Raithe

Cheerfully losing time to SW:TOR. What can I say, it's the geek way to battle christmas depression...

Well, from the beta weekend where I played a Republic Trooper, and my play of getting off Korriban with my Sith Inquisitor.. I'd have to say it really does feel like Kotor on steroids. The locations are much more expanisve, and the pacing is a little slower. But everything you get, you really earn. It took me about 6 hours to finally get a lightsaber, and damn it felt good to have that first fight with it. Apart from the "Heroic Missions", I've been doing everything solo, and there is no feeling of pressure to group up. I keep getting the urge to quick save, and yes, there have been times I really wish I could save just so I could see how alternate choices would play out. It would have been interesting to see a few more subtleties on some of it, and there are a few suprising moments. As a Sith Inquisitor acolyte and former slace, my immediate supervisor has a serious hate-on for you and constantly denigrates you, pushing another acolyte as his favourite. So when you hit the point you finally get accepted as an apprentice for a Sith Lord.. I thought the whole "thank you for your teachers, it just..inspired me so much" was more of a mind-**** comment to make to him, although it turned out to actually be a light side response. (Although his response, both in dialogue and facial animation was kind of mentally poked as well)

Having a fairly enjoyable run around on Korriban with my Sith Inquisitor at the moment. Hoping to try a more "grey" route rather then go full darkside, I seem to have accomplished a fair amount of the various world quests and the two Heroic Quests.. getting ready to face my "Final Trial" which is where I'll pick up my first companion. Some interesting characters, but so far no Imperial Officers with english accents.. Edit: And yes, Force Lightning is fun..

Well I received my Early Access and decided to whip up a character for it. Since Corellia Run is an East Coast server, I've decided to check out how capable it is.. have no noticable lag, so I'll poke around on there as well for the moment.

Had the slow start to the day. Ran through a friends dissertation to provide a grammar/language check since english is her second langauge. Now mom's got a doctor's appointment to go to. Check up on various blood tests and wotnot. Hm, then throw some of the empty christmas decoration boxes up in the attic and get them out of the way..

I've been dabbling at a re-run of Fallout New Vegas with all the dlc. Finished off Honest Hearts, meandered around, just started up the whole Sierra Madre kickoff. I'm not sure why, but I'm not getting hooked at the moment, having to stir myself up each time to try to get back into the game. I guess it's one of those odd moods, and no doubt twill pass..

One of the key elements thats troubling Greece.. is how bloody few of the people who live there actually pay their taxes. It's a national sport to avoid paying your taxes. It's one of the key reasons the government there has always struggled to keep a budget afloat. So say by some miraculous measure the EU actually works.. how long is it going to work, or be considered fair, if all the taxpaying Germans (for example) are paying money into the EU that goes to keep Greece afloat because those citizens aren't actually keeping up their tax end? Of course, as was pointed out earlier.. The UK is one of the biggest contributors to the EU budget as it were, and one of the few that has actually provided the money on time rather then in dribs, drabs and constantly putting it off.. I'm really seeing the financial responsibility and economic wunderkinds at work with this history.. Edit: You always know it's getting late when you start twisting your grammar around..

Technically I am. But I'm not. Funnily enough, the pre-order of the standard version (which is linked to my original account) has received the "invite" to todays early access. The trouble being, the standard version is going to my sister as a christmas present. While my CE version (which I've been told has already been shipped) is still waiting for the early access invite. (and yes, its linked to an account, so its just waiting). So although I technically could get in right now... I'm not. I'm waiting to be able to use my CE account.

1. I am a woman. 2. I like to read about women playing with lightsabers and guns that go pew pew. 3. It's a book in which only men get to do the cool stuff. Women get to have the hero's kid or die. That sucks. Maria - Try looking up the Liaden Universe books. The best description I've heard is "Star Wars meets Pride and Prejudice"

The fact that the blogger compares it to Jim Butcher's work, and comments that Jim Butcher's is derivative of Laurel K Hamilton's Anita Blake series tends to make me highly suspicious on it on general principles alone... Edit: And the hate really does flow the further you go..

Had a number of freakish dreams that I kept waking up from. Now I keep thinking/feeling its monday all over again rather then a tuesday. Edit: And to add to the joys, apparently the phone line is out. Or at least not giving a dial tone.

The other side of it, is that the UK actually enforces the legislation from the EU within our own country. While it pretty much seems that the majority of other countries have a very laissez-faire attitude to whether they pay any real attention to them. So , yeah, I wonder why we tend to have a slightly more jaundiced view of whats going on with it all/

So you wanna have the uninformed, politically and economically illiterate and non-enlightened people that change their mind like from one minute to another depending who's right-wing party currently talks the smoothest way, you want those people let decide over the fate and future of the EU? Sure thing. Gee, while I tend to agree on the whole view of the masses... That's the way a freaking democracy is meant to work. Edit: Besides, half the people who make up the EU buraucracy don't exactly strike me as that enlightened or economically literate. More in the vein of power-brokers, building up of influence and generally trying to establish their own personal fiefdoms.

It does seem to hammer home that the European Union doesn't really give a damn about democracy. Everyone who has pushed the Euro here has ignored the calls for referendum here on it, because the majority don't want it. And it's getting freaking annoying to have a number of legislation come about because of some non-voted in bureaucrats in Europe. It just feels like it's all about building a bureaucracy that runs everything rather then a form of government in which you can have some say.

Wasn't it supposed to start Thursday evening?! O_o What, you missed my posting of the news last week? Yeah, they decided to extend the Early access to 7 days in total. Emails will start to go out at noon gmt tomorrow letting people know...

Getting mildly annoyed at the moment. Started the Honest Hearts DLC. But now I've found any save I make, if I try to reload the game hangs.. and hangs... and hangs. I literally have to ctrl-alt-del, and log off to get anywhere.

Indeed. And the pains of juggling attempts at work, household chores, christmas stuff, seasonal depression, and potential TOR geek-out playtime... Oh what way will that fall..

And the further Guide to SW:TOR Launch and Beyond!! A collected mix of guides on classes, advanced classes, gameplay, lore, etc..

Still can't quite seem to get in the seasonal mood. And I got to sleep some point past 4am. Have the tree up, and slowly putting decorations on it. Rather then do it all in one bash, I've got the various boxes of decorations arranged around the room so as I do the various daily tasks, I can pop in and put a handful up at a time, then carry on with other things.. Did some internet banking and paid off a chunk of my credit card. Hm, got the email notification that Game had shipped my copy of ToR. Waiting for a few ordered christmas presents to arrive, and then I'll have to dig out the wrapping paper. My sister walked in last night and did this wonderful "oh, if you were wondering what to get me for christmas, how about this?" then hands me something she's bought. And opened. "If you want you can just give me the money for it."

After William Shatner's and Carrie Fisher's snark back a nd forth...

Something that might be interesting to folks getting the game.. Tips for the Preferences Tab A video walk through of the TOR preferences tab, what options do, assorted tricks and why you should or should not use them.. Of course, thats for the last beta, but it shouldn't have changed too much now.

Thought I'd give Fallout New Vegas a fresh start. Now I've got all the dlc to run through, and it's been a fair while since I completed the game originally. Hm, so is there a "best order" in which to fit the dlc into the playing time? Or does it not matter so much storywise if you randomly approach them? Of course, not sure how far I'll actually get with early access on TOR this week, but we'll see how it goes.

Personally, I've had a fair bit of fun with Saints Row 3. It is fairly irreverant, and some of the humour has the potential to be somewhat offensive. But it's generally tongue-in-cheek, self-aware, and ridiculously over the top. Also, it might just be something that hits my simple funny bone, but any game that can flip from ultra-violence to a "Burt ****ing Reynolds!" reveal, and carry it off as if its all a totally normal part of reality is worth some game play.

It was a nice touch when you run into that original "cabbie" you played in the first one. But overall something did feel disapointing about Mafia 2. The open world you never really had any reason to wander around it, the ending that didn't satisfy. Just.. something didn't capture the originals spark.