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Mass Effect 2 'Arrival' DLC detailed by latest patch
The PS3 version of Mass Effect 2 has been patched and, in the process, has revealed details on an upcoming DLC pack called "Arrival." The BioWare forums have been abuzz with theories on what the expansion, which features three new Trophies, will entail. One of the Trophies, "Covert Action," refers to a Dr. Amanda Kenson, who was previously mentioned in a recent Cerberus Network update: Historians and astronomers alike are abuzz tonight over a new paper published by Dr. Amanda Kenson of the University of Arcturus ... "Only a small fraction of the mass effect relays date back 50,000 years," she writes, "The majority are far older, indicating they were created by a species predating even the Protheans." ... What civilization could have spanned the galaxy for not thousands, but millions of years? If this were the case, we should have found mountains of evidence of their passing. Where is this species now?"Some believe that "Arrival" can refer to the arrival of the Reapers, setting up events for the upcoming Mass Effect 3. Others, however, are more fixated on figuring out how to acquire one of the more ominous Trophies for the DLC: "The Ultimate Sacrifice." Wasn't dying once sacrifice enough? [Thanks, Shane! Image credit: Vamplosion]
The Daily Grind: How long do you wait for stragglers?
It doesn't matter if it's a light-hearted RP event or a high-intensity progression run. As sure as the sun rises, if everyone is told the event is going to begin at 5 PM sharp, at least one player will not show up until 5:01. They might claim timezone difficulties, traffic, or even just that they forgot what time it was taking place. Inevitably, someone shows up late, and quite frequently several people arrive late to a lower-impact event. That's not counting the people who show up on time, but have one last thing to finish that takes upwards of half an hour. Of course, MMOs are fundamentally hobbies, and it's understandable that not everyone will be perfectly punctual. But by the same token, people who delay an event's start time by a significant amount are cutting into the enjoyment of other players, and it does mean they're harder to rely upon. How long do you wait for late arrivals before starting without them? Will you kick people from a regular roster, or argue that they should be kicked, in the event that they fall behind schedule too frequently? Or are you on the other side of the equation, and despite your best efforts you're almost always late to the party?
GPS notification software informs managers of your tardiness
If you're the type who seems to run late for meetings more often than actually arriving on time, we'd probably recommend improving your promptness before purchasing another band-aid for the chronic problem. Nevertheless, those insistent on being late now have an amazingly easy way to notify their peers that traffic is being unkind, as the Oops I'm Late! application enables your GPS-equipped mobile to calculate your estimated arrival time and then notify your team members of your impending lateness. So rather than investing in time management courses, you can throw down $69.99 for the standard version, or $99.99 for the "Professional" (does it generate legitimate excuses on the fly or something?) iteration.
