Monday, February 21, 2011

Pixelate and PvP

Pixelate

Pixelate is a term I made up. I define it as looking at someone in a game and thinking of them as just pixels instead of a living human being. If you are pixelated, you can be called bad names, people will tell you that you're useless, you stink...etc. Other terms in relation to it are, pixelated, pixelator, and pixelation.

If you are a pixelator, I would like to ask you to take a moment and go look at someone in your house. It doesn't matter who....go on, I'll wait.... Notice anything about them? They are not small dots of color on a computer screen but living flesh and blood. They move, laugh, cry, feel, just like you do. Would you want anyone calling them names, or telling them they are useless? I hope not. Now look at your character in the game. He/she is made up of pixels correct? Every character in the game is made up of pixels. However, somewhere in the world, there is a real person looking at a computer screen just like you are and just like you and your family/roomate, they laugh, move, cry, feel. Those little dots are actually flesh and blood and do not deserve to be called names or laughed at because you are mad or upset.

Pixelation tends to spread quickly. Once one person is mean, others see it and think it is acceptable behaviour in the game.

As of yet, there is no cure for pixelation but telling those that pixelate it's not acceptable behaviour may stop them. Telling them can have a reverse affect and make them madder but long-term pixelators usually start saying things they can be reported for and get muted. Either way problem solved.

PVP

Recently I started PvP'ing. I did not think I would enjoy it but with good friends cheering you on, it's pretty fun. It will take some time before I am brave enough to solo but I will get there....eventually.

I have been playing Wizard101 for a little over 2 years and before this past weekend, had only PvP'd one time. I had such a horrible experience I didn't want to go back. I won that first battle and my oponent was a good sport but the rudeness from bystanders is what disheartened me. They cursed at us, called us names, said we were boring. I am very tenderhearted and had only been playing the game for a month or so. Thanks to those Arena Trolls (as my sister Cass calls them) I lost all confidence in my ability to PvP and quit.

This past weekend however, I was invited by my Unholy Trio sister Cassandra Dragonheart to watch the PvP team she is on,Team Perfect Catch,(TPC) in the Arena. The event was broadcast on Livestream so I got to hear commentary of the match as well. They talked about spells they would use, what their opponents might cast, etc... Most of the opposing teams were good sports but there were a few "Trolls" in there as well. (Both in and out of the ring). However, Cass, Kevin, Fallon, and Rowan did not let the comments get to them. They even laughed at it and even gave tips to their opponents on how to improve if the other team lost. I have never seen anything like that. I had a blast that night and stayed up until 2am watching TPC battle it out. Thank you TPC for showing me PVP can be fun.

We practiced first. Cass, my other sister, SorceressMiklai, and our friend Alric Ravensinger. Cass wrote about that in her blog (link is in my favorite blogs). Later on that night, TPC was challenged at Kevin Battleblood's Fantasy Palace and Sorceress and I decided to watch. After their match was over, I jumped in the ring for a battle or two. I lost both times. The first time I really enjoyed. It was 3v3 and I was up against one tough opponent, SorceressMiklai. I put up a good fight but was no match for her Snow Angel in the end.

The second battle was hard for me. This time me and SorceressMiklai were on the same team but our side only had 3 players. We were up against Alric, Cass (Death Cass), a Life player, and Nate (The Earthweavers on Central) and they went first. We were crushed. I do not mind losing but when I lose that badly I tend to think it was all my fault. Now before my sisters rush in here and fuss at me for thinking like that, I know that was a tough match up and would be hard for anyone to come out on top with those odds. That is the biggest thing I will have to overcome. I am going to shut up now since I am just feeling sorry for myself.

Get over it Heather, you're still learning.

Onto the good news. I don't intend to give up and my big sis, SorceressMiklai (SM) ranked up last night with help from Alric a.k.a. Tio. WOOOOOTTT, Go sis! I can't wait to catch up to her and big sis Cass.

Thank you for listening and until next time,
Lady Blade a.k.a. Heather

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Dedication to my friends

I am shy by nature and it is hard for me to make friends and trust others with my feelings. I am either too shy to speak up or I keep my feelings to myself not wanting to put my burdens on other people. However, over the past year, I have made some very good friends that have helped me overcome some of that timidness and I continue to learn from them on a daily basis. I would like to say a few words about each of these special people. I will start with M4H team mates.

Cassandra Dragonheart and SorceressMiklai-I have to include my Trio siblings together. We got invited to join M4H (Mercenaries for Hire) at the same time and quickly became known as the Unholy Trio.
Cassandra is, IMO, one of the best PvP players in the Spiral and just celebrated her one year wizaversary last Saturday. WOOT Cass.
Sorceress is my late night sister and probably knows more about gardening and pets than KI themselves. She and Cass have really been there for me over the past year. They have listened to all my complaints, corny jokes, and problems. They also give great advice on life and the game. I hope I can repay them someday and pray I am as good a friend to them as they are to me.

Fiona Wildshade- The best way to describe Fiona is sweet. I am not talking about a little piece of chocolate sweet either. I am talking honey coated cotton candy topped with fudge, whip cream, and a cherry. I think she and I are very much alike in that we don't like to be alone but we feel as if we will bother someone if we ask them for help/company.

Aura*-Aura* is one tough cookie. She has soloed almost every area of the Spiral and we are currently working a Life,Storm team together. I have a tendency to be soft-hearted and although that is not a bad trait,Aura* is teaching me to be soft-hearted but stand my ground as well. Actually, she, Cass, and SorceressMiklai, have gotten on to me for apologizing to people when there is no need for one. (I'm learning my friends.)

There are several other Mercenaries I enjoy hanging out with but those are the ones I know the best and are closest to. They have all helped me and are all currently helping me learn and grow on a daily basis.

In the Non Mercenaries category, I have to give a shout out to Alric Ravenslinger. He is best friends with Sorceress and Cass, has created wonderful blogs (which I will try to post a link to), and is my teacher in pet training. Judging by his twitter posts, we have a similar, sarcastic, warped sense of humor. (Be afraid). I still don't know why Cass calls him Tio though. That's a secret for another day perhaps?

That's it for my blog this time around. I am still working on Prophecy of Blades and Desiree's Diary. I hope to have the Diary posted by this weekend. Will keep you updated or try my best to anyway.

-Lady Blade

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Desiree's Diary

It has been a while since I posted but really, my life is dull compared to my friends. My imagination is a different story...literally. Here is an excerpt from my Wizard101central story Desiree's Diary. It is part of my Prophecy of Blades series but it kind of developed into its own story. I hope you enjoy this part. I hope to finish it and the next chapter of Prophecy soon.


They walked inside the castle and headed toward the sitting room to greet their guests. They had almost reached the room when they heard someone shout and glass break. “You worthless piece of garbage! I could have you fired right now!”

Judging by the stern look her mother was giving her, Desiree was making another unladylike face. They walked in the sitting room to see what the commotion was about. There was a shattered tea cup lying on the floor near the fireplace. A servant was trying to clean it up but it was clear she had been cut and was trying to pick up the glass with a cloth on her hand to keep from staining the carpet. Standing near the sofa was a tall, skinny man and a young scruffy looking boy. They looked up as Desiree and her mother walked in.

“Holy smokes it’s Grubb, he’s alive, and he’s your Uncle!” exclaimed Destiny as she grabbed the crystal, pausing the memory.

“Destiny!” Tristan said. “Thanks for pointing that disgusting fact out but I had a feeling Grubb would be in here. Otherwise he wouldn’t have tried to keep us out of the tower.” Tristan removed Destiny’s hand and the memory continued.

“Really Charlotte.” Grubb exclaimed as he saw his sister and Desiree. “How do you put up with this riff raff your husband hires as servants?” He said the word husband the same way a chef says the word rat. “You deserve so much better.” Desiree wasn’t sure if her uncle was referring to the servant or her father.
Charlotte angrily retorted. “May I remind you brother that if it weren’t for my husband, you would not hold the status you do now? And another thing! Our servants are very dear to me and I will not have them harmed again. You and young Norton may join us in the garden but I will show you the door myself if you so much as look at another servant in a demeaning manor. Come along Desi-…” She stopped when she noticed Desiree had walked over to the servant and was holding her cut hand.

Desiree held the servant’s hand and asked her with tears in her eyes. “Does it hurt much Michelle?” As the child said this, green light started flowing from her hand, onto the cut and healing it. Charlotte Lighthope could only stare in amazement at her daughter’s ability. Someone else was watching as well.

“Amazing!” The voice came from the doorway and startled the group in the sitting room.

Charlotte recovered quickly. “Dean Murin. What a wonderful surprise. Such a pleasure to see you.” She said smiling genuinely.