WRUP: Maybe the zombies are on to something edition

Look, I'm not a zombie. I've never really considered myself zombie-curious, either. But now I look at diagrams of brains, and I have to wonder what it is that zombies see that I don't. Maybe there's something to the whole brain-eating thing? They seem happy enough. Sure, they're mindlessly shambling toward living flesh and trying to devour it, but really, am I all that much better for most of the day? I just shamble toward my computer.

They've got a much more active lifestyle, is what I'm getting at. Maybe it's a brain thing.

Leaving everyone to chew on that for a while, it's time for this week's installment of WRUP, in which the Massively staff relates their weekend plans. Also, today we find out what everyone on staff is thankful for outside of the continued non-existence of a zombie apocalypse. So find our answers past the cut, and let us know what you're up to in the comments.

@nyphur: I'll be tuning into the second weekend of EVE Online's New Eden Open. The banning rule has made the tournament surprisingly different than the Alliance Tournament, and I hope we get more competitive EVE tournaments after this one. I won't have much time for actual gaming though this weekend as I'll be spending most of my waking hours tending to the Predestination Kickstarter campaign.

I'm pretty thankful (and relieved) that EVE Online is still alive this year and seems to be back on track after monoclegate. I'm also definitely thankful for another year of writing about online games for a living with the Massively crew.

@nbrianna: I'm working on my real life tailoring skill this weekend, plus probably some Guild Wars 2 and a few of the other little games I've picked up on Steam.

I'm thankful for the luxury of answering this question and not knowing where to begin.

@PsykopigAU: I will be drooling over Hitman and Assassin's Creed 3 this weekend and I'll chuck in some The Secret World to shake things up.

In Australia, we don't celebrate Thanksgiving, but I am certainly thankful! I am thankful for the recent opportunities presented to me so my life can revolve around gaming. I'm also super thankful for the last year of good times with Massively!

@Eliot_Lefebvre: Guild Wars 2, Star Wars: The Old Republic, maybe some Mass Effect 3 in preparation for next week's DLC drop. Yeah, I'm not making it too elaborate this year.

Constraining my thankfulness to gaming-related matters, I'm thankful for several great games released late last year into this year, some wonderful roleplaying opportunities, and a lot of neat new games on the horizon. I'm also thankful to have finished my third year at Massively; I'm an old hand at this now.

@elixabethclaire: I'm planning to spend some time in Guild Wars 2. Between Halloween and the recent Lost Shores madness, I haven't had a ton of time for normal gameplay recently, so I'll be doing some personal story and leveling on my Necromancer and some WvW on my, uh, Something.

Man, I get super sappy on days that are all about expressing thanks and emotions. I'm thankful for a great many things in my life, because I'm incredibly blessed and lucky in a great many ways. Since we're on Massively, I guess you people get to be singled out: I am so, so grateful for the wonderful krewe I get to work with, for having the best editor (hi, Bree!) a girl could wish for, and to the commenters for being so consistently, factually, fabulous.

@jefreahard: PlanetSide 2 for me, pretty much all weekend (with a side of EverQuest II when the one-hit-kills-from-nowhere get too irritating).

I'm thankful for the usual family/house/job stuff. When it comes to MMOs, I'm thankful that the sandbox seems on the verge of making some sort of comeback.

@Jeremy_Stratton: I'm all over Age of Wushu like white on rice! I'm livestreaming it on Sunday to talk about how wildly different and fresh it is. I'm also livestreaming Vanguard on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EST.

I'm so very thankful that my sister visited me with her family, and then my oldest brother and his entire family also visited. It would've been amazing to have them all on the same day, but I enjoyed seeing them so much, my feelings got all twisted up. It was so great to see them. I'm also thankful I have the opportunity to get to know a grandmother that I never really knew while growing up.

@Sypster: I'm actually looking forward to a work-light weekend, so I suppose that's also what I'm thankful for. Sometimes just having the gift of time to play is the best gift for a gamer.

I'm trying to make headway in both Lord of the Rings Online and RIFT's recent expansions, because I feel embarrassed that I'm still, still in the first zone of each. That's not to say I'm not playing or enjoying them, because I certainly am. I'm just moving relatively slowly compared to my guildies.

@MikedotFoster: I'm playing Dishonored. Again. Beyond that, I'll probably rebuild the mining barge I lost during this week's EVE Online stream (thanks, audience) and step into World of Warcraft to run some dungeons with my sister.

I'm thankful for a mild Chicago fall, caring friends, snuggly dogs, dual monitors, strong climbing ropes, and a world that lets me constantly learn new things completely free of charge. And probably lots of other stuff as well.

@mackeypb: I'm playing a bit of League of Legends, but the Age of Wushu beta has me totally enraptured. This game is just too amazing. It's like they somehow ripped out kung fu novel and movie experiences and let you live through them, without actually forcing the actions on you. Kicking a beggar aside because he annoys you? You can do that. Harassing an enemy school by beating up its disciples? You can do that. Engaging in high-flying martial arts chases as you flee an enemy school with stolen scrolls? You can do that. It's so much more than just another MMO. It's a true sandbox where you can do anything and the things that can happen are ripped right out of a kung fu movie.

I'm thankful for lots of stuff. It probably sounds cheesy, but "being happy to be alive" sort of fits me well. I'm thankful a meteor hasn't hit the Earth, that video games exist, and that I can write this answer. I'm pretty much happy for it all, even the rough spots that make life a challenge.

@RichieProcopio: This weekend I'll be running dungeons in Guild Wars 2 and jumping into The Walking Dead, which I just snagged on Steam for 50% off!

In addition to all of the super important things (family, health, friends, etc), I'm thankful to everyone who watches my livestreams, videos, and reads my articles. Without the support I wouldn't be able to continue doing the best job(s) in the world!

@terilynns: I'll be playing Star Trek Online in the same room as a very good friend and podcasting co-host! He's coming to visit and will be our house and dog sitter while we travel to Europe next week!

I am thankful for so many things! My family, my friends, the fact that I get to see different parts of the world, and this wonderful writing gig! Massively has been a great part of my life for the past year and the team is wonderful!

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!