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WRUP: Context edition

Pictured: local context.  (You need to zoom out much further for full context.)

You are a primate that, due to several freak mutations, has developed an overly large brain capable of handling abstract thought. You live on a ball of dirt and water that hurtles through an empty and uncaring void with only a thin layer of breathable gas to prevent your complete and utter annihilation. Every single action you undertake is the result of having a brain capable of abstract thinking that is still governed by the basic instincts that were relevant when your ancestors were foraging for grubs.

It's important to put everything into context, so there you go.

Now that that's out of the way, we hope you enjoy this week's installment of WRUP! It's the Massively staff's rundown of our weekend plans. We also discuss how much gaming time we get on average, which seems to be a pretty solid average. Take a look past the jump, and let us know what your plans are down in the comments. Keeping context in mind, of course.



Beau Hindman, F2P and Mobile Columnist


@Beau_Hindman: I won't be playing much this weekend. Instead I will be catching up on everything I recorded and everyone I interviewed while at GDC Online. There is so much good stuff, it boggles my mind.

Each day I play for a few hours. Granted, these hours can be split up between games including the game I am looking at for Rise and Shiny, games for other columns, or games for other writing gigs. Generally, I have the games I must play for work and the ones I check on at least a few times a week. These "home games" are titles like Glitch and RuneScape. I just have them saved in a games folder or on my bookmarks and go down and play different ones. I miss playing with large groups!

Brendan Drain, EVE Columnist and Contributing Editor


@nyphur: I'll be mostly playing the market in EVE Online this weekend as I can do that in the background and just check my market orders occasionally. The price of PLEX spiked recently due to the announcement of the New Eden Open and will probably return to normal after the teams are finalised.

I only get about one or two hours per day of actual gaming time these days; all my time seems to disappear into game development projects and pesky adult responsibilities.

Bree Royce, Editor-in-Chief


@nbrianna: I'll be in Guild Wars 2 and possibly some Glitch. Really the charm of GW2 just hasn't worn off on me yet. That surprises me. I'm usually much more jaded six weeks into a game.

I try to game a couple of hours a day, even if it's just a round of Star Traders or 7 Little Words or something on my phone, but mostly I schedule my gaming time for weekends when there's a lot less work to be done! Admittedly, the past few weeks, I haven't had nearly as much as I'd like, but then, I spend most of my day thinking and writing about MMOs, so I don't feel too robbed.

David Desi, Multimedia Contributor


@PsykopigAU: I'll be rocking some GW2 and a little The Secret World. Also playing around with some new ideas for the site!

I spend at least 4-5 hours a day playing games. That's the least, with 12 hours being the most... I know, but I'm a gamer.

Eliot Lefebvre, Columnist Extraordinaire and Senior Contributing Editor


@Eliot_Lefebvre: Once I deal with a sense of exhaustion that's permeating down to my bone marrow, I'll be off to my usual haunts in Star Wars: The Old Republic and Final Fantasy XIV. Boring and consistent, that's me.

When I was younger, so much younger than today, I'd be knee-deep in gaming every free hour of the day. But now I'm older and I've got more things to do, so average nights my gaming hours are limited to two. (Although I frequently can spin a bit more depending on work and how late I stay up. And weekends are another matter.)

Elisabeth Cardy, Guild Wars 2 Columnist and Contributing Editor


@elixabethclaire: I'm back in Guild Wars 2 this weekend, hopefully delving into more dungeons. There's also the possibility of some offline and console gaming, but I'm not very sure.

My schedule is a very inconsistent thing, so I rarely have set times when I know I'll be able to play. I would say I can normally expect about two to three hours a day, but that varies greatly. Sometimes that time dips right down to nothing, while other days (hello, weekends!) I have a chance for a serious amount of gaming.

Jef Reahard, Managing Editor and Columnist Extraordinaire

@jefreahard: I'm finishing up Skyrim, and also replaying Wing Commander thanks to GoG and the recent Chris Roberts Star Citizen announcement. Dabbling in Aion and The Secret World as far as MMOs go.

I try to find two hours a day for gaming, but not always successfully.

Jeremy Stratton, Contributing Editor


@Jeremy_Stratton: I'm ambivalent. I'm not quite sure what I'll play. Most likely I'll touch down in Guild Wars 2 and Vanguard, but after that it depends on how much time I have.

I spend far less time these days than ever before. You wouldn't know it, if you follow me on social networks, but those are just a flurry of posts covering smaller gaming sessions. Ah, to be young again.

Justin Olivetti, Columnist Extraordinaire and Senior Contributing Editor


@Sypster: Right now I'm putting in what little time I have with RIFT, because I'm reconnecting with my old guild and getting my pre-expansion affairs in order. Next week I expect that Lord of the Rings Online will dominate.

Generally I'll get about one to two gaming hours a day, usually at night. It's not as much as it used to be, but I counter that with gaming smarter and focusing on fun rather than the grind.

Mike Foster, Contributing Editor


@MikedotFoster: I know we're all about MMOs here on Massively, but this weekend is dedicated to Dishonored. I'm trying to finish the game with zero kills and no detections, which means it's going to take me about eighteen times longer than everyone else.

I honestly don't have much time for games. I usually clock in 4-5 hours a week, and that's counting streams on Massively TV. However, when something cool comes out, I try to bend my schedule to give it a look. It's always an interesting challenge to find time for work and play, even when play is part of work.

MJ Guthrie, Aion and Sandbox Columnist and Contributing Editor


@MJ_Guthrie: I'm so happy just to actually have gaming time this weekend! I plan on stomping through the deserts of Egypt in The Secret World and checking out more of patch 3.5 in Aion. I can already see some improvements in neighborhoods!

Gaming time? These last two months have been minimal, sadly. If you consider though, that I was able to be logged in almost all night when working nights, I was doing five hours a day easily, sometimes more -- but some of that was just administrative with guild, broker stuff, chatting, and decorating. Once real life settles, I am pretty sure I will be back to gaming four hours a day most days, give or take my schedule.

Richie Procopio, Multimedia Contributor


@RichieProcopio: This weekend I'll be playing Guild Wars 2. I'll be working on my crafting, 100% world completion, and hopefully getting in some dungeon runs. I'm coming for you, Zhaitan!

Despite having two kids, a wife, ferocious poodles, and all of the other adult responsibilities I have, I still manage to play games for two to four hours each night. The secret is: I don't sleep much. Now where's my caffeinated beverage?

Terilynn Shull, Star Trek Online Columnist


@terilynns: This weekend I intend to try out my 1000-day ship in Star Trek Online! I've also got a character in Evendim in Lord of the Rings Online which I'm thoroughly enjoying.

My play time is contingent on my work load. In real life I'm a self-employed insurance claim consultant. Some days I can't get near the gaming laptop, while other days I'm free to game all day. It just depends on when the phone rings and how big the project is as to whether or not I play at all.

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!