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Egypt asked for Uber's help tracking passengers
Were you uncomfortable about Uber's ability to track rides? Be glad if you don't live in Egypt -- in that country, the power could easily fall into the wrong hands. The New York Times understands that the Egyptian government asked Uber to give it access to Heaven, its tool for live ride tracking data. Uber thankfully said no, but the offer may have been tempting. Reportedly, military intelligence officials were willing to give "preferential treatment" to Careem, Uber's Middle Eastern arch-rival, if it had given into those demands. It also shot down the idea. However, there's a real chance that these companies might not have much say in the matter before long.
Uber's 'Hell' program tracked and targeted Lyft drivers
In its quest to ensure Lyft remains in second place, Uber reportedly ran a program that exploited a vulnerability in its rival's system. According to The Information, the ride-hailing company's covert software-based program called "Hell" spied on its staunchest competitor's drivers from 2014 to early 2016. It's called Hell, because it served as the counterpart to "God View" or "Heaven," Uber's in-company app that tracked its own drivers and passengers. Unlike God View, which was widely available to corporate employees, only top executives along with select data scientists and personnel knew about Hell.
Faxion Online closing the doors of heaven and hell
It may not have had a long life, but Faxion Online's certainly was memorable. The PvP-centric MMO with the unique heaven-and-hell theme has announced that it is closing its doors within the month, following rumors that the entire team had been laid off. In a brief statement posted on the forums, players were notified of the game's closure, which will occur in a couple quick stages. This week, players will not be able to register for the game, download it, or use the store, while the servers will be powered down within 30 days from today. "We're eternally grateful for all the support, feedback, and competition our players have provided through thick and thin," the announcement stated. "Faxion's development was a Herculean effort that some said was impossible given the timeframe and resources we had, and we're proud to have delivered a PvP-driven experience that people could enjoy. Alas, all good things must come to an end." Faxion Online launched on May 26th this year, making this one of the quickest demises of an MMO since last year's All Points Bulletin. We at Massively wish the best for Faxion's staff in the coming months.
Snag a Faxion Online token code from Massively!
Is greed your favorite vice? We hope so! The folks at UTV True Games have given us a multi-use code that will grant 100 of our quickest-clicking readers 30 tokens apiece for use in Faxion Online, the heaven-and-hell-themed MMO that released only last month. To redeem the code for yourself, log in to the official Faxion Online website, head straight to the store redemption page, and enter the key. Then pause a moment to roll around in your piles of free tokens. You've earned it. Here's the mega-key: FAXIONMOGULE9P1 -- good luck!
Faxion Online launching May 26th
Judgment day is coming. No, not that one (or even that one). The fire and brimstone of your typical MMORPG launch is bearing down on the world of Faxion Online thanks to the official announcement of the title's launch date. UTV True Games has issued a press release confirming that the free-to-play fantasy game will debut on May 26th and bring its unique blend of tongue-in-cheek humor and an irreverent take on PvP to players across the globe. Faxion's conflict revolves around the control of war-torn Limbo, the halfway house between heaven and hell that serves as the game's central locale. Players will also fight over the seven deadly sins in a never-ending struggle between light and dark. "We are excited to launch Faxion Online, and based on our burgeoning community's feedback, we have added several new features that will only intensify the combat-driven gameplay experience," says UTV's Frank Lucero. While today's press release doesn't elaborate when it comes to the new features, we'll be bringing you more Faxion-related info as launch day draws near.
Faxion Online sending players to open beta hell tomorrow
Hell is other people, Sartre once wrote, and though he clearly wasn't talking about MMOs in 1944, the line nonetheless applies. Hell is also betas, though Faxion Online's variant looks to be more enjoyable than most if only for the decidedly tongue-in-cheek nature of the entire enterprise. UTV True Games has announced that Faxion's open beta is kicking off tomorrow, March 10th, and a press release describing the hellish (or heavenly) event says the "free-to-play, free-to-prey, and free-to-pray" game will undergo a one-time item wipe as well. The open beta will also feature the "latest iteration of multi-classing abilities" as well as "a completely new player experience." Finally, UTV will also be featuring Faxion Online at this weekend's PAX East, so drop by the booth if you're going to Boston between March 11th and March 13th.
GDC 2011: Checking in with UTV True Games
Casual, colorful and comical: That's the effort that UTV True Games is putting into its growing portfolio of MMOs. From Faxion Online to Mytheon, UTV has quite a few things cooking on the stove, and we happily taste-tested new visuals and info from this year's Games Developer Conference. First up was the PvP-centric Faxion, pitting the good-smelling forces of Heaven against the sulfur-sprayed armies of Hell. Faxion is currently prepping for its second closed beta test, and we've been intrigued by what we've seen so far. The devs released 10 new images for the game, which you can see below: %Gallery-113832% For more previews of UTV's Mytheon, Sky Legends and Planet Crashers, hit the jump and pray you have a chute!
Snowballs piling up in Hell: Faxion Online enters its second closed beta test
"Free to pray, free to prey, free to play," the tagline goes. While Faxion Online continues to milk all of the religious-themed puns the team can think of (and it's hard not to add your own!), this afterlife MMO continues to charge ahead with the second phase of its beta process. UTV True Games announced that Faxion Online has entered its second closed beta test, which has been expanded to include new players and a number of improvements implemented after the first test. Faxion now has an improved starter tutorial that invites players to learn about heavenly living or hellish confluct, depending on the class chosen. Other improvements include class reballancing, new areas and teleportation stones that help warriors get to the conflicts even faster than before. UTV's Frank Lucero credits the players for shaping the game's development: "The responses to the first closed beta have been incredible in helping us determine updates for this second phase." You can check out this tongue-in-cheek PvP MMO by signing up for the beta test or by vicariously experiencing the spiritual planes in our Faxion Online first impressions.
Irreverent confession: An interview with Faxion Online's UTV True Games
You're dead -- so sorry, chap! Fortunately, that doesn't mean your gaming adventures are over. On the contrary, according to Faxion Online, they've just begun. In the world of Limbo, players are pulled between the forces of heaven and hell as they fight each other through the physical manifestations of the seven deadly sins. Curious about Faxion Online, we sat down with UTV True Games to discuss the deep issues of beta, religion and epeens. Massively: How's the progress toward closed beta coming along? UTV True Games: It's coming along at an insane pace. The team is focused and beating away at the long list of tasks that loom before us all prior to launching beta as well as the game. We are working on zones, abilities and items, along with wrapping up features and tightening the nuts and bolts of various aspects of the game. The team was able to catch their breath over the holidays a bit, so it's going to allow us to have a good strong kick to the finish.
Explore Faxion Online's seven deadly sins
Does the angel on your right shoulder take a lot of union-approved time off, so much so that you end up listening to the devil on your left shoulder more often than not? Then Faxion Online has a temptation that's right up your alley -- seven sinful zones, each revolving around one of the classic seven deadly sins. Taking heavenly and hellish themes with a strong dose of humor, Faxion Online's world becomes a literal battleground for the soul. By taking each of the deadly sins and turning them into a zone to be fought over and conquered, Faxion has created a unique twist on the genre. If the forces of heaven take over a zone, it turns nicer, and if the forces of evil are triumphant, then there will be hell to pay. UTV True Games' Frank Lucero says that the PvP over these areas will keep players transfixed: "These zones offer all of the competitive combat play that players desire including PVP, innovative territory control and an ability ranking system that will keep players engaged in the timeless struggle of good vs. evil." Hit the jump to read up on Faxion's themed zones and see for yourself what your sins have wrought!
UTV True Games readies Faxion Online
Ready to do your part in the eternal struggle between the forces of heaven and hell? No, we're not talking about the Bible Online or, God forbid (please), another Left Behind game, but rather UTV True Games' Faxion Online. The free-to-play fantasy title features endless battles for territorial control over Limbo, the war-torn nether realm that exists between paradise and eternal damnation. While the idea of banishing PvPers to the depths of hell might appeal to some, Faxion is aiming to attract both PvE and PvP players, and encourages factional struggles to control the fate of the seven deadly sins (which make up the title's contested zones). If it sounds a bit unusual, it is, but it's also being produced by a team that includes veterans of both Ultima Online and Shadowbane, so we'll be watching this one with a fair bit of interest.
Faxion Online announced, promises a divine struggle
In most games that feature two factions in a PvP environment, there's plenty of room to debate whether or not one side or the other is evil or just misunderstood. Not so in the upcoming Faxion Online, however -- one side is evil. One side is irrevocably and entirely evil. But then again, when you're part of the forces of Hell, you kind of accept that as a given. Aiming for a beta later this year, the game is taking its setting as the eternal struggle between Heaven and Hell, with players taking sides as both factions seek territory. While a somewhat tongue-in-cheek approach to the subject is certainly welcome, most gamers are going to be looking for a little more from the title. It's slated to deliver on that front, with a PvP-focused game that heavily weighs on the aforementioned control of territory. The game also promises to remove some of the tedious level grind, a promise which is frequently made but not quite so easy to carry out. We'll have to see how Faxion Online fares in that regard as it moves through development -- but at least we won't be discussing which faction is really evil.
First new framework in Champions Online to be the celestial framework
Remember that framework we mentioned yesterday? The new one that Champions Online was adding, but we didn't know what it was? The one that we mentioned was made of light but wasn't the power of light? Yes, well, thanks to an educated guess, combined with luck, combined with twitter, we've gotten the confirmation that this is, indeed, an update to the current celestial sorcery framework.Celestial sorcery is the power of the angels and heaven, so a certain writer on a certain MMO news staff is currently running around screaming in her apartment like a crazy person. This writer may or may not work for us, but odds are that she does and that she's rubbing it in Kyle Horner's face. Booyah.
Infernal: Hell's Vengeance burning Xbox 360 in June
Playlogic's hellish third-person shooter, Infernal: Hell's Vengeance, will be burning a path to the Xbox 360 on June 30. The title, which was originally released for the PC in 2007, casts players in the fiery boots of a man recently deceased who gets caught up in a war between heaven and hell. Painkiller, is that you?What Infernal lacks in originality, it tries to make up for in self promotion, promising a "fascinating" story, "state-of-the art" physics and a "vast array" of weapons and powers, though we wonder if any of these can resurrect the game from the tepid reviews its PC version has enjoyed so far.
Ask a Lore Nerd: Life and Death
Welcome to Ask a Lore Nerd, where each week blogger and columnist Alex Ziebart answers your questions about the lore and history of the World of Warcraft. Ask your questions in the comments section below, and we'll try to answer it in a future edition. Today we're fielding a lot of questions on the Light and the Shadow, and Life and Death. I don't know why, really, that's just how things happened! Trends like that are always fun, like the week or two where we had nothing but dragon questions. It makes picking out themes really easy!Emorich asked... I was under the impression that C'Thun wasn't dead. I thought we simply stopped him. After all, we were attacking one of his eyeballs, hardly a vital organ. Is Kil'Jaeden dead too? I thought we basically just pushed him back through the portal and now he's really pissed.
Ask a Lore Nerd: Things that aren't Deathwing
Welcome to Ask a Lore Nerd, the column that answers your questions about the story and lore of the Warcraft universe. Click the Comments link below (or e-mail us!), ask your question, and blogger/columnist Alex Ziebart will answer your question in a future installmentCowbane asked...Is there a Heaven or Hell in any Warcraft lore? Or is the swirly clouds when you die about it.That's a good question, and my answer isn't going to be very clear, because Warcraft itself isn't clear on it. Warcraft used to be based much more heavily on Christian concepts. There was a Heaven and there was a Hell, there was God and Angels and all that jazz. It's much more vague and nebulous now. It seems that the Twisting Nether is the current concept of Hell, but that might just mean it's a really bad place and not somewhere that sinful dead people automatically go. I have no idea if there is still a Heaven, but the Priest quest for Benediction/Anathema has you escorting souls of Stratholme's dead to the afterlife. So do they exist? Probably, yes. It is suggested that they definitely do exist. What are they like, exactly? We don't know.
Format heaven: 10 other failures HD DVD will meet
We've already dished out our suggestions for what to do with your HD DVD player now that the format war is over, but if you decide to retire it to a better place, what other formats will it meet in that digital cemetery in the sky? A comedic (albeit nostalgic) piece over at Popular Mechanics takes a look at the top ten now-defunct video formats Toshiba's high-def medium will congregate with, and while you may not be familiar with them all (Capacitance Electronic Discs and TeD, anyone?), it's a great look back at what could have been. Rest in peace, HD DVD -- you're in great company (so to speak).
Nintendo playhouse returns us to childhood innocence
Fanboys (and girls) with enough cashflow and skill can certainly drop a few jaws with their heartfelt creations / collections, and while the Mac cathedral certainly holds a special place in the hearts of Apple freaks abroad, the Nintendo playhouse doesn't fare too badly either. While the production certainly isn't perfect from an architectural viewpoint, the creativity and sheer brilliance of such a domicile is worthy of applause, as the life-sized Game Boy, littering of characters, and barrage of retro inspirations are enough to make just about anyone show some respect. Unfortunately, we've absolutely no idea where in the world this palace is located, but until the quest to locate it finally concludes, be sure and hit the read link for homegrown Nintendo mania.UPDATE: We've been informed that this was a part of the spring carnival at Carnegie Mellon University, and we owe this honor to Sigma Phi Epsilon, who had the hand in constructing it. Kudos![Via NintendoWiiFanboy]
Virgin America showcases pimped out aircraft, lobbies for US flights
If you've never heard of Richard Branson before today, you just might become one of his best friends after checking his aircraft. The billionaire in charge of Virgin Atlantic wants to bring the company's "passion for innovation and technology" to America, and while we've seen glimmers of hope for air travel within the States, it seems that VA's alternatives demolish the current US-based offerings (although there's word that the Panasonic eFx system will be hitting US flights in the future). Utilizing a somewhat cheesy lobbyist website, the airline is attempting to garner public support to allow them to reverse the US DOTs decision to disallow VA from taking flight on American soil. But regardless of politics, the real news here is the plane's interior; first class riders get a plush, leather seating area with a flipout LCD, while "normal" passengers still get a fairly comfy looking chair and a seat-mounted 9-inch touchscreen LCD. Moreover, each passenger gets their own 110-volt power outlet (adapters, be gone!), USB port, and Ethernet jack. The VA-engineered RED in-flight entertainment system only rivals SIA's KrisWorld system, and delivers music, gaming, movies, and even food choices right to your screen. While some may find this tough to believe, you'll even encounter a full QWERTY keyboard, live TV via Dish Network, on-board email / IM / chat, the ability to create playlists and transfer them to connecting flights, and pretty much anything else you'd need to not want to ever reach your destination. So if you're interested in helping Mr. Branson make a few more billion, and would like to fly the friendly skies in complete and total geek heaven, be sure to hit the read link to vouch your opinion, and click on through for a YouTube demonstration of all the aforementioned niceties.[Via NewTeeVee]
PSP created to defeat Satan's army
This may be old as hell, but it's just too good to pass up. In this hilarious clip from South Park, we can now solve the age-old question of why the PSP was created - to defeat Satan and his hellish minions. In a parody of Lord of the Rings, Kenny, who honed his skills slaughtering digital demons on the PSP, must single-handedly combat Satan's onslaught of heaven with the ultimate weapon - the Golden PSP. Wow, what I wouldn't give for a Golden PSP, but knowing Sony, I'd most likely have to sell my wife into slave labor just to afford one. However, it just might be worth it.
