Mystic Worlds

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*

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…

 

Rolling Along

I continue to be extremely busy at work and at home.  I still haven’t played anything in the past several weeks.   On the weekends I catch up on gaming news via my favorite videocasts and podcasts.  I’m very excited about the upcoming content updates for Rift.  Most especially, I’m chomping at the bit for the solo dungeons being introduced by Trion.  As it stands, I might have 30 of 45 minutes here and there to play which doesn’t lend itself toward participating in group content.  Sitting at max level in Rift, all I’m really interested in is doing the instanced content.  I’m over questing and instanced PVP doesn’t appeal to me enough for it to be a steady activity.  I’d love to do the Rift raids.  However, there’s no way to ensure one is taking place when I actually have time to play.  The ability to match my wits against solo scripted instances is something I’ve wanted for YEARS.

Crafting in Real Life

It’s been several weeks since I’ve played Rift.  I didn’t stop playing because I like the game any less.  I initially stopped because gaming ceased being enough to hold my attention.  I was sick, worried and stressed to a point that not even my love of fantasy could hold me.

I had a distinct craving to create.  I tried working on a few of my stories but my writing felt flat and uninspired.  I toyed with the idea of returning to EQ2X and my furniture and design shop, which remains one of the highlights of my gaming adventures.  I was close to re-subscribing until I decided that I should create something in real life – at least give it a try.  I wanted to make something that would exist even after I’m gone.  Yes, my thoughts had turned rather morbid at the time.

EQ2 DIY Decorating - Simple Corner Bar

Every home that I’ve decorated or visited on behalf of potential customers contains a bar.  Is that a little odd since very few people I know in real life have bars in their homes?  I suppose that’s part of the fantasy coming out but I’ve never wanted one myself. I had a very simple bar in my original Halas starter home and the equivalent set I sold to players was extremely popular.

Before the holiday rush, I configured a new bar in the showroom. I used the same basic counter, one that the average player can afford to purchase.  The fancier ones made from Ironwood and above are extremely expensive since they require rare woods.  I find players more willing to pay that price for kitchen configurations more so than bars.  And because I was placing this bar alongside my lowest priced kitchen set, I wanted it in a similar price range.

EQ2 Extended: Feasting Tables

Lets Eat!
This is a time of year when many Americans begin planning three of the biggest food consumption holidays of the year.  I've personally been on Epicurious for the past two weeks preparing for Thanksgiving. And all too quickly, Christmas will be here, necessitating the preparation of another tasty family feast.

Feasts Feasting Tables
As I started redesigning my EQ2 Extended furniture showroom, I decided to create two "Feasting Tables". It's a timely inclusion for the season and satisifies a request I'd received a few weeks ago to provide an estimate for creating one.  At the time, I'd never considered it and had nothing to display for options. Worse, I had no idea what was possible from a crafting perspective.  

My search revealed that recipes for craftable food and tableware was very thin.  The vast majority of items in this category are provided as quest rewards and holiday events, which means I can't mass produce them to sell. Daunted but not defeated, I decided to press on using what I could make or creatively devise.

The Darker Side
Halloween decorating being the exception, I've avoided crafting the more sinister looking carpentry items.  I don't even make one for the bonus crafting XP since my levels come quickly just by producing customer orders.

I know sinister themed items appeal to a portion of the players, especially in a game with "evil" races living in sinister style zones but it doesn't appeal to me.  That being the case, I don't feel as though I possess any knack for styling those types of displays but decided to include a mild one for display.

EQ2 Decorating DIY Issue 3 - Building Aquariums

The November issue of EQ2 Decorating DIY is now available.  This month we explore how to put all those aquatic plushies to good use by building your own aquarium. Visit my companion blog to read all about it.

Quick Update

I'm on the road

I started a new job last week which I'm very pleased about.  Now that I'm gone, it's probably okay to say that I had been working for Motorola Mobile Devices for the past 10 years.  I'm completely out of the telecommunications industry and very happy about it. I've joined my former Executive Director and two other members of our former team. The first day was pretty darn funny.  Same boss and core team mates altogether at different company, in different state but it immediately felt like home. Everyone I've met so far is very excited for us to be with them and I'm equally enthused about taking on new challenges and opportunities.

I will still be classified as a full-time telecommuter but I'll need to travel more than I've had to in recent years.  I'm fine with travel. I don't have any small children at home.  I also find hotels a nice opportunity to focus on personal projects without the fear of being interrupted or more aptly, being too easily distracted.  I want to use that time to get more engaged with writing fiction again.

New Customers and Friends

Add-ons Seriously Needed

I could really use some in-game tools or add-ons to help manage the furniture shop I’m running in EQ2 Extended.  An in-game calculator, notepad and permanent wallet history, ala EVE Online accessories would be very nice in deed.  I use the player made notebooks to keep track of inventory, customers and orders but it’s a hack attempt at best.  I was using a spreadsheet but I didn’t like alt-tabbing out of the game.  It breaks the RP feel of what I’m doing.  Not that I’m some big RP person but I like how connected this character feels to the world of Norrath – like she lives in that world.  As a result, I don't want the jarring exercise of popping in and out of game using programs.

Besides having something like the WOW add-on, Auctioneer for seeing the range of prices for an item, a permanent list of your sales crate information would be very useful.  Right now what we have is a scrolling log of past sales where things fall off the list as new items are sold.  The information provided such as the item sold, cost and purchaser is very valuable.  First off, it helps me to understand my optimal price points so I can adjust accordingly.  I rarely price items based on what everyone else is doing even though I often check our of curiosity.  I prefer go by the tier, whether or not there was a rare component and the uniqueness of the item.  If I went by what I see many others doing, I’d be selling for less than the fuel costs, which I simply do not understand.

EQ2X: Busy Bandit

It’s been extremely busy for me in game the past couple of weeks.  This is a good thing since I’m running a furniture shop in EQ2 Extended.  I’m still trying to strike the right balance between making and setting up new showroom displays when I learn more recipes, managing custom orders, executing house design projects, farming components and leveling my main.  *Whew*  At times it’s very daunting and I question my ability to sustain this endeavor.  I also have other projects mapped out that will require a significant amount of effort.

Everyone Needs Personal Space

One such project is my “House within a House” which is almost finished.  Here’s a sneak peak - an aerial view of the exterior. I will blog the whole crazy idea soon.  In a nutshell, because my Erollisi Manor is really a showroom for Alysiaa’s Friendly Furnishings, I didn’t feel like she had a home of her own.  I considered having an alt purchase one for her but she actually needs to be on the premises so much that it didn’t feel like a good solution. When the patios were added, I decided to build a small private residence behind the store for her instead. I’m extremely happy with the results.  It feels like "her", whereas the shop is decorated and styled for the masses. Once I finish landscaping the exterior, it will be job complete!