I’m playing some Wildstar in addition to SWTOR, but I’m not going to be writing about it here. I have a Wildstar blog. If you are also playing Wildstar, maybe you will read it. Here is the pertinent information.
Also a screenie of my adorable chua.
Ugh the starter outfit is so ugleh.
I’ve gotten SO many submissions lately that here’s a special reader-submitted Hall of Shame update – they’re sending them in faster than I can go through my own screenshots folder. For many of these, snarky comments were attached in the file name and I didn’t even have to do that!
OK, to be fair, I still need to do things to images that are sent in. The curse of SWTOR, unlike some other games, is that the fleet is so freakishly dark (and most other planets too). So almost every screenshot taken by me or someone else has to be brightened (for me, using a cheapo editing program) before being ready for public perusal.
Let’s get going with this epic update to the Hall of Shame. I should have these images incorporated into the Hall of Shame page soonish.
And there are 25 more. Not even joking.
As you recall, I was sporting this stylish look on my bounty hunter when I was noticed by a random person specifically for fashion awesomeoness. Yay.
Well, today, this happened while I was on the fleet.
Ew. Also, I’m an ass.
My sith marauder is rocking this stunning ensemble which, previously, was hatless.
And then I found a matching hat. And I’m totally wearing it.
I may have lost my mind.
So I’m in a pug with my bounty hunter, Issen, rocking this cute outfit.
Aaaand the following occurs….
Pug Guy: Issen, this is a random question, but did you upload your look to Tor-Fashion?
Me: I totally did!
Pug Guy: And I totally saw it!
Squeal! I was recognized in-game by my awesome fashion sense, guys. For details on how to look as awesome as me, check out my tor-fashion page, and click on each outfit to see what pieces/dyes I used. Also upload your own outfits, so people can praise you in game. And since you’re at tor-fashion anyway, you can upvote all my stuff and downvote any underboob you see, kthx.
Also lots of cross-category violations (stupid hat AND no pants, oh noes).
Let’s start with the reader submissions, shall we?
The newest patch notes for 2.8 were posted. Some good, some bad, and some we already knew were in the works from the “summer of swtor” announcement. But here’s the big flippin deal:
Players who are defeated in an Operation now have the option to spawn inside of the instance when all other players in the group are out of combat.
Can I get a hell yeah? Those two ridiculously long loading screens that I have to sit through directly after a wipe are mocking me – Haaa haaa, you failed, now you have to sit here and stare at a status bar… bwahahahha. Making wipes less time-consuming will allow for more attempts, but possibly fewer stealthy pee breaks. “Sorry guys, I was stuck at the loading screen.”
Other things of interest:
Serendipitous Assault and Focused Retribution Relics no longer activate from both dealing damage and healing within the same rate limit.
Come on, you knew they would fix that eventually. Now the highest level of those relics is always the best, period.
Adjusted Dread Master Tyran’s [sic] Inferno ability to make it more friendly to melee characters.
Oh hey, now that I’m not raiding with my melee toon, you decide to make this encounter more melee-friendly? Not that it matters, considering all the other unchanged melee-unfriendly encounters that still remain. Boooooo.
Anything in the patch notes interesting to you?
Oh hey, Summer of SWTOR Update.
Let’s get out of the way the boring shit
Blah blah Galactic Starfighter
Don’t care.
Blah blah delayed strongholds
Old news, guys.
PvP and Galactic Starfighter blah blah rewards
Did I mention “don’t care”?
Nightmare Mode blah blah
Oh yes, content that I haven’t cleared in hard mode now has a nightmare mode. Be still my beating heart.
Now on to the good stuff.
Groupfinder Operations Overhaul. Story Mode Operations will be more accessible to endgame players (levels 50 – 55). The Operations section in the GroupFinder window will list available Operations on a pre-determined schedule, rotating in different Operations every few days. Players who meet the level requirement of the Operation will be Bolstered, removing the requirement for endgame gear. Rewards have also been improved, making this a great opportunity for players to earn Ultimate Commendations and experience new content. These operations will also be for 16-man mode to ensure faster queue times (both 8 and 16 man need 2 tanks and that is typically the gating factor). 16-man is also more forgiving to mistakes and should increase the chances of a successful group.
OK, pugging raids is annoying and I usually don’t have the patience for it. But ultimate comms are ultimate comms, and I really do need them. If a 16-man can be put together without spamming the fleet and otherwise cat herding, I’m in. As T-Rex says, the worst that can happen is adventures.
Next up is the biggest announcement, in my opinion: Nar Shaddaa has a functioning casino.
Nar Shaddaa Casino. For the first time, players are invited to the casinos on Nar Shaddaa to try their luck on the slot machines. Credits can be used to purchase tokens, which in turn can be used on slot machines. Lucky winners will receive certificates that can be traded in for unique rewards that will only be distributed during the Nar Shaddaa Nightlife event. This event will run from June 10th to August 19th.
On the subject of gambling in games, I’m torn because some people might have a problem taking things in moderation. I’m speaking primarily about those dumbass cartel gambling boxes (about which I’ve complained before). People spend ridiculous amounts of money on those things, and I just don’t get it (especially since it’s real money) – probably because I don’t have the personality trait that makes gambling fun. I have to believe that some of the people spending real cash on cartel boxes cannot afford it, should not be doing it, and would be better off in real life if bioware didn’t offer it. These new slot machines at least do not run on real money, but with a mechanism to turn real money into credits via cartel purchases, people could get themselves in hot water regardless. Having said that, it’s not bioware’s business to babysit us and make sure we don’t do something stupid. I shouldn’t buy oreos because my husband devours them like the sarlacc – but I won’t be writing an angry letter to my grocery store to stop stocking them.
In real life I don’t see the allure of gambling at all and tend to avoid it – it bores me. But I fully support the idea of having a thriving nightlife in Nar Shaddaa where people can socialize and create an “atmosphere.” Not so far as to say I’d roleplay because that’s another thing I find super-boring. But just having people in one spot doing something other than shopping the GTN? Good times.
Now, slot machines are the worst of the boring. I mean, seriously, you push a button and RNG tells you what to get. Yawn. However, if the Nar Shaddaa casino event starts now AND we’re getting Nar Shaddaa housing directly thereafter, I am crossing my fingers for more goodies coming to the Nar Shaddaa nightlife, such as slightly more complicated minigames. A girl can dream.
Yeah, I skipped double XP weekend this time. On previous double XP weekends, I’ve felt driven and compelled to bust my butt leveling something-or-other. This time, not so much.
I have a lot of characters at max level at this point. Let me count… 4 pub side, 5 imp side. And I only have one class story to finish up, trooper, but I’ve already SEEN the story from leveling with thehusband.
What would I do with another toon at max level? The only thing I don’t have is a toon that I’m comfortable tanking on – and hey, I don’t actually want to tank.
I ended up skipping playing at all for the whole damn weekend. I’d try to queue for a 55 flashpoint, and the queue would not move because, duh, everyone was on their low level alts. The break was kind of nice. I caught up on some TV.
Last night in gchat:
Me: I totally skipped this double xp weekend.
Guildie1: But weren’t you just saying on your blog that we need more.
Me: Well yes, but just because I don’t personally want one right now doesn’t mean we shouldn’t HAVE one.
Guildie2: WHAT?
Me: Oh sorry, I meant, it is all about me, and Bioware should consult my schedule before doing anything.
Guildie1: That’s better. Someone at BW is gettin fired over this!
Like with bounty hunter week, it’s nice to have the event come up often enough that you can voluntarily skip an instance of it, or you don’t feel like you REALLY missed out if you’re busy that week or weekend. I realize that a lot of people feel like if an event comes around too often, it’s not special enough. But with a wonky schedule and other responsibilities, I want to do things on my own schedule instead of when Bioware thinks I should be at my PC.
Hrm, I guess it really IS all about me.
A few weeks ago, the fellows at Ootinicast asked for an interview. Sure, why not. We did the interview last weekend and I got an advance copy of the edit the next day.
I couldn’t listen to it. It’s hard to explain but I just didn’t want to put myself through hearing my own voice and cringing for a half hour.
I’m pretty sure it’s a good interview anyway. I got all the dorkiness out of my system before recording. For example:
Chill: So how do you pronounce Njessi?
Me: The easiest is to just say the N is silent. My guildies just call me Jessi.
Chill: Ok.
Me: It’s like my daughter’s favorite joke lately. “Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl in the bathroom? Because the P is silent!”
Hey, 6 year olds love that sort of shit.
Here’s the interview. Enjoy!