Rowanheal---Girl Gamer

What I've been up to...

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 02:03:00 +0000

I don't have a whole lot to talk about. Life has been ticking a long at a pretty fast clip lately. How in blue blazes is it already mid-November?

One thing I love about this season, well besides the deliciously cool weather, is the proliferation of pumpkin objects. I love pumpkin candles, sprays and plug in, so I had to give myself a budget. Otherwise my cleaning closet would be overflowing and I would be broke LOL!

Game wise I have been busy in Dragon age. I know I know... stop staring at me. DDO is still fabulous and I love it and play at least once a week, but Dragon age is simple yumminess and I am, for the moment, completely hooked :)

I do have something to say though, I am not in love with the way every game seems to have some sort of "social" site. Just how connected am I supposed to be exactly?

I use myddo because I am at heart a DDO fanatic. I can't resist keeping in touch with all my gaming friends. I don't use it for Lotro, I play too sproadically and its simply not worth the headache. Now Bioware has a whole social site set up for Dragon age?

I have been looking at how connected I am lately and bemoaning the amount of work it takes to keep everyone in the "social loop."

I want one program that does it all, and for now I am trying out Digsby. It connects your social networks, IM's and various e-mail accounts in one smooth application. It takes some work to input everything, but after you are done, its all rather seamless.

Just to highlight the issues I speak of, when I am finished writing this blog, I am going to have to copy and past it into the blogging software over on MYDDO. If there is a way to get the MYDDO system to automatically bring this information in, without the need for my intervention, I have yet to find it. So it's another step I try to remember when I post blogs these days.

Here's a link to my Dragon Age info. That is supposed to work, but I hear it sometimes requires you to be logged in to see the info... kind of pointless really except I can use the site to look at my character when I am not in game. What in the world is it useful for except bragging rights?

Look, I'm not saying its a horrible thing, I am just asking how interconnected do I actually need to be?

Gaming wise, I utilize Xfire to keep up with my shennaigans, and on the Xbox I use their little program (which I have a link to on my blog.)

So someone explain to me why I need all this stuff? *bangs head on her desk*

And Xbox is adding in twitter and facebook functionality. WHY???

I'll stop complaining now LOL.

There is something to be said for simply unplugging, yes?

Mmmm... And don't forget to head over to DDOcast to hear this weeks episode :)

Ohhhh and while I am thinking about it, I am awfully glad I didn't log into DDO today. Maintenance seems to have been a wee tad wonky and everyone on Thelanis lost their guild? ROFLMAO... I shouldn't laugh, its had everyone in an uproar, but can I just say as oppsie's go this one was Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious :)

Game on!!!

DDO quest list updated... and DRAGONAGE ORIGINS

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:10:00 +0000

A quick drive by blog...

Zeff worked on the quest list, and it should be current as of 11/1/2009. A reminder, if you have it as an RSS feed, you should have seen an update this morning :) If you have never taken a look at the list, you can do so by clicking on this following link. Rowanheal's Quest List

Look like DDO is getting a new server :) I saw the update on my twitter yesterday. Awesome news. I especially like that it is being open only to new players. It means for those of you who like to play untwinked, you can go over there and enjoy the challenge. I have no idea if I will venture over there or not. I dislike pugging...

And now onto my favorite news.

DRAGON AGE ORIGINS is finally here.

If you were unaware of the game, its the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate 2 and playable on the PC, XBOX 360 and PS3.

I personally ran my happy butt down an picked up my collectors edition yesterday. I will also admit to playing until my eyes were squinty and dry at about 1 am, and to waking up this morning to the mess of paper plates, water spills and two full ashtrays and going "Oh yeah, this is when I know I like a game!"

Good character development, excellent RPG elements, fully immersive storyline and overall I am simply loving it.

I'm putting in a video for it below. Watch it just for pleasure, or let it hook you in :D

One word of warning, DragonAge Origins is rated M for MATURE... please be aware when watching this video!

GAME ON!!!

DDO in Print, and a whole lot about PINK!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:54:00 +0000

Just a short snippet here.

I am super busy with life at the moment, but wanted to at least make an attempt to blog.

For those of you who listen to DDOcast, I have been either doing a segment, participating in a live show, or being a guest voice in a commercial over the last month. Have fun picking out whose voice is whose on there :)

Thats the back cover of PC Gamer's December 2009 issue. Don't faint, but DDO has ACTUAL print advertising :) Who knew?

In other news, I tried to attend the air show here a couple of weekends ago, but the absolutely cruddy weather kept me from seeing anything fly.

I did however have time to ask the hubby to shoot pics of the pink things :)

Ok seriously, I don't know why we need a pink construction truck, but I thought it deserved a nod.
The pink Delta airplane. If I were rich and famous, I would totally have to have one of these.

I know I am late in saying this, but October is Breast Cancer awareness month in case you were living under a boulder and completely missed it :)

I used to almost ignore Breath Cancer Awareness. While I knew it was important to my health and to my gender, I was younger, much less evolved, and generally thought there was no need to think about cancer.

Reality crashed around me when my mother was diagnosed several years ago. I became intimately aware of risk factors, ports, drug therapies, Chemo, Radiation and how to tie a scarf properly.

She is a survivor and I type that with a great deal of emotion. Nothing has ever rocked our family like cancer has.

Never take your world for granted.

So do yourself a favor, do a breast examine routinely, get a baseline mammogram, and remind your girlfriends to touch, check and keep track of changes in their breasts.

I love the color pink for many reasons, October reminds me its more than a fashion choice. It's about stamping out Breast Cancer, treating out bodies with respect, and being an advocate for our own health.

Click on this link to find out the new recommended way to do a Breast Self Exam.

I am off to do some work. Tonight is Static group night in DDO, and I am looking forward to finding new ways to kill some monsters.

Game On!!!

Wait just one minute...

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 01:43:00 +0000

I was looking for ideas for a segment (insert rant) to do tomorrow or Saturday. Turbine was feeling generous and gave me a whole list of things to work with *blows Turbine a kiss*

If you're wondering where the list is, please follow the link here.

I would expound further, but don't want to steal my own thunder. You will simply have to listen to this weekends show.

Moving on... (forces herself to focus through the red haze)...

I have still not been able to run the new raid. Zeff got in on one run tonight, but since both of us only have clerics flagged atm, I sat it out. Didn't think it was fair to run 2 noob clerics in one run. Well that and my guild leader yells. I have a short temper. Didn't seem harmonious :D

I'm redoing one of my accounts as we speak. Still thinking of taking one of them free to play in the next few months. I have 6 of them to think about it since I was wrong about my billing date HA! My second account really has only one character that is played, my Sorc for static group. I figure I can back enough points in the next 6 months to take it completely free and not miss a thing.

Quest list is looking pretty complete and I think Zeff and I will put out the revisions on Saturday. If you have anything else to get to us, PM me on the forums, or e-mail me. BTW THANK YOU to everyone who has been sending in information, its been really helpful.

I've gotten my new inventory system under control. My mule is having a field day. A massive hug to all you plat laden folks over on Argo who are shopping the Auction House. You make me smile every time I log into my mule and see the little gold coins in my mail box :)

On another front entirely, the Navy has been busy putting out promos. I am pasting in the link to this great vid below. It's music and clips only, mostly historical navy stuff. Pretty darn cool.

http://www.navy.mil/navydata/featurePlay.asp?id=27

Shared via AddThis

I am off to crawl in bed and watch some Star Trek Next Generation.

GAME ON!!!

Survival of the fittest

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:26:00 +0000

I decided to roll a monk for my Permadeath character a couple of weeks ago. I guess I could only boycott them for a year :) I still don't have a pink belt on my female monk, but I have to admit, I am enjoying her.

I don't know that most people notice, but I truly don't like playing melee characters. I don't know why, I just like support classes. Plus, there is something so satisfying about nuking a kobold into oblivion!

However, I am finding all the kicking and punching on my monk terribly fun. I can't seem to help myself. I want to play with my ki points, so I run up at any baddie I can find and whack on them.

I've made it to level 4 on my permy, Rowanfists. I know, who knew? I survived the gun barrel of butchers path, visited Durk the Deranged 3 times and have yet to meet Muck, ran threw waterworks, and exploded Yar Yars ship in Irestone Inlet.

Can i just throw in here, that the ship's explosion has to be one of the coolest additions to the game they have made. I simply had to run that content to see it. KABOOM!!!

In other news, I finally got my cleric flagged for the new raid. Not sure when I am going to eek out the time to run it. I've been busy with my new inventory system and spreadsheet lists.

I want to thank everyone who has been sending in information on the quest list. I think we are going to publish a huge revision this weekend. The hubby has been super on top of checking things. We got word from a player some of the previous quests had their favor changed. He was right. Not to mention it looks like a ton of the quests had their XP revisited again. I love the unpublished changes :(

My hand is slow to heal. I am still playing without the use of my index finger, and part of the hand. I am finding it near impossible to heal on the new content and owe my guildies a huge thank you for putting up with me.

I've wondered if that is why I am enjoying a melee character all of a sudden. All I have to do is move and punch stuff, no spell casting, no real specials, just hit it and kill it. It's less complicated, so I am less frustrated.

I've played a lot of DDO in the last week or so. It's full of new people, which is fabulous. I am enjoying the enthusiasm for the game I see from them.

I haven't pugged at all. I am staunchly an in guild person atm. The hubby is looking for a way to help out new players, and we are giving it some thought. We have heard of a friend who is running a guild for lowbies to show them th egame. I am fairly sure the hubby will join it.

I am off to accomplish some actual work. If I am good girl, I will get to game later. :D

Game on!!!

DM's Vision and more :)

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:36:00 +0000

I'm going to blame the husband. I mean after all, it's normally his fault, right?

I am aware of the "rumor" that the longer people are married, the more they act, look and sound alike, but I had NO idea I would take a critical hit!!!

Innocently I watched Zeff's ability to name off all his named loot, be hyper aware of all the gear on any one particular character and earlier this spring found a binder full of his spreadsheets which aggregated volumes of information about DDO. I considered him a nut. I mean who does that?

Apparently, as of yesterday, Rowan does :D

It started because I had all these extra weapons I was pulling on my cleric. I couldn't figure out who to send them to. I innocently thought, well write them down. I started a list. A very very very smallish list.

It always begins that way, doesn't it *sigh*

I have spent most of the past two days going over only two of my girls. Both Rowanheal and Rowanshadow have been inspected with a fine tooth comb. My mule is overburdened with all the left over gear, feats have been exchanged, enhancements reset, toolbars retooled, armor crafted and as I log off tonight I am fairly beat.

I am also thinking about the all the other girls I will have to go through in the coming week. Why in the world did I do this to myself?

MMM, btw, Rowanshadow was respeced for Two Weapon Fighting and took the Way of the Assassin Line. I played around with her for a few minutes and I already like it. Not sure how I am going to do with traps. I left a few enhancement points free, so if I find a deficiency I can address it later.

Rowanheal made some Dragon Touched armor. Color me frustrated, but finally, after 19 Eldtrich runes (I had been saving em up,) I got the Greater False life I wanted. Now I need to run for Tempest and Sovereign runes until the end of time to get the rest of the armor fixed. And yes, now Zeff and I and everyone else look exactly alike. (Ahem, Turbine... Halllllooooo... Armor Dyes!!!)

I also found out about the DM's Vision set tonight from Zeff. If you have the Voice of the Master from Delera's and you pick the Mantle of the Worldshaper from Threnal, you are granted DM's Vision. True seeing all the time. Neat little set with a nod to both Gary and Dave. I love it. Ok, so I can True Seeing on my myself all the time as a cleric, still I had to go see about the set :D

On other fronts, I love it when a log screen has a typo. Couldn't resist posting it here.

Morah and Clankenbeard are running a new contest, MISS STORMREACH 2009. Check out their thread for more info on how to enter. (reminds herself to take her pink robe in to the dry cleaners)

It's been a productive day with a side of fun. I'm off to bed. Zeff wants to try Perma death so we are over on Thelanis for Lessah's Perma Death fun at 8 am est. *blinks* I am gonna need coffee!

GAME ON!!!

Static group dies again

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 04:53:00 +0000

My Static group normally runs on Tuesdays, but after playing together for almost 3 years, we have learned to be flexible. With one of our players out of town on business Tuesday, we moved our game over to Thursday and figured, why not. Our Guild is TnT... it could stand for Thursday :)

Tonight was the first time in months we've had all six of us live in game. While Zeff, the hubby, has been home from deployment for a few, he's had duty and other obligations that have kept him away from Static night fun.

We decided we would tackle a little more of the Reaver's Refuge. We still aren't really well geared, but having only played these characters with this group, we know each others strengths and weaknesses well enough to pull almost any fat out of the fire :D

Tonight, we were robbed. Screwed. And well, in retrospect, really dead :D

We ran Prey of the Hunter. Used to be, we would simply run past all those giants, but with the introduction of the "well thought out" Dungeon scaling system, we now have to stop and kill all those jerks. Time consuming, resource draining, and overly annoying.

We had a fabulous almost wipe when we got to the barriers. Our sorceress was lost and hide at the blue door, while the rest of the party went for the lever... the lever they couldn't find. As the ever directionally challenged sorceress, I listened to the "ding" your party member "insert name here" is dead... repeatedly LOL!

We pulled that one off with some fancy footwork, but when they FOUND the lever to the barrier, somehow all the giants they had been running around FOUND me. In my haste to firewall them to death I fell off the ledge into Rockslide :( Yes, I died. It was an especially hard death to take considering I had been holding my own against the hoard of monsters for a good 5 minutes!

We had a wipe after that, but we kept going, sure we would win the adventure and save the day.

The group had little trouble running through the maze, but we simply weren't fast enough and the "Adventure Failed" message popped for us.

Two and a half hours later and no xp, no chest, but a lot of laughs. I do love to run with my TnTers :)

In other news, I made the 2500 favor on Rowanheal today! W00t. Rowansoul the favored soul will be born soon :D

I also got flagged for the DQ raid and ran it tonight. We 6 manned it with little issue, but nothing dropped :(

It simply wasn't my loot day!

I have been meaning to mention a new Comic. M3 as it is being called just put out its second strip. I am inserting both here, but be sure to check out the site and register to leave comments :)

(click on the pic to enlarge ... unless you can like read tiny stuff LOL)

Episode 1

Episode 2

The quest for Favor

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 02:36:00 +0000

I know most of you don't agree, and that's ok! However, for now, I haven't had a reason to use the DDO Store. I am hoping something comes up in the future, like armor dyes :), but until then , I am leaving it alone.

So, since I may want in the future to run a favored soul, I need the favor. I looked today to see how close I was. It wasn't as nice as I would have thought. 2187 :( Bleh.

Hubby and I took the time to run my cleric through a bunch of the quests today and we log off tonight with Rowanheal having 2441 in favor. Altogether not a bad favor day!

We also finally got the opportunity to run some of the higher level new content.

I reluctantly leveled Rowanheal to 17 to try and make her more viable out there. Since Turbine rightly assumes that ever other player in the game is not as hung up on leveling as I am, they have the content out there pretty insanely inflated.

We ran Genesis Point and Sins of Attrition. Overall I'll give these two a thumbs up for being a challenge. As far as being interesting, well they felt a little blah, but I am hoping as I understand more of the story, it's going to feel more intriguing.

I don't know yet if I am going to run a lot of the content out there over and over again. I will admit, since Gianthold, I have found few reasons to re run content in The Vale, or Reaver's Refuge, ... I don't speak of the Orchard... it's a nasty place.

Gianthold is still my favorite mod they have put out in a long long time. Not sure why the flavor of that one appeals to me so. Maybe it was the different traps, or the size of the open area, ease with which I was able to learn the content well. *shrugs*

I've decided to park all of my girls at 18. Most of you will find this odd. It's ok. We all have a different style of play. I will be right in the middle of some good groups at 18 without a penalty and will still have 2 levels to look forward to down the road if I ever decide to cap the girls out.

Oh and don't forget about the Turbine Points giveaway!!!

BTW... apparently Turbine is trying to go viral...They now have a facebook page, a Twitter and an offical Youtube channel. I simply am speechless. I am sure its a good thing... it has to be a good thing... well it will at least be an interesting thing :D

Check out this video they put out to get people to buy the Ruins of Threnal...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Dude, its THRENAL... we say is wwwaaaayyyy different. And who the heck is this chick?

I think I am off to bed. It's been a good day of gaming and I am wiped.

Game On!!!

Quest List Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:26:00 +0000

Rowanheal's Quest List has been updated AGAIN.

The newly updated list has some major changes.

All quests through what we formally knew as Module 9, now Eberron Unlimited, have been added. I am missing favor for some of the high level stuff and will add it in as I run the content. As always, rss feed the list to keep updated.

I had major help from the hubby this time around again. He helped color code the quest list so we could differentiate between Free to play quests and Premium content.

You will notice we have color coded and grouped the Premium quests and then added a tab to the far right with the Adventure Pack you will need to buy in order to run the content.

From working on the list, it looks like there are 80 or so free quests out of 220 plus quests in the game. For those of you wanting numbers, that means, roughly 37% of the content in the game is Free! Kinda eye opening.

I would like to give a shout out to Rowbie on the forums for his help in aggregating all of this information. He and I chatted a bit in PM's and he helped me get things sorted on the Free to Play versus Premium quests.

I am hoping this is going to prove useful to everyone and that you will let me know if you find any glaringly obvious mistakes and so forth.

In other news, I don't want anyone to forget about the big DDOcast Radio show tomorrow.

DDOcast Live Show on Friday at FPS-Radio.com!!!

Yup. DJDenial over at FPS-Radio.com is a DDO player who has a four hour DDOstravaganza set for Friday, September 18th from 7pm until 11pm Eastern time. FPS-Radio is a streaming radio station that is adding all sorts of talk shows and the like in the coming months.

Friday's show so far will include me, DJDenial, Ustice, Parvo and Lessah. We'll be talking DDO and taking your calls! Yeah, that's the really exciting part. We'd love to hear from you!

Here's the details:

I am DJDenial, owner and main net-host for FPS-Radio.com . We are going to be showcasing this new incarnation of Dungeons and Dragons Online in a feature show we call FPS-RADIO PRESENTS. What we will be discussing is anything and everything dealing with DDO and Turbine, from the downfalls of the old version, the additions to this new version, the pending litigation between Turbine and Atari. What we are looking for is a few individuals that have played the previous version and are playing the current. We are looking for both experienced DnD players in both the MMORPG and the pen and paper. If you are interested in doing this, please post here with some area of contact, or send me an email at admin@fps-radio.com , or at our sitehttp://www.fps-radio.com/ . We have the show planned for September 18th, 2009 starting at 7:00pm EST and running to 11:00pm EST. The only thing that we do ask is that if you are going to participate in the live show, you must be at least 18 years of age.

For those of you that want to tune in and listen or show support, we will be hosting a channel on the QuakeNet IRC Network at #fps-radio . We would love for anyone to participate.

Okay, a bit more info. You can stream FPS Radio from their web site or from any web player like iTunes, Windows Media Player, Real Player, etc.

To call the show live on Friday, use Skype at Rocky.Battan or call FPS-Radio at 248-461-3159.

Now, it should be noted that Friday's get-together will NOT be the regular weekly DDOcast, which will still go out on Saturday. At this point this is just a one-off to have lots of fun on a Friday night, do some streaming Internet radio and finally have that live call-in show that's been requested for years. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm not sure also if this will be recorded for future benefit, so if you can, make sure you check it out!

This could be the start of something awesome.

Quoted from DDOcast.com

Be sure to call and say hi and discuss our favorite game with Jerry and friends.

GAME ON!!!

Static group frustrations

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:47:00 +0000

My fabulous static group ran some of the Reaver's Refuge stuff tonight. Hubby had to be elsewhere, so we were a man down, but we still decided to tool around in the open areas and pick up the rares and explorers.

We ran two of them, twice a piece.

Either we have the worst luck in Stormreach, or something is borked. It's the first time I have been out there since the new mod went up, but we didn't get one single rare. You read right, not a single one.

Left us feeling a little bit frustrated.

We ended up not going into the last one. While it might have been some XP for the rares, we just were too depressed to go through another dry run.

We did give one of the quests a try. About halfway through we all died, but it was a fun death and listening to the shocked gasps makes me giggle. So glad the mic is on push to talk! I try not to tell them about the content, since I have one or two who often haven't run it before. Leads to some spectacular wipes as we figure things out.

I can also say, I learn things about quests I normally zerg through. When you have to take the time to run a dungeon slow and careful, you have time to see everything. Plus, I love to watch them figure something out. :)

On another front I was talking to another DDO player tonight who brought up a good point concerning the DDO Store. I had said on the Podcast that at the moment, I am boycotting it. I just don't see the point and have chosen not to participate. However, a lot of you don't feel that way.

I know some have bought Favored Soul, others have bought additional character slots and so forth. The aesthetic and upgrade items don't bother me, and I think if I were to use the Store they would be the items I would purchase.

However, I caught wind of a disturbing trend tonight. It was reported to me that some people are using the Store for sloppy play.

Wiping on a simple quest and asking who has points to buy rezzes? It's just weaksauce.

Asking the cleric why they just don't buy a mana pot, not your business.

I am hoping as the population gets used to the Store, we will see less and less of this type of behavior. For now, I am just choosing to let it roll as it will. We have a major change to the way the game operates, and its going to take a couple of months for everything to settle.

I am not sure they will ever get back to what I call "normal," but I do think it will still be a fun and interesting game.

Game On!!!

Things that make you go hmmmm

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:05:00 +0000

Spent the day in Stormreach. It's the first long day I have had to just sit and play more than a couple of hours of the game since the relaunch.

One of my PnP players tried the game on her own the day it launched. I had no idea, but when she sent me a text she liked DDO, I knew I had to find some time to sit down and show her the ropes.

A new character was born. FruityLoop the Cereal Killer. She's a pure Paladin who is only going to wear only Brigadine. I figure she can get some of that really brightly colored Crayola box stuff and like up to her Fruityness :)

Rolling a new toon is always a little boring to me. I've done the content 5 million times at this point.

Today was not boring. It was down right maddening.

With the infux of new Free to Play players, the general chat was rife with immature jokes, pure outright lewd comments, language only a sailor should use (sorry baby) and a smattering of truly good people just looking to get some help.

I finally had to actually hit the report button on a couple of the people. It made me sad. I have only taken that action maybe once or twice in the 3 plus years I have been playing.

I have never been so embarrassed. I think of DDO as my game. I brag about it to friends, beg them to try it out, roll new toons when they do and generally want to give them a tour of what I think of as the best game on earth.

I hung my head this afternoon wondering what people must feel when they get to Korthos and see all the mayhem and foolishness.

I finally turned off chat entirely.

On the plus side, my friend is having a blast. Hearing her ohhhs and awes at monsters, her pulling out her DnD background to make her character better, complimenting the graphics and her squeals of surprise at traps and monsters re lit a fire in me for a game that had been becoming to bland.

I did have a few surprises. A free to play player has a cap on how much money they can have. I went to give her 10,000 plat to go shopping with, and the system wouldn't let her have it.

The restrictions on quests is going to get in the way a little. She thinks she wants to subscribe. After 2 or 3 days of play she is already level 3 and in the harbor. I realized tonight the level cap is about to hit and we have yet to find one of those leveling sigils in a chest. :(

She was unaware the game had voice chat, since until we grouped with her today, she had been soling. When she heard or voices through our speakers it made her jump LOL. She immediately went out this afternoon and came home with a headset. We've got her set up and talking away :)

Overall, I can see where some of the players might get a little frustrated around level 4. I am hoping I can keep her enthusiasm up and make DDO a place where she can spend a few hours here and there to relieve some stress and scratch her DnD list.

Free to play is an interesting option and being involved with someone who is using it has opened my eyes a little to the lock down Turbine put on the players.

While I am not a fan of this current structure of micro transactions, I am building up an extreme dislike for the advertising. Hearing people ask about what they have to buy to be successful and why considering the game is now being marketed as a free to play MMO makes sense.

At this time, there sure isn't much Unlimited in Eberron.

Game On!!!

P.S. There is a new Podcast up at DDOcast.com Episode 134... and yes I am actually on it again this week.

A Humble Thank You

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:18:00 +0000

It's been a long season.

While summer might be ending, I personally feel like it's been one heck of a long time coming.

For those who weren't aware, my husband serves in the United States Navy. I don't blog about overly personal stuff that often, but tonight I need to express some stuff.

This was a deployment year. I wasn't looking forward to it. As a new wife, I knew going in he would leave a few months after we were married. There is nothing romantic about it, so erase all those World War II pictures from your head.

When he finally left, I felt so very alone. I had finally found someone I could connect with, uprooted my life to be with him, and he had the audacity to leave?

Needless to say, I learned to adapt very quickly. Everyday that dragged by meant I was one day closer to having him home, every night was one less I would spend alone, every morning a chance to prove to myself I was stronger than I thought I was.

I survived with the help of friends all of whom I need to give a huge thank you.

What in the world does this have to do with gaming, you might ask?

Well friendship comes in all shapes and sizes.

To my static group in DDO, who put up with my tears, wine soaked gaming sessions, surgery woes, questions about what to send in a box, and all other kinds of complaints, whines and queries, I say a thank you for sticking with it. For making me laugh. For being a constant in my life week after week for several years now. I couldn't do it without you.

To my DDOcast crew. Thank you for the checking up on me emails, offers to join your server for game time, making arrangements to record a show when I had the time and energy, and never once telling me I was letting you down when I wasn't up to getting a show in. Thank you.

To my guild in DDO, Chaosknights on Argonessen. You gave me a place to spend a few hours and forget the quiet of my life. You welcomed me into groups, chatted with me, PMed me on the forums to remind me to come out of hiding and visit Stormreach. You made me feel like a member of the family. Thank you.

So many out there may not understand the bonds that form in an online game. I came to find them reassuring over these terrible few months. I owe so many of you a thank you for being there in the still moments when there hadn't been a phone call or an e-mail, when I cried over seeing a commercial for his favorite coffee creamer, or I just needed a quick reality check.

To all my other friends, and you know who you are, thank you for the late night phone calls, watching TV with me, taking me to dinner, movies, shopping and ferrying me to Dr appointments and so on.

Tonight as I take stock in blessings of my life, I am deeply humbled by each of you.

I am posting up a couple of pics. To be honest, I was so darn happy to see his ship I barely remembered I had a camera!

The ship pulling in with the Battle flag waving!

Almost the first sighting I had of him. He's in the white hat :)

I don't think there is much else I can say except, he's home.

And now I get to game with him whenever I want to! He loaded DDO his first day home and jumped in. So very glad I married a gamer.

GAME ON!!!

Its a new day in DDO

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 01:23:00 +0000

Woke up this morning in a fairly grumpy mood. I had Occupational Therapy for this injury of mine and then it was home for me to try and see what had happened in DDO.

It's official launch day of DDO Unlimited and I held my breath waiting for the ruckus to begin.

DDO.com has a new look and even a new video. I will warn you now. The video is complete cheese. Funny to those of who have been playing long term. I am not sure how the humor is being understood by the novice. Go on over to DDO.com to view it. Chicken sounds, a new slogan *barfs*, but some great cinematics.

I'd love to tell you it's all been smooth, but this is a Turbine Game. You know I shouldn't pick on them nearly as much as I do. Every game developer has its issues. It's just launch days for mods and now a re-release have been rife with fits and stutters.

Today the forums have been up and down like a yo-yo. This apparently has also affected new downloads and accounts. While there hasn't been a HUGE push for DDO Unlimited since the last delay was announced, there has been a smattering of news coverage. Not to mention the little banner ads many sites have been adding lately. Heck I saw a DDO Unlimited blurb on my gmail the other morning :)

I will say Massively.com has a great round up on their site. As does Jerry over on DDOcast. Check both of them out for great links, screenshots and vids.

I logged into my server briefly this evening to take a look around. The Harbor was filled with newbies. Some of them old players returning since the game is now free, others are part of the flock of new players expected to flood the game servers in the next few months.

One thing DDO has never really had; a general world chat. I should amend that and say while general chat has been available, it is not used by those of us who have been playing for the last 3 plus years unless we were in the rare live event.

Imagine my shock when I couldn't read guild chatter for all the general chat busy scrolling through my screen. *sigh* I can say most of it consisted of new players looking for advice on how to access spells, build a character and so forth. There were a few immature comments, but they were few and far between.

Overall, I am going to give launch day a B+. Ok, so some people are probably pretty frustrated that they couldn't get logged in. I don't have any concept of what the download times may have been like today, but with the new Turbine Download Manager in place, it should have been minimal. The game loads in pieces as you play through the tutorial and Harbor and so on.

I am hoping there are a lot of people out there enjoying Stormreach and seeing the fantastic graphics, action based combat and powerful grouping system. I know there will be complaints, and I may yet find some reason to make some of my own.

I am still not ready for all of this, but it's here.

*raises her glass to DDO Unlimited*

Here's to the new game.

Game On!!!

Myddo.com ...

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:39:00 +0000

MYDDO.com beta launched.

I took some time after static group tonight to fiddle around with it. It's running on Wordpress. Easy functionality (hahahahaha...not), mostly drag and drop.

Over all the site was rather easy for me to set up the way I wanted. I didn't realize the unfunctionality of Wordpress until I started trying to add widgets in HTML code. Javascript is not supported in the build MyDDO is currently utilizing. I will have to find a work around for that when my eyes are a little less bleary.

My biggest and perhaps most ardent complaint? The character listing. ATM, I can't seem to turn any characters anonymous. Aggravating, since I have 25 or so characters, some of which I play in guild where I don't use voice and no one knows who I am. No, I am not spying. It's called hiding :) And yes, I sometimes use the information I glean either here on the blog or on my podcast, but overall, I just like to be able to play without people associating me with "that pink girl!"

There are some people who don't want things associated to them. Sometimes Guild Leaders have an alt they don't guild, so they can get some peace and quiet on occasion :) I play in hiding. I know others do as well. While I suppose there might be something nefarious about it for some, for a lot of us we just like some downtime every once in a while from guild drama, pressures and the friends list.

I also noticed that in the Character Listing, it uses your original server. In my case, I moved my main from the Ghallanda to the Argonessen server a couple of years ago. Rowanheal is still being listed on MyDDO as being on Ghallanda. I tried logging her in and out of the gaming server to see if that would update the information, but it hasn't.

The DDO.com forums already have some players screaming for the functionality of the Character Listing to get a review. Some complain more loudly than others with promises of canceled accounts while others simply are using this kind of technology for the first time and wondering if there is simply something they aren't doing correctly.

Overall, its not a bad start. If you choose, you can load your characters, and be able to see basic stats and gear on your MyDDO page. Of course, this means everyone else can see as well. You can blog, put in some basic pictures and profile information.

As a gaming site its ok. I personally use Xfire to connect all my games into one program, plus xfire lets me talk to my PC gaming friends no matter what game they are in, or in DDO's case which ever server they are on.

I am not sure how all of this will fair with the DnD crowd. I know Turbine Launched MyLOTRO first to seemingly great success. I can't help but keep wondering if Turbine simply feels the age bracket of paying customers they had for DDO was simply too "old" and they needed to connect into the "tween" market with "Social" mumbo jumbo, Free to Play Microtransactions and other such nonsense.

In a time where other markets have worked to garner the interest of the ever aging baby boomers and their children, other industries have simply never really gotten it. Well, ok. There is the Wii. I think even my mother is interested in getting one. I am still not sure if I consider it gaming LOL!

In all honesty, my first reaction to MyDDO was as follows: *sigh* Oh joy. Yet another site to build and make sure feeds my blog, twitter, xfire, pictures and so forth.

Do you ever feel like you have more Web 2.0 than you can handle? I am in Web overload.

Keeping up with the blog, Twitter, Myspace, Facebook, Netvibes, Yahoo, AIM, Gtalk, MSN, and so forth has aggregated my life into a real nice big stressball.

I try to get all the sites to update mostly on their own. I use Ping to update my twitter, facebook and myspace at one time whether hooked into my main computer or if I am out and about on my blackberry. I RSS my blog to facebook, and have a widget to RSS my blog into myspace. I use Meebo to collapse all my IM's into one page on my web broswer, and use Jivetalk on my blackberry to achieve the same IM all in one result when I am mobile.

All this "Social Networking" is becoming like a second job.

Where does MyDDO fit for you? Are you using something like this for the first time, or do you maintain facebook or myspace pages? Have you found it easy to use? Does the character listing bother you at all?

Anyways its late. I am off to dream.

Game On!!!

PnP shennanigans

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:38:00 +0000

We are a week out from DDO:U being released. I am not overly excited per se, but the dagger the new style will bring with it to my favorite online MMO has been removed from my back.

Turbine announced a new server Cannith. I am not sure if it is just to give the new players some place to congregate together, or if it is truly needed due to the foreseen bevy of Free to play players that will bombard the servers on The 9th of September.

So far, the press articles directly linked to the launch have been few and far between lately. I suspect most, if not all, of the advertising has already come and gone, and with the launch having been put back by a month, we won't see much more than a dribble.

Of course, this could also be due to the recent filing Turbine made in court. They are suing Atari.

I first read about it on my twitter while sitting in a traffic jam. I am lucky I leave enough space between cars, because I pumped my fist in a victory sign. Not sure what the people around me thought, but I felt overjoyed to see Turbine making some inroads to giving Atari the what for.

I've read through as much of the documentation as possible. It's long, mostly in legalize, and terribly convoluted, but the end result is, Turbine wants $30 million.

I am hoping they get it.

Jerry has done an excellent post on the news over at DDOcast. If you are interested in reading the full documentation, follow to here.

In other news, I have been playing some Pen and Paper DnD. We've been playing a 3.5 game a few times a month. I am currently trying to keep a level 2 sorcerer alive. I almost killed her yesterday. Thankfully, a druid decided to give me a heal while I bled out on the forest floor.

I love my MMO's. I love my console's. But I really really love sitting down to a table with a group of geeks and rolling dice!

I am including a picture here of our board. I had brought the guys, all of whom are sailors, back some sailor ducks from Gencon. They decided one needed to be a Mini on the board and roleplayed it as a dire duck!

Lastly, The Guild guys and gals have made a music video. It's hysterical. Enjoy!

GAME ON!!!

Gencon

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:13:00 +0000

I have been in recovery mood all week from Gencon exhaustion.

I loved the conference and overall had a huge blast hanging out with all of the DDO players and making new friends.

I discovered I might actually like to play a game of the new 4.0 DnD. I know its blasphemy, but after sitting down for an hour to play a demo, I found it really fun.

Jerry already has covered a lot of Gencon on his blog and he has a bunch of great pics. I am just going to put up a couple of my own here.

This is a pic of out True Dungeon group. We mananged to survive the dungeon and it was full of giggles and riddles and overall fabulous adventuring.

One of the artists had painted this bike. The picture totally doesn't do it justice, but it was Amazing looking!

On of the DDO players had these super fantastic t-shirts. I got a pic of this one. Had me laughing everytime I saw him in a new one.

Things I bought this year... New pink dice, T-shirts (I can never have enough gaming t-shirts), D20 necklace and earrings, Grid map for DnD mini play, LFG hardback comic( and I got it signed), Bundle of Trouble Volume 1 (Jolly signed it for the hubby), a new card game Gloom (I played this several times at the con and its fun)... I think thats all I bought. All I know is my backpack weighed a ton when I got on my return plane home. :D

Jerry recorded the DDOcast crew on video while we did a live show from Gencon. You can watch the video below and put faces with voices.

It was a fabulous con. I love to game. Board games, card games, video games, you name it I love to play em. I know some of the DDO players were disappointed Turbine didn't have a booth, but to be honest, while I kinda missed them, there was too much to do to dwell on their absence.

I met great players, made new friends and can't wait for next years Gencon!

Game on!!!

Face your fears

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 18:31:00 +0000

Its less than 48 hours before I leave for Gencon.

It's official, my obsessively persistent panic has set in.

I don't like to fly, I don't like to travel and I find the entire experience leaves me in a cold sweat.

This year, like last, I am flying alone. My girlfriends have already girded their loins for my panicked phone calls and IM's which range from "I am reading the TSA website. If I pour my leave-in conditioner in a 3 oz bottle and put it in the quart sized bag, that is ok right?" or my "Ok, so I can have a bic lighter, and a book of matches, but I can't have my nail clippers, but I can have my nail scissors if they are less than 4inches of blade? Can I bring my leatherman or is that a no?"

I thank the gods for people who will put up with my crazed mind as I pack, repack, empty out one purse so I can make sure I got my lip gloss into the quart sized bag and not in my makeup bag. LOL

I know myself well enough to know I will be fine once I land, but until then, my breath will quicken, I'll worry I forgot something and probably have a nightmare about being strip searched in the airport.

All the rules change every year it seems and rereading them every time make me feel like I have some control over an uncontrollable situation.

I don't know about anyone else, but I feel like I walk in an airport and every civil right my husband fights for disappears in the fog of rules, searches and chaos.

I'm excited about my trip, but am smart enough to realize its going to be a long couple of days of keeping my own insecurities at bay.

I am sorry, there is nothing natural about strapping myself into an aluminum tin can and reaching for the clouds!

In gaming news, I have figured out how to play DDO one handed fairly well. Nothing spectacular, but its good exercise for the brain :) My apologies to anyone who has run with me lately and wondered if I was a moron. I'm not honest, just a wee tad gimped atm.

In other news, I have discovered I am actually quite good at taking care of things, I have a super heightened awareness for BS, and Navy life is never boring. You can't please everyone all the time, and shouldn't try. Everyone has bad days, people are as flawed as a jewel in the sun, and most women are a minefield of emotions. Acceptance is key and thinking someone should change who they are isn't fair...to you, them or the universe.

Best advice a really good friend gave me was, when someone is looking for validation,lend them a mirror :) I turned it on myself this week and was quite pleased to find that for all the soul searching, wailing, gnashing of teeth and bathing in ashes, I like who I am.

I thought I was having a crappy summer. Maybe I'm not. Maybe I am just learning how to do things a different way.

GAME ON!!!

Hot hot hot!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 16:13:00 +0000

It's a busy week here. Gen con fever has hit full force and I am getting everything together :)

I have a friend who is going for his first time. I am loving seeing all of his questions as he worries about what to bring with him, what not to bring and wondering what he'll see :)

If anyone reading has never been I can only readvise as Tolero did in her 2007 DDOcast segment

Water
Backpack
Comfy Shoes
Your Badge!!!

I personally have my dice on me... and my friend says to remember your camera :)

I love going up there and hanging out with my friends. I am super excited this year, since we have a True Dungeon set up with the DDOcast crew!!! I am fairly sure I will be the first to die, but I figure its all fun. Still not sure what I am going to play, but since no one has spoken up about the cleric role, I might just have to take it!!!

I finally got some time in DDO last week. I was surprised to see not much had changed. With all the hub bub about Mod 9, or DDO EU and so forth, I had expected to see a few friends not in game anymore. We gamers seem to talk a lot of trash, but when it all comes down to it, we love the game and we stick around no matter what!

I asked around to see what people felt about the big delay until September. Most were not surprised and are just doing their thing. A Lot of the folks have not been over on the test server because they want to save this content as a surprise for when they play on live.

Overall I found the community in good spirits, hanging on until Turbine can get the kinks worked out for their relaunch.

We got word there will be DDO store cards given out at the Wizards of the Coast booth.

Dungeons & Dragons® has a lot to offer at Gen Con Indy 2009

Stop by the Wizards of the Coast Booth #1721 and demo the Character Builder on D&D® Insider™. Sign up for an account at the show and receive a D&D® Backpack and D&D Insider debut content. Does someone in your party need an introduction to D&D 4th Edition? Demos of 4E will be going on in the booth during the exhibit hall hours. In addition, Wizards of the Coast will be selling the 4th Edition Player’s Handbook for $5 with the purchase of any other D&D rulebook. Get your friends hooked on 4E!

Other D&D in booth promotions include: advanced sales of Adventurer’s Vault 2 and Dragon 2009 Annual. Sales of these two titles are limited to one per person. Only 100 copies will be sold each day, so make sure you get yours while supplies last.

Upper Deck presents the ultimate location for World of Warcraft, Dinosaur King, and Marvel at booth #1005!

Wizards of the Coast will also be celebrating the launch of Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™ by giving away $5 DDO Store gift cards! DDO Unlimited is the premium free to play MMO where players can battle their way through the spectacular online world of Eberron and experience the exhilarating real-time combat and challenging game play powered by the legendary Dungeons & Dragons® ruleset. The $5 gift cards can be used to buy additional adventures or in-game items in the new in-game store. Authentic D&D® features include customizable characters; handcrafted dungeons filled with devious traps, classic monsters, a dungeon master, and an on-screen 20-sided die. DDO Unlimited introduces an innovative new pricing model that allows players to download and play for free, purchasing adventure packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new DDO Store, or to subscribe to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content. Play DDO Unlimited for free by visiting http://www.ddo.com. $5 DDO store gift cards are free with the purchase of any D&D product at the Wizards of the Coast booth.

The D&D Insider Compendium will be free from Thursday August 13, 2009 until Sunday August 16, 2009! That’s right, Wizards of the Coast is making the popular rules Compendium available for free to everyone world wide during Gen Con.

D&D will have plenty of authors and artists on site as well: William O’Connor, Dan Scott, Keith Baker, Wayne Reynolds, Margaret Weis, Tracy Hickman, Ed Greenwood, and James Wyatt.

Keith Baker & Wayne Reynolds will be doing a special Eberron™ signing on Saturday from 6:00 – 7:00 pm in the Sagamore Ballroom. The first 50 people in line will receive a free copy of the new 4E Eberron Player’s Guide. Come get it signed by the cover artist and the creator of this fantastic world!

2009 marks the 25th Anniversary of Dragonlance™. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman will be signing the latest release Dragons of the Hourglass Mage: The Lost Chronicles Vol. III on Thursday in Author’s Alley. Also, be sure to stop by the 25th Anniversary Party at the Hyatt Regency on Saturday night from 7:00 – 9:00 pm and help celebrate this classic D&D setting.

For a complete schedule for these and other signings, stop by the Wizards of the Coast booth or the Sagamore Ballroom.

I don't think I need anything from the Wotc booth, but I was excited to see their support for DDO.

Anyways, I need to print off my Gencon stuff and do a few things around here. It's projected to be nearing the 100 degree mark here today, and I am so glad I can stay inside and accomplish everything I need to.

GAME ON!

A long Summer

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:11:00 +0000

I have few relevant excuses for my long blogging absence.

I had a wee accident about a month ago. It involved a knife, an avocado and 2 surgeries. All I can say is, I lost, the avocado won, and I am still typing one handed. Boo hiss.

So what have I been up to?

Not a whole lot.

I haven't gamed in so long I am not sure I remember how. No matter what I have tried one handed doesn't cut it on the PS2, Xbox 360 nor any of my computer games. Suxors.

I took a trip to Washington DC. I loved all the history in one place. I hated the traffic. And the highlight of my trip was watching a Congressman from California hit a car while trying to parallel park in Georgetown :)

I took some nice pics while in DC. I love my camera and I am getting somewhat better at pictures.

Picture of the Lone Sailor at The Navy Memorial

Picture of the Marine Memorial

Overall, I am not enjoying my summer overly much. The puppy has been sick, Navy stuff is rarely fun, and I find the needs of many often seem to out way the needs of the few, for which I am often disgusted.

I am looking forward to this next week though. GENCON BABY! The hubby has to work again this year, but I have my plane ticket, badge, hotel and mad money!

So while I try and hurry time along, I hope someone out there is having some fun.

Game on!!!

A new to me game...

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:17:00 +0000

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 missions, 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 help 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 cloaks 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

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 02:10:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Wed, 27 May 2009 20:02:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Sat, 23 May 2009 18:44:00 +0000

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

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:20:00 +0000

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*

Cinderella and the Ball

noreply@blogger.com (Rowanheal) — Sun, 17 May 2009 18:59:00 +0000

I am a girl. I know newflash, right?

Being a complicated being can be fabulous.

A fancy ball, however, reminds me of the all the reason's I despise girldom.

I seemed to have blocked out the pain of proms and dances from high school and college. Leave it to the Navy to have formal events and remind me of it all over again.

Some girls and I decided we would make a ladies night out of the Warrior's Surface ball held here. We bought our tickets and then the hunt for a dress commenced. I won't bore you with all the details, but geez.

With the great dress hunt of 2009 over I quickly descended into the purse, wrap, shoe, jewelry shopping. I had totally forgotten the nightmare.

Why are purses so expensive and well... so dang small. I couldn't fit a cell phone, compact and lipstick in the thing.

I finally got all the details finished and was ready for ball day.

Which involved a 2 and a half hour session for hair, a full set of nails and then getting all the stuff on, purse repacked 50 times and make up (IE Warpaint).

Don't get me wrong. I looked great. I felt great, but lords above what a pain in the rearend.

And see that hair, mine mine mine. All the pulling, twisting, bobby pins and hairspray was worth it.

I had a blast. Hung out with friends, drank some wine, complained about high heels, managed to not step on anyones dress and rip it and didn't lose track of the minuscule purse.

I will say though that it is not an experience I am pining to repeat in the near future.

I have a bunch of pictures up on myspace for anyone who wants to look.

I am trying to rest today. Been awhile since I partied and didn't fall back in bed until 3 am.

I am in hopes of getting to play Fable 2 on the Xbox 360. I got a few hours in yesterday before the ball, but I haven't touched it since.

I may not get to it for a few days though. I have static group in DDO tonight, appointments tomorrow, a class on Tuesday (more training for my Navy brain) and then I have a special girls date on Wednesday which I won't tell anyone about until it is over.

Oh... I won a free massage at a Navy Spouse Appreciation Event. I am not sure if that is good or creepy.

GAME ON!!!