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Massively goes to Dragon*Con: Sunday events
All times Eastern. Post will be updated as schedule changes, so be sure to bookmark this and check back! Also of note: frosty adult beverages will be on sale at all night-time ballroom events. Athens Room: 10:00 AM Star Wars Galaxies: Q&A with SOEIn MMO parlance, "A long time ago..." is 5 years, and "...a galaxy far, far away" means "on the Internet." Join Alan "Brenlo" Crosby for a look at Sony Online Entertainment's version of George Lucas' universe. 11:30 AM AQ WorldsHow do you fit a massively multiplayer game in a web browser? Meet the friendly team from Artix Entertainment and find out! They are the creators of popular (and slightly campy) web games AdventureQuest, DragonFable and MechQuest. Join them and see how they are making their way through building their first MMO. Battle on! 1:00 PM Maintaining Wife (or Husband) factionTired of fighting your worst battles after the raid is over? Come and join Kevin Stallard and Krystalle Voecks from Massively as they discuss how to keep your significant other happy while still having time to play your favorite games. 2:30 PM Age of Conan: Q&A with FuncomCome chat with Jorgen Tharaldsen and Terri Perkins from Funcom, as they discuss upcoming changes and take your questions. 4:00 PM Champions Online: Q&A with Cryptic Meet Sam Clifford, Senior Designer at Cryptic Studios and developer of the Superhero MMORPG "Champions Online," as he shows off some of the features of this upcoming game and answers your questions. 5:30 PM Second Life: Games within the metaverse Just what is Second Life and how do I use it to have fun? You have questions, this panel has answers. A brief overview of SL will no doubt devolve into discussions of the building, the scripting, fashion, the currency, and the games within Linden Lab's virtual world. 12:00 AM Late Night MachinimaIn the finest traditions of "Late Night Kung Fu Theater" and "The Late Late Late Movie", we present the lighter side of Machinima. Join Christina "Romily" Rollins for some of the finest fan-made films using characters from your favorite MMO games. Augusta Room: 10:00 AM Legal and ethical Issues in MMO gaming (The gold-farming panel)Back by popular demand, come and let your "Inner Johnny Cochran" out for an hour. If the gold is farmed, who gets harmed? Who really owns all that stuff that you work (play) so hard to get or make? If you came to Dragon*Con seeking legal advice, you should probably seek professional (psychiatric) help. If, however, you want to come and get into a good discussion, then this is the place to be. 11:30 AM EverQuest: Q&A with SOEJoin us for a chat with Alan "Brenlo" Crosby as we discuss one of the oldest and most popular MMORPGs of all time. From the Kunark expansion to Living Legacy, EQ has come a long way. 1:00 PM EverQuest II: Q&A with SOEAlan Crosby (Brenlo) will talk about what Sony has planned for EQ2 and will answer your questions. 2:30 PM So you'd like to work in the MMO industry?Scott Holden from CCP Games (EVE Online). Mark Capps (Unreal), and Mark Crump will answer your questions about how to get into the Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming industry. If you're an artist, designer, programmer, writer, or just a fan of the genre, join us for an inside look at how it all happens. 4:00 PM WoW Add-onsMMORPGs in general, and World of Warcraft in particular, never seem to have a user interface that does everything we want it to. There are millions of add-ons out there that promise to do everything from dress you appropriately to cast your spells for you with a simple click of the mouse. How do you find them? What is dangerous? What's coming in Wrath?? Krystalle Voecks and Mark Crump have some answers that may help. 5:30 PM Tabula Rasa: Player GatheringCome and meet your fellow Tabula Rasa players. Share some war stories of fighting the Bane, hoist a cold beverage or two, and have a good time. Capital Ballroom: 7:00 PM MMO Trivia contestWe have prizes up for grabs -- but this game isn't about loot; It's about bragging rights. Everyone plays, anyone can win. You can pre-register as a team on the DC MMO website or catch up with the D*C MMO staff in person at any of our panels during the weekend. The only "charge" to play is that you have fun! 10:00 PM World of Warcraft: An evening with WoW Insider & MassivelyHere it is. The one you've all been asking for since last year, when we packed not one, but two rooms and had to turn away 300 more people because we couldn't cram anyone else in the door. The WoW party is back with a vengeance. Come and represent the Alliance or the Horde in a battle of epic partying. We're going to punt gnomes, nerf warlocks, and make last year's get together look like a tea party. Oh, and we'll have some schwag too. You know, if you're into that kind of thing. << Saturday Monday >>
Massively goes to Dragon*Con: Saturday events
All times Eastern. Post will be updated as schedule changes, so be sure to bookmark this and check back! Also of note: frosty adult beverages will be on sale at all night-time ballroom events. Athens Room: 10:00 AM [Updated] Free Realms: Demo / Q&A with SOEJoin us as Sony Online Entertainment's Alan "Brenlo" Crosby shows us this upcoming free-to-play MMO offering. Free Realms marks an exciting new direction for SOE, sure to interest gamer kids and parents! Get a look before the beta! 11:30 AM Force of Arms: Q&A with Wardog StudiosThis talk will cover the history, strategies, methods of developing Force of Arms along with features and an insider look at this Sci-fi mech MMOG. Also included will be a look at creating a MMO as an independent entity, both in the technical and business aspects. 1:00 PM Pirates of the Burning Sea: Q&A with Flying LabYarr, matey! Come and meet the motley crew from Flying Lab as they answer your questions about Pirates of the Burning Sea. 2:30 PM Champions Online: Q&A with Cryptic Meet Sam Clifford, Senior Designer at Cryptic Studios and developer of the Super-hero MMORPG Champions Online. Sam will be showing off some of the features of this upcoming game and answering your questions. 4:00 PM WAAAGH! Tales from the Warhammer Online beta The Dragon*Con staff has managed to get an inside look at Mythic's upcoming title, Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, and they're going to tell you all about it. Join us. 12:00 AM Late Night Machinima Come join Christina "Romily" Rollins for more gaming machinima than you even knew was out there. Feature both award-winning artists and up-and-coming names in the machinima scene! Augusta Room: 11:30 AM Stargate Worlds: Sneak previewSure, D*C has a Stargate track, but what about the upcoming game? Join some of the D*C crew for discussion and a look at this hot new title. 1:00 PM City of Heroes/City of Villains: Player meet-up Pulchritudinous people of Paragon City, and rambunctious rabble of the Rogue Isles -- come and meet your fellow fearless friends at the City of Heroes and Villains gathering. Share your war stories and meet some old friends, or make some new ones. 2:30 PM WoW Drama (aka Schadenfreude 101)World of Warcraft? Drama? Nooooooo. Join WoW Insider and Massively as we look at some of the things we've seen and heard from the forums, commenters, and more. Bring your own tales of epic lulz to share in this free-form style panel! 4:00 PM The Future of MachinimaWe've all seen the exploits of Leeroy Jenkins and Red vs. Blue. Machinima is now turning into an art form, Hollywood production tool, and a new type of media in its own right. Join Christina "Romily" Rollins and her special guests, including Matt Kelland, for a look at Machinima today and where it's headed next. 5:30 PM Lord of the Rings Online: Player gatheringAre you a tricksy Hobbit? Are you a Dwarf who has been tossed one time too many? Are you an Elf having a really bad (or good) hair day? This is the place for you. Come and meet your fellow LotRO players and swap some tales from the online version of Middle-earth. Sheraton Capitol Ballroom: 4:30 PM MMO Costume Contest check-inCome one, come all! From basic costumes, to highly detailed, entries are welcome from any and all MMOs! Just have a notecard/piece of paper/scrap of bar napkin with your name, the game your costume is from, and a quick description. Note: Contestants for the MMO costume contest must check in no later than 5:00 PM. 5:30 PM MMO Costume ContestLast year, we had an idea, 2 weeks notice, and landed a packed house and a full overflow room. This year, we're ready to do it even bigger, and with even more awesome prizes! Come watch - or dress as your favorite MMO character and join in as Krystalle Voecks from Massively hosts the 2nd Annual MMORPG Costume Contest. Special guest star judges include Jorgen Tharaldsen from Funcom and Alan "Brenlo" Crosby from Sony Online Entertainment. 7:00 PM Age of Conan: Demo and Q&A with FuncomJoin us for a chat with Jorgen Tharaldsen and Terri Perkins from Funcom as we discuss what is right, what is wrong, and what is changing with Age of Conan. Marriott Atrium Ballroom (A601 & A602): 10:00 PM General MMO Meet & Greet / MingleLooking for something to do? Want to make new friends and meet other MMO players? This is the place to be! All MMO players from all games are welcome! << Friday Sunday >>
Massively goes to Dragon*Con: Panels and planning
Planning to attend Dragon*Con this year, but not sure what's going on? Don't worry -- we here at Massively (and our sister site WoW Insider) have been working diligently with the MMORPG track director (and the author of our very own "Ask Massively" column here) Kevin Stallard to create a fantastic track full of all manner of MMOG news and insider views. Of course, this is all in addition to all that awesome gaming, those fantastic panels with stars of stage and screen, writers' workshops, the dealer rooms, the comic book and fantasy artists... You get the idea. We've been assured that it is largely impossible for a geek to not have fun at Dragon*Con. From being involved last year, to the lineup we've helped plan this year, we'd have to agree with that. So those of you headed for Hotlanta for four days of geeky fun, fire up your printer, grab a cup of coffee and get those highlighters. (Or just bookmark us on your Blackberry, general smartphone, or iPhone!) We're going to run down a listing of the events on the MMOG track for this year so you have the most up-to-the-minute schedule information available. All you have to do is join us after the break for a full run-down of panels. Also be sure to check both this post (and the comments, we're sure) for some great tips and tricks from Dragon*Con veterans on how to make the most of your D*C 2008 experience.
Massively goes to Dragon*Con: Monday events
All times Eastern. Post will be updated as schedule changes, so be sure to bookmark this and check back! Also of note: frosty adult beverages will be on sale at all night-time ballroom events. Athens Room: 10:00 AM Anarchy Online: Q&A with FuncomJorgen Tharaldsen and Terri Perkins from Funcom will answer your questions about Anarchy Online and show you that Rubi-ka is very much alive and well. 11:30 AM Gaia Online: Q&A with Gaia Interactive Gaia is hosting a special Gaia Online gathering where Gaia Online members can meet each other and hang out while making new friends. Come get to know your fellow Gaian's on a personal level. In addition to hanging out, all attendees will receive a special prize! 1:00 PM Free MMOGs you should check out Want to play MMOs, but are on a tight budget? This is the place for you! Krystalle Voecks from Massively discusses some interesting MMOs on the 'net that cost absolutely nothing to play. 2:30 PM Post MMOrtem / Survivor's gatheringDon't miss your chance to take a parting shot at our staff and let them know what went wrong (or right) this year. If we missed a game that you wanted to see, this is your best chance to let us know about it. Bring coffee... and donuts... and anything else that might cure a hangover. << Main << Sunday
EVE Lead Content Creator discusses new missions
The Empyrean Age expansion has been a significant content update to EVE Online for players interested in factional warfare. Of course, many players aren't willing to enlist in a militia and be under a constant wardec by their factional enemies, and simply prefer to mission run for their agents. CCP Games announced that new content was in the works, back in June, but the latest EVE Online Newsletter has an updated announcement on this from Lead Content Creator, Scott Holden. CCP is getting closer to releasing new PvE mission content, Holden says, with Content Creation now based in Atlanta. This will be sped up by new staff on the Content Creation team in addition to the existing freelance writers already turning out EVE mission content. Holden says that new types of missions are coming to New Eden, and hints at 'epic mission arcs'.
CCP Games outlines GM hierarchy in EVE Online
The latest EVE Online dev blog comes from GM Zhainius, who writes about customer support at CCP Games. Over the 5 years EVE Online has been running, the GM staff has answered millions of petitions in addition to writing articles and guides. But their work is typically in the background; it's the devs that really get the attention. GM Zhainius felt like writing to clarify the inner workings of CCP Games in terms of customer support, and to give players a clearer picture of what happens when they file a petition. GM Zhainius dispels rumors that Game Masters at CCP are volunteers. They're all paid employees, some of whom have been doing their job for years. He also cites a low turnover among CCP's GM staff; in fact, a number of them have been with EVE before the game even launched. The GMs work from four locations worldwide: Reykjavik, Atlanta, Düsseldorf, and Shanghai. He lays out the company's entire customer support structure and the groups or 'cells' the support team is divided into. The EVE dev blog is an interesting look behind-the-scenes into how CCP customer support is handled, and whether or not you're a satisfied customer, it's always good to know that at least someone is reading those ship reimbursement petitions.
AT&T quietly enables 2HD / 2SD U-verse service in more cities
Since activating dual HD streams in St. Louis earlier this month, AT&T has seemingly enabled the functionality in a handful of other cities without even an official peep. According to user reports stemming from Atlanta / Alpharetta, Georgia and certain sections of Michigan, they too are enjoying the luxury of recording one high-def program while viewing another live. We fully expect the carrier to spread the 2HD / 2SD service to more of the country here soon, but until it decides to open its own mouth, we'd highly recommend keeping an eye on your box for a certain surprise.
Comcast throws in AMC HD, TLC HD while it's down in Atlanta
Folks relying on Charter for their HD programming in Atlanta have had AMC HD for just under two months now, but based on user reports from the area (including Alpharetta), it seems as if Comcast is just now getting around to matching the offer. Shortly after introducing a trio of newcomers to the Peach State's capital, AMC HD and TLC HD have been tossed in late just for good measure. Unannounced, but very welcome.[Thanks, Rusty and Tim]
Comcast brings Science, Disney and ABC Family HD channels to Atlanta
Commenters (Dustin, in particular) were quick to point out that Comcast's initial launch of Science, Disney and ABC Family HD didn't include Atlanta, but it seems as if Georgia's capital has finally garnered some respect and acquired the trio. Oh, and if your Comcast market has yet to pick 'em up, keep a close eye on that EPG -- it seems that they're making the rounds quite briskly.[Thanks, Tim]
Georgia's AMC Avenue Forsyth theater opens with Sony 4K projectors
It's been quite some time since we heard of a theater right here in the US of A opening up with 4K projectors tucked inside, but for residents of Cumming, Georgia, such a scenario is about to unfold in your town. The AMC Avenue Forsyth 12 will be the first all-digital theater in the area when it opens on May 16th, packing Sony 4K digital cinema projectors and two auditoriums with screens stretching over three stories high and 50-feet wide. In sum, the venue will boast a dozen auditoriums with over 2,220 seats with rocking-back chairs, and folks who make their way down on opening weekend will even get a free small popcorn with each (presumably overpriced) ticket. There, we made some plans for you -- hope you're available!
Charter unleashes bevy of HD channels in Atlanta, Georgia market
Nearly three months after Comcast spruced up its HD package in Georgia's capital city, along comes Charter attempting to keep pace. Thankfully, it really brought the heat with its latest update, which delivers Animal Planet HD, TLC HD, Discovery HD, Fuse HD, WE (Women's Entertainment) HD, iFC (Independent Film Channel) HD, AMC HD and The Weather Channel HD. Granted, we've seen nothing official from Charter affirming these additions, so for any subscribers in the greater Atlanta region, are you too seeing these newcomers?[Thanks, Jim L.]
Comcast spreads the HD love to more of Southeast
Good news for Comcast users across the nation (and particularly for those in the Southeast): it seems the firm's recent HD expansion efforts are affecting more areas than just Washington, D.C. and South Carolina. Based on user reports originating in Jacksonville, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, the channels added to the DC / SC lineups have made their way to the Peach and Sunshine states. For those needing a refresher, that includes USA HD, TLC HD, History Channel HD, Sci-Fi HD, CNN HD, Animal Planet HD and Discovery Channel HD. Additionally, it sounds as if ATLiens are also being blessed with Travel Channel HD, but we've nothing official to back that up with just yet. So, with more of the US getting all these newcomers, have any of you Comcast users in other locales seen additions in your EPG? Let's hear it![Thanks, Abby and Matthew P.]
AT&T to launch U-Verse trial in Atlanta, Georgia
Superfluous washers / dryers aren't the only thing being tested out in Atlanta. Turns out, some 200 families in Georgia's capital will be part of a "controlled U-Verse launch" slated to take place by the year's end. Of course, it's not like we didn't know this was coming, but it's still refreshing to hear that the operator is staying on track with its promised Southeastern rollout. Reportedly, those lucky enough to be among the first to try out U-Verse in the ATL will receive over 300 channels, with "up to 30" of those being in high-definition. According to company spokesman Wes Warnock, this limited launch will allow the firm to "test systems and work out any kinks" before giving other Georgians (along with more of the Southeast) the chance to sign up in 2008. Regrettably, we're still left to wonder where U-Verse is headed after it has infiltrated Atlanta, but we'll take any progress we can get.[Thanks, Bruce B., image courtesy of AT&T]
RoboCup 2007: Winners roundup
Amid the oil, chips and gears of the gladiatorial sport of RoboCup, only the toughest, bravest, and those with the longest lasting batteries can emerge victorious. Like all great clashes, whether on the battlefield or on the ballfield, only one man (er, bot) can call him / her / itself a "winner." So who did win in RoboCup 2007? Well, the final standings (as detailed on the Cup's Wiki) don't exactly make for light or even sensible reading, but it appears that the foreboding yet attractive Team Osaka was beat out by Team NimbRo from the University of Freiburg in the Best Humanoid Robot event, the Tribots from the University of Osnabruck took home the middle-size league trophy, and the four-legged winners were the Nothern Bites, hailing from Bowdoin College in the US. For all the stats, you'll want to cozy up to a terminal with a nice, large cup of coffee and some serious hang time.[Via CNET]
RoboCup 2007: let the games begin
While we weren't able to get a first-hand glimpse of the mayhem that is RoboCup this time around, a camera-wielding Georgia Tech graduate student was able to do the honors for us all, and snagged quite a bit of impressive footage from the expo. Many of the shots were snapped during yesterday's practice rounds as competitors prepped their gear for battle (which began yesterday), and we must say that the oh-so-athletic Junior Soccer League robots are worth the price of admission alone. Still, even if witnessing robotic contention in person isn't enough to drag you to Atlanta, be sure to click through to get a glimpse of homegrown robotic innovation at its finest.
FIRST Robotics champion crowned, Dean Kamen elated
Tossing up autonomous robots into the galaxy to perform a variety of prototypical tests is intriguing to say the least, but a trio of high-school teams were able to bring robotic competition a bit closer to home as they took home the gold in the highly-anticipated FIRST Robotics corrivalry. Cooked up by Dean Kamen (you know, the Segway inventor) in 1989, the challenge garnered entrants from a whopping 23 countries this year, and teammates from Bobcat Robotics from South Windsor, Connecticut, Highrollers from Las Vegas, Nevada, and Gompei and the HERD from Worcester, Massachusetts were able to craft the most dexterous and successful machine. Their creation reportedly excelled at "completing simple -- albeit goofy -- tasks such as shooting balls or stacking inner tubes," but we can already imagine the evil potential these innocent bots already posses. Apparently, "thousands of screaming high-school participants" were in attendance to witness the unveiling of a new champion, and if the popularity of this contest is any indication, we could be seeing these uber-intelligent, entirely autonomous robot armies being constructed an awful lot sooner than previously expected hoped.
Living Game Worlds III: The Game Mechanics of Reality
Is the games industry burdened by its reliance on game mechanics? Speaking at the Living Games World Conference at Georgia Tech in Atlanta last week, Tracy Fullerton, a game design theorist and assistant professor at the University of Southern California Interactive Media Division, plead her case that the commonly used game mechanics are in a way impeding our ability to expand into new content themes.Fullerton began by defining the root terminology. "We've talked a lot about serious games ... but I thought I might be nice to back up and bit and really kind of question what is that a game is," she said. "One of the things that I like to do is break things down and build them up again."
Delta debuts airport download stations
In one of the best ideas we've seen in a while, Delta Airlines is partnering with Nintendo to bring DS download stations to the airport. What better time to test out a new title than a four hour flight? The new program is currently in place at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, though we expect it will expand if successful. If your holiday flights include a stopover in Atlanta, try to patronize one of the stations at a Delta terminal -- this is one test program we want to support! Currently, demos of Elite Beat Agents, Brain Age, and Clubhouse Games are available at the terminals in Atlanta.
Laundry alert by TV works better than computer pop-up, SMS
Back in July, we told you about a trio of Atlanta-area families that would take a set of internet-connected washer and dryers, erm, for a spin. For eight weeks, the families lived with Laundry Time, the Internet Home Alliance's trial of washer and driers, which notified families their whites are brighter via television, PC, or cellphone. As much as we'd love to be alerted as to when our spin cycle is done by text message, it turns out that the non-gadget-on-the-brain folks don't really take to it; of the three methods, only alert-by-television seemed to work well, and most found the cellphone messages too confusing. However, one participant, Lisa Gunning of Roswell, Georgia, pretty much summed up what we long for in such a system: "I love the pop-up notifications as I tend to forget everything when I am working . . . even when I'm not watching TV, one of the kids will come and remind me." The trial basically would seem to be pretty much a bust for Whirlpool, HP, Microsoft, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble, who funded the whole operation.
Atlanta residents rejoice! Local ABC news going HD today!
Oh, do we have some great news for Atlanta residents craving local high-def news. Channel 2 WSB-TV flipped the switch on their high-def local news feed a few hours ago with Channel 2 Action News at Noon. This marks the inaugural HD news broadcast for the station and here on out, all Channel 2 newscasts will be televised in glorious HDTV. The station upgraded miles of copper cable cable to fiber and retrofitted even the stations news copter along with weather maps to provide their viewers with the best possible picture and it will be evident on even SDTV sets. Hopefully local news stations going HD isn't going to be news sometime soon but there are currently only a handful of stations nationwide with this ability.
