Saturday Night Sketch! Farewell El Presidente!

This week it's for Jason Winter @winterinformal who streamed Tropico 4 for the last time, end of an era man!

Nexus Newsflash Number 7

Number 7

https://soundcloud.com/zilvis2/nnf7

WildStar Wednesday Gamescom wrap up http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/wildstar_wednesday_gamescom_2013_recap.php

Zam.com Gaz Interview with Gaffney http://www.zam.com/story.html?story=32961

Kaeyi's Gaffney interview http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Qxs5WTEwJg

WildStar Webcomic http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/mystery_and_mayhem_a_tale_from_beyond_the_fringe.php

It's good to be the King....

It's good to be the King....

      Let me tell you a tale, a tale so fair.......wait hold up,this is a gamers blog...none of that! Ha-ha! Hey all it's Zil back again to fill your brains full of..oh who knows what but i'll try and make it entertaining! This week the King reference has nothing to do with large predatory animals or make believe monarchs. It has everything to do with what is it that makes one game successful and last over others and does WildStar have that "thing"? 

     MMO's have come and gone or gone stale and static but most rarely elevate to a level of unimaginable size. I will name this in this case as a valid comparison, World of Warcraft(Yup I said it)is the number one example of a successful MMO. Arguements aside I do not hate the game. I played it many years,had good times and bad and eventually grew tired and bored and deemed it was time to move on. Enough about me personally though, why I bring this up is it's successfully maintained over 7 million subscribers for a large number of years,no other MMO has ever had those numbers and only a couple other pc games can say the same.

     Now WoW has a number of things that possibly have that steady-ish flow of subs, good solid controls. Decent stable lore and story, all the core components in place for pve/pvp/crafting/socializing. There's good and bad but in a stable sense it's as strong as any out there. Some say it's become a place where people play because they are used to it or all their friends play so they must. Gamers are fickle and if they "really" didn't wanna keep playing they will not. SO something concrete holds many there despite the theorizing out there.

      In recent years many games have popped up and maybe did enough but nothing spectacular. No matter the subject matter,good voice over work, good story, or fun with friends. These titles tend to focus on making amazing 1 or 2 items revolutionary but ignoring or neglecting the rest of the needed aspects. MMO gamers are fickle as i've said, I may not be a huge pvp or crafting player but if those aspects are bad or missing I feel slightly jipped. It's called balance and whether in nature, the force, or MMO's it is needed.

     Moving forward to next Spring when WildStar is launched, I know at least from what i've scoured over all the classic and modern aspects of an MMO are present in the game, solid lore-great npcs-questing-heavy crafting-dungeons-battlegrounds-professions-raids are all there as well as more new concepts of Paths/Warplots/Instant adventures all end game goodness to keep people busy. It's interesting-funny-and new, yes new. Some say that could be a hinder being an original IP but I say it's all fresh!

     I think the key pieces are there. Skillful execution and continued interactivity with the players/community and this game could definitely break through the wall many MMO's seem to hit. Will it topple a giant like WoW, I won't say because any answer is likely wrong,but can it be a great, fun, and above all an "experience" basically what we've lacked in an MMO in a very...very...long time. Roleplayers may always immerse themselves into their  worlds, but for the rest of us it takes alot to lose yourself to the point where time vanishes and then you feel connected to that game.

     We'll see in time and until then just keep being a great community among eachother and when WildStar launches we can forge it bit by bit into perhaps a "king" among the masses.:)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Sunday Sit down "Howl at the moon" with Arawulf

“Howl at the Moon!”

Hello Exiles and Dominion of the planet Nexus and beyond! My name is Zilvis. This is my end of the week community spotlight that I’ll be doing each and every week to delve a little more into who a certain member of the WildStar community is, learn the what and why of their choice to migrate to Nexus, and maybe some surprises along the way. The way I looked at it we're all community bound like brothers and sisters in this game of WildStar. Why not get to know someone a bit better? Once again welcome, sit back, and prepare to meet this week's community member. He's seen around all over, Runs the site WildStar Fans, Host of The Planet Nexus Podcast and leader of the guild Extra Kick, Arawulf!. Welcome to Sunday Sit down.

 I’ll let you write a little introduction. 
If you have other monikers some may know you by, feel free to throw them out there. Mainly just tell where people can find you online and any background you'd like to share we might not know.

Sure, my name is Mike Joseph, but most people online call me Arawulf. Most people know me from my website and podcast, but I'm pretty active on Twitter as well. Most people chat with me either at @Arawulf or @WildStar_Fans. As far as my background, I've been married to my wife since 1995, we have three boys. I work full time and create/share WildStar content as a hobby.

Question 1:As this is a WildStar themed project, we'll get those underway first. As most of us at one time or another have asked ourselves, what is WildStar?

To me, WildStar has almost become more than a game – it's an attitude of “We're an MMO and we're not ashamed of it.” WildStar has one hand firmly grasped on the tradition of great MMO experiences and has the other reaching toward new and innovative ideas. Carbine is making some gutsy moves and are proving over and over again that they believe in their product.

Question 2: What is one thing in the game you’re most hoping to be perfectly done, whether because it's needed or just something for your experience specifically?

They have to get the combat and movement right. This is a non-negotiable for me. Everything I do in game must feel like an extension of myself. If I have to wrestle with clunky controls or ability delay, I will not be able to invest the kind of hours I plan to.

Question 3: I did a blog post discussing maybe why someone might pick one race over another in WildStar. What race do you think you identify with and why, even if it won't necessarily be your main?

The Granok appeal to me for a number of reasons. The Exile Granok were expelled by the very kin that they saved on Gnox and are roaming to carve their own existence in the world as mercenaries. This resonates with me because when I turned 18 my dad re-married and I felt that there was no more room in the house for me so I moved out on my own to get a job and build my life, taking whatever job would pay my bills. That's how my adulthood started, and I see a similarity in how the Exile Granoks had to start their lives apart from their home.

Question 4: I'm sure everyone has their WildStar moment, as I call it, that quintessential thing that cinched in your decision on the game.

I actually covered this on my first episode of the Planet Nexus Podcast. It was a moment when I just woke up and realized that WildStar was not only building on foundations that I had loved about MMO's they did it with a respect for the MMO genre. Carbine wasn't trying to sell their game as the “savior” of a broken genre but an evolution in the spirit of what made MMO's great in the first place.

Question 5: What aspect of WildStar are you most excited about and feel you'll spend the most time on such as Questing-Housing-PVP?

While I plan on dabbling in most areas of content, I will likely be doing a ton of raiding. So it's likely that I will be doing whatever I need to do in order to prepare for raids.

Question 6: Out of everyone from Carbine that you've interacted with, who has surprised you the most for one thing or another by what you have seen that they have said or done so far?

The whole team has been outstanding, but I have to give a shout-out to Chad “Pappy” Moore. This guy blows me away with how pumped up about WildStar he is. He drops “Lore Bombs” on Twitter like they're going out of style. I love how active he is with the community. There are very few games where devs are that involved with the fans.

Question 7: If you were given the power to either alter the game in some way or add something to it that has not been mentioned or rumored, what would it be and why?

I would do whatever it takes to put in a Guild Fortress or Guild House. As a guild leader, having a central location to have meetings, raid planning – a place where we can hoist our trophies that we earned together. I like the fact that our individual housing plots can have guild friendly features, but a Guild Fortress or house would be amazing.

Question 8: What is the one thing you want Carbine on a personal level or business level to know that you yourself have enjoyed from them?

I've enjoyed their constant interaction with fans. They've done an outstanding job communicating and showing respect to the most faithful fans. I really don't have anything to let them know except that I appreciate what they do and to keep up the good work!

OK, that's it for the cross section on WildStar Q's. Next is a few Q's to get to know Arawulf a bit better besides his amazing exploits across Nexus!

Question 9: What was your decision in making a fan site, a podcast, and a guild. All things some might view as extra work.

Surprisingly, most of this is stuff that I normally do. I've always had a desire to search for gaming news. I also love to talk about my favorite games. I've also typically run guilds in a game that had raiding to ensure the kind of people I like to play with are there when I'm available to raid. Because of these facts, the transition to fansite, podcast and guild were very natural. I never expected the website and podcast to garner the audience that they have, to be honest. It's been an incredible experience and I get more out of it than anyone else.

Question 10: How long have you been gaming and what are your top 3 moments you'd say you remember in your own personal gaming history?

I've been gaming since I was 5 years old in 1979 or so when my dad brought home a Coleco Telstar gaming system and I discovered that I could control what was happening on the television. Atari 2600 to my Commodore 64, I did a ton of gaming growing up. As an adult, I thought I was done gaming until 2005 when my brother introduced me to World of Warcraft.

My top three gaming experinces: My first world PvP win, my first level 60 in WoW, and an insanely well orchestrated ambush in Warhammer Online (you had to be there – our entire guild hid in a tiny building and all ransacked an entire enemy group from out of nowhere. Again, you had to be there.)

Question 11: Besides Gaming and internet goodness do you have any other interests or hobbies you find fun?

As I mentioned, I enjoy writing music and singing. I'm also an avid Detroit Tigers fan.

Question 12: Obviously a devout Exile(and that's OK)would you or do you plan to ever see how the “other half” lives?

I'll have characters on both sides, for sure. My heart will always be Exile.

Question 13: Arawulf, is there any hidden talents or trade skills you'd like to share? Is there something new you'd like to learn?

If arenas end up getting spectator mode, I'd love to try my hand at shoutcasting. I think it would be fun.

Question 14: Simple one now I promise. Do you have any pets? If you could have any real or made up pet, what would it be?

We have too many pets in our house. I have a Dog (black lab) and we also have 5, yes, 5 cats. We have a frog too, but he's pretty quiet and cheap compared to the rest.

Question 15: Finally, If there were one person living or dead, real or fake that you could sit down and have a long discussion with, who would it be and why?

Great question. Tough to pin down one person since there have been so many great people that I would love to sit down with. If I had to name one, I'd choose Jesus of Nazareth, for reasons that I don't talk about much on social media and such.

OK, Arawulf, I hope that wasn't too painful for you. I appreciate you being a guest for the Sunday Sit down. Now, I’ll let you have free reign. If there's anything else not asked here that you'd like to get out there that you think would be interesting for us to know, feel free to share. Things like plugs for your twitter or anything, and of course feel free to give shout outs of any kind!

I appreciate the chance to chat with you. The WildStar community is such a great group of people! Feel free to add me on Twitter @Arawulf – I love interacting with the community. Thanks again for the chat!

That's it Folks. Everything you'd want to know about Arawulf and hopefully more! I thank him again for putting up with me as well as you the reader. Each and every week we will have a new and fascinating community member to learn about and see what really does make the WildStar community tick inside and out. Feel free to contact me anytime on twitter @zilvis78, comment below, or if you bump into me on the interwebs say hi!

Saturday Night Sketch: Snarky but fun.

Hey Nexians and non-Nexians alike here's this week's Saturday Night Sketch, tweeted but posted late here because of...well reasons:P Seriously though not a big poke at recent stuff going on with Hearthstone/WildStar/and FFXIV but just observations turned visual,all in good funof course!

Nexus Newsflash 6 "Hey Youse guys! It's a sub yo!

Episode 6 "Hey Youse guys! It's a sub yo!

https://soundcloud.com/zilvis-1/nnf6

WildStar Official  http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/#page1

WS business model http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/the_business_model_of_wildstar.php

WS DEV speak on CC http://www.wildstar-online.com/en/news/check_out_wildstars_latest_devspeak_crowd_control.php

IGN Frost interview about pay model http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/08/19/wildstar-twitter-interview-ask-wildstar-anything-pricing-and-more

IGN Frost interview about the CC vid http://www.ign.com/videos/2013/08/21/wildstar-crowd-control-dev-speak-rewind-theater

LND http://www.twitch.tv/latenightdominion/old

To sub or not to sub...is that the question?

Hey all and welcome to another episode of Nexus News...oh wait back up, wrong show! Seriously welcome back to my random blog of rants/rambles/and sometimes a nugget of joy! By now if you've touched the internet at all you know that Carbine Studios released the business model for their game WildStar. I would say i'm shocked or surprised but i'm not, that is to say it's basically what i expected and I'm OK with it.  I won't drag you through all the details, It's everywhere lol but basics are you will pay about $60 for the box, get a free month and then pay $15 or less after that depending on your frequency you want to pay. So standard MMO you say?

That is indeed the same as others, but there's a slight new twist borrowed from other games. The C.R.E.D.D system allows players to pay $20 for a 1 month game time item that can be sold in game. Then if your a really good gold maker you can buy them with your gold and redeem for essentially a free month. Once again this is IF your good at gold making. OK so that's it for the history lesson. Why I even bother with this post is a simple question. Why would you ever follow a game for months then suddenly find out you will have to pay a few dollars to play and drop all ideas of playing something you enjoy and people you will enjoy playing the game with?

I understand there may be a few exceptions, like money CAN be an issue if you have many more bills then average or schooling or children. Forgivable in a way, but I have this to say, every single month most if not all people do something whether it's fast food, renting movies, going to movies, unnecessary vanity visits (spas/ salons), and junk food. There's very little to be said that $15 or less is not budget friendly in some way. Now I hear all the time, I won't play a game that requires a sub! Well that's a bit one sided and even cheaper then i've been known to be(and that's horribad) so all I can say is cool, see you on the other side!

Games that KNOW they can hold up a sub in this day and age with so many failing to means something to me. I spent five years of my life having many quiet, miserable times in a game I subbed to. I did so out of respect for the game and it keeping my interest. I did quit but still agree the game is high caliber quality,just not for me at this point and time. So with the community, the game quality and of course the people working on the game I say bring on the sub, keep the riffraff and haters out, and make this game something to be reckoned with. 

When people look back 5 or 10 years from now no one will say "Hey subscription was a bad idea" I feel they will still be subbed,enjoying the game, and enjoying the people involved with development as well as the huge,stable,and I hope tight community being built up now. If it gets to that point it's OK you can all look me up and say, "Hey you were right!" I'll be sure to give you a nice little told you so and a smile...haha OK so maybe nothing that dramatic but it is nice to imagine such a scenario. All I'm saying is don't cry about something so small as a business model, leveling time frames, or release dates. All these things are subjective and easily changed, enjoy the community, participate where you can, and be excellent to each other because if we aren't who else will be?!

Sunday Sir down#6 “A little bit Casual, a little bit Hardcore”

A Little Bit Casual, a little bit Hardcore

Hello Exiles and Dominion of the planet Nexus and beyond! My name is Zilvis. This is my end of the week community spotlight that I’ll be doing each and every week to delve a little more into who a certain member of the WildStar community is, learn the what and why of their choice to migrate to Nexus, and maybe some surprises along the way. The way I looked at it we're all community bound like brothers and sisters in this game of WildStar. Why not get to know someone a bit better? Once again welcome, sit back, and prepare to meet this week's community member. This week is slightly different, we have not one but two community members! A gamer couple this week, let's meet Kataryna and Licurgo. Welcome to Sunday Sit down.

 I’ll let you write a little introduction. 
If you have other monikers some may know you two by, feel free to throw them out there. Mainly just tell where people can find you both online and any background you'd like to share we might not know.

Our Real Names are Amy and Clay. I’m Random Kat, Kitty or just Kat, and Licurgo got the nicknames Iggy/Ig or Licorice/Licurice because it’s apparently hard to say Licurgo (Le-sir-go)?? We met in college and that’s that. We have 2 wonderful kids and our daughter starts kindergarten this year!

Question 1:As this is a WildStar themed project, we'll get those underway first. As most of us at one time or another have asked ourselves, what is WildStar to you both?

Wildstar is our next stop on the MMO circuit – WoW, Rift, SW:ToR, GW2 and finally Wildstar – it may be my final MMO if all goes right in the world!

Question 2: What is one thing in the game you’re both hoping to be perfectly done, whether because it's needed or just something for your experiences specifically?

I’m hoping that the Raids are awesome and really hard – even though I have to be a casual player right now because of the kids and Lic’s job. And also housing – I’ve never played a game that had housing, as I quit Rift before they put in the housing – and I really hope it turns out great.

I’m hoping that the PvP is done well – I’ve always liked PvPing from when I started WoW onwards, I had an Orc Warrior that was a few ranks from getting High Warlord.

Question 3: I did a blog post discussing maybe why someone might pick one race over another in WildStar. What race do you two identify with and why, even if it won't necessarily be either of your mains?

I’ve always always always played a smaller character – from Gnomes, to Dwarves, to Asurans – so from the moment I saw the Chua that Innocent Civilian posted on the Last Dominion Race Speculation thread I knew that I was going to be a Chua.

When Kat showed me the Wildstar trailer I liked the Granok right off the bat – they’re big guys who drink beer, kick ass, and take names.

Question 4: I'm sure everyone has their WildStar moment, as I call it, that quintessential thing that cinched in each of your decisions on the game.

I saw the First trailer a couple years ago and really liked it, but then forgot about it because there wasn’t much more information out there about the game. Then at the end of last year (2012) I read one of the Wildstar Wednesdays that said they were going to be announcing more stuff at the beginning of this year. I started lurking around Wildstar Central until they announced when they were going to be showing the Dominion – once they showed off the Race Reveal trailers I was hooked for good.

Kat pretty much told me, “Hey, we’re going to be playing this game when it comes out.” So I looked into it a little bit – though I’m not one to devour all the information on a game this far out from release – I leave that up to Kat.

Question 5: What aspect of WildStar are you two most excited about and feel you'll spend the most time on such as Questing-Housing-PVP?

PvP and Dungeons are most likely what I’ll be doing the most out of everything outside of leveling/questing with Kat.

Leveling/questing with Licurgo, and Housing with Nyxis *Waves at future Roomie – Nyxis #PumpkinHearts!* Lic won’t be into housing at all so I had to find a someone to be a roomie with me  I would LOVE to raid hardcore like I did back in Vanilla WoW – but with 2 little kids it’s hard to have that time without cutting into the time that the raid has set aside.

Question 6: Out of everyone from Carbine that you two have interacted with, who has surprised you the most for one thing or another by what you have seen that they have said or done so far?

I love all of the Carbine-ites I’ve interacted with! They’re all awesome and I’ve been impressed by how often they take time to actually talk with people that are interested in their game! Bardic, aka Jen Gordy, is always in Turntable.fm/wildstar hanging with us, and Tom Servo, aka Jeff Kurtenacker, is summonable with a flip of the Ke$ha switch!

All I know about the Carbine people is what Kat tells me – she’s much more active in the community than I am, I just listen to her and nod my head.

Question 7: If you each were given the power to either alter the game in some way or add something to it that has not been mentioned or rumored, what would it be and why?

I don’t really like the single weapon type for classes – I’d like to have more types. I know there are lots of styles of each weapon but they’re still the same type of weapon.

I would actually like the ability to make an official “Neighborhood” circle (or just call it a Neighborhood) where anyone you add to that circle is in your neighborhood and you can only be in on “Neighborhood” at a time.

Question 8: What is the one thing you two want Carbine on a personal level or business level to know that you both have enjoyed from them?

II would tell Jeff Kurtenacker to keep up the wonderful work on the soundtrack for the game – I’ve listened to what he has on his sound cloud so many times I can click to my favorite parts of each song the first time every time!

I would tell all the Wonderful Community people at Carbine that putting up with us crazy fans is a crazy job and they are crazy-awesome for attempting to do a job this huge! And I’m sorry to Scooter for still bugging him about my stuff – if you’re reading this, you know what I mean Scooter, lol, I might even send more cookies!

OK, that's it for the cross section on WildStar Q's. Next is a few Q's to get to know Kat and Licurgo a bit better besides their amazing exploits across Nexus!

Question 9: First off you two, have you both always been into gaming or did one get the other into it?

I played games when I was younger (Starcraft, Warcraft, etc), but as for MMOs, I had a friend in college that started playing World of Warcraft and got me and a few other friends into it, and then I got Kat into the game as well.

I’d had the first Nintendo that I had to share with my sisters when we were little – we were allowed to play 30 mins to an hour at a time then had to go outside to play! For MMOs Lic got me into them with WoW.

Question 10: Do you have some top gaming moments together or separately that are fond memories?

One of the funniest things I remember from gaming was doing the Lava Packs in Molten Core in WoW – I was the Warlock class leader and we would banish switch when one was almost dead – causing everyone in the Vent chat to go, “KAAAAAT!!!! WARLOCKS!!! STAAAAAHP IIIT!!!” We would die laughing every time!

(WoW) Being a hardcore combat rogue and evasion tanking the boss long enough to get the battle rez on the dead main tank because the off-tank could never get the aggro off me after the MT died – ‘cause I’m a hardass like that.

Together, I’d say my favorite thing was when Lic, me, and a friend of ours making level one toons that we than ran by foot from Stormwind up to Wetlands, to Southshore, back down to the Wetlands, across the ocean to Theramore, and all the way down to Tanaris. Took all night to do that, but it was a blast – we also had rules like “No Rezzing at a graveyard” and “No Flight points.”

Question 11: Besides Gaming what are each of your other hobbies?

Besides gaming? We have kids!! And I love to watch College Football (Texas A&M Aggies First, then Arkansas Razorbacks).

Yeah, we have 2 kids, there’s not too much time for much after that. I love to bake – check my thread on Wildstar Central about my cookies I sent to Carbine! And I’ve taken to making up my own mixed drinks – my favorite still is the Low Grav – Jack Daniels and Cream Soda!

Question 12: Do you have any tips for other gaming couples or gamer parents that might be helpful?

Find a game that you both enjoy so you aren’t having to explain everything to the other person about the game you are playing. And make sure the kids have a set bedtime so that you can get your game on without having to worry about what the kids need!

Question 13: Is there any hidden talents or trade skills you two would like to share? Is there something new either of you'd like to learn?

Neither of us can really think of any hidden talents or the like that we have. Besides Licurgo being a former Lumberjack – he built log houses for 5 years. And I make the World’s Best Sugar Cookies – or so some that have tried them claim. Something new? I would love to go to school to become a massage therapist.

I can play Chess pretty well? That’s something most people don’t expect from me. Metalworking would be pretty cool to know, I guess.

Question 14: Simple one now I promise. Do you two have any pets? If you could have any real or made up pets, what would they be?

No pets, our landlords said no. I’d love to have a cat or a Corgi – the Corgi would be named Ein, naturally.

I would love to have a cat again – they’re the best pets ever!

Question 15: Finally, If there were one person living or dead, real or fake that you could sit down and have a long discussion with together or individually, who would it be and why?

I really have no idea who I would want to talk to –

How about Jim Butcher – Author of Dresden Files and Codex Allera – he would be fun to talk to, we both love his books and I would hope to get more insight into the worlds and characters from his books.

OK, Kat and Licurgo, I hope that wasn't too painful for you. I appreciate you being guests for the Sunday Sit down. Now, I’ll let you have free reign. If there's anything else not asked here that you'd like to get out there that you think would be interesting for us to know, feel free to share. Things like plugs for your twitters or anything, and of course feel free to give shout outs of any kind!

You (usually) won’t find Iggy anywhere near Twitter or Facebook – 

I figure that if anyone wants to find me they’ll just tell Kat they’re lookin’ for me. Oh great! – Kat has now told me that I have a twitter account @LicoriceQuips …really, Kat? –

Yes, really! And I’m @KatarynaWS on Twitter and you can also find me on Wildstar Central as Kataryna.

That's it Folks. Everything you'd want to know about the gaming couple supreme Kataryna and Licurgo and hopefully more! I thank them again for putting up with me as well as you the reader. Each and every week we will have a new and fascinating community member to learn about and see what really does make the WildStar community tick inside and out. Feel free to contact me anytime on twitter @zilvis78, comment below, or if you bump into me on the interwebs say hi!

Saturday Night Sketch For Kaeyi

Saturday Night Sketch this week is for Kaeyi Dream, she had a rough week but puts out awesome content and a great part of the gaming community.

Kaeyi can be found at @KaeyiDream on Twitter and youtube.com/kaeyidream

Nexus Newsflash #5 "You get a pin, and you get a pin,and YOU get a pin"

#5 "You get a pin, and you get a pin,and YOU get a pin"

https://soundcloud.com/zilvis-1/nnf5

WSRP 

http://wildstar-roleplay.com/

Late Night Dominion

http://www.twitch.tv/latenightdominion/old

Long days, longer nights...

      Hello out there on the Planet Nexus and beyond! So this week i'm going to chit chat a bit (I will try to keep it reasonable) about time management and being not only a gamer but involved in a community and balance with life. I do this because I know from personal experience and random observations and talks with people that time management is hard no matter what your doing. It can be general gaming, art, writing, blogging, site maintaining, twitter obsessing...lol..yes had to slip that in. So here's the hard question we have to ask is "What prioritizes our time?" First off I know everyone's slightly different, single gamers and couples gamers will have differences of opinion. Just as various gamer couples may have differences of opinion on what should be done and not done. Let's say this is a little personal experience mixed with a random assortment of test subjects....um victims..I MEAN PARTICIPANTS!. Ya know one really would assume i'm rolling a Chua for my main based on how I treat things.....Anywho enough of that back to time management. 
     We all need it, most people(and rightly so) say RL comes first. This is obvious and i'm sure we're all guilty of breaking it once...or 50 times. I have been weening myself off the net bit by bit,making what time im on count if I can then turning it off for a few hours,doing what I need to do(i'm learning lol)and then maybe hopping back for  a bit more. At this time of little games to play that's easy but what about when games pop back up, how to add something else to the mix? It's a schedule plain and simple. I don't mean you literally buy a day planner for online habits(But if that works....)or a chalkboard for easy changable items. I mean set in your mind "Ok this day i'm doing this,then this, then relax and maybe do this." 
     So your a typical gamer, you game so many hours maybe turn it off for friends/family/life/or whatever. Then you decide i'm making a website, and a blog, and frequent all the podcasts, and chats, and forums to really immerse into the game. Then you have problems. No one can do everything, but that schedule has to be concise of course for balance.
     So for me personally it's different, i'm mostly an insomniac...oh shocker the guys who's in TT until 5-6am doesn't hardly sleep. So I get alot extra done those nights i'm sure then average, but it's still balance. If i spend all night online I may not get back online until the next afternoon...yes I know i'm missed..calm down! :P Seriously though things are hectic, crazy, and possibly annoying but take your time. We like to rush..get "it" done whatever it may be. The thing is all stuff is important, life-games-art-writing but nothing has to be kill you fast done. Enjoy your time doing artsy things, spend that extra hour double checking your writings, and set aside plenty of time with those you love. Especially if they support you which is a welcome and not always common thing.
     Simple terms..after all that ^ mess "Love what you do while you do it but don't let what you do rule your time completely." Take care and be excellent to each other everyone!

Sunday Sit down #5 "She's Evi(L) but in a good way!

“She's Evi(L) but in a good way!”

Hello Exiles and Dominion of the planet Nexus and beyond! My name is Zilvis. This is my end of the week community spotlight that I’ll be doing each and every week to delve a little more into who a certain member of the WildStar community is, learn the what and why of their choice to migrate to Nexus, and maybe some surprises along the way. The way I looked at it we're all community bound like brothers and sisters in this game of WildStar. Why not get to know someone a bit better? Once again welcome, sit back, and prepare to meet this week's community member. You know and love her art and she's a huge part of the RP community, Evion!. Welcome to Sunday Sit down.

 I’ll let you write a little introduction.
If you have other monikers some may know you by, feel free to throw them out there. Mainly just tell where people can find you online and any background you'd like to share we might not know.

Hi guys! Actually, Evion is pretty much my go-to name in all the communities I have been a part of, or some variation of it. My art can all be found in my DeviantArt gallery at http://evion.deviantart.com/. I also frequent both WildstarRP and the Wildstar Turntable room, so say hi if you see me around! :D

As for background, I’ve always enjoyed drawing. It’s something I’m working on pursuing professionally as a career. I also enjoy a lot of Roleplaying, having experience both in forums and a wide variety of tabletop games. I’m looking forward to trying out in-game RP for the first time in Wildstar!

Question 1:As this is a WildStar themed project, we'll get those underway first. As most of us at one time or another have asked ourselves, what is WildStar?

WildStar is a game that combines the charm and style of a Pixar movie with the thoughtful humor and character of Firefly. For myself, I’m hoping WildStar will be my next gaming “Home.” From what I have seen so far, my hopes are very high indeed!

Question 2: What is one thing in the game you’re most hoping to be perfectly done, whether because it's needed or just something for your experience specifically?

The one thing I’m really hoping they polish and develop is Housing. It’s something I’ve never had the pleasure of experiencing in a game before, and from the previews, I am really intrigued. Being able to put together something creative and then share that project with other people will really help invest people in the game, even more so than collecting gear sets or interesting pets.

Question 3: I did a blog post discussing maybe why someone might pick one race over another in WildStar. What race do you think you identify with and why, even if it won't necessarily be your main?

Hm, what race do I identify with? That was never really a question for me. ;)

http://evion.deviantart.com/art/Wildstar-Evion-379553453

Ever since I first saw the CG trailer, I knew I would be playing an Aurin. The colors, the spunky personality, being able to prove that even someone small can kick major butt are all parts of what I enjoy playing in a character.

Question 4: I'm sure everyone has their WildStar moment, as I call it, that quintessential thing that cinched in your decision on the game.

Most definitely! For me, that moment came with the Gamescom trailer, back in 2011. It was my first time paying attention to the convention and I think I was watching it for WoW news at the time. This new trailer came out with really fun-looking pictures, so I queued it up. A few minutes later, after I’d stopped laughing, I played it again. Then I ran over to my friend’s room and made her watch it too. It was that combination of colorful characters and humor that really resonated with me, along with that space-frontier-exploration feel. I knew that I was going to be playing this game someday.

Question 5: What aspect of WildStar are you most excited about and feel you'll spend the most time on such as Questing-Housing-PVP?

Most definitely Housing. I just know that any questing I do is going to be for earning more funds to siphon into my house decor. The house will be amazing, and I will be dirt poor! Also, likely sleep-deprived. I expect to disappear for a few days once I do get my housing plot!

Question 6: Out of everyone from Carbine that you've interacted with, who has surprised you the most for one thing or another by what you have seen that they have said or done so far?

This is a tough one! On the one hand, I have been continuously surprised and amused by how involved Jeff Kurtenacker, the composer, is on twitter with the folks of the community. His vines bring endless amusement! On the other hand, I’d say Anlath has been a major support for us Role players, and it’s really encouraging to see a developer who’s got such strong RP roots and is willing to come in and engage with us! Besides that, he enjoys my art and also likes ponies! <3 He’s an awesome guy in my book!

Question 7: If you were given the power to either alter the game in some way or add something to it that has not been mentioned or rumored, what would it be and why?

I don’t think I’d alter the game, really. Perhaps I would add a more detailed Character Creation system, but that’s still in development, so I’ll wait to see how that comes together. Otherwise, I would just open up the Warrior class to the other races for selfish reasons, because I would have liked a small, fierce Aurin warrior.

Question 8: What is the one thing you want Carbine on a personal level or business level to know that you yourself have enjoyed from them?

Carbine, you have been amazing in being so inclusive and interactive with the community. I really hope that you are able to keep that up throughout the launch of the game. Your enthusiasm is contagious!

OK, that's it for the cross section on WildStar Q's. Next is a few Q's to get to know Evion a bit better besides her amazing exploits across Nexus!

Question 9: Being so talented, how long have you done the art thing and what had initially drawn (puns yes?) you to WildStar's style?

Hahaha! Well, I’ve been doing creative stuff for almost all my life, according to my mother, but I really began pursuing drawing and digital art in Middle School, about 14 years ago.

When I first saw the trailer for WildStar and the screenshots, I fell in love with the colors and vaguely cartoony stylization. It reminded me of my favorite cartoons, like Disney movies, Avatar the Last Airbender, but with a steampunk space-western aesthetic. It was like someone had taken my favorite aspects and thrown them in a blender together, creating a gorgeous art slurry.

Question 10: How long have you been gaming and what are your top 3 moments you'd say you remember in your own personal gaming history?

Hmm, this is very tricky! Picking out specific moments that stand out more than others…

Well, to answer the question of how long I’ve been gaming, I could say somewhere over 20 years, maybe a bit less. My parents had an Atari which I played a little even before I was able to read the colorful instruction books that came with the games. After that, I didn’t really play again until I was given a Gameboy, and since then I’ve been gaming in some capacity!

As for the moments, well let’s see…

Haha, one moment that stands out was in World of Warcraft, during the late Wrath of the Lich King. I would often hop around Dalaran during down-time boredom while chatting with my guildies on ventrillo. I had recently acquired a chopper bike and convinced my friend (now husband) to hop in the passenger seat and we rolled around Dalaran as we talked. All the while, I had a wicked plan in mind. Before he realized what was happening, we were riding through the sewers and down the drain pipe. He expected me to stop at the edge… I didn’t. :D We were both laughing as we fell to our deaths.

Another moment I remember well was the first time I got to step into a raid. It was in WoW: Burning Crusade and my little Draenei shaman was just a 68 toon, still half-clad in greens. My guild’s raid team was missing a member for Kharazan and needed a body, so they brought me in. I died so many times and loved every moment of it. I’d never experienced something so epic-feeling before. That clinched my role as a raider throughout my WoW career.

And finally, my favorite moment actually comes from a tabletop game. My friends and I were playing a martial-arts fantasy role playing game called Exalted. Our characters were trying to lay low in a large city to avoid government detection. My character, being a trouble-making thief, decided she was bored and took one of the others from the party to visit the Pirate King’s tomb, where I proceeded to steal the King’s golden hat. The shenanigans lead to dancing in a parade, scaring children in the park, burning down a tea house, and fighting hell hounds in the streets. When my character was later approached by the city police, they asked pointedly “Do you know anything about the Pirate King’s tomb that was robbed?” I replied in an excited and innocent voice, “Oooh! There’s a Pirate’s tomb? We should go there – It would be so much fun!” My GM needed a good five minutes to recover from his laughing, and I got to keep my snazzy pirate hat.

Question 11: Besides Gaming and art do you have any other interests or hobbies you find fun?

I dabble a little bit in sewing, mostly costume things for steampunk stuff, though I’d love to try my hand at cosplay someday. I also collect comics of all sorts. I love the Fables series from Vertigo!

Question 12: You’re heavy into the role play Community, a very nice and tight knit group I've learned. What started you becoming a role player?

Since I was little, I’ve found I enjoy creating my own characters and stories within pre-existing settings, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or Gargoyles. Later I’d create my own characters and settings. When I learned of free form role playing on the Internet, it seemed the perfect fit.

Question 13: Evi, is there any hidden talents or trade skills you'd like to share? Is there something new you'd like to learn?

There’s always new things I’d like to learn. In art, I want to work on improving my skills with mechanical objects, and backgrounds, composition, and perspective. Outside of that, I’d like to learn how to bake properly. I will make so many cookies!

Question 14: Simple one now I promise. Do you have any pets? If you could have any real or made up pet, what would it be?

I wish I had a cat! I grew up with them all my life, but since moving to a new house, we haven’t had the chance to look into adopting one yet. Other finances have to be settled first before we feel comfortable taking on that responsibility. However, we’ll hopefully be able to get one soon.

And if I could have a made-up pet, I would love to have my own cobalt Talbuk from Warcraft. Or maybe the snow-leopard Spirit Beast, he was a faithful companion on my hunter!

Question 15: Finally, If there were one person living or dead, real or fake that you could sit down and have a long discussion with, who would it be and why?

Man, all the hard questions! You may laugh, but I think I would like to have a talk and drink some beers with Master Harper Robinton from the Dragonriders of Pern books. He was an incredibly wise and patient man, but with a wonderful sense of humor. Sharing an afternoon with him would result in a lot of laughing.

OK, Evion, I hope that wasn't too painful for you. I appreciate you being a guest for the Sunday Sit down. Now, I’ll let you have free reign. If there's anything else not asked here that you'd like to get out there that you think would be interesting for us to know, feel free to share. Things like plugs for your twitter or anything, and of course feel free to give shout outs of any kind!

Thank you very much for inviting me here, Zilv! It’s been a real pleasure!

If you guys want to find me around the Internet, my twitter is @EvionFox, and my art gallery (again) can be found at http://evion.deviantart.com. I also have a Tumblr for art and random silly things at http://evion.tumblr.com/. Otherwise I’m frequently around http://www.wildstar-roleplay.com and tend to lurk in the WildStar Turntable room!

That's it Folks. Everything you'd want to know about Evion and hopefully more! I thank her again for putting up with me as well as you the reader. Each and every week we will have a new and fascinating community member to learn about and see what really does make the WildStar community tick inside and out. Feel free to contact me anytime on twitter @zilvis78, comment below, or if you bump into me on the interwebs say hi!