Monday, December 31, 2012

Postcards From Pandaria


My Winter Veil present finally got here!  Thanks to Typhoon Andrew for a thoughtful and imaginative post.  I love this stuff!

Hey there Jen,
You do regularly one of the things as a blogger that I find hardest, which is to place personality into the commentary which makes the content relevant to the character; rather than just the wow player. Tis one of the key reasons I’m enjoying Escapist Scrawl. I mainly write about numbers and ah-shit moments.
With that in mind, I thought I’d try to write something from a character’s perspective and see how it goes – An alt character’s first steps in Pandaria via a postcard home.
As background – Raze is probably somewhat of a cliche in the WoW universe, as I think of her as a Warrior who is wandering through lands opportunistically, rather than questing for the greater good. The rewards of adventure drive her, not the achievements of an army or raw gold.
Somehow unscarred by her adventures, she travels on…Raze-adventure (2)
The First Days – Pandaria is a wild but not overtly dangerous place to travel. I’d been warned by a former commander who visited before me that the journey itself is likely as hazardous as the environment itself and I think he was right as that flying deathtrap gunship is worryingly unstable. The journey was overnight and I heard the gnome chief engineer say “oh shit” at least twice, and one time he sprinted to the hangars after a god awful clang sound.
Upon arrival in Pandaria I was incredibly overwhelmed by the stunning beauty. The shores of the Night Elf lands were wonderful before the cataclysm, but this place is basically untouched and pristine all round. It’s like its a tiny Un’goro Crater just waiting for discovery. Well except for all the Mogu and Pandaren and others who live here. Wink.
My first advice would be to stay with the roads, and tip the Pandaren with plenty of ale. One young bear (don’t call them that by the way, snigger) took a liking to me and started showing me all around his village. It was modest in size and like most Pandaren sites is based around an Inn, an alcohol distribution system, and small amounts of farming. I think the Dwarves in Loch Modan could get competition for the most sloshed but still functional sub-species as these guys drink all the time.
Visit a site, drink, find a nice tree, drink, look at an old stone marker….drink.
Once I left that village I did get into a mix of trouble with some local Mogu and some of the native wildlife, and yes a few scratches here and there. Quick tip, if you happen to get into a snaffle of trouble with a Mogu and they start blubbering and chanting, just sidestep them. Something in the “great and powerful” magic they use does not go in anything except straight lines. Good times.
Raze-past-Jade-Dragon-Pillar
The first real moment of amazement was seeing the massive jade statue being erected by the jade artisans. Holy crap that is dedication to a cause, and such perfect workmanship – it is almost alive. They’re finishing soon, so I’ll come back here in a week or two to see the final unveiling.
The lead engineer couldn’t talk at all but one of the junior team said they’ve been working on this thing for years and its all to act as the final resting place for a powerful dragon. My skin pricked at that. After Deathwing’s jaunt through home I’m not keen to meet a new dragon any time soon. Perhaps it’s best this one is going to pass peacefully away without hurting anyone.
Raze-adventure (1)
I’ve also found that the land is overtly rich in resources. My old interest in minerals and plants has me veering off on tangents all the time. Ride a half mile here and if you have any interest gathering up stuff you’re going to be busy. I’ve been pocketing the odd junk and the silver from the Mogu slapheads to keep traveling, and you can tell Yierah that he should expect a few crates of materials to arrive eventually. No idea when, as the postmaster I spoke to was drunk at the time, and I think he thought I was a “shaved hozen”… whatever the heck that is. He was polite though and grinned a lot.
I have to stop writing, as the card we’re in is approaching a crossroads and I think there is some trouble ahead. More Mogu troublemakers by the look.
Raze-adventure (3)
Hi again. Another vista that I had to share. The image does not impart the true depth in the landscape. The mist covers much of the low lands when you’re standing within in, and from up here it forms a blanket hiding all the small turns and details. It gives the land that untouched and peaceful feel.
Standing on the edge of the cliff almost felt like we were meant to fly here.
Just around the corner from here was a set of small ruins (you can’t go far here without finding some) and these ones were still actively haunted by spirits. None of the “beware the old man’s haunted house” stuff,  this place had actual ghostly apparitions floating smoothly across the stone blocks. It was fantastic. Old Swizzlewrench in Gnomertown would say he could do similar with a set of wires and some patient nightelves, but he’d be lucky at best. The screeching wail was a bit hard to take, but if you kept distant its not too bad.
Raze-adventure (4)
I ended up clearing some of the ghosts and the enchanters who were manipulating them, and then had a poke around in detail. I laughed a small bit of graffiti that somebody had scratched into the base of the Mogu monument: Not Actual Size. I think the mogu would really hate that, and given how much of the architecture is devoted to telling people how wonderful and perfect and strong the Mogu are – that’s awesome.
Will write more soon, Happy adventuring.

Monday, December 24, 2012

Thanks Cymre!

Blaize, my new kitten.
Cymre held a creative writing contest on her blog, with the promise of a cinder kitten as the prize.  I was so excited to find this little rascal sitting under the tree waiting for me this morning!  I promise to take good care of him, and buy that fire retardent suit as soon as the shops open again for business!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Skipping Merrily Along...


I just love this robe.

After the story of Pandaria was complete, Delgadita has been completing things as the mood strikes her. She has dabbled in the Angler's dailies, finished the Tiller's (except for Sho, she's a toughie), and finished the Lorewalkers and Wind Serpents.  Somehow she managed to reach revered with the Golden Lotus, and did one daily for the August Celestials, but only visited the flight point for the Shado-Pan.  She hasn't bothered to find the area in the Krasarang Wilds where the Horde has landed.  Pet Battles consume most of her game time, along with tending to her Songbells and looking for mislaid items.

But I look so fat in my bikini!
One day she devoted to killing all the elite Makrura that make up the item to summon their leader.  Another day, after running around looking for items forgotten in bushes and mires in the Dread Wastes, she decided to try and kill an elite clam, and got a neat-o item.  Another day she spent trying, without any luck, to get a rare Nether Faerie Dragon in Dire Maul.  For days, she tried to find a Giraffe Calf and a Harpy Youngling, only to get both after staying up really late.

I have no direction, no drive.  I want to be able to raid, but my guild doesn't have enough on ever for that.  I want to remember how to heal, but am afraid to practice on strangers. I almost want to level an alt, but I really should be working on reputation with Del, so that the other reputation gains on my other characters go easier.  Ugh.  Reputation grinds stink. AQ sounds like more fun right now.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Sunday, December 9, 2012

The Giants Are Awake...


...and are no longer imagining the world of Ur.  My game froze just after I made level 12 and finished the Last Pilgrimage of Esquibeth, right at 7:55 Pacific time.  To be clear, I invited myself on another mail account so I could start again from the beginning and record it, for my self and possibly after I get around to editing it, for others.

Here are some last hurrah pictures.  The Forehorsemen made a brief cameo today, as their first and last showing in the game.  A little humor went a long way to lightening the mood.

I just got my papers, and now I don't need them?

Friendly told us to throw caution, and our clothes, to the wind.  The end is neigh!!
Here is an end of Ur party happening in another street.  I chose not to party like it was the last day of that mayan calendar, but for some, it's the way to do it.

What better place to end it than where most of us started, in Groddle Meadow.

Most of the regularly traveled parts of Ur were littered with empty bags and items that held no more interest to their owners.  Some places were made into shrines to favorite giants and to the game developers.  Some places were just decorated with whatever items Glitchen could drop from their bags.  Because of this, my new Glitchen Delgada got a good kick in the leveling, discovering many new items just by picking them up and giving them a new home.  I didn't disturb shrines, just junk piles.  I hope you all understand.  It was all in the name of preserving the story and the game for posterity.  Honest!

A special area hidden in an apartment building dedicated to Stoot Barfield, the main man behind Glitch.
Last shot of Eromee's house, showing off her favorite things.


So, that is the end.  I have been told that all our Glitchen will be preserved, along with the game world, on a drive and stored. Will it ever be used again?  One of the giants seemed to think it was possible.  Until then, Ur will live on in the imagination of those that made it and played in it.  Check out the IndieGoGo pages for the upcoming Art of Glitch hardcover book and for the Glitch Soundtrack.  Both are funded and just gaining more for upgrading the projects and who knows what else?  Also, check out the new, almost released iPad app, Glitchamaphone.  So cute!

Goodbye, Giants!  Goodbye, piggies and butterflies!  Goodbye, Beany, Spicy, and Bubbles!  Goodbye, herb and veggie gardens.  Goodbye salmen, you can leave my pocket now.  Goodbye, Glitchen! 




Thursday, December 6, 2012

Sniffle..Snnaaaarrkkk..Sob!

I'm sitting here tearing up.  I know I have a little more than a whole day left to play, but I am going to be busy.  Here are some more pictures.  If the ink is smeared, please forgive me.  I can't help myself.

Glad I'm Glitchen...

New Area...Pretty and Blah at the same time.

Fondly referred to by most as "Asslandia".

I like the campfire here. Too bad Glitchen don't know how to sit.

My newest friend, Craftybot.

Don't jump!

The entry to Axis Denyde.  Sad dead Glitchen and petrified plate of peas.

Glitch train.  Choo-Choo!

The first time I met the food vendor!
More pictures ahead.  I can't choose from the zillion and a half I took!  Also, one of the game artists is hosting in their Etsy shop prints from the game. Some limited editions have already sold out, so if you are interested in some of the art from the game, visit Meowza's shop!  Another Etsy shop owner, Tamiris, has made some cute amigurumi that look like the cubimals in the game.  Too cute to pass up!  I almost missed seeing that Kukubee, another game artist, is making pouches of Glitchen on their home street.  For 20 dollars, I would never be able to use it, but it is a neat thing to remember your Glitchen by!  An Etsy search also shows a yeti hat and a messenger frog cubimal stuffed toy.

Okay, off to sort through the snaps and post another bunch.  Still have invites available for the last hurrah.  Not sure that just a day is enough to experience the fun that this game has been.  *sigh*