Friday, November 30, 2007

Sooooo tired

When I get tired, my mind goes roaming for entertainment. I consider things that really make no sense. Like, for instance, how do you clean soap? Or would a sweater made entirely of dryer lint be completely immune to static electricity?

Sometimes I try to do something relatively serious. Normally it fails because I overlook some minor detail and suddenly I'm totally lost as to why the program I'm writing or the sandwich I'm making suddenly bursts into flames, literally. It's much more of a worry for my neighboring cubicles than me.

Then there are the times I am very introspective and contemplate the complexities of gravitational pull on stationary jars of mayonnaise. Or Miracle Whip. I prefer its tangy zip.

Did I have a point tonight? I think so. It's at the tip of my #2. He doesn't mind, he's a pinhead anyway.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Why my blog's not pretty

A comment was made to me by Hamburglar, a friend from FFXI. He says my blog is boring because it lacks pictures and stuff. Well, he doesn't have a blog and he's a loser and he smells funny.

More seriously, I normally don't have access to the files I need when I blog, and when I do have access to them, I have no interest in spending the time to chop them up. However, I have been considering making an FFXI-based comic using screen shots and model viewer images. I know, it's been done, but I miss creative projects. Videos take too long to edit on my current machine. Or the software is bloated. Plus I really want Adobe Premiere. I want more creative tools. I feel so... trapped... by the lack of certain options like the ability to transform objects, or manipulate and transition videos in more unique ways.

I have never tried to make a comic, though the process fascinates me. I am craving some kind of creative outlet for the stories and images in my head, this might be a perfect opportunity.

Also I have a sick sense of humor, which should make it fun win or lose!

Wednesday, November 28, 2007

So I finally bit the bullet...

Compliments of my stupid sense of humor, I had to make the previous post. I wanted to do it the day of, but I forgot before I took the tower apart to post it, and then I was too busy bitching about my new card.

Yes, bitching about it. It was the only video card I could find quickly enough to satisfy my desire to keep playing, and it was at the same place I got my new PSU from. It's a nVidia 6800 clone, made by a company I've never heard of before. I think it's 256MB of ram is shared, it behaves that way. I lag hard whenever there's a lot of visual information (IE if anyone fires off a weapon skill or if I go into a larger area with a lot of movement in the environment). Coming from my ATI Radeon 9800, this is a painful drop in performance. I've had to lower my resolution to tolerate the performance issues.

On the plus side, Christmas is coming early for me. My wife has conceded to get me a new gaming rig. I've opted for a notebook over a new desktop, only because she has me on a bit of a budget for the unit. Not that I care, the notebook will be loaded. This will be my new notebook.

Yes, it's a Dell. I've said before on my linkshell, I work there. I know I could go elsewhere for a notebook, but to be honest, I know what's going inside this one. I also know what kind of support to expect from my own company. And it doesn't hurt that I get a discount.

I won't go into huge details, for fear that this will seem like an advertisement for Dell Computers if I do, but I've had the opportunity to play on one of these here at work. It's fast, bloody gorgeous, and reasonably priced. Alienware comes in a little cheaper for their similar unit, but this one comes factory over-clocked. Besides, the difference is literally only a couple hundred dollars. And I am almost certain that it boils down to the warranty offers I'm choosing.

Regardless, I like the system, I want the system, I will have the system. And once I get it, expect me to praise (or bemoan) its performance.

Oh, and I will not be getting Vista. PlayOnline and Vista still do not play nice. My step-daughter, known on the game as Anyka, is having a world of issues on her computer at the moment. About two weeks or so back, for no apparent reason, it started to deliver static-like shocks to her, and freezing when it did so. Since it, too, is from Dell (a 9400, back when we really didn't have a true gaming notebook), she contacted them and they wanted to exchange the unit for safety issues.

Her new machine arrived with Vista. And promptly caused poor framerates, and refused to recognize any expansions.

So I contacted my company and, without using any internal/job-centric influence (ie I acted like a customer and didn't try to ply them with "I work for you guys, do the following"), got them to replace the unit, again, with an XP-compatible unit.

Don't get me wrong, Vista is actually a really decent OS, better than XP for a lot of stuff. I also like that it prevents lazy mixed code being put in games and software, which ultimately causes instability. But for gaming, it's not so hot yet, it needs more tweaks so we can gain more performance.

Emergency Maintenance (Nov. 27)

Emergency Maintenance (Nov. 27)

Due a hardware failure, Pawkeshup's computer will be offline for maintenance to correct the issue.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation

[Date & Time]
Nov. 27, 2007 from 9:00 to 10:00 (EST)
* Maintenance completion time may be subject to change.

[Affected Services]
PlayOnline
Final Fantasy XI
Tetra Master

[Details]
- Replacement of Power Supply Unit to prepare for video upgrade
- Install of video card to correct corrupted video issues

Sunday, November 25, 2007

[Insert 70's/80's Dancer song reference here]

So, at long last, I got to dance. After openly bashing and being against the job when I learned of it... I actually liked it.

What? Oh...

Ok.
I ACTUALLY LIKED IT! THERE ARE YOU HAPPY?!?!

The job is very fun. As a tarutaru, you look extremely cute doing your first dance, the Drain Samba. And then you find out what it does. And then you scream, and your mind runs nuts with the possibilities. Here's how it works:

I hit the mob long enough to gain at least 10 Tactical Points, then dance my Samba. As long as I remain hitting that mob,
anyone else in my party that hits it drains HP too! That's just crazy! I really enjoyed stabbing the mobs, it was quite fun.

What was not fun was the fact that my video card finally decided it had enough FFXI. Some of you may have seen on my YouTube page this video about when the first "warning" that my card was failing occurred. Well, now it's less of a warning and more of a too late, your card is hosed
kind of event. No, my character is not on acid. That's what happened. I added the music post production, my last video card broken video was so boring without something else added.

So I determined how to connect my XBox 360 to my monitor till I can find parts.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Issues of the Badness

Wings of the Goddess hasn't started out well for me. First, the PC edition was delayed (I still do not have it), then there were the updates and issues, then the registration server goes down when I managed to get copies for the XBox 360 and PS2.

But today, I got my first look at it. I haven't had time to sit down with it, but I did unlock both new jobs and got to run through the original zones spattered with a few new enemies. The mandies that follow you for no readily apparent reason is really hilarious. I intend on gathering them all from a zone, and going AFK/Bazaar next to the Cavernous Maw when I have something to sell.

Beyond that, I've been reading web comics. I have a fairly long list of ones I read on a regular basis. And every so often I find some gems I missed.

One of my favorites is Irregular Webcomics, a comic using shots of Legos and a copious amounts of nerd humor. It updates daily, and has never failed to make me laugh. Through his site, I discovered a now ended gem called DM of the Rings. It's a webcomic that shows what it's like to try to run a role-playing campaign with a table top game... if the players were running through The Lord of the Rings without ever knowing about it.

Part of me is inspired to do some form of FFXI web-based comic using the software mentioned in it. I enjoy doing stuff like that, as evidenced by my love for making YouTube videos. However, video editing is really time consuming, both in the creation and editing, and even in the rendering. I still have to do my Tribute to Hamburglar video.

I might see about bisecting this blog into a webcomic and a blog. It might be more interesting for all those people who come to read it. All... um....

Maybe I'll skip it and level Scholar instead.

Saturday, November 17, 2007

Warpga? F@$# YOU SE!

So they announced what they're gonna do for the job adjustments. And I am disgusted. As a longtime BLM, I've seen my job become more and more marginalized. Sure, we got AM II's, but they cost a ton of MP. And no one wants to wait for our MP anymore, they'd rather TP burn.

I had high hopes that the new expansion would return us to being seen as useful and needed. Not like Zilart or CoP, where we were ridiculously overpowerful in certain instances. I just wanted invites to events and parties again.

Well, it's not starting out well, let me tell you.

The new job adjustments look cool... except for BLM. Warriors will be given more ability to tank, and a new pulling/claiming move most likely. Paladin will be able to reflect damage with their shield. Red Mages will get spells to allow them to melee. Ranger will see a power boost in their ranged attacks. New songs for Bard, as well as being able to single out people for spells. Thief gets an emnity steal. Dark Knight gets new offensive spells. Blue gets new abilities from the new monsters. Dragoon's will see their wyverns gain more attacks. Ninjas get sneak and an enmity ability. Puppetmanster is going to get new weapon skills and attachments. Monk will get stances to fight more efffectively. White mage is getting their own sleep spell and more tele's.

What does BLM get?

Warpga.

...

That's it. Warpga. Only SAM is being nailed worse, getting some of their thunder taken due to the recent damage changes to two handed weapons. White mages might complain, but hell, they get sleep! That's another role BLM will not be needed for. Fantastic!

Thank you ever so SE. I hate you.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Harsh Realizations

This post comes a few days later than I intended, what with the decision to change blog spots.

A few days back, I was at the local mall picking up some games for my wife's DS. I was on my way back, when I came a cross a pair of blind individuals. There was a young man using a cane, and a woman with a seeing eye dog.

Now the area I'm in has a cross walk with an audible signal and a few bus stops. I assumed they had just gotten off of a bus and were making their way to someplace nearby. This crosswalk lies beneath an enclosed walkway that connects to sections of the mall. It's all important, trust me.

Now as I passed them, the woman was keeping pace with me, but the man became disoriented. It was a busy day, and he was constantly bumping into people. His friend, the blind woman, called out to him. Now with the noise, the overpass, and all the rest, her voice really gave him no direction. He wound up falling farther back and becoming turned around.

I was compelled to stop. I wanted to help. It was obvious they needed it. They were losing one another. A few people helped the man move in the right direction, so I slowly started moving along. I looked over my shoulder and saw them make yet another wrong turn, entering a shop, becoming visibly confused and slowly backing out.

I stopped to listen to them for a moment, and they were looking to go to McDonald's, one door down from the wrong shop. The man had smelled the food, and wanted to stop. I wound up helping them to the store, with a quick word that it was just down at the next shop. I opened the doors for them, and felt that I'd done a good deed for the day.

But then... they could not find the counter. I had intended on leaving. I had groceries to do, I wanted to go play some FF... But I couldn't. So I guided them to get in line. It was an experience guiding them. How do you give directions to someone who cannot see?

In the end, by holding their sleeves or hands, I managed to get them turned around, and settled into the end of the line. The curved line. I got them there, and then decided I had done enough, that others would prompt them further. I turned back before leaving to see my two charges forlorned, a growing gap between the line and them.

So I went back, and guided them to the counter, helped them get seated, and educated them how to find the mall's entrance again. They thanked me, and they wished me a good day.

On my way home, I wanted to cry. How often had I complained about my feet hurting, or a store being closed as if it were the end of the world? How many times had I taken for granted that I had feet to walk with, eyes to see the store closed? And how miserable of me is it to be glad not to be these two people right then?

I could not imagine living in a world without seeing it. How do you manage? Look at how something so every day, so simple, becomes an odyssey for them. I am blessed to have all my normal faculties. We all are that have them. Often, we take them for granted, and we shouldn't.

Free at last, free at last!

I hate blogging.

Why, you ask, do I hate it? It's addicting to speak your mind, to have an outlet for your praise and venom. I've enjoyed my earlier work on GuildPortal, but there are limitations to the software there. Limitations I cannot avoid any longer. It was time to move on and move up.

And being cheap I decided to go with yet another free resource, Blogger.com, home of GM Dave!

I still haven't decided if I migrate over all my old posts before they are devoured like my original post was... I'll see how I feel.