Link roundup

New Lone Ranger photo, featuring Johnny Depp as Tonto.



Poster for Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom. Via.



Sometimes in Bioware games you choose a seemingly innocent responses, only to find out you've decided to be very evil. Via.

Link roundup

1. From a Q&A on The Old Republic:

GnovaD: Are there any plans to introduce mobile apps to the game? Eg. Use smart phone/tablet to send companions on missions while offline.

Damion Schubert: Let's just say that this has always been a dream of mine for crew skills - it's almost as if this design was created specifically with this in mind, doesn't it? Good news, sometimes dreams do come true! The bad news is that I have no ETA for you, though, as this is a significant technical endeavor.

2. Assassin of Secrets was supposed to be a hot new spy novel, but then readers started to recognize entire passages lifted from other novels. The resulting investigation into the mysterious author is almost certainly more interesting than the novel itself.

3. GQ has An Oral History of Tim Tebow. Sample:

JOHN FOX (head coach, Denver Broncos): The minute you meet him, he has that presence. I went and met him for dinner during the draft process down in Gainesville. He's got a notebook, and he's into it. He just likes talking ball. And he picked up the tab—I've never had that happen before.

4. How to Prevent YouTube from Keeping a Record of The Videos You Watch .

Link roundup

1. Destructoid looks at how Bioware writer Jennifer Hepler (she worked on Dragon Age and The Old Republic) has become enemy #1 to a group of video game players. Her Twitter account is very sad. (I actually like the idea of being able to skip combat the way you can skip dialog - - one of the first things I do when I'm considering buying an action game is to see if there's an invulnerability code. In fact, I would gladly buy expertly made video game playthroughs.)

2. A President's Day story by Neil Gaiman.

3. I haven't tried it yet, but Rock, Paper, Shotgun recommends browser game/Diablo clone Dungeon King.

4. Am I imagining it, or are there no Studio Ghibli films available at iTunes?

Link roundup

1. The Mass Effect 3 demo is now available.

2. Mike Krahulik has some negative comments about the story in The Old Republic.

3. The 10 worst swings of the 2011 baseball season. Via.

4. The latest Paranorman newspaper.

5. The BBTS already has preorders for some of the Toy Fair 2012 toys, including Play Arts Kai Mass Effect and Lego Star Wars and Avengers.

More Star Wars: The Old Republic action figure photos

Jedi Insider has over 100 photos of the new Star Wars figures being shown off at Toy Fair 2012 including Jar Jar in carbonite, Vader's Apprentice, and the stars of The Old Republic trailers.

UPDATE: Better photos here and here:

New toys revealed at ToyFair, including a Shae Vizla action figure

Action Figure Insider has posted lots of photos of new Star Wars (including the bounty hunter from The Old Republic trailer), Marvel Universe (boy they've produced some esoteric figures) and Marvel Legends variants.

UPDATE: Better photos of the Marvel Universe figures.

Link roundup

1. Black Market - - a free browser game where you play a space smuggler. Via.

2. Funny review of the latest episode of Rachael vs. Guy, Week 2. Sample:

Each team brainstorms in the glorified green room Guy refers to as “the dojo.” Guy calls them “dojos” because, as evidenced by the French fry and BBQ steak sushi roll on the menu of Tex Wasabi’s, he’s extremely respectful of Japanese culture and traditions. Once again, Guy and Rachael take a firm hand in steering their respective team members. They are also amazing at accidental synergy. Both Guy and Rachael instruct their teams to put the savory ingredient inside a cannoli shell. I already pitied the 13 judges for having to eat the celebrities’ regular desserts, but now they’ve got to take down both a wasabi and an anchovy cannoli. I’m going to hurl. “The Anchovy Cannoli” sounds like a racist name for an Italian prizefighter in the '30s.

3. Fun in Google Maps - - click the woman. Via.

4. Kotaku on Star Wars: The Old Republic:

It just feels like BioWare enjoyed creating the Empire more than the Republic. It shows in every bit of writing for the Bounty Hunter, Sith Warrior, Sith Inquisitor, and Imperial Agent. All of the deception, cruelty, cowardice, and backstabbing is crafted with just a hint of a devilish smirk.

In contrast, most of the Republic-side plot reads as if it was written by George Lucas. Recently written by George Lucas.