Talk: Tennessee Ernie Ford/Archive 01

This is an archive of past discussions. Do not edit the contents of this page. If you wish to start a new discussion or revive an old one, please do so on the current talk page.

Editorial Suggestions for TEF

To help me improve my contributions, please add your suggestions here in reverse-chronological order. Thanks!

Viper reminds TEF to sign posts.

Please use talk pages to comment on articles, and sign posts on talkpages with ~~~~. Cheeri-o's --- -- (contribs) (talk) 18:20, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

• Whoops. Yes, I should be signing everything. For some reason, I thought there was a pref that forced my sig. Sorry 'bout that. --Tennessee Ernie Ford is the nom de web of the author of RPG guides. No relationship to the fantabulous gospel singer of the same name is intended or implied. 19:02, 28 January 2009 (UTC)

New Section

On talk pages (and a few other pages), next to the Edit tab at the top there is a "+" tab. Click on it to create a new section. This is useful if you want to create a new section on a talk page that is long (so you don't have to scroll down). It also formats the summary in such a way that in the Special:RecentChanges a link takes people to the section directly. (-: -User:PanSola (talk to the ) 08:54, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Cool - thanks for the tip. (I can see how that would be useful for all.) --Tennessee Ernie Ford 09:26, 14 February 2009 (UTC)

Location images

Be sure to remove the "thumb" when putting images into the Location box template. The text can stay, it'll be seen on mouseover. --◄mendel► 17:51, 6 March 2009 (UTC)

I've changed it on the ones you've actually saved. Also note that for consistency I put the map on map= even though that redlinks some images; with luck, readers noticing that will take screenshots that can be uploaded more easily by clicking on the red link. --18:07, 6 March 2009 (UTC)

cool - thanks for the note.

User:Tennessee Ernie Ford/Wish I Had Known/General/Easy Unlock Table

{{moved|to|[[../Wish_I_Had_Known/General/Easy_Unlock_Table]}}

Hoss Rainswell: Maelstrom

Are you sure you're not confusing him with Fryn Rageflame? He's the one with Maelstrom. I would normally revert immediately, but I'm feeling GW:AGF today... RoseOfKali 06:44, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Yup. Didn't even run into the Frynster this visit. Next time, I'll take a screenshot and leave it on a talk page :-). I was equally surprised (kept looking at the cap menu - that can't be right, can it?), although I suspect few have tried to cap all the bosses in The Falls.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 07:02, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Hmm... It just seems surprising that one of the bosses would have 4 skills and the other 5. Dammit, now I have to go buy a cap sig... >_< Unless you are so kind to take a screenie: next time remember to screen everything that seems "off" or you will be questioned. ;) RoseOfKali 07:15, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

P.S. How was this never caught before? O_o RoseOfKali 07:16, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

I can't confirm that he has five skills; I could only double-check the four (since I don't have access to ). It's already odd that he is supposed to have two professions, so... I dunno.

As to why no one noticed: I think not that many ppl spend time in the Falls; it's out of the way, ppl go there to get totem axes, and there are easier ways to get Maelstrom. You'll notice it's also one of the zones missing (some) HM details.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 07:31, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

I'll try to get him with my E/Mo at some point, this is very odd indeed. Though, Jungle Trolls also have two professions, so it's not unheard of. RoseOfKali 07:43, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

P.S. (again) - what HM details are missing? I can try to get them while at it. It's too late for me to figure this out all by myself... RoseOfKali 07:47, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

In the falls, none of the bosses have HM levels. The L14/18 trolls don't have HM levels. (Not as bad as I remembered, actually.)

If you do an update for HM, you might want to clarify the warnings. My NM experience: you have to be careful everywhere. In the Totem Axe area, you can get skale + rider + life pods converging on you (per the warning). In the early zone, you can get redwoods + trolls + spiders + pods, not necessarily easier (depending on the party/build).   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 07:56, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

I'll see what I can do in the near future (I'm getting my LDoA tonight, FINALLY! :D). I don't remember this being particularly difficult when I VQ'd it a long time ago. The biggest pain are the chained CoF's, so bring quick-casting skills and flag apart your heroes before you engage, and you should be fine. This will be interesting to do again, as I don't remember it at all from last time. RoseOfKali 08:14, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

(re-indent) Let us know when you LDoA! (esp. if you can defeat that final l a g. :-)

FWIW, Vizz Vexflume is also a 5-skill boss. (I just compared his article vs cap screen; they are consistent.)   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 09:05, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

I rule. ^_^ RoseOfKali 17:54, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

You do indeed! How did you manage to get 1 xp away:-) Nice work.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 17:57, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Just realized that I could manage to pull it off in the last 800XP or so, and decided to go for it. :P Took some math skillz to figure out what lvl enemies to kill. ^_^ Almost all XP you get in Pre is in even numbers, with a partner or solo. The odd "residue" was from way back in time when lvl 0 enemies still gave me XP, because they give 5,10,15,20,25 XP. After lvl 5, the only XP combinations you can get solo or duo are all even, because the raw XP is always a multiple of 4, which split in a party of 2 still yields even #s. Guess I got lucky at level 5. :D RoseOfKali 18:17, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Other

Skill QR formatting

← moved to User talk:AudreyChandler

Cool template

This template has been used to interesting effect and affect.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 05:15, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

function substUsername()
{
    var spans = getElementsByClass('insertusername', null, 'span');

    for(var i = 0; i < spans.length; i++)
    {
        spans[i].innerHTML = wgUserName;
    }
}

We could do that. (T/C) 05:28, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

Awesome (I didn't even realize that javascript was entropicly inclined...or maybe that entropy was scripted javalistically - cool!)   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 05:30, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

God that freaked me out, I thought someone was already making fun of me on the infamous Darthishittia... Don't do that! lol RoseOfKali 05:35, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

I looked up their code, which has:

function substUsernameTOC()
{
var toc = document.getElementById('toc');
var userpage = document.getElementById('pt-userpage');

if(!userpage || !toc)
return;

var username = userpage.firstChild.firstChild.nodeValue;
var elements = getElementsByClass('toctext', toc, 'span');

for(var i = 0; i < elements.length; i++)
elements[i].firstChild.nodeValue = elements[i].firstChild.nodeValue.replace('<insert name here>', username);
}

I don't understand js well enough to know whether this is the bit that they use.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 09:21, 26 March 2009 (UTC)

Forgotten Fan

I'll trade you one for a totem axe.  ;) RoseOfKali 01:56, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

They really drop?!? I was beginning to despair. I will take you up if my desperation evolves to Dire.   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 03:29, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

They drop, but from my experience they are much rarer than Totem Axe... I've gotten maybe 10 Totem Axes in my career, and like one fan. (T/C) 04:45, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Ah, I don't feel so bad; I'm only up to a 6:1 odds (assuming one drops soon).   — Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 05:43, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

So... you're actually 6:0, then. RoseOfKali 06:41, 27 March 2009 (UTC)

Matrix: Similarities & Differences of Outposts, Mission Outposts, Towns and more

I put together this matrix to help me understand what was frustrating about the current location taxonomy. Feel free to amend, suggest, etc.

Location Features Matrix

Features of Representative GW Locations	Places party visits alone - Transitory Instances (Colored cells show differences from Bukdek Byway as a representative explorable.)					MMO Places - Persistent Instances (Colored cells show differences from Piken Square as a representative Outpost.)				Other
Features	Bukdek Byway	Old Ascalon	GNW - explore	Hammer Gate	Ascalon Settlement	Piken Square	GNW - outpost	Ascalon City	Lion's Arch	GNW - Mission
World Map Appearance	Bukdek Byway	Old Ascalon	Nothing	Nothing	Nothing					NA
Is there a portal?										NA
Can you start a mission?										NA
Can you walk there?	Must	Must		Must	Must	May	May	May	May	NA
Single Origin Chocolate										NA
Local Color NPCs										NA
Quest NPCs										NA
Signposts										NA
Merchant				NA						NA
Collectors				NA						NA
Basic services (Xunlai, ...)										NA
Medium Services (Craft,...)										NA
Advanced Services (Scribes,...)										NA
Substantive Cartog?				NA	NA					NA

Table notes: For completeness, I included GNW (the mission). For fun, I included Single Origin Chocolate — shouldn't the game include fancier sweets? And a bonus for anyone patient enough to read this far :-)

Observations

TEF's Observations:

• Minor differences between the mission Outposts and Outposts generally: Mission Outposts have a different icon, allow mission kickoff, and generally lack services;
• Minor differences between Towns & Outposts: Towns have a different icon and offer more services;
• Interesting differences between explorables and mission-created explorables: mission explorables do not have a unique map label & lack service NPCs.
• Mission explorables have similarities to POIs (e.g. can't portal directly), although even Village POIs have more services.
  • Also, you can only reach POIs by going through an explorable portal and walking; you can only reach mission explorables by going to an Outpost and entering the mission.

Mendel's Observations: For PPva (combat areas), those with a portal are those you only leave when you want to (unless DP 60% for the whole party and such), while those without work in different ways. Some areas can be vanquished, others cannot. Command Post is quite interesting, too, because it even has a Profession Changer - as does Senji's Corner. One is an explorable, the other is an outpost. --◄mendel► 00:05, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

RE: mendels' observations - good to know. I don't know much about PvP or PPva. Does anything (currently in matrix) above change in HM? I'll add columns shortly to reflect combat areas.

FWIW, I beginning to think a big source of issue around ____ Outpost is that NCSoft reuses the name three times (confusing enough) while wikia and official wiki only have primary articles on two of the uses (the Missions and the [tbd] Outposts). --Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 05:35, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

PPva = Places Party visits alone; I'd maybe have called them "Party instances" and not "Unique instances", but that's pedantry. ;-) --◄mendel► 12:41, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

LOL. As one pedant to another, I approve the intent if not the logic. What I was thinking: the instances exist only until you leave (by whatever route), so that, while they exist, they are unique. And unique contrasts rhetorically well with shared. Still, strictly speaking, PPvas are shared between humans in the party. Hmmn. --Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 17:12, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

If you're thinking about how long the instances exist, they'be either persistent (Outpost) or transitory (Explorable). --◄mendel► 18:13, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

Other Thoughts, Suggestions, Discussion

In XHTML, it's <br />, not <BR>. --◄mendel► 00:05, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

Cool — thanks also for teaching me to fish. And great idea adding the links and the icons!

BTW: As I reorganized, I took the liberty of splitting your observations from suggestions - I hope that was ok. :-) --Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 05:35, 22 February 2009 (UTC)

That's fine. --◄mendel► 12:41, 22 February 2009 (UTC)