May 16, 2021 Sunday Meeting
5:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Savings Time
Discord:
Valar Guild/meeting_place
Back to News
Transcript work by Varda.
[times are Central Time from Varda's Discord. Add one hour for
Eastern.]
["slight smile" is the same as we are used to using as a regular
smiley]
Attending (and spoke): (7)
Discord: Arien, Ar-Pharazon, Eonwe,
Gimli, Shelob, Treebeard/Fangorn, Varda (presiding)
Contents:
Before-meeting
Meeting begins
Membership news:
Bilbo got married May 14th.
Web:
Gaming:
General: Eonwe: World of Warcraft, Lord of the
Rings Online, Heroes of the Storm, Hearthstone
Tolkien:
Topic:
From Eonwe: 1.) do we have any indication of similar building
techniques (related to MASH) being used by any of the peoples of
Middle-Earth, to be able to set up structures for use at a rapid
pace, then be able to take them down just as quickly to relocate or
use later?
After-meeting:
(non)Flashgaming Reviews by
Ar-Pharazon.
top
Before-meeting
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:01 PM
Heya all.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:01 PM
Aiya!
Varda Today at 4:02 PM
Aiya Eonwe and Phar : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:02 PM
Aiya Varda
Varda Today at 4:03 PM
@Bounder Huzzah! It's that time when Valarites get to hang out
together! Come say hi! Join in or lurk as you like!
[4:03 PM]
Elen sila lumenn omentielvo!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:03 PM
Hi!
Varda Today at 4:03 PM
Membership
[4:03 PM]
Hi, rushing it a bit since I was running from downstairs after
packing. : )
[4:04 PM]
Planning to visit Eowyn, Ciaran, and Faramir because they are
tolerant, heh, and for Fangorn's upcoming birthday.
[4:05 PM]
In bigger, as in really big, news, Bilbo is now a married hobbit, as
of this past Friday! : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:05 PM
Grats!
[4:05 PM]
Not as long a bachelor as the other Bilbo, then.
Varda Today at 4:06 PM
Finally got past all the Covid-related problems of getting an open
courthouse for paperwork etc. : ) Texas at least is opening up and
much happiness is happening.
[4:06 PM]
Not quite as long, Phar, aye. : )
[4:07 PM]
Any other membership news we'd like to pass along?
[4:07 PM]
top
Web:
[4:07 PM]
No new news from me.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:08 PM
On the vaccination front, got my own invite
Varda Today at 4:08 PM
Any cool Tolkien links or other?
[4:08 PM]
You were invited to get vaxxed? : ) Grats I think.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:08 PM
On the member front, saw Fladrif and we had a good chat, been a
while, but thought it'd be good as we'd both recently had our
birthday.
Varda Today at 4:08 PM
We're all vaxxed up to grab freedom mainly.
[4:08 PM]
O fantabulous!
[4:09 PM]
Happy birthday to Flad too, then!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:09 PM
Even intentions shown to visit each other after the whole covid
thing blows over
Varda Today at 4:09 PM
Hope he did as well on loot as you did. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:09 PM
Oh, we haven't even discussed that
Gimli Today at 4:09 PM
heya
Varda Today at 4:09 PM
Yay visiting again!
[4:10 PM]
Hiya Gimli!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:10 PM
Aiya!
Varda Today at 4:10 PM
Thanks for dropping by!
[4:10 PM]
Makes the walls sparkly like your caverns.
Gimli Today at 4:10 PM
tis all i do...is drop haha
Varda Today at 4:11 PM
We'll take it!
[4:11 PM]
And you game with Sauron. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:11 PM
Don't drop too greedily or too deeply.
Varda Today at 4:11 PM
hehe
[4:12 PM]
top
Gaming:
Gimli Today at 4:12 PM
playin conan exiles
Varda Today at 4:12 PM
Ah fun : )
[4:13 PM]
passes the shined up gavel to Eonwe
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:14 PM
Raises gavel into the air "I have the POWER!!!!" Points
gavel at random pigeon, turns it into a Great Eagle
[4:15 PM]
Oh wait... taps gavel That wasn't supposed to happen.....
Varda Today at 4:15 PM
Surprise!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:15 PM
Do eagles eat pigeons, I wonder...
Varda Today at 4:15 PM
Manwe is having a bit of fun.
[4:15 PM]
Yes. : )
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:15 PM
Points gavel at computer and gaming news comes up
[4:15 PM]
That's better :}
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:16 PM
So the other pigeons better fly!
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:16 PM
:}
Varda Today at 4:16 PM
Fly you pigeons!
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:16 PM
World of Warcraft::
[4:17 PM]
For those excited about Burning Crusade Classic, Blizzard wants you
to know The Burning Crusade Classic Pre-Expansion Patch Is Almost
Here. ---
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23671134/the-burning-crusade-classic-pre-expansion-patch-is-almost-here
World of Warcraft
The Burning Crusade Classic Pre-Expansion Patch Is Almost Here! -
WoW
Begin your preparations to go beyond the Dark Portal when the
Burning Crusade Classic pre-expansion patch goes live next week.
[4:17 PM]
Also check out the new preview for the mythic dungeon coming in 9.1:
Shadowlands: Take a Day Trip to Tazavesh, the Veiled Market. ---
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/news/23671133/shadowlands-take-a-day-trip-to-tazavesh-the-veiled-market
World of Warcraft
Shadowlands: Take a Day Trip to Tazavesh, the Veiled Market - WoW
In Chains of Domination, players will venture into Tazavesh, the
Veiled Market where the brokers wheel and deal in a variety of
exotic goods. There is plenty of danger to be found in this
mega-dungeon.
[4:17 PM]
This week's Bonus Event: Shadowlands Dungeons.
Shelob Today at 4:17 PM
Good evening.
Varda Today at 4:18 PM
Aiya Shelob : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:18 PM
Aiya itsy bitsy!
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:18 PM
Next week's bonus event: Pet Battles.
Shelob Today at 4:18 PM
I have this sneaky suspicion I am just an itsy bitsy teeny weeny bit
too large to crawl up a waterspout though.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:19 PM
Depends on the waterspout.
Shelob Today at 4:19 PM
More likely I'll just walk up to the 2nd floor roof.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:19 PM
The PvP Brawl Southshore vs. Tarren Mill is running this week
through Tuesday. I realized I put the wrong end date on the Games
Site, but I'll get that fixed.
Shelob Today at 4:19 PM
Sorry Eonwλ, I'll let you continue.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:20 PM
No worries, heh.
[4:20 PM]
And heya.
Lord of the Rings Online:
[4:21 PM]
Lord of the Rings Online is ending Windows XP Support on June 8th.
See the announcement on the official LotRO forums. ---
https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?687206-Support-Ending-for-Windows-XP
Support Ending for Windows XP
The Lord of the Rings Online will be deprecating support for Windows
XP and earlier operating systems as of June 8th, 2021. All of your
characters and progress will remain, and you can continue to play
the game by running LOTRO on a Windows 7 or newer operating system.
Players who need to can contact Account Support at
help.standingstonegames.co...
[4:21 PM]
Also important: all accounts that have not been logged into for at
least 2 years have had their passwords reset. ---
https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthread.php?687221-Password-Reset-For-Dormant-Accounts
Password Reset For Dormant Accounts
As part of our effort to keep people'sgame accounts secure we have
reset the passwords for all gameaccounts that have not been logged
into in more than two years. Yourgame account and all of its data
remains intact! In order to log in,you will need to reset your
password through the Forgot My Password?reset procedure. To further
help protect you...
[4:22 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
A new patch is on the PTR. ---
https://news.blizzard.com/en-us/heroes-of-the-storm/23666983/heroes-of-the-storm-ptr-patch-notes-may-12-2021(edited)
Heroes of the Storm PTR Patch Notes - May 12, 2021
Our next Heroes of the Storm patch has just hit the Public Test
Realm and will be available for playtesting until May 17, PDT.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:22 PM
Clever. Less chance of hacking old accounts.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:22 PM
Hearthstone:
Patch 20.2.2 is out. ---
https://playhearthstone.com/en-us/news/23671132/20-2-2-patch-notes
20.2.2 Patch Notes
The 20.2.2 patch includes balance updates to Standard and
Battlegrounds!
[4:24 PM]
That's it for my gaming news. I return the gavel, and any hijinx it
creates, back to Varda :}
Varda Today at 4:24 PM
Thank you. : )
[4:25 PM]
LotRO gamers in kin this past week:
[4:25 PM]
Landroval server:
Arien
Dis
Eonwe
Eowyn
Fangorn
Frodo
Gimli
Irmo
Nar
Varda
Ithil server:
Dis
Eonwe
Fangorn
Varda
Anor server:
Fangorn
Varda
[4:25 PM]
.
[4:25 PM]
Related to gaming is the update being done to Discord:
https://blog.discord.com/happy-blurpthday-to-discord-a-place-for-everything-you-can-imagine-fc99ee0a77c0
Medium
Happy Blurpthday to Discord, a Place for
Everything You Can Imagine
Were making our look just as welcoming to the
world as the ever-improving app experience. So, welcome to Discord.
Again.
[4:26 PM]
It doesn't look as if they messed up anything for us and maybe made
it nicer!
[4:26 PM]
Any other news, suggestions, requests?
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:27 PM
(looks like, from those patchnotes for Storm, I need to make a new
build for Stitches)
Varda Today at 4:28 PM
: ) Re-Stitches?
[4:28 PM]
On to
[4:28 PM]
top
Tolkien!
Shelob Today at 4:29 PM
That's quick!
Varda Today at 4:29 PM
Do we have any questions on Tolkien-related stuff? Quotable moments?
Chat topics?
[4:29 PM]
Did I miss something? : )
[4:29 PM]
It's been known to happen.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:30 PM
Well, something that's been dancing in my head, but I doubt we're
going to find even circumstantial evidence on, if we want to explore
it, hehehe.
Varda Today at 4:30 PM
Now I'm curious.
Shelob Today at 4:30 PM
Go for it.
Varda Today at 4:30 PM
(not sugarplums)
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:31 PM
Is everyone familiar with the sitcom MASH?
Varda Today at 4:31 PM
I watched a lot of it.
[4:32 PM]
Hawkye, Radar, and the rest.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:32 PM
I've seen a few episodes many years ago, remember faces, not so much
names or iconic scenes.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:32 PM
No worries if you're not extremely familiar with it, that's not the
important part for this discussion.
Shelob Today at 4:32 PM
It's been a long time, but yes. That's the one about the Nam war,
right?
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:32 PM
Korean War.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:32 PM
Korea I think.l
[4:32 PM]
Yes.
Shelob Today at 4:33 PM
Aye, you're right.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:34 PM
The part that we're discussing is that because they are a "Mobile
Army Surgical Hospital", with "Mobile" being the key word there as
the story likes to point out on many occasions, their buildings have
to be able to be put up and taken down a pretty rapid pace.
[4:36 PM]
So, the topic I pose is, 1.) do we have any
indication of similar building techniques being used by any of the
peoples of Middle-Earth, to be able to set up structures for use at
a rapid pace, then be able to take them down just as quickly to
relocate or use later?
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:36 PM
I remember large tents in the movie...
Varda Today at 4:36 PM
A real MASH unit needed to move about once a month.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:36 PM
2.) Which groups are most likely to have utilized this, if any?
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:37 PM
Not sure about the book.
Varda Today at 4:37 PM
The Rohirrim had to be mobile, but I don't remember anything about
tenting for the eoreds.
Shelob Today at 4:37 PM
Well, any army on the move needs such structures, mostly just
overgrown canvas tents.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:37 PM
Might be useful in the rain.
Varda Today at 4:37 PM
I can imagine them as perhaps using such things.
[4:38 PM]
I wonder if maybe a more hidden version might have been used by the
northern and southern Rangers.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:39 PM
Camouflaged?
Varda Today at 4:39 PM
Perhaps the combined Gondorian and Rohirric forces after the war
would be most likely to use mobile tenting quite a bit.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:39 PM
The problem is that you have to have the ability to drag all this
stuff with you, which would slow down the army, so I don't know if
it would be practical for the Rohirrim, at least not during the War
of the Ring.
Shelob Today at 4:40 PM
I'd doubt that the Rangers would use such tent-like structures MASH
used, as they were very much loners.
Varda Today at 4:40 PM
The Rangers were in small groups as guerrilla fighters quite a bit
Shelob Today at 4:40 PM
Did it though Eonwλ? I seem to recall they did bring along an awful
lot of packhorses.
Varda Today at 4:41 PM
Maybe the Gondorians would be more likely to use them?
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:41 PM
Wouldn't surprise me if the Rohirrim slept on their horses.
Shelob Today at 4:41 PM
We should also think about the relative size of Middle Earth.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:41 PM
There were some actual wood building structures in the mix too, like
the main office/hospital.
Shelob Today at 4:42 PM
You could ride from Edoras to Minas Tirith in about a week if memory
serves, and that was with the detour through Pukel men territory.
Varda Today at 4:42 PM
Some horses could have hauled tarps, main poles.
[4:42 PM]
That was a hard ride too, as fast as they could stand it.
Shelob Today at 4:43 PM
Aye.
[4:43 PM]
Which means a fast canter at best.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:43 PM
*Relative size of the area of Middle-Earth we're dealing with, not
Middle-Earth as a whole.
Shelob Today at 4:43 PM
Horses can't do a full gallop for more than an hour, especially when
laden with men at arms.
Treebeard Today at 4:44 PM
Hello
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:44 PM
Aiya!
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:44 PM
Middle-Earth is of course supposed to be Earth, so no difference in
size of the planet, only in the landscape.
Varda Today at 4:44 PM
Aiya Fangorn : )
Shelob Today at 4:45 PM
I'd say it would be roughly between 1 and 1.5 times the
distance between New York and Washington.
[4:46 PM]
Eδ is supposed to be earth. Middle Earth.... is but a small part of
that.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:46 PM
The middle part?
[4:47 PM]
Aiya!
Shelob Today at 4:47 PM
I would say that Middle Earth would be equivalent of Western Europe,
from Amsterdam as the Grey Havens to Belfalas as Greece.
[4:47 PM]
Aiya Fangorn.
Treebeard Today at 4:47 PM
Tents. Definitely had tents, Rohirrim and Elves.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:47 PM
Sounds about right.
[4:47 PM]
The distance thing that is.
Shelob Today at 4:48 PM
But that means that Edoras to Minas Tirith is about Amsterdam to
Munich I think.
[4:48 PM]
At best.
Arien Valar Today at 4:48 PM
Aiya valarites .. its Arien the Wizzard
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:48 PM
What Shelob said, re: ME = Western Europe.
Varda Today at 4:48 PM
Aiya Arien : )
Shelob Today at 4:49 PM
Actually, make that Frankfurt.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:49 PM
I know that's been mentioned by Tolkien somewhere.
Treebeard Today at 4:49 PM
Hello
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:49 PM
And he even gave a distance example if memory serves. Just can't
remember where right now. Probably in one of his Letters.
[4:49 PM]
And Heya Fangorn.
Arien Valar Today at 4:49 PM
Ben Lomond in Scotland would be Ereborf then Menel :D?
[4:49 PM]
or Ben Nevis rather
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:50 PM
Erebor would be rather more east.
Varda Today at 4:50 PM
When going on fair distance trips, many an army has carried some
form of tents. A campaign tent for meetings like a war room, smaller
tents to sleep out of the weather for most.
Shelob Today at 4:50 PM
Erebor would be more like Krakow.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:50 PM
Right.
Arien Valar Today at 4:50 PM
ah cool
Varda Today at 4:50 PM
The Shire was supposed to be like the English countryside.
Treebeard Today at 4:50 PM
Gandalf made really good time using Shadowfax
Varda Today at 4:50 PM
True
Shelob Today at 4:50 PM
Which, if you think about it, fits into the Earth analogy, as in the
first World War (as in the second), Poland was officially allied
with the French and British.
[4:51 PM]
Aye.
[4:51 PM]
Regular horses can do 25-35 miles a day (which is about 35 to 50 km.
Amsterdam to Frankfurt is 800 km or so.
[4:52 PM]
But we have to keep in mind that the Rohirrim horses were of superb
stock.
Treebeard Today at 4:52 PM
How fast does a magic horse run? Can Elves run as fast as a
horse?
Shelob Today at 4:52 PM
Elves are not Aiel imho.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:52 PM
Elite horses?
Varda Today at 4:52 PM
In a cavalry campaign, the horses are walked as much as they are
ridden. They are most important for charges.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:53 PM
Elves do have good endurance.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:53 PM
Yeah, wouldn't do to exhaust the horses getting to Minas Tirith and
then being unable to fight with them.
Shelob Today at 4:53 PM
As far as I know, in cavalry, most soldiers walk besides their
horses the entire way to spare their horses so they are fit when
they have to ride fast and hard during battle.
Treebeard Today at 4:53 PM
Eowyn's horse carried two swiftly into battle.
Arien Valar Today at 4:54 PM
http://valarguild.org/varda/Tolkien/encyc/art/gallery/Arien/caveArien.htm
Shelob Today at 4:54 PM
But then again, Eowyn's horse carried a woman and a Hobbit, both
lightly armoured when compared to the men.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:54 PM
You don't see that a lot in movies, the horses being tired halfway
through the battle...
Arien Valar Today at 4:54 PM
there you have the Shire
Treebeard Today at 4:55 PM
Magic horses need as much rest as the author deems necessary to make
the plot work.
Varda Today at 4:55 PM
Normal cavalry horse travels about 30 to 40 miles in one day.
Shelob Today at 4:55 PM
Ah, the windmills. Go about 3 miles in any direction from any spot
in the Netherlands and you'll likely see a couple.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:56 PM
I can think of 2 in easy walking distance from my home.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:56 PM
Hmm, I don't know about the "Lightly armoured" part there, Shelob,
compared to men or not. Eowyn would've had to be armoured in a
fashion to blend in with the male riders to pass herself off as
Dernhelm and fool Merry.
Shelob Today at 4:56 PM
The interwebs differs wildly about how much a horse can travel in a
day. But most sources seem to agree the pace has to be lower if on
the march for multiple days.
[4:57 PM]
Good point Eonwλ.
Varda Today at 4:58 PM
Terrain makes a ton of difference.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:58 PM
Merry would've had armor fitting for his stature, but that doesn't
mean it would've been "lighter" in weight to him, or in protection
either.
Shelob Today at 4:58 PM
On a different point though, Eowyn would have access to even better
stock than the "regular" Rohirrim horse.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 4:58 PM
Well, smaller stature means less plate needed, so for the horse it'd
be lighter at least.
Shelob Today at 4:59 PM
Plus, Merry would be the size of a child, so his armour would most
likely NOT be made for actual battle.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 4:59 PM
Fair enough. Just being wary of how we're using "lighter" here.
Shelob Today at 4:59 PM
Agreed Eonwλ.
[5:00 PM]
Together they'd most likely weight more than a man.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:00 PM
And only more than a man can kill the Witch King!
Arien Valar Today at 5:01 PM
Leather armor as such is not too heavy in weight but i ve got a a
leather coat on its own and that is quite some weight
[5:01 PM]
depends also what kind of leather you use
Shelob Today at 5:01 PM
As much as the feminist in me likes that statement, Phar, it is
actually "no man".
Varda Today at 5:02 PM
A woman and a hobbit.
Shelob Today at 5:02 PM
If I remember my medieval armour well enough, padded leather was
almost always worn, whether it was topped by plate, mail or anything
else.
[5:03 PM]
Although generally, plate or mail was never worn on the road, but
instead was moved with the packhorses.
Varda Today at 5:03 PM
The thought that Eowyn was no man was enough to shake the
Witch-king.
Shelob Today at 5:03 PM
Oh, definitely!
Varda Today at 5:03 PM
Don't want that metal right against the skin, aye.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:04 PM
Only because he realized his understanding of the prophecy was on
very shaky ground, hehe.
Varda Today at 5:04 PM
Heavy cloth, leather padding, aye.
[5:05 PM]
Back to the original, at least small tents, even pup tents, were
likely.
Shelob Today at 5:05 PM
So even the Rohirrim would most likely only start wearing their
battle armour as they left Pukel territory, as that was close to
Pellenor.
[5:06 PM]
Sorry, aye. Definitely tents. And while I think the Rohirrim would
be using larger tents across the vast plains, I think they may have
skipped on them in favour of lighter loads and higher speed.
Varda Today at 5:07 PM
Interesting topic. Shelter for the soldiers is not spoken of much.
Shelob Today at 5:07 PM
Probably taken for granted.
Varda Today at 5:07 PM
Maybe we were expected to know. : )
[5:07 PM]
Aye!
Shelob Today at 5:07 PM
Though it is possible the Elves did not use them.
[5:07 PM]
And likely one of the reasons why the Helcaraxλ was so deadly.
Arien Valar Today at 5:08 PM
back into Celtic history , olne of the early tribes, the Sarmates ,
lived in huge carts or for the beds or maybe older family members
,and transport of heavy armor and weapons
[5:08 PM]
i d think it is simlar with the Rohirimm
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:08 PM
Wainriders?
Varda Today at 5:09 PM
Good comment. They had wagons.
Shelob Today at 5:09 PM
No, the wainriders were charioteers I think.
[5:09 PM]
So, much more like the old Egyptians, Phoenicians or Persian-like
empires I think.
Varda Today at 5:10 PM
Both right. The leaders seem to have gone into battle on chariots,
but they generally rode in wagons.
Arien Valar Today at 5:11 PM
well described in "Island of Ghosts* by Gillian Bradshaw
Varda Today at 5:11 PM
Fortified camps of wagons.
Shelob Today at 5:11 PM
Well, the Southrons were definitely based on the Carthaginians.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:11 PM
Circle the wagons.
Shelob Today at 5:12 PM
Battlephaunts for the win.
[5:12 PM]
Though Hannibal never did take Rome and Carthage was eventually
destroyed and Spain incorporated into the Roman Empire.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:13 PM
Spain? Carthage was in Tunisia.
Shelob Today at 5:13 PM
Hannibal was from Spain.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:13 PM
Myeah, ok.
Shelob Today at 5:13 PM
And during those wars, Spain was ruled mostly by Carthage.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:14 PM
Wait, no he wasn't.
Shelob Today at 5:14 PM
Spain actually was one of the two major points why they were at war.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:14 PM
He wasn't born in Spain.
[5:14 PM]
He just started his campaign from there.
Shelob Today at 5:14 PM
True. And I think he was governor of Spain or some such thing.
[5:14 PM]
Just like his dad was if memory serves.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:15 PM
That does sound about right.
Shelob Today at 5:16 PM
Ancient wars is sort of one of my more than average interests.
Varda Today at 5:16 PM
: )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:16 PM
Same in general, but it's been a while.
Shelob Today at 5:16 PM
Well, any kind of war really. Especially tactics and strategy!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:16 PM
Even have a videogame somewhere with all of Hannibal's battles.
Shelob Today at 5:17 PM
It's called Rome: Total War.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:17 PM
Nah, just Hannibal. You get to replay all his battles with
formations etc.
[5:17 PM]
Let me look for it.
[5:18 PM]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ripJJdTBOx0 that's it
YouTube
PrettyOldGames
The Great Battles of Hannibal
Shelob Today at 5:18 PM
Oh. I think I prefer R:TW
Arien Valar Today at 5:18 PM
he was raised in tunisia until he was 12 .. then his family got
exiled to Spain
Shelob Today at 5:19 PM
Exiled?
[5:19 PM]
I think that may be too great a word.
Arien Valar Today at 5:19 PM
Well it was not a voluntary move
[5:19 PM]
but thats another story for another time
Shelob Today at 5:20 PM
hehe
Arien Valar Today at 5:20 PM
and for me it is that time again anyway
[5:20 PM]
and .. in case you had not noticed yet .. history is one of my side
interests
Varda Today at 5:20 PM
and it is well past the hour. : )
Shelob Today at 5:21 PM
Aye!
Varda Today at 5:21 PM
History seems a common interest here. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:21 PM
History and fantasy.. I wonder why
Varda Today at 5:21 PM
the gavel bounces along trying to follow the sunshine's path
Arien Valar Today at 5:21 PM
no idea *angel(
Varda Today at 5:21 PM
trips over the hammerpad, not for the first time
thwomp!
[5:21 PM]
top
After-meeting!
[5:22 PM]
the gavel gets up and keeps following the light
Arien Valar Today at 5:22 PM
I am being chased by a gavel
Shelob Today at 5:22 PM
I think that with Arien's departure I will also go and find some
nice dark place.
Arien Valar Today at 5:22 PM
Namarie for now
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:23 PM
Sleep well.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:23 PM
We had a cd-based encyclopedia a longwhile back with a number of
unique features, including famous battles played out on a map with
formations and arrows etc, for a lot of battles.
Varda Today at 5:23 PM
Middle-earth times are pretty much a history of our current earth,
as made up by Tolkien for a myth. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:23 PM
I remember going through the entire list and watching em all with
glee.
Varda Today at 5:23 PM
Namarie!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:23 PM
Namarie!
Varda Today at 5:23 PM
waves bye to the gavel
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:23 PM
Gods, what was it called..
Varda Today at 5:23 PM
That sounds like a wonderful encyc!
Shelob Today at 5:23 PM
Namarie!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:24 PM
Might have been Encarta's.
[5:25 PM]
Yeah, must be Encarta.
[5:25 PM]
In faaaact looks at the dusty cd rack on the left
[5:25 PM]
Encarta 99
Varda Today at 5:26 PM
ohh, I remember that from back when. : )
[5:26 PM]
Never had one, sadly, but cool.
[5:27 PM]
Microsoft Encarta
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:27 PM
Hehehe, I remember that.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:27 PM
I think it also had a medieval-themed maze game where you had to
answer multiple choice questions in each room.
[5:28 PM]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMaPEeSE0zM
for the maze
YouTube
LGR
LGR - Encarta Mind Maze - PC Game Review
Varda Today at 5:29 PM
That would be a good thing to bring back. : )
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:35 PM
99. I was 14.
[5:36 PM]
Already a history/encyclopedia/gaming nerd
[5:37 PM]
I remember as a kid, never having an encyclopedia in the family that
I didn't intend on reading all the way through.
[5:37 PM]
Of course I never did, but still.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:38 PM
I was 17, and not far from finding out about this group of so-called
Tolkien fans. You might've heard of them.... :}
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:38 PM
hehe
[5:39 PM]
And then came Wikipedia and I thought "Yeah, let's not do that".
[5:39 PM]
Imagine spending your life trying to read all of wikipedia.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:40 PM
Well, they do have an A-Z index....
[5:40 PM]
You just need to make sure they don't add anything new while you're
reading, then tell them they have to send you an update on
everything that was added once you're done.
Varda Today at 5:41 PM
Helps to have a way to hunt things by subject along with the a-z.
Like your collection of battles.
[5:43 PM]
Be interesting if some of our gang might come up with a somewhat
animated map with the battle movements? Not sure we could pull that
off?
[5:44 PM]
I wonder if we have enough detail to try something like your old
Encarta.
[5:45 PM]
heh, a passing thought.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 5:46 PM
I don't remember Encarta's structure well enough to speculate on
what it would take.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:47 PM
I wish I could find a picture or video of that feature. I can barely
remember it.
Varda Today at 5:48 PM
Something like one of those table games with formations as colored
squares following arrows?
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:48 PM
Pretty sure it was something with arrows, yes, and colorcoded
territories and advancements.
Varda Today at 5:48 PM
Maybe a text balloon from one side: Hah, we took Edoras!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:49 PM
hehe
Varda Today at 5:49 PM
No no, that's one of the country hamlets, think it's the pig-sty
of Budgeford.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 5:49 PM
Oh, right, and there was the interactive globe for an atlas...
Varda Today at 5:50 PM
ohhh, I wantss it, Preciousss.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 6:01 PM
Random comment since we are in Aftermeeting: Smash Bros Brawl's
Subspace Emissary and Smash Bros Ultimate's Word of Light are two of
the best story modes in a fighting game I've ever seen.
[6:03 PM]
(No spoilers on World of Light please, still working through it.)
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 6:03 PM
I'd be intrigued by that if that was really my genre, but with the
few fighting games I've played, story is always important to me
Eonwλ Valar Today at 6:05 PM
If you were looking to even just dabble your feet in the genre, hard
to go wrong with a Nintendo game featuring a bunch of their iconic
characters, a bunch of not-so-iconic ones, and a smattering of
characters from outside of Nintendo.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 6:06 PM
I did once follow a youtube channel that did a lot of fighting game
videos, including smash bros.
[6:06 PM]
It looked quite fun.
Eonwλ Valar Today at 6:07 PM
It really is. Sony tried to copy once with their own "Playstation
All-stars" game. Not as good, imo.
[6:10 PM]
You can argue about numbers, balance, the meta, all that, but at its
heart, it feel like each character in Smash bros was made with that
character in mind.
NEW
[6:12 PM]
And of course Kirby is the best because nothing beats a pink ball
that defeats eldritch abominations in between eating and napping,
lol.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 6:12 PM
hehe
[6:14 PM]
I did play some of the Touhou fighting games quite a bit. Was into
that whole series.
[6:15 PM]
Most of them bullet hells, but there were some "side-games" (like
Touhou 9.5, 12.5 etc) that were fighting games with the same
characters and similar movesets.
top
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 6:35 PM
Personal gaming report, while we're on a similar subject
[6:37 PM]
(non)flashgaming: 3 new
games this week, 2 with daily badges, and one without badges but by
the same maker as one this week I'd already done.
[6:38 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/bontegames/factory-balls-forever
is the first game! Like last week, bontegames things are always
fun A sequel to an old flashgame series, you have to color
balls according to the picture on the box in each level, using
various tools in the right order.
Kongregate
Factory Balls forever
Factory Balls is back!
You might think that working on the assembly line
is tedious work, but not if you#39re manufacturing Factory Balls!
Your job in this logic...
[6:39 PM]
Colors, covers like helmets and belts, all in various combinations
to get all the right colors in the right places.
[6:41 PM]
25 levels like most of these games, but if you like this one,
there's also links to the full version with over 200 levels,
available on steam among other places
[6:41 PM]
25's still good to keep you occupied for a while, though!
[6:42 PM]
https://www.kongregate.com/games/VasantJ/medieval-chronicles-5
is the second game! Yet another installment in the point and
click/detective/puzzle Medieval Cop franchise.
Kongregate
Medieval Chronicles 5
=The Paradox=
An impossible murder occurs while Dregg is
undercover to catch a notorious Mastermind.
[6:44 PM]
In this one you have to solve the murder of a politician and crime
boss, in the aftermath of infiltrating his slavery enterprise. It
looks like one of the victims you've freed did the murder, and who
could blame her... but something else is going on!
[6:46 PM]
And for the third game... after seeing an atmospheric puzzle game as
one of the badges I'd already played, I decided to delve into the
creator's other games. Some of which I'd already done, but https://www.kongregate.com/games/CrounchyBrothers/escape3
intrigued me
Kongregate
Escape3
A Platformer in stop motion.
Help those three little creatures to escape their
condition of being a piece of dirt.
This game was made for the #construct 3 ga...
[6:48 PM]
A Neverhood-reminiscent platformer/puzzle game, looking like
Claymation, but it might just be drawn that way
[6:50 PM]
You play 3 pieces of dirt banding together to form a larger
creature, trying to make your way out of the cave system. Some
obstacles you need to get through as a whole, but most of the
puzzles have you splitting up into the 3 pieces, each with their own
abilities, activated or deactivated by crossing water or light from
bugs.
[6:51 PM]
There are a few hints around, but even if too vague, you'll get to
know what they do before long, and use that to find your way outside
[6:52 PM]
Not too long once you get the hang of it, but it was made for a game
creation event, within a few weeks, and it looks quite good
[6:52 PM]
Note, though, on firefox the browserwindow scrolls with the movement
keys for me, so if that happens to you, play it on Chrome instead.
[6:54 PM]
Oh, and you can die, but plenty of respawn/save spots around.
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 7:06 PM
Guild Wars:
After some waiting, Nightfall has arrived Didn't make it
through in a very good condition, which is a shame, but the book's
here and the cd, which is good Gives me something to read,
too, since I've got all the manuals now.
[7:07 PM]
Played the second-last mission in the first campaign, Prophecies, in
the Ring of Fire, where we made our way to a mysterious door in the
volcano... only to be betrayed by our enigmatic ally, showing
himself to be the main villain! What a twist!
[7:09 PM]
Next mission will be stopping him, completing the campaign, but
there's still the epilogue quests I've previously mentioned, wherein
we have to hunt down his Titan minions he's unleashed from the door.
And after this mission playthrough I do intend to do those this
time; completing the missions and getting the end of campaign reward
was where I stopped all those years ago.
[7:09 PM]
Blizzard gaming:
[7:11 PM]
Heroes of the Storm:
Still level 454, though I did get to play some games, mostly with
level 9 tanks.
[7:11 PM]
Also logged in earlier in the meeting to check a new build for
Stitches, before realizing the patch Eonwe mentioned isn't actually
in yet
[7:11 PM]
Silly me!
[7:14 PM]
Hearthstone:
Level 75 on the reward track now. Slowing down, but 100 should still
be easy. Also got the achievement for 200 levels overall between
this and last season, allowing me to choose a tier 2 armor portrait
for one of the 10 classes, in contrast to the tier 1 portraits you
get for reaching level 100 in a season.
[7:14 PM]
Since I already got Jaina a tier 1 portrait and most of the heroes
I've got alternative heroes for, I decided to go with Garrosh,
though seeing him in blue armor is a bit weird
[7:16 PM]
For the weekly quest to win 5 brawls or duels, I tried more duelling
this week, but after losing about 10 in a row I decided to abandon
that and just try to win brawls from here on. Funny, after deciding
that, this upcoming week I don't have that particular quest...
[7:16 PM]
Still, I might be able to make some more up to date duelling decks
in the future, because...
[7:16 PM]
I've been opening packs!
[7:17 PM]
Got a daily quest to play 10 frenzy minions, and only had 1 because
they come from the newest expansion. So I opened up about 50 packs
during the week I'd been saving and stacking (including spending
some gold on buying more), from legacy, Darkmoon and the new Barrens
expansion.
[7:18 PM]
Not only did I get a bunch of frenzy cards for my quest, I also
ended up with 4 legendary cards!
[7:20 PM]
N'Zoth, God of the Deep from the darkmoon faire set, and 3 from the
Barrens: Greybough the druid legendary, which I immediately gave a
spot in my mishmash druid deck; Xyrella the priest legendary; and a
golden version of a hunter legendary, Barak Kodobane.
[7:20 PM]
So a bunch of cards got, and a few less packs to unpack in the
future
[7:21 PM]
The brawl is a random one, with a random deck flowing with
Unidentified Items, which have random bonuses that you don't get to
see until you draw them. So a variation of variations, and a bunch
of minions and spells to use them with. Takes some luck, but still a
better winrate than the duels
[7:22 PM]
WoW:
[7:22 PM]
More raiding, more trying for Denathrius, more failing. But still
pushing!
[7:23 PM]
For the old raids, we got our first new pet from Throne of Thunder
for my friend, so progress is being made. I still need 2 from there
myself, so hopefully those won't take too long!
[7:26 PM]
Weekly is 4 mythic dungeons. I visited the 3 dungeons I'm lacking a
pet or mount from, but no luck for those. And for the fourth I chose
Tirna Scithe, which is probably my favorite for the puzzle section,
so that'll be my default dungeon in the future
[7:27 PM]
Completed the third layer of the Twisting Corridors in Torghast. No
reward there, but layer 4 will give a toy making me look like a
Mawsworn.
[7:27 PM]
Also got one of the missing 3 bosses for the achievement along the
way.
[7:29 PM]
Conservatory chugging along, got 2 new pets from the Ardenweald
spirits. Dusty Sporeflutterer and Pearlwing Heron.
[7:29 PM]
Also started putting other spirits in 1-grain slots for a few more
possible weapon cosmetics.
[7:30 PM]
And got my first Divine Spirit (highest quality) this week so I'll
be saving those for the 4-grain slot, hopefully have a better chance
at all the unique mounts
[7:31 PM]
And one other new pet, the Stoneskin Dredwing pet from Revendreth
paragon supplies!
[7:31 PM]
Oh, and also for the conservatory, completed the quests for the
first legendary spirit unlocked, getting the achievement; other 2
are less random and should be done in a few weeks.
[7:34 PM]
And also got 3 new mounts! One from said conservatory, the Wakener's
Runestag, the Ardenweald-only 2-grain-slot mount. And 2 I bought for
5k anima each from the Marasmius vendor, the Vibrant Flutterwing
(moth) mount and the Enchanted Winterborn Runestag.
[7:35 PM]
Next target is the last item from that vendor, an appearance arsenal
for 30k anima, that'll take a while to gather
[7:36 PM]
Finally, had more alt time! Got the rogue to level 30 in Darkshore,
and the mage got underway in Westfall, getting to 26. Feeling a bit
nostalgic with the whole Defias revival story
[7:36 PM]
And that's my report for the week!
Ar-Pharazon-V Today at 7:50 PM
Namarie
Eonwλ Valar Today at 7:58 PM
Sleep well Phar :}
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