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Strife has entered closed beta
S2 Games has announced that its "second generation free-to-play MOBA," Strife, has officially shifted into closed beta. Fans of the genre will recognize S2 as the studio behind Heroes of Newerth, which itself is among the litany of games cast from the original Defense of the Ancients mold. According to the announcement, Strife is "focused on giving players an environment where they're competing with enemies, not their own teammates." S2 claims that existing MOBA issues like in-team toxicity, fighting over shared resources, and drama over designating roles have all been alleviated through the game's design. Strife's closed beta is not region-specific; invites are going out to players across the globe. The game is set for launch some time in 2014, and beta sign-ups are currently live on its official website. For a closer look, check out our hands-on with the game from August. [Source: S2 Games press release]
Massively's hands-on with WildStar's Engineer
It must have been serendipity that got me into the WildStar beta the week after the Engineer was announced (well, that or a PR push, but what are the odds?). As my friends, my family, and those who come within shouting distance of my voice know, I am always drawn to Engineers in video games. Whether the game be Team Fortress 2, Guild Wars 2, or Warhammer Online, if I have a big wrench, turrets, guns, pets, and/or lots of gadgets, I'm a pretty satisfied human being. WildStar's Engineer almost sounded too good to be true to me: a heavy armor-wearing ranged class that could DPS or tank while fielding combat robots. There might have been mention of a mech suit as well, but by that point I was twitching on the floor after suffering a happiness seizure. But would this perfect match on paper meet up to the cold, colorful reality when I got into the game? There was only one way to find out. Honey, take the kids out for the next two days, for I have space clobbering to do!
WildStar unveils its final class, the Engineer
If you're headed to a distant planet of untold dangers, you'll want to be protected. You'll want to bring along plenty of armor, you'll want ranged weapons, and you'll want some nice bulky robots to keep you safe in the most dire of circumstances. In short, you will want everything that the Engineer brings to WildStar. It's a pet class, a ranged tank, a sniper, and a whole barrel of explosive mechanical fun all in one package. Engineers have access to a stable of reliable bots to perform several functions, ranging from dealing damage to tanking to providing quick heals. The class also features a variety of ranged attacks, heavy armor, and a special exo-suit that allows them to bulk up and smash everything in range. Take a look at the latest edition of DevSpeak just past the cut to see the class in action, and check out the official site for a brand new installment of the Tales from Beyond the Fringe comic. [Source: Carbine Studios press release]
Tamagotchi celebrates its 17th birthday with new, more social virtual pets
Here's a thought to make you feel old today: if the first batch of Tamagotchis were human, they'd be almost through with high school. In fact, the egg-shaped virtual pet has just turned 17 (17!), and to celebrate, Bandai is revamping the brand (again) and launching a new line called Tamagotchi Friends. While you still need to feed your virtual pet and pick up its digital poop, this modern-day remake comes with new characters to raise. Also, when two owners bump their Tamagotchi Friends against each other, their pets can go on play dates, and they can interact in-game. We wish Bandai added other modern features, like a full-color screen, but at least American aficionados can get units with a color background starting fall 2014. Those in Europe will have to make do with the black-and-white version upon launch in December 2013. For now, you can see more info and watch animated shorts on the official Tamagotchi Friends website, or practice your pet-rearing skills on Android.
WildStar answers Esper inquiries
Continuing with Esper Week at WildStar, Carbine devs opened the floor to a wide array of questions regarding the futuristic spellcaster. Topics touched upon included the Esper's healing ability (the devs claim the class is "the best single-target healer" in the game), the lack of movement speed reduction while casting, its high burst damage potential in PvP, and that nifty Phantasmal Armor skill that was seen at the end of the re-reveal video. One fan asked if the Esper could be built as a pet class. "You also have the ability to focus yourself on a pet build," a developer confirmed. "Last week my build was based around Phantom Swarm (three small illusionary pets) and Geist (one large illusionary pet). I had tiered these guys up as much as I could so that they were doing tons of damage, healing me at the same time, and blowing up on their deaths to do AoE damage."
The Daily Grind: What type of animal do you like as a pet?
I love pet classes that allow you to capture, tame, and use an animal as your new combat buddy. It adds a lot of variety and choice to playing the class compared to pet classes that just stick you with the standard pet that everyone else gets. This was perhaps why I played a Hunter in World of Warcraft for so long. I was just nuts about collecting the most interesting and most unique pets. The highlight of my career was using a bunch of taming tricks to snag a Spectral Wolf back in Burning Crusade era that wasn't supposed to be tamable. I felt like the bee's knees when I had that guy running around with me. So when it comes to pet classes that fling animals at enemies, what type of beastie do you prefer? 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!
5.4.1 PTR reveals Crusader Murloc and Hippogryph mount models
WoW Insider posted recently about the Murloc mount reward from the BlizzCon ticket and Virtual Ticket, and now our good friends over at Adriacraft have datamined the model, as well as that of the new Hippogryph mount from the still-running PTR. This little guy is just adorable, isn't he? I cannot get over his "special" animation, it's too cute, and his little breakdancing things... I think I'm dying of cute. As we mentioned at the time, he's available with the Virtual Ticket, which also allows you to livestream and on-demand stream the whole event. Basically you'll have the best seats in the house, while still in, well, your house! We've also got video from Adriacraft of the new Hippogryph mount, which appears to be called the Emerald Hippogryph -- hit the break to see it.
The Daily Grind: What vanity pet would you like to see made?
Ever since I ran The Secret World's Issue #7 content and explored the Nursery, I've become fixated on the idea of owning a nannybot of my very own. I mean, they're ludicrous to the point of being awesome: a hulking RoboCop suit with an emoticon face (which is smiley for happy and frowny for you're-about-to-be-murder-punched). I'd love to see them made into pets, because I constantly need looking after. Assuming that you like vanity pets -- you do, right? -- then you probably have a wish list of critters or figures that you'd love to see implemented as such. Maybe there's a cool-looking animal or a mechanical doohickey or just something that would go perfect with your character. If you could make it happen with a wish, what non-combat pet would you like to see made for your 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!
Closed beta begins for Heva Clonia Online
Why should only a select few classes get to play around with pets? That's a question posed by Heva Clonia Online, a new free-to-play title entering closed beta testing today. Heva Clonia Online allows players to clone monsters encountered throughout the game, use them as pets, and even pit them directly against other pets in arena battles. This is somewhat reminiscent of a title from Nintendo, but it is completely legally distinct. If pets aren't so much your thing, the game also features a variety of minigames and two-person dungeons to break up the usual format of MMO gameplay. OGPlanet is also giving away a free gamepad to 10 lucky players who manage to reach level 10 between now and the time the beta ends on September 30th. If you'd like a chance to get in and start pocketing monsters, you can sign up for the beta test on the official site. [Source: OGPlanet press release]
PAX Prime 2013: S2 Games shows off Strife
I was pretty interested to see S2 Games' newest venture into the MOBA genre, Strife, at this year's PAX Prime. It's a more newbie-friendly take on the traditional DotA concept while still retaining high levels of complexity and a high skill cap. S2 Games has learned a lot of lessons from Heroes of Newerth, and I spoke with creative designer Doug Houserman about what the team is bringing to the table to make Strife a better game.
Cinder Kitten 25% off this week only
Good news, Battle Pet enthusiasts! If you somehow originally missed out on nabbing the cuddly, roly-poly Cinder Kitten, you can now pick up the ball of fluff and flames for 25% off in the Blizzard Pet Store this week. Originally introduced in late 2012, the Cinder Kitten is usually $10 to purchase. With the sale, it's all of $7.50. And while it's admittedly adorable beyond all reason, it's also a pretty fierce Battle Pet to add to your team, too! Check out the Blizzard Pet Store to pick up your very own cuddly flaming ball of fiery purring death, or nab a few for holiday gifts later this year. But if you want to take advantage of the sale price, better hurry - the sale price for the Cinder Kitten runs until September 3, at 11:59PM PDT, and applies to both US and EU players.
The Mog Log Extra: Starting an Arcanist in Final Fantasy XIV
My initial plan for last Saturday's edition of The Mog Log was foiled by the simple fact that getting to Limsa Lominsa was much more difficult than it needed to be. There was no way to get to Limsa, unlock Arcanist, level Arcanist, write a column of a thousand words or more, have it proofed, and have it readable by the time that you fine people expect to read something. My apologies are deep and heartfelt. Despite that fact, once I finally did get to Limsa, I poured myself into playing Arcansit as if it was my job. Which it sort of was. And I found that to my pleasant surprise, despite the fact that the class is everything I usually dislike in a class, I was having an absolute blast. I wouldn't say it's my favorite class in Final Fantasy XIV, but it's up there. But you don't care too much about that, do you? You want to know how to play one. Luckily, I can tell you that, too.
Massively's hands-on with Strife, a new MOBA from S2 Games
My team is struggling. We've managed to hold our own after a nasty fight in the bottom lane, but then a message appears on my screen: Krytos is coming. The team at S2 Games had warned me about this giant ape and his tower-neutralizing, minion-stomping abilities. But there he was with the enemy team following in his wake. This is Strife, the new free-to-play MOBA from the company that created Heroes of Newerth. The three-lane-based gameplay might look familiar from the top down, but a giant ape is just one of many interesting mechanics Strife is utilizing to help create a more enjoyable and flexible MOBA experience. Oh, and did I mention the pets and the crafting?
Garmin DC 50 dog collar promises better satellite reception, longer battery life
Your dog can run, but it can't hide from Garmin's latest dog tracking collar. The DC 50 ups the game for the GPS company's satellite-friendly canine wearables, offering a more rugged, waterproof (up to 10 meters) design and improved battery life at 26 hours with the five-second update and up to 54 hours with two-minute update. There's also a Dog Rescue mode to automatically switch the collar to the latter when the charge gets down to 25 percent -- so you'll still get signal should you lose your pooch at the end of the day. And, to make him easier to find, the DC 50 promises more reliable satellite reception, thanks to the antenna's placement at the top of the collar and its utilization of both GLONASS and GPS nav systems. When paired with Garmin's Astro 320, users can track a pack of up to ten pups at once should you have the money to outfit them all with DC 50's. The collar will be available later this month for $230, or $600 if you buy it bundled with the aforementioned Astro 320.
Moonkin hatchling 50% off this week only
This week only, one of WoW's most adorable pets is on sale. The Moonkin Hatchling is on sale for $5, €5 or £4.50, depending on your local currency. This adorable little creature is effectively a buy one moonkin hatchling get one moonkin hatchling free deal, as you get both versions pictured above for your money, one for the Alliance and one for the Horde. As you'd expect, they are account-wide, and also battle pets. The Moonkin Hatchling is a humanoid battle pet, with abilities such as Solar Beam, Cyclone and Moonfire reflecting his druidic status. He also has some utterly adorable animations, growing little flowers on the ground to brighten your day, as well as periodically hovering a few inches from the ground with his tiny wings. And what's more, he can fly, and will accompany you on your flying mounts, defying the laws of physics. The sale ends on July 1 at 11.59pm PDT in the US, CET in the EU.
Final Fantasy XIV sells $50 soundtrack with pet
Would you spend $50 on a video game soundtrack? Here's a better question: What would a video game soundtrack have to include and feature to justify a $50 price tag? Square-Enix is taking a stab at tempting the fanatical and faithful into purchasing the complete Final Fantasy XIV OST, and the studio is prepared to make it worth the hefty price tag. The soundtrack itself is a Japanese import on Blu-Ray and includes 104 tracks and the game trailer remastered in 5.1 surround sound. The five-plus hours of music on the disc are also available in MP3 format for computers with Blu-Ray disc drives. Final Fantasy XIV: Before Meteor is currently available to pre-order for $49.99, and the price includes a code for an exclusive in-game Wind-Up Dalamud pet.
Whistle canine fitness tracker can be pre-ordered now for $100
Pet care industry spending exceeds $50 billion per year in the US alone, so there's no question that folks are dropping some serious dough on man's best friend. A device to track your dog's health, then, makes an awful lot of sense, from a business perspective at the very least. Whistle, designed by a company bearing the same name, keeps tabs on your pooch for 100 bucks. The device connects to your pet's collar; from there, it quietly measures activity and rest. The information it gathers can then be shared with both you and your dog's doc, and it's also added to a database, available to researchers around the world. The device and associated service will provide feedback for improving your dog's health, tailored to his or her specific breed. You don't pay any fees beyond the $100 pre-order charge, which you can submit directly to the manufacturer at the source link below.
The Road to Mordor: Six reasons LotRO's Lore-masters rock
In my Lord of the Rings Online career, I've played two classes far more than any others: the Captain and the Lore-master. Both scratch that "pet class" itch that I have in MMOs, both are quite group-friendly, and both seem to be somewhat unorthodox picks (at least compared to the plague of Hunters and Champions infecting the game). I'll leave a discussion about Captains for another time, but today I felt like talking about the strangeness that is the Lore-master. It's such a unique class in feel and execution, and it's captivated me such that I'm actually leveling up my second Lore-master because I was dissatisfied with the way I handled my first one. Maybe you've never tried one. Maybe you picked one up and just couldn't get a feel for what it was supposed to do. I'll admit that the LM is an acquired taste, partially because its skillset is all over the map and it doesn't settle into an expected template. However, it may just be the coolest class in the game. Here are six reasons why.
FitBark monitors your dog's 'BarkScore,' we go eyes-on (video)
Granted, dogs tend to be a bit more vocal than, say, hydroponic plants, but sometimes it's tough for busy owners to know precisely when their furry best friend is getting enough activity. FitBark, yet another Kickstarter candidate showing its goods on the floor of TechCrunch Disrupt's Hardware Alley, is a bone-shaped wearable computer than hooks onto your dog's collar. The device communicates with either a home base (shaped, naturally, like a doghouse) or your smartphone. The company's got an iOS app (with Android on the way) that monitors your dog's activity, awarding the pup a "BarkScore" out of 100. That's an, um, "quantified woof," according to the company. FitBark still has 29 days left to hit its lofty $100,000 goal, and a pledge of $99 or more will get you in on the first batch of devices. Check out a video pitch of the device after the break.%Gallery-187333%
Blood Pact: To summon or not to summon, that's the question
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Blood Pact for affliction, demonology, and destruction warlocks. This week, Megan O'Neill scraps another attempt at Kanrethad to discuss being a pet class instead. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous pet bugs in encounter design like jumping down into Nefarian's pit in Blackwing Descent so your pet then did nothing but stand in the middle, or to take up Doomguards against a despawning abyssal phase 3 in Throne of the Four Winds -- and by opposing end them: to die, to sacrifice. To sacrifice, perchance to DPS; Aye, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death, what meter-topping dreams of 5.0 may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil (no, not that one!), must give our developers pause. My terrible warlock Shakespeare adaptation aside, we've had the ponderings about how tied to pets warlocks should or shouldn't be. As I continue to throw myself at Kanrethad's own demonic stampede, I've had some thoughts about the subject.
