Monthly Archives: July 2013

The Secret World

Started playing The Secret World last night. It’s been a while since I played an MMO. I think it might be safe to say I’m hooked.

I’m playing as part of the Illuminati (sex, drugs and Rockefeller) as a chaos mage. As other people have commented – it really is like an Awakening, more to the point, a Seer of the Throne awakening*. I’m still going through the starting stuff, but I’ve found that it’s not particularly “grindy”, nor is it particularly repetitive. I’ve been on a few fetch quests, and a few “go here and do this” quests, but those were the side-quests,  not the main quest. I like how when you complete a quest, you send a report back to base and you quite often get snippy little responses back about how while you’re off mission, at least you’re not wasting your time.

Discovering my limits is tricky. I can usually handle half a dozen zombies without a problem, but sometimes a couple more is enough to take me down. And the big feckers… well, I can take one of them down solo – shame I keep attracting them in threes…

If anyone wants to get in touch, I’m playing as Valcyn on the Arcadia server.

 

 

*Mage: the Awakening references, for reference

Pacific Rim and Arya

Today, I skipped out on going to the Glasgow Isles of Darkness games to spend the afternoon with Hanna and Arya, who were up visiting. It’s the second time I’ve been around Arya, and the first time I’ve actually spent any time with her, and she is adorable. We had a dance around Cosmos while Hanna got some food and she was an absolute darling.

Well, up until we got into the cinema. We went to see Pacific Rim and Arya objected to this idea not long after it started. Since she wouldn’t quieten down, Hanna took her out, but insisted I stay to watch the film. And it was a good film. I want to see it in IMAX 3D now – just to watch it be even more epic. Yes, the plot is a little straightforward and cliché, but what did you expect from a film that essentially revolves around giant robots fighting giant monsters?

And in the immortal words of the Megas XLR theme: “Who digs giant robots? I dig giant robots! We dig giant robots! Chicks dig giant robots! Nice.”

Empire redux

Last Saturday, I went to a IC gathering being hosted in Glasgow by a mate of mine. I had to scrounge up my costume from my Up-Helly Aa gear and a quick trip to A-Ha-Ha for new make-up but I got something together. It was a good evening though I didn’t do much. I need to revise up on my histories and so on, but I knew that anyway. I got to play a stereotypical Naga (lounging on the sofa for most of the evening paying little heed to anything but my own comfort) and I had a couple of bottles of Demijohns’ finest to help with that.

I’ve now got a hood and tunic in the works and I’ve booked the upcoming event. I’ve also bought even more costume and camping supplies. Transport may still be an issue, but I’m hoping that the minibus idea that got suggested pans out. I’m not sure I’ll look exactly how I wanted, but I’ll have kit, and I’ll have the right kind of look, I hope. It should be fun.

Now You See Me

I can honestly say I didn’t see it coming. The premise of the film I love – magicians doing heists in front of everyone and no one being able to pin it on them. The arrogance of the magicans, the tricks; it all appeals to me in the weird way these things sometimes do.

I thoroughly enjoyed the film and I can’t think when a film last had me looking for the answer so hard that I didn’t see it. Though admittedly I did figure out a few of the tricks before they were explained and some of the twists.

Top-notch acting, top-notch performances, and I’d be curious to find out how much of the magic was genuine and how much was staged. Was the handcuff trick genuine or was that clever editing?

Despicable Me 2

After an aborted attempt to watch Now You See Me on Wednesday, we went to see Despicable Me 2 last night. And it was good. Really good. Giggling uncontrollably in our seats good.

Especially the bit during the credits.

But also the bit after the credits were we starting smack-talking with cries of “gelado!” which got Sarah cracking up enough she was having trouble breathing. (As a note, if she did end up dying as a result, we are agreed that it was the gelado that did her in, not us*)

A lot of the funny bits were in the trailers, as you might expect (“Lipstick taser!”) but the trailers didn’t feature “Gru-derzella” or many of the minions’ antics. If you enjoyed Despicable Me, definitely go watch DM2. If you haven’t seen either, watch both!

 

 

 

*In case it needs to be said, this is a joke.

Vox Populi Crew Call

We are currently recruiting 20+ LARP crew to help with our most ambitious Sci-Fi event to date.

No Rest for the Wicked is a LARP set in the far future Warhammer 40,000 universe. It’s a game of adventure, politics and trading on the fringes of known space and our next event takes the players to a war world – an entire planet besieged by war – as they battle to retrieve an ancient artefact of a lost human empire. Crew will represent both the allied and enemy forces that they’ll be meeting during the course of pitched battles, skirmish encounters and interacting at the base camp.

What’s required?

Crewing is free and we always work to provide catering on-site at an affordable rate. We have indoor bunks for the first 20 crew, possibly more dependent on player and crew numbers. Sleeping areas are Out of Character and we will time out at the end of each night’s play so crew and players can sleep.

Although exciting combat roles will be provided for experienced melee LARPers, a great deal of our game is based around NERF fire fights and interacting with non combat NPC’s. So, combat LARP experience is not required.

Crew will also have access to our costume wardrobe and weapons to equip your NPC’s, although you are welcome to bring any of your own appropriate costume or gear to increase your options.

Where and when?

Event 4, Vox Populi, will be held over the weekend of 25th to 27th October at Douglaswood Scout Centre, 20 minutes north of Dundee. We’re going to be doing set-up and take-down on the 24th and 28th respectively, and any crew assistance with that would be welcomed. We are happy to help co-ordinate car shares for crew and will arrange scheduled pickups from Dundee train station to the game site.

How do I sign up?

Crewing is a great way to get a taste of No Rest for the Wicked or just get your LARPing fix on a budget. Contact us by email ([email protected].uk) to tell us you are interested and we will keep you updated with potential car shares and catering costs. If you can commit now, let us know what days you will be attending (just the game, or game and setup/breakdown) and we’ll save you a bunk!

Please share this post out to any groups or individuals that might be interested. The further we can spread the word, the better we can make our war world event!

For more information on No Rest for the Wicked, our setting and rules, please check out our website at www.norestforthewicked.org.uk and you can join our communities on Google+ (https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/109603141134290430780 ) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/NoRestLARP ).