Whisper of a Memory

Guild Wars Price Check Tool

admin — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 23:04:40 +0000

Ever tried to buy something, but been unsure of how much you ought to be paying? Some people get around this problem by simply asking for a price check over All Chat. While there’s nothing wrong with this method, normally you’ll only get one response that can range from outdated to wildly inaccurate. Trying to sell something is even more challenging, since not knowing the current market value of an item puts you at risk for severely undercharging/overcharging. What a mess… It’s enough to make you want to vacation in remote Kaineng Center and relax your trading troubles away with a nice massage.

Hot Trot Angel, Ji Whitehawk, and Ana Hunt in Kaineng Center

Luckily, Argos Soft created this neat tool to do your own price checking, called the GwEstimator. Here’s a screen shot of what a common search looks like:

As you can see, you get a range of recent trade posts from Kamadan. With this many “price checks” it’s easy to get an estimated value, as well as find out what kinds of things people are willing to trade for.

Thanks to Ana Hunt for sharing this valuable piece of info, and thanks to the people at Argos Soft for making this available to the Guild Wars community!

Thrice @ The Masquerade – 2011

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:22:56 +0000

I’ve always heard that Thrice is amazing live, and now I can say with absolute certainty that I agree. This past Sunday, I had the pleasure of seeing them for the first time. As an avid listener of 10 years or so, I’d say it was long overdue…! Here’s a list of the songs they played:

Edit this setlist | More Thrice setlists

The new songs from Major/Minor sound amazing live. And I didn’t expect to hear ‘Circles’ or ‘Of Dust and Nations’ on this tour, so that was a nice surprise. To top it off, Thrice decided to play a couple of songs from their earlier albums as the encore. ‘Phoenix Ignition’ and ‘To Awake and Avenge the Dead’ brought on some insane nostalgia, and instantly made the crowd go wild. The most involving song of the night, though, was ‘The Earth Will Shake.’ Thrice + Atlanta were definitely shaking that bouncy floor in The Masquerade’s Heaven. Their performance was most excellent!

At the end of it all, Dustin Kensrue took his acoustic across the street and played a few songs. The purpose was to say thank you to the fans, and to raise awareness for Invisible Children. Here’s a short article where Dustin explains, in his own words, Thrice’s involvement.

I love this band and the songs they played more than words can express; I feel incredibly lucky to have been present that night.

Thank you Thrice. Your music brings hope and inspiration to people everywhere.

Thrice Images

admin — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 01:42:12 +0000

Since the release of their new album a few days ago, and their upcoming fall tour, I have to say: I have Thrice on the mind. What better time to post my stash of Thrice pics…!

Remember when they used to look like this?

These pics are of Ed Breckenridge, Riley Breckenridge, Teppei Teranishi, and Dustin Kensrue from Thrice, over an unspecified span of time.

(Try fullscreen mode! It’s the square button furthest to the right on the navigation bar.)

[Show thumbnail list]

[[Show as slideshow]]

Anthology by Thrice – Live Acoustic Version

admin — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 22:16:41 +0000

Last week, Thrice played an acoustic session at the Hurley Studio. They played a few different songs, but I was definitely most in awe of “Anthology.” Something about the melody evokes this wonderful indescribable feeling. And as a long time listener, I really appreciated all the different song references in the lyrics. Basically, this song is too good not to share.

I love acoustic performances, especially ones with a nice full sound. The fact that they played it flawlessly doesn’t hurt either.

Anthology

Our lives built on tin cans and string
But the cornerstone laid is a wondrous and beautiful thing
Sure in the ground

While the north wind is taking its toll
You have helped me to find my way back and to anchor my soul
Safe in the sound

Oh you know me, oh and I know you
And I know that, we can see this through

I’m brack and baring my bones
Said if we heard the howling
I’d run out to face it alone
To meet it halfway

I’ve still got badges to earn
So keep sifting my soul
Cause I think that I’m starting to learn
To love you that way

Oh you know me, and I know you
And I know that, we can see this through

It’s true that you could snap my neck
I trust you’ll save my life instead
Cause our love is a loyalty sworn
If we hold to our hope then I know we can weather the storm
Whatever they say, come what may

Oh you know me, oh and I know you
And I know that, we can see this through

Can’t wait to hear the album version of this song…! I’m even more stoked to hear Thrice play Anthology when they come to town this fall!

Guild Wars 2 – Changing the Face of MMOs

admin — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 04:00:21 +0000

There’s much about the structure of a traditional MMO that’s inherently broken. It’s almost as though some developers are creating games without the player in mind, content to churn out tired games that are just more of the same.

As such, I can’t wait for the release of Guild Wars 2 — it’s going to be epic! Granted, I’m a big fan of the original Guild Wars so I might be slightly biased. But I know talent when I see it…! ArenaNet is a developer with their collective thumb firmly on the pulse of today’s gamer. I could talk of their innovation and vision, but I think you’ll get a better idea of what I mean by watching the demo Boss Fight video below.

So maybe you’ve heard that there’s not going to be a Healer profession. Characters will each have a self-heal, along with the ability to revive fallen party members. And you probably already know that the world will be persistent, with dynamic events. But did you know that skills, like weapons, are swapable at will? If you’re out exploring, you won’t need to go back to an outpost to make adjustments. Another little tidbit — your armor will have multiple dye-able areas, and several new color choices that are available at character creation. No more shelling out gold for a desired shade.

There’s more. Here’s a video (by Alexrediculous) highlighting some of the lesser known details of Guild Wars 2.

And in case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a video of the basics.

Yellow Belly by Thrice + 2011 Tour Dates

admin — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 19:41:22 +0000

Like many Thrice listeners out there, I’ve been anxiously awaiting their upcoming album. Naturally, after finding out that “Major/Minor” comes on 9/20/11, my anticipation has amplified. So I’ve been whetting my appetite on random Thrice YouTube vids since then, hoping to find something new.

Yesterday I got my wish when I stumbled across several videos of an untitled song they played live back in April 2011 (at Baboozle). Unfortunately, most of the videos either cut off before the song was finished or had less than stellar sound quality. Not anyone’s fault. But then today… Thrice to the rescue…! They released a clean version of their new song. Click below to hear it!

Thrice – Yellow Belly by VagrantRecords

And, Thrice tour dates for 2011:

Sep 30 – Las Vegas, NV – Hard Rock
Oct 01 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theater
Oct 03 – Dallas, TX – The Door
Oct 04 – Austin, TX – Emo’s
Oct 05 – Houston, TX – House of Blues
Oct 07 – Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution
Oct 08 – Orlando, FL – Beacham Theater
Oct 09 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade Theater
Oct 11 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
Oct 12 – Richmond, VA – The National
Oct 13 – Philadelphia, PA – Electric Factory
Oct 14 – Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom
Oct 15 – Towson, MD – Recher Theater
Oct 16 – New York, NY – Irving Plaza
Oct 18 – Boston, MA – Royale
Oct 19 – Montreal, QC – Club Soda
Oct 20 – Toronto, ON – Phoenix Theatre
Oct 21 – Pittsburgh, PA – Club Zoo
Oct 22 – Covington, KY – Madison Theatre
Oct 23 – Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall
Oct 25 – Grand Rapids, MI – Intersection
Oct 26 – Detroit, MI – St. Andrew’s Hall
Oct 27 – Chicago, IL – Metro
Oct 28 – St. Louis, MO – Pop’s
Oct 29 – Lawrence, KS – Granada
Oct 30 – Denver, CO – Summit Music Hall
Nov 01 – Magna, UT – SaltAir
Nov 03 – Seattle, WA – Showbox Market
Nov 04 – Portland, OR – Wonder Ballroom
Nov 05 – San Francisco, CA – Regency Ballroom
Nov 06 – Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades
Nov 08 – Los Angeles, CA – Mayan Theater
Nov 09 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Nov 10 – Anaheim, CA – House of Blues
Nov 11 – San Diego, CA – House of Blues

Thanks for being so amazing, Thrice. <3

For more updates, try Thrice’s Facebook or MySpace page.

Looking For Motivation, Self Invite

admin — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 19:27:00 +0000

Some days, it’s difficult to get started.

In an effort to beat the doldrums, I did a search on bored kitty and unmotivated kitty images. I figured I might stumble onto a fitting pic, since cats naturally seem to have that disinterested look.

Although I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, I did end up chuckling for a bit. (Thanks for the laughs, LOLcats!) After spending about half an hour perusing silly kitty images, I picked a favorite.

Something about the way this cat is sitting has me convinced that he understands how I feel right now.

I’d like to write a post about new content updates in both Guild Wars (Winds of Change) and Maplestory (Chaos). But the quest for inspiration is on pause for now. Like this kitty, I’ll also be “waitin for cheezeburger man.”

Heroes X 7

admin — Tue, 31 May 2011 18:28:48 +0000

The team at Guild Wars has finally done it…! Previously limited to 3 in a party, Heroes can now join you on your adventures in numbers up to 7. While that might not sound like a substantial change to those who are new, seasoned players fully understand what having 7 heroes entails.

Offhand, it means that players can now customize their entire team. It’s especially helpful for those who like to play solo — it’s now possible to run “____-way” without another human player. Another boon for solo players is that one can now enter places previously inaccessible to soloists. Fissure of Woe is the first one that comes to mind.

This change, along with a few other cool changes, was introduced in the March 3rd game update. But why am I writing about an update from almost 3 months ago? I have a good reason. Back in December of 2009, I wrote a post called “Hero List“. Since that list is now obsolete, amending it seems like the correct thing to do.

Here’s the updated list of heroes, listed in the order in which they appear in your “Add a Hero” drop-down menu.

Hero List

Goren – warrior (NF)
Koss – warrior (NF)
Jora – warrior (EN)
Acolyte Jin – ranger (NF)
Margrid the Sly – ranger (NF)
Pyre Fierceshot – ranger (EN)
Tahlkora – monk (NF)
Dunkoro – monk (NF)
Ogden Stonehealer – monk (EN)
Master of Whispers – necromancer (NF)
Olias¹ – necromancer (NF)
Livia – necromancer (EN)
Norgu – mesmer (NF)
Gwen – mesmer (EN)
Acolyte Sousuke – elementalist (NF)
Zhed Shadowhoof – elementalist (NF)
Vekk – elementalist (EN)
Zenmai² – assassin (NF)
Anton – assassin (EN)
Razah – ritualist (NF)
Xandra – ritualist (EN)
General Morgahn – paragon (NF)
Hayda – paragon (EN)
Melonni – dervish (NF)
M.O.X. – dervish (S)
Kahmu – dervish (EN)

Campaign Legend:

NF = Hero acquired in Nightfall
EN = Hero acquired in Eye of the North
S = Special Hero requires all 3 campaigns

1 = Also requires Prophecies
2 = Also requires Factions

Kakashi Love Song

admin — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:57:56 +0000

Almost everyone who follows the Naruto/Naruto Shippuden series naturally begins to have a favorite character. I have more than one, since there are so many interesting characters, but Kakashi stands out as the top favorite. Like some anime reviewers, I am intrigued by the duality of his personality — the laid back, easygoing teacher and the serious, intense shinobi.

But this isn’t an ode to my feelings for Kakashi; rather, it’s an opportunity to talk about the episode that bears the same name as this post. So, last week, I got a fortune out of a cookie that immediately made me think of “Kakashi Love Song.”

On it’s own it sounds like a reference to Kakashi’s penchant for passing time at a particular Konaha Memorial Grave Stone, and how his past has affected what he chooses to instill in his students. But within the context of the episode, the possible interpretations become more universal.

Been awhile since you’ve seen it? Here’s the video, Episode 191 from Season 5 of Naruto Shippuden, on Hulu. (If you’re new to Hulu, be prepared to sit through a couple of 30 second ads.)

If you’ve ever been in love, I’m sure you can relate to that nameless feeling Kakashi must’ve had while standing on that cliff. It’s the quandary of having two very separate yet simultaneous emotions. On the one hand, he is bound by his sense of duty to complete his mission. And on the other hand, he is filled with a sense of mourning for someone who used to be important to him but no longer has a place in his life.

To me, this simple fortune, “We must always have old memories and young hopes,” encapsulates a way of dealing with these kinds of dual emotions. It creates a place for old memories to exist as they were, while granting the freedom to hope anew. And that’s how it should be. Somewhere behind Kakashi’s detached demeanor, in the remote hills of his mind, he sits with a girl as they both gaze at the clouds.

Naruto Shippuden

admin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:18:17 +0000

Although my interest in anime has survived all these years, the time I can devote to finding and watching new episodes has drastically dwindled. One anime that I still make a point to follow is the Naruto Shippuden series. Luckily, the internet has made it much easier for me; the ongoing series is updated regularly, and can be watched at the Official Viz site.

The story continues from the original Naruto series, with an older and more seasoned cast. If you’re one of the few who are just now tuning in after the original, you can be relieved. The immature antics of young Naruto and his classmates are mostly gone. Instead we have young adults whose will and vision have been tempered by suffering, and forever altered by the passing of lives and time.

Enter the protagonist Naruto. No longer the “#1 Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja,” the fiesty fellow has come into a calmness born of mastering his Jinchuriki. He remains a devoted villager, a tenacious fighter, and a loyal friend. Now more than ever, Naruto seems ready to fulfill his vow to one day become the Hokage.

Naruto Shippuden – Naruto Poster Print, 22×34 Poster Print, 22×34

But what is a hero without a nemesis? Sasuke, once a teammate and friend, has set off to pursue his own agenda. Armed with mysterious powers and a new group of allies, Sasuke’s presence in the series serves as constant suspense. When will Naruto finally get the chance to confront Sasuke? When they battle, whose jutsu will come out victorious? And perhaps foremost on the minds of Sasuke fans everywhere, will the young Uchiha prove to be a good guy underneath it all?

Naruto Shippuden – Sasuke Poster Print, 22×34 Poster Print, 22×34

Read more about the series on the Naruto Wikipedia page