WRUP: You don't need a phone line to operate WRUP?
by Fox Van Allen 
Apr 9th 2011 at 4:00PM
Welcome to the exciting world of internet! We're glad you wrote in to it today.
It sure is exciting to be alive here in good ol' 2011. Sure, we may be in the middle of three wars, and our economy may stink. But we have internet, a giant computer network that brings us "LOLcats," "podcasts," "tweets," and all sorts of other stuff that will sound painfully outdated 15 years from now.
Need proof of how powerful this internet thing (which you've probably been reading about in magazines) is? Well, this weekend, yours truly is heading in to Boston to catch a Chris Hardwick show. Some of you may recognize him as host of the second most popular basic cable television show on the subject of internet video clips. Hardwick does a podcast, too. Ironically, it gets more listeners than his TV channel gets viewers. Dude makes his living off nothing but internet. And I'm jealous.
Anyway, while we're here on this computer bulletin board, we may as well check in with the rest of our staff and see what they're playing this weekend. And heck, because we care, let's check in with you and see what you're playing, too! Isn't technology just the best?
Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert) Drafting a somewhat philosophical Shifting for Tuesday and examining the latest PTR build (yay Enrage!). With luck, I'll land a few ZA runs as well.
Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) This weekend will mostly be spent writing, little raiding thrown in there, maybe a little doodling, but nothing really entertaining beyond that.
Basil Berntsen (@outdps) It's Friday Friday Friday Friday
Brian Wood (@FrostheimWHU) I'll be participating in a mass orgy of table top gaming all weekend, from Cthulhu to Firefly to the IronDM tournament.
Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb) This weekend is primarily for taxes and writing. If I get some extra time, I will probably see about getting my druid ready to go for healer Call to Arms in patch 4.1.
Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen) Saturday night, I'm going to see Chris Hardwick perform his nerd-centric brand of humor at the Wilbur Theater here in Boston. During my few moments at home, I'll be scoping out new markets on the auction house. Heartbourne (of Lore Hound) challenged me to an epic "race to 1,000,000 gold," and there's no way in hell that I'm losing this thing.
Joe Perez (@Lodurzj) Quiet weekend ahead of me, some leveling of alts in WoW, a little playtime in Rift, nothing too exciting game-wise. Out of game I'm breaking out my DOD VoTec Multieffects pedal and jacking into the computer to record some styling MP3s. Haven't played in a while and feeling the itch.
Josh Myers (@Elamqt) Still getting settled into my new home on Proudmoore. I'm running through money like crazy because all of my alts with money making professions are stranded on Black Dragonflight currently, so this weekend will probably be spent powerleveling my warrior to 80 so I can level mining/herbing on her.
Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra) Saturday night I'll be presenting at the video gamed-themed art show, "8-Bits of Destiny." Lots of work to do before then. XD I'll also throw another unsuccessful attempt at winning either fishing derbys.
Lisa Poisso (@emused) Tweaking my UI, running oddball errands and finishing off Kalu'ak rep for my fishing pole, rolling out some crafting goods, targeting a couple of new pets I'd like to collect, fishing up a couple of weeks' worth of stat food ... Peace and quiet. Ahhhhh.
Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo) I've got a birthday party Saturday night, as well as WoW to play and Dragon Age 2 to beat.
Matt Walsh (@Rhidach) Going to Paris on a work trip. I plan to spend some quality time with the DS and Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks on the ~8 hour flight.
Sarah Nichol (@mentalshaman) Dragon Age: Origins as a grey-haired dwarf is what I'll be playing, along with a mixture of RIFT and playing my new undead warlock through the Tirisfal Glades. I will also be attending our guild 'birthday' party, a nice chance for us to celebrate our Realm First Guild Level 25 achievement.
Tyler Caraway (@murmursofadruid) I will be spending this weekend hanging out with friends of mine in Columbus as I start making my "Murmurs is moving" tour. After that, it's back home for a little R&R and raiding on Sunday; yay heroics!
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
Filed under: WoW Insider Business
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Iano Apr 9th 2011 4:12PM
I'm playing Sword and Sworcery this weekend! :) Mwahaha!
Pretty fun stuff, though, I must admit- now I've just got to get that remote desktop app and get wow on that device!
Iano Apr 9th 2011 4:16PM
Well, let me amend- I'll be playing it for the 5 minutes I'm not trying to pass neuroanatomy. Neuroanatomy-
Neuroanatomy...
..... BRAINS!
/zombie
Drakkenfyre Apr 9th 2011 4:14PM
Prior to the internet explosion:
Customer: "Hello, I would like a copy of (X) game, please."
GameStop employee: "Would you like to buy a copy of the strategy guide? It's 10% off if you buy it with the game."
Customer: "Why yes, my good man. It might take me weeks to find tips and tricks in magazines, and from friends."
Afterwards:
Customer: "Hello, I would like a copy of (X) game, please."
Customer: "No, I have internet access now. I can look up anything I want."
Much later:
Customer: "Hello, I would like a copy of (X) game, please."
GameStop employee: "Would you like to buy a copy of the strategy guide? It's 10% off if you buy it with the game. Also, would you like to preorder (15 games), buy any used games, enroll in the rewards program, or sell us any games?"
Customer: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I don't need any strategy guides. Those 15 games got poor previews. I don't like used games, your rewards program sucks, and you won't give me evern 1/16th what those games are worth."
You guys don't know how lucky you are. Having to get your game tricks and secrets from magazines, or other people. "A friend of mine has a friend who found a code for (game.) I haven't tested it yet, but it sounds like it might work!"
That, or having to call 1-900 numbers for codes. At least Nintendo originally only a long-distance-charge-only number, and didn't actually charge a fee to call.
Jeff Apr 9th 2011 4:38PM
I do miss the days of crazy rumors about games that couldn't be easily proven true or false with a quick google search. In the N64 days when I was in Elementary school, the internet was still an odd concept that most of us didn't get.
Secrets or easter eggs in video games weren't just nifty things you'd read about and then go try. You'd know that one kid in the schoolyard who'd seen it, and you'd beg him to tell you how to do it. It was almost mystical...
My friends and I were convinced that if we played through Super Smash Bros. with Pikachu on the hardest difficulty with only one life and no continues, he would evolve into Raichu. Since none of us could accomplish such a herculean feat, our bubble was never burst.
Nagheen Apr 9th 2011 4:43PM
I remember getting all exited before reading the codes in the back of my game magazines, hoping that they had codes for one of my games.
I can't be that old....
Iirdan Apr 9th 2011 4:50PM
I'm going to echo Jeff's sentiments. While I love the flow of information the internet gives, it has removed a very attractive layer of mystery behind games that was a staple of my childhood (and like the childhoods of many others).
My friends had me convinced that there was a secret song in Ocarina of Time that would give you infinite health. I, being the analytical type that I am, wrote lists of every song that I played trying to narrow it down. I never did find it (naturally) but it was lots of fun.
Joe Perez Apr 9th 2011 4:59PM
I still want to know how everyone knew to blow in the Nintendo Cartridges when we were kids. Never appeared in a magazine and the internet was basically non existent then.
Drakkenfyre Apr 9th 2011 5:06PM
Pretty sure it was passed around person to person.
We were blowing the dust out, as you know. Dust was a common problem with the NES, as the way the cartridge insert and lowering part made contact with the connector problematic if it had dust on it. It also could damage the cart over long-term. Blowing on them introduced moisture, which would corrode the pins, and make the problem worse.
Probably everyone saw someone else do this with an older game, and then when their games started acting up, they did it, too.
The Japanese version of the NES, and the top-loader version didn't have this problem.
RetPallyJil Apr 9th 2011 5:35PM
Oh yeah? Well I found the "dot" in Adventure and thought I was Queen of Creation.
Good God, I was so little then ...
Drakkenfyre Apr 9th 2011 6:18PM
That was the first Easter egg put into a video game.
At the time Atari prohibited their programmers from putting their names on the games.
I had an Atari, too.
I remember when Nintendo ads compared the NES's graphics to the Atari.
Randomize Apr 9th 2011 11:52PM
I miss the good ol' days of the internet. Back when nothing was organized and Google didn't even exist, having a 56k modem made you the fastest kid on the block, and using the internet was practically worthless for school or work. Hell, I remember when the best chance for finding information on the computer was popping in your Encarta disc and going at it.
Stenenis Apr 9th 2011 4:28PM
One of the other 7 people who listen to The Nerdist!?! Wow!
Billlop Apr 9th 2011 6:45PM
"Brian Wood (@FrostheimWHU) I'll be participating in a mass orgy"
Thats all i wanted to know!
*grabs coat and heads to brian's house*
VioletArrows Apr 9th 2011 7:14PM
Crossing my fingers that that order I placed at Gamestop this weekend will go through. Two of the games I ordered had sold out and reappeared twice while trying to pick my free game and check out.
As for playing, probably Minecraft or one of my Gamecube classics. Haven't had it in my heart to touch MMOs, and my brothers hog the tv non-stop.
MusedMoose Apr 9th 2011 7:33PM
I'll be playing WoW and possibly other games (assuming they exist) on my brand new 23-inch widescreen. A monitor that was too big for my old desk... so I spent most of today putting together a new desk that's just short of being too big for my apartment. @_@ I'm assuming it'll be totally worth it the first time I log onto WoW. Bwa ha ha.
Kurtis Apr 11th 2011 8:16AM
For our home computer, we used to have a large desk - plenty of space for the computer and lots of other junk. Actually, that was the main problem. So we got one of those "hutch" desks. The 19" monitor *barely* fits.
Fortunately, my home office desk is still big enough for a 22.5" monitor with a couple feet of space on each side for all the junk.
Zarabethe Apr 9th 2011 8:08PM
Taking a break from grinding BC reps on the way to exalted to sew Steampunk costumes for my family of 8 for the Steampunk Expo next weekend.
....what?
Zanaji Apr 9th 2011 11:51PM
Awesome!
ioncat Apr 10th 2011 10:10AM
The Tomb Raider nude cheat is:
L1,R1,R1,R1 X,X,X,O,L2
Sure, you can google it now. But admit it. In the 90's, you would have tried it a thousand times before deciding that you must have gotten the wrong cheat.
Wolftech Apr 10th 2011 11:51AM
"Basil Berntsen (@outdps) It's Friday Friday Friday Friday"
Basil needs to be taken out and shot, resurrected, drawn and quartered, stitched back together and resurrected again and subjected to enhanced interrogation techniques involving Justin Bieber for that comment...