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Blood Pact: Leveling is much better in Mists of Pandaria
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Blood Pact for affliction, demonology, and destruction warlocks. This week, Megan O'Neill delayed downloading the new beta build in favor of getting her witch doctor to 60. Priorities! With the overhaul to the warlock class coming in Mists of Pandaria, guildmates and friends have been wondering whether to revive old warlocks or not. Those without warlocks on their character screens have been asking the age-old question: Should I level one now or wait until the expansion hits? Unless you're particularly masochistic about your leveling, my advice is to wait. Here's why.
BMW's DesignworksUSA, Thermaltake reveal Level 10 M gaming mouse concept
Themaltake and BMW's DesignworksUSA are apparently a design-team match made in PC gaming heaven. After previously partnering up for the elegant (and functional) Level 10 modular PC case, the two are back at it again -- this time with a focus on peripherals. While details are sparse, the Level 10 M mouse concept you're looking at is the first of the bunch to be revealed, and it's said to arrive sometime during the spring. It's not exactly a shoo-in for MadCatz's Rats, but considering the wire and an aggressively breathable design, it's clearly aimed at pro gamers. Sadly, key specs like its DPI rating and details about any macro functionality are currently non-existent, however, it does appear to be of the optical variety -- here's to hoping it'll perform just as awesome as it looks to the eyes. For now, hit up the press release past the break for a totally vague description.
SWTOR: Advance your classes
Although the idea of advanced classes in MMOs is not new, the developers at BioWare have combined the holy-trinity combat roles into something unique as you level up your Star Wars: The Old Republic character. Traditionally, you choose your group combat role right at the beginning of the game. If you play a Monk, you're a healer; if you play a Warrior, you're a tank; and if you play a Mage, you're DPS. In SWTOR, your class primarily determines your story. Your combat role is only a minor consideration. For instance, when a Bounty Hunter picks an advanced class at level 10, he may choose to be a Powertech, which grants him either tanking or DPS abilities, or he may choose to play a Mercenary, which grants him DPS or healing abilities. Every class works this way: After you finish the starter world quests you are shipped off to the Imperial or Republic fleet. If you are level 10 (and most people should be), you will automatically be granted a quest to speak to a special trainer who asks you which of two advanced classes you'd like to take. Choose wisely; currently, you cannot unchoose or change course. To help you in this all-important decision, I tried out each advanced class. None of them is terrible, but there are unique nuances to each.
Thermaltake Level 10 GT Snow Edition adds even more flair to an already audacious case
OK, so the Level 10 GT was a significantly more practical than its BMW designed fore-bearer, but it lacked a bit pizzazz that the OG version brought to the desk. The Snow Edition restores some of its gaudy flair by slathering its accents and protrusions in glossy white paint. In fact, it looks quite a lot like the version we spotted in NVIDIA's booth at Computex in May. The roughly $280 case isn't for the casual system builder, but DIYers who cherish style, silence (HotHardware called it, "easily one of the quietest full-sized ATX cases") and expandability it's a small price to pay. Or, to put it in colloquial terms, this is a bad-ass enclosure. Check out the source link for a thorough review.
Thermaltake Level 10 GT modded to the high heavens, shows off spacious interior (hands-on)
We'll readily admit that Thermaltake's Level 10 GT case isn't for everyone. Its exeskeleton-emulating protrusions don't exactly blend in well with living room decors, and the company seems to like it that way. Computex 2011 has been the victim host to a whole bevy of customized Level 10 GTs, which exhibit a love for all colors in the rainbow and a fascination with the humble LED light. Underneath the aesthetic excesses, however, you'll find a practical and very roomy case that'll happily serve as the fashion-challenged home to your next super rig. 200mm fans spin almost inaudibly, individual hard drive enclosures make hot-swapping storage a doddle, and as you'll see in the gallery below, all the mods feature retractable headphone hangers. What will they think of next? %Gallery-124852%
Thermaltake's Level 10 GT enclosure gets reviewed, deemed more practical than its predecessor
If you've never heard the words "form over function" used to describe a computer case, you must've missed Thermaltake's Level 10 last year. Sure, it made us do a double take with its BMW-designed, super modular chassis, but its 50-pound weight and $750 price made it an impractical choice for a sizable chunk of the enthusiast crowd. Almost a year later, The Tech Report has gotten its hands on its successor, the $270 Level 10 GT, and deemed it much more fit for real-world use. This time, the company decompartmentalized the 3.5-inch hard drive bays -- all while adding an extra 5.25-inch bay and making room for an external 2.5-incher. Nonetheless, the GT isn't without imperfections -- the reviewer found a few spots where the build quality was lacking. If you've had your eye on one of these, we highly recommend perusing the extremely thorough review at the source link.
Alter-Ego: A quick and dirty guide to Area 51
When it comes to taking your first steps in DC Universe Online, the sheer amount of different types of missions and objectives can be a bit daunting. "What is this Alert thing sitting in my quest log?" you might say. "What does it do? It is PvP? PvE? What's the point of doing an Alert?" Well, to help demystify some of DC Universe Online's content for you, I wanted to offer up a basic overview to the very first in-game Alert: Area 51. However, knowing that some of you have already run this instance, I also wanted to make it useful for those who may have popped in but not spent a great deal of time in the zone. That's why this post not only contains a first-timer's overview of this Alert but also gives more advanced players a handy guide to all the Investigations, Player Briefings and Collections -- as well as a couple of other things I found in the Area 51 zone that might have been missed otherwise. Ready to dig in and help beat Brainiac back from trying to take over? Curious about what kind of extra goodies can be gained? Join me after the break as I take some of the mystery out of the notorious Area 51!
Thermaltake Level 10 GT case polishes up a classic, available now for $280
The Thermaltake Level 10, arguably the sweetest-looking enclosure to ever hit the mass market, has managed to find a chassis worthy of being called its successor in the shape of the behemoth you see standing before you, the Level 10 GT. It softens the aggressively modular aesthetic of the original, but in exchange delivers a more performance-focused design, replete with three 200mm fans, air filters everywhere you look, a neat little window so you can peek inside your full-sized tower of doom, and enough space to fit the very largest of modern graphics cards. Thermaltake is asking for $280 on its online store and you can order one up today. Video awaits after the break, though we wouldn't skip out on the Flickr gallery below, either.
Modder creates robotic Level 10 case, intimidates fellow gamers in the process
Thermaltake's Level 10 chassis is not only pretty bad-ass in its own right, it's also inspired Stephen "LeatherFace" Popa to do a little case moddin'. The outcome of all this, Rog-R, is described as a "remote operating gaming rig," and it features a remote control, motorized base, and robotic arm: just the thing for playing really, really dirty at your next LAN party. Hit up the source link to get a closer look.
Screen Grabs: Thermaltake Level 10 plays coy on NCIS: Los Angeles
Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com. It ain't the first time we've seen fresh hardware hit the small screen, but we can't think of a chassis much larger than this making a cameo on the tele. Thermaltake's monstrous Level 10 enclosure popped up on NCIS: Los Angeles this week, with Chris O'Donnell doing his darnedest to lift valuable information off of the internal HDDs via telepathy. Or maybe we missed the point. [Thanks, Daniel]
Spiritual Guidance: A shadowy work in progress
The Spiritual Guidance duo, Fox Van Allen and Dawn Moore, haven't always gotten along so well. While some attribute that to the natural way that the shadow abhors the light, the real reason is the time they were on The Price is Right together in 2003. I mean, two hundred dollars for a grandfather clock, Dawn? What were you thinking? Some days, I wish Spiritual Guidance was a TV show. Not only would the world be better able to appreciate my own physical beauty, but I'd be able to do one of those "Last time, on Spiritual Guidance" opening montages, filled with dramatic clips that tell you exactly what happened last week. "Fox, we need to get to level 10, and fast! Before the orphanage explodes!" "But if you're the Priest trainer ... then who's that?" "You're not casting Smite enough! Faster! Faster! More Smite NOW! Hurry, there's not much time!" KABOOM! "The orphans, they're on fire! Quick, cast Renew!" Things are often a lot more awesome in my head than in real life, I'm afraid. Still, last week, we did address the process of starting a new priest, getting him geared up with heirlooms (or heaven forfend, green items) and the basics of the early spells (Smite, lol). This week, we're digging a bit deeper, getting to 20, rocking some instances and doing some PvP -- that's right, life as a priest is finally ready to begin. Follow me after the cut. And don't mind the random explosions and orphan debris -- they're just there for next week's opening montage.
Wooden Level Eleven PC gets inspiration from Thermaltake Level 10 chassis
Let's face it -- if you had a never-ending stack of cash and a computer room with no particular size constraints, you too would own a Thermaltake Level 10 enclosure. Regrettably, both financial and square footage constraints do indeed play major roles in most of our lives, including one Jeffrey Stephenson. This fine gentleman is quickly becoming the Ben Heck of wood-grained mods, this time cranking out a lovingly crafted iteration of the aforesaid chassis, but with that special wooden flair. The Level Eleven gets its inspiration from the gargantuan Level 10, but rather than taking things even bigger, Jeff decided to scale things down a notch; in fact, he constructed a fully functional PC within the handmade enclosure, all based around a VIA Pico-ITX mainboard and a 1.2GHz VIA Nano CPU. Thanks to the onboard VX855 media processor, this (comparatively) diminutive machine boasts an HDMI output and enough horsepower to pump out 1080p sans lag -- but it doesn't seem as if this bad boy is officially for sale. Not that he'd reject a five-figure offer or anything...
Level 10 gaming chassis gains Asetek liquid cooling solution
We're guessing that most Level 10 owners spend more time dusting off their chassis than actually using it for "computing purposes," but those that have been pinching their pennies in order to snag one now have yet another reason to do so. Asetek, which knows a thing or two about system cooling, has teamed up with iBuyPower in order to deliver the first and only liquid cooling option for what's quite possibly the planet's most astounding PC enclosure. The pain? Not a dime, as the option is now standard equipment on systems that include the case. Huzzah! %Gallery-85267%
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Desktops
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Let's face it, not everyone needs (or wants) to carry their computer around on the daily routine. Sacrificing portability can have its advantages -- and while nettops and all-in-one PCs have become a much more dominant force this year, the traditional, highly upgradeable desktop tower is still the reigning bang-for-the-buck champ. Just make sure your certain special someone has enough desk real estate for whatever potentially-enormous chassis you decide to take home and wrap. %Gallery-80501%
BMW-designed Thermaltake Level 10 scores breathless review
As PC cases go, the Level 10 is easily the most outrageous design to ever get the go-ahead for commercial distribution, and according to PC Perspective the reason for that is clear: the product's workmanship and long-term durability match its most excellent looks. Weighing in at nearly 50 pounds of densely packed aluminum, the Level 10 sports a modular design with room for six hard (or solid state) drives, three optical drives, multiple jumbo-sized GPUs, and even an appropriately huge power supply. Alas, the one shortcoming of all this supersizing (apart from the price) is pretty big in itself -- the case turned out to be so large as to make it impossible to connect some components with their standard cabling. We'll call that a newbie filtration feature and continue to hope someone loves us enough to buy us one.
iBuyPower nabs exclusive rights to sell Thermaltake Level 10 pre-built systems
So, there are two nagging issues surrounding Thermaltake's awe-inspiring Level 10 enclosure. First, it's $850 and nearly impossible to find in stock; second, you best know how to piece together a full-blown rig yourself, 'cause you won't find this beast hanging around at infrequently visited corners of Dell or HP. Somehow or another, however, iBuyPower has managed to swoop in and remedy quandary number two. As of today, it's the exclusive provider of pre-built systems using this case, with base configurations boasting Intel's Core i7-920, a 2GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, a 128GB SSD boot drive, 1TB of storage space and a Blu-ray drive. Feel free to spec this one out 'til your heart's content, but be mindful of that already-lofty $2,499 starting tag. %Gallery-79948%
Thermaltake Level 10 now shipping, ready to rock your socks and wallet off
Thermaltake's Level 10 PC chassis, a 47-pound beautiful behemoth in every way, has completed its almost exactly 9-month march from a March design unveiling to a "now shipping" retail page on Newegg. At $849.99, it ain't cheap, but let's not forget what's really important here: it fits three Blu-ray writers. Happy shopping / minor debt! [Thanks, Keenan]
Patch 3.3 PTR: Easing the curve for beginners
The patch 3.3 PTR notes are out, and the most interesting thing to me, after just a first look, is that Blizzard is making some serious tweaks to the level 1-10 experience, of all things. Dazed is getting changed a bit -- characters from levels 1-5 will be completely immune, while characters 6-10 will have a much lower chance of getting slowed down. Health and mana regeneration at the lower levels is being increased (mana costs on the lower levels of spells are also being decreased, though we're not sure yet which spells are being changed and what the difference is). The default equipment is being tweaked, and most notably, rogues will start out right away with dual wield and two daggers do it with.
Thermaltake's brain-melting Level 10 PC chassis gets real, unboxed
Remember that Thermaltake enclosure that blew your mind back in March? Of course -- you're still recovering, after all. Fast forward to today, and that very case -- which had a hint of BMW influence, by the way -- has morphed into reality, and it's far and away one of the most fabulous cases we've ever seen. Amazingly, the finished product looks awfully similar to the concept, with each compartment boasting its own ventilation. There's room for pretty much anything you'd ever want (yes, even room for three Blu-ray writers), and of course, enough LEDs are included to light up the average night club. You should also know that the shipping container weighed 66 pounds and the chassis itself is probably larger than your eight year old, so unless you've got more square footage than you know what to do with, you're probably better off viewing the unboxing shots (there in the via link) from afar.[Via Maximum PC]
Starting out in Vana'diel: Going solo, tips for levels 1-10
Hello again adventurers! Welcome back to Starting out in Vana'diel! Last time I promised that I would talk about getting levels 1-10 done and what you should do once you're done. While this probably won't be the most exciting column that will ever be written in this series, it is one of the most essential.While not everything in Final Fantasy XI comes down to levels, they seem to be the main drive for any gamer who picks this game up. Plus, I know people really don't like grinds, but that's what levels 1-10 are going to be. I'm not going to sugar coat it -- these are the most painful levels of the game.But, thanks to Fields of Valor and the exp bonus ring that you should have in your possession, things should go very smooth. (You didn't lose it since our first column, right?) Join me after the break, so we can get started on getting you to the magical level 10.
