Aaron Rosenberg shared with me a couple of photos of himself and his baby son submited to him by one of his fans who attended LunaCon 2008. Aaron Rosenberg (World of Warcraft: Tides of Darkness) and Keith R.A. DeCandido (Starcraft: Ghost Nova) were together during the event schedule. This kind of events are fun and you can meet sci-fi and fantasy book writers, shake hands and say hi, tell them how fanboyish you are about their awesome work, get a book signed and take a photo for posterity.
For the writers it is a great experience to meet fans and other old friend collegues, but what happens after the event may be also an odyssey that rivals those of the most brave roaming the lands of Azeroth and Outland. Visit Aaron's blog to read his experience after landing at LunaCon 2008. Onyxia and Illidan would surely flee in fear if they had to be on Aaron's shoes.
Blizzplanet's World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal Q&A with Aaron Rosenberg and Christie Golden is in progress, so keep checking back in upcoming weeks. Aaron Rosenberg and Keith R.A. DeCandido will make again a public appearance at 2008 I-Con 27 on April 4-6. So prepare your gear to farm some book signing at the end of their panels. Make sure to submit to Blizzplanet your photos with Aaron and Keith. You may buy his Starcraft and World of Warcraft books here. This is Aaron's I-Con 27 Schedule in case you plan to attend the event:
AARON ROSENBERG SCHEDULE
Friday, 7pm
Tie-Ins: Putting a Personal Spin on Shared Worlds
S311
kradical(M), Osborne, Rosenberg, Greenberger
Saturday, 11am
“Gems” From the Slushpile
S302
Rosenberg, ivy03(M), Gorinsky, Bilmes
Pros share their amusing (and scary) stories of memorable (for the wrong reasons) submissions
Sunday, 11am
Dealer’s Hall
Signing
Sunday, 2pm
Lies and Myths About Getting Published
S302
Rosenberg(M), ivy03, Bacigalupi, Gorinsky, Bilmes
A surprising take on “accepted” ideas about publishing
KEITH R.A. DECANDIDO SCHEDULE
Friday
7-8pm: "Tie-Ins: Putting a Personal Spin on Shared Worlds" w/Terri Osborne, Robert Greenberger, and Aaron Rosenberg
8-8.30pm: autographing
9-10pm: Boogie Knights concert (tentative)
11.30pm-whenever: appearing on WUSB's Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction w/a cast of dozens, hosted by Dr. Howard Margolin
Saturday
11am-12pm: "Did We Sell Our Souls?: Writing for Star Trek" w/Peter S. Beagle, Norman Spinrad, Peter David, Terri Osborne, and Kat Hankinson
2-3pm: Boogie Knights concert (tentative time)
3-4pm: "Mixing Mystery and Speculative Fiction" w/Charlaine Harris, Adam-Troy Castro, Drew Henrisken, and Jennifer Crawford (might be late for this, depending on Boogie concert)
8pm-whenever: cabaret (the Boogies will be among several acts performing)
Sunday
1-2pm: "The Agent-Editor-Writer Relationship" w/Joshua Bilmes, Terri Osborne, David A. Kyle, Terry McGarry, and Liz Gorinsky -- so we've got an agent (Joshua), an editor (Liz), an author (Terri), an author-editor-agent-publisher (David), and two author-editors (me and Terry)
2-3pm: Boogie Knights concert (tentative time; may need to scarper from previous panel early)
Attended by over 6,000 people each year, I-CON is a three day festival, designed to encourage literacy, creativity and interest in science and technology through science fiction and its related genres. Programming at I-CON spans a wide range of topics and interests, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, Japanese animation (otherwise known as Anime), science and technology, comic books, and medieval reenactment.
Guest speakers are invited from around the world to share their experiences in their fields, information about any new or upcoming projects and their insights into the genre with their fans. Over the course of the convention, guests typically will participate in panel discussions, give workshops and demonstrations, sign autographs, and interact with their fans on a one on one basis in such venues as the Awards Banquet. With so much to offer, I-CON is able to appeal to a diverse audience, including college students, senior citizens and families with young children.
I-CON (with a hyphen) is presented annually by ICON Science Fiction, INC (without a hyphen; hereafter referred to as "ICON") and the I-CON Campus Chapter. ICON is a not-for-profit corporation which is a legal entity separate from New York State and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Players who have experienced lag in World of Warcraft or no service at all may breath now. Cogent and Telia have resolved their dispute and a new agreement has been reached. Read the full report.
"We are happy to have signed a new contract with Cogent and regret that some of our customers have been affected by the dispute," said Malin Frenning CEO of Telia Sonera International Carrier, Dagens Nyheter (DN) writes.
The dispute began at around 11pm on March 13th when Cogent decided to cut off communications with Telia Sonera in protest at the "degraded" service it claimed was experienced by its customers. By 6.30pm on Friday the connection was re-established and Cogent customers in the USA could once again access sites hosted by Telia, such as World of Warcraft."
The World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King Bestiary site has been updated with the ancient cousins of the Tauren race ... the Taunka.
Taunka ... This tenacious, stoic race knows all too well the rigors of living in the harsh and often deadly wastes of Northrend. Over time, the taunka - whom many believe to be ancestral cousins of the tauren - have adapted, but only by forcing the land and the elements to yield to their will. The taunka's relationship with nature, unlike that of their tauren brethren, has been one of constant struggle and grim perseverance.Although the taunka may seem dour or even cold to outsiders, those who come to know them will soon recognize an embattled race of survivors characterized by colossal hearts and unshakable resolve.
IRVINE, Calif. – Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today announced that World of Warcraft®, its award-winning, subscription-based massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), is being prepared for release in Latin America. The Latin American localization will be based on the existing European Spanish version but will feature entirely re-recorded in-game speech. This new version of the game will be rolled out in select markets throughout Latin America starting in the first half of 2008 and will also be available to Spanish-speaking players in the US and Canada at that time.
A dedicated Spanish-speaking team is being assembled at the Blizzard Entertainment offices in Irvine, California and Austin, Texas to ensure that Spanish-speaking World of Warcraft players based in North and South America will receive high-quality 24/7 support in Spanish. Positions are currently open on the company's customer service, quality assurance, community relations, and web teams, and a new official website for the game's North and South America-based Spanish-speaking players is in development.
"Making World of Warcraft more accessible to gamers around the world has been a longstanding goal for us," said Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "Spanish-speaking players on our North American realms have already shown a great deal of enthusiasm for the game, and we're pleased to be able to offer them a fully localized version."
Further details on pricing in local currencies for Latin American players, as well as country-specific availability, will be announced closer to release. Also closer to release, Blizzard will provide details on language-pack downloads and character-transfer options for existing Spanish-speaking players on the game's North American realms.
Since World of Warcraft launched in November 2004, it has quickly become the world's most popular MMORPG, with more than 10 million players worldwide. The game is currently available in English, French, German, Korean, European Spanish, and Simplified and Traditional Chinese. In addition to the forthcoming Latin American Spanish version, a Russian version is in development for Europe.
To keep pace with the continued growth of World of Warcraft and development of other games, Blizzard Entertainment is currently hiring for numerous open positions. More information on available career opportunities at the company, including positions on the US-based Spanish team, can be found at www.blizzard.com/jobopp.
All available tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational are now sold out! Taking place over Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th of June at the Porte de Versailles Convention Centre in Paris, France, the 2008 Worldwide Invitational looks set to be another exciting Blizzard Entertainment gaming event. Be sure to check the 2008 Worldwide Invitational website often for ticketholder updates, the latest news on the tournaments, panels, and showcased content, and other news on what to expect at the event! -- Source
" Status:
SOLD OUT. Unfortunately, we have reached our maximum capacity for orders at this time."
FigurePrints was started and is run by Ed Fries, former head of Microsoft Games Studio. FigurePrints are one-of-a-kind, custom statues of players own World of Warcraft characters created using high-tech 3D color printing machines. Their artists pull a players’ character from the virtual world and bring it to life.
What is Fyreball? Fyreball is a fun alternative to email that gives users the ability to share rich media and complex content with their friends in a snap. Why are they giving away a FigurePrint? Being from a gaming background and being heavy gamers themselves, Fyreball was really started with gamers in mind. They know and understand how much gamers like to share large, complex files and how many hours the game community connects with each other online.
In a nutshell, Fyreball is a cooler, faster, and better way to send rich content (video, links, images, embedded games) to your friends.
Fyreball is still in private beta, but you can join the beta using the link above. You will see a sign-in at the right-hand side of the screen.
Head to Silvermoon City or to Ironforge. Go to the flightmaster and fly to Quel'Danas Isle (Sunwell). You will see a few tents in front of the Boat. Talk to Exarch Larethor. He will give you this quest: Magister's Terrace.
To find the Magister's Terrace turn around to face the boat. Head east following the coast. Northeast you will see a road toward a hill. The Magister's Terrace dungeon is up the hill. To see the type of mobs and their abilities in advance visit Blizzplanet's Magister's Terrace section along with Boss encounter videos.
This quest is important because once you find the NPC corpse by Vexallus' room (Halls of Theory), the follow up is to click the magic ball at The Solar Vigil. Click the ball to run the in-game cinematic. This will unlock the Magister's Terrace Heroic-mode and will trigger the spawning of Kalecgos who flies down to give you the follow up quest which requests you to bring Kael'thas' head to Exarch Larethor.
You may now login into World of Warcraft and download it from the Blizzard Downloader. If you made your task of downloading the first 251mb in the past days all you have to download is really 10MB. That's the whole thing: 261MB. This patch brings World of Warcraft to patch 2.4 (v8089 build).
Apparently Patch 2.4 might be out tomorrow March 25th. There hasn't been an official confirmation. However, on the UI & Mods forum a thread by a fan was stickied. Could that be taken as a hint? I was told by Lyquid that UI Mod get heads up from Blizzard to prepare and update the mods before patch day. Whether that's true or not, it is a good thought. Patch tomorrow?
I recommend clicking the backgrounddownloader.exe file in your WoW folder after your raid tonight so that you can download the first 251MB in case you haven't.
UPDATE: Seems it is true. Fileplanet and Gamespot have patch 2.4 out for download few hours ahead of time. It is 9pm EST at the time of this post. EDIT: The file they have is an upgrade from 2.0 to 2.4. (We are on 2.3.3) Recommended to wait until patch is released. Mirrors will be available thereafter.
UPDATE: It's 10pm. It now sounds official.
Drysc: The doors to the 2.4 Public Test Realm and Tournament Test Realm are now closing. We wanted to thank everyone for their participation and bug reports, and we'll see you on the live realms! -- source
You know how Football players feel after reaching the goal, throw the ball to the ground to touchdown and dance crazy? Well, right now there are thousands of both lore fans and RPG d20 fans dancing in mindscape.
World of Warcraft RPG: Dark Factions is to be released by White Wolf Publishing (Sword & Sorcery) on April 16th. Just three weeks from now. Luke Johnson just posted the Table of Content a few days ago. You don't know how much it means to me to finally be able to talk to Luke about this book. He better than anyone knows how much I have stalked him by email and on AOL chat to spill the beans these past two years. And he wouldn't concede. Two or three years in the making ... this book will rock fans.
Now fans have the opportunity to ask Luke Johnson (World of Warcraft RPG Developer) anything about World of Warcraft RPG: Dark Factions. Submit your questions for this upcoming Q&A. Blizzard Entertainment will post news once the Q&A is ready to go public. Please submit your WoW screen name or a name you wish to be credited for to be added to the side of each question.
This RPG Book contains info of the Old gods, Xavius, the Tuskarr, Pandaren, Twilight's Hammer Clan, Naga, Couatl, Hakkar the Soulflayer, The Pantheon of the Zandalar Tribe, Scarlet Crusade, The Syndicate and so much more.
Read the table of contents first in order to formulate your own key questions.
Blizzard has finally launched the World of Warcraft Russian Homepage
"We are delighted to announce the launch of our Russian World of Warcraft 'light' web page. While we'll be working on bringing a fully localized version of the World of Warcraft website to life in Russian, we'll use this page to keep you updated on progress.
Here you can find information in Russian about recruitment, our press releases and the FAQ (in English here), covering different aspects about the Russian release of World of Warcraft.
We hope you're just as excited as we are about this upcoming release, and recommend you check the page regularly to get the latest news.
Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrates the times. If you haven't browsed through Blizzplanet's WoW Easter Eggs section it is time to do so for a few laughs.
Update: Submited just now. There is a moth mob in Terokkar Forest called Napthal'ar. Naphthalene is the primary ingredient in moth balls. Thanks, Vylemacer - Steamwheedle Cartel server.
Recent Submissions not yet updated into the database and mostly non-edited below ...
Blizzard updated the Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals site with a humorous and informative map of Paris. The map has been Warcrafted. I mean ... the real Paris Map has been remade to look like a World of Warcraft map. It is an interactive flash map. By placing your cursor over each touristic location you may unlock a brief description and history of each location accompanied by a link for further details. The links take you to the website of each institution such as The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower, Arc of Triomphe, the Notre Dame Cathedral, and so on. Check out here.
The bestiary page for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King has been updated with a new creature from the upcoming expansion. Learn more about one of the new species you'll encounter in Northrend, the malevolent iron dwarves.
Blizzplanet will offer coverage of the 2008 Blizzard Worldwide Invitationals in Paris, France. Kazo, from Slovakia, will go representing Blizzplanet to bring video, photos and journals of the event. Personally, I wouldn't be able to go on my own. However, the Blizzplanet community has the last word.
Do you wish Medievaldragon to go to the WWI? I would be able to gather info of Starcraft 2, Wrath of the Lich King and any new Game Announcements(if any). I will have a press badge to update live from the event. And I will get to speak to the developers in a special fansites meeting. Below is a Chip-In Progress Bar. Click the button to donate via paypal or credit card. You do not need a credit card to create a paypal account. Register at paypal.com and fill your bank name, account number and bank route number. This info is not seen by the public and allows you to pay using a paypal account anonymously.
Any donation will be welcome to sponsor my trip and its associated side-expenses. Contact me here if you wish to hire me for gaming news of your site or for donations.
Things I know for sure these $ 200 will be used for: Food, Passport, Paris-Airport-to-hotel bus ($64 round-trip), Home-to-local-airport bus (undecided: depends which local airport).
DONATION STEPS
1. Before donating please check out the ChipIn Progress Bar below. Once the ChipIn reaches $200, this gift offer will expire automatically.
2. Email me to confirm that you donated. Please provide your Starcraft, Warcraft or Diablo screen name to credit you as a sponsor. Only one donation allowed per person. No more than $10 per donation.
Saturday, March 22th at 11:59pm EST (-5GMT) is the last day for question submissions. Got any questions about the upcoming World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal pocket book? This is your chance to find out from the authors. Christie and Aaron are co-writing this novel, which is coming to a bookstore near you on June 28th.
Read the campaign missions of Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal to learn the old-school lore and to help you think of questions for both authors.
You may now take a sneak peek of World of Warcraft# 5 by viewing these 5-pages preview from DC Comics and Wildstorm. This comic book will be out on stores on March 26th. Our Wow Comics section has been updated.
Lo'Gosh and Broll continue their quest and encounter harpies and furbolgs in Thistlefur. Will the duo succeed in freeing the furbolgs from the fel magic that curses them? Plus, Valeera continues tracking the mysterious figure who follows Lo'Gosh from the shadows.
Upper Deck today announced a new World of Warcraft TCG program: the March of the Legion Tour. Below is more information about the tour. At this point, dates and locations have not been finalized, so any stores that are interested in hosting should contact Upper Deck. Players are encouraged to check WoWTCG.com regularly for updated dates and locations.
Upper Deck Entertainment Announces The
WORLD OF WARCRAFT® TRADING CARD GAME MARCH OF THE LEGION™ TOUR
Battle Against Upper Deck “Legionnaires”!
Prove Your Skill! Win Great Prizes!
CARLSBAD, CA (March 18, 2008)—Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) today announced the World of Warcraft® Trading Card Game (TCG) March of the Legion™ Tour, to be hosted at select local hobby stores across North America starting in April. Players can test their World of Warcraft TCG skills against UDE “Legionnaires” for exclusive prizes. Visit WoWTCG.com for the latest information on tour dates and locations.
Hobby stores throughout North America will host these Limited-format events, inviting players to challenge skilled Legionnaires. Any player who beats a Legionnaire will win a fan-favorite Varimathras Extended Art card and a Leeroy Jenkins t-shirt. All tour participants will receive a never-before-seen Extended Art version of the Weeble card from the March of the Legion expansion (while supplies last).
“We are very excited to be working closely with hobby store retailers on the March of the Legion Tour. As a former hobby store owner myself, I know that Organized Play events like these are great for attracting new players to the game and for bringing existing players into the hobby stores,” said Scott Gaeta, Upper Deck’s Director of Entertainment Marketing. “Upper Deck is committed to offering fun and exciting programs like the March of the Legion Tour to help retailers build stronger relationships with players.”
World of Warcraft TCG Research & Development and Organized Play teams will make up the UDE Legionnaires. After each event, the Legionnaires will blog about the excitement of the day on WoWTCG.com. This way, even players who cannot make it to specific locations can join in the fun of the tour. UDE will also launch a comprehensive marketing and outreach program to assist hobby store retailers in publicizing the March of the Legion Tour.
For additional information on the March of the Legion Tour and the World of Warcraft TCG, visit WoWTCG.com.
Based on Blizzard Entertainment®’s hit massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG), the TCG allows players to experience the action and adventure of World of Warcraft in a new format. Released in October 2006, the TCG’s premiere set quickly became the hottest and most sought-after trading card game in the industry, prompting UDE to produce additional quantities to support the overwhelming demand.
World of Warcraft is the most popular MMORPG in the world, with more than 10 million subscribers playing the game in North America, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, Europe, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and regions of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. In World of Warcraft, players assume the roles of legendary heroes and interact with thousands of other players online as they explore, adventure, and quest across a vast realm. Whether journeying together or fighting against one another in epic battles, players form friendships, forge alliances, and compete against enemies for power and glory.
About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft and the Warcraft®, StarCraft®, and Diablo® series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software, and is renowned for creating some of the industry’s most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard Entertainment’s track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company’s online-gaming service, Battle.net®, is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.
About the Upper Deck Company
Founded in 1988, the Upper Deck Company is the leading sports and entertainment publishing company and delivers a portfolio of relevant, innovative, and multi-dimensional product experiences to sports collectors and entertainment enthusiasts.
Upper Deck Entertainment (UDE) is a division of Upper Deck and specializes in award-winning entertainment collectible trading cards and games such as the wildly popular Yu-Gi-Oh! TRADING CARD GAME and the World of Warcraft®, Marvel, and DC Comics TCGs.
Blizzard has released a Patch 2.4 Preview showing the lore behind this final chapter of the Burning Crusade expansion. The preview offers details of: Sunwell Plateau, Sunwell Isle, New Daily Quests, Arena Tournament and UI Improvements. Read the full preview.
Brace yourself for the Fury of the Sunwell, the next content patch for World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade. You have traveled through the Dark Portal and braved the perils of Outland; you faced off against the might of the Burning Legion itself, and you prevailed. Now the journey that began with the arrival of the draenei on Azeroth and the blood elves' inclusion into the Horde is about to come full circle as a mighty army gathers to purge evil from one of Azeroth's most important loci of power: the ancient, magical Sunwell.
Explore the mystical grounds of the new 5-person dungeon, Magisters' Terrace, where one of the Burning Crusade's most notorious villains is preparing to make his desperate last stand. Lead your raid group straight into the heart of the Sunwell Plateau to confront the most terrifying and deadly agents of the Burning Legion. But beware, for your enemies will not go down without a fight. Expect the demons to send in their most ferocious, brutal, and powerful officers. Your greatest challenge yet awaits.
The new dungeon and raid content is not the only new addition of this upcoming patch. More than a dozen new daily quests will provide fresh new challenges, and a brand-new faction stands ready to reward you for your bravery and commitment. The call goes out to the strongest, most cunning, and bravest heroes to join the Shattered Sun Offensive in the battle to reclaim the Sunwell.
DC Unlimited is DC Comics’ new brand of authentic collectibles based on the world’s greatest pop-culture characters and stories. DC Unlimited products, created by DC Direct, are sold through multiple distribution channels worldwide, including specialty stores, comics shops and mass market retailers.
WORLD OF WARCRAFT is the massively multiplayer online role-playing game with over 10 million devoted subscribers, and its characters are captured in 3-D by DC Unlimited!
THE THIRD WAVE BEGINS!!
DC Unlimited is proud to present Series 3 of the WORLD OF WARCRAFT action figures!
With the first series of DC Unlimited’s exclusive World of Warcraft action figures selling out in mere weeks, fans of the game have proven what must-have collectibles these are! Exquisitely sculpted and intricately painted, no WoW player should be without these life-like representations of their favorite characters!
If you haven't put your paws on the World of Warcraft Comic Book published by DC Comics and Wildstorm you have been missing a lot. No pun intended. Remember the Missing Diplomat questline? It revealed that the missing diplomat was really the King of Stormwind Varian Wrynn. After patch 1.9 the King was removed from Alcaz Island. And Patch 2.3 introduced new Missing Diplomat quests where a special cargo had been lost during a Defias Shipwreck at the coasts of Dustwallow Marsh. The special cargo was a human. The name of the human was never told, but ... ta-da! ... World of Warcraft the comic book issue# 1 was launched a week or two after the patch 2.3 introduced these new quests, and the comic book showed an amnesic human unconscious at the shores of Durotar, apparently surviving a shipwreck.
For months fans have speculated ... nay ... been certain this was the King of Stormwind Varian Wrynn. Today it is OFFICIAL! Issue# 8 starts the second story arc of this comic book series.
With this revelation, speculations may start abound on what Blizzard Entertainment's plans are for Varian Wrynn in the World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King expansion and the Warcraft Film by Legendary Pictures. Is the mysterious Human (Anti-Thrall) Hero of the Warcraft Film ... Varian Wrynn? Will the Varian Wrynn NPC be relocated to Stormwind? What will happen to Lady Prestor and all those quests? Will Fordragon be moved to Northrend as a leading hero of the Northrend incursion against the Lich King? Will there be new quests in Wrath of the Lich King as a follow up to the Missing Diplomat quests? Will the Comic Book finally reveal the fate and whereabouts of Varian's wife? You gotta have to hook up and keep track of the comic book's upcoming issues as Varian continues his journey through Wetlands toward Stormwind in search of the family he saw in his memory flashback.
If anything the story of World of Warcraft the comic book is going to become very interesting post issue# 8 as he makes his way slowly toward Stormwind.
DESCRIPTION
"The Return" begins a new story arc set in the WORLD OF WARCRAFT. Upon learning he is in fact the missing king of Stormwind, Lo'Gosh returns to reclaim his throne with his comrades-in-arms Valeera, and Broll. But all is not as it seems in the eastern kingdom, especially if one informed dwarf has anything to say about it. Enter Thargas Anvilmar!
Written by Walter Simonson; Art by Jon Landry and Jerome K. Moore; Covers by Samwise Didier and Ludo Lullabi
Wildstorm | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US
On Sale June 18, 2008
Check out our World of Warcraft Comic Book section here
If you have missed the first story arc's back issues, don't sweat. DC Comics is releasing the World of Warcraft Vol. 1 compiling all 7-issues of the first story arc. Pre-order it here.
Blizzplanet is working on two interviews that may be of interest to fans. The first one is a Q&A with Epic Weapons to find out a few backstage details concerning the Frostmourne Replica. The second interview will be with Christie Golden and Aaron Rosenberg to find out juicy details of the upcoming World of Warcraft: Beyond the Dark Portal (Pocket Books). You can submit your questions for the Aaron and Christie Q&A until Saturday. Or submit your questions at the ScrollsofLore Forum
Let's take a break to check out what some community sites have in store.
Ever since Felicia Day's new project "The Guild" has been released as a webisode on Youtube, the staffers at Stratics have quickly falled in love with the show.
Their first episode now has well over one million views and they're currently up to episode seven and are in the process of filming episode 10. They also have a couple bonus episodes like a NSFW gag reel and a Christmas Caroling episode.
The Guild has gotten a lot of attention as the MMO community and even the main stream media has started to take interest. With that said, The Guild is now currently up for a Youtube award - just follow this link and vote for best series: http://www.youtube.com/ytawards07
If you want to watch all 6 episodes you can visit watchtheguild.com. If you'd like to read more about Felicia Day and The Guild, then make sure to check out this exlusive Stratics interview.
And if that's not enough click the following video to see an interview with the actors on Veronica Belmont's web show Mahalo.
WOWINSIDER
WoWInsider has a very useful article concerning security of your WoW Account.
Nate Taylor from Full Stealth Films has released the first 10 minutes instalment of his HD quality film titled Indiana Pwns. The short film features three main characters: Indiana Pwn (Human), Bridget Pwn (Night Elf) and Halnold (Draenei Engineer).
This is one of the most advanced machinima videos I have seen with saturated bright and dark colors, and Holywood special effects. The plot is a bit hilarious with parody scenes from Holywood films, that end up not working as intended. The only part that might be tasteless to some people, is when the Bridget proposes something way to intimate to her brother -- which I found unnecessary. Specially when the producer asks for donations.
SPOILERS
Harnold quotes Arnold Schwarzenegger: I'll be back! or Hasta la vista, baby! When the gyrocopter crashes he comes out of the flames in reference to the film Terminator. There is another scene with a dinosaur that reminds you of a scene in Jurassic Park where he asks you not to move before the T-Rex. And another short scene from Titanic. -- News via Kotaku
We’re pleased to announce that tickets for the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational will be available next week on the Worldwide Invitational website.
This year’s Worldwide Invitational will be held here in Europe, at the Porte de Versailles Exposition Centre in Paris, France, on the 28th and 29th of June. Both days of the event will feature a variety of activities including hands-on play with the latest versions of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II! You’ll also have the chance to meet Blizzard executives and developers in discussion panels and signing sessions, participate in community tournaments, dance, costume and machinima contests, watch top eSports competitors from around the world play in exciting invitational tournaments and much more! Tickets are priced at 70 € / £55 for the two-day event and can be purchased by credit or debit card.
Please note that you must be 16 years or above to attend the Worldwide Invitational, unless accompanied by a consenting parent, guardian or responsible adult of 18 years or above.
To give you an insight into what will be taking place at the Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational 2008, we’ve compiled a list of some of the attractions awaiting you. Please note that this list is not complete – we will be unveiling more exciting news in the coming days and weeks! Over the weekend of June 28th and 29th, we will offer you more than 12 hours each day of activities and live on-stage entertainment, including:
Discussion panels with Blizzard developers: Members from the development teams of Blizzard games including World of Warcraft and StarCraft II will be sharing all their latest news in public presentations, as well as taking your questions.
Artist and developer signings: Various artists and developers from your favorite Blizzard games will be on-hand to sign your game boxes, books, or exclusive Blizzard merchandise available in the goodie bag that you receive when entering the event!
Hands-on play with the latest builds of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King and StarCraft II: Be among the first to try out all the newest features of our upcoming World of Warcraft expansion and the long-awaited sequel to StarCraft at the Worldwide Invitational!
A silent auction: Submit a hidden bid for the chance to win exclusive Blizzard-themed items for your personal collection.
Dance, Costume and Machinima contests: The Worldwide Invitational will offer you the chance to show your talent and enthusiasm by competing in a variety of contests. Dress up as your favorite character from any of the Blizzard game universes, bring that night elf dance to live perfection, or show your skills in creating machinima to the world. You’ll be able to find more details on the contests and instructions on how to sign up for them on this website in the future.
Loot! In addition to the goody bag that every attendee will receive, there will also be a variety of souvenirs, including exclusive commemorative 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational items, available in the Blizzard store and as contest prizes.
Tournaments: The 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational will feature exciting eSport invitational tournaments, drawing top Warcraft III, StarCraft and World of Warcraft Arena players from around the world. In addition to these professional gaming matches, community player tournaments will allow you show your skills for fun and glory – and some exclusive tournament prizes.
The legendary rune blade Frostmourne was immortalized in Warcraft III, in which it was taken up by Prince Arthas Menethil, corrupting him and leading to his transformation into the Lich King. We've partnered with EPIC Weapons to create a limited edition replica of the blade in all its horrific glory. This artifact of ancient evil is over 47" long and 12.5" wide, weighing a massive 16 lbs., and is now available for pre-order. For more information, please visit the Frostmourne replica site.
Frostmourne replica is second to none in detailed craftsmanship and technology.
47" Overall Length with 28" Stainless Steel Blade
Genuine Leather Wrapped Grip
Limited Edition Sword
Embedded with Patented G2G Authenticity Microchip
Click on images to the right to view detailed photography
Also Included in the box with Frostmourne
Collector's Display Mount
Limited Edition Poster
Certificate of Authenticity
Game 2 Gear Handheld Authentcity Reader
The most interesting part beside owning a replica, is the lore behind this Frostmourne sword. The text reads as follows:
Whosoever takes up this blade shall wield power eternal. Just as the blade rends flesh, so must power scar the spirit.
Such was the warning given to all who would seek to wield Frostmourne, the most powerful runeblade in all of known existence.
Years ago the awesome and terrible Lich King sent a plague of undeath into the world of Azeroth from his seat of power, the Frozen Throne. The sickness spread across the land, corrupting and destroying all it touched. Worse, every human who died of the plague became a mindless soldier of the Lich King's growing undead army, the Scourge.
Driven to save his homeland from disaster, Prince Arthas Menethil joined Muradin Bronzebeard in seeking out the legendary runeblade, Frostmourne.
Arthas intended to use the blade's powers to defeat the Scourge, but instead the sword stole Arthas' soul, robbed him of his sanity, and ultimately compelled him to usurp the throne from his father, King Terenas Menethil II. Arthas plunged Frostmourne through his father's heart and in so doing forfeited the remaining vestiges of his humanity to his new master, the unseen agent of his downfall: the Lich King.
At the Lich King's urging, Arthas used Frostmourne to shatter the Frozen Throne. He then merged with the Lich King, creating one astonishingly powerful entity of devastating evil. To his day it remains a mystery whether Arthas chose this fate, or merely played once again into the hands of his diabloical master.
Today the new Lich King sits on his icy throne, silently plotting his next move, the cursed runeblade Frostmourne ready at his side.
PRESS RELEASE
EPIC Weapons Announces Launch of Legendary Frostmourne™
EPIC WeaponsTM Launches new auction website and offers preordering of the featured FrostmourneTM sword from Blizzard Entertainment?’s Warcraft® III
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EPIC WeaponsTM to auction first 99 Frostmourne Swords beginning with a pre-registration opportunity for participants starting on March 14, 2008 and the auction kicking off on March 18, 2008 and concluding on March 31, 2008.
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Licensed Distributor of Frostmourne™ will take pre-orders at www.weaponmasters.com starting on March 14, 2008
March 14, 2008 10:00:00 AM ET
EPIC Weapons, a subsidiary of Organa Technologies Group, Inc., (OGNT) announced today that it has launched its new auction website at http://www.weaponmasters.com/auction/. Its first featured product is a replica of Frostmourne™ as wielded by Prince Arthas Menethil in Blizzard Entertainment?’s epic game, Warcraft® III.
EPIC Weapons has selected Weaponmasters as the exclusive distributor of Frostmourne. EPIC Weapons will allow eager participants to pre-register for the auction beginning on March 14, 2008 and the live auction for the first 99 swords will commence March 18, 2008 and close on March 31, 2008 at 10:00 p.m. (EST). Each participant will be guaranteed a Frostmourne Sword with delivery in the order of sign-up after the auction winners.
For those devoted fans of Frostmourne who do not wish to participate in the auction, but want to take their place with the other mere mortals and await Frostmourne’s arrival in April 2008, EPIC Weapons, will begin taking pre-orders through the online store Weaponmasters at www.weaponmasters.com on March 14, 2008.
Each weapon will be encrypted by EPIC Weapons to authenticate ownership through its patent pending Game2Gear™Technology, eliminating the potential for knock-offs and unauthorized reproduction.
Gina L. Bennett, EPIC Weapons Chief Executive Officer commented, "Epic Weapons is proud to bring a piece of Blizzard Entertainment’s celebrated Warcraft games to life through the development and manufacturing of Frostmourne, an epic weapon desired by the heroes and villains of this online universe. Each sword will come with a Certificate of Authenticity, A History of the Frostmourne Sword, Plaque and a Poster.”
"The growth of the Warcraft universe continues to exceed all our expectations," said Paul Sams, Chief Operating Officer of Blizzard Entertainment. "Our commitment to continue expanding Warcraft is stronger than ever, and we feel that this replica will be a fitting addition to the collection of high-quality licensed products currently available to our audience."
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