One of the great things about the holiday season, aside from the hustle and bustle of activities (typically involving malls and a lot of credit cards, and food) is that there’s a pretty great selection of festive activities to enjoy in game. Not only that, but a lot of games are offering a welcome back promotion of some sort. WoW offered me 10 free days, EQ2 has activated old accounts until the 31st of December, LotRO has a welcome back weekend currently running, and WAR also offered me 10 days to return to the game and check out the changes. WAR was one of those games that I enjoyed playing, but not enough to want to pay monthly for it. I love pvp and I enjoyed the thrill of battle, but there wasn’t enough ‘other stuff’ to keep me playing. I don’t enjoy pvp ALL of the time (I don’t enjoy any one thing ALL of the time, which is probably why I play so many games).

That being said, it’s a beautiful game, and I never disliked it. It just didn’t have enough ‘umph’ to keep me playing. I’m not above taking advantage of promotions to see changes, and of course I dragged a friend with me because everything is better when you’re playing with someone else.

It didn’t take any time at all to patch, and when I logged in the first thing I was greeted with (once I’d created a character) was a “changes since last time you have logged in” screen – which is a VERY SMART IDEA. I wish other games took note of this and implemented the same sort of feature. Some key notes based on the last time you’ve logged in that will show on the screen and remind you of all of the wonderful new features that you should be taking advantage of. Fantastic attention to detail, and I (as a player) like that.

One of the changes since I played last, is there’s a new tutorial area. In fact I was so out of the loop I didn’t have any idea there was this area, and figured that myself and my friend would have to create the same race in order to start together. Turns out, that’s not the case any more. The starter area was bustling with players, probably because of the new ‘unlimited’ trial that allows you to play Tier 1 for as long as you’d like. I play Order on Badlands, and Destruction on Gorfang. The highest character I have is level 12. I love playing healers, and my archmage, but there’s no way I would be able to just jump right back into the game knowing where I left off (it’s been months) so I created a ranged melee type character. Like every tutorial, the starter area introduces you to the game and puts you into WAR head first. Before level five you’ve already experienced your first public quest and are gaining reputation. I always enjoyed the fact that there were multiple methods of ‘leveling’ in WAR, through public quests, battlegrounds, and PvE (even if the pve was lacking at times).

It was starting to get late so I didn’t get very far, I think I logged off at level four or so, but it was fun. It was a little confusing and overwhelming trying to understand and remember all of the commands and what everything did, but that’s true for every game, and the fact that I play so many just compounds this because I have to remember commands and keys for not just a few games, but closer to 15 different games at any one time. Typically I go through and bind everything I can so it all matches one game, or I spend hours trying to figure out the basics (like hiding my UI so I can take a screen shot, or auto attacking).

I’m looking forward to continuing my adventures through WAR. Will I subscribe after my 10 days are up? Well. I haven’t decided yet. There’s a good chance I just might. It depends on my schedule though and whether or not I think I can justify the cost with work gaming + play gaming. In the mean time, I’m just going to enjoy.

It’s been a few months since I’ve played Warhammer, I gave it a try when it released and I enjoyed the game (much as I enjoy most games) but as time went on and my friends moved on I decided I could no longer devote $15/m worth of time to it, and crossed it off of my list of active games. I entered a contest at Bio Break last week and was pleased to find out yesterday that I’d won a few goodies for the game, and just as my contest entry said I decided to activate it (even if only for a short while).

I have a small selection of destructi0n on Gorfang and one Arch Mage on Badlands (I think?). I had to reinstall the game to my new drive, and spent a few hours patching but it was no worse then any other game. I have kept up with the updates on a very small scale, so any chances were still pretty much new to me. When I reactivated the account I qualified for 10 free days, so I’m playing through those first.

I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to start over or try to pick up with one of my current characters. I’d only made it to level 11 on the zealot – I hate starting from scratch (especially since I had numerous low level characters and have played through those areas before many times). I logged in, found myself in the Inevitable City, found some new recruit quests which I promptly picked up and headed to Nordland (I believe). Surprisingly enough there was some major oRvR going on – which destruction was losing badly. We were out numbered and out maneuvered but it was still neat to mouse over the map and see 4-5 pockets of 10-25 people in battles.

I completed a few recruit quests, killed a few players – and along the way I dinged 12 which apparently crossed me into the “ack you’re too big to be here” line and I promptly turned into a chicken.

I remembered (though I’d never actually been one before) that turning into a chicken happens when you’re too high level for the pvp in the area – but I actually had no choice, my quests all required me to be in pvp areas exploring and checking on scouts. I was a little peeved that the quests required me to go to areas that I was too big for, but I decided I would just keep an eye out for mob encounters as well as pvp encounters, and try to finish the new recruit quests before moving on to a harder area.

Chickens don’t have much health, and they can’t use any of their spells. Since most of my quests were about scouting an area, I managed to complete them. I slowly remembered commands and how to play – even though I haven’t done a lot of actual casting yet, since I was a chicken the entire time.

Once my quests were completed I deleted a few other lower level ones and decided to head to Ostland, which I believe is the next quest area for my level. I picked up a few new zealot spells and made the long walk (as a chicken). I’m sure the people on the road who were walking with me were amused by my random clucking.

Will I stick with the game for any length of time? I haven’t decided but knowing my history I won’t. I’m still having a blast in EQ2 and passing time away until GU53 when achievements come out and auto mentoring. At least this gives me something to do in the mean time.

I was reading Ogrebears site today (thank you google reader!) and came across this post which really didn’t surprise me, and it’s not the only post like this. One key aspect to ALL mmo’s is community. Some of us find that easier then others. Lets say you’re not a member of CoW (there are a few out there, right?) and you pick up WAR and start randomly playing. How interested are you going to be playing a game where no one talks. This means you can’t ask advice for your class. You can’t easily see guild recruitment messages, you can’t ask someone ‘hey have you seen so and so? I have no idea where I’m going here..’ — you COULD ask these things in says, tells, or in a group, or on the scenario channel, but not out wandering around. 

No one talks. Even in the scenarios I’ve been doing, I rarely see any messages at all except maybe ‘hold this place! Work some defense!’ or other brief messages along those lines. There’s just no public channels for people.

Since plenty of other sites talk about how Mythic is ‘on the ball’ about fixing any and all issues that come along (ie: experience boosts for PvE, for low population servers, bug fixes etc) how long will it be before they notice their game has no welcoming community for the new player. This WILL be a turn off for people. 

Put yourself in the place of someone completely new. It’s a lot different when you start the game in a prearranged guild, or are playing with friends. Not everyone plays the same and some times it takes a bit to get warmed up. The game is so dang lonely at times, you’re left wondering if you’re playing a different version of the game then everyone else and these characters running around are not characters at all but some form of elaborate bot. 

I’m a huge advocate of community being key to any mmo. How much better would it be if folks could put out a “hey I need some help at this PQ” or “Hey we’re getting our asses handed to us in keeping this keep, can we get some help” and actually being able to bond with people outside of their own guild. How are you even supposed to know what sort of player a person is unless you stumble into a group with them and give them more then a second glance as you’re doing a scenario or taking a keep?

Worried about the amount of spam? Well there’s already LOTS of spam out there already and we’ve all found ways to deal with it. Seeing general chatter spam is a lot better then seeing nothing at all.

I posted previously about how Beckett MOG (Massive Online Gamer) had an in game item for those people who purchased Issue #15 for EverQuestII – but didn’t mention at the time (since I wasn’t playing WAR) that it also comes with an in game item for WAR. It’s a bracelet (shows a graphic ‘n everything) that’s purple – no idea if it can be salvaged. I was expecting to have some sort of /claim option to use it, but instead once I added the code to my WAR subscrption, logged into game and it was in my mailbox on the first character I logged in. I have no idea if that means it will be waiting there for all characters, or if that was a one time deal.

Like most ‘free’ in game items, it’s not that impressive to me. Or rather, aspects of it are not. It’s a 2 charge 5 minute buff for PvE. The +2 to all stats is pretty nice though. 

A huge thank you to Kasul who gave me his WAR code since he’s not playing. Since I can’t seem to find the dang magazine for sale up here in Canada yet. I am supposed to be on their mailing list, or so I was told when I started to write for Beckett, but the mail here seems to be slow, drawn by polar bears or some such. 

In any case, neat little item for those who bought the magazine. Combine that with the EQ2 in game house item, and a 3rd item that’s for a game I’ve never heard of before, and they’ve got quite a nice deal going on – not including the wonderful articles.

Yesterday while I hung out in Adunei working on my cultivation skill (basically I watch plants grow) and my apothecary skill – Torellis opened a trade window with me, and out of habit I closed it. Typically when people open a trade window with me and I don’t know them I assume it’s a mistake and they meant to click a vendor or trainer. Actually this time I thought it was me who had opened the window by mistake.

However, he opened it again, and in it placed a blue staff for me. It looked far nicer then the one I had been using for a few levels now. 

I don’t know who Torellis is, and I’m not sure I’ll ever come across them in game again but it really made my day. People talk about how kind their guilds are all the time – which is a given because, well who wants to be in a mean and stingy guild. Saylah from Mystic Worlds chattered some with me last night about how she’d gotten a few items from fellow CoW members and I think that it’s great that people are kind and generous. 

But there’s something oddly satisfying and special about being nice to someone you don’t even know, especially in a pvp game where you spend a grand portion of your time layin’ the smack down on the other side. (hey look, I’m trying here ok?) I sent Torellis a tell saying thank you (wow a real tell NOT from a gold farmer?!) and they replied with ‘np’ and that was the end of the conversation. They may have just been rolling around in tears laughing over my gimp gear, who knows. I like to think they were just being friendly. 

After spending a week and a half floundering around trying to decide what I wanted to play and where, I’ve come to the conclusion that my first attempt was the right one (for me). So I’ll be sticking with Stargrace on Averheim (In CoW) to level up, archmage seems fairly comfortable. I love being able to make potions, I use them all the time for all sorts of situations. It’s nice to be able to replenish health, or action points, or give myself extra buffs. Hopefully I can find a few talisman along the way to fill in those gear slots, or find a guild mate who’s doing it (or perhaps I’ll just start an alt for that). I’m level 8/7 as of yesterday, I’m hoping to inch my way closer to T2. I’ve got multiple characters hovering around that level range now, and it would be nice to stretch my legs and explore a bit more.

Ishbel knew there was a way around her situation. The fact that women could not enter combat in the front lines for Chaos in heavy armor bothered her. It had bothered her for years now and she had finally reached an age where she was almost free to do as she wanted. As free as anyone was who lived under Chaos. She was going to do something about it. Something drastic. 

So she headed to Mount Bloodhorn and met with a goblin Shaman, who whispered to her about an orc illusion spell he had been working on in secrecy. The illusion would only work for a few short hours at a time but it would give off the impression that she was an orc to anyone who happened to look at her. The shaman contained the illusion in an inking along her flesh, the sharp needle digging into her. She had only to say the incantation, and she’d have the appearance of an orc – for a short while at least.  The rest would be left up to her. 

Ishbel went about her daily chores, preparing for her transfer to an orc. She gave excuses for her absence, not that any would mind. She pretended to be working on some special healer formula that would enable her to cast at a longer distance and required hours upon hours of quiet meditation. 

Fools.

When the time came, Ishbel ducked into an empty cave in Mount Bloodhorn, and murmered the incantation. Looking at herself, she felt repulsed. It was necessairy though. She had wanted this for so long. Willing to obtain it by almost any means possible. 

Ishbel tentatively peeked out of the cave and looked around. Orcs and Goblins were going about their routines, whatever those were. Now or never, she thought to herself. 

No one gave her a second glance. Squigs ran around and loud booms could be heard in the distance – but no one noticed Ishbel. Well, that wasn’t exactly true. She was noticed by one Skarzay. 

“Get in line!” He yelled at her. 

“Uh.. ” She tried to sound like an orc, and simply grunted instead. She took her place behind the others and when it was her turn she picked up a handful of work orders. 

“Name!” Skarzay snapped at her. 

Ishbel had not planned that far ahead. She was so excited that she had forgotten she would even need a name. 

“Zuh…. uh… ” She stammered. 

“Zugug it is!” Skarzay snapped at Assistant Librarian Gruzuk, who stood a few feet away. “Get Zugug recruit clothes, and send him on his way!” Ishbel was shoved forward with the other new recruits. She glanced around. 

“Yo dude!” one orc beside her spoke up, “Put ‘er there!” he held out his hand and Ishbel had to swallow hard to avoid throwing up all over the ground. Green pus oozed from an open wound, and his hand was covered in what looked suspiciously like feathers. 

“Uh… ” She grunted again and closed her eyes, shaking the orcs hand and ignoring the sounds.

“I’m Gorenutz!” He shouted proudly. 

Men. Are. Stupid. Was all Ishbel could think to herself. 

“Zugug.” She said out loud. 

Suddenly a wave of voices started repeating a chant – a chant she should know, she realized. She could have slapped herself for not preparing for all of this. She would have to fake it. 

“Time to… tear.. and smash.. time to .. laugh.. and slash?” She stumbled through the verse some how, mouthing the words and making up those she didn’t know. She made notes to remember it before it was repeated a second time. It wouldn’t do any good to have her cover blown so early. 

She read over her forms, and noticed she was being sent to Da Slop. She had no idea where that was. Looking at her map she found a crude drawing of a bubble bursting and ‘slop’ scribbled across in chicken scratch. Alright then. She hefted her axe to her side, shield on the other and whispered a silent thanks that she had watched her brothers training all those years, it was going to pay off. 

When she reached ‘Da Slop’ she just about turned around and gave up pretending to be an orc right then. Words could not even describe the disgusting view before her. Burping and belching, orcs and goblins alike scratching in places that she wouldn’t even dare touch in public. 

Ew. Gross. 

She held her breath and walked through the green muck, it clung to her feet and she bit her tongue to avoid making any extra sound. This was going to take a lot more effort then she thought. 

As she came across the moving crates along the beach she remembered why she was doing it. The thrill and blood thirst that ran through her veins that healing could not satisfy. The ache and longing to smash in a dwarfs face with her shield, and the sound of bones splintering into a thousand pieces. 

Ah, yes. THIS was worth it. For now, at least. 

(( New little Rp story, since women on the Destruction side can’t be tanks, I found a roleplay method to be one. Works for now. I had fun doing the Orc starter quests. We’ll see where this goes. )) 

Edit: Title changed slightly as per Tipa’s wisdom

My Chaos Zealot, and She-Ra. I know, too much time on my hands today.

What an unfortunate nick name to get stuck with. At times though, that’s exactly how my Archmage feels, especially in scenarios. The first few times I run one it goes fairly smooth, I stand at range, slap on some DoT’s to up my heals, and then heal until there’s a lull, then put out more dots. Things go fairly quietly for me until they (destruction in this case) realizes that the person they’re fighting keeps getting healed – how annoying is that! 

Exceptionally, apparently. Because before I know it, a whole swarm of destruction has come swooping down, ignoring the one they were fighting only to pummel me into the ground. Ah, such is the life of a healer. Once destruction has figured out who the healers are things can quickly go downhill. Especially if there are no tanks playing on the order side of things. Last night I had a scenario with 5 healers and a bunch of dps – but no tanks. No one to stop the swarms from attacking us and be out there in the front lines. We were vanquished, easily. 

I’m still dissapointed that females can’t be tanks on the destruction side. I understand all of the roleplay reasons behind it (( and LORE reasons.. I get it, 25 year old game yada yada )) but I think it’s really just… I want to say stupid but that’s not the right word. It’s really not nice. I realize there shouldn’t be such an issue with me playing a male character if I want to tank destruction THAT bad, but call me weird, I don’t want any danglie bits. I also realize it probably won’t be THAT much of an issue because lets face it, there are just less female gamers then there are male. 

I started a Zealot on Ostermark, which is a heavily populated Rp server. I didn’t get to play much last night since I had other things to attend to, but it was still fun even though I’m not particularly fond of the Chaos starting area. I hear it’s one of the more popular. 

Despite some bad comments about the Tome of Knowledge – I think it’s fantastic. I love to keep track of things, be they quests or roleplay stories or whatever else and this little thing does it all. I love the fact that there’s a built in bestiary and a way to check my titles, and more importantly – a place to read the chapter stories. They’re categorized not only by chapter and ‘main’ story, but also by public quest, and the stories associated with them. I don’t have the most amazing of memories, and it’s nice to be able to flip back to chapter one and read about what was going on. 

A few other people have mentioned this – it’s one of the QUIETEST games I have ever played. Do people all talk on some channel I’m not aware of? No one says a peep. Where’s the general chat? Maybe I have it turned off but it says I’m joining and leaving channels each time I move to a new section of land. I’ve barely heard anyone say anything, unless it was the roleplay stories I’ve stumbled onto simply due to the servers I play on. Who knew one day I’d actually complain that a game is too silent. I’ve heard a handful of people talking in scenarios but even then it’s typically quiet. 

I know I’ve been writing a lot about WAR lately, but keep in mind that I’m waiting on the newest game update for EQ2 as well as the expansion – I have multiple level 80’s there and I’ve just been slightly burnt out. So for those EQ2 readers, no worries I’ll be back, always am. Should get some time to play Guild Wars again this weekend too, which I’m excited about.