Last weekend, my game card for World of Warcraft ran out on me, and I've been having withdrawls.  However, instead of sitting here moping about it (ok, Marge and Steve can tell that I've been having withdrawls..:P), I have been doing alittle research on various websites (www.worldofwarcraft.com you know you want to go there....FOAMY commands you!) about my character class.

 

I play a hunter, and I've been looking up various strategies, and spending points in my talents.  Essentially, talents are just what the word means.  I gain one point to spend in talents from level 9 onwards.  Each character class has a different talent set, consisting of three different 'trees'.  Hunter talent trees include Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, and Survival.

 

Now, my pretty little Night Elf hunter (yes, I'm playing a female character) started off on the Beast Mastery (BM)tree, mostly because my pet is awesome.  I had a black cat named Paws for awhile, but once I entered a zone called Stranglethorn Vale, I came across some tigers.  So, I parked Paws, and tamed a tiger.  His name?  TONY!

 

 

Some of the skills I acquire are called aspects.  It allows me to take on different aspects of animals.  Aspect of the Monkey improves my dodge.  Aspect of the Hawk improves my firing skill, and Aspect of the Cheetah improves my movement rate (i.e. makes me run faster).  In the BM tree, you can improve on the base skills by certain percentages.  The rest of the tree revolves around things with your pet, like more hit points, damage he can do, more armor, and better resists against different type of stuff (like damage from cold or fire is less, as an example).

 

To put it mildly, people are impressed with Tony.  He rocks at DPS..:)

 

The second tree is marksmanship.  This is where I become deadly in DPS.  I can slow down monsters and players more effectively with talents in this tree, and there's some that cause alot of damage from my shots.  I'm currently working down this tree to get a talent called Aimed Shot.  It's pretty self-explainatory.  You do more damage if you aim for the heart as opposed to hitting someone in the thigh, as they say.

 

The third tree is survival (after all, I am a huntress of the woods, I have to know how to survive.  There's some combat stuff that I won't get into, but two of them I want to try to get:  Slay Beasts and Slay Humanoids.  Both cause extra damage, and supposedly deadly on a PvP server (considering players are humanoids) if a critical (2x damage) shots are made..:)

 

I've also been looking for modules (or mods) that might make my gameplay easier and more fun.

 

Ahh, the joys of research..:)

 

A guildmate in World of Warcraft gave me a quick and easy way to raise money to buy my mount (in my case, a big kitty cat.  Snowball would be proud.  It's not that I WANTED to buy a kitty, it's based on my character's race.  The elves have kitties, humans and dwarves can use horses, the gnomes have some little weird mechanical chicken-like....thing...don't ask.)

 

Anyhow, the scheme involves me having to go to enemy territorry in order to fish.  Being that I am on a PvP server, it means that I'm free game on getting killed on sight (KoS).  It's only fair, after all, and I chose to continue to play on the server.  And yes, I've cussed when I've been ganked, and grinned evilly when I've ganked someone else.  Goes with the territory..:)

 

Anyhow, I was fishing at the Barrens (one of the Horde (to me, enemy zone), and I picked up on my track an enemy player.  I play a hunter, and my class is the only one that can utilize a tracking skill.  Incidentally, I had my pet tiger (named Tony) out to kill any monsters that came by that annoyed me (and also in case someone decided to attack).

 

I didn't think of it, but it would have been funny to have taken a screen shot of us waving at each other, casting our poles, and trying to chat in unknown tongues.  Since we are on opposite sides of the "war", we can't talk to each other (not even in private messages), so grunts and gestures is all we can do.

 

Now, the enemy player was MUCH higher level than me (there's a skull by their name, and I can't tell what level they are.  If I knew, it would tell me what level, and how tough they are, etc.)  If you don't know the level of a creature/player, two questionmarks (??) will be present. I noticed I was being targeted by my fishing...(companion?  "Friend?" buddy?...oh well), and being that it would cost me a LOT of money to repair my equipment, I did the only thing I could do:

 

I used my "Get Out of Jail Free" card..:)

 

There is a stone that allows you to be transported (if you are not interrupted in 30 seconds) once an hour.  Sometimes you use it to make it to a place in a second, or (such as my case) save your bacon.

 

What makes it even more funny:  my former fishing partner cast what are known as "damage over time" spells on me to kill me.  And I would have been dead if I had not had another surprise up my sleeve:  a health potion that put me to full health.  And gee, my friend's "parting gift" didn't kill me. 

 

DENIED!  *Dances*.  This Night Elf PWNED YOU!

 

If this isn't funny, or it simply doesn't make sense....chalk it up as one of those "You have to play/be there" to get it type moments...:)

I'm currently playing World of Warcraft, which is a Massively Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG).

 

It's probably the most successful of them behind Everquest from Sony, which I also played.

 

Essentially, there are two modes:  Player v. Environment (PvE) and Player v. Player.

 

Player v. Environment is basically the players can't kill each other (unless they challenge each other for a duel, or in designated places).  You pretty much band together with each other.  However, there are good factions and evil factions, along with neutral.  Some can be changed.  Some cannot.  You fight monsters and do quests to gain experience in levels.  Just like Dungeon and Dragons, the higher level you become, the more powerful you are.  It's easier to do on a "blue server" because....

 

Player v. Player:

 

This enviroment requires you to be careful.  In World of Warcraft, there are two factions:  Alliance and Horde.  Both have territorries where they are safe (but if you are of the opposing faction, you are kill on sight (KoS).

 

In your home territory, it's green (safe).  In contested territories, it's yellow (all bets are off, but there are safe havens for both factions).  Red for being in opposing territory.

 

Some friends and I began playing WoW a few years back, and I've been playing off and on, and we all for some reason went to a PvP server.  When I played EQ (Everquest), I was on a care-bear server (PvE).

 

It's fun being on a PvP server because you have to worry about getting ganked (killed) by other players.  They think and move, and are not controlled by an AI.  At the same time, it's annoying for the exact same reason, hehe.

 

I play a hunter, which is a woodsman type that can have animals as pets (mine is a black cat named Paws), and I'm an expert with bows and arrows, tracking, and setting traps.

 

I was attempting to get level 30 today, and was in the middle of a contested zone.  I was repeatedly ganked (overall I must have died about 25 times today).  However, to see this one guy run around being chased by my pet, and me sitting back shooting him to slow him down, while my warrior friend  (think Boramir from Lord of the Rings) was beating him down.  It was classic, and I wish I could have made a video of it..:)

Dunno what it was today, but I got rid of a bunch of licence plates!

 

Seen thus far since I began this about two weeks ago:

 

North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Missisippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Connecticut, New York, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin (had a market it seemed today..saw 7 of them), Kentucky, and Michigan.

 

From Canada I've seen Newfoundland, Ontario, and Manitoba.

 

Heh.  Not to shabby.

A "What 24 Character Are You?"

 

Definately not scientific, but fun..:P

 

I'm Tony Almeida, with about 20% Chloe , and 10% George Mason, Nina Myers, Aaron Pierce, and Ryan Chappelle.

 

:)

 

Have fun..:)

 

 

This was something my mom and I used to do when I was a wee lad on long trips.  What we'd do is look at the licence plates of the cars we were passing (or passing us).  It didn't count in parking lots, but if we were on a street driving and passed a moving car, it counted.

 

Believe it or not, we managed to get all 50 states one summer.

 

Well, on my way home from work each day, I walk by a parking lot across from the Giant Bird Feeder (Corn Palace to you tourist types).  It's kind of fun seeing where folx come from.  Since I can't drive, the parking lot will have to do.

 

Of course, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebaska, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota are virtural gimmies.  I don't count those, cuz they're so common.  Plus I'd seen them on my first day, LOL!

 

So far I've seen Washington (state), California, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Oklahoma, and Newfoundland, Canada (!)  (long drive, if you ask me, LOL!)

 

I'm gonna see if I can see as many states as possible before Labor Day.  Hawaii is prolly going to be really tough.  Although, I *HAVE* seen Alaska here before....not this year, however.

 

If you never done this, and are gonna do some travelling (especially if you have kids), it's a fun, safe game to play, plus a great way to teach the kids the names of the States.  As long as you're not the driver, of course!

As one who is a veteran of EverQuest, EQ2, Star Wars Galaxies, and War of Warcraft, Here are my comments on Guild Wars.

 

As a gamer, I like to learn a game.  I like to immerse myself in a world. 

 

The game I think is made from Asians.  The music is awesome. The graphics are gorgeous.

 

As one who played Everquest (played EQ the longest), here's the cool thing:

 

After you purchase it, there are no online fees.  Meaning, once you buy the game, you don't pay $20 or whatever a month

 

Thing is, it's a pain on how to play.  I am fighting to learn the mechanics.  But yet, it's killer.  Beautiful game.

 

When I played Everquest, I was a druid.  (Marge and Steve, I think you see THAT in me , heheh.)

 

Simply put, $$ killed me.

 

 

Star Wars: No Content is gorgrous.  It LOOKS like the movies.  But I got bored.  Plus, the game had so many bugs.

 

EQ2? $$.  And my computer couldn't handle it.

 

War of Warcraft? $$  I basically was bored.  Same shit, different day thing

 

I'm actually challenged now.  It reminds me of when I first played EQ.

 

 

Least this is free.  :)

 

 

All I have to say is, the ending of the game is absolutely hilarious!

 

I won't show spoilers, but highlight below to read.  I will say however, if you haven't seen the last two movies (Reloaded and Revolutions), the humor might be lost on you.  I was just IMing a friend who hadn't seen them and he didn't get it.

 

 

 

 

I still haven't beaten the final boss, because I just havent gotten the timing down just yet.  I'll get it eventually.

 

Overall, it's a fun game.  Awkward on the computer version, and since I don't have a console, I'm sure it's easier.

Well, I just finished The Matrix portion of Path of Neo.  Hardest level for me probably was the "Dodge This" one.

 

You have to fight agents, SWAT teams, and kill a heliocopter.  Problem is, it's really tricky.  My strategy with dealing with the agent was to knock him off the building.

 

I'm now am on what are called "Red Pill" missions, which basically has Neo going around and getting people 'unjacked' from the Matrix.  You get to learn the anti-gravity skill..I'm assuming it's the "Superman Thing" as Link aptly puts it.

 

Even though the game is keyboard based  on the PC, for some reason I find it easier to play than Enter The Matrix.

 

I bought this yesterday, and it's tons of fun.  It doesn't follow the movies verbatim or literally, which makes it fresh.  So far, the only stuff that is actually from the films is Neo running his office, and the fight in the dojo with Morpheus.

 

Doing combos (PC version) seems kinda tough, but stuff can be done.

 

My favorite line from the movies is:

 

"Dodge this."

 

From what I understand, that's the name of a level...heheh.

A few years ago, LucasArts (the video game branch of LFL) created perhaps the best Star Wars video game ever made.  It's called Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.  I picked it up because on Screenshots (on G4 channel) had shown it.

 

The story is based 5,000 years before the movies.  The most promising Jedi of the era, Revan and Malak turned to the Dark Side, and began a three-way war with the Republic and Mandalorians.  They nearly succeeded in conquering the Galaxy as Sith Lords (Darth Revan and Lord Malak, respectively), but a young Jedi named Bastila had a gift called battle meditation, which allowed her to direct the fleet.  Malak escaped, and Revan's fate is unknown.

 

Now, what makes this game amazing is that besides the action, it has a VERY engrossing and involved storyline.  If you don't use cheats, it still takes somewhere to forty hours to play, and that's WITHOUT doing side quests.  It takes up to 70-80 hours of play if you do everything.

 

You interact with alot of NPCs, including members of your party, and each conversation has an impact on how your party members (and other NPCs) view you.  In essence, it's how the Light Side and Dark Side of the Force is interpreted.

 

For you Jedi fans, yes, you get to play Jedi, use one, two, or the double-bladed lightsaber.  Not to mention, the Force.

 

There IS a killer plot twist (not going to spoil it), but I will say it rivals Darth Vader telling Luke he's his father in The Empire Strikes Back.  I was totally surprised by it.

 

The other notable mention of this game is the music soundtrack.  With the exception of the Star Wars theme used at both the beginning and end of the movies, the soundtrack is totally killer, and original.  It's a shame that the composer hasn't released it.

 

Unfortunately, LucasArts rushed KoTOR II: The Sith Lords for Christmas last year, and the ending of the game is like a non-ending.  Otherwise, up until the last fourth of the game, it's great.  I've read some of the voice-over stuff that was left out, and that really sucks, cuz there was some really good stuff there.  The really cool thing too is, as you go Light or Dark, so does your party, unlike the first game, where they just react.

 

In essence, you feel like you're a part of the universe of Star Wars with these games.  Because they play like a movie.

Wow, EA Sports have done it again!

 

I didn't care for Madden 2005 much (maybe it's because I'm a pass happy QB type of player, and even on rookie mode, offense was too hard to do), BUT so far, Madden 2006 is totally cool.

 

Each year, they add a feature that I think is totally awesome.  Several years ago, they added a team franchise mode (where you can go multiple seasons as a coach.

 

Then they added where you were the owner.

 

This year?  I can create a player (a feature that HAS been there for years), but this time, you get to manage his career from literally his birth until he retires.  You get a synopsis of what your parents are like (from career, to personality, to interests, and overall IQ), and what the main position you're suggested to play based on that.  Of course, you get to pick what college you played with (GO HAWKEYES!, hehe).  You get to pick your jersey number, etc.

 

There's a test that all NFL players must take during the Combine Camp in Indianapolis called Wonderlic.  I've heard of it, and I kind have always wanted to take it.  It's a combination of an intelligence test and psychological test.

 

If you watch football, or at least know who Peyton Manning is, well, he scored like a 95% or higher, which I guess is damned near unheard of.  He is the ONLY quarterback that I know of in the game currently playing who has the freedom to call his own plays without consultation from his coaches.  I love watching him, because he's always surveying the field, and calling audibles.  When this guy retires, he's gonna make one hell of a head coach.  He's that smart and good.  As much as I love Brett Favre, Peyton is the bomb.  When Brett retires, Peyton's gonna be my QB to watch.

 

Anyway, in this new mode, you actually take the test (and from what I understand, the questions ARE from the actual Wonderlic test).

 

My first try, I scored a 90%.  Unfortunately, that game file was corrupted, and I could not continue my career replacing Terrell Owens in San Francisco (least I was told I was the next T.O., w/o his selfish attitude...don't get me started on him or Drew Rosenhaus, his agent).  So I started a new superstar (i.e. the mode that you access in the game for this), I scored a 30%.  The second set of questions were tough as nails, LOL!  You only get two minutes to take twenty questions.  And they actually make you think, which is why I understand why it's mandatory.

 

You have to wait like RL draft prospects to be drafted.  Both times, I got drafted in the third round.  I'm playing for Jacksonville as a breakout wide receiver.

 

IMHO, I've always felt that the draft is a misnomer.  I mean, you have some amazing players (past and present) drafted first round, some first picks, even (hmm...Elway, Peyton, Troy Aikman, Donovan McNabb, Orlando Pace, Emmitt Smith, some guy named Brett, and another named Montana) who've lived up to the hype of first round justification.  You've had bombs (Ryan Leaf, Tim Couch, Heath Schuler).  Then you have some of the greatest gems ever get drafted late.  One who just recently joined the Hall of Fame.  Mr. Marino (God I miss watching you play), and some guy named Tom Brady (*whistles*).  if you don't know who THAT guy is, then you must have been living on an island without a TV or something, hehe.  I'll just say that he's this generation's Joe Montana, both in attitude, and ability.  If you disagree, I'll gladly argue that point with you any day, any time.

 

 I'll make a post later about the players who I admire (many of them already listed).

 

I digress.  LOL!  Gameplay is awesome.  I love the new QB vision thing.  It helps the QB find the open receiver.  The graphics are amazing (mind you, I am playing the PC version...I don't own a console system).  Madden and Michaels are unintrusive (which is nice, for a change).  Usually Madden and Michaels (or in the past, the great Pat Summerall) intrude way too much in the commentary.

 

Creating the ultimate fan is there again.  I haven't tried franchise yet, so I don't know if coach/owner from games past is there still.

 

It was worth the $40..:)