Great Moments in Gaming: The Onyxia Wipe Video

a quick break from actual gaming by Renzie Baluyut

I don't know if you've already seen this video, but I just did a few months back.

Backgrounder: if you've been playing World of Warcraft, then you know that the later storyline brings in Onyxia, this big-ass black dragon boss, who has decided to take the southern part of Dustwallow Marsh as her lair.

It takes a massive effort to bring Onyxia down, with guilds organizing large raiding parties still getting wiped. Onyxia on her own is tough enough, but adventurers also have to deal with all kinds of Black Dragonspawn- among them, Black Dragon Whelps. Many, many whelps.

Now here's a disturbingly hilarious video of one such guild who had come knocking on Onyxia's lair. And promptly got wiped. Thanks to Alachas1985 for capturing this moment in viral video form- truly one of the greatest moments of gaming. Ever. Take a look.

Here's a transcription of what went down. Mind you, if you it's filled with expletives- so a word to the sensitive ones. Just had to stay faithful to the original material, is all. With that out of the way...

Odd groups go to the left, even groups go to the right. That means 1, 3, 5, 7 - left, 2, 4, 6, 8 - right. Seven and Eight are Whelp Groups.

Okay, now listen the fuck up: you're going to DPS very very slowly. Now... and by slowly, I mean fucking slow.

If you get aggro, it means you're going to lose 50 DKP 'coz you didn't know what the fuck to do!

And watch the fucking tail!

If you get kicked into the whelps, you lose 50 DKP again- for not being where the fuck you were supposed to be.

There is no aggro reset. The only... there's some shit about an aggro reset when some people don't know how to manage their aggro.

After 2 Sunders, you can basically start doing damage to it. Assuming you know how Aggro works, you son't over-Aggro.

OK, nuke it, DOT it, help the whelp groups...

When it's in phase 2, nuke it as hard as possible. You want to get it down as fast as possible. Have DOTs up on- on every time. 2 rows: Shadow Word: Pain, Warlock Curses, Rend, everything.

I don't see enough DOTs, more DOTs now! Come on, more DPS! Hit it like ya mean it! You'll get time to rest in Phase 3 while (down) getting Aggro.

Remember, save your Aggro-reducing abilities for when it lands. That means Feign Death, Vanish, -erm- fucking Fade, anything that you can use to reset Aggro.

At 40%, you will stop DOTs. Until then, you will throw more DOTs. Throw more DOTs, more DOTs, more DOTs. Come on, more DOTs! 'K, stop DOTs.

Now hit it very hard. And very fast!

Lee, run to the center! Mogrus, run to the center! Foresight, run to the center! Sarp, run to the center! Isis, run to the center! Whatever the fuck you do, don't stand next to other people!

Mogrus, center! Just heal me.

Lee, do NOT..! Go away from the head, Lee! Go away!
'K, DPS! Slowly! Come here, you fucking cunt! Watch the tail!

(Someone else) Whelps. (Somebody else) Crushim was Feared into...

WHO THE FUCK WAS THAT? Crushim, what the FUCK? Whelps- left side! Even side, many whelps! NOW, HANDLE it!

FUCK!

That's a FUCKING 50 DKP minus! What the FUCK was that SHIT?

If you stand in the right fucking place, there is NO WAY you are going to FUCKING get into the GODDAMNED whelps, whatever fucking FEAR, Tailswipe- whatever the FUCK! Okay?! It's like one in a fucking million!

From the- fucking north corner, to the middle, into the fucking Whelp cave, it's not even FUCKING remotely imaginable!

(end)

From Alachas1985's YouTube entry: The audio was created by "Dives" from Wipe Club, I had nothing to do with its creation, I only made the animation. Cheers to the guys from "Wipe Club" (http://www.wipeclub.eu) for making the sound clip!

Cheers indeed!

Waiting For Fallout 3

Just a little over a month more before Bethesda Software's take on the venerated role-playing classic hits stores. I gotta admit- I can't wait to get my grubby little fingers on my very own copy of Fallout 3.

For those unfamiliar with the title, the Fallout series of role-playing games was set in a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality. Remember the Cold War in the 50's? What if we actually went straight to World War 3 from there? In the Fallout universe, the survivors have been living in underground Vaults for several years, only to come out and find a desolate, wasteland of a world. And that pretty much sets the stage for Fallout.

Usually, you start out as a Vault-dweller, or as a descendant of vault-dwellers, and as you do some exploring and go about your business, you'd probably discover a greater evil on the rise, and you, as the reluctant hero, end up being mankind's last hope.

I'll probably go into the details of the first few games (Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout Tactics, and the XBox's Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel) in my future posts. For now, it's enough to know that Bethesda Software- the dudes from the hugely successful Elder Scroll series of role-playing games, have so far done a great job in bringing back Fallout from the dead.

Here's the latest Fallout 3 video trailer from GameSpot. Enjoy.

Here's the very first trailer that came out earlier this year, if you missed it:

Fallout 3 comes out on October 28. Not just for the PC, but for the XBox 360 and the Playstation 3 as well. Can't wait!

Cheers, everyone!

Are You Ready For C&C: Red Alert 3?

If you're a fan of the Command & Conquer franchise, then you'll be pleased- even excited- to know that a third game in the Red Alert series is pretty much on its way.

For those of you who aren't quite familiar with the franchise, Red Alert is a real-time strategy game set in an alternate future, where the Allies, the Soviets, and now a third faction- the Empire of the Rising Sun- all go head-to-head in a World War III-scenario using Sonic Tanks, Tesla Coils and Intelligent Dolphins.

Check out this trailer I saw earlier on Gamespot:

Here are a couple other video trailers, just to keep you drooling in the meantime :D

Looks promising. Definitely will be keeping my eyes open for this one. Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 drops in stores on October 28 this year.

Cheers, everyone!

Diablo III's Witch Doctor Class

yet another quick break from actual gaming with Renzie Baluyut.

A couple of posts back, we've checked out Diablo III and the first of five new classes: the Barbarian. If you've been visiting Blizzard's channel on YouTube, then you may have seen this other gameplay demo, but this time we see another class: the Witch Doctor.

Seems to be an updated version of Diablo II's Necromancer, but it seems that this new Witch Doctor has a lot more useful tricks up his tattered sleeves. That, plus the promise of enlisting the aid of other NPC's you meet along the way, hints at some glorious battle sequences. Check this out:

Here's something about the Witch Doctor class we gleaned off the YouTube channel:

From the writings of Abd Al-Hazir (entry no. 0013)

Most believe the fearsome witch doctor of the umbaru race a legend, but I have seen one in battle with my own eyes. And it was difficult to believe, even then. He dispatched his opponent with terrifying precision, assaulting his victim's mind and body with elixirs and powders that evoked fires, explosions, and poisonous spirits. As if these assaults were not enough, the witch doctor also had at his command the ability to summon undead creatures from the netherworld to rend the flesh from his enemy's body.

I came upon this rare display as I ventured deep into the interior of the dense Torajan jungles that cover the southern tip of the great eastern continent, in the vast area known as the Teganze, with the goal of seeking out the tribes that reside there. This area is extremely secluded, and heretofore unseen by foreign eyes. I was fortunate to befriend the witch doctor I saw in battle, and, through him, his tribe: the Tribe of the Five Hills.

The culture of the umbaru of the lower Teganze is fascinating and perplexing to those hailing from more civilized walks of life. For instance, the Tribe of the Five Hills frequently engages in tribal warfare with both the Clan of the Seven Stones and the Tribe of the Clouded Valley, but these are matters of ritual and not of conquest. I had heard tales that these wars are waged in order that the victors may replenish their supply of raw materials for the human sacrifices that their civilization revolves around, and when I timidly asked my hosts more about this topic, I must admit their laughter made me fear for my safety. However, through stumbled attempts at communication of such complex topics as what constitutes heroism and honor in their society, I gathered that only those taken in battle are considered worthy of the ritual sacrifice, much to my relief.

"As if these assaults were not enough, the witch doctor also had at his command the ability to summon undead creatures from the netherworld to rend the flesh from his enemy's body."

Upon further discussions with my hosts, I discovered that these tribes define themselves by their belief in the Mbwiru Eikura, which roughly translates to "The Unformed Land" (this is an imprecise translation, as this concept is completely foreign to our culture and language). This belief holds that the true, sacred reality is veiled behind the physical one we normally experience. Their vitally important public ceremonies are centered upon sacrifices to the life force that flows from their gods, who inhabit the Unformed Land, into this lesser physical realm.

The witch doctors are finely attuned to this Unformed Land and are able to train their minds to perceive this reality through a combination of rituals and the use of selected roots and herbs found in the jungles. They call the state in which they interact with this other world the Ghost Trance.

Alongside the primacy of the belief in the life force and the Unformed Land, the second most sacred belief of the tribes is their philosophy of self-sacrifice and non-individuality, of suppressing one's self-interest for the good of the tribe. This idea, so foreign to our culture, struck me as something I wished to delve into much more deeply.

Unfortunately, there was intense social upheaval among the tribes due to an incident involving their most current war (inasmuch as I could discern in the ensuing bedlam), and the charged atmosphere warranted my quick departure before I could ask anything further of my hosts.

You could also check out a better quality video over at the official Diablo III promotional website, or discuss Diablo all you want with your fellow fans here on Battle.net.

Pictures from Gamespot.com. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!

I've Seen Diablo 3's Barbarian- and it was Awesome

a quick break from gaming by Renzie Baluyut

Blizzard has gone right ahead to create some good buzz about one of its upcoming games, Diablo III. There were already some signs online that hinted on a release pretty soon, and with Blizzcon 2008 happening in a couple of months, we just might see more clips of Diablo III on YouTube and other gaming sites.

Speaking of YouTube: I'm currently subscribed to Blizzard's channel, and for all you fans of the great hack-and-slash RPG- Say 'Hello' to the first of five (or so I've heard) classes for Diablo III: The Barbarian.

That's him right there cleaving his way through waves of ghoulish undead. Watch the new Diablo III Barbarian in action: here's a video clip to blow your mind!

Here's something about the Barbarian class we gleaned off the YouTube channel:

From the writings of Abd Al-Hazir (entry no. 0025)

In my journey to catalogue the various denizens, civilizations, and fauna of our world, I have traveled far and wide, but never before have I been struck with such dismay as when standing upon the ramparts of the ancient fortress of Bastion's Keep. I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat.

Instead, I stand here looking at a mountain that has been torn asunder by some extraordinary force. The sight, I must confess, is incomprehensible. Yet what I see before me cannot be denied.

What truly happened here? Where are those majestic warriors of old?

"I came to see firsthand the barbarians, those near-legendary, immense, relentless, dual-wielding furies of combat dwelling upon their sacred Mount Arreat."

Though they were once misunderstood as simple, bloodthirsty invaders, the long and noble history of these proud people is now rightly acknowledged. And therein lies the greater tragedy here, for those of us familiar with the nobility of the barbarians remember too what they call their "vigil", the concept that lay at the very heart of their culture. The barbarians consider it their sworn duty to protect Mount Arreat and the mysterious object within. They believe that if they fail to uphold their duty to the great mount, or are not given a proper burial upon its slopes, they will be denied a true warrior's death, and their spirits shall roam the land without honor for all eternity.

If there are any barbarians left alive, they must truly be without hope. Perhaps this is the genesis of the rumors of monstrous things reported to resemble the barbarians in size and ferocity, but that are in reality nothing more than unreasoning, inhuman beasts. Could the destruction of not only their home but also their very beliefs have actually brought this magnificent race so low?

You could also check out a better quality video over at the official Diablo III promotional website, or discuss Diablo all you want with your fellow fans here on Battle.net.

Pictures from Gamespot.com. Check out more pics and screenshots on Gamespot's section on Diablo III.

Cheers, everyone!

Must-play Games: Grand Theft Auto IV

It's probably the biggest game this year. The hype has been incredible, and the results are in. According to a news report on the Internet Movie Database, the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV has taken in US$500 million on its first week on the shelves, more than any movie in history has made in its first week. The amount translates to an opening week mark of 3.6 million game units sold.

The April 29 opening day sales alone were phenomenal- tracked at US$310 million- beating the US$300 million record set by Microsoft's Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 last year. Read the rest of this article on my other blog, "Renzie's Rants and Raves."

Check out Adam Sessler's review of Grand Theft Auto IV on this G4TV clip taken from their signature gaming show, X-Play.

Here's a game you should be playing right frackin' NOW. Grand Theft Auto IV is only available on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 (for now at least), so if you don't have either console, now's a good time to get yourself one. Sell an internal organ if you have to. Then sell another body part to get Grand Theft Auto IV.

I've already raved about how much I've loved its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas. And by all indications, it seems GTA IV holds true to its promise to deliver a game just as kick-ass as the last one.

Gotta have this game. Period.

Cheers, everyone!

The Guild: Extra Stuff!

While we've heard that The Guild is currently working on episodes 9, 10, and a much-awaited season ender, I decided to get my fix of The Guild on their YouTube channel.

So far they've had eight episodes posted:

• Episode 1: "Wake Up Call"
• Episode 2: "Zaboo'd"
• Episode 3: "The Macro Problem"
• Episode 4: "Cheesybeard's"
• Episode 5: "Rather Be Raiding"
• Episode 6: "Total Wipe"
• Episode 7: "Home Invasion"
• Episode 8: "Tipping Point"

But they also have a few other videos, which I've decided to focus on this blog post. The most recent is this one, where we have the crew show off their nice little ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production, right before they bagged the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007. I think it's just cute to see the whole bunch off-character every now and then.

Then we have a gag reel from a whole bunch of outtakes from the first three episodes, posted in mid-October of last year.

And finally, probably my favorite thus far, is this cute little Christmas montage they put together. Featuring the music of Don Schiff, with a creepy Santa and cute little Cubby :)

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 8: "Tipping Point"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

In our last episode, Codex now knows why Zaboo is so weird, and all is not well in Cyd's household. Meanwhile, Tink shows off her babysitting skills, Bladezz gets back at The Guild, and Zaboo bids Cyd goodbye :) with an ethernet cord.

Guild drama continues in Episode 8: "Tipping Point". Enjoy!

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 7: "Home Invasion"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

We see more of the Codex-Zaboo drama in our last episode. The Guild goes on, despite the debacle at Cheesybeard's. And someone else decides to drop on in! We get to know more about our not-so-welcome guest right here on Episode 7: "Home Invasion"! Enjoy this one!

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 6: "Total Wipe"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

The Knights of Good all hang out at Cheesybeard's in our last episode, and as Codex tries to keep the meeting right on track, we get more on- and off-line drama with terribly disastrous (and funny!) consequences!

This next episode, "Total Wipe", was the very first episode I've seen of The Guild, and made a total fan-boy out of me. Checked out YouTube, the official websites, signed on as a fan on Facebook, and yes, featured them on my blog :D

Enough about me- let's watch some more of Codex, Zaboo and everyone else in The Guild! Enjoy!

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 5: "Rather Be Raiding"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

In our last episode, The Knights of Good finally meet up at the local hangout, Cheesybeard's... and it was damn awkward. Also hella hilarious! The meeting at Cheesybeard's continues with Episode 5: "Rather Be Raiding". Arrr ye ready for another comedic clip?

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 4: "Cheesybeard's"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

I'll tell you why The Guild is such a huge hit for me- three things, really:

1. The Geekness- it refers to dorky games like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars and stuff. And, yes, I do play those MMORPG's, dork that I am.
2. The Ladies- wow, Felicia Day (who plays Cyd/Codex) and Amy Okuda (Tink, pictured below with the crew on set) are both sooo cute!

3. The Humor! Tell me it isn't funny, and I will fight you :) Online :D

Now let's get back to the story. In our last episode, the Guild deals with an in-game issue: Bladezz got banned for spamming at the Auction House. Zaboo shows off his Photoshop skills and his -uh- "magic carpet". Cyd wants to desperately get away from it all, and proposes the Guild meet up for a change in real life.

So the chicks and dudes all finally meet up in this episode, "Cheesybeard's". Enjoy!

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 3: "The Macro Problem"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

In our last episode, after not being online for more than 36 hours, Zaboo finally shows up- at Cyd's doorstep! Zaboo seems to be bent on taking their online "relationship" to the next level, much to Cyd's ever-growing dismay. Oh, and after a very long bus ride, he also needs to "drop some kids off at the pool" :)

Check out this next episode, "The Macro Problem". Enjoy!

Also worth mentioning: kudos to Eric McKenney on those great character sketches, Joseph Limbaugh for the animation sequence (after Cyd's cold open), and to Don Schiff for the cute little musical score. You really put it together with this one, guys.

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

The Guild, Episode 2: "Zaboo'd"

Welcome to our continuing coverage of The Guild, my new online favorite, and winner of the Yahoo 2007 Best Web Series Award, the YouTube Best Series Award for 2007, and the ON Networks/SXSW Greenlight Award for Best Original Production.

In the very first episode, we are introduced to Cyd Sherman, who goes around online in a massively-multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) as a healer by the name of Codex. Our series of webisodes takes a peek into her life (as though they were vlogs), and how she relates with her colleagues from "The Knights of Good"- her online playing companions.

We meet them all in Episode 1. Cyd/Codex is having a rather challenging time dealing with her MMORPG addiction. From their Facebook page, we read:

Quirky and a bit socially awkward, Codex was a violin prodigy as a child but then ... she grew up. She's at a major crossroads in her life, but it's much easier to play video games than make any life decisions. She's a healer in-game as well as in-life, always helping other people with their problems while ignoring her own.

Of course, we also meet the rest of her guildies:

Vork - The guild's resident "tank", or warrior. His real-life name is Herman Holden, and is also the guild leader. We see how his life revolves around gaming; his toaster, mini-fridge and indoor skillet is all within arm's reach of his PC.

Hmm, maybe I should set my room up that way too... Anyway, here's the blurb on Vork from Facebook:

Vork is the Guild leader of the "Knights of Good." He focuses all his energy on the Guild and rarely leaves his house because, "doing things costs money." Everything he needs to sustain himself is within arms reach of his computer, so he never has to get up from his desk. Serious but well-intentioned, it's easy to push his buttons, which his Guildies do frequently.

Tinkerballa- or just "Tink"- is the guild's hunter/ranger. She may look sweet, but she can be rather direct if she has to be (which is most of the time). She's one of the younger members of "The Knights of Good", probably in high school or college. Apparently has a constant need for gaming; we see her playing a Nintendo DS even while the rest of the guild is just talking.

This is what she has on Facebook:

Tinkerballa has a sweet-as-pie face with a mouth that will bust your balls. She plays a ranger class, so keeps herself distant from the group physically and emotionally. The Guild doesn't know a lot about her personal life. She acts apathetic but she's defensive of her Guildies when they need help.

Bladezz - is the guild's rogue. Also one of the younger members of "The Knights of Good". He has a tendency to hit on all the female guildmates. Also seems to be quite handy with cards.

Here's what we find out about Bladezz' character on Facebook:

Bladezz is the youngest Guild member and a bit of a loot whore. He's always creating drama, but it's "never his fault." He loves to push people's buttons, especially Vork's. Bailing him out of trouble is a full time job for the members of the Knights of Good.

Clara - is the guild's resident heavy-damage-dealing gnome mage, which incidentally also uses her real name as her online name. Clara is a stay-at-home mom of three, cheerful and nice and all, but not exactly a model parent. You'll see :)

This is what we have on Clara on Facebook:

Clara is the mother of three children, but her real parenting skills come into play online. She is always full of buoyant enthusiasm regardless of logic and acts as a mediator during any crisis. On another note, she likes to giggle when she kills mobs. It's a little creepy over the mic.

Finally, we meet Zaboo - who plays a gnome warlock online. Apparently he thinks that he and Cyd/Codex have a "relationship" online, misinterpreting her normal smiley faces on chat as a genuine display of affection towards him. His real name is Sujan Balakrishnan Goldberg, and is HinJew, a combination of Hindu and Jew. Also pretty handy with Photoshop.

This is what we have on his character on Facebook:

Zaboo is overly enthusiastic about everything and is always willing to help out a Guildie, whether they like it or not. He gives 100% to everything, and his trusting nature frequently gets him into trouble. He's a whiz online, and can find out anything about anyone: And he does. Grouping with him is always fun, his enthusiasm can put anyone in a good mood.

Now that we got to know the guys a little better, let's move on to Episode Two now, shall we? This little bit is entitled, "Zaboo'd". Enjoy!

Read more about The Guild as I feature the rest of the other episodes on this blog, "Renzie On Gaming". In the meantime, you can check out their official website for lots of great insider stuff and exclusive video, or you could check them out on Facebook and MySpace.

'Til next episode! Cheers, everyone!

A Little More StarCraft!

Just a couple a days ago, my friends and I were playing this cool StarCraft boardgame. I suppose we all needed a break from the usual PC/Xbox360/DS gaming. We could have played a good ol' fashioned pen-and-paper RPG, but no one wanted to DM, so we played this one (as well as a couple of other board games) instead.StarCraft The Board Game is definitely a good change of pace. I'll write more about it on another blog entry. In between rounds, we'd also talk about the latest news in all kinds of gaming- and one of the highly-anticipated games for us was definitely StarCraft II. Heck, why do you think we were tiding ourselves over with the board game? :D

No word yet on when the game is officially going to be released, but the latest trailer was already out on Gamespot (you can check that out here). In the meantime, I thought I could get myself oriented on what else had gone on in the Starcraft Universe.

The original StarCraft game is one of those games that is installed in my PC to this day. It's definitely a classic- one of those games with great replay value, and still provides a great deal of real-time strategy entertainment even when there are a lot of new games out there.

Now most of us have the original game, as well as the Brood Wars expansion pack, but I just found out that there were a couple of other campaign packs not in my collection, namely Insurrection and Retribution.

StarCraft: Insurrection, according to Wikipedia:

Insurrection is the first add-on pack for StarCraft. Although developed and published by Aztech New Media it is authorized by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released on PC on 31 July 1998.

The expansion's story focuses on a Confederate colony during the course of the first campaign of StarCraft. As in StarCraft, the player takes control of each race in three separate campaigns. In the first campaign, Terran colonists attempt to defend themselves from the Zerg invasion of the sector as well as from a rising insurgency, while in the second campaign the player directs a Protoss task force sent to clear the Zerg infestation of the colony by any means necessary. In the final campaign the player assumes the role of a Zerg cerebrate, moving to crush all opposition on the surface. The expansion only contains new campaigns and multiplayer maps, it does not include new content such as units and graphical terrain tilesets. Insurrection was criticised by reviewers for lacking the quality of the original game and as a result of its lack of success, it is not widely available. Although the add-on is authorized by Blizzard Entertainment, they offer no comment on support or availability of the game.

StarCraft: Retribution, according to Wikipedia:

Retribution is the second of the two authorized add-on packs released for StarCraft. The add-on was developed by Stardock, published by WizardWorks Software and authorized by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released for the PC in late 1998.

Retribution is set during the second episode of StarCraft, revolving around the acquisition of a crystal of immense power connected to the Xel'Naga. Divided into three campaigns, the player assumes the roles of a Protoss fleet executor, the commander of a Dominion task force and a Zerg cerebrate, all tasked with retrieving the crystal from a Dominion colony and getting it off the planet as quickly as possible. As with its predecessor, Insurrection, Retribution does not include any new gameplay features beyond its single player campaigns and consortium of multiplayer levels. The add-on was not received with critical support, instead being regarded as average but at least challenging. As with Insurrection, Retribution is not widely available. Despite authorizing the add-on, Blizzard Entertainment offers no comment regarding support or the availability of Retribution.

So this means I have to find myself a copy of Insurrection and Retribution and play the damn things before StarCraft II comes out. I've already checked out the official Blizzard website, and, yeah, there's a whole lot going on in there. Here's a trailer for the upcoming sequel to StarCraft, which I found on YouTube.

You could visit the official Starcraft 2 website for lots of artwork, downloadable trailers, even a recap of what has happened so far in the Starcraft universe.

In the meantime, it seems I'm gonna get more of my sci-fi RTS fix playing Warhammer 40K and blow away some Necrons- as soon as I install them into my PC once more.

Cheers, everyone!

Have You Seen These World of Warcraft TV Spots?

Check out these funny World of Warcraft TV commercials- I actually was able to catch a couple of them on TV while I was watching VH1 in the 'States over the holidays.

This one has William Shatner as a Tauren Shaman.



This one has Mr. T as a -uh- a Night Elf Mohawk (really more of a Warrior, but don't say it out loud in front of Mr. T)



And lastly, here's Mini-Me, Verne Troyer as a Gnome Mage (what else?)!



Also, here are a couple of other TV spots, apparently for a European audience. This one has Jean-Claude Van Damme as a Troll Mage:

Translation:

"My name is Jean-Claude Van Damme... and I am a mage."
"Hand-to-hand combat for me: it's over!"
"Now I can cast powerful spells!"
"Just try messing with me... I'll turn you into a sheep."
"A sheep!"
"...Because we all are a bit like sheep, you know..."
"I am Jean-Claude Van Damme, I am a mage.
"And you?"
"What's your game?"

World of Warcraft. Try it free at www.warcraft.fr!

Lastly, here's Willy Toledo as a Human Paladin:



Cool huh, hope you had fun. What's your game?