alcohol
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Drama Mamas: My guildies are turning into alcoholics!
Dodge the drama and become that player everyone wants in their group with the Drama Mamas. Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are real-life mamas and experienced WoW players -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your server. We're taking your questions at dramamamas@wow.com. Before we go into today's touchy topic, I just want to be clear that we are assuming all people involved are of legal age and in good health. If that is not the case, then that's a whole other issue entirely. We don't condone underage drinking or illegal activities of any kind. And now that I have piqued your interest, let's get right to it.
Boozing 27 year-old chokes mom over WoW
This is a sordid story, no matter how you slice it. In short, an adult male violently attacked his family when he was asked to stop his loud drinking and WoW gaming session so the children in the same room with him could sleep. Because of the violent nature of the events, I am putting the details after the break.
The Queue: Shoo map, don't bother me
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. Today's introduction video is something... special. Since people got a kick out of what I liked to call the Worst Video Ever, I figured I'd let you all see another misadventure is moviemaking from Sunday morning. One of my early attempts at recording the Love is in the Air boss went poorly, to say the least. Alternate title to the above video: When Addons Attack Jaena Vashj asked... "I was leveling my death knight in Dragonblight the other day and notice Ysera in the Emerald Dragonshrine. Didn't think much of her till I got closer and I noticed she was on top on this statue of a figure, what is this thing and why is it so special to Ysera?"
Heineken Bot does what it says on the keg, soon to be man's new best friend (update: new video)
If you ask us, our theory is that the Daleks are rather huggable by nature, but they probably partied a tad too hard with these beer-toting fellas before trashing the world. One such "Heineken Bot" -- crafted by the geniuses at Middlesex University -- turned up at Kinetica Art Fair in London. Daring humans can stop this drifting bot by hovering their hands above its sonar-sensing head, and then place a cup in its holder for some bevvy spat out of its keg. When you're served, the lonewolf continues to wander along its pre-programmed path, probably waiting for the assassination signal from Skynet. See for yourself after the break while you're still alive. Update: Chris Barlow from the project team has just hit us with a video of the upgraded Heinken Bot. Check it out after the break.%Gallery-84842%
Ask Cryptic about Klingons in STO
Do you have burning questions about Klingon play in Star Trek Online? Cryptic is more than aware that people are going to have questions, and so they've put up a new thread (hit it up right here) where you can use a Cryptic account to post all the questions your heart could ever possibly desire to ask. We're sure to see the answers sooner rather than later, but with holidays occurring next week, it may take longer than usual. Also, in case you need some help with your questions, here are some keywords we'd suggest you consider using when asking questions about Klingons: booze, battle and bat'leth.
Rock Band Bar Nights encourages sloppy thrashing in watering holes
There are a few things you should generally avoid whilst inebriated in a bar: saying something offensive to someone larger than you is one, and attempting to play a song with any accuracy is another (see dude on left for proof). Regardless of the facts, MTV Games and Harmonix are looking to capitalize on the raging success that is Rock Band by introducing Rock Band Bar Nights. Said program hooks registered watering holes up with "everything from exclusive Rock Band product offerings to multiplatform marketing support," and venues that sign up will also have access to an exclusive e-commerce store. Finally, those that register prior to September 8th will get a five-song preview disc from The Beatles: Rock Band, giving you serious motivation to get your local pub invested in the initiative. Just be sure to avoid "Expert" after the eighth White Russian, cool?[Via HotHardware]
Toyota develops breathalyzer ignition-interlock, BJ McKay promises to hack it
Shoving breathalyzers into MIDs and PNDs has been all the rage overseas for quite a while, and now it looks like Toyota itself is getting in on the act. The breath-alcohol ignition-interlock system features a handset that detects alcohol on your breath (if any) and snaps your mug with a digital camera. Depending on your level of "fun" (that is, alcohol consumption) the thing can be set to alert you (in case you forgot about those three Iron Citys) or lock the vehicle's ignition altogether. In addition, it can be used to monitor vehicles of commercial fleets and notify the boss if the driver shows up sloshed. Testing of the device commences September 1st, and will go through November 30. Historians agree that had this technology been available thirty years ago, the 1970s CB radio craze could have been avoided altogether. [Via Yahoo!]
Rotgutonix -- the slightly paranoid, somewhat discerning drunk's best friend
So concerned with the quality of the liquor you binge-drink that you think a testing device that looks just like a pregnancy test is in order? Sweet -- Rotgutonix has got you covered! Just uncap the tip, dip it in your drink for a few seconds -- and you'll have an answer in under a minute -- and while the device is only capable of recognizing five liquors at this point, the company hopes future iterations will include up to twenty. Sure, it's a novelty item, and likely won't actually be able to tell you if that Johnnie Walker you're swilling is "rotgut," i.e., poison, but it's fun, right? Of course, you could just do what we do -- subsist entirely on seltzer -- and save yourself the trouble of having to wonder if your alcohol is poison (probably). Sadly, it seems to be unavailable for purchase yet, but we're going to keep our eyes out for this one, we assure you.
Addiction therapists trying to help addicted in the game
Britain's Telegraph newspaper has news about addiction therapists joining the game themselves, specifically to find and seek out players who might meet the definition of addicted to World of Warcraft. They're actually looking for official Blizzard support, too. I'm not sure how much help you can actually provide by chatting with a player in the game ("Hello, it looks like you've been online for the last 16 hours, are you addicted?"), but they want to do it. Dr. Richard Graham wants to launch a program by the end of the year that includes some in-game outreach, and even he agrees that it'll be tough sell. Then again, maybe the guy just wants to play some WoW for free: "While a psychiatrist may excel in what they do in the real world, they're probably not going to be very good at playing World of Warcraft. We may have to work at that if we are going to get through to those who play this game for hours at end." Right. "Work.".
World of Warcraft listed as one of the 30 most offensive games
The conservative Christian investment firm, the Timothy Plan, has released a list of the 30 most offensive games on the market (Warning: link is to a PDF file). This list details the areas of sex, nudity, gay / lesbian, violence, cartoon violence, language, comic mischief, drugs, alcohol, tobacco, gambling, demonic, and game addiction as things that are against any "morally responsible" mutual fund to invest in.In other words they don't want you to invest, like they don't, in companies that make games which deal with any of the above areas.World of Warcraft is on the list. It has an overall score of a 9, which means it is half as offensive as Grand Theft Auto IV. According to the Timothy Plan, WoW is morally deficient in sex, violence, language, alcohol, and game addiction.Some investors will take this advice, and that's their right to do so. After the break we'll examine areas in which WoW is morally deficient, according to the Timothy Plan.
Serv O'Beer pours when iPhone accelerometer tells it to
Now that the holiday season is officially over (CES notwithstanding), there's officially no better time to get inebriated and wash away the sorrows of not having another government-recognized holiday for like, ever. After you've drug that dead tree out to the roadside and filled a few buckets with tears, why not try constructing your very Serv O'Beer in order to bring just a sliver of that joy back into your heart? Put simply, the project pictured above utilized Construx as the mechanical platform, a servo driving the action and ioBridge controlling the system; a so-called "perfect pour" was executed by linking an iPhone accelerometer to the system and turning it up. Have a look at the demonstration vid just past the break -- dollars to donuts it'll make you smile. [Thanks, Hans]
New Illinois law bans Alcopop depictions from children's games
We'll be the first ones to admit when video games cross the line in terms of containing content not suitable for kids -- GTA IV, for instance, contains a cornucopia of foul language and violence that youngsters probably shouldn't be privy to. In that respect, we can understand the justification behind a bill that would ban the sale of violent games to minors -- though we would strongly disagree with such a measure.However, this latest piece of video game legislation is beyond all comprehension -- Illinois legislators (who attempted to pass a violent game ban in 2005 until it was -- of course -- found unconstitutional by a federal judge) recently passed a bill banning the advertisement, promotion or marketing of Alcopop beverages in children-centric video games (as well as theater performances and concerts). That means no more depictions of Boone's Farm and Smirnoff Ice in all T-rated and under titles -- assuming there are any such depictions to begin with, which we highly doubt.Even if there's some unknown genre of kids' games that are just rife with Zima product placements, it's unlikely that there is a substantial enough state interest to justify the passing of such a regulation. Oh, screw it. We're not going to try to apply reason to an unreasonable government action. We want youngsters to stay away from Mike's Hard just as much as the next lot, but legislation banning its endorsement in a medium whose regulatory body already prohibits such endorsements is a complete waste of everyone's time.
iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod
It's late Friday night, you're stepping out of the bar into the cold after a few drinks, and as you head towards the car, you stop, realizing that it might not be the right time to drive. But how can you know for sure? Simple -- you just pull out your iPod. Because the iPod hasn't had enough random things attached to it, there's the iBreath, a breathalyzer that connects to the bottom of your iPod or iPhone and will not only tell you what your BAC is, but transmit your iPod's audio to your FM radio as well.You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.
In-car fingerprint scanner keeps drunks, thieves from starting your car
How's this for dual purpose? Zhao Wencai and Li Zhoumu, two graduate students at the China University of Geosciences, have concocted a prototype device which checks for two important bits of information before allowing a car to start. First, it scans your fingerprint to make sure you're on the authorized driver database; second, it takes a long, hard look (okay, so maybe 20 seconds isn't all that long) at the sweat on your digit to determine just how sober or inebriated you are. There's no telling when this will hit motorcars en masse, but we'd say the whole thing needs to get a whole lot smaller before it's a viable option.[Via Wired]
Three Sheets not done yet: New Year's Eve Pub Crawl from London on MOJO's website
iN DEMAND Networks has heard you loud and clear, and it's giving Three Sheets fanatics at least one more look at Zane Lamprey's blitzed face this New Year's Eve. On the very day that MOJO HD vanished from programming providers everywhere, in flies a release informing us that what's likely the channel's most loved show will be back for another go... online. The second annual Three Sheets New Year's Even Pub Crawl will air this year from London, and it will begin streaming at the stroke of midnight ET on January 1, 2009. The 45-minute special will see Zane dropping by the bar at Duke's Hotel, Green and Red on the East End and Casa Blue (just to name a few). Oh, and if you're really dedicated to the show, you can hit up the Zane Years Eve party in LA, which will include a screening of this very show. We'll keep you posted on anything we hear regarding the show being picked up on another network (hint, hint, networks). Full release is after the break.
First Look: Got Your BAC for iPhone/iPod touch
If you frequent the bar, or just like to have the occasional drink, then a new iPhone application has Got Your Back. As a matter of fact, that is the name of the application; except it is spelled BAC (as in Blood-Alcohol Concentration). With this application you will know exactly when you should call a taxi.When you first launch the application, you'll enter some personal information, like age, weight, and gender, so the application can calculate your BAC correctly. The main display shows four drinks on a table. You can change the type of beverage by double-tapping and selecting a different one -- the icon will also change. Each time you drink a beverage, you drag the icon off the table and onto the screen. The BAC, Carbs, Calories, and number of drinks will be updated in the top-left corner of the screen. As you add drinks, these numbers will increase. The red line across the screen indicates the legal limit -- when you're above this line, a new button will appear called "call a taxi." When tapped, this button will launch the Maps app and search for taxis. I love subtle UI features, and this application definitely has some: from the icon sets for beverages, to the sloshing liquid when you tilt the iPhone. The application is really great, and I would love to see the developer create a caffeine calculator that does the same thing. I would like to see the ability to input a number for a designated driver, that way you don't have to fumble through your contacts or call a taxi. Got Your BAC is available from the App Store for $2.99 (US). And, remember, the best thing to do is to not drink and drive. %Gallery-37758%
Brew of the Month for October: Autumnal Acorn Ale
Apparently that 200 tokens I spent on the Brew of the Month club was well spent -- I got my second Brew in the mail this week, and it's a good one. Autumnal Acorn Ale is not only tasty, but it'll make you smell like Autumn Acorns, too. Drinking it will get you drunk and call Woodland Squirrels up to show you a little critter love (or hate). I sipped it for the first time last night during a Slave Pens run, and at one point I had three cute little squirrels showing their affection. Apparently they'll also throw acorns at you, though I missed that in the chaos of the instance last night.Plus, it's an unlimited use item after 3.0.2 (14 day duration, though BotM members can buy more in Ironforge), which means you get as much alcohol as you want, and every time you drink one, you get an "empty brew bottle" to throw with a glassbreak bang. Very fun.If you didn't round up enough tokens to become a BotM member, you're unfortunately out of luck -- I originally thought you could buy the brews in Ironforge even if you weren't subscribed, but no dice, and the brews you get sent are soulbound. You'll have to wait until next Brewfest to sign up for your monthly beer. Can't wait to see what shows up next month!
Scrollbar does potion shots with Final Fantasy night
We're quickly becoming big fans of Scrollbar, an excellent pub with an excellent name, located near the IT University of Copenhagen in Denmark. They previously entranced us with their Mario theme night, and have now blown us away with their evening of Final Fantasy, complete with cosplay and custom drinks.What were they serving? A green lemon-lime concoction called a Life Stream, a "virgin" red drink called the Aerith (LOL), and an adorable pink sweet concoction called a Moogle. Shots included a devilish One Winged Angel (aka Sephiroth), and a Phoenix Down, for the hardiest of battles. All ingredients and directions can be found on their site (but please drink responsibly, folks; those Phoenix Downs don't actually work).[Thanks, Mike K.]
Square Enix to help gamers get sloshed
Wine no Hajimekata DS (Beginner's Wine DS) was released in Japan last November, yet Square Enix hasn't finished promoting the title just yet. Those who purchased the unique wine guide also gained entrance to the "Square Enix Members" club, and are now eligible to enter a raffle in which 100 bottles of (fairly inexpensive) Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon are up for grabs.It's not the first time that Square Enix has given away wine as a tie-in -- the limited edition version of Wine no Hajimekata DS contained a bottle of Dourthe No. 1 Bourdeaux -- but it's still a nice touch![Via Go Nintendo]
Karim Rashid-designed Globalight champagne cooler steals the show
Typically, you'd think a pricey bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne would be the star attraction on a night out, but we'd have to suggest otherwise if said container is being toted around in this thing. The Karim Rashid-designed apparatus, which is limited to just 500 pieces worldwide, is said to be a "modern reinterpretation of the traditional French chandelier." As for utility, it promises to keep your alcohol chilled for four solid hours, and considering the built-in LEDs will also flicker out after the same amount of time, we suppose that's a good indicator of when it's time to toss 'er back and get going. Here in the US, a handful of the Globalight's will be available exclusively at select W Hotels, but you're not unboxing one without laying down $4,500 first.[Via Luxurylaunches, thanks Yoge]
