[b]Running the game[/b]
1. I came home after patching in the morning.
I run WAR.exe and I got some error.
2. I run patcher.exe and WAR.exe was updated.
3. I can't run WAR.exe straight from a short cut desktop icon.
I need to run patcher.exe first so it scans the file manifest, then click Agree, and finally Play.
4. I have to click "I Agree" check box, after scrolling all the way to the bottom of the scroll box [u]everytime[/u] I want to play.
It don't remember that I agree despite the fact I paid $5 to beta it.
[b]Character Creation[/b]
5. My first impressions on the graphics is that there's too many shades of brown. The game looks muted and washed. It is similar to the color scheme of DAoC, lots of grays and browns.
6. I started a dwarf, then Rune Priest, and the standard face, skin, eyes, hair, beard color/style selection.
[b]Loading... Connecting... Lag![/b]
7. I finally was able to enter the game.
I moved a few steps and it was [u]laggy.[/u]
I right click on the first NPC with some green icon in (quest available) and I crashed to desktop. No error message. It was lag or my graphics?
8. I went to settings.
I'm running SLI 9750GTX video cards.
1920 x 1200 Full Screen. Set to Highest Quality. No Shadows.
9. I went back into the game. It was still a laggy.
I notice at least 10 dwarves (player) in my immediate view.
[b]Solo PvE Questing[/b]
10. Walking around the area and getting PvE quests done. Even quests objectives are in the same staring room.
11. Minimap, the Map, and Quest log with Quest info are intuitive and straight forward.
12. After a while of questing (from 1 to 7) the walking and running around gets boring and tiring.
13. I found some irritating quest where I need to kill 6 normal spawn mobs, and 1 Big Un boss. The area is relatively small with 6 areas where the normal mobs spawn, but it took some time to find where the Big Un boss spawn.
And since I was solo, and so were other noobs in the area who don't want to group. Tagging the Big Un boss was kill tag stealing ks. It spawns maybe ever 2 minutes or 3, but I wasted plenty of time looking and figuring out where he spawns
14. Some quests moves me onward out of one area to the next.
What I mean is, Start and Point A, and end at Point B. The NPC in Point A gives you a quest, and kill x mobs along the train tracks. After I kill x mobs, I turn in the quest at NPC Point B. So I don't need to back to Point A anymore--and no reason to unless I still have quests back in Point A.
[b]PvP - Scenarios[/b]
15. Each area has it's own scenarios where I can queue from the minimap icon. There are NPC in the town/city that gives a quests for the scenario.
16. Scenarios are like BG in WoW terms where you fight the other faction.
17. At level 1 Rune Priest (actually [u]it's called Rank[/u] not Level), I have a single nuke and an insta heal. When I enter a scenario at level 1, I get bumped up as a level 8 health and action point wise. But I only have 1 nuke and 1 insta heal.
18. At Rank 7, I have skill/ability/spells: 1 nuke, 1 dot, 1 bug nuke, 1 aoe dot.
1 insta heal, 1 hot, 1 bubble, 1 insta cast damage reduction, 1 single buff.
19. Spells are available from the Rune Priest Master npc in town for some price. I did not have to worry about money at Rank 7 because I have plenty to buy my spells from doing quests and selling gray items to a merchant npc. Spells are available based on Ranks.
20. So, sure a level 1 can participate in the scenario and good enough to stand on a flag area needed to be capture. At Rank 1, I can still nuke from up above a ledge down to enemies below.
21. There is a Renown points bar which is another kind of Level that is gained while in PvP or RvR. Renown (pronounced as Re-Noun) /shrug.
22. I can queue for a Scenario while I do my PvE quest.
I get a popup to join, and after the Scenario or after I get booted to desk top (It happened 3 times), I am back to the spot where I accepted the Scenario.
23. I am put in a raid/group called warband when I enter a scenario.
24. There is some time (30 seconds to a minute maybe) before a scenario starts. So I can buff up. If I try to run and jump down, I am teleported back to the starting spot until the scenerio starts.
25. The scenario was laggy sometimes until I guess all the players participating are loaded in my video's memory.
The first scenario looks like 10 to 15 players each side.
The objective is to control 3 flag areas.
26. The first scenario I joined went fairly fast--around 5 to 10 minutes. I turned it in for xp as well. And I can repeat it.
[b]PQ - Public Quest[/b]
27. I came upon an area where there is a PQ in progress. I started going at it killing x mobs as a solo player. After the objective is completed, the PQ resumes to the next objective. And finally to the last objective where killing a npc boss, labelled CHAMPION or HERO.
28. After the last objective of the PQ is done, there is a chest icon and the top 10 players who contributed to the PQ gets to roll on loot.
29. So, a group doing the quest has more chance to get the PQ loot, and their contribution would be more if they can tag more of the the mobs and objectives.
30. In one PQ, I was solo and my Rune Priest barely contributed despite me dotting everything and grabbing the occasional mob spawns.
31. In another PQ, I was grouped with an Iron Breaker tank, and 2 Engineer range dps. I was 2nd in place contribution points from nuking, dotting and healing.
32. PQ Loot. I won roll and got a "Loot Bag" in my inventory. I open the bag, and I have a choice of 1 items inside from armor, potions, to other trade skill materials, or money.
33. There is also an NPC that gives Influence Loot. There are 3 tiers of loot depending on how much you contributed (or how long you've been doing the PQ in the area). So you can grind the PQ for a bit until you have a Tier 3 Influence Points to get your loot.
[b]RvR Zone[/b]
34. By the time I moved on faster to the RvR zone, I was only Rank 7 skipping quests, and getting my quest log became full.
35. By this time that I am low in Rank, and my Solo dps is sub-par for some of the objectives. It is apparent that solo in no longer efficient and I [u]need[/u] a group.
36. There lies my issue. I [u]need[/u] a group to advance in a somewhat efficient manner.
37. I will need to find out if there's a LFG Looking For Group tool in game.
38. Sure there will be a guild to join later on.
But I can see that with different starting areas for each race, lowbies will have to learn how to find the RvR Warcamp so that they can use the Flight Master to go to other race's area.
39. With guildies who play at different times, and level at various speeds, the Rank disparity will not enable them to do same Rank scenarios until max Rank.
What I'm saying is, I'm Rank 7 and other guildies are Rank 12, we can't be in the same scenario until I catch up to maybe Rank 10 or 11.
40. I wonder if one can speed level through the PvE Ranks to 40. Then just grind Scenarios and RvR to get Renown ranks.
[b]41 Would time spent in a Renown 1 to 10, while at Rank 1 to 10 be the same amount of time getting it Renown 1 to 10 whiel at Rank 40?[/b]
[u]Overall Impression[/u]
1. I don't like the graphics. The choppiness gave me a headache. It reminded me back in the days after playing Doom 1 or Spear of Destiny in a Pentiun 1 w/ VGA. It sucks that bad, really.
2. The PvP would definitely be fun with "a guild of noobs" instead of "a pug of noobs." It will be more fun to hear cries in Vent win or lose.
3. I definitely will not be playing a healer unless is a heal-bot-box; or better mod UI to indicate and hotkey targets and heals and hots.
4. PvE is a necessary evil, and at least a 2-box will make leveling through the PvE Ranks more efficient since I play at odd hours or marathon weekends some of the time. That is why I was wondering how fast to level up Renown while at Rank 40.
5. I did not get an interest feel for the underlying story and lore behind the quests. It felt like I just grind the area until I'm done to move on. I guess one can say it's RvR with PvE as an after thought--definitely the opposite of of WoW.
6. There's at least a minor replay value in the Scenario for Rank 1 to 10. I would like to play there again at max level using all my spells instead of being Rank 8 with 1 nuke and 1 heal.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Monday, September 8, 2008
So I pre-oder 2 boxes...
Online pre-orders mean you get your open beta keys via email.
I called 6 different GameStop stores around my area and found one with more than one pre-order box.
Oh the nightmare of File Planet download!
So there I was, Saturday morning and got File Planet wait queue 648 or 648 approximately 6 hours before I can start downloading a 9.4 GB file.
Since I was only waiting, I played some DOTA instead of WoW. Once my wait queue was up, estimated 16 hours downloading at my dsl speed of 150 (byes/sec?).
When I started surfing you tube on the other puter, my d/l speed went down to 50, so I shut down the other puters while I play Single Player Campaign of Warcraft 3.
At midnight, I was 6 of 9 gb... so I went to bed. My first error was my laptop wa setup to shut down after 5 hours!!!! Unfortunately, I was able to download 9.3 GB of 9.4 GB!
By Sunday morning, when I try to continue to download, it started at the wait queue of 1800 of 1800. F***!
So, I paid $7 to "skip the line" in File Planet. The 2nd problem was, my download started at 0 of 9.4 GB, est time: 17 hours!!!!
I search and read the FAQ, and I'm S.O.L -- terminated download = re-download. So I set my laptop to a desktop config without shutting down anything automatically. *sigh*
In desperation, I googled and foung that WinRar 3.71 can read the FilePlanet DLM file. There's hope, so I thought. I was able to extract whatever file I got with only 5 corrupted *.myp files. I ran setup.exe and it ran! But when I ran the patcher, it told me that lots of files are missing and I need to re-install the beta files. *cry*
I searched for a Torrent download and googled some company named BAYDOWNLOAD.COM and it's a SCAM! Good thing I did not pay to join them.
A guildie offered to ftp the files to my computer. So I tried setting up Serv-U and it conflicted with my current Fileplanet download session, so no ftp solution.
I considered buying a 16 GB Flash Drive and visit my guildie 10 miles away too, but I did not do that and just wait on the re-download.
On the good positive spin:
I played Maiev stop Illidan from easting the Eye of Guldam.
I played Karl hook up with Vash and Illidan to defeat Magtherion and conquer all of Outlands.
and I got to start playing Arthas stop all the humans from escaping Lorderon!
I stopped when I was about to go back to Northrend because the Lick Kick commended me!
Iit was midnight also and I had another 2 GB left to download.
So 5 a.m. this morning and File Planet is downloading some key file to unencrypt what I downloaded. By 5:15 I was able to run setup.exe and my Mythic patching has begun.
So I went to work hoping to be home and play beta tonight.
I called 6 different GameStop stores around my area and found one with more than one pre-order box.
Oh the nightmare of File Planet download!
So there I was, Saturday morning and got File Planet wait queue 648 or 648 approximately 6 hours before I can start downloading a 9.4 GB file.
Since I was only waiting, I played some DOTA instead of WoW. Once my wait queue was up, estimated 16 hours downloading at my dsl speed of 150 (byes/sec?).
When I started surfing you tube on the other puter, my d/l speed went down to 50, so I shut down the other puters while I play Single Player Campaign of Warcraft 3.
At midnight, I was 6 of 9 gb... so I went to bed. My first error was my laptop wa setup to shut down after 5 hours!!!! Unfortunately, I was able to download 9.3 GB of 9.4 GB!
By Sunday morning, when I try to continue to download, it started at the wait queue of 1800 of 1800. F***!
So, I paid $7 to "skip the line" in File Planet. The 2nd problem was, my download started at 0 of 9.4 GB, est time: 17 hours!!!!
I search and read the FAQ, and I'm S.O.L -- terminated download = re-download. So I set my laptop to a desktop config without shutting down anything automatically. *sigh*
In desperation, I googled and foung that WinRar 3.71 can read the FilePlanet DLM file. There's hope, so I thought. I was able to extract whatever file I got with only 5 corrupted *.myp files. I ran setup.exe and it ran! But when I ran the patcher, it told me that lots of files are missing and I need to re-install the beta files. *cry*
I searched for a Torrent download and googled some company named BAYDOWNLOAD.COM and it's a SCAM! Good thing I did not pay to join them.
A guildie offered to ftp the files to my computer. So I tried setting up Serv-U and it conflicted with my current Fileplanet download session, so no ftp solution.
I considered buying a 16 GB Flash Drive and visit my guildie 10 miles away too, but I did not do that and just wait on the re-download.
On the good positive spin:
I played Maiev stop Illidan from easting the Eye of Guldam.
I played Karl hook up with Vash and Illidan to defeat Magtherion and conquer all of Outlands.
and I got to start playing Arthas stop all the humans from escaping Lorderon!
I stopped when I was about to go back to Northrend because the Lick Kick commended me!
Iit was midnight also and I had another 2 GB left to download.
So 5 a.m. this morning and File Planet is downloading some key file to unencrypt what I downloaded. By 5:15 I was able to run setup.exe and my Mythic patching has begun.
So I went to work hoping to be home and play beta tonight.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Warhammer open beta soon
I have not pre-ordered Warhammer yet, and the open beta starts Sunday Sept. 7, 2008.
I have 5 account in WoW now and I did not cancel any yet to save some money for when I try Warhammer.
For now, I have little knowledge of Warhammer and I want to keep it that way until I can fully commit to at least 2 accounts there.
As for World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King expansion is still 2 months away.
I manged to level a 61 Shaman named Sanctumes and a 60 Mage named Sanctuaxi in 26 hours.
I also have a 45 Shaman and 45 Warlock as well.
In the past week, I just try to do some daily quest to raise money for when I decide to buy epic 60 land mounts on the new batch of level 60s.
I don't have any plans if I want to pursue 70 with:
61 Mage, Joiya
60 Mage, Gemstar
61 Shaman, Sanctumes
60 Mage, Sanctuaxi
I don't have a 5th character in the level 60s.
I have a 57 Paladin, Sanctitty in the same account as Gemstar. Transfer for $25 may be worth it?
Or just try Warhammer with a single account maybe?
I have 5 account in WoW now and I did not cancel any yet to save some money for when I try Warhammer.
For now, I have little knowledge of Warhammer and I want to keep it that way until I can fully commit to at least 2 accounts there.
As for World of Warcraft, Wrath of the Lich King expansion is still 2 months away.
I manged to level a 61 Shaman named Sanctumes and a 60 Mage named Sanctuaxi in 26 hours.
I also have a 45 Shaman and 45 Warlock as well.
In the past week, I just try to do some daily quest to raise money for when I decide to buy epic 60 land mounts on the new batch of level 60s.
I don't have any plans if I want to pursue 70 with:
61 Mage, Joiya
60 Mage, Gemstar
61 Shaman, Sanctumes
60 Mage, Sanctuaxi
I don't have a 5th character in the level 60s.
I have a 57 Paladin, Sanctitty in the same account as Gemstar. Transfer for $25 may be worth it?
Or just try Warhammer with a single account maybe?
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Fifth Elemenr (err Account)
So yeah, with this new Refer-A-Friend's 3x exp bonus, and Zehvra mount, I just have to get my 5th account last Friday.
I bought the Battlechest in Best Buy, and then the 60-day game card in Circuit City.
The exp bonus was so uber that I got an Undead Mage Sanctuaxi, and Undead Warlock Sanctumon to level 41 and about to start in Blackrock Depth (BRD) within 7 hours and 50 minutes.
By Sunday morning, I started 2 more Tauren Shamans: Sanctumes and Sanctumeu who are level 40 in 7 hours 15 minutes.
After work Monday night, I only had time to do my Arena games. It is good week as I actually got 1557 when I played my Prot Paladin and 3 Shamans with a guildie who runs an Elemental Shaman--so I got my Season 4 Legs and went farming some motes of mana.
On Tuesday night, I worked on getting a Druid from 38 to 40, and then buying mounts, and so the 2 Shamans' Fire, Water and Air totem quests. I'm still on my way to Taren Mills part of the totem quest.
So my next goal is to hit BRD from 40 to 45, then Lower Blackrock Spires (LBRS) from 45 to 50.
I think at 50, I will do the Cauldron quest, and hit Scholomance and Stratholmes from 55 to 60.
I will then Gift Level Ups to the remaining lowbies.
I bought the Battlechest in Best Buy, and then the 60-day game card in Circuit City.
The exp bonus was so uber that I got an Undead Mage Sanctuaxi, and Undead Warlock Sanctumon to level 41 and about to start in Blackrock Depth (BRD) within 7 hours and 50 minutes.
By Sunday morning, I started 2 more Tauren Shamans: Sanctumes and Sanctumeu who are level 40 in 7 hours 15 minutes.
After work Monday night, I only had time to do my Arena games. It is good week as I actually got 1557 when I played my Prot Paladin and 3 Shamans with a guildie who runs an Elemental Shaman--so I got my Season 4 Legs and went farming some motes of mana.
On Tuesday night, I worked on getting a Druid from 38 to 40, and then buying mounts, and so the 2 Shamans' Fire, Water and Air totem quests. I'm still on my way to Taren Mills part of the totem quest.
So my next goal is to hit BRD from 40 to 45, then Lower Blackrock Spires (LBRS) from 45 to 50.
I think at 50, I will do the Cauldron quest, and hit Scholomance and Stratholmes from 55 to 60.
I will then Gift Level Ups to the remaining lowbies.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
3 Months to WotLK
I have 4 account.
#1 expires in 9.3.08
#2 expires in 9.4.08
#3 expires in 8.19.08
#4 expires in 8.16.08
Each is on a monthly for $14.99. So that's $59.96 / month, or $719.52 / year.
If I get a 5th account, this would make it $74.95 / month, or $899.40 / year.
Plan 1.
I wonder if I stop playing now, and then renew when WotLK comes.
I would save, 2 months for each @ 14.99 x 8 = $119.92.
And when WotLK arrives in November, I will be buying 4 copies @ $40 each, so that's $160.
Plan 2.
What if I buy a 5th account now, using Refer-A-Friend. $30 for TBC + $30 2 months would cover August to November. Saving 30 days of $14.99 subscription. Net expense is $45.
And then I cancel Account 1 & 2; leaving me with Account 3, 4 and 5.
I can the user the Refer-A-Friend boosted exp to level up new character in the 5th account.
And using Account 3 to power level 4 & 5 lowbies.
Plan 3.
I can cancel Account 2. RAF 4 with new Account 5, RAF 3 with Account 6. Using Account 1 to Boost Level 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The cost will be August to November:
1. $41.97 - 3 months
2. $0 - cancelled
3. $29.98 - 3 months + 1 free RAF month
4. $29.98 - 3 months + 1 free RAF month
5. $59.98 - 2 months + 1 free new month + Battle Chest
6. $49.98 - 2 months + 1 free new month + Classic Set only
Net: $211.89 for 3 months. ($44.01 for 2 Zhevra)
Am I really going to have 5 accounts?
Plan 4.
Do nothing different.
Pay for 4 accounts monthy: $14.99 x 4 x 3 = $179.88
Pay for 4 accounts 3-months: $41.97 x 4 = $167.88 (Save $12)
#1 expires in 9.3.08
#2 expires in 9.4.08
#3 expires in 8.19.08
#4 expires in 8.16.08
Each is on a monthly for $14.99. So that's $59.96 / month, or $719.52 / year.
If I get a 5th account, this would make it $74.95 / month, or $899.40 / year.
Plan 1.
I wonder if I stop playing now, and then renew when WotLK comes.
I would save, 2 months for each @ 14.99 x 8 = $119.92.
And when WotLK arrives in November, I will be buying 4 copies @ $40 each, so that's $160.
Plan 2.
What if I buy a 5th account now, using Refer-A-Friend. $30 for TBC + $30 2 months would cover August to November. Saving 30 days of $14.99 subscription. Net expense is $45.
And then I cancel Account 1 & 2; leaving me with Account 3, 4 and 5.
I can the user the Refer-A-Friend boosted exp to level up new character in the 5th account.
And using Account 3 to power level 4 & 5 lowbies.
Plan 3.
I can cancel Account 2. RAF 4 with new Account 5, RAF 3 with Account 6. Using Account 1 to Boost Level 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The cost will be August to November:
1. $41.97 - 3 months
2. $0 - cancelled
3. $29.98 - 3 months + 1 free RAF month
4. $29.98 - 3 months + 1 free RAF month
5. $59.98 - 2 months + 1 free new month + Battle Chest
6. $49.98 - 2 months + 1 free new month + Classic Set only
Net: $211.89 for 3 months. ($44.01 for 2 Zhevra)
Am I really going to have 5 accounts?
Plan 4.
Do nothing different.
Pay for 4 accounts monthy: $14.99 x 4 x 3 = $179.88
Pay for 4 accounts 3-months: $41.97 x 4 = $167.88 (Save $12)
Monday, July 21, 2008
Slowing down...
Ever since I bought 3x epic flyer 5200 x 3 gold, I've slowed down in playing.
I don't do daily quests as I use to do.
I've also gotten all I can get from Honor so I don't do BGs as much.
My arena is just bare minim games for bare minimum points.
I need some Personal Rating, but I'm not motivated to upgrade small gear (S2 to S3 using arena points).
I started working to farm gear for the 2nd Paladin so I can use it to power level my 4th Shaman (level 41) in Sanctume's account.
I don't do daily quests as I use to do.
I've also gotten all I can get from Honor so I don't do BGs as much.
My arena is just bare minim games for bare minimum points.
I need some Personal Rating, but I'm not motivated to upgrade small gear (S2 to S3 using arena points).
I started working to farm gear for the 2nd Paladin so I can use it to power level my 4th Shaman (level 41) in Sanctume's account.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
WTF? I'm missing posts
I don't what happened to my previous enties. Oh well.
Season 4 has begun and my shamans are almost fully epic in S2 and Honor Gear.
My 2 Elemental Shamans have enough points for S4 Legs but need 1550 Personal Ratings.
I think I will just gear up and get S2 Legs then upgrade them to S4 when I get the PR.
I also started getting Elemental gear for the Resto Shaman. He's sitting at high 700s Spell Damage with 1500+ Healing.
I also re-spec my Paladin to Retribution and got upgrades: Stormherald, Angelista's Revenge, S4 neck, S4 belt, and S2 Helm with the agi/crit meta gem.
Season 4 has begun and my shamans are almost fully epic in S2 and Honor Gear.
My 2 Elemental Shamans have enough points for S4 Legs but need 1550 Personal Ratings.
I think I will just gear up and get S2 Legs then upgrade them to S4 when I get the PR.
I also started getting Elemental gear for the Resto Shaman. He's sitting at high 700s Spell Damage with 1500+ Healing.
I also re-spec my Paladin to Retribution and got upgrades: Stormherald, Angelista's Revenge, S4 neck, S4 belt, and S2 Helm with the agi/crit meta gem.
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