I was happy to log right in this morning when I got up. I went and got my new ring Runed Band of the Kirin Tor. I then went and got 4 Portable Hole's from Haris Pilton. The extra slots will help a lot and I ran out of stuff to spend gold on months ago.
Since I had all my new swag I thought I would give the random hero a go. It took about 4 minutes to get a full group and the ready check popped up. I was ported into Hero Violet Halls, whoot! Violet Halls is one of the easiest and quickest heroes out there. The pug blasted through it. We all had a lot of 245 gear so it was super easy! We got our 2 badges of frost and zoned out. I noticed that I didn't have my add-ons turned on and I wanted to get right into the new 5 man and check it out! So I logged out, checked all my add-ons were up to date and I logged back in ...
Disconnected from server...
And I logged back in...
Disconected from server...
And I logged back in...
Disconnected from server...
And I logged back in...
Disconnected from server...
And I logged back in...
Disconnected from server...
And I logged back in...
Disconnected from server...
So I checked the WoW forums only find 1000s having the same problem. Seems I got lucky the first time I logged in.
It's 2 hours later, the servers are still offline, the official WoW site is going up and down and there is no sign of when the servers will be back. Let's hope they get it fixed soon. We know they are doing what they can so just hang in there people!
Looming over the stark wastes of Northrend, Icecrown Citadel awaits those who would see the Lich King and his Scourge brought low and the threat they pose wiped from the face of Azeroth. The heroes who venture within will face some of the greatest horrors yet seen. But before you burst into the front gate of the citadel, an alternate means of entry beckons. Journey through three separate wings of the new five-player dungeon, Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Halls, and follow Jaina Proudmoore or Sylvanas Windrunner into the Lich King's domain.
Icecrown Citadel: The Frozen Throne
All across Northrend, many battles have been fought against the vile Scourge. Countless lives have been lost since the Alliance and the Horde first reached these frozen wastes, but the champions of Azeroth continue to march forward -- and Icecrown Citadel, the cornerstone of the Scourge's power and the home base of the Lich King, is their final target. Tirion Fordring and the Argent Crusade have forged an accord with Darion Mograine and the Knights of the Ebon Blade to form the Ashen Verdict. This coalition's strongest combatants, along with the champions of the Alliance and the Horde, will lead the charge against the citadel. In the new Icecrown Citadel raid dungeon, Azeroth's mightiest will face terrifying challenges before ascending to the Frozen Throne, where the Lich King and his runeblade, Frostmourne, await to deliver the heroes to their deaths....
Cross-Realm Dungeon Finder
The Dungeon Finder is now available, providing players with quick and easy access to five-player parties. This feature connects all realms within a battlegroup using an advanced matchmaking system, making it easier for players of all levels to find a dungeon group. In addition, players can reap additional rewards through the Dungeon Finder by choosing the Random option, which is available to both pick-up and pre-formed groups. Check out the User Interface section for more details.
It’s coming up to Christmas. A lots of kids in Australia will be getting new video games under their Christmas tree. But some mums and dads are going to be in for a real shock when they see what their kids have to do in the games they got their innocent little ones for Christmas!
As a father of three I use ratings to judge what is ok and what is not, and if it's rated M 15+ I would expect it to be ok or just on the “mature” side for a 14/15 year old and no problem at all for a 16 year old, right? Wrong !!!
Let’s look at the ratings in Australia:
Advisory The classifications below are advisory in nature—they do not impose any legal restrictions on access or distribution of material. E (Exempt from Classification) - These films may be sold without a specific classification. The assessment of exemption may be made by the distributor or exhibitor (self-assessed) without needing to submit the product for certifying by the Classification Board. Only very specific types of material (including educational material and straight records of artistic performances) can be exempted from classification, and the material cannot contain anything that might lead to an M rating or higher [1]Self-assessed exempt films cannot use the official marking, although it is advised that films and computer games that are exempt display “This film/computer game is exempt from classification”. G (General) — These films and computer games are for general viewing. However, G does not necessarily designate a children’s film or game as many of these productions contain content that would be of no interest to children. The content is very mild in impact. PG (Parental guidance recommended) — These films and computer games contain material that may confuse or upset younger viewers under 15. Before the 2005 coloured rating scheme was brought in, the original description was "Parental Guidance is recommended for those under the age of 15." This description may be found on older DVDs and video tapes. The content is mild in impact. M (Recommended for mature audiences) — These films and computer games contain material that requires a mature perspective, but is still not enough to be deemed too extreme for younger players. This classification was formerly known as M15+, but was changed to simply M to distinguish it from the higher (and restricted) rating of MA15+. The description originally had "Recommended for Mature audiences 15 years and over", though like the above PG rating, the description dropped the 15. This description may be still founded on older DVDs and video tapes. This is the highest unrestricted rating. The content is moderate in impact.
By contrast, the classifications below are legally restricted—i.e., it is illegal to sell or exhibit materials so classified to a person younger than the respective age limit. MA15+ (Mature Accompanied) - The content is considered unsuitable for exhibition by persons under the age of 15. Persons under 15 may only legally purchase or exhibit MA15+ rated content under the supervision of an adult guardian. This is a legally restricted category. , , , and are the current game ratings. Games cannot be given the adult ratings or , instead they will be Refused Classification (Banned) and cannot be sold. Refused Classification games may be edited and resubmitted by their developers to garner an MA15+ classification. People under 15 are not permitted to purchase or rent films or video games classified MA15+ unless they are accompanied by a parent or adult guardian. The content is strong in impact. R18+ (Restricted) - People under 18 may not buy, rent or exhibit these films. The content is high in impact. X18+ (Restricted) - People under 18 may not buy, rent or exhibit these films. This rating applies to sexual content. Films rated X18+ are currently legally available for purchase in only the ACT and the Northern Territory. However these films may be legally purchased from interstate via mail-order. Enforcement is relaxed and most adult shops carry extensive stock of X18+ material. RC (Refused Classification) Films which are very high in impact and/or contain any type of violence in conjunction with real sexual intercourse are rated Refused Classification by the OFLC. Films which may be Refused Classification include content that:
Depict, express or otherwise deals with matters of sex, drug misuse or addiction, crime, cruelty, violence or revolting or abhorrent phenomena in such a way that they offend against the standards of morality, decency and propriety generally accepted by reasonable adults to the extent that they should not be classified.
Depict in a way that is likely to cause offence to a reasonable adult a minor who is, or who appears to be, under 16 (whether or not engaged in sexual activity).
Promote, incite or instruct in matters of crime or violence.
Classification is mandatory, and films that are rated Refused Classification by the OFLC are banned for sale, hire or public exhibition, carrying a maximum fine of $275,000 and/or 10 years jail. It is legal to possess Refused Classification material, unless it has been rated Refused Classification due to illegal content (e.g. child pornography). It is illegal for residents of Western Australia to possess Refused Classification Video Games ever since the Liberal Party came into power in WA in 2008, where the breach of this law incurs either a hefty fine or imprisonment.
The PC and console games industry, one of the biggest adult entertainment money makers, has no adult classification. The highest you get is M15 +. WTF?!
What is happening in Australia is that games that are 18+ in other countries like the UK, US and New Zealand get pushed through as 15+ in Australia. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the perfect example of this. It’s 18+ in the UK, New Zealand and other countries and M15+ in Australia. Call of Duty: is a massive title world wide and to ban it would cause uproar so it’s easier to give it a 15+ and deceive parents into thinking its ok for their kids for Christmas. Don’t take my word for it, judge for yourself. Warning, this video may be disturbing to some people.
What happens when they ban a game? Most of the time all banning a game will do is drive people to Warez, hacker and pirate sites and with a game like COD MW2, hackers will end up with thousands of unsuspecting Aussies willing to download their key logger and viruses just to get the game the rest of the world can pick up in any shop. And when looking for the hacked game they will also find other games or movies that they may have happily paid for if they where not driven to the hackers’ site in the first place.
The only logical solution is to have an adult 18+ rating. Banning or outlawing something just drives it underground and puts money in the hands of hackers and pirates and drives consumers to untrustworthy sites.
Only having a 15+ rating is not helping parents to choose suitable games for their kids.
Parents look at M15 and compare it to movies. I’ve seen a mum buy a copy of Grand Theft Auto (GTA) for her 12 year old, commenting to the sales rep that her son watches 15+ movies all the time. There is no way in hell GTA should be played by a 12 year old! The Australian government is putting disturbing content in the hands of miners. Content that was never made for them and is classified 18+ in other countries.
http://www.growupaustralia.com/ has a petition for Australia to get an 18+ classification. So if you’re a parent who does not want your child playing games that where clearly designed for adults and not kids, or if you’re an adult that wants the freedom to play games that where designed for adults without having them butchered to a shell of what they were just so a 13 year old can play a game that was never designed for them them, please head over there and singe it. Or contact:
South Australian Attorney-General, Hon. Michael Atkinson MP
GPO Box 464
ADELAIDE SA 5001
Phone: (08) 8207 1723
Fax: (08) 8207 1736
Email: attorney-general@agd.sa.gov.au
Listen up Razer fans! If you love Razer as much as we do then come and tell us all about it Here
Razer’s line of peripherals has been developed by gamers, for gamers. From programmable keyboards and mice, to the most advanced headphones and speaker systems, both MMO and FPS gamers are catered for.
Proudly sponsored by Razer’s Australian distributor Audion, Razer Gamer is the ONLY place online where you can find out the latest news relating to Razer products in Australia.
To kick things off we are giving away a great Razer gaming pack to one lucky winner. All you have to do is sign up to our forum, and come up with a uniquely Australian slogan for our blog and post it in our forums. The slogan can be no longer than 10 words and must be relevant to Razer.
The person who is judged to have come up with the best slogan will win a Razer prize pack consisting of Razer DeathAdder (RAZ014), Razer Lyocsa Backlit Keyboard (RAZ081), Razer Moray Plus (RAZ098) and the ExactMat Bundle Pack (RAZ101).
The competition will run from December 1st 2009 to January 31st 2010, and the winner will be notified via email. All terms and conditions can be found at razergamer.com
So if you want to keep up to date with all the latest on Razer in Australia, including where to buy, events, reviews, videos, special promotions and competitions, come and join all the Razer addicts at http://www.razergamer.com
About Razer Gamer
Razer Gamer is a blog and community portal for users of Razer products in Australia. The guys at Razer Gamer love Razer products and want to share their enthusiasm with the Australian community and also provide the latest information and deals on the products available in Australia.
Audion Innovision was incorporated in Victoria, Australia in 1987. The company is a master distributor of consumer and IT audio, video and multimedia products to conventional channel distributors, dealers and major retail chain stores nationwide. Audio is a distributor of Razer products in Australia.
More information: http://www.audion-mm.com/
OK, now I feel old! I remember Warcraft 1 and II like it was yesterday and my wife can still hum the music from Warcraft II even though she never played the game.
We didn't have a lot but we did have a PC. Fiona, my wife, needed it for her studies and I used it for entertainment from time to time. Back then I spent a lot of time down at my local Archery club and my coach had a 16 year old son, Aaron, that never moved from his PC. We got talking and he showed me this cool game, Warcraft. I could not get how he could spend so much time at his PC when he could be shooting arrows. I got a copy of the game so I could check it out. I was messing around with my 486 SX. I had to upgrade it to a 486 DX just so I could play Warcraft ... then it started.... I was hooked!
And I was about to drive my new wife mad with the music:
From Blizzard:
Over the past 15 years, a lot has changed in Azeroth. Valiant heroes have travelled the length and breadth of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms, taken wing in Outland to free the Black Temple from Illidan's clutches, and set sail for Northrend to battle the mighty Lich King. Whether you've been part of the adventure from the beginning or are just getting started now, we're glad to have you with us for the five-year anniversary of World of Warcraft and the 15-year anniversary of the Warcraft series.
I can see this driving me nuts in no time. Thank god I'm not spending a lot of time in game right now... I'm dreading trying to do anything on my Auction house alt.....But damn Mr T looks good for his age!
Q. What is the Mohawk Grenade? A. The Mohawk Grenade is Mr. T's latest invention: an in-game item that, when hurled at another character, gives everyone within the blast radius an instant T-riffic haircut. Don't worry, you and your friends will look gooooood.
Q. Where do I get it? A. Quit your jibber-jabber and claim your Mohawk Grenades from any of the Night Elf Mohawk NPCs camped outside every starting zone.
Q. What regions are eligible to claim the Mohawk Grenade? A. North America, Europe and Korea.
Q. Is this a permanent item? A. Each Mohawk Grenade has five charges before exhausting its power, and you're welcome to claim another once the charges are gone.
Q. How long will the Mohawk Grenade be available in-game? A. Claim Mohawk Grenades starting November 16th in North America and November 24th in Europe and Korea. They'll be available until... well, until the Night Elf Mohawk decides his work is done.
It's got to the stage in World of Warcraft where I'm not really doing a lot outside of raiding. I've got three level 80 characters. Two i just really created for the sake of it. I had to play a Death Knight to 80 just to see the story line. My Druid was created purely because my guild needed a tank at the time. I never really got attached to either of them.
My Hunter is my main character. He's a guild leader of a fairly successful raiding guild and he's now at the stage where he needs one single item from 25 main TOC. Due to the week long lockouts it doesn't leave me with much to do for the other six days a week.
This week, for instance, my guild cleared TOC 25 man and 10 man and Onyixa 10 and 25 man in two nights. Each night we spent approximately 2-3 hours raiding. That's not a lot of time when you consider that you've got nothing else to do for the rest of the week in game.
On Sunday night I jumped online and got suckered into doing an OS25 with 3 drakes. The funny thing was, I was still buffed from my Thursday night raid. The raid ends, I log out and don't log back in until the next scheduled raid.
I am exulted with all the appropriate factions. I have all the gold I could possibly want. The only new content Blizzard have added to the game in the last month are vanity pets you have to purchase off the Blizzard store for $10. I really hope Blizzard get their ass into gear and get this patch out really soon.
The PTR is looking good and I'm predicting that they'll release it on their fifth anniversary - 23rd November or very close to that date. Every week that goes by without Blizzard releasing more content leaves me hearing more and more about people getting attached to their Aion characters.
It's been quite some time since I've experienced a game that not only provided me with great gameplay but also a compelling story line to match. Over the last week I've been playing Dragon Age Origins and it's like that book you just can't put down. Not because I want to kill the next monster but because I want to hear what happens in the next part of the story. If you take the time to speak to your comrades in your camp, the story truly expands itself into an amazing book. I'm quite sure that you could play the game right through without touching the depth of the story line but if you take the time to actually talk to all your party members and be patient and listen to what they have to say, you'll find that not only does the story unfold, you'll get extra rewards and quest lines. I would highly recommend Dragon Age Origins to anyone who appreciates a good fantasy story - with a little bit of romance thrown in.
Bioware seem to have spared no expense with the development of there newest game Dragon Age that will be out on the 4th of November or in 1 1/2 days away if your getting it off steam. One of the many cool things in this game is the tool set for all you moders out there. And this tool set will be very cool for machinima.
