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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
 Posted - 08/10/2006 : 13:47:13 [Permalink]
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There's an episode in GuildWars called "Searing".
The Searing forwards the storyline through a very significant event. If you have gone through it, you'll know what it is. Among other things, a female narrator tells a story of a significant event in the history of Ascalon.
If you don't know what it is, then you're pre-searing.
When you start out your character, here's a hint I think could be useful. Outside the Abbey there's a field infested with Plague Worms. As soon as you've gotten basic fighting skills and a decent weapon, spend some time killing worms and the wolves that infest the area.
Check out the NPCs that are collectors. They can trade nice weapons and armour for stuff you pick up from killed beasts.
Once you've reached higher levels, you won't get any Experience Points killing those, and more dangerous beasts will drop in earned experience. However, the XP from quests and missions are fixed.
Boost your character up to level 4-6 before continuing with quests. That way you can maximize your character in preparation for the searing.
When you've killed of the wolves and the worms, just enter the Abbey, and come out again, and the cannon fodder has returned for your target practice. 
If you use ranged weapons like Bow or Wind Staff, you can stay out of the worm's range. 
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Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 08/24/2006 16:23:40 |
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dglas
Skeptic Friend
Canada
397 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 15:17:25 [Permalink]
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Well, if'n you want to be a farmer, then so be it, but I only farm if I'm very near next level. Guild Wars is intended to be story-driven. Quests and missions are the way to go, IMHO. When I start the game I systematically check all the available NPCs for quests. Period sweeps will be needed as completing some quests open up others. Generally, you can get a "toon" to level 8 or 9 before encountering this "searing" thing - whatevr that is..... (Mab, you spoiler! ;) )
Quests - little tasks that are taken on in behalf of certain NPCs, usually of the go-fetch, go-kill or fed-ex varieties.
Missions - Usually these are specificaly intended to advance the storyarc and often take the PC to new mappoints.
My advice? Find some newbie-helper "in the know" you can play with to help explain things as you go. There are some aspects of this game that are radically different from some other. Armour acquisition and runes for example(s). A v-chat program is a must for this. Mab and I are using skype. I am only too happy to build a beginner "toon" to assist newbies (Yes, Ricky, that is an offer to help out - just let me know). |
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- dglas (In the hell of 1000 unresolved subplots...)
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The Presupposition of Intrinsic Evil
+ A Self-Justificatory Framework
= The "Heart of Darkness"
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Cuneiformist
The Imperfectionist
USA
4955 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 16:41:04 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
I'm not sure. I find the aspect of trying to figure the game out black-box style to be more appealing. Much like we did with Nanaca Crash. I'll start playing and then decide from there how I want to go.
And on an unrelated note, I got my "Guild Wars" copy today. Except it was sent in a box that said "City of Heroes" on it. So now they have to send me a thing so I can send it back, then they have to send me Guild Wars. They said I'll probably have it within 8 business days.
But CoH is supposed to be good, if similarly time-draining. Perhaps you should get both, Ricky! It's still summer, after all!  |
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 18:11:49 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by dglas
Generally, you can get a "toon" to level 8 or 9 before encountering this "searing" thing - whatevr that is..... (Mab, you spoiler! ;) )
Well, the only thing they know is that something will happen, and that "searing" refers to this. My friend Marcus who played solo all the way was never told that the "event" was referred to as "searing". Friends here will now know that they are pre-searing until they know they have gone postal...
They should also know that Player Characters cannot communicate between pre- and post.
I too will leave a Character in Pre-searing to aid fresh starters.
My pre-searing character: Lothar the Lowbred (warrior)
My post-, main character: Trilliadin Qumbla (ranger/mesmer) |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 18:49:35 [Permalink]
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| Apparently, Ricky is too young to remember the FTC's public service announcement from the 1970s which stated that if your receive something you didn't order, you don't have to return it. I remember the igloo-dwelling Eskimos looking askance at their brand-new air conditioner. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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dglas
Skeptic Friend
Canada
397 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 19:17:58 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
I too will leave a Character in Pre-searing to aid fresh starters.
My pre-searing character: Lothar the Lowbred (warrior)
My post-, main character: Trilliadin Qumbla (ranger/mesmer)
Well, now. That's a mighty fine idea.
My "toons" in Guild Wars are:
Tanith Rahnee - Pre - Monk/elementalist 3 (newbie helper)
Ysa Myenne - Post - Monk/Elementalist 9 (Just post-)
Tenache Vranae - Post - Monk/Necromancer 20 (Game Completed)
Moon Soon Shin - Post - Elementalist/Mesmer 20 (Game Completed)
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- dglas (In the hell of 1000 unresolved subplots...)
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The Presupposition of Intrinsic Evil
+ A Self-Justificatory Framework
= The "Heart of Darkness"
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 20:18:25 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Ricky
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/general/wrong.htm
Does this still apply in my situation, Dave?
I mean, if they send me the wrong package, can they with hold from sending me the correct package until I return it? Or are they forced under law to correct the shipment, regardless of what I do?
The way I read that link, City of Heroes is yours to keep. But the caveat is that you may have to fight to get what you actually ordered, because they'll probably try to keep it hostage until you return what they sent you. It's up to you to decide how much that fight is worth. I mean, a guy who's seriously addicted to the game might go ahead with the fight simply to punish the company for making him wait for eight business days, regardless that the fight will make him wait even longer.
Pragmatically: return the damn thing, especially since they're helping you do so. If they try to make you pay any postage or any other costs for the return, Ricky, that's when to stick it to 'em. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/10/2006 : 21:53:22 [Permalink]
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With reservations, I call bullshit on "MMORPG addiction."
From the article to which Ricky linked:quote:
RW: Give me an example of a typical case.
Dr. Orzack: I was talking with a patient, a young man, the other day. He was a heavy World of Warcraft player, and I asked him what happens when he plays the game: was he simply playing a virtual character or did he feel like he was actually in the game? He told me when he plays, he is in the game completely. He had become immersed in World of Warcraft and had trouble removing himself from that virtual world. I also asked what he expected to find each time he turned on the game, and his answer was a sense of belonging. This individual came from a family that was unfortunately breaking up, and World of Warcraft was his way to escape that. This 18-year-old individual was miserable. He didn't get along with any of his family members and kept withdrawing into the game.
This kid has family problems, and withdraws into WoW. As a kid, I had problems fitting into junior and senior high school society. As a result, I often read science fiction books late into the night, neglecting homework and sleep. But I don't blame Heinlein, Asimov, Anderson, and Clarke for stoking an "addiction" -- I'm glad they were there for me. Instead, I wish I'd had help in dealing with fitting in with my peers at school, and in organizing my use of time more effectively.
Every good entertainment medium should be engrossing. A book can be just as "addictive" as any computer game. In fact, every kind of entertainment should strive to take people out of their mundane lives. Blaming any form of art, literature, or game for in effect being "too" good is ridiculous.
Dr. Orzack should be treating his patient's real problems, helping him work out his problems with his family, so that he doesn't feel the need to play WoW so much. What people immerse themselves in when they retreat from life is not important. What they are retreating from is.
I play CoV way more than most people would consider to be healthy. But I'm retired and live alone, and I'm not neglecting anything vital in my life. Most people don't have the time to play like I do. As soon as I have a social life again, I will doubtless play CoV very little, and miss it hardly at all. In the meantime, it's my back, and my damned monkey!
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 08/10/2006 21:56:36 |
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2006 : 00:58:03 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
With reservations, I call bullshit on "MMORPG addiction."
Agreed.
Now, I have no doubts that there is some percentage of players who really do become "addicted" to the point where gaming becomes a problem--freezing out their spouses or start calling in sick to work--just as there are some people who can't stop putting coins in a slot machine until their life savings are gone. But these people are a minority.
But when you start hearing figures thrown around like "60% of all players show signs of addiction" it's time to call shennigans. The way the eggheads determine such statistics is with questionaires listing queries like "Have you ever spent more time online than you intended?" and "Have you ever missed sleep because of playing a game?" And then if you answer "yes" to a certain pre-determined number of such generally-applicable questions you are flagged as a potential addict.
But as you pointed out, it doesn't really tell you anything at all about whether someone is "addicted" to gaming or not. If you stay up later than normal to watch a TV program, are you addicted to television? If you skip a day of work to go see a ballgame, are you addicted to sports? If you skip lunch to finish a project, are you a work-aholic? So why if you do any of these things to play an MMO are you suddenly a video game addict?
In my opinion, it's mostly age discrimination at work. Old folks generally don't "get" video games (present company excluded), so when parents see their kids sitting at a computer for 4 hours at a time they wonder what's up. Then the shrinks swoop in to label it a disorder and charge by the hour. How else can you explain why a retiree who spents his days fishing in a pond is "normal" while a retiree who spents his days playing City of Heroes is considered some sort of addict?
So bottom line, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said any form of entertainment is an escape. Depression can lead certain people to lose themselves in fantasy, but it's a symptom, not a cause. For everyone else, spend your leisure time how you see fit.
Now BINGO, however, that's an addiction.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
| Edited by - H. Humbert on 08/11/2006 10:33:11 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2006 : 03:01:49 [Permalink]
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Thanks, H.H.! You are a wonderful enabler.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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BigPapaSmurf
SFN Die Hard
3192 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2006 : 05:00:50 [Permalink]
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| Yeah dont say you werent warned, crackheads. |
"...things I have neither seen nor experienced nor heard tell of from anybody else; things, what is more, that do not in fact exist and could not ever exist at all. So my readers must not believe a word I say." -Lucian on his book True History
"...They accept such things on faith alone, without any evidence. So if a fraudulent and cunning person who knows how to take advantage of a situation comes among them, he can make himself rich in a short time." -Lucian critical of early Christians c.166 AD From his book, De Morte Peregrini |
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woolytoad
Skeptic Friend
313 Posts |
Posted - 08/11/2006 : 06:13:25 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by HalfMooner
I play CoV way more than most people would consider to be healthy. But I'm retired and live alone, and I'm not neglecting anything vital in my life. Most people don't have the time to play like I do. As soon as I have a social life again, I will doubtless play CoV very little, and miss it hardly at all. In the meantime, it's my back, and my damned monkey!
Bit of a catch 22 eh? |
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