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Capture 360-degree videos with this surveillance blazer
If Google Glass and lifelogging cameras aren't enough to make you feel safe, then maybe what you really need is a surveillance blazer. See, nothing can get past the camera-dotted jacket above -- not when it can capture 360 videos of your environment and instantly upload it to the internet with the click of a button. Its Korean creator, Shinseungback Kimyonghun, believes all the cameras (controlled by an onboard Raspberry Pi) give off an "I can record you" warning, which can deter people from messing with you. It doesn't seem like he has plans to sell it en masse, though, so you might have to make your own if you desperately want one. Make sure to watch the video after the break, if that's the case, for more clues on how to get it done.
Korean ratings board suggests Limbo coming to Xbox One
Developer Playdead's eerie monochrome adventure Limbo may soon appear on the Xbox One, if a listing on the website of the South Korean Game Rating and Administration Committee is anything to go by. Discovered by NeoGAF posters, the listing offers scant details, but does indicate that Microsoft's Korean arm submitted an Xbox One version of Limbo to the GRAC for approval. No further information is available as the game is still under review. While this listing is no guarantee that Limbo will reach the Xbox One, either in South Korea or elsewhere, ratings agencies have a long history of revealing a game's existence prior to an official announcement. The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 versions of Rocksmith 2014 were revealed by the ESRB and GRAC prior to Ubisoft's unveiling, just as the Pan European Game Information group outed the Xbox One version of Stick It To The Man before it was made official. [Image: Playdead]
South Korean data breaches leave every citizen's ID at risk
There are big data breaches, and then there are massive, nation-changing data breaches. South Korean officials have warned that hacks targeting the country's national ID number system were so damaging that the government may not only have to revamp how it issues ID numbers, but hand out new ones to every citizen. That could cost the equivalent of $650 million by itself, and businesses might have to spend billions of dollars upgrading their systems to match -- you need that ID for many basic tasks in South Korea, so it's not just a question of a simple software fix.
Asker Online beta review says Korean game 'missing something'
Curious about the new Korean action-MMO Asker Online? One tester says that you really shouldn't be. Steparu spent time in the first closed beta and reports that the game is treading over familiar territory. He noted that while he's disappointed with Asker's choice of gender-locked classes (with only three classes in total so far), he found the boss fights challenging and enjoyable and the graphics pleasing to behold. "After spending a couple of days testing the game, Asker Online felt like it was missing something," Steparu writes. "I couldn't really get into the game as much as I thought I would have. Mainly because it didn't have anything new to present. The breakable environment and combat is a lot similar to Vindictus. The size of the maps are extremely small which reminded me of Dragon Nest or Continent of the Ninth. Asker just didn't have much of a flare or impact on me."
A look at NCsoft's upcoming MOBA, Master X Master
Yes, another MOBA is coming out, this one by NCsoft. The game is currently in its beta test over in South Korea. Steparu took the Master X Master beta for a spin to see if the game was worth paying attention to in an already crowded field of games; rather than finding a game that was essentially a slight reskin and retune of League of Legends, she found that the gameplay is closer to a mixture of Heroes of the Storm and SMITE with third-person shooters. The game uses a WASD control scheme whilst allowing players to tag between two characters with the Tab key, bringing in elements of team-based fighting games. It also features PvE missions for players who'd prefer to take on purely team-based challenges, further setting itself apart from the pack. Take a look at the full rundown for more details; while there's no definite release or localization date, it might be different enough from its contemporaries to pique your interest.
Korean RvR MMO Azera enters beta
A new realm vs. realm challenger is on the scene, and it's looking to move into the next phase of testing overseas by the end of this month. Azera, an RvR MMO developed by SmileGate, will feature factional warfare with a political system that allows players to assume positions of power if they're on the winning side. It is utilizing the Havok Vision Engine and contains five classes and three player factions. The new title is preparing to go into its second round of beta in Korea on October 29th.
See a takedown of a Black Desert boss
The folks over at 2P.com have been eating up the Black Desert Online Korean beta, but an encounter with a PvE boss left one writer staring at a death screen over and over again. And so, naturally, he took it upon himself to record his struggles, 12-minute fight, and eventual victory in defeating this mob. "The bosses in [Black Desert Online], it seems, are very keen to do as much damage to you as possible, dealing a lot of knock back and a handful of stun effects only if you do not use your dodges properly," the writer advises. You can watch the full takedown after the break. [Thanks to Jeff for the tip!]
Lost Continent: Carebearing your way through ArcheAge
ArcheAge is, in part, an open PvP MMORPG. "In part" is the key phrase there, and I've had a few people ask me if it's possible to play XL's sprawling sandpark opus without getting ganked or otherwise forced into an ill-fitting playstyle. Not only is it possible, but PvE has made up the overwhelming majority of my gameplay for the past month.
Korean action MMO Asker Online hits closed beta
2P brings word of another Korean MMO migrating to closed beta this month: Neowiz's Asker Online. The game first caught our attention way back in 2013 when it was nicknamed Black Sheep Online. It emphasizes a dynamic world with randomized dungeons, weather, grappling mechanics, and destructible elements. Neowiz is also responsible for BLESS, which is also still in beta and still has no hard plans to travel westward. We've included some of the newish Asker Online vids below. Think it's worth hoping for?
A look at the last test session for Black Desert
Black Desert had its last beta event recently, and if you're not in the Korean beta, you can only watch and wait from the sidelines. So how was it? Steparu has a full review and discussion of the experience available now, and while it's not perfect, it seems to be hitting the notes it's aiming for. There are also plenty of videos if you would prefer to watch and evaluate for yourself; we've embedded a bit of gameplay past the cut. According to the review, the game's biggest weaknesses are the enchanting system (which is a good system but hard to gain access to and unbalancing for endgame PvP) and the endgame PvE content (which is largely absent). The review praises graphics, customization, side activities, and the overall feel of combat. Check it out if you're looking for an opinion on the game before it launches, and keep your eyes peeled for more details as it approaches localization for the US post-launch.
Korean League of Legends shoutcasters are too much fun
Riot's shoutcasters – the hosts, analysts and interviewers on the ground during League of Legends tournaments – are professional, friendly and informative across the board, but there's something special about the Korean casters. Something energetic, frenzied and, most importantly, so much fun. YouTube user BaegMon collected a few stand-out moments from Korean shoutcasters during groups A and B in the 2014 League of Legends Worlds tournament earlier in September. The 2014 League of Legends World Championship is heading into its Knockout Stage, slated to start on October 3. The Finals take place on October 19. See who's in, who's out, and the tournament schedule at lolesports. [Image: Riot]
Korean smartphone also-ran Pantech goes up for sale
If we asked you to think about a (South) Korean tech company, it's highly likely that the names "Samsung" or "LG" would be the first to spring to mind. That's one of the reasons that Pantech, the country's third biggest manufacturer, is putting itself up for sale. Being sat behind two of the world's biggest smartphone outfits has hurt the comparatively small business, which has recorded losses for six consecutive quarters. According to ZDNet Korea, the company decided to put itself up for sale because it's worth a lot more as a going concern than it is being broken up and sold-off for scrap. Ouch.
Rumor: Blade & Soul 2 is under development
If you're still holding out hope for a Blade & Soul release in North America, you have an admirable amount of patience. But a recent rumor might sink that hope a bit further. Website 2P.com claims to have insider information that points to the development of a Blade & Soul 2, which is good news if you're a fan of the game but bad news if you're still hoping to see an official release of the original. The Shanghai studio behind the concept art was a part of the original team responsible for the game's art direction, so it could very well point to something new in the works. Whether that means a sequel, an expansion, or even an actual release on this side of the pond is all up for speculation. It's too early to flag as anything but a rumor, although the concept art that's been leaked certainly looks as if it comes from the game in question.
Let's throw a private little war in Black Desert
It's more or less an accepted fact that Black Desert is a very pretty game. There's a new video for you to gawk at past the break, and you know, it's still pretty. Yes, there are lobbed shells being thrown all around, and that's not exactly welcoming, but the way the world looks when smoke and dust is obscuring the field of vision is very nice. It's probably the prettiest war you can recall seeing. On a more relevant note, the footage comes from InpoylemQQ's channel and captures the middle of a war between two NPC factions; players could take part by assaulting the troll side of the battle if they so desired, or they could simply do their best to dodge the cannon fire. Click on past the break if you'd like to see the battle video. [Thanks to Onion75 for the tip!]
Watch a tiny robot fly an aircraft nearly as well as a real pilot
Autonomous aircraft are likely to be the future of air travel, but we're not quite there yet; even with autopilot systems in place, most airplanes are designed with human pilots in mind. South Korean researchers may have a clever robotic stopgap, however. Their tiny PIBOT automaton uses a mixture of flight data and visuals to fly using real controls. It still needs intervention shortly before touchdown, but it can otherwise take to the skies as well as many organic air crews -- it may even be a bit better in a few areas, since it uses its camera to align neatly with the runway on takeoff and landing.
Samsung's new online sitcom tries to make its employees look hip
Samsung doesn't just want to make its products look cool -- it wants its jobs to look cool, too. It's accordingly launching Best Future, an online-only musical sitcom that portrays Samsung as a hip place to work for young South Koreans. The star is Mirae ("future" in Korean), a fictional worker at the tech giant's Suwon headquarters; the six-episode series will follow her and her roommate Chaego ("best") as they dance their way through the workday. There aren't too many clues as to the storyline, but Samsung is teasing the prospect of "song battles" when the series arrives in October. Suffice it to say this won't be a deep, introspective masterpiece.
Ragnarok Online 2 shutting down in Southeast Asia
Ragnarok Online 2 isn't exactly taking the world by storm as of late. Following the title's closure in Korea last year, Ragnarok Online 2 is closing its doors in Singapore and Malaysia on October 9th. There is a pretty bright spot to this story, however, as Asiasoft's version of the game will accept account transfers from affected players. "Following the opening of Ragnarok 2's Odin Server to Philippine players last month, we are thrilled to be continuing the global expansion of Warpportal's Ragnarok Online 2 by welcoming all players from Southeast Asia regions!" Asiasoft posted. Southeast Asian players will not be able to access their characters until October 9th, and none of their Kafra Points will make the leap over to the new server.
Black Desert's non-combat stuff on display in new trailer
Another day, another Black Desert trailer. It's in Korean instead of Russian this time, but I enjoyed it anyway and I thought you might, too. It's only a minute long, but it highlights many of the fantasy sandbox's non-combat activities, including fishing, hunting, mining, chopping wood, and hanging out on the roof with your cat.
Black Desert gets an official Russian trailer
If your eyes are closely fixed on Black Desert, you're probably soaking up any piece of information you can get about the game. So you'll be happy to learn that an official trailer is now available. The down side is that it's in Russian, which will render the words of the trailer a bit impenetrable to those who don't speak the language. Then again, language hurdles have always been an issue for fans of this game in America, and you can still enjoy the game footage just past the break. There's no announced release date on these shores, but with a certain publisher lined up, it's only a matter of time.
Korean carrier upgrades eel farm, makes the Internet of (slimey) Things
By definition, the Internet of Things (IoT) should connect with anything -- even writhing, kinda gross, but often delicious eels. SK Telecom's latest project is aimed at showcasing its IoT skills with a pilot connected eel farm that uses a network of sensors to monitor thousands of eels, mostly autonomously. Sensors dotted across multiple 20-foot-wide tanks check on water temperature, pH and oxygen levels, Data is then collated and analyzed by the Korean carrier's cloud system, and bounced to a simplified smartphone app -- all in pretty much real time. "Why?" is a good question, but there's a good answer too: apparently minute changes in those factors above can be fatal to young eels. Before, this meant regular tank checks by workers every two-to-six hours. Now, it's mostly automated and sudden changes will even ping a warning to eel farmers' smartphones when needed. SK Telecom is planning to roll out the system commercially next year -- who knew eel farming was big business?
