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HitPiece takes its NFT music platform down following artist outrage
A music NFT website called HitPiece has temporarily closed after artists accused it of appropriating their work without permission.
The weird, wild and expensive world of blockchain art
Is it still shocking in 2018 to see someone drop more than $50,000 on a digital playing card? Well, that's what happened when Gods Unchained, a blockchain-based digital card game, wrapped an auction on its rarest card to date: the Hyperion Mythic card. It sold for 146.279 ETH, which was worth about $54,000 at the time. If that doesn't shock you, how about the fact that a digital trading card of Elon Musk is currently on auction for about the same price?
You can vote for emoji to replace the current Monopoly tokens
Hasbro is no stranger to taking votes on new Monopoly tokens, but this time around everyone's favorite tiny images are among the options. Between now and January 31st, you can select which of the 56 new game pieces you would like to see make the cut. Yes, you can vote for any of the current tokens to remain or replace them entirely as you make your picks for the final 8. The company plans to announce the results of the public vote on World Monopoly Day that takes place on March 19th.
Hotfixes and compensation for Garrosh tokens
It seems that raid end-boss Garrosh Hellscream has been up to his old tricks again, as players have been having a great deal of trouble with his loot table awarding insufficient tokens on 25-N difficulty. It seems that, instead of the usual three, Garrosh was only dropping one token, as Community Manager Lore reports: Lore Greetings, When Patch 5.4 released, Garrosh Hellscream was set to drop one tier token on 25-player Normal difficulty. This was inconsistent with other bosses in the zone, and we planned to correct that via hotfix. Our intent was to release this hotfix during weekly maintenance to keep rewards consistent throughout this reset; unfortunately, due to an error on our part, the hotfix was applied early to the North American and Asian servers. This has resulted in an unfair advantage for guilds that defeated Garrosh later in the week, not only against the NA/Asian guilds that defeated him before the hotfix was applied, but also against all European guilds that have defeated him (as the hotfix has not yet been applied there)... source
Chaos Theory: A guide to The Secret World's tokens and currencies
In life and in games, the overarching method of commerce involves currency. Occasionally, you might find a game (or a friend) that will work with the bartering system, but that is far from the norm around these parts. Then you have The Secret World. TSW has the best -- or worst, you could say -- of both worlds. Bet you didn't know you would take up coin collecting when you started playing, did you? With a plethora of different currencies that can be spent only at certain places for certain things, players have keep tabs on whom they can spend what with and where said whos actually are. Wondering what those Credits of Ca' d'Oro are good for? What about whether Sequins of Solomon Island can be used in Transylvania? This handy guide will help demystify coin collecting and show you the ins and outs of all those tokens filling up your wallet.
Guild Wars 2's new wallet helps you simplify, dude
Guild Wars 2 players who have logged in this week have a new present waiting for them: the Guild Wars 2 Unlimited Edition Wallet-o-Matic (velcro tabs optional). Maybe you thought that the old way of storing all of your loose bills, family photos, and tokens was just fine, but trust us, your inventory was a mess. All the duct tape in the world couldn't keep it organized. In a new dev blog, ArenaNet explains why it made the wallet a priority for the August release: "Inventory management can be a tedious and time consuming part of playing almost any MMO. For many of you, tokens and badges and currencies were all separated across your different characters." The new wallet has become a central depository for the game 16 or so currencies. The only catch to using it is that you have to log onto each of your characters to have all of their tokens and gold automatically transferred into the wallet.
The Soapbox: Tokens suck!
A few weeks ago we reported on a somewhat silly article in which the author advocated that studios could and should charge players real money transaction fees to trade items. I didn't see a lot of people in favor of this idea, but I definitely agreed with one thing that he pointed out: MMOs have become increasingly anti-trade in practice. It's not something that I've thought a lot about recently, but once this article triggered some introspection, I realized that the issue of trade (particularly relating to restrictions) has become a growing frustration of mine. My veteran characters in several MMOs are absolutely loaded -- with basic currency, that is (usually gold). And yet I am sitting on this Scrooge McDuck pile of wealth with no useful things to buy because (a) everything seems to take tokens these days and (b) so much of the good stuff in games is bind-to-character (or bind-to-account). I started feeling fidgety and then I let out a grunt of frustration. Tokens, in a word, suck.
The Daily Grind: Is loot better with an RNG or token system?
Oh the random number generator, how we love to hate thee. And yet you're so very addictive; with the roll of some virtual dice, we could win big-time on any given kill. Sure, you're often very stingy, but that makes the payoff so much more sweet. With MMOs, the house doesn't win if you play long enough -- you do. Then again, there's the "sure bet" of tokens. Maybe we won't have a shot at uber-loot for every kill, but slowly and surely we can collect enough currency to barter for what we do want. Token systems are the assurance of eventual payouts. Which do you prefer when it comes to acquiring gear in MMOs -- the random number generator or tokens? 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!
Dev Juice: Tokens 1.1 released, TUAW-exclusive promo
Tokens is a brilliant little app that enables devs to track promo codes they submit to websites for review. We looked at the app a few months ago and fell in love with its features. Now, the developers are celebrating their 1.1 release with a sale that starts tomorrow morning. The TUAW-exclusive tracking code found here will offer the app to the first 50 customers at just US$9 each, $20 off the normal price. This TUAW-only offer is in addition to the 50 sale licenses they're offering to the general population. The new version of Tokens offers the following enhancements, among others: Manual import of promo codes generated outside of Tokens, so you don't lose track of items you generated yourself. A new "+" button for adding tokens. (Previously, there was a grid of "available" tokens, which I found confusing.) A share button that appears over each token when you hover your cursor. A new "copy" menu item, letting you copy token details without having to hunt around for the functionality -- a feature that initially confused the heck out of me, and that's better implemented in this version. Developer Oisin Prendiville tells me there are plenty of further features in the pipeline for 1.2 and beyond. As this update shows, he and his team are actively listening to their user base.
Hands on with Tokens for Mac
Keeping on top of your promo codes can be a big hassle. Most developers end up with text files by the dozen or complicated spreadsheets. You want to know when items were issued (they expire in four weeks), who they were shared with (so you can follow up with potential reviewers) and how many remain so you can manage the 50 codes allocated for each app revision. Enter Tokens for Mac. This app simplifies the process of managing promo codes. With it, you can generate trackable codes that ping you back when they're redeemed. I had a chance recently to sit down and work with this app as well as talk with its developer, Oisin Prendiville. To start using the software, just sign in to iTunes Connect. From there Tokens takes over and manages the process of contacting Apple and retrieving product info. Because the app is basically scraping the App Store, its use falls outside the Mac App Store guidelines. You need to purchase the utility directly from the developer. Tokens starts by showing you a list of all your apps once you've signed in. You immediately see the remaining available promo code slots, which are shown as "available." Upon choosing a code to redeem, Tokens requests it from iTunes, signs the contracts for you (a convenience I find greatly amusing, which you may too if you think about it for a few seconds) and downloads the code. You're now ready to share it. You can share tokens by email, Facebook, Twitter, IM and by copying to the pasteboard. I'm thinking that most developers will simply choose email, which is what I used to share a copy of my new Mac App Art Helper with Oisin. I really like how well the app focuses on tracking and management. Those you share the promo code with (with a URL like this one: http://tokn.co/5m7tjqwq) are presented with a clean, professional, web-based interface that launches the App Store and redeems the software with a single further click. You don't have to worry about sending instructions on how to find the "Redeem" section, enter the code, etc. It truly is a click & share solution that most developers will adore. Tokens for Mac is just getting started and has the usual issues with rough edges in its initial design. It does, however, offer a tool that the developer community can definitely use. After playing with the app for about a week I can say that, while there are some interface and usability issues I'd refine, Tokens for Mac is a darn useful tool. The video that follows offers a good overview of the product and its features. Tokens for Mac is free for a single app, or US$29 for unlimited apps. You can easily use it with multiple developer accounts, and it handles both the iOS and Mac App Stores. The developers are looking into expanding this to iBooks, but that feature is not yet available at this time. Tokens for Mac: App Store promo codes without the hassle from Tokens on Vimeo.
Tokens for Mac makes App Store codes easy to make and track
If you're an app maker, you already know the process of generating and distributing promotional codes for your software can be a bit of a headache. Apple's default app management tool, iTunes Connect, isn't exactly robust in its options for promo code distribution and tracking. A new application called Tokens aims to capitalize on iTunes Connect's shortcomings by offering an easy tracking solution for app publishers. Tokens lets you generate promotion codes for iOS or Mac apps from within the application itself, and then label each "token" with the name of the individual it was sent to. You can share tokens via Mountain Lion's sharing feature, or manually by copying and pasting. Tokens then tracks activity on each promo code, updating you when it has been redeemed or alerting you to when it will expire. The application is slated to be released on November 20, but you can sign up for updates now via the official website.
EverQuest II does away with coin limitations on accounts
Recently, EverQuest II introduced Krono, tokens that can be redeemed for subscription time in the game. In theory, this meant that players who were normally free players could purchase game time with in-game currency. However, there was a practical problem with this -- players who purchased Krono tokens weren't exactly giving them away on the cheap, and free players were limited to a currency cap that made purchasing the game time impossible in practice if not in theory. The most recent game update contains a number of balance tweaks and bugfixes, but the most relevant portion is the abolition of the coin limit, allowing players both free and subscribed to earn money without an upward limit. This gives free players the ability to earn the money they need to buy game time, and it gives players buying Krono tokens a new market for these little bits of time. Everybody comes out on top, except for the monsters that will inevitably be slaughtered to fund these time-related antics.
You Don't Know Jack ditching Facebook credits for Tokens system
We reported on You Don't Know Jack coming to Facebook, so it's only fair that we follow-up as the game sheds parts of its entrenchment in the service. You Don't Know Jack is ditching Facebook credits for "Tokens," which will "simplify things and allow you to earn your way to more free games," Jellyvision writes.Tokens give Jellyvision more freedom while keeping much of the existing credits framework in place: "You'll use Tokens to play games, get Performance Enhancers and collect other stuff we'll be releasing in the near future, like hidden commercials, new lifelines and other stuff." That "other stuff" includes the ability to offer discounted games, something that Jellyvision can't do with Facebook credits.Players with games stashed up will see an even transfer once the Tokens switch takes place, whenever that may be.
Snag a Faxion Online token code from Massively!
Is greed your favorite vice? We hope so! The folks at UTV True Games have given us a multi-use code that will grant 100 of our quickest-clicking readers 30 tokens apiece for use in Faxion Online, the heaven-and-hell-themed MMO that released only last month. To redeem the code for yourself, log in to the official Faxion Online website, head straight to the store redemption page, and enter the key. Then pause a moment to roll around in your piles of free tokens. You've earned it. Here's the mega-key: FAXIONMOGULE9P1 -- good luck!
The Daily Grind: Are you in favor of alternative currency?
It seems to me that more and more MMO developers are utilizing alternative types of currency in our games. Whether they're tokens, barter scraps, or golden leaves, we're now having to chase down all manner of currencies to get the goodies we want. Our subject for discussion today: Is this a good thing or not? On one hand, I can understand that alternative currency helps to limit the amount of damage that gold sellers and farmers can do, and it provides incentives for players to participate in certain zones or activities. On the other hand, it feels as though these alternative currencies are cluttering up our bags, confusing our minds, and devaluing the standard currency in the game. So looking at your favorite games, are you in favor of barter systems and tokens as an alternative to gold, silver and copper? Should every game have a barter wallet if so? Or do you wish that devs would cut it out and stick with one type of money as the standard? 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!
The Road to Mordor: Hacked!
"My kinship had just finished an instance run about a week-and-a-half ago and was in the process of reloading back into the world when I got the message that I was being disconnected because I had just logged into the Brandywine server. Huh? Suspecting the worst, I immediately hit up the Turbine Account page and changed my password then re-logged back into the game, which would boot the hacker offline just like I had been booted minutes earlier. "I was lucky and did that before the hacker had time to switch servers to where my active characters are. Other kinmates have not been so lucky." So goes the frightening tale of Pumping Irony's Scott, who shares this in the hopes that others may avoid a similar scare. Unfortunately, it seems as though stories such as these are becoming more and more common in Lord of the Rings Online, where the worst threat to your quest may not be the eye of Sauron but the malicious intent of hackers gutting your account while you're offline. Today we're going to step off the path for a temporary side trail into the gloomy undergrowth of account security and an MMO under siege.
The Tattered Notebook: Merge this!
Server mergers are coming this week to EverQuest II, and with it come some serious questions about what stays, what goes, and who gets stuck with a name with a lousy X at the end. But sometimes mergers are a good thing, and I think since we're on the subject, it's worth looking at what else could be merged in the world of Norrath. In this week's Tattered Notebook, I'll consider how merging tokens, towns, classes, gods, guild halls and more could benefit EQII. Join me past the cut!
(i)Pawn is an iPhone game with screen-reactive pieces
This is one of the cooler things I've seen done with the iPhone's capacitive touchscreen. (i)Pawn is a game of sorts that works with a series of little figures on tokens that actually interact with the touchscreen itself. Most of the time, you need actual flesh to interact with the iPhone's screen, but these figures are also capacitive, so the app running on the device not only knows when and where you've placed these figures down but also which figures are touching, and so on. Unfortunately, it's all in French, so I'm not completely sure what the "game" is. It appears to be a relationship game that has something to do with various personalities passing messages and interacting. And it could just be a demo of some kind, with a video running underneath those figures rather than actually interacting with the pieces themselves. But it's not hard to think of other applications of a system like this (D&D on a touchscreen, anyone?), and a bigger screen like the iPad would come in handy, too. (i)Pawn is scheduled to be for sale in November of this year, so we'll keep an eye out for it and try to find out more about what it is and exactly how it works. Meanwhile, you can watch the videos of the figures in action and dream of all the various ways to use accessories like this. [via TDW]
Time for City of Heroes players to get ready for Issue 18
Are you ready for Issue 18 of City of Heroes? There are only a few days left to get oneself ready for all of the updates coming just to the basic game, even without counting the fact that it coincides with the launch of Going Rogue. But just in case you're not quite ready, the team at Paragon Studios is going to help get you ready by allowing players to pre-download the patch before next Tuesday. Even beyond that, players are being given the option to move characters, redo their costumes, or even change that most sacred identifier -- the global chat handle. All players with an active account at the beginning of next week will receive a free costume change token and respec token for all characters on the account. Players will also have the option to change their global chat handles, which are normally locked after the first change. On top of all that, the no-charge server transfers from earlier in the year will be back for the first week of Going Rogue's release, allowing City of Heroes players a chance to put everything in order to optimize their play experience. So if you're not ready now... it's time to get ready.
LotRO dev diary dishes on scaled instance rewards
Do you have a lot of questions about the upcoming scaled instances in Lord of the Rings Online? Good, because Turbine has a whole truckload of answers for you! In the second of a hefty five developer diaries devoted to the subject, LotRO's Joe "jwbarry" Barry tempts players with sweet, sweet candy. Metaphorical candy, that is, taking the form of instance rewards. The greatest problem that they had with rewards, Barry shares, is that itemizing a dungeon across a huge level range became a massive headache, requiring them to make "a prohibitive" amount of items. Instead, the LotRO dev team is taking a cue from its successful skirmish system, and reprogramming the scaled-instance mobs to drop tokens instead of loot. Players can then use these tokens to purchase armor sets, cosmetic items and even legendaries. Barry spends the rest of the article discussing the stat-tracking feature (again, similar to stat-tracking functions with skirmishes) and how the team went back through the dungeons to raise the quality of the entire experience where needed. You can read the full dev diary over at Lord of the Rings Online's site.
