My Opinons on the Wizard's Watchtower

Hey Gang,

For those of you who have access to the Test Realm (and even some of you who don't), you'd know that there are two new houses available at the Crowns Shop (10,000 a pop, or 100,000 gold). Well, one of these houses (my favorite of the two, actually) is called the Wizard's Watchtower (the other is called the Sunken Palace). Today I'm here with you to talk about my opinions of this new house (and maybe some other time I'll talk about the Sunken Palace. I'm going to start with some things I liked about the house, and then move on to the things that can be improved (Note: I've actually started decorating in the Test Realm because I'm pre-planning for a party I'm gonna have for Halloween, so your going to see some housing items):

1. Hallway on the Second Floor: I really like the look of this hallway on the second floor of the Wizard's Watchtower. It gives a really good castle feel, and the mosaics of the dragon only enhance the feel! The carpet blends in very well too, tying the whole room together without you having to even place a housing item! Good job KingsIsle!

2. Dragon Statue, Dragon Feet Columns, and the general Second Floor (Library-like Room): This is just ... wow. First (and most obvious), the dragon statue is great! I love the fire coming out of its mouth. And the fact it's standing on top of the main circular bookshelf just makes this preinstalled feature even more amazing. I also like the library feel of the second floor. Another well done KingsIsle :).

3. Observatory: The view is stunning in this room. And the size of the telescope is huge! The mosaics of the dragon are a nice pull together of the room, and I really like the wood floor and the preinstalled wallpaper. Very nice!

4. Opening Room: The opening room is stunning as you see the giant library pillar pulling the room together. Again, I really like the library feel and the dragon decor.

5. Staircase to the Dragon: Again, this part of the house gives me that "castle" feel that I absolutely love about a home. The rug is a nice touch, and I love the preinstalled torches and banners of dragons.

6. Dragon's Lair (Smog/Hobbit Reference): When I saw this, I literally laughed out loud. If you've ever read (or seen) The Hobbit, you'd know who Smog is, and you'd know how this scene was inspired. Bottom line: AWESOME!

tehehe, anyway, let's move on ...

7. Dragon Claw Lagoon: I really like this feature because it gives the house a location. It tells you, "Hey, your house isn't just on a random island. Your house is centered around a giant and probably ancient statue of a dragon claw". I like anything that gives my house a better definition. :)

8. Castle Entrance: This is just a really cool sight. Again, like the dragon claw statue, it gives your house a location: on the top of a waterfall. I really like the glowing orbs on the pedestals and the dragon keeping watch over the entrance of your house, as well as the observatory in the backround. Very pretty :).

Things That Could Change (This is where I can have some fun!):

1. The Dragon Claw Lagoon: When I first walked around in the house, I thought that little opening in the rope fence was telling me to venture into the whirlpool of a lagoon. When I found out it was just there for looks, I was pretty disappointed. We should be able to go into the whirpool. It could lead into a secret dungeon or cave full of water. Heck, it could lead into a half underwater zone of your house! I'll revisit this point later...

2. The Random Rope: I don't have much to say about this point, since it's pretty short and simple. I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture, but the lowest arch has a rope fence preventing you from going under this. I'd really just like to know why. There doesn't seem to be a reason for it (it looks big enough to travel under) and it really downgrades the look of the house.

3. The Dragon's Lair: This place is perfect as is, except for one small thing. I want to be able to place housing items in this area. As of the current moment, you cannot do so. I'm not sure if this is a current bug, but I have some housing items that would make this room cooler than it is now.

4. This Wall (in the entrance of the staircase): Now this isn't a mandatory change (just an idea suggestion), but why not move the spiral staircase behind this wall and make this room more like a side room instead of a tiny room with a huge spiral staircase in it. I'd also like the ability to place housing items in this room as well.

5. Another Wall (in a the hallway direct before the hallway filled with mosaic windows): Again, this is a great opportunity to add a secret room or hallway. Or better yet, make it another part of the house. It just seems like a loose end that could make the house a lot better than it is currently.

6. Series of Bookshelves: Another secret room suggestion. They could make this another spiral staircase to the dungeon or cave that the Dragon Claw Lagoon leads to. I personally think this a very good idea, but hey, we all have our opinions, right?

7. The Observatory: I'd like to make a side part of this room directly where the camera is pointed to be designated as a bedroom. There are only a few houses with designated bedrooms, and to me it kinda defeats the purpose of a home if your wizard doesn't have a place to sleep. Also, make a spiral staircase from the hallway to this room instead of teleporting me there (since we do see it as a tower from the outside).

Well, that's what I would change! Feel free to voice your opinions on what I thought or tell me what you like/ want to see changed! Until next time!

P.D.

The Commons Courier- Episode Three

Hey Gang,

Episode Three of The Commons Courier is here!

Hello withces and wizards of the Spiral, and welcome to Episode Three of The Commons Courier! After a semi-long break, I, Luke GoldHorn, am back to take you through this awesome Spiral we are graced with. Stay tuned as I talk about recent news in game, give PvP tips, interview Cassandra GriffonDreamer from Witchwarrior101, answer questions, and much more! Thanks for tuning in, and don't forget to submit your entries to the Jackpot Segment and submit your questions!

***Jackpot Segment Winners***

1. NicholasLionRider

2. Senthose365

3. Ethansherr12

Thanks for entering, and the winners should receive a code by Sunday (8/14/11) latest!

The Commons Courier- Episode Two

I never posted Episode Two on my blog, so here it is:

***Transcription coming soon***

Personal Opinions of Wysteria

Hey Gang,

This is just a quick post summarizing my feelings of Wysteria that I posted on a W101Central thread. I thought it would be neat to share my feelings about it on the blog. Here it is:

While I really enjoy the new world because its so much like Harry Potter (trust me, I'm an uber HP fan; just got my Elder Wand in the mail yesterday), it's hard to look like the good guy when saying that they should take this away. At the very least, they should make it known to the public that they have JKR's permission to do this (IF they have her permission to do this; she might not even know about it). Like I said, I'm a big fan of HP, and while I do enjoy all the new similarities, I think the new world should not be released for several reasons. The first is because I grew up with Harry Potter; I've been following his adventures since about 2003, if not before. It hurts when you see a rip off of something you loved dearly since you were little (although, IMO, if Warner Bros. had released a HP MMO, KI wouldn't have ever created Wysteria). It's a bit challenging to understand if your not in the same situation. The next reason is coming from the content. Even though the area in total costs less than $10, I feel it's not quite worth it to go through this area on all my wizards (7 Legendaries, one in each school). Take Celestia for example; obviously it was more expensive and massive then Wysteria, it had a lot more unique offerings such as useful gear and tons of experience. Pigswick really only offers a Pickswick Uniform Set (which doesn't have stats), The Spiral Cup Housing Item (ok, so that is pretty cool...), a Golden Piggle (who's stats aren't even good), and a wand (which is really good for level 20-30). My point is, it's not quite worth it for people who have 3+ Legendary Wizards to go through it over and over again.

I've heard people say different things such as, "KI should be sued!" and "I love it because it's like Harry Potter". I don't wish for KingsIsle to be sued, but I really think the new world makes a mockery of a great game and company. Even though it isn't the case, it makes KingsIsle look like they don't have any original ideas. It wasn't so bad before Wysteria, where it had a lot of differences from Harry Potter (however, compared on a general level, they were alike). The similarities of HP that come with Wysteria make W101 less unique. There's nothing wrong with a few references or suggestive hints, but when you're taking characters from a series (McGonagall, Umbridge, Draco Malfoy, Hogwats, and even Fleur Delacour) and making them animals that talk (Mrs. Dowager,Belladonna Crisp,Randolf SpellShine,PigsWig, and Nalia DuneStrider), well, you're not going to get my personal endorsements and support.

Hope you Enjoyed,

P.D.