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Practical and impractical jokes
The other day I was invited via the LFG queue to join in on a heroic Mechanar run. The other four players were all in the same guild and seemed to be good friends, based upon the way they were joking around while we all made our way to the instance. Not long after we entered the dungeon, I received private messages from three of the other group members telling me that they were going to play a practical joke on the tank. As soon as he attacked the first creature, the rest of us were going to run out of the instance, leaving him alone to die. I wasn't really sure what to make of the idea, but when they all ran out, I followed, not wanting to die myself. The guy seemed to take it well and laughed it off with some good natured teasing, but I've seen similar situations where the outcome wasn't as pleasant. For instance, several months ago, when my guild was trying to enlist new members to raid the larger dungeons, we were in an alliance with another guild for a short period. A lot of the people in my guild like to joke around and one of them decided to play a prank on the hunters in the raid while we were learning how to take down Gruul. After the tanks died on one of our attempts, this player decided it would be funny to run to the area near the doorway where the hunters were feigning death, hoping to avoid repair bills. Of course, he pulled Gruul right on top of the hunters, turning their fake deaths into real ones. Most of them laughed it off, but one guy in particular became really upset and made a big commotion in raid chat. It took him awhile to calm down, but the group eventually pulled it together and went on to kill Gruul.Ever had an experience like this? Does this sort of thing annoy you or do you think it has a place in WoW?
Forum Post of the Day: What did the pirate spec his mage?
Well, I think this collection of jokes on the official forums is absolutely hilarious -- combining my interests in both World of Warcraft and pirates -- but quite a few posters seem to feel the thread I'm about to point you to is quite groan-worthy. So if you don't feel like you can take yet another pirate pun, you may want to stop reading now. But for those of you who enjoy this sort of pure goofiness, have I got the forum thread for you. Poster Grinbomb gets us started with this joke:Q: What did the pirate spec his mage?A: Arrrrcane.And the madness continues from there:Q: What's a pirate's favorite lore character?A: Arrrrthas.True Bloodsail Buccaneers will be amused. The rest of you should go on with your lives elsewhere. (And for those of you wanting to show your allegiances, there's always this fine shirt from J!NX.)
Brown Zune finds meaning in Hide-a-Pod
Bill was a hired infomercial actor pretending to be on the brink. He used to lose at least half a dozen iPods to relentless and cunning thieves, continually able to outsmart him and relieve him of his portable music boxes. Then, like a shining light at the end of the tunnel, along came Hide-a-Pod*. "It was like a dream come true," Bill exclaimed: "I picked up a Hide-a-Pod, and I haven't lost an iPod since. If I leave it somewhere and go back later it's always right there were I left it." Harnessing the mathematical perfection of ugliness that only the Brown Zune possesses, Hide-a-Pod makes iPods physically invisible to lower standing members of society. You too can be like Bill, by ordering the Hide-a-Pod today![Thanks, David]*Warning: Hide-a-Pod not a real product. Will cause extreme ridicule if taken seriously.
Forum post of the day: Patch 2.2... not really
While I have to admit, I wouldn't normally have thought of the Shaman forums as being the party place to be lately, this thread claiming that it had the 2.2 Patch Notes has certainly lived up to that feeling more than most. Sure, some of it is pretty dark (such as the part claiming that they've just deleted Shamans altogether) but I have to admit, even the parts that poked fun at my favorite classes were fairly funny. Here's a few of the highlights: General Notes * Changed flight points to make them go the scenic route more often * Adjusted flight point costs to reflect the longer distances. Longer distances = more money. * Poor players will no longer be able to speak. Sorry. No begging or gold website advertising. * Will of the Forsaken will be removed, due to popular opinion. Replacing it will be Emo Feelings of the Forsaken, which makes the /dance emote cooler. I mean, coolioo.So for a Forum thread that is full of silly fun (or perhaps just full of weird, depending on your sense of humor) head on over to the Shaman forums and check the "2.2 patch notes" out. [via the Shaman Forums]
Microsoft pranks with oFone, Apple rolls eyes
Seeing as the Zune was such a hit, Microsoft decided to repeat the success and tackle the iPhone before it even gets out the gate; friends, we give you the Microsoft oFone. Not to be outdone by Apple's multi-touch keyless interface, the oFone features not one or two, but three keyboards that can all pivot about the small central screen. Need to bag some wild game for dinner? No worries, oFone can do that too, simply extend the three arms (like in the pic above) and it apparently makes a decent boomerang. We're loving where they're going with this idea -- cool and unusable, just how we like our fake phones. Check the vid after the break.
360 display boxes vandalized, Wii evangelized
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Xbox_360_display_boxes_vandalized_Wii_evangelized'; If we're to believe Dustin Wilson's assurances, the mischief above wasn't a product of Photoshop or any other methods of internet chicanery. He actually scribbled the Wii endorsement onto the Xbox 360 display boxes with a white paint marker while one of the game shop's employees was distracted. This episode of When Keeping it Wii Goes Wrong was created as an entry for the EvWiiwhere Challenge hosted by N+, a MyOpera community for Nintendo fans. The contest called for readers to take pictures of the word "Wii" spelled out in unconventional ways, but we're sure this wasn't what the site had in mind. We might have our gripes with all the Electronics Boutiques and GameStops out there, but vandalizing other people's property just isn't cool, especially when it's at the expense of a worker who's just doing her job. But who knows, maybe this sort of joke will catch on with other retailers? If you think about it, this would be a great way to promote the Xbox 360 to customers inside the shop, while at the same time catching the interest of people outside who see the storefront's Wii wisecrack. It's genius!
Kit Kat: Your break from recursive MMOs [update 1]
If you thought First Life was a brave new frontier on the uncharted expanses of video game comedy, wait until you see this European Kit Kat ad. I don't want to ruin the ending, but let's just say that Second Life citizens like to play computer MMOs too. What? The picture above gave away the punchline? Oh well. Have a Kit Kat.Other Second Life jokes we're waiting to see: Fourth Life: What do citizens of Third Life do when they're bored? The hilarity never ends! Not to be confused with Forth Life, which is in your newspaper's comics. Pi Life: Your life as a series of random, never-ending, non-repeating events. Alternatively, your life trapped in a circle. Alternatively, your life in a universe filled with pie. Half Life: Second Life, but with more guns. And crates. One Second Life: A game that only lasts one-sixtieth of a minute. Googol Life: A really long life. Not to be confused with Google Life, which is the life of a web addict. Zero Life: What the average Second Life player has. *rim shot* [Update: How foolish of us. It turns out we posted this video last month. But was this a mistake, or a subtle reinforcement of the video's statement? Alright, it was a mistake.]
Puzzle Quest debug menu just a prank, nude heroes not real
Infinite Interactive released a cheat code yesterday to give players a little help in the PSP and DS versions of Puzzle Quest. The code is a long sequence of buttons pressed quickly or held for half a second. Once entered, a menu will appear that will allow you to turn off AI cheating, play the secret cow level, activate all spells, and turn on nude hero sprites (!). Now this is what an April Fools prank should be like. No outlandish promises for games we know will never exist, no half-baked Photoshopped images, and for the love of grilled cheese sandwiches, no ridiculous claims of Sony buying Nintendo. Just a good old fashioned joke that you believe at first but quickly realize you've been hoodwinked. Furthering the prankocity of the cheat, the sequence spells "I AM A NOOB" in Morse code!We can't help but wonder how many Puzzle Quest fans dove for their system to try it out. You know, to turn off AI cheating. Not that nude hero thing.[Via DS Fanboy]
April Fools Alert #4: Blizzard buys Wowhead
Skosiris of Wowhead graciously let us know that they are being bought by Blizzard, for no less than nine million dollars! This is great news for my favorite WoW data site. In addition, Skosiris and Evilseed will be joining Blizzard as WoW's new lead class designers. They promise the following immediate improvements: Removal of the Hunter class Implementation of Pandaren as a playable race New Engineering schematic for Mages to let them create an actual vending machine Kudos, Wowhead, for making it big-time. I hope this doesn't affect the quality of your layout, though; make sure not to let Blizzard's web designers near your site. And as far as Hunters go -- it's about time!
April news from Blizzard: The Tinfoil Hat and more
Another April, another round of announcements from Blizzard. It's like Christmas, only more entertaining. Let's see what we have in our stocking, shall we?First off, we finally have a way to hide ourselves from the Armory, in the form of the epic Tinfoil Hat. Not only does it prevent the Armory from indexing your data, it also hides you from in-game inspection, keeps you out of /who, and features an on use effect preventing mind control. You might have to slum it a bit to gather the 99 tin bars, but the joy of farming the tears of trolls will surely make it up to you. It's also required to gain access to the WoW forums, much like the Drakefire Amulet for Onyxia's Lair.Secondly, we have a first look at Blizzard's next game! Set in the Warcraft universe we all know and love, Warcraft: Heroes of Azeroth lets us see the epic struggle in a whole new way. This prequel to WoW lets us command buildings and units from an all-new top-down perspective, taking control of four races (night elves, orcs, humans, and undead). It takes PvP and PvE to a greater scale -- we'll get to command whole armies at once! And tying into WoW's mechanics are powerful heroes, who gain experience and items to progress in potency; these include WoW greats like Thrall and Jaina Proudmore. All in all, should be a fun new look at this great story and setting.Finally, we have a new attunement chart, this time for the Black Temple. It seems to take you through every instance in Outland a few times, as well as the Molten Core, the world dragons, BWL, and Onyxia's Lair. I for one am glad that this doesn't follow the pattern of attunements to places like the Eye, which are simply too easy to get into. Can you say free epics? In all honesty, I would have expected Deadmines to be on this attunement path somewhere, but perhaps it'll be patched into it later. Finally, after turning in a few Badges of Justice (500) and Marks of Honor (100) and fending off an Illidari invasion for a moderate six hours, the Black Temple awaits. I reckon I'll be attuned within 24 hours of the patch; how about you guys?
April Fool's Alert #1: Wii.TV's future Zelda
We warned you yesterday. Welcome to many site's nebulous comprehension that April Fool's Day is actually April 1 -- not the day or week before, or the whole month for that matter. Wii.TV gets the first spot in our alerts as they announce Legend of Zelda ... that's it, they didn't even bother to come up with a subhead. Go through the effort of editing a five minute video and don't even bother to come up with a full title. No, Legend of Zelda: Future Calls or Legend of Zelda: Knights of the Ganon Wars. The video is a compilation of Star Wars concept drawings, Final Fantasy stills and other random elements. Actually, that would make for a good deconstruction exercise. Know where the components come from? Give a shout out.[Thanks Whosyourdaddy?]
Where did "Blu-ray" come from? Adam Sandler knows
The name HD DVD, while not particularly original is at least pretty clear to anyone familiar with standard DVDs. Fans of Sony's Blu-ray technology certainly get the connection to its blue laser technology, but the average consumer might be a little thrown off. If you need more explanation of where the term "Blu-ray" originated, Adam Sandler -- star of Sony Pictures' first dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray release -- provided his own retelling of the events during a dinner honoring Sony CEO Howard Stringer recently. No matter how seriously you take his tale of a devastating cross-eyed blonde named Blu-ray who rocked Howard's world many years ago in Singapore, we're sure the company's shareholders hope making the name famous won't "destroy" the executive.
1UP editors: Wii got punk'd
Even reputed game journalists are not above gullibility. GameVideos.com Director Mark MacDonald sent us word of a prank he played in the 1UP / EGM offices recently where he used pre-recorded footage of Metroid Prime 2 and Auto Modelista, a "replica Wii joystiq [sic]," and a laptop battery posing as a sensor bar to fool more than a few editors that they had gotten a retail Wii unit in early. Dan Hsu caught on quickly, after launching into a mini-tirade about unreturned e-mails to Nintendo. A few others, however, were no so lucky, even sitting down to play the games for many minutes before realizing they were mere marionettes in a sick and twisted mind game. All the embarrassment has been caught on tape, uploaded, and embedded below.
Changing a light bulb...
Normally, I wouldn't take a second glance at a post with a title like this. However, the little Blizzard icon next to it, indicating a response from a Blizzard employee, compelled me to investigate further. And, if you're in need of a good laugh, perhaps you should take a look at Eyonix's explanation of how many World of Warcraft forum posters it takes to change a light bulb: 1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed 6 to share that they were the first to read and respond to the light bulb being changed 5 to convey disatisfaction for failing to be the first to read and respond to the light bulb being changed 14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently 7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs 7 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs 5 to flame the spell checkers 3 to correct spelling/grammar flames 6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" ... another 6 to condemn those 6 as stupid 2 proclaimed industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is "lamp" 15 who claim that they were previously in the industry, and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct 19 to post that this forum is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a lightbulb forum 11 to defend the posting to this forum saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts are relevant to this forum 36 to debate which method of changing light bulbs is superior, where to buy the best light bulbs, what brand of light bulbs work best for this technique and what brands are faulty 7 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs 4 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL's 3 to post about links they found from the URL's that are relevant to this group which makes light bulbs relevant to this group 4 to discuss how Paladins need to be fixed 5 to post to the group that they will no longer post because they cannot handle the light bulb controversy 13 to say "do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs" 1 to respond to the original post 6 months later to start it all over again.
Internet fad inspires laughable "hands free" kit
The image on the left is a fairly typical example of the casual joke emails that I get from friends and clueless Engadget interns: a momentarily entertaining picture, in this case of a dude using an elastic band as a makeshift hands free kit (incidentally, it's also the third result on Google Images for "hands free kit"). With this in perspective, you'll understand the overwhelming compulsion I had to slap myself in the forehead when I saw that someone is trying to flog an elastic band hands free kit -- complete with an example shot identical to the joke image -- onto unsuspecting punters. I hope, nay, pray it's some sort of joke, although the amount of effort that appears to have gone into the design of the packaging forces me to suspect otherwise.[Via Slashphone]
Dell CEO jabs at Apple, forgets how to count
Michael Dell, amidst lackluster growth reports and a dismal earnings warning, has fired a couple more potshots across Apple's bow. During a recent Q&A, Dell's CEO cited MTV's new URGE music service as one reason why he is skeptical of the iTMS market dominance over the next ten to twenty years. I guess we'll have to see how well Microsoft irons out their Plays for Sure, er URGE, er Zune project (indecisive, anyone?), and how upset users get when the Zune crashes with a BSOD right in the middle of a wireless purchase, accidentally charging their credit cards for 5 additional albums that weren't even in their shopping cart.Going further, Mr. Dell also bragged about Dell's market share statistics, stating that Apple isn't a threat because they haven't broken into the list of top five market share holders. All debates as to whether Apple is trying to, or even should, dominate the world with their shiny computers aside, Michael is only half right: Apple's market share in the U.S. has actually jumped high enough to rank them 4th in PC manufacturers (again, in the U.S.).How many times do we have to tell you this, Mr. Dell? Insulting Apple won't make them open up OS X for you.[via MacNN]
Yes Martha, he looks Bill Gates-ish
When Apple rolled out the new ad campaign, a number of you sent in the tips (thanks!). I hopped online and saw the "virus" ad, which is what Apple apparently wants you to see first. And like most of us, I saw a guy who reminded me of Bill Gates. It's not exact by any means, and there's some guilt by association to be had here (can you mutter Windows PC without thinking of the guy?). Give him credit, Bill does a great job of being Nerd Prime. The actor in the commercial, aside from doing a terrible Bill G-money imitation, does a great job of being an understated Windows geek. OK, so the guy looks as much like Gates as the smiley on Apple's Get A Mac page looks like Microsoft's Bob icon... Now let's see those awesome parody videos/comebacks, Windows lovers!
Futurama "Windows 3000" joke
It's no secret that Matt Groening is an Apple fan, as plenty of references and jokes have made their way into episodes of his Simpsons and Futurama shows. While watching my favorite segment of TV last night - [adult swim] - I thought a Futurama episode (titled "Bendin' in the Wind") cracked a nice knee-slap of a joke on Windows. Sure, the episode might have originally aired way back in 2001, but this is the first time I've ever caught the joke - sue me.A clown robot visits a mangled, hospitalized Bender and tries telling a few jokes to cheer him up. One is: "Did you hear why they're using Windows 3000 as a prison guard? Because it always locks up!" Cute.
