Summer Plans

Summer officially starts for me this week, so I've been thinking about what I want to do with the extra time I'll have while I'm not teaching.  Of course, as any MMO affecionado knows, spare time means video games.  I decided I would like to sit down and think about my goals for this summer to see what I can accomplish.

Goal #1:

I would like to continue playing TERA quite a bit.  Right now, I have an archer and a warrior at level 41, and I think my first goal for the summer will be to get both of those characters up to 60.  I'm not sure yet about how much end-game I'll want to do in TERA, but I'm sure I'll at least give it a shot and see how I like it.

Goal #2:

Grab a couple more pets and maybe a mount from Darkmoon Faire in WoW.  I have been working on this steadily each week that the Darkmoon Faire is available, but I still have a long way to go.  I'll be working on this goal some this week, since it is once again time for the Faire.

Goal #3:

Work on alts in both TERA and WoW.  In TERA, I would really like to create one more character, but I'm not sure yet which class it will be.  I'm sure I'll have to play around with a few to decide on what I want to try.

In WoW, I've had a mage and a rogue sitting in the 75+ range for quite awhile now, but I've never put in the time or effort to get either up to 85.  I would really like to get both of these characters up to 85 sometime this summer before the release of MoP.

Goal #4:

If it looks like I will be successful with the above stated goals, then I'm thinking I might try out a new game or two.  I'm not sure what I might want to try; there are several MMO's that I've read about extensively but never had the time to play.  I've started characters on DDO, LotR, and Rift at different times, but each time my time and attention ends up somewhere else, so maybe I'll go back and pick up one of those again.  I also have my Sith Assassin sitting in the low 40's on SWTOR that may entice me back to at least finish that class story.  There are just so many options for this fourth goal; I'm just not sure what I want to do with my time.

Anyway, it looks like a fun summer of gaming.  I can't wait to get started.

LFD in SW:TOR

I've read a lot of chatter lately about how much Star Wars: The Old Republic needs a Looking for Dungeon system implemented, so that got me thinking about what I would want to see in such a system.

1. It should only be implemented for Flashpoints and/or Operations. Heroic content should remain as is, and folks should have to find their own group while on the planet where the heroic content exists.

2. It should allow players to "queue" up for one or more Flashpoints/Operations from any where in the Universe. I would like to see some type of checklist where you can pick multiple FP/OPS and then go to whichever fills up a group first.

3. It should NOT insta-warp you to the entrance of the FP/OPS ala WoW. I think there is a lot of depth lost with this mechanic, and I think this promotes the "stand around all day in one place" attitude.

4. It should NOT be cross-server. I understand the benefits of cross-server grouping, but I really hate what has happened in WoW since this was implemented. Namely, the groups have gotten so impersonal that now my character, who I have lovingly leveled, equipped, transmogged, thought about, developed, etc. is not known by his name, Tykoon, but simply as "Tank" or "Warrior". It has gotten to the point where LFD groups don't even see the names of the characters they are grouped with, simply their functions. I would like to see a system that doesn't take away the personal part of the game.

If this was implemented in SW:TOR, I think it could be a huge benefit that would allow a lot more people to experience what are some pretty good adventures in the Flashpoints and Operations.