Category Archives: Comic

ArenaNet really needs character designers!

You’ve probably heard that ArenaNet is hiring character artists, a most prestigious kind of job! After long consideration and making first contact via twitter (to which they still haven’t responded, I can’t quite figure out why), I decided to run for the job and create a first piece of art to illustrate my fitness. The examples given on their page were very helpful pointers in that undertaking…ArenaNet will of course want to find the right type of artists who grasp the art style and aesthetics of Guild Wars 2, keeping things coherent. Luckily all of this applies to me.

(click image to enlarge)

So, what’s your opinion – I believe I have captured ArenaNet’s basic idea for the races and characters in the game? Also, keep in mind this was only a very fast sketch really. I admit I’m not great with the whole environment kind of stuff, but then they’re not looking for landscape artists! ArenaNet pick me, pick me!

Transmogrifail

Dear Blizzard. Thanks for implementing a feature we have asked for for over 5 years, now that more and more of us are giving up on playing your game. Others dumped their tiers and specials rewards some years ago because of bank space, since you never bothered to create some extra armor storage for all our BoPs. You finally got it now, didn’t you – but that doesn’t mean you’ll make it easy of course, just adding appearance slots, way too last season for you.

I used to be a passionate gear collector. My armor sets, my staves, my rare drops – all still in my bank ever since vanilla WoW. Yes, really. So, I just want to say I HATE YOU and no, I won’t activate that unused, leftover gamecard still lying on my desk. You won’t get me so easily, but thanks for trying! Yes, I am nostalgic sometime, that’s what happens when you’ve played a game for that long. The answer is still no because I know what’s going to happen 10 minutes after logging back in, when every friend on my friendlist will show offline for months and I feel like an alien in a guild I helped creating. So, there’s no coming back – not even to wear that amazing T5 robe again, my priestly wings or staff of immaculate win. No matter how great that would be….Read my lips: No waii!

I’m sure you understand. I’m sure that in due time I will have managed to convince myself, too. Besides, transmogrification really is meant for turning oneself into a baby tiger – everybody knows that.

A good weekend to all of you – the transmogrified, the unchanged and all you little tigers!

Never give up, never surrender

Before the weekend, a little comic I played around with (I added a link to the original version in the caption, just so my copyright infringement guilt feels a little lighter).

(Original version)

To end the week on a somewhat lighter note, two links you all want to look into:

Altnotes.com where Gilded has recently set up camp with a new MMO blog. He focuses on analyzing and discussing modern MMO design and mechanics in general, adding a new voice to the circle of blogging MMO critics in the blogosphere. In the spirit of supporting our newcomers, check his thoughts out sometime, it’s worth it!

Rift: The little things over at massively; I’ve always been one to look for the little things in my MMOs, the silly, fun and secret along the way which are all too easily missed in the rush. A formidable list with the very same focus, saves me creating one for Rift then, I guess!

Enjoy your weekend everybody, be it inside or outside those virtual worlds we all love so much!

Significant Friday

It’s Friday everybody! That sweet fifth day of the week we look forward to so much, that gateway to the weekend and blessed relaxation. Yet of all the days of the week, we tend to pay Friday the least reverence. Yes in fact, we often completely omit the existence of Friday, talking about how it’s already the weekend or “thank God it’s Thursday tomorrow, finally the week is over!”. And that sucks for poor old Friday. Freya would not be pleased. Where’s your Friday appreciation?

Fridays are usually celebrated with a Frivolous Friday post on this blog. Which is a great excuse for me to write rambly texts, bombard the world with silly pictures or links that made me laugh for one reason or another and generally be not so SRS. You need to give your week a break sometime.

But not today. Today there will be no sillyness here – today I shall (and so should you), in quiet contemplation and gratitude, honor Friday as is its due.

Thank you Friday, for being my last day of work every week. Thank you for an empty office in the morning, so I can enjoy my coffee in peace. Thank you for generally being less of a pain in the ass than your brothers and sisters, especially Monday and Thursday. Thank you for an early leave in the afternoon, because I need to go and buy stuff for tomorrow’s barbecue. Thank you for another episode of Grey’s Anatomy, latest season. Thank you for less traffic on the road and less smelly people in my tram and bus. Thank you for the last afterwork drink in the evening and first toast to the weekend. Thank you for staying up as late as I like, because Saturday mornings are for other people. Thank you Friday for always being there, each week on time.

Have a good Friday everybody. And remember to appreciate your days.

The invincible mage

Ever since my article of last week, I had this idea for a comic in my mind and last night I finally found the time to have a go. I’m not a versed comic maker like Liala (check out her awesome Orc detective story), but it seems like a great way to close some of this and last week’s hottest blog discussions (and was loads of fun to create). I don’t think much explanation is needed. 😉

A very happy weekend to you – and all you tanks, healers and damage dealers out there!