Bargain hunters...

There is something women do that I am not sure men do---call it the gatherer side of the hunter/gatherer economy: ladies, did you ever buy something really cheap, but it looks top-shelf, and then the compliments pour in, and you are compelled to say how much you spent and where you bought it?! "Yes, I bought this Coach purse off of a bum wearing soiled sweatpants behind the Target!" Charming.

So, I was perusing the AH tonight, and found all of these great transmog bargains, and then one that was outrageously priced (one of those sexy dresses you can get in AQ)--seller was asking 30K! I don't think so!

What is the great bargain you've ever discovered on the AH?

These pretty, pretty robes were only 10-25 gold a piece! Thank you bum in sweatpants in Target!

This post doesn't make a lot of sense because I am damn tired--but you get the idea. Gotta love a great deal!

Update: Here is Ceniza wearing her pretty new green dress (she really likes green):

Sometimes, when you are a man...

One of my favorite 'journey of the hero' tales is Nacho Libre. It has it all: the lovable sidekick, the goddess/mother figure, the temptress, the guardian angel, the villain-and of course, an epic moment of apotheosis that may or may not involve a water gypsy and eagle eggs.

Someone near and dear to me created this character in homage:

Because, Chancho, sometimes, when you are a man, you wear stretchy pants...


Nacho is, naturally, a priest.

Which brings me to this transmog idea - (no, no more challenges or contests. I just can't handle them in my disorganized, devil-in-the-details world right now) -- just an idea - make one based on your favorite movie characters. Go Hollywood. Heck, go Bollywood for all I care.

And yes, he has a mage named Duder. Or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing.

Results!

Okay, forgive me for closing the voting a bit early, but I am sleepy, girls. Old Mr. Alarm Clock cracks the whip like no one's business. 


So, here are the results:

Alliance:

Dominatrix: Dragonray

Bullwhip: Dewdrop (Classy/Dungeon Darling)

Riding Crop: Tome

Horde:

Dominatrix: Veroicone

Bullwhip: Navi

Riding Crop: Kamalia

(But it was damn close, ladies.)

Comments:

• It was a tough one since I liked ALL of them! The white leather rogue was very unique and different so I gave her a vote. I loved the way the hair accented the outfit. I am a sucker for druids!
• Nightelves look brilliant in technicolour!
• Everyone did such a great job!
• Love the creative screenshots :)
• You all did such a nice job with this - very inspiring!
• Love contests like this that allow everyone to put forth their creativity!
• So many beautiful outfits, I took so long considering that my computer went into hibernation.
• Great work to all contestants! Wish there were more boys!*
• So hard to choose! Excellent outfits from everyone!
• Love all of the submissions, all very creative and hard to choose!
• Everyone did awesomely.
• Love the looks - druids are some of the most beautiful players in the game...

*HAHAHA - that cracked me up!

Overall, Whom We Would Like to Crack That Whip: Tome!

/applause! 

Thank you all for playing along with me - this was fun! If I could serve you real dirty martinis, and raise a glass to you all, I would! Cheers!

Death and dresses...

Ah, poor little Zep and her awful shadow skills: she went to see the bugs for a pink dress, but she ended up with this:

(Doesn't she know you don't wear black hooves after Labor Day?!)

Now she needs the staff, boots, belt, and shoulders to match: highly evolved Draenei know how to accessorize.


And thank you, too, for the help my friend - next time let's bring a bigger fly swatter, okay?

Mirror, mirror...

Keeper Marandis takes a second look...

"Ah, a far more practical hair style, for all of this digging in the dirt!" Matty admired herself in her Highbourne Soul Mirror before she went to dig in the next patch of mud. She believed feeling pretty, inside and out, was satisfying enough. Off she went.

Chestpiece: Lord's Breastplate

Shoulders: Lord's Pauldrons

Belt: Skettis Belt

Leggins: Lord's Legguards

Fe-mail gear...

I have had a lot of fun putting together pret-a-porter looks for Luperci and Zeptepi, but was noticing yesterday Matty is looking a bit shabby. 

So, sometimes, a girl. Just needs. To go. 

Shopping.

So, TO THE INTERNET!

I searched Google, and came to this link: Illustrated Mail Transmogrification Guide

Image from Disciplinary Action:

See the War Paint Set? I have the leggings, but they look a bit odd without the rest. So...onward. Although I do think the Brackwater set would look lovely on our Suicide Blonde Matty. 

I have never been much of a shopper, at least a social shopper. I tend to treat shopping malls like a coup d'etat, and I'm the guerrilla war-farer, an assassin. I work alone. I have a list, I know what I want, and I know where to get it. Bam! But, this transmog stuff is going to require a bit of research, and right now I'm feeling super lazy. So, in the meantime, I'll keep on my sweats and hope I don't bump into anyone I see at the grocery store dungeon, and at least put on some lipstick. 

Looks like I'll be going to Blackfathom Deeps, right next to the Jamba Juice and Lego Store.

Which lead me to this blog: http://disciplinaryaction.wordpress.com/ --also pretty cool. 

And, I'm sorry. I am really sorry.

Theme song: Barbie-Girl

Shout-out: Ruby!

Well done, Ruby!
http://wowroleplaygear.com/2012/01/28/we-want-more-links/

Now I want to go shopping....

Hunt for Red Dress...maybe by next October?

This is a little story of...depravity and madness? Hope and glory? Snowed in and cabin fever?

Or, "How Transmogrification Ruined My Life?"

Remember all my lofty talk about not becoming the thing I hate? The whole, 'hero has a dark moment and must fight against 'it', so he does not become 'it?'" Well, fuggidabbowtit. I am not pleased with how I feel about a certain ninja:

Ceniza the Firestarter Cougar levels by dungeons, just like all the rest after Mataoka. "Matty" is my main, my training wheels, and an avatarial goddess.

Little fire mage goes into Blackrock Depths for the umpteenth time. (I really should just start questing again, enjoy the scenery, relax...) The angry dwarf Dagran (angry because his daughter is unattractive--her beard hasn't grown in yet?) and he sheds his beautiful robe (kind of terrifying, but have seen plenty of dwarfs drop trou for Matty) Oh, that is beautiful. Need Need Need

Tank needs on it, too. Wins it. Leaves.

For the first time, I actually care, CARE, that this happened. Before transmogrification, it would be no big deal. She would have outgrown it anyway. I obsess about this dress. Obsession like none other. Except I can't remember what it was called after it happened, and was talking to a guild mate about it. She did a little research, and found its name: Robes of the Royal Crown, and links it to me:

So, back to the Depths I go. Maybe I'll use the power of my two accounts and leave Ceniza at the door while Matty hacks her way through the other shoppers getting to the sale racks where the good stuff is.

Oh, and Blizz? Know how you thwarted ninjas with BOE items and others, by greying out the dice if that character cannot equip it? May want to go back and do that with these other items. Oh, crazy emergent behavior.

Like going virtually "shopping" for pixels on a snow day.

Theme song: Little Red Corvette/Prince (Prince: the kids want to hear your message of confused ambiguous gender identification and velvet)

Reuse, recycle, and ...runes?

Zeptepi in spellcloth...if the glass slipper fits, wear it...

What is the third "r?" ...oh! REDUCE!

It's "Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle."

Well--transmogrification has brought many things, and I would suspect Blizz knew of this emergent behavior:

1. Zep sees dress on Auction House
2. Zep wants dress on AH
3. Zep can't afford dress on AH
4. Zep looks through tailoring recipes and realizes she can make it herself

...so she does.

BUT --

It requires Demonic Runes.

This takes some research.

Long story short -- those runes drop from demonic satyrs in Dire Maul*, well, that's the most prevalent place. Satyrs running around all demon-like, partying like it's 999.

Two runs later, six soul-bound runes are obtained, dress made (along with the hoarded runecloth, etc.), and one put on the auction house and one sent to Ceniza.

This is it: so many "new" things in game are recycled --which is great. Why not put your leather-wearer in level 20 gear? Why not dress your druid in feathers and snakeskin? It is great to be able to use things learned along the way, and then have the skills and time to go do them. Master, indeed!

The point is, I just spent a few hours looking for runes, thread, trying on dresses, er, robes, in the dressing room, zapping demons, and just doing silly things. All along, I chatted in real life, in virtual life, and enjoyed my time.

The REAL point is: I was in this dungeon with my very dear friend, levels ago, on my healer. He's the first one who said, "You're a great healer" to me, and it heartened and encouraged me. Gracias, Señor - you make me happy every time I get a chance to talk to you. What a great friend you are, indeed.

And it was all worth it, and saved Azeroth some precious resources, too.

Bowing before a paladin in Stormwind, he smiled, appreciating the beauty and effort...all worth it. 


*east side, by the way

Theme song: Deep Purple/Demon's Eye:

And they look like sneakers.

Having entirely too much fun with transmog. Don't even want to look at the Bank of Tanaris credit card bill--those goblins charge 204.5% interest, compounded daily. Little bastards. Anyway, it's not like we weren't asking for this, the freedom to change our look, control more of our world. And do these leggings make my tail look fat?

Don't answer that.

I knew Blackwing Lair had the goods, but didn't really know how good (gotz to get me one of these);

http://www.wowhead.com/item=19348/red-dragonscale-protector

And, buddy from RWS has put together a completely charming blog dedicated to transmogrification:

Ruby's Riches: http://rubylupine.blogspot.com/

Still not completely satisfied with Zeptepi, don't know if I really want to go angel or devil with her. Oh, and Vuuk, I did take your advice and tried Healbot in a battleground. The sad thing was I left my little gnome buddy behind (wrong button pushing failure), so had to make up for it with a Leap of Faith.


Theme song: Vans/The Pack*
(clean version)

*Already used this one I think: Devil with a Blue Dress On/Mitch Ryder

The Good Gamer.

In a comment I posted on Jaded Alt's blog, I feel like I am singing the same tune too often these days. The chorus is: "Players can be mean. Players can be cool. Players can be jackasses too and still make you drool." Wait. That's bad. Anyway.

As I mentioned a few posts back, was working on Zeptepi the "Hooker with a Heart of Gold" Holy Priest. Or, at least that is how she was dressing for awhile:

After a few shots of Lord Something-Or-Other booze...

Now she is in more modest attire:

And yes, back to being a Draenei...

During this transitional phase, when I was trying to learn how to use Healbot (and I swear to GOD if any one of you !*)$%*(*)#(* says ONE WORD about me not knowing how to instinctively use an interface like Healbot I swear I will rip that smug look right off your stupid face and leave nothing but eyebrows and boogers!*). So, my first run through with Healbot was Well of Eternity. And, after listening to Illidan's dialogue for the umpteenth time, it truly is a frigging ETERNITY OF CHEESY SCRIPTS...oh, the hubris of the hero...but, we all know where that got him). The dps was great, tank just dandy, but no one said hello or anything, but okay. Get to the eyeballs, and I'm distracted by a butterfly or something on Healbot and am trying to dodge them but alas, get eaten. Die. The immediate felstorm of nerd rage that befell me was worse than anything that demon could have done:

'HEALER R U BLIND?' (I answer with a simple 'yup')

WTF

I apologize and say that I am trying to get used to a new add-on and am then met with:

'HEALER DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING' (I am giving them credit for grammar.)

I answer: 'nope.'

Rez at graveyard, leave party, and hearthstone OUT. (PEACE!)

Now, the thing is, I didn't know what I was doing 100% -- getting used to a new add-on takes some practice. What I am not sure about it is their reaction: Again, I ask, ask, ask: in real life, do you (you nerd rage pendejos) always get perfection? And if you saw it, would you know it, my Philistine friends?

My cross-dressing rogue tells me every time I enter a dungeon it's like driving a car down the highway and trying to be friends with all the drivers around me. It is impossible. And there is usually a collision.

The very next dungeon, got a "good job" from the tank at the end. Night and day.

Now, yesterday, don't know what got into me, but was tanking, and the little druid said she didn't know what to do. Some sweeping maternal instinct or some such nonsense fell over me, and decided this would be a training/teachable moment. I would help them, and offered as such: no matter how many wipes or retries. Of course we got Lady Sylvanas, and that is tough for mediocre players, including me, as I have stepped in her purple goo once or twice. We wipe, and we struggle, but "we" finally got it. Or I should say they did (I already knew what to do, but there is no "i" in team, but there is in wipe?). The rest of the dungeon did not go smoothly, but we did finish. At one point, though, the players who were really struggling thanked me profusely for being patient, declaring that it was like being in "nirvana" to quote their words, to meet a nice, good, and patient player. Later I told Guarf it was almost embarrassing, and a little tiny bit pitiful--are people so desperate in this world to encounter any generosity of spirit that they drop to their knees in gratitude?

Luperci the Swag Paladin

Now, I have run a few things here and there with my new guild, and they are great. But even they sometimes have that 'tone' of a hint of smugness that you cannot dispel from really good players. They know what they're doing, they know what is going on, and they know how to play, and play well. They have crafted a vocation in WoW that must be enjoyable and gratifying. But, the smug smirch is there.

Now, speaking of Healbot, the push to actually try to figure it out came from some good-ol' boy in a PUG who was super sweet and offered to answer any questions I had about it. And here is my point about that: if you want to play in a world where there are more wins than losses, make it so. It is going to mean you have to be patient and friendly with other people. 

And therein lies the rub. 

I must also mention that I am the loneliest Jedi princess in the galaxy because I didn't realize the SWTOR was for PC. I am....a Mac person. I have had a Dell, but it's headed for the heap. Don't start in with me. I am not mentioning this to start a Mac/PC debate. That is as boring as crust. But, what I will say is even the industry experts think that not developing SWTOR for Macs was a bit rushed.  Yesterday morning I brought in my Mac laptop to work -- it was way before I was on the clock, and had a few minutes to do some writing on my personal laptop. The "IT guy who loves me" helped me set it up, and we started talking about his experiences in SW. He nerd-raged for a bit, but then ultimately, blushing, says he loves it. He loves that he doesn't have to talk to anyone but NPCs and can solo play to his heart's content. But even he thought it was lame it wasn't available on Macs. (Wish you could have seen the look on his face when I told him what the number one search words on my blog and in general are about Draenei...adorable dork! Any single dork girls out there want a geeky IT guy with a job? Let Matty know.)

The point is, playing with others is not all it's cracked up to be. Game developers get this. But how this is helping and promoting our cultural sensitivity and social graces, I have some fears. I am praying for some societal backlash, where we take back our worlds, virtual and real, and start having some manners. Even Emily Post, the superlative authority on manners and etiquette, was of the mindset that manners are truly about making others feel comfortable. Simple.

So, don't you forget about me, those who have left to a galaxy far, far away. I'm still here helping the good folks in Azeroth. Actually used my Leap of Faith for an actual game purpose today: DK Tank not standing in Illidan's "male enhancement puddle," and pulled him over so he'd get the buff. See? I'm not so dumb.

*How's that for maturity and grace under pressure?

*Leap of Faith is really for giving down-and-out friends big hugs fast.

Theme song: Tell Me Something Good/Chaka Khan & Rufus

Primordial soup...

Going for a theme of green with Mataoka...all junk, all picked from the yard sales and sale racks, but it is pretty hawt...and no, those leggings do NOT make her tail look fat...