Star Wars the old republic review

So Star Wars The old Republic, its an OK game.  I think I have said it feels like a wow clone.  The abilities and combat are basically that sort of click click click bullshit.  To be more direct it sucks compared to my D&D online game.  The missions are lame too.  I am not speaking as a grouper I am soloing the game and don't really care to group up.

Not that I see many people in the higher level zone.  Six people on voss seems to be an average.  I think that includes empire players which I can't really group with.  Though I wish I could I would like to trade for some dark side force crystals they are in short supply for me.

The quests are great for a solo/casual player they are very easy to follow and give you clearly marked entries on your map what you are doing.  It is very easy to go and do them.  The quest themselves are easy enough too, I am almost surprised when I have trouble.  This has happened on my class quests when dealing with a boss fight twice.  I have just continued on leveling and went back.  Once you return to your class quest you advance to the planet you have already mapped out and it is very easy.

Some stupid stuff about the game that I don't like.  I hate hoth and tatooine fast travel being on speeder bikes.  I want to be on the iconic vehicles of the movies. The Tantan or the the land speeder.  I also hate not being able to name my ship The Spatula. Why can't i name it and put a cheesy pin up girl riding a flying spatula as the logo.

I also am not thrilled with the process of gaining favor with my companions. I made a lot of mistakes early on and had to us items at great cost.  Now I have to use Torhead.com to guide me through conversations to get the most Qyzen favor I can.  Its slow flipping between game and browser and it sort of sucks.  But I am trying to finish his quest chain.

Killing Moon

Panic is slowing down into something new, With disquiet acceptance it's set present.  Trilling and worrying the blood a caustic infusion faintly biting. Tomorrow spilling over now in all words seen, no moments only be.  Trial and tremor against your will worn quiet and thin

Sundown

Hail these burning fires that moulder the sky red and blue.  None are left without wonder horizons so beautiful and cruel.  Throw down the plow wake to this dreaming now.  Look up, be still and listen idle for a moment.  If only for the world to inward creep. Bird take to wind to give the sky measure. It looms above infinite and deep. Give me second silence from worries never to sleep.

Recovering the Satellites

Recovering the satellites shows a more mature whining rasp over The counting Crows freshman work.  It is very similar in tone and approach but the songs come from a different angle.  Here the works are not flowing from a desiring need but rather the outcome of attainment. 

Long December is probably the best example of what I am getting at, the song is almost a sequel to the August and Everything after record.  It still folk and country rock infused but seems to have gone to a different place.  August and everything after almost has a sunset feel with anticipation and excitement.  Satellites is almost a depiction of the night at the carnival.

Previous works seemed to take on a Smiths like wonder in the youthful now.  Here is a future that sees outcomes and longs to get back to itself.  Another horsedreamer is perhaps the strongest track and the most delving into the success.  This doesn't really have any dead songs even mercury and walkaways are great.  Some of the later tracks on august have left me flat.

Millers Angels and Children in Bloom get to the sadness of Anna Begins and Perfect blue buildings.  There are actually some up beat rocky tracks too that the Crows set list needed .

to the morning

Night giving way rumage sale deals
day wanders in warm and loud
wild and westward light claws open
skies unmarred new and mint

All abuzz with life and lifeless scurry
obsessive and comatose in hurry.
System and solo souls awake arise
ever old dreams caught hold new

Yet somewhere some set only to sleep
fall from mad insight now humble
lost of passion even eternal hope
deprived in their shattering tumble

Lost to themselves yesterday or tomorrow
There is only joy or sorrow


A poem in the sonnet "Form" if you will.  I am taking and breaking rhyme.  Not sure why i was trying for something western or country and hopeful or happy i guess what is going on clouds.

Grievances

Don't let your books burn long librarian, other echoes are coming but the garden is dead. Its no sacred empty head miracle that we seek. Nor empty heart communal betters or even Abyssal deeps. Close the doors and don the coronal thorns dear friends, cast the interruption into Faraday cages, once again speak amongst the whispered hollow and hallowed

Thoughts on SCRUM team member changes

change is to scrum what salt is to snails.  My team has been more or less consistent for a year now with some changes in QA and copy.  I myself am a QA person and have been there from day one, so we have at least one immutable QA resource. The copy change brought in someone new to the company and directly planted them into our team.  These changes have caused bumps but nothing course changing.

The change of Dev people has been something of a hit for us. Our normal high performance goals are being missed at level close to our initial founding of SCRUM.  We seem to be off course and there is a pretty grim outlook setting in. 

Currently individuals are being asked if they wish to remain on scrum or change.  I think we are at a natural duration to look at change as individuals, we have mastered this style of work and can begin taking the benefits outside the time.  We could even just need new challenges.  Our problem as team founders is the desire not to see this ship sink.

The seem to be a set of a few skills that fall outside of our team roles are key to our success.  I think if you watch any strong team you are going to see some skills or knowledge that elevates the team beyond the ordinary.  For our team one of the designers has a great deal of historic information on what has been done and can quickly suggest pages starting points for design and development.  We have another person who seems to have a similar broad scope on what is happening with global pricing changes.  Losing these skills that take at team from functional to highly skilled may cripple or dissolve said group

The lessons to be learned are change of the labor force upsets scrum.  Change of duplicated or subordinate team members is not going to kill a team.  Change of a lead or autonomous team member, resets team integration and team must be reestablished.  Also there are some team members that possess skills beyond their role.  Changing them can destroy the group.

Worlds Apart

Someone in my car asked if this "was the music they play in the background of 80's movies?"  This being Saga's Worlds Apart.  I like it it sounds like prog Lover Boy to my ears.  I wouldn't mind listening to some of there newer works.  I think the songs people know from this record are On the Loose and Wind him up.  If you like those you are going to like the rest of the record it is pretty much in that vein. 

The record isn't the deepest work but what do you expect.  This is early 80's pop prog much like the work that came from Yes and Asia.  Its catchy and keyboardy and a little bit cheesy.  I can forgive it those things.  The 80's were a bombastically hairsprayed time.  The prog bands were the masters of the synth before there was synth pop.  Also they were making a come back after punk main them utterly disdained by all but the geeky of us. 

The guitar is very quick with a lot of Keyboard doubling.  This is something that is not at all metal.  The tones are all very happy and vibrant.  It sort of feels of its age, which is dating, but also comforting.  There was something of the time that seems unconcerned and hopeful of whats ahead.  That is what these record feels for me.




Here is a link for someone who apparently loves Saga and has been through all their records Banophernalia

Pigs on the wing

The darkened hall way echoes with sounds of management.  Words and Idea's not fully formed and difficult in their realization; punctuated with the odd laugh of someone knowing they wouldn't be there for the actual hard work.  Light seemed unable to escape the hall and all who entered returned somehow sad. It filled us with the dread and foreboding of dental work.

we tried to keep our heads down and remain in attentive to the screams but some were not to be ignored.  If passing the halls of management I tried to focus or rather disfocus and move silently.  But the smells were disturbing coppery and hinting of blood.  Who knows what foulness met my co worker at the last management one on one meeting. He had not been seen since the quarterly numbers failed to reach expectation.

poetry expressing my alienation in sorrow

This is poetry or a prose poem trying to get at feelings with my moms sickness



I wish for rain or difference, just not this bewildering same.  Breaking in the windows and strangling the silent I want change.  No long looks that stay quiet but screams that set it all on end.  Let there be fires and burn down the whole town and let loose with joy and woe.  Give me cold that sickens and batters.  Let us all feel frost and bite that devours the pleasant little words you speak at me.  I want you to wriggle and snap gasping or gaping. Then all to pray as one for deliverance to congregate on these pains.  Then in the end we can be friends nursing the same hurts unity becoming singular again