Project Lore

We loves us some Felicia Day here at Project Lore (pixiestixy even got to meet her in person), so we took it as good news that The Guild would finally mark its territory on retail shelves. That's right, you can now go to the store and purchase your very own copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 compilation DVD! Participating retailers at the moment are typical mall chains like FYE, Suncoast, and Coconuts, so you can't walk into your local big-box just yet. That said, I'm sure you'll be able to find it in those locations as well in due time. If you're a fan of The Guild, then you might be wondering what exactly makes this release so special. After all, you could previously order the DVDs through the show's official website, Amazon, or even from the crew directly if you were lucky enough to visit their booth at conventions. Well, to be honest, not a whole lot. The content on the included discs is precisely the same stuff you've seen before. No new extras, commentaries, or menus to sort through. The only changes come in cosmetic form, with new box art featuring the cast in slightly different poses from before surrounded by a gilded frame. There's also a mysterious "Note From Felicia" slipped into the case (which may be enough for some of the more... hardcore fans to obsess over, depending on what that might entail). But hey, you can't go wrong with the convenience of having both seasons in the same box, can you? If you have no idea what The Guild is, then this is a good way to catch up. Sure, you could always just watch the episodes online, but if you end up liking it, you'll probably want to support them with your dollars anyway. For the rest of us, it seems that Episode 5 of Season 3 has been released to MSN, as well.

Click to read more ...

Sure, I've made plenty of jokes in the past about being addicted to WoW. Heck, I've even written a couple of blog posts on the topic, and we've seen the issue poked fun at in "South Park" and "The Guild." But I still was taken a bit by surprise when I recently learned that addiction therapists are making their way into WoW - actually creating characters themselves in an attempt to reach out to those who believe WoW is more than just a game. According to an article in the Telegraph, internet experts say that MMORPGs such as WoW are "are as addictive as crack cocaine." Really? In the article, psychiatrist Dr. Richard Graham says that addicts play up to 16 hours a day, and in the process neglect their social lives and educational priorities. Something that I think many of us bloggers here at Project Lore promote is the fact that the real world always should have priority over WoW (even when we would rather be playing!). And I am certain that there are people, as there are in any sub-culture, who have trouble distinguishing between the real world and the game. And those people may need psychiatric help. Or they may just need to get off their asses. Regardless, the majority of players do not have this issue. So being a gamer, I am troubled by the report quoted in the article, by Sweden’s Youth Care Foundation, which describes World of Warcraft as “more addictive than crack cocaine.” The idea of helping those with addictions certainly is a noble one. I'm just not sure whether WoW should be a targeted demographic for this when the rate of those who actually are "addicted" has got to be incredibly low. The Telegraph followed up their first article with another published last month stating that a 19-year-old man is the first to sign up for a 12-step treatment at the reStart Internet Addiction Recovery Program, in Washington state. The cost for a typical 45-day residential stay? $14,500 (£8,800). The retreat consists of activities such as camping and "wilderness adventures" - basically anything sans-technology. A psychotherapist said the institute was for quitting "cold turkey." According to the article, "the retreat is also open to outpatients seeking respite from an overreliance on joysticks, internet pornography and spending days on end staring at a computer screen." Most clients are expected to be men between ages 18 and 28. Here's one of my beefs: by comparing WoW's addictiveness to that of illegal drugs, it sounds a lot like the game is somewhat of a scapegoat for those who lose themselves in the game. Next thing we know, the game could be blamed for any violent act by some crazed person who happens to play the game. This is nothing new. In the past, the "evils" of Grand Theft Auto, FPS games, Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons were blamed for society's issues. Before that, it was Rock 'n' Roll. Let's hope that WoW isn't the next up to bat. Blizzard was "unavailable for comment" in both articles. But I bet they're keeping a close eye on whatever publicity comes along from these initiatives. Sounds like a PR nightmare. As for me, I'll continue to post about those irresistible aspects of gameplay that make me "addicted." Not because I actually think I'm an addict. But instead, because I'll admit that WoW is a damn good game that makes people want to play - not need to play. It takes a certain disregard for society or RL socializing in the first place (not cyber-snorting lines) for it to go anywhere beyond that.

Click to read more ...

BlizzCon held some pretty fun events this year for fans to watch, including a live raid event with Premonition, the guild known most recently as the first guild in the U.S. to achieve Alone in the Darkness. Coliseum style, the guild took on several bosses at once as they came in five waves. And a very large audience looked on, making for a crowded venue but also a lot of fun as everyone cheered on Premonition. They were successful at downing the first few sets of bosses, then had some trouble when they focused on Thaddius first in his set with fellow Naxx bosses Patchwerk and Anub'Rekhan. The team wiped on that first try, then re-set, this time focusing on Patchwerk first. That proved to be more successful, and they downed the group. But that sneaky team at Blizzard had something clever in store for the final fight. Hogger. Yes, the mighty level 11 elite Riverpaw gnoll chieftain from Elwynn Forest (he's actually Arthas in disguise [/silly]) made his appearance as an upgraded level 80 elite. As you'll see, he wasn't exactly an easy fight: Another pretty standard attraction at the convention was halls of artwork created for WoW. As a neat addition this year, Blizzard also displayed a group of showcases full of "n00bz." Blizzard handed out 225+ of these neat little figurines as complete blanks to select employees, and many of them wound up on display at BlizzCon. Here's a quick video I took so you can see them for yourself. I narrated a bit along the way, and paused at some of my favorites: A final note on the N00bz - part of each BlizzCon goer's swag bag included an exclusive StarCraft II "Raynor" figure. It's part of a new series of collectible Blizzard-inspired toys. Hopefully we'll see more of these soon. Among my other fave sightings at BlizzCon, I can't fail to mention being dazzled by Felicia Day and the cast of The Guild. As you can see, I went in full fan-girl mode to get a signed cast photo (for my husband, really!) and a snapshot with Felicia Day, since I've also loved her in Dr. Horrible, Buffy and Dollhouse :). Unfortunately, I failed to shoot video of the crew, so you all will have to settle for the lovely photo of Felicia and I! At least the memory will live on in my heart... I just wish I was as lucky as iTZKooPA, who was being inadvertently followed by the Guild cast. Lucky guy! Well, this turned out to be a bit of a random look at some of my fave random sightings at BlizzCon 2009. Hope you've enjoyed it. Let us know what you think!

Click to read more ...

As of this writing we are just a scant few minutes away from the doors opening and 50,000+ people descending on all that is Blizzard. The crowds are in a fervor thanks to battle cries of "for the Horde" and "for the Alliance" ringing out every few minutes. Costumes are in play and things are about to get absolutely insane. Here's a few pictures from Day 0 and earlier this morning. Here's the insane line that stretched to the next city block.  This was to pick-up the official lanyards and SWAG bags, not to get in the show! We Just Found The End Waiting...and waiting Here's the insane line that stretched to the next city block.  This was to pick-up the official lanyards and SWAG bags, not to get in the show!

The official SWAG bag.  The highlight for most is the action figure, and Grunty vanity pet key (not pictured).  There's also an included Authenticator, which is nice for those who don't already own one. iTZKooPA With (some of) The Guild My friends and I got to meet the whole cast of The Guild (should have an interview with them later).  They are all incredibly friendly and approachable people. iTZKooPA With The Money Makers Funny story here.  I recognized Metzen from a mile away, but it took me a second to realize who he was chatting with, Mike Morhaime.  None other than the company's president.  The hilarity came in after we took the picture.  People began to realize who Metzen was, but no one else asked Morhaime to be a part of their still.  I thought one group even asked him to take their picture with Metzen! Inside Line Higher Up Inside Line Here is the crowd inside the convention center before the doors opened.  There was also a substantial line outside at this time. I stole SOOO Much OJ From Here The hush-hush super secret press room.  They treat us much better, seating and technologywise, than at E3. Okay, it's time to go find a seat for the opening ceremonies.  I'll do my best to do some blogging via Twitter, so @iTZKooPA if you want my 140 character up to the minute thoughts.

Click to read more ...

BlizzCon Here We Come! Blizzard is less than 24 hours away from opening the doors of the Anaheim Convention Center to its passionate fanbase to show off new products, progress on titles being worked on right now and rub elbows with fans and developers alike! If you're going to be at the convention, you want to make sure you have the best time you can have right? You probably are already here if you're taking a flight, have checked into your hotel and are ready to go! But we wanted to provide a few details for those who may have forgotten or simply didn't know about traveling and conventions. If you're in Anaheim Thursday you'll be able to pick up your badge starting at 4pm, make sure to bring your printed out barcode and ID (follow the directions on your email). You'll have until 10pm that night, but we recommend getting it done early so you can meet with some of the Project Lore staff (myself included) at the WoW Insider Party at the Anabella Hotel. And of course, it's not a bad idea to get some quality sleep the night before the convention, but you may want to explore a bit! There are many options open for you in Anaheim as there is Downtown Disney (no need for a Disneyland ticket!) which features some great restaurants, shops and a movie theater. Nearby is also the Anahiem Gardenwalk with more restaurants, shops and another movie theater if Disney isn't your thing. Also, if you're not from California you may have heard of it but you must make it a priority to eat at In N Out! If you end up there, make sure to check out their secret menu for an even better burger (or take the 10x10 challenge)! After you've filled up on food and hit the sack, you'll wake up to the big day! Friday the show opens up sometime around 11 (opening ceremonies are at 11:30). If you want a prime seat you will want to try to start lining up a few hours before if you're serious about it. If you still don't have your badge, you can of course pick that up anytime between 8am and 10pm. After the opening ceremonies you are open to do whatever you like! That's what is awesome about this convention! You get to choose what you want to do! Go hit up the BlizzCon Store (prepare for a wait though!) or other vendors (like our friends at J!NX). Not ready to shop? Visit any of the wonderful panels and hear from the devlopers themselves (check out the schedule here and map out what you'd like to see) or go play some StarCraft 2, Diablo 3, or the new WoW Expansion. There are also professional competitive players to watch, showcasing the best players in StarCraft, WarCraft 3, and WoW Arena. There will also be a live WoW Raid on Saturday, which is sure to be a sight to see! As much as the enjoyment of the convention depends on your attitude and the people you are with, there are things you can plan on, or have, that will help make sure your experience is enjoyable.

• Bring comfortable shoes: there will be lots of walking and waiting, make sure they're broken in and not brand new, you DO NOT want blisters on your feet!
• Bring water: you don't want to have to wait in line to get a drink and be thirsty while waiting, and you want to keep hydrated (not to mention bottled water is EXPENSIVE inside the convention center)!
• Bring snacks/pack a lunch: lines are long for food inside the convention halls and pricey and you may not even enjoy the food! Make sure to at least bring some snacks or even get something to eat before heading to the convention center before starting the day (Subway keeps fairly well and is close to the convention center).
• Plan out your day: after going to a few conventions, I noticed that my enjoyment of the show would increase if I had something planned out, you don't have to follow it exactly, but having a loose plan of what you'd like to do is good, but make sure you're flexible, especially if you're with a group, parent(s), or a significant other!
• Check your realm meeting time: this should be in the goodie bag when you pick this up and is a great way to meet up with players on your server (Alliance and Horde alike) and can help you find a guild if you're looking for one!
• Make sure you pack what you need: double check: clothes for each day you're there (think about packing an extra pair of clothes, just in case), deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, etc.
• Patience: lines will be long, the best thing to do is to strike up a conversation with your fellow line waiters, chances are they're into our beloved WoW and you can relate to something in game with them.
• Phones, Handheld Gaming Systems: these are great for those pesky lines and coordinating with friends to meetup, and who knows you might be able to strike up a quick game with a fellow attendee (I'll personally be bringing my iPhone and Nintendo DSi)

All in all though, have fun! Don't be afraid to say hi to people (if you see me, I'd love to talk WoW!) and just in general relax! This is supposed to be a fun convention and you have the power to make it that! Here also are some rough guidelines to when the best times are to hit up certain events at BlizzCon that tend to have longer lines:

• Game Demo Stations: During the costume contest and closing ceremonies the lines have traditionally been very small to play StarCraft 2, Diablo 3 and WoW. These are the absolute best times to play. If what is announced at the opening ceremonies is playable, most of the people will flock to try it out immediately and the lines will be pretty long.
• Blizzard Store: Later in the day, similar times as for the demo stations the lines tend to thin out and be much smaller, unless you're worried about an item selling out you can wait it out.
• Panels: unless you feel the need to sit up front you can come as late as the panel starting to get a decent seat. If you want to ask a question sit nearest to the microphones (where Blizzard CMs will be standing as well to screen questions). The Guild panel may be an exception although they are in an actual hall this year as opposed to a small meeting room last year (they filled up well before their panel time and many people had to be turned away).
• Tournaments: Earlier in the tournaments tend to have the best seats, but as it gets closer to the finals the seats tend to fill up (I sat on the floor for the StarCraft final last year) generally finding a seat around the semi-finals is your best bet to make sure you have a seat for the finals.

For those of you at home, if you've ordered the live stream make sure to have a nice comfy chair, drinks and snacks near by so you don't miss anything! If you haven't order the stream, be sure to follow your favorite blog with updates! There is also a free stream for the tournaments which are enjoyable to watch. Whatever you do this weekend, make sure you enjoy it as we celebrate the game, the culture and community of Blizzard games. So Project Lore readers, what will you be doing for BlizzCon? What panels look like the best to you? What do you think are can't be missed events? Did I miss anything that a con goer should be bringing?

Click to read more ...

It's been an up-and-down sort of day for those trying to plan out their visit to the Anaheim Convention Center this weekend. Blizzard supplied a preliminary schedule for their marquee event earlier today before retracting it and replacing it with a brand new one. Why the switcheroo? No idea. The Blues ain't tellin'. Conspiracy theories aside, the simplest answer is that, after some internal deliberation, they probably decided that a few of the panels and events needed to be shuffled around. As far as WoW is concerned, a new World of Warcraft Preview panel has been slotted immediately following the Opening Ceremony. There's certainly a lot to talk about where Blizzard is concerned these days, so it may be the case that we don't get a bulk of our expansion info until the panel, itself. Either way, it's nice to set aside an extra hour or so to discuss specifically what is coming up instead of having to share space with the company's other properties during the Opening Ceremony (though I fully expect it to be "revealed" during that time). The PvP panel is gone, but I'm sure its content will be shared amongst the others. It's unlikely we'll see much beyond the next season or two of Arena for Wrath, and it might be too early to talk about specifics where the expansion is concerned. If you've got questions to ask during the Open Q&A (10-11 AM on Saturday) or during one of the Classes/Items/Professions panels (5-6 PM on Friday, 2:30-3:30 PM on Saturday). Likewise, if you're a fan of The Guild, you no longer have to miss out on any other WoW happenings (besides some tournament play) to check them out on Friday (3:30-4:30 PM). There's lots to see and do on the show floor, so make sure to start plotting your itenerary now (and get to the panels early for a good seat!). Hopefully this is the last change we'll see to the official schedule. *Here's a link to the BlizzCon map for your convenience.

Click to read more ...

WoWFlix is a new weekly column featuring videos from around the web related to World of Warcraft. If you find something you'd like to be featured, leave a comment or send a tweet to @Heartbourne. The cast and creators behind The Guild, including the widely popular Felicia Day of Dr. Horrible fame, have released a new, poppy song and accompanying music video entitled "Do You Want to Date My Avatar?". While The Guild isn't specifically WoW-related, the innuendos will be familiar to any WoW fanatic. Felicia Day did an amazing job with the lyrics, and the costumes are fantastic. Its one of the few times that I look at cosplayers and am actually impressed. Even the people who are supposed to be intentionally silly and awkward come off so well. The whole cast of The Guild crew show up in the video: Bladezz gives the camera some love, Clara sings some backup vocals, and Vork and Zaboo spit some fresh rhymes. The song is addicting and will stay in my geeky playlist. If you haven't checked out The Guild, be sure to go to their website and check out their Youtube channel. You can grab the song from Amazon, the video from iTunes, or both of them on Xbox Live/Zune Marketplace. Lyrics: Hang with me in my MMO So many places we can go You’ll never see my actual face Our love, our love will be in a virtual space I’m craving to emote with you So many animations I can do Be anything you want me to be Come on, come on, share a potion with me CHORUS: Do you wanna date my Avatar She’s a star And she’s hotter than reality by far Wanna date my Avatar? You can type commands I’ve got slots for what I hold in my hands Don’t care what’s in your character bank How ‘bout, How ‘bout a little tank and spank Grab your mouse and stroke the keys In cyberspace there’s no disease Pick a time, send a tell to me Just pay, just pay a small subscription fee CHORUS Single white human, Looking for group My stats so high Don’t be out of the loop Got an uber-leet staff That you can equip Close your mouths ladies This is pure nerd-nip I’m a pixel-based fantasy A man who is stoic I hack and slash Who the heck’s more heroic? Check me out: Cloth armor Fits me like a glove Just twitta a time And I’m ready for love Hang with me in my MMO So many places we can go I’m better than a real world quest You’ll touch, my plus 5 to dexterity vest What role do you wanna play I’m just a click away night or day And if you think I’m not the one Log off, Log off and we’ll be done

Click to read more ...

The Guild is a very popular web series, if you still haven't seen it, I would suggest taking a gander over at The Guild's website at watchtheguild.com. The series follows a fictional guild called The Knights of Good playing a unidentified MMORPG. Most people take World of Warcraft as the MMO in question but they still haven't specified what game it really is. The show mostly zooms in on the character of Codex who is played by actor Felicia Day who also happens to be the main writer on the show, and yes she does play World of Warcraft in her free time. The series follows Codex and how her guildies have plagued her love life and her normal day to day living. The Guild is just finished it's second season, but don't be afraid this would be a great time to get your feet wet and get caught up with the series. During the  agonizing wait between season two and season three you can also find the newly created guild podcast "Knights of the Guild". The podcast is run by two members of the crew. Jenny, the lead production assistant, and Kenny, behind the scenes editor, tag team the podcast. The first episode had some interesting interviews, information about the show, and it really is just another way to get some behind the scenes action out to the fans. The podcast will come out monthly, so during the wait for the next season we can still get our fix of The Guild. You can find The Guild on Xbox live, Zune marketplace, and you can also stream it through MSN video. Don't forget to follow The Guild on youtube, twitter, facebook, myspace, and flickr. As you can tell there are a lot of ways to support our favorite web series. What would you guys think of making The Guild into a 30 minute TV show? Could this show work on prime time TV? With shows like The Big Bang Theory riding high on geek fandom and shows like The Office using a mockumentary style it wouldn't be a hard stretch to see a web series like this hit the small screen.

Click to read more ...