Galaxies (Tuesday) : In Which I Honor Turkey Day and Find 5 Things that Made Galaxies a Turkey

I read all the time things that made people say the original Galaxies was flawed, and after the NGE shook out and was honed, it was the game it should have been.  You. Are. Wrong.   Even so, I am digging deep in my Galaxies soul to find the ever popular FIVE THINGS Pre-CU, Pre-NGE.

1. The Secret Way to Become a Jedi!   This feature which let you unlock the ability to become a Jedi by working your way through the 32 Professions really trashed the deep crafting system as hosemonsters just ground their way through everything without caring anything about their craft. 

2.  Being a Jedi!   Once unlocked, becoming a Jedi forced you to drop some of the skills you worked so hard to learn so you could be an uber Jedi.  And stand around Coronet endlessly dueling with your lightsaber.  At the beginning when you could lose your Jedi to death, it was much better. You had to HIDE as a Jedi would during this time in history.  They missed such an opportunity to keep Jedi in hiding, and create secret bases where they could train and spar with each other and perhaps go out together to fight the opposition.  It would have fit the world so much better.

3.  No World Chat   They really needed to add a general chat system so you could get to know others on your server and trade and be a wider community.  I never was able to figure out the channels, so don’t ask.

4.  Wherein Did the Tale Lie?  They did not take advantage of the rich world of Star Wars to tell stories and involve you in them.  They had the ability to tell mini-stories, if you actually read the text of Mission Terminal assignments, somebody had lots of ideas and imagined a far deeper world than was presented.  Luckily the players were by and large able to fill in the story blanks on their own, but what a missed opportunity.

5.  Two Characters Per Server   Any game should allow a character slot for each class in the game.  If not, give me at least five slots so I can do all the best of the classes that interest me and the crafts that are most appealing.

Draenor Notes

I’m sending four characters through Draenor.  As usual I’m slinking ahead with my druid.

I’m trying to get every quest and objective in each area.  I’m killing the rares as I see them. 

Must make time to do more fishing. Foods and Potions require them and although I don’t mind stopping occasionally at an appealing pool, I’m finding it hard just to fish when there are so many other things to do.

My Frost Mage is improving survivability wise.  I still despise the loss of Evocation and Arcane Blast (?).  I used that on multiples all the time.

My Warlock waltzes through the world and she even did my first live game dungeon.  Everyone’s favorite Bloodmaul Slag Mines.  It may be the first time I was in a group who did it start to finish.  I finally gave up on beta dungeons because of groups breaking up or problems with disconnects and realm restarts.  Bah nightmarish.

My Paladin is holding her own despite her still puny item levels.

I’m really just playing Blackwater, but I couldn’t help but slink over to my other server and send those three characters through the jungle and settle them down in a garrison.

The garrisons are endlessly entertaining.  I hadn’t upgraded my mine in beta because I didn’t need the materials. Now that my Blacksmith is there, I can send her endless stuff.  I love the Archaeology fragments you pick up in there too.   I’m getting to try all of the buildings thanks to my alts.  Unfortunately my Leatherworkers are Rogues, so that is going to take awhile to get those over.

Somehow I’m going to get my archaeology skills up before hitting the Spires of Arak area.

I have found that the starter areas are just deserted and I’m rarely seeing other people in them.  Sometimes you just like to have other people around sharing the experience but nooo.  I finally noticed I was only seeing Blackwater Raiders people in the intro.  Once out in Shadowmoon, the joint is bursting with Shadow Council peeps.  Well, not bursting, by they seem to be the most numerous.

Galaxies Tuesday: Doctor’s Hunting List…

Apologies to my loyal Galaxies Tuesday readers for no Galaxies at all last week. 😦  Busy, busy with Draenor.  You know how that goes.

My first character in Galaxies was a Doctor.  It actually took me six months to get Master Doctor because one of the lines of the skill tree was medicinal crafting and an ore that I needed did not spawn on my server for several months.  I was just stuck.  When it did spawn, it’s stats were absolute junk but I was so thrilled to even see it show up.

The resource shifts in Galaxies were part of the thrill of the Resource Hunt.  Something might not show up at all, or it would only spawn on Dathomir, or in some impossible to place anything but a small harvester spot.  In the case of creature resources, you would really need the help of a hunting group, particularly on the “adventure planets” in order to gather enough to use or sell.  Sometimes you could just get in a random group of people hunting the resource, but best if you could snare it all for yourself, muhahaha.

Doctors’ Hunting List – Medical Meat!!!
Complete as of 5 April 2004

All of this data is nicked from SWGCreatures.comunashamedly!  Great resource, but when I was hunting for either Herbivore or Avian meat, I found that I kept on having to go back the website, note down what I should be looking for on a given planet… and of course, by the time the next spawn of decent meat had shifted in for that planet, the original piece of paper was long gone.  So I offer this table instead. 

Please send updates to SWGCreatures.com, not me!

“Chall” is the creature’s challenge level as reported by SWGCreatures.com.  I’ve started trying to give an indication of how much of the relevant resource each creature drops… but this was very 11th hour, and I’ve only got 3 so far!  In any event, this entire column is very vague, as I’m not sure what the relationship is between harvesting skill and amount harvested.  To fill you in, I’ve got the third box in the scout tree, but I’ve rounded all these drops to the closest 5.

Planet	Herbivore			Avian
	Creature	Chall	Drop	Creature	Chall	Drop
Naboo	Bolle Bol	27	50	Nuna	10
	Chuba, Large	5	5	Flewt, Savage Queen	10
	Falumpaset	19		Kaadu Trampler, Aggravated	17
	Falumpaset, Rogue	18		Kaadu, Female	12
	Gnort	4		Kaadu, Gungan	13
	Gnort, Massive	4		Kaadu, Male	14
	Gualama, Dappled	14	20	Kaadu, Motley	8
	Pulveriser, Elder	?		Nuna, Carnivorous	13
				Nuna, Diseased	6
				Nuna, Dwarf	5
				Peko Peko	14
				Peko Peko, Albatross	155
Corellia	Bageraset	10		Kaadu	10
	Bageraset Bruiser	12		Carrion Spat	10
	Bageraset, Rogue	13		Carrion Spat Corpsereaver	13
	Durni	7		Carrion Spat, Giant	18
	Durni, Crazed	10		Gulginaw	13
	Kahmurra, Berserk	19		Gulginaw, Devil	18
	Krabhu	10		Gulginaw, Greater	21
	Krabhu, Violent	13		Rasp, Agrilat	8
	Murra	10		Rasp, Howling Plumed	4
	Murra, Forest	12		Rasp, Majestic Plumed	8
	Murra, Mountain	17		Rasp, Plumed	7
	Paralope	6
	Paralope, Wooded	7
	Vynock	9
Tatooine	Bantha	15		Nuna, Dwarf	5
	Bantha, Bonecracker	?
	Bantha, Bull	20
	Bantha, Dune	17
	Bantha, Dwarf	11
	Bantha, Feral	15
	Bantha, Matriarch	25
	Bantha, Rogue	15
	Bantha, Tusken	25
	Boar, Blight	12
	Boar, Wild Dune	?
	Boar, Zucca	10
	Eopie	7
	Eopie, Desert	16
	Eopie, Dwarf	3
	Eopie, Jundland	10
	Gorg	6
	Gorg, Glutton	7
	Razorback, Desert	24
	Ronto	18
	Ronto, Bull	23
	Tatooine Mynock	15
Dantooine	Bol	29
	Bol, Lesser Plains	10
	Bol, Pack Runner	26
	Bol, Seething Crusher	44
	Enraged Defender	?
	Piket	30
	Piket, Fierce Protector	45
	Piket, Longhorn	37
	Piket, Longhorn Female	30
	Piket, Plains Walker	32
	Thune	26
	Thune, Grassland Guardian	40
	Thune, Herd Leader	48
	Thune, Hostile Mother	30
Dathomir	Kwi	10		Reptilian Flier	15
	Kwi, Female	10		Reptilian Flier, Ancient	25
	Kwi, Injured	8		Reptilian Flier, Enraged	27
	Malkloc	22		Reptilian Flier, Mature	20
	Malkloc, Bull	28		Reptilian Flier, Young	10
	Malkloc, Massive	22
	Malkloc, Massive	20
	Malkloc, Plainswalker	84
	Malkloc, Plainswalker Female	81
	Malkloc, Plainswalker Young	55
	Verne	17
Endor	Bolle Bol, Bark Biter	27
	Bolle Bol, Calf	15
	Bolle Bol, Colt	17
	Bolle Bol, Female	32
	Bolle Bol, Herd Leader	?
	Bolle Bol, Male	30
	Bolle Bol, Stomper	23
	Bordock, Ancient	45
	Bordock, Foal	25
	Bordock, Herd Master	40
	Bordock, Mare	32
	Bordock, Roaming Stud	34
	Jax, Blooming	27
	Jax, Blushing	27
	Jax, Bounding	16
	Jax, Pouncing	13
	Lantern Bird	21
	Lantern Bird, Aged	27
	Lantern Bird, Gleaming	34
	Lantern Bird, Radiant	40
	Lantern Bird, Shimmering	30
	Squall, Elder	9
	Squall, Rabid	9
	Swirl Prong, Erratic	27
Lok	Gurk	30		Flit	6
	Gurk, Crazed Destroyer	43		Flit, Bloodsucker	9
	Gurk, Feral	34		Flit, Giant	19
	Gurk, Gatherer	30		Flit, Harasser	10
	Gurk, Shaggy Youth	30		Flit, Youth	6
	Gurk, Tracker	30		Perleck, Scavenger	15
	Gurk, Whelp	27		Perlek	14
	Gurnaset	15		Perlek, Ravager	18
	Gurnaset, Hatchling	5		Pharple	5
	Mynock, Lowland Salt	26		Pharple, Giant	7
	Mynock, Riverside Sulphur	33		Pharple, Runty	3
	Mynock, Salt	23
	Mynock, Sulphur Pool	30
	Snorbal, Calf Female	19
	Snorbal, Calf Male	22
	Snorbal, Elder Female	34
	Snorbal, Elder Male	37
	Snorbal, Mature Female	31
	Snorbal, Mature Male	32
Rori	Gualama, Dappled	14		Rasp, Crescent	7
	Jax, Bearded	11		Rasp, Horned	6
	Jax, Bearded Mammoth	18		Rasp, Sickle	8
	Jax, Fuzzy	13		Vir vur	10
	Nudfuh	13		Vir vur, Dashing	12
	Nudfuh, Pudgy	9		Vir vur, Dusk	15
	Squall, Deranged	15		Vir vur, Midnight	16
	Squall, Female	10		Vir vur, Timid	8
	Squall, Frail	6		Vir vur, Twilight	13
	Squall, Leviasquall	19
	Squall, Meek Avenging	6
	Squall, Vicious	12
Talus	Huf dun	19		Fynock	12
	Huf dun, Bull	22		Fynock, Clipped	9
	Huf dun, Stunted	?		Fynock, Giant	42
	Huf dun, Vicious	19		Fynock, Guardian Frenzied	12
	Kahmurra	15		Fynock, Jungle	14
	Kahmurra, Beserk	19		Fynock, Queen Glutted	14
	Kahmurra, Docile	10		Fynock, Youth Feared	7
	Kahmurra, Frenzied	33		Fynock, Youth Fearful	5
	Kahmurra, Genetically Enhanced	30		Gulginaw, Devil	18
	Kahmurra, Mutated	26		Rasp, Flite	8
	Kahmurra, Rabid Mutant	?		Rasp, Giga Flite	11
	Kima	18		Rasp, Horned	6
	Kima, Feeble	11		Rasp, Percussive	12
	Kima, Hilltop	22		Rasp, Song	10
	Kima, Wolf	19
	Kima, Woodland	18
	Paralope	6
	Vynock	9
	Vynock, Foaming	14
Yavin IV	Skreeg, Gatherer	?		Choku	?
	Skreeg, Hunter	22		Choku, Female	13
	Skreeg, Scout	18		Choku, Frenzied	21
	Skreeg, Warrior	28		Choku, Hunter	15
	Skreeg, Warrior Elite	30		Choku, Male	18
	Tybis, Female	22		Choku, Pup	8
	Tybis, Male	23		Whisper Bird, Female	15
	Tybis, Youth	18		Whisper Bird, Hatchling	7
				Whisper Bird, Majestic	?
				Whisper Bird, Male	16

 

 

Draenor Notes

I am so pleased to see so many positive reviews of Warlords of Draenor.  I really felt that once people were in and playing, they would really enjoy this expansion.  That is how it went for me, and how I saw it going each time a new wave of beta invites went out.  People were taken by surprise, in a pleasant way almost invariably.

 That said, I find my main character at what I think of as the dread Darkness Falls quest.  This Shadowmoon Valley quest was bugged for much of the test period.  I finally got a single character through it and she was tossed into a painful scenario that opens with a gold elite fire belching *%#&@  who I could not beat for anything.  Even worse, any time that character got anywhere near Karabor, she got tossed into the freak scenario with Bobby Buttkicker.  Dang.   Call me a weenie.  I’m doing what I did later in the beta and I’m leveling up a bit before I go in there.  Then I kick the belching butt.  Yo.

I got my Blacksmith/Paladin to level 90 and eagerly sent her over to Draenor.  She didn’t get the Timeless Isle gear boosts or anything and she is just Ilevel 415, the lowest I’ve sent to Draenor yet.    She can handle one on one fights with 90s but if she gets a group of podlings or other nuisance things in addition to a regular mob, I dunno.

My Death Knight/Gathering character still has two Pandaria levels to go.  We shall see.  I could really use her gathering skills big time.

My spouse has entered the Draenor building. Nobody gathers things like he does. I think he’ll find Draenor a challenge, which he likes.  Dying while gathering is fine sport for him.  (Hugs, spousal unit.)

And We’re Off!

I haven’t been able to play much (nor has anyone else) but I must say it is really great to send my characters back to Draenor and to know this is the real thing and I get to keep all of my stuff.

Not that we’re competitive, but my son is, I think, trying to forge ahead and beat me to 100.

Not a problem. I’d like to just enjoy the world this time around.

All of the server downtime is unfortunate in many ways.  I think from reading Trade and other chat that people are really liking the game.  This will only increase as they float through the world.  

Garrisons seem to be pleasantly surprising people.  I personally thought they sounded stupid on paper, but as soon as I stepped into my Outpost, and it was bustling with activity, and I, along with my fellow travelers were getting ready to go explore the new world…they had me.

Here’s hoping problems are solved quickly so we can all go adventuring.

….posted from my iPod…

Rift: Paragon Warrior

The last time I played characters in Rift I just hit the Spend Points Buttons on the Soul Tree, and after awhile I saw there were choices I wish I had made instead.

This time I decided to make a Warrior.  I wanted pure DPS because I’d like to try her in Dungeons, something my others never quite made happen. 

Paragon seems to fit my purposes because it is single target damage, and if I mix in a bit from the Champion Soul Tree I should be good right?

I usually don’t like making human characters because they’re boring, but I went with one this time.  She’s a beast. She’s an Amazon.  She’s perfect for who she’s trying to be.

At level 10 and she’s handling herself well. I haven’t died yet so that’s a good sign. 

When you’re at level 10 you can grab the insanely addictive Instant Adventures.  You port all over the place with other people and cooperatively meet the tasks of each area.  Then voila you’re transported to another spot. Leveling is so quick.

I noticed that last time I just let a character zip through the world that way, I did not get my Zone Achievements as I went along, my crafts suffered because I out-leveled everything and it was too boring for me to backtrack because I wanted to continue zipping ahead to see the next new place.

This girl is going to take it EZ.  Go fishing. Do some cooking.  Work on Armorsmithing. Get all the Achievements.

Galaxies (Tuesday) :Keeping Your City Accounts Flowing

One of the very best features in Star Wars Galaxies for me was the ability of players to come together not just as a guild, but as a City.

I was mayor of a medium sized city for a few months, and that made me appreciate what it took to maintain a city even more.  One thing that stood out for me was, I had no idea how expensive it was to run a city.  The costs of statues, gardens, a shuttle, a cloning facility, repair garage, city hall, mission terminals…Carumba.  I wondered why the mayors before me never let anyone know how much they were paying out of pocket to keep things going.  Two became Armorsmiths specifically to make the money to pay the bills.  I made enough with my tailoring business, but yow.

Here, from “Gorja and K’vera Tirius (Talus, Eclipse server),”  a tool to help the struggling politician.

EQ2 Isle of Refuge Prestige Home

From the EQ2 Forums:    EQ2 Has a new Island home as a 10 year veteran award.  Very cool. It looks as if you can also buy it on the Marketplace for moola.  I wish they had shown the insides of the buildings.  I am becoming very interested in the homes of EQ2 so expect more on the topic 🙂

It’s been ten years since some adventurers first came ashore on the Isle of Refuge. For some, there’s nothing more memorable than the first time they set foot on the pristine beach while seeking refuge from the turbulent seas. The island was a place of new beginnings, where allegiances formed and adventurers learned skills that would help them survive in these new lands. Well, now it’s time for adventurers to return home where their journeys all began. On Tuesday, November 4, 2014, the Isle of Refuge Prestige Home will be available and adventurers will be able to have their very own private piece of history!

The Isle of Refuge Lore

What we know now is the Tranquil Sea was not at all tranquil when most of us last set foot on the Isle of Refuge. Some decades before the Shattering that tore the moon Luclin apart, a series of violent quakes lasting for several years threw Norrath back into upheaval and tore apart the once-familiar continents. During these years the seas were impassable and the loss of life was incalculable. In the aftermath of these cataclysms, there were refugees all across what became known as the Shattered Lands, and Qeynos and Freeport signed the Pact of Tserrin agreeing to accept and give shelter to any refugees who sought it.

Duke Ferrin’s Far Seas Trading Company fleet was the largest in operation and one of the few with strength and skill enough to survive in the still turbulent seas. They used a cluster of islands as the base of operations for the rescue efforts, and ships of the fleet delivered a nonstop stream of refugees to the isles for recovery and training before delivering them to the mainland. Refugees could speak to Ambassador Saera or T’Kirr to learn more about which city they would to make their final destination. The cities of Qeynos and Freeport, both struggling to rebuild, paid a generous fee to Duke Ferrin for each refugee delivered, and Duke Ferrin was equally happy to accept money from both cities without bias.

It is rumored the Far Seas Trading Company also established a secret stronghold among the other islands in the region, but since no other fleet was able to navigate in the dangerous waters, that has remained only a rumor until recently. As time passed and the situation in Qeynos and Freeport stabilized, the payment for refugees dropped and eventually the Far Seas Trading Company announced their services were no longer needed and closed off access to the Isle of Refuge.

The Isle of Refuge Prestige Home

The Isle of Refuge Prestige Home features many aspects of the Isle of Refuge that adventurers have always cherished! Enjoy the familiar sounds of the Isle as you explore each area and watch the skies transform, as daylight turns to darkness.

The sandy coastline includes the familiar docked ship, a furnished water-side hut, and an excellent view across Razortooth Bay. Take a swim in the bay, if your dare, and discover the sunken relics on the sea floor!

Head inland to re-discover Malvonicus’ Mage Tower, complete with the basement-instanced space, and practice your combat skills at the training grounds. An open-air pavilion is also waiting for ex-refugees to once again walk across the wooden planks. Will your tradeskill apprentices and house actors bring action back to these once bustling centers of trade?

Embark on a journey across the Isle and down the path of the once goblin and spider infested woods. The High Chieftain’s Treehouse still stands just beyond the bridge and overlooks the meadow waiting to be explored. There’s beauty in the serene waterfalls, but the shadows are dark and foreboding. Are you brave enough to explore the depths of the cave instance that was once Grimgosh’s Lair or venture in the cemetery at the Unlucky Recruit’s End?

Obtaining the Isle of Refuge Prestige Home

Whether you’ve just revisited the Isle for the first time in a decade or are just seeing it for the first time, you’re probably wondering: “How do I get my own Isle?!” We’ve got great news, because this home will be available to players a couple of different ways.

The Isle of Refuge Prestige Home will be awarded to players who are ten-year game veterans as the 11th Veteran Reward! Each veteran account will receive one deed for the Isle of Refuge Prestige Home. Players will be able to claim their deed and then obtain their very own Isle of Refuge home in either Qeynos of Freeport.

It’s understandable that all refugees did not wash ashore together at the same time. Brave adventurers arrived and sought refuge on the Isle for many years. So that all Norrathian refugees may have the opportunity to own this marvelous home sooner rather than later, we’re also making the Isle of Refuge prestige home available on the Marketplace as well!

New Items!

In addition to the Isle of Refuge prestige home, there will also be a variety of new house items available that can help you bring your isle to life! Ten-year veterans will also one Isle of Refuge Population Pack per account, which contains a selection of the creatures and personalities that you may have encountered on the Isle of Refuge in times past. Some of these items will also be available individually on the Marketplace for players who wish to add additional items to their homes, but some of them, such as the replicas and the High Chieftain plushie, are unique to the veteran population pack. The Isle of Refuge Population Pack will include one of each of the following types of plushies, house pets, and replicas.

Plushies
Norrathians know it’s not Jaws you should fear in the water, it’s Bladefin! Rest assured this shark will deter unwelcome visitors from entering the waters. You may have encountered some of these creatures during your time on the Isle or in your adventures around Norrath and now’s your chance to bring them into your own home. They won’t walk or talk, but they can be resized. The following new collection of Isle themed plushies will be available:

• High Chieftain Kryx Plushie
• Kneeling Goblin Plushie
• Hawk Plushie
• Shoal Glider Plushie
• Skeleton Pirate Plushie
• Tainted Deer Plushie
• Grove Deer Plushie
• Bladefin Plushie
• Grizzly Bear Plushie

Housepets
Have you longed to see a goblin running across the island landscape once again? Do you want to liven up your coastal environment and have some crabs running down the beach, trying to pinch your visitor’s toes? Well, you can add some interest to your home with these new Isle of Refuge inspired house pets! You can customize names and resize these loveable pets to make them your own personal house companions, and then set them free to roam your Isle home. The following new house pets will be available:

• Goblin Supply Runner
• Coastal Crab

Replicas
Have you been longing to look Duke Ferrin in the eyes again and ask him what happened on the Far Journey to arrive at the Isle? Maybe you’ll want to give Ebik tons of tinkered gizmos so he’ll never again be missing his parts again? Well, now you can! These replicas were created to immortalize some of your favorite characters from the Isle of Refuge. They can’t be resized or flipped, but they will happily stand in one place and speak some of their original dialog, complete with voice over! The replicas that will be available are:

• Ambassador Saera
• Ambassador T’Kirr
• Captain Varlos
• Duke Ferrin
• Ebik Wobblecog
• Deckhand Ingrid

This nostalgic home and new house items will be available starting Tuesday, November 4, 2014. Do you have big plans in store for your own private Isle? We’d love to see what creations you come up with, so be sure to post them in our Norrathian Homeshow Forums or tweet them to @everquestii and use the hashtag #ReturnToRefuge!

Afista_SOE, Yesterday at 1:31 PM

#1 Last edited by Afista_SOE, Yesterday at 1:44 PM

:( Farewell Beta

 

Monstrous Goldshire Event

 

 



 

 

Countdown to doom…

 



Disconnected! Noooooo….

 





Darkmoon Faire Raceway: Maybe Next Time

Too bad the Raceway didn’t make it to the live game. It was in Beta down in the Boardwalk area and went out over the water then swung back inland.  There were Power Ups and Ramps and it was all just zip zip zip.

Apparently it interfered with hunting Moonfang.

I wish they had just built a causeway out to the track over the ocean, perhaps so it could have its own space.  It was very cool.