Hoshnasi

First and foremost the levels came fast. Which they mostly do in MMOs in the first 20 levels. However, I’m not really hooked yet. I didn’t get that grab I got when I first played WoW. Maybe its because my video quality was bad (old computer), maybe it was the fact I had to spend and hour freeing up hard drive space, either way I’m not addicted, I don’t sit at work looking at class discussions, the best quests or phat loot. I’m pretty lukewarm to the whole thing. I imagine though if my video quality was better and I didn’t select the class I did (Dark Templar) maybe it would grab me.

With the said, there are alot of cool aspects. The left, right and vertical attack system is quite good. NPCs change there they are blocking using three floating “Shields” attacking on the left there the NPC has three shields stack is ussually a loosing attack. So you aim for the right or vertical, with a damage bonus. This attack system also ties into “combos”, selecting an attack button like “Leech Life” an attack that converts dark templar damage into life puts a window on the screen with an arrow pointing to the direction of attack, left, right and vertical. So selecting an attack that hits an unguarded spot on an NPC leads to a more devastating attack. Another cool thing are fatalities.

Fatalities are completely visceral. Sometimes with proper timing a combo attack will end up killing an NPC and randomly cause a fatality. I have seen my character lop off heads, disembowel and eviscerate his opponents. All leaving a satisfying blood splatter on the screen, as though it were a camera that got gibbed.

I’m going to roll a few more classes and try some other stuff and see how it goes.

I’m a long time forum goer at CigarPass.  Its a really great online community for cigar smokers.  Tonight we are having a get together called a Herf which is the term used to describe a bunch of people who come together to smoke cigars.  Its always a great fun and tonight should be no exception.

I’ll be there at 6:00-7:00 pm.

I co-worked told me a little tale of of his weekend spent re-formating his brand new MacBook Pro. He wanted to load a bunch of files and had them on his home network. So he decided he would open up the root level access over the network and share the files. He thought he was secure because he had a brand new WPA secure Wifi network (which was working properly). What he didn’t realize is that Back to you Mac allows the users to browse the Mac on the entire network.

So what would normally happen here is someone would click on a Mac in the Back to my Mac system and be met with a user name and password prompt. They were met with NOTHING since the root was shared and OPEN! In his case, he had his laptop open for a few hours and after returning to it after the files had been copied locally he found a few new folders on the desktop that had funny icons and something related to his keychain. Uh-oh… At this point any attempt to restart sent the computer into an infinite restart cycle. He had to spend his memorial day reformating.

User of .Mac and Back to my Mac, HEED my words. Turn off file sharing! If any .Mac devs are reading this (why you) then maybe a Mac Address authorization is needed before a user can just see all the Macs on the system online. All it takes is a kid with a bunch of time on his hands before he finds one that is open to the public if you get my drift.

I know, I’m late to the party. However certain changes happened for me that allow me to use a good portion of the network functions here at work. First, I learned there was a new wifi access point that goes around the 802.1x authentication for VPN.  That means I can at least use wifi at work to get email, browse the net and twitter.  Good news!

Second, At&t dropped a bunch of cheap refurbs on sale.  For refurbs these are NIB quality.  It looks like someone bought it retail, used it for fine minutes and returned it.  It looks that clean.  Someone in the office also bought a refurb and its like butter.

Other pluses for me are the fact that the iPhone syncs flawlessly with my Mac, “duh” I know, but after paying for third party sync apps for windows mobile phones and having only 60% of my info sync is a big deal and one less annoyance.  Now that I can sync my Google calendar to iCal I’m pretty much set for keeping up on whatever my little lady wants me to do….  and then ignore it.

I’m happy with it, as expected the iPhone is a well integrated phone that makes me far less pissed off than most of the “smart” phones I have had in the past.  Adding an iPod into one device just means I can carry less now.

Finally the third party apps are GREAT,  iPhysics, Twinkle, Intelliscreen, Streetflow and Meebo are really handy things to have in my phone -that again, just work.

Anyone else lucky enough to get one of the refurbs?

This is a short lived opportunity for sure and I’m letting everyone know a little late, but there is still money to be had.

Currently AT&T are selling the 8 ($249.00) and 16 ($349.00) GB iPhone on the refurb site.  Right now you are limited to one, but that doesn’t stop you from pick more up via craigslist.  Once you have acquired a bunch.  Unlock using the ZiPhone tool.

 PROFIT!!! (As long as you make it international shipping, for peeps in Transylvania)

I made this yesturday after a Dr. Appointment.

WWDC is coming around the bend June 9th. Get your cash ready to plop down on the new 3G iPhone. When WWDC rolls around I’ll be watching my buddy HLash’s Twitter closely. He’ll be live micro blogging the whole thing for us

Also, I’m back and working both HoshNasi and Twitter, check me out.