Gadgets and Video Games

click to make resolution slightly less limited When a free expansion hits for a free-to-play MMO — in this case, Turbine’s Dungeons & Dragons: Eberron Unlimited — no one is really free to complain (though some no doubt will). Today’s drably-titled ” Update 3 ” brings with it a removal of leveling sigils, extending all of the game’s items to every player, plus a new Casual Mode for solo players and parties up to the level cap of 20. More dungeons have also been added, geared toward high-level players, and two live events — The Traveler’s Treasure Hunt and The Risia Ice Games — are planned to “celebrate DDO ’s fourth birthday” with prizes (of the physical variety). Most importantly, Ski Lift Hot Cocoa and Candy Cane Ice Skates have been added to the DDO Store.

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Third update hits for Dungeons & Dragons Online: Eberron Unlimited

CUUUUUUUPS It’s going to be a long time before mankind invents Replicator technology. Until then, we’re all forced to fill our Geo Metros with dead dinos and drive on down to the Del Taco for sustenance like jerks. But, the usual reward of a scrumptious combination of tortilla, beef and spices won’t be the only thing to greet you at the end of your trek: Star Trek Online is teaming up with Del Taco to offer some collectible game cups.

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Star Trek Online going where Del Taco lovers have gone before: Del Taco

The MMO-developing band over at Cryptic has released an absolutely massive update to the Star Trek Online open beta. There are literally pages of fixes and changes, though Cryptic has thankfully distilled the major “headline” changes into a few bullet points: The level cap has been removed, which should be music to the ears of the pre-release power levelers out there. Cardassian and Romulan space is now accessible to Federation players, too, and there are some changes to bridge officer mechanics.

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Star Trek Online beta gets huge update, adds more Nimoy

We’ve heard plenty of horror stories over the past week (as have you, we’d wager) of people trying to play the Star Trek Online beta with little success, if they can even get the client to download in the first place. It turns out that Cryptic was not, as Destiny’s Child cautioned, ready for this proverbial jelly. “The actual numbers crushed our predictions,” the dev said in a recent update . “So, we tore apart our logs and began doing a lot of extra optimization work even while we stumbled upon some truly bizarre crashes that can only appear with this sort of load.” It sounds like Cryptic needs to boldly go where no man has gone before, and by “where no man has gone before,” we mean “the store where they sell servers and stuff.” If you’d like to make the developer’s life even more difficult, you can grab the client from our sister site Big Download .

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Cryptic’s predictions crushed by Star Trek Online numbers

This is Project Runway … and it looks like a Sims expansion pack. Releasing on March 2 , this initial footage of the cash-in doesn’t appear to have anything that’ll keep fans of the show on pins and needles

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First footage of Project Runway game

It seems the Dungeons & Dragons franchise has brought more legal troubles upon Atari than it’s probably worth. In August, Turbine Entertainment, developer of the MMO based on the tabletop game, sued the publisher for failing to “devote the necessary resources” to promoting and distributing the online RPG. Now, Hasbro, owner of subsidiary company Wizards of the Coast, which is the current owner of the D&D franchise, is suing Atari for allegedly breaching a licensing agreement the two parties struck up concerning Atari’s use of the popular role-playing brand

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Hasbro suing Atari over alleged breach in D&D licensing agreement

The common criminal is getting smarter, folks. If the results of a recent FBI study on property crimes (published by USA Today ) are any indication, professional thieves have learned that yoinking video game consoles is a much more lucrative venture than stealing ceramic tchotchkes from grandma’s mantle. According to the report, gaming console theft has increased 285 percent over three years, from 11,074 cases in 2007 to 42,615 cases in 2009. Sure, this increase could also be attributed to the larger install bases of these consoles, but given our paranoid nature, we’re more inclined to believe that criminals are just getting better at their jobs.

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FBI crime study finds video game system theft on the rise

Hello, designers. As you know in fashion, one day you’re in, the next you’re out. Tens of millions of Wii owners have the chance to try their skills at Project Runway (repeatedly) when the game sashays the catwalk of retail on March 2, 2010

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Project Runway sews up a March 2, 2010 release

Klingons aren’t the only thing in the galaxy you should fear, as your inner desire for paraphernalia and in-game items could push you over the edge to purchase the Star Trek Online Collector’s Edition from GameStop. The online retailer details the $80 package as including a small, metal Communicator Badge, an in-game Red Matter Capacitor that gives all of your ships a little extra energy and exclusive Next Generation and Deep Space Nine uniforms for your crew. You’ll also score some guest passes for a few friends and a deluxe, hardcover manual and requisite special packaging.

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GameStop beams down Star Trek Online Collector’s Edition info (plus, new trailer!)

Atari has a new website . We know — big deal , right? Actually, in this case it’s worth checking out if you’re a fan of the company’s classic arcade and console games.

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Play old Atari games at the new Atari.com