Join hosts Leonai art and Luxx tonight from 6:30p to 9:30p PST (9:30-12:30 EST) as the RaveCast wraps up what has turned into a month’s topic of Next-gen gaming goodness. We’ll be discussing what different MMORPGs bring to the table and what we enjoyed the most. Many new games claim to be the best thing since sliced rat, but what would it really take for one to be considered “Next-gen?” Monkeys? More monkeys? Monkeys with guns? Tradeskills made specifically for vegetarians? Longswords made specifically for those with 7 fingers?

During the show, listeners should join our chat channel HERE (or point their own IRC clients to irc.OnlineGamingRadio.com in the channel #OGR) to interact with the on-air crew. Also, if you’re interested in bringing your own topic to the table, post it in our forum. We have a thread up dedicated to next-gen MMO features. Post what you want to see in upcoming games and why.

Once again the Friday RaveCast airs tonight from 6:30p to 9:30p PST (9:30-12:30 EST)

OSC has agreed to come on Online Gaming Radio (OGR) this evening. The show Starts at 7pm Eastern. OSC created and started Rubies of Eventide. He will be on the air for at least 1 segment (about an hour long). We will be talking about the how’s and why’s of Rubies game design.

Marc Howe (OSC) started Rubies of Eventide back in the 1990’s for exact dates tune in. Rubies is currently a free mmorpg that is supported by donations. They have no corporate backer and no private sponsors. This model has been going for years. It was a leader in the free mmo market as it has been a leader in other aspect of the online gaming market. Currently, Rubies of Eventide is managed by 100% volunteers. It has a very good core base of players and players that come and go. Many players often return months or years later due to the community that is often lacking (they say this) in other online games.

Currentlly, Rubies is owned by Mnemosyne, LLC. To find out more preshow information take a look at the Wiki page.
I look forward to interviewing OSC, I hope you will join us.

Also, on the agenda is Dragon Con ( www.dragoncon.org ) my co-host Eva is there and hopefully by then she will be all set up for the show. She is a member of the press at the show. She will provide excellent coverage. In fact, we may try and do some broadcasting while she is at the show when others are not doing a show. Watch here for special show information and pictures.

Eva is doing Design and Conquer give-a-ways so if you know somebody at the show tell them to look for Eva in OGRe wear!!

Eva has posted this on her myspace blog.

Hello Ladies and Gents…

Some of you know that I am Eva the Minx for Online gaming Radio!! My Co-host Guntar and I have been getting revved up for me to go to Dragon Con this year and take pics and pass OGR stuff around….Well, I have a contest I’m running with my Role-Play profile….so I want to run a contest for my RL friends too!! This is not really Associated with my Role-Play company but I might be bringing some rough copies pages of the first comic we will be releasing!!! To pass out to some lucky PEEPS!!

Here is how it goes….this contest is for any of my RL friends on my list. I’ll be walking around Dragon Con all weekend (two days of it I’ll be wearing my OGR shirt…and prolly my KILT LOL) and if you can spot me and meet me Here are some prizes…

The first person on my RL profile to meet me and introduce themselves gets: To do on On Air Shout out and talk about the happenings on the radio show..PLUS My Mates and I will take you out for drinks I buy (must be 21 for this…LOL) If you are UNDER 21 me and my mates will take you for Lunch!!!

The second one I’ll do a shout out for you On Air and you get to go out for drinks with the first person (again I buy and you need to be 21 for this) If you are under 21 I’ll take you for LUNCH!!!!

Third place will be TBA prize….

Anyone who can catch me in pics and post it to their myspace gets their choice of a pic comment, a regular comment, or some other TBA prize.

I will also have the pleasure of being with an UP AND COMING HORROR WRITER!! THINK of this: You had the chance to have drinks with ol’Stevie King B4 he became famous?!! PLUS who can turn down FREE DRINKS!!!

I’ll be posting new pics on my site AND the OGR site through out the Con!! SOOOOOO Saddle up and whore this blog! The ONLY Restriction (besides being over 21 for drinks) is that you MUST be on my friends list!!!

GAME ON PEEPS!!! WHORE THIS OUT!! Updates will be coming!! Comment if you plan on trying the game AND I forgot to mention: I’ll be posting HINTS through out the Con as to where you might find me from a certain time to a certain time…PLUS Posting hint pics on what I am wearing that day!!!!

This show will be podcast at a later time as all Design & Conquer shows are.

Guntar
Host
Design & Conquer

Lately, the MMO market has either been really incredibly intriguing, or dead flat in the, “Yeah… been there, done that, what’s your shiny?” The medieval thing has been done, and done, and done again. People aren’t tired of it, per-se, but it just seems as though the market is so flooded that investment companies are going to be more inclined to invest in something different rather than yet another medieval genre game that is supposedly “revolutionary”, when it only has a few tweeks or combos that you’ve seen many other games use in the same way.

So to do it differently, you have to think outside of the box, right? Ok, so let’s go to City of Heroes/Villains. Now that’s different. Super heroes, costumes, awesome effects and more. But wait - the longevity of gameplay is well… not really long. It’s an awesome game to come back to, but it’s about a 1-3month wonder. So then let’s look at the space genre - cool! Well, there are several games that are getting there, but they’re either too difficult for the maul of masses to consume (Eve Online) or are going through metal melt-down and remake (SOE’s Star Wars Galaxies) periods. The mentioned games are getting better, but they are already burnt with bad reputations that will take some time to buff the rough edges to make them shiny enough for people to give them a second, third or for some, fourth tries.

Instead of going on and on about this, I’ll cut right to the chase. The question is: F2P: Is it the new catch phrase of the MMO market?

I think the answer is: Yes. Games that are not only truly revolutionizing the MMO market with genre variations and gameplay styles, but also evolving in the way to play, are beginning to show signs of a marketable success. The two games that have caught my eye lately are Granado Espada (Sword of the New World) and The Agency. Both of these games have announced their intention to change the way gamers pay for their content.

So why is this important? How will the content stay fresh, new, and updated consistently? Well I’ll tell you - you’ll be charged to unlock content in a somewhat similar way that you are required to with the MMO, Guild Wars. Instead of a monthly subscription, you’ll have to pay to unlock premium content, and don’t think that means they’ll only give you a teeny tiny world. Oh no - you’ll be given so much to play without having to pay(i.e. FREE!) that it’s going to bug you in a nagging way to wonder, “If the content is so good and is given freely - what the heck am I missing that requires me to pay?!

So is this a new catch phrase? Or a newer market that’s being tested? You decide. If I were a betting woman, I’d say that this is the beginning of a new wave for the MMO market - and Guild Wars proved that it was worthy.

The soft beta of SOE’s new online trading card game is in full swing now with more Everquest II players being invited. The Dellmon will share more of his thoughts on Legends of Norrath and his struggle to understand this lastest add-on to EQII.

The Drunken Dwarf and Cheezit will also be stopping by to share more of their words of wisdom and answer your letters!

Special Guest: Zanadi of Antonia Bayle

The show airs 3pm - 6pm Pacific (6pm - 9pm Eastern) every Tuesday.

Click Here to Tune In

Fifty Trading Card Pick Up - Dellmon is joined by Zanadi again this episode where they discuss their second week in the Legends of Norrath card game beta. The Dellmon is a little less fustrated this week while Zan struggles with being a LoN noob. Drunk Dwarf and Cheesit also answer some more letters and reveal thier secret identities to everyone.

Jethal brings you his brand of Mayhem Madness and More and this time hes got help.. joining Jethal this week is Coyote Sharptongue from Ten Ton Hammer.

“Heart Scan,” a new video game from Sega Corp., uses the microphone on Nintendo Co.’s hit portable to analyze people’s voices for a range of feelings — calm, jittery, happy, disappointed, angry.

Numbers, drawings, charts and words pop up on the screen: “The speaker more or less likes you,” or “The speaker is agitated.”

If a person reads a list of words, “rendezvous, extramarital affair, living together, divorce, marriage,” the software shows which rattles nerves much like a lie-detector test, Sega says.

But developers warn against jumping to conclusions about someone’s actions, such as infidelity, just because a voice sounds nervous.

Unfortunately, this has only been released to Japan, but I’m sure the US market will be keeping its eyes open for its arrival.

( read more… )

The Tawan company, Acer, has announced their plans to acquire the United States computer company, Gateway Inc. for $710 million which will result in Acer being the worlds third largest vendor for personal computers.

The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Gateway and Acer.

“This strategic transaction is an important milestone in Acer’s long history,” said J.T. Wang, Acer’s chairman, in the statement. “This will be an excellent addition to Acer’s already strong positions in Europe and Asia.”

Ed Coleman, chief executive of Gateway, welcomed the buyout.

“Joining with Acer will enable us to bring even more value to the consumer segments we serve and capitalize on Acer’s highly regarded supply chain operations and global reach,” he said in the statement.

( read more… )

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - “Manhunt 2,” a brutally violent video game that was effectively banned in the United States, has risen from the grave in a modified form and will go on sale for Halloween, its publisher said.

Take-Two Interactive Software Inc (TTWO.O) said a new version of the game, which features an insane asylum escapee killing enemies in gruesome ways, had won a “Mature” rating from the U.S. Entertainment Software Ratings Board, meaning it is meant for players aged 17 and over.

The ratings board had previously slapped an “Adults Only” rating on the game. While its decisions carry no legal weight, Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O),Sony Corp (6758.T) and Nintendo Co Ltd(7974.OS) do not allow such titles on their game consoles. ( read more… )

This weekend, our very own Eva from Design & Conquer is out and about traversing the lands of Dragon*Con. She’s going to be there with OGR gear in-hand, so if you happen to be attending the convention, be sure to keep your eyes open for the OGRe on her tote-bag or shirt.

For those of you who aren’t joining the convention scenes of the weekend, tune into our shows. Saturday brings you another awesome show of Rock & Roleplay with our hosts, Drue & Kira, and on Sunday, we’ll be giving you a juicy flavor of music brought to you by Monte and his show, The Audiogasm.

If you’re new or coming back to check up on the going-ons of Online Gaming Radio, please stop by our new forums, register and say hi.