From SL to WoW and Odyssey of 2007 in Review

As this years adventure comes to a close I have found it most difficult to focus my mind long enough to reflect on the various thoughts I've being thinking of encompassing a year to put them here. I find myself reflecting on just how this all began, how I got to here, my accomplishments and where visions of future adventures may take me from here. It has been and adventurous year in 2007 for Galo and I would also like to thank my various readers, lurkers and fellow bloggers for contributing to my adventures and success as well as making Galo much better Knight than I ever envisioned. You all know who you are. With that I close the year on 250 blog posts.

From Secondlife to WoW
This year started with me still playing Secondlife somewhat as a resident builder and landscaper and owner of a private Sim. I has visions of creating my own mythical realm there for fun and adventure. Yet after 3 years of Secondlife it was much different virtual game than I remembered with a much larger world and social enviroment. A world filled with constant over the top social drama and much delayed project completion and headaches. My friends were my only source of sanity and the only reason on days I choose to log in or play the game. They have being darely missed. However grew tired of all things fun, social and vision wise as well as with all the drama. I lost my own inspiration for the game I grew to love because of its resident created environment. In a loss for inspiration and the game I decided to instead of selling my Sim to just give it away basically to long time friend (Pae) and take a leave from Secondlife for an unknown amount of time to regain my inspiration and creativity. It was then I decided to try our this game a Secondlife friend (Willow) had been playing and kept telling me to try out called World of Warcraft. So I did reluctantly and that's how my journey started here.

Starting WoW
I started WoW on a trial account just after TBC came out playing a NE Warrior to lvl 18 and then deleted it due to alliance mentality. Decided I did like the WoW as a game bought the game disks and a TBC Strategy Guide. Joined the Horde on 02/22/07 and rolled a BE since a new race and wanting to play a Melee/Defensive character. I started a Paladin with a noble name called Galoheart. I have played this one character for and entire 11 months straight all the way to the level cap and playing entirely one spec (Protection) of the entire class of which I enjoy playing. After all I choose my Paladin to play Melee/Defensive and accomplished just that.

Starting out I never thought I could ever get to lvl 70 which seemed like a mountain to climb to forever. So I set a goal to get to lvl 20 specing Defensive or Protection at level 10. I did and I just kept setting a goal to get to every 10 level which seemed more manageable as bite size goals. Eventually I did reach lvl 70 as Protection Paladin same spec from lvl 10 just having bite size goals. I've played my Paladin entire life in one spec tree which I attribute to all my solo and tanking skills to having leveled and played my class as the one thing I wanted to play Defensive which in the end meant Tanking. Having goals will get you very far indeed.

A Helping Hand
Best advice I ever got in early 20's was from asking a lvl 70 Paladin (Corvis) a few questions on playing my class. I always remembered his name. Best advice I ever got was to "Get a fast 1H Weapon and a solid Shield" from that lvl 70 Paladin and learn to AoE. Whats AoE I asked? He told me to go and google it. So I did and funny thing thats how I discovored WoW has a Forum board, lol. But that was how I found something called WoW blogs. I found a reference to AoE at WoW blog by a guy that was blogging about his adventures in WoW at Petersblog which was the first WoW blog I ever read and read and learned from a long time leveling. During that time I found a blog called Paladin Sucks which at the time many Paladins read back then and I did as well just learning stuff Paladin of course. From that Paladin Sucks blog I found BRK as a link and found it humerous and wacky fun to read and blogs like Blessing of Kings and Kinless. A few others which are no longer around. But many of those helped me much in the beginning and in understanding playing WoW even though they weren't always my specific class. They gave me ideas of how to play WoW better. I never got to thank that Paladin called Covis, but I made it to 70 and his advice had a impact and a difference to getting there as well as blogging.

My First Instances
My first instance was RFC to try and do a quest in my mid teens. Had no idea what a dungeon was in WoW. I never could find a group or even know how to get one. So a lone warlock (mageattack) said he could and would help. I was abandoned by the warlock at the first group pack of mobs before the tunnel split direction and died also. So I went back in RFC and try slowly all by myself on a saturday morning to run RFC all by myself up to the first boss. Thats as far as I ever made it, which took over 5 hours in a dark dungeon alone. That first dungeon was the making of Ardent Defender in spirit. Next was SFK my first group instance. The group leader at the time sucked and it wasn't me. I barely knew what a tank was back then also. So we never completed SFK the run until 5 levels later. On my next SFK run I met my first friend in WoW Sendrale a Holy Paladin. She always encourged me after that leveling. She went on to be in a progressive guild to complete the Black Temple way before I got to 70. At 60 Sendrale and a few helped me a Solo Paladin to me to get my Epic Charger mount. Many thanks to her back on Rexxar server. My first instances taught me how not to suck as a player and how not to abandon players and how not to be a bad group leader. As a result other than SM Armory never ran a single dungeon until level 60 getting to Outland. I just stuck to leveling and playing solo.

The Soloist
I played WoW entirely Solo. Leveled entirely Solo. Solo'd every quest and elite quest I could or waited and went back a level or 2 ahead and did. I failed many time but I found ways to succeed eventually alone. Soloing taught me how to play my class under less than ideal circumstances and face many challenges in how to do quests while leveling. It taught me how to play well and be self reliant. It taught me how to fail but keep trying again and again to accomplishing a task. Many of those things helped me to become a good player. I was never part of a guild or joined one, had no need really. I played WoW in the dark void of WoW alone and solo. You can play and level in this game entirely solo all the way to the endgame. I did it!

Starting Ardent Defender
After some point I decided to start a blog after having reading Petersblog for a while. At lvl 47 I started Ardent Defender in tribute to all things Defensive because that talent saved me many a times soloing. My first entry was First Tales. Looking back it still reminded me of why I blog. I do it as a way to chronicle my time in WoW and just to add my own perspective on things leveling as I see it and getting to various goals. I'm not a writer but I just try my best at blogging and with Ardent Defender. I've managed to start this blog, to keep going despite the hard times leveling and just kept going. I've survived the many months where many have started blogs only to quit because of their frustration blogging or with playing their class or life issues. I just kept going. I never started this blog to Theorycraft or to be all knowing on all things Paladin or do I ever wish to be as such. There are many great WoW bloggers/Paladin of those sort linked on this blog or at Maintankadin Forums. I like to steer my thoughts on the perspective on things as I'm much better at such things.

Goals Accomplished
So I've reached that goal i set out many months ago getting to the level cap 70 Solo and Guildless as well. I did it that way and never complained about it and was just fine with it. I ran all the level 70 dungeons guildless and geared Galo in all the best Pre-Kara gear. I've build my own resume and earned the rep as a good and fine Protection Paladin Tank. Galo made many a friends along the way in earning his repuation and did it all Solo and Guildless. I couldn't be more proud of my Paladin. I'm not a DPS machine, that can pump out awesome critts and big numbers. Big numbers or numbers flying around is not my thing. Galo is a humble defender and protector of his peers, thats the game I play but I can solo just as well. I serve to shield my comrads so they can deal damage in comfort and safety while I dish out all the hate on my foes and bosses. Thats why I play my paladin defensively. I have never healed a instance and never wish ever to. I heal at my hearts content when I see the need to save someone life questing and thats just fine with Galo. I wear my plate to take the heavy blows. So I've accomplish my goal this year to get to 70 and all solid gear for the next phase of things ahead. I've done everything I set out to do this year in WoW and have no regrets. Blogging as a result has become a daily part of life a result of things some days better than others.

Well Matticus first did this since he posted his Best of 2007 a few days ago. I hate to have to follow a class act post like he did but did meant to post mine in my year post as well. So here goes.

Goals Accomplished in 2007
1. 100% maxed in all Profession. Alchemy/Herbalism/Fishing.
2. 100% maxed Weapon Expertise in every usable weapon usable.
3. Reached lvl 0-70 as a Paladin entirely spec as a Protection Paladin.
4. Completely geared for Pre-Kara Tanking from 5 man Instances.
5. Completely Uncrittable & Uncrushable geared Pre-Kara @ 12.4 HP
6. 2 Epic Flying Mount earned.
7. +5200g in the money warchest.
8. Completely Exalted with 4 Outland Factions and 7 Faction Revered.
9. Master Keyed to Kara.
10. Still Blogging - I survived!

Most Important list used as a P.Paladin
Kaziel Pre-Karazhan Tanking Gear List. Result Was: Uncrushable Pre-Kara...


Best 2007 Perspective of Ardent Defender at 70 - To me that is!
1. There Is No Tanking Shortage!
2. Does Your WoW Reputation Matter?
3. Dungeon Chaperoning
4. 12 Lessons I learned in WoW and Other MMO's

Ardent Defender Blog Statistics
1. 9 Months
2. 252 posts.
3. 41400 Site Views.
4. 102 Feed Subscribers - I had no idea.
5. 244 Visits per day average.
6. Total comments: ? (Edit Later)
7. Never once had a Ad link/display on blog.
8. Time to write/complete this year end blog entry 5 hrs.

Goals in 2008
1. Raid Karazhan for fun.
2. Try hand at PvP BG's
3. Beat up Heroic Bosses for Badges.
4. Get an Alt to 70 before WotLK.
5. Roll a Dark Elf in Warhammer.
6. Start my own Guild for WotLK run.
7. Roll a Death Knight and level to 80.
8. Level Galo to lvl 80.
9. Play WotLK and find Arthas (Galo)
10. Return to Secondlife as part-time Resident Builder.
11. Survive another year as Ardent Defender.
12. More & greater perspective from the frontlines of WoW/WotLK.

It has being a good year. Next year will bring many new challenges and perspective on things ahead in WoW and other things of interest. Looking forward to visions of things ahead with many of you in the new year and best wished to all of you in the year ahead.

*What will I be doing to roll in New Years 2008: Working on the Job helping make vaccines while your having fun.

"For the HORDE" Long Live the Horde!

Visiting SecondLife to see my Friends.

Among all the other things I had to do over the weekend that limited questing time I decided to make some time to go and visit some of my friends in SecondLife (SL). Even though I'm playing World of Warcraft, I really haven't quit playing SecondLife entirely. So it was good to pop up the client for SecondLife and log in as Aetius Epsilon, roll down my extensive friends list and off to visit friends and chat and say hello to some others.

Its amazing how much the world on the grid (SecondLife World Map) there has changed, there are literally thousands of Sims now. Some friends are not on as much but all are still there in some capacity and it was just great to catch up with old times and see how we all were doing in real life or in SecondLife. Often you can just check their profile to see what they are up to. We don't have that in WoW a personal profile page, would be nice. I consider my friends there to be great friends as SecondLife is a really social community and environment among all. So was nice to see and chat with lots of friends. Some of my friends now own their own Sim also.

A Sim is your own land bought and paid for from Linden Labs that you can do with as you please or build whatever world you want it to be. It reminds me of when I owned my own Sim "Epsilon" a mythical realm. Epsilon as a Sim is still there. When I left SecondLife on leave pretty much gave my prized possession in SL to my friend to have as her own Sim. Gave to a really great friend I knew, that was a long time friend in SL and to my good trusted friend Paeoti where she made it into a Bikers Sim (Lil Slurgis) and where she now has her Nymphetamine Boutique. She one of SL top clothing designers. I can't say I have friends like that in WoW.

My good friends Chal sanctuary there on her Sim is complete, she worked on it for months. However its nice to know she's now in the wedding business, which was great so she makes money doing it on her land in fantasy enviroment.

That friendship factor always brings me back thinking of WoW. I can't say I have friends like that in WoW, or people that I talk with about my RL or professional life or things I like to do or enjoy. In SecondLife that's apart of having friends. In WoW it a different world yes but its all about guests, leveling, getting epics and jumping in and out of guilds just so some people can get ahead, but yet its still seem empty without great friends in WoW. I have a few friend in WoW yet none like my SecondLife friends. I guess in guilds you can make some friends, but really are they really friends?

I can't say I log into WoW for friends. Mostly log in to progress my character and to level up and do the content. The reason I still play in SecondLife is almost entirely because all the friends I have known for over a year of more and we did thing together in the game or projects we worked on for some goal. I still have a real project someday I would like to do on a new Sim, and will need help of SL friends to accomplish it. Often my friends there send me a message from SL to say hey...We missed you, hows real life going with you? What are you up to? Well I'm playing WoW right now. I guess its some of the social difference of living in 2 Virtual Worlds.

Dedication & Commitment

Its been a slow week for Galo and will be till the weekend. With a 12 hour daily work schedule not much focus time to play daily even if i log in just pretty much checking on things AH or a quick buy or make some pots for selling.

Galo been playing WoW for 4 months now and have learned a tremendous amount of things in that time about WoW, been a Blood Elf and playing a Paladin. Much of what i've learned I either learned playing solo or doing research which lead me to many other people's blogs. Learning to be a better player was a personal commitment as a player than just fumbling around World of Warcraft in the begining. Its the same approach i took in learning to play Secondlife to become a great builder of architecture and sim landscaping & developement in Secondlife. Dedication to learn something or constantly get better at it over time.

When i started playing WoW i bought both the TBC Strategy Guide and the World of Warcraft 2nd Edition Strategy Guide same time. First week i completed reading both books front to back. I had picked Paladin class. Though it took a little while to understand what a specilization was i choose to spec Protection. Realize later that as that spec it took longer to level, but i was ok with it. Been like a turtle in a shell had a appeal to it, hard to kill vs been high on burst damage. I picked both Alchemy and Herbalism as profession and Fishing as secondary. I work in Chemistry in Biotech in real life so they both had a appeal i understood.

Since that time i'm still a Protection Paladin, i've reached 60. In the begining lvl 60 seemed ungodly to reach. I've never really had to respec to change my spec. I did had to respec the the talent point once because i placed points unattentively in wrong area one time. I have the same 2 professions i've always had and all close to been maxed skilled. I've gotten better as a player because people much smarter people than myself write blogs of the game and figure out all the math. I just come along doing research and stop by and read which informed me of what i was unaware of and allowed me to become a better player. Don't make me great in anyway, but i guess even if its just a game i took the time to learn to be a better player.

Friendship in WOW vs SecondLife.

My 2nd "Grab your popcorn, cookies and soda post".

From my perspective been in World of Warcraft (WOW) its much different to my previous life in SecondLife (SL). Thus making friends and having friends in WOW is much different also. I'm really a veteran SecondLifer as i've been living in SecondLife for almost 4 years now, its also hard to believe its been that long. Back then when i started playing in SecondLife they were only about 25K people even playing SecondLife (SL) barely anyone had heard of it and that seemed like a lot back then. How things has since changed!

To me making friends in Secondlife though it be sometime hard was a lot easier, as it often entails long moments of talking in text chat personally, helping someone or watching someone doing something, hanging out, maybe building or constructing something, often a place to live or call home or designing furniture for a home. Its a creative atmosphere there. In SL all content is created by its players in their creativity, with tools provided by Linden Labs. Friendship often center around doing things for mutual good or purpose or just exploring places together and seeing new things together. You can build friendship helping someone design something, build a house or place, decorating it, creating megga structures, parks where other people can gather and have a good time or play, animation scripting things so other things can be animated and such things. Friendship are more genuine mutually as it has its purposes and often friendship last a very long time unless it has a lot of Drama in it. Lotts of Drama in SL as lots of adult plays and live in Secondlife and some make a living there owning and running businesses.

In WOW its a lot different. Often people making friends helping each other out initially on a quest, questing or by been good players of their class helping someone out questing. Friendship can often be made as mutual benefit due to trade skill. Knowing someone with a skill that can help your interest can serve you well or make your life easier in the long run. So friendship by necessity sometimes. However friendship can be very fickle in WOW, as people often don't play the character you see or initially meet and often change characters and start another character in different class, faction or on a different server realms. In SL each player can only have one avatar for that account. In WOW the person you once met initially you may not see online in a long time or if they are altaholic (Many alternative characters).

Often the next time you see then online your levels ahead of them and less seem to be in common adventuring then and questing. Your not ever in same area or can't quest together due to difference in levels and zone safely with mob monsters. Very few people stick together and those that do usually are in guilds or have played together for long period of times consistently. Some of these players usually have other things in common other than WOW, usually living in some close vicinity of each, country other or being friends outside of WOW as kids, some been husband and wife or BF/GF. People find all kind of things to do to be entertained in WOW as the game does have a very beautiful landscape and design by the developers.

Again both worlds are very different in design and cater to different kinds of friendship. To me as a player having played both, i tend to find friends in Secondlife much more genuine or meaning full, but even SL has its problems. WOW is just a adventure mostly, you can't take much from the game when you leave, you didn't create it either. Secondlife is all creative content created by its residents, so you can leave you mark there in friendship with players, things you've done or created that other people carry on in your legacy or improve upon.

There is a Temple Tomb that remain in my honor with a eternal flame in SL to my (Aetius Epsilon) honor and absense. Players often send you messages even when your not in SL just letting you know they miss you not been around. Often you log into SL just to say hello, spend a hour or so text chatting, soon it will be VOIP in SL chat if not already. Usually you go visit a friend exclusively constructed home in some hidden spot from prying eyes or in plain view to woo and impress others and see what they have done or designed or new animation they have created to do things and you just have fun doing those things. Often people run businesses together as friends and develop closer friendships in SL compared to been WOW. A friend of mine there is one of SL top clothing designer as a very good builder, we're also friends and i often log into SL to see what's new stuff she's doing or making. I do it because i care as a friend. However landscapes in WOW are much prettier.

I've only made a few select friends in WOW though i have lots of friends on my friends list in WOW. Most those are just good players or players with trade profession skills i need to remember how to easily find in friends. Most of the friends i have in SecondLife are friends i've had for years or many months, none i know in RL really. But many those friends have seen me through many good and bad moments in SecondLife and been there when things were well & when things were not well. They seen me through good and bad and we even cried together when they had their ups and down in real life also or had their share of SecondLife Drama with can be epic in itself.

Friends in WOW and friends in SecondLife are cultivated very differently, built on different values, purpose and with different outlook.

A Knight's Tales.

The tales i chronicle here is a documentation of my daily happenings of my life as i wonder through the lands of Azeroth in World of Warcraft on my quests to Knighthood and to earn my coveted place among the few who dare to brave the elements and make it to been Hero among men.

In my tales are reflected my learnings, my many trials, my failures and my over comings. Some are a reflection of my perspectives on my adventures and the people i meet and their affects on "Galo" as a Blood Knight Paladin.

Yet some things are as i see it through the eyes of Honorable Holy Warrior. A Paladins tales is always full of wonder. From the frontlines of World of Azeroth these are the tales of my adventure and how my life has changed from the lands of Secondlife.

Screenshots - The Summoning!

Just a moment of having fun in a wired moment. This was kinda fun to do as the WoW client server during fishing became disconnected but i could still run around but no mobs anywhere and i was stuck in fishing pose. In such cases you can attempt wired things to do, so i tried to rezz the Warhorse and i was in this position for a long time. FUN MOMENTS as WOW IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE RACE TO LVL 70 and ALL EPIC GEAR.

WoW is about having fun, experiences, sightseeing and exploring and finding nooks and cranny places overlooked by most people in their hurried attempt to outdo everyone else. When i was in SecondLife one of the funnest thing to do was to constantly explore the Grid (World Map) and i went everywhere. That was how i found places created many people never saw or appreciated that other people there had built often hidden places.

First Tales.

So i've finally decided to start a blog about my adventure as a Secondlifer on leave from Second Life adventuring in World of Warcraft as a Protection Paladin. I've been inspired by many other great blogger posts and to Peter's Blog www.petersblog.org for inspiring me to start my own blogging as i'm a reader of his blog. Thanks for the inspiration Peter. I hope to chronicle my tales so far adventuring in World or Warcraft or WoW for short as a Paladin from my side of the street and to hopefully stay in touch with my friends i dearly miss back in Second Life much love to you all, Miss you too Pae!

I started my Paladin to be a great Defender playing a defensive class/spec and defending my comrads and peers. I pay tribute to our Protection Paladin defensive talent in naming this blog Ardent Defender. "Rexxar" is my resident realm and i'm currently a lvl 47 Protection spec Paladin a few blocks away from dinging lvl 48. Been spec Protection Paladin from day one. I like been a melee hybrid Holy Knight that can play many support roles in a group but i do like been a Knight at heart. I like the idea of been a Holy Knight, but i'm a Knight than can heal if need be. Paladins in general don't get much love in WoW, even been one as a Blood Elf among the Horde we get no respect either as we seem to be outcasts allot as many seem to be often pegion hole in been healbots in more difficult group adventuring. Most have to prove their self worth as players. I'm fine with that, i earn my own Kill and i'm fine with that. I never care to out damage anyone, my motto is i just care to outlive you and that i can live with as i can walk away from a fight on my own feet.

I like been a Protection Paladin something enduring about it to me, as i like to help when i can but i'm no door mat either as i like to earn my own keeps and i'm very much a solo player and often quests solo. As for skill i'm skilled in Alchemy & Herbalism and i'm both at 300 lvl. On the horizon i'm looking forward to Outland its getting close only 11 more lvls to go. My tale starts here as the Ardent Defener!