Dear Mapler,Source
With 2X EXP and 2X Drop Rate coming your way from 1st December to 31st December 2006 during this festive season, everyone can enjoy MapleSEA to its fullest!2X EXP and 2X Drop Rate are available in the world of Aquila, Bootes, Cassiopeia and Delphinus during these time slots:
- 2X Drop Rate during the following period:
Monday to Friday - 6.30pm to 7.30pm- 2X Exp during the following period:
- MapleSEA Administrator
Saturday and Sunday - 6.30pm to 7.30pm
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Enjoy 2X Exp and 2X Drop Rate @ MapleSea
MapleSea Gonna Open Another New World " Delphinus "
Dear Mapler,Source
The long wait is finally over! We are excited to bring you the fourth new world in MapleSEA on 30th November 2006.To celebrate the opening of the 4th world, all Maplers in this world will get to enjoy:
- 2X Exp during the following period:
Friday to Sunday - 2pm to 4pm (SGT) and
Friday to Sunday - 7:30pm to 9:30pm for 2 weeks.- 2X Drop Rate during the following period:
- MapleSEA Administrator
Monday to Thursday - 2pm to 4pm (SGT) and
Monday to Thursday - 7:30pm to 9:30pm (SGT) for 2 weeks.
Win a Lenovo H series desktop @ MapleSea
Simply drop your used A-Cash Prepaid Card at SiteX 2006 (Lenovo Booth) for a chance to win Lenovo H Series desktop!
1 Used A-Cash Prepaid Card = 1 Chance
The more you drop, the higher chances of winning!
Draw Date: 3rd Dec 2006
Winner will be notified through Q-Box
Terms and Conditions:
- Each used A-Cash Prepaid Card will provide you with a chance to win the Lenovo H-Series Desktop computer and you can submit as many used A-Cash Prepaid cards as you like!
- Winners will be notified through the Qbox
- This promotion is only valid for SITEX 2006, from 30 Nov – 3 Dec 2006.
- The management reserves the right to change the terms and conditions of the said promotions and its stipulated terms and conditions without any given prior notice.
AGC Company Name Change @ MMorpg.Com
The folks behind the popular Austin Game Conference have changed their name to reflect a "broader mission". Formerly the Austin Game Initiative, the company is now known as Show Initiative.
AUSTIN GAME INITIATIVE, LLC CHANGES NAME TO SHOW INITIATIVE, LLC
Austin Game Conference Creator Changes Name to Reflect Broader Mission AUSTIN, Texas - November 30, 2006 - Austin Game Initiative, LLC announced today that the company has changed its name to Show Initiative, LLC to reflect the company's broader mission. Show Initiative, LLC, founded in 2003, is a leading creator of specialized conferences and expos focused on the merger of media and technology. In October 2006 Show Initiative successfully sold its portfolio of 10 game industry events and The Game Initiative and Austin Game Initiative brands to CMP Technology (see press release).
With the sale of Show Initiative's United States-based game industry events the company is now focused on creating exciting new media properties. The Show Initiative team is currently in R&D mode building its next event portfolio. An announcement is due next month.
The company's new web site http://www.showinitiative.com/ went live this week. The company's email addresses have changed and can be found on the new web site. The company's phone numbers and physical address remain the same.
"Show Initiative will continue with its mission to create highly targeted, high quality professional events in the United States and internationally," said Christopher Sherman, founder and executive director, Show Initiative. "We have exciting new projects already in the planning stages and should be making announcements shortly. In addition we continue to evaluate new ideas constantly and are actively researching new potential business opportunities worldwide."
Show Initiative's transaction with CMP Technology included the industry leading Austin Game Conference which drew more than 2,400 attendees, 150 vendors and featured top-caliber speakers including Dell, Inc. Chairman Michael Dell, Academy Award® Winning Film Producer Jon Landau and Blizzard Entertainment's Vice President of Game Design, Rob Pardo, in 2006.
Show Initiative's game industry portfolio in the CMP transaction included: Austin Game Conference, Mobile Game Conference, Game Marketing Conference, Casual Games Conference, Game Audio Conference, Game Writers Conference, Advertising In Games Forum (East, West and Europe), Game Technology Association Meetings and the How to Break into the Game Industry national conference series.
Age of Reckoning : Newsletter @ Warhammer Online
EA Mythic's game-in-development, Warhammer Online, has released their Novemeber Newsletter. This month's newsletter is packed full of fun and interesting information about the upcoming game: Exclusive First Look: Army of Chaos, Karaz-A-Karak and Female Dwarfs, Video of the Month, Zone Overview: Thunder Mountain, and much more.
You can subscribe to the WAR newsletter here.
You can view the November issue here.
From out of the frigid wastelands of the north, a great warhost marches upon the northern borders of the Empire. Led by a mighty Champion of Tzeentch, the Great Manipulator and Changer of Ways, this army of savage marauders and potent sorcerers is accompanied by otherworldly creatures both strange and terrifying.
For the Empire, already weakened by the ravages of a deadly plague, the situation is desperate. Without aid, the greatest nation of men will fall before the onrushing army of the Dark Gods, and be transformed forever into a domain of the Ruinous Powers.
For more on WAR click here.
Triggerheart Exelica: Yet Another New Dreamcast Shmup
Ok -- every time we think we have seen the last of the commercial Dreamcast shooter releases, another one gets announced (not that I'm complaining).
The newest entry in the Dreamcast shmup library comes from Warashi, which shooter fans may know from the Saturn shooting game Shienryu.
The Dreamcast port of the fairly recent Naomi arcade game, Trigger Heart Exelica, will be released on the Dreamcast in February 2007, under the name "Trigger Heart Extension". As with many of the other late Dreamcast shmup released, the game will get the standard premium and normal editions, according to Arcadia.
Read Full Story >>
The newest entry in the Dreamcast shmup library comes from Warashi, which shooter fans may know from the Saturn shooting game Shienryu.
The Dreamcast port of the fairly recent Naomi arcade game, Trigger Heart Exelica, will be released on the Dreamcast in February 2007, under the name "Trigger Heart Extension". As with many of the other late Dreamcast shmup released, the game will get the standard premium and normal editions, according to Arcadia.
Read Full Story >>
Wall Street Journal's Mossberg picks Wii over PS3
Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg (pictured) is possibly the most influential technology writer in the country. So when Mossberg compares the Wii and the PS3 by saying Nintendo's system is "the more exciting, fun and satisfying of the two new game machines," it shouldn't be taken lightly.
Mossberg and a group of four 20-something volunteer testers were duly impressed with the PS3's graphics and multimedia functions, but no so much so that they thought it was worth the extra price over the Xbox 360. The testers were much more excited about the Wii's motion-sensitive controls and the way they made games easier to get into. One of the female testers, a college athlete and non-gamer, said the Wii was the first time she ever felt successful playing a video game.
Read Full Story >>
Mossberg and a group of four 20-something volunteer testers were duly impressed with the PS3's graphics and multimedia functions, but no so much so that they thought it was worth the extra price over the Xbox 360. The testers were much more excited about the Wii's motion-sensitive controls and the way they made games easier to get into. One of the female testers, a college athlete and non-gamer, said the Wii was the first time she ever felt successful playing a video game.
Read Full Story >>
Mass Effect Interview
Bioware, once again, has something up its sleeve and is, amongst other things, involved with a sci-fi RPG, entitled Mass Effect, which is slated to appear on the Xbox 360. A few days ago, Actiontrip.com were able to get hold of Mass Effect Project Director, Casey Hudson, to find out how the game is coming along. In the process, Actiontrip.com was able to get additional information on characters, races and other cool details related to the gameplay. Enjoy!
Read Full Interview >>
Read Full Interview >>
Podcast Transcript: BioWare On 'Creating A Monster RPG'
Gamasutra is now providing transcripts of selected Gamasutra podcasts, this time featuring a full transcript of BioWare producer/project director Casey Hudson's 2004 GDC speech "Creating a Monster RPG: The Light and the Dark Side of Development on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," discussing the development of the critically acclaimed console/PC RPG.
Read Full Story >>
Read Full Story >>
3D Realms' Miller Calls For Steam Spinoff
As part of an exclusive feature interview with Gamasutra, 3D Realms' Scott Miller has called for Valve's Steam digital distribution service to spin off as a separate company, suggesting: "I would rather there emerge a leader in the market that isn’t associated with a game company."
In the interview, Miller also discusses the Triton download service which 3D Realms initially aligned itself with for the release of Prey, and which closed down, explaining: "From the ashes of Triton, there’s a company starting up that will do things much better. Triton had some internal problems that hurt them from the beginning. They were a dead man walking situation from the start."
Read Full Story >>
In the interview, Miller also discusses the Triton download service which 3D Realms initially aligned itself with for the release of Prey, and which closed down, explaining: "From the ashes of Triton, there’s a company starting up that will do things much better. Triton had some internal problems that hurt them from the beginning. They were a dead man walking situation from the start."
Read Full Story >>
USC Students to Deliver a Trio of Downloadable Games
The inventive flOw is just the beginning.
Originally expected the first week of December, flOw has been pushed back to December 19. The release of the downloadable game marks the first title from the USC School of Cinematic Arts ever released by a major publisher. The PS3 game, developed by thatgamecompany, impressed Sony so much that the studio has been signed to a three-game deal. Sony also gave thatgamecompany space on the Sony lot in Santa Monica, California.
"This is a watershed moment in the history of the school," Dean Elizabeth M. Daley said. "It builds on our tradition of expanding relationships with the professional community, and opens the door for our students and graduates to showcase their creative talents in an incredibly dynamic market."
"[Creator] Jenova [Chen] and I are thrilled to be working with SCEA," said flOw producer Kellee Santiago. "Because we're working within Sony, we not only have access to their internal resources, but we also get to work alongside some of the best pros in the industry."
Read Full Story >>
Originally expected the first week of December, flOw has been pushed back to December 19. The release of the downloadable game marks the first title from the USC School of Cinematic Arts ever released by a major publisher. The PS3 game, developed by thatgamecompany, impressed Sony so much that the studio has been signed to a three-game deal. Sony also gave thatgamecompany space on the Sony lot in Santa Monica, California.
"This is a watershed moment in the history of the school," Dean Elizabeth M. Daley said. "It builds on our tradition of expanding relationships with the professional community, and opens the door for our students and graduates to showcase their creative talents in an incredibly dynamic market."
"[Creator] Jenova [Chen] and I are thrilled to be working with SCEA," said flOw producer Kellee Santiago. "Because we're working within Sony, we not only have access to their internal resources, but we also get to work alongside some of the best pros in the industry."
Read Full Story >>
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic (PC) - Patch News
Good news, Dark Messiah fans, a patch is incoming according to the official site. It contains a ton of big fixes, map changes and a whole new multiplayer game mode, Capture the Flag. How original. If you haven't yet taken the plunge and played this online there are dozens of fixes to the single player game so it might actually be worth playing now.
Read the full list here.
Read the full list here.
Source: Official Site
Final Fantasy III - DS review @ Gamespot
Full on western conversions of the original Final Fantasy III have been as rare as children's games endorsed by Michael Jackson, but Square have finally pulled their fingers out and got on with releasing this oldie but goldie on the DS. Gamespot have dedicated some time and space to it and seem to like it.
That's good enough for us. Read more here
Final Fantasy III is a fine example of a video game remake done properly. Its presentation is top-notch for a Nintendo DS game, and the classic RPG combat is interesting and deep enough to still hold up well to today's standards. Final Fantasy fans should particularly enjoy tracing some of the roots of their favorite games from the series back to this installment, while taking in all of its new sights and sounds. But just about anyone looking for a traditional role-playing game to take with them on the go should find a lot to like in Final Fantasy III.
That's good enough for us. Read more here
Source: Gamespot
Eragon (Xbox 360) - Review at Gamespy
And so the universal panning of hot fantasy license Eragon goes on and on (geddit?). This time Gamespy step up to lay the boot in to the bloodied and battered body that is all that remains of Eragon.
And that's the nice stuff. Bring your daughter to the slaughter here
Eragon should have been a resounding success. Based on the upcoming movie adapted from the fantasy novel by Christopher Paolini, it already had the kind of plot-driven, action-adventure storyline that videogame producers salivate at the thought of. The synergy of a best-selling book and a big-budget motion picture release gave it an all-important leg up on the overcrowded retail shelves of the chaotic holiday season. And developers Stormfront Studios had already delivered a solid third-person action title set in a fantasy world, a little game that you might heard of called The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. It's one of those situations where a game virtually has to give the faithful excuses not to buy it. Unfortunately for Eragon fans, however, that's exactly what this mediocre cash-in title does.
And that's the nice stuff. Bring your daughter to the slaughter here
Source: Gamespy
US Law on Bannng Games Ruled Illegal
Obviously bored with saving guilty US celebrities from going to jail the legal eagles in the States have now turned on each other. A federal judge has now ruled that a recent law set up in Louisiana to ban the sale of "violent" videogames to minors is indeed itself illegal. Top hilarity.
Yup good call Jack, call the Attorney General's office incompetent, that'll get them on your side.
Read the story in full here
Judge James Brady found the efforts unconvincing. In issuing a temporary injunction against the law, the judge wrote that "the evidence that was submitted to the legislature in connection with the bill that became the statute is sparse and could hardly be called in any sense reliable." Judge Brady also called the studies' connections between video game and real-world violence "tenuous and speculative."
Thompson blamed the Louisiana Attorney General's office for the ruling, telling Ars that its effort to defend the law was "at best incompetent and at worst compromised."
Yup good call Jack, call the Attorney General's office incompetent, that'll get them on your side.
Read the story in full here
WoW - The Burning Crusade - Preview @ Gameslave
If you play MMOs you may be aware of a small game that's been doing alright for itself over the last couple of years. That'll be World of Warcraft. Gameslave have been spending some time on the upcoming expansion, Burning Crusade.
Read the full lowdown here
Over the last couple of weeks of playing, we've experienced what looks like only a fraction of what Burning Crusade will have to offer this coming January. Even so, we've still seen enough to know that this expansion is going to change a huge number of things for both factions, and still manage to draw the players in like ever before. I know for sure that we are all very much looking forward to experiencing these changes on a larger scale than the beta servers. I for one can't wait to get a flying mount and see how that changes world PVP in the Outlands. I can just envisage people flying above and dropping in on towers in the world PVP. Any worries about the futuristic introductions seemed to disappear very quickly and to be honest it's been like starting WoW all over again. Exploring the new zones is a task that will obviously eat up all your spare time again as you'll want to experience everything new that's been introduced. The only 'problem' that we can think of is that once you hit level 20 with the Draenei and Blood Elf races you'll just be questing in the normal areas again up until level 60. Overall, it's pretty obvious that any expansion has to cater for end-game players rather than new ones - the fact that this caters to both in some ways is just another bonus.
Read the full lowdown here
Warhammer: Age of Reckoning (PC) - Preview @ Warhammer Alliance
Well not strictly speaking a preview, more of an overview of what one of the zones will look and play like at Warhammer Alliance, but it definitely serves as a sneak peek at what you can expect.
Wahoo. Read more here.
Enemy to both the Dwarfs and greenskins are the Drakk cultists. These humans, who have lived for generations in the barren wastes that surround the great volcano, worship the ancient Dragon that once dwelt there. When the armies of the Orcs and Dwarfs clash perilously near to their homes, the cultists hire a great Ogre Chieftain named Tuff Gutbash for protection. With the Gutbash clan at their side, the cultists present a real threat to both sides in the conflict.
With its rivers of molten lava, pits filled with choking sulfurous gas and broken landscape of jagged black rock, Thunder Mountain is a fitting backdrop for the conflict that now rages on its slopes. The landscape is harsh, unforgiving and lethal, much like the warriors of the Dwarf and greenskin armies who wage a bloody battle here. The stakes are high – the victor in Thunder Mountain will open the route of invasion to the enemy capital, and perhaps strike the decisive blow that will decide the outcome of the war between the forces of Order and Destruction.
Wahoo. Read more here.
Warhammer: Age of Reckoning (PC) - New Movies
The Warhammer bandwagon is picking up speed as we notice that the official site there are two new videos to keep you going until they actually get around to launching the damn thing. The first is footage of the RvR action, which the second features the Deputy Director of Content showing us three battlefronts in game.
Go on, abuse your bandwidth here.
Go on, abuse your bandwidth here.
City of Heroes - Interview with Lead Designer Matt Miller
When a game gives you the chance to dress up in lycra and prance around like some alzheimer's ridden Green Cross Code man you have to wonder of maybe the "Games are bad for you" brigade are making as mistake by targetting the likes of Bully and Grand Theft Auto to show how games can mess up kids. Anyway, we digress. City of Heroes. Love it. New stuff coming. Love it. Interview with the lead designer over at CG Online. Love it.
Feel the love, here
What is the main focus of the latest expansion pack for City of Heroes? Will the heroes finally be able to compete with all of the extras that the villains have been enjoying?
Issue 8 gives a lot of the bells and whistles that Villains enjoy over to Heroes. Heroes get a random mission pool similar to the newspapers in the form of the Police Band missions, as well as their own version of the Mayhem Missions, called Safeguard Missions. We did a lot in this issue to bring parity in terms of features to both sides.
Feel the love, here
Guild Wars: Nightfall (PC) Review @ ComputerGames
Another glowing (bordering on fanboi) review of the latest chapter for the ongoing Guildwars saga. This time it's ComputerGames dishing out the plaudits.
Well it's hardly a laugh a minute review but they get the point across here
Summing it up, Guild Wars Nightfall once again proves the viability of Arena.net’s and NCsoft’s “no monthly fee” strategy coupled with the constant release of new chapters for the game. Content wise, Guild Wars Nightfall is an excellent purchase for the Guild Wars community, but also for those who want to see why Guild Wars is so popular with MMORPG players who prefer competitive PvP gameplay above all else.
Well it's hardly a laugh a minute review but they get the point across here
Everquest 2 - Echoes of Faydwer - Gamezone Review
New race, new continent and best of all new content. And not just for veteran high level players either. My god, it's almost like Sony Online listened to what their players wanted. That would have to be a first. Gamespot have posted an upbeat look at the new content available for Sony's effort to topple WoW off its perch.
Read more here
Massively multiplayer online expansions often forego appealing to new players, focusing instead on adding content aimed at appeasing high-level veterans. This is part of what makes Echoes of Faydwer EverQuest II's most engaging addition to date. The new expansion is loaded with new content, which is mostly aimed at welcoming new players and giving experts a fresh look at the same old Norrath. There's a new race, a new continent, a new belief system, and a goodly amount of lore to sort through as well. However, experienced players will likely feel a little slighted by some of the additions. There is no increase to level cap, and the higher stat caps and increased raid difficulty don't compensate for it. But for new players and those looking to create a new character, Echoes of Faydwer is a fine addition to the EverQuest universe.
Read more here
Everquest 2 - Echoes of Faydwer - Gamespy Review
When the main criticism for a game is that;
Read more here
Those who want to start as evil newbies are out of luck.you just know that it must be good. And it is. Everquest 2: Echoes of Faydwer gets a going over from Gamespy and comes out of it smelling pretty good.
Can Echoes of Faydwer validly be called EQII's first "real" expansion? It certainly is the first to introduce content for players of all levels. As for whether or not it's the one that's changed the game most appreciably for the better, it all depends on what sort of player you are. Higher level players might have gotten more mileage out of prior expansions, while PvPers were served in equal portions by Desert of Flames and Kingdom of Sky (and their respective live updates). Without question, however, Echoes of Faydwer seems to be paving the way for the EQII of tomorrow, and that is no small feat. If you've been curious about the game, this is without a doubt the best place to start. Just make sure you're OK playing as one of the good guys.
Read more here
Indie MMO Game Developer's Conference @ MMorpg.Com
The Indie MMO Game Developer's Conference has opened its doors for early bird registration. The conference itself will be taking place on April 14th and 15th in Minneapolis, and will be bringing together independent game developers from around the world.
Indie MMO Game Developers Conference Early Bird Registration Opens Minneapolis, MN – November 24, 2006 – Last Straw Productions announced today that registration for the Indie MMO Game Developers Conference 2007, to be held in Minneapolis, MN, is now open. The Indie MMO Game Developers Conference (IMGDC), to be held on April 14 and 15, will be an informative, educational, and fun gathering of independent game developers from around the world who want to focus on MMO technologies. IMGDC is designed to be an informal venue of Indie and hobbyist developers with the shared goal to focus on design, development and production of Indie MMOs/Virtual Worlds. IMGDC will have sessions ranging from game design to legal issues facing Indie developers. Industry professionals and pioneers, including Dr. Richard Bartle and Brian “Psychochild” Green, will be providing sessions focusing on "Industry Secrets." IMGDC will also feature team building "elevator pitch" sessions which are meant for developers to pitch their projects or their talents to other developers. This provides an excellent opportunity for team building and networking.
“IMGDC is providing an outlet for Indie developers to learn valuable lessons and take the steps needed to produce a AAA quality Indie MMO and Dream Games, Inc. is proud to co-sponsor this much needed conference,” comments Ashley Kelley, Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer of Dream Games, Inc. “For years developers have been seeking ways to break into the ever growing MMO market. IMGDC will provide the resources and education needed for Indies to realize their dreams.”
IMGDC provides content, community and contacts for artists, designers, programmers, and Indie entrepreneurs. If you've caught the incurable desire to make MMO games commercially, or even as a hobbyist, this is a community gathering of talented individuals you will not want to miss. Registration is available online now at www.imgdc.com. Pay only $49 for a two-day pass, including sessions, parties and access to the elevator pitch sessions. As space is limited, reservations will be on a first come, first serve basis. Registration after December 15, 2006 will be $99. For more information, please visit the IMGDC website at www.imgdc.com.
Crafting Vet Rewards @ City of Heroes
Lead Designer Matt Miller talks about crafting the Veteran Rewards program from a developer's perspective. This program is part of Issue 8: To Serve and Protect, which hit the live servers today.
Coming up with the Veteran Rewards was one of the coolest things I've done as Lead Designer on the "City of" games so far. It was really a challenge to come up with cool rewards that players have been asking for while at the same time making sure that nothing became the "end-all-be-all" reward that every character MUST have. In addition, I wanted to throw in some cool rewards that players hadn't asked for, but that I knew would be useful for them and make the veteran players' lives a little easier.The full journal is here.I first scoured the boards for suggestions for costume pieces. Trenchcoats were always something that players desired, and we had put them on NPC characters in Issue 7, so getting them into the hands of the players was inevitable. I decided to make this the initial reward, earned at three months, simply because it is probably the most requested costume piece, and it is a nice gift we can give "new" players for a simple three month time investment.
Graphics Whores @ MMorpg.Com
They're ruining games. Senior Editor Dana Massey looks at one specific example within the MMORPG.com office and says why he thinks people should be less superficial.
Graphics whores are killing innovation in gaming. A bold statement, but one I believe.These same people who give new games a one because their graphics are not up to snuff, often sit around and complain that no one innovates. They attack companies like Blizzard and SOE for putting out games they've already played. Then, they turn around and give random indy MMO X a one rating because the visuals are not up as good as EQII!
Open Beta Ending @ Trickster Online
The folks over at Trickster Online have announced that the Open Beta phase of the testing for their MMO is wrapping up:
Ntreev USA Inc. announced today that Trickster Online: Links to Fantasy is currently completing its Open Beta Testing, the highly anticipated release of their popular fantasy MMORPG, Trickster Online: Links to Fantasy.
The upcoming full release of the hit MMORPG (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) is the new English Language version of the game by the same name known around globally. During the current Open Beta new features are already being released including more on the horizon to be continually added up until the full version is released. The newest features include a new Guild Feature, a direct game access and log-in, a resetting of the Character Stat Points for all Accounts continuing from the Closed Beta version, as well as 2 recently released holiday special events.
Trickster Online: Links to Fantasy, is a two dimensional MMORPG in the vein of console era fantasy RPGs from the 90s. With an upbeat, anime sense of style and an offbeat sense of humor, Trickster Online is set to establish a new market in the online gaming community. Characters are customizable from a selection of 8 animal based-characters and 4 different types. From here, the Characters can be further developed and individualized through the gaining of Skill Points, Jobs, and items as well as becoming stronger through the gaining of EXP (Experience Points, earned through combat, hunting and Trickster’s unique item Drilling Feature). In the upcoming full release of the game Players will be able to further customize their Characters with new, special items, clothing, armor, weapons and even a room for their Characters to decorate and inhabit. There is NO subscription fee to play Trickster Online and the game is free to download over the internet. For more information regarding Trickster Online: Links to Fantasy, including Account creation, upcoming news and special events and announcements, visit their website at www.tricksteronline.com.For more on Trickster Online click here.
Beta Version Update @ Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XI has announced a Beta Version Update and have included notes from hat update. As usual, there are too many to print here, so follow the link below to real all of the notes.
Read them all here.FINAL FANTASY XI Linkshell Community Beta Version Update (11/28/2006) The FINAL FANTASY XI Linkshell Community Beta Version has been updated. A calendar and an auto-login function have been introduced to the site, in addition to changes made to existing features.
- A calendar feature has been added.
Using the calendar, you can announce detailed information regarding regular in-game events or recruit participants from all over your World.
Click here for a detailed explanation of the calendar feature.
Revelations Launch @ EVE Online
EVE Online has announced the launch of their newest free expansion, Revelations I. Revelations II and III will follow behind it eventually.
For more on EVE Online click here.EVE Online: Revelations Deployment Completed! The deployment of EVE Online: REVELATIONS was completed on 29 November at 0200 GMT, an on-schedule deployment. The first of three installments in EVE Online's second major game expansion, Revelations brings a wide range of new content, features, updates and improvements to the EVE Online universe. You can view this information by visiting the EVE Online: Revelations Features and Patch Notes pages. Dev Blogs with information on some of the recent changes, additions and features are also available.
Please note: The Revelations Patch is currently avalable for manual patching from the EVE Patches page. The full version client is in the process of being built and will be available shortly.
Enjoy Revelations!
Downtime Thursday @ Dark Age of Camelot
EA Mythic's Dark Age of Camelot has announced that the game's servers will be coming down on Thursday at 8 AM EST. They estimate that the servers will return to action around 3:30 PM on the same day.
I wish I had a few more details, but I wanted to post as soon as the plan came through. The live servers will be coming down this Thursday at 8:00 AM EST for a few fixes. We expect to be back up on around 3:30 PM. There will be a Pendragon patch tomorrow at 2:00 PM EST, and more detailed notes will follow. Thanks as always for your patience, and keep an eye on the Herald for updates!For more DAoC click here.
The Domain of Anguish @ Guild Wars
Guild Wars has announced that this weekend will see players who have completed Nightfall gain access to a new area. The Domain of Angusih will open for players on December 1st.
This weekend is truly special, as we launch the opening of the Domain of Anguish. Players who have completed Nightfall will be given access to this elite area through the Chantry of Secrets on Friday, December 1st. You will find four separate areas for players to explore, nearly a dozen quests, new armor upgrade options, a system for acquiring novel weapons, and of course a compelling mission as well. We look forward to seeing you in the Domain of Anguish!For more on Guild Wars click here.
Game Statistics @ World of Warcraft
Blizzard has just added a new section to the official website for their popular MMO, World of Warcraft. The new site keeps track of daily statistics within the game, and will allow players toa ccess that information at the click of a button.
We've just released our new Game Statistics page. This new page will provide you with up-to-date statistics about some of the most important aspects of World of Warcraft: most sought-after items in the Auction House, most common player-created items, the fiercest killers in the NPC kingdom, most gathered and found items, most looted items, and the most popular quests. Click here to see more.
These stats are updated daily and you can even do a side-by-side comparison for up to seven days to see how the statistics are progressing, so make sure to check back often!
For more on WoW click here.
We've just released our new Game Statistics page. This new page will provide you with up-to-date statistics about some of the most important aspects of World of Warcraft: most sought-after items in the Auction House, most common player-created items, the fiercest killers in the NPC kingdom, most gathered and found items, most looted items, and the most popular quests. Click here to see more.
These stats are updated daily and you can even do a side-by-side comparison for up to seven days to see how the statistics are progressing, so make sure to check back often!
For more on WoW click here.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Obviousness Is Not So Obvious
Tuesday at the U.S. Supreme Court, the justices heard arguments concerning a basic tenet of patent law. In addition to being new, any invention for patent must be deemed "nonobvious" over what is already known, i.e., the innovation must represent some technological advance -- even if slight. The case KSR v. Teleflex involves an innovation in automotive technology marketed by the patentee (Teleflex) to Ford and allegedly infringed by KSR. The crux of the arguments on appeal, however, is the legitimacy of a legal test for obviousness.
Source
Source
The Coming Online Video Ad Spending Phenomenon
Spending on online video advertising will soar throughout this decade with sales predicted to break the billion dollar barrier in 2008, according to a report released this month by research aggregator eMarketer. This year outlays for Net video ads grew more than 82 percent over 2005, to some US$410 million.
Source
Source
With smart phones, it's all about the OS @ Cnet.Com
The survey, which took six months to complete, included data from more than 4,000 cell phone and smart phone subscribers from China, Germany, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. Results were broken out by country, carrier, platform and device.
A user's satisfaction with a phone's operating system is the main differentiating factor driving competition, especially when it comes to smart phones, the study concluded.
Wi-Fi access and GPS or location-based services are most important to users in the U.K. and U.S. A phone's storage capacity and its ability to provide music and photo quality are the highest priorities in China, Germany and India, the study found.
Palm remains the No. 1 platform among U.S. smart phone owners, according to IDC. Nokia, not so much.
"Nokia is the No. 1 phone manufacturer in the world and the No. 1 brand for market share in all the other countries, but not in the U.S," said Randy Giusto, group vice president of mobility, computing and consumer markets for IDC. "These survey results show that nothing has really changed, despite efforts to target the E-series to mobile professionals and the N-series multimedia phones."
Palm is not only the most favored operating system for smart phones in the U.S., it's also the most favored device brand. About 76 percent of Palm owners said they would be "very likely to recommend" their smart phone to others, compared to about 75 percent for Samsung, 69 percent for Sony Ericsson, 67 percent for RIM Blackberry, 54 percent for Motorola and 54 percent for Nokia, the study found.
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A user's satisfaction with a phone's operating system is the main differentiating factor driving competition, especially when it comes to smart phones, the study concluded.
Wi-Fi access and GPS or location-based services are most important to users in the U.K. and U.S. A phone's storage capacity and its ability to provide music and photo quality are the highest priorities in China, Germany and India, the study found.
Palm remains the No. 1 platform among U.S. smart phone owners, according to IDC. Nokia, not so much.
"Nokia is the No. 1 phone manufacturer in the world and the No. 1 brand for market share in all the other countries, but not in the U.S," said Randy Giusto, group vice president of mobility, computing and consumer markets for IDC. "These survey results show that nothing has really changed, despite efforts to target the E-series to mobile professionals and the N-series multimedia phones."
Palm is not only the most favored operating system for smart phones in the U.S., it's also the most favored device brand. About 76 percent of Palm owners said they would be "very likely to recommend" their smart phone to others, compared to about 75 percent for Samsung, 69 percent for Sony Ericsson, 67 percent for RIM Blackberry, 54 percent for Motorola and 54 percent for Nokia, the study found.
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Nintendo says 600,000 Wiis sold in eight days @ Cnet.Com
Including sales of accessories and games, Nintendo's Wii-related revenue had hit $190 million since the machine's November 19 release, the company said.
At $250, the Wii costs half as much as the cheapest version of Sony's PlayStation 3 console, w
At $250, the Wii costs half as much as the cheapest version of Sony's PlayStation 3 console, w