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This dog has no patience for your stupid iPad games
Everyone's gotten a little bit heated over a rough game of Candy Crush Saga, but if you think your iOS gaming temper is bad then you've never met Violet. Violet is a greyhound that loves her iPad, but doesn't take kindly to being bested by a game that's made for cats. As you can see in the video below, sometimes her temper gets the best of her.
Diablo III patch improves pets, Greater Rifts, and Witch Doctors
The latest patch for Diablo III is out now for players in North America, and it's a big one for pets. Area damage now hits pets for less damage than before, some pets have had their health increased, and in general there's a play philosophy focus that pets should be roughly as durable as the class that summoned them in the first place. It's good news if you tend to take part in the game with a companion creature or two. The update also makes a variety of adjustments to Greater Rifts, altering the behavior of enemies found within the rifts and removing certain maps form the rotation. Witch Doctors have also received a variety of buffs, with several fetishes getting substantially more life and improved functionality. Take a gander at the full patch notes to see how much has changed.
Get your Thundering Serpent Hatchling while you can
Challenge modes will be making an exit with the launch of Patch 6.0.2 -- players looking to get their Challenge Mode gear should do so before the patch hits. But one of the sometimes overlooked bonuses of Challenge Modes is going away as well. The Thundering Serpent Hatchling, a reward from the Challenge Conquerors: Gold - Guild Edition achievement, will also be taking its leave with the release of the patch, according to a tweet by Senior Game Designer Jonathan LeCraft. @CKarner The ability to buy the hatchling is going away in 6.0, so buy it now.- Jonathan LeCraft (@TheCrafticus) September 17, 2014 Players might not know about this sparky little Battle Pet, especially if they've recently joined a guild. The Thundering Serpent Hatchling isn't rewarded solely to the people that earned the achievement for the guild, it's a pet that is unlocked on the Guild Vendor. Anyone with at least Revered guild reputation can purchase it, but the serpent cannot at this time be caged -- which means you aren't going to find this little guy floating around on the Auction House. If you haven't picked him up yet, you might want to do so now -- because there's been no mention made of any possible future return.
Stay adorably in tempo with Petronome
Petronome is a free app that offers itself as a standard metronome with animal noises instead of the typical click sounds. This app seems to target children studying music because the noises are very playful. The incentive to download this app as a parent would be to make music practice more exciting for your child. I used Petronome while playing my keyboard at home. It functions perfectly as a basic metronome. As an adult it truly does feel a little silly to have animal noises guide me through practicing a new song. However, as a child I probably would get a huge kick out of it. I hated practicing piano when I was younger and Petronome might have motivated me to practice enough to become a much more dedicated and professional musician. The animations are very clever and adorable. The noises that accompany them however, are not very realistic to their corresponding animals. The cat sounds more like a high pitched squeaky toy. The chicken sounds like a rusty wheel. The dog bark is probably the closest to sounding like an actual animal noise. The user can choose to slow or speed up the bpm and the app displays the proper Italian name for that tempo. This metronome has entertainment and educational value that could be appealing to children studying music. A user is able to access other animal sounds with the premium version of the app, including a fish, a duck, an owl, and a frog. For 99 cents, that might be worth it for a young musician who is also a huge fan of any of these animals and can be used infinitely. The App Store description mentions that Petronome is good for pet lovers or a rock star. I don't really see Bono bothering with this app, which is definitely more of a toy than it is a useful tool. However, perhaps the next generation "Bono" - who may currently be a six year old learning guitar or piano - may find this app to be very appealing. I don't necessarily see pet lovers using the app just to hear animal sounds as there are already many toys with more realistic sounds that serve that same purpose. Petronome is cute and useful for users under the age of 10. It's great to help beginner musicians focus in a way that is creative and entertaining. As a free app, it is certainly worth a try for young music students.
Alterac Brew Pup 40% off this week
Pet collectors, if you've been waffling over whether or not to pick up the adorable, fuzzy Alterac Brew Pup, this might be the week to do it. This shaggy little critter will not only keep you warm during the cold, mountainous nights, it will carry your beer for you, too. A dwarf's (or pandaren's) best friend, truly. The Alterac Brew Pup will be available for 40% off until September 6th, 2014. Get 'em while they're hot, and while the beer is cold.
Elder Scrolls Online introduces subscriber loyalty program
ZeniMax has just announced a subscriber loyalty program for Elder Scrolls Online that is slated to start in September. If you're eligible, you'll receive an email and subsequently a High Hrothgar Wraith vanity pet provided that you've been subscribed for three months. "The loyalty program will keep expanding over time," ZeniMax says, and you'll be able to collect pets and other upcoming rewards once you meet the requirements, so don't worry if you've canceled your sub already but plan to return.
Warlords of Draenor: New mount and pet revealed
I'm personally not a big pet or mount person. I have the one mount I really ever use, I'm happy with it, and that's pretty much the beginning and end of it. But a lot of people (like my fantastic wife, for example) do like those things. And so, the news that Jonathan LeCraft revealed this weekend will undoubtedly make those people very, very happy - namely, that there will be a new mount for obtaining the 250 mounts achievement Mountacular, the Emerald Drake. Even more interesting to me, from a game history perspective, is the Time-Locked Box and its occupant, the Bronze Whelpling. This is a pet with, as one might expect, a long history within World of Warcraft. Fun fact: the bronze whelpling and its summon spell were created in 2004, but never made it into the game. - Jonathan LeCraft (@TheCrafticus) August 11, 2014 That's a long time to wait for a pet to be introduced. But at last it's here, right? Looking forward to both, at least from the perspective of a guy who wants people to be happy.
Smart collar turns your cat into a WiFi hacking weapon
Forget Trojan horses -- it's the cats you have to worry about. Security engineer Gene Bransfield has developed WarKitteh, a tech-laden collar that turns feline companions into scouts for WiFi hackers. The innocuous-looking accessory hides a Spark Core board that maps wireless networks and their vulnerabilities wherever the pet wanders. If used in the field, the technology would be pretty sneaky; the cat stalking mice in your backyard could represent the prelude to an attack on your wireless router.
Warlords of Draenor Beta: New hunter pets
Bendak over at Eyes of the Beast has been doing excellent work over the course of the beta, and one of the things he's discovered is a big expansion to an existing pet family and the creation of an entirely new family - the rhino family has been renamed the clefthooves family (you can see Bendak above with one he tamed) and it now includes all the Outland and Draenor clefthooves in addition to rhinos from Azeroth, and there's a new family called the Stag family, which includes all Azerothian stags and the Talbuks from Outland and Draenor. The Draenor talbuks aren't currently tameable, but they're slated to be. I know quite a few hunters who've wanted stags for quite some time. This should make them very happy, and I've always thought it was weird we could tame rhinos but not clefthooves.
World of Warcraft's 10th anniversary preview
Ten years is a long time. Ten years ago, in 2004, I was 20 years old and entering my third semester of college--also entangled in endless piles of paperwork while I prepared to spend a year studying at the University of New South Wales in Sydney for the calender year 2005. Ten years ago, in November 2004, World of Warcraft officially launched. The mark that WoW has left on the gaming industry is indisputable--but we're not here for musing retrospectives. At least, not yet. We're here because there's going to be a whole bunch of fun in-game events to celebrate WoW's first decade of existence, and Blizzard has given us a lovely preview of what at least a few of them are.
Warlords of Draenor: Updates to Darkmoon Faire
The Darkmoon Faire has come to the beta servers, and with it, a bunch of updates and additions including games, pets, and vanity items. There are new ways to earn Darkmoon tickets, new ways to spend them, and new discoveries to be made on the mysterious Darkmoon Island. Our friends over at Wowhead have tested out the new games, and they seem like a ton of fun. The first is the Firebird's Challenge, where you have to fly through rings of fire in the air. If you miss, you lose the debuff that keeps you aloft. There are a series of achievements for staying aloft, and earning the last and most difficult of them rewards you with the Blazing Wings, a vanity item that gives you a pair of fiery but non-functional wings for an hour. The second game is a racing game around the island, with a series of quests to go with it. You have to make it to certain markers along the western part of the Faire, while zeppelins shoot at you to slow you down. There are a number of power-ups to be had along the way, from simple sprint shoes to a sack of bunnies that will distract a zeppelin from shooting at you. In addition, there is a new pet trainer--Cristoph VonFeasal--and a new pet you can win in the bag of goodies you get for defeating him. There are a bunch of new vanity items, including both skirt- and pants-set versions of NPC clothing items found only in Gilneas. Sadly, these clothing items are white-quality, which means they cannot be transmogged. Finally, there are, as ever, a whole set of new epic-quality Darkmoon deck trinkets--the Iron Deck, Moon Deck, Visions Deck, and War Deck--which I'm sure will be hot commodities come WoD. I'm glad to see the Faire getting an update, it's one of my favorite regular events, and new things to do there are always welcome.
Warlords of Draenor: New battle pet models
Over the last few days we've all become intimately familiar with the new Molten Corgi pet and its model. Two more datamined battle pet models have joined it: the Grovestrider Hatchling and the Draenei Micro Defender. In addition, there's another new pet currently sans model: the Dwarf Gronnling. I am going to make an educated guess and say that this last pet probably looks like a teeny tiny gronn. If so, that'll be fantastic. I've always wanted one of those. The Grovestrider Hatchling is a fun, if pretty typical-looking small bird model with blue, green, and sliver feathers and red eyes. Of the two new models, the Draenei Micro Defender definitely steals the show. As one of the Wowhead commenters points out it looks like a little Protoss. It's got two shiny shields and some chic crystalline armor. I'm definitely going to try and get my grubby little paws on that thing as soon as I can. Images courtesy of Wowhead
Entropia Universe comes to smartphones with pet battle system
If you couldn't get enough of Entropia Universe's RMT-based virtual world gameplay on your PC, the devs have announced today that the game will soon be coming to several additional platforms, including smartphones and tablets. Through the new Competitive Pet (ComPet) system, players can battle their pets through various "maturity and price levels available to fit players of all types, including a free-to-play version." Before the ComPet system is launched, 200,000 ComPet deeds will be sold at 100 Project Entropia Dollars (10 USD) each and players will earn 30% of all deeded pet revenue. ComPet is set to be available in Q1 of 2015.
Five apps that'll help dog lovers care for their four-legged friends
It's new pet season for the staff at TUAW with both Editor-In-Chief Victor Agreda, Jr. and fellow editor Steve Sande both welcoming new kittens into their homes. Lest the dog-friendly folk be worried about us being overrun with cats, I am happy to say that we have balanced the scale with a new 9-week-old yellow labrador retriever, Remington. Being a techie pet owner, I just had to search the App Store for the best apps for new puppy and adult dog owners alike. Dog Park Finder Plus [iOS Universal; $1.99] One of the hardest parts about having a dog, especially in an urban area, is finding a spot to safely take Fido outside for a walk. Dog Park Finder Plus is an app for North American dog owners that lists over 6,000 dog-friendly parks and beaches as well as 12,000 dog-friendly restaurants for those necessary post-frisbee snacks. Pet First Aid by American Red Cross [iPhone; $0.99] After my 9-week-old puppy grabbed a scrunchy and gobbled it down in under a minute, I realized then that I needed to have a First Aid app on my phone for pets. Though not a replacement for a veterinarian, the American Red Cross Pet First Aid app provides quick access to easy-to-follow advice for those everyday emergencies that need attention, but are not life-threatening. The app also includes pet profiles that allow you to store important health details and veterinarian contact information for your pets. Peterest - Pet Photo Gallery [iOS Universal; Free] What pet owner doesn't absolutely love pictures of pets, especially when they are adorable? If you can't get enough cute animal photos, then your must download Peterest, a free social image gallery for pet pictures. BringFido - Pet Friendly Hotels [iPhone; Free] Traveling with a pet can be challenging as not every establishments is accepting of our furry, four-legged friends. If you plan to bring Fido along with you, then you should consult the BringFido app to find the best hotels, attractions, and restaurants that welcome pets. DogVacay [iPhone; Free] Sometimes taking your pet on vacation is impossible. For those moments, you can check out DogVacay, a US-based service that helps you find a loving sitter instead of a kennel for your animal best friends.
Qiraji Guardling pet now appearing on all realms
June 21 is the first official day of summer, and that means the Qiraji Guardling has begun spawning on all servers. Like its counterpart the Snowy Owl, this pet is only seasonally available, which means you've got a limited time to capture one for yourself. The Guardling spawns in southern Silithus, along the walls of Ahn'Qiraj -- both inside the entrance area, and just outside near the Scarab Wall. The pet spawns anywhere from poor to rare quality, and is always accompanied by two other critters, so make sure you've got a decent team put together before you set out. The Qiraji Guardling is on the list of required pets for the World Safari achievement and its associated Zookeeper title, so if you're looking to complete those achievements, you'll want to grab one of these pets while they are available. No need to hurry too quickly, though -- the Qiraji Guardling will keep spawning until the Autumnal Equinox, which falls on Tuesday, September 23 this year. Happy hunting!
WoW's 10th anniversary pet tribute to Hogger
In the past Blizzard has occasionally given out battle pets as gifts to players for logging in during the game's anniversary period. Previous anniversary rewards have included the Baby Blizzard Bear and Onyxian Whelpling. This year is an extra-special landmark: the 10th anniversary of WoW, and the 20th of the Warcraft franchise as a whole. As a result, we seem to be getting an extra-special battle pet, a humanoid called Hogs, who bears a strangely-similar aesthetic to that legend of lowbie leveling: Hogger. I love the choice of a Hogger tribute for the 10th anniversary pet. It's such a community touchstone for those of us who have played the game--if you've at any point leveled a human character, even to 10 or so, you've probably encountered Hogger. That may not be all of us, but it's many of us, and it's a great choice for the game's first decade of life. Here's to Hogs!
The Daily Grind: Would you like more client-side customization options?
Lord of the Rings Online's latest patch brings some interesting client-side changes to the long-running fantasy MMO. Namely, the update gives you the ability to turn off other players' cosmetic pets. Turbine's announcement post mentions that this will help if you're having performance problems, but it'll also help with immersion if, like me, you're one of those crazy Tolkien nutters who wants a Tolkien-based MMO to look like Tolkien's Middle-earth. In fact, I'd love to see the option expanded to include Loremaster combat pets, Runekeeper spell effects, and heck, even an ignore list that filters annoying players out of the game visually instead of just removing their chat. That last one may be technically impossible, but I can dream! What about you, Massively readers? Would you like to see more client-side customization options in your MMOs? If so, what sorts? 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!
The Mighty Quest For Epic Loot adds loot-fetching pets
The Mighty Quest for Epic Loot's playerbase knows well the busywork of sorting heaps of loot to find great items, but now they can leave the task to a sidekick and focus on earning glory. Ubisoft Montreal has added four pets to the free-to-play dungeon crawler, which tag along for castle raids if you're willing to part with the involved funds. Players can pick between Lil Flameo, a miniature crimson dragon, Lil Arachbro, a spider Ubisoft describes as "adoragross," Snugglemuffin, a hamster that rolls around in a protective ball, and Mr. Squiddlins, a bucket with an eye and a tentacle. They all serve the same purpose, but Mr. Squiddlins can be purchased with 7,000 gold, while the other three pets are available in exchange for 575 Blings, the game's currency that's exchanged for real-life money. Adventurers seeking a particular grade of loot can tell their pet which types of items to covet and which to ignore via the Options menu. If you're ready for a sidekick, you can adopt a pet at the in-game Cornelius' Emporium. [Image: Ubisoft]
PS Vita Pets plays fetch on June 3
PlayStation Vita Pets, the pet simulation-meets-adventure game from Spiral House, will launch June 3 in North America and June 4 in Europe. In the game, players choose from four different dogs, care for them, then explore Castlewood Island to "uncover the long lost legend of a king and his dog." Sony's answer to Nintendogs was announced in August, at which point it was revealed that the animals in the game talked like humans. PlayStation Blog noted today that the game features roughly 10,000 lines of spoken dialogue, which is around 10,000 more lines than you'd expect to hear out of any animal. [Image: SCEE]
The Breaking of Isengard: A play session with Lord of the Rings Online's Update 13
It's strange to realize that Lord of the Rings Online players have been exploring Volume III of the epic story for four years now. With Update 13: The Breaking of Isengard, all of that is going to end. Volume III will wrap up, Saruman will get what's coming to him, and players will have a new endgame before heading out to Gondor. We had a play session with the LotRO devs today covering the final eight chapters of Volume III and chatting a bit about what players will fill their time with as they wait for Update 14. Update 13 is certainly replete with plenty to do and see, from an upgraded inventory, mail improvements, a scaling Ettenmoors, revamped zones, and new crafting challenges, but the main story is what pushes the game forward. In the final chapters of Volume III, players will not only investigate what happened to Isengard during the Battle of Helm's Deep but will have the option of jumping into the shoes (roots?) of an Ent for a unique perspective of an important character in the books. It'll be worth the journey, if only to have a shot at obtaining the first (non-Lore-master) cosmetic pets in the game. You read that right.
