General Gaming Article

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• Microsoft Adds a Lower Cost 'Personal' Subscription Option to Office 365
• Microsoft Reportedly Testing Free Windows Phone Licenses in India
• Nvidia Details Legacy Support Plans for DirectX 10 Generation Graphics Cards
• Amazon to Hike Price of Prime Membership to $99, Old Rate in Play for a Week
• You Haven't Lost Your Marbles, Google Search Results DO Look Different
• Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair HX Series 650W PSU, Seagate Barracuda 2TB, and More!

Microsoft Adds a Lower Cost 'Personal' Subscription Option to Office 365 Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:50 AM PDT A cheaper subscription plan for individuals If you only plan to access Microsoft's cloud-based Office 365 suite from a single PC, then you might feel like you're overpaying for a subscription that includes access on up to five different PCs. To address that, Microsoft today announced that it's adding an Office 365 Personal subscription plan for individuals. The plan runs $7 per month or $70 per year if billed annually and allows users to connect one PC or Mac and one tablet. "We recognize that there are households of all shapes and sizes and we're committed to delivering the right Office for everyone -- whether that be one person or an entire household," Microsoft stated in a blog post. Microsoft will continue to offer its Office 365 Home Premium subscription plan for households, it's just getting a name change to Office 365 Home. Pricing will remain the same -- $100 per year (or $10 per month if billed monthly), which allows you to access on up to five PCs or Macs and five tablets. Both plans come with 60 minutes of Skype calling per month and 20GB of additional OneDrive storage. The Personal plan will be rolled out sometime this Spring. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Microsoft Reportedly Testing Free Windows Phone Licenses in India Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:15 AM PDT At least two handset makers are said to have free access to Windows Phone licenses While various bean counters may disagree on the exact numbers, all of them have Android and iOS dominating the smartphone market. Microsoft would like nothing more than for its Windows Phone platform to at least be in the hunt, though as it stands, Windows Phone and BlackBerry are in a dogfight for a distance third place finish behind the big two. That being the case, Microsoft is reportedly offering free Windows Phone licenses to select handset makers. According to The Times of India, Microsoft has waived the Windows Phone license fee to two phone makers in India -- Lava and Karbonn. These companies already offer Android phones, and Microsoft hopes that by removing the Windows Phone license fee, they'll be able to offer some intriguing and affordable WP handsets as well. One thing that's interesting about the deals reportedly being doled out by Microsoft is that they trump even what the software maker was willing to offer Nokia, which itself is believed to have paid between $20 to $30 for each Lumia device it sold. "For our planned Windows Phone handsets, we are not paying Microsoft a license fee. The company is obviously exploring new models for Windows Phone. It must have realized that the older model where it licensed the OS did not work out well, even with Nokia's support," a senior executive with an Indian phone company told The Times of India. Another senior executive said it would be easier to experiment with Windows Phone devices once the license fee is removed from the equation. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Nvidia Details Legacy Support Plans for DirectX 10 Generation Graphics Cards Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:44 AM PDT It's time to think about upgrading that GeForce 9800 GTX card Just as Microsoft is getting ready to end support for Windows XP next month, Nvidia also has an end in sight for its own legacy products, though it's not coming up quite as quickly. When Nvidia gets around to releasing its GeForce 343 drivers, support will officially end for all DirectX 10 generation graphics cards, freeing the GPU maker to focus soley on Fermi, Kepler, and Maxwell products. This doesn't mean you have to rush out and buy a new graphics card, as Nvidia will continue to support your old hardware up through its upcoming GeForce 340 drivers. However, that will be the end of the line for such products. "The Release 340 drivers will continue to support these products until April 1, 2016, and the Nvidia support team will continue to address driver issues for these products in driver branches up to and including Release 340. However, future driver enhancements and optimizations in driver releases after Release 340 will not support these products," Nvidia states on a new support page. Lots of GPUs will be affected by this, including all GeForce 8 and 9 Series desktop parts, and GeForce 7, 8, and 9 Series notebook GPUs, to name just a few. This also affects Nvidia's professional line, such as the Quadro FX 5800 and others. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Amazon to Hike Price of Prime Membership to $99, Old Rate in Play for a Week Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:15 AM PDT The cost of an Amazon Prime membership is going up in 7 days Amazon has been sending out emails to its Prime members to let them know that when it comes time to renew, they'll be charged a higher rate. Specifically, Amazon Prime will soon cost $99 for a year, a $20 jump over the previous price. Students will still receive a discount, though the price of a Prime membership will go up for them as well -- the new price is $49 per year, up $10 over the old price (the first 6 months is still free for new Student members). If you plan on getting an Amazon Prime membership, you can still lock in one of the old rates for a year if you sign up within the next 7 days. In addition, you get a 30-day free trial. Why the change? Amazon points out that its Prime membership costs the same as it did nine years ago. During that time, fuel and transportation costs have gone up, and Amazon has also added unlimited access to its Prime Instant Video service as part of its Prime membership. If you're unfamiliar with Amazon Prime, members receive free two-day shipping on over 20 million qualifying items, unlimited instant streaming of 40,000 movies and TV episodes, and can borrow from over 500,000 Kindle titles. At $99 per year, users are essentially paying $8.25 per month (billed annually). Image Credit: Flickr (Silus Grok) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

You Haven't Lost Your Marbles, Google Search Results DO Look Different Posted: 13 Mar 2014 08:04 AM PDT Google changed its search page fonts Google should have taken a page from The Outer Limits and told anyone with an Internet connection, "There is nothing wrong with your monitor. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are controlling the transmission. If we wish to change the font, we will change the font." And that's exactly what Google did -- the sultan of search changed its search page fonts, in part to accommodate an easier way of identifying ad-supported links. The good news is, you're not crazy, things definitely look different and it's not because your cat walked across your keyboard and changed some obscure setting, so stop pulling your hair out trying to find it. If you don't like the new look, the bad news is, once again, it's not a setting on your end, so you're mostly stuck with the new look. According to The Washington Post, not all users are seeing the new look just yet, though it's likely they will soon. It's part of an ongoing effort by Google to make its search results appear simpler and more unified on mobile devices. Google's senior vice president of search gave us all a heads up in a blog post last year. In addition to a bigger font size, Google now identifies ad-supported links with a yellow box that says "Ad" underneath a search link. Previously, these links sat on top of a lightly shaded background. Are you seeing the new look? If so, what do you think about the redesign? Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Corsair HX Series 650W PSU, Seagate Barracuda 2TB, and More! Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:16 AM PDT Top Deal: A certain brand of cereal isn't the only thing that can go snap, crackle, and pop -- so can a cheap power supply. We've seen it happen, and it isn't pretty. You can lessen the chance of that happening by investing in a quality PSU. Such is the topic of today's top deal -- a Corsair HX Series HX650 650W Modular Power Supply for $80 with free shipping (normally $110 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZT5876]; additional $20 mail-in-rebate). This is an 80 Plus Gold certified model with a single +12V rail delivering 54A and two 6+2 pin PCI-E connectors. Other Deals: WD My Passport Ultra 2TB USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive for $110 with free shipping (normally $120 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZT5875]) Seagate Barracud 2TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5-inch Internal Hard Drive for $80 with free shipping (normally $90 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZT5868]) Adata XPG V2 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 Desktop Memory for $69 with free shipping Hanns-G Black 26-inch 5ms Widescreen LED Backlight LCD Monitor for $170 with free shipping (normally $180 - use coupon code: [EMCYTZT5874])

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MMO Updates

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• Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event
• Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion
• CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation
• RIFT's got a new conquest map
• The Daily Grind: How would an Assassin's Creed MMO work?
• Ambitious sandbox MyDream launches Kickstarter today
• Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014
• Play EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East
• Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live
• The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities
• Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge?
• Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone
• Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection
• Neverwinter's Icewind Dale PvP factions detailed
• EVE Online: Rubicon 1.3 patch turns on the lights
• Firefall patch takes us to the kingdom of the Crystal Skull Pirates
• ArcheAge Russia is blocking non-Russian IPs [Updated]
• Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat'
• Former Free Realms lead reflects on the best and worst practices in F2P

Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event Posted: 13 Mar 2014 10:00 AM PDT Filed under: Horror, Real-Life, Events (In-Game), Opinion, The Secret World, Guides, Chaos Theory, Buy-to-Play When The Secret World puts on a long-term event, it certainly doesn't skimp on the long part! The Whispering Tide commenced way back in September 2013 and just last month moved into the final phase. During that time, players have unlocked portals, collected lore, and fought the Filth, all with the ultimate goal of opening Tokyo at the end. And while the time of Issue #9 is is almost at hand, it isn't yet here. The best way to hurry it along is to see this event through to completion and eradicate the Filth in this final stage. If you've missed any of the preceding phases, now is the perfect time to jump in and add your efforts to the cause -- not just for speeding up the release of Tokyo but for collecting all the loot and goodies for yourself as well! With this phase players have the chance to rake in all the slivers and fragments needed to purchase the available event loot (sadly, the past lore pieces are one thing that cannot be gotten). Even if you are just starting now, there are still numerous tendrils protruding from the portal, giving you plenty of time to get in on the action. And this guide is going to walk you through it. Continue reading Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event Chaos Theory: A guide to finishing off the Filth in TSW's Whispering Tide event originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion Posted: 13 Mar 2014 09:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Age of Wushu Earlier this week Snail announced Age of Wushu's Tempest of Strife expansion. Today the firm details the martial arts sandbox's Villa of Beasts sect, which boasts "some of the most diverse and powerful skills of any sect in the game." Villa of Beasts players will excel at bare-handed melee combat as well as the Dragon and Tiger Overlord Fist skill set. Further details are available at the AoW website. We've embedded the Villa of Beasts trailer after the break. Continue reading Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion Here's the Villa of Beasts sect from Age of Wushu's expansion originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation Posted: 13 Mar 2014 08:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Horror, Age of Conan, Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, The Secret World, Buy-to-Play Funcom CEO Ole Schreiner recently spoke with GamesIndustry.biz in a lengthy interview that covers everything from the performance of The Secret World to the future of the company to the recent Økokrim raid. The police action has to do with former CEO Trond Arne Aas and accusations of insider trading relating to The Secret World's launch. "What we know is actually very little and the few things we do know, we can't talk about because it's an ongoing case," Schreiner says. "The charges are two-fold. The first is that Funcom, between August 2011 and August 2012, manipulated the market. The other is that we had wrongfully filed insider information." It's not all gloom-and-doom going forward, though, as Funcom has gotten the Dreamworld tech behind Age of Conan and The Secret World to work on consoles, Android, and iOS devices. "It's not so much about the technology as the knowledge, which we've been building for 13 years," Schreiner explains. "It's a platform -- it has all the elements you need to make, run, and maintain a game from the production tools right down to the customer service and QA tools." Schreiner is also optimistic about Funcom's future, which is currently focused on LEGO Minifigures Online. "This new strategy is a natural evolution of the company," he states. "We would have taken this path anyway, no matter how The Secret World turned out." CEO Ole Schreiner on Funcom's future and that police investigation originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: GamesIndustry.biz

RIFT's got a new conquest map Posted: 13 Mar 2014 07:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, RIFT RIFT's Steppes of Infinity features "all-new objectives and opportunities for exciting PvP action," according to an update on the free-to-play fantasy MMO's website. Combatants may choose to battle for control of the Brevo and Antapo forts or ferry charges between them, and "powerful rewards for the winning team" are at stake, Trion says. RIFT's got a new conquest map originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Steppes of Infinity

The Daily Grind: How would an Assassin's Creed MMO work? Posted: 13 Mar 2014 06:00 AM PDT Filed under: Historical, Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Daily Grind, Miscellaneous I've finally gotten around to playing some Black Flag in recent days, and while I'm not sure how I feel about the annualization of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed series, I'm having a rowdy good time in number IV. As with most of the single-player games I sample in between MMOs, I end up thinking about how they'd work as MMOs, and it seems to me that AC's lore, sci-fi stylings, and various historical settings would translate easily. I'm not sure about all of the mechanics, though. And that's where today's Daily Grind comes in! Do you think an Assassin's Creed MMO would work? Why or why not? 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 would an Assassin's Creed MMO work? originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ambitious sandbox MyDream launches Kickstarter today Posted: 13 Mar 2014 05:00 AM PDT Filed under: Betas, Business Models, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Miscellaneous, Sandbox, Housing, Crowdfunding, Player-Generated Content Sandbox fans, meet your next obsession. It's called MyDream, and it's marketing itself as a massive 3-D multiplayer open-world sandbox focusing on "creativity and collaboration." The game will include player-designed content it's calling "adventures," rewards for cooperation and teamwork, and player-constructed environments and structures. MyDream is currently in invitation-only private beta testing, but with the launch of the Kickstarter campaign today, all pledges over $5 will secure tester access. According to MyDream CEO Allison Huynh, the Kickstarter is intended to "help bring [MyDream's] vision of the final game to market" and offers backers rewards like flying and x-ray vision. [Source: MyDream press release] Ambitious sandbox MyDream launches Kickstarter today originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 13 Mar 2014 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 Posted: 12 Mar 2014 06:00 PM PDT Filed under: Business Models, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Crowdfunding, Make My MMO Crowdfunding news was lighter than normal for the week ending March 8th, but we nonetheless learned a bit more about space sim sandboxes Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen. The Phoenix Project also updated us on the status of its City of Titans spiritual sequel, which now boasts a new president and a new board of directors and is "deep in pre-production." Click past the cut for the rest of this week's crowdforged notables. Continue reading Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 Make My MMO: Crowdfunding March 2 - March 8, 2014 originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Play EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East Posted: 12 Mar 2014 05:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Events (Real-World), Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox Ready to hop on the virtual reality hype train? Make sure you stop by the Oculus spread at this year's PAX East, as the company behind the Rift headset is partnering with CCP to bring you some hands-on time with EVE: Valkyrie. PAX East happens in Boston from April 11 through April 13. If you can't make it, don't worry because we'll be there with silly goggles on our head. Play EVE: Valkyrie on the Oculus Rift at PAX East originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live Posted: 12 Mar 2014 04:00 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Sandbox, Black Desert Korean fantasy sandbox Black Desert will kick off its second closed beta on April 4th. Pearl Abyss has put together a new teaser website to mark the occasion, and fansite Steparu.com has re-posted a lengthy gameplay video showing off nearly 10 minutes of footage from the title's first test phase. Click past the cut to have a look. Continue reading Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live Black Desert's next beta dated, new teaser site live originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Steparu

The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Video, New Titles, Free-to-Play, EverQuest Next, Livestream, The Stream Team, Player-Generated Content Just because EverQuest Next Landmark doesn't have NPC cities doesn't mean there aren't any. From quaint little outposts to detailed villages, enterprising players have created their own. And with the the addition of attached claims, those places are getting even grander! So Massively's MJ is hitting the cobblestone streets to take you through some of these areas that make you want to move right in. Join us at 5:30 p.m. EDT for the tour! Game: EverQuest Next Landmark Host: MJ Guthrie Date: Wednesday, March 12th, 2014 Time: 5:30 p.m. EDT Enjoy our Stream Team video below. Continue reading The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities The Stream Team: Touring EQN Landmark's cities originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? Posted: 12 Mar 2014 03:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, Opinion, ArcheAge, Sandbox, Leaderboard So, ArcheAge. It's still not playable in English, but rumor has it that Trion's got a related announcement scheduled for next week's GDC event in San Francisco. While I've been critical of XLGAMES for its interminably slow localization process -- and for releasing its fantasy sandpark everywhere except the West in recent years -- I'm still psyched to play it. The title is both full-featured and utterly unique, and how often can that be said about a current-gen MMORPG? Ultimately, it's one worth waiting for, in my opinion. What about you? Assuming you were interested in ArcheAge at some point over the last three-plus years, are you still interested? 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: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? Leaderboard: Are you still interested in ArcheAge? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone Posted: 12 Mar 2014 02:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Screenshots, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Trading Card Games, Virtual Worlds, Free Realms, Family, Guides, Sunsets Free Realms is set to close down at the end of this month, and despite the fact that the game is aimed toward players much younger than I am, I'm going to miss it. When the game first launched, my two oldest daughters and I played religiously. It was an easy way for us to interact and play together when I was away, and they spent a sizable chunk of their allowances on pets, mounts, and housing items over the years. So I've decided to honor Free Realms with this article detailing a few things you can do in the game before it's gone forever. Continue reading Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone Ten things to do in Free Realms before it's gone originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:30 PM PDT Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Trailers, Video, Classes, Humor, Sandbox "Heroes aren't born, they're made," the new Albion Online trailer states. "You are what you wear." Sandbox Interactive's latest alpha trailer delivers a humorous illustration of how the gameplay can abruptly change with a simple costume switch. Players have different abilities, including gathering and fighting, depending on their outfits. The trailer's point is that it's important to identify what a player is wearing for his or her capabilities, but also that it's vital not to assume that's the only outfit they own. You can check out the short trailer and the full press release after the jump! [Source: Sandbox Interactive press release] Continue reading Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection Albion Online trailer shows the dire consequences of wardrobe selection originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments

Neverwinter's Icewind Dale PvP factions detailed Posted: 12 Mar 2014 01:00 PM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, PvP, News Items, Free-to-Play, Neverwinter Neverwinter's forthcoming Curse of Icewind Dale module will introduce two factions to the free-to-play fantasy MMO. Players will receive contracts from either the Ten-Towners or the Arcane Brotherhood and will subsequently be sent to collect black ice and fight monsters on behalf of their factional choice. In the process, adventurers will encounter players from the opposing faction in what Cryptic says is "a more developed PvP progression path for players who are seeking an alternative to the standard PvE content in Neverwinter." Cryptic's latest website update refers to Neverwinter's PvP as "open-world," and you can read more details via the links below. Neverwinter's Icewind Dale PvP factions detailed originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Announcement

EVE Online: Rubicon 1.3 patch turns on the lights Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:30 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, EVE Online, Patches, Sandbox, Subscription A new patch has landed in EVE Online today that features a laundry list of tweaks, the most notable of which is the first pass at the game's new linear lighting. Rubicon 1.3's linear lighting system "increases the texture fidelity improving the richness of color," but CCP said that it still needs more work. The patch also includes several quality-of-life user interface improvements such as giving contacts labels, shift left-clicking to open up a kill report, and the addition of a guest list for stations. Other changes with today's patch include better asteroid shaders, new hull maintenance bots, two new mobile tractor unit variants, additional cosmetic options for ships, and improved corporation skills. You can read the full patch notes for all of the details. EVE Online: Rubicon 1.3 patch turns on the lights originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Rubicon 1.3 patch notes

Firefall patch takes us to the kingdom of the Crystal Skull Pirates Posted: 12 Mar 2014 12:00 PM PDT Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Free-to-Play, MMOFPS, Firefall A small update for Firefall is now live on the servers and with it comes a slew of small adjustments and additions including faster melee combat. Patch 0.8.1745 reduced the cooldown of melee attacks from three to two seconds, while also making significant tweaks to the Electron battleframe. Get your Indiana Jones jokes in while you can, because the team has included Crystal Skull Pirates with this update as well. The pirates are rare enemies that offer up a special helmet if you can track them down and deliver a plasma-laced punishment. Firefall patch takes us to the kingdom of the Crystal Skull Pirates originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Patch notes

ArcheAge Russia is blocking non-Russian IPs [Updated] Posted: 12 Mar 2014 11:30 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items, ArcheAge North American players looking to play ArcheAge have kind of come to terms with the idea that XLGAMES is taking a long time to localize the game. A very long time. So long that several players have found it far more efficient to just log on to the game's Russian client. If there were hypothetically an English patch for it, that would make life that much easier for players who don't speak Russian. However, it's a moot point now, as the game's Russian servers are now blocked for players not located in Russia or former Soviet countries. According to Google translate, Mail.ru has implemented the IP block at XL's request, stating that "from states not listed, [logging in] would be impossible." No word on any potential refunds for players playing from outside of the now-limited list of available countries. [Thanks to Preacher for the tip!] [Update: Tipster Potaco pointed us toward a thread on the ArcheAge Source forums, where US posters are reporting that they are still able to log into the game with US IPs. Participants remain uncertain whether the region-blocking has been permanently lifted or will be reinforced with the next patch.] ArcheAge Russia is blocking non-Russian IPs [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Official announcement, Official announcement (translated)

Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat' Posted: 12 Mar 2014 11:00 AM PDT Filed under: Fantasy, Business Models, Economy, MMO Industry, New Titles, Free-to-Play, The Elder Scrolls Online In a recent interview with Gamespot, Bethesda's VP of PR, Pete Hines, described what the publisher sees as a value proposition for The Elder Scrolls Online's $14.99-a-month sub fee. "We're also very confident in our ability to support [the sub fee] with content. And not content of the magnitude of, it's a new month, here's a new sword or here's a funny hat -- but content that is real and significant and it feels like regular and consistent DLC releases." Hines went on to describe what he sees as the major factor that will separate TESO from the sea of games launching as F2P: "We're not trying to make a game that everybody who plays games will automatically buy. It is a certain kind of game. There [are] no shooter elements. There [are] no aliens. It is a massive 'go where you want, do what you want' game that we think offers the kind of experience that's worthy of a subscription." Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamespot Interview

Former Free Realms lead reflects on the best and worst practices in F2P Posted: 12 Mar 2014 10:30 AM PDT Filed under: Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play Peter Molyneux's critical stance on free-to-play was all the rage earlier this week, prompting several developers in the F2P market to voice their own opinions. Laralyn McWilliams, former creative lead on Sony Online Entertainment's Free Realms, took to Twitter to voice her own opinions. "Hearing Molyneux talk about why F2P monetization right now is terrible," McWilliams tweeted. "Makes me think he will be learning some hard lessons." But an interview at GamesIndustry.biz allowed McWilliams to elaborate. "I actually agree with him, but I come from an environment where I recognise how challenging it is." She went on to explain more about the best and worst practices reflected in the F2P market and how this relates to the upcoming closure of Free Realms and Clone Wars Adventures. Check out the complete interview for more on Laralyn's thoughts regarding F2P's future. Former Free Realms lead reflects on the best and worst practices in F2P originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments Source: Gamesindustry.biz

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