Mystic Worlds

Why Priest Class is Unpopular

Amazing thread of posts going on Relmstein about why playing a priest is so unpopular in MMORPGs.  The post is not a rant as I'm often guilty of posting.  Instead it's a very thoughtful look at the problems faced by Priests and the lack of reward for their efforts.  This post resonates with me on my Shadow Priest even though I'm not trying to level.  You'd think people would get a clue that I don't show up in WSG just to heal when they see the purple form.  If you've got the flag, you're getting healed.  If you're on the enemy flag carrier you're getting healed.  If we're standing mid-field whacking it out - mano-eh-mano, you're on your own and I'm killin' Horde.

Uh-Oh, I Feel a Group Hug

OMG, Blizzard is trying to make me fall in love all over again.  The new spells and talents for BC have been posted.  Not all of the classes are there yet but should coming soon.  I only looked at the Warlock preview.  Let me say that if anything will get me back on Saylah, it's the opportunity to burn people down with these new skills.

Check out the BC Talent & Spells here.

Back With Killing Horde on My Mind

On Saturday I got back home much later than I should have, and without my luggage.  Go Delta Airlines!  I wanted to download the patch but I’d taken the network cable with me so I could use my laptop in bed at the hotel.  They usually have cords that only reach the desk where the cable unit is located.  This means that when I got home with no luggage, I couldn’t reconnect my desktop.  *Grrr*

As soon as I was able to on Sunday, I bought a new cable and downloaded the patch.  Amazing how quickly it downloads several days after release.  Of course my mods and interface were hosed but that was to be expected.  I jumped right into some WSG and had a really good time.  I’m finding PVP so much more enjoyable than I ever thought it would be in the BGs.  I loved World PVP on my Lock but was always disappointed with the long waits in the queue which only culminated in losing battles anyway, so I begged off.

Now I get in fast – lose some, win some.  Doesn’t phase me because I know the next chance to win is right around the corner.  I was in a hotly contested match last night.  Forty-seven minutes in and NO flags planted.  It was such a rush.  My heart was in my throat every step of the way.  I was on defense with a hunter and a paladin.  We really kicked some ass.  Too bad we lost.  They switched up roles toward the end.  Not sure if that was the problem or people lost interest.  I captured the 3rd flag and made it back within an inch of my life, found the Pally and raced off to hide.

Unfortunately, they had our flag and the D team couldn’t kill their carrier.  The Pally and I defended ourselves for at least a solid 10 minutes – that’s a long time in PVP, as waves after wave of Horde found us and tried to take us down.  Eventually they sent 8 people to kills us, including a Shadow Priest, 2 Warlocks and a freakin' Shaman.  That was all she wrote.  *Cries* *And Cries*  We went down and they immediately planted the killing-blow flag.

Who Melts Faces?

When I get a few spare moments, I need to research where the phrase "Melt faces" originated and why it's attributed to Shadow Priests.  No doubt that shadow spec'd priests are hot for a healing class, and do very well 1v1 in PVP.  But do they really melt faces?  Having played a Warlock to 60, I would argue that they melt freakin' faces!  One-on-one SL locks are going to burn most classes.  And even if I'm forced to retreat, I'm going to DOT you into oblivion before I turn 'round to increase the distance between us, then turn back and chase you when the DOTs ticking you close to death instill the appropriate amount of fear and kill you from behind.

The only class that might get me is a rogue that gets the jump on me.  I hate your stealthed vanishing asses.  I used to have an auto Seduction mod but disposed of it when I trimmed down my mods to the bare necessities and stopped farming.  Regardless, if the wind is right and my Deathcoil isn't on cooldown, a rogue might still fall at my feet.

Anyway, our DOTs are wicked and when I was afflication spec'd, I'd DOT and laugh my ass off watching people die from them.  So why don't they consider Warlocks as the class that melts faces??

I Miss My Shadow Priest

It's nearing three weeks since I last played WOW.  I'm starting to miss my priest.  The last time that I played I was in WSG with a PUG that rolled Horde 6 out of 7 times, 5 of which were consecutive.  Man was that fun!!  I think they considered themselves twinks or they were just dumber than dirt.  In two of the sessions they would get the flag and then arrogantly stay right outside of their base with the flag, waiting for us to lose theirs, as though it wasn't possible that we could take down the Shaman that was acting as flag runner.

I died repeatedly fighting my way to him, with only a couple of people in-tow.  I didn't care since their behavior seemed so arrogant.  I get tired of Horde showing alliance no respect in PVP on Illidan.  We lose so often the act like it's a forgone conclusion that we will.   Anyway, it took several attempts but we kept hosing the Shaman down and then promplty placing their flag. MUAHAHA.  It was the best time I've had in PVP in a VERY long time.

I keep thinking that I should at least try some PVP on my Warlock.  She's on a low population server and might do very well since she arrived in raiding gear.  As much as I loved her, I just don't miss playing her. Sad, so sad, that I've lost the inclination to play the toon that bears my signature name, Saylah.

What Would You Do?

Ah life – it must laugh at the constant waves of nauseating paradoxes it forces us to row through on our journey.  It seems like every year that I’ve been working for my current employer, some internal organization or another has waged war to consolidate and swallow our team whole.  The in-fighting over the budget and so-called influences wielded by our team wafts through the company like a heady and intoxicating fragrance beckoning all to want a taste.  Little do they know of the work and stress we endure, to keep our end of the boat afloat.  Year after year we’ve won the battle for autonomy – until this year, this month, this week.

We will be swallowed whole like so many guppies.  I’m among the few that’s being given an option of taking an escape route with a few of the senior executives (I'm not one), who are scattering – clamoring to find higher ground.  Obviously, I can’t give details but I’m about to make my way ‘round to why I’m posting this on my gaming blog.  I’ve been considering two choices with pros and cons on both sides, and equal amounts of risk but for different reasons.  Every hour I change my mind about what I should do – which executive I should follow through the safety hatch.   Absolute safety or certainty is not available in any of the options.  I call my parents for advice.  I speak to friends.  I meet with the executives.  I wring my hands and wrack my brain, searching for a decision.  Too much to think about and not enough time to consider all possibilities – they need an answer like yesterday.

In a nutshell, the choice I'm faced with is, be an “A” member of a “C” team or be a “C” member on an “A” team.  Do I go with a lower-level executive into a new situation where we know we can outshine everyone else that will be there, or go with the wonder-boy team that wants me, but where I know my skills are outclassed?  There maybe a little more security on the “C” team.  However, in order to move my career forward from that point, either the team has to be capable of shifting from C to B, from B to A, or I’d eventually have to change teams.  In the “A” team scenario the growth forward would be totally reliant on my own skills and conviction to excel. I can move myself from C to B, from B to A.  All other things being equal, which would you choose – group reliance or self reliance?

I made my decision and sent an official notification to the executives, and as I did, I knew that I was being true to my nature, and the decisions I’ve made many times over for autonomy, and although I can function in groups, I choose self reliance.  It is this aspect of my nature that makes me want to play an MMO and solo.  It’s just who I am.  I can recognize the skills and prowess of others.  I can appreciate and discern when I’m not as good as someone else and learn from them.  I’m cooperative and well liked.  Yet I crave and must have room for self achievement to feel whole.  I must be able to set the course of my journey and the means by which I arrive.  So in real-life and in virtual, I choose self determination.  Or when viewed from the other side, perhaps what I lack is trust - in others.

MMORPG without Death

I have a few very close friends that I’d love to play get hooked into a MMORPG.  We played TSO together and shared Sims 2 stories over the phone when I played and took turns at the console planting our way to happiness in Harvest Moon.  So why don’t we get into one of the MMORPGs together?  They are vehemently against killing to play or advance in a game.  We need something that allows for the 3D social aspects of a game like TSO, with the measured strategy and objectives of HM and some fantasy/magic related RP for me.  Does such a game exist?  Oh yeah, and we didn’t like SL or Habbo Hotel, both of which seemed to be populated with players whose conversation was full of sexual overtones.

They want social and the ability for character advancement that doesn’t involve dismembering other beings.  I’d like some high fantasy and don’t mind killing to get what I want, but could be satisfied without it.  Boy would I love to try HM online.  I’ve seen a few random sightings that one might be in the works but I’ve yet to find anything substantial.

Blizz Just Set the World on Fire

WOW - pun intended.  Just when you were comfortable hating Blizzard for destroying your end game if you weren't a raider, they come through with the clutch play.  I think it's safe to say that they withheld mention of these sweeping changes because they knew they were going to start flame-wars to end all others.  I don't even know where to begin, nor do I have the time this week as I'm packing to leave town on business.

Suffice it to say, that my faith has been somewhat restored.  I know this isn't charity - they just did the math.  You can't alienate this many players with your end-game and stay on top.  You must retain existing players, and that includes guilds that can't get enough for the 40-mans and yes, us self-proclaimed casuals.  I'm hating the rants that assume casuals can't raid.  Many of us raided and decided, "Nah, I think I'll pass on doing months in another instance over and over again.  And I chose not to have to be in a guild that has to be run like the army to manage enough players to maintain a 40-man raiding base."

People don't get that to have 40 raiders means having access to many more than that to ensure 40 of the right classes for each raid.  And when you have that kind of maintenance, there is NO room for anything else in the guild.  Social events - gone.  Helping alts and new players level - gone.  Not exclusively because of raiding, but due in part to keeping that many raiders geared and prepared on a consistent basis.

I say, "Congrats," for the guilds that have wanted to raid but have been shut out of it because of numbers.  The level of commitment to raid won't change but the barrier to entry has been lowered.  Elitest hardcores stop yer whinning.  No one is taking anything from you.  Although I suspect it hurts to think that one day, you'll be just a lil less special simply because more ppl will have access to the end-game content.  AND they just might prove you wrong and validate that you shouldn't have to play/manage a guild for 40+ hours a week to be competitive in a G-A-M-E!

Not Much Going On

Lately, I’ve been up to a whole lot of nothing.  Disillusioned by moving my level 60 Warlock to play with friends who’ve yet to muster the numbers for raiding, I haven’t signed on as Saylah for two weeks.  The biggest regret about moving was separating my 300 Tailor/Enchanter from my Shadow Priest.   I was able to leave an herb/alchemist and take one, but replacing enchantments on items can be expensive.  With weeks of rested XP bonus, I was able to level my priest to 49, where she’ll stay for quite some time as a BG twink.

I re-activated my EQ II account with the idea of checking out PVP and changes to crafting.  But I just couldn’t get into rolling a new toon to do it.  I bailed before I finished the newbie isle.  Lineage 2 didn’t hold my interest past level 7.  I’m sure it there’s more fun at the higher levels, but OMG what a tedious grind.  Graphics are good, animations nice but the game mechanics are awkward to say the least.  I appreciate the realism of object collision but done wrong, it’s VERY annoying.  I kept getting stuck on invisible barriers.  And why does my race run bent over with their butts up in the air??  I’m not opposed to some level of grinding.  However, I can’t get into it in a lack-luster setting with poor game physics.

For all of about 2-hours I gave Space Cowboys a spin.  This is actually a nice game, AND IT’S FREE!  If you want something similar to EVE Online, with less skill training and more flight control, give this title a try.  I really felt like I was commanding a spaceship.  You can't just warp and walk away, or “set destination” and then go eat dinner like you can in EVE.  Combat was nice, game mechanics were smooth but it’s not what I’m looking for at the moment.  I was very impressed with it though and recommended it to some friends who wanted something less intense than EVE.

I’ll be away for 11 days – traveling for business related purposes.  During that time I’ll post what I’ve decided to do about gaming for the next few months.

MUDs, MUCKs and MOOs, Oh My!

Following a link on Virgin Worlds, I ran across a post on Grimwell that interested me very much.  Lately it seems that I've seen more discussions about MUDs.  It's either people reminiscing fondly about the past or discussing what's missing in the 3D virtual MMOs.  Personally, I have zero experience with this type of game.  Before I did some research, it was hard to follow the thread of conversation due to all the acronyms being bandied about.

Fundamentally, I knew the definition of a MUD – text-based online game with multiple players.  The conversation taking place on Grimwell was high-brow for a novice of the gaming genre such as I, but I didn’t let my own ignorance stand in the way.  I visited Wikipedia and the sites it referenced.  A couple of hours later, I knew what a MUD (Multi-User Dungeon) was, as well as MU*, DikuMUD, MUD1, LPMUDs, MOOs, MUCKs, etc.  Not all of this knowledge was gleaned from the internet.  I was also in possession of the book, Designing Virtual Worlds.  Until then I hadn't opened the book.  Why I even have a copy of the book, is a strange story for another day.

I wish that I'd been part of the player community when MUDs were in their hay-day.  I was an early adopter of BBSs, CompuServe and the internet at large, but I was focused on using it for business back then, not pleasure - forging my geek career in systems analysis.  After working all day on computers, I scoffed at the idea of playing on one in my leisure time.  I do remember stumbling across some RP boards and finding them interesting, but too intimating to take part in. I was too firmly fixed on exercising the left-side of my brain.  Looking back now, I would have enjoyed the role-playing, creativity and immersion, had I been brave enough to give it a try.  But the syntax and commands of FORTRAN, Pascal and C, seemed more approachable than the RP vernacular.  Ah well, time moves open and some opportunities are lost. 

I believe the heavy role-playing and socialization that I'm looking for now, existed there - probably does still, as the genre still exists.  But I've evolved past white text on a black screen.  I consider life before Windows the dark ages.  And after playing games like EQ2, AC2 and WOW and the alike, I'm not sure that this graphical-child, could embrace the just the text.