Valar Guild

December 30, 2007 Meeting

5pm EST (GMT - 5); (GMT = 22:00)
AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace

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Transcript work by: 
Varda

Attending: (10)
    Aerandir V/mordacil, AriehnV, arwenv1/windofhyperia, Bombur-(V)/MrMonkey2002Blah, Eonwe Valar, GilraenV, Glorfindel VG,  Farmer Maggot-(V)/thesirg3, Menelvagor Valar, VardaValar1 (presiding)
Quick side window hellos: Caranthir-(V), Fangluin-(V). Gwaihir could not enter AIM but said hi through Gilraen.

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership:
    Ar-Pharazon
    Gimli's upcoming wedding. Wonder over his choice of Best Man.
    Aunt Gilraen and Uncle Gwaihir
Web:
    Art upcoming
    Search engine
Gaming:
    Empires mod for the Source engine: Farmer Maggot. Link included.
    StarCraft/BroodWar: Bilbo, Eowyn, Fangorn, Meriadoc, Sauron, Varda
    Rome Total War: Sauron
    Heroes V: Gwaihir
    WoW:
       Argent Dawn server: report by Arien
          More by Menelvagor
       Lothar server: report by Eonwe
       Uldaman server: report by Varda
    LotRO Landroval server: report by Arathorn
    Halo 2, Halo 3: Eonwe
    Eve Online: Menelvagor
Tolkien
    Didn't really get started until the After-meeting
After-meeting:
    More Tolkien than in the Tolkien section

Before-meeting:
You have just entered room "valarguildmeetingplace."
Eonwe Valar has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Eonwe :-)
Eonwe Valar: Heya
Eonwe Valar: Guess we're the first ones in :}
mordacil has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Aerandir!
mordacil: aiya
GilraenV has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Hail Gilraen
GilraenV: AIya :-)
GilraenV: Gwai's in Heroes V, so probably hasn't noticed the invitation
VardaValar1: Aerandir, I'm wrestling with the art site again, and wondered if you would prefer that we point directly to your site or put your pics on our site with a link from there to your site?
Aerandir V has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Gilraen, my invitation to Gwaihir immediately says "failed".
mordacil has left the room.
VardaValar1: Nice name switch, Aerandir : )
VardaValar1: Aerandir, I'm wrestling with the art site again, and wondered if you would prefer that we point directly to your site or put your pics on our site with a link from there to your site?
Aerandir V: whatever is easier for you. I dont have apreference
GilraenV: Huh, that's strange
VardaValar1: Thank you. I am not really looking for easy.
VardaValar1: : )
VardaValar1: What happened, Gilraen?
MrMonkey2002Blah has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Bombur : )
MrMonkey2002Blah: Hail
GilraenV: just Gwai's AIM being weird. I don't know why.
VardaValar1: I am using a very old version, easier to work with, in case that is a problem. Mine set up the original room.
windofhyperia has entered the room.
windofhyperia has left the room.
arwenv1 has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Arwen :-)
arwenv1: Aiya :-)
VardaValar1: Maybe the others are having the same problem that Gwaihir is.
arwenv1: what problem is that?
Eonwe Valar: My invitation to Gwaihir appears to still be open.
VardaValar1: Gwaihir can't make it in.
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VardaValar1: Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
VardaValar1: Membership:
VardaValar1: Ar-Pharazon is in Belgium today, so he won't be here.
VardaValar1: We have other members traveling for the holidays as well.
AriehnV has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Arien, heya : )
AriehnV: heya folks and merry chrismas to you all :-)
Eonwe Valar: Heya and Merry Christmas :}
AriehnV has left the room.
AriehnV has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Gimli has invited Sauron to be his Best Man in the upcoming wedding either January or February.
AriehnV: nice nice and welcome to the new arrivals
arwenv1: Oh wow :-)
VardaValar1: We've had a lively time in Valar for Christmas and look forward to a great upcoming year.
Eonwe Valar: Congratulations to Gimli and his Fiance :}
GilraenV: indeed, congratulations
VardaValar1: We are all looking forward to the wedding. : )
VardaValar1: The yearly check for next year's membership is going now, and I'm also letting people sign up for multiple years for the first time. Hoping that works ok.
VardaValar1: Any membership news you folks would like to bring up?
AriehnV: *shakes head*
GilraenV: I have some!
Eonwe Valar: None from me that's jumping to mind.
VardaValar1: Go ahead! : )
GilraenV: Gwaihir and I are now aunt and uncle. My sister gave birth to her first child on December 27th. :-)
VardaValar1: Woohooo!
AriehnV: Congratulations, Gilraen :-)
AriehnV: to all of ye of course :-D
GilraenV: thanks!
VardaValar1: You know we're waiting to know if it's a boy or girl. : )
GilraenV: I'm excited to get pictures
GilraenV: haha. a boy! Jack Andrew, at 7lb 13 ounces
VardaValar1: Thanks, Aunt Gilraen. : )
GilraenV: :-)
VardaValar1: Good size on him already
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VardaValar1: On to Web news:
Tolkien/Art
VardaValar1: I was in the process of trying to put up a new cave and picture before the meeting, but didn't quite make it.
VardaValar1: Siobhan's new cave will be up this week, hoping today. : ) It should include a link to the story that it illustrates.
Search Engine
VardaValar1: Eonwe has been working away on the Search engine. Anything we can mention yet?
Eonwe Valar: Still some bugs to work out with it.
Eonwe Valar: Every time I think I got one squashed, a new one appears.
VardaValar1: Sounds like programming, alright. ;-)
thesirg3 has entered the room.
Eonwe Valar: But there will be updates to the Games Pages shortly.
VardaValar1: Aiya Huan! : )
VardaValar1: Speaking of ace programmers, and there he is.
thesirg3: uh oh, introductions like that scare me
VardaValar1: erk
VardaValar1: sorry, Farmer
VardaValar1: My apologies, still ace programmer. : )
VardaValar1: We are trying to follow in your footsteps. : )
thesirg3: Oh?
AriehnV: Aiya there :-)
VardaValar1: We are squishing programming bugs best we can. : )
thesirg3: In / on / for / what?
thesirg3: I'm lacking context here
VardaValar1: lol
AriehnV: Varda has been asking Eonwe about his search machine programme
VardaValar1: It's a general comment. Eonwe is working on his Search engine and I'm working on the art section, trying to get them in good shape.
AriehnV: but eonwe answered he is still smoothing out bugs
thesirg3: Ah
VardaValar1: Things like the comma slipping into the semi-colon's location, and just how to do stuff.
thesirg3: Fun
VardaValar1: Happy almost new year! : )
VardaValar1: Any further member or web news?
VardaValar1: or comments of any kind before Gaming?
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VardaValar1: Gaming:
VardaValar1: What have you folks been playing this week that wasn't WoW or LotRO? Anyone can pipe up.
thesirg3: Empires mod for the Source engine
VardaValar1: BroodWar LAN here.
VardaValar1: Rome Total War for Sauron.
VardaValar1: Everyone else was busy eating and traveling?
AriehnV: and who are ye playing as?
VardaValar1: Which "ye"? : )
AriehnV: ((i dont have the game but a colleague at work loves it and likes to report his military successses so i have an idea))
AriehnV: Ye , Varda ;
VardaValar1: Sauron was playing Rome Total War as Annatar.
AriehnV: not as nation which nation?
VardaValar1: He tries various nations, sorry. He's been playing other stuff which I forget what was, but he's not here to ask.
VardaValar1: He recently was the barbarians taking over Rome.
AriehnV: thats all right :-) carry on :-)
GilraenV: Gwai's been playing Heroes of Might and Magic V. He seems to be enjoying it.
VardaValar1: Cool. : )
VardaValar1: Not familiar with the game Farmer mentioned.
thesirg3: http://empiresmod.com - part FPS, part RTS
VardaValar1: Thanks!
VardaValar1: On to WoW
VardaValar1: Arien, would you like to report on Argent Dawn?
VardaValar1: (Caranthir says hi, just on for a sec)
AriehnV: Unfortunately there is nothing to report this week ,VArda :-( ye ken it comes and goes just as chances are
VardaValar1: Sure. Did you get to play WoW at all this week, Arien?
AriehnV: i did , on both servers
VardaValar1: Great!
AriehnV: aye , enjoying my hordies which will now get interesting as it is a pvp server
VardaValar1: Eonwe, would you like to give a Lothar report?
Eonwe Valar: Sure
VardaValar1: hehe Arien. Stay alive!
Eonwe Valar: This week, Elwing, Eowyn, Bilbo, Sauron, and myself went into the Temple of Atal'Hakkar to complete class specific quests for Elwing's Hunter and Eowyn's Warlock, and also to complete another quest for Elwing.
Eonwe Valar: We dealt with Morphaz and his buddy first, then went after the troll feathers.
Eonwe Valar: Once done with that we went after Jammal'An the Prophet and dealt with him as well.
Eonwe Valar: After finishing with the Sunken Temple, we went into Lower Blackrock Spire and completed several requests.
Eonwe Valar: er, requests = quests
VardaValar1: Those too. ;-)
Eonwe Valar: Seal of Ascension (for one of us, since only one set of gems drops per run), En-Ay-Es-Tee-Why, Kibler's Exotic Pets, and Put Her Down.
Eonwe Valar: We'll quite likely be going back to finish the rest of the quests, and get more Seals of Ascension.
Eonwe Valar: That does it for me.
VardaValar1: Galdor has been working hard in WoW and is questing Outlands now, so he should be able to join in for some of these runs at times also.
AriehnV: oh i ve got a comment here :-D Me drood has that fun now too
VardaValar1: Great sky, huh? : )
AriehnV: she is 60 hehe
Eonwe Valar: He could've joined us for that run, but he had to go earlier in the day :}
VardaValar1: Another time, then.
VardaValar1: He runs with the Laytonrim some during the week though.
VardaValar1: (my family and rl friends are Laytonrim)
VardaValar1: (subset of Valar, like the Melkorrim)
VardaValar1: Do we have an Uldaman report?
VardaValar1: Oh, and we have 3 pages now on the Lothar guild bank?
VardaValar1: I have been remiss in showing up for the Uldaman day and will try to correct that. LotRO addiction.
Eonwe Valar: Oh, pardon, yes we have 3 pages.
Eonwe Valar: 600 more gold and we could have a fourth :}
VardaValar1: ok, we'll just have to work on that. : )
VardaValar1: I commend that bank system for guilds, and have to admit I like it better than the current LotRO one.
AriehnV: ((600 g and Urwendi could have a flyer :-D )) - blushes and shuts up
VardaValar1: In defense of LotRO, it is still bare bones and will have more.
VardaValar1: Go Urwendi!
VardaValar1: Little hard to help you from the wrong server, but we can cheer you on. : )
AriehnV: doing my best working in netherstorm and shadowmoon ^^
VardaValar1: Elwing has been holding down the fort in Uldaman server, very much enjoying the Hordies.
VardaValar1: That should help get you there, barring excessive repairs!
VardaValar1: LotRO:
VardaValar1: We are starting to see more of us old-timers with Bree-ponies on their alts as they finish the mount quests.
VardaValar1: Meriadoc got one just last night. : )
VardaValar1: Gimli has a good internet now and joined the branch in LotRO : )
VardaValar1: We are having a raid on the Rift Jan 7 (Monday).
VardaValar1: Sign-ups on the Valar Guild's Forum under LotRO.
VardaValar1: Most are just using word of mouth, but it looks good.
VardaValar1: It is a long run and we may be filling in drop-outs with stand-bys.
VardaValar1: We are working with the Black Lions and Keepers of Ayrshire.
VardaValar1: Any further gaming news?
VardaValar1: or questions?
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VardaValar1: Tolkien:
VardaValar1: How many are present (not afk)?
VardaValar1: Please say aye
VardaValar1: Aye
AriehnV: Present
VardaValar1: or Present. ;-)
Eonwe Valar: Present, but trying to work on Games Page as well.
VardaValar1: Understood.
GilraenV: I am popping back and forth doing laundry and working on dinner :-)
VardaValar1: Good idea. : )
VardaValar1: What's for dinner? : )
GilraenV: no idea! hence 'working' ;-)
GilraenV: I'm thinking pasta
VardaValar1: Inquiring Hobbits want to know.
Eonwe Valar: mmm pasta.
AriehnV: Mushroom :-DDD
Eonwe Valar: I think Angel Hair and Alfredo sauce go well together.
AriehnV: Mushroom Pasta
GilraenV: Oooh, mushrooms. I wonder if we have any
GilraenV: (we need to go grocery shopping, but with the pre-Christmas craze...)
VardaValar1: Onions, cheese
AriehnV: or just egg and bacon .. simple but tasty
AriehnV: with cheese
VardaValar1: plus gravy
VardaValar1: and mushrooms
AriehnV: yez dont forget the mushrooms
AriehnV: but dont steal them of farmer maggot ^^]
VardaValar1: Ohh, Meriadoc? Job for you.
VardaValar1: Ok, we have indulged in our hobbit side.
VardaValar1: Shall we turn everyone loose for After-meeting?
Eonwe Valar: If there's no response, I guess so, heh.
AriehnV: think the others are afk
VardaValar1: *bangs gavel*
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VardaValar1: After-meeting
Glorfindel VG has entered the room.
VardaValar1: One of the shortest Tolkien sessions ever.
VardaValar1: Aiya Glorfindel, welcome to After-meeting.
VardaValar1: Happy almost New Year : )
Glorfindel VG: Thank you :-)
Eonwe Valar: Happy New Year to everyone :}
AriehnV: ah well I tried to bring in the Hobbit sid e :-) yermention of mushrooms got me the idea , Varda hehe
VardaValar1: hehe
AriehnV: aye , greetings Glorfindel
VardaValar1: Glorfindel, done any gaming or seen anything interesting Tolkien-related?
thesirg3 has left the room.
VardaValar1: Eonwe traveling around giving presents to children, perhaps?
AriehnV: ah weel folks its good seeing you :-) but i am suffering the chrismas aftermath .. been working today and tomorrow will be early again
VardaValar1: Side window discussion on whether they are going to make us start saying manandwomankind like the word "him" no longer including both, so we have to say him or her instead of him.
Eonwe Valar: I gave presents to family. Does that count? ;}
VardaValar1: Yes!
Eonwe Valar: ( I know you meant the character Eownë ;})
VardaValar1: Much present giving in the games too.
Eonwe Valar: *Eonwë
GilraenV: Night, Arien.
Eonwe Valar: Sleep well, Arien :}
AriehnV: Nice little reindeer my belfie got
VardaValar1: Mara mesta
VardaValar1: Cool : )
AriehnV: Mara Mesta :-D
AriehnV has left the room.
VardaValar1: Finduilas and I tried to put a mailbox stuffer in everyone's LotRO box, did not intend to miss anyone if it did happen.
VardaValar1: We made a Kinforest in front of the Kinhouse, with Yule trees from different members, each requiring a quest.
Eonwe Valar: I got my mailbox stuffer :} Now I just need the levels to go with it :}
VardaValar1: hehe
VardaValar1: Thus is it well-named as a stuffer!
VardaValar1: Glorfindel seemed to afk as soon as he got here. hehe
Eonwe Valar: For shame :}
Eonwe Valar: Imagine if he'd done that in his fight with the Balrog :}
VardaValar1: That's why he fell off the cliff!
VardaValar1: Gondolin is known to have had a mix of Noldor and Sindar.
VardaValar1: Seems to me as if JRRT could have kept his original Sindarin Glorfindel just by mentioning that.
Eonwe Valar: Glorfindel was overpowered if he was a Sinda :}
VardaValar1: Maybe he didn't want a Sindarin sounding more powerful than a Noldor.
VardaValar1: Hey, using a cliff to help kill a Balrog doesn't require major power.
Glorfindel VG has left the room.
VardaValar1: And there, he went, over the cliff.
Eonwe Valar: Assuming that Balrog is smart enough not to fall off the cliff on purpose, you'd have to get him over the edge somehow :}
VardaValar1: *trip*
Eonwe Valar: So, there was a Hobbit behind him? :}
VardaValar1: Steep slope on that road.
VardaValar1: Now we know!
Eonwe Valar: Sorry, just got image of the LotRO opening cinematic in my head :}
VardaValar1: They seem to miss being mentioned in the great tales.
VardaValar1: I liked it. : )
Eonwe Valar: Aye, nice cinematic.
VardaValar1: Only got into the War of the Ring because some of them wrote the histories!
Eonwe Valar: A magic ring falling into their hands didn't help them stay out of the limelight either :}
VardaValar1: I figure Glorfindel could've used some cool move like martial arts to do a trip maneuver.
VardaValar1: Gollum kept it quiet for a long time, and he was of the Stoor line. Does he count?
Eonwe Valar: I was thinking of Bilbo,o but Gollum is a good example as well.
Eonwe Valar: minus the 'o' after the comma.
VardaValar1: True, Bilbo kept it pretty quiet a long time.
VardaValar1: The "o" tripped.
GilraenV: and fell off the cliff?
Eonwe Valar: hehe
VardaValar1: *Shades eyes with one hand and looks over the cliff. An "o" is rolling along the slope below.*
Eonwe Valar: Rollin' rollin' rollin'...
VardaValar1: Yes.
Eonwe Valar: Rawhide!
VardaValar1: hehe - now the tune is in my head!
Eonwe Valar: Glad to help :}
VardaValar1: At least it is a good tune.
VardaValar1: For no reason, Ghost Riders in the Sky is trying to replace it.
VardaValar1: On that nonsense, I'll take off and let you folks be. : )
VardaValar1: Namarie!
GilraenV: Namarie!
Eonwe Valar: Take care Varda :}
Eonwe Valar: Happy New Year :}
VardaValar1: Happy New Year to all!
Eonwe Valar: I'll be beating Halo 2 with my brother, and possibly starting Halo 3, tomorrow night :}
VardaValar1: woot!
GilraenV: hehe, fun!
Aerandir V: good stories
Eonwe Valar: Then I'll have to find a game to drag him into :}
VardaValar1: WoW and LotRO...
Eonwe Valar: He's already in those :}
VardaValar1: :-)
Glorfindel VG has entered the room.
Eonwe Valar: Welcome back Glorfindel :}
Glorfindel VG: thanks, I seem to be having trouble with this connection : /
VardaValar1: Thought we dropped you by talking about Glorfindel. ; )
VardaValar1: I'm no longer here, just look like it.
Glorfindel VG: :o
VardaValar1: So, did you trip the Balrog over the cliff?
Glorfindel VG: i slashed his wings first : )
VardaValar1: That would help maybe.
Glorfindel VG: chew on that for a while
VardaValar1: Figured they couldn't fly anyway, but it might prevent a saving glide.
VardaValar1: They were riding mechanical dragons in that version.
Eonwe Valar: Ah, that reminds me of a quote from the old Yahoo discussion board from many years ago: "Everyone knows Balrogs wings are just dragon wings dipped in barbecue sauce." :}
Glorfindel VG: a balrog riding a dragon would be pretty cool
VardaValar1: hehe Eonwe
VardaValar1: The old wing debate rages on!
Eonwe Valar: Trying to remember who said it now, hehe.
VardaValar1: Seemed to me the description of creatures attacking Tilion fit Balrogs well, and we know Melkor and his minions lost the power of flight over time. But that does not prevent non-flightworthy wings.
Eonwe Valar: Aye. Even ostriches have wings :}
Glorfindel VG: maybe tom bombadil has wings uner his blue jacket
VardaValar1: Bug wings? : )
Eonwe Valar: Water wings? :}
Glorfindel VG: who knows
VardaValar1: I could say Goldberry, but maybe Tom would be a better answer.
Glorfindel VG: If Elves had wings, perhaps they could fly away and fetch us the sun
VardaValar1: Legolas ran on snow to do that for Glorfindel. Guess that's good enough.
VardaValar1: How elves can do that boggles the mind.
VardaValar1: I find that harder to figure than Balrog wings.
VardaValar1: Maybe to call the Sun, the elf waves upwards and says hi. : )
Glorfindel VG: who would you say wins LVP to the fellowship : )
Glorfindel VG: theres a topic
Glorfindel VG: pippin vs boromir
VardaValar1: LVP?
Glorfindel VG: least valuable player
VardaValar1: ouch
Glorfindel VG: wait boromir did help get them out of that predicament in the snow
VardaValar1: Pippin was valuable in a positive way: pushing the ents along, misdirecting Sauron on where the Ring was by looking in the Palantir, saving Beregond from the Hill Troll.
VardaValar1: Boromir waded through the snow like a snowplow for the Fellowship, aye.
Glorfindel VG: well who is your pick
Glorfindel VG: its got to be at least one of the 9
VardaValar1: I think Boromir was.
Glorfindel VG: his father would be proud
VardaValar1: He was there to add conflict to the story, but Faramir should have been in his place for the best member.
VardaValar1: Faramir could have helped Frodo make up his mind talking, instead of in a conflict.
Glorfindel VG: who gets mvp then?
VardaValar1: But then Boromir would not have been convinced that Aragorn should be King.
Glorfindel VG: id give frodo mvp
VardaValar1: Most valuable player: Frodo, whether he is spectacular or not. Whole thing would be a wash without him.
VardaValar1: We have an accord. : )
VardaValar1: Faramir might have talked Boromir into accepting Aragorn.
VardaValar1: But what would have happened with Denethor?
Glorfindel VG: who knows
VardaValar1: so much for speculation. ; )
Glorfindel VG: i wish saruman would have gotten the ring
Glorfindel VG: he would have made a good dark lord
VardaValar1: Saruman was missing a lot of his normal memory and power, to be an Istari. Thus he would not have been as strong a Dark Lord as Sauron could be, maybe
VardaValar1: Sauron had been losing power due to powering up minions.
VardaValar1: But Sauron had all his memory.
Glorfindel VG: saruman the black
VardaValar1: Aye. He goes from all colors, to fractured white of the rainbow, to no color of black.
VardaValar1: Could say, "fade to black".
Glorfindel VG: who would saruman give the 9 rings to
Glorfindel VG: i think hed drop the nazgul and fetch a few black riders of his own
VardaValar1: If he got rid of Sauron and got the Ring, he could command the Nine.
VardaValar1: Saruman was trying to make his own rings, but wasn't a student of Aule's as Sauron was.
Eonwe Valar: Saruman was a student of Aulë
VardaValar1: lol
Eonwe Valar: That was one of the reasons given in UT that he was sent.
VardaValar1: Aule has got to watch out for his students!
VardaValar1: Aye, you are right. oboy
Eonwe Valar: Aye :}
VardaValar1: ok, Saruman might not have stopped at Nine. I wonder if he would have used non-humans more?
Eonwe Valar: Likely because it was in Aulë's gifts that Melkor shared the most part that Aulë's Maiar were so likely to be swayed.
Glorfindel VG: he could have given radagast one
VardaValar1: The love of things might make one more easily turn to materialistic views.
Eonwe Valar: Well, presumably one would have to infuse into their Ring a greater portion of their power to control a greater number of rings.
Glorfindel VG: i think the ghost of christmas future was a black rider
Glorfindel VG: well this laptop im on is getting annoying to use
Glorfindel VG: and the wireless is bad
Glorfindel VG: ill see you guys next week!
Glorfindel VG: and happy new year!
Glorfindel VG has left the room.
Menelvagor Valar has entered the room.
Menelvagor Valar: Aiya.
VardaValar1: Aiya Menel! Welcome to After-meeting madness : )
Menelvagor Valar: ah rightio :P
VardaValar1: Fangluin just came online. : )
Menelvagor Valar: Sorry, I am still rather sleepy...
Menelvagor Valar: missed my sleep last night in favor of going to church this morning.
Eonwe Valar: Heya Menel :}
Menelvagor Valar: Heya Eonwe.
Eonwe Valar: Merry Christmas and Happy New Year :}
Menelvagor Valar: Same to you. even though christmas has already passed.
VardaValar1: Christmas holidays are still going. : )
VardaValar1: Happy New Year!
Menelvagor Valar: true. :-)
Menelvagor Valar: I got a slight update for the gaming page btw.
Eonwe Valar: Good timing. I just finished the LotRo updates and was about to put them up :}
Menelvagor Valar: until WotLK I will be taking a break from WoW.
Menelvagor Valar: I've taken up EVE online in the meantime.
Eonwe Valar: Ok
Menelvagor Valar: Anarore Valar is my main there.
VardaValar1: Cool
Eonwe Valar: Noted
VardaValar1: Pallando has been doing some other gaming too, but I'm sure he'd be delighted to see you. : )
Menelvagor Valar: oh yes, we've gamed together a bit.
VardaValar1: Fangluin says hi and he expects to be on LotRO Landroval during the upcoming week, get his character into the branch.
VardaValar1: How are you liking Eve?
Menelvagor Valar: It's ok.
Menelvagor Valar: I have this gut instinct it will end up at the same point WoW is. which is massively boring.
VardaValar1: *drags Menel into LoTO Landroval*
VardaValar1: A lot of what interests me in a game is the people.
VardaValar1: But LotRO has Middle-earth where one can be happy as a potato farmer or epic raider.
VardaValar1: Maybe you need a first person shooter?
Eonwe Valar: Ok, GP updates made.
Menelvagor Valar: nah, it's fun once in a while, but it's not really my cup of tea.
VardaValar1: Thanks Eonwe Wingfinger
VardaValar1: What is your cup of tea?
Menelvagor Valar: RPG's like Final Fantasy
VardaValar1: A kind of guided fantasy story?
Menelvagor Valar: doesn't have to be guided, but as long as the eventual depth of the game supercedes that of gold-farming item-farming or instance grinding.
VardaValar1: Would you think Lord of the Rings Online might have that kind of depth, or could have?
VardaValar1: It has the Book/Chapter approach.
VardaValar1: The character advances through time by the Book/Chapter questing along with the Fellowship's travel, dealing with the fallout in their wake and the activities of the other book characters.
Menelvagor Valar: I think that even though there are quite a number of side-things you could be doing, LotRO is the same as any other RPG.
VardaValar1: okie dokie. *sends Menel back to FF* ;-)
Menelvagor Valar: Even Final Fantasy comes down to grinding stuff to defeat the last boss.
Eonwe Valar: I like action games.
Menelvagor Valar: but at least there's some sense of finality.
Eonwe Valar: Ninja Gaiden for the win :}
VardaValar1: hehe
Menelvagor Valar: and it doesn't take me all that long to get the final boss down.
Menelvagor Valar: with WoW it seems to take like forever.
Eonwe Valar: I think the next evolution of internet connectivity is going to make real-time combat in MMOs possible.
VardaValar1: Like duels?
Eonwe Valar: Cable/DSl could probably do it, since it works well with FPSs, but for proper fighting/action/ style attack graphics, it might not go so well with all the other things an MMO does.
Eonwe Valar: minus that second / after action
VardaValar1: ?
Eonwe Valar: *DSL
Eonwe Valar: Have you seen any fighting games in action, Varda?
VardaValar1: DSL plus fast chip plus great memory is pretty good.
VardaValar1: Some, aye. Mostly over the shoulder.
Eonwe Valar: Well, true, most of the graphics would be able to be done on the computer, not accross the internet.
VardaValar1: The boys' first-person shooters. I used to do some.
Eonwe Valar: Fighting games are different from FPSs
MrMonkey2002Blah has left the room.
Menelvagor Valar: fighting games such as the good ol' Mortal Combat.
VardaValar1: Name one please? I'm not sure what you mean.
Eonwe Valar: Virtua Fighter, Tekken, Super Smash Bros.
Eonwe Valar: Dead or Alive 4.
VardaValar1: I see the kids play combat games where they each take a character and beat on each other.
Eonwe Valar: The SOul Caliber series.
VardaValar1: Comic book characters, was one.
Eonwe Valar: Marvel vs SNK or Marvel vs Capcom.
VardaValar1: Fastest button pushing ever.
Eonwe Valar: Those last two tend to be like that, aye.
VardaValar1: So you don't think response time on those is fast enough?
Eonwe Valar: I think the Super Smash Brothers series adds a bit more strategy to what buttons you push, and it's got a more beginner-friendly setup.
VardaValar1: Could try boxing gloves...
VardaValar1: SCA lets you use swords real life, perfect response time. ;-)
Eonwe Valar: What I'm saying is that I think is that the level of combat you see in 3D fighting/action games is the future of MMOs.
VardaValar1: rattan swords generally.
Eonwe Valar: *is in the future.
VardaValar1: Cool.
Eonwe Valar: Depends on the person :}
Menelvagor Valar: hehe.
Eonwe Valar: For me that's cool :} For others who prefer the way things are now, it may not be so great.
VardaValar1: Perfect real-time action, but aye. hehe
VardaValar1: I expect improvements, and expect many to be ones we have no inkling of today.
Eonwe Valar: Attacks controlled by swing timers ar ereally only a step or two up from turn-based.
VardaValar1: Where is my holographic set-up? Saw some of those demonstrated.
Eonwe Valar: Hehe
VardaValar1: And the light beams used for communication inside the comp. Come on, people, let's get the innovations to the public!
Eonwe Valar: :}
VardaValar1: I guess a lot of my pleasure is in the ambience.
VardaValar1: Get good buddies in there, great place, and I'll farm onions.
Menelvagor Valar: hahah.
VardaValar1: I've done exactly that in LotRO. : )
Eonwe Valar: Don't get me wrong, I enkoy LotRO :}
Eonwe Valar: enjoy even.
VardaValar1: I would love to see the games get all the new super-innovations and will be right there at the counter when they come out, as always.
VardaValar1: I remember Pong. : )
Menelvagor Valar: hihi.
VardaValar1: If it improves as much as it has since that time, it will be fantabulous.
Eonwe Valar: Ultimately, though, there will be an MMO where the player will have to consciously attack, block, parry, etc.
Menelvagor Valar: I would like to see Mass Effect really.
Eonwe Valar: Rather than rely on stats to maximize most of their "ability," and I welcome that day :}
VardaValar1: Seriously, a lot of this seems as if we should just go join a real life group and do it.
Eonwe Valar: hehe
Eonwe Valar: I think we're out of dragons in the real world :}
VardaValar1: This sure is easier in time and place though.
VardaValar1: *looks out the window nervously* Of course, no dragons here!
Eonwe Valar: LotRo has a great atmosphere, and I love hearing the music :}
VardaValar1: I admit LotRO is still in progress and has a long way to go, but I'll keep on sending bug reports and suggestions so it will get there. : )
Eonwe Valar: WoW is still in progress :}
VardaValar1: And Menel can send in suggestions to FF : )
VardaValar1: Aye.
Eonwe Valar: Still bugs in the guild bank system to squash.
VardaValar1: Bugs are ever with us.
Eonwe Valar: I've heard of exploits people can try to use.
Menelvagor Valar: I discovered a nice bug in WoW once :-)
Menelvagor Valar: my group and I nicely exploited it to test it and then reported :-)
VardaValar1: Way to go!
Eonwe Valar: I reported a quest discrepency not long ago, and the response was "working as intended."
Menelvagor Valar: lolz.
Menelvagor Valar: You remember the second boss in Hellfire Blood Furnace?
Eonwe Valar: Of course they said more than that, but that was the bottom line.
Eonwe Valar: Actually, I have't been too far into the Blood Furnace.
Menelvagor Valar: the second boss is the big beholder thing.
Eonwe Valar: ok
Menelvagor Valar: 4 rooms full of orcs need to be defeated in turn before the boss himself comes.
Menelvagor Valar: one of the more annoying boss battles.
Menelvagor Valar: In Heroic we found out that getting to close to one of the sealed rooms would draw the orcs out.
Menelvagor Valar: thereby we could bypass several rooms before the boss, making the fight a hell of a lot easier :-)
Eonwe Valar: hehe
Eonwe Valar: Nice of you to report that. Should i hope that's fixed soon? :}
Menelvagor Valar: Not sure. don't think I did heroic blood furnace after that.
Menelvagor Valar: but yes, I think it was fixed fairly quickly.
Eonwe Valar: Oh, that's good.
Eonwe Valar: They could've made it where if you pull the room before the fight, it spawns more orcs in that room for the fight. Now wouldn't that have been fun :}
Eonwe Valar: Instead, they most likely just fixed the issue with being able to pull them.
Menelvagor Valar: no :P
Eonwe Valar: I meant to ask, Menel. Have you dropped out of the RP?
Eonwe Valar: Or just not particularly inspired to write anything?
Eonwe Valar: Kind of a shame to have lost Estarion at Erebor, but that's your call :}
Menelvagor Valar: I haven't been paying attention actually.
Eonwe Valar: Ouch.
Eonwe Valar: We're back in Mirkwood :}
Eonwe Valar: I think last we heard of Menel was his drinking two Dwarven Ales :}
VardaValar1: That did it.
Eonwe Valar: er, heard of Estarion that is.
Eonwe Valar: We picked up a new Dwarf named Frali, and now it seems an attack has been made by Calion's brother against an Elf maiden.
Eonwe Valar: That's the short version.
Eonwe Valar: afk for a moment.
Menelvagor Valar: I'll read up on it in a day or so.
Eonwe Valar: back
Eonwe Valar: ok
VardaValar1: New art cave up and mentioned on the News.
Eonwe Valar: Cool
VardaValar1: :-)
Eonwe Valar: Oh, don't knwo if you're interested Menel, but there's also info in the discussion thread on horse/pony speeds as well as wolf speeds.
Eonwe Valar: *know
Eonwe Valar: Phar got me thinking about it, so I went to look it up and list it.
VardaValar1: Handy.
Eonwe Valar: Ok ladies and gents, I think I will jump into a game somewhere.
Eonwe Valar: Take care all, good night, sleep well, have fun, and Happy New Year.
GilraenV: you too, Eo
VardaValar1: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/ficti on/authorsT/CassiaSiobhan/stories/Legolas NoGoodRottenDay/LegolasNoGoodRotten Day.htm
VardaValar1: art now illustrates a story
Eonwe Valar: Cool
VardaValar1: I think a bit of food and game is in order here as well!
Eonwe Valar: Bon apetit :}
VardaValar1: LotRO calllllls. ;-)
VardaValar1: Namarie for now!
Eonwe Valar: Namarië all :}
Eonwe Valar has left the room.
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