Benie's Games Blog

Who would’ve known that something you love (and been itching to see show up near you)…., would be the thing that kills you and nearly wrecks your deed. And this all started from needing to find some Marble. … I just.. wow. Such wow.
Will explain this VERY active evening later on in the post.

First things first, I finally removed that ugly clay island! The area looks so much better. I then went on and started construction of the new boat dock (and hoped it would be done before Wurm Winter happened).
Sadly it wouldn’t due to not having enough Marble I collected last year in the FM Mine. So I tried looking for any marble in the abandoned mines around my deed.
The first one was the El Rancho Canal (north of the deed a bit. A less than a minute boat ride). No Marble here.
Tried the abandoned mine within a short walking distance, also north of the deed. Again, no Marble. The mobs in the mine were bugged out (stuck, but attacked when I got close). I even managed to kill my first ever cave bug!

The 3rd and final one (which held a really nasty(yet fucking epic at the same time)) surprise was the mine in the abandoned deed Southeast of me. The area was safe. I ran around trying to find the main mine, but it seems it has collapsed from years of being abandoned.
Came up on their secondary mine. There was a bear in it. So I went in the cave to kite the bear out like normal. And then…. then…. something BIG came out of the darkness! That something freaked me out and made me hit the Power button on my keyboard instead of the screenshot button.

Got on my alt, and went to kchat. I told them “remember that Red Dragon Hatchling you guys were looking for? Well now it’s EATING MY MAIN!!!”
For the first time, ever, since I played Wurm (and was told it would never happen)… I had a living ‘The aged red dragon hatchling’, unfenced, near my deed!! HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!! 😀

I then used my alt to try to get to my corpse and horse, but the dragon.. HOLY FUCK was it fast, chased my alt back to my deed. Thankfully this served as a distraction to get my main on. Found him dead and had to respawn at the token. Went back, and the dragon still pursued me.
One time I even spun around and got this image of it running towards me, and this mind-blowing image of the dragon just standing there about ready to rip shit up. I thought any second it was going to destroy the gate, but then it ran up the hill and disappeared into the woods.

So I was in quite the perdiciment. All of my stuff is in my corpse (with my horse). And everytime I tried to go get it, the irony kept coming for me.
And to set it in stone even more, this guy named ‘Champagnedragon’ started talking about the dragon, and how my name was ironic. Continues on by saying “probably hated his name” and “probably thought he was its mother”… REAL funny. Yet here’s the real irony, Mr “ChampagnDRAGON”. What about you, huh? Your name is just as ironic as mine.
…However, the only reason he said those things was because I was freaking out. But can you blame me? The last time I got close to one of these was back in 2010 (Erik the Red). For that thing to come out of the mine without warning, YEAH it scared the fuck out of me!

Anyway, I got someone that came all the way from the Celebration server to assist me. Name’s “Andderson”. He didn’t really talk much, but what we did was he helped me get to my corpse (the dragon thankfully wasn’t there sleeping on it). Then he suggested (after seeing proof of the dragon’s existence) that we throw it back into a mine and then seal the entrance with a mine door (and block access to everyone).
I agreed to the idea (since there’s no way in hell we can take on a dragon) and suggested to seal it up in that mine to the north of me. So he made the mine doors (had to make two as the second one is boat access).

Once they were made, he told me to wait for his signal and then seal him up (with the dragon(though he’s still able to get out)). This..didn’t work as planned. First the doors are very heavy. And the other was my fault. He managed to get the dragon into the mine, yet I was too far away and it escaped…and then turned its attention on me. I nearly.. nearly died by the time I was able to seal it up. But wow, was the attack animation SO FUCKING COOL!!!
I saw it fly in place, and even saw it breath fire in my face. But at the end, we did the job. The guy patched me up, but I had to make a healing cover that was strong enough to get this one medium (which was my first Bad when the dragon bit me) to heal properly.

Without a word, he went back to his boat and sailed back to his server. I wanted to give him something for helping me, but he said to just create a post on the forum to slay the thing (when I’m free).
I just hope by the time the Impalong is over and I complete B2’s boat, that the hatchling doesn’t grow up by then.

I still feel…something. Of course one of those somethings is “this day will go down in history”. First time I saw a Unique not behind three layers of fences, and first time a unique spawned near a deed… my deed. Who knows how long the poor thing has been ‘hiding from the hunters’ down there. I also learned to just fucking order the Marble I need and have it either delivered to me (or go pick it up). Either way it’ll have to wait ’till after the Impalong to complete the boat docks, which is unfortunate.

A day later, it’s Wurm Winter now. With the dragon now sealed in my neighbor’s mine (which feels like that one scene from The Simpsons Movie of Homer putting a bee nest in the Flanders’ mailbox and shaking it.. I consider it a bit of revenge for taking my Corbita), I need to think of how to keep others from either slapping a deed over the mine (or managing to break down the mine doors and let it loose).
Yes, that wasn’t my thought when my nerves were so shot last night that I feel I needed to go to the hospital and get the bullet removed. But I now see it wasn’t something to fear, but to show off.
It just kills me. Of all the places for this thing to be hiding in… why there? Was it a sign? An omen? Though I don’t think an omen would try to kill you (just warn you).

Maybe the dragon emerged to show his dominance over me. It saw me as a rival dragon..person thing and it wanted to fight me to the death(why it never destroyed my deed). But really, if I could only tame it (or get a Priest to Dominate it for me), I would keep it in my animal pen as a pet. Call it “Erik the 4th” or something (in memory of Erik the Red). I have an awesome thing here: a real live dragon. If only I wasn’t scared like a mouse being chased by a cat, I could had used B2 instead of this guy to kite it into the mine and then seal it off behind him. That would had definitely showed my dominance as the “Alpha Dragon”.

I also feel nervous, which that alone is ironic as fuck. I feel the dragon is going to bust itself out of that mine and then come after me and my deed..and burn it to the ground. Everytime I step out of my deed anymore, I get this VERY nervous feeling that the dragon is literally right behind me and about to wreck me.

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I was given a suggestion of either re-deeding the area the dragon is in, or fencing it. Call it “Dragonhead’s Drake” or something like that. Was even given a “if you need help, let me know and I’ll do the fence for you” thing.
Also, this guy “Garit”, he actually knows angry. He told me that angry had quit Wurm due to boredom and coding, and then logged off in the guy’s boathouse (with ‘his sailboat’.. aka the sailboat I had before I told him “I don’t care anymore”.
Aka, why he left my main for dead at Volcano Forest.
Though it makes me wonder if this guy knows who were the previous owners of my deed, and why they left. I assume is because they drained my mine of Iron.

Cheesy blog post title. Yes, it is. But there was a real miracle to the point I wonder if Rolf is Santa Claus. But first off, I’ve been busy assembling the pieces and building B2 that replacement boat. Was able to complete the lamps a lot quicker than I thought it would take.
I’m also going to (hope) that the impers will do some of my critically-needed tools (like the low QL carving knife I got from Ivan last year).

I also have a new road map of Indy, thanks to kchat. It’s really.. REALLY giving me that exploration itch (mainly due to it being more current than the one I had). This is good. This is what’s going to keep me active in Wurm more. But hopefully I don’t run into another one of these “there’s supposed to be a road here, yet I don’t see it” issues.

So back to current times. While I was attaching the tenons to the boat, I was watching what was going on in the world of Wurm (through kchat and Trade). The Trade channel alone caught my eye with someone wanting a price check on a Transmutation Liquid to.. turn Clay into Dirt. HELLO!! 😀
Instead of freaking out over the possibility of FINALLY ridding myself of this clay pier that has haunted me since 2010, I casually asked if this was just a rumor. It wasn’t, but I continued to keep my cool and stated “it’s probably not cheap and going to take a lot to just turn one tile into dirt, right?”
That is true. I also asked “do people sell these at FM?”, and was told they’re made to order if the need arises.
So I kept the idea in the back of my head. With four days until Christmas, it would be too late to ask for someone to make as much as I need to remove the Clay once and for all.

A few minutes later I stated what I wanted of this, and how bad I wanted to remove the clay pier. Was told things that surprised me. One said that I can actually dig down clay by digging at least 50 Clay. Another one said I could flatten it (with 70 Digging). Both suggestions had to wait, as I still had the boat to do.
Later that day I finally had everything (that I could produce or already had the item) attached to the boat. All it’s missing is a single peg, the rig, and two thick ropes. All of these will have to wait ’till I get back from the Impalong.

With this done and it being nightfall in Wurm, I dropped everything I wanted imped in my Knarr for transport on the 23rd(including a small mast I made for the rig). I hope to buy what everything I need for the rig at FM, and even build the rig there. And then either store it in the boat or mail it back to my deed.
Went over to the clay and started digging with my high WoA shovel. When reaching 50 Clay.. it didn’t drop a level. Felt like I was lied to. Then I tried the suggestion of flattening. Got the “Some corners can’t be altered.” message. My Digging skill is 73.08; sufficiently high enough to do this.

I told them my findings. Was told instead of flattening, to try Leveling. After being told how to get the option, I tried again and got the same message. It felt like the thing angry told me when he tried with his Fo priest;
“Forever plagued…
…by clay.”
But when all hope seemed lost…….., a Christmas miracle popped up in the form of a GM named Logi. I’m thinking “OSHI– a GM, HERE at Oceanside Retreat!! I’m not worthy!”
Anyway, after a few conversations back and forth of what I was trying to do, he showed me what I needed to do. And it’s actually quite simple. Stand on a perfectly flat tile, face the tile I want to level and make sure none of the slopes(the sides) are facing down.
It’s pretty much “flatlowering”; the opposite of flatraising (but a LOT easier to work with). But instead of getting Clay once the action is completed, I get Dirt.
Depending on the steepness of the tile infront of me, the process can take as long as 10-15 minutes to complete. It’s quite time-consuming… but HOLY HELL IS IT WORTH IT!!! THIS IS FINALLY REMOVING THE CLAY PIER!!! 😀 😀 😀

Tomorrow, the fucking thing WILL BE GONE!!! And with it gone, I can work on a proper boat dock for our boats (especially with the deed border covering the slip I have).
This is… this is GREAT! I am so happy right now. Feel like I’m finally going to modernize my deed.

The Indy Impalong (named the ‘Shrimpalong’ due to Shrimpiie hosting this year) is now ongoing; though, it has been since yesterday (the 18th).
It promises food, games, imping of your items to 70QL, and Enki once again paying a visit of “spreading holiday cheer” with death.

Also, the Impalong for the first time that I can remember, will last through Christmas all the way to New Years Day. Not sure what the reason is, but from what I read, total n00bs are welcome. Yeah, sure. As long as they can stand the tremendous studdering from so many lights, and boats.
Though this’ll be a good test for my new 16GB of RAM. It’s handled Modded Minecraft, but can it handle an Impalong (and make the game playable with two accounts going at once)?

I’ve also planned out what I’m going to do this year. Starting tomorrow (after I deal with a certain something related to Christmas on the MRT), I’ll need to secure the deed and then get to work on 10 more lamps to be imped. When I’m done (before the 23rd), I’ll try to make the parts required to build B2 a new sailboat (as the old one decayed and it doesn’t feel fair to just buy a new one to pretend I didn’t fuck up). I feel I have to build it, to redeem my fuck up. Plus, it’ll raise my ship-building skills. I don’t care if the boat doesn’t get completed before the 23rd (would be nice), because it isn’t the main priority.
As for B2, last year he played an important part in checking to make sure the lamps were being imped (while I stayed outside of FM to work on my Body Strength, thinking I needed it to move my Knarr). This year will be different (due to the location of the Impalong being in my favor.. though that depends on the wind).
On the 23rd of the afternoon, I’ll get the horses and cart ready, get them to my Knarr, and then we’ll head to FM (in the cart, hopefully no tough mobs show up) and feast on the buffet. While there, I’ll look around for any cloth I need for B2’s boat.

Then we’ll head back to my boat, and sail to a canal that will take us to the Eastern shore of Indy and then head south towards Hermit Island. I hope to arrive by the morning of the 24th (or the evening of the 23rd).
Once there… well, we’ll stay there through Christmas Eve and Day. There would be no point of going back to FM (until after Christmas Day). I hope to also squeeze in the Spleef Tourney on the MRT.

Lastly, according to this WurmClock thing, around January 7th(give or take a day), it’ll be Summer again in Wurm. By then I -hope- to get myself to finally do that Freedom Isles tour.
Kind of like a ‘Winter Vacation’ (even though temps IRL are rumored to be warmer than normal by then).

I want this plan to be as stress-free as possible on my person. Giving myself three days to make the lamps is more than enough time to cover for the multiple fails of ‘working the iron lump with the small anvil’.

Yesterday as it was raining cats and dogs (yet also ice on the same day), and Twitter was getting quite busy. But amidst the constant local meteorologist tweets, I also got tweets from MBS News (which the GSM was happening on the MRT).
So if you haven’t been following the news, before the end of the year, the world is switching servers from Gamma, to Epsilon. The world will be MUCH bigger than it is, and there’s new islands to the Northeast to claim (which I might “move” my island over to one of them).
No word if this means the server will be updated to 1.10 or 1.11. Last I was informed, they’re still waiting for core mods to be updated (and stable).

With this, the world will be backed up. And then….then…., hilarity ensues as the gloves (aka WorldGuard) come off, TNT/Lava is enabled (which means griefing is allowed). This is up until the server actually crashes. When it does, it’s game over (Gamma won’t come back up) ’till the new server is up.
Exactly what day this happens, I believe it’s the 27th (a few days after Christmas).

Tulsi and I already know how to ‘celebrate’ it; by blowing eachother’s towns up. Also, I’ll be recording the event and posting it on Youtube (after editing of course). I’ll also head over to Central City and see if there’s any chaos going on there.

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OH yeah! Before I forget, there will also be a special Christmas Spleef Tournament held on Christmas Day. Though this will unfortunately clash with attending the Indy Impalong’s final day in Wurm this year. Last year was fun, and I would love to be a part of it once again. But I also don’t want to miss something that was a staple in the early days of the MRT.
It’s going to be tough balancing the two. Though I hope the Spleef Tourney happens at a time where I can do both.

So here I am, mid-game, getting everything automated.. and yet I’ve still been putting off building a roof to my base (using Chisels & Bits). I am planning to get on that.. eventually.
Yet there’s also something that’s keeping me from really advancing in areas I feel I should, yet I’m unsure if it’s worth the time and the resources.

And that, is the one and only Mr “Nice!, “Cool!”, and “Awesome!” (Direwolf20). Back in 1.7.10, I didn’t get back into Modded Minecraft for a very long time (since 1.5, when using just IC2 was enough to call it for me) until angry got me back into it.
And even that, I never really watched any of his videos until angry.. well, he forced me to watch dire’s Season 7 and how he setup AE2.
Since then, I thought “hmm.. I should watch his entire series. This seems interesting” (instead of just that episode).

Fast forward a few years later, I’m literally on my own here to try out these cool new mods in the latest pack. And it hasn’t been easy. I struggled for over a week since the pack’s launch of trying to think of a lava-based RF power gen (as I was used to it since IC2).
Thankfully I finally found something that would work, from ‘To Azgaard’. I like his Texan-like accent. Though this guy, he doesn’t do his let’s play like dire does. It’s on the lines of “by the way, I built a base/built all of these machines/stopped climate change and world hunger since the last episode.”
Now there’s nothing wrong with doing it like this, but in hopes of following what he does, he only does it if it’s something that I personally need to know how to do (like having an alternate means of producing ‘tier 3’ (Charcoal) power using generators from Draconic Evolution)… and this is his early game.

He’s so far ahead of Dire (and myself) that it’s mindblowing.. but really, it’s not. For dire, and what I hear he has done since all the way back since Season 2, he enjoys explaining step-by-step of what he’s doing (like a mini-mod spotlight), which has helped me greatly!
So much, that now I depend on dire to be my “guiding light” (perse), to show me if it’s worth getting into these other mods (that I personally feel they have no real purpose in my version of the pack).

But now it’s gotten to a point that I’m so far ahead, that I have to wait for him to catch up. What’s worse, he’s taking too much time (and depending on) AA(Actually Additions) to get him through early game. Episode 14, and he was struggling on power. Back in 1.7.10 at this time, he was automating Botanica.
Personally, AA isn’t really that interesting to me. Sure, it gave me lava power (that I definitely do appreciate), but I have 0 interest in its sorting system (when RefinedStorage/AE2 is vastly superior).
But I just wish he would hurry up and get to my current tech level (or even surpass me). For I would hate to know I “waited too long” to fully get into Botanica or Blood Magic.
Yet after watching dire’s latest mod spotlights on both mods, I feel no real urge to go for either one (especially going all the way ’till the end of both mods).

Now I get the whole thing about Modded Minecraft; that you’re supposed to want to ‘tear open’ these new mods like a present on Christmas Day. Yet when you’re confused on what the present does (and no one else in the room seems to know), you’re not sure if you should return it or not.
I depended on angry to show me these mods (because I care more about “is this worth it” instead of the typical “let’s figure out what it does, for it’s FUN!” people). Now that those days have passed, direwolf is the only one I got to depend on. That.. or any other Youtuber doing a let’s play of this pack (who’s hopefully doing what I’m doing and knows how to advance).

Ever have that “oh wow.. I didn’t know I had this!” moment when cleaning out your closet? The same can be said of clearing out a hard drive’s contents. For I found old Fraps videos I made back in 2010-2013.
I saw all of my failed attempts to show off my transit system (the W2TS).
This silly court thing we had in WoW (back in Cata) of Heol VS Bigboss over control of the Goldshire Inn(I had to play as Judge..and Telerar claiming the Inn for himself). Heh. Good times.
My recording of the MRT’s first Spleef Tournament (something I’d like to see happen for the server’s 5th anniversary).
…But there were also these videos of a game I’ve forgotten about, that I played around 2013: Myst Online: URU Live. I even did a mini-review of it, and that I said I would come back if things changed.

I watched this thing I recorded of angry and myself (when we were still ‘good’ friends) of this large circular room, with waterfalls all around it. Inside had this strange contraption with four globes attached to it. Angry went off to make it rotate while I kept recording, and I saw it rotate. Watching it from then and to now, yes.. that was pretty cool.
Not only does this make me want to use Fraps again (since the framerate was pretty good), it also made me have the itch to go back into the game and relive those moments (and see if the game was still alive). However… well, I dunno.
See, their forum is still fairly active. Someone asked (but in Reddit) around early 2016 if the game is dead. They said that ‘it’s sleeping’ and ‘people still play it’ which gave me hope.
Yet when trying to ask for myself on the forum, I’m still waiting for the account activation email that typically would had come within 10 minutes at the most.

Yet I also had another issue on my hands, which was I couldn’t send a test email to the email that I posted when I went to register the forum account (to see who’s end was having the issue). After spending nearly an hour with Arvixe, I finally got this issue fixed.
Though I had to wait ’till after I had the new drive installed to replace the dying one until I could do the above, which is all good. It wasn’t DOA, so I don’t have to get a replacement or anything like that. So yay, my life is back to normal in that regard.

So anyway, got the test email sent and it went through with no problems, proving it wasn’t a problem on my end. Still doesn’t give me much confidence in the game. Yet, thankfully I still have the installer on my drive, and was able to update it. So.. the game isn’t dead. However, I forgot my login info, and what I use to remember all my passwords, I didn’t have the info.
Tried to make an account, and their account creation thing isn’t there. Ok, so.. the game isn’t dead, but I cannot get in. I had to send an email to them in hopes they can help me. So far, said email hasn’t bounced back.

Yet if this email doesn’t get responded in a month, well.. I dunno. It’s a shame, but it’s something I’ll have to deal with. This game has no monthly fee (or even a shop with overpriced microtransactions). It’s based on people donating to keep the game alive.
So, the game isn’t dead… they just can’t afford to allow new people to join. And from what I read, this happened months ago. So, I don’t mind donating to just be able to play again. Since seeing that old clip I recorded, I feel it’s worth the donation.

So it’s been awhile since I did a blog post, hasn’t it? Also, I just got done going over your “where’s the 7.1.5 PTR posts you promised?!” emails. I do deeply apologize for not giving you guys what you seek.
But right now, Minecraft has me in its clutches. It’s a huge change from where I started. I will explain more later.

First, it’s time to talk about the completion of the Galactic Nebula Expedition. It’s over, folks. We’ve said our last hellos, and jumped our last jumps together. The only thing keeping the channel alive in the EDEX Discord channel, is the Screenshot Gallery (set to end December 5th).
At Sagittarius A*, we were to break a record with the most CMDRs in a single instance (the record is 110 by the DWE(Distant Worlds Expedition). At the end, we didn’t come close; the total number was 50 before we did our final Mass Jump. The reason was how bad the game’s netcode is compared to it was earlier in the year. So even if we had the entire GNE fleet show up, it would not have been possible.

I for one am glad it’s over. It reminded me of the GSM’s of the MRT(when I was a Mod): having to be on at a set time. Sit through a boring meeting. However, unlike a GSM, we didn’t have Clippers buzzing around the LZ like flies. We also didn’t have SRV’s randomly popping(exploding) and people laughing their heads off over it.
OK, so.. the meetups were more fun than a GSM.

As for what happens (to me) now, I plan to head up to the roof of the Milky Way and get a few shots of it, then make my way back to the bubble and get to the closest station available to sell my exploration data.
I was going to head to Beagle Point, but I rather do it in my ASPX. The Conda was mainly for the GNE. With the event over, it’s best to store it in Lembava (where I’m planning to ‘move’ to). With that said, the ASP will be transferred over to that station. Then I’ll refit it for exploration and get it upgraded with Engineer mods(45Ly or higher jump range), and then circumnavigate the Eastern flank of the galaxy to Beagle Point.. with it.
It would be in (hopefully) two legs, using nebulae as stops. The first one would be to get to the east flank, then make my way to BP. I’ll take a week off once I get to the next WP, just like the GNE.
As for my Conda, it’ll go into storage at Lembava. I’ll convert it back into a tradeconda, and go for the Sol Permit (that involves hauling cargo).

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Anyway, yeah. There’s that. Moving on…
The second thing is, well, a broken record since I got into FTB(Feed The Beast) back in 2011 (I think). And that is FTB and my computer not working together in harmony.
For Java is “EAT ALL THE RESOURCES!!!”
Playing the Direwolf20 pack (as I have since I first announced the pack is available). And fun fact: I still haven’t moved out of my typical cave setup for a new house base. It’s not the fact I’m low on resources(well, minus Lapis and Diamond anyway), it’s the fact … OK, I low on Lapis. I need at least a stack and 32 items, and I’m way less than that.
See, this is the only source of lava-based RF Generation in the pack as of now (which is a part of Actually Additions). And without it, I can’t use ANYTHING that requires RF. Not without a shitload of Coal. And a Charcoal-based tree farm from Forestry is out of the question (as it requires power).

And then there’s Java sometimes freezing up the game (or my computer). Looking at the usage, clearly it’s a memory issue (it spikes to 97-99%). Yet when I ask if more memory would help, I’m being told it’s my CPU causing it. Yet my CPU isn’t the bottleneck (for I haven’t seen its usage anywhere as high as memory).
Asked again last night, and this time I got a good answer. Yes, my RAM does need to be upgraded to at least 16GB. I’m told modpacks in FTB take at least 5-6GB more than what is allocated (aka why my computer becomes unresponsive).
I’m also wondering if replacing my aged C drive with an SSD would also help. I was told it would only help loading times (if I used it as the drive that FTB is installed to). But as for a boot drive, it would definitely make Windows boot lightning fast.

This is good. I finally have a priority list of what I need to fix this problem once and for all.
I had also considered renting a server (like a VPS) to put my saves in and lessen the stress on my hardware. Something like angry has (except I would have to pay someone to host what I need).
However, issues with cost per GB, privacy, and how the server would run are my concerns with this. Not to mention, if it’s even worth investing in (if something as simple as upgrading my RAM – a low one-time cost – will fix an issue I’ve had for years).
These servers are made for multiplayer, and not for a single person. Feels like a waste of money (kind of like this website, but… I’ve already been through with that).

So it’s easy as just getting more RAM. I might not even have to pay a middleman to get them installed for me. Hear memory is easy to install and stuff.
And that’s about what’s been going on with me. I don’t know what to tell you guys about WoW. I really have no interest in playing it. But that’s better than being pissed off at the dev team.