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Living Off the Land

October 4-5 2010

This is a continuation of FFXI "Challange or Pain"...which is a daily events log of an average player.  This is not for the extreme twink...It is for the plain old likes to play the game until un-seen gods descend on you to make you lost and frustrated, and unable to find that door you are standing in.

Yesterday:

I decided to continue CON on up to 12 while farming the great rocks and ponds...and actually FINDING Bluefrogs Camp...which is really Bluefog Camp. (such as it is)

The camp--Which you will get (or have already probably gotten) is first experienced as a 10 leve site.  You can't kill the stuff around there yet--when you get the first leve's--but they don't agro either.  Unless you wander east too far.

It has Synth Support, and not much else.  A crystal of course, and some ramdom creatures which come curiously close to you--as they haven't seen too many Lala's yet.  One stepped on my toe and left a hoof-print, but didn't agro me.  Another was heard to say that I was a wimp and his son could NEVER go out with the likes of me.

(I muttered to myself:  "Furry Biggot"...while thinking: "Soon!!! Soon, your skin will be on my cabin floor!")

The camp itself is NNW of Drybones a bit...takes a little looking to find sometimes.  Gives one a chance to crystal farm some varmits and take in the sights.

I finished my leve and decided to scope some stuff before returning to town and unload.  I am always full of inventory--and it's getting worse.

Besides, I'm down to 31 teleport points, and when I go somewhere now I look around and get new tele-points for laterz.  I headed out north from Bluefrogs and found a Grade 6 pond.  153/600 on lands...and about a 1/7 land average.  So, it is a little less than I might get in the correct Grade pool.  All the fish were the same except for the Black Ghosts which I hadn't caught for a long time.

I went north much more and got a picture with the del Sol cactus and a Big bomb--The last guy fireballed me across a draw for 3579.  A free ride back to Bullfrogs Camp.

Next I took off south and headed west...toward Black Shroud.  I went that a ways a bit and got a new telepoint then north toward the road and got the next one.  I crossed the road north...crystal harvesting the low stuff and peeping the higher end game for later.

I was still a bit from Rank 12 and a few thousand short of Level 24...I headed north across the road (NNNE) of Burning Wall and found a reall cool temple...I woke up there this am.  Level 24 and Rank 12.

Something's Still Un-settled!

A note:  If you have been reading my other one (FFXI Challenge or Pain) you know I have been wondering about xp variations in the game.

Man am I really wondering after the last 3-4 days.

I have--in the SAME area now--Same exact tactics--same level prey:  Experienced stuff like this.  XP at 33 for a long time...almost one level, and shooting decents and T's...but other times it gives me say 60XP...all the while the Skill Points varing from almost zero (6 or so) to 80-90.  THIS IS USING SAME SPELLS on same prey at the same rate.

Now, in this area at about mid-afternoon I suddenly get a 36/149 (xp/sp) and then a normal 100/130 ish after that for a bit.  Still, a few 30's in between.

The fishing and harvesting is similar too.  Fatigue?  If it's supposed to have the Fatigue Meter--Well, it don't.

My kid told me I was a fool---then watched, and said he did now believe me about fatigue.  Fatigue which makes little to no actual sense, until he said it might be re-set weekly?  If YOU know, tell me please.

I was also having  much trouble with changing jobs and having the spells change as well.

It would change from Logging to CON---But forget to re-set the spell bar.  Result, throwing a freekin' rock and running like all hell.

I usually had to log out and back on to reset.

SOMETIMES however...Someone forgot to personally place the logging--mining-fishing-quarrying-botany tool in the PASSIVE position before changing.

One assumes (at least this one assumed) the character goes passive as it puts up its tool when the sweet-spot is depleted.  One ass-umed WRONG!  Just a word of caution for average Joe's and Jill's out there.

One last thing:

I am LOVING the multi-tasking nature of this game.  The cross-diciplines are terriffic!  If you get stuck with X...go to Y and so on.  Once the bugs and lag are normalized...zoom-zoom!

That is more than enough for this one...I'm off to farm crystals...like the wind ones who disappear.

LOL

tammany tzu October 5, 2010  very early but 12 CON/Level 24

[addition]

Also...last few days I have begun to blow up synths that were very easy to do previously.  Cooking and clothcraft just went to the toilet.

About the only thing that pays good is high level fishing and then it is reduced by catch rates.

Thats on Grade 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 10 aread.  5-6-10 pay well still.  But boring cast after cast.

I haven't twinked yet--still using pretty average to perhaps even low gear all around.

In a nutkick--What shoud take me several hours now takes 2 days of several hours.  Its ok, because I see a lot of the sights...and get crystals (they are fewer on average as well)

tammany tzu

Edited by user Tuesday, October 05, 2010 8:23:08 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

LoL October 6, 2010  We Do the Grind.

Went out last nite with some R/L brothers and ground the leve's a bit.

Found out we could take a Lv. 20 one at 8-12 @ 5 man but it was not worth the trials and embarrassments.

A 5 star lv. 10 proved to be too much dodo du-du.  Epic Fail.

First time together as a group since FFXI though..got better as the night progressed.

We made about 50K each, so it was not all for nada.

Today...well it's back to crafting.  A little fishing, some woodworking, and a new lv 6 Alchemist.

I am beginning to get regular customers for repairs...kind of a change of things from the usual grinding.'

Still farming the ever-disappearing shards.  Can't keep above 600, no matter how I try!

Am well on the way to being able to repair most of my gear in the field---THAT is worth all the work.

Server seems to be down so I'm gonna study a few recepies.

Oh yeah--I've taken to fishing the Grade one on wone end...Grade three the other end--boat.

A little change of scenery there too and not bad yeilds.  White coral from the boat too.

tata..or should I say: La-la? For now...

tammany tzu 

October 12, 2010

I Succumb to the "Grind"

My, my...I just looked to see that it has been 5 days since I last updated.  My how time flies when you are an

idiot in an intellectual's world.

I am happy to say (for ME) that my CON has hit 15.5 and most of my crafts and Gathering are above 10.

My "Physical" is now 28--Which seems to give me a distinct advantage over many higher LV. folks with much less.

Because I probably couldn't sell a dollar for 90 cents ( I am constantly broke. ) I have re-invented my wheel.  I used this in XI and it may help some non-twinks who can't sell their wares,,,and who got off on the wrong foot with the leve's (ie: u poor broke m-f's like me)

I early on get all the +1 gear I can afford.  It's a poor man's real (real -> correct) way of "Keeping Up" with the masses.

I pick this ) for stats that do not "Age" as fast. I also look for stats that serve several purposes. 

(An yes, It is cutting-the-baby a taste, and u are not "Color Correct"...but it works!)

Anyway, back to the grinding.  A couple notes tho, for those who haven't been there yet....

IRON LAKE CAMP ... It is directly --> NORTH of Skull Camp. (then just follow the road, actually east once on it)

Camp BLOODSHORE is out the SOUTH-EAST exit and road from Camp Bearded Rock.  It is NORTH and East from there....no nightmare mobs otw, but the Regional Leve's they give you might--If u were 5 levels too low, require some help to finish.

I don't tell actual events--wrecks games for me--but one juicy leve pays over 20K + extras!  A nice poke.

laterz,

tammany tzu

Edited by user Tuesday, October 12, 2010 6:20:14 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Yep...

Seems I remember  (through the haze) passing u as well.

[I'm very small so u might have stepped on me a few times.]

I'll try to wave next time i see you...if I'm not running face=>planted that is!

I just got back from that Broken Water one in S. U'd...yipes!

(note to self:  Remember to con Coblyns!)

Thanks for the post--and HAPPY CRAFTING!

tammany tz

October 20, 2010

I am advancing...S-L-O-W-L-Y

but FIRST

an

ALERT!

Well, maybe not so much of an ALERT to Code Monkeys, but to us regular Joe's--or Janes--as the case may be:

Do you find your character coming from a mining and/or fishing excersion--Engaging a handy Mob--Only to find that you are throwing pebbles at windmills?

Pretty embarassing, and possibly a LONG RUN back if you haven't "Crystallized" yourself to the new area. My casters were having this very problem.  Damn Spirit Dart would not re-establis itself in slot Uno.  Instead I often had a rock there==> Limp Wrist, or whatever Square calls that action.

Sometimes I had all the spellbar (which did save me)...other times NADA--nothing--Nihil! I was at my wit's end, and getting pretty ruffled...my tiny head was ready to explode!

Shards of Brass Earrings and Lala gooie all over the place would not have been a pretty sight...So, I decided to do something I don't usually do.

Type stuff!

I know it's a huge suprise to you that I cannot type well...if you have read my journal even a little, but...Well, I will admit it for the first time pubic-like:  I am Typing Intollerant!

This because I'm a big clodhopper in r/l and have huge ass hands--In other words big fingers.  BIG CLUMSY FINGERS!  If I were prettier they'd call me a balluka, but I'm just charming...and un-gifted in the ways of the baby girl keyboard.

That "hands on" devise for imputing data into the talkie machine in a simi-logical sequence. IF I were to type the phrase: "I will no imput the data into the Talkie-Machine." (and not correct it)...

Iwenot impur the dartta into the takll;kkie manchine

But I digest...(Which usuallymeans: I digress, In my language)

Back on topic...I did the un-thinkable and comitted morning "Fat Finger" to keyboard, bound and determined to solve my Con/THM delimma.  Type, type, type.

In what took only 35 times longer than if a real person did it--I found this adequate if not knave solution which fixed my problem for some occult reason.  All that 01001110 stuff is too religious for me, don't you know.

A FIX:

At Startup

Before You Even Move Your Character

Typie-Typie:

/eaction 1 "Spirit Dart"

<enter>

("Spirit Dart" could be replaced by whatever your job requires, and there MAY be one little problem you will not like--If you are rolling multiple jobs:

ergo: When you change from caster to DD say, the number one slot may have to be re-allocated for the acttion of that job. (or..you might find that action in say: Number 6 slot or whatever.)

Square may have fixed the glitch by now...I have no way of knowing.

My fat assed fingers and tiny Lala brain are tired now--from typie-typie...so I'm going to go to my "Bell-House"

(that ringie-ringie that takes years to give you back your stuff, after that obnoxious detainer comes out of thin air and abuses you with quasi-butler talk.)

...and get my new +1 Bone Hora I made, and go punch a Warf-Rat in the gizzard.

See you tomorrow with a real update!

tammany tzu

Some Time Elapses...

or...

You could remember to leave the first macro slot for clearing all 10 like you're supposed to do...and like I seemed to have forgotten.

Start the macro set on #2...and unlike me...You won't be fooled.

*Which is done because ?

Because the makers dedicate the #1 slot to what ?

To the Default Weapon for each job!

If you don't do it this way...tammany tzu you nubite young Lala...You will cause gawdawful arguments between what you put there and what Mr. Smartypants talkie-screen wants there....

Horrible bloodshed and brused knuckles could result.

the beginning (hee hee)

tammany tzu  (a much wiser and carefree caster today!)

. . . .

# 1 Slottie

/ eaction 2

/ eaction 3

/ eaction 4

/ eaction 5

/ eaction 6

/ eaction 7

/ eaction 8

/ eaction 9

(now some might place the /eaction 10 there too...but maybe the shield is dedicated there.  I'll play some more, unless a literate person would like to get me head out of me spunt loch!

laterz,

TT

Edited by user Wednesday, October 20, 2010 12:18:14 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I'm

Crabpwn'd

October 23,2010

Camp Bloodshore:

Headed out here to punish myself for blowing up most of my Chocotail saw work today.

My synths were "skipping" all day, as were my gatherings.  Good lucky trying to guess where Mr. Pointie will stop after Square fixed stuff...It does make it intresting, like palm reading or phrenology.

I also need a new keyboard as this one has taken a pounding during this Beta 3 Season. "Pecker"  (that's my keyboard's surname) gets uptight when I slap the enter key with great and horrid force... after I blow a synth...Throwing clouds of ashes into the air,  and belching old pizza and beer all over my table.

Sometimes, I must admit--I just punch the enter key really-really hard-like just to piss off the other keys.  And boys, do they get pissed off!  They go on strikie, and sometimes they free themselves and hide under my chair.  One time my keyboard threw itself against the wall in protest!!!!

At Bloodshore I did a couple leve's and was laying around above the beach with some stray choco who happened by--Drinking beers and talking smak about what a great Adventurer I was...and ignoring the Choco's smug comments about how: "You'll never be able to ride US again." But we were pretty drunk, so who knows who started the bragie-fest anyway.

Somewhere in the process I noted the beach and the sea, far below...Hmmm, beach = Fishies!  Fishies = SP's.  I will go fish down there!

I circumnavigated  the switchbacks and came onto a beautiful northern paradise.  Paradise 'cause there was absolutely no-one there to bug me. I took Mr. Key's Camera out and documented me adventure too.  [circumnavigated (means I went)]

First though, I had to get past fugggly old Salie-Mander, who was ever vigilantie for interlopers.  But she wasn't so smart!  As soon as she took a smoke break with her gal pal I darted past, and aound the little Covie--Where I opinioned that I'd hit the fishing sweet-spot.

I had a pouch of +1 bait from a back-of-the-trunk deal with a cat chick nick-named: "Sleeps with Fat Galkas"-- in Ul'dah...So I baited up after tipping my hat to a sleeping Mr. Crab...who was horribly sunburnt, it seemed.

Well...readies..It was a Grade 8 pond, it was!

So, iI had to fishy the holy ha-ha out of it before it grew tentacles and ate my cat Mary. (She had come along expecting my new bait to get the best of me and make me fish...She eats them (the fish that is) and says she even caught them to her friends in the middle class.

I fishie'd and I fishie'd until I thought my little arms would get long...Caughts  few too!  Just Tigers, but after Mary ate one, and went to sleep...I put the other two on a stringer for later.  I'd left, it seems, my Frying pan in my "Bell House."

So. I baited up--cast out and snaped Mr. Keys-Camera again...and then it happened!

PWN'd-age!!!

Sunburnt Crap had suddenly awakened and thought I'd eaten his children (I presume...) and hit me with a big ole smell bubble...causing me a free trip back to Bloodshore. (but with 2 grade 8 fish--Which were the same as the grade one fish.

Now I'm resting off the weakness...and plotting revenge for that nasty crab!  "Later, Mr. Agro-Snipper.  Your stupid red claw will be MINE..."

tammany tzu

Edited by user Saturday, October 23, 2010 11:13:09 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Fat-i-Qued @ Tiger Helm Island !

Fatigue!  That "run-down" feeling with flu-like symptoms.  Your head achies and your gear is in shambles.

You feel like you're running in quicksand, and your SP/XP cease to exist as real numbers...

Here I am again, and boys am i fatigued.

I've 17,000 to get, and I was at 11,800 some 20 hours ago.

I'm at 12,200 and the only thing I can say is that I got a bunch more crystals--yaa!

But I'm averaging nearly zero xp/sp and massive gear damage.

A typical Old-Goat (Aldgoat) in the VT range will average about 30 SP and 6 XP, sometimes more.

But so will a lower lv. marrmont.

I guess Square DID equalize the gains for people who have less time to play alright!

Changing jobs don't help much either...maybe the weekly fatigue is all true. though...as stupid an idea as that is--or would be?

I did break down and buy a pole though.  With the fatigue and all I may not get to a lv. to make mine for some time yet.  I held my nose and paid out for a simple Willow rig. (NQ)

I had to go to Camp Bloodshore in loverly L.L. to do a few battle quests, and when I finished I cruzzzed around some of the quest spots.  Moles have taken to eating whole parties if they are too low--so I healed them for a short time, before starting the treck back.

On the way to L.L. city to unload some booty, I decided to stop off at Tiger Helm Island and see an old friend who sells illegal bait and a few spells--out of his Chocobo's trunk.

TImes have changed out there a bit...plenty of  meanies were to be seen.  I evaded them though w/o much trouble.

Tiger Helm is just SOUTH of S. BLOODSHORE...You go off the road and over a couple bridges--staying to the side, and waiting UNTIL the meanies move away--out of range.  Then you dart, fast as an Arbor Squirrel across the safe area.

There's some fishing out there so I dipped my pole, and came up with  grade 3 Sea Cuccumbers +3 (X3); (+1 X2); and (NQ x1;x1;x1). )      [Notie: Sea Cuccumbers are really SEA PICKLES]

I also landed (3X) Rothyt Oysters +3.

Then it all resorted to kelp--Which tastes like buttlocks and I don't eat that.  And...so I quit because nothing got me much, and wearing out my gear without a purpose is just plain silly.

This is when I find a corner and get down to my underware and repair all the damages.  Which I am doing, and thank you for not peaking...as I am very shy.

tammany tzu

(just South of Camp Bloodshore)

October 25,  2010

...

Oh Yeah, a NOTE:

Perhaps Square MIGHT put a WARNING ICON for FATIGUE!

A METER WOULD BE BETTER YET!!!

Edited by user Monday, October 25, 2010 11:50:58 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

If This Were a Race

I'd Have to Say:

"Hey!  Why is everyone ahead of me?"

October 28, 2020 (maintainance going on)

"Hey!  Why is everyone ahead of me?"

I'll tell you why!  Because I piddle around all the time.  I peep this cave and that inlet...I snoop behind doors and listen to the wind...I dream of what I will do when I am a famous Adventurer.

The other reason I am not a 40 by now is that I have no sense for planning and detail...This means that my inventory is ALWAYS full, and not with the correct stuff...

I am also so very, very obscessive-compulsive!  I must have everything in my pack to fix anything that I wear, if at all possible--And--If I do not have this, I must run back and forth in great haste, going nowhere, for a period of time that equals either getting the fix--or quitting and taking a nap.

In the sme amount of time I could easily have gained half a level.

Luckily, I have never seen FF as an endgame as some do.  I believe that beating the game has zero to do with level OR with endgame...

Winning, as I see it--Is to find everything possible--Make anything and everything I can--And to set up a relationship between me, my character and the Time. (you can replace Time with setting if you feel more comfy with that image)

As I see it, racing to the end is a LOSER'S proposition...It is not winning at all.

Some people, misguided and deformed ethically as they may be...Even buy gill and use cheats in an effort to get to the end before anyone else.

This is a huge LOL to me.  I see that loser's strategy as if one meets a gal and then divorces her within an hour.  Yes, it is true that you got there before the next guy...

Or, better said...being born, then racing to death before experencing life.  Sure, you get there quicker.  IF that is a win to you...please feel free to go there without me.

>So what do these quick-to-the-end guys do after they Beat the Game of Final Fantasy?<

Why, they go to this town or that town and stand around in the Square or the Market Place with a pocket full of Beastcoin, or a pouch full of esoterica (that nobody cares about) and wait for others to be impressed.

Day in and day out they stand--Commenting here and threre as to draw attention to their win.  Then the next day and the next day and the next day...Rain, shine and hurricane...Decked out in highest level twink gear, a pocket full of coin and nowhere to fight--Nothing left to buy; and having not explored as they went...nothing new to see.

SO...as you can see I have been piddling.  And boys can I piddle.  But I did hit 15 weaving and 19 CON.  Now I'm THM-ing a bit @ 13.5.  I get a lot of shards that a way.  I like shards.

tammany tzu

(piddling my life away...advancing slowly...and harvesting the rest:)

Mistbeard Cove

"I Came--I Saw--I Died"

Hoolwoeenie!  Yaaaa... http://www.youtube.com/w...GAJ4sGk&feature=fvst

'nuf said !

I did make 20 CON. So now ima 13 THM, 15 before the nite's up...or

I could go trick or treat for funner things?

It's a tossup...or may be later tonight lol.

THM is getting to be fun as the levels dribble by...some trick shiz to play with, and it's a great crystal and shard getter.

My 2" leggies are in shambles tho, as I have taken to running everywhere and shardding on the way.  Someday I will have some of my original 100 Tele's back.

That Cove thingie, back to the begining theme---Well toadies, it's not as if I didn't get there ok.  It's there are Yar's keep you from finding out what's there besides the first crystal.  I don't know what level it is to get past them spidies, but I can live through a 8 lv hit with my 20...and they got me BANGO!

Looks like a bunch of Link (old school Link--L o Z) maps, and plenty of them--IF there is any there, there.

I'm coming along in the gathering too...12's, 14's and 15's all.  Starting to get some worthwhile stuff--LOL--That I can't use for 5 levels...the story of my life!

If you decide on THM as one of your jobs--and who wouldn't!--I highly recommend the Decorated Bone Staff asap by level.  I started using mine early, but it worked out just fine. AND, one bone chip fixes it too!  A BIG plus.

It's a hard hitter to be sure...

But now it's time for Halloweenies...after a few shards are obtained to feed the beast.

laterz, from:

tammany tzu