As much as I admire the world that J.R.R. Tolkien built and his insane attention to detail, language, and extensive back histories of completely made-up races, I’ve always thought that his decision to name Gandalf’s horse “Shadowfax” felt too much like something straight out of a high schooler’s fan fic novel. Even when I was younger, I thought the name was a little dopey, even more so for how much Gandalf just goes on and one about how wonderful this horse is.
Reader Yrys made my week that much more awkward by shoving Shadowfax from Lord of the Rings Online in my face while I stammered and tried to think of something to fill the silence. “I LIKE YOUR COAT,” I said way too loudly. “IT IS VERY WHITE AND GLOSSY. WHAT DIET ARE YOU ON? ER, DO HORSES READ THE COMMENTS SECTION ON THE INTERNET? I HOPE NOT!”
I am not good in awkward social situations.
Turning from my gawky awkwardness to a graceful scene, Lorri presented this lovely shot of a sunset in Revelation Online’s closed beta test. Hey, if you’ve got wings, flaunt ’em!
A few readers did try to rise to last week’s challenge of submitting something that you just don’t see in MMORPGs every day. Reader Erin made a compelling case for why online games should make you take a breath test before piloting an automocar.
“It’s kind of ironic that I named [the car] Betty Ford,” Erin said, “considering I drove like I’m drunk all the time. At least I’ll remember where I parked!”
I am aghast.
“Things you don’t see in MMORPGs every day?” My Secret ID asked. “Well, a while back, Elder Scrolls Online had my character transform into a monkey in order to get past an obstacle in some ruins. Any resemblance between the monkey and me in real life is purely coincidental, I insist! (Excuse me, I feel the sudden urge to go eat a banana… ook!)”
“If I think about things that were a first for me, here’s one that stood out,” Camelotcrusade said. “I never expected to find a diving board hanging off a cliff in the middle of nowhere in Guild Wars 2, and I really didn’t expect it to put me in swim trunks when I clicked on it. It was crystal clear what had to happen next, though.
You qualified for the Olympic diving team! Congrats!
Have you ever taken a screenshot that got you killed? I do this all the time. Most recently, I was being chased by a boulder in The Secret World and tried to quickly swivel the camera and snap a pic while still running. I got the picture… but my character was flattened a millisecond later.
If screenshotting has ever led to a premature death in an MMO, let’s at least see the picture and hear the story!
Every week, One Shots shines a spotlight on the best community screenshots from your MMO adventures. If you have a great pic to share, email it to justin@massivelyop.com with the subject “One Shots.” Make sure that the picture is over 880px wide and comes with a description or story!
