Interesting Tidbits

Oh.... Exciting!

So, while I'm sitting around waiting on SL to unscrew itself and load up my massive inventory, refer to my last post, heh) I thought I'd mention a few interesting topics out there today.

SW:TOR is going F2P. Honestly, it's about time and now maybe I'll log in and mess around at my own leisure from time to time. I think TSW-Well maybe GW2, we'll see- will be the last MMO I purchase at release for a long time. Don't quote me on that, lol. But, I am going to try to bide my time and wait for them all to go F2P, seriously. I'm sure TSW will also, just give it some time. I end up paying massive amounts for games that I play for a week and then they go F2P. I need to stop being so impulsive. Nothing wrong with F2P either. I love being able to pop in and poke my head into these games whenever I feel up to it.

Long gone will be the days where EverQuest gear is ... hrmm shall we say antique, or static looking. It seems it's just going to have a little more variety. The Heroes Forge will allow players to have much wider customization options to how they look. It's stated to utilize in-game armor and cash shop stuff too. I look forward to hearing more about this. Before you frown and snub your nose at this- Keep in mind that this is a 13 year old game and stuff like this is really not something we see often in older games. Better late than never.

Hugh, over at the (MMO Melting) Pot, as a really good article about PvP flagging and Pet battles. I think he's spot on about the two types of players who go after each of these objectives, they don't mesh in most situations. To me it's just silly but that's WoW. Always forcing us to change and adapt to the developer's every whim, which happens about as often as the weather changes. When the game first released they had zones which were contested and flagged you, which were later changed, guess the developers felt we needed more change? That'll really make those Carebears cry!

Zentia shuts it's doors this month. I really, really loved this game. However, the world was so sparsely populated I always felt like the inevitable was nipping at my heels. The (Zentia) website hasn't been updated since March and that always worried me too. Looks rather dead. I am very sad to hear this, I think it was a wonderful game, great for pet collectors, adventurers, it had so many neat events every day too, and I spent a lot of time playing on and off. Such a really great game, it had a lot of fun things to do and it was really different. Very sad indeed. I just noticed an email in my box a bit ago and Syp, over at Massively has an article on it also.

And TSW has some new stuff out, they've made it to the one month mark. I might pop in as I have a week or so left on my account I think. I won't be re-subbing though, just don't have the time (for another game) or the patience right now (to deal with poor performance), ah impulsive decisions. Nice though for those playing, new content on a regular basis is awesome!

This Week... This 'N' That

Little bit of this and that to start the week off....

Aion
Did Aion go F2P? I keep hearing it did and the site says Feb. 28...? I keep reading about rallying the troops, which you would think would be more of an incentive for a head start but I received an email asking me to subscribe to log in, after a few days it says my free time ran out and I have to pay to log in. Um, no thanks.

I might dabble around when the free to play gets ironed out and the new patch is rolling. Until then it was just a bit too bland for my tastes. Cool game, a bit of grinding involved, I might give it another look to check out housing and mounts. Though housing seems odd and a bit expensive, we'll see.

Prius
I really, really liked Prius, I just didn't like the fact that there was only one server when it came out, PvP at that. Later on they added a PvE server but I just didn't feel like doing it all over again just to be on another server, thus I never played again after my initial break. I suppose it is good that I didn't get too invested, the game is shutting down at the end of this month. Very sorry to hear this, the game had a lot of charm and was different than your run of the mill MMO. I think everything with the NA release was just a little too late, the actual launch in (Korea was it?) was in 2006, so it was already a bit dated when it hit the US, last year at that. A shame though, this is one I would have liked to see stay around. *Sad Face*

WoW

I managed to send myself a Scorll of Ressurection. I now have an 80 Lock on my other account with it. Played around a little, now I have Cataclysm on that account, woo. I was considering transferring the lock to my main account but I can't be bothered right now, I much prefer playing the hunter at the mo'. I haven't even paid for it, still thinking on it but  I know I will kick myself later on for not getting it, if I don't. Still thinking on it.

Right now WoW mostly consists of soloing old content, daily quests and achievements. And really that is fine with me. Sometimes that is just how it is. Dire doesn't log in these days, been trying to get him to do some old content with me but he's not been in the mood for WoW. I do have fun doing old content though, a good way to blow off steam or take a trip down memory lane.

EQ
Things are actually a bit more interesting in EverQuest for us. We've started doing more instances, like I mentioned previously- the LDoN missions. Now we're working on the missions you can access in Lavastorm, the Dragons of Norrath (expansion) missions. They have some nice incentives such as faction, vendor loot, permanent stat boosts and so on. So we've been doing a couple a night if we're not too tired and I have to say I really enjoy these. The one we've been doing is a moon temple and the art style is lovely, it is a nice change of pace.

This week I'd like to write up some helpful tips for getting back in EverQuest, with the F2P coming up soon I think it might be handy. I'll have to sit down and think on some but there are a few recommendations I'f like to give, like server choices and so on. So, keep an eye out for that.

SL
I recently found out that a sim was closing and have been logging in to hunt for books (which contain gift items) and trying to take pics while I roam around the sim hunting for those elusive books. It is one of the loveliest sims, I hate to see it close so I have been spending a little time poking around in there. It is called Drowsy and you can tell the person who owns it loves books. Thought I'd share a few really neat pictures. Twig has been adventuring with me there too.

Zentia
Last but not least! I'm still playing Zentia, I should hit level 32 next time I log in. Experience isn't super fast but I'd say it goes by at a decent rate with questing. The game might have an eastern look but it isn't one where you feel as if you're floundering about to find your way, this is one of the things I love about it. It feels familiar but fresh. Plus the game has a great sense of humor to go along with it, translations are excellent, except in some cases where the teleporting horses don't teleport, they run, lol.

I have been questing and exploring, one usually leads to the other. In the process I tamed a rare pet, a cricket, which I should have sold but I ended up keeping. I've started selling mounts I've been catching, not for a lot but it has helped me accumulate a little bit of gold-which gets easier to make as you level but I'm still not making much unless I set up a vendor overnight. I also managed to tame a level 40 mount, I have to be 40 to use it but I was so excited to acquire another, it is a two-seater Moose mount, lol.

Hrmm, what else. I've been working on  training my pet bear. Leveling him as I do, which they gain stats which give the owner a boost. He is nice because he gives me a bit of defense so I'm not as squishy, next I think I will work on another who helps with mana. I have four pets, I need to buy more slots, which are ten gold each, a bit much for me yet.

I've expanded my bags. bank slots and quest bags (yes quest items have a separate bag!), all in the game by questing or putting down a little coin. It is nice to see that in a free game. It is also nice to not run out of space every time I turn around! Not that the bag sizes are immense but a lot of things stack and that helps out too.

I still really enjoy this game a lot, it sticks close to my heart. I urge anyone looking for a well rounded MMO to jump in and try it out. <3

Eye Candy

Thought I'd do something a little different today. I'm sharing some of the usual, pretty shots of what I've been playing but I also thought I'd post a video of Second Life. I don't play it much these days but it is a really beautiful game, the ultimate sandbox. All of the sims (zones) in the video are player created as are the animations, skin/shape clothing and so on. It's all created by the player. Lag... Yeah. It has to be the laggiest game I've ever played. But it isn't as bad some days. The way the game loads and is designed, well, there is pretty much no way around it. Add fraps on top of it and you get a really sluggish video. Anyhow, I've been wanting to share one for some time so I do hope you enjoy it, at least getting a peek at the game if you've never seen it! Watch in HD please!

Spider mount- Zentia.

My lil' baby bear pet, too cute!

Probably used this EverQuest shot before, it's one of my faves of Dire and I.

Gotta love run speed eight with a monk!

EQ2, Freeport.

Spring in Second Life.

Bookworm!

Hidden Gems (F2P)

I thought I'd write about some of the free to play stuff I've been dabbling around in. When I look for a free game, I always look for ones that offer a lot of stuff to do, sometimes those that have pet systems, but mainly those that are easy to jump in and get to playing. I found a few hidden gems, just sitting there waiting to be discovered, hadn't heard of these until pretty recently. Need something enjoyable and laid back to play around with casually? Something to tide you over while you're waiting on GW2 or one of the 'near' future releases? These are good ones to tide you over.

War of The Immortals
I play a lot of PWI games and this is one of the newest. If you've played Battle of The Immortals then you'll probably notice a lot of similarities. It is pretty much the same type of game, newer flashy graphics, same type of play.

The game looks good, has a high xp rate (might make your head spin), and is really fun for a basic hack and slash MMO. It has the same pet system as BoI, basically you can tame whatever mob you want in the game, so many to choose from! I really like this pet system. There is a PvP system too, if that's your thing. I'm not high enough to have had a chance to try it.

You'll get a free, and very nice looking, mount from questing. Also you're shown how to obtain a pet, given several items to tame more- in case you don't like that one. The game also gives you a free class oriented appearance item. I was pretty happy with all the things I started out with and the rate the game moved along. I did see a lot of people running around so it seems to be doing well.

Pros- Fast fights, lovely visuals, can zoom into character and waaaay out. Auto-routing system, simple quests, huge variety of pets to tame. Fast leveling, interesting looking zones.


Cons- The game is just like BoI, which might not be a con, but it is almost exactly like an updated version. Repetitive combat, no PvE server (though only certain maps are said to be PvP later in levels), huge dependency on potions. 


Dragon Oath
This isn't as slick and smooth as many newer games but it has it's own charm. Very similar to WoI in play and style (you can see the sky in this one though) but it has a nice story and it is something that I've never tried, it was unique. The graphics are a bit older but I'm not too fussy about that, I still play EverQuest ;)

The world is pretty, despite the older look and feel of the game, it has a nice oriental / fantasy feel to it. Questing is interesting, nothing outstanding but it does give you a feel for the game and leads you through things instead of just throwing you into the fray without having any idea of what is what. You choose your class after a few levels, it gives you the option to think and check them out. It has a nice selection of classes and you get a class pet, class weapon and appearance clothing when you choose one. At level 40 you also get a pet specific mount. They are very lovely and interesting looking too.

I have read that the game has great holiday events, it also has events through the day, so there is a lot to do. I saw a few people here and there, not as many as other games but I did see people questing and a few higher levels running around too. I do hear it has a nice community as it isn't large. One thing that drew me to try this is it is under the same publisher as Zentia, so I had to try it to see if it was good.

If you go in expecting a cute hack and slash with some charming yet older type graphics you won't be disappointed. If you're looking for flashy graphics with a newer UI, you might be ;) Leveling seemed a moderate speed and auto-routing can help you find what you need. All in all it seemed solid.

Pros- Tons of pets to choose from, a pet area to tame them, class pets, class mounts. Appearance slots, cool looking armor, meditate ability to regen with. Auto-routing to help find your way, nice community, very cool pet system- such as second generation (stronger rares) and breeding system. Simple quick fights in combat.


Cons- Pets can die easily at lower leves at least (summon again to bring them back out). Lots of walking all over for quests. Graphics may be a bit dated for some players, smaller community.


Zentia
Yeah, I'm going to talk about Zentia again. I love this game. IMO it has to be one of the best F2P games out there. If you want a game that offers a lot, this one really delivers. Tons of daily events, quests, instances, solo instances, collection quests, group quests and the like.

There are lots of fun things you can pick up along the way of questing such as access to a special leisure instances. Like what? Like; fishing, trapping wolves, treasure hunting, whack-a-mole, all rewarding a nice amount of experience while being fun and refreshing.

There is a nice selection of classes to pick from too. Lots of content to keep you busy, this isn't a game where you don't have many objectives, there are almost too many quests, which is a great thing. You won't run out of things to do or choices. There is a lot of content in this game and fun things that still carry on after the level cap. It also carries through with a main quest line which leads you from area to area, gives you some sort of direction.

Pet and mount system, I love it. You can tame pets (which get cooler and faster as you get higher levels) and mounts in the game, you don't have to rely on the cash shop for it. You have to work on your taming skills to keep it up to par with your level though.

I can't brag enough about Zentia. Really, I haven't felt the need to buy anything from it unless it was cosmetic stuff, which I haven't yet and that is just a want. For a free game it is absolutely fabulous.

Pros- In-Depth pet and mount system with taming and training. You can sell/give pets and mounts to other players. Engaging combat, many instances to solo and group in. Daily events, leisure events, and holiday events. Decent xp rate but not too fast where your head spins. Guilds, guild halls, PvP specific arenas, PvP and PvE servers. Auto-Routing, huge amount of quests, quest list limit is large. Interesting tradeskills that don't have you running all over. Computer wise it runs well on many different specs.


Cons- Cute cartoony graphics and armor, some players might be turned off by those alone. Playerbase isn't huge, rather small when you compare it to more popular games, some players may feel lonely at the low levels. Taming mounts can be time consuming to get them to spawn, or you might get lucky and find the one you want sitting there. Cash shop is rather expensive and many items have a duration on them. Taming skill requires you to work on it at a steady rate as you level and it can be dull, which you will want to keep this up as it is needed to tame different and better mounts or pets.

So, check them out if you're looking for something free, casual and laid back! Doesn't cost anything and you just might have some fun. Click on the game names to take you to the official sites, if you're looking to check into them.

Eye Candy

Nomadic Gaming

Lately I've been playing a good bit of Zentia. It is a good game to play casually and pop in and out of as you feel like it, it's also great for keeping busy if you want something fun to distract you. The thing I like about Zentia is that there is so much to do. Constantly there are in-game events, dungeons, solo dungeons, casual leisure games and that is just what I've seen thus far at 23.

I think another aspect that keeps me engaged is taming mounts and pets, which is fun. This morning I logged in to see the hunt activity was going on. Basically it is an arena where you can tame a mount if it is up, you're flagged for PvP though. I was the only one, glad I didn't have to fight anyone, and a wolf mount was up. I was pretty happy to battle him then tame him, he is one of the mounts which you can use for combat as well as having a decent travel skill. Stuff like this is just fun to collect.

There are some dynamic aspects to the game such as quests popping up randomly and interacting with items you can collect on the ground also start quests and net nice xp, they can be repeated. It is fun to participate in the events too, even if you don't win you gain a lot of xp. Everything has a nice experience rate even the side activities, so leveling isn't slow and boring.

While the game appears to be cartoony and childlike quality, it really has depth and a lot to do. I'd advise anyone to check it out if you want a decently paced theme park with lots to do. There are even tradeskills, which I have yet to try.

Other than that I've not been doing a whole lot else. Popping into other games here and there but nothing noteworthy. I did try Aion again since it is going F2P, I have to decide what class I want to play, still not sure. Figured I'd come back to it in a week or so.

Still playing Allods but things are sometimes slow there so I come and go. Another game I have been poking around is EQ2, not a lot but doing some events, which is nice, random player created dungeons too. That is another game that always has a lot of things to do, so it always pulls me back in, even if only briefly. I want to catch the events this month so I'll probably be logging in more there. Just being nomadic, EQ, EQ2, Zentia, WoW, Allods, playing whatever strikes my fancy at the moment.

That's about it for me today. If you wanna try out Zentia, or if you play it, look me up! I'll hook you up with a free combat/travel mount (two-seater bear or non-combat travel two-seater boar), have a few sitting around in the bank in hopes that some friends will play :) I'm Sablesixx, on the PvE server. Have a great weekend!

Thoughts On: Zentia & Loong

The great thing about playing a MMO in this day and age is choice. There are so many wonderful games out there. Different art styles, different types of play, may it be casual or hardcore there is something for everyone. To wish a game would fail or bottom up is simply silly, why would we want to limit the choices out there? What you dislike might be right up another player's alley. I also think it is great to get excited about games, it is why I write about them. Even if I don't play all the games I get excited about I love that they are there when I want them. That is a really great thing.

Thinking back to early 2000, I didn't have the choices I do today. The big choice was what class do I want to play in Everquest, what type of guild do I want to go after. It is so nice, all these years later, to be able to sit down and ask myself what game do I want to play. Thus I love trying out new games, I love returning to games when I miss them, I love the choices and options available to players.

With that said this weekend I tried a couple of really neat (F2P) MMO games I wanted to share. In my last post I spoke briefly about Loong, which is really a nice MMO that has a great feel to it. You can jump in and start going along with the business of questing and feel like you're actually progressing. Tons of quests, autorouting, neat pets who loot for you, smooth controls and combat is decent as you level up it starts to get more involved, though a bit dull to start out.

While the race and appearance options are not the most optimal it does have some alternative things like the appearance slots and armor that changes certain aspects, such as hair. The characters are attractive but nothing really astounding. The armor is nice looking and gets better as you level, looks wise. Questing rewards you with sets, which is nice, instead of hunting around for gear you are given it as a reward. For a free to play game I think it is quite decent simply because of the content and quality over quantity of race/looks. There are so many out there that have tons of races and classes but send you out to grind levels instead of questing, which can get dull fast if you don't know what or why you're even grinding to get high end.

The world is really lovely, the water effects are gorgeous and even with shadows on the game runs smoothly. It is sort of funny how a F2P game like this, little known, preforms better than some bigger titles that are more so popular. I think it looks better than a lot of the more popular subscription based games. But looks are not everything. The game does seem to have some depth and lasting power, thus far, I still feel like logging in after playing it a few days.

I felt myself drawn back to try the different roles, I am thinking I'll be working on this a bit longer to see how it fleshes out at the mid levels. For something on the side it is a great alternative, as I already have so many games I'm working on. Leveling is pretty decently paced, at least until the teens, where I am now, which is nice. I really think this is a fun little game to relax to in the evenings. Definitely worth a look.

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Next up is Zentia. Recently I was watching Massively's Beau livestreaming Zentia. I played it before and really liked it a lot but for some reason the screen seemed jumpy to my eyes and it really bothered me. I think the motion of walking is just different in this type of MMO and since getting glasses it doesn't bother me when I wear them. So that could have been a problem with just me. I actually liked it a lot and decided to give it another chance, I'm glad I did.

Graphically this game might not impress a lot of people but it has it's own special charm. I actually think it is quite cute. What draws me to this game is that it is really casual and fun. Lots of quests, auotorouting (where your little pet leads you from place to place) and it has a light comical feel. You can tame pets, tame mounts and even tame multiple person and combat mounts, which is a novel idea I like.

There are neat appearance items which can change how your character looks, even combat gear does this too. While I haven't run into any great appearance stuff yet, I do have hopes I'll find some along the way. The character creation is a bit different, you can't alter the character's looks but you can with costumes. I do think the looks are very cute and quaint.

I made a friend while playing, who helped me find some mounts and explained a few things to me. It was nice that someone came up to me and tried to help. I was very grateful, he even showed me a few places to go, taking me for a ride on his bear mount.

Every weekend there is bonus xp, I like that, plus leveling seems a real decent pace, your not sitting through levels for that long. You do feel as if you are moving along through things advancing. Pet taming also requires skill points to level and train up. But it goes pretty fast with just a few tames, at least the first few ranks. This determines what level mounts and pets you can tame.

I love that you can tame things you want to and that the game is so casual feeling. Very relaxing to play for a bit and just have fun. Seems a great game to duo with a friend, ride around together on mounts and quest. This is one I definitely see myself popping in and out of for awhile, something great on a weekend or tired evening. I really find it enjoyable!

So, that's it for today, a bit sick, thought I was over the flu last week but I think I had a relapse, blah! Hope everyone has a great week and the flu keeps away from you all!