tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69318378784904583492024-03-13T15:30:51.149-05:00Specced For DramaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger126125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-12633977512504875212011-06-07T19:10:00.000-05:002011-06-07T19:10:10.309-05:00Non-WoWMy non-WoW blog can be found at <a href="http://theoreticaldrama.wordpress.com/">Theoretical Drama</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-17672573525475003262011-05-31T09:00:00.002-05:002011-05-31T09:00:06.648-05:00(D)Rifting AwayI know, I said my blog would be a Rift free zone. I know, I've long been a proponent of WoW, defending it at all costs. But that was back when there was no way my computer could run Rift. Yes, I know, I'm a terrible hypocrite, traitor, whatever...<br />
<br />
My silence has been due to playing the Rift trial. Having played it, I think I may have fallen in love. Granted I haven't gotten that far, but so far it has been wonderful. There is always a chance that I will come back to WoW, but right now I'm (d)Rifting away.<br />
<br />
I fully intend to create a more personal blog where I can talk about things not WoW specific, because I've really missed blogging. However, without any WoW related content to post I shall be silent. I will follow up with a link to my personal blog in the coming days.<br />
<br />
I want to thank all of my readers, especially those who comment. You've become like friends to me. If you are going to miss me, know that I am going to miss you even more.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-83869611853021312522011-05-20T08:00:00.003-05:002011-05-20T08:00:07.754-05:00Chilling...Pugnacious Priest wrote a post about where we like to chill found <a href="http://pugnaciouspriest.com/2011/05/19/chilling-on-the-block/">here</a>, and I've found it rather inspiring.<br />
<br />
Stormwind is the place to be, and specifically the Dwarven District is quite populous due to it's proximity to the portals to Cataclysm zones. I have to admit that Ice spends much of her time there, but I've not completely abandoned my other favorites.<br />
<br />
Both Audrid and my new gnome have set Ironforge as their home, and I have to admit it's rather nice and quiet now. I can remember the hotbed that Ironforge once was during Vanilla. I was just a wee newbie back then, and I can remember looking at all the level 60 characters and their Epic gear, wondering if I'd ever make it that far. I guess I've come a long way since then, and so has the game itself. Ironforge feels almost as deserted as Darnassus now.<br />
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My bank alt, Levi, lives in Dalaran still. She likes to hang out with Frozo outside of Like Clockwork and groove to the hum of the nearby Chopper's rumbling motor. She occasionally takes a trip to One More Glass, for a visit with Christi Stockton and a glass of Dalaran Red. I've discovered that I'm not the only one still chilling in Dalaran either. It may be just a shadow of what it once was, but it seems more populous than Ironforge.<br />
<br />
I still miss Shattrath. The Aldor Bank was Ama's home. So many hours spent there, laughing and chatting, dancing and playing dress-up, napping in the piles of gold. It will never be the same since I no longer have Ama anymore, but the memories live on.<br />
<br />
Where do you find yourself hanging out?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-85026054181511963032011-05-19T08:00:00.005-05:002011-05-19T08:00:11.342-05:00Another 20 Days (Day 10)<i>Saga at Spellbound has come up with her very own <a href="http://spellbound.nu/?p=829">20 Days of WoW Blogging challenge</a> - this is Day 10.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Blog/Website favorites</b><br />
<br />
My favorite blog used to be <a href="http://www.righteousorbs.com/">Righteous Orbs</a>. Who didn't love the witty and unapologetic Tam and Chas? Then my favorite blog was <a href="http://grayplace.wordpress.com/">The Gray Place</a>, again for the intelligent yet unapologetic wit. Sadly both of these blogs have come to their end. Now, my favorite blog is <a href="http://moar-alts.blogspot.com/">Moar Alts</a>, I think mainly because I feel as though Pilf and I sometimes follow the same paths. A close second goes to <a href="http://i-like-pancakes.tumblr.com/">I Like Pancakes</a>, beautiful artwork and a no-nonsense approach to the game as well as RP. ~points at the blogroll~ This is not to say that I love any of the about a hundred blogs that I read any less. It's hard to choose a favorite. The two I've chosen are the two bloggers I feel I can most identify with.<br />
<br />
As far as websites go, like much of the population, I frequent <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/">Wowhead</a> (phallic icon ftw). I'm also a big fan of <a href="http://www.warcraftrealms.com/">Warcraft Realms</a>, because inquiring minds wanna know just how many mages there are on that there realm. For profession guides I tend to go to <a href="http://www.thenoobschool.com/worldofwarcraft/">The Noob School</a> (even though there are ads to gold sellers on their pages). Although as a second choice I'd recommend <a href="http://wow.crafterstome.com/home.html">Crafter's Tome</a>, although sometimes a bit slow to load, there is tons of information to be found there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-29638339018924719932011-05-11T09:50:00.002-05:002011-05-13T15:36:12.380-05:00Shared Topic: New Class<i>This week's Blog Azeroth Shared Topic is New Class Theories, suggested by<a href="http://eternalshadowfox.blogspot.com/"> Shadowfox</a>. See other responses to this topic <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2859">here</a>. </i><br />
<br />
There have been many theories on what the next hero class will be, but at this time all signs point to Demon Hunter (which is consequentially what <a href="http://eternalshadowfox.blogspot.com/2011/04/new-class-theory-demon-hunter.html">Shadowfox</a> wrote about). Why else would the <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/quest=28529">Writings of the Void</a> quest chain exist?<br />
<br />
However, if I had to choose what the next class would be I'd definitely pick a Monk type class. I discussed this briefly in my review of EQ2, found <a href="http://loveandwarinazeroth.wordpress.com/2010/05/29/everquest-2-first-impressions/">here</a>. Typhoon Andrew also has written about it <a href="http://typhoonandrew.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/monks-in-warcraft-id-roll-one/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
When I first started gaming I played Baldur's Gate and eventually Neverwinter Nights. Just like in WoW I tried a little bit of everything, but in the end settled on the Monk class as my favorite. It was a disappointment when I started playing WoW to find no Monk class in the game. There is something just amazing about beating someone down with just your bare fists or a simple stave and the sheer power of your will, dancing out of harms way on fleet feet. Of course having the ability to heal yourself and others helps too. Everyone knows I'm a healer at heart. Monks are like the perfect combination of rogue/priest.<br />
<br />
On the other side of the spectrum are those that long for a Battle Mage of some sort. A plate wearing caster, that can get into the thick of things without dying, but still cast powerful spells at range. Some have suggested a buff class, such as the Bard in EQ. There are so many ideas and options, none of them all that unique or new to the fantasy rpg genre.<br />
<br />
In the end, as I said at the beginning, all signs are pointing to Demon Hunter. Time will tell...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-69796273383611528132011-05-11T08:00:00.001-05:002011-05-11T08:00:02.969-05:00Another 20 Days (Day 9)<i>Saga at Spellbound has come up with her very own <a href="http://spellbound.nu/?p=829">20 Days of WoW Blogging challenge</a> - this is Day 9.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Your first blog post:</b><br />
<br />
My first Blog post ever was at Love and War in Azeroth, and can be found <a href="http://loveandwarinazeroth.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/hello-world/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
Things have changed since then, not least of all the move to Blogger. When I first started blogging I was flailing lost in Azeroth, searching for a home where I could lay down roots. Nearly a year later and things have not changed much. I am still flailing around Azeroth in search of a home. My partner has tied me down to the Cairne realm, and I'm ok with that (most of the time). I occasionally still get that bit of wanderlust and roll an alt on a random new server just for giggles. These alts rarely make it much past level 10, as I always wander back to Cairne and back to him.<br />
<br />
If I hadn't switched to Blogger and the new blog (my other first post is <a href="http://speccedfordrama.blogspot.com/2010/11/of-new-beginnings.html">here</a>) I would be celebrating my blog-iversary at the end of this month. I think I've learned a lot about myself and about writing over the year, but I'm not sure I've made any progress at all into finding a home in WoW.<br />
<br />
The guild I was in through BC felt like a home. I was friends with so many people in the guild. The guild was active and raiding. I felt like a central part of the team. I had a home again for a brief while towards the end of Wrath, but it all fell apart in bitterness. People who I had thought were my friends stabbed me in the back. Now, when I think about searching for a guild, the memory of that heartache holds me back.<br />
<br />
Technically I have a guild now, but it isn't really a home. I see one or two other guild members occasionally. Most of the guild is around on weekends when I am busy working, and so I am the oddball mid-week player.<br />
<br />
When I think about what I'd like from a guild now, it would be what I had in the first guild I was in, Eclipse. It was a large guild of casual players. There was always someone around to chat with, even during the day in the middle of the week. Occasionally we'd get a guild group together to run regular dungeons or heroics or some battlegrounds. It was nicknamed "The Old Folks Guild" as the leadership and most members were older, more mature players.<br />
<br />
I moved on from Eclipse to be a part of Lesson Learned, a fledgling raiding guild which eventually ended up raiding fairly hardcore. It has been an amazing journey and I wouldn't take anything back, but I do wish I could find a guild like Eclipse again now. Then maybe I would have a home again...<br />
<br />
Then again, if I found a home and was perfectly content in my game, would I have anything left to write about?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-46488743662356680062011-05-10T10:44:00.000-05:002011-05-10T10:44:36.166-05:00The torture that is maintenance day...It's Tuesday - maintenance day. I know, we are all going through our WoW withdrawals, but Tuesdays are particularly horrible for me.<br />
<br />
You see, I work loooong hours on the four days that I work each week, allowing me no time for WoW on work days. Tuesday is like my Friday. I am freshly off of work and ready and anxious to play, and more often than not I am presented with half of the day wasted because of maintenance.<br />
<br />
Now, I'm not begrudging maintenance. It must be done, and I'm glad it is normally done on a regular schedule that is well posted. I'm not crying for Blizzard to give me my money back and all of that nonsense. I understand maintenance must happen. I just wish my schedule was different or that the maintenance schedule was different.<br />
<br />
I guess I am crying a little bit because I always end up chomping at the bit on Tuesdays, anxious to get back into the game. I catch up on the blogs that I read. Try to think up new posts for my own blog, maybe write a little bit. And then I am left thinking about what I'm going to do when the servers come up.<br />
<br />
This is what gets me into trouble. I'd love to work on my baby warrior. I kind of want to try out an RP server again now that the new guild finder is in place. I really should run a dungeon on Ice. What about Audrid? She's in Outlands now. I wonder if there are mats for the enchanting rod I need to make on the AH? I should work on my professions on... all of my toons. What about Archaeology? Its so much fun! I really still want to roll a Horde alt and stick with it.<br />
<br />
When it comes down to it I will probably end up playing Ice or Audrid with my partner, but what about all of the rest?<br />
<br />
With limited play time I find that all these side projects are suffering, and I just wish I had more time. That extra time that I spend every Tuesday waiting for the servers to come up.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-5975995769357784542011-05-05T08:00:00.000-05:002011-05-05T08:00:02.498-05:00And now for something completely different...I've always dreamed of being a writer. It was never about the money or the fame, or even or the love of literature. It was about touching others the way that I've been touched by the authors that I love. There is something magic in reading the words that others have written, whether it be an article in a magazine, an epic fiction series, or one of our blogs.<br />
<br />
We touch each other with our words. That touch can invoke any number of reactions, from rage to lust, from sadness to joy, and everything in between. Perhaps it is a selfish goal, but I want to touch others in that way.<br />
<br />
I still don't feel as though I've found my voice. The voice I write with here is my speaking voice. I find that I want more from myself, but I'm unsure of how to push it out. The key, I'm sure, is putting more time and effort into my writing, which is something I rarely do with my blog posts. The posts with the most effort put into them are my little guides and my bits of Fan Fic. It may end up being pretty near impossible for me to coax much more into my writing in the near future, as I am heading into the busy season at work and hours are growing even longer than they already are, but I'm going to try.<br />
<br />
At times I feel as though I'd like to move beyond the game with my writing. In the near future there may be added spaces here for things outside of WoW, but the blog as a whole will remain a WoW blog. If you're interested, I'll encourage you to check out the things that I'll hopefully be adding. Any and all feedback is welcomed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-75498238066859711372011-05-04T08:00:00.001-05:002011-05-04T08:00:18.981-05:00Another 20 Days (Day 8)<div class="post-body entry-content" id="post-body-6191980099823197996" style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.4; position: relative; width: 508px;"><i>Saga at Spellbound has come up with her very own <a href="http://spellbound.nu/?p=829" style="text-decoration: none;">20 Days of WoW Blogging challenge</a> - this is Day 8.</i><br />
<br />
10 things we don’t know about you:<br />
<br />
I have to admit, I've found this topic to be one of the more challenging to write. There is a fine balance to be found between finding things that my readers don't know about me, but also finding things that are appropriate to share. Anyway, here goes...<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol><li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">My favorite color is emerald green.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I am a lazy, pleasure seeker, with minimal motivation outside of desire, and I'm learning to be ok with that.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I am addicted to caffeine, with my poison of choice being Diet Cherry Dr Pepper (Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry is a close second).</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I have an orange tabby named Sammy.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I have a habit of naming the important purchases in my life. For example, my car is named Buttercup.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I am terrified of heights, both IRL and in game. It takes me time to get across the bridges in Thunderbluff or down the chain to BRD because it scares me that much. I'm also afraid of the elevator bosses (both in game and IRL).</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I'm horrible at making decisions. When I have to choose I always feel guilty, as though I'm being selfish, and will sometimes choose what I think my companions would most like.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">While I've never been to a psychiatrist or psychologist for diagnosis, I think I have a touch of OCD, social anxiety and a bit of depression at times, as well as some massive self esteem issues.</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">I'm a conservative socialist. I dare you to figure that one out!</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-indent: 0px;">My favorite food is macaroni and cheese.</li>
</ol></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-82338401599467324922011-05-03T12:47:00.000-05:002011-05-03T12:47:02.951-05:00Since when did I grow an epeen and why does it hurt?There's a group of guys at my work that always talk about WoW in their free time. Even though I've told them that I play and have tried to interject myself into the group's conversations, they still snub me. It gets my epeen throbbing and I end up sitting and stewing about it.<br />
<br />
They are all in a guild together and I've heard them talk about their raid progression. I know just how noobish they are. They never did down the LK during the last expansion. Half of their guild quit the game because they couldn't get past Magmaw for a good while. I know I'm a far better player (and raider when I was raiding) than any of them. Why won't they include me in their little group? I'd love to talk about WoW at work during my downtime.<br />
<br />
The only logical conclusion I can come to is that they don't include me because I'm female. Girls don't play WoW, and if they do they are the casual, huntard, flower-pickers who never get past level 40.<br />
<br />
I finally find a place where I can come out about my geeky hobby, and somehow I still end up being the outcast.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-51557463253431199122011-04-29T08:00:00.002-05:002011-04-29T08:00:17.643-05:00Something that rarely ever happens...There he was - just a-tankin BRD<br />
Singing "Doo wa diddy diddy dum diddy doo!*"<br />
<br />
*<i>Which Torq/Warrayden tells me translates into "OMG! Ouch! Don't stab me in the eye!"</i><br />
<br />
Long story short, this little gem popped out of my head mid-run in BRD. Now that Ice is 85, I can continue working on poor neglected Audrid. For the first time ever, I have completed BRD at appropriate level in one stretch. Sure we had to replace the tank once and a couple of the DPS, and we had an awesome Turtle/Hunter tank for a good long while (Warrayden), but Audrid and her hunter friend got all the way through it in one sitting. There really ought to be an achievement.<br />
<br />
PS. Why is The Eviscerator the only boss in the Ring of Law now? I miss the random bosses!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-25747333232592051762011-04-28T08:00:00.002-05:002011-04-28T08:00:11.014-05:00A Death Knight's Tale: DiplomacyWith Acherus won and a good night of rest behind me, I am aching to get back into action. The one who administered my stitches says I must allow my shoulder to rest before returning to battle, but dead flesh will never truly mend. I see no need for further rest, all I see is red, I want Him dead.<br />
<br />
The medic gets his wish, for first Mograine requires a mission of diplomacy, a plea to the Alliance for tolerance and peace. I do not relish this kind of task, but perhaps it is a test, to see if I am beyond my bloodthirsty ways, to see if I can control myself in "polite" society. So I go, through this portal, to Stormwind, the heart of the Alliance.<br />
<br />
As I walk through this jewel of a city I can feel the eyes glaring at me from all directions. It grows worse the closer I come to the Keep. The crowd grows bold, afterall, I am but one monster in the midst of hundreds. They throw curses as well as rotten food, rocks, whatever they can find, at me. One particularly daring human runs right in front of me, screaming, "Get out of our city, Scourge Fiend!" and spits in my face. This does not distress me, although it isn't particularly pleasant either. My escort, the city guard, pushes him away gently, as I nonchalantly wipe the spittle from my face with the back of my hand.<br />
<br />
These people distrust me, and I don't blame them. Look at what I once was. The names they call me are fitting. I <i>am</i> a murderer. They are right to cower in fear at the sight of me. They are right to spit at and curse me.<br />
<br />
Yet this letter I carry, signed by no less than Tirion Fordring, represents me as better than that which I once was. By this man's word alone I am permitted entry into Stormwind and presented to the King himself. Our newly formed order needs allies, and what better than to appeal to the King of Stormwind himself?<br />
<br />
And yet, I wonder if I am truly able to be a part of this group of the living. My sole purpose now is to end the Scourge. I have nothing else in common with these people. I no longer even remember what my life was when I was alive. Physically, I am obviously of the Draenei. How I came to die in a place where the Lich King would find me and resurrect me as his warrior, I have no idea.<br />
<br />
There have been a few since who claim to recognize me, to have known me from before, but there is no memory of that for me. I have no desire to learn of my history. The history that I remember is painful enough, I would not add more to the abominations I have already to account for. As such, I have no feelings for the Draenei as a people, as <i>my</i> people. The Order is now my family, my race, my heritage.<br />
<br />
Knowing the atrocities I have committed in His name, I feel I have no right to a future. I will play the hand that is dealt me. I will go to this King of Stormwind and plea for our acceptance. But I can only do so as a logical next step. There is no feeling of loyalty to the Alliance for me. There is only the need to kill Him. To do so we need help. I will ask for help, and I will honor any contract we engage in with the Alliance. Beyond that, who knows?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-70040428267332832582011-04-27T08:24:00.000-05:002011-04-27T08:24:42.514-05:00DING!Too busy to blog post... must... hit... 85...!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AAL2WtjjsTo/TbgY4_K7dgI/AAAAAAAAAJc/dmEveOUviJE/s1600/Ice+hits+85.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AAL2WtjjsTo/TbgY4_K7dgI/AAAAAAAAAJc/dmEveOUviJE/s320/Ice+hits+85.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><br />
And now back to your regularly scheduled blogging...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-43197994306039662692011-04-22T08:00:00.003-05:002011-04-22T08:00:04.170-05:00A gaming crisis of sorts avertedLast night Torq and I were on Skype together trying to decide what to do in game. I was feeling a bit burned out on playing Ice and said as much.<br />
<br />
~Cue Flood Gates~<br />
<br />
You see, Torq (on his main and high level alts) is what I would call a hardcore raider (hardcore-ness subject to perspective). He is anxious to get Torq to 85, and his guild is anxious to have a Frost DK added to the ranks of Melee DPS they can pull from for raids.<br />
<br />
When I mentioned to Torq that I wasn't really feeling like playing Ice, well, it drew parallels in his mind with a time that came before in which I deleted my level 84 Druid and my level 80 Priest among others. He was right to draw those parallels. Subconsciously I had reached that point where I was afraid to hit level cap. It is the same thing that happened to me with my Druid.<br />
<br />
It is always difficult to deal with feelings that you haven't fully accepted or even noticed yet. I only just started to feel that little bit of burn out. But it was true, I was feeling that fear of hitting level cap. Irrational as I know it sounds, knowing that I don't really have any desire to raid left me wondering what else there is for me in the game. What happens after that?<br />
<br />
Now, that is normally a very easy question for me to answer. ALTS!!! However, I have Torq to consider in all of this. Ultimately, he is one of the main reasons why I continue to play WoW. We have so much fun together. And so, irrational fear creeps in that once we hit 85 he will be off raiding and I will be alone. Of course it is irrational fear because I completely forget that we have 3 other pairs of alts that we are leveling purely with each other.<br />
<br />
I have made a promise to myself, to Torq, and to all of my readers, that I will not be deleting Icelica any time soon. That would be the farthest thing from what I'd be likely to do at this point. I still have so much of her story to write. There is no way I can just delete her now. She still has a long way to go towards healing the wounds that being a member of Lich King's army has given her.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-43041684185255541822011-04-21T08:00:00.003-05:002011-04-21T08:00:09.167-05:00In which my new computer brought me to tearsSo, just when I said I was back, I was thrown a curve ball and ended up away for another week. I had all sorts of posts planned and many ideas and the freshness of my new main kicking around my head, and BOOM. Crash went my motherboard.<br />
<br />
It was bound to happen. I'd been inadvertently trying to destroy that thing ever since I got the computer years ago, so I wasn't completely surprised, but disappointed to have a week without it. I hardly thought I could stand it. Screw the game, I missed my blog!<br />
<br />
Happily, yesterday I purchased a replacement with the recommendations of my guardian computer angel. It isn't perfect, and a few upgrades are still in store, but even just out of the box it screams when compared to the old computer.<br />
<br />
After re-downloading WoW and getting my addons just so again, I stopped to look. For years I've been playing WoW with the lowest video settings possible. I thought the game was pretty enough. I had no idea. The textures, the sparkles, the details, the water, the air, the spells, even something as simple as the cobblestones in SW... I stopped and played dress-up on Ice, and she looks even more amazing than ever.<br />
<br />
And then I had a moment of regret. The very first moment of regret at having deleted Amaranth. Not wishing I could play her, because I am well and over that, but wishing I could see her with the graphics improved. All of the beautiful sets of dress up clothes she had, all of the nifty staves and off-hand frills. I cried a little, just a little, just a moment, for that lost opportunity.<br />
<br />
Why, oh, why did I not upgrade my computer sooner?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-49310350953030942722011-04-20T10:19:00.000-05:002011-04-20T10:19:41.878-05:00Keeping ControlThose of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I am truly a healer at heart. It is my preferred role, always. Over the years reading and talking to other players I've gotten the feeling that most people who heal do it because it has faster queue times for randoms or their guild needed another healer for the raid, not because they love healing. As a consequence of this conclusion I have never stopped trying to figure out why I love to heal. Well, I think I have come to a conclusion.<br />
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I'm a control freak.<br />
<br />
As a healer, I always feel as though I am in control. If I don't heal you, you will die. I don't typically abuse this power, but it is the truth.<br />
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Having now tried all roles in dungeon settings, I can firmly say that the reason I have had issues with playing as DPS is mostly due to lack of control (especially when playing pure DPS classes). As DPS, in most cases, you are at the whim of your tank and healer to control the flow of a dungeon. The appeal of the DPS role is numbers. Instant gratification via large shiny numbers. I love those big numbers too, but not at the sacrifice of control. It feels like taking a huge leap of faith to put your safety in the hands of a tank and healer in a random dungeon. I know, I know. It's just a game. The worst that can happen is a wipe, but nobody likes wiping.<br />
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Now that my main is a tank I can see things much more clearly. The thing that I am enjoying most about tanking, and the thing that keeps me on the edge of my seat, biting my lip in anxiety, is that the tank role is a constant battle to keep control (keep aggro). I feel like a child walking several misbehaving dogs on leashes and they all want to go different directions. Perhaps this feeling will even out in time as I grow more experienced, but I kind of doubt it. When I am healing I know I am in control. When I am tanking I am always on the verge of losing it. I know that at any time that hunter pet might growl, or the mage might randomly decide to frost nova mobs before they reach me, or (God forbid) the healer has gone afk without letting me know. All of which has happened.<br />
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In ways, playing in the role of a tank has presented the ultimate challenge to me. Maybe someday I will attain that perfect state of zen where I no longer care about keeping control.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-52682941025087551702011-04-13T09:30:00.001-05:002011-04-13T09:30:04.496-05:00Shared Topic: Weird Gaming Habits<i>This week's <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/">Blog Azeroth</a> Shared Topic is Weird Gaming Habits, suggested by <a href="http://redcowrise.blogspot.com/">Akabeko</a>. See other responses to this topic <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2804">here</a>. </i><br />
<br />
Well, I guess there are two sides to this coin, the weird habits we have in game, and the weird habits we have outside of game as we are playing.<i> </i><br />
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<b>In Game </b><br />
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I think I've mentioned before that any toon that gets a <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2804">Rabbit's Foot</a> keeps it (or a stack of them) in their inventory at all times for good luck. Many of my toons are collectors of random objects for sentimental reasons.<br />
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If I get a bug in my butt about leveling a profession I sometimes get borderline obsessive about it, feeling obligated to take care of that profession in every spare moment. This makes me very quick and efficient about leveling professions, but sometimes at a detriment to everything else in game.<br />
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I am one of those people who has a hard time going off of the beaten path. I have a tendency to get lost or turned around if I just go gallivanting across the country-side, which is odd because I have a very good sense of direction IRL.<br />
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I am absolutely obsessive about looting bodies. It irritates me to no end if I don't get to loot all the sparkly bodies, and will even pick up trash that other people leave behind from their loot. Every copper counts. <br />
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I am horrible at flying. There is something about 3 dimensions that just doesn't work in my head. I always end up either too close or too far away from things, flying too high or too low. For this reason, I almost always take flight paths to get places unless they are really close. <br />
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<b>Outside of Game</b><br />
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I can't eat while I play. Not even finger food. It is too much of a distraction. I can handle drinking things, but I can't do more than idle while I'm eating.<br />
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Regardless of whether I am at work or at home playing, I have a habit of leg bouncing when I am sitting still and focusing. It is a habit that both me and my father have so I guess it might be genetic. It drives my co-workers crazy at work, but that's because we are on the upper floor and I sometimes bounce it so hard it shakes the floor a little.<br />
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I keep a notepad on my desk just in case blog inspiration strikes. I keep one at work as well, because sometimes I think about the game in spare moments. Many a blog post has begun in this way.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-3155815398113377592011-04-12T15:41:00.000-05:002011-04-12T15:41:28.212-05:00Ice Ice Baby (not so much of a baby anymore)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4wY16C4mvqg/TaS1EMqQaoI/AAAAAAAAAJU/Phwfj-otuiY/s1600/Ice+at+80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4wY16C4mvqg/TaS1EMqQaoI/AAAAAAAAAJU/Phwfj-otuiY/s400/Ice+at+80.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><br />
Despite this past week of silence, I have not disappeared. Neither has Icelica, even though I haven't written about her in months. I've been leveling her alongside Torq mainly by tanking random dungeons in moderation. It has been a slow process, but very successful, and I am proud to announce that she isn't a baby anymore.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi6q_5dxP_A/TaS2ZlpxmzI/AAAAAAAAAJY/Nywvc6iDdsg/s1600/Ice+level+80+achieve.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mi6q_5dxP_A/TaS2ZlpxmzI/AAAAAAAAAJY/Nywvc6iDdsg/s320/Ice+level+80+achieve.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
That's right, Ice has reached level 80 and is beginning her adventures in the Cataclysm zones, and in doing so may have cemented herself as my "main" for the expansion. She has a long road ahead of her though, not least of all is the continuing story that I am waaaay behind on writing. <br />
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You can expect for there to be some changes to the site now that I have a "main" again, not least of all will be a page dedicated to my little adventures in fan-fic writing. Don't worry. The changes won't be too dramatic. And in no way does this mean I am abandoning my babillion alts.<br />
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More to come.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-47162857011427798332011-04-06T19:22:00.000-05:002011-04-06T19:22:31.901-05:00Funerals are for the LivingI've been oddly silent this week, primarily because I've had a close family friend pass away. Sometimes the creative juices just get sluiced away when reality strikes, and I apologize for my absence.<br />
<br />
Attending the funeral made me realize that the old adage that funerals are for the living is quite true. I find that in these moments of loss I am quite selfish.<br />
<br />
And as I sat in the funeral home weeping with my friends and family, my mind was racing, screaming at myself not to be so selfish, not to be so weak. There are others who were closer to the one we lost. Their loss is greater. Why should I cry? But the more I berate myself internally to quit crying, the more I cry, until whatever triggered the tears in the first place is long over and I'm the only one left with red eyes and sniffles.<br />
<br />
While I am sad about this death, I know he lived a full and exciting life. I have many, many happy memories to make me smile. Still, I cry. The tears are not for the dead, because they are beyond this world now. We cannot touch them. No, the tears I cry are for myself, for my loss, and for the fear of future losses.<br />
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And somehow it grows more and more difficult with every loved one I bury. Every loss gets harder. Selfish as it sounds, I'm afraid to end up alone, all of my friends and family gone. It feels inevitable. We all will die. I am not afraid of my own death, but the death of others, now that is terrifying.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-24736136982509924302011-04-02T08:00:00.000-05:002011-04-02T08:00:04.151-05:00Another 20 Days (Day 7)<i>Saga at Spellbound has come up with her very own <a href="http://spellbound.nu/?p=829">20 Days of WoW Blogging challenge</a> - this is Day 7.</i><br />
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<b>The reason behind your blog’s name</b><br />
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When I started blogging I was so anxious to begin that I didn't take the time that I should have to come up with a name for my blog. I began blogging at Love and War in Azeroth. It was a spur of the moment decision, and I grew to regret it. The love part was something I could get behind, but the contrasting war was difficult for me to put into use in my blog. I never really was Love and War in Azeroth, it was just a label for a blog. That is part of the reason I ended up moving my blog here to Specced for Drama.<br />
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Around the time of the dramatic guild blow-up over 10 man raiding and the Amani War Bear (among other things) I started joking around with guildies and friends about making a guild called Specced for Drama. Eventually I did just that and my bank alt was the Drama Queen. It was just a bank guild, but I liked it. I liked it so much that it has become the name of my blog.<br />
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As much as I don't really like guild drama when I'm directly and emotionally involved in it, I do enjoy it from the voyeur's perspective. Drama is conducive to inspiration and creativity when it comes to writing (at least it is for me). I love lore, the dramatic story that unfolds as we level up questing through this changed Azeroth. I love the artistic and dramatic aspects of role-playing. These are the things that I am searching for in the game now. Every day I become more and more drama spec, and I love it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-60825291921284470392011-03-31T09:34:00.000-05:002011-03-31T09:34:44.899-05:00Community HugI couldn't resist Vidalya's <a href="http://manalicious.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/others-endings-are-not-my-endings/">challenge</a> to seek out newer or lesser known bloggers and send them some encouragement. Check these folks out.<br />
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<a href="http://pleasefeedthetroll.blogspot.com/">Please Feed the Troll</a> - Mystic writes a little about everything. The recent interview with a GM was very enlightening.<br />
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<a href="http://wowsociallife.wordpress.com/">The WOW Debutante</a> - Chatmay is sharing a wealth of knowledge about making social guild events and putting together that perfect RP outfit.<br />
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<a href="http://nairusjournal.blogspot.com/">Nairu's Journal</a> - Another blog about Roleplaying. There just aren't enough of them!<br />
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<a href="http://www.shecantdps.com/">She Can't DPS</a> - While Aestiah has been around for a long time, I'm not so sure everyone knows about her. Another RP/story blog, and perhaps the best written and with the best art. <3Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-39746950636293531362011-03-30T06:00:00.000-05:002011-03-30T06:00:13.027-05:00Newb Daze - Part Two<i>The continuing adventures of Newb Ama and her first toon, the warlock named Ashwynn.</i><br />
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I don't know exactly what happened after my adventures riding the tram, but I do remember that I ended up back in Stormwind to complete the quest required so that I could summon my newest minion, my Voidwalker.<br />
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I didn't quite understand what the big deal with the minions were. What I did know was that I found my imp, Biznip, annoying as hell, always complaining that I'm picking on the little guy and stuff isn't in his contract. I was so ready for something new.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2kM8z3D48L8/TZJUfBsGGFI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/VgnGY00ka-w/s1600/Watch+out+for+the+Void+2+cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2kM8z3D48L8/TZJUfBsGGFI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/VgnGY00ka-w/s320/Watch+out+for+the+Void+2+cropped.jpg" width="300" /></a>The moment I met Kraknak I fell in love. He was big and beautiful and blue. His name was so much nicer than the imp's. His voice was dark and foreboding, unlike the shrill whine of Biznip's. I loved him, but I didn't really grasp what he was for.<br />
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I had grown weary of Biznip randomly pulling stray monsters to me with his fireballs, so I had put him on passive. And so, when I took Kraknak out, he was on passive as well. So, basically I had a giant blue decorative demon following me around. <br />
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My friend (who introduced me to the game) caught up to me as I was questing through Westfall. He had the best geared Alliance Fire Mage on the realm at the time, and I was in awe. He took one look at how I was playing and laughed his ass off.<br />
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"You should be sending your Voidwalker in to attack a monster and then you start casting at it, that way he can hold the attention of the monster while you kill it," he told me. I tried it, and lo and behold, he was right. That blue blob sure could keep the attention of those gnolls in Westfall!<br />
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It made perfect sense, and although it was a late lesson to learn, I've never forgotten my very first taste of the holy trinity, Tank/DPS/Healer. From that day forward Kraknak was my guardian, and while he may not have liked being in Azeroth, I sure liked having him around.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-67963123306131839112011-03-29T15:25:00.003-05:002011-03-29T16:56:47.654-05:00Shared Topic: Favorite Race<i>This week's <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/">Blog Azeroth</a> Shared Topic is Favorite Race, suggested by <a href="http://www.pverogues.com/">PVE Rogues</a>. See other responses to this topic <a href="http://www.blogazeroth.com/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=2791">here</a>.</i><br />
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These "What is your favorite ___?" questions are the hardest for me. Really? I have to choose just one? We all know I have a hard time doing that. Just look at my list of toons, and those are only the ones I write about. I have secret toons in my closet. Is that creepy?<br />
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So, this is my blog and I make the rules, so I get 2 favorite Alliance races and 1 favorite Horde race.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Alliance </span><br />
<ol><li><b>Dwarves</b> - Lately dwarves have been my flavor of choice. I don't know if it is because I identify with them personally. I think there was a topic a while back about what race/class combination you would be irl, and I would definitely be a Dwarf. I'm short at 5'2" and rather... ahem... curvy, just like our lovely Dwarven ladies. I'm friendly, but no-nonsense, and stubborn as a mule. <br />
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As far as racial traits go, many folks are enamored of the Stoneform ability, others choose Dwarves for the weapon proficiencies in Maces and Guns. Personally, my favorite racial trait is the newly created Explorer trait. Darn tootin' Dwarves are the original archaeologists, Harrison Jones be damned! And I ain't talkin' bout Herr Professor Ironpants or whatever he's callin' himself. I'm talkin' bout Brann Bronzebeard, folks, and dontcha forget it! </li>
<br><li><b>Night Elves</b> - My previous main and the toon I dedicated myself to for nearly 3 years was a Night Elf. This was the toon that truly made me love WoW. Prior to this I had kind of been just going through the motions on my Warlock. The Night Elf lore was the first true WoW lore that I became engrossed in. <br />
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Night Elves will always have a special place in my heart, even though their best racial trait is now a thing of the past. You know what I'm talking about? I'm talking about Priest specific Starshards, people. The removal of Starshards was quickly followed by everyone getting faster movement speeds in their spirit form. At least we still turn into Wisps when we die. Someday I'd like to explore the new version of Night Elf immortality, life after death as a Wisp.</li>
</ol><span style="font-size: large;">Horde</span><br />
<ol><li><b>The Forsaken</b> - Hands down, The Forsaken are the most bad-ass of the Horde races. No other race can survive underwater without breathing. No other race can feed off of the corpses of the people they've just slain. No other race, Horde or Alliance, has a more bad-ass leader than The Dark Lady. There is absolutely nothing more liberating than already being dead. What's the worst that can happen to you now? <br />
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I don't know if The Forsaken are going to end up being the bad guys or not, but I like to think that what Sylvanas says is true, that they are just striving to create a future for their race. Only time will tell. Personally, I'm hopeful for a Windrunner reunion at some point in the near future, the result of which will be either to push Sylvanas back towards sanity or finally push her all the way over the edge into complete madness. One thing is for certain, The Forsaken story is far from over.</li>
</ol>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-73391797588089811132011-03-28T11:00:00.000-05:002011-03-28T11:00:03.609-05:00Fun at the OfficeYou know you work someplace awesome when a conversation like this ensues in the office-wide communicator chat:<br />
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<blockquote>WTB more people to stay past 7:00 pm tonight.<br />
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I can't, I have to kill internet dragons tonight.<br />
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I can't, I have to kill tax dragons tonight, or the IRS will get me.<br />
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The IRS has dragons now?<br />
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They do!<br />
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And their gearscore is about a million points higher than mine, so PVP is not an option.<br />
<br />
</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6931837878490458349.post-45502021771541808402011-03-25T08:00:00.000-05:002011-03-25T08:00:07.065-05:00Another 20 Days (Day 6)<i>Saga at Spellbound has come up with her very own <a href="http://spellbound.nu/?p=829">20 Days of WoW Blogging challenge</a> - this is Day 6.</i> <br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>Your workplace/desk (photo and/or description)</b><br />
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Ughh... you don't want to know. I don't have a camera of any kind anymore, so this will have to go without pictures.<br />
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Let's start with the computer. I purchased my computer in August of 2006 in preparation for the release of Neverwinter Nights 2. I bought a refurbished E-machine from TigerDirect, and it was a great machine when I bought it. Now, with 2.16 Ghz, 1GB RAM, and 150 GB hard drive, I've fallen behind, very behind. I couldn't even play Rift if I wanted to. It's kind of a wonder that I can play WoW. I play with the original keyboard that came with the machine, but I have a more modern wireless Logitech mouse but with no extra fancy buttons. I have an LG 19" flatscreen for my viewing pleasure.<br />
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All of this on a crummy second-hand store plywood desk that lost it's luster years ago, cluttered with pens and pads of paper with randoms scraps of blog notes on them, and my keychain authenticator in the spot of most importance in the center of the desk in front of the monitor.<br />
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I have a big, comfy rolling desk chair with black upholstery and an orange tiger print blanket draped on the back just in case I get cold (which happens often). It's my little corner of computing space, and I like it, although I am quite anxious to upgrade my computer (for obvious reasons). I'd love to have a dual-screen setup like I have at work. I'm saving my money, but it is slow going.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0