upcoming
Latest
Surviving Yahoo: Upcoming's social calendar rises again
Yahoo killed Upcoming.org, but thanks to Kickstarter, a passionate founder and a surprising bit of generosity, the community events calendar is on its way back. Before it fell apart, however, Upcoming had to be invented. It all began more than a decade ago in Los Angeles, where Andy Baio was inspired by weekly dinners with friends to come up with a site where like-minded people could meet offline. It was called Meaty. Unfortunately, after months of working on it, a little site called Meetup launched. Knowing there was no way he could compete, Baio scrapped the project. However, Baio had another idea. "I had this recurring problem that was happening over and over again," he said. "I would hear about events and then I'd forget about them." At the same time, Friendster was taking off in a major way, but was only used for socializing and not for planning events. Baio's idea was to marry the two concepts -- event listings, but with a strong social element so you could figure out what your friends were doing in any given city.
Neverwinter details its upcoming Collections System
So let's say you're one of those players who really, really enjoys keeping track of every single aspect of your adventuring from loot types to dungeons conquered. Well, in an upcoming Neverwinter patch called Module 2: Shadowmantle, you'll have the chance to complete all the things. The new system will not only keep track of the loot you have but also point out the loot that you are missing! It will tell you the zone rewards, companions and artifacts you need as well. Good luck finding sleep after this goes live. Don't worry, you won't have to have each of these items in your backpack in order for them to count. Once you obtain an item, it will unlock in the Collection, and completed armor sets will be rewarded with a title. It all comes together in a new interface that will actually tell you where to find all of the missing items. The patch will also contain Artifacts, the Dread Ring Campaign, new Paragon Paths, a new adventure zone and the new Hunter Ranger class (finally!).
Darkfall looks at adjusting class balance
The Darkfall team senses that something is off, and that something is the lopsided use of classes. Namely, more players pick Warriors due to high survivability while eschewing some of the other classes. This will be addressed in an upcoming patch to help even the playing field. A new forum post outlines the issue of Warrior dominance and the "very short duration" of fights involving Skirmishers and Elementalists. The patch that's planned to adjust this will be fully revealed next week once the team has finished with internal testing. "The goal is to make combat more fun, exciting and challenging, while achieving a healthy balance between all roles," the post declares. [Thanks to Dengar for the tip!]
New Bless clip shows off boss transformation
Bless is shaping up to be quite a pretty game, and developer Neowiz is intent on showing off what harnessing the power of Unreal Engine 3 truly means for a fantasy-based MMO. This latest trailer focuses on the transformation of a giant wolf boss into an uglier giant wolf boss, and while short, it offers a glimpse of what players can expect in terms of Bless's bad guy design. Check out the video after the break, and take a look at our interview with lead producer Jacob Han for more information on the future of Bless.
Road Not Taken is coming soon from Triple Town's creators
Triple Town is one of my favorite games on iOS over the past few years -- it's a puzzle game with a simple ruleset and a whole lot of complexity. The creator of that game, called Spry Fox, has announced a new title in development called Road Not Taken, and you can now see some concept art from it over on the official blog. The game is sort of roguelike, according to the developers, and as you can see above, it has some similarities to the grid-based Triple Town. But instead of building up a world, it's more about finding a path through the world, and avoiding or confronting various dangers on the way. As you can tell from the title, which refers to the famous Robert Frost poem, the game will offer various paths, and it seems like most of the strategy will come from choosing your own way. Sounds interesting. Road Not Taken isn't coming too soon -- Spry Fox says it probably won't be ready until the end of the year. But we' hope to see it on the App Store when it finally is ready to go.
Yahoo axing six more apps and services as part of streamlining effort
Get ready to say goodbye to another another batch of Yahoo products at the end of this month. As the company continues to streamline and focus its services, March 31st will be the last day of stand-alone existence for Upcoming, Yahoo Deals, Yahoo Kids, Yahoo SMS Alerts, Yahoo Mail and Messages for feature phones. In a move designed to whittle down the company's 75 some-odd products to a group of about 15, this latest announcement comes a few weeks after the company nixed other services like its BlackBerry app. Additionally, if you've been hanging onto the old version of Yahoo Mail, you'll have no choice but to switch to the new version by June 3rd. There's no word on what we can expect next, although EVP of Platforms Jay Rossiter says cuts like these are needed so the firm can focus on more experiences like its new Mail and Weather apps. You'll find the details for each cut at the source link. Update: The total number of offerings being killed this time around is six, not seven as initially reported.
It's all about story: Massively interviews BLESS's Jacob Han
Upcoming Korean MMO BLESS has been creating quite a stir as of late, what with its gorgeous HD visuals and action-packed "in-game" trailers. But MMO fans, skeptical bunch that they are, have expressed concern over the game, likening it to other Korean games, graphically attractive yet overly grindy experiences. What's to say this isn't just more of the same? This is exactly the question we posed to Jacob Han, lead producer at Neowiz Games. Han's studio collaborated with Epic Games Korea to build the Unreal 3-based title, and we figured he'd be the perfect person to help give us an idea of what makes this game different from the pack and why MMO fans should take note. Hop on past the break and see what BLESS has in store.%Gallery-171358%
Star Wars: The Old Republic previews new planet, new challenge, and new species
Star Wars: The Old Republic has irons in the fire. Not just the business model switch taking place in November, either; there are a lot of other pieces of content being developed, some of which the development team is previewing at Gamescom 2012. The newest trailer for the game is focused on other previews, however, covering on the upcoming new Operation, a new planet, and a new species for players to run around as. The addition of Cathar to the list of playable species has been known for some time, but this video shows a Cathar Smuggler in action. It also shows a small taste of what players can expect from the upcoming addition of the planet Makeb and the Operation Terror from Beyond. It's a brief trailer, to be sure, but it shows off plenty to look forward to, whether you're a long-time fan or you're just waiting for the business model switch in the fall.
Dungeon Hunter 3 screenshots leak
Gameloft's Dungeon Hunter series has delivered some of my favorite gameplay on iOS -- the second game, especially, has made for some really great single-player moments, and even some terrific co-op gameplay. Sure, the series is heavily influenced by Diablo and other hack-and-slash RPG titles, but considering Blizzard hasn't yet made a game for iOS yet, I'm happy to let Gameloft do it for now. Dungeon Hunter itself is so popular that it's even made the jump to the PS3 as a full downloadable console game. And while the company hasn't actually announced Dungeon Hunter 3, that hasn't stopped a few images from the game from leaking out onto the Interwebs. Slide to Play found an Italian blog that's got a few pictures from the unannounced title, and they look ... about like what you'd expect: Better graphics, new enemies, and about the same gameplay as before. The shot above even apes what we've seen of Diablo 3 a little bit, though obviously we're not quite looking at the level of polish in Blizzard's game. That doesn't really matter, though -- if it allows us to hack and slash through bad guys and collect the sweet, shiny loot that drops from their corpses, I'm all for it.
Details on the Samsung Galaxy S III leak out: 1.8GHz dual-core CPU and 12MP camera? (Update: wrong terminology)
We're still awaiting the release of the Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile this week, and yet it's already starting to look like yesterday's half-eaten breakfast. That's because some fuzzy details are now leaking out about its inevitable successor, the mystical Galaxy S III. The leaked presentation slide above, uncovered by Phandroid, shows a phone that's packing a 1.8GHz dual-core Exynos 4212 CPU with 2GB of RAM and a 12 megapixel rear-facing camera. Oh, and a 4.6-inch Super AMOLED Plus HD display isn't too shabby either. If this ends up being true, we're a bit puzzled by the inclusion of four buttons on the bottom -- a departure from the first two Galaxy S devices -- and why the slide refers to the original Galaxy S as running on an Exynos processor, rather than Hummingbird. Color us a shade of skeptic since we're still a few months out from CES and MWC, but it's never too early to start getting excited over an upcoming device, right?Update: One other piece of evidence that leads us to believe this is fake is the fact that the term "Super AMOLED Plus HD" is used; if this were real, Samsung would likely use its proper terminology, which is HD Super AMOLED.
BlackBerry Messenger 6.0 screenshots leak, show hints of OS 6.1
T-minus three weeks and counting to RIM's annual BlackBerry World conference, and the rumblings surrounding Canada's most famous handset maker are getting harder to ignore. Today's delectable spoonful comes in the form of leaked screenshots of BlackBerry Messenger 6, which could be released at or around the same time as BlackBerry OS 6.1 this spring. BBM enthusiasts will obviously note the enhanced colors and icons here, lending further credence to rumors that these were indeed sourced from the next major BB OS point release. Hit the source for a few more looks, but we're passing along fair warning to not install any BBM 6.0 builds you see floating around. Patience, or so we hear, is a virtue.
John Carmack talks about Rage SD and HD, iOS, and what's next for iOS gaming
We've all seen the potential of what a demo like Epic Citadel can do, but while work continues on Infinity Blade, John Carmack's id Software has released Rage, an iOS-exclusive tie-in to the big FPS console and PC title scheduled to come out next year. The game is a pretty incredible feat in and of itself, with realistic graphics set in Rage's post-apocalyptic world and an on-rails shooting experience that feels extremely dynamic. It also has a fun reloading mechanic, a dodge button, a constant flow of mutants to shoot, and power-ups and bonuses to grab. At just one or two dollars for the SD or HD versions, Rage is a steal, and if you can play the game in full HD on the iPhone or the iPad, there's no question you should. I got the chance to chat with Carmack himself earlier today about this game and what he thinks of the iOS platform, and you can read the results of our interview after the break below. The good news: he says he's more focused on this kind of mobile development than ever before, and as a result, he's hoping we'll see at least two more mobile games from id before the full version of Rage comes out next year.
AMD launching next generation of Radeon graphics cards next week, shipping by end of the year
The attentive newshounds over at AnandTech have picked out a golden nugget of disclosure from AMD's earnings call last night, citing CEO Dirk Meyer as saying "we will be launching our second-generation DX11 graphics offerings next week." What he's talking about, of course, is the highly anticipated refresh of the Radeon HD 5000 series, which some recent spec leaks suggested would bring a healthy bump in performance. After announcing the new product line next week, AMD promises to flood the market with "hundreds of thousands of units," which will be shipping before the end of this quarter -- meaning you'll have a Radeon HD 6xxx in time for the holiday gaming craze if you really want it. Can't ask anymore than that, now can we?
Champions Online tells players what not to expect
Sometimes it's very helpful to hear what you're not getting. It's never particularly pleasant, of course -- we usually like to hear about the cool things coming right around the bend -- but it's also useful to be told what isn't coming for your favorite game. The most recent installment of Ask Cryptic for Champions Online falls under that category, with several questions about upcoming features given a straight denial. There are no plans for four-armed characters, rotating and scaling tattoos, and a current push for more persistent content as opposed to zone-wide attack events. On the flip side, the answers do paint a few interesting pictures, such as talk about potentially adding a villainous counterpart to the game in the vein of City of Villains. The idea is discussed as something not in the immediate future, but on the list for future inclusion -- albeit with a much more sandbox style of gameplay, keeping in the vein of a supervillain romp. Champions Online is currently pretty well dedicated to getting its existing systems shored up and working well, however -- and while that might mean a few rejected ideas, it means that the team wants to build a solid foundation.
Praetoria unveiled in depth for City of Heroes
If you play City of Heroes, you're probably not counting the days until the release of Going Rogue just yet, as it's a little too far in the future. (Fifty-one days if you count today, incidentally.) But August will be here before we know it, and today the official site takes a look at a portion of the expansion which is at once easy to forget and yet ubiquitous: the world of Praetoria itself, the utopia created through absolute power. As we've known for quite some time, it's similar and yet slightly different when compared to the setting of Paragon City -- both familiar and threatening. Emperor Cole's near-total salvation of humanity resulted in a sweeping change of the world as a whole, as discussed in Tyrant's biography quite some time ago. Praetoria is a world without borders or nationalities, wherein everyone is a citizen of the empire rather than the panoply of countries in the real world. The tantalizing hints of the world's architecture are readily visible in our gallery, which showcases both the concept art and the in-game layouts of the major new setting for the expansion. Take a look at our gallery, and head to the official site for more information on the twisted mirror of City of Heroes. %Gallery-96271%
Happening leverages Yahoo events search for your iPhone
It's a little bit odd that there's no official iPhone app for Yahoo's Upcoming service. With community-contributed event listings sorted and searchable by location, there's a natural fit between Upcoming and the iPhone -- yet there's nothing from the big Y! in the App Store for this service. (Not to say they're asleep at the wheel -- the Yahoo! Entertainment app for iPad is a delight.) Good thing, then, that there's Nik Fletcher. The UK-based developer (and former TUAW blogger) has released the US$1.99 Happening app, which delivers all of the Upcoming events for your locale in an easy and manageable app. You can search for events by name or by venue, and if you sign in to your Upcoming account, you can RSVP for events or keep track of which friends are attending the same shindig. Venues are displayed with in-app map support, and you can jump out to the full Maps app for directions. Obviously, if Upcoming doesn't have much goin' on in your vicinity, the app won't do you much good; you can add your own events at upcoming.yahoo.com, though, and populate the party. Earlier this week, Happening was cited as one of 10 "beautiful and usable" iPhone/iPad apps by Mashable, and it's true; the app has a lovely look to it. Nik promises improvements in upcoming builds, including event sharing via Twitter. If you're looking for something fun to do near you, check it out.
City of Heroes launches first video diary for Going Rogue
The time of Going Rogue draws very close for City of Heroes players, and we've still only scratched the surface of what there is to know. It's always a tense time when you're getting close to a new expansion, especially one that's rewriting some of the most fundamental rules about the game. While the first in a series of new video developer diaries from Paragon Studios won't necessarily make the time before release pass any faster, it will help give us a clearer picture of what's coming around the bend. For players who have never played the game before, the diary helps give an overview of where the game is and where it can go from here -- including the realm of the Super Lumberjack. (We can only assume that making one allows you to also be super okay.) Veterans can enjoy a solid look at Praetoria, as well as what can only be described as glowing costume pieces. Once the veteran players finish squealing in delight, they can take a look on past the break for the first City of Heroes video diary for Going Rogue, which is targeted for release in July.
Celebrate your WorldWidePad: Live Chat Friday
worldPad Feliz iPadidad! Buon' iPad! KonishiPad! iPad Ace Beauty Mate! Ni xaoPad, eh! Grüsspad! The iPad has finally gone World Wide -- and TUAW is there. Please join us Friday at 7PM Euro for our live world iPad chat with authors Erica Sadun and Steve Sande as we talk about all things new and iPad. Did you felt left out in April when the iPad hit the US? This is the chat for you! We'll be sharing tricks and tips, hints and help as you share your excitement with other new owners. Don't miss this event! Where: Here at TUAW When: 10 AM PDT, 1 PM EDT, 6 PM in London, 7 PM in Berlin / Rome / Paris, 3 AM (Saturday) in Sydney, 2 AM (Saturday) in Tokyo. Who: Join Erica Sadun and Steve Sande for this fun iPad-inspired chat
Perpetuum launches major patch, approaches open beta
If you like giant robots, PvP, and a sandbox environment, you've no doubt been following the development of Perpetuum with no small amount of interest. After all, the upcoming game includes all of those, along with some stunning graphics and deformable terrain to help keep players invested. The game is currently in the midst of closed beta testing, and is rolling out new features and improvements, especially with the most recent patch. Referred to by the developers as the game's largest patch to date, it expands the game's quality of life significantly and brings the game that much closer to release. NPC corporations have gained more assignments, and there are six levels of security associated with them -- improved, naturally, by successfully completing more assignments for said corporation. They're now offering unique ammunition as a reward, which cannot be reverse-engineered. Prototypes have been improved, with the advantage that they now can have a slight edge over "normal" versions and are that much easier to reverse-engineer. Best of all for new players, the first stages of the game's tutorial have been added. While Perpetuum isn't yet in open beta, the team seems confident it won't be too much longer before everyone can try out the latest improvements. [Thanks to GM Gremrod for the tip!]
Difficulty sliders and grind reduction due for Champions Online
With additions like the melee review patch and the first adventure pack either out or coming on fast, the obvious question about Champions Online is also the simplest to ask: what now? The latest installment of Ask Cryptic certainly does answer the question; unfortunately, said response includes saying "no" to some things that players want. The addition of a base construction feature is a prime example and the biggest negative -- while it's acknowledged to be frequently requested, the development team apparently lacks the time to add it in a fashion that they find interesting. On the other hand, there are features which almost any player can welcome, such as the difficulty slider seen in Star Trek Online, currently slated for release along with the first adventure pack. There's also a promise that the development team will look into grinding as being the most "rewarding" activity in the game via adjusting drop rates and overall rewards. In the somewhat more mixed news category, the team plans to do another review of powers after the adventure pack goes live, although they're not yet certain which sets and mechanics will be undergoing examination. Read the full list of questions and answers at the official Champions Online site.
