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Recommended Reading: Airbnb and the hidden cameras
Airbnb has a hidden-camera problem Sidney Fussell, The Atlantic Airbnb may be a good alternative to staying in a pricey hotel, but the company is dealing with a hidden camera problem. The Atlantic takes a look a the issue and what Airbnb says its doing to fix it.
Seen@GDC: 'Imagine Dante in a Western movie'
When Capcom tasked Ninja Theory with rebooting Dante, the main character of its classic Japanese franchise Devil May Cry, it wanted to draw a clear distinction. This was a new Dante, a new Devil May Cry, and the series told through a westernized lens."Imagine Dante in a western movie," Capcom told Ninja Theory's art team. And so it did. There's Dante above, shooped into a scene from Brokeback Mountain – a very western movie, after all – and below Dante takes a breather with Brad Pitt in Fight Club.
Patch 5.1 PTR: My first night in Brawler's Guild
It took me a little while to locate this secretive group's headquarters, tucked away in the bowels of Stormwind. I wasn't quite sure where to look, having logged in to the PTR and created a level 90 shaman template character, and the first rule of Brawler's Guild wasn't exactly helping matters. I knew it was underground, so I checked in the Stockades, under the Cathedral, around the old Park, over where all the warlocks hang out... it sounded like a warlock-y kind of thing! Stumped, temporarily, and trying to think of other underground areas in Stormwind, it suddenly occurred to me: the Deeprun Tram! I zoned in, expecting to see it right in front of me, and, discouraged, ran over to the platform, then spotted a tunnel on the track level to the left that I was fairly sure wasn't there before. And the header image was what appeared at the end of it! Over on the Horde side, it was hidden in plain sight, in a building to the extreme north-east of Orgrimmar, in the Ring of Valor. I have to say, I think that, for a change, the Alliance have by far the cooler set-up here, although with the buggy PTR gameplay right now, the Horde arena is far more entertaining!
APB: Reloaded previews new map for Halloween festivities
Like in most virtual worlds, APB: Reloaded's San Paro is preparing for Halloween. In honor of the occasion, a new map will be brought out for two weeks of celebration. The appropriately themed Asylum map will be used to host a Fright Club, which will replace the regular Fight Club starting today. Trick and Treat, the respective Halloween Contacts for Criminals and Enforcers, will be chilling in the Asylum with missions to hand out. Players will be able to go through six levels of holiday missions. In addition, players will be able to smash pumpkins -- and smashing pumpkins unlocks titles! Not only will players unlock the Pumpkin Chaser, Murderer, Assassin, and Terminator titles unlocked at various numbers of pumpkins smashed, but the top player in each world for pumpkin smashing will unlock the title of Pumpkin King or Queen. Two contests will round out the festivities: the Headless Gunman Pumpkin Head Contest and the Halloween District Parade Costume Contest. Check out the official contest forums for all the details on that heap o' goodness.
APB: Reloaded dev blog introduces patch 1.7's new breed of contacts
Criminals and Enforcers alike have plenty to look forward to in APB: Reloaded's upcoming patch 1.7.0, which has been given the name New Breeds Part One. The inspiration for this subtitle comes from the "new breed" of contacts being added to the game with the update, including the sociopathic Criminal Tiptoe (daughter of the Bloodrose Tyron Sennet) and former-military-sniper-turned-Enforcer DevilDog. These new contacts will provide players with a wealth of new progression options such as new weapons, weapon skins, modifications, shiny vehicles, and inventory space increases. On top of all those goodies, New Breed Part One will also introduce Fight Club Challenges, which are weekly events that allow players to compete in a number of unique challenges in order to earn prizes ranging from APB$ to unique weapons and vehicles. Each challenge will require players to play a particular gametype on a particular map, and each "will have three [reward] tiers, with the third and second prizes being straight up requirements, and the top prize requiring you to be in the top X% of players that have taken part in the challenge." The first week's challenges, along with a list of new weapons and modifications, can be found on the game's official blog post for anyone who wants to get a leg-up on the competition, so get out there and wreak some havoc.
Relax and watch this Namco X Capcom London Fight Club video
Some of you will enjoy a nice, extra day off on Monday, and we would hate for you to get bored while you sit around in your pajamas, not working. If at any point you feel as if you've moved or thought too much tomorrow, go ahead zone out with the above recap video from the Namco X Capcom Xmas Fight Club, where some lucky Londoners partied with SoulCalibur 5 and Tekken Tag Tournament 2. And don't worry about the site -- we'll be right here, working, all day. Although we'll probably be wearing pajamas too.
APB: Reloaded cracks into Steam's most-played games
Calling all cars -- all three million of them, even. Yes, that's how many players APB: Reloaded now claims, which allows the game to crack into the top ten games being played on Steam and places it second on the list of free games. That's definitely a big impression, one that couples nicely with the game's recent release of a boxed retail copy with several bonus items for first-time or existing players. According to Rahul Sandil, SVP of marketing and business development for GamersFirst, "[GamersFirst] recognized the potential for APB: Reloaded to be a true breakout hit in the Free2Play category all through beta testing." The game's new Fight Club gameplay mode hasn't hurt the game's popularity either, which is all pretty good for a game that originally set a record for its quick shutdown. The future of APB: Reloaded remains to be seen, but the present is certainly looking bright. [Source: GamersFirst press release]
First rule of Facebook: Don't quote Fight Club
Have you heard the story of Joe Lipari? In September 2009, Lipari visited an Apple Store trying to get help for an iPhone issue. He claimed he received no assistance, so he went home and posted to Facebook: "Joe Lipari might walk into an Apple store on Fifth Avenue with an Armalite AR-10 gas powered semi-automatic weapon and pump round after round into one of those smug, fruity little concierges," a paraphrased quote from Fight Club. You can see where this is headed. One of Lipari's Facebook friends reported him to the police. Instead of a Genius Bar appointment, he wound up with two felony charges along with other charges of making terrorist threats and weapons. The charges were dropped in February, but New York's Metro has run a profile on Lipari featuring shots of Lipari in the aforementioned Fifth Avenue Apple Store with a smirk and what some might think to be a very accurate headline. Your thoughts? [Hat tip to Charles Apple]
Enter at Your Own Rift: Necessary diversions
I have to begin by saying that I really enjoyed Justin's column last week about the "no quest" challenge. It's actually a philosophy that I've subscribed to for almost a decade now, going back to my first time grouped with a somersaulting Dwarf in EverQuest who advised me to stand against the zone wall in West Commonlands while he chain-pulled spiders and skeletons over to me to kill for experience. Ironically, I've quested more in RIFT than I have in any other MMO. It's not that I find it faster to level; it's that I actually enjoy the lore behind the quests, another area that I have tended to ignore in other MMOs. Questing can be extremely frustrating for me, though, because I'll almost always bump into someone else doing the exact same quests as me, and yet he won't group up and join forces, even with the luxury of the public quest button. So when I reach my limit in trying to politely suggest to people that we group only to get a few grunts in reply, I decide to take a breather from questing and find an outlet for my frustration. PvP would be the natural choice except that I'd get my rear handed to me on a platter, adding insult to injury. Luckily, there are lots of fun little mini-diversions in RIFT that give me an opportunity to burn off some steam and have fun at the same time. In this week's Enter at Your Own Rift, we'll look at a few of them, from prize fighting to centaur racing.
No Comment: Inneract provides antidote to restrictive social norms
If you've ever felt the urge to chest-bump a stranger or dance the cha-cha on a city street, you're probably a fan of the antics of Improv Everywhere. The NYC-based 'prank collective' executes missions large and small, defying the expectations of passersby with group freezes, flash musicals and the occasional Imperial arrest on a subway. Of course, for most of us the logistical and artistic challenge of creating a surreal and transgressive experience for ourselves and others is... well... just too much darn work. Now, thanks to the efforts of artist Lauren McCarthy, there's Inneract. This free app lets you post your location and your desired interaction so that other users of the app can find you and do unto you as you would have them. Want to create a drum circle? Splash in a public fountain? Have a tickle battle? If you can imagine it, you can put it into Inneract and let the world fulfill your wildest need for novelty. See the video below for some relatively staid examples. Sure, we could point out all the ways this concept could go very, very wrong. We could ponder the possibility that an evil companion might put your picture into the app along with a rather personal request, and then sit next to you to watch the fun. We could suggest some ideas for in-app purchases ($0.99 to enable Fight Club Mode, "I want someone to come over and kick my ass"), or muse on the irony of a location-based app that exposes your deepest fetish to everyone around you. Instead, though, we'll let this app stand as today's truly wacky No Comment. Thanks to Wilson for the tip.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club coming to Atlanta
After showing off its multi-universe brawler Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds to a warehouse full of crowded Chicagoans last month, Capcom has announced the next location for its series of Fight Club events: Atlanta, Ga., the city of Braves, Falcons and Coca-Cola.
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club uppercutting Chicago next Wednesday
Us mid-westerners have it pretty rough when it comes to having video game events stop by our neck of the woods. Fortunately, Capcom has chosen to end this pattern of neglect, announcing today that a Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Fight Club event will be held in Chicago next Wednesday.
Swag Saturday: Spoils from Capcom's Fight Club
After getting beaten handily by the folks attending Capcom's NYC Fight Club this week, we were given the tagged black bag you see above, full of consolation prizes (for our bruised egos). Being the good sports we are though, we're giving away everything we got directly to you for this week's Swag Saturday prize. From the fancy event art to the always important Tatsunoko vs. Capcom towel, this goodie bag comes packed full of semi-exclusive swag. To get your hands on it, all you have to do is leave a comment below telling us who your favorite Street Fighter character of all time is. We'll pick one of you at random next week to receive the goods. In the meantime, we'll be over here, putting that bruised ego on ice. Leave a comment telling us who your favorite Street Fighter character of all time is. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec, mostly because of the Moon's position in relation to the Earth) Limit 1 entry per person per day This entry period ends at 9:01PM ET on Sunday, October 25 At that time, we'll randomly select one winner to receive a bag of Capcom Fight Club swag (estimated $30 ARV) For a list of complete rules, click here
We get beaten up at Capcom's NYC Fight Club so you don't have to
So what if you weren't able to make it out to Capcom's second annual NYC Fight Club last night? Don't worry, we went -- and got trounced by the competition -- in your stead. Though Super Street Fighter IV was only there for Capcom to demo (and give a small handful of community members time with), we snapped pictures of everything. We also played a mess of Tatsunoko vs Capcom in a next to final build (yes, we put the two recently revealed characters through their paces), and even shot some video of legendary Street Fighter player turned Capcom employee Seth Killian demoing new SSFIV characters in front of a roaring crowd (550 or so people over the course of the night, a rep approximated for us -- more than double last year's attendance numbers). As we weren't able to get our hands on the three new fighters being showcased (Juri, Deejay, and T. Hawk), we talked to Jamal Brewster, a gentleman who exchanged kindness for some time with Deejay during one of the night's four live demos. "He doesn't feel cheap or overpowered .. he does feel good though, like he belongs in the game -- a lot of his moves have been retained from previous games," Brewster told us, echoing sentiments from Seth Killian earlier in the night. But how did you get chosen to play the game, you lucky dog? "One of the representatives here, she was almost passing out in the corner over there, and a friend of mine and I noticed this, so we did our best to try to help her out. We sat her down, gave her some water, and the people here were so grateful that they offered me a chance to play Super Street Fighter IV and they gave me an autographed hoodie of Tatsunoko vs Capcom." In case it wasn't already clear: Yes, Capcom Fight Club is most certainly for the fans. Hit the break for a video of the new characters in action (sorry about the quality -- it was really dark) and be sure to peep the gallery below -- it's just like you were there! We'll have a hands-on of Tatsunoko vs Capcom's final two characters later on. Promise.%Gallery-76410%
Fox breaks the first rule, talks about Fight Club on Blu-ray
Just in time for Thanksgiving turkey, Fox will be releasing the Blu-ray version of Fight Club on November 17th. With a bit of luck, there will be something here for everyone: a high quality, 1080p, 2.40:1 transfer for videophiles, new layers of Dust Brothers sonic mayhem in the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack for audiophiles, and the requisite extras for those who are fans of the movie itself. Making the jump to Blu-ray are the same features from the special edition of the DVD as well as some Blu-sclusives like 'Insomniac Mode' and 'A Hit in the Ear,' which will let you remix the audio in four scenes (with help from a pro so you don't break anything). The airplane crash scene in this movie is a DVD demo favorite, so let's hope this $35 release gets treated right.
Unannounced 'Pinnacle Station' Mass Effect DLC now available
click for more photographic proof! As we all know, the first and second rules of Fight Club are that you do not talk about Fight Club. Appropriately, Microsoft and BioWare haven't talked much about their Palahniuk-inspired Mass Effect DLC, Pinnacle Station; despite the fact that it hasn't even been formally announced, it's now available on Xbox Live Marketplace for 400 ($5). According to the DLC's online description, Pinnacle Station will force you to "test the limits of your combat prowess aboard a remote, top-secret Alliance space station," brawling through 13 new "combat scenarios," and adding 2 to 3 hours of play time to the soon-to-be-sequeled space opera. We plan on picking it up ASAP, if only to see if Meat Loaf and spliced-in images of genitalia make an appearance. (We're thinking no.) [Thanks to everyone who sent this curious item in!] %Gallery-70907%
Ghostcrawler: The rules of the role forums
1st Rule: You do not talk about the role forums.2nd Rule: You do not talk about the role forums.3rd Rule: If this is your first post on the role forums, you have to fight.There are eight rules to Fight Club, and there are eight rules to the new role forums. Coincidence? Highly likely. Ghostcrawler has referenced the movie before, and for some reason I could see him kicking the crap out of himself screaming "Don't nerf me, bro!"But nonetheless, Ghostcrawler has outlined eight simple and easy to follow rules for these new discussion forums. We'll take a look at them all after the break, but the highlight of the rules is rule #4 which in part says, "Sometimes Blizzard employees, such as me, respond to threads." That along with the preamble remark that "...class designers, such as myself, visit [the class forums] less often than the role forums," makes these new forums very interesting.It looks like the discussion and back and forth we've come to see in the beta will continue on the new role forums. This can only lead to good things.The full rules after the break for all you special and unique snowflakes.
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Warriors of Time on Moon Guard hosts Bare Naked Boxing
Hagiel, the guild leader of Warriors of Time on the Moon Guard server, is having a birthday this week (happy birthday!), and to celebrate, they're hosting something that sounds awesome: bare naked boxing duels. This Thursday, October 9th, at 6:30pm server (which I believe will leave you enough time to still come out to our meetup later in the evening if you're in Anaheim), they're all meeting in front of Orgrimmar, and it's fight club time. To fuel the festivities, we hear there will be beer and treats also -- let me tell you, if you've never gotten drunk in game, taken off all of your clothes and weapons, and gotten in the ring with just your fists, you're missing out.Seems like it's always the Moon Guard folks holding all of these fun player-run events, seems like. If you're running an event or you know about one going down on your server, feel free to drop us a tip, and let us know also if you make it to these things. We're always interested in seeing pictures or videos of player-made events going down. And good luck to the fighters on Moon Guard Thursday night, because you know what they say: If this is your first time to bare naked boxing, you have to get naked and box.
Switched On: The rules of Soda Club (Part 2)
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: Last week's Switched On presented the basics of the Soda Club soda -making system. This week 's conclusion drills down more into the system's advantages and tradeoffs per the final rules of Soda Club. The fourth rule of Soda Club is: Two SodaMixes to a bottle. One advantage of making your own soda should be the ability to custoimze it to your liking. Adjusting the amount of carbonation is one way, but experimenting with different flavor combinations is another. Remember that silly product a major cola provider came out with a few years ago that was essentially half-regular cola and half-diet cola? There's no problem creating that with Soda Club. Vanilla colas can be made by mixing cola and cream soda mixes. That said, while you can vary the amount of SodaMix to a bottle, there isn't a lot of leeway. Putting in too much of the syrupy SodaMix resulted in an undrinkable concoction.Fifth rule: One bottle at a time. One of SodaMix's strongest arguments is that it saves money in the long-run. The company estimates the cost of a liter of soda at 42 cents per liter (and even less for seltzer), but two-liter bottles of premium soda brands are often on sale for 99 cents and you can of course go lower buying lesser-known brands. That said, in most cases Soda Club sodas taste as good as "the real thing." I tried many varietes, including lemon-lime and diet lemon-lime, cream and diet cream, root beer, and of course cola, diet cola and even caffeine-free diet cola. Soda Club also has flavors that taste like Dr. Pepper and Mountain Dew as well as an energy drink, but I was disappointed that the former was unavailable when I tried to order it.Soda Club also has some flavors you probably won't find in the store, such as orapple-peach and cranberry-raspberry. All but one of Soda Club's regular flavors are sweetened with sucrose insstead of high-fructose corn syrup and its diet flavors are sweetened with Splenda.
Switched On: The rules of Soda Club (Part 1)
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment: The first rule of Soda Club is: beverage companies do not talk about Soda Club. Many Switched On columns have addressed devices that quench the thirst for digital entertainment. This one addresses a thirst that often develops while enjoying it, one that Americans often quench by drinking more than 55 billion liters of soda and seltzer each year.That statistic comes via Soda Club, which offers a system for making your own soda at home. It consists of one of three carbonating devices, specially designed reusable bottles, and a selection of 25 SodaMixes that, when combined with carbonated water, produce various flavors of soda. The company touts a number of advantages to this approach, including cost, convenience and environmental benefits. Soda Club, which requires no recurring membership fees like a music club, was started in 1991 but came to the US five years ago.The second rule of Soda Club is, supermarkets DO NOT TALK about Soda Club. Since everything in Soda Club is shipped to you, there's no more heavy lifting of cases or two-liter bottles. A stubby bottle of SodaMix can make abut 12 liters of soda and costs between $3 and $5, excluding shipping. Soda Club promotes that homemade sodas are less expensive than store-bought brands such as honk honk and honk honk (that's Coke and Pepsi). Soda Club also claims that even its non-diet soda mixes have 2/3 less sugar than store brands.
