New Technology Reviews!.: Warcraft

How to play World of Warcraft with Kinect

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//classifications/images/WoW_magazinelogo-200-200.jpg"> Microsoft Kinect has already been hacked a number of times, with the latest unofficial use of the motion control tech being used as a controller for Blizzard's massively popular MMO World of Warcraft. That's right. This latest MS Kinect hack allows WoW players to control their on-screen characters using gesture control. This innovative use of Kinect comes courtesy of the University of Southern California's Institute for Creative Technologies. FAAST movers The university's group of enterprising techies and MMO gamers have developed <a href="http://people.ict.usc.edu/~suma/faast/">a toolkit</A> called the Flexible Action and Articulated Skeleton Toolkit (FAAST), to allow users to map Kinect's image sensing technology to PC games and "VR applications" – with immense potential for future PC gaming and medical rehabilitation applications. FAAST allows keen Kinect hackers to access "integration of full-body control with games and VR applications," with the Xbox 360 camera mapping the user's skeleton pattern, body position and gestures onto PC keyboard controls. The code is free and available for non-commercial use, with the Institute planning to create games for rehabilitation of motor-skills after a stroke.

How to play World of Warcraft with Kinect

Microsoft Kinect has already been hacked a number of times, with the latest unofficial use of the motion control tech being used as a contro...

In Depth: The attraction of Warcraft guilds

<img src="http://cdn.mos.techradar.com//Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.opener-200-200.jpg">  <DIV class=almost_half_cell id=gt-res-content> <DIV dir=ltr> </DIV> <DIV dir=ltr>We started to play as children as a way to make sense of the world around us - to learn how it works. We use the game as a means to interact with others and social awareness.</DIV></DIV> As we become older and our systems of choice become more refined, our play becomes more subtle and complex. Our objectives change throughout our lives – we play to entertain ourselves, for the purpose of challenge and reward, to bring us closer to others, or to pit our skills against theirs. Play is a type of essential social catalyst. Playing by the rules The nature of our play is defined by the game we choose, and the rules that form the boundaries within which specific actions can be performed. Take tennis, for example – as a player, your actions at any given time during a match are limited by the framework of the game and the circumstances of the moment, but the possibilities when two people face one another across the net are endless. The internet has brought billions of people together to play, and many of the games we indulge in are built to enable community growth. These range from the casual yet record-breakingly popular Farmville, which uses a social network as a platform, to the far deeper, more intricately designed and consuming experiences offered by massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMOs). These offer a social, co-operative (and often competitive) environment in which people meet, form lasting associations and play together. Formalised groups of players – or guilds – aren't a new concept in MMOs. Guilds differ somewhat from the traditional clans of online gaming, in that the MMO itself contains tools specially designed to help players socialise and organise their activities. In World of Warcraft there are currently 11.5 million players, making it the world's most heavily subscribed MMO. It's a vast, sprawling world of myriad challenges, and often the only way to conquer the game's content is to do so as a group. <img alt="Greg street" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.greg_street1-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> We spoke with Greg Street, aka Ghostcrawler, lead systems designer on World of Warcraft, to find out Blizzard Entertainment's philosophy on the social aspects of World of Warcraft. Greg came to the company as a keen MMO gamer, and one who particularly enjoyed the social aspect: <img alt="Bank account" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.screen1-420-90.jpg" width="420"> "I remember my first experiences with WoW. I always wanted to check in to see what my friends were doing – it was like not wanting to miss the party. I didn't want to hear the next day about the awesome thing they'd done the night before!" This was Greg's first taste of being in a guild. At its most basic level, a guild is a group of players who have banded together for a common cause. When a player creates a guild, he or she names it and has the option to create a guild tabard with a specific design embroidered onto it. As new members are recruited, they can purchase and don this tabard to outwardly display their allegiance to other players in the world. The guild may be formed under a specific philosophy – as a social gathering, for example, where people's only objective is to have fun playing together, or as a more serious endeavour, where experienced players join arms to tackle the game's toughest and most demanding content. </IMG> The guild also gets its own chat channel for socialising, reinforcing relationships and organising activities, as well as an in-game bank account where money, armour, weapons, crafting materials and any other in-game items can be stored for the members' communal use. Sharing skills Likewise, guilds can be places to access the trade-skills of others, which you may not possess yourself. You may, for example, be a skilled alchemist or a dab-hand at making healing potions, but you've got your heart set on a specific piece of armour that can only be made by a master blacksmith. This kind of trade becomes much easier – and cheaper – when mates' rates are involved. "WoW is ultimately a social game," continues Greg. "It can be played solo, but at the end of the day we created it as a social game, and we kind of intended for players to play with other players. We think the experience is a lot better when you do that. Someone might level-up alone to the top level and think, 'Well, I'm done,' but if they have the social network there, then they're liable to keep coming back and stick with it". <img alt="solo play" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.screen2-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> There are also certain activities in World of Warcraft that can only be completed by a team of players working together. For example, certain dungeons or instances can only be entered by a specific number of people. If you have fewer than, say, five, 10 or 25 people grouped together (such requirements being a general mark of the challenge's difficulty level) you'll be unable to enter the dungeon to fight the creatures inside and claim the rare weapons and armour they may relinquish. This makes guild-formation a natural step for players who want to tackle that unique content in search of a tangible reward. Alongside the social aspect, a guild is therefore a place for players to share intelligence, talk tactics and plot attacks. Experienced players are always sought after, because their knowledge of these instances and their workings can mean the difference between success and failure when the swords clash and the spells fly. As in any form of social gathering, people will be people and conflicts can occur. Cliques can form within guilds around differences of opinion and in some cases serious divisions can occur. Depending on the nature of these disagreements – and, most importantly, if it's ruining the experience for people – Blizzard may step in to adjudicate, as Greg explains. <img alt="flying mounts" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.screen3-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> Dealing with disputes "The internal political squabbles that happen within guilds – that's the kind of thing we try not to get involved in. We try to stay out of it unless there's a clear request from both parties for us to take a specific action. Generally, there's just a disagreement about who said what, and if we can't find anything documented in the chat logs, we try to let the guild handle the dispute themselves." And in more serious cases? "Where we're trying to be more active is in compromised accounts for example, or in situations where some evil villain has raided the guild bank – stuff like that. With certain guilds who have a lot of items and money stockpiled, they can be very juicy targets, so we're trying to step up things at our end with some more tools to handle that when it happens". Guild activities can also provide essential feedback for the game's designers. While a great deal of testing goes on before new content is released, the way in which that content is implemented isn't set in stone until the player-base gets to grips with it. "We track guild activities quite a bit", says Greg. "We like to see what's going on, because it helps us decide whether raid encounters are too challenging based on the frequency of kills, and how many people are doing it. And there are a lot of third-party sites that players use as scoreboards to see where they are in relation to other players. That's the sort of thing that we'd like to formalise on our side – to have some kind of leaderboard in the future." Likewise, group experience contributes to the ongoing development of the game in a number of other ways. When you have up to 200 serious, raid-focused members in a tiered and structured group, it's a very different prospect to five pals knocking about for fun. "In Cataclysm (the WoW expansion), we have a lot more guild-orientated content that's designed to give players more control. For starters, we'll have news boards, where players can log into the game, check the guild news and see what their guild has been up to." Blizzard is adding benefits to the guild system that go beyond the ability to access areas of the game. Guild iconography will soon be applicable to different armour items and even mounts. There will also be benefits to being in a successful guild that go beyond visuals. "We're working on the concept of advancing guilds, so you can earn experience for your guild and unlock new content. <img alt="group play" src="http://mos.futurenet.com/techradar/Review%20images/PC%20Plus/PCP%20301/PCP301.makefeat.screen4-420-90.jpg" width="420"></IMG> "There are two categories of rewards, the first of which we call perks. These are convenience features. We don't want to turn them into pure player power – things like increased gold generated from loot drops. Right at the top of the Christmas tree is Mass Resurrection, which you can use if everybody dies on a raid and carry on the fight from there. These are things that make you feel: 'I'm more powerful for playing with my friends'. The other category of rewards are items – heirlooms, trinkets, unique guild mounts and so forth." Strength in numbers All of which adds an extra layer of social glue to the game, and gives more reasons for those who play together to stay together. Which in turn creates stronger, longer-term relationships – and, ultimately, friendships. <DIV class=almost_half_cell id=gt-res-content> <DIV dir=ltr>It is fascinating to trace the development feedback loop. In its early stages, the developer creates a social, well equipped with communication tools, and a game in the world with systems that support group activities. As players expand to fill the world and push their limits, new needs become apparent from their activities and opinions. At this point, the programmer starts the remodeling of the game around the players' needs and desires. The ecosystem evolves and becomes a more social experience. In a sense, the players are beginning to define the experience, or at least, how the experience works for them, in a very organic.</DIV></DIV>

In Depth: The attraction of Warcraft guilds

We started to play as children as a way to make sense of the world around us - to learn how it works. We use the game as a means to inte...

World of Warcraft Security

Many online games are experienceing trouble with a rise in hacked accounts. This rise is partly due to the rise in prices paid for such accounts. One particular game which got hit hard was World of Warcraft. World of Warcraft security, I'm afraid, is a bit lacking. It seems that just about anyone can attack a World of Warcraft account.Should you already own a WoW account authenticator you will already see the potential problems this device has. It is only a matter of time before authenticator hacks become common place. The key to keeping your account truly secure is by knowing what is going in and out of your computer all the time. While most people struggle with simply putting a CD into their computer, there are others who know much more about computers and how to protect them.If you do not know that much about internet or WoW security then you should at least be willing to find out a few things. If you do not continue to keep yourself educated on the newest hacks then eventually you will become prey for them.Keeping up-to-date with World of Warcraft security issues can be a bit challenging at first. Scowling through forums over and over again is no fun either. The best way to know exactly how accounts are being hacked is to ask friends or family how their account was hacked.Once you understand a bit more about how hackers hack then you can start to see that most of the time a hack is more like a con. If you can see through the con you won't be caught downloading a keylogger to your computer.The problem is that most people are simply not that smart or are too lazy to learn so they end up trying vary hard on their own to keep their account secure. The problem is that you must know at least a little bit about how your computer accesses the internet in order to keep your WoW security.Being a computer genius is just not for everyone. Knowing something is at least better then nothing. If you are really looking for some great ways to keep your computer safe then you will find most of the information you are looking for online. Although it can be hard to trust online sites when they are talking about hackers, the majority of these sites were perfectly harmless, they simply wanted to sell some anti virus software.	 	 		 			 				 					 						Keeping your World of Warcraft account secure is top priority. What good is farming gold and advancing your character through content if you can't keep hackers at bay? Check out this link to find out more about <a href="http://wowauthenticator.com/" target="_new">World of Warcraft Security</a> and keeping your account safe!

World of Warcraft Security

Many online games are experienceing trouble with a rise in hacked accounts. This rise is partly due to the rise in prices paid for such a...

How To Void Getting Hacked in World of Warcraft

How does a Battle.net account become compromised?Hackers will prey on your trust, naivety and innocence to discover your log-in credentials. Accounts become compromised when somebody discovers your log-in details (username & password) to the account.Account SharingYou share your account details with somebody you "trust". It's against Blizzard's Terms of Use to share your account details because it's so risky. Your friend could pass your log-in details to one of his friends, and so forth. Before you know it, everyone knows your account details. There is also no way of knowing if your friend has a secure computer; his computer might be infected by a Trojan/keylogger which means your account is then exposed. You might also fall out with your friend one day and he could decide to "get even" with you by stealing your gold and transferring to another realm.Power Leveling ServicesYou buy a power level handing over your username & password to a complete stranger. Power leveling services are usually bought, with real money, through a website, which is just another scam to get your log-in details and hard earned cash. Once you hand over your payment, and divulge your log-in details, your account will be stripped of all valuables and the gold will be "laundered" through other hacked accounts (this gold is usually sold onto gold buyers). Finally, they will delete your characters, so they know when you have the account back, to do it all over again.Account Buying, Selling and TradingYou buy, sell or trade your account. "I will give you mine if you give me yours", so to speak. Once you hand over your account details the account will most likely become compromised. The guy offering the trade might appear be really friendly and honest but you should not be drawn in by it. Remember, they prey on your innocence and trust. You may even buy a stolen account and it is likely the original owner will one day claim it back leaving you with nothing.Fake WebsitesYou click a link to a fake website directing you to a website that resembles an official Blizzard/World of Warcraft site. Thinking it's real, you log into the page using your account details, which is when your username and password are emailed to a 3rd party. A typical fake website would be where you receive a whisper in-game saying you have won a free Blizzard mount but you need to visit an obscure site to get the code for it.Infected FilesYou download a file that contains a Trojan/keylogger. This means whenever you press a key on your keyboard, the keystrokes are automatically recorded and transmitted to a 3rd party."No problem. I will just retrieve my password!", I hear you say. I'm afraid it's not that simple; If you are keylogged then you should expect the scammer has the ability to also log into to your email accounts (since he knows all usernames and passwords entered since the computer became infected). All he has to do is log into the World of Warcraft Account Management page, change the registered email on the account, and finally log into your email account to verify the email change. Now your account has a new registered email which you have no access to, rendering Password Retrievel useless.Malicious LinksYou see a weblink, usually posted on a forum, and you click it. The link sends you to a web page which has some kind of invisible script designed to infect your computer with a keylogger. This can be a real problem on popular forums, including the official World of Warcraft forums. Fortunately, the World of Warcraft forum moderation team are quick to remove malicious links. Beware of clicking links!How Do I Secure My Battle.net Account?Follow these simple steps and you can log into your Battle.net/World of Warcraft account with confidence.Passwords - Common SenseUse a strong, unique password for your Battle.net/WoW account. Make sure the password is different to any other passwords you might be using for your Facebook, Email, MSN accounts etc. Don't use simple words like "dog" and NEVER use your account name as a password!Good password: &e5PSW:QtdH%#Bad Password: helloIf you ever forget your password or need to change it you can do so by using the Password Retrieval service on the official WoW website. A new random password will be sent to the registered email on the account.Blizzard AuthenticatorThe Blizzard Authenticator is a great way to secure your Battle.net account. It's a little device which you attach to your account through Account Management. Once attached, whenever you log into your Battle.net/World of Warcraft account, you will be asked for your username, password and a digitally generated code which you get by pressing the little button on the Blizzard Authenticator. Without that code you cannot log into your account. The cost of the Authenticator is $6.50/?6.00 and you can buy it from the online Blizzard Store.Update:There is a free Battle.net Mobile Authenticator available for your iPhone.Anti-Virus SoftwareYou should have good anti-virus software installed on your computer. Anti-virus software protects against infected files that might contain a Trojan or keylogger. I personally use ESET NOD32 which has always done a good job but there are many good alternatives on the market. If you don't have the cash to invest in anti-virus software have a look at AVG Anti-Virus Free.Once you have installed your new anti-virus software, and updated the virus definitions, go ahead and run a full system scan. You should also set the software to automatically run at least one full system scan per week (I prefer nightly), preferably when you know you will not be using your computer. Most anti-virus software have options to automate system scans; I have mine setup to run a full system scan every night at 04:00am.Firefox and NoScriptI highly recommend switching from Microsoft Internet Explorer to Mozilla Firefox with the NoScript plugin. NoScript is a really cool plug-in that cuts the risk of being infected by a keylogger.You may have been on a forum and seen someone posting a link to something that sounds really cool. You click the link and get keylogged instantly without actually knowing it. This is because hackers sometimes use hidden code, on web sites you visit, to infect your computer. NoScript is an extension, or add-on, for Fox which automatically blocks Javascript and Java from running. If you trust a website, you click the NoScript button and tell it to allow scripts either temporarily or permanently for that specific site. It's great.FlashblockFlashblock is another add-on for Firefox which blocks all Flash content until you specifically allow the content to be viewed. This is useful for avoiding potential risks with infected Flash content.MalwareAnti-virus software is NOT enough. You also need to download and install good anti-malware software because even the best anti-virus can sometimes have problems detecting and removing threats. I highly recommend Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and SUPERAntiSpyware. Both are free and do a very good job.Security ChecklistBuy the Blizzard Authenticator. Install anti-virus software and keep it updated - scan regularly. Choose a complex password. Install Firefox and NoScript. Pick good password - complex and unique. Don't Share your account with anyone. Don't buy power levelling services. Don't buy, sell or trade your account. Check your browser status bar for masked links. Use Windows Update regularly. Install Flashblock for Firefox. Install anti-malware software. Don't click links right away. Think before you click. Treat every Blizzard email, which requests personal information, as fake. Double check you're on an official Blizzard website before entering any log-in details. Make sure the log-in page is secure (https as opposed to http).	 	 		 			 				 					 						<a href="http://www.splotty.com" target="_new">Splotty</a> is a web site which delivers video game news for free-to-play and pay-to-play online multiplayer games. Check out <a href="http://www.splotty.com" target="_new">Splotty</a> for the latest game trailers, news, articles and screenshots for massively multiplayer games such as Everquest, TERA, Runes of Magic, World of Warcraft, Age of Conan and many many more!

How To Void Getting Hacked in World of Warcraft

How does a Battle.net account become compromised? Hackers will prey on your trust, naivety and innocence to discover your log-in credenti...