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Check out the gams on this Tiger Woods 14 'Night Golf' player
EA Sports tweeted the above picture of a player in the new Night Golf mode of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 14, and he appears to be more creature than feature. We're no experts, but those look like goat legs. That, or it's a pair of these fancy faun-inspired heels.
The Daily Grind: What's your favorite in-game wildlife?
The general rule of MMOs is pretty simple to understand -- if it moves, either get a quest from it or kill it. Natural critters other than enemy soldiers exist mostly so that you can occasionally kill ten rats rather than killing ten beastmen. But from the chocobos of Final Fantasy XI to the elementally affected critters of RIFT, there are a plethora of different creatures that roam the land that you aren't necessarily meant to kill -- or at least those that serve a purpose in the world's ecology. In some games, such as the deep space setting of EVE Online, you're not going to find much in the way of wildlife. But in the games that do feature animals meandering about, which ones are your favorites? What local fauna catches your eye, either because it reminds you that the game takes place in a living world or just because it's so alien and bizarre? 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!
Faunasphere shutting down on March 15th
It's a sad day when a game shuts down, especially one that caters to an unusual audience. Faunasphere, a game about cleaning up a pollution-riddled world while developing your personal animals, has announced its shutdown on March 15th. All subscription options have been removed, all subscriptions or microtransaction currency purchases after January 14th are being refunded, and the developers at Big Fish Games are working to make sure that the month until the closing is memorable and enjoyable for players. In a brief FAQ regarding the closure, the development team addresses several potential player questions, including the game's integration with Facebook (which kept the servers running for longer than would have otherwise been possible) and the issue of any outstanding funds sunk into the game. There's also a thread set up for players to exchange contact information, in the hopes that some of the community might retain its cohesion. Our condolences go out to the Faunasphere players and development team affected by the shutdown.
Famitsu reveals new selection of Final Fantasy XIV wildlife
We learned quite a bit about the upcoming Final Fantasy XIV during E3, but there's still quite a bit left still to learn before its release later this year. One of the more obvious questions is what, exactly, players will be squaring off against on the field of battle; in a series partly defined by its memorable recurring adversaries, it's reasonable to wonder what will return and what won't. A newly translated piece from Famitsu helps answer that question, with an octet of new creatures as well as a few bits of information about changes in the next phase of testing. Most of the newly revealed monsters have a storied history in the series as a whole, and several are direct exports from Final Fantasy XI, including the deceptively fearsome Goobbue making a triumphant return. Funguar also return, although looking very different from Vana'diel's odd mushroom-frog hybrids. Each of the monsters has a brief write-up describing its size, behavior, and habitat, so Final Fantasy XIV fans would be well served by taking a look at what they're going to have to deal with during their journeys.
Faunasphere goes Facebook
We've received word today from the team over at Faunasphere that they're taking their game over to the land of Facebook, to show the "social gamers" what a MMO really is. Faunsphere Facebook and Faunsphere.com will be linked together into one large world, letting users from both realms interact with one another. The game will continue to run on the same microtransaction system, where users can buy additional items for their fauna and commission scientific tests to know more about the hidden skills that lie in their favorite animals. All we can do now is pray that this style of game catches on in Facebook, so when we ask our friends if they play any MMOs, they don't respond with, "Oh, yeah, Farmville!" Then, we won't feel the need to throttle people.
Fight smog with dogs in Faunasphere
Pollution is bad, mmmmkay? That's the general theme of Faunasphere, another flash-based MMO that takes a very different look at MMO gameplay. Faunasphere is all about protecting the environment and destroying pollution while evolving your fauna -- animals with specific skills that will aid you in completing quests in this scientifically advanced world. Some fauna can dig, others can swim, and others can track scents and more. Fauna can also be bred as well, letting you create new species of animals while increasing their stats. The flash based MMO also includes the ability to create your own world for your fauna to live in, awarding you items as you complete quests and level up. It's easy to pick up and play, and the animations are pretty cute as well. It's also free... did we mention that? Well, we did now. Give it a whirl, as it's a great MMO for when you're on the go and can't be bothered to install a big game.
Earthrise reveals new environmental screens
In the post-apocalyptic world of action MMO Earthrise you'll encounter bone-filled deserts, lush jungles, other-worldly forests and... alien hatcheries full of membrane fauna? Hmm, oh that's right this is a sci-fi game, so that's totally cool. Even still, sweeping vistas and mysterious looking locations are all present here, which is exactly what an exploring player hopes to see in an upcoming MMO.Indeed, many of the new images are deliciously pretty -- just be aware that as you click through them, you're bound to come across that alien hatchery. Of course, if creepy alien hatcheries are what you're all about, then pleased you will certainly be.%Gallery-48760%
Wi-Aquarium: the WiFi-enabled fish tank
We've seen everything from WiFi-enabled PMPs, robots, and even gardens, but a recent creation showcased at the Embedded Systems Conference in California took remote access abilities underwater. While not as profound as a bay-patrolling nuke detector, Lantronix's Wi-Aquarium was able to grab the bronze for its snazzy internet-enabled fish tank, which reportedly "allows users to remotely control and monitor their aquarium anytime from anywhere in the world." Moreover, users can login and keep an eye on the situation via webcam, and they can even dictate the water temperature, lights, and filter from afar. The standout feature, however, is the ingrained ability of the tank to send the owner emails containing status reports of several key metrics, which should certainly keep you connected to your sea-dwelling pets no matter your location. Now this is what Tamagotchi should have been from the start, eh?[Via The Raw Feed]
