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EVE Evolved: Baiting players is hilarious fun!
I originally planned to put together updated ship setups for EVE Online's newly revamped Caldari, Minmatar, and Amarr Tech 1 cruisers this week, but I've honestly been having far too much fun baiting people in highsec with last week's Vexor setup. I'm having such hilarious fun doing it that I just had to dedicate this week's column to the dirty art of the bait-and-gank! There's absolutely nothing more amusing in EVE than baiting a ship twice the size of yours into attacking you for an "easy kill" and then turning it into a very expensive smoking wreck. The basic idea of baiting is simple: Get yourself flagged as a suspect by committing a minor crime like theft, fly around waiting for someone to attack you, and then tear him to bits. Before Retribution, you were flagged as a valid target only to the individual people you stole from, but once they attacked, you were safe to engage. Now you're flagged to the whole of EVE, making it easier to get a bite but also a whole lot riskier to engage in a crowded area. It's hard to pick and choose your fights when the whole universe is gunning for you, but when you get a good bite, there are some insanely fun fights to be had. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give some top tips on how to safely bait players in high-security space, where to find the best targets, and what ships are most effective.
EVE Evolved: Fitting Gallente cruisers for PvP in Retribution
In last week's article, I mentioned that one of my favourite parts of the Retribution expansion was the tech 1 cruiser revamp that buffed all of EVE Online's cruisers to the same rough power level. Before the update, cruisers were arranged in a tiered system that gave higher-tier ships extra stats and module slots. As a result, only a few cruisers were actually viable in PvP, and the others served very little purpose elsewhere in the game. The Caldari Caracal was too slow to tackle anyone, the Amarr Omen couldn't easily fit a rack of full-sized guns, and don't get me started on the state of the tech 1 remote repair cruisers. Retribution abolished those tiers, buffing every underpowered cruiser up to the same level of power as the previous top-tier version. The Caracal got that speed it always needed, and the Omen got enough powergrid to fit a full rack of guns, but what really impressed me was what CCP did to the Vexor. With its extra module slots and the recent addition of drone damage amplifier modules, the Vexor has been transformed from a poor man's Thorax to an absolute monster that can stand toe-to-toe with battlecruisers. The Exequror and Celestis have been similarly buffed but are still specialised into logistics and electronic warfare roles. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give new PvP ship setups for each of the Gallente tech 1 cruisers buffed in Retribution, including a setup that will make you think twice about engaging a lone Vexor.
The Tattered Notebook: A guide for new and returning EverQuest II players
With the Chains of Eternity expansion now live, I've seen lots of comments and even a couple of emails from players who are looking to try out EverQuest II or are thinking of coming back after an extended hiatus. And because the game is free-to-play, it's easy to get in-game and check things out before committing to a payment plan. But with all of the changes over the past year or so, it's sometimes hard to make sense of it all. Some guides and write-ups are now outdated, and with the recent forum conversion, it's difficult to find answers to common questions when coming back (or trying out) the game. So in this week's Tattered Notebook, I've put together a general rundown of topics that tend to come up for new and returning players.
Flameseeker Chronicles Extra: The spotter's guide to the Fractals of the Mists, part two
Hello, volunteer, and welcome back to the Spotter's Guide to the Fractals of the Mists! We're here to teach you the difference between an Urban Battleground and an Uncategorized fractal, a Bloomhunger and a Mossman, and a chicken and a Charr. Part one came out earlier this week, so be sure to check it out if you're looking for the full guidebook for Guild Wars 2's newest dungeon; otherwise, let's move on!
The Summoner's Guidebook: Good team composition for League of Legends Dominion
I would have loved to cover the IGN Pro League 5 this week, but at the time of this writing it is still ongoing. I'll do a brief overview of it next week, but its timing didn't mesh well with the timing of the Guidebook. I've been playing a lot of Dominion lately, and as many readers of the Summoner's Guidebook know, it's the gametype I focus my skills on. I try to build knowledge of League of Legends' other maps, including Summoner's Rift and the Proving Grounds/ARAM, but Dominion is definitely my focus right now (I haven't played much of the beta Twisted Treeline, so coverage of that will have to wait). One thing that really bothers me about Dominion, particularly as I creep into high level play, is that people still randomly pick champions without regard for a strategy. While I do think my overall skill has improved a lot, a major reason that I win 60-70% of my matches is because I look for where my team is deficient and pick a champion to cover that area. As you escalate into the intermediate levels of Dominion skill, a good arsenal of champions to fill roles can be a huge asset. This week, we'll look at some of the possible roles and compositions and some good champions to pick up to fill those roles.
The Road to Mordor: Riders of Rohan pre-launch guide
The other night in kin chat, I said how I'm just not mentally ready for Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan. My Captain may be prepared to saddle up and venture forth, but the notion that we're on the verge of one of the most significant expansions this game has ever seen is taking me a little while to absorb. Fortunately, many of my friends assured me that I wasn't alone in this. With just two days to go until players can head into Rohan, we're running out of time to prepare, and I'm not just talking about pre-purchasing the game (although that too). Riders of Rohan contains a host of content and changes, not the least of which is the new mounted combat system. I don't know about you, but I hate heading into expansions completely blind, so I decided to spend this week putting together a big roundup of everything you need to know about LotRO's fourth expansion. Read well, my friends, but get your rest as well. You may not get it this coming week.
Captain's Log: The low-tier ships of Star Trek Online
It seems as if most MMOs have their own version of the "mount," something that allows for faster travel from one area of the game's world to another. Mounts are known as being one of the key "shinies" that players can buy in a game, and they come with different costumes or extended health parameters to allow a player to escape a surprise attack from an unseen enemy. For the most part, they're meant to be modes of transportation only. But in Star Trek Online, the game's mounts -- its ships -- are far more than just a means of getting from one area of sector space to another. They are the player's second character, a complementary entity that engages in battle in a very different way than the characters created at the beginning of the game. In this installment of my series of tips for new players, I will begin to address the ships of Star Trek Online, specifically the Federation ships available to the first three ranks in the game.
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online's skill points and expertise
It's time to ramp up the efforts to help out Star Trek Online newbies -- not just experienced MMO players new to Star Trek Online but new MMO players in general. Since STO went free-to-play late last year, the game has seen an influx of new players, many of whom have discovered and have become a part of the game's wonderful community. To date, there are still many people who are making STO their first MMO and are looking for helpful hints. With the kind assitance and input of many members of the STO and Massively communities, I'm continuing a series of columns devoted to helpful hints for the new player. This week we'll be taking a look at the game's skill trees for playable characters and their bridge officers.
Building a Diablo III Wizard to solo Inferno difficulty
With patch 1.04's new paragon level system, there's been a definite increase in the number of people getting back to playing Diablo III. Every class was buffed in the patch, and only a small handful of skills and items were nerfed, leaving everyone to pore over the skill windows and come up with new builds. Barbarians definitely made it out of the patch in the best shape, with huge buffs to Bash and Rend, buffs to two-handed weapons, and a whole host of new legendary weapons to aim for. Wizards, on the other hand, weren't so lucky. For all the buffs described in the 1.04 wizard preview devblog, not much has really changed. The Energy Twister nerf backfired hilariously, and all of the underpowered spells and runes that were buffed are still pretty useless. Energy Armor is still a mandatory skill, most Wizards are still running Critical Mass builds, and the new legendaries aimed at Wizards don't seem to make any sense from an itemisation standpoint. So how should you build a solo Wizard in 1.04? In this guide, I detail three highly effective Wizard builds and give tips on gearing for each of them following patch 1.04.
Engadget's $50,000 back to school sweepstakes: just 24 hours to go!
Have you entered our back to school giveaway yet? If you've already commented on each of 15 eligible posts, you're all set -- you can only vote once on each article (15 times in all), so hang in there and wait for us to randomly select the winners. The rest of you, however, need to get a move on! There's only 24 hours remaining in the contest period, so be sure to get all 15 entries in before the clock strikes noon tomorrow. Good luck! Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags! Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Engadget's back to school guide 2012: HDTV Engadget's back to school guide 2012: digital cameras Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio Engadget's back to school guide 2012: accessories Engadget's back to school guide 2012: docks and clocks Engadget's back to school guide 2012: bags and cases Engadget's back to school guide 2012: printers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
Captain's Log: Starting anew in Star Trek Online
One of things about Star Trek Online that really differentiates it from most other MMOs is the fact that it appeals to players who have never played an MMO before. STO is a Star Trek game, yes, but it also appeals to those who appreciate general science-fiction as well. Since the end of the Star Trek convention last month, I have been approached by a surprising number of people who are just now trying out STO for the first time. For many of them, STO is also their first experience with any MMO. So I have taken it upon myself to create a brand-new character in the game to see what it might be like for a new STO player. I'll be focusing several future columns on that new-player experience, starting with this one.
There are just four days left to enter our back to school sweepstakes with nearly $50,000 in prizes!
During the month of August, we published 14 back to school guides, covering product categories ranging from cameras and printers, to smartphones and ultraportables. With each post, we offered a selection of gadget must-haves, but we also gave you an opportunity to enter our massive back to school giveaway, including 15 identical bags stuffed to the brim (and far beyond) with some of the hottest devices of the season. You want these gadgets, and we want to help! The contest runs through noon (ET) on Friday, September 7th, so there's still plenty of time to enter -- simply leave a comment at each of our category pages, along with the giveaway post, to secure 15 chances to win. And to make things even easier, we're including links to all of our posts just below. Good luck, and have a fantastic semester! Engadget's back to school 2012 sweepstakes: win one of 15 gadget-filled bags! Engadget's back to school guide 2012: smartphones Engadget's back to school guide 2012: tablets Engadget's back to school guide 2012: ultraportables Engadget's back to school guide 2012: e-readers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: mainstream laptops Engadget's back to school guide 2012: gaming Engadget's back to school guide 2012: HDTV Engadget's back to school guide 2012: digital cameras Engadget's back to school guide 2012: portable audio Engadget's back to school guide 2012: accessories Engadget's back to school guide 2012: docks and clocks Engadget's back to school guide 2012: bags and cases Engadget's back to school guide 2012: printers Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
EVE Evolved: Fitting a brawler frigate for PvP
EVE Online's PvP usually has more in common with a game of chess than a dogfight; it helps to have more pieces on the board than the other guys, and tactics usually play a more important role than the size or cost of your ship. You can't automatically win by bringing a gun to a knife fight in EVE, but you can win by being better with a knife than the other guy or by bringing a dozen knives and just flinging them all over the place. The lowly tech 1 frigate may not seem so ferocious on its own, but a hundred frigates can smash even capital ships to bits. Despite the advantage of bringing more pilots to a fight, the frigate is also one of the best ships for soliciting solo PvP. Its superior speed and maneuverability will help you avoid groups of enemy ships and pursue individual targets. It's most common to find lone players in faction warfare areas and the borders of nullsec, and there are even dedicated wardec corps that will let you find solo PvP in highsec. Frigate duels can provide a fun and much more twitch-based style of combat than you'll find elsewhere in EVE, and a well-designed frigate can punch far above its own weight. The Rifter has always been the ship of choice for close-range frigate PvP, but Inferno 1.1 gave all four races an equivalent option. In this week's EVE Evolved, I give close-range PvP setups for the Minmatar Rifter, Amarr Punisher, Gallente Incursus and Caldari Merlin that make full use of the Inferno 1.1 overhaul.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: fun stuff!
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. The good news? We're on to the fun stuff, the gear that isn't always practical but will definitely help you let off some steam after a tough mid-term. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Laptops, phones and e-readers might be slick pieces of tech, but they'll all be used for business while you're buried in term papers during the semester. We're rounding up a set of gadgets meant purely to lift your spirits -- whether it's zapping fellow froshmates in a game of Lazer Tag or an electric motorbike to blast through the countryside on a long weekend. We've even got a few borderline sensible gadgets, such as a robot that will clean up after a wild party at the dorm. Jump past the break for our full collection of antidotes to the end-of-summer blues.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: printers
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we have printers on our minds and on our desks -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the series we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! It's safe to say that, at some point, you'll need to print out a collection of assignments this fall. We're looking to save the environment just as much as the next set of folks, but physical outputs are still required for a number of things -- especially in the realm of academics. Now that WiFi has become a standard option on most ink-to-paper peripherals, the ability to print from mobile devices has become a hot commodity. A number of our selections offer just that, allowing you to get the job started without needing to be in front of a computer. Enough chatter, though... head on past the break to peruse our picks for the back to school season this year.
Hyperspace Beacon: All SWTOR classes are useful in Huttball, part two
A few weeks ago, after many weeks of seeing new players in Star Wars: The Old Republic warzones, I thought it would be a good idea to post a little guide on the basics of winning Huttball. Interestingly, that article birthed a conversation about how some classes were better suited for the game, but more importantly, some players had given up on the warzone because they felt that their particular class didn't work in Huttball at all. Admittedly, certain classes do have more utilities that make them a better fit for the game, but I believe every class has its role in this particular arena. And more importantly, I believe that every class can have fun and feel useful. However, some players need a bit of training. Two weeks ago, I covered the Sith Warrior, Jedi Knight, Imperial Agent, and Smuggler classes. In this week's coverage, I'm going to take a look at two SWTOR classes that seems to be built for this game and two others that have more surprises than you might think: the Sith Inquisitor, Jedi Consular, Republic Trooper, and Bounty Hunter.
Flameseeker Chronicles: Tips for your first outing in Guild Wars 2
Welcome to Tyria, adventurer! This is the long-awaited launch day for Guild Wars 2. If you pre-purchased or pre-ordered the game, you've had a while in the world already. If not, then put on your best adventuring cloak and be sure to grab a spare handkerchief! For those of you who haven't been following the game with the feverish eyes of a true fanatic, here are some things to keep in mind when you first strike out in Tyria.
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: bags and cases
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we're helping you keep all your gear organized -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here! Trying to pack a load of gadgets, peripherals and a laptop into your average book bag usually isn't the most ideal setup -- especially when it's time to grab what you need throughout the day. To solve that dilemma, we've selected more than a handful of sacks and cases that'll keep your gear at hand and organized so that you'll spend less time rummaging for your gizmos and more time exploring your campus. Best of all, you can rest assured knowing many of the selections past the break are goods that we here at Engadget even rely on to get our gear in and out of the various events we attend -- jump past the break to see our picks.
Massively's launch guide to Guild Wars 2
Oh, 2007: Those heady days when Guild Wars 2 was set to feature a beta in... 2008! It took a few more years than initially expected, but the wait was worth it because now, it's ready -- Guild Wars 2 officially launches tonight at midnight PDT! But how ready are you? Jump past the break (jumping joke!), where we've organized Massively's many years of GW2 coverage to help catch you up on the game, its systems and features, its races and classes, and its lore. Excelsior! %Gallery-159080%
Engadget's back to school guide 2012: docks and clocks
Welcome to Engadget's back to school guide! The end of summer vacation isn't nearly as much fun as the weeks that come before, but a chance to update your tech tools likely helps to ease the pain. Today, we have speaker docks in our sights -- and you can head to the back to school hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the month. Be sure to keep checking back -- at the end of the month we'll be giving away a ton of the gear featured in our guides -- and hit up the hub page right here. If there's any post-adolescent period that deserves its own soundtrack, it's your college years. Sure, our portable audio picks will let you jam on the go, but the best collegiate experiences are shared with friends -- and listening to music should be no exception. Even if you'd prefer to keep your playlist out of your friends' feed, be it in person or online, you'll still need to wake up each morning, and what better way to ease into the waking world than with your favorite tracks? These speaker docks offer more functionality than your average smartphone clock, and they're certainly better equipped to play DJ when it comes time to close the books. Join us past the break for our 2012 picks.
