Monday, November 28, 2011

Skyrim World Map, In Detail

The Province of Skyrim

For a while people kept wanting me to post about a world map for Skyrim to help in finding certain areas. I know I was looking for one for the longest time, well one has appeared. The guys over at Game Banshee just created a map for those of you looking to explore. It must of taken me a half hour to figure out where a lake was once, well now I don't have to experience that horror again.

Even cooler, they made a 3x3 free poster PDF for you guys at the world map page.

Total War: Shogun 2 - Fall of the Samurai



The new expansion for Total War: Shogun 2, Fall of the Samurai was announced earlier. Sega announced it earlier on their Total War Blog. It's going to be significantly larger than anything else they've created for Shogun 2 apparently. It's releasing some time in March 2012.

Battlefield 3: Gulf of Oman Gameplay Trailer

Check out the Battlefield 3: Gulf of Oman Gameplay Trailer connected to the Back to Karkand expansion pack!


Friday, November 25, 2011

Terraria 1.1 Trailer & Info!



There are a few different links you can check out on Terraria Online forum and Wiki for patch 1.1.

Developer Redigit pops a few screenshot teasers along with a ton of information you'd be interested in. Right at the start of the topic you'll come across this:

"There are 39 new monsters, including 4 brand new bosses. We've got three new NPCs, all waiting to be rescued. And for the loot obsessed, there are 222 new items, including 4 sets of armor, and 21 accessories." - Redigit

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Yogscast Response to Notch!



Despite the team Yogscast still being sick, they made a statement just moments ago. You can see the quick video above that gives a quick response to the several tweets by Notch. They briefly state that Notch had to of been tired from the after party with Deadmau5, so they're going to let him off for that. So in the video they're kind of just shrugging it off and figure he probably wasn't really thinking 100% at the time.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

PlayStation Vita Testing Coming to Malls!

Get Hands on with the PlayStation® Vita

The PlayStation blog announced that from November 22nd to December 30th the PlayStation Vita will be playable in a few select malls located below. Each mall will feature some of the most well known and best games such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Little Big Planet. There's likely going to be prizes if you're lucky enough to get to one of these locations and embrace this experience! Also, keep in mind if you pre-order the PS Vita on site, you will receive a commemorative certificate and a gift box for the holidays.

Monday, November 21, 2011

More Info: Notch & Yogscast Dispute



My last post was much earlier before Notch began tweeting several reasons he doesn't want to work with Yogscast anymore. Reasons ranged from insulting Mojang, talking behind people's backs, and that they're "total dicks". There were several tweets, but I believe this one will stand out the most.

"A kid wanted them to sign something I had signed, and they said they'd cross it out and put "fuck you" there instead." - Notch

Yogscast in trouble by Notch?



Earlier today, two days after Minecon ended, Notch tweeted a few tweets that have gotten people wondering about the relationship between him and the well known group Yogscast.

It started with two tweets:
"We also learned who not to work with at Minecon. Shame.. :/" - Notch

Chuck Norris WoW Commercial

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Minecraft Wedding Proposal - MineCon Ftw



Everyone's seen the various ways gamers connect their love of gaming to the ones they love. Even though you may have seen many proposals from games like World of Warcraft, Halo, or even Portal, here's a new one. For the first time ever MineCon launched this weekend and came with a little surprise. In the video, Matt proposes to his girlfriend on stage right in front of everyone with the help of Notch, MinecraftChick, and JunkBoy!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Three Rings Design Acquired by Sega!


Announced on the Three Rings site today, Sega has acquired Three Rings Design. You may have heard of Three Rings through their two major games, Puzzle Pirates and Spiral Knights. Both of which are favored by children and older crowds as well.

Torchlight 2 Delayed into next year



Torchlight 2 fortunately was delayed into 2012. Wait a second, fortunately? Yes I did say that. Earlier today Travis Baldree; the President of Runic Games, announced earlier in their site news that Torchlight 2 will be delayed for a few reasons.

While they have previously stated it would release in 2011, they believe it'd be better to polish the game. Everyone knows nobody likes a delay, it's more time until you can play the game you've been looking forward to. Plus, the developers then told you a false release date or area. But it also means it's more time for them to develop the game, fix bugs and glitches, and overall try to make your gaming experience more enjoyable. Travis Baldree states, "The first Torchlight was released in record time, but it had plenty of issues that a little more development could have resolved... Right now our job is to ensure that the quality level is consistent all the way to the end." He said that it won't be considerably longer until release, but it will indeed be a short time.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary Tribute!



Check out a Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary live action tribute above. Halo CE: Anniversary is around the corner coming out tomorrow!



 As a tribute to Halo Combat Evolved, Microsoft has released a virtual monument to remember all the memories players have had playing the game we all love, Halo. It features a 3D model of Master Chief with several hexes on him and allows you to upload pictures you have of anything having to do with Halo. Or maybe just go and check out the memories of other people!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Assassin's Creed Revelations - Launch Trailer



Here's a crazy Assassin's Creed Revelations trailer! With the killer cliffhanger of Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, I bet you guys can't wait to play Revelations.  Assassin's Creed Revelations is coming to PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC November 15th!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Steam Database Hacked! Possible Credit Card Theft




Earlier today Valve announced that the Steam forums were hacked last Sunday, but didn't realize also their database. Their database consisting of personal information, encrypted credit card information, and emails.

Although Valve states they've been investigating and haven't found any misuse yet. So while they haven't seen anything, you should still be careful, as it is possible. The intruders could have taken information, but they're not sure yet. We don't need another incident as bad as the PlayStation attack. For now keep in mind the Steam Forums are down. To be safe I'd recommend  to check your credit card activity and change your Steam password. While it's not a definite they have your information, it never hurts to be safe.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The World of Skyrim: Flabbergasting



Just saw this trailer even though it came out yesterday. Saw it over on Destructoid and figured I'd post about it! Check out the trailer and you'll be able to take in the incredible surroundings you'll be experiencing in Elder Scrolls: Skyrim. I recall the countless hours I'd spend exploring the environment in Oblivion and I can only imagine what Skyrim will bring. Some of the moments in the video took me by surprise and look beyond words can explain. That's why I chose to use flabbergasting. And I mean it's not even just the environment. Look at the towns and cities, they're just amazing. Some of the ways they're built are unique and really make you just take a moment to look around. I can only wait!

Skyrim Soundtrack - Town Day 03


My brother showed me this song from Skyrim the other day. I listened to it repeatedly and I mean, it sounds amazing. It only made me want Skyrim even more. So make sure to give it a listen and bask in the glory of whats to come.

Sunday, November 6, 2011

6000 Copies of Modern Warfare 3 Stolen!



That's right, you heard me, 6000 copies of Modern Warfare 3 were stolen. A French site TFI News reported that around 8 PM a van carrying 6000 copies of MW3 was crashed into by another car. After being crashed into, the two employees in the van got out to discuss what just happened. Although it seems like the other two ski masked individuals weren't quite so keen on this. The two individuals got out of their car and then tear-gassed the two employees and then hijacked the van. They then fled the scene as fast as possible. They were also armed with knives, but I'm sure these weren't needed with the use of the tear gas.

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Friday, November 4, 2011

Wurm Online "Epic" New Servers



You may of heard of Wurm Online; a Multiplayer Fantasy Simulation(Sandbox MMO). Notch from Minecraft also helped found Wurm Online but only for the first year of development. Anyway, Wurm Online just opened four new servers called Epic which allows for everyone to start over and build their own reputation. I tried Wurm Online once a while ago and I must of had to walk one way for more than an hour to get somewhere that I could build. There were just towns everywhere, I always remember it saying you can't build here because the land is owned by so and so. While the new servers were released last Friday, October 28th, it's only been a week so far.



So if you ask me, I might even look back into playing it again. It's a sandbox that definitely has some potential, but there was always too many towns and inactive ones at that.  So the new servers will give you the chance to try and work with friends to build something grand and amazing. Maybe build a great reputation for yourself. Become a fierce warrior, a crafter, a miner, merchant, whatever you want! Now would be the time to look into playing, because you can get a jump start on everyone! At least that's what Rolf Jansson thinks; server developer of Wurm Online.

And just wait, it's not just a new ordinary server, there are a few new features!


  • Long term global scenarios, with shorter kingdom wide collaborative missions. The missions and scenarios have effect on the plane of the Gods and the outcome flows back to you - good or bad!
  • Player made kingdoms!
  • Faster skillgain combined with a new algorithm that makes skill 70% effective at skill level 50 (instead of 50% effective).

Most of the new servers are Free to Play, but not all. Which will allow you to just even try the game if you want. Or you could play it for as long as you want. But even better, based on the player economy, you may be able to buy enough silver coins to buy your own subscription with game currency. While it may take a while to get, who knows, you might build a strong set up and be able to have a continuous subscription. There are currently 5 Free to Play servers and only 3 Premium. So whether you're looking to spend some money or just play for free, here you go.

The graphics may not be the most amazing, but if you can get past that, I think it's worth a shot. In the last email I got, they're supposedly having graphic and animation improvements to come, so keep in mind. I tried the game a long time ago and I recall there being a big learning curve but as of the last year or so they created a tutorial for beginners like myself. I've heard it's very detailed and I'm sure can help you get set up with the game before jumping right into the atmosphere. I'd also recommend playing with friends or joining a community in the game that you can achieve larger goals with.

You can check out the Wurm Online blog which also provides a FAQ on the new servers, Epic.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Elite & Facebook Interaction



The Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 development team discuss Call of Duty Elite and the new social interaction through Facebook you'll get while playing MW3.

Tribes: Ascend Beta November 4th



The closed beta for Tribes: Ascend will be occurring tomorrow, November 4th, Friday. You can register for it at the Tribes Ascend website. Although, the only way to get guaranteed access is if you pre-order it for $29.99 which includes the following: 3,000 Tribes Gold, 30-Day Booster, Lifetime VIP Status, and of course beta access.

"The Closed Beta build of Tribes: Ascend includes two initial class options - the Soldier and the Ranger, 10 additional classes available to be permanently unlocked, 3 drivable vehicles, 2 game-modes, and servers located across North America, Europe and Australia. Prior to release Hi-Rez will also support Ranked Servers and Private Servers."



Now you might be asking yourself, what is Tribes: Ascend? Well Tribes: Ascend is a multiplayer Free to Play FPS. It's being developed by Hi-Rez Studios which is well known for creating Global Agenda. Tribes Ascend is part of a series of several games such as: Starsiege Tribes(1998), Tribes 2(2001), Tribes Aerial Assault(2002), Tribes Vengeance(2004), Tribes Universe(Development), and Tribes Ascend. Each one prior to Tribes: Ascend and Tribes Universe was developed by Dynamix, except for Vengeance which was developed by Irrational Games. Tribes Ascend uses the Unreal Engine 3. Tribes Ascend will have basic game modes that you can play like Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, and Rabbit. While other modes are to come.

While the game is using a Free to Play model, there's gotta be an item store or something of course as most F2P games have. Tribes: Ascend will have of course cosmetic items for players to look decorative such as player skins and special boosters. Then there are the three loadouts, light, medium and heavy. Each loadout has a tree of classes and each one has it's own benefits. You can either earn them by likely an extreme amount of time playing Tribes or pay for them upfront with real money.




Personally, I played Starsiege: Tribes a while ago, not necessarily when it came out though. I don't recall exactly when but I must of played it a five to seven years after it came out give or take. Definitely had a load of fun those days playing it with my brother flying around the map like crazy. Considering the graphics then are definitely different from now, it'll be interesting to look at Tribes: Ascend when it comes out. As I didn't really play anything in between the two, like I said, it'll be even more interesting. I remember there being tons of fun mods/modes to play on like Paintball which I must of played a load of.

Well here's some information you might want to read if you get in:

"Studio representatives also announced that no character wipes are planned during Beta. Player advancement in terms of rank, class unlocks, and skill progression will carry forward beyond Closed Beta, into Open Beta and into Release"

Dead Island Sequel?



That's right, there might be a sequel incoming for Dead Island! I've heard from Siliconera that the publisher Techland; creator of Dead Island, filed a trademark for Dead World. As Dead Island has become Techland's most successful game and has been relatively successful among the gaming community, it wouldn't be surprising for them to want to create a sequel. With the name Dead World trademarked as opposed to Dead Island, you can imagine it's going to be a much bigger game.


Spoilers!


With how Dead Island ended, it wouldn't be surprising for a sequel either. Not necessarily that it was a cliff hanger, but it's kind of like, alright the infection still exists but you escaped to go back to your wonderful lives. The military supposedly has it under quarantine, so everything is under control right? And you can't make the argument that they bombed it, considering that plan didn't get to escape the island with Ryder White. So it seems it probably did escape the island somehow and get to the rest of the world. It was only a matter of time for sure. Maybe an infected bird and the infection became airborne or you might be wondering the same thing as me. What was the deal with the native girl on the island, didn't she eat the infected corpses too like the rest of the tribe? And she went back with them in the helicopter. So maybe she was infected and brought the infection to the world? I could of missed something, but pretty sure she would be infected then. 

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

GTA V Official Trailer



Setting



So while the whole area of the game is still unconfirmed, most of the trailer takes place in Los Santos, which is the first city you encounter in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Although, wait a second, because if you remember Vinewood from Grand Theft Auto IV, it's also in the trailer. Then they show us Pleasure Pier on Vespucci Beach which Game Informer thinks could be a play off Venice Beach. The trailer also aims up at a Highway sign for Little Seoul, the equivalent of Korea Town. You may also remember a few scenes in the trailer where it shows an expansive mountain range, a vineyard, and several wind turbines along rolling hills. So the game likely expands to areas we're unsure of yet.

Vehicles!



Even though there were helicopters in GTA, there weren't any planes or aircraft to fly around so freely such as in San Andreas. Well speak of the devil, you may of noticed aircraft is definitely back! Which I'm sure fans like myself are definitely happy to see. The aircraft you may of noticed seem to be a crop duster, charter plane, and a fighter jet which looks similar to the Hydra VTOL in San Andreas. And don't forget of course, there was a blimp sighted hovering over Los Santos! As boring as a blimp may be, I'm sure there will be more than enough fans crashing them into buildings or crowds of people. I mean, what else are blimps for? Then a couple new vehicles that appear are a jet ski and a nice convertible sports car.

Want a laugh?


As if Rockstar isn't known for it's hilarious shots at American culture, whether it be in billboards, radio stations, or who knows what else. Well in the trailer you'll get a shot at this where you see a Pest Control van. Their slogan is "Putting the FU in fumigate." Then there's the Postal Van slogan that says, "We aim not to lose it," and the police car that has "Obey and Survive" on the side. So you know Rockstar hasn't lost it's sense of humor in the upcoming GTA V.

Yoga and golf?
You may of noticed a quick glimpse of yoga and a little bit of golf in the trailer. Could this just of been a subtle hint or just something thrown at there. Yoga could mean perhaps bringing back body maintenance such as in San Andreas allowing you to muscle up. GTA IV had a nice amount of side activities to waste the time alone or with someone such as pool, throwing darts, a strip club, a comedy show, or just watch TV at your apartment. Golf could be a way of saying there will be new side activities to do as well. Also, do you recall seeing a dog walking along a boardwalk? Yes, this means there could be animals. Will you be able to have a pet, who knows. Maybe to take out for a walk or just have at home. Maybe neither. But it's the first addition of animals and could be interesting.What would Grand Theft Auto be without it's homeless districts? You may of noticed several homeless people in the underpass, tents in an alley, someone putting up a foreclosure sign, and a homeless man holding a sign up for money. In other rough districts there's also prostitution, which should come off as no surprise. And while there are rich districts like Vinewood, there's always going to be the homeless side of town as well. Overall?Overall it looks like we have a man trying to escape his past of violence, but just can't break it. Sound familiar? Well it should, because we have Niko Bellic from GTA IV, who was a former soldier in the Yugoslav Wars. Then he moved to Liberty City to escape his troubles and live what we know as the "American Dream" although we all know as well that didn't quite work out. Now we have John Marston from Red Dead Redemption, who grew up in Dutch van der Linde's gang, a life of crime, even if for a reason. Then tried to escape with his family to a ranch and live in peace, but that doesn't happen when the government comes along. So as you can see, Rockstar likes to have everyone start out with experience, give them a chance at a happily ever after, and then pull it away.
I'll be keeping an eye out for whatever else information arises on GTA IV in the months to come!Update: "Rockstar today officially confirmed GTA V was in "full development," and would see the game return to the city of Los Santos "and surrounding hills, countryside and beaches." The developer also said it was the largest game it had ever created and would be focused "on the pursuit of the almighty dollar in a re-imagined, present day Southern California." It was also confirmed that GTAV would feature mission-based gameplay, storytelling, and online multiplayer."
Source: Game Informer, Gamespot





Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Max Payne 3 Intense Screenshots!

Here's some new intense Max Payne 3 screenshots for you guys that were released not more than 10 minutes ago. For those of you who just can't wait for it to come out, it'll be coming out March 2012 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC!


"Certain areas of the environment will trigger a special Bullet Time sequence, allowing Max to unleash even more devastation on his foes."


"In Max Payne 3, every bullet is individually modeled allowing for Bullet Time precision during intense battles."


"Enemies will react dynamically to injuries as they’re inflicted."


"Max reaches out to brace himself during his signature shoot-dodge maneuver, thanks to advancements in Natural Motion's Euphoria character behavior system."


Source: Rockstar