Skirmisher of Middle Earth

 

Bring it on! 14 years after skirmishes were released, finally, this little deed addict is an officially recognised skirmisher...

Storm on Methedras - Defence Against the Shadow

After 14 years, Rhodri finally graced me with his presence - that one guy would simply never, ever spawn for me. He feared me, probably. And rightfully so.

Seriously, 14 years!!! That long already? Damn... When did this happen. How do we stop that?

The woes of losing your name to merges

After fifteen years, I lost the name I'd carried in The Lord of the Rings Online to a server merge. To a bug or to a person, it hardly matters; neither answer would be any comfort.

And it came on top of an older blow, the elf visual rework that had reshaped every elven face in the game, and since then I cannot, for the love of the Valar, give Sil a face that feels like hers. So I had already misplaced her likeness; now I had lost her name as well.

The name was harder to accept than I expected. For months I wore the merge-brand of that appended -1 suffix in plain denial, half hoping for a miracle, especially since every reasonable, similar-sounding alternative had already been claimed (and all, it seems, by players long gone inactive). But alas. So I went sifting instead through accented vowels (which the game won't let me use) and slightly-off cousins, none of which quite felt like Sil (also taken).

Still, nothing a little roleplay can't fix. If I can't hold the name as one fixed thing, then I'll do what the old stories did, and let it become several.

In the Years of the Trees, in an hour when Telperion's silver still lingered and Laurelin's gold had newly risen, a child opened her eyes beneath the elder light and was named Siliriel - maiden crowned with silver light - for that pale radiance lay across her like a garland in the moment of her making. It is the name set in the rolls of her house, the heavy true name spoken before the Powers.

Yet love does not trouble to carry so weighty a thing in the mouth each day, and so to those dearest to her the name was worn soft to Silien - the shining - the crown set aside, for love names only the light beneath it. It is the smallest of her names, and the most wholly hers.

And when Men came at last and heard the Eldar speak her name, their mortal tongues could not quite hold its shape, and Siliriel became in their telling Silirien - close enough that still she turns to it, changed enough to be half their own: the silver lady of their songs, glimpsed at the edge of the wood.

So Silirien is the name Men gave me, their mortal tongues bending the Elvish into something close enough to answer to. Siliriel is the name my parents gave me when I was born, the proper and formal one. And Silien is the name my loved ones use, that same name worn soft by those with no need of the whole of it.

One name lost to a server merge, traded for three with a history behind them. A better bargain than it has any right to be.

The face is still a work in progress; I have yet to find the one that feels like hers. But the name, at least, I feel I have solved, in a spirit worthy of Professor Tolkien himself. 

Back to LotRO... for now.

Temporarly back to LotRO, but somehow most of the passion is gone.
I make screenshots, but I never seem to get around to make posts like I used to...

I am missing playing with my fiancee terribly, that's probably adding to the general unhapiness with what Turbine presents. Waiting for Diablo III to get me out from Middle-earth, and then for Guild Wars 2.
Mesmer has officially been revealed, not I really, REALLY can't wait.

Any good advices for how to leave a game that became a chore but you're still addicted to?
I'd gladly not waste anymore of my time in there but... well... I am weak.

Galadhrim War-steed

As mentioned not so long ago we decided to come back to Dol Guldur after a few months of denying the annoying place even exists.

I was quite insistent on going back as I never got to beat the Liutenant before we stopped visiting him for tea al together, which meant four deeds lingering in my otherwise perfect (Ettens doesn't count! Yes, I be a deed-whore) deed log:equipment comes and goes and level cap increases, but titles and mounts stay!

Galadhrim War-steed was not only "he one which got away", I also considered it a perfect choice to match my Annuminas outfit(s)... Finally, mine, along with assorted titles like Savious ofMirkwood and such ^^

Lady of the Golden Wood

I haven't done any of my "Design" posts in a while and this one I wanted to do even before I actually got to meet Galadriel in game.

Gorrem (Devon Candy-Lee) is probably my favourite LotRO designer to date (no longer working on the game from what I know, unfortunately) - and his vision of Galadriel is, as one might expect, pretty awesome and sleek. I love the details and the little gold leaf ornaments... I was really, really grabbed by the artwork when I first saw it, it made me hope for some improvements in in-game dress department too...

In-game model disappoints. No wonder really, LotRO has quite bad models for most humanoid NPCs... The dress is still epic and at least The Lady got some custom hair, but who else would deserve a better model than her? Narmeleth model would match pretty well I guess... But no, she got the default tree-stump one... Sad.

I really, really wish Turbine would finally got around to revamping the poor models and animations, especially for NPCs. Elf/human NPCs seem to be place holders from early stage of development. Why do they look like members of totally different races than player elf/man characters? Why do they walk in such an unnatural manner?
It's been four years and noone even seems to notice, so so sad...

24 weeks for a deed?! or when it starts to get too much

Finally getting the Savious of Mirkwood on Silirien (after defeating Lt for the first time and with Challenge), my desire for deed completion burns hot anew.

And this is when I realise that Ost Dunhoth deed will take at least 24 weeks to complete!!!
Seriously, what the fcuk? Almost half a year?
And this too only if you raid every week and successfully and your raid leader decides to kill the adds in different order each time.

Adding to that insane amounts of tokens required for the loot... Even if I decided not to focus on itemisation too much (I want my life back), I do see what Turbine is doing and I don't like it a bit.

The Lost Temple is one of the new instances which I particularly like (at least, the above-ground part of it). Probably because of it's awesome Indiana Jones feeling. While the actual game part of it is long and tedious (especially the challenge, which also likes to bug out), world-design part is jaw-dropping, especially if you consider that basically everything in there (like in the whole world in general) has already been reused multiple times.

Working as the team intended... LotRO, Lord of the Rings Online

I was about to write a passionate post about how the 4th Anniversary is a complete grindfest, but I can hardly add anything new to 1005 posts made on official Turbine forums before it was closed by Sapience to "prevent disinformation", or other community reactions (The Grindaversary or Why is Goldenstar Skipping the Anniversary Events)

What kindof disinformation Sapience?
Or did you mean information of how you guys completly shut your ears to any negative feedback once again (like with many, many things on Isenguard server before Moria and after).

I am sorry, but if Dev's team official statement on this issue is the event is working as the team intended and designed it and there will be no changes to the content or cost of rewards, it's just... uh... enraging. You make the game for us, you need our appreciation to pay your bills. And for 2 years you keep on failing your player base with under-par expansions, in-game systems, now also events. And this event is a shining example of your attitude, and I can't wait to move to somewhere else.

Only Turbine bootcamp anniversary shows loving appreciation. Brew bash SLAVE! Now go Bash like you mean it! Nothing says customer love like strict discipline. By someone on US Forums. So sad, so true.

It's funny, I was actually contemplating moving to US servers recently, because players get all the little perks (like lotteries) in there. But yeah, no way now. I'll continue on leeching on Codemasters with my life-timer and I won't fail to mention to anyone asking about LotRO how tedious end-game and now even events are.

Ancient Annuminas Statue

I am a huge, huge Annuminas fan-girl. I love the feeling of Evendim (even the Ever-swim parts), I've always enjoyed the instances and I am a terrible sucker for Annuminas armor sets.

This small statue was once used as a reward for service to the Kingdom of Arnor. The Wardens of Annuminas now only offer them to those who have proven themselves to be truly heroic.

Hence, this statuette was a must-have for me, and I am displaying it proudly when not engaged in battle.
Here with the Mistress of Annoyance, Gwindeth (still plotting to steal her dress).

Snow Queen

Almost ^^

When I got dragged to Sari-Surma for the first time, it felt like walking into Snow Queen's palace and I mentioned to my fellows that it's really dissapointing that none of the bosses could qualify as one. A friend commented We don't need annother Snow Queen, we brough our own - oh yes, how I wished this was true (thanks for the compliment Mike ^^).

Glacier Queen is not quite Snow Queen, but it's good enough ;)

Bombay.tv

A guildie discovered this phenomenon and entertains us with brilliant movies regularly. The two below feature "me" and my ecto fetish ^^
Unfortunately, the dialogues are in polish... I might translate them later.


Gniewosz: Cherrie, I've told you I'll give you ecto, haven't I?
Cherrie: Yeah! Multiple times! But in the end you always said you need it all for powersell.
Gniewosz: You know what? Let's do the froggies and share the drop. Accept the party.


Gniewosz: How's going? Any good drops? Anything to put on Guru?
Cherrie: Hey, what's up with my ecto?
Gniewosz: And you're on it again. Women! We have to be patient. I am still waiting for my comissions.

Enjoy xD

And so it is done

With today's update, Tyria has changed significantly.
Many features that have been vocally requested by GW Community have finally been introduced, most - if not all of them - positive, although I can't stop thinking they are at least 2 years late...

Hero parties

One of the most advertised changes to come is the ability to fill up your party with your own Heroes, rising the limit of Heroes a single player can add to a group from 3 to 7.

This feature has been requested by players since Heroes were introduced. While highly disputable (it's hard for me to name an objective that can not be completed by a single player alone now) for making the game a single player online game with co-op mode now, in the end I guess it's a good decision. The population of Guild Wars has declined and it became harder and harder to find a group for some activities, this will ultimately help players.

Mercenary Heroes

An unexpected addition is one to create your own Heroes, based on your existing characters' profession, name and armor look.
While this option requires a purchase of "Mercenary Hero Slots", it caters for other Community requests concerning Heroes - there's always been a need for more Heroes of certain professions, ones that had a better AI/Build combos. Especially now that a player is able to form a party out of their own Heroes, many would desire to have more than 3 Necromancers or more than two Mesmers (Me! Me! Me!).

While I see the mechanicts itself and the linked (one-time) fees reasonable, one characteristics of the new system is hard for me to accept. Namely, the "original" character who was used to create a Mercenary can not use it's own clone to prevent "Clone Wars". While I understand the reasoning behind the decision, the lose and complication involved is bigger than the immerion gain it provides.

Lets say I want to make my Mesmer character a Mercenary Hero because I like to run around with Mesmer Heroes and until now I could only use two.
With how the things are right now, every other char on my account can have 3 Mesmer Heroes except for my Mes herself.
Unless I make 2 Mesmer Mercenaries or use a phony character to create one in the first place...
Same for every other class that I'd find useful.

The problem of Clone Wars is, in my opinion, negligible - we already can have more than one same Hero in our parties (think of 1 Gwen and 5 Vanguard Mesmers in the Deep or in Urgoz) and players ale not really bothered with it - it's a price you pay to use the system. If it breaks your immersion and it's more important for a player to retain it, he will simply not take duplicates.
What's more, the name of a Mercenary Hero can be changed if the original is present much like default heroes' names are already, for example to "[Personality] [Profession]" ("Arrogant Mesmer", "Born Leader Paragon" etc) to further limit the problem.

Also, players can protect themselves from having exact clones if it bothers them - they can change their armor.

I simply find it hard to accept that if I want to be able to use a 3rd Me Hero on every of my characters, I can't register my Main, or I have to register two...

Legendary Defender of Ascalon title change

This is one I am undecided about at the moment.
The main change is that it is no longer required to employ use of an exploid (so-called Death Leveling) to achieve the title (to level a character to 20 in Pre-Searing Ascalon), making the achievement less grindy and - I think - faster and easier to achieve.
Also, a Legendary Defender of Ascalon doesn't have to leave the Pre-Searing anymore to immortalise their achievement (to put it to Hall of Monuments in preparation for Guild Wars 2), they can record it with a Historian in Ascalon.

While I find the second change simply put awesome (the fact that one had to leave Pre to get a monument ultimately ereased the whole effort of leveling a character to level 20 in a starter zone), the change of the title is more difficult to judge for me.

LDoA was always a special title, it did not come out from the developers, it was a reward for the ingenious players that devised a method to do something devs thought impossible. With lots of hard work involved. Thus, it was unique, not to say elite. Hence I see it as sad that this characteristics of the title was removed... I understand however that it made it unobtainable for many players and was widely requested to be changed... A pity the legacy of it will suffer, but ultimately it brings more life to the Pre-Searing community.

My only regret is that I did not finish my LDoA before the update (for boast-reasons ^^) - I am currently 3k short. With the new quests, I should be done in 3 days!

Assorted thoughts

This big update leaves me worried about the release date of Guild Wars 2 as it gives the current game new life, simply put. I can't help but think that all the features - a few years late in their nature - were brought in to artificially prolong the wait time (Survivor, LDoA and Drunkard titles being made obtainable for players who disregarded them for their problematic nature before, for example).
This, the halt of new GW2 features and remaining profession released to the public and the fact that year 2012 is the year of the Dragon in Chinese calendar (with GW2 focusing on mighty dragons' reawaking) in the light of so many epic releases GW2 would have to combat for players this year, I think 2012 is ultimately the best bet for release right now. Regretably.

You have acquired the Eagle-friend (Ember-eagle) skill.

I've waited 3 years for this. Now he is mine.
Nostalgia of the old real good Shadows of Angmar days hits me.

v3b2: Who's creeping there in the shadows?

I felt an urge to explore the other day while doing the amazing v3b2, and... I saw IT.
IT lasted only a few seconds before my eyes, I watched in amazement as HE crossed the tunnel and evaporated in a cloud of smoke on the other side, too puzzled to press PrntScrn in time... Gandalf? Here?!

I leave it up to you to find out where, and to guess why! Because he's not really supposed to be there. Or is he..?

I realised He was there all the time, Elladan mentions he he felt an presence watching over them as they went down the ramps and that it was ancient and intelligent.

You can supposedly catch a glimpse of him for the second time after you pull the leaver too.
Even though he was not named, I believe it's Gandalf - we don't really have too many characters "assuming" other character's appearance (and Amarthiel had to kill for that) and Turbine was always careful to make modles of main characters distinctive.
Gandalf himself could be out of Lothlorien by now, I am no LotR lore expert, but hobbits met him near Isengard and the time of the Battle of Hemls Deep wasn't far away. He could have very well had watched over the Dunadain as they crossed.

On the other hand, we know Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas mistook Saruman for Gandalf - not at the time of sighting, but when they realised Gandalf was actually around. The difference was a dented wizard hat... Gandalf's hat was always pointy in LotRO model, this person however has a dented hat...
Mystery deapens!

Credit for this screenshot goes to Grimmy.
Thank you Grim, it wouldn't be possible without you!
Guest Appearance post made by Grimdoin on Codemasters forum

Have the Valar heard my pleas?

I was swearing I'll never go back to LotRO, especially not with F2P, but here I am again, enjoying Endewaith and pyromancing through stuff... but this part I'll elaborate somewhere else and later because...

OMG!!!11!11one!11!!11eleven!!!!!!!!!!
!BIND ON ACCOUNT!

Yes I know it's no big news for you out there keeping up with LotRO, but noone ever tells me anything. I only hope that devs will introduce BoA on more items, like... Skeleton Horse maybe?

Inapropriate

Norgu is. Very.

Sign of playing too much...

I was planning to go back to Guild Wars only to make some of the loose ends meet: getting myself a Legendary Defender of Ascalon on my my account, buying the last three Tormented weapons I am missing in my collection, maybe Party Animal title...
I never, EVER suspected I'd end up in any kind of PvP, but there I was, first time in Heroes Ascent with a group or Ride the Lightning Elementalists: I started Thursday with Zaishen quest and stayed throughout the weekend for the special fame bonus. In the end, I am 50 fame short of rank 6 in just four days!!! And I can't help regretting I started doing it so late... I will barely be able to get rank 8 to put it in Hall of Monuments, and I might not make it to 9 for the awesome tiger emote... snif...

Anyway, I've really played hard during this weekend: like in my old days of no-lifing.
Sunday saw gathering of storm clouds and a storm woke me up in the middle of the night with thunder and lightning. I rose my head and thought Those RTL's are still kicking it off!* and went back to sleep. It wasn't until the morning that I realized how much I really no-lifed for that to be my only tought at a site of a storm!

* RTL - short for Ride the Lightning elementalists

Blog merge

I've decided to merge both my game blogs (Guild Wars and Lord of the Rings) into this one as it became too tedious to keep both updated and polished.

LDoA, the chain of failures

My attempt at Legendary Defender of Ascalon is a chain of failures...
First, long time ago when I made the LDoA-to-be, I accepted my secondary profession, not to mention I missed out on War Preparations, Message from a Friend and Gwen's Flute.
So yesterday - with my character at 14 - I realized I missed out on quite a lot. Foolishly though, I was too impatient to count down on how a-lot exactly and I deleted the character... while it was only 1600 exp, 16 charrs! Doh... *facepalm*

So here I am, going for it AGAIN.
Wish me luck.

Edit: the full gravity of what I've done just got to me. WTF was I thinking? I must have Mad Cow or something...