Thursday 17 May 2012

GW2: My Hopes and Fears of PvP (will it really be different?)

 

For the FIRST time ever I am actually excited about PvP. I admit that I don't have a lot of experience. And most of it was really bad (as in WoW pvp twinks pwning my ass anytime I tried the battlegrounds, or random ganking during PvE). 





I wasn't fortunate enough to have enough friends/people willing to group with me in the battlegrounds. I was never able to practice anything worthwhile. There is a big difference between performing a certain way vs just reading how to do it... 



So why should GW2 PvP be any better??


  1. No world PvP: Hallelujah! There won't be any ganking and griefing during PvE! 
  2. PvP without factions: You won't get stuck on a losing side because you are outnumbered 3 to 1
  3. Objective focus is more important: Rewards (glory) are obtained by completing objectives (ie. capturing resource nodes etc) and not just player kills only resulting in a massive gank fest.
  4. PvP is more lively then ever!: Nothing stops, everything and everyone is in constant motion, even the casters! (my personal fav!!)
  5. Everyone gets a heal spell: Need I say more? 
  6. Elimination of gear/weapon grinds: The best gear/weapons will be more accessible to everyone. Does this mean pvp twinks won't completely dominate like in WoW? TYVM!
  7. WvWvW: 3 servers battle, castles and keeps, siege machines, stone golems (and maybe other funky weapons engineered?), up to 500 players! O_O The only con I can see is that some people might not like how much time is required in building your castle or busting down an enemy's door (or if they are like me, they have a baby who randomly needs me and I can't always invest a sequential couple hours into a game). Since I haven't had the chance to play WvWvW, I would like to know how it would work when you only pop in for 30mins or so?

And a BIG reason that WvWvW makes me so excited is because of all the fantasy books I've been reading... so many EPIC fantasy war scenes! (check out my /FAV reads tab at top of page)





Well here's to hoping that GW2 delivers @ release! Don't even get me started on how disappointing a few previous MMOs have been... >:( They had so much potential and totally flopped *Ahem.. FF14*

What do YOU think about GW2 PvP? Do you have any memorable experiences from beta that you would like to share? Or if you have any more insight (or even corrections) to my impressions of PvP, please share!


Thanks for reading! <See you again!>
~Serenity

Wednesday 16 May 2012

TIPS + TRICKS to prep for an MMO release!


*TIPS and TRICKS* to prepare you for your (if you are lucky, all night) game sessions! VIP ITEMS @ BOTTOM OF LIST (in color)!  And just for fun I checked off the typical items that I would use.
  • Copy of GW2 - 
    • Prob just the plain ol reg edition 
  • Batteries 
    • For those Wireless Peripherals.. Keyboards, mice, controllers ect.) - check!
  • Drinks 
    • Coffee, Mountain Dew, Pepsi, Sweet Tea,Water etc - um RED BULL + COFFEE prz
  • Snacks  
    • Hot Pockets, Funions, Doritos, Oreos, Ice Cream, Cereal, Microwave Dinners - Sour Patch Kids or some other sweet/sour gummy yum, occasionally chips, not so occasionally dinner @ keyboard lol (well on those blessed nights off from the baby heh)
  • Wrist Brace 
    • Support for you keyboard users - Carpal Tunnel sucks from what I hear better be safe than sorry - hmm I wish lol... tho I AM considering using my WACOM tablet and pen as a mouse o_O I will be investigating this later to see if its plausible!
  • Proper Computer Gaming Chair 
    • Look for things that are important for this one such as how far back you can recline and not how great support it has - awesome recline: check!
  • Foot Stool 
    • Keeping your feet in an upright position is a good way to keep the blood at an even flow in your body - usually the cat or the subwoofer to my stereo 
  • Extra Pair of Underwear  
    • For those moments that you pissed your pants because this game is so bad ass - eeew no o_O
  • Socks and a Blanket  
    • If it gets cold there is no need to get up- uuugh no thanks, I hate wearing socks!!
  • No Doze 
    • Over the counter anti sleep aid to help stay awake for those long nights of grinding - um naah but if you do BE CAREFUL plz.. I've had a few bad experiences with these heh >_>
  • Cell Phone and Charger 
    • Keep in contact with the rest fo the world while your productive on the game - well ya that's a given! 
  • Extra Keyboards and Controllers 
    • This is in case the RMT /Tell's become too much to handle or your computer keeps crashing while your creating your character and you need to let some steam off and throw something! - good advice! I always have a wired kb and mouse stashed in the closet
    • Here's a good example of needing a way to vent that steam!: I (along with thousands of users) could not even install/update the game Diablo3 properly .... Attempted to install on 2 computers. After 24 hours of racking my brain for genius new ways to make the damn game playable (and going through an extensive list of 10+ solutions)...and where in plenty of "letting off steam" was involved lol ... the game finally decided to work on its own on my laptop. But still unable to update on my desktop.
  • STRESS RELIEVER Squishy Toy 
    • In case the above method isn't for you and you don't believe in violence then this could be a positive alternative - Hubby sits next to me ^_^ 
  • Phone List: Make a phone list of the most important places you may have to contact in case of an emergency such as: 
    • Papa Johns, ISP Provider, Hospital, best friend who is playing WoW so you can brag LOL - any hardcore player has their list of favorite fast food vendors haha)
  • Credit Card (For instances mentioned above) 
    • Aaand for in game it seems.... especially since it sounds like I will most likely be occasionally buying gems in the cash shop for random things (GW2 says they are "only convenience items")... but I'll be researching this further when the time comes. Alas I admit that I will probably take the easy shortcut and buy a few things here and there since I cannot play hard like I used to :( 
  • PILLOWS! Oh hell yes! 
    • Everyone who knows me would say I have a bit of a pillow addiction lol. And sometimes the hubby says my chair looks like a nest, all stacked and groomed to attain the highest comfort possible
  • BABYSITTER (for Momma's like me, as needed)  
    • VIP, hopefully baby can be @ grandmas house for a few during the head start and a couple nights off a month would be STELLAR
  • YOUR FAMILY/SIGNIFICANT OTHERS:
    • Take some time away from the computer with your significant other. Clean the house, weed the garden, go out to dinner or a movie together. It's much easier to deal with that lout who shouts, "Not now honey I've got one more bar of XP to go" when you've got the recent memory of a good time together. CREDIT: Thanks to an anonymous poster for sharing this excellent piece of wisdom with us!

Lastly, although you cannot buy or guarantee this, you gotta HAVE PATIENCE!


So what does YOUR list look like? Have any additional items of wisdom to pass along? =) Please share!

Thanks for reading! <See you again!>
~Serenity

Thursday 10 May 2012

Hello and /welcome to my blog!

I would like to give thanks to the Newbie Blogger Initiative and everyone who has promoted the site on their blogs. IF YOU are a fellow new blogger like myself, check them out!


It just so happens that on the same day that I decided I wanted to start a new blog, I found out about NBI and it gave me that last boost of confidence I needed to give it a go! And /cheers to all the new bloggers. We CAN DO IT! =)


I guess you could say I am an MMORPG enthusiast ^_~ I used to consider myself a "hardcore" player but sadly (or fortunately lol) my life does not allow for insane amounts of gaming anymore. Because I am a new mother! @_@ And now a new blogger! And soon to be playing a new MMO!! 


/excited!!!


My hubby is responsible for converting me into a "gamer-girl" at the young age of 18 (haha). I was introduced to FF11 and was deeply involved (12+hrs some days) for a fun 4 years (2002-2006). It was goodbye social life! And I'm still sorry to Mom & Dad for all those days I was missing lol. I played plenty of video games when I was younger, but I never could have imagined the hold that living in an MMO had/has on me. Especially the FIRST one!! You all know what I mean...

It's that hunched forward on the edge of your chair  excitement... it's that "GOTTA book time off work to PLAY at release"  anticipation... it's that  "HONEY lets order in again tonight" infatuation...

 Aaaahh  how sweet it feels. I've been chasing that feeling through too many MMOs after that first one. And most have been disappointing. I've had a few tastes since, but they were short lived, a couple of months if I was lucky. Oh, except for GW1 and WoW. I did spend a pretty fun couple of years between the two  (2006-2008). But it has been roughly 5 years since then of anti-climatic starts and failures of these games (AoC, FF14, LoTRO, RIFT, almost SWToR, and Warhammer) that turned me away from gaming for quite awhile. Instead I buried my disappointment in the usually gratifying world of reading! And there I have been for most of 2010, 2011 and 2012.

To date my list of /played is: AoC, EQ2, FFXI, FFXIV, GW1, LoTRO, RIFT, (almost SWToR but had a baby lol), Warhammer, WoW 

My /reads to date are here if you are interested: HERE


Sooo... pls do share! What was the first MMO that enchanted YOU (did it influence your life like mine did)? Do you have a lengthy list of MMOs too? Are you still a resident of any of those worlds? AND ARE YOU GONNA PLAY GW2!!? ^_^

Before I go, I would like to share one of the best tips I found to starting a new blog:

"Compose at least 5-10 posts (even rough drafts) BEFORE starting your blog. This way you will have a few posts to publish right away and can save some for back up in case you are having a rough week or writers block or whatever else."  

And so I am off to follow this great advice. On to articles #2 and up!


Thanks for reading! <See you again!>
~Serenity

Wednesday 9 May 2012

/random: FF14 memories

New friends, silly moments, a little exploration  (lolz death) & a whole lot of FUN!


The most recent MMO that I had a lot of fun in was FFXIV. Unfortunately it didn't last longer than 20 levels at which point we were convinced there was nothing more to look forward to except a sloooow grind to max level... and even crafting was bunk. BUT the first while was exciting and memorable, so I kept these pics to remind me of the potential the game might have once it has been remade. That and I am an ex-FFXI player who was in love with the idea of the game being more like FFXI 2.0. 


Well it was emergency maintenance (AGAIN @!$@#$%) and it had left me with a little LOT of spare time, so I figured, what the hey? I should post some random pics just for fun while I wait! And I then added commentary to liven it up. These pictures are some of my more memorable moments (actually most of them tbh lol). 


I found out later that the mysterious city is Ishgard ^^ New "Jeuno" ? I wasn't sure it was accessible yet although game the game was released. My main was only lvl 10 at the time and seeing as we didn't even have access to chocobos yet... >:( .. I was in for quite the hike on foot. It was time to explore!

And along the way to Ishgard: 


Now just some other random SS of fun and death :)

 

I wonder how this guy got = in his name?




Yeah that's right, a pink hat got me pretty excited at that point in the game... there really wasn't a whole lot to get excited about when FFXIV was released. (Hence why they are remaking the game lolz)


Thanks for reading! <See you again!>
~Serenity

MMOARprz explained

The name of a new blog (or website) is never easy to invent. You want something that is eye catching/attention grabbing. And that makes sense with the theme of your site. When I decided that I wanted to start a new blog, I was excited to get start NOW! I didn't really think on the name very long. But in the end I came up with a simple play on words (though it might seem silly to some, I think it's fun).

MMOARprz = MOAR (more) MMO prz (pls) 

And there you go. ;)

Thanks for reading! <See you again!>
~Serenity