robin-williams
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Robin Williams tribute arrives in Warlords of Draenor
We knew that Blizzard was planning to add a Robin Williams tribute to the game and had even see datamined files suggesting we might meet Genie, Mork, or Mrs. Doubtfire inside World of Warcraft. However, we've gotten our first in-game look at what Robin will look like. On an island in the seas south of Talador (nearly to the boarder of Nagrand), you'll find an ever-burning lamp sitting on a ledge overlooking the sea. If you click on it, a genie-like NPC named Robin will emerge, yelling "INFINITE COSMIC POWER!" Robin only remains for a moment before shrinking back into his lamp, saying "Itty bitty living space." Also on the island is a large broken egg with a chair and some machinery inside -- no doubt a reference to Williams' role as Mork, an alien who arrived on earth in a similarly egg-like ship. There may yet be more to this tribute, since datamining has found additional NPCs, but whether they'll show up on this island, somewhere else entirely, or never arrive in the game itself we don't yet know.
Warlords of Draenor's Robin Williams tribute confirmed
Last month rumors swirled about a possible tribute to the late Robin Williams in this winter's World of Warcraft expansion. WoWhead has now confirmed that a new zone in Warlords of Draenor features an ever-burning interactive lamp which summons a genie who subsequently recites a line that Williams made famous in Aladdin. Data-miners have sussed out additional character models that might end up as Williams homages, as well as a new title -- "Comedian" -- and a large broken egg that could be a Mork & Mindy reference. Williams, an avid gamer and World of Warcraft player, died on August 11th. Warlords of Draenor releases on November 13th.
Robin Williams models possibly spotted in World of Warcraft files
Apparently Blizzard is making good on its word to include the late Robin Williams in an upcoming World of Warcraft build, as players have found a character named Robin <The Entertainer> tucked away in the game files. Datamining through Warlords of Draenor's files turned up three models for Robin, including a djinn (Disney's Aladdin), a human female with a man's voice (Mrs. Doubtfire), and a human male with suspenders (Mork). There are theories floating around that the djinn will morph into the other two characters while putting on a show for players, although we won't know for sure until the expansion releases this November. On the day following Robin William's death, fans petitioned the Blizzard to include a tribute to the comedian as he had been an avid WoW player through the years. Blizzard responded by saying that it was "working on it."
Robin Williams NPC appears in Warlords of Draenor
Robin Williams was a known gamer and his daughter's namesake is no secret -- Zelda Williams is named for none other than Princess Zelda. He was also a World of Warcraft player. Shortly after his death, Blizzard developers Chadd "Celestalon" Nervigg and Ion "Watcher" Hazzikostas responded to a player petition to honor the actor and comedian in-game. The latest Warlords of Draenor beta build includes Blizzard's tribute in the form of Robin the Entertainer. Currently, Wowhead has datamined three versions of Robin the Entertainer including a djinn, a human female, and a human male -- nods to Genie of Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, and possibly Mork. The NPCs have yet to be seen in-game, so the nature of these NPCs is currently unknown; they might be found in three different locations, or it could be a single representation of Robin Williams rotating through some of his most beloved roles. It's been theorized that he'll be a replacement for The Burning Crusade's Perry Gatner, a character that performed standup comedy in Shattrath's World's End Tavern.
Blizzard considering Robin Williams tribute NPC
Ever since Robin Williams' death this week, there's been talk of him getting an official NPC in World of Warcraft. It's an idea I certainly support -- Mister Williams was well known as a WoW player and overall lover of things gaming (when I lived in San Francisco, I actually bumped into him at a game store there, and he explained Warhammer figures to me for several minutes) -- and so far, Blizzard seems pretty receptive to the idea. Asked about a change.org petition on the subject, Celestalon tweeted the following response. @Dakirokos @mumper @CM_Lore @DaveKosak @davhave Yes. We're taking care of it. - Celestalon (@Celestalon) August 12, 2014 Since then, Ion Hazzikostas has spoken out about the topic as well, and while he hasn't said specifically where or what the NPC would be, he was pretty encouraging. Mentioning to the AP that they hadn't decided yet how best to proceed, he went on to note: "All of us are massive Robin Williams fans," said Hazzikostas. "We love and appreciate his work. We grew up watching his movies and stand-up. We knew he was an avid WoW player, which was awesome. We have a number of pop culture references and things that reflect great figures of our time here and there. We're just thinking about the appropriate and right way to do it." So it seems likely that there will be a Robin Williams tribute NPC in the game once that's been worked out. It's just a matter of figuring out how best to do it.
Apple posts tribute to Robin Williams
On August 11, 2014 the world lost Robin Williams, a legend in comedy in and cinema. Recently, Apple released an advertisement that featured the actor's dialog from "Dead Poets Society." Tim Cook has already paid his respects via Twitter, but now his company has as well. Apple posted the above image, along with the text, "We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robin Williams. He inspired us through his passion, his generosity, and the gift of laughter. He will be greatly missed."
Petition to memorialize Robin Williams in World of Warcraft allegedly gets Blizzard's attention
Everyone is talking today about the passing of the great comedian Robin Williams, and while it certainly is sad for those of us who grew up loving his TV and movie work, we're also celebrating his legacy and learning a lot about his life. For instance, did you know that Williams was an avid video gamer who spent quite a bit of time in World of Warcraft under an anonymous name? One fan did and thought that a great way to remember Williams would be to add him into World of Warcraft as an NPC. Thus he started a Change.org petition earlier today to do just that. With over 10,000 signatures added since then, the movement apparently caught the attention of Blizzard. "An amazing development has just happened," the petition author added in an update. "Celestalon has seen the petition and has been quoted as saying, 'We're taking care of it.'" Robin Williams is being memorialized in other MMOs as well. One player took the above screenshot from APB, noting how a fellow gamer created and uploaded the in-game poster as a tribute to the man. [Update: The official WoW Twitter account just tweeted, ".@robinwilliams Thank you. You gave us so much joy in our lives, and we hope you enjoyed your time in our world. We'll see you in-game."]
One of Robin Williams' final productions: Apple "Your Verse" ad
The world was shocked last night at the news of the passing of actor/comedian Robin Williams. Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter to express his sadness: Heartbroken by the news of Robin Williams' passing. He was an incomparable talent and a great human being. Rest in peace. - Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 12, 2014 For many Apple fans, the news was especially poignant considering that one of his last projects was to provide the voiceover for Apple's "Your Verse" ad for the iPad Air. In the ad, Williams read his monologue from the 1989 film "Dead Poets Society": The TUAW staff wishes to extend its condolences to the family and close friends of Mr. Williams on their loss.
Zelda, Robin Williams and his beard in Four Swords commercial
Robin Williams, his beard, and their daughter Zelda are no strangers to 3DS commercials, and now the three of them are back to promote the DSiWare launch of The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Anniversary Edition. Be warned, however. This commercial's ending may shock those with weak constitutions.
Ocarina of Time 3DS ad starring Robin Williams, his daughter, and a tremendous beard
The flurry of trailers reminding you of your long-time love for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time wasn't enough to get you excited for the 3DS remake? The latest TV ad, starring Robin Williams, his daughter (named Zelda, after the 1987 NES game), and his incredible grey mane should do it!
Robin Williams plays Call of Duty, named his daughter Zelda (guess why!)
Though we may not be steadfast watchers of Jimmy Fallon's late night talkshow, we have to give the man credit for once again bringing the world of gaming into his decidedly non-gaming television show. While Robin Williams guested on Fallon's show this week, he asked the hairy-handed comedian about his gaming habits – some of which we've covered in the past – and found out that not only does the man play his fair share of Call of Duty, but he also named his daughter "Zelda" after ... well, the Princess Zelda. "My daughter is named after a video game ... Zelda, Princess Zelda. I don't call her Princess Zelda ... only occasionally ... but she's named after Zelda." So forget about your LaBeoufs and your Dushkus – Robin Williams is holding it down hardcore and old-school for all of Hollywood.
JBO: Joystiq Box Office, August 31 - September 7
We can't be gaming all the time, despite our best efforts, and from time to time we'll actually take advantage of the movie-playing abilities on our gaming systems. JBO features our top picks for XBL, PSN, Netflix's Watch Instantly and Blu-ray each week. Joystiq Box Office has been away for a couple of weeks due to BlizzCon and other supernatural events, but we're back with a vengeance for the PAX edition. Double up, pop some corn, and enjoy the three-day weekend. Recommendations of the Week: Mad Men: Season 3 – My Old Kentucky Home (PSN: $2.99 HD or $1.99 SD to own) If you haven't been watching AMC's Mad Men, then you've been missing out on the cultural phenomenon that's making everyone wish they were living back in the early 1960s. Men wore suits and fedoras and had three-martini lunches, and women wore dresses and enough underwear to construct an entire parachute. Don Draper has replaced James Bond as the cool man every guy wants to be ... and he's a freaking ad executive. Highly recommended. World's Greatest Dad (840 HD, 560 SD to rent)This movie ran the festival circuit and had a lot of good buzz, which is rare for a Robin Williams movie these days. I missed this when I was at Sundance, but enough of my movie-going critic friends loved it that I feel comfortable recommending it. It's a black comedy starring Williams, is directed by Bobcat Goldthwait, and had a small theatrical opening on August 21. Now you can already watch it on Xbox Live. Not too shabby. Maybe we're not too far away from theater and at-home release dates being the same day all the time. Read for the full list on a system-by-system basis just after the break. As usual, we'll see you at the popcorn st ... well, actually we won't see you at all. But you catch our drift. Plus, be sure to tell us what you'll be watching, or what you've seen recently that bowled you over.
OMG SPORE R0X0Rz!!!1!
While I was busy banging out uber sweet videos, a lot of people were standing in lines at E3. Two main groups camped out for hours just to get a glimpse of the future of gaming: in one, the line stretched the length of the entire hall, brimming with gamers eager to get their hands on the Wii; meanwhile, at EA's booth, eager gamers had a chance to see Spore played by the designer himself, Will Wright.While you may have seen our demo video earlier -- which it turns out is virtually the same demo shown on the show floor -- I didn't get a chance to post my perspective until now. It may sound hyperbolic to say that Spore will change gaming forever and surpass Wright's other franchise, The Sims, to become biggest selling PC game of all time, but once you look at the video for yourself and get to actually, y'know, play the game, you may feel the same way.
Joystiq Video: Wired Spore Event, featuring Will Wright and Robin Williams [update 3]
Last night, Randall Bennett and I had the good fortune to attend a special Wired event featuring Will Wright showing off his next masterpiece, Spore, with a wonderful guest appearance by Robin Williams. We managed to get footage of the entire event and we even scored interviews with both Wright and Williams. Thanks to everyone over at Wired for inviting us! In the interest of getting this to you as soon as possible, we've uploaded the full 40 minute, 420MB file, which you can access via this link: [link]. Please right-click and save the file locally before viewing. It's 480x360 3ivx wrapped in Quicktime and should play nicely on your video-capable iPod, should you own one. If you feel like waiting a bit and think that 420MBs is ginormous, then give us about an hour and we'll update this post with some separate chapter-sized versions of the video. Enjoy!Get the video[Huge] Get the full enchilada[Cutdown1] Get the first 10 minutes (Will Wright introducing character creation) [Cutdown2] Get the next 10. [Cutdown3] Get the following 10. [Cutdown4] Get the final 10. Update: Someone was kind enough to make a torrent: [link].
