Mystic Worlds

Rift, SWTOR & Crafting in Real Life

I'm stil taking things rather slow.  I knew the holiday season would be very difficult with my mother having passed so recently.  We did what we could for the little ones in our immediate family to enjoy themselves.

Duoing Rift with a Buddy

I've been back in Rift for a few weeks leveling the content with a gaming friend who hadn't played before.  Kudos to Trion and how well the content stands up for the 4th time around.  I'd leveled several characters up to Perspice and it's almost as much fun now as the first jaunt.  There were still so many quests I'd not done before.  With the options of questing, doing rifts, PVP, instances and grinding, I tended to out level zones without doing many of the quests which is a good thing!  It really makes replayability rather stellar.  We're a stone's throw from level 50 and I never felt like OMG, I've done all this before. SWTOR needs to take a queue from that and make it possible for players to mix up how they level without missing "required" quest chains.  More on that in a minute.

The only thing missing from Rifts are the big crowds.  That intense level of heightened excitment is missing from the zones unless there's a zone wide event.  I wish my friend had been there to see the meyhem and madness of the earlier days.  He really enjoys rift chasing and doing the events. Regardless, we've had fun and are looking forward to doing the new level 50 content that I haven't seen yet myself.

Dabbling in SWTOR

Star Wars isn't a favorite IP of mine.  I've seen all the movies but I don't own a single one.  I wasn't excited about the game.  My only intent was to check it out and play for the first free month.  So far it's okay.  The settings aren't my thing being a die hard fantasy fan.  The questing is rather meh for me since I don't really care about the story and I'm not a huge questing fan.  I tend to mix it up with grinding mobs which isn't grinding to me.

What I do enjoy are the class quest lines, group quests and instance content (Flash Points).  For me, that's where the game really shines.  The story in those feel more compelling.  It's like playing out a part in a movie - it's fun!  My class is also diverse and interesting to play.  I've chosen Inquisitor > Sorcerer for ranged DPS, utility and healing.  She feels pretty bad ass in a group.  I've only clocked a few hours. It's something I log into as a late night diversion.

My Son Digs SWTOR

After watching me play for a bit my son decided to get a copy too.  He's also more of a fantasy person but is rather bored with Rfit.  After a few days, he came to the same conclusion - love the class quests, PVP and instances, wishes he could skip the rest.  Unfortunately, you can't.  There are necessary quest chains for picking your advanced class and getting the ship you'll need to access the higher level Flash Points.  Moreover, there's nothing that overtly leads you to these NPCs to get the quest chains.  You run across them if you're doing all the quests.  Both of us initially missed the quest to choose the advanced class.

I had to search on the web to figure out why I was level 12 but couldn't purchase the level 10 spells I could clearly see on the Class Trainer.  We weren't alone.  I found many threads and links where people were asking the same question.  My son ended up having to back track through content to get his ship for the very same reason.  I think that needs some tweaking.  Other than that, he's really enjoying it now that he's 20-something.  For me, it's still just something to do if I'm in the mood.  My money is waiting on GW2.

Still Crafting in Real Life

I'm still crafting in real life.  In fact, I had a nice little jump in activity the couple of weeks before Christmas.  It tickles me when people purchase or "favorite" the two rings inspired by my love of fantasy.  The ring called Rose of New Eden, inspired by EVE Online has done well.  The Inara Serra III ring has sold nicely when seen in person - flea market and jewelry showings.

I recently revamped my Nomadic Eclectic website to be more of a showcase.  With Etsy picking up steam for me, I couldn't see implementing the disabled ecommerce features that were part of that original theme. I moved to something designed to just give people a taste of what I'm doing before hushering them over to my Esty Shop.

That's all I've been up to the past couple of months.  Hanging in there as best I can.  I have my good days and my bad days over my mother's passing.  I've found making jewelry to be much more relaxing than sewing so I've sidelined that for the most part.  I lost the tip of a finger, sewed through another one and was accumulating more cuts and gashes that necessary.  My mind wanders a bit too much at the moment for the intense concentration needed to sew safely.  Plus I feel more creative freedom and contentment making jewelry so am sticking with it.

2012 - Be Inspired

Life is short and over before you know it.  Live with conviction and inspiration.  Keep what works and be your own change agent for the things that don't.

Be happy, fair, sincere, loving, honest, disciplined and inspired!

Really Sony??

Way to take the wind out of my sails.  I logged into EQ2X real quick to check on something and all was fine.  I try logging back into because I I'd forgotten to mail something to an alt but an update starts.  The update completes - EQ2X icon is gone, EQ2 launcher is there and patching.

When it's done it asks me to reset my password which I do but I'm still confused as to what's going on.  I see a link to a posting about a New Launcher and New Launcher FAQs.  BOTH LINKS GO TO DEAD LOCATIONS (505 errors).  Great.

When the patcher allows me to log back into the game all my characters are gone?  Uh???  I do a quick Google search to see that EQ2 has gone completely free to play and they are merging X and Live servers.  An email to account holders would have been nice.  Not everyone plays regularly enough to have seen it on the launcher in advance.  I was in the game several nights in a row the week before last, trying to finish up a section in my new house before leaving town on business.

I'd say I could care less since I'm pissy that I wasted my lunch trying figure this out but I'd purchased 3 presetige homes a couple of weeks ago so yeah, I'd like them and the chars that own them back please without me having to chase down WTF is going on.  I opened a ticket.  Grrrrrrr.

 P.S.  I am a gold subscriber on EQ2x so I am less than a happy camper.

The Rose of New Eden

I have good days and bad days since my mother's unexpected passing.  The "immediate must do activity" is over and it's back to picking up your life.  I try not to think too far ahead.  Like to the other dreadful things to follow, like dealing with her house and personal possessions.

I haven't been motivated to play anything since re-subscribing to EQ2.  I think about playing and am excited about building my Wizards' Sactum.   At the end of the day when it comes down to it, I'm just too drained.  It would take me longer to log in and get started than my current attention span.  I've also slacked off lots on sewing for the same reason.  Well that and the fact of using a sewing machine with your mind wondering leads to lots of nasty little injuries like the couple I'm sporting now.

What has wrangled more of my attention recently is creating wire wrapped rings.  I'd already experimented with button rings as part of crafting in real life.  Expanding into wire wrapped has revealed even more avenues of creativity.  The real boon is that a ring can be started and completed in an hour or less, which is about all the enthusiasm I can muster some evenings.  In a small burst of crafting expression I created two rings based on sci-fi fictional settings - one MMO and one television series.

Rose of New Eden
Rose of New Eden is based on EVE Online and the characteristics that draw me back to that game in cycles.  I miss the striking contracts of its stark beauty, darkness, serenity and lurking danger.  EVE is as simple as or as complex as, its beholder.  Finishing this ring reminded me of the serial fiction I'd started here, "Shadows of New Eden".  More than adding to the storyline, I've become intrigued by the idea of creating a ring named, Red Alice.

 

Inara Serra III, Firefly Inspired
I worship Firefly and Serenity.  This is an upgrade to an earlier ring I created.  This version uses a Swarovski pearl and includes an insert band for more impact.  I could totally see this as her wedding ring.

 

 

 

Am I crazy to be fashioning rings after sci-fi settings and/or characters?  I certainly could be insane. But it was fun and in the end, I have two real-life items to appreciate.

Incoming shameless plug… You can purchase your own copy from my Etsy Shop.  *smile*

Re-Subscribed to EQ2 Ex as Gold Member

Just before my mother passed away I was preparing to spend time exploring the new Rift content.  Since then I’ve decided I want something creative and less on rails, so I’m returning to EQ2 crafting.  I don’t have the time, energy or patience for the effort necessary to re-open my furniture shop.  I’ve decided to start a long term, more personal project of turning a Felwithe Mansion prestige house, into a wizard city.

High fantasy is where it’s at for me when it comes to favorite genre.  I like the idea of having a big project I can come back to when I have the time and inclination.  I’m looking forward to the creative challenge without the pressure of what someone else wants or needs.  I have a little too much on my plate in real life at the moment for the demands of others in a game.

I haven’t done anything yet.  I had just enough spare time to re-subscribe and purchase the house on the market place.  No auction expiration ia another thing I LOVE ABOUT EQ2’S AUCTION HOUSE. Logging into a game I haven’t played for months and finding plat in my sales displays is lovely.  Even better is the almost immediate continuation of sales from pre-existing listings once the upkeep owed on the house is paid up. SAHWEET!

Thank you...

for your condolences and kind words in comments and email.  My Facebook account is currently inactive. Having worked in social services and the public school system, my mother was known by many.  The out pouring of well wishes and kind words while appreciated, exploded on so many friends accounts/pages with pictures over and over again it's too much for me.

In only 58 minutes

At 1:46 PM on Saturday I was happy.  Comically stressed, rushing and laughing on the phone.  I was preparing to record a segment for the NPNM podcast's 100th show.  I was agreeing log into Rift at 9PM ET to check out the 1.5 patch with a guildmate.

58 minutes later a daughter and I were on foot racing through the hospital to the emergency room but it was too late, my mother was dead.  No warning.  No goodbyes.

Patching... Re-installing... Hoping for a weekend drive by.

I’ve been catching up on my favorite MMO blogs the past few days. It’s all making me very nostalgic.  I have a large amount of wonderful gaming memories linked to MMOs.  I know EQ2 is pretty sweet this time of year.  For my money, that game does holidays the best.  I’ve probably been dropped from my guild not that I did much with them.  I was so wrapped up in my furniture and custom home decorating shop.  Dare I install it on my current gaming PC???  

I haven’t even checked out the new Rift content.  But-but-but there they have trick-of-treat candy needed for crafting certain items that can only be harvested this time of year.  I could farm some if time allows over the weekend…  But-but the new Rift Chronicles are fun I’ve heard…  Maybe I can sqeeze in a weekend drive by.

Patching Rift…
Re-installing EQ2X…

 

The MMO Gaming Community

I love my MMO gaming community. It's millions strong but still feels small at times. I've yet to meet anyone in person but over the years, I've exchanged phone numbers with  a few and consider them friends.

What inspired a post this morning was an email from Tiny Speck about their new game, Glitch which came to me via Warrender / Winged Nazgul. It's been FOREVER since we've played the same game! It made me smile, that knowing the sorts of very particular things I tend to enjoy, he thought this might be a fit and had an email sent.

Unfortunately I'm too busy right now but will keep it on the list. I'm not overly social. Don't do much social media but I do consider myself part of ONE and only one, online community - MMORPG gamers!

I love fantasy/scifi games but it's also the community members like Tipa, StarGrace, Kinless, sometimes emo _Heartless, Capn John, The NPNM Sisters, Warrender, Bhagpuss, Gillian & Mike from my AC2 days, Sarazan, Ludo, Eagel and my other Casualties of WAR guild mates, the crew at Massively, the GBTV folks and countless others who make the gaming experience more special.

The gamers themselves and the community, are an integral part of my gaming history. They add the extra seasoning I love even though when it comes to leveling, I still prefer to solo. *smile*  Yes, I know - some forms of madness never die.

BTW I've evolved to Facebook. Better late than never.

Waiting for Rift Solo Dungeons, Reckoning and Buttons

Gaming Drought

The evenings of sitting around watching each other play Fable 3, Red Dead Redemption and Halo have long since ended.  None of us play The Sims much anymore.  And although my son and I are still subscribed to Rift, we’re not actually playing.  I tell myself that I’m waiting for the next content update and Trion’s introduction of the first solo dungeon.  It’s not that I like Rift any less – not it at all.  I just have too many other irons in the fire.  

I have 30 minutes here-n-there to play something.  Unfortunately, that sort of short AND sporadic availability isn’t conducive to MMO end game – STILL!  That reality simply sucks because the whole MMO gaming experience up until end game IS VERY conducive to it.  I like Rift’s events but I’m not drawn overly much to the rewards and if you can’t accumulate enough tokens during the events scheduled and fixed duration, you’re ass out anyway.

A couple of weeks ago I pre-ordered the Xbox 360 version of Reckoning, the RPG from 38 Studios. Reckoning is the pre-cursor to their upcoming MMO code named, Copernicus.  This is the IP where famed Sci-fi author, R. A. Salvatore, is writing the lore.  It looks REALLY GOOD.  I’m excited about the RPG as an opportunity to play something again with my kids.  Well - they’re not really kids anymore; they’re in their low to mid 20s and gaming is the one common thread across their ages and genders. We are all gamers!  I include my two teenage nephews and pre-teen in that bunch.  I also baptized them into gaming, and drag them along for every excursion.