colony wars: a first-hand experience

The DeSanggrias got their first taste of Colony Wars yesterday, and I have to say that the experience was nerve-wracking and exciting at the same time! If I had serious hypertension concerns that time, I'd have died writhing in my seat. XD

Anyway, I went off to i-Hooked Net Cafe in Katipunan just to play GE and to have a first-hand experience of what it's like to go to war with one's faction. Despite the fact that the place was not that cold, I was freezing with anxiety. In fact, I was a bit adamant to join because of my family's level, but I figured it was worth a shot to try it out just to see my faction mates all together.

The attendance for the CARNAGE Faction was surprisingly low. Most of the resident faction mamaws were particularly missing, like Estradz and Infernalz among others. I just remembered then that some of them had an EB together with the wildboyz Faction that night (which also meant that these guys were probably drinking booze until the wee hours and would not wake up until late in the afternoon..LOLZ!).

In spite of the shortage, everyone was already on their toes, waiting for faction leader Overseer to start issuing orders. At 30 minutes before the start of the war, Lolo Seer (as we fondly call El Capitan XD) finally organized troops and gave orders for the platoon leaders to mobilize their members. I was able to tag along Quicky & Seighart's 3rd platoon and we all decided to meet up in Port of Coimbra.

CARNAGE Faction converge in Port of Coimbra Ch. 1

Upon arriving at the said location, I was surprised to see a lot of my faction mates—all eager for the battle to commence. I also noticed that I was the lone lowbie in the group, much to my embarrassment XD. Anyway, I learned from Seighart that our platoon was supposed to meet up in El Lago de Tres Hermanas. And since I didn't know how to get there, he offered to lead the way from the City of Auch to the awaiting colony.

The 3rd platoon contingent arrives

It's clobberin' time!

Making room for Quicky to do his thing XD

The first contingent of the 3rd platoon arrived at El Lago sometime after the start of the Colony War. I was with Seighart, Quicky, AquinoYap, Hawksmoor, Foxhoundz and Bushma before the rest of the group came in. The main objective was to whack the colony tower in the middle of the surrounding structures before any other faction beat us to it.

Little did I know that little tower sure took a long time to give in despite the fact that I was with a bunch of high level families. XD

A few minutes after we started ganging up on the Colony, Seighart told us to back off to give room for Quicky to do some serious damage. Then after, we got back to hacking and slashing and before long, El Lago's Colony became property of the CARNAGE Faction!

El Lago Colony: OWNED!

Our next stop was at Porto Bello's Deserted Quay. I decided to move back to the barracks and to use the Waypoint on the way to Porto Bello, but when I got there, several Thoracotomies (lvl 100) populated the area and I was dead in an instant. I went back to Reboldoeux, let Cyradis heal the group and then trudged back to Porto Bello. I took quick steps and veered away from the path of the high level monster until I reached my destination and waited until some of the squad members arrived.

The conquest of Porto Bello's Colony

Like in El Lago, the conquest of Porto Bello's Deserted Quay Colony was an easy one. I was able to use Verdandi's newly-learned skill, Meteor Strike, without any disturbances from enemies. Damned skill took quite some casting time, which made it hard for me to use in mob attacks, but thankfully I was able to see up close what it looked like while it dealt a bit of damage on the colony.

CARNAGE Faction at its best form

Spot the clones! LOLZ!

There were a lot of CARNAGE peepz in that location and I saw quite a handful of Claude Baudez and levitating Wizards in Clara Mago outfits. Wah! Seeing those floating Wizards made me wish I'd gotten myself one. But then again, it was nice to see Elementalists in Rosa Matrimonia outfits...the very same gown I want Verdandi to wear when she gets to a much higher level.

Next colony in line: Jezebel's Glen. Well, at least I knew how to get there so I just used a warp scroll (thank God I was able to save that location) so the girls went on to help the rest of the group. I saw a few families from other factions trying to worm their way in getting the colony, but due to the overwhelming number of CARNAGE mamaws (hehehe), it was inevitable that we claimed Jezebel's Glen.

CARNAGE claiming Jezebel's Glen Colony

Afterwards, someone from the squad (forgot if it was Hawksmoor or Seighart) announced that we were to head next to King's Garden. I took the long trip of going to Al Quelt Moreza then Cathari Falls before finally arriving in the designated area. I was surprised to know that VIRLEAD Faction already owned the place, and even more flabbergasted when I was the first to arrive there. Imagine the shock on my face when I met the faction's full force—and I was the lone CARNAGE family (and a lowbie one at that), so naturally I got pwned. LOLZ. Now I knew what it's like to be surrounded by a pack of hungry wolves. XD Man, I should've gotten a screenshot of that...it would've been priceless!

In between missions to claim Colonies, CARNAGE engaged in Faction Wars as well. As far as I can remember, we've declared war on CloudNine and VIRLEAD Factions. Also, some of the Colonies we acquired soon underwent attack from other factions, so Lolo Seer called out members to help in protecting our Colonies. And since time was running short as well, our faction leader was bent on defense rather than getting more Colonies from other factions.

There was one point when I went back to the Deserted Quay that we encountered a Sabel Tiger ganging up on enemy factions. Hehehe. It was as if the monster was there defending the Colony for us instead of the other way around. And there was another moment when I ventured back to El Lago that I got chased by an enemy faction who was out for CARNAGE blood. Seeing that I was no match for a high level family, I retreated and saved my girls from utter pwnage. XD

All in all, CARNAGE owned 6 Colonies at the end of the 2-hour war. Dominion Faction got the most, but the excitement's going to be several notches higher in today's Colony Wars as the Yakisoba Faction's bound to make an appearance.

I'm not so sure if I can cover today's war, but I doubt I'd be much help in defending our Colonies with Yakisoba in the run. Nevertheless, I'm just happy to have been able to participate in such an exhilarating event.

Until next CW! CARNAGE FOR TEH WIN!!!

Much thanks to Seighart, AquinoYap, Hawksmoor and everyone at CARNAGE for being a big help in the DeSanggrias' first CW adventure. Go Go Go Paps! Hehehehe.

peekchur time!

While waiting for the server maintenance, a few of my factionmates with me and Veya chatted over at YM. I didn't get much work done in the process (hehe), but I did get stomach cramps just from controlling the urge to howl with laughter. I think my boss thought me weird yesterday, looking constipated and all, but what the heck...it was the perfect way to pass time.

After work yesterday, I logged in the game to chat with a few more CARNAGE peepz, and even joined factionmate AquinoYap's invitiation to engage in a Mission Interchange adventure. We invited a few more from the faction, but eventually it was just the DeSanggrias, AquinoYap and Estradz who took on the quest.

It was actually my first time to do a squad mission, and I was pretty much uneasy with these two high level mamaws (mwehehe). My computer was in a virtual state of lag yet again, but I managed to be not much of a burden to the team as we battled Escudo Pechers, Mermen and some crate octupuses. I was actually waiting for some of the girls to die because of the snail's pace connection and all that crap, but thankfully, none of them wavered, thanks to Estradz's hot Scout (LOLZ!).

All in all, it was fun! I really ought to do more of these Interchange quests. The drops are pretty cool as well. I didn't get to pick out some skills rings, but that's ok. There'll be more opportunities to get some rare drops in the future.

Winnar!

But of course, I'm not about to pass up on the chance for screenie-taking! I put some thought balloons on some of the pictures, although only Pinoys will be able understand some of the dialogues I put there. Hehehe. Click on the image for full view!

AquinoYap's funny Adelina, McDo-ish Wizard and cute Scout!

Owned! LOLZ!

Chillaxin' on the streets of Reboldoeux with Estradz

Omayghulay!

Demure effect

Fireworks at the end of a successful mission

Big shoutouts and thanks to Estradz and AquinoYap for a fun quest!

And there's going to be a test Colony Wars once again this weekend at 8PM - 10PM (GMT +8)! I hope I can join in with the faction to document the action as well. ^_^

the music of granado espada

One of the many things I like about GE is its one-of-a-kind soundtrack that perfectly fuses trance, pop, classical and dance music. I like to listen to as much musical genres as I can, and thanks to some good friends, I've been introduced to quite a lot. Seeing these various genres in one game soundtrack is nothing short of pure genius. This is also one of the reasons why I like advancing to higher levels because you can get to take quests in various areas, and thus get acquainted with the diverse background music (BGM) that goes with it.

Although my characters are still at level 35, I've already quite a handful of favorite tracks to listen to. Below are just a few of my personal picks:

Granado Espada - Kim Junsung

This is the music you'd get to hear first prior to logging in the game. When the log in page appears, this classical piano piece sets the mood for the game's romantic backdrop.

Barracks - Kim Junsung

After logging in, you're immediately transported to the Barracks, and this is the accompanying track for the said location. Even if you're not a huge fan of orchestra music, you'll definitely find yourself humming to its tunes.

Supercooled Girl - SoundTeMP

This is the music you'll hear upon leaving the Cite de Reboldoeux's walls and venturing into the Queen's Gate. It has a light, catchy beat that picks up as the song progresses.

Beyond Hope - S.F.A.

If you were able to view one of the official video teasers of the game prior to POBT, then you know this song. Or if you've spent long hours leveling in Al Quelt Moreza, you've probably heard this playing in your mind as you sleep. Hehehe. I love the sound of string instruments, especially the violin, and this track is one of my most frequent LSS (last song syndrome). There's also the nice mix of synthesizers and percussions, giving it a semblance of "texture".

Odyssey - Kubota Osamu

This chorus song is usually heard upon arriving at Al Quelt Moreza Nartex. It has a bit of an epic feel to it as well. The electric guitar and piano medley is just amazing.

Forget-me-not - SoundTeMP

I've spent countless days in Al Quelt Moreza Parsonage, and this is one of those songs that I usually hear in that specific area. Everytime I hear this music, I'm always reminded of my level grinding stuggles in the game.

Aria de Coimbra - Kim Junsung

One of my top favorites. I like the operatic feel of this track. It really sets the mood and is a perfect romantic BGM in one of the game's picturesque towns.

Trancephobia - SoundTeMP

Definitely one of my favorite trance songs in the game. You'll be able to hear this cool track in Tetra Grand Corridor.

Temptation - Kim Junsung

This definitely has an Egyptian feel to it. Hehehe. Since I've been spending a lot of time in Tetra Golden Road, I can practically hear this in my sleep. XD

Andalusian Rhapsody - SoundTeMP

I haven't been to the location where you can hear this particular track, but I'm growing fond of this BGM. The guitar, flute and synthesizer mix depicts a brooding, yet light atmosphere whenever I hear this track.

Nangman Trance - SoundTeMP

Definitely and absolutely my top favorite in all the GE tracks I've heard so far. It's upbeat, eclectic music keeps me awake, and the fact that it's a fast song makes me want to be in the rush as well.

Violin of Death - S.F.A.

As previously mentioned, I love the sound of violins, and this track particularly highlights the drama and urgency violins connote. The heavy drums and electric guitar adds to its mysterious and playful ambiance. Does anybody know what location can you hear this music?


A bit of trivia:

I've recently learned (through Wikipedia) that SoundTeMP is not one person, but actually a team of Korean musicians who create music for online games. They've also composed BGMs for Ragnarok Online and Flyff (Fly for Fun). Kim Junsung, the musician behind the opening track of Granado Espada (the one in the log in page) and other in-game music, is also part of the team.

And I was able to scour the Net for a picture of Kubota Osamu!

And as an added bonus, I'd like to share a link to some of the music that can be found in-game. Check out this place to listen to a vast array of GE tracks, which unfortunately cannot be downloaded. :P Veya likewise has a playlist up in her blog as well, so do check it out and comment on some of the game's fantastic tracks.

I'd rather buy the original album anyway. I'm pretty sure it's a big bang for my buck. Mwehehehe.

There are still a lot of fantastic in-game music that I'd like to talk about, but we'd get to that once I advance to much more better locations. ^_~

faction EBs, quests, blogging and everything else in between

I have moved!

Okay, so I previously said I won't, but after Veya told me people had to sign up just to comment, I knew I had to move the DeSanggria abode to a more user-friendly host.

GE PH gamers have recently started conducting meet-ups to get to know their fellow GEeks (a term I coined to describe GE players XD). Talks among factions to have their own Faction EBs (eye-balls or get-togethers) are the buzz these days in the forums. GE PH Community Manager Veya has attended some of these and have written a post-event account in her blog.

Likewise I'm excited for a CARNAGE Faction EB sometime soon. Some of my factionmates have arranged impromptu EBs a few weeks ago, though I'd really like to see a huge attendance of the members in a grand meeting of sorts (although, I'm not too sure of a 100% attendance because some members reside in the provinces). I know for a fact that this faction is one bunch of crazy, funny gamers and I do want to meet them in person to put a face to those funny anecdotes I encounter in each of our faction chats.

The big question though is who will steer and organize this meet-up? What of everyone's availability?

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I'm glad to say that some members of the Yakisoba Faction have cleared the air regarding the heated posts in the CARNAGE Faction blog. Apparently, some people have been using the names of the known Yakisoba families to spam and flame in other factions' blogs. It's a good thing some people condoned these flame wars, or else we'd have some serious problems in our hands.

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I've been meaning to put up an Alaena entry, but I've been so engrossed in finishing the quests and leveling up to actually chronicle Alaena's exploits with her sisters. Oh, I've been taking screencaps and all, but some of them are not nearly as significant to merit an entry in this blog. I've been going to just 2 places in the map (Tetra Grand Corridor & Golden Road) so I can level grind and get more quests. I want to level faster coz I can't wait for Alaena to don the Heaven and Hell stance, which I've been rambling on for the last two entries or so. XD

Plus of course, I want to be worthy of being in CARNAGE, since this faction actually has a level requirement.

I guess I am taking my time to some extent because I love doing the quests as well. I've recently stopped doing Carlos' Escudo Pecher quest coz my slow PC puts the game in a perpetual state of lag, thus I can't complete the mission.

And I've finally acquired Gracielo! Hahaha. After 48 years of trying my luck, I actually beat the dude at around level 34. Some people have acquired his character card at a much earlier level, but as I've said, my PCs not cooperating so the girls die most of the time in combat missions. This is also the reason why I can't finish the stuff about Gracielo beating some three hulky fiends at the Coimbra Observation Point.

I've recently finished Brunie's initial request of Hard Chalcedonies, and I'm now doing her quest of obtaining the Golden Horn at the Tetra Golden Road. I've also taken on Idge's quest for some armor parts (yet again).

I'm just taking things one at a time. ^_^

trouble in paradise?

I dunno if anyone has noticed the trouble brewing over at the Pachelbel server. One of my friends who plays in that server has told me about the strife going on between this Jowin family sowing discord amongst PH and SG gamers. I do not know the entire story of this issue, but as far as I've known, it all started when Jowin sent a message in the world chat using the vernacular language. Some people reacted to these series of Tagalog shout outs, which resulted to a "chat war" of sorts among PH and SG gamers. Again, I don't know if I recounted the tale correctly, so if there's anyone who knows the true story to this, please feel free to correct me.

It seems that the issue here is language, and with GE being hosted in an international server, debates on whether to use English or the gamers' native tongue while chatting has been the topic in the forums. Some have raised valid points on the pros and cons of the issue, and I just personally would like to add that playing with such diverse people calls for respect in cultures. There's no need to sow hatred amongst gamers just because some people feel more comfortable speaking in their native language. I think patience and respect are needed to help each other enjoy playing the game.

On a related note, there were some Yakisoba Faction members who allegedly posted a few rude remarks over at the CARNAGE Faction blog. It has particularly irked me in a way, but then again, one of my faction mates pacified the issue by saying that these people may have just used the names of the known Yakisoba members just to spite our faction. This may be true, but I do hope that this will be resolved soon. I dunno why there are some who seem to have a big grudge against GE PH gamers, but I hope this won't escalate to a bigger dilemma. I believe that the Yakisoba Faction gamers are honorable people who would not stoop to such level of mudslinging against other factions.

Let's just put this behind us and enjoy the game. Or better yet, let's have a nice, good, and clean fight in the next Colony Wars. It's just a game and we shouldn't take it over our heads too much.