weekend-gaming
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WRUP: It's all so beautiful in my head edition
For those of you who managed to miss it: Jagex is apparently going to be developing the Transformers MMO for the stateside audience. This is a good thing, and I have no doubt the team will do a fine job. I also have no doubt that the game will be set in the current continuity alongside the Transformers: Prime cartoon. However, if I might be so bold? You guys could always go for the "insanely obscure" and set it in the IDW continuity pre-All Hail Megatron. Galaxy-hopping cold-war antics? Autobots against Decepticons in disguise across countless worlds in a slow game of move and countermove? Or the Animated setting would be good, too. I'm just saying, there are options. But there are other things to consider at the moment outside of my usual fandoms. It's time for this week's WRUP, and with no conventions on the horizon, we've all got plenty to do. Plus, we've decided to answer a bit of a big-ticket issue for our bonus question, asking what the staff thinks about the holy trinity of tank, DPS, and healer. Follow on past the break for our answers, and let us know what you'll be up to in the comments!
WRUP: Pax Bostonia edition
I've a confession to make -- despite loving New England with a passion that defies common sense, I've never really been super keen on driving into Boston. Granted, the operative part of that sentence may very well be "driving." Still, it's the weekend of PAX East, which means there's nothing to be done other than ship on up to Boston. Yours truly, Larry Everett, Karen Bryan, and Justin Olivetti will all be in attendance, so if you see one of us wandering about, please, by all means, say hello! Or simply hand us money and pizza. Whether or not you're going to be in Massachusetts this weekend, you're probably going to be getting your game on, which fits in nicely with the fact that this is WRUP. This week, we're both talking about our weekend activities and answering the question of what game we'd be playing if we had more time in the day. So click on past the break to find out what we're up to, and let us know what you've got planned in the comments!
WRUP: What's this I hear about a sheen edition
Ms. Lady had been telling me there was something funny about some sort of sheen, but I honestly haven't seen anything funny after searching online. I've seen several photos of oil resting on the surface of water, and while that's a bit sad from an environmental standpoint, it's certainly not funny. I did just find out that my Google searches were somehow filtering out the word "winning" from search results, so that might have something to do with it. Whatever the case might be, it's time for this week's WRUP, in which the Massively staff members once again share their respective plans for the weekend as they pertain to gaming. As a bonus, we talked about our favorite reveals from GDC 2011, which our own Shawn Shuster and Rubi Bayer have just finished attending. So click on past the break to find out what we'll be up to, and let us know your plans for the weekend in the comments.
WRUP: Why you gotta take more of my time edition
Seriously, BioWare? Seriously. You know that I've already bought Dragon Age II, right? Why are you making me play through the demo to unlock items in the game? I paid money for this game months ago, and I only even bothered to start remembering the release date about a week ago. It's not as if there were a scenario in which I wouldn't play the game. But now you force me to play your free demo to convince me to buy a game that I've already purchased. Seriously? Where was I? Oh, right, WRUP. This week's edition has our usual bonus-round question asking whether or not our staff members like cross-server matching tools a la dungeon finders, with a second special bonus question on whether or not we're going to be playing RIFT during its current head-start period. So skip on past the break to see what we'll be up to, and let us know in the comments what you'll be doing.
WRUP: A lot of personality in a handful of pixels edition
The first time I ever made an emotional connection to a game that lasted was during my time in Final Fantasy VI. I was staying with my aunt and uncle for a couple of weeks one summer vacation and made my way about halfway through. The characters and stories stuck with me for the next several years... which was good, because it would be several more years before I would get a chance to actually play the game on my own terms. It's amazing how much personality was projected onto Celes, despite her having a graphical resolution currently on par with thumbnail avatars. Since we're talking about our favorite NPCs in this week's WRUP, this is actually a vaguely topical intro. But more to the point, it's the Massively staff talking about what we're going to be doing over the weekend. So click on past the break to see what we'll be up to, and let us know in the comments what games you'll be knee-deep in over the weekend!
WRUP: In other news, pizza is delicious edition
This may be the most important piece of news you will hear this week. Pizza remains delicious. Despite suspicion that pizza might cease to be tasty, pizza has remained an excellent source of food for nearly anyone, suitable for all meals from breakfast to dinner. It continues to accept a variety of toppings, and we salute the brave human being who first looked at a pile of ingredients and then said to himself (or herself) that what would taste really good is flattening the bread into a disc, dropping a big pot of steamed smashed tomatoes on it, and then covering the whole thing with specially curdled milk from a cow. In other news, it's time for WRUP, where the Massively staff shares information about what we'll be up to over the next couple of days. We top that off with hand-picked opinions about a given topic, in this case whether we like class-based systems or skill-based systems in our MMOs. Then we fire the whole thing in a brick oven, and... well... look, just click past the break and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments. I think I need to re-heat some pizza.
WRUP: The team that footballs the hardest is the new king of football edition
I'm given to understand that this weekend is the big event or whatever for football, during which the two teams will attempt to scrimmage more yards from the kick-off base to avoid a touchdown foul. Or something. Frankly, I know the rules but don't care, and as a result I prefer to mentally fill in all the blanks for the event using the rules set forth in this comic. So good luck to the Northern Minnesota Badger Eruptions and the Guam Stoves & Cycling & Football Club, which my zero seconds of research confirm to be the competitors. Neither team, however, is taking part in this week's WRUP, wherein the Massively staff will tell you what we're going to be up to over the weekend. (It's not playing football.) And in a manner akin to football, which contains various roles like linebacker and point guard and catalog assault specialist, we've taken the time to talk about our favorite roles and class types. So read on past the break for our activities and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments. And tell me how many things I got wrong about football, maybe.
WRUP: War is actually good for a remarkable number of things edition
War kind of gets a bad rap, what with the whole causing widespread meaningless slaughter. But let's face it, despite what Edwin Starr may have said, war is actually good for a wide variety of things. For example, widespread slaughter? War is totally good at that. And if countless MMOs have proven anything, it's that war is a great way to provide quest objectives, assuming that you get to respawn if you lose. Also, there are snazzy uniforms and big explosions. It's basically good for the same things as Michael Bay's cinematography. If this has you all excited, I'm sorry to say that this week's WRUP does not feature Massively or any of its staff members going to war, not counting Bree's war on "they" as a gender-neutral singular pronoun. It does, however, feature the staff explaining what we'll be doing over the weekend and what we like in terms of voice chat. So click on past the break to see what we'll be up to, and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments.
WRUP: Oh no some guy with a snake is screwing with made-up predictions edition
So I guess there was some to-do about how something in the astrological whatever got screwed up by Ophiuchus or something? I'm catching up late here; I seriously didn't think that astrology was something people did any more. I thought it got sort of phased out once the '90s were over, like Fruitopia beverages and the Olympics. It's not like the sign is new or something, nor has it suddenly become true that astrology has an influence on your day-to-day life. If you've really got to read something in which a bunch of people predict the future, you might as well read WRUP. After all, that's the staff predicting what we're going to be doing over the course of the weekend, and we're generally pretty good about that. Plus, we also talk about watching things that are out of our control as we discuss whether or not livestreaming affects our game purchase patterns. So click on past the break to see what we're up to over the weekend, and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments.
WRUP: The world is nothing but snow edition
Every so often, I wish I were either a better or more prolific photographer. Wednesday was one of those times, because here in Connecticut we were in the midst of what the governor referred to as a state of emergency and the rest of us referred to as January. (It's a New England thing.) Every single road I've driven on for the past two days has been surrounded by three-foot-high walls of snow on either side, and the night is totally silent outside except for squealing tires desperate for traction. So of course, I don't have any photos and you'll have to take my word for it. Apropos of nothing, however, it's the weekend, and that means it's time for this week's installment of WRUP! As always, we've shared the games we'll be playing over the weekend, together with our reflections on things almost as titanic as Wednesday's snowstorm -- our most epic and time-consuming grinds in games. Jump on past the cut for our weekend plans, and let us know what you'll be up to in the comments!
WRUP: Sing the praises of beanbag chairs edition
When Ms. Lady and I first bought an enormous television, we decided right off the bat that it was time to redo the living room. The first step, obviously, was getting a television so large it has its own zip code. Our second step was getting rid of the ratty old couch that Ms. Lady had ever since the end of college some eight years ago (I feel old) and replacing it with a set of Sumo beanbag chairs. Attendees of PAX would recognize these chairs. So far, I am liking our slowly changing living room. But you didn't come here to read about my awesome new living room arrangement (at least, I don't imagine you did). No, this is the time for WRUP, the weekly feature in which the Massively staff shares what it'll be doing over the next couple of days. And as a bonus, we've all shared our secrets about what games we're just no good at but keep playing anyway. So jump on past the break to see what the staff is up to, and let us know what you'll be doing for the weekend in the comments.
WRUP: The future remains disappointing edition
As a young lad, I was convinced that the future would be a marvelous place, full of things that I loved. Especially robots. And not only has it been 2011 for 10 hours now with none of 2010's problems having been solved, but the world remains free of personal jet packs or buckets of robots. It turns out that all of the things you want in the future don't just magically show up; you have to actually do the work required to get them, assuming that they're even scientifically possible. Thanks a lot for killing my nuclear-powered flying car, science. Luckily, there's one thing that never disappoints: cold liquor. And as you wash away the taste of all of that, we've got a fresh edition of WRUP right here for your enjoyment, complete with the Massively team looking forward to the games we most want to improve over the course of the next year. So if you can wash your disappointment with the future out of your mouth, click on past the break, and then let us know what you'll be doing this weekend in the comments.
WRUP: Tidings of comfort and joy edition
I have a bit of a reputation for coming up with titles that are a bit off-beat; I admit that freely. I enjoy making jokes. But this weekend I want to dispense with the usual artifice and just wish everyone a happy holiday, hopefully spent with friends and family. Relax, enjoy some good food and some presents, and if possible spend a little extra time playing your favorite game for the holiday weekend. Next week, we're back to the bizarre non sequiturs. Of course, this is WRUP, so a few of the Massively staff members took the opportunity to let us know what they would be doing over the weekend. (The rest were likely busy in an eggnog-induced haze, so we'll let them off the hook.) They've also shared their hopes and wishes for the holidays, so click on past the break to see what the crew is up to, and let us know your weekend plans in the comments.
WRUP: Free of context edition
We here at WRUP pride ourselves on having header images and subjects that would do the Dadaist movement proud, but sometimes you just don't have anything sufficiently random to use. So today, we present to you a screenshot of a fat glowing moogle next to an armored catgirl in the rain, taken while playing Final Fantasy XIV. Go ahead and try to put together a set of circumstances in which that makes sense. It probably did in context. The rest of this post will provide no actual context for the above picture. Instead, it will be wholly concerned with the planned leisure activities of the Massively crew, along with our deep dark secret regrets that we've accrued over the years. At least, our regrets about gaming. So jump on past the cut for a context-free explanation of what we'll be up to during the weekend, and feel free to let us know your own plans in the comment field.
WRUP: Things that are on fire that should not be edition
In honor of Cataclysm, we thought it was prudent to discuss the wide variety of things in MMOs that are on fire when they are not generally considered flammable, or at least not flammable for any desired purpose. The turtle above is a prime example. Turtles should not be on fire, no matter how big they are. What this photo doesn't reveal is that he's got a pocket healer from City of Heroes hiding behind a rock, and that "fire" is actually from the effects of Thermal Control. So it's healing fire. Now that we've got the first lesson in proper flammability out of the way, it's time for everyone's favorite weekly feature in which the Massively staff tells our readers what we're playing: WRUP! And as a bonus, we decided to ask what everyone's feelings about elves are, since elves are also sometimes on fire when they really shouldn't be. Click on past the break to see our (possibly non-fire-related) activities, and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments!
WRUP: Pre-Hataclysm edition
As we all know, there's a Hataclysm hitting next week, and I for one couldn't be happier. My love of hats (and pictures of people wearing them) is well-documented, and finally there will be an opportunity to enjoy hats coupled with world-shattering elemental upheaval. I look forward to seeing what sort of destructive potential a tri-corner cap made of polyester might unleash upon the world. Perhaps with a jaunty feather! It is possible that somewhere along the line I was grotesquely misinformed. Leaving aside attractive headwear and all it implies, it's time for our last edition of WRUP until next week, and it will precede whatever the heck is happening in the upcoming week. So click on past the break to see what the Massively crew is up to for the weekend as well as a few diatribes about our previous experience as guild leaders. And feel free to leave your own weekend plans in the comment field, even if they're distressingly non-hat-related.
WRUP: This is a very large television edition
My girlfriend, affectionately dubbed Ms. Lady, went out at an absolutely ungodly hour during Black Friday in order to purchase a television. She then let me know that she had good news and bad news. The good news was the fact that she had purchased a 50" television at an incredible discount. The bad news was the fact that she had purchased a 50" television that's wider than our television stand. It is truly enormous. This thing dominates the room. Luckily, the bad news is mitigated by the good. Now that I'm done gaping at the goliath now ruling over my living room, it's time for another edition of WRUP, which may or may not involve playing some video games on an enormous television. And speaking of things that are large enough to be used as transportation, this week's bonus question is about our favorite mounts across the various games we've all played. Click on past the break to see what the Massively crew is up to for the weekend, and leave your own weekend plans in the comments.
WRUP: The magical world inside a Hong Kong refrigerator edition
At least, I think it's a Hong Kong refrigerator. The file on Wikimedia Commons seems to imply that, and all the food is labeled in a language I don't speak, so I'd believe that it's reasonably labeled Chinese or very poorly labeled German. Either way, this week we're going to take a look inside the fridge and... well, honestly, it kind of looks like a college minifridge, except with actual food instead of enough beer to murder a horse. Live the adventure! What? Not enough for you? Well, you could always embark on one of the various adventures that the Massively staff will be undertaking over the weekend, something that this edition of WRUP will explain in detail like it does every week. And we've also taken a moment to share our own thoughts on lifetime subscriptions, which is also something not to be found within the refrigerator. You know what, just click past the break; the fridge isn't going to get all that awesome until the next patch anyhow.
WRUP: Sing the praises of pants edition
I don't understand why someone would want to eschew pants. Pants are excellent articles of clothing. They keep things from touching your legs and look quite stylish besides. Please, people, wear pants. If you're out in a public area, if you're in a private area, if any piece of clothing is appropriate, it's almost always pants of some variety. Nothing better shows your taste than what you wear below your waist. Even if your name includes some variant on "no pants," you should still probably wear pants. In fact, wear several pairs so that your name becomes ironic. Now, yes, it's Saturday morning, but you should still probably be wearing pants. It's time for WRUP; that's a public event, and that once again means pants. Please be wearing pants. Assuming that you are currently wearing pants (I can only hope), click on past the break to find out what the Massively crew is up to for the weekend. We're also talking about our alts and their status on the pants-pantsless continuum, so feel free to leave your own thoughts -- and your weekend activities -- in the comment section.
WRUP: Let's just jump on the trampoline edition
In life, it's important to remember the simple pleasures... such as the joy to be found in just bouncing on a trampoline without any regard for how ridiculous you look. I mean, seriously, you look like an absolute joke up there. What, are you seven? Never mind, get off the trampoline, I'm ashamed for both of us. We're going to sit down and have an adult discussion about gender issues instead. No, you may not use the trampoline after we're done. Well, all right, we don't need to have a serious discussion on gender issues here. Those things take forever and someone always winds up jumping in with a snarky comment. But we had our own little discussion about women in MMOs complete with snarky comments for this week's WRUP, conveniently found just behind the cut! So take a look and let us know in the comments field what you'll be doing this weekend. (And no, it will not be jumping on the trampoline. Because I said no.)
