Google has added a new DRM program for the Android Marketplace that uses a licensing server to verify whether or not a user has purchased an app before it launches. In order to make use of the new DRM an app has to be sold through the Android Market store and built for the Android 1.5 operating system or later. Free apps can't make use of the service, but - in terms of DRM protection - I guess that doesn't really matter..
This will replace the current copy protection scheme used by apps in the Marketplace, which both developers and consumers have criticized for a number of reasons.
Apps can be written to handle the interaction with the licensing server in any way the developer choose, but Google is providing two preconfigured implementations that will stop an app from running if the server doesn't or can't verify the app's license. The second method will only allow the app to start if the server is available to verify the license. In other words, a DRM system that sounds an awful lot like what Ubisoft likes to use.
Source: aferdawn.com
While Prince of Persia director Mike Newell may have the magic touch when it comes to creating a decent movie based on a video game, his actual understanding of video games is almost embarrassing. In a recent interview with Computer & Video Games, Newell had a number of disparaging things to say about games and gamers that have made him this week's whipping boy among the video game chattering classes. But in between slamming gamers and games and even his own son's zombie-like devotion to some unnamed action game, Newell said one thing in particular that ticked a lot of people off: that game's can't convey human emotion that a film can.
But let's pull back the curtain a little more and examine his comments; Newell admits that he can't play games, and that, while making Prince of Persia, he had to rely on an assistant to play through the game while he watched. He said that while he watched the game, he felt nothing - just like when he watched his son play some unnamed action game. Read More
The Lich King has fallen!
The Lich King has fallen. Happy Fun Guyz prevail!
Happy Fun Guyz took down the Lich King tonight in a terrific battle. We extended our lockout from last week and decided to give him two solid nights. Last night we got him to 23% (only 13% from winning since you need to get him to 10%) and ended up calling it. We came back tonight and wiped three times (once was a freak accident) and then came through at the last second.
Phase one went perfectly. We did our first transition and the horrors died instantly. We took out the raging spirits quickly with focus fire then transitioned into phase two with only one spirit up. We dodged all of our defiles and downed that raging spirit quickly. Graev was almost swept off the edge by a valk who grabbed him but we pulled him back at the last second to save him.
Transition two was a bit shaky. Defile had us spread out big time and we had to adjust our strategy on the fly with a quick call for a relocation of the raid to the side instead of near where we originally tanked and gathered. Everyone adjusted and we managed to quickly down our raging spirits. Transitioning into phase three was sketchy. Right as we got into phase three one of the raging spirits smacked a healer and we struggled to keep up on heals.
The ghosts (as we call them) started to swarm around and our DPS focus fired the first of them out of the sky with enough time to switch to the raging spirit still alive. Quickly switching back to the Lich King we were split a bit by a Defile that ticked up once and grew. A healer ankh brought us back into the game but we had ghosts exploding everywhere. Two DPS went down and a heals. Combat rezzes went out and we were frantically trying to keep up with heals.
Arthas sent one of our two alive healers into Frostmourne and we were desperately popping cooldowns to survive. We had four people down now and it was a struggle for survival. “POPPING COOLDOWNS!” and “Defile on you, move!” went out into vent and everyone played their heart out. 18%… 16%… 13%… 11%.. “Hang in there!!!”
Then we all died.
It was the sweetest death ever as the roleplay began and the Lich King prepared to raise us as his undead slaves. Not today Arthas! We were revived by Tirion who finally decided it was time to bubble out of his ice cube and the Lich King was held firmly in place. “LUST IT UP GRUZ!” The cheers were epic and we brought Arthas down and got to see our achievement spam and cutscene.
Completing the content of this expansion felt so good. I accomplished my goal and I did it with my guildmates. I’m very proud of how well we did. Onward to Cataclysm guys!
If there's one issue games journalists love to argue about besides the best scoring system for reviews, it's got to be press junkets. In case your not familiar with the practice, it's when a game publisher or developer pays for a journalist to go somewhere to see something. It could be as simple as the publisher paying for airfare, or it could be as extravagant as a trip to Hawaii - all expenses paid.
The Game Beat tackles the topic, using Capcom's Captivate event in April, where several prominent publications accepted “all expenses paid” trips to play Capcom's newest games at a resort in Hawaii for three days.
Journalists really are divided on the issue. Some see it as an acceptable practice that has no influence on what these journalists will be writing about, while others believe that the practice creates an "appearance of impropriety” or “undue influence” - real or imagined – and is not worth the hassle. Read More
Filed under: Fantasy, Game mechanics, New titles, News items, Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 level cap confirmed at 80 originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Filed under: Super-hero, Video, News items, DC Universe Online
DC Universe Online releases new video developer Q&A originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Continue reading Lineage II: Freya PTS open, launch date and patch notes released
Filed under: Fantasy, Video, Lineage 2, Patches, News items
Lineage II: Freya PTS open, launch date and patch notes released originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mage changes.
Warrior changes.