An update? Yes, yes there is....

In time for the 2nd anniversary of the game, they finally rolled out the rest (?) of the 2.9 updated, promised so long ago (back in November).

There's an article on it at Massively.com, which is how I heard. And looking at the comments, it seems that Neume is back on the game as well. While he's a bit weaselly, at least he's not a jerk like that Raiden guy.

Anyway, depending on how things go, I might be back for 3.0, but the rest of 2.9 doesn't seem to have much for me. Claire, which IIRC, requires an obscenely rare monster to kill or get a drop from. And even after you get her, just isn't that good.

I actually am getting a little burned out of Atlantica. But in that case, it's because I've basically reached the endgame. While I haven't reached the level cap (which is 120), I have basically hit their equivalent of "Expert" (113th level), which lets you use the best gear in the game.

In Sword, I'm only 40% to Expert, and that's only for my scout! My fighter and musketeer are only in their 20%s, if I remember correctly. And I would play 7-8 hours a day sometimes. Maybe if I ever get a better internet connection and can afk all day. But that doesn't seem likely.

Another month, no playing sword...

Ugh. Even if I wanted to play Sword now, I couldn't. My internet is acting up again. Have I said I really hated Verizon? Well, I still do. Can't stay connected for more than 5-15 minutes, which makes it impossible to play anything.

Also, can't really even follow the game anymore, as the official forums for the game seem really screwed up...

OT: Killed my first Spartan (and Pirate, too)

Still happily playing Atlantica Online. Reached 95, which is basically their equivalent of "Veteran". The slog to 120 (I guess their version of Expert) is pretty slow, but there are steps between the the two, unlike in Sword.

Anyway, I'm advancing pretty well in the automated PvP tournaments. My winning percentage is a pretty steady 44%, but winning 3 out of 8 still brings me in about 5 million per tournament, which isn't bad.

Just recently, I ran into two of the higher types of mercenaries available in the game (B Grade). They cost hundreds of millions (or billions) to acquire in game and are really tough apparently.

And yet while I didn't win, I came pretty close, despite having guys about 5 levels lower and mostly D grade ones.

3.0 at the end of May?

Finally we've gotten a vague date at least out of the new AM for the game, "Raven".

Better than no date, I suppose.

He seems more forthright than Neume, though.

Q. Obviously Neume was stalling/didn't know the situation at IMC, can you explain what happened between K2 and IMC that communication broke down so badly?

A. .. same here, Business Related.. Only my boss knows the details, but things are back in good shape and working smoothly

Neume would either lie or ignore that question.

K2 takes action against Dupers...

But the dupers strike back, apparently. K2 seems to have banned some of the dupers main accounts on Illier, but not their alt accounts. So at least one of the people on Illier got on his alt and dropped 100s of duped items for people to pick up.

Apparently this caused K2 to do a rollback of Illier.

I feel sorry for the 3 people who play there.

Another week...

Still doesn't look like any word of update on a patch for Sword. The new AM Guin seems to be about as good at saying nothing as Neume.

In my own MMORPG news, I'm up to level 89 in Atlantica. For that game, "Vet" is really at 95, so I'm getting close. I wouldn't say I'm burning out of it, but I've heard bad things about the end game. So I don't know how much longer I shall play. It's been fun though.

LOTRO also came out with a big patch, a gig's worth, adding a new Elf area. I haven't even made it to Moria yet, but I logged in and played a few hours.

They changed the xp requirements for levels in that, to make leveling slightly easier (or smoother). In approximately 190 hours playing it, I had reached level 37. The changed xp chart bumped me up to 38 4/5s.

What's new in Sword?

Well, from reading the official forums, sounds like the servers, or at least Orpesia, are having trouble with the hamsters that power them.

Still no apparent word of when the rest of 2.9 (or 3.0) is coming, so who knows when (or at this point, if) I'll be back.

In Atlantica I'm up to 85th (almost 86th level). I've now spent $20 on that game (buying 4 merc rooms, that game's version of quarter slots. The cash shop there is expensive!)

In LOTRO I've been playing once in a while, now up to level 37. They're about to roll out a big update there in the next couple weeks.

Right now though, I'm not playing much of anything because my internet is screwed up again. Constant disconnects, which makes play games almost impossible, and even just browsing not much fun.

And every time you call Verizon for help, they are just so clueless. "Oh, just update your networking program." Uh, no, that's not the problem. Your lousy network is the problem. If you spent half the money you do advertising saying how great you are, actually improving your network, I wouldn't be having this problem.

As much as I hate them though, my contract is up at the end of the year and I'm afraid I'll be out of options then. Verizon no longer offers the unlimited plan (which I have), but charging a quarter for every megabyte after 5 gigs. My normal usage in a month is about 15 gigs, which would run about $2000. Oy!

Hughesnet is an option, but not a very good one. And it's horrible for gaming, so I might be out of MMORPGs for a few years....

But I got 8 months left, so no need to completely panic yet. But at this rate, disconnecting every 15 minutes, I won't be playing games in those 8 months, either.