December 2006

Back to raids, house items, and quests!

stargrace December 30, 2006 No Comments

Stargrace’ merry little fireplace

After almost a month of no raids, Torrent Knights picked things up again last night. Wow, were we rusty. It happens of course. We also had a few of our newer members join us, not to mention the fact that it was my first raid with the illusionist vs. whatever else I typically play (warden, fury, templar, coercer). We didn’t dive right into the EoF content (though we will be today) but instead spent some time in Halls of Seeing, then after once the raid had broken down (as it typically does once one zone is cleared) we took the two remaining groups and did Roost, as well as Crab from Fallen Dynasty. Today we’re supposed to be attempting Chel’Drak and Clockworks.

I was a little bit worried that my illusionist would some how jeopardize the raid because she’s not nearly as nicely geared as most raiders. It will come in time, of course. I didn’t want to be dying every 10 minutes (it was more like 15) or putting anyone at risk. It seemed to go well though. We’ll have to see how Chel’Drak goes today. I wish my illusionist had completed Nizara, as it’s a portion to a quest I need that rewards a very nice ring, two in fact if I completed Chel’Drak too. I did get a pair of gloves as an upgrade though, and from Roost a back up pair of boots, as well as a house item for completing a quest. Achievement experience of course, three points last night which was just fantastic.

With Shadowgeist taking the week off from work, I’m looking forward to completing some of the things I’ve neglected on my Illusionist. I need Deathtoll access still on her, as well as my class hat which I’ve slacked so far behind on. I also want to progress claymore a little more, at least getting out of SoS. We’ll see how it all goes. I doubt I’ll complete everything I want, but maybe at least one of the three. It’s difficult to go from a fully geared / mastered character to one that’s not nearly as nicely geared, but I know with some effort and time it won’t take long.

So, what’s next

stargrace December 28, 2006 No Comments

A view of New Tunaria at night, beautiful place

So Christmas is done (at least in real life, I’m sure we’ll be listening to the Frostfell music in EverQuest for a few more months yet), and the tree is down. What’s next? I’ve been thinking a lot about where I want to head in my gaming. There are a lot of choices. Do I want to keep playing WoW (which I’ve barely played, lets be honest) am I going to try Vanguard? What about Eq2?

So far I’ve come to very few conclusions. I think I will try Burning Crusade when it comes out, even though my WoW characters are only 40-47 or so. I just want to see the content. I’m sure new servers will also be coming out, and it would be nice to attempt to sink myself into a guild. I think I’d like the game a lot more if I didn’t have to spend all my time listening to “hey pl me fgt!” or some other such annoying comments.

Vanguard, coming out shortly. A lot of people I know are going to give it a try, and I will as well. I want to see if it lives up to the hype I’ve heard. A lot of people have said bad things about it who have tried the beta, and again there’s the flip side where I’ve heard a lot of good stuff as well. Best to make my own judgment call.

Everquest2.. well. Here I’m some what lost. Or at least pulled in many directions. The 70 templar fury and illusionist, I am going to play off and on, and try to max out their aa’s and complete all of the heritage quests they’ve yet to do one at a time. Maybe not the harder epic ones, but the ones I can do at least. I’d like to work on getting the necromancer to 70, she’s sitting at 51 right now, almost 52. I’d also like to get the sage (also the necromancer) and the alchemist (the assassin) to level 70 crafters. There are smaller projects I’d like to complete too, the illusionist needs DT access, and claymore, which I’m dreading and not even sure I want to work on *shudders*

So those are the smaller things. I’d also like to work up a carpenter. Everything is sort of balancing on the possibility of playing other games though, so who really knows what I’ll be up to. Raids start again this week at least, but I wish we still cared at all about doing the older (Older? KoS is not that old) zones, like HoS, Labs, Lyceum, DT, etc. We’ve all but forgotten those zones since EoF came out. I realize that it’s also in large part due to the fact that most of the loot from those zones ends up rotting, but status and raids are good practice no matter the levels. Why neglect the other T7 zones just because three new ones were added? I suppose I just don’t get it. I also hate the fact that my alts can’t be in the guild with my raiding character, since I am typically on my alts doing various things. It separates me from the guild, and I hate it. Even if they just let in the level 70 alts we all had, I think it would make a difference. It’s depressing only seeing 29 accounts total in a guild, and on the channel we have set up there’s 10 others who are on their alts. Sorry for the venting.

I’m going to be trying to set up a site much like ogaming (which no longer works as most have found out) or eq2i.com but a more user friendly version, with the quests that I’ve done and helpful hints in there. Not sure when / if it will take off the ground yet, but in time it should. I’m tired of having to search through 100 different half-formed data bases in order to find the information I need. I absolutely hate pop up ads that appear on one such site as well.

More rambling to follow!

Have yourself a merry little Frostfell..

stargrace December 22, 2006 No Comments

One of the many Frostfell snowglobes

The next few days are of course the Christmas Holidays, and I won’t be around very much, as there are family gatherings to attend to! I typically have one gathering for my family, and then a second one for Shadowgeist‘ family, however this year I have two for my family, as a bunch of them are visiting from the east coast. It should be eventful! Anyhow..

I have been decorating Eleyn’s home! Having a blast doing it as well might I add. I love decorating, even other people’s homes, just taking what they have and finding a spot for it all (which until today seems to have been in every nook and corner available). I’ve been having fun sending out random Frostfell presents to friends as well, Dalven D’Verilex got a fire place and some dinner food. I’m not exactly sure if he’s a fan of Frostfell, being from Freeport and all, but oh well! Had to spread the cheer. I also passed out pressies to Krai, Xani, Selema, and Meepers. Ah it’s the little amusing stuff that makes me happy hehe.

I love the snowglobe rewards of this years events, but I’m not sure where I can keep them all. So far I’ve got three to the collection, and I know there’s three others at least that I don’t even have yet. I’ve been claiming my 1 present a day on each of my alts so that I can stash snowglobes away for a later date (grins) much like I’m doing with food, presents, bows, and fire places. Such a house item nut I know. Everyone has their things. Some quest, some make coin, some raid (though I do all of those too) and some collect spiffy looking house items! So a very merry Christmas and Frostfell to you all, I hope everyone gets some time off at least, and shares it with those they’re close to.

Frostfell is here.. and.. food.. fireplaces, quests! Snowglobes! *squeels*

stargrace December 21, 2006 No Comments

 

 

After a 5 hour patch (ew) Frostfell is here… and while there are plenty out there complaining and upset over the festivities (why is this in here when there are bigger bugs in game and so on and so forth) I for one, was exceptionally happy. Mostly because 90% of Frostfell activities and quests revolve around house items. I spent about 8 hours in the Frostfell zone harvesting my little heart out and creating festive items for my house, including the fine table set above. I made some for friends, and made some extra to stash away in my house vaults for a later time. Besides the items in the zone you could craft (food, clothes, bows, ribbons, presents, snowmen, weapons, and various other items), you could also quest for a Christmas tree. The following quests gave you a wreath, and an option to light that tree with about 10 different options. Something I found to be absolutely fantastic.

Silverstep, surrounded by Frostfell goodies!

The fire places also come with different settings to light the logs. I know a lot of carpenters are upset that they’re not a permanent recipe and require special Frostfell items to craft them (as well as machines) but they’re going to be exceptionally sought after and rare that way. The wreath hangs on the wall nicely, and my girls are decked out in their holiday finest. It may be silly, but gawd for a person who adores the house items such as myself, it was wonderful. I also quested for a book and a cloak, though the cloak is slightly.. disappointing. It’s baby blue with white snow flake trim.. looks like Pepsi sponsored the event. I spoke with the giftgiver, and received a snow globe of fallen dynasty for one character, as well as a frostfell snow globe on the other character. I’ve been trying to get both my “mains” the items for their homes to spruce them up a little. No fun if I just do it on one character!

Silverstep, lighting her Christmas tree!

On the down side, each instance for the new Frostfell goodies seems to be jam packed with people stepping on each other to harvest the nodes of goodies required to make the house items, and of course there’s price gouging galore with fireplaces selling on average for 14p on Lucan D’Lere, when it costs 24c to make the item to begin with. Hence why I made enough for myself, my friends, and then got out of the zones, letting the other people bicker with one another. Though I will be back for my one present a day! The snow globes also play music, which I find adorable. A job well done, even if it is missing one event at the moment and there was plenty of other stuff that could have been worked on. In the patch there were also some unrest files downloaded, an EoF instance that never made it in at release, supposedly it’s incoming GU (game update) 32, in February. Looking forward to that one.