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Trion details ArcheAge's patron status, APEX system
Trion has detailed its plans for Patron status in ArcheAge, which it says takes a cue from the company's experience in converting RIFT to a free-to-play business model. Patron status is basically ArcheAge's premium service tier, though Trion says it isn't required to play and instead "adds to the fun." Patrons will get: • Bonus online Labor Point regeneration (10 per 5 minutes) • Offline Labor Point regeneration (5 per 5 minutes) • Increased maximum Labor Points cap (5000 maximum) • 10% bonus to all Experience gained through combat or labor usage • 10% discount on Marketplace purchases • 5 Loyalty Tokens per day for use in the Loyalty Store (awarded on first login of the day) • Ability to claim land by placing farms and houses • Ability to pay in-game taxes on owned property • Ability to post auctions on the Auction House by default Trion has also announced APEX, an in-game item that grants credits when consumed and that can be sold on the game's auction house or traded between players. Much like EVE Online's PLEX, APEX will allow "industrious" ArcheAge players to pay for Patron status via their gameplay rather than real money. There's more to Trion's announcement, too, including possible F2P house ownership, so click through the links below to read the rest!
This is what Plex looks like on Android TV
Hot on the heels of all the Google I/O announcements today, the good people at Plex have let us know that a new version of its app is on the way for the newly launched Android TV. Plex for Android TV isn't a rehash of the Google TV app, but a whole new creature built for the new system. Coupled with Android TV's lovely new UI and features like voice control, Plex says users will have access to all-new ways to enjoy their media. We have to admit we're seriously excited to get our hands on yet another way to get Plex into our lives. None of this is available just yet, of course, so while we wait, have a peek at some screens of what the new system will look like.
WildStar begins to sell C.R.E.D.D. subscription items
When WildStar went live earlier this month, there was one vital piece missing from its business model: the ability to buy and sell C.R.E.D.D. in the game. Today Carbine announced that it has activated the C.R.E.D.D. store, allowing players to buy, sell, and trade this item from here on out. C.R.E.D.D. is an in-game item that adds 30 days of play time to an account. Players can purchase one for $19.99 to sell on the exchange or purchase one from another player for in-game gold. Basically, it allows you to buy more game time with in-game currency or to gain more in-game currency with your real-world dollars.
EVE Online phases out time codes, releases Bloodbath of B-R5RB video
If you want to subscribe to EVE Online, you aren't lacking for options. You can sign up for a monthly subscription, of course, but you can also purchase EVE time codes and PLEX. PLEX have the advantage of being tradeable within the in-game market, and you can use them to upgrade from a trial account to a full account. Or you can carry them around in a ship so that when it gets blown up, people can attach a real currency number to how much you lost. Clearly, PLEX have more to offer, which is why EVE Online is phasing out EVE time codes in favor of PLEX activation codes. The net prices are identical, but the effect is that subscription time will be awarded as PLEX, which you can use in all of the many ways you already use PLEX. For more details and a quick rundown of how PLEX work, check out the official blog entry. In other EVE news, CCP has released to its YouTube channel a Recording History video chronicling the events that triggered the Bloodbath of B-R5RB. We've included it below. [With thanks to tipster J!]
How to turn Sky's £10 Now TV box into a networked media player with Plex
Update 16/3/17: Sky has begun rolling out an update to all Now TV boxes that disables developer mode and purges any sideloaded apps. At just £10, Sky's Now TV box is pretty good value for money as is. The idea, of course, is that cash continues to flow in Sky's direction by means of the film, TV and sport subscription packages, but there's nothing to stop you from forking out the hardware fee and using it simply as a window to BBC iPlayer, 4OD and other free services. Understandably, the selection of channels is limited -- Sky would prefer you use the box for its paid content -- but with only a few minutes of tinkering, you can easily turn your Now TV into a robust network media player capable of pulling video and audio from your personal network and several internet sources. You see, Sky's hardware is basically a re-branded Roku LT player with a heavily curated app store, but as long as you have the correct file, you can push apps to a Now TV box that otherwise shouldn't be there. Being able to run software like Plex immediately makes the cheap set-top box an even more compelling proposition, and better yet, side-loading apps couldn't be much easier.
An independent developer is bringing a Plex client to Xbox One
When Microsoft revealed the Xbox One's independent developer program (and more recently, universal Windows apps) we hoped it could provide access for more than just games -- and it looks like that's happening. Developer Tyson Edwards reveals he's been approved by ID@Xbox to develop a Plex client for Xbox One, bringing better access to video, music and photo streaming than the console's DLNA support or web browser can provide. While the work going on isn't an official Plex project, they could base an official client on its technology. Tyson tells us he's working to bring all the features of the current Windows 8 Modern UI Plex app to Xbox One, plus voice and motion control via Kinect. He says the platform has been surprisingly easy to work with so far, and since universal Windows apps won't be available until later this year, an Xbox-specific version will be released "as soon as it's ready." So PS4, it's your move on media support -- DLNA, MP3, Blu-ray 3D, CD, anything?
Plex adds free Chromecast support for all, media shuffling and camera uploads to iOS
If paying for beta access to new features isn't your bag, the folks at Plex have some good news for you. The media outfit's announced that not only is beaming your content to Google's HDMI dongle free now (if you've purchased the app), but iOS fans can join the music and photo party too. But wait, there's more: the update also lets web users and iDevice owners shuffle, reorder, remove and add content to a media queue with some pretty neat filtering options. There isn't an ETA for availability on other platforms, however. Plex Pass subscribers have a new toy too: iOS camera uploads. The feature is pretty self-explanatory (photos are background-uploaded from your device to the Plex servers), but, if you don't have an Apple TV, it's likely one of the easier ways to put your pictures on the living room flat-screen. Can you hear that? It's the sound of the Chromecast-app floodgates creaking open -- on Apple's mobile OS, even.
EVE Online's second New Eden Open starts this weekend
EVE Online's second New Eden Open begins tomorrow, March 1st, and will continue until a team takes the top prize on March 16th. Thirty-two teams will be facing off during the double-elimination tournament for a shot at part of the $25,000 and 700 PLEX prize pool. Each of the first three weekends in March will feature several 8v8 deathmatches that will be streamed live with commentary from the developers. Out of the 32 teams, 28 secured their place by silent auction, three got in by a random drawing, and one is returning to defend its title.
Plex's new Chromecast features let you watch more content, better than ever before
Plex launched support for Chromecast a few months ago, and now its offering is getting even better. Starting today, Android users (sorry, iPhones!) can not only cast any music, videos or photos from their Plex library onto their TVs using Chromecast, they can also play content in file formats previously unsupported by the dongle. With the feature, Plex transcodes the content into a new format, allowing it to be played just as if it was natively supported. The app also now supports content mirroring. A first for the Chromecast, with mirroring you can cast a movie synopsis to the big screen while you're browsing your library to help the group make a movie night decision. If you pick a high-bitrate 1080p flick from your library, Plex tweaked how content is cast to eliminate "expensive transcoding" and make the process more reliable and efficient than ever before. The updated version of the Plex app is available now for Android, and an iPhone version is on the way. If you're thinking of giving the app a try, be forewarned: for now use of the Chromecast feature currently requires you pony up for a PlexPass subscription -- which start at $3.99 a month. The company says the feature will be free for everyone after its (undefined) preview period ends.
10 tips for getting the most out of your Apple TV
Did you get a new Apple TV for Christmas? Or, are you looking at your old, faithful friend and wondering if there are any new tricks you can teach it? The folks over at Reddit compiled a number of great tips for the Apple TV, some that are familiar to us, and others we've never seen. A couple tips have come through our dealings with the ATV. Here are 10 ways to make your Apple TV work better for you. You can use your iOS device to set up your Apple TV. This will transfer your WiFi information, iTunes account and any region/language preferences you have. Are you playing a video or deep in a nest of submenus and want to quickly get back to the home screen? Just hold down the menu button, and it'll take you back to the top instantly. Put the Apple TV to sleep by holding the play/pause button on the remote. Press up on the remote during playback, and you'll get information about the video you're watching. Press select, and audio options will come up. Go into Settings > General > Restrictions, create a passcode and then you can select what apps appear on the Apple TV's home screen. Map any remote to the Apple TV by using Settings > General > Remotes. Tired of slowly keying in data or afraid you'll lose the included remote? Download Apple's free Remote app for your iOS device. Want to rearrange the icons on the home screen? Take a cue from your iPhone. Press and hold the center button on the remote until the icon begins jiggling, then move the icon where you want. A frequent complaint is audio not syncing when using the Apple TV. Rebooting the Apple TV will fix this. Take a look at third-party apps to boost your Apple TV experience. iFlicks will convert and boost the metadata on your files to have them looking as good as possible. Go for version 1 ($9.99), not the more expensive and buggy version 2 that's US$24.99. Beamer ($15) allows you to play any video format on your Apple TV by streaming it from your Mac via AirPlay. No need to convert a file. A free trial is available. There is also a way to get PlexConnect to work with the Apple TV via the Trailers app. Play around with your screen saver settings. You can use the default photos, but you can also select movie posters fed via the Trailers app, a specific Photo Stream or a Flickr album. Do you have any recommendations? Let us know in the comments.
Plex website relaunches as Plex.tv, one-stop home for all of its media streaming abilities
Plex has grown rapidly over the last few years and its increased focus as a cloud service for your pictures, videos and music has resulted in a relaunching of the main website. Now hosted at Plex.tv, it ropes in the four disparate sections of the previous website, bringing features like Plex Pass subscriptions, myPlex server and account management and Plex/Web content access together. The web app has been redesigned to make access to your media remotely faster and prettier, and even ditched the previous need to sign in three times (site, web app, your server) for full access. Of course, there are some features currently missing and others that need to be tweaked in the new version, but with easy access to toggles like a Chromecast button at the top right, we think most will find it a welcome upgrade.
Plex Media Server arrives on Windows Phone 8, free for Nokia devices for the first month
While Plex has been busy updating its media server software for iOS and Android, it's sadly neglected Microsoft's mobile OS since its debut on Windows Phone 7 nearly two years ago. That changes today however, with the introduction of Plex for Windows Phone 8. Based on Plex for Windows 8, the program has many of the features as its other iterations -- you can remotely control your media from the device, view metadata about shows and tunes, and even share selected files with friends. Plex also now supports HTTP Live Streaming, which should result in higher quality video and support for more subtitle formats. And here's a special bonus for those of you with a Nokia WP8 device: you'll be able to download it for free for the next 30 days. Do note that the app is still under heavy development, but the company promises there are plenty more updates (like a new second screen remote feature) coming down the road.
Google Chromecast adds 10 new apps to its streaming arsenal
For users of Google's $35 Chromecast dongle, the inclusion of HBO Go was pretty much the final piece of the holy streaming trifecta (the others being Netflix and Hulu Plus). Now, however, Google's opting for quantity over quality and adding 10 new apps to its Chromecast-friendly suite. So what's in that grab bag of apps? Well, beyond just supporting its own Chrome browser, Google's now made media casting easier by supporting Plex, RealPlayer Cloud and Avia. But there's also a host of music and video content hubs, like Revision3, VEVO, Red Bull.TV, Viki, Songza, PostTV and BeyondPod, that can now cast straight to your HDTV. Don't fret if you're not seeing the apps update just yet -- Google's said the roll out should take place over the "next few days."
Plex multimedia app gets a new UI to match iOS 7
Plex might be a straggler in the iOS 7 app update parade, but as they say: better late than never. The refreshed app comes with a new look for Apple's latest mobile platform, but since it retains most of the old interface's elements, you can't exactly call it a complete overhaul. Other than this mostly skin-deep change, this release also brings a new video player, an "improved music player" and the ability to sniff out URLs from the clipboard for queuing to its myPlex cloud-synced platform. Finally, its creators peppered in a bunch of bug fixes, including ones for random freezes and syncing errors, to make version 3.3 more palatable and perhaps more worth its $5 price in the App Store.
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Plex updated for iOS 7
Plex, the powerful companion app for the Plex Media Server, has received a minor update that comes with a few nice new features. The main addition is a redesigned look for iOS 7, but power users will enjoy new the players for music and video media. The Plex app allows you to stream music, videos and photos from your home computer via its sister media server. Using Plex channels, you can also stream content from apps such as Aperture, iTunes, YouTube and iPhoto. Plex costs US$4.99, but updates are free. You can find it in the iTunes store.
EVE Evolved: Donate your old spaceships to charity
The Philippines recently suffered its worst natural disaster in living memory when typhoon Haiyan made landfall on November 8th, leaving over half a million people displaced and millions without food and basic supplies. Countries and organisations around the world have been sending relief aid into the region, and gamers have once again proven to be a generous bunch. Several livestreamers have been running donation drives; the developers behind Luvinia Online even promised to donate 100% of the income from three new in-game items to the Philippine Red Cross. EVE Online has now also joined in the fundraising by reactivating its popular PLEX for Good scheme. CCP started the PLEX for Good scheme back in January of 2010 as a way for players to donate in-game assets and ISK to help people in the real world. EVE Online players have collectively donated over $150,000 US in aid following 2010's Haitian earthquake, tsunami devastation in Japan, flooding in Pakistan, and tornadoes in the US two years ago. Players hope to smash all fundraising records this time around with dedicated fundraising auctions, events, and liquidation firesales happening across the game. There are even ways for ex-players without active subscriptions to donate their idle in-game assets to charity. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the PLEX for Good scheme, the fundraising efforts players are using to help out a country in need, and how you can donate your ISK to charity even if you've long since quit EVE.
Massively unboxes EVE Online's Collector's Edition
Sci-fi MMO EVE Online initially launched as a physical disc sold in stores back in 2003 and saw limited success in the fledgling MMO space. A decade of regular updates and digital distribution has seen EVE grow organically into the largest sci-fi sandbox on the planet with over half a million subscribers, but until now something has been missing: EVE has never had an actual collector's edition box. To celebrate 10 successful years of operation, last month CCP officially released the EVE Second Decade Collector's Edition box. I recently received a review copy of the Collector's Edition from CCP and have put together an unboxing video with my general impressions of the items within. The collection comes in a sturdy presentation box and contains a 192-page commemorative hardback book looking back on the first decade of EVE's history, along with an anniversary re-release edition of CCP's board game Danger Game and a physical Rifter model that doubles as a USB hub. The pack also comes with a new account key with 60 days of game time, a soundtrack CD of the EVE music played by the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, and keys to unlock billions of ISK worth of virtual collectables in-game. It's pretty expensive at around €150 or $150 US, but the virtual items can be sold in game to claw back some of the cost in the form of PLEX. Enjoy our look at the new CE!
CCP turns PLEX for Good program toward typhoon relief
CCP announced today that EVE Online players who wish to help relief efforts in the wake of the typhoon that devastated parts of the Philippines can do so through the company's PLEX for Good program. For every PLEX donated between today and December 17th, CCP will contribute $15 to the Icelandic Red Cross. CCP will also award donating players with one in-game Sisters of EVE shirt as a thank-you gesture. In the world of EVE, PLEX is a tradeable item worth 30 days of game time. PLEX can be purchased with real money directly from CCP or with ISK inside EVE's incredibly complex marketplace. CCP has fired up PLEX for Good in the past; EVE players using the program have raised over $150,000 for disaster relief since it was debuted in the wake of the 2004 tsunami that struck Indonesia. To donate PLEX, contract the item/s directly to the CCP PLEX For GOOD character on a 14-day item exchange contract.
Unfortunate capsuleer learns not to move EVE Online PLEX in starter ships
There is one rule in EVE Online that all pilots should remember: Never fly what you cannot afford to lose. Every few months, however, a capsuleer gets a little too comfortable, feels a little too safe, and is instantly punished for a tiny lapse in judgment. This week's lesson comes in the form of an obliterated Ibis carrying 42 PLEX cards, each of which has a real-life value of around $20 and is good for 30 days of EVE game time. The cards themselves were not destroyed, meaning some lucky pirate just snagged $840 (or 25 billion ISK) worth of loot for simply taking a potshot at a woefully underequipped frigate. The kill occurred in Jita, a high-security system that acts as one of EVE's central trading hubs. While there is protection for players in high-security space, today's kill should reinforce the idea that you're never truly safe in EVE -- if you're going to move PLEX, you should do it in something with more armor than a soda can.
Plex Cloud Sync beta stores your media across multiple online services
As good as Plex Sync may be at keeping media libraries in harmony, it's not very helpful to mobile Plex users who can't always store or stream large files on their devices. After today, they won't have to worry. The company has just launched a beta version of Cloud Sync, which saves streaming-friendly content in third-party cloud storage services like Box, Dropbox and Google Drive. Any metadata carries over, and users can even spread their media across multiple providers; they can reserve one host for movies and another for photos, for instance. Cloud Sync is only available to PlexPass subscribers, but the required (and much faster) new Media Server release is available to everyone.
