A number of readers have written in to express concern about this clause in the terms of service for Electronic Arts’ new digital distribution, Origin. Here’s the key bit: “If you have not used your Entitlements or Account for twenty four (24) months or more and your Account has associated Entitlements, your Entitlements will expire and your Account may be cancelled for non-use.” The “entitlements” it’s talking about are “paid and free downloadable content, unlockable content, digital and/or virtual assets, rights of use tied to unlock keys or codes, serial codes and/or online authentication of any kind, in-game achievements and virtual or fictional currency.”
We’ve asked Electronic Arts for clarification on this, but it suggests you might lose DLC, achievements, and even your account if you don’t log on for two years. Not exactly the kind of permanence we’ve come to expect from certain online services, is it? I can think of quite a few services I’ve not logged into for two years, and I’d still expect all my stuff to be there. Is anyone aware of similar clauses in other distribution systems or online game services?
In Port Royale 3, players will embark upon an epic adventure through the Caribbean during the 17th century.
Kalypso Media announced Port Royale 3 for the PC and next generation consoles. PR3 lets players step into the role of a 17th century sea captain trying to make a name for themselves in the Caribbean.
There are two ways for the player to attain fame and fortune. Action fans will opt to become an adventurer. They’ll conduct raids, conquer cities, collect bounties and plunder anything that isn’t nailed down.
Alternately, players can find success through commerce. They’ll set up trade routes, construct production facilities, and develop settlements. The game’s economic system is said to be both deep and realistic.
The campaign asks you to pick one path or the other. In free-play mode, though, you can find a balance between the two approaches. Judging by the name, free-play mode will probably just let you build up your empire to your heart’s content.
Port Royale 3 also includes multiplayer modes. You and another player will be able to go head-to-head. No other details were provided but presumably you compete to amass the most wealth or power. Or maybe you just try to wipe each other out.
PR3 is being developed by Kalypso Media subsidiary Gaming Minds. Gaming Minds is composed of former employees of Ascaron Entertainment, the developer of the first two games in the series. Ascaron went bankrupt in 2009.
Kalypso expects PR3 to be released in the second quarter of 2012.
The morning brings a trio of horror-news about Diablo III. I’m outright bewildered about what Blizzard have done, and shuddering about the likely reaction in comments. I won’t muck around here, and instead shall just wade straight into the things that are probably going to end up being PC gaming’s biggest controversy of 2011.
1) The game requires a constant internet connection. It cannot be played offline.
2) Mods are “expressly prohibited.”
3) Items in the auction house are bought and sold for real-life money.
Gather enough electricity to blow the fuses in this extremely hard to navigate dark zone of Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet.
If there’s one thing Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet proves, it’s that even the brightest stars can be corrupted. This 2D adventure casts you as an intrepid alien sent to weed out a sickness that has infected an ailing heavenly body and, subsequently, save all life in the galaxy.
Otherworldly environments engender strong feelings of loneliness, and a modicum of instructions reinforces the idea that you’re all alone. There are few clear directions as you attempt to navigate this hostile world, and that lack of hand-holding is one of Shadow Planet’s biggest strengths.
Figuring out how to use your various tools to overcome obstacles provides the most satisfying hook to pull you along, and it is well worth putting up with the requisite trial-and-error activities to get past the most daunting puzzles. Unfortunately, that rush is often stymied by poor visual feedback and touchy controls. Because of these problems, Shadow Planet offers an uneven adventure that alternates between amazement and frustration, though there are more than enough exciting moments to make it a trip worth taking.
