A collection of thoughts from an Australian gamer.

• 4Sep 08

  Just little ol' me.

  Hail all,

  Category: General.

  Been a while since I did a write up which didn't have any general purpose. Which wasn't headlined by something like WoW Playbook or Living on the Cheap.

  I just thought it would be good to update a few things here. You know - what's been happening with little ol' me.

  1. GTA 4 complete! Well, the main storyline anyway. I've been playing it hard the last few days and finally knocked off the last of the missions. My favourite mission was the Bank Heist mission, reminded me of the movie HEAT greatly.

  I'm still playing it though. I've got some more vigilante missions to do - and I'm considering getting a few of my friends up to that 100% point so I can get some help on some things. Achievement whore? No - but its an added incentive.

  2. Speaking of achievements - I've cracked 23,000. I'm hoping to make 25,000 by the end of the year, and I think I just might get there. I've still got a number of games to purchase soon, Viva Pinata 2, Gears of War 2 and possibly Fable 2.

  3. Because my PS2 has been taken by my nephew so he can play his games, I have a number of PS2 games I can't play. Much like everything I contribute too or own, it's not really mine cause everyone else wants/needs/ uses it. I bought Okami 2 weeks ago and have played 10 minutes of it.

  However, I work nights and sleep during the day. I get home at about 7 am, and my sister, mother and nephew generally leave about 8.30am both Thursday and Fridays, leaving me at least an hour of the PS2 to myself. I'm thinking of beating/ attempting to complete Final Fantasy X, which I still haven't beat. And then there's Okami....

  Still looking to pick up FFXII and the God of War titles though...

  4. That Gamespot Game Night of Halo 3 a few weeks ago was a lot more fun (and sadly short) than it should have been. I'd forgotten just how fun Halo 3 online is. With the right group of people, it's surprisingly engaging. I've tried numerous times to get back into it - but I'm not feeling it. You definitely need the right people, so I'm hopeful for another community night.

  Thankfully, a friend has come to the rescue, and we're doing the campaign together. To make it more interesting, we've set the campaign to the hardest difficulty level.

  5. Still watching X Files. Im a little over halfway through the second season on DVD. I'm trying to get back to watching actual TV, but it's hard. I'm not that great with video sharing sites and such (I have limewire but it's seen little use) and I work irregular hours which generally don't clash well with what is generally the highlights of evening viewing. I always leave at 9.30, which means I usually get to watch the 8.30 show, which lately isn't that great.

  The new show Packed to the Rafters reminds me of the quirky Always Greener show, which is a good thing, as I was a fan of that show. It's nice to finally see a aussie show which isn't trying to ape America or be a cop/ medical/ lawyer drama. We have enough of those. I'm considering picking up Seasons 2-3 of Prison Break, as I know that Seven will be screening Season 4 here soon (though likely as a late night show - I hope not).

  I'm using the ABC iView a bit, it's good to catch up when you can on last weeks episodes. I'd be very happy to see the other networks do the same, though I imagine there'd be some legal issues...

  6. I've completed both The Power of One and Tandia - again, so I started reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - again. I seriously need some new books. Maybe I should scour some garage sales? Anyone got any hints on new books that are good? Is the novelisation of Metal Gear Solid good? And should I look into getting any of the Halo books, or the Mass Effect prequel?

  7. Also in tandem with reading, I'm still writing heaps. I have a sinking feeling that my book will not be published - even though they've looked at it hard long enough. They did say that I'd get my final answer from them March next year, but that hasnt stopped me hanging around when the mailman comes. They own it until the end of the financial year though, whether they publish it or not, and they won't let me shop it elsewhere.

  But I'm writing something else now - its a lot more personal.

  8. Living on the Cheap is basically dead now. I've pretty much exhausted my ideas on how to live cheaply, and a fair bit of it was slanted towards how to live greenly, which has become a major focus of mine lately. I also think The WoW Playbook is dead as well. Its getting little interest lately and it swayed far from what I expected of it. They took up a long time to write as well.

  However, I am going to start a new feature soon, and it may or may not be about something I said above...

  9. I've become avidly a part of Facebook. I entered it years ago, never bothered getting into it, than a friend sparked interest in me and suddenly, it snowballed. I joined groups and became a fan of things, and even managed to find some old friends and such. In fact, through it I'm helping organise my school's 10 year anniversary.

  Although sadly, the QLD Government has decided to resume our school, so we will not be able to hold our reception there. We will be the first year to miss out, and the school isn't even old. In fact, its most recent building was built just after we left.

  10. And finally - I've got a new girlfriend. Names Debra - she's nice, I'm happy - going out a few weeks.

  Cheers all,

  Saga.

  • Posted Sep 4, 2008 10:35 am GMT
  • Category: General
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• 3Sep 08

  The WoW Playbook - Lady Jaina Proudmoore

  Hail all,

  Category: Games.

  Yet again, I find myself typing up a WoW based entry. This is one I've wanted to do for some time, Jaina Proudmoore is one of my favourite female Human characters in the Warcraft Universe and she's in contention for being my favourite overall female.

  I originally planned to do an entry with Category: Humor, and to write up about a certain someone, but the entry would be short and not that great I imagine.

  Also worth noting is that I'm drying up on WoW based entries. I've only got a few to go. I'm set to kick-start a new blog feature. More news on that soon.

  ---

  Jaina is the youngest daughter of the benevolent Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore. She is the sister to brothers Tandred (unknown location, likely alive in Theramore. He is a warrior, but not as skilled as his sister) and Derek (killed in Warcraft 2) as well as half sister to Finnall Goldensword (a elf-human who raids with a small human/elf force outside of Lordaeron).

  Jaina is practically royal then. She came from a family that had all the right elements to lead. She was enamoured by the stories of Aegwynn as a child and dreamt of having great power such as she. I believe she also likes the idea of living forever. She was expected to become a mage and when she was of age, she left her home and travelled to the human mage city of Dalaran to learn the art.

  There, she became a great pupil under the great Antonidas, and she had almost completed study when she was summoned to leave the Citidel and meet up with Arthas to check out reports of Scourge activity near Brill.

  Arthas was her first love actually. As Arthas was a prince and the comely Jaina was always in royal circles, they had a whirlwind romance and it would have possibly worked if they weren't under such scrutiny. A pairing between the two was seen as highly desirable and they were under the spotlight. Each didn't like this, and so they chose to forego romantic interests, but remained friends.

  It was Jaina who saved Arthas' life with back up for the Battle of Hearthglen and the very next day turned on him as he went about slaughtering Stratholme. The prophet that appeared to Antonidas then appealed to her to move with her people to the land west, to the continent of Kalimdor. She sensed great power in the prophet, and against the wishes of Antonidas, did just this. She took with her thousands of people as well, undoubtedly, she saved their lives, as just days after she left, Lordaeron fell to Arthas and the Scourge. That's her part in the human campaign in Warcraft 3 anyway.

  According to the book Cycle of Hatred, Jaina was asked by Thrall to help flush out some Thunder Lizards, which were getting in the way of some orc logging. With relations between the races strained (many humans still blamed Orcs for the fall of Stormwind) she decided to help out.

  However, upon arriving at the area, she found she couldn't just port the creatures to somewhere - there was a magic barrier in the area which was to protect a single inhabitant. Aegwynn. The lady that Jaina had looked up to all her life. Aegwynn informed a horrified Jaina about the Burning Blade - a group of orcs within Orgrimmar who opposed Thrall's new Horde and who were working to play the two nations against one another.

  When they returned to Theramore, it was found that Jaina's own chamberlain was a clan member, and she was killed. They then turned to fight Zmodler, the apparent clan leader. The Burning Blade is like the Orcs of old, they just liked killing without any break or care for even their own lives. After a bloody battle, Aegwynn and Jaina succeeded, Aegwynn miraculously surviving against all odds.

  As an aside, Aegwynn can be found beside Jaina in Theramore Isle and has assumed the rank of chamberlain.

  It was Aegwnn who worked with the prophet to bring together the fighting clans of Orc, Tauren and Night Elf to save Azeroth and defeat Archimonde. It was after this that she founded Theramore, so she can lay claim as being possibly the most suitable for leader of the Humans. She claims a great friendship with Tyrande Whisperwind and Thrall, leads humans that hark primarily from Lordaeron, the nation which traditionally led the other human nations, and is the daughter of Grand Admiral Daelin Proudmoore.

  But, of course, something stands in her way...

  Her father was never one to ally with a former enemy. Daelin believed in the power of Humans, he looked up to Anduin Lothar and even Medivh, strange considering Medivh helped bring the orcs and the burning legion to the world, and then redeemed himself by bringing the races together to stop them. But he was old-fashioned and racist, even misogynistic, and wanted to protect the human values, among all things.

  So when he managed to stumble onto her new homeland and find her, he was overjoyed. But her company left little to be desired, and he ordered his men to arrest the few orcs she was with. She refused, the orcs scampered and he was very displeased. He quickly usurped her as leader of the nation, and then locked her away when she refused to go along with his plans.

  With his men, he attacked several small settlements of orcs, and generally went poorly. Jaina managed to sneak out and together with Thrall decided that her father would not stop. When the orcs again came to attack Theramore, she ordered her troops to lay down their weapons, and they watched as the Orcs ran past them and into the tower to kill her father. She watched and cried as it happened, begging him to stop his campaign against the "black-bloods".

  The orc that killed him was her friend, Rexxar, and he came to her, askign for forgiveness and to remember her father as a great warrior.

  In WoW she is seen as protective of her people, but otherwise neutral to all humans and allies. She has a claim to power others don't but doesn't utilise it. She has a deep appreciation of the orcs and their shamanistic powers. She helps out players summoning elementals as guides and ports to Stormwind, and completes 2 quests. As well, she helps players on their way to the Missing Diplomat quest chain, which is very important for Stormwind and Human players.

  As an in-joke to a possible romance between the leader of the humans and that of the orcs, a quest item retrieved in the former Gnome capital of Gnomeregan is imprinted with binary code, which alludes to a relationship between the two. But it's confirmed that she and Thrall have never been in any sort of relationship other than friendship.

  As a person of the Alliance - she is basically the perfect model to lead.

  I guess it doesn't hurt that she's quite the looker as well.

  Cheers all,

  Saga.

  • Posted Sep 3, 2008 11:51 am GMT
  • Category: Games
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• 29Aug 08

  The WoW Playbook - Saurfang and Broxigar.

  Hail all,

  Category: Games.

  It's been a week - time for another entry.

  Just a few quick reminders - The WoW timeline and story leading up to it has now been abandoned. From now on - all entries, odd or even, will feature something I choose myself without requiring it to be in any way related to a previous entry. This is because, as of Part 21 - the storyline leading up to WoW has been completed - you can read it in full in every odd numbered entry up to that point.

  I'm also abandoning the number structure - it's just WoW Playbook now, followed by the topic.

  Today's entry will be a little different - as I'm actually featuring 2 people from WoW - 2 orcs to be precise, brothers, and just about the most beloved orcs next to Thrall.

  ---

  So - I guess I'll start with Saurfang.

  You ever hear about those Chuck Norris facts? Of course you have - if you have in any way been part of the internet for the past 5 or so years. They are silly, ridiculous statements about Chuck Norris which flies in the face of any wisdom, morale or basis in reality. They mostly identify with his skill of roundhouse kicking, and the fear of anyone who challenges (and fails) against him.

  Saurfang is the WoW equivalent. One of the zones in WoW - The Barrens, has become notorious for characters and players who are crude, stupid, moronic, and act like children. Quite often, you hear Chuck Norris facts, and after the World Event of Ahn Quiraj, he was usurped by Saurfang. Saurfang now lords over the minds of youths, and just like Chuck Norris is made out - he is all badass.

  • The Plaguelands were created when Saurfang did a /burp emote in northern Lordaeron.
  • High Overlord Saurfang doesn't swear. Curse words are too afraid of him.
  • If Saurfang were your pet, he'd dismiss you

  Here is what he says himself:

  "I am Saurfang. Brother of Broxigar. You know me to be the Supreme Commander of the Might of Kalimdor. An orc - a true orc warrior - wishes for one thing: To die in the glory of battle against a hated enemy. Some of you have fought in battles. Peace has been with us for many years. Many years we sat idle but many years we battled. In those years - where strife the land and Legion and Scourge sacked our homes, killed our families - these insects dwelled beneath us. Beneath our homes - waiting. Waiting to crush the life from our little ones. To slay all in their path. This they do for their god. And for our gods? We defend. We stand. We show that as one. United. We destroy. Their god will fall. To die today, on this field of battle, is to die an orcish death. To die today is to die for our little ones. Our old ones. Our... loved ones. Would any of you deny yourselves such a death? Such an honor?"

  Saurfang in battle was pretty epic. The Ahn Quiraj event opened the gates to Silithid, and a new menace was faced by both Horde and Alliance together. This was the first epic encounter that the entire world faced and worked together to defeat. It's all over now, so those that missed him, won't see it again, but those who were there can assure you - this orc swings axes like nothing you've seen.

  Of course, all orcs can swing an axe, and his brother (getting to that soon) is also an excellent warrior. Since the battle of Ahn Quiraj however, Saurfang has been waiting around in Orgrimmar, waiting for the release of Wrath of the Lich King. According to the live realms there, he will be waiting for us in Warsong Hold, and will act as an advisor and quest giver for Garrosh Hellscream, son of Grom (who will get his own blog someday).

  In it, he attempts to appeal to the sense of Garrosh, who seems all to willing to lead his orcs down the path his father walked. He makes no attempt at hiding the fact he will kill the orc should he step out of line, and even voivces regret over the actions of the orcs of past. Yes - an orc that actually has a head on his shoulders and who has regret for his people. He is truly one of a kind.

  But that's nothing compared to Broxigar.

  Broxigar is the only known orc in all of Warcraft history to be a veteran of all 3 Wars. How is this possible when the first war happened thousands of years ago? It is! He fought valiantly in Warcraft 2 and was one of the orcs who helped take over Stormwind before it was reverted back to the Humans. In Warcraft 3, he held a vital mountian pass for orc troops and fought alongside Thrall and everyone else at the Mountain to stop Archimonde at the end of Warcraft 3.

  But what's interesting is that he alone was the one who jumped into the portal and held off as many legion demons as possible while the others worked to close it. He killed hundereds of demons and even wounded Sargeras himself, though naturally Sargeras has the honor of having killed him. Naturally, his death went un-noticed, he was in the realm of the Burning Legion of course.

  Also - at one point he was among his Horde followers and working with a human and a dragon to detect a source of magic in Stonetalon. Suddenly, he was flung back ten thousand years in the past. Here, he guarded Malfurion as he slumbered. Tyrande helped his wounds and he was one fo the orcs who worked along side the night elves in holding off the Burning Legion.

  His story is mainly told through the novel The Demon Soul - Book 2. He doesn't feature in any of the games personally or in WoW. However, his legacy does live on. Krasus returned to present time and presented his broken sword to Thrall, who has given it to Saurfang.

  It is thought (this is speculation) that Saurfang will either die or be captured by an orc civil war and will be double-crossed by Garrosh. It is then thought that his sword (the sword of his great warrior brother actually), will pass to his son, Saurfang the Younger, who is also confirmed to be appearing in Wrath, even though he plays a critical quest chain in Outland.

  It's just possible that as time goes on - things move on....

  So there you go - Saurfang and Broxigar. Two of the most badass Orcs you are ever likely to meet.

  Cheers all,

  Saga.

  • Posted Aug 29, 2008 8:47 am GMT
  • Category: Games
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