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WRUP: Tentacles are evil edition
If there's one thing I love in my fiction other than giant robots, it would have to be sanity-blasting horrors from outside the realm of human perception. That means that I think the Old Gods of World of Warcraft are pretty neat. As the Old Gods corrupt people and things, more and more tentacles emerge. Therefor, ergo, and to wit, tentacles are the ultimate expression of evil in this world. That nautilus up there is horror personified. You can't argue with logic like that. Fortunately, this week's WRUP features a distinct lack of any sanity-blasting horrors outside of that header image. In fact, it features a remarkably sedate group of responses talking not only about what your favorite Massively staff members will be doing for the weekend, but how much of our social lives come from the MMOs we talk about all day. So click on past the break for our answers, and let us know what you'll be playing this weekend in the comments!
WRUP: Everything is better with dinosaurs edition
Hey guys do you see those totally sweet dinosaurs up there? Those are a bunch of dinosaurs. They all look like they are plant-eating dinosaurs, but you had better get your dinosaur gun just to be on the safe side. Some of those dinosaurs look like they could do some serious damage. And stay tuned later today for all of our columns to have random insertions of dinosaur-related topics as we switch over to a mostly-dinosaur format to... wait, we're not doing that? Man, everything this weekend would be so much better with dinosaurs. Instead, our WRUP doesn't even mention a couple of dinosaurs, not even an ornithischian. All we talked about are the MMOs and other games that we'll be playing over the weekend, along with discussing our feelings on PvP in the MMO space. If you can get over the egregious lack of anything dinosauric, you can jump past the cut for our responses and let us know what you're playing in the comments. Or just talk about some totally sweet dinosaurs, that's cool too.
WRUP: Odakyu Electric Railway edition
Operators of the Romancecar line of tourist shuttles, the Odakyu Electric Railway company began operation in 1927 with the 83 kilometer line between Shinjuku and Odawara. Originally operating as the Odawara Express Railway company, the company acquired its nickname of Odakyu as a portmanteau of Odawara Kyuku (literally "Odawara Express"), with the name officially adopted in 1941. It currently operates a total of 120 kilometers of track, with additional lines running in the Tokyo area and major construction extending in both directions from the Izumi-Tamagawa station. Enjoying your weekly dose of obscure knowledge? Of course you are, and it goes hand-in-hand with this week's edition of WRUP, where we've asked our writers about the strangest and most obscure MMOs they've played. So if you weren't turned off by a paragraph explaining the genesis of a Japanese train line, jump on past the cut to find out what the staff is up to, and let us know what you'll be doing in the comments!
WRUP: You think you're so pretty edition
We all like to be pretty. In fact, let's come right out and say it: we'd like to be stunning. Unfortunately, if all of us were really searingly pretty, we would probably not all hide in the house and play video games. This particular writer, for instance, is less like a butterfly and more like an unholy union between a chimpanzee and a slime from the Dragon Quest series. Reality can be so very harsh at times. Of course, to cope with that harsh reality, we all have our favorite MMOs to play when the opportunity presents itself -- such as right now, with this week's WRUP. And with the recent success of the almost-MMO Minecraft, we decided to ask everyone how important it was that his or her own games be pretty. Take a look past the cut for our responses, and let us know in the comments what you're going to be playing over the weekend!
WRUP: Kind of a big deal edition
Welcome to this week's WRUP, fair readers. You know us, don't you? We're kind of a big deal. People know us. We own a variety of collector's editions of games, and our web servers smell of fine mahogany. Some kind of wood. Actually, they smell more like burning wood. Somebody should probably be keeping an eye on that. The important part is, you should recognize all of us and our variety of interesting titles, several of which are conveniently floating above our heads. All right, so we don't actually have titles floating over our heads in real life. (The technology proved impractical.) But we are a big enough deal that we've gathered together to inform everyone what we'll be playing over the weekend. And as a bonus, we shared our favorite titles from a variety of games. So take a look at our responses after the break, and let us know what you're going to be playing in the comments. Then you'll be a bigger deal, too.
Introducing the iPod ninja
We here at TUAW fortunately passed on reporting the obviously fake story of Steve Jobs being denied access to Japan because of ninja stars he was reportedly carrying in his luggage. But we did like this fake Apple page from the folks at Scoopertino, featuring the iPod ninja, a brand new throwing star-shaped iPod. If Steve was carrying around ninja stars (and he wasn't), maybe he was just testing a more weaponized iPod prototype. For more yuks, be sure to read on about the "death grip" issue ("If you hold iPod ninja in a certain way, you may require immediate medical care."), and I like the fact that sharing music with the ninja is easy -- just wing it across the room at whoever you want to listen in. For just $149 for the 8GB model, Jobs may have something here with this new ninja model -- his fake Japanese dismissal was not in vain! [via Cult of Mac]
Capcom's titles go on sale for 99 cents
Good news everyone! Capcom's putting some of its iPhone titles on sale this weekend, so head on over to the App Store to pick up Resident Evil 4, 1942: First Strike, Mega Man II, Dark Void Zero, or a few of Capcom's other licensed games for just a penny short of a buck. Not all of the titles are on sale, so no luck with Street Fighter IV or Phoenix Wright, but there are some good options in there anyway. I'm especially excited for Mega Man II, since that was such a favorite of mine as a kid. It turns out that being patient on the App Store can save you a lot of money, and even bigger developers are learning that going cheap, if only for a limited time, can significantly raise apps in the rankings.
WRUP: Alas poor APB edition
All Points Bulletin was originally conceived as being a groundbreaking game, and it was. Specifically, it seems to have broken new ground in the shortest turnaround time between launch and closure. And while there may be a ray of hope after all, it's going to be hard for the game's players to love again after having their expectations so suddenly deflated. Whether you liked the game or not, it's sad news that the city streets have been forcibly emptied quite this quickly. Despite the sadness, we here at Massively soldier onward, helped by the fact that we've grown worn and jaded by now. Past the cut, you'll find what we will be playing over the next two days. And considering the context, we've also provided our thoughts on what dead game we'd like to see resurrected. So click on past the cut, and add in your own play plans for the weekend in the comments!
WRUP: Another day in the office
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too [The following may or may not be a dramatization of actual events.] On a sunny autumn day, in an exceptionally metropolitan (yet fictitious) city, on the 38th floor of an exceptionally corporate-looking (yet fictitious) building, the ever fashionable Alex Ziebart pushed open the carved, mahogany doors of his office and sauntered out into the slightly less attractive general office of the WoW.com non-senior staff. Alex smiled as several eager (yet fictitious) interns immediately stopped in their tracks and focused their eyes on him with full admiration. The WoW.com staff, who had previously been working at various levels of productivity, now sat up attentively and looked to Alex, who had stopped his stride in the center of their desks. "My friends" he said, his voice deep like the honey-rich call of a bassoon. Mat McCurley swore he saw Anne Stickney shiver at the words of their senior editor. "In addition to your usual W.R.U.P. assignment, I have a task for you all." Alex punctuated his words by tossing back the lengths of red gabardine that cloaked his Spartan form. "Bring me the oldest WoW screenshot you still have saved." And so it was done. %Gallery-101927%
WRUP: The after-con illness and misery edition
So basically every single person working at Massively is currently dead. Or dying. Or just worn out after a weekend of conventions and madness followed by cookouts followed by a normal work week. So this weekend would be an excellent time to sit back and relax for a while, and possibly cough up a lung or two while sitting in the bath. Hey, everyone needs a hobby outside of gaming. Of course, plans for a relaxing weekend spent entirely within a warm pool of water will likely be stymied by the fact that there's a closed beta approaching a conclusion for Final Fantasy XIV, the newly free-to-play Lord of the Rings Online, and the usual assortment of gaming mayhem that our staff indulges in whenever we have a spare moment. We also checked in on what everyone thought was the real show-stopper from the now-concluded PAX convention. Read on past the cut for our weekend activities, and let us know in the comments what you'll be playing for the weekend!
WRUP: Schrodinger's hurricane edition
With most of our writers off at the two major conventions over the holiday, this weekend poses an interesting conundrum. Either Hurricane Earl will pass by one of our few non-convention-going writers with nothing more than some wind and a little rain... or it will smash directly into the coast and kill him and his cat alike. But at the time this is written, either could happen. That shan't trouble the other writers of Massively, however, so click past the break to find out where everyone is and what we'll be up to... and what those of us left behind would love to be playing if we got to be at PAX right now! Be sure to let us know what you'll be playing over the weekend in the comments!
WRUP: Well-rested edition
At the start of every weekend, we catch up with the Massively staff members and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! Rest state is a funny thing. On the one hand, it seems ridiculous by definition to have a game reward players who don't play, but on the other hand, it's a nice incentive to periodically stop and do other things. (Like post to message boards.) Considering the recent brouhaha with Final Fantasy XIV and its implementation of a similar system, we decided to ask the staff what they thought about rest states. Several of them wound up sleeping through it, of course, but we've assembled several unfatigued answers. Read on past the break for what the crew will be up to, and be sure to let us know where you'll be resting (or not) over the weekend!
WRUP: Playing favorites
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as: WRUP! Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game, and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! It's another weekend at the WoW.com office, which just means more time with the Cataclysm beta for most of us. A good blogger never sleeps*, so even in our downtime, we're thinking about what you guys might want to see next. With that in mind, WRUP's bonus question this week: For those of you in the Cataclysm beta, what's your favorite revamped old world zone so far? Adam Holisky (@adamholisky): This weekend, I'll be cleaning the apartment and throwing out lots of crap as I prepare for an eventual move. My favorite revamped zone is by far Mount Hyjal. I mean, the old one was kind of bland ... Alex Ziebart (@alexziebart): My office really needs a good cleaning, so I'll be doing that. If there's any time left in my weekend after that, it's going to be more of the Cataclysm beta. My favorite revamped zone is Silverpine Forest by far, even though it upsets me that only the Horde gets to see the story there. The Alliance should get to see that story play out, too.
WRUP: Forget it, we're hiding in the grass edition
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the Massively team and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! Something appears to have gone awry with this weekend's WRUP, as when we asked the staff what they were playing, most of them scurried out of the building and into the tall grass surrounding the exterior of the office. Despite the best efforts of several trained bloodhounds, only a few could be tracked down, with the rest presumably running for the hills or pretending to be botanists. Nevertheless, we acquired answers from those few staff members we caught. As we're not expecting anyone to stop hiding in the tall grass, tune in past the cut for the answers we did get, and don't miss next week when the air conditioner takes on column duties.
WRUP: Sickness and heat
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! This week, I asked our intrepid WoW.com staff to tell us about their play experiences while sick. I don't know. It seemed appropriate; summer always seems like a great time to get sick. Even Sylvanas (above) is feeling a little under the weather, lately. I think it's probably the heat more than anything else. Going between insane summer weather and too-cold air conditioning is a recipe for feeling ill. Let us know what you're playing this weekend, and what you do to beat the heat ... and the plague. Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): More of the beta -- and a highly expensive experiment on my copied main to test something concerning cat DPS. Ordinarily I'm one of the more tight-fisted players out there, but there's a lovely sense of financial freedom on the beta/PTR, where you can throw wads of cash at everything and not regret it in the morning. As for playing while sick, it depends on the nature of the illness. If I'm really not feeling well, I usually don't want to be near a computer at all; if it's something minor, I enjoy 5-mans and herbing. Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): I'll be working on various achievements this weekend, nothing too major -- and writing as always, of course. As for WoW when I'm sick ... well, it depends on how sick I am. I don't get sick often, so when I do I generally don't want to do anything at all, WoW included. If I'm a little sniffly? Probably something mindless like herb farming. Amy Schley (@wowlawbringer): As one of the few on staff who hasn't gotten into the beta, I'll have to settle for running randoms and seeing if I can get into a PUG. Resto shaman, name is Russian for space goat, looking for raid. As for playing sick, I normally can't. If I'm so sick to make a difference, it's bad enough I can't really play at all. That said, if I want to try, I'll grab the hunter and his bear and play, confident that the bear will keep me alive enough.
WRUP: Infuriating launcher detected
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! This weekend, we're trying to log in to the Cataclysm beta. Trying. We're also doing some other stuff, mostly out of necessity, since we can't log in to the beta. Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): As much beta-testing as my connection and the servers will allow; I'd like to get a decent sense of how the bear, cat, and resto druid specs are playing right now, even though all three are still in flux. Otherwise, going to play catch-up on correspondence and a few projects. Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): Guild's officially 11/12 HM ICC25 now! This weekend will be weird. I'm not sure what's going to be going on - but I will be writing as always for sure. Beta client ... first impression? Kind of annoying. It's still telling me there's 4GB of something to download but whatever it is, it isn't downloading it. However, I can still play -- but zone loading is taking forever. Christian Belt (@ihatewarlocks): I'll be finishing up DeathSpank, with my daughter playing the role of Sparkles the Wizard, my trusty spellcasting sidekick. Hmmm. Maybe I should switch with her, let her do the spanking of death while I assume the familiar mantle of back-row clothie. Oh, and the beta launcher is ok by me. I ran the thing, waited until it got into the green (only 6 hours left!) and then hopped in. Aside from a few minor glitches (missing sound effects, music starting then stopping suddenly, the occasional weird graphical pop-in) the game was completely playable. I approve, for now.
WRUP: Tautology edition
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the Massively team and ask, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! This is the tautology edition of WRUP. This is the fifth sentence of the tautology edition, with the previous sentence having explained that this was the tautology edition. Our sixth sentence includes a mention of badgers. However, our seventh sentence is very different from prior sentences, because it starts with the word "however." If you click the link below to read more, you will be able to read more about what the Massively crew is doing for the weekend. The ninth sentence is entirely extraneous, but it does mention badgers again.
WRUP: StarCraft 2 edition
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW.com staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! I have to admit it: I'm just not into all of the StarCraft 2 hype. It's a bit awkward since practically everyone I know -- and a lot of the WoW.com staff -- seems to be excited about SC2 above all else. So I'm attempting to turn things around, at least for the duration of this post, with this week's WRUP. In addition to asking what everyone's playing this weekend, I've asked for everyone's thoughts on the ongoing Cataclysm beta test. Well, it might have taken their minds off SC2 for a minute, at least ... Everyone's answers -- and your chance to add your own -- after the break.
WRUP: Hoopy frood edition
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the Massively team and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" (Otherwise known as: WRUP!) Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game -- and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too! Another weekend of gaming is upon us -- and this week in addition to the standard "what are you playing" question, we've asked the Massively team what the meaning is of life, the universe, and everything. Hey, it's a simple enough question -- read on for the answer(s).
Aion free account reactivations, double XP incoming
Dust off your wings and brush up on your flying technique, as NCsoft is picking up the tab for your return to the world of Atreia (at least for a weekend). Beginning Friday, July 30th at 11:00 a.m. EDT, all inactive Aion accounts will be reactivated free of charge. If that's not enough to excite the daeva in you, double XP will be in effect as well. Both promotions conclude Monday, August 2nd at 6:00 p.m. EDT. Whether you're coming back to check out the game revisions included in the 1.9 patch, grabbing a few levels in preparation for 2.0, or just looking to kill time and catch up with some old friends, it's hard to beat the price and faster advancement to boot. Read the full announcement at the official Aion website.
