Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Reuters: Technology News

Reuters: Technology News

EU to seek more Google concessions in competition probe

Posted: 28 May 2013 06:46 AM PDT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU regulators are likely to press Google Inc for more concessions to end a three-year investigation into complaints it squeezed out Web rivals, the EU antitrust chief said.

Crest urges changing Clearwire minority vote threshold

Posted: 28 May 2013 06:36 AM PDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Crest Financial, an investor in Clearwire Corp, said on Tuesday that the voting threshold for approval of Sprint Nextel Corp's purchase of Clearwire should exclude strategic investors such as Comcast Corp and Intel.

Darty's new CEO plans job cuts, says no sale planned

Posted: 28 May 2013 05:30 AM PDT

PARIS (Reuters) - Electronics retailer Darty plans to cut costs in its core French market to cope with the weaker economy, which could entail job cuts but no store closures, its new chief executive said on Tuesday.

Singapore to regulate Yahoo!, other online news sites

Posted: 28 May 2013 05:21 AM PDT

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Websites that regularly report on Singapore including Yahoo! News will have to get a license from June 1, putting them on par with newspapers and television new outlets, in a move seen by some as a bid to rein in free-wheeling Internet news.

Hon Hai, Mozilla to launch mobile device running on Firefox

Posted: 27 May 2013 09:32 PM PDT

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd will team up with Mozilla and launch a mobile device that runs on the U.S. company's Firefox operating system, a Mozilla spokeswoman said, as Hon Hai looks to diversify its client base away from Apple.
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Shan Herald Agency for News

Shan Herald Agency for News

No water, no country

Posted: 28 May 2013 03:51 AM PDT

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 17:07 S.H.A.N.
 
So the water summit held in Chiangmai, 14-22 May, is over with 9 countries (including Burma, Brunei, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam) signing a document, dubbed theChiangmai Declaration, pledging to prevent their economies and societies from flood and drought.
Environmental groups meanwhile also organized their own forum on alternative water management.

According to reports that came out, concerns expressed at the Chiangmai gatherings were more about deteriorating environment and economies caused by flood and drought.

The second Asia-Pacific Water Summit (APWS) (Photo: The Nation)

SHAN on the other hand would like to discuss about water being a life-and-death security issue for nations like Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam that exist downstream of the Salween and the Mekong rivers, whose headquarters are in China.

Which means that unless these countries can be rest assured of their giant neighbor's eternal friendship and goodwill, placing excessive dependence on these rivers may prove to be an invitation to disaster – a catastrophic one. They will find themselves, all of a sudden, at the mercy of China, doing its biddings against their own interests.

After all, what's a country without water. (unless you have oil instead)?

Which brings to mind movies that we have watched and books that we have read about the 19th century American West when we were young: big ranchers being licked by smart farmers, who held the water rights (and who also happened to be good with guns of course).

"Who controls the water controls the range, for without water the range is useless," wrote the late Louis L'amour. One might add: so is a country.

So what's the alternative? For a country like Burma, it should-for dear life-see to it that the Irrawaddy and its tributaries are all in the supreme state of preservation. It must never hesitate to say "no" to megadams and the likes. Our hope therefore is that the Myitsone dam project remains closed forever.

For the Shan State and especially Shans, it is time to realize the meaning of songs like "As long as the Namkhong (Salween) flows, Shan State will last" by Sai Hsaimao go deeper than they used to fathom. It means that, whether they like it or not, they cannot allow themselves to become subservient to the idea that their future ties in with the Salween. Or they will find themselves being given their most coveted prize, Independence, without having to fight, because our Burmese rulers, let alone ourselves, do not want to be kings in a waterless country anymore.

Maybe it's time they start to compose songs like, "As long as the Pang (or Teng, Pawn, Hsim, Khuen, Tu and other small rivers) flows, Shan State will last."
They would be more realistic and more reassuring.

Wa donates land for Thai king’s memorial

Posted: 27 May 2013 11:38 PM PDT

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 12:22 S.H.A.N.
 
Thai-Burmese Relations

The United Wa State Army (UWSA) has donated a 5-acre (12.5 rai) plot of land for the renovation of a stupa believed to have been built in the early 17th century in today's Mongton township, opposite Chiangmai, according to sources.

Wei Xueyun (Photo: UWSA)

Although details are still sketchy, both sources, one a respected elder in Mongton, the other a long-time border security officer, have confirmed the fact. "The abbot of Loi Kawng Mu (a mountain temple 2 miles east of Pongpakhem — See map) had asked only for the plot that used to contain the now defunct stupa," said the Mongton source. "Wei Xueyun (also written Wei Hsuehying) however gave him 5 acres instead."


Where the stupa is
Wei Xueyun, also known by his Thai name Sophol Jandee, is the younger brother of the more well-known Wei Xuegang (also written Wei Hsuehkang), Commander of the Thai-border based 171st Military Region. He is wanted both in the United States and Thailand on drug charges.

The King Naresuan stupa, located 25 miles (40 km) from the border, was demolished and bulldozed by the Burma Army around 1960, following widespread reports of the spirit of the king watching over fighters of the Noom Seuk Harn, the first Shan armed resistance movement. Remnants of its bricks were carried by Shan fighters under the command of Gen Gawnzerng (1926-1991) in 1969 to Muang Ngai, a Thai border town opposite Mongton. A new stupa was then constructed under the auspices of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.


The design of the King Naresuan Stupa, as remembered by the late Shan leader Sao Seng Seuk (1935-2007). (Drawing by Vijitr Chaiyawan)
Sao Hseng Wan, the Loi Kawng Mu abbot, said he has already made contact with Thai donors who are interested in restoring the stupa to its former glory, according to the Shan elder.
 
The Thai security official added that two Thai monks visited the site two months ago with historic documents to conduct a survey there.

According to Shan history, King Naresuan (1555-1605) had died while on the way to relieve Prince Kham Khai Noi of Hsenwi, who was under attack by both Burmese and Chinese forces.

'Burma in the Spotlight' -- only 5 days 'til the big event!

Posted: 27 May 2013 11:37 PM PDT

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 13:11 BFL
 
Dear Best Friend Members and Supporters,

Our gala fundraising benefit evening, Burma in the Spotlight, is now only five days away! All of our staff and volunteers are working madly in these final few days to ensure all of the wonderful pieces are in place. We are confident that this will be an amazing evening to remember, all in support of a great cause: The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai, our new library and Green Training Program in Shan State, and our 'Compassionate Care' projects supporting the medical needs of refugees and migrants from Burma who have experienced extraordinary difficulties, including Chaa Nay Choo and Sai Khong Naitun.

An event of this magnitude (the most ambitious event we've yet attempted) has so many details. We'd like to share some of them with you now to increase anticipation for those of you already confirmed to attend, and to convince those of you who haven't yet purchased your tickets that this is an event you do not want to miss.

Before we begin with the exciting details, we'd like to mention that ticket sales have been going quite well. There will be 350 seats total for the event, to be held at Chiang Mai's Imperial Mae Ping Hotel this Saturday 1 June from 5:30–11 p.m., and we are nearly 80% sold out! Tickets are 850 baht, and we still have some tickets remaining, including reserved tables of 10 that we are offering at a special price for our library members. However, we can't guarantee that there will be any tickets for sale on the evening of the event. To avoid disappointment, we suggest that you stop by The Best Friend Library or email chiangmai@thebestfriend.org to reserve your seats as soon as possible!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

We are very pleased to announce that our Keynote Speaker for 'Burma in the Spotlight' will be Tin Tin Nyo, General Secretary of Women's League of Burma!

Tin Tin Nyo has had a lengthy and distinguished career advocating for the rights of women and sustainable peace and stability in Burma. She served as Burmese Women's Union's joint general secretary from 2005-2007, and was elected as General Secretary of BWU in 2007, serving until 2011. Later that year, she was elected to serve as the General Secretary of WLB and was re-elected at the most recent session of the WLB Congress in 2013.

At our event on 1 June, Tin Tin Nyo will provide a brief overview of WLB and an outline of its projects. She will also discuss current pressing issues affecting Burma. The Best Friend is very honored to be able to welcome Tin Tin Nyo and other friends from Women's League of Burma to 'Burma in the Spotlight'!

PERFORMANCES and PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS

In addition to our main featured performer Dang Fantastic, one of Thailand's best-loved musicians, we will be very fortunate to have the opportunity to enjoy some traditional cultural performances arranged by several Burma-related organizations. These include:

  • Schools of Hope, Chiang Dao
  • Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN)
  • Kachin Women's Association of Thailand (KWAT)
  • Poon Yaing Migrant Worker Association

In addition, we will also have a special area in the foyer of the hotel dedicated for sharing exposure with some of our partner organizations. Here is the complete list of organizations that will be represented with their own information/fundraising tables:

Free Burma Rangers, Documentary Arts Asia, Chimmuwa Karen Women's Co-operative (Mae Sot), Borderline Collective (Mae Sot), Kids Ark Foundation, KWAT, SWAN, Women's League of Burma, Bridges Across Borders Southeast Asia (BABSEA), Thai Freedom House, and Partners Relief & Development.

We are so happy to have the support of all the above organizations as part of our strong network! Make sure you visit the table of each organization to get more information, speak with the staff, and support their important work.

BURMESE BUFFET DINNER

The Executive Chef of the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel and his staff are really going above-and-beyond the call of duty to provide all event guests with a wonderful buffet of Burmese delights! The menu will include no fewer than eight different salads and starters (including favorites like Pickled Ginger Salad, Prawn Salad, and Burmese Samosas), ten curries and warm dishes (don't miss the Mohinga, Neua Lung (Shan meatballs), Pork Curry, or Mutton Masala), and six dessert offerings (highlights are Shwe Gyi Mont (Burmese Semolina Cake) and Mango Cake). 'No one will go home hungry' is an understatement. What are you most excited to try?

LUCKY DRAW PRIZES

We understand that an 850 baht ticket price is not insignificant to anyone, so we decided that we will not ask event attendees to purchase additional lucky draw tickets. Your event ticket will already have your lucky draw number, and there will be no additional tickets to purchase. Everyone will have an equal chance to win one of the great prizes we have been so fortunate to have donated by local businesses.

We have generous meal vouchers from some of Chiang Mai's top restaurants (including Le Coq d'Or, The Duke's, Beccofino, Casa Antonio, and many others), some lovely framed photographs and artworks, free nights at top hotels and resorts (Chiang Dao Nest, Chai Lai Orchid Nature Bungalows, and more), vouchers for both Flight of the Gibbon and Segway Gibbon, and much more. Perhaps the grandest prize of all is roundtrip airfare from Chiang Mai to Bangkok for two on Bangkok Airways, with two nights on the Executive Floor of the Amari Bangkok Watergate Hotel! With so many prizes to give away, every attendee has an excellent chance of going home with something special.

SILENT ART AUCTION

From 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. we will be conducting a silent art auction, with all proceeds benefitting The Best Friend's projects in Chiang Mai and Shan State. Jacquelyn Suter, a longtime collector of art from Burma, has kindly donated several stunning watercolors and acrylics by Burmese artists (see attached for a few preview images). We also have two stunning pieces from talented Arakanese artist Myat Thein Zaw, and two amazing photographic prints from Ryan Libre.

In addition, the auction is where you can pick up some very valuable deluxe hotel and resort stays for a bargain price! Opening bids will be a fraction of the actual value of the items on offer, so make sure to arrive early to get your bids in!

---

In addition to all of the above, you can trust that we have many surprises in store for you. You'll just have to attend 'Burma in the Spotlight' yourself to discover everything we have planned to delight you! Check out the Facebook Event page to share in the excitement, as well as the excellent article, A Spotlight on Burma? Here's Why! published by CityNews reporter Anna Brooks last week.

For those of you unable to attend the event but still wishing to support The Best Friend at this time, we'd like to suggest that you check out our current online Indiegogo Campaign. There are 35 days remaining for this campaign, and many great "perks" that you can get by donating. Please help to build momentum and spread the word by sharing the campaign link: www.indiegogo.com/projects/burma-library.

Thank you all for your generous support, and hope to see everyone at Burma in the Spotlight this Saturday!!

P.S. In case you are concerned that with all of the preparations for our gala fundraising event, The Best Friend has shifted its focus from our regular Burma-related community events, you'll be pleased to know that we have several other events coming up in Chiang Mai.

"Borderline: Expression from the Thai-Burma Border" is the title of a group exhibition of artwork by Burmese artists in exile that will be co-presented by The Best Friend Library and Borderline Collective. The exhibit will run from 14–27 June at Chiang Mai's Sangdee Gallery. In addition, we are also planning a forum on cyber security in Burma to be held in late June at Chiang Mai University. Stay tuned for more details!

--
Garrett Kostin
The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai
www.thebestfriend.org • www.facebook.com/BurmaLibrary

Two Shan parties organizing donations for refugees

Posted: 27 May 2013 11:35 PM PDT

Tuesday, 28 May 2013 10:31 KP
It has been reported that Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) and Shan Nationalities Democratic Party (SNDP), the two Shan leading political parties have been raising funds to support the refugees who have fled due to the fight between Burma army and Shan State Army (SSA) in Namkham township on the Sino-Burmese border.

"Three days ago, the SNLD and SNDP have been raising funds and collecting some other household utilities door-to-door to support the refugees who have fled from the war zone. People are generously offering donations in town. With a group of 200 people we delivered the collected utilities and donations to the refugees on 24 May," a woman who is a member of SNLD told SHAN.



The villages to which they have distributed donations and utensils include 127 households from Nawng Ma Tar, 132 from Nawng Kham, 45 from Mangkun, 12 Pey (28.8 liters) of rice and 30,000 Kyat ($32) in cash to each family. A 100,000 Kyat ($ 120) was also donated to Man Sawn village fund. Sky Net media network also has donated a cable line TV to each monastery and donors from Mandalay also have offered bags of rice.

Donors from Mandalay include Thein Than Co., Ltd., and Shwe Chan Tha Co., Ltd.; each of which has donated 100 bags of rice. Ko Sein Win and Brothers Mechanic Trading donated 24 bags of rice. People from Namkham donated 10.66 million Kyat ($12,000), said a member of SNDP.

On 9 May, the Burma Army with 400-strong troops attacked the Shan State Army Task Force 701, which sent thousands people from Nawng Ma Tar and other villages around the area to flee for their safety.
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Monday, May 27, 2013

N4G: Today Hot

N4G: Today Hot

Sony gives Minecraft developer a golden PSOne as VIP invitation to E3

Posted:

Sony has sent Minecraft developer Markus "Notch" Persson a golden PSOne as VIP invitation to an E3 event. They also sent him an original copy of Dungeon Master 2 they had lying around. Could this mean that Minecraft will be coming to the PlayStation brand?

Sony Employees Respond to 'PS4 No DRM' Campaign

Posted:

High ranking Sony staff reveal that the company is listening to used games and DRM concerns for PS4.

12 amazing games that no one bought

Posted:

Now and again a fantastic game ends up shifting miniscule amounts of copies, despite everything being in its favour. Sometimes it's down to bad marketing, other times the fact that gamers just weren't ready for what was on offer; sometimes it's just that it's horribly misunderstood. You may not have heard of every game here, but they all have one thing in common: they're brilliant.

Privacy breach: Xbox One a 'twisted nightmare'

Posted:

Tim Vines, director at Civil Liberties Australia, told GamesFIX that Microsoft has a lot to answer for with a product that has the ability to listen and watch everything a person does.

Editorial: Why the PS4 is 50% More Powerful Than Xbox One

Posted:

SonyRumors: 'While there's been plenty of articles that point to the PlayStation 4 being more powerful than the Xbox One, we decided to go through the numbers and show you the math and explain why the PS4 is 50% more powerful than the Xbox One.'

Top 3 PS4 Unannounced Games To Slow Down The Xbox One Momentum

Posted:

TNB: As the entire gaming world look forward to next-gen gaming, Microsoft might have lost a little momentum with the Xbox One reveal which was associated with alot of negative PR, but that isn't enough proof that Sony has an automatic birth right to dominate next-gen

Twitter Movement For PS4 To Accept Used Games And Remove DRM

Posted:

A huge twitter movement has started with thousands of gamers trying to convince Sony to leave used games alone and have no restrictive DRM for the PS4.

Sonys E3 2013 Conference Will be on PS Vita, Zero Chance of The Last of Us Disappointing

Posted:

Its hard to believe that in just two weeks and about 10 hours, well finally know what the PlayStation 4 looks like at Sonys E3 2013 Press Conference, and whether or not the video tease was actually in focus and the PS4 is just really blurry. - PSLS

PlayStation Store Preview May 28th, 2013: The Last Of Us Demo

Posted:

If you purchased God of War: Ascension, youre in for a treat this week, as the special demo for The Last of Us is due to go live on May 31st. Look out for our review of the full game on June 5th. The rest of this weeks content is scheduled for the regular weekly Tuesday release, and feature a demo, a PSN titles, something for the Vita, and a couple PS3 games.

Playstation 4 Will Defeat the Xbox One in the Next Generation

Posted:

The Sony Playstation 4 and the Microsoft Xbox One are finally bringing in the true next generation this holiday season (sorry Wii U). But it's already clear which one you should buy, regardless of whatever games Microsoft decides to show off at E3, if the prices are comparable. It's the PS4.
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PC Gamer

PC Gamer

Marvel Heroes hands-on: punch a Hulk armies in Gazillion’s free-to-play MMO action RPG

Posted: 27 May 2013 10:00 AM PDT

This article was originally published in PC Gamer UK issue 252.

Marvel Heroes embraces an idea that has been kryptonite to other superhero-themed MMOs: it lets players take control of its iconic characters.

“It plays like a gamma-irradiated purée of Diablo II and Marvel Ultimate Alliance”

The official reason that this is possible in this free-to-play action-RPG is a simple plot trick: Doctor Doom is using the Cosmic Cube's reality-bending abilities to reshape the universe in his image, and his efforts are why armies of Hulks can appear onscreen together at once. But the unofficial reasoning is that it doesn't really matter. Gamers want to play as the heroes they love, so why not let them?

When your costume is on, Marvel Heroes plays exactly like a gamma-irradiated purée of Diablo II and Marvel Ultimate Alliance. Realtime mouse-clicking combat? Check. Tons of loot? You bet! Crafting? Absolutely. Randomly generated levels and loot drops? Stop it, my nipples are getting hard. Speaking as a fan of both series (as well as the Marvel universe in general), my time in the closed beta was pure nerdvana.

Upon selecting Fantastic Four's The Thing as my hero, I was taken to Avenger's Tower, which serves as one of the game's public hubs where you can meet other heroes, visit your stash, talk to vendors and crafters, get new missions, and transport to mission areas. My first assignment was to squelch an inmate uprising at The Raft, a prison for superhuman criminals, and as I smashed through the onslaught of revolting prisoners, side missions would pop up, such as saving a fallen guard from a surprise attack by HYDRA operatives. Every namedrop makes me do a squee.

“Players can join the X-Men, The Avengers, or The Fantastic Four.”

Fight your way to the end of the campaign and there'll be more to do. The story, or individual missions, can be replayed, and Gazillion CEO (and one time Diablo designer) David Brevik is toying with the idea of adding higher difficulty settings. Endgame content is in the process of being finalised, but expect to see PvE dungeons, raids, challenge levels (boss runs against your favorite supervillains), and, of course, PvP.

While Gazillion aren't ready to spill too many details about PvP, it will be faction-based. Players can join one of three factions – X-Men, The Avengers, or The Fantastic Four – for original story-based encounters that pit hero against hero. Any hero can join any faction, so my Thing can go clobberin' on The Fantastic Four, comic book allegiances be damned. Gazillion emphasise that almost all of the game's content will be free-to-play, with all characters and outfits available via random boss drops. If it's taking too long to unlock a character you really want to play as, however, and you simply cannot wait, any of the game's 22 heroes and their alt costumes available at launch can be purchased immediately with real money.

Marvel Heroes is due out on June 4 this summer.

The post Marvel Heroes hands-on: punch a Hulk armies in Gazillion’s free-to-play MMO action RPG appeared first on PC Gamer.

Planetary Annihilation planning December release, alpha access begins next week

Posted: 27 May 2013 09:27 AM PDT

Planetary Annihilation developers Uber Entertainment have, like an impending asteroid attack, come crashing down onto some solid release plans for their galaxy-spanning RTS. The big reveal is the first teasing of a final launch date – just glancing the end of the year with a planned December release. Those unafraid to battle amongst the rough code of the alpha will get the chance to try the game much sooner, however. The end of next week, in fact.

Here’s the release timetable, as revealed on their most recent Kickstarter update.

  • Alpha will start to roll out this month, and a combined UberNet Alpha/Steam Early Access Alpha will start on approximately June 7th.
  • Alpha access will run for the summer, until the end of August.
  • Beta/Beta Early Access will run from September through the end of November.
  • Finally, we expect to have our worldwide launch in December of this year.

Alpha access will go out to anyone who backed at the relevant, $90+ Kickstarter level.

Uber also announced their plans for Steam, saying:

“Steam access is a convenience for some people who prefer to keep all their game keys in one place. If you wish to move your key to Steam, you'll be able to once the game is live on Steam. If you wish to continue to simply play though our own service UberNet, you'll be able to. No action is needed at this time for Steam access. We'll send information once Steam keys are available for use. It also means it's our first digital distribution platform besides our own, which means another way for the community to grow further and bring in more players.”

For an indication as to what the alpha will bring, here’s the video of the latest development live-stream:

Thanks, PCGamesN.

The post Planetary Annihilation planning December release, alpha access begins next week appeared first on PC Gamer.

Crusader Kings 2 patch 1.10 prepares for The Old Gods

Posted: 27 May 2013 08:31 AM PDT

Crusader Kings 2′s The Old Gods expansion launches tomorrow. In preparation, Paradox have deployed a huge patch list of tweaks, balance changes, fixes and new additions. And that means more funny-out-of-context patch notes. Last time, we got such gems as “tweaked deathdate of Mubashir, Duke of Mallorca, and made him eunuch.” This time? Missing children restored, marriages fixed and inbreeding increased.

First though, the major changes:

  • Completely revised technology system
  • Revised buildings to fit the new tech system
  • Added a Raiding and Loot system
  • Revised the Religious Authority system, with Holy Sites for all religions
  • Major rivers, navigable by Norse Pagans
  • Norse pagans can prepare invasions
  • Pagans and Zoroastrians can take concubines
  • Multiplayer should now work between all three platforms (Windows, OSX and Linux)
  • Added new “The Mongols” bookmark set in 1220
  • Added the County and Duchy of Amalfi (merchant republic)
  • Added “Steppe” terrain

For the rest, head over to the full changelist forum thread, where the developers have also been answering questions about both the update and tomorrow’s expansion.

As for the more ridiculous elements of Paradox’s expanding medieval soap opera, here are some patch highlights:

  • Dead sons should no longer participate in Family Feuds
  • Character 455520 is no longer female
  • Fixes to the marriages of Frederick Barbarossa
  • Added the bastards of Henry Beauclerc
  • Added King John’s missing children
  • Burgonde de Bachaumont is now properly female
  • Increased the chance of getting the inbred traits

That last one can probably be renamed “The Lannister Fix”.

For more on The Old Gods, check out our in-depth Q&A from earlier this month.

The post Crusader Kings 2 patch 1.10 prepares for The Old Gods appeared first on PC Gamer.

Scrolls release date announced, launch trailer shows tactical battling and sacrificial bunnies

Posted: 27 May 2013 07:00 AM PDT

About a minute and ten seconds into this launch trailer for Scrolls, Mojang’s strategy card game, you can clearly see a player firing a catapult at a little group of bunnies. Now I know morality can be a tricky thing, but come on! What harm have bunnies ever done? Lynched lagomorphs aside, the trailer also reveals the date of the open beta, due next week on June 3rd.

For more on the game, you can peruse Mojang’s mini-guide. At least, you can when the site stops being trampled under the weight of the studio’s excited fans. And if that’s not enough, we took a look at the game’s deck system last year.

Scrolls will be available for £13/€15/$20.

The post Scrolls release date announced, launch trailer shows tactical battling and sacrificial bunnies appeared first on PC Gamer.

Heavy Gear Assault adds singleplayer stretch goals, Oculus Rift support

Posted: 27 May 2013 04:57 AM PDT

Fans of multiplayer skirmishes between colossal walking death machines aren’t exactly short of options at the moment, with both Hawken and MechWarrior Online providing free-to-play metal mayhem. That may be one of the reasons for the muted early response to the Heavy Gear Assault Kickstarter, which in its first week has made just $27,449 of the desired $800,000 goal, despite the impressive destruction tech on show.

For the team at the aptly named Stompy Bot Productions, that means an alteration to their plans. Now, in addition to the eSports chasing online battles, an episodic singleplayer mode will be added if the project reaches its target. Producer Vince Mcmullin released a video, explaining the new mode.

The revised stretch goal page details the first episode:

“This first offline, single-player episode details the initial contact with Earth’s Colonial Expeditionary Force (CEF) and sets the stage for Terra Nova’s bid for independence. Bitter enemies will unite to repel the CEF in what will be known as the War of the Alliance. This gripping first episode will be told through the eyes of military veterans turned duelists.”

While the first episode will unlock with the $800,000 base target, the second is reserved as a $900,000 stretch goal, and the third secured at $950,000.

In addition to the new singleplayer plans, the Stompy Bot team have also confirmed Oculus Rift support, saying:

“Heavy Gear is the perfect game for Oculus because Pilots in the HG universe actually wear VR Helmets! We are currently working on gameplay concepts which incorporate the Oculus and the uniqueness of the HG lore.”

Heavy Gear Assault has 33 days remaining to raise its Kickstarter target.

Thanks, Joystiq.

The post Heavy Gear Assault adds singleplayer stretch goals, Oculus Rift support appeared first on PC Gamer.

Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition already has 350,000 words of additional content

Posted: 27 May 2013 03:40 AM PDT

Beamdog president Trent Oster has given a status update on the sequel to Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, saying that their upgrade of the classic Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn has already received multiple novels worth of added words. “We’re hard at work on BG2:EE and it is going well,” Oster told ShackNews. “Phil (our design lead) mentioned to me there is over 350,000 words of new content.”

Which sounds promising. One of my biggest issues with the Enhanced Edition of the first Baldur’s Gate was that the relatively small amount of new content didn’t outweigh the benefits of a modded version of the much cheaper regular edition. But Oster says those hundreds of thousands of words relate to story and quests for Shadows of Amn and the Throne of Bhaal expansion, which will be bundled for the PC release. If Beamdog can add new, well integrated content into the sequel, it’ll be a far more enticing prospect.

Beyond that, Oster wouldn’t go into details regarding the game’s release, except to say that he hoped to start talking about it soon. He did, however, reaffirm that the sequel would take precedence over any DLC that Beamdog may have lined up for the original, saying, “DLC-wise, we have plans, but nothing completed, yet.”

The post Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition already has 350,000 words of additional content appeared first on PC Gamer.

Curiosity unboxed, winner to become the god of Godus

Posted: 27 May 2013 02:39 AM PDT

After just over six months of collected Android and iOS owners inexplicably tapping at a giant cube, 22 Cans have finally revealed what’s inside the box. Turns out Curiosity hadn’t caught a quantum cat, or Gwyneth Paltrow’s decapitated head, or any other unlikely guess. Instead, it held a mini-Molyneux, with a message to the winner about their ultimate prize. And unlike Curiosity itself, that prize will have an impact on PC gamers – at least, it will for those backers of 22 Cans’ upcoming Godus.

“You, the person who reached the centre, will be the god of all people that are playing Godus,” Molyneux revealed. “You will decide – intrinsically decide – on the rules the game is played by. And – here’s the life-changing bit – you will share in the success of the product. Every time people spend money on Godus you will get a small piece of that pie.”

“You will have fame, you will have fortune, and you will have the power to introduce morals into a game.”

Which means, as questions are answered on one project, they’re raised in another. Specifically, phrasing like “every time people spend money on Godus,” which is just open-ended enough to obscure how that money is being spent. It was announced last week that Godus’ mobile version was being distributed through a publisher, with speculation that the game would be free-to-play for mobile users. When questioned by RPS, 22 Cans stated that the PC version wouldn’t have a publisher attached, but couldn’t confirm pricing methods on any platform.

Secondly, it seems odd that “the rules the game is played by” – whatever that actually means – are being decided by a single person, when Godus is a project that began life through Kickstarter, and so only exists through the backing of 17,184 others. Of course, 22 Cans are free to design their game in whatever way they see fit. But it does seem like Godus backers have, perhaps unwittingly, been dragged into the studio’s madcap experiments.

The new god in question was revealed as Bryan Henderson, from Edinburgh. In an interview with Wired, he said, “People are going to hate me for this, but I only registered for the game earlier this morning, about an hour before I won the thing.” So if nothing else, we at least know he’s a sensible deity.

The post Curiosity unboxed, winner to become the god of Godus appeared first on PC Gamer.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn trailer shows colourful in-game footage

Posted: 26 May 2013 11:50 PM PDT

With Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn set for an August 27 release, it’s time for those who haven’t partaken in one of the MMORPG’s closed betas to see a bit of the world they’ll soon be frolicking in. Cast your eyes on that video above and you’ll notice that A Realm Reborn couldn’t look any more “Final Fantasy” if it tried. Set in Eorzea, the video provides a glimpse at some of the pretty realms in which you’ll soon be grinding, providing you trust that Square Enix will make good on 2010′s utterly botched outing.

Hopefully they will. A Realm Reborn director Naoki Yoshida admitted in February that his team “took [it's] fanbase for granted. We lacked the knowledge of other titles. We didn’t have the passion,” he said.

A Realm Reborn enters its last closed beta phase next month.

The post Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn trailer shows colourful in-game footage appeared first on PC Gamer.
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Democratic Voice of Burma

Democratic Voice of Burma

Thousands greet Kachin delegation ahead of peace talks in Myitkyina

Posted: 27 May 2013 05:03 AM PDT

As the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO)'s delegation rolled into Myitkyina on Monday, thousands of supporters filled the streets to greet the rebel convoy in a massive show of support ahead of the next round of peace talks that are set to begin in the state capital on Tuesday.

The delegation, led by the KIO's Education Chief Sumlut Gam, entered the Kachin state capital around 1pm, as locals thronged the route to Majwe Hall, where talks will commence tomorrow between the KIO and a government delegation.

As the convoy passed, the crowd chanted the Kachin national anthem and played traditional instruments, while waving KIO flags in a sign of solid support for the rebels who have been fighting a bitter war against the government for two years.

"There's a huge crowd of people, stretching over a mile from the Bhala Minhtin Bridge crossing the Irrawaddy River towards the Majwe Hall – they were playing instruments and signing the Kachin national anthem while waving flags," said one local resident in Myitkyina.

According to the local at the scene, the massive greeting was spontaneous and had not been directed by any outside group.

"This wasn't actually planned ahead – the KIO weren't really keen for that either due to safety concerns. But we are all Kachin people of the same blood and would like to show that we fully trust and support the KIO's work."

Former KIO official Dr. Tuja said the location of the talks inside government territory was a testament to the increase in trust between the two sides after fighting intensified earlier this year when government troops launched a massive offensive against the rebel stronghold in Laiza.

According to the former KIO official, observers expect significant decisions to be discussed during this round of talks, which will also be attended by the UN's Special Burma Envoy Vijay Nambia and representatives from the United Nationalities Federal Council – an umbrella organisation made up of 11 of Burma's ethnic armed groups.

"This is the first ever meeting held in Myitkyina, the state's capital, since 1994 and [the talks] aim to discuss topics including how to prevent further fighting, the formation of a Battlefield Monitoring Committee and to facilitate a political dialogue," said Tuja.

"I hope something will come out of it."

The KIO has been locked in nearly two years of fighting with government troops after a 17-year ceasefire collapsed in 2011. During the siege of Laiza, the military relied on airstrikes, helicopter gunships and heavy artillery to dislodge the rebels in what was one of the largest offensives launched against ethnic rebels by the government.

Naypyidaw has continually pushed for the signing of a new ceasefire with the KIO, but the rebels continue to push for greater political autonomy for the country's ethnic minorities before inking a new deal.

Naypyidaw’s ‘magnetic’ hill

Posted: 27 May 2013 04:00 AM PDT

These cars on a road in Pobba Thiri township near Naypyidaw appear to be rolling uphill – are magnetic forces pulling the car, has gravity has gone wrong or is there some other explanation?

Rohingya two-child rule ‘discrimination’: Suu Kyi

Posted: 27 May 2013 03:08 AM PDT

Burma's Aung San Suu Kyi Monday criticised a ban on Rohingya having more than two children in strife-torn Arakan state as counter to human rights, in rare comments on the plight of the Muslim group.

The opposition leader, who has been accused by activists of failing to speak up for the marginalised Rohingya, said she opposed the controversial rule, imposed by the previous junta and reaffirmed recently by local authorities in the wake of deadly unrest.

“It is not good to have such discrimination. And it is not in line with human rights either,” the veteran democracy activist told reporters in Rangoon, adding she could not confirm whether the policy was being implemented.

Arakan authorities on Sunday told AFP that the rule had been reaffirmed in two Muslim-majority townships in the state.

Win Myaing, spokesperson for the Arakan government, said the order was designed to “enforce monogamy and not to have more than two children”.

He said the policy had previously been put on hold because of fears over “conflicts among communities” in the state.

Up to 140,000 people – mainly Rohingya Muslims – were displaced in two waves of sectarian unrest between Buddhists and Muslims in Arakan state last year.

Human Rights Watch has accused the authorities of being a party to ethnic cleansing over the violence, which killed some 200 people and saw mobs torch whole villages.

It described the population policy as “abhorrent, inhumane” and “completely contrary to human rights”.

An official commission’s report in April into the unrest suggested voluntary family planning to stem a high birthrate among the Rohingya that it said stoked tensions.

Local authorities have previously been accused of trying to restrict birthrates among the Rohingya by refusing to acknowledge any more than two children per married couple – thereby denying them legal rights and access to services.

Burma views its population of roughly 800,000 Rohingya as illegal Bengali immigrants and denies them citizenship. They are considered by the United Nations to be one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.

Meikhtila residents rebuff resettlement plan, want land back

Posted: 27 May 2013 01:03 AM PDT

Residents in central Burma's Meikhtila whose homes were burnt down during anti-Muslim riots last March are asking to be resettled on their former land plots after officials pushed a plan to move the group into new apartment blocks.

Following the riots, authorities in Meikhtila announced a plan to build several apartment buildings that would contain more than 3,000 flats in total in Chanayethar and Thiri Mingalar wards.

Khin Nan, a spokesperson from the Meikhtila-based civil society group Htilar Thuhka Thammagi Association, said the residents who are still living in displacement camps have told authorities they would prefer to return to their land plots instead of moving into new apartments.

"The [residents] have sent letters objecting to the new housing plan – most of them are livestock breeders and have odd jobs. They won't fit in with the new housing system," said Khin Nan.

According to the spokesperson, each plot of land's market value hovers around 70-80 million Kyat.

While the people who stand to lose their land have objected to the authorities initial proposal, others say the new development plan should be implemented to prepare for the future expansion of the city.

"They should look 20 years ahead – how much the population will grow – and now is the best time to draw an urban development plan to facilitate for the increase in population," said Htein Linn Khaing, a Meikhtila-based member of the 88 Generation Peace and Open Society.

More than 10,000 residents in Mandalay division's Meikhtila were displaced during the riots in March. Only about half of those who were forced to flee from their houses have been able to return home. According to residents who've been resettled, trust between the city's Buddhists and Muslim communities has crumbled.

Last week, seven Muslim men were sentenced to jail for the murder of a monk, whose death allegedly kicked off the wave of religious riots that spread across central Burma. The sentences come as rights groups claim the government failed to protect Muslim communities during the violence.

According to a detailed report published by Physicians for Human Rights last week, authorities turned a blind eye as 20 Muslim students were massacred by monk-led mobs during the Meikhtila riots.

Japan’s PM cancels Burma’s debt

Posted: 27 May 2013 12:59 AM PDT

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledges to provide Burma with USD$500 million in development aid and cancels the remainder of Burma’s debt, during his visit to the country to boost economic ties.

Japanese PM promises ‘all possible assistance’ to Burma

Posted: 26 May 2013 09:55 PM PDT

Japan on Sunday announced a development aid and loan package for Burma worth hundreds of millions of dollars as it boosts trade ties with the fast-changing nation seen as a key regional emerging market.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has pledged “all possible assistance” to kick-start Burma’s long-neglected economy, agreed the plans in talks with reformist President Thein Sein in the capital Naypyidaw, according to a joint statement released by Japan’s foreign ministry.

“…in laying a new foundation for taking the relationship between Japan and Myanmar (Burma) to a higher level and establishing a lasting, friendly and cooperative relationship, Japan and Myanmar will work together,” it said, before outlining areas of cooperation.

Abe’s visit, the first visit by a Japanese premier since 1977, heralds a further improvement in already warm relations between Japan and Burma, as political reforms and the removal of most Western sanctions spur investment in the former pariah state.

As part of the new deals, the Japanese premier pledged up to 51 billion yen ($498.5 million) in new loans to Burma.

This covers countrywide infrastructure development, including road, electricity and water supplies; power station maintenance; and development of the Thilawa special economic zone near Rangoon, a project agreed by both countries in December.

Japan also confirmed it would forgive 176.1 billion ($1.74bn) of Burma’s debts – the final portion of the 300 billion yen ($3.4 billion) that Tokyo pledged in April 2012 to cancel. The move was contingent on further reforms.

“In support of the development of Myanmar and having implemented its arrears clearance operation with Myanmar, the Government of Japan decided to provide new yen loans as well as grant assistance,” the statement said.

Japan also announced an aid package worth up to 2.4 billion yen ($23 million) for water management in Rangoon and a scholarship programme for young administrators overseeing the country’s social and economic development.

On Saturday Abe visited the Thilawa project – a 2,400 hectare (6,000 acre) site which will include a port and industrial park – as part of efforts to promote Japanese firms and his country’s infrastructure-building expertise.

A memorandum of understanding was also signed for the project between nine Burmese companies and three from Japan – including Mitsubishi – according to the state-backed newspaper The New Light of Myanmar.

Abe is accompanied by a 40-strong delegation of bosses from some of Japan’s top companies, including Mitsubishi, Mitsui and infrastructure firms Taisei and JGC.

“Japan’s investments in Burma are truly extraordinary, and I think have taken many by surprise,” said Burmese economics expert Sean Turnell before the announcement, using the country’s former name.

He said its investment push into Burma was both economic and geopolitical, with “rivalry with China” also driving policy.

Turnell said Japan had become the “dominant player” in Burma, with China facing flak from communities concerned over the environmental and social impact of several major infrastructure projects.

“China has been blind-sided, I think, and has a great hole of unpopularity to climb out of. The West is interested, but much of their money remains hovering nervously above the table as yet,” he said.

Unlike its Western allies, Japan maintained trade ties and dialogue with Burma during junta rule, which ended in 2011, saying a hard line could push it closer to Beijing.

Abe follows in the footsteps of other world leaders who have flocked to the country since it was welcomed back to the international community after Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government was installed two years ago.
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