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Researchers sequenced the genome of one of Pompeii’s ancient inhabitants
Thanks to the latest advances in DNA sequencing technology, we now know more about one of Pompeii's residents.
IBM and Microsoft support the Vatican’s guidelines for ethical AI
IBM and Microsoft have signed the Vatican's "Rome Call for AI Ethics," a pledge to develop artificial intelligence in a way that protects all people and the planet, Financial Times reports. Microsoft President Brad Smith and John Kelly, IBM's executive vice-president, are among the first global tech leaders to sign the document.
Uber must leave Italy in 10 days after nationwide ban
Trouble seems to follow Uber wherever it goes. A court in Rome has just banned the ride-hailing service in Italy for contributing to what it says is "unfair competition" faced by the local taxi industry. Uber must now stop promoting its services and cease all operations in the country within 10 days, unless it's willing to pay a $10,600 fine for each day it remains active after that grace period. While Uber's $70 billion valuation makes that amount sound like chump change, it hasn't exactly been profitable and actually bled billions in 2016.
Meet Civilization Online's four civs
XLGAMES announced its four civilizations from Civilization Online today, although sadly the Mole People were absent from this list. The four civilizations are China (led by Qin Shi Huang), Rome (led by Julius Caesar), Egypt (led by Hatshepsut), and Azteca (let by Montezuma). Civilization Online will be going into closed beta testing within the next few months and is slated to launch in Asia in 2014.
Another Xbox Live sale: Ryse, Persona 4 Arena and more for cheap
We think Microsoft may have an addiction. On top of the Ultimate discounts on offer this week, Microsoft has announced an entirely different crop of cheap games, available through February 24. Two sales at the same time? Madness! If you want to take advantage of Microsoft's lapse in judgment, you can grab Ryse: Son of Rome for $40. We may even see more of this in the future, as Microsoft toys around with discount digital pricing on Xbox One. Ridge Racer Unbounded is on sale for $5 and all of its DLC can be acquired for pennies on the dollar. Persona 4 Arena, Angry Birds: Star Wars and more on Xbox 360 are cheap too so, if you're interested, pop on over to Major Nelson's website for the full list of markdowns. [Image: Microsoft Studios]
Caturday: Lulù gets an upgrade
Apple-loving cats are like human Mac fans; as time passes, they end up getting upgraded equipment. In 2006, kitten Lulù of Rome, Italy enjoyed warming herself on her owner Federico's iBook. By 2008, she -- and Federico -- had both upgraded to a new MacBook Pro (below). We'd love to see photos of your favorite feline soaking up the warmth of an Apple product, chasing a Magic Mouse, or just being a general nuisance while you're attempting to work on your Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Please let us know via our feedback page and please remember that your cat photo has to have some sort of connection to Apple or its products. For security reasons we can't accept inbound attachments, so you should host the photo (Dropbox, Flickr, iPhoto Journals, etc.) and send us the link. Many thanks to reader Federico F. for sharing these photo with us. And thanks for posing so nicely, Lulù!
Total War: Rome 2 patch includes 'over 140' improvements
Creative Assembly has unleashed the third planned update for Total War: Rome 2, a patch the developer believes will improve the game's performance, online multiplayer functionality and overall usability. The full list of changes included in the patch is massive, but most crucially, Creative Assembly has included a "significant" boost to multiplayer game speed. Online games will now automatically adjust their pace to match the speed of the slowest participant's gaming machine. Don't fret if you've got a weak computer however, as the patch also includes optimizations which should improve framerates for all players across the board. Updating your copy of Total War: Rome 2 is as simple as firing up your game and waiting while it automatically pulls down and installs the update. Creative Assembly has now turned its sights toward the fourth update for Total War: Rome 2, a patch which should enter beta testing shortly.
Just try and guess Total War: Rome 2's first revealed faction
We'll give you thirty seconds to formulate an educated guess as to what faction Creative Assembly has revealed as the first confirmed group of soldier dudes in Total War: Rome 2. Okay, ready? Go!What, Belgium? No, it's Rome. Rome, you dummy. The eponymous nation was revealed by the game's official wiki, which will continue revealing factions at an undisclosed rate until the game launches next year."As a playable faction," the wiki reads, "Rome benefits economically from its excellence in metalwork, enjoys enhanced military development, and can exploit the masses in order to maintain public order." That's great and everything, but any true military strategist knows that the strength of a nation's soldiers depends entirely on the complexity and inventiveness of its plumbing technology.
Rome to bring Formula E to Europe, joins a growing eco-racing scene
Although Formula E racing is still very much in its infancy, all the ingredients are quickly coming into place: Rome has just volunteered itself as the first European city to host the electric-only circuit. It's just the second city to enlist for the league following Rio de Janeiro's move in August, but it gives the league a truly international reach as well as a fifth of the 10 urban racetracks it needs for the initial 2014 season. Additional cities are expected in the weeks ahead, and should quickly lead to a solidified race itinerary, the FIA says. Having Rome onside won't get cars to the starting line any sooner, but it may underscore Formula E's advantages in noise and pollution over gas-powered leagues -- when its cars can race around the Colosseum without creating a ruckus, other cities (and spectators) might just follow suit.
Total War: Rome 2 trailer is full of murder and intrigue, light on strategy
Have the folks at The Creative Assembly been studying up on Spartacus?
Second Apple Store in Rome preparing to open
Apple may be opening a second Apple Store in Rome and will be celebrating the grand opening on Rome's birthday, says a report in iSpazio. The new store will be located in the Porta di Roma shopping mall and will open on April 21, 2012, the date when Italy will commemorate the city's founding in 753 BC. iSpazio supposedly has photos of the store under construction which you can check out on their website. [Via Macstories]
Explore Vinland and Rome with Uncharted Waters Online's latest update
Ahoy there, sailors. It's time once again to raise your sails, man your oars, and prepare for further adventures on the seven seas with Uncharted Waters Online. A new update to the game brings players a treasure trove of new content to explore, such as the new area of Vinland, which is inhabited by fierce vikings, and the grand city of Rome, where players can test out the freshly revamped ground combat system in new PvE challenges at the historical Coliseum. On top of that, the update is also introducing a brand-new banking system that will allow players to keep their loot safe from plundering (for a minor fee, of course). And finally, players will be granted access to three new vessels in which to make the journey to Vinland. The first is the Immigrant Bark, which is modeled after the historical Mayflower that carried some of the first English settlers to North America. The other two ships are the six-sailed long schooner and commercial long schooner. So choose your vessel, get all hands on deck, and set your course for Vinland by heading over to the game's official site. [Source: Netmarble press release]
Remanum launches first international server, tweaks ports
All roads lead to Rome, even in the world of browser MMOs. Travian Games is trumpeting its commerce-based Remanum title, which puts the player in the role of a merchant-politician at the height of ancient Roman civilization. Travian has just launched the game's first international server, and now English-language players can vie for the rank of Roman emperor while trading goods and engaging in various political machinations. Travian, a Bavaria-based browser game outfit, has also launched a new German-language server for Remanum's open beta. The firm is also updating the game's UI and increasing the range on the game's ports, which will ease the acquisition of scarce resources, according to a Travian statement. [Source: Travian Games press release]
Heatwave opens free trials for Gods and Heroes
Following fresh on the heels of Gods and Heroes' recent content update, Heatwave Interactive announced today that it is beginning a free trial promotion. The free trial gives three days of access to all of the game's currently available content. Anthony Castoro, CEO of Heatwave Interactive, states, "The free trial unlocks the Gods & Heroes experience - it's our invitation for anyone passionate about mythology and legend to immerse themselves in this epic adventure of ancient Rome." If that sounds like your cup of tea, then you can access the new trial at the official site.
The Game Archaeologist and the What Ifs: Imperator Online
It's been a rollercoaster ride over these past two months bringing the maddening -- and fascinating -- topics of "what if?" MMOs to light. We've covered a wide range of promising titles that were cut down before their release, from True Fantasy Live Online to Mythica, and we've only scratched the surface. Unfortunately, the process of MMO development is rarely smooth and casualties can and do occur, which is why we now pay homage to these fallen games. While I'd love nothing more than to continue this series, I also feel that it's time to return to our normal format starting next week. So today marks the last "what if?" for now, and I've picked a mind-boggler of a game, one that not only frustrates us with its potential but one that asks a "what if?" question of its own. I'm talking about Imperator Online, the MMO from Mythic Entertainment that dared to ask "What if the Roman Empire never fell, but instead continued on to become a really radical futuristic online role-playing game setting?"
Nab your very own Gods & Heroes beta key! [Updated]
Heatwave Interactive's mythology-driven MMO Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising is cresting toward its official launch on June 21st, but there's still time for you to dive in early! Until June 12th, curious would-be players can sign up on the official Gods & Heroes site for an open beta key, free and clear. During this final open beta phase, testers will romp through the early levels of gameplay, boss their minions, and preview the estate system that impressed even our own Beau Hindman. If you like what you see, then you'll want to preorder the game to access the Gods & Heroes head-start program, which will allow gamers to sail past the competition and enter the game officially a full week early. Have fun! [Updated: It's June 12th, so the beta key giveaway has now officially ended. Hope you had a great time!]
Kick (and punch) back and check out Crytek's Ryse Kinect brawler
Unfortunately, the first teaser for Ryse, Crytek's Rome-based Kinect title, isn't much more than a concept video, showing off the game's graphic engine, and then a little bit of what the gameplay might be like, with a Kinect player using arms, legs, and even his head to throw down with a Roman countryman. The game looks pretty precise when faced with actual shield-bashing and front-kicking movements from the player. But we'll have to wait and see just how it handles our standard Kinect operating procedure: Randomly flailing our various limbs around.
First Impressions: Gods & Heroes
I've seen the gameplay in Gods & Heroes before. I've played games that were built on the same idea with similar lore, and I've definitely tried games that featured the same kind of quests. I've seen a lot, to say the least, so I really like it when a game surprises me a bit. I'll be really honest and say that I don't really even like the ancient Rome setting. It's not fantasy enough for me, sort of like MMOs set in World War II. Or Canada. Still, I was asked to take a look at Gods & Heroes, and so I did. Up to that point, I had heard a lot about it, but most of it was negative. It's buggy, they said. It's ugly, too. So you can imagine my surprise when I felt surprised when I logged in. Granted, there was plenty of blandness in certain areas of the game, but the estate system and NPC groupmates made me think that this team might just have something. Click past the cut and I'll tell you more.
GDC 2011: Gods & Heroes hopes to give its audience something unexpected
The in-game story for Gods and Heroes begins with a Roman general returning home after his time in war only to be thrust into battle again. The history of the game itself mirrors this journey: In October 2006, the original creators of the game, Perpetual Entertainment, shut down. However, in August 2010, independent developer Heatwave Interactive picked up the rights to develop and distribute the game. Our hero's journey started once more. Just as your character in G&H returns home to an estate in ruins and a craving for revenge, Heatwave developers are fighting back the old gods and attacking the game with renewed vigor. At GDC 2011, our editor-in-chief Shawn Schuster discussed the rise, fall, and rebirth of the game with CEO Anthony Castoro, Lead Designer Tim Schubert, and Community Manager Donna Prior. "I think a lot of people expected us to go free-to-play and microtransact the minions then put it out there. But in early alpha tests and beta tests, people really wanted a full game out of this and expect us to treat it a certain way. We are working really hard to do that," said Castoro, who went on to assure us that he is not just out to make money -- he hopes to deliver a great game too. Follow after the break to find out what is going to make this game victorious in the gladiatorial arena. %Gallery-118322%
Film yourself playing Gods & Heroes to be immortalised in a trailer
When Perpetual Entertainment closed its doors in 2008, it seemed all hope of the MMO Gods & Heroes: Rome Rising being released was lost. Thankfully, the game was taken up by Heatwave Interactive early last year, and the studio has been pushing it to completion ever since. The game's closed beta is already underway, and the Gods & Heroes team is now offering beta-testers the chance to be featured in an upcoming official game trailer. As part of her ongoing "First Friday" event series, Community Manager Donna "Danicia" Prior wants players to break out their webcams and film themselves playing the game. Rather than asking players to capture footage of in-game characters, the Gods & Heroes team wants to see what the player behind the character looks like. An official in-game meet-up is happening today in Rome at the Forum Romanum from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST to help players partner up and come up with ideas. If you don't make it to the event, the devs at Heatwave Interactive still want to see footage of the player behind your character. For full details on how to enter and the required video specifications, head over to the official Gods & Heroes First Friday announcement.
