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Indie gaming mavens plan a heist in Subversion demonstration
What if two independent game development superstars (VVVVVV's Terry Cavanagh and Love's Eskil Steenberg) and one video game journalist (Kieron Gillen) coordinated a bank heist? No, that's not the setup for a poorly constructed joke -- it's the premise of the video demonstration posted after the jump of an upcoming game from indie developer Introversion titled Subversion. The game (which was announced back in 2006, but is still in the early, pre-beta stages of development), tasks players with executing Mission Impossible-esque espionage missions using a real-time strategy interface. Check out the half-hour guided demo after the jump to see how these missions unfold -- and to get a look at the game's unique, procedurally generated world in motion.
Cataclysm Beta: A walk-through of the all-new Westfall
This article has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Editor's Note: This article contains heavy plot spoilers for the upcoming Cataclysm expansion. Read at your own risk! In the heart of every player who has leveled a human character lies a special place for the gentle, rolling plains of Westfall. Despite the fallow fields and barren hills, the region has a sort of natural beauty to it that many players have found irresistible, making it a favorite for Alliance players. Given its high popularity and my own nostalgia for the zone, I was a bit worried when Cataclysm was announced. What would happen to the great zone? Would it be so radically changed that it no longer resembled what it once was? Would it go by mostly untouched, leaving it unused in the wake of more polished zones? Fear not! The zone has retained its raw beauty and has received a number of much needed upgrades. The town of Sentinel Hill is now much more secure, with a large wall and greater defenses. The layout of the zone remains mostly the same, with the exception of the Raging Chasm. Once the Alexston Farmstead, this area is a swirling vortex of wind and dust, a remnant of the cataclysm. It adds a new feature to the skyline of Westfall, as it towers into the air at a distance that can be seen from any corner of the zone.
Final Fantasy XIV covers the basics of healing and fighting
The toothy fellow heading the page might seem rather unfriendly, or he might just seem in need of a good joke or two. But rest assured that if you see him in Final Fantasy XIV, any jokes you tell will feature him consuming your flesh as a punchline. The newest dispatch covering game basics has just gone live on the official player site, this time discussing combat, engaging targets, and the difference between active and passive modes. Along with a discussion of just what advantages active mode offers when you're not in combat (slower TP decay), the dispatch also includes a small visual guide to some of the game's aggressive inhabitants. Some of them wouldn't be immediately recognizable as aggressive at first glance, making it useful to any players who haven't ventured too far from their starting city of choice. If you're still unclear about some of the basics of Final Fantasy XIV, take a look at the guide... and if you're quite clear on all of them, you can simply cross your fingers that tonight's maintenance might include a patch going live.
Exclusive: Aion's Beshmundir Temple goes hard mode
Assault on Balaurea has been a part of Aion for nearly two months now. Are you getting bored yet? If you feel like you've done all of the new content so much that it's a snooze, get ready for a new challenge. Beshmundir Temple is going into hard mode. Aion developers have been hard at work on this for a long time, and they've prepared a huge guide for the PowerWiki. You'll find advice, walkthroughs, details on the named bosses, and much more. The guide will be released next week, but Massively got an exclusive look at it ahead of time. We've formatted it all up into a handy overview for you, so follow along after the jump for a look at what Beshmundir Temple hard mode has to offer!
En Masse shows off PAX TERA demo video
En Masse Entertainment has taken the wraps off a lengthy video edit of their PAX Prime 2010 TERA press demonstration. If you missed the game convention, as well as our coverage of the cultist refuge, you can sample scenes from the demo that have been cut together and made available on YouTube. The video, featuring a look at several boss fights as well as the interior and exterior of the cultist's refuge, runs right at six minutes in length and is underscored by some cheeky narration courtesy of producers Sam Kim and Stefan Ramirez. "TERA is deep, it doesn't just have a story, it is a story. Progression isn't just about levels, items, or skills but about moving the story forward and finding out more about the world and your role in it as a player," Kim notes. In addition to the usual footage of TERA's combat, there are also some interesting shots of the environments and what looks to be harvesting mechanics in the form of butterfly gathering.
Halo: Reach data pad location guide videos
Over on Halo Reach Planet -- the fansite, not the actual planet -- all 19 of Halo: Reach's hidden data pads have been discovered and their locations documented. Head past the break for the video walkthroughs -- only after you've finished the campaign on your own, of course ... having undoubtedly missed a few of these side-story Easter eggs.
The extra safe, extra cautious iOS 4.1 upgrade guide
In case you missed it, the highly anticipated iOS 4.1 software update was released yesterday. If you've already upgraded, or after reading that sentence you're not already downloading it now, then you obviously like to play it cool and safe. Hey, there's nothing wrong with that. Good for you! Either that, or you got seriously burnt last time. Well, when you're good and ready, Mac Observer has just the guide for you. It's so extensive, it practically holds your hand when taking your first steps to the land of iOS 4.1. From considering whether you should upgrade or not, to making sure your 'must have' apps are compatible and backed up for the new update, the walk through will guide you every step of the way, without making you run before you can walk! Seriously though, if you can't afford any mishaps, it's well worth the read. The walk through will even guide you on resetting your iTunes warnings so that the ones you nonchalantly clicked through last time will trigger again. Just make sure you read them this time, OK? Have you upgraded your iOS device to software version 4.1? Have you hit any snags along the way? Let us know how you're doing in the comments.
Video: Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood gameplay walkthrough
Here we were, thinking -- foolishly, might we add -- that this holiday season might not be packed to the gills with games we're way excited for. And then Ubisoft dropped this walkthrough of Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood from Gamescom, reminding us that there's one more game to be crazy excited about. Did someone say "war horse?" Yep, the narrator of the walkthrough certainly did. In addition to all the other new stuff Ezio can do in Brotherhood, he's able to hop from his horse to others -- including the war horse, one of several new horse types. If that doesn't get your pulse going, you may have already been assassinated. Head past the break for the entire video.
Battle.net parental controls guide
We've talked before about using parental controls to opt out of Real ID and we've talked about the new Battle.net site, but we haven't actually talked about setting up an account for your child ... until now. The gallery below is a walk-through on what settings are available and how to set them up for your child. If you are taking the route of electronically limiting your child's play time, I highly recommend setting up both limitations and a schedule. This way, you don't have to be constantly checking to see if your child is playing outside his approved play schedule. However, it's a very good idea to look over your child's shoulder to make sure he's not griefing the locals or using language that previous generations would wash out mouths for. %Gallery-98433%
Extensive TERA E3 demo video unveiled
If you're a fan of TERA but weren't able to make it to E3 2010, you can still check out portions of the lengthy press demonstration video that En Masse Entertainment showcased a couple of weeks ago in Los Angeles. Gametrailers has an edited version of the video, narrated by producers Sam Kim and Stefan Ramirez, which takes viewers on a whirlwind tour of TERA's action combat as five of the game's eight classes are shown battling through a scenario to take down the evil Captain Marduck. "Keep in mind that this isn't a trailer, it is a cut down version of our demo and it is built entirely from footage captured from one of our sessions. We're going to boil this down to a five minute recap that gives you a taste of the experience," Ramirez notes. The video highlights the berserker, warrior, slayer, sorcerer, and priest classes. Check it out after the jump, or at Gametrailers.
Nokia completes its N8 video tour with media player and HDMI demo
You've seen parts uno and due already no doubt, so let's dive straight into the third and final installment of Nokia's N8 overview. Today we are treated to the Symbian^3 media player, which continues to closely resemble Apple's Cover Flow, but we're sure the companies will work it out between themselves. That cover-centric interface gets tugged around a few times to show the phone can handle it without lag, and we also get to see a repeat visit from our friend Mr. Long Press, which functions as a mobile version of a right-click by popping up a menu of contextual options. The video continues into a look at the HDMI connectivity and points out that the N8 will be compatible with Bluetooth keyboards -- you know, if you're in the mood for an Espoo-approved version of Google TV. See the whole thing after the break. [Thanks, Hythem]
Nokia N8 video overview: Symbian^3 homescreens, messaging, email, and Flash-capable browser on show
It seems like the only question really left about the Nokia N8, albeit the most important one, is just how it'll interface with the user and what the experience of living with it will be like. The Nokia Conversations team is now aiming to answer just that with the first of three video walkthroughs taking us on a tour of the new device and its Symbian^3 operating environment. We now know you can have up to three homescreens with six widgets apiece, and -- gasp -- wallpapers are available right off the bat. Threaded messaging is also implemented in the new OS, as well as a soft QWERTY keyboard and a set of emoticons... yes, emoticons. Notably, the entire demo is done with the phone held in landscape, suggesting that might be the preferred method of use, while transitions between menus look as quick and pleasurable as you might expect from a promo video. See the whole thing after the break.
Microsoft Kin UI walkthrough
If you've managed to pull your eyes away from our no-holds-barred liveblog of Microsoft's Kin announcement, you might've noticed that there are videos up on the official Kin site depicting the UI in all its hipster-lite, storytelling glory. Still, in case you're not a 20 something living in Brooklyn on your parents' money while pursuing a career in the arts, we've turned those motion video picture things into regular stills for your staid perusal. We even added little descriptors below the galleries, which due to your acute lack of ADD you might even find time to read. We upped the videos after the break as well, just in case you wanted to try your hand at the young-and-hip life. %Gallery-90321% Kin Spot is a little hot spot at the bottom of the screen almost akin the virtual "binding" in Courier. You can drag pictures, addresses, web pages, and other media into it, and then drag the faces of friends who you want to send the stack of stuff to. Once you tap the spot you can preview your message, add some text, and choose from MMS or email to send it out. Haven't had enough? Check out our hands-on and the official announce post! Videos and the rest of the features are after the break.
Don't get fooled again, watch this tutorial for the R.U.S.E. public beta
When we last played R.U.S.E., we weren't shy about expressing our initial difficulty with the game's steep learning curve. After all, the game is a deep real-time strategy title and still in beta (set for release on June 8). It's extra nice, then, that senior producer Mathieu Girard and creative director Alexis Le Dressay created this eight-minute-long walkthrough of the various gameplay options at your fingertips in the public beta. From faking army advances to the importance of reconnaissance, Girard and Le Dressay will have you up to speed on the forthcoming game's variety of tactics in no time. There are even subtitles for those among us who don't speak French-accented English or haven't played Heavy Rain -- talk about accessible! %Gallery-48492%
Dissecting the Splinter Cell: Conviction demo
Now that the Xbox 360-exclusive demo for Splinter Cell: Conviction is available, we thought it appropriate to walk readers through the experience in a lengthy video packed with essential Sam Fisher intel. If you're wondering how Conviction ties to other games in the series or have an interest in hearing the changes made to portions of the demo from our previous hands-on experiences, this is the video to watch. Also, if you're stuck at work and can't play the demo for yourself, watching this video walkthrough might help fill that void and pass the time until you can go on your own gunslingin' adventures with America's most wanted secret agent. Shortcut: Queue-up the Splinter Cell Conviction Demo (Xbox 360)
HDI headquarters walkthrough: details galore on the new face of in-home 3D
Call it an inexplicable fascination, or call it all-out geek lust over a screen with three digits in the "diagonal screen size" specification field -- either way, we had little choice but to shuttle over to HDI's nondescript Los Gatos, California headquarters in order to check out what even Steve Wozniak has been quoted as saying is the best 3D solution out there. While stationed on the west coast this week for GDC, we grabbed a camera and bolted down the 280 in order to get a sneak peek at the aforesaid firm, a tight-knit startup that currently has prototype displays in production and plans for far more. We've heard plenty through the grapevine, but we set out to get our questions answered directly, and possibly even provide some insight that has yet to be made available to the public thus far. For those unaware, HDI's flagship product is a planned 103-inch 3D HDTV that uses a proprietary technology in order to showcase content in the third dimension (or 2D, if you'd like). We sat down with Chris Stuart (Director of Technology) and Edmund Sandberg (Chief Technology Officer) in order to get an overview of the tech, set the story straight in regard to pricing and availability, and dig in a little deeper on its plans for distribution and expansion. We also plopped down in front of the company's prototype 97-inch set and a 46-inch 3D LCD that has remained mostly a myth up until now, and we've certainly got plenty to share in terms of impressions. If you're eager to learn more (and take a behind-the-scenes look at a television R&D lab), give that 'Read More' link a gentle press. %Gallery-88076%
Microsoft offers up lengthy Windows Phone 7 Series video walkthrough
Not quite sure if you've heard, but Microsoft launched a new mobile operating system today. Crazy, right? Unfortunately, it'll be a few weeks seasons still before you can actually wrap your palms around an actual Windows Phone 7 Series device, but the folks over at MSDN aren't holding back. They've hosted up a 22 minute video walkthrough to explain every nook and crannie of the fresh OS, and if you're one of those "impatient" types, you owe it to yourself to hit the source link and mash play. Grab a beverage first, though. [Thanks, Nathan]
WoW.com's Guide to the Oculus. Yes, really.
Really, WoW.com? A guide to the Oculus of all things? Over a year after the launch of Wrath of the Lich King, you're doing an Oculus walkthrough? Is that necessary? Boy, I wish it weren't. We're all sick of hearing about this place by now, but of all the instances and raids in the game, this is the one where nobody seems to be sure what to do or where to go. I haven't seen players this confused since Sunwell. All strategy and ability discussion in this guide discuss the heroic version of the Oculus. Beyond the cut below you will find simple strategies for each of the bosses in the Oculus, as well as maps to help you find your way through the environment.
Mass Effect 2 dev profiles Sentinel class, the 'Jack of All Trades'
After Mass Effect 2 lead gameplay designer Christina Norman walked us through the Engineer class and it's sanguinary droid last week, we were wondering how BioWare could possibly appeal to our inner tactician any more. It appears that the developer sought to do just that with this week's introduction to the Sentinel. Skilled in both biotic skills (thats space magic, folks) and tech abilities, Norman says the Sentinel is "the only class that can blast through any enemy's defenses ... with or without your squad backing you up." With only a handful of weeks left before the game's January 26 release date, it won't be long before we get to find out exactly how adept the Sentinel is for ourselves. %Gallery-80283%
Jolicloud pre-beta now available to download, walkthrough now available for viewing
Let's face it: Chrome OS has been snagging all of the attention in the OS world here lately, but let us not forget about Jolicloud. The Linux-based system, which was designed to be installed onto existing netbooks without much of a fuss, has finally reached its public pre-beta stage. In other words, the 600MB .exe file is now out for you and yours to download and try, and according to our good pals over at Download Squad, it's well worth the effort. They seemed to have no issues whatsoever installing it as a second OS on their machine, and they went ahead and deemed it superior to Chrome OS' earliest build due to its ability to support "both native and web-based applications equally well." Their own tests found it to boot in just 15 seconds on an Eee PC netbook, but if you're still curious if dipping your toes is the best move, hop on past the break for a lengthy walkthrough video.
