Thursday, December 21, 2006
Dungeons and Dragons Online News
Release Notes: December 20th
Spawn of Whisperdoom
The Splinterskull Treasures were moved and re-hidden. Players will now need to do more searching in order to find them and some of the treasures may be more difficult to find than before. A balanced, skillful party will have the best luck finding them and the risk associated with their retrieval will better reflect the rewards.
Ungurz Lieutenant will no longer freeze up and stop responding to players after a certain number of interactions.
Rewards for finding Splinterskull Battle Standard, Splinterskull Historical Documents, and the Silver Goblet have been reduced.
Known Issue: The Optional Objective of finding the Standard, the Documents, and the Goblet will often not check off. While you will still be able to get the loot reward for completing this objective, you will not get the XP reward.
Please Note: You need to complete all of the required objectives before you will be able to enter the Lair. The DM text explaining this is currently broken and will be fixed in an upcoming update.
All loot, including Festival Coins will now autostack.
In our last Update, we fixed the pillars in the Titan encounter so that he could no longer get stuck on them. In this hotifx, we are now fixing the Titan so that he knows he can’t get stuck on the pillars. He might still climb onto the pillars, but he should now be able to get back off them again.
Guild Wars News
Screenshot Caption Competition #30
Welcome to Screenshot Caption Competition #30!
You are welcome to submit captions for the screenshot untill Sunday, when we’ll post the best five so you can vote on who should be the winner!
Please take the time to vote on the finalists from last week here.
The winner gets their name and caption immortalised forever in the GW Ogaming Gallery!
Also, if you would like to submit a screenshot to be used in the caption competition, simply Send Eolen Whitefist a PM with your screenshot or E-mail your screenshot!
Here is the Screenshot, please use the official news thread to submit a caption.
Dungeons and Dragons Online News
Database Update: A Variety of Info
Updated Bestiary : Ak’xan Varma - Calar Xal’vak - Darkfang Hunter - Death Stalker - Drow Bard - Drow Disciple - Drow Guardian - Drow Hunter - Drow Man-at-Arms - Drow Priest - Drow Warrior - Drow Wizard - Drow Scorpion Rogue - Drow Scorpion Wizard - Kas’san Gan’ra - Takk Ur’Ros - The Venerated
New Spells: Lesser Glaciation IV - Lesser Glaciation V - Glaciation IV - Glaciation V - Improved Glaciation IV - Improved Glaciation V - Greater Glaciation I - Greater Glaciation II - Greater Glaciation III - Greater Glaciation IV - Greater Glaciation V - Superior Glaciation I - Superior Glaciation II - Superior Glaciation III - Superior Glaciation IV - Superior Glaciation V - Spark IV - Spark V - Lesser Spark IV - Lesser Spark V - Improved Spark IV - Improved Spark V - Greater Spark I - Greater Spark II - Greater Spark III - Greater Spark IV - Greater Spark V - Superior Spark I - Superior Spark II - Superior Spark III - Superior Spark IV - Superior Spark V
Updated Quests: Faithful Departed
New Zones : Tomb of the Ancients
Dungeons and Dragons Online News
Rescheduled Downtime
Downtime, Wednesday December 20th, 7:00 am until 2:00 pm EST
The servers and the billing website will be down on Wednesday December 20th from 7:00 am until 2:00 pm EST for maintenance and a Hotfix. Release Notes will be forthcoming. This downtime replaces the original downtime scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday the 19th.
Online Gaming Radio
Tune into EQ2’s-Day this Tuesday from 3-6pm Pacific for a fun filled adventure with your hosts Akira and Dellmon.
The holiday season is knocking on our doors already as we prepare to do our yearly wishing. As we have done in the past, the week before frostfell’s peak we host a topic about all the different features and goodies you would like to see implemented into Everquest 2.
We go over everything from expansion packs, to individual items, to different services we would like to see offered. But its not just us the hosts wishing! We scrounge up everything we can get, from all players abroad, to give you the most diverse idea’s out there. If we don’t even think a feature could work, we talk about it and tweak/cut it until we can make it sound viable for our Everquest 2 Environment.
Voyage Century : Interview with Daniel Lin
Staff Writer Carolyn Koh took the opportunity to talk to Daniel Lin, the Manager of Overseas Marketing for Voyage Century, about the upcoming Pirate-MMO from IGG.
MMORPG.com: We understand that Voyage Century is a 3D Nautical MMORPG set in the 15th to 18th century. Is it geographically contained or does it span the world?
Daniel Lin: Voyage Century combine the information about the history and geography relating to the voyage in the century of 15–18 and form a side of history spanning 300 years. Voyage Century will make the players feel the real geography and create all kinds of histories in the game. There are two spatial proportions: real proportion of the city scene and the sea battle. Furthermore, the sea map in the earth which is minimized by the virtual time in the game.
The full Q&A is here.
Community Spotlight
This week, Jon Wood returns with a new Community Spotlight. In this edition of the weekly feature, Wood discusses the idea of solo content in MMORPGs.
“I keep reading posts where people complain that they can’t solo their way through MMOs. Now I wonder, what is the motivation for someone to play a MMO, if he or she does not like to group and socialize with other people? Don’t offline-RPGs offer a better experience for this kind of playstyle? Maybe someone can enlighten me… ”
It’s a fair question. A “massive multiplayer” game has two prerequisites. It must be big, and it has to have multiple players. So, there really is an apparent logic-gap when someone tells you that they will not play an MMORPG if they can not solo their way through the game’s content.
Runescape : Secondary Market Prohibited
The folks over at Runescape have sent out a reminder that trading real-world money for Runescape items or gold is strictly prohibited.
As the festive season quickly approaches, we would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that purchasing in-game items or RuneScape gold for real money is completely against the rules and strongly discouraged.
For the safety of players’ accounts, it is very important that well-meaning parents who may think that this would be a nice Christmas present, are aware that any accounts involved run a very high risk of being banned. As such, please do not accept or give away any gift of this kind.
To help spread that Christmas joy, try to find a more suitable present; something that says ‘Merry Christmas’ in a way that no amount of gold pieces or rune armour could ever compare!
If you would like more information on Rule 12: Real World Tradinga,, please see the RuneScape Rules of Conduct.
We would also like to reassure players that we have a very safe way of detecting this (by tracking back to known real-world traders). We DONT just look for unbalanced trades! So there is no need to worry about being banned unfairly. We are extremely cautious to avoid that, and are aware people often lend each other items, etc…
Final Fantasy XI : 7,700 Suspended or Banned
The folks over at Final Fantasy XI have announced that they have suspended or banned over 7,700 accounts for various violations of game’s user agreement.
Over 7,700 accounts in violation of the FINAL FANTASY XI user agreement were suspended or banned today. These accounts belonged to users that engaged in RMT activities or made use of third-party tools or “cheats”.
Click here for details.
Xiah : Manual Patch
The folks over at Xiah have released a new manual patch for their game.
Dear user
Here is a manual patch below. Please, download and install it if you can play Xiah after the maintenance.
Manual PatchThanks
Xiah support team
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Shot Online : Second Guild Tournament
Shot Online has announced its second Guild Tournament. The tournament will be held from today, December 19th until January 8th.
Shot-Online announces 2nd Guild Tournament
San Jose, CA December 19th, 2006 - Shot-Online announced today that it is hosting the 2nd Guild Tournament. Players that participate will have a chance at winning real cash prizes and rare items. The tournament will be held from 12/19/06 (00:00AM) until 01/08/06 (11:59 PM) Current Server Time.
Unlike other Shot-Online tournaments, the 2nd SO Guild Tournament will extend all courses to be designated courses. The guilds with the highest averages will be awarded the following prizes. The average will be calculated by taking the total number of guild points and dividing it by the maximum number of members allowed in that in that guild class.
Tournament Prizes are:
1st Place - $1,200 (US)
2nd Place - $600 (US)
3rd Place - 5,000 Cyber Cash
Lucky Guild - Lucky Box for every member of the Lucky Guild
*One guild will be chosen randomly to be the “Lucky Guild”The Guild Masters from the winning guilds will be given the prizes and have the responsibility to distribute the prizes to their members.
For more information, please visit the 2nd Guild Tournament Page.
EverQuest Online Adventures : New Content and More
Sony Online Entertainment’s EverQuest Online Adventures has annoounced a free 30 day activation program, a new price as well as new player content.
EVERQUEST® ONLINE ADVENTURES™ SPREADS HOLIDAY CHEER WITH NEW PLAYER CONTENT, A FREE 30-DAY REACTIVATION PROGRAM AND A NEW LOW PRICE!
WHAT:
In the spirit of the season, Sony Online Entertainment is introducing exciting new holiday content and special offers for fans of EverQuest Online Adventures, the massively multiplayer RPG for the Sony PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Along with new game content, Sony is offering those that want to rejoin the adventure a chance to come back for a 30-day trial period! Plus, as a final show of goodwill, the game itself will be offered at a special low holiday price of $9.99 in the Sony Station store!
Fans of the series who have not played in awhile will want to take advantage of this chance to explore the new zone, Zaoran Plateau, the Plane of War, while embarking on new quests and encounters for adventurers of all levels. Customize your character’s special abilities and items with new class masteries! Enjoy Level 60 Epic Path Quests that deliver the kind of fast-action excitement and rewards we all love!
For those that want to rejoin the adventure, the 30-day free service period begins as soon as you log in, but you must take advantage of this special offer on or before 11:59 P.M. (PST) January 31, 2007. Making it easy to reconnect with old friends, you do not need to enter payment information to reactivate your account during the free service period.
And, for those who know someone else who craves online entertainment in a world that brings thousands together in the ultimate quest for adventure, give the gift of EQOA Frontiers for only $9.99 between now and January 31st, 2007 at the Station.com store!
Adventurers past, present and future, experience the new fast-action encounters and questing adventures that you have come to love, waiting for you in EQOA!
WHEN:
December 19, 2006
WHERE:
Rejoin the adventure at: EverQuestOnlineAdventures.station.sony.com
Purchase EQOA Frontiers for $9.99 between now and January 31st, 2007 at: http://www.Station.com
WHO:
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.
Guild Wars : State of the Game
Guild Wars has released a new State of the Game article for our reading enjoyment. This one focuses on proper positioning and movement in groups.
This week’s State of the Game article takes a look at a key component of competitive play: the teamwork and strategy involved in proper positioning and movement for each member of the group. Find general tips, role-specific suggestions, and notes on special situations, as well. Check out the article here.
Voyage Century : Launch Date
Voyage Century has announced that their game will launch on December 22nd. On top of this announcement, it has also been decided that beta players will be allowed to keep their characters.
Voyage Century Online Announces Official Launch Date!
Grab your calendar and mark the date in red! Voyage Century Online, the innovative 16th century nautical online game from Internet Gaming Gate (IGG), announces its official launch date: December 22nd at 12:00 p.m. EST.
And as if this isn’t good news enough, Voyage Century Online promises all beta accounts and characters will not be deleted. In fact, if you want a jump on everyone, you can still sign up as a beta tester here: http://www.voyagecenturyonline.com/beta/.
Voyage Century Online will be forever free, and will feature a live support team 24/7. This means gamers will be able to contact GMs directly. So come explore the world, fight epic battles, pit your wits against traders and pirates, and experience the adventure of 16th century sailing! Voyage Century Online is a ground-breaking massively multiplayer online nautical game. Featuring visually powerful, intense combat and adventure on land and sea, Voyage Century Online is a dream game for armchair captains everywhere. Trade, craft, wage war around the world, even search for buried treasure –Voyage Century offers just about everything imaginable from the 16th century seafaring era. For more information about Voyage Century Online, please visit http://www.voyagecenturyonline.com.
Read more here.
KALOnline : Scenario 3-1
Kal Online has announced update scenario 3-1.
Hello.
This is Kalonline.
We are so pleased to announce that Kalonline updated scenario 3-1 (Destructing key points), which is a part of scenario 3 consisting of ‘Destructing Key Points’, ‘Protecting Leader’, ‘Suffering Valley’., which is a Battle for attacking the enemy’s key points effectively and defending our key points.
Players can enjoy this system during specific time as below.
Battle Progressing Time (Korean Local time)
- Time for Registering Guild : Every SUN/TUE/THU 0:00 ~ 23:59
- Announcing the Selected Guilds : Every MON/WED/FRI 0:00 ~ 1:00
- Applying the Member of Participation : Every MON/WED/FRI 1:00 ~ 19:00
- Time of Battle : Every MON/WED/FRI 20:00 ~ 21:00
MapleSea Game Server Check
MapleSea Currently non-compatible with WinDow Vista
MapleStory is currently non-compatible with Windows Vista. However, due to the influx of Windows Vista users whom have feedback to us about non-compliance issues with regards to the MapleStory game client. With regards to this, Vista compatibility patch will be included on the 24th January 2007. The patch will be intensively beta-tested during this period of time until it has been deemed operational for public release.
MapleSea would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience caused throughout the entire beta test period of the new patch.
2006 MMOWTF Awards
Welcome back to the 2006 MMOWTF Awards. Despite threats and plummeting approval ratings, I’m still your host for this weekly jaunt into forbidden territory. This week, we tally up all the votes that you placed and give out some punk cards to the losers in each category. I painstakingly counted each and every post/ballot and finished a mere couple of hours before the forums were the victim of a database failure. Each of the categories will show the game you voted for followed by my choice. Now without further ado, let’s see how you voted:
Vanguard: Saga of Heroes : So You Want to be an MMO Developer
Sigil Entertainment’s Nick Parkinson returns today with part two of his four part series that answers the question: “So You Want to be an MMO Developer”. This week, he looks aat that question from the Programmer’s point of view.
Most development studios work with C++ and maybe some C#. Fortunately, more and more schools (high schools included) are offering beginner courses in various forms of computer programming, C++ included. Take those, see if you like it - it’ll be challenging but if you enjoy it keep going. If you find yourself not liking it at all, it’s probably best to focus on some other area of development as it’s only going to get more intense. advertisement
Getting a well rounded view of programming as a whole though is a good idea too. Look into taking a few beginning computer science courses, maybe even a class or book on Visual Basic or JavaScript. You won’t necessarily be using either of those to develop games but the knowledge base that comes with them will help.
Lord Of the Ring New Screen Shots!
Linkage!
New interview out.
Talking to Gaute Godager ActionTrip got this tid bit:
With Age of Conan, we had all the experience a development studio can gain when making its first MMO, and I think it’s evident when you look at how the game has come along in development. We’re able to experiment a lot more and we’re able to stretch the limits to a much greater degree. That’s what we’re doing with Age of Conan. We’re really setting out to stretch the limits - and even create new ones - of the MMO genre. Much of the reason why we’re able to do this is because of Anarchy Online.
To read the rest of this interview go to the Linkage
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
MAN BELIEVES SONY SHOOTING PEOPLE IS PART OF COMPANY PUBLICITY
several years, he was a top executive at IBM and was the man responsible for
creating the OS/2 operating system. At one time, it was believed that OS/2 would
be the definitive operating system but due to some devious machinations from
Microsoft, Fentweller saw his dreams dashed.
Read More ?
Wii Forecast Channel Now Live
Read More ?
Phil Harrison: “Nobody will ever use 100% of PS3’s capability”
Read More
No MS videos in MS Marketplace?
Read more ?
New Year’s flOw
New Year’s flOw
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Check Out !!
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http://eSeong.Ath.Cx
Saturday, December 09, 2006
GRAW 2 Trailer
View Trailer >>
First images of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2
GRAW2 will be released on Xbox 360 , PLAYSTATION 3 , PSP and PC next year. Little else is known about the game, but we do know that the graphics will be better then the previous game and this time it will feature a real time weather system.
View Screenshots >>
Impressions: MotorStorm
Thus far, The game looks gorgeous. The vehicles animate extremely well and tear apart gorgeously in the slow-motion car wrecks. The details around the track are purely next-gen, whether players speed around a sloping ridge to avoid sliding off or burst through temporary walls to access a new shortcut. The camera system borrows a page from Project Gotham Racing 3, allowing the user to see all angles of the race with the right analog stick. Rock music blares in the background, with Nirvana's "Breed" leading the pack. The final soundtrack for the game will include this song and several other fast-paced alternative songs.
What's really cool about MotorStorm is how the racing experience can change with each given vehicle. The first vehicle, a four-wheeled truck, vigorously tackles the road. It handles jumps quite efficiently, although it can easily fly off the handle on a turn if the driver goes too fast. Its physics are very true to form and it packs a great deal of power. This will come in handy when it comes to ramming other vehicles off the road or smashing through objects to discover new paths. The truck also uses a delicate turbo system. Using it properly will allow a driver to get ahead, but if it's used too much, the engine gets fried faster than KFC's chicken.
By the same token, the motorcycle also has its own plusses and minuses. It runs faster than most of the four-wheeled vehicles and can slip through narrow pathways that the larger vehicles cannot fit through. The motorcycle riders can also knock off competing bikers by swinging their fists, ala Electronic Arts' old school racer, Road Rash. However, this small ride has some faults. While fast, it lacks power, so any hope of going through a breakable wall should be quickly discarded. Likewise, the larger vehicles can easily knock a motorcycle off of the course, or come down hard on it after a mid-air jump. It's enough to make you want to get car insurance."
Read Full Preview >>
Our Mega Holiday Giveaway! @ MMorpg.Com
We have partnered up with just about every company we would find to bring you an impressive list of prizes! We have a couple Core 2 Duo processors, an iPod Nano, a speaker system, a nVidia 7900GTX used by CCP in a competition and hundreds of game related prizes!
In addition everyone who enters will receive a $50 mail in rebate offer from ibuypower.com !
This is one contest you will not want to miss out on! CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN!
We would like to take this opportunity to thank our great community, staff and all the companies we work with for helping MMORPG.com to become one of the greatest MMO sites online! Here is to your happy holiday season and a great New Year!
The Matrix Online : MMORPG.com Re-Review
The name of the game is Matrix Online, world of amazing fights and true heroics. Where everyone can be a hero and leap from building to building in a single fluid leap, fight agents with one hand tied behind your back and look stunningly stylish while you do it. The possibilities seem limitless.Or so you would think.
From the movies, comics and animated series, the story of the Matrix world is rich and detailed. The Matrix Online is a continuation from the end of the last movie and finally gives us, the viewer, a chance to be part of the story.
The full review is here.
World of Warcraft : Editorial: Up and Down of End Game
Have you ever played a team sport? Baseball, Basketball? How about doubles tennis? If you have, you know that personal interaction is the most crucial element of teamwork. Communication is key to keeping the relationship between you and your teammates healthy and progressive. Good communication will lead to personal and team growth. Adversely, poor communication will lead to breakdowns of functionality and conflicts of the team's collective interest.
The full editorial is here.
Amnesty @ Tantra Online
All user accounts that have been banned due to Param before November 24, 2006 may submit an appeal for amnesty.
Notice: All applicants will have to top-up using a P350 Tantra Card but the Taney will be consumable, meaning you still have 350 Taney after you top-up. You only have to top-up the card in order to avail of this amnesty.
Applicants must send an e-mail to violations@tantra.com.ph and include the following details:
Username:
Server:
Date of last top-up:All accounts that have been banned AFTER November 24, 2006 are not covered by the Amnesty Program.
For more on Tantra Online click here.
Treasure Chest @ EverQuest II
For more on EQII click here.Sometimes it's hard to find the buried treasures contained within the EverQuest II forums. The Treasure Chest highlights useful, insightful, or entertaining posts that you may want to check out. Get your treasure maps and shovels ready--we're about to discover a Treasure Chest!
- EverQuest II has a bunch of talented artists. This week Akyashaa shares with us some fantastic Fan Art!
- The Norrathian Homeshow showcases the best homes in all of Norrath. This week we feature Alectra's home that's decorated for the Holidays!
- Kick off those old rusty boots, sit for a while by the fire, and listen to a Traveler's Tale. This weeks tale is by Astralmage who shares a tale titled "The Faydwer Chronicles".
The Scribe @ Guild Wars
In a report from the Domain of Anguish battlefront, The Scribe offers a few inside tips on surviving, perhaps even surmounting, this Elite area. In addition, he calls out this weekend's event and gives a nod to several kind players as well. Find it all in Issue Number 26.
For more on Guild Wars click here.
1.87 Notes @ Dark Age of Camelot
Read all of the notes here.NEW THINGS AND BUG FIXES
- Each realm now has a unique bind animation. The animation being used currently is a placeholder which will be replaced later in the patch cycle.
NEW FRONTIERS NOTES
- The storms effect graphics have been optimized and the center part of the storm raised to prevent small races from hiding inside and becoming difficult to target.
Eurogamer review of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess
Like many desirable things in life, it's not the size, it's what you do with it that counts. After so many years in development, we all expected the new Zelda to be an absolute monster of a game. Sure enough, Nintendo proudly proclaims on the back of the box that Twilight Princess is "the biggest Zelda adventure of all time".
To read the full piece here's your Linkage!
Wii Opera Browser Coming December 23
Read Full Story >>
Alien Crush is Hudson's next Wii Virtual Console release
The TurboGrafx game is set for release on Monday December 11th at a price of 600 Wii Points ($6).
The Alien Crush description from Hudson reads: "Ready for some pinball action? Alien Crush literally redefined how 'video game pinball' is made today."
Read Full Story >>
Blaze Accessories for Nintendo Wii
It looks like the Wii frenzy has only just begun for us Europeans, no sooner are the pavements cleared of dedicated Wii campers, and the opportunity to take a virtual pasting from Ricky Hatton on Oxford Street have passed, and we’re already looking for ways of improving our gaming experience on our fascinating little motion driven babies…
Read Full Story >>
PS3 vs Xbox 360 - a developer speaks
One thing has become clear. Totting up specs isn't going to help us choose a winner. On paper, PS3 has more raw processing grunt than Xbox 360, but at the moment - with second generation titles under their belts - developers seem to be extracting more performance out of Xbox 360. That's natural considering their greater experience with the platform. The question is, how much further can Xbox go?
Frankly, the only views that matter in this debate are those of programmers who have experience with next-gen hardware. So this week Guardian.co.uk spoke to Richard Hackett a head of technology at Blitz Games about his experiences with both machines. He feels that CELL has an ace up its sleeve and it's not something you might have predicted...
"As a result of the kind of processing power we have available we're going to see a lot more procedurally generated effects and dynamic visuals than we've seen before. This means not all game visuals will be created by an artist in the traditional way, an increasing amount will be created in real-time from algorithms and parameters.To make sure the artists stay in control and we don't resort to graphics created only by programmers (which is often a bad thing), we're working on systems for artists to create and edit these systems themselves without needing a degree in Software Engineering."
"Certain procedural effects are easier to create on the PS3 because of the power of the SPEs. Effects like water simulations, especially when you move beyond simple surface effects to fluid dynamics require the kind of algorithms that are really suited to the CELL architecture. Having said that the slightly more flexible GPU and unified memory model on X360 allows some neat tricks that level the playing field somewhat. It will be interesting to see what emerges with video processing and EyeToy as well - CELL is designed for streaming and image processing applications in mind. I think we'll see both new visuals and game play out of that. As an aside the audio technology running on CELL created by the guys in the SCEE Technology Group in London is pretty amazing, opening out loads more possibilities for real-time audio effects to enhance the visuals, something that is often overlooked but is an important part of increasing gamer immersion."
Read Full Story >>
Official Xbox Magazine rates new Xbox 360 games
| In their latest edition, the Official Xbox Magazine has again rated all new Xbox 360 game that have been released last month. Sonic the Hedgehoc is the only game that scores below average, the other rates are pretty good. The full list: Lost Planet (Xbox 360, Capcom): 8,0 Star Trek Legacy (Xbox 360, Bethesda): 8,0 Sonic The Hedgehog (Xbox 360, Sega): 4,5 DOA Xtreme 2 (Xbox 360, Tecmo): 6,5 Viva Pinata (Xbox 360, Microsoft): 8,5 Phantasy Star Universe (Xbox 360, Sega): 6,5 Call of Duty 3 (Xbox 360/Xbox, Activision): 8,0 Superman Returns (Xbox 360, EA): 6,5 Tony Hawks Project 8 (Xbox 360, Activision): 7,5 College Hoops 2K7 (Xbox 360, 2K Sports): 9,0 Roboblitz (Xbox 360 XLA, Microsoft): 8,5 Small Arms (Xbox 360 XLA, Gastronaut Studios): 7,5 Contra (Xbox 360 XLA, Konami): 6,5 Novadrome (Xbox 360 XLA, Stainless Games): 7,0 Defender (Xbox 360 XLA, Midway): 6,5 Read Full Story >> |
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BEYOND THE BOX
Read Full Interview >>
R-Type shooting up Virtual Console next week?
In a post titled "INSIDE SCOOP! Unannouced TurboGrafx game coming to VC!" on official Hudson forums, the company's John Lee has teased with this: "Stay tuned! This upcoming Monday Dec 11th, there will be a new TurboGrafx game coming to your Virtual Console on the Nintendo Wii! It's a new one, which has not been announced yet. Best of all, it's one of the most requested games that fans want. Oooohh! Tasty!"
"Which one is it?", he added. "Here's a tip: All brain, no skull. All eyes, no nose."
Fans have pointed out that R-Type is the only unannounced game from Hudson that has been given an ESRB rating. Bonk's Adventure, Bomberman '93, Victory Run, Super Star Soldier and Dungeon Explorer, which have also been rated, have of course been previously confirmed for VC.
So will it be R-Type? Well, we don't have long to wait to find out.
Read Full Story >>
Interlink Wants To Take Nintendo To Court Over Wii Remote
This is almost exactly what the Immersion/rumble lawsuit looked like when it first turned up a few years ago, so it'd be premature to just dismiss this out of hand. And to be fair, from looking at their patent diagrams (pictured), their device and the Wii's core functionality look pretty close.
Read Full Story >>
Japan Gets Its RPG, Blue Dragon Launches @ Kotaku.Com
Kotaku.com - Japan Gets Its RPG, Blue Dragon Launches
This is not an article about a specific game, per say. I found this feature interesting, about one persons foray into buying a game and what can happen when you do.So sit back with your favorite beverage and take some time to read the feature. For those of you that just like looking at pictures, there are those as well.
And so we come full circle. Around this time a year earlier, I found myself in the same place. Tromping through Den-Den Town, curious to see just how Microsoft's next gen console would do in Japan. In short, it bombed.
Read More...
Fighting Fantasy Brand to Come to Portable Platforms
5th December 2006. London, UK. Gaming legends Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson have teamed up with veteran development consultants Bad Management to bring the classic Fighting Fantasy® series of books to portable console platforms.
The Fighting Fantasy gamebook series is a publishing phenomenon, with total worldwide sales of over 15 million books in 26 different languages and established the Games Workshop co-founders Livingstone and Jackson as creative pioneers of interactive entertainment.
Commenting, Ian Livingstone said, "Fighting Fantasy built up a huge, worldwide fan base over the years. We believe that players will really enjoy the adventures in a new way on DS and PSP. Fighting Fantasy's interactive structure is ideal for bite-sized chunks of gameplay which is important for these devices."
Steve Jackson, Fighting Fantasy's co-creator; added, "We're convinced that innovative handheld versions will challenge and entertain a whole new generation of gamers - as well as existing fans - and will form the basis of a new portable gaming franchise."
Originally published in the 1980's by Puffin Books, the series was recently re-launched in the UK by Icon Books.
John Cook, Senior Partner at Bad Management remarked, "Finding the right development and publishing partners for this project will be the key to its success. With such a reputation and sales history, there is bound to be a lot of interest in the brand alone; but we're looking to team the guys up with collaborators who truly understand the nature and potential of this unique, premium IP."
RPGWatch talk about the good old days @ Fallout
I guess I’m what you might call a “late bloomer”. I didn’t care about grades until my Junior year of High School. I didn’t have a serious relationship until my second year of college. And, here’s the kicker, I didn’t get my first computer until my first year out of the Coast Guard. The year was 1998. The Beastie Boys were belting out Intergalactic across the airwaves, Saving Private Ryan changed the way a new generation looked at war and the way many FPS games are made, and Windows 98 continued Microsoft’s time-honored tradition of gifting us with the infamous “blue screen of death”. Following in a long tradition of firsts, I felt it only fitting that I should select for my opening article here at RPGWatch a retrospective on the first CRPG I have ever played. Though the game gobbled up my quantifiably limited hard drive space with the ‘humungous’ installation option and a year had already passed since it went gold, 1998 was the year I fell for Fallout.
You can read the full thing here.
Eragon Double Dragon with double the dragon.
Eragon Double Dragon with double the dragon.
The folks over at 1up review Eragon. And it gets a 6 out of 10.Eragon is shockingly similar to the Lord of the Rings games that came from Stormfront Studios three years ago. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and not just because of the poetic irony of Eragon getting a rehashed Lord of the Rings game as a tie-in. If you'll remember, those Lord of the Rings games were actually pretty damn good. At least the developers picked a good game to keep making again and again.
Read More...
BioWare returns home to PC roleplaying with Dragon Age
BioWare returns home to PC roleplaying with Dragon Age
Having grown up in the city of Bioware, it is hard to find someone that is not a gamer in Edmonton that does not know the location of the office and can recite the address of by heart.
The team over at 1up vist Bioware. Join them now for the world's first look at this spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate; then hear what BioWare cofounders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka have to say about roleplaying's past, present, and future.
Read it all here.
WoW News story @ WoWinsider
A few different folks have reported in the Blizzard forums that some pally gear has been dropping for the Horde in the raid instances, and shammy gear has been dropping for the Alliance. Is it January 16th yet? Can I go ahead and make that Blood Elf pally? Uh....no.
Here's the Linkage!
Hyborian Adventures Six new Screenshots @ Age of Conan
Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures Six new Screenshots
This week FC brings you six more screenshots from Age of Conan. Take a look at how a Stygian slave galley looks like from the inside, or get a dramatic view from a Guardian fighting a horde of Vanirs!
The Great Moose The Slave Galley A Stygian village
And see the rest of them here.
GameSpot UK adds 16 new Pirates of the Burning Sea Screenshots
GameSpot UK adds 16 new Pirates of the Burning Sea Screenshots
Well as we get closer and closer to a final release, we are hearing more and more about PotBS and GameSpot UK has 16 new screenshots.
View all the screenshots here.
Treasure Chest @ EverQuest II
EverQuest II - Treasure Chest
Sometimes it's hard to find the buried treasures contained within the EverQuest II forums. The Treasure Chest highlights useful, insightful, or entertaining posts that you may want to check out. Get your treasure maps and shovels ready--we're about to discover a Treasure Chest!
Treasure Chest
Firefly MMORPG @ MMorpg.Com
Like Capt. Mal Reynolds stumbling in after a bar fight, the short-lived but much beloved sci-fi series Firefly will soon make an unexpected return, not as a TV show, but as a massively multiplayer online game.
Now that's shiny.
Multiverse, maker of a free MMO-creation platform, plans to announce Friday morning that it's struck a deal with Fox Licensing to turn the show into an MMORPG in the fashion of Star Wars Galaxies or Eve Online.
The "Browncoats," as Firefly's most devoted fans are known, have been campaigning to bring the show back almost since the moment it was canceled in late 2002. Now they'll get their wish, albeit in a new form.
To read the whole Wired article click here.
Interview with Aaron Cohen @ Ultima Online
MMORPG.com: A day does not pass without a thread on our boards about "old-school UO PvP". How does PvP in Ultima Online work today?Aaron Cohen: PvP is still very much a part of UO but it has evolved over the years and offers players several options. On almost all shards (servers) there is a land called Trammel, where there is no PvP, and a land called Felucca, where there is wide open non-consensual PvP. On Felucca, you can take part in a faction war (four sides in conflict over territory), or engage in red vs. blue fighting. Red players are murderers who attack others without provocation, while blue players tend to think of themselves as more noble and will only attack reds. There is also a full guild war system that many players take part in, with wars and alliances beginning and ending all the time.
However, for those who miss the good old days of full non-consensual PvP with no safe haven, you can play on Siege Perilous, which has a rule set similar to the original UO. This means you can kill anyone, anywhere, at any time and take their stuff. That style of gameplay isn't for everyone, but for some of our most dedicated players, it's the only way to play.
The full interview is here.
Q&As for Customers @ Silkroad Online
Hello. This is Silkroad Online
At this moment, we are not able to answer individually all the many questions that you, the users, may have however we are reading and considering, without exception, all of your opinions and questions.
In order to better fulfill this service need we will instead, post about every 1-3 days a Question and Answer notice.
This may be a small step but we hope it will be a great help and we hope that in the future you will be able to keenly feel the improvements in service planned.
Check it out on the game's main page here.
Casual Play: What Makes WoW Dumb? @ MMorpg.Com
For many hardcore MMO fanatics simply asking this question is enough to launch them into a torrent of bitterness. Seriously though, what is it about WoW that earns it such a bad rep among those 'in the know' players and amateur ludologists?Right off the bat WoW has attracted more new players than all other MMOs previously. It has also proven that the casual market is willing to pay ongoing subscription fees, something many were sceptical of prior to its release. These millions of new players have proven that the MMO genre is one that can be profitable, insanely so for the games that get it right. For the hardcore this is a double edged sword. On one hand it means that there will be a lot of new MMOs developed, but most of them will be directed at capturing that casual market. However an increase in development over all means more independent and niche games, more opportunities that there be something out there that appeals to everyone, just not all at once.
The full article is here.
Skill Description Updates! @ Lord of the Rings Online
PvP Primer: Skill Synergy Pt 2 @ Guild Wars
This week's PvP Primer article is the second of two parts. Part One was posted two weeks ago, and new piece provides interesting information and proposed builds that take advantage of skill interactions possible with five professions: Assassin, Monk, Mesmer, Ranger, and Ritualist. Find it here.For more on Guild Wars click here.
Testserver Open @ Neocron 2
As of today the official Neocron Evolution 2.2. Testserver opens its gates. All players with an active Neocron 2 game account are invited to learn about the many fundamental changes and improvements of the upcoming free Neocron Evolution 2.2. update.For more on Neocron click here.
Looking for Alpha Testers @ Voyage Century
Voyage Century Online is Looking for a Few Good Alpha Testers (Sunnyvale, CA – December 6, 2006) – Voyage Century Online, http://www.voyagecenturyonline.com, the eagerly anticipated 16th century nautical online game from Internet Gaming Gate (IGG), is looking for a few good gamers to be alpha testers. The final stage of game alpha testing will start on 12pm (EST) December 8th. Voyage Century Online will give an early holiday present to 1000 gamers – an alpha trial account, providing these lucky gamers with the opportunity to travel the seas before the rest of the world. In addition, the guild system will be launched, with full technical and service support for guilds.
But that’s not all! Alpha testers will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the forums. Find a bug? Like or dislike a mission? Discover a mistranslation? Not only will your comments and suggestions be eagerly listened to, but Voyage Century Online is promising rich rewards to the most helpful players.
So, not only can you be an intrepid explorer, dashing adventurer, or bloodthirsty pirate before the game is officially launched, not only will you be a part of gaming history by helping put the finishing touches on the first 3D nautical online game in MMORPG history, but you can be rewarded for it, too!
To apply for one of these limited-availability closed beta accounts, send an email to voyagecentury@gmail.com.
Voyage Century Online, in pre-release development, is a ground-breaking massively multiplayer online nautical game. Featuring visually powerful, intense combat and adventure on land and sea, Voyage Century Online is a dream game for armchair captains everywhere. Trade, craft, wage war around the world, even search for buried treasure —Voyage Century offers just about everything imaginable from the 16th century seafaring era. For more information about Voyage Century Online, please visit http://startgame.voyagecenturyonline.com.
For more on Voyage Century click here.
Friday, December 08, 2006
Australians lined up for Wii launch
Crowds of 30-50 were the norm for larger stores, but the atmosphere was pretty stale, with most people too tired and expectant to have any real fun with the night. It turned out Nintendo Australia’s only official launch was held in Melbourne, the rest was awkwardly silent queues.
Uninformed Australian Today Show (video included) confuses AU$400 Wii with AU$1200 PS3 and tells people to “go outside and play” after their Wii news item...
Read Full Story >>
Report: UK Retailers Forego Wii Pre-orders
As the Wii is launching in Europe tomorrow morning, retailers are just as anxious to rack up some sales.
A games buyer at Asda Sanjay Kapoor told trade site MCV, “As we’ve decided to sell from day one rather than using a pre-order system, we’re going to see just how manic customers are for Wii on launch day. From what they’ve told us, we could easily sell ten times more than our allocation.”
Independent local retailers also said that by foregoing pre-orders, the most loyal customers are more likely to snag a Wii. A retailer in London said, “If we ran a pre-order system, we’d not only run the risk of letting our best customers down, but we’d miss out on the local publicity that comes from the massive queues we’ll see at midnight.”
Over 20 titles will be available for the Wii at its December 8 European launch, including games from third-parties Electronic Arts, Activision, Midway, THQ and Ubisoft. As with North America, Nintendo is including Wii Sports with the system and will have The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess available at launch.
Read Full Story >>
"Optical HD Battle May Be Over: HD-DVD Wins"
Read Full Story >>
"Calm down" with the Wii Remote says Miyamoto
Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has acknowledged the issue and is preparing to hold an internal investigation.
"Of course before the launch of the Wii hardware Nintendo had a number of tests on the durability of everything including the strap," Iwata told reporters in Japan. "But our understanding right now is that even beyond our expectations people are becoming more and more excited playing with the Wii."
Shigeru Miyamoto added, "We are encouraging people to understand that you really don't have to be so excited but rather you need to understand the control and then you're going to be the best player.
"We are looking into the situation to see if there are additional methods to encourage people to kind of calm down so they would never throw away the controller itself."
Read Full Story >>
Pirates of the Burning Sea - Bruce Sharp Q&A and World Premier Avatar Screens!
Pirates of the Burning Sea - Bruce Sharp Q&A and World Premier Avatar Screens!
Flying Lab Software Art Direct, Bruce 'Bsharp' Sharp had the opportunity to sit down with the guys over at Force Feedback to talk about the wild and crazy world of art development for Pirates of the Burning Sea!Read More...
In addition to providing an interesting look at the inner-workings of Flying Lab Software, you also get to see some of the first shots of our new and improved avatars.
Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne. - Interlude Gameplay Movie
Lineage II - Interlude Gameplay Movie
The Interlude gameplay movie is ready for download! Take your first look at the new summonable pets, monsters, areas, and more coming in the first installment of Lineage II: The Chaotic Throne.
You can download it here
Guild Wars - PvP Primer: Skill Synergy Part 2
This week's PvP Primer article is the second of two parts. Part One was posted two weeks ago, and new piece provides interesting information and proposed builds that take advantage of skill interactions possible with five professions: Assassin, Monk, Mesmer, Ranger, and Ritualist.Read More...
Dark and Light - Two new mounts...download the wallpaper!
Winds of Change... @ MMorpg.Com
At the end of this year MMORPG.com will say goodbye to our Senior Editor of almost 2 years, Dana Massey who will be resigning effective December 31, 2006. Dana will be replaced by our current Community Manager, Jon Wood.We would like to thank Dana for all that he has done for MMORPG.com and his contributions to make us one of the finest sources for MMORPG news and information. We sure hope that he drops into our forums from time to time to visit ;-)
We have greatly enjoyed working with Dana since his arrival in early 2004 and wish him the best in his future endeavors. We are also excited about our future with Jon Wood as our Senior Editor and feel that he will rise to this new challenge and help lead MMORPG.com into our future success!
All members of the MMORPG development or publishing community that wish to reach our editorial staff should now contact Jon Wood at stradden@mmorpg.com or editor@mmorpg.com.
EverQuest II : Play The Fae Free Trial
For more on EQII click here.EVERQUEST® II “PLAY THE FAE” FREE TRIAL NOW AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD WHAT:
Sony Online Entertainment has launched a new free trial of EverQuest® II based on their recently released 3rd expansion, Echoes of Faydwer. Play the Fae, is a seven-day live trial which introduces adventurers to the rich and immersive fantasy world of EverQuest II through the eyes of a Fae, the new playable race introduced in the recent expansion. The tree-filled city of Kelethin provides the backdrop for players to quest and add new powers, abilities and items to their Fae character. Players can also try additional character races and classes, experimenting with different styles of play.This trial doesn’t require a credit card or subscription; just visit the website, download and play.
Download the trial at www.playthefae.com. For more information on Echoes of Faydwer, visit the game website at www.echoesoffaydwer.com.
WHEN:
December 6, 2006WHERE:
www.playthefae.com
http://www.echoesoffaydwer.comWHO:
Sony Online Entertainment LLC (SOE), a recognized worldwide leader in massively multiplayer online games, with hundreds of thousands of subscribers around the globe. SOE creates, develops and provides compelling entertainment for the personal computer, online, game console and wireless markets. Known for its blockbuster franchises and hit titles including EverQuest®, EverQuest® II, Champions of Norrath®, Untold Legends™, and PlanetSide®, as well as for developing Star Wars Galaxies™, SOE continues to redefine the business of online gaming and the creation of active player communities while introducing new genres on various entertainment platforms. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, with additional development studios in Austin, TX, Seattle, WA, Denver, CO, and Taiwan, SOE has an array of cutting-edge games in development. SOE is owned by Sony Pictures Digital and Sony Computer Entertainment America.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
New Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles DS Scans
View Screenshots >>
Copyright Pirates Face Crackdown.
The Gowers Report was commissioned by the government to look at modernising UK copyright laws for the digital age.
Read Full Story >>
WiiMote playing NFS Most Wanted on a computer
What's next an emulator on a PC running Wii games with a WiiMote connected?
View Movie >>
Second Life (PC) - Teenage Clicks
The idea of the Teen Grid is to act as a safe haven for younger users, free of the adult content that pervades much of the main space.
Through their avatars, Teen Second Life's young users can go shopping, hang out and island hop just as their grown-up counterparts do on the Adult Grid.
But community manager Claudia L'Amoreaux told me that the Teen Grid is also a place for young people to tackle serious global issues that affect them.
Read the full story here.
Eve Online - A Beginner's Perspective
My momma always said, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything.” Well, I do have nice things to say. Really I do. I’m not the complainer everyone thinks I am. Hmm. Uh oh. No just kidding. Eve Online has me hooked despite its flaws, but remember, I'm a hardcore gamer. Once you get past the painful newbie experience, blasting pirates for loot, mining for credits, and running goods back and forth between star systems for a profit actually becomes fun if thats your cup of tea. And, as with any game, fun is the holy grail. One thing that has helped me tremendously is the extremely courteous and helpful lads and lasses of the Eve community. Without their help, I would still be cursing at those six pirates who were regularly ‘pwning’ me in my ‘newbage’. I have happily learned how to use orbit from range and snipe techniques, and how to look for ways to make money on the market. I have finally discovered the trick to doing agent missions and what the heck deadspace is. And the deeper I fall into Eve’s web, the more I want. I have even stopped playing WoW, in favor of Eve!
Aw bless, he's keen. Read the rest here
Archlord - Review @ Gamezone - It Ain't Pretty
The game seems like a mish-mash of some ideas, with no defining traits – which is unfortunate. The endgame, that of attaining the rank of Archlord, will require hours of grinding to get to a high enough level (after 50) to be able to participate with the reasonable expectation of success. The formula of “kill/quest, loot, sell/train” loses its appeal long before that.
Read more here.
Eve Online - New Screens Show off Vista/DX-10 Shininess
Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (PC) - Interview with Exec Producer Jeffrey Steefel
Our goal is to create the most complete and authentic realization of Middle-earth. The books serve as our guide as we create this rich, immersive experience that allows players to experience life in the Third Age after Frodo leaves the Shire. While we are sticking very close to the books, the game isn’t about replaying the story, LOTRO is about creating your own adventure within the world that Tolkien created. Players will travel to many celebrated landmarks from the books including Rivendell, Weathertop and Bree, and interact with famous characters such as Gandalf, Gimli and Strider. In addition to the creatures and places in the books, we also have the ability to expand on these areas and create our own content. So you’ll not only fight Orcs and Trolls, but you’ll also encounter new creatures such as the dangerous Rogmul.
Read the rest here
NWN2 - Review from RPGDot
It goes without saying that the original Neverwinter Nights was an outstanding success both with the critics and sales of the game. It is still widely played to this day, and has shown that not only is it a fantastic game, but it has longevity to the extreme too. Neverwinter Nights 2 was naturally going to come out sooner or later, but it sure had a great name to live up to.
Check it out here!
Final Fantasy III - DS Euro Release Date Confirmed
Originally only released in Japan for the NES, Final Fantasy III has taken around 17 years to make the transition (which is pretty poor even by Squenix's standards), but early reviews suggest that its quality has held up surprisingly well - perhaps partly thanks to the new work Squenix has done, introducing touch-screen controls, Wi-Fi Connection capabilities, and more.
Or perhaps it's none of those things. We'll find out soon though, because, well, sod spring - you can always import it from the US instead.
Read more here then head to your nearest importer.
Phantasy Star Universe (PC) - Review @ Gamezone
As a single-player game, Phantasy Star Universe is not that deep and seems a little forced in terms of plot points. The network game is a repetitive button masher that throws in some customization in the hopes that players will hang in and play. Unfortunately, the experience is just not there. The game is not an MMOG on the scale of Guild Wars and the single-player experience is lacking.
Told ya. Read more here.
NWN2 - Gaming Nexus review
Should the single-player campaign leave you jaded and unfulfilled -- in which case, eight to ten duergar will arrive on your doorstep and promptly revoke your D&D fan club card -- then the NWN2 toolkit comes prepackaged with an executive suite of options, ready to make you the next Dungeon Master extraordinaire of the D&D online set; or convince you of how utterly taxing it is to create a truly good game of this magnitude. Caveat emptor, it isn't as drag-and-drop simple as the ADHD-addled crowd might hope for, but the built-in NWN community has already proven their talent in acquiring and utilizing these tools effectively.
So in addition to the requisite two, possibly three, expansion packs coming within the next couple years, expect several free modules waiting to integrate themselves into your multiplayer campaigns. That is, after you've clocked-in several 8-hour days and 40-hour work weeks' worth of the single-player story.
All that AND 85%, what more could you want. Read it in full here.