The Curious Tauren

Since I'm not a number-cruncher or min/maxer or even all that technical, I rather suck at making macros. I managed a few targeting macros and an assist macro, but other than that, I leave the business of causing actions to the buttons WoW gives me. Not terribly talented, am I?

Plus, I haven't managed to decently figure out WoW's macro/scripting language, even though computers and I generally get along okay. (When you grow up in a family of computer geeks, you tend to pick up a few things, even if computering is not your chosen lifelong calling.) So this instance of macro daring makes me particularly proud of myself, even if it's really not that spectacular. It even helped me understand the language a little better, because I had to do a lot of reading and then splice it together after looking at a lot of other premade macros.

After acquiring more mounts, especially the Tan War Talbuk counterpart to my current Tan Riding Talbuk, I wanted to have some variety in what I rode. Specifically, I wanted to be able to dictate the conditions when each is summoned. When I take up my "battle standard" and ride off to war, my Talbuk needs to be armored too! And when I'm just running around in the world and it's not so dangerous, my poor mount doesn't need to tote that heavy steel plating.

Thus, a script macro:

/run if IsMounted() and not IsFlying() then Dismount() return end if (UnitIsPVP("player")) then CallCompanion("Mount",##) else CallCompanion("Mount",##) end

The first thing this macro does is make a check to see if I'm already mounted, and if I am, it just dismounts me--like a standard mount summon button. It also has a built-in safety so that it will not dismount me if I'm in flight. After it ascertains my unmounted status, it performs another check: whether my pvp flag is up or not. If I am PvP flagged, it will call the Tan War Talbuk; "else" if I am not flagged, the script summons the Tan Riding Talbuk. This way, in Battlegrounds and World PvP, I'll be riding around in armored style!

Any readers can feel free to use it for your own PvP riding preferences. ^_^ I've tested it flagged and unflagged, and unless I've transcribed it wrong, it should work just fine. Just replace the "##" with the number location of your chosen mounts in your mount tab (for example, my talbuks are numbers 13 and 14 in the list). And remember: if you get new mounts, the number locations of your chosen mounts may change!

Anyone who is wise in the ways of macro scripting who knows a method to make the summon choice more dependable even with new mounts (summon by name?) is welcome to make suggestions!

With not much to do with Emira besides dailies, rep, and the odd dungeon run, I've decided to kick several of my alts into gear and at least get them up to/through BC. That way, we'll all be ready when I get the pennies to buy a $40 expansion. (O.o Yes, my finances are tight.)

I've got a warlock (I like pet classes, can't you tell?), a healy/feral druid, a low-ish warrior (ack, I'm not used to throwing myself face-first at enemies! Range, not rage!), and a baby priest who probably won't make the cut. And, of course, my Dwarf Suit Brinanna, who exists for Alliance Tourist purposes--just to check out towns and experience quests.

With Brin hovering at 56, I made the decision to quest/grind in Winterspring for Saber Trainer prep and rugged leather. That last hump to max vanilla Leatherworking was a bear. x_x Ten thousand rugged stacks and two levels later, Brin was 58 and ready to hit Outlands.



Since Outlands was a little brutal to Emira even at 60, we took it slow and alternated between Winterspring and Hellfire Peninsula (yes, still Wintersaber grinding to do). The pet talent improvements have helped considerably in making all pets less squishy! This I like--I was worried that my wolves (Trailseeker and Avalanche, respectively), now Ferocity instead of...multi-purpose, were going to end up like the squishy old-school cats.

I hadn't been in Hellfire Peninsula in so long, I'd forgotten about the Fel Reavers. Ack, fast dodging and lots of running. But everything else has been fun so far, seeing the inside of Honor Hold, getting professions leveled, frantically saving money for the flying mount I hadn't realized I could get at 60 (where's all this easymode stuff coming from?! O_o). Brin has also added a Tenacity pet to the stable--a big gray bear named Rockslide. He'll be doing the AoE tanking from now on, when needed, instead of Thorn or Avalanche.

And maybe Brin will even have a Wintersaber mount by...oh, next summer. x_X Make it more like the Ravasaur daily, Blizz? I'm sure people would love to run around Winterspring to feed their cute little Wintersaber kitten...

You won't believe how happy I was to see this one! 'Seeker and I dropped right out of Outland to head for Un'goro as soon as we caught wind of it. See, I'm trying to win as many mounts as I can in hopes of maybe making the 50-Mount Achievement even before I get into WotLK. Unrealistic? Maybe, but it's something to shoot for in between piles of dailies and mining!

The hardest part of mount-buying is making enough money to support some of the 200-gold purchases, and grinding rep from the main cities. Emira's been hoarding rep for Orgrimmar since Year One--yep, that's right, before all the handy rep boost changes--and even now she's only partway through Revered. One...Runecloth...stack...at a time.

Anyway, new mount! Well, sort of. I completed the Ravasaur Trainer's quest line, but instead of being given a shiny new mount, I got...a baby Venomhide Ravasaur. And he's cute!! But I can't ride him. Apparently, I have to raise, feed, and train him for at least 20 days before he's ready to go. ^_^ This is okay with me, as I raise animals in RL, and I know they take time, care, and patience.

Brinanna only wishes that the "Oh-God-No-More-Wintersaber-Grind" was more like this. Please change, Blizz?


In the meantime, I have a cute baby! And I'm going to go feed him.

Out of sheer boredom, I reactivated my account. Job hunt's not going well, the weather is unbearably hot, and there's nothing to do but farm chores. Thus, the need for gameage. O_o

Emira's back in the game! A lot of things have changed since I've been away. The guild, class talents, pet mechanics, mount animations, and a whole new expansion. I'll just have to see what happens and how I adapt...and hopefully I'll even be able to get the expac soon. For now, I'll just say hello to old friends, do so many of the things I wasn't able to get to before, and level up some of my alts.

I foresee many dailies in my future! I'm off to game!

Holy hunter macros, Batman! I just now spotted the news--late as usual--that the Druids' beast forms are getting an aesthetic update! New skins for their shapeshift models, which are meant to reflect more of the Druid's own appearance, rather than all one generic bear/lion/panther. Bwaha!

This is something I've been rooting for since...well, practically Year One. My little much-ignored droodlet will be ecstatic! He's a black Tauren, and has always wanted to be a black bear/lion, rather than dull brown or blinding yellow. (We were always jealous of the purple bears--they didn't look like the ones in the woods.) This is an awesome change.

Now, next order of business: extend the change to other beast forms, like bird and travel and water form. Also, can we make it so female Tauren Druids don't have to have beards and lion manes? Tauren women get enough flak as it is. XD Srsly.

Also, what are the odds of making the Nelf and Tauren travel forms look different? How 'bout if the Tauren one stays yellow, and the Nelf one is switched to that purple/black leopard kitty with white spots. That looks nice and Nelfy, right?

Keep on making things more pretty, Blizz.

I've been sort of following the advent of WotLK from a distance, and keeping an eye on things from the vantage point of other bloggers, Petopia, WoWHead, etc. And since I'm planning on getting back into the game...well, sometime in the near-ish future, I took much closer looks.

Bwaaah! They turned my poor Trailseeker into...a cat! with no Prowl, and a Howl buff he can't even cast on the party any more! ( *flails* )

I really am still alive out here somewhere, lost in the Nether of Real Life.

Summer is coming soon, and with it, a celebration of Graduation and finally...freedom!

And responsibility. But I think I'm quite ready for that, and quite ready to be done with higher education so I can get on with my life. ^_^ And my hunting. So much has changed, and I've missed so much. It'll be overwhelming, almost like learning a new game--and familiar, like comfortable old gloves.

Sometimes, on these slow evenings, I miss Azeroth terribly. But I'm forging on! It's already May; the last term is half over.

Summer is coming soon.

I can't wait!

Long times between posts! Insanely long--I am a bad blogger. But a busy player! So much has happened! Mad questing and instancing with guildies and friends, faction farming, getting awesome new weapons, learning the dailies, getting my flying mounts...

The awareness that I had so little time to do all these things made me frantic to get everything done--so much that I neglected to think of taking the time to post. I paid for a three-month subscription span for the summer, canceling it almost as soon as I paid. I knew that I'd have to go back to school and devote 110% to finally getting my degree, while everyone else went on to new expansions without me. The day my time expires is too fast approaching.

But I got so much done in this wondrous, whirlwind summer! Much of it thanks to the generous help (and crafting/enchanting) of guildmates and friends. Let's see if I can even cover it all...

( Emira's Last Great Adventures. )
Someday, hopefully even as soon as next summer, I'll be back! I hope to see you all again when I return! Be well, you brave souls, 'til we meet again!


So long, dear friends, and thanks for all the Netherwing Eggs!

Safe paths to everyone!
<3

After having a great Fourth afternoon with the family, despite that we were unable to attend any fireworks, I managed to level to 70! Check me out, I'm now a flying curious Tauren! Look out, world!

It was a little funny getting the control down pat (and a bit of panic until I realized that falling on my windrider means he'll fly), but I've played Horizons and flown there too, so it was familiar enough. What fun! I can now mine with impunity! Well...mostly. Lots of new pictures in the album too, check it out.

Whew, I've been so busy exploring and leveling I haven't stopped in to blog. Shame on me. I've just been so excited to be so close to several goals--70, Mag'har exalted status, and starting the Netherdrake quests. Two out of three ain't bad! Still got a bit to go with the Mag'har, and then I'll have a fast ground mount that's a little more secksay than Ol' Trodd the Swift Brown Kodo. ^_^ The old boy needs a vacation after all the running we've been doing lately anyway.

And I'll be working on that Netherdrake too! Wish me luck!

Safe paths!
~Emira

...I really just gave away my age with that one, didn't I?

I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is: Emira is back! The bad news...it's only for the summer. I managed to scrape together some time and pennies! It might only be for three months, but I'm back in the saddle!

^^; And it's been over a year since I last played, so I took a lowbie alt for a spin last night to Lrn2Play again. Whew, if I thought I kinda sucked at it before the Great Sleep...now I'm downright embarrassing. And so much has changed! I was barely able to keep up with knowing some of what's going on by checking in at the Petopia blog and BigRedKitty (thank you for just being there, you guys!) and things, but I was still surprised at a lot of things. Some good, some bad; here are just a few things I noticed, before I dive back into the world again! ( ...read more! )