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Asda 2 closed beta starts tomorrow
If getting married, fishing, or fighting over mining rights sounds like a pleasant diversion from your typical MMO fare, then you may want to check out Asda 2. The PvP-centric sequel to Asda Story is going into closed beta tomorrow, May 5th, until Monday the 9th. During this five-day period, testers can experience Asda 2's signature Avatar system to control their characters' look and style. If a friend tags along for the ride, then the game's Soul Mate feature will allow the pair of you to level faster, gain access to new skills, and increase in power when playing together. GamesCampus' Uyen Ton Nu hopes that Asda fever catches on: "There is already so much anticipation for Asda 2 that we are really looking forward to player feedback as we introduce them to this new title in the Asda franchise." You can sign up for the limited closed beta period over at Asda 2, and don't forget to check out the trailer for the game after the jump!
Gearbox helps man propose via Claptrap
You can add one more feature to the list of Borderlands' Claptrap's various robotic abilities. Along with "dancin' ... dancin'!", getting angry about overlooked awards and taking over the world, you can now list "proposing marriage." That's what the wacky automatron did for one Gearbox Software fan named Ben, who reportedly found love with girlfriend Tora by playing co-op through the loot-littered FPS. Ben contracted Gearbox to let them know how much he loved their game and the girl, and it responded by making a video for him featuring Claptrap (eventually) popping the question, which you can watch right after the break. And yes, though Ben's video of the magic moment is quite loud, she did say yes. Congrats to the happy couple, and if you're wondering where the cars live to go for a honeymoon drive, we hear Scooter can help getchu one.
Drama Mamas: What to do after inappropriate chat between wife and guildie
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. Marriage is hard -- really, really hard. It's full of compromise and sacrifice. Sharing WoW as a common hobby can be a real boon to a healthy marriage, but it can also be a hotbed of temptation for an unhealthy one. Dear Robin and Lisa, I find myself in a situation that I have largely brought upon on myself. What I come to you for help in is what to do after I bust my butt fixing things. My wife and I both play WoW and lately I haven't been playing as much as I used to. Well along those same lines, I've been a bit blinded by my own happiness and blissfully living in ignorance of how the rest of my life outside of the game was going as far as the happiness of my wife. As of recently I have come to find out that she isn't as happy as I thought and that she has been sending text messages back and forth with a guildmate, that borders on the wrong side.
Report: Wife says no, Apple says yes to iPad 2
The folks over at MacRumors heard a story that's unsourced and most likely apocryphal, but it's just too good to not share. According to "an individual close to Apple," the company in Cupertino has been going over iPad 2 returns in order to keep track of various problems with the new tablet, and among the returns was one affixed with just a little Post-it note saying something every would-be early tech adopter husband will probably understand: "Wife says no." Supposedly, the return was sent up the corporate lines as something funny, and as MacRumors says, "two of the VPs got wind of it." They decided to do something nice for the guy and reportedly sent him out a free iPad 2, along with their own note: "Apple says yes." Very cute. We've contacted Apple to see if there's any truth to this one, and we'll let you know if we hear back. Urban legend or not, it's a great story.
The Guild Counsel: Power Couples
Last week, in honor of Valentine's Day, The Guild Counsel took a look at the challenges and uniqueness of online relationships in MMOs and the role guilds have (and don't have) in the equation. It might seem a little strange to some, but there are many who can vouch for the fact that these relationships are indeed strong and can turn into successful marriages. Thanks to those who shared their stories! This week, we're shifting gears a bit to look at spouses in guilds. Whether they met online or not, married couples can affect a guild differently from individual members. And when one spouse is in a position of power, things can get even more complicated. Read on for a look at how to avoid having the MMO version of Heidi and Spencer in your guild.
The Guild Counsel: Till death do us part?
Yes, sometimes being part of a guild feels like being in a marriage -- there's lots of commitment, lots of responsibility, and all too often, lots of arguing and fighting. But this week, we're actually going to look at the issue of online romance and online relationships in MMOs. As games and communities increase in number, more and more players are developing lasting relationships, and some of those have even led to marriage. Since the Valentine's Day roses are still fresh and there are still a few chocolates left in the heart-shaped box, this week's Guild Counsel will look at a few dos and don'ts of online romance. Joining me this week is Arithion, host of the Rift Podcast. She met her husband in game, and they've been married for four years. She'll share some valuable advice on what to do if you think you've found that special someone.
Took longer than expected: A marriage proposal in Minecraft
Wow, you really can build anything in Minecraft: To-scale models of the U.S.S. Enterprise, gigantic explorable globes, or relationships that last a lifetime. Check out the video after the jump to see one BioWare audio designer's super saccharine, equally nerdy request for betrothment.
Zentia pushes patch 1.2 live
If you've been looking forward to the big expansion patch for Zentia, you're in luck. The patch has recently gone live, giving players a chance to enjoy a plethora of content -- including the marriage system, a rather apropos addition that allows players to have both a ceremony and a reception to commemorate the happiest in-game day of their characters' lives. And if you're not quite feeling in the spirit of Valentine's Day, the newly increased level cap should still offer you plenty to work toward. East Island, a level 70-80 zone, has also been added to the game, complete with mounts and pets to locate. There's also a new Discipline system in place to allow players to focus on new class-based combat skills, helping to distinguish characters and focus specialization. Between that and a variety of new items (including some additions to the cash shop, as could be expected), Zentia players have more ways than ever to enhance a character and plenty of new content to enjoy.
EverQuest becomes ever after: A talk with Linda Carlson of SOE
When it comes to getting involved with community, Sony Online Entertainment's Director of Global Community Relations Linda Carlson knows it well. Most often seen tromping around conventions dressed as her beer-craving Dwarven alter-ego Brasse, Carlson was a fixture at SOE's Fan Faire events and author of her own gaming comic long before she ever started working for the studio. As we had the chance to find out recently, this was due at least in part to EverQuest changing her life many, many years prior. While these days meeting up with someone you've met online is considered fairly commonplace, when you look back to the earliest days of MMO gaming, it generally was not something many people did. Even if you did meet someone from "on the computer," they tended to be folks from one or another BBS -- local connections that were easily made and just as easily dismissed. The idea of not only meeting someone online in a romantic fashion but leaving the country you live in to see him/her was considered completely insane. "What if you don't get along? Or what if he/she is a murderer?" your friends might ask, since this was all really new territory and nobody quite knew what would happen. Still, some early MMO gamers like Carlson gathered up their courage and took that gamble. In honor of Valentine's Day, we interviewed Carlson about how her EverQuest connection became an "ever after" -- join us after the break!
Zentia offers lots of goodies in upcoming patch 1.2
When it comes to irreverent, fun, free-to-play games that some of the crew here at Massively are fond of, Zentia has managed to earn a spot on that listing. Sure, the brightly-colored landscape may not be in everyone's style, but games that don't take themselves seriously definitely should be! Along with the promise of everyday shrimp versus crab battles, Zentia's upcoming 1.2 patch will add in a lot of things that players have been looking forward to. Aside from a new zone, new mounts, pets, items and more things of a normal nature that players expect in large updates, patch 1.2 will also offer up many other changes. Among the plans are a new Marriage system, a way to earn even more experience, and a Consignment system that will allow players to sell their items to other players server-wide. For now, while we wait for more details, we have a teaser trailer after the jump, offering a first look into this upcoming Zentia expansion, as well as a few new screenshots tucked into the gallery below. But really, epic shrimp versus crab battles... Do we need to say more? %Gallery-98306%
A new use for Find My iPhone: Popping the question, Apple style
If you're a regular TUAW reader, you know we do a live show on Sunday evenings called the Talkcast. If you are a regular listener to the Talkcast, you know that I almost always give a shout out to our regular listeners, and I have been known to get up on a soapbox about how important our community is to us and that your tips and contributions are a very big part of our site. This is a wonderful example of how our regulars helped out one of our own. In case you missed it: on the episode recorded the Sunday before Christmas, we had Andrew (aka Macfan64) on with a very important question for us. He was going to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas, and he wanted to see if there was a way he could use his iPad to do it. After discussing a few ideas, it was suggested that a good way to start off would be to hand her the iPad (she was always taking off with it anyway to play -- what else? -- Angry Birds), and after loading a web page built specially for the occasion, she'd be off on a treasure hunt through the house. She was sent around to find things throughout the house by messages sent to the iPad using the Find My iPhone app (controlled by a family member). Eventually, she was led to the living room where the last item she found was a DVD to play. On the DVD was a slideshow of photos of the two of them together, and when the slideshow was over, Andrew offered the ring and popped the question. Luckily I didn't have to wait too long to find out how this turned out; I got a note on Christmas Day that she had accepted! It was wonderful to hear that Andrew was successful, not to mention that some of our Talkcast regulars were directly involved in making it happen. You can see highlights from the evening in Andrew's video on YouTube. If you keep an eye out for the end credits, you'll see that TUAW got a shout out for helping Andrew come up with the idea, in a nice Star Wars style crawl, no less. On behalf of all the folks here at TUAW, I am pleased to offer Andrew and Amy congratulations on their engagement and the best of wishes on their upcoming wedding.
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!
Breakfast Topic: Has playing WoW changed your life?
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. As I write this, it's my last week on the job. I work as a small-time newspaper reporter in the southern United States, and at the end of the week, that's going to be over. The following Sunday, I'm going to be packing up my meager belongings and heading to the Sunshine State. What brought on this change to my life? Why would I move, when Mark Twain himself if often quoted as saying, "Two moves equals one fire?" World of Warcraft did this to me -- but in a roundabout and fairly awesome way. I met my fiancée, a fellow WoW player, while battling foes and rounding up new prospective guildies to enter into the WoW social scene. What's funny is, at first, she said I was kind of mean to her. Despite blowing up guild chat with random quotes or lyrics, I was a fairly serious guild master, having to mediate disputes between raid fellows and defuse explosive situations with only words and hard choices. My fiancée and I ended up talking after one of these situations. She told me about her life, and I told her about mine. After months of speaking this way, we felt that we knew enough about each other to try a face-to-face meeting. I flew to the Bay Area and we met. Everything clicked into place after that. We're getting married next year, after a faction and server change (myself from dwarf to tauren warrior, her from draenei to troll mage). If you would have told me a year ago I'd be moving across the country because of World of Warcraft, I'd have thought you were crazy. Then again, it's a crazy world. How has World of Warcraft changed your life, and in what ways?
Found Footage: Using an iPhone and a movie theatre to propose marriage
Wow! These days, it seems, if you're going to propose, popping the question needs to be done in a super creative, ultra romantic fashion. Gone are the days of proposing to your love after a few drinks at the local pub or after a few too many at a New Years Eve party (Both proposals I know of, both ladies said yes)! Apparently, If you're going to do it right in this day and age, you need to do it akin to the stratosphere that B.B Bling did it in. This guy took his girlfriend to the cinema where they watched their first movie together (OK, nothing too special there), but after a few commercials, what appeared to be an iPhone commercial came on the screen. However, it turned out to be a full blown music video proposal, written and performed by the groom to be. Using apps from his iPhone, the song declared Bling's undying love for his stunned girlfriend, culminating in an on screen proposal. Thankfully, she said yes, and the rest of the cinema goers burst into applause. To to top it all off, the track is now available for purchase on the iTunes store to finance the wedding. From all of us here at TUAW, we say well done to you, sir! And congratulations to the happy couple. Now, why didn't I think of that? For all the juicy details, click here.
Runes of Magic Chapter III adds marriage, raises level cap
Frogster and Runewaker Entertainment have announced that Runes of Magic is adding even more content to its recent Chapter III publish, in the form of tomorrow's 3.0.3 update. The patch boasts an entirely new zone, the Northern Janost Forest, which also adds over 100 new quests to the free-to-play fantasy title. In addition to the new high-level content, the player level cap is being raised to 60. The patch is also introducing a new relationship system whereby players can bind themselves as lovers, friends, or as a master and an apprentice. Each pairing grants buffs to players when grouped with their significant others, and marriage is also possible via a wedding ring and a special chapel in the city of Varanas. Finally, Frogster is implementing a new beginner pet to ease the newbie transition into the world of Taborea. The pet manifests itself in the form of a pixie and grants buffs and heals in addition to providing gameplay hints.
OGPlanet announces N.E.O. Online
OGPlanet has announced the release of its latest free-to-play MMORPG, a fantasy title called N.E.O. Online. Set in the monster-infested world of Gaia, N.E.O. allows players the freedom to upgrade abilities and statistics at will, rather than being restricted to a traditional class/level system. While at first blush N.E.O. may sound like yet another entry into the increasingly overcrowded free-to-play fantasy market, the title boasts at least one unique feature that bears watching. Player actions are the centerpiece of the Chaos Meter system, in which user decisions determine how dangerous particular sections of the game world are at a given time. If players fight evil, the Chaos Meter will empty and the world will reflect peace. If players disrupt the peace or engage in evil acts, the Chaos Meter will fill, and Gaia will become populated with powerful creatures. PvP also becomes available as the Chaos Meter increases, and player conflict comes in mano-a-mano, group, and guild flavors. Spoils of victory include fame, money, and stat-boosting titles, many of which can only be worn by a single player in the game at any given time. N.E.O. Online also features crafting, a pet and mount system, and a marriage mechanic. Check out the official website for all the details.
Mabinogi releases Generation 3 in Europe
For those of you across the pond who have been looking for a bit more action in your "fantasy life," Nexon Europe has a bit of news that will likely be of interest. The company is gearing up to release the Generation 3 update to their game Mabinogi, which will escalate the fight between the Dark Knights (not to be confused with Batman, mind you) and Paladins. As part of Generation 3, players will be able to take up arms and battle for either side -- all the while enjoying newly uncapped skill ranks. Along with the new battle challenges, this update adds in a guild system, perfect for gathering your friends together before you enter the fray. Additionally, the marriage system has also been added for those who want to signify their character's connection with another. (No word on if digital alimony also enters into the picture, but then we'd guess it wouldn't be much of a "fantasy" life.) Experienced and new players alike can also take advantage of special Mabinogi Generation 3 launch quests to land some nice loot as they play. More details are available on the Nexon EU Mabinogi site, or you can check out the shiny new launch trailer after the break.
I-Fairy weds a couple of Japanese robot geeks (video)
Don't act surprised. Japan, the land that just can't get enough of robots -- whether it's for cooking, entertainment or interstellar warfare -- now also conducts its weddings with the help of a ceremonial drone. Tomohiro Shibata and Satoko Inoue, who met in the course of their work in robotics, decided that getting married with the help of the I-Fairy bot you see above was a "natural choice." We'll just assume that's a translational quirk and not an ultra-ironic statement from the happy couple. The I-Fairy isn't quite as realistic as some of Kokoro's other humanoids, but it does come with flashing, anime-sized eyes, which we're gonna go ahead and assume are popular over in Nippon. Video after the break.
Peace in the home: Sharing an iPad with your spouse
I'm sure many of you find yourselves in the sometimes-uncomfortable position of alpha geek in your households. It's a lonely perch, with responsibility for every gadget and gizmo under the familial roof; more frustrating, your spouse and children don't share your perfectly rational enthusiasm for all things iGlorious, and can't understand your willingness to spend a Saturday morning on line with strangers at the mall. You might even be faced with some completely unfair public criticisms of your parenting skills or attention span. It's a tough spot. Believe me, I know how it is. Imagine my glee, therefore, when my wife (no Luddite, but no raving technophile either) expressed her eagerness for an iPad. She's entering her final year of graduate studies, and with so much classwork reading available as PDF files, the iPad is a natural choice for her use; besides, she has grown deeply dissatisfied with the Kindle's lack of backlight and challenging PDF handling. With bilateral consensus on the purchase -- and if you think that's an easy sell on a $500-plus expenditure, think again -- we opted to get a 32GB unit and forgo the 3G version that I had told myself I was waiting for. It's delightful, it's wonderful... and it's raised an entirely new set of issues. Taking the iPad from its core single-user metaphor and sharing it between two people, even two people who love each other and collaboratively tackle the much larger challenges of raising children together, is a tall order. I've been building a list of adjustments and adaptations, in the hope that we can help other couples find their way. Photo by http://www.flickr.com/photos/allyrose18/ / CC BY-ND 2.0
