, both in terms of FPS and silent operation, yet the Asus card costs $10 more. However, the Asus card has better software, isn't quite as long, and its cooler is easy to remove, all of which is easily worth the price bump. Asus GeForce GTX 770 DirectCU II OC Big board Totally custom design; super quiet; overclockable. Being bored Software is just so-so; paltry bundle. $410, www.asus.com Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 WindForce 3X OC Like Asus, Gigabyte has pulled out all the stops for its highly clocked GTX 770 and delivered a board that looks nothing like the stock card at all due to its custom PCB and exotic triple-fan cooler it calls WindForce 3X. This big-ass cooler uses three 8cm fans on top of a heatsink roughly the size of Central America, and Gigabyte says it can dissipate up to 450W, making it one of the largest coolers we've seen on a GPU since the triple-fan PowerColor Devil 13 HD 7990 graced the Lab in 2012. That card, if you recall, was so large it came with its own support stand, and though this card isn't in the same ballpark, it's in the same league for sure, but since it takes up just two slots instead of three it seems a lot more manageable. It's also 11 inches long, which is .5 inches longer than stock. Its bundle includes two 6-pin Molex-to-PCIe adapters and a driver CD. Three slow-spinning fans equal silent operation and excellent temps at all times. Its cooler is the same one found on the GTX 780, so it's more than up for the task of cooling this card despite its higher clock speeds (compared to the GTX 780's). Gigabyte calls the cooling setup "Triangle Cooling," as there is a triangle-shaped copper heat spreader on top of the GPU with a heatsink on top of that. The fan is then placed on top of the triangle, forcing the air hitting the card to divert onto each side of the triangle. There's a secondary heatsink too, cooling the board's circuitry, but it lacks the triangle apparatus. Again, like Asus's card, this is a non-reference design with high-end components and has Gigabyte's Ultra Durable branding, including the signature two ounces of copper within the PCB to help absorb heat and better control temps. The card is clocked at 1,137MHz base with an 1,189MHz boost clock, and in our testing we were also able to get it up to 1,241MHz, just like the Asus. We also had to nudge the voltage slightly to achieve this, but suffice to say we had the same overclocking success with this board as we did with the Asus card. Its cooler is the same one found on the GTX 780, so it's more than up for the task of cooling this card despite its higher clock speeds (compared to the GTX 780's). Gigabyte calls the cooling setup "Triangle Cooling," as there is a triangle-shaped copper heat spreader on top of the GPU with a heatsink on top of that. The fan is then placed on top of the triangle, forcing the air hitting the card to divert onto each side of the triangle. There's a secondary heatsink too, cooling the board's circuitry, but it lacks the triangle apparatus. Again, like Asus's card, this is a non-reference design with high-end components and has Gigabyte's Ultra Durable branding, including the signature two ounces of copper within the PCB to help absorb heat and better control temps. The card is clocked at 1,137MHz base with an 1,189MHz boost clock, and in our testing we were also able to get it up to 1,241MHz, just like the Asus. Wealso had to nudge the voltage slightly to achieve this, but suffice to say we had the same overclocking success with this board as we did with the Asus card. Given that the cards had similar clock speeds once overclocked, we were not surprised to find them run almost exactly the same in testing. The Wind-Force 3X had a tiny one-or-two frameadvantage in some games, but it's close enough to call it a tie. This brings us to the card's operation, and yes, it was also extremely quiet at all times. Was it quieter than the Asus board? It's hard to say, as they were both what we'd call "silent," even under full load. In temps, the WindForce held steady at 74 C, even when we told the card to run as hot as it likes, and it would not budge over that line. That's seven degrees warmer than the Asus board though, so we're taking away one point for that small transgression. Our other gripe is with the OC Guru II software, which is not as easy to use as the GPU Tweak program provided by Asus, and takes up way too much space on the desktop. That's about it though; out of the box this card is fast, quiet, and the same price as MSRP, representing an incredible value. Gigabyte GeForce GTX 770 WindForce 3X OC Three Fans Super quiet; very overclockable; solidly built; great price. Single Fan Weak Bundle; looks kind of cheap; software needs revamping. $400, www.gigabyte.us Benchmarks   Asus GeForce GTX 770 DirectCU II OC Gigabyte GTX770 WindForce GTX 770 (Reference) Asus GTX 680 GTX 670 (Reference) XFX Radeon HD 7950 3DMark Fire Strike 6,988 7,290 6,932 6,456 5,912 6,099 Catzilla (Tiger) Beta 5,992 5,978 5,604 5,255 4,907 4,024 Unigine Heaven 4.0 (fps) 25 26 24 23 21 20 Crysis 3 (fps) 25 21 17 17 16 17 Shogun 2 (fps) 41 43 39 38 33 34 Far Cry 3 (fps) 32 33 30 30 28 27 Metro: Last Light (fps) 19 19 17 16 16 12 Tomb Raider (fps) 20 21 20 18 16 18 Battlefield 3 (fps) 40 40 38 34 35 35 Core/Memory Clock (MHz) 1,058/7,000 1,137/7,000 1,046/6,000 1,006/6,000 915/6,000 860/5,000 TDP 230W 230W 230W 250W 170W 200W Best scores are bolded. Our test bed is a 3.33GHz Core i7-975 Extreme Edition in an Asus P6X58D Premium motherboard with 6GB of DDR3/1333 and an 850TX Corsair PSU. The OS is 64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate. All games are run at 1920x1200 with 4x AA unless otherwise noted.

MSI GT60 (2013) Review Posted: 17 Dec 2013 02:06 PM PST Prodigal son returns... with Haswell and a 780M! If the MSI GT60 looks familiar, that might be because it's identical to our zero-point gaming notebook, which we first reviewed in our December 2012 issue. While the laptop uses the same chassis, the refreshed unit comes with shiny new parts that include Intel's Haswell CPU and a new top-tier 700-series GPU from Nvidia. The exterior might look familiar, but she's got shiny new parts where it counts. In terms of design, the refreshed GT60 features the same brushed-aluminum 15.5x10.5x2-inch chassis as its predecessor. It also comes with the same competent 1920x1080-resolution TN monitor, quality-sounding Dynaudio speakers, capable multitouch trackpad, and multi-colored, backlit SteelSeries keyboard. Aesthetically, it's a little garish, but it's far from the ugliest notebook we've seen. The bigger problem is that it weighs nine pounds, 13.2 ounces, which is quite heavy for a 15.6-inch notebook. Under the hood, MSI has made vast upgrades to the GT60. Our configuration came with a brand-new Haswell Core i7-4700MQ CPU and GeForce GTX 780M GPU, both of which we hadn't had the pleasure of testing before. One of our biggest gripes with the previous GT60 was that it didn't come with a solid-state drive. That issue has been resolved, as our refreshed unit came with a 128GB mSATA SSD that allowed the laptop to quickly boot to Windows in less than 14 seconds. Mechanical storage is handled by a 1TB HDD. If that isn't enough space for you, the GT60 supports up to two additional mSATA SSDs, although opening the bottom of the laptop to access these bays voids the warranty. Another upgrade found in this new GT60 is a bump up to 16GB of RAM, from its predecessor's 12GB. It also has two additional RAM slots, if you'd like to add more. Unfortunately, adding RAM requires cracking open the case and thus technically voiding the warranty, too. Watching all these components chew through our benchmarks was a joy to behold. Not surprisingly, the CPU gains weren't huge, with the GT60's new Haswell processor beating its older Ivy Bridge counterpart by roughly 11–14 percent. Its biggest lead came in the multithread-loving x264 encoding benchmark. While these performance gains might not dazzle the skeptic, Intel has made some great strides with Haswell's energy efficiency. Looping a ripped Blu-ray movie, the notebook was able to last roughly four hours and 20 minutes, which is about a 40 percent improvement over our zero-point's already competent battery life. The biggest star here, however, is the new GeForce GTX 780M video card. While it still uses Nvidia's Kepler architecture, which we first saw with the green team's 600-series GPUs, it's essentially loaded with a lot more firepower this time around. It's got more than 1,000 more CUDA cores, its memory clock is 1,000MHz faster, and it has a 256-bit memory-interface width compared to the 670M's 192. This all amounts to at least double the performance in our graphics benchmarks. In our experiential gameplay tests, the GT60 ran Borderlands 2 maxed out at 1080p at around 100fps, proving that this rig should be able to cut through mainstream PC games like a hot knife through butter. Firing up Far Cry 3 for a beefier challenge, the GT60 wasn't able to max the game on the highest Ultra settings, but it did manage silky smooth frame rates in the 50s on Very High with AA turned off, which is very impressive for a laptop. In terms of performance, the refreshed GT60 is better than its predecessor in every way. We like the laptop a lot, but it still has some issues that prevent it from being completely Kick Ass. While it's not the most expensive notebook we've ever reviewed, it's certainly not cheap at $2,100. We also wish it were sleeker and dropped a few pounds so we could lug it around more easily. Still, if you're seeking great performance from a desktop replacement, this is one fine machine. $2,100, www.msi.com

September 2013: Dream Machine Posted: 17 Dec 2013 01:53 PM PST In the PDF archive of the September 2013 issue you can find Dream Machine 2013 Thumb Drive Toolkit Get your start back Asus Geforce GTX 770 review NZXT Kraken X60 review And more!

August 2013: Expert's Guide to PC Hardware Posted: 17 Dec 2013 01:52 PM PST In the PDF archive of the August 2013 issue you can find: Hardware Expert Guide Here Comes Haswell Kepler 2.0 Arrives Create a VPN Server Restore Your Files with DocShield And more!

Google Niantic's Reality MMO "Ingress" Leaves Beta, Now Open to Everyone Posted: 17 Dec 2013 01:17 PM PST Augmented reality meets MMO After more than a year in closed beta and amassing over 1 million downloads, Google's Niantic Labs just launched Ingress to the public. What is Ingress, you ask? It's a journey into alternate reality gaming, is one answer. Another answer is that it's a blending of augmented reality with MMO gaming for people with Android devices (iOS support will come later). It gets gamers outdoors in a sort of geo-caching expedition with real-life capture point control. At present, users can join one of two factions: Enlightened or Resistance. Scattered throughout the game are different color "Portals" to an alternate universe that you can see, discover, and capture with your mobile phone. Agents of the Enlightened want to know more about these Portals and embrace their power, while agents of the Resistance fear they're influencing the way we think (mind hacking) and want to defend and protect what's left of humanity. This is really just the tip of the iceberg. The game's back story is rather deep and involved, but short and to the point, the world around you is the game. It's a neat way to discover new places and landmarks, and best of all, it's free. If you want to give it a try, you can download Ingress from Google Play. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Mad Catz Treats Flight Sim Fans to Saitek X-55 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. Throttle and Stick Posted: 17 Dec 2013 12:07 PM PST A new peripheral for flight sim gamers It's hard to tell if flight sims will ever be as popular as they were back in the 1990s, but rest assured, if you're a fan of the genre, not all PC peripheral makers have forgotten about you. That's especially true of Mad Catz, which today announced that the Saitek X-55 Rhino H.O.T.A.S. (Hands On Throttle and Stick) will ship to consumers in early 2014 at an affordable price point. Mad Catz says the X-55 Rhino Hotas was designed to give flight sim enthusiasts the most realistic flight experience possible without breaking the bank. It's styled after modern fight jet control systems and built from the ground up to give gamers a wealth of customizable options. "Whether flying a modern fighter, single- or multi-engine aircraft, or even a retro single-seat plane, the X-55 Rhino supplies all the control surface options required to achieve the exact level of aerial performance aspiring pilots demand," Mad Catz says. "The X-55 Rhino features enhanced 16-bit hall-effect sensors in the axes, four swappable springs for the joystick so you can dial in your preferred stick tension, and twin lockable throttles with a friction adjustment knob that can be set on the fly." It connects via USB and is supported by Windows XP and higher. It looks pretty slick, and in addition to traditional flight sims, we could see this being a hit with the Oculus Rift. Other than saying it's supposed to be "affordable," Mad Catz didn't offer up any pricing specifics. You can, however, sign up to receive a notification when pre-orders will be accepted. Mad Catz says there will be a "very limited quantity available at launch." Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Netgear's Lawsuit Alleging Asus of False Advertising Can Proceed, Judge Says Posted: 17 Dec 2013 11:37 AM PST Netgear accuses Asus of Wi-Fi chicanery U.S. District Judge Susan Illston denied Asus' request to dismiss a lawsuit brought on by Netgear accusing the company of reporting misleading information related to the signal strength of its wireless routers, which if true would be in violation of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations. Asus' motion to dismiss was scheduled for a hearing, but Judge Illston denied the motion last Thursday. "Netgear can prove its claims by showing that defendants falsely advertised that their products met FCC standards, either by submitting falsified test results or by altering their wireless routers after testing," Judge Illston wrote, according to 360Law.com. "Proving these allegations does not risk undercutting the agency's expert judgments and authority because plaintiff's allegations do not implicate the FCC's determinations or require the court to interpret ambiguous FCC regulations." Netgear sued Asus back in July claiming that the output strength and other measurements that Asus supplied to the FCC in its filings were either falsified or otherwise fraudulent. Two routers are named in the suit -- the RT-N65U and RT-AC66U. Netgear believes Asus conspired with QuieTek Corporation, an independent testing laboratory, to submit false test results to the FCC as part of a plan to eliminate competition in the router space. As a result of allegedly having a signal strength higher than the FCC allows, Netgear says it was harmed by false representations that that led some to proclaim Asus' routers to be "more powerful than Netgear's competing products, and thus providing a broader reaching range and more stable wireless connection under certain circumstances," according to court documents. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Lian Li's PC-V358 Micro ATX Case Sports a Hinged Design Posted: 17 Dec 2013 09:40 AM PST Flips open for easy access Building a full-fledged PC inside the tight confines of a micro-ATX chassis can be challenging in and of itself due to the lack of elbow room, and once finished, you may never want to poke your head inside again. Should the need arise to upgrade or replace a component, however, Lian Li's PC-V358 mini tower chassis will at least make it easy to get back inside thanks to a hinged design that allows the top and side panels to swing open to the side. Once in there, you'll find two separate compartments. The top section holds the micro-ATX or mini-ITX motherboard (the case supports both), graphics card up to 330mm (12.9 inches) in length, and up to two 2.5-inch drives. Up to six 3.5-inch drives and a power supply reside in the bottom compartment. There's room inside for a 240mm radiator and/or all-in-one liquid cooling kit, which would get installed on the hinged bracket. Air cooling duties are handled by two front 120mm fans with dust filters and a rear 120mm fan to expel hot air. Lian Li says the PC-V358 will be available at the end of December at Newegg for $179 MSRP. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Google, HP Recall 145,000 Chromebook 11 Chargers Following Reports of Overheating Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:08 AM PST Chromebook 11 chargers pose a fire hazard If you recently scored an HP Chromebook 11, be aware that there's been a recall on the bundled charger with those devices. According to information obtained from the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Google and HP issued the recall after fielding complaints of chargers overheating and melting during use. Google has received nine reports to date, including one report of a small burn to a consumer and a report of a burnt pillow. The recall affects around 145,000 chargers that were sold with the HP Chromebook 11. They measure 1.75 inches by 0.75 inches, have 6-foot long cords, and a micro-USB connector at the end. The model number of affected units is MU15-N1052-A00S. "Consumers should stop using this product unless otherwise instructed," the recall notice reads. It also warns against attempting to resell the recalled charger, which is illegal. Instead, users with an affected charger should contact Google for a free replacement. You can get in touch with Google by calling 866-628-1371 between 5AM and 7PM PT, or by going to http://chromebook.com and navigating to the Support section. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: MSI Gaming N780 TF 3DG5/OC, Antec Nine Hundred Black Case, and More! Posted: 17 Dec 2013 06:23 AM PST Top Deal: Scores of eager Litecoin miners are gobbling up all the available AMD Radeon R9 Series graphics cards in hopes of generating a mountain of virtual currency, but don't worry, if it's a high-end graphics card for actual gaming you're after, there are plenty out there. One is the topic of today's top deal -- an MSI Gaming N780 TF 3GD5/OC GeForce GTX 780 for $490 with free shipping (normally $520; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). Using the included app, you can switch between three modes: OC, Gaming, and Silent. Other Deals: Western Digital WD Green WD30EZRX 3TB IntelliPower 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive - OEM for $110 with free shipping (normally $130; use coupon code: [EMCWVWV32]) G.Skill Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-16GSR for $128 with free shipping (normally $150; use coupon code: [EMCWVWV35]) Gigabyte GA-G1.Sniper A88X FM2+ / FM2 AMD A88X (Bolton D4) HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard for $100 with free shipping (normally $115 ) Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0 for $90 with free shipping (normally $130; use coupon code: [EMCWVWV37]; additional $25 Mail-in rebate)

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MMO Updates

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• Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons
• Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014
• Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical
• Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today
• Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus
• The Daily Grind: How do you relax in-game?
• Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon
• Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event
• Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test
• Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player
• The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft
• TUG gets a new website
• Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014'
• Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor
• Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay
• DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam
• Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video
• Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World
• MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order
• The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep
• The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta
• Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane

Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons Posted: 17 Dec 2013 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Galleries, Trailers, Video, New Titles, PvP There's a new online multiplayer Star Wars game coming to a computer near, near to you. Today, Disney Interactive announced that it's been working on Star Wars: Attack Squadrons, a space combat title for 2014. Star Wars: Attack Squadrons will put pilots into the cockpits of classic attack craft like the X-Wing and TIE Interceptor, fighting against each other in 16-player environments. Disney promised plenty of ships and iconic locations for the game. You can sign up for the beta that will start next year as well as check out screenshots and the announcement trailer below. Continue reading Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons Disney announces Star Wars: Attack Squadrons originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014 Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Hey LotRO -- no expansion for you! In a letter to players today, Lord of the Rings Online's Executive Producer Kate Paiz announced that the game would not have any expansions in 2014. That doesn't mean that the game won't have any additional content, however; instead of one big avalanche of content at once, the goal is to "focus on a steady flow of content throughout the year." The content that rolls in over the coming months will be free for VIP subscribers. Paiz continues on to ask for suggestions about inventory and festivals as well as touches on housing, noting that that particular conversation will be continued throughout the year. Lord of the Rings Online forgoes expansions in 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Producer's letter

Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical Posted: 17 Dec 2013 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, Endgame, Opinion, Guild Wars 2, Flameseeker Chronicles, Buy-to-Play While we're all exchanging our ugly knit goods for better presents, the official Guild Wars 2 forums are hard at work on the final collaborative development initiative thread of 2013. The topic revolves around horizontal and vertical progression in GW2, one of the more divisive issues frequently discussed by the playerbase. We're forever debating the merits of both styles of progression and trying to determine which of them has a place in the game. According to ArenaNet's Studio Design Director Chris Whiteside, there's room for both, and he'd like to get us brainstorming about how they can work for us. My brain is pretty stormy at the best of times, so grab an umbrella and let's talk progression. Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical Flameseeker Chronicles: We will control Guild Wars 2's horizontal and the vertical originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today Posted: 17 Dec 2013 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, New Titles, News Items, Free-to-Play, Mobile If the idea of jumping in and playing through a game as a traditional villain in Inferno Legend piques your interest, you'll be happy to know that the multi-platform game opens up its beta doors today to let everyone in. Built on the Unity 3-D engine, this game allows players to select from five races of devils and fight against the so-called "just" authority on PC, Android, and iOS. Other features include hundreds of pets (each with different skills and attributes), a player arena, random battles, an exploration system (that unlocks at level 30), and a "Miracle" system. If you need another incentive to check out Inferno Legend, Gamebox is giving players free gift codes for rewards such as rare skills, gold, and gems. Get a taste of the action in the open beta launch trailer below. [Source: Changyou press release] Continue reading Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today Fight for evil in Inferno Legend's open beta today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus Posted: 17 Dec 2013 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Podcasts, MMO Industry, News Items, Massively Meta, Massively Speaking, Miscellaneous We're starting to turn our gaze to 2014 with this episode of Massively Speaking, as Justin, Eliot, and Bree discuss a couple of alphas, a couple of betas, and a rather interesting launch date that will be sure to shape the year to come. Have a comment for the podcasters? Shoot an email to podcast@massively.com. We may just read your email on the air! Get the podcast: [RSS] Add Massively Speaking to your RSS aggregator. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly. [iTunes] Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. [Stitcher] Follow the podcast on Stitcher Radio. Listen here on the page: Read below the cut for the full show notes. Continue reading Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus Massively Speaking Episode 277: The naughty Nexus originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

The Daily Grind: How do you relax in-game? Posted: 17 Dec 2013 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Culture, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous It's no secret that I'm kind of big on roleplaying. So you might think that when I log in to Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft or whatever I'm playing on a given day that roleplaying is how I chill out... but you'd be wrong. Roleplaying is just as high-intensity for me as challenging content. How do I relax? Dailies. Repeatable quests. Just slowly working up to better gear or more money or otherwise zoning out and enjoying myself. Yes, it's all automatic and a little boring, but it's the equivalent of sitting in front of the television and spacing out. I'm not forced to think about it too much, and next thing I know it's time for something else and I've got a pile of money and stuff. Everyone has their own ways of relaxing. For some people, roleplaying is that way. Some people find high-level dungeon relaxing. Some people craft or just chat with others. So how do you relax in-game? What's your low-stress way of just derping around? 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: How do you relax in-game? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Dec 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon Posted: 16 Dec 2013 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Darkfall, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Patches, News Items, PvE, Sandbox, Dungeons, Subscription Aventurine has designed a new dungeon for Darkfall. It's called Sinspire Cathedral and it's "an epic dungeon in size, difficulty, as well as denizens," according to the company's latest dev blog. If your party manages to survive Sinspire's "dynamic door system" and make it to the grand finale, you'll encounter Sir Davosh the Damned, a "monster of the highest difficulty that uses many new and devastating custom skills." The dev blog offers further details on Sinspire as well as some blurbs about lore and general changes from Darkfall's latest patch. Aventurine details Darkfall's new Sinspire Cathedral dungeon originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Dev blog

Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic Looking for info about Star Wars: The Old Republic's Life Day seasonal event? Look no further than the latest BioWare dev blog. It's got all the details on the "tawdry and potentially dangerous" festivities that encourage "activities unbecoming of an Imperial citizen, including but not limited to dancing in inclement weather, singing unpatriotic carols, [and engaging in] non-violent physical contact with wookiees." Here's the skinny on SWTOR's Life Day seasonal event originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test Posted: 16 Dec 2013 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Video, EVE Online, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, Patches, PvP, News Items, PvE, Free-to-Play, Mobile, Casual, MMORTS, Dev Diaries, Not So Massively, Sandbox, MOBA, League of Legends, Diablo III, Crowdfunding, Star Citizen, Elite: Dangerous, Path of Exile If you've ever wanted an MMO that's part Homeworld and part EVE Online, check out upcoming single-shard MMORTS Novus AEterno. The game recently smashed its $75,000 US goal on Kickstarter and has managed to bypass Steam Greenlight to secure a Q1 2014 PC release. Previously kickstarted sci-fi sandbox Elite: Dangerous has now entered alpha testing with the release of an impressive-looking singleplayer combat test. League of Legends released a spotlight video on new champion Yasuo, who features an insane critical hit chance, a spammable knock-up ability, and a wind wall that blocks all projectiles and spells. Dota 2's annual Frostivus celebrations were taken over this year by the interesting new Wraith Night co-op horde game mode. SMITE developer Hi-Rez Studios offered to help players hit by YouTube's recent automated copyright sweep by providing written permission to use its game footage, and old character Kali got a complete revamp. Mobile MOBA Arena of Heroes is now officially out of beta with the release of its first version for the iPad. Diablo III's Reaper of Souls closed beta has now officially begun and test versions of the new loot system and paragon patch are now on the public test realm. And Path of Exile fans won't have long to wait for the big PvP update, as it should be starting after content update 1.0.4 on December 22nd. Continue reading Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test Not So Massively: Novus AEterno's kickstarter, LoL's Yasuo spotlight, and Elite's first alpha test originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player Posted: 16 Dec 2013 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Lord of the Rings Online, MMO Industry, Patches, Opinion, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Captain's Log, Guides One thing new MMO players will learn is that games that have levels inevitably also have a level cap, meaning that when a character reaches the highest level, there's not often much left to do other than to wait for a new expansion. This conundrum has left many developers trying to find ways to keep players in the game while they worked on new, larger content pushes. Many accomplish the task by creating repeatable quests or missions. Some games, Star Trek Online included, have integrated what are known as reputation systems into their games. Reputation systems are meant to keep players participating in repeatable content, allowing them to apply the currency received from that play to obtain select items and unique rewards. Continue reading Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's reputation systems for the new player originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft Posted: 16 Dec 2013 04:00 PM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Video, PvE, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Livestream, The Stream Team, Subscription, MMORPG If you want to take advantage of World of Warcraft's Looking for Raid tool, your first task should be replacing all of the junky quest gear you picked up as you adventured to level 90. Running heroic dungeons is the fastest way to up your gear score, and that's exactly what Massively's Mike Foster intends to do. Join him at 7:30 p.m. as he leaps into the random dungeon finder in the hopes of finding some shiny new healy drops. Game: World of Warcraft Host: Mike Foster Date: Monday, December 16, 2013 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft The Stream Team: Dungeon city in World of Warcraft originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

TUG gets a new website Posted: 16 Dec 2013 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Sandbox What's new in the world TUG? Why, that spiffy website over yonder, that's what! Nerd Kingdom has published a new and newbie-friendly destination designed to draw attention to the fantasy sandbox's unique feature set. The devs are still updating the project's Kickstarter page, though, so don't delete it from your bookmarks just yet. The latest news includes patch notes, a three-part dev interview, and the availability of a TUG newsletter. TUG gets a new website originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Announcement

Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014' Posted: 16 Dec 2013 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Expansions, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Trek Online, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries Star Trek Online fans, you've got a new expansion coming your way in 2014. So says the latest STO dev blog. The entry is basically a year-end recap, and it offers up plenty of thanks for making 2013 "the best year ever for STO." It also says that "your enthusiastic support has put another expansion on the schedule for late in 2014." Unfortunately there are no other details as of yet, but hey, feel free to give the whole thing a read via the links below. [Thanks Grand Nagus!] Star Trek Online getting another expansion 'late in 2014' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Dev blog

Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor Posted: 16 Dec 2013 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Subscription Let's assume that you're really, really awesome at Elder Scrolls Online when it launches next year. Let's assume -- and this is stretching a bit -- that you're the one who claws his or her way to the throne in Tamriel to become the emperor. And let's assume that you were just in it for the bling and not merely the promise of power and the admiration of your player subjects. If the planets align and this happens, then you'll have access to a suit of armor that will be truly unique in the game. ZeniMax showed concept art today for the emperor's armor that the big kahuna will be able to wear. According to the description, it is "armor that only the emperor can wear, intricately worked from the strongest materials and valuable beyond measure." Will it be yours? Elder Scrolls Online shows concept art of the emperor's armor originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Fit for the emperor

Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay Posted: 16 Dec 2013 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Video, Classes, PvP, News Items, PvE, Livestream, WildStar, Subscription, MMORPG Carbine Studios recently hosted an hour-long WildStar livestream dedicated to showing off the newly unveiled Engineer class. In the stream, developers Hugh Shelton and Stephan Frost answered a variety of questions about how the Engineer works both in and out of battle. The pair revealed that summoned bots will last until destroyed, that taunts from bots will affect players as well as NPCs, and that Engineers will have loose control over how bots move and react to targets. The full stream also includes a look at some PvP and dungeon content from the Engineer's perspective with commentary from the devs. Check it out after the break. Continue reading Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay Learn more about WildStar's Engineer with this livestream replay originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments YouTube

DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam Posted: 16 Dec 2013 01:30 PM PST Filed under: Betas, Horror, Trailers, Launches, MMOFPS, Buy-to-Play DayZ's "true blue" alpha launched on the Steam store today for $29.99. The release is part of Steam's early access program with a caveat posted that players should not purchase it unless they're OK with "serious issues and possible interruptions of game functioning." The launch was accompanied by a trailer which has since been pulled from the Steam store due to its graphic nature. Lead developer Dean Hall bemoaned the move on Twitter: "At the last minute, despite being told of the contents of my trailer for DayZ, Steam pulled my trailer due to censorship." The video is still on YouTube if you're curious, although be aware that it is NSFW and has a scene of a suicide. DayZ standalone releases alpha on Steam originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Gamebreaker, YouTubePolygon

Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video Posted: 16 Dec 2013 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Contests, Guild Wars 2, Subscription Stop pinching yourself in a futile effort to wake up from what you think is an absurd dream. The Guild Wars 2 marketing promotion to ask players to pledge their allegiance to the game actually happened. We know this because we now have video proof of the fact. ArenaNet released a complilation video of players filling in the blanks of their own oaths to play the game (in exchange for a shot at a free copy of it, it must be said). From the adorkable to the bizarre and the cows to the cheap flame effects, this video has it all. And best of all, you can watch it in the privacy of your home with no one to judge you after the break. Continue reading Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video Guild Wars 2 players pledge oath to game in video originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:30 PM PST Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Game Mechanics, Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory, Player-Generated Content, Buy-to-Play Do you use mods in The Secret World? This was a question I have actually asked friends and colleagues as the idea of corralling the best and most useful mods bounced around in my head for a while. The irony in that inquiry is that I, personally, do not use any addons for TSW; in fact, I tend not to use them for most any game. But I do hear people swear by them, so I thought finding the best ones used throughout the community would be a helpful service. And then I set the idea aside. You know how it is -- other things jump in the way or catch your attention screaming, "Look at me! Look at me!" So helpful mods have been on the back burner, bumped in favor of other more timely matters. And then suddenly it was the timely issue. You see, once I started trying to run scenarios, one of the mods that everyone keeps talking to me about suddenly became very relevant. (If you've ever tried to do a super-quick swap using the gear manager only to find that once you're in combat, one weapon didn't make the switch, leaving you without half of your skills, you can totally understand why). Once I started thinking about that, it led me to wondering about the other addons out there. And if I am wondering about them, chances are someone else is, too. So that makes now the perfect time to check out the various addpons that players use to make life smoother in TSW. Continue reading Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World Chaos Theory: A few useful mods for The Secret World originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order Posted: 16 Dec 2013 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, PvP, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, Post-Apocalyptic, MechWarrior Online MechWarrior Online's implementation of clan warfare is scheduled for Soon TM, and Piranha Games is celebrating by making clan mechs available for pre-order in the form of special bundles. Each bundle includes one or more clan mechs with variants, XP boosts, and other exclusive items. Piranha also unveiled the Gold Khan collection of mechs, which have gold skin and are priced to match at $500 each. Non-gold variants of the mechs will be available for in-game currency at a later date. According to the official collection website, pre-ordering ensures you receive the collection by June 17th. [Source: Piranha Games press release] MechWarrior Online's clan warfare bundles now available for pre-order originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep Posted: 16 Dec 2013 11:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest II, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team Last week's attempt to return to EverQuest II's Highkeep was, shall we say, less than successful? Right now, a mercenary just doesn't cut it in there, so Massively's MJ is returning to complete the instance with the help of a guildmate for this EverQuest Two-sday. The duo will dive back in today with brooms and swords in hand to clean up the mess those little green goblins keep making. Wait a minute, did we say EverQuest Two-sday? That's right -- and that's today! MJ used her magical mystical powers to swap days of the week, so Monday is the "new" Tuesday. Now, if only those magical powers would work on the bacon boss. Join us live at 2:00 p.m. EST to see how well her magical powers hold up against those filthy goblins and the giant pig. Game: EverQuest II Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Monday, December 16th, 2013 Time: 2:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Steam Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep The Stream Team: Return to EverQuest II's Highkeep originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta Posted: 16 Dec 2013 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Opinion, WildStar, The Nexus Telegraph, Subscription, Buy-to-Play As you probably saw last Thursday, the 1-15 beta experience in WildStar had its NDA lifted for us schlubs in the press, allowing us to chatter on quite a bit about the game. We've seen articles discussing the early levels, we've seen streams, and we've been treated to a surfeit of information on the game in its current beta state. I talked about all of that, and I want to talk about it some more because I am really excited about it. After playing the game through to 15, I've got a lot of stuff to look forward to as well as some definite criticisms. So above and beyond what I've already said, I want to talk some more about WildStar's beta. Continue reading The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta The Nexus Telegraph: Talking a bit about WildStar's beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane Posted: 16 Dec 2013 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Historical, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, Miscellaneous, Crowdfunding Maybe you're not quite the target market for Ever, Jane. You may not like the works of Jane Austen, for example; that would be a major deterrent. But according to project head Judy L. Tyrer, one of the major areas she wants to target is the women's market, which she feels is neglected by companies as a whole. She feels that one of the major failings of game companies is failing to realize how large the game market is for women. Tyrer goes into more depth about the game's mechanics, noting that what appealed to her as a designer was the rigid stratification of social classes in Austen's work. Social movement is a major element of the gameplay, with most of players' time devoted to attending balls and gossiping about one another. No word on endgame raids against Mister Darcy or whether or not wit will be seen as an overpowered stat. Women are a major marketing target for Ever, Jane originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Dec 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Edge Online

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