Ald Demo

So i was debating whether to activate my FFXI due to the level cap raise news. I managed to talk myself out of putting myself though that again. My plan was to just come back and do small stuff and avoid the HNM nonsense completely. For now, i decided not to yet and may not at all, but FFXIV is so far off.

Here i am making my rounds of free to play MMO's just as a filler. I read some reviews of ROM and decided to try it out. What the hell it's not like i have anything to lose. My main reason for trying ROM was that the item shop crap that i hate is actually purely cosmetic. Well, except for a few mounts here and there.

Well first i have to say that it's a complete copy of WoW in every way, including using the same Curse addons. Not only that but i have too many damn quests! Seriously, I'm out-leveling them and completely backed up with shit from 5 levels ago. Oh and the GM's seem to be pretty active it seems, as they ban people for buying from RMT shops. I haven't seen a single bot or RMT spammer yet. It's kinda nuts when cpmpared to Aion's non stop bullshit. The game is just a time killer but I'm surprised it's not a huge hit. Maybe it is, what do i know?

The duel class system is nice also. It reminds me of FFXI. My Rouge/Scout!

With all due respect to Paul Gilbert, Jason Becker, Chris Broderick, this has to be my favorite guitarist today. I dunno how i could hate the band he's in so much yet be completely in awe of him. Good thing he just released an awesome solo album so i don't have to listen to his band. Here's a clip someone shot on what looks like a camera phone. The original audio was garbage so it was replaced with the track from his solo album.

I can't overstate the pure genius that is the Spinal Tap mockumentary. I use this movie as my barometer as to whether or not i'll get along someone. If you don't get this movie, then your sense of humor is not my taste.

Ah, we all had such high hopes for Aion. Was to be our next home for the next 3-4 years. At least that my my mindset going in. Hell, i played on a Chinese server pre-release, i loved it so much. Then the betas came and we went hardcore in those as well. Release day, we all sat there spamming the log in screen so we could save the names we wanted!.

Let me just say that the first 30 levels were a blast when the servers were new. Everyone was pretty much the same level and there was always something to do. From Training Camp instance to constant PVP. I mean you couldn't get 5ft outside of your own city gate without 30 people from the other faction waiting for you. I loved it.                                                                                                                                                           

I don't regret Aion for one second and i'll consider playing it some more if the updates fix certain ailing aspects. Right now i'm bored while waiting for FFXIV and Star Wars!

Ding 50! This was before Christmas i think. So funny having to go back to the starter area because i skipped campaign quests there due to overcrowding on launch day.

Alukina's Scepter baby. Extendable weapons are so overrated. Having to stop to use skills while flying completely limits melee to fodder for ranged.

Shugo Pirates! Absolutely the best part of Aion are the Shugo. They completely destroy Moogles from Final Fantasy. "No more kinah? Check your pockets.... nyerk!"

Getting shot out of a cannon for the first time in Steel Rake instance. Also the mid deck monkey boss. I dunno how the fuck i don't have any pics of the other 2 bosses.

Capturing an artifact before a fort siege. Jack never disappoints.


A-rank Dark Poeta with 2 templars is possible! I blame Gurack for it not being S-rank.

Soloing Sulfer Tree Nest instance before they nerfed the ability to do so. I wish i knew about this earlier. Oh well i guess.

Choo choo, everyone run! Fucking Blaize(Natsuki) still trying to solo mobs while we run.

  I haven't updated this in a while. Been busy sorta having fun in Aion, sorta. Anyways i caught this vid on youtube and i had to post it here. I've been a huge Mike Amott fan for over 15 years now. He's one of my favorite guitarists, probably in my top 3. Now i know he's not the best or the fastest or the flashiest, but he more than makes up for it in melody. This solo reminds me of Final Fantasy and could totally picture it in a cutscene. Mike's tone and depth is amazing.

I've lost track of how many times I've done the 1-20 grind, between the betas and Chinese Aion. It feels so good to finally have it count. Been busy trying to stay ahead of the leveling curve. The first few days were rough and trying to find mobs was challenging. After deciding on our server, we picked another one instead because we were worried about having members locked out.

Well it turned out we picked the most populated server somehow! We're on Triniel, which later we found out is also the server with more old FFXI BG people. Anyways, managed to get to 30 in the first week, but the next 20 levels will take much longer. As a huge Cowboy Bebop fan, i finally got the name i wanted in FFXI which was always taken.

Nochsana Training camp: 1st 6-man instance with fantastic exp but no drops for us.



Fire Temple: 2nd instance also with no drops for my groups.


Getting my Courageous Breastplate.


Level 30 CE wings

   Ah music, my first love. It's been almost 10 years since my failed attempt to get my band going, but i won't get into that. I have a very broad spectrum of influences, that sometimes clash with each other, but i think that's what makes me appreciate it all. I'll start off by saying i'm a die hard Maiden fan, 80's version of course, although i now forgive them for taking the entire 90's off. My tastes though go back to The Who, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin of the late 60's and into the 70's. We're talking mostly hard rock here which continued into the late 70's and early 80's with Rush, Iron maiden, and the rest of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal bands.

  At the same period of time you also had some of my favorite punk bands starting of course with The Ramones, The Clash, Sex Pistols, The Jam, The Damned, and The Police. The mid 80's ushered in my favorite Bay Area thrash bands such as Metallica, Exodus, Slayer, Anthrax(from NY), and Sepultura(from Brazil). During this time there were some fantastic punk bands like Bad Religion, Black Flag, The Descendents, and Husker Du. I cannot forget to Mention Operation Ivy, which only put out 1 album before they broke up, later forming half of Rancid.

  It's about this time that i got my first cassette tape, which happened to be a compilation of a few bands from Sub Pop records and SST. My best friend gave it to me as he was so into a few bands i never heard of, namely Soundgarden and Nirvana. Well the rest is history as you know. Unfortunately once those bands became huge, we stopped listening to them. We were against MTV, as i still am, and we hated what they turned into. For the record, i love Bleach, and still think it's their best album.

  Ahh the mid 90's and my first live show. It was 100 degrees and 100 teenagers, including yours truly, crammed into a small club in central Jersey to see a little known local band called The Bouncing Souls. They were from the same area as i was, they looked like me, and they blew me away. It's one of those weird things that some people don't understand. When you're there from the ground floor with your favorite band that you know and have spoken to, there's nothing like it and you're hooked for life. You can throw Face To Face, NOFX, And Bombshell Rocks into there also.

  There are a few bands that i love or find influential from the 90's that i haven't mentioned yet. These bands are a little hard on the ears if you don't know what to listen for. Carcass brought us Heartwork and Entombed brought us Wolverine Blues. Those 2 albums influenced every band today, even to the point of flat out ripping off riffs. I should also mention Iced Earth and Blind Guardian for reviving 80's metal.

  Wow long post is long. Any who here's 2 vids. Op Ivy vids are really poor quality as most were bootlegged, so a track vid will have to do.

My favorite album of 2009

     This had me dying in my chair. "You can't arrange your desktop by penis!"

  It's been 20 years since a few of my favorite 80's movies were released. All i can say is WHAT THE FUCK. I can't believe how time flies.

  The Wizard: A boy, his Nintendo, The power Glove, and Super Mario 3! Nothing like going over your friends house and seeing Nintendo for the first time. Growing up a Nintendo kid, nothing like it.

  Gleaming the Cube: What the fuck is cooler than having an underground bomb shelter as a bed room. I admit i was a skate fag at the time.

  Say Anything: "I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that" I do kinda look like him i guess. One of my favorite scenes ever.

  Bill & Teds: Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K. Everything is different, but the same... things are more moderner than before... bigger, and yet smaller... it's computers... San Dimas High School football rules. What more do i have to say except, listen to this dude Rufus, he knows what he's talking about. I still tell myself there's no part 2.