Ignacius

Could not agree with this more. Half the reason I could not get into ffxiv's story at all was the amount of reading required. I love to read, but when you're forced to read paragraph after paragraph of mundane story and tedious questing, it just gets old. Giving npcs voice breathes life into even the most basic of quests,, and adds character, flavor, and depth. From an rper's perspective, having meaningful dialogue options (such as light and dark side) is an absolute dream, cuz its like having your own personal canon going on while you play through the game. I wish more games would focus more of their attentions on making the actual playthrough of the game fun and exciting, rather than focusing so heavily on endgame. I have to say I disagree with this, personally. I really don't mind reading quest text (then again, when you're in architecture, you read a LOT). If development resources are limited and the choices are between adding cutscenes and spoken dialogue or adding improved gameplay elements, I'd go with the latter. As an RPer, I've found that I know a good dozen or so roleplayers who write more interesting stories for RP than the actual developers.

Sorry to jump on this of all things, but I kind of agree. I play both factions, and tend to lean towards Alliance, but having the Elves join the Horde annoyed the everloving Hell out of me. It wasn't just that one of the pivotal races of the Alliance ended up joining their bitterest enemies for a VERY inadequate reason, it was that, for the poor Horde, THEY'RE STILL MISSING ONE OF THEIR OWN RACES! Seriously, I can understand the Alliance getting the Elves because they don't have anyone else, but outside of the Elves they have the entire Alliance (Humans, Gnomes, Dwarves). The Horde, on the other hand, finally got their Goblins in Cata, but I'll be eternally annoyed that they got Elves instead of Ogres. Ogres are all over every expansion of WoW except the last, they were an original Horde race! Instead, they sent one of the Alliance races over and still haven't gotten around to adding the Ogres back into the mix. It's a sad state of affairs. I still love World of Warcraft, but I remember that being eye-roll-worthy during Burning Crusade. "Seriously? The High Elves go emo, call themselves Blood Elves, and join the Horde? But not Ogres (or at the time Goblins)? Seriously?" Maybe that's why I lean Alliance still even though I play both. You could see them trying to make the Horde a prettier faction, or at least hoping to give them something less ugly. Interesting choice for your ugly faction. We'll see how it goes.

Since the disbandment of Nevermore, these guys have been my go-to metal band.

Actually, I've got some experience here. I've played MMOs almost since the beginning, Everquest, Everquest 2, FFXI, WoW, and then a slurry lately, as I've given EVE Online nine months and now FFXIV for a month at least. I also managed to beta Conan back in the day. I'm getting the first bit of my updated rig soon (not by choice, my motherboard finally kicked the bucket and I had to order parts to do my core upgrade, so I'll be out of the game until I get my PC sorted out). I've also done some research here. So, some thoughts on coming attractions: Final Fantasy 14: A Realm Reborn Obviously, most of the people here aren't playing the game as a sort of trial-sideline. I am, WoW being my first game and FFXIV being an experiment to see if I can find a new game to engage me before the new WoW expansion gets another crack at owning my soul. I'm giving FFXIV a shot to get my attention, and at the very least it's earned itself a subscription, as I am still interested in pretty much everything in it. However, more importantly, I'm kind of interested in what it might become. Eorzea is understandably small compared to other MMO worlds (it's much more highly detailed and is trying to keep people packed together ), so I can't wait until the game starts to expand beyond its boundaries. That seems to be something they're eager to do at Square. In all, I'm sort of excited to see Ala Mhigo and other places hinted at, but that must exist. So FFXIV, for me, is probably the game I'm looking forward to most, even though I play it. World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor Can't help it, I love World of Warcraft. It seems to do everything just well enough to keep me hooked. If it wasn't for how long I've played the game, I'd probably still be playing even while waiting for the xpack to drop. I think Pandaria is the best expansion WoW has ever had; I even bombastically liked it better than Burning Crusade. I've also played Warcraft games since 1990, so I'm very interested in how they'll do this sort of throwback lore. The only reason I'm looking at other games is because I've played WoW nearly since launch. I need SOMETHING to do that isn't WoW (and no, playing Diablo doesn't count, even though I do that, too). Unfortunately, WoW is the only game I know of with dedicated RP servers, so I'm not likely to leave it anytime soon. I'm a roleplayer that plays games, not a gamer that roleplays, so it's very important to me. EVE Online I played this game for about nine months. At one point, it might have sounded promising, but it taught me one thing: MMOs need to knock this FFA PVP shit off. After playing for nine months, I realized something. I hated seeing anyone else in the game. Seeing another player immediately sets you on edge and makes you want them to go away. That seems to me to be a complete misuse of the promise of an MMORPG, that you can see other people. In fact, FFXIV attracts me by doing the opposite, rewarding me for stopping and helping people regardless of whether it's something I need to do. Between syncing levels for FATEs, equalizing levels for all dungeons so you can run them with your friends at lower levels, and giving you bits of experience without detracting it from the people you help, FFXIV means I'm constantly hoping someone comes along, even a complete stranger. EVE, at this point, just proves that free for all PVP doesn't work. Star Citizen Speaking of FFA PVP you can't avoid, this game would be amazing if they'd have KNOCKED THIS FFA PVP SHIT OFF! It sounds fantastic, with gear-bending graphical prowess, flight-stick starship piloting, and a lot of game depth anyone would love. I'm disappointed to conclude that it won't be quite so open as anyone wants, and it will be absolutely impossible to avoid running into PVP pirates anywhere. Another game where I'm going to want to have nothing to do with random strangers. Completely wasting the possibilities of an MMORPG. Wildstar I'm somewhat interested in seeing where they go with this. It looks like a very explorable game and seems like something I'd be interested in. I'm also entertained by their trailers, jokes, and game footage. It seems fun, which is another thing some game developers are forgetting. However, it also seems like the kind of thing that comes as a huge gamble. The stylized graphics and gameplay might be the most entertaining thing in the world when it comes out, or it could fall flat on its face and become exceptionally annoying. I'm reserving judgement until I see it, but since I'm playing FFXIV now, Wildstar has to jump some higher hurdles. It was definitely always going to be more entertaining than EVE, but I'm not sure they can get the complete fun you get out of FFXIV. We'll see what happens. Elder Scrolls Online This is the problem with being the next "WoW-killer", that term is always a misnomer and sets the bar at an impossibly high level of success. Even then, ESO just didn't impress me. I had some family beta the game and I got to take their characters for a spin. Where FFXIV's combat is deliberate and yet incredibly engaging, I felt divorced from the game world somewhat and the combat was boring. REALLY boring. I just can't see myself playing it like I play FFXIV. World of Darkness Online I'm very, very, VERY skeptical that the company that made EVE and Dust is going to turn a tabletop/LARP game that focuses primarily on drama into an MMORPG video game. I know the World of Darkness franchise games are very good and very popular, but these are games that focus almost essentially on dramatic interactions between relatively small numbers of individuals. You have to really fight these games to make them fun, action-oriented affairs (my favorite kind of RPG). I'm sure it's possible to make a WoD game fun and to give you excuses to boil people's blood in their skin rather than manipulate them into giving you control of the Kentucky National Guard, but CCP is NOT the company that can do that. Both of their games are highly numerical affairs, EVE especially being the MBA's MMORPG. I would need to hear some spectacular things about this game to make me think it would be any good. EverQuest Next I haven't been following it, though I probably should. I'll reserve judgement until I have more information on it. Monster Hunter Online I'm... conflicted. Monster Hunter is, without a doubt, my favorite video game franchise of all time. This is despite me hating a lot of the more Japanese elements of the games; charging your sword for a glowy slash kind of hurts the idea that you're staring at a giant drake that can kill you in two good smacks. They have a new MMO coming out, but it's being made by Tencent, not Capcom. It's being made for a Chinese audience, not Japanese, and no one is talking about a western release yet. I'm not even sure that we'll have free hunt, so it might not even be an MMORPG. Mark my words though, if they ever give an American release to a Monster Hunter MMORPG that they do even half-decently, you won't see me again until you all inevitably migrate to it, for it will be the most awesome game of all time. I'm keeping my eyes in Capcom's direction, wondering if they'll ever make my dreams come true. That's all I've got offhand.

"TWO MINUTES!" The wind was harsh and cold, kicking into his face and causing him to squint his eyes. He could hear the pinging beneath his feet, see slivers of wood passing by the doorway. "THIRTY SECONDS! IT'S GONNA BE HOT!" Dust was starting to infiltrate the doorway as the world swung wildly around him. A whip of air flashes by his face before the pinging resumes. He slaps his chest, suddenly coming apart from his chair. "BAIL! BAIL! BAIL!" Fire burns in his chest as he feels the solid earth beneath his feet. They are all around him, closing on him from below. He can hear the chattering from behind, see flames flying from all directions, hear the whining of his metal-shod compatriots. He focus on one incoming man, raising a spear, screaming at him with Hell in his eyes. He raises his own lance, screams back, and charges out across the field to meet him.... _____________________________________________________ ~... And when they've tortured and scared you for twenty-odd years, Then they expect you to pick a career, When you can't really function, you're so full of fear....~ The sun peaks through Orleans Ignacius's eyelids as he slowly opens them, shaking his head. Water laps languidly at the dock's piers as he looks around. His radio is playing not far from his head. Had it been fifteen minutes? An hour? More this time? He re-seats the black stetson on his forehead and takes a deep sigh. He could feel the sweat on his body, generally what happens when he's been in the sun too long, but he can't find it in himself to stand up and walk back to the hotel right now. All he knew was that he was starting to run out of money again. ~... If you wanna be a hero, then just follow me....~ The sultry voice of the radio DJ breaks the music and a slow instrumental number backs her. "Mmm, if you wanna be a hero, baby, just follow him. And make sure you don't touch that dial, follow us for the rest of the day here on 99.7 The Grove. We've got a request from you listeners out there. Looks like we've got us a foreman with no bricks, looking for a supplier. Well here's a song for him, coming at you, on 99.7.... the Grove...." ~We are scanning the scene in the city tonight, We are looking for you to start up a fight....~ Well, he was running out of money again... Ignacius reaches up and touches the back of his ear, flipping a subtle switch on the listening device. The music begins to fade into the background, muting it, as if it were coming through him from underwater. Taking another look around, then shrugging, he says, "I hear someone's looking for bricks." "Ah, Silverfox, I was hoping you might be on the line," the voice that comes back is intentionally kindly and yet unintentionally venomous, like an unlicensed chocobo salesman. It buzzes slightly, a sound he associates with using a subvocal microphone, such as the one he is wearing in his gorget but has decided not to bother with. It is a voice he knows belongs to the faceless face-man he only knows as Ambrose. "Are you looking for work?" "Might be," answers Ignacius, resettling back on the dock again. "What are we talking?" "Oh, nothing terribly difficult," says Ambrose, "A simple zero-zero. I've given Cannonball, you remember him, the specifics. He could simply use some support and I'm finding myself short of competent and reliable people." "Sounds like you booked yourself a brick. What kind of fee are we talking here?" "How does three keys up front and three in the back sound?" Ignacius nods slowly to himself. "Sounds good." "Glad to hear it! Meet Cannonball tonight at the Cork at half past ten. He'll be expecting you. I think he knows your make." Ignacius nods, grinning. "He ought to..." He walks over to the small case he lives out of, opens it and begins to change on the empty dock into his chain mail. It feels good to put on armor again, and he feels once more like standing up to his full seven feet in height. Dark skin stretched taut over thick muscle is now shod in steel, and Ignacius welcomes the cool caress of his gambeson beneath. Setting the gear box back in its hiding place, Ignacius retrieves his weapons and slings his spear over his shoulder. "Showtime..." _____________________________________________________ Easy money. Ignacius, Cannonball, some Scholar named Sugarpuff, and another giant statue of muscle called Hammer creep up to the small house in the Black Shroud. You would have thought it was a shack, not a place to hide a presumptive heir. It was dark all around, far from the road, and Ignacius looks around one last time for a sign of double-cross. It never hurt to check, anyway. He'd had his own fixer, a man he knew as Bossman, put his ear to the ground. Whoever was inside had apparently had his uncle killed, making him the new heir to the family fortune. Before the ink had even dried on the legal documentation, his cousin was already wanting to replicate the feat. All above board, all from people he knew. What could go wrong? Cannonball doesn't turn around, simply pointing to the small guard post in the back. His voice buzzes in his earpiece, as the subvocal microphone makes sure they can hear him without him speaking. "Fox, get those two and come meet us. The rest of you, follow me around the side." Ignacius sets his gear down and, making sure to stay below the horizon, he slips quietly around the side. Right... there were two of them, both standing out in the open and watching the road. In fact, as Ignacius creeps ever closer around and then behind them, he can hear them chatting. About one's girlfriend maybe being pregnant, but maybe using it as an excuse to keep him around. About how detestable the other found women for that idea. About how they needed to both show their contempt at a bar later. Amateurs. Ignacius waits for the time to be right, then springs forward. Within a second, he has shoved the spear directly through the first guard's neck and, just as quickly, he pulls it back. The ripping sound, as well as a gurgled gasp, is all that can be heard as his compatriot stumbles back in shock. He recovers, drawing his sword just in time to meet Orleans' thrust, but simply doesn't think to shout out for help. Ignacius wastes no time, pressing his advantage and thrusting at his remaining target's shoulder. It seems off, and the remaining guard almost grins as he sidesteps to deliver a quick slice at Ignacius's exposed arm. However, that is precisely what he was supposed to do. He trips over an exposed root and falls off balance. He doesn't fall over, but he falls back just enough. Shock and fear grip his face as Ignacius whips the spear around underneath the now wild sword swing and disembowels his opponent. As his intestines slide out of his body, eliciting a whine of surprise from the shocked guard, Ignacius surges forward, stepping on his sword blade to remove it from his hand, and body-pressing the guard into the tree trunk. His spear shaft is held crosswise and presses onto the guard's throat, cutting off his air. He struggles, but he cannot remove the giant Elezen nor call for help as the life is strangled out of him. Ignacius holds him there, dangling, until he is sure he is gone. He releases him and stands back, still mindful of his surroundings. "Oh, Godsdamnit..." buzzes Cannonball. Ignacius looks over in time to hear glass shatter, to hear a yell, and to see someone disappearing into a window. "DO IT NOW!" Hammer brings his massive axe into the door and knocks it off its hinges. Ignacius rolls down the embankment to his gear, keeping an eye on the house, seeing flashes of magic and breaking lamps inside. "Mark is going out the back!" exclaims Hammer, breathlessly. Ignacius looks around the embankment, standing next to his gear, in time to see someone crawl out of a window and run to the nearby stables. He purses his lips. A kid, probably no more than fifteen. He couldn't have called for a hit... or at least doesn't seem old enough. Probably a pawn in someone else's game, probably like his cousin. People with money getting jerked around by people who want money. Ignacius really, honestly was considering simply letting him ride by before Sugarpuff speaks. "Damnit, I think he made me..." Ignacius closes his eyes for a moment and sighs. That settles that. The kid might tell the law, the law might go looking for Sugarpuff, she might give them up. The whole thing might tumble down like a house of cards, the Grove ripped up at the roots. That couldn't happen. Stabbing his spear into the ground, Ignacius takes up his bow and retrieves three arrows from his quiver. Selecting the best of the bunch at a quick glance and holding the other two in his bow hand, he quietly climbs the embankment. He can hear the chocobo going around him, running along the riverbed. The door behind breaks open, and the other three of his compatriots come running out, looking after the racing chocobo. As they do so, they stop, and the boy turns around to look at them. He isn't watching where he's going anymore. Ignacius stands up on the embankment, draws his arrow, tracks the chocobo for a moment, then lets the arrow fly. "HNF-!" The bowstring twang is immediately followed by the sound of impact and the grunt of the boy, who immediately twists and becomes unbalanced in the saddle. He falls with a thud on the rocky riverbank. The chocobo, even without its master, continues to run, and Ignacius watches it for a moment before he climbs down the embankment. Cannonball's voice buzzes through the communicator. "Holy shi-... was that you, Fox?" "Yeah," responds Ignacius, in his gravelly bass. He sets the bow down, retrieves his spear, and walks over towards the last place he saw the target. There he is, laying over not five feet from the river. Ignacius holds the spear slow with the point aimed towards him, then chokes it up halfway to something he can use at closer range. When he arrives, he kneels beside the body and turns the quivering boy over. Maybe thirteen, at best. Ignacius looks him over, the boy shuddering and clutching the arrow buried deep in his chest. Ignacius can tell by looking at him, by how pale he is going before his eyes, by how he struggles to breathe in, that his aim was perfect. The boy is crying, staring up at Ignacius, face twisted in a grisly visage of pain and sadness. He stares up at him wordlessly, helplessly... "Did you get him?" Ignacius sighs, then brings his foot forward and steps on the boy's chest. The boy is wont to gasp, but can't with the massive Elezen's weight bearing down on him. Only a muted groan comes out as Ignacius grabs the haft of the arrow and rips it out of the boy. A small geyser of blood erupts from him, and continues to hemorrhage. He struggles weakly against Ignacius's leg, trying only to get the massive weight off of him, but he is already gone, already losing too much blood, shoving at what must only look like a shadow in the blackness. As Ignacius watches the light in his eyes go out and hears his compatriots approaching from behind, Ignacius cannot even reach deep down far enough to find disgust or sadness. It simply is what it is... and it could have been him so long ago. "Yeah," he says, audibly, "I got him." _____________________________________________________ The sun peaks through Orleans Ignacius's eyelids as he slowly opens them, shaking his head. Water laps languidly at the dock's piers as he looks around. His radio is playing not far from his head. "Howdy there, listeners, sounds like one of our guys from yesterday managed to get things sorted out, and his hero might be listening. Heard one of you boys got himself a nice bonus for going above and beyond and saving the day. Earned yourself a nice little vacation while the mess gets all cleaned up. You know who you are, we know who you are, and this song, baby... this song is for you... on 99.7... The Grove..." ~I was listening to the music on the radio, I had a feeling that something's not right. The music was loud, we could still hear the crowd, From the gig that we played that night...~ Ignacius leans back again, closing his eyes. He can't do anything else. It is what it is. So he slips the stetson down over his eyes, drums his fingers and nods his head in tune to the music.

I remember Pantera and Fear Factory got me into metal music as a kid in middle school. It was Megadeth and Katatonia that got me into metal culture in high school. Finally, it was Peter Steele (RIP) and Tom Araya that got me to pick up a bass in college. Kind of funny how most people self-identify with where they were born or who they were born to, but for as long as I can remember I've chosen my culture through music. Goth rock and heavy metal are my culture.

One of my all-time favorite albums by one of my all-time favorite bands. Awesome. Which album, Cowboys from Hell or Painkiller? I do love Pantera, and I bought the album while I was in middle school. It completely fits, I think, where I'm going with Orleans. I really do wish I could have used that Judas Priest song, though; it's just a bit too clean for what I'm going for. But man, I think Painkiller is the best heavy metal album produced anywhere by anybody. I was so tempted. Really, the lightning imagery almost won me over. Still, Cowboys from Hell is a better choice for Orleans. He's just too gritty for music as polished as Priest's.

Honestly, I'd have said "Leather Rebel" by Judas Priest for pure lyrics. I mean, they're just so in-touch with the game terms Orleans Ignacius is understood by. However... if we're talking pure feel of the character and lyrical content to match, there's really only one song... YOU SEE US COMING AND YOU ALL TOGETHER RUN FOR COVER! ... WE'RE TAKING OVER THIS TOWN...

Here's hoping we'll get a Calculator class. My favorite class and guilty pleasure of FF Tactics.

I very briefly checked the server, but ended up moving my Horde to Wyrmrest Accord instead. I'm Alliance on Moon Guard (previously Thorium Brotherhood, then Emerald Dream before that) and Horde on Wyrmrest Accord (previously Steamwheedle Cartel).

I. Basic Info Characters: Orleans Ignacius Primary character: Orleans Ignacius Linkshells: 99.7 The Grove Primary RP linkshell: 99.7 The Grove, looking for more [*] II. RP Style Amount of RP (light, medium, heavy): Depending on what's going on, all, though I tend towards the medium these days Views on RP combat and injuries: Play it realistically, and don't pick fights you aren't thinking about clearly. For instance, Orleans is damn near seven feet tall, a lot bulkier than your average Elezen, and has a long, uninterrupted string of violence in his history. Seriously think about whether or not your lithe conjurer would get in his face at a bar before he twists you into knots. On that note, I like roleplaying fights out in script, but I avoid them when I can. That's why I play someone that huge. People should know better than to think he's a live-and-let-live type. Views on IC romance: I love RPing it out, but I'm happily married IRL. Remember to keep it IC, please. Views on non-romantic RP (family ties, etc): I'm fine with it, just plan it out beforehand. Random bar RP is still the most fun, though. Views on lore: Keep it in mind, you can't completely break it. However, you don't want lore to be a minefield that blows up on everyone who steps into something that hasn't been trodden on over and over again. I try to be as forgiving as I can be, especially if you get a good character out of it. Try to keep the Mary-Sue-ing to a minimum, though. Views on chat functions (/say, /linkshell, etc): Um... they're good? I will say that I sort of half-run a linkshell that isn't really a linkshell. [*] III. Other Info Country: Ewe Ess Aye Timezone: EST (Ohio) Contact info: If you need me outside the game, email me at [email protected]. I can also be reached on Gtalk at [email protected]. Finally, if I'm in World of Warcraft or Diablo, my RealID is [email protected] [*] [align=center][glow=blue]~Special announcements can be found in the posts below~[/glow][/align] I only wish we had motorcycles....

I've blown my game gasket once (went back to running Shadowrun tabletop games for a year), but since then I've been fine. A few tips for avoiding this in your life: 1. Find a job you like to do and make sure that's a bigger priority. When you get home from a job you've poured your heart and soul into, you enjoy relaxing with a game. If you get home and your job you pour your heart and soul into is a game, you'll eventually get burned out on it. If you're going to intermittently burnout on something of something, at least make it the thing you get paid to do. 2. Have a hobby that isn't a game, practice it regularly. I play bass guitar. Horribly. However, if I sit down at my rig, look at the game, feel like what is in front of me is a horrendously long grind I have no desire to force myself through, I get up and play bass instead. When I come back, I often find that I'm looking forward to doing what I dreaded, I just didn't feel like doing it right then and there. 3. Have some game variety. Even if you feel like playing games, you'll eventually flame out if it's the same thing over and over again. I know I play this pretty much every day now, but I can still reactivate and play WoW for when I inevitably feel bored with FFXIV and I play Diablo in the interim. Just have other stuff to do that isn't an MMO; MMORPGs have a bad habit of forcing you to have responsibilities to friends, which makes the final tip impossible. 4. Most importantly, and I say this again and again to people, NEVER EVER EVER PLAY IF YOU AREN'T HAVING FUN! Take a break, do something, do anything, whatever you do don't make a game into a chore. It will never be fun again. You might take ten minutes to play a game of pool, come back and everything is absolutely fine. If you're forcing yourself to play a game, it's no longer a game and it's no longer fun. Even if it's staring at a wall for an hour that gives you that break, you don't want to be playing a game and not having fun. That's a good way to ruin all games, nay all your hobbies, for a long time. You forget what having fun really is. Just my set of tips. Too many MMO players over the years have started taking games a little too seriously. That's how you get that touchy person that starts arguing about everything, even if it has nothing to do with him, that starts dampening the fun for anyone. If anything, better to bow out when you know you're flaming out rather than become that guy. We all know that guy. We don't want to be that guy. So I hope the OP gives his brain a much needed vacation and we see him back soon. Totally understand what he means though. It's wise to know when you've had enough and you need to dry out a while.

I think the fact that people seem to be touching their ears when they get a call from the Scions means it is, somehow, an auditory device. Kind of like a Hydaelyn Bluetooth, maybe? In any case, your linkshell doesn't necessarily have to be a linkshell per se, it's just a standard method of communication. I am part of a small group that uses a "linkshell" that is actually more of a technological radio system. It's hidden and encrypted in the background static of an actual radio station, ICly. We are somewhat unsavory characters.

I still keep my sub up and drop in to play every now and then. With that said, I think I'm done with WoW until the new expansion hits. World of Warcraft is probably my favorite game of the last decade, but Blizzard has a tendency to draw out its expansions and leave us with little to no new content for a while. Having done my raiding and my Brawler's Guild and rep grind, I'm kind of glad I have FFXIV to fill the gap. I suppose when I'm bored of FFXIV because I've cleared all the content I wanted to clear, I'll swap back to WoW for a while until Square puts together another expansion. And so it shall go.

I'm probably unlike a lot of my peers in that I jumped to 8 almost immediately and absolutely loved it. It took about two weeks to get used to, since a lot of the controls are different. However, the Metro interface feels a lot more intuitive after you've used it a while and if you aren't constantly doing the shuffle backwards into 7. What's best about it, though, is the stability. 8 has never crashed on me, and I routinely play with software on my computer like Revit that has wreaked havoc on lesser operating systems. The best thing to do is to get 8, immediately upgrade to 8.1 (since it'll help ease you into the change) and take the time to learn where everything is. If you aren't constantly referring back to 7 or earlier, you'll very quickly get everything in order. Windows 8 would probably have gotten a lot more praise if 90% of us hadn't been using its predecessors since we were kids. Also, take the time to organize and use the Metro interface. I can't stress enough how useful it is once you get used to it, especially if you just have one monitor or if you've connected your rig to a large, HD TV. You know, for people that have done that.... :angel:

Thanks Althena, I'll try to be there, though if I'm not at level I'll probably work on getting to the right level. I think it'd be more of a challenge just to find the place. :lol: And WoW... I actually really liked the Pandaria expansion. It was a lot of fun. I just know Blizzard probably isn't going to release the next expansion for a while. A lot of my old friends have left and my guilds are kind of dead, so I don't have as much tying me to the game. I figured it would be a good time to try new games. EVE was a bit of a disappointment, but FFXIV is entertaining, if it's making my rig show its age. I'd start swapping parts, but my current motherboard is pretty well maxed and I'll need a new core system to catch up to the SOTA.

Well, let's see, I'm tenured in WoW. I started Alliance on Emerald Dream, then Horde on Steamwheedle Cartel (my main was Anatsumiro and I was in the ), moved my Alliance to Thorium Brotherhood for a while (Zumoktaga in the ), then Alliance to Moon Guard where I was in a few guilds and ran one as Zumoktaga or Jasuun, then Horde moved to Wyrmrest Accord with the Skulldance Clan last year on Anatsumiro et al. I still play now and again, I just haven't had the time to really drive for recruitment, so my guild has desiccated. C'est la vie, I guess. I actually don't play any tabletop anymore, though I try to keep up on the SOTA in Shadowrun. I'm trying to pick up the new edition since I heard it was a real improvement from the last one, but it's hard to have the same involvement when RL takes up so much of my time. As far as the games go, I'm not a big fan. Shadowrun is such a BIG universe that, to make a worthwhile MMO, you'd need to have flawless gun combat, flawless magic combat, flawless melee combat, flawless driving combat, and a flawless decking simulator, at least, and they'd all need to operate together equally flawlessly. I highly doubt anyone these days has the personnel to pull that off. It would be, without a doubt, the most ambitious game ever made. We'll see what the future holds. Thanks for the links, though! I'll probably look into free companies and linkshells after I'm a bit better settled in the game. I'm looking forward to it, though. I just have to get use to the ALT+Rs and the "...bound by duty..."s before I can try to focus on RPing while I run around. I did want to drop in and get a look at the community, though.

Hi, I'm Vic, and I play Orleans Ignacius. I literally just picked up the game last weekend. Brother beta tested the original and my other brother picked up the original in retail, both said the game was horrible. It sort of tainted my taste for the revision, especially considering my background (more on that later). But I had some spare money laying around, heard in another forum that ARR was good, and tried it. I've been entertained, enough that I'm probably going to get myself a subscription and start putting down some roots. The game's great, though I haven't really had a chance to RP in-game yet. Luckily, I found this place, found out there was a server with a large RP community, and started on Gilgamesh. My RP background, as opposed to my FFXIV background, is pretty long. I started RPing on BBS games like Legend of the Red Dragon a long time ago, and my first board game was Dragonstrike. I did book gaming for a while, both White Wolf's litany of games as well as a lot of Shadowrun back in the day, but I really got into forum RP. I ran a thread about a city called Volins on Yahoo IM some ten to twelve years ago, and I recall it fondly. I still tend to be pretty long and descriptive when I post, so fair warning. As far as games go, I actually RPed in FFXI for a while (as Ignatius) before switching to WoW during its vanilla phase. I've been playing it ever since an RPing in it fairly extensively. Lately, I've had an itch to try other games, so I tried EVE Online. I RPed a lot there, but I wasn't as big of a fan of the game. Hence my coming here and to FFXIV; I like the game and the community seems nice, so why pay a subscription for a community I like and a game I dislike? IRL, I'm an architectural designer in Columbus, OH, happily married with a pair of dogs. I design hospitals and health care facilities mostly, though I'm randomly working on a television studio. Since the crash, we've been liable to take what we get and not worry about specialization so much. I'm also into playing bass and I really love music, so I will probably talk about that a lot at inappropriate times. I suppose the only question I have coming out of the box is if there is a place to post character information for public perusal? Anyway, hello everyone!