Friday, July 6, 2012

Maps, Guilds, The Story-based Existence of All of the Above


This originally was posted as part of email correspondence with friends, and details the RP/in character justification for the Waypoint guild in a storyline that runs only in my head.

Head canon, if you will.

Presented unedited, except for this preamble, the story is shared.


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Karanina, the Noble

This is the story of a player, popularly known as Snack. 

But to tell you that story, I have to tell you this one: about a draenei priestess, named Karanina.

Karanina is the second ever character I have rolled - far enough back, that her "Date of Birth" was before getting a couple of Hallow's End achievements in 2008: Karanina didn't reach max level until 13 May, 2011.




Where a bunch of other alts have come and gone, Karanina has remained. Which, I suppose, really shouldn't surprise me to be writing of stubborn, cussed determination.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Six!

Apparently, it is a thing, and I was tagged by Lizzia at Shamanaholic (formerly Authorized to Ramble) to show off pictures. Yey pictures! Except there's rules to it.

This is how it goes:
  1. Go into your screenshots folder
  2. Open the sixth sub-folder and choose the sixth image.
  3. Publish the image! (and a few words wouldn’t hurt, though I dare say I couln’t stop a blogger from adding a few words of their own).
  4. Challenge six new bloggers.
  5. Link to them.
I don't have six folders, but here's my 6th screenshot!



Wednesday, January 18, 2012

On Nerfing of Dargon Soles

Every time major nerfs come around for a "current tier" raid, people rather loudly huff and barrel their chests out and speak down to the proles who raid and say "Well, they should improve if they want to see content at our level."

That's not a wrong opinion, but it is a bad mindset!

Blizzard, with their raid development, are in a position now where they want the time they spend crafting these raids to be seen by more players - many supporters like to bandy about the "1% of players saw the Sunwell" statistic, when arguing for the opening of content to more levels of play skill; much of the opposition throw the argument that "the challenge is the fun" and that "in the old days you'd spend many raid lock outs on a single boss!"

Both sides have legitimate arguments; both sides are legitimately right. But, both sides are unable to find equal ground - it's the scene from Reservoir Dogs where the mob boss hands out the nicknames: Nobody knows each other, so nobody wants to back down.

Bashiok is Nice Guy Eddie in this analogy. The KBilly Radio DJ is the gentleman who runs MMO Champion. Stealer's Wheel is thus replaced with Rebecca Black. (I am bad at analogies)

The side that wants it easier isn't necessarily bad players, but on a limited time frame. The side that wants everything "left alone" aren't necessarily on a limitless schedule, but they have a drive and determination that leaves them wanting to achieve MORE.

They may be the side that heavily romanticizes the days of yore, where you'd spend weeks wiping to a boss because everybody hadn't farmed enough Nature Resist gear - they may just feel like this is what they want to to do with their time. The side that supports the nerfs may have been those players too, who remember the Chambers of Suppression in Blackwing Lair - may have been the rogue tapping all the traps so people can pass, even!

Let's get past the idea that there's only two "kinds" of people playing World of Warcraft.

But before that happens, there needs to be an across the board understanding between two very emotionally charged parties.

To the people who support the nerfs: It's okay. You'll see the content.

To the people who are against the nerfs: It's okay. You've seen the content.

I'm over simplifying this. It needs to be simple. Maybe it needs to be overly simple.

There will never be a clear conversation about anything if we're constantly going to war with ourselves about what side of the bread we put the butter on.

Lets have a discourse on the topic with respect for each other. Don't instantly kneejerk about "Bads in mah raids killin' mah dragons" - don't get butthurt over "special snowflakes don't want us in their sandbox!"

Be excellent to each other. Just to mix it up a little, for once.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Notes for Endtime Dungeon

Recently, World of Warcraft's Patch 4.3 added three new five-player dungeons, End Time, Well of Eternity, and Hour of Twilight: this is a quick guide to the first.




Friday, November 18, 2011

On Character

Not the personality trait, no.

There's a couple letters in MMORPG that kinda hang - the whole "Role Playing" thing. Some people can treat World of Warcraft, Guild Wars, the upcoming The Old Republic, or whichever their MMO of choice is as a numbers game - bigger numbers forever, all the time!

Metagaming is okay, you know? Munchkin out, munchkins, keep on trucking, 'coz we love you too. (But if you roll seven RIGHT NOW, our love for you is double all weekend)

Kerain North, as drawn by @Outbirk


For some, the Role Playing may stop at the "get better gear, be better at game" - but, for others, they may have a personal attachment to characters they play. Might make stories for them, even!

I've felt bad about the recent offerings because I dump more fanfiction than anything useful here - but it felt like a good conversation piece!

What about you? Do you think of your "toon" as a character? Do you put thought into their motivation? Their history? Do you do this for every character, or just for your favorite?