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Researchers Use World of Warcraft to Study Real-World Response to Disease

Posted by Paul Hamilton
Categories: Culture, MMORPG, PC, Role Playing Games, Simulation

Testing Disease Response From Corrupted Blood WoW EventThe New York Times has a story about a group of researchers who examined the outbreak of the in-game disease ‘corrupted blood,’ originally designed to affect only high-level characters, for clues about what the social response might be to an actual pandemic. The game provided the authors of a research paper set to be published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal a unique set of conditions for this research that had typically been difficult to simulate: A wide population, an emotional response (because WoW players get really attached to their characters) and the ability to disseminate information among the population.

The corrupted blood outbreak was a glitch in WoW that took place in September 2005 and provided a unique look at the responses both by the population and the “bug:”

As the virus spread, very real challenges emerged, such as the failure of quarantine measures, further transmission by character’s pets and the existence of “immune” characters, who act as carriers, passing the virus to others while failing to succumb to symptoms.

It’s a fascinating use of the social construct that WoW has become.

Read More | Times Online via Slashdot


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Age of Conan Delayed Until ‘08

Posted by Steve Van Neil
Categories: Corporate News, Games for Windows, Games for Windows Live, MMORPG, Release Dates, Xbox 360, Xbox Live

age of conan

Age of Conan: Hyborian Adventures, Funcom’s highly anticipated PC/ online RPG, is bowing out of the crowded Fall ‘07 release window.  Based on the press release, it sounds like given the scale of the game, the development team just needed more time to polish and perfect the experience.

“We naturally regret that we have to push back ‘Age of Conan’. However, after careful consideration, and analysis of recent Beta feedback, we believe that the new release date is in the best interest of the gamers, our company and our owners,” said Trond Arne Aas, CEO of Funcom.

You have to respect a developer that delays a game to make it better, and doesn’t just shove it out the door for the sake of the company’s shareholders.  At any rate, MMO players can now look forward to slashing their way through the world and characters of Robert E. Howard on March 25th, 2008.

Read More | Kotaku

World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Announced

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: MMORPG, PC, Trailers

World of Warcraft players, make sure you’re prepared for the next expansion – Wrath of the Lich King will contain the Northrend continent, but you’ll need to be at least level 68 to venture there. 1UP has tons of details, as the upcoming issue of Games for Windows: The Official Magazine has a cover story with tons of details.

Among what we know is that the new level cap will be 80 and there’s a new class – the Death Knight, a Hero Class character. But there won’t be any new content for newcomers to WoW, or those that aren’t fairly high-end – the original world won’t be seeing many changes.

Read More | 1UP

Everything You Could Want To Know About LOGOS In Tabula Rasa

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: Features, MMORPG, PC, Screenshots

Tabula Rasa LOGOS NCsoft’s upcoming MMORPG Tabula Rasa certainly seems to be shaping up nicely – as well it should be considering how long the game has been in development for. Finally scheduled for release this fall, one of the game’s features includes the ability to harness the power of LOGOS (which is what that strange image is to the right). As the developers put it:

In Tabula Rasa, you are a Logos-receptive soldier of the AFS, and are able to learn the language of Logos at shrines throughout the worlds you travel to.  Not only can your knowledge of Logos be used to activate special abilities that can help the AFS win this war, but the ancient symbols you uncover can also unlock hidden locations where you can further your training and enhance your skills.  Ancient secrets will be revealed to you as you collect more and more Logos to your tablet.

Intrigued? Check after the break for screenshots and a description of the power of LOGOS.

Tabula Rasa screenshot

Click to continue reading Everything You Could Want To Know About LOGOS In Tabula Rasa


Exclusive: Guild Wars: Eye of the North Friends & Allies

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: Features, MMORPG, PC, Screenshots

Guild Wars Eye of the North boxartWe’ve got an exclusive first look at some of the friendly NPCs you’ll be meeting along the way in your journey through Guild Wars: Eye of the North. Eye of the North is the first expansion in the Guild Wars series – prior GW titles were standalone, but connected with one another, whereas Eye of the North will require you to own a previous GW campaign. The prerelease bonus pack is now available, with the game’s release set for August 31.

Check after the break for the first ever look at these friends from Eye of the North - longtime Guild Wars fans might spot a familiar face.

Click to continue reading Exclusive: Guild Wars: Eye of the North Friends & Allies


Guild Wars: Eye of the North In-Game Trailer

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: MMORPG, PC, Trailers

Guild Wars Eye of the North

Available now over at GuildWars.com is an in-game trailer that gives a peek (a sneak peek to the upcoming Sneak Peek, more on that here) into the upcoming Guild Wars expansion, Eye of the North. Set for release on August 31, the expansion will require you to own one of the previous Guild Wars titles, unlike the other campaigns which were full games in and of themselves.

The trailer, which runs for just under two minutes, is narrated by presumably Gwen (remember the little girl from the Guild Wars Prophecies?) who is now all grown up. Eye of the North doesn’t offer much eye candy – it is using the same Guild Wars engine that’s several years old now – but if you’re a Guild Wars fan, as I am, it’ll get you plenty excited for this segue to Guild Wars 2.

Read More | GuildWars.com

Guild Wars: Eye of the North Prelease Bonus Pack Now Available

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: MMORPG, PC, Release Dates

Guild Wars Eye of the North

Starting last Friday, the prerelease bonus pack for the upcoming Guild Wars expansion is available for purchase. By picking up the bonus pack, you’ll receive exclusive in-game items and access to the Sneak Peek Weekend, which is taking place from August 24 – 26. The game is set for release on August 31 and is the first expansion Guild Wars is receiving – all three previous titles were independent (albeit connected) of one another, whereas Eye of the North requires that you own at least one of the previous Guild Wars titles.

In addition to the sneak peek and in-game items (which are the Glacial Blade, Hourglass Staff, and Darksteel Longbow), you’ll also receive a Guild Wars Trilogy Trial DVD, which provides you with either 10 hours or 14 days (whichever comes first) of gameplay in the first three Guild Wars titles. Not a bad way to lure in a friend if you already own them.

The Guild Wars: Eye of the North prerelease bonus pack is available at retailers, NCsoft’s online store, PlayNC.com, and the Official Guild Wars online store.


GamerAndy Live! Episode 86: Chocolate Rain

Posted by Edie Sellers
Categories: Activision, Announcements, Corporate News, Culture, E3, Electronic Arts, First Person Shooters, Microsoft, MMORPG, Music, Nintendo, Nintendo DS, PC, PlayStation 3, Politics, Portable/Mobile, PSP, Release Dates, Reviews, Role Playing Games, Rumors, Sony, Sports, Third Person Shooters, Wii, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Marketplace, GamerAndy

Finally, now that the dust has settled from E3, we have finally found the time to get our thoughts in order and give you an extra-long episode of GamerAndy Live!

This week, Edie and Hawkes chat up all that happened before E3, during E3, and after E3, including:

OUR E3 COVERAGE
- How Edie spotted Slash, missed Ron Jeremy and got groped by China Doll;
- Edie defends why she thinks Nintendo “won” E3 this year;
- Why Hawkes wasn’t as impressed at Killzone 2 as many others;
- Burnout Paradise;
- John Woo’s Stranglehold;
- Fallout 3;
- Hellgate: London;
- Katamari Damarcy;
- PGR4;
- Assassin’s Creed;
- Why Activision will get sued over Guitar Hero III;
- The big scoop we almost had;
- Rumor that E for All may not happen

NEWS
- Peter Moore chucks MS job for EA Sports;
- EA Sports: Hockey-less in ‘08;
- Chocolate Rain;
- Bully revamped for release on 360 and Wii;
- Wii Fit
- MGS4 coming to 360?
- Shoutouts and Shoutats;
- Problems for Unreal Engine?
- X07 gone;
- Xbox extended warantees;
- PS3 price drop...er, clearance sale;
- The Jaime Kennedy Embarassment;
- South Park’s WoW episode nominated for Emmy

Enjoy!


E3 2007: Preview: Hellgate: London

Posted by Edie Sellers
Categories: Action, E3, Games for Windows, MMORPG, PC, Role Playing Games

Hellgate: London Logo

Here’s a quick rundown of what we learned about Hellgate: London as I got a tour of a few levels with Tyler Thompson, Flagship Studio’s director of technology.

Platform: PC

Release date: Still shooting for summer 2007 - which, let’s face it, is right now. According to Tyler, “We’re still working for that. If it takes a little bit longer, then we’ll let it take a little bit longer.” In industry speak that means, “If you don’t see it by August, you’ll see it for the holidays.”

Look: Flagship Studios, at its top levels, is populated by ex-Blizzard brains, including Diablo creators Erich Schaefer and David Brevik (and don’t forget Bill Roper, who played an integral role in the Warcraft, Starcraft and Diablo series). So, think Diablo, but much, much better looking. Tyler told me that the game is in the alpha stage. I’m used to seeing games in alpha looking a bit rough around the edges. This game was, in the levels he toured me, free of jaggies and visual glitches. The word that comes to mind is “shiny.” I found it to be very reminiscent of Diablo in look and feel. Of course, bear in mind the tour was guided, which means I only got to see the best looking areas.

The biggest improvement in look, and, ultimately, playability, is the improved camera from Diablo 2. Gone is the fixed, third-person isometric camera in favor of 360-degree, fully rotational viewing.

More after the break.

Click to continue reading E3 2007: Preview: Hellgate: London


E3 2007: Sony’s Press Conference Recap And Impressions

Posted by Chris Pereira
Categories: Action, Activision, Adventure, CAPCOM, Corporate News, Driving, E3, Electronic Arts, First Person Shooters, Hardware, Internet, LucasArts, MMORPG, Mods/Hacks, Music, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PSP, Release Dates, Role Playing Games, SEGA, Sony, Special Editions, Sports, Trailers, Ubisoft

PlayStation Portable redesign box

I’m going to come right out and say it: I’m coming away from Sony’s presentation more impressed than I was either Nintendo’s or Microsoft’s. They were very straightforward and showed exactly what we all wanted to see: the games.

In fact, this was one of the more impressive E3 press conferences in recent memory – check inside to find out why.

Click to continue reading E3 2007: Sony’s Press Conference Recap And Impressions


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