Gaming – Page 313 – A Pixel Nomad

Therapeutic Organization

I spend a lot of time (both in game and out) organizing things. I find it really therapeutic and calming for whatever reason. For example, lets take yesterday. Just last month I did a clean install of windows 8.1 because I bought an SSD (my first one ever). I decided that a clean install was the way to go and while it was a bit of a pain it could have been worse. Yesterday I was getting a message about a chipset driver I needed to install. So I downloaded the app that would let me do that and of course somehow along the way something broke (I blame it on the fact that I had a LOT of updates to do all at once and just sort of crammed them together without closing programs down first etc). I couldn’t restore and I couldn’t get windows to load, so after a bunch of frustration I just decided to do a fresh install again. It was actually very quick, and thanks to a few little things I had previously set up, it wasn’t as painful as it could have been. For example my default documents / pictures folder is not on the same drive as windows. Nor are my games. There was a handful of smaller programs but nothing essential. I was able to install the few items I was missing thanks to the windows.old folder, and then remove that folder.

Instead of being upset and concerned that I had to completely reinstall windows (again), it was nice and relaxing. Now everything is fixed up just as it was before, and I had a “fun” afternoon of cleaning. I get this same feeling when I’m in video games where there’s an organizational component. Minecraft, for example. I spend hours making lawns look good, creating even pieces of land, organizing boxes and inventory, and just “cleaning”. I tend to do the same things in other games just out of habit. In EQ2 there’s always inventory issues especially when there are so many pieces of decor to shift through, so I spend hours making sure everything is in the right place. Odd? Maybe. I could probably be given some sort of closet organization sim game and have a blast with it.

The point is, it doesn’t matter how you spend your time in a game so long as you’re having fun (minus methods that tend to hurt other players, I’m not an advocate of that). Me, I have fun cleaning. It doesn’t happen every day but when it does, I’m glad I have the control and the option to organize things in game.

I’ve been playing a bit of Minecraft lately, along with Wurm Online, World of Warcraft, and WildStar (PTR!) I’m looking forward to giving a round up of what I’ve been up to in more detail tomorrow. As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself.

Lets Talk AddOns (Again)

I love games that allow players to create 3rd party addons to help enhance game play or solve UI issues I may have. In many games I prefer to load just one overall addon that takes care of everything for me, but that isn’t always how things are done. Take WildStar for example. I use a number of individual addons there, and it works out great. Sometimes people wonder if addons make games too easy, or if they’re technically considered cheating. For example in WildStar there’s an addon that lets you relax when the simon says games are going on. Those are the challenges that flash a pattern of colours like a bop-it and you need to match the pattern. The addon responds automatically, saving you a lot of potential frustration.

In EQ2 I use DrumsUI. I used to use Prophet, but it stopped getting updated. Now, Drums hasn’t been updated in quite some time either, but it’s still a working UI, and it does everything I need it to do (which is replace the entire UI for the game). I could get by using the default stuff, but after so many years it’s just not comfortable and it feels outdated.

In World of Warcraft I use ElvUI and like all addons and mods out there, some people love it and some people hate it. This UI mod has a bit of a reputation because so many players use it and it’s seen as a ‘n00bs’ UI of sorts. Despite the negative connotations that I see floating around, it works for what I need it to do as a causal gamer. I also discovered HandyNotes which is by far the most amazing addon I’ve seen so far (especially with WoD).

HandyNotes updates your map and mini-map with every named, treasure, collectable (toys, pets, etc). As you collect the items (or kill the bosses), the icons vanish from your map. This is especially handy if you happen to hunt for achievements that require you to collect everything under the sun. Now, again this addon is not going to be for everyone. Some people really love the discovery and they don’t want any help at all – but others (lets say, completionists) want the ability to finish off these items, and that’s where this addon really shines.

I also have a few pet addons, deadly boss mod because it’s awesome, and an auction house addon here and there. Nothing all that fancy, but it suits my play style.

In games where addons are an option, my decision is usually to always go with one (depending on their availability and how easy they are to install). I like to have the option, even if it’s not for everyone.

Do you tend to use any addons in your games? Would you rather not have the ability to? Let me know in comments!

Wandering Around

When it comes to game subscriptions I tend to buy a few months at a time, even if I don’t plan on playing the game steadily. One, because even if I play it only a portion of those months it’s usually cheaper than buying one month at a time, and two, because I like to show my support. It’s not just about paying for a game I’m playing, but rather it’s showing the company that I’m invested in their product.

Of course with that being said I often forget that I have a subscription at all until the renewal date pops up on my calendar. I tend to mark it as a reminder to either renew again or to cancel for a while. Such is the case with World of Warcraft. I’ve had a subscription for the past 6 months, but I haven’t logged in for the past four (give or take). There’s two weeks left to the subscription at this time, and I decided to play a bit here and there. Mostly familiarizing myself with the entrance to WoD on the alliance side since I’ve only got one level 100 character, and they’re horde.

Looking over my friends list shows that people are still playing Blizzard games, but instead of seeing everyone in WoW like I have in the past, they’re more spread out. Some are playing Hearthstone, some are playing Diablo, some are playing WoW. I love that there is such a variety of games out there, and that there’s really something for everyone.

I’m not sure how long my stay will be, I’m still deeply invested in Wurm Online, Eve Online, and EverQuest 2 (not to mention the non-mmo games I’m also playing) but it’s a very comforting site to log into, and some days casual and relaxed is exactly what I’m looking for. Plus there’s that announcement about a new expansion coming up soon, and everyone loves a good expansion.

As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

The Legacy Continues

I was a bit worried that I had lost all of the progress I made on my latest Legacy family in the Sims 4 when I reinstalled windows after upgrading to an SSD – thankfully that wasn’t the case, I actually saved the files and just put them back when I installed, so I was able to pick up right where I left off. In that time EA came out with another feature pack, this time involving spas. I’m really hoping for a pet expansion before too long. I know Sims 3 didn’t get one until 2011, but I hope EA realizes that pets are an almost universal love. More waiting to see what comes next.

In any case, legacy family is doing well. You might remember I started with Jessica Little, and she met Alonzo, and together they had Emily. Alonzo died shortly after, and his tombstone rests outside the home in the backyard. It’s in a really pretty place, under a tree so his girls don’t forget him, though I am not sure how attached Jessica actually was. Emily is a teenager now, and has started discovering her true calling in life, which centers around art. She’s sold a number of paintings to collectors, and between her art and Jessica’s writing, they are living in a fairly comfortable home worth about $90,000. Neither of them has made much progress on the romance front, for some reason no one seems interested in Jessica (does she smell? Maybe..) and Emily is too young. In 9 more days she’ll become a “young adult” rather than a teen, and my legacy family goal can continue on. Remember the goal of the game is to have 10 generations in one family. That’s a lot of game time on the default settings.

EA also fixed one of my biggest problems. Each time I went to place an item from the menu, my entire screen would turn black. I would have to change the resolution of the game and then swap it back, and somehow that fixed the glitch temporarily, for that session. Now I’m able to swap without having to change the resolution or use some other workaround, which I am incredibly happy about.

The family is in a spot now where I don’t need to send them out every day to harvest collectables just to be able to afford their next meal. I’m both happy and sad about this, happy because it was a lot of work that left very little room for anything else, but also sad because the game gets much easier from this point forward. Unless of course I donate all their money to charity or some such, which I am likely to do just because I can.

While Sims 4 doesn’t have nearly the same amount of content that I had in Sims 3, I am enjoying myself quite a bit. I’m eager for more content and can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!

Saturday: Video Game Roundup

I’m not playing nearly as many games at once as I used to play, but I still manage to keep pretty busy. I decided to do a weekly roundup of the games I’m playing with a little bit of a blurb about each one. I don’t really know anyone who plays only one game these days – so if you do, let me know! I’ve always been envious of those who were able to commit to just one game at a time. First up!

WildStar

My alt leveling has been put on hold while a friend of mine returns to the game. Right now they’re making their way through Whitevale and I’ve been having a blast mentoring them. I’ve found soldier holdouts that I missed when I was passing through along with other collectibles. I’ve mentioned this a few times now, but I’m very happy that WildStar has a mentor system, and I think all games (I’m looking at you WoW) need this sort of system. It encourages me to play with friends and motivates me to explore zones I’ve already been through. I always found it sad when games give you zero reason to revisit an area after the developers put all that work into it. When a new expansion releases if you travel to the older zones they’re always empty. It just seems like a waste.

Diablo 3

Not exactly an MMO, but I’ve been playing this on the PS4 (my PSN is Stargrace if you’re looking to add me) and I’m having a lot of fun. Unlike on the PC, my hand never gets sore from holding the controller buttons down while I attack. I purchased the game some time ago but today was the first day I actually spent any time playing. I’m level 20 now, and I also had a mailbox full of legendary items for me to open. One really neat thing about Diablo 3 is that when you’re playing it you’ll occasionally get items to drop that get sent to your friends. They’re great ways to motivate them to log in! I had to be level 11 before I could wear the items but once I did mobs just melted away. I’m still trying to get a hang of the controls, but I’m not doing too bad. Since I haven’t actually completed the game on the PS4 before, I can’t play at a very high difficulty, but I’m hoping to ‘beat’ the base game and unlock the other modes. One thing that frustrates me is that this game is not cross platform, so even though I can play on the PC and on the PS4, my accounts don’t really interact together and my PC characters don’t show up on my PS4 or vice versa. I wish it were more like FFXIV in that regard.

EQ2

I heard that crafting writs won’t be fixed until Tuesday and that has slowed my progression down a bit. My coercer is still sitting at level 28, and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to get 29 today or not. I think I’ll attempt it, but I’m taking a much more casual approach now, so we’ll see how it goes. I did manage to level up a few of my other alts to 10 since there’s no writs to do, but I’ll hold off before getting them above 15. I may take them to Halas to do the crafting quest chain that’s available there (it gives a nice selection of rares, and the ability to purchase the 10-19 advanced books). I’m still having fun playing, and that’s what really matters.

Wurm Online

I’ve been logging my priests in to get their max allotment of prayers each day, but I haven’t done a lot else besides that lately. My Najho priests are just over 42 skill, and it’s not until 70 skill that they’ll really open up as a priest. Then I’ll be able to cast strongwall along with genesis, two skills I’m really eager for. Once I’m able to strongwall I can fix the mine that I broke over at my main deed. I ended up mining straight and creating a drop shaft instead of mining up. An easy fix, once I get the proper faith to be able to cast the spell. I’ve also been working on my animal husbandry and breeding horses / sheep / cows / bison. I’m trying to get a few 5 speeds, but since my skill is only 50 at this time (on both Stargrace and Maivis, my Vynora priest) I typically end up with 4 speeds + one extra useless trait. I know it takes time, and I have the patience to see it through.

Other

Besides the big names at the top, I’ve also spent some time playing Tropico 5 on steam (I’m Stargrace there, too, if you want to add me). The humor just fits with my mood perfectly, and it’s very relaxed and casual. I’ve also spent some time playing Terraria, working on my home and building up a supply of components for future projects. I think I would still rather play Minecraft but since I reformatted my machine not too long ago I also forgot to save my Minecraft world, along with the castle I had built, and that really deterred me from starting all over again. I’ll probably create another world before too long just because the game is so dang fun.

That’s it! Those are the games I’m currently playing and what I’ve been up to. I hope everyone is having an amazing weekend so far, and that you find yourself with at least a little time to play a game or two that you adore. As always, happy gaming, no matter where you find yourself!