Rohan: My first encounter

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! ^^

An interesting read + current L2 updates

While I was browsing through the L2 forums a few days ago, I've found an intersting story to read. It's all about the anxiety of being in love in someone, only to discover that he / she is left alone in the end. By the way, this was written by clone03 in the forums:

Why I Don't Speak To You??

Why don’t I speak to you? It’s clear to see that you’re making every palatable effort just to talk to me. You’re apparently trying to act friendly to somebody who tries so hard to keep you invisible. What does it feel like to talk to a brick wall? Well, try to master the feeling and get used to it; you’ll be encountering that same feeling a lot more every time you try to talk to me.

I’ve been chasing you for five months. That’s right, five grueling months. I trusted you with anything and everything. It’s been weeks since I’ve been having this fever. I cannot eat properly and my eyes are sore for crying myself to sleep every night. I can’t believe you did this to me. You, of all people. You, who’ve said that you’re deathly afraid of losing me and hurting me. You who’ve stated that you’re thankful for having someone like me. You who’ve said that you’ll never go far away from me; even the skies would tell me that you need me so. You…

To tell you the truth, I’ve already forgiven you… Yeah, it may sound weird, but that’s true! Well, I did love you once upon a time, and every time you’ve hurt me, I’ve cried it out at night and smiled it out in the morning. Prayers for you always came first before my prayers for my true friends, my family, and yes, even myself. But then again, I cannot but ignore you.

I’m a man who, in the youngest of ages, have seen and felt things that even a grown man shouldn’t see in a lifetime. I know how it feels like when the Angel of Death stares at me face to face. I’ve downed every problem I had so far. Death no longer scares me. Darkness no longer haunts me. The unknown makes me laugh. I have no fear, or at least, it used to be that way. Now I have only one fear… YOU!

I’m afraid of YOU! You hurt me so bad that I can still feel my heart race like a supersonic jet every time I hear your name or see you walk by. I’m afraid that you’d hurt me again. I’m afraid that, when we start speaking to each other again, you’d lie to me again. It would have been fine if you would lie and never let me discover the truth. However, I, a human lie-detector, would eventually figure it out, and it hurts me so.

So now, you’re probably asking yourself, “When the heck have I ever lied to him?” I don’t know maybe you should just keep that question to yourself. Try to remember the definition of lying, “lying is when you say what you’re not supposed to say and when you don’t say what you’re supposed to say”. That should be enough of a definition for you…

You know what; you still mean the world to me right now. You’re still the first name that pops out of my head when the sun rises and the last thing that circles my head before my consciousness shuts down for sleep. That’s why every little thing you do hurts me so much. Even the smallest of lies and cheapest of tales hurt me so much. It cuts deep in me like a samurai through butter.

I don’t want to feel this way anymore. I’ve got to move on. So many people are counting on me. So many lives are depending on me. The safety of the people I care for the most is in my hands. I don’t need a weakness right now. I don’t need someone who lets me second-guess my talents and abilities. I don’t need someone to cry over. In short, right now, I don’t need someone like you.

Please understand. It’s not your new girlfriend. It’s not your successful school life. It’s not the platoon of friends you carry around or the battalion of girls waiting at your doorstep. It’s simply between us. It’s between the events that have happened between us.

Honestly, the memories I’ve spent with you were, so far, some of the happiest in my life. I want to keep it that way. When I remember you, I want to remember not the hell you’ve put me through, but the heaven that I’ve shared with you.

I am, after all, once upon a time, your “best friend” and your “love”. I know you better than anyone in the world does. I know you better than your pretty face and your beautiful body. I know you better than your generic clothes, your baby cologne and your 99-peso lip gloss. I know who you are and what you truly feel about the world. That is why I can always say that, in this world, you cannot but lie. It’s what you do. It’s how you protect yourself. It’s how you defend yourself from getting hurt. It’s how you soften up your enemies before you go for the kill.

As sure as I am that one plus one equals zero, I’m sure that, when we speak again, you will not lie to me. You’ll do it all over again, and I’ll feel this way all over again.

I, like you, have to protect myself. I’ll let my feelings for you pass. I’ll let time heal my broken heart and my shattered self-esteem. That way, when we talk again, you can lie all you want. You can even stand in front of me and tell me that you’re seated down. By that time, it wouldn’t matter to me anymore. It wouldn’t hurt me as much as it does right now. It wouldn’t cost me sleepless nights and lost appetites.

Someday, when I’ve lost my love for you, when I’ve forgotten all the things you’ve put me through, maybe we can start all over again. We could be friends.

Friendship is all I can offer you because I cannot trust you any longer. If you want my trust back that bad, work hard for it, as have I.

And one more thing… Why am I always grumpy whenever you’re around? It’s not because I haven’t forgiven you for fooling me, because I have. It’s because I haven’t forgiven myself yet for letting myself be fooled by you…

Melancholic, isn't it?

Ok, mushy feelings aside. My knight was able to finish the Gather Ingredients for Pie quest, and she was given 50 Varnishes as a reward. I was also able to accomplish the Trial of Duty, the first part of the 2nd job change. But then something vexing happened. I was just teleported to Hunter's Village to give the quest items to Israel Silvershadow when suddenly, I got disconnected, and worse, I discovered that Aria's down, AGAIN! Good thing I posted the update in the forums... >_<

Fortunately, the server's up again after some time, and I still managed to finished the other half of the quest. The rewards were indeed worthy as well, for I was able to level up and to tune-up some of my current skills. As for my Kamael Warder, I requested my clan leader EvaRavenspell to recruit her into the academy. But the problem was that, one of the members was kicked out of the clan, meaning there was an invite penalty, and I have to go online again later in order to be included. I also managed to squeeze some of my remaining game time to my archer, so that she'll be at lvl 18 in order to do the job change quest in order to become an Elven Scout.

Well, that's all for now. See you in-game! ^^

Octobermania + Current L2 accomplishments

Last Sunday, I went to Megamall together with my chaperone to witness CosplayMania '08. By the time we arrived at the venue, which was at Megatrade Hall 3, there were so many people, especially the cosplayers, and the waiting line was really long. Good thing I bought lunch just before we went in to pay the entance fee and get tickets. I even got a free P20 L2 card for presenting one of my used ones, too.

As expected, I saw the spot for the L2 Octobermania event. I even noticed that the decoration used during the Ozine Fest '08 last summer was used again, but this time the Kamael logo at the top was replaced with the Octobermania logo. I played the memory game at the back to pass the time, since the registration for free play will start at 12:00 noon. At the game, one will have up to 5 chances to get a pair of the same cards, and freebies will be given depending on the trial. I got the Kamael pair at the 2nd trial, and my freebies include the DVD installer, a ballpen & even one of the cards. I chose the same card as the pair that I was able to find. I even wrote the IGN of my knight together with my guild at one spot of the freedom board, too.

I was able to register for freeplay, and during that time, I used my knight & started the Gather the Ingredients for Pie quest. While I was playing, I met the child of one of the players who played as a Paladin (I'm not sure if the father is the owner of Atreo, one of the best-known paladins of Blackbird, or someone else, though). That child played his female Warrior, and I assumed that he'll choose to be a Gladiator, since his avatar wielded dual swords. Since the freeplay duration lasted for only 1 hour, my knight got about 1/4 of the number of required quest items, and I SOE'd her back to Gludio before I left. I even met Guardian Telrun in person as well playing his Kamael.

I even watched the Battle Tournament at the Underground Coliseum. Before the match started, Guardian Mephistopheles introduced to us players the new Guardian, Alkaia, and even gave me a mouse pad for answering his question correctly. There were some slight errors going on, and even delays while waiting for the Aria division match to begin. But then again, at the go signal, it was an all-out mayhem, especially when the characters killed each other through skills as well as to destroy resurrection towers. The winners even rejoiced at the announcement. I wasn;t able to watch the Blackbird part, though, since I became so tired. But before I left, I glanced again at the freedom board, only to discover that it was filled with so many names already, and I even bought a mouse pad as well as a keychain.

As for my L2 life, I have good news. Last Saturday, I started the job change quest for my Kamael, and she sucessfully became a Warder. Here's the proof:

From Lineage 2 pics

Right now, she's at level 21, currently trying out her rapier skills. But the current problem is that in order to finish the option side-quest of the Subjugation of Lizardmen quest, she needs to kill the Serpent Demon Bifrons for the item inside the chest. It means that I'll have my first time battle with a raid boss! Yikes!!! I really need a party right now ASAP!

As for my knight, she's currently at level 34, one more level before she can do the Trial of Duty quest, one of the 3 job change quests necessary to reach her 2nd class (I'm still not sure if I can afford to do the shortcut 2nd job change, though). I still need to continue to aformentioned Gather Ingredients for Pie quest, though.

For my other plans, I still need to use my Elven archer and do the job change quest to become an Elven Scout. I might even plan to re-roll in Cadmus next week either as a Dark Elf to become a Bladedancer, a Human to become a Warlord, or another Elf to be either a Swordsinger or Plainswalker.

Anyway, that's all for now! More things yet to come! ^^

My first taste of defensive combat in L2

Since my Human was already a knight, I have the chance to experiment with the new skills that I've learmed after the 1st job change.

Last Saturday, during the afternoon, I learned the ff. skills:

Active: Majesty, Ultimate Defense & Shield Stun
Passive: Heavy Armor Mastery, Sword/Blunt Mastery & Shield Mastery

I decided to try out both Majesty & Shield Stun while I was completing the Sweetest Venom quest in the Dark Forest, just outside the Dark Elven Village. I trekked a long way towards some kilometers just before the entrance of the Spider's Nest. That was where I was busy killing the Prowlers for quest items.

As a preparation, I first used Majesty for enhanced P. Def., after activating the automatic use of shots (yeah, I still used the no-grade type). I noticed that this skill at level 1 lasts for 5 mins., but I believed that the duration will increase as it progresses. Before using Power Strike, my melee skill companion since the first 5 levels of my character, to attack the Prowler, I casted Shield Stun, hoping that the creature will see stars. I knew that the chance is not always 100%, for there were times wherein it was able to resist the stun, and there were even chances that there was no effect. But then again, it was really fun to experiment with these skills, although it really took a while before I finally got all the quest items and ran again towards the village to receive my adena reward.

Because of that experience, I can safely say that I'm enjoying being a knight, although I have to face tougher challenges in the future. I will do the Dragon Fangs quest in the next few days.

Time for me to go! Ciao! ^^