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WoW Radio at BlizzCon 2008
WoW Insider is heading off to BlizzCon tomorrow (I've got to catch a flight out of O'Hare first thing tomorrow morning), but we're obviously not going to be the only ones covering the event. Our good friends at WoW Radio also have big plans to keep you informed throughout the two days in Anaheim -- Totalbiscuit and the gang over there will be hosting live audio streams of all of the panels, both as they happen and after they happen, and they'll have shows, interviews, and commentary throughout the weekend (including our special live recording of the WoW Insider Show there on Friday night). We'll have liveblogs and updates here, of course, but you can drink right from the firehose of an audio stream there as well, all weekend long.TB has posted a special podcast outlining their plans for the weekend, so if you plan to do some listening to what's going on in Anaheim, check it out. Additionally, they'll also be chatting throughout the weekend in IRC, so feel free to join either #blizzcon08 on irc.quakenet.org or #wowradio on irc.mmoirc.com for up-to-the-minute chats and updates on what's going down near Disneyland.Sure, you could pay for the DirecTV feed and get just the video, or you could stay tuned to our sites for free, and pick up even more news and views about the big event. If you couldn't grab a ticket or didn't have the time or money to make the trip, don't worry one bit -- we're going to make sure you've got the best seat in the house.
WoW Insider Show live this afternoon on WoW Radio
Yes, our weekly podcast will be live in a few hours on WoW Radio (starting up at 3:30pm Eastern), and it'll be a doozy -- Zach Yonzon will join us from his home in the Philippines to talk about PvP to PvE transfers, what's up with the nerfs in the latest beta build, and what other updates Blizzard has for racial abilities. Duncor will be back on (Turpster is, unfortunately, still in Florida), so we'll talk to him to see what he thinks about Mirror Image, Heirloom items, and whether he has any good insights about the AH.Plus, we'll have your emails and insights from the IRC chat -- you can join us in IRC at irc.mmoirc.com in the #wowradio channel during the show, or just click "chat" on the top of the WoW Radio site. And even if you can't make it, you can definitely email us -- just drop a note to theshow@wow.com, and you might even hear it on the air.Should be a good time as always, and I'm very curious to hear how the PvE to PvP transfers discussion goes -- while I'm sure Zach is a big fan, not everyone is, so we'll see what can be said about that. See you at 3:30 this afternoon on WoW Radio!
Chat with Stargate Worlds artists on your lunch break
Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment is hosting another developer chat for fans who want to know more about Stargate Worlds. This time, the participating developers are Lead Artist Austin Germer and Lead Animator Carl Cross. The chat will take place at 11:00 AM Pacific and 2:00 PM Eastern, and will last for one hour. So that falls right on top of lunch for most folks -- or at least it can, if they schedule it right. So sneak in while eating a sandwich at your desk.The place to which you may sneak: IRC chat room #Stargate-Worlds at irc.sgwirc.com. Once you're in, ask up to three questions using the /q command. More info can be found at the Stargate Worlds community website. If you're new to the game and want an introduction before the chat, (shameless plug alert) check out the coverage of our exclusive visit to the game's development studio and our interview with the directors. Hey -- you knew we couldn't help ourselves.[Via Ten Ton Hammer]
Be heard this week with EQII and PotBS IRC chats
Stratics is going to play host to some more "House of Commons" IRC chats later in the week, for both EverQuest II and Pirates of the Burning Sea, giving fans a chance to pose some questions to the teams behind these two games. On Wednesday the 18th at 5PM PDT/8PM EDT, the PotBS chat will take place, and will feature producer Joe Ludwig, lead game designer Kevin Maginn, lead world designer Cory Herndon, community relations director Troy Hewitt and community specialist Tom Atkinson-Edwards. Full details on how to join in on this chat can be found here.The EQII chat will take place a day later, on Thursday the 19th at the same time slot of 5PM PDT/8PM EDT. Representing the game in the chat will be Josh Kriegshauser and Greg Spence from EQII Engineering; Kyle Vallee, designer of "Runneye: The Gathering"; Nathan McCall, designer of the Void Storm quest series; and Tiffany Spence and Aaron Bisnett from the community relations team. You can find out how to join this chat at this page, and don't forget that we here at Massively will be speaking to the EQII team this week as well, so you can also drop any questions you might have in today's Daily Grind for us to bring to them.
WoW Insider Show live tomorrow afternoon
The weekly podcast goes live tomorrow afternoon yet again, and if you've only been listening to the recorded show, this might just be the week you want to join us at 3:30pm Eastern, both on the live feed and in the IRC chat: Matt "Matticus" Low will be joining us for his WoW Insider Show debut. Not only has he taken over the wildly popular priest column Spiritual Guidance, but he's an accomplished WoW player and blogger at his own personal site, World of Matticus. Additionally, Amanda Dean will be on with us, and Turpster and myself will both be around as usual, chatting about everything from what the Death Knight class is really for to why Amanda thinks Arena is broken, Should be a terrific show.You can join us live tomorrow at 3:30pm Eastern over on WoW Radio, and you can chat with us live either from that site or in IRC at irc.mmo-irc.com in the #wowradio channel. Or email us -- the show's address is theshow@wow.com, and we'll be answering your questions and queries from there as well. We'll see you tomorrow afternoon.
Jumpgate Evolution dev chat to commence June 9th
At 5:00 PM EST on Monday, June 9th, Stratics will host a live chat with several members of the Jumpgate Evolution team -- including producer Hermann Peterscheck, concept artist Kirk Lunsford, community manager Nicole Hamlett, and UI programmer Josh Stefanski. Stratics will also be giving away a beta key and a limited edition print to two lucky participants.The chat will take place in the #straticshoc channel on Stratics IRC. You can use your own IRC client or the Java one provided by the site. A list of servers and ports is included along with further instructions in the announcement, in case you're not a regular.
Linkinus 1.3 brings split chats, embedded videos, and a performance boost
Linkinus is the preferred IRC client for a lot of our readers, I know (personally I tend towards Colloquy, but only because I'm a cheapskate and it's donationware), and they kindly dropped us a note to let us know they'd updated to version 1.3. The new build includes the ability to split chat windows (as seen above), in addition to a revamped UI, "major" performance upgrades, plaintext and Spotlight support for logging, and a whole slew of fun things to play around with, including, we're told, a "Whisper" style that will actually embed images, audio files, and YouTube and Google videos right into your chat windows (a la Campfire). Apparently IRC isn't just text anymore.In fact, at $20 for all these features, Linkinus really is a steal for anyone who spends any amount of time in an IRC channel. Colloquy still does everything I need it to when I jump into IRC periodically, but if you want to chat like a pro in there, Linkinus is a great choice.
Dark Age of Camelot developer chat
The Dark Age of Camelot developers would like a word with you. Want to ask about the proposed OF (Old Frontier) server? Concerned about falling subscription numbers? Want to know what Mythic is doing for people who really liked the old PvE content? Hate open regional chat? This is your chance to give the developers your input, and to find out what they have to say about things.Since they want to accommodate everyone, they will be having two chats. The first is set for June 4th, 2008, between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, US Easterm Time. The second follows on June 5th, between 6:30 and 7:30 US Pacific Time. Producer Chris Rabideau and Community Coordinator Joanne Laroche will be on hand for both chats. Community Director Robert Mull and perhaps some other devs will also be attending on the first night. You'll need an IRC client of some sort to take part. The IRC server is irc.gamesurge.net, and the channel is #ignvault. If you're at all interested in the current and future plans for Mythic's venerable Realm-vs-Realm (RvR) game, you owe it to yourself to attend.
WoW Insider Show live this afternoon
Yes, once again our weekly podcast is going live on the virtual air this afternoon over on WoW Radio. This week, John "BigBearButt" Petricelli is on with me, and though Turpster is gone, it's probably a given that our favorite standby, Duncor, is jumping on to share his insights into the World of Warcraft. We'll talk about mounts around Azeroth, how you can make raiding faster, and what you, dear listeners and readers, are looking forward to in Wrath of the Lich King.Plus we'll be chatting on IRC as always (you can meet up with us at irc.mmoirc.com in the #wowradio channel), and we'll be reading and answering reader email as well -- if you have a burning question, a frozen compliant, or a shiny bit of praise to give us, pass it right along by sending an email to theshow@wow.com.I'll be a rip-roaring good time. Join us this afternoon at 3:30pm EST (which is 8:30 GMT) for our podcast, which iTunes reviewers call "one of the most entertaining and informative WoW podcasts to date." Be there!
Stargate Worlds developer chat on May 9th
Do you have any burning questions about Stargate Worlds? Something on your mind? The admins of SGWirc have announced a Stargate Worlds special event for May 9th, a developer chat with Aruspex of Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment. The dev chat kicks off at 4pm EST, or 9pm for those of you on UK time, and is slated to last for one hour. Here's where to find him:Address: irc.sgwirc.comChannel: #stargate-worldsJava: http://www.sgwirc.com/chatWho, or what, is Aruspex? Well the May 9th dev chat announcement is a bit clearer than Aruspex's hidden message from back in January, which was written in Ancient -- or really some variant of a Caesar cipher. His game ultimately revealed that he's in charge of Stargate Worlds' crafting system. While it hasn't been announced exactly what sort of questions Aruspex will field, a moderator at the Stargate Worlds forums hinted that Aruspex may also discuss minigames in addition to crafting. So get your questions into the IRC bot early to grill Aruspex about anything and everything your heart desires -- and if it's about crafting in SGW, so much the better. [Via Curse]
Lord of the Rings Online developer chat tonight
If you're a Lord of the Rings Online player, then be sure to check this one out if you've got the free time. Later today at 5pm Pacific (8pm Eastern) Allakhazam will be holding a developer chat with the LotRO team (in the #lotro channel) on their own IRC. The discussion will be focused on general topics, so we're not really sure what you can expect to get out of the dev-chat this time around. If you can't make it to the chat, there is bound to be a chat log released sometime afterwards. You can find more details on how to connect at the Allakhazam post over on their site.
Chat with a world builder
Ever feel like chatting with a world builder? I'm not talking 'bout the religious Almighty who "built" this world in seven days. Hey, wouldn't it be nice if MMO worlds could be built that fast?Seriously though, if you want to know what goes into building an MMO world here's your chance. The world builder for Stargate Worlds - Derek Sunshine (what a bright, happy name!) - will be the special guest on this Saturday's SG1-Radio program (5pm EST). Derek will be there to answer your questions (log in to http://sgwirc.com and fire away!), discuss gaming, talk about the Stargate franchise, and generally illuminate listeners by revealing what it is he does at Cheyenne Mountain Entertainment.
European LotRO dev chat moves to Wednesday, changes host
The Lord of the Rings Online Europe team have announced that they will be switching up the host of their regular developer chats, and moving the day to the last Wednesday of each month. The QuakeNET IRC servers that they have used until now have given them issues in the past, so the decision was made to move to the Stratics IRC channel, which already plays host to the US LotRO dev chats.The first chat on Stratics IRC will take place this Wednesday, 27th February, from 8PM until 9PM GMT. If you've never used IRC before, Stratics has an FAQ to help you get started, or for those who just need the new details: irc.glowfish.de EU - Germany 6667 6668 stratics.frws.com USA - Colorado 6667 6668 7000 stratics.afraidyet.net USA - Texas 6667 6668 irc.gamers-irc.org USA - Colorado 6667 6668 7000 The room the LOTRO chat will take place in is #straticshoc
Hellgate: London developer chat on IRC today
If you are interested in chatting with the developers of Hellgate: London and you are available at 7pm EST today, then fire up your favorite IRC client and get ready to talk to Flagship Studios. Their last developer chat was pretty candid, so if you are still playing HGL or have renewed interest since the release of Stonehenge, participating in this chat may be fun and informative.Here are the details:Server: irc.ForTheGamers.orgChannel: #FlagshipStudiosFor questions during the event, type /msg DevBot yourquestionhere where "yourquestionhere" is your actual question. There will also be a separate channel just for chatting with other attendees.I use Trillian for IRC, but mIRC is another good one. For The Gamers is also providing a web-based client for the chat. Full details on how to connect if you are having issues are provided here.Maybe I'll see you there, preschooler permitting.
WoW Moviewatch: Olibith gets old
Machinimators have quickly learned that if they want special 3D animations or sets done, Pinkhair is the man for the job. Previously known for his Warcraftmovies Christmas Spirit Contest entry that narrowly missed being in the top three, he has helped artists such as BaronSoosdon and Ian Beckman in his spare time.In honor of Olibith receiving double platinum on WCM for "I'm only sleeping", Pinkhair finished a timelapse of the saucy filmmaker using Lightwave. He has stated that if there is interest in learning how to do it, he may post a tutorial. If you would like to see a tutorial, join #machinima on Quakenet IRC and let him know! [Via Warcraftmovies.com]Previously on Moviewatch ...
Cutting down the noise in online situations
Technically, the idea that Randall Munroe (author of XKCD, one of the funniest and definitely the geekiest of the comics on the web) had wasn't really about MMOs, but I think there is an application to the communities that we're all gaming in. His problem was that, whenever a community reaches a certain number of people, connections weaken, and it becomes an ever-increasing struggle of signal versus noise. And while his interest in that problem has to do with the IRC channel associated with the comic, it will surely sound familiar to those of us who've spent any amount of time in an online gaming environment.So what's his plan to fix things? His theory is that a lack of meaningful communication is directly tied to the originality of the statements contained therein-- ie. get rid of the Chuck Norris comments and the older-than-dirt memes and jokes, and you'll have meaningful communication. So he created a script to sit in the channel (#xkcd-signal on irc.foonetic.net) with logs of the past two years of chatting, and if you say anything that's already been said, you'll get muted.
Stargate fans launch an IRC chat room
The Stargate Worlds website is reporting that fans have launched a new chat room called the StargateWorlds IRC Network. Moderator Zoeff hopes it will help support simultaneous developer participation. Apparently they were having some legitimacy issues as multilple deveopers were pipping in from the same IP address. The StargateWorlds IRC Network is located on irc.SGWirc.com. If you've never IRC'ed before, grab the Java PJIRC client at www.sgwirc.com and get chatting!
iPod touch VOIP update: SIP signalization working
iPhone hacker eok writes to let me know that he and Samuel have gotten SIP registration and signalization working. They took a few mobile terminal shots, but the real work is being done via ssh. Samuel is working on connecting the audio in/out to the pjSIP. If you have iPhone or iPod touch coding skills and want to get involved in the project, connect to #touchmods on irc.undernet.org. It looks like most of the work will be done on European time. Oh, and if anyone is giving away free iPods to worthy developers? eok recommends that Samuel gets one first. He writes that Samuel has been the driving force behind the compilation.
Chat with the LotRO team next Monday
There will be a chat with the developers of The Lord of the Rings Online at MMORPG on December 3rd. Fans will have the opportunity to ask questions about pretty much anything. Hopefully they'll manage to wrangle out some Book 12 info. Maybe they'll even get a slip about next year's expansion! Okay, probably not.If you have a question or just want to sit in and read it as it happens, show up at the MMORPG chat room at 7:00 PM sharp (EST) on Monday. MMORPG also provide info on how to log in via IRC if you don't want to use the web-based chat interface, or if you're just totally old-school.The future is looking bright for LotRO; Turbine's Jeffrey Steefel and Adam Mersky have eagerly talked about the soon-to-come launch in Korea and all sorts of customization options that will be going live with Book 12. We're looking forward to new class balance initiatives and some updates to the reputation system as well. So there should be no shortage of things to pry about in the chat!
Mythos CM handing out beta invites in IRC and forums
Mythos beta invites are starting to fly out hot and heavy, and West Karana has two ways for you to get in on the Diablo-inspired hack-and-slash fun. As of yesterday afternoon, the community manager for the game was hanging around in their IRC channel (#mythos on irc.forthegamers.org) giving out invites, and if you (like me) missed that opportunity-- although it might be worth a try just to sign in and see if there's any left-- then supposedly a post in the Mythos Guru forums' Official Invite thread will get you hooked up with an invite.Now, I signed up on their website way back when, and I'm a little bummed that they didn't send an invite to me via email before tossing them around random IRC channels and forums. But then again, I guess it's a rat race out there-- every beta tester for him or herself!
