Net Down

So Thursday is normally the day where I go off about something and today I have no short of that. As some of you possibly noticed my blog didn't post at its normal time of 9am today. Why is that? Well there is a very simple answer to that. My net went out. Now normally this wouldn't be much of an issue, but this time it was because it was not do to a power outage it was due to the companies way they installed it.

Now if you have been reading my blog for a bit you would have known I recently moved. Everything has gone in pretty much flawlessly. Also decided that a pool was a good choice to have in the backyard. Everything has been going smoothly and the pool may even be ready to swim in this weekend.

Yesterday while the pool guys were working away they had to drive a bobcat up the side of my yard which isn't a weird situation at all. The problem was when they buried the line for my net they did it so shallow that the weight of the bobcat caught the line and disconnected it. I spent the better part of the day arguing with them to send someone to my place to fix the horrible job they did. They were then going to send someone out yesterday evening when in fact they couldn't. Wanted to change it to the afternoon today, which would result in 2 full unproductive work days. They finally ended up coming this morning after I pretty much released the krakken on them.

So yes I apologize for the late blog today, but it does make you realize how net driven our world and not just the gaming world is.

You Fail At The WoW Real Life Barrier If...

So it is Tuesday and as always time for the weekly dose of fail. I have been adding to this list for awhile now, but something else always came up before I shared it with all of you. So sit back and laugh, because I am thinking many of these are close to home for you or someone you may know.

You Fail At The WoW Real Life Barrier If...

• You ask a girl you're on a date with if she really is a girl
• Instead of asking for a ride you ask for a port
• You push your push to talk button when talking to someone in the room
• You question why would you eat food that doesn't give you a buff
• You make the auction house noise after you buy something at a store
• Your honeymoon was or will be at Blizzcon
• You can't go see that movie because "you're not attuned"
• You set your work schedule around your raiding schedule
• You complain why the grocery store doesn't use OneBag
• You have a son named Arthas
• When fixing something you complain how the parts would be cheaper if they were cloth
• You wonder if Tankspot has a strat for buying new clothes
• You ask someone to pickup something up from the vendor on their way home
• You ask someone to conjure you up some food
• You accuse people of ninjaing your parking space
• Your pickup line is "Looking for 1 more Dinner and a Movie"
• When someone asked you to come to a party you say "10 or 25?"

and finally

• When a doctor sends you to a specialist you call him a noob for not maxing his profession

That is it for this week hope it was worth waiting for. Good Luck this Free Loot Tuesday.

Ask Gauss

So it is the end of the weekend, which means it is time for this week's edition of Ask Gauss. It is a rather late post I was a little occupied today so you all will have to live with it. So after mulling through all questions in what is know as my inbox I chose these ones.

When you recruit people off server do you give them full time spots automatically?

I treat server transfers like anyone else. I give them the chance to preform and prove themselves. If they show me they can be at the level I expect them to be then they will get that spot. I give nothing out for free, everything must be earned. I tell them this straight when I recruit them. They have to earn the spot they want. It is not my concern that they had to pay to transfer and/or faction change. I find this gets me players that are not only serious, but also ones that are confident in their own abilities. These are the players I want. Someone who isn't up to the challenge won't come over and make that monetary investment. This is also why it is almost better to recruit off server this way, because you will get people who don't want to waste what they put in to come over. So win win. I think also the recruits respect that I am honest with them and give it to them straight. I don't give them baseless promises that I have no intent on keeping.

Do you play with anyone you know out in the real world?

I do. This is also a sketchy thing to do if you are serious about your gameplay. For there could be the option that you both are good players and fit well with one another. There is also the option that one of you is bad and has to put up with the other one. This situation can cause stress, because you always have to cover for the other one and find reasons why you put up with the other one. The last option is people can use the friendship in a way that can actually harm the friendship. You push one another to the limits because you know in the end you won't do anything. This can lead to what people think is favouritism. This is a very slippery slope and you should be very careful not to tread this path. Remember in the end it is a game just let your friendship get worse or make your gameplay any less fun. I really think that is the most important thing to remember.

What is the thing you say most often in raids?

Sadly probably "Just wipe it!".

That is it for the week. Keep sending along all your questions and maybe yours will be picked for next weeks. Friday's Reader Post will be about your favourite settlement in the game. Make sure you tell me why it liked or disliked.

Real Life Is Not WoW

I thought I would get in on this argument, since it seems for whatever reason a topic people enjoy reading about. The points being made come down to is the way someone acts, behaves, or presents themselves show the way that person is in real life.

So is that guy who ninja'd your loot the type of person who would cut you off in traffic and not care about the results? Is that raid leader who can organize people with efficiency someone who manages people in real life? Is the person that is "too good" to move out of fire quick enough that lazy person who gets everyone to do everything for them?

Now I assume you all can see the similarities between the way some people who act in game or preform that matter, but many of them arguments people are making avoid one important aspect. Playing an online game such as WoW gives that person an opportunity to not showcase themselves or prove they can be something else. So maybe some people are sick and tried of getting bossed around at work all day come home and let it loose. Meaning they use the focus of I can do things better than my boss, watch and see. Or maybe the opposite. I spend all day focused doing all the crap I need to get done, I am going to come home and enjoy myself. Completely not giving a crap how it effects anyone else. This would be "it is a game" relax attitude we see a lot of the time.

Of course if someone is very introverted out in the real world they could use the online experience to let themselves loose. Have a field day and prove in this environment they can thrive because there is no consequences. Now I would argue you don't generally see the opposite a very extrovert person becoming the calm quiet one in the corner. So you could argue that those acting that way in game generally are those type of people out in the real world.

So what am I saying really? Well, people who play this game may use their real life skills and abilities to enhance their game play. This is true and why wouldn't you? Using what you can do well, to do better. No one wants to fail, at least no one I have ever met. Also people may use this game as an escape to prove they can do what they are not supposed to be able to do. So that guy who flips burgers could be your raid leader, or that guy who can't get out of the fire could be an very sucessful executive.

I am no sociologist, but I would expect they would see it from my point of view. When people are given an opportunity in a new society to be whatever they want. They will

a)Without knowing tailor themselves to who they are
b)Try to be something completely opposite

I really doubt there is middle ground. You are either an amplification of yourself or someone completely different. I am also not sure if I even made a point at all, but I am sure you all will tell me.

I Would Do Anything to Raid

So its Friday which means I have great fun going over all my in game mails, emails, tells, and every other which way people submit their weekly contributions. This week I asked people to tell me what they have done to make a raid. Meaning what were the biggest lengths you or someone you knew went to. Some of these are pure gold so enjoy.

So I was top DKP in my guild and I had been for weeks, but of course nothing I wanted ever dropped so I just kept on collecting. So this one Friday I was supposed to go to this night time shopping thing with my girlfriend, which was going to involve a lot of walking. I wasn't in the mood to go to it anyway plus I had a raid I was going to miss. That morning I purposely dropped a piece of a cinder block on my foot in an attempt to break my toe. You may call me an idiot but I got out of the whole shopping thing after spending most of the day in the hospital. I ended up breaking not only two of my toes but the growth plate on my foot. I had perfect raid attendance for 4 weeks and I ended up getting my t5 shoulders that night.

Back when I was playing my hunter in MC, I flaked out on a trip to New York for my wedding anniversary because I knew we were going to kill Rag that week. I don't feel guilty.

I let the air out of my wife's tires so she had to take my car out one night thinking she had a couple of flats. This got me out of helping my father in law install something and was able to attend my raid.

My girlfriend at the time was really into nature and one day she saw this ad for this butterfly conservatory or breeding place. I don't know what the hell it was. Anyways, they were doing this big event there one Saturday. I faked a fear of butterflies which I had to keep in check for the next year and a half while we were still together.

I was stuck in traffic and was going to be late for raid so I ended off pulling into this mall parking lot. Took out my laptop and ended up getting a wireless connection from the electronics store. I was in the parking lot for 3 hours playing in my car. I ended up being like 6+ hours late getting home, but hey I was on time for raid!

This wasn't a raid, but I think it applies. When Wrath came out I wanted to level quickly so I arranged with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary early so I didn't have an interruption in our leveling time. She agreed and I was able to level up without a problem.

I always book my classes for school and my work schedule around my raid times. I actually gave my boss my raid schedule and told him to work me in around it.

I missed the first date with who is now my wife because I canceled it because we were making grounds while pulling Kael. I knew the kill was going to happen that night and I didn't want to not be able to get my vial for Mount Hyjal. The best part was when I phoned her I tried to lie but she heard someone on vent and asked which boss we were doing. I said Kael and she told me we could do it another time.

I called my sister a taxi to pick her up from the airport so I wouldn't have to miss my Ulduar raid. She thought there was something seriously wrong and rushed over to find me on the computer.

I didn't know my game time ran out and all the stores were closed and I couldn't get another game card. So my buddy offered me his credit card if I did one thing. It was 10 below and he made me run outside completely naked besides my shoes and socks to the stop sign and back. The sad thing is I wish I was kidding, but I did it. Oh how addicted I am.

So that is it. I told you some of them were good. If yours didn't get posted I still read it and probably laughed at you so all is good. Enjoy your weekend and the Olympics start today GO CANADA GO!!!

Warcraft Characters Morphed Into Real Life

So you may not all know, but I am all up on the Lore of this game. I don't really read books, but I have read all of the current Warcraft novels, comics etc. Anyways I say this to let you know that while I am making cracks about them there is some basis behind it. So today's post is really like if you were to come across one of these characters in real life what would that encounter or that person be like.

Garrosh: So we all know he doesn't think, attacks whoever he chooses no matter what people say. He think she is better than anyone and feels his "group" is the crew to tell everyone how things should be. Is this just me or am I describing an American Politician

King Varian: Why do I get the feeling if I ever met him it would resemble the fight club scene "I want you to hit me as hard as you can". And yes I know he has issues...

Jaina Proudmore: You know that friend that always talks about her guy problems like you give a dam? Ya this is Jaina, think about it. "So Arthas killed hundreds of people today, but you know he really is a good guy"

Thrall: He is the kind of guy who you could screw over and he would forgive you every time. Maybe he is Canadian. Anyways I picture him grouping everyone together trying to sing "why can't we be friends"

Cairne: So he is like that old guy you talk to that tells you stories that never seem to end. You know the ones you stop paying attention to come back 20 minutes later and he is still talking. It has to be something in the pipe of his, and in that case he should pass it along.

Velen: He is that rich kid that no one likes, but hang around with so they can do all kinds of crap. Everyone knows one of these guys. He phones you up and you make an excuse why you can't go out with him. When he lets slip he has Leaf tickets and you say "I will make it happen". I know you all are nodding your heads now

Lor'themar Theron: I wouldn't be meeting up with this guy because I tend not to frequent gay bars. I am sure you could find plenty of info about this from Bagellord's blog.

Rhonin: So he is a guy who has saved the world a few times. One of the most powerful mages alive, but if you went to his house you would hear "Yes Vereesa", "right away dear", "I'll fix it later" on numerous occasions. Ya we all know he's whipped.

Tirion Fordring: You wouldn't meet Tirion you would see him on TV being that guy who is making a speech on like very channel. Which of course you could careless about. This just makes you hate him even more for not only wasting your time, but stopping you from doing what you want to do. Dam ret pallys!

Darion Mograine: This is the emo kid who complains his father never loved him. Just because he couldn't play with his daddy's sword. Maybe he should have been a blood elf then he would have plenty of swords to play with.

Brann Brozebeard: No one likes a know it all, and that is exactly what Brann is. If we wanted to spend countless hours reading we could have just done so. Face it you're pissed off you will never be king, and no one is impressed!

Gamon: Insert Bagellord's Life Story here.

So that is all for today. You have till tomorrow night to get your Gauss story's in as that will be without a doubt my topic for Friday. Till tomorrow!