f13.net

So I got the DOF expansion, and wanted to take part in the sparse Arena action.

Where the hell do I buy Arena Champions? The game said something about merchants near the Arena entrance in West Freeport, but I see no such merchant. Any ideas?

I don't know the answer but I felt compelled to acknowledge you.

You're so thoughtful.  :hello_kitty_2:

Aside from the Arena Champs that are AWOL, was there anything else about DoF you found compelling? Trying to decide whether to get it or KoS for the pseudo AAXP.

You get a pet monkey.  :evil:

I got a number of vet/expansion rewards for getting it, including a bottle that when you rub it, it takes you into this little pocket zone straight out of "I Dream of Jeannie" with a few djinns in it. You could talk to them and they tell you stories.

But when I went to the entry zone, every mob was level 46. Content wise, other than the arena, it's all 45+ level stuff.

I got a full level at 25 just exploring the place though.

Yeah. If you can be sneaky, the discovery experience at low levels is rather nice. I can't imagine that it would even nick the experience bar at the appropriate levels.

As to the champions, I haven't had the chance to check out the arena action just yet. Will try to do so on Wednesday when I get some play time.

And yes, I know I've been scarce, but I am still playing. I have not cancelled. I had rolled up a Bruiser and then a Guardian in the hopes of helping out the guild with tankage, but after this evening and due to my random, casual gameplay, I'm probably just better off keeping up with Wikybiky, so back to the Dirge I go. See you on Wednesday.

When it says there are champions on a merchant by the arena entrance, it means the Maj arena entrance (the city in the centre of DoF).

Other than that there are quests and so on.

I think you can also win some by killing an absolute shit load of specific mobs.

Yeah, I discovered that. Then I went and tried to walk to Maj'Dul, simply because I didn't realize Honest Ali had a fucking magic carpet sitting right beside him that I could use like a fucking griffon. I died. A LOT. The Orc Highway is my graveyard. Yes, they called a zone the Orc Highway. I LOL'ed. Then I screamed because I couldn't sneak through the asstons of orcs they have on that highway. Then my lovely wife showed me Ali's carpet and I swore.

Then I wandered around Maj'Dul for about half a fucking hour trying to find the damn arena. Hey, EQ2, you're mapping feature (even with EQ2 Maps) is shitty shit shit shit shit. Monkey shit. Boatloads of monkey shit. Fix it, fuckers.

I did finally find it, and bought all the champions I could, including a Fearknight (Amygdylan warrior from Plane of Fear), A Tae Ew hunter (lizardman?), a Frozen Magi and something else I forget. I fought in the arena for a few minutes with my fear knight, and was distinctly reminded of City of Heroes type of arena battles. I got a kill or two in a team deathmatch.

We should do some Bat Country team matches. It's actually good distracting fun. Just take the carpet to Maj'Dul, don't run it. Each of the champions was only 6s too, so it isn't like it costs much.

This is funny.  Are you sure these people work for SOE?  If it wasn't for EVE, I'd probably be in EQ2, denying that I ever swore to never play a SOE game again.

From what I can tell, the EQ2 live team is as far removed from any other people that have ever worked for SOE ever. Once they got released and didn't set the world on fire, they started to make the game into a good product.

This sounds like a very fun idea.

That could be fun.

How do Champions work? You buy and control? New ability set? When does the match end? How do matches start? Are there people there all the time? I could look this shit up, but I'd rather hear it from folks who've played.

KoS is this Wednesday, and except for the PvP, DoF doesn't have much for me. But I'd pick it up if enough others did to give it a go.

We should get the guild together, in general, more often.  In the 2 weeks I have been in, I have been in 3 guild groups and they were all good experiences, even the boat of death last night.  Hell even the pick-up groups have been alright.  Seems most of fucktards have moved to greener pastures.

From the little bit I did:

You buy the champions, who can also be used to decorate your house or something. I'm not sure if you have to have the champion statue on you when you do the arena.

You click on the arena door (and yes, each arena is different - there isn't one big instanced arena connecting all the arenas, unfortunately). You are given a list of games, like an FPS server browser, or you can create your own. Choose one, and join. If it's a champion battle, you get to choose your champion from the ones you have available. You then control your champion like your normal avatar. It has its own set of abilities. The Fearknight had 5 on the hotbar (including melee attack). I don't know if you get more skills or if your champions level. In the arena, there are potions that restore health I think. In the case of the game I played, it was a team deathmatch, so if I was on the red team, the blue potions healed me, and vice versa. You keep fighting and respawning (in a safe area) on death until the victory conditions are met. The one I was in last night was first team to 50 kills. I didn't have time to stay around for a full match.

It was very much "throwaway fun" though you do get titles the more you win, and wins can get you better champions I think.

That does sound pretty cool. Diversional mini-game, like a /gems that has some relevance.

Our second Wednesday night "weekly" event is in two nights. 9pm EST at this point, and we're thinking probably Stormhold. We all have a good time as a guild, even wipes, because it's cathartic to play with people you're otherwise screaming at on the forums, all day during work ;) (just kidding... we've stopped using CAPS long ago...)

Fuck you.  You guys are on Steamfont?

Oasis.

It's Oasis, Not Steamfont
Yes, It's Oasis, Not Steamfont
It's been a long time gone, Steamfont
Why did Steamfont get the works?
That's nobody's business but those SOE jerks...

No, it doesn't scan well, or even at all.  Sorry.

Alkiera

Your comedy doesn't mean I am not feeling sick/angry/violated as I plan to subscribe.

It's something we are all having to deal with.  Except Poptart.

Your mama felt the same way in bed, last night.

Proof that I almost totally suck:

http://www.yegolev.com/images/eq2-proof.jpg

Well I hope you ain't trying to get in right now. Either the login server is hosed, or the server itself crashed. Whatever it is, it ain't working at the moment.

Patching.  Oh, the patching.  Then, downtime.  There's hope for me yet.

You could play Merriweather Farm while you wait.  :-D

And I have.

What's Nostromo?

Besides the ship in aliens and Joseph Conrad Novel?

Does this (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Section_Id=2071&pcount=&Product_Id=157024) help?

I have one of those. It's not bad. I just don't find it does much for me...

It's a great thing to have for crafting... but that would be wrong.

Hmm, hadn't thought of that. I'm certainly not experienced enough to know how that'd help. Right now, I pick a scroll I want to make (mostly what I'll use, sometimes what I think may sell), and then do the old reaction game until durability gets low enough I need to spam that.

I did a test last night.

You must have your champions in your inventory in order to participate in a champion PVP arena battle. You can leave them in your house as pets, but if you want to fight, take them with you.

I got an Aviak hatchling champion last night from the expansion.

The Belkin Nostromo, I really only use that for EVE because I haven't applied myself to creating profiles for other things.  One button toggles all mining lasers, and the high/med slots are all individually keyed.  Autopilot is on the Dpad, as is full stop.  It is pretty helpful since EVE is so context-menu driven, too bad there is a limited number of things to bind to keys.

I am looking around for some character names so I can cyber with you all in EQ2.

Too late.  We've been playing together for a while now and have all chosen cyber partners.  We don't cheat.  You'll be the odd man out. 

You can watch, though.

And I will.  Need to find you all.  And a trench coat.