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Alter-Ego: A community guide to DCUO

You don't know me. You think you do. You think you have me figured out. I keep to myself. I do what I'm told to do. I'm the one whose name people forget instantly. I'm average. Boring. Forgettable. That's what I want you to think, if you even think of me at all. They called me a masked vigilante. They're wrong. The mask is the face I wear during the day. The one you see when I'm flying over the streets of Gotham on mechanical wings? That's the real me. All else is Alter-Ego.

Whether they love all things heroic or prefer the dark and twisted ways of the villain lifestyle, DC Universe Online players know by now that their characters' powers have been granted by a time-traveling Lex Luthor -- or more properly, from exobytes he carried back. As the story goes, Braniac had traveled back to Earth at various times and stolen powers from the world's greatest heroes and villains. As a means of reversing the future, Lex has also traveled back in time, scattering exobytes holding those stolen powers. Welcome to a new day, full of all manner of new heroes and villains around the world. Will this stop Braniac? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, allow me to welcome you to Alter-Ego, the newest column here on Massively, which will deal with all things DC Universe Online! I'll be your host on this adventure, covering all the details players are curious about when it comes to this action-packed MMO. Also, our very own Larry Everett will be taking charge of the official Alter-Ego livestream on Wednesdays, offering a fast-paced look at the game. However, as this is our first week, allow me to get things rolling in fine Massively tradition -- a community roundup!
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DC Universe Online official website -- Much like any good official site, this one is packed with all sorts of information, videos, screenshots, and news updates from the team in charge of DC Universe Online. Add to that a slick interface that even allows you to skin it based on well-known DC heroes and villains you find in the game, and it's the obvious must-have bookmark.

DC Universe Online official PC forums and official PS3 forums -- While they're currently hidden during the final days leading up to launch, the official DC Universe Online forums should be back soon. Then we can all enjoy crazy forum antics, technical support, gameplay questions, and more.


DCUO Unlimited podcast -- Currently the only purely dedicated DC Universe Online podcast on the block, DCUO Unlimited has cranked out 25 episodes so far and is ready to deliver even more DC Universe Online goodness after launch. Hosted by Apple, Shawn (no, not our Shawn), and Terran Hawkins, this podcast offers news, views, and some interesting touches that certainly show their DC comics geek-cred.


DCUO Source -- With a large amount of information packed into an easy-to-use site, DCUO Source is a exactly what its name implies -- a great source for DC Universe Online content. With forums, chat, wiki, and more, the site is aiming for a one-size-fits-all type of destination that will draw tons of DC Universe Online players after launch.

DCUO Unlimited -- Home of the DCUO Unlimited podcast, this site also boasts chat, forums, downloads and a wiki as well. Thankfully, there's tons of room for great fansites out there, and between DCUO Source and DCUO Unlimited, you'll find yourself superhero supersaturated in no time.

DCUO Masters -- While it is a fledgling site, DCUO Masters is looking for contributors to help flesh out guides and wiki entries as well as to explain their heroic and villainous journeys through the game. It's worth keeping an eye on for further development or perhaps jumping in if you aren't interested in setting up your own fansite.


DC Comics site -- No, this site is not specifically for the game. However, if you're hungry for more information about the heroes and villains of the DC Universe, this is definitely the number one place to look. DC puts out a host of free comics (just click the button at the top) as well as tons of low-cost digital versions of its comics. This is, of course, assuming you don't already have a weekly pull set up at your local comic book store.

DC Universe Online wikia -- At a solid 318 pages, this Wikia site seems to have caught on in a big way. The only real catch with using a wiki site for an unreleased game is that you're always battling a bunch of rapid pre-release changes that are outdated quickly.

DCUO Source wiki -- While the framework is there, this wiki is very much still getting started. That said, DCUO Source has a good community behind it, so we expect to see this one take off after the game is released and more people are able to help.

DCUO Masters wiki -- Much like the site it's tied to, the DCUO Masters wiki is still very much in its infancy. The curator seems to be primarily focused on creating guide-type content (currently: collections), which is always popular.


DC Universe Online official Facebook page -- If you'd like DC Universe Online delivered directly to your Facebook, then pop by the DCUO facebook page and hit "Like." Couldn't be much easier, really.

DC Universe Online official Twitter account -- If Facebook isn't your thing, you can also get quick 140-character news updates by following the official DCUO Twitter account. Be warned, though: tweeting can be habit-forming. (For that matter, why not add our Twitter feed as well!)

DC Universe Online official YouTube account -- Heroic and villainous deeds in action! With previews, interviews, gameplay guides, and more, there's quite a bit to see on the official YouTube account.

Until next week, when DC Universe Online officially launches and we can once again roam the streets of Gotham and Metropolis, enjoy some hot (pre-recorded) Livestream action from our very own Larry! You can join him every Wednesday for the Alter-Ego show on Massively TV.


Watch live streaming video from massivelytv at livestream.com


Every week on Saturday, strip off the mask of your Alter-Ego and soar through the world of DC Universe Online with Krystalle, then catch up with Larry on Wednesdays as he showcases the superhero game on the Alter-Ego livestream. Send up a bat-signal to ping Krystalle or Larry with your burning questions. (Packages wrapped in green with a purple bow will be returned unopened.)