Gaiscioch’s RIFT Event: The Telara Saga – Part 1

Our Post-Event Family Picture

Last night was the beginning of Gaiscioch’s (my MMO guild) RIFT public event, entitled The Telara Saga. The event is a 22 week march that started in Silverwood and will end with the siege of the Defiant city of Meridian sometime in early August. So, was the event epic? Did we accomplish a lot? Yes, and yes. For 3 hours, the guild and some players who pug’ed with us closed 64 minor rifts and 68 major rifts, destroyed 44 minor footholds and 4 major footholds, and stopped 3 world invasions. The result: players getting a lot of shards and stones.

But, besides the currency rewards, we also accomplished better coordination amongst our members. The whole guild last night covered the entirety of Silverwood. This was done by breaking the guild into 10 groups, dividing the map into 5 sectors, and putting 2 groups in each sector. It was pretty clever, and we were closing rifts as soon as they open up everywhere in the map. Our communication was also in better shape. After last week’s communication breakdown [on vent] during our escapade in Freemarch, Foghladha (Gaiscioch’s GM) ensured that it won’t happen again. So, he devised a plan and assigned 100 people on vent into 10 different group channels while still enabling all group leaders to talk to each other. It was quite ingenious, cool and also a bit weird.

As for me, I also had the honor to lead group 10. While I enjoyed it, I think I really have to work on my charisma. I only had 3 other guildies with me, which then dropped sharply to 1, and players who PUG’ed with me didn’t stick around for long. But I’ll lead again when given the opportunity. However, I didn’t enjoy the event as much as I thought I would. But I only have myself to blame for that because I was expecting a lot. I was expecting Defiants every where I turn. I was expecting the event to be like Battle for Badlands. I keep forgeting that this game is mostly PvE. I guess there’s still a bit of WAR-monger left in me.

Overall, it was a successful event. A lot of our players enjoyed the event and where happy with the rewards. While I was a bit disappointed because I didn’t get to kill any Defiant, I’m also glad and proud to see our guild working harmoniously last night. We’re far from being a well-oiled machine, I think. But, for our first try, I think we really did well. We’re one step closer to killing Asha Catari.

The Telara Saga, A Gaiscioch Public Event

Once again, Gaiscioch, my beloved guild, will host another public event for RIFT on the Faeblight server. Entitled “The Telara Saga”, this PvP event will be as huge as our The Battle for Badlands event in Warhammer Online, which was a success and brought the Badlands community together. Anyways, here are the details, which I’ve copied and re-posted from the Faeblight forums:

Hail and Well met champions of Telara, I would like to formally welcome you all, both Guardian and Defiant to engage in this 22 week server wide public event. Help defend your homelands for the invasions that plague our land or engage each other in battle to the death. The Telara Saga is upon us.

Beginning on Tuesday, March 8th at 6PM PST (GMT-8), The Gaiscioch Family presents their Telara Saga, a 22 week adventure which Begins in Silverwood and progresses all the way to Freemarch through 11 battlefields. The Guardian forces will march each week a step closer to the gates of Merdian. On the 22nd Week, we assault the heathen city of Meridian and kill the 8 Champions of the Defiants, Sylver Valis, Padma Ultan, Brother Damon, Rodan Ismos, Dacia Ultan, Kaspar Massi, Orphiel Farwind, and Asha Catari.

Here is the Full Season One Schedule:

MAR 8 & 15th: Securing Silverwood
MAR 22 & 29th: Advancing to Gloamwood
APR 5 & 12th: The Battle Rages in Scarlet Gorge
APR 19 & 26th: The Securing Of Scarwood Reach
MAY 3 & 10th: Troop Training in Moonshade Highlands
MAY 17 & 24th: Setting up Foreign Operations In Droughtlands
JUN 7 & 14th: Securing Resources In Iron Pine Peak
JUN 21 & 28th: Scouting The Lands of Shimmersand
JUL 5 & 12th: Testing Our Strength In Stillmoor
JUL 19 & 26th: Advancing Our Front Line in Stonefield
AUG 2nd: The Siege of Freemarch
AUG 9th: The Battle for Meridian

Over this 22 week campaign we will be taking on Rifts, Invasions, World Events, and most importantly cleansing the heathen Defiants from the lands. We will build our forces, equip them with the best gear we have to offer, and prepare for the battle of the ages to sever the head of the Defiant beast. This event series is design to introduce players to the world of Telara, give them the help they need to understand the mechanics, and expose people to the joys of large community driven events.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHO: All Players of Faeblight Server. Defiants Engage us to your hearts content. PvP Centric folk feel free to have at each other. The PvE folk will be closing Rifts, Invasions, and World Events while the PvP Centric fight to secure the lands against foreign invaders.

WHAT: A 22 Week Public Community Driven Event. Ventrilo Will Be Provided for Guardian Players.
WHEN: Every Tuesday starting on March 8th and running through August 9th, 2011. Event begins at 6PM PST and continues until 9PM PST.
WHERE: 2 Weeks In Each Zone leading up to the Siege of Meridian.
HOW: We will be forming in the town where the previous week ended and marching our way to each region. All Ages welcome to participate.

ABOUT THE GAISCIOCH FAMILY The Gaiscíoch (Pronounced: Gosh-Kia) Family began as a social gaming community in the industry pioneering MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot. We began on the Nimue server on November 11th, 2001, with a focus on creating a fun and enjoyable community for players of all ages and skill levels.

With our roots firmly attached in the Celtic Mythological Cycle, the Gaiscíoch hold honor, respect, integrity, and fellowship, over hierarchy and dictatorship. Today the Gaiscíoch family spans many games, sports, and social circles.

We are a social casual gaming community with a relaxed approach toward gaming. We allow our members to play how they want, when they want, as long as they want and do not constrict them with quotas or requirements. It is through gaming, athletic competition, and social interaction that we forge new friendships and relationships.

The Gaiscioch Family has been coordinating large scale public events for nearly a decade. We focus on creating fun and enjoyable events for players of all backgrounds. Community development is our primary objective.

If you have any questions please feel free to shoot me a private message or stop by: http://www.Gaiscioch.com/

Slan Go Foil!
Foghladha
Ceannard de Gaiscioch Treubh
http://www.Gaiscioch.com/

So, there. I hope you guys, both Guardians and Defiants, can join us in this events.

WAR Blooms

"Death blooms on the tip of my axe" -Skaarn

The votes to my ‘MMO Conundrum’ post reached an impasse last Saturday night, with Dungeons & Dragons Online, World of Warcraft and Warhammer Online tying up at 33.3%. So, in the end, I still have to choose an MMORPG for myself. But I was glad that the poll finished the way it did. Because, ever since I saw the new city sieges that will be implemented in the next patch of Warhammer Online, I’ve been itching dying to get back into WAR. So, Saturday night, I hastily voted for Warhammer Online on my poll and reactivated my account. My return to game was a glorious one.

The first thing I noticed upon my return to WAR is its improved graphics. When I left this game 5 months ago, I only ran it on 1280 x 800 resolution with zero effects. Any graphical settings higher than that results in an extreme lag or a crash. Now I’m running the game in 1680 x 1050 resolution, with all the effects turned on (Bloom!) and set on high, without experiencing any problems at all. I even ran into a huge skirmish -with probably more than 100 players participating- and still maintained a playable FPS.

But the best thing about coming back to this game is being able to play with my guild, Gaiscioch. I’ve been running with this guys since April of last year and they’re a fun bunch. They also host this RvR community event called ‘Battle for Badlands‘. It’s similar to the Trinity Raids we did back in Phoenix Throne server. Except this time we also invite players from the Destruction side, like we’re picking a fight. Foghladha, our guild leader, is also keeping score this time, besides kicking ass and taking names. Currently, Battle for Badlands is on its early parts of season 2 (and Order is ahead by 165 points as of this writing).

It’s only been two days since I got back into WAR. But so far, so good. The coming patch shows promise (so did the other patches in the past), and I’m really excited to partake in the city sieges. But if it falls out of my expectations, or if it ultimately fails, then Gaiscioch and Battle for Badlands will definitely keep me glued to this game.