MikeJL Blog

This is exciting news. LOTRO is going Free 2 play!

http://www.lotro.com/news/709-announcing-the-lord-of-the-rings-onlines-move-to-free-to-play-


I always liked LOTRO however I'd take it in small amounts of play and found it hard to justify the monthly sub. This fall I'm heading back. I will purchase some Turbine Points ans an upgrade to bag slots and gold cap.

Got the itch to revisit Warhammer “WAR.” Got a “fair” priced for a 60 day time card; I think after the over billing debacle Warhammer time cards are a hot item. Still a few dollars cheaper than a OTC 60 day card.


EDIT: Connection issues and graphics glitches. On a 10 day welcome back.. see if I'll use the 60 day time code or sell it on e-bay.

EDIT (6/8/10): Will let the 10 days free run out. Hold on too the 60 day WAR time code for now. Guess WAR just not doing it for me as I thought it would. Think as its a heavy RvR game and I like a more PvE. So I went back to EVE as its a no "end-game" game. More my speed.

Love the little 30 second gems and found this video tribute to the ad campaign. I love my Mac, still game on Windows 7. However, the actor John Hodgman really made these ads awesome.. love or hate Apple; John did a great job and playing the lovable PC.

enjoy..



Ironialy .. John Hodgman is a Mac user.

No not 50 years of age; level 50. In AoC when you hit level 50 you got a one time level 50 alt. With about 1 gold 50 silver (enough to purchase a mount) and a comparable set of gear.
So it finally happened; Vandoren, my Aquilonian Conqueror, hit level 50. DING!


So I created a Cimmerian Ranger , Thorngar.



New character and new expansion coming is pumping some fresh blood into AoC.

CROM!

Update (5/6): Ranger seems to become new main. Now at level 53.
Link to planed feat build for Bow/PvE

Conan! What is best in life?
Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women ..
Me: and 60 days of play for the cost of 30!

Got me a cheap 60 day Age of Conan time card. And heading out to Hyboria again. This time armed with a video card upgrade. Got a 9800GT 1GB few months ago and look forward to better graphics and smother performance.

Also .. Vandoren my 48 Conqueror is close to 50. And at 50 you get a one time alt also at level 50. I'm thinking Cimmerian Ranger. And to top it off I pre-ordered of the AoC expansion "Rise of the Godsalyer" that should arrive May 11th.

So poor me some ale and fetch me a wench.



then I'm off to bash some skulls.

Update (4/27/10) - BY CROM! new video card makes world of difference! I click "High" for graphics setting and get great FPS so far. And even get .. shadows! Game looks fantastic and played smooth. Did some combat in Fields of the Dead (to relearn how to swing a sword .. then headed to Old Tarantia Market (i.e. auction house) and FPS dropped into the 30's. Before with older AoC code and 8600GT I was lucky to get 20 FPS anywhere.

So off to a great start.

Playing EVE I found myself looking at things to advance into; mining and mission running are so my favorite so far. While doing this I started to look into the different ships of EVE and got hooked on the look of the Amarr and ended up getting me a Coercer.
Not I have my eyes set (and skills training up for) an Amarr cruiser .. Omen.

I love the look of the Amarr ships .. and then a moment of revelation.. I know why I do.... Omni Magazine and the artist John Berkey.

As a kid I had a few issue of Omni; and I recall the art of John Berkey in these few issues I had. I was imediatly drawn into the look of the ships. Example..


and


I was hooked. I recall getting a few pens (black, blue and a red) and some paper and emulating the look in ship designs of my own. Today I realize that influence still prevalent.

Not sure if EVE art designers have a few copues of Omni magazine laying around, or posters of John Berkey's art on the walls.

However if they did I would not be surprised.