Ask Massively: There's no such thing as a Brontosaurus edition
Here's the problem -- pop culture has latched onto the Brontosaurus as a species of dinosaur, when the sample originally identified as such has since been acknowledged as a different subspecies within the Apatosaurus genus. It's telling that my spellchecker recognizes the former as a word but doesn't recognize the latter, which is the actual correct name for this type of dinosaur. So if you see an enormous herbivore with a long neck, a whiplike tail, and a slow lumbering gait, don't misidentify! Make sure to inform all fleeing passersby that that dinosaur is an Apatosaurus, not a Brontosaurus.
Assuming that you aren't encountering massive phantom dinosaurs storming through the street of your home town, you'll have no problem moving past our discussion on the taxonomy of extinct lizards and onto this week's installment of Ask Massively. This time, we're tackling a whole lot of insanity revolving around starships, and if you paid the slightest attention to what was going on last week, you can probably guess the games under discussion. As always, if you'd like to see your question in a future installment of the column, mail it along to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments.
A whole lot of people asked: What in the world was anyone involved with EVE Online thinking last week?
That's a fine question, and one that has been answered as well as it possibly could be in the most recent EVE Evolved column. If you've been at all interested in the whole fiasco, take a look.
Szass asked: Is it just me or does it look like Star Wars: The Old Republic will be launching December 15th?
Well, it's definitely possible, although it's not a Tuesday. December 13th isn't outside the realm of possibility, since it would aim straight into the mouth of the Christmas rush, but it's also reading a bit much into the closure of Star Wars Galaxies. Put simply, judging by John Smedley's comments, you'll find the question has always been not if but when.
Why the end of the year? It could be because it's close to an expected release date. Or it could be a time about six months off that will give players and staff alike plenty of time to say farewell to a large and influential game, while giving enough time to program and implement major closing events.
Me? I'm guessing end of summer, not because there's any logical reason for it but because I want the game to come out already.
Tempes Magus asked: Why do people shave cats? Don't they shed their winter fur?
Long-haired cats have a tendency to shed a small portion of hair on a continual basis (we certainly get a lot of shed fur around the house), but they never fully shed a winter coat. While it's certainly not necessary to shave one (although it can be good to do so every three months or so for sanitary purposes), it certainly does make life more comfortable for the cat during warm seasons. Consult with your veterinarian regarding your pet's needs and proper consideration for the climate.
Looking for some advice on which class is best for soloing in Aion? Not sure who this Raph Koster fellow is? Curious about the release date of NCsoft's newest MMO? You've come to the right place! No one knows MMOs like we do. If there's anything you'd like to know about the MMO genre or the site itself, Ask Massively is here to help every Thursday afternoon. Just ask!
