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The Road to Mordor: The Professor
This past week on January 3rd, J.R.R. Tolkien celebrated his 118th birthday -- or rather, we celebrated it for him. Tolkien was born in South Africa in 1892 and lived a rich and full life, from fighting in the first World War to working on the Oxford English Dictionary to taking a position at several universities that would earn him the nickname "The Professor." He is, of course, most well-remembered for his seminal works of fantasy -- The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion -- although his writings didn't end there. Due to Tolkien's love of nature, linguistics, and mythology, his creations were born out of comprehensive backgrounds and rich histories, which he seemed to love making up just as much as the stories themselves. For years now, Tolkien fans around the world have remembered his birthday by raising a glass on his birthday and giving a simple toast, "The Professor," at 9:00 p.m. wherever they lived. Likewise, in Lord of the Rings Online, many players gathered at their tavern of choice to do the same. Today I thought I'd remember the Professor in a slightly different way by exploring the quest chain "Missing the Meeting." While it's not completely overt if you happened to come across it, "Missing the Meeting" is a tribute to J.R.R. Tolkien and his life, and it's worth going through at least once if you want to pay homage and get a nifty token by which to remember him.
Sunday Morning Funnies: Middle-up
It's the last Sunday before Christmas, but whether you celebrate it or not, we'll have a treat for you next week on the 26th! Several comic artists are collaborating on a Secret Santa (or Greatfather Winter?) swap. They each have the name of another comic but do not necessarily know who all is participating and don't know who will be drawing their comic. This should be a blast! Incidentally, if you emailed me and entered as a participant but did not receive my reply email, email me again or check your spam folders. Enough business; here is the list! It even features several new comics: Jinylee. *New! WoW, eh?: A Hot Side of Beef Away From Reality: There's No Aggro Like Snow Aggro Penny-Arcade: A Priori. Also: Wolf of the Year Dork Tower. Also check out the one previous. *Never previously featured! Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 4 and part 5 Disciplinary Action: Episode 17 Chainsawsuit: Wow What a Difference. Also: Wow This Is Great! *Not previously featured! Beyond the Tree: Quest Complete and Dear Edwin Teh Gladiators: Gun vs. Cannon: Round 1 Complex Actions: A Moment with Silk's New Rogue and Or Your Azerothian Destination of Choice Tales from the Crossroads: Into the Fire Safe Passage Coffin Comics: Just a Bad Dream Coffin Minis: Buddum Chh What's Shakin': Page 15 Torment of the Week: Long Story Short GU Comics: Whassat? and Shave and a Haircut and Intervention Dark Legacy Comics: Battle Fourth Wall: Simple Like That Lorgrokni's Travels: Goblin Loan 1 and Goblin Loan 2 and Lovable Oaf Blood and Thunder: On Procrastination The Daily Blink: Yes, I'm Aware, I'll Get Letters and Poster #3: Mekkatorque and A Flyer in the Auction House Arena-Inside: Indeed He Does! and Indeed He's Not... and THIS ... IS ... CHRISTMAS! Travels with Tenthunders: Neither an Alliance, nor a Horde. Discuss LFG #417 and #418 The Warcraft Hero in: How to Fight Your Dragon NPC: The Future of Shopping Is Now and The Couple That Wows Together... Guilded Age %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Change is good
It's super secret Santa time! The suggestion was put forth by Azarizotza last week in the comments section, and there seems to be some support for the plan. So, if you run a comic that gets featured here from time to time and you would like to participate, shoot me an email by 8:00 p.m. EST December 18. I'll shuffle the names and email them back out. Edit: If you don't have my email from our gallery correspondence, you can always use the WoW Insider tipline. Now, for the list: From the Thunder and the Storm's crossword is now playable online. Slash AFK: Not Prepared. Tales from the Crossroads: Out of the Frying Pan... Blood and Thunder: On New Class/Race Combinations. Safe Passage. Torment of the Week: Pray for Peace. Travels with Tenthunders: Stuff Green People Like. Teh Gladiators: That Tank Looks Familiar. Arena-Inside: Cry 'Havoc' and Let Slip the Dogs of War... craft. Also, ... undersized furbolgs? Lorgrokni's Travels: Girl Gamers and Little Flashing Buttons and On a Budget. Out of World: Beneath the Shadow part 3. DLC: Ashes to Ashes. The Daily Blink: Your Epic Fan Poster. Also: Take Two Potions Daily and The Maelstrom. NPC: Perfect. Also: Computed and A Whole Old World. Complex Actions: Offer May No Longer Be Valid. Also: The Morning After. Beyond the Tree: Excuse Me Mr. Equine Transport Officer, Would You Mind Stopping Pronto. Fourth Wall: Bad Idea and King of the Hill. Away From Reality: Midnight. The Warcraft Hero in: Super Guest Comic. Guilded Age. LFG #415 and #416. What's Shakin': Page 14. Coffin Minis: Fly Troll Air. Coffin Comics: Re-Zoned. Disciplinary Action: Episode 16. GU Comics has a slew of WoW-related comics this week: Real Quick. Release Day. Crevasse Hole. Rotating the Buffet. He's Back. This one may only make sense if you follow the comic, but reading the short blurb at the bottom should help.
CABAL readies Episode V expansion
CABAL Online is gearing up for its latest expansion, and the meaty Episode V: Mercenaries looks to add quite a bit of content to the free-to-play action MMORPG. Chief among the additions are a mailing system, a complete revamp of the dungeon and loot drop systems, and the titular NPC mercs. The new mercenary system gives players the ability to summon an NPC ally inside of the game's dungeons, while simultaneously providing new objectives thanks to a variety of different mercs available to find and recruit. Six different NPCs will be available initially, with new and stronger flavors set for future release. Episode V is also bringing dual pet functionality to CABAL, as well as a variety of features centered around the game's dungeons. Players may now pause dungeon encounters, talk to competing groups via a dungeon chat channel, and keep track of entry requirements on the new dungeon interface. The expansion is slated for December, and we'll keep you posted as a firm release date becomes available. In the meantime, check out the gallery of new screenshots below. %Gallery-108751%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Magic carpet
Happy Thanksgiving to all you Americans out there! I will keep this short so that you can get back to your feasting. From the Thunder and the Storm: Here's this week's word search! Also check out Matthias Lehner Part 1. The Daily Blink: Sorry I missed you last week! On a Triumphant Personal Note. Also: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Mage Monopoly and Hello my Baby, Hello my Honey. Torment of the Week: The Plan. Lorgrokni's Travels: Level Appropriate Gear (LAG). Also: Eye of Shattering [Special] and Goblin Dealers and Party Chat. The Warcraft Hero in: Enter Year Two. Beyond the Tree: Just Rewards and Coming Through, People. Tales from the Crossroads: Enter the Dragon. Fourth Wall: Humanitarian. Also: Priestly. Disciplinary Action: Episode #15. Out of World: The 'Other" White Meat 4. AFR: Sacred Cows, Unite. Coffin Comics: Almost a Double. What's Shakin': Page 12. Coffin Minis: Watch What You Eat. Safe Passage. Teh Gladiators: Shut Up and Save Mana. Slash AFK: Wedding XP and ZzZzz and WTF-kin. NPC: Patch 4.03a. This made my day! Complex Actions: In the Next Panel, she Carves it with Corpse Explosion. Daily Quests: The World Breaks. LFG #411 and #412. %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Hack kak
Comic news Skoteinos wrote: We started an opinion blog that we've introduced a World of Wordcraft Crossword into and thought it'd fit in with the Sunday Funnies theme nicely. Right now we're planning one a month and they need to be printed out to be played, but if people seem to like it and it's popular enough, we'll [do] our best to do them weekly or bi-weekly with associated word searches every other week. We'll also look into investing the money in a program to make them playable online if the demand is there. Check it out! The comics World of Warcraft, eh?: It's What's on the Inside, Right? Tales from the Crossroads: Have I Got a Deal for You! Disciplinary Action: Episode 14 What's Shakin': Page 11 Coffin Minis: Hard-Mode Coffin Comics: Holy Totem Torment of the Week: Mind the Gap Arena-Inside: They Better Taste of Bacon and Enough With the Biscuit Jokes Fourth Wall: Preparation Protocol Teh Gladiators: Death and Taxes... and Death DLC: A DLC Guide to Alignment Travels with Tenthunders: How to Wait Around for the End of the World Beyond the Tree: Our Pet Corpse Lorgrokni's Travels: Immersion and Grinding and Killing Quests The Warcraft Hero in: Early Holidays Slash AFK: No moar BlizzCon. /cry. Also: Belly-quakes and Cult Juice NPC: Exercise Regimen and Early Bird Daily Quests: All Bark and No Baubles Out of World: The 'Other' White Meat 3 Complex Actions: Wake-up Call. Also: Mysteries of Complex Actions Presents: Kes's Type and May We Re-Roll That Stealth Check? LFG #409 and #410 Safe Passage Guilded Age Away From Reality: Game Over %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: So long
Comic news: Slash AFK posted the following on last week's list: Slash AFK will be updating (starting this Monday, Nov. 1) seven days per week for two weeks with a BlizzCon comic series I'm doing based off our trip. So that's ... /does hard math ... 14 days straight of one comic per day, plus a HUGE special comic on the 14th? What have I gotten myself into? o_o We look forward to seeing what you come up with!
Team Fortress 2 Halloween special adds game's first boss
This year's Team Fortress 2 Halloween special includes things that no man has ever seen in Team Fortress 2 -- indeed, things that most TF2 players will insist do not, and cannot exist. Like an NPC. For the first time in any Team Fortress game, your team will meet an AI boss character: the "Horseless, Headless Horsemann." He'll be waiting for you in the spooky new Mann Manor map, which would be a much more frightening prospect if your whole team wasn't overladen with giant guns at all times. Other new updates include Halloween items in the Mann Co. store, a randomly dropping Haunted Halloween Gift, and Ghostchievements, which are like regular Achievements but scarier, obviously. You can now gift wrap items in the store, as well, but despite Valve's best efforts, we're not going to buy that as a Halloween-themed update.
EVE Evolved: Group PvE in EVE Online
EVE Online is often thought of as a strongly PvP-based game, with player conflict and competition at the heart of practically every activity the game offers. Competition for resources, power, and notoriety routinely drive players to disintegrate each other's ships, but this effect isn't limited to just PvP. Miners compete with each other for ore on a daily basis, for example, and traders fight for market supremacy. EVE's competitive sandbox element is such a headline feature that PvE often takes a back seat in discussions about the game. EVE's combat-based PvE comes in the form of repeatable agent missions, hidden exploration sites, and deadly Sleeper encounters. While most of these can be completed solo by experienced pilots with a well-designed ship, they're often much faster and more fun when done in groups. The lack of a limit to how many pilots can be brought on PvE expeditions even makes it feasible to take newer players along to tough missions, something that doesn't happen in most MMOs. In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at why EVE's PvE is so inherently soloable, which types of PvE encounters are well suited to group play, and what the future holds for EVE's possibly neglected group PvE content.
Sunday Morning Funnies: Stylin'
Comic news: Congratulations on your 100th comic, Away From Reality! Tokkar is ill. We wish you well! Out of World has started a new chapter. Also, there are two new comics on the list this week, so keep an eye out. NPC: A Cavern to the East, a Tunnel to the West. (Click back two for non-WoW-related lead-up) Daily Quests: And Still Just as Grumpy. Also: Not Eggxactly What I Was Hoping For. Sorry for missing you last week! Arena-Inside: Part 53 and Part 54 Out of Ink: There's No Place Like... and The Trash The Warcraft Hero in: That's so Goblin
Final Fantasy XIV discusses companions and crafting
One of the more frequent complaints about the nature of Final Fantasy XIV is that the game doesn't go out of its way to be accessible. If anything, it revels in a solid veil of mystery and encouragement for players to experiment. That doesn't sit well with everyone, however, which is no doubt why Square-Enix is making a conscious effort to expand the resources on the official player site as a basic reference. The most recent update has seen some common questions about crafting answered, as well as a brief guide to choosing a path companion. Path companions are an element of the game introduced at the start of the fifth main story quest, giving you an NPC who accompanies you on the missions. There are a multitude of different personalities, determined by race and gender, with the short guide provided explaining how each choice affects the outcome. The brief rundown on crafting is also illuminating, as it highlights certain heretofore unknown elements of the system -- such as a character's elemental affinity helping to determine what sort of crystals and shards come from gathering. Final Fantasy XIV players are encouraged to check both pieces.
Sunday Morning Funnies: That is a strange word
The comics: Kelly Aaron's new comic, Safe Passage, hosted at WoW Insider Slash AFK: Nothing to Scratch About. Also: G for the G-Bag and Braces, much? Away From Reality: Failure is Gnot an Option Travels with Tenthunders: Brewfesht Mem... Memorish... Memoriesh WoW, eh?: The Big Reveal What's Shakin' Torment of the Week: Inevitable Complex Actions: A Holy Douche. Also: Dire Straits LFG #393 and #394 Teh Gladiators: It Is Mine! All Mine! Coffin Minis: Peacecraft Blood and Thunder: On Bad Drinking Jokes. Also: On How He Got His Spec Coffin Comics: Happy Brewfest Fourth Wall: It Always Ends in Tears. Also: Die for Me Nerf Now: Operation Gnomeregan Tales from the Crossroads: [Edit] The Eagles, Rolf! Beyond the Tree: Carrot on a Plate NPC: DPS DnD RPG (Click back twice to see the not-WoW-related lead up.) Arena-Inside: Part 50. Also: Part 51 and Part 52 Out of World: At the Ball pt 14 Dark Legacy Comics: Super Donald #2 Guilded Age Last week's featured comment: The discussion last week was so good that I'm just going to link you to the comments page! Thanks for getting the discussion going, ladyaxolotl (of Out of World). %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Lions and tigers and dragons
Comic news: Fyreuni announced that "Daily Quests is on hold while I work on Emergency Kindergarten Lesson 2!" I am definitely a little disappointed, but I think the project will be worth it. Tokkar was also kind enough to point out that Shawn Tommelleo of Coffin Comics has a new project called What's Shakin' that Tommelleo (aka Coffinshaker) described as not set in "WoWland," but it does feature the same characters. Sorry I missed it; the end of August and beginning of September were very hectic! To answer tr_rrr, Cru the Dwarf and other comics that do not update very often will not necessarily show up on the list as soon as they update, because I don't have the time to check every comic that ever posts something WoW-related each week. I rely on tips and comments and my own whims to learn about them. This is also why Kuo was only added again last week, for example. Thanks for tipping me off that it has updated, though!
Sunday Morning Funnies: Don't smile anymore
Comic news: Kelly Aarons of WoW, eh? drew a comic about her time at PAX 2010, and Silkspinner of Complex Actions drew a blog post/comic about her experience as a canary. Glad you're okay, Silk! Guilded Age has started its 7th chapter, and we even have a bonus comic this week from Working Daze. New to the list: Blood and Thunder! Let's start with the first one, and next week I'll begin posting the latest. Kuo: I'm Just Here to Dance! SMF used to feature Kuo, before it went on a hiatus. Thanks for the tip that it is posting again, Coffinshaker! Also check out Keen. Check out Arena-Inside, from the beginning. Comics: Out of World: Dead in the Wall. Coffin Comics: Meet Me Half Way. Teh Gladiators: The Mysterious Monolith. (part 1 of 2) Beyond the Tree: To the victor.... Slash AFK: Angry Typing. Also, Oh Those Wo-Hos and Home Girl, Vroom. Tales from the Crossroads: Lost and Found. Away From Reality: Bewildered. NPC: Braggart. Also, Insufferable and Conditional Fun. Complex Actions: Operation: Errand Girl. Dark Legacy Comic: Bad Attitude. Also: Picnic. LFG #389 and #390. The Warcraft Hero in: No Contest. Coffin Minis: Don't Tweet Me. Last week's featured comment: lazymangaka said, "These comics always make me want to start my own WoW comic."%Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Even the sticker is shoddy
Comic News: Out of World announced that there will now be a comic released each week, rather than 3 times per month. It has also been seriously suggested that The Adventures of Disgraph T. Dwarf will be back soon! Unfortunately, I do not have the date yet. You guys should also take another look at the SMF Gallery Guide; WoW, eh?'s artwork has been updated to show a custom piece! Last, but certainly not least, Kelly Aaron's, and WoW.com's, Byron, the Tauren Rogue, has debuted its finale. Fourth Wall: Mojo. Slash AFK: The Rogue. Also: Get in Mah Bellie. Tales from the Crossroads: Fanning the Flame. NPC: Appreciation Decimation. Also: Ego Maniac. Complex Actions: Rogue in Training. Teh Gladiators: The Whi... Wailing Caverns. (1/2 - hit next!). Check out the latest from Out of World. Ever so slightly, possibly, a little bit, NSFW. Beyond the Tree: Shield Shocked. Also: Woe to the Conquered. Away From Reality: Prickly. WoW, eh?: All Comes Tumbling Down. Torment of the Week: The Next Step. The Warcraft Hero in: No Contest. Dark Legacy Comics: Undercover. LFG #387 and #388. Daily Quests: One More for the Road. P.S. I will totally take care of that mount for you. Coffin Comics Minis: Decision 2010. Coffin Comics: Goblin Motorrad. Guilded Age has a somewhat NSFW one-year anniversary issue up! Last week's featured comment: Tokkar said...
Sunday Morning Funnies: Row your boat
Happy 50th comic, Tales from the Crossroads! Teh Gladiators: Slaughter Them All, My Minions! Beyond the Tree: Dancing Mad. Also: Cleef and Effect. The Warcraft Hero in: Talent Tree. Torment of the Week: Just as Effective. Slash AFK: Cold Fly. Also: 'Refurbished' Loot. LFG #385 and #386. Fourth Wall: Faction Change. Out of World: At the Ball part 11. Daily Quests: Fyre and Ice. Tales from the Crossroads: WILSON!!! World of Warcraft, eh?: Rise Above it All. Byron, the Tauren Rogue! Coffin Comics Minis: <our server is down>. Coffin Comics: Planet of the Murlocs. Complex Actions: Filling the Quota. Dark Legacy Comics: Stakeout. Away From Reality: Five's Company. GU Comics: Inner Child. NPC: The Four Stages. Also: Oh Right and Young and Elitist. Guilded Age. %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: So swell
Good morning, comic lovers! Grats!: All Aboard the Hype Train! Torment of the Week: That's Fair! Beyond the Tree: Ramp Up Going Down Also: Seize the Defias Travels with Tenthunders: Quaint Customs of the Practice Humans Fourth Wall: The Nearly Perfect Plan Slash AFK: Farm Moar Also: lvl6 LFG #383 and #384 Tales from the Crossroads: Whatever Floats Your Boat Byron, the Tauren Rogue! Coffin Minis: On Second Thought Coffin Comics: Wowland-Comics Drunken Pirates Guild: Happy Birthday Dark Legacy Comics: Cute GU Comics: Collector's Edition Teh Gladiators: Bow to Your New Master! The Warcraft Hero in: Penny for our Jokes AFR: Furry Friends Complex Actions: Ruff Times for Roflbelf. Also: Gnoble Goals and Gnot Quite Getting It Also: Practice Safe ERPs Daily Quests: Perception Isn't a Blood Elf Racial Guilded Age NPC: Valuable Member Check out the latest Out of World %Gallery-98595%
Sunday Morning Funnies: Quest complete
Happy one year, Torment of the Week! To see how far the comic has come, check out this week's entry: It's Been a Year. Then, take a look back at their first: Fail House. Fourth Wall: How to Make Gold. Tales From the Crossroads: Ooo... shiny! Slash AFK: Slurpee > LFG. Also: Mur-lock-ME and RL Pet, Please. Travels with Tenthunders: Does Anyone Speak Dwarf? Coffin Comics Minis: Nothing Happened. World of Warcraft, eh? (WoW, eh?): Time After Time. Yay, it's back! Coffin Comics: Caverns of Time... Machine. Dark Legacy Comics (DLC): Woes of a Raid Leader. Beyond the Tree: Exit Stage Theft. Also: Cloaking Devious and Blinding Wit. LFG: #381 and #382. Teh Gladiators: Runnn, You Mothers!! Don't forget to click next! The Warcraft Hero in: The House of Sorrows. Penny-Arcade: The Sixth Slave. This applies to MMO's in general, but I know you guys can relate! You might also want to read the follow-up comic, Breaking it Down. Judging by the response that the comic got, some might consider it NSFW. Away From Reality (AFR): Unintended Consequences. Byron, the Tauren Rogue. Guilded Age. By Way of Booty Bay: Mrs. Arugal (kinda NSFW). Also: Tinkerbottom (slightly less NSFW). And now, for some super fun bonus material! Enjoy: Bonus! NPC: Three-Eyelid Alien Scum. Click next twice to see the other two! They're not WoW-related this week, but we love them all the same. Double Bonus! Daily Quests puts out lore posts pretty often, and you should check them out! Additional Bonus! GU Comics: That's All He Needed. This is technically in reference to Starcraft II, but it so totally works. %Gallery-98595%
Bigpoint announces key characters in Battlestar Galactica Online
Bigpoint, the creator of upcoming browser-based MMO Battlestar Galactica Online, has revealed a part of the game that fans have been speculating on for a while. The names of key characters have been announced, and you'll certainly see plenty of familiar ones. These characters will be NPCs, placed in the game to "create a deeper connection to the storyline, provide quests and accentuate the dramatic tension that the series is known for delivering expertly." On the human side, you'll find William and Lee "Apollo" Adama, Starbuck and Apollo and Galen "Chief" Tyrol. The Cylon roster will be made up of One, Two, Six and Eight. (Sorry guys, no Three.) Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz is pleased with these additions to the game: "These characters brought to life the story and captured the imaginations of a whole new generation of Battlestar Galactica fans and we felt strongly that they needed to appear in the game." You can sign up for the game newsletter and receive more updates through the BSG Online site. [Editor's Note: Whoops, we made a mistake in our list! Fixed that for you. ~Sera]
Sunday Morning Funnies: Welcome to the gallery guide (updated)
The time has finally arrived - the Sunday Morning Funnies gallery guide to WoW-related comics has finally been posted. Whether you're looking to break into a new WoW-themed web comic, or you would just like to learn more about your favorites, this guide has you covered. In addition to displaying custom artwork and comic previews, you will learn about the authors and artists as well as the comics themselves, from art style to inspiration and more. It will even track when each comic updates so you don't have to! Also, Complex Actions is back up and running! Check out Stress Therapy and The State of the PUG-Conomy, as well as Little Prejudices. In other comic news, WoW, eh? resumes on Monday, August 9th. Awkward Zombie: Ignorance. Out of World: At the ball part 9. (Slightly NSFW) Away From Reality: Very Common Ground. NPC: 8578. Also: Many Minis and Magnetic Fields. Travels with Tenthunders: I'm All Ears. K's Grab Bag: I Can Be Fair.... Daily Quests: Stick Around. LFG #377 and #378 and #379 and #380. NoObz: Tomorrow is Another Day. Dark Legacy Comics: The Hike. Teh Gladiators: A Human Incognito. The Warcraft Hero in: A Happy Ending. Coffin Comics Mini: Unless. Coffin Comics: Leveling is Boarring. Torment of the Week: This Again. Beyond the Tree: Preposterous Propositions. Also: Stage Presence. Byron, the Tauren Rogue. Slash AFK: Hey Herb. Guilded Age. Penny-Arcade: Planting a Flag. Update: From Fourth Wall, check out The Light and How to Swing it, as well as Old World, Old Grudges. Sorry for missing it! Also: Tales from the Crossroads: Second-Hand News. Sorry for missing that too. It must have been "that sorta week." %Gallery-98595%
