Dare to Play the Game

LucasArts putting on the halter, Wii wanting to go steady with HDD, and Blu-Ray & Xbox 360 tying the knot? - Welcome to the column that got married once but forgot to read the fine print about descending into the pits of hell known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. So at some point last week, you were probably wondering where the heck is your favorite video game columnist. The truth is I don't know where Adam Sessler is and he won't return my messages (something about me and Morgan sitting in a tree). As for me, I was in Las Vegas, Nevada. Internet for tourists in Las Vegas, NV sucks. Why is that? Because they charge, $13.99 a freaking day. My conference did have it for free, but it moved like a 300 baud modem. (For the kids at home, that is like your dad asking you to walk to the liquor store on the other side of the county line and back with a bottle of JD stopping for every hobo that asks for a sip). So there was no decent way I could have got a column out last week. I wanted to, but alas the internet connection (not to be confused with vegas showgirls) wouldn't let me. But I am back, somewhat refreshed and ready to provide a winning column to you. Okay, 1 out of 3 ain't bad. I really should get a secretary for these things.

Bright Colors, Glam Rockers Sell Big on Rock Band & I'm going to Vegas babie! - Welcome to the column that is so proud it made a hundred postings that it just might consider blowing the paycheck on Morgan Webb and blow known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. Believe it or not, I'm not starting with World of Warcraft in this column (that's the second paragraph). No sir, the column has reached a milestone, 100 posts. Almost two years, I have worked my nails to the bone to provide refreshing points of view and talented humor. Or perhaps a whole mess of sarcasm. I do however have some people to thank for their efforts. Cause without them, I might not have had that chance. First, (why all of the sudden do I feel like I should thank the academy?), I would like to thank Jeremy for giving me the chance to actually write a game column on a dvd website. Whether he regrets it now or is raking in the cash, who is to say. Second, I would like to thank the dozens who actually read the column (or is it a dozen?). Without you, well without you, I probably would have found something else to do by now like review gay mini-series on the Here! Network & Wrestling DVD's. Crap, I already do that? Sheeeeeet, nevermind. Lastly, I would like to thank my girlfriend Sarah, my love and my biggest supporter. She's read my work, promoted it and even gave me tips from time to time on how to improve it. I'm not sure how she puts up with me, but she does it with a smile and seems to appreciate everything I do.

Plagiarism in Video Games, Penny Arcade, & The Never Ending EA Offer - Welcome to the column that copies itself weekly with jokes that were relevant twenty years ago known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 43&22. Well, as some of you might remember, I had a goal for World Of Warcraft and my level 43 Troll Rogue last week. Actually two of them, one was with lockpicking and one involved cooking. My lockpicking skill was in the 160's and needed to be raised to 175 to compensate for the level 40 junkboxes I was starting to get. Once I understood my options, (which wasn't many) I traveled to Desolace and spent a lot of time underwater trying to find footlockers. After about an hour exploring and fighting a lot of nagas I was ready to give up. Then I found one, and found another and before I knew it, I hit the magical 175. I promptly got the heck out of the water and went to my second goal: cooking.

Adult Gaming, WiiWare, & The Death Knight class unveiled - Welcome to the column that discovered it was an adult one day back in 1996 and has not been heard from since known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 42&22. I unfortunately did not get to play my dwarf priest, except past a couple of quick quests and leveling some of my cooking & fishing. I honestly expected a slowdown with my Troll Rogue in WoW once I hit 40. Quite the opposite I guess. The game seems to get more interesting once you pass the magic mount level. My mining and blacksmithing are well over 200 (228 and 208 respectively) and my skills make me a major DPS force to any party. I even played as the main DPS for a group in Scarlet Monastery over the weekend and we did quite well. My only weak point as I consider it is my lockpicking. I'm currently at 166. I just started picking level 40 mobs that drop junkboxes that require 175. So needless to say, I need to be about 10 points higher. This weekend coming up, my focus will be on lockpicking (up to said level) and cooking. Cooking is at 223 and I hear Gadgetzan calling my name. You want Giant Eggs, Zesty Clam Meat and Alterac Swiss? Me got 'em mon!

Wiimote not to be threatened, GTA IV threatening the Wii, and Nazi killing gets a birthday - Welcome to the column that will not be threatened a second time ahhhhh (and bring us a shrubbery!) known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 40&22. Yes I got the silly emerald raptor. I still have half of my reputation bar for Undercity to go before I become exalted. By every calculation, it is near impossible to be exalted with Undercity by level 40 unless you are of course Undead to begin with. Will I get it by Level 60? Sure. I actually liked the Silvermoon area quite a bit when I was questing there last week. So much, that if I make another character (won't be before one of my characters hit 60) it will be a Blood Elf Hunter. I promise I won't be a huntard either. I played a max level Ranger in Guild Wars and know my way with a bow and a filthy animal. As to where I will quest with my Troll Rogue now? Stranglethorn Vale or Feralas seems to be the popular choice. Naturally I will still try to find any and all quests that have Undercity rep but my concentration will be in this area.

Video Game Gameshows, Vegas is Fixed, and more GTA IV than you can shake a hairy hooker at - Welcome to the column that will get Grand Theft Auto IV as soon as we figure out how to pay for the gas and the case of Mountain Dew known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 39&21 in WoW Land. As you can tell from the numbers, I played the heck out of my rogue this weekend. I was questing hard in everywhere from Desolace to Hammerfall. Somewhere around 12k experience away from level 40 and finishing a few Hammerfall quests, I got burnt out. I have about 160 gold, 200 Blacksmithing, 223 in Mining, First Aid, and Cooking (which is really odd to have the same number in three professions). But I'm burnt out because I still only have 7k into my exalted rep for Undercity with 14k remaining. So I kinda quit, I went back to Undercity, took the orb to Silvermoon City and decided to explore another area. I will get 40 on the weekend, pretty much by default. But since I have not quested in that area at all, I figured it was worth a shot. I know I will be getting mostly Silvermoon/Blood Elf rep where I am, but I decided I want to take it easy for the week before resuming the struggle to 40. Next week, I'll have my mount (which unless a miracle takes place will be a raptor) and I will be happy because I won't have to walk around anymore. Somehow, I will still miss stealthing on foot into areas that are 10-15 levels above me. Good times, good times.

Modding in trouble, Game Making on the Cheap & Who exactly is buying Wii Games? - Welcome to the column that will not purchase a Wii game until they make a sequel to River City Ransom known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 37&20. I find it easy to update that particular number than sit here and tell you how I did in World of Warcraft. After getting the Priest to 20, I find myself focusing primarily on the Rogue for the duration of the week. I feel the push to 40 and I'm trying desperately to get Undercity Rep despite the fact I'm a Troll. Getting to Revered was easy enough (did all of the quests in the Silverpine Forest) and I'm back at Tarren Mill. Once I finish off the quests there though, I will be roughly 10k rep away from Exalted. I honestly have no clue of where to go next for Undercity rep. Online guides don't leave much clue either unless you want to collect cloth or do PVP. Origmaar rep is easy (where I'm also revered), Stranglethorn Vale or Hammerfall fills that gap easily for my level. But leave to me to want a stupid undead horse for my mount rather than a Raptor (Troll) or a Wolf (Origmaar). I never can be normal.

Does Free Play Mmo's Work?, The Crue on Rockband, and Developing Gaming Skills? - Welcome to the column that developed many childhood skills like reading, riting, and rithemthic but not until they were fifteen known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. 36 & 19. That's all I should have to post at this point. You know how I roll. My main, the Troll Rogue spent most of the week in Thousand Needles, mining until his little blue hands turned purple (or would that be black, I'm not sure). . He's well into Mithril now and a mining skill over 200. Blacksmithing is kinda steady, hitting the 190 range. The Dwarf Priest, well he received some what of a blow this weekend trying to help others in Dead Mines. Grouped with 4 others and I did a great job of healing up until the last boss, Edwin Van Cleef. I was aggrohealing all over the place it seemed and not able to get any good communication going (I blame myself as much as I blame others). So needless to say, we died...a lot. Three times until we got it right. Probably didn't help it was 1 in the morning either. I got jack from the instance except for the experience both numerical and practical. Hopefully, I can improve my skills in future endeavors.

Finish GTA IV in 25 hours, Give Uwe Boll a million, and Unreal on 360? - Welcome to the column that realizes a number is just a number unless those numbers are 4 8 15 16 23 and 42 known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. More and more levels we go, where it stops? Nobod...err probably in the 50's to low 60's. The dwarf priest has moved up to 18 with some nifty gear while the troll rogue in World of Warcraft has hit level 35. My dwarf priest played through dead mines and received a very nice blue staff in the process. Tailoring and Enchanting are also maxed out until I hit level 20. The troll rogue is currently in the third leg of the Barbaric (Horde only) blacksmithing quest chain. A whole lot of iron is being mined wherever I can find it. However, I am up to mithril which is nice for all of those nodes that I had to pass up prior. Now, what exactly to do with the mithfril ore once I get it is in question for the time being (yes, I know I will eventually use it); but it is nice to see my professions expanding on my rogue again. Hopefully I hit 200 in mining and blacksmithing soon. I got to make a decent sword for myself one of these days.

The Failure of Wii Online, Blizzards starts up the Sue wagon, and the British offering cash for lies? - Welcome to the column that promises to stick to the truth except when it comes to whether or not Silent Hill still makes us wet the bed at night known as Dare to Play the Game.

Welcome to another edition of Dare to Play the Game. After bludgeoning people with my Bloody Brass Knuckles all week in WoW, this fist weapon is here to stay for now in my 34th level Troll Rogue's arsenal. I find this to be the case because simply there aren't a lot of appealing blues at my level to begin with. My mining skill is just 4 away from mithril & my blacksmithing skill is progressing too. I finished part 2 of the Barbaric BS quest chain which basically forced me to mine a beep load of copper and tin to make bronze. Burnt me out a little bit to be honest, but since it is a horde only quest chain; I feel it is important to complete. My dwarf priest is cruising along at 16th level and apparently is developing into one powerful holy guy. I grouped with an 18th level rogue and a 19th level hunter over the weekend and found myself serving double duty as healer and dealing the most damage. I'm going the discipline route as well and not shadow which would make me a much more severe damage dealer (but still not a tank). That just shouldn't be, at least they were holding aggro for the most part. Of course I broke off from the group once we completed a few quests and got owned 15 minutes later by a mob of Gnolls. *sigh* Gnoll paws.