A post for those new MMO players out there…

I posted this originally in the STO message boards in regards to advice for new players, but I figured, hey this is good for everyone, so I decided to post it here. Actually, this is good advice for life in general (except for the trying things that might kill you part, I don’t want to be responsible for a Darwin Award winner, because that idiot’s family might sue me for it, and christ, I don’t want to have to explain this particular post in a courtroom.)

So anyways, enjoy:

I want to reiterate to the new players out there: take everything you read on message boards with a grain of salt. Do not just swallow everything that is said, but decide for yourself. Even on gameplay suggestions, experiment, see if that advice is actually works for you. If not, try something else.

Never be afraid to die. Some of the most hilarious things that have happened to me was because I asked myself “I wonder what happens if I do this” and then ended up splatted over the landscape.

But ask your teammates before doing something “stupid.” KEEP THEM INFORMED, even if it’s something as simple as “Hey ya’ll! Watch this!” That let’s them know that death and destruction might be coming their way, and they can prepare accordingly.

And when things do go bad, don’t get angry. Just chalk it up to a learning experience and go on. On the other hand, if things keep going badly, over and over again, to the point that you are annoyed… it might be time to go do something else. Unless you enjoy suffering, then keep doing it. Just don’t expect people to be sympathetic to your complaints. Few people enjoy complainers.

If you find a way of doing things that you enjoy, then keep doing them, even if people say you’re doing things “wrong.” Play the game your way. For example, I hate leveling. So on my character in Aion, I hit level 27 and quit. I’ve been doing odd quests and crafting, and I’m content enough to keep playing. I reiterate: play the game your way, not someone else’s.

On the other hand, if someone makes a suggestion about a better way to play, listen and try it out. Who knows, you might enjoy it. If not, oh well, go back to your way.

Sometimes though, a patch does something that breaks your preferred gameplay (or in extreme cases, kills it off entirely.) My advice: breath in, breath out, relax. Life is going to change no matter what you do, and the games do too. If you can’t find a compromise that let’s you still enjoy the game… Find a new game. It’s harsh, but sometimes games do that to you. There is a sea of MMOs out there, including some very niche games. Or pick up a new hobby.

So that is my wisdom from almost 9 years of MMOing and 20 years of video gaming.

So… When is the Environmental Jihad coming?

I laughed when I first saw this… I first thought, “About fucking time that they recognize this.” And then it hit me the implications: religions tend to be a convenient excuse to force other people to think the way you do. Now, you could argue that this is what I’ve been arguing all along, but for some reason this particular case chills me to the bone.

But on a happier note, here in the United States, I could probably sue the US Government for breaching the separation of church and state for any legislation dealing with global warming. Be careful of the tools you bring to bear, because they can be used against you.

That was interesting

The following was posted from my Pre’s email. I learned a bit about it formats, so when I try it again, I’ll get it right.

A sad reminder that things change. And it must happen, no matter how painful it is in the short term. But people put down roots, and they expect things to stay the same, which is why calenders and religions were invented (one to track the patterns, and the other to beg to the gods when the patterns change.) I hope these people find the new patterns and discover new avenues of living, if not, they are in for a long, bitter cold winter.

Oh, and this story mentions “environmental impacts” of temporary bridge. I laugh, and shake my head sadly because it reminds that environmentalists have no concept of how the world changes. They want it to stay the same no matter what cost, making it difficult for the rest of us to adapt. Well, just one more difficulty, I’m sure we’ll think of something.

Spam: the “Shit, I’m lacking even more sleep than normal” edition

I hadn’t done one of these in a while, and I’m eating a sandwich, as promised, so I have time to throw together some off the wall spam. Wait, my spam posts are always off the wall. Never mind.

Right in the middle of her forehead

Shit, I don’t think my aim is that good, and the drugs would make it even more difficult. *cough*

In the shade of the mountains brown

Am I the only that imagines a pile of shit when you read that?

wassup

… Not now, not ever… Just no, OK?

You look stupid here

Where did this guy go to marketing school at? An Ivy League school? You can’t get much more condescending than that.

Said the Yonghy-Bonghy-Bo

The what? The Jabberwocky went thataway.

Your friend is dead, so bury him

*bursts out crying* Thanks for reminding me of that!!! *runs away* *stops to listen* “What do you mean it’s a euphemism? That’s just sick. Unless I can bury my friend in Jenny McCarthy.” (Yup, couldn’t resist taking the joke ALL! THE! WAY!)

Dead men may envy living mites in cheese

*looks more puzzled than normal* No, it can’t be the lack of sleep confusing me on that one. Unless someone can explain it to me.

So now I get to try to fall asleep while my upstairs neighbor plays the national anthem on a keyboard. I promise you funky dreams are going to happen.

I lied…

Instead of days, they’ve decided to put me on a split shift, 1pm to 1am, maybe for a month, maybe longer. Thankfully, if I decide that I can’t do that, I can scream bloody murder. Other work related stuff: I got “schooled” on TCP/IP, with the whiteboard and all. It was cool, even if I was nearly braindead, but I remembered stuff. I like remembering stuff. It’s better than forgetting stuff. I’m hoping to sleep straight through tonight, but not holding my breath. It’s hard to sleep and hold your breath.

Trying to decide if I put enough randomness into this post. Oh, and my epic Spam post has brough in some poor unfortunate bastards. Unless they were looking for spam, then they ended up at the right place.

Oh, and I got to see the spam filtering site where I work. I felt right at home.

And no, I haven’t felt like writing. I should, but the lack of sleep kicks my ass. In fact, I’m going to bed after I eat a sammich. I’m not going to take bets on whether I’m going to sleep through the night or not.

Has the djinni returned?

Words have been flying in and out of my mind the past month or so, with only 3 real entries and one reminder to write something more that has languished because the urge to put those thoughts to either keyboard or paper just hasn’t been there. My djinni of inspiration went on vacation I think, as my mind pondered the transition to my next job. Or it could be that the past 3 1/2 years of working nights has ground me down. I’m not finished with the nights, but at least I’ll get respite from them for a while. We’ll see how things go when we get there.

I have started reading again, picking up a book that I read a long while back, and can barely remember enough that it makes it worthwhile to read it again: Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I think it has stirred the urge to write again, because, well, here I am, typing again. I think I have an idea for the Novel in a Month thing that Kiv has poked me about. Also, it has provoked an unlikely thought, that on the surface looks reasonable, but I’m suspicious of its underpinnings, which might or might not be sturdy.

The thought: I think writers are most likely to identify as liberals because of the nature of what writers do. Think about any novel or movie and realize that change is the driving force of the story. If a character doesn’t change, then nothing happens in the story.

And that is the extent of the thought at this moment, more might come later, or I might give up on it, and let it die the slow death of forgetfulness, unless someone else picks it up and gives it a shake. If you do, have at it.

Adjusting back to days has been difficult, btw, but I think I’ll adjust to the schedule.

Bigger talk later

http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1028682

*Opens mouth, sticks in foot*

So, in one of the rare signs that I might not be as funny as I think, my boss got indignant when I asked if I was still going to be a “mainframe flunky” on Monday. When he started huffing and puffing about how I was “an integral part of the team,” I replied that I thought he would be proud, in an “supervillain sort of way.” Unlike most mornings, he wasn’t buying what I was selling, so I got to hear him rant for 5 minutes about it. Such is life.

And the answer is “yes, you’re still going to be a mainframe flunky, Monday.” I shouldn’t be surprised. They are going to dangle me in the wind for a while, which means the Universe is acting like it should. If I had been moved over, I would have been shocked. At least they didn’t wait until Monday to tell me.

I got the job.

’nuff said.

Thursday mistake is today’s blessing.

I could not sleep on Thursday, and I thought it was because I ate something bad. When I say, “I couldn’t sleep” it was “I’m laying here with nothing but my thoughts, and I know that sleep is never coming anytime soon.” I might have napped somewhere during that day, but no real sleep.

Any ways, I discovered Thursday night that my prescription for my sleeping pills had run, so I had to call it in… well, according to my pill scheduler, I was going to be out Sunday morning, so I would be out on Monday, unless the prescription went through, but even if it did…

Which was a bad thing, because Friday I scheduled my second interview for Monday evening at 4pm. I was going to go in short on sleep.

Except, I discovered yesterday that I had forgotten to take my Thursday pill, meaning I after I post this, I’m taking that pill and will be in blissful sleep in 30 minutes max, giving me a beautiful 8 hours of sleep. Sometimes, I think God watches over idiots, pushing us towards one mistake, and giving us a boon for it. Except if I go down in a blaze of glory today. But even then, I will burn with a full 8 hours sleep!