MMORPG

Metaplace virtual worlds now blog-embeddable

Metaplace is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game, or MMORPG, that runs in Flash. It doesn't have nearly as many users as Second Life, nor the cult following of World of Warcraft.

But in an announcement that could go a long way in helping the service expand beyond its 6,000 active users, Metaplace worlds can now be embedded into a blog.

Once that embed is complete, Metaplace users can play in the world right on the blog. If the blog author adds multiple embeds of different worlds, the gamers can be in each of them simultaneously.

Is Metaplace really the kind of service that would make you want to create a world and embed into your blog?

I had the chance to try out Metaplace. And although it has some issues, for the most part, the service is well worth a gamer's time.… Read more

Cool, but crashy

If you can't get enough of Watchmen: Justice is Coming, you'll find in this massive multiplayer online game an ambitious attempt to play against anyone else connected to the Net from your iPhone or iPod Touch. You get to create a character with gender, skin color, and even personality based on what you see in the character Rorshach's ink blot.

Once you're in the game, you're treated to a fly through of the "Watchmen" version of New York City, where you find a typical MMO: touch exclamation points for plot info and game … Read more

Daily Tidbits: Troll Wedding Crashers raid in-game wedding

Longtime gamers "Bello" and "Merca" were married this past December in Artix Entertainment's massively multiplayer online role-playing game AdventureQuest Worlds, the company reported Monday. The bride and groom have been avid MMORPG gamers for three years and met each other while playing the game. The wedding was held in a private, in-game room and 11,000 avatars were on hand to witness the exchange of vows.

Unfortunately, the wedding was raided by Troll Wedding Crashers, a clan within the game that "camped out on the dance floor of the reception area."

Low-cost pocket … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 847: Don't stand behind the hologram

The U.S. Army prepares to test and deploy ghost soldiers in MMORPGS and possibly also the real world. They may be decoys, folks, but remember: they're still light-based projections that won't stop a bullet. Also, it appears Apple will finally activate over-the-air podcast downloads for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Which, yeah. Ya think? Geez. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 847

Hey Microsoft, Yahoo’s for sale--for real this time http://www.crn.com/software/212000962

Obama, McCain campaigns both hacked, files compromised (thanks rpcaldiera) http://it.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/11/05/221222… Read more

Belkin's n52te will have you fragging in no time

Belkin has announced the successor to the n52 SpeedPad, the n52te. What does the "te" stand for, you ask? Tournament Edition. This professional-grade SpeedPad promises to improve your response time in PC games like first-person shooters, real-time strategy games, and MMORPGs.

Teaming up with elite gaming peripheral manufacturer Razer, the n52te carries with it a customizable software suite allowing players to completely modify their gaming experience. The device will support multiple player profiles in addition to Razer Synapse onboard memory, which allows for plug-and-play functionality without the need to install additional software wherever you take it. Also new … Read more

Rumor: AOL to turn Wow.com into 'World of Warcraft' social network

I'm a smidgen skeptical of this rumor, if only because it seems so darn obvious: TechCrunch reported on Tuesday morning that Time Warner's AOL may have found a use for its Wow.com domain, which it acquired in 1998 as part of the offal of what had once been CompuServe.

The source's big scoop? Wow.com has been transferred to the AOL Games division and will become a World of Warcraft social network. If this turns out to be true, expect plenty of level-28 half-elf mages to be typing "Wow.com" into their browsers soon.… Read more

'Dungeon Runners,' other games offer MMO goodness for free...mostly.

World of Warcraft might be the current king of MMOs, but it has one major flaw it simply can't overcome: you have to pay for it. It's $20 for the game, $40-50 for the expansion, and another $15 each month, which adds up to a pretty hefty price tag for your online gaming. Unfortunately, most MMOs go by this system: buy the game, pay more per month to keep playing.

Now you can get your massively multiplayer gaming for free with Dungeon Runners, a new MMO from MMO company NCSoft (of City of Heroes/Villains and Guild Wars … Read more

Real-world buying for the 'World of Warcraft' crowd

The notion of "frequent gamer rewards" has been tossed around by trend specialists and pundits (like MAKE Magazine's Philip Torrone) for some time now as online gaming becomes more and more profitable and increasingly entrenched in mainstream culture. Now, it's a reality with the World of Warcraft Visa credit card.

You can apply for it now. With your first purchase on the card, according to the World of Warcraft site, you'll earn a free month of game time.

But you won't be able to buy yourself new weapons by using this card. The WoW … Read more

I will game: Anatomy of MMO addiction

The average video game can give you anywhere from eight to 80 hours of solid, fun playtime. You pick it up, pop it in, play it until you're done, and put it away (or trade it in for far too little in-store credit). Some games can pull in gamers for far more time. They're called MMOs, massively multiplayer online games, and they offer a persistent online world for gamers to explore and conquer with each other. They're the digital equivalent of crack, and can easily turn the eight-to-80 hour playtime of a normal game into an easy … Read more