As I wrote about in the previous post, we've made a return back to Final Fantasy XI this week and the return has been fun so far. Things have changed and yet things have not, though one thing that became apparent to us almost immediately (we decided to try and pair off for a Puppetmaster double team) and attack stuff in Valkrum Dunes.
What is so odd about that? Well nothing really, except that the dunes that was once a hotbed for lower level ups was absolutely dead. Well besides the small army of level 90s in the area, there weren't any lower level people. The same could even be said for Qufim, which was generally the next step in level (or it was back in our time).
Did everyone really ascend to the higher levels? To the point where there were no low level characters left in the world? It seemed so, but something else we noticed was that any low level character that did appear almost always had a power level (higher leveled healer character) in tow.
Perhaps that is what happened?
Either way though, we couldn't complain about this lack of parties in the immediate area. We had the run of the place and thanks to that, we were pulling in levels pretty quickly (more about this a little later). And with the nifty level sync ability in play, my level 23 Puppetmaster and my girlfriend's level 17 Puppetmaster had no issues at all in getting pretty decent exp.
I think what I can't get over is the fact that this part of the game play had actually changed. By this I mean the ability to actually be able to level up without having to have a huge party and all of that. You could very well solo much easier nowadays and even with the two of us together, we were raking in exp a lot faster then a lot of parties that both of us could remember back in the day.
Back then, we'd spend a lot of time in the lower levels face down in the sand and leveling down was a common place thing. My old linkshell was named after a common occurance in the dunes, that being people training (pulling a long, long line usually) of goblins to whatever zone he/she could reach.
I don't know if I ever mentioned this, but I sure wish we had the level sync at our disposal some years back. I think we'd all be a lot higher level then we are today...
Showing posts with label Final Fantasy XI. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Final Fantasy XI. Show all posts
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Saturday, July 09, 2011
The Big 600
It is kind of hard to believe that this writing marks the 600th post for my blog here and while I may not have the most popular blog in the history of the world (I can't even say this blog has gotten all that much traffic in it's few short years of life), I can say that I am happy to have written here for as long as I have. I certainly wouldn't have believed in 2006 that I would still be blogging here in 2011.
While on the subject of the past and present, I suppose it would also be fitting to mention that we've returned to Final Fantasy XI recently as well. It is always interesting to see what changed in the span of however long it is from the time we leave to the time we return. Mostly though, it seems like there are some new pieces of higher level armor and the level cap goes up. But beyond that, it still looks and feels like the Vana'diel we grew to know.
Then again, while so much remains familiar to us, there are a lot of aspects that just will never be the same for us again. Like the linkshell we were a part of for most of our regular time in the game. All of the members have either moved on to other MMOs or have quit all together. And while it was not the most tight knit group ever, it was nice to have people around that you can at least be friendly with and joke around with.
Nowadays it is just a quiet, baron place for both myself and my girlfriend. Surely we could try and start over and try to make new friends and what not. But for us the memories are too strong to replace or work around. I mean what can fill the void of days where we'd all get into the game and do nothing but argue about if Sam and Frodo were more then just friends? Or why was it that a portion of our shell went out to hunt various species of cats (it was for a quest), whilst our leader's wife scolded us all for being virtual cat killers (she loves cats)? And this is all while everyone threatens to punt every Tarutaru in the shell (as well as the numerous ones that we'd see out in the world). Hell I had damn near daily auto-translate battles with our resident Red Mage/Bard, whom started the game as an Elvaan, then turned over to be a Mithra. We'd accuse each other of being blind as shit and couldn't hit the broad side of a neon pink barn in the middle of a sunny Summer's day.
And how could I not mention our little dysfunctional static XP group? The times when we could manage to gather up, we'd just tear through levels like no body's business. It was fun getting through the Valkrum Dunes in a couple of hours (which, at the time, was damn near impossible if you tried that with a pick up group without a power level. Which we didn't have more often then not). The times we didn't was usually not because of real life stuff, but because a person would have a fit because of whatever didn't work out their way that day.
But regardless of that, it was an absolutely awesome time nonetheless and I know I had a ton of fun while it lasted.
So yes, I suppose this is exactly how I will spend the 600th post of my blog; being nostalgic about things that were so awesome in the past. I try not to go overkill on this, by this I mean just being stuck on things that just won't be again. But being back in the game and running about through so many old stomping grounds just drags up all those fun and crazy times in my mind. And while we still do manage to have fun, it is a little bittersweet to be back without all of our old friends.
Edit: It seems that I am not alone in having these troubles of remembering the past and friends who've long since moved on. I suppose this is the way of things, especially in a game or place where you interact with other people. Plus after spending a few years with the same group of people, good or bad, they become friends and to return back and see it all gone away? Kind of rough...
While on the subject of the past and present, I suppose it would also be fitting to mention that we've returned to Final Fantasy XI recently as well. It is always interesting to see what changed in the span of however long it is from the time we leave to the time we return. Mostly though, it seems like there are some new pieces of higher level armor and the level cap goes up. But beyond that, it still looks and feels like the Vana'diel we grew to know.
Then again, while so much remains familiar to us, there are a lot of aspects that just will never be the same for us again. Like the linkshell we were a part of for most of our regular time in the game. All of the members have either moved on to other MMOs or have quit all together. And while it was not the most tight knit group ever, it was nice to have people around that you can at least be friendly with and joke around with.
Nowadays it is just a quiet, baron place for both myself and my girlfriend. Surely we could try and start over and try to make new friends and what not. But for us the memories are too strong to replace or work around. I mean what can fill the void of days where we'd all get into the game and do nothing but argue about if Sam and Frodo were more then just friends? Or why was it that a portion of our shell went out to hunt various species of cats (it was for a quest), whilst our leader's wife scolded us all for being virtual cat killers (she loves cats)? And this is all while everyone threatens to punt every Tarutaru in the shell (as well as the numerous ones that we'd see out in the world). Hell I had damn near daily auto-translate battles with our resident Red Mage/Bard, whom started the game as an Elvaan, then turned over to be a Mithra. We'd accuse each other of being blind as shit and couldn't hit the broad side of a neon pink barn in the middle of a sunny Summer's day.
And how could I not mention our little dysfunctional static XP group? The times when we could manage to gather up, we'd just tear through levels like no body's business. It was fun getting through the Valkrum Dunes in a couple of hours (which, at the time, was damn near impossible if you tried that with a pick up group without a power level. Which we didn't have more often then not). The times we didn't was usually not because of real life stuff, but because a person would have a fit because of whatever didn't work out their way that day.
But regardless of that, it was an absolutely awesome time nonetheless and I know I had a ton of fun while it lasted.
So yes, I suppose this is exactly how I will spend the 600th post of my blog; being nostalgic about things that were so awesome in the past. I try not to go overkill on this, by this I mean just being stuck on things that just won't be again. But being back in the game and running about through so many old stomping grounds just drags up all those fun and crazy times in my mind. And while we still do manage to have fun, it is a little bittersweet to be back without all of our old friends.
Edit: It seems that I am not alone in having these troubles of remembering the past and friends who've long since moved on. I suppose this is the way of things, especially in a game or place where you interact with other people. Plus after spending a few years with the same group of people, good or bad, they become friends and to return back and see it all gone away? Kind of rough...
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Wings of the Goddess
Upon spending the past 2 days running here, there and everywhere, I've come to a very simple conclusion about the latest expansion for Final Fantasy XI. Despite a number of small gripes, I think I'm beginning to believe I actually like this expansion...
What appeals to me the most is the fact that it seems to be geared to everyone rather then just to the end game crowd, much as it has felt during the past few expansion releases. By this I mean the zones, while still having their fair share of threats, is actually traversable and you can actually enjoy the sights, much unlike things were when ToAU came out.
Even the cut scenes are enjoyable and they feel like they are playing out an actual story, rather then a bunch of stuff slapped together. I can honestly say I am now firmly interested in finding out how the Great War unfolded!
The two new advanced jobs added, Dancer and Scholar, are enjoyable. Personally, I thought the Dancer job was going to be a big joke. But after seeing what it can do, plus having been able to get a few levels in on the job, I admit that I was very wrong about it.
Now for my only gripe that I have for this expansion (so far anyway!) is on the Campaign battles. Yes, they are fun. Yes, they potentially can yield a fair share of experience points. But why does it take the mobs nearly 15 minutes for them to show up!? Maybe I am just overly too impatient for my own good, but I think that could be sped up just a little bit.
On the flip side, however, I also do understand that maybe it is done as such to give people a chance to make it to the battle, if say they were else where or still in transit to the battlefield.
Like I said though, my gripes with this expansion have been fairly minimal thus far and I find myself actually enjoying the game again. And believe me when I say that I'd never believed that this day would ever come...
Goes to show, you just never really know what can happen or how things will play out...
What appeals to me the most is the fact that it seems to be geared to everyone rather then just to the end game crowd, much as it has felt during the past few expansion releases. By this I mean the zones, while still having their fair share of threats, is actually traversable and you can actually enjoy the sights, much unlike things were when ToAU came out.
Even the cut scenes are enjoyable and they feel like they are playing out an actual story, rather then a bunch of stuff slapped together. I can honestly say I am now firmly interested in finding out how the Great War unfolded!
The two new advanced jobs added, Dancer and Scholar, are enjoyable. Personally, I thought the Dancer job was going to be a big joke. But after seeing what it can do, plus having been able to get a few levels in on the job, I admit that I was very wrong about it.
Now for my only gripe that I have for this expansion (so far anyway!) is on the Campaign battles. Yes, they are fun. Yes, they potentially can yield a fair share of experience points. But why does it take the mobs nearly 15 minutes for them to show up!? Maybe I am just overly too impatient for my own good, but I think that could be sped up just a little bit.
On the flip side, however, I also do understand that maybe it is done as such to give people a chance to make it to the battle, if say they were else where or still in transit to the battlefield.
Like I said though, my gripes with this expansion have been fairly minimal thus far and I find myself actually enjoying the game again. And believe me when I say that I'd never believed that this day would ever come...
Goes to show, you just never really know what can happen or how things will play out...
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Givin' It Another Go
October 22nd, 2007.
That was the last time I was present in the world of Vana'diel and at that time, I was pretty set on saying that that was it. The end. Retirement had arrived for me and I was content to just walk away and forget it all, once and for all. Plus, a vast majority of the friends I had made online had moved on or retired from the game. So really, my list of reasons for playing had shortened considerably.
Fast forward to the present and after some (months and months) of urging from my girlfriend, plus the fact that one of our close friends had returned to the game, and now here I am, typing all about my return to the game called Final Fantasy XI.
And after nearly 3 hours of updates, I am a mere 30 minutes away from getting back into the mix. Now all I need to do is get the newest expansion (Wings of the Goddess) and I'd be up-to-date and ready to roll for certain.
On a side note, completely unrelated to any FF game, I just got my copy of Suikoden I & II tonight (FINALLY). It brings back a lot of memories for me, but goddamn! I can't read Japanese at all and so that makes things a challenge to a certain degree. But eh, I've played through both games before, so it isn't like it is all Greek to me.
Well, it is just about that time for me to step back into the world of Final Fantasy XI. I hope this run is better then my last time in, but I am really here more for friends then actually going totally hardcore over the game. I don't think I'll be dedicating myself to level grinding to 75, so I guess I can say that, if nothing else, has changed for me.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
2AM Thoughts
I just wanted to make a quick post here and toss out a few thoughts and comments about a few things. I'd usually try to give this more thought, but being sick and hurting just doesn't leave all that much space to be comfortable. But that is another story for another time...
Anyway!
Here comes my bullet points of doom! Hey, don't laugh... this is serious business! In any case, here we go...
Oh and one quick and final thought, I don't remember if I've ever mentioned this before, but god I love the soundtrack for FFVII: Advent Children. Just an all around great, solid mix of music that I enjoy today, even after listening to it over and over again...
Funny little fact: The second ending song for FFVII: AC titled "Calling" was a song I originally hated and never listened to at all. It wasn't until I started working at my present job that I took a liking to it, because at the time they had played that song, among others that I recognized from games (1000 Words *FFX2*, Eyes on Me *FF8*) and anime (Fullmetal Alchemist, Inu-Yasha).
You can't imagine how sad I was when this music was taken off for some odd Japanese music. Actually, I think it was traditional Japanese music, because I remember my grandma listening to stuff that sounded like it. Poor singers sounded like the were in pain... but traditional beats out Japanese nursery rhymes any day! Dear god, someone shred that CD!
Anyway!
Here comes my bullet points of doom! Hey, don't laugh... this is serious business! In any case, here we go...
- Mass Effect: What I love so much about this game is how it is entirely a new game, yet feels (and plays) just like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. One thing that is different about the game play, in comparison to KotOR are the fights itself. Rather then just clicking on an enemy and watch your character swing away, you actually get into the fight. Fun.
- Call of Duty 4: So I played through the story mode on regular difficulty and man was I getting my ass handed to me lol. Nevertheless, it is a fun game and I enjoyed the hell out of it while it lasted.
- The Golden Compass: Despite what my girlfriend believes, I still think of this movie like another Eragon in that it tried to pack it so much and just didn't have enough time to make good with it all. Tack onto that the cliffhanger, no, the cut-off ending and man... it just doesn't pan out too well.
- Fire Pro Wrestling Returns: Going into this game, I understood that it wasn't going to be anything like a WWE game. But man, the graphics alone in this beast is like an insult to the PS2. How bad you ask? It looks like it was brought up from the depths of the SNES days. What is worst, the damned game just isn't even fun! Thank god it was so cheap!
- Final Fantasy XI: Wings of the Goddess: Whole new expansion, new jobs... same dull, boring game. I was tempted to buy this for maybe about a few days, back when the new jobs were announced, but that faded and quick. I mean come on, can I justify to myself on spending $30 for more end game content I cannot use!? Hell F'N NO.
Oh and one quick and final thought, I don't remember if I've ever mentioned this before, but god I love the soundtrack for FFVII: Advent Children. Just an all around great, solid mix of music that I enjoy today, even after listening to it over and over again...
Funny little fact: The second ending song for FFVII: AC titled "Calling" was a song I originally hated and never listened to at all. It wasn't until I started working at my present job that I took a liking to it, because at the time they had played that song, among others that I recognized from games (1000 Words *FFX2*, Eyes on Me *FF8*) and anime (Fullmetal Alchemist, Inu-Yasha).
You can't imagine how sad I was when this music was taken off for some odd Japanese music. Actually, I think it was traditional Japanese music, because I remember my grandma listening to stuff that sounded like it. Poor singers sounded like the were in pain... but traditional beats out Japanese nursery rhymes any day! Dear god, someone shred that CD!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Games on the Brain
I got my first taste of Final Fantasy XI in quite a few months today and I am still not quite 'hooked' or throughly convinced that I'll make a full return. I was passed the control for my girlfriend's Monk and had to take over in her party for about an hour. Nothing fancy needed, just pound away at the unsuspecting (well that isn't entirely true) bird until it dies.
Simple!
Then again, it was beginning to put me to sleep and I don't think that is a very good thing while in the middle of a party. Still, it was, at the very least, a little interesting to get back into it. I'd prefer to level up my Samurai, but I was happy enough just to get in a few first 'vokes and a couple of weaponskills here and there.
Maybe that is the secret? Small doses of this online game just might be the trick!
Hmm... nah...
Besides, I still have a number of other games I'd like to see finished off beforehand and none of them are even half way finished yet. I am slightly surprised to be here and saying that there are still a couple of good stories left in offline RPGs it seems. Well, good enough for me to want to actually see how they all end. Topping that list is a bit of a draw between Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata. Maybe more Eternal Sonata at this point...
Surely both of them aren't instant classics (from what I've played through so far at least), but I will say that both look pretty damn promising. What I am hoping for now is maybe a couple more RPGs for the XBox 360 and who knows? Maybe those will be much better then those that are out right now!
Wishful thinking, yes. But a gamer can hope, can he not?
Simple!
Then again, it was beginning to put me to sleep and I don't think that is a very good thing while in the middle of a party. Still, it was, at the very least, a little interesting to get back into it. I'd prefer to level up my Samurai, but I was happy enough just to get in a few first 'vokes and a couple of weaponskills here and there.
Maybe that is the secret? Small doses of this online game just might be the trick!
Hmm... nah...
Besides, I still have a number of other games I'd like to see finished off beforehand and none of them are even half way finished yet. I am slightly surprised to be here and saying that there are still a couple of good stories left in offline RPGs it seems. Well, good enough for me to want to actually see how they all end. Topping that list is a bit of a draw between Blue Dragon and Eternal Sonata. Maybe more Eternal Sonata at this point...
Surely both of them aren't instant classics (from what I've played through so far at least), but I will say that both look pretty damn promising. What I am hoping for now is maybe a couple more RPGs for the XBox 360 and who knows? Maybe those will be much better then those that are out right now!
Wishful thinking, yes. But a gamer can hope, can he not?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
The Vastness of Nothing
With the lack of options for the PSP, I have to say that I was excited to learn that Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness is being released soon! Like at the end of the month kind of soon! And I'm broke! Surprised am I? Nope! No surprise here, that's for damn sure.
But even with my rampage of game purchases, which includes:
- Blue Dragon
- Halo 3
- Eternal Sonata
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
- Warriors Orochi
- Daxter
- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
- Dot Hack//G.U. Volume 3
And of that list, I think I've finished off 2 of those games (and DW: Gundam will be made into store credit in the very near future). At first I thought maybe it was because of the fact that I work and usually don't feel up for gaming when I get home. But no, I can to realize that I just don't really give a damn about the vast majority of the games I've picked up.
Yes, I can say 'incredible waste of money.'
Maybe I should stray away from sequels for a while, just to get into something new and different. I was considering on getting games like Beautiful Katamari and Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. But at this point, I'm looking (and thinking) it'll just end up being a further waste of money.
Speaking of which, I've not logged back into Final Fantasy XI since my one night of sheep killing. I guess that is to say that my interests in the game haven't returned to me?
On the topic of Final Fantasy, I am enjoying my return visit to Final Fantasy Tactics in small doses. I don't want to kill the interest and I am enjoying myself maybe 2-3 battles a day. I can't wait till the day I finally get my small army in full swing. Enemy soldiers beware!
And now for something a little different or unusual for me at least. A few days ago, I picked up an American comic. Not Japanese or Korean or whatever other Asian-based manga as I have done for the past many years. But American.
The Verdict? I actually enjoyed it.
The comic in question was the collected story of Planet Hulk, which (obviously) centers around the Hulk. You see, Hulk was/is mad. Hulk smashes. Earth heroes were afraid of this and tricked the Hulk and sent him away into space.
Hulk got angrier.
But then something unexpected happened and Hulk's ship gets pulled into a black hole and lands on an entirely different world. He is forced to become a gladiator, he becomes a hero, he gets smarter, makes friends and even gets married among other things. But something bad happens and... and the collection ends there. I love/hate cliffhanger endings.
Wow, those are things I never thought I'd ever associate with the Hulk (Smarter, married, having friends, etc). And despite my terrible attempt at summing up the basic plot, it is a pretty good story in my humble opinion and I can't wait until Marvel releases World War Hulk in a collection someday (soon hopefully).
What is World War Hulk? When Hulk goes back to Earth with his new friends with but one thing on his mind: Revenge.
And now I'm going to go do something productive or at least something that will keep me busy for a while. Maybe I'll play a game or two, which will hopefully work out. Or maybe I'll sit here and write more about nothing in particular as I've noticed myself doing more often to before. Either way, I shall return.....
But even with my rampage of game purchases, which includes:
- Blue Dragon
- Halo 3
- Eternal Sonata
- Dynasty Warriors: Gundam
- Warriors Orochi
- Daxter
- Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions
- Dot Hack//G.U. Volume 3
And of that list, I think I've finished off 2 of those games (and DW: Gundam will be made into store credit in the very near future). At first I thought maybe it was because of the fact that I work and usually don't feel up for gaming when I get home. But no, I can to realize that I just don't really give a damn about the vast majority of the games I've picked up.
Yes, I can say 'incredible waste of money.'
Maybe I should stray away from sequels for a while, just to get into something new and different. I was considering on getting games like Beautiful Katamari and Naruto: Rise of a Ninja. But at this point, I'm looking (and thinking) it'll just end up being a further waste of money.
Speaking of which, I've not logged back into Final Fantasy XI since my one night of sheep killing. I guess that is to say that my interests in the game haven't returned to me?
On the topic of Final Fantasy, I am enjoying my return visit to Final Fantasy Tactics in small doses. I don't want to kill the interest and I am enjoying myself maybe 2-3 battles a day. I can't wait till the day I finally get my small army in full swing. Enemy soldiers beware!
And now for something a little different or unusual for me at least. A few days ago, I picked up an American comic. Not Japanese or Korean or whatever other Asian-based manga as I have done for the past many years. But American.
The Verdict? I actually enjoyed it.
The comic in question was the collected story of Planet Hulk, which (obviously) centers around the Hulk. You see, Hulk was/is mad. Hulk smashes. Earth heroes were afraid of this and tricked the Hulk and sent him away into space.
Hulk got angrier.
But then something unexpected happened and Hulk's ship gets pulled into a black hole and lands on an entirely different world. He is forced to become a gladiator, he becomes a hero, he gets smarter, makes friends and even gets married among other things. But something bad happens and... and the collection ends there. I love/hate cliffhanger endings.
Wow, those are things I never thought I'd ever associate with the Hulk (Smarter, married, having friends, etc). And despite my terrible attempt at summing up the basic plot, it is a pretty good story in my humble opinion and I can't wait until Marvel releases World War Hulk in a collection someday (soon hopefully).
What is World War Hulk? When Hulk goes back to Earth with his new friends with but one thing on his mind: Revenge.
And now I'm going to go do something productive or at least something that will keep me busy for a while. Maybe I'll play a game or two, which will hopefully work out. Or maybe I'll sit here and write more about nothing in particular as I've noticed myself doing more often to before. Either way, I shall return.....
Monday, October 08, 2007
Considerations
I've been looking to change my ways a bit, by that I mean trying out some new things. Maybe watch shows I'd not watch otherwise or maybe try out a different game or two, just to change things up a little bit. I think I've grown a little bored with myself and I can't imagine that is a good thing.
For starters, I've been having a growing interest in finding (and watching) the show Heroes. I've heard it is something like X-Men, in that people in the show have special abilities/powers.
A movie that I've just watching a trailer for tonight is a Chinese movie called "Seven Swords." It isn't a new movie or anything (I think it was released in 2005), but it seems to be about a group of seven people, each of which has a sword of their own. The purpose? I think it was to fight against an oppressive government or the like. Please forgive for the half-arsed explanation, I was/am fairly sleepy and things aren't being absorbed into my brain as easily as usual.
Next thing up, is actually a video game system that I originally intended to buy in place of getting a XBox 360. However, that goddamn Nintendo Wii was ever elusive and the only way of getting one was to pay some outrageous price for it. That, obviously, was something I refused and ultimately opted to picking up a 360. Yeah, the logic behind this one didn't quite pan out either, but it worked out in my mind at the time.
Then again, after looking at a number of different places and coming up with nothing, I guess that does help settle a mental dispute rather quick.
Still, I'd like to get a Wii eventually and this isn't just for games like Legend of Zelda and Super Paper Mario. Or Mario Galaxy. I kind of want to try out Rayman: Raving Rabbits on Wii, not to mention the Katamari game that is supposedly going to be released on the system eventually.
Truth be told, I actually want to play some of the games that are on it's Virtual Console and one game that comes to mind immediately is Earthbound. I don't know what it is, maybe it is all a mind trick? All implemented by merely listening to songs from it's soundtrack, which I am doing right now. Or maybe it was just a fun (and outright weird) game that was a blast to play through for the fact that it was truly something unlike anything that was out there at the time. Hell, even today too!
On the topic of games, I was recently informed (by my girlfriend no less) that I was brought out of retirement and am actively back in the world of Vana'diel. Yes, I have been revived in the game called Final Fantasy XI. I guess I can't fight it, not when my bloody elf is already back up and running. Fun and excitement this time around? Well, I can only hope for all of that and more or else this return will be short lived (again).
As for other changes... well, I am thinking of maybe coloring my hair to something crazy and maybe even getting a haircut after. I haven't done either of those things (or at least not coloring in years... I missed that blue hair...) or at the very least get myself a haircut. It isn't a good look when even I start to wonder if maybe i just might be smuggling a ewok on my head.
OK, so overall I don't have any real life altering changes and I don't think there really is anything I can change at this point. Yes, maybe a new job will finally work it's way into the hand and I'll actually go with it this time around. I think I am more concerned with just tiny little things for now, leaving the bigger fish for another day. Smart plan? Only time will tell on that call...
For starters, I've been having a growing interest in finding (and watching) the show Heroes. I've heard it is something like X-Men, in that people in the show have special abilities/powers.
A movie that I've just watching a trailer for tonight is a Chinese movie called "Seven Swords." It isn't a new movie or anything (I think it was released in 2005), but it seems to be about a group of seven people, each of which has a sword of their own. The purpose? I think it was to fight against an oppressive government or the like. Please forgive for the half-arsed explanation, I was/am fairly sleepy and things aren't being absorbed into my brain as easily as usual.
Next thing up, is actually a video game system that I originally intended to buy in place of getting a XBox 360. However, that goddamn Nintendo Wii was ever elusive and the only way of getting one was to pay some outrageous price for it. That, obviously, was something I refused and ultimately opted to picking up a 360. Yeah, the logic behind this one didn't quite pan out either, but it worked out in my mind at the time.
Then again, after looking at a number of different places and coming up with nothing, I guess that does help settle a mental dispute rather quick.
Still, I'd like to get a Wii eventually and this isn't just for games like Legend of Zelda and Super Paper Mario. Or Mario Galaxy. I kind of want to try out Rayman: Raving Rabbits on Wii, not to mention the Katamari game that is supposedly going to be released on the system eventually.
Truth be told, I actually want to play some of the games that are on it's Virtual Console and one game that comes to mind immediately is Earthbound. I don't know what it is, maybe it is all a mind trick? All implemented by merely listening to songs from it's soundtrack, which I am doing right now. Or maybe it was just a fun (and outright weird) game that was a blast to play through for the fact that it was truly something unlike anything that was out there at the time. Hell, even today too!
On the topic of games, I was recently informed (by my girlfriend no less) that I was brought out of retirement and am actively back in the world of Vana'diel. Yes, I have been revived in the game called Final Fantasy XI. I guess I can't fight it, not when my bloody elf is already back up and running. Fun and excitement this time around? Well, I can only hope for all of that and more or else this return will be short lived (again).
As for other changes... well, I am thinking of maybe coloring my hair to something crazy and maybe even getting a haircut after. I haven't done either of those things (or at least not coloring in years... I missed that blue hair...) or at the very least get myself a haircut. It isn't a good look when even I start to wonder if maybe i just might be smuggling a ewok on my head.
OK, so overall I don't have any real life altering changes and I don't think there really is anything I can change at this point. Yes, maybe a new job will finally work it's way into the hand and I'll actually go with it this time around. I think I am more concerned with just tiny little things for now, leaving the bigger fish for another day. Smart plan? Only time will tell on that call...
Friday, September 28, 2007
The Big 100th Post...!
Yeah, I know something like having 100 posts doesn't really mean all that much if you think about it. Does it mean something meaningful? Will it bring world peace? Will it end all the bitching and screaming and moaning and groaning about the Super Ferry in Hawaii?As much as I'd like to say yes it could, well...
OK, so maybe it could very well be possible that this 100th post could change the course of events around the world. I mean think about it, it is a pretty strange world out there where all sorts of weird things happen every second of every day. So to think that a 'mere' 100th post could change the world... hell, it just may very well happen!
(I'd rather have my 100th post win me the biggest lottery jackpot in the world, but eh... can't win 'em all...)
So much to say and write and all that, but where oh where to begin? I think I am beginning to pressure myself out here, just thinking about just how big (in my own little mind) this 100th post really is!
For starters, I'm gonna hit up something I haven't written about in quite a while, which would be wrestling.
You can say how fake the matches are and yes, the matches are pre-determined before the guys ever hit the ring. But with everything in the news about it lately, I think it is safe to say that professional wrestling has become very, very real.
Still, at the end of the day I still do wonder if everything that is coming out will really make a difference in the end. Take the WWE for example here folks, this isn't the first time they've been called out about steroids. Obviously the fact that they are at it again proves that things haven't really changed. I mean sure, they have a wellness program in place. But does that really make a difference?
I just hope that these men and women that go out and perform are taken care of and helped if at all possible. One thing I'd like to not see for a very long time is another wrestler death. Enough is enough, hopefully people snap to and change their ways (if they have a problem that is).
Switching gears, although we are still going wrestling talk here, and this is about the rumors of Chris Jericho's possible return.
Now as a fan I am pretty excited to hear that and the idea of not having cable TV makes that all the harder to deal with. Sort of. It has been a little over a year since Jericho was on WWE TV? Maybe 2 now? I can't remember these things, but anyway... I guess all I can do is sit back and read about what goes on and maybe I'll find a video or 2 of his return (should it happen) on YouTube.
Switching gears again folks, now we go towards Dynasty Warriors and the 2 games that have recently been released under this banner.
I've been meaning to write something about Dynasty Warriors: Gundam and Warriors Orochi, but I just haven't had much of a chance these days. Anyway, if given a choice of which I like better, the hands down winner of this face off is Warriors Orochi. No question about that choice folks, that absolutely (in my opinion) choice wins by a landslide.
That isn't to say that Dynasty Warriors: Gundam is a bad game or anything. OK, so maybe the action manages to fall behind the standard Dynasty Warriors paces. Is that even possible? Surely they are both hack-and-slash games, but somehow DWG manages not to be as fun as Warriors Orochi. Not to mention if you don't know anything about the Gundam Universe, this game will be a confusing mess (I only knew of Gundam Wing).
Another thing DW: G lacks is options, modes... something more then just the confusing story itself. Original Mode is OK, but really... it isn't much different then the Official Mode.
As for Warriors Orochi... now that game felt like home to me and it played exactly as can be expected. The only real gripe that I have about this is the lack of extra modes (just like DW: G). Besides Free Mode, there aren't anything else like previous games, such as Rampage, Time Attack, etc.
What surprised me about Orochi was the changes that were made to the game. I think the biggest change is the ability to chose three warriors to go to war with and you can change among your trio at any time. It keeps things feeling fresh and you can basically mix and match up your team of choice from the officers you've unlocked from both the Dynasty Warriors and Samurai Warriors games.
The story itself is interesting also, which pretty much goes a little something like this: Orochi, the Serpent King, wishes to test his might against the most powerful fighters in history. And to that end, Orochi pulls the warriors from Feudal Japan and Ancient China. Now the basis of this game is how Orochi basically holds hostage the leaders of Shu, Wei and Wu and uses most of their top fighters (mixed up with the fighters from Samurai Warriors) to crush any resistance and to also weed out the weak and leave only the most worthy and powerful.
Does that all make sense? Hopefully I didn't gut the story and ruin it... just trust me when I say that it is a pretty damn good hack-and-slasher!
Now onto a subject I never thought I'd be writing about here, in my humble little blog, ever again. Final Fantasy XI is coming out with a brand spankin' new expansion and Square Enix is tossing in new jobs! Again! Why do I get the feeling that the majority of the new content will be aimed (still) towards end gamers? I hope I am wrong and if so, who knows... I may very well go back...
I mean why not right? I'd love to see my Elvaan as a Dancer and who knows what else. I suppose we shall all see as SE unleashes more details in the coming months.
News flash: Work still sucks! Now back to the regular blog fodder!
Honestly I do miss playing Final Fantasy XI, but what I don't is the hours of waiting and all the shit that goes with having to form a party. I've wasted more hours then I care to remember doing stuff like this. Surely it is all a part of the game and the 'experience.' It did feel good when I left and started back up on offline games. The joke I told the few friends I made while gaming on FFXI was at least now I didn't have to beg people to join my party or people leaving after 10 minutes of fights or even wait for 6 hours to get into something!
Yes, it was a great, great feeling.
Speaking of playing, I've been playing Halo 3 with my girlfriend and lemme tell you all this. We suck. We're playing it on easy because anything higher then that would result in our faces splattered across the screen. Oops, sorry... got that mixed up with Gears of War.
(In either case, the end result remained the same.)
I think we've only played through 2 chapters? I don't know/remember off hand how the game is broken down. The story sounds interesting and the game play is as fun as we both remember it from both Halo and Halo 2.
Random topic: I'd be playing my XBox 360 right now, but it is fairly warm (Read: Hot) where I live right now and I am a paranoid man. Paranoid that my XBox will flash me those dreaded red rings of death... I don't think I'd take all that well if that should happen any time in the near future.
Funny story, which I am slightly repeating from a previous post from ages ago it seems, and this goes back to when I first got my 360.
Gotta love Wal-Mart and their belief that I was somehow lying to them about the XBox they sold me being previously used and broken for that matter. Yeah they plugged it in and oh, it works! See the problem was that the night before (the night that I had bought it), it had stopped reading XBox games. After letting it sit for about a half hour, it'd read the game again for a short time and then freeze up and stop again.
Well they did not believe me and somehow I guess they thought I was trying to scam them. How? I don't personally know for myself and my poor mind just couldn't connect with their thought pattern on this one. Anyway, after they wasted my time for about an hour and talked to me like I was lying, I did get it replaced. Needless to say, all I wanted to do was leave and get the hell home...
What lifted my spirits (after being talked to like a goddamn criminal) was when that jerk of a girl that was "helping" me took the XBox back up front and plugged it in again. Guess what popped up and greeted her stupid face? Those bloody red rings of death CAME OUT FOR THOSE SONS OF BITCHES!
Ha! Serves you all right, jerks!
Oh that was bliss... pure, unadulterated bliss...
Do I hold a grudge? No, not really.
But I do take offense when someone decides to call me a liar and doesn't even know what he/she is talking about. Then again, while they did waste my time, the ending is what always brings that smile of mine back to my face. After that, I have been worried that those red rings would return and kill my poor XBox and so I've gone through my own hell to be sure I don't do all that much to kill that expensive bastard.
Then again, there is a lot of good games still coming for the 360 and so I guess this will serve as a fairly good test to see if my box will survive or not. Hell, if nothing else, I think WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2008 will do all the testing I need, considering it ends up being a better game then the '07 edition.
I mean it has flaming table matches! ECW wrestlers! And um... and other stuff that makes this game great! Actually, I play it just to mess around with it's create-a-wrestler mode. Everything else to me is secondary. I love to create stuff, people, anything. I loved The Sims (original, though wishing I could play The Sims 2...) and games like Stronghold. OK a game like Stronghold I spent a good deal of hours building up a massive castle and then laying it to waste and rebuilding it again.
I don't know what it is, but creating is fun for me and addictive even more so since there are a few games out there that allow that sort of freedom.
Oh, did I mention I was a wrestling fan? I bet that was a difficult thing to figure out.
So fast does time fly and I think I was having fun writing all of that somehow. Not to mention the fact that I've just caused my brain to go empty, since I've finally gotten to write out much of what I've been meaning to write for the past week or two. Hopefully this is a worthy 100th post or else I may have to spam my own blog to reach post 200 to try again.
Hmmm...
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Retirement: Bye Bye Elf!
June 30th, 2007.
That is the day that my elf met his end, after a number of years and failing to really reach much of the goals I had hoped to reach durning my time in game.
And so after canceling my FFXI characters a number of times and returning, I have at last said my good bye and given my characters (Alexandor & Keller *MULE*) a final farewell.
Pictured here is one of the last great moments I had in-game. For me, FFXI was at it's best when I could just get into parties with close friends and just have fun.
Fun.
That was something I had long lost sight of and I had been pretty much been doing nothing over the last year or so. Really, the only thing I had left was the fact that I had a few friends still playing, as well as my girlfriend, so I hung around.
But this was a long time coming and now I really have to say I feel better. That time has come and passed and now at least it feels like there is a bit of closure to all of that. Yeah, weird thing to say over a video game I know. But really, after making friends and just being around the same game for over 2 years, it isn't the easiest thing to do.
So to make a short entry shorter, I bid my elfs a fond and bittersweet good bye. Thank you for destroying countless buildings and trees with your Elvaan blindness. There will never be any other that will ever replace your blind asses...!
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Garden of Variety
To start off, yes it has been ages since my last post and it was funny because my last also mentioned about how I had "returned." Obviously, that was far from the truth. In any event, here I am and here we go again...I usually put off mentioning the pictures I put up until maybe a "paragraph" or three in, but damn. Beth Ostrosky in that skirt? Impossible to ignore...
Ok and with that out of the way, now I can also finally say that it happened at last. Surely it was only for about 4 months, but I have returned to the online world that is Final Fantasy XI. Is it different? To a certain degree, yes, it is and no at the same time.
In some strange way, it feels almost good to return to it and it felt like a home coming of sorts. I know, what a dork right? Well, I suppose this would happen to anyone who plays a game for an extended period of time.
...focus... focus....!
Back on point, yeah, it was the same old game but still things felt different. While I do say it felt like a sort of home coming, it also felt so different. It is a little awkward to feel at home and yet displaced at the same time. Maybe my time to come and go has passed me by? I hope not.
On the upside, hey, I get to level up my loldrg without having to spend my entire life in hopes that someone forming a party will want me.
Jumping subjects, any fan of wrestling or at least in the antics of D-Generation X, should definately get their new DVD. Ok, I believe that was a waste of space because a fan would be getting it regardless right? Eh, I got space to fill........ >.>
It is a worthy pick up though, I think I like this new and improved DX. Yes they are older, but I think it shows the ability of both Triple H and Shawn Michaels to still manage to pull it off.
Jumping subjects, again... I wonder why my blog here can't or doesn't show 2007...?
Back to wrestling, I do want to see how Team Xtreme (formerly called the Hardy Boys apparently) did against MNM. Truth be told, I am surprised to see MNM even together considering how they split a while back before Nitro and Melina ditched Smackdown for Raw.
Stone Cold Steve Austin at Wrestlemania? Sounds interesting. I hope a Stone Cold Stunner is in the futures of everyone involved!
Going back to the members of DX, I do wonder if the "rumors" end up becoming true and Triple H and Shawn Michaels return to their battles against each other when The Game returns. I can see it happening, should HBK win the title at 'Mania.
So life in general has been fairly OK and to explain the mystery (or what I hoped to have left that way... lame I know), I had been in the process of moving. Finding out that the building you live in was sold and then to get the eviction notice was a cold slap of reality let me tell ya. What makes that all the more fun was the idea that moving would involve no moving truck, van, car, nothing. Well, just a hand truck... so you can imagine how great that went!
Besides that, our (my girlfriend and I) financial situation went from bad to horrible to great and back down to bad. Sounds like a rollercoaster huh?
Telladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby was surprisingly funny. I definately enjoyed much, much more then I was expecting to. I liked it a whole lot better then Ancorman...
So that's pretty much it... I mean, if I continue, this entry will have more labels on it then... well it'll have a lot! And I don't know, but I'm starting to think that I don't really do funny well in writing. Wait, I was meaning to be funny?
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Wonder (FFXI)
It is surprising.
Almost scary too.
This is the third consecutive post I've done, which is a lot more then I have done in a long while (Since September it seems). Each time I log in, I stop and wonder: Why am I blogging? What is the purpose of doing this? It is web-based, meaning this is not something that can or will last forever. I know this whole thing could be gone in a heart beat.
I think the reason behind this is the mere fact that I can just write away the time. I think that is what draws me, what compels me to continue this. Surely it could all be over and these words could vanish without so much a trace. But still... again, I think it is that unrefined writer in me that continues to try and escape.
It is with this logic in mind, I believe, is what began to my downfall in the world of Final Fantasy XI. For all of those hours and days and months and years spent, you could lose everything in a second and for all that time spent, what can you show for it?
Nothing.
But during my time there, I became a lot like everyone else around me. I grew attached to the character I was in control of. I was proud at times, disgruntled every other time. The picture above is of my character Alexandor, decked out in his White Mage AF. I'd say that is one of the things I am most proud of, because it certainly was something I did not think I'd ever accomplish. Same goes for Black Mage. Still, I wanted to be the absolute best I could be and at one point I almost got caught up and allowed this game to become more real then it needed to be.
To me, maybe I just need to write this all out to finally get it out of my system. I stopped playing back in September and I haven't really looked back since. After playing for a year, after I tried and tried to convince myself that I am still having fun, I finally gave in. I surely didn't love it, so I left it. I stopped lying to myself and I stopped spending nearly $15 a month on something I no longer enjoyed. With that, every thought of this game just ceased, gone and locked far, far away. That is, until recently...
Maybe it is a sickness? Maybe it truly is an addiction? I can't say for certain, but for a game I believed to have disliked at the end, why is it that I begin to miss it, if only just a little?
I'm starting to think that maybe that saying is true.
Absence does make the heart grow fonder.
But I know, should I go back today, that I would feel the same way as I did when I left. I don't think any amount of time can ever be enough to help me recapture that love for the game. It just does not seem possible and I think it would be in my best interest not to try. Since leaving, life has turned back around and I think I am finally undoing the damage.
Well I think I will cut short this little rant and call it quits for this little entry. Where did this all come from? I don't know. I think (like I mentioned earlier), I just needed to get these thoughts out there before my eyes. I think I might do one last post tomorrow, just to pay my respects to the character I loved and hated so damn much...
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