Thread got real big!

Things I discovered by posting on the World of Warcraft Azgalor forum after my loot controversy from Upper Blackrock Spire.

1. Chastity is an all around good person and decent healer. Obviously plays healer to support guild groups and not as a main.
2. Her guild is full of morons and has a Darkwolve's wannabe as a leader.
3. I will probably not group with any Angels of Death members anytime soon.
4. Azgalor as a whole seems to dislike Angels of Death.

Update: 4 Nov, 2007 - Edited post, removed broken links, and applied labels.

Apology accepted :)

Chastity contacted me tonight and apologized for the mistake in giving the Painweaver Band to the rogue from my UBRS raid incident. All I wanted, was for her to admit the mistake and to ensure she delegates loot distribution better in the future. I guess she didn't like all the extra attention she was getting from my message board warrioring.

In a strange turn of events, I invted her into a west Dire Maul group. She brought along a kick ass warrior and we finished the instance in just under an hour. No decent loot dropped for me, but she got two new armor pieces. It was good to see her enjoy the loot, and hopefully understand how I loot distribution should occur in a group setting.

Getting fucked over in WoW

I attended an Upper Blackrock Spire (UBRS) raid today with the hopes of getting the Painweaver Band. I announced my intentions for the ring to the entire raid well before we even started the instance, and no one said a thing. That is the ONLY item in UBRS that I even care about.

To make a long story short, the raid finished off the last boss, General Drakkisath, and the master looter started to ask for rolls on anything anyone needed. The Painweaver Band did drop and was called out. A hunter, rogue, warrior, and I all rolled.

I had the winning roll of 85! Unfortunately, the master looter decided I was "screwing over another class". My goal while doing UBRS was to get the ring, as I stated when we started. Sadly, the master looter then gave the ring to the rogue who rolled a 12. Both the hunter and warrior were next in line behind me in terms of rolls.

The master looter continued to proclaim, after the rolls, that it was a rogue only ring and that no one else should get it. Sorry to inform that stupid bitch, but I needed the ring just as much as a rogue. It is sad that I have to debate that an item with all melee based stats is useful for a melee specced shaman.

What really sets me off is that she tried to defend herself stating that she was making sure a class didn't get screwed over. I'll remember that the next time a Felstriker (epic dagger from UBRS) drops and I ninja it.

If you play on Azgalor, stay away from Angels of Death and Chastity's UBRS raids.

Update: 4 Nov, 2007 - Edited post, removed broken labels, and applied labels.

Making WoW's raid content better

I posted this over on the VN World of Warcraft: General Discussion forum. I've cross-posted it here as well.

End game raid dungeons and encounters should have been built around quests. Just like leveling in WoW. You progress through the dungeon via quests. The end quest or several quests in the chain offer you rewards. No loot drops other than your random chance at a blue or purple BOE item and of course run of the mill greens. As you complete the quests you get a guaranteed reward out of a list.

Blizzard hyped up the ability to see your rewards before you finished a quest... sadly there is few quests that actually show you anything before the end because they are all chain quests. That way the 1st time through an epic dungeon you would get the reward you wanted. You could go back and get the next reward. All BOP obviously. That way each run you are getting a reward you can be using. And you should get to choose from all the current upper tier items.

For example... the Onixyia chain of quests for the key would then lead to the in dungeon quest of killing Onixyia... then you get to head off and get your wonderful item.

There are limited quests like that atm... and its a shame to spend 5+ hours of your time on a 40 man raid to see 5 people get a reward. Yes you should try and be happy for those that received a reward... but at the same time you play a game to be fun and to reward yourself. Luck shouldn't be the overriding factor in having fun.

Blizzard its time to start rewarding us for the time we spend. Not only would this cut down on people "grinding" instances at 60 it would go a long ways in making it so someone like me who gets that once a year chance to attend an MC raid gets rewarded for doing so.

Update: 4 Nov, 2007 - Edited link, but did not edit main body of post as I can not update the VN Board's version.

Dire Maul - West instance completed!

I finally found a group that made it through the entire west side of Dire Maul.

I logged on and tried to form a party, but an hour later I gave up. So, I headed off to Warsong Gulch while another interested player stuck around Orgrimmar recruiting for a DM group. Before the queue was up for a round of Warsong Gulch, I received a tell about a DM west group forming.

I jumped in and it was an excellent group made up of a Warrior, Priest, Rogue, and two Shamans. I wasn't pleased about having two Shamans, in case of something decent dropping, like Odious Greaves, but I wanted to get the quest done for the Backwood Helm!

The priest knew the instance and lead us through with relative ease. The Odious Greaves did drop, but my dice failed me and the other shaman walked away with them. The Prince at the end of the instance dropped a nice set of shaman pants, but of course, they weren't for my build and my current pants were better. So, the other shaman double dipped and got the pants also.

Oh well, that is the way the cookie crumbles. Anyways, I have my Backwood Helm now and it was a hell of a lot of fun to be in decent group for once!

Update: 4 Nov, 2007 - Edited post and applied labels.

2 days... no WoW

The last two days I have logged onto World of Warcraft once. That was only to check mail and the auction house. I don't know why I have no motivation to log on. Battlefield 2 is keeping me busy, but I find it a bit lack luster without a solid squad to play consistently with.

Maybe WoW is losing its hold over me? Battlegrounds are not the end all savior, as PvP ranks seem to be getting much harder with the massive amounts of contribution points available from repeatedly doing battlegrounds.

New content isn't going to do it for me. I have only managed to do a quarter of the current end-game content. I just don't have the patience or time for raids that don't promise me any rewards. Plus, I'm not in a raiding guild and don't believe I would fit well in any of them.

WoW has raised me to love solo gameplay only to stick me in the heart with a rusty spoon of end-game instance grinds for PvP or PvE.

Playing medic in Battlefield 2

There is plenty of up side to playing a medic in BF2.

1. Their offensive weapons are not lacking. They do require a steady aim and are meant for close quarters combat. Definately holds up in a fire fight and grenades are always a best seller when dropped into an enemies hole.

2. Medics are the best class for a squad leader. As a squad leader your squad can spawn on your location as long as you are still alive. No better way to stay alive than healing yourself. A good squadmate will respawn on you with a support kit and replenish your med packs and ammo.

3. You can revive squadmates when they are killed. A quick run and dive can get you and your squadmate back in the game... usually turning the tide of a battle. Also you can use a squadmate to bait an enemy while you ambush them... and there is little time lost if your squadmate dies.

4. You become a mobile healing machine whenever you get into a vehicle... this makes you a valuable member in any troop transport.


I think I have found my true calling in BF2... medic.

Xfire

Want to get owned by me? Or maybe talk smack?

Either way the gaming tool of choice for this gamer is Xfire. Never thought I would be using it, but the 1-click server join for most of my FPS's and knowing what my friends are gaming with at the moment is great stuff.

Come get some.

XfireID = heartlessgamer

OMG moments from Battlefield 2 Demo

Battlefield 2 is full of OMG moments.

For example... last night I snuck onto the enemies ship offshore and managed to steal their Black Hawk helicopter. Halfway back to our base to pick up my squad another member of my squad bombing the ship with a jet flies right into me. A good laugh for sure.... we at least got to respawn together.

Next up is the time I was perched up on top of the giant contsruction crane over looking an enemy spawn point. I had originally ventured up to kill off the snipers camping up top. Someone beat me to it so I decided to see if I could parachute down. On the way down I caught sight of a few enemy soldiers bunkered down in the dumpster next to the flag... so I pulled out some c4 mid-fall and dropped it right into their laps. BOOM! Three kills and I capped the flag after landing safely via parachute.

Many other small things have happened also... like unknowingly sitting within two feet of an enemy sniper only seperated by a low wall... but we were both laying down. I popped up to set out some trip mines and soon as it hit the ground his body and my body went flying. Sensitive little mines...

Or the time where I sat down next to a guy thinking he was on my side just to find out 30 seconds later that I had been switched to the enemy side by the server. He shot me after realising I was there.

Ahh the joys of a new FPS.

3 Biggest mistakes in MMOG PvP balance

1. Stealth. If it is called stealth then it needs to be just that. Invisibility is a magical term and is a better term to describe the current stealth mechanics in MMOG's. The only game I have seen with accurate stealth is Planetside and that is a MMOFPS where it actually makes sense is balanced to the game.

Stealth is a scape-goat for lack of imigination in my book. It is often paired with high damage attacks and abilities geared to prevent an enemy from fighting back. If an MMO wants to have any chance at balance it MUST NOT have an ability that allows a class to pick and choose their fights while MOVING UNSEEN around the entire world.

If stealth is a must in a game the counter to stealth... usually a tracking ability... needs to be just as effective. Shadowbane did very good in this regard with its scout class because it offered scouts a place in the PvP game because of a utility skill.

2. Crowd Control(CC). I don't know about you, but I prefer to be able to PLAY a game when I am logged on. Any ability that prevents you from playing your character, using your basic abilities, or completely disables your character is just not a good idea when it comes to balance.

Case in point. WoW's current system. Blind, sleep, stun, fear, and other abilities PREVENT you from fighting back. It is one thing to have a root or slow ability that slows you down... it is another thing to have abilities that PREVENT you from playing. DAoC was a good game to learn from and WoW has failed to learn from DAoC's mistakes. The end result is WoW following down the path of DAoC... constantly adding anti-CC abilities, items, and skills.

3. Lack of utility. Regarding balance... it does not always need to be about damage and healing. Utility needs to be the defining factor in balance. If a class or skill set is designed to be low damage there needs to be equal utility elsewhere.

A good example.... WoW's hunter and warlock. Relatively average damage, but loaded with utility in PvP. Warlocks offer summoning, pet abilities, and so forth not revolved around damage. Hunters have track, hunters mark, and other anti-stealth abilities. The only problem it is a one trick pony and most classes lack utility... like warriors who are pure damage with little other uses.

A big mistake is offering only support classes and skills utility. Damage does not need to be over the top in PvP games. Utility can be the defining factor. Having everyone on the same average damage tables opens a game into the utility aspect. Abilities that are focused around different in game situations that benefit the wise player.

Sadly utility is usually used as a side show to damage and healing.