Caitlín R. Kiernan (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
greygirlbeast) wrote2009-12-14 01:17 pm
greygirlbeast) wrote2009-12-14 01:17 pm
Entry tags:
Sense of (Virtual) Space
Cold and clear here in Providence. And I have not left the house since Tuesday afternoon, almost a full week. But we shall remedy that as soon as possible.
Yesterday, I wrote 1,027 words on "The Jetsam of Disremembered Mechanics." It's slow going, as this story is not set in one of my fictional universes, but in that of another author (I don't think I'm supposed to say who, not yet). Someone on Facebook had the gall to say, yesterday, that this constitutes "cheating," to which I reply "bullshit." I'd always much rather be playing in my own world and by my own rules, no matter how honored I might be at being allowed into that of another author. Staying true to their vision, not only the facts of that world but also the spirit of that world, it's no easy undertaking. I think I might be halfway through this story. If so, I should finish it on Wednesday.
And I'll post these links one last time, as there was another Solstice/Cephalopodmas gift inquiry yesterday evening. Here's the link to my Amazon wishlist, and here's the link to Spooky's. We are always just as happy to receive used copies of books, DVDs, and movies, by the way.
Back on Thursday, when the news went out that Kirkus Reviews is folding after seventy-six years (and I never got a bad review from them), I was dumbfounded and a bit saddened. After all, it's yet another sign that the publishing industry has been much healthier than it is right now. But, at the same time, I have been heartened to see that competent, literate bloggers who are also competent readers have begun picking up the slack. This has been more evident with The Red Tree than with any of my previous novels. Indeed, a number of the blurbs that will be included when the mass-market paperback is released next year will be from such blog reviews. Even as the easy chirping of Twitter and snarking of Facebook seem to be supplanting mass blogging, literary blogging seems to be coming into its own. For example, this morning I was greeted by this very fine review of The Red Tree at "The Black Letters" (even if it does deem me "snarly").
---
So, last night Spooky and I took Suraa and Shaharrazad (respectively) away from Outland and into Northrend, by way of the Howling Fjord. And it seems only fair that I should bestow upon Blizzard some deserved praise, after yesterday bestowing all that deserved scorn. Which is to say that Northrend is fucking beautiful, and the quests are great. My impression so far is that this extension is a vast improvement over the mismatched chaos and chintz of The Burning Crusade extension. We've only made it as far as the Tauren encampment of Winterhoof and the southern slopes of the Grizzly Hills, but these environments are gorgeous. The graphics are of an entirely different level than those from Outland. We found ourselves pausing in gameplay last night, just to stare at the sun sparkling off the snow, or the aurora coruscating above the fjord, or the mist lying thick in the boreal forests. This is a far more mature and fully realized world than we've previously seen on Azeroth, and I hope that when the big Cataclysm reboot roles around in 2010, the whole world is given this sort of face lift. Because Northrend makes the rest of WoW look shabby and cartoonish, it's that good. Also, nice to be fighting the "good" fight against the Alliance again, and hopefully all that Aldor vs. Scryers crap is behind us. No more Argent Dawn, please.
Before heading off to Winterhoof, we relocated to the inn at Vengeance Landing, fought the Alliance bastards at the Derelict Strand and then went off to battle the Vrykul at Baleheim. By the way, I thought the Vrykul were especially well realized, though I'd have liked to see women among them. WoW has this habit of tossing races at you, races which exist primarily to offer up adversaries, and making every member of that race male. They've done it with the orges, the trogs, the kobolds, and so forth. Are we supposed to suspect that these races are hermaphroditic or reproduce by budding? Is this just more neglect of female gamers? Come on, the boys would love to see giant Vrykul boobies. Well, the gay boys probably wouldn't. Maybe that's it. WoW is pandering to teh gay...
Anyway, yes, Northrend is absolutely amazing.
And now I have to go write.
Yesterday, I wrote 1,027 words on "The Jetsam of Disremembered Mechanics." It's slow going, as this story is not set in one of my fictional universes, but in that of another author (I don't think I'm supposed to say who, not yet). Someone on Facebook had the gall to say, yesterday, that this constitutes "cheating," to which I reply "bullshit." I'd always much rather be playing in my own world and by my own rules, no matter how honored I might be at being allowed into that of another author. Staying true to their vision, not only the facts of that world but also the spirit of that world, it's no easy undertaking. I think I might be halfway through this story. If so, I should finish it on Wednesday.
And I'll post these links one last time, as there was another Solstice/Cephalopodmas gift inquiry yesterday evening. Here's the link to my Amazon wishlist, and here's the link to Spooky's. We are always just as happy to receive used copies of books, DVDs, and movies, by the way.
Back on Thursday, when the news went out that Kirkus Reviews is folding after seventy-six years (and I never got a bad review from them), I was dumbfounded and a bit saddened. After all, it's yet another sign that the publishing industry has been much healthier than it is right now. But, at the same time, I have been heartened to see that competent, literate bloggers who are also competent readers have begun picking up the slack. This has been more evident with The Red Tree than with any of my previous novels. Indeed, a number of the blurbs that will be included when the mass-market paperback is released next year will be from such blog reviews. Even as the easy chirping of Twitter and snarking of Facebook seem to be supplanting mass blogging, literary blogging seems to be coming into its own. For example, this morning I was greeted by this very fine review of The Red Tree at "The Black Letters" (even if it does deem me "snarly").
---
So, last night Spooky and I took Suraa and Shaharrazad (respectively) away from Outland and into Northrend, by way of the Howling Fjord. And it seems only fair that I should bestow upon Blizzard some deserved praise, after yesterday bestowing all that deserved scorn. Which is to say that Northrend is fucking beautiful, and the quests are great. My impression so far is that this extension is a vast improvement over the mismatched chaos and chintz of The Burning Crusade extension. We've only made it as far as the Tauren encampment of Winterhoof and the southern slopes of the Grizzly Hills, but these environments are gorgeous. The graphics are of an entirely different level than those from Outland. We found ourselves pausing in gameplay last night, just to stare at the sun sparkling off the snow, or the aurora coruscating above the fjord, or the mist lying thick in the boreal forests. This is a far more mature and fully realized world than we've previously seen on Azeroth, and I hope that when the big Cataclysm reboot roles around in 2010, the whole world is given this sort of face lift. Because Northrend makes the rest of WoW look shabby and cartoonish, it's that good. Also, nice to be fighting the "good" fight against the Alliance again, and hopefully all that Aldor vs. Scryers crap is behind us. No more Argent Dawn, please.
Before heading off to Winterhoof, we relocated to the inn at Vengeance Landing, fought the Alliance bastards at the Derelict Strand and then went off to battle the Vrykul at Baleheim. By the way, I thought the Vrykul were especially well realized, though I'd have liked to see women among them. WoW has this habit of tossing races at you, races which exist primarily to offer up adversaries, and making every member of that race male. They've done it with the orges, the trogs, the kobolds, and so forth. Are we supposed to suspect that these races are hermaphroditic or reproduce by budding? Is this just more neglect of female gamers? Come on, the boys would love to see giant Vrykul boobies. Well, the gay boys probably wouldn't. Maybe that's it. WoW is pandering to teh gay...
Anyway, yes, Northrend is absolutely amazing.
And now I have to go write.
no subject
no subject
I can assure you there will be boobies when you get further north. There are whole tribes of only women there, friend and foe alike. And Vrykul boobies as well. You have a lot to look forward to. =)
Huzzah!
no subject
The other 'starter' area is the Borean Tundra and I think you'd enjoy that just as much if not more. In particular there are some quest chains I think you'd find very satisfying on that land mass.
Enjoy your explorations, and thanks for sharing.
no subject
The other 'starter' area is the Borean Tundra and I think you'd enjoy that just as much if not more. In particular there are some quest chains I think you'd find very satisfying on that land mass.
We're taking it slowly, making it last, but we'll get there eventually.
no subject
Though we should probably get there while we can still make some decent points off of the things we kill...
no subject
Though we should probably get there while we can still make some decent points off of the things we kill...
Points shmoints!
no subject
Oh, also, it leads into Dragonblight, which features a quest chain that lets you fight with Sylvanas.
no subject
Oh, also, it leads into Dragonblight, which features a quest chain that lets you fight with Sylvanas.
Alas, Shaharrazad would never fight with her Dark Lady, and I really haven't time to level any of my Alliance alts that high. Is there not a quest chain that allows you to fight for Sylvanas? Or...wait...is that what you meant to start with? I'm feeling painfully dense today.
no subject
no subject
I meant fight alongside Sylvanas (and Thrall), not against her. I couldn't bring myself to do that, either.
Sorry. I'm having a lot of stupid this afternoon.
no subject
It could be WAY less hot here. And Apple could call about my hard drive. Those things in tandem would make it a good Monday.
no subject
Flying spiders! Yikes!
I'm really enjoying the fact that, at least in Howling Fjord, I can pick herbs and fish without being attacked every 3 seconds. It's nice just to be in the environment.
no subject
withalongside Sylvanas.This! Absolutely this. There are some epic quest chains ahead of you, but I think the battle at the Icecrown gate and the subsequent fight to take back a certain Horde capital from the traitors in their midst is utterly epic in execution, whichever faction you're on. How many quest chains can you think of in this game that have cutscenes?no subject
How many quest chains can you think of in this game that have cutscenes?
Not enough...
no subject
its not polite to ask their gender, makes them all cranky...
no subject
Just adding my voice to the throng. Northrend is almost flawlessly fabulous from start to finish, whichever way you come in, especially now that they're adding more content to Icecrown (my least favourite zone in the game, though it's incredible what they've achieved on a technical level; the zone is huge, and the major quest chains are phased, kind of like instances, where the immediate area is significantly and permanently changed by the end of each chain). And I agree that, if Cataclysm revamps Azeroth to the level of Northrend, I'm going to be one very happy camper.
no subject
and the major quest chains are phased, kind of like instances, where the immediate area is significantly and permanently changed by the end of each chain).
Phasing environments is something that I think would greatly benefit the game as a whole. It would help to remove much of that air of futility I often feel ingame.
no subject
no subject
no subject
I'm almost betting you'll wish you could have rolled one yourself, or that you didn't have to... oh, but I can't tell you that part. :)
As it happens, I commented just last night that they would have made a marvelous player class (anything's better than frakkin' goblins).
no subject
no subject
Oh dear, Shah hasn't dropped her standards that low, has she? ;)
no subject
Oh dear, Shah hasn't dropped her standards that low, has she?
Okay, no. She's not. But she does loathe goblins, even more than she loathes humans and gnomes.
no subject
Fuck yeah. I agree so very much.
no subject
According to Blizzard, many people want to play goblins. Me, I figure it's the same sort likes to play gnomes...
The very fact of gnomes annoys me.
no subject
The fact that so many people are interested in the goblin race makes me.. wonder about humanity. But, then, I identify with my characters entirely too much and probably expect a good part of the people to do so.
Blizz could do so much better. But, in my opinion, they tend to like shafting the Horde.
Gnomes.. I don't mind gnomes. I just don't find them interesting to play, in any way. They're too cutesy for me. But I'm a big Horde-fiend and find it difficult to get into any Alliance race. The highest I've ever gotten was 30 and getting even that far was like pulling teeth. I just gave up.
I am planning on rolling a Worgen because that race really does sound interesting. And maybe Cataclysm will shake the Alliance side up enough that I will be able to get into the character.
no subject
no subject
I've always felt rather love/hate about WoW, and you express that perfectly. Then again, you have *such* a way with words.
It's my one magic trick.
no subject
(I got a preview of it at my brother's house.)
No more Argent Dawn, please.
There are quests in Zul'Drak and Icecrown that deal with the Argent Dawn. But because the areas overlap so much, level-wise, you can easily avoid those quest chains. I didn't really even get into Zul'Drak or any of the higher level areas until well after I hit 80. Granted, I do as many quests as possible in an area.
I highly suggest doing as many quests in Dragonblight as possible. There are some nice story chains there. I don't know if the best one is still in the game (the one that caused the abominations in UC to be replaced with Kor'kron Guards with 3.3) though I really, really hope it is. That was easily probably the best quest chain in the entire game.
There are tribes of female Vrykul. They're just in the Stormpeaks (mainly). You even get to run around as one for a series of quests!
no subject
Hell, I know that just from things like the one time I tried to imitate Rickey and G-Man (http://community.livejournal.com/prime_liquor/599488.html) in a birthday note to
(even if it does deem me "snarly")
But if you had fangs, then you'd WANT to snarl! (I can picture you with fangs.)
no subject
But if you had fangs, then you'd WANT to snarl! (I can picture you with fangs.)
Oh, I've had fangs. Many, many times....
no subject
no subject
going back to Old Azeroth feels like walking through a coloring book.
Yes!
no subject
http://kalimayablack.deviantart.com/art/The-Red-Tree-cover-146835390
(repost for whoopslinkfail)
no subject