Virtual Voyages

Given what you all know of my sense of humor, you might expect my favorite attack/special move to be the Smuggler's Dirty Kick.  And, admittedly, I do enjoy that move, especially against people I just had a particularly irritating cut scene with.  (And Smugglers do interact with plenty of annoying people.)  But, for sheer awesome, I really can't pass up the leap that Jedi Knights and Sith Warriors get.

Leaping heroically (or villainously, depending on one's character) into combat is not only fun, it looks really damn cool.

20 Days of TOR (Redux)
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Why did you decided to start a blog?
Day 03 – Your best SW:TOR playing experience Your first day playing SW:TOR
Day 04 – Your favorite SW:TOR quest or quest chain
Day 05 – Favorite item(s) in game
Day 06 – How many active characters do you have? Do you suffer from "altitis"?
Day 07 – The reason behind your blog’s name
Day 08 – Your favorite class so far, and why
Day 09 – Favorite attack or special move
Day 10 – Crafting: yay or nay? What professions, if any, do you seriously pursue?
Day 11 – Bad in-game habits and flaws
Day 12 – What's a typical TOR gaming session look like for you?
Day 13 – What do you hope Bioware will add to the game?
Day 14 – What aspect of the game upsets you the most?
Day 15 – Have you created a unique headcanon for your characters? If so, what is it?
Day 16 – Your favorite character companion
Day 17 – Your favorite in-game location
Day 18 – Your favorite outfit
Day 19 – What strange things do you keep in your bags or bank?
Day 20 – Conclude with a free day! Write about a SW:TOR topic that the previous 19 days failed to address

This blog began as an imaginary journal shared across worlds by my MMO characters, with some commentary on MMOs.  Virtual voyages seemed like a highly appropriate name - it concerns the voyages of virtual people.  Except I ended up not doing much with it until I started playing SW:TOR, at which time it promptly mutated into a journal, MMO commentary, and fan fic repository.  The name remains appropriate, though.

I created this blog separate from my personal blog for reasons now lost to the mists of time.  Especially as I've done a terrible job of actually keeping them separate.  I have a few people who comment on both and my personal blog subscribes to this one.  (I have the same problem with my two net nyms.  I've connected them sufficiently that I might as well have never bothered to have two.) I should never attempt to lead a double life.

20 Days of TOR (Redux)
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Why did you decided to start a blog?
Day 03 – Your best SW:TOR playing experience Your first day playing SW:TOR
Day 04 – Your favorite SW:TOR quest or quest chain
Day 05 – Favorite item(s) in game
Day 06 – How many active characters do you have? Do you suffer from "altitis"?
Day 07 – The reason behind your blog’s name
Day 08 – Your favorite class so far, and why
Day 09 – Favorite attack or special move
Day 10 – Crafting: yay or nay? What professions, if any, do you seriously pursue?
Day 11 – Bad in-game habits and flaws
Day 12 – What's a typical TOR gaming session look like for you?
Day 13 – What do you hope Bioware will add to the game?
Day 14 – What aspect of the game upsets you the most?
Day 15 – Have you created a unique headcanon for your characters? If so, what is it?
Day 16 – Your favorite character companion
Day 17 – Your favorite in-game location
Day 18 – Your favorite outfit
Day 19 – What strange things do you keep in your bags or bank?
Day 20 – Conclude with a free day! Write about a SW:TOR topic that the previous 19 days failed to address

Favorite item(s)... Hm, this will take some thought.  Do ships count?  Because I rather like the completely unsubtle ship Agents get.  Given how much ship theft there is in the game, I'm surprised you never have to deal with some fool mistaking it for a rich brat's space-Ferrari and trying to hotwire it.  (Unless, at some point, you do.)  For a supposedly undercover operative, you sure don't have a nondescript ride.  I sometimes get the feeling that if it were possible, the game would have you going about introducing yourself as Last Name, Name Last Name to everyone.

(Not that the Smuggler's Millennium Falcon-esque ship isn't rather awesome, too.  Or that the Bounty Hunter's method of acquiring a ship isn't amusing.)

Other items of note include:

The widget a Jawa named Veek gives hapless Republic citizens on Tatooine to go test on malfunctioning droids.  Little bugger never mentions that if it malfunctions (and it will) it zaps you.  (Yes, some of the fun of the game comes from the game's - or is that my - sadistic sense of humor.)

The letters mentioned in my last 20 days post, even if they aren't really items.

I can't remember if it actually appears as an item (though I imagine it does), but the fact that the head of Ghar Bodya is disgusting to the quest giver who asked you to retrieve it is both amusing and appropriate.  Did she think a severed head was going to be lovely?  Especially on meltingly hot Tatooine?

As well as many others.


20 Days of TOR (Redux)
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Why did you decided to start a blog?
Day 03 – Your best SW:TOR playing experience Your first day playing SW:TOR
Day 04 – Your favorite SW:TOR quest or quest chain
Day 05 – Favorite item(s) in game
Day 06 – How many active characters do you have? Do you suffer from "altitis"?
Day 07 – The reason behind your blog’s name
Day 08 – Your favorite class so far, and why
Day 09 – Favorite attack or special move
Day 10 – Crafting: yay or nay? What professions, if any, do you seriously pursue?
Day 11 – Bad in-game habits and flaws
Day 12 – What's a typical TOR gaming session look like for you?
Day 13 – What do you hope Bioware will add to the game?
Day 14 – What aspect of the game upsets you the most?
Day 15 – Have you created a unique headcanon for your characters? If so, what is it?
Day 16 – Your favorite character companion
Day 17 – Your favorite in-game location
Day 18 – Your favorite outfit
Day 19 – What strange things do you keep in your bags or bank?
Day 20 – Conclude with a free day! Write about a SW:TOR topic that the previous 19 days failed to address

Favorite quest or quest chain?  Man, I'm not good at picking favorites at the best of times and I haven't played all the classes (okay, any of the classes) to max level yet.  So many unknown possibilities.  I guess I could blather about some of my favorites so far.

( Some minor spoilers found here )


20 Days of TOR (Redux)
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Why did you decided to start a blog?
Day 03 – Your best SW:TOR playing experience Your first day playing SW:TOR
Day 04 – Your favorite SW:TOR quest or quest chain
Day 05 – Favorite item(s) in game
Day 06 – How many active characters do you have? Do you suffer from "altitis"?
Day 07 – The reason behind your blog’s name
Day 08 – Your favorite class so far, and why
Day 09 – Favorite attack or special move
Day 10 – Crafting: yay or nay? What professions, if any, do you seriously pursue?
Day 11 – Bad in-game habits and flaws
Day 12 – What's a typical TOR gaming session look like for you?
Day 13 – What do you hope Bioware will add to the game?
Day 14 – What aspect of the game upsets you the most?
Day 15 – Have you created a unique headcanon for your characters? If so, what is it?
Day 16 – Your favorite character companion
Day 17 – Your favorite in-game location
Day 18 – Your favorite outfit
Day 19 – What strange things do you keep in your bags or bank?
Day 20 – Conclude with a free day! Write about a SW:TOR topic that the previous 19 days failed to address

I started this blog as a place to babble about MMOs and write journal entries in character as various MMO characters I had.  Then I bought SW:TOR and things took a left turn (or is it a right?) at Albuquerque and there was suddenly actual fan fic.  (Which I am supposed to be writing.  Like right now.  Since it's been over a week since I posted part two.  I suck.)

Um, how does one get an entry out of this question?  I suppose my reasons for starting this blog were just too straightforward and easily summarized.

So, um... How about them...are there sports teams in the Star Wars Universe?  There must be.  I don't know the names of any.  Nevermind.  I have been trying to sort out the timeline around SW:TOR, and the ages of various companion characters.  (Because I am easily distracted by missing information.  I don't know if that makes me research inclined or just prone to "Oooh, shiny!")  End result: I can't figure out most companion characters' ages.  Though Corso is 19 (two dialogues plus math = 19).  At least I finally know when the Treaty of Coruscant is in comparison to when the game is taking place.  And nailed down how old my characters are.  And that was completely off topic.

Going to go write fan fic now.  *looks at clock*  Oh, who needs eight hours of sleep.  *goes to work on fan fic anyway*

20 Days of TOR (Redux)
Day 01 – Introduce yourself
Day 02 – Why did you decided to start a blog?
Day 03 – Your best SW:TOR playing experience
Day 04 – Your favorite SW:TOR quest or quest chain
Day 05 – Favorite item(s) in game
Day 06 – How many active characters do you have? Do you suffer from "altitis"?
Day 07 – The reason behind your blog’s name
Day 08 – Your favorite class so far, and why
Day 09 – Favorite attack or special move
Day 10 – Crafting: yay or nay? What professions, if any, do you seriously pursue?
Day 11 – Bad in-game habits and flaws
Day 12 – What's a typical TOR gaming session look like for you?
Day 13 – What do you hope Bioware will add to the game?
Day 14 – What aspect of the game upsets you the most?
Day 15 – Have you created a unique headcanon for your characters? If so, what is it?
Day 16 – Your favorite character companion
Day 17 – Your favorite in-game location
Day 18 – Your favorite outfit
Day 19 – What strange things do you keep in your bags or bank?
Day 20 – Conclude with a free day! Write about a SW:TOR topic that the previous 19 days failed to address

(The universe of SW:TOR still belongs to George Lucas, Lucasarts, BioWare, etc...)

Title: The Enemy of My Enemy Is...? (Part Two of Four)
Genre: Gen (adventure)
Rating: PG (some violence and profanity)
Summary: An Imperial Agent's and a Smuggler's missions intersect, for better or worse.

 

( Read more... )

 

I'm now a full fledged Jedi, although I still have so many questions I'm not sure I'm worthy of that title, yet.  Master Yuon is gravely ill, and I'm accompanying her to Coruscant, where surely they can save her.  Qyzen is here, too.  Not only is he worried about Master Yuon, but he's decided I'm the Herald of the Scorekeeper - the Trandoshan goddess.

I don't know how I feel about that.  I'm flattered, though I shouldn't be, but Qyzen has seen and done so much that it means a lot for him to think so highly of me.  And it seems even more arrogant to be sure he's wrong.  Perhaps a young Jedi could gain the favor of his goddess, maybe even as a way for her to help him.  Poor Qyzen felt so dishonored by being captured alive by Nalan, I was really worried about him for a while.  Being captured alive is the worst thing that can happen to a Trandoshan.  But now, he feels he can regain his honor - his points - by accompanying me.  I can't actually think of a better guide and teacher, now, than Master Yuon herself, if she recovers.  No, she must recover.  She's too wise and too important.  And I like her.

Though something of a Jedi can remain after death.  I spoke to Rajivari.  To his...his force ghost.  He wasn't what I expected.  He helped me to stop Nalan, and he gave me a lot to think about.

I've done so much.  The Council agreed to help Nalan, and the pilgrims, and even, in a way, the Flesh Raiders.  And yet, there's still so much I don't know and so many things I don't quite understand.  But with the Force and Qyzen to guide me, maybe I can be everything I'd hoped a Jedi could be.

It'd make me feel all charitable if Coruscant hadn't turned out to be such a dung heap.  And if that lying thieving traitor Skavak hadn't gotten away.  Now he thinks he's hunting me.  I can't wait for him to catch up.  If all the other people he's conned don't catch up to him first.  He was even trading with the Empire!  What an idiot.

He left me another of his girlfriends on my ship.  She seems to think she can order me around just because she's got a line on some dead guy's fortune.  It must be pretty good or Skavak wouldn't have put up with her.  I'll work with her, but if she keeps acting like I'm the hired help, I'm dropping her on the next planet and she can sell her pretty jewelry to get home.

Between her and Corso, I'm thinking about buying ear plugs.

I'd rather work with those crazy droids the Republic's trying to ally with.  They were even starting to make sense.  Or poor Miel.  You know it says something when I'd actually think about teaming up with a cop.  Damn Skavak.  That's another dead guy he's responsible for.  If Skavak does catch up to me, I'll get revenge for him.  Nicest cop I ever met.

As I said in a previous post, I think SW:TOR has killed WoW for me. I am loving having a voice acted story so much that I don't think I can go back. I'll put up with it so I can hang out with my superheroes, but even that will be hard. The moment someone makes a superhero MMO along the lines of SW:TOR, I'm remaking Keith, Raizel, and Kit (Crystal Avenger) in it - assuming I can make a not physically intimidating inventor, a demon-looking girl* with fire powers, and a teenager with dark-looking powers. None of those seem particularly far fetched (see also the fact that I've made them in two superhero MMOs so far with no difficulty at all). So, MMO makers out there, I can haz, plz?

Speaking of things I'd like to haz, the measure of a mook problem irks me slightly when there's an actual story. I know it's, sadly, in genre for my agent to blast his way in to the villain's lair and then try to get the villain to surrender or give up villainy.   Actually, I take it back, the latter part isn't in genre at all, whether we're talking James Bond movies or Star Wars. It is something I like about the game, even if the bad guys keep answering attempted diplomacy with blaster fire. I'd like it even better if, once in a while, the bad guy actually came quietly or gave Kyrian a good reason to let zir go.** I'd also really like it if Kyrian could break into enemy strongholds in some way more subtle than blasting his way in. I know one version of the agent class has stealth, but the game - like City of Heroes - isn't really designed for people to skip most of the fighting. So even if the stealth were as good as in CoH, it wouldn't really be a good solution.

I wonder if one could design an MMO (or other game) that wasn't quite so centered around blasting everything. I'd love to run around sneaking into places, using disguises and breaking and entering and secret passages and whatnot, getting the villain alone in zir study... and proposing that zie give up villainy. Even if 75% of the time zir response was to shoot at me. I think there actually are single player games like that, but single player games don't let you create your own character, generally.

Part of the mook problem for superhero games, at least,  could be solved just by making a Bioware one. You just have options after fighting into the supervillain lair to, depending on the kind of hero you are, call the police and medics in, make an anonymous tip to 911 (effectively the same, but for unauthorized superheroes), or just walk out because you're the Punisher type and don't care about that stuff. Or something along those lines, anyway. (The fact that people can somehow have non-fatal battles while throwing fire and lightning and such like around is a staple of comic books, so I'm not going to worry about exactly how it is that Raizel isn't incinerating her foes. Because comic books, that's why.)

And, of course, if one tied leveling up to something besides defeating enemies, like, perhaps getting all one's points from quests, you could give people options of sneaking into places vs. walking in the front door without penalizing one of the choices. Hell, I wouldn't mind a game that let one get into places like Tom Baker's Doctor Who generally did. The high point of which was when he (I'm pretty sure it was him and not Peter Davison's doctor) walked up to the front door of some place and said: "Hello, I'm an enemy spy. :) "

Yes, I realize that solely quest based leveling isn't fair to people who don't like doing quests, but what the heck are they doing playing a story-centered game? That's like signing up to play tennis, but not wanting to hit a ball back and forth with a racket. Really, people.

I wonder what would happen if a game made *talk your way in*, *sneak your way in*, *get yourself captured and free yourself*, and *fight your way in* all equally valid and entertaining options.  I have this suspicion that *fight your way in* would rapidly become the least used option, simply because the others would be new and different.  And there may be other people like me who've been longing for options.



* Just realized both of my female superheroes are teens, while my male superhero (who isn't super) is an adult. *frowny face* I don't know whether to be concerned about that or not. Keith isn't exactly old and wise - he's small and thin and doesn't really know how to fight and he runs around fighting supervillains because he can, thanks to his inventions. He may be an adult simply because my mind said he needed more time to get good at inventing, while Raizel has natural powers she's spent her whole life using and Kit just had to get used to weird meteorite power (she's still working on the costume design part). But I digress.



** Holy Spoilers Batman!
In the first Imperial flashpoint, I actually wanted an option to let the guy we were supposed to capture go and fake his death or something. He made some very good arguments regarding what he was doing. Of course, that would require the whole group to conspire to commit treason, which would take some brave and reckless Imperials indeed. Would still be an awesome addition to the options. *Take Him Prisoner* *Fake His Death And Let Him Go* *Kill Him*

I learned a valuable lesson today: it is unwise to show too little respect to a Sith.  Darth Jadus seems to believe he can requisition me as if I were a piece of equipment, or a slave.  I work for the Empire, for Imperial Intelligence, not for the Sith, and no amount of force lightning will change that.  Though it does bloody hurt.

I regret my earlier flippancy about the possibility of the Sith finding ways to execute me for a hundred years.  I believe they actually could.  At the very least, I'm certain they have ways of prolonging an execution over the rest of my natural life.  It's an inspiration to make absolutely certain I am never caught doing anything questionable.

I will try to be more circumspect in my future dealings with Jadus, but even Keeper seems none too fond of the man.  Though Keeper may not be fond of anyone.  He is unusually displeased with Jadus's attention to Intelligence, I'm certain of that.  I wonder he knows exactly what Jadus is up to.  I know Keeper isn't concerned about the fate of a junior field agent, even one as competent as I am.

My mission has provided a little compensation, though, in the form of an inventor's beautiful daughter.  She's rather spoiled, and I fear she may shortly become an orphan, as her father has made some very poor choices, but she proved a most pleasant way to gather information.  I hope I can reason with her father.  I really do prefer diplomatic solutions.

And now, I'd best be diplomatic with Kaliyo.  She was amused by my meeting with Jadus, but I don't think she was entirely pleased by my meeting with the inventor's daughter.  Though she may have hoped I would ask her to join us.