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PAX Prime 2013: S2 Games shows off Strife
I was pretty interested to see S2 Games' newest venture into the MOBA genre, Strife, at this year's PAX Prime. It's a more newbie-friendly take on the traditional DotA concept while still retaining high levels of complexity and a high skill cap. S2 Games has learned a lot of lessons from Heroes of Newerth, and I spoke with creative designer Doug Houserman about what the team is bringing to the table to make Strife a better game.
Patch 5.4 PTR: Pet cap raised to 1,000
Pet collectors rejoice! No longer are you held back, burdened by the oppressive regime that prevents you from expressing your burning and undying love for WoW pet collection. Finally, with patch 5.4, the pet cap will be raised from 650 to 1,000! Notice anything different about this tool tip? #Warcraft #PetBattles #1000 pic.twitter.com/UgkuU50B12 - Cory Stockton (@mumper) August 9, 2013 While many players, including me, are nowhere near the cap of 650 pets, a cursory glance at sites like warcraftpets.com indicates that there are many players rapidly approaching the cap, if not quite there yet. The top collector on their rankings has 567 unique pets, not to mention any duplicates. Indeed this site shows that there are currently 580 battle pets available, and we already know of several new pets being added with 5.4, so this increase in the cap is welcome indeed. A quick glance at my character reveals that, on the account with the most pets, I have a paltry 103. There is little to no likelihood of my troubling the 650 pet cap at any time soon. Where are you with your menagerie?
Massively's hands-on with Strife, a new MOBA from S2 Games
My team is struggling. We've managed to hold our own after a nasty fight in the bottom lane, but then a message appears on my screen: Krytos is coming. The team at S2 Games had warned me about this giant ape and his tower-neutralizing, minion-stomping abilities. But there he was with the enemy team following in his wake. This is Strife, the new free-to-play MOBA from the company that created Heroes of Newerth. The three-lane-based gameplay might look familiar from the top down, but a giant ape is just one of many interesting mechanics Strife is utilizing to help create a more enjoyable and flexible MOBA experience. Oh, and did I mention the pets and the crafting?
Neverwinter's companions are real bears (and cats)
Have you ever found yourself playing Neverwinter and thinking, "This is great, but it'd be way better with an enormous bear mauling things while I cast spells"? Or perhaps you'd prefer a panther, or a hawk, or an enormous spider? Whatever your preferred flavor, the game probably has a companion to match your tastes, and each of them is on display in the new companion trailer embedded just past the cut. Although the idea of a spider companion is kind of really creepy. This trailer comes along with the addition of a new companion to the cash shop, the Cave Bear. Your ursine companion will obligingly maul your opponents while stealing health and comes with a max rank of 20. There's also a new dye pack, which has very little to do with companions but might help you coordinate your outfit with your feral chums. So check out the full trailer past the break for an idea of what you can do with an animal buddy.
Daily iPad App: Peterest is Pinterest for your pets
What do people most use the internet for? Corresponding with loved ones? Reading news? Buying useless things on eBay? None of the above. The correct answer, of course, is to look at pictures of adorable animals. The creators of the website Peterest -- and its new iOS companion app - have clearly stumbled upon this fact long ago, using the knowledge to create an app with the sole purpose of letting people share photos of their pets. As the name suggests, Peterest is very much a Pinterest clone with added furry flavor, letting users favorite photos from other users and create a collection of cute pets pics. You can save and store the names of your pets within the app and use that info to tag each photo you submit. All of your submitted pictures are linked to either your Peterest account (which you can sign up for within the app) or your Facebook account. When browsing the photos other users have submitted, you can sort via date or popularity, but sadly there is no option to sort via pet type. Personally, I'd stay in the "Cat" section permanently. Unfortunately, that's not the only area where the app falls short of its potential. At the moment, Peterest is very, very basic. Aside from submitting and browsing photos, there is little else you can do. There is no comment feature, which is a real letdown. There is no ability to follow other users, and there's not even the option to see who favorited your own submitted pictures. On top of that, there's not even an option to add an avatar to your account unless you link with Facebook, leaving you with the default blank face icon. Peterest could really be a fantastic time killer -- and in some ways it's already a fine way to kill a lunch break -- but it definitely needs to be fleshed out before it approaches greatness. The app is free, so there's no harm in downloading it now and waiting for the much-needed features to eventually appear, if they ever do. For now, I'll just keep submitting photos of my cats and pretending everyone loves them.
Chaos Theory: Been there, done that, got the guardian event t-shirt in The Secret World
The hardest part about writing about The Secret World's anniversary Guardians of Gaia event was stopping long enough to write! No, seriously, it was completely addicting; you kept thinking, "Oh, just one more guardian," and soon the entire day and half of the night was gone. And then the weekend. I should know because I hardly left the game this past week! (But let's keep that between us, shall we?) What could be so compelling that it kept me logged in for more hours than I'm willing to admit even to comrades at a gaming site? It all started innocently enough: I simply came to the aid of someone trying for a guardian pet reward. Quite the critter aficionado myself, I was more than happy to help, Sounds harmless enough, right? Wrong! That was only the beginning. Little did I know what I was truly in for as the event turned out to be a veritable smörgåsbord of AP, SP, and loot as well as a shining example of community cooperation. And I got a t-shirt! Unfortunately, it couldn't all be sunshine and kittens... I mean gloom and golems (this is TSW after all!). Something invariably has to go wrong, or it wouldn't be a true MMO, right? There was a definite black cloud that hung over the otherwise festive occasion. And I hope it is one that Funcom will address and dispel for any future events.%Gallery-193850%
Could it be? A corgi for me?
Corgis, why corgis? asks forum poster Pikkuhukka, after stumbling across the above image from MMO Champion. Well, why not? the rest of us impatiently reply. Oh, and there's the corgi meme, in case you're not familiar with it. A corgi pet has been on the wish list of many WoW players for a good long time now, months at least! If this image truly reflects a new pet to come in 5.4 or another future patch, then I am certain there will indeed be much rejoicing. I mean, the Winter Veil corgi was a good start, but it's just not the same! What would you do for a corgi pet, if anything? Would you buy it on the Blizzard store? Would you run dungeons with another 100 random players like you did for the Perky Pug? Would you camp its spawn point? Would you just not care? And hey, Blizzard, since you've clearly got a model for adorable dogs with stubby legs, may I suggest the Swedish Vallhund for your next offering, pretty please?
Patch 5.4: In-game store announced
We've been speculating about it since the experience potion was datamined, and now we have an announcement. Yes, Virginia, there will be an in-game store. Bashiok gives us the details on what the current plan for the feature is, including a way to get lesser charms of good fortune, and the big news is that the feature will be rolled out first on Asian realms. Bashiok - 5.4 In Game Store 100% XP buff? First, we'll be testing the in-game store with some new kinds of items we're looking into introducing (in Asian regions, at the outset) based on player feedback: specifically, an experience buff to assist with the leveling process, as well as an alternate way to acquire Lesser Charms of Good Fortune. We've had a lot of requests from players in different regions for convenience-oriented items such as these, and as with other new ideas we've introduced as WoW has evolved-including Pet Store pets, mounts, and more-your feedback plays a hugely important part in determining what we add to the game. source So as we speculated before, the experience buff is going to be region specific, rolling out in Asian realms first. No word on when/if these features will make their way to Europe or North America. It's a move that I have to admit makes sense considering that most of the recent subscriber drop was reported to be in Asia. Asian realms use a different business model where you pay by the hour, and new players are not willing to play hourly in order to catch up with existing players. Whether or not a version of the store with the various mounts and pets available on the website will debut at the same time as the convenience items like lesser charms and the new XP buff is yet to be determined.
SWTOR adding killer Ewok companion in 2.3
Ewoks may no longer be number one on the list of George Lucas' crimes against humanity -- we'll give that joint honor to Jar Jar Binks and Howard the Duck -- but they're still pretty polarizing amongst fans of a galaxy far, far away. Naturally, then, BioWare has decided to add a new Ewok combat companion to Star Wars: The Old Republic as part of the forthcoming 2.3 patch. Dulfy.net reports that you'll need to have a level 40 legacy and a million credits to unlock the cuddly little booboo, who also happens to use heavy armor and boasts a heal and tank stance. Dulfy includes plenty of stats and spoilerific cutscene video in the preview article, so click through at your own risk! [Thanks Dengar!]
Moonkin hatchling 50% off this week only
This week only, one of WoW's most adorable pets is on sale. The Moonkin Hatchling is on sale for $5, €5 or £4.50, depending on your local currency. This adorable little creature is effectively a buy one moonkin hatchling get one moonkin hatchling free deal, as you get both versions pictured above for your money, one for the Alliance and one for the Horde. As you'd expect, they are account-wide, and also battle pets. The Moonkin Hatchling is a humanoid battle pet, with abilities such as Solar Beam, Cyclone and Moonfire reflecting his druidic status. He also has some utterly adorable animations, growing little flowers on the ground to brighten your day, as well as periodically hovering a few inches from the ground with his tiny wings. And what's more, he can fly, and will accompany you on your flying mounts, defying the laws of physics. The sale ends on July 1 at 11.59pm PDT in the US, CET in the EU.
Breakfast Topic: Zookeeping
Have you been on a World Safari to catch every battle pet in the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, Outland, Northred, and Pandaria? If so, you've recently been given the chance to finally receive your Zookeeper title with the seasonal Qiraji Guardling pet arriving in Azeroth last week. So tell us, young zookeepers, have you caught your Qiraji yet? Or has, perhaps, this lengthy achievement has tried your patience until you've given up? But even if you've given up, it may still be a good idea to go out to Silithus and pick up this pet: that way if you decide to pick up collecting again, you won't have to wait until summer to get another one. Unfortunately for those who didn't pick up a Snowy Owl over the winter, the Zookeeper title will have to wait another year. But whatever your situation: how are your zookeeping adventures going?
Seasonal pet Qiraji Guardling available today
If you're a collector looking forward to getting the World Safari achievement for the Zookeeper title, this summer is your big chance to finally catch the seasonal Qiraji Guardling pet. Though not strictly associated with the Midsummer Fire Festival, this miniature Qiraji only spawns during the summer season. If you're looking to catch one, you'll find them in Silithus near the Scarab Wall... but with a bunch of zookeepers-to-be waiting for it to spawn, expect a crowd. If you don't like fighting for spawn points, the Guardling should be around for a few months. While we don't have an exact date from Blizzard, its winter-only counterpart, the Snowy Owl, spawns from November to February. Happy hunting!
Blossoming Ancient pet added to Blizzard store
If Withers, the Ruby Sapling, and the Teldrassil Sapling just aren't cutting it in terms of tree pets for you (and how could you not want another tree pet? I'm stumped at the very thought!) then you're in for a treat. Blizzard has just added the Blossoming Ancient to its digital store for $10. The Blossoming Ancient is a miniature version of the great Ancients that protect and guard Azeroth's forests and natural landscapes. If you don't think it's cute enough on its own, get this: it changes with the seasons. You can check out previews of the seasonal forms on the purchase page. If you haven't yet made the foray into digital pet purchases, now might just be the time to branch out! ... Okay, I just really wanted to make that pun. As with all digital pet and mount purchases, the Blossoming Ancient will be available to all the characters on your account. Take good care of your little Ancient, hero of Azeroth!
Patch 5.4 PTR: Datamined NPC, mount, and pet models
Along with the recently released patch 5.4 patch notes, our friends at MMO-Champion have data-mined some new models including armor for tier 16 and season 14 gear. Garrosh Hellscream gets a new look and we get a sneak peek at the latest sha! Everything behind the cut contains spoilers for the upcoming patch 5.4. Click through and view at your own risk! Please note: This post contains spoilers for patch 5.4.
Whistle canine fitness tracker can be pre-ordered now for $100
Pet care industry spending exceeds $50 billion per year in the US alone, so there's no question that folks are dropping some serious dough on man's best friend. A device to track your dog's health, then, makes an awful lot of sense, from a business perspective at the very least. Whistle, designed by a company bearing the same name, keeps tabs on your pooch for 100 bucks. The device connects to your pet's collar; from there, it quietly measures activity and rest. The information it gathers can then be shared with both you and your dog's doc, and it's also added to a database, available to researchers around the world. The device and associated service will provide feedback for improving your dog's health, tailored to his or her specific breed. You don't pay any fees beyond the $100 pre-order charge, which you can submit directly to the manufacturer at the source link below.
WoW Insider's guide to the battle pets of 5.3
Patch 5.3 has added a ton of new content to the game, including some additional battle pets for us all to collect. We've compiled a a rundown of them, including where to find them and what they do. Have at y, pet collectors, and happy hunting! Burning Crusade raid pets There are a total of ten new battle pets that can be found in Burning Crusade-era raids. And you thought you were done farming the Karazhan opera! Karazhan L'il Bad Wolf The L'il Bad Wolf has a chance to drop from the Big Bad Wolf at the Karazhan opera event. Sadly, the Big Bad Wolf is not a guaranteed boss from the opera, so this pet is likely to be one of the more difficult ones to add to your collection this patch. For the lucky ones who do manage to grab the L'il Bad Wolf, you'll be rewarded with a Humanoid pet possessing Claw, Mangle, Howl, Counterstike, Dodge, and Pounce. While none of those are unique abilities, Mangle is possessed only by two other pets in the game.
Bad Robot battle pet to come in 'a future patch'
Engineers who also like J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions can rejoice in knowing they'll be able to craft this homage to the production house in World of Warcraft. No word yet on what's so bad about said little robot, but here he is regardless. Blizzard <3s Bad Robot One of the core values we live by here at Blizzard is "Embrace Your Inner Geek." We play countless games, we collect comics and card games, we love cutting-edge technology and computer hardware, we're fascinated by science and discovery, and many of us are movie buffs. Movies represent the combined imaginations of talented writers and visionaries, artists and operators, editors and producers, that can culminate in an awesome cinematic experience. It's with this motivation that we express our respect for JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Productions. Coming in a future patch, characters with the Engineering profession will be able to produce this mechanical homage to the company that brought us award-winning television shows like Lost and Fringe, and are continuing the epic Star Trek and forthcoming Star Wars film sagas. Everyone has a chance to get their hands on this pet, allowing them to show off their mutual appreciation for Bad Robot, and the stories they've brought to our TVs and movie screens. We hope everyone enjoys this new pet! source Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
Mythology-inspired The Lost Titans launches open beta today
The Lost Titans, a free-to-play fantasy game inspired by real Egyptian, Greek, and Roman mythologies launches into open beta tonight with the creation of a brand-new Olympus server. At 10 p.m. EDT, doors open to a revamped beginners' area as well as new mounts, pets, and events. Players can test their luck by spinning Fortuna's Wheel for a chance at prizes or delve deeper into the Core of Aristos to avenge their Titan ruler Hyperion. Open beta also brings new PvP features, including a dueling system and a battleground where players can mount up and face both bosses and other players simultaneously. For a sneak peek of the action, check out the images in the gallery below and the trailer after the break. [Source: ZQGAME press release]%Gallery-186060%
Star Trek Online celebrates First Contact Day on April 5th
If you believe the Star Trek franchise, April 5th will be a very important day in 50 years as the day that humanity makes its first contact with the Vulcans. It's definitely an important day in Star Trek Online as a result of the lore. To commemorate the in-universe historical event, the game will be hosting a special event from April 5th until April 11th. Players will be able to visit the Utopia Planitia shipyards orbiting Mars and celebrate Starfleet's legacy by meeting its latest and greatest ship. The latest incarnation of the Enterprise will be docked at the shipyards during this time, allowing players to meet the crew of the NCC-1701-F and pick up a non-combat replica of the Phoenix. Klingon players won't be left out of the celebration, as the Day of Honor will be running concurrently around Qo'Nos and players can pick up a special bat'leth. So whether you're part of the Federation or the Empire, it'll be a week of celebration for days that aren't very special now but will be in the future.
SpotLite GPS lets you find your dog with an iPhone
Earlier this month we pointed out the SpotLite 2.0 GPS tracking device by Securus, Inc. that helps you locate and find your pet. The durable, waterproof device offers 24-hour, real-time tracking or your favorite canine. SpotLite 2.0 is even backed by the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) service, so finding Fido becomes a much easier process than walking around the neighborhood shouting the dog's name. I spent a few days testing the device with my Boston Terrier Batgirl (that's her at right), who may or may not have been happy about conducting her first tech review. Here's my look at the SpotLite 2.0 GPS pet tracker. The SpotLite 2.0 device The "why" of this device is pretty clear: dog owners love their pets and losing one can be a stressful occasion. Anyone who has conducted an "analog" search for a lost dog -- wandering about shouting their name -- knows how ineffective and unpleasant that can be. The SpotLite lets you see exactly where the dog is in real time. That's great. %Gallery-183774% The SpotLite 2.0 device itself is fairly small. It's about 2.75" long, 1.75" wide and 0.75" tall (note these are my own hasty measurements, not official dimensions). Its exterior is mostly plastic and feels very sturdy indeed, and Securus notes that it is waterproof. I didn't test this but I don't see where water would get in, either. The top of the device features an SOS button (more on that later) plus three status indicator lights. On one side you'll find a micro-USB port for charging the internal battery and a SIM card slot. Both seal tightly and the latter can only be opened with a screwdriver. On the bottom you'll find an IMEI number, which you'll need for registration, as well as the serial number. The device also ships with a zip-close pouch with a strap on the back. Use this to attach the SpotLite to your dog's collar. It's all very lightweight and shouldn't bother most dogs who are used to wearing a collar with tags dangling from it. Setup The initial setup procedure is quite easy, if not a little time-consuming. First you must charge the device for about five hours, which isn't too bad. Next, go online and complete the steps that ship with your unit. None of this is tricky, but you must follow the steps in order to be successful. At last, turn the device on when prompted. It will blink away as it acquires a signal and locates itself. While that's happening, grab the free companion iPhone app, SpotLite GPS Pet Locator. Use Now that you're all set up, let's have some fun! I conducted two tests with the SpotLite 2.0. First, I walked around the block with Batgirl and monitored our path with the iPhone app, to see how accurately it would report her location. Then I sent the kids to take off with her anywhere they wanted in the neighborhood and then wait for me to find them. First, the accuracy test. Batgirl and I suited up and took off for a walk. I launched the iPhone app which found my device rather quickly. The Dashboard was my first stop. It lists the device itself and it's last known location, complete with time, and nearest physical location. It even retrieves the battery status, which is really nice. You'll also find the alarm status (I'll get to that), current mode and LED status. Scroll down to find a live map. Next I tried out the tracking feature. This works very well. Within a couple of minutes, I had a live feed of where Batty and I were. I was impressed with the accuracy, especially since I live in the middle of nowhere. At this point I was convinced that the iPhone app tracks the device effectively. On to test number two. I instructed the kids to hide somewhere in the neighborhood with Batty and I'd come to find them after a 20-minute head start. They were off, I launched the app and set off. About two minutes after tapping Tracking, I had a lock on where they were. Since I was in the car, I found them within minutes. If Batgirl had reached the chosen hiding place without any of us -- and without the SpotLite 2.0 -- I would have searched for significantly more time, wasted gas and probably recruited/alerted/annoyed neighbors. There's a lot more to it than this. During set up, you can designate "safe zones." If your dog leaves a designated safe zone, the SpotLite 2.0 will send you a text message right away. At that moment, you know that Spot's gone. I didn't get to test the SpotLite's arrangement with the American Kennel Club Companion Animal Recovery (AKC CAR) team, but it's impressive. They offer around-the-clock recovery assistance, further reducing the amount of time you'll spend searching. Finally, there's an SOS button on the top of the device. If someone finds your dog and you're not around, they simply press that button and you receive a text message that includes the dog's location. Cons While the SpotLite 2.0 is compact, it's bulky on a small dog. I moved it off of Batgirl's collar and put it on her harness, which was much better. If your small dog wears a harness or better yet, a vest with pockets, try that. The iPhone app occasionally took a while to find the device, but that could have been due to the poor coverage in my area. The app does pop up a warning about this, but I waited longer than three minutes on two occasions. Again, that's not the SpotLite's fault, but if you live in an area with poor coverage, keep that in mind. Finally, at one point the tracking failed and I got stuck with a "Communication Failed" dialog box that I could not dismiss. I had to force-quit the app. Again, this might have been due to poor AT&T coverage in my area. Conclusion I like this product a lot. It provides huge peace of mind and an even bigger hand in finding a lost dog. The SpotLite 2.0 sells for US$119.99 plus a monthly service charge of $12.99.
