General Gaming Article

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• Asus Radeon R9 280X DC2 TOP Review
• Sony to Close 20 Retail Stores in the U.S.
• Gateway One ZX4970-UR22 Review
• Cooler Master V8 GTS Review
• IDC Expects Smartphone Growth to Slow to Single Digits by 2017
• Intel Launches 730 Series Solid State Drives for Enthusiasts
• AMD Demos Reference Tablet Running Windows 8.1 64-bit
• Razer Game Booster to Store Save Files to the Cloud With New Feature
• MakerBot Now Taking Orders for Replicator Mini 3D Printer
• Newegg Daily Deals: Cooler Master Nepton 280L Liquid Cooler, Acer 23-inch Monitor, and More!

Asus Radeon R9 280X DC2 TOP Review Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:46 PM PST The new 1080p king At any given time, we have one GPU in our inventory that holds the title of "loudest card in the office." The current title-holder is the PowerColor Radeon HD 7970 Vortex, which sounds like a jet engine. That's just how the Radeon 7970 GHz cards are; their boosted clock speeds drum up a lot of heat, making them much louder than their Nvidia counterparts. Given this pedigree, imagine our surprise when we fired up the Asus Radeon R9 280X, which rocks the exact same Tahiti XT chip used in the 7970 GE boards. As we leaned in close to our test bed expecting to hear that oh-so-familiar fan noise, we were greeted instead with a barely audible whirring sound. It's truly miraculous what AMD and Asus have done with this formerly unruly chip, making it whisper-quiet and also surprisingly affordable at $310, which is roughly half what it used to cost. The R9 280X is a heck of a lot more quiet and affordable than the original HD 7970 GE. Like the previous Asus boards we've reviewed, this is a DirectCU II card, so it has a fancy custom PCB, high-end components for improved stability, longevity, and overclocking, as well as a hulking two-slot cooler we've seen before (and loved). This is a 28nm Tahiti card, with 2,048 stream processors, a 384-bit-wide memory bus, and 3GB of GDDR5 memory. This card will be competing with the more expensive Nvidia GTX 770, which costs $400 as we went to press, with no indication that Nvidia will lower its price. Perhaps after reviews of this card appear, Nvidia will rethink that proposition. This is a TOP card, which means it's overclocked, but not by much at 1,070MHz, only 70MHz higher than stock. Asus also has a super-premium version of this card named the Matrix Platinum, which has a three-slot cooler and a much higher price tag. One interesting note is that, unlike the flagship R9 290X cards with their new dies that don't require a CrossFire bridge, this card still requires a bridge in multicard configs. Thankfully, Asus threw a bridge connector into the box along with a driver CD. The card measures 11 inches long and includes two DVI connectors, one HDMI, and one DisplayPort connector. When we ran the R9 280X through our gauntlet of PC benchmarks, two things immediately surprised us. The first was just how quiet the card was, as it is barely audible at any time, even under heavy load. The second was that it was trading blows with the GTX 770, which costs $90 more. Sure, the GK104 and Tahiti chips have always been comparable, so this is expected, we suppose, but given this card's low pricing (by comparison), it was hard to wrap our heads around the fact that it's punching above its weight class. It also handily spanked the $250 GTX 760, giving it the best price-to-performance ratio in its price segment. In the end, this is the go-to card for ultra settings at 1080p, no question. It smokes the more expensive GTX 770 and also spanks the GTX 760, as it should. If the performance delta isn't enough to sway you, there's word that the Never Settle Forever game bundle will be coming to the 200-series cards soon, too, making this card almost irresistible. The only fly in the ointment is the Asus GPU Tweak software, which looks and feels antiquated, and is difficult to examine at a glance. Thankfully, third-party options are available, making this only a minor blemish on an otherwise perfect GPU.  $310, www.asus.com

Sony to Close 20 Retail Stores in the U.S. Posted: 27 Feb 2014 01:45 PM PST Big changes are in store for Sony as part of a restructuring effort Sony this week announced plans to close down 20 retail stores scattered throughout the United States, which will leave the company with 11 stores in California, New York, Florida, and Texas. The closures are casualties of a restructuring effort intended to help Sony remain competitive in an "evolving consumer electronics market," the company said. Thousands of job cuts are also in Sony's future. The electronics maker expects the closures to result in about 1,000 job cuts. In addition, Sony previously said it would reduce its headcount by about 5,000 employees globally by the end of the calendar year. "While these moves were extremely tough, they were absolutely necessary to position us in the best possible place for future growth," said Mike Fasulo, President and COO of Sony Electronics. "I am entirely confident in our ability to turn the business around, in achieving our preferred future, and continue building on our flawless commitment to customer loyalty through the complete entertainment experience only Sony can offer." Earlier this month, Sony announced the sale of its Vaio PC division to Japan Industrial Partners Inc., a Japanese investment firm. The company also said it would spin its TV business into a wholly-owned subsidiary, as it puts more focus on mobile products like smartphones and tablets. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Gateway One ZX4970-UR22 Review Posted: 27 Feb 2014 12:29 PM PST A budget-friendly AiO for dad While we love powerful super-rigs that can cut through benchmarks like a hot knife through buttah, not everyone can afford an $8,000 PC. This is where a budget-friendly all-in-one computer such as the Gateway One ZX4970 comes into play. At a mere $530, it certainly presents an interesting value proposition, but is it actually a good deal or a waste of dough? A button allows you to toggle the light behind the Gateway logo on and off. Fancy! The first thing you'll notice about the ZX4970 is its 21.5-inch screen. It's not small, but it is dwarfed by most other AiOs on the market, which generally come in 23- and 27-inch form factors. Furthermore, the display's TN panel offers subpar viewing angles, besides being a bit dim. But where the ZX4970 really falls short is in its omission of a touchscreen, which is a shame given the presence of the touch-friendly Windows 8 OS. On the upside, we don't have much beef with the integrated 2.5-watt speakers beneath the monitor—they serve decent volume levels, though they obviously can't match a dedicated 2.1 setup. On the left side of the screen, the ZX4970 features two USB 3.0 ports, an SD card reader, and both a headphone and mic jack. To the right of the monitor is a button that lets you switch the AiO's HDMI port from in to out (or vice versa) and a DVD burner. The HDMI port itself resides behind the monitor, along with four USB 2.0 ports and an Ethernet jack. It's not an exorbitant amount of ports, but it covers most common needs. Cables can be routed through a cutout on the stand in the back. The stand allows you to bend the monitor back roughly 20 degrees, which could be useful for use from a standing position if not for the fact that the screen doesn't support touch and the included full-size keyboard and mouse are wired, so you're essentially tethered to your desk anyhow. If you're hoping to play the latest PC games or put the machine through heavy compute tasks, the ZX4970 is not for you. While the AiO features a respectably hefty (for this price, that is) 1TB hard drive, the rest of the ZX4970's parts are pretty bare-bones. The unit is running a dual-core Ivy Bridge–based Intel Pentium G2030 clocked at 3GHz, has 4GB of DDR3/1600, and lacks discrete graphics. Compared to our Asus ET2300 zero-point AiO, which features a quad-core processor, twice the amount of RAM, and a GeForce GT 630M GPU, Gateway's offering faced a whole lot of pain in our benchmarks. It performed roughly 20–30 percent slower in our ProShow Producer 5 and Stitch.Efx CPU tests, and was left in the dust in x264 HD 5.0 benchmark, which thrives on cores. Our ZP AiO is by no means a tank, but compared to Gateway's ZX4970, it was like an M4 Sherman facing off with a Volkswagen microbus full of hippies. And as far as graphics go, high-end integrated graphics are on the cusp of matching low-end mobile GPUs, but the ZX4970 uses a meager Pentium integrated-graphics solution, so it found itself roughly 60–70 percent slower than the ZP's GeForce GT 630M in both the STALKER: CoP and Metro 2033 benchmarks. In our real-world test, we booted Borderlands 2 and ran everything on low at 1366x768 resolution and got an average frame rate in the mid-teens. No, it's notß pretty for anything beyond casual gaming. While the ZX4970 is dang cheap, it's an unfortunate example of "you get what you pay for." It reminds us of the affordable eMachines of yesteryear, in AiO form. Although it may be a decent computer for Aunt Peg, for an enthusiast, we recommending spending a little more to build a much better desktop. $530, www.gateway.com

Cooler Master V8 GTS Review Posted: 27 Feb 2014 12:22 PM PST Not firing on all cylinders When it comes to keeping your CPU cool under pressure, it's hard to beat a closed-loop liquid cooler (CLC). They're on the expensive side, though, so there's still plenty of room at $50 and below for conventional air cooling. What, then, do we make of an air cooler with an MSRP of $100? It's gotta be pretty fancy to command that kind of scratch, and the Cooler Master V8 GTS sure seems like a contender. The fans have small embossed arrows to indicate airflow. As its name suggests, it's an update of the original V8, which used a single 120mm fan to cool four sets of radiator fins. That version is actually still compatible with recent CPU sockets, but it's rated for "only" 180 watts of heat dissipation. The GTS version ups the cap to 250 watts, with dual 140mm fans and a vapor chamber. But despite its bulk, it will still play nice with high-profile RAM sticks and large motherboard heatsinks, such as those on the Rampage IV Extreme in our test-bench machine. However, the fans are not designed to be removed, making installation a bit awkward. You know that things are not going to go swimmingly when the bundled items include a proprietary tool for tightening nuts. And sure enough, we had to pull the RAM, video card, and motherboard from the case to get enough clearance to crank this widget. This is also a four-way SLI motherboard, so the first slot is designed for the primary video card. But unfortunately, there was not enough space there to install it. We can just use a different slot in our test system, but you may run into trouble if you're already using your slots for other devices. You might let these hassles slide if the cooler had the class-leading performance to justify its quirks. Unfortunately, our testing demonstrated that the V8 GTS was good, but not $100 good. The Phanteks TC14PE cools a little more, costs less, and is quieter and a lot easier to install. Cooler Master's own Hyper 212 Evo air cooler edges out the GTS for nearly a third of the price, albeit at unacceptable noise levels (never mind the CLCs from NZXT and Corsair that cost about the same as the V8 GTS and considerably outperform it). The GTS's aesthetics may win over some converts, though. A silver-and-black theme rarely fails to deliver, and an overall shape evoking a V8 engine block is admittedly pretty nifty. The fans also sport several red LEDs, slotted in the top to make it look a bit like a Decepticon. More LEDs are tucked underneath, so they can't be seen directly but emit a spooky glow onto the motherboard. But that silvery look comes at a cost; the GTS's heat pipes and contact surface are aluminum instead of copper, which can make a difference when dealing with this much surface area; copper tends to transfer heat more quickly, but it's also heavier and more expensive. It's also disappointing that the fans will be tricky to replace if they break down, get damaged, or aren't beefy enough for your needs. They use a custom housing similar to a Noctua NF-P14, but with two screw holes removed. The V8 GTS isn't a complete indictment of performance air coolers, but we're wondering if that time isn't fast approaching. $100, www.coolermaster-usa.com

IDC Expects Smartphone Growth to Slow to Single Digits by 2017 Posted: 27 Feb 2014 10:20 AM PST Smartphone growth won't be explosive forever Hardware makers are in a mad rush to cash in on the mobile craze, including smartphones, which are hot ticket items right now. However, growth in the smartphone sector won't always be astronomical, as has mostly been the case up to this point. Instead, market research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) predicts that smartphone growth will drop to single-digit territory within the next few years. Based on IDC's research, worldwide smartphone shipments could dip to an 8.3 percent annual growth rate in 2017 and 6.2 percent in 2018. As it stands, smartphone volume in 2013 jumped past 1 billion units for the first time, representing a staggering 39.2 percent growth rate compared to 2012. As impressive as that is, 2014 will mark the beginning of slowed growth, IDC says. "In North America we see more than 200 million smartphones in active use, not to mention the number of feature phones still being used," said Ryan Reith, Program Director with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker. "2014 will be an enormous transition year for the smartphone market. Not only will growth decline more than ever before, but the driving forces behind smartphone adoption are changing. New markets for growth bring different rules to play by and 'premium' will not be a major factor in the regions driving overall market growth." Though smartphone demand might be changing, IDC doesn't see much changing in terms of platform choice. Throughout its forecast, IDC expects Android to remain on top with iOS remaining a clear No. 2, followed by Windows Phone and BlackBerry. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Intel Launches 730 Series Solid State Drives for Enthusiasts Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:45 AM PST Latest SSDs from Intel use a 3rd generation controller built in-house Intel on Thursday launched a new line of solid state drives built specifically for power users and enthusiasts. The new 730 Series enters the performance storage scene wielding 20nm MLC (multi-level cell) NAND flash memory chips and a third generation Intel controller rather than SandForce silicon as found on the company's 530 Series. According to Intel, the 730 Series was built with DNA extracted from the data center and tuned for gamers and other consumers that require speed and reliability. For now, the drives are available in 240GB and 480GB capacities. Both models boast sequential read and writes speeds of up to 550MB/s and 470MB/s, respectively, along with random 4K read performance of up to 89,000 IOPS and random 4K write performance of up to 74,000 IOPS. And while you can't adjust the controller's clock speed, Intel said it goosed the clocks from 400MHz to 600MHz and increased the NAND bus speeds from 83MHz to 100MHz. Beyond raw performance, these drives are built for the long haul. Intel backs the drives with a 5-year warranty and states they can withstand up to 70GB of writes per day, which makes them particularly attractive for content creators working with 4K video. The drives are also supposed to scale well in RAID 0 configurations. With two of these drives in a RAID 0 setup, 128K sequential writes jump to 960MB/s, and 128K sequential reads balloon to 1,073MB/s. Plop four drives in RAID 0, and performance can exceed 1,500MB/s, Intel says. Retail pricing for the drives has been set at $249 (240GB) and $489 (480GB). We have a couple of the 480GB models that we're currently testing. Stay tuned for performance benchmarks! Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

AMD Demos Reference Tablet Running Windows 8.1 64-bit Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:18 AM PST AMD looks to increase its presence in the tablet market It's not just Intel that wants to twist some tablet market share out of ARM's grip. AMD sees an opportunity to generate additional revenue as well. The Sunnyvale chip designer is currently showing off a reference tablet built around its 28nm Mullins chip, which is a quad-core part clocked at 1.2GHz. It's also running a 64-bit operating system -- Windows 8.1 with performance described as being "quite good." That's according to Fudzilla's Fuad Abazovic, who we suspect is reporting from Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. Quanta built the reference tablet for AMD, and it also sports 2GB of DDR3 RAM, a 60GB mSATA solid state drive, USB 3.0, mini DisplayPort, and a 10-inch Full HD 1080p (1920x1080) display. Some retail tablets based on AMD's reference design should be out by the middle of this year. In the meantime, there are a few AMD-based slates already on the market, such as MSI's W30, which is powered by an AMD A4 1200 APU built on a 28nm manufacturing process. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Razer Game Booster to Store Save Files to the Cloud With New Feature Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:05 AM PST You may never know the sorrow of losing a save file again Razer has announced its new Save Game Manager feature. The feature will be coming to its Razer Game Booster program and will allow users to save any title's save files. The new save feature, which will be in beta upon release, is compatible with any game that has local save files and will support backup services for over 2,000 titles. Users will also be able to manually add games to take advantage of this service to Dropbox.  In addition, Save Game Manager will sync as many save game files as the user might want, free of charge, and automatically backup a player's saves when they save their progress. However, save files are not the only things the new feature will store. Users' game settings will also be stored to Dropbox such as resolution and anti-aliasing multipliers.  For those unfamiliar with the Razer Game Booster, it is Razer's free program that helps to optimize system settings and enhance a video game's performance. It will turn off unnecessary processes and applications, catalog games, launch games using the application, and allow users to record in-game footage and take screenshots.  Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

MakerBot Now Taking Orders for Replicator Mini 3D Printer Posted: 27 Feb 2014 07:42 AM PST A compact 3D printer for $1,375 While 3D printing may have started out as a niche hobby, it's starting to turn into a popular pastime for creative types and even mainstream users who simply like the novelty of printing out their own tchotchkes. The category still has a long way to go before 3D printers truly become commonplace, but moving in that direction, MakerBot is selling its Replicator Mini, a compact 3D printer with a $1,375 price tag. That's expensive compared to traditional printers, but if you're serious about getting into 3D printing, it's one of the more affordable price tags around that isn't overly gimped or limited, and is actually the least expensive model MakerBot offers (other models range in price from $2,199 to $6,499). It's also a user-friendly unit, the company says. "Reflecting on the future of our products, I imagine a lot of them will look like the MakerBot Replicator Mini," said Bre Pettis (PDF), CEO of MakerBot. "We've been working hard for years to make 3D printing easy; now, with the MakerBot Replicator Mini, it is easy. We view the MakerBot Replicator Mini as a versatile and tidy 3D printer that can fit almost anywhere – up at the Space Station, at an elite institution, or in a preschool." The Replicator Mini is optimized for MakerBot PLA Filament, which is available in at least 17 "fun colors." It has an onboard camera, plug and play features, app and cloud enabled workflow, and Wi-Fi connectivity. In addition to making your own 3D creations, you can download ones that others have made -- there are hundreds of thousands of free, predesigned and ready-to-print models on Thingiverse. If you're interested, you can place your order on MakerBot's website.

Newegg Daily Deals: Cooler Master Nepton 280L Liquid Cooler, Acer 23-inch Monitor, and More! Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:36 AM PST Top Deal: Thinking about water cooling? There's a lot of research and planning that goes into piecing together a custom solution, or you can roll with a maintenance-free all-in-one kit. Lots of them exist, including one that's part of today' top deal -- a Cooler Master Nepton 280L All-in-One CPU Liquid Cooling System for $120 with free shipping (normally $140; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). This cooler has a 280mm radiator, two JetFlo fans, and an illuminated waterblock. Other Deals: Acer 23-inch 5m HDMI Widescreen LED Backligh LCD Monitor for $140 with free shipping (normally $150 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZT5783]) EVGA GeForce GTX 770 4GB 256-Bit Video Card for $400 with free shipping (normally $420; additional $20 Mail-in rebate and Free Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag ) Rosewill Blackhawk Blue Edition Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case for $80 with free shipping (normally $90 - use coupon code: [SUPSALE043]) Intel Core i5-3350P Ivy Bridge 3.1GHz (3.3GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 69W Quad-Core Desktop Processor for $170 with free shipping (normally $180 - use coupon code: [EMCPHHE46])

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MMO Updates

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• Grab your rod and reel: It's open season in World Tour Fishing's open beta
• Save your Age of Wushu valuables in new Item Locker
• Bring out your dead with Black Gold Online's necromantic Conjurer class
• World of Tanks trailer heralds new dev diary series highlighting fundamental improvements
• Infinite Crisis hits open beta on March 14
• The Daily Grind: Have you lost track of an MMO only to rediscover it later?
• The Stream Team: Hitting the SWTOR endgame
• New Dungeons & Dragons Online video interviews Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood
• Diablo III's Loot 2.0 patch tweaks difficulty, drops, and more
• The Stream Team: A fond farewell in Guild Wars 2
• World of Warplanes logo recreated by skydivers because, well, why not
• Entropia Universe adds Arabian planet
• Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online class?
• Watch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game
• Free for All: Villagers and Heroes adds bells, whistles, and more sand
• The Stream Team: CMA Live's last ride into EverQuest tours housing
• Guild Wars 2 NPC inspires player with multiple sclerosis
• World of Warcraft aims to restructure currencies in Warlords of Draenor
• WildStar's interface: Then and now
• The Elder Scrolls Online explores the creation of its music
• Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog, part 2

Grab your rod and reel: It's open season in World Tour Fishing's open beta Posted: 27 Feb 2014 09:00 AM PST Filed under: Real-Life, Trailers, Video, Events (In-Game), MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items Why chance seasickness and sunburn while trying to haul in the biggest catch from the world's open waters when you can kick back in your chair and fish from the comfort of your own computer? World Tour Fishing invites players to hop on board and experience the thrill of nabbing a prize catch in its open beta that started today. Of course, there's sure to be plenty of opportunities for some impressive the-one-that-got-away stories as well. Try your hand at various open beta events, like synchronized fishing and hide and seek. Intrigued? If you haven't seen it before, settle back and let World Tour Fishing's original CG trailer below reel you in! [Thanks to Snap for the tip!] Continue reading Grab your rod and reel: It's open season in World Tour Fishing's open beta Grab your rod and reel: It's open season in World Tour Fishing's open beta originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Open beta begins

Save your Age of Wushu valuables in new Item Locker Posted: 27 Feb 2014 08:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, PvP, News Items, Sandbox, Age of Wushu Worried more about the cutpurses than the cutthroats in Age of Wushu? Then Snail Games has something to put your mind at ease: the Item Locker. Players now have a way to secure a certain number of valuables on their person so that they can't be lost or stolen during the course of gameplay. This Item Locker, accessible via the backpack, holds up to five items for free for non-Jianghu VIP players and 15 for the VIPs. Additional slots can also be purchased for 10 silver taels each. Items protected within the locker can still be equipped and used, but they cannot be traded, deleted, sold, or disassembled until the two-day cooldown timer expires. [Source: Snail Games press release] Save your Age of Wushu valuables in new Item Locker originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Bring out your dead with Black Gold Online's necromantic Conjurer class Posted: 27 Feb 2014 07:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Classes, News Items, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Steampunk, Black Gold Black Gold Online's steampunk faction just got a new mage -- one who mixes dark magic with steam technology. Called the Conjurer, this class provides long-ranged DPS and crowd control using necromancy that brings reanimated cadavers to the battle field. These scepter- or staff-wielding magicians can also summon demons and rip the souls out of their foes. Unlike the controversial Occultist class, Conjurers can be any gender; they are, however, limited to only the Buvont and Lokemean races. And although they wear medium armor, they are the quintessential glass cannons that cannot endure sustained solo battles. For a look at the new class, check out the four new images in the gallery below. [Source: Snail Games USA press release] Bring out your dead with Black Gold Online's necromantic Conjurer class originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Tanks trailer heralds new dev diary series highlighting fundamental improvements Posted: 27 Feb 2014 07:00 AM PST Filed under: Historical, Trailers, Video, Patches, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, World of Tanks, Dev Diaries, MOBA "It will be a truly transformative year for [World of Tanks]." -- Mike Zhivets, producer. If you are a WoT fan, get ready for a big year: 2014 is slated to bring fundamental improvements to the game. With the release of today's trailer, Wargaming has announced a new series of developer diaries that will reveal the plans for major changes coming throughout the year. Of these changes, Zhivets said: "Enhancements planned for 2014 touch upon the very core of World of Tanks, and each of them will overhaul the look and feel of the title, inducing the tank combat experience we deliver with a whole new level of realism and immersion." These plans include technical enhancements (such as a highly responsive gaming environment, dynamic suspension, blown-off turrets, and damageable small parts), a graphics renderer revamp (that adds more realistic details to vehicles), and a new meta game functionality (Fortified Areas). Additionally, the oft-requested Historical Battles will make an appearance. Each new feature will be described in detail in a dev diary series throughout the year. But to get a taste of what's coming, watch the introductory trailer below. [Source: Wargaming press release] Continue reading World of Tanks trailer heralds new dev diary series highlighting fundamental improvements World of Tanks trailer heralds new dev diary series highlighting fundamental improvements originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Infinite Crisis hits open beta on March 14 Posted: 27 Feb 2014 06:00 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Super-hero, New Titles, MOBA, Infinite Crisis Turbine has announced that its Infinite Crisis MOBA will launch its open beta on March 14. Former Lord of the Rings Online and current Infinite Crisis executive producer, Jeffrey Steefel, commented on the game's growth since closed beta began: "We now have three maps, three modes, a huge amount of different ways you can play the game. Twenty-seven characters and, in fact, we are adding a new character every three weeks." The game is said to include new costumes for each character, a digital comic, and action figures in the near future. Infinite Crisis hits open beta on March 14 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Joystiq

The Daily Grind: Have you lost track of an MMO only to rediscover it later? Posted: 27 Feb 2014 05:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Historical, Pirates of the Burning Sea, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, The Daily Grind Last night I started thinking about Pirates of the Burning Sea. I don't know why. It's a bit odd, actually. Anyhow, you might remember PotBS as a piratey SOE title set in the age of sail and featuring some pretty awesome ship-to-ship combat. If you're really hardcore you might remember the game's pre-SOE days or even its 2008 launch under the Flying Lab Software banner. In any case, I lost track of the game completely and didn't even realize that it was still operating. So right now I'm downloading the client via the Portalus website and digging through old screenshot folders, just because. Oh, and there's a Daily Grind question buried somewhere amidst my ramblings. Ah, here it is. Have you ever lost track of an MMO only to rediscover it later? 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: Have you lost track of an MMO only to rediscover it later? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Feb 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: Hitting the SWTOR endgame Posted: 26 Feb 2014 06:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Guilds, Endgame, PvE, Free-to-Play, Hands-On, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Livestream, Dungeons, The Stream Team, MMORPG Endgame can be trying; a well-coordinated group can be hard to keep together. The guild Nefarious Intent isn't without these struggles. However, the members have come to the understanding that in order to remain progressive, they have to remain fluid. Join Massively's Larry Everett at 9:00 p.m. EST as he and his guild mix it up in the Star Wars: The Old Republic endgame. Game: Star Wars: The Old Republic Host: Larry Everett Date: Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 Time: 9:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Hitting the SWTOR endgame The Stream Team: Hitting the SWTOR endgame originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Dungeons & Dragons Online video interviews Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood Posted: 26 Feb 2014 05:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Dungeons and Dragons Online, News Items, Free-to-Play Earlier this month, Turbine announced that it would be partnering with Ed Greenwood, creator of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting for the Dungeons and Dragons pen-and-paper game, to bring his classic module Haunted Halls of the Eveningstar into the world of Dungeons and Dragons Online. Today, Turbine released a new video wherein Community Specialist Jerry Snook sits down with Greenwood himself to discuss the process of bringing his beloved tabletop adventure into the digital realm of DDO. During the interview, Greenwood details the obvious challenges of translating an adventure written for the pen-and-paper game, wherein players have nearly limitless ways of interacting with the world, to its MMORPG incarnation, which is decidedly more limited in its possibilities. Greenwood also speaks a bit about the content that was cut from the original pen-and-paper module, originally written as an entire campaign before being whittled down to a single dungeon, and how the digital remake gave him the opportunity to work in some of that lost material. It's certainly worth a watch, if only to hear a Dungeons and Dragons legend's thoughts on his time in the business and the future of D&D in the digital space. New Dungeons & Dragons Online video interviews Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Dungeons and Dragons Online official YouTube

Diablo III's Loot 2.0 patch tweaks difficulty, drops, and more Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, News Items, PvE, Diablo III, Buy-to-Play Blizzard unleashed its Loot 2.0 patch on Diablo III denizens today. Joystiq reports on a "heavy reworking" of the fantasy dungeon crawler's loot system as well as the addition of "Smart Drop" functionality that increases the likelihood of useful class-specific baubles. DIII's difficulty has also been overhauled, with a dynamic system standing in for the previous Nightmare, Hell, and Inferno challenge levels. There are more changes, too, including social functionality and of course plenty of character and mob tweaks. Diablo III's Loot 2.0 patch tweaks difficulty, drops, and more originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch notes Via: Joystiq

The Stream Team: A fond farewell in Guild Wars 2 Posted: 26 Feb 2014 04:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, PvE, Guild Wars 2, Massively Meta, Hands-On, Livestream, The Stream Team, MMORPG, Buy-to-Play Guild Wars 2 is a beautiful game, and Massively's Mike Foster can think of no better place to spend his last Stream Team broadcast than in the hills of Tyria. Tune in and watch tonight as he swings his sword through Guild Wars 2's open world, or log in and guest on the Blackgate server to join him on his final Massively adventure. The action begins at 7:00 p.m. EST. Game: Guild Wars 2 Host: Mike Foster Date: Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 Time: 7:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: A fond farewell in Guild Wars 2 The Stream Team: A fond farewell in Guild Wars 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of Warplanes logo recreated by skydivers because, well, why not Posted: 26 Feb 2014 03:30 PM PST Filed under: Historical, Real-Life, Video, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items, War, Free-to-Play, World of Warplanes What do you do when you're an outrageously successful online gaming company with more money than you could spend in a lifetime? Well, first you donate some of it to the Jef Needs to Replace the Siding on His House Kickstarter project. After that, you hire a team of crazy Russian skydivers to form your game's logo in the midst of a mid-winter freefall. World of Tanks and World of Warplanes development firm Wargaming.net did just that, and you can see the results in the video after the cut. [Source: Wargaming.net press release] Continue reading World of Warplanes logo recreated by skydivers because, well, why not World of Warplanes logo recreated by skydivers because, well, why not originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Entropia Universe adds Arabian planet Posted: 26 Feb 2014 03:00 PM PST Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Free-to-Play, Sandbox According to scientists, Entropia Universe continues to expand, not contract. The MMO had added a new planet to its galaxy, Toulan. Planet Toulan draws from Arabian mythology and culture for its makeup, boasting deserts, swamps, mountains, and a post-apocalyptic setting. Players can land on Toulan (which means "extremely mystical and captivating" in Arabic) to colonize and rebuild the ravage landscape. Toulan was designed by Jordan's Beladcom in cooperation with Entropia Unvierse AB. Beldacom's General Manager Talal Asfoura lauded the virtual planet's launch: "Created by a Jordanian team, Planet Toulan marks a milestone of achievement in the emerging Arabic gaming industry. We've taken the mythology we grew up, mixed in new ideas from science fiction, and can now share it with the world." [Source: Entropia Universe AB press release] Entropia Universe adds Arabian planet originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online class? Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:30 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Classes, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, Opinion, Leaderboard, The Elder Scrolls Online, Subscription Last week we asked you about your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction. This week, we'll keep our focus on ZeniMax's forthcoming fantasy MMO, but we'll cover the game's classes instead. ZeniMax has shown off ESO's extensive skill-based customization options, of course, but players will need to pick a base class at character creation that will open up three skill lines and allow for building a unique character around a theme. Whether you're partial to Dragon Knights, Templars, Nightblades, or Sorcerers, we want to know, so vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard! Continue reading Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online class? Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online class? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Watch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game Posted: 26 Feb 2014 02:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Patches, Previews, PvP, Free-to-Play, Dev Diaries, Neverwinter It's no surprise that big PvP changes are coming to Neverwinter soon, and Cryptic Executive Producer Rob Overmeyer has a state of the game video to help sum up what's going down in this action MMO. Coming "early 2014," the PvP update will contain stat changes, a new stat called Tenacity, crowd control tweaks, and new armor sets. But as they say, seeing is believing, so check out the overview by Overmeyer after the break. Continue reading Watch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game Watch Neverwinter's PvP state of the game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PvP state of the game

Free for All: Villagers and Heroes adds bells, whistles, and more sand Posted: 26 Feb 2014 01:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Interviews, Patches, Previews, Endgame, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Browser, Hands-On, Casual, Humor, Free for All, Family, Livestream, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Dungeons, Crafting, Housing Villagers and Heroes is a favorite of mine, but let's be honest: The game looks old. When talking to Damon Slye, President of Mad Otter Games, I found that many people agree. According to Slye, it's one of the most frequent concerns he hears from potential new players. The engine that the game currently uses is old and needs to be upgraded big time. And that's just what the developers are doing with this large patch and expansion that should be due in early March. I sat down with Slye, Associate Designer Cameron England, Head Writer Sarah Skibinski, and Head Artist Adam Alexander to discuss just how different the game will be once the patch goes live. I was given access to a test account loaded up on gear, cash, and other goodies. Even though I found my backpacks full, I mainly wanted to look around the game and explore. Fortunately, the difference between the original client and the new one is literally night and day. Continue reading Free for All: Villagers and Heroes adds bells, whistles, and more sand Free for All: Villagers and Heroes adds bells, whistles, and more sand originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Stream Team: CMA Live's last ride into EverQuest tours housing Posted: 26 Feb 2014 12:00 PM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, EverQuest, Free-to-Play, Livestream, Housing, The Stream Team EverQuest's Choose My Adventure run is coming to a close, but not before we have one last CMA Live! Massively's MJ was instructed to check out the game's housing system and she did just that. Now you can come in and check it out with her. Join us live at 3:00 p.m. for a tour a few houses and to give her some decorating tips for her own little abode during the fourth and final episode of CMA Live! Game: EverQuest Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 Time: 3:00 p.m. EST Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: CMA Live's last ride into EverQuest tours housing The Stream Team: CMA Live's last ride into EverQuest tours housing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Guild Wars 2 NPC inspires player with multiple sclerosis Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Culture, Guild Wars 2, Buy-to-Play A disabled non-player character in Guild Wars 2 has made a profound impact on a real-life player who shares similar traits. Player Christina put a post on the GW2 forums stating that she has multiple sclerosis and was "overjoyed" when she found a fictional game counterpart in a young Asura named Taimi. "The friend I was playing with pointed her out, and I think I shrieked loud enough to wake the dead," she enthused. Taimi has a degenerative disease that prevents her from walking far and requires her to use a golem to help her get around. She was introduced in a recent living story update and hangs out at the Vigil Keep. At least for Christina, Taimi has inspired her through the NPC's character and place in the story: "I don't know where you're going with Taimi. But honestly I don't care. Because now, in Tyria, I can imagine having a giant golem cart me around when I can't feel my legs or when they hurt too badly to walk. Now when I get derisive or pitying looks, I can take a minute to imagine I'm sitting on a golem's shoulder like a complete kitten. So thank you for thinking of people like me. Thank you for thinking about how someone with a disability might get along in your world. And thank you for making her awesome." Guild Wars 2 NPC inspires player with multiple sclerosis originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: To Taimi's creators

World of Warcraft aims to restructure currencies in Warlords of Draenor Posted: 26 Feb 2014 11:00 AM PST Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, Endgame, News Items, Subscription World of Warcraft has been running for a decade, and that means a lot of changes have taken place over the years. One of those changes was the addition of the special currencies like Justice and Valor points, designed to ensure that bad luck on raiding loot drops doesn't lock people out of getting upgrades. But according to lead encounter designer Ion Hazzikostas, this system may well be on the chopping block when Warlords of Draenor comes around. Hazzikostas explains that the bonus roll system can be expanded and refined to ensure that players wind up with appropriate loot from encounters, replacing the current currency system altogether. The developers are also hoping to simplify the game's PvP currencies, giving players fewer things to keep track of while providing a more organic system of rewards. While nothing has been finalized yet, it's a fair bet that by the time the expansion comes out, you'll have fewer currencies to track on your character sheet. World of Warcraft aims to restructure currencies in Warlords of Draenor originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: PCGamesN Via: WoW Insider

WildStar's interface: Then and now Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:30 AM PST Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, Previews, News Items, WildStar, Subscription, Buy-to-Play You can argue that in a game that allows for free modification of the user interface, it's less important that you get the whole thing right out of the gate. But with a game as action-oriented as WildStar, a comfortable default interface is going to play a big role in how the game feels to new players. The game's latest development blog shows off the game's old UI from earlier beta tests as well as the newest iteration, with the latter incorporating a great deal of tester feedback to make the whole thing better. The revised UI takes up less crucial space in the center of the screen, also known as "the space where players are watching for telegraphs." Core actions are more central and easily accessible, while additional bars are positioned along the sides. The new UI also does a better job of displaying the health and resources of the player at a glance. If you've played the game but aren't terribly fond of its default interface, you may want to glance at the development diary and see if the redone setup is more to your liking. WildStar's interface: Then and now originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: WildStar UI 2.0 Preview

The Elder Scrolls Online explores the creation of its music Posted: 26 Feb 2014 10:00 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Previews, News Items, Consoles, The Elder Scrolls Online, Music, Subscription Music plays a major role in setting the mood of any game. Sure, it might not be what makes or breaks The Elder Scrolls Online, but it would be difficult to get into the feel of epic adventure if the game's soundtrack were played entirely on harmonicas and vuvuzuelas. The latest development blog on the official site explains how the game's music was developed, how it was recorded, and what you can expect from the experience. Brad Derrick and Rik Schaffer handled the composition of the in-game score, experimenting with a variety of different methods for delivering the songs. At one point the game featured a system that changed the soundtrack measure by measure based on context cues, but that proved unworkable in the long run; instead, the music shifts to a variety of pieces depending on gameplay, weather, and the like, with unifying themes in each environment. Click on past the break for a sample of the orchestral recording, as well as one of the bardic songs performed by the singer Malukah. Continue reading The Elder Scrolls Online explores the creation of its music The Elder Scrolls Online explores the creation of its music originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Creating ESO: Music

Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog, part 2 Posted: 26 Feb 2014 09:30 AM PST Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Dev Diaries, Sandbox, Camelot Unchained Monday, we brought you the first installment of an exclusive three-part series about Camelot Unchained's armor development. Today, City State Entertainment co-founder Mark Jacobs and Lead Artist and Animator Scott Trolan continue the discussion by introducing the looks of two more races. Where part one delved into the details of the Vikings, part two focuses on the Tuatha Dé Danann and the Arthurians. These two groups have very different approaches to armor and distinct looks, as seen in the included images by Lead Concept Artist Michelle Davies and Concept Artist and Animator Sandra Pavulaan. Read up on the ideas behind the art and see the sketches in part two of the CU armor dev blog series. Continue reading Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog, part 2 Massively Exclusive: Camelot Unchained armor dev blog, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Feb 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

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