Almost to 35 =D

Almost to 35. Just hit 34 after a nice spurt of xp on Sunday and Monday.

Sunday was also spent on a lengthy and unfortunate NM/BCNM run. Me, Weeee and Heeeeeeee all had a ton of KS seals and decided to just piss a bunch away on the Up in Arms bcnm. This one is where you fight a Kraken type mob in hopes of getting the coveted and newly relocated Kraken club. Unfortunately, like 99% of the people who do this BCNM, we did not get it. Out of 3 runs, we yielded roughly 50k each

Here are two screenies from the first two, I gave up on Screenshotting the third :P




After this we went for Ancient Fagbu (Goobbue) but he was already dead. We spent some time in The Boyhada Tree and went to Quicksand caves to see if any other NMs were up.

We did manage to kill Proconsul but no significant drops here. After that, we gave up for the day :D 60 seals down, and about 60k richer :P

Monday I spent time just leveling up some more. I was able to use my Seedbed soil to call a Funguar Familiar pet, but I didn't see much improvement in that pet versus the tiger...

I utilized the spot I like to XP at in Yuhtunga Jungle at the outpost. I concentrated only on the ranger goblins for the weaker offensive and defense. I think they might be decent XP at 34, but I want to try gaining the next level in a party.

The rest of the night was spent farming teleports using Cocoapuffs. I also bought Erase for 30k!!! It is amazing how the price for this spell has dropped over the years. This was one of the most expensive spell, next to raise 3, and now it is cheaper than a stack of Sole Sushi...

Back up!!

FFXI is back up. . . for now :D

Adelphia/TW doesn't work with Playonline

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Hello who may read this. I enjoy FFXI a lot, but I am unable to connect due to my network connection through the former Adelphia connection. TimeWarner is strictly in belief that it is the services of Square-Enix's services called Playonline and not their own. This is false. Other people who have internet services with other companies in North America have no problems. The problem seems to be for those who are part of the former Adelphia services that are now owned by Adelphia.

If you fall under this, please try accessing the website: http://www.playonline.com and access the NA portion of the site. It will not work.

Other people have confirmed this same information. I have posted the following information on different websites, please spread the word!! Also, if you have any technical expertise, please comment...

I have posted the following info at Allakhazam.com and Order of the Blue Gartr's LS forum


For those who are not able to connect to the POL.exe or to playonline.com and are Adelphia/Comcast-> Time Warner please read this:

I personally made a call to Timewarner's support line. Since I am an Adelphia customer, I called 1-866-668-6044 to put a complaint.

o Bypass their tier 1 customer service level by mentioning it is a DNS issue. Inform the Tier 1 Customer service rep that the issue is beyond basic web browsing and a problem with a specific site that exclusively effects Adelphia users

o You will be given a workorder and transferred up

o Give the TIer 2 your work order to proceed with the call

o Tier 2 will give you information that this is a known issue and one of the engineers on Adelphia/TW's end has called Playonline and they determined it is a routing issue. This information is false. Networking doesn't work like that:
- Inform him that the service for both the website and FFXI works for Verizon (#1 competitor) users
- Switching DNS server on your router to Verizon's DNS servers of 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.3 works perfectly fine for viewing the website, but you are unable to access FFXI via POL

o They will note that if DNS doesn't work with Verizon after you switched it, then this is a Verizon issue. Inform them then why does the website work with Verizon's DNS but not Adelphia/TW's? This will put them on their back heels because their is no explaination of why the site works but not the game.

o The tier2 will reply back that this is a routing issue on POL's side and that not all traffic is being redirected. This is FALSE no information on the back end will be scoped out for just us, and if that is the case then the Engineer's with POL would have to call up to request that this be fixed.

IMPORTANT PART
o Request that they put the call up to their higher level network engineer's of a problem in accessing both gaming features and the website with Adelphia/TW"s DNS server information. If they reject this saying that it is a known issue on POL's end, demand that they put it up anyways.

o Key is in numbers. Technical support on upper level end will notice and issue if MORE PEOPLE REPORT. Trust me on this, don't take no for an answer.



Technical information regarding how to test Verizon's DNS and confirm that POL doens't work but http://www.playonline.com does:

o To check your configuration of your network:
- Click on Start > Run > type in without quotes "cmd" > click ENTER
- Type in without quotes "ipconfig /all" > hit the Enter key on your keyboard.
- Look at the DNS field. It should show up for Adelphia users: 68.168.64.21 and 68.168.64.22

How to Ping:
- From the CMD prompt mentioned previously, type out without quotes "ping playonline.com" > hit Enter you will get back a

C:\Documents and Settings\User>ping playonline.com
Ping request could not find host playonline.com. Please check the name and try a
gain.

- This will occur with Both Verizon's and Adelphia/TW's DNS. I can't explain this. However, someone pointed out in a different thread that the IP for playonline.com is 43.253.131.24

- Ping results fail from both DNS. Proof comes from NSLOOKUP

-Here is an NSLOOKUP of playonline.com from Adelphia's DNS

C:\Documents and Settings\user>nslookup playonline.com
Server: dnscache7.cdptpa.adelphia.net
Address: 68.168.64.21

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to dnscache7.cdptpa.adelphia.net timed-out

-Here is a NSLOOKUP of playonline.com from Verizon's DNS


C:\Documents and Settings\User>nslookup playonline.com
Server: vnsc-pri.sys.gtei.net
Address: 4.2.2.1

Name: playonline.com

Conclusion to NSLOOKUP info: Verizon's DNS is not allowing non-Verizon user's all features of thier DNS services. Other DNS server information from different ISP's be appreciated.


How to change DNS from Windows XP for non-router users:
-Start Control Panel (or Settings then Control Panel) > Network Connections.
* If you see Network and Internet Options, then click on that
* You will then click on Network Connections
- Locate your connection to the internet. It might be either LAN or wireless
- Right click on it and go to Properties
- Double click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
- Your default settings will be set to "Use the following DNS servers"
* If you want to change this information to test Verizon's DNS, enter the two DNS servers spaced out accordingly with the Dots with 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.3
* Click OK > click OK

How to change your DNS for your router
- First identify your gateway's IP by going to Start > Run > type in without quotes "CMD" > click OK
- Type out without quotes "ipconfig /all"
- Identify the gateway server. Most likely will be 192.168.1.1 or can slightly be different
- In your web browser, type in the Gateway's IP address and when prompted for username and password enter without quotes "admin" (works for Linksys routers, may not work for all other brands)
- At the first screen will be your DNS servers. Enter the the correct IPs of 4.2.2.1 and 4.2.2.3 to change it to Verizon's for testing.
- To return back the settings change them to 0.0.0.0

***********Update***********
I made a big oversight that would really helped me prove my case with the customer support. I forgot "www" before playonline.com

With Adelphia's DNS server information:
C:\Documents and Settings\user>nslookup www.playonline.com
Server: dnscache7.cdptpa.adelphia.net
Address: 68.168.64.21

DNS request timed out.
timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to dnscache7.cdptpa.adelphia.net timed-out

C:\Documents and Settings\user>ping www.playonline.com
Ping request could not find host www.playonline.com. Please check the name and t
ry again.


With Verizon's server information:
C:\Documents and Settings\user>nslookup www.playonline.com
Server: vnsc-pri.sys.gtei.net
Address: 4.2.2.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: www.playonline.com
Address: 43.253.131.24


C:\Documents and Settings\user>ping www.playonline.com

Pinging www.playonline.com [43.253.220.30] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 43.253.220.30: bytes=32 time=233ms TTL=231
Reply from 43.253.220.30: bytes=32 time=221ms TTL=231
Reply from 43.253.220.30: bytes=32 time=222ms TTL=231
Reply from 43.253.220.30: bytes=32 time=220ms TTL=231

Ping statistics for 43.253.220.30:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 220ms, Maximum = 233ms, Average = 224ms

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Office space

Not really on topic, but I really love Office Space.

I was first turned on to Office Space after seeing some scenes on the Internet. Almost all episodes can be found at Daily Motion. Last night, I tried watching it on broadcast TV. I set aside some time of FFXI for 1 hour, ate some chinese food, and find it was a repeat. . . /sigh

Next time I will check ahead of time if it will be a new show or not. I will probably get a DVD copy to watch it in its all higher definition glory (no more crappy 320). It would be ironic for broadcast stations to neglect and to shut down online web sites that put these on the Internet. If anything, they allow people to taste a show before going in....Test Drives, dating, fitting rooms, etc. why can't network broadcasters embrace this ?

Pictures :D

MPK By CoP mission NM's near a tower. GG Furyspawn:







Pics of someone trying to MPK CGF in Batallia =D I'm too lazy to block names >.>;









This Gimp wondered why I bitched at her for not using Sneak Attack every minute /sigh:




Really old ones:

Hikikomori

Someone posted on BG some pics of an Anime called Welcome to NHK NI YOUKOSOU





Which is based on the story of a hikikomori, or basically a social hermit. Although somewhat relating to his plight of being more social inverted these days, but not to his paranoidal schizo level, its somewhat a wake up of withdrawing too much :0.

If you want to see the scene related to him trying to play FFXI, they are episodes 14,15 and 19.

Videos can be seen here

Sample Video from youtube:



In FFXI News, I need to upload pics. I managed to level 25. MPK'd in an attempt to rid of FFXI of some CGF Fish botters.

Upgraded Axes to Tigerhunters. I am really enjoying duo with Carrie on Crabs. Nice Chain #3 with my NPC Mahoyaya (MNK).

Dinggg and out of the Valkurm Nubes

Yay, got level 23 BST and now I am out of the Dunes :D Horrah.

Found my bird whistle on my mule, who was wearing it the entire time I was xping ; ;

Upgraded body with Beetle +1, and a nice shield Lantern. I've never heard of the latter before. 40k on the AH is a bit expensive for +5 Attk :3

I logged out last night near the CGF's who are fish botting. Where you may ask? Well near the coast of Batallia Downs. Take a gander on how it looks on other person's server:



LOL more:



Discussion: On the BG Forums

First entry

Today, I decided, "what the hell" and start a blog. Ironically, I personally felt that blogging was kind of a lack for using Internet forums.

This particular blog will be more of a journal of playing FFXI. I may include other bits of info outside of the game as I see it fit. However, the main intent will center around my in-game character of Popsiclestick on the Kujata FFXI server.

History:
I started playing FFXI when it came out on the PS2 for US release. I decided to get this game to really interact with Japanese people. I noticed my Japanese started to detoriate(sp?) drastically.

When I heard that Square Enix was coming out with an online game that will allow people to interract with Japanese people, and it was FF, I decided to get it. I had previously played FFIX and Dragon Quest V (JP) and a very small amount of FFVII at the time. My PC was very slow and I decided a $200 HDD upgrade would be cheaper than buying a new PC.

I obtained my game and attempted to play. I remember the first few days, I couldn't even play. I didn't RTFM and was stuck figuring out how to create a POL account ( ._.); My first character was a white haired Elvaan in Windurst on the Kujata server by the name of Snky.

Snky is a shorter version of my post car friend's term for "Sneaky". It was abbreviated to snky for some reason, and I used that as my in game name (Raven was taken =3) .

I started off as a Red Mage and acquired to level 23 as RDM/WAR. At which point, I realized that I was constantly lacking gil (money) and went with THF. After level 51, I leveled all other jobs to 33. With the cap at 75, it was a painstaking process.

So Thief job wasn't netting me much gil, I thought of taking Bard to 40 to make money off of BCNMs. At this point, the invite process was fast and easy. I managed to make decent money. I was then encouraged to manaburn with Weeee and his Real-life Girlfriend Heeeeeeee. Manaburning is basically taking a collection of 4-5 Black Mages and a Red mage and a Bard to kill stronger than normal mobs for experience points.

Well we managed to get to the early 70's very fast, at the cost of some long XP sessions. In the end, I got burnt out and quit around December 2005 at level 72. I sold all my gear, deleted Snky, and cancelled my Content ID's.

A month roll's around and I got bored at home. My roommate went out on a 2 week ski trip and I had nothing better to do. I decided to start a new character on FFXI! I decided this time around, I will start as a Tarutaru and level all the mage jobs :D My first choice in a name was Popsicle, since a taru with a staff equipped 24/7 looked like a Popsicle to me :P Too bad the name was taken, and I picked Popsiclestick instead.

I managed to level each of my 3 mage jobs to 60, RDM, BLM, and WHM with ease. It wasn't until Weeee encouraged me to level 75 to participate in end-game. RDM was the easiest and the cheapest to level up.

At 75, I joined his linkshell at the time Purple Reign. It was a decently good shell, most were nice. The leader Hiruke is a real perv. I wouldn't be surprised to see his ass on Dateline "Predators". I left that linkshell after a couple events when I failed to get help on a CoP mission.

I cut my losses and the old StarOnionBrigade LS was converted to HNM status. We managed to kill a couple Sky NMs and get people some equip they wanted. The LS died off when Weeee quit during a Promy mission.

After that, I took a 1 week hiatus and came back with everyone off to other linkshells. I joined Alien's LS (a previous SOB memer) but never felt really a part of that shell.

It wasn't until I tried getting help for Charbydis that I felt backstabbbed when him and Heavencloud would not assist me. Camping for it also sucks, so we left.

We, me and Weeee joined a past SOB Officer's social LS, Insyder, called NotoriousEG. It is a small LS with mostly newer people. They seemed interested in completing CoP (I'm a little bit farther than them) and Genbu (Yawwn) but it seems like a nice place...