Stoic Penance

(Job news outweighs lack of XP)

September 5-7, 2008

I didn't get a lot done this weekend besides a little more Sufhi-time (39 and a half!), a bit of crafting (11.2) and knocking out the second AF bond limit break (cool cutscene).

Saturday, despite being flagged up for well over an hour among two dozen other seekers, I got no invites. Isa was headed off to campaign and I was going to meet her, but by the time I pulled my flag down it was almost bedtime.

About the only interesting thing that happened was PLing Stoik on RDM for a bit. Things went well enough and he got a level. I stuck around a bit longer for him to buffer up and then took off. Surgical asked for a raise then, so I headed his way on my way back to Jeuno. Then Stoik jumps in again...dead. After I grabbed Doc (and warded off a curious gob), I tele'd back to La Theine where he was supposed to be. Since he'd gone AFK and wasn't confirming his status or postion, I told him that if he wasn't dead when I found him, I'd kill him myself!

I really like Stoik and am glad he's still with us despite all he's been through. But I can't shake the feeling that working with him is some form of penance for a sin I can't identify. I don't think I've given him aid once where things went as planned ^^ There is always some cosmic glitch that means a redo of some kind. Stoik, if you're reading this - don't stop asking for help! I'm just diving into one of the universe's great mysteris is all.

I'm not sure I'm going to be on tonight since it's Open House at my son's school and the big "Is this big enough to get more people playing?" update is tonight. I'm honestly really psyched about this one - Level Sync and Campaign fixes are both huge. If they hadn't totally messed up Campaign in the *last* update, I'd have been level 69.9 (not hitting 70 prior to Maat) already. And Level Sync will hopefully mean more parties, period.

I'm not sure if I want to power down WHM, since I think I might be lost at lower levels with fewer spells ready. That, or I'd have to have custom macro bars for the lower levels so I could still be effective and not scrolling through those weak menus for spells. In any case, I do expect Level Sync to be a defining moment in Vana history.

I really hope this isn't a "beginning of the end" kind of thing - meaning, some MMO's on the way to shutdown will juice the rules, drops, XP, etc. in a free-for-all style celebration. I really hope I can stick with this one for another year. Especially if WoW is NOT coming to console, as followup rumors are now suggesting. I'm not ready to {Convert} to PC gameplay!

Also, as hinted at by my mood thingy up there I am supposed to be getting a job offer this week, which is great timing as this job is supposed to be closing down altogether in two.