General gaming

General gaming


Hollywood's Video Game Invasion of the '90s

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 06:00 PM PDT

Hollywood has always had its fingers on the pulse of popular culture, so when video games began to blossom during the '80s, Tinseltown saw an opportunity to expand. Within a few years, the gaming market was awash with titles featuring A-list actors, iconic athletes, and all manner of celebrity in-between. It's hard to imagine a time when star-power had such sway in video games, especially when you consider that the concept of celebrity has devolved over the past decade into anyone who's willing to share their messy existence of a life in front of a Bravo TV camera. The number of actors, musicians and athletes who lent their likenesses to video games throughout the '90s is absolutely staggering. There's no way we could go through all the instances where the player could interact with a celebrity, so we narrowed the list down to a select few games that represent the vast scope of this strange trend.

Actors

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Privateer 2: The Darkening - PC '96

The Worst Things About the '90s

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 05:59 PM PDT

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The Worst Things About the '90s

Four terrible things that happened in a decade of great video games.

By: Jose Otero March 30, 2012

While it's easy to look back at the '90s with rose-tinted nostalgia, the decade still had its fair share of rough spots. Yes, the '90s gave us great Japanese role-playing games like Chrono Trigger, edgier video games for a maturing audience on Sony's PlayStation, and a slew of landmark titles in the year 1998, but these four things stood out as some of the worst events of the decade.

Sega's Decline

Sega ended the '80s on a high note by launching a successful 16-bit console that made the 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System look old and busted by comparison. This big win helped them finally penetrate Nintendo's market dominance and, for Sega, the boisterous chest-beating wouldn't stop there. "Genesis does what Nintendon't" ads and the debut of their speedy blue mascot, Sonic, in 1991 helped the Japanese company continue to gain mindshare leading up the launch of the rival Super Nintendo Entertainment System. The head start helped Sega start the '90s as hip and cool, fast and flexible, or so everyone initially thought.

1UP Community Feature: Gaming Problems of the '90s

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 05:35 PM PDT

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1UP Community Feature: '90s Gaming Problems

The 1UP Community shares tales of game-saving woe.

By: J. Kartje March 30, 2012

The year was 1998 and I had finally saved up enough money to get a used PlayStation and a copy of Final Fantasy VII. I got a ride to the local game store and went home with a huge smile on my face. Soon after returning home, two issues surfaced. The red, yellow, and white cords didn't plug in anywhere on the old TV in my room, and the game was prompting me for a memory card that I did not have. This meant that I couldn't save my progress and I had to take turns using the TV in the family room. It took two weeks to finally get an RF adapter, and another two weeks to finally get that first memory card. Finally, I could progress past the Train Graveyard.

Here at 1UP we've spent some time recently talking about the '90s. Saving your game progress on a cartridge or external card isn't exclusive to that decade, but now it seems almost archaic -- something few gamers will miss. Nowadays our consoles have built-in storage and cloud saves, and you don't normally worry about those things called "memory cards." Let?s take a look at some of the 1UP Community's '90s Video Game Problems.

The '90s Game Price Comparison Charticle

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 05:30 PM PDT

Infographics may be old and busted, but charticles will live forever. Hot on the heels of yesterday's '90s Console Release Charticle comes this eye-poppingly factual sequel: A comparison of the retail cost of games in the '90s versus their equivalents today, matched with inflation-adjusted figures to show the real cost of those classics in terms of actual 2012 buying power. We've carefully selected some of the top releases of the '90s against very similar titles of the past couple of years, researched their initial suggested retail prices, and lined them up side-by-side. For maximum soul-destroying accuracy, we also plugged in their prices to the Bureau of Labor Statistics inflation calculator to determine what their original asking prices equal in today's terms. For Japanese releases, we used x-rates' historical conversion calculator to see what import games cost in American dollars at the time.

The short of it? Games back then cost a lot less to develop than they do now, but they cost a lot more for the consumer. Some of that can be ascribed to the higher cost of cartridge media, but even so it helps you understand why so many publishers are doubling down on AAA games or flocking to social media.

1998: Gaming's Greatest Year

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 05:23 PM PDT

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1998: Gaming's Greatest Year

Take a look at five monumental titles that shaped the industry for years to come.

By: Bob Mackey March 30, 2012

As the nineties slowly rolled to a stop, something magical happened; in just twelve months, a handful of developers completely changed the industry with five fantastic games that redefined genres and inspired constant imitation for years to come. And, strangely enough, these bursts of innovation weren't limited to the release of some overpriced, bleeding edge piece of hardware; they happened across a variety of platforms that came into being years prior.

For some developers, 1998 marked the first year gaming had finally overcome its polygonal growing pains, allowing designers to fill their worlds with interesting ideas, now that they no longer had to concentrate on preventing their works from breaking apart at the seams. For others, graphical prowess didn't change matters much; some world-changing productions amounted to a collection of time-tested concepts presented in a highly polished and appealing package. Though each of the following games took their own approach to legendary status, they all saw release in 1998, making it the most memorable year in gaming history.

Gallery: The Age of Mascot Hell

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 04:38 PM PDT

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Gallery: The Age of Mascot Hell

The '90s gave us lots of great games, but it also created tons of annoying cutesy characters that we hate. A lot.

By: Jeremy Parish March 30, 2012

In the beginning was a circle. And Toru Iwatani removed a wedge from the circle; and the solipsism of the human mind transferred upon the circle the properties of a mouth and an appetite. And Pac-Man was created; and Iwatani saw that it was good; and the people rejoiced and demanded the likeness of Pac-Man upon every conceivable form of merchandise. And so did Pac-Man become the first game character to transcend the medium in which he was conceived; and his name and face (such as it was) appeared on television and on toys and on kitchenware and on clothing. And rival game creators saw the opportunity for profit; and they crafted countless imitations, from false graven images in own Pac-Man's likeness to Ladybugs and Jumpmen. And so dawned the video game mascot.

That's the Old Testament origin story; now let's jump ahead to the New Testament -- that is, the 16-bit era. Pac-Man created the world of mascots, and Mario led gamers to a promised land in which a mascot would star in a game whose creators' primary motivation was to create a great game rather than sell character goods. Many followed in Mario's footsteps, from Asmik's Boomer to Sega's Alex Kidd to Hudson's Bonk; yet none transcended Nintendo's leading man until 1991, when Sonic the Hedgehog changed everything.


Are MMOs as Appealing as They Once Were?

Posted: 30 Mar 2012 10:46 AM PDT

MMOs

New details on the next World of Warcraft expansion, Mists of Pandaria, recently began making the rounds. Some former players are now eager to return to that world while others remain indifferent to the notion of forking over $15 a month to play what they feel is now a stale game. I find myself in a sort of gray area between those two: I'm always eager to see what Blizzard has come up with while also feeling less enthusiastic about MMOs in general than I used to, though I wasn't really sure why I felt this way.

The return of the treasure chest in Mists of Pandaria, strangely enough, is what made me realize what one of my issues is: The sense of exploration in MMOs is not what it used to be.

MMOGaming News

MMOGaming News


Barcraft for StarCraft

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Barcraft for StarCraft


You must had watched football matches with your friends in bar, but have you ever watch a StarCraft match in a BarCraft? Barcraft began when o_Oskar on Reddit announced that people could go to a bar in Seattle to watch that day’s NASL games. Since then Barcrafts became popular all over America, Sweden, UK and Canada with the help of Team Liquid, ESL and various other gaming communities.

Continue reading Barcraft for StarCraft.

Raid Boss Destroyed By Cannons In ArcheAge

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Raid Boss Destroyed By Cannons In ArcheAge


I found this video and I found it really cool. These Koreans really know how to kill a raid boss in a unique way. Some might say this is kind of cheating but I call it innovation!

Courageous Adventurers over 50-hours TERA 4th CBT

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Courageous Adventurers over 50-hours TERA 4th CBT


Players will now have the opportunity to explore hitherto uncharted regions in TERA during the fourth closed beta phase from Friday the 30th of March until Sunday the 1st of April.

TERA PvP Battlegrounds Delayed, May Coming Late This Summer

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TERA PvP Battlegrounds Delayed, May Coming Late This Summer


Open-world PvP, consensual duels, guilds vs. guilds and battlegrounds - TERA allows you to fight other players in different ways. But one of the PvP features battleground won’t be opened at launch, En Masse just confirmed to its community.

Game-X Officially Named Dragon & Blade, Concept Video Released

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Game-X Officially Named Dragon & Blade, Concept Video Released


China MMO company NetEase finally revealed via its press conference that its new 3D MMORPG Game-X was titled as Dragon & Blade officially and a game concept trailer was released at the same time. Moreover, a brand new official website is unveiled today with more information coming soon.

WoW: MOP Beta & Will The New Expansion Be A Success ?

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WoW: MOP Beta & Will The New Expansion Be A Success ?


The upcoming expansion of the World of Warcraft franchise has begun with its Beta Testing. Before I start about the expansion itself, you may wonder how to access the BETA so...

Army Rage Open Beta Fired Up

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Army Rage Open Beta Fired Up


World War II shooter Army Rage has begun open beta. The FPS brings players back to the war between Axis and Allies and let them use various authentic WWII weapons.

World of Tanks Update 7.2 Released

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World of Tanks Update 7.2 Released


Along with two new maps, the Italian Province and the American Live Oaks, the latest update enriches the game with a long-awaited branch of U.S. tank destroyers with rotating turrets. It also brings 22 all-new crew skills and perks for virtual tankmen to master.

Otherland Introduced The Fascinating Medieval Simulation - EightSquared

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Otherland Introduced The Fascinating Medieval Simulation - EightSquared


gamigo and developers RealU will be introducing the fascinating medieval simulation "EightSquared" in today’s episode of the ’Making of’ series for Otherland: Green fields, Victorian architecture and gigantic chess pieces floating in the sky dominate this world created by Tad Williams.

Left-handed Razer Naga MMO Mouse Is Coming

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Left-handed Razer Naga MMO Mouse Is Coming


I think it’s a good news for some gamers that Razer will make a left-handed version of its 17-button Naga MMO mouse.

Perfect World to Show Off RaiderZ and Neverwinter at PAX East 2012

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Perfect World to Show Off RaiderZ and Neverwinter at PAX East 2012


"We are proud to showcase RaiderZ and Neverwinter at PAX East," said Yoon Im, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Game Publishing, Perfect World Entertainment.

Enjoy Epic PvP Fighting in Luvinia Online’s New Abbes Dungeon

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Enjoy Epic PvP Fighting in Luvinia Online’s New Abbes Dungeon


Today, Outspark raised the level cap on its brand new free-to-play fantasy MMORPG, Luvinia Online, to Level 87, and opened Abbes Dungeon, a massive instanced zone of fierce PvP fighting, to players Level 80 and above.

April Fools’ Joke? Dragons Added into World of Warplanes

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April Fools’ Joke? Dragons Added into World of Warplanes


Wargaming.net announced the next faction to join the current set of nations in the highly-anticipated flight combat action MMO World of Warplanes: dragons! The all-new line of majestic creatures will set the sky on fire when the game enters its beta stage later this year.

Have You Ever Met These Embarrassed Faces in C9?[Part II]

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Have You Ever Met These Embarrassed Faces in C9?[Part II]


Guys, this is the part II of embarrassed faces from duowan, Which picture make you laugh out? Don’t save to share your feelings!

Spirit Tales Features the Maned Dragon Tribe

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Spirit Tales Features the Maned Dragon Tribe


Another tribe info revealed! Spirit Tales highlights the Maned Dragon Tribe featuring the Archer and Warrior class.

Enjoy Thrilling Slaughters in 3D MMORPG Wild Buster (Part I)

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Enjoy Thrilling Slaughters in 3D MMORPG Wild Buster (Part I)


Recently, two game designers Chin JiWoon and Choi Jun accepted the interview with TIG and shared more game info about the brand new 3D shooter MMORPG Wild Buster with players.

Nature Calls in RIFT Update 1.8: Introducing Fishing and Survival!

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Nature Calls in RIFT Update 1.8: Introducing Fishing and Survival!


As Ascended you lead thrilling, immortal lives full of combat and adventure, but sometimes, you just want to get away from it all. You want to immerse yourself in the wonder of this unique, plane-touched world, search for hidden treasures, and seek calm from the din of war.

Auto Club Revolution Kicks Off Open Beta

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Auto Club Revolution Kicks Off Open Beta


Auto Club Revolution doesn’t have open world environment like Need For Speed Online’s city street and all races are taken place on licensed (Silverstone and Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, etc.) and self-designed tracks.

Weapon and Armor Enhancement Guide

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Weapon and Armor Enhancement Guide


Weapon and Armor Enhancement is a must in Dragon Nest. In fact, there aren't any sure guides or techniques about enhancing. It is easy to enhance a weapon or armor from +1 to +6, you will only need to provide materials for the enhancement. If you want to enhance your weapons or armors from +7 onward, you will encounter failures and losses of the gears you want enhanced. Although some experienced players have their own opinions about enhancements and have tried several times, they may not apply to all players. Make sure that this is only for reference.

A Look into ArcheAge’s World Bosses

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A Look into ArcheAge’s World Bosses


Some people were asking about what other kinds of bosses there were in ArcheAge so I thought world bosses were a great example of the challenges players will find throughout ArcheAge.

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