Digging in the dirt

I don't know what it is lately, but I have spent a ton of time in my various games digging in dirt. To be honest, there's something crazy hilarious about going on your computer in your nice clean house to simulate getting down and dirty with nature but it seems to be a common theme with me lately.

What surprises me is just how much this comes up in game play. Most times it's naturally part of the game, other times it's part of a side quest or a later addition to the game.

• Minecraft -  come on, if I have to explain this one, you are doing it wrong.
• Harvest moon - you are a farmer, you can't get away with not dirt digging. Also, I am currently playing two different versions.
• Rune factory - Same as harvest moon, but with dungeons! (less farming emphasis, but it's still an important part of the game).
• World of Warcraft - Archaeology, a later addition to the game, and some would argue, not the best idea ever. 
• Terraria - like Minecraft, you must dig to pretty much get anywhere in this game. 
• Disney's Magical World - You need to garden to get ingredients for your cafe and clothing. Kind of odd but hey, I get to hang out with Eeyore. 
• Final Fantasy XIV ARR - I am gardening manager of my guild. They heard about my digging in the dirt qualifications in other games and jumped on board. The farm plots in this game are being used to benefit the entire guild, so no personal stuff for yours truly! 
• Civ - well I order people to work in dirt and quarries, pretty much the same thing right?
• Banished - more god mode quarry ordering, but this has more micromanaging then Civ does. 

I didn't realize it until I mentioned it on the AIE podcast, but apparently I enjoy virtual digging in the dirt. It makes me wonder what other themes in gaming constantly show up that I overlook. Even if you don't count the last two bullets, this is seriously a lot of virtual earth I am responsible for moving. 

Hearthstone, hearthstoned, and hearthsteed

Tonight is one of those miserable nights that the back pain just won't let up. Can't sit, can't lay down, no position is comfy. Since I have to suffer anyway, I might as well game.

As some of you may know, Blizzard's card game Hearthstone just went 'live'. Apparently the beta is over and we can all finally enjoy the game. (Lol!) Part of the 'live event' (or maybe the whole of it) is players who log in and win three rounds of the game will receive a World of Warcraft mount and an achievement (Hearthstoned).

I will admit, I am crazy rusty in hearthstone, I haven't even touched it since the great beta wipe of '13, but after Ben's urging on tonight's recording, I figured what the hey.

Of course everyone and their grandmother is playing hearthstone right now for the pretty pony, which I did expect, but I didn't expect three wins to be such a challenge! My son had already cleared the intro 'story-line' (before he got his beta key) and so I was able to plunk right in.

It took me a bit over 90 minutes to get my pony, I found it was easier to play in ranked mode, rather then casual as I was much more likely to get players at my level, in spite of how intimidating 'ranked' sounds! You also can't game the system and get the Hearthsteed by playing against friends. Sorry! No win trading. I heard it was possible to get him with arena mode wins as well, but I don't like using my hard earned coins that way. (Yes, it costs to play in arena.)

I won with the Rogue, Shaman, and then Mage decks respectively, all at a crazy low level and the wins were not easy. But in the end I felt it was more rewarding to win my pony that way.

What? Am I supposed to be impressed by random wings? Please buddy!

You can see the amount of work and detail that went into hearthstone sparkle (as I have named him) over the other mounts. First off, I really like his face:

Hey good lookin!

It has a log of character, and a dragon like quality to it! He also has the best horse tail in the game, seriously, compare it to an older model:

Hearthsteed

Horseman's mount

Considering everything, I am calling this guy well worth the time, frustration and effort of playing a free game for 12+hands until I won 3 rounds! Now if only the horde red version was out...or a pet.

I'm a pretty princess!! (Finally!)

Ran into some problems this week with Final Fantasy XIV. Namely that my account information was changed by someone other then myself! Trying to log in and seeing that your email address is not found in the system can create the worst feeling that you can imagine.

Eventually I got my account restored thanks to the help of a friend (who pointed out that I was going to all the wrong places) a patient person in Square's help desk, and a quick email of my ID. I truly lucked out, about half my Gil was missing, and I was in an odd place, but none of my characters were deleted, they didn't change too much of my personal information, and I wasn't banned! Thank goodness!

As account hijacking goes, mine was actually pretty polite. 

Anyway I finally got in to take part in the Little Ladies day event! Billed as being a 'Princess for a day' event, you sadly don't get any cool or pretty dresses for your character to feel like a princess. You get some flowers, food, and eventually a companion pet, but not much else really.

The quest line is pretty simple as well, you simply go to the major towns and bribe, ahem I mean show off your pretty doll to get votes. The quests are well written lore wise and fun. I was squee-ing the entire time I was wondering around with my pretty doll.

I will admit some disappointment in the lack of any princess like gear or outfits. So far most holidays leave you with considerably less bag space with the odd vanity gear they leave behind (horse helms anyone?). The one time I want the gear, they don't offer it! I would expect a holiday that is billed around you being a princess (or in the case of the men a chance to 'dote on their princess and become a true gentleman, whatever that means) to give us some sort of fancy, dressy, royal garb. But sadly there was none to be found.

I also would have expected a doll competition to have...well an actual competition when it came to the dolls! There were none besides the players dolls to be seen. Having an NPC or two show off their 'entries' or seeing children react to the fancy toys would have been a nice touch. 

All in all this was an enjoyable (if short) event that made me feel like there was a lot of potential that went unused. Still I have a new favorite companion pet to explore the world with, and I guess that will just have to be enough.