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I have a confession to make

2008-12-29T00:03:00.001-08:00

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to trade skills. They remain one of the most tedious aspects of MMOs, but I can't stop. I tend to make a large number of characters in order to cover all crafting possibilities in a single supporting network (and because I like to try all the different classes). But addicted or not, I'm still annoyed at how cumbersome they can be and how stagnant their development has remained.
If you compare recent releases like LOTRO, AoC, and WAR you see that trade skills are pretty much the same as WoW (for that matter, WoW isn't much different from UO). The variations are in the details alone. Sure, LOTRO has stepped learning instead of gradually gaining new recipes and has added critical successes. Sure AoC has trades that allow you to construct buildings and siege engines (though WOTLK has added this to WoW). WoW has eleven skills of which you can pick two; LOTRO has ten that you can get in prearranged packages of three. WAR lets you have two of six skills in its underwhelming system. But the basic premise is the same. You tediously gather resources from monsters or the environment then go through the cumbersome task of refining and combining them into equipment which you generate over and over again until you gradually improve your skill. When it comes down to it, they all function the same.
Curiously, there have been lesser giants between UO and WoW which developed more for their crafting, yet it's a rare game these days that even seems to try. I never played the EQ series, having enjoyed AC far too much, but from what I understand, EQII pushed the crafting system common to most MMOs now and then. It actually introduced skills that players used while crafting, rather than just pushing a button and watching. It also had various qualities of base materials that could affect the final product. SWG employed the quality idea too, as well as stepping away from the node-based harvesting system. Instead, various areas of planets were more mineral rich and harvesters gathered materials by selecting the region rather than wandering in search of non-random node spawns. That is an improvement in harvesting, yet the crafting remained little changed.
The deepest shortcoming and greatest room for growth in trade skills comes in the basic premise of their application. That is, its foundation in the practices of a hunter-gatherer civilization rather than what would be expected given pseudo-medieval technology. So let's take a look at history before we step back into gaming.
The Celts, although generally perceived by their Greco-Roman neighbors as barbaric, had highly developed mining during the Hallstatt era (700-500 BC). They didn't gather iron that they stumbled across like some form of crude hunter-gatherer. On the contrary, they developed towns and mines. In the Middle Ages, equipment was crude yet miners burrowed sixty meters into the earth in the search for ore.
Most MMOs are loosely set in the technological equivalent of the "High Middle Ages" which occurred two millennia after the Celts. Furthermore, games have numerous dungeons that are called "mines." Despite this, designers have decided that players can't collect ore like normal miners. Instead they have to stumble across it in their travels and loot it where it lies.
Medieval farmers weren't ignorant either. The three-field system of crop rotation was introduced in Europe in AD 700, came to widespread use by AD 1100, and is still largely used today. I hardly think such competent farmers and herbalists made a common practice of scurrying through the woods looking for random naturally growing herbs and plants. Yet WoW's herbalists gather plants in a very crude fashion compared to what should be a refined method of growing domesticated herbs. LOTRO's farming is more accurate but suffers from being the most grueling of all trade skills I've experienced.

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Nobody will remember

2008-12-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Nobody will remember the Detroit Lions came close to winning their last game. All anyone will know — now and forever — is 0-16.
The worst record in NFL history, a dubious distinction that will permanently stain everyone involved.
The Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 on Sunday, making them the first team to go winless through a 16-game season. The 1976 expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14) were the last NFL team to complete a season without a victory.
"I've got to live with this," center Dominic Raiola said. "I've been here eight years. This is on my resume."
It's also on the resume of Lions coach Rod Marinelli, who faces an uncertain future.
"No competitor wants to go through something like this," Marinelli said. "This is not fun to go through, obviously. But there's people going through a lot worse than this."
Asked what the next step might be if he does keep his job, Marinelli said, "Let me get through step one first."
The Lions' last loss didn't come without a fight. After falling behind 24-14 midway through the fourth quarter, Kevin Smith's 9-yard touchdown run put Detroit back within a field goal.
But Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers responded with a 71-yard touchdown pass to Donald Driver and the Lions' Dan Orlovsky threw an interception on fourth-and-27 with 3 minutes left, dooming Detroit to futility of historic proportion.
"It's just kind of numb," veteran kicker Jason Hanson said. "It's here. It's been coming, though, a train rolling down the tracks for a while. We tried to stop it. We couldn't."
The Lions were building toward this for years and now have lost 23 of their last 24 games. The 0-16 record will be a lasting testimony to the Matt Millen era. With Millen as president of the team from 2001 until he was fired on Sept. 24, Detroit won only 31 games — none this year, of course.
It's so bad that some Lions can't remember the last time they won.
"I don't ever want to be a part of this again," Orlovsky said. "We haven't won since, November of '07, maybe? I don't even know the last time we won a game."
The Lions haven't won since Dec. 23, 2007, actually, when they beat Kansas City. Green Bay is where this woeful streak began at the end of last season. Since then, the Lions have lost 17 straight and have been outscored 551-281.
Marinelli has gone 10-38 in three seasons. His future has not been announced, but team owner William Clay Ford has decided the leaders of the front office, Martin Mayhew and Tom Lewand, will be back in some capacity.
"I am positive that every aspect of what we do as a football team has to be rethought and analyzed," Hanson said.
Orlovsky was 22-of-42 for 225 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for the Lions, whose bid to steer clear of the record book came undone in large part because of ill-advised penalties.
Rodgers was 21-of-31 for 308 yards and three touchdowns for the Packers (6-10), and Ryan Grant and DeShawn Wynn rushed for 106 yards each.
After a disappointing season of their own, Rodgers said the Packers wanted a win to build momentum for next season. Left unsaid was that they didn't want to be the only team to lose to the Lions this year.
"We didn't want to lose, no, we didn't," Rodgers said. "But really it's not on your mind once the game starts. I didn't even think about it until the fans started chanting in the fourth quarter. They played hard, they really did."
Packers coach Mike McCarthy didn't want any part of the 0-16 discussion.
"I want to politely try to avoid the question here," McCarthy said. "That's tough. That's a tough deal. But we were focused on winning the game."
With the Lions trailing 14-7 early in the third quarter, safety Kalvin Pearson then put a hard hit on Grant to cause a fumble, and recovered the ball at the Packers 11.
Calvin Johnson caught a pass from Orlovsky and broke three tackling attempts to score a tying 14-yard touchdown with 10:20 left in the third quarter.
But the Packers drove for a 36-yard field goal by Mason Crosby early in the fourth quarter. After a three-and-out by Detroit's offense, Lions linebacker Ernie Sims' penalty for a late hit out of bounds on Grant played a key role on a drive that ended with a 5-yard pass from Rodgers to fullback John Kuhn.
The Lions weren't finished, as Orlovsky used two long completions to John Standeford to set up Smith's touchdown with 8:34 left. After the ensuing kickoff, Rodgers reared back and threw deep to Driver, who blew past Lions cornerback Leigh Bodden and ran in for a touchdown.
Orlovsky led the Lions back into Packers territory, but a taunting penalty on Smith moved the Lions back near midfield and Orlovsky threw an interception to Nick Collins.
"It was a very bad, selfish decision," Smith said. "I let my emotions get the best of me. It was tough, but it is no excuse."
Perhaps more than anything, the penalties got Raiola riled up.
"Stupid," Raiola said. "You know, just uncalled for. You're in a game like that, you can't do that. Just dumb."
And very much like the Lions.
Notes: Green Bay's Donald Driver and Greg Jennings each had 100 yards receiving Sunday. Combined with Grant and Wynn's 100-yard rushing days, it is the first time in league history a team has had a pair of 100-yard rushers and 100-yard receivers in a single game, according to Elias. ... Packers rookie TE Jermichael Finley caught his first career touchdown pass in the first quarter.

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who fully utilizes the strengths

2008-10-27T18:51:00.001-07:00

Current players, it cheap lineage ii adena is that time once again. Wrath of the Lich King, the expansion for Blizzard's MMO juggernaut World of Warcraft hits in a matter of weeks, and while some of its conte buy lineage ii gold nt has already been made live, such as Achievements and haircuts, the entire continent of Northrend still awaits those who are up to the task of clawing their way to level 80.

The new Death Knight hero class is a big draw for many as well, and though not all players will be up for the class's level of complexity, it can be powerful in the hands of some cheapest lineage 2 adena one who fully utilizes the strengths. It is kind of a chaotic time for Azeroth right now, with Necropolis sightings all over the world and sporadic undead attacks serving as a herald of what is yet to come.

The man who was once the valiant Prince Arthas, now the dark and twisted leader of the Scourge, has awoken and begun to moun buy lineage ii gold t a campaign against the living from his throne in Northrend. Aiding him in his goals are the Death Knights, powerful warriors raised from the grave that Arthas speaks to tel adena lineage 2 epathically to carry out his twisted will.

have different loot

2008-10-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

Now it wouldn't be a World of WarCraft collectable game i cheap lineage ii adena f the possibility of in-game loot didn't exist! With every booster pack buy lineage 2 adena you buy you also have the chance to get a card for a redeemable in-game item. One of the cards included in the first run of the product is a unique Epic Bear Mount. There will be a limited number of these cards so players lucky enough to get their hands on o lineage 2 adena ne will certainly be happy about that.

Future expansions of the product will have different loot so you’ll always have something to look forward to, no matter how many booster packs you buy. Another set that will be available i adena lineage 2 n December will, in my opinion be the way to go for those of you who already know what to expect and want to fully explore the game. The Deluxe Edition will include everything you get in a starter pack, one of three maps that are exclusive Lineage2 Adena to the Deluxe Edition and they will also always contain an in-game loot card. This option will be available for $39.99 and will likely be in very high demand with the limited number that will be available.

I asked Anna Maria about her feelings on the overall quality of the game and she said, "One of the thin Lineage2 Adena gs that Upper Deck is known for is baseball cards because we came in and completely revolutionized the industry because our cards were so much cooler than anyone else’s and that's the bar that we set for ourselves with the Miniature Game". After playing the game extensively over the last couple of weeks I can attest to the quality of the product. It's fun, it's addicting, it's WarCraft.

Travel companies

2008-09-27T01:26:00.000-07:00

Travel companies and hotel chains contin buy warcraft gold ue to offer special deals to keep Americans moving despit wow gold value e rising gas prices and the ailing economy. Travelocity wow powerleveling has the Race to Savings promotion, in which over 4,000 hotels, resorts and cruise lines are listing discounts and perks that can amount to up to 60 percent in savings.

Hotel and vacation package rates are good for trips booked by Nov. 15 for travel through Jan. 15, 2009, and thsale wow gold savings on selected cruises are good though December 2009 Comings and Goings: Airlines Expand Flight Schedules to Brazil (September 28, 2008) And the Hilton Hotels HHonors program, which rewards points and miles to participants, is tripling the number of base points of those who spend a Sunday night at participating hotels in New York through Dec. 31.

It is tripling the mileage points of those t buy wow gold raveling to China (on 18 airlines) who also stay two nights at participating hotels starting Nov. 1 and going through Feb 2. It is al buy cheap wow gold so giving away up to 5,000 bonus points at some Hilton properties in Europe, and 2,500 bonus points at designated properties throughout the Middle East, Africa and Asia to those whose stays include a Saturday night starting Oct. 1

about Terracotta Army

2008-08-12T20:58:00.000-07:00

Terracotta Army, Pit No.1
This vault opened to visitors in 1979. It measures about 210 meters long and 62 meters wide and the bottom of the pit varies from 4.5 meters to 6.5 meters AOC Gold below ground level. Ten earthen walls were built at intervals of 2.5 meters, forming 9 circling corridors. About 6000 terracotta figures of soldiersand horses face east in a rectangular array, each one either armed long spear, dragger or halberd. The vanguard ffxi gil appears to be three rows of infantry who stand at the easternmost end of the army. Close behind is the main force of armored soldiers holding weapons, accompanied by 38 horse-driven chariots.
On the southern, northern and western side there stand one row of figures serving as the army's defense wing. Standing in front of such grand ancient army array, one would feel the footstep of the marching soldiers.
Terracotta Army Pit No.2
Excavated in 1976, Vault Two stands anarchy online credits about 20 meters north to Vault One. As the highlight of the whole mausoleum, it uncovers the mystery of the ancient anarchy online credits army array. It consists of four units, measuring 94 meters east to west and 84 meters south to north and 5 meters deep., forming a 6000 sq. meter built-up Cheap aoc gold area. The first unit contains rows of kneeling and standing archers; the second one is a chariot war array; the third unit consists of mixed forces with infantry, chariot and trooper standing in rectangular array; and the last one includes numerous troopers holding weapons. The four units form a rigor battle array.
Terracotta Army Pit No.3
Vault Three, the smallest one, was buy aoc gold uncovered in 1976 and opened to visitors in 1987. It measures 17.6 meters east to west and 21.4 meters south to north and the bottom of the pit varies from 5.2 meters to 5.4 meters below the ground level. It's obvious that vault to be the command post for the soldiers in other pits. The three vaults stand like an equilateral triangle.
Exhibition of Bronze Chariot
The Exhibition Hall of Qinling Bronze Carriage buy cheap wow gold opened on 1st, Oct. 1983. The two colored-drawing bronze carriages displayed in the hall were discovered 20 meters away from the west side of the Tomb of Qin Shihuang in Dec.1980 and were elaborately fixed before exhibition.The carriages have about 3400 parts wow gold google checkout each and were four horses-driven. The second one is 3.17meters long and 1.06 meters high; the bronze horses vary from 65 cm to 67 cm high and 120 cm long, and totally weights 1234 kg. They were mainly made of bronze. There are 1720 pieces of golden and silver ornaments weighting 7kg on the carriage. The carriages were so well-made and so vivid that they boast the wow gold price best preserved and the highest rank and the earliest known bronze relic in China and it's the biggest bronzeware ever found in the world.

Terracotta Army

2008-08-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

The Terracotta Army Museum lie 1.5 km east to the Tomb of Qin First Emperor.
The Terracotta Army sell age of conan gold figures lie underground for more than 2000 years. In 1974, farmers digging a well about 1500 meters east of the tomb uncovered one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. The firstly discovered site of Terracotta Army was named Vault One. In 1976, the other two vaults were uncovered 20-25 meter close to the Vault One, and were named Vault Two and Vault Three respectively. cheapest aoc gold Excavation of the underground vaults of earth and timber revealed thousands of life - sized Terracotta Army in battle formation - a whole army which would accompany its emperor into immortality. The excavation was a real big shock to the whole world - the vaults are so big, the figures are so vivid and the number of wow goldof the figure is so incredible!Every figure differs from those around in facial features and expressions, clothing, hairstyle, gesture. The horsemen, the longbow bearers, the archers, the senior officers and generals were positioned in strict accordance with the ancient directives on the art of war. Many of the figures originally held real weapons of the time, such as bronze swords, longbows, arrowheads, spears, dagger-axes and other long-shaft weapons. Surface treatment of theweapons made them resistant to rust Age of conan gold and corrosion so that after being buried for over 2000 years they were still sharp. The Terracotta Army figures supply abundant and real objects of military, culture and economy to the study of the history of that period. The Terracotta Army figures excavation was regarded as one of the greatest discovery wow cheap goldin the 20th century. In Dec. 1987, the UNESCO ranked the Tomb of the First Emperor (including the Terracotta Army Vaults) into the list of World Cultural Heritages. Standing in the exhibition hall, one would be shocked by such a grand ancient army formation, which will lead you back to the ancient warring situation. The tomb is a treasury for the Chinese people and for the whole world as well online wow gold.

Xian Overview

2008-08-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Xi'an, anciently known as Chang'an (meaning "eternal peace"), is the capital of Shaanxi Province and the biggest city in the northwest of China. It boasts wow gold a mild climate, fertile soil, beautiful scenery, abundant products, and numerous historical relics and sites.
Extending 116 kilometers from north to south, and 204 kilometers from east to west, Xi'an covers an area of 9,983 square kilometers (including the urban area of 1066 square kilometers), with nine districts and four counties under its jurisdiction. According Cheap WOW Gold to the 2003 census, it has a population of 7,160,000.

Xi'an has a long history. An old saying in China tells the unique position of this legendary city: "If you want to see China of 100 years ago, visit Shanghai; China of 500 years ago, Beijing; China of 2000 years ago, Xi'an." During its 3,100 years of development, 12 dynasties, including wow cheap gold the Western Zhou (1046 BC-771 BC), Qin (221 BC-206 BC), Western Han (206 BC-25 AD), and Tang (618-907), made their capitals here for over 1,100 years, leaving abundant legacies to the city. During the Western Han and Tang dynasties, Xi'an was China's political, economic, cultural, and foreign exchange center, wow goldwhere people from all over the world lived in harmony. It was also the first stop on the Silk Road, linking up the oriental and western civilizations. The saying "In the east, there is Rome, in the west, Chang'an," best described the position of Xi'an at that time. Nowadays, Xi'an enjoys an equal fame with of wow gold Athens, Cairo, and Rome as "one of the four major capitals of ancient civilization".

Xi'an boasts more than 4,000 historical sites, with over 120,000 pieces of unearthed cultural relics. There are 314 historical sites under protection, 84 of which are under provincial-level and national-level protection. Famous places of historical figures and cultural heritage include the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses, Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, Banpo Village Remains, the City Wall of the Ming Dynasty, the Forest online wow gold of Stone Steles Museum, the Bell Tower, the Drum Tower, Huaqing Pool, and the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, and Small Wild Goose Pagoda. The Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses is praised as "the eighth major miracle of the world". The Mausoleum of Emperor Qin Shi Huang is the first Chinese historical site listed on the World Heritage List. The Neolithic Banpo Village Remains (approximately 7000 BC to 5000 BC) evidences early human activities in a matriarchal society. The Forest of Stone buy gold in wow Steles Museum holds 3,000 stone steles of different periods, from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-25 AD) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912).
The natural landscape around Xi'an is also marvelous. Huashan Mountain, one of the five best-known mountains in China, is famous for its breath-taking cliffs and unique beauty.