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WildStar adopts quarterly update cadence: 'No more drops before their time'
WildStar Product Director Mike Donatelli has penned a new state of the game post to address concerns about the themepark in the wake of Jeremy Gaffney's resignation as Carbine President and the announcement of server merges in the form of megaservers. Donatelli says that WildStar will now function under a quarterly cadence for major updates. In August, he told players that the team was adopting a "when it's done" approach to drops instead of its originally planned monthly cadence. "If it's not ready, we'll hold it until it is," he reiterates today, citing quality as his motivator. "This doesn't mean we won't have other activities available to experience on a more regular basis; we're just taking the necessary time to get the major drops right." The next drop, scheduled for November, will include both solo and world story content. He also promises improved elder game itemization, disincentives for toxic PvP behavior, attunement adjustments, and a new training dungeon to prepare players for WildStar's controversial raid content. "I want to stress that we're not nerfing raids," he writes. "We're just giving you the tools to succeed when tackling them."
Gamescom 2014: WildStar abandons monthly update pace
Yet another MMO has fallen into the trap of promising monthly updates after launch only to realize that it's not as feasible as once thought. A mere two content updates into the live game, WildStar announced that it will be abandoning its monthly pace in favor of major drops every few months. At Gamescom, Senior Game Designer Megan Starks fessed up to the change of release cadence: "Originally our idea was to have a really aggressive post-launch schedule, just constantly provide stuff for our players so that there's always things for you to do. Now that we've put out two of our updates, our schedule is still planned out. [...] We decided to work on [the upcoming patch Defile] until it's a really good quality state. We do know that we want it to come out in the next few months. Instead of saying that we have this hard deadline, that it's going out no matter what, we're going to take the time to make sure that the quality is there." When asked if this is going to be the case for updates in the future, Starks said, "Yes."
The Daily Grind: What's your desired update pace?
This year as a whole might be light on the total number of MMO releases, but it feels as though it's been an absolute bonanza for updates. I've experienced more than a couple Tuesdays where several of my MMOs are patching in new content simultaneously, leaving me with a delicious conundrum of what to play first. What I'm curious about today is how much and how often you think that MMOs should update. Would you have very frequent content drops, such as Guild Wars 2's living world episodes, even if they're not huge? Do you prefer a once-a-month patch that contains a lot to chew on? Or would you rather see MMOs package a huge chunk of content for a once- or twice-a-year expansion? 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!
Samsung's first 14nm FinFET chip promises substantial power savings
After confirming plans to expand its chip-making plant in Austin, Texas, Samsung's also taped out its first 14nm FinFET test chip. The new design (which is being compared with Intel's 'Tri-Gate' found on its Ivy Bridge hardware) promises to offer substantial power and performance improvements compared to existing designs, with low-leakage often mentioned in the same breath as the new silicon. Samsung's new test chip also involved ARM and Synopsis, and is a good sign that we'll be seeing its next-gen chips sooner rather than later.
Wahoo Fitness BlueSC bike sensor ships for iPhone, fixie owners rejoice
Summer cycling is about to get a lot more... precise. The Wahoo Fitness BlueSC sensor we saw back in April is now shipping, giving iPhone 4S and new iPad owners a Bluetooth 4.0 tracker for a bike's pedal cadence, speed and long-term performance through a trio of sensors. As you take that victory ride down the Champs d'Élysées -- or more realistically, take that fixie bike down for a cappuccino -- data feeds either into Wahoo's own app or to alternatives from Cyclemeter and Strava Cycling. If Spandex is considered part of your daily routine, $60 is what it takes to get the BlueSC following your every pedal push.
Cadence's 4-Bit Chrono Watch lets you do business, disguises your inner geek
Glance above and you'll notice a normal, elegant chronograph watch, correct? Not exactly... See, that jet-black dial is rocking 4-bit binary hour-bars in place of numbers, and looking very geek-chic doing so. Announced today, Cadence's 4-Bit Chronograph Watch is the chrono revision of its $80 4-Bit Watch, sporting a larger casing, darker dial, greater water resistance, and most notably, a UTC display to help you stay on schedule while globetrotting. The luminescent hands -- perfect for late-night hacking -- are kept in motion by an automatic Miyota quartz movement wedged inside of a 42mm stainless steel case, which is rated water-resistant to five atmospheres (165 feet). The watch is further protected by a sapphire-coated glass crystal, and topped off with a black leather band to keep things extra classy. When the 4-Bit Chrono ships come July, getting one around your wrist will set you back $195, but slyly wearing your geek cred is only $119 if you reserve one now -- a full press release is after the break to help you decide.
Key pattern analysis software times your typing for improved password protection
The recent pilfering of PlayStation Network passwords and personal info shows that having a strong passcode doesn't always guarantee your online safety. However, key-pattern analysis (KPA) software from researchers at American University of Beirut may be able to keep our logins secure even if they're stolen. You create a unique profile by entering your password a few times while the code tracks the speed and timing of your keystrokes. The software then associates that data to your password as another means of authentication. Henceforth, should the magic word be entered in a different typing tempo, access is denied. We saw a similar solution last year, but that system was meant to prevent multiple users from accessing subscription databases with a single account. This KPA software allows multiple profiles per password so that your significant other can still read all your email -- assuming you and your mate reside in the trust tree, of course.
App review: Cadence keeps the beat
"Lace up your shoes (oh, ay, oh, ay!) / Here's how we do / Run baby run / Don't ever look back" Are you like me? Do you like the running? Do you like running with your iPhone? I love to run, and I need music. Just the right song can turn a mediocre run into something transcendental. But what was it that separated the motivating songs from the energy-sapping ones? Turns out, it's at least partly the beat. A song that pounds along with my stride is always welcome. For a spell, I tried finding songs that would do that. I even checked out Podrunner podcasts--the 'casts are set to a particular beats per minute (BPM) that you can choose. Problem was, I wasn't that excited about the music. Sure, it was the right tempo, but I wanted my songs.
Typing 'cadence' used to identify authorized database users, lock everyone else out
We'll admit to having shared a few login credentials amongst friends here and there in our younger days, but it sounds like the party might soon be over: a company called Scout Analytics has developed a way of identifying a user's "typing cadence," and matching it to how a username and password are entered. It only takes 5 login attempts of around 12 characters for Scout to nab your cadence, and although 1 in 20,000 people will share the same cadence, combining the data with browser info and IP addresses makes it accurate enough for general usage. No word on what sites are using this technique, but we won't be surprised if it starts popping up rapidly -- and sniffing typing cadences becomes the next great malware scourge. P.S.- Yes, we just wanted to run the picture of the keyboard pants again. Seriously, can someone please hook us up with those?
