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The Daily Quest: They really are
We here at WoW.com are on a Daily Quest to bring you interesting, informative and entertaining WoW-related links from around the blogosphere. Grey Matter really dislikes the Moonkin set bonus on the recently unveiled Tier 9 armor. Pink Pigtail Inn has a pretty convincing argument for why "more epics" does not equal "new content." Burnout? With all of the new patch 3.2 information coming down, Pike doesn't know anything about burnout. Rhii of ISheepThings, on the other hand, isn't real happy with the World of Warcraft today. And finally, Sydera over at World of Matticus waxes philosophical about exploits and how Blizzard is punishing them. Click here to submit a link to TDQ
Ready Check: Summertime, and the livin' is...
Ready Check is a twice-a-week column focusing on successful raiding for the serious raider. Hardcore or casual, Vault of Archavon or Ulduar, everyone can get in on the action and down some bosses. Today, we step back a little and look at endgame in the context of sports.Ah, summer. Pimm's in the sunshine, the thwack of tennis balls against grass, iced Frappucinos and hayfever. Delights like these, and others, all conspire to turn perfectly normal raiders into monsters of poor attendance. Yet guilds soldier on despite a mixture of player attrition and general unreliability -- this column looks at some of the ways they manage.The problem at hand is that many raiding guilds, at all levels of raiding, rely on a fairly tight-knit group of players. The smaller the raiding core, the more reliant you become on everyone showing up, but the better the guild is (in theory) since your players are well accustomed to working together. Additionally, loot is better used since it generally goes to those who raid rather than those who sit out.
Breakfast Topic: How do you cope with burnout?
Burnout is a natural part of doing anything for a long period of time whether it's a game or your job. Right now I've got WoW burnout, I can't be bothered to log on and the thought of raiding Ulduar (Ignis specifically) just makes my eyes and head hurt. It's not too bad and I've certainly had worse pre-Wrath but it's exacerbated in part I think by the lull. Patch 3.1 is out, Patch 3.2 is coming and the next unannounced expansion is a long time off yet. On top of that there aren't enough hours in the day to work, sleep, raid and play with my cats. It makes me wonder what's the best way to get out of this phase? Do I go cold turkey for a week? Do I reroll or do I just try a new instance? Tell me your suggestions, please, how do you cope with burnout?
Unlock Legendary cars (for free!) in Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island
Don't want to pony up the $8 to download Burnout Paradise's premium "Legendary" cars? Well, here's a cheaper alternative: buy Big Surf Island for $13, as it includes special toy versions of all four DLC cars. You can get a cute mini version of the hovering 88 Special (pictured above), Bootlegger, Manhattan Spirit and GT Nighthawk by completing various tasks around the new Burnout island: Toy Hunter Cavalry Bootlegger - Jump from all 15 Island Mega Jumps Toy Jansen P12 88 Special - Hit all 45 Island Billboards Toy Carson GT Nighthawk - Complete all 24 Island Road Rules (Timed & Showtime) Toy Hunter Manhattan Spirit - Hit all 75 Island Smashes We'll admit that we were too cheap to pay for the Legendary DLC, but with a little bit of skill, we'll be able to drive our own Ghostbusters-inspired car in no time.%Gallery-41360%
Report: Battlefield 3, Criterion-developed Need for Speed underway
During a William Blair Growth Stock Conference presentation, EA's COO (John Pleasants, FYI) noted the existence of two unannounced titles -- neither of them particularly surprising if you've been keeping up on your spurious internet rumors. The first, Battlefield 3, is said to be in good shape and, even better, in good hands over at developer DICE. Unfortunately, it appears fans of frenzied first-person shootery will have to wait until the next fiscal year before returning to the field.According to G4TV's Patrick Klepek, the second title is yet another Need for Speed game, this one developed by the team behind Burnout. Pleasants allegedly praised the team for being "online-centric and notably high-quality game developers that we have out at Criterion." There's little else to go on at the moment, but we're certainly intrigued by the collision of those two racing franchises. There will be collisions, right?Source -- Need for SpeedSource -- Battlefield 3
Big Surf Island will wash $12.99 out of your wallet
How much will you pay for 15 new events in Burnout Paradise? Criterion is hoping the answer is $12.99 (£9.99), because that's what it's charging for the upcoming Big Surf Island DLC pack, available this Thursday. Interestingly, those who use Microsoft Magic Money™ get a slightly cheaper option at 1000.It's certainly not as costly as some on the Joystiq team feared, but it's also far from an immediate impulse buy. While we understand Criterion wants to "make money" and "feed the family," we lament the long-gone days of free Burnout DLC.%Gallery-38136%
Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island hangs ten (and then some) in debut trailer
We warmly invite you to watch this first video of the upcoming Burnout Paradise DLC, Big Surf Island, in action, but please don't try any of these stunts at home. That's just silly. No one lives in a ginormous fun park! Now, if you'll excuse us, we're off in search of a colossal doughnut to launch our car through. Preferably with sprinkles.Big Surf Island will be available for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC on ... oh, right, we promised Criterion we wouldn't spoil it. Just watch the video ... %Gallery-38136%
Big Surf Island adds 15 events, 10 freeburn challenges to Burnout Paradise
With Cops and Robbers out of the way, Criterion is free to finish up the last of the announced Burnout Paradise premium DLC -- Big Surf Island. This is the first new locale to be introduced into the ever-evolving racing game, and it'll add 15 events and 10 online freeburn challenges to the game. Criterion is promising big air for the expansion, and completionists will want to look for all 45 Billboards hidden on the island. For comparison purposes, the original game featured 120 events and 350 freeburn challenges.These early details come courtesy of an early look at the DLC's Trophies. (Check out the new Trophies after the break.) One particularly intriguing achievement involves getting a whopping 4.5 seconds of air time in a single jump. Who needs Burnout Planes when you have massive jumps like that?Our very own Randy Nelson got some hands-on time with the DLC pack, but he can't report on the details quite yet. Expect a full preview on May 28.%Gallery-38136%
Ready Check: Progression Recruitment and Roster Churn
Ready Check is a weekly column focusing on successful raiding for the serious raider. Hardcore or casual, Vault of Archavon or Ulduar, everyone can get in on the action and down some bosses. This week, we're LF24M Yogg-Saron hard mode PST.It's interesting to watch the flow of players into and around hardcore guilds, and how it changes during farm, progress and the area in between. Why are so many of these guilds recruiting, and how does it change the meta-game?There are two reasons for a hardcore guild to recruit: to expand the roster and gain flexibility, or to replace players who are leaving the raiding squad. But what effect does it have on the guild? Let's take a look.
Joystiq Review: Burnout Paradise Cops & Robbers
Gamers are in the middle of a love/hate relationship with Criterion. Costly and often-underwhelming "premium" DLC has tarnished the goodwill earned by Burnout Paradise's free Cagney and Bikes updates. The $10 Party pack was a misstep for the series, but does Cops & Robbers steer the game back in the right direction? The answer, thankfully, is a resounding "yes."At its core, Cops & Robbers is a simple retooling of the game's already-existing online Marked Man mode. However, some key tweaks make it a much more focused and entertaining experience. While the $10 price point will give some sticker shock, the addition of more than 30 repainted vehicles makes it an easier buy than Criterion's "Toys" and "Legendary Cars" packs.%Gallery-44220%
Criterion has too much fun playing Burnout Paradise: Cops and Robbers
A lot of Burnout Paradise's "premium DLC" packs have left gamers out in the cold. The "Party" DLC didn't add much to the Burnout experience. The movie-inspired DLC cars were fun, but a bit pricey. However, Criterion may have crafted a truly worthwhile add-on with its upcoming "Cops and Robbers" pack, available next week.The latest episode of CrashTV (after the break) shows the Burnout team enjoying three rounds of their upcoming multiplayer expansion. Essentially, "Cops and Robbers" is the Paradise version of Capture the Flag, with cars trying to capture a floating collection of gold. The gold will spawn at random points on the map, and teams will have to reclaim the treasure and drive back to their designated checkpoint. Expect tons of Takedowns.The team at Criterion looks to be having a lot of fun with this new expansion -- maybe too much fun. As generally grumpy people, we always keep a suspicious eye on people that appear to be happy. We're watching you, Criterion ...
Crash TV provides early glimpse of Burnout Paradise's cop cars
The folks at Criterion Games don't just sit around crashing virtual cars all day, you know. Well, okay, maybe they do a little, but they also produce a video show called Crash TV, which provides a behind-the-scenes look at everything the company is doing with its game, Burnout Paradise. In the latest episode, Criterion previews some of the cop cars coming in the Cops and Robbers DLC pack. We've embedded the latest episode of Crash TV after the break, which shows off around 15 new cop cars in total, so click through and get your 7-minute dose of cop car goodness.%Gallery-44220%
Some players feeling burnout in Darkfall already?
Syncaine has another interesting Darkfall post up on his blog discussing why he thinks some players have started experiencing burnout so soon after release. He feels some of the issues are a result of how the game world has been playing out, while others are attributed to individual play style.Game specific issues include large alliances that have been forming up in Agon and that some people feel they must keep up with the Joneses. Being in an über-alliance means that nearly (if not) all your neighbours are friendly and that you must travel far and wide to find any PvP. Perhaps due to exploitation methods in the past (e.g., being able to skill up on invincible mobs), some players feel they need to grind before they can be truly effective in the game.Play style specific issues include trying to play a sandbox game with an "on rails" mentality and that some people simply can't handle the notion that for every triumphant gaming session, they will probably encounter an equally disastrous one. While some people think they crave a wide open, hardcore PvP experience, they refuse to accept that it may not actually be their style.
Burnout Paradise teases 'Cops and Robbers'
We're not exactly sure what they stole, but judging by the teaser trailer for Burnout Paradise's looming Cops and Robbers mode, criminals will have their jobs cut out for them outrunning the Paradise City fuzz. As a latest move to "change the way people think about and experience" the chaotic racer, much of Cops and Robbers' details remain behind bars, including the premium DLC's as-yet-unannounced release date. Still, if nothing else, this early look shows that Paradise City's police force is more than equipped to keep pace with lead foots on the wrong side of the law.
Cops and Robbers DLC adds 8 new Trophies
Looks like Cops and Robbers, the next bit of premium DLC being prepped for Burnout Paradise, is finishing up. A set of eight new Trophies were just added to the game, bumping up the number of Trophies to a whopping 88. From what we can gather from the list, Cops and Robbers looks to be a Burnout interpretation of Capture the Flag, with both Cops and Robbers racing each other to pick up Gold and deliver it to their base. Undoubtedly, takedowns will be a vital part of this online multiplayer mode.Criterion hasn't officially announced a release date or price for this upcoming mode, but this Trophy leak has us thinking it'll be sooner than later.[Thanks, Mason!]%Gallery-49268%
Ready Check: Ulduar and Burnout
Ready Check is a weekly column focusing on successful raiding for the serious raider. Hardcore or casual, Naxxramas-10 or Naxxramas-25, everyone can get in on the action and down some bosses. This week, we look at people who are leaving raiding despite Ulduar being imminent.It's that time of year again. We're hardly as jaded by farming tier 7 content as we were back in the days of Black Temple and Hyjal, but burnout has been rearing its ugly head lately, putting raiding guilds in a difficult position. Ulduar approaching will obviously put a stop to the problem - but for how long?When all the 25-man content is cleared in a handful of hours, nobody has any reason to run 10-mans and the drop-of-a-hat PTR testing schedule means we're entirely at Blizzard's whim as to when we can poke new content, it's no wonder people are becoming bored. Arguably, it's better that we don't get more than a few limited hours a week on the PTR, in order that the content is fresh when it actually hits. However, the actual effect of this drip-feeding has seemed to dampen enthusiasm for Ulduar rather than heighten it, especially as one of the most available bosses is unfortunately Flame Leviathan.
Burnout Paradise planes could be an April Fool's joke
Back in July of last year, Criterion Games mentioned that it had been experimenting with airplanes as a potential Burnout Paradise add-on; however, with new info claiming that an announcement regarding this is due on April 1st, there's suspicion that such an update could be nothing more than a really long-running April Fool's joke. This information comes from the FAQ section on Criterion's website, where it was specifically stated to "check for an exciting announcement on April 1" for more on the inclusion of planes. Now, there are a number of ways we can read this quoted sentence. We can take it for face value and what it says directly, or we can assume that there's sarcasm and allusion in the type. Preferably, we'd like to think Criterion is serious about making plane crashes in Paradise City a reality, but the proposition of planes in Burnout is hard to believe. Associate that with April Fool's and, well, it's really hard to believe. It seems the real joke is on us trying to figure out which is which. We've contacted Criterion and EA to see if we can get a straight answer.[Thanks, Joey B.!]
Burnout cars spotted on Godfather II's streets
It seems the Don has been spending some time in Paradise City, returning from his extended vacation with a pair of the city's more recognizable rides. Eagle eyes at Polish site Play PC recently discovered similarities between two cars in both Godfather II and Burnout Paradise, namely the latter's Hunter Cavalry and Carson Opus.Whether or not the cars in the upcoming EA sequel are the exact same models as those in Burnout, or just strikingly similar, isn't exactly clear. In any case, the Don's chop shop looks like it sanded off most of the details from Burnout's rides. When you're the Don, image is everything; we just hope the new paint jobs are as bulletproof as they are green.[Via N4G]
Behind the Curtain: Just when I thought I was out
It's funny the things that can suck you right back in, just when you thought you were out. I've been feeling pretty burned out with World of Warcraft over the last couple of weeks, and I wasn't enjoying the feeling at all. There was a brief interlude where the Argent Tournament piqued my curiosity, so I grabbed the PTR downloader to give that a try. That lasted all of about an hour, when I realised just how long it would take me to download the files. I'm not sure if I should blame BT for my frequently crappy connection speed, or Blizzard because they can't seem to create a decent downloader. It doesn't matter really, as I can QQ about both equally.Then it hit me – burn out didn't need to be a bad thing. In a shocking turn of events, I decided to actually listen to our readers' advice, and spend some time with other MMO, and maybe try a change of pace.
Split/Second debut trailer is highly destructive
As promised, last night's episode of GameTrailers TV brought our first non-fuzzy look at Pure developer Black Rock Studio's upcoming racing title, Split/Second. Keighley's ominous warning seems accurate -- it appears to be trying to give Burnout a run for its money. However, rather than participating in high-speed (probably illegal) street racing for your own amusement, it looks like Split/Second will be placing your automotive exploits in front of an enraptured televised audience.Split/Second will also add a neat gameplay element hinted at in the trailer -- it looks like players will be able to "trigger" destructive events on the track in order to impede their opponents (or themselves, if they're not on top of their respective games). Watch the trailer if you want an example. The developers promise further info about the game next Wednesday -- til' then, you can check out the trailer here!
