Win an Alienware laptop in the Cities XL photography competition

Photography enthusiasts who'd same to get their safekeeping on an Alienware M15x laptop module want to verify note of the stylish Cities XL oppose -- "Aim, Shoot... Win!". Cities XL developer Monte Cristo writes: "Since the city is at the rattling hunch of CitiesXL, this rivalry module allow you to eternize yours by submitting photos to our jury in one of the mass categories:

Most beautiful photo Best Christmastime photo" Those rivalry submissions should be photos of actual cities, not screenshots captured in Cities XL. If you've got a pleasant shot that would fit into either of those categories, check out the oppose rules and head on over to the "Aim, Shoot... Win!" declaration and humbleness form for your shot at winning the laptop, nonnegative other prizes Monte Cristo has on offer. (Those prizes include Kodak cameras, Nvidia GTX 260 video cards, Novotel gift vouchers, and copies of Cities XL Limited Edition.)

The humbleness deadline is 23:59 (Paris time) on Jan 17, 2010.

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Win an Alienware laptop in the Cities XL photography competition

Photography enthusiasts who'd like to intend their hands on an Alienware M15x laptop module want to take state of the latest Cities XL oppose -- "Aim, Shoot... Win!". Cities XL developer Monte Cristo writes: "Since the municipality is at the very hunch of CitiesXL, this rivalry module earmark you to immortalize yours by submitting photos to our commission in one of the mass categories:

Most bonny photo Best Christmastime photo" Those rivalry submissions should be photos of actual cities, not screenshots captured in Cities XL. If you've got a nice effort that would fit into either of those categories, analyse discover the oppose rules and nous on over to the "Aim, Shoot... Win!" announcement and humbleness modify for your effort at success the laptop, nonnegative another prizes Monte Cristo has on offer. (Those prizes allow Kodak cameras, Nvidia GTX 260 recording cards, Novotel heritage vouchers, and copies of Cities XL Limited Edition.)

The humbleness deadline is 23:59 (Paris time) on Jan 17, 2010.

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One Shots: Necrosteampunkanomicon

While whatever feel that Allods Online is teetering close to World of Warcraft in the art department, we'd same to state that while glowy green stuff was definitely present in the hometown of the Forsaken, you didn't really find characters that looked same the guy above. To our eyes, he looks kinda same whatever unearthly undead steampunk Terminator abstract -- category of a scary intent in and of itself! Today's Allods Online image comes to us from Jason B. who writes in: Gotta fuck mobile undead. Here's my Arisen Occultist from the Allods Online beta ornamentation out in the Imperial Square in Nezebgrad. Long springy the Empire!

Screenshots from large MMOs to diminutive -- we want them all! Just telecommunicate those snaps in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the study of the game, and a quick description. Please attain sure your images are at small 1024px across, and hit mostly no UI elements visible. We'll place them out here and provide you the credit for transmitting them in!

Gallery: One Shots

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The Daily Grind: What will you change in 2010?

We can't, sadly, aberrancy instance to go back a full year. Once we do something, for meliorate or for worse, we're cragfast with it. But we can essay and see from things that happened the last instance around, and there hit sure been things to see from 2009, which we touched on yesterday. That's where the whole practice of resolutions for the newborn assemblage comes from. And as we all know, the second-best artefact to obligate yourself to do something is to attain it public. (The prototypal is to hit someone following you around with a shotgun.)

So, today we ask you meet before the measure ticks over: what are you feat to do differently in the reaching year? Was there a azygos event that you learned from, or were there binary events that contributed to you wanting to attain a change? It could be anything from trying to refrain getting likewise invested in the pre-launch hype of a game to meet trying not to die quite so ofttimes when playing a disturbance character, but we're sure you hit at small digit thing you'd same to essay differently in the newborn year. (And if you do find a artefact to rewind time, please, permit us know.)

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Free Realms: Evil snowmen are here to stay

Snowmen in the Snowhill area of Free Realms are null new, but lately they're a lowercase different. While they've got the basics of snowman fashion downbound -- top hat, scarf, sticks for arms -- these days they don't countenance quite as yawl and cordial as digit would expect a snowman to look.

They got a taste battleful during the holidays, and began attacking adventurers on sight, providing a recreation newborn challenge for Free Realms players. It seems to have been a impact with players, and it looks like their spirited newborn knowledge is here to stay. A state on the Free Realms site yesterday informed players "No digit knows who prefabricated the snowmen or who cast the illusion speech that animated them, but they are here to stay."

So if you enjoyed duking it out with the snowmen, and think you'll want some frosty modify labour deposit in the summer months, Snowhill strength meet be your newborn selection place!

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Free Realms: Evil snowmen are here to stay

Snowmen in the Snowhill area of Free Realms are null new, but lately they're a lowercase different. While they've got the basics of snowman fashion downbound -- top hat, scarf, sticks for blazonry -- these days they don't countenance quite as yawl and cordial as digit would expect a snowman to look.

They got a bit aggressive during the holidays, and began offensive adventurers on sight, providing a recreation newborn contest for Free Realms players. It seems to hit been a hit with players, and it looks like their spirited newborn knowledge is here to stay. A state on the Free Realms place yesterday informed players "No digit knows who prefabricated the snowmen or who patch the magic speech that enlivened them, but they are here to stay."

So if you enjoyed duking it discover with the snowmen, and conceive you'll poverty whatever icy cool hunting deposit in the season months, Snowhill strength just be your newborn favorite place!

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One Shots: Courage

When you look up into the night skies over EverQuest II, you crapper see the broken relic of Luclin, the place we were prototypal introduced to the Vah Shir in EverQuest. Since those times, we hit come to know the Kerrans, relatives of the Vah Shir -- long in hiding on Norrath due to massive pain at the safekeeping of the Erudites. Today's steely EverQuest II One Shots comes to us from man MMO fiend, Ratwarlock (also known as Araxes) who writes in: [this] is a Kerra Troubador stagnant meet inside the incoming to the Temple of Cazic Thule, settled in the camp Feerott. This has been in-game since 2004, and I fuck the falls there.

Do you hit a great screenshot you'd like to share? Well don't be unsure and send it in! Mail it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the study of the mettlesome it's from, and your description. We'll place it out here for everyone to enjoy and give you credit.

Gallery: One Shots

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The Daily Grind: 2009's defining moment

The countenance backwards has already started here and there, and we've got exclusive digit life left -- assuming you count today. And we've seen a lot of things hap over the last year, which everyone on-staff has their own instrument about. To some, it was the assemblage of free-to-play. To others, it was the assemblage of ending games. But there's no artefact to digest everything most 2009 into meet one statement, with the business still dynamical and evolving. Sometimes modify seemingly diminutive changes are what we remember (fondly or otherwise) when viewed in hindsight.

Out of every of the things that happened this year, what struck you as the most process moment? Was it something major, such as the end of Tabula Rasa or The Matrix Online? Or was it something minor that another players might not modify notice? Did it make the full assemblage better, worse, or was it only a motion point? What seems same it's feat to follow in your memory when you think backwards on the assemblage as a whole? And as a adjoining topic, what seems same a bounteous care at the time that you're pretty certain isn't as important as people say?

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The evolution of classes

Classes are digit of those bicentric components of our MMOs. From the early days of Dungeons & Dragons to the ingest of class supported systems in MUDs, we've been relying on the construct of characters with unique sets of skills employed unitedly to get the employ done.

Andrew Vanden Bossche over at Gamasutra has recently sat downbound and looked at everyone's selection FPS, Team Fortress 2, to analyze how classes hit absent beyond their example roleplaying roots. While the article isn't exactly MMO-focused, it sure does hit bearing on our music as we likewise begin to branch discover away from the sword-and-board vision and into FPS territory with games same Global Agenda and Darkfall.

So if you want to see how experience and bullets go unitedly patch making gameplay more ethnic and fun, analyse discover the full article at Gamasutra.

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The evolution of classes

Classes are digit of those bicentric components of our MMOs. From the primeval days of Dungeons & Dragons to the ingest of class based systems in MUDs, we've been relying on the concept of characters with unique sets of skills employed unitedly to get the job done.

Andrew Vanden Bossche over at Gamasutra has recently sat downbound and looked at everyone's selection FPS, Team Fortress 2, to analyze how classes have gone beyond their original roleplaying roots. While the article isn't just MMO-focused, it certainly does have direction on our music as we likewise begin to branch discover absent from the sword-and-board vision and into FPS region with games like Global Agenda and Darkfall.

So if you want to see how experience and bullets go unitedly while making gameplay more ethnic and fun, analyse discover the flooded article at Gamasutra.

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One Shots: Tilting at snowmen

While some living up northerly enjoyed their white Christmas, some others are primed for every the deceive to go absent already. In the Lord of the Rings Online, it would appear that this Dwarf is either substantially into his pass cups, or meet feels same attacking snowmen to verify his interference out against the winter. This recreation lowercase snowman was institute by Florin E., who writes in to tell us most it: I meet saw the wind foodstuff "little castle of sand" and I am rattling excited. I'm going to encounter it by myself, I fuck this. I do not undergo if you hit already published this wind egg. Long instance ago I was farming ore near Thorin's Gate and I institute this snowman. Note: you can [also] wager a lowercase snowman in the Matthom house in the Shire.

It's not likewise New to encounter those wintry pass pictures and get those in to us! if you'd same to exhibit soured your selection game's pass celebration, meet email your represent to us here at oneshots [at] massively [dot] com along with your name, the study of the game, and a statement of what we're seeing. We'll post it out here and provide you the nod for sending it in!

Gallery: One Shots

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The Daily Grind: Do you vote with your wallet?

There are destined changes, usually big ones, that don't exactly produce... positive reactions. In fact, they generally display noisy rants and huge doses of anger at how they were handled and implemented. You undergo the sorts we're talking about. Star Wars Galaxies and the Combat Upgrade. Ultima Online and Trammel. Final Fantasy XI and the nerfs to Beastmaster "catch and release" tactics. All loathed changes, many of which led to an exodus of players.

Really, leaving a mettlesome can be the prizewinning way to express displeasure with a change. It's the surest way to send a consort the message that they've done something that module no individualist justify your monthly subscription. On the fling side, your individualist impact is small, you erst idolized the game... a aggregation of players module opt to wrinkled it out, in hopes that things module meliorate or with the noesis that the changes can't be every that bad. And for games where you hit a period subscription or are experiencing it free-to-play, your absence isn't really a baulk at all.

So, do you balloting with your wallet? When you're fed up with what's been done, do you nous soured for greener pastures? Or are you of the mind that it's not modify worth the bother, that they might well not modify tie your departure to the change, modify if you say so?

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas EVE

"Curzon Dax stole Christmas." Words I never intellection I'd be composition here, but there it is. EVE Online contestant and forum personality "Curzon Dax" -- perhaps prizewinning famous for his many strain parodies of the mettlesome and its players -- has undraped his in-game commercialism for what it really was: a multi-billion ISK confidence scam. Curzon prefabricated the declaration on Christmas, no less, and settled the cheat at 374.4 1000000000 ISK raised.

While the players who were taken for those billions module certainly be inferior agog by this news, Curzon accomplished something that's becoming inferior and inferior ordinary in the game. For every contestant that uses guileful to acquire in New Eden, there is a multitude of contestant alts who use to copy-paste scams in topical chitchat at most any assignment and change hub in EVE. As these players only try to acquire from mislabeling items in contracts or email topical chitchat with the present "I'm quitting EVE. Send me ISK and I'll beam you 10x back!" garbage, Curzon aimed much higher and cultivated an ikon which he utilised to draw his marks in.

He was already famous for flying pimped battleships with expensive tar modules, but his resources were far inferior than what most assumed. He said, "To be honest, I've never been worth hundreds of billions of ISK, as most folks conceive I was. I've been a billionaire, but never the fantastically flush mortal that I've prefabricated myself discover to be. It was just an image."

Once Curzon had secured 50 1000000000 ISK with his IPO, he utilised it to rope investors into gift him modify more ISK. He revealed how he pulled it off: "My initial 50 1000000000 ISK substance got me a list of investors. Over the mass weeks and months, I got in contact with most of them in mortal (in constituent to added people) and worked discover clannish deals, where apiece mortal intellection they were feat to privately money a 'shortage' in my commercialism in mercantilism for digit of my officer-fit ships. The bulk of my fund-raising came from that."

"There's a aggregation of folks who intellection that they're effort an officer-fit Golem, or a Paladin, or a Guardian-Vexor today," he expressed on Christmas. Clearly, this was not meant to be.

Ironically, unlike the small-time scammers who ever verify to be leaving EVE, Curzon actually is leaving the game. Perpetrating a cheat was digit thing he'd never finished in the nearly six years he had played EVE Online -- his 374 1000000000 ISK haul is also his swan song.

Beyond what he's already presented away to players, Curzon is expiration on this riches to added contestant (who he hasn't named). He said, "While I'm leaving EVE, and the parodies module disappear, every the riches and tar gear I've acquired isn't feat to squander - an unnamed recipient who knows who he/she is already is feat to get... well, everything. They've worked hard to make EVE a great game, and my riches are feat to be a salary for them that is long overdue, although they're belike flush enough already to make it pointless."

Curzon Dax's statements indicate that he acted alone.

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas EVE

"Curzon Dax stole Christmas." Words I never intellection I'd be writing here, but there it is. EVE Online player and forum personality "Curzon Dax" -- perhaps prizewinning famous for his many strain parodies of the mettlesome and its players -- has undraped his in-game commercialism for what it really was: a multi-billion ISK certainty scam. Curzon made the declaration on Christmas, no less, and settled the cheat at 374.4 1000000000 ISK raised.

While the players who were condemned for those zillions module sure be inferior excited by this news, Curzon realised something that's decent inferior and inferior ordinary in the game. For every player that uses cunning to acquire in New Eden, there is a multitude of player alts who resort to copy-paste scams in topical chitchat at most any mission and change hub in EVE. As these players only try to acquire from mislabeling items in contracts or spam topical chitchat with the present "I'm quitting EVE. Send me ISK and I'll send you 10x back!" garbage, Curzon aimed such higher and cultivated an ikon which he utilised to entertainer his marks in.

He was already famous for flying pimped battleships with pricey tar modules, but his resources were farther inferior than what most assumed. He said, "To be honest, I've never been worth hundreds of zillions of ISK, as most folks conceive I was. I've been a billionaire, but never the fantastically flush mortal that I've made myself discover to be. It was meet an image."

Once Curzon had secured 50 1000000000 ISK with his IPO, he utilised it to rope investors into giving him modify more ISK. He revealed how he pulled it off: "My initial 50 1000000000 ISK offering got me a itemize of investors. Over the following weeks and months, I got in contact with most of them in mortal (in constituent to other people) and worked discover clannish deals, where apiece mortal intellection they were feat to privately fund a 'shortage' in my commercialism in mercantilism for one of my officer-fit ships. The bulk of my fund-raising came from that."

"There's a aggregation of folks who intellection that they're getting an officer-fit Golem, or a Paladin, or a Guardian-Vexor today," he expressed on Christmas. Clearly, this was not meant to be.

Ironically, unlike the small-time scammers who always verify to be leaving EVE, Curzon actually is leaving the game. Perpetrating a cheat was one thing he'd never finished in the nearly sextet eld he had played EVE Online -- his 374 1000000000 ISK haul is also his swan song.

Beyond what he's already given absent to players, Curzon is expiration on this riches to another player (who he hasn't named). He said, "While I'm leaving EVE, and the parodies module disappear, every the riches and tar equipment I've acquired isn't feat to squander - an unnamed acquirer who knows who he/she is already is feat to get... well, everything. They've worked hornlike to make EVE a great game, and my riches are feat to be a salary for them that is long overdue, although they're probably flush sufficiency already to attain it pointless."

Curzon Dax's statements inform that he acted alone.

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One Shots: Just a few more

Guild Wars players are by no effectuation insusceptible to the pass wackiness going on in the MMOGsphere. Indeed, they crapper be found enjoying costumes, seasonal quests, and more, meet as they hit every year. Of course, there's also the undercurrent of "hmm, astonishment how we'll fete holidays in Guild Wars 2" as well, but we can't blame them for existence excited! Today's great One Shots comes to us from Stephen, who definite to verify a time from his pass questing to inform backwards to us with what he's been doing. While activity Guild Wars with the newborn costumes, I nicknamed my Elemental The Death Mage patch wearing the Grenth costume. Here is a quick screenshot during a job run for Grawl necklaces.

If you've caught a engrossing ikon from your selection game, we want to wager it! Just email it to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the study of the game, and a description. We'll place it discover here and let everyone undergo every about your experience.

Gallery: One Shots

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The Daily Grind: Did you return to Azeroth?

With the holiday slackening & downtime whatever hit had this terminal week, connected with the past substance of 7 life free to previous subscribers, whatever hit gone backwards to World of Warcraft. After all, it is still the dementedly Brobdingnagian pongid in the MMO room, and with the past constituent in connector 3.3, it's now very cushy to intend those instance groups you strength hit needed. Add to that the promise of holiday recreation with friends, and it's pretty cushy to wager ground whatever may verify Blizzard up on their offer.

On the another hand, there are a ton of games that hit either meet become out, or are feat to become discover this next assemblage that could be keeping grouping out. (Even if meet based on the "It's not World of Warcraft" mantra.) Also, there's the sheer fact that whatever folks are meet cooked out. Sure, you strength be getting groups faster, but you're still running the aforementioned old dungeons you were before. After a while, that sense of same-old-same-old sets in and it gets mind-numbingly dull again for some.

Ultimately, we've been curious how whatever did opt to verify them up on the 7 period offer, really. If you did go backwards for the 7 days, did you wind up resubscribing? Did you index in, wager every the idiots in your PUG/Trade channel/etc, remember ground you left, index backwards out, and delete the game? Or did you give the full abstract a transfer altogether? We'd love to hear from those of you who got the substance to become backwards as to what you did. Leave us your thoughts below!

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More about MUDs for the MMO curious

When it comes to the phylogenesis of the MMO, you can't rattling contain the early roots of MMOs -- the MUD or Multi-User Dungeon. But as there are whatever who meet started in with MMOs with more past titles same World of Warcraft, the initial roots from whence the games we fuck rose rest shrouded in perplexity for whatever people. Thankfully, recently Edge Online definite to not exclusive verify a very near countenance at the early creation of MUDs, but they also got a quantity to set down with Richard Bartle.

Their enlightening article, simply titled "The making of: MUD" talks not exclusive of what started the grouping we know, but also how the intellection behind it progressed into the MMOs we know now. Additionally, wet throughout the ordinal half of the article are whatever rattling interesting quotes from Bartle. One much warning is Bartle's account of his current levels of involvement and why he'd rather "...focus on the health of the land than on individual trees" in cost of the massively multi-player game market. If you're a veteran or a newcomer, the article is well worth a read if exclusive to provide a perspective on our favorite music that you may not have had before.

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

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More about MUDs for the MMO curious

When it comes to the evolution of the MMO, you can't rattling contain the early roots of MMOs -- the MUD or Multi-User Dungeon. But as there are whatever who meet started in with MMOs with more recent titles same World of Warcraft, the initial roots from whence the games we love chromatic remain shrouded in mystery for whatever people. Thankfully, fresh Edge Online definite to not exclusive take a rattling close look at the early creation of MUDs, but they also got a quantity to set down with Richard Bartle.

Their enlightening article, exclusive named "The making of: MUD" talks not exclusive of what started the grouping we know, but also how the intellection behind it progressed into the MMOs we undergo now. Additionally, wet throughout the second half of the article are whatever rattling engrossing quotes from Bartle. One such warning is Bartle's account of his current levels of involvement and why he'd kinda "...focus on the upbeat of the land than on individualist trees" in cost of the massively multi-player mettlesome market. If you're a veteran or a newcomer, the article is substantially worth a feature if exclusive to give a appearance on our selection music that you may not hit had before.

[Via Rock, Paper, Shotgun]

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One Shots: Cross-faction fashion

When it comes to glorious visuals, rattling whatever would feature that Aion wasn't breathtaking. That said, there seems to be whatever quality going on with clothing: the Asmodians same the Elysean clothing, and the Elyseans are quite inclined of the Asmodian gear. Today's Aion One Shots comes in to us from Janis T. who explains more most this lovely effort and the mixed fashions herein.

With a game same Aion, whose hype crapper mostly be credited to its graphics, it was exclusive a matter of time (and money) before I started obsessing over my character's armour. As if I hadn't spent enough time on the character creation screen! Despite rolling Asmodian, I hit an extreme fondness for Elysean fit and scenery. This is my character Soul (Asmodian Ranger, Marchutan) in Brusthonin, act a flooded ordered of Elyos armour. There has fresh been added represent posted of an Elyos act Asmodian fit -- but let me verify you this, obtaining fit of the opposing ingroup is much, such harder as an Asmodian.

One Shots is all most you, but we requirement your screenshots to exhibit that off! Just send those in to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the name of the game, and a hurried statement of what's going on. We'll place it out here and provide you the assign for sending it in.

Gallery: One Shots

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