Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Hard Like Heroic

by Michael Gray May 16th 2012 at 6:00PM

Work warning: This video is pretty much one, long innuendo.

After a crazy week of non-WoW machinima, let's get back to our wheelhouse with one of the first machinima I got into. While the majority of machinima upbringing was at the supple hand of Myndflame, my formative listening experience enjoyed a heavy dose of Nyhm.

Hard Like Heroic is definitely one of Nyhm's best, even after all these years. The lyrics are upbeat, fun, self-deprecating, and spot on with parody goodness. The vocal performance is appropriate to the style, and the whole piece just comes together awesomely. So, let's go do it like a druid in the general channel.

Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

Diablo Moviewatch: Diablo III: Wrath

by Michael Gray May 15th 2012 at 6:00PM

Work warning: Pretty violent video.

Well, if I didn't know that Diablo III released today, the empty halls of the WoW Insider headquarters would certainly tell me. It's like a ghost town around here. I've not been able to play yet, but that's OK. I've got this incredibly awesome animated short feature to get me by.

Diablo III: Wrath was revealed for the community about a week ago. If you're just now getting your hands on the Diablo universe for the first time, this video gives you a great sense of the mythos. The animation is fantastic and gorgeous. I could almost wish for this to be an ongoing series.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

Diablo Moviewatch: Gigolo Witch Test

by Michael Gray May 14th 2012 at 6:00PM

As we all sit around our Basic Campfires, caught rapt by breathless anticipation, let's take a moment and celebrate the upcoming release of Diablo III with a funny machinima.

Olibith created the Gigolo Witch Test using the the first custom machinima tool made for the game. While that might not sound like a big deal, that makes this Gigolo Witch Test the first full-blown, tooled machinima for Diablo III. (That's why we featured it on WoW Moviewatch back in the day.)

So here's hoping we won't be so sad and lonely for much longer, and we all get to enjoy the silky-smooth launch of Diablo III.

Evil has returned! 1.2 million WoW players are getting Diablo 3 for free thanks to the Annual Pass. You can get prepared for the evil with WoW Insider's launch coverage. From the lore of Diablo, to the important blue posts and the basics of Diablo gameplay, we'll get you on the inside track for the return of evil.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch, Diablo 3

WoW Moviewatch: Pandarendansen v2

by Michael Gray May 11th 2012 at 7:00PM

So, we presented the first version of this seizure-inducing insanity without comment. But you weren't satisfied. Half of you were like, "You're missing dance moves." The other half were like, "Oh, sweet hairy panda, we need more."

Machinima master Nananaea heard your cries, but unlike vaguely splotched superheroes from the past, she did not whisper no. She whispered yes, and she went to the huge effort of creating further animation and putting out this video. I can't stop watching it. It's hypnotizing.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Wable - Episode 4

by Michael Gray May 10th 2012 at 6:00PM

Work warning: A bit of cursing and such, but nothing you've not seen before if you spend any time on the official forums.

The 4th episode of Wable has been released by Hybrim Entertainment, and it is hilarious. I don't know what it is about the style or method that struck my funny bone, but I actually spent a little time giggling out loud. (A literal laugh out loud is asking a bit much. I prefer to chuckle slightly, under my beard, like the humor-jaded cynic I am. One might say I only laugh with irony.)

The general idea is that Wable is Warcraft + Cable. Then you do some channel surfing during the show, see a couple of sarcastic punch lines, and then get something like a pun thrown in. And, hey -- who doesn't love a good Illidan joke here and there?

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Caterwauling Choir

by Michael Gray May 9th 2012 at 6:00PM

I love stuff like this, but I should give you a fair warning. If you're looking for skillful singing and amazing harmonies, skip this video. It's not for you. If you want a heartwarming tribute in which a guild offers cheers and support to its members -- this is the video to brighten your day.

Rather than try and explain what's going on in Caterwauling Choir, here's what the creator had to say:

Adia & her husband Bugs whom have been training very hard in a sport called Dragon Boat racing. They had their very first race on Saturday 5/5/12. The guild wanted to do something special to cheer them on. We came up with this short video.

While the singing isn't expert, this is just the kind of virtual hug the WoW community is known for. My hat's off to the Caterwauling Choir. Nice job, guys.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: WoW vs. Facebook

by Michael Gray May 8th 2012 at 6:00PM

Besieged on all sides by misunderstanding about WoW addiction, Wowcrendor tackles the relative value of WoW vs Facebook. By using a rhetorical Straw Girlfriend, the characters talk about how playing WoW isn't really much different from chilling on Facebook or watching TV.

This is an argument I'm pretty familiar with. While I love a few particular television shows (what's up, Winchester brothers, how you doin'?), I'm not a big fan of the tube. In general, I like to be a more active participant in my entertainment. Whether that's walking the dog or playing WoW, I prefer action and don't like passive behavior. This is the point Wowcrendor is driving at -- WoW is no less or more prone to negative behavior than Facebook, TV, or other culturally typical activities.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: The Panda Exterminator

by Michael Gray May 7th 2012 at 6:00PM

It's been a while since we've had a new Oxhorn machinima. Oxhorn is known for his engaging music, tongue-in-cheek sense of humor, and tight comedic stories. His new video, The Panda Exerminator, doesn't disappoint.

The Panda Exterminator features two parts. The first is a short skit about the titular Panda Exterminator. Enraged by the encroaching cuteness of pandaren, the exterminator seeks to keep the Horde pure and fierce. The second part is an awesome song about the pandas. It's obviously meant as parody, but it's completely hilarious. The song is available on iTunes; if you're anything like me, you'll be downloading it pretty quickly.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch, Mists of Pandaria

WoW Moviewatch: Blood Vengeance

by Michael Gray May 4th 2012 at 6:00PM

Blood Vengeance is the new story-based machinima released by RomireVids. The plot goes somewhat like you'd expect from something called Blood Vengeance. This is to say someone gets wronged and decides to go get some vengeance -- of the blood variety.

Romire's come a long way; this is leaps and bounds ahead of some of his previous work. I'd still look at tightening up the narrative and emsmallening (that's the opposite of embiggen) the length. Especially in a text-based dialogue, a longer video can feel exhausting to a viewer. Still, keep up the practice; I'm interested in seeing what comes next.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Stuff WoW Hipsters Say

by Michael Gray May 3rd 2012 at 6:00PM

Stuff WoW Hipsters Say by Slightly Impressive is a challenging video for me to review. The kernel idea for the video is solid. I'm actually a little surprised we haven't seen more WoW hipster videos, so this is an area ripe for the plucking.

The video just felt a little too even-keeled for me. The voice acting could have been kicked up a notch or maybe the dialogue a little tuned. Like I said, the idea for the video is solid, but the execution could use some refinement. I'd definitely recommend experimenting with character voices, since that could go a long way toward promoting a better sense of production.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Another Wipe

by Michael Gray May 2nd 2012 at 6:00PM

I think we've all been there. Some nights, you just get so frustrated with your raid team that you could scream or hurl your mouse through your monitor. That's not a productive use of your emotion, of course, but you could do it.

Shadowshift Productions does something much more productive with that frustration -- it creates music. Another Wipe predictably finds its roots in difficult, annoying raid nights. For a first video, Another Wipe absolutely knocks it out of the park. The music is decent, the video is fine -- good first showing all the way around. The singing had a few broken parts, but again, not bad for a freshman attempt.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: 28 Patches Later

by Michael Gray May 1st 2012 at 6:00PM

While we're talking about classics, let's not forget this historic piece of boomkin video. In 28 Patches Later, the master of moonkin tackles the question you didn't know to ask: What if the world were overrun with laser chickens?

Let me summarize the video. Scientists accidentally summon a moonkin horde. They travel across the country, tearing down planes, infiltrating boats, and even taking over the White House. What is the mysterious goal of these otherworldly creatures? More important, who cares? The whole thing is just awesome, whether you're an Azeroth fan or just like to see a feathered version of zombie movies.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Dragonwrath: A Legendary Musical

by Michael Gray Apr 30th 2012 at 6:00PM

What do you get when you cross Nananea and Sharm? A musical -- but not just any musical. You get Dragonwrath: A Legendary Musical. Set aside some time, kick your feet up, and relax with an awesome machinima that's truly a breath of fresh, beautiful air.

The plot's essentially about getting Dragonwrath, so I'm not going to belabor that. I want to focus on the amazing singing, fun lyrics, and awesome storybook style. I'm so happy to see folks revisiting these kind of productions; while I embrace all forms of machinima, this kind of music and story amalgam has always been my favorite. Dragonwrath: A Legendary Musical is an epic video that stands out in the current crop of machinima.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: The Lich King: Part 4: The Wrath Gate

by Michael Gray Apr 27th 2012 at 6:00PM

This intro is going to be a little brief because I think this piece can largely stand on its own two feet. The Lich King: Part 4: The Wrath Gate is a creation of Mathew McCurley (you might have heard of him) when he asked the question, "What if Ken Burns had created a video to document the events of the Wrath Gate?"

The result is an evocative, moody piece that questions the history of Wrath of the Lich King's most memorable quests. The music is incredibly well chosen, and the low-key, laconic documentary dialogue lends the video a sense of gravitas. Check it out and let Mat know what you think.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: What Have You Done?

by Michael Gray Apr 26th 2012 at 6:00PM

What Have You Done? is a fairly old movie; we featured it about three years ago. I had it brought back to mind this morning when I found myself in the mood for some old-fashioned boy angst rock. Nothing expresses the inner turmoil of a video game blogger like angry rock vocals and electric guitars.

That being said, I'm impressed how Keyra's video is still relatively fun. Keyra confessed she used an older computer to create the video, so the raw graphics aren't great in places. But she still nails that classic metal scene of "attractive singer walks around." I know that sounds like criticism, but it's not. What Have You Done? couldn't be more rock-and-roll video classic if the characters were crouched in front of a brick wall.

If you're looking for good bit of air guitar, don't miss this video. Your Livejournal poetry will thank you.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

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