MMO Updates

MMO Updates

EVE Online's new agent finder detailed

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 10:00 AM PDT

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Hey capsuleers, did you take the day off work to sample the wonders of Incarna? We hope not, because CCP has extended the downtime for EVE Online's latest update. If you did take a day, or if you're simply in need of some juicy New Eden-related reading material, you'll want to have a look at the newest CCP dev blog.

The entry examines the new agent finder functionality, and CCP Punkturis has some interesting tidbits to share along with a few interface screencaps. The goal, as outlined in an earlier agent-related dev blog, was to simplify the convoluted mission-running system and allow players to more easily find agents of an appropriate skill level, faction, and activity.

The new finder filters agents by faction standing and also sorts them by distance (meaning you'll get info on the closest contacts first). Players may also filter various agent-related searches like mission types, and you can read all the details and leave feedback at the official EVE website.

MassivelyEVE Online's new agent finder detailed originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gods & Heroes launches today

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT

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It's Tuesday, and that means that somewhere in the wild hinterlands of the internet, an MMORPG is probably gearing up to officially open its doors to the public. Today's starlet is Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising, and the long-in-development title from Heatwave Interactive is finally ready for its close-up.

Whether you're into Roman mythology, you yearn for traditional class- and quest-based combat, or you're curious about the title's ancestral estate system (that's player housing, if you're wondering), you'll want to partake of our launch-day roundup that recaps our best and most current Gods & Heroes coverage.

We've got screenshot galleries, hands-on impressions, dev chats, and videos galore, not to mention info about the game's payment plans and pre-order details. What are you waiting for? Hop past the cut for details.

Continue reading Gods & Heroes launches today

MassivelyGods & Heroes launches today originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LEGO Universe going freemium this August

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 09:00 AM PDT

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Fallen Earth? Check. City of Heroes? Check. Which AAA MMORPG act is warming up to take the stage next on the free-to-play 2011 world tour? That would be LEGO Universe, and the LEGO Group has announced via press release that the kid-friendly building block title will be joining it's formerly subscription-based brethren in the freemium ranks as early as this August.

Interestingly, LEGO Universe will continue to make its money via paid memberships, with no microtransactions planned at this time. Free players will have access to a limited selection of game content for an unlimited period of time. If the trial content tickles their fancy, tire-kickers are then free to pony up $10 per month for full access.

LEGO Universe is also doing away with its physical media, as new users will find that the game is transitioning to a download-only model for both paid and free players. Full details on the content available to free players isn't yet available, but check back with us frequently as we bring you all the latest updates.

MassivelyLEGO Universe going freemium this August originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let's get physical, physical: Brian Knox fields dozens of TERA questions

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 08:00 AM PDT

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With that newfangled Twitter that's all the rage these days, TERA proves that developer chats can be even more accessible -- and within a 140-character limit! Recently, Senior Producer Brian Knox fielded a grab bag of questions about this upcoming action MMO, although he put a kibosh on queries related to the release date and events.

PvP, obviously, was a huge topic of discussion, with questions ranging from death penalties (same as PvE) to open world conflict (starts at level 12 and requires the purchase of special items) to guild vs. guild battles (still in the works).

TERA's famed political system was another subject for inquiry -- would it be in the game at the start or will we have to wait for it? "Day 1. It is up and working now and will be available at launch," Knox assured fans.

Raids are something else that future players has been asking for, and apparently the TERA team is at least exploring the possibility of implementing them: "We know how badly the community wants raids! We are looking very hard at this and is one of the reasons we have focused on five-man content."

You can read the full dev diary over at TERA's official site.

MassivelyLet's get physical, physical: Brian Knox fields dozens of TERA questions originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Online Incarna goes live

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 07:30 AM PDT

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EVE Online players, rejoice! The day you've been waiting for is finally here. Today marks the release of EVE Online's much-anticipated Incarna expansion. The most notable addition with this update is undoubtedly the new ability for players to finally exit their spaceships and explore the universe's many space stations on their own two feet. All players will be required to (re)create their avatar upon logging in after the patch in order to allow them to experience the new ambulatory features.

In other news, there can now be only one jump bridge in a system at a given time, and character creation and the new player experience have both been revamped in order to make the game's notoriously steep learning curve a bit more welcoming for new capsuleers. The full patch notes include far more than can possibly be squished into this post, so if you're anxious to know what exactly this new update entails, head on over to the official site.

MassivelyEVE Online Incarna goes live originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A new experience is launching for City of Heroes -- Freedom

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT

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The world of City of Heroes is changing. Players in the game now face an invasion from another dimension and a staggering host of new threats. But there's an even bigger change on the horizon, one that will shake the game to its very fundamentals. That change is City of Heroes Freedom, a combination of a new hybrid business model for the game that will add a plethora of new rewards, subscription option, and content for all players of the game. The fact that it will open the game up to a free-to-play model is almost incidental considering the other sweeping changes coming to the game as a whole.

The longstanding Veteran Rewards system will be getting overhauled into a new Paragon Rewards system, which will offer all of the extant rewards along with a huge number of additional bonuses on a monthly basis. Subscribers will be upgraded to VIP Players, gaining access not only to priority queues and a special VIP-only server but to an exclusive signature story arc every month, allowing characters to experience ongoing stories alongside the important lore characters of Paragon City and the Rogue Isles. VIP players will also be gaining a free monthly stipend of Paragon Points for the game's new cash store, which will allow players access to new costumes, new power sets, and even new weapon and usage styles for existing sets. City of Heroes players should take a look at the official site and get ready for the newest upgrade to the game -- a solid dose of old-school freedom.

MassivelyA new experience is launching for City of Heroes -- Freedom originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: What does your ideal gamespace look like?

Posted: 21 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

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When you're younger, your game consoles and systems are usually put wherever the space exists, and your computer is generally tucked into a corner of your bedroom. But when you get a little bit older and move out on your own, you start having a much wider field of options for where you game and how you do so. Video games could be the centerpiece of your house, or you could have a special room devoted to just gaming in some corner of your apartment. And if you're going to be involved in a marathon session of Fallen Earth, wouldn't you like a minifridge nearby?

Today we're going just a bit meta and asking you what your ideal space for gaming would look like. Would it be large? Small? What sort of furniture would it contain? The hardware isn't necessarily important -- what is important is what you'd build for your play if you didn't have to worry about space or budget. Games like EverQuest II let us create the environment we want in a virtual space, but if you had that same sort of power in the real world, what would you do?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What does your ideal gamespace look like? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jun 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PitchBlack Games announces Sanya Weathers as new Director of Community

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 07:00 PM PDT

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PitchBlack Games announced today that it has a new addition to its team in the form of former Mythic Director of Community Sanya Weathers. This is certainly a promising announcement for PitchBlack, coming hot on the heels of the official announcement of the studio's first project, Prime: Battle for Dominus.

In regard to Weathers' reasons for choosing to join up with the Prime Online team, she says, "The opportunity to direct community for a PVP MMO at a startup couldn't be refused. The team at PitchBlack also shares my ideals when it comes to customer communication and service, and I look forward to seeing what we can build together." Given her history with Dark Age of Camelot, we're not surprised to see her working on yet another three-faction, PvP-focused MMO. We here at Massively wish Sanya the best at her new gig and look forward to seeing what she and the team at PitchBlack come up with. To round out this new announcement, we also have three pieces of concept art for each of the game's three playable races, which you can see in the gallery below.

Gallery: Prime: Battle for Dominus core gallery

MassivelyPitchBlack Games announces Sanya Weathers as new Director of Community originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Final Fantasy XIV shows off dungeons

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 06:00 PM PDT

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Patch 1.18 is going to contain a lot of content for Final Fantasy XIV, enough that the original launch date has required a delay. But looking at the latest preview of what's coming next, we think it might just be worth the wait. The first of the game's instanced battlefields has been fully unveiled on the official site, hinting at both the rewards as well as the locations of these dangerous yet profitable sites.

The Thousand Maws of Toto-Rak will be the lower-level of the two instances, with a minimum rank of 25 and a maximum party size of four. A former Gridanian prison, the halls of the cavern have been overrun with feral beasts and Garlean soldiers. For characters at rank 45 and up, the Dzemael Darkhold will offer up to eight party members greater challenges and greater rewards in a subterranean fortress of Ishgardian design. Final Fantasy XIV players can take a look at both of the official previews now on the Lodestone site.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XIV shows off dungeons originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wizard101 goes anti-disco in the June producer's letter

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

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The community at Wizard101 is still riding high on the recent Wintertusk world expansion, and according to the June producer's letter, KingsIsle wants to keep the good times rolling.

Apart from relaying a few testimonials about the recent expansion, the producer's letter is all about the Benjam-- er, Crowns. Leah Ruben spotlights a couple of promotional sales from the company, including a Dragon's Hoard booster pack that has the potential to deliver rare goodies, and a GameStop card that unleashes a genie (among other things) in your Wizard101 world.

Ruben says that a recent graphical issue known as "discoing" on older machines is now fixed. "While sometimes it's fun to dance the disco with flashing colors and lights," she jokes, "it's a bit distracting when you're trying to adventure through the new worlds."

Finally, Ruben says that the UK version of the game has added a German language version for those who perfer to play in their native tongue. Assuming that you're German and not Swedish. Or Kenyan. Or... well, you get the point. You can read the full producer's letter over at Wizard101.

MassivelyWizard101 goes anti-disco in the June producer's letter originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wings Over Atreia: One, two, craft my shoe

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 04:00 PM PDT

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Three, four, scream some more.

Welcome to the world of Aion crafting, where frustration and despair are produced right alongside daggers, hauberks, and frillneck sausage. Where more than one Deava has left the crafting station and flung himself from the Sky Canal in Sanctum to the depths below... wait, maybe that was just me.

Between more attempts at a hot heart of magic craft and scrambling to gather enough material to inch my way up the skill ladder towards mastery, crafting has consumed my hours and thoughts over the past couple of weeks. It has also left me questioning my sanity and losing just about every kinah I had saved up. So why craft?

It is true what they say: Some players live for crafting, while others have crafting forced upon them. Prior to Aion I leaned toward the former, but tales of the cost and woes of failed crafts squelched any desires to craft early on. Then the fates conspired against me and I there I was, pan in hand. Somehow the pain of that experience must have dulled because I started another. Why, oh why?

Love it or hate it but have to do it, if you are considering delving into a crafting profession in Aion, check past the break for a guide to getting started and a glance at the journey ahead.

Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: One, two, craft my shoe

MassivelyWings Over Atreia: One, two, craft my shoe originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumor: Turbine working on console MMO?

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 03:30 PM PDT

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Internet scuttlebutt has it that Turbine is cooking up a console MMO codenamed Project Hendrix. A posting at GameSpot cites a Turbine job listing that seeks an engineer for an "unannounced online console project." The article also mentions the resume of one Josh Phelan, a Turbine employee who apparently mentioned the Hendrix title in his online resume (which has since gone dark).

Turbine's console aspirations are nothing new, as studio VP Craig Alexander hinted at such desires as early as 2009. Commenter speculation links the job listing to the mysterious Pottermore title, and given Turbine's acquisition by Warner Brothers (which also owns the Pottermore trademark), it's not unreasonable to suspect that the sorting hat could be getting ready to assign a Potter MMO to House Turbine.

Check out the details on GameSpot and let us know what you think in the comments.

MassivelyRumor: Turbine working on console MMO? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flameseeker Chronicles: Of revolutionary design, babies, and bathwater

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

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The "revolutionary" aspects of Guild Wars 2 might be an old topic, but it's one that's been on my mind lately for two reasons. First, a couple of my colleagues and I got some hands-on time with Star Wars: The Old Republic at E3. One consistent feeling was that it's a good, solid game but nothing revolutionary. (I was very impressed with it overall, even though I feel it's not a game for me.)

That sparked a lot of discussion regarding the fact that BioWare never claimed that the game would be revolutionary, so the argument is pointless. I can certainly get on board that train of thought, but it still set me thinking about this aspect of game design.

The other incident was a conversation in Massively's staff chatroom the other day. Two Massively team members were discussing the pros and cons of the Guild Wars 2 class setup -- specifically, the elimination of the holy trinity. Watching the two of them discuss it, combined with my recent thinking on revolutionary game design, set me thinking. Follow along after the jump and let's take a look at the pros and cons of blazing a new trail!

Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: Of revolutionary design, babies, and bathwater

MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: Of revolutionary design, babies, and bathwater originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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One Shots: Middle-hoth

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 02:00 PM PDT

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We're kicking off Massively staff pick week with a Lord of the Rings Online image from Justin Olivetti:
I recently had to trek out to LotRO's Forochel for a mission and stopped to take a few pictures of the breathtaking northern lights that are on display at night. It's so cold, though, that I'm seriously considering slicing open my goat and climbing in to stay warm for the night. And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!
Keep your eyes on One Shots all week to see what the Massively staff loves playing and showing off. Next week's theme is all about gear. It'll be your chance to show off your most epic armor and weapons and tell us all about how you acquired them.

The week after that is pet week, and we can't wait to see your awesome pet companions and hear all about them. Just send a screenshot to oneshots@massively.com along with your name, the name of the game, and a paragraph or two telling us about what we're seeing!

Gallery: One Shots: 2011

MassivelyOne Shots: Middle-hoth originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TERA composers discuss musical themes

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 01:30 PM PDT

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As game budgets grow, production values usually do as well, and this is pretty apparent in the spate of high-quality musical scores surrounding many modern MMORPGs. Titles as diverse as Guild Wars, Age of Conan, and Lord of the Rings Online boast cinema-style ear candy and instantly recognizable theme music, and TERA is gearing up to become the latest MMORPG to follow suit.

Renowned composers Inon Zur (Dragon Age, Fallout 3) and Rod Abernethy (RAGE, Dead Space) have been working on TERA's score since 2009, and the duo has made use of the Northwest Sinfonia Orchestra and world-class production and mixing facilities to bring the music of Arborea to life.

Zur and Abernethy are interviewed in a new piece over at ZAM, and clicking on the link will bring you discussion on regional and racial musical content as well as personal insights from both men regarding their work on Bluehole Studio's action MMO.

MassivelyTERA composers discuss musical themes originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire survival guide

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 01:00 PM PDT

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It's hard to believe, but in just a couple of weeks, Fan Faire will once again be upon us. What started as a simple fan celebration eight years ago has become a massive showcase of Sony Online Entertainment games, fan spirit, and of course, amazing costumes.

There's a lot going on, and the weekend really flies by quickly. Whether you're going for the first time or you're a multi-year vet, this week's Tattered Notebook offers up several handy tips to help you make the most of Fan Faire. Read on for all the details!

Continue reading The Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire survival guide

MassivelyThe Tattered Notebook: Fan Faire survival guide originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 10 is bringing crazy back

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 12:00 PM PDT

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If you're a VIP player of Dungeons and Dragons Online, today is an exciting day for you: It's the date of the arrival of Update 10: Reign of Madness. This update is all new content with a bit of a blast from the past thrown in, and the DDO development team was kind enough to invite us along on a tour of some of the mind-bending new quests.

Reign of Madness arrives today for VIP players and Wednesday for the rest of the playerbase, so what better to keep you occupied while you wait than a little tour? Follow along after the jump for a sneak peek at DDO's Update 10!

Continue reading Dungeons and Dragons Online's Update 10 is bringing crazy back

MassivelyDungeons and Dragons Online's Update 10 is bringing crazy back originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Posted by Shri Krishna

General gaming

General gaming

New PS3 Model is Lighter, Uses Less Power

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 06:41 PM PDT

New PS3 modelAfter rumors that a new model of PlayStation 3 was on the way, the official Japanese PlayStation website has made it official with a listing for the console. It's not a huge difference from the old system and isn't as significant as the change to the slim PS3, but there are a few nice benefits that new buyers will be able to enjoy.

As reported by Andriasang, the new, charcoal black CECH-3000B weighs about 2.6kg (down from about 3.0kg in the CECH-2500B), consumes 200 watts of power (from 230), and includes a 320GB hard drive. It appears to look identical to the older 320GB system with the exception of the lip holding the power and eject buttons which is now colored the same charcoal black as the console. It'll be priced no differently that the existing 320GB model at 34,980 yen (about $436) including tax.

This new model will be what's included with the previously announced Tales of Xillia X Edition PS3 bundle that's scheduled for release on September 8 in Japan. It's unknown when the new model will make its way to the U.S.

Team Fortress 2 Getting its "Biggest, Most Ambitious" Update on Thursday

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 05:57 PM PDT

Team Fortress 2 Mobster Madness update

After a fairly quiet period for Team Fortress 2 updates, Valve today announced the Uber Update, which it's calling the "the biggest, most ambitious update in the history of Team Fortress 2."

Coinciding with its launch will be the release of the long-awaited "Meet the Medic" video. The previous videos have been hilarious and did a fine job of introducing players to the personality of each of the game's character classes. (And the sandvich.)

Included in the update itself is at least one class pack. The first of the bunch, Mobster Monday, was outlined today, but not before ample research was done. "To make sure everything was as accurate as possible, we went deep undercover at the most Italian place we could find, The Olive Garden," the announcement reads. "We asked the Mafia about a million questions, none of which they understood, because our mouths were full of all the free breadsticks the Mafia gives you when you visit them (they're not such bad guys)."

Here's What Playable Robin Looks Like in Arkham City

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 04:37 PM PDT

Batman Arkham City Robin

Provided they play through the entire game, everyone will have the chance to play as both Batman and Catwoman in Batman: Arkham City. The same can't be said for Robin, however; he was previously listed as a pre-order bonus for the game at Best Buy, and in case you thought it was a mistake, the retailer's website has now posted an image and some brief details on what players will be able to do as the exclusive character.

Robin sounds as if he works much like the Joker, who was a playable character in the PS3 version of Arkham Asylum. He was a reskinned version of Batman with his own weapons and gadgets. Robin will be available in the PS3, 360, and PC versions of the game, provided you get a pre-order code for the 'Tim Drake Robin pack' at Best Buy. He's described as a "fully playable character" in the challenge mode where he has his own "unique gadgets and special moves" and an alternative Red Robin character skin. Besides the challenge modes that are otherwise included with the game, the pack has two additional challenge maps to play as him on, Black Mask Hideout and Freight Train Escape.

Assuming there are no other exclusives from other retailers, Best Buy looks like the place to pick up the game. As for whether or not Robin will ever be made available as downloadable content, we don't know at this point. Joker was never made available to non-PS3 players, but that was a platform exclusive; it's entirely possible that the terms of this exclusivity deal will be different and that Robin could be made available separately at a later time. At this point, though, you'll have to buy the game at Best Buy in order to guarantee yourself a chance to play as Robin.

PlayStation 4 Won't be Rushed to Market by Wii U

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 03:22 PM PDT

PlayStation 3

It's unclear exactly where the Wii U should be placed in terms of it being "next generation." Is it just catching up and/or somewhat exceeding the power of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3? Or is it the beginning of the next generation of systems because, by the time it hits the market, it will have been five to six years since the last batch of consoles hit? No matter what the case is, Sony says it doesn't affect plans it has for its next gen system, the PlayStation 4.

Asked by Forbes about when Sony will start talking about the PS4, Sony's Jack Tretton said, "PlayStation 3 is really just hitting its stride. And technologically, I don't think it's possible to provide any advancement beyond what we have. What we've seen from the competition is trying to add features that already exist in PlayStation 3. We invested heavily in that, we rolled a very heavy rock up a steep hill, through the launch period. But now I think that all pays off, and we've got a long run way behind it. So, I wouldn't look for any discussion of a next generation PlayStation for quite some time."

The suggestion that the PS3 is at the apex of technology is a questionable one, especially given how we saw last week that the console versions of Battlefield 3 won't match the PC version from a technological standpoint. And, as Wired's Chris Kohler points out, Tretton has been saying that PS3 is 'hitting its stride' for at least three years now.

Grand Theft Auto V 2012 Release "Pretty Likely" - Report

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 02:09 PM PDT

Grand Theft Auto IV

Rockstar has still not acknowledged that it's working on a sequel to Grand Theft Auto IV even though one is obviously inevitable. There's been a fair bit of evidence that it's coming and analyst Michael Pachter speculated that a release before the end of January 2012 made a lot of sense due to key employees' contracts ending at that time. With those contracts being extended last month, that means there's likely not as much of a rush to get the game out. It might not be quite as soon, but a new report says we'll probably be playing the newest GTA game before the end of next year.

An anonymous source close to Rockstar told GameSpot that development is "well underway." Specifically, it's already at a stage where "final touches" like minigames are being implemented, the report states. A release during 2012 is "pretty likely," according to the source.

While we still have no official word on the game, it's looking as if it'll be set in or around a Hollywood-inspired locale. (San Andreas was partially set in a Los Angeles-inspired city, so it would not be a first for the series.) Domains were registered for what sound like faux brands in a GTA game; casting calls referred to "Rush," thought to be GTAV's code name; and one casting call in particular was for a character from the series.

Trenched Review

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 01:55 PM PDT

The folks over at Double Fine Productions seem to be some sort of video game genre necromancers. In Trenched the studio has managed to revive not just one, but two genres that many have written off as dead: mech games and tower defense.

Mechs don't get a lot of love these days. A couple games trickle out in the western market from Japan each year, and usually die a quiet death as they languish on store shelves ignored by both gamers and critics. Trenched recalls the glory days of the '90s when the genre was popular and it seemed as if the torrent titles would never stop. It feels like a modern XBLA game out of an alternate universe; a universe where the Earthsiege series didn't transform into an FPS (Tribes) and where FASA studios and MechWarrior still remain king. In short, Trenched makes mechs fun and relevant again. At the same time, the developers take the genre's mechanics with that trademark Double Fine charm, and wrap it all around a tower defense core.

Village of the Banned: The Worst Excuses From Xbox Live's Banished

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 01:03 PM PDT

Feature

Header

The Village of the Banned: The Worst Excuses From Xbox Live's Banished

Chances are you've met at least one of these people online.

By: Seth Macy June 20, 2011

One of my favorite ways to pass the time is to revel in the deserved misery of others. This type of behavior on my part isn't exactly the sort of thing I'd want to pass on to my children, but watching the universe dole out rich, creamy ladles of karmic retribution is really quite satisfying. If you've ever used Xbox Live, and I'm sure many of you have, you've undoubtedly encountered some of the worst humanity has to offer. In fact, if Obi-Wan Kenobi had a Gold Membership, he would declare XBL a wretched hive of scum and villainy... and homophobia, grifterism, cheating, and racism. Really, this is nothing you don't already know.

However, what you might not realize is that there are people at Microsoft who are actually monitoring the service and will investigate the complaints filed against offending users. Many times, these complaints lead to a banning, either temporarily or permanently, and the Xbox Live support forums have a sub-board set up for the sole purpose of fielding users' queries into their status as "banned." Did I mention it's a public forum and can be viewed by anyone? Well, it is, and it is easily one of the busiest online forums I've ever seen in terms of sheer number of new posts. Users are free to ask why they were banned from the service, and a member of the support team will always politely list the reasons before locking the thread down. I've been checking in on the forums for a few weeks now and I've discovered several types of people inquiring about their newly-acquired banned status.

Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony Review

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 12:35 PM PDT

It's hard not to be won over by the charm of Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony; after all, the game's premise focuses on the history of the titular American colony, but with an entirely new backdrop: Mars. Okay, so maybe they didn't get all the facts right -- I'm pretty sure Sir Walter Raleigh never escaped from the Tower of London via spaceship in an attempt to solve the mystery of Roanoke and clear his good name -- but, veracity aside, Final Form Games' outlandish premise combined with their lush, hyper-detailed 2D presentation makes for an experience that's far too remarkable to ignore.

If you're familiar with the shoot-em-up (shmup) genre, the basic concept of Jamestown should be apparent: blow up anything in your path without getting blown up yourself. To help you accomplish this task, Jamestown gives you access to four ships, each equipped with a different special weapon fit for varying styles of play. And just like any shmup worth its salt, Jamestown features a mechanic to add a little spice into what could easily be a brain-dead experience: the combo-centric "Vaunt" system.

Sega Breach Hits 1.3 Million Users, CBS Needs New Pictures

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 11:34 AM PDT

CBS Sega Genesis hack

Among the videogame companies to announce last week that they had been hacked was Sega. Its Sega Pass system was broken into and hackers made off with personal information like e-mail addresses, birth dates, and encrypted passwords. Sega Pass was taken offline on Thursday, June 16, and remains down as of this writing.

Sega claimed at the time only a "subset" of users were affected. What that amounts to in actual numbers is 1.3 million people, Reuters reports. Spokeswoman Yoko Nagasawa said in a statement, "We are deeply sorry for causing trouble to our customers. We want to work on strengthening security."

CBS reported on the incident but, as pictured above, the company's database of images could use some updating. Rather than show something relatively modern (Sega moved away from producing hardware 10 years ago) or synonymous with the company, like Sonic, a picture of the 17-year-old Sega CDX (as pointed out in the comments) and the 20-plus-year-old Genesis logo were shown.

Halo Anniversary Gets at Least One Addition: Kinect Support

Posted: 20 Jun 2011 10:28 AM PDT

Halo Anniversary

Update: 343 has offered up some reassurance. A forum post reads, "Just to let everybody know, the Kinect features we're exploring with Halo: Anniversary are optional and won't affect your core gameplay experience. Our mission, from day one, has been to deliver a faithful recreation of the original game, and we remain dedicated to seeing that through to completion." That still doesn't clarify what form it'll come in (voice or motion), just that the game won't force you to use your hands when trying to melee attack an enemy or something along those lines.

Original Story: Besides the graphical improvements, there will be at least one big change in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary -- it'll be the first title in the Halo series to support Kinect.

In listing examples of first-party games that show Kinect is important to all genres, Microsoft Game Studios GM Phil Spencer told GameSpot, "Even games like Halo Anniversary has Kinect integration." He also mentioned Forza and Ryse, two games that are well-known to support Kinect, but it's the first time we've gotten official confirmation of it being included in the remastered Halo.

Posted by Shri Krishna
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