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72-hour charity marathon lets internet pick games, gets really tough ones
The marathon gaming team Wily Whompers was scheduled to race team Zeldathon this week, but when that showdown fell through, it decided to turn its marathon into a Viewer's Choice of sorts, asking Reddit readers to help choose which games to play for 72 hours straight. The group is also raising money for Child's Play as it streams the event -- so far it has only reached a few hundred dollars, but there's still time left to play ... and watch. The team started with a run through Mega Man 10 and then the Reddit folks showed a cruel streak, sending the players through Super Meat Boy (we're told they beat all of the Light World levels and the warp zones), Super Ghouls N Ghosts and a few other unforgiving titles before the Whompers' current challenge as of this writing: Beating the forehead-slappingly difficult Demon's Souls. We can only wish them luck -- we're hard pressed to do anything for three days straight, much less play some of the hardest games around.
Track your favorite runners with the ING New York Marathon app
There are some people who regard the prospect of a 26 mile-long run across the bridges, avenues and streets of New York City's five boroughs with eager anticipation, who train diligently for months with single-minded focus to be able to say with well-deserved pride, "Yes, on November 7 2010, I completed the NYC Marathon." Let me be perfectly clear: I am not one of these people. I do, however, live just steps away from the marathon route, so it's a family tradition for all of us to traipse down the block early tomorrow morning to watch the mayor's motorcade, the wheelchair racers and the lead runners followed by an absolute flood of humanity -- quite a spectacle. Whether you're a casual fan or an eager follower of a specific runner, you might want to grab the official race app for iPhone. Bearing the awkward moniker "NYRR Presents the ING New York City Marathon 2010," the free app includes race details, course facts, time updates and more. With an in-app purchase, you can watch live video of the race or track up to five specific runners by name or bib number (the developer notes that you may need to restart your device after the upgrade to make sure tracking is working as expected). Best of luck to all tomorrow's competitiors; stay safe out there, and remember to be on time for your start -- best not to depend on your iPhone alarm during Daylight Saving wacky fun time.
SpeedGamers run an Assassin's Creed, Prince of Persia marathon for the Gulf
The SpeedGamers are taking on a couple of Ubisoft action platformers this weekend to help raise some money for the oil-stained Gulf of Mexico. They started up on Friday afternoon, and are running a marathon playthrough of both Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. As usual, you can watch the whole marathon streamed online all weekend long, and the 'Gamers will be raising money for the Gulf Restoration Network, which could probably use a little extra cash after all of the, you know, mess down there. The marathon will run for three straight days, up until August 24, and as this post is written, they've already raised over $1000, and are currently auctioning off ... the chance to see a guy dressed as a Final Fantasy X character? Listen, those SpeedGamers may be strange folks, but they're doing Altaïr's work over there. Djinn bless 'em.
Dutch gamers break world record by playing for 50 hours straight
A group of six Dutch gamers played Red Dead Redemption for 50 hours straight over the weekend, garnering them recognition from the Guinness Book of World Records. The event took place at a Dixons store in the Netherlands, where six players started out as competitors, but eventually decided to keep playing and get the world record together. All six will receive recognition from Guinness, a $1300 prize and a Twistdock connector from the event's sponsor. There are two things that make this stand out from your average weekend-long play session. First, we're talking 50 hours for all six gamers with no breaks. While that's definitely been done before (with less than healthy consequences), Guinness was there to put the official stamp on everything. So, until you get them to watch you play Final Fantasy XIII and all of its optional missions all in one sitting, this record will probably stand.
WoWathon 2 has begun: Playing WoW for charity
They're baaaack! The intrepid WoW players who take turns playing two characters in one long marathon session for charity are at it again. Child's Play, the charity started and organized by the gang at Penny Arcade, is still the recipient of their efforts. Like last year, the WoWathoners are on camera and streaming their gameplay 24 hours a day, taking turns for sleep and hygiene. Unlike last year, they are playing Horde on a PvP realm. I'll be interviewing them again this year, but they answer questions from the chat channel so you can talk to them yourselves if you like. 100% of the donations through ChipIn go to Child's Play and they accept any amount. Every little bit helps. Their first goal to play past level 20 is $800, but they're only at $310 as of this writing. If you like the idea of watching people grind, level and take requests from viewers -- and I know you do -- head on over and hang out with them. They'd love to have you and the sick children they are helping will appreciate it too.
TheSpeedGamers taking on every Mario game (no, seriously, all of them)
We're approaching charity gaming marathon season, in which kind-hearted folks spend their hard-earned vacation days playing a series of video games without respite or pause. The Mario Marathon guys are set to kick off their franchise playthrough in a little under two weeks -- before that, though, the prolific, altruistic team at TheSpeedGamers is attempting a similar feat: They're currently playing through every single Mario game while collecting donations for ACT Today, a group which helps families pay for the care and treatment of their autistic children. Maybe we weren't explicit enough in the preceding paragraph: They are playing every Mario game. Every one of them. At the time of this writing, they're playing Mario Kart 64. Monday morning, they're going to play Hotel Mario. When given the choice between going big or going home, the folks at TheSpeedGamers clearly chose the former. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
Garmin's Forerunner 110 GPS watch handles just the basics, please
Garmin has managed to do GPS watches right with its long-standing Forerunner line, but the vast majority of 'em have been useful only to nerds who aren't deterred by lengthy setup procedures. The new Forerunner 110, however, changes all that. Designed to provide just the basics to runners and other fitness freaks, this SiRFstarIV-infused timepiece provides near-instant access to distance, pace and time "within seconds of stepping outside." Marketed as an entry-level solution for those who don't need added complexity in their life, it can also be used in conjunction with heart rate monitors to display current thumps per second and heart rate-based calorie computation, both of which can be logged once you sync it to your PC via USB. The inbuilt battery will last up to eight hours in GPS / training mode or three weeks in power-save mode, and while there's no mention of a price, we are told that it'll be available in black / gray, charcoal / red and gray / pink color combinations. Good luck choosing the most badical one. Update: Looks like it's on sale now directly through Garmin for $250. Thanks, Dara!
Bungie registers Marathon and 'Bungie Aerospace' trademarks
Between the recent filing to trademark ... something regarding Bungie's first FPS Marathon, and a filing for the name "Bungie Aerospace," we're not exactly sure what to make of whatever it is that's going on over at the house that birthed Master Chief. Both filings, spotted by Superannuation, represent still unknown plans for the studio. And aside from the logo you see above, we know very, very little about either. As for the Marathon trademark, it could very well just be an update to an existing filing. The inclusion of references to several past Bungie logos in the Bungie Aerospace filing, however, suggests a possible rebranding of the studio -- something we wouldn't be particularly surprised with considering the break with Microsoft way back in 2007, not to mention the fact that this fall's Halo: Reach marks the last Halo game from the studio before Microsoft's 343 Studios fully absorbs the IP. Oh, and no, Bungie won't be joining the Richard Garriotts and John Carmacks of the world in heading into outer space, as both trademark filings fall under the usual USPTO video game classification. A Bungie representative told Joystiq "No comment" when asked about the listings, but for now you're free to speculate along with us to your heart's content. Source 1 - USPTO Source 2 - USPTO [Via Superannuation]
Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab hosting huge game marathon for Haiti
We've seen a ton of gaming marathons attempt to raise money for charitable causes, but we've never seen anything quite so ambitious as this: Boston's Singapore-MIT Gambit Game Lab is hosting the "Complete Game-Completion Marathon" from February 26 - 28, in which 11 teams will attempt to beat a wide variety of video games, ranging from the original Final Fantasy to NHL 10. Video of their efforts will be streamed online, where viewers can donate money to Haiti's earthquake relief efforts through Partners in Health. You can find a full list of the games being played and their anticipated completion times after the jump. We wish all participants the best of luck -- especially the team that's trying to beat Mass Effect 1 and 2 in 25 hours. That's just madness! [Via GamePolitics]
Philanthropic rockers playing 1,000 Rock Band songs for Child's Play
We know you've probably already spent an irresponsible amount of dough this morning on hot Black Friday deals, but there's a unique gaming marathon for charity (a charithon?) taking place right now that could use some help meeting its $3,000 donation goal. Check out the web page of Clan of the Gray Wolf, where four gentlemen are attempting to play 1,000 Rock Band songs for approximately 80 hours, all the while collecting money for Penny Arcade's Child's Play Charity. So, instead of buying that set of Growing Pains-themed salt shakers simply because they're 75 percent off, why not lend a helping hand to four guys who, in 80 hours, are going to have the worst blisters anyone's ever had, ever?
Citizen Game marathon gaming for Children in Need
On November 20, staffers from UK blog Citizen Game will be holding a video game marathon in support of Children in Need -- a charity established in 1980 in support of disadvantaged, disabled and abused children throughout the UK. Not to be outdone, Citizen Game will hold the event at a film studio in central London for the night and invite gamers from across the globe to help them battle children issues online. Interested gamers should visit Citizen Game to learn about event start times, Xbox Live Gamertags and PlayStation IDs and how to donate. Thus far, Citizen Game has reached £215 ($358 USD) of its £2,000 ($3,330) goal and have promised to game for one hour per every £100 ($166) they collect. We wish them the best of luck.
Nike+ iPod equals a weight loss success formula
(As a follow up to Tim Wasson's 'An Apple a Day' fitness plan, I thought I'd share my experience on how the Nike+ iPod kit helped me lose weight.) It's high noon in Los Angeles on a late May Sunday. But this isn't your typical Sunday. You see, I'm about to finish my first ever marathon. As I make my way toward the finish line, I hear the roar of thousands of spectators cheering me on. For those who have yet to experience this, I tell them that there's no other feeling like it -- one where thousands of people, who know nothing about you, are willing you to finish the final meters of a 26.2 mile race. As I make my way toward finish line, I think of everything that led up to this moment, and how much running has changed my life. But I don't think I'd have made it this far had it not been for the Nike+ iPod kit; for by changing the running experience, it's also changed my feelings about running.
Congratulations WoWathon!
After almost two weeks, the WoWathon team dinged to 80 last night to the strains of The Final Countdown.On August 1, they started their mission to raise money for the charity Child's Play by playing WoW straight from 1 to 80. They have suffered through griefers, trolls and extended maintenance -- all while streaming to the public. The team surpassed their initial goal of $5000 goal and have raised over $8000 as of this writing, all for making the lives of sick children more pleasant.There is still time to donate, if you want to congratulate them in a charitable fashion. Just go to their main website and click on the ChipIn! button before August 15th. Any contribution helps, no matter how small.I'm so proud of them (sniff) and I'm looking forward to next year's WoWathon.
Playing WoW for charity: Interview with the WoWathon team
The gamers who are playing WoW, marathon-style, for charity are still streaming their mega-leveling session over on Ustream. Thanks to fellow gamers and readers like you, they are getting close to have surpassed their goal of $5000 in order to stay playing until they get level 80. Every penny of the donations goes to Child's Play, the Penny-Arcade charity for helping sick kids in children's hospitals.The WoWathon team are leveling, chatting, eating, singing -- living their lives on the internet for your viewing pleasure and hopefully your donations. They are also, unbelievably, being griefed while questing and trolled in chat. Unflappable, these Gamers for Good continue their quest to help raise money for an excellent cause -- sometimes with Blizzard GMs as guardian angels.They took time out after reaching level 40 and even woke up one of their team (Thank you, Alex!) to answer my interview questions:
WoWathon for Child's Play
Have you heard about WoWathon? Three gamers have been playing WoW since August 1, broadcasting live in order to raise money for the charity, Child's Play. They are streaming live right now on Ustream and have been for 54 hours as of this writing. Starting from level 1, they have leveled their characters to 35 so far, all while responding to chatters.They are not account sharing and have the blessing of their realm's GM, for those of you who are worried about them going against the ToS.Child's Play is the charity that the guys at Penny Arcade put together to provide toys, games, books and cash to sick kids in children's hospitals. The WoWathon team's goal is to reach $5000 in fundrasing for the charity and are currently near $2300. If you wish to donate to help them reach their goal, please go to their website and click on the Chipin button. We are talking to them now, so stay tuned to WoW.com for an interview with the team.[Thank you to the many readers who have tipped us about this awesome event.]
CharityWatch: TheSpeedGamers tackling Final Fantasy I - XII
We know, we know -- another Sunday, another gaming marathon for charity. Still, we figured that the 30 tips pointing us to this particular marathon which we received within the course of ten minutes meant people were interested in it. Still, if you do find yourself annoyed, then you can go screw right off. It's charity, dude.The fine philanthropic folks over at TheSpeedGamers are spending this entire week completing Final Fantasy I - XII in an attempt to raise at least $20,000 for an autism treatment organization named ACT Today. By our calculations, that's 15,000 random encounters, 1,300 levels-up and about 200 unbearably long, villainous soliloquies over the course of seven days. That's enough to drive even the most hardcore Squeenix supporters insane -- why not go reward their self-abuse with a few bucks for charity?
iPhone to run Boston Marathon
TUAW regulars probably remember our post about a reader in Tokyo who strapped an iPhone to his hat and used Qik to livestream the Tokyo Marathon. Well, now we're about to see an iPhone run the Boston Marathon.It's a very large iPhone with a developer inside! RunKeeper developer Jason Jacobs has battled plantar fascitis and a short training season (three weeks) to hopefully carry off this great marketing scheme on Marathon Monday. He's wearing a lightweight iPhone suit made of black lycra with a rope frame. What's on the screen of the iPhone? RunKeeper, of course!The staff at Fitness Keeper worked with a team of students from Professor Dave Gerzof's social media class at Emerson College to come up with a marketing strategy that would give their popular exercise tracking app an extra push in the App Store. On Monday, we'll see how well an iPhone can run the Boston Marathon.There's more of the story as well as video at http://www.runkeeper.com/marathon. Good luck, Jason!
TUAW reader livestreaming Tokyo Marathon from head-mounted iPhone
If you were looking for a challenge, you might consider running a marathon with an iPhone 3G strapped to your head. That's exactly what TUAW reader Joseph Tame of iPhoning Japan will be doing next Sunday, March 22nd (Saturday night for those of us in the US).Joseph was one of the 5,000 lucky people who were selected to run in the Tokyo Marathon, and he decided to livestream his experience to all of the people who weren't so lucky as well as the rest of the world. How's he going to do this? Using a jailbroken iPhone 3G running Qik, software that gives the iPhone livestreaming capabilities. His "modified hat" uses the strap and the "sponge of speed" to hold the iPhone screen-first against his forehead. Qik.com will be showing the race from Joseph's head on Sunday / Saturday, and you can leave comments on iPhoning Japan to make his iPhone vibrate and let him know you're sending along your best wishes. Joseph has a fun, tongue-in-cheek introductory video on his blog that explains it all in more detail. All of us here at TUAW will be watching and urging Joseph along to a fast finish in the Tokyo Marathon.
15-year-old collapses after playing Wrath for hours on no sleep or food
Reader Danny sent us this article from Holland Sweden, where apparently (a rough translation of the piece, thanks to Google, is after the break), a young boy of 15 was taken to the hospital after collapsing while playing Wrath of the Lich King. He reportedly had played the game for fifteen hours straight, and because he'd only gotten two hours of sleep and had almost nothing to eat the entire time, felt cramps and apparently collapsed from exhaustion.Obviously, it's a stretch to blame this on the game -- doing anything for 15 hours straight with no sleep or food won't be good for your health. There were millions of people who played this very same game this weekend (some probably even for the same amount of time or more) and had no problems at all -- they realize that to stay healthy, you take breaks, get sleep, and eat healthy. But this kid (and his parents) didn't do things correctly, and as a result, he ended up in the hospital.Hopefully the kid's all right, and the parents have learned their lesson: they have decided to limit his time in front of the computer, which is exactly what they should do if he can't limit it himself. The article ends by saying that "teenagers" around the world are playing the new expansion, except that the average age of gamers is now up to just under 30, and the average World of Warcraft player is actually older than that. Fortunately, the vast majority of them know how to enjoy the game and stay safe and healthy at the same time.
Norway Post's new logo: Pokball or Marathon symbol variation?
This is what makes us smile. Reader Olav sent us word this morning that the Norwegian post office switched its old logo (which we've placed after the break for reference) to something, he said, that "unmistakably looks like a pokéball." After checking it out, we believe Posten Norge's new symbol looks like the love child of a pokéball and the symbol from Bungie's Marathon.Coincidence, or conspiracy by some gamer in the art department?Source - Article about new post symbol (it's in Norwegian)Source - Norway Post in English[Thanks Olav]
