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Xbox.com upgrade will add new Social features, support for Xbox Live Beacons
The Xbox 360 hasn't received its new coat of paint for the fall yet, but Microsoft just announced Xbox.com will be seeing similar changes in "the coming days." The old "My Xbox" section is getting the boot in favor of a "Social" area that lets you keep track of your XBL friends, thanks to some of the new features enabled by the upcoming dashboard update. Before the dash update is released, Xbox.com users can check out Beacons that let them mark which games they're willing to play, or check out a friends activity page that resembles recent additions to Facebook and Twitter by informing you what friends are up to in real-time. Also revamped is the video section that lets users buy or rent movies and TV shows for viewing on their console, Windows Phone or Zune. Hit the source link for a few more screens of its Metro UI-fashioned new face and additional details, we'll let you know when it all goes live.
Xbox Live Beacons and other new social features incoming to Xbox.com
Microsoft has posted that the Xbox.com website is getting an update "in the coming days" that will remove the "My Xbox" frontpage currently there now, and replace it with a "Social" section to make use of the "Beacons" feature eventually making its way to the console. Beacons are a way to mark which games you're currently playing or want to play, and are supposed to encourage you and your friends to set up times to play together on Xbox Live. Players will be able to set up three Beacons at a time, and add an additional comment as well, like "between 7-9pm PST" or "Horde mode only." The website update will also make use of the "Metro" setup coming to the console's dashboard, and of course allow for access to the usual Xbox.com actions like redeeming codes, messaging friends and checking out their profiles, or browsing for and purchasing Xbox Live titles. Officially, the console's Dashboard Update is still scheduled for a "Holiday 2011" release, though previous reports have placed it sometime right around Thanksgiving. With this update coming to the website as soon as next week, however, it's a good bet the console update is also close at hand. [Thanks, Liam!] %Gallery-138931%
Breakfast Topic: Are you a fan of Azeroth's sheer size or fine detail?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. World of Warcraft certainly has a wide appeal. One need only look at the motley crew assembled on this news blog to take notice of that. Along with such a vast fan base come varying ways to appreciate the game world. Depending on who you ask, Watchmen is either a great piece of popular literature, a great graphic novel, or an overhyped piece of junk. If you talk to somebody who falls in one of the former camps, you're likely to hear that one of the key reasons for the novel's success are the small details. Throughout the novel, a minor backstory involving Soviet aggression and the escalating chances of nuclear war in Dr. Manhattan's wake plays out in the form of newspaper headlines. It's one of those blink-and-you'll-miss-it plot points, but it really helps to create a sense of reality in the novel's dystopian alternate history. Such minor details are often the key to success in most artistic media -- and gaming is no different. Look no further than WoW's famed arguing NPCs Asric and Jadaar, or on a smaller scale the shifty vendor Griftah, whose magical amulets prove a little less than spellbinding. Such small aspects of a game world so massive can often go overlooked, yet it is there that the game finds its heart. On the other hand, few game worlds are as expansive and in constant flux as Azeroth. With four continents to explore and a growing story that evolves every few months, it's hard to downplay the brilliant sense of scale and scope that Blizzard has brought to Azeroth. What sells the game world for you -- the details, or the big picture?
Exclusive: Referee Ruby makes friends in Free Realms
Not everyone can be Referee Ruby, but everyone can make friends in Free Realms, or so says today's exclusive video from Sony Online Entertainment. Ruby is back with tips on how players young and old can win friends and influence people in the free-to-play MMO. Mind your manners and don't be a jerk, she says (a simple lesson ignored by too many gamers), but above all else, get a boombox with the hottest tunes, trick out an awesome house for entertaining, and throw a party -- because everyone loves a party. Naturally, the very best party supplies and structures are purchased in the Free Realms cash shop, and Ruby shows viewers how it's done. Hey, no one said friendship was cheap! Grab your favorite boombox and hit the break to see Free Realms' Making Friends video in full.
Cambridge researchers tout new location-based method to predict friends on social networks
Friend suggestions on social networks may already be a little too eerily accurate for some, but a team of researchers from Cambridge University now say they can do one better. They've devised a method that doesn't simply rely the usual friends-of-friends approach, but on where those people tend to hang out. According to researcher Salvatore Scellato, "it turns out that the properties of the places we interact can determine how likely we are to develop social ties," and that places like offices and gyms are better indications of potential friends than football stadiums or airports. That notion was borne out in their research (conducted over a period of four months using Gowalla), which found that "about 30 percent of all new social links appear among users that check-in to the same places." With the two prediction methods combined, the researchers say they're able to account for 66 percent of all new social ties. No word if they've moved onto predicting crimes next. [Image credit: Gowalla]
The Daily Grind: Do you have departed friends from old games?
Friends leave. It's a sad reality, but it's still a reality, and it's hard to maintain a friendship when your only real common interest is a game that you no longer play together. Even though your friend might have left City of Heroes or Warhammer Online behind many years ago, you still think about your friendship and wonder about what the other person is up to -- but you were friends in the game and not elsewhere. There's no way to know, and nothing that can be done beyond sighing wistfully at the in-game horizon and hoping that your old buddy is still having fun. Play a game for long enough, and you'll no doubt find old friends that move on even while some stick around. So what friends do you remember from the games of yore that you no longer play alongside? Were they former real-life friends that gradually became game friends until you lost touch, or are they just people you met while playing EverQuest II? What sort of memories do you have about the departed, and have you ever managed to reconnect with an in-game friend you thought was gone for good? 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!
Veteran WoW players given free copies of the game to gift to new players
Many WoW players were shocked and confused to learn that they had a free copy of World of Warcraft Classic (it's the new "official" vanilla) sitting in their inbox starting last week. In a push for more subscribers before the big patch 4.2 push, tons of free copies of the game were distributed out to veterans to give to friends to introduce them to World of Warcraft. Not only is the game free, but these veteran reward accounts come with 30 day subscriptions for your buddies. Nethaera commented on the veteran emails being sent out -- they are not scams and are being sent to players who selected to receive news and offers from Blizzard. If you haven't gotten an veteran rewards email, check your spam folder or contact Blizzard support. I postulated on a recent Lawbringer what the world would look like with free WoW, and this seems like a good first step to getting more WoW into more hands. WoW Veteran Reward free copies The veteran award email and offer are legitimate and are being sent out to veterans who have previously opted in to receiving news and special offers from Blizzard Entertainment. We may run more of these types of promotions in the future, so if this is something you are interested in, we suggest opting in as soon as possible so you don't miss out. source The news is already rolling out for the upcoming WoW Patch 4.2! Preview the new Firelands raid, marvel at the new legendary staff, and get the inside scoop on new quest hubs -- plus new Tier 12 armor!
Google code reveals inner Circles, a social secret weapon?
Nothing livens the day like a blurry screen grab of some Javascript, especially when it hints at the ghostly form of a social networking tool that doesn't officially exist. The code was spotted hiding in plain sight at Google Profiles by Austrian blogger Florian Rohrweck, who fortunately enjoys browsing computer-speak more than playing in the park. Rohrweck noticed the word "circles" used repeatedly in the context of people adding and maintaining groups of contacts, and made the connection to the Google Circles social networking platform that was feverishly rumored and then vehemently denied earlier this year (a saga fully recapped at the More Coverage link). It's impossible to know whether these few lines of code represent a forthcoming service, another social layer on top of existing services, or just pure experimentation on the part of Google devs. In any case, the circular references have apparently now been zapped, leaving us with nothing more than that screen grab -- oh yeah, and Facebook.
The Daily Grind: Do you have an MMO partner?
Everything's always better with a buddy. Sure, you might be having a lot of fun by yourself shooting at everyone in Global Agenda, but it's even better when you know your friend is right there watching your back. And if you decide you don't want to play any longer and move on somewhere new, it's even better to know that your partner is following you as well. You get used to the other person's styles and playing patterns, and you can help compensate for weaknesses. Some of us have a partner who follows us through several games, some of us have partners in any given game, and some of us go through games like The Man With No Name, without anyone at our back. So where do you fall? Do you have a constant companion, a fairweather friend, or just random acquaintances? And which would you rather have, if the choice were totally yours? 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!
Google Social Search update makes your friends more relevant, difficult to ignore
Google's been talking up its Social Search function for sometime, but up until now your friends' tweets probably haven't made it to the top of your search results -- unless of course you're besties with TMZ, and you've been searching the Miley Cyrus bong salvia rip again. Thankfully, it looks as if that could change with El Goog's latest update to the socially minded search function, which now mixes updates from your contacts' various online accounts, like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, in with the standard search fare -- pulling them up from their previous position at the bottom of your results. Google's also included a photo and annotation to show the origins of relevant links, and given you the ability to manage how you connect your accounts -- either publicly through your profile or privately through your account. The new functions started rolling out yesterday, which means you could be seeing a whole lot more from those contacts you regretted friending in the first place. Isn't social media a wonderful / disastrous thing?
Gamers buck stereotypes in a recent survey
Angry at being lumped in with the stereotype of a gaming loser who can't make a friend for all the effort in the world? It turns out you probably have a right to be upset. According to a survey by Bigpoint, most gamers are actually balanced, social and fairly good-looking -- a far cry from the antisocial nerd who cannot understand this thing called "women." The Bigpoint Gamer Survey covered 6,663 gamers across the globe in its research before coming to this startling (or not-so-startling, depending on your perspective) conclusion. The survey also showed that gamers are just as active with their online friendships as those in real life. Yes, 55% of players under 20 years old said they had more online friends than offline, and a quarter of gamers mashed the two social spheres together -- 28% of those surveyed said that they eventually met their online friends in the real world. Bigpoint's Janine Griffel thinks that this survey paints a very positive picture for the gaming community: "Our study shows that online gamers are attractive individuals with healthy and active social lives. Social and casual games are very popular among our users for the reason that they emphasize being social. The trend's definitely moving away from single-player games to social-based experiences." You can read more about this fascinating survey at Game Politics.
Will Warner release Friends Season 1 on Blu-ray this year?
One of the first big Blu-ray rumors of 2011 is this one from Zona DVD that suggests Warner will bring release season 1 of Friends on Blu-ray this year. TV2 in New Zealand apparently started the show reformatted in widescreen HD last month, and this release would be the same using the original shots, just like the remastered episodes of Seinfeld currently in syndication. After those two and the digitally-available episodes of The West Wing any other shows that just missed the switch to high definition that you'd like to see get freshened up and re-released?
The Daily Grind: When has a game made you feel better?
Let's face it, real life has a tendency to throw some pretty nasty curveballs from time to time. Sometimes the negativity just keeps coming, and it feels like all you can do is struggle to keep your head above water for a few days. And then you log in to Guild Wars to find that your friend wants to give you a rare undedicated pet to help you feel better, or you finally reach the next ship tier in Star Trek Online, or you get a lucky night of Incarnate drops in City of Heroes. We talk a lot about the drama and friction in MMOs for understandable reasons, but every now and again the social side of the game is a boon and not a curse. It's not always enough, but a victory in a game can at least help dull the ache when things are going bad, and sometimes it's enough to make your day after all. So when has a game made you feel better? Was it your fellow players, lucky drops, or just a long-awaited milestone that perked you up? 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!
NGP 'LiveArea' UI to support Trophies, PSN friends and messaging
LiveArea is NGP's "game-oriented communication platform," according to Sony. In other words, it's the device's (touch-controlled!) user interface -- apparently replacing the XMB -- featuring access to the PlayStation Store, Trophies, PSN friends, messaging, the browser, and other applications. Each game will have some form of LiveArea presence, too, apparently keeping you up to date on news and even its other players (in case you bore of simply playing the game). Additionally, LiveArea will include the "Near" feature that tracks your location over time and creates a map of where you've been. (That's not creepy at all!) Read more about it here.
Visualized: Facebook's global reach
If you've ever wondered what a map drawn entirely of Facebook relationships would look like, wonder no more. A Facebook intern by the name of Paul Butler has put together the above image by feeding in location data for pairs of friends, with the white lights representing cities, towns, and hamlets, and the blue streaks between them identifying relationships linking them. It's fun to see large swathes of Australia and South America devoid of Facebook activity, but check out the bit on the map where Russia and China are supposed to be -- is Facebook the most capitalist social network ever or what? Hit the source link for the full-scale image, it gets prettier the closer you get to it. [Thanks, Ian]
Netflix hiring Facebook Integration engineer
Like Netflix? Then get ready to prove it by sharing your film interests with your social network. Netflix is looking to hire a "Facebook Integration -- Engineer / Architect" into its new Social Systems engineering team. According to the open position posted to the Netflix jobs board, the senior web engineer will, "conceive and build the systems that enable Netflix applications and systems to use the social graph to create a more social Netflix experience" Specifically, the ideal new hire should be familiar with Facebook's Open Graph API to build a customer-facing service. It's just a guess, but we'd expect this to ultimately allow Netflix subscribers and wannabes to like, view and filter Netflix offerings based upon their social input and preferences. Interesting, because Netflix abandoned its homegrown Friends feature earlier this year. Guess now we know why. [Thanks, Eric]
Cameraphone app analyzes your meal, disgusts you with factual calorie counts
It's a hard truth that's easy to swallow: our cubicle-dwelling lifestyles often get the best of our waistlines. We try to diet, but without a never-ending pile of Cheetos and Chicken McNuggets next to our laptops, we feel so very, very, very....alone. Luckily a Japanese company has developed a software companion to keep us company on our slimming endeavors: it's an app that will analyze a photo of your meal and tell you how many calories you're about to consume. While it can't actually prevent the food from hopping down our throats (2.0, maybe?) it will allow your meal's calorie content to be socially networked with your friends' meals' calorie contents, creating a weird long-distance eating competition with other connected dieters. But hold the Pad See Ew -- while it's good at figuring out Japanese staples, it's "not so good on stuff like Thai food." [Photo courtesy tnarik's flickr]
Happy 10th birthday to Mac OS X Hints
Because we veteran Mac sites have to stick together, we're sending congratulations out to the good folks over at Mac OS X Hints, who yesterday turned the ripe old age (in blogging years, anyway) of ten years old. The site, created by Rob Griffiths and now run by Macworld, continues to be a terrific source of hints, new and old, about cool things to do with our favorite operating system. OS X Hints is just one of the many storied pillars of this wild and crazy Mac community, and we're glad to have them around. It seems like just three years ago we wished them well on their seventh birthday. Here's hoping we can do the same and congratulate them on all of their great work 10 years from now (when we're all playing with the iPad X and the Mac micro).
Drama Mamas: The case of the nice guy and the social leech
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. I really don't think nice guys finish last. Sure, being the Nice Guy comes with pain and challenges, but overall, you are better off. At least at the end of the day, you know you did the right thing and will always have that to fall back on. But there's a difference between being nice and being a pushover. Sacrificing your leisure time every once in a while to help out a friend is good. Sacrificing your leisure time because your "friend" has alienated all other friends and is using guilt trips and pouting to ensnare you is not good. Dear Drama Mamas, I am an officer in a casual raiding guild. We were running 10-man ICC with a core group of about 12 people until the summer slump hit. As we progressed, we started getting all 12 people showing up on raid day, so we had to choose. The problem came when one of our DPS was showing up on time but was constantly going AFK, not paying attention, and being obnoxious in Vent -- generally holding the raid back. He started getting skipped over every time extra players were online. When he outright asked about this, the officers decided he was always going to be last pick. I insisted that we tell him that he was on backup status and why. The other officers didn't think it was necessary to say anything to him, but I did it anyway because I felt it was the right thing to do.
Blood Sport: Not every good PvPer is a gladiator
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Blood Sport for arena enthusiasts and The Art of War(craft) for fans of battlegrounds and world PvP. Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more. Listening Music: The Legend of Zelda, via symphony. You're welcome! Occasionally, I'll meet a rank-1-quality opponent who is playing with people far below his or her level. Sometimes people are just naturally amazing at WoW. I'm not one of them. I have to use trial and error a lot before I pick something up. Oh well, at least I'm honest about it, right? I've battled opponents in the 1,900 bracket who are 2,700+ rated players; if only they would shed their partners and pick up a few gladiator buddies! There are three primary reasons for people playing with teammates who are far below their level of PvP prowess: gear, friends and realms.
