v34.9: Hello Mr. Theclaw

Good morning folks,

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It has been a few days since I posted last so I must apologize for not being more on the ball.  Sunday I started coming down with a nice little cold and flu which resulted in me extending my time off by a day as I called in sick Monday.  I spent most of the day laying down and resting and didn't get an opportunity to post.  That means yesterday was officially my first day back in the office and before I realized I hadn't posted a musing, it was already the end of the day.

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So here I am, first thing Wednesday morning (feels like a Tuesday) and I decided to post a quick musing before getting started.  It is hot in the office today.  Of all the days I picked to wear a sweater into work it would have to be the day they cranked the heat.  If you're reading this before heading into work, dress in layers!

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I started playing a new MMOG (Massive Multi-player Online Game) last night called Allods.  This is  a free to play game that very much has a World of Warcraft look and feel to it.  The game starts off in a tutorial mode which helps new players figure out how to move around and play.  Luckily for me the game operates exactly like WoW so there was nothing really to learn.  I started a "Druid" character for one reason only, it starts with a pet to assist you in battle.

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Now I'm not one who usually talks about online gaming much in my musings but since this site is ramblings from a UNIX geek and gamer, I felt it was an appropriate topic for today.  The only reason I mention the game is because I have a friend who plays a Druid class in WoW named Oliver (name changed to protect his real identity) and he is very pro-Druid.  Druids in WoW have the ability to shape-shift and turn into various forms to assist in battle.  Thus far, Oliver has spent more time in his bear form than any other and he nick names himself "The Claw".  I laugh when he says that because there is already a character on our server named Theclaw so when he makes comments like, "The Claw is superior" or "The Claw is the best Druid in the game", I assume he's talking about the other character.

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Anyway, 'Oliver' loves his Druid so much that I decided to pay tribute to him with my Druid in Allods.  As mentioned earlier, the Druid class in this other game has a pet he controls which is used to fight with the Druid.  Well, during the character creation phase of the game, you need to name your pet and change it's appearance just like customizing your character look.  It just so happens that the pet you start out with is a bear!  Well I decided to pick a skin and color very similar to the way Oliver's character looks in his bear form in WoW and I even named the pet with the same name.  I had a good chuckle as I sent my bear into battle and watched him do my bidding.  It was so fun, in fact, that I had to take a screenshot and post it on our forums so he could see it.  I've posted it here for your enjoyment as well.

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Ahh, good times.  I don't know if I'll keep up with the game; the price is right but gaming is only really fun when you can play with your friends and I highly doubt any of my friends would be interested in this game.  It isn't that spectacular though I've seen some pretty cool things thus far like a Mage casting this icy beam at a mob which made that ice crackle sound as it froze the enemy.  Very cool I must admit and later on I can build a flying ship and take part in ship-to-ship PvP (Player vs. Player) combat.  Sounds like fun, but we'll see.

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Anyway folks, the time has come for me to bid you farewell for today.  Remember to always shower before heading into work and keep your sticks on the ice!

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Cheers,

Al