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You can now give your Valentine a virtual blowjob
Valentine's Day is less than 24 hours away, and if you're still scrambling for a gift for your special guy, porn website CamSoda has an idea -- send him a virtual blowjob. Yes, that's a thing now.
The Summoner's Guidebook: Two years and I'm still playing LoL
It's the time of the year when I get to sit down and reflect a bit on how I've grown as a League of Legends player. Last year I had made some pretty big jumps in skill, especially in the realm of Dominion skill. This year I've kind of shifted my focus to SR. Also, I got a little more involved in the community, but not enough. That, I hope to change. Playing more stuff that you play Disappointingly for a lot of Dominion players who read these articles, I haven't been talking about it much lately. The big reason is I've been playing it a lot less, and unfortunately it's because the game mode isn't very popular. My solo queue time in Dominion is kind of long, for starters. Once you get to any sort of respectable level in that game mode, queue times start to get obscene. I end up having to wait 5-6 minutes for games on CS, and that's not so good.
Mabinogi update introduces Doki Doki Island, Valentine's Day events
Just in time for Valentine's Day, Nexon America has announced a new update to its free-to-play title Mabinogi that will add the romantic Doki Doki Island to the game. The new area will also introduce the Soulmate system, which makes romance more of a game than it already is. On the island, players can "create a profile" by talking to the Matchmaker, who will then match them with their "soulmate." Side-by-side, players and their soulmates can "explore charming landmarks such as the Harmony Torch in the town square and participate in events to accumulate Romantic Points." When enough Romantic Points have been earned, soulmates gain the ability to fly, presumably through the power of love or something equally inspirational. Aside from hanging out with their hopefully-not-axe-murderer soulmates, players can also take part in a variety of new minigames and daily quests centered around Doki Doki Island or scour the beaches for cat's eye gems that can be exchanged for items such as an exclusive armor set. To top it all off, beginning on February 26th players will be able to celebrate their newfound powers of flight by taking part in the Seize the Skies event, which will allow players to test their aeronautical prowess against one another in competitions for prizes and bragging rights. If this romantic getaway sounds up your alley, you can join the fun over at Mabinogi's official site. [Source: Nexon America press release]
Engadget giveaway: win an iPad Air courtesy of YesVideo!
Sometimes memory lane is paved in VHS and Beta bricks, other times it's wound around a film reel. Either way, you should really flip those classic video moments up to the cloud already -- it's 2014. With Valentine's Day rolling through, YesVideo -- purveyors of digitized nostalgia -- have taken it upon themselves to offer one Engadget reader the tools to do it. It's ponied up a new iPad Air so you can watch those classic wedding, honeymoon or prom vids in Retina clarity on a slate that weighs little more than a pile of sweet nothings. YesVideo is also giving the winner a $100 gift certificate for its video digitizing and cloud storage services to help them expunge those old formats and make room for that ridiculous darling pink Valentine's bear. You've got to be in it to win it, so head down to the Rafflecopter widget and take a chance. It might just be your lucky day. Winner - congratulations to: Michael D., Huntington, NY
Valentine's Day around the virtual world
Do you hear the chirping of songbirds in love? Do you see the flirtacious glance that cute Orc is giving you from across the battlefiend? Do you smell the flowers of romance in bloom all around you? If so, man, you've got it bad. Fortunately for those suffering from VDAS -- Valentine's Day Addiction Syndrome -- plenty of MMOs are on hand to provide you with a temporary fix until you get proper medication and are carted away to a professional love care facility. It may not be the biggest of holidays in the virtual world, but when love arrives in February, it cannot be denied. And who knows for you single folk? The man, woman, or one-eyed Gnome of your dreams might just stumble over you on this fine day! Read on as we sum up some of the larger Valentine's events in MMOs today.
Talkcast tonight, 10 pm ET/7 pm PT: Pre-Valentine's potpourri edition
The annual flurry of chocolate, flowers and crowded restaurants is only a few days away! Valentine's Day is this coming Thursday, so tonight we'll talk Apple-themed romance. How can you charm and celebrate the beloved geek in your life? Then again, if you are the Mac geek in your relationship, how can you amp up the love factor this week? Bring your ideas, destinations, apps and gifts to the show tonight. We'll also preview a bit of our Toy Fair coverage, rolling out the rest of this week. And, as usual, we'll review the news of the day and take your questions as we go. To participate live during the show, you can use the browser-only Talkshoe client, the embedded Facebook app, or download the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, the best way to have your voice heard is to call in. (We're holding off on rolling in the Google+ Hangout experiment until we file off a few of the rough edges.) For the web UI, just click the Talkshoe Web button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 pm EDT Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (viva free weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8. If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free X-Lite or other SIP clients (aside from Skype or Google Voice), basic instructions are here. Talk to you tonight!
Apps for Valentine's Day
Image: Shutterstock Today's smartphones are, by their nature, quite versatile. It's impossible to guide every lover on Valentine's Day to the app for their particular needs, because despite the requisite "flowers, chocolate, *something*" expectations, we all do it differently. I tried to round up a few apps that might appeal to just about anyone who participates in tomorrow's festivities. Happy Valentine's Day, if that's your thing! Going out to eat If you're trying to get a reservation, one of the fastest ways to check and make a reservation is with OpenTable (hopefully your area's restaurants are on-board with their system). If you're out and looking for somewhere to eat, I still use one of the first big breakout apps from the App Store, UrbanSpoon. Of course, you can always ask Siri, but if you don't have a 4S, try Yelp. Going out to find someone to love Personally I've had a great experience with OKCupid, probably the least skeevy of the online dating sites and its app is quite excellent. There's also Skout, which I haven't tried, but it has good reviews and features a location-based singles finder in the app. There are also most specific love-finding apps like Grindr for the gay community and Cupidtino for fans of Apple stuff. Buying a gift Don't know what to buy your sweetheart? Apps like El Gifto, and Thoughtful (not yet available in app form) will help you answer that question by asking a few background questions first. You can use Red Laser to comparison shop (you hopeless romantic, you) or Giftiki to pool your money with friends -- the gift that says "I love you enough to beg our friends for money." Setting the mood Yeah we've all heard of Pandora by now, but lately I'm digging the DJ-powered Slacker Radio for less repetition and a wider set of music. Slacker also has several romance-themed stations set up, like this one called Love Songs. If you subscribe to Rdio or Spotify, you can build your own playlist for all-night romance without commercial interruption. My personal preference is Rdio, but it'll be fun to see all the romantic songs being played in Spotify on the night of V-Day thanks to Spotify's in-your-face social mechanisms. Having fun Spending a night at home? Try Scene It? Romance Movies for some lighthearted fun -- although it could be embarrassing if you never watch romance movies. If you want to reminisce about the times you had together and snapped with Instagram, check out Lovestagram, which will bring up all the pics of you and your loved one taken using the social photo service. iKamasutra is the App Store-approved Kama Sutra for the iPhone. You could just as easily buy the real deal in ebook form, but the app provides easy navigation to all your favorite, um, love pretzels. Got any other apps you recommend for Valentine's Day? If you need to call a florist, I'd suggest Google or Siri -- and that you do it fast.
City of Heroes asks, 'Will you be my super-Valentine?'
It's hard to believe that it's already February and that spring is now within striking distance. City of Heroes feels the season coming on strong, which is why it's bringing back its Spring Fling holiday event from February 8th through the 27th. The event this year will be a mix of the old and the new. Returning from the past are tangles with Arachnos, quests to fetch underwear for Eros, and a smackdown of Snaptooth. New for the 2012 season are a couple of additional missions for the restless hopeless romantic in all of us -- Widow in Red and Valentines -- with accompanying badges. The former quest will have players looking into the love life of Lord Recluse (Match.com has no entry for "super-villain," much to his dismay), while the latter will send heroes all across the game world looking for valentines to deliver or redirect. The Valentines missions reward players with temporary powers such as Arrows of Romance and Arrows of Jealousy.
Meet Valentine, Skullgirls' phlebotomist femme fatale
Somewhere, someone once thought this exact thought: "I love going to the hospital to have my blood work done, but I wish the procedure could be performed by a ninjutsu-trained assassin wearing an extremely revealing outfit instead of Ethel Mertz's retired understudy." The result of that thought is Valentine, the seventh playable character to be announced for Reverge Labs' upcoming fighter Skullgirls. Both a ninja and a nurse, Valentine's arsenal includes bonesaws, defibrillators and dead human bodies. Previously part of an Anti-Skullgirl Labs group called "Last Hope" and partially responsible for the creation of cast compatriot Painwheel, Valentine now uses her martial/medical skills in service of the Skullgirl. She, along with seven other fighters, will be fighting for control of the Skull Heart some time in early 2012.%Gallery-140320%
Massively's guide to Valentine's Day festivities
Ah spring! 'Tis the time when young men and women's thoughts turn to love -- or at least scoring some nifty holiday-themed loot! This year there's quite a bit going on. Some events are old familiar ones that have stood the test of time. Others offer new twists and things to do for those who have been there, done that. If you aren't feeling the love bug biting, there's even the odd anti-Valentine's-type event, perfect for those who would rather rain destruction down on the head of anyone foolish enough to approach him with anything heart-shaped or pink. Curious as to what's going on? Check out our listing below -- and feel free to chime in if you know of a fun event others should check out! Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day (February 11th-13th) What's better than surviving a nuclear holocaust and wandering your way across a blasted brown landscape rife with societal collapse? Why, sharing said wanderings with someone you love, of course (or at least, someone you lust after in that we've-got-to-do-this-for-the-future-of-mankind sort of way). In a novel spin on the traditional mid-February holiday, Icarus Studios is presenting Fallen Earth's Valentine's Day Massacre event, and clones everywhere can literally offer their hearts as a sign of affection (and a +3 stamina buff). Vindictus spreads the love with new update and holiday (February 1st-15th) Quirky events have quickly become one of Vindictus' staples. Right now players can participate in V-Day events for special rewards. If fishing and chocolate hunting isn't your bag, you can simply purchase a Valentine's Package at the Supply Depot for "sexy Valentine's themed Inner Armor." Cute undies, in other words. Valentine's events will end after the 15th, so players are encouraged to partake sooner rather than regret it later. Time for love in Final Fantasy XI (February 1st-15th) Valentine's Day is almost here, that special time of year when you attempt to distill the essence of a romantic relationship into chocolate form. And if you were hoping to escape from the day within Vana'diel, your efforts are rather misdirected -- Valentione's Day coincides nicely with the holiday in the real world, with just as much saccharine summation of liaisons in Final Fantasy XI.
Rip out your Fallen Earth character's heart for Valentine's Day
What's better than surviving a nuclear holocaust and wandering your way across a blasted brown landscape rife with societal collapse? Why, sharing said wanderings with someone you love, of course (or at least, someone you lust after in that we've-got-to-do-this-for-the-future-of-mankind sort of way). In a novel spin on the traditional mid-February holiday, Icarus Studios is presenting Fallen Earth's Valentine's Day Massacre event, and clones everywhere can literally offer their hearts as a sign of affection (and a +3 stamina buff). The gruesome festivities include a special "My Bloody Valentine" mission which features a Heartbreaker item and a crafting recipe that will enable players to rip out, preserve, and gift their hearts to whomever they desire. The Icarus devs will be making in-game appearances throughout the day on February 14th, and the Valentine mission is repeatable. You can pick it up at various locations in all three game sectors, and you can also head to the official website for more details.
Get a World of Tanks beta key and an exclusive tank, all in one giveaway! [Updated]
We here at Massively.com need to extend a huge set of tanks to the wonderful people at Wargaming.net. Tank you very much, you guys, for sending us a giveaway that includes not only World of Tanks closed beta access, but also a unique tank for use in the game that will carry over into the live version! So I guess that only leaves us with one more pun to make: "Tanks for the giveaway!" This lovely Valentine tank will send your enemies' hearts a-flutter with its dynamically balanced metal treads, sturdy metal armor, and amazing maneuverability. In all due seriousness, however, this tank is a real tank that was used in WWII during 1938 to 1940 by the Allies and Soviet army in a wide variety of war theaters. The Valentine was considered to be one of the best tanks of WWII, and it will serve you well in your online fights. Want a key? Click after the break to find out how to grab and redeem your code!
The Daily Quest: Love Is in the Air
We here at WoW.com are on a Daily Quest to bring you interesting, informative and entertaining WoW-related links from around the blogosphere. Is there a story out there we ought to link or a blog we ought to follow? Just leave us a comment and you may see it here tomorrow! Are you a Fool for Love? For today TDQ is, because we're talking about the Love Is in the Air holiday events, which are live until the 20th, giving you a few more days to get involved -- if that's your thing. And if it's not, well, never fear! The Lunar Festival has already begun, so there's no shortage of things to do in Azeroth just now. Not sure where to get started? The WoW blogoshphere (is that even a word?) has you covered: WoW.com has a Love Is in the Air FAQ, a guide for casual players, a guide for all players, and an overview of the holiday bosses in Shadowfang Keep. The Fluid Druid has a Fool for Love achievement guide. Righteous Defense talks about farming Lovely Charms as a prot paladin. Phyllixia explains the excellent raid buffs to be had from doing the right dailies. Escapist Scrawl ponders what to get your in-game sweetheart for the holiday and shares a romantic Undercity moment. At Critical QQ, Euripedes is amused by the ease of gathering Lovely Charms. Check out WoWWiki's Love Is in the Air write-up. Look up the holiday's achievements on Wowhead. And in case all of the above is too virtual to catch your interest, perhaps the latest offering from J!NX may strike your fancy.
WoW Moviewatch: Demachic: Lonely Valentine
Demachic posted Demachic: Lonely Valentine on Warcraftmovies.com yesterday. I would have loved to see it during the Love is in the Air in-game event, but hey -- I'll take what I can get. It is a short, dialogue-less story about a gnome seeking true love, and the artillery she builds to obtain that love.I have to admit that I actually thought to myself, in actual words, "Oh my god, so cute!" This video really is cute. It captures all the bittersweet and totally-saccharin flavors of Valentine's Day. It's got a little hopefulness, a little despair to counter, and a whole lot of wistful, wishful romance. And, it's got a totally adorable gnome to drive home the cute-puppy-love angle.The movie is created without any spoken or subtitled words. I actually really like that, since it encourages the audience to create and interpret their own story for on-screen events. It works great, and the musical selection matches the overall mood of the video. Great job, Demachic!If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ..
Sony sends out a Killzone-themed Valentine's
SCEA just sent us this cute Killzone-themed Valentine's Day e-card. The problem? It asks us to have a "bloody Valentine's day." We're pretty certain if we gave our significant others that kind of message, we'd be spending the day alone. The staff at Joystiq PlayStation want to wish you a not-very-bloody and good Valentine's Day weekend.
PlayStation Home gets chocolatey in Asia
In celebration of Valentine's Day, PlayStation Home users will be able to get a free chocolate replica of Home Square ... provided they live in Asia. The Home Marketplace will also feature chocolate-themed clothing and furniture to purchase -- if you're into that kind of thing. You won't want to wait long as this promotion ends today.
Valentine's Day: last minute, last resort gifts
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Valentine_s_Day_last_minute_last_resort_gifts'; Sure: you could get your sweetheart some totally awesome gadget -- our pages have numberless examples of all the finest that tech has to offer. But did it ever cross your mind that maybe -- just maybe -- what your beloved actually wants is... something light-hearted (preferably heart-shaped)? Go ahead and bite the bullet this year, get him / her something cute: we promise, your sensitivity will be rewarded with um... eternal love. Need suggestions? Sure, why not try the bedazzling, Swarovski-encrusted Crystal Heart Mouse. This puppy comes in three lovey-dovey flavors, each of which is $79.99 -- a triflingly small price to pay for this luxurious token of your affection, right? Check the rest out after the break. Read - Crystal Heart Mouse
Insider Trader: Love is in the Air edition
Love will soon be in the air, and it's time you worked out your game plan. Chances are that it won't be just the city guards and leaders that will catch your eye (or eye socket). Whether you're looking to reel someone in, set up a romantic excursion, or send an enemy a delicious surprise, you'll find that preparation is the key. This year, crafted items are the hot new trend. What better to say, "Darling, I can't get enough of the way your eyes puss" than with handmade?First, you have to look the part. For all of you gents out there, I recommend seeking out a tailor for your very own Tuxedo Jacket, Tuxedo Pants, and coordinating Tuxedo Shirt. Alternatively, a Festival Suit will have you standing apart from the crowd, while a Colorful Kilt will set up some easy access to um, cultural traditions.For the gals, we have the lovely and sophisticated Festival Dress, or the elaborate and vaguely desperate White Wedding Dress. If you want to attract a different sort of attention, then try the Red Winter Clothes on for size! They aren't just for Winter Veil, and are snazzier than anything Victoria keeps secret.
Forget chocolates, Samsung offers pink NC10 for Valentine gifting
If a pink MSI Wind isn't the way to your significant other's heart, Samsung has an alternative for you in the form of a rose-colored NC10. The similarly-spec'd 10.2-inch netbook sports a 1.6GHz Atom processor, 1GB RAM, 160GB HDD, and Windows XP Home. Additionally, it's got a suspiciously-long 7-hour battery life and anti-germ keyboard. UK retailer dabs has it listed for £316 ($434) with VAT and a February 9 release date. Let's just hope she doesn't lament the color choice come March. [Via Portable Monkey]Read - Overclockers product pageRead - Dabs product page
MSI Wind U100 Valentine Edition: geek romance, exemplified
Oh sure, there's all manners of garb and chocolates that you could get your lover this Valentine's Day, but the true geek knows just how hard it is to pick up those all-too-clichéd items when it's a gadget you're really after. Enter MSI, who has just delivered the appropriately named Valentine Edition of its Wind U100 netbook just in time for that special holiday. If you'll recall, this isn't the first time MSI has outed a minuscule laptop oozing with romance, but this one boasts a limited edition label (figuratively, at least), a 6-cell battery, 160GB hard drive and a 1.6GHz Atom N270 processor. You can purchase 2.6 pounds of lovey-dovey right now for $429.99, but you better act fast -- no lady worth having will accept the "my UPS guy didn't come through" excuse. The full release is after the break.
