General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


U.S. House Downloading Torrents While Pushing SOPA

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 03:11 PM PST

capitolThe torrent watching website YouHaveDownloaded.com is still astounding us with its hypocrisy-revealing powers. A new search of the site, which tracks IP addresses pulling copyrighted material from a few public BitTorrent trackers, confirms that the U.S. House of Representatives is quite the hotbed of piracy at the same time it's working to pass the much-maligned Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA). 

According to TorrentFreak, it's not just a file here and there, but over 800 copyrighted works being downloaded on U.S House IP addresses. YouHaveDownloaded.com doesn't even track the vast majority of downloads online, so the actual number could be much higher. The pirated content runs the gamut from self-help books, to TV shows, to porn. Yes, some congressional aids have been busy indeed. 

Experts on the Internet and its architecture have decried SOPA's DNS-poisoning provisions that could damage the fabric of the Internet while seeking to block supposedly infringing sites. The entertainment lobby asserts that it loses billions to piracy every year, and the the industry needs more powerful tools to stop online copyright infringement. It's unclear if they will also be seeking to shut off Congress' net access. 

Unofficial Google+ User Count Crosses 62 Million

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 02:51 PM PST

g+Paul Allen is the founder of Ancestry.com, and likes to call himself the unofficial Google+ statistician. Allen has taken to giving the occasional analysis of actual Google+ users, and in the past his analyses have matched up with Google's official announcements. Today Allen has released his newest estimate of Google+ traffic, and says the social network has passed 62 million users.

Allen and his team use a sampling method that relies on family names to estimate populations. This method has been used in other arenas, and found to be quite accurate. The current rate of signups is north of 625,000 per day, according to Allen's results. That puts Google+ on pace for 400 million users by the end of 2012. 

The reasons for the uptick, and predicted acceleration in growth is Google's new ad campaign as well as Android 4.0 updates, which push users to Google+. Allen also cites the network effect, which states that the site will become more valuable for everyone as more users log on. have you found value in Google+?

Blog Sues Former Blogger Over Twitter Followers, Seeks $340,000 in Damages

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 02:33 PM PST

twtFor about four years, technology blogger Noah Kravitz worked for PhoneDog, a mobile phone website. During that time, he also tweeted under the handle @PhoneDog_Noah. A little over a year ago, Kravitz left PhoneDog and changed his handle to @noahkravitz. At the time he had 17,000 followers. Now PhoneDog is suing, claiming that Kravitz absconded with its Twitter followers despite the account belonging to Kravitz.

PhoneDog said in a statement that it expended vast resources to build 17,000 followers for Kravitz, and losing access to them had seriously impacted business. It is the position of PhoneDog Media that Twitter followers are a "subscriber list." In the way of damages, PhoneDog seeks $2.50 per follower, or about $340,000. It is unclear how the company came to that valuation.

Kravitz has responded saying that he left PhoenDog on good terms, and was told the Twitter account was his. Since leaving PhoneDog, Kravitz has gained an additional 5,000 followers. Perhaps all social media users that have a personal account for work should heed Kravit's advice of the day: "Social Media Users: Be very careful when using your company's name in your online handles. Never know how/when your employers might react."

A White Case-mas: Our Favorite Ivory Gadgets This Holiday Season

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 11:26 AM PST

OK, so we don't get a ton of snow out here in San Francisco (see: pretty much none), but we have noticed a fairly massive influx of snow-themed products adorning our lab these past couple of months. As Gordon aptly pointed out a while back, white is the new black, which was the new beige, which...well, we forget the rest of that particular rant.

Point is, white products seem to be cool again, and in the spirit of the holiday season, we thought we'd spotlight some of our favorite alabaster tech products of the last couple of months. Check out the gallery below, and make sure to let us know which products we missed in the comments.

Happy Holidays!

Gigabyte Rolls Out Crucial BIOS Update For Overclockers With X79 Mobos

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:17 AM PST

Pushing your PC to its limits has obvious inherent dangers; overclocking your CPU can definitely bust your rig if you push it too far. That being said, reasonable overclocking doesn't actually carry too much risk – normally. Right before Christmas, one overclocker's Gigabyte GA-X79-UD3 mobo crashed, then burned (literally) in the midst of a lightweight stress test. After he posted the video on YouTube (the fun stuff happens in the last 20 seconds), Gigabyte looked into the problem, and apparently, it wasn't a case of crap luck. Yesterday, Gigabyte's Chinese branch announced the faulty CPU VRM is a widespread issue and recalled the GA-X79-UD3, GA-X79-UD5, GA-X79-UD7 and G1.Assassin 2 mobos. US users, meanwhile, get a critical BIOS update.

There are some conflicting reports about the BIOS update out there. TechPowerUp reports that the patch will throttle the CPU when it's stressed to protect the VRM and keep your board from frying, but claims that the throttling also apparently puts the brakes on any adventurous overclocking attempts. A Gigabyte rep told us that this is not true, however.

"We have a few power users trying our new BIOS here and (they've) reported to us that new BIOS has enhanced the overclocking stability and performance," PR Manager Irene Huang said. "Therefore, it will not be a concern for reducing the overclocking ability with new F7 BIOS."

If you've already burned out your X79 mobo while pushing it to the limit, Gigabyte U.S. will send you a new one (the damage would fall under Gigabyte's 5-year warranty for X79 motherboards anyways, assuming you've registered the hardware). Meanwhile, the company is working with resellers and retailers to ensure as-yet-unsold boards are flashed with the new BIOS prior to ending up in customer hands.

Oh, and if you're wondering, Gigabyte blames the problem on a mixture of poor PWM components and bad firmware.

EDIT 4:20 P.M. EST: A representative from Gigabyte U.S. contacted us to say that the mobos are not being recalled in the United States. Here's what she had to say:

The Chinese announcement you have seen online was for the Taiwan region only not apply to NA America region. However, for NA America, we will provide any help that customers will need to for the BIOS update. The new F7 BIOS will easily fix all the issues and is ready for download on the website already, and we also provide swap service to users whose motherboard has been damaged due to extreme overclocking. (It only happens under some extreme overclocking settings, but it's fixed by F7 BIOS).

Look for an official announcement to come from Gigabyte sometime soon. We've changed the headline and some details in the article to reflect Gigabyte U.S.'s response.

CyberPowerPC Rolls Out Third Generation Fang III Desktop PCs

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:07 AM PST

With less than a week to go before the calendar flips to 2012, CyberPowerPC, who is "taking no prisoners to close out the year" by refreshing its Fang desktop gaming PC series. Now in its third generation, the Fang III series consists of the Rattler, Viper, Cobra, and top-of-the-line Black Mamba, each one re-armed with Intel's second generation Core i processors and fully customizable.

"CyberpowerPC's Fang III gaming PCs ranges from smart and efficient dual core CPUs to the massive hexa-core extreme edition to provide blistering performance and power," CyberPowerPC said in a statement. "Users can enhance their Fang III systems with CyberpowerPC's Venom Boost technology which overclocks the processor up to an additional 30 percent to torch your opponents without frying your system. Venom Boost technology is a safe way to obtain maximum performance for gaming, multi-tasking and intense multimedia and business applications."

Pricing starts at about a grand, but if you're springing for the flagship Black Mamba, you'll need to bring at least five large in your purse to walk away with the default configuration:

  • Azza Fusion 4000 Super Full Tower chassis
  • Intel Core i7 3960X Extreme Edition processor
  • Ultimate OC (overclocked 30 percent or more)
  • CyberPower Xtreme Hydro Liquid Cooling Kit
  • Asus Rampage IV Extreme X79 motherboard
  • 16GB DDR3-1600 memory
  • 2 x EVGA liquid cooled Nvidia GTX 590 Classified Hydro Copper configured in SLI
  • OCZ Agility 120GB SSD
  • 2TB hard drive (5900 RPM, 64MB cache, SATA III)
  • 12X Blu-ray writer
  • 12-in-1 media card reader
  • 1000W CoolerMaster power supply
  • Razer Lycosa keyboard / Razer Lachesis mouse
  • Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

All CyberPowerPC Fang III gaming systems include a 3-year warranty and lifetime phone support.

Would You Be Willing to Pay for Major Android Updates?

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 08:13 AM PST

Few people would argue that fragmentation is a problem on the Android platform, or at the very least it's sometimes a frustration. The fact that Android is open source and is within reach of any handset/tablet maker who wants to take the source code and run with it is partially what made the OS so popular to begin with. However, with so many Android devices in the wild, many sporting their own custom UIs, it's almost a crap-shoot as to when or even if any particular model will receive a major update, like Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0). Could paid updates solve this problem?

Probably not, but at least one person thinks paid updates are the answer. James Kendrick over at ZDNet posted a short piece on why he thinks paying for major updates would fix a system that, to him, is clearly "broken."

"As screwed up as the update process is for Android devices, there is a brilliantly simple method available to fix it in one fell swoop. It is time for paid updates for the Android world," Kendrick writes.

According to Kendrick, "money is at the root of the Android update fiasco." Specifically, he says OEMs pour a ton of money into Android device updates, both in rolling them out and in supporting them after the fact. Paid updates would solve this problem.

"I don't think Android phone owners would object to a reasonable charge for a major OS update," Kendrick says.

Kendrick's proposed fee is $15, which by his math would be almost $400 million in additional revenue if just 10 percent of annual Android buyers ponied up for a paid update.

What's your take on Kendrick's proposal?

MSI Unveils MultiConnect Panel and Voice Genie

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 07:49 AM PST

Getting a jump on CES in Las Vegas, MSI today announced a couple of new products, one of which is a do-everything front panel and the other is Voice Genie, the world's first voice control technology with system startup support without the need for a keyboard or mouse, MSI claims. Using just your vocal cords, MSI's Voice Genie allows you to start and shutdown your system, enable and disable OC Genie, open a Web browser, put your system to sleep, and wake it back up.

Voice Genie is equipped with two sets of voice recognition and supports up to 8 customized voice commands. MSI says it will work with several of its own motherboards, including:

  • All MSI X79 series products
  • Z68A-GD80 (B3)/(G3)
  • Z68A-GD65 (B3)/(G3)
  • Z68A-GD55 (B3)/(G3)
  • Z68A-GD45 (B3)/(G3)
  • MSI Big Bang-Marshall (B3) - Intel P67 chipset

The other product is MSI's new MultiConnect Panel. It slides into any available 5.25-inch drive bay and comes equipped with a high-speed Bluetooth 3.0 module, 802.11n Wi-Fi support, an OC Genie button, and a pair of USB 2.0 ports with Super Charger technology.

No word on price or availability.

Image Credit: MSI

Italy Takes $1.2 Million Bite Out of Apple for Unfair Commercial Practices

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 07:07 AM PST

Apple on Tuesday was fined 900,000 euros (about $1.2 million) by Italy's Antitrust Authority following an investigation into complaints of "unfair commercial practices" relating to its retail stores. The company's first retail store opened in Italy in 2006 in Ponte di Nona, and now there are nine stores in all located in various parts of the country.

According to The Wall Street Journal, Italian authorities fined Apple 400,000 euros for not providing adequate information to customers about the length of warranties, and another 500,000 euros for failing to provide sufficient information to customers about its AppleCare Protection Plan. The fines were handed down to Apple Sales International, Apple Italia Sri, and Apple Retail Italia.

Italy has been keep a close eye on Apple's operations. According to Apple Insider, the Italian government, along with the U.S., France, Germany, and South Korea, probed Apple over its location data controversy earlier this year, which was addressed in an iOS update.

Google's Eric Schmidt Hints of a Nexus Tablet in Six Months

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 06:45 AM PST

Google may be gearing up to launch a tablet of its own, one that could serve as a benchmark for other Android tablet makers to follow when designing their own slates. Eric Schmidt, Google's Executive Chairman, reportedly told an Italian newspaper during an interview that the search giant plans to market a premium quality tablet within the next six months.

A tablet was one of many topics Schmidt touched on when speaking with Italy's Corriere Della Sea, and by far the most interesting, even though he stopped well short of offering many specifics. He mentioned nothing of the hardware, how big it would be, or even if it would be an extension of the Nexus line into tablet territory or a completely different brand.

This isn't just a rogue report, either. News and rumor site DigiTimes is reporting similar plans after speaking with "sources at the PC industry in Taiwan." According to DigiTimes, PC vendors fear Google will give itself an unfair advantage by loading its Nexus tablet up with Android 4.1, while all the other Ice Cream Sandwich tablets being rolled out in the first half of 2012 will sport Android 4.0. They also fear cannibalization.

Worries aside, a Google tablet might be just what Android needs in order to take a shot at the iPad, especially if it sets the bar high enough to where all other players are forced to step up their game.

Image Credit: flickr "jolieodell"

MMO News

MMO News


Dragona

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 06:33 PM PST

Dragona is a fantasy MMORPG, set in a land where a dark dragon’s curse has taken hold. Use the power of dragon’s souls to transform, and seek your destiny and the truth behind a dark history.

dragona_running

Publisher: GameClub
Playerbase: ??
Graphics: High
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: ??
PvP: Arenas/Open
Filesize: ~1600 MB

Pros: +Can transform to unlock new powers. +Rewarding crafting system. +Easy navigation.

Cons: -Classes are race/gender locked. -Feels similar to other MMORPGs.

Overview

Dragona Overview

Dragona features four races and eight classes, each of which is specifically locked to a race/gender combination. Each class has its own unique dragon transformation, which grants additional powers and skills. Like many RPGs, you can join guilds, go on quests, and adventure in instances. You can also choose to battle players in the arena, duel them, or risk player-killing in the open world.

Races & Classes

  • Human (Gunner/Sniper)
  • Kalis (Guardian/Assassin)
  • Eldin (Ranger/Magician)
  • Catcha (Shaman/Scout)

Dragona Screenshots

Dragona Featured Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

Full Review

Dragona Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

Dragona Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Videos

Dragona Videos

Dragona Official Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

Links

Dragona Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

Dragona System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7
CPU: Pentium 4 2.8GHz or higher
RAM: 1GB
HDD: 3GB
Graphics Card: Radeon X700 / Geforce 6600
DirectX: 9.0c

Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista, 7
CPU: Pentium Dual Core or higher
RAM: 2GB
HDD: 3GB
Graphics Card: Radeon HD3650 / Geforce 8600GT
DirectX: 9.0c

Silkroad-R

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:30 AM PST

Silkroad-R is a revised version of the original Silkroad Online, with adjustments to leveling speed, class balance, and more. Choose to be a European or Chinese, and explore an ancient world with a complex class system.

silkroad_r_crowds

Publisher: Joymax
Playerbase: High
Graphics: High
Type: MMORPG
EXP Rate: Medium
PvP: Duels/Open
Filesize: ~1600 MB

Pros: +13 available classes. +Innovative PvP and Profession systems. +Improved experience from original Silkroad.

Cons: -Complicated progression system. -Game content identical to Silkroad Online.

Overview

Silkroad-R Overview

Silkroad-R offers an experience that mirrors the same content as Silkroad Online, but with improvements to experience gain, skill balance, network issues, and more. Choose from two races (Chinese and European), each with their own set of classes, weapons, and skills; along with your allegiance to either become a Hunter, protecting the Silkroad merchants, or a Thief, whose goal is to steal from the merchants.

Silkroad-R Screenshots

Full Review

Silkroad-R Review

Coming Soon…

Screenshots

Silkroad-R Screenshots

Coming Soon…

Videos

Silkroad-R Videos

Coming Soon…

Links

Silkroad-R Links

Official Game Page

System Requirements

Silkroad-R System Requirements

Minimum Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista
CPU: Pentium 3 800MHz or higher
RAM: 256MB
HDD: 4GB
Graphics Card: 3D speed over GeForce2 or ATI 9000
DirectX: 9.0c

Recommended Requirements:
OS: Windows 2000, XP, Vista
CPU: Pentium 4 2.4GHz or higher
RAM: 512MB
HDD: 4GB
Graphics Card: 3D speed over GeForce FX 5600 or ATI9500
DirectX: 9.0c

Successful open beta and new server for Silkroad-R

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 10:00 AM PST

Joymax has declared that Silkroad-R’s open beta has been so successful, they are launching a new server, Gobi, to deal with the player populations.

To celebrate, several events will be in place until this phase of open beta ends on January 17. This includes a free daily bingo, which can reward Magic POP Cards and E-Coupons for Silk; a free 5 hour 100% experience and SP buff by talking to So-Ok (once per day); gifts from NPCs at special level markers (starting at level 3 and going to  level 72); and rewards for participating in an open beta survey.

Joymax also promises that the new experience of Silkroad-R offers not only a lag-free experience, but a bot-free experience as well, due to a rebuilt network and security platform for the game. Joymax has also removed many of the incentives that caused players to turn to botting.

Joymax also publishes Karma Online and Digimon Masters Online.

silkroad_r_faction

Silkroad-R Gameplay Screenshot

Source:

SILKROAD-R LAUNCHES HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL OPEN BETA; IMMEDIATELY ADDS NEW SERVER

Lag free, bot free, stress free and still free-to-play

December 27th , 2011 – Joymax, a developer and publisher of interactive entertainment for the global market, today announced that their new blockbuster title Silkroad-R is completely free—lag free, bot free, stress free and most importantly, free-to-play. New-comers to the Silkroad franchise are now able to enjoy a very clean and fresh gaming experience. Although Silkroad-R just began its open beta test (OBT) on December 20, an additional server, Gobi, was added in order to meet with strong influx of users. So, to celebrate the game's early success, Joymax will be hosting a string of promotions and events from now until January 17, 2012. To find out more about Silkroad-R and or to enter one of the many events, visit the official site at http://www.joymax.com/silkroad-r/.

"Joymax's main mission for 2011 was to find an answer to the two questions, 'What do our players want?', and 'How can we give it to them?'" said Joymax CEO, Nam-chul Kim. "But to quote a line from the movie the Matrix, 'There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.' Silkroad-R is our attempt at walking the path. It incorporates all of the most wanted player requests, from faster level-ups, less bots, and a cleaner UI to improved character balance."

One major concern of players of any massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG) is the presence of bots. Silkroad-R implements several new in-game strategies that have either eliminated or greatly reduced the presence of even the most sophisticated bot programs. In addition, Joymax has been built the security and network platform in Silkroad-R from the ground-up to ensure that players are protected from in-game attacks and have a clean and safe environment to play. However, in the unlikely event that a bot does enter the system, Joymax has also implemented several polices that effectively remove the main incentives for players to turn to botting.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


The Soapbox: Adding story to SWTOR

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 09:00 AM PST

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Star Wars: The Old Republic - show me the story
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I'd like to take a few moments this week to prognosticate about story in The Old Republic. I'm not talking about the story that's already there, mind you, as I've barely scratched the surface (a 20 Sage, a 15 Gunslinger, and a beta-flavored Trooper are the extent of my experience thus far).

No, what I'm more interested in talking about is what's going to happen story-wise when I get to level 50 on one of these guys. The easy answer is, of course, roll an alt! There are seven other classes after all, each reportedly featuring 200 hours worth of single-player story content.

What happens if I were to get to level 50 on all eight classes, though? Is The Old Republic's gameplay still going to revolve around the heavily hyped story angle at that point?

Continue reading The Soapbox: Adding story to SWTOR

MassivelyThe Soapbox: Adding story to SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    The Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: A chat with Brian Green (part 2)

    Posted: 27 Dec 2011 07:00 AM PST

    Filed under: , , , ,

    Welcome to the second part of our interview with former Meridian 59 developer Brian "Psychochild" Green as he reminisces about running one of the oldest graphical MMOs in history. If you missed the first part, I heartily recommend you catch up on it before continuing further.

    And now, for the exciting conclusion...


    The Game Archaeologist: What's one of your favorite stories from your experience running Meridian 59?

    Brian Green: One time I was at Dave & Busters restaurant one evening after a day at the Game Developer's Conference (GDC). I was chatting with Raph Koster about the conference, when from behind us someone says, "Oh my god, are you Psychochild?!?" Raph, who has always been more high profile than I am, gives a grin and leaves. Turns out they were fans of the game and bought me a drink as thanks.

    Continue reading The Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: A chat with Brian Green (part 2)

    MassivelyThe Game Archaeologist crosses Meridian 59: A chat with Brian Green (part 2) originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Did you get gaming gifts for the holidays?

      Posted: 27 Dec 2011 05:00 AM PST

      Filed under: , ,

      All of those boxes contain computer hardware.
      The holiday season is winding down and the gift-giving days are done. People are sitting back and enjoying their break from school or work, and maybe enjoying some new items that Santa dropped in their stockings. Last weekend the Massively staffers talked about what gaming-related goodies they were hoping to receive, and we posed the same question to you.

      So what's the verdict? Were your holiday gaming wishes fulfilled? Is your Steam wish list shorter? Is your pile of gaming boxes taller? Do you have some shiny new game time codes to use? Leave a comment and let us know what your newest gaming goodies are!

      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: Did you get gaming gifts for the holidays? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts

        Posted: 26 Dec 2011 05:00 PM PST

        Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

        Not So Massively title image
        It's Christmas time, and what better way is there to celebrate than to smash some internet people to bits in your favourite MOBA? League of Legends leads the charge with a gift of 450 RP delivered to every nice player who hasn't been banned in the past two months, and it shows off upcoming champion Victor the Machine Herald. Heroes of Newerth gives all players two free Christmas alt avatars and has a limited-time offer to buy a pack containing every previously released hero for just $10.

        Rise of Immortals takes part in Steam's Great Gift Pile promotion that gives you the chance to win discount coupons or free Steam games, and it releases an immortal spotlight on Kavashiir. CrimeCraft: Gang Wars also offers players a Steam prize for playing its festive Snow Brawl game mode. Firefall clarifies the beta process and reminds fans that the game will be "done when it's done," and Torchlight developer Runic Games announces a new armour design contest. Finally, of all the intellectual properties to be made into an online game, did you ever think Doctor Who would make the list? BBC Worldwide has released an open preview of Doctor Who: Worlds in Time, a team-based puzzle game by the makers of Puzzle Pirates and Spiral Knights.

        Skip past the cut for details of this week's biggest news from the world of MOBAs and other big online games that aren't quite MMOs.

        Continue reading Not So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts

        MassivelyNot So Massively: Free Steam games and promotional gifts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Flameseeker Chronicles: High achievers

          Posted: 26 Dec 2011 03:00 PM PST

          Filed under: , , , ,

          Charr SMASH
          Well, ArenaNet certainly didn't let 2011 go out on a quiet note. The team had a few last tricks up its sleeve before closing down shop until the new year. We chatted with Eric Flannum about the Guild Wars 2 Mesmer, and the newest ArenaNet blog post contained some exciting talk of combat, achievements, and some tweaking to the Thief class.

          I loved hearing about the updates to the Thief and to combat because the fact that the developers are talking about fine-tuning says good things to me about the development process. However, it was the talk of achievements that really caught my attention because it's such a sweeping, game-wide system. Follow along after the jump and let's take a closer look!

          Continue reading Flameseeker Chronicles: High achievers

          MassivelyFlameseeker Chronicles: High achievers originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius

            Posted: 26 Dec 2011 02:00 PM PST

            Filed under: , , , , , , ,

            Wings Over Atreia header
            Aren't I thoughtful? As my present to you, I am going to help banish those Solorius tunes that got stuck in your head a couple of weeks ago. How shall I accomplish this? No, not with a home-delivery amateur lobotomy or a plethora of psychotropics (though these could alternately be helpful I concede) but by replacing them of course! Yes, let's round out the season with a rousing rendition of The Twelve Days of Solorius.

            Last year, I shared my first ever Aion holiday wish list. Although nothing from that hopeful list was granted in 2011, there is promise of at least two of those items being introduced to Atreia next year! So while some may have considered my brazen declarations of wants an exercise in futility, I shan't abandon hope! After all, what is a holiday season without hope?

            Is there a little something special you'd like to see in Aion? Make your list then check mine twice past the cut.

            Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius

            MassivelyWings Over Atreia: The twelve days of Solorius originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Win free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts

              Posted: 26 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST

              Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

              Win free steam games image
              If you've been checking out this year's Christmas Steam sales, you'll undoubtedly have seen the Great Gift Pile giveaway. By completing various game achievements and objectives, Steam users unlock prizes that can be anything from a lump of coal to discount vouchers or even a full copy of any game on Steam. There are reports of people winning massive prizes like Skyrim or the Valve complete pack, and even if you just get a lump of coal, it's still a valuable prize; seven lumps can be exchanged for a new random prize, and those left over at the end of the holiday event will count as tickets in a lottery to win a copy of every single game on Steam.

              While many of the achievements require the purchase of cheap indie titles, there are several ways to get your hands on a gift from the great pile absolutely free. Checking your Steam inventory page and trading any item with another user will get you two free gifts, and joining the 2011 Holiday Group will net you a third. Two more prizes can be collected by completing the Son of a Nutcracker! achievement in Spiral Knights and the All I Want for Christmas is Sewers achievement in Rusty Hearts, both of which are free-to-play MMOs available through Steam.

              Skip past the cut for details on how to beat the Steam gift achievements for Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts, including full walkthrough videos.

              Continue reading Win free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts

              MassivelyWin free Steam games with Spiral Knights and Rusty Hearts originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Gazillion Entertainment's Jason Robar speaks on making MMOs for kids

              Posted: 26 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST

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              Screenshot -- Super Hero Squad Online
              We all know that creating an MMORPG is a daunting task. But what is it like trying to create an MMORPG for kids? Jason Robar, vice president and general manager of Gazillion Entertainment, sat down with Gamasutra recently to answer that very question. Robar states that the principal priority when creating a kids' MMO -- such as the studio's Super Hero Squad Online -- is the safety of the game's younger players. He also elaborates on the difficulties of making a game that's fun to kids and still interesting to parents who log in with their children.

              For the full interview, just click on through the link below.

              MassivelyGazillion Entertainment's Jason Robar speaks on making MMOs for kids originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Wakfu open beta starts January 4th

              Posted: 26 Dec 2011 11:00 AM PST

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              Wakfu - Srams Shadow class
              Ankama and Square-Enix have announced that Wakfu's open beta will begin on January 4th. The date will also mark the release of content update 0.311, which will bring a new achievement tracking tool and the Srams Shadow class to the game. The Shadow is an assassin archetype who comes complete with invisibility mechanics and the ability to dish out considerable melee damage.

              The devs will also be wiping the servers for the open beta phase, but contest, promotional items, and holiday event items will persist through the reset. Ankama is also temporarily removing two classes (the Ecaflip and the Rogue) for further balancing. Look for the Rogue and its rival Masqueraider to make their return shortly after Wakfu's February launch.

              [Thanks to AterNox for the tip!]

              MassivelyWakfu open beta starts January 4th originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              General gaming

              General gaming


              Nintendo Direct Recap: Fire Emblem Dated in Japan

              Posted: 26 Dec 2011 08:29 PM PST

              Nintendo Direct Iwata

              Tonight's Nintendo Direct wasn't as newsworthy as the first one for those outside of Japan. The pre-recorded broadcast was largely comprised of trailers and release date announcements for 3DS games in Japan.

              The new Fire Emblem for 3DS was described as an original game being designed for the handheld. In Japan it'll be known as Fire Emblem: Kakusei, which in English translates to Fire Emblem: Awakening. The report from earlier today that the first premium downloadable content from Nintendo would be released for Fire Emblem remains unconfirmed, but one aspect of the report was shot down. It had been said that the DLC would be coming in March; in fact, the game won't be available in Japan until April 19, so it won't be coming any sooner than that.

              Nintendo's First DLC to be for Fire Emblem 3DS - Report

              Posted: 26 Dec 2011 03:38 PM PST

              Having added support for downloadable content on 3DS earlier this month, Nintendo is reportedly planning to take advantage of this support for the first time with its upcoming Fire Emblem game.

              Shortly after announcing that it planned to drop the price of the 3DS this past summer, Nintendo stated that a system update coming in 2011 would enable developers to release DLC for games on the system. That support is now in place, but it hasn't yet been taken advantage of.

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