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Soul Electronics Party in a Box wireless speaker system: Ludacris' new way to keep your festivities bumping
Can we get a "hey-oh" from all the party people in the CES-house? Soul Electronics (rapper Ludacris' line of audio products) has today unveiled its first non-headphone device, dubbed Party in a Box. The name may seem a bit silly, but this speaker system is packing some serious specs. The PIAB is large enough to dock an iPad, and features both AirPlay and Bluetooth wireless connectivity. On top of ensuring nearly any modern mobile device should be able to stream audio to it sans wires, the mini-rig also comes with 5.8GHz two-way transceiver that'll allow you to play your tunes over multiple PIABs, or even other speakers. Speaking of speakers, internally you'll find a duo of 6.5-inch woofers, to 3-inch mid-purposed drivers, and finally, a quartet of 1-inch tweeters. For wired connectivity, the rig packs an HDMI output, an auxiliary connection for wired hookup, and a best of all, a balanced mic input (XLR?) so you can MC from just about anywhere there's power. Considering that Party in a Box features a carry handle, shoulder strap and will plug plug into wall and car sockets or run off of its own rechargeable batteries, we'd imagine it's a very feasible proposition. For a bit of extra spice, the system also has a a pair of VU meters that'll bump to your jams, and even customizable mood-lighting. Aside from PIAB, Soul is also introducing a few new color-schemes for its SL49, SL99 in-ear headphones, as well as its SL300 over-ear model. There's no specific word on pricing or availability just yet, but if we hear anything from the show floor, you can be sure we'll keep you post. Full press release just past the break.
Lost Pages of Taborea: Comparing RIFT's looting and multi-class systems to Runes of Magic's
Sometimes I feel like I'm playing the best MMO that no one's ever heard of. Lately, all I see are new games on the horizon that promise new flexible class systems, better functionality in old standard mechanics, improved pet systems, and so on. Every time I read these press releases, announcements, or blogs, I lean back, tilt my head a bit and say, "Interesting. But Runes of Magic already does that." It's why I have a lot of faith -- even if I disagree from time to time -- in Runewaker. The company has made all these great systems that are exactly what newer games are promising, and players are stoked about it. It really has me wanting to embark on a series comparing systems between RoM and other MMOs. RIFT has bulk-looting and class combining that I want to compare with similar features in RoM for this week's Lost Pages of Taborea. I'm tired of feeling like I'm playing an MMO no one's heard of, even if it isn't true -- RoM is very popular and it keeps growing at a fast pace. But dagnabbit, sometimes I want to tell everyone RoM did it before the other guy gets all the credit. Let's look at RoM's dual-class and pet systems to compare looting and multi-classes between these two games.
Enter at Your Own Rift: Zero-sum game
Ever since I started following RIFT, I've been entranced by the wide-open -- but not limitless -- class system. After all, the virtual world and everything populating it is only half the game; the other half resides in the avatar that sticks with you while you explore it all. Many MMOs have interesting ways of letting you build and grow your character, but sooner or later they come to a point where there's little more to be done other than incrementally increasing your stats by gaining better gear. Not so with RIFT, as even a level 50 can drop a few coins to shape a completely new build from scratch. No longer are we bound to a rigidly defined creation; we are free to experiment, tinker, and try out these roles to our hearts' content. With RIFT's soul system, there are a few ground rules that everyone learns early in the game. You can have up to three souls in your archetype active at any one time; you can only spend as many points in a build as you have in levels (such as 10 points at level 10); and you'll end up with 66 points at level 50, which means that you'll at least dabble in a second soul tree with every build. And while you can certainly spread soul points across all three trees, today I wanted to look at the benefits of a zero-point soul, the "third wheel," if you will, of builds.
'Soul by Ludacris' headphone series priced from $69 to $299, shipping in May
You know what they say -- if you can't Beat 'em, undercut 'em. Signeo's Soul by Ludacris headphone series -- which made its debut a couple of months ago at CES -- has just been priced, and sure enough, each pair is cheaper than what Dr. Dre and co. are charging for the Beats assortment. The top-end SL300 is set to sell for $299, while the similarly styled SL150 goes for $199. The more conventional SL100 will list for $149, and if it's earbuds you're craving, the SL99 will sport an MSRP of $99 while the low-end SL49 offers itself for just $69. Specifics on each one are hosted up after the break, and Americans can expect to see the whole crew this May. As for everyone else? There's no time table yet, but we've been assured by the company that international distribution is being worked on as we speak. Word.
Exclusive: RIFT details Beastmaster soul
Welcome to another installment in Massively's exclusive RIFT soul series. For the final update, the folks at Trion have graced us with an explanation of the Beastmaster. Unsurprisingly, Beastmasters are RIFT's answer to traditional pet-handling classes. In addition to being one half of a fearsome fighting duo, the Beastmaster soul also functions as a buffer for allies but is rendered weaker than his companions if the spirit-bond that binds him to his pet is severed. Have a look at the new Beastmaster images in our gallery below, and then make your way past the cut for a bit of background, lore, and additional details. While you're at it, don't forget to check out the rest of our exclusive RIFT soul series including entries on the Bard, the Chloromancer, and the Cabalist. %Gallery-108036%
Exclusive: RIFT details Cabalist soul
All aboard the soul train! It's time for another information smorgasbord courtesy of the folks at Trion Worlds. Today the devs bring us a closer look at RIFT's Cabalist, a practitioner of ancient rituals and arcane magic who decimates hordes of foes with a tremendous outflow of dark energy. As you've probably surmised, the Cabalist is an AoE caster, but what you may not know is that the class also possesses considerable crowd control utility. According to Trion, Cabalists make use of powerful sigils to cast deadly spells that take a bit of time to wind up. Once they do, everything in range is generally toast. Check out our newest images in the gallery below, and head past the cut for more details on the Cabalist soul. %Gallery-108036%
Exclusive: RIFT details Chloromancer soul
There's something about the suffix -mancer that fires the imagination of creative types everywhere. We've seen Neuromancers, Pyromancers, Aeromancers, and now, thanks to Trion, the Chloromancer. Taking its name from chlorophyl (the green pigment found in plant life), RIFT's Chloromancer is a healing soul that draws energy from the natural world. While the class deals a bit of damage, much of its offensive power is sacrificed in favor of channeling energy into healing spells. The Chloromancer also lacks crowd control abilities, making it vulnerable to focused enemy attacks. The class earns its keep by recycling destructive magic to mend its allies and is also able to remove harmful status effects and resurrect fallen comrades. Check out the new images in the gallery below and head past the cut for more details. %Gallery-108036%
Enter at Your Own Rift: Pre-launch checklist
I'll just come out and say it: The month or so right before the launch of a highly anticipated MMO is simultaneously ecstasy and agony, full of love and loathing. The waiting sucks, but the anticipation is delicious. The enthusiasm from the community is electric, but the heated emotions can be toxic. The discussion is fascinating, but the know-it-alls are annoying. Personally, I kind of wish we could be at launch-plus-one month right now, just so that the frenzy of insane opinions will have died down and we can just, y'know, play the game without feeling as though we were in the middle of a verbal rugby match. Like any MMO, RIFT's going to have its positives and negatives, but I feel that this launch is going to be something we haven't seen in a long time: a solid, stable MMO that offers up a complete package. That pleases the Justin. Since I can't whip out my magic remote control and fast-forward to April, I propose we do the next best thing. Let's open up our imaginary quest logs and run down a checklist of seven "To Dos" and a few "To Don'ts" to help us prepare for RIFT's release. Planning can be fun! Shut up, it can be!
Enter At Your Own Rift: Dispelling the WoWhammer myth
If you've participated in RIFT's beta events at all, you're probably wishing you had a nickel for every time you heard a player claim that RIFT is just like World of Warcraft or Warhammer Online -- WAR because of the comparison of rifts to public quests, and WoW mainly because it's the gold standard of MMOs today. Last week, my colleague Justin gave a great argument as to why the familiar isn't necessarily a bad thing. But while RIFT does have several familiar features, it manages in several ways to set itself apart from the pack. This week, I'm going to tackle the argument that RIFT is just like WoW and Warhammer Online. Join me for a look at what makes this game stand out from the crowd, and see why it's time to dispel the WoWhammer myth.
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Saboteur
You can call them rogues, thieves, scoundrels, but by any name they're stealthy little bastards. RIFT's Rogues are no exception, with the difference being that the soul system allows them access to several unique flavors of sneaky little bastard. There are the backstabbing Assassins, the sniping Marksmen, and the defensive Riftstalker all under the same overarching aegis, allowing players a wide variety of different options. But none of them yet has been the truly annoying sort, the one who looks to be finally caught flat-footed just as you realize he's been playing you the whole time. Rounding off a week of new soul previews is the Saboteur -- and while it might seem a bit less glamorous to come last, that's exactly how the Saboteur would want it. An expert in preparation and subtle traps, the Saboteur is vulnerable without time to prepare his various battlefield modifications, but immensely destructive if he's in control. Click on past the break for more backstory and information on RIFT's resident schemer. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Dominator
Mages in RIFT are not particularly nice people. Admittedly, that's not speaking to their character so much as the souls available to them, but between the corpse-raising Necromancers, entropy-spreading Warlocks, and strength-leeching Archons, the precedent has been set. And today's reveal of the Dominator isn't going to change that image, even though it's a soul quite likely to make a number of new friends. But those friends may or may not be willing companions. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, even if you have little to no intention of letting your opponent use it. That's the Dominator philosophy in a nutshell, with a number of abilities designed to confuse, terrify, and control opponents. Although physically fragile, the Dominator will hopefully be in a position where none of his opponents are still coherent enough to take advantage of physical weakness. Take a look at more lore and ability details on RIFT's latest soul past the break, and check back tomorrow for our last soul reveal. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Void Knight
Magic is a fact of life in any sort of fantasy setting, and RIFT is no exception to this. The Warrior, of course, is the last class you'd expect to be dabbling heavily in magic, an assumption that would be largely correct. But with the plethora of souls available to characters in the game, it seems nigh-on inevitable that a Warrior would have at least one option if he wanted to ensure his opponent was just as bereft of magic, to even the footing down to a contest of arms. And the Void Knight is precisely that. The Void Knight isn't just capable of enduring magical attacks -- he actively absorbs them, using them to power his most spectacular abilities. Although he's not up to a straight contest of arms against a non-magical character, he's more than the equal of a caster, easily capable of turning the most devastating curses or enchantments into the equivalent of an energy drink. Take a look past the break for the full rundown on both the lore and abilities of the Void Knight, and check back each day this week for another new RIFT soul reveal. %Gallery-101448%
Exclusive: A look at RIFT's Druid
Within RIFT's soul system, there's room for a wide variety of different classes within the four core options -- two different Clerics might have very different sets of souls equipped and play like two completely different classes. Trion Worlds has been slowly providing information to players about what they can expect from the various souls, but every time a new soul is revealed, it's something completely different from what's come before. The Druid is one of the souls available to Clerics, for instance, but it couldn't be more different than options such as the Purifier or Sentinel. Druids are a pet class, but not in the traditional sense. Where a Mage with a pet-using soul would rely on his pets to deal damage, the Druid uses her pets as conduits to empower her, making her a fierce combatant in her own right. Although vulnerable if her companions are damaged, the Druid herself is the core of her strength, using a variety of companions for a multitude of effects. Click past the break for more information and backstory on RIFT's Druid, and check in every day this week for more heretofore unseen souls. %Gallery-101448%
Signeo reveals 'Soul by Ludacris' headphone series at CES
Here's an idea: start a headphone company, and then consult any 'ole musician for sponsorship. It's bound to work out well for you. HP has locked arms with Dr. Dre (and The Biebs!), Sleek Audio has done likewise with 50 Cent, Harman AKG has teamed with Quincy Jones, and now, Signeo is looking to Ludacris for a boost in the marketing department. Here at CES, the aforesaid outfit has just launched the cans you see above, aptly titled Soul by Ludacris. As you'd expect, they look mildly similar to the Beats headphone range that has seemingly taken the world by storm, and according to the release after the break, Luda was tightly involved in the construction of them. The Soul brand is debuting with five models in the line: the SL300 noise-cancelling headphones, on-ear SL150 / SL100 models and the SE99 / SE48 earbuds. The whole crew is tweaked to emit fairly intense bass ("without sacrificing the clarity of mids and highs," mind you), and while no pricing details are being shared just yet, we are told that you can find your own Soul when they hit shelves in "early 2011." One more look and the full release are after the break.
RIFT beta 3 patch notes show major soul changes and more
RIFT's third beta event kicks off today, and Trion Worlds has the novel-sized patch notes to prove that the team's been busy. Many fan sites rushed to repost the beta forum notes, which is allowed now that the NDA has dropped. The biggest change that previous players will see concerns the much-ballyhooed soul system, RIFT's flexible character builder. Previously, players would get only one of three souls at the start, with another at level five, and gain soul points at the rate of one per level. With Beta 3, this has been changed so that you can pick from all of your archetype's souls at the start and will leave the beginner area with three souls instead of two. In addition, Trion is handing out an extra soul point every third level, bringing the total number of soul points for a level 50 character up to 66. Of course, souls aren't the only focus of this patch. Among the many changes are the inclusion of the rest system, the ability to rename your pets, a preview of the soul trees before you purchase them, and a number of new invader boss encounters for both sides. Read up on the patch notes here, and we'll see you on the battlefield!
RIFT unveils four new souls
If you want to get anywhere in RIFT, you've got to have soul. Specifically, you have to have one of the game's soul trees, the unique mix-and-match system the game uses to help players customize strengths and weaknesses as they please. The team at Trion Worlds has recently revealed four new souls, one for each of the game's four classes -- the Riftblade for Warriors, the Marksman for Rogues, the Necromancer for Mages, and the Warden for the Clerics. RIftblades are magically-empowered warriors, deft at ranged strikes and penetrating armor but weak under concentrated assaults. Marksmen, obviously, are best suited to hit-and-run ranged strikes, with little capability in a close-quarter battle. Necromancers utilize the undead pets you would expect, although they're quite vulnerable without them. And Wardens serve as healers with a specialty in slow accumulation, stacking healing energies over time but vulnerable to a lack of time. Future RIFT players should take a look at the full descriptions as well as the fiction behind each of the fallen champions.
Ten levels of RIFT: A guide to your first day in Telara
With two RIFT beta events under my belt, I was given the supreme honor of creating a guide to the first 10 levels of the game. Naturally, I fell apart under the stress, assumed the fetal position for a couple days while whimpering about "frame rates," and then was prodded into action by our editors. That's quite literally "prodded," mind you -- Massively purchased a pair of cattle prods last year at a police auction. It's going to be years until the scorch marks fade from my spine. The purpose of this guide is two-fold. First, we want to give anyone who's interested in RIFT but couldn't get into the beta a chance to vicariously experience RIFT's newbie path. Second, while RIFT is careful to hold your hand during your first steps into Telara, there are always a lot of things that can be easily missed while one is partaking in the wonders of a new virtual world. So this guide is here to share a few tips and pointers that beta testers may have missed. What are you waiting for? Roll up a new character by hitting the jump!
Rift's devs challenge fans to name an orphaned soul
When you think about it, it's pretty hard to come up with the massive list of made-up names necessary for a wholly fabricated fantasy world. Sure, it's initially easy to come up with your "Death-this" and "Swamp-of-that" and "blank-of-the-Damned," but after a while the creative well drains. Rift: Planes of Telara's developers claim this to be the case as they ask fans to help them think up a starstruck name for one of their orphaned souls. This is an excellent opportunity to become part of the game itself by injecting your brain juices directly into the code. Entering the contest is ridiculously easy: Just head over to the Rift forums (you must have a registered account) and submit your suggestion. In a few days, the devs will pick a number of intriguing monikers out of the hat and then throw them to the community and Trion Worlds team for a vote. Souls are Rift's unique version of classes, and this particular unnamed soul will be a type of mage. According to the devs, this soul will "focus these life energies into a devastating force, or recycle destructive magic to heal their allies." It boasts more survivability than mages are used to but lacks as much destructive power or strong healing as a result. What do you think it should be called? Head over to the Rift forums, and let's see a Massively reader win this thing!
Rift: Planes of Telara announces Sentinel Soul
Information on Trion Worlds' upcoming Rift: Planes of Telara is starting to flow fast and furious, and we couldn't be happier with that fact. In addition to what looks to be a novel take on dynamic gameworld events, the title features unique class elements in the form of Souls. Souls are, in lore terms, the actual souls of dead heroes that the player uses to realize his full potential. In game terms, they fill a role similar to that of the traditional talent tree, albeit with a few twists. Today, the fans at TelaraCentral.com have unearthed some tasty information on the Sentinel Soul. The Sentinel Soul enables players to be defensive clerics, focusing on group support and boasting a strong defense and comparatively weak offense. Head over to TelaraCentral.com for more lore-centric details.
New creepy Xbox Indie Game: Soul
Click to exor-size Based purely on gameplay mechanics, the new Xbox Indie Game from Kydos Studio, titled Soul, is simple. The goal: Guide a dead man's soul to heaven. You do this by moving the soul through corridors while avoiding the walls and various hazards. It's the background art and atmosphere that make the game freaky, however. The game is filled with disturbing imagery and pop-out scares, like some kind of nightmarish game of Operation. Check out a trailer after the break and grab the trial version using the link below. Shortcut: Download the trial version of Soul [via Xbox.com]; the full version is 80 ($1) %Gallery-84097% [Via GamerBytes]
