1 Written by
Anna on
January 11, 2012 – 10:54 pm
So right now I’m playing both WoW and SWTOR. This is interesting, in that if I have the “dunwannas” for one of them, I can easily play the other. Also, I am approximately a peon of no consequence in SWTOR, so I don’t have two raiding schedules to keep up with. I do have two RP schedules to sort out, but so far that’s been OK.
What I’m learning, though, is what it is that makes an MMO “work” for me.
Turns out, I need two things. I need immersion, and I need community.
Immersion, for me, is the ability to “get lost” in a world, for it to kind of swallow you up so you become really involved in the world itself – regardless of quests really, though quests help. Community is both RP and OOC – both are important.
The reason I have learned this is because both games are feeling somewhat stilted on both counts right now.
In Star Wars, the community is squeaky and new, but also already established. I’m playing almost entirely with people I know already, but our characters are unfamiliar (to us and to each other) and there’s a good deal of “figuring things out”. The world itself is also giving me trouble, as it’s hard for me to get “lost” on Coruscant, since it’s essentially a technology warren instead of an outdoor “new world” like location. On top of that, people are generally quiet in channels – something that is also plaguing our WoW community right now. And I’ve had trouble, in general, with immersion in WoW since the world got rearranged for Cataclysm. It was easier once I was leveling a new character, but I still miss being totally sucked into the game the way I was in Wrath (and, to some extent, BC and Vanilla).
Neither of these have easy answers. I can’t change the game, and I can’t force my community to go back to what it was at an earlier date. I’m hoping, though, that with some emphasis on rebuilding RP and our OOC communication, I can at least re-engage with what we do have right now.
4 Written by
Anna on
January 5, 2012 – 12:38 pm
Ever the alt-player, right now I have three characters on Lord Adraas in Star Wars, all under level 15. Considering I have nearly two full accounts of WoW alts, plus a myriad who have faced the deletion squad, I guess it’s not that surprising.
Aely’s by far my most advanced character, but I’m having fun with all three.
Aely, a Jedi Sage, whose new backstory I am working on currently.
Annata, a Mirialan smuggler scoundrel who hooked up with Jeb, the leader of Coruscant Trade Company, for fun and profit. Also a chance to murderize the Empire.
And Ana’leth, a Zabrak Jedi Sentinel with an eye for danger and a penchant for fighting first and asking questions after.
3 Written by
Anna on
January 3, 2012 – 12:00 pm
*two points if you read the title in the appropriate Muppet Show voiceover*
So I took most of the month of December off from gaming, thanks to working holiday retail plus having houseguests and then going visiting, and all the assorted insanity that goes along with … well, December. One thing I DID do, however, was pop into the new Star Wars MMO, eagerly looking forward to gaming with old friends in a new environment. Many of the awesome folks I play WoW with are playing there, both Republic and Empire.
First on that list is, of course, Arrens, who is leading the Republic guild that I’ve joined up with.
My first character over there is, also of course, Aely – I’ve rolled her as a Jedi Consular Sage, with the intent of trying out a healing type spec, and will be rolling something like an Annata there too, as a Smuggler (also possibly a healer, haven’t decided yet). I’m a little nervous about healing, but I figure with a brand new game, if I suck, it won’t matter much, because nobody really knows what they’re doing yet.
First impressions of the game are very good – it’s immersive in a fun way, with so much to learn and figure out, and it really is quite pretty. I’m pretty slow to do much of anything, because I get lost easily, but so far I’m having a really good time. I just got Aely off Tython, but haven’t yet dropped in to Coruscant.
One thing, however, that I’ve not done any of at all, is RP. To be honest, I’m a little scared to. I don’t know the Star Wars mythos very well, and while the quests for a padawan are very illustrative of the various things that should be important to a Jedi, I feel a little awkward in a new situation. I’m hoping I can break the ice a bit with people I already know before throwing myself full force into world RP – which has been plentiful, by the looks of Tython so far. I turned off general chat, but I’m told it may be worth turning back on just to find other RPers.
(Also, Arrens and I have to figure out how Arrens and Aely’s relationship is going to work, given that Aely is currently a Jedi, etc.)
2 Written by
Anna on
December 15, 2011 – 7:44 am
I was noticing the other day that most of my characters have a static set of things in their bags. Most of that is the usual complement of flasks and potions, food, water, and a smattering of profession items and RP gear. All of them have a few actual RP related items though, beyond a quick change of clothes for RP night.
Aely:
- Gold Wedding Band
- Antonidas’ Silver Coin (a gift from Arrens)
- Crusader and Guild Tabards
Annorah:
- Eyepatch and Goggles
- Gnomish Army Knife
- Zapthrottle Mote Extractor (even though it isn’t relevant anymore)
Angoleth is light on the possessions, and really only carries her skinning knife with her always. Technically that’s a profession item, but she’s pretty keen on keeping it, even though she also carries a Gnomish Army Knife. She thinks a proper knife works better.
All of my characters have had specific pets as well – which don’t take up bag space, but are part of their usual “kit”. Aely’s got Roger, her wolfhound, Annorah has Widget her firefly, and Angoleth has… well, Angoleth has lots of pets. Currently she’s keen on Muckbreath, her little crocolisk.
Back in the very first Friday Five, I asked what your character keeps, in character, in their pockets. (And I still think Tarquin had the best answer, both in length, and for “Possibly your wallet”.)
Today I’m asking a somewhat different question:
What does your character keep in their actual, in-game bags, either as flavor items or specifically for RP?
