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Venkman
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on: February 09, 2006, 01:43:40 PM

Some play on weekends, others only maybe.

What's a good night for everyone, and a good time? For me, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays at 9pm EST are great. Other times I'm hit or miss on login times and at all.

Would love to get something semi consistent though. Helps with planning. Weekends are rough for me without some notice for example.
Nebu
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Reply #1 on: February 09, 2006, 01:46:32 PM

If we have a regular group night, I'll happily join in.  I'll even go so far as to roll whatever class is needed.  Lately I've been playing with a friend on Butcherblock but will happily play a couple of nights on Steamfont if there's a regular group.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

-  Mark Twain
Sky
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I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #2 on: February 09, 2006, 01:49:14 PM

Tuesday and Wednesday I'm usually on from 5:30pm to 8pm. I usually try to get on for an hour or so before bed, around 11pm to 12am or so. Some weekend mornings, possibly more Sunday action now that football is over.

I'd say probably no more than 15 hrs/wk, and I'm really trying to jam in a lot of playtime because I've been enjoying EQ2 for the most part...but rl takes precedence, I'll never be on more than that unless we plan something ahead of time :)

All times in almighty Eastern!
Sauced
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Bat Country '05 Fantasy Football Champion


Reply #3 on: February 09, 2006, 02:27:31 PM

I'm sure we'll be around plenty this weekend, so whenever.  I have to be vague, like Sky, I don't, as a general rule, turn down RL stuff to play.  So I'll agree to be there Saturday night, unless we decide to go out to dinner and drinks or something.  I can say that, knowing full well that we're homebodies who will be sitting around all weekend with nothing better to do.
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #4 on: February 09, 2006, 02:42:05 PM

Saturday night, 9pm EST we start getting together, and depending on what we have to work with depend on where we will go.  Say roll out for some smashing fun around 10pm EST.

Assuming the server is not FUBAR.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Venkman
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Posts: 11536


Reply #5 on: February 09, 2006, 03:53:38 PM

Coolness for the weekend. I won't be there (Godson's birthday and traveling), so have fun!

Cheddar, there any way to post a guild message folks can see when/as they log in asking for feedback?
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #6 on: February 09, 2006, 07:43:38 PM

Coolness for the weekend. I won't be there (Godson's birthday and traveling), so have fun!

Cheddar, there any way to post a guild message folks can see when/as they log in asking for feedback?

Yes there is.  I like you, so welcome to guild officer status.  Well, soon as I can log in.  Feel free to set the MOTD to whatever is appropriate.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Venkman
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Posts: 11536


Reply #7 on: February 09, 2006, 07:56:37 PM

Unlimited cosmic power!

Itty bitty living space
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #8 on: February 09, 2006, 08:02:04 PM

Unlimited cosmic power!

Itty bitty living space

Dude, you are supposed to wait until I give you the rank to get a Napoleon Complex!  Sheesh, fucking nooblets.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Venkman
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Reply #9 on: February 09, 2006, 08:13:46 PM

lol. Actually, I just watched Aladdin with my level 3.5 kid tonight, so that's what immediately popped to mind :)
Cheddar
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Reply #10 on: February 09, 2006, 08:17:25 PM

lol. Actually, I just watched Aladdin with my level 3.5 kid tonight, so that's what immediately popped to mind :)

ALADDIN!  Genius.  Thanks for the idea (goes off to get the movie to watch with his kids this weekend).

Beauty and the Beast is beginning to get worn out.  The other day at work I even used a quote from it in a casual conversation. 

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #11 on: February 09, 2006, 08:22:08 PM

Are you using one of Strazos's old avatards, Cheddar?  Or am I hallucinating again? 

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Venkman
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Posts: 11536


Reply #12 on: February 09, 2006, 08:26:54 PM

Those are two of my personal favs. Dated a girl in my 20s who liked Disney movies, and I sorta got into them. Which was good, seeing as I'd need them a decade later :) I sorta like all of them from that time, basically when Eisner first took over: everything from Rescuers Down Under to Lion King. Thereafter pervaded some sameness, or maybe that was because we broke up or something.

I saw both Beauty and Lion King on Broadway. Insane (read: typical Disney) production values. Beauty was a fairly straightforward iteration with some extra songs (and a really excellent transformation at the end). But Lion King really went a lot more cultural with very African-themed stylng and treatments. Both soundtracks are worth it alone if you get into that sorta thing.

It's a testament to those flicks and plays that they can scale so well for adults and kids. A lot of nuance is, of course, lost of my preschooler. But there's jokes and colors and fun looking and sounding characters with a mostly light-hearted story (except that whole Mufassa getting stampeded thing... though even that's not as bad as Bambi's mother getting shot!). In Aladdin, she likes the carpet ;)

Err, yea, I'm sure that's more than ya needed to know :)
Sky
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I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #13 on: February 10, 2006, 07:35:31 AM

Quote
Saturday night, 9pm EST we start getting together, and depending on what we have to work with depend on where we will go.  Say roll out for some smashing fun around 10pm EST
That always bothered me about my old EQ guild. We'd set up adventures, like "Meet outside Chardok at 9pm". People would dick around buffing or making town runs for the next hour or two, maybe start playing by 11pm. My old buddy the eqholic and I always showed up sharply at 9pm and were totally annoyed by the time we started having 'fun' hours later.

Pet peeve. Another reason I don't group much, I dislike wasting time, mine or other's. Especially if I have two hours to play and an hour is wasted. Makes me an angry elf.
Lt.Dan
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Reply #14 on: February 10, 2006, 07:40:04 AM

I hear that Sky.  I hate waiting around for folks too.

How about 9:00 for 9:15 kick off?  If you're late, you'll know where we are.  If you know you'll be late, you know where we'll be, so you can make preparations ahead of time.  It's not like we're pulling together 4 groups we have to have to do content.  Even a group of 2 can get started on the stuff we're doing.
Venkman
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Reply #15 on: February 10, 2006, 07:44:23 AM

While it starts to get more into "real guild" territory, it worked for my EQ/WoW guild because, for the most part, we're all folks who don't hold real life off for long. Time crunched with lives, families, even grandkids. So we would push everyone else to be on ball. It only takes a critical mass of people serious about sticking to a clock to get others to keep up really.

In WoW, we started our raids at 9:00pm EST sharp. People met at the raid entrance at 8:45pm EST sharp. The Raid setup took a few minutes, but meanwhile conjuring happened, and after groups established, buffing. A few growing pains in the first few weeks, but after that, the benefit to being ontime and moving was so obvious to everyone, even the laziest made it work for them.

Dinking around instance entrances is what compels me to solo too :) Standing around without a clear goal sucks.
Signe
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Muse.


Reply #16 on: February 10, 2006, 08:42:45 AM

You guys are so strict.

My Sig Image: hath rid itself of this mortal coil.
Sky
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I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #17 on: February 10, 2006, 10:01:11 AM

She wasn't too enthused about Saturday night spent playing EQ2, we usually relax and watch movies and the SNL trainwreck. I'll probably make it this weekend if we're still going to do it, but it wouldn't make a great regular night for me.

She told me to mention Tuesday and Wednesday again :P
Venkman
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Reply #18 on: February 10, 2006, 10:49:54 AM

Monday through Thursday is ideal for me, but you mentioned logging off about an hour before I log on (at 9pm EST). Do you mean you can play later into the night?
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #19 on: February 10, 2006, 11:51:23 AM

Quote
Saturday night, 9pm EST we start getting together, and depending on what we have to work with depend on where we will go.  Say roll out for some smashing fun around 10pm EST
That always bothered me about my old EQ guild. We'd set up adventures, like "Meet outside Chardok at 9pm". People would dick around buffing or making town runs for the next hour or two, maybe start playing by 11pm. My old buddy the eqholic and I always showed up sharply at 9pm and were totally annoyed by the time we started having 'fun' hours later.

Pet peeve. Another reason I don't group much, I dislike wasting time, mine or other's. Especially if I have two hours to play and an hour is wasted. Makes me an angry elf.

Thats why I gave the hour lapse.  EVERY time we get together someone is late (usually me) and others want to join but did not know we were doing something, so then we have to wait/show them how to get there/etc.   I think the real issue here is that you are playing an elf.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Sky
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Posts: 32117

I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.


Reply #20 on: February 10, 2006, 12:47:58 PM

Monday through Thursday is ideal for me, but you mentioned logging off about an hour before I log on (at 9pm EST). Do you mean you can play later into the night?
Yeah. Tuesday and Wednesday she works until 8:30, I log off around 8 and get supper going. Those are two nights I can just call her and let her know I'd be gaming later and she'd go home instead of coming over to my place. And she's amenable to that, unlike the look I got when I mentioned Saturday night :P

Even another weeknight would probably be ok if I know in advance so we can plan around it. We're still trying to find a good space for my gaming hobby, she's trying to be understanding. She loves GTA:SA and BF2, but that's about it so far.
Quote
Thats why I gave the hour lapse.
Then I'd show up an hour "late" to be just on time. I despise wasting time waiting for people to get their shit together.
Quote
I think the real issue here is that you are playing an elf.
Erudite, actually ;)
Venkman
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Reply #21 on: February 10, 2006, 01:42:52 PM

I don't want to come across as a l33t powergamer, but like Sky, I'd end up timing my travel time more against when I thought we'd actually get going than to try and be there on time if we had so much of a lapse.

Having a set start time isn't impossible if we can identify what works for everyone. We're all pretty fluid and have lives, but I gotta imagine we can pick at least one night each week to start and have everyone actually be there. The benefits of knowing on, say, Monday that a set group is going to be adventuring on Wednesday is invaluable for those who do want to experience both Solo and Group content. I'm sure many of us would rather group in the guild than with Random_Ninjalooter_01 if given the opportunity.

I wouldn't want to have too much lapse time though because I feel like the more people stand around waiting, the less likely they'll be interested next time.

How about Wednesdays at 9pm EST?
Nebu
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Reply #22 on: February 10, 2006, 01:54:16 PM

Any chance for a roster if we set a time?  (or at least a list of people mildly interested in joining)  I can get a toon caught up due to my lack of a life beyond work.  If I know what classes you guys play, I can have something complimentary ready to go.

"Always do what is right. It will gratify half of mankind and astound the other."

-  Mark Twain
Sauced
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Reply #23 on: February 10, 2006, 02:01:39 PM

How about Wednesdays at 9pm EST?

I will do my best to commit to this, but to be honest 6pm PST is right around when I'm getting home from the office.  I certainly don't expect East Coasters to get together any later than that, but I hate being the "late everytime" guy.
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #24 on: February 10, 2006, 02:10:44 PM

Blah this is how DKP starts.  Anyhow, Darniaq you are now a uber officer or something.  Feel free to do as you will!!

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Sauced
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Bat Country '05 Fantasy Football Champion


Reply #25 on: February 10, 2006, 02:26:27 PM

I wish it weren't true, but the "formalization" of playtime is always the first harbinger of doom for me.
Cheddar
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Noob Sauce


Reply #26 on: February 10, 2006, 02:39:51 PM

I wish it weren't true, but the "formalization" of playtime is always the first harbinger of doom for me.

No doom will come if I can help it.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Velorath
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Posts: 8980


Reply #27 on: February 10, 2006, 04:51:10 PM

I wish it weren't true, but the "formalization" of playtime is always the first harbinger of doom for me.

Unfortunately, casual play and EQ2 don't seem to mix too well since a lot of the content is based around full and reasonably balanced groups.  It's a decent game but it doesn't really play to Bat Country's strengths.
Venkman
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Reply #28 on: February 10, 2006, 05:07:34 PM

I do not want to change anything if people like what's here! Heck, who am I anyway?! I've been on Steamfont/Oasis, what, a week?

Nah, not my gig to break what's already fixed.

Problem is, Cheddar and the rest I was within in Blackburrow this week spoiled me. That group and my partnering with Mi_Tes spoiled me! My life, like all of our's, is too crazy for consistency unless planned for. At all other times I've been soloing, mostly because I could (nice change from beta), but partly because I've been on at odd times. We have a few folks who are often on together but others, not so much.

Certainly don't need to change it if people are cool with it. And at least as far as I can tell, "casual" seems to actually work in EQ2 like it does in WoW. The leveling speed is slower, but man, my character has more abilities and unique choices applied to it at 15 than my WoW Mage had at 40 (and it looks like I'll surpass what I could do at 60 by the time my 'lock here hits 20). I love what I'm seeing!

I am absolutely not looking to raid, and certainly want to avoid formalized DKP nonsense. That's why I quit EQ1 and WoW. Raiding is fine and all, but I find it boring, and with little point beyond getting better gear with which to raid more effectively. Great if ya like that stuff, but I'd rather progressively adventure.

I will be on as often as I can but will target Wednesday at 10pm EST for a consistent group start if anyone's interested. No pressure here at all. I'm just going to hold that time for when I want to start going through the {Heroic} stuff in my quest log :)
Velorath
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Reply #29 on: February 10, 2006, 05:22:42 PM

The reason I say that casual doesn't seem to work as well in EQ2 is that there doesn't seem to be a lot you an do with two or three man groups.  There's stuff you can solo, stuff you need a full group for, and then stuff you need mulitple groups for.  Since there isn't a huge amount of Bat Country members on at any given time, it can be hard to get a full and balanced group together.  Also since you can mentor down but can't sidekick people up, you're stuck with the lower end content, and there's only so many times one can take going through BB.
hal
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Damn kids, get off my lawn!


Reply #30 on: February 10, 2006, 05:37:20 PM

OK this is my intent. It worked for me in EQ1 now im trying in EQ2. On our server Ive a 19 necro (in Guild) 23 monk and 24 templar. The idea being i can be what the group needs.

I started with nothing, and I still have most of it

I'm not a complete idiot... Some parts are still on backorder.
Cheddar
I like pink
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Noob Sauce


Reply #31 on: February 10, 2006, 05:42:36 PM

Unfortunately, casual play and EQ2 don't seem to mix too well since a lot of the content is based around full and reasonably balanced groups.  It's a decent game but it doesn't really play to Bat Country's strengths.

I disagree in all regards with this statement.  We have had many successful "raids" time and again, and in my eyes this is whats making EQ2 shine.  Otherwise I would be in EVE.

ONE important thing everyone seems to neglect.  RAIDING is not doing x instance over and over again for y shiny.

Raiding is getting a group together and doing a raid.  Nothing more.  We do this well and I think Darniaq is completely on point and everyone will benefit with some sort of loose schedule.

No Nerf, but I put a link to this very thread and I said that you all can guarantee for my purity. I even mentioned your case, and see if they can take a look at your lawn from a Michigan perspective.
Sauced
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Reply #32 on: February 10, 2006, 05:52:04 PM

To clarify what I said.... I love grouping with friends, I love scheduled get togethers and achieving goals as a group, but one that becomes the focus, eventually I'll look at having to run home and login to get there on time as a *burden*, and being the lazy jackass that I am, contempt forms.  Like I said, I wish I weren't like that, but I've been fairly consistent over the years.  It's why I'm not playing WoW with my MMOG pals of 7 years, once it feels like a job, I'm out.

I think I can handle one night a week, so count me in.
Venkman
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Reply #33 on: February 10, 2006, 06:15:05 PM

Absolutely. hehe, I actually DID have a job, in SWG, running my energy business as a cartel with others, employees, sub-contractors, and contracts. Never again. I loved it and all, but it's way more immersive than I have the time and will to be anymore.

I think I understand where Velorath is coming from now. But I think Mentoring really does help too. Sure we don't want higher levels always having to nurse lowbies like me all the time :) It was fun that run through Blackburrow though as we figured out the best way to bring everyone together. We had me at 12 and someone at 28 and everyone mentored down to someone at 17 so we could get into BB. That's outright impossible in most other games except CoH, which is incomparable in other ways anyway.

I also was a bit confused when people started talking about "raiding". My view of raiding is exactly what Cheddar says he didn't mean (repeatedly hitting a zone for an X% drop). That's the stuff I don't want to bother with, because to me, it's work. Important for some, but I don't care enough. What he's talking though about is the good kind, where many different quests can lead to the same place at different times.

So I like that some can give the one-night thing a shot. We can move the day, the time, whatever works for the people who want it. :)
Velorath
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Reply #34 on: February 10, 2006, 06:41:59 PM

I disagree in all regards with this statement.  We have had many successful "raids" time and again, and in my eyes this is whats making EQ2 shine.  Otherwise I would be in EVE.

ONE important thing everyone seems to neglect.  RAIDING is not doing x instance over and over again for y shiny.

Raiding is getting a group together and doing a raid.  Nothing more.  We do this well and I think Darniaq is completely on point and everyone will benefit with some sort of loose schedule.

No one said anything about about raiding for any particular shiny.  In fact the only person I've ever heard talking about raiding anything for loot in EQ2 has been you a couple of the times you've gotten BB raids together where you mentioned having gotten a lot of good drops previously.  I do like to be accomplishing something on a raid though whether it's experiencing content I haven't seen before, completing quests that can't be done solo, or helping guildies complete important quests.  I'd also rather run a raid over and over again for a particular shiny rather than run it over and over again for no reason other than it's the only one we can do.

I think maybe you're reading something into what I said that wasn't something I intended though.  I think most of the fun in raiding comes from just grouping with the guildies.  As I said, I just think EQ2 puts more of an emphasis on needing a full and balanced group to do a lot of the content than most other MMO's, which to me makes it less casual since you can't just throw a group together.  I just think that heroic encounters in this game are balanced towards full groups with a good mix of healer/tank/dps fairly close in level.  If you don't have that you might as well do solo stuff because there's little content geared towards 2-5 person groups that maybe don't have an efficient mix of classes and levels.  Also a lot of quests, especially the ones that give guild status like the dwarven boots quest require a lot of killing place holders and waiting around for uncertain amounts of time for nameds to spawn.  That's not a casual thing.  Given enough attempts at that guild raid zone we tried, and maybe given the ability for guildies to swap in and out alts as needed, we probably could have done something.  One failure though was all we were allowed due to the 1 week cockblock timer though.  Not casual.

My point is that the casualness of the guild limits the activities we can participate in because it's not often we can get the kind of groups together that SOE intended for their content.  So far, the guild raids I've seen have almost all been BB, FG that one time, the failed attempt at the guild raid zone, and I'm struggling to remember anything else.  That doesn't make EQ2 shine to me, it makes me think they poorly planned out a lot of the content assuming players could just whip up a good group whenever they feel like it, which just caused me to skip a lot of the heroic content while leveling up.

Anyhow, I'll be taking a month long break from EQ2 to try out CoV since they seem to be adding some stuff I'd like to try.  Maybe when I come back most of you guys will be in the 30's and doing the upper 20's raid content.
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