Back in Rune-Midgard...

Blog moved

2009-01-02T14:00:00.002+08:00

Please visit http://gradlein.wordpress.com for my latest posts.

Return to Granado Espada

2008-11-19T09:38:00.010+08:00

Since I loved Granado Espada when I first played it, I've always wanted to come back and play again. The chance to do so came when a friend started playing again because of his school friends wanting to play it as well. Taking a break from Asda Story, I downloaded the 7 part installer and reinstalled the game.

Excited, I checked the updates to see what I've missed. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that there were new RNPCs available, with one who I've never seen before. Her name is Claire. No, we don't need to spend money on the cash shop or like half a billion Vis to get her. No, we don't need to be at a really high level to do her quest (unless you think 65 is already high leveled). Yes, her quest is frustrating - a lot more than getting Viki.

There were also other updates like a new currency (Peso or Feso), socketing, and pets. I haven't really gotten into any of those so I'll probably mention them in future updates.

Ooookay, so as soon as I logged on, I found my family name changed to Noble[]Legaspi_1. Great, now I have to do something about that. I bought 18000 electronic game card credits for GE from Gameshop (cost me around S$24.90 or around P820) and topped up for gpoints. I used 11000 to have my family name to Nobreza, which is Portuguese for noble (my middle name) or nobility I think, and the rest were used to buy 31 pieces of mystery powders.

Adelina's bounty search was fun. I was hoping to get Soho the Wind, but the best I was able to get was a recipe for an Elite Dragon Coat which I sold for 350M (cheap!). Then I bought 19 more mystery powders from the market manager, bringing the total to 50. Time to get Calyce.

Calyce's quest was easy. Went to Port of Coimbra, and talked to her and the bodyguards. It triggered an instanced quest where the goal is to protect the princess Gabriella (who's really hawt by the way...damn that cleavage...). Easy, I just hid and let the NPCs handle the situation (Gabriella, I think is invincible). I got disconnected before the quest was finished but as soon as I logged on, the bodyguard already asked for 50 mystery powders so I believe the first one was successful regardless of the disconnection. I gave the mystery powders, talked to Gabriella in Cite de Reboldeux, went back to Calyce and finally got her card. I deleted my scout to make room for her character and named her after a "close friend".

Next project was to get Claire. At this time of writing, I already got her but the quest was long, boring, and a bit frustrating. I'll detail the incident on my next post, which should come shortly if I find time to do so here in the office.

Finally! An Update!

2008-11-11T17:26:00.008+08:00

Alright.

So yeah. I got pretty much bored here in the office so I decided to make a post.

Well, what have I been up to since the last update? After the job at Telus/EA games, I worked as a writer/blogger under different personae. It was a home-based job so I didn't have to commute to the office and back. It was fun while it lasted but alas, I had to leave and work at another company.

I'm currently working as a content writer for Hobble Creek Trading and I'm still trying to adapt to the new job. Unlike the previous job, I commute from Makati to Alabang and back. Tough. I had communication trouble with my boss (who's also the owner of the company, by the way) as well as trouble with attendance but thankfully everything's going to go smoothly from here on.

Oh yeah, games. This blog IS about games, right? Yeah, yeah.

Where to start?

OK. Well after playing DOMO (see previous post), I jumped to different MMOs for a while - even going as far as playing Ragnarok Online again (gasp!). There were a couple of games that I remember I enjoyed playing: World of Warcraft, Granado Espada, and Final Fantasy XI. My FFXI account is still active since I'm breeding a chocobo. It has yellow feathers with red ends and is around 30+ days already with Discernment and Receptivity at "Impressive".

I named it Noble Sun. Weird name.

Anyway, I stopped leveling for a while and just login to check the chocobo and the "garden" in the mog house. I'm currently playing Asda Story and I'm currently "grinding" actions to get as many titles as I can.

I also recently reinstalled Granado Espada and planning to have my family name changed. The return of the old serif font messed up a lot of names that used ASCII characters for spaces - including MY family name. The server merge also caused my family name to get a "_1" since I had created families in all previously existing servers. Aaanyway, I'll have that fixed this weekend.

Hmm...only a few sentences to cover what transpired in 10 months? Bah! I'll go write something when I remember something good enough to write. Meanwhile, here's a pic of Reginald the Scholar.

Dream of Mirror Online

2008-01-22T08:27:00.000+08:00

Okay. After 4 months of not updating, I end up simply taking a post that I created from our message boards. Gawd, I'm so lazy...

Dream of Mirror Online (DOMO)
http://domo.aeriagames.com

OVERVIEW

DOMO is a 3D, cel-shaded MMORPG that is based on a Chinese setting. Unlike most MMORPGs, the game features a multi-class system wherein you can change into different classes at will and then use the skills you learned from that particular class on a different one. Similar to Ragnarok Online 2 but better since there are no restrictions on what skills you can carry over as long as you meet the requirements to cast a particular spell/skill (weapon, MP, level, etc...). Like most Chinese-based MMORPGs, flying is also part of the gameplay.

RACES

*Humans - Your average humans. The most diversed and well-balance among all the races.
*Shura - Aggressive ethnic group. They put emphasis on strength and power.
*Sylph - Gentle and wise, but proud and arrogant. They prefer spirituality and discourage violence.
*Sprites - Small and quick. Modest and dedicated to service.

CHARACTER CLASSES

Available:

Citizen - Uses clothing and can use batons at higher levels. No offensive skills but the "life" skills are a must if you have any intention of surviving in the game. The life skills are used for gathering materials, which you could sell to other players for funds.

Blademaster - Uses Light Armor and Swords. Good soloers. Best for 1-on-1 situations. Most skills do high damage but those skills usually have the drawback of reducing the weapon's durability.

Doctor - Uses Robes and Syringes. One of the most important class in a party situation. Like their namesake, they heal and revive people. Not much on offensive skills so requires a party for levelling.

Hunter - Bow-users. They are adept at aiming for an opponent's weakness. Good soloers.

Martial Artists - Uses either Gloves or Staves. Close-combat specialists with high Hit Points. Good soloers.

Mercenary - Uses Heavy Armor and wields either an Axe or a Spear. Axe-wielders are good soloers while Spear-types are best in a party. High defense but slow attack speed.

Musician - Uses Musical Instruments (why isn't that obvious?) and wears Dancer's Costume. The class that specializes in buffs and the only class that can heal and buff pets. Good soloers when using pets but best for party situations.

Shaman - Uses Robes and Wands. Adept at Nature or Seasonal Magic, meaning they are able to use different elements to adapt to different situations. Unlike wizards, they do not need scrolls but use up a lot of MP for their spells.

Thief - Uses Knives. They are your stereotypical thieves - they pilfer, vanish from sight, and have very good evasion.

Wizard - Uses Robes and Wands. The first skill set "Scrollcasting" requires a number of scrolls per spell. Good thing is the damage is very good. Bad thing is, it would cost a bit. They learn AoE spells very early and is so far one of the best class for AoE.

Not yet Implemented:

Fencer
Dancer
Witch Doctor
Merchant/Trader

MULTICLASS

Let me explain a bit how it works. Every class has its own experience, level, and skillpoints. You can change classes at any time as long as you meet the requirements for it. After levelling to 10 as a Commoner, you can do the qualification quests for the different job classes.

After learning skills from a certain skillset, say for example Blademaster Martyr Skillset, you may move that skillset to another class when you change jobs. All jobs have 2 extra "active" skillsets, 2 "passive" skillsets, and 1 "counter" skillset aside from the default skillset that the job has. At the moment, no counter skillsets are available.

Example: I levelled a thief to 30 and got the Knife Mastery and Equip Knife skills from the "Thieving Skills" Skillset. I also learned the AoE skills Swallow Strike and Whirling Dervish from the "Close Combat" Skillset. I then changed to a Hunter and put "Close Combat" in one of the Active Skillset slots and "Thieving Skills" in one of the Passive Skillset slots. I now have a Hunter who can wield knives, cast swallow strike and whirling dervish. Yes, just like Final Fantasy Tactics.

RELATIONSHIPS

There are different types of relationships: Friends, Lovers, Rivals, and Teacher/Student. Each type of relationship have skills that trigger after meeting certain requirements (like relationship level, current HP, luck in love, etc...). Also, depending on the level of the relationship, you get bonus exp while in a party with the other person.

Often times you'll hear the sound of your heart beating, this means that someone "linked" to you is nearby. When you get near that person, a red line that "connects" you will appear. It is called the "Thread of Fate" and the other person could either be a long lost relative, your true love, or a rival (in this case, the thread will connect your ankles instead of the neck). Threads of Fate will only appear between opposite genders, although rivals or relatives can also be among the same gender (like Anzelotte [Rin] and Kaeko [Aeds] - Rivals).

Friendship Skill - Helping Hand

Life Skill - Forestry

Thief's Close Combat Skill - Control Breathing

Giving in to Desire

2007-09-10T15:25:00.000+08:00

Fanfic time.

Chapter 1

Reginald sat up as he awoke from his deep slumber. He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair and tried to recall what transpired before he went to sleep. Without any idea whatsoever entering his thoughts, he simply shrugged it off and figured it wasn't as important as knowing where he was.
Speaking of which, where was he? He thought. He tried to stand up but he felt weak and his knees suddenly gave in. He immediately tried to steady himself by holding on to the edge of the bed for support. After a few seconds of struggling to regain his balance, he was finally able to compose himself properly and tried to recognize the rather large room he was in. But before he can even start on determining his present location, the door suddenly swung open revealing a moderately tall and well-built young man.
He slowly lifted his head as the man quickly walked towards him. Although he was also well-built, he was short and had to raise his gaze to meet the young man's.
"YOU!!" The man exclaimed.
The one who approached him was his best friend - Gradlein. He did not understand why he was acting unlike his usually calm self so he figured that he must have done something terribly wrong to piss him off.
"Hey, missed me?" Reggie asked jokingly. Gradlein didn't seem to hear him and instead pulled back his arm, revealing a closed fist that was about to strike. The succeeding punch was quick and unexpectedly heavy that he didn't have much time to react. He was only able to soften the blow by shifting his weight and trying to fall backwards. He was succesful in doing so but he still slid back a few metres away from the impact of the punch.
He was serious, he thought as he tried to sit back up. "Hey! What was that for?" He asked, stunned at the behavior his friend had shown him.
"You..," Grad started, trying to keep a steady voice, "...YOU F****NG IDIOT!!" Gradlein lunged at him again, the Wu Xia's right leg bent and the knee was headed toward his face. The attacker's eyes glowed a deep red like it was burning, just the same as his at this point. It showed that they were using their skills and talents to their utmost potential. The other members of their clan share the same abilty.
Reggie had dodged the attack by a hair's-breadth by moving his head and torso sideways. He had predicted the direction of the attack and immediately avoided it. But it was still close. Too close.
Gradlein, who didn't seem surprised at all by his evasion had a short grasp on the flow of time, making his movements quicker than they normally are. Before the Fa Shih even had time to react or foresee his movements, he had already nailed his neck with a quick backfist.
"You helped release the seal on a powerful demon and act dumb about it?! AARGHH!!" The Wu Xia shouted furiously at him. Reginald, without any recollection of events prior to his wake, did not understand what he was referring to.
The pain from the blow had left him dazed and he was starting to lose consciousness again. Finally, he was only able to mutter "I...did...?" before he collapsed on the floor and passed out silently.

Taken from: http://www.gagirl.com/quiz/colours.html
BLUE:
Lovers of blue are wonderful sex partners. They are affectionate and sensitive to their partner's needs. They consider love making a fine art and their approach is elegant. Men who love blue are like concert pianists, delicately ravaging their partner like they would play a baby grand. Women in the blue category enjoy sex to the fullest. They are exciting partners but their passion may be compared to a tidal wave rather than firery aggression. Both women and men enjoy foreplay and the aftermath of lovemaking, as much as the sex act itself. In marriage a blue person is a wonderful mate -- never seeking outside interests.

Perfect World?

2007-08-31T11:27:00.000+08:00

Okay, so it's been a while since I updated. What's new? Hmm... Nothing I guess. I feel like I'll flunk that board exam I took last Sunday, I'm still madly in love with my ex, I'm still trying to get a job, and I'm still an avid online gamer.

Oh, now that reminds me...since Philippine ROSE shut down early this August, some of us moved to Perfect World - that hot new game from Level Up! I've played in the closed beta (thanks to Willette, my dear daughter in Ragnarok, who lent me her CBT account) and I loved it. Sims 2 style character editing feature (too bad you can't edit the height), nice graphics (when maxed out), fashion items from the item mall (you can switch between the "normal" and the "fashion" clothing), and above all, it's damn free! That's right! No monthly payments, or even prepaid credits needed to play the game.

As of current, there are only a few members of Scarlet playing the game. The clan is led by Allysia (Sublimity from ROSE); I'm acting as marshall; Yuno (Aedis), Fahli (Airs/Graces), and Jia (Willette) are all captains.

Scarlet Cross finally moves!

2007-05-02T21:37:00.000+08:00

Well, in my last entry, only Marisa and I were playing Philippine R.O.S.E. Online and Rin was still downloading the installer. Now, we have more members in our ranks. The following list contains only the main characters:

Sublimity - Level 59 Dealer (Marisa's artisan-to-be who has been made the guild master instead of Karine.)
Etheldreda - Level 65 Katar Hawker, going Raider
Reginald (spelled ReginaId) - Level 70 Fire/Wind Muse, going Mage
Juusan - Level 64 Soldier, going Champion
Riemshianne - Level 64 Muse, going Cleric
Shurelia - Level 22 Dealer
Nineveh - Level (something, I forgot) Muse
Chudii - Level 30 Soldier

I'll post a few pics next time to show the roster - probably when in our second jobs.

There are a few more people who are interested in moving to R.O.S.E, namely: Uruha, IC Deadpipol, and Jade. Yay!

Oh, and somebody's about to get eaten (Juusan).

What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Gamer/Computer Nerd You enjoy the visual stimulants of a video game, chatting on AIM, or reading online comics. Most of these types of nerds are considered dirty who lack hygeine, of course they always end up being the ones who make a crapload of money. And don't worry, that's just a stereotype; I'm not calling you dirty. ^_~
Literature Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Drama Nerd
Anime Nerd
Social Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Musician
What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace

Rush On Seven Episodes - Evolution

2007-04-24T01:56:00.000+08:00

Well, I've played the game awhile back on the international servers and also played the Philippine version during its beta days. I had to stop when it went P2P since I was playing Ragnarok Online during that time and my allowance as a college student wasn't all that much. Now that it's free to play, I asked my guildmates from Scarlet Cross in pRO Sakray to join me. Marisa (Naru Narusegawa of Sakray 2) already had a Level 50+ character so she agreed almost immediately; Rin (Marine of Sakray 2) downloaded the installer but haven't installed it at the moment; Haoma tried to suggest other online games to move to; while the others haven't responded to my request yet.

I had quite a few headaches from downloading and patching the game. I had to download from three different sites and thankfully, one had the latest. (Thanks to GM T's blog!)

A lot of changes have been made from its early versions. Well, more like: *change something here...* "Oh, the earlier one was better..." *changes it back*. Something like that. The skill system in the current R.O.S.E. Evolution seems to be a lot similar to the one in the early international version.

The first thing that surprised me when I finally returned (with a new account; I lost the password to my previous account so all the names I saved up were lost) was the loading and login screens. The second one, which was a lot more surprising, was the initial location of the avatar. Where the heck did the newbie island go? Well, apart from the long walk between NPCs, I liked the new area. The interface was a lot different than before, too, and was well suited to my taste.

Everything's not really all and well in the game, however. Since the muse skill tree now had the cleric skills back, well...a lot of people just go "pabuffs po plz" ("Please cast your buff spells on me") whenever they see me. Do I look like a cleric? Don't they realize that I'm a mage type with the skills I use and the staff I wield? Geez.

Oh, and I was chosen by the Goddess Arua's fairy to accompany during one of my adventures. lawlz! (Yes, it's random.)

Your Element is Fire

Your power color: red

Your energy: hot

Your season: spring

Like a fire, you are full of power and light.
A born leader, you easily draw people toward you.
You are full of courage and usually up for anything dangerous.
You have a huge ego and love to be the center of attention.

What Element Are You?

Alright...it's from Girls-Only but...

My precioussssss....

2007-04-21T00:41:00.000+08:00

Well, I seem to visit GM Tristan's blog (Philippine Online Games and MMORPGs) a lot more often than before - probably due to my anticipation of Level Up!'s newest RPG, Perfect World. The last time I checked it (before making this post), what greeted me was a picture of a rare iRL RF Online Medallion!

I thought, "What the hell. Between me and a thousand other competitors, I don't think I have a chance," and decided to drop the idea of entering the said contest. I'm not really sure what came over me that I'm typing this at this very moment. After all, I created this blog a few months ago without adding a single post and I'd revive it just for a contest that I have a 0.1% chance of winning? I don't think so...or do I?

That medallion certainly would look good on me, wouldn't it? Yessss...that's probably it. I simply must have it! Must...!

No! There's no way I'd win that! Besides, I don't have any use for it! It's just another accessory...

But look, it has that nice little box, and that design is just fabulousss! There's none like it! You're just too lazy to make a simple post on a blog aren't y-

What do you mean "lazy", why I...

Silence! Then why not do it, lazybonesss?! It'll be as simple as thinking of an activity for your next lesson!

Yes...it'll be that easy isn't it? ...Then we will win...and we will have that precious medallion...preciousss...

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Second Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Low
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Moderate
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Moderate
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	Low

Take the Dante's Inferno Test