Back to DDO in Time for Update 5
The thing I like best about Dungeons & Dragons' f2p model is that I have a hard time keeping up a steady playing schedule, but love to come back to the game. Sure, I've probably spent more buying adventure packs and 32-point builds and whatnot, but then again I also haven't paid a subsbscription for months with no playing happening. To me, at least, it evens out in the end.
After having made the Orien server my home during the first part of this year (as it is the home of some real-life mutual aquaintances of myself and Redeye), I am happy to report I am back in my OG hood Sarlona (which I chose as my home server back at launch). Why leave Orien? It isn't my DDO "home" and I lost the desire to play with the Orien guild as I gradually learned they had no clue how to play the game, or even display the slightest shred of intelligence or thoughtfulness.
Not to be too harsh, but within a few not-so-easy instances I realized that the core members' main strategy was ZERG, ZERG, ZERG!! Of course none of them are "vets" and have no clue how to run the instances ... which results in a wipe every few minutes. And like that cliched definition of insanity, there apparently was no learning of how not to wipe happening. Add to that high levels of frustration on the part of those causing the wipes and some rather racist commentary from the same. Partying with imbeciles just wasn't happening for me and so I took a couple months off from DDO entirely.
While I look forward to completing my Exploiter Drow Rogue/Ranger, Emmil Cioran on Sarlona, which I abandoned to move to Orien, I rerolled a copy of the character I played on Orien and absolutely fell in love with: a Halfling Monk/Cleric. It's all personal preference, but I have had the most fun I have ever had in DDO with this class combo. I got him up to level three before the server came down for Update 5, but didn't visit the trainer. His name is Trillax (trill + chillax = gangsta) on Sarlona.
Right now I am actually considering making him a pure Monk. But most likely I will be targetting a 17 Cleric /3 Monk build. He's a Weapon-Finesse/Dexterity build and I to focus on unarmed combat. I've begun with two levels of Monk and now will level him strictly as a Cleric; the third level of Monk will come later, perhaps around level 12-or-so. I'm playing with the build in the DDO Character Planner right now and will probably be posting it on my DDO blog when I get the chance.
I have to admit, I am sorely tempted to make him a pure Monk, however, and taking advantage of Update 5's Ninja Spy enhancements. Though that is more for the coolness factor - the Cleric Radiant Servant enhancements from U5 will suffice just fine. In fact, considering the Monk Ninja spy enhancements, I am willing to bet there is a really solid Rogue/Monk build ... I am sensing synergy with the Drow short sword racial enhancements. This will be something to consider down the road.
In other Update 5 news, Zen Archery is a new feat which should make the Divine Archer (Elven Cleric (or Favored Soul) / Ranger) I want to build even better as it allows you to swap your Wisdom bonus for your Dexterity bonus for damage. Now if only bow-based combat in DDO didn't suck overall - someday I'll bother to work through this build.
You'll also notice that guilds have gotten a lot of love. Most noticeably in the form of renown and guild levels, giving access to all sorts of items and bonuses and whatnot. And the most noteable of these benefits will be DDO's first stab at player housing - the guild Airship. This should be interesting, it definitely makes me want to join a regular guild.
Preferably one that doesn't have members that rush into death over and over pointlessly then scream "F***KING N**GER!!" when they can't figure out why they completely fail at the game - and obviously fail at life as well.
Coming back … again and again
Well, I've taken another couple month break from the old blog. In fact, I've taken a couple-month break from life.
I wish I could say I spent the bulk of January and February in a sensory deprivation tank a-la William Hurt in Altered States, but alas I'm much more boring than that. I spent a few weeks visiting Los Angeles and that was fun. I wasted a solid month-and-a-half being way too old to couch surf but fucking doing it anyway; I wanted to get in touch with my inner hippie.
I have also been having some familial issues, and now they are in the process of sorting themselves out. Of course I will not go into all the gory details here, but lets just say I could have a pretty good treatment for a TV drama if I cared to write it. Everybody is learning, growing, sharing and whatnot.
I do have no compunction relating my gaming experiences herein, as that is the purpose for which this blog exists. Sadly, those experiences are also rather dull.
Sucker for a sale
I spent more money than was prudent during the weeks-long gang bang that was the Steam Holiday Sale. However, I got loads of sweet games for hella cheap (to use the patois of my northwestern American home), mostly comprising games I already wanted but was too stingy to buy at full price.
The winners in the "waiting-for-a-sale-and-already-knew-I'd-like-it" category are Children of the Nile, Company of Heroes and Day of Defeat. I scored on these and I am thrilled about it. Sadly I haven't been able to play Children of the Nile as much as I want and no matter how hard I try I just suck (big-time) at Company of Heroes (though I still love it), but I went on a Day of Defeat bender for a couple weeks and loved every minute. Avalanche is my favorite map so far, though I have developed a bit of a Donner fetish.
The winners of the "impulse-buy-and-didn't-care-for-it" category are Zombie Shooter 2, Evil Genius and Killing Floor. I can't say I cared for any of these, and my reasons are various. I may still enjoy playing Evil Genius someday, but I couldn't get past the tutorial which made me want to punch things -- I believe I had issues with its rather glacial pace. I just can't get into Killing Floor for no particularly good reason (which could change in the future, however) and I outright dislike Zombie Shooter 2. If I would have spent more than $2.50 on ZS2 I would have felt completely cheated. While I don't really dislike Killing Floor or Evil Genius, if I had a second chance I probably would not bother to buy either.
Fly Safe, Capsuleer
The surprise hit of the sale was a brand new $5 EVE online account. I am happy and nerdy to say I have been glued tight to the Verge Vendor region of New Eden since around Christmas, learning the many vagaries of asteroid mining. While technically not a "new" account -- I activated a trial account I originally made in 2007 -- I have been enjoying EVE nearly every day for the past two months and feel as though I have finally "found" an MMORPG I can truly enjoy.
I put "found" in quotes, of course, because I have actually played EVE Online off-again-and-on-again since 2006; I find it a bit strange I only now have actually taken to the game. In my previous attempts to grok the game I always knew there was something about it that I like and enjoy, but I suppose until I tried being a full-time miner I didn't actually know what that something actually is. So right now that something is mining and mineral trading, which I am utterly cracking-out on. Dangling preposition FTW.
And now with the recent announcement of the SimCity-like aspects of the upcoming Tyrannis update, I will probably be hooked for at least another several months, if not longer. If you want to look me up in-game I'm Dank Fortuente and the asteroid belts of the Aidart solar system is currently my main stomping grounds.
The only other MMORPG I am dabbling in at all is Dungeons and Dragons Online, which continues to be a treat now that I can play sporadically without worrying over paying a regular subscription. I don't get to play terribly often but I have been working on a Drow Exploiter Ranger which I named Emmil Cioran. His bio reads only "ennui is the echo in us of time tearing itself apart;" perhaps "reality is a creation of our excesses" would be more a-propos to the venue, LOL.
Moving On
Well, it is nearly time for me to wrap up this post. So I will leave by saying that I am still here, still building cities and RPing like a nerdy dork, even still working on my PBBG, despite various hurdles and setbacks. I suppose I could go on for longer about my love affair with MySQL InnoDB and foreign keys, but I will bore you with that in another post. Until then blaze high -- you know I will.
Torchlight Commence
Well, I went and did it. I pre-ordered Torchlight on Steam.
While I'm sure it's going to be a great game, I'm a little concerned the Diablo-style ARPG gameplay won't hold my attention. Then again, at only $18, it's not that big a deal.
I'm playing DDO more lately, though two weeks ago I was uninstalling it and cursing Turbine. What can I say? So their customer service sucks, the game is pretty good. I just wish I didn't feel like such a sheep, but then again what happens if you have an argument with your DM? Drop out of the group for good or kiss, makeup and keep the adventure alive?
At the moment I am playing with a Drow skill-heavy adaptation of the Exploiter Ranger (18 Ranger / 1 Rogue / 1 Monk). Skill heavy in the sense I plan on investing the extra skill points in Lock-picking and Disable Traps and as a Drow also I will be focusing on rapiers and/or short swords rather than khopesh.
So far I am enjoying this build. I started as a Rogue and will take four levels or so of Ranger before taking the level in Monk. I think after I have my way with this build I am going to start a Divine Archer (Elven/Drow Favored Soul-Ranger).
I am still logging into and playing Fallen Earth a bit, but I am thinking more strongly about canceling. I don't know if it is just me or I am being influenced by other people's opinions, but it seems like FE does have more of a themepark feel the farther you advance. Maybe it is a side-effect from the heavy design reliance on questing. Maybe I have not advanced enough. (After all I am still only level 10.) Still, this game has real potential, so even if I do cancel now I can see myself picking it back up down the road.
I am still experiencing angst over LOTRO. I don't have the time to play it, even if I was so inclined, but geez I miss Middle Earth - even a crude video game rendering of it. I should have become a lifer last year when I had the opportunity, it's just $200 all at once seems so exhorbitant a price. But I have spent at least that much on my sub even at $10/month since then, so looks like I missed out.
I am really jonesing for some Tropico 3 action, but I just can't justify it as an expenditure. I'll wait until its on sale.
I haven't talked much at all about Cities XL. That's because I don't think I'll be buying that one at all - from what I've been reading the single-player seems milque-toast and the multi-player not worth the money. That could all be wrong, but I have more than enough to hold my attention with the various historic city builders I've been into lately. Maybe someday down the road I'll give it a shot. Or maybe someday my not-so-favorite Republican Will Wright will finally make Sim City 5 and make it non-sucky. And seriously, how does one have the insight and intelligence to create Sim City and the Sims yet be duped by the mouth-breathers that would make an utter lackwit like Sarah Palin Vice President? How does that happen?
Anyway, now I'm getting all political so I will end this here. Except to mention that I have delved deep into the world of Regular Expression for my work on project WOTAN, and I have been chilled to the bone by the horror of it all. Oh well, it is my destiny to either become a regex ninja or die trying.
I am hellbent on mastering regex because aside from the fact that it is extremely useful to know in general (technical) situations, I am writing my own form of BBCode to supplement my wiki markdown so I can start adding html elements (mainly forms) directly into the wiki pages. Currently I have things like the character stats and inventory displaying directly through echo in their respective class methods, which works great and all - I am actually debating a bit with myself whether I should leave it as-is because it is more secure but unfortunately far more unwieldy and pasta-like.
Blogs I Read
- Brian Psychochild Green
- Combat Archaeology
- Elder Game
- Hardcore Casual
- Kill Ten Rats
- Killed In A Smiling Accident
- LOTRO Combo Blog
- Open Bracket
- OSG1 – Online Strategy Games
- Pumping Irony
- Ralph Koster
- Stylish Corpse
- The Core Mechanic
- Tish Tosh Tesh
- Troll in the Corner
Browser Games I Play
Fortuente Pages
Game Sites I Like
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