regret
Latest
You've got an hour to unsend messages on WhatsApp
Sometimes you need more than seven minutes to unsend a message on WhatsApp. Thankfully, with the most recent update, now we do. The most recent patch (2.18.31) extends the "delete for everyone" period to one hour, eight minutes and 16 seconds according to a tweet from the messaging service. Is that oddly specific amount of time a reference to anything? It seems like it is, but as far as we know, it isn't. We do know one thing for sure: Telegram users have 48 hours to delete a message and save face before anyone else sees it, so WhatsApp still has some catching up to do. Both are still more generous than GMail's 30-second unsend feature though.
The Soapbox: On your deathbed, you will not regret gaming
In last week's edition of The Soapbox, Mike Foster reminded us that the grim specter of death comes to us all and asserted that when your time comes, "you will not wish you had spent more time gaming." Mike took the stance that gaming provides temporary joys that can't replace real-life experiences and that it's our inherent responsibility as human beings with finite lifespans to seek out those experiences. He argued that "gaming is a hobby and not a replacement for a life well-lived" and that it's not our gaming achievements but our real life ones that we'll proudly tell our grandchildren. I think we can all agree that it's important to have offline hobbies and interests that help you keep active, but I take exception to the notion that we might regret time spent gaming on our deathbeds. Published data on the top five regrets of the dying actually seems to directly refute this idea, and my life experiences have shown the exact opposite of some of the points Mike makes. MMOs have given me some experiences that I'll probably treasure for a lifetime, and gaming as a hobby has provided me with much more than just temporary joys and escapism; it's helped me discover talents I didn't know I possessed, given me the push I needed to get a good education, led me to employment, and put me in contact with lifelong friends. On my deathbed, I'll probably wish I'd spent more time gaming rather than less. In this opinion piece, I look at evidence that suggests we won't regret gaming on our deathbeds and make the case that gaming can be just as worthwhile as offline pursuits.
The Daily Grind: What MMO do you regret leaving?
I've played more MMOs than I can remember over the years, and nearly all of them have failed to capture my long-term interest. Most of the games in my also-ran box got a first look because of some quirky feature. Most of them didn't get a second look because -- aside from said feature -- they sucked. Every once in a while I'll regret leaving an MMO, though, and none moreso than Fallen Earth. Though I played extensively at launch and for a month or so after, I inexplicably forsook the wastelands for the world of Atreia. Upon returning to the game a few weeks ago and reconnecting with some old friends, I had to stop and take a moment to wonder what the heck I was thinking back in 2009. What about you, Massively crew? Have you had any similar head-scratching moments after rediscovering a previous title, and do you regret leaving 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!
Xbox Live Avatar tattoos now available
Firearms may have been too suggestive a topic for the Xbox Live Marketplace to broach, but apparently body modification is an A-OK, family friendly activity for everyone to enjoy. Xbox Live customers now have the opportunity to trade real money for virtual tattoos on fake people via the Marketplace. Available designs encompass the whole of "regrettable," from hot-rod flames and meaningless "tribal" scribbles to idealistic kanji symbols for "peace" and "love." We should point out that the tattoos aren't actually accessories, but rather t-shirts and tank tops with transparent design "sleeves" that replace your existing clothing, meaning that it's impossible to have a tattoo with anything other than a blank shirt. Tattoos are also arm specific, just like in real life, so make sure you're really committed to the placement of your "Mom" heart before dropping the Microsoft points. [Thanks, Randy.]
Drama Mamas: Confessions of a drama queen
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. People are people -- even former drama queens. When I started MMO gaming, there really weren't a lot of girls playing. In my first game, I was the only girl in our large guild system for a very long time. I totally milked that, too-I'd get free things and was consistently supported by guys going out of their way for me. I discovered very quickly that I really liked the attention. I'm ashamed to say I was very much "that girl" who would send nude photos to some guys in exchange for favors, and I'm not sure how much worse a person could really get. This behavior went on through multiple games; I liked being the "darling" of the group. And oh, the catfights that would ensue if another girl encroached on my territory...
Breakfast Topic: Behavior unbecoming a player
This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the AOL guest writer program that brings your words to WoW Insider's pages. Sometimes we do things that we'd rather forget. Sometimes we do those things in a dungeon. My guild has a few funny stories, such as the paladin tank who forgot to turn on Righteous Fury or DPSers who went through entire runs wearing fishing hats. In my case, I'm ashamed to say that I let a pushy dungeon group get to me and earned my only dungeon finder kick to date. It was late Wrath, in the early days of the dungeon finder when leaving a random still gave you a long, unavoidable DF cooldown. I queued as a healer and popped into heroic Drak'Tharon Keep. I greeted the group with a cheerful "Hi guys!" but was blindsided when one of the DPS replied, "less talking, more healing." We hadn't even pulled yet. I shut up, but the comment rankled so much that I immediately decided not to heal the DPSer. As a result, he died a couple times throughout the run and was rezzed by the ret pally. They were all from the same guild, so I knew any attempt I made to vote-kick the rude DPSer would fail. I seethed throughout the dungeon, healing only the tank and two of the DPS, and when we reached the last boss, I was the recipient of an unceremonious vote kick. I was angry at the time, but in retrospect, I deserved it. I should have dropped group the moment the comment was made and let them find a new healer. It's all water under the bridge by now, but that's the one dungeon moment of which I'm ashamed. Have you ever done something in WoW that you wish you hadn't? Was it with friends or strangers? Is it just a funny story now, or do you still feel sheepish?
Google funds project to teach computers regret, sadly won't lead to apologetic machines
We've seen a rather creepy array of robots programmed to mimic human emotions, but teaching a machine to feel regret? Now, that's a new one. With funding from Google, a team of Tel Aviv University researchers is working on an algorithm to teach computers to learn from their experiences, thus reducing instances of "virtual regret." According to the team's lead, such an algorithm would allow servers and routing systems to more efficiently deal with internet traffic, by recognizing and documenting things like sudden spikes in traffic or increased attention to an online product. Basically, the more they learn from their past inadequacies, the more effectual the machines become. Google's apparently interested in the potential impact on programs like AdSense and AdWords. Now, if they could just teach online advertisers a sense of shame... Full PR after the break.
The Daily Grind: What are your MMO regrets?
"Regrets, I've had a few -- but then again, too few to mention," Frank Sinatra once sang. "I did what I had to do and followed through without exemption." Tell me all about it, brother. Most of us have accumulated regrets from our gaming experiences over the years. Perhaps you didn't jump on board a terrific title back in its hayday and now can only experience it in its twilight years. Maybe there's a guild with which you built up tight relationships -- and then you let those relationships fall to the wayside as your interest in the game faltered. It could even be something as small as choosing a class ill-suited to you but refusing to give it up after you put a heap-load of time into it. What do you regret doing -- or not doing -- in MMOs? And more importantly, how have you been able to live with yourself ever since? Perhaps we should start a Massively Regret Recovery support group. Anyone who purchased Star Wars Galaxies' Trials of Obi-Wan right before the NGE is invited to be the keynote speaker of the first session. 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!
Lumines II shows off New Order's Regret
The biggest addition to Lumines' sequel has to be licensed music videos. The game will feature music from Beck, Black Eyed Peas, Chemical Brothers, and more. Eurogamer has a new video up showcasing New Order's Regret. There were some concerns that the music videos may be too distracting, but from what I can see in this video, it looks like everything's going to be fine.Lumines II hits stores on November 7th. And unlike the Xbox Live version of Lumines, this won't be a glorified demo.[Via DCemu]
Breakfast Topic: Moments of regret
Whether playing WoW while intoxicated, tired or simply under the weather, we all make mistakes. We vendor items we didn't mean to vendor, we destroy quest items thinking they're trash; it happens to everyone, sooner or later.One of my least favourite things to do is accidental disenchantment. It sounds hard - after all, you have to click on the Disenchant skill, then an item you're probably wearing - but after disenchanting several items in a row and then deciding to enchant a worn item, it's all too easy to click Disenchant by mistake. This happened to me, yesterday, for the second time; I disenchanted my tier 0.5 bracers rather than giving them a stamina enchant.Should this happen to you, don't worry -- it's not the end of the world. You can get the item restored, though the European GM I spoke to warned me that this process was only available once per account. Knowing that I'll be getting some better gear very soon, I decided not to choose this option, but since the tier 0.5 quests are non-repeatable I'm stuck in tier 0 for the time being. I'm happy it was only the bracers, which are blue, and not any of my epic items -- I'd have a hard time deciding whether epics today were more or less valuable than epics I might get tomorrow.Have you ever danced the disenchant tango? Had any other moments of regret? All I've learnt from this story is to install a "safe disenchanter" addon, and to be doubly careful when playing late at night.
