“Players win games. Teams win championships.”
– Spencicus
Think about those the next time you enter a new progression raid. individual player skill will help you defeat dragons. But it’s the effort of the whole team that brings the glory of victory.
[Video] Endless Healer Proving Grounds
Here, watch this video of me in my first ever effort on the new healer Proving Grounds.
You can read more about the experience in detail on WoW Insider.
In other news, I spent money buying Spirit Guard Udyr in League of Legends this morning. Then the new transmog helms were available and I bought all three of those (I like the Crystal Skull helm one the best). Looks kind of odd on a Pandaren though, don’t you think? Luckily, there’s a guild transmog contest happening this upcoming Tuesday. The theme is blue! Now I need to find the rest of my transmog pieces I want to match up with the theme. Any ideas?
You know, I used to be that guy who scoffed at buying cosmetic and aesthetic gear. Who’d want to buy mounts? Why bother buying skins? What’s the point of battle pets? None of this stuff is used in the betterment of my character in anyway shape or form other than in looks, and even then, that’s subjective.
Five years later, I’ve sunk over a grand into League of Legends skins (alone).
Free to play game, they said.
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Guest Post: It’s Okay to be an Ass
This is a guest post by LabellaNotte who is co-GM of the Guardians of Fellowship (US The Scryers – Alliance) and author of the Heals Or Leaf blog.
When you hear the Doomsday Clock ticking, it’s easy to despair. It’s easy to give up and take what you think is coming to you. You can sink into depression thinking that all you and your officers have worked for is going the way of the dodo. If this makes you feel like you’ve fallen in a well with no way out, let me assure you there is a way.
Be an ass.
No, not like your raid leader, this is a different kind of ass. Let me paraphrase a little fable for you.
There was this donkey. We’ll call the donkey Bob. He worked hard and took pride in his work. One day, in a fit of overzealousness, he fell into a hole being dug for a well.
Standing there alone in the well, Bob stared up and wondered what to do next. One of his buddies peered over the edge and told him that he was stuck in a well with no escape. In the process, he sent a cascade of dirt down on poor Bob’s head. A little annoyed, Bob shook the dirt off his back and stepped on it. It seemed he would never get out.
While he stood there, Bob realized he had two choices. First, he could simply wallow in misery over his certain demise. Or, he could do something to change his situation.
Time and again, other animals came to look, comment, jeer, heckle, or offer helpful advice. Over and over, showers of dirt fell on him. Bob made his choice, time and again. Shake the dirt off, step on it, and realize that each bit that fell on top of him could be shaken off, stepped on, and used to bring him closer to freedom.
It wasn’t a fast process by any means, but Bob built himself a ramp out of that well and again got to see the light of day as a free donkey. One shake and step at a time, Bob repeatedly chose to use that dirt to his advantage to build a ramp instead of letting it bury him.
In other words
The seemingly endless task of running a guild, whether as a GM or an officer, involves running into obstacles. Some obstacles are small, such as picking dates for events that aren’t convenient for everyone who wants to participate. Others are potential catastrophes. My guild, just like anyone’s, has had more than our fair share of them. Looking back at the annals of our history, it amazes me that we have lasted as long as we have.
Back in Wrath of the Lich King, one of our officers left and half the raid team followed. In the same era, our OT’s wife got fed up with his gaming and forced him to quit raiding with us. During Cataclysm we absorbed another Guild that was falling apart to benefit both Guilds, but eventually there was a rift in our own Guild that led to an officer, one of our best DPS raiders, and several awesome social members away. Also in Cataclysm, one of our other top DPS raiders decided he has finished the story and canceled his subscription. Just recently, one of our most consistent raiders (an officer to boot) and a backup healer decided to leave the server for greener grasses.
Each of these events made us in guild leadership look around and wonder if we could handle this blow. We wondered if we would survive, no less continue with our regularly scheduled raids. It wasn’t easy, not by any measure of the imagination. Each time, we made the conscious decision to keep on trucking.
Matticus very aptly observed that each guild has its own Doomsday Clock ticking towards midnight. There are outside influences that can stop, slow down, or even reverse it. You can look to those exterior forces he discussed to keep you afloat. One factor he failed to mention is you do have one other option. You can draw from your own strength and ingenuity to get yourself out of that hole.
Each time we’ve been faced with a challenge that could have ended us, our GM and officers have sat and stared at the hands of the doomsday clock speeding towards midnight. And each time, our GM, myself, and our leadership team have stopped, shaken off the dirt of the latest disaster, and built a ramp to get out of the hole. We see and hear the clock ticking and watched the progress of those numbers slow, halt and reverse.
So next time that clock is ticking, think of Bob. Go ahead and be an ass, just like Bob, and you too can smile as the hands on that doomsday clock start to move backwards.
Have you watched your own guild’s doomsday clock ticking away and survived to tell the tale? Share your experience in the comments!Until next time, long days, pleasant nights and happy raiding.
Heroic Ji-Kun!
What a rush. We finally hit 2/13 with a Ji-Kun kill that I never would’ve anticipated.
We had just hit 39% remaining. Our nest tank was dead and there was no point sending in groups up to the nests which had guardians because they were going to die. It would end up being a race between our DPS and Ji-Kun’s pools or other abilities. We managed to get it with DoTs ticking and a handful of survivors still remaining alive. Now that I know Ji-Kun can be taken down like that, I’m inclined to try that again and see if we can ignore and brute force our way through it. We definitely need to shore up a few things. I’m always worried about the second kill as it always ends up being the hardest. All I know is that Ji-Kun kill really took a huge toll out of me. Need a new raid leader, stat.
Iron Qon was next on the list. I think the progression order for Throne of Thunder pits either Horridon and Iron Qon in similar levels of difficulty. Our furthest Iron Qon attempt actually allowed us to see phase 4. Many of the strategies I read called for Dam’ren to be killed first in phase 4. I guess it’s something to do with the DPS loss from allowing the other two Quilen to land. We also need to become more consistent at running those Windstorms. I’m beginning to get a little antsy about them. Can’t afford to lose even three players on that first run out. I’m going to have to put that bench to use if the team doesn’t show any marked improvement in them. We’re doing what we can in dropping cooldowns to buy time. But all the cooldowns in the world aren’t going to save anyone if they get caught by tornadoes. I just don’t know what to do. It’s like Teron Gorefiend all over again.
As we get further and further into heroic modes, that bar is going to rise up. My only concern is what happens if the players aren’t able to skill up with it? I’m going to have to make some difficult choices. How long can I really afford to wait for people to nail that run? How much time do I have before tempers eventually flare or my patience expires?
Reminds me a little bit of League of Legends. I entered four promotion series going from Bronze 1 into Silver 5. I lost every single one of those on game 5. Maybe I have to accept the fact that I’m in the league that I’m in. Maybe some people just aren’t able to get any better. Maybe I hit my skill cap.
I’m at a bit of a crossroads now. Once the week resets and we knock over Jin’Rokh, we can start heroic attempts on Horridon. But we’ll have already committed 5 hours of learning attempts to Iron Qon instead. This is the issue with linear instances. I kind of like having winged instances. Firelands gave us quite the flexibility and how to plan our raid paths.
For now, time to enjoy the weekend and figure out what our long term game plan is.
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Behind the Blogging Scenes Interview: Liore
Today we talk to MMO veteran Liore. She’s been around the block when it comes to MMOs (WoW, SWTOR, Guild Wars 2, Rift, you name it). Her blog has been around for a long time and she’s still going strong (Since at least 2009?). She has since started contributing to Rift Junkies and WildStar Junkies.
So who exactly are you and what do you do?
I’m Liore! By day I write user manuals and banner ads, and by night I make stuff for the internet about video games.
What do you feel are your strongest post types as a blogger?
I mostly write opinion pieces. I have a lot of opinions.
Where can we find your work?
The blog and podcast are at my site, Herding Cats. I’m also a Staff Writer for RIFT Junkies and WildStar Junkies.
Art of Productivity
How much time do you spend on a weekly basis just reading and researching for blog posts?
I don’t do a lot of research specifically for posts although I do read a lot. I listen to podcasts on my work commute, and watch Let’s Plays instead of television. My Twitter feed is full of game stuff, and I hang out on IRC all day with smart people who are also gamers. I guess you could say it’s kind of an organic research process.
How do you prepare yourself before blogging?
My mantra is basically, “Why am I writing this?” and if I can’t answer that in a sentence then I know the post needs to roll around in my head more.
How would you advise a blogger to beat procrastination?
Routine! Try to set a realistic routine, and accept that writing X times a week is just what you do now.
When is the best time of day for you to blog?
I do the actual writing at the office during lunch. It’s a good time for me — I’ve had coffee, I’m sitting in front of a computer, and I’ve warmed up my brain with work stuff.
How many hours a week do you spend actually blogging?
I don’t spend that much time actually writing. Maybe 20 minutes per post, with 20 minutes of editing. I spend way more time editing than writing.
How many days a week?
Ideally 3 times a week, or twice plus a podcast.
Who are your favorite inspirations and authors?
It feels silly to say my “inspirations” because, like, I write nonsense about video games, but the works of Hunter S. Thompson, Molly Ivins, and David Sedaris have strongly influenced my writing style.
What quote best defines you?
“And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – The Beatles
What type of music do you like to listen to when you write (or none at all)?
For the most part I can’t listen to music when I write. I find the lyrics distracting. If I’m listening to anything it’s probably Daft Punk’s Tron soundtrack because there are only a few words and it’s a hell of an album.
Are there any areas you’re looking to expand into as a blogger?
I just want to say one word to you. Just one word. Are you listening? Video. Seriously, I love the written word like crazy but I think in 10 years time we’ll all be watching videos instead of reading blogs.. which sucks because one of the best parts of blogging is that you can do it in your underwear while wearing a ridiculous hat.
How do you crush writer’s block (if you believe in it)?
Remember that not every post has to be a masterpiece. Sometimes it’s perfectly okay to just write 25 words and post a great video you found.
Follow up: Where do you go when you’re drawing a blank on ideas?
I only recommend this if you are in the direst of straits, but if I’m totally out of ideas I’ll go start reading some big MMO’s official forum. It usually doesn’t take long before I see something that irritates me so much I want to write a post about it.
Are you a risk taker or do you play it safe when it comes to broaching potentially controversial topics?
Ooooh. You know, I try to not shy away from topics because it feels intellectually dishonest to me to not talk about something that I strongly believe, and I like to think that adding my voice to controversial topics contributes in some small fashion. That being said I try to write about them in an approachable way because that’s kind of why I blog — to participate in conversations about stuff.
Art of Blogging
How would you define a truly great blogger?
Consistent, opinionated, interested, and great with a turn of phrase.
What platform do you blog on?
Self-hosted WordPress.
Which blogs do you try to keep up with the most and why?
Kurn mentioned Blessing of Kings in her interview, and I think Rohan has been hugely influential in the MMO blogging community. The Ancient Gaming Noob (tagn.wordpress.com/) is not only an interesting read but also Wilhelm posts more frequently than the rest of us put together. Right now the blog I’m most excited to see update is In An Age (inanage.com). Azuriel plays totally different games than I do for the most part, but he always has interesting things to say and I like his style.
Is there a specific program you use for blogging?
Not really. I write into Notepad++ or EditPlus and then copy it into WordPress.
Other than using a focus macro, how do you stay focused on your task?
Honestly, I don’t. Hell, I’m watching a movie and playing Candy Crush while I answer this question! I just really enjoy writing and podcasting, so somehow it gets done.
What challenges or problems have you run into when blogging?
I’m too Canadian! Seriously, I have a hard time being forceful when I want to. It feels like I’m writing, “I think it’s really stupid when games do X” and then I read it later and it’s more like, “I’m sorry, I kind of don’t like X but it’s okay if you do because games are fun yay!”
Have any strategies on staying organized?
Inbox Zero. Love it. Live it.
How do you unwind after your day is over?
Foreign reality shows on YouTube! MasterChef Australia, Project Catwalk — everyone is always so nice and I like watching talented people do their thing.
Art of fun
What is your biggest annoyance right now (blogging or otherwise)?
Under otherwise: the lack of empathy in “internet culture”.
What has been your proudest achievement?
This is more “most recent” than “proudest”, but I just got confirmed for a Media Pass at PAX Prime. Putting aside for a moment the many complaints that people have about Penny Arcade (and I wouldn’t disagree with them), getting in a position to apply for the pass took good effort and I’m proud of it. They’re letting me interview developers! How crazy is that?!
Choose a celebrity (alive or dead) that you would like to have dinner with.
Geoffrey Chaucer and Francis Bean Cobain.
What do you wish to do more of (or get started doing) this year?
I love doing the podcast, so I want to play with that some more. Also video! I have plans to do my first full-on Let’s Play in August with a partner (Saint’s Row IV, aw yiss) which should be a lot of fun.
You travel back in time to meet your younger self when you started blogging. What piece of advice would you offer?
I started my first blog in 2000, but I’d tell myself to start blogging about games sooner. I came in at the tail end of WotLK, and I’m perpetually sorry that I missed the glory days of monolithic WoW blogs.
Where can readers find you online?
Blog: http://www.lioreblog.com
Podcast: http://www.lioreblog.com/
RIFT Junkies: http://rift.junkiesnation.com/
WildStar Junkies: http://wildstar.junkiesnation.
What else would you like readers to know?
I once killed 24 of my guild’s finest raiders by starting the Magtheridon fight early and locking them in. And I regret nothing.
Thanks for sharing your battlestation with us, Liore!
