WRUP: On the subject of getting your own NPC
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as: WRUP. Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game, and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!
We were supposed to give it to you last month. We teased you about it for weeks. But no more teasing; no more waiting. Episode 2 of The Fourth Hour, staring actress Michele Morrow and yours truly, is finally available for viewing. We talk about getting an NPC in game, WoW-related birthday presents, and some other cool stuff. Also, Michele and I are pretty, so there's that.
But what's that, you say? That's not enough for you? Well fine, jerk, I guess we'll also give you some "What aRe yoU Playing" action today. So follow us after the break and let us know what games you're going to be playing this weekend. And take a swing at our bonus question for the week, too: If you were to be honored with an in-game NPC, what would it be? What would your NPC do? Where would it be located?
Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) This weekend will be spent mostly catching up on writing stuff, doing a little raiding, and playing with my new tablet -- I lucked into an Intuos 5, so I'll be fiddling with it and attempting to cram in some other project work. As far as an NPC goes ... well gosh, I don't know. I think really if I were to have anything, I'd just want a character camped out in the Lorewalkers area in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, eternally reading a book in a quiet corner. I'm not really sure how one would Warcraft the name Anne, but some variation of Shade would do, since I use that for Twitter and all that. I'd love to have a character who actually gave some sort of lore quest, but I'd be happy with a character who just sat and read, oblivious to the rest of the world, really!
Chase Hasbrouck (@alarondruid, @alaronmonk) I think I've convinced a friend to pick up Orcs Must Die 2, so I'm going to play some of that co-op. Probably some more Fallout 3 as well. Bonus: I'd want to be an NPC like Tur Ragepaw (the druid NPC who helps you out against Ursoc in Grizzly Hills and will assume whatever role/form you ask him to).
Daniel Desmond (@antigen) I find that the games that I usually put down for these I don't actually touch over the weekend because I feel an obligation to play them after stating my intentions to do so publicly, then that obligation nags at me and makes me want to play them less. Therefore, I'm going to be thrashing out some mad games of Solitaire with some FreeCell mixed in for good measure. As for an NPC, something like Tarenar Sunstrike in the Eastern Plaguelands would be a good fit. Blood elf, definitely, maybe somewhere in Silvermoon or Orgrimmar throwing back drinks and making up stories about single-handedly killing Yogg-Saron and turning down the post of warchief from Thrall because it cut into my weapon-polishing time.
Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb) Between writing and RL obligations, I probably won't have much time to play. If I do, though, I will probably play a little Sims 3. My latest guy is nearly leader of the free world and has a high-powered CEO wife. As for an NPC, I'd have a human paladin named Daniel the White. He'd be in Arathi Highlands, with a new quest line revolving around reclaiming Stromgarde and pushing the Horde back into Hillsbrad.
Dawn Moore (@dawnwow) Going to be doing some tabletop games this weekend. Visiting
friends and family in Portland and hoping to nerd out a fair bit while I'm here. As for what kind of NPC I'd want made after me, I honestly don't think I've done enough in the community to warrant it. I always thought it would be a bit embarrassing to have an NPC made after you but have no one realize the reference, and I'm almost certain that would be the fate of any NPC made after me. Still, if a subtle reference were to be made, I'd much prefer to have one of the gray-quality rocks named for me or reference my rock collecting in the flavor text ...
Elizabeth Wachowski (@leeatwaterlives) Trying to figure out what, exactly, one does with an infant that is too new to help grind levels on alts.
Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen) It's been a rough week in the Fox Van Allen household, and I'm really looking forward to some extended downtime. Maybe I'll meet up with Michele Morrow for some more TFH magic? Or maybe I'll just get kicked out of another Chick-fil-A. We'll see!
Joe Perez (@lodurzj) Back to playing the game of "Can I log into beta for more than five minutes at a time before it boots me out?" It's not a very fun game. Also reinstalled City of Heroes because it's been so long since I've played it and figured I should return to Paragon City and stretch out the old super-jumping legs. I still would love to one day see a dwarf shaman named Lodur who gives you a quest that revolves around beer. Alementals are just as important as fire and water, after all ...
Matt Low (@matticus) The Olympics have inspired me. I think I may take a day and step away from the computer and play my (second) favorite sport, volleyball. Possibly follow that up with some disc golf (it's like throwing Frisbees into a bucket). After that, I'll sink into my chair too sore to move and end up playing League of Legends or Counterstrike: Global Offensive. I think I'd be a class trainer that trained all the healing classes. Or a healing training dummy.
Matt Rossi (@matthewwrossi) Working on vampire essay for third collection of essays. My NPC would be one of those automatic warrior trainers from the goblin starting zone. It's name would be the HitMatt2000.
Matt Walsh (@rhidach) More SimCity 4, I think. The search for skyscrapers continues! I would love to see a blood elf paladin named Rhidach somewhere in Silvermoon saying something like "Yes, yes, helmets are great at preventing total cranial collapse -- but what about the hair?!"
Megan O'Neill (@slowpoker) I'll be introducing my new smartphone to WoW vocabulary, since I've noticed that it wants to spell Zon'ozz as Zions, Ultraxion as Alteration, and warlock as Warwick. I'm breaking from most social interwebs this weekend, instead focusing on writing. I'd probably be my human warlock character as one of those NPCs out fishing. Or I'd like to be a challenge mode vendor (or nearby), since I often solo old 5-mans and raids in my spare WoW time. Some dialog text might be about spelling my name like Stargate SG-1 (Col. Jack) not like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (April).
Michael Gray (@writegray) This weekend I'm playing "whack-a-turd" and "tummy time." It works like this: Feed the baby. Change the diaper. Put it on the tummy to practice important life skills. Wait for sleep. Repeat. It's a thrilling engagement. If I were to be immortalized in game, I know it would not be me. I hope, one day, to see Throgg and Lolegolas in the game somewhere, dutifully debating the relative merits of gear.
Olivia Grace (@oliviagrace) Inevitably, WoW! Monkey Island was finished way too quickly, alas, so I'm going to be doing some arenas and some RBGs and some beta! I have adopted Olivia the Stormwind pond-dwelling draenei as my own, as I'm sure every WoW player called Olivia has. But if I had an NPC genuinely named after me, in a parallel universe where that would happen, I'd like it to be a goblin living in a tiny cottage on a hill in the middle of nowhere, reading a book on a swing bench. I'd tell a story to anyone who interacted with me. And I'd be called, hmmm, Lydia, maybe. People often think I'm called Lydia.
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
