Sunday, December 23, 2007

And the barracks just keeps getting bigger and bigger...

Yup! I fully opened up the 3rd barracks allowing me have up to 27 characters! However, I officially added 8 since I was saving a spot for a future character. But anyhoo, let's get on with the introductions! :P


Samantha, Verena and Iqbal

As always, most of the names came from Behind The Name. It's a really good site if you want to find a good name or find out the meaning of existing real names. To start of, here's Verena (Female Auch Infrantry) and Iqbal (Najib Sharif). Since Auch is German-like, I had to look for a good feminine German name and I ended up with Verena. This name is possibly related to the Latin word "verus" meaning true. Najib's name existed in Behind The Name and it means "noble" or "intelligent" in Arabic. This game me a good hint that the name should be Arabic. After countless clicks in the random name generator, I ended up with Iqbal. That name means "fortunate" (in Arabic, of course). It suits my Najib as well because he should be fortunate I did his favors so he wouldn't lose his job (and credibility)!


Marvin, Reenan and Alphonse

Here's Alphonse (Panfilo de Narvaez), the chef in Cite de Reboldoeux. He sounds really funny since IAH wanted him to sound like a French chef. Alphonse happens to be a French variation of Alfonso. I couldn't have decided more because the other names were kinda common for me already and had no other choice since I wanted to put him in barracks.


Celso, Bernard and Cletus

Yes, I did get this big guy and I have yet to try him out. This is Claude Baudez, the weapon merchant (and leading expert) of Cite the Reboldoeux. This guy is a total weapon genius, from knowing about the Silver Baron to even knowing how to use them (especially against you!). Be careful though, this guy can have a nasty fit and will result into a violent confrontation (finish Idge's quest in finding her drawing and you'll know what I mean!). He comes from Illier, so I had to find a French name. I ended up choosing Bernard, which seems to be a combination of the Germanic words "bern" (bear) and "hard" (brave, hardy). Yeah, he is brave and big as bear! :P


Guiomar, Benedito and Seward

Next up, here's Guiomar (Jose Cortasar) and Seward (Lorch Furholden). Using Jose was really tricky because he's totally dependent on his skills! Firing the canon was really fun and all. The name I gave him, Guiomar, probably came from a Germanic name meaning "famous in battle." Well, Jose is famous for (the only one) using cannons in this game. Plus, it seems that he's Spanish as well! For my Lorch, Seward sounded really nice when I came across it, although the meaning came from an Old English definition of "victory guard." His quests were a mix of tedious tasks and dramatic situations. Go read my entries on my experiences with his quests! :P


Reynard and Cristobal

Finally, here's the two kids (more like nuisances to me! :P). That's Reynard (Tiburon) and Ramiro (Cristobal). They are identical in stats and skills, save for the different looks though. Fighting Ramiro for his card was surprising but easy. Tiburon was such a pain since he had two allies to alongside him and run away every after attack (not to mention I must defeat him and his cronies to finish his quest!). For names , Reynard suits Tiburon because it is the name of a medieval fable character who is a sly fox. I gotta agree to this one, for he is sly and cunning! Ramiro ended up to be named as Cristobal, a Spanish form of Christopher.

That's all the new additions now! I better get more cards and barracks expansion in the future soon! :D Check my multiply site for new pics of Granado Espada! :D

The Forgotten Territory Experience

I was really tempted to use my Forgotten Territory pass since it promises good EXP. The good EXP actually comes from the heavy spawn rate the occurs in these dungeons. My original plan was to just level up Jack and Diego but looks like I decided to use my Combat Manual - Expert item along as well. I activated the both of them at December 21, 2007, 9:43 PM, GMT +8.

I started off as Celso (Gracielo), Freyja (Brunie) and Joanne (Emilia). I was really surprised on how much monsters was in these dungeons and the rate they keep coming back. I went on for a semi-24-hour marathon to level up my other characters to 48. Celso and Freyja were able to reach the goal. After that, I switched Celso and Freyja for Iqbal (Najib Sharif) and Alana (Catherine). Alana's dolls had no problem in wiping out the the room clean without the danger of dying! It got really late, so I had to get some sleep.

I logged in again right after waking up the next morning. This time, I leveled up Jacki (Adelina) and Lauryn (Grace). It was kind of tricky to grind in these dungeons because sometimes to you can't keep up with the spawn rate! My advice is that you bring a character who is capable of hitting more than one target and/or has skills that targets a good number of mobs. After that, I decided to grind Clint (Jack) and Cletus (Diego). Oh boy, it was tricky using their skills but a faction mate taught me how to utilize them for 1-spot grinding. Since the Forgotten Territory Dungeons have high mob spawns, there would be no problem in staying one spot while the structures did their job without ever having to relocate. I am thankful to have them at least reach level 16 (and above) in their skills. Now, I know what it's like to build a "fortress" with cannons and rotating blades to attack the monsters while using fences to lure them to their demise! I couldn't get them to level 48 since I was pretty worried about the supply of Soul Potions and Toolset Boxes. I ended up leveling them up to 36. My last attempt to "powerlevel" was Alphonse (Panfilo) and Syeri (Idge). I thought I couldn't make it by 9:43 PM to reach level 48 but looks like I did the (almost) impossible! I decided to hang a little longer in the Forgotten Territory Dungeon until I was booted out! Well, thanks for the fun time at FT! :D

Hmmm... It seems I'm breaking some promises here. Well, I gotta admit I got hooked into the game ever since Bahia Island's implemented. I'll list down here on what I should write next:
  • Bahia Island experiences
  • New characters (yes, I expanded my barracks), their names of origin and family photos
  • Finished Claude and Najib Sharif's quests
  • Reaching Level 64 (main team)
  • Christmas Event
  • A Granado Espada UI Skin I'm making
  • Round up of 2007
Well, I hope I can keep my word. Oh yeah, I got a job as a call center agent as well! It means that my time playing in Granado Espada is severely affected but I need to work if I want them premium goods! That's life, guys. A guy needs to be able to stand in his own two feet soon. Thanks for reading and I'll get back on these topics (and I promise pictures!)

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Blogspotted?!?!? Oh yeah!!!

I was coming home from Ortigas and I was really sad because I didn't pass my interview at Convergys for a position as a Call Center Agent (yes, I am desperate). I went to Teledevelopment to get another opportunity in applying. I really tried to hide my disappointment but I couldn't really swallow it. I'll be trying again tomorrow anyway, so I went home.

When I got home, I had a little nap. After that, I decided to check if I can have my GE client updated and that's when this appeared in front of me:


Mena Family has been Blogspotted!


Oh... My... Gosh!!! My face just lit up with excitement when I saw such announcement! I couldn't help myself from jumping for joy! Wow, this really means a lot to me and this day is one of my happiest days of my life. Now, I ain't sad no more (for now).

Feel free to comment or discuss at the community forums!

Monday, December 17, 2007

In-Game Christmas Event: Naughty or Nice?

When I got news of this upcoming event, I took the chance to participate immediately! Here are my following wishes that I posted at the Carracci Wishing Thread:

I shall present my wishes in Haiku!

Wish No. 1:
Wish for a costume
If it's not too much to ask
Scout School Uniform!

Wish No. 2:
I have a blog, yes
I long to be blogspotted
Can you do that, please?

Wish No. 3:
If it's not too much
I want R-N-P-C Card
Of Kurt Lyndon, please?

So there! I wish either to get a Scout School Uniform (my scout is the only one with an additional costume aside from the Original Costume), to be blogspotted or to have Kurt Lyndon's RNPC card since I'll be going after Edward Jameson when I get my chance! :D What did you wish for?

Post-event post of the Intel Machinimasia Workshop

Articles found:
Veya
NineMoons
paulvr137cm


Movies found:


GE Fun Video


Machinima Asia 2007 "Granado Espada Fergalicious"


Rabbits in the town: My Machinimasia Entry


Lady Veya's First Video


The Power of Quad

Have fun! Looks like we're gonna have a VERY LONG maintenance period! :D Bahia Island, here I come!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

The Intel Machinimasia Movie-Making Workshop

I was able to reserve a seat at the Intel Machinimasia Movie-Making Workshop to be held at the Ascott Towers nearby Glorietta 4. I left real early from the house and decided to wait since I made a reservation for the second batch. It seemed I arrived early and decided to shift to the first batch. Also, a Granado Espada booth was nearby but it was empty. It was really a great experience to use Intel Core 2 Quad PCs but if you ask me, my cousin's PC was still the best experience!

However, this experience very different from the workshop I attended at the Hataw Hanep Hero 3 event. We were all learning here, since a majority of those who attended are not Granado Espada players. When we got to the part of making movies, that's where I had to think of an impromptu story. With my (diverse) character selection, I came up with the idea of Catherine being new to the outside world. To "spice" things up, I decided to do voice-overs since the earphones had microphones and it's top class (unlike my PC!). After capture numerous in-game footages, I now had to compile them into a 2-minute movie. I had 2 scenes omitted because it was getting past the 2-minute mark. I didn't feel embarrassed in voicing FEMALE CHARACTERS! Yes, I voiced my Female Elementalist and Catherine myself! :P While making the movie with Windows Movie Maker, they handed the attendees (including me) a free 1GB USB Flash Drive to save the movie with! Oh yeah, that's one freebie I'll never forget and forever treasure. Of course, I had to make a copy of the movie in the desktop of the PC I was using. Well, I was so happy that I was able to finish and save my movie. That's when DeSanggria arrived to attend the workshop as well!

My batch was already over and the organizers were getting ready to welcome the next batch. I helped myself for some snacks (or what's left on the table). Boy, those Spring Rolls and Danish Pastries were really yummy! I also got my other freebies from Intel, Globe and e-Games. NineMoons made an appearance and so does Philippines Community Manager Veya! While NineMoons waited for her batch, we conversed about Granado Espada and I even asked her opinion about Senator Antonio Trillanes IV's actions. Can't say anymore because it would be too dangerous for me to publicly share others' opinions in Philippine Poltics (worse, I or anyone involved could get in trouble!). Oh yeah, I asked her about it since the Ascott Hotel was formerly the Oakwood Hotel where Trillanes staged a mutiny. I also got my chance to converse with Veya every now and then.

DeSanggria wasn't able to finish her movie through the course of the workshop but she was very satisfied with the experience she learned. NineMoons was next to go and attended her batch with Darrick of the Reclusion Family. Poor little Nate didn't get to go since he wasn't able to get a slot. Little Nate ended up with me, DeSanggria and Veya outside Meeting Room 10. I decided to stay longer since I was in the company of my fellow bloggers. It seems Welling couldn't make it because of classes and Fiksdotter had to focus on his thesis (although he will attend tomorrow). When we noticed that the food was being "refilled," we helped ourselves with Spring Rolls, Siomai, Danish Pastries and Petite Fruit Pies! Oh yeah, were we happy! Little Nate was really nice to save some food for his brother Darrick. Well, the food ran out real fast (well, the Siomai ran out but there was still some Spring Rolls)! :P It also nice for the hotel staff to register for freebies at the Granado Espada booth. We talked a lot of issues in Granado Espada but I choose not to elaborate on it. Well, I can "divulge" that Selwyn isn't the Malaysian Community Manager for Granado Espada. No wonder why the Malaysian players have no... events? Also, some of the lecturers were leaving already and I got the chance to have a photo op (thanks to DeSanggria).

Little Nate was able to sign up for the last batch but this will make his older brother Darrick wait for him. Well, looks like he wants the 1GB USB Flash Drive freebie! :D When Darrick and NineMoons exited the event, they got whatever food was left at the table. I spent some time with them and Little Nate attended the last session. It seems to come to my attention that mostly of the attendees are not GE players and a majority of them are college students. Looks like the website, in-game announcement and e-mail wasn't the only medium of getting the word out. It was getting late for me, so I had to leave and say my goodbyes to my fellow bloggers. This is one experience I will never forget! :D



My Machinima Entry!

Hope I win that PC!!! I want it!!! Wait a sec, where's my Bear Package? I did make a reservation! :P

Friday, December 14, 2007

Lorch quests experiences (the second part!)

Okay, let's pick up at the part after Isabella's attempt to win Lorch's heart. As I finished (that part of) the quest, there's was no hint again on where the next part is. However, if you walk from the Street Market going to the Olaf Junction, you'll trigger another chance to fight some soldiers with Lorch. Looks like Lorch's father is really presistent in bringing him back. Just defeat the soldiers to finish the quest.

At this rate, you'll have to help out Lorch as he tries to prove to his father that his life in the New World is better than what his father wants him to be. Lorch will ask to help him produce a shotgun with an additional effect. You have either a choice of a Dread Buster, Stun Gun or Poison Shooter. These shotguns can only be used by Lorch and provide a chance to inflict Fear, Stun or Poison respectively. This is also tedious as you will hunt down monsters that drop the items needed for the production of your chosen "Lorch Shotgun." After getting the items, no hint once again on the next quest.

From experience, go up the right stairs (facing the door) of the entrance of Auch and you'll trigger a quest update. Go back to Lorch and he wants to try out his shotgun... on YOU! You'll end up fighting each other at Gotha Park but looks like his shotgun is malfunctioning (to the point he says Grace's cue for Implosion: "Armas Merendi"). Defeat him and he'll feel bad that through the excitement of completing shotgun, he didn't check for any problems and felt even bad about testing it against you.

A quest did not trigger after this, so another session of wondering aimless around Auch would be the solution. From going down the stairs of the entrance of Auch, I triggered yet another quest update. It seems that Lorch's father sends a last wave of soldiers to bring him back. Lorch will join you again here but he's got a shotgun instead of putting traps! Help Lorch out and he'll be forever thankful.

However, this is not the end of the entire quest. Lorch tells you that he will receive a letter from his father about his final decision on his next action against Lorch. They say you should wait for 15 minutes and the quest will be updated. However, I did some research and decided to try this info out. All you have to do (from my experience) is to walk from the entrance of Auch to the PVP area. You'll get the quest update.

I gave it a shot and it worked! Lorch will tell you that his father is stubborn because the letter states that if Lorch gets tired with his life, he'll eventually return to his father. That's never going to happen because I believe that Lorch will have a better life in the New World, as a arms merchant in Auch and as a member of my Pioneering Family! I promise your experience in the New World will be rewarding, Lorch Furholden! Yes, that means you get his card. Woot!

Wow, that was pretty long. Although I followed this information, it really lacked info in the later part of the entire quest. Maybe I should compile the info for a complete (and easy) guide to Lorch's card.

Gotta go now! I'm at my dad's Company Christmas Party where they serve Lechon (Philippine-style Roasted Pig)! Time to eat!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Lorch's quest experiences

Well, I did finish some quests here and there. It's about time I give my take on the quests I've been.

I was able to finish quests involving Lorch Furholden, Najib Sharif and Claude Baudez. Lorch's quests were a mix of easy and difficult. You had to be at least level 50 (all current family members) to activate it. Lorch will ask you in looking for his lost watch. Once you find out that the watch is in the possession of a young boy, you'll end having a fight with an RNPC named Tiburon. You have to defeat Tiburon and his friends, Ramiro and Isabella. Isabella's a practitioner of Elemental Lord/Lord of Elemental stance, so watch out for the Elemental Strife attack! Also, those kids (Ramiro and Tiburon) are a pain since they move fast after a kick from them! Ramiro seems to be aggressive while Tiburon runs far after delivering a kick. After beating those kids, you'll receive Tiburon's character card.

Returning the watch to Lorch is only the beginning of numerous quests coming from Lorch. The next quest, you need to keep talking to him until he asks a favor to get him 60 pieces of"Shining Tortoise Power" which can be found by hunting down Steel Armed Tortoises. Be warned: A kill won't give you a 100% drop for the quest item. You may have to hunt more than 60 Steel Armed Tortoises just to finish it. You can find them at Porto Bello Deserted Quay, with all the other tortoises there.

After finishing such tedious quest, there was no hint on the next quest. When I walked up the left stairs (facing the door) of the entrance of Auch, I triggered a chance to fight some soldiers who are trying to take Lorch away. Lorch will be your ally here and just defeat the soldiers. After that, Lorch will tell you that his father wants him back but Lorch wants current life here in the New World. The man's got some family issues, alright.

Remember that girl I fought who has the capabilities of an Elemental Lord? She happens to be selling cakes. She wants me to deliver her love letter to Lorch. Giving it to Lorch will make him think it was my doing, so I told Lorch there was some misunderstanding. He gave me the letter back and some cakes (those cakes aren't for sale). Talking to Isabella will anger her that I have her cakes and you'll end up fighting her (even I tried explaining the situation to her). After the duel, she gave 1,000 Vis and told me to leave her be. Lorch kinda scolded me when I told him about this, so I promised not to use force in settling matters (well, she started it!!!).

Long post, will make another in a little while! :D Edited to correct some typo errors! :P

Bienvenue à RedSign, BoucaTeam !

I was supposed to post as soon as possible but I never had the time to post, until now! The RedSign Faction welcomed new families coming from a small faction. From the info I got, they were from France. I organized an impromptu celebration of their welcome, since it involved more than 10 new families.


Fireworks display at Auch



We were able to gather at the scheduled place but not all of the new members were there. I was able to give the new family a fireworks display as a celebration of their welcome. It was nice to know that the BoucaTeam Family liked it. Some of the existing members decided to join the festivities as well. Even if a number displayed at the explosion of the firecracker, it was a sight to behold. I am looking forward in doing using firecrackers for celebration purposes! :D

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

The Fifth Chapter of Martial Arts: Mind

A new RNPC is the practitioner of of the "Chapter of Mind" stance. I got the info from this Japanese site!

Must be able to read about this new character soon! At last, the Five Chapters of Martial Arts is now complete!

Saturday, December 8, 2007

Happy birthday.... to me!

December 8 is a special day because it is my birthday! I got gifts, yes. Just plain, 'ol greetings from the family, friends and players in GE when I broadcasted a message that's it's my birthday today. I played in this fancy Korean-operated Cafe called Station 168 and I helped myself in playing there but damn the PCs there are just as powerful as... mine. Yes, it's a frickin' Pentium 4 PC that I reduced the graphic quality to the lowest standards and the connection is slightly laggy. I was able to "confirm" with some nearby Koreans on what the Tactical Assistance skills effects are.

Of course, I also danced Parapara at the nearby (and only) video game arcade center in Baguio. Looks like I gotta... Wait a sec! This is a GE blog! Let's skip that for now and get back to the topic!

I did meet Stiles since he situated in Baguio. I have to say he really does research and such. It was really an honor to meet another GE player from Caracci, even as far as Baguio! :D Oh yeah, I was the one who started the meet-up! :P

Well, that's all I gotta say. Need to help make Snickerdoodles right now. They're cinnamon-coated cookies if you're curious. Go search for it in the Net if you want!

Friday, December 7, 2007

On vacation!

Well, I ended up going up to Baguio for some R&R, so no Colony Wars coverage from me. I hope I get to meet GE players at Baguio. December 8 is a special day for me. I'll tell you on the day itself after the... celebrations? Heehee...

Guys, protect the colony for the RedSign faction, okay? I really don't like to lose that HP boost! :P

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Time for some pics!

I have some new shots of my family at Auch. Of course, my latest addition would be Catherine!



Go ahead and click on the picture to access the album at my Multiply site. These were taken from my cousin's PC!

Well, I'm back here at my home. Looks like I got a lot of catching up to now. For an update, my main team are now at the level cap of 61. I'm also trying to level up my Catherine (Alana) in order to use her as the "powerleveling trainer" for my characters below 48. That means my Catherine should reach level 48 sooner or later.

Remember about the proposed stance I made for the next "Melee Elemental?" Here's a (poorly done) stance window I made with some photo engineering...


Image of proposed stance for the next "Melee Elemental"

Don't use this as proof of an upcoming or existing character, please. I don't like to start wild speculations.

This is all I have to say for now. Quest updates next time (I promise!). One more pic:


Don't you just miss the Escudo Pecher?

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Scouts now have a Veteran Stance!

I go to this site regularly for the pictures, despite the fact I can't read Japanese. I stumbled across this! Is this a Veteran Stance? For Scouts? I decided to lurk the forums for any English translations of the skills in this "Tactical Assistance" stance.

From what I have acquired and understood, here's the info:

Tactical Advantage - set of elite assistance buffs
Requirements: Special Catalyst (?)

Level 1 - Consolidation
SP: 200
Cooldown: 5s
Consumes Mithridart x10
Duration 300s
Penetration effect on party members within 10m
[Penetration] ignores opponent's DR (or DEF?), RES, Block, and Evasion by 10 points

Level 10 - Prompt Action
SP: 200
Cooldown: 5s
Consumes Pain Killer x10
Duration: 300s
Improves skill-casting speed of party members within 10m by 25%

Level 15 - Divine Bless
SP: 200
Cooldown: 5s
Consumes Nutrition x10
Duration: 180s
Improves HP and SP regeneration rate of party members within 10m by some big numbers (not really sure how it works, HP +500, SP +100)

Level 20 - Refresh Mind
SP: 600
Cooldown: 60s
Consumes 5000HP and Analeptic Remedy x15
Removes Stun, Mortal Wound, Confusion, Lethargy, and Petrify statuses
Instantly makes skills of targeted character available right after casting

Thanks to this post I found at the sGE forums, now I understand what the skills are. Refresh Mind is really... pwning! These skills totally require tactics since this eats up a lot of buff consumables (not to mention a chunk of health for the Scout!). The words "Use wisely" is heavily advised! :D The post's thread also stated that Viki and Soho will be able to use this. Does this mean that Fortitudo is the required stance to max out? We'll just have to find out...

Hataw Hanep Hero 3 and GE goes F2P

Attending Hataw Hanep Hero was really great! Of course, there was a really long line of people when I got there approximately before 11AM. After a span of two hours, I was able to get inside and the SMX Convention Center is WAAAAAY huge! Fortunately, I was able to spot the Granado Espada booth and met up with DeSanggria! She was in her Idge Imbrulia costume once again with her Castor Sword. It was my very first time to meet Philippines Community Manager Veya! When we introduced each other, it was kind of "bland" at first but when I stated who I was, we were like esctastic on meeting each other in real life! :D

After writing things here and there, I decided to take a trip around the whole convention. I was was able to to see Japanese objects, powerful PCs, the food stall and a lot of exhibitors selling anime stuff. NineMoons was able to make it and she decided to go around the convention. That Stranglehold game was really beautiful for me to play and I tried playing some racing game as well. Since most of the visitors had goodie bags, I wanted to claim one as well. I was able to find the redemption booth and I finally got a goodie bag! I decided to hang around the GE booth and wait for the film making seminar. Looks like the Fiksdotter and Reclusion families also made an appearance. It was kind of awkward because of the noise but we enjoyed in attempting to make movies with GE. We were awarded certificates for our attendance as well. Looking for something to eat, I ended buying Fettuccine Carbonara and it sparked a little idea to entertain! I bought another Carbonara and brought it at the GE booth. I decided to reenact the part when Andre Janzur felt depressed when he went out of control in drinking the tainted holy water up to the part where Andre eats the Carbonara. It seems I have amused DeSanggria and Reclusion very well. Reclusion even said that I should cosplay as Andre Janzur! :P No way I'm gonna do that! Oh yeah, I was able to bump into Syeri as I exited the convention! :D

In other news, the Singaporean Granado Espada is now Free-to-play! I was really shocked when I read the announcement at the website before I left for Hataw Hanep Hero 3. Woah, looks like the game is easier on the pocket now! I can look forward to future expansions and play at my own pace now.

Fellow bloggers have made comments on this issue:

Well, looks like my future in GE... is secured! :D Side note: The OutCasts Faction made an appearance as well!

Thursday, November 29, 2007

First Panfilo, then Karjalanien, who's next?

Remember, this is only a theory and not official info. I will not be responsible for any wild speculations about any official upcoming character from IMC Games and Hanbitsoft. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

Panfilo uses the Flame Guard stance, which uses a sword and a fire bracelet. This stance includes skills from Middle Guard (Assassinate), High Guard (Slash Down), Possession Fire (Burning Hands, Fireball) and Evocation Fire (Hell Breath). That's a nice hybrid there, a combo of melee and elemental attacks. For your info, Panfilo de Narvaez is a chef from Reboldoeux. Next, we have Karjalanien. She's at Auch selling magical goods. She's also one of the new RNPCs of version 2.4 coming to the Singaporean servers. Instead of swords and fire, she uses rapiers and ice bracelets. Since the rapier has two stances, Karjalanien also possess two stances using a rapier and an ice bracelet. Like Flame Guard, Epee Glacier and Sabre Glacier shares skills from Epee Guard, Sabre Guard, Possession Ice and Evocation Ice, based from this info. Knowing this, I dubbed Panfilo and Karjalanien's stances as "Melee Elemental", because it involves a melee weapon and an elemental bracelet. Since there are three elemental bracelets (not counting the Lord of Elemental Bracelets), it seems there's only one more character to fill in the Melee Lightning Element stance. I have decided to do some research* on Paniflo and Karjalanien's stances to see what skills are used for their "Melee Elemental" stances.

It seems that they have a Possession Element skill that provides an elemental boost (Burning Hands and Chilling Touch). So the next chracter will definitely have Electric Charger in his/her Melee Elemental stance. Next, we need an available 1-handed melee weapon out there. Surely we can't use swords, sabres and rapiers so how about... Knives? Why not? It's the only 1-handed melee weapon left to choose. I also took the liberty of setting up the stance skills already.

Lightning Dagger/Relámpago Escrima





Skill 1
Rajar en Recta
Skill 2
Electric Charger
Skill 3
Lightning
Skill 4
Thunderstorm or Chain Lightning
Skill 5
Ilimitada Sierra

I also must take into consideration the stats of this character who will use this proposed "Lightning Dagger" stance.




































StatPanfiloKarjalanienProposed Character
STR665
AGI577
HP655
DEX444
INT676
CHA333


Well, this is as far as I can come up. I based these stats on Lisa Lynway since I want to give the dagger class a touch of speed. Of course, this proposed character with the proposed "Lightning Dagger" should have Escrima to help max out all skills.

Yeah, I decided to "publish" this theory out of extreme boredom. Don't send me threats all because of this theory! :P What do you have to say? Apologies if I didn't use the Japanese Wiki. It's hard for me to search what I want there. :P

Oh yeah, good thing I posted this in Blogger since Multiply went down of hardware upgrades! :D

*This site may contain inaccurate or old information. Visit at your own risk. Sorry about the blog. I don't seem to understand what's causing the appearance to look off with a couple of tables.

90 days later...

Well, my 90 days are over now. Does this mean I'll quit? Heck no! I already made some commitment to this game already! Why do you think I have more than 9 characters in my barracks? How did I finish the first part of Irawan's quest? You should know the answer already. Plus, this is one MMO experience I have never felt in my entire life. Let's list down my best experiences so far...
  • Reaching my highest level cap (level 59)
  • Maxing at least one (1) set of skills
  • Good community and earned friends with better knowledge than me (who were willing to share and help)
  • A fresh look from the usual fantasy worlds (elves, medieval, etc.) of the Baroque-esque/16th century setting
  • Unique feature: Multi Character Control (MCC), allows control of three characters
  • Having a multitude of characters and able to try them out
  • Magic-based character's standard attack hits well (unlike the usual low damage melee attack)
  • Interesting storyline and plot
  • A win-win scenario for the business model
Okay, thee are people who quit the game because of the pay-to-play business model but I'd say it's a good (if not, a decent) investment. It's cheaper than World of Warcraft (approximately PHP 880.00 per month) and I get to load 5, 10 or 30 days at my will. Also, I don't need to pay N to have access to the game and then pay X to buy premium items! A top up would consist of game time and G Points already (although you can opt for G Points only). This feels very rewarding to loyal players and eventually claim some nifty premiums in the future.

Whew! I'm glad to get that off my chest! I hope to see you guys in the future! Wait, I just topped-up last night for five days! :D


I'll take back what I said because GE is going free to play! :P

Sunday, November 25, 2007

My thanks to those who helped get me a Catherine

I couldn't have finished my Catherine Quest without the help of three families namely Fiksdotter, xxxKENSHINSxxx and Mitzu.

Fiksdotter was kind enough to donate a set of parts in exchange for one Strange Clock I had. Since I'm kinda far away from getting Viki, I figure it would help my high-leveled friend in his quest to get a share of Viki. It was also the first time I met him in-game, although I met him at the Bloggers' Meeting. Plus, I was lucky to get a pelvis from a monster at the Reception Hall!

Beating up Victor was a challenge but a faction mate gave me a tip and it did help me win! I was able to get the Blue Otite Key for me to enter the Grand Library. After activating Kamen the Butler, I was able to meet Dr. Torsche (with a little surprise welcome). I eventually ended up at the point where I needed the necessary parts to get Catherine's card. That's where I started getting errr... impatient because I wanted my finish this quest. xxxKENSHINSxxx, a faction mate, heard my plea and gave me a left-arm for free. When I checked the parts, I was still missing a part: "Catherine's Left-hand."

This really ticked me off but I had no choice but to check the marketplace. They were selling it for 2.5 Million Vis! That is equal to the Vis I have in my pocket. I decided to broadcast a cheaper offer of 2 Million Vis, as the advice from a faction mate. Although I started a joke about Catherine's parts, I eventually got my desired offer from a family named Mitzu. Well, better than grinding endless at the mansion (not to mention spending 500,000 more or I'm dead broke!).

I had to be careful in making the decision because I wanted to get the Summoner Catherine. Dr. Torsche was surprised when I wanted to put a Refined Quartz as her heart. He eventually agreed and Catherine was revived, as the Marionette Summoner! I named her Alana, which is a feminine form of Alan. It's a name I tend to use when I play a female persona at times (and maybe from a female character from an old PlayStation video game called "Fighting Force"). I wanted to name her Alodia but that's crossing the line of fanboyism (I admit being a fanboy to Ms. Alodia).

Want a guide on the quest? Check this thread at Granado Espada International Fansite.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

I think I died and went to heaven...

I was able to play Granado Espada at my cousin's place and I felt like I died and went to heaven... because the graphic settings were maxed out and it played smoothly!

Before we see some screenies, let me list down the specs of both PCs:

Device My PC Cousin's PC
Motherboard ASROCK (AGP slot 4x) Probably PCIe
Processor Pentium 4 2.4 GHz Pentium Dual Core 2.13 Ghz
Graphics Card nVidia GeForce FX 5550 256 MB nVidia GeForce 7770 GT 256 MB
RAM 1 GB 2 GB
Controls Standard Keyboard and Mouse Wireless Keyboard and Mouse

And now, a sample comparison:

Thueringen Lakeside, my PC Thueringen Lakeside, my cousin's PC

I don't know what to say after seeing the BIG difference my PC and my cousin's PC. I have to say Granado Espada's graphics are totally superb and beyond my expectations. I'm already in engorged in amazement right now! Just a clarification, these screenies only serve on how I play on both PCs for the sake of performance issues. You can say my PC looks powerful but I seem to be lacking certain hardware to make it stable to work at the highest settings!

Well, that's all I have to share for now. Plus, I got my Catherine Card now! :D What to name her... Any suggestions?


Want peektures? Cleek peekture!

Thursday, November 22, 2007

This boredom is killing me!

What can I expect when there's else to do, aside from being my tita's secretary, during maitenance day? Absolutely nothing!


Bored as ...
Yep, that's me. In my fullest... boredom...

Ah, an important notice. Since I've hit my limit in my Flickr account, I transfered the pictures to my Multiply account. No more thumbnails but at least I can have a lot of space for the screenies in the future and embed the pics in my blog (with their own albums!). To tell you the truth, I'm writing this blog at my Multiply account. Yup! I allowed Multiply to cross-post to this blog! It's very convenient but I will visit my Blogger Dashboard for any edits and corrections I need to do. I'll post the link to my Multiply account for the pictures soon.

Come on, 5PM!!! I want to try GE using my cousin's rig! D:

Another day of maintenance...

I'm staying over at my tita's (that's "aunt" in Tagalog) place because I became her temporary secretary until Friday. I decided to install GE at my cousin's PC, although I know the fact that their connection is Smart BRO (is reputably sh-low!). The patching is done (I used the Open Beta installer) but I'll have to wait until 5PM before I can give it a try with my cousin's tricked out rig. I wish I can share some pics but my cousin doesn't allow photos of his rig. I can just show you the wireless keyboard and mouse, though...


A wireless keyboard and mouse. Cool, huh?

It seems I'm making posts that are big and graphic intensive. I better ease myself down and try to organize my thoughts to make them complete but convenient to read. Sorry about that guys! It seems to make my blog a pain to read (for slow connections).

In other news, GE will have a booth at Hataw Hanep Hero! Can't make it to the first day but I hope I can make it to the second day, though...

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Plans for a welcoming celebration for new members

I was informed about new members joining us in a few days time. It seems that the members are coming from another faction (though I don't know what the faction is). I was so excited when I found out than more than ten (10) families will join us. Since it was a big number (for me), I decided to plan for a welcoming celebration for the new members.

I decided to "practice" pyrotechnics since we have the firecracker item in GE. It seems impossible for me to achieve a perfect synchronized launching of the firecrackers but it sure is a pretty sight. The place of venue will be at Auch. The exact location? The statue near the Master Room and Leonardo Expreso waypoint. Although I will be one of the (so far, the only) members performing pyrotechnics, I need the cooperation for those who will attend this event. Outsiders are welcomed to watch the festivities as well!

location_for_welcoming
Location of Welcoming Celebration

Instructions for fireworks presentation:

firecracker_item
The firecracker will only cost 100 Vis per piece and I'd recommend stocking up to 40 pieces.

step_1_for_welcoming
Then, equip the firecracker in the item slot to each of your characters (yes, bring the whole family!).

step_2_for_welcoming
I will assign available members their positions for the fireworks presentation and when I give the signal...

step_3_for_welcoming
Fire away!

I will give further instructions on the day of the welcoming celebration. We will all meet at November 28, 2007, Sunday, 7PM (GMT +8). Fireworks presentation volunteers should arrive earlier. Let's hope we make this welcoming celebration one to remember! Oh dear... I seem to have hit my limit in my Flickr account for 200 photos... I can upload more but the older ones will not be available for viewing. Do you guys know where I can upload photos with unlimited storage for free (in terms of number, not Megabytes)? I can deal with limited upload and at least 25MB of storage space! :D

Family Update!

ファミリウプダテ! Don't worry! The Japanese fan in me is saying the title a la Japanese! :D Anyhoo, let me introduce to you my ever-growing family!

main_team
The main team: Sabrina (Scout), Marvin (Fighter) and Stephanie (Elementalist)

From here on (actually, days ago!), I'll be using them to progress to higher levels and new worlds. I want to thank my faction mate for making me consider to have a main team if I ever want to catch up on level progression and to properly participate in the Colony Wars (believe me, I never survived a battle at the Colony Wars). Marvin (my real name as well!) here is currently using Epee Garde, switching from High-Guard (and learned the last skill for Plow Guard). Stephanie continues to practice her Evocation Fire stance, although she used Evocation Lightning against the monsters of the Desolate Cliff of Porto Bello. Sabrina has finally mastered the First Aid stance (which Fortitudo was her first mastery) and continues to use it, although she misses using daggers and trying out the Install Trap stance.

family_1
Joanne (Emilia), Refilwe (M'Boma) and Sandra (Wizard)

However, let's not forget the other members! Here is Joanne, Refilwe and Sandra. Joanne still serves as a medic but occasionally getting a hand on a magic rod when she feels bored in helping the new members get stronger. Refilwe still focuses in practicing his Evocation Fire stance from the last time he ever went to the battlefield. Sandra just recently learned (and immediately mastered) Invisible Stalker. Sandra's last field experience was hunting down Steel Armed Tortoises for Lorch (in favor of Marvin, of course!).

family_2
Syeri (Idge), Miriam (Lisa) and Jacki (Adelina)

Surely, I had Lisa during the Pre-Open Beta test (named her Miriam) and she was really good in handling knives. She just learned Doblada Corte through a stance book and her last known field exposure was at Thueringenwald. For our first-timers, she's the owner of the Sea Elephant Cafe located at Coimbra. Now, I introduce to you Syeri (as Idge) and Jacki (as Adelina). As always, I always give an explanation on where I got the names for my character. For my Idge, I named her after Syeri Lee Baet, known for her "Carpool" comic works. Plus, she's a friend of mine as well. Idge really reminds me of Syeri, so that's why I named my Idge after her! :D As for my Adelina, I decided on using a random pirate name generator. After a few clicks, I ended with Jacki. Adelina's quest involved revenge and I can't believe she'd go through with it all the way! I finished it and it was really enjoyable.

family_3
Freyja (Brunie), Samantha (Musketeer) and Lauryn (Grace)

When I bought my first four barrack expansions, Lauryn (as Grace) is one of my first new characters. Surely, Grace is a former Intelligence Officer of Brestia and she's investigating on how Vespanola won against Brestia's Invincible Fleet during the Three Year War. While doing her quest, her suspicions rose when she accompanied with me the Tetra Catacombs and discovered a mechanical creature known as the "Treasure Golem" with a Vespanolan Noble named "Cherlyn." It seems Vespanola is plotting something and this strengthened my cause for the Republicans. Of course, who could not forget my sister Samantha the Musketeer! She accompanied Sandra is hunting down Steel Armed Tortoises for Lorch's quest. She has completely mastered her Double Gun stance and now focusing on the Aimed Shot stance for pistols. Freyja here (as Brunie) is also a new addition to my family of pioneers. If you're familiar with Norse Mythology, Freya (Freyja is an older form) is the Norse goddess of love and beauty. Brings back memories of Valkyrie Profile... I actually wanted some sort of European name and I ended up with Freyja. Forgot which category I picked to get it...

family_4
Reenan (Reboldoeux Soldier), Benedito (Soho) and Celso (Gracielo)

Reenan (as Reboldoeux Solider) was added after three characters (Soho, Grace and Jack). I named him after my friend, Reenan M. Ferrer, a cadet of the Philippine Military Academy of Class 2008 Baghawi (Bagong Halaw ng Lahi, translates to "New Generation"). It's so sad though, because he died of illness before he could graduate PMA. I prepared two eulogies in honor of Reenan. He now lives on as a member of my family. I added Benedito (as Soho) because I needed another medic for some variety. However, he does better with Escrima. Looks like he can't heal well but can buff (which is dependent on the skill's effectiveness). Benedito is a Portuguese form of Benedict. Celso was my 9th character to be added during the Open Beta period. I was able to do his quest and it really changed him (not fully). If you ask me, he sounds like a "punked Mario" to me and is he ever so noisy (not to mention cocky)!

family_5
Cletus (Diego the Carpenter) and Clint (Jack the Engineer)

Clint (as Jack) was my first character to step into the second barracks. I really wanted to try out his construction skill and I find it really good, for a short time. I don't get to do much action after I wipe out a room or area full of monsters with the cannons he provide. Maybe I'll use it in the Forgotten Territories (if I can afford one!)... Cletus (as Diego) was my recent addition to the family, since Diego's "rotating blade" skill is a need for colony sieging/claiming thanks to "Hrin's Blender" technique. Since I was able to "peek" at the voice files of sGE, Jack sounded like a cowboy and Diego sounded like a redneck. This was a good reference in deciding names for these two. Although I tried to use a random cowboy name generator, I ended up with Clint from Clint Eastwood ("Feeling lucky, punk?"). As for Cletus, I ended up using a random country star generator (as it claims you can use it as your redneck name). I typed in Diego and I got "Cletus Brooks."

Yes, this means I bought more Barrack Slots and I achieved a maximum total of 18 slots! I didn't make an eighteenth character yet! I'm planning to save it for... Catherine the Summoner!

Wow! That's one heck of an update! I have to make another post because I'm planning a welcoming celebration of new members for the RedSign Faction!

Monday, November 19, 2007

Photos (and my take) of the Colony War last November 18, 2007

Help yourselves in these pics. I have to say these are quite embarrassing because RedSign's Colony of Pradera de Ceniza was (easily) overtaken by the GodLike Faction due to their sheer numbers. I think the Royalists are getting the upper hand... Well, that's just my opinion. Peekture first before talk!

Pradera de Ceniza shots:
cw20071118_pradera_01 cw20071118_pradera_02 cw20071118_pradera_03 cw20071118_pradera_04 cw20071118_pradera_05 cw20071118_pradera_06 cw20071118_pradera_07 cw20071118_pradera_08 cw20071118_pradera_09 cw20071118_pradera_10 cw20071118_pradera_11
As you can see from these photos, RedSign has done what they can to reclaim the colony but the sheer number of opponents was rather... too much to handle. Looks like the Royalists are gaining in numbers...

Ferruccio Junction shots:
cw20071118_junction_01 cw20071118_junction_02 cw20071118_junction_03 cw20071118_junction_04 cw20071118_junction_05 cw20071118_junction_06 cw20071118_junction_07 cw20071118_junction_08 cw20071118_junction_09 cw20071118_junction_10 cw20071118_junction_11
Woohoo! The RedSign Faction was able to obtain this colony when their Pradera de Ceniza colony was sieged by GodLike. However, our joyous claim was VERY SHORT LIVED. We tried getting it back but looks like someone beat us to it. There's also some shots of Hrin's Blender strategy at work as well. I think I better add a Diego in my barracks soon but what to name him...

Porto Bello Deserted Quay shots:
cw20071118_quay_01 cw20071118_quay_02 cw20071118_quay_03 cw20071118_quay_04 cw20071118_quay_05
As a last resort, we tried waging war onto other factions to get a colony. We decided to target this colony at the Deserted Quay. Wasn't easy, both in terms of distance and possession. Another faction beaten us in getting this colony. We tried to get this for the second time but another faction took it as theirs.

Porto Bello Desolate Cliff shots:
cw20071118_deso_cliff_01 cw20071118_deso_cliff_02 cw20071118_deso_cliff_03
We also tried snagging this colony away from another faction. Although we were able to push the enemy away, another faction took the last blow. With all those Valkyrie Crashers, I don't think we stood a chance in snagging this colony.

Well, that ends my report of the colony war last November 18, 2007. It was very hectic and goodbye Colony Protection of +10% HP. We may have fallen against the Royalists but down to the Queen! We will fight for a free Granado Espada! Until then, I'm off...

In unrelated news, I must make an update on what's going with my family. I just have so many things to share but I hadn't gotten the time to post because I'm beginning to have no life. You heard me right: beginning to have no life.

My family