WRUP: How is this not fully funded edition

For various terrible reasons, I only just found out about Panzer Pets (and yes, we did cover the announcement on Massively, but I still occasionally miss news we cover). Like many ambitious projects, it's on Kickstarter, but as of right now it's not even 10% funded, which raises the question of why we live in a world where a game that offers to let you build your own little robots and send them into battle was not funded about eight minutes after the page went live.

I think this should be rectified. My only regret is not having the full sum to just fill up the funding by my lonesome.

What's that? Oh, right, WRUP, in which the Massively staff members discuss what they'll be playing over the next two days. We also discuss our thoughts on open vs. instanced housing. Jump on past the break to see our weekend plans, and let us know what you're going to be doing in the comments!

@nbrianna: Busy weekend for me, so maybe some phone games? PocketStarDark Legends? I had to postpone picking up Diablo III, even. Horrors!

So housing: Yes, open-world, please. It can surely be done better than it's been done, and even bad open-world is better than good instanced. I can go decorate an instanced house in a moddable single-player game (and way better) for free.

I've been working hard at leveling my Lancer in Final Fantasy XIV, but I'd also like to get some time on my recently neglected Star Wars: The Old Republic menagerie. There are also multiplayer matches of Mass Effect 3 to be played with Ms. Lady, and I've still got a vague but unclear itch for something a little different, so I might be trying out some free-to-play titles if I can find the time.

Frankly, if I can invite people to my house in a game, I don't care whether it's open-world or instanced. I just want it to be there in the first place. Sure, it's nice to show off my houses for all the world, but I have a copy of The Sims 3 and a screencap button if I really feel that urge. Considering the current state of housing in games, I'll take what I can darn well get.

@elixabethclaire: I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess that I'll be playing some Guild Wars over the weekend. No idea what else will be on the menu, maybe — maybe — Diablo III. That'd be something of a stretch. Maybe some Solitaire. It could get nuts.

Housing is so far off my radar, I'm not sure I really have any opinion on it at all. I generally don't even care that it exists, let alone how it exists. I guess for a place for social interaction, open-world (or at least multiperson instancing) is the way to go.

@Jeremy_Stratton: I'm going to check out the new features in Fallen Earth. Prospecting and harvesting sound cool. Apart from FE, I'll be hopping all over the place as I look for more player-generated fodder.

I have enough of a roleplayer in me to look at housing as a tool for player-generated content. Open-world housing could be seen as an unobtrusive and optional tool to increase a player's gaming experience. I can't wait to see more of how ArcheAge handles its open-world housing.

@Sypster: I have a busy weekend planned, so realistically all I'm going to have time for is a smattering of Lord of the Rings Online with a Diablo III splurge.

I've never been bothered by player housing's being instanced; it's there for me, not for others, after all. The few MMOs I've seen that have open-world housing end up destroying the landscape or running into myriad strategic issues.

@mackeypb: I'm going to play Diablo III. After that, I might play some Diablo III, followed shortly by some more D3. I may squeeze in some League of Legends time if Blizzard can be depended upon to crash Diablo III's game servers. I'm shooting to hit level 60 before the RMAH opens; chances are by the time you read this, I will be there or mostly there.

I like instanced housing, but I would like to see instanced neighborhoods (where you share housing space with many other people) rather than a single-house instance. I do like the privacy of instanced housing, but it is worse for group social activities.

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!