Things are starting to look up for 2024. A new Indy Game I hadn’t heard of at all is coming. It’s Bethesda, but will be made by Machine Games (unfamiliar with them). The trailer looks great, and the game seems very much in the spirit of the Indy games of the past. I am ready for this adventure.
https://www.lucasfilm.com/news/indiana-jones-and-the-great-circle-interview/
World of Warcraft
The Classic eras of World of Warcraft, particularly the Wrath of the Lich King version, dominated my gaming year. The picture above is my Wrath Paladin Merrie, wishing you a happy holiday. The hat does nothing for her hair. Merrie is still crawling along at 75 trying to dungeon and quest her way to 80.
Once the Hardcore version was released, my spouse and I migrated to playing that almost exclusively, despite 5 character deaths for me, and approximately 16 for my spouse.
I like being in a guild in Hardcore, even though there are no perks except for a bit of conversation with others about the game now and then. Our Dragonsworn guild got smaller every day then it was gone. I quit the Paladin guild as it was just too chest thumpingly manly for me. I normally get along better with men than women, but, good grief. Our joint play characters are now in Filthy Casuals, and by god I am that and more. So love the name. Nice people. I suspect most of the guildies are playing Season of Discovery.
My son is playing SOD as it is unfortunately called, and asked about a family guild there, but Mr Big is not interested, and my sister and her family are partially not playing, partially they’ve gone Horde, gasp. That my baby sister would do such a thing.
That said, in the Modern era (dubbed so by Holly Longdale in a post, and I like it) I have four Horde characters on a server. I only like the Undead Hunter.
She’s a level 9, a record for how high of a Horde character I’ve gotten. Such a different game. I have no idea where or what or who things are. At some point, my Hunter at least might get into known areas of the world, and I will just play away, all the while feeling guilty for going Horde, and imposter-ish (as if I carry a huge sign in game that says “SHE’S REALLY AN ALLIANCE PLAYER!!!!).
Yesterday I really cleared the decks and killed off quite a few characters, including a couple who have existed for a long time. Felt guilty, but I did deposit their usable resources and gold in the guild bank. My main realms are Blackwater Raiders, Earthen Ring and Proudmoore. We have “family guilds” on those. I’ve narrowed down the other realms I like to Wyrmrest Accord, Argent Dawn, and Silverhand. So those characters (mostly) live on. How I love having 60 character slots, but tsk is it really enough?
Despite all that, I started a new Gnome Mage and she is fabulous, with big blond hair and blue eyes. She will be a Fire Mage, my preferred type.
I need to mention my original Evoker died in the purge, but is replaced with a new, fully armored, much cooler Evoker.
Shadowlands
It gets worse and worse, doesn’t it? I defied the advice to send every freaking character to Ardenweald and sent Atherne to Revendreth. What the hell. The storyline of Revendreth seems flimsy to not there at all. All I get are quests to the Maw, with side runs into Torghast the Ghastly. Then, I get quests to go help out in Bastion and Maldraxxus. I’m going to gut it out as Atherne is my main character, and she should do All The Things.
Since my Warlock was 61 and really a tough character (Ath got her butt handed to her in the Dragon Isles when I peeked in) I sent her to the Dragon Isles and she’s doing the butt kicking. Yo.
Elder Scrolls Online
At some point this year, I started playing this every day. I now have 6 level 50s. While there is plenty to do at max level that isn’t some dopey equivalent of Raiding, my addiction to character leveling caused me to buy a character slot with my puny Crown hoard. I used to have loads of Crowns when I didn’t play much. Buying houses all over, and even more fiendish, buying furniture that I don’t have to sell my soul to create, has me down to a paltry amount. Whine, whine.
Steam Sale, Winter Edition
I finally purchased Starfield, which is downloading as I write. Quite expensive even on sale. However, I’m a huge Bethesda fan, and how do I not get their first new IP in an age, particularly one set in space? I hope I like it as it’s a real space hog, and there’s nothing in my Steam library currently installed I care to uninstall.
I purchased Storyteller because it looked vaguely intriguing and I’d like to be a storyteller. Who knows?
In keeping with my building a Nancy Drew library at these sales, I purchased The Ghost of Thornton Hall. I’m still stuck back on the Egypt one, but I’ll get here 🙂
I can’t resist puzzles I can’t solve with pretty graphics and a loose story line, so I was intrigued by a newer version of this game, but thought I should start at the beginning. Good thing I married Mr. Logic.
My price point for buying games in these sales is $10.00 or less as an ideal. Fallout 76 is 7.99 this time around. I confess I find it intriguing because Biobreak plays it on occasion and seems to really like it. Though he and I are nothing alike, I have to say of the bloggers out there, he likes most of the types of games I like, so his recommendations are good. Also, my kid likes it, and for this type of game, he and I are peas in a pod.
I fear that since there are real people in the game and I’ve got a natural PVP Victim, Roast Me Now banner flying, I’ll be flattened pretty quickly, and will go whining back to the games where I’m only crushed by NPCs.
Somehow I made a big list of games that looked good and marked some “buy next time” on my sheet. Could squeak in a couple more yet.
Happy Adventuring! Atheren
Starting at the top, in Wow Hardcore, where we spend most of our time, we lost one of these level 15 characters because “I didn’t think we could die.” Yo. This server is all about dying. We are starting brand new characters. Got them to level 5 tonight. A little tense.
My main Hardcore character is a level 26 Paladin. Carefully creeping her along and hope to reach 30 by month’s end. She has spent an awful lot of time in the graveyard for someone who doesn’t want to die.
On the live servers, I’m back playing Atherne my Feral Druid main character. Still making her way through Revendreth, I visited Torghast for the first time. I’m not sure what I expected, but it was a bit disappointing. Waves of stuff. Yawn. I hate “waves of stuff” only a little less than escort missions. See me go.
I personally enjoyed the World of Warcraft section of Blizzcon, and found myself interested in playing the next expansion (s) The Worldsoul Saga. This means I will play my live server characters to level them and gear them up by next fall’s release.
I should mention I’m not playing Season of Discovery at all. Just not interested. I have three versions of the game to level characters in. Don’t need another.
Elder Scrolls Online
I have been playing this game so much. I’m heavily into crafting. I’ve got plans for each character as to how they move through the world. Just in the past few days I’ve finally tried Dungeon Finder. It works really well, queues aren’t too long. The dungeon designs are fantastical.
However. Groups are four people. These dungeons have been speed runs in all but a couple of cases. Literally, you have to jam on your sprint key the whole time. Trash mobs are ignored, you just barrel through them and race to the next boss.
The two pictures above aren’t the same dungeon. It’s just hard to take a moment to take a screenshot. As I’m doing these, I’m trying desperately to grab the quest at the beginning of the dungeon, clicking through dialog as fast as I can. I don’t dare get behind because I sure don’t know where I’m going. I just race along, killing what’s being killed.
On the plus side, anything you loot is filled with stuff you’d get if you killed the creatures on your own out in the world. You get loads of stuff in these dungeons. There’s gold, great gear. Kind of a heady experience, kind of stressful.
I’ve three characters at 50. Two Templars and a Nightblade. All feel much weaker at 50 than they did before getting there. I really despise the Champion points system. The graphics for the three skill trees, as far as seeing what to pick is terrible. Gack. I’ve been reading Champion Points guides but am not feeling it.
Atheren
Finally got to 20 with a character. So hard to do! Wish her luck crawling forward.
You’ll be pleased to know I accomplished virtually nothing of my goals for September.
Starfield-nope, nada. I overspent at the state fair, then went on vacation and overspent some more. So no Starfield at this time. My son made it sound good by saying it is “Fallout in Space”. It hasn’t come across that way in reviews or videos so far, but I trust the kid.
All the other exciting things listed? Not a moment played. Very sad.
Wrath Classic
Only peeking in despite the Joyous Journeys. My paladin is maybe the fifth character to run through the series of quests in Zul’Drak and it just is not feeling exciting. Going back in once Dungeon Finder arrives, though.
Wow HC
Not when your life is on the line everyday in Hardcore Classic. Today I have a level 17 1/2 Paladin (Patti Pounder 2.0), a level 10 Priest and another Paladin at level 10. The only reason the tens are alive is because they’re my main tailor and Blacksmith, and they haven’t been out adventuring for awhile.
I’ve lost four characters, two Paladins and Two priests. All stoopid deaths not following Patti’s rules for survival. Today, I killed off my Warrior because of a bug in the quest A Warrior’s Training. You talk to a guy named Harry Burlguard, then fight a drunk. I don’t know if it happens to you, but sometimes when you click on complete quest, nothing happens. So you close the box and re-open and then it works. Except, when I tried to re-open the dialog, nothing. No quest in my log to abandon and re-start. I went to Goldshire to talk to Lyria Du Lac, the original quest giver, but she had nothing. Looking up advice, the viable option seemed to be re-roll a new warrior and try again. (sniff). Down level 12 warrior, sorry. Got her name right back and everything though.
For me, losing this many characters is starting to be depressing. I could not be more careful. Possibly I will get my 17 Paladin to 20 and take a break.
I am getting a definite rats on a wheel feeling re-starting character after character. And crawling through the same quests over and over and over.
World of Warcraft Shadowlands
Ha all of my characters are still playing through Shadowlands. Atherne is in Revendreth, which at first seemed evil in a cartoon villain sort of way. Now I’m in a little further, I’m seeing Revendreth is yet another totally whacked vision of somebody’s concerning the afterlife. Even so, it’s a brand new bit of content, which makes it an adventure, and I’m happy enough.
In September, I only played World of Warcraft and Elder Scrolls Online.
Elder Scrolls Online
My Arcanist character is level 41. She’s done all of Glenumbra and Deshan, and has finished Northern Elsweyr. I wanted to like Elsweyr more, but there’s something harsh about the whole thing. Even so, it’s a beautiful area, and I find myself like a tourist just stopping and taking pictures of the views.
I really like areas that have loads of resources to pick up and delves with goodies galore. Elsweyr doesn’t seem to have many random resources tucked around, nor do the they have a nice load of treasure chests everywhere. Though there are some.
One thing Elsweyr does have are some exceptional khajiits. I just love khajiits.
Yes, I know one of these below is not a khajiit…
Ah, another thing I don’t care for in Elsweyr are the dragons! Frick, what tough fights.
My first Arcanist is a High Elf. I liked her so much I did the unthinkable a killed off a second Warden character to make a second Breton Arcanist.
This level 17 girl is taking on the Necrom content. Necrom certainly has a different feel from other areas of the game. My new buddy, for instance.
I’ve developed a routine for play sessions here. I pick an area to quest in and explore. For instance, Elsweyr. I work to fill in the map, criss-crossing the map on foot and gathering every herb and piece of wood I can find. In delves and elsewhere, I check every crate, barrel and backpack for treasures, particularly for new furniture recipes. I try not to miss a single log of wood that might have Heartwood in it for furniture. Every quest giver I come across, I help them as I can. I’m always scanning for treasure chests and have quite a good eye for seeing them in unexpected places.
The day ends when I’m out of inventory space or I’ve done a sequence of quests for the area. Then my adventurer puts all her green, blue and purple armor and weaponry she can’t use in the bank, as well as any furnishings recipes.
Then my main crafter grabs the recipes out of the bank, and learns any new ones and sells the rest. Visiting each crafting station in Auridon (my favorite place to craft), she deconstructs all the adventurer’s deposited armor and weapons, then looks to see if she can make any new furniture.
Then she pops around to inn rooms or other homes and does a bit of decorating. Here’s the Sugar Bowl Suite in Rimmen, Elsweyr.
Finally, those goals for October gaming?
Continue playing as above.
May break open a piggy jar to purchase:
Alan Wake 2. Yes, I haven’t finished the first game. So? The new character model is pretty scuzzy, though.
The new Alone in the Dark. The first version of this game made a huge impression on me. Not so sure this will keep the spirit of the original, but I must must have it.
Happy gaming! Atheren
Pattipounder died at level 16 to a Defias Pillager. Not even to the one who spawned on top of her.
I had just compiled my list of Patti’s tips for staying alive, too.
Patti’s Tips For Staying Alive in Hardcore Classic WOW
Fight From the Edges of an area picking off the lone mobs
Stay out of caves when possible.
Move away/pull the mob away from its spawn point, as a new mob can pop right up where the last one was before you’re ready.
Watch Your Back Literally.
Avoid Random Grouping they’re going to pull something with no coordination with you. If you’re a healer, they seem to feel invulnerable suddenly and pull multiples.
Clearly Patti did not listen to her own advice: She was right in a heavy spawn area. Downtown Moonbrook is never a place to be. She should have used Divine Shield while running away. Might have gotten out of range or another player could have picked off the second Pillager attacker.
Here’s that sweet picture of Patti and Louis in a happier time when both were (sniff) alive.
I planned to stop playing Hardcore once I lost my main character, Pattipounder. Instead, I immediately created a new Paladin to carry on. Patti 2 (not named that, actually can’t stand the name Patti) is now in an all Paladin guild, swimming in the Pally happiness pool.
I knew my spouse, who wakes up earlier than I do, would continue questing without me. RIP Louispounder. (sniff) Death by Boar, in Elwynn forest, Level 10.
He was so bummed he ran another Mage through, only to die to three mages shooting him at Mirror Lake for a Mage quest also, level 10, I believe.
There’s another LP stalking through Elwynn, as we speak. Be safe, LP.
I personally, who don’t appreciate losing recipes and resources to Death, have created my first ever Bank Alt, Pennypounder.
We made it through another year! I couldn’t find a having a party meme generator picture, so it’s the skellie for you.
Even better, since I’m tired tonight…
Too good, right? I like the meme generator Imgflip. https://imgflip.com/
I know you’re on tenterhooks on behalf of my kitten in Stray.
My son was visiting and he got the kitten through the Zurgs with ease.
I ran her forward a bit to make sure she was past a save game point. She’s back to making impossible jumps through the cityscape.
World of Warcraft HC
Pattipounder lives. My spouse decided to join me. Luckily I had a level 3 Paladin who would be a Blacksmith and make better armor for Patti. She was perfect for leveling with his mage.
We ran quests together for a bit, then because we’d be doing the murlocs next, I had a picture taken with Pattipounder. Nice Pounder Family Portrait, right?
Back out with Paladin #2, we ran into trouble with said murlocs.
We made it through this flight, but on the next bit Paladin #2 died, at level 8, to murlocs.
My spouse had almost all of his murloc fins, for a quest, so I brought out my level 7 tailor to help him finish.
He made it, then was done for the night. I can’t let my tailor die, so I created Paladin #3 and got her to level 7. She can move forward with LP, till he’s Pattipounder’s level (11) and off we go.
I had sufficient fun with Blaugust that I’ve pre-written a few things for September already. For me, writing every day makes it easier to write more often.
Good luck with your last day, last post. Atheren
Though we will be on vacation for half of September, I’ve got ambitious gaming goals. I like that a few are really specific goals. Also that I will be continuing some of the games I first played in August.
You don’t see that acronym as often as you used to, do you? Crash to Desktop. There were no problems with LOTRO until about the second week of August. Suddenly, I log in, choose a realm, hit play. Boom.
I know it looks like I was logged in just yesterday. And I sorta was.
What has been happening is, I hit play, and CTD. No error, no nothing. Booted.
There is a tip sheet from Standing Stones saying what to do if this happens to you.
Nothing happens after clicking “Play” on the launcher.” OR “Game crashes after clicking play on the launcher.”
August 13, 2023 13:40
If you are encountering an issue where the game is crashing after you click the “Play” button on the launcher (just after you select the world you want to log into) please attempt the following:
Step One:
(Windows) This can occasionally be related to the game trying to locate system files related to the Visual C++ installation and not finding them. As a test try downloading and installing C++ manually via the download here, (use the vcredist_x86.exe when given the option to choose what download) however if that installer fails with any error then open the ‘Uninstall a Program’ list in the control panel and in there look for all listings of “Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable”. Clicking on each in turn if you find one which lists in its details as being Version: 8.0.50727.762 then uninstall that and then repeat the attempt to install 10.0 SP1 from the vcredist_x86.exe file.
Step Two:
(Windows) If you chose “Yes” when asked to enable DirectX 10 or 11 graphics and this began occurring soon thereafter please then perform the following:
– On the launcher prior to logging in with your username, click the button in the upper right that has the single down-arrow on it and choose Options
– Under the repair tab, enable “Reset game display settings” and click Ok
– Resume logging in but when asked if you want to enable DirectX 10 or 11 graphics mode, choose “No” as part of this test.
Step Three:
(Windows/Mac) If you have not logged into the game in some time, or recently updated Windows or Mac OS; your graphics hardware (or drivers) or any other hardware components, try these steps before launching the game:
– Open your “Documents” folder (Mac users will need to open Finder to open Documents) and look for either the “The Lord of the Rings Online” folder or “Dungeons and Dragons Online” (depending on which game you play)
– Once found right-click on that folder and choose rename and rename it to either “OLDThe Lord of the Rings Online” or “OLDDungeons and Dragons Online”
– Restart the game at this point (again if on Windows and asked to enable DirectX 10 or 11 graphics choose no as part of this test)
Additional Steps for Windows systems:
If you open the “Uninstall a Program” option in the Control Panel and find any of the applications in the list below, they may be causing the crash. You can typically test this by temporarily uninstalling them, rebooting once removed and then running the game just once without them to see if the crash no longer occurs.
AMD Gaming Evolved
Raptr
ASUS GamerOSD
Razer Game Booster
If you are still crashing on Windows, ensure that you have installed DirectX 9.0c (required even on systems that have DirectX 10 or 11 as they are separate installs that use separate system files).
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8109
(The installer file from there is a self extraction file, when you run it, it will ask you to give a name to the folder it will copy the installation files into. Once it does that then open that folder and run the ‘setup.exe’ file inside of it to perform the install.)
Secondly after that install is performed then download and run the ‘DirectX Web Update Tool” as well (download the dxwebsetup.exe file to desktop or downloads and run it from there using right-click and ‘Run as administrator’)
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35&44F86079-8679-400C-BFF2-9CA5F2BCBDFC=1
Note that the links above might need to be opened in Internet Explorer or the Edge browser to be viewed correctly.
If you need further assistance, please contact our Technical Support Team
Note my post from March of 2022
LOTRO Graphics Tweaked, Finally
If you attempt any of these tweaks, you’re out. If you try to use Direct X 10 or above, you don’t even get in, just back to insta CTD.
My programmer/systems analyst spouse may be able to look at all this and fix it. There’s my motive for this post, aside from simply having a post. It could work!
Happy Blaugusting! Atheren
The Last Chapter Gaming Blog 