scotty
Latest
Captain's Log: Star Trek Online Las Vegas recap
It's been a couple of weeks since my last entry, and to be honest, I'm still recovering. The Official Star Trek Convention was an absolute blast. Thousands of Trek fans descended upon the Rio Suites and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, for four solid days to celebrate all things Star Trek. One of those things, of course, was Star Trek Online. Contrary to its showing in 2012, Star Trek Online was the focus of not just one but two complete formal panels this year. The first featured two of the STO devs in a discussion with actress Denise Crosby, who voiced the characters of Empress Sela as well as Lt. Tasha Yar. The second panel was co-hosted by Massively and Trek Radio and featured a panel of STO devs who talked about the game and gave us some great sneak-peeks at Season Eight works in progress!%Gallery-196194%
Enter at Your Own Rift: Creature comforts
I've got a problem that nine interventions and three bouts of electroshock therapy have yet to cure: I'm hopelessly addicted to collecting non-combat pets (aka vanity pets) in MMOs. I don't know why that is, exactly, although I've always had a fondness for "fluffy" elements on online games. In my opinion, a lot of what we work for in MMOs is cosmetic anyway -- a really good-looking set of armor, a top-of-the-line mount -- with some piddly stats occasionally making a cameo. (Comment bait? Oh yes, I'm evil that way!) While adding nothing to my combat power nor helping me advance in the game, pets still hold purpose. They are fun to display, particularly if you have rare critters that others haven't seen, and they can give you a feeling of virtual companionship during your journeys. Unlike many collection items, pets have a use -- you can actually do something with them instead of tucking them away where they'll sit collecting pixelated dust. I was pretty pleased to discover that RIFT wasn't going to leave us high and dry when it came to non-combat pets, although it's interesting that they're somewhat harder to come by than in, say, World of Warcraft. If you're like I am, you're scouring the game looking to expand your menagerie, so it might be frustrating to be well on your way to 50 with only a paltry pair of pets to your name. Where is everyone getting all of these? How can I snag a few more? Join me after the jump as we examine six ways to collect crazy critters!
E3 2011: Hands on with RIFT's 1.3 update
With patch 1.2 fading in the rearview mirror, RIFT players have turned their attention to the incoming patch 1.3 due on June 22nd. Titled Waves of Madness, the update will kick off a new world event and add an additional tier of endgame content in the form of an additional raid. We got the opportunity to dive into 1.3 early at E3, all while a petite seven-foot-tall dev perched on our shoulder and gave us running commentary. Patch 1.3's crown jewel is a 20-person raid in the ancient fortress of Hammerknell, which was built by folks who thought it'd be a smashing idea to cram evil spirits into runes and then use that as the foundation. Sounds to us a lot like building a summer camp on top of a desecrated native burial ground, but we're sure these architects had good intentions. Surprise, surprise, the spirits started to ooze out into Hammerknell and tore up the place. To make matters worse, Hammerknell is the prison of a water dragon -- and the water plane started to come to its rescue. So the Dwarves decided to treat it like an illegal toxic dump by sealing up the fortress, whistling innocently, and conveniently forgetting it until another raid area was needed. But it's not as simple as just unlocking the front door and marching in to claim some loot! Hit the jump as we walk you through the process of down-and-dirty archaeology!
Trion Worlds releases new trailer, screenshots for Waves of Madness
A while back, we published an exclusive dossier on RIFT's Abyssal Cult. Well, it looks like players are going to get to know the cult personally when Trion Worlds releases RIFT's patch 1.3, titled Waves of Madness. The update appears to focus on the abandoned Dwarven city of Hammerknell, where Akylios, the Dragon of the plane of water, is currently imprisoned. Players will likely be responsible for ensuring that the Abyssal Cult does not liberate its chaotic master. The players won't be alone in this, as it appears they have a new ally in the form of... Scotty? Yes, that's right, RIFT's Guardian players will remember Scotty as the hapless Dwarf freshman at Quicksilver College who offers an entire questline dedicated to protecting him from his classmates' cruel pranks. Now he appears to be playing a large part in this new patch, though what precisely that part is remains to be seen. Trion Worlds has kindly released a new trailer promoting the new patch as well as a smattering of new screenshots featuring everyone's favorite absent-minded Dwarf. Check out the gallery below for those screenshots, and jump past the cut for the new trailer! Also, be sure to check back Thursday for some fresh RIFT information straight from Trion at E3. %Gallery-101448%
Enter at Your Own Rift: The little things
For me, it's all about the little things in life: the smell of a good cup of coffee, the enthusiastic hug of my two-year-old, an illicit pack of Lemonheads candy, or throwing punny tags into Massively articles. While big things are essential to have and get right, it's the little things I find that give life its unique flavor. So when I enter MMORPGs, I'm always on the lookout for little things. Oh, sure, PvP and raiding and overarching epic stories are all well and good, but it's from the little things that the soul and flavor of a game emerges. I'm often far more delighted when I stumble upon a funny little Easter egg in a game than if I win that roll for a purple piece of armor. Today I want to look at 10 little things in RIFT that I've come to appreciate and savor over the past month or so. Maybe these elements don't get all of the glory, and maybe they're even seen as superfluous to some, but without them the game would be far less to me. So while we rush between rifts and struggle with expert dungeons, I'd encourage all of us to take some time to reflect on all of the supporting cast of features that are just as important to the overall effort.
SpaceX's rocket destroys Scotty's space-bound ashes in a demonstration of tremendous irony
Finely riding that razored edge between tragedy and comedy, the New York Times reports that not only did the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket lose its three satellites and fail to reach orbit during a recent launch, but it also destroyed the remains of actor James Doohan, best known as the original Star Trek's Chief Engineer "Scotty." The actor's ashes -- as well as those of over 200 others -- were being carried into orbit by the rocket when complications with the ship's stage separation led to the (assumed) destruction of the craft. This recent mishap puts a sad period on the end of the sentence that already included an earlier loss and eventual recovery of the remains.[Via Slashdot]
Scotty's ashes found in New Mexico mountains
Alright, Scotty, let's try this again. Not long after the rocket carrying James "Scotty" Doohan's ashes into space crash-landed off course in New Mexico, the payload container has been found in the mountains of the White Sands Missile Range. (Clarification: it was Earthbound from the start, just not mountains-bound.) The container, which also holds some 200 other peoples' ashes, including original Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper, is reportedly in "good shape", and the Celestis International, which runs the Legacy Flight service, is planning on returning the lipstick-sized ash capsules to the family members of the departed, along with "mementos" of the launch. Scotty's got one more shot at space, however: later this year some more of his and Cooper's ashes are due to make an orbital trip on SpaceX's Falcon 1 rocket, remaining there until they re-enter the atmosphere and burn up. Let's hope she canna teek some more this time, eh?[Via First Coast News]
Scotty's ashes crash land after failed flight
It's no surprise to Trekkies that James "Scotty" Doohan's final wish be that his ashes be launched into space. Apparently Space Services Inc., the company tasked with the "memorial spaceflight" gave her everything they got, cap'n, but the rocket carrying Scotty's ashes just couldna teek namoore, and crash landed in treacherous New Mexico terrain. Apparently the search for Doohan's ashes (as well as the 200 some-odd other peoples' spacebound remains) continues, as SSI insists the 20-foot rocket will be recovered, and its passengers will be delivered to the final frontier. In a manner of speaking, that is.
