Rockstar Bans Several Gamers On GTA V Online

Rockstar's hit title at the current moment is finding fewer and fewer players online. If you've been modding or hacking on Grand Theft Auto V Online, then chances are you've been banned. The development team is serious about keeping the online gameplay equal for all, so they've started their search for anyone who may be fraudulent during online gameplay. Turns out that if you tamper with the code at all, it's enough to get you banned from online gameplay.

Gamers may get banned from online gameplay but that won't affect single-player campaign or future DLC. The ban is using an IP or Mac address, so creating new accounts or swapping out your console won't be a fix to get back online. If your account has been banned you'll likely receive the following message online:

"SC Admin Console Ban Report

This is an automated message from Rockstar Games to inform you that your account has been flagged for violating our Online Features Code of Conduct and/or EULA, found here:

- Conduct | Rockstar Games
- End User License Agreement | Rockstar Games

Accounts can become flagged as a result of automated statistical analysis or manual review of evidence for violations such as modding, hacking, exploiting or abusing game mechanics, or otherwise interfering with other players' gameplay experience. Some actions taken in response to these flags may result in restrictions on functionality in GTA Online, such as a muted microphone, restrictions on UGC creation, or being restricted to the Cheater or Bad Sport Pools for matchmaking. Repeated flags will result in longer and more restrictive penalties and we may permanently restrict your ability to access GTA Online. Certain actions, such as ISO/Memory modding or selling accounts may result in an immediate permanent ban.

Ban Period: Permanent

Please note that this is a no-reply email address."

We're unsure of how many players have been banned quite yet but from the reports made online, Rockstar isn't messing around. Have you been banned on GTA Online? Let us know in the comments.

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DayZ Standalone, Albion Online Announced, Star Wars the Old Republic and more | MMO News 10/24

by Kirk Wallace, MMO Attack, Posted Oct 25th 2013 1:45PM

The Daily XP is the daily MMO and MMORPG News show from our partners over at MMO Attack. Come back each and every day during the week for highlights of the days most current stories.On Today's episode: Tags: albion, daily xp, dayz, Gaming News, mmo, mmo attack, mmo news, mmorpg, naruto, Star Wars, star wars the old republic, trailer, video

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GTA 5 Online: Top 10 Mistakes Players Make

Grand Theft Auto 5 Online is finally here. Just like the game's one-player mode, there's a bunch of stuff to do and a lot to absorb. Here, we give you 10 things to avoid at the beginning.

10.) Driving Like a Maniac

Sure, it's a joy to drive fast and perform stunts. Doing so can increase your driving ability, but that's not to say it doesn't have some drawbacks. Driving like a lunatic can draw a lot of attention. You might get off on the wrong foot with other players and they may judge you for your driving methods (thus, losing your rep). It also makes cops very angry, and can create a huge distraction if you're currently involved in an event. Vehicles lose value if you deliver them to Simeon in bad condition. Above all else, it can hurt your character and even worse, result in death. Death is the worst punishment because you'll have to steal your car back (and deal with the police), or pay an $800-insurance fee to get it back each time. That is a lot of money to waste and will drain your account quickly. Unless there's an emergency or you're attempting to escape a situation, take your time and drive safe.

9.) Turning Your Back on Someone

Finding people you can trust is essential when playing GTA Online. It's not smart to hang with the wrong people. Completing missions with others can win you decent cash and rank points, but players always have the option to rob each other before or after a job session ends. Either defend yourself immediately or get away in a vehicle pronto if they're nearby. Additionally, keep an eye on cashiers when fleeing a store robbery – some carry a firearm.

8.) Playing Without a Headset

If you don't have a headset for your console, we strongly recommend getting one. Besides a store robbery going more smoothly, communication is vital in GTA Online. You'll want to make friends and chat together without the hassle of texting each other. Most importantly, many players tend to use their mics, so eavesdropping can give you an understanding of what's happening in the session and help you figure out what other player's intentions are.

7.) Pretending You Know Everything Right Away

As we stated above, you'll want to take your best skills and use them in proper scenarios. That said, dig your teeth in multiple activities and try several match types, then get accustomed to them. If Team Deathmatch is your thing, give all the maps a try; this way you can familiarize yourself with the levels, locate special items and know what you're getting into. That way, you'll develop more confidence and bet some money on matches. Remember, practice makes perfect.

6.) Competing in Activities You're Not Good at

Everyone has different tastes for activities and many of their skills are diverse. Are you good at driving? Participate in a race and make players eat your dust. Not too shabby at Tennis? Head to a tennis court and face off with another player. The sky is literally the limit in GTA Online; you have numerous activities you can partake in that can earn you cash and RP (rank points), or to boost up your skills. However, you may come up short with parachuting or flying. In this case, try not to involve yourself in a flying scenario or competitions. Invest your time with what you're good at and you'll rank up faster.

5.) Blowing Your Money on Unneeded Items

It's important to spend your earnings on things you need first (check the What to Buy tips for more details). You'll need to save a decent amount of money to be successful online, and wasting it on expensive clothes or outrageous cars is a big risk considering most things are open for other players to steal. Think of what you need – not what you want.

4.) Stealing a Car and Forgetting to Repaint

If you plan to keep a stolen vehicle, we recommend changing its paint color. Cops are smart in GTA Online and can smell a crook a mile away. Although police chases are inevitable, some missions require you to get a paint job at mod shops, and you'll want to avoid cops at all costs when roaming the streets. The fee is usually small for a repaint. This will keep you off the radar.

3.) Wandering on Foot

Unless you're trying to build stamina, traveling around Los Santos without a car is the least safe approach. You will be a sitting duck to other players; they can easily run you over or snipe you from the distance. Not only that, but it's rather impossible to shake off the police with just your legs. If your personal car isn't around, steal one.

2.) Pausing the Game – Enter Passive Mode Instead

Say you have to go to the bathroom while playing GTA Online. We don't want you to hold it, but pausing the game doesn't stop your online play. Players can still interact with you while you're on the john, leaving you extremely vulnerable. Luckily, you have the option to enable Passive Mode for a $100 fee. Passive Mode prevents any physical damage to you while on foot. You must not be in a vehicle, as other players can damage both you and your car. This is also a good time to stash some dough on your phone or enjoy the map's scenery. Be advised, though – you cannot fire weapons in this state.

1.) Carrying Large Amounts of Money

Earning money equals success in Grand Theft Auto Online. Players are hungry and greedy; many will attempt to kill you on first sight and take your hard-earned cash. As soon as you make some bucks from a job or mission, isolate yourself from other players, make sure the coast is clear, then whip-out your phone and select the "Money and Services" tab. From there, you can access your bank account under the Maze Bank app and secure (or withdraw) your earnings.

For more life-saving tips, check out Prima's free GTA 5 guide.

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New League Champion, SMITE Patch Notes and EVE Online Training Sessions | MMO News 10/10

by Colin Croughan, Posted Oct 10th 2013 9:45PM

The Daily XP is the daily MMO and MMORPG News show from our partners over at MMO Attack. Come back each and every day during the week for highlights of the days most current stories. On Today's episode:

Tags: eve, eve-online, league of legends, league-of-legends, league-of-legends-dominion, league-of-legends-season-one, LeagueOfLegends, LOL, mmo, mmo-industry, mmo-roundup, mmo-shooter, mmoattack, mmoattattack, MMObility, mmofps, mmorg, mmorpg, mmorpg games, mmorpg news, mmorpg-discussion, mmorpg-hot-topics, mmorpg-topics, mmorpg.com, MMORPGS, mmorpgs 2013, mmorts, smite, XP

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GTA 5 Online: How to Earn Money Fast

Grand Theft Auto Online is about ranking up and earning cash. Follow these tips below to fill your pockets and establish yourself.

Making Dough for "Show"

Complete In-game Missions & Jobs

In-game missions are automatic jobs handed to you solo (or with other players). When you enter GTA Online, Lamar (from the single-player campaign) will help your character get set up. Completing these missions will earn you cash early on and help you purchase some much-needed elements. Be sure to check your phone for texts or calls and answer them. The key here is to stay busy and apply yourself.

Customer's Always Right

If you want to wrack up dough quickly, the absolute best way to earn money at the start is by robbing convenient stores. It's the quickest and usually the easiest way to accumulate a ton of currency. There are 18 stores in GTA Online, and they're all marked on your map. There's always a catch, though. Some stores require two players. In this case, get someone you can trust (a friend, girlfriend or your brother) and enter one. If you aren't aware of the other player's intentions, don't risk it; chances are they'll rob you.

Once you enter a store, equip your weapon and hold the cashier at gunpoint. At this moment, you must intimidate the cashier and convince him/her to give you the money. You will see an intimidation bar on the lower-right part of the screen – fill it to receive the money. A key recommendation is to have a headset plugged in, because yelling at cashiers works smoothly and draws less cops without gunfire. With the money gathered, you'll have one more task: escape the police.

Sell Cars

Want to make cash like a criminal? Steal ANY car, then bring it to a Los Santos Customs. Every vehicle has the option to sell from the custom menu. The price highly depends on the type of car and its condition, so make repairs before selling it.

Join Jobs

Perhaps you're in a quiet game with little going on. Well, if players are roaming around and doing nothing, try searching for another game – or better yet, host a job session. As noted before, each job or mission you complete grants you cash with free-spending.

Race, Fight & Make Bets

Along with jobs and missions, there are other ways to earn money. Check your in-game map for a variety of activities, such as land races, water races, team deathmatches and more. These all appear as blue icons and are easily marked. Each one can be physically entered via its blue "hub," or can be selected from your phone.

Additionally, you're capable of making bets prior to each match type. Think of it as a gambling game – if other players bet, there's a big pot of gold guaranteed for the winner (in first place). This is of course risky business, so unless you're feeling lucky or have a ton of dough to throw around, feel free to chance it. Bets can be made in multiples of a hundred, so you can always play it safe.

Be Friendly, Be Mindful

If you're a good player, you'll earn rewards from time to time. In other words, don't go around shooting everyone and acting like you own the map. Being a good sport can grant you effortless cash and make you more likeable. Although it's a small amount, money will automatically be placed into your bank account. It never hurts to make friends; work together and live richer.

Be Greedy & Tick People Off

Contradicting the tip above, you can be one of those greedy players everyone hates. It's rather simple: chase a player and then gun them down or run them over. Each time a player dies, they drop money (near their corpse). Although this seems exciting, the unimpressive rewards usually result in bad rep with a warrant on your head.

Create a Clan

We've mentioned this numerous times already: Trust is a very important factor in GTA Online. Trustful people produce crews (clans) and tackle jobs together. Many missions or goals can only be met with more than one player, and it's always a good idea to have a faithful player to watch your back. For additional coverage, visit www.rockstargames.com/socialclub and meet new people.

Share Money

GTA Online also gives you an opportunity to share money with other players. This can be done within your group or given to other people in the game; access the share option in the Interactive Menu. The cash comes from your bank account or from a last job. Generosity can help boost your good deeds and improve your rep. Again, this is your choice. That said, the chances of a random player returning the favor are pretty slim.

Bank Money vs. Cash Money

Two cash amounts are displayed on-screen when viewing your earnings: "Bank" and "Cash." Your Bank money is your currency within your account. In a nutshell, it's the money you have locked in your account and is untouchable from other players. You can withdraw, deposit or view your transactions at ATMs. You can find ATMs usually in front of stores or diners. More effectively, spot the closest ATMs in the Interaction Menu (hold Select) and pick "ATM" under "Quick GPS." Doing so will place a route on your map. Make sure nobody's around – you don't want to get robbed. Cash is actual dough you have in your pocket. If you haven't guessed, it's not a great idea to walk around like a snob and wave your money around unless you want to become an easy target. If you complete a job, store most of it and keep a decent amount if needed for spending.

You can access your bank account via your phone's Internet as well to avoid the hassle of traveling to an ATM.

For more GTA 5 tips, visit Prima's free guide.

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GTA Online: Live but not functional, Rockstar acknowledges 'technical issues'

by Matt Liebl, GameZone, Posted Oct 1st 2013 10:00AM

Grand Theft Auto Online, the highly anticipated multiplayer portion of GTA 5, goes live today. Rockstar confirmed that the GTA 5 Title Update to enable GTA Online access has been rolling out all morning on PSN and Xbox LIVE across territories worldwide.
We've attempted to log in to GTA Online and the results have been mixed. Most of the time we're stopped by connection issues, but the one time we did manage to get on our mini-map wouldn't load and entering a mission froze the game.

For more information click here: Source: http://www.gamezone.com/news/2013/10/01/gta-online-goes-live-today-rockstar-acknowledges-technical-issues

Tags: gamezone, GTA, gta 5, gta 5 details, gta 5 gameplay, gta 5 news, gta 5 ps3, gta 5 release, gta 5 release date, gta 5 screenshots, gta 5 trailer, gta 5 video, GTA IV, gta online, gta v, gta-iv, Gta4, gta5, GTAIV, GtaV, PlayStation, Playstation 3, playstation network, playstation-3, PlayStation-Network, playstation-vita, Playstation3, Playstation4, PlaystationNetwork, PlaystationVita, PSN, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, xbox one, Xbox-360, Xbox-Live, Xbox-Live-Arcade, Xbox360, XboxLive, XboxOne

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Grand Theft Auto Online Social Club Features

With Grand Theft Auto V days away from release, players everywhere can't wait to dive back into the criminal world of Los Santos. Just make sure you save room for Grand Theft Auto Online when it launches a couple of weeks later. Here, you'll be able to team up with friends and take on rivals through a series of vehicular and ground-based contests to see which group is the best.

With the Online interface comes the return of the Social Club, where you not only put together a crew to work with you at every turn, but also assign a Hierarchy, letting everyone know just who's in charge.

This system is based upon feedback from the Social Club community, so Rockstar North, the developers of both GTA V and its supplementary Online mode, have a great idea of what to do with it.

Hierarchy ties in with the general Crew, which is broken down into five top tiers. At the very top sits the Leader, who leads this particular club and makes all the decisions when it comes to leveling out rankings and making sure each member does their job. This is probably the most crucial point of the Hierarchy, so you'll want to make sure that the right person is on deck. Put the wrong person in charge and the group could crumble under "no confidence."

Next up are the Commissioners, with two assigned. These people act as the most trusted members to the Leader and the members below them. They act as right-hand men – or women – who will manage and administrate each part of the Crew, working on behalf of the Leader. These members should also be highly trusted, as they'll have the ability to promote new members to the crew, as well as assign new ones. It's vital that you have the Leader and the Commissioners on the same page, or else there will be a falling out.

For the rest of the story and a preview of GTA V, check out Prima Games

View the original article here

Grand Theft Auto Online Social Club Features

With Grand Theft Auto V days away from release, players everywhere can't wait to dive back into the criminal world of Los Santos. Just make sure you save room for Grand Theft Auto Online when it launches a couple of weeks later. Here, you'll be able to team up with friends and take on rivals through a series of vehicular and ground-based contests to see which group is the best.

With the Online interface comes the return of the Social Club, where you not only put together a crew to work with you at every turn, but also assign a Hierarchy, letting everyone know just who's in charge.

This system is based upon feedback from the Social Club community, so Rockstar North, the developers of both GTA V and its supplementary Online mode, have a great idea of what to do with it.

Hierarchy ties in with the general Crew, which is broken down into five top tiers. At the very top sits the Leader, who leads this particular club and makes all the decisions when it comes to leveling out rankings and making sure each member does their job. This is probably the most crucial point of the Hierarchy, so you'll want to make sure that the right person is on deck. Put the wrong person in charge and the group could crumble under "no confidence."

Next up are the Commissioners, with two assigned. These people act as the most trusted members to the Leader and the members below them. They act as right-hand men – or women – who will manage and administrate each part of the Crew, working on behalf of the Leader. These members should also be highly trusted, as they'll have the ability to promote new members to the crew, as well as assign new ones. It's vital that you have the Leader and the Commissioners on the same page, or else there will be a falling out.

For the rest of the story and a preview of GTA V, check out Prima Games

View the original article here

Ubisoft, Blue Byte announce Panzer General Online for browsers

Image via Ubisoft, Blue Byte

Developer and publisher Ubisoft has announced Panzer General Online, the newest game in the popular Panzer General series, which sees the strategy franchise taking its first steps into the world of free-to-play gaming. Panzer General Online will be available to play for free in web browsers, bringing turn-based strategy to a potentially massive audience upon launch.

Developed by Ubisoft’s Blue Byte Studio, Panzer General Online will give players control of multiple varieties of units, including airplanes, infantry, tanks and more, as well as allowing players to take over units in battles inspired by historical events. The game is Blue Byte’s fifth free-to-play browser game, following the likes of Anno Online, which launched in open beta in May.

“We are happy to celebrate our 25th studio anniversary with the announcement of a new entry in the beloved Panzer General franchise,” said Odile Limpach, Managing Director of Blue Byte, in a company statement. “Panzer General Online is a game where tactical skill beats the luck of the cards, and will appeal to new and old strategy fans alike.”

Panzer General Online will offer both single-player and multiplayer battle modes, with the single-player experience serving as more of an in-depth tutorial across battles like Omaha Beach and Monte Cassino. When players feel up to it, they can take to battle against other real-world players.

The game will allow players to collect and trade their units to create a personalized army, which will presumably bring a large revenue stream to the game.

Panzer General Online is set to launch in closed beta later this year. Players can pre-register for their chance to play the game on the game’s official website.

Sponsored Post Brand new companies and start-ups face innumerable challenges, but one of the most significant ones, according to Rich Gorman, is brand-building. While companies like Apple and Amazon.com have much stored-up goodwill and prestige to use in their favor, a brand new company has no such luxury. As such, it is imperative for start-ups to think critically.
Learn more

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Grand Theft Auto Online revealed with new gameplay trailer

by Matt Liebl, GameZone, Posted Aug 15th 2013 11:00AM

As promised, Rockstar Games unveiled Grand Theft Auto Online, the multiplayer portion of Grand Theft Auto 5.

The online mode takes the persistent, constantly expanding world from Grand Theft Auto 5 and presents several "structured and unstructured" multiplayer activities you can partake in. This includes the freedom to explore Los Santos alone or with friends, working cooperatively as a Crew to pull off heists and other events, or compete in traditional online game modes. All the while, you'll earn cash to customize your character, weapon of choice, and vehicle.

Check out the trailer on GameZone> Tags: Grand theft auto 4, grand theft auto 5, grand theft auto 5 details, grand theft auto 5 multiplayer, grand theft auto 5 news, grand theft auto 5 release, grand theft auto 5 release date, grand theft auto 5 screenshots, grand theft auto 5 trailer, grand theft auto 5 updates, grand theft auto reveal, grand theft auto trailer, grand theft auto V, grand theft auto V details, grand theft auto V gameplay, grand theft auto v news, grand theft auto V release date, grand theft auto v screenshots, grand theft auto V trailer, grand theft auto V video, Grand Theft Auto Vice City, Grand Theft Auto video, grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-4, grand-theft-auto-5, grand-theft-auto-5-trailers, grand-theft-auto-5-video, grand-theft-auto-5-videos, grand-theft-auto-iv, grand-theft-auto-V, grand-theft-auto-v-trailer, grandauto, GrandTheftAuto, GrandTheftAuto4, GrandTheftAuto5, grandtheftauto5news, GrandTheftAutoIv, GTA, gta 5, gta 5 gameplay, gta 5 gameplay online, gta 5 gameplay trailer, gta 5 gameplay video, gta 5 trailer, gta 5 video, gta 5 videos, GTA IV, gta reveal, gta v, gta-4, gta-5, gta-iv, Gta4, gta5, gta5trailers, gta5videos, gtagames, GTAIV, RockStar, Rockstar Games, Rockstar-Games, RockstarGames

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Rebellion announces Evil Genius Online for Facebook, Zynga.com

Image via Rebellion Entertainment

Rebellion Entertainment has announced its Evil Genius Online will come to Facebook and Zynga.com later this year. The game is the latest in the Evil Genius series, which focuses on “super villain” humor and real-time-strategy gameplay.

As reported by Polygon, the game will feature the expected social features of a Facebook game, including allowing players to “form evil syndicates, send spies to rival lairs and share rare and crucial items in the form of bribes.”

Rebellion’s Facebook page promises that Evil Genius Online will stay true to the original Evil Genius franchise, giving players the chance to construct large underground lairs and complete a variety of evil actions as their super villain character. The overall goal of the game will be to become the “world’s most notorious criminal mastermind.”

“As an independent developer, it’s crucial that we really explore free-to-play beyond mobile games,” said Rebellion CEO and Creative Director Jason Kingsley. “We challenged a small team here in our Oxford studio to create a social game that was not only compelling, but technically impressive and we just kept coming back to Evil Genius — the lair construction, the strategy, the humor — it was just a perfect fit.”

A closed beta is being planned for Evil Genius Online, with the full launch coming this fall.

Sponsored Post Brand new companies and start-ups face innumerable challenges, but one of the most significant ones, according to Rich Gorman, is brand-building. While companies like Apple and Amazon.com have much stored-up goodwill and prestige to use in their favor, a brand new company has no such luxury. As such, it is imperative for start-ups to think critically.
Learn more

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The Lego Group, Warner Bros. announce open beta launch of Lego Legends of Chima Online

Image via Warner Bros. / The Lego Group

Warner Bros. and The Lego Group have announced the launch of Lego Legends of Chima Online in open beta. The browser-game is now available to play for free, but the game’s full launch isn’t expected to happen until sometime this fall.

Developed by WB Games Montreal, Lego Legends of Chima Online is set in the lush land of Chima, as players can choose from one of four characters and take to battle against evil crocodiles and other baddies that wish to gather “Chi,” the land’s most valuable resource. Like many magical substances, Chi can do as much harm as good when in the wrong hands, so players must work fast with others to take back the land from those that would do it harm.

As a free-to-play browser game, Legends of Chima Online is available to play without a download, and feels incredibly similar to a Facebook game. Players can take to the campaign on their own, completing fetch quests and battles without the help of others, but are actually encouraged to add friends to increase the pace of progress.

Each player has a home base that can be upgraded with homes and functional buildings like a blacksmith’s tent. Homes produce studs over time, the game’s free currency, and Gold Bricks, the game’s premium currency, can be used to expand this home base to hold more buildings.

Out in the world at large, locations are filled with destructible items, each containing studs, healing food items, or collectible Lego bricks, and enemies will attack automatically when players enter new areas. These enemies can be defeated with a click of either the left or right mouse button, with each assigned to a different weapon or tool in the player’s left or right hands.

Image via Warner Bros. / The Lego Group

As players complete quests, they receive experience points and blueprints that can be used in the blacksmith’s shop (for instance) to create new tools and weapons. Like many MMOs, players can use their studs and Gold Bricks to purchase items in the game’s store that they may not be able to find elsewhere, or at least not without playing the game for a considerable amount of time.

The Lego Group’s experience with children’s toys and games shows in Legends of Chima Online, as players are assigned fictitious names to protect the privacy of young players, and parents are emailed when their children first create an account. Players can still visit each others’ bases and interact with items there, but there’s an overall protection of privacy throughout the game.

While Legends of Chima Online is currently only in open beta, the game already accepts real money purchases and subscriptions for premium accounts, each offering additional inventory slots, power slots, home base land expansions, Gold Bricks and more. There’s no indication that the game will undergo a server wipe before the game’s official launch this fall, but we’ve reached out to Warner Bros and The Lego Group to see if these purchased items really are safe.

Update: Warner Bros. tells Inside Social Games that “everything will be kept on your character between Open Beta to the final game including your character name, progress, items, CHI orbs and other consumables, powers, buildings, gold bricks, and any remaining days of membership.  Also, chat functions will be available at launch as well.”

For now, interested children and adults alike can try Lego Legends of Chima Online for free in the browser of their choice.

Sponsored Post Brand new companies and start-ups face innumerable challenges, but one of the most significant ones, according to Rich Gorman, is brand-building. While companies like Apple and Amazon.com have much stored-up goodwill and prestige to use in their favor, a brand new company has no such luxury. As such, it is imperative for start-ups to think critically.
Learn more

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Dogs of War Online developer interview

Dogs of War Online was recently announced by Cyanide Studios in a press release last week. The game is a turn-based, tactical arena game that draws heavily on an old table-top RPG game called Confrontation. We had the opportunity to speak with Pierre Gilbert, the Lead Game Designer of Dogs of War Online about the game and what we can expect in the future.

MMO Attack: Let's begin by telling us a little about the game?

Pierre Gilbert, Lead Game Designer: The game is an online multiplayer F2P set in Aarklash (the main continent of Confrontation). It is a turn-based game where you lead mercenary companies, inspired from the tabletop game, that mainly aims to keep the same spirit. Fans of the game might recognize the influence of Confrontation's first expansion book ("Dogs of War"), which focused heavily on adding RPG and Management elements to the mix.

Can you talk a bit about how the game came to be? (i.e. where the idea came from, who was involved, how did you get started)

Cyanide holds the rights for Confrontation for quite some time now, and when the first Confrontation game was released, many players expressed the wish to have a multiplayer part closer to the tabletop feeling, with turn-based action. I shared that feeling; as a kid, I craved to see a good tabletop game made for PC. When Cyanide came up with Chaos League and then Blood Bowl, I felt that we were on the same page, though I wasn't working for them at the time.

Few years later, I felt it was natural for me to apply for the company. After some time in, I went to see Patrick [Pligersdorffer, our CEO] to discuss the potential of a persistent turn-based game set in the Confrontation universe, closer to its core experience. We quickly came to an agreement and launched Dogs of War online with a small team.

What is the challenge for bringing the table-top experience to an online game?

There are so many! First and foremost, the worst thing for us was to get an intuitive game while following a 200-pages rule-book It was a bit of a nightmare at first, as we had to "translate" every feature of the book into something that was close to the spirit of the game but accessible for PC players. The sheer number of rules can be really hard to assimilate for new players, so we had to make sure that the complexity would be gradually tackled by players, assuring intuitive inputs and feedback.

Then, you've got the pace. A typical Confrontation tabletop match varies between 1 and 3 hours long (if you're lucky), which we felt was way too much for PC gamers.
We aimed for 20 to 40 minutes games, mostly depending of your squad size. Luckily, the computer was an advantage here; because it can obviously do all the underlying work, leaving players only with the pleasant input (tactical choices).

There is also the random factor. Most of the tabletop games heavily rely on dices, adding a lot of unpredictability in the game. While we felt it was an important side of the experience, it did not translate that well on PC. First tries proved to be a bit frustrating, so we had to reduce randomness to an acceptable level and help the player to control possible risks, to make sure the experience was enjoyable at all levels.

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Guest Post: Is Facebook More Innovative Than Google With Online Advertising?

This is a guest post by Ampush co-founder and CMO Chris Amos. Ampush is a Facebook Preferred Marketing Developer qualified in ads.

The recent expansion of Facebook’s Custom Audiences, a targeting mechanism that enables marketers to reach their offline audiences on Facebook, now includes options for businesses to use third-party customer behavior data to pinpoint the ads they run on the social network.

By offering more options for marketers to target their audiences, Facebook is gaining ground in its ongoing innovation battle with Google, and marketing budgets should follow.

Facebook’s partnerships with Datalogix, Epsilon, Acxiom and BlueKai allow enterprises to create predefined or custom first-party targeting categories, so now businesses of all sizes can target categories like “soda drinkers” or “people who browsed for a specific make/model of car on my website” and reach those consumers on Facebook.

Multi-channel marketing is taking off, and with Facebook providing advertisers access to a consistent and engaging user experience across mobile and desktop News Feeds, Facebook is solidifying its position as the ideal platform to spend ad dollars. The social platform is catalyzing three major paradigm shifts that have changed consumer expectations and opened up new possibilities for advertisers — personalization, virality and mobile/multi-device proliferation.

1. Personalization
The social web of today is on an unstoppable path toward hyper-personalization. Communication between business and consumer has gone from “anonymous” mass marketing to “relevant” targeted messages to “personalized” social experiences. Facebook, being the web’s most ubiquitous identity network, has access to authentic attributes, interests and actions (captured via Open Graph) for over 1 billion users worldwide. This advantage alone best positions enterprises to deliver high-quality, personalized experiences to users, on and off Facebook.

2. Virality
The rise of social has given users a megaphone, which has dramatically reduced the time it takes to advance through the traditional product marketing funnel. Typically a lead matures over time from awareness to consideration and ultimately to conversion, which in a non-social world can take several months. But with Facebook, when a story appears in my News Feed that my friend Jason read “The Devil in the White City,” I immediately progress from awareness to consideration, and might even click through to buy the book on the spot, all because of the power of social context. Facebook, capturing 39 percent of time spent on the top 10 global websites and 23 percent of time spent on all apps in the U.S., is arguably best equipped to catalyze this viral potential.

3. Mobile and Multi-Device Proliferation
As consumers increasingly adopt multiple mobile devices, users expect a personalized and consistent experience across platforms. To meet these expectations, enterprises are best off leveraging an authentic social identifier such as Facebook Login, as opposed to relying on less precise, less reliable browser cookies. Because many users are logged into Facebook all the time, especially via mobile, Facebook is once again uniquely positioned to deliver value. Furthermore, Facebook’s recent redesign of News Feed has created a consistent user experience across its desktop and mobile interfaces, while providing advertisers access to its most engaging placement.

With the integration of third-party data sources, coupled with Facebook’s acquisition of Atlas, the social platform is making major moves toward providing an end-to-end solution for enterprises to construct intelligent audiences, engage users with personalized experiences, and measure the downstream impact of their advertising campaigns. Ampush is a social technology company helping enterprises navigate these trends, and unlock the viral potential of Facebook ads.

LivingSocial recently partnered with Ampush on an initiative to drive new users and repeat purchases for their daily deals via News Feed. Powered by Ampush’s Referred Intent amplification technology, LivingSocial used a combination of Sponsored Stories with Custom Audience targeting to deliver more personalized messaging while amplifying the voice of actual customers to acquire new users and drive purchases. This approach enabled LivingSocial to obtain new users cost efficiently, leading to CPAs 60 percent lower than other Facebook ad platforms. By utilizing a News Feed targeted strategy, LivingSocial saw a 20X higher CTR than right hand side ads.

Facebook is taking big steps to make its ads platform more robust and quantify the value it provides to enterprises. While Google still owns the world’s largest online display advertising network, Facebook is on the fast-track to developing new and better ways to deliver personalized advertising experiences to its massive user base. It will be fascinating to see how this arms race progresses, to say the least.

Chris Amos is the Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer at Ampush. Prior to Ampush, Chris worked as an investment professional at The Carlyle Group and an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. While not exploring innovation in social technology, Chris can be found rooting for Chicago sports teams, learning to box, and attempting to surf and snowboard. Follow him on Twitter @chrisAmos.

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Ministry of Culture to Regulate Online Games in China

Yesterday (June 22nd, 2010) the Ministry of Culture of the People's Republic of China released new regulations on online games, which will come into effect on Aug 1st, 2010. All online and social games will be subject to stricter scrutiny going forward.

The most sweeping change is the requirement of real names and valid ID, which would completely change the anonymous nature of the Chinese internet. The vast majority of gamers and BBS and QQ users use nicknames rather than real names. Networks, portals, and game developers are all likely to balk unless the policy is vigorously enforced.

The other key change is that online platforms are prohibited from selling virtual currency to minors (under 18). Tencent, the Chinese internet giant that caters to teens, had its stock fall about 5% in Hong Kong upon the news, despite issuing a statement that it would not be affected.

New regulations for online and social games have been in the making for some time. The announcement by the Ministry of Culture establishes their imminent arrival.

(The full regulation (in Chinese) is available on Sina Tech)

All online game operators, including SNS companies, should have no less than 10 million RMB of registered capital.Online games developed by foreign companies are subject to special regulation and approval by the Ministry of Culture. See application requirements below.Any change of the game content should be reported to MCPRC for further review.The new regulations also require users to register with real names and valid ID. Note: All Chinese have a Resident Identity Card (?????) that could be used, similar to South Korea's real name system. Shanda's beta social gaming platform, "Candy" (??), already requires this for registration.Online platforms are prohibited from selling virtual currency to minors (under 18).(A) Application forms(B) Game instructions(C) Agreement of trade and operation (both in Chinese and the original language) and a copy of the copyright certificates or authorizations for the game(D) A copy of “internet operation license” and “business license”(E) Other documents required for a review of the content

Credit to Bill Bishop of DigiCha for bringing this to our attention.

By Kai Lukoff and Pan Xie

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Dragonplay partners with TRUSTe for online privacy and security

Android social casino game developer Dragonplay today announced that it’s partnered with online privacy solutions provider TRUSTe. The new partnership will see TRUSTe certify Dragonplay’s privacy policy, as well as “ensure the utmost fairness and security in Dragonplay’s games.”

The deal will also see Center Space overseeing Dragonplay’s Random Number Generator, a step few mobile game developers have done. However, with more and more companies crowding into the social and mobile casino markets, partnering with groups who can ensure a user privacy and security (not to mention guarantee the fairness of the company’s games) will likely make titles a more appealing choice for new users.

We last heard from Dragonplay back in April, when the company had secured $14 million in funding after its Live Holdem Pro took the top-grossing spot on Android (now, AppData shows the game at the No. 97). At the time, founder Sharon Tal told us the money would be largely put towards acquisitions of smaller studios to help expand the developer’s lineup of casino games.

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Facebook partnership with Datalogix helps measure offline impact of online ads

Facebook has been working with Datalogix, which connects digital media and offline purchasing data, to help advertisers understand how their spends on Facebook affect in-store sales, the Financial Times reports. After measuring 45 campaigns over the past year, the companies found that in 70 percent of cases, every $1 spent on Facebook led to an additional $3 in sales.

Datalogix says it has purchasing data from about 70 million American households based on loyalty cards and programs at more than 1,000 retailers. It then matches email addresses or other information associated with those memberships with the email addresses or information associated with their Facebook accounts. The emails and other personally identifiable information is anonymized, but the companies can compare the differences in sales among groups who saw certain Facebook ads versus those who didn’t.

“We know that people share a lot of information on Facebook, and we have taken great care to make sure that we measure the effectiveness of Facebook ads without compromising the commitments we have made on privacy,” a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement. “We don’t sell people’s personal information, and individual user data is not shared between Facebook, Datalogix or advertisers.”

Facebook also has a partnership with ComScore and has been working with Nielsen Company since 2009 to measure the impact of its ads. For example, Facebook works with Nielsen to run polls on the right-hand side of Facebook.com to measure brand awareness, ad recall and purchase intent. Datalogix can go a step further and understand the actual spending habits of Facebook users who were or weren’t exposed to an ad campaign.

As advertisers put more money and effort into Facebook marketing, the social network needs increasingly sophisticated ways to prove its value. The company currently has open positions for a Partner Measurement Group Lead, three Partner Measurement Leads and a Marketing Mix Measurement Lead.

In July, Facebook and the Advertising Research Foundation issued a challenge to the measurement community to come up with innovative ideas to tie social marketing back to business metrics in ways that allow for cross-platform comparability around the world. Facebook said it would consider providing funding, access to data assets and collaboration on pilot studies. Its partnership with Datalogix is separate from this initiative.

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Lunchtime Poll: Do you play online games with your kids?

by Joe Osborne, Posted May 2nd 2012 12:20PM

Believe it or not, but there are some free-to-play online and social games out there that are appropriate for the little. You could even argue that Facebook game hits like FarmVille are OK for the kiddies to play, as long as you're in the know of who your spawn are socializing with.

KingsIsle Entertainment's Wizard101 is definitely a game that's appropriate for parents and pre-teens to play together. Tech.pinions writer Patrick Moorhead describes his adventures with this son in the Harry Potter-inspired massively multiplayer online game, which he claims features dialog and humor that operates at both the kid and adult level. In that way, think of Wizard101 as an interactive Pixar film, pandering to kids and parents alike.

Moorhead even provides some interesting statistics, like the fact that one third of the 60 percent of Wizard101 playing kids that responded to a survey by Trinity University enjoy the game with their parents or grandparents. On the flip side, 68 percent of adults surveyed said that they play with family members, and two thirds of which said that includes kids and grandkids. WIth that, we want to know...

[Image Credit: Killer Guides]

What kind of games do you play with your kids online? Share with us in the comments. Add Comment.

Tags: f2p, free-to-play, Kids games, kingsisle-entertainment, lunchtime poll, mmo, online games, parents kids games, poll, social games, web games, wizard101

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