Wings of Destiny: of Reality and Fantasy

Letter Bee: delivering letters, connecting hearts + earthquake in Visayas

2012-02-10T08:24:00.001+08:00

Even though we have texting and e-mailing as our way of communicating people, it wouldn’t hurt to send a hand-written letter. Letters are very appeasing due to their purpose of sending what the writer wants to covey to others. As for delivery, the mailmen are fit for the job.

Even an anime show focuses on the theme of sending letters in the form of Letter Bee (known in Japan as Tegami Bachi). But don’t expect normal mailmen; the delivery people are known as Letter Bees (hence, the title), working hard to send letters no matter what the circumstances. With their Dingo as their companions and armed with Shindan (weapons designed to hunt down Gaichuus, the armed beetles), delivering letters is just a hard day’s work for them.

Gauche Suede (left) and Lag Seeing (right)

The first few episodes focused on Gauche Suede, together with his Dingo, a white wolf named Roda. He was on his way to one of his deliveries when he saw a boy lying down unconscious, marked as a letter. The boy was none other than Lag Seeing, whose mother was sent to another place. Lag assumed that there were people abducting his mom. After seeing the address, it became Gauche’s mission to send him to Campbell.

Their first meeting was a little rough, since the boy often complained about the food as well as Gauche’s coolly, harsh behavior. After mistakenly holding Gauche’s weapon and its power went out of whack, Lag discovered his past, as well as Gauche’s true reason of becoming a Letter Bee. Gauche’s younger sister, Sylvette, couldn’t walk due to an illness and had to stay alone in Yuusari for a long time, and as a brother, he had to ensure that the hope of curing the illness stays intact.

During another fight with a Gaichuu, Gauche was severely injured and Lag had to assist him to loading his Shindan. That’s when the Letter Bee saw the boy’s concealed eye, which turned out to be a fake eye made out of red Spirit Amber. The Amber resonated with the Shindan, causing Lag to shoot the beetle’s joints with a red needle, effectively killing it.

By the time they reached Campbell, Lag stayed in a woman’s inn to watch over Gauche, whose wounds had festered. After being recovered, the Letter Bee finally recognized Lag as a true friend, and promised to look for clues about his mother’s disappearance when he reached Akatsuki. As they parted ways, Lag made a vow: to become a Letter Bee just like Gauche.

5 years had passed, and Lag set off to apply for his job. That was when he met the girl who would become his dingo, Niche, a young girl with hair that would become weapons, and his co-workers: Connor Kluff, the boy with a huge appetite; and Zazie Shrine, the boy hungry to kill Gaichuus ever since the day his parents were rendered comatose by them. But as he sets off for work, he discovered what really happened to Gauche: he was missing.

And with that, he starts his career, while hoping to find clues about Gauche’s disappearance.

Letter Bee is just one of the coolest animes ever created. The series ended with snippets about an anti-government organization, Reverse, whose main goal is reformation and equality of the society, as well as a revelation that would surely knock the daylights out of Lag (literally).

But don’t worry if you’re craving for more. There’s the sequel, Letter Bee Reverse, which now focuses on Reverse and how the Letter Bees cope up with the threat of Marauders, thieves tasked to plunder letters.

Speaking of threats, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake just struck Iloilo and some parts of Visayas a few days ago. Although I’m fortunate to be alive, the others were not so lucky, with broken buildings, brownouts, and innocent lives taken. Worse, aftershocks did occur.

One of the casualties... and yes, I'm not joking

Poor them… I hope my relatives in Bacolod are ok.

Anyway, that’s all, folks. Sayonara ^^

Strange Angels: Kicking butt in the Real World

2012-02-01T22:29:00.001+08:00

My first post for 2012... ^^

I would recommend those who love supernatural and teenage stuff to read Strange Angels, one of the newest novels to attract attention to all novel enthusiasts everywhere. It had garnered a lot of praise from famous book critiques, and even bloggers are going ga-ga over this.

The kick-ass cover of Strange Angels, showing the main protagonist

Meet Dru Anderson, the typical tough girl who does travel from one place to another w/ her father who is a hunter, gifted with the sixth sense a.k.a "the touch". This "touch" allowed her to see and track down supernatural creatures, like vampires, zombies, werewolfs, etc. The turning point began when her father had gone missing for months, only to be turned into a zombie itching to take the life out of her. With a gun in hand, she killed the zombie, and with a gothic half-Asian boy who was bitten by a lycan and a handsome djamphir (human-sucker hybrid) as her only companions, she goes on a chase to find the culprit behind the incident that made her dad turn into one of the reanimated. But there will be more shocking secrets that she'll discover as the plot thickens.

Sorry, can't spoil the rest. You have to find out on your own... ^^;

The introduction narrates the reader about the concept of familiars acting as guides or sensors whenever danger comes lurking, like the gray owl of Dru's grandmother. As the story progress, it incorporates the usual problems teenagers go through, but due to the main heroine's unique heritage, it's more than normal. It also applies the usual ideas of the lives of the otherwordly beings, and even the methods on how they can be slayed. As for the mood, it's more on the serious, ferocious side, though the story also includes humor (even sarcastic ones).

Strange Angels is just the beginning... for the saga ends with the 5th novel, Reckoning. Because of the content, it's PG-13 (because you'll see a lot of swearing, no joke).

Well, if you're the fan of supernatural novels, or just wanted to take a break from the usual plots, then try reading it. It may be worth it, and you may get hooked... ^^

Till next time, folks ^^

Baka & Test: Striving for worth

2011-11-28T17:22:00.001+08:00

EDIT: adjusted the article to make a clearer picture. Also added more pictures.

Ever since I first heard of it on Animax, it became part of my to-watch list… No, seriously!

The main protagonists, plus some of the Class A students

Baka & Test: Summon the Beasts (known in Japan as Baka To Test to Shoukanjuu), is about Fumizuki Gakuen, a college preparatory high school with classes categorized according to rank, based on the result scores of the placement exam taken during the first day of semester. Class A is known to be the “Cream of the Crop” class, with its facilities designed to cater to prodigious students, those who passed the placement exam with flying colors. The reverse is Class F, with its classroom reminiscent of a poor man’s residence, filled with students who failed who make the grade during the placement exam.

Class F is where the main protagonists reside, and in order to get the hell out of that dilapidated classroom, they must make the cut. Using their shoukanjuu, aka, the avatars, they must fight their way to the top through the Summoning Wars. First, the battle between two classes must be approved before it can start. With a teacher as the witness, the avatars must defeat their opponents if they want to promote. As for the defeated opponents, those who were KIA’ed during the battle, they had to attend remedial classes.

The Beasts at their most bad-ass

If a student continues to excel, his or her chances to promote will increase, including the option to switch facilities with the opposing class. Those who wish to replenish their avatars’ attack strength must take supplementary exams. There’s no limit on how many questions one can answer during the test time limit, as long as he or she knows them enough to get back in the game.

But I have to warn you, though; it’s not the usual slice-of-life kind of anime. There may be scenes that will definitely arouse fantasies to all yaoi/yuri/hentai/ecchi fans out there. So, if these scenes are not your thing, better avert your eyes away.

With all the wacky, crazy, school life going on in the series, as well as a unique way of testing the smarts of students, it became one of the funniest anime shows to enjoy. Try it, and you may get hooked. ^^

The boys are back... in black!

Till my next entry! Ciao! ^^

Anago Eel Creator: latest craze

2011-11-22T21:23:00.001+08:00

Yep, I'm riding the eel-jinka bandwagon right now... SERIOUSLY!!!

Many artists in dA had come on with the humanized forms of their creations made using the Anago Eel creator. It's actually Japanese, but thankfully, some words will be translated once you put the cursor arrow over them. Indeed, you may have enough fun doing it once you're used to it.

Here's the link to the simple, yet cute maker: Anago

By the way, I just hovered to Wikipedia, and I found out that "anago" means "salt-water eel" in Japanese (hence the title of the flash application).

Go ahead and try using Anago. Trust me, it's fun! ^^

Currently done with one. Six more to go!

Switched at Birth: Living in someone else’s world

2011-11-12T16:17:00.001+08:00

We all dreamed of living in some else’s world. It couldn’t be that bad, right? But what if it turned out to be a reality? Trust me; it’s more than just Freaky Friday in which two people had switched bodies.

It’s all about two girls living in each other’s family, the main focus of the family drama Switched at Birth.

The story is all about two families, the Vasquezs and the Kennishes, who discovered early on in the series that they had raised each other’s children. One of them is Daphne, a deaf girl who was a basketball athlete, and nonetheless still talking, while Bay was a rebellious gal with an artistic mind. Ever since their first encounter, things got complicated. Bay became so affected with thoughts of isolation that she went a little too far breaking the rules, especially when the gifted deaf teenager would soon become her classmate. On the other hand, Daphne wanted to prove that she could live independently, which left her legal single mom worried, because she was raised under her care, and she thought of the reactions normal people would think about seeing a deaf kid studying in a regular school.

But after understanding each other, their families lived together under the same roof, which turned out for the best. That was just the beginning of their story. Sorry, can’t spoil the rest, so you have to discover yourself through watching.

Truly, realizing that your biological parents are somewhere far away is a complicated issue. It had indeed brought a turn-around to your perspective of your life. But let us not forget that it’s all about understanding and unconditional love given by the parents who raised you.

That’s all… Stay tuned for my next entry!

Real life: Individuality

2011-11-10T15:58:00.000+08:00

Ok, so most of you are wondering about my long absence. Here’s the reason, and it summed up to two words: no internet. Globelines had gone haywire for a past few weeks until it finally halted, and we’re getting very so cranky, so we had no choice but to endure the torture for a week. So there, I’m back now.

There, now you know, let’s go onto a random topic that I chose for this blog entry: individuality.

God created us unique. We all come from different walks of life, different races, different features. We all have our own perspectives of life, whether it’s good or bad. Even our personalities are distinguishable.

But sometimes, we tend to look too much on our own characteristics that we end up criticizing others, or worse, laugh at them. So what if we have our whole body and someone else got one part chopped off because of an unfortunate incident, and we just degraded them just because they’re incomplete? So what if we have beautiful skin and others got theirs burnt or marred with scars, and we just called them ugly? So what if we’re one race and a foreigner stepped onto our land, and we tend to comment on that person in such a racist manner? So what if most of us dressed up like princesses and others are in rags, and we just spat at them like crap? Even gothic people got rejected from society just because of the way they were dressed and even of their ideals.

All I can say is: JUST FIX UP YOUR NARROW-MINDED BRAINS AND GET OVER IT!!!

So there, just accept them for who they really are and treat each other equally. No one is perfect. There’s no such thing as a perfect lover, or a perfect book, or even a perfect piece of art. We all have imperfections. Yes, we must correct them, but don’t take away their self-esteem. Put differences aside and work together.

Being unique is not a crime; drill it on your head.

Well, that’s all for now. See ya on the flip side!

Real life: Bagyong Ondoy all over again!!!

2011-10-05T17:34:00.000+08:00

(Note: this was made during the time I had no Internet. Had to have the modem replaced… ><)

Late Semptember of last year, Bagyong Ondoy struck my house in Pasig. The flood reached inside, but fortunately, its length was just under our feet. But we suffered from blackout for almost a week, and my aunt suffered from high blood pressure due to hot temperature inside. After the turmoil, everything went back to normal.

Well, they say history repeats itself, and this time, the recent aftermath of the current storm was at its peak in both Bulacan and Tarlac.

Flood level has reached almost beyond that of a human body’s. Families had to cope up with living in evacuation centers and when they want to take a bath, they had to settle with swimming on the surface of the murky waters. There was a lack of medical and food supplies (despite the best efforts made by various organizations), and people ended up getting sick with the usual weather-related diseases, especially LBM.

Worse, P-Noy was claimed to be MIA (missing in action) during the whole ordeal. Please, could you at least stop the blame?

I may be far from the places affected by the storm, but I couldn’t help but to sympathize with them. I have a Facebook and Deviantart friend who resides in Tarlac, and by the time I heard the news, I was indeed very worried. I hope she’s okay…

As always, prayer is the best option I can give to them. I still have a lot of old clothes which can hopefully be worn by those who had none. I may be lucky that I’m safe, but I have to keep on guard in case something like that would happen to my place.

Well, that’s all for now… Ciao!

Real Life: Unconditional Love

2011-09-24T22:33:00.000+08:00

They say that in this world, love is always conditional. People always wanted to belong, to be appreciated, to be loved by someone else. Sadly, the truth is, we tend to be picky, wanting more of this and more of that in choosing who to love.

God has a different approach to love: unconditional love. He chose to represent Himself through Jesus, son of the Blessed Virgin, living among us. He had sacrificed Himself to save us from death.

If only people had learned to acknowledge the same belief onto others... But sadly, unconditional love is rare in this world, because people look on all the aspects of a person. Whatever negativity that exists, we disgust them, treating it like a disgrace. We all know that people must change for the better, but still, we must never forget that we must allow them to show it, one way or another.

All in all, love is the strongest emotion, but it's how it is used that counts.

Real Life: 9/11 - Tragedy at its turning point

2011-09-11T08:13:00.000+08:00

Imagine yourself walking across the streets of USA, departing for your destination. You seem to enjoy your normal stroll, not caring about the traffic and the normal mood of citizens everywhere. Then you see people running away with panicked expressions and a crowd pointing at a place far away. Finally, you set the gaze at what they're staring at, only to have your jaw dropped at the sight.

The twin towers of World Trade Center disintegrating at the impact of a suicide plane gone mad was the first thing you see.

Yep, you got that right, folks. Today's the 10th anniversary of that tragic moment, the result of a terrorist plan going into fruition.

I may not know much about that event, but I could still remember the dreary atmosphere: people running away to avoid getting hurt, helpers rushing in to save those who were injured, loved ones crying their hearts out at the news of their death. It was truly a melancholic sight.

But in midst of tragedy lies hope. Various organizations came in for support and prayers, expressing the possibility of a peaceful departure to the innocent lives which were taken away by the cruel hands of death. Hopefully, that would be enough for their loved ones to realize that there are people willing to help them move on from the pain.

Not to mention that the crash site was also the spot where Americans celebrated the death of the one behind it all, and thankfully, the towers were restored after years of repair.

Just a prayer would be enough to send all those pour souls into heaven.

Anyway, gotta eat breakfast. Later, peeps! ^^

Limited options... DAMN!

2011-09-01T16:05:00.000+08:00

Hey there peeps, welcome to another delayed post for this blog. While I'm still not in the mood to post out any game or anime updates just yet, I need to let out some of my thoughts out of my system.

I'm still in a break from playing MMORPGs because I need to take care of my PC, though I have plans of coming back for more. Unfortunately, as the post title says, my options are limited.

I still miss playing Cabal Online. It's been months since the last time I played it during my Bacolod trips, and with the latest update entitled "Episode VI - Legacy of Darkness", that alone made me itch to come back for more. About Ragnarok Online? Well, I'm already bored so I decided to quit. I also miss playing Runes of Magic, but sadly, the Philippines servers had already been shut down.

About new games to try out? Well, sadly, none of the newcomers piqued my interests anymore, though I have one game in mind: Battle of Immortals. I became interested in that game because of its features, including its unique Introduction ID system, as well as its own set of classes, the Soul Gear System, and Zodiac pets, too.

Curious about BoI? Here's the trailer:

Battle of the Immortals is published by Cubizone Philippines. You can check out the game's official website here.

Damn, and I still can't over the Higurashi scare, esp. with yandere girls that may look sweet but are capable of killing you in a heartbeat, as well as zombie tags. ><

And that's a wrap, for now. See you later, doodz... :D

GC: New Gacha System

2011-08-02T21:41:00.000+08:00

Well, yeah, major changes had happened in the GC Chaos update, including the Gacha System.

Since Selion Redux + Purchasing rewards is on-going right now, I bet you're wondering what the heck is going on, especially now that the rewards will not be the same as in the previous seasons and that there will be only one kind of Sealed Gacha bead.

Ok, let's cut to the chase! Here's the guide (based on here and here):

1. Just like in the previous seasons, Gacha beads will still be obtained through dungeon runs, except that they can be purchased at the Shop for 5000 GP (cannot be obtained after winning PVP fights anymore, sorry).

2. The way of obtaining Spellbooks is still the same (purchasing through Cash), except that there's no longer the version for opening Depleted Beads.

3. Though there's the normal method of clicking the OK on the bead, you can also go the Menu and click on the bead button (the bead icon beside the Craft icon).

4. The interface has tweaked to let you choose the character, gacha armor level, etc. There's also a button if you want to unseal all beads automatically.

5. Unsealed armors and accessories will automatically be highlighted.

6. You'll be rewarded with the weapon of your choice once you obtain all the armor pieces.

7. And, as usual, once you complete the Gacha set (armor + accessories) of one character, you'll obtain the rare Gacha pet.

Speaking of Spellbooks, the amount used will be based on Gacha set level:

Level 10 & 20: 1 pc.
Level 30 & 40: 2 pc.
Level 50 & 60: 3 pc.
Level 70 : 4 pc.

But once you complete a set, lesser Spellbooks will be used. Level 10 & 20 will be the same, but as for Level 30-70: the consumption will be reduced by 1.

Well, sorry if I can't reveal all the stuff. Just trying to summarize in my own words.

Anyway, good luck if you want to complete a Gacha set! -thumbs up-

Doodlez!

Thank you so much, bablih! ^^

2011-07-30T22:13:00.000+08:00

I would like to thank my dA friend bablih for drawing this cute chibified version of myself.

Here's the link: the drawing

Go ahead and visit her blog. Her drawings there were so cute, not to mention her Flyff adventures are included there also... ^^

That's all. Good night! :D

Reason for Hiatus...

2011-07-16T21:38:00.000+08:00

Well, sorry if I haven't published anything recently. It's because I'm not that interested in GC anymore like I used to. And also, I don't have that much time in using the Internet now, esp. now that I have to focus on real life.

But still, I'll be posting from time to time if I have the mood, but not now, because I have so much stuff in my head right now. Well, see ya on the flip-side.

- tinskyhunter

GC: Chaos & Dio coming to PH + Darkbringer teaser video

2011-04-26T11:05:00.001+08:00

Finally, the moment you've been waiting for has finally arrived... ^^

For all GC PH players out there, today's the day where two major updates have come to life: GC Chaos and Dio the Vader.

In GC Chaos, there will be a major makeover, like the new log-in screen and user interface, map level segregation, Bermesiah & Ellia dungeon revamps and the release of two new dungeons from Atum: Goblin Labor Camp and Underground Tunnel. There will be numerous events to celebrate the arrival of Chaos.

But what's better is the release of a new character, Dio.


Dio the Vader (Stygian in other servers)

In case you haven't heard of him yet, here's a slight teaser (from the official news thread):

Dio was born in darkness, living his days in a dimension where his savage demon brethren lived for the joy of conquest and war.

When numerous portals opened up that led to the gates of a long-suffering kingdom, the demons saw their chance to wreck havoc on the outside world. And so began a war between mankind and demons that lasted for many years. But while his demon brothers enjoyed the carnage of war, Dio saw only sadness, pain and suffering. He did not want to be a part of that legend.

And so, Dio turned his back on his demonic heritage and rebelled against the demons. He fought tooth and nail and blade, until the war was ended and the portals to his dimension were sealed forevermore.

But now, the magic sealing off the portals was weakening, and Dio will soon come face-to-face with his destiny. A destiny that begins in the ranks of the Grand Chase!

Well, since almost all GC players have heard of him already, well, I wouldn't bother giving the details. But if you want to get him during the event period, it's better. Purchase the Dio Cash Scroll and you'll get the Dio Premium Wing as an extra.

Complete the mission during the event, and you'll get Dio's signature claw, the Rake Hand.

If you have money to burn, purchase the Dio Midnight Package. It contains the cash mission scroll plus the Midnight Dark Lord armor set and Death Star (Dio's signature weapon).

If you want to download the client, here's the link (mirror links): [link]

By the way, if you're itching for more info about Ley and her 2nd job, the Darkbringer, here's the link to the teaser video (not mine): [link]

Better wait a little while longer, for April 28 will be its release date.

Anyway, that's all. Ta-ta! ^^

GC: Chaos coming to PH + Ley's 2nd job

2011-04-16T23:16:00.001+08:00

Well, looks like the money - burning events in GC PH are going to pay off (I think)... ^^

Since the Chaos update is coming near, after the server maintenance, there will be a countdown timer to the start of this new major update. Plus, for those wanting to get their hands on Dio, a mission scroll based on him will be made available on your first log-in (as part of the pre-Dio event).

Plus, the major update is now available for download, so better start now to avoid the traffic.

Perhaps the reservation package for Dio may be available soon... ^^

Meanwhile, the Korean players will be introduced to Ley's 2nd job: the Darkbringer.

Darkbringer teaser pic in kGC

April 28 would be the possible release date for Darkbringer.

As for Mari's 4th job & ST, well sorry if they'll be delayed (again). The developers are still churning up on ideas, but the players are still enraged on the hiatus, thinking that it was due to the Darkbringer release that they decided to set aside the idea for Mari's next progress. For me, I wouldn't if I have to wait for a long time, as long as what would come would be worth the patience.

Anyway, I hope the Darkbringer will be as awesome as Zero's 2nd job... ^^

That's all, folks! Gotta hit the sack now!

GC: Save the world + SB Gacha Ariel redux

2011-04-09T22:54:00.001+08:00

Damn, another string of money-burning events to come... ><

Anyway, there are two new events this coming Tuesday:

Event no. 1: Save the World!

The mechanics are a bit complicated, but to condense them, here it goes:

Plant trees all over the world and nurture them using water (dropped at random during dungeon runs) and fertilizer (dropped by boss monsters). Once the tree has grown, you can harvest the fruits to get the treasure chests, which contain random items, including the Chaos Armor coupons (lvl 30, 14 days).

If you use enough fertilizer, there's a chance that the normal tree will become a golden tree, which, when harvested, may contain gold tree treasure chests containing better items, including the Chaos Armor coupons (lvl 50, 14 days). But be careful; the tree may die if you put too much fertilizer.

Once you complete on planting trees on one continent, you will receive the Continent Treasure Chests plus the Chaos Armor coupons (lvl 30, permament).

Open the continent treasure chests, and there's a chance you'll get the grand prizes:

- Chaos Armor Coupons (lvl 50, permanent)
- Ancient Guardian (lvl 30, Legend Grade)
- Pet Tomo Card

Good luck!

Event no. 2: SB Gacha Ariel redux

Well, this is the second time for me to witness this... ^^;

Gacha Beads will be dropped at random during dungeon runs and be awarded as victory rewards in PvP.

To open them, you must purchase Spell Books (GP for the Depleted Beads and Cash for the Normal, Ancient and Epic Beads). Thankfully, for those with no money, free Spell Books will be given at first log-in during the Gacha weekend.

When you open the beads, there's a chance you'll get the ff.:

Depleted: Elena's Set (7 days)
Normal: Wind Bringer armor sets, 1st job weapons and accessories (all permanent)
Ancient: Tornado Bringer armor sets, 2nd job weapons and accessories (all permanent)
Epic: Storm Bringer armor sets, 4th job weapons and accessories (all permanent)

Complete a set for one character, and you'll get the grand prizes: the Ariel Pet Card & Naiad Circlet.

Unfortunately, I don't have separate pictures of the set, but I do have a wallpaper featuring the set, just to satiate your curiosity (from the Level Up! Games website).

Anyway! Good luck if you want to complete the set... ^^

Yep, the Chaos update will be coming near alongside Dio's release... Can't wait! :D

That's all for now! Ciao! ^^

GC: Arme revamp + SB Gacha Wonderland redux

2011-04-02T19:59:00.002+08:00

Oh boy, the cash burning events just keep on coming... ^^;

Coming up after the server maintenance this coming Tuesday are two new updates:

Update no. 1: Arme revamp

Elesis and Lire had their 2nd classes upgraded. Now it's Arme's turn.

Alchemist skills and combos had been tweaked to improve its performance. In place of "Big Bomb" and "Create Item" (both 3MP skills), Alchemist will have "Blockbuster Explosion" and "Booby Trap" respectively. As part of the celebration, aside from the emblem popping out at random during dungeon runs (one must have an Arme in a party to activate the buff), the Alchemist, Warlock and Battle Mage cash scrolls will have a discounted price for a limited time, and the Lucky Package will be made available as well.


Boom goes the bomb! evil laugh

Update no. 2: SB Gacha Wonderland redux

For those who weren't able to complete the set during its first release or new players who haven't heard of the old SB Gacha sets yet, here's your chance.

Well, you know the drill: Gacha beads will be dropped at dungeon runs and awarded as PVP victory rewards at random.

To open them, you must purchase Spell Books. For the Depleted beads, they will bought using GP, but for Normal, Ancient and Epic beads, you have to fork out Cash.

When you open the beads, there's a chance that you'll get the ff.:

Depleted: Elena's Set (7 days)

Normal: Clover Gambler armor sets, 1st job weapons & accessories (all permanent)

Ancient: Heart Gambler armor sets, 2nd job weapons & accessories (all permanent)

Epic: Spade Gambler armor sets, 4th job weapons & accessories (all permanent)

Complete a set for one character, and you'll get the grand prizes: the Chester Pet Card and Joker Gambler Mask.

Here are a few of the pictures of the set, in case you haven't heard of it:


Woah! What's the pigtails? Never mind...

Having good luck can make Jin very good - looking, seriously... ^^

Well, I hope there will be other important events after this, not just money - burning shenanigans... ^^;

That's all for now! Thanks for reading, bye! ^^

Real life: China's execution takes away 3 Filipino lives

2011-03-30T17:50:00.000+08:00

Seroiusly, my mind was blown off when I heard about that news.

Three Filipinos were executed a while ago in China because of committing drug smuggling. The last thing I heard about it, the punishment was supposed to go on on a earlier date but was postponed due to some issues. Appeal letters were given by the Philippine government, but the Chinese still decided that the execution must go on as planned, because drug trafficking is a serious offense and the punishment must be given, whether one likes it or not.

During that time, families of the punished ones were in great turmoil, having to deal with the pain of losing a love one. Seriously, I even saw a grandmother crying for hours, feeling so emotionally worn out. But still, I believe they had no choice but to accept the truth.

But while lethal injections were used for punishing criminals in China, here in the Philippines, punished crooks were instead given life sentence if found guilty, because we're in a Christian country and taking lives is really a no-no.

Truly, the issue of drugs just keeps on getting worse, with new products found to contain forbidden ingredients, illegal transporting, etc. Let the punishment serve you as a reminder to those who dare to try using illegal drugs, especially those with risk of endangering a person's life.

As for the souls taken away, may they rest in peace.

For more info about that news, you can check out the ff.:

BBC News

Philippine Daily Inquirer (for Filipinos reading this)

And that's it. See you later, readers... ^^

GC: Lire revamp + SB Gacha Francois redux

2011-03-18T17:55:00.000+08:00

Well, it's been a while since Elesis got her own revamp for her 2nd job (Spearman). Now, it's Lire's turn to take her 2nd job to the next level.

The next patch will involve the Crossbowman revamp, with enhanced skills and abilities as compared to the previous version. Events will take place to celebrate its arrival, such as the buff emblem which (when a Lire was included in the party) gives +10 Atk/Def/Vit at random. Also, the price Crossbowman Cash mission scroll will have a discount, and LE Lucky Package will be available for purchase for a limited time.

Not only that, there will be another SB Gacha event, this time involving the return of an old favorite: the SB Gacha Francois.

Gacha beads will be dropped by monsters and given as victory rewards in PVP at random. To open them, you must purchase Spell Books. For the Depleted Beads, it will be bought for GP, but for the Normal, Ancient and Epic Beads, you must cough out Cash.

When you open Depleted, Normal, Ancient and Epic Beads, there's a chance you'll get the ff.:

Depleted: Elena's Set (7 days)
Normal: Victorian Count armor sets, 1st job weapons & accessories (all permanent)
Ancient: Victorian Marquis armor sets, 2nd job weapons & accessories (all permanent)
Epic: Victorian Duke armor sets, 4th job weapons & accessories (all permanent)

Complete a set for one character, and you'll get the grand prizes: the Francois Pet Card and Legendary Naiad Shield.

Here are some pictures of the set in case you're curious:


Sieghart does look handsome in that outfit, doesn't he? ^^

I have to admit, Mari does look pretty in that dress

Well, I've only seen 3 SB Gacha events so far (Ariel, Selion & Clockwork Knight), so I was surprised to see an old SB Gacha set like that coming back for a redux after its first appearance a long time ago.

Visit the official news thread for more info.

Well, that's all, folks! Be prepared to burn some real money for these treats! Sayonara!

GC: Zero's 2nd job released to Korean servers

2011-03-17T20:11:00.002+08:00

I'm sure NAGC players finally got a treat on Zero by the time I posted this.

Remember the post about Zero's 2nd job? (Look up here if you haven't) Well, today, the Craver was finally released for all Korean Grand Chase players to try out.


Craver loading screen in kGC

Teaser video (not mine):

Skill test video (also not mine):

I had watched the video before, and I admit, Zero indeed looks bad-ass in that outfit. As for skills, my most favorites so far are Reflector (long-range attackers will receive the damage intended for Zero during its duration, like Lire for example) and Amid (Zero's eye glows a bright green as he was surrounded in a dark aura).

I'm glad that his attack skills had improved a bit on his 2nd job. I hope it will be polished on his last 2 jobs... ^^

Can't wait for Dio to come in GC PH! :D

That's all for now! Ciao!

EDIT: Added the skill test video in case you want to look at a better picture of his skills... ^^

Real life: Japan in danger of radiation leakage

2011-03-12T18:28:00.000+08:00

Damn, the catastrophe in Japan just kept on going, as if the earthquake and tsunami weren't dangerous enough.

Two nuclear power plants were currently in haywire not long after the tsunami that submerged most of the country. The cooling system was badly damaged due to the earthquake that rumbled two days ago, leaving the core in danger of overheating and on a verge of meltdown. The US sent a coolant in order to alleviate the threat.

But unfortunately, the worst had already occurred.

The Fukushima no. 1 power plant had already exploded.

By now, radiation would slowly contaminate the country and people would suffer greatly from its effects.

The recent explosion and the radiation aftermath was one of the worst to ever happen in history ever since the Chernobyll explosion in Russia and the Hiroshima / Nagasaki bomb threat in Japan during WWII. Countless lives were claimed and many people got contaminated by radiation. You wouldn't want to picture yourself in those situations, would you?

I know help is still greatly needed for victims to recover from the catastrophe. As for me, all I can do is pray for them.

And so I close the talk. I hope this will serve as a change to make a change for the better.

100th post - Real life: Tsunami in Japan: A jaw-dropping catastrophe

2011-03-11T20:46:00.002+08:00

Woah, I never thought this will be the 100th post on my blog until I checked the number of post I had made through my dashboard... *sweat drops*

Anyway, since this is really the 100th post, I'll devote that to the latest incident that shook (or in this case, drenched) the whole world to the core: the Tsunami that left Japan in ruins.

A while ago, I heard the news about the tsunami that swept the land of the rising sun in waves, submerging most of the country with water mixed with debris and other foreign stuff. But before that, an 8.9 magnitude earthquake shook the country hard, leaving most of the buildings and roads deteriorating from the impact. In case of the tsunami, roads became flooded and people and vehicles scrambled for safety. Airports and train stations had postponed their operations to avoid further damage and telephone lines were scrambled, making communication very difficult, although Internet connection was possible but only for a limited time.

But the tension didn't stop there. Twenty countries were given tsunami warnings with a possibility of them becoming affected. The list of countries under the warning include Indonesia, Russia, New Zeland, Hawaii, Australia and even the Philippines.

It was stated that the tsunami would probably hit the Philippines between 5-7 pm, specifically in areas on the eastern side of the country. But still, there may be a possibility that it will happen after the specified time.

During these times, having a calm and alert mind is a must, as it will help in deciding what to do to avoid casualties. Panicking is the worst thing to do, but still, many people couldn't help but to feel worried about their loved ones, especially those living in Japan.

As of now, relief help was given to the victims to provide comfort and to ensure survival. Prayers may also help to make sure they're safe.

Yep, as one of my former classmates said, one should not take the earthquake / fire drills for granted, as it may be helpful for the future.

That's all for now! Bye!

GC: Elesis revamp + Clockwork Knight redux + Purchase reward (again)

2011-03-04T22:18:00.001+08:00

Oh boy, another string of updates to come after the server maintenance in Grand Chase PH:

Update no. 1: Elesis revamp

Well, it's been a long time since her ST was released, and now she's going to be upgraded (again) with new skills & action modes for her 2nd job: the Spearman.

Update no. 2: SB Gacha Clockwork Knight redux

For those who weren't able to complete a set for one of their characters to obtain the pet, no need to worry! You'll be given another chance to obtain the armor parts, weapons and accessories of this latest SB Gacha to get the grand prize:the Clockwork Knight pet card.

Update no. 3: Purchasing rewards

For those who prefer using Cash to buy equipment & other necessities, rejoice! There will be another purchasing rewards promo, wherein one must spend a certain amount of cash points to gain prizes, including the Pet Kumi card, plus, Kumi armor sets & weapons will be available for a limited time.

Check out the official news thread for more info.

I hope that after this, either Dio, Jin's ST or GC: Chaos will come out.

And that's a wrap! See ya!

Real life: Saving the best for last + GC: Zero's 2nd job teaser

2011-03-03T19:15:00.000+08:00

Well, I just finished watching K-ON!! episode 20 a while ago, and I still remembered the part after the school festival performance wherein Yui and the rest of the Light Music Club felt as if everything happened so fast in a blink of an eye. Then they started talking about their future plans, until they all got emotional and began to cry, because they just wished they wouldn't leave their beloved school. After all, they (except Azusa) were already seniors and were going to graduate soon, so the school festival would be their last event.

Believe me, the school festival performance was the best event for them, and they'll never ever forget about it.

There's a saying that goes "Save the best for last". It means that before a moment ends, there must be the most amazing events going on. Those events would serve as trademarks or highlights of that moment, ones which would always leave a mark in their lives before the curtain closes without any chance for an encore.

Yeah, very poignant, but still, one must cherish those moments like they are his or last moments.

After all, life's too short... :D

By the way, I just checked the Grandchase.info blog, and discovered that Zero's 2nd job will be coming out after a few weeks in kGC. Not much info yet about it, but this teaser pic may intrigue you (from the blog).

Well, Cow mentioned that Zero's 2nd job name is Craver, though there's a possibility that it may change once it's finally released.

My first thought when I saw the pic was "WTH? Zero looks good in that outfit!" But I noticed that Grandark still remained the same. The eye mask does look cool on him, though.

I hope that after that, Mari's 4th job and ST will go next (though I have to wait a little longer).

That's all for now! Arrivederci! ^^

GC: Hell's Furnance + Gladiator ST

2011-02-18T18:05:00.000+08:00

Got that news fresh from the press! ^^

After the server maintenance this coming Tuesday will be the release of two updates:

Update no.1: New Hero Dungeon - Hell's Furnace

If you think the Shrine of Ruins is challenging enough for you, then check out this new hero dungeon. Just like the first Hero Dungeon, it's located in Ellia, and the schedule and rules for entering is the same as in Shrine of Ruins. The only difference is that you need to be at least level 30 to enter.

Well, since it's now possible to earn 4 Hero Coins per day, the prices of the items at the Hero Shop have been adjusted (increased, to be exact). Check out here for the list of prices.

Update no.2: Gladiator ST

Now, it's Sieghart's turn to have his 1st class buffed up with the Gladiator ST.

Sieghart's ST outfit

I would expect players to use Gladiator even more, due to new skills and abilities that will be added with the ST update. Sieghart fans rejoice!

As usual, there will be events to celebrate the arrival of the Gladiator ST... ^^;

Aside from these two major updates, since the anniversary of People Power in EDSA is coming near, everyone will receive a People Power Rose Accessory (7 days) during their first - log in, aside from the usual weekend EXP bonus. And for those with artistic talents, there will be a Skill Tree Fan Art contest, with LU load as prizes for winning.

Check out the official news thread for more info.

That's all for now! Jaa ne!

GC: New server - Selion + Hero Shop price updates

2011-02-18T11:53:00.001+08:00

Ok, this is a bit weird... ^^;

I just noticed that news at the Grandchase.info blog, and it really astonished me to bits.

About a week after the release of Polaris, Grand Chase Philippines launched a new server, Selion, named after a SB Gacha pet. Well, the reason was very obvious; GC has become very popular and many players started flocking in to join the fun.

Aside from the new server release, the prices of the items at the Hero Shop had been adjusted. Unfortunately, the prices had increased, even though the 2nd Hero Dungeon (Hell's Furnace / The Crucible) was not yet released.

More info can be found here.

I hope that this coming Tuesday, Sieghart's ST will come out. If not, perhaps Dio will be released, or even Hell's Furnace / The Crucible.

Anyway, that's all. Jaa ne!

GC: Polaris - it's hammer time! + Valentine events

2011-02-04T22:25:00.003+08:00

Hey there, people! Time for me to report on the latest news here in GC PH! ^^

After the server maintenance on Tuesday comes the latest update that everyone had been waiting for: the release of Mari's 3rd job, the Polaris.

It's hammer time for Mari as she shows her Polaris prowess with her Force Maul

Before we'll experience the excitement of having one's Mari becoming a Polaris, here's some teaser info about the job class (from the official statement in GC PH's website:

Legends say of an ancient kingdom where magic and machines coexisted. Here, powerful soldiers called Polaris were members of the elite, with the power and authority to research magic and create new machines. Unfortunately, this special class disappeared with the great cataclysm that buried the kingdom in lost memory.

Having grown into her role as magic and machine specialist, and because of her mysterious connection to the lost kingdom, Mari was upgraded to the Polaris, the ultimate magic and machine user!

As the Polaris, Mari uses souped-up versions of her previous skills, including new robot called KORMET that will do basic combos, dash and jump attacks in Mari’s stead. With increased power comes increased usage of mana, but the Polaris comes prepared with special skills that help replenish their own mana and even the mana of their teammates. The Polaris will not stop until there’s no trace of evil left!

The Grand Chase just got upgraded with the power of Mari the Polaris! Join them in their quest to rid the world of evil once and for all!

As usual, there will be events pertaining to the release of Mari's 3rd job. Not only that, since February's the month of love, there will also be events connected to Valentine's Day, like the release of a new Cash Shop item, the Rose Necklace, and the GC Quiz Bingo Bonanza in which you'll get a chance to obtain either one of two new pets, Pinko and Pinky, the pet of lovers.

Check out the official GC PH website for more info.

Too bad my younger bro won't be enjoying the events that much, for he'll be having exams next week. T_T

Anyway, that's all for now! Sayonara!

GC: New character - Ley the Summoner

2011-01-27T22:44:00.002+08:00

I had mentioned before that there will be a new character for Grand Chase (check it here if you haven't seen it yet). Right now, that's when I'll tell you more about it.

Her name is Ley (name may change once she will be released in other servers), and her first job class is known as Summoner.


Summoner loading screen in kGC

Skill Test Video (not mine):

Dungeon Run (also not mine):

Yep, she's a magic user like Arme, except that her attacks compose mainly of summoning dark orbs, especially her skills. And yes, she can levitate and teleport. What interests me though, is her ability to summon a dragon - like creature (reminds me much of Selion, in my opinion), and even a butler! *cough - HayatenoGotoku - cough*

Too bad she's an AP-user, though (like Dio and Zero), and her skills seemed to be way too overpowered. I'm still curious with the claw-like weapon she's wielding (different from Dio's demonic claw). I wonder what's the name.

But still, she packs quite a punch, especially with her creature and the butler.

That's all for now! Adios, amigos! ^^

EDIT: Changed the video size to fit into my post, and I also added the dungeon run videos... ^^

GC: Clockwork Knight - New SB Gacha set! + new Archemedia dungeons

2011-01-23T23:37:00.001+08:00

Awww man, it's been a while since the last SB Gacha event in Grand Chase PH. I knew everyone had gone loco over completing Dark armor sets, even if it's for just one character, for the sake of obtaining Selion. And now, there will another SB Gacha event! This time, it's about the 8th Gacha Set - the Clockwork Knight.

Yep, the mechanics will be the same: Purchase Spell Books using Cash (or GP if you're buying Spell Books for Depleted Beads), use them to open the Gacha Beads, and you'll get a chance to get one of the armor parts of the set, or even weapons. If you complete the set, you'll get the SB Gacha pet.

In this case, you'll get a chance to obtain either one of the parts of the Tinker Apprentice armor set, 1st Job weapons and accessories (from Sealed Beads), Clockwork Artisan armor set, 2nd Job weapons and accessories (from Ancient Sealed Beads), or Steampunk Savant set, 4th Job weapons and accessories(from Epic Sealed Beads).

Complete a set (including the weapon and the accessories) for one character, and you'll get the pet: Clockwork Knight, the Mecha Guardian.

But if you're out of Cash and prefer to unseal the Depleted Beads, there's a chance that you'll get one part of Elena's set. Unfortunately, it'll expire after 7 days.

By the way, aside from the Gacha event, there will two new dungeons for the Archemedia continent: Undermine and Thunder Hammer. You need to be at least lvl 65 if you want to survive going there.

Anyway, if you're curious, check out the official news here.

That's all for now! Ta-ta! ^^

GC: Another new character? O_O

2011-01-20T22:15:00.002+08:00

Ok, I just checked the latest posts at the Grandchase. info blog, and this caught my attention:

There will be another character to be released in the Korean servers of GC, and this time, it's another female character.

News can be found here (for the English speakers), and here (for those who can understand Korean, although using Google translate is a good choice... ^^;).

Well, I'm glad that this new character is not another sword wielder (seriously, most of the GC characters are sword wielders.) Judging from her appearance, I could say that she's a demon, possibly from a royal bloodline.

But still, I'm confused with the weapon she's wielding, and just like most of the players, I hope she's not an AP-user (like Dio and Zero), otherwise it would be boring.

Will be posting more info once the new character is finally out.

That's all! Sayonara! ^^

Tomorrow will be my great day!

2011-01-14T22:16:00.001+08:00

Tomorrow will be my 18th birthday, and so, I have a list of things to do on my trip to Bacolod:

- Play Cabal (either level-up or skill-grind my Force Shielder, OR dust off either my Force Archer or Force Blader)
- Continue watching Pokemon Advance Battle (on the 'net, that is)
- Watch Kuroshitsuji / Black Butler ep. 3 (I missed it due to my late grandma's birthday)
- Buy GAME! magazine (both the December and January issues... ^^)
- Purchase "The 39 Clues" (either Book 6, Book 7 or the Big Black Book of Buried Secrets) OR The Hunger Games Trilogy (the paperback boxed set)
- Pig out! ^^

These are just some of the things I will definitely do, but the plan may change depending on the schedule and important stuff to do.

Anyway, that's all for now... Bye! :D

Cabal Online: A new dungeon in Episode V

2011-01-08T23:40:00.000+08:00

Oh boy, I just found another interesting update on Cabal Online... ^^

In case you haven't hear of it, Cabal is currently on Episode V entitled "Mercenaries". The title itself refers to the most noteworthy feature of the update: players can summon a Mercenary as a companion during dungeon hunting.

Anyway, I just checked out "A Doctor's Online Gaming Life", and guess what, a new dungeon will appear for all players who enjoy leveling - up and skill - grinding in dungeons. It will be known as "Lava Hellfire", another DX dungeon.

By the way, if you want to know how to get there, read this (from mmosite.com but actually came from this) :

This new dungeon is hidden in Port Lux inside a volcano.

Level req. is 110. Rank 11.
Dungeon itself is 25min long.

Bosses look great, entry item looks awesome, too. And overall it's a bit similar to Catacomb Frost.

To make things clear, here's the basic info:

Level Requirement: Lv. 110+ (class level 11)
Location: within the volcano area of Port Lux (refer to the map above)
Time Limit: 25 mintutes
Entry Item: Ever - heated Lava Stone

Yep, it will surely be treat for Cabal PH players alright. At least, they'll never get bored... ^^

That's all for now! Bye! XD

GC: New log-in screens?!? And even weapon change?!? Dancer now has Skill Tree?!?

2011-01-07T22:27:00.003+08:00

Damn! Sick with the usual cough and cold combination again, and I just hope I'll completely recover from it before my birthday.

Ok, enough with the complaints. Here are a few interesting things that I had discovered while browsing through my trusted source for all updates in the Grand Chase world: the Grandchase.info blog:

Update #1: New log-in screens

Right now, it was currently applied to servers for players in both Thailand and Indonesia. I had to admit, the old log-in screen with the blue skies, white clouds and a grassy field could be quite boring, so the guys who published the game in Thailand and Indonesia decided to revamp the screen for added eye-candy. That would be one interesting suggestion for feedback, if there will be a survey for all GC PH players to answer.


New log-in screen in GC TH

New log-in screen in GC IN (catching up, isn't it?)

Update #2: Weapon swap

That would surely be a hot topic ever since its inception in the Korean servers. The pet slot in the equipment screen was replaced with the secondary weapon slot, so, bye-bye pets... T_T

Opening the slot is like opening a skill tree using a skill key. Once you open it, it's already open for life. Your character needs to be at least level 45 in order to use it though.

Unfortunately, there were some restrictions. You can only change weapons when you're idle, and it's usable only while hunting in dungeons. Also, you cannot change weapons while in transformation mode (Sorry, Ryan users)... ^^;

Here's a sample video (not from me!):

Update #3: Dancer ST

Yep, you got that right. In GC PH, another first job class will have a Skill Tree this coming Tuesday after the usual server maintenance, and this time, it's from Amy! The Dancer will have its own skill tree, adding new options and strategies to attack opponents while dancing to the beat. GC PH players will surely be thrilled to see it, but considering the glitches that it had in other servers and the possibility of revamping it to make it smoother, there will be mixed emotions once they see the change. As usual, there will be events to celebrate its arrival.

So there you have it, folks. Check out the official GC PH website and the Grandchase.info blog if you're curious.

Signing off now... Bye! ^^

EDIT: Changed the link of the Grandchase.info blog, since it has gone a huge revamp recently... ^^

ANOTHER EDIT: Pets can still be used even with weapon change... Sorry for being so OA... ^^

2011 finally starting

2011-01-03T00:16:00.000+08:00

Yep, it's another year with new things to look up, too...

Well, by now, I know many of you will go back to school tomorrow, trying to get out of the hangover during the holidays. And I know most of you have new year's resolutions to follow, but as I for me, I don't believe in making them; I'm just going to change step - by - step.

Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy what I'll be posting for this year. Must sleep now... ZZZzzz

Merry Christmas, everyone!

2010-12-25T22:02:00.000+08:00

Whatever way you enjoy this special day, whether in real life or in virtual life, remember that it's much more special when you celebrate it with people closest to you. Enjoy whatever gifts you had received!

Happy Holidays! ^^

Mari's 2nd class to emerge with a bang in GCPH

2010-12-18T22:44:00.002+08:00

Well, here we go again with another update to make way for all Grand Chase PH players out there!

Shortly after the release of Sieghart's fourth job, the Prime Knight, Mari's 2nd job will come out after the server maintenance this coming Tuesday. From showing her mechanic prowess as an Ether Tech, Mari's abilities will evolve to the next level with long - range firepower and great speed. Yes, you got that right, Mari's next job will be the Gunslinger.


Mari about to show off long - range firepower with her gun as a Gunslinger

Let's sneak peek with a little info about the upcoming job class (based on the official statement in the official GCPH website):

Ages ago, a legendary kingdom was at war with the magic tribes. While the kingdom’s magic users were instrumental in the war, their powers were exhausted and their resources slowly dwindled, which made sustaining the war with the magic tribes becoming more and more impossible by the day.

It was then that a skilled magic engineer developed a gun that could go on firing as long as the user’s magic powers endure. A special soldier was created to handle this gun, known today as the Gunslinger. With Gunslingers in the kingdom’s command, the magic tribes lost and the war came to an end.

Unfortunately, the legendary kingdom met its untimely end in a mysterious explosion and with it the secrets and technology to making Gunslingers.

But not all is lost. The Dwarves of Archemedia have been found to use rifles based on the ancient designs of the Gunslinger weapons! Soon, in a great pilgrimage to learn more about her past, Mari was given one of the dwarves’ designs and the title of the legendary Gunslinger!

As a Gunslinger, Mari makes use of magic and machines to dispatch enemies. Her long-range attacks are weakened, but at mid-range her power is unequaled. With Triple Missiles, Thermal Traps and her innate speed, Mari the Gunslinger is a force to be reckoned with in the battlefield. There won’t be anything left of evil once Mari’s finished with them!

The Grand Chase team now has extra firepower in Mari the Gunslinger.

Join them in their quest to rid the world of evil once and for all!

Yep, as usual, there will be events to celebrate the Gunslinger's release. But that's not all, Gacha Selion will be back, giving players another chance to complete the highly coveted Dark sets and weapons, and even the rare chance to obtain Selion itself. Plus, there will be special rewards if you purchase items using a certain amount of cash points, like the rare pet Lilith card.

Check out the official GCPH website for more info.

Ok, signing off now... It's late at night already and I need sleep... ^^

Kerida de Amor: Commotion on a Painful Discovery

2010-12-12T21:51:00.000+08:00

We all know what we feel what is like to be cheated, to be replaced by someone whom he or she thinks to be more pulchritudinous than us. In fact, in the game of love, some boys and girls tend to look more on the physical appearance and environmental background rather than behavior. After all, what most people want is a rich, beautiful (or handsome) person as his or her significant other.

But secretly having someone else as a new lover while having a relationship with his or her first soulmate (or husband or wife if married) can lead to dire consequences, especially when it's discovered unexpectedly, just like in one video posted in Facebook showing a woman violently beating the hell out of her husband's second girlfriend. You can check out the video here.

After all, secrets can't be remained hidden forever, and since we're Catholics, adultery is a serious offense.

So remember, choose your soulmate wisely, and love him or her with all your heart, despite his or her imperfections.

Of closures and new stuff

2010-12-06T22:54:00.000+08:00

Yep, it's me again, ready to deliver what's going on in the online gaming scene... ^^

Let me start with two new updates:

First up, I'm sure all Grand Chase players in the Philippines are excited about the coming of Sieghart's fourth job: the Prime Knight.

The loading screen during the Prime Knight release in Korean servers

Here's some info about the class from the official news statement in the official GCPH website:

When the war against the forces of evil spread throughout Bermesiah and beyond, the gods soon realized that the mortal world was in peril. And so, they summoned the best knights from all over the world, looking for the few to be granted awesome powers for use against the coming threat.

It was then that Sieghart caught the eye of the gods because of his dedication to his cause, and his devotion to training and honing his skills to become the best that he can be. After a series of grueling trials and tests, Sieghart finally returned as a Prime Knight, wielding the authority of the gods as the most powerful kind warrior in the world!

As a Prime Knight, Sieghart uses the Executioner sword, blessed by the Sun and Moon. To wield Executioner, one must gain the approval of both Sol and Luna, and become the Primus of the Executioner, to use its full power. Don’t let its immense size fool you, it’s actually made up of two separate swords, allowing Sieghart to attack the enemy with quick swipes and strikes to catch evildoers off-guard!

In addition, Sieghart gets an upgraded Rage ability, increasing the number of hits he can do with normal and Rage attacks, and increasing the power of his attacks to staggering levels. Very few classes survive a battle with a Raging Prime Knight!

The Grand Chase has now tapped into the fury of Sieghart the Prime Knight!

Join them in their quest to rid the world of evil once and for all!

Yep, that description alone got all GCPH players all pumped up for the upcoming challenge, espcially with events to celebreate the Prime Knight's arrival... ^^

Check out this link for more info.

-----

Next on the list is the arrival of a new MMORPG, Battle of the Immortals, developed by Perfect World Shanghai and published in the PH by Cubizone Philippines. Currently in Open Beta, it boasts itself to be very different due to its unique avatar customization system, the pet & mount system, unique quests designed to give more than just exp. points, and even the wedding system and the so-called Realm of Love.

Check out the official website if you're curious and itching to know more... ^^

-----

But sadly, while there are new arrivals, there are also farewells, like Nostale Global going to shut down this month. As you all know, Nostale is one of the MMOs brought to us by E-Games, but it's actually on a global server and not the common misconception that E-Games is the one publishing it separately as a local game. According to the statement found in the Gamedok Chronicles, there will be a celebration of the server closing festival before the servers finally shut down for good.

Look here for the complete news regarding this matter.

Well, anyway, that's all for this day... Gotta hit the sack now! ZZZZzzzz

A new character to come for Grand Chase PH

2010-11-16T21:40:00.001+08:00

I'm suffering from the damned cold & cough right now, and my throat's starting to kill me... T_T

But still, it doesn't stop me from posting what's new in the online gaming scene... ^^

Since all of Grand Chase players in the Philippines (including my younger bro) are anticipating for a new character to arrive after the extended server maintenance tomorrow (it was rescheduled due to the national holiday today), I decided to post about the new character. Yep, I'm talking about Mari the Ether Tech (Rune Caster in other versions).

Here's a little info about Mari (taken from the official news statement at the Grand Chase PH website):

Cownat was once a great and industrious kingdom, known for its advanced technology. No one knows what happened all those years ago, but what they do know is that a great cataclysm destroyed Cownat, leaving the kingdom in ruins, its people lost to memory.

Until now.

A survivor emerged from the depths of history, with no memory of how she got here or what happened to her home. A bit shy at first, she slowly warmed to her surroundings and became curious about the people of this age, about the technology, about magic, about…well, everything!

And so, to satisfy her curiosity, she agreed to join the Grand Chase in search of adventure and new things to discover. Her name is Mari, and she is the one and only Ether Tech!

As an Ether Tech, Mari uses gadgets and machines to turn the tide of battle. She can summon machines like turrets to attack her enemies, put up mana shields to protect her and her teammates, and use a jetpack to get to safety. Mari may seem shy and sweet, but never underestimate the amount of firepower she has up her sleeve!

The Grand Chase welcomes Mari the Ether Tech to their ranks. Follow them in their mission to rid the world of evil once and for all!

By the way, the Ether Tech is Mari's first class. In other versions (excluding Thailand and Indonesia), the second & third job classes of Mari were released (Gunslinger and Polaris respectively, names might change in the PH version). These two will be released perhaps next year (maybe after Sieghart's forth job) , while Mari's fourth job class will come out in the Korean servers sometime at the end of the year or in early 2011 (just a speculation, though).

Anyway, aside from the release of Mari, GC PH players will witness another new event in the form of Gacha Selion. Works the same as the Gacha Ariel event, except that once you open the sealed beads using the Spell Book, there's a chance you'll receive Dark Flame, Dark Inferno & Dark Volcano armor sets, capes & weapons, plus you'll get a new pet once you complete all Gacha bead (Sealed, Ancient Sealed & Epic Sealed) items: Selion, the Master of Flames (as awesome as Ariel, trust me!).

That's all I have to report for now. Visit the official Grand Chase PH website for more info... ^^

EDIT: Added Indonesia to the not available list... Sorry, my memory's getting so rusty... ><

Craving for more

2010-11-11T22:26:00.000+08:00

I just wish I could go back to play online games again but before, but because of me having limited Internet time right now, I had no choice but to be in hiatus mode. But still, I just sure hope I'll go back to playing Cabal or Runes of Magic, or rather, go back to my good ol' Ragnarok days, since my older sis came back to playing the game. If not, I'll just continue to satiate my curiosity for new online games that would soon be competing in the online gaming market.

Speaking of curiosity, here are some of the new online games that I suggest you try out:

Card Monster Hero - homepage

It's currently in closed beta phase for the global server of this game, but still, try it out if you like the playing card format: cards are used to summon minions or mercenaries, use skills, and even as materials to create new items.

Aika Global - homepage

If PVP and castles war are your thing, then this game's for you, for it has castle wars and even a full - scale 1000 vs 1000 nation war. Plus, if you want to have a companion for your adventures, then you must get a Pran, which evolves and grows stronger as it levels up, and it even has its own inventory, skills and equipment.

Mission Against Terror - homepage

If you want an MMOFPS with a twist, then check this out, for it has some nifty cool features, like dancing to replenish lost HD during battle; polymorph grenades for transforming enemies into animals when they get hit; voice chat for easier communication to teammates; and even a "mummy mode", in which you'll end up becoming a bandaged zombie if you get bitten by one.

Rappelz Online Philippines - homepage

I know it's like the usual MMORPG, but it manages to boast itself to be different through its pet system: pets will be undergo a three-stage evolution process until it becomes an adult, with unique classes, skills and equipment . Plus, its character customization system is almost like Perfect World, but on a bit smaller scale.

Oh, and here's another game you might be curious about: With Your Destiny Global. But I would rather not talk about it, since I found out that it was actually the global version of Supreme Destiny, which was once published by IP e-Games but unfortunately ended up biting the dust after quite some time.

So there you have it, I'm back from the hiatus of discussing online games, and I might come up with more blog posts about once I find more updates and interesting info about the online gaming market.

That's all for now! Signing off... ^^

Spirit day? What's that?!?

2010-10-21T21:22:00.001+08:00

Ok, this is very weird. I was on my usual routine of checking my DeviantArt messages when I see this:

Color change on the top horizontal strip of dA

At first, I was very skeptical on what exactly happened, until I saw one of the pictures tinted with purple, indicating that it was an important event of the day. It was known as "Spirit Day".

I never heard of the day before, so I did a little research and even checked out PJ Punla's latest blog (she's one of the former writers of GAME! Magazine as far as I know it) for some details. Finally I checked out this website:

http://www.glaad.org/spiritday

That was when I found out that "Spirit Day" was an important day dedicated to gay, lesbians, homosexuals and other kinds of transgenders who fight for their right to live normal lives. Can you imagine being mistreated just because you're having a different sexual orientation? That day was worse, for lives were even lost during that time.

As you can see, this post was typed in light purple color. It's because people are asked to wear purple shirts to show support against hatred and discrimination against gays, lesbians, & other people with unique sexual orientation. Purple was said to be the color of "spirit" according to the rainbow flag, which is on reason why purple became the official color for the Spirit Day.

So remember, never discriminate people just because they look and act "different". Instead, welcome them with open arms despite differences.

That's all for now! ^^

About separation

2010-10-01T11:34:00.000+08:00

Last night, I watched another Inazuma Eleven Pokemon DP Battle Dimension episode. In the former, Nathan a.k.a. Kazemaru (the green - haired ponytail guy) was very downcast with the Raimon Eleven's latest defeat in the hands of Genesis (another team from Alieus Academy)and Shawn's (Fubuki's) serious injury that he decided to lay low from the team for a while. As for the latter, Jessie had to say goodbye to her Dustox so that it could be together with another Dustox (the one with brown wings that belonged to another random trainer) as they went to the so - called "Dustox Crossing", the time when the Dustox fly off in a form of a golden archway to Mt. Coronet so that they could start a new life and have a family in a flower field there.

It's indeed very painful when we experience separation, whether it's going to another place for a while, or watching a friend depart to somewhere else without turning back. But still, changes are permanent, and we have no choice but to accept it, if it's necessary.

Whatever it is, it's important to keep memories of friends in our hearts, so that it will always be worthwhile.

That's enough ranting for now... Signing off... ^^

Black Rock Shooter, one - of - a - kind

2010-09-17T21:12:00.003+08:00

I first heard of Black Rock Shooter from the show entitled "Culture: Japan" by Danny Choo. There was a company known to produce excellent figurines (known as GoodSmile Company), and the figure details are very good. The main protagonist there was a hit, especially with that cool pose. Here's the pic:

Ok, enough ranting about the figurine, for I'm now talking about the anime show itself.

For the unitiated, Black Rock Shooter focuses on two sides of the coin: the real world, and the alternate world. In the real world, two girls meet and become friends, but later on, one of the girls disappears and her friend becomes worried about what will happen to her.

Meanwhile, in the alternate world, the main protagonist (the girl with back hair tied into pigtails and pale blue eyes with the left one blazing with a blue flame, wielding a oh - so - big cannon which can change into any weapon) is at constant warfare with the villain (the girl with the same hair color but with a somehow wavy hairstyle and pale green eyes, with the Grim Reaper scythe as her weapon and can control black skulls with glowing eye-holes). Later on, with a warm hug, the menacing spirit is finally defeated and the real person turns out to be the main character's friend who vanished from the real world. Eventually, the main protagonist crosses paths with her look - a - like and merges with her. In the end, the two friends go back to their normal lives, but things don't look as they seem in the end, with another girl acting strangely again.

Want a clearer picture? Look here.

But still, it's a great show to watch, especially with the fight scenes and the tensions going on. The drawings are indeed very gorgeous and neat, but not that original, since some speculate that the gun-wielding girl may be similar to Vocaloid's Hatsune Miku in terms of the hairstyle.

Here's another pic of the gunslinger, this time it's from an artist in DeviantArt:

If that's interesting for you, put Black Rock Shooter onto your watch list. I'm sure it's worth the hype!

See ya later, fellow readers! ^^

When vigilance is a must

2010-09-03T21:14:00.000+08:00

Anything can happen even when we least expect it, whether it is good or bad. In my mom's case, it was bad, really bad. Her golden - color bag was stolen by a thief while she's in a restaurant in Bacolod. One minute, she was enjoying the food, and then, she realized that her bag's gone missing once another minute was passed. Now she lost all the important stuff: her purse, house keys, ATM cards, EVERYTHING!

We all know that stealing other people's things is a crime, but still, there are other people who still do it, usually due to poverty or even problems that involve money. It's very traumatic to experience being stolen by someone, and for those who do the deed, it may be fun at first, but in the end, karma can be unforgiving.

That's why it's important to always watch our backs and keep on guard. After all, the signs that read "Please keep an eye on your valuables" is always posted for this. And if you see someone stealing, don't hesitate to report. It may be worth the trouble... ^^

So remember, I repeat, always be on guard! Now signing off...

Mendoza hostage taking, a tragedy indeed

2010-08-24T21:23:00.003+08:00

Up to now, I could still remember the recent hostage taking in Quirino Grandstand, with Rolando Mendoza being the mastermind of it all. The pictures were indeed still clear in my mind: poor tourists being held hostage inside the bus, police shooting guns like mad, and even the cries of people who were mere witnesses of the tragedy. It was indeed a tragedy that will forever be marked in the pages of Philippine history.

In case you haven't heard of it, check out this video:

I mean, what the heck is wrong with the hostage taker? All I know what he was indeed very desperate and hysterical about having his plea of clearing up his name not answered up to now. But still, I hope he had to come up with another way to discuss the problem, the one that does not involve putting innocent lives in danger.

But unfortunately, it's too late now. He was already dead, and his poor brother, Gregorio, was coerced to explain what exactly happened in the court. Even his family members couldn't help but to witness that incident helplessly.

But the worst of all, tourism here in the Philippines would slowly go down the drain... ><

I sure hope such things would never happen again, for the country's reputation would indeed be tarnished with a stain that would be hard to clean.

Ok, that's enough ranting. Now signing off...

EDIT: Put up the name of the hostage taker. Sorry if my memory's not clear... ^^;

About the growth (and demise) of MMORPGS in the PH

2010-08-06T10:54:00.000+08:00

Nowadays, MMORPGS are one of the popular sources of entertainment for Filipinos, as well as one of the most popular business opportunities, with the growth of Internet cafes and game publishers. Online gamers would flock at their favorite gaming spots and spend lots of time grinding and doing quests to fortify their characters, no matter what attack style they would be. More importantly, MMORPGs are also a way to socialize, with chatting and forming parties with friends and fellow players.

The MMORPG phenomenon started with Ragnarok Online, published by Level Up! Games, way back in 2003. Although not many people play the game like it used to be back in the early years, it was still marked as a unforgettable memory and still garnered a strong following, with lots of updates to keep it going.

More importantly, Level Up! Games now has a long list of online games for players to enjoy, including Flyff (formerly under NetGames Inc., which is now disbanded), Grand Chase, Hello Kitty Online, Perfect World, Rohan Online, and even KOS: Secret Operations, its first MMOFPS. It even brings international games to Pinoys, like Neo Steam, Silkroad Online and Deco Online.

From one online game publisher, others decided to step up to the competition, like E-Games. E-Games also managed to attract attention like its predecessor, with RAN Online as its debut MMORPG. And now, it still continues to entice gamers with Cabal Online, Dragonica, Runes of Magic, Nostale, Granado Espada, Audition Dance Battle, OP7, and its newest titles, Superstar (karaoke) and Band Master (instruments). And so there you have it, many more publishers will soon be coming, and still counting.

But if there are more online games coming into the spotlight, there are other online games reaching their end, which led to their ultimate demise. If you ever checked Alcarcalimo's post about the closing of Lineage 2 SEA here, and even the latest news about ZX Online's upcoming shutdown here, you'll get my point. I know it's melancholic, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

So there, now you understand what is like to be a customer in the online gaming market, whether you're a hardcore gamer, casual player, or itching to try something new. I hope this will open your eyes to enjoy the life of an online gamer

Discovering more about Japan's culture

2010-07-26T21:48:00.000+08:00

With so many things to love about Japan, the country has become a popular place for people to flock in. One would just wish he or she would live there to relish the delicacies of Japanese culture.

Speaking of Japanese culture, I just watched the TV show entitled "Culture: Japan", hosted by popular blogger Danny Choo and K-On voice actress Satomi Oda. The show features some of the stuff that make the land of the rising sun very famous. Here are a few of them featured in the episode:

Cosplay: Popular Pinoy cosplayer Alodia Gonsiengfiao was featured there, with a sneak peek about her home which is also a workshop for her cosplay sorties.

Anime Figures: Mr. Choo was granted permission for a tour about Good Smile Company, the guys behind some of the most renowned anime figurines. The show even featured a few of the figure collectors and Amiami rated the top 10 best figurines to look out for.

Anime: DigitalHolywood was included there also, which served as a training ground for all future animators all over the globe.

Student Life: Fujisawa High School was indeed a school of its own kind, which allowed students to create their own time tables to suit their interests.

I sure hope there will be another episode of the show, so that viewers everywhere would savor more about the Japanese pop culture. I hope this will spark your interest... ^^

For more about Danny Choo's blog, you can visit dannychoo.com

Oh, and here's Alodia's website for an added bonus: alodiagosiengfiao.com

Of sibling relationships (in anime)

2010-07-16T21:39:00.000+08:00

One of the plots you would usually see in anime shows is family relationships, particularly towards siblings. Most of them have featured characters that have either brothers or sisters, or even both. The closeness between them are somehow similar in real life, wherein it differs depending on the situation. It's somehow complicated, but let me simplify this: either they became allies or enemies, and, in some cases, they remained close even though they could not reunite due to unfortunate circumstances.

Here are a few examples:

First on the list is Sasuke and Itachi Uchiha from Naruto. I know how you guys feel when you discover that Itachi's the one responsible for the extermination of their clan. The usual reaction would be anger and retribution for the dead, and it goes the same for Sasuke against Itachi.

Another is Makoto and Kyoichi Shido from Idaten Jump. At first, Makoto wondered if the masked rider is really her brother and why she could not see him immediately, but after rediscovering her MTB bike and removing the masked man's helm, it was indeed a miracle that her guess was right, and she understood the reasons as to why Kyoichi had to conceal his face and go on separate ways from her and his friends, especially if it involves Team ST.

Lastly, there goes Tyson and Hiro from Beyblade G-Revolution. Hiro may seem to be a bad guy at first, especially when he defeats Ray and watches Tyson battling against other beybladers, much to the Tyson's chagrin, but at the regional finals, when he reveals his face to Tyson at last, it was indeed a tearful reunion. After all, one must sometimes camouflage to keep an eye on the person he or she loves most.

So there you have it, folks, the application of real - life sibling relationships in anime shows. Whether it's sibling rivalry, discord, or close bonds, what matters the most is that family is one important factor in one's life, and one must be glad to have grown-up with family members.

That's all, folks! Gotta continue my Beybade G-Revolution marathon! ^^

Interest in Beyblade rekindled

2010-07-09T21:25:00.003+08:00

I first discovered Beyblade years ago through watching adventures of Tyson and his crew of beybladers. When you hear the word 'Beyblade', the first thing that would come into your mind would be spinning tops on the field striking against one another until only one top remains spinning with the others being rendered to standstill. What got me hooked on the series was the intense action, the competition to see who will stand the best among all, all while imparting lessons of sportsmanship, friendship and fair play.

And so once again, I was drawn again into the world of spinning tops through the latest Beyblade spin-off, Metal Fight Beyblade. It was first aired last Wednesday through Cartoon Network, and boy, I was once again hooked with the action that was brought by the battle that Tyson and his friends first commenced. Only this time, a new protagonist emerged, by the name of Ginga Hagane, together with his Beyblade, Storm Pegasus.

I really adored Ginga and considered him as my most favorite character there because of his extraordinary skills in beyblading, especially when Storm Pegasus unleashed its most powerful attacks. More importantly, he taught Kenta, the short kid who's also a beyblader, that a beyblade's true strength lies within the heart. No wonder he would sometimes stare at the stars during his usual strolls and considered Pegasus as his comrade (Yep, the bit beasts are based on constellations, different from the previous Beyblade shows wherein the four Chinese mythology beasts were the bit beasts of the main protagonists.)

I'm really getting hooked on it right now! I can't wait to see more of the action! Yeehaw!

That's all for now! Ciao! ^^

Witnessing a lot of endings

2010-07-07T21:51:00.000+08:00

They say that all good things must come to an end, and it does happen all the time. In my case, I have seen some anime shows that I've watched in both Animax and Cartoon Network reaching their final moments. Good thing they turn out to be enjoyable, although not that happy and not that bittersweet.

The first on the list in Tengen Toppa Gurren Langann. The main antagonist was finally defeated and both Simon and Nia were finally married, but sadly, her life was put to an end. On the final scenes after the ending song, the characters had grown and aged, but they had become better persons, especially Simon who passed on some words of wisdom to the kid as they watched the robots fly off into space.

Next is the latest season of Pokemon, Diamond and Pearl. Although Ash and his latest rival were still in each other's throats during the tag team battle, they managed to win the championships and win the prize. I couldn't wait to see what will happen next! ^^

Then there's Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. The main villain finally got the taste of its own medicine by being brought into despair, and Ed and Al were back to their normal selves. Can't tell you how, but it's worth the trouble. The last episode will be shown on Friday.

In Romeo x Juliet (Yes, there's also an anime version of the Shakespeare classic), the tides were turned to the Capulets and Lord Montague finally confessed the truth to Romeo about the tree that held the world in place that was about to wither, that once it is dead, the apocalypse will happen. I would say that the ending will be heart-stopping and shocking.

Well, that's all I could remember. What's important is that whatever the result will be on the grand finale, we must accept it as it is.

That's all! ^^

Depression mode... again

2010-06-27T20:48:00.000+08:00

Something really bad happened to me, and I really don't want to talk about it right now...

Because of that, I don't feel like I'll draw or write stories anymore, for that bad experience really destroyed the imaginative part of me. So there, I'll be back to my normal, uninspired self, and I don't care if I'll suffer from both artist's and writer's block, just to make my mom happy... T_T

I'll be in indefinite hiatus and leave behind the artistic side of me, and I'm sorry if anyone would not be happy about my decision. I hope there will be solace, so that I might be back to being imaginative and artistic...

Sorry about my ranting. Thank you and good night...

Too late for coming back

2010-06-15T12:04:00.003+08:00

I had mentioned in one of my previous posts that I decided to leave my Lineage 2 SEA characters in indefinite hiatus because I couldn't afford to update to the Final Gracia patch due to intense system requirements and that it'll eat up a lot of hard drive disk space. I was hoping that I'll come back once I upgrade my PC or at least buy a new one with compatible specs for the game, and that I may enjoy the adventures in Ether again.

Until I checked out Alcarcalimo's blog and saw this.

It's stated there that i AM Interactive decided to shut down its operation on both L2 and Exteel due to termination of its contract with NCSoft. And since it already happened, I realized that it's already too late for coming back. *Sobs*

I will miss my Paladin, my Silver Ranger, my Soul Breaker, and all my other characters who became part of my journey in Ether. I still had my fanfics about my Paladin with his Doombringer lover, and I was hoping to rekindle my interest in L2 so that I could come up with new stories for my other avatars, but I guess the flame went dead already.

Good thing I still had some screenshots, though. Here are some of them:

My Paladin (back at the Heaven's Oracle days)

My Paladin and her Doombringer lover (main characters in my L2 stories)

My Soul Breaker (also from the HO days)

My Silver Ranger

My Artisan (I just wish she would be a Warsmith)

My Dark Elf Wizard (future Spellhowler)

Well, that's all I could have for my L2 memories. I will always remember those days.

Ciao! ^^

The 39 Clues: A dangerous hunt

2010-06-09T18:37:00.004+08:00

If you ever heard or watched The Amazing Race before, then you've been familiar with the scene: teams competing for clues which serve as keys to reach their destinations, accomplishing various tasks. It serves as a test to see who gets there first, because those who get left behind will be eliminated.

But what if the competing teams are composed of relatives who will do more than just get the clues, obliterating every obstacle that comes in their way, even if it means to strangle their other relatives who aim for the same goal? After all, treachery and distrust are abounding in the competition, and that's what happens in the series entitled The 39 Clues, a series introduced by Scholastic Inc.

The 39 Clues focuses about the Cahill family, the most influential lineage in the world. Yes, you may have heard of famous people like Benjamin Franklin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, George Washington, Edgar Allan Poe, and others, but in The 39 Clues, they all have Cahill blood. The family is split into 5 branches. There are four known branches: Ekaterina (scientists and inventors), Janus (artists, painters, composers, dancers), Lucian (leaders and spies) and Tomas (athletes and explorers). The remaining branch, the Madrigals, were a group of Cahills with unknown intentions as of now, although they are also involved to stop the other branches from getting the Clues.

But the main event commenced when after Grace Cahill died, during her funeral, it was stated in her alternate will that in order to find the secret to the Cahill lineage's ultimate power, one must accept in joining the competition to search for the 39 clues (hence, the title). But in order to do so, one must surrender the check containing $1,000,000. Among the group of people who were selected to hear the will, only seven teams accepted the challenge.

Amy and Dan Cahill were orphans under the care of Grace's sister, Beatrice, who was strict and overprotective. They were considered as the underdogs due to the fact that their competitors looked down on them, thinking that they're just a bunch of rag-tag travelers who won't stand a chance to survive in the dog-eat-dog competition. But still, it was due to their talents and strengths that they managed to overcome obstacles and go in the lead, accompanied by their au pair Nellie Gomez and Grace's Egyptian Mau, Saladin.

There will be 10 books that focus on the their adventures. Each book contains 6 cards that, if one types the code printed on the bottom, will appear on the online card gallery, and unlock the same clue mentioned in the book. Yes, one can also collect cards to unlock combos and get more clues, by buying more books and card packs.

If you want to know more about the series, and to see more of the good stuff, check out this site:

The 39 Clues Official Website

Oh, and in order to do the unlocking stuff, card collecting and all that jazz, you must register for an account there. It's worth trying it out.

So far, I've finished reading Book 1, and started reading Book 2. Gotta buy more books and card packs to unlock more combos and get more clues... ^^

That's all for now... Time to unleash the inner Lucian within me now! *evil laugh*

Monochrome - Blue Sky

2010-06-02T09:11:00.001+08:00

I hate to admit, but I'm starting to like Vocaloid music, because of so songs which were interesting and the voices which were pleasing to my ears. My favorites are Magnet (sung by Megurine Luka and Hatsune Miku) and Dark Alice (also sung by Miku).

And now, I'm talking about my current favorite, Monochrome - Blue Sky, also sung by Miku. The reason why I love this song is because of the fast upbeat tempo and lyrics. Miku's voice does breat in singing the song.

Here's the original music video of the song:

And here's the fan made video, sung and interpreted by Spark Enjel:

By the way, Spark Enjel is an UTAUloid created by none other than Felicia-Val, who also brought Hoshine Stella to life. You can check out more about their songs there:

Hoshine Stella blog

Hope you enjoy the videos and unleash the Vocaloid/UTAU fan within you! ^^

Changes to my blog + My new favorite anime

2010-05-29T10:43:00.001+08:00

Yeah, I know your eyebrows are raised because of the changes I made to my blog. I decided to upgrade my template because I'm somehow bored with my previous template. It really took me a short time to revamp this blog to a new level, but I'm happy with it. Oh, and I changed the title a bit because somehow, my post does include not only about my life and online games, but also about anime as well. So there, the new title is shown on my brand - new blog.

Well, speaking of anime, I'm now a fan of To Aru Kagaku no Railgun (A Certain Scientific Railgun). I first discovered it in my March issue of GAME! magazine, and it's only a few days ago that I decided to give it a try. Indeed, I was impressed with it.

Well, just in case you haven't heard of it, To Aru Kagaku no Railgun is a side story of another anime entitled To Aru Majutsu no Index. It focuses mostly on Makoto Misaka, one of the Level 5 users in Academy City, the place devoted on training its students to fortify their supernatural abilities. Misaka is reputed to be the ace of Tokiwadai High School (one of the prestigious elite schools in Academy City) due to her powerful talent of controlling electricity to her liking, like launching coins at a fast rate and giving those who cross her a excruciating electric shock, which might even cause massive destruction at the surroundings. No wonder Shirai Kuroko, another Tokiwadai student and a member of Judgement (the police department) always shows affection to her, much to her chagrin.

Aside from Misaka and Kuroko, there are other two interesting characters that I like: Kazari Uiharu and Ruiko Saten (both students from Sakugawa Middle School, another school in Academy City). Uiharu is a shy female teenager with a flower wreath on her hair, who is also adept in using computers for research and surveillance for Judgement, while Saten-san, despite having no abilities, is a cheerful female with a happy-go-lucky attitude (although there's also another side of her, which was painful and depressing). Together with Misaka and Kuroko, they form a group of friends who stay strong despite the obstacles coming their way.

But despite the action, comedy and humor made to lighten the mood, there are also sides of horror and depression. One proof would be the ability users who used their gifts for bad means, with a sad story behind the motives. Another would be a scientist who acted as a cerebral psychologist, but in fact, has even more sinister plans. But the more shocking would be illegal means to upgrade supernatural powers, with a heavy price in exchange.

If you're interested, check out the ff. videos (sorry, I won't put the episodes... You have to discover it for yourself):

First Opening Song (Only My Railgun by fripside)

First Ending Song (Dear My Friend by Elisa)

Second Opening Song (Level 5 - Judgelight by fripside):

Second Ending Song (Real Force by Elisa):

All in all, it's indeed worth checking out. Gotta check out To Aru Majutsu no Index once I'm done watching all 24 episodes of Railgun... ^^

That's all for now... Ciao! ^^

Digsby: communication in one small package

2010-05-23T08:12:00.005+08:00

Months ago, back at Pasig, I wanted to chat with my friends using Windows Live Messenger. The last time I used it, there was a message that said that I must upgrade to the latest version in order to continue, for if I clicked no, I could not use it. So there, I upgraded it, but an error messaged popped out saying that there's a problem connecting with the server. Worse, I couldn't even uninstall that damn thing. I tried downloading the latest version from the website, but still the same result. It meant one thing: the system requirements are much more demanding now, more modern than the previous. Because of that, I held off chatting for months.

Thankfully, a solution came to me yesterday while I was busy using Facebook (yes, I have an account there). My friend Rara-chan had posted in my news feed about her using Digsby, an all - in - one social application which allows checking e-mails from multiple e-mail accounts, chatting with friends from various IM applications, such as Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger, and even looking for updates in various social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. See, it's indeed an all-in-one package, allowing anyone to do all of these things in just one application. ^^

It was indeed a good discovery for me, so I decided to download the application and register. I placed all my e-mail accounts (in MSN & GMail), my IM accounts (in MSN & YM), and even my Facebook account there.

So there, I managed to chat with my friends from both IM accounts, and even to check mails from both MSN & Gmail, and even from my news feed in Facebook as well without having to go to the sites just to see what's there. It was indeed worth checking out.

You can check the features in this video:

You can download Digsby through this link: Download

Oh, and don't forget to register, for it's necessary before you can enjoy the benefits. ^^

That's all for now. Jaa - ne! :D

Something to cheer me up for the meantime

2010-05-11T17:45:00.004+08:00

Right now, I'm currently in the severe state of depression right now because of my mistakes that made my mom so mad at me that she would hit the roof. Because of that, I held off playing CelestiaLuna because I'm not in the mood to level up my characters there right now... :(

So I decided to start watching Bakugan: New Vestroia through the Internet. I'm starting to like the plot: Peace at new Vestroia at the start, but then alien ships came over and captured all monsters there, enslaving them and treating them like helpless animals just for entertainment. That's where Dan and Marucho come in, meet Mira (leader of the Resistance), together with Ace and Baron, reunite with Shun (who had his hair cut short), and help them free the Bakugan from the Vestials' slavery. Believe me, obstacles also came in the way, including the Vexos (team of the Vestials' best Brawlers), and even the prince who was acting like a spoiled brat (having a collection of the first season's main protagonists' Bakugan turned into statues, excluding Drago, is one proof).

So far, I had just finished watching episodes 1-16. Too bad I couldn't watch episode 4 due to copyright protection... T_T

So, enough ranting for now... Gotta continue watching the rest of the series now. Jaa - ne! ^^

Confused on my next character

2010-04-30T07:58:00.003+08:00

Right now, I'm deciding on what my next character in CelestiaLuna should be. I may have my soon - to - be Paladin, Assassin and Treasure Hunter already, but I'm itching to try out another job now... ><

I'm still deciding whether I should go for Rune Knight (because of party buffs), or Bishop (because of healing, buffing, and even the most destructive AOE offensive skills), or maybe even something else. The problem is, the guides through the Internet are somewhat scarce, and they are not that accurate, for I'm still confused whether I should follow them or not... -.-

Please, I need help! Post comments if you have suggestions, but no flaming please! T_T

Almost there...

2010-04-29T07:57:00.004+08:00

Yeah, it's been a very long time since the news that CelestiaLuna was offline for some days. It's online now, but the drawback was that players had to register a new account and create new characters. I did the same as them, and there, I had to start from scratch all over again.

Well, that was a very long time ago. Now, my main character, my female Phalanx (yep, I chose my characters to go to the same class as it had been before the wipeout), is almost reaching the point where she can become a Paladin (two levels to go... ^^).

Then, there's my Assassin, which I found it good to use, because of dagger attacks which would put illness to enemies (bleed, paralysis, etc.). Her defense is weak, though... T_T

As for my ranger character, I originally planned to become a Ranger, but I decided to make her a Treasure Hunter because of the AOE skills (Hunter Blast & Hunter Smoke FTW!), as well as Extortion (buff which would increase item drop, but with long cooldown).

My concern right now is hunting for Rune Carving stuff in order to craft lvl 100+ items, crafting lvl 95 light armor sets for both my TH & Assassin, and even hunting lvl 90+ weapons with good stats (I would craft these again if the drops are not good -.-)

Anyways, that's enough ranting... Gotta eat breakfast now. Yum yum... *burp*

It's been a long time, eh?

2010-04-12T06:55:00.004+08:00

So I've gone through long another hiatus... AGAIN! I had no time to update this blog due to so many thing to take care of, like real - life situations (I just graduated from high school, by the way). It was indeed very frustrating for me... ><

So in order to make up for this very loooooooong standstill, I'll rant about what I've gone through so far:

I couldn't play the PH version of Luna Online because it's somehow not compatible with my PC, so my older sis and I decided to play the private server, CelestiaLuna (Too bad it's offline right now). My main character is a female Elf Phalanx (tank - type), currently at lvl 100. I'm currently focusing on both my elven Treasure Hunter and human Thief (my soon - to - be Assassin). Let me tell you, it's indeed VERY expensive to craft (especially if you're aiming for lvl 90+ sets). We had to stick to voting in order to get GPs necessary to buy stuff from Item Mall (can't have Premium Points through donating because it's also expensive... ><).

As for Lineage 2, I'll be definitely leaving my avatars there in an indefinite hiatus (I couldn't afford to play the Final Gracia patch because it requires intense graphics, and it will consume a lot of hard drive disk space). I don't know if I'll come back there... :(

About Rohan? Well... I'm fed up with playing it due to lag, because my character is killed due to it.

I came back playing Cabal only recently, because I couldn't stand being disconnected everytime I play it in my PC back in Pasig, so I played it before in Netopia in Bacolod. My Force Shielder is now lvl 96. Been through lots of patches, and I still found it weird for normal Battlesuits (before the Reinforced one) to look like dresses... ^^

Right now, I've been thinking of trying out Runes of Magic (published by E-Games). Too bad I couldn't go to the Domination IV event (and even the upcoming Ozine Fest), because I'm currently in Negros right now... :(

Anyway, just finished the latest version of DirectX so that I could play my favorite online games smoothly. Currently installing the latest client of Cabal right now.

That's all for now... Ta - ta... ^^

Planning to try out a new online game + Cabal’s newest patch

2009-10-06T18:53:00.001+08:00

Sorry folks, for not updating my blog for a very, very, very, very long time. It’s just that I have so many things to do right now, especially when I was one of the people who had finally recovered from the wrath of the typhoons that struck the Philippines several days ago.

But anyway, to make up for this long hiatus, I will tell you something about the new online game I’m planning to try out. It’s known as Luna Online, published locally by Run Up Games Philippines (it actually has many branches, and Philippines is just one of them) and developed by EYA Interactive. Just like any other MMORPG, it has so many interesting features there, like the ff.:

Amazingly cute graphics – Yeah, almost all MMORPGs have visually – stunning graphics, and Luna is no exception. The avatars indeed look so cute and chibi – like that one can’t help but to go “awww” by just looking at them, especially when they’re dressed to impressed.

Dating & matchmaking system – Luna shows a unique way of choosing who will be your potential mate by having hearts dance around any nearby avatar who is a potential match for your avatar. That way, you’ll make sure that you’ll be paired up only with someone who has the same preferences as you do. And that’s not all, you and your partner can undergo specific quests designed for couples, and get various rewards once you complete them.

Family system – five players can form a family, composed of a father, mother & 3 other members. Having a family will allow you to own a farm (just like in Hello Kitty Online & Nostale), which will allow your family to breed pets, grow various crops and even to cooperate with each other. That way, you can not only mingle with others but also attain high status in – game (and to earn more money as well.)

Talking monsters – Yeah, you heard that right. Monsters do talk, even when you’re busy killing them.

Specialized job classes & races – There are two races available in Luna Online: Humans & Elves, and three classes: Fighter, Rogue & Mage. Each character class has specific roles to perform, depending on the race he or she is in.

If you would ask me what race & class I’ll be by the time I first step into the game, I’ll create a Fighter, either as a Human or Elf, while my older sister would try becoming an Elven Mage. I really can’t wait to try this game out… ^^

Oh, and there’s a new patch for all Cabal Online players out there. Entitled Sienna, the Queen, this latest patch adds a lot of things to look out for, like the new dungeons (Altar of Sienna B2F is one of them), the Essence Runes (allows you to use skills at the cost of Ability Points & even Force Cores), the Linking System, and lots more. Check out this website for more info:

http://www.cabalonline.com/queen/index.html

That’s all for now… Ta – ta… ^^

About Parenting

2009-07-25T19:14:00.001+08:00

After a couple gets married in a church or someplace else, parenting is usually the next step. We all know that with bearing children comes the responsibility of taking care of them, to make sure that they grow up with proper behavior and disposition in life. Of course, it would be a privilege for a parent to see that his or her children have a greater future someday, and that they would soon help in taking care of the family’s necessities once they become adults and have jobs.

That is what I’ve experienced during the course of my project in Economics class, wherein I have an “egg baby”, a baby made out of uncooked egg, and make sure I take meticulous care of it. It was indeed very important, because once it gets cracked, my project score would be affected greatly. My egg baby was a daughter, named Joanna Alexandria Darkwind, and she was indeed so cute, for her face was like Pucca. I managed to take care of her for 4 days. But unfortunately, yesterday, the worst had happened – she was already cracked, and I couldn’t help but to cry my heart out. I knew how painful it was for a mother to lose a child, and I couldn’t believe that I’ve experienced it. But still, I have to look towards the light, for some of my classmates had pictures of her when she was still alive, and I just have to replace her just for the sake of taking my own pictures with her. Of course, I couldn’t bring her on Monday, for I knew she’s already dead.

The lesson I’ve learned from that experience is this: Parenting is a difficult but rewarding obligation. I could still remember about Alcarcalimo’s role as a father to his children, especially towards his youngest daughter. My sweet time with my daughter Joanna until her death was indeed a worthwhile moment, for I now understood what was like to be a parent.

That’s all for now… Ta – ta! ^^

Looking at two sides of a coin…

2009-07-10T19:47:00.000+08:00

By the year 2010, we will be experiencing again one of the most important events happening in every country, especially here in the Philippines: election. Election is when a citizen chooses who will be leading the country to the right path. But before the main event, there will be intense competition going on between political parties, with promises, debates and other issues that will be addressed once the members win and are elected as part of the government.

That is the highlight of the play entitled “Magkaibang Mukha ng Isang Bagol” (Two Sides of a Coin). Written by Filipino playwright Amado V. Hernandez in 1960, its main focus are the two opposing parties, “Partido ng Bayan” and “Partido ng Bansa”, led by Pantog and Bantog respectably. Pantog’s main goal is to crush the graft and corruption of the government, while Bantog’s mission to lead the country towards peace and order by the government’s just ways. After the support program and a heated jousting debate going on between two parties, the election ensues and only the result will decide who shall stay and who shall fall.

The play was presented in my school yesterday, and I can say that it was indeed both entertaining and relevant at the same time. The mood there was serious and intense, especially during the climax wherein the aggressive debate culminated in a series of violent squabbles that alarmed the police, and even when the result of voting at the Election Day ended as a draw. I’m indeed impressed on how the play was presented by our group of actors and actresses known as “Dulaang 108”; the way they speak, the actions they perform, and even the sounds and effects used indeed blend together, making the end result worth the hard work. There was also a discussion about the inspiration behind the play, and it turned out that there was that same heated competition, between Carlos Garcia of Liberal Party and Diosdado Macapagal of Nacionalista Party, on the year the play was written.

“Magkaibang Mukang ng Isang Bagol” has indeed shed light on both political and voting issues. The main lesson is this: We must make a wise choice on voting and we must not always base our decisions with just a simple coin toss. Please take my word on this… ^^

Influenza A H1N1 ruins school life, period!!

2009-06-26T19:10:00.000+08:00

It’s been weeks since we first heard of the Influenza A H1N1 outbreak in Mexico, and now, even the Philippines became one of the countries affected by the virus, with over 700 cases being tallied by the Department of Health. Despite having most of them healed, and with new vaccine discovered and soon to be tested, the illness was still considered a hazardous threat to us Filipinos.

Believe me if I say that it ruins our lifestyle, especially when it comes to school. Some of our prestigious colleges & universities have their classes suspended for a maximum of 10 days due to confirmed cases of students being affected by the disease, especially those who were foreigners & even Filipinos who went to other countries for their summer vacation. It was a sad thing to say that the number of schools having suspended classes increased as time passes by.

Due to this quirky phenomenon, certain safety measures were sternly observed, like washing of hands using soap & water, using rubbing alcohol to clean our hands before & after our routine, sick students, teachers & employees wearing face masks & even the stationing of quarantine rooms for those found to be sick with flu. Even school clinics were providing flu vaccine for protection, but the price was so expensive that it may lead people to break their piggy banks just for the sake of being immune to the disease. Even schools have to give way to thorough cleaning, fuming & disinfecting, which was certainly another reason why classes have to be suspended.

So now here I go, as a student, going to endure 3 days of no classes, starting tomorrow until Monday, since my school will undergo thorough disinfection stage in order to be protected against swine flu. Because of this, the National Career Assessment Examination review session, which was supposed to start tomorrow, was postponed to next Saturday. Even I was pissed when DepEd announced that there will be no semestral break and that Christmas vacation will be cut short, just for the sake of completing the required school days. Grrrr!!!! I hate it when my school will be affected by these new guidelines, too.

I therefore conclude that all these happened because of that freaking swine flu outbreak. What a sad, tragic chapter that will be included in the pages of every student’s life, including mine… T_T

Back to both Ether & Nevareth once again

2009-06-17T20:31:00.001+08:00

Since I was able to buy iCoins again for my Lineage 2 load last Thursaday, I was able to dust off my characters in Aria after being in hiatus for more than 2 months. By the time I checked what happened to my clan, HeavensOracle, I noticed that the clan had undergone several changes, like Massacres a.k.a. DeMucci being the new clan leader, as well as some members leaving the clan and being replaced by new ones. Good thing I was able to ask him to recruit my Silver Ranger back into the clan, although she’s currently listed now in the 1st order, OrderofHell, unlike my Soul Breaker which was included in the 2nd order, OrderofHeaven.

As for my Paladin, which I haven’t leveled – up for months due to lack of time & potions, my prince had asked me to leave HO so that I could transfer to his current clan, ShadowAngels. But unfortunately, I have to wait for at least a day so that I will be able to join SA, and I’m really disappointed that he decided to sell off his promised gifts for me: the CI Nightmare Heavy Armor Set as well as the CI Dark Legion’s Edge, just because he thought I’m going to quit! How stupid of me! I just wished I could use L2 during vacation, but the PCs there in my parents’ place suck… T_T

About my Force Shielder in Cabal, I couldn’t level it up right now since I only have 1 hour to use the Internet (and I knew my Wizard friend would become so happily air headed to kick my butt with his spells again!), so I decided to use my Force Blader in the meantime. But don’t worry, I’ll still be able to use my FS if I have spare time, since I wanted my friends there to add my FB to their friends list so that I could PM them even though I’m using a different character. I still not in the mood to use my Force Archer since I found out that FAs are like Wizards, for they have low HP like them… :(

Indeed, being strictly controlled by my relatives really sucks, but I have no choice but to follow them, or else I’m dead! Waaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!! T_T

Back to my old life sigh…

2009-06-07T19:02:00.000+08:00

So here I am now, back to my place in Pasig City. I need to prepare myself for my upcoming 4th year high school life, since classes will start on June 8. Oh well, this means I’ll suffer again the difficulties of a high school student, like lots of assignments, seatworks, and the like; strict teachers who comment every now and then about our attitude; intensive reviewing during quizzes, long tests & periodical exams; etc.

And since I need to focus on my priorities, I’ll be having limited time playing online games again. Because of that, I don’t know if I’ll be able to enjoy the good old days of my Nevareth journeys in Cabal again, or going back to my Etherian adventures in Lineage 2 (I stopped playing there during my summer vacation since the PCs there were not fit for that… >_<) and meet my beloved Kamael prince once more, or having to dust off my characters in Rohan. But anyway, I’ll try to make most of my short time.

And since I have one more year to go before I’ll graduate from high school, more challenges await me as preparation for college life, including NCAE, applying for universities, entrance exams, etc.

I still don’t know if I’ll be able to go over these things, but I hope I’ll overcome them. So wish me luck… Jaa – ne! ^^

Going back to Manila in a few days...

2009-05-31T06:11:00.002+08:00

I'll be traveling back to Manila togther with my older sis this coming Tuesday, since school starts for me on June 8. Throughout my vacation, a lot of things have happened, especially when I enjoyed playing Cabal. And believe me, my Force Shielder, Crestfallen, had been evolved lately, from being a lowly, inexperienced soldier, now she's a battle - scared templar who knows how to defend herself and others if necessary.

After 2 months of questing, grinding & leveling - up, Crestfallen was now at lvl 70+, currently wearing the Shadow Titanium Armorset for FS and wielding a Shadow Titanium Blade, as well as an Aqua Crystal for her Astral Shield. A friend of mine in - game suggested that I should reach lvl 75 so that we'll both have fun leveling & grinding in Ruina Station, but I'm afraid that I will not make it, although I will try to reach that level.

Since I'll focus on my priorities, I might not able to play Cabal again as always, so I'll let my friend pilot my FS in the meantime. If I have spare time after my schoolwork, I might log in and play.

Well, that's all for now. Jaa - ne! ^^

"Fail to download server information..." blah blah blah...

2009-05-17T20:08:00.003+08:00

I'm currently afraid that the plans that I supposed to accomplish would instead go into a standstill because the Cabal launcher in one of the PCs I've used had suffered the so-called "Fail to download server information. Please restart launcher." error. This is the second day that I held off playing the game because of it. A while ago, I visited the E-Games forum and browsed for for a solution, but unfortunately, it didn't work as expected.

My Force Shielder is currently at lvl 62 now, and I need 3 more levels so that I could gain access to Fort Ruina. I'm also planning to buy a Shadow Titanium Armorset for my FS, as well as a ST blade & Aqua Crystal for her Astral Shield. I also need 7 more levels in order to equip the Epaulette of Fighter +5, as well as to save alz in order to buy the A. Expert skill Storm Crush, one of the best skills for a FS.

I hope I'll accomplish them ASAP, at least before I go back to Manila in a few weeks' time. Wish me luck... ^^

Same old lag, brand-new problem

2009-05-15T16:56:00.002+08:00

Recently, I have another enigma that started to plague my Cabal playing sessions. It was that same old glitch which is always one of the most common problems to online gamers like me. That was none other than one word: LAG!

If there's an occurrence of lag, it would usually be described as something that was supposed to happen immediately after a movement was done, like showing damage after attacking or throwing skills to monsters, but instead appeared too late. If you would ask me, I would say that it was not a good sign, for side effects of lagging may occur, like your character's death once the effects were executed after either a short or long period of standstill.

Throughout my life as an online gamer, there's only one thing I could say about lag: it would dampen the flame of determination of a gamer whose usually aim is to make sure his/her toon reaches a high level, perhaps until it's finally extinguished. I already quit playing RAN online PH due to that stupid lag, especially when my DEX Mystic Peak campus archer had died a lot of times while leveling. And also, the worst thing was that my FS in Cabal was inside the middle of the quest dungeon when it happened! Way to go, laggers... show some love by ruining the gamer's experience... puft!!!!

That's enough ranting for now, and don't blame me if anything similar to that happened to you! GRRRRR!!!! *head full of steam*

GlobeLines connection glitch = getting pissed off

2009-05-09T07:54:00.002+08:00

Up to now, I’m still frustrated due to the recent GlobeLines broadband connection glitch in both Visayas & Mindanao areas. The problem was that there was connection, but after a short while, it got cut off. Even the connection itself became so slow. Right now, we’re suffering from temporary connection loss. Grrrr… I hate it when it happens… >_<

Due to that strange phenomenon, I couldn’t concentrate on leveling my Cabal Force Shielder, for while I’m currently hunting Perytons in Port Lux for Hidden Helper messages, the servers got lagged after a short while and I got disconnected. Even my younger bro was pissed off by it, especially while his Force Archer was in quest mode, and even when he’s grinding her skills while gradually killing the Dire Boar King, since there was an event going on in the game wherein the aforementioned Dire Boar King & Crag Turtle King will be spawned randomly in different areas.

I know I shouldn’t lose hope, but I’m afraid that if this problem still ensues, I would no longer have fun, especially when one of my guildmates, a male Wizard, would always beat me whenever we’re dueling. I even held off joining the Nation Wars due to it.

But anyway, I have plans that I must accomplish ASAP, like buying Epaulette of Fighter, either +4 or +5, for my FS so that her sword skills would get more damage, and even learning both Shield Harden and Blade of Judgment once her skill rank reaches dual A. Expert. I would even buy an Epaulette of Guardian +6 as well, since the leader of my current guild would soon celebrate his birthday this coming May 11.

That’s enough complaining for now… I’ll tell you more once everything’s ok… ^^

EDIT: The internet connection’s ok now… ^^

My first Cabal Nation War: Not a good start

2009-05-04T07:02:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, my Force Shielder in Cabal, Crestfallen, had undergone a series of quests in order to choose a nation to fight with. The gut-wrenching part for me was the "Sacrifice" quest, especially when Yuan had announced that Naain had died, risking her life in order to protect and deliver important documents. Even Arionell had felt the pain, for she fainted after my FS gave her the second Apocalypse card, and Aike clenched his teeth as he promised himself to grow stronger before my FS was tasked to report the grievious news to Captain Mark. Perhaps that might explain the strange phenomenon that my FS wasn't able to retrieve the memorial core of the last knight after reaching the dungeon tombstone in the earlier quests.

So much for solitude. Anyway, after that, my FS went to the Officer in Port Lux so that I would choose a nation. After going through a short lecture about the two nations and the start of the upcoming war, I chose Procyon, for my guildmates were there as well.

In order to experience what's like in a Nation War, I joined the 10 P.M. war after stocking up on potions for survival. By the time I arrived at the Lobby for level 52 - 60, there were less Procyon members attending, and the opposing nation, Capella, had more members. Uh-oh, I guess we have to be more careful, especially if we're going all against one...

...and that was considered a stupid plan, for by the time we arrived at the battleground and charged in to attack one of them, Capella was already pounding at us all into pulps, and unfortunately, my FS was one of the unfortunate victims, for even with buffs and in Shield Master mode, I was still no match for them.

To add insult to injury, can you ever imagine that it would end in just a few minutes after all your nation cohorts got respawn back to the lobby? After my FS died, she received only 10 WExp, but unfortunately, second chances didn't exist there, for once a character bites the dust, it's just that. And with all the Procyon members wiped out, that only means one thing, and only one thing: Procyon has lost the Nation war. Way to go, Capella, give yourselves a pat in the back for kicking our asses. >.<

Oh well, I guess I needed to level up more so that I'll get the buff Shield Harden for my FS... -.-

Expriencing the healing touch

2009-04-30T15:01:00.004+08:00

Yesterday, I went to a healing conference together with my mom and older sister in Silay City. Since it was scheduled to start at around 9:30 a.m., we had to wake up early at around 4:00 a.m. and get ready for the long trip, since it would take around 2 hours via bus from Escalante. By the time we reach Silay, we stopped at the El Real bakeshop to eat some snacks, then my mom entrusted someone owning a cellphone load business to carry her luggage and keep it in her store for the time being, to avoid hassle.

By the time we reach the venue, there was not much people except those who were crippled with various diseases, especially those in wheelchairs and those who were either born or just afflicted deaf - mute. As a start, we first had some form of energizer in form of dances, then, after a 15 - min. break, the morning mass. I was really confused about what the priest had said, so I tried my best to translate his words into either English or Filipino, but with not much results.

But there's one problem: me and my sis waited a very long time for our food during our lunch break, for it seemed that we're the only ones who haven't eaten anything. My mom arrived with the food together with her friend, before a short play started. As we ate, we watched the play. I noticed how gut-wrenching it was, for the main character suffered the cruelties of the world, and only God could give her solace. Good thing the play didn't ruin my appetite.

After another energizer, we finally listened to the words of Fr. Bob Canton, the guest speaker. He inspired us with words of wisdom, that we must forgive, humble ourselves, and confess. However, the main event was during his healing sessions. It was indeed a miracle to behold. Can you imagine that those who were crippled in wheelchairs being able to walk, or even deaf-mute people being able to hear and speak, with just powerful words and a healing touch? Even I experienced that, too, for when I felt his healing power, I suddenly fainted for a few seconds, but in the end, I was able to stand straight.

Now that I've experienced such miracle, I now believe that I must not lose hope, for miracles only happen once we have faith in God, and that the lesson I've learned from this experience... ^^

Me as part of Artician communtity

2009-04-22T18:51:00.004+08:00

I just registered to Artician a while ago after I received an invitation via my Hotmal e-mail address. By the time I started filing up my basic info for my profile there, I was surprised that I even have an option to import my Deviantart submissions there (I've been in hiatus there for months now, so screw me). Once I'm done importing the files, I changed the skin to my liking, and even submitted two of my current Lineage 2 fan fictions and even my collage there as a start. I even imported my blog entries here via the RSS as well

You may now view my Artician profile via the link below:

http://tinskyhunter.artician.com

I hope I get my creative juices flowing so that I'll submit more stuff there. Meet you there soon... ^^

My Cabal gaming experience, currently got screwed up

2009-04-20T13:13:00.004+08:00

I held off playing Cabal Online for a few days now because the PC I've used for playing it got haywired. I tried a few attempts to somewhat restore it to its original condition, like letting it rest for a while, but they all came out with a failure. And worse, when I tried to log in and use my Force Shielder in another PC, I got disconnected from the server, and the same result happened after a few attempts to log back in. Adding insult to injury was duing the time the GameGuard didn't run and that I got errors for that. Already pissed off, I decided to uninstall the game yesterday, and right now, I'm curently having efforts of downloading the latest client from the website. I first tried the full patch, but it stopped downloading after a few hours, and when I tried to open it, I got an error due to incomplete files, so I had to do the hard way, downloading the client part by part.

Before all that, my FS was currently at level 45, and thanks to one of my in-game friends there, I got a Epaulette of Guardian +3, which increases HP & defense. By the time my FS equipped that, it looked like a cape. But sadly, my possession of that item was only temporary, so I need to return that to him by the time his Wizard reaches level 43 so that he'll trade it for a Epaulette of Sage +3. I guess that after that, I had to buy it with alz. I just need to wait fo the right time since my FS would soon be able to equip the Bluestin Armorset, which was kept in my inventory for a very long time now.

But until then, I had to focus on my female swordie in the private server of RAN online, or even pilot my older siser's shaman so that I'll get more gold. *sigh*

Epic failures... WTH?!?

2009-04-08T18:52:00.007+08:00

I just stumbled upon something interesting, and funny as well. I visted the FailBlog website, and believe me, I really began to ROFL, due to some pictures and videos that showed various types of epic failures/mistakes that are not supposed to be done. Of course, it would be ridiculous if these would happen in real life or if done repeatedly, wouldn't they?

But if you were tired of seeing the pictures and decided to focus mostly on the videos, you can visit the YouTube channel bellow:

FailBlog YouTube channel

Anyway, that's all for now... ^^

EDIT: Changed the link because the previous link was already deleted. Even the videos were no longer viewable. Apologies for the inconvenience. ^^

Ahh... Finally at my parents' place

2009-04-03T15:43:00.003+08:00

So here I am now, in my parents' place in Escalante City, Negros Occidental. Actually, it was a store wherein people can buy load and cellphone accessories, our family business. Our house was at the back, where my family sleeps after a whole day of work and other stuff.

Ok, let me tell you what I'm going to do for the whole summer vacation: I'll be focusing mostly on my Nevarethian adventures in Cabal, with both my FS, Crestfallen (she just had her Battle Aura a while ago, wehee!), and FA, Westphallia. If I have time, I'll create a Force Blader as well. And also, I have finished watching the 1st episode of Special A. I might watch the other episodes anytime soon.

But don't worry, I'll check if I might play other games mentioned in my previous entry, since the PCs used are somewhat faulty (and my father's picky when it comes to HD space, trust me). I have also tried a private server in one of my former favorites, RAN Online. What pisses me was when my female swordie got killed by PKers (both channels are PK mode, believe me).

About what I mentioned if I'll have unlimited Internet time, my aunt still has tight - ass rules at using it, meaning my time was still limited. I'll have 6 hours per day for the whole vacation. Looks like I must make the most out of it.

Well, enough ranting for now... Must continue my Cabal adventures. Later days! ^^

My various plans this coming trip to Negros Occidental

2009-03-30T19:25:00.003+08:00

If you ever read a previous entry in my blog, you may notice that I was supposed to depart to my parents’ place in Negros Occidental last Saturday, March 28. But the truth is I was scheduled to go there this coming Wednesday, April 1, at around 8 A.M. Tomorrow, I’ll be packing my stuff and get them in check to make sure I would not miss something important during my stay there for at least 2 months. It was a bad thing for me, though, for I would wish to go to either the Ozine Fest ’09 in SM Megamall or E-Games Domination III at SM Mall of Asia, both scheduled this coming week, to get the latest installer for either Lineage 2 or Cabal Online. Unfortunately, that chance was already lost, and I had to wait for another year. *sigh*

But anyway, I have various plans for the online games that I’ve enjoyed. Whether I would have the chance to accomplish them or not would depend if the PCs in my parents’ place would be prepared for them. The plans are the ff.:

Lineage 2 – I’m still waiting for my prince to give me his promised gift for my Paladin. If all else fails, I would still continue on leveling up my alternate toons.

Cabal Online – I’ll continue to complete more quests and level up both my Force Shielder and Force Archer. Perhaps I would even join a guild and create a Force Blader as well.

Fiesta Online – Been in hiatus for a few months already. Might come back and dust off both my Clever Fighter and Archer.

Rohan Online – Will continue to level up and complete quests for my Human Knight, as well as to try out my Assassin. Might also create a half – elven Archer as well.

Aside from these, since I might have unlimited time in using the Internet, I’m also planning to watch the anime show entitled Special A. I just saw the Japanese comic version of it, and believe me, it’s really funny.

Speaking of anime, I’ll also watch Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood in Animax (thank God for cable TV), since it’ll be airing in the same time. I wish I would also watch Tears to Tiara (the anime version of the RPG game), but unfortunately, it’ll be aired early in the morning in my time zone.

Of course, I can’t just stay at home for my whole summer vacation. Just like any person, I would also like to swim if there is any chance to go to the beach or resort. I also need to be prepared for entrance exams if necessary, because up to now, I’m still deciding as to what school / university would be good for me to pursue my college education once I graduate from high school, since I’ll be in fourth year this coming June.

That’s all for now… :)

Rohan: My first encounter

2009-03-26T20:02:00.001+08:00

I first heard of Rohan Online through a picture in my Dec. – Jan. issue of GAME! By the time I got my hands on the February issue, I was shocked to discover that this online game was featured as the cover story, so I skimmed through the pages until I discovered the basic walkthrough of the game. And so, finally, when I got this month’s issue, as what my friend Alcarcalimo had said to me beforehand, I received the DVD installer as one of the freebies (aside from the ZX Online CD installer, mind you). That was when I became excited to try it out.

I finally became intrepid enough to be one of the open beta testers of the game. But before I could enjoy what’s in the game, I had difficulty installing it. Not to mention read errors and incomplete installations by the time it stopped. I had to delete and reinstall several times before I finally succeeded in getting everything ready for patching. While I was waiting, I was somewhat confused on registering for the Rohan account, but thankfully, I managed to create one without going through the same process as the one I had before going to try out Perfect World. Believe me, patching and optimizing data may take a long time depending on one’s internet connection, not to mention having been warned about having one’s PC shut down once the patching was done, just before going through the optimization process.

Once everything’s ready, I logged into the game using my registered account for Rohan. I chose to go to Silva server since Alcar was there, with his Elven priest (but he used his Dhan during the Closed Beta testing). During the character creation process, I decided to create a female Human knight, and named her Crestfallen, just like my FS in Cabal & Fighter in Fiesta. With my newly – created toon, I’m all set to start.

My human first landed on the Tutorial Zone, in an area known as the Hall of Revelation. That was where I learned the ropes of the game, including how to attack, talk to NPCs, sell items, refine or upgrade equipment, etc. Yeah, it was really quite confusing at first, and even nervous, especially about forging and level / stat refining, but thanks to the quests given, I eventually got used to them. My most favorite so far was about the Monster Kill System or M. Kill for short, which gives bonus EXP every time I kill 20 mobs. Great, wasn’t it?

From rohan pics

Even the skills were quite good in effects. I eventually got curious on how each skill would look like, so I decided to learn first the first 4 skills, which were all about status ailments, and then I decided to try my first attack skill. According to the walkthrough in GAME!, not all skills would be needed. It would actually depend on what would be the build for the character. Since I wanted the usual VIT – STR build for my knight, I would concentrate on skills that would compliment the over – all capacity of the build.

So far, I’m having a great time in Rohan. I have to very cautious though, especially when it comes to blood – thirsty PKers who would do nothing but to ruin the player’s experience through PK, especially to poor newbies. By the way, if you want to know where my toon is right now, she’s currently in Einhoren, from the Human region of Del Lagos.

More Rohan adventures to come soon… Ta – ta for now! ^^

Recognition day & summer vacation: Mission accomplished!

2009-03-21T19:18:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, in the afternoon, we honor students from first to third year were the stars during my school’s recognition day. It was my first time to experience such occasion in the afternoon, although somewhat uncommon in some schools. For the entrance, we had our animation based on the Bible scripture found on 1 Corinthians 13: 4 – 10. For the opening remarks, after the opening prayer and the singing of the Anthem, our school president gave us a wise and inspiring message about how to use our talents for the service of others, meaning we have to share our knowledge to others if necessary.

The guest speaker was an alumnus of our school, who was currently in De La Salle University and was now in service together with the La Salle brothers. His speech was indeed amazing, telling us how he became satisfied with helping others, although he was really intelligent.

Just before the awarding ceremony, there was first recognition of those who won in various competitions outside the school, including those in the varsity as well as the pep squad. And then, there went the outstanding club members, the best in deportment, and finally, those who received the subject proficiency awards.

And so, after all these, the moment we’ve all been waiting for had finally arrived, and that was to receive medals as fruits of our labor. As I marched in front of the stage and receive my medal for being an honor student, I knew all my hard work had finally paid off, and that I survived the whole school year with flying colors. As gratitude for the sacrifice made by our parents to pursue our education, we made a special tribute to them, which included both singing and dancing.

Now that school was finally over, that would mean one thing: SUMMER VACATION!!! Wohooo!!!! I can’t wait to see my parents again in Negros Occidental!

More to talk next time folks!! ^^