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Study: Positive correlation between piracy and game review scores
Pirates may be dirty, pillaging fiends, but they have high standards, according to a study from Copenhagen Business School and University of Waterloo. The study tracked 173 new games on BitTorrent over a three-month release period, finding 127 of these were downloaded by 12.7 million unique peers, and that a torrent's popularity was directly correlated to its review scores. The 10 most-downloaded games comprised over 5.3 million downloads, or 42 percent of the 127 pirated games. Fallout: New Vegas had the most downloads (962,793) and an average review score of 83.7, followed by Darksiders (656,296) with a review score of 82.7. Tron: Evolution had the lowest score of the top 10 at 59.5, yet came in fifth place (496,349). StarCraft 2 had the highest review score at 89.5 and landed in seventh place (420,138). Review scores can't trump a title's notoriety, reputation or core fanbase, but researchers found "Metacritic Scores explain 10% of the variance in the unique peers per game on BitTorrent." In other words, the only vessel that these pirates are sailing on is a statistically positive relationship.
Picaroon introduces Nation's Challenge contest
Fancy yourself a pirate? Picaroon is inviting you to put your money where your mouth is via a new contest called the Nation's Challenge. The pirate-themed MMORTS from Nice Technology is hosting a global battle royale to determine which nation is the "biggest bunch of pirates." Nice's latest press release outlines the prizes on offer, and first-, second-, and third-place winners will take home 5,000, 2,000, and 1,000 doubloons (Picaroon's in-game currency) respectively. Members of the winning alliance will also pocket 300 doubloons. The contest started yesterday, so don't delay in getting your team together, and be sure to check out the official rules on the Picaroon forums.
British judge doesn't like the cut of Newzbin 2's jib, orders BT to block it
Shiver-me-timbers, it looks like the movie studios' latest legal broadside just scored a direct hit against the big bad pirate ship. A UK judge has ordered telecoms giant BT to block its subscribers from visiting Newzbin 2, a site which aggregates Usenet downloads, on the simple basis that BT knows some of its customers are using the site to breach copyright law and therefore has a duty to stop them. This counts as an unprecedented victory for the Motion Picture Association, who brought the case, and it potentially arms them with a new weapon to force ISPs to block other sites in future. Could that be Newzbin 3 we spy on the horizon?
Sid Meier's Pirates! sails onto iPad
Sid Meier's Pirates! has found another platform to plunder, sailing onto iPad for $6.99. The game includes the classic minigames from the original PC title, with some like "bombardment" (pictured) from the Wii version. The casual-core game also features the ability to "Piratize" your own picture using the iPad 2's camera, along with Game Center support. So, if you don't already own this game for the several platforms it has generated booty from, here's the latest, setting sail to make its fortune.
Leak Alert: Gears of War 3 emerges on torrent sites [Updated]
An unfinished developer build of Gears of War 3 has been leaked online, according to NeoGAF and supported by YouTube footage, including the above video showing a "Beta" Gears of War 3 loading screen and campaign footage. The leak is a JTAG version of Gears 3, meaning it will only play on specially modded or dev-kit Xbox 360s. These are commonly difficult to come by, but just because you can't run the leaked code (you can't, right?) doesn't mean other, far less scrupulous people aren't capable. YouTube and video-streaming sites will most likely contain early videos of the game, so shoot your computer screen now if you don't want to see 'em. We've reached out to Epic Games for comment on if, and how, this will affect Gears of War 3's development and release. Update: Dana Cowley sent us a joint statement from Epic and Microsoft about the leak: "We have seen the reports of Gears of War 3 content being propped on the Web and working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. This content is not from a final build and is not representative of what fans will enjoy when the game launches worldwide on September 20, 2011." We have removed the embedded video at Epic's request.
Choose My Adventure: Sailing to port
This week is my last entry in Choose My Adventure. After sailing the high seas for the past few weeks, my ship is returning to port, and I'll be turning the column over to our own Eliot Lefebvre. But even though I won't be writing about Pirates of the Burning Sea, I will continue to play it. There's a lot that I didn't get to see, and I'm particularly curious about the endgame, which seems to be where PotBS really shines. It was a bit of a bumpy ride due to the downtime from the attacks on Sony Online Entertainment, but as I wrap up my column, I'll give a rundown of my impressions of PotBS and touch on a few of my future plans in the game.
Choose My Adventure: Dirty fightin' and treasure huntin'
My pirate life continued this past week in Pirates of the Burning Sea, and thanks to your feedback, I took on some new swashbuckling skills. Based on the poll results, Dirty Fighting came out as the winning choice, and I happily retrained at my port. I also popped over to Treasure Aisle, the in-game cash shop. I had some Station Cash burning a hole in my pirate chest, and since I had so much fun on my last treasure hunt, I decided to purchase a new map case and try my luck once more at finding the giant red X. In this week's Choose My Adventure, I'll tell you how my respec went and whether I found any treasure. In addition, I'll give you a sneak peek at some new bling for my pirate ship!
Choose My Adventure: Out of drydock!
It was a happy return to the high seas for Arienne Sauvage. You might have noticed that Choose My Adventure went dark for a couple of weeks, and that's because of the unexpected downtime from the attack on Sony Online Entertainment. Now that things are back up and running, I'm ready to set sail for the last few entries of my adventure in Pirates of the Burning Sea. Join me this week as I evaluate the Welcome Back rewards, polish up my ship combat skills, and search for buried treasure!
Is Comcast blocking the Pirate Bay? (updated: it isn't just Comcast)
We've received numerous reports this morning from users indicating that good 'ol Comcast is at it again. Word on the web is that Comcast ISP subscribers are unable to access torrent site the Pirate Bay, a situation that we've been able to confirm internally. That said, we're not entirely sure it's Comcast's fault. Pings and DNS lookups seem to be resolved correctly, but users are unable to get to the site. Additionally, we're seeing reports that users on other ISPs and in other parts of the world are also having issues connecting, making us wonder if some other piece of rope further toward the topmast has come unraveled. What say you? Update: Comcast just got back to us reaffirming that it is not the cause of this issue. "We're not blocking PirateBay and reports online indicate users from several ISPs around the world are affected." As we originally mentioned we're seeing those reports too, and many of you in the poll below are showing this isn't necessarily a Comcast-specific thing. So the question remains: what kind of a thing is it? %Poll-63686% [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
U.S. Navy fights piracy with MMOs
The U.S. Navy has a new tool in its war against piracy on the high seas: MMOs. Specifically, the Massive Multiplayer Online WarGame Leveraging the Internet, or "MMOWGLI" if you like your awkward acronyms. Developed over several years to bring war simulations to the next level, MMOWGLI will go online May 16th and be used by civilians and military to figure out new ways to combat Somali pirates. This unique MMO was developed by the Office of Naval Research to be used as a flexible training platform. Under the watch of a control team, players will secure and arm ships, plan for a variety of pirate attacks, figure out hostage situations, and raid pirate camps. There's no word on whether these raids will be 10, 20, or 40-mans. ONR's Dr. Larry Schutte looks forward to seeing if this simulator will result in better preparedness: "We hope MMOWGLI will help us to understand what happens when your insights are combined with the observations and actions of another player -- will that fusion result in a game-changing idea or solution, or will the MMOWGLI platform teach us something about our traditional thought processes?"
Choose My Adventure: High society
With my busy week last week on the road (school vacation) and now the interrupted service to all Sony Online Entertainment games, I didn't have as much time as I would have liked to jump in and play Pirates of the Burning Sea. I did, however, continue my adventures a bit as Arienne Sauvage, Woman of Incredible Wealth and Taste (OK, so incredible isn't really in the title, but in my mind, it's definitely there!). I also started up a British Freetrader on one of my other Station accounts (two-boxing finally pays off!). But the real question is, did I turn on my PvP flag? Read on for that answer as well as a closer look at societies and your choices if you decide to upgrade your free-to-play account.
Choose My Adventure: Sink or swim!
Just when I think I'm out, they pull me back in! I really thought you all would choose one of the nations to play in my last poll, but no, you clearly signaled that I should stick with playing a pirate! As a result, I fitted my ship and went out to sea as Arienne Sauvage, Woman of Wealth and Taste. (Although that's up for debate) Read on for a recap of my week in Pirates of the Burning Sea, including ship combat, the community, and some pirate humor!
Tales of Pirates II preparing in-game PvP event
Professionally game-mastered events have gotten somewhat rarer as the MMORPG genre has matured, so we're always happy to highlight them. Today we've received word that IGG GMs will be holding court in Tales of Pirates II on April 28th, and players can expect a bit of action and mayhem as the event pits friend and foe against one another in a competition for numerous in-game rewards. The GM will appear next to the PvP map entrance at 10:00 p.m. EDT and will sell Lucky Cards that mark players as friends or foes. The opposing teams will do battle, with the respective objectives revolving around protecting or killing the GM. At the event's conclusion, winning Lucky Cards may be redeemed accordingly. Tales of Pirates II is a free-to-play fantasy MMO in which players navigate a large game world that spans both land and sea. The game features four playable characters as well as a customizable job system and real-time land and sea battles. Head to the official website to learn more and download the client.
Faxion Online commercial gets to the heart of conflict
"We know conflict," a new ad for Faxion Online says, and boy do they ever! The tongue-in-cheek spot shows a fictional (or is it?) day at UTV True Games, where a frisky pirate and an arrogant ninja happen to walk into the same elevator. What happens next can only be seen, not described, although we would not blame you for weeping out of awe. The commercial highlights the spirit of PvP that lies at the core of Faxion Online, an upcoming MMO that pits angelic players vs. their demonic counterparts. The same sense of humor that comes through in this ad runs rampant throughout the game, as players war over zones themed after the seven deadly sins. Currently, Faxion is in open beta. You can watch the full carnage of this video after the jump.
Choose My Adventure: A pirate's life for me!
Ahoy, mateys! Welcome to the start of my swashbuckling adventures on the high seas. The votes are in, the polls have closed, and the winner for Choose My Adventure is Pirates of the Burning Sea. It was the runner-up last time, so it's nice to see that it's finally the belle of the ball. For my introductory column this week, I'll take a closer look at the poll results (which were extremely close!) and then set off on the dangerous seas. Read on for a look at my first moments in game, and then pick my path for next week!
Risen 2: Dark Waters teaser is all about pirates, see
Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to present to you the latest trailer for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. What? Oh, sorry! In actuality, it's the teaser for Risen 2: Dark Waters -- a pirate-y action-RPG that looks to have a fair bit of flair, if this CG footage is anything to go by.
Angling coming to Pirates of the Burning Sea
"Teach an avatar to fish," the saying goes, "and he'll flood the auction house with smelly seafood." These words were never so true nor relevant than they are today, as Flying Lab announced that the ancient art of angling is making its way into Pirates of the Burning Sea with patch 2.6. Scallywags, landlubbers, and buccaneers will be invited to take up a rod and pull slimy gold out of the sea when this hobby hits the game. Designed as a fun way to pass the time, fishing will add a new challenge to PotBS. It makes sense, too, considering just how much, y'know, water is present in the Caribbean. Expert anglers will need to know and master the different types of fishing lines and lures while criss-crossing the ocean in pursuit of rare and unique species. Haul up a good catch and the local fishmonger will be happy to exchange your chickens of the sea for practical goods. The studio even hinted at a grand prize -- the region-exclusive trophy fish -- but did not elaborate. Players are welcome to give this time-treasured sport a try on the test server once 2.5 hits.
Massively's Exclusive TERA screenshots: Pirates and BAMs
Massively's got a pair of new TERA exclusives coming your way this week, the first of which deals with both BAMs (En Masse Entertainment parlance for big-ass monsters) and pirates. With all due respect to the ninja fans in the audience, pirates reign supreme, particularly the Arborean pirates on display in our new screenshots. These cultured gents are representatives of the Red Lash and are composed mainly of Castanic rogues that do the bidding of their Gula overseers. That's right, the BAMs are running the show, as the cutthroat and corpulent Gulas currently direct the buccaneers that make up the rank and file of the Red Lash. Head past the cut for some pirate and BAM-flavored lore, and don't forget to check out the four exclusive new screens in our gallery below. %Gallery-88481%
Rise and Shiny recap: Puzzle Pirates
Puzzles Pirates is pretty deceiving when you first look at it. The decade-old game looks closer to what you might have expected from LEGO Universe than it does a strategic, puzzle-based combat game. But as you get more into the basics of the game, you realize that many of the tricks up Puzzle Pirate's sleeve would be awesome if featured in other games. The puzzles are integrated into your experience flawlessly, and the grouping system is wonderful. In fact, I couldn't stop thinking about why other games don't feature systems like those in Puzzle Pirates. Name me a game that does group combat, ship combat or even crafting based on puzzles! I think that the perceived silliness of puzzles, or the perceived juvenile nature of puzzles, keeps them out of popular developer's minds. It's not as though raiding or other group activities in other games are high art or much more than a very basic puzzle. Stand here, push that. Repeat. Now move. Push that, followed by this. Repeat. So let's look at how Puzzle Pirates plays, how the community members fare, and what issues I did have with this brilliant puzzler. Click past the cut!
The Road to Mordor: Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!
Major patch weeks are always a great deal of fun in Lord of the Rings Online as everyone digs into the new content, looks for hidden gems, and goes on grand new adventures. As much as I appreciate most everything in this week's Echoes of the Dead update, I have to say that, hands-down, the additional outfit slots made me the happiest. Yes, I'm weird, but I can't be the only one who had an inner squeal of joy when Turbine announced that it was going to expand (via the store) the number of outfit spots from two to five. I've always, always loved the outfit system in this game as a way to give my characters a unique and aesthetically pleasing look versus having to stare at the mismatched armor they seem to pick up along the way. In celebration of the additional outfit slots, I wanted to finally dig into the outfit system and look at the basics of Middle-earth fashion: where you get these pieces, how colors come into play, and where you might go for inspiration. So let's put on our finest frippery and strut the catwalk, ladies and gentlemen! (I promise, next week I'll be much more manly. Probably.)
