Valar Guild

December 25, 2016 Sunday Meeting

5pm EST (UTC/GMT - 5)

AIM: Valar Guild Meetingplace

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Transcript work by Ar-Pharazon and Varda.

Attending: (5)
    Arien V/AriehnV, Ar-Pharazon-V/ArPharazonV, Elladan-V/Scott92027 (After-meeting), Eonwe Valar, VardaValar1 (presiding)

Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership
Web
Gaming
    Eonwe's report on general gaming news.
Tolkien:
    Topic: How did people show good cheer, or even celebrate?
After -meeting:
    More fun linking related to the Tolkien topic.
    Flashgaming Reviews by Ar-Pharazon
    Personal gaming Ar-Pharazon
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Before-meeting
Ar-Pharazon-V (ArPharazonV) has entered the room.
Varda Valar (VardaValar1) has entered the room.
Varda Valar: Aiya Golden One :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Aiya!
Varda Valar: Merry Christmas!
Ar-Pharazon-V: Happy holidays :-)
Varda Valar: Yay!
Arien V (AriehnV) has entered the room.
Varda Valar: Aiya Sunshine :-)
Arien V: Aiya and merry christmas all :-)
Varda Valar: Merry Christmas, Arien :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Aiya! Happy Christmas!
Arien V: and to you Phari :-)
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Varda Valar: Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
Varda Valar: Membership:
Varda Valar: Most of us are off of work and/or school for the holidays, enjoying friends and family and, for some of us, the chance to game. :-)
Varda Valar: Several faces on lately for that reason, very fun!
Ar-Pharazon-V: I've got some membership-news-by-proxy.
Varda Valar: Meriadoc-V is visiting at our house. Also hi from Fangorn, Sauron, and Bilbo. :-)
Varda Valar: Any other membership news?
Arien V: aiya to the gang and christmas wishes from me
Ar-Pharazon-V: I was talking to Fladrif yesterday, discussing what we were doing for the holidays, which places to visit, whether to meet up at some point, etc... and I found out some oddly surprising news!
Ar-Pharazon-V: I wasn't even aware he was dating... but apparently he's been married for about a year now :-)
Varda Valar: Now that's some serious dating. :-)
Varda Valar: Congratulations to the ent for finding his special entwife!
Varda Valar: Thanks, Phar. :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Someone he met while living in New Zealand apparently, which is as LotRy as you can get!
Varda Valar: Nice
Ar-Pharazon-V: I'll pass on the congratulations when I next see him :-) I'm sure he's fine with me sharing the "news" ;-)
Varda Valar: Huzzah again!
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Varda Valar: Web:
Arien V: indeed congratulations to him :D#
Varda Valar: Lenwe's Forochel painting was so perfect for Christmas that it's now on our News page for today.
Varda Valar: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/art/gallery/Lenwe/Forochel.jpg
Varda Valar: Pardon, here's the smaller version:
Varda Valar: http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/art/gallery/Lenwe/Forochel_med.jpg
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Varda Valar: Gaming:
Varda Valar: Eonwe put up the Gaming News for us. :-)

Varda Valar: WoW:
Varda Valar: Blizzard says Happy Holidays!
Varda Valar: We also got a preview of micro holidays coming in patch 7.1.5.
Varda Valar: Check out this week's hotfixes.

Varda Valar: Diablo 3:
Varda Valar: We have a preview of Season 9.

Varda Valar: StarCraft 2:
Varda Valar: Now out: patch 3.9.1.
Ar-Pharazon-V: new rocky pet in season 9!
Varda Valar: From now through January 1st, there's bonus experience for multiplayer and co-op missions.
Varda Valar: Neat. Thanks, Phar.

Varda Valar: Heroes of the Storm:
Varda Valar: A new balance update is out.

Varda Valar: Overwatch:
Varda Valar: A new digital comic is out: "Reflections".

Varda Valar: LotRO:
Varda Valar: Turbine is no longer involved with LotRO. It's now in the hands of Standing Stone Games. See the announcement and the FAQ for more info.
Ar-Pharazon-V: That usually sounds like a bad sign for the future of the game.
Varda Valar: The new independent Standing Stones is handling LotRO and DDO. They are the same people that did those games before.
Varda Valar: They were frustrated at not being able to work on those big MMO's and being stuck working on mobile games.
Ar-Pharazon-V: So it's an offshoot of Turbine.
Varda Valar: You could say that, yes.
Varda Valar: Same ;people.
Varda Valar: Since they already have two major, well-established games, they also have a big global distributor working with them, not usual for indies. :-)
Varda Valar: Global publishing by Daybreak Games. The publishers won't be doing the games themselves, but the financial and distributing part.
Varda Valar: This is a huge plus for the games.
Varda Valar: Unfortunately, they had to drop Archeron's Call to do this, at least for now.
Varda Valar: But for LotRO and DDO, this is all good news, no longer neglected.
Varda Valar: The rights were all transferred at the same time.
Varda Valar: Changes that we are seeing are minimal, therefore, as in logos and some maintenance downtime for the changes.
Varda Valar: We are also having Yule Festival with two new steeds and cosmetics. Also nice for the crystals for high level Legendary Items.
Varda Valar: Also extra experience long weekend for the holidays.
Varda Valar: All subscriptions are still being honored the same way, such as lifers and VIP, etc.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Well it'd be kinda bad otherwise.
Varda Valar: Here's a FAQ (also reachable from our News page and Games page):
Varda Valar: https://www.lotro.com/en/game/articles/standing-stone-games-transition-faq
Varda Valar: Aye - a lot of people were worried about what would happen to their subsciptions. No problem.
Varda Valar: The same servers are being used too.

Varda Valar: Any other general gaming comments?
Varda Valar: And there's Eonwe :-)
Eonwe Valar (Eonwe Valar) has entered the room.
Varda Valar: Aiya Eonwe :-)
Eonwe Valar: Heya all and Merry Christmas :}
Varda Valar: Merry Christmas, Eonwe and family :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Aiya!
Arien V: Aiya Eonwe and merry christmas :-)
Varda Valar: Tolkien:
Ar-Pharazon-V: Merry Holidays!

Varda Valar: oops, forgot to give the LotRO gamers for the week list.
Varda Valar: LotRO:
Varda Valar:

Arien
Bregalad
Elladan
Erkenbrand
Fangorn
Gil-galad
Gorllim
Ioreth
Lenwe
Marigold
Meriadoc
Nar
Nimrodel
Sauron
Varda

Varda Valar: There we go :-)

Eonwe Valar: From WoW Lothar: I saw Bofur and Nob and had been on during the week.
Varda Valar: Tolkien:
Varda Valar: O good
Eonwe Valar: Besides myself, of course, heh.
Varda Valar: StarCraft 2 had Fangorn, Eowyn, and Sauron that I'm aware of
Varda Valar: StarCraft/BroodWar had Fangorn and Varda, maybe Sauron
Arien V: i did some SwoTR or rather Knights of the Eternal Throne and played up to the last chapter although i couldnt defeat the end boss in the end ^^ not with the sage anyway
Arien V: but i didnt see anyone else last week unfortunately
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Varda Valar: Tolkien:
Varda Valar: How did people show good cheer, or even celebrate?
Ar-Pharazon-V: Hobbits: Food. Elves: Song. Dwarves: Ehr...
Ar-Pharazon-V: Ale?
Eonwe Valar: Feasts and singing seemed to be a good all-around.
Varda Valar: Hobbits also danced. Remember the name of the dance mentioned?
Ar-Pharazon-V: Afraid not :-)
Varda Valar: Anyone else?
Varda Valar: Hey, this may be a good trivia question.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Probably not the Hokey Pokey.
Eonwe Valar: Good question indeed.
Varda Valar: Starts with S
Eonwe Valar: So Waltz is out, lol :}
Ar-Pharazon-V: Could be the Slow Waltz!
Eonwe Valar: Hmm, my knowledge of dance names is rather limited.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Probably not the Samba either.
Ar-Pharazon-V: I'm assuming it's a made-up one :-)
Varda Valar: Thanks for playing :-)
Varda Valar: Springle-ring
Varda Valar: Had to be a ring name heh.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Springle...
Ar-Pharazon-V: I thought that was the crisp, but that's a pringle.
Varda Valar: So if you're good at that dance, you could be a lord of the rings.
Varda Valar: With a lively twist? :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: right :-)
Varda Valar: The hobbits often seemed to do poetry or songs. Even Sam made up a song
Varda Valar: Frodo kept shifting the road song to meet the occasion
Ar-Pharazon-V: I wonder if they got any creativity training.
Varda Valar: Agreed on song for elves. The Last Homely House had a whole big area devoted to that and poetry.
Varda Valar: (One would think the writer was a linguist.)
Varda Valar: Among Gondorians, they had a practice before eating of standing and looking out from the table and saying a few words.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Writer's a linguist, all his characters become great at the creative use of language.
Varda Valar: Good point. Gimli could wax eloquently concerning the Glittering Caves.
Varda Valar: A few celebrations were mentioned, such as Eruhantale. Eru - thanks.
Varda Valar: Some are mentioned on Numenor, that were mostly wrecked near their end.
Ar-Pharazon-V: I think I banned that stuff... or my ancestors?
Ar-Pharazon-V: Bah, humbug.
Varda Valar: True. Ancestors started it, Sauron really tore it up, changed it to a celebration of Melkor with sacrifices even.
Varda Valar: At least he had a fun time.
Ar-Pharazon-V: More people sharing in the fun!
Varda Valar: In LotRO, they show orcs doing a shuffle dance around bonfires, perhaps a hint of elvish ancestry. Don't remember it in the books, but pretty neat.
Ar-Pharazon-V: A shuffle dance? Like the WoW orcs?
Ar-Pharazon-V: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfbMl_TI54A
Varda Valar: They had a big celebration for Aragorn's coronation.
Varda Valar: Oh fun. Thanks. :-)
Varda Valar: LotRO landscape orcs do a simpler dance just sort of side to side steps with a simple song.
Varda Valar: The monster players who do orcs in LotRO have dances though.
Varda Valar: Thanks for the dance video, what fun. :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Orc shuffle!
Varda Valar: Just to toss it in there, here's a video of LotRO dances from about 2 years ago:
Varda Valar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdlhb4bq9iM
Varda Valar: Just the female dances, heh.
Varda Valar: More videos are available for those interested. Just type LotRO dances in YouTube, or other game.
Arien V: these look cool
Ar-Pharazon-V: Trying to find one for all the wow dances, up to date, but all I can find is with either the tracks muted or characters dressed in not a lot.
Ar-Pharazon-V: If the latter does not bother you, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oN8P4O7PtA
Varda Valar: Fun and games in Middle-earth. That would include a lot we probably didn't get to see. You can bet the Rohirrim had races, trick-riding.
Varda Valar: and they must have played horse-shoes.
Varda Valar: *grabs at a hammer, but it dodges away with a giggle*
Varda Valar: *hammer pad bounces up and slams against the hammer*
Varda Valar: *hammer is startled and darts back to the crafting area*
Varda Valar: *the hammer pad settles back on the table. Can a hammer pad smirk?*
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Varda Valar: After-meeting!
Varda Valar: Beware of pro-active hammer pads.
Varda Valar: Free chat, free gaming. Party! Party!
Ar-Pharazon-V: Got a family game going on here, I'll come back for personal news later :-)
Eonwe Valar: Back and forth for Christmas stuff as well, but I'll throw in that I got my first Legendary in WoW this week.
Eonwe Valar: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/character/lothar/Auros/simple --- It's the helm.
Varda Valar: (Oh neat - WoW dance origins: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sb94BZtz3A
Ar-Pharazon-V: Got mine a few weeks ago, forgot to mention it, a bear-ring :-)
Varda Valar: We all have family stuff going on right now. No worries. We're in free chat, no worries.
Varda Valar: Elf dancing in LotRO:
Varda Valar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTRNJGg754s
Varda Valar: brb
Varda Valar (VardaValar1) has left the room.
Varda Valar (VardaValar1) has entered the room.
Varda Valar: Trying to invite Elladan :-)
Varda Valar: We're trying a relog
Varda Valar (VardaValar1) has left the room.
Varda Valar (VardaValar1) has entered the room.
Elladan-V (Scott92027) has entered the room.
Elladan-V: Hey!
Varda Valar: yay, it worked!
Elladan-V: Merry Christmas, happy Chanukkah
Varda Valar: Merry Christmas, Elladan. :-) And happy holidays
Elladan-V: Quiet in here
Elladan-V: I'll be right back
Elladan-V: gotta run to the store before they close, then on to the hunter! bwahaha
Arien V: Hapy holidays :-) and enjoy
Varda Valar: Meeting is over and family calling most of us
Varda Valar: Later :-)
Arien V: Namarie :-)
Arien V (AriehnV) has left the room.
Varda Valar: Namarie
Elladan-V: anyone else gonna get on LotRO tonight?
Elladan-V: gonna walk Bogey then I'll be on
Elladan-V: :-)
Elladan-V: Guess that's a no lol
Varda Valar: I'm in LotRO
Varda Valar: Fangorn just left it for a break
Varda Valar: Meriadoc was in just a bit ago
Elladan-V: I'm logging in now to launch a few arrows :-P
Eonwe Valar: Haven't seen Merry in a while. Hope he's doing well.
Varda Valar: Meriadoc? He's at my house
Varda Valar: He's been gaming in LotRO too :-)
Eonwe Valar: Cool :}
Ar-Pharazon-V: Back

Ar-Pharazon-V: Personal gaming!

Ar-Pharazon-V: 3 flashgames, 2 of them Christmassy in nature:
Elladan-V: Hey there!
Ar-Pharazon-V: http://www.onemorelevel.com/game/santa_run_4 is the first, a platformer where you play a heavy santa claus, get to the exit, collect the stars if you can, and break blocks by falling on them from high enough. Try not to fall to your death out of the many gaps and edges.
Ar-Pharazon-V: http://www.kongregate.com/games/bontegames/blocky-xmas is the second! A puzzle game where you act as a magnet to manouver layers of a christmas tree into the right position. Can be very tricky!
Ar-Pharazon-V: http://www.kongregate.com/games/tobeglad/evo-explores for the third! Not Christmasy, but ran into it earlier this week, and had a lot of fun. Bit of an abstract puzzle game where you have to shift parts of the structure around to move your character from place to place. Perspective is quite weird, so make use of it :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: It's delightfully Escher, if that means anything to you.
Elladan-V: Allllllll alone in lotroooooooooo
Elladan-V: nooooooooobody to seeeeeeeeeeeee

Ar-Pharazon-V: Blizzzzzard gaming!
Ar-Pharazon-V: Diablo 3: Working hard to finish the season chapters 1 to 4 before the season ends next Friday.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Since last week I've finished seasons 2 and 3, and am about halfway through 4. I'm tough enough to beat the keywardens now, but the trick is going to be fighting the Butcher at Torment 4 difficulty and the level 20 solo Greater Rift. But still got a few days to get there, and get a few upgrades along the way if necessary.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Heroes of the Storm: This week's Brawl is fun in theme, and nice and quick in mechanic. Snow Brawl (possibly inspired by Snow Fight, the non-canon Warcraft book that should be republished in a week or so), the Raven Curse-map littered by snowballs to use against your opponents, and rapidly appearing tributes to claim. Quite nice to play, and doesn't take long :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: I leveled Gul'dan to 5, and getting quite used to playing him now, even becoming MVP in a few matches. My life drain build seems to work nicely.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Hearthstone: Just pushing along. All my classes are pretty much halfway now. Druid a bit ahead because I got a quest to play 5 brawls, and I was using a druid deck for said brawl.
Ar-Pharazon-V: The brawl was an older one revisited: Every turn you draw a card chosen for the mana for that turn. So at turn 1 you draw a 1-mana card, etc.
Elladan-V: thought the meeting was over hours ago lol
Ar-Pharazon-V: An idea here is to put in a lot of low-mana cards, and for the higher mana cards only include those you want to draw, like C'thun for level 10.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Yes well, I always put in my personal gaming in the aftermeeting, and I was afk for a few hours :-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Holiday-stuff.
Ar-Pharazon-V: WoW:
Ar-Pharazon-V: Currently on raid-break for a few weeks around the holidays. Taking the time to work on questing (and Diablo 3). Got a good way through the druid class campaign, but the next step requires 20 world quests which I haven't even unlocked yet. But I did get a bunch of class hall resources for my troubles, and am using them to upgrade my artifact knowledge. Very useful, quite urgent.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Also did most of the Illidan-questline available to me so far, only the Ravenholdt scenario remains. After that I need more Artifact Knowledge.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Weekly quest this week is 5 pvp pet battles won. Not too bad with a decent team, and pretty fast.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Oh, and during class campaign I also quested for and recruited 3 new champions, putting my total at 7 out of 8. Brightwing's pretty scary for a faerie dragon ;-)
Ar-Pharazon-V: Did some archaeology too! Got the new bi-weekly quest done this time in Highmountain, got my sixth rare as reward, an epic necklace. Bit below my ilevel, but still a fun quest, and it also put some meat in my bags to use for the Nomi-dailies in Dalaran.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Which, in turn, got me my first feast-recipe.
Ar-Pharazon-V: Appearance-hunting is going well! I finished Molten Core, finally, and also got all the stuff from Heroic Hellfire Ramparts. Currently going through Normal Blood Furnace 5-man, though the last item is taking a while to get. Got a few greens along the way though, so that's nice.
Ar-Pharazon-V: And finally the pet-hunting in Northrend continues, with me getting another pet from Ulduar: a whelp from Razorscale, ironbound protodrake model. Looks quite nice!
Ar-Pharazon-V: Ooh, mustn't forget, Winter Veil gifts are under the tree starting today! Get yours now. Both new toys come from the gifts, indeed.
Ar-Pharazon-V: And that's my report for this week :-)
Varda Valar: Thank you, Phar :-)
Elladan-V: Cheers!

Elladan-V: *yawn*
Varda Valar: back
Ar-Pharazon-V: saving and sending transcript
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