08.29.06
It’s Oh So Quiet
So, uh, yeah. Hi. Is this still on? Damn.
It’s odd. Ever since I lost my job I’ve been busier than ever. Haven’t had a single moment to think; always either working on other projects or trying to get a paying position lined up. Now, that said, a lot of those “other projects” have revolved quite heavily around video games, so it naturally follows that “working on them” means “playing them”. But, given everything I’ve said about WoW so far, can you really count my play time in Azeroth as “relaxation”? Didn’t think so.
Actually, if I could be permitted to offer a slight spoiler for The Unbelievers, I’m really sitting on the fence as to whether or not I want to continue with WoW. Three weeks ago my decision was a solid “no”. Prior to my PvP disaster this evening it was a quiet but firm “yes”. Now? 50-50 odds, baby. We’ll see next weekend. Yesterday was supposed to be the final day, but Labor Day sounds just about right to put the game to rest.
I’ve yet to do any writing for Inconsequential during this hiatus. It’s looking increasingly unlikely that I will, too; I imagine that things are going to wrap up in the job hunt very soon, possibly just around the time that the WoW project ends. With any luck I’ll be able to focus my after-work time on writing again, but things seem a little cramped already– I’ve got to do some more coding work for Netjak these next couple days (”With great power” and all that) and I also have a new review to write for them, Star Fox Command. After about an hour’s play, I can honestly say that the game’s a little disappointing. Kind of a cross between Wing Commander and Advance Wars, but without any of the bits which made each other so good. I will say this, though– the story is quite interesting, what little of it I’ve seen.
And back in Paragon City, Poppett continues to struggle to get through her lower-40s funk. I’m about halfway through to 44, and I really, really hope I can get to 50 before Issue 8 hits. Because once it does, my big idea for my Kheldian character goes right out the window as wings are introduced. Funny how that works out. Anyway, I have more options for getting through the doldrums– I can run Shadow Shard missions (which have a damn cool story running through them) or I can grind good old reliable Warburg. Once I hit 44, I can also take on the third Respec Trial for the proverbial Massive Damage to my XP Left total. So as soon as I get through these tough times, the end will come quickly.
I am very very glad that I bought my Mac mini when I did. See, the G4-based minis have a dedicated graphics card put in them, so they can do magic things that the Intel-based ones can’t. Like, say, output to a TV with a very cheap adapter that I picked up prior to being let go. Long story short, that plus a DVD-ROM full of SNES ROMs makes me a very happy fuzzy indeed. Oh yeah, and now I can watch literally any fansub on my TV, as opposed to before, where I could only play most of them on the MPEG4/DivX-enabled DVD player (the biggest exception being Tsubasa Chronicle; don’t know why that one wasn’t liked). Haruhi is love. Confusing love, but love.
I tire, and I have a surprise in the morning. So good night, folks. Hopefully it won’t be another week before I write here again.