LadyCrimson

Hubby and I aren't one's to celebrate or even remember things like birthdays/anniversaries ... but I was sitting here thinking about something, and realized the 20 year mark since our wedding has come and gone. Our first official date I was 17.5 and he was 20 so that makes ... 27 years total. Sheesh. No wonder I can't imagine life without him now. On that note, think I'll crawl into bed and snuggle his snoring person.

Reading Keyrock's description of NWO group play reminds me of some of my early Diablo2 days. Had these three 'net buddies I played with a lot and we'd make private games and sometimes the monster fights we'd get into ... those were good times. Such times are the only time I've liked multiplayer, unless you count Borderlands w/the spouse of course. (edit) oh yeah and this one guy I played Diablo1 with for a while. That was a giggle. Later tried to play with people in WoW but that didn't work out - I'm just too slow (action-wise) and easily sidetracked by non-combat stuff, so I'd always lag behind leveling for a group. And I never did like PUG's. (edit) also, still playing the professions in NWO while occasionally gaining a clvl on one of my chrs. here and there. Nothing else, really. Planet Explorer's next full alpha delayed 2-3 weeks so...constant fiddling of those profession tasks keeps me occupied.

It's nice, but it still doesn't seem that different than the stuff I see in the stores, if you feel like saving up for those things. So pretty much similar, only a different (and faster) way of getting them? Are there actually any "uniques/legendaries" in this game? I know some of the bosses drop certain items but they just seem the same stuff with a special name-title. Maybe I just don't get what makes them special.

Trouble w/the Curve. After the reviews/ads made it seem too smaltzy for my tastes, turns out it wasn't like that. Father/daughter drama and other stuff, but not overdone. So while not even close to Eastwood's best or even 2nd best work, it was a nice little picture, with baseball as a backdrop. The arrogant young batter who was the focus of the 1st pick contention was hilarious in his non-likability. Timberlake did ok (seen him do better) and I liked the overall ending of the film. And Clint Eastwood can still say more with a single growl-sigh of a "hurrrr" than anyone.

That's weird phrase to use for what they mean, yeah.

This weekend it's become warm here, too. Don't know if it'll last (summer weather has been oddball lately) but at the moment it's the type where I stay in my air-conditioned room. Every time I go into the living room I start sweating. Maybe in a few hours the bay breeze will show up and cool it off a bit. Went out and got another sandwich from the deli we found. They're still nothing like my nostalgic memory of deli's when I was a kid, but not bad. I'm pleased. Now to alternate between leg stretches, video game, and resting under the A/C fan. Btw, I was told I should wear actual shoes with high arch supports more often, because my flat feet cause the knees/legs/hips to move inward a bit while walking, causing stress. (I'm not pigeon toed, it's just the result of having no arch to prevent footroll). I dislike wearing shoes indoors, but it's a point. Altho it seems to affect my ankles more than anything else. I remember walking on tip toes a lot as a kid for the same reason.

I like elves. Or at least, half-elves and their bonuses. I also made what might arguably be the thinnest human great fighter. Which was largely in humorous "protest" against them mostly looking like this in games (forearms like treetrunks, shoulders as wide as a mac truck, even bulkier with armor). I just get really tired of that trope in video games. Besides, I suck at melee, so it's appropriate for my chr. to look incapable of holding a giant sword. Hardehar. I liked how my sword/shield chick came out best - shortened her legs so she's shorter but not dwarf short, not too thin, not too bulky - and you can't see it here but she has face wrinkles and a rather rotund rear end when she runs. Sadly it's doubtful I'll play her very far.

A vigorously brushed kitty is a happy kitty. If he could get any happier, he'd start jiggling like a gelatinous cube. And I'll repeat myself...the Furminator deshedding comb is awesome.

Long term obsession? Usually strategy or aRPG's. How long does long have to be in order to qualify? I mean, generally speaking, my all-time favorites list isn't going to be all that different from my long-term-obsession list. Dungeon Keeper 1/Deeper Dungeons is the all time winner for length of time (still play it a bit a few times a year). I still occasionally play Caesar 3. I still occasionally play Stronghold 1/Crusader. I still (very) occasionally play Lords of the Realm 2. I still (very) occasionally play Diablo-1, altho usually not for very long. Diablo-2 I played for maybe 5 years (or maybe 6, I forget), but once I finally stopped/at this point I don't think I'll ever go back to it. Fallout NV I played so obsessively I lost weight and forgot to sleep for 6 months, but most story-RPG's aren't games I can play again and again for a decade plus. Jumping into a strategy game and creating/replaying a fave map or two (to try new challenging/design aspects) or just bashing monsters looking for phat loot for an hour (mindless relaxation) is more my long term criteria.

She's a cleric. Which in NWO = caster, no melee. Also, she's a half-elf.

Hehe, awesome. There was an early-level axe from someone near the Tower area, IIRC. For the rogue tho (which seems odd). I used it a while. I almost have enough of that metal bar currency to get a purple lvl60 cleric icon. Not sure it's worth it tho. Those bars are work to get (trade AD for Zen for keys for lots and lots of lockboxes...). It's not phat loot, but at least it's a different design/default color than the last 20 levels. I could do without the fugly helmets too... Also... But...he's not orange! This is just so I can say ... "I'm on a boat! With my panther!"

Me too. It's ok dealing with it in small doses, but definitely not a game where I want to spend hours in combat mode when the repawn is every 60 seconds and they're clustered close together. Don't care about being max level in a hurry since not interesting in group dungeons, so I'll stick to the professions and "playing" the AH. That's the one thing I love about the game ... more than one way to get somewhere. I still love my panther. Wonder what the last skin looks like (its gotten bigger and darker so far). 8 more companion levels and I can find out. Heh.

Find any phat loot yet? Yeah, I'd like one of those companions too. At least they're not part of the expiring coins, so if I miss a day or two I don't lose them all. Have almost all 7 of my chrs/alts with a lvl10 in at least one profession now. One Leadership is almost 13 (can do Rank 3's then), Tailoring and Leatherworking lvl 11 (prof. lvl 14 to do Rank 3, sigh). Mailsmithing lvl10. Platesmithing is lagging behind at 6. Have lots of Guards and other Rank2's ready. One issue is I run out of materials too often now, since I'm not doing in-game combat much to gather extras that way, so I spend too much time creating them via the profession tasks. I figure another week, maybe two... Main cleric lvl 43 (those swamp/skyboat trappers are annoying as all get out) and currently sitting in one of the instances, repeating it over and over now and then just for silver/materials to send to alts. Main Rogue lvl30. Two others past lvl20, rest sitting at lvl 10-15.

I don't have anything to add, outside of a personal preference for very minimal UI's (or at least a UI I can customize to be minimal if I prefer), but it's interesting how much discussion/opinion there is on the "perfect" UI.

After being scanned and poked a little bit, pretty much as I expected: degenerative arthritis (osteoarthritis). Probably combo of hereditary factors, past/current injury stress blah blah. While not in the best shape I've ever been in, I'm nowhere near obese, so weight not a factor. Too much sitting in a chair on the computer probably has an effect/hurries things along, tho. Since the only thing in the past that really helped the knees/legs was a smooth cycling motion (I guess it strengthens what needs to be strengthened, in my case, with least impact stress), plus I'm not really into going to the park/riding around city blocks every day, I'm looking for another exercycle type of thing. Problem is, most of them take up so much space and our house/garage is about the size of a large bucket, which is why I got rid of the one I had (plus it was very butt-uncomfy). Anyone ever try something like these mini-cycles that consist of just the pedals? I think you're supposed to use them while sitting in a chair. Think that would work or are they terrible? MagneTrainer-ER Mini Exercise Bike Arm and Leg Exerciser (Amazon link) They claim to work with arms too, but I'm not interested in that aspect.

The Impossible - good acting (especially the young guy playing the older son), didn't seem too Hollywood for a based on true life disaster tale (a bit, but not as bad as some), tho a bit too much human drama for me (but it's well done human drama). It did, however, do what I wanted it to do ... make me go "can't even imagine...at least my life doesn't have/never had those kinds of problems." Still, I think I'll stick to The Shawshank Redemption when I need a human spirit type of lift.

Yes...I should have also stated that tolerance for how much alteration with original source material is always going to be individualistic. I tend to be more annoyed with major chr. personality changes (Holmes being a womanizer, Spock being a lot more outwardly emotional) than actual setting (time period) or props (cars vs. carriages). I might not like that in Kubrik's The Shining he used an axe instead of a mallet, or the way they did the ending, but not to the point I'd say don't call it The Shining. But if the personality of main characters changes drastically, to me it's no longer the same character. I liked the series House largely because of the almost Holmes/Watson aspect of House and Wilson, but I wouldn't call that show "Dr. Sherlock Holmes, in the 20th century." Or in CSI:Criminal Intent, Goren was like a cross of Holmes and Columbo. All great. But don't call it/Goren CSI:Columbo.

Probably the ligaments. Just like with my thumbs/index and middle fingers four years ago. The latter had no grip strength/pressure tolerance (couldn't pick up/carry a dinner plate without using whole palm/both hands) and would pop out too. After about 6-8 months with splints and tape hand joints got better so these days I can pick stuff up again, but they're still a lot stiffer/number than they used to be. Now it's the knees. Hopefully they'll get mostly better eventually too, like the hands. At this rate, a few years later it'll be my shoulders, then a few more it'll be my ankles, then maybe my elbows, and so on. It doesn't feel like the RA pattern/symptoms, but assuming some kind of progressive arthritis. Doc's tomorrow, maybe he'll have some enlightenment...not that I'm counting on that. *whinge*

...I think the making of base materials shouldn't take 15 minutes. I mean, 2 cloth for 15 minutes of waiting, or 8 cloth for 6-7 hours of waiting. Redonkulous. The "mass" material option shouldn't be much more time than making them individually (so maybe 2 hours for 8 cloth). I've still got a ways to go before I have every profession able to create the tier 3 worker to sell on the AH for 50k a pop. Leadership and tailoring almost there tho.

After some stretches, was doing some one-step leg exercise this morning (just gentle stepping up and down the table like step platform) and something popped in one knee so it wouldn't really bend. Had to sorta twist/pull/massage the joint back into proper place, reminding me of when my thumbs were doing that some years ago. Making me a very grumpy camper. I'm a gonna go lie down and sulk now.

Since I watch the BBC version of Sherlock, which most certainly does not conform entirely to the "original stuff", plus I'm probably one of the few who enjoyed "Young Sherlock Holmes" despite its silliness, not to mention being at least tolerant of the new Star Trek films, I don't think I'm hugely closed minded to remakes fiddling with chrs, formulas, stories, settings, time periods. But there is a certain point, to me, where a remake becomes no longer related much to the original and you may as well just call it something else, as I said. eg, they're mostly capitalizing on the name recognition, not the material.

Post limit.

I like the all-on-the-bottom approach, regardless of how it's arranged. I've had enough of too many things on the sides and feeling like I have to watch the game in a tiny box or through all these little menus and text readouts that I have to constantly click/move (MMO's, I'm looking at you). At least when it's all on one side (whether bottom or top or 1 side only) I feel like the graphic playing area is ... consistent? Doesn't get in the way? Gives an illusion of not being "boxed in" so much? ... and I only have to move the mouse a bit side to side most of the time, rather than all over the screen to reach different menus. And horizontal tends to make more sense these days since there's more horizontal than vertical space on most monitors. That said, stuff like the combat log could be resizable upwards, for those that really want to see more of it. Those that don't, can leave it at default etc.

I find insects fascinating, used to study them a bit. Obviously I don't like crawlies in my sheets, in my hair, my food/drink, or in my pants, but as long as they don't have deadly bites or something, I'm cool with leaving them alone as long as they're not causing me constant trouble (like termites or mosquito's/fleas or ants in the house might....). Not technically insects, but I love spiders. Jumping spiders especially. World needs more jumping spiders. They are too cool.

It's just a random NPC near an area entrance. Every time you load an area all the "scenery" NPC's change a bit and have different random names, many from other things (like the Chewbacca pet cat I saw). That's the first time I've seen a Drizzt npc.