BC seems to be having a good time with his well written and entertaining “200 Words” blog. It’s got me flashing back to our days with the OPK and how we used to post a write-up on the SoW/PAG/OPK forums the next day to much /loling. As anyone who got to participate can attest, we had a lot of fun even though we were chronic wipers (see what I did there BC?). Most of the wiping was my fault for sure, but what’s because I was afk a lot to refill my drink. Who plays WoW sober anyway?

While BC is off having new glory days running Naxx, me and the local boys on Ursin are having our own brand of fun. We started by /gkicking anybody who had a problem with failure. That left us with a 6 member guild and one ready alternate who refuses to have a guild tag but who is happy to run with us whenever. We have other local friends on Ursin, but they don’t much like chain wiping so we had to let them go.

When I started playing on Ursin again and noticed that we had just enough folks to start running instances, I talked everyone into trying some. Noone in our little group had yet to set foot in a single WoTLK instance so everyone was excited to have an opportunity to give it a shot. We started with regular UK since everyone (including our one level 80) had the quest for it, and off we went. We blew through it like 18 year old bullies picking fights with 3rd graders. I read up on the tricks of each boss fight and let everyone know what to do, but it didn’t matter. With 3 DK’s all pulling aggro off each other, me on heals and an enhancement shammy on “more dps”, we were an inelegant hammer crushing any content Blizzard could throw our way. Occassionally someone died, but that was because they didn’t realize they were standing in one of the many “circles o’ doom” Blizzard has implemented to keep people from going afk during boss fights.

We continued in this manner for three weeks (we just started last month), and saw almost all of WoTLK’s dungeons on regular mode, experiencing the same thing time again: 1) See boss; 2) Beat him down; 3) Loot! I think we felt pretty invincible.

Last night we stepped into our first heroic. We went back to were we started, UK, thinking we had better do something we are familiar with and low on the totem pole as a warm up to heroics. I told everyone what to look out for, to be careful with aggro now and watch positioning.

Nobody listened.

We blew through the first room as we always did, with everyone going willy-nilly and aggro jumping around between the DK’s. I was starting to notice that when our one blood DK got aggro, it was all I could do to keep him alive on trash. He would start at 28K health, but would drop to around 3k in a matter of 2-3 seconds if he pulled aggro. This wasn’t a problem on our MT who was wearing his tank gear. He had 24k health but 540 defense and he was a piece of cake to keep healed. I warned everyone to try not to pull aggro from the MT, and they said they would.

In the second room – the one with the protodragons, our blood DK grabbed aggro again and BAM! He was on his face kissing the floor. We recovered, I rezed him, and we moved on. On the last pull in the room it happened again and he went down, followed quickly by everyone else – our first wipe. Oh noes!

He died on a couple of more pulls as we worked on our pulling strategy (our “run in and kill stuff” strategy having failed so far). We ended up getting to the Prince with only one more near wipe which ended with our Unholy DK main tank being able to re-establish aggro after everyone else but me and he had died, and I just kept him up until he killed everything. We talked about what to do on the prince, and I reminded everyone to watch out for the frost tombs and the adds.

Now, on regular difficulty, we never paid attention to the frost tombs. I would just put a hot on the tombed person and he would get an 8 second break to get a new beer.

Here’s Steakum’s Tip O’ The Day: This does not work on heroics.

You have to (at least at our gear level) deal with the frost tombs as there is too much healing needed on the MT to also try and keep the entombed alive at the same time. Plus it hurts dps and add-management too much. We wiped twice before we got the hang of it, but it was a good lessoned learned. Everyone was much more on the ball after that.

We proceeded to own the instance after that. No fight was as difficult as the Prince fight and it was all free loot and badges afterwards, although we proceeded with much more caution and our dps-crazy blood DK did die on each boss fight in spite of my very best efforts to keep him up.

When it was over we were all happy and a little proud to have overcome our first heroic. We learned something very important: Don’t be suckered into thinking that owning the super-easy regular content means you’re any good. On heroics you have to use all the same tried and true skills we learned coming up in vanilla and BC. Our blood DK (who is a really great guy by the way and not a bad player at all – I hope I didn’t make him sound like one) said he would work on getting his defense up to help for the next time… and to keep from having a 20g repair bill – ouch!

Oh, and I did get a purple feral belt off the last boss, which is awesome considering I’m specced resto.

Next up: WTF is up with WG anyway?

Posted in World of Warcraft 1 Comment »

Even tech minded folks like to drink, and when my friend BC recommended that I add my Blood Mary recipe to WTS, I said “Sure!”

Then I forgot to do it and a couple of weeks passed…

Well, he’s reminded me, and I figure sharing a great twist on a classic drink recipe is time well spent (beats working anyway), so here goes!

A warning:  As all great cooks will tell you, DON’T SKIMP ON THE INGREDIENTS!  This is true in most drink recipes as well as cooked dishes.  Quality ingredients make a quality drink.  Remember that young drunkawan.

You’re gonna need:

Vodka.  Better vodka makes a smoother drink.  Unlike all the other ingredients listed here, however, you can skimp a little on the vodka and still end up with a good drink.  It just won’t be a great drink.  ‘Nuff said.

Tomato Juice.  Get the best you can.  V8 works too.  Do not buy cheap tomato juice or you’ll regret it.  Seriously.

Celery Salt, Pepper and Cayenne:  We kept these all mixed together in a single shaker, but you can have them separate if you like.  Garlic powder can be a good add too if you’re into it.

Pickapeppa Sauce:  This is the SOOPER-SEKRET ingredient.  It’s a bit pricey, but do not omit!

Tobasco Sauce:  You cannot make a Bloody Mary without it.  Not even for the wusses out there.  You know who you are.

Fresh Lemon or Lime:  Either is good.

Ice:  Duh.

Garnish:  This is a matter of personal choice more than anything.  We added a couple of pickled string beans at the bar.  A lot of folks like olives or celery.  Personally, I like to add a vegetable kebob with olives, cucumbers, cherry tomatos, Greek peppers, etc.

Glassware:  Bigger is better.  A 20 oz to 24 oz glass is best.

Now let’s get to mixin’!

Bloody Mary’s involve spices and heat, and how much of each a person likes will vary widely from one to another.  Therefore, I’m going to give guidelines and not strict amounts on most of the ingredients.

Assumming a larger glass, you’ll want to start by filling it with ice.  Ice shape is important and it will affect how your drink tastes.  In general, cubes are better than crushed, and small cubes are better than big ones.

Now add vodka.  I personally would put in a double shot (2 oz), or up to four if I need to forget.

Next, add the seasonings.  Tomato juice is already loaded with sodium, so unless you like super salty foods I wouldn’t add too much celery salt or similar.  Lots of pepper is good though.

Grab the Pickapeppa bottle and adde a few “glops” with gusto!  A teaspoon is a good place to start, but up to double that can really zest up your drink.

The Tobasco is next.  Now, when I say “Tobasco Sauce”, I mean “Tobasco Sauce”, and not some other hot sauce.  The flavor of the Tobasco is what you want as much as the heat.  Other sauces do not blend as well with the other flavors in the Bloody Mary, although they may provide more kick.  If you really do want a super hot BM (insert joke here) add a drop of Dave’s Gourmet Insanity Sauce.  Then dial 9 and 1 on your phone and have your thumb over the one so you can press it again when you go into cardiac shock.  Personally, I’ll add a generous amount of the Tobasco for just enough heat and lots of flavor.  Woot!

Squeeze in some lime or lemon.  I prefer lemon in my Bloody Mary’s.  You may prefer lime.  Whatever.

Now add the most important ingredient – the tomato juice.  I hope you didn’t go and buy the grocery store’s house brand, because if you did you’re going to be one sad (but drunk) panda.  Fill what room remains in the glass with the red goodness.

Mixing is next.  The best way is to pour it back and forth between two same sized glasses until the concoction is thoroughly mixed up.  Stirring alone generally doesn’t do the trick unless you can stir it a lot, something that is usually messy in a glass packed to the rim with ice and booze.

Add your garnish.  Be creative.  Turn your Bloody Mary into a meal if you want.

The last step, of course, is to drink and enjoy!

Rinse and repeat as necessary.

You can mix things up some by trying other types of booze.  Some folks like tequila in lieu of vodka, for example.  I try not to hang out with those people though.  People who drink tequila for breakfast have issues that make mine look paltry by comparison.  I do like a Bloody Beer on occasion though.  Replace the vodka with half a glass of beer, ditch the ice, and everything else is essentially the same.  Not a bad variation for an early AM round on the golf course.

Cheers!

- Rod

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As I delve deeper into the world of GTA IV, I find myself encountering a feeling of familiarity, even a sense of déjà vu, as I go about my business. There is a lot that is thematically in common with previous GTA games. On the other hand, the quality of the experience is so much greater, and many of the common themes have been expanded upon to the extent that, regardless of the familiarity, everything still has a patina of being different and fresh. This is really saying something, as I have become very jaded about my video gaming as of late.

The main character, Nico Bellic (NB for short), is remarkably compelling. The cut scenes and interactions with his friends and business associates make him a very likable character. So much so, in fact, that it is easy to forget that he has gunned down and/or maimed maybe 100 people so far, including the obligatory “beat up the prostitute and take back the cash” trick which is the cause of so much stir amongst the Jack-Thompsonites.

The way personal relationships are handled in-game is really extraordinary, and the fact that these NPC’s will contact you and express varying emotions depending on how much they like (or dislike) you, what you’ve done for them in the past, and whether you have bothered to contact them recently really adds to the depth of the in-game world. So far I have only dated Michelle, but I swear that I feel a real twinge of guilt when she calls to let me know that I’ve been ignoring her for awhile. Then she laid on the “Let’s make sure no one gets hurt.” line when inviting me up for some “hot coffee” action, which reminded me of a whole slew of failed relationships from my past. Doh!

But this is just more testimony to the greatness of the GTA IV experience. The action is good, but the immersion is excellent. I have spent a great deal of time doing almost nothing in-game, and loving every minute of it.

Okay, on to some game-play stuff!

The quickest way I have found so far to acquire some cash is to do the “procedural” missions, primarily the drug deliveries for Jacob, and the 10 Most Wanted from the police vehicles. Don’t bother with the taxi missions – the money is generally not good for the time it takes. Beating up people in dark allies is also not a good money maker… yet. I haven’t discovered yet if there is the equivalent of the corner drug dealer from San Andreas. That would probably make this game too easy though.

There are also armored vans that drive around town. You know, like the kinds that pick up cash from banks. I haven’t heisted one yet, but I’m betting that they have a good amount of cash in them. I’ll look into it and confirm ASAP.

Regardless, this doesn’t seem like the kind of game where you are destined to become a multi-millionaire like you could in the last two games. There is enough cash to be made to keep yourself well armed and well dressed, but that’s about it. Even in that sense you can burn through what you can make pretty quickly if you’re not careful.

Anyway, I doubled my money doing the Most Wanted missions. The only trick to these is to get a cop car, and that is hardly a trick at all. The guides talk about hitting up a police station parking lot or calling 911 to get one, but neither of those is really necessary. There is one a block away from your starting hideout. It’s always there (although it may not be from the beginning of the game, it certainly appears early on). During the day there will be a couple of cops nearby standing on the sidewalk and talking, and if you jack the car then you will get a wanted level. If you do it at night, however, they are not there and you can take it with impunity as long as there are no patrols nearby. It’s an easy jack regardless though, as all you have to do to dump your wanted level is typically go to the end of the street, turn the corner and within a few seconds you’re clear. These lone cop cars are scattered around town. No need to put yourself into harm’s way by stealing one from a police station!

Here’s something I discovered that sucks: Some of the missions are not repeatable if failed. So far, all the procedural missions have been “re-doable”, but I failed one story mission and it didn’t let me try again. It was the one where you have to chase the bike ganger who is dating the Russian mob boss’ daughter. I got a little squirrely on the bike (Hint: Focus on steering, not on shooting!) and lost the guy when I missed a turn. I failed the mission and when I called Faustin he told me what a nugget I am (he actually used language of a more colorful nature…). I was a pretty sure this was bad, so I rebooted my game, which cost me a few procedural missions which I had to play through again. So there you go.

Another warning: It is easy to feel pretty invincible in the early game. None of the fights are too tough – you can pretty much bully your way through with little/no skill. That changes some while you are still on the first island, and you end up really having to rely on the cover mechanic while on foot, and on being a darn good shooter while in a vehicle (no easy task while driving). As with all the previous GTA games, you will find yourself occasionally having to repeat missions, sometimes multiple times before being able to complete them.

Here’s something good to know about gun combat: When you score a hit with a firearm, the target reacts to it. This generally keeps him from firing back for a bit, often several seconds depending on how hard you hit him. Knowing this, you can cycle between targets to dramatically reduce the number of shots you are taking from the bad(der) guys. So far, it appears the most dramatic effect is gotten by the shotguns. Not only will they cause guys to flinch and duck for cover, they will often knock them off their feet for a quick, easy and free-from-reprisal follow-up shot. Good times!

As with all the GTA series, you are continually spoiled for choice of vehicle. I often find myself abandoning my current ride to jack a new vehicle I hadn’t seen spawn before. Last night I found the dump truck, and took it for a joy ride. As with previous iterations of the series, it’s pretty much good for plowing through any vehicle/bystander in your way.

The real trick in GTA is finding the best vehicles to get around with. Sure, the dump truck is fine, but it is super-slow, and it doesn’t corner well. Some of the faster, muscle-style cars have tons of acceleration, but require a real delicate touch when it comes to steering. The sports cars like the Infernus are a lot of fun, but are also very fragile. The bikes are handy for getting through traffic and into tight spots, but they can be hard to control and any collision typically results in you flying off the handlebars and flying through the air to take some damage. Word to the wise: If you get a flat on your bike, abandon that sucker right away. A bike without two inflated tires is begging for a trip to the hospital.

Regardless, there is something for everyone, vehicle-wise. Heck, even the Vespa-clone was fun to tool around on… only in GTA!

Posted in Gaming, Grand Theft Auto IV 2 Comments »

First, my thanks to my buddy BC for letting my post my ramblings. Since I’ve been too lazy to update my webpage, he’s letting me get my writing Jones out here. Thanks mate!

While I didn’t have the energy or patience to attend the midnight GTA IV release, I did run out during my lunch hour on the 29^th to grab my copy. Being hesitant to spend $60 on any game any more, I had paid for it in advance by turning in our Xbox and related accessories in lieu of ponying up the cash. After having played the latest in the GTA saga for a few hours, I can say I came waaaaaay ahead on that trade. Take that GameStop!

Now, I am one of those gamers who was around when Pong made its debut, and I’ve seen a lot of things come and go. Gaming of all sorts has been a passion for me, as my good friend BC can testify too after a few years of obsessing over WoW together. Recently, though, I’ve found myself more interested in non-video gaming pursuits, and have not spent much time near a console or PC (outside of work anyway).

But dang it all if GTA ain’t suckin’ me back in.

I’ve always been a fan of the GTA series. They have improved a great formula by leaps and bounds starting with GTA III. Vice City and San Andreas both provided geometrical improvements in enjoyment. GTA IV continues that trend, only more so, no doubt because it utilizes newer console technology.

I had an inordinate amount of free time last night, which is good because I would have ignored any responsibilities to sit down and play the new game anyway. So I grabbed a drink, fired up the 360, sat down in my gaming chair and prepared for whatever may come my way.

Rockstar didn’t waste any time getting you right into the story. There is no “Press here to play” nonsense; it autostarted a new game for me as soon as I booted up and went right into a sequence that introduced the main character, Niko, as the merchant ship he is on prepares to dock in Liberty City. There is some good humor even here, and a bit of kink too. Credits are cleverly laid over the scenes as they play out, at angles that compliment the action. You have to see it to appreciate it.

After a couple of minutes of this “Here you are and this is why you are coming to America” explanation/credits, the ship docks and you get out. Your cousin pulls up in his “cab” (a black sedan), drunker than a skunk. He brags about being with two women the night before and how he’s still probably drunk (no doubt about that!). You decide to drive him home to his “mansion”, and the game begins.

At this point, I’m not going to give you a blow-by-blow account of how I went through the first few hours of the game. It would take too long and my boss will probably walk in as I’m describing the hookers. Instead, here’s a quick summary of all the fun I got to have:

• I got my first safe house – cousin Roman’s “mansion”, which turns out to be a dumpy flat in a bad part of town.
• I beat up the first rich looking guy I saw, assuming he would spawn some cash. Doh! Bad move on my part. The cops were on my hide in nothing flat. My advice to you is do NOT commit crimes where there are any witnesses. The AI will get you every time.
• I got introduced to Roman’s cab business, and his nemesis, Vlad, to whom Roman apparently owes money. Enough that Vlad/Vlad’s employers send thugs to rough him up at times.
• I got a cell phone. It is basically the mission hub. It’s intuitive and well done.
• The music is generally awesome. And lots more variety than in the previous games, which is really saying something. There’s even a jazz channel, which is right up my street. The talk station(s) are full of the typically funny GTA banter.
• I went on a date. Her name is Michelle and we went bowling. She won. The bowling mini-game is pretty entertaining. I can hardly wait to try darts and pool.
• After a couple of missions I went on a second date. We went bowling again, mostly because I didn’t know about the other options yet. At the end, I got some. As with San Andreas, you don’t see anything actually happen, you just hear it. I lol’d when the words “Warm Coffee” scrolled across the screen as the sounds of love making played out. You gotta love Rockstar for being able to make fun of itself!
• I saved Roman from a beating in a basketball court. Those Russian thugs need to hit up a Taibo class or something, because they suck some serious rope at fighting.
• A crack head gave me $100 as an insult. Whatevah!
• Another mission involving running a Jamaican drug dealer around. I say he’s Jamaican, but I’m not sure because I can hardly understand a thing he’s saying (it’s all voice acting in GTA these days). I should probably check to see if there’s a “subtitles” option for when he’s around… Anyway, we had to shoot up some guys when a deal went wrong. He let me keep the gun, which is good because they are not as easy to come by as in previous games.
• I decided to eat dinner in RL, so I went back to the safe house to log out. But then I noticed that there was a “watch TV” option. So I turned on the set and watch one channel (there are several). I watched for at least 20 minutes during which no material was repeated. They had a spoof on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, and I think professional card playing, with plenty of funny commercials between. On another channel I watched a home shopping show where they sold knives. All of it was pretty darn funny… Don’t make Estelle angry! Oh, I also caught a comedian doing a stand-up act. He sucked. This makes sense since it appears they were parodying SNL… Oh yeah, I went there!
• I finished another mission or two before hitting the sack for the night, including some for bad guy Vlad, who wants me to help work off Roman’s debt. I am now officially a thug.

So far, the experience has been incredible. It was only what little good sense I have left that kept me from playing non-stop all night.

I can’t imagine anyone being on the fence about playing this game. The story is intriguing, the characters are interesting, the world is amazing. The controls are good (not great, but better than they have been for previous GTA games), the sound track has so much variety that there is something for everyone, and the humor is abundant and generally worth a laugh.

And you get to make the sign of the two-humped sperm whale with teh hawt chikz. Joe Bob says check it out.

Next Installment: How to make money and influence people, GTA style!?!?

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