June 2014

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If you are a true hardcore PC gamer its quite possible you have heard the name Raptr tossed around the table and are curious as to what it is, how it works, and wondering if you should be using it.

Raptr is a community of gamers that share their experience gaming by how many hours and compete to get specific ranks such as Elite, and Hardcore. The Raptr software even works with Steam to collect the hours the games that it should track and monitor the total progress that you have done up to that point.
Raptr does have a point system were when you collect points you can redeem them for a ticket to a drawing Raptr gear or even Titanfall. However, the system has been receiving a lot of hate as Titanfall is 25,000 points to put that in perspective if you got the max points every day you would get the game by the time the next sequel came out.

Raptr comes with a software that allows you to add a lot of additional in-game features such as Facebook Chat, Screen Recording, and much more. You can add items to the program as well to customize it the way you want it to be. The program is tied to your Raptr account and will even count the time for games that are not on Steam. It does this by loading with the game and counting the time that you spend in it making it to were you can show off to all of your friends how “mlg pro you are” or get called a no life either one is an option.

If you haven’t used Raptr before I highly recommend giving it a shot.
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The Sith Sorcerer is a very optimal class and this time around we will be showing off a PvP healing build. In Star Wars The Old Republic, your role depends greatly on your situation and a universal build is not always the most effective. Therefore, I have created a build for healing in PvP. This build is different in the fact that I wouldn't use it in PvE because in PvE especially you will want some extra support skills to lock your opponents down.

However, this build gives you the perfect combination and a little bit of extra survivability that will surely make you survive the warzones much longer. 


This build is 39/7/0 and the reason for this is you will gain the added healing from the healing tree with additional force power and increased protection from your static barrier. Static Barrier has become the focus point of your skills as a Sorcerer as it is your main defense and your main "heal" in combat. You will be using this at all times on as many people as you can and keeping it up as much as you can. The reason for this is it absorbs a substantial amount of damage from the enemies. This means that you have less to heal, and the more damage your allies can do. The longer someone is alive the more that you can heal a fairly simple idea.

Using revivification when your allies are clustered will be imperative especially in matches like Hutt Ball were you will all be pushing together. Make sure to keep your resurgence up on your allies at all times to keep a consistent flow of hp keep this focused on the ball carrier and you will be just fine. If your carrier is taking too much damage use Innervate while resurgence is on him to increase the amount of healing you can do.

Tips

  • Keep your innervate on your tank or ball carrier to keep them up.
  • Keep resurgence on your tank or ball carrier to give consistent healing.
  • Use innervate only if your allies are stopped such as in front of a fire trap.
  • Use innervate only when there is a cluster of allies.
  • Keep your static barrier on your allies at all cost.
  • Don't be dumb (that's a hard one believe me). 
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Lord Revan And Darth Malak
Star Wars The Old Republic has been a game of constant change and evolution ever since it went free to play, to the recent updates to add in game housing. However, has the game changed enough to bring back most of the players that it originally lost?

SWTOR has lost most of its fan base ever since the game launched because the game kept running into the classic issue that every theme park MMORPG faces and that is, you run out of content. Some games like Aion make it hard to get rewarding gear, but that is when the content becomes stale not everlasting. Star Wars The Old Republic has lost most of its subscriber base because the game has not produced any sort of content for the players. The game in recent times has been more focused on adding cartel market items and releasing mini updates that don't really add content to the game leaving it very barren and boring to the higher level characters who remain.

SWTOR has done well in many areas though, the game is the first to have a completely voiced story, the story is completely changing based off of your choices. You are able to be free and even have a romantic interest with your companion (currently there are only opposite gender relationships).

The game is beautiful in the styling however, the graphics themselves may seem a bit lackluster to other games such as Tera, and Aion.


As you can see the graphics are not amazing, but the styling makes the game look beautiful. 

The game is great for a past time but once you complete the story the game loses all meaning of fun, it offers little replay value, and it can be quite a bore. 

Star Wars The Old Republic
 Reviewed by Scott Hartley on June 21 2014
Rating: 4.0
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Trolling we have all heard of it probably even experienced it but trolling in MMORPGS is quite obvious.

Trolling is when you try to deliberately insult someone on something that isn't true, but make it come out as fact. Then there is trolling through fact which is the rare counterpart especially in gaming. For instance in Aion calling someone bad and getting your friends to do it was a form of trolling. An example was in Aion trolls on Tiamat were mostly targeted at a legion Left Behind saying they were the place you go to when no one else would take you. Because, the legion accepted a lot of new players under geared and non skilled players.

Trolling is widespread and is almost synonymous with the internet its self, but is it something to get angry towards or react to. There is a saying "don't feed the troll" which means if someone is trolling you don't respond and feed them and then they will go find more prey. The idea is if they cant anger you or irritate you then they will leave you alone because it is no fun to them.

In World of Warcraft we saw trolling in the Barrens chat which was the central chat and the place of trolling. Trolls here would range towards the race of the other players to the class and the infamous "boom chicken" trolling comes in all shapes and sizes in gaming.

The main thing to do is ignore trolling and to ignore the person that is doing it. If you continue to respond to them get ready for infinite trolling..
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The Star Cluster pack from the cartel market has been causing some issues and sparking anger in the SWTOR community. The pack is sparking outrage over the rarity of the items and how scarce they are on the broker. The players have been complaining that the items are too rare and most people are claiming that they might never even complete the set at the current rate and the rarity of the items

The forums were up in arms over this and it has caused the community manager Eric Musco to respond to the community and to quell the raging consumers.

Eric Muso responded that "Those prices are intended. Collections prices are something that is not completely static from one pack to another and can shift," so why the rarity of the items that people want. He was also quick to point out that there are more rares than commons in this pack.. However, if there are more rares than commons what makes them rare? Whats the point of the rares people actually want not being obtainable?

Eric Muso said that the responses had been recorded and are going to be part of the changes with the other packs that they release, but is it going to matter.

The SWTOR community is getting fed up with the constantly added packs but no real substance to the game is being added. They point out that the developers are putting more time into the packs to make a quick buck rather than making more content for the game to please the players. This is on top of the fact that the free to play system is the worst in any MMORPG ever. The company seems to be losing site of what they made the game appear to be and are more focused on the revenue than making this the star wars MMO that every player wanted.
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Oh Trine such a classic old style game. You are three heroes who are set off on a mission after being teleported by a mystical stone found in the castle that you once called home. Now you are locked in an area known as Trine were you are just a physical embodiment of your own mind. Trine has always been an interesting game following the complex story line and getting into the game can be quiet a challenge. However, once you get past the tutorial phase you will have a lovely time exploring a world that should have never been discovered.

This episode, we just got out of the tutorial and we were introduced to our three heroes a thief, a wizard (of some sort) and a loyal knight. Each seems to be the underdog. The thief who didn't get away, the wizard who is more into women and titles than he is his studies. Then finally the warrior who was never chosen. Each of them is the under ranking hero but put them together and they might survive the greatest evil that has ever been discovered.

The evil may be too strong for our young heroes but if they learn to work together and see that the enemy is greater than the riches, the ladies, or the glory then they will be able to overcome the evil that awaits them in the Trine.

Trine the game of wonder of puzzles and actions but the one thing that intrigues us already is the story that they have embarked on.

Episode 1

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In MMORPGs there is a skill rotation which is basically a set of skills that you are supposed to use to output the highest DPS possible. You will focus this mostly in PvE to maximise the DPS there is no real skill rotation in PvP as your situation will be changed and dependent on how the enemies react.

In games like World of Warcraft you will notice that your skill rotation is quite simple and that it is a lot of filler. Classes like the Warlock focus on stacking their dots and finishing the rotation with shadow bolt and other skills as needed. In Aion the skill rotations are necessary to perform well in PvE and in PvP starting rotations are necessary as well. However, due to the interrupts a person can perform while in combat you will need to change accordingly.

The thing is your rotation is the ultimate decider on how well you will perform as a DPS and if you lack a good skill rotation you will perform badly and will either need to improve on yours or get another one that performs better. If you still are performing badly you need to reduce your ping (the time it takes to send information to their servers and back) or get some gaming gear such as a Logitech gaming mouse or a keyboard that has macros on it to perform your rotation to the best of your ability.

Here is an example rotation I made for the cleric in Aion.

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PvE the cousin to PvP in the fact that it is the exact opposite but similar concept. You go out and kill NPC characters throughout the world as opposed to players. This is what the "care bears" will do they avoid all PvP and focus on only PvE.

Most of the time the healers and pet classes of the games shine the best in PvE. Because they have the highest ability to survive and are able to solo the largest variety of mobs and instances. In games like Aion the Spirit Master and Cleric are the solo kings of the game they are able to solo most if not all the instances leading to 65. However, just because a class is decent in PvE that doesn't mean that it is bad in PvP. Sometimes the class can even shine in both if played right.

However, personally the skill of a gamer is a balance of both not to be the best in one but bad in another. No one likes a one trick pony and this is something that the Aion community needs to learn a lot about. The constant joking of 1v1 me ( you fight their character on a 1 on 1 fight) is getting old and the game needs to realize were you seem to excel in one area you seem to do poorly in another. Most notably on the Tiamat Server is Hisano. He has been called out as a PvE care bear and even called trash in PvP. In fact his skills compared to Sethos the asmodian governor, he is not that good. However, what can you do in a game were titles mean everything and a community of declining stature.

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PvP the term used in MMORPG's all over the world but what does it mean. Well from the picture above it simply means Player Versus Player. This is one of the core elements of many multiplayer games as it is a way for players to fight for the title of best PvPer in the game or on the server depending on the type of game. In MMORPGs players will hold tournaments to try and prove who is the best player on the server, and this title is always fought over.

In games like Aion, players will hold a rank on these charts which is supposed to show off the best of the best players, however, that kind of system has proven to fail for in Aion's instance the best players on the charts are not always the best players. However, the best players always will have a spot on those charts if they try to and who knows maybe the next great player is you.

PvP has also sparked some interesting words that are used in MMOs including "care bear" this is a term used to describe someone who only plays the PvE content and avoids PvP as much as they can. You will hear this term passed around in many PvP oriented games and it really is more of a joke than an insult because no one takes it seriously. The term is dying though because its a giant joke and the games have gotten more competitive and the hate and the terms like it don't have a place.


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Oh the classic term in gaming AOE the question is what is an AOE why am I using it and why are they good. An AOE simply stands for Area Of Effect. This is where you are going to strike multiple targets as opposed to striking a single enemy.

Let's say I am a warrior using a two handed sword. I will go into combat and use lets say a skill named cyclone. It will hit multiple foes around me as opposed to just a single target like let's say slash. There are many advantages to me using this I am able to wipe out a group of enemies quickly, and that will help me or the group move to the next room to continue the fight. AOE skills are also generally high damage abilities unless they apply a status effect. AOE skills are very situational you should not be using them when you are fighting a single target because they are generally on longer cooldowns that traditional single target skills.

When To Use An AOE
This is dependent on the game the enemy and the situation. The rule of thumb for an AOE is never use it unless you either need to do the following.
1. Draw aggro of several mobs.
2. Wipe a group of mobs quickly.
3. Are under attack and all the mobs are all ready on you.

It is quite common when you are in an instant the guy in your party will use an AOE and pull all of the mobs in the room. In that case your DPS is an idiot and you will leave him for dead if your party cant survive the attack. Remember to time your AOE skills properly and not to be stupid and you will get the job done.
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Aion is a visually stunning MMORPG published by NcSoft and managed by NcWest in North America. The game is currently running their 4.5 patch update which gave the game a new class. The game however, is losing momentum in North America and is believed to have been a flop in America already and is currently the focus of the blame for the lack of Blade And Soul in America. The game however, has had an interesting love-hate relationship with the North American players.

Classes

  • Templar- The main tank of the game, requires a lot of skill to play properly in higher level PvP. The best tank in the game and has the second best performance among Guardian Transformation classes.
  • Aethertech- The secondary tank and DPS of the game. The class is able to tank quite a bit but lacking the defensive skills of the Templar places it at the secondary position. The class does perform very well in PvP locking the enemies down.
  • Gladiator- AOE DPS class. The gladiator is a very complicated class when it comes to playing well in PvP. The class is mostly AOE based and the class is one of the hardest to play well. Easy class to start and for bots to play, one of the hardest to master.
  • Ranger- Ranged DPS you perform far better in PvP than you do in PvE. You are going to be out dps'd by most classes in PvE, but your utility and skill in PvP is hard to match if you play well.
  • Assassin- You are the melee DPS class. The focus of your class is to weave your skills together to produce the highest damage you can. Very powerful in PvE and PvP very difficult to play well and requires a low ping.
  • Chanter- You are the center of all buffs and support in the game. You have secondary healing but your buffs go without being matched, you can DPS and be a formidable foe in PvP if you can play your class correct. 
  • Cleric- You are the center of healing in the game. You are the best and main source of all heals however, don't let this discourage your from PvP. You are the most powerful of the Guardian Transformations and you cant have an extremely high DPS. Your DPS varies greatly depending on your rotation so learn a proper rotation and you will be able to beat most of your foes.
  • Songweaver- You are the pain in the side of ever PvP group. You are able to lock down the enemies fairly quick and do a lot of damage. You are able to keep yourself filled with mana and hit points so long as you play smart. You are not a difficult class to play but to master well in PvE is the trick.
  • Sorcerer- You are the center of all damage. Your class has the highest DPS in the game and you are a very skill oriented class. Your rotation is crucial for you to play well. Hard to play and even harder to master but if you learn your class well you will reign supreme in DPS.
  • Spirit Master- You are the PvE class that can solo whatever you want. Your place in PvP is locking down the enemies while your allies destroy them with their damage. You are the king of solo PvP but you are easily crushed when facing more than one foe.
Sieges
Aion is big on sieges which allow your faction to invade an enemy fortress and take it for your faction. You will take several hundred people into battle in hopes of taking the fort from the opposing faction. It is a numbers game where even when outnumbered a few calculated moves can be what changes the fate of the siege. Your job is to get in and kill the deity once you do you will own the fort. But remember you have to kill the enemies when trying to get in. 

Content
Aion is essentially the game of never ending grinding. As you play and level you will realize you will need to farm a lot of quests to level up and farm thousands of monsters to reach the max level. Then as you reach 65 and are ready to participate in PvP you will have to farm even more to get the gear to be entry level ready in PvP. Then you will farm and grind for more in game currency (kinah) to get the gear to be up to par with every other high level. 

Personal Thoughts
The game is not welcoming to new players and it has become very top heavy meaning that most of the players have several 65's and are geared from hell and back. You will not be one of the top players without spending hundreds of dollars on the cash shop, but you can still be a force to be reckoned with. You are in charge of your fate in Aion remember though never trust a shugo with your kinah. 


Our Video Review
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The Fable series has always been a personal favorite of mine, and this game is revered to be the best of the series, especially The Lost Chapters version which truly finishes the story from the original game to carry on into the next game Fable 2. Sadly there will be no spoilers here folks you are going to have to buy the game off of Steam and finish it to get the true ending to the original Fable game.

The games story is one of the most well written stories of RPG games we have seen. However, the story does get quite predictable and can be quiet linear at times. However, if you pay attention to the story and continue it throughout the other games you see an epic collection of stories about the life of a long forgotten hero blood line. The game you start off as a nobody but as you progress get more exp and fight more and more difficult mobs you are going to amount to a savior or the hero of your time. Or you will become the most feared and hated villain that will rule Albion with an iron fist.

The game comes with the three paths to a hero. Physique which is your physical prowess your ability to use swords, take hits, and inflict physical damage and to wield heavier weapons. Then there is skill your ability to use ranged weapons such as crossbows, bows, and to become stealthy and witty. You will be able to lower the price of vendor items increase the value of your own, pick locks and much more. Will is the mastery of the arcane arts you are able to cast classic spells such as fireball, or even summon creatures to life to protect you from the evil forces. The hero can walk any one of these paths or become the master of all three. The heroic blood that courses through your veins allows you to master all of the trees not to be limited such as the others in your guild.

The game lacks content and is oriented around the story leaving there to be much desired. However, the game is quite interesting with the story if you amass your gold reserves and start buying property you will have the gear the ability and the knowledge to stop the evil of the game.

Albion is in your hands and its your choice whether to save it or plunge it into a darkness that it will never escape from. But remember were there is evil there will be new heroes ready to step up and face the challenge. May Avo's light guide you young heroes welcome to Fable.
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ArcheAge the latest mmorpg being developed by XL Games is the new hot topic around the mmorpg community. The most interesting thing about the game is that it is a sandbox, and therefore you have a bit of freedom and control in the game that you don't get with many others. The game is going to have a lot of unique features such as a justice system where you can be punished by being thrown into jail. You are also going to be able to break out of jail by using sneaky tactics and burrowing your way out of it.

The game is going to be quite different from other mmorpgs that we have seen in recent times and the best part is that the game will be free to play when launched in north America. However, the game is in alpha testing which simply means it is pre closed beta which means a release date does not seem to be anytime soon may not even be this year. So what are we to do.

As it seems every other country in beta has IP blocks set in place trust me I tried to get around all of them the connection was very poor and they can block my IP so there is an issue there. Therefore, we will have to wait or purchase the founders pack if you want to play. However, the one that gets you into the Alpha comes at the hefty price of $150. The value of the pack has been questioned on whether the items outweighed the cost, but the main selling point is you get into Alpha testing the day you get that pack. So what is there to do.

Would you buy the founders pack just to get into Alpha? When will the game be released? Is there any release date in site? Share your thoughts below!
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Left 4 Dead 2

Left 4 Dead 2 is a popular apocalyptic survival game created by Valve the company behind Steam. Left 4 Dead 2 is an amazingly well built game that gives you the feel of surviving in an apocalyptic world were you are left behind. The game is very engaging and quite challenging when playing on expert level. As you play through the levels beating various types of zombies, hordes, and meeting allies you will see what it takes to play the Left 4 Dead series.

Thoughts On The Game
The game runs extremely well, and it is able to handle very well even in the middle of a zombie swarm. The game is very fun and engaging and even thrilling when its pitch black and you get jumped by a hunter. Online you can play with up to 3 other people and can even become a zombie and play against the survivors. The game has a lot of interesting game modes that are worth your time to check out, they keep you engaged and are always a nice change of pace. There are many various game modes for you to enjoy, and the modding community has been at work when it comes to writing mods for this game. They add new game modes, and a ton of features that you need to check out.


The game however, can get irritating when you are stuck in a spiral of constant failure on the same map you will probably rage at your group or at the game. Or in my case both.... On a more serious note, you need to realize that unless you have a full group you run and train with to do maps you will fail a lot. I have failed missions so many times and it has become a fact of life when playing the game. If you are on expert mode chances are you will see how much harder it is and want to quit until you get more experience.

Platforms 
Windows
OS X
Xbox
Linux

 The game is standing the test of time though and it is something you need to at least try to experience a true zombie survival game.
Left 4 Dead 2
4 / 5 stars
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