Last night, at the first ever Games Developers Choice Online Awards, Riot Games and their DotA clone, League of Legends, cleaned house by winning five out of nine awards. The awards ran the gamut from ‘Best Online Game Design’ to ‘Best Online Technology.’

Other noteworthy winners include EVE Online for ‘Best Live Game,’ World of Warcraft for ‘Best Community Relations’ and NCSoft’s Aion for ‘Best Audio for an Online Game’.

Created to honor “the accomplishments creators and operators of online video games – from large-scale MMOs through free-to-play titles to social network games,” the Game Developers Choice Online Awards  one of the few award ceremonies dedicated to “the rich history and growing world of online specific games.”

Personally, I’m glad to see Riot Games got some formal acclaim. The developer made a free game with a lot of depth and replayabilty and deserves every word of praise.

What do you guys guys think about this? Do you agree that Riot Games deserves all this attention? If not, than which of the nominees would you have like to see win? Let us know with a comment below.

Source: Shacknews.com

Some of you guys may remember the  time before World of Warcraft, when the hottest MMO on the block was EverQuest. Well, in an attempt to reclaim the throne of king MMO, Sony Online Entertainment announced the newest installment in its EverQuest franchise.

Currently referred to as EverQuest Next (I can’t imagine this name sicking), the new MMO is said to be more of a “reboot” rather than a sequel. Apparently, in hopes of furthering the idea of a “reboot,” Everquest Next will feature a new “distinctive” art style.

According to SOE president John Smedley: “We want to make something that still keeps the flavour of the original and the lore and the core tenets of it, but we want to make something that is truly next generation. We want EverQuest players and EverQuest 2 players to feel like they’re at home, but a new home, one that’s really awesome.”

What do you guys think about this? Do you think EverQuest Next could topple the colossus that is WoW? Are there any die hard EQ fans out there? If so, what are some of your fondest EQ memories?

Source: Shacknews.com

Well, it seems to be that time again: summer. You know what I’m talking about; when the excitement of getting out of school and having no responsibilities wears off and all you’re left with is boredom and an empty wallet. Well, don’t fret. Your buddy Alex is here with the first piece in what I hope will be  a long series of articles listing free-to-play games that will help you pass the rest of the season.

I know what you’re thinking. “Free to play? There are tons of free to play games… and they all suck.” Well, lately there has been a major push from studios like Turbine Entertainment and Valve to get some AAA free-to-play games on the market. I’ve done my very best to ween out all the crap games so that you have a concise, organized list of decent titles that are actually worth your time.

D&D Online

Some of you may recall a point in the past when D&D Online was a subscription based MMO in direct competition with the unstoppable force that is World of Warcraft. Well, since then, Turbine Entertainment has switched things up a bit to provide gamers with a pretty robust free-to-play MMORPG. While you may not get access to tons of character slots, all the player classes, or all the regions and adventures, there is still plenty of content there to warrant checking the game out.

What’s pretty cool about DDO is that Turbine allows you to buy specific content packs from the DDO Store. This means that instead of paying a monthly fee to have access to everything, you can pick and choose content à la carte. Not only does this save you money in the long run but it also lets you gauge how much time (and money) you are willing to sink into the game. Another cool thing Turbine did with DDO is it set up a referral system where you receive DDO Store credit (which can be used to unlock adventures, regions, etc.) for getting your friends to sign up (which you were probably going to do anyway).

In terms of gameplay, DDO is what you would expect from your standard fantasy MMO. You make a character, kill monsters, and complete quests for money & XP. The game runs on a system similar to Guild Wars, with players interacting in towns and all other locations being instanced. Combat has a distinct action-RPG feel with left-click triggering your attack. At one point while playing the game, my girlfriend came in asking if I was playing Diablo II on account of all the clicking.

Where DDO really shines is with its character progression. You see, DDO is pretty faithful to D&D tabletop’s 3.5 edition rules. That means you’ll be picking feats, landing critical hits, and rolling skill checks throughout your adventures. While it may not be a direct transfer of D&D tabletop rules, it’s close enough that I didn’t mind (and I’m pretty hardcore about my D&D tabletop).

My only complaint about D&D Online is that there is an annoying in-game pop-up that appears every so often (I saw it maybe three times in a 2 hour session) telling you that you that you should check out the DDO store. By no means is this pop-up game breaking or overly obnoxious (I mean Turbine has to make a buck at the end of the day), but it does bear mentioning.

While the story may not be as gripping or epic as WoW’s (but whose is?), Turbine has provided enough content and information about their Eberron world that gamers who are into the whole RPG thing can sink their teeth into it. If you are a fan of MMOs, or are looking to try one out to see if it’s your kind of thing, you should definitely check out DDO. For a free game, you could do a lot worse.

Lord of the Rings: Online

I’m going to go ahead and cheat a little. You see, LOTRO isn’t exactly free to play yet. Run by the same great people who handle DDO (Turbine Entertainment), LOTRO is currently in free-to-play beta (with the official launch scheduled for sometime in September). The folks over at Turbine were nice enough to hook me up with beta access to help me out with this article.

Anyway, LOTRO is by far the best free-to-play MMO I’ve gotten my hands on. Basically running on the same system DDO works on (most content is free with additional content added though microtransactions or subscription), LOTRO offers a fantastic alternative to subscription-based MMOs like WoW.

Like DDO, LOTRO features an in-game store where you can purchase items, buffs, skills, character slots, and new adventures. Also along the lines of DDO, LOTRO has ways for you to earn in-store credit though in-game achievements and referrals. Sure, grinding out 60 bandit kills may be tedious, but it beats breaking out the old wallet.

When you sign up for the free version of LOTRO, you will have access to the three main zones (Ered Luin, Shire and Bree Land). These three zones feature 800 quests and enough content to get your character up to level 22 (without grinding). I should also mention that a free subscription has no limit on level, meaning you are able to hit the level cap (65) without paying for a subscription. Once you are done with these three zones, you will be able to continue the main storyline quest into other regions. Any peripheral quest givers, however, will need to be unlocked via microtransaction. According to LOTRO Executive Producer Kate Paiz, there is about 300 hours worth of gameplay available to free players.

In terms of combat, LOTRO is very similar to WoW. You click on an enemy to target it and your character will automatically move in and attack. As you unlock new spells and skills, they will be stored on your hotbar. Just press the corresponding number and you’ll execute your special attack.

One thing that Turbine is holding back for non-subscribing users is the “Monster Play” feature. Basically functioning as PvP, Monster Play puts you in a special realm where you can play as one of five classes of monsters. Since this article is about what you get with a free account, I’ll leave researching Monster Play to you guys.

While it may not have all the bells and whistles that a subscription-based MMO features, LOTRO is by far the most robust free-to-play MMORPG I’ve seen. When the free-to-play mode hits this September, do yourself a favor and check it out. You just might be surprised by all that is available to you without spending a dime.

Alien Swarm

It should come as no surprise to you guys that I am a complete and utter Valve fanboy. It’s hard not to be one when they give away games with as much depth and replayability as Alien Swarm.

For those of you who haven’t had a chance to play AS, let me break it down for you. Built on the Source Engine, AS put gamers in a squad of four space marines who must work their way though an infested colony. There are 8 characters to choose from, two from each class: Medic, Officer, Special Weapons, and Tech. Each class has its own special abilities, weapons and uses. For example, the Officer class doesn’t really pack much fire power, but radiates passive damage buffs to his squadmates.

In terms of bad guys, Alien Swarm features a pretty wide variety. You can really see how Left 4 Dead influenced the enemy design. Each alien is designed to exploit a particular weakness in your squad. For example, there are parasites that can infect you, which deals constant damage over time until you die. The only way to combat this type of alien, aside from not getting grabbed by it, is to have a medic heal your infection. If you medic isn’t on the ball, there’s a good chance you’ll be six feet under before he’s aware you need help.

While there is only one campaign (consisting of 8 maps, each map will run you 10-15 minutes), there is plenty of replayablity thanks to unlockable weapons and upgrades. On top of that, Valve gave away the SDK, meaning that right now gamers are hard at work making custom maps and game modes. Just one week after the game was released, there is already a fan-made survival mode which works wonderfully.

If you haven’t had a chance to check out Alien Swarm, you can get it off of Steam, or just click here. You won’t regret it.

Well, that’s all I have for you guys… for now. As more and more companies adopt the free-to-play system for their games, expect more articles as the year wears on.

The Cataclysm event is here, and Deathwing kind of left a mess. While all of the changes haven’t rolled out yet on the beta servers, there are a heap of areas that have either been created, or drastically changed. One huge perk about the new Azeroth is the fact that you can fly anywhere – which is a pretty big convenience.

Hit the jump for a whole host of videos I’ve taken during my travels in Azeroth.

Yesterday Blizzard Entertainment announced that it will be making some major changes to it’s forums in preparation for StarCraft II and World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. The biggest thing being changed is that “anyone posting or replying to a post on official Blizzard forums will be doing so using their Real ID — that is, their real-life first and last name.”

That’s right folks, anonymity on the Blizzard forums is going to die. According to the official posting, “These changes will go into effect on all StarCraft II forums with the launch of the new community site prior to the July 27 release of the game, with the World of Warcraft site and forums following suit near the launch of Cataclysm. Certain classic forums, including the classic Battle.net forums, will remain unchanged.”

It is important to note that these changes will only be applied to the new StarCraft II forums and the new WoW forums. “All posts here on the current World of Warcraft forums, or any of our classic Battle.net forums, will remain as-is. They won’t (and can’t) automatically switch to showing a real first and last name.”

As you would expect, much of the gaming community is up in arms about these changes. In order to quell some of the resistance, a Blizzard employee posted his full name on the forums. In a matter of minutes, all of his personal information was posted on the Blizzard forums.

While this new policy may stop flame wars, personally I think this is an awful idea. Just looking at all the info the nefarious people on the Internet were able to scrounge up on the Blizzard employee makes me sick. I honestly can’t believe that Blizzard didn’t expect this kind of reaction. I can tell you that I will not be posting on the Blizzard forum any time soon for fear of the nutcases out there.

What do you guys think? Will this new policy change your interactions on the Blizzard forums? Do you think Blizzard is out of line sharing this kind of information? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.

[Editor's note - at the current moment, Worgens cannot exit their starting area, so I explored the entire region]

Well, the time has come, and I’ve finally completed the two starting areas for both the Worgen and Goblins! If you’ve been following along so far, you’ll know the basics of each race, and how they fit into the World of Warcraft mythos.

The addition of two brand new races will certaintly mix up raids a bit, especially since Blizzard is giving 10-man raids another go – we’re getting to the point where entire raids will be comprised almost entirely of different races (and that 1% extra damage passive that the Worgen have isn’t too shabby for end-game content). Read on for my thoughts on the two new races.

The Worgen are my new favorite

I’ll admit, werewolves are probably in my middle tier of general mythos love, but hot damn I love me some Worgen. While Orcs are generally my favorite race in anything under the sun (Warhammer, 40K), the Worgen are just all around cool. For starters, their story is very well put together, and is presented in a very streamlined manner. Essentially you start off as a human whose town is under siege, and in the calamity, you become a werewolf.  You’re all set to be executed, but compliments of a newly developed concoction, you are able to curb your feral tendencies, and function alongside the rest of the world.

Their initial questline is fairly linear (like the Death Knight starting quest), which is extremely good news for brand new players attempting to play the game for the first time. I can’t tell you how many people I know were outright confused with Vanilla WoW’s starting areas – for instance, the extremely overwhelming Tauren tundra.

You’ll see how much I love their starting area later.

Goblins are…interesting so far

I think the whole “they’re wannabe humans” angle might be pushed a bit too far. The entire town is a parody – from the fake sod in front of the Goblin’s households, to the pink flamingo lawn ornaments, to the wacky hot tub dance party. The quests are pretty diverse, ranging from a variation of soccer where bombs function as the ball, to a Crazy Taxi esque vehicular driven escort quest.

If that’s your thing, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it, but I get enough laughs from the hundreds of random references WoW makes anyway. In fact, a lot of people have even gone so far as to say “WoW has jumped the shark with this area”.

Gilneas rocks – Blizzard is really getting their starting areas down

Freaking…catapult quests! Everything I liked about the Death Knight starting zone is back, and better than ever. Using a concept called “phasing”, Blizzard has created a method of convincingly telling a story in an MMO world. Phasing essentially only allows other players to see you if certain conditions are met – for instance, if there’s a large explosion that takes out half the area you’re in, only players who have experienced that explosion will see it. While a number of Gilneas quests are still “kill and fetch” quests, the amount of intrigue that is drip fed with every passing minute will keep you going.

Long story short, I’m already excited for new starting zones in the next expansion.

So has anyone else experienced the Cataclysm beta? I wanted to make sure I played through the two new starting zones before I tackled the meat of the game: the war-torn new version of Azeroth. If you want anything covered in particular, let me know! Also feel free to check out my Youtube Channel for a ton of random videos.

[Updated with a rad new hotrod video, and me busting out my skills at a dance party]

Goblins have long been known in World of Warcraft as the “joke race”. With tons of hilarious characters like Shauly Pore, who constantly spouts the word “buuuuddy”, Dr. Boom, and even Podracers, Goblins are always good for a few laughs. However, in Cataclysm, Goblins are serious business: they’re a full selectable playable race, and a large proportion of them are abandoning their previous stance of neutrality, instead choosing to join the Horde.

Since the beta did not include a full introduction, I recorded my own, which takes place in the starting area, approximately a minute into starting a new character. Stay tuned for my full impressions on both the Worgen and Goblin races in an upcoming Scattershot piece. Spoiler: I like the Worgen a lot more than Goblins at this point.

The time has come for World of Warcraft coverage: wives, run for cover! In this segment, we’ll take a look at one of the two new races set to debut in Cataclysm: the Worgen.

Worgens are best described as “humane werewolves”. They have the passive skills of Darkflight (70% increased movement speed for six seconds), Viciousness (1% damage increase), Aberration (Duration of Curses and Diseases reduced 15%), and Flayer (Skinning skill increased by 15, no knife needed), and are currently loyal to the Alliance.

Read on for more screenshots of the Worgen questline, and stay tuned for Goblin coverage, as well as Cataclysm dungeon coverage with my level 80 PTR copy – make sure you watch the video at the end!

It’s pretty simple really! Check out the above and below videos for a glimpse at how you can customize your new race choices in the upcoming World of Warcraft Cataclysm expansion. The Worgen have a very Twilight vibe to them, and the Goblins, well, apparently love the jungle. Worgens (essentially werewolves) start off in the eerie town of  Duskhaven, located in Gilneas, and the Goblin starting area is located in Kezan.

Apologies for the quality – I wanted to get them up as soon as possible so you guys could have a look. Hit the jump for the Goblins.

According to an email we just got from Blizzard, the World of Warcraft Cataclysm closed beta is now available – and I couldn’t have chosen a more badass header image! Be sure and check your Battle.net accounts to see if you were selected.

For those not in the know, Cataclysm, the third expansion pack for the most successful MMO of all time, is essentially “bringing back” the old world from the original game – but with a twist. Everything is getting a makeover, including old areas and dungeons, so it’s sure to win back a lot of old fans.

Today PC gaming giant Blizzard Entertainment announced that its annual convention BlizzCon will return to the Anaheim Convention Center on Friday, October 22 and October 23 of this year.

According to the press release, “BlizzCon offers us a great opportunity to meet with our players and share our enthusiasm for gaming with one of the most passionate communities in the world.” Blizzard CEO Mike Morhaime added “We’re looking forward to providing another great show filled with entertainment, competition, and the latest information about Blizzard Entertainment games.”

Unfortunately Blizzard has yet to mention ticket pricing and availability, stating it will discuss tickets “as the event draws closer.”

Last years BlizzCon featured the announcement of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the unveiling of Diablo III‘s Monk player-class, and playable demos of StarCraft II and Diablo III.

This of course begs the question, ‘What do you think Blizzard has in store for gamers this BlizzCon?’ Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Source: Shacknews.com

Alfred Hightower was your typical drug dealer who successfully ran to Canada to elude U.S. authorities.  But due to his video game habits, he was successfully tracked down and is now in custody.

In 2007, Indiana’s Howard County Sheriff’s Department issued a warrant for Hightower’s arrest, but because of his rogue like elusiveness, he managed to escape authorities.  Through a criminal investigation, Howard County deputy Matt Roberson discovered his video game addiction, and learned he was hiding out in Canada.

But how did U.S. authorities managed to mount a real life raid?  Read on to find out.

“We received information that this guy was a regular player of an online game, which was referred to as ‘some warlock and witches’ game,” Roberson told The Perspective. “None of that information was sound enough to pursue on its own, but putting everything we had together gave me enough evidence to send a subpoena to Blizzard Entertainment. I knew exactly what he was playing — World of Warcraft. I used to play it. It’s one of the largest online games in the world.”

Blizzard released Hightower’s account information, IP address, screen name, billing address and even the server he regularly played on.  Soon after, authorities apprehended him and is now awaiting trial.

“You hear stories about you can’t get someone through the Internet,” said Roberson. “Guess what? You can. I just did. Here you are, playing World of Warcraft, and you never know who you’re playing with.”

The lesson that should be learned here: if you play World of Warcraft and make a living through illegal means, then you will be sent to jail.

Source: Yahoo!