Comcast eat my shorts

I finally moved ... and decided to setup internet. So I call comcast and I'm like yea ... hook me up [bio]tches, and the guy on the other line was like course pimp. And he sends me out for a small little quest down Route 1 to pick up my self install kit ... cause I'm that pimp. So I have no trouble installing it and all 3 lights are shinning o so bright. Yea ... so now for the magic moment ... double click the IE button. So the IE is like install me and register me. Meh ... ok install ... check ... register ... crash and burn ><

Ok attempt number 2 ... hmmm .... nothing. Try again ... nothing ... try again ........ So I call the help line (the comcast help line) and this super duper friendly helper is like "May I help you" and I'm like "[Yes, Please!]". Ok so she's asks me the dumbest questions, do I have a firewall, do I have virus protection, do I buy or do I rent, do I have a router, do I smoke weed, do I drive a black BMW. I got tired but I was cooperating. Every 5 min. she would put me on hold and come back with the following "I'm sorry we're trying to resolve this probelm is it OK that I put you on hold?" Yes it really was a question, I thought about saying no every single time she asked. This proceeded for an hour. By this point I have beat all of MS Games that come with Windows, including Pinball, Hearts, and Solitare. My life was slowly going downhill. On the 234th time that she asks me if it's ok if I go on hold she says that their giving up. I'm confused ... but ok. Than she tries to say good bye in the most polite manor. Than it hits me ... I HAVE NO INTERNET. So she goes on to give me a ticket. "I'm sorry mam I'm still confused". She repeats everything we have done so far. "I'm sorry mam I'm still confused". "I'm giving you a ticket". "What's a ticket?". "A ticket is an eletoctonic container of information". "Wtf do I do witha ticket". "The ticket will be forwarded to another department that will try to help you". "Their going to call me?". "No." "Can I call them right now". "No, it takes 24-72 hours". "ok...". "Have a wonderful day sir..."

For the next 2 hours I beat my high scores in all the MS Games.

Now I'm trying to figure out how to crack Comcast. WTF am I supposed to do for 24-72 hours without internet (right now I'm @ work).

Today's 3am Party

Well when I joined this pt I didn't care what I was joining or who was in it. But I was a replacement for a brd. When I arrived I was happy to know their were few mages. Only 1 actually. So my priorities were damage dealing ^^. Anyways I hit 69 than died than hit 69 again. R1s are better than nothing. Our tank Wingo ... well he's a ninja ... I haven't seen a good one since the 40s. Seriously either the mobs are getting to hard or too dificult but ninja are doing a poor job tanking ... evasion isn't worth shit anymore I guess cause shadows drop like flies. Anyways considering pt setup and no thief for sata he was doing a good job ~ so I have nothing negative to say about him at all. Than we have our Samurai ... very good ... maybe one of the best samurai I've seen so far next to Lanmio who is gone now. Anyways this guy can sc with 2-3 people and keep up. He was trying extremly hard to keep us all together so he could level, but the pt ended when we all suffered a bomb loss ~ not very . Deathmonk became our monk ... good guy does nice dmg. But here was the doozy of the night .. our smnTsunami .. first extremly quite and very quite in the end. But death brought out the devil in her. Bitching and wouldn't take r1. Not to mantion go a few others killed int he process. Oh well near the end I suffered a bomb loss so I should have been 5k into level. Now only 3k. Shit happens but heck 3k is nice cause I can die once without raise and still be 69. Hahaha ...

Lack of visits ^^

I kinda came to realize today that this site has a tremandous lack of intrest from those that visit it. Although I could setup a counter with very little difficulty I would perfer to recieve commented replies.

I'm not going to discontinue by any means. But be more truthful or rather detailed about my experience on Final Fantasy and Kajuta. So I'll continue with my rant.

As you may know I have lost quite a bit of experience recently, and the reason that bothers me is because my deer friend Akujin will slowly but surly pass me. How? Manaburn a cheap but easy way to grab good experience with little effort. I don't blame him though because if I were a blm or brd I would do the same in a heartbeat. Having been in the 60s I think my judgement has also been clouded a bit. I used to work my butt of in parties, now I simply do my job and get by. I don't push myself or keep 100% focus. That might change as I plan to shortly move in with my grandparents for the summer, this will hopefully allow me to plan my time better and have more focused exp sessions.

Several other things need to be done with haste. First I need to attain moldevite's earring. While it seems I'm now properly equipt to do the job It feels as though I am simply being lazy. I should level up thief for thief hunter and attain the earring at all costs before maat. It feels as though Akujin is at fault because while he is lower he's pushing me to go faster. I also need to grab a rdm. testimony. I hear their easy drops from [sky] ~ something I've yet to attain due to the fact the SquareEnix has terrible programmers that cause grief to the players. Maybe it's unfair for me to call them terrible because frankly at my skill I can't achieve what they have but when you touch a fragment and it says key item attained, you would think that that's the case. While it's not always true if you walk away from the fragment etc... So I need to redo Ifrit's Couldran, hopefully with my knewly attained noob HNMLS. My heart still lies elsewhere and I enjoy the social enviroment of HungOver I was slightly turned off after the first time I asked for help for ZM5. Simply put it's a social ls only ~ might as well leave it at that.

Right now it's 2:30 in the morning. I have no idea why I'm not sleeping but that's the case so I'm going to seek a party and listen in to things I need in lower Jueno. Lets's hope I get lucky.

Exp or not to Exp

Death x4 today

Death #1 from Friday night log
~ Sinspawn raise 3
:D
Death #2 Ruby Pull (2 adds wake along with ruby owned) no raise
:
Death #3 I DC come back owned by Ovinnick no raise
: (
Death #4 Add, Palidin never vokes R1
:<

I have exped for 2 hours and I'm down 2k from 69

I think I'll let my plants wither I'm not in the mood.

This world is made for ...

This world is made for ...
love and peace
~ Vash

2 days ago I hit 69.
I soloed Ruby Quadav 3 times .... he's a joke.
... No testimony ....
I got denied a HNMLS and got invited into an HNMLS
I died twice by going afk and having people MPK me ....
... this world is made for love and peace ; ;

[Now level 68]

Rounding up the weekend and than some

Well do to popular demand here is another little post before I forget about the blog. BTW this is definatly a record as far as blog dedication.

I didn't overdo it this week as far as leveling largly to the fact of letting my friend Akujin catch up so we can exp together. When he reached 64 I finally got a chance to exp with him and I think he will make a great BLM. Largly to the fact that he understands what going on and how to play his job. I came over his house and it was definatly fun to exp with him.

Myself ... well I'm 4k from 66 I think. When I hit 67 or maybe even at 66 I'm going to go and try to solo for my moldevite's earring. It was really nice to be able to outdmg a BLM in equal spells, kinda shows that I'm picking the right gear but on that topic I think I'm making a few mistakes.

I've come to except that skill > specific bonuses (ranged atk, accuracy etc...) > core stats (int, mnd, str ...). With that in mind I've tried to focus my gear around skill improvements like torques etc. Problem tho is that I'm scarficing tremandous amounts of int and mnd in the process. I do switch up int and mnd rings for all my spells. Each enfeeble works slightly differently, but even tho the ability to land enfeebles comes from Enfeebling skill, the duration and overall str of the enfeeble comes from core stats like MND and INT. Here is an example of what I mean ...

Elemental_Spell_Damage = [ (IDF * Spell_Multiplier) + SDC ] * Magic_Attack_Bonus * Day_Weather_Modifier

The aspect of this formula that I want to point out is IDF = INTcaster - INTenemy
What is means is that if your int is less than the int of the enemy, you will not only do little dmg, it's possible that will you produce no dmg. Granted this is usually never the case but an example would be doing uncapped ballista and having a lvl 20 cast on a lvl 75. Just like lower lvl mobs will cast magic and do no dmg.

So yes majority of the dmg does not come from INT, you will only do about 2 points more dmg per every 6 int. But INT has a different value or purpose in the formual.

----------

So how does this reflect on me. I used to brag about the fact that I wouldn't ever get resists even from much much higher level ITs. Yet recently on DRK or other mobs my enfeebles would not stick first try, and to me thats annoying because 1 it makes me look bad, 2 my sitting time is cut do to the wait, and 3 yea I don't feel like dishing out more MP even if Paralyze is just 6mps I don't want to do it.

I have a full set of elemental staves but I'm not considering in rebuying a wand and having a quick equipt when I learn that a perticular mob does not like me or has high MND or high INT.

I guess this is another step forward towards becoming a good Red Mage. Later on I think I'll have the opportunity to drop the wand again or only have it as back up due to +5 INT and MND rings and +10 and up in INT and MND that I will receive from Errant Gear etc...

-----
So that's that, I do have to give props on the acomplishments of my friend Sinspawn. Although he himself never attained the title I'm confident he played a big part in the defeat of Vrtra. So we should see more of those sexy BRD body peaces.
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Do to inconvenient work hours on weekends, and a few graduation parties that I tried to squeeze in I couldn't make it view Vrtra or attend the Dynamisis SanDoria. I'm a little upset I didn't get to experience Dynamis and all the dieing (I seriously don't think it's neccesarry to go through wipe outs) but on the upside even if I attended it I would gain nothing in return. Not being part of the LS, not being able to recieve any of the drops including currency and af2 I found it inconvenient except for the experience alone.
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Oh I almost forgot, right now I'm at work theirfore I'm not going to bother to proffread this and make it sound cohereant but Sin lent me his vermillion cloak for one exp party so I could test it out. So here is my review on the subject aimed at RDMs.

Vermillion Cloak (multi-million gil item)
Not worth it and here is why ...
What you must realize is that VC takes up 2 slots a slot that gives us RDM +15 enfeebling and +10 elemental skill and fast cast (thus ruining refresh chains)

So if you do decide to use it you can only use it during your short downtime as a rdm. Meaning while sitting. So I quickly macroed it into my sitting macro which at this point only takes out darkstaff.

** Quick note : if you want it for mp your an idiot, RDM should not need over 300 mps to do their job! ALL OF IT!

Anyways in a normal EXP setup with a WHM, BLM, PLD, RDM you will roughly have 20 sec to sit. 30 Sec if you don't enfeeble and go right into sitting after the chain, and as low as 10 seconds if you have to wait for a burst and do all your enfeebles (paralyze, slow, gravity and debuffs).

With that in mind you attain very little mp in the big picture. But I imagine once you got used to the INSANE equip changing that you have to do in the process you might be able to sneak in more auto-refresh mps when your not just sitting.

Here is another problem that I had. I'm a huge equip changing rdm. At this point all 6 lines of macros I taken when it comes to casting a single spell. With that I might even kill my /recast line soon to add in one more piece of optimaizing gear. So imagine me sitting I have my vermi equipt with dark staff and 2 mnd rings. Now I have to get up to burs all the sudden. It used to not be a problem but now I have to hit my macro to requipt hat and body piece which also changes neck piece because again I'm seriously trying to fight for line space without going over 20 macros. So just had 3 equipt changes than I quickly hit my burst macro which now switches in my thunder staff, changes 2 rings, equipts elemental torque launches /recast timer and selects the mob. If you haven't gotten the picture yet that's one too many equip changes and in the process more than once did I loose my hat and never had it equipt or a ring or two. This is just too much and very hard to pull off. Atleast at first maybe u can make it easier.

Anyways I returned the Vermi back to Sin since his smn is now 59 and can use it freely, but I would not advise any rdm to even consider this. Unless your so filthy rich that you can just drop several million on a piece of gear that u use sparingly if at all in party play. I will post up a sexy pic of me in it mwahaha ^^

My sexiness knows no limits!!!

If I were a blm. You want to bear my children

It's amazing what you will do when you can't get a party.

Akujin's AF hat run

Now I do have a lot of cool pictures from the ZM misisons that follow this but I don't know how intresting it would be if I posted those up here. But their REALLY COOL !!!

Anyways we take the bad boy out and I get rank 6. Now for some random post battle Cutscenes

I let jack take front stage here and assist nuking when the Shadowlord becomes weak to magic. The easiest way to tell is actually watching Jack's enspells. When his physical dmg does 0 and his enspell and spikes do dmg that means it;s time to nuke.

Anyways eventually jack comes back and we're ready to begin. He manages to enter and the fight begins!

Anyways skipping ahead and not going to far into the story he eventually gets up with some real kick ass LAGGING err animation.

Yep the shadowlore rises from the grave!!

Yep ...

Aku forgot to do something and couldn't enter as well as Jack dcing and his friend who was afk getting leader ^^ While I alone was facing down the neck of the shadowlord.

anyways when we got there we had some dcing fun and ...

Oh yea it's HOT!

Upon arriving as jack had put it, I got a chance to witness the most buetiful zone in Final Fantasy. The amount of workt hat went to it preceeding CoP expansion. Well you have to see it. (Btw I plan on comming back!)

Yea it evenually turned into just that and endless loop! It's amazing how we never died getting there tho.

I swear the walk felt as if it took all day, and started to feel like and endless loop before we managed our way to the throne room.

This was actually my first time in this castle /blush. But this is where later I killed Dark Spark and got my Af gloves (gosh I don't even want to get into AF coffer hunting). Anyways the walk felt as if it took forever! Oh yea I asked to bring Akujin along who also needed 5-2 done.

After 5-1 was complete I was now in a hurry to attain rank 6. 5-2 unlike 5-1 wasn't capped so I asked Jack (Jacktreehorn: Oustpoken) to help out. Before I get into the fight I'll tell you about the walk there because it was the most fun!

The biggest advantage apple had in the fight was the ability to buff prefight with shell 4 and protect 4. At the time I didn't have that luxery, as well as much more mind and enhancing skill. YES the fight is a level 50 cap but the funny thing is ALL buffs that you do pre fight stick during the fight. So he could convert with more safety and wasn't as vulnerable to being slept and or paralyzed. (Poison potions are useless) your not allowed to drop your defenses when theirs both archduke and atleast one sorcer on the field. Second utesimi in this fight is useless too.. I later got this done with 3 people and it was the easiest fight in the world. Best setup using the same strategy is to have 2 rdm sneak 2hour kill the sorcers at the same time. Meanwhile a pld run in and voke the Archduke, than 1 rdm keeps the pld cured which isn't that hard. And the second takes out additinal adds as they appear. The 3 can avoid ever going below white health which was our case ^^

Converting while paralyzed is extremly hard when all the attention is on you! Alternatively if you don't convert you have no mp to cure yourself adds will overwhelm you and archduke isn't just sitting there. From a distance he's casting spells.

The first sorcer is usually not a problem. But if you engage in melee your almost garanteed paralysis. And if you use barparalyze instead of barsleep you will get slept almost instantly. A bit of this is luck. THe sorcers have about 3.6k in hp more or less, and hit hard with massive casting etc. In the screenshot you can see that first sorcer died before the first add appeared (poping 3 sec from the begging). You need to be fast, you take to long and it's not even worth trying to recover (inturuption will kill you). The adds unlike the sorcers will stil hit for a good amount of dmg and eventually break defenses if you ignore them, but have only about 50-60 hp points. Only takes 1 hit to clear em and are good tp builders. The archduke isn't a problem because he hits slowly and can be silenced!

In the fight you are faced with 3 mobs, and an additinal add that pops every 3 sec from the moment you engage. Here is the trick!! Do not rush in without sneak! By having the upper hand to position yourself and sneak up on your prey you can take out the first sorcer without too much difficulty by 2houring and nuking. Quickly converting doing the same to the sorcer and finally focusing in on the main archduke and taking out individual adds one at a time. Their are a few problems with this ...

After leveling ninja to 25 I had found a strategy that a tarutaru named apple had used to beat it and decided to try it myself. I have spent a lot of gil and time into trying to get this work and have a recording of my first attempt that I will try and grab from Akujin.

When I was part of hollow LS. One of my biggest disappointments was the lack of strategy and competence of the linkshell. Sodux (the past leader) collected members that he later tried to filter out that didn't understand the difference between MMO and single player games. After pathetically failing 2 attempts at mission 5-1 with the linkshell I decided to give up on them for help and started a persuing a way to beat 5-1 alone. This is one of the hardest feats in the game. Aside from rdm only a monk could even try it. But this was what I was shooting for.

Made no progress today, but I did finally get my 1k in exp after lightning storms and connection problems and.... naw just going to go to sleep now

Sometimes your just get the worst luck. You waste hours trying to get something acomplished and than run back a few good yards to be chased by 3 dhalmels and a few other mobs. FFXI is full of grief. Don't play it!

Oh a quick little strategy on how to kill these things. Basically they have two forms. One is when their in their shell and one when their out of it. Inside their shell they recover hp @ insane speed, and out of their shell they act offensively but are most vulnerable. The moment you attack em when their outside they will quickly retreat back into their shell, poison you with very strong poison and start recovering hp. Btw their shell makes ur normal attacks almost nonexistent, including magic and Spirits Within. So how do you beat em. Well the trick is when their in their shell they can't move. So you simply gravity em or run back and when they see that your not attacking and running away they will come out and run towards you. Instantly you cast your strongest spell and it does full dmg. They instantly retreat back inside and u can move back somemore and repeat. It would be an easy mob to manaburn @ lower lvls. You don't even need a tank for em at all 

Wellthat was it I ran back to grab manaclipper ride home only to find that it was a 20+ minutes until it arrived so I actually warped out. I also found an intresting little quest where u collect clams. I'll have to go investigate again sometime 

Just passing time ... 

Just another picture of how buetiful the beach is. 

At the very end I found this guy. Now I need to do some research to find out what he does but all he said was Clunk Clunk ^_^ 

I think I'm going to invite some friends to come here and just have a picnic etc... A very cool spot to exp too. If that idea hasn't crossed your mind yet 

Very buetiful scenery! 

When I arrived I decided to go for a stroll along this intresting island. 

The boat ride was fun. I actually mixed up the messages fromt he picture below. I got a chance to fight a weird mob that I've never seen before. It was too weak but I couldn't kill it in the time of the ride. 

After the exp party ended I decided to check out manaclipper. It was a fairly cheap ticket to get on, and I was shocked by how big the boat was. Almost makes me consider fishing. 

A day in Bikini Bay

Well the night started off with a rather average (meaning poor party). A good overall exp setup it seemed (Pld, Blm, Whm, Rdm, Monk, Thf) but either due to Labirinth being overly crowded or us having an extremly poor and uneducated Thief we barely got 2k in the time we were there. So the pld sends me a tell (current leader) saying that this isn't working out and if I wanted to rebuild. I agree this party was as much waste of my time as it was of his, although I would not drop on my own. So after we warp to jueno and he spends a good amount of time rebuilding we make a new destination (Bikiki Bay) also known as Bikini Bay. Due to my disappointment we didn't see any Mithra louging around and I had to log before I could check out some of the better scenery and ride the Manaclipper. All in all I am now 3k from level and plan to get 64 tonight.

PS: Our second exp party wasn't just fast it was fun and exciting. The pld's name is C... something I'll get back to that with an edit. But he was a 62 tank in a 64-65 party area, and managed to hold hate and tank well with a ranger and blm. Overall a join effort.

I was gone for a minute ...

... now I'm back ...

I admit this isn't the greatest blog in the world where I randomly dissappear for month on end without a single picture or post. I need to convert all my new screenshots to jpg. I have a lot to show. In the time that I was away I am now a level 63 red mage, full af, rank 7, zm4 complete, and summer is just around the corner. So on that note I will try to post more frequently, and in the following week do a few articles and post and fill you in on what kman's been thinking in the previous month or so.