Tay Zonday Does "Pork and Beans"

Hey all!

I hope that everyone had a fantastic weekend. Mine was AMAZING.

I experienced my first Father's Day ever, which was truly an awesome time! I'll write more about it later, when I'm not totally exhausted and drained of energy, cause the day really deserves my utmost attention to convey just how adorable it was.

I've also been working on a few Warlock-centric pieces that I promise I'll put up soon.

But in the meantime, enjoy this clip of YouTube's own Tay Zonday of "Chocolate Rain" fame doing Weezer's "Pork and Beans." It's epic, and for now, it's all you get, so enjoy it! =P

Something Cool about the Blue and SK's World First

Kil'jaeden is down, and has been for a short while now, thanks to the quick work that SK Gaming made of him after only 4 days of attempts.

Crazy, isn't it? How a boss that can take months and even years to create and tune can be dropped almost instantaneously? I mean damn, what must the developers think? How do they feel when all of their hard work comes crumbling down around them?

I thought it would be similar to what anti-piracy companies must feel like when their million-dollar CD-protection tools that they spend tons of time developing are broken via a simple Sharpie pen or something like that. I mean, how incredibly frustrating is it to put your absolute best out there only to see it easily beaten, right?

Wrong. Totally wrong.

Turns out that Blizzard developers and designers, who love to see their creations come to life and spend countless days and nights making them as perfect as possible, find an even greater level of excitement when those creations of theirs ultimately fall, and especially for the first time.

While top end guilds were making their run in the Sunwell Plateau, Blizzard was there. Devs, designers, GMs, CMs... they were watching every move and toasting every bit of every guild's success.

During SK Gaming's world first Kil'jaeden encounter, a good number of Blizzard employees at headquarters in the U.S. and Europe were watching the action as it happened.

As the story here in Irvine goes, which I was just told in detail earlier today, a small group was watching the pull at one of the many vacant GM stations. SK Gaming had wiped, so the number of people watching was a bit smaller than it had originally been (people had work to do, after all), but everyone was still very much interested in what was happening, so announcements were called out to the room. This is how, in very brief terms, the rest of the evening went down:

"75%."

At this point, a few comments were made about some graphical errors, but mostly about how smoothly the encounter plays out.

"50%." A few people walk over. Others stand up and watch with squinting eyes from a distance.

There was more casual talk, this time about how fast SK Gaming had progressed, and how Spell Haste was working during the encounter exactly how the devs hoped it would.

"35%."

More talk about SK Gaming's approach and their fantastic Orb control. But at this point, everyone started to sense it was getting pretty serious, and the talk slowly faded to nervous whispers, and then to nothing at all.

They're taking it all in -- all of their hard work and creativity -- it's all playing out right in front of them and for the first time outside of their own control. It's a most "surreal" experience, as one dev put it.

"25% and looking great."

Many more run towards the group, cramming themselves as closely to one another as possible. Others stand on chairs. No one talks.

***SPOILER WARNING***

Everyone is watching intently, and listening to the dramatic exchange between Kalecgos and Anveena. She is sacrificed, and Kalecgos yells for the raid to strike. A few in the crowd of creators actually start to cry.

This moment must have been so totally intense.

"10%. They got this."

Many in the group have their hands clasped together and raised to their lips as if uttering a silent prayer.

"5%."

EVERYONE in the room is frozen still, watching as the raid group scrambles away from the millionth Armageddon, when it finally happens.

Kil'jaeden falls.

The crowd roars with excitement, throwing their hands up into the air and cheering heavily and loudly. There were high-fives, pumping fists, hugs, tears, and applause. Everyone was THRILLED, and cell phones were brought out left and right to contact more of the Blizzard crew to tell them of the good news that had just happened overseas.

Oh, to have been there in person. How incredible would it have been to actually witness the creators of the game watch it play out, getting all emotional and personal with the experience that they themselves helped to create? I can only imagine what that must feel like, and what an epic time it must have been for all of those who got to see it happen. I'm so jealous. =)

Anyway, I find it very, very cool that Blizzard digs the end-game experience just as much as the raiders do. And kudos to them for making it happen, because without the designers and devs, there would be nothing to raid and experience in the first place.

Grats, guys. Well done. =)

PS - Thanks for the story, Jeff. I hate you. =)

October 2008

For Temerity Jane, the Marshmallow Queen

After yesterday's marshmallow-stuffing goodness, a little video just for you!



Next time you invite us all into your web cam space, I hope you use this as motivation. =)

This Week's LOL: New Destruction Spell

This video is W.I.N. for so many reasons, that I shouldn't even have to explain any more about it. Just watch and if you're an old-school gamer, you'll see what I mean. =)

GH3: Through the Fire and Flames, 100% on Expert

Seriously. I never thought I'd see the day.

The hardest song of any Guitar Hero or GH-like game ever released met it's master yesterday, when some dude named Chris hit every one of the song's 3,722 notes in stride. His reaction at the end of the video says it all... he definitely didn't expect it could be done either.



Grats on an epic gaming moment, Chris. You better not have been cheating! ;)

A Very Good Warlock Gear Guide

Canadianpimp, aka Kobekid of Kilrogg, is a seasoned poster over at the very constructively destructive Warlocks Den forums. Taking his helpfulness to another, almost deifying level, he has put together an incredibly valuable gearing guide for the Warlock class. In it, he uses an objective rating system he came up with called DP (short for "DPS Points"), which rates gear based upon all of their DPS-friendly stats.

The guide will lead you from your early cloth-wearing days to end-game Sunwell gear, and with a concise clarity that you will appreciate. New and seasoned warlocks alike should definitely take a look, and often, because he updates the guide fairly regularly.

Follow the link below, and if you can, be sure to thank him (on his blog) for a job well done!

Canadianpimp's Warlock Gear Guide

10 Ways Gamers Can Save Money

While the stereotype of your average modern gamer is an individual that lacks adequate hygiene and lives in his parent's basement, there are actually many of us that are making our own way. We are independent, have families to support, and bills to pay, and in this economic crunch that we all currently find ourselves in, what could be more responsible than searching for ways to lighten our financial load?

Beyond the standard gas-consumption-related advice that you see and hear almost everywhere, here are 10 things that we, as gamers, can do to help our wallets stay just a little bit more chunky during these tough economic times:

1) Rent games with low replay value. How many of you have games in your library that you haven't played in, say, the last week? What about the previous month? Year??? I'm sure there are PLENTY of games on your shelf that fit any one of those categories, and that's just not financially smart, my friend. $50 doesn't go far these days, and especially not when it's collecting dust. Get the most out of your money set aside for gaming and only buy games with high replay value. Rent others that you know you want to play, but will only play a few times at best (i.e., many single-player RPGs).

2) Unplug cathode case lights. Cathode lights, while considered "cool" by some and included in many big-name PC gaming rig designs, are really just an unnecessary accessory we can do without. Their cost can readily add up as well, considering that many will run you between $8-10 and need to be replaced upon extinction. In flipping the switch and turning them off, you will not only start saving money immediately, but you won't have to spend money replacing them when they burn out either - a win on both fronts.

3) Unplug your gaming consoles when not in use. It's well-known that modern electronics, including gaming consoles, can be quite the energy hogs. This is partly due to the fact that many items simply do not turn off when told to do so! Instead, they beam a little red light back at you, stating that they have entered a "standby" mode that continues to drain energy at an alarming rate. For example, leaving a PS3 on standby uses 5x more energy than running your refrigerator for the same amount of time! I'm sure the Xbox 360 and even the Nintendo Wii are guilty of a little post-use drainage as well. So, instead of just flipping the power switch off and sending those trickster consoles into standby, unplug the little leeches until you're ready to get your game on again. Heck, while you're at it, unplug EVERYTHING that can go on standby, like your flat screen TV, sound system, and DVD player, and save even more money! GG, electricity bill. GG.

4) Downgrade your home phone service. Many of us connect to the net via DSL over our home phone line. If you're one of those gamers, you know that in most cases, DSL requires an active, working phone line to function. In this age of cellphones, free minutes and long distance, however, that phone service contract is a waste of money. All you need a line for is DSL, so instead of paying a premium for a bunch of features you will never use, call up your home service provider and drop your service contract down to the bare minimum. No Caller I.D., Call Waiting, nothing. Ask about "per-minute" contracts and pick one up if you can, as their monthly fees are among the cheapest you will find. When that's done, simply unplug your phone, and you're off to saving several hundred dollars a year.

5) Downgrade your broadband to a speed you need. Most internet users are overpaying for their services. Why? Because they sign a contract for a speed that is either much faster than what they actually need or that their computer can even handle. The problem is that, as gamers, we approach this pitfall far too often. We want the fastest graphics, refresh rate, response time, and latency, and will pay more for it even if we don't need it. And trust me, you don't need it. Downgrade to a speed that is around 1500/768 Kbps, and not only will you continue to enjoy reasonably fast online gaming, but you'll also save yourself a large chuck of change too.

6) Make your computer energy efficient. Rising energy costs are nothing to balk at. The price has increased about 50% in the past ten years and continues to rise sharply today. To save you as much money as possible, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends that you turn your computer completely off (and unplug it) in situations when it will not be used within the next 2 hours. That way, the cost of the energy surge needed to power the system up again is offset by the down-time. And this doesn't just apply to computers, but to all of their peripherals as well. Monitors, speakers, printers, you name it, should all be shut down and unplugged when not in use. If you want to streamline the process, have a smart surge protector do it all for you.

7) Turn off the lights. We all know that it's appropriate and energy-efficient to always turn off the lights before leaving a room. We've been drilled by this way of thinking for quite some time, and indeed, it's a great way to lower energy costs. But what about the other way around? What about turning the lights off while remaining inside a room? While gaming, we need no other light source than the tube, plasma, or LCD sitting directly in front of us. So turning off every other light source, and lowering your energy bill in the process, is definitely not a bad way to go. Just be careful not to trip on your way out!

8) Purchase gear only when you have to, and like you're saving money. "Frugal" is the word here, folks. If you can borrow a game, don't buy it. If your friend has a replacement computer part he doesn't need, ask for it. Don't be shy. Be smart. Approach every new or replacement purchase as if it is an opportunity to save money. Want to buy a new title for your gaming library? Buy it USED off of eBay or Half.com. Need a sound card to replace the one that just crapped out on you? Buy it OEM, and don't empty your wallet for newer technology; only buy exactly what you need! Nothing more.

9) Ditch carbonated, expensive energy drinks for tap water. We gamers need energy to get us through those all-night frag fests, and sodas and energy drinks happen to be our method of choice, as they are for the rest of the nation. It's no surprise, then, that they cost consumers hundreds and hundreds of dollars a year, which is pretty fail considering how TERRIBLE they are for our health. Caffeine is a diuretic, which dehydrates the body, and as a carbonated beverage is considered by many to compete with calcium absorption (biochemistry anyone?). Tap water, while not as tasty, requires a fraction of the cost of other beverages, and is much better for you because it hydrates the body and helps with mineral absorption. So kicking the soda can will not only mean that you will save a lot of cash now, but also that you will be healthier, saving countless dollars on potential doctor visits later.

10) Keep playing video games. Gaming, if approached responsibly, can be one of the cheapest forms of entertainment you can find. Yes, it's reasonably expensive to get things started, with what, having to buy either a console or computer to pwn noobs on. But once received and the gamer settled into a minimalist approach, think about how little that will cost him one, six, and twelve months later. And compare that to how much other hobbies or activities would cost in that same amount of time. And hey, it's much more enjoyable too! So ditch the movie, the bar, and the expensive restaurant, and roll some Alliance head with a pizza instead. Poetry to live by, my friends. Game on. ;)

Got any of your own money-saving methodologies to share? Post them in the comments now! =)