I guess they have to procreate somehow...
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Naming of Toons
The naming of toons is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games...
I love making new toons, as I'm sure you're all aware. The single hardest part of creating a new toon is naming it. I thought maybe you folks out there might be interested in some of the resources I use for finding the perfect roleplay name.
The first stop is your typical baby name website. The one I prefer is Baby Names World, because you can search by origin or by meaning and filter by gender. I like Gaelic names for my Dwarves. I often try to come up with a meaning that is nature or element related for my Shamans and Druids. I'm rather fond of the names that come from different cultures as they are often quite unique (therefore typically not taken).
I go someplace entirely different if I'm making an Elf. Whether it be a Night Elf or a Blood Elf, I always go to The Arèthane Name Generating Page. Now, don't ask me exactly what Arèthane is or how I found it. I bumped into it years ago when I was still playing Neverwinter Nights, and strangely the website persists while many other name generator pages have fallen.
If I'm still stuck for a first name (I tend to get stuck on Draenei and Gnome names) or if I'm searching for a surname, I go to Az's World of Warcraft Name Generator. Sadly it has not been updated to include Worgen and Goblin names, but for the most part Worgen names are like Humans and Goblin names are like Gnomes.
By no means does the buck stop here. I'm sure there are a billion other resources out there. Heck, the standard Blizzard name generator in the character creation screen isn't half bad itself. Have fun naming your toons. And don't be like me and fall in love with names so that you have to make new alts just to use them.
It isn't just one of your holiday games...
I love making new toons, as I'm sure you're all aware. The single hardest part of creating a new toon is naming it. I thought maybe you folks out there might be interested in some of the resources I use for finding the perfect roleplay name.
The first stop is your typical baby name website. The one I prefer is Baby Names World, because you can search by origin or by meaning and filter by gender. I like Gaelic names for my Dwarves. I often try to come up with a meaning that is nature or element related for my Shamans and Druids. I'm rather fond of the names that come from different cultures as they are often quite unique (therefore typically not taken).
I go someplace entirely different if I'm making an Elf. Whether it be a Night Elf or a Blood Elf, I always go to The Arèthane Name Generating Page. Now, don't ask me exactly what Arèthane is or how I found it. I bumped into it years ago when I was still playing Neverwinter Nights, and strangely the website persists while many other name generator pages have fallen.
If I'm still stuck for a first name (I tend to get stuck on Draenei and Gnome names) or if I'm searching for a surname, I go to Az's World of Warcraft Name Generator. Sadly it has not been updated to include Worgen and Goblin names, but for the most part Worgen names are like Humans and Goblin names are like Gnomes.
By no means does the buck stop here. I'm sure there are a billion other resources out there. Heck, the standard Blizzard name generator in the character creation screen isn't half bad itself. Have fun naming your toons. And don't be like me and fall in love with names so that you have to make new alts just to use them.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
A Trip
The city of Ironforge is immense and impressive in its own right. Having grown up in and around this massive city I had lost the awe I once felt for the town in the mountain. It was around this time that I'd grown enough in wielding the power of the Light that Valgar Highforge sent for me.
I approached the temple in the Mystic Ward with not a little trepidation. What could this master Paladin want with little ol' me? I couldn't help but feel my heart flutter a bit at the thought that maybe he is sweet on me, but I quickly shook that feeling off and approached him as a strong and courageous child of the Light should.
I bowed as gracefully as my stout body would allow, and my braids flopped over into my face and dusted the ground at his feet so that when I stood straight once more I looked quite the fool. My face reddened in embarrassment as I attempted to casually shake my head in order to return my plaits to their proper place, I stammered, "You- you- sent for me, sir?"
He chuckled deeply and warm-heartedly with a huge grin on his face and put his arm on my shoulder so that I quickly forgot my embarrassment and foolishness and warmed up to him. "Ye've done well, lass." He nodded at me. "So well, ye've attracted the attention of the Cathedral o' Light."
I gasped and stepped away from him, feeling better and worse all at the same time. "What does this mean?"
He laughed again, the deep laugh only one of my people could have, the kind of laugh you can feel vibrating through the earth beneath your feet. "Don't ye worry, lass. The Shadowbreaker done sent for ye. What he wants with ye, I don't know. I do know he wields the Light in the same manner as ye. Perhaps he can teach ye something I can't."
Still in shock, I looked at him with eyes wide, ignoring his gleaming armor and thick, beautiful beard, in search of some kind of comfort, and whispered, "The Shadowbreaker wants me?"
"Aye, lass. And he ain't the type of man ye want to keep waiting, so ye best be getting on the Tram and making yer way to Stormwind right away."
"But- I- I- "
"Shhh. Do as I say now."
"But I've never been on the Tram. I've never been to Stormwind."
"Shhh. Go now, lass. I don't want to hear another peep out of ye about it. Best to not think overly deep about it and just do it."
"Uh, yes, sir." I bowed again for practice. I had managed to fiddle my braids into my belt in the back in an effort to keep them in place, and this time I pulled off the bow, if not with grace, then at least without embarrassment.
I flew to my barracks and gathered up what little I might need for the trip, muttering to myself the entire time. "Take the Tram he says. It may be the quickest way to Stormwind, but I'll be damned if I trust some Gnomish contraption to take me under the ocean. If I get but a drop of water on me someone's head will roll."
And despite my fears, I boarded the Tram, and held onto the railing tight as we flew off to Stormwind.
When we reached the bit where the rail opened up to glass windows on the ocean floor, I had to squeeze my eyes shut tight, and it took all my training to remain calm in the face of so much water. We were past it quickly, but the nausea didn't disappear until I was on solid ground again.
I approached the temple in the Mystic Ward with not a little trepidation. What could this master Paladin want with little ol' me? I couldn't help but feel my heart flutter a bit at the thought that maybe he is sweet on me, but I quickly shook that feeling off and approached him as a strong and courageous child of the Light should.
I bowed as gracefully as my stout body would allow, and my braids flopped over into my face and dusted the ground at his feet so that when I stood straight once more I looked quite the fool. My face reddened in embarrassment as I attempted to casually shake my head in order to return my plaits to their proper place, I stammered, "You- you- sent for me, sir?"
He chuckled deeply and warm-heartedly with a huge grin on his face and put his arm on my shoulder so that I quickly forgot my embarrassment and foolishness and warmed up to him. "Ye've done well, lass." He nodded at me. "So well, ye've attracted the attention of the Cathedral o' Light."
I gasped and stepped away from him, feeling better and worse all at the same time. "What does this mean?"
He laughed again, the deep laugh only one of my people could have, the kind of laugh you can feel vibrating through the earth beneath your feet. "Don't ye worry, lass. The Shadowbreaker done sent for ye. What he wants with ye, I don't know. I do know he wields the Light in the same manner as ye. Perhaps he can teach ye something I can't."
Still in shock, I looked at him with eyes wide, ignoring his gleaming armor and thick, beautiful beard, in search of some kind of comfort, and whispered, "The Shadowbreaker wants me?"
"Aye, lass. And he ain't the type of man ye want to keep waiting, so ye best be getting on the Tram and making yer way to Stormwind right away."
"But- I- I- "
"Shhh. Do as I say now."
"But I've never been on the Tram. I've never been to Stormwind."
"Shhh. Go now, lass. I don't want to hear another peep out of ye about it. Best to not think overly deep about it and just do it."
"Uh, yes, sir." I bowed again for practice. I had managed to fiddle my braids into my belt in the back in an effort to keep them in place, and this time I pulled off the bow, if not with grace, then at least without embarrassment.
I flew to my barracks and gathered up what little I might need for the trip, muttering to myself the entire time. "Take the Tram he says. It may be the quickest way to Stormwind, but I'll be damned if I trust some Gnomish contraption to take me under the ocean. If I get but a drop of water on me someone's head will roll."
And despite my fears, I boarded the Tram, and held onto the railing tight as we flew off to Stormwind.
When we reached the bit where the rail opened up to glass windows on the ocean floor, I had to squeeze my eyes shut tight, and it took all my training to remain calm in the face of so much water. We were past it quickly, but the nausea didn't disappear until I was on solid ground again.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Quirks
I have some strange quirks when it comes to how I play WoW. Perhaps I'm a little bit obsessive, a little superstitious, a little quirky. The biggest quirk I've found is this:
Every toon I have ever made that has ever gotten a Rabbit's Foot keeps it (or more likely a stack of varying sizes). I don't ever put them in the bank. They must stay in the character's bags. If I run out of bag space I will delete anything but the Rabbit's Foot. I highly doubt this brings me any real luck, but it's just something I do, and something I will never stop doing.
I keep other odds and ends from time to time as well, depending on the whims of the particular toon I'm playing. All of my Death Knights have been particularly fond of hanging onto Mind-Soothing Baubles, perhaps it makes them feel better after all the slaughtering of innocents. My very first Archaeological find was a Necklace with Elune Pendant, and I think I'm going to hang onto it. I'm also quite fond of collecting miscellaneous books. An Exotic Cookbook is among my prized possessions. And of course you all know I'm quite fond of playing dress-up with my toons. The clothing collections on some of my toons is just staggering.
Beyond collecting I have quirks about how I level my toons.
I absolutely refuse to leave a zone before I've completed it. I didn't always do this, and found my understanding of the storyline to be decidedly lacking. Perhaps I'm over-compensating, but its what I do.
I also feel uncomfortable if I level a toon beyond what they are able to do with their professions. I end up having a nagging need to go fishing, mine some ore, or pick some flowers. Now that these activities provide Exp, I find it that much more uncomfortable to level with a friend. I'm learning to let go of my profession addictions though. Most likely the best way to cope with it is to not level professions on the toons I play with my bestfriend until I'm max level.
Every toon I have ever made that has ever gotten a Rabbit's Foot keeps it (or more likely a stack of varying sizes). I don't ever put them in the bank. They must stay in the character's bags. If I run out of bag space I will delete anything but the Rabbit's Foot. I highly doubt this brings me any real luck, but it's just something I do, and something I will never stop doing.
I keep other odds and ends from time to time as well, depending on the whims of the particular toon I'm playing. All of my Death Knights have been particularly fond of hanging onto Mind-Soothing Baubles, perhaps it makes them feel better after all the slaughtering of innocents. My very first Archaeological find was a Necklace with Elune Pendant, and I think I'm going to hang onto it. I'm also quite fond of collecting miscellaneous books. An Exotic Cookbook is among my prized possessions. And of course you all know I'm quite fond of playing dress-up with my toons. The clothing collections on some of my toons is just staggering.
Beyond collecting I have quirks about how I level my toons.
I absolutely refuse to leave a zone before I've completed it. I didn't always do this, and found my understanding of the storyline to be decidedly lacking. Perhaps I'm over-compensating, but its what I do.
I also feel uncomfortable if I level a toon beyond what they are able to do with their professions. I end up having a nagging need to go fishing, mine some ore, or pick some flowers. Now that these activities provide Exp, I find it that much more uncomfortable to level with a friend. I'm learning to let go of my profession addictions though. Most likely the best way to cope with it is to not level professions on the toons I play with my bestfriend until I'm max level.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
What's with Herbalism?
I think there may still be a few kinks in the herb picking system. Not that I'm complaining. I just wish things were labeled correctly.
This screenshot clearly illustrates that Gwennis' skill in Herbalism is 92, and picking Bruiseweed requires an Herbalism skill of 100, yet she was very much able to pick this herb.
Anyone else notice any strange herb or mining skill issues like this?
Monday, January 10, 2011
The 20 Days of World of Warcraft: Day Sixteen
Favorite quest/quest chain?
Well, heck! I had to wait to answer this one after the whole Shattering and Cataclysm thing.
Well, I'm not sure that I'm properly able to make that decision now. I haven't been through all of the new stuff that's been added. Maybe someday I'll have me a Loremaster, and then I can confidently answer this question, but right now I just don't feel like the choice I would make would be fair.
I can tell you what I would have chosen prior to the Shattering.
Indubitably Oh Noes, the Tadpoles! There is nothing cuter than a baby murloc. I was disappointed that Blizzard never made this quest into a daily, and I'm doubly disappointed that we still can't get a baby murloc non-combat pet. The only thing I can think is that the adorableness of the baby murloc is just too powerful to be released into the public in large quantities. The only ones that I'm aware of are Murky (2005 Blizzcon), Lurky (BC Collector's Edition EU only) and Gurky (Fansite contest EU only). Europe gets all the murloc love. ~pout~
Sometimes I just hang out in the Forlorn Cavern in Ironforge just to be near Murky. He's sooooo cute!
Well, heck! I had to wait to answer this one after the whole Shattering and Cataclysm thing.
Well, I'm not sure that I'm properly able to make that decision now. I haven't been through all of the new stuff that's been added. Maybe someday I'll have me a Loremaster, and then I can confidently answer this question, but right now I just don't feel like the choice I would make would be fair.
I can tell you what I would have chosen prior to the Shattering.
Indubitably Oh Noes, the Tadpoles! There is nothing cuter than a baby murloc. I was disappointed that Blizzard never made this quest into a daily, and I'm doubly disappointed that we still can't get a baby murloc non-combat pet. The only thing I can think is that the adorableness of the baby murloc is just too powerful to be released into the public in large quantities. The only ones that I'm aware of are Murky (2005 Blizzcon), Lurky (BC Collector's Edition EU only) and Gurky (Fansite contest EU only). Europe gets all the murloc love. ~pout~
Sometimes I just hang out in the Forlorn Cavern in Ironforge just to be near Murky. He's sooooo cute!
Sunday, January 9, 2011
The 20 Days of World of Warcraft: Day Fifteen
What with the Cataclysm (I mean the new expansion, not going back to work, although that is a part of it too), I kind of forgot to finish ye olde 20 days MEME. Here's the beginning of the rest.
Favourite Battleground and why?
Arathi Basin with Eye of the Storm a close second. It is the most simple Battleground to understand, in my opinion. I don't much care for the complexities and the massive groups that are required for Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest. Warsong Gulch, while the premise is simple, I never cared for capture the flag in grade school, and my feelings have not yet changed.
I think my preference of battleground is primarily because I'm not much of a fighter. I'm really not much of a PVPer, unless I am coerced into it by a good friend. I've only ever done battlegrounds as a healer, so I'm sure that takes its toll on my opinion as well. I'm naturally a defender, and Arathi Basin is perfect for me because of that.
Favourite Battleground and why?
Arathi Basin with Eye of the Storm a close second. It is the most simple Battleground to understand, in my opinion. I don't much care for the complexities and the massive groups that are required for Alterac Valley and Isle of Conquest. Warsong Gulch, while the premise is simple, I never cared for capture the flag in grade school, and my feelings have not yet changed.
I think my preference of battleground is primarily because I'm not much of a fighter. I'm really not much of a PVPer, unless I am coerced into it by a good friend. I've only ever done battlegrounds as a healer, so I'm sure that takes its toll on my opinion as well. I'm naturally a defender, and Arathi Basin is perfect for me because of that.
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