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Drama Mamas: The trouble with unwanted sexual attention
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. My (Robin's) current obsession with K-Pop is your fault. I embedded the Run Deathwing Run machinima in a previous column, and a bunch of you commented about SNSD. I looked them up, and now The Spawn and I are obsessed -- which is why you are getting the tenuous connection of the word "trouble" with the above video. /blame Dear Drama Mamas, I find myself in the middle of a very troubling situation and am hoping that you can help shed some light! You see I am the GM of an extremely casual raid guild, who happens to be made of a tight knit group of friends. The majority of us have been together (in one guild or another) for nearly 5 years, and we have always taken pride in the fact that our groups have ZERO drama. When we're raiding or doing random heroics, we typically poke fun at each other in vent. But it is never anything that would make someone feel uncomfortable or mean, just good fun.
Behind the Mask: From the shadows, I come
There have been a lot of updates to Champions Online recently. The dev team has really focused on putting out small bits of content at a rapid pace, including a new costume pack, the Light Speed travel power, and two big updates to the Darkness and Gadgeteering frameworks. The Void, the first of CO's premium archetypes, basks in the twilight and wields the power of darkness. She came with a big update to the Darkness framework as a whole, and we'll cover all the changes to her sexy powers this week in Behind the Mask.
Drama Mamas: The combustible combination of minors and romance
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. This week, we tackle a topic that I find rather scary, as a mother of a budding drama queen and gaming geek. Hi, This may be way beyond the kind of thing you can help with but my guild has recently suffered a few bits of drama that have revealed a worrying situation and I'm having a hard time working out what to do next. About a month ago a young girl (mid teens) joined the guild, we don't have a specific age range although as a casual end game guild we expect a certain level of maturity. She didn't interact much with the guild although one guy who helped her out a bit she really latched onto. She wouldn't run heroics unless he was there and they often moved into different vent channels to be alone. After a couple of weeks we had to kick her from the guild as she simply couldn't take criticism. It also turned out that she had recently been pulled out of school due to depression although some of the higher level officers in the guild were speculating on if that was genuine or was an excuse.
Russian Stalker TV series teased
A teaser site has revealed that a TV series based on the Stalker FPS franchise is being developed for Russian television. The site is called "KinoS.T.A.L.K.E.R." ("kino" meaning "film" in Russian), has both an English and a Russian section, and was linked to by Ukraine's GSC Game World's Facebook profile. There's also a trailer on the site, subtitled in English, though it's hard to tell what's going on with all the series standards in there -- including mutants, darkness, and explosions aplenty. Still, the site clearly states that there is a "TV series coming soon" based on the property, which itself takes influence from Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 film, as well as the old science fiction story "Roadside Picnic." Stalker fans will probably be happy to hear that the series will mutate into yet another form of media.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. bundle is 75% off on Steam this weekend
Two parts of GSC Game World's eerie FPS series -- set in an alternate-reality Chernobyl following a second nuclear meltdown -- can be yours on the super cheap. Both the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl and follow-up S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat are bundled together for only $10 on Steam through Monday. (The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky prequel game is not part of the bundle; but it's is available separately for $10 on Steam.) The full-on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 sequel was recently announced and scheduled for release in 2012. While that gives you plenty of time to get to caught up, this weekend Steam sale might just be the excuse you were looking for to book your first trip to Chernobyl. That whole nuclear meltdown incident made it quite a lovely place for scavenging, trespassing, adventuring, loner-ing, killing, exploring and robbing. See what we did there?
STALKER 2 sneaking up on a 2012 launch
Developer GSC Game World has just revealed an official sequel to the popular first-person shooter, STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, is currently in development. A statement on the developer's official site hints at console support this time around, stating a "completely new multi-platform technology developed by GSC will make the core of the game." So long X-ray engine! "After the official sales of the series exceeded 4 million copies worldwide, we had no doubts left to start creating a new big game in the STALKER universe," said Sergiy Grygorovych, CEO of GSC Game World. "This will be the next chapter of the mega-popular game players expect from us." STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl launched in 2007 and was followed up by a prequel in 2008, called STALKER: Clear Sky. Earlier this year, GSC Game World launched STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl, an expansion that continued the events of Shadow of Chernobyl. STALKER 2 is currently slated to launch sometime in 2012.
Final day of Steam Holiday Sale wraps up the best-sellers
Okay, this is it: The penultimate batch of offers in the long-running Steam Holiday Sale. For the final day of the long-running promotion, Valve has elected to re-encheapen some of the games that sold like hotcakes in the sale's earlier one-day discounts. Until 9 a.m. PST tomorrow, the following games will be available for the following prices: BioShock - $4.99 Grand Theft Auto IV - $7.49 Torchlight - $4.99 Left 4 Dead 2 - $33.49 Killing Floor - $4.99 Defense Grid: The Awakening - $2.49 S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl - $2.00 (Yes, two American dollars.)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. sequel D.A.T.E.D. for February
Do you like acronyms? Sure, we all do. So it's with much E.X.C.I.T.E.M.E.N.T. that we relay word via BigDownload that GCS Game World's follow-up to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl, Call of Pripyat, has been scheduled for February 2010 release by publisher bitComposer. It'll be one of the very first DirectX 11 games, but don't tell that to the mutated creep in the above image -- we're pretty sure he/she/it no longer has ears. B.T.W. we hope you've found this F.Y.I. helpful, F.W.I.W.
Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl at $5 on Steam until Monday
The highly under-appreciated shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl is on sale for the low price of $5 on Valve's Steam platform until Monday. Developed by Ukrainian-based GSC Game World, the 2007 shooter takes place in an alternate reality where a second nuclear disaster takes place in at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Normally priced at $19.99, Shadow of Chernobyl is a steal at $5; however, as solid as the FPS is, it also includes numerous video game storyline cliches like an amnesiac protagonist and flesh-hunting mutants. Where are all the games with flesh-hunting amnesiac mutants, right? [Thanks, Dave]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat irradiating PCs 'first quarter 2010'
We've mused on the subject before, but we're still a bit bewildered that a third game set in the shadow of a two-time nuclear fallout zone is on its way in the form of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat. Sure, the series has twice proven itself to be an enjoyable blend of creepy atmosphere and technical prowess, but between all the guns and high doses of radiation, how is anyone left to talk about? The game's developer, GSC Gameworld, is busy figuring out that problem, effectively pushing back the game to a "first quarter 2010" release, according to the game page on publisher bitComposer's website. In the meantime, to help sate your need for more S.T.A.L.K.E.R., the company has updated its thrilling PC requirements spec sheet for the game, which we've dropped after the break. %Gallery-51475%
Namco bringing STALKER: Call of Prypiat to PCs this November
click to E.N.L.A.R.G.E. In its GamesCom press conference in Germany this morning, Namco Bandai revealed that it would be handling publishing duties for GSC Game World's latest entry in the STALKER series, titled STALKER: Call of Prypiat. Scheduled for release in November 2009 for PCs only (where's the console love?), this "standalone expansion" contains approximately seven to nine hours of gameplay -- "more if you want to explore the free world." It's not clear if Namco is handling publishing duties outside of Europe, but we'll update this post when we find out. %Gallery-70466%
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat gets official site, specs
We just don't get upcoming stand-alone expansion S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat. Not only are people hanging out in irradiated Ukraine after the second Chernobyl disaster, there's apparently enough of them for three games in this series. Also, did you see the part where that was the second Chernobyl disaster? What more do you people need?If you're one of the slow ones still waiting for the real estate market around Chernobyl to pick up, you may be interested to hear that CoP has just gotten an official site as well as the specs needed to play the game, which you can find after the break. Feel free to check them out, but might we suggest those clicks might be better spent booking the first flight out of there? [Via BD]
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 'stand-alone expansion' Call of Pripyat detailed
The Ukraine continues to be a popular tourist trap for mutants and Geiger counter salesmen. GSC Game World will again revisit the Eastern European country in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, an upcoming "stand-alone expansion" to S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl. The Escapist recently culled some rad details on the upcoming title from the pages of Russian mag Gameplay, which reportedly referred to the game as a sequel set just days after the events depicted in the 2007 original.Among the particulars is information that players won't be able to side with factions this time around, with more 'varied' and 'detailed' side quests promised instead. Day and night cycles are also said to figure more prominently in the game, with the article claiming that the developers are aiming to fix "mistakes" made in both the first game and its prequel, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky. Check out the full translation, as well as scans from the magazine on the FPSBanana forums while we wait in our lead bunker for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat to drop sometime this fall.
GameTap Thursday: Grimm meets the Pied Piper
Even more Grimm this week, as the second volume gets ready to wrap up on December 18. We've also got tasty pastries and an open world, alternate-future shooter. Grimm: The Pied Piper (Windows) - Something tells the music won't be as innocently alluring. Digby's Donuts (Windows) - Mmmm, donuts. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl (Windows) - Fun for the whole nuclear family! Okay, not really, but it is quite fun. For the freebies this week, we've got Tomb Raider Anniversary -- but only for this week. A friendly reminder, Grimm is free to play for the first 24 hours of release. Full list of free games after the break.
The Queue: They're watching you
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.The weekend was nice and slow as usual, so our Monday Q&A will be brief. I fully expect a busy morning tomorrow, so get your questions in now! Let's get started, shall we? whack asked... Why are there shades all over major and minor cities in Azeroth, Outland, and Northrend? Has there been an explanation? I originally thought they would only be there for the WotLK launch event but they haven't gone away.
Massively's WAR Camp: How to get the Stalker set gear
This week on the WAR Camp, we have taken a look at one of the sets of gear that is available to Tier 3 players -- the Stalker's set gear. Just like the Tracker's set in Tier 2 that we looked at a few weeks ago, the Stalker's gear is obtained through a combination of RvR and PvE questing. After killing a whole bunch of players, you'll need to bring a group of friends to take on some Hero mobs. The end result is a set of gear complete with bonuses, Armory unlocks and a title: The Stalker. Kinda cool, right? Click the button below and we'll show you, in gallery guide form, how you can be a Stalker too! The Stalker's Set Guide %Gallery-34148% Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out our Warhammer guides: Massively's Character Creation Guide and our WoW Player's Guide to Warhammer. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky recalled, delayed 'a few days'
We know the news of a brief delay for the much-anticipated prequel to GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. must be disheartening for fans of the title -- however, those same fans will probably be pleased to know of the heartbreak that Clear Sky's delay will ultimately prevent. It seems that publisher Deep Purple Silver recalled copies of the title that had been distributed to North American retailers due to a printing error that left the cases sans CD keys. Apparently, those things are kinda important.Deep Silver explained that the delay would only push the game's North American Sept. 5 release back "a few days" (the European release date is unaffected by the printing snafu), though a few retailers are listing Sept. 15 as the new launch date. We know you're jonesing for some further adventures in Chernobyl, but don't do anything brash. We wouldn't suggest playing laser tag in a poorly maintained nuclear waste repository, for instance.[Via 1UP]
Joystiq Podcast 063 - S.N.A.X. edition
We've finally harnessed the power of our combined snacking knowledge to create a regular, completely non-game related segment on it. Oh, sure we're still talking about video games like Force Unleashed, Too Human and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but snacks (S.N.A.X.?) really steal the show. Thanks to Evan Minto, Jordan Wasilka and Max Varenik of the JPAG for the trifecta of photochopping greatness. Get the podcast: [iTunes] Subscribe to the Joystiq Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3) [RSS] Add the Joystiq Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [Digg] Like the show? Digg it. [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Hosts: Chris Grant, Ludwig Kietzmann and Justin McElroy Music: "Get Ready for Love" by Nick Cave, "Red Eye" by Ben Kweller For fans: Joystiq Podcast Facebook group See all of this week's links after the jump.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky is done, shipping Sept. 5
With the sun setting on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. prequel Clear Sky's development, GSC Game World has let us know that it's finally safe to venture outside -- provided you're packing enough firepower to keep the ravenous and irrevocably irradiated hordes at bay. The anticipated FPS is finally dawn done and should be taking us for a first-person stroll through Chernobyl's utterly charming neighborhood on September 5th (yes, that counts as a minor delay).If you're the sort who can tell your GPU from your PPU (doesn't that fit into the SKU?), you should be pleased to note that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky will feature support for both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 chipsets. You'll be wanting those hideously deformed mutants to look their best when they tear your throat out. Gallery: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky
GSC clears the sky on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. follow up
There are just a couple more months remaining before we'll have to once again climb into our radiation suits and deal with the horrible mutants outside, so developer GSC Game World and newly named publisher Deep Silver have sent along some handy details regarding what we can expect from their forthcoming radioactive PC shooter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky.According to the duo, the game, which promises a kind of "what-if" spin on the events depicted in last year's S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, will place players in the role of a mercenary s.t.a.l.k.e.r. named Scar, caught up in a war over "territory, artifacts, and power." Pretty "dynamic" graphics are also promised, with Clear Sky supporting -- but not requiring -- DirectX 10. Other highlighted features include new and "overhauled" levels from the previous game, fast travel, "movie quality" cut scenes, and "greatly improved" AI. Additionally, a new animation engine and "hugely expanded" multiplayer for up to 32 players online or over a LAN will also be included, for those special moments when slaughtering hordes of radioactive mutants just isn't enough.[Via Press Release]
