Hellfire's Realm

Merry Christmas!

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 22:15:03 GMT

Merry Christmas to all!

Flashback warning!!

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:52:18 GMT

So, the new WoW 3.3.0 patch hit today.

- Yay for many things! (Which I haven't been able to test yet, due to:)
- Boo for massive server lag.

However, I have one major, great big stinkin' problem with the new patch. TOTALY a gamebreaker IMO 4 rlz. When you go to /camp to the character select screen, the screen now goes entirely black for a few seconds, with a small message box in the center of the screen. Like so:

This is made worse (and longer) by the fact that, with the servers acting the way they are, it takes about a full minute to fully log out, then about 10-15 seconds for the char select screen to fully load. Whenever I'm not paying attention to the game, i.e. browsing the web on my off-monitor while the game/server chugs along, the above screen looks and behaves an awful lot like this unpleasant memory:

EVERCRAAAAAAACK!

It messes with me every time! The last few times I've camped out, I found myself thinking "aw fuck! not again. fucking serv-- oh..."

BLIZ PLEZ FIX OK, TEH FLASHBACKS R KILLING ME :P

In other news, the Death Knight is finally 80. I pretty much speed-leveled her from 72-80 in under a week last week, finally ending on Sunday. Sad part is, I was actually mostly just grinding out quests to improve her gear and farm gold, rather than trying to level. Oh well! I finally got her her epic flight training. Maybe next I'll focus on my druid.

Renvaras wishes you...

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:44:33 GMT

Happy Thanksgiving!

Random screenshot for this particular holiday season

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 01:36:16 GMT

Dunno whether it'll be my last.

Read the chatbox. The thought amused me, but it could just mean that I've been doing way too much Thanksgiving event stuff...

And no, he never moved his dog.

This past Monday, I finally did it!

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:21:03 GMT

I dropped Blacksmithing.

And today, I finished this! --^
(Lack of assloads of Titanium/Saronite sucks.)

So much more fun and rewarding. Cadinae's had Engineering forever; she never even touched the colossal waste of a profession known as Blacksmithing.

Nostalgia!

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:01:43 GMT

If you guys wanna hear some oldskool videogame music, stuff from NES/SNES/N64, point your Winamp or other MP3 player to http://67.68.26.172:8010. (Source; the "Mystic's Classic Video Game Archive" station.) I've heard all kinds of music, from Ninja Gaiden, to Battletoads & Double Dragon, Super Mario All Stars, Goldeneye 007, Wanderers from Ys III, Conker's Bad Fur Day ("I'm going to take your head and ram it up my butt!"), various Castlevanias...

Zomg nostalgia.

On the "Castlevania" note above, a track played this morning from Castlevania: Bloodlines. Thanks to that track, I now know the basis of the third stage's music in Koumajou Densetsu: Scarlet Symphony. (Y'know, before I hit up Youtube just now and read the comments on the video.) Haaax.

And someday, I swear I'm actually going to find time to play Conker's Bad Fur Day.

[edited 2009-12-13 -- new station IP]

Guys! Guys!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:16:37 GMT

Blizzard sold out of the Pandaren mini-pet!!

(More info at Wowinsider, WoW LJ)

"Boredom Project: Make my Eee faster!" So much for that idea...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:16 GMT

Today, I began installing all of the usual software that I use on my computers and whatnot. Antivirus, firewall, anti-spyware stuff. AV and anti-spyware stuff worked fine. However, while my chosen firewall program does indeed work for the LAN (wired) ethernet port, it sadly was incompatible with the device drivers and software that were being utilized to run the wireless port. While the driver itself uses Windows' network connection software, the RaLink software that was being used to create the connection to the wifi hotspot was of an extremely custom nature, probably incompatible with just about any firewall software out there.

Since I'm not going to use wireless internet access without at least a working firewall program running in the background... back to Windows XP I go!

Boredom Project: Make my Eee faster!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 04:32:32 GMT

Yeah. So, my little mini-notebook OF WRAAAAAAAAATH (specifically, an Eee 1000H series) has been getting positively chuggy lately. It's bound to happen, honestly, given that it's a low-budget computer. All PCs gradually lose performance as Windows gets bloatier and bloatier. Just, lower-end computers feel the pinch a lot worse than more modern hardware.

The last couple of times that it's become unbearably slow by my standards, I've simply wiped the harddrive and reinstalled from the system restore disc. Followed by 2-3 hours of uninstalling the preloaded crap... Windows Live, Skype, and a whole bunch of other blogging applications that I'll likely never use myself, much less on a netbook of all things. After all's said and done, the speed is back... for a while.

Today, I decided to try something a little different. You see, I have this old Windows 2000 SP-4 disc. For those of you who don't know, Windows 2000 is XP's immediate predecessor. It's a little lighter on resources, it looks more like Windows 9x/ME in terms of UI, it actually boots a little bit slower than XP of all things... but it's lean, mean, and fast once it gets going.

-----

Anyway, I wiped the harddrive and decided to give Windows 2000 a try. Installed it, booted it for the first time, and immediately set about trying to install whatever compatible drivers I could. While many drivers for XP are compatible with Windows 2000 and vice-versa, there are a fair share that sadly aren't. Fortunately, the audio, chipset, LAN, and VGA drivers all installed without any issues. A good start!

Sadly, while ASUS's ACPI driver was able to install without a hitch, the associated Windows services that came alongside it were extremely problematic -- generating an endless stream of error messages upon Windows boot-time. From what I gather, they're very heavily dependent on Windows XP's "fast user switching", which isn't present in Windows 2000. Sucks, but I was able to pop into the registry editor and halt those services from starting up with Windows; problem workaround'd. The driver itself seems to be functional -- it accepts my keyboard shortcuts to enable/disable the wireless adapter, which is handy.

Regrettably, the software for the touchpad refused to install, citing OS incompatibility. Doesn't seem to be anything I can do about that, though I've tried. Poo poo.

Last but not least, and most distressing -- the wireless LAN driver refused to install. There are apparently two drivers on the restore CD, and neither of them work, even when I tried to tweak the setup INI files to "think" it was installing on Windows XP. This simply would not do; it would mean I'd have to be hard-wired into the intarwebz at all times from the laptop. Sometimes, I like to browse the web from another section of the house. Unacceptable!

So, I did what any geek would do: I hit up the intarwebz. First, to Atheros' website, the supposed makers of the wireless adapter. Sadly, their entire website is basically a PR page -- in a nutshell, they help co-design wireless adapters for other companies, and don't offer any driver support themselves. They instead suggest that you go to the website of the actual manufacturer and get your drivers there. In this case, supposedly, ASUS.

*grumble*

So, off to Google! An hour later, I finally figured out the particular model number for my wireless adapter, which was listed in the name of one of the wireless LAN driver folders all along -- AW-NE766.

*grumble grumble*

This didn't help much at first. Not until I stumbled upon a big tip from a fellow Eee user: the AW-NE766 is actually a repackaged RaLink RT-2700E. First reaction: hit up Ralink's website for a driver. Sadly, their drivers page didn't include a 2700 series driver specifically -- lots of numbers around it such as 2860, but not 2700 specifically.

*grumble grumble grumble*

More Google searching revealed that an MSI netbook competitor to ASUS, the U100, also uses an RT-2700E wireless adapter... so, off to the MSI website for a driver! And surprisingly, the website did have a clearly-labeled "RT2700E" driver for download. So, download it I did! Extracted it and installed it without a hitch... but it didn't install any wireless adapter software alongside it so I could make it connect to things.

*sigh*

At least it wasn't an "unknown device" anymore, and it wasn't X'd or ?'d in the device manager either. Progress! I took a break and grabbed some ice cream. While doing so, I thought back to the RaLink website, and how it had model numbers in the general area of 2700, but not 2700 itself... and they even had Windows 2000 listed as an OS compatible with their software too. Insert more grumblings here. Then I thought about the working driver package from MSI, specifically about an odd inconsistency I noted in the ZIP file. Strange, I could clearly remember reading the number "2860" in a lot of the file names...

*DING!*

I popped back over to the RaLink website again, and beheld the numbers "2860" clearly printed next to the words "Windows 2000" on the drivers page.

And now my Eee 1000H's wireless adapter works in Windows 2000! The utility that comes alongside the RaLink driver works just fine so far, although it contains vastly more detailed info about the connection than I'm used to seeing. Works for me though, I dig info.

That leaves just one Eee system driver that's incompatible, if not MIA entirely -- the USB webcam driver. Honestly, it's probably a driver that comes bundled with Windows XP by default, since it's nowhere on the system recovery disc. Some forumers have noted that they can get the webcam to semi-work, but only with Skype or MSN and a partially compatible driver off the net. But, eh. Who really needs a webcam anyway? I sure don't.

So, stuff's working quite nicely so far. Haven't had much time to really stress- or speed-test the Eee with Windows 2000 yet. I'll probably do that over the next couple of days. If I don't see much speed improvement when I do, however, I'll probably just wipe it again and reinstall XP from the system recovery disc. Might as well work with fully compatible software, eh?

/babble

A few things to note.

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:33:57 GMT

http://ar-tonelico.jp/at3/

The official Ar tonelico III website has been live for about a week and a half, though I've forgotten to post about it. I definitely haven't forgotten to check it out myself, however -- the BGM is rather catchy. The preview videos seem very interesting, as is the discussion about them over on the A Reyvateil's Melody forums.

I'm still debating on whether I should import the game or wait and hope for a localization. I'm leaning towards import, though the drawback there is that I won't be able to read the dialogue or understand much of the storyline... unless I learn Japanese or something. On the other hand, I'd get an artbook out of the whole deal, and the ability to play it long before it receives a localization.

/hmm

In other news, Yizuden is finally level 80. He now wields two Tankards of Terror, as well as purplez from Coren Direbrew and Headless Horseman. I've kinda given up on killing the HH though... only reason I'd have now is to get the mount, and I haven't seen a single one drop in the 100+ times I've killed him since the event started. Hell, I've only seen one broom drop, and those don't even last beyond the Hallow's End event. Ah well, I need to do more important stuff anyway. :P

Cross Edge. There are a lot of mechanics about it that I don't quite have a handle on. Very complex game. But, it's good to see the Ar tonelico cast members joining the party so early on in the game. It seems that most, if not all, of their respective voiceactors from the Ar tonelico NA version reprised their roles, which is nice. (It's hard to tell whether Aurica's VA is the same; otherwise, all the rest are indeed the same.) They even seem to have done a better job of the voiceovers this time around, too... at least, so far. Thank god Shurelia doesn't sound as off-key or robotic as she did in AT. (Example. She's "Leila" in this video. PHEAR HER BAD VOICEACTING!)

Anyway, I went ahead and picked up a lot of the downloadable content for Cross Edge. Hey, the game is rather tedious, Hard Mode is hard (though I don't know how it compares to Normal or Easy), and I don't particularly like random battles that can take up to 5 minutes. Sadly, to my knowledge, the game can only be fully unlocked and completed when it's finished on Hard Mode, so... I've got my work cut out for me. It's also kinda sad that the DLC has made the game thus far trivially easy... but ah well.

One more very important thing. gizagiza is in the process of drawing a picture of Yizuden, and it's looking really damn smexy. However, I dunno if she wants me to link to the work-in-progress or wait until it's completely finished, so... until I know otherwise, I'll post about it when it's finished! It's totally awesome~! :D

[edit]
Randomly, this is the cutest Shurelia artwork I've ever seen.

Lesson of the day

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:31:18 GMT

If you park your vehicle in an area where the general public has access to it, day or night, make sure your fuel cap has a lock on it. Whether it's on the fuel door or the cap itself, it doesn't matter. As long as there is a mechanism there that prevents Joe Fuckwad from walking up, popping open the fuel door, twisting off the fuel cap, and doing whatever he intends to do to your car.

Fortunately for me, it was a fairly cheap lesson: $20 for a new, locking fuel cap. Joe Fuckwad didn't seem to take any fuel, or if he tried he failed, or only took a small amount. He didn't seem to be a dick about it, other than snipping the cord that tethered the fuel cap to my car and swiping the fuel cap itself. He didn't seem to pour anything like sugar or an excessive amount of other solids/fluids into the tank either, since the car started up and ran mostly OK without the cap on. After I got the new fuel cap and filled the tank, the "emissions control" warning light on my dashboard turned off and hasn't come back -- always a positive sign.

If ever in the future you should buy a new vehicle that doesn't have a locking mechanism for your fuel cap, invest a few dollars into it. Don't fuck around, don't forget about it like I did. Just do it.

And don't be a Joe Fuckwad, either.

This is my $20 lesson, which could've been drastically more expensive, to you for free.

Also, the website for Advance Auto Parts is broke as hell. Haven't seen a website as slow and unresponsive as that since the old AOL dial-up days. Or the early LiveJournal days.

Target acquired!

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:35:28 GMT

Playstation 3 and Cross Edge GET!

Now to hurry up and wait for Ar tonelico III. :o

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:20:12 GMT

Wow. Two days after Ar tonelico III's announcement, and there's already a surprisingly detailed Wikipedia entry for it. Rather impressive.

Bloody hell I missed it!

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:56:30 GMT

Ar Tonelico III was announced yesterday!!

Looks like I'm getting a PS3! Japanese release date is January 28th, 2010... I hope that an English release will soon follow.

At least if NISA screws up the game like they did AT2 (assuming they'll be the ones who bring AT3 over), they can fix it later. Y'know, if they feel so inclined. But still... can't wait!

Or if the worst news comes and it doesn't see an English release... it might finally be time for me to learn Japanese. >:)

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:14:48 GMT

Okay. Who out there remembers Sparkster? You know...

Sparkster!

After a 15-year hiatus, it looks like Konami is reviving him in time for a sequel -- Rocket Knight! While I don't use Steam and I don't have an Xbox 360, there is a chance I'll be picking up a PS3 sometime next year-ish. (Ar Tonelico 3. More info coming before the month's end, maybe! *hope*)

I'll be sure to pick up a copy of this game at some point, somehow. Yay! Let's hope they do the game right! :D

[edit]
How the hell did I forget to post the link to the article?
http://www.1up.com/do/minisite?cId=3176338

I love mistranslations.

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:19:52 GMT

According to Google, 급소치기 (Korean) translates into "Chin stroke". So, apparently my swordsman in Ragnarok DS will learn the beginning stages of stroking his chin when he reaches job level 9, minimum.

I wonder when he can start learning how to cackle maniacally and take over the world.

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:06:30 GMT

*marks October 15th on calendar*

*awaits hopefully*

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:26:59 GMT

Hahaha, I love the commentary.

Don't eat that mushroom!

Anybody who has ever played classic Ninja Gaiden...

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 01:33:55 GMT

... will understand this video.

For those of us with WoW and crazy video cards...

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:30:25 GMT

You know, video cards with more than 32 MB of video memory? Like myself and my brother with 512 MB of VRAM. It turns out that, by default, WoW is currently designed only to use up to 32 MB of video RAM... so the excess kinda goes to waste, unless you're running more than one 3D app at a time. I just figured this out by reading part of the future 3.3.0 Icecrown patch notes -- apparently the graphics backend is being changed so that it loads textures more efficiently, particularly for Windows XP users.

But, 3.3.0 is a ways off. You can change WoW's default video texture limit on the live servers by adding the following line to WoW's CONFIG.WTF file:

SET textureCacheSize "536870912"

Please note, 536870912 = 512 x 1024 x 1024. If you have 256 MB, you'll want to set it to 268435456 (256 x 1024 x 1024); if you have 128 MB, you'll want to set it to 134217728 (128 x 1024 x 1024); etc.

Source: WoW Forums: 3.3.0 PTR Graphics change
(the whole thread's worth reading)

The CONFIG.WTF line should improve loading times in texture-heavy areas (Dalaran), as well as improve some re-load times (log into Dalaran, portal to another city, hearthstone to Dalaran.)

Your mileage may vary, but it certainly seemed to improve my loading times going to/from/to Dalaran.

BLAST FROM THE PAST!!!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:33:24 GMT

Oh man... I totally miss that armor now.

And while I'm at it... add one more!

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 01:03:17 GMT

Brewfest Achievements

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:57:46 GMT

Besides getting Brewmaster on four of my toons (the ones who were around last year), I've managed to get a few other lucky things.

Too bad he's not level 80 yet. Soooon! Here's hoping I can score a second one...

Cadinae finally won her own Brewfest Ram! Yay!

While this wasn't so much "lucky" as it was "eventual," I'm still happy about it. Level 40 is nice. Mail armor is sexy. Dual wield is FTW. Epic land mount = awesome. Enhancement only gets better from here on out! An updated icon to celebrate!

gizagiza, get ready to rock! Especially once you hit level 40, also. :D

Koumajou Densetsu Scarlet Symphony - Final Battle

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 05:00:42 GMT

About time Youtube finished processing it without mangling the hell out of the framerate.

Enjoy. ~~Might reupload it a fourth time if Youtube doesn't update the tagging on it by the morning. I do not want WTF Jesus videos getting linked from my videos.~~ It's been reuploaded.

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:16:15 GMT

I finally put my mind to it and beat the final boss of Koumajou Densetsu.

I recorded it, too.

I'll see about putting it on Youtube later tonight.

I think this icon is appropriate. MY SANITY, WHERE HAS IT GONE??????????

[edit]
Youtube sucks.