Gaming

Microsoft has released an update for their Games for Windows Live PC client, the upgrade brings with it many cosmetic changes. The redesigned marketplace and more detailed game pages will make browsing the marketplace easier.

The National Institute on Media and the Family, the anti-gaming organization behind the MediaWatch Video Game Report Card, has closed its doors.

GCHQ to run ad campaign within Xbox Live online games to attract 18- to 34-year-olds to its ranks.

wish-list for the next instalment.

These are the games kicked to the bottom shelf of your game store's "pre-owned" section and that will get you confused looks when you mention them in conversation.

Original Super Nintendo kart racer arrives this Monday; Pilotwings SNES and Super Smash Bros. N64 to follow this holiday season.

PS3 and PSP's online component will form backbone of Sony Online Service, a content-delivery system common to HDTVs, Blu-ray players, PCs, MP3 players, e-readers, and mobile devices.

Outcry over removal of dedicated server support can't stop latest Call of Duty installment from a faster start than original Modern Warfare.

Sega dethrones Winning Eleven with its own footie sim for the PSP; Sony's portable, PS3 nearly tie at top of hardware chart.

National Institute on Media and the Family to close doors after nearly 14 years, marking an end to Video Game Report Card program.

Funcom, WarCry and IGN are proud to offer you a chance to win 1 of 100 Beta Keys to the upcoming MMO Age of Conan. Based on the works of Robert E. Howard, this game offers players the chance to explore the mature and gritty world of Hyboria.

Contest winners will be notified via email on Monday April 28th with instructions on how to get a hold of their copy of the game.

For more information on AoC, check out Age of Conan WarCry and check back regularly for updates on the beta and upcoming launch of Age of Conan.

It's tonight! Flying Lab Software live on our IRC servers to talk about Pirates of the Burning Sea. For four lucky fans, some time cards await in a random draw, and one will get a t-shirt. So stop in at 8:00pm EST to talk to the developers. Here are the details:

When: 04/09/2008 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific (Wednesday)

Where: irc.chatspike.net 6667 in #WarCouncil
General chat will be available in #warcry

Who: The following Flying Lab developers will be on hand.

• Russell Williams (FLS CEO)
• Kevin Maginn (Lead Game Designer)
• Joe Ludwig (Producer)
• David Hunt (Game Designer)
• Drew Clowery (Game Designer)
• Troy Hewitt (Director of Community Relations)
• Tom Atkinson-Edwards (Community Specialist)

Need a way in? No problem just use our Java Client , Chatspike's IRC Client or an mIRC Client.

We look forward to seeing you there!

In on week's time, we'll have ourselves another developer chat with Pirates of the Burning Sea. This is your chance to talk to the people behind the biggest MMO launch of 2008. The chat is on Wednesday April 9th at 8:00pm Eastern (5:00pm Pacific)!

Your details:

When: 04/09/2008 8pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific (Wednesday)

Where: irc.chatspike.net 6667 in #WarCouncil
General chat will be available in #warcry

Who: The following Flying Lab developers will be on hand.

• Russell Williams (FLS CEO)
• Kevin Maginn (Lead Game Designer)
• Joe Ludwig (Producer)
• David Hunt (Game Designer)
• Drew Clowery (Game Designer)
• Troy Hewitt (Director of Community Relations)
• Tom Atkinson-Edwards (Community Specialist)

Need a way in? No problem just use our Java Client , Chatspike's IRC Client or an mIRC Client.

We look forward to seeing you there!

In the second half of his two part article called "To Be A Hero" (Part One is here), Jonathan Steinhauer gives us more of his personal take on how MMORPGs and how players want to be the center of that universe.

Every other Monday, Steinhauer brings us his design related MMO thoughts in this column.

Another method of achievement is through the use of competitions. Asheron's Call had a story writing contest that generated over a thousand submissions and the top nine were placed in game as actual books you could purchase from vendors. Other contests games have introduced have been as varied as screenshots and cloak designs.

But recognition isn't the sole property of game designers. Many guilds host contests, the most popular being PvP matches. Back when I played AC, my guild setup its own rank structure which awarded members for participation with the prize being different colored robes. Admittedly, player-based fame has the tendency to be more localized, but it does give the opportunity for increased prominence among the fellow gamers that you know the best.

Read more after the leap.

Sean Bulger is back with a new column in his bi-weekly look at issues of community and MMOs. This column focuses on player made content: what's good, what's bad.

As strange as it may seem to some, there are plenty of people out there who enjoy creating things by using parts of the game they play, or by creating something for the game. Even more people like to enjoy those creations - more so the videos in this day of age. This is also something that developers could take advantage of when trying to build a strong community.

Read more after the leap.