Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[EVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/04/eve-evolved-a-new-nullsec-for-everyone/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
Several weeks ago, EVE Online developer CCP Greyscale published possibly the single most important devblog of the past two years. Titled Nullsec development: Design goals, the blog laid the ground rules for high-level discussion on EVE's upcoming nullsec revamp. For those who live in nullsec, territorial warfare and nullsec life represent the true endgame of EVE. It's in these massive lawless regions of space that players forge alliances, build their own empires, and lead massive fleets of ships into enemy territory to kick over some space sandcastles.

Over the past two weeks, I've been delving into the discussion surrounding the upcoming nullsec revamp and speculating on what changes we might see. I started with a look back at the early days of nullsec industry and went on to give some ideas aimed at reclaiming those glory days. I followed that up with last week's summary of EVE Online's empire-building history, the problems faced by today's territorial warfare mechanics, and further speculation on how the system could be radically changed for the better.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I conclude this series of articles on the upcoming nullsec revamp with an examination of the discussion surrounding PvE, the local channel, and the potentially revolutionary smallholding system that could give even casual and solo players a taste of nullsec.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone

MassivelyEVE Evolved: A new nullsec for everyone originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 04 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancecasualccpccp-eveccp-gamesccp-greyscaleeveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexplorationfeaturedfleetfleet-commandfleet-warfarefleetshomesteadintelintelligencelocalmissionmission-runningnullsecplayer-owned-starbasepvepvpsandboxscoutscoutingsmallholdingsmallholdingssolostarbasewarSun, 04 Sep 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Red 5 still planning on making their MMO [Updated]]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/red-5-still-planning-on-making-their-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/red-5-still-planning-on-making-their-mmo/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/08/red-5-still-planning-on-making-their-mmo/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

You have to give Red 5 Studios credit for tenacity, if nothing else. When they initially announced their connection with Intel via licensing the Offset Engine, the plan was to use Red 5's upcoming fantasy MMO, codenamed Project Offset, to showcase Intel's high-end Larrabee processors. However, last month, Intel decided to scrap their plans for the Offset Engine, and redirect the Larrabee processor towards more business-type uses. Meanwhile, despite Red 5 having financial difficulties requiring a layoff of staff, they're continuing on. This is all thanks, in large part, to China's The9, who have stepped in to give them a $20 million infusion of cash in exchange for a majority stake in their company.

While some startup studios might fold after a series of large setbacks like this, word is that development on Project Offset continues, according to a story on Gamasutra. Only now, it's running on a "highly modified" version of the original Intel Offset Engine, giving this graphics intensive first-person MMO life. While details are still thin as ever beyond the game being a fantasy title, we hope that this newest partnership with The9 coupled with the recent infusion of cash helps their studio get back on track.

[Update: We've received word from Red 5 that they have no relationship to the canceled Project Offset, but they are still using a highly modified Offset Engine to continue their work on their own game.]

MassivelyRed 5 still planning on making their MMO [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>intelmmommorpgoffset-enginered-5red-5-studiosthe9Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC10: The expo in pictures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/03/17/gdc10-the-expo-in-pictures/#commentsFiled under: , ,

We have a saying around the Massively offices -- "When we go to a show, our readers go to the show." We hope you guys have really enjoyed our crazy coverage of GDC10 as much as we enjoyed running around the show like crazy people grabbing all of that information.

But, while we were running around, we got some great photos from the show for you! Now you too can live the experience of running from booth to booth, passing legions upon legions of companies explaining their newest technologies and how they can improve your gaming experience.

So come along with us for a whirlwind trip through GDC! Trust us, it's exciting.

Gallery: GDC10: Pictures from the floor

The Moscone CenterCrashing into the DIRTCrafting from your iPhone: The Fallen Earth appThe Crysis BoothThe Virtual Hamster

MassivelyGDC10: The expo in pictures originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionar-dronecareer-pavillioncryengine-3crytekexpofrogstergamebreakrgdc-2010intelmoscone-centermoscone-center-photosncsoftneuroskynintendonvidiaphotosplaystation-movesonytamatWed, 17 Mar 2010 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Star Wars: The Old Republic releases more intel on the Imperial Agent]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-more-intel-on-the-imperial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-more-intel-on-the-imperial/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/02/star-wars-the-old-republic-releases-more-intel-on-the-imperial/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


One of the frequently-voiced concerns about Star Wars: The Old Republic is the possibility that the non-Force classes will wind up becoming almost irrelevant. Who's going to pay attention to being a spy when you can wield an energy sword and fling lightning, right? As a matter of fact, the Imperial Agent would like very much if no one ever notices they exist. They're quite happy to stand in the background and never be observed, because as the latest developer's entry explains, that's precisely what the Agent does best. They exist in the shadow, the man of many faces and a hundred names, a presence whose influence is strongest when it isn't evident at all.

Star Wars: The Old Republic faces the difficult task of making the Sith -- traditionally the villains of the franchise -- into a playable and likable faction rather than monolithic evil. As the developer entry points out, the Imperial Agent is a major part of that, of giving the chance to look at someone who is quite possibly a proud citizen of the Empire and happy to serve in keeping the peace and bring down the Republic. It's also a look at the parts between the lines of the films, the spies and intel operators whose role was important but whose faces were rarely seen. But you might decide not to look at the full discussion of the class anyway -- and as we've mentioned, really, that's what the agent would want.

MassivelyStar Wars: The Old Republic releases more intel on the Imperial Agent originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 02 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agentbiowaredesign-discussiondeveloper-diarydeveloper-entryeaelectronic-artsgame-designimperial-agentintelintelligencelucasartssithsith-empirespiesstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorupcoming-gamesSat, 02 Jan 2010 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Imprudence 1.2 viewer for Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/imprudence-1-2-viewer-for-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/imprudence-1-2-viewer-for-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/27/imprudence-1-2-viewer-for-second-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Imprudence viewer logoThe Imprudence project has released version 1.2 of their Second Life viewer. Imprudence is one of our favorite after-market Second Life viewers, and after some months in beta (and a couple of false starts), the latest release version of this viewer is available.

There are some user-interface changes this time around, the ability to backup and restore your own intellectual property, an improved radar/minimap, improved third-party simulator support, RLVa support, optional vertical IM tabs, double-click go-to and teleports, more world map data and a host of other tweaks and features.

Continue reading Imprudence 1.2 viewer for Second Life

MassivelyImprudence 1.2 viewer for Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alissa-sabreana-lutetiacodebastard-redgraveemerald-viewergeneko-nemethimprudence-viewerinteljacek-antonellikitty-barnettlilly-zenovkalinuxmacmccabe-maxstedmeerkat-vieweropen-sourcepatchessecond-lifesecond-life-viewersource-codetorley-lindenvirtual-worldsFri, 27 Nov 2009 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second Life in a box, now in preliminary beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/second-life-in-a-box-now-in-preliminary-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/second-life-in-a-box-now-in-preliminary-beta/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/04/06/second-life-in-a-box-now-in-preliminary-beta/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

After Linden Lab CEO Mark Kingdon's announcement of a standalone virtual world product (essentially Second Life, but able to be run on private servers and with no connection to Linden Lab's virtual world) at the last Virtual Worlds London, the Lab's new director of enterprise marketing, Amanda Van Nuys has followed that up with an announcement that the product (codenamed Nebraska) is now in preliminary testing by a number of organizations.

The beta test (Linden Lab calls it an alpha test, but there's no denying that it is a preliminary beta) is being conducted by such organizations as IBM, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC), the New Media Consortium (NMC), Intel, and Northrop Grumman.

Continue reading Second Life in a box, now in preliminary beta

MassivelySecond Life in a box, now in preliminary beta originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amanda-lindenamanda-van-nuysbrandingibmintellinden-lablindenworldm-lindenmark-kingdonnew-media-consortiumnorthrop-grummannuwcsecond-lifesecond-life-nebraskavirtual-worlds-londonMon, 06 Apr 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Win an epic Age of Conan system with GameRigs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/15/win-an-epic-age-of-conan-system-with-gamerigs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/15/win-an-epic-age-of-conan-system-with-gamerigs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/15/win-an-epic-age-of-conan-system-with-gamerigs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Funcom and GameRigs are teaming up to bring you the Age of Conan Barbarian Sweepstakes where entrants will have a chance to win over $3000 in prizes. There is no purchase necessary to enter this contest and it is open to any legal resident 17 years of age or older of the 50 United States, District of Columbia, and Canada (excluding Quebec). Be sure to read the official rules to ensure your eligibility.

First prize includes a pretty sweet gaming rig with an Intel quad-core processor, 2GB of Crucial Ballistic DDR2 RAM, and a NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX+ video card. First place also wins a 24" NEC AccuSync LCD display, a SteelSeries accessory pack (keyboard, zBoard, mouse, and headset), all AoC pre-order items, a 1-year subscription to AoC, a 1-year subscription to Beckett's Massive Online Gamer magazine, and a BradyGames Official Strategy Guide. They will also draw one second place, one third place, and 10 bonus prize winners. Check out the official contest submission page for details of these additional prize packages and enter for your chance to win.

MassivelyWin an epic Age of Conan system with GameRigs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocfuncomgamerigsintelnecnvidiasteelseriessweepstakesSun, 15 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE's spies and metagamers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/12/eves-spies-and-metagamers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/12/eves-spies-and-metagamers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/12/eves-spies-and-metagamers/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


EVE Online is one of the few MMOs where players in guilds (corporations and alliances) have some valid concerns about spies from rival groups infiltrating their ranks. The concept of being a spy or saboteur is a profession of sorts that arose in the game. There aren't any game mechanics that necessarily enable spying or make it into a viable profession, nor are there any rules that prohibit most of these activities.

Wes from EVE Tribune recently wrote a piece called "Metagaming", dealing with how espionage can impact rival corporations and alliances in EVE. Wes asks, "Why is everyone so paranoid about spies and metagaming?" then goes on to explain how espionage in EVE works, categorizing spies by their modus operandi:

Continue reading EVE's spies and metagamers

MassivelyEVE's spies and metagamers originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alliancesccpccp-gamescorporationscultureespionageeveeve-onlineeve-tribuneforumsgame-mechanicsguildsintelintelligencemetagamemetagamingmolesparanoiapoliticspvpsabotagesaboteurspiesspyspyingteamspeakwesSun, 12 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A newbie's first war declaration in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/a-newbies-first-war-declaration-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/a-newbies-first-war-declaration-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/a-newbies-first-war-declaration-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

It's almost guaranteed that at some point in your time as an EVE Online pilot, you'll encounter a war declaration from another corporation. In some cases, the wardec may be provoked -- another corp's pilot killed or harassed, perhaps one ninja salvaging too many, and the next thing you know Concord sends you an email notifying you of hard times ahead. Then again, wardecs can also simply be used for kicks and consequence-free highsec kills. Potentially, a war declaration can also be a form of ransoming, a way for aggressors to extort money as a 'fee' to retract the wardec. Regardless of its cause, the situation remains the same: your opponents are free to fire upon you in high security space without triggering a response from Concord.

For a newer player, a feeling of panic can sink in. That warm, comfy security blanket of highsec no longer offers its sheltering protection from harm. Perhaps for the first time, there's real risk involved in playing the game. That's an angle of war declarations that writer Sam Guss discusses in a piece for MMORPG.com called "EVE Online: Surviving Your First War." (Guss is also a writer at EVE-Mag). But that's really just the backdrop. He recounts his own experience with being wardecced, from the surprise of the initial wardec to the sobering 24-hour countdown to war against far more experienced PvP-ers.

Continue reading A newbie's first war declaration in EVE Online

MassivelyA newbie's first war declaration in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamesconcordcorpcorporationeveeve-mageve-onlinegame-mechanicsguildsintellocator-agentlocator-agentsopinionpvpsam-gusssci-fispiesspytips-and-trickswarwar-declarationwardecSun, 05 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/17/mmos-thought-to-account-for-health-of-pc-gaming/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Players and pundits alike have been pointing to NPD figures as an indicator that PC gaming is in a decline compared to console sales. However, as pointed out by Randy Stude, PC Gaming Alliance president and Intel gaming program director in a recent interview, these figures ignored MMO subscription sales, something NPD hadn't been tracking until earlier this year. "And lo and behold, after just a quarter of research, they found -- under a rock that they hadn't looked at before -- a billion dollars."

While Stude was essentially calling for the PC gaming industry to come together to clear up this sort of confusion, there is more at work here than simply saying that PC gaming is hale and healthy based simply on MMO subscription numbers. For one thing, MMOs are merely one arm of the industry, not the industry itself. World of Warcraft alone must count for a significant total of those NPD numbers, not to mention virtual worlds like Club Penguin.

Continue reading MMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming

MassivelyMMOs thought to account for health of PC gaming originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>club-penguindeclineindieindustryintelnpdpc-gaming-alliancerandy-studeworld-of-warcraftTue, 17 Jun 2008 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Commodore Gaming offers EVE Online themed desktop PCs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/commodore-gaming-offers-eve-online-themed-desktop-pcs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/commodore-gaming-offers-eve-online-themed-desktop-pcs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/28/commodore-gaming-offers-eve-online-themed-desktop-pcs/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Commodore Gaming and CCP have teamed up to produce EVE Online themed, gaming-focused desktop computers. There's not much to them; you get a case with some EVE artwork, and you choose between a pre-built system (which features an Intel Core 2 Quad processor and an NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX video card) and a custom system with components you determine.

Official case-mod deals make up a chunk of Commodore's strategy to compete with the big boys of enthusiast gaming PC sales -- like Alienware (now owned by Dell) and VoodooPC (now owned by Hewlett-Packard). Given the prestige of the old Commodore brand, this new iteration has a long way to go.

If you're a really hardcore EVE player in the market for a new computer, going this route couldn't hurt; you can even configure the case to match your faction of choice. Then again, do you really need a 9800 GTX to play EVE Online? Not so much, but it's up to you!

MassivelyCommodore Gaming offers EVE Online themed desktop PCs originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 May 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>case-modcasemodccpcommodorecommodore-gamingcommodore-internationalcustomeveeve-onlinegeforce-9800intelpromotionWed, 28 May 2008 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[HiPiHi appoints new CTO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/27/hipihi-appoints-new-cto/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/27/hipihi-appoints-new-cto/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/27/hipihi-appoints-new-cto/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ex-Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Tokyo-based virtual worlds service firm NGI/3DI, Toshitaka Jiku, has been newly appointed as CTO of Chinese virtual world developer/operator, HiPiHi. Jiku brings quite a bit of experience and education to the table from his time with NGI, and is expected to help HiPiHi position itself and scale to the global market.

As you may recall, HiPiHi has already partnered with IBM to collaborate on both massively scalable architecture and long-term interoperability, and seems to have also gained significant buy-in from US chip giant Intel. HiPiHi is on the move, and has their eye on the world stage. It will be interesting to see if this China-based virtual world can pick up broad international appeal.

MassivelyHiPiHi appoints new CTO originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Mar 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dihipihiibmintelmmo-industryngitoshitaka-jikuvirtual-worldsThu, 27 Mar 2008 07:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tim Sweeney's beef with Intel and PC gaming]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tim-sweeneys-beef-with-intel-and-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tim-sweeneys-beef-with-intel-and-pc-gaming/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/12/tim-sweeneys-beef-with-intel-and-pc-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

Are PCs good for gaming? The short answer is yes, Tim Sweeney (of Unreal fame) is wrong because computers play many of the best games the platform has to offer without much struggle. Games like The Orange Box, Guild Wars, World of Warcraft, The Sims 2, Company of Heroes or The Lord of the Rings Online all run fairly well without too much muscle behind them.

His primary complaint (and ours too, actually) is that integrated graphics chips which are installed on the computers that stores like Best Buy sell, are in no way capable of playing the newer games sold at the very same stores. Intel is largely to blame for this, but of course if you've ever looked into buying a brand new video card, then you know they're not the only culprits of PC gaming's issues.

Continue reading Tim Sweeney's beef with Intel and PC gaming

MassivelyTim Sweeney's beef with Intel and PC gaming originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanarena-netatiblizzardcompany-of-heroesfuncomguild-warsintelnvidiapc-gamingthe-orange-boxthe-sims-2tim-sweeneyvalveworld-of-warcraftwowWed, 12 Mar 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Peering Inside: Linden lags, a failure to communicate]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/10/peering-inside-linden-lags-a-failure-to-communicate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/10/peering-inside-linden-lags-a-failure-to-communicate/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/03/10/peering-inside-linden-lags-a-failure-to-communicate/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

One of the most common complaints from Second Life users is that Linden Lab and their support staff either ignore or are dismissive of ... well, of one of the most common complaints from Second Life users: Performance and lag (commonly seen as the same thing).

Like the recent problem with the bug that ate up simulator performance like candy. When it was reported, the response to the user reports was chilly, bordering on hostile. Why is that?

Continue reading Peering Inside: Linden lags, a failure to communicate

MassivelyPeering Inside: Linden lags, a failure to communicate originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>culturefeaturedintellinden-labopinionpeering-insidesecond-lifevirtual-worldsMon, 10 Mar 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The PC Gaming Alliance is here to save the day]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-pc-gaming-alliance-is-here-to-save-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-pc-gaming-alliance-is-here-to-save-the-day/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/02/22/the-pc-gaming-alliance-is-here-to-save-the-day/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Fret not, PC gaming fans. As if in reply to the cries of Peter Molyneux, a new elite task force of industry giants has banded together to save PC gaming, under the banner of the PC Gaming Alliance. The group, which officially announced its existence at a GDC08 press conference, is comprised of some of the biggest names in the business, a mix of game development, OEM, and hardware companies: Activision, Epic, Microsoft, Dell, Alienware, Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Acer, and Gateway.

Randy Stude of Intel is the fearless leader of the PCGA, and spoke of their strategy in bringing PC gaming to the attention of consumers: "One of our main major objectives is to provide one voice on the PC gaming market. There's no one source that says 'hey this is where the PC market is going'. Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft are always calling their market share -- we're going to call our market through this group." As well as their "united front" in promoting the PC as a gaming platform, the mix of companies within the PCGA plan to work closely together to share important and useful statistics, and to find solutions to issues like phishing, cheating and piracy.

[Via Develop]

MassivelyThe PC Gaming Alliance is here to save the day originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aceractivisionalienwareamddellepicgatewayintelmicrosoftnvidiapc-gaming-alliancepcgarandy-studeFri, 22 Feb 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Coobico disses hard on Second Life]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/coobico-disses-hard-on-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/coobico-disses-hard-on-second-life/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/30/coobico-disses-hard-on-second-life/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Coobico is a Flash-based MMO with social networking features that's purported to be set for release sometime early this year. Following a link embedded in this Gamasutra interview with Lutz Winter, Coobico's founder, I found the 'Videos and Animations' section of Coobico's website. At the top of the page was a small post whose sole purpose appeared to be to stomp all over Second Life. It talks about SL's technical problems without going into specifics, links to a bunch of articles detailing SL's woes, and ends by mentioning that the company that made SL's physics engine, Havok (which it misspells), will be acquired by Intel, but to no point other than to mention it.

For a product that isn't even available in beta yet, this is some serious dirt slinging. I'm not defending SL here, but why bother shooting off your mouth about a company that you claim to have no competition with? There's really no better way to look defensive and insecure, so if that was the intent behind this weird article, then Mission Accomplished.

MassivelyCoobico disses hard on Second Life originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coobicodissgamasutrahavokintellutz-wintersecond-lifeWed, 30 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[CES keynote to demo cool new tech despite ridiculous name]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/ces-keynote-to-demo-cool-new-tech-despite-ridiculous-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/ces-keynote-to-demo-cool-new-tech-despite-ridiculous-name/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/ces-keynote-to-demo-cool-new-tech-despite-ridiculous-name/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Monday's CES keynote will see Intel CEO Paul Otellini's presentation on what he's calling 'Third Life' -- a furthering of the concepts behind what has made Second Life so popular. The technology behind the keynote -- a virtual performance of 'Walkin' on the Sun' by actual Smash Mouth members -- will showcase the latest improvements in motion capture, streaming media, and multicore processors.

I'm glad Intel is taking such an interest in the future of online social environments, but Smash Mouth? Hey, I enjoyed that earworm as much as anyone when it debuted ... in 1997. Can we move on, please? And 'Third Life'? Does this mean we can expect next year's presentation to be called 'Fourth Life'? Will we see a 'Three-point-Five-point-Two Life' between now and then? Stick with hardware, Intel, and let Chiat-Day handle the promotional stuff.

[Update: Sister site Engadget has a liveblog of the keynote]

MassivelyCES keynote to demo cool new tech despite ridiculous name originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CESchiat-dayearwormIntelsecond-lifesmash-mouththird-lifewalkin-on-the-sunwiredMon, 07 Jan 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel to launch in HiPiHi this week]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/intel-to-launch-in-hipihi-this-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/intel-to-launch-in-hipihi-this-week/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/21/intel-to-launch-in-hipihi-this-week/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


HiPiHi (pronounced High-pee-high, for those of you that are curious) is gearing up towards a launch by pulling in partners. P&G are already on board, and Intel are gearing up to launch the "Intel Experience Center" on 160,000 square metres of HiPiHi land on 22 November (considering that HiPiHi is in China - you can take your pick about which day 22 November actually is).

Chinese-based HiPiHi has been both criticized and praised in the media for it's uncanny resemblance to Second Life - from the feel of their website, to their avatars, stock animations, creation tools and business model.

Continue reading Intel to launch in HiPiHi this week

MassivelyIntel to launch in HiPiHi this week originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinahipihiibmintellinden-labsecond-lifevirtual-worlds-newsWed, 21 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST