General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


Google Working On Real-Time Translator Technology

Posted: 28 Jul 2013 03:36 PM PDT

Google LanguagesGoogle can translate, but tact will still be on you

Do you run to your smartphone to translate phrases when faced with a language you don't speak? Is Google Translate part of your usual app arsenal? You might want to keep your ear to the ground then, as Google seems to be preparing a real-time translation device.

PC Mag reports (via The U.K. Times) that Google is in the process of building prototypes that could one day allow travelers to interact fluently with anyone speaking a foreign language. Android vice president Hugo Barra is enthusiastic about how close this technology could actually be.

"We've got tons of prototypes of that sort of interaction, and I've played with it every other week to see how much progress we've made," Barra gushed, and for good reason -- this could revolutionize the way we communicate with each other.

Google Translate is an exciting service that offers instantaneous translation services and is great for simply playing around with, but this could mean great strides for you globetrotters out there looking to fraternize with locals or use the tech for business purposes.

The Internet Map Creates A Universe Out of Your Favorite Websites

Posted: 28 Jul 2013 03:28 PM PDT

Internet Map

Giving a whole new meaning to "the world wide web"

The Internet has been mapped out like a technological solar system, with the most-visited websites across the globe acting as the largest "planets" and constellations.

The map, created by Ruslan Enikeev, a data visualization engineer, has over 350,000 different planets that measure the sites we visit most often. Of course, Google, Facebook, and YouTube are among the largest, but others are a little surprising.

The online map, via the Daily Mail, assembles data from 196 countries and acts as a gorgeous smattering of rainbow hues, offering interesting insights into where the world spends most of its time on the good old Internet.

Maximum PC Internet Map

While the ordering may seem random, however, there's a method to the madness here: the circles are connected via links between one destination and the next. It's wild to see how so many of your favorite continual online destinations are so closely bonded.

Check out the The Internet Map for a satisfying Wikipedia-like clickfest.

World of Warcraft Subscribers Plummet to 7.7 Million Players

Posted: 28 Jul 2013 02:55 PM PDT

WoW players continue to jump ship

World of WarcraftWorld of Warcraft seems to be losing subscribers at an exponential rate, and the unstoppable force may be seeing continual losses. According to GamesIndustry.biz, Activision Blizzard has revealed the game has lost 600,000 subscribers in the latest quarter of 2013, putting their subscriber base at just 7.7 million.

The beginning of the year saw just over ten million players exploring Azeroth, though that number has plummeted steadily since the release of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. Though the Pandaren expansion supplemented the dwindling subscriber camp with a small boost, players continue to be jumping ship.

Contributing factors could be hardier competition, improved gameplay, and languishing players with top-tier characters and little to do with them. Whatever the reason, it's bizarre to see a powerhouse that peaked at more than 12 million players in 2010 struggling to retain gamers.

Are you still a WoW fanatic? Do you think it's high time Activision Blizzard works on a sequel? Let us know, and tell us if you're still hardcore Alliance or if it's all for the Horde.

Saints Row IV Ups The Ante With Game of the Generation Collector's Edition

Posted: 28 Jul 2013 02:36 PM PDT

Game of the GenerationKeep calm and Dubstep Doomsday.

Saints Row IV is getting another new special edition, and it's even grander than before. The Game of the Generation Edition is a collector's item to covet if you're a fan of the franchise's distinctive style, and it's packing a few extra features for Saints Row enthusiasts to drool over. Check out the specifics and a larger image of the goods inside!

There are only 5000 copies being produced of the new $129.99 collector's edition, hopefully keeping this set out of the video game store bargain bin purgatory. It brings with it everything found previously in the $99 Super Dangerous Wub Wub Edition and more. For $30 extra dollars you can give your copy the truly presidential treatment.

The full rundown is as follows: a light-up rotating display case with individually numbered plaque, a velvet pouch to keep the game in, a replica of the in-game Dubstep gun that plays music, 8-inch Johnny Gat Memorial Statue, pocket-sized Dubstep Doomsday Button, and DLC including the Screaming Eagle rocket launcher, 'Merica Gun, and the horrifyingly patriotic Uncle Sam uniform for your Saint.

Larger

While Deep Silver states this edition is available for preorder now, curiously it's not available at any retailers we were able to find, and even Amazon appears to be a no-go as well. Deep Silver's Aubrey Norris has confirmed, however, they are still working on getting this resolved.

MMO Updates

MMO Updates


Rise and Shiny: The empty MMO section on the RT marketplace

Posted: 28 Jul 2013 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

Windows Store screenshot
As many of you know, I have been in love with portable devices for a while now. I am always perfecting my all-in-one experience, trying to find a device that allows me access to my favorite job and hobby (MMO gaming) while actually getting some work done. That means I need to be able to communicate, type, and create content all with the same small computer. My 3G Nexus 7 was glorious for a while, but mainly as a mobile gaming platform and social network connection. I needed something larger, and I took the destruction of my 7 to mean it was time to get out of my comfort zone.

So I got myself an Asus VivoTab RT, a 10-inch tablet with a 4G LTE connection. It came with the keyboard dock for only $300 US. I'll save the explanation for buying such a device -- especially considering RT's shaky footing -- for my other blog, but I have really been enjoying RT and the fact that I still have access to Flash, browser-based games, and a larger screen.

Searching for MMOs in the Windows Store has been a nightmare, though, mainly because there are none. I'll show you what's being offered and will look at the 8.1 preview to see if we can expect changes.

Continue reading Rise and Shiny: The empty MMO section on the RT marketplace

MassivelyRise and Shiny: The empty MMO section on the RT marketplace originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Jul 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    One Shots: Peering over the edge

    Posted: 28 Jul 2013 08:00 AM PDT

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    One Shots Peering over the edge
    I do not like heights. By transitive properties, I do not like Cyberpunkhobo for sending in this photo that is capitalizing on my deepest fear. Did Cyberpunkhobo know that he was establishing himself as my lifelong enemy by the very act of this photo submission? Yes, I think he did. Vendetta accepted, sir.

    Cyberpunkhobo attempts to dismiss the seriousness of his actions in his description of this screenshot: "If there's one thing Firefall does well, it's making you feel vertically-challenged. I don't know how many times I've been met by a giant wall of rock on my merry way to an ARES mission. But when I found my way to the top of this particular precipice, I literally felt like I was on top of the world. So I took a screenshot, unfurled my glider, and proceeded to fly away as far as I could."

    You better fly, Cyberpunkhobo. I'll give you a 10-minute head start, and then all bets are off. So while we wait for this deadly cat-and-mouse game to begin, why not take a look at the other One Shots for this week?

    Continue reading One Shots: Peering over the edge

    MassivelyOne Shots: Peering over the edge originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Jul 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      The Daily Grind: Why do you play a short race?

      Posted: 28 Jul 2013 06:00 AM PDT

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      The Daily Grind Why do you play a short race
      Let me put my capital-b Bias up front and center here: Short races rock. Whether they be Gnomes, Gibberlings, Asura, Hobbits, or Dwarves, if I have the option to play a diminutive character in an MMO, I'll take it. Even my City of Heroes characters jacked down the slider to the shortest possible height. It's why I'm ecstatic that WildStar will be offering the Chua as an option, because my purpose in life is to play a small rabid kangaroo-rat-thing.

      So why do I play short races? Being somewhat short myself, I like putting my height out there in games as a point of pride instead of being ashamed of it. Plus, there's always something cool about watching a tiny dude beat up someone 1500% of his body mass. Plus plus, short races are often associated with a wicked sense of humor and irreverence. That's me, baby!

      Enough about me; why do you play a short race? Where are my gnomies at today? Speak up, tiny brothers and sisters!

      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: Why do you play a short race? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 28 Jul 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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        Make My MMO: Crowdfunding July 14 - 27, 2013

        Posted: 27 Jul 2013 06:00 PM PDT

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        Make My MMO July 14  27, 2013
        Another fortnight down; another MMO hopeful lost. The casualty? Story Quest Online, which didn't come close to meeting its Kickstarter goal. The newest addition to this list, Realms of Creation, is still moving toward its goal and has another 34 days left to reach it. To see more about it, check out the new video after the break.

        In other news, Pathfinder Online also has a new video, and Star Citizen's Chris Robert's talked at length in an exclusive Massively interview. Even controversial Greed Monger headlined with a demonstration of its house building feature. Catch all the links to these stories right here in Make My MMO.

        Continue reading Make My MMO: Crowdfunding July 14 - 27, 2013

        MassivelyMake My MMO: Crowdfunding July 14 - 27, 2013 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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          Wings Over Atreia: A quick guide to Aion 4.0 dungeons, part 2

          Posted: 27 Jul 2013 04:00 PM PDT

          Filed under: , , , , , , ,

          Wings Over Atreia  A quick guide to Aion 40 dungeons, part 2
          Do you want to know why you are wading into a particular instance and decimating all you see? Or are you more of a just-get-in-and-get-it-done kind of Daeva? Either way, you've come to the right place! Welcome to the second half of the handy dandy Aion 4.0 dungeon guide. From lore to location, this guide will aid you in your journey to lay the smackdown on the latest Atreian troublemakers that are so rudely keeping your new loot from you.

          In the first half of the guide we could cover only six of the new instances: Steel Rose, Kamar Battlefield, Danuar Mysticarium, Danuar Reliquary, Danuar Sanctuary, and Idgel Research Center. Today's part two introduces and offers a bit of insight into the five remaining Dark Betrayal dungeons spread throughout Aion's newest zones of Katalam, Danaria, and Idian Depths. Each of these instances is for Daevas level 65+ and for groups of six (unless otherwise noted).

          Continue reading Wings Over Atreia: A quick guide to Aion 4.0 dungeons, part 2

          MassivelyWings Over Atreia: A quick guide to Aion 4.0 dungeons, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jul 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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            The Mog Log: The mandatory early dungeons of Final Fantasy XIV

            Posted: 27 Jul 2013 02:00 PM PDT

            Filed under: , , , , , , ,

            Ain't no kind of fun like mandatory fun 'cause mandatory fun ain't optional.
            You're going to be exploring at least three dungeons in Final Fantasy XIV no matter what, possibly more. Progression in the main story requires a trip through Sastasha Seagrot, the Tam-Tara Deepcroft, and Copperbell Mines. While I've talked a great deal about the ethics of including this grouping experience, what I haven't really discussed are the actual dungeons themselves, even though that's certainly a big deal.

            Let's be honest here: If this stuff isn't fun, all of the talk about the validity of forced grouping is kind of pointless. Even if you can, there are times when you shouldn't.

            Fortunately for the long-term viability of these dungeons, all three have more than just nice loot (which is apparently shared between them); they also offer a fun ride through regardless. So as you could probably infer from all of the text up to this point, let's take a gander at the first three dungeons in the game and the ones we know for a fact you have to clear right off.

            Continue reading The Mog Log: The mandatory early dungeons of Final Fantasy XIV

            MassivelyThe Mog Log: The mandatory early dungeons of Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jul 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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              Revival is a story-driven sandbox in the making

              Posted: 27 Jul 2013 12:00 PM PDT

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              Revival
              Lovecraft-inspired Revival's recent reveal caught our attention with its promises to "revive the MMORPG" by way of a gorgeous sandbox. Developer IllFonic went on record stating, "It's a genre that has a bad name. There are hardcore fans in the genre, but there's no reason why the whole world shouldn't be playing this genre. The genre has been locked out with a bad taste for a decade. It's time to rethink it, go back to the drawing board, start from scratch and tell everyone that an MMO isn't a stat-chasing, quest-ignoring snorefest."

              Music to sandbox fans' ears! Naturally, we were keen to hear more, so we spoke with IllFonic Creative Director Kedhrin Gonzalez and surprisingly received very few "we can't talk about that yet" responses. Just remember as you make your way through our interview: A lot can change between the prototype and final release version, so don't unbridle your skepticism just yet.

              Continue reading Revival is a story-driven sandbox in the making

              MassivelyRevival is a story-driven sandbox in the making originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Jul 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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                MMOGaming News

                MMOGaming News


                MMOsite This Week: New MMOs and Beauties are All Around

                Posted:

                MMOsite This Week: New MMOs and Beauties are All Around


                MMOsite weekly hot news round-up comes again! Check out this article and you will get what happened in MMO world over the past week. Several new MMOs announced beta time or are revealed this week. Prime World to Kick Off Open Beta on July 26; the highly anticipated Taiwanese fantasy MMORPG Fantasy Frontier will kick off Closed Beta on August 1; Survarium's Open Beta will be launched by the end of 2013.

                BnS CN - What is a Talisman, What it Does and How it Would Concern You?

                Posted:

                BnS CN - What is a Talisman, What it Does and How it Would Concern You?


                While I was leveling, I encountered a problem that was the need to use an Exorcism Talisman to "cleanse" every piece of equipment that I picked up from an instance before I can use it. From there I went into a deeper research of this mechanic and realised that this could very well be a game breaking mechanic.

                Tencent's Role in Activision Blizzard Buyback

                Posted:

                Tencent's Role in Activision Blizzard Buyback


                Activision Blizzard recently announced that it is splitting from its parent companny Vivendi by a $8.2 billion purchase of shares from Vivendi. There is an important thing hiding in the buyback: in the investment group led by Kotick and Kelly, Tencent - the ambitious and powerful Chinese game company, retains 12% shares.

                Have a Closer Look At Black Gold's Awesome Figures

                Posted:

                Have a Closer Look At Black Gold's Awesome Figures


                I think you have roughly seen Black Gold Showcase's Highlights of this ChinaJoy, which of them is the most attractive for you? Beauty, T-shirt, Figure or the huge Mecha? For me, it's definitely the awesome figures! The famous artist Edward Fong have participated the figures' design, carving, polish and painting personally. Every figure is an excellent art. Let us take a closer look at them!



                General Gaming Article

                General Gaming Article


                Ubuntu Boss Full of Praise for Microsoft’s 'Design Vision'

                Posted: 27 Jul 2013 06:10 AM PDT

                Ubuntu Edge Smartphone

                Lauds Microsoft for being bold with Windows 8

                Despite all the flak that Microsoft has drawn in recent times over Windows 8, its strategy of pursuing design continuity across traditional PCs and smart devices has won it a few admirers as well — some of them from unlikely quarters.

                Canonical boss Mark Shuttleworth is one such unlikely admirer of Microsoft's one-style-fits-all interface strategy: "Microsoft has clearly articulated a design vision that's designed to expand across platforms," the most powerful man in all of Ubuntudom told our sister site Tech Radar. "As much criticism as the [Windows 8] has taken, I have to agree with them. It recognizes it needs to make a bold foundation. It's very difficult to make bold transitions like that without tickling somebody's nose hairs."

                Actually, on second thought, this isn't that much of a surprise, especially considering how Canonical is trying to do the same with Ubuntu. But that is precisely where, Shuttleworth insists, all the similarities end.

                "I think our story scales a bit more smoothly from phone to tablet to PC," he said. "I think we have an advantage in that our core OS is much lighter in a way. Because it works on phones it makes it to the PC faster - we're stripping out all the fat on the phone."

                Canonical is currently trying to crowdfund the development of the Ubuntu Edge smartphone (see video), a device that will "dual-boot both the Ubuntu phone OS and Android, and convert into a fully integrated Ubuntu desktop PC." The company is trying to raise $32 million in an all-or-nothing crowdfunding effort, meaning that if it fails to raise the desired sum it will give up the ambitious project altogether.

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