Valar Guild

September 16, 2018 Sunday Meeting

5pm EDT (UTC/GMT - 5)
Discord: Valar Guild/meeting_place

Back to News
Transcript work by
Varda.

Attending (and spoke): (8)
    Discord: Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Celebrian, Elrond, Ioreth, Menelvagor, Pallando, Varda (presiding)
    Twitch stream: Gwaihir

Before-meeting
     Eve Online
Meeting begins
Membership news:
    Twitch stream
    Online D&D Beyond class held on Discord: Lost Mines of Phandelver module
Web:  
    Games Site:
        Mass update has begun. Check your email!
    Community:
        Next month is the 21st anniversary of the Valar Guild.
            Start now on your art, poetry, stories, articles, etc.
            Gamers, get ready to take screenshots in your games of choice. Now is a good time to start collecting fireworks or the equivent if you can, or check to see if you still have some in your stash. The branch storages will be trying to stock some for those that don't have fireworks on Anniversary Day. Passing around drinks, using the /drink emote is a fun extra for the theme. The usual rides together on anniversary day for various games into selected cities/locations will need to be coordinated, probably with two runs to handle time zones and our crazy schedules. We can try to arrange staggered times for those of us in more than one game.
        The riddle game will be starting up again on the Forum.
Gaming:
    General gaming reports.
Tolkien:
    Topic: Discussion of the Ainur and how to answer when someone asks "What do you mean, Valar Guild? Did you misspell valour/valor?"
After-meeting:
    More chat on various subjects such as the word(?) "Valarites", SC2, Aratar jobs, and a link to a webcomic that shows why there's a difference between the book and movie concerning Aragorn's sword.
    Flashgaming Reviews by Ar-Pharazon
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Before-meeting
(times are in Central from Varda's Discord, so add one hour for Eastern)

ElrondYesterday at 10:49 AM
In case I don't make it, I'll throw in my EVE report. The north is burning. Last week we destroyed the CO2 Keepstar (https://zkillboard.com/kill/72386114/)  which they did not defend, causing Sort Dragon (head of NCdot and the GOTG/North) to lock them out of all the citadels of the north.  Last night and early this morning we hit several keepstars, which they had already fled to, now they are evacuating their assets as we do what nobody else has done, and destroy three keepstars in one day on Wednesday.  (https://youtu.be/lQjhAD1i20E ME3 meme).
zkillboard.com
Keepstar | SRBI Holding | Killmail
(SRBI Holding) lost their Keepstar in DW-T2I (Fade). Final Blow by Shen Nu (4S Corporation) flying in a Ferox. Total Value: 190,926,658,872.57 ISK
    YouTube
    John Hartley
    The Fall Of The North
    Before this war, it was thought that nobody could take out an armed/online keepstar, and I've killed three of them with my titan, though we've killed a few more.  The north has retreated to ratting/mining mostly in Tribute as we are disrupting ratting/mining in the North, destroying anyone caught doing PVE activities in the region with our cloaky camping campaign. The war in the southern with TEST is pretty much over, TEST is now on the offense against Fraternity, as their allies have retreated, with PL losing several major corps about two weeks ago. The head alliance leader of Fraternity has apparently been banned for RMT, something they have been accused of online quite a bit.    There is a seperate  Chinese EVE server, and botting/RMT is legal there, and when players crossover, well I will say sometimes they keep doing the same thing here.
    CCP did an event recently where they teleported botting ships into one area for everyone to kill, and nearly all of them were from Chinese corps, in all different alliances. In any case, how they play on Serenity (the Chinese server which is shutting down) is different from how things are done here, and some adjust and play by the rules, and some don't. Gigx, who was banned before and was the leader of CO2, had snuck back into the game, had his accounts banned again due to his prior actions. Of course, being head of the same alliance and naming yourself "The Gigx" isn't exactly subtle. That's my  Eve report!
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 2:39 PM
    RMT and botting are both still against the EULA on Serenity, but TianCity really just didn't care.
One of the many reasons CCP terminated that arrangement.
VardaYesterday at 3:51 PM
Thanks for the early report and comments Elrond and Pallando. : )
VardaYesterday at 4:01 PM
Meeting time!
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:01 PM
Aiya!
VardaYesterday at 4:01 PM
Aiya Phar : )
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:01 PM
Aiya! :smile:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:01 PM
Arien poked.
Aiya Menelvagor!
VardaYesterday at 4:01 PM
Aiya Menel  : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:02 PM
The fellow who brought me to Argent Dawn.
ArienVYesterday at 4:02 PM
Aiya all and aiya Menel :smile:
VardaYesterday at 4:02 PM
Aiya Arien : )
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:02 PM
Long time no see Arph! Must've drifted off into the heavens somewhere ^^
ArienVYesterday at 4:02 PM
good to see you again pal :smile:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:02 PM
Aiya Arien!
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:02 PM
You too Arien.
ArienVYesterday at 4:02 PM
it has been a long time :smiley:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:02 PM
Yes, good to see you, was hoping you're okay :smiley:
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:03 PM
Just got incredibly lucky I caught Eonwë's message in my secondary (spammy) email adress
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:03 PM
Ah.
Yeah, that's one of the benefits of the mass email. It lets people know we're still alive :wink:
VardaYesterday at 4:04 PM
That's true too.
IorethYesterday at 4:05 PM
aiya
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:05 PM
Aiya
VardaYesterday at 4:05 PM
Aiya Ioreth and Pallando : )
ArienVYesterday at 4:07 PM
Aiya Pallando :smiley:
aiya Ioreth
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:07 PM
Aiya Ioreth and Pallando!
VardaYesterday at 4:08 PM
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Elen sila lumen' omentielvo!
A star shines on the hour of our meeting.
Membership:
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:09 PM
Gwaihir says hi from his twitch stream btw :smiley:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:09 PM
Aiya Gwaihir!
VardaYesterday at 4:09 PM
Thank you! Aiya to Gwaihir : )
IorethYesterday at 4:10 PM
that twitch streaming is kinda fun. I used it the other night to help someone set up their ui in wow
VardaYesterday at 4:10 PM
Sounds handy
IorethYesterday at 4:10 PM
best use yet
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:10 PM
So you're watching them messing with their UI on twitch?
IorethYesterday at 4:10 PM
they were watching me show them where to look for certain settings
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:11 PM
Ah, other way around :smiley:
CelebrianYesterday at 4:11 PM
Aiya. Semi afk. Have an online D&D game/learning class starting soon.
IorethYesterday at 4:11 PM
tabletop D&D or game?
VardaYesterday at 4:11 PM
Lurkers welcome and that sounds intriguing.
ElrondYesterday at 4:12 PM
Aiya
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:12 PM
Aiya!
VardaYesterday at 4:12 PM
Aiya Elrond : )
CelebrianYesterday at 4:14 PM
Nah, its being done online. The guy is using D&D Beyond and is teaching people that have never played or played a long time ago how to play 5e. Me and Elrond are doing it. I think its just on discord.
He was gonna aim a webcam at his miniatures.
VardaYesterday at 4:15 PM
Being on Discord is handy for us.
IorethYesterday at 4:15 PM
so it's not the pc game D&D but the real tabletop one
CelebrianYesterday at 4:15 PM
Oh no. Ive played DDO but its been a while
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:15 PM
I haven't played a D&D game since Menelvagor hosted one... many years ago.
VardaYesterday at 4:15 PM
Anyone else want to join in the D&D Beyond class? I don't suppose he means Pathfinder or Eberron?
We played last weekend. : )
CelebrianYesterday at 4:16 PM
No clue, we found this on reddit. He was only taking 4 people at a time.
IorethYesterday at 4:16 PM
I have a friend who paints those miniatures, that sounds like more fun than the game to me
VardaYesterday at 4:16 PM
Ah ok.
CelebrianYesterday at 4:16 PM
Think its just the starter campaign.
ElrondYesterday at 4:17 PM
He's running the Lost Mines of Phandelver modules
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:18 PM
I do read several D&D-based webcomics, if that counts?
VardaYesterday at 4:18 PM
hehe
Maybe it counts for us if it's this one:
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=612
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:20 PM
Yes, I remember that one :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:20 PM
There you go.
top

Web:
Nothing new on the Tolkien Site this past week.

Gaming:
The Games Site is very active right now, with the mass email going out to everyone we have an email for.
If you haven't received an email from Eonwe, please contact him by email or Discord message to let him know which games you're playing this year, so we can have current info. You might even find a gaming buddy that's been pre-vetted for you by checking the site.
http://valarguild.org/gaming
    The Valar Guild Games Site
    Valar Guild Games Site
A cc to me is welcome to help the Membership page, but not required.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:23 PM
I sent him a direct message not long before this meeting. I'm sure he'll see it when he's online.
VardaYesterday at 4:23 PM
Ugluk responded, for those of you who remember our sailor friend. : )
Mirabella is back in LotRO, to her husband Nar's delight especially. : )

Community:
Anyway, we're trying to collect the info by Sept 30 so that the Games Site can be updated by the time of the Anniversary. : )
Please consider making some artwork, a poem, a story, an article, or a howdy on the forum for that event. It can take some time to do those things, so we're starting now.
And of course, collect fireworks or the equivalent for your game and your screenshot!
top

Gaming:
Eonwe the Amazing has gaming news for us. Let me know if you have additional general news for these or ones not brought up.

World of WarCraft:
Now available, Uldir in LFR Wing 1 and Mythic difficulty. See the announcements here.
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/22483122/uldir-mythic-and-raid-finder-wing-1-available
    World of Warcraft
    Uldir Mythic and Raid Finder Wing 1 Available! - WoW
That dwarf in the picture could be right out of LotRO. : )

MenelvagorYesterday at 4:28 PM
I was wondering if anyone knew what the exact date was that the Forum went online?

Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:28 PM
good old Brann Bronzebeard :smile:
VardaYesterday at 4:28 PM
A developer live stream will be happening this Tuesday, September 18th.
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/22483122/uldir-mythic-and-raid-finder-wing-1-available
    World of Warcraft
    Uldir Mythic and Raid Finder Wing 1 Available! - WoW
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:28 PM
(wrong link)

VardaYesterday at 4:28 PM
I might be able to figure the forum date pretty closely from my joining date. You might check yours
oops  : )

Ah hah. We need to let Eonwe know that. It's the one on the Games Site. Do any of you have the link?
ahh think this is it
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/22483124/join-us-for-a-developer-live-stream-tuesday-september-18
    World of Warcraft
    Join Us for a Developer Live Stream Tuesday, September 18 - WoW
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:30 PM
that'd be it :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:30 PM
I found it at this handy link:
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news
    World of Warcraft
    News - WoW
This week's bonus event: Battle for Azeroth Dungeons.
Check out the hotfixes for this week.
Eonwe combs through news junk for relevant stuff for us.

MenelvagorYesterday at 4:32 PM
The earliest post I was able to uncover was sep 1 2003. But that post suggested it had been up for longer than that.
VardaYesterday at 4:32 PM
Can you see your own join date Menel?
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:33 PM
would probably be as Turgon anyway, or can you change your name?
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:34 PM
August 27th.
Yes, you can change your name on the forum.
VardaYesterday at 4:34 PM
Aug 27 2003 is the earliest member registration I'm spotting at the moment.
Mine was the day after that.
ArienVYesterday at 4:35 PM
i see a datge for menel 1999 and  2000
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:35 PM
October 15 of that year for me.
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:35 PM
Forum, Arien :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:35 PM
Aug 27, the first one, was for some Menelvagor guy.
ArienVYesterday at 4:35 PM
oh right blush ^^
VardaYesterday at 4:35 PM
That guy that set up the forum. ; )
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:36 PM
I think I opened the forum on saturday to fiddle with it a little before tossing it into the meeting :smiley:
I can still log in as admin grin
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:36 PM
...Which is 11 days after I joined the guild. I actually joined not long after you started the forum.
VardaYesterday at 4:36 PM
Thank you for doing that. We're supposed to be setting up a riddle game on it again, a new one.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:36 PM
I think Eonwe was looking into that?
VardaYesterday at 4:36 PM
We can put you to work, Menel.
Right, Phar.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:37 PM
Man, I forgot proboards was a thing.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:37 PM
Pff, the link's right there on the website :wink:
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:38 PM
I remembered the VG forums, I forgot that the VG forums were on proboards.
How are they still around? ._.
VardaYesterday at 4:38 PM
You can click Recent Posts
They are still around, yes. : )
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:39 PM
http://valarguild.proboards.com/
    Home | Valar Guild
    Visit our forum at: valarguild.proboards.com
VardaYesterday at 4:39 PM
They even updated a little while back. Added the shout box, for instance.

IorethYesterday at 4:39 PM
So  how old is the guild this year?

VardaYesterday at 4:39 PM
Our Yahoo board is still up too.

Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:40 PM
Curse ye, now I'm going through that DM of the Rings comic again..

VardaYesterday at 4:40 PM
Oct 4, 1997 is what we're calling the founding date of the Valar Guild as it is now.
IorethYesterday at 4:40 PM
sweet, old enough to drink
VardaYesterday at 4:41 PM
21, right. : )
That could be an amusing theme...
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:41 PM
Heh.
VardaYesterday at 4:41 PM
./drink
short story: Aragorn tries to drink tea or coffee etc made by Eowyn.
ArienVYesterday at 4:43 PM
hehe
IorethYesterday at 4:43 PM
hand out free drinks in game... lol
VardaYesterday at 4:44 PM
You bet. I have some celebratory drinks from other events, could add to those. And we have some cooks who could whip up some drinks in LotRO. WoW and other games have some kind of drinks?
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:44 PM
Well, a bit of pandaria cooking can give a few brews :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:44 PM
and there's the drink emote.
There you go. Along with fireworks, we can drink a toast. Maybe "To the Professor".
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:45 PM
There's even a Way of the Brew.
VardaYesterday at 4:45 PM
True. O man, I remember that as long as it's been.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:45 PM
Eve has plenty of drinks, not that you can actually drink them.
VardaYesterday at 4:45 PM
Most drinks might not be a good thing to drink. ; )
Just pretend.
ArienVYesterday at 4:46 PM
hehe i remember at least in the film Eowyn couldnt really cook :smiley:
her soup must have beeen  disastrous .. i wsnder whether her tea is better?
VardaYesterday at 4:46 PM
Aye, that was the film. We're allowed to enjoy all Tolkien-related stuff for the guild, although we are book-based. We just have to state if it's movie, game, book inspired.
Sludge Tea
Swill Beer
Ok, I digress. Love planning parties with such creative people!
ArienVYesterday at 4:47 PM
:smiley:

VardaYesterday at 4:48 PM
I may be going through that comic again. It's fun and been a while.

WoW news continued:
O right. We were talking about WoW's live chat.
and
This week's bonus event: Battle for Azeroth Dungeons.
Check out the hotfixes for this week.
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/21973195/hotfixes-september-14-2018
    World of Warcraft
    Hotfixes: September 14, 2018 - WoW
Any other general WoW news, people sightings?
Ioreth is in it right now. : )
ArienVYesterday at 4:50 PM
they opened up more quests in Arathi Highlands :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:50 PM
Ah nice
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:51 PM
Yeah, warfronts switched sides today from alliance to horde, so horde gets to kill stuff in Arathi and Alliance gets to contribute and later on do the warfront itself.
IorethYesterday at 4:51 PM
Just finished Ready for War, and am finishing off Battle of Azeroth explorer as we speak
ArienVYesterday at 4:51 PM
kill 20 s in the bunch and at least one gives a good itemlevel gear other than Azerite and war supplise , so it is  a good way to get  a bit of gear there
nice one Ioreth :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 4:52 PM
I love that we can all "talk" at once and yet it is easy to read. : )  Don't miss anything that way.
Interesting.

Diablo 3:
Season 15 is coming September 21st. This season's theme: Boon of the Horadrim.
https://us.diablo3.com/en/blog/22493264/season-15-boon-of-the-horadrim-begins-921-9-14-2018
    Diablo III
    Season 15: Boon of the Horadrim Begins 9/21
    Learn about our next Themed Season - from unique buff, to cosmetic rewards, to Haedrig's Gifts and more!
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:53 PM
Yep, that theme being double horadric cache rewards from bounty acts. Very good for Cube materials.
VardaYesterday at 4:54 PM
Thanks

StarCraft 2:
Patch 4.6.1 came out this week.
https://starcraft2.com/en-us/news/22492977
    StarCraft II
    Wage war across the galaxy with three unique and powerful races. StarCraft II is a real-time strategy game from Blizzard Entertainment for the PC and Mac.
A balance revamp is in the works.
https://starcraft2.com/en-us/news/22372713
    StarCraft II
    Wage war across the galaxy with three unique and powerful races. StarCraft II is a real-time strategy game from Blizzard Entertainment for the PC and Mac.
Eowyn-(V)  (actually an excellent cook) is currently playing SC 2, or her son is or both. :smiley:  4 years old.
Eowyn, Faramir, Fangorn have played SC2 this week, sometimes some of them together. Anyone else this past week?
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:56 PM
Nope, but I do play SCII sometimes.
VardaYesterday at 4:56 PM
Nice : )
MenelvagorYesterday at 4:57 PM
Haven't played on any US though.
So my coop there is probably non-existent.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 4:57 PM
I played some SCII, but just training games for that first free win of the day for the war chest :wink:
VardaYesterday at 4:58 PM
Fun
ArienVYesterday at 4:58 PM
just wow i am afraid ^^ we  just came home on friday night
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:59 PM
I haven't touched SC2 for awhile, I should see what the new coops are like.
VardaYesterday at 4:59 PM
Maybe you guys can join up or talk to each other at least. : )

LotRO:
The Tale of the Shipwrecked Mariner will run from September 15th through the 17th

Pallando-ValarYesterday at 4:59 PM
I've played more SC1 than SC2 int he last 6 mo. :p
VardaYesterday at 4:59 PM
Cool too!

LotRO continued:
VardaYesterday at 5:00 PM
Be sure to level up crafting as far as you want to go before the next update. The kin can help with mats if you mention what is needed.
Characters will be able to level up to 120. 115 is the current max.
and we will be into more of the dwarven areas that we haven't yet seen. Lonely Mountain for one.
Here's a LotRO related link from Eonwe:
https://www.daybreakgames.com/press/daybreak-games-nantworks-joint-venture
    Daybreak Game Company
    NANTWORKS MAKES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT IN DAYBREAK GAME COMPANY  AND...
    NantG Mobile to Co-Develop Next Generation Game Publishing Platform
    LA Times Center and NantG Mobile to Establish E-Sports Leagues Across Multiple Games Beginning with Z1 Battle Royale, the Revitalized H1Z1 Battle Royale Game
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:02 PM
Equalling WoW max level, eh? Are you finally going to overtake us?
VardaYesterday at 5:02 PM
May-be.
I think the investment is due an interest in those e-game tournaments.
I've been bumping into new and old people in LotRO, been fun. Sorry I haven't been on as much or as regularly, but have not lost interest at all.

Just a lot of working on a couple of houses, and the twins being born prematurely but ok. So lots happening.
Besides the usual stuff.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:04 PM
Congratulations with that :smiley:
(or those?)
VardaYesterday at 5:04 PM
hehe
Fraternal twins. A boy and girl. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:05 PM
Congratulations with them!
VardaYesterday at 5:05 PM
Bilbo does nothing halfway.
(Yes, they're his twins. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:06 PM
Sounds about right for a hobbit, though I don't remember any twin hobbits in the books.

VardaYesterday at 5:06 PM
LotRO gamers that showed up in the kin this past week:
Beleg
Bregalad
Celebrian
Dis
Falco
Fangorn
Menelvagor
Mirabella
Nar
Nimrodel
Thranduil
Varda
If I missed you, please speak up. : )
Gorlim not on there? /smackhead
Any other LotRO general news you'd like to bring up?
O ok. 12 days since Gorlim was on last. He's been on Discord chatting and plays a good bit of Battletech, like right now. : )
Any others that play Battletech?
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:11 PM
(as an aside, I've seen Fladrif playing Hearthstone)
VardaYesterday at 5:11 PM
Very good, thanks!
Hi to Fladrif over there in Hearthstone some time or other. : )
Pallando left us a wonderful report earlier for Eve Online.
Everyone is able to scroll back and see it, right? If not, I need to fix your permissions.

LotRO and DDO news:
Elrond has a very interesting link to a letter, referring to Middle-earth Enterprises interest in working with Athlon on another Middle-earth game. We and others were worried and this letter helps.
https://www.reddit.com/r/lotro/comments/9gdagy/i_sent_an_email_to_middleearth_enterprises_about/
reddit
    r/lotro - I sent an e-mail to Middle-earth Enterprises about LOTRO...
    54 votes and 1 comment so far on Reddit

MenelvagorYesterday at 5:16 PM
Time for me to hit the sack! Good night everyone :smiley:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:17 PM
Namarie!
VardaYesterday at 5:17 PM
Sleep well, Menel. Thank you for helping light our sky tonight. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:17 PM
You still in the Netherlands?
ArienVYesterday at 5:17 PM
Namarie Menelvagor :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 5:18 PM
Yes he is still there.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:18 PM
Good to know what bedtime means then, as it's midnight here. Working mondays, I assume!
VardaYesterday at 5:19 PM
Being gainfully employed allows us to also be gamefully employed. Very good.
Any other general gaming news, business, suggestions, amazing links like that last one, etc?
Anyone need a game invite from someone here?
Maybe a lonesome alt?
ArienVYesterday at 5:21 PM
not this week :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 5:21 PM
Okie dokie.
Then we can move on to
Tolkien!
Before I give a suggestion for a topic, did anyone else have one or a link to share?
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:22 PM
oh!
I have one semi-gaming thing
VardaYesterday at 5:23 PM
Go ahead. : )

Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:23 PM
Eve Online was ont he cover of Nature BioTechnology!
https://www.nature.com/nbt/
    Nature Biotechnology
VardaYesterday at 5:23 PM
How nifty!
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:24 PM
Project Discovery was a citizen science thing where you classified cells in game, got in game rewards, but you were actually doing real science!
They found at least 10 new cell structures through the program, and got tons of other info.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:24 PM
...for a moment I thought the third line on that cover said "Gnome model captures variation."
VardaYesterday at 5:25 PM
Gamers aid Science! Yes!
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:25 PM
Project Discovery has gone on to look for exoplanets now, and there's already some preliminary results from that where we might have found an exoplanet.
Or multiple, even.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:26 PM
Knowledge through gaming.
VardaYesterday at 5:26 PM
you mean outside this solar system? I thought they already found quite a few.
Even some rather earth-like.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:26 PM
I was terrible at the microbiology one, but I've put in some serious time on the exoplanets. :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 5:26 PM
hehe
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:26 PM
Yes, absolutely. This is just helping find more, ones which can't be found through automated means.
VardaYesterday at 5:27 PM
Fabulous. Makes me want to go to Eve.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:27 PM
You could totally grab eve, set up an account, and do nothing but project discovery.
It's available from the second you're in space, as with almost all things in Eve. :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 5:28 PM
That could help bring more gamers into Eve. : )
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:28 PM
(It's even kinda decent money for a new player)
VardaYesterday at 5:29 PM
and bring Sauron back in. He said he was not too great with the exobiology but would like to try exoplanets.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:29 PM
Anyways, the full text of the biotech paper is here, for free, if you're interested int he nitty gritty. https://rdcu.be/4ReL
VardaYesterday at 5:29 PM
Ok, folks. You heard it here!
Thank you, Pallando. I'm definitely interested.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:30 PM
That's all.
VardaYesterday at 5:30 PM
That's a lot. Thanks!
Is that microbiology thing still going on?
ElrondYesterday at 5:31 PM
It is
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:31 PM
Nope, that's over.
Same name, different science.
VardaYesterday at 5:32 PM
o well. I'd also be fascinated by the one for exoplanets. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:32 PM
Really going for the small-scale and the large-scale at once, eh?
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:33 PM
It is something of a genre shift. :p
VardaYesterday at 5:33 PM
Fibonacci numbers do both. : )
ElrondYesterday at 5:33 PM
If you have a head for pattern recognition/math its a good thing for you.
ArienVYesterday at 5:33 PM
right my lovely valarites  '' i am starting to have trouble reading in here and get really sleepy :frowning:
ElrondYesterday at 5:33 PM
That excludes me
VardaYesterday at 5:33 PM
Rest well, Sunshine. Night is lovely too.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:33 PM
Good night Arien! Ping me some time about Eve, want to make sure you landed on your feet. :smiley:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:33 PM
Namarie Arien!
VardaYesterday at 5:34 PM
Tolkien:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:34 PM
Well, I'm pretty good with patterns.
ArienVYesterday at 5:34 PM
okie doki thanks Pallando :smile:
Namarie all :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 5:34 PM
math and patterns. You got it.
Art, music are all more math. Math is a language for things we can't hardly draw, giving us a way to see past our normal sight.
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Tolkien:
Ok, speaking of patterns...
We are called the Valar Guild, so it behooves us to remember what that is sometimes, in case somone asks.
Surely you've heard, "Hey, you mispelled Valour!"
Hey, we have plenty of valour too. ; )
So, what or who are the Ainur, just in general?
This is not a trick question. Just blowing some dust off our memories.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:37 PM
Celestial beings who run the world?
for a quick summary :wink:
VardaYesterday at 5:38 PM
Not a bad summary. Maybe they play Eve Online too.
Eru, who was alone, made a group of beings that he taught music (form of math pattern) to. From that, they unsuspectingly set up the pattern that we now live in, according to JRRT's mythos.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:39 PM
Spirits/entities created by the Creator before the world, who created the world with him, and then descended to sort the place out and live in it themselves, while also paving the way for the worldly races.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:39 PM
...I mean, Morgoth would thrive in Eve's nullsec politics.
VardaYesterday at 5:39 PM
heh, now we know who's back of that.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:40 PM
Morgoth wouldn't like space. He wouldn't be happy until he controlled or destroyed everything, and space is just too big. Too many stars and planets.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:40 PM
..he should talk to Mittens. Anyways.
VardaYesterday at 5:41 PM
Morgoth combed the Void hunting the Secret Fire, not understanding that it was within Eru. He thought it had to be something he could pick up and control to let him have the same or greater power.
I know not Mittens. : )
CelebrianYesterday at 5:42 PM
Grr Goons.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:42 PM
Aniur are the entities that helped the creator form the world. Once creation was.. created, some subset (I don't recall if it was ever said many/most/some/few?) entered the creation, and put the finishing touches on it. As time went by, they took less and less of a direct role in the world before withdrawing completely.
never not grr goons.
CelebrianYesterday at 5:43 PM
I'm a Goon :smiley:
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:43 PM
I know. :p
VardaYesterday at 5:43 PM
heh
ElrondYesterday at 5:44 PM
Bilbo sends his regards (j/k)(edited)
VardaYesterday at 5:44 PM
?
oh : )
ElrondYesterday at 5:44 PM
It's an eve joke
VardaYesterday at 5:44 PM
Since I have a son, Bilbo, that kind of shot overhead.
CelebrianYesterday at 5:44 PM
Usually its Mittens sends his regards.
The Mittani rather
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:45 PM
Mittani, that sounds familiar...
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 5:45 PM
But Mittani, at the fanfest, with the wizard hat.
😋
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Man now we've turned Tolien talk into Eve memes that only 3 of us get. I'm sorry. :smiley:
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:46 PM
Oh, right, ancient people in the Middle East, featured as the enemies in the tutorial campaign of the first Age of Empires :wink:
VardaYesterday at 5:46 PM
No worries. Others reading this will enjoy them too, and maybe I'll learn something along the way!
So the Ainur are out in Eve Online, singing. And Morgoth's song tries to shoot down the one they are working with Eru on for his own. But it winds up working for Eru, althought he can't see it.
We seem to be hopping across channels chatting. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:49 PM
Curses, foiled again.
VardaYesterday at 5:49 PM
passes over the mustache wax
Ok, the Ainur are referred to with several names.
The ones leading the song and creating new parts are called the Valar.
The Maiar join in and help them, some nearly as strong as the Valar.
The Aratar are the Valar who are far more powerful than the other Valar.
But all of them work together well on the song, except Morgoth who wants to take over and those that he can pull to his view, or that become quiet as they can't hardly make music over that racket Morgoth's gang are making.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:52 PM
Must've been some angry mumbling there.
VardaYesterday at 5:53 PM
Most likely.
So what the Valar are, are those that work to create a world that they saw a vision of that enthralled them so much that many of them went to Arda to continue making that vision into reality.
We of the Valar Guild are doing something similarly. And we have long fought the ahem discord of Morgoth.
We create places of play where we can actually play the game.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:55 PM
Even Morgoth's  helping, in our case :wink:
VardaYesterday at 5:55 PM
We create websites that help with gaming together and that let us unleash our creativity and explore JRRT (Eru's) vision.
Right.
And he plays LotRO on Tuesdays with Orome. ; )
Eru warned Morgoth (book version) that whatever he did to try to wreck the vision would only enhance it, that he couldn't wreck it.
For instance, ice.
Manwe and Ulmo learned from that to make things together, such as clouds and rain that improved Arda.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 5:57 PM
Which possibly killed more elves than any battle... ice, that is.
VardaYesterday at 5:57 PM
Well, they should have invented ice skates right quick. ; )
The elves were not prisoners. They could have gone to Middle-earth more carefully, working with the Valar. But hey, that's not as cool a story with as much conflict, right? Too slow. Although I would have been interested in their exploration and attempt to improve the damaged lands.
Anyway, kudos to all of you Valarites here for creating a wonderful place to play, socialize, and create for nearly 21 years. Thank you all!
That's pretty impressive, gang.
VardaYesterday at 6:00 PM
That's all I had for this evening. If you have more, please feel free to add.
the hammer joins with other hammers
they build a great hammer and present it before the royal hammerpad
together the hammers and pad create a huge thunderclap of joy
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After-meeting!
Free speech time. ; )
IorethYesterday at 6:06 PM
Valarites?
VardaYesterday at 6:07 PM
Yes?
Members of the Valar Guild = Valarites. : )
IorethYesterday at 6:08 PM
is that a real word?
VardaYesterday at 6:08 PM
Made it up.
Been using it for a couple decades on and off.
IorethYesterday at 6:08 PM
8P
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:08 PM
I've seen it around so long, it just feels natural now.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 6:09 PM
and thus it is a real word.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:09 PM
Besides, what else would you use for Valar Guild members, Valar being taken? :wink:
VardaYesterday at 6:09 PM
Real to us, at least. Aye.
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:09 PM
Valarians?

Pallando-ValarYesterday at 6:09 PM
also, launched sc2 during the meeting, looks liek a new coop commander, plus the few I was behind on..
VardaYesterday at 6:09 PM
heh, maybe.
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 6:09 PM
time to finish getting abathur to 15
also!
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:09 PM
Heh, good luck :smiley:
VardaYesterday at 6:09 PM
Ahh, cool Pallando. He just can't keep away from the stars. : )
Pallando-ValarYesterday at 6:10 PM
I'll post it again (and throw it in the meeting notes too)
Does anyone want a 10% Frozen Synapse 2 coupon? I bought the game on GoG before I realized I had the steam coupon.
VardaYesterday at 6:10 PM
Very generous. Grab while you can, gang!

O right, was also going to ask what the main jobs/songs of the Aratar were.
You guys got out of that one. ; )
Knowing those jobs/music would also give a clue what the Maiar were doing.
They sometimes worked with more than one of the Valar. Like that Olorin guy, aka Gandalf.

Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:15 PM
Heh, in the reread I just came across what still strikes me as one of the oddest, funniest episodes, which really puts the movie vs the book in a different light...
http://www.shamusyoung.com/twentysidedtale/?p=1148
VardaYesterday at 6:16 PM
hehehe
Yep
o no. Now I'm reading this again. : )
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:18 PM
:smile:
Now that I'm finally through this comic, I'll give my gaming report :wink:
VardaYesterday at 6:52 PM
An excellent reason to hold back.
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Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 6:53 PM
Flashgaming!
http://www.freewebarcade.com/game/super-grower/ is the first game, a bit of a mix of snake, tasty planet (which is based on Katamari Damacy, but 2d) and some other action games.
Go around eating up green squares that spawn while avoiding the projectiles that are shot at you by other shapes, until you're big enough to eat those too and complete the level.
Beat all the levels, they get quite tough!

Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 7:00 PM
https://www.kongregate.com/games/eddynardo/sleepy-knight is the second game, by the same makers as One Trick Mage which I linked a few times ago. Wake up the knight in each level by dropping his bed from a certain height in whatever place that works, and guide him through the level while just using the jump button. Fire immunity and swords can be found some of the levels, which means you have to choose which obstacle to beat first to be able to face others :smiley:
    Kongregate
    Sleepy Knight
    Simple platform game about a knight that is sleeping all day and….night.
    Created by eddynardo
    Graphics by 0x72 and Adam Saltsman
    Theme song quotWeeklybeats 2014...
Oh, and like the Mage game, the goal is to free people from chests.
Oh, right, and the jump ability needs to be earned first as well, but that's permanent :wink:

And for the last one... one that popped up that I might have linked before, but is a nice relaxing puzzle/logic game
https://www.kongregate.com/games/ahnt/loops-of-zen click to rotate all the tiles until there are no upper ends. Some advice includes straightening the edges and corners, then work from there.
    Kongregate
    loops of zen
    This puzzle game is about harmony. Solve the entagled loops until perfect harmony is reached.
Oh, and levels are random :wink:
Though the size increases at higher levels.
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Blizzard gaming!
Starcraft II:
    Still working on the war chest! Now 3 tiers unlocked, so should be just under a week to complete phase 2. Then a bit of time off before 3 starts.
Hearthstone:
    The xp pushing continues! They're still a good distance away and the quests are not always class-specific, so I can pretty much push them forward together.
    Brawl this week is picking 7 cards, then the rest filled up with 2-mana mage portals.
    I did pretty well with a cheap priest deck with drawing power and spell-reduction minions, leading to free portals. It's almost unfair :wink:
Poked one puzzle in the puzzle labs, because I had a quest to win 7 matches in any mode, but apparently the lab doesn't count since you don't truly win when you succeed. I expected as much, but had to give it a go.
Sorry, 5 matches in any mode, it along with most other quests was nerfed some time ago :wink:
Heroes of the Storm:
    One level gained, up to 300! Some of my higher heroes are getting closer to level, but the 300th level was got in a brawl.
    Another single-lane match with random heroes, Silver City: 2 out of 3 matches gave me the chance to test out Kerrigan, a melee assassin hero which I actually did rather well with for my first attempt. Not yet sure on a precise build, but I think I'll be putting her in my regular roster to replace Raynor after he hits 15.
    The epic loot chest for 300 gave me an epic mount, for those curious :wink:
Savage Butcher's Beast. I'll need to use him for the Butcher when the time comes to level him :wink:
Even got the fitting Butcher skin for it, as well.
Might look cliche, but I'll take "fitting" where I can find it :wink:
WoW:
    Continued raiding! We got 7 out of 8 bosses down on normal difficulty, with one or two tries on G'huun himself at the end of last reset. This time around we cleared 6 out of 8 bosses in a single night, though, giving us room to attempt heroic difficulty earlier tonight.
    Having gained some more ilevels on my gear from various sources throughout the week, I got to 347, more than the other tank... so I caught up nicely :wink:
    Between us (and the rest of the raid) we defeated the first 2 bosses on heroic, with some effort. As always, heroic tends to be where you really need to learn all the mechanics of the fight rather than just your part, and watch out for more things :wink:
    Spent way too much time slugging through pvp matches to hit the 500 Conquest cap this week, but got it done early enough to get a chestpiece as the fixed reward before tonight's raid, which was my weakest slot up to that point. In the process I got the achievement for hitting 310 rare in every slot, but the epic 330 one eludes me; got some shoulders that are 5 points below which might be fixed soon enough, but my azerite necklace is the furthest behind.
    Nothing I can really do about that until I unlock world quests and grind Champion of Azeroth rep, though. For the faster players it was supposed to be the first slot to increase (like the old artifact weapons), but for me not so much. It'll come, though!
    I didn't get there soon enough to witness the Alliance's first round of killing rares in Arathi, though, those being locked behind the warfront which switched sides now, and requires world quests unlocked to get there.
But with some luck I will get there before the place changes sides again in about one and a half week, allowing me to at least poke the warfront once.
    To that end, I've been questing a bit more (and will have a lot more questing time if the next conquest reward is not a big upgrade, since you can catch up later), getting some more stuff done in Tiragarde.
This included a marooned (by sirens) ship, with perhaps the cutest escort quest in the game, and the Norwington Estate questline which involves horse riding, jousting at trogg invaders, and throwing bolas at zeppelins.
    Having checked some questing achievements ahead of time, I also completed the achievements for dragging 5 troggs behind me at once from the bolas, as well as the achievement for getting 600 points in the horse track. Which, btw, took an hour... don't attempt it if you don't have the patience and a working strategy, I've seen reports of people taking 3 hours even. I made sure to get both achievements because they're more easily done within their respective quests than afterwards, for different reasons.
    Only 2 more questlines to go in Tiragarde before I can move on to Stormsong and get that last friendly faction rep for unlocking worldquests. Soonish!
    And finally, kept working on expeditions. Got each different island done on normal difficulty, and then started poking heroic difficulty to get 20 heroic expeditions done for the achievement. The improved gear really helps with that, though I'll want to improve a bit more before I tackle mythic difficulty, or we might actually lose :wink: Got pretty close a few times on heroic already. Just today the horde AI was only 50 points off. Out of 9000.
    Allegedly the droprate of pets and other cosmetics in expeditions was increased this weekend, but haven't seen them yet, just a new queststarter taking me to a water elemental in Azshara. Bit of a Molten Core nostalgia there, as the npc was a key player in that time. But I've only done 2 expeditions since the drops were increased, so I still have hope at getting a plethora of pets and mounts and transmog pieces over time.
    And that's my report for this week!
    Btw, someone did the math. Apparently there are 319 unique things to get from expeditions, so with a really low droprate that's quite annoying. I assume that also includes transmog for other classes, which means the pool per character is a bit lower...
but still annoying!
Ar-Pharazon-VYesterday at 8:43 PM
Namarie!
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