Battle Dot Net

Blizzard Entertainment are well known in the gaming world as an extremely successful gaming company. They have 3 series of games that are still selling well even after an entire decade. World of Warcraft is one of their most played games these days, being a very vast MMO with some wonderful aspects and a continually expanding world.

I have made mention in the past about wanting to play Starcraft II, one of their planned releases within the next 6 months (Which may ruin any New Years Resolutions I may secretly have this year). I've been keeping track of their efforts and one thing that stuck with me is the login system.

One thing that each of the games have in common is their networking server: Battle.Net. A server system that allows players to connect to other players easily and also update their game if need be. Blizzard have taken the system to another level now and have made plans for Battle.net to become a Social Network, allowing someone playing a Starcraft II campaign to talk to someone playing a World of Warcraft PVP match, who is also talking to a Diablo III player who is taking on a boss with a few friends.

You can also just take it to the web and create and upload Starcraft II maps for everyone to rate and enjoy. Screenshots from your favourite moments in World of Warcraft or Diablo III can be tossed up and attributed to your account, which will say what game you're playing at the time so they could join you then and there.

World of Warcraft has already begun the implementation by connecting your WoW account to a Battle.net account, now allowing "Cross-realm, cross-faction and cross-game chat". Starcraft II benefits alot from it because not only can you easily set up multiplayer matches, you can also organise multiplayer campaigns!

So Gaming as a Social Network? Players can log into Battle.net and check out peoples profiles and say to themselves “Wow, look at the scores on that player” or “Love the kit on that warrior”. The only recurring pattern between accounts is that every third or fourth player will have a naked Night Elf or Blood Elf that they use to /dance on the fountain outside the Stormwind Bank.

Always with the fucking Elves. Is nothing sacred these days?

It isn't exactly a novel idea, what with Steam being around for enough years, but it's still a nifty little aspect for the millions of Blizzard gamers, as I'll call them now, to keep in contact with others. When there's need for a dungeon to be raided in World of Warcraft while someone else is playing Starcraft, you can ask them to join up without having to go through various different other sources, like Facebook or even picking up the telephone, or even just hoping that they might get a telepathic message saying “I should play Wow and join such-and-such on a dungeon raid of Dead Mines...”

So recently I have been tempted to get back into World of Warcraft. While it may be a rather repetitive game, it is still entertaining. Dungeon diving is really entertaining, especially if you're a Warrior. The role of a Warrior is generally to keep the attention of the opponents. If it's one opponent it's very easy, generally. Not always, considering that single target would probably be a boss who has a large variety of special abilities that will constantly change the course of the fight.

But up until that point, you have to deal with massive hordes of minions that will overwhelm you unless your party works properly to keep you alive while you keep everyone's attention, keep up threat as it's termed, and other classes deal the majority of damage to the minions. Always note: Keep threat off of your healer.

It's fun. A close combat class designed for DPS (Damage per second, for those playing at home), like a Retribution Paladin or a Rogue in general or a Fury Warrior or a Feral Druid, receive a lot of fun since they're a primary source of damage, while keeping themselves alive through the hope of “I'm being ignored, but I'm still shoving this pointy/hammery bit up your bum.”

Returning to World of Warcraft is tempting though since Jubs is playing at the moment and he wants someone competent enough to understand and do their job correctly, and a warrior is something that he won't knock back. All I'll have to do is change my race and faction (Going from Orc to... Draenai I reckon) and start playing with him.

The downside is that with World of Warcraft, I tend to get really into it for a little while and then drop it and don't pick it back up for a very long while. Last time I played was the middle of last year, and then the Xmas before that for a solid week (I was on holidays too).

The other problem that presents itself is my social plan. Tuesday nights I go to Fastbreak to play games; Thursday nights I go to Humphs to play games with Kel and Co.; Friday nights I go to Dungeons and Dragons with my mates; Sundays I'm usually busy with going to Monsterpocalypse tournaments or going to the movies with Mum; Otherwise there's talking with Jen about our writing, throwing back and forth ideas and thoughts. Then there's always the Online Blokenstein Bloodbowl League that Kel and Co. are tempting to start again which I've been invited to join. Then there's my New Years Resolution of doing my 75pt Man of War Army.

With so much to do, the majority of which is difficult to mix with World of Warcraft, I think I might stay out of it for now. I'll probably give it a good crack when Cataclysm comes out, which is thankfully a long way off from being released. Shit, Starcraft II is going to take up what spare time I have when it gets released!

The next 8 months are going to be entertaining. Sorry to Jubs who won't receive my competency.

The Warning, Warmachine

Ladies and some gentlemen who aren't interested in my nerdistry, heed my call. In past times, I have made blogs about Games and Gaming Stuff. From now on in, I'm making posts and giving you your warnings.

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Todays blog is about Warmachine MKII (Pron: Mark Two). The release was of a few days ago and the book is a good thick read, featuring many of the basic figures across the range to begin someone's endeavour into this tabletop gaming range.
The art is amazing, the stories are entertaining, and generally it's a very clean. My only problem is with the front cover, which has Victoria Haley standing very much so in the foreground and somewhat ruining the presence. I was commented on about it with a "You wouldn't say the same if it was Irusk, would you?" to which I retorted with "If it was just as bad, actually I would". It's mostly that it distracts away from the scene at hand, which is two giant flippin' robots attacking each other in the midst of an all out war!
Oh, and Mikael Kreoss in the middle of the fight rather than being a glamour whore (Now THAT is my bias shining through).
I've been saying to Privateer Press to do a scene like that on their covers for a few years now, and this is very VERY close to what I have really wanted to see. WM: Escalation, WM: Apotheosis and Hordes: Primal are perfect examples of what I want to see more of. Alas, that may not be the way, but I don't mind. The game itself is good fun.

Speaking of the game itself, it has changed. A lot of little things have disappeared, like the Juggernaut and Marauder losing their headspikes, which is a darned shame while also making sense (Anyone who has played long enough will remember how many times they've never used it), which also caused the Berserker to lose it's headspike, which was used to great effect at the end of every chain attack it made (“I hit you wit' axe, den I hit you wit' udder axe, and den I give you a Khardic Kiss wit' my pointy forehead.”). The streamlining of the rules and general balance caused it to be eliminated from the warjacks repetoire.

But with the changes in repetoire came a reincarnation of certain warjacks. A particular favourite of mine is the Sentinel who now has a bigger role than “Spray and Pray”. Now he takes on a defensive position with figures and jumps in the road of those ranged attacks that would otherwise worry your warcaster.
Within Khador, the Kodiak has decided to give a better bear hug than his previous incarnation. To start, his weapons have improved in power. This is a great little bonus. His previous incarnation had trouble dealing substantial damage to other warjacks, which contradicts an aspect of the faction it's in that has a very large theme of excessive damage output. The system layout of the figure pretty much broke down to utility and disruption without death.

But the other thing is that his chain attack has changed. Instead of knocking them down and dealing a set amount of damage (six is the highest I can think of to particular warjacks), he can knock them down by headbutting them, or it could throw them at someone, or play tug-o-war with one of their weapons. All those were choices that were available, but much more expensive choice than a player would frankly prefer.


To celebrate the new edition of the game, Privateer have decided to contribute to everyone's options as well by providing a new warjack. The Cygnaran Cyclone, the Protectorate Templar, the Khadoran Decimator and the Cryxian Corruptor.
Each warjack gives a very entertaining bonus in their own ways. The Templar stands as a High Armoured warjack swinging around a ball on the end of a chain that beats figures all about the place. The Decimator throws people about as well but he uses his gun instead. And when he's close enough, he starts up his buzz saw and tries some carpentry with someones body.

The two most entertaining are the Cyclone and the Corruptor.
The Cyclone is funny by running around with two chain guns attached to the underside of it's forearms. It's quote is the most entertaining part: “The Metal Storm can rotate through its barrels nearly once per second, giving it a maximum firing rate in excess of two hundred rounds per minute. The Cyclone has two of them”. With this, the cyclone has two choices: Spray and Pray, firing off 2d3 shots a turn if it isn't engaged; or Covering fire, placing two AOE's within 10” of the figure, preventing most, if not all, single wound infantry from approaching safely.

The Corruptor has weapons which inject an alchemical component into the carcass of the poor sod who it kills, whether it's simply causing the body to violently erupt, restoring health to the Warcaster (It's an oddity that one) or using it as a conduit for spells to be cast. It has fantastic applications, especially with their spell-slinging Warcasters.

Side note: Holy crap shooting monkeys. The Berserker has base Def 11. Irusk Superiority + Berserker = Pseudo Cryx Jack. (Spd 6, Mat 7, Def 13 with bonus anti-Knockdown).

Now everything that is in the Warmachine model range is not entirely available in this book. It covers some of the basic different units that the armies make available. Within the coming months, "Forces of Warmachine" books will be released and will not only cover the figures missing in the range, but will also be providing us with more units and another Warcaster. The next couple of months are going to drain me of a few hundred dollars, I know, but it'll be good.

The last thing I want to cover in Prime is the story. Doug Seacat writes fantastically and his character descripts are fantastic. The book has a small story within it, to give the reader something to salivate over rather than a bunch of back history on the Iron Kingdoms. A fantasticly entertaining story I must say. Doug does his job well again.

That's all I really wanted to cover about Warmachine. Anything else, I'll put up in another Game Warning. Overall, this is great and the surprise about the Berserker has me giddy now.

This would be the Best Thing Ever

Doc and I have been thinking on a wonderful little expedition for some random event.

To start, we have paintball. Everyone likes Paintball. You shoot people and show battle scars afterwards. To make it intense, an abandoned warehouse has been fitted as a scenario map. Mirrored, of course.

To increase the intensity, we air drop into the Scenario! Each member participating are paired with a Trained Paratrooper/Skydiver/Someone trained in this shit for safety measures. Team members are also equipped with a long range Paintball gun, allowing them to shoot the other team on the way down. (Yes we realise the danger in this, but it would be fucking cool)

That is the First Round. The Second round is night time, and the entire warehouse is lit up with UV lights. Guns are loaded with paint that shines under said UV lights and everyone is wearing a change of clothes. No Airdrops, just enter and shoot away.

Sidenote: Is it weird that my shoulder is gurgling? I'd say I was hungry, but I didn't know I moved my stomach like that.

But there's something missing. Sure, this is cool, but the thing is that it doesn't have a funny twist.

So why not put everyone on Segways?

This has been inspired by the following photos:

Happy New Year

Happy New Year Ladies and Gentlemen. This is a new year and soon a new series for Monpoc.

Over the past few months, I have played with the Subterran Uprising quite regularly. And frankly, I've been having quite a few bad matchups.
The Subterrans are a very Melee Based army. The units are very tough and match up well against many figures, with their high defence and good attack stats. The runt of the litter (in my opinion) is the Mollok Mortars, but that comes from a history of using Spitters who have long range and haven't required the necessity of maneuverability.

The Mollok Brutes and Berserkers however are extremely intimidating. Many people have stared at my hand of 3 A-die and 8 B-die in shock and said

"How does that work again?"
"One for each Mollok Brute Grunt, Two from the Elite, one each for the elite bonuses, two from the Champion Skill."
Or
"One each for the Brute Grunt and the Berserker, two from the Brute Elite, one for the Elite bonus, one each for Berserk Skill."

So there's no disputing how awesome these brawling units are. The Groundbreaker is the runnerup, but that's because I mostly use him for ground control, using his action to eliminate some poor sap from a power zone and then claiming it for myself.

But I look at the monsters and find myself stuck against my match ups because they are mostly ranged. Incinerous, Mucustos, Gakura are the top three combatants. Incinerous is hard to touch with the ways he is played and the fact that he's fireproof, Mucustos is just about as bad but with more hit points and a constant flow of super damage instead of immunity, and Gakura spends his time healing with Blitz, or preventing your turn from happening with his lightning attack.

Slugbutt and Drillnose are having trouble catching up to them, however. I can easily attribute this to a change of gameplay that I'm not used to. I'm used to being able to heal EVERY turn and be nigh on invincible because everyone had trouble dealing enough damage to defeat me.

So until series 5 comes out, I'm going back to a classic Over Powered figure: Ulgoth. It'll be fun. I get to fight with one of my favourite monsters (not because he's OP, but because he's funny looking) and everyone can finally have a decent match up.

Stop the fucking Alliteration

And 2010 has begun.
Plans for this season of debacles? Well lets see.

In late Jan I get to see the fantastic Erin for her 21st birthday (a birthday which I was proud of myself to actually remember the date of) which doubles as her Graduation party as well! I'm very proud of her and can't wait to see her again. It's been too long.
She's going to kill me for complimenting her again, though. So I'm going to tell her to stop being a fucking bitch so that our balance is made.

In February, Shawday has her Birthday. I dunno what's happening with that, but I want to join her for it.

March/April (I'm pretty sure it's April): Go to the Medway Family Reunion. We're going to Coffs Harbour and staying in a Caravan Park for a few days (maybe up to a week, depending on time).

In April, the Penang Beauty that is Michelle wants to organise another May Weekend but Jason won't be attending because of a case of a "Out of Town". Yes, it won't be called a May weekend, but it'll probably have the same deal: Everyone meet at a pub, catch a play, maybe see a movie.

So here's hoping that those two plans don't conflict.

In August, make up to Jason by seeing him in his place in Toronto (Correct me if I'm wrong, please) Ottowa and while getting over the Jetlag I'll have a squizz at the local area. From what I've seen from Jason's photos the place looks magnificent.
Go to Gencon Indy. Oh Gencon Indianapolis. Jason is going to go because it's only a few hours drive from him. Kel is planning to go, short of major emergencies (touch wood). Scotty wants to go too and he would be pretty much set for it. I have to organise a loan for it since the money I save usually disappears with bills that haven't been paid properly suddenly crop up.
On the way back, see the amazing and lovely Jen in Chicago or Kalamazoo (yes it's a real place), depending on how she's feeling. We stop in for a little bit, take in the scenery and just enjoy some company.

September has Gencon Oz. I'll be fielding Khador again, but this time I'll actually paint my Khador army. I have my Extreme Juggernaut and Destroyer which I plan on painting when I'm not fucking about with Vagrant Story, and I'll get myself a few new figures that will be coming out at the same time. I may just paint my Epic Sorscha properly and field a Winter Guard army.

Around the Xmas season, the splendiferous (Wow, I spelt that correctly the first time) Jen and I have been talking about her coming to Brisneyland. She has wanted to come to Australia for years, so if she does come (fingers crossed) a lot of her mates from here in Bris will have to organise another Xmas party. She couldn't physically attend last years and was stuck on the other end of a Skype program, peering into the world that was the 'burgers at the Lock and Loaded and enjoying every moment of it.

Otherwise, there isn't really much else planned to the year. Write more, keep my job, don't get annoyed and stop being a fat slob.

They Gotta Catch em All

Today was meant to be a secret to the general populace in the fact that everyone thought it was just a barbeque for the sake of having a barbeque.

The above picture affirms this to be a lie, however for the sake of entertainment please make believe that you didn't know for the duration of the blog.
Thank you.

So after a shower and a good chat on the net, I decided I would finally head off to Aarons BBQ. Considering the distance by bus and the amount of walking I would have to do, I decided to catch a taxi over.

I'm on holidays, I don't want to bother walking long distances in this summer heat.

Upon arrival I become curious as to where everyone is. With a glimpse of pink shirt, I begin walking up the driveway to the back of the house.
"OH! There's someone here!" calls out a voice from inside the window I pass.
"Hello?"
Caryls Sister, Bridgette, discovered me as I was searching for life in the area that is Aaron and Caryls back yard.

Walking through the back door, I find more of Caryls friends were already there, particularly Ingrid, a friend from school. Boy has she changed. Ingrid was a big girl at school and now there's practically nothing of her!

Their hijinks before the lunch was preparing food.
Which encompassed about $400 worth of lollies from the Confectionary Warehouse. You name it, they had at least one parfeit glass or tupperware tub or mixing bowl filled to the brim with it and slowly melting away in the summers heat.
Luckily, the parentals all brought stuff for an actual Barbeque lunch, such as Rolls and sausages, and some steaks. Oh, and the Barbeque.

But before everyone could chow down, Aaron, a giant man who is as boistrous as he is large, came out in a white suit that everyone noticed and was rather confused about.
So he gathered people into one half of the back yard and began giving thanks to just about each person and trying to be inconspicuous as he kept glancing down his driveway.
He began to struggle as he was running out of people to congratulate.
Suddenly he tried to feign surprise by going "OH MY GOD WHAT IS THIS?!"
Caryl walked out in her Wedding dress, bawling her eyes out at this actually happening, with her father holding her arm.
"Okay guys, for those who don't know, this is actually a sham of a lunch. We're actually getting married today."

They looked great. If I had a picture I would show you, but you'll have to make do with the cake that I told you to ignore. Yes, he had a monacle on him. He couldn't wear it because he isn't distinguished enough to be able to wear one.
The best part was when they asked Caryls sister Penny to do the reading:

I wanna be the very best
Like noone ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause

For those who haven't figured it out from this small snippet, she read a very emotional reading of the Pokemon theme song.

The day drove on and after socialising for a little bit, Scott and I retired to the couch to watch some Shrek with Aarons Neice, Taleah, where we also watched Aaron and Caryl cut the cake.

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Apologies to those who may be a little confused: This event was actually saturday the 19th of December. I just post up a little late.

This is Australia

Australia is Top Shit, okay? I've lived here for the past 23 years and have hardly moved from Brisneyland in all that time. Shit, I'm sitting in the house I grew up in while my mother is away in Townsville (It is not where the Power Puff Girls live, so when monsters come attack nobody will care about the decimation unless family are living in Townsville. In which case, my condolences.)
Now, the problem with that statement (The Top Shit, not the Powerpuffs) is that it's all that I know, short of what is in film and where I HAVE travelled to.

During my childhood, my dad would occasionally take me or my sister out with him on his trips. Being a Truckie taking cars to the middle of woop woop, its safe to say that there wasn't much to see short of a lot of open plains and the occasional Tourist Attraction. The Big Prawn in Ballina is one of them. I remember seeing it with my sister in the truck.

Way back when, Dad drove me out to Cunnamulla. We were driving along this open stretch of road, nothing to be seen on the horizon except maybe a few cattle sheds and tall grass, and Dad pointed out to what I think was a small rise in the cement piping that followed the road. It was hardly twenty metres long, but on the side was a few paintings, from what I would assume would be a local school or a group of hippies, and a large indent in it.
"You know what that is?" Dad asked, somewhat excited at making conversation.
"No, what is it?" I answered, curiously. It was the first thing to be seen for quite a few clicks.
"It's a footprint from a Kangaroo," he said. "Massive Kangaroo that hopped along here years ago. People were chasing it for days and as it passed by this road, it landed on that and left its footprint."

That was a pretty good one. Otherwise, I remember dusty roads rolling through one street towns. And sleeping. The truck would always lull me to sleep.

I do remember seeing my Uncle Scott in Dalby in the middle of the night with my sister. Couldn't have been more than 4*C and my sister stole the blanket to wrap around herself while I was stuck in my jumper and trackie dacks.
My Uncle Scott, however, was in a blue singlet and a pair of stubbies and thongs. He was a large fellow, probably a good 130kg, and he could feel nothing in regards to the weather. He loved it.
As for the scenery, well we couldn't see much for a few hundred metres since it was about one in the morning.

Moving back to the subject, I move south. Quite a few years ago, probably about eight now, my family went down to my Aunty Carols 50th to Newcastle. All I can remember is seeing the opposite shoreline of some small expanse of water, no idea if it was a river or just a quay, but I thought it looked pretty nice.

Another truck trip with Dad had the whole family going. We were going up a mountain range, and it was continually climbing. Because of my fear of heights I was getting rather anxious, but the view was still not half bad.

I know I've been to Charleville, but I can't remember a thing about it. We have proof that I've been to Grandpa's farm (My Dads side) and played there. Still don't remember anything about it.

Come up to a time more recent. Last year. I had plenty of friends. Some odd, some annoying, but overall good. Many of them are gaming buddies, which brings us to my next venture: Melbourne.
Arcanacon was on and a few guys from here were going, Kel and Alan. They invited me along and because I was very keen on Warmachine at the time, and had plenty of money to fool around with, I said I would love to come along not only for the gaming, but for the social aspect as well. I like alot of the guys on the forums and there's no harm in shaking their hands over a good game.

We arrived in Melbourne and Kel loaded up his GPS and made for the planned route to the event. I still remember looking out of the window at Melbourne and saying "Holy crap it is so Flat."
From the road heading from the airport, you could see the skyscrapers of the CBD (or so I believe them to be).
As we drove through the streets, I looked at the various houses and how they were built. Think the stereotype of England, where each building stood shoulder to shoulder, and drop them down to one storey houses; Small picket fences, or lace fences segregating Property from the 2-3 feet wide footpath; various overhanging decoration for the patios would compliment the aging building itself.
It's something I'll remember whenever I watch an Australian film set in Melbourne. Like the movie I saw today: Malcolm.

Moving on to this year I went to Canberra for Cancon, another gaming convention, with Rob and a few of his mates. I wasn't expecting much of Canberra except maybe a scant view of the Parliment house and meeting Waggles, which was inevitable since he was running the event I was attending. There wasn't much in the way of sight seeing while I was there. We mostly travelled between the convention centre and the Lodge we were staying at.
One night after a very solid day of gaming, we went into town for some drinks and to meet a few of Robs friends. I dressed up a little too much, wearing a good shirt and my straw hat that I adore so, and we travelled to a pub that I can't remember the name of. But what I do remember was 2 things: The second was one of the girls was a friggin stunner. I felt bad in the end because I couldn't tear my eyes away from her.
The First was the way there. Now people have made mention about Canberra being weird because the entire city was planned out and built as such. I slowly began to notice it as we drove through. Alot was much the same and I swear I got myself lost. I wasn't even driving!
But it was still nice. It was an experience.

Now we compare this to Brisbane.
Brisbane has a new horizon every 100 metres because of the hills. The old queenslanders that line the beach, or sit about in the middle of the older suburbs that aren't designed as part of the housing commission, are gorgeous houses in my opinion.
The most amazing culdesac I have ever been in was around the Ashgrove area. It was in the middle of an extremely tiny valley with a few of the older houses around and almost completely covered in trees. One of them was probably a Jacaranda. I almost told Kyle to pull over and stop the car while I absorbed the area.

Now, having mostly lost the point of what I was talking about, aside from the few sights I have seen and enjoyed, I remembered one thing. This isn't a thing to say "I want travel advice". I already have travel advice. Kel has given me good advice by saying "Travel everywhere else before you travel Australia. You'll appreciate Australia more in the end".
Other things have contributed to a faint desire to travel. The only downside I see about travel is that if I joined an arranged tour, I would be sent to see the sights that I could probably see in a book.
No, if I were to travel, I would want to see the nooks and crannys of their homes; the dingy little swillholes that people would frequent; meet the characters that contribute to so many lives, like the local grocers.
I would want to actually LIVE there.

That sort of thing is hard, considering I would have to sacrifice alot to do that sort of thing, but hey: A man can dream.