Wedding
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RIFT players set record for most in-game weddings in one day
It wasn't but yesterday that we ran our feature on the gaming achievements of the Guinness Book of World Records: Gamer's Edition 2012, but between then and now, a new MMO-related record has been set. As many of you know, RIFT recently added marriage to its plethora of features, allowing players to make the ultimate commitment in Telara. Well, the ultimate commitment besides joining a raiding guild, at any rate. A press release today announced that RIFT players banded together with the goal of setting the record for the most in-game marriages in a 24-hour span. We're not certain what the previous record was if there was one at all, but RIFT players managed to set the bar with a staggering 21,879 marriages performed between noon on February 14th and noon on February 15th. RIFT executive producer and Trion Worlds CCO Scott Hartsman is pleased with the outcome, stating in the press release that "Ascended Weddings were a great way to lift the veil on RIFT's new 'Gatherings' feature, social experiences that bring players together in new and interesting ways." He goes on to add that "[the studio] looks forward to expanding this great new gameplay element in the always-evolving world of Telara." So congratulations to all of the lucky couples. Enjoy your new ball-and-chain! [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Enter at Your Own Rift: A RIFT wedding primer
Right now in RIFT, couples are donning their best attire, polishing up their rings, and practicing their vows as they participate in a Valentine's Day wedding challenge. From yesterday until today at noon, players will attempt to set the Guinness World Record for most in-game weddings in a single day. I decided to participate, so I bought the elegant wedding dress and veil from the marriage coordinator and said to my husband, "Will you marry me in-game?" His answer was, "Why?" I can't say I'm surprised because we've been married for the better part of 17 years, and he's never really been into the social part of gaming as much as I have. But he's also a good sport, so he agreed to buy a tux and do the ceremony anyway. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll walk you through the process of tying the knot in game, from the pre-wedding prep to the lively celebrations afterwards.
Trion releases RIFT wedding trailer
A couple of weeks ago Trion announced its plan to get RIFT in the Guinness Book of World Records for hosting the most virtual marriages in a 24-hour period. Today the company has released a new video designed to show off the matrimony mechanics and give fans a sneak peek of what's in store for the Valentine's Day record attempt. The festivities begin at 12:00 p.m. EST on February 14th, and Trion says that "any two RIFT players who get hitched in-game will be counted in the Guinness World Records title attempt and will receive 'The Avowed' in-game title." Don't forget to check out the video after the break. [Source: Trion press release]
The Game Archaeologist moves into Lucasfilm's Habitat: Part 2
Last week on the exciting cosmic adventures of the Game Archaeologist, we uncovered the ancient civilization of Lucasfilm's Habitat, one of the early predecessors to graphical MMOs. While we talked about how it came to be and pondered just how much money we'd waste if game companies were still charging by the minute, we didn't have the time or space to cover the community and events that formed around this experimental project. That day has come. Prepare your bladder for imminent release! Giving a bunch of players tools to do every which thing in the game and turning them loose without strict regulation might seem like a recipe for an instant sewage pit of a game today, but our cultured, classy behaviors weren't quite trained into us in 1986. When players first set eyes on Habitat, they weren't thinking of min-maxing, kill-stealing, or raid progression; they were trying to make sense of a virtual world using the only frame of reference they had to date: their own lives. Out of a melting pot of ideas and objects came fascinating stories from one of the earliest MMO proto-ancestors of the modern era. Get your '80s on as we head back... to the future!
RIFT's 1.7 patch filled with content, coming soon
What's next for RIFT? Well, the 1.7 patch, for starters. The update is called Carnival of the Ascended, and if it sounds a bit festive, it is. Telaran weddings are in the offing, as Trion is introducing a marriage mechanic to its fantasy MMO. There's also the new River of Souls Chronicle, which the official forums bill as an "undead adventure for two." A new master mode dungeon is coming too, as is an expert dungeon overhaul with more options and better loot for endgame avatars. Finally, there's a free weekend coming your way on January 19th, and you can return to Telara (or check it out for the first time) for no charge through January 22nd.
Sony divisions to elope in Vegas, celebrate the marriage of Television and Internet at CES 2012
Well, we can't decide if this is one of the cheesiest or most clever event invites in CE history. Sony's PR arm just sent us an e-vite to the marriage of Sony Electronics Home Division and Sony Entertainment Network, simplified to "Television and Internet" on the company's appropriately generic Wedsite wedding page. Now this won't be a cheap Vegas wedding by any means -- the ceremony will take place at the Bellagio Wedding Chapel on the evening of January 11th, with a "Reception Immediately Following." Since this is technically a marriage between cousins, we've spent time with both the bride (Bravia) and the groom (Sony Entertainment Network -- or SEN, when among friends), so we mean no offense if forced to choose sides in the chapel. Coincidentally, we'll already be in town, so we may pop in to greet the likes of family members "Al Gore, Father of the Internet" and HMZ-T1, aka "Aunt Madge." Care to come along? The couple-to-be's site appears to be open to all, so hit up the source link to sign the guest book and send in your RSVP.
The Daily Grind: Have you ever attended an in-game wedding?
Last week Bree talked about in-game funerals, giving readers an opportunity to chat about those they'd attended. Several people mentioned in-game weddings, so in today's Daily Grind we're going to turn to that markedly more cheerful event. It's not uncommon at all for people to meet that special someone in an MMO, so the concept of celebrating that relationship in the game where it started doesn't follow too far behind. Quite a few developers have acknowledged that by providing wedding attire and accessories for the happy couples, with some even going so far as to provide a wedding system with in-game perks for those who have tied the knot. Whether it be a RP union between two characters or a ceremony for two players, have you attended an in-game wedding? Have you participated in one? Use that handy comment button below and tell us all about it! Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
75% of MapleStory's marriages suffer the heartbreak of divorce
Monogamy isn't in the cards for most MapleStory players, and neither are faithfulness, silver anniversaries or alimony-free lifestyles. You see, MapleStory boasts an incredibly high rate of divorces with its marriage system, as a whopping 75% of players who get married in-game end up getting those unions annulled. MapleStory's marriage system is fairly popular, with 26,982 such events occurring last year in North America alone. Each marriage costs $25 for the couple, but it seems that the initial investment wasn't enough to keep a majority of the players together for long. Within a year, over 20,000 of those marriages broke up. Due to the high divorce rate -- much higher than the real-world version by far -- Nexon investigated individual stories of in-game divorce trying to figure out why these virtual marriages aren't sticking. One player named Seth realized that his "Maple spouse" was merely using their relationship to bum free items off of him, which led to their break-up. Marriage in MapleStory is a detailed process involving an official engagement, two rings, real-world cash, and a spiffy in-game item that gives the happy pair a big boost to stats. However, if a marriage is annulled, each partner has a 10-day cooling off period before he or she can remarry. [Source: Nexon press release]
AutoWed vending machine concept offers marriage of convenience, nuptials at $1 a pop (video)
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to introduce to you perhaps the most outlandish concept we've seen all year. Looking something akin to a Moroccan Barbie accessory, and sporting a small portrait of Jesus Christ, the AutoWed Wedding machine has blasphemy written all over it. Pop in a dollar or a pound, depending on your location, and in moments you're served with a pair of plastic wedding bands and a personalized certificate, (unofficially) sealing the deal. And to think we ever raised a brow at that live crab vending machine.
Royal wedding livestream breaks hearts, records
No frogs transformed into princes and no wicked stepmothers were vanquished -- not on camera, at least -- but today's royal wedding managed to capture the world's imagination. Thanks to partnerships with CBS, the Associated Press, UK Press Association, and Entertainment Tonight, the marriage between Prince William and Kate Middleton broke viewing records on Livestream.com, maxing out at 300,000 simultaneous viewers and a total of "at least 2 million" unique users, according to Max Haot, the site's CEO. We reached out to YouTube and Facebook to see how they did on the streaming front, but neither site has a final tally -- though a Facebook spokesperson did tell us that 6,819,072 people have commented on the wedding in the past 24 hours. We don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but we hear News Corp. has secured the rights to the Royal Divorce -- just in case.
4 apps for the Royal Wedding
When it comes to European royalty, Americans go crazy. Beyond the garden-variety obsession with royalty, British royalty in particular is like Yank catnip. The ultimate bonkers-maker, however, is British royal weddings. When there's a royal wedding across the pond, Americans absolutely seem to lose their marbles. There's just no getting around it. You can't listen to the radio or turn on the TV without hearing about Prince William and Kate Middleton. Seriously, right now those two are bigger than Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, which I didn't think was even possible. And don't even think about browsing a newsstand. Close to half of the magazines have the royal and royal-to-be on the cover. Maybe it's the romanticism of it all or the fact that we Americans tend to mix fantasy with aspiration, but whatever the cause, I'm happy to contribute to the hysteria. Without further ado, here is a list of four iOS apps that allow you to live out the royal wedding on your iPhone and iPad. Best of all, all the apps are free, so you can hold onto the family jewels. The Royal Wedding by Hello! -- This app, brought to you by one of the trashiest gossip magazines in the UK, is little more than a photo scrapbook of the fairytale romance between Wills and Kate. It's got dedicated albums for the bride and groom, along with albums dedicated to royal wedding rings, wedding dresses and gifts. One of the cooler albums shows images from past royal weddings.
Wedding proposed via engraved iPad 2
We think this might be cheating a little bit, but we'll let you decide: 9to5Mac reader Jordan C. wrote in to say that he's proposed to his girlfriend courtesy of a custom-engraved iPad. He ordered one with "Will you marry me?" engraved on it, and when it showed up last Monday, he carted his girlfriend out (in the California rain we had last week, no less) to the Redwood Forests and knelt down to propose to her with Apple's magical device underneath "the largest tree in the world." Very cute story, and congrats to the happy couple. But Jordan's now-fiance Jessica was reportedly a little more excited for the tablet than the nuptials; she followed up her "yes" with a "Now give me my iPad!" Oh, Jordan. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into, buddy. Above is a picture of the bride to be, with her true love presumably standing just off camera. But then again, she sure does seem to love that iPad, right?
GDC 2011: Allods Online orders a mega-patch with a launch on the side
It's utterly bizarre to consider that Allods Online, for as long as it's been out and playable by the masses, has yet to leave the boundaries of open beta. As we mentioned yesterday, this is about to change, as gPotato announced that the next patch would finally bring the title to an official release. And what a patch this is! Allods players will feast upon a gourmet meal with all the fixins, including a rise in the level cap from 42 to 47. This means that the talent grids are getting bigger as a result, so expect new skills and abilities across the board. Players will receive a talent point reset to let them rebuild their characters if so desired. Check out 16 brand-new screenshots of the patch below, and hit the jump for an in-depth look at Allods' growth and illuminating videos! %Gallery-91331%
A Mobius Proposal: Guy creates video game to propose marriage
Gaming-themed wedding proposals are amongst the most varied and endearing, this much we can all agree. Matt Gilgenbach's A Mobius Proposal, a three-month project and fully-functional co-op puzzle game, may just be the best one yet. Check it out for yourself past the jump!
Extra, Extra: Big Daddy marries Little Sister in Toronto!
Perhaps the underwater utopia was already booked when Anna and Jon decided to get married in the backyard of his aunt's (really nice) place in Toronto. Nevertheless, the couple tied the knot last May with plenty of inspiration taken from their "favorite video game," BioShock, in a totally geeky hip wedding. The cupcakes served at the celebration featured edible blue morpho butterflies, "a reference to the game," Anna confirmed in a recent account of the wedding on Offbeat Bride. "Topping the tower of cupcakes were two figurines from the game" (pictured). The ceremony programs, designed by Jon, also featured nods to the Art Deco shooter, though the choice in music -- "We walked in to 'Strangers' by The Kinks, played 'Loving Cup' by the Rolling Stones while we signed the register, and walked out to 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,'" recalled Anna -- was a bit unorthodox. Congratulations, you two! May you love, honor, comfort and rapture each other in splicing and in health. [Image credit: WyseVegan]
City of Heroes players get engaged in-game and in style
The City of Heroes team loves its community. There's no real doubt about that -- whether or not you care for the design principles the team has embraced, any given member will happily engage with players about the reason behind same. So it's probably not surprising to learn that the team backed up an in-game proposal with more than just GM support. It might be a little more surprising, however, to find out that it included a Giant Monster and the intervention of War Witch herself. The New York Post has the full details in comic form as well as a brief interview with several members of the Paragon Studios team about what it was like helping to make the proposal one to remember. And really, when your engagement starts off by destroying Rularuu, what can you say but yes? Read the full details over in the article, sure to bring a smile to the faces of any City of Heroes players of a romantic bent... or any romantics, period.
Guy hacks marriage proposal into Earthbound
Video game-themed proposals certainly aren't new, but when a reaction is as genuine as Liz's -- who was just proposed to via an in-game message hacked into Earthbound by Matt -- it must be shared. Best of luck, you two!
UPDATED: Win a new Guild Wars costume pack from Massively!
Yesterday's surprise reveal of Guild Wars: Hearts of the North came with some very exciting extras for Massively. First, John Stumme spent some quality time with us, giving us all the inside scoop on this new content. The second extra goes straight to you, our readers. You see, Hearts of the North includes all sorts of new costumes and headpieces for players. Here at Massively, we managed to get our hands on 10 costume packs, and we are in a sharing mood. We've got five Wedding Couple packs (which include the bride and groom attire) and five Wedding Party packs (which include the entire set of costumes). Would you like one for your very own? Then talk to us! What do you love about the new content? What are you looking forward to seeing in Hearts of the North? Let us know in the comments section below by 11:59 p.m. EST tonight and you'll be entered in a random drawing for one of these costume packs! Don't forget to check out our contest rules, and good luck! [Update: All winners have been chosen and emailed. Congratulations!]
Exclusive interview: Guild Wars unveils Hearts of the North
When we last left our heroes, a distraught Gwen was crying in the Hall of Monuments, and Keiran Thackeray had disappeared. Thankfully, knowledgeable Guild Wars fans weren't too worried over the fate of the most prominent couple in the game. Logan Thackeray and Ebonhawke in Guild Wars 2 carry our assurance that the original couple reunited and married at some point. That point has arrived with Hearts of the North, the newest content addition to Guild Wars. Hearts of the North brings new quests and missions to the game as you progress from the search for Keiran to the wedding festivities. There is plenty of variety, including a Bonus Mission Pack-style event in which you play as Keiran and a more lighthearted chance to help a Norn wedding planner arrange the ceremony. The highlight of all the new content, of course, is the wedding. There are five new costumes for you to choose from for the ceremony, so get ready to choose your favorite formal wear and help bring our lovebirds back together! Hold on though, because we have so much more for you! We are as excited to see new Guild Wars content as the rest of the community, and we inundated ArenaNet with questions. John Stumme had plenty to say to all of them, even tossing in a few extra surprises for us. Follow along after the jump for the full scoop on Hearts of the North!
An iPad, a couple, and a wedding
The iPad plays such a big part in some peoples' lives that you could almost say they're married to their iPads. And as for others, ... they just get married by their iPads -- well, sort of. The iPad helped facilitate the wedding of Aaron and Katie, as it made its rounds to the priest and then the bride and groom. Not only did the bride, Katie, read her vows to her soon-to-be husband, Aaron, from the iPad, she composed them on it as well. While the couple's wedding was held outdoors, a gazebo provided shade to help make reading easier; the iPad's glass screen and the sunlight usually don't make a good combination for readability. Offbeat Bride reports on creative wedding ideas; Aaron and Katie's iPad-enabled nuptials certainly qualify. If you plan on using your iPad in your wedding, you might as well plan your wedding using an iPad. You can use 100 Wedding Tips and the Wedding Guests app, which aims to help you make a final decision on who to invite to your wedding and who to cut from the list.
