Valar Guild

June 10, 2012 Sunday Meeting

5pm EDT (GMT - 5)
AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace

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Transcript work by
Ar-Pharazon and Varda.

Attending: (7)
    AriehnV, ArPharazonV, Eonwe Valar, galdorandwe, Gilraen-(V)/Iryenth, GwaihirVala, VardaValar1 (presiding)

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership:
Web:
    GSMU gearing up.
    Games Site tweak.
Gaming:
Tolkien:
After-meeting:
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Before-meeting:
You have just entered room "valarguildmeetingplace."
VardaValar1 has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Golden One :-)
ArPharazonV: Aiya :-)
Eonwe Valar has entered the room.
GwaihirValar has entered the room.
Eonwe Valar: Heya.
Eonwe Valar: Invites sent to everyone I saw on.
VardaValar1: Aiya Eonwe and Gwaihir :-)
ArPharazonV: Aiya folks
Iryenth has entered the room.
galdorandwe has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Gilraen and Galdor :-)
galdorandwe: Aita
galdorandwe: Aiya rather
ArPharazonV: Aiya
VardaValar1: That too. ;-)
Iryenth: Aiya folks
Eonwe Valar: Heya.
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VardaValar1: Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
VardaValar1: Membership news:
VardaValar1: Lot of remodeling going on at my house, but we hope we have it under control now and can be more active.
VardaValar1: Any other membership news?
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VardaValar1: Web:
VardaValar1: Eonwe, go ahead.
Eonwe Valar: Thanks.
VardaValar1: (oh, and we had many many hours of power outage, hopefully fixed.)
Eonwe Valar: Just thought I'd mention I'm gearing up for the GSMU coming in a few months, deciding what adjustments I want to make to the Games Site.
Eonwe Valar: So, if you have comments, concerns, sections you'd like to see added and would contribute to, etc., this would be the period of time to let me know, and they will be considered when the Games Site is being worked on.
VardaValar1: He's a very good stuffer of stuff into websites. ^^
Eonwe Valar: That's it from me for now.
Eonwe Valar: well, except one more thing.
Eonwe Valar: Just to make sure you know we have a Games Site (more to readers than to those here who should know already :}): http://valarguild.org/gaming
VardaValar1: Thanks, good idea. It can also be reached from our starting page with a direct link at the bottom or hit the Valar Guild gif at the top to go anywhere including the Games Site.
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VardaValar1: Gaming:
VardaValar1: Any non-WoW, non-LotRO gaming?
ArPharazonV: Spent more time on Diablo, finally getting the idea I'm getting somewhere :-)
VardaValar1: Getting along in the story line?
VardaValar1: Bilbo is there right now, in D3.
ArPharazonV: Also more flashgames, including a weird rpg/rts hybrid of which I'm now struggling through hell difficulty.
ArPharazonV: Yes, story line, but also getting the hang of combat, plowing through a few large achievements, getting more and more magic items, and starting to see the gold increase
ArPharazonV: A bit of a slow start, but I think I'm getting there.
ArPharazonV: Oh,a nd I heard about a SCII map or mod thing
ArPharazonV: that lets you play all of Diablo 1, quite well made from the video that I saw
ArPharazonV: I might try it in the future :-)
Eonwe Valar: I wonder if someone would make an ME mod of that version of D1, hehehe.
VardaValar1: StarCraft/BroodWar for Fangorn, Sauron, and me.
VardaValar1: Eonwe had more gaming related web news, go ahead.
Eonwe Valar: Thanks.
ArPharazonV: I'll search for the video link
VardaValar1: Thanks Phar :-)
Eonwe Valar: I just wanted to mention that a fun (your mileage may vary) little tweak has been made to the LotRo and WoW player tables.
Eonwe Valar: When you sort them, you'll get some stats related to what you're sorting the player table by that may be of use, or at least interesting.
ArPharazonV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUugzb05bZU
Eonwe Valar: For example, the standard sort (characters grouped by guild name) lets you know how many members are playing how many characters (as before), and now tells you how many of those members have at least one max level character.
Eonwe Valar: Sort by level, and you get how many max level characters there are, and how many characters below max level, grouped every 10 levels at 0-9 (or 0-4 for the top bracket in the current case of a max level ending in 5).
AriehnV has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Aiya Arien :-)
AriehnV: Aiya :-)
Eonwe Valar: Those are the two examples I'll use, but more can be gleaned, and if there's a desire for it I can probably include more stats, to the degree of information I'm willing to track, hehe.
Eonwe Valar: So, try it out. I assume you all know how to reach the player tables already :}
ArPharazonV: How are you getting this information? Armory, or just using the american guilds?
Eonwe Valar: Right now, I'm getting it from the guild rosters in-game. That may change in the future.
ArPharazonV: So nothing from us Europeans ;-)
Eonwe Valar: Nope, this is strictly for guild rosters.
Eonwe Valar: Or, to be more specific, Guild Branch rosters.
Eonwe Valar: That's it from me.
VardaValar1: Thank you, Eonwe
VardaValar1: Aye, it was only intended to help with guild branch members. Gets a bit hairy trying to track everyone.
VardaValar1: A bit invasive too.

VardaValar1: Eonwe, did you have a WoW report? Darkmoon Faire still going?
Eonwe Valar: Darkmoon Faire ended for the month last night.
Eonwe Valar: Last Sunday, Arien, Eonwë, Elwing, and Varda, went into ICC and cleared the first three boss fights before calling it. Tonight we hope to come back for Deathbringer Saurfang, maybe more if we can manage it.
VardaValar1: Not sure how long I can hang around after the meeting. May be on the road.
Eonwe Valar: No worries then.
Eonwe Valar: I've not Friday report, unfortunately.
VardaValar1: Some of us dropped in Friday - Fangorn, Elwing, myself.
VardaValar1: Mostly friendly chit chat, some passing around of items.
AriehnV: I am afraid i have to bail out of US WoW again :-( , these raid times are just too late for me
VardaValar1: They are late for you, aye. Part of why you had to stop before.
AriehnV: i ve put the screenshots from our Epic Eonwe's fight to my photobucket album :-D
VardaValar1: ^^
AriehnV: want the link ?
VardaValar1: Yes, please.
Eonwe Valar: No worries Arien. We understand it's rough for you, and it's not like we have a contingent of European guys playing on Lothar like we do in LotRO on Landroval.
AriehnV: http://s1120.photobucket.com/albums/l481/ArienV/WoWUS%20Screenshots/
VardaValar1: Thanks, just watched your slide show. :-)
AriehnV: :-D
AriehnV: i am sorry for that but i cant keep up with the timing and catch up with my body at the same time
AriehnV: wish that was a bit easier ^^
VardaValar1: No worries, Arien. At least you can join in with us easier in LotRO. : )
AriehnV: :-)

VardaValar1: Speaking of LotRO:
VardaValar1: The new expansion, Riders of Rohan, goes live September 5.
VardaValar1: The pre-order is out right now:
VardaValar1: http://rohan.lotro.com/pre-order.html
VardaValar1: Monday we ran Orthanc's Shadow wing at T1 with seven Valarites and filled in with other folks.
VardaValar1: The first try didn't work, a couple of link deaths near the end not helping.
VardaValar1: Also we had several including me for whom it was a first run.
VardaValar1: Second try we beat it handily, no link deaths, a good idea of what to do.
VardaValar1: Some tips on it are on the News. Melee tips would be nice to add to it.
AriehnV: hmm if i remember right we took about three times to get Warlord someorother in Dragonsoul and wiped umpty times before that ;-)
AriehnV: so well done :-D
VardaValar1: I've run in a fair number of pugs for WoW's Dragon Soul and we did fine, probabaly because we had a good leader calling out to the group.
ArPharazonV: Normal mode, or Raidfinder? :-)
VardaValar1: The Wednesday LotRO run I missed out on due to power outages. If anyone has anything to report on it, please email it to me for inclusion in the News.
VardaValar1: Raidfinder.
AriehnV: yeah but I meant it usually takes longer to get a grip on a boss fight :-) at least in the man version even though nerfed that quite a bit
ArPharazonV: Raidfinder's much, much easier, as I'm sure you know.
AriehnV: ten man version i mean in the normal one
VardaValar1: This was the 25 man in WoW, but we're in LotRO news now. :-)
AriehnV: yeah i just meant as comparison
AriehnV: so you did well
VardaValar1: The Saturday run was pretty much called off, since most of the gang were in the beta for Guild Wars 2.
VardaValar1: The Monday run was a pug run by Ranel, that Valarites answered.
VardaValar1: Pugs like that let us do large runs that we might not have the people for, especially on the weeknight runs.
VardaValar1: Any further gaming comment? Business? Other remarks?
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Tolkien:
ArPharazonV: Just a web/tolkien mention
VardaValar1: Fire away, Phar.
ArPharazonV: Latest production video for The Hobbit is up, and as I usually do, I thought I'd mention it here :-)
ArPharazonV: Basically a studio tour, but there's a few nice glimpses of the movie and the props.
VardaValar1: Will you be putting up the link?
ArPharazonV: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151028043926807
VardaValar1: Thanks!
VardaValar1: In an interesting aside, in LotRO, Eonwe found that we have 20 members in the kin with level 75's, and that we have 50 level 75's. :-)
galdorandwe: I have 4 myself :-)
VardaValar1: but not in the kin, so we can't count them, unfortunately.
VardaValar1: But it's great that yours can join in. : )
AriehnV: ooh i hate that last grind to level 75 .. actually struggling to get to 70 lol
AriehnV: so still sitting on 69
VardaValar1: Try skirmishing and grouping?

VardaValar1: In other news unrelated to any other heading,
VardaValar1: Ray Bradbury has died. Locus had a good article:
VardaValar1: http://www.locusmag.com/News/2012/06/ray-bradbury-1920-2012/

VardaValar1: Tolkien:
Eonwe Valar: On the subject of 20 guild members with at least 1 lvl 75, that's 20/80, or 1/4 of the Guild Branch with at least one lvl 75. It also means that, barring scheduling conflicts and including members who may not have their 75 in the guild branch for various reasons, we should be able to field a 24-man if we really wanted to, hehe.
VardaValar1: Does anyone have a Tolkien topic they'd like to bring up, or a memorable moment they'd like to bring up?
VardaValar1: Thanks Eonwe. Nice LotRO break-down.
Eonwe Valar: My apologies for interrupting the transition to Tolkien.
VardaValar1: Thanks, glad to have the info.
VardaValar1: How did you arrive at 80 members? Is that just the more active ones listed in the Valar's Games Site?
VardaValar1: ok, back to Tolkien
VardaValar1: Speaking of Rohan, we have a list of the rulers of Rohan including reign dates and articles on our Tolkien Site:
VardaValar1: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/k/kings/KingsofRohan.htm
VardaValar1: More can be added to those, showing what was going on at the time of each one's reign.
VardaValar1: This is part of the timeline set-up we're working on as well.
VardaValar1: The researcher clicks on the first king's name and is then able to continue down the line of kings, accessing the articles under each king.
VardaValar1: We could put a lot more detail under each one.
VardaValar1: We also have this set-up for the High Kings and the Kings of Gondor.
VardaValar1: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/articles/k/kings/kingsMan.htm
VardaValar1: It's much larger and could use more help.
VardaValar1: We can also set up one for rulers of the elves. Would that be of interest to anyone here?
ArPharazonV: I suppose those would be much shorter lists.
VardaValar1: And here's the master time-line that we're working on, planning to hook it all together.
Eonwe Valar: Pardon, had to go afk abruptly. 80 members comes from those characters who can be identified as belong to member of the Valar Guild, whether as Full Members or Members of Honor. Characters of indeterminate origin are not included in the Player Tables, and none of them have been played in a long time anyway, so far as I've observed. So, attrbiute every character to its proper member, count the membmers, and boom, 80 Valar Guild members with characters in the Guild Branch on LotRO :}
VardaValar1: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/events/timeline/Complete_Chronology_of_First_Age.htm
VardaValar1: Aye, Phar. : )
VardaValar1: Thanks Eonwe : )
VardaValar1: Anyway, this is a way of being able to look at the history of Tolkien's mythology from start to finish.
VardaValar1: Events all along the time, persons doing interesting things at that time.
VardaValar1: It's a nifty project. Any of you that would like to help fill in the gaps, especially in your favorite areas, is welcome.
AriehnV: oh dang you just enlightened me looking on that timeline :-D , i never could remember the name of the second lamp .. Ormal but its much nicer
AriehnV: the name Illuin stuck somehow but Ormal didnt make it ^^
ArPharazonV: I love chronologies. Such good overviews of history.
Eonwe Valar has left the room.
VardaValar1: Please feel free to give your own favorite areas plenty of play.
VardaValar1: Phar might just want to push the Numenorean info a bit more. ;-)
VardaValar1: Arien, do you have a favorite time? I can hardly pick one over another myself. :-)
Eonwe Valar has entered the room.
VardaValar1: Welcome back, Eonwe :-)
ArPharazonV: Oh, I might just do that :-) I had a plan once to write an extensive history of the entire second age, but a summarized chronology might do ;-)
VardaValar1: Just do parts, then we can hook it into the main chronology.
AriehnV: second age i love that , remember i put a story in that :-)
AriehnV: or early third
Eonwe Valar: Thanks. Lovely disconnect.
VardaValar1: Pick any spot you like in the Second Age, do related articles, and we hook it into the timeline.
VardaValar1: With lots of people helping, it can be really informative and fun to dig through.
AriehnV: can do
ArPharazonV: Parts, eh? That might be thematic more than chronologic, since I'd be inclined to work down full lists. Geographic maybe; a line for middle-earth, or a line for Lindon, or Eregion, or the line of Kings, or the lords of Andunia...
VardaValar1: Yes, do that.
VardaValar1: It's how it's been tackled before.
VardaValar1: Work down the list you're interested in.
AriehnV: mind you the second age attracts me because its so mirky and little known :-)
AriehnV: you know the mind of a writer ..
ArPharazonV: It should also be easier to get information that way, rather than to try and find out every scrap of detail between, say, SA 251 and SA 500.
VardaValar1: We can also use stories, Arien. : )
VardaValar1: No one person has to find every scrap of detail.
VardaValar1: Find what you want to discuss, do your best to show the date or near as possible.
VardaValar1: Then we hook the article into the timelines.
AriehnV: cool
AriehnV: i might try to dig deeper what we know of Eregion of that time
AriehnV: and who settled were .. and such
AriehnV: err make that where
AriehnV: (on on off topic note i love that blog .. just love it as PJ tries to get into an office of a guy and he just holds up a sign No admittance - except on party business . that made me laugh
VardaValar1: hehehe
VardaValar1: That was all I wanted to mention. Enough to keep a lot of Tolkien nuts busy a very long time. : )
VardaValar1: Any further comments?
ArPharazonV: Could be a nice challenge to get a window of time like that though...
VardaValar1: We already are doing it, Phar.
ArPharazonV: 251-500 as in the above example
VardaValar1: I try to use the timeline, then link to articles on things happening at that time.
ArPharazonV: Just focus on a small period and see what you can find about everything happening in that time all over Arda
AriehnV: Talking of nuts .. remind of phoning the Tolkien society guys and ask whether its possible to book for events on thursday and friday .. got plans for the weekend of that second august week ..
AriehnV: Right wil do my best :-)
VardaValar1: Our articles need to be from original material. The internet is nice to help get one started, but not for a finished article.
VardaValar1: Too much misinformation gets copy/pasted over and over that way.
VardaValar1: Also, it's just fun digging around in the original material. Suggests lots more neat stuff.
AriehnV: right
Eonwe Valar: And don't forget references in articles, hehe.
VardaValar1: Aye, so your readers can also go to that original source.
VardaValar1: A lot of what we have, mine included, are vague for someone trying to look up the original.

Eonwe Valar: By the way, I left loose ends in my last Elrond post to be picked up: The weaponsmith to Meren, the Healer to Frali.
VardaValar1: We have a lot of forum posts going on. Thanks Eonwe for the RP reminder. Gorlim and Dirhavel posted news too.
VardaValar1: Hmm, seems to be a handy gavel right here. Let's try it.
VardaValar1: *whirl*
VardaValar1: *ker-whumpf!*
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VardaValar1: After-meeting. :-)
VardaValar1: Gang, I've been told I'm out of time. See you around!
VardaValar1 has left the room.
Eonwe Valar: Take care Varda and have fun :}
AriehnV: Namarie gang :-)
AriehnV: see yo soon
AriehnV has left the room.
Eonwe Valar: OK, off I go for the evening. Take care all, good night, sleep well, and have fun :}
Eonwe Valar has left the room.
ArPharazonV: Saving and sending transcript.
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