WRUP: Elements edition

This edition of WRUP, when read, will provide +50 Resistance to the following elements: helium, carbon, cesium, chromium, sulfur, lithium, beryllium, erbium, rhenium, gallium, arsenic, and argon. On use, it will deal 250 beryllium damage to the target and 250 radium damage to you, with a damage-over-time effect that will tick for 100 points of resistable plutonium damage. While suffering from the damage-over-time effect, you will be immune to all other sources of elemental damage, but you can still die from loss of oxygen and nitrogen.

In addition to all of those marvelous elemental effects, this week's column will also lay out the plans of the Massively staff over the weekend. We will also take the opportunity to discuss whether we prefer digital copies or boxed copies of our beloved video games, most of which use vastly simplified systems of elemental resistances and interrelationships. Jump past the break to see what we'll be up to, and let us know your plans in the comments. (Also, Tom Lehrer.)

Beau Hindman (@Beau_Hindman): I'm going to be switching to my new Rise and Shiny game, Gilfor's Tales, for the next week. I've played it before (I've played everything before) but haven't really dived in that far. I'll also be shipping goods in Wurm Online and probably getting down with some killing in Ministry of War. I've joined a good guild in Illyriad and am happy to jam out on some Pocket Legends. Probably while in bed. After all that I will be testing out a new wave of browser-based games in the hopes that I will find some new ones to add to the list. Wish me luck.

I much prefer digital downloads. Boxes collect dust, and I am slowly turning my house into a very minimal place. That means no boxes or toys sitting around collecting that dust. Sure, I clean a lot, but I just do not feel like brushing off 100 different, tiny items. I have lost all love and nostalgia for things. In fact, I am starting to hate things. Photos, CDs, DVDs... they can all go away. They have done nothing but fill up my house and the trash dump, so I am more than happy to switch to an all digital world. No more paper, either. Thanks.

Brandon Felczer (@bfelczer): This weekend I am actually going to be taking a break from my MMOs and busting out the Wii — I've got some family in town from Guam, and they love to play it, so I figure it would make for a fun time.

I much prefer boxed versions of the game if they are available. They have come in handy many times when I have met a development team and had each member sign it.

Brendan Drain (@nyphur): CCP's meetings with the CSM are now complete, and the company is putting together what sounds like some impressive media coverage to counter the recent EVE Online controversy. This weekend I'll be paying close attention to any news we can get from the CSM on how the meetings went and eagerly awaiting the media conference scheduled for early next week. In my downtime, I'll be giving some time to World of Warcraft as patch 4.2 has brought some awesome new raid content to chew through.

I'm a sucker for the good old days of boxed games coming with thick manuals, maps, and other goodies. Although these are still given out in collector's editions of games, their absence in a standard box makes the choice between digital distribution and boxed copies a no-brainer for me. Digital distribution is the future of game sales, providing a ridiculously cheap route to market for developers and massive convenience for gamers. Brick-and-mortar stores had better watch out.

Brianna Royce (@nbrianna): It's my wedding anniversary this weekend in addition to the holiday, but I'm sure I'll still get some gaming in — Star Wars Galaxies and the new(ish) Sims 3 expansion are likely to soak up some time.

I'm with Beau in preferring a largely paperless existence. Still, I'm a fool for a cool map in a game box that has that sweet, sweet new game smell. And so many of the digital download services are dodgy when it comes to their reliability, privacy, and longevity. That Master of Orion CD I've got stashed in a bin is pretty darn trustworthy.

Eliot Lefebvre: Aside from Monday's cookout, the weekend is wide open for me to bring the WAAAGH in Warhammer Online and bring the something other than a guttural scream in Final Fantasy XIV. And assorted other gaming, of course.

The funny thing is that in every practical sense, I prefer digital downloads. Pretty much all of the arguments I've heard against it are the sort of complaints that don't really apply to MMOs in the first place, and having Steam ready to re-install all of my games on any machine I run is a pretty good deal. But at the same time, I find myself drawn to box copies for the time being, just for the love of having a physical representation in my hand. I guess I just wasn't made for these times.

Jef Reahard: There isn't much gaming lined up for my weekend; maybe some Age of Conan will happen if the login server survives the F2P onslaught.

I avoid digital downloads whenever possible. Owning over renting, basically.

Jeremy Stratton (@Jeremy_Stratton): I'm camping in the great outdoors this weekend.

When I was younger, I really wanted to collect; now I tend to go for saving space and going for the content digitally. I recently started using Steam and am now addicted.

Justin Olivetti (@Sypster): I'm heading out of town for a week, so gaming is right out! And that's good to do, sometimes — to unplug and just not game for a while. Makes you appreciate it more when you come back and helps you feel less dependent on gaming for happiness.

For MMOs, it's all about digital downloads now. I think the last box I purchased was Wrath of the Lich King (which I played for like three weeks), and I've been exclusively digital since. Steam is lovely to organize past purchases so that I can download or delete them as needed.

MJ Guthrie: Unlike others who seem to have weekend holiday plans, I have plans that revolve around my computer. I plan to really dive into EverQuest II more and hopefully advance some in carpentry finally! There have just been so many other things to do that I have not even started. I also am trying to break my anti-altness and try another class because there are so many fun races. Other than that, I will join a few hunting parties in Aion and also see if I can get to stage 10 in Crucible.

To box or not to box? While in the past I have enjoyed having the boxes and accompanying materials, those actually seem fewer and farther between now. Also, I have very little space and all the game disks I have are packed away somewhere as it is. When a friend gifts me a new game to try, it is way more convenient to have the digital download, and since I will always love joining in the games to play together, I may have to lean toward that. My final answer.

Patrick Mackey (@mackeypb): I'm probably going to be doing the same thing I do every weekend, possibly with slightly more drinking. Even that's kind of doubtful. Plans didn't really come through for the holidays, which means more time for Champions Online and Global Agenda!

For me, it's definitely digital downloads. I can store a lot of installers on a terabyte hard drive, and I tend to lose CDs and end up pirating games I already own. Also, buying digital lets me spend more time in my dungeon and expose myself less to the evil day star.

Shawn Schuster (@SSchuster): The game I'm into the most right now is APB: Reloaded. Wait, old carebear, sandbox Shawn is playing APB? Yep! And loving it.

At the start of every weekend, we catch up with the Massively staff members and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game — and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!