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Why I Play: EverQuest II
Because. Remember back when this answer was lobbed at you as the definitive answer (often by moms tired of incessant "why"s or as a precursor to "I said so!")? But since I am not your mom -- and more importantly, the boss isn't about to pay me for a one word article -- let me elaborate, though, I warn you, you may regret it; once I get going I may not be able to stop! Seriously, they had to restrain me from taking over Why I Play. Obviously I broke free mwuahahahaha! Simply put, I love EverQuest II. I log into it daily. Sometimes I don't leave for more hours than I am willing to admit. I can hum the guild hall music from memory. I have a list of things I want to do so long I can't possibly get it all done. All this after taking a multi-year break. Yes folks, I left the game for a long time -- a move I am still kicking myself for. But certain features pulled me back, and let me just say, I am so glad I came back. So why do I play EQII? Where to begin...
Android Open Kang Project brings hyper-customization to your nav bar (video)
Still dallying at the corner of Custom ROM Road? Then maybe the forthcoming update from Team Kang (AOKP Build 30, no less) will entice you onwards. The preview clip after the break reveals a new level of freedom for the ICS navigation bar, including the ability to add up to five buttons, assign them to apps or actions as you wish, modify their icons and add separate long-press functions. It also gives you the ability to incorporate Nova Launcher actions into the bar, effectively bringing a whole extra layer of customization. Reactions over at RootzWiki range from "I'm crying, this is a beautiful moment" to "I just broke my hand punching a wall," but the latter dude admitted he'd been drinking.
Step inside MechWarrior Online's MechLab and choose your weapon
Over the past weeks, we've been seeing a steady drip of information about MechWarrior Online's various BattleMechs and the customization options available to players to make each 'Mech unique. Today, Piranha Games is giving players an inside look at the MechLab, which is the in-game interface players will use to modify their machines of death and destruction. The MechLab uses what the studio calls a hardpoint system, which essentially means that weapons can only be swapped out for other weapons of the same type. For instance, energy weapons can be swapped only for other energy weapons, while ballistic weapons can be changed out only for other ballistic weapons. 'Mech customization also relies on a weight system meaning that each 'Mech has a maximum weight that it cannot exceed, so players will have to pick and choose between numerous lightweight enhancements or fewer, heavier ones (or some combination thereof). The full system, as fans of the series undoubtedly expect, is quite robust, so hop in the cockpit and jump-jet your way over to the official dev blog for the full details.
Dressing up the iPhone
The iPhone has an iconic look, but not everyone is content with the standard black and white casing. A report in the New York Times details how a growing number of people are risking their warranty by modding their phones. It's not just individuals working alone in their garage, but a new set of companies whose primary business is to help you tweak your phone's appearance There's Zeetron which offers an iGlow modification that'll light up the Apple logo when you are using your phone and Material6 which sells kits to replace the back of your iPhone with a rustic, wooden casing. It's the predictability of the iPhone that's allowed these cottage companies to flourish. Unlike Android phones which come in a variety of sizes and shapes, the iPhone's dimensions have remained relatively consistent. Of course, there was a big jump from the iPhone 3GS to the iPhone 4, but among five models that was the biggest deviation from a consistent product design.
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Male pandaren hairstyles gallery
Want to know what's going to be available in the hairstyle department before you roll your brand new pandaren? Have I got the gallery for you! Featuring a bunch of hairstyles now easily accessed on the new character creation screen as well as some of the fur colors available for male pandaren, this gallery is your one-stop shop for locks of pandaren love. Take a look. My personal favorite pandaren haircuts are the wild ones that make every pandaren dude look like a guy you went to college with. You know him. You know him. %Gallery-151793% It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Male pandaren customization gallery
Last night, we were treated to a beta patch with a bunch of new information, files, items, and more. The brand new character creation screen has gotten some major improvements, and the male pandaren are getting many new skin color and texture options, ranging from older and gray looks to a few red panda color schemes borrowed from the females. Suffice to say, there are a lot of color and fur options for new pandaren players. Check out the gallery of male pandaren fur and skin color choices below. %Gallery-151713% It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Breaking down Guild Wars 2's character creator
The second Guild Wars 2 press beta weekend has come and gone, and Massively was there every step of the way. Stay tuned throughout the day today for even more guides, impressions, videos, and Q&As to get you ready for the highly anticipated sequel to Guild Wars. In just the few minutes that it takes to traverse the 10 screens of Guild Wars 2's character creation process, I'm left with one overriding thought: This game looks ridiculously good. Ludicrously so, even. And I didn't even enter the game world yet! I always love a good, in-depth character creation system, as there's a joy in spending a good amount of time making exactly the sort of character you want to play. Unfortunately, most MMOs have stripped this process down to the bare basics, which is why I'm pleased to announce that it's actually a mini-journey in and of itself in Guild Wars 2. The point of this process isn't just to make a character but help you grow attached to this person and get to know him or her through it. What are this character's motivations? What branch of his or her profession is the most appealing? How did you become a hero? What obstacles do you have to overcome? Instead of playing the game itself, I took some time over this beta testing weekend to dissect every step of the character creation system and bring my findings back to those of you who want to start building your character in your mind.
23 images of the female pandaren customization
The female pandaren was finally revealed earlier this week for the world to see, and reaction has been fairly positive. Pandaren in general are sharply modeled and animated, and players have been asking for as much information on character customization as possible. We've put together an awesome gallery showcasing many of the female pandaren facial styles and markings, as well as the alternate red panda style with matching tail. As goes the community, so too I go -- I was worried about the female pandaren model. The male pandaren looked so great at BlizzCon that I really didn't think Blizzard could surpass it. Personally, I think it works and fits well. Check out our gallery for lots of shots of the female pandaren. %Gallery-151235% It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
GDC 2012: The Repopulation demonstrates world-building elements
GDC literally has a little of everything, from indie developers to major studios, from free-to-play games to shooters to arena battles to retro to family... there really is something for everyone. As a massive fan of sandboxes myself, I was pleased to get to spend so much time with Above and Beyond Technologies' lead dev and co-owner Josh Halls and artist Kevin Grove as they demonstrated some of the features in their upcoming title, The Repopulation. (And I would have even spent longer if I could have!) While I had a monopoly on the team's attention, I had the chance to see some of the customization available to characters, both in appearance and gear, as well as get the lowdown on the world building element. We actually walked through the building of a nation, a feature that will make many a sandbox fan giddy! Although Josh was quick to point out that only a few items were available at this point in development, there was certainly enough to get a feel for the system. And I am looking forward to it!
Why I Play: City of Heroes
When I first sampled City of Heroes, I was just recovering from a nasty break-up with Star Wars Galaxies and looking for a new roleplaying paradise. What I found after a month was that I had a lot more fun planning my next character using the little booklet that came with the box than I actually did grinding my way up through the levels. That early version of the game... was not good. Fast-forward a few years to the Paragon Studios takeover and the implementation of the Mission Architect. I fell in love all over again. It took several years (and all the improved content those years enabled), but the game eventually became something I wanted to play. And I'm going to tell you why.
Custom-tailor your character with Guild Wars 2's traits and attributes
To many people, character customization is an incredibly important part of MMORPGs. We're not just talking about cosmetic customization, though; many of those players also want the freedom to customize how their characters play. The Guild Wars 2 team is well aware of this, and in fact the devs have released a new dev diary detailing just how players will be able to tweak their characters through the use of traits and attributes. Players who have been following GW2 up until this point may already be familiar with the game's four primary attributes: power, vitality, precision, and toughness. But the team decided that four wasn't quite good enough, so five more attributes were thrown into the mix. While these five new attributes (three for offense, two for support) offer new and exciting ways to customize your playstyle, the catch is that players can only gain points in these attributes through trait lines or gear. Each profession also gets a profession-specific attribute. For instance, Rangers get the empathy attribute, which increases the attributes of the hunter's pet. Traits, on the other hand, operate more like traditional MMO talent trees. Each class is given access to five different trait progression lines; each of these trait lines matches up to a pair of attributes that will be improved each time the player puts points in the corresponding tree. The trait lines also unlock major trait slots that can be filled with -- you guessed it -- a major trait to further customize the character's playstyle. But there's a lot more to the system than we can fit here, so click on through the link to the ArenaNet dev blog below and give the full blog a read.
APB now available at European retail stores
The writing may be on the wall for lovers of the physical game box, but not every company is giving up on retail altogether. GamersFirst has just announced a partnership with Iceberg Interactive to distribute APB Reloaded to brick and mortar stores across the UK, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Scandinavia. The box sells for £20 and features £30 of bonus items including a permanent hi-performance vehicle, weapon, and 30 days of premium access (which in turn provides increased cash and reputation rewards, plus a hefty discount at the cash shop). APB Reloaded is an open-world third-person shooter set in the crime-ridden streets of San Paro. The game is free-to-play, powered by the Unreal 3 Engine, and features an advanced avatar customization system that allows for personalized symbols, clothing, vehicles, and in-game music. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
Brand swings on to Xbox Live Indie Games
Brand caught our eye all the way back in August of last year, and we've just gotten word that the game is available now on Xbox Live Indie Games, yours for the low price of just 240 Microsoft points ($3). You can see a release trailer above, and all of those swords you see in there are custom-made, because the game allows you to create your own.We're also told that you can play as your own Xbox Live avatar, and that there's about five hours of nonlinear exploration gameplay across three big areas. Looks good -- if you give it a download, let us know what you think.
MechWarrior Online delves into the art of role warfare
Last week, we got to take a look at MechWarrior Online's freshly introduced CN9-A Centurion BattleMech. This week, however, the folks at Piranha Games want to give you some insight on what to do once you're seated in the cockpit of your giant robot, so they've dropped a new blog post titled Role Warfare for fans' consumption. The post first introduces players to the various roles available to MechWarrior Online players: scouting, assault, defense, and command. The roles are exactly what they sound like. Scouts gather intel, while assault 'Mechs assault and defense 'Mechs defend. Command mechs, believe it or not, command their respective teams. But how do you customize your 'Mech to fill one of these roles? As players progress through their matches, the BattleMechs that they use in battle will gain XP according to their battle performance. This XP can be spent to unlock upgrades in the BattleMech's tech tree. Each BattleMech will have its own distinct tech tree, and therefore its own distinct upgrade options. At certain points within the Tech Tree, players will receive Pilot Points, which are assigned directly to the player's pilot avatar and are used to purchase pilot abilities in the Pilot Skill Tree. Finally, players can purchase BattleMech modules with their C-Bills, which allows for the final layer of specialization on the customization cake. For the full details on the game's customization and upgrade system, and to get a run down of some recommended loadouts for various roles, click on through to MWO's official site below.
PlanetSide 2 webcast features lengthy community Q&A
If you're a PlanetSide 2 fan, you'll want to check out Sony Online Entertainment's latest webcast. The 30-minute affair features creative director Matt Higby, game designer Kevin Moyer, and senior art director Tramell Isaac. The trio field a whole bunch of community questions on the upcoming sci-fi MMOFPS, most of them centered around Nanite Systems vehicles like the Sunderer and the Galaxy. If you don't have time to watch the whole shebang, PlanetSide Universe has a good breakdown of the new stuff (including some awesome bits on vehicle customizations like hood ornaments, camouflage, racing stripes, and other visual tweaks). Click past the cut for the full video.
Hyperspace Beacon: Roleplayer's rant
I don't like to rant. Really! Usually, ranting is full of emotionally charged rhetoric, and oftentimes it's riddled with inaccurate statements. I especially don't like to rant about something that I like a lot. For instance, Star Wars: The Old Republic has, by far, exceeded my personal expectations for any MMO; however, some missteps in production have tainted its perfection. (No, I'm not going to talk about Ilum again.) Of course, we are all looking for our version of perfection in an MMO, right? Unfortunately, no MMO will live up to that expectation. In fact, if I did find my version of MMO perfection, I would probably be the only one playing it. But I do believe I have ideas that those in my community could latch on to. They are also relatively simple. Yes, yes, I know nothing is ever as simple as it seems, but indulge me for a few moments. As many of you know, I enjoy roleplaying in my MMOs -- character creation, really. I'm not one of those roleplayers who hang out in a pub all day never experiencing any gameplay. Although there's nothing wrong with that, I find it a be a waste of $15 a month. I have complied what I believe will make the experience of SWTOR more enjoyable for those who enjoy playing the game like I do, and I think that those of you who don't necessarily like to roleplay per se but do like to create unique characters in the MMO space will agree that these are a must. I did set some personal criteria when compiling the list. For instance, I didn't want to break BioWare's general vision for the game. I also wanted to use existing items in the game so that my expectations were realistic -- no guild capital ships or image design system. And all of these items have been mentioned in print someplace before, so I'm not the only one who believes these should be implemented.
The Secret World designer talks template deck outfits, customization, and more
A few Funcom elves were actually working on The Secret World over Christmas it seems, and designer Martin Bruusgaard has some interesting things to say about that -- as well as a couple of gameplay tidbits -- in a new interview at CryGaia.net. One of the aspects of The Secret World that sets it apart from your typical MMORPG is the huge amount of character customization available through the game's clothing items. Bruusgaard says that some of these items are purchased from in-game vendors, some from the cash shop, and some of them are reward-based. "One thing I'm particularly excited about is the template deck outfits. Template decks are a set of powers that enable the player to fulfill a certain role, and this is comparable to Magic the Gathering starter decks. On completion of any of these templates the player is given an outfit that reflects what that deck is. So for instance if a player completes the ninja deck, he or she is given a ninja costume," Bruusgaard explains. He goes on to talk about cross-faction PvP team-ups (currently slated for post-launch) and The Secret World's sound and music suite. Read all about it at CryGaia.net.
EVE Evolved: All there is to know about DUST 514
Last week, EVE Online developer CCP Games officially started accepting beta signups for its upcoming MMOFPS DUST 514. This first phase of closed beta tests will be open only to active EVE Online subscribers, giving us an early opportunity to contribute feedback to the game's development ahead of console players. I think that's important because it's our universe that the game will take place in -- literally. DUST 514 players will be connecting to EVE Online's supercluster, so gameplay between the two titles will be intimately linked in realtime. With the new game's release date set for the summer 2012, EVE players can expect the next big expansion to focus heavily on planetary control and the DUST 514 link. The past month has been flush with new information on DUST's customisable vehicles, drop suits, infantry weapons and more. We've even had a look under the hood at the server architecture that will keep the planet-bound battles fast and furious without lagging out the EVE players smashing each other to bits in orbit. In this week's EVE Evolved, I gather together all the key information on DUST 514 released this month and discuss what it means for EVE Online players.
New Archeage CBT4 clip shows expanded character options
If the latest XLGAMES' video is any indication, there have been some significant changes to ArcheAge since the close of last spring's third Korean beta. A new clip recently uploaded to the development firm's YouTube account shows off a new login screen, new avatar models, new character creation options, and new music. Our experience of the game's CBT3 phase found the character customization a bit lacking (mostly because a ton of the options were greyed out), but it looks like XL is going to remedy that by adding a lot more functionality for CBT4. Have a look at the new clip after the break.
Amazon releases Kindle Fire source code, devs figure out how to install Android Market
The Kindle Fire's nascent hacking community is heating up, now that Amazon has released the source code for its new Android tablet. Homebrewers, of course, will first have to root the device before tweaking with the Fire's Gingerbread-based build, but fortunately for them, there's already a guide for that. Once that's taken care of, you can also load the Android Market and a slate of other Google apps, using a handy how-to guide published on xda Forums. It certainly doesn't seem like the simplest of processes, but several xda users have posted successful reports. Check out the links below for the full guide, along with the source code download.
