gameshogun

MechWarrior 4 and Expansions to be Downloadable Free - Soon!

2009-07-10T01:14:31-07:00

BattleTech and MekTek.net announced that Smith & Tinker has authorized them to distribute and package a worldwide free release of the popular MechWarrior 4 game including ALL of its Expansions.

This is in commemoration of BattleTech’s 25th anniversary as well as MekTek’s 10th anniversary.

So watch out for it and get ready to play again the best Mech game ever created - MechWarrior 4.

The Press Release:

MekTek.net Honored To Distribute MechWarrior 4

We are very pleased to announce that Smith & Tinker has authorized us (MekTek.net) and our professional studio (MekTek Studios) to distribute and package a worldwide free release of MechWarrior4 and all of its expansions.

This free release of MechWarrior 4 commemorates BattleTech’s 25th anniversary as well as MekTek’s 10th anniversary, and will allow BattleTech fans a chance to re-discover MechWarrior, as well as help us bring in a new army of players who are discovering MechWarrior and the BattleTech universe for the first time, completely for free.

MekTek views this partnership as a hallmark moment for the global MechWarrior 4 community. We welcome the opportunity for the MekTek team to officially take a leadership role in the cultivation and development of the on-line MechWarrior 4 communities in support and anticipation of the recently announced MechWarrior game by Smith & Tinker and Piranha games.

We are honored by the opportunity bestowed upon us by Smith & Tinker and its partners, and we hope the online community will enjoy this free release all the while recognizing the support and commitment that Smith & Tinker, Catalyst Games, and MekTek.net has made to the BattleTech fans around the world.

MekTek.net
MekTek.net is an on-line community founded by Vince ‘VAM’ McMullin in 1999 to provide free downloadable content and tools, developed in-house, for the Mechwarrior series of video games. To date, MekTek has released 3 major fan made Mechwarrior 4 content expansions (known as MekPaks) and has the final iteration (known as MP4) in development.
MekTek Studios
MekTek Studios, established in 2006, is a Canadian based software development studio out of Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada specializing in 3D geospatial development and virtual environment replication. MekTek Studios is currently pioneering geospatial development projects for corporate and academic clients nationally as well as continuing to work on gaming related projects including the last expansion pack for Mechwarrior 4 (MP4), Assault Tech1: BattleTech (AT1:BT) and the development of the NP project – a cross-platform, shader ready .NET engine.

Visit:
BattleTech.com
MekTek.net

Original post at gameshogun™.

The Mountain Dew Game Fuel Commercial

2009-06-29T22:36:33-07:00

This is the Mountain Dew Game Fuel commercial for the Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game World of Warcraft.

Original post at gameshogun™.

ZENIMAX MEDIA ACQUIRES ID SOFTWARE

2009-06-26T06:11:44-07:00

Brings together two of world’s best game studios. Library of powerhouse franchises will include DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, QUAKE, Wolfenstein and RAGE

June 24, 2009 (Rockville, MD) – ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person shooter (FPS) expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game (RPG) developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers.

Founded in 1991, id Software established itself as an industry leader with some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed video games of all time. id Software created the original first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and subsequently set new standards in the genre with the blockbuster releases of its DOOM and QUAKE titles. In addition, id Software developed cutting edge, proprietary technology with the id Tech engine which powers many notable FPS titles, and continues to make great advances in game technology under the direction of John Carmack, one of the country’s technology leaders and a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame.

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the transaction: “This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans.”

id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts, assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the studio.

“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,” said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as Technical Director. “We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am.”

Robert Altman, the founder, Chairman & CEO of ZeniMax Media stated, “We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design, artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand.”

ZeniMax Media Inc, which is privately held, was founded in 1999 to create quality interactive entertainment products to meet the growing worldwide demand. The Company is headquartered in Rockville, MD and maintains offices in Hunt Valley, MD, London and Tokyo. Among its wholly owned subsidiaries are Bethesda Softworks, a premier publisher of video games, Vir2L Studios which develops games for the casual market, and ZeniMax Online Studios, a studio dedicated to massively multi-player online games (MMOG).

Bethesda Game Studios, the development group at ZeniMax Media, is one of the top video game studios in the world. Its most recent release, Fallout 3, was the 2008 winner of more than 60 Game of the Year awards, including The Associated Press, Official Xbox Magazine, Yahoo, PC Gamer, IGN, Game Critics Awards, Game Developer Choice Awards, and Gamespy. Bethesda also created the 2006 PC and Xbox 360® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Game Studios has created 2 of the 10 best games of all time, Fallout 3 and Oblivion, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation® 3 platforms, as reported by the industry scoring system found at www.metacritic.com and www.gamerankings.com.

Original post at gameshogun™.

Neverwinter Nights Online Coming Soon?

2009-06-09T22:02:43-07:00

Atari recently acquired Cryptic Studios, the company that developed the popular Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game City of Heroes/Villains for NCsoft.

Cryptic Studios is currently developing two new MMORPGs, Champions Online which will be released this year, and another popular franchise Star Trek Online to be released next year.

But a rumor is circulating now that the company is developing another popular franchise…

…this time from Atari (now its parent company), Neverwinter Nights Online. A game revived by Bioware in 2002, then a sequel NWN2 released in 2006 by Obsidian Entertainment.

If you are of the 90s generation of gamers, Neverwinter Nights is a game based on the world of Forgotten Realms, one of the many in the Dungeons & Dragons (or D&D) brandname. This is only one of the games developed around FR some were: Hillsfar, Curse of the Azure Bonds, and Eye of the Beholder to mention a few, and NWN is an old franchise ;)

But will this work considering that WotC (Wizards of the Coast), the owner of D&D is very strict when it comes to protecting their IPs? A known practice of WotC is that all games must use the latest D&D edition and game world, and that is the 4th Edition today. In the 4th Edition Forgotten Realms, if I remember, Neverwinter was destroyed.

Creating a game around a town that was completely destroyed will be a tough one, and it will be subjected to the approval of WotC and the FR writers. If they can pull this one out, then it better be good and if possible, retain the positive aspects of the NWN and NWN2 games - customizations - from custom items and designs, to addons, to player-created content.

It is also possible that WotC gave a go signal for NWNO, because this will allow them to test and prove how much of an improvement D&D 4th Ed. is - dubbed as the “MMO edition". Remember Dungeons & Dragons Online (DDO) where players complained that the game was slow? Well, for D&D players it is accurate to D&D, but for the MMO generation of gamers it isn’t.

Well, let’s see if this rumor is true. As far as everybody knows, Cryptic is developing a new MMORPG slated for a 2011 release. If this will be NWN then I’ll ditch World of Warcraft and Guild Wars.

I’ll miss negative AC and THAC0 though.

Source: Atari’s secret weapon – Neverwinter Nights

Original post at gameshogun™.

The9 Bid Farewell to World of Warcraft China

2009-06-09T04:52:59-07:00

MMOsite reported today that The9, the publisher of World of Warcraft in China pulled-the-plug on the servers three days ago, on June 6th.

The9, known as the largest online game publisher in the world (even though they only service China) bid farewell to their WoW-CN players. Many who followed WoW and The9 are aware of the problems between the publisher and the game’s developer Blizzard Entertainment.

WoW-CN players now have to wait two weeks before they can enter the world of Azeroth again, as they go in transition from the (now) former publisher The9, to the new publisher NetEase.com, Inc.

NetEase is the publisher of Fly For Fun in China, and the developer of Westward Journey Online II, Fantasy Westward Journey, and Westward Journey 3. They also operate the most popular web portal in China called 163.com.

For the complete report, visit WOW(CN) Shut Down, The9 Says Goodbye.

Original post at gameshogun™.

Department of Tourism Now in Second Life

2009-06-05T05:48:57-07:00

This is an interesting news I came across while (re)-checking out Second Life. It appears that we have another government agency that entered the virtual world of Second Life - the Department of Tourism. Check out their press release below.

MANILA, MTV Revelations, part of the Awesome Philippines campaign to promote the Philippines as a destination for young adults and music lovers, has set up an island on Second Life, the popular 3D virtual world, to engage and encourage young travelers to visit the Philippines. Complementing the 8 May launch of the online campaign on Second Life will be the Philippines Department of Tourism (PDOT) animated television commercial, to air on MTV around the world beginning in early June.

Visitors may utilize the virtual island to view and explore a multitude of destinations. On the island, visitors can dive virtually with whale sharks at the mouth of Donsol River, Sorsogon; go windsurfing on a beach modeled after the famous white sands of Boracay; fly above the majestic 1,268 Chocolate Hills of Bohol; and visit Mount Mayon, The Philippines’ most active volcano.

“We wanted to do something original, yet relevant to today’s youth. The Internet, virtual worlds like Second Life and social media are powerful platforms today. In particular, the Web 2.0 world puts the power directly in the hands of the consumers,” explained Secretary of Philippines Department of Tourism, Joseph “Ace” Durano. “As much as it is about showcasing some of the amazing destinations the Philippines has to offer, it is also about youth participation. As a tourism board, we recognize the value of engaging young people online and we embrace co-creation alliances with our guests.”

“We are proud to be the lead media agency appointed by the Philippines Department of Tourism to develop this one-of-a-kind global campaign - Awesome Philippines - targeting youth travelers in twelve markets,” said Eduardo Mapa, Chief Operations Officer and Managing Director of Mediacontacts. “By partnering with MTV Asia Networks, we have created MTV Revelations as part of the Awesome Philippines campaign. Through MTV Revelations, we are able to create greater awareness for Philippines destinations, off-line and on-line, by synergizing communications and marketing through traditional and digital mediums.”

“Tapping into our global strength and developing tools to maximize engagement on all platforms is a vital part of the MTV Revelations campaign,” said Indra Suharjono, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, MTV Networks Southeast Asia and Greater China. “Recent research shows that while TV remains the most efficient medium to introduce youth to brands, combining the popularity of digital destinations such as Second Life with a 360 degree campaign such as MTV Revelations allows young people to engage, interact and experience the Philippines in new ways.”

With an eye on the growing market of youth adventure travelers, MTV Revelations campaign was launched on February 27th with the “Awesome Philippines” website. Targeting twelve markets - Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, U.K. and U.S.A. - the campaign features a series of video spots with MTV VJs from different countries talking about their personal experiences in the Philippines, giving online visitors a fresh view on holiday destinations seen through the eyes of MTV.

On the site, the “Remix Your Holiday” global contest encourages participation from site visitors, where they can create and publish online their own remixed videos of popular Philippine travel spots, using stock images and footages of the country’s top tourist attractions. The contest runs through May 24, is open to participants in 11 countries and is offered in five different languages. One winner from each country will win the perfect holiday for two to the Philippines courtesy of the PDOT. To date, the contest has seen enthusiastic response from youth all over the world.

While adopting a strong communication lead on the internet through Second Life and social network platforms for the MTV Revelations campaign, MTV Asia will also promote the “Remix Your Holiday” contest on MTV Channels in Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, U.K. and U.S.A , potentially reaching over 254 million homes worldwide. To film these vignettes, MTV VJs traveled to various parts of the Philippines including Manila, Batangas, Bicol, Bohol, Boracay, Cebu and Palawan.

For more information about MTV, log on to http://awesomephilippines.com.

Original post at gameshogun™.

8th ToyCon Coming to Town

2009-06-03T21:08:50-07:00

Toys are part of gaming still right? So here’s the latest from OmakeNews - The 8th Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention 2009 or ToyCon for short.

Read on for their release…

It seems in these days of economic crisis and dwindling resources, trivial stuff like toys, hobbies and games would be the furthest thing from people’s minds. But apparently, hobbyists and collectors remain unfazed by this downturn and instead stay steady in anticipation for the next big thing in the pop culture landscape to turn collectible. They don’t have much long to wait, as the biggest event in pop culture, sci-fi/fantasy and mass media touches down in June with an explosive impact!

The 8th Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention 2009 hits hard with the most anticipated gathering of toy distributors, gamers, pop memorabilia collectors and cosplay enthusiasts this side of the planet. This year’s TOYCON will take place on June 13 and 14, at the SM Megatrade Hall 2 and 3 from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

Highlight for the event this year will be the launch of summer movie blockbusters, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and the much awaited GI JOE: Rise of Cobra. Transformers and GI Joe fans will revel in these two famous toy properties with a collectors’ exhibit and movie merchandising displays from the movie’s distributor, Solar-Pioneer films.

Another exciting highlight for the event is the presence of MINDstyle, an international design company that focuses on delivering unique and original works to a very exclusive market by way of quality limited collectibles. They pioneered the vinyl toy design world with such artists as Michael Lau, Kathie Olivas, Brant Peters, Ron English and Buff Monster. MINDstyle will bring in two internationally renowned toy designers: Tim Tsui, one of the hottest Hong Kong figure artist illustrators. He has exhibited his works word wide designing everything from sneakers to toys to comics. And TobyHK, MINDstyle’s creative director whose works range from graphics, illustrations, web designs, characters or vinyl figures.

TOYCON will host the Philippine leg of MINDstyle and Disney’s Stitch Experiment 626 Project Custom Art Tour, a fresh look at the beloved Disney character through the eyes of some of today’s brightest artists in the vinyl toy design field. The tour will feature hand-customized, one-of-a kind versions of a special DIY blank Stitch created expressly for the Philippine TOYCON.

TOYCON wouldn’t be complete without the annual Live Action Figure Cosplay competition, the biggest gathering of all, sci-fi/fantasy, comics and anime-inspired costume players in the Philippines. And of course the main draw for collectors is the huge retailer floor where they can hunt for the rarest and latest, most sought-after collectors’ pieces ranging from action figures, dolls, diecast cars and robots, comics and cards, artwork and pop memorabilia from all over the world.

The 8th Philippine TOYCON is sure to be the pinnacle of this year’s pop culture conventions. It will certainly have everything there for young and old alike to share and enjoy.

TOYCON is organized by Collectibles Unlimited partnered with the SM Megatrade Hall and is presented by Globe Broadband, Solar Entertainment and HERO. Also brought to you by Royal Tru Orange, Maxi Collector, Comic Odyssey, E-Games, MINDstyle, Toy Kingdom, and WACOM. In cooperation with SugarFree and Blue, Warner Brothers and Creative Voices with media partners, Jack TV, ABS-CBN, Fudge Magazine and the official music channel, MTV.

The 8th Philippine Toys, Hobbies and Collectibles Convention
June 13-14, 2009
Megatrade Hall 2-3 and Conference Center A and B
SM Megamall, 5th Level Bldg. B
10am-9pm
www.toyconph.com

Original post at gameshogun™.

Final Fantasy XIV Online Announced

2009-06-03T05:10:27-07:00

Many have known this for a long time and so it doesn’t come as a surprise when Square Enix Co., Ltd. announced their second Final Fantasy MMORPG - Final Fantasy XIV. The game will be released in both PlayStation3 and Windows PC, and it is an all new game in a whole new world. Yes, this is not a sequel of any Final Fantasy releases.

It will be available in Japanese, English, French, and German in a simultaneous global release in 2010. The setting of Final Fantasy XIV is in a new world called Eorzea.

Watch the official announcement in HD

The main staff:

Producer: Hiromichi Tanaka of Final Fantasy I, II, III, and XI
Director: Nobuaki Komoto of Final Fantasy IX and XI
Art Director: Akihiko Yoshida of Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy XII
Music: Nobuo Uematsu from Smile Please Co., Ltd. who produced the music for the whole Final Fantasy series

Watch the official E3 Trailer in HD

Official Website (with screenshots and downloadable HD Trailer) at
FinalFantasyXIV.com

Original post at gameshogun™.

WoWHead Founder Immortalized!

2009-06-03T03:24:43-07:00

According to WoW.com, Wowhead founder receives in-game homage.

Or as I call it, immortalization.

Blizzard Entertainment has been doing this for a long time in World of Warcraft, giving honors to their community by immortalizing icons in-game.

It could be an item like the Phaelia’s Vestments of the Sprouting Seed in honor of Phaelia of Resto4Life, a blogger and the voice of the Druids. Another was the Merciless Gladiator’s Crossbow of the Phoenix in honor of Ephoenix.

I wonder when will this community immortalization happen in the Philippines, this is the best that can be given to a game’s community. In fact, if my memory serves me right, the first immortalization happened in the Ultima series by Richard “Lord British” Garriott.

What he did was, once players finishes the latest Ultima release, they should send their savedgame to then Origin Systems, Inc. (OSI). The winners will be immortalized as NPCs with side-quests, and according to the specification of the winners. In the next sequel of Ultima, players all over-the-world can interact with these NPCs.

Our problem locally though, 98% are foreign games. It is not easy to ask a developer, heck, to even get approved about our own immortalization community projects. We tried that and we have to go through a lot of discussion and deliberation.

Right when we thought it’s good-to-go, the next thing we heard from the developers was to tone-down the project, and make it more generic. The concept itself is then gone, there meat goes to trash. It is doable, but it will be easier if we are the developers.

Anyway, I hope our local publishers (and future developers) will give this best gift to their respective communities - immortalization.

Report source: Wowhead founder receives in-game homage

Original post at gameshogun™.

8 Wolves have appeared in the World!

2009-05-30T05:00:22-07:00

Wolfteam is the latest in First Person Shooters, developed by Softnyx and distributed by mobiusgames in the Philppines. The game now has a total of 8 wolves, with the addition of the last were-form; the psycho wolf.

What is Wolfteam?

Wolfteam is a unique First Person Shooter that features character transformation to a were-wolf. The game allows you to harness the beast’s supernatural powers for the forces of good. From launch, various wolves were created to add a new flavor to the first person shooter genre. By combining such winning features as weapon diversity, and dark fantasy elements, now you can carry out multiple military operations in a total of 8 wolf forms that have unique abilities.

The Wolves of WolfTeam

The Guardian wolf-form is immune to bullets. It accomplishes this by making its skin harder than the most advanced Kevlar.
The Smart wolf-form is a master of agility in his actions and can consume the blood of his enemies to regenerate wounds and damage from combat.
The Ghost wolf and ghost wolf2 forms can camouflage their bodies in certain conditions that render them invisible to the naked eye.
The Berserker can devastate the enemy lines by detonating itself in tight situations.
The Ice wolf fires bolts of ice that can freeze its enemies in place.
The Psycho wolf uses supernatural powers allowing him to telekinetically move his enemies out of his way or bash them against the wall.

can achieve victory my mapping out a strategy that employs each wolf’s ability for the killing blow.

With each feature of wolf forms, players can now take advantage of this beast’s supernatural powers to form tactical advantages in the field.

No new weapon comes without Countermeasures!

Special hand grenades have been developed to counter those that would exploit this new wolf form in combat. Each new grenade has unique features. These can be cruelly efficient in taking down the wolves they were meant to destroy.

MK-6G attracts the enemy and detonates upon the proximity of a wolf form. Although the radius of the blast is smaller compared to conventional grenades, the wolf caught in its blast is sure to be devastated.

MK-6EG damages an enemy using an incendiary explosion. Once deployed, it causes the enemy a great amount of aggravated damage.

The MK-6E is primarily used as an incendiary weapon, designed to ignite the ground and anything that stands within the fire radius. This modified version of the MK-6EG has one more advantage in that it can be equipped on the secondary weapon slot.

In addition, to these features, Softnyx develops new battle maps on a regular basis to bring more battlefront’s to the emerging soldier.

You can try out WolfTeam for free here. You can also read the Press Release.

Original post at gameshogun™.

Attack of the Wolves

2009-05-28T04:19:25-07:00

Manila, Philippines – May 22, 2009 – mobiusgames and Softnyx today are releasing WolfTeam to the Philippine gaming market. The game’s scheduled release brings to players a new first person shooter game based on one of the world’s most successful genres as part of mobiusgames’ plan to bring high quality MMO entertainment to South East Asian audiences.

We are all strapping down weapons and gearing up for the coming assaults of wolf-soldiers that threaten to horde the servers once the game portal goes up.

Morale is high at mobiusgames as this title is a highly anticipated twist to the FPS genre. Players themselves have been exposed to countless Counter-strike clones, but are not immediately satisfied with the current titles out on the Philippine market. By adding new features, its own weapon lineup, and the unique presence of Dire-Wolves, the game is sure to turn a few heads and bring a new tactical perspective to the genre.

“Despite the tough economic slump, the video game industry continues to grow! Though there’s a lot of tough competition out there, we strive to always give our players something unique to call their own.” said Scott Countryman, CEO of mobiusgames.

The main focus of Wolf Team is to bring the FPS genre back to its peak here in the Philippines. By combining such aspects as a great development team, as well as a well known publisher not only in the Philippines but in SEA, the title is sure to bring in a lot of success and enjoyment to Philippine gamers.

Check out some of the key features of WolfTeam!

8 Different wolf forms to choose from
A wide variety of weapons and weapon customizations
Licensed music from the movie “Underworld” that adds more flavor and intensity to your battles.
Free-To-Play

Made by the creators of “Fortress", the Softnyx team has once again outdone themselves in creating a new and unique media for the discerning gamer. WolfTeam also boasts the SRS technology, bringing you a unique sound experience that also enhances the sense of hearing so that you can hear the enemy’s footsteps around the corner, or the growl of a hungry wolf behind you.

So what are you waiting for? Download the full client now. Strap up with gear, take your dose of “Anti-Epoxyn,” and head out into the field soldier!

Original post at gameshogun™.

gameshogun Upgrade

2009-05-14T10:43:05-07:00

An announcement to all our loyal readers,

gameshogun blog is currently being upgraded. You may find some links, images, and design/layout not to be working. This is part of the revamping of gameshogun from the backend to the frontend to the content.

Thank you for understanding, and feel free to report any errors or bugs you may encounter.

~ gameshogun Management.

Original post at gameshogun™.

Public Service: 'Mexican' Flu

2009-04-30T01:36:13-07:00

Just a public service, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the alert level to 5 out of 6 levels. This is the first time the system, since first used, reached this high level. WHO also fears that a pandemic is ‘imminent’.

Inside you will find select information I personally believe that you should know immediately.

Q: What is swine flu?
A: Swine flu is a respiratory disease, caused by influenza type A.

Q: What is new about this type of swine flue?
A: The World Health Organization has confirmed that at least some of the human cases are a never-before-seen version of the H1N1 strain of influenza type A.

Q: What is the H1N1 strain?
A: H1N1 is the same strain which causes seasonal outbreaks of flu in humans on a regular basis.

But this latest version of H1N1 is different: it contains genetic material that is typically found in strains of the virus that affect humans, birds, and swine.
It seems likely that the new version of H1N1 developed from pigs, a ‘melting pot’ that mixed the different versions of the virus.

Q: Is it safe to eat pig meat?
A: Yes. There is no evidence that swine flue can be transmitted through eating meat from infected animals. However, it is essential to cook meat properly. A temperature of 70C (158F) would be sure to kill the virus.

Q: Can the virus be contained?
A: The virus appears already to have started to spread around the world, and most experts believe that containment of the virus in the era of readily available air travel will be extremely difficult.

WHO says that restricting flights will have little effect. It argues that screening of passengers is also unlikely to have much impact, as symptoms may not be apparent in many infected people.
In other reports, the new strain incubates for at least 1 day up to 4 days, country entry point monitors will more likely have missed infected people as the virus is still incubating.

Q: How worried should people be?
A: WHO has warned that swine flu could potentially trigger a global pandemic, and stress that the situation is serious.

There is hope that, as humans are often exposed to forms of H1N1 through seasonal flu, our immune systems may have something of a head start in fighting infection.
However, the fact that many of the victims are young does point to something unusual. Normal, seasonal flu tends to affect the elderly disproportionately.

Q: What precations should I take to minimize infection?
A: Back to basics of health care.

Avoid close contact with people who appear unwell (like fever and cough).

Cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing. Use a tissue when possible and dispose of it properly. (And inform the people around you to do the same.)

Wash your hands properly, if you know it, the Doctor’s way.

Wear a mask to cover your nose and mouth.

Bring hand sanitizers and use it frequently.

Source: BBC Swine Flu Q&A

* Some additional information taken from media reports via cable - CNN, BBC, and ChannelNewsAsia.

To get updates, bookmark or subscribe to the following sites:

Original post at gameshogun™.

2x XP, SP, Drop Rate for Life!!

2008-06-29T03:23:00-07:00

Lineage II - South-East Asia ("L2-SEA") did it! They jumped in and joined the Philippine Online Gaming trend of Nx XP, SP, Drop Rate permanently (it was first started by Mobius Games' Mu Online, then later followed by Level Up's Ragnarok Online, and the rest of the industry jumped in the Nx Bandwagon).

Didn't I say 3x XP, SP, Drop Rate from July to August and Cadmus is going online?

Read on for the official announcement.

If you can't see the image:

Newsletter June 2008 Issue 11

Twice the Fun in Lineage II's 2x for Life!

The doubled fun has just started, and it will definitely not end!

Get everything two times more in XP, SP, and monster drops not only for two weeks but - for life! Now, you have all the reason to boost up your character and this bliss can go on forever.

And that's not all! Get your weekends grinding to the battle field from July to August as we beam up the modification increase in XP, SP, and monster drops to a triple!

Plus, the real party will just start when we welcome the arrival of Lineage II's new server, Cadmus. And if you're still one of those few who haven't experienced and explored the lands of Ether, then the seven-day unlimited trial account is just the push you need to get your adventure moving.

What are you waiting for? Don't just stare there, get into the action of Lineage II!

2x for life!

Lineage II Eyeball Party Aftermath

2008-05-22T04:41:00-07:00

Lineage II Eyeball party was a big hit though the weather was bad during that day still you guys made it possible! Thanks you for coming and see you all again

See pictures and the winners here.

Forever in Ether

2008-04-21T04:13:00-07:00

Alphabet Event

2008-04-21T04:13:00-07:00

Kamael Gates

2008-04-21T04:11:00-07:00

Lineage II South-East Asia The Kamael Collector's Edition

2008-04-21T03:53:00-07:00

AsianMedia, the publisher of Lineage II in South-East Asia, is going to release a Collector's Edition ("CE") box for the latest expansion content "The Kamael".

The CE box will be available on 22nd April 2008, the official launch of The Kamael content patch. It will be available for PhP1,000 or U$25.00 and has been reported to be already being sold by gaming stores in Singapore, Philippine, and Malaysia according to the fans of L2-SEA (way ahead of the official date of availability).

What's so special with The Kamael CE?

Angel Halo - Eclusive In-Game Item

Be the envy of your guildmates and other players as you roam the continents of Ether while adorned in the exclusive Angel Halo. This magnificent in-game headgear will only ever be available in the Collector's Edition.

Limited Edition Kamael Dog Tag Necklace
Crafted in Aluminum and custom engraved with the beautiful Kamael Logo and Insignia, this Limited Edition Dog Tag Necklace is an accessory worthy of a true Lineage II fan.

Kamael Limited Series: 30-Day Game Time Card
Made specifically for the Collector's Edition Box, this 30-Day time card was designed using exclusive Lineage II artwork and is made out of PVC plastic.

Limited Edition Kamael Game Guide
Instantly venture into the world of Lineage II as this specially-made Game Guide gives you some much needed information about the one winged race - the Kamael!

Are you going to buy? I am!

Read the official press release: Asian Media to release Lineage II: the Kamael Collector’s Edition box

Lineage II SEA Community Portal and Boards goes Online

2008-04-21T02:55:00-07:00

AsianMedia's iPlay™ Asia.Community went offline last 15th April 2008 with a message that the Community just got Bigger and Better. It went back online last Friday, 18th April 2008 at 6:00pm with indeed a better site.

They developed a new site just for the Community of Lineage II South-East Asia - a portal (as shown above) and discussion boards (as shown below).

Reading the new forums, the overall feedback is very positive. Majority are also in agreement with the new light and soft design of the L2-SEA Community Site, which helps prevent eye strain. Many websites use white as background, or a light-soft color combination, check out Google, Yahoo, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, and many others. A black background site is not as common as every think it is, but a black background is easy to use when it comes to designing a website. If you ask me, for entities and official sites, they should use white as background or a light-soft color combination. Black backgrounds are for those who do not have a team to develop the site, for example YOUr Lineage.

Anyway, visit the new L2-SEA Community Site:
L2-SEA Community Portal
L2-SEA Community Boards

Below is the new iPlay™ Asia.Community main website:

Visit: iPlay™ Asia.Community

NCsoft Europe cracks down on Illegal Private Servers

2008-04-12T00:02:00-07:00

NCsoft® is once again cracking down on illegal private servers and iCafes providing services/access to these illegal servers.

It is interesting to note that here in the Philippines, the iCafe business was "saved" by the Online Gaming Industry and helped it boom. The reason - no game licensing fees. Online Games were also said to have become very popular because there is no piracy, however, the mere distribution of illegal private server installers is in itself an act of piracy. The number one supporter of this modern piracy are the businesses that was saved by the online gaming industry - Internet Cafes ("iCafes").

How ironic, just go from one iCafe to another (be it a residential iCafe or an iCafe chain), you will see support for Ragnarok Online private servers, not only that, there are also private server support for Mu Online, Lineage® II, World of Warcraft, Gunbound (imagine that, a private server for a free-to-play online game), and Priston Tale (to mention a few). These iCafe owners are tolerating such activities in the name of "business" without realizing that they are killing the local online gaming industry.

The question now is: Do the iCafe industry still need the online gaming industry? I wonder, if the online gaming industry shuts down, will these hundreds and thousands of iCafes still survive (with illegal/pirated private server support)?

Below is the Press Release from NCsoft.

NCsoft®, the world-leading, publisher of massively multiplayer online games such as Guild Wars®, Lineage® II and City of Heroes®, today announced that it was stepping up its fight against the growing menace of intellectual property theft. This action comes as a direct response to the rise of illegal online game servers throughout Eastern Europe, particularly in Greece and Russia where NCsoft’s fantasy-based online role playing game, Lineage II, is extremely popular.

The fraudulent servers in question are being used by players playing at home and in internet cafes, but such unauthorised servers often feature – or require users to download – illegally modified and potentially harmful game data, thereby changing the intended online experience.

NCsoft's European office has identified several prominent illegal servers across Europe and is in the process of taking action against individuals and corporations deemed to be in breach of international copyright laws. In a lawsuit that was commenced last year in Greece, NCsoft successfully obtained a court order against Internet Cafe business, 'e-GLOBAL' following which four of its cafes were raided and illegal software was seized. This led to the shutting down of illegal servers on which pirate copies of Lineage II software was loaded. Georgios Katostaris – Chairman of the Board and Managing Director, Constantinos Zygouras – Vice-Chairman of the Board and Managing Director, Athanassios Dobros – Deputy Managing Director and Dimitrios Koutsoukos – Administrator of the company under the name 'INTERNET DYNAMICS LLC' have all been made personal defendants to the proceedings that are continuing in the Greek Courts in which NCsoft is seeking damages as well as criminal remedies.

"Illegal game servers, such as those operating from e-GLOBAL, have a hugely negative impact on both NCsoft Europe and its customers," commented Max Brown, NCsoft Europe's Sales & Operations Director. "They seriously affect the player's experience of our products and rob the company of potential revenue that is used to further enhance the player experience on official servers. NCsoft's loss in revenue from e-GLOBAL's operation is estimated in excess of six million Euros. We are defiant in our resolve to stamp out theft of NCsoft's intellectual properties and are prepared to take the strongest measures to do so."

NCsoft has a proven track record in combating illegal servers, having worked with the FBI in November 2006 to shut down a substantial unofficial Lineage II server run by US-based website, L2Extreme.com. Following multiple raids across cities throughout the US, L2Extreme's fraudulent servers – which claimed to support 50,000 active users – were taken offline, as was the L2Extreme.com website.

Note however that L2Extreme has been in operation for some months already under a different name, it is a cat-and-mouse game! The playing field? Planet Earth! *sigh*

Lineage II CT The Kamael Coming to L2-SEA!

2008-04-04T06:39:00-07:00

The patch that many L2-SEA players are waiting for is finally coming! With that, iPlayAsia, the gaming brand of AsianMedia launch a teaser site for Lineage II The Chaotic Throne: The Kamael.

So mark your calendars now, April 22, 2008! Be sure to join The Kamael Launch to get your Kamael Installers!!

Click the image below to visit the teaser site..

Celebrate with us for the KAMAEL Launch Party!

2008-04-04T06:37:00-07:00

Join us in celebrating the biggest installment of Lineage II to date! Get immersed with the community of anime and gamers alike in The Kamael Launch Party that will happen together with Ozine Fest '08 in Megatrade 2, SM Megamall from April 5-6.

Lots of Kamael freebies are in-store for everybody. Plus, you will also have the chance to get the first dibs for the uber-cool Kamael installers! There will be a lot of mini-games on-site for existing players and non-players alike, complimenting the main activities which will be composed of the Battle Tournament and the Clan Rally!

Click here for the full details...

Audition Philippines CBT Video Tribute

2007-12-20T07:19:00-08:00

A video tribute to the 1st year anniversary of Audition Philippines created by youjeeen. It's been a year since the Closed Beta Test, it's been a year since we all played together. Many came from AuditionSEA (South-East Asia), many were first time players, but Audition-PH gathered as all together and gave us all fun and enjoyed the company of each other through an online dancing game.

Here are the faces behind those CBT players who were the Pioneers of Audition Philippines.

AuditionUS - Song List

2007-04-07T15:02:00-07:00

AuditionUS - Song List
as of April 7, 2007 Saturday (ACT [ASEAN Common Time])

Audition Dance Battle - US version

2007-04-07T10:09:00-07:00

If you don't know it yet, the hottest craze in the world, and truly one of the games competing head-on with World of Warcraft, has now landed on US shores - Audition Dance Battle US is now open for well, Audition.

Nexon US is the publisher for the US version of Audition, and I must say that, as someone who's living in the Philippines, influenced by both the Western and Eastern world, it is a good break and change to hear familiar English songs from Audition.

Go check it out, download it, and see you in-game!

AuditionUS Official Website

Oh, use Internet Explorer 6 or 7, the site is using ActiveX control ;) It's the "Korean"-way of launching online games, get used to it.

More new stuff & sounds for better dance groovin

2007-04-06T09:50:00-07:00

Audition just keeps getting better and better! This time around, we’re bringing in more of the good stuff for your online dancing pleasure! Make your avatar stand out on the dance floor with these new fashion picks that will surely complement your stylish dance moves.

Female Avatar (click to view!)
Face - Clear Sky 8 EP
Hair - Pink Capped Hair 57 EP
Top - Printed Tank Top 46 EP
Bottom - Ensemble Shorts 20 EP
Shoes - Ensemble Shoes 57 EP

Male Avatar (click to view!)
Face - Blush Blush 8 EP
Hair - Punk 34 EP
Top - Trendy Orange Jumper 46 EP
Bottom - Trendy Black Chained Pants 31 EP
Shoes - Formal Shoes 8 EP

And because we know Audistas are musically inclined gamers, so we’re adding more dance tracks to the Music Gallery. Sweet! Now you can synchronize your moves and start dancing to these awesome Kpop tunes.

New Songs
Jewelry - Aged 1492 112BPM
Jewelry - How Are You 110BPM
Ji Yoon Park - Steal Away 101BPM
Jung Hyun Lee - I'll Give 142 BPM
Sharp - That's All Right 118BPM

Be a "Couple" Officially!

2007-02-13T11:29:00-08:00

Propose to your partner during this Valentine’s Day!
Wait no more as Couple Proposal is finally here in AuditionSEA! This Valentine, propose to your partner and officially declare yourselves as a couple!

There are 2 methods to be registered as a couple.
Method 1:
1. Purchase Love Potion in the Fashion Mall (both partners must have the love potion in their possession)
2. Create a game room in Couple Dance Mode.
3. At the end of the game, click on “Couple Proposal” button available on the top left of the score chart
4. Congratulations! You and your partner are officially a couple in AuditionSEA!

Method 2:
1. Create a game room in Couple Dance Mode.
2. Earn 5 hearts or above during the gameplay.
3. At the end of the game, click on “Couple Proposal” button available on the top left of the score chart
4. Congratulations! You and your partner are officially a couple in AuditionSEA!

Now of course, what's the point of being a Couple?

Couple Competition

Organize your very couple competitions with this mode. Each game room is only accessible in the respective level-restricted channels.

There are no game room hosts in this mode and the music selection is always set at random. At the end of each round, the top 3 couple winners will be crowned 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place respectively and will be awarded with medals for their performance

Location:	Competition server – Couple Competition channel
Date:	Everyday
Time:	10:00PM
Participant:	Minimum 32 pairs and Maximum 200 pairs
Mode:	Couple mode 4 direction (Chance allowed)

Prize:
1st	100,000 DEN	2nd	50,000 DEN	3rd	30,000 DEN

Valentine's Day patch for AuditionSEA

2007-02-13T11:25:00-08:00

Valentine's Day patch for AuditionSEA

Boy VS Girl Battle
Battle it out with the opposite gender in our Boy VS Girl Battle! This battle will only be activated when there are equal number of boys and girls in the stage arena under any versus mode. Have a good laugh in this battle as the losing team will be transformed into penguins!

NPC Team Battle Party
NPC Battle Party will never be boring with this new NPC Team Battle Party! 3 NPCs will be waiting for you to challenge them! There will be 3 rounds to clear and in order to proceed with each round, you and your friends will need to defeat every NPC.

Couple Dance – Couple Party for 3!
Couple Dance Mode has always been 1 couple VS 1 couple. This time, 3 couples will be able to dance together on the dance floor, competing for the win!

New Item – Initialize the battle party
Getting lesser and lesser dens after challenging the same NPCs again and again in NPC Battle Party Mode? Get the latest cash item, Initialize the battle party and reset all the NPC dens to the original dens as if you have joined NPC Battle Party for the first time!

Here’s how:
1) Purchase “Initialize the battle party” item in the Fashion Mall, under “Accessories”
2) Go to “My Items”
3) Select “Initialize the battle party” item and click on “USE” located on the bottom left.

Please take note that “Initialize the battle party” item is available for one-time usage only per account.

Audition Online Dance Battle breaks 700,000 Peak Concurrent Users in China

2007-01-12T10:38:00-08:00

According to The Electronic Times Internet, Korean-made Multiplayer Online Casual Game or MOCG Audition Online Dance Battle breaks 700,000 Peak Concurrent Users (PCU) in China. Audition Online China is being published by 9you.com, developed by T3 Entertainment and being distributed by Yedang Entertainment (the developer of Priston Tale and Priston Tale 2).

Audition Online is currently open beta in the Philippines, being published by IP e-Games Ventures, Inc. or e-Games Philippines. Audition-PH is enjoying continued growth and popularity among Filipino gamers, specially to the kids and the kids-at-heart.

( Via PlayNoEvil )

Applying Principles and Virtues on Guild Management

2006-12-22T18:39:00-08:00

I wrote an article "On Guild Management" which I highly recommend to all aspiring Guild Leaders (GL) and those who already are. The first few minutes after I posted it, I've been receiving good feedbacks via YM, mobile, and even landline calls! But the best way to prove that is for you to read it.

To quote one, a GM of Mobius Online Games (mobius.ph): (translated to English) "It is a good read for guild management because it does not have the complexities of the other guild guides, additionally, it is easy to remember and principles kicks-a**."

Go read it by clicking here.

Enjoy!

AuditionPH 1st Competition Game Videos

2006-11-21T16:52:00-08:00

Here are the in-game video of the 1st Competition of Audition Philippines.

Read: AuditionPH 1st Competition

* If you have an AuditionPH client, download the video zip file and unzip it to the "RECDATA" folder of your Audition installation (usually C:/Program Files/e-Games/Audition/RECDATA/). NOTE: This one have four video files.
-> Zip File for AuditionPH Client.

* If you want to watch it via YouTube, now...
Finals 1st Match

Finals 2nd Match

* If you want to watch it in a high-res video using your favorite video player download the zip files below:
-> Finals 1st Match (HighRes)
-> Finals 2nd Match (HighRes)

~~First Video Details~~
BGM: Audition "Driving At Night" (random setting)
Speed: 140bpm
Mode: Choreography

~~Second Video Details~~
BGM: Audition "3254 Techno Party" (random setting)
Speed: 142bpm
Mode: Choreography

Enjoy!!

Also read: AuditionPH 1st Competition

Audition Philippines 1st Competition

2006-11-20T12:21:00-08:00

On the 19th of November, 2006, 5 in the afternoon of Sunday, Audition Philippines (AuditionPH) held its first AuditionPH Contest. It was held on the last day of the Hataw! Hanep! HERO! Anime Convention where the game's Philippine publisher is the top sponsor/partner.

There were thirty players who signed up, enough to create five groups for the elimination round (six players each group). The elimination round setup was Normal Individual mode with a Random (Easy) song setting.

The winners for the quick elimination (in the alphabetical order): ayachii, DDRmaniac, Naksyo, orlanix, and Seraphim (yours truly). Then the finals...

The final round was setup in the Choreography mode with the song setting of Random All. Winners are taken if they acquire two wins. After that, all "win" scores are reset and the second winner is again taken with two wins, until there are a total of three winners.

The first winner is ayachii, winning two consecutive wins. It was a tough game as we both beat each other up from the number one spot (in-game), and with the contestants already "stiffy" because of cold hands, not that its so cold in the event area, but the battle is heating that our blood started to cool down, wait that's contradictory, anyway, you get the picture.

The second winner is Seraphim, or me ;) and the third winner is orlanix.

Congratulations to ayachii and orlanix and the rest of the brave AuditionPH contestants, we made one heck of a show that put Audition Philippines quickly to the top.

See you all in-game !!

You can watch the match videos I was able to send to my email, as well as see some pictures my supportive and sweet honey Sherlene took.

(I will be posting the videos tomorrow.)