A new to me game...

I have been trying to let my anger over DDO's decision to go free to play rest a while. I haven't been up to playing much lately. When I am in game, all I seem to think about is how it is going to be different soon.

So I had to find something new to do.

I also wanted to understand more about the Free to Play concept.

I bought Guild Wars.

I've been playing around with it for about 10 days now.

I have found myself actually having a good time with a game I would never have thought of picking up.

First, let me be clear. It's not a straight MMO in my mind. It's more of a cooperative play experience. You can definitely solo your way through most of the mission, but you're going to have more fun if you're in a guild.

I've managed to see past the lack of action based combat and find other joys. The leveling system is based more on skills, and that is where you can have the fun building your character. You can mix and match to your hearts content and make as unique a build as you would like.

There is a lot of content. The world is simply huge. There are short little missions, or larger more involved missions. You have pets, who you can rename, henchmen you can hire to helo you on a mission, or you can get hero's who level up with you.

The guild housing is spectacular. The party screen easy to read, banking is readily available, inventory space can be upgraded, you have guild clocks you can wear around with pride and you can dye your armor.

All of this in a game with no subscription fee.

There are some things available in the store, like a makeover for your character, buying additional character slots, or more bank space, but there isn't the nickel and dime micro transactions. There are no buy a mission, buy points, buy this and that every time I turn around.

The loading is seamless.

From the time I put the disc into the computer to the time I logged into game was 7 minutes. It was a shock to be in that fast. I figured I would be all day downloading 4 years worth of content, but the game works with a some kind of mini file system that loads as you, so there is no big download to preclude you from jumping right in.

Overall I am having a blast learning something new.

In other news, my puppy is growing like a weed, the Navy is still confusing to learn and I have caught the blasted summer cold that has been going around here.

Nothing overly exciting.


Oh except someone ran over my mailboxes.


I have no idea what hit them, but it had to be a tank LOL

I am still trying to figure out where my mail is going. *sigh* Good thing I pay all of my bills online these days because I am quite sure some of my mail has gone missing.

I am off to take some more medicine and maybe try and get in some game time if I feel up to it.
GAME ON!!!

Microtransaction Mayhem

I logged onto DDO this morning and got the shock of my life.

Turbine announced DDO Eberron Unlimited today. The Super Secret they have been trying to hammer out for almost a year is out of the bag.

I have thoughts. Most of them too riddled with flaming explicatives to post here.

Basically, DDO reached the natural level cap of 20 and Turbine decided to take the game free to play.

It could be good.

It could be disastrous.

For all of the communities bellyaching over lack of marketing and lack of new players, Turbine has rewarded them with the ultimate Deck of Many things. Be careful what you pull, cuz it may "sound" good, but ummmm maybe it won't turn out like you think.

If you have a current subscription to DDO you have been upgraded to VIP. *golf clap* Which in essence equals nothing has changed for you. You will still play the game the same way you have.

If you have never tried DDO, in the future you will be able to play without purchasing. My understanding at this moment is you will have a level cap, limited access to content, and the ability to purchase additional yumminess from an in game store.

The details of the store and its pricing are forth coming. I don't have them. Don't ask me.

Do I like it?

Hell no.

Where's Mod 9?

Ummm no where. There is a closed beta (by invitation only) availabe on Turbines DDO.com homepage. In multiple postings it has been said Mod 9 as we knew it is no longer. A major update to the game is going to happen "late" this summer and will include what we thought of as mod 9. There will be no mod 10... it is now being called update 1.

In other words, they have lied AGAIN and strung us along with this MOD 9 crap for 7 months while they hashed out the details of their new venture with Atari.

*shrugs*

I am disheartened that my game of choice has just been given the ulitmate of insults... a downgrade to Free MMO... bleh.

Kiddies delight.

Let there be no mistake... the lower levels of the game will be rife with little ones whining over voicechat for mommies credit card so they can buy more goodies for their toon.

*huge dramatic sigh*

I am hoping there is some sort of good spin. As of yet, I am not seeing the light, but then I have watched this model of game in Dungeon Runners. Been there, done that, have the t-shirt.

Enough of my rant. I am off to game while I can.

Goodbye DDO Stormreach. I miss you already.

GAME ON!!!

Wavy mornings and some DDO

I have been trying to take the puppy to the beach for days. Dogs aren't allowed on the beach from 10-6 :( So this means I have to wake up early. Now I realize some of you are like "that's not early!", but in my world 10 am is up with the rooster.

I managed to shake off my sloth and get her out there today. We were on the beach by 8:30am. I might have been cranky for a few minutes while I let the Dr Pepper rev my system, but puppy was wide awake.

I think overall she liked the beach more on this visit. She loved the sand, and ran, dug and rolled in it.
Waves she was not so thrilled with. I would walk through the surf and she would be as close as she could be to me while staying dry. If a wave looked like it was going to get near her, she would blot across the sand.

I think if she could have figured out how to pounce on a wave all would have been well :D

The water was cool running over my feet, but the warm sand seemed the perfect place to stick my toes.

Just a great way to greet the day.

I had some errands to do this morning, but I was excited about coming home and playing some DDO.

Of course it's the day when they decide to have a mega implosion and no one was able to log in for hours :D

I thought I knew this game pretty well. I have been working on a revamp of the Quest list I keep up on the forums. This required a total reworking to add in all the quests I was missing, looking up raid info and then on to the real fun.

Before it is published, I or someone else I trust will have stepped into every quest in this game to check on the Base xp (on nomral) and other info.

As I run my finger down the list of 200 odd quests, I find there are some I am fairly unfamiliar with. I maybe have run them once or twice. What is it about these quests that make them ignored?

The Pit (lvl 7) I understand. It gets under people skin. The favor for it, and the optional Muckdoom make it palatable for some, but most of us will run it once and then never again.

Three Barrel Cove got that mega upgrade. I don't think I ever see LFM's for it.
I mean probably NEVER. Why? Legend of Two Toed Tobias is actually a fun little quest, but yeah ok, the XP is a little low on it I guess.

So as I am making this adventure I am finding there is really a lot of content we just ignore?

*ponders*

Still doesn't make me want to quit howling for mod 9 :D

I am off to do more work.

GAME ON!!!

Wicked

I haven't been to the theater in years. I don't do crowds well, the seats are always uncomfy and well, just about anything I thought of seeing, I could catch on DVD at some point.

I have fabulous friends though, and one of them convinced me it was time to actually GO to the theater.

Wicked was just too good to pass up.

It's the story of the Wicked Witch from The Wizard of OZ. If you are thinking in your head, "Oh poo who cares?" You are doing yourself a disservice.

I was awed by the whole experience. The sets were fabulous. You can't take pictures while the play is being performed, but I got these couple of snapshots of the stage before the curtain went up.



The dragon had wings that moved, fiery red eyes and blew smoke> I wanted to smite him!


A map of The Land of OZ with the Emerald City in the middle.

A shot of the whole stage.

I had a awesome time. Really. I didn't mind the seats because I was so interested in where the story was going I didn't care. The lead had a set of lungs on her that took my breath away.

So if you have a chance to check out the show, please please do. I am including a link to the website here. WICKED

In other news, still no Mod 9 for DDO. I am hearing scuttlebutt about licensing issues... since I am only aware of Wizard of the Coast and Codemasters and Atari, and Codemasters is more the European distributer, Atari has more pressing issues considering their bankruptcy ( and who is now hasbro if I understand all that corporate wrangling correctly who is the owner of Wotc), I am leaning towards WOTC being silly. Nice of them. After experiencing their unwavering lack of support for the Franchise last year at Gencon, I am not surprised. I need someone over at Turbine to roll a 20 and vorpal the WOTC issues please.

I breeze by DDO a couple of times a week, but I have been kidnapped by my XBOX 360.

Fable 2 won't let me go. I can't help it, I buy property, play with my doggie, fight baddies and generally have a blast.

I may or may not being doing a podcast today. I am feeling ranty over the Mod 9 tardiness. I am tired of he said, she said and want the bloody thing released. I am trying to think of a positive tact I can have on my segment.

Wish me luck.

GAME ON!!!

Changes

If you are logging on this morning, you are not seeing things.

I have been contemplating redoing my blog for a while now, and I changed it overnight.

I am hoping the site loads faster now. I don't know much about coding, but I tried to clean up what I had.

If there is a feature I used to have that I am now missing, let me know.

And please let me know if things are not working correctly.

I am still trying to get the e-mail button back for you guys. I can't figure out where the post footer is in the template, and think maybe I am so bleary eyed that I am missing the obvious.

I also have to figure out how to put feedburners info back on the site. They changed over to goggle and everything is messed up. I did burn another feed, but this SHOULD NOT affect anyone who was subscribed before. At least I hope not. It's not supposed to, but at this point I haven't the foggiest.

Do you like it? I think I like it. I think even if I don't like it, it was too much work to change it and I am not going back now. Still, I would love to hear if anyone actually has an opinion one way or another.

Even with a ton of coffee, I can do no more damage tonight.

*stumbles off to bed*