MMORPG News

MMORPG News

Star Wars Galaxies: Community Spotlight: Star Wars Galaxies to Shut Down

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 07:09 AM PDT

In this week's Community Spotlight, Mike Bitton shines the light on the recent announcement of Star Wars Galaxies' impending closure. The forums are ablaze with a wide mix of emotions and Mike lays on a few of his own as well. Check it out and offer your thoughts.

Star Wars Galaxies: Story of the Week: Ding-Dong, Vader's Dead

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 06:15 AM PDT

Every week we here at MMORPG.com take a look at the news and come up with the biggest scoop. This week, it was kind of a no-brainer as the world learned that SOE's Star Wars Galaxies is shutting down for good on December 15th, 2011.

General: Comic: Guild Sores - The Journey Begins

Posted: 25 Jun 2011 05:25 AM PDT

From the mind and hands of David North, comes this brand new weekly web-comic. Guild Sores is the tale of three friends and their misadventures in the fabulous (and frustrating) world of MMORPGs. Check out the premier issue and be sure to offer your thoughts.

General: Rusty Hearts Closed Beta Dated

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 04:42 PM PDT

Perfect World Entertainment has announced that the closed beta for Rusty Hearts. The closed beta will begin on July 27th and applications are being accepted on the official site. To celebrate the announcement, PWE has created a new trailer.

EVE Online: Devs Respond to Internal Newsletter Leak & Fan Reaction

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 04:07 PM PDT

A new post on the CCP blog from Zulu uses the title "Fearless, Virtual Goods, and Rage". The post deals with players' reactions to a leaked internal newsletter called' Fearless' that discussed developers' opinions on the subject of virtual goods and pricing. The letter goes on to discuss the pricing structure in the NeX store.

General: Firefly Universe Online Announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 03:48 PM PDT

DarkCryo has revealed that it is currently developing Firefly Universe Online. DarkCryo is an independent developer and is working to secure the rights to take over the Firefly MMO that was originally in development by Fox and Multiverse. By all reports, the team is hard at work bringing the cult series to live and already includes several factions: Browncoats, Alliance, Reavers and Megacorp.

Star Wars Galaxies: Shutting Down This Year

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 02:14 PM PDT

Sony Online Entertainment and LucasArts have announced that the venerable Star Wars MMO, Star Wars Galaxies, will be shutting down later this year. With the Star Wars contract between LucasArts and SOE ending in 2012, both parties have come to the decision to end service for the game on December 15, 2011.

Guild Wars 2: Into the Dungeons!

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:07 PM PDT

In the second blog post to break into the Guild Wars 2 news today, Arena.Net's Jeff Grubb takes a look at the dungeons that will be featured in the game. Grubb talks about what they are, how they contribute to the overall story, loot, parties and more.

Guild Wars 2: Thoughts On Underwater Combat

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 12:14 PM PDT

If you heard a small girlish "SQUEE!" when you logged into MMORPG.com, that was only Managing Editor Bill Murphy as he read about Guild Wars 2 and its just-announced underwater combat. Bill has a few thoughts to share about the revelation so be sure to swing by the MMORPG.com Staff Blog and then let Bill know your thoughts as well.

General: Lime Odyssey Announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:49 AM PDT

Aeria Games has announced the latest addition to its growing stable of free-to-play MMOs. Called "Lime Odyssey", the game is being developed by the team behind Ragnarok Online and is called Ragnarok's "spiritual successor".

Talisman Online: Panda NPCs Spotlighted

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:41 AM PDT

The Talisman Online team is taking advantage of the blockbuster summer movie, "Kung Fu Panda 2", by showing off the game's own NPC Pandas who, not just incidentally, do Kung Fu as well!

CABAL Online: Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness Announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:34 AM PDT

The CABAL Online team has announced a forthcoming update called "Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness". The new update will feature new outdoor bosses, a dungeon point system, an overhauled upgrade system and a new time-based instance, Maquinas Outpost.

Guild Wars 2: Underwater Combat Explained

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:07 AM PDT

Arena.Net's Jonathan Sharp has penned a new blog post on the official Guild Wars 2 site to discuss underwater combat. The post deals with ways to fight underwater, special underwater skills, surface swimming as a no-combat zone, special underwater weaponry, and what fighting in a true 3D space means.

Star Wars: The Old Republic: E3 Alderaan Highlights Trailer

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:24 AM PDT

BioWare and LucasArts have released a new highlights video of the mission on Alderaan to guide players through one of several encounters players may face with their party in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

League of Legends: Yorick the Gravedigger

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:04 AM PDT

Riot Games and the League of Legends team have released a new champion profile. This time, the subject is Yorick the Gravedigger. As his name implies, he is a specialist in all things undead.

Uncharted Waters Online: Second Epic Sea Feud Announced

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:56 AM PDT

The Uncharted Waters Online team has announced the Second Epic Sea Feud, a no-holds barred PK event between six nations and spanning three days. The event will reward participants with 200% bonus experience.

Pandora Saga: New World Server Added

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 08:43 AM PDT

Atlus Online has announced that a new world server, Barbatos, has been added to Pandora Saga Online. To celebrate the launch of Barbatos, the team has a slew of events including a double XP weekend, a protect the GM event and some beginner level hide and seek events.

Hellgate: Open Beta Coming June 30th

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 08:36 AM PDT

According to a new splash page and the Hellgate site, the game's open beta is scheduled to begin on June 30th. The team has also released a new teaser page entitled "Hellgate's Eternity Arrives" with a pretty awesome looking graphic.

Guild Wars 2: ArenaNet Studio Tour

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 07:24 AM PDT

MMORPG.com's Carolyn Koh attended a press open house day at ArenaNet earlier this week. One of the perks of that visit was a tour of the offices led by none other than ArenaNet's Founder and President Mike O'Brien. Carolyn's got a great report on what she saw and heard so keep reading!

Guild Wars 2: A Comprehensive Hands-On

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 06:29 AM PDT

Arena.Net sponsored a press open house on Thursday and MMORPG.com's Carolyn Koh was lucky enough to score the opportunity to not only visit and tour the studio but to get her hands on the newest demo build of Guild Wars 2. Carolyn's got a comprehensive look at Guild Wars 2 and the progress it's made since the last hands-on demo. Check it out and then add your comments.

General: Why You’re Not a Beta Tester

Posted: 23 Jun 2011 10:53 AM PDT

In today's Player Perspectives column, MMORPG.com's Isabelle Parsley shows her MMO age in her discussion of her history as a beta tester. Isabelle also talks about what beta testing is, or at least what it's supposed to be, as compare to how many treat it these days. Check out Isabelle Parsley's column and then, agree or disagree, tell us what you think in the comments.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News

Guild Wars 2 - Going into Underwater World and Dungeons

Posted:

Now ArenaNets invites you to the vast underwater world and the dangerous dungeons!

World of Warcraft: Season 10 Armor Preview

Posted:

Here's a look at the gear that the most accomplished PvP competitors will be sporting in Season 10

Which Is Better, ArcheAge or Blade & Soul?

Posted:

It should be said that Korea-based NCsoft's Blade & Soul and XL Games' ArcheAge are the two MMORPGs most worth paying attention to in 2011. Both games drew much attention from players once unveiled.

A Battle without Smoke of Gunpowder: KUF Online vs. Cyphers

Posted:

With the prosperity of online AOS games, an intense fight between two representative AOS games are going to break out in the South Korean online game market in the second half of this year. In the South Korean game market led by MMORPGS, FPS games and action games, AOS games featuring rare themes and creative gaming modes are favored by players very much.

RIFT Update 1.3 Known Issues

Posted:

Per usual we seek to keep you up to date on the top issues we're currently investigating, fixing, or have fixed with the latest RIFT update.

City Transformer - A Different Sci-fi MMO

Posted:

City Transformer Online is a Real 3D Action MMOPRG developed by 9You and published by YouGame that brings with it a strong futuristic urban flavor topped with a science-fiction-styled dressing, bringing an in-style, unknown journey that is full of surprises to every player who wishes to create a beautiful new era and have a taste of a sci-fi-esque and futuristic world.

Lime Odyssey: Visit The New Teaser Site to Sign up for Closed Beta

Posted:

Aeria Games today released a trailer and additional artwork to celebrate the launch of the new teaser site(http://limeodyssey.aeriagames.com/) for Lime Odyssey. Visit the teaser website to sign up for a closed beta testing.

Dragon Nest - Hidden Potential System Guide

Posted:

In Dragon Nest, we are introduced to a system which uncovers the hidden potential of your equipment. You might be more familiar with another system called 'Enchanting', this is essentially what the Hidden Potential system is about.

City Transformer Online Features Preview, Closed Beta Coming soon

Posted:

City Transformer Online is a Real 3D Action MMOPRG developed by 9You and published by YouGame that brings with it a strong futuristic urban flavor topped with a science-fiction-styled dressing.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMORPG Videos

MMORPG Videos

TERA: TERA's Political System & E3 Highlights

Posted: 23 Jun 2011 12:40 PM PDT

En Masse Entertainment has released a "highlights reel" from E3 2011 in addition to a video rundown of the political system to be featured in the game.
Posted by Shri Krishna


General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Forum Feature: This Week in Threads!

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 05:35 PM PDT

It's Friday, and we're wrapping up another issue of the magazine. The September issue, to be precise. We know that's a heck of a lead time. We can't wait to show you! While you're waiting to see the 2011 Dream Machine, there are a few things you can do. You can apply to be our boss! Or you could join the discussion on our official forums! Or you could do both!

Aluminom nom nom
Like the Enterprise herself in dry dock, Bill Owen's Tricorder Chic mod continues to take shape

Check out our Appraisals, Deals & Bargains (oh my!) subforum, otherwise known as the kleinkinstein show. There are appraisals. There are deals. There are bargains. Most of the latter two are posted by the indefatigable kleinkinstein, but you could post some too. You know. 

Does (page file) size matter? Join psymonkey and the rest of the gang for a frank discussion.

Maggard wants to know what to do with an old Socket 775 Dell machine.

RaginNoob requests watercooling advice.

angelsix wants help building a rig for 3D Blu-ray and gaming.

Head on over to the forums for all these fine threads and more! Don't forget to add your voice to the discussions, or start your own thread!

Google Health and PowerMeter Shutting Down

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 03:02 PM PDT

googEverytime Google starts a blog post with "An update on", we cring, knowing that a tool or product is getting the axe. Today, two Google products that failed to receive wide support are being killed by Mountain View. Google Health and Google PowerMeter are described in the recent blog post as "influential models" that just failed to scale. Google is offering users plenty of time to get data out before the plug is completely pulled, though.

Google Health was launched as a way for users to organize and analyze their own health information. Google admits that adoption was limited to the tech-savvy crowd, but they believe the idea can still help millions of people. Health is going to be shut down on January 1, 2012, but data can still be exported until January 1, 2013.

Google PowerMeter was a product of Google.org, the search giant's non-profit wing. This service allowed users to monitor their energy usage with an array of charts and graphs. It was total data-porn, but the service relied on the installation of "smart meters" in homes. Since most municipalities aren't yet up for that, it didn't happen. Total sunset on PowerMeter is set for September 16, 2011.

Contest Friday: CivWorld Invites!

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 02:01 PM PDT

If we say "Sid Meier," do you say "Yes, please, please, give meeeee it!" If we say "CivWorld," do you make this face?

y

Yes? Really? A) How do you do that? and B) Get ready to squee with joy because we've got three invites to CivWorld to give away today! Here's the lowdown - in order to enter you must have a Facebook account for this contest. Why? Pretty simple explanation really: we're horrible people who want to ruin your day and invade your privacy. Nah, not really - but the game is only available via the Facebooks right now, so you're going to kind of need to have a Facebook account to access the game. (Yes, boo, hiss, I know - we'll have another contest next week so don't throw rocks at me just yet).

Still with me? Alright, now, just go to our Facebook page and leave a comment with a suggestion for an Image Gallery - something you'd like to see made into a story like this one, or this one, or this one. You can also comment here, on this post, if you'd rather. Usual rules and regulations apply (and are in the small print below). Also, please note that 2K Games or Take-Two Interactive are in no way affiliated with the giveaway. Good luck to everyone!

 

Rules

MaximumPC contest rules: Anyone who posts a comment listing an idea for an image gallery to this story on either MaximumPC.com or the MaximumPC Facebook page will be entered to win the one of the three CivWorld invites described in this article--one entry per accepted comment. Prizes will be awarded by random drawing. Submissions will be accepted on our Facebook.com fanpage. Submissions will be accepted until Monday the 27th of June at 06:00 PM PST. By entering this contest, you agree that Future US, Inc. may use your name, likeness, website, and submission for promotional purposes without further payment. Employees of Sponsor, its respective parent, subsidiaries, affiliated companies, and agents, and foregoing employees¹ household or immediate family members (defined as parent, spouse, child, sibling, or grandparent) are NOT eligible to enter Contest. All prizes will be awarded, and no minimum number of entries is required. Prizes won by minors will be awarded to their parents or legal guardians. Future US, Inc. is not responsible for damages or expenses the winners might incur as a result of this contest or the receipt of a prize, and winners are responsible for income taxes based on the value of the prize received. A list of winners may also be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope toFuture US, Inc. c/o MaximumPC Contest, 4000 Shoreline Court, Suite 400, South San Francisco, CA 94080. This contest is limited to residents of the United States. No purchase necessary; void in Arizona, Maryland, Vermont, Puerto Rico, and where prohibited by law.

DEFCON Kids: All Hackers Aren't Jerks

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:47 AM PDT

Current headlines would have you believe that the hacking community is a seedy world full of anonymous, government-hating hooligans and lulz-seeking havoc-wreaking chuckleheads. That is a part of it, but for every jerk who steals credit card numbers, there's a hard-working hacker helping to identify weaknesses in networks and shore up corporate defenses. Hoping to inspire a new generation of white-hat hackers, DEFCON's hosting their first ever event targeting techie children, the aptly named DEFCON Kids.

Workshops and classes are scheduled to teach future Neos and Condors how to do everything from picking locks to communicating in code to wheedling information out of people. "There will be a workroom for kids to participate in hacking activities anytime throughout the two days, including a Codebreaking Museum, a Makerbot and the Hardware Hacking Station," the Defcon Kids website says.

As odd as it sounds to teach a room full of 10 year olds how to crack a Master lock, everything's given the full white-hat spin. For example, while the "Google Hacking" class shows kids how to get data hidden in plain sight, none of the courses involve penetrating network defenses.

"We want to expose kids at an earlier age to the wonders of taking things apart and making them do things that they weren't intended to do," Jeff Moss, DEFCON's founder, told Reuters.

This year's Defcon 19 takes place at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Vegas from August 4th to August 7th. The organizers are setting aside two rooms on the 6th and 7th for Defcon Kids. Anybody aged eight to 16 is encouraged to attend, but "DEFCON Kids is not daycare; kids are their parents' responsibility."

PCI Express Developing Blazing-Fast External Standard

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 11:09 AM PDT

They say you can never have too much of a good thing. That theory's being put to the test by computer transfer technology. We've already got FireWire, USB, Ethernet, eSATA, et cetera, et cetera. Now, an old contender is entering the field sporting new technology; the PCI Special Interest Group recently announced that they're developing a new standard for an external, cabled version of the formerly internal-only PCI Express. Watch out, Intel – this tech's set to collide with Thunderbolt in the marketplace.

The specification's still in the design stages, but the target numbers being tossed around still make you sit up an take notice. EE Times reports the external PCI Express will be based on PCIe 3.0 and capable of transfer rates up to 32Gbps in distances up to three meters, a number that makes Thunderbolt's otherwise-speedy 10Gbps seem sluggish in comparison. On the downside, the spec won't support devices that pull in more than 20 watts of power, so the dream of plug-n-play high-end graphics cards is still just a dream.

Design-wise, the external PCIe's cord and connector are "expected to be flatter than those of Thunderbolt," EE Times says. The initial design will be based on standard copper wiring, but high-speed copper and fiber wiring specs could be implemented in the future. Don't start drooling yet, though – external PCIe cables aren't expected to hit the streets until mid-way through 2013.

New Retro Transformer USBs Let You Transfer Data In Style

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:19 AM PDT

Geeks don't accessorize quite the same as norms. Matching your shoes with your shirt places you at the top of the fashion totem pole at most computer conventions. That being said, everybody likes a bit of flair every now and again, and geeks are no different. When you want to draw admiring "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" out of your tech-loving pals, you can pull Mimobot's new retro Transformer USB drives out of your pocket and rest easy knowing you're sporting the Gucci of the gadget world.

Mimobot, a company specializing in designer USB drives, showed off the pint-sized Optimus Prime and Megatron at the CEA Line Show going on in New York City the past couple of days. Engadget points out that while the retro Transformers don't actually, well, transform, they do come preloaded with Transformer-related screensavers, videos, digital comics, icons, avatars and more.

That Gucci effect comes at Gucci prices, though. Pricing for the line starts at $23 for a 2GB drive and tops off at $60 for a 16GB drive. You can preorder the drives on Mimobot's website and bring the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons to your PC on July 18th. If Transformers don't strike your fancy, check out the other options on Mimobot's website. You can get USB drives sporting all types of cool, geek-related characters, ranging from Hal Jordan to Hoth Luke.

Image credit: Mimobot

Asus Announces F1A75 Motherboard Series for Fusion Platform

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 10:09 AM PDT

Motherboard makers are preparing for the launch of AMD's upcoming Llano line of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). That includes Asus who today revealed its first boards sporting the necessary FM1 socket to support AMD's A-series APUs and powered by the AMD A75 chipset. New boards include the F1A75-V EVO and V1A75-V Pro, both of which Asus promises will offer "exceptional overclocking" capabilities and a range of proprietary and next-gen technologies.

"The Asus F1A75 series are designed with the exclusive DIGI+ VRM and the most intuitive UEFI BIOS on the market," Asus says. "The F1A75-V EVO is the world's FM1 socket motherboard with dual x8/x8 PCI-Express for AMD CrossFireX support, while the entire range of Asus F1A75 Series motherboards are designed to natively support the latest USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gbps standards."

Other features include four DDR3 memory slots, seven SATA ports, three PCI-E x16 slots, 7.1 channel audio, GbE LAN, eSATA, D-Sub, DVI, and HDMI.

AMD didn't announce a price or release date.

New CPU-Z Build Supports AMD FX Bulldozer and Llano

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:30 AM PDT

Is that a Bulldozer processor in your desktop or is your computer just happy to see you? With the latest build of CPU-Z released today (v1.58), you can find out. Updates to this popular freeware update have typically been few and far between, and this is only the second time it's been tweaked since late October 2010. In addition to recognizing FX Bulldozer chips, the latest release also detects AMD's Llano APUs and adds preliminary support for Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP processors.

And that's everything that's new in version 1.58. Otherwise, it's same the utility it's always been, giving system owners a detailed rundown of core components, including CPU vitals such as the name, number, core stepping, core voltage, clockspeed, multiplier, cache information, and more; motherboard vendor, model, revision, BIOS model and date, chipset and sensor, and graphic interface; memory frequency, timings, SPD settings, vendor, serial number, and timings table; and Windows and DirectX version.

You can download the latest release here.

Cool Site of the Week: Turntable.fm

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:22 AM PDT

When it comes to great ways to discover and share new music or the tunes you've loved for years, the internet has already set the bar pretty high. From sketchy p2p services like the original Napster, to great services like Rdio, Last.fm and Spotify, modern music listeners are spoiled for choice. Turntable.fm--our Cool Site of the Week--takes everything that makes finding and sharing music online great and turns it up to 11, making for the best musical social experience we've ever seen.

While still in a semi-closed beta, turntable.fm is already showing incredible promise. The premise is a simple one: Up to five users at a time are invited to spin tunes in any number of rooms, with other users free to drop in and listen to what your room has at any time. DJs can draw upon Turntable.fm's vast music repertoire or upload their own songs to add to the mix. As your song is played, the other DJs and users in the room can up-vote your song selection to legendary status, or ramp it's popularity down far enough to vote it right out of the mix.

Building on it's already impressive set of social features, each turntable.fm room also offers a chat interface for users to wax about their favorite tunes over, as well as links to Facebook, Twitter and email to send out invites to your friends with.

After using turntable.fm for a mere two days, we're already hooked, and we're sure you'll be too!

Leaked IRC Logs Provides Insight into LulzSec

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 09:09 AM PDT

On the surface, the hacking group known as LulzSec appears to be a cocky bunch that's seemingly well organized and capable of backing up their bravado, who are unafraid to take on the U.S. government and any other entity they deem worthy of their time and effort. But are they as confident, organized, and capable as they appear to be, or do they fit the mold of the stereotypical teenager hacker, like the 19-year-old who was arrested in the U.K. earlier this week and believed to have played a major role in LulzSec's operations?

Leaked IRC logs published today by the U.K.'s Guardian provide some insight into LulzSec and give a glimpse at how the hacking organization works. According to the logs, a 30-year-old security consultant known a "Sabu" controls the group of around six to eight people and keeps everyone in line. "Kayla" supplies the botnet, and "Topiary" is the one responsible for promoting LulzSec's image via press releases and Twitter.

"They turn to be obsessed with their coverage in the media, especially in physical newspapers, sharing pictures of coverage they have received in the Wall Street Journal and other papers," the Guardian writes. "They also engineered a misinformation campaign to make people think they are a U.S.-sponsored government team."

The seemingly tight-knit group doesn't always see eye-to-eye. Two members quit after LulzSec attacked an FBI site on June 3, prompting Sabu to tell the remaining members that, "You realize we smacked the FBI today. This means everyone in here must remain extremely secure."

According to the Guardian, the logs were leaked by a former affiliate named "m_nerva," a move that didn't sit well with LulzSec.

"Remember this tweet, m_nerva, for I know you'll read it: your cold jail cell will be haunted with our endless laughter. Game over, child," LulzSec said.

The Guardian provides a ton of analysis on LulzSec, which you can read here.
Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO News

MMO News

Black Prophecy announces Episode 1 expansion

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 04:11 PM PDT

Black Prophecy’s first major update, Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima, has been announced.

This update will add a new area, Enzo’s Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance, available at level 15 with new quests, story missions, and more. New will also be bound sectors, guarded by strong opponents designed for groups only. A new instant messaging system will also be added to Black Prophecy, along with new open world sectors, new PvP reward systems, a new weapon type, and new skills. No word as to whether this update, scheduled for July, will go to North American and European servers simultaneously.

Black Prophecy is published by gamigo, which also publishes King of Kings 3, Loong, and Cultures Online.

black-prophecy-warping

Black Prophecy Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

“Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima” – Black Prophecy gets massive add-on

Hamburg, June 23, 2011 – Today the publisher gamigo will provide a glimpse into what’s coming in the next add-on for Black Prophecy. The highlight of this is the region Enzo’s Enigmatic Emporium of Exotic Elegance, which is open to players at Levels 15 and higher and acts as the hub for new missions. It is also used by dubious dealers as a marketplace for goods of all sorts. “Episode 1: Inferno in Tulima”
will be released in early July.

A new feature in the Black Prophecy universe is the bound sectors:
Players play their way from one sector to the next. The passages to the next region are generally guarded by particularly strong opponents that can only be defeated by a group. Additional sectors with this feature will follow.
To improve communication between players, the message system has been reworked and based on standard instant messenger systems: Players can recognize their friends by their avatar and talk to them in a separate window. The new in-game e-mail system also permits sending items by cash on delivery to other players.

Other new features include:
.               New jobs
.               New story missions
.               New dynamic missions
.               New open world sectors
.               Changes to the reward system in PvP
.               New weapon type
.               New offensive and defensive special skills that make battles even
more exciting

Second server opened for Pandora Saga

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 03:56 PM PDT

Pandora Saga has released a second server, named Barbatos, complete with new events to celebrate the occasion.

Double experience will be enabled on Barbatos until July 5, and special events will include “Protect a GM” (June 25 and 26), “Hide & Seek,” Scavenger Hunts, questing with GMs, and more.

Pandora Saga is published by Atlus Online, which also publishes Neo Steam.

pandora-saga-screenshot

Pandora Saga Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

ATLUS ONLINE LAUNCHES NEW SECOND WORLD, BARBATOS, FOR MMORPG PANDORA SAGA; CELEBRATES WITH NEW EVENTS, QUESTS, ITEMS AND MORE!
A whole new world…

IRVINE, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22, 2011 – ATLUS Online this week launched a new second world, Barbatos, for its latest massively multiplayer online role-playing game,  Pandora Saga.  In honor of the momentous occasion, a steady flow of new events, quests, and items will offer current players hours of entertainment, while at the same time offering those taking a break the perfect reason to jump back in.

A wealth of Barbatos-exclusive special events provide all sorts of rewards and new adventures for players: the “Double EXP” event (6/21-7/5) gives players a chance to get twice as much done in half the time; The “Protect a GM” weekend (6/25-6/26) challenges parties to try and slay opposing GMs in raucous PvP action; the beginner-friendly “Hide & Seek” events (6/21-6/23) helps newcomers find key locations, NPCs, and more.  There are also a number of events and content additions that affect Astaroth, the existing world, including Zero-risk upgrades, the Astian Bounty Hunts, and a slew of new shop additions.

The new content and ongoing events demonstrate ATLUS Online’s continued tradition of putting community first, maintaining a constant schedule of events and activities.  Active adventurers, returning players, and newcomers to Pandora Saga are all sure to find something new and exciting with the launch of Barbatos!

To register, play, and find more info about Pandora Saga, the newly launched Barbatos, and all the current and upcoming events, visit the official website at http://pandorasaga.atlusonline.com.

CABAL Online announces Episode 6

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 02:29 PM PDT

Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness is the latest major update to head to Cabal Online servers later this summer.

The update will add a new time-based instance, Maquinas Outpost, where players must kill bosses to gain more time in the dungeon. A new “Dungeon Point” (DP) system will also be introduced, granting players dungeon points for completing major dungeons in the game which can be exchanged for rewards at a new vendor. New world bosses are being introduced into beginner level maps, and more features – including a revision to the upgrading system, new pets and armor, new Astral Bike customizations and upgrades, and improved droprates, will also be released with the update.

Cabal Online is published by ESTSoft.

cabal_online_ep6armor

CABAL Online Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

CABAL Online Announces Legacy of Darkness Update

Sheffield, June 24th, 2011 – This summer the citizens of Nevareth, the online world of the free-to-play MMO CABAL Online, face their greatest threat yet, as the dark lords of the Metal Clan get set to rise. With the forthcoming release of the latest free expansion for the award-winning fast-paced online game, Episode 6: Legacy of Darkness throws a series of challenging encounters at players of all levels, including new outdoor bosses, a dungeon point system, a revamped upgrading system and a brand new time-based instance Maquinas Outpost.

The new group dungeon will challenge even the best gamers, with fast-paced gameplay, hard-hitting bosses, and a unique time-extension system where players have to kill bosses in order to extend the dungeon timer. Great rewards, including the powerful Drei Frame armour, await those brave and strong enough to fight their way through the gruelling encounters.

Players completing Maquinas Outpost will not only have the chance to earn some highly rewarding loot but, for the first time, will earn Dungeon Points through the brand new DP system. These points will be earned in all of the games major dungeons and will be exchangeable at a brand new NPC for some incredible rewards.  Never again will a hero's efforts be in vain!

The challenges are not just confined to the deepest dungeons of Nevareth and a series of new bosses will roam the beginner level maps. These dangerous monsters are vying for blood, creating a unique opportunity for lower level players to hunt them down, save the world and find some powerful equipment!

Episode 6 adds a whole host of exciting new content and other significant additions include:
- Revamped upgrading system, giving the player greater control over the process.
- New Pets
- New Class-binding Armour
- New upgrading system for Astral Bikes
- New Astral Bike customisation items
- Improved Boss droprate
- Improved dungeon droprate
- Increased success rate for crafting Blended Runes
- New Damage Amplifiers for the Mission War
- New SP-dice when completing a dungeon
- Added ability to rejoin a solo-dungeon even after a disconnect
- Renamed Epic Items

More information, including the official trailer, screenshots and a full feature list, can be found at the official website http://www.cabalonline.com .

Team Fortress 2 now free-to-play

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:48 PM PDT

Team Fortress 2, Valve’s popular multiplayer first-person shooter, is now free to play and available through Steam.

Team Fortress 2 features several classes, eight game modes, over 40 official maps, and even crafting and trading. The game was originally released as part of “The Orange Box,” a purchased bundle of Valve games, and then became available for individual purchase (with occasional free weekends) on Steam.

Valve is known for the Half-Life and Portal series as well.

team-fortress-2-screen

Team Fortress 2 Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

Team Fortress 2

  • TF2 is now Free To Play
  • Added the Uber Update: http://www.teamfortress.com/uberupdate/
  • Added PL_Barnblitz, a new Payload map
  • Added all kinds of new goodies!
  • The Main menu now has a “Start Playing” option which presents users with various game modes to choose from. Once selected, the game matches the player into the best available server for that mode.
  • The Crafting interface has been redesigned to accommodate the fact that crafting blueprints are always known to players now.
  • The Item selection screen in Loadouts has been redesigned to support selection among a larger number of items.
  • Training improvements:
    • New training user interface
    • Added “A,W,S,D” movement instruction to Soldier training
    • Added ammo instruction to Engineer training
    • Clarified many instructional strings
  • Added new voting sounds
  • Fixed various Coaching bugs
  • Fixed various gameplay bugs

Genre Variety

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:33 PM PDT

Every day, you can find tons of articles and editorials written by people completely fed up with the lack of genre diversity found in various MMORPGs, whether F2P or not. It’s a common and completely valid complaint. The majority of games are just some bland, generic fantasy blend, or vaguely sci-fi, if they are at all. Then you have the FPS games, and we all know what those entail (you are a soldier of such and such something, go shoot mans with guns). Plenty of people aware of and complaining about this, but are developers actually listening or seeking to add more variety to the gaming industry at large? It certainly doesn’t seem so, and that might be because, as usual, people are every good at complaining about a lack of creativity, but generally unwilling or unable to provide good alternatives, or explain why those alternatives are good.

eden_eternal-illusionist

Eden Eternal – Great game, but same old “anime / fantasy” setting

In the spirit of good ideas, why don’t we explore some more obscure stuff that’s generally not touched by developers at large? One of my favorite ideas is the distant, paleolithic past of humanity. Exploring the ice age, a time of tribal culture, of bodypaint, of dreadlocks and flint spears, when bronze weaponry was rare, if around at all. A time of mysticism and shadows, when we might be able to discover the ruins of previously unknown civilizations or great mysteries. Perhaps we could have a kind of shamanistic magic system? We could fight huge, monstrous mammoths and tigers, maybe even old, now extinct monsters. The possibilities are limitless! We could even divide the races into neanderthals and early Homo Sapiens. That would rock socks.

It’d be silly of me to turn this article into a list of my own weird ideas for MMO themes, so I won’t. We take for granted very often that extremely interesting alternatives do exist, like Planet Calypso, Minecraft, and other such creative, deep, mold-breaking titles. Even a game like Pirates of the Burning Sea go to a place rarely explored by having a setting taking place within the golden age of colonial power and exploration. There are just so many points in human history (and even our distant future) that can be explored within the gaming experience. MMORPGs in particular can make for such incredible diversions, and it seems criminal that, even now, so many developers are desperately, pointlessly trying to make the WoW lightning strike twice.

planet-calypso-battle

Planet Calypso – Unique Sci-Fi MMORPG

As I mentioned in a another editorial, with the proliferation of digital downloading we’ll likely be seeing more and more creativity pouring into the MMORPG scene. Now that F2P has been proven as a successful and sustainable model for any MMO, that truth is only going to become even more obvious as the market is flooded with experiments and ideas. As the man behind Puzzle Pirates once described, the ideal method of creating a new MMO is allowing your players in on the process of making the game and building the community as early as possible. It’s likely that we’re no longer going to see long, extremely expensive and involved development cycles in the future. It’s far more likely that most games are going to be released fairly early as F2P, so the playerbase can participate and help guide the devs towards making something all can enjoy.

So, with all of this in mind, are you excited for the future of MMO gaming? What are some ideas for a setting you haven’t seen and think should be explored? Do you think that devs will continue to beat their head against "the WoW problem" until the end of days? Why or why not? I personally contend that a new era of gaming is upon us, but some might disagree. Whatever the case, it’s certainly true that things DO get stale eventually, and at some point, developers of entertainment need to switch up their game a bit to keep their customers interested. Unless you’re a drug dealer, in which case all you really need to do is sit around and hand people bags of crack or whatever.

Note: I do not condone the use or distribution of crack. Gamers are tweaked out enough on sugar and caffeine as it is.

By, B. Olivia

Asda 2 Gameplay – First Look HD

Posted: 24 Jun 2011 01:22 PM PDT

To Learn More about the game check out ourAsda 2 Page.

Asda 2 is a 3D anime inspired fantasy MMORPG published by GamesCampus – the same company behind the original Asda Story, Shot Online, Scarlet lEgacy, Heroes in the Sky, Legend of Edda, MLB Dugout Heroes, and Drift City. Asda 2 is an upgraded version of the original Asda Story game. It features numerous new classes, an enhanced soul mate system (with marriage), and other gameplay improvements. It is a separate game from the original Asda Story – meaning players cannot transfer their characters over from the original game. To learn more about Eden Eternal, check out the official MMOHut Eden Eternal page which includes a detailed review, tons of screenshots, and additional videos.
Posted by Shri Krishna
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Total Pageviews

statcounter

View My Stats