MikeJL Blog - Gaming

LOTRO Free To Play this Fall!

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:54:34 -0700

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.

Details..

Summer MMO Wanderings

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 14:38:39 -0700

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.

New Life at 50

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:37:48 -0700

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

By CROM!

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:52:06 -0700

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.

Something that EVE Did

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 11:44:03 -0700

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.

It's about the journey

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 23:02:55 -0700

Think why EVE has hooked me. It's the journey of it. I never been an "end-game" player in my MMOs. Did years ago in WoW (pre BC) however my life as a "raider" was short. Even now in STO I don't find and game appealing and as I hit Admiral I already have plans for other alts.

I find I enjoy the journey and adventure that comes with the progression in a game. EVE really seems about that. No rush to end game.

So here is to the start of my journey in EVE. (and a screen shot of my destroyer)

What the EVE?

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 16:11:25 -0700

For a person who loves Fantasy and PvE game play; I find it strange I subbed to EVE Online. Also this is the first where SciFi MMOs outnumber fantasy. I guess I love the variety.
Having co-workers who play EVE was a huge influence. One got me the 21 days trial (that is now a subbed account). I’m still focusing on PvE as the death penalty is steep over any other MMO I have played. However it’s this risk, extreme depth, the huge size of the game space and the sandbox feel that had drawn me in for now.

Guess I have MMO ADD and things will change when WoW Cataclysm arrives.

Patch, Season and Awakening

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:39:43 -0700

Little bit of WoW (with patch 3.3.3) STO with new season one update today and in the mist of Dragon Age expansion “Awakening.”

All good and having fun. Lots of good updates and stuff in all.

The Return

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 10:26:51 -0700

Took a small break from the lasers of STO to bloody me sword! I got the latest Dragon Age DLC: Return to Ostagar. As with most DLC its about one hour of game play; not bad. I already had the BioWare points so was no extra cost.

It was good to work out the sword arm again and get ready for the Dragon Age expansion: Awakening. Also was a great way to adjust the video settings for the new NVIDA 9800 GT 1GB. DA ran very smooth and looks even better.

Got expansion on pre-order with Amazon. Look forward to some more darkspawn bloodshed end of this month.

He said Captain I said what ...

nospam@example.com (Mike) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:16:01 -0700

Achieved capitan this weekend and finally got into the exploration class cruiser. This class is similar to Enterprise from TNG; however, the new ship is mix of Galaxy, Envoy and Celestial class parts.
Here is the USS Earl Gray:

Also I dished out several promotions to the crew. Especially the Bridge Officers (all commander rank) and my science officer is officially named Doctor now. Here is the latest crew ...

I did not post Cmdr. Eighteen. A liberated Borg (from the Amazon pre-order); she is an engineer and givers a +5 to all system (she is like my Data of my bridge crew).

The new command moves me from the Romulan front to DS9 and Cardasian space.