EverQuest II: Sentinel’s Fate Has Been Shipped
Sony Online Entertainment today announced that "EverQuest II: Sentinel's Fate" has been shipped and is available worldwide.
"Sentinel’s Fate is the sixth expansion for the groundbreaking EverQuest II franchise. This all-in-one compilation pack will be available at select retail stores on February 16, 2010 for the suggested retail price of $39.99 USD plus applicable tax and via digital download at www.everquest2.com beginning February 23, 2010.
“Sentinel’s Fate is the result of inspiration derived from both the original EverQuest franchise and suggestions made by our dedicated player community,” said Alan Crosby, Producer, Sony Online Entertainment. “By honing in on what’s important to our players, we have been able to refine the overall gameplay experience and ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy in this expansion, new players and veterans alike.”
EverQuest II Sentinel’s Fate transports players into a universe of legend and lore where exploration is just the beginning. It includes many highly-detailed areas that are fondly remembered from the original EverQuest®, as well as brand new areas to discover. Players can now explore the fabled lands of Odus, filled with epic quests, magnificent dungeons and limitless content provide the ultimate MMO experience for new players and seasoned veterans alike. Sentinel’s Fate presents the next chapter of the EverQuest II legacy which has been written by the passion of players and fueled by the hunger for adventure. Retail customers will enjoy up to a 7-day head start of gameplay access before the digital release. Customers who purchase the Collector’s Edition will receive an exclusive Armored Highland Stalker in-game mount with matching pewter figurine.
Finally, current EverQuest II subscribers with characters level 80-90 can now participate in the ultimate PVP with the complimentary addition of Battlegrounds. Battlegrounds allows players to engage in the most exciting and intense PvP battle against their friends or foes, regardless of server, and provide thrilling group-based, competitive matches in three all-new zones."
Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer Screens and Video
New screenshots and a video of Gateway to Khitai, a location in the upcoming "Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer" expansion, have been released.
"Rise of the Godslayer tells the story of an Empire slowly spiraling into chaos, as a consequence of the actions of a young Conan many years ago. After killing the Elephant God in the famous Robert E. Howard story 'The Tower of the Elephant', strange and horrible things have been happening to the Empire of Khitai. As a player you must explore the dark roads of the Empire and walk the path of the Godslayer as you unravel a mature and deep storyline full of brutal conflict and political intrigue."
Obsidian and Red Eagle to Develop New Wheel of Time Titles
Red Eagle Games and Obsidian Entertainment have announced an agreement in which Obsidian will work with Red Eagle in the development on a new MMO franchise based on Robert Jordan's best-selling fantasy series, "The Wheel of Time."
"The Wheel of Time is one of the greatest and well-received fantasy series of all time," said Chris Avellone, Chief Creative Officer of Obsidian Entertainment. "Games set in Robert Jordan's universe have the chance to deliver on the epic storylines and the complex characters that the series is known for – and this is one of Obsidian's strengths. It's a natural fit."
"The development team at Obsidian Entertainment has demonstrated time and again that they can successfully blend storytelling with technology to craft a superior RPG game experience," said Rick Selvage, Chief Executive Officer of Red Eagle Games. "Obsidian Entertainment is the ideal development partner to help Red Eagle Games take Jordan's beloved characters from the printed page to exciting new forms of interactive media."
"Obsidian Entertainment is thrilled with this opportunity to work with Red Eagle Games in developing games based upon The Wheel of Time series," said Feargus Urquhart, Chief Executive Officer of Obsidian Entertainment. "The Wheel of Time is a rich universe that lends itself to incredible gaming possibilities."
"The details of Jordan's meticulously crafted series have captivated readers since 1990, when The Eye of the World, the first book in the series, was published. Eleven additional books, including one prequel, have since been added to the series and have consistently appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List with the last five of his novels in the series debuting at No. 1. Jordan passed away in 2007 at the age of 58, but his publisher, Tor Books, subsequently announced that a final trilogy of novels will bring his epic series to its long-awaited climax. The most recent installment in the series, entitled The Gathering Storm, was published in October of 2009 by Tor Books. The last three novels are being penned by fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson using notes, audio recordings and draft materials left with Jordan's wife and editor, Harriet Rigney.
Jordan's wildly popular books have been translated into 24 languages, and have sold about 44 million copies worldwide. According to Tor Books, the publisher of The Wheel of Time novels, there are about 65,000 The Wheel of Time fan Web sites as a part of a vast global on-line fan community."
The Top 10 Most Dangerous World PvP Areas of WoW
Going outside. It’s quite dangerous. Just ask a World of Warcraft player. Gang fights, turf disputes, trade swindling, imposing authorities, Mr. T. – and we’re not even talking about WoW yet.
So imagine what happens when you mix those things, rampant drug and alcohol usage, internet anonymity, a cross between GTA-style violence and Harry Potter-style witchery, 13-year-olds, and good old FPS teabagging. You get a rather dangerous place called a “PvP Realm.” Roughly translated for those who haven’t yet mastered WoW-speak, it means “open season on your ass.” But since Blizzard has yet to debut its patented in-game butt cup (available soon for only $10, limit one per account) to shield your character (aka toon) from unwanted posterior intrusions, you’ll have to settle with my $5 “Don’t-even-think-about-going-there” tour guide, provided to you free of charge.
So, without further adieu, I bring you, ranging from “hunting guide for Dick Cheney” to “sparring partner for Chuck Norris,” the top 10 most dangerous world PvP areas of WoW.
[A quick note to WoW players not yet accustomed to the sheer lunacy of PvP realms:
PvEers - pretend every zone not exclusively controlled by your faction is simply one of those magical places you call a "battleground," only with flight paths.
RPers - replace "you" with "thou," and "teabagging" with "a sampling of ye olde family jewels."]
#10 – Karazhan
Above: A typical Tuesday night outside Karazhan in 2007.
The old level-70, 10-man raid instance from Burning Crusade may be responsible for many things – starting a new approach that made making raid instances more accessible, causing Blizzard to incorporate 10-man options for all of its raid content in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion – but it will always be known for giving us one startling revelation above all: meeting stones and ganking go together like hookers and the clap.
Sure, Karazhan may not be much of a hot spot anymore, what with the level cap being raised to 80 and all, but back before WoW’s second expansion launched you couldn’t hover around the instance’s meeting stone on a weekday night for more than 10 seconds (let alone during the weekend) without getting gang raped by numerous members of the opposing faction.
The fact that both Horde and Alliance had to summon their raid members face-to-face while some dickweed rogue decided to run his own Sap-a-thon would often cause an arms race that rivaled the Soviet/American nuclear weapons buildup during the Cold War. The first side to amass a full 10-man group – or simply a larger group during more pressing moments – instantly waged full-scale war on the other side.
Beer, weed, energy drinks and A.D.D. all combined with impatience over waiting on that last raid member who just wouldn’t seem to get out of Warsong Gulch no matter how many times you told him. And when more raid groups started showing up, it simply boiled down to who wanted it the most, and who simply wanted some Tier 4.
But assuming your raid somehow succeeded in neutralizing all nearby hostiles, you’d still end up waiting on that supposed second tank your resto druid said he found in trade chat over 30 minutes ago. Thankfully, you could always fall back on dueling your guildies while you waited.
Chances of teabagging: medium.
30 commercial games released for FREE
GamesRadar.com has a list of great commercial games that have been released for free. Included are some of my favorites like Archlord, Battle Chess, Fallout, and many more.
From the site:
We like free stuff. That’s why we posted links to download and play 365 free games so you could have a decent game to play for every day of the year, free of charge. Unfortunately, GamesRadar has yet to wrestle the most formidable type of free games into submission so that they can be preserved in their proper list form for eternity. We’re talking about the free games that were good enough to sell, important enough to review, and memorable enough to warrant a second play through years later.
http://www.gamesradar.com/f/30-commercial-games-released-for-free/a-20100202122153157099
The Top 10 Most Dangerous World PvP Areas of WoW
Going outside. It’s quite dangerous. Just ask a World of Warcraft player. Gang fights, turf disputes, trade swindling, imposing authorities, Mr. T. – and we’re not even talking about WoW yet.
So imagine what happens when you mix those things, rampant drug and alcohol usage, internet anonymity, a cross between GTA-style violence and Harry Potter-style witchery, 13-year-olds, and good old FPS teabagging. You get a rather dangerous place called a “PvP Realm.” Roughly translated for those who haven’t yet mastered WoW-speak, it means “open season on your ass.” But since Blizzard has yet to debut its patented in-game butt cup (available soon for only $10, limit one per account) to shield your character (aka toon) from unwanted posterior intrusions, you’ll have to settle with my $5 “Don’t-even-think-about-going-there” tour guide, provided to you free of charge.
So, without further adieu, I bring you, ranging from “hunting guide for Dick Cheney” to “sparring partner for Chuck Norris,” the top 10 most dangerous world PvP areas of WoW.
[A quick note to WoW players not yet accustomed to the sheer lunacy of PvP realms:
PvEers - pretend every zone not exclusively controlled by your faction is simply one of those magical places you call a "battleground," only with flight paths.
RPers - replace "you" with "thou," and "teabagging" with "a sampling of ye olde family jewels."]
#10 – Karazhan
Above: A typical Tuesday night outside Karazhan in 2007.
The old level-70, 10-man raid instance from Burning Crusade may be responsible for many things – starting a new approach that made making raid instances more accessible, causing Blizzard to incorporate 10-man options for all of its raid content in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion – but it will always be known for giving us one startling revelation above all: meeting stones and ganking go together like hookers and the clap.
Sure, Karazhan may not be much of a hot spot anymore, what with the level cap being raised to 80 and all, but back before WoW’s second expansion launched you couldn’t hover around the instance’s meeting stone on a weekday night for more than 10 seconds (let alone during the weekend) without getting gang raped by numerous members of the opposing faction.
The fact that both Horde and Alliance had to summon their raid members face-to-face while some dickweed rogue decided to run his own Sap-a-thon would often cause an arms race that rivaled the Soviet/American nuclear weapons buildup during the Cold War. The first side to amass a full 10-man group – or simply a larger group during more pressing moments – instantly waged full-scale war on the other side.
Beer, weed, energy drinks and A.D.D. all combined with impatience over waiting on that last raid member who just wouldn’t seem to get out of Warsong Gulch no matter how many times you told him. And when more raid groups started showing up, it simply boiled down to who wanted it the most, and who simply wanted some Tier 4.
But assuming your raid somehow succeeded in neutralizing all nearby hostiles, you’d still end up waiting on that supposed second tank your resto druid said he found in trade chat over 30 minutes ago. Thankfully, you could always fall back on dueling your guildies while you waited.
Chances of teabagging: medium.
Report to the Bridge- Star Trek Online calls out fans
As part of the campaign efforts for Star Trek Online (you can read our current thoughts on the game here), Star Trek fans are being invited to be part of an attempt to beat the world record for the ‘largest gathering of people dressed as Star Trek characters’ on February 14th at 1.00pm on London’s Millenium Bridge.
Star Trek fans can dress as anything Star Trek related and representatives from the Guinness Book of records will be on hand to adjudicate. (So no comedy Jedi please!) The best dressed fans on the day will win exclusive Star Trek Online prizes including lifetime subscriptions worth over £150 and copies of the recently released digital version of the Star Trek movie.
“This should be an absolutely fantastic fun filled day and definitely one all fans of Star Trek should get involved in,” said Lee Kirton, Head of UK PR for Namco Bandai Partners, the distributors of Star Trek Online who are organising the day. “This is the chance to become part of history with a ‘World Record’ for the largest group of dressed up Star Trek characters in one place. Namco Bandai will also have a bunch of fantastic prizes up for grabs on the day for the best dressed ‘Trekkers, and some prizes for just being part of the day should make it a trip worthwhile!”
And it’s on Valantines day, so what better day to declare your love for all things Trek?
Star Trek Online officially launches on February 5th, but the ‘Head Start’ (allowing early access for players who pre-ordered) kicked off last Saturday. Due to large numbers of players, there were some issues of overcrowding and queues to get into the game over the weekend. The STO team at Cryptic are promising increased server capacity for the new MMO this week.
For more information regarding the record attempt, you can visit www.namcobandaigames.eu and www.startrekonline.com
Report to the Bridge- Star Trek Online calls out fans
As part of the campaign efforts for Star Trek Online (you can read our current thoughts on the game here), Star Trek fans are being invited to be part of an attempt to beat the world record for the ‘largest gathering of people dressed as Star Trek characters’ on February 14th at 1.00pm on London’s Millenium Bridge.
Star Trek fans can dress as anything Star Trek related and representatives from the Guinness Book of records will be on hand to adjudicate. (So no comedy Jedi please!) The best dressed fans on the day will win exclusive Star Trek Online prizes including lifetime subscriptions worth over £150 and copies of the recently released digital version of the Star Trek movie.
“This should be an absolutely fantastic fun filled day and definitely one all fans of Star Trek should get involved in,” said Lee Kirton, Head of UK PR for Namco Bandai Partners, the distributors of Star Trek Online who are organising the day. “This is the chance to become part of history with a ‘World Record’ for the largest group of dressed up Star Trek characters in one place. Namco Bandai will also have a bunch of fantastic prizes up for grabs on the day for the best dressed ‘Trekkers, and some prizes for just being part of the day should make it a trip worthwhile!”
And it’s on Valantines day, so what better day to declare your love for all things Trek?
Star Trek Online officially launches on February 5th, but the ‘Head Start’ (allowing early access for players who pre-ordered) kicked off last Saturday. Due to large numbers of players, there were some issues of overcrowding and queues to get into the game over the weekend. The STO team at Cryptic are promising increased server capacity for the new MMO this week.
For more information regarding the record attempt, you can visit www.namcobandaigames.eu and www.startrekonline.com
Report to the Bridge- Star Trek Online calls out fans
As part of the campaign efforts for Star Trek Online (you can read our current thoughts on the game here), Star Trek fans are being invited to be part of an attempt to beat the world record for the ‘largest gathering of people dressed as Star Trek characters’ on February 14th at 1.00pm on London’s Millenium Bridge.
Star Trek fans can dress as anything Star Trek related and representatives from the Guinness Book of records will be on hand to adjudicate. (So no comedy Jedi please!) The best dressed fans on the day will win exclusive Star Trek Online prizes including lifetime subscriptions worth over £150 and copies of the recently released digital version of the Star Trek movie.
“This should be an absolutely fantastic fun filled day and definitely one all fans of Star Trek should get involved in,” said Lee Kirton, Head of UK PR for Namco Bandai Partners, the distributors of Star Trek Online who are organising the day. “This is the chance to become part of history with a ‘World Record’ for the largest group of dressed up Star Trek characters in one place. Namco Bandai will also have a bunch of fantastic prizes up for grabs on the day for the best dressed ‘Trekkers, and some prizes for just being part of the day should make it a trip worthwhile!”
And it’s on Valantines day, so what better day to declare your love for all things Trek?
Star Trek Online officially launches on February 5th, but the ‘Head Start’ (allowing early access for players who pre-ordered) kicked off last Saturday. Due to large numbers of players, there were some issues of overcrowding and queues to get into the game over the weekend. The STO team at Cryptic are promising increased server capacity for the new MMO this week.
For more information regarding the record attempt, you can visit www.namcobandaigames.eu and www.startrekonline.com
The Scurge of MMO Account Hacking
As MMOs increase in popularity, an alarming number of people are having their accounts hacked on a daily basis. The problem has become so epidemic that its overall weight is dragging down respective customer support centers as they attempt to placate irate and confused customers. In some cases, it can take weeks to retrieve your character and if you’re lucky, you may get your items back.
Now, the vast majority of these problems could be avoided if gamers used their heads, but with the increased casual appeal of your typical MMO, we’re finding more players who simply don’t know better until it’s too late. It’s a hell of a way to learn. How are hackers getting account information? A variety of ways:
1. You get an email that looks like it’s from the Customer Service department of the MMO in question, asking you to update account information. You click the supplied link and are taken to a site that looks legit. Unfortunately, it isn’t…and you have just supplied all relevant account information to a hacker.
I get these emails on a daily basis. Here’s what one looks like (DO NOT CLICK THE LINKS!):
Blizzard Entertainment -> Legal -> Terms of Use
A 3-hour probationary suspension is pending on this account, awaiting confirmation from a specialist. A final warning has been issued. The investigation will be continued by the Account Administration team to determine the any further suspensions. If the account in question is found in violation of the EULA and Terms of Use, further action will be taken. Be aware that any additional inappropriate actions may result in the permanent closure of the account.
Thank you for respecting our position on this matter.
================================================
** We request that you verify your legitimate ownership of the account here:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/login/login/
Blizzard staff will verify your account information submitted in two days, please do not modify your account information during this time . It will not affect your game uptime.
1.) WHY DID THIS HAPPEN AND HOW CAN I STOP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN?
which state that your Password is to be kept confidential at all times and you are solely responsible for the security of your Password. You may not disclose your Password to anyone, or allow your Password to be used by anyone other than yourself and/or your one (1) minor child. This includes, but is not limited to, compensated third parties accessing the account to advance characters in any way.
You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your Password, and you will be responsible for all uses of your Password, whether or not authorized by you. Also, note that the security of the Account is your responsibility. Furthermore, Blizzard Entertainment does not recognize the transfer of Accounts, and any authorized transfer of the World of Warcraft software (as set forth on the worldofwarcraft.com website) will result in the permanent deletion of the Account attached to that software. You may not offer any Account for sale or trade, and any such offer is a violation of this Agreement and may result in suspension or termination of the Account.
To help ensure that no viruses are present that may threaten your account, please regularly scan all computer systems that you use to remove all viruses, including Trojan files, spy-ware and key loggers. You can find links to scanners in our article about computer and Internet security tips at http://www.blizzard.com/support/?id=msi0504p. Also be sure to change your account password regularly at
https://www.worldofwarcraft.com/account.
2.) I SENT MY SUBMISSION, NOW WHAT?
We will contact you again once your submission is received and processed. If you do not receive a reply within 48 hours of sending your submission, please resend it and notify us at http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowaa/?id=eSupport000. If you send your submission by postal mail, please allow time for delivery. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and patience.
Only Account Administration is able to assist with account retrieval issues. To learn more about how Account Administration is able to assist you, please visit us at http://www.blizzard.com/support/wowaa/.com
Thank you for your time and attention to this matter, and your continued interest in World of Warcraft.
Sincerely,
Amanda
When you receive an email with a link, hover your mouse over the link and analyze the URL that appears in your browser. Chances are extremely high the URL points to a shady site, a site that is named in such a way that it fools you into thinking it’s legitimate.
