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Comma AI’s dash cams are a stepping-stone to autonomous driving
I'm never sure what to expect when I walk up the steps of Comma AI's office (which is actually a house in a San Francisco neighborhood). Its founder and all-around rabble-rouser George Hotz (the iPhone and Playstation hacker more commonly known as Geohot) has strong opinions about the automotive industry and how he can fix it. The company's "ghost riding for the masses" tagline won't win over regulators, but Comma AI's long-term goal of running your car's operating system seems doable. But first, the company is concentrating on dash cams that tap into your car's data.
MSI and Origin PC use NVIDIA's desktop-grade laptop graphics
PC makers aren't wasting any time implementing NVIDIA's GTX 10 series laptop graphics in their lineups. Both MSI and Origin PC have revealed that their higher-end gaming portables will be among the first to pack the much faster, desktop-class graphics. At MSI, the big deal is that it's not just big, chunky systems that are getting a refresh -- even relatively slim laptops like the GS and GE series will have VR-worthy graphics thanks to the mobile GTX 1060. You'll have to move up to the GT range to get the 1070 or 1080 (up to two of them in Titan SLI variants like the GT73VR above), but that's a solid baseline.
EVE Evolved: The end of EVE Evolved
By now, you will have heard that Massively is being shut down along with Joystiq and countless other blogs run by AOL. That unfortunately means this will be my final article for Massively and marks an end to the nearly seven-year run of the EVE Evolved column, which now holds over 350 articles on topics ranging from ship fittings and opinion pieces to guides and expansion breakdowns. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your readership and to express just how much playing EVE Online and writing for you really have impacted my life. I've been asked by so many people over the years for tips on breaking into the games industry as a journalist or MMO blogger, but the truth is that I lucked into this gig. When a post on the EVE Online news page said that some site called Massively was hiring an EVE Online columnist, I almost didn't bother applying. I was a prolific forumgoer back then and had written some guides for EON Magazine and my own blog, but I wanted to get into game development and had very little confidence in my writing ability. What I didn't know then was that writing for Massively would help improve my writing skills immeasurably and even help give me the confidence to launch my own game development studio. Massively gave me a platform on which to talk about EVE Online and an eager audience to share my game experiences with, but it turned into something much more profound. There have been low points dealing with trolls and organised harassment and tough times with budget cuts, but there have also some incredible experiences like attending the EVE Online Fanfest, investigating monoclegate, watching CCP redeem itself in the eyes of players, and collaborating with some of the best writers in the games industry. In this final edition of EVE Evolved, I look back at the start of the EVE Evolved column, break down my top ten column articles of all time, and try to put into words how much this column has meant to me over the years.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite physical MMO memento?
I was doing some housecleaning recently and found a box of old game geekery. Most of it was junk since I've gone digital, but there were a couple of odds and ends that I put on the shelf in my office where I keep mementos from titles that made an impression. In terms of MMO stuff, I found an original Neocron box and a hefty stack of all those EON magazines from EVE Online. What about you, Massively readers? Have you kept or collected any physical MMO-related mementos? Which is your favorite? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Trion Worlds confirms that End of Nations is on hold in favor of MMO titles
Trion Worlds has today confirmed that its MMORTS-turned-MOBA End of Nations is officially on hold. A spokesperson for the studio sent the following statement to Polygon: As we informed EON's community last fall, internal development on End of Nations was put on hold in late 2013 while we evaluated potential paths forward for the title. We're currently focusing the company's energy and creativity on Rift, Defiance, Trove, ArcheAge and some new projects that we will be revealing soon. Last summer, Trion reclaimed the game from developer Petroglyph with the intent to retool it as a MOBA. After Trion's layoffs and restructuring in August, CEO Scott Hartsman told Massively that the team was still working on and evaluating the title. The official website is no longer functioning.
Scott Hartsman on leading Trion Worlds out of the woods
It's been a rocky return for Scott Hartsman, who has rejoined the Trion Worlds fold as CEO. With End of Nations going through development hell in its final stretch, studios being shuttered left and right, employees being laid off, and a mess of unknown questions, Trion's been put through the ringer this past year and come out looking bruised. But that's the moment in the movie when the crafty manager inspires his boxer to get back in there and fight for the win -- and there are few devs more inspirational and passionate than Hartsman. The way he sees it, Trion is due for a rally. We spoke to Hartsman as he was in the second week of a two-month period of evaluation, meetings, and decision-making. Instead of sounding tired or stressed, Hartsman came across as upbeat, enthusiastic, and brimming with good things to say about his team and the studio's future. So why did Hartsman return to the Trion fold now, and what does it portend for the studio and its many titles? The full story is more interesting than you might think.
Trion Worlds: End of Nations 'not drastically changed'
The rebranding and reworking of End of Nations from an MMORTS to a MOBA was cause for concern to some players who are worried that Trion Worlds has taken a hatchet to the grand concept of the game. Executive Producer Scot Lane says that the move is for the best, as the change doesn't present a radical shift in focus. "The game hasn't changed as much as it sounds like," Lane said in an interview with RTS Guru. "We've made the game more hero-focused, and the biggest change would be tactical leveling. The addition of tactical leveling opens up lots of different strategies throughout a battle. Combat is very similar but faster, and we've made a lot of changes to the UI. We don't feel we drastically changed the game at its core[;] we brought what we felt were the best parts up to the surface and removed some stuff that wasn't working." Lane also explained why the team took out elite companies, the importance behind mods, and the increased importance of hero units.
End of Nations resumes alpha testing, boasts new MOBA features
We reported last week about End of Nations' transformation from sci-fi MMORTS to sci-fi MOBA. Now, Trion is making it official via a press release that touts a "re-engineered build" and "enhanced tactical gameplay." As of today, EoN's alpha server is back in business, with the invite-only testing build boasting "noticeably quicker and more dynamic MOBA gameplay, streamlined UI, cleaner graphics, smaller teams, and more powerful heroes," Trion says. Teams now feature two to four players, the objectives are more focused, and there's more of an emphasis on commander abilities plus four new classes. Finally, Trion has added something called "streamlined tactical leveling" that allows players to advance on the fly. You can register for an alpha or summer 2013 beta invitation via the official site link below. [Source: Trion press release] %Gallery-194008%
EVE Evolved: Five years of EVE Evolved
About five years ago, on April 27th, 2008, I joined the Massively team and wrote the very first issue of the EVE Evolved column. Five years later, the column is still going strong and delivering its weekly dose of EVE Online to thousands of readers. I used to worry about running out of ideas to write about, but regular game updates and hilarious player shenanigans mean there's always something interesting going on in New Eden. When EVE hits its 10th anniversary in May, this column will have been running for just over half of the game's lifetime. In that time, I've written over 250 in-depth articles, guides, in-game stories and opinion pieces on EVE Online and a few on DUST 514. As usual, I'll be celebrating this anniversary by rounding up this year's column highlights and giving away two 30-day Pilot's License Extensions to two lucky readers. To enter the competition, write a comment explaining which EVE Evolved articles from this year you liked best and what topics you'd like to see covered in the coming year. You will need an active EVE account to claim the prize, so be sure to include your character name in your comment if you want to be in with a chance. If you'd rather not give out your character name or don't have an EVE account but would like to give the game a go, you can sign up a new trial account and use the name of your new character. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the highlights from the column's fifth year!
The Daily Grind: Would you buy an e-zine dedicated to your favorite MMO?
Last week's closure of EON, the quarterly print magazine dedicated to EVE Online, barely registered on the MMO news meter. CCP's MMO boasts somewhere in the neighborhood of 500,000 subscribers, but apparently few of them were willing to part with enough meatspace money or ISK to keep EON afloat. I'll miss the mag, even though I've never been anything other than a casual EVE player. The high-quality layout and the absence of real-world advertising made for a terrific reading experience, as did some of the fanfic, the interviews, and the full-page corporation spreads. I'd love to see an EON-like publication for several different MMOs, in fact, but I'd prefer it on my tablet at this point. What about you, Massively readers? Would you subscribe to a digital zine dedicated to your favorite MMO? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
EVE Evolved: End of an EON
This week we heard the disappointing news that EON, the official print magazine for MMO EVE Online, has officially closed down. The quarterly magazine first launched back in 2005 and may have been the first official magazine dedicated to a single MMO. The first edition was packed full of current news, sneak peeks, coverage on major events, fan-written fiction, features, and guides. The experimental magazine was produced by MMM Publishing under official license from CCP Games and proved to be a big hit, going on to publish 30 editions over the next seven and a half years. Though EON has had a much longer run than most official MMO print magazines (the World of Warcraft magazine lasted all of five issues), it's still disappointing to see it go. The closure has a special significance for me because it was at EON that I and many other players started out as writers and editors. It's thanks to the work of the mag's editor Richie "Zapatero" Shoemaker that I went on to get this job at Massively, where I've written the weekly EVE Evolved column for almost five years now. EON Magazine was a real gem that will be sorely missed by dedicated fans, but the biggest shame is that those who might support the mag didn't know it was having financial difficulties until it was too late. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at what made EON great, ask why it failed, and interview editor Richie Shoemaker on his thoughts behind the closure.
EVE's EON magazine closing down
Meatspace magazines devoted to MMORPGs are a rare breed, and they'll be rarer still after EVE Online's EON mag closes its doors this month. MMM Publishing sent out an email blast informing subscribers and former customers of the decision, saying that "the economic realities are such that it is no longer viable to continue to produce the magazine in spite of EVE enjoying record success in its 10th year of operation." The company will keep the lights on through March 31st to process outstanding orders and clear out its remaining stock. If you're an EVE fan and you need a few back issues to complete your collection (or you just want to see Massively columnist Brendan Drain's 2005-era tanking guide in print), head over to the EON website and get them while they last.
Trion Worlds taking over End of Nations development
With End of Nations' development in trouble due to mass layoffs at Petroglyph Studios, Trion Worlds has decided to step in to save the day -- or at least finish the game. The End of Nations team announced last night that the game's being brought in-house to its publisher for the final stretch of development prior to launch. "We are committed to delivering the top-notch product we know this game can be," the team wrote, "and we are looking forward to welcoming you back into the testing phase of the game to help get it there." Trion promised that it was making changes due to player feedback from the beta and has plans to make the learning curve more friendly, update the user interface, and put a nice coat of polish over the entire game.
Petroglyph lays off End of Nations developers
Petroglyph Games has laid off 30 staffers from its Las Vegas-based studio. "Well, it appears this winter break will be extended indefinitely," tweeted End of Nations designer Adam Stevens. "Layoffs at Petroglyph. Looking like I'll be leaving Las Vegas." Last week we reported on End of Nations' open beta postponement, and publisher Trion Worlds also began refunding purchases made by the MMORTS title's closed beta participants. According to Gamasutra, Petroglyph stated that it had "identified several key areas of the game which need polish and improvement," and even went so far as to remove a link to End of Nations from the company's official forums. Late last month, community manager Myell Erik noted that "End of Nations has not been cancelled," but the game's latest delay means that sci-fi real-time strategy aficionados won't see it until 2013 at the earliest.
EVE Online dev blog details changes to Drone Regions coming in Retribution
Not all regions are created equally, and that's something EVE Online devs are fixing. No, that doesn't mean all regions will be boring carbon copies. But it does mean that devs are adding content to the eight different areas known collectively as the Drone Regions to bring them more in line with the rest of the New Eden cluster. When the Retribution expansion hits in December, the Drone Regions (so named for the special drone content located within them) will be getting four officer spawns, five officer modules, and hauler spawns scattered throughout the sectors. Salvage from NPCs is also getting a buff to increase it to the levels seen elsewhere in the game, and rogue drones will give sec status. In other EVE news, CCP announced that fans can now subscribe to EON magazine using PLEX.
Trion postpones End of Nations open beta 'until further notice'
This morning we received a reader tip alerting us to the fact that Trion has put the brakes on its End of Nations MMORTS. Our tipster reported that the game's open beta is on hold indefinitely and that Trion has notified closed beta customers that they'll be getting refunds. We contacted Trion to confirm, and the studio noted that it posted a blurb on Facebook last Wednesday (i.e., the day before Thanksgiving; we see what you did there!). Trion offered no further comment, but we'll keep you informed about End of Nations' fate as we learn more. [Thanks to Grim for the tip.]
Fourth and final End of Nations closed beta event starts October 4th
Trion's fourth and final End of Nations closed beta event kicks off Thursday, October 4th, at 11:00 a.m. EDT. The festivities run through Sunday, October 9th, and an NDA drop is in the cards as well. New features for the fourth beta weekend include the Full Boar map, the Panzer Hulk unit, and the 56-player Deep Freeze map. A new tutorial mode is on tap as well for those of you who might new to testing the forthcoming MMORTS. If you haven't received a beta invite yet, be sure to sign up on the game's official website. [Source: Trion press release]
Third End of Nations closed beta event starts September 7th
What's that? You were wondering when Trion was going to host its third End of Nations closed beta event? Well, wonder no more, MMORTS fans. Mark Friday, September 7th on your calendar because that's when participants can log back in and try out new features like elite companies. These are basically private armies that may be purchased and deployed for a specific purpose, according to Trion's latest press blurb. The beta event runs through Sunday, September 9th at 11:59 p.m. EDT, so you've got a full three days to kick the tires and light the fires when it comes to large-scale MMORTS action. If you don't have a beta key yet, check the Trion Facebook page and Twitter account, or purchase the Founder's Edition. [Source: Trion press release]
Gamescom 2012: Behind closed doors with Trion Worlds
Germany is crazy about MMOs. Proof of this was the Gamescom attendance of almost all major players in the genre, showing off what they had in store. Trion Worlds -- known well to fans of RIFT, Defiance, and End of Nations -- was no exception. The studio gave us a closer look at some of what it's got in store for us: RIFT's first real expansion, Storm Legion, and brand-new third-person sci-fi shooter Defiance. Jump past the break to read all about them.
Trion to stream RIFT, Defiance, and End of Nations live from PAX
If you're a RIFT fan who can't make it to PAX next weekend, we've got some good news. Trion is going to be streaming live from the show floor beginning on Friday, August 31st. The RIFT website says that "the latest in Storm Legion with interviews, playtests, and more" will be available for viewing via Trion's Twitch TV channel. Trion devs will also be accepting questions via the Twitch page, and the company will be showing its Defiance MMOFPS and its End of Nations MMORTS throughout the show.
