Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Spiral!

It's been a great year and I've had a most excellent time in Guild Wars 2 and in real life. I hope you can all say the same. Happy holidays!

Creativity + Christmas

I just HAD to link this guy's video of him playing an actual song on the Bell Choir game. Totally impressive.

Be sure to go to Guild Wars 2 Facebook page to check out their Wintersday album as well with screenshots from players. That's one of the super things about GW2 fans: they're so fun and creative! (Plus their high-res screenshots make me wanna beg Tixx for a new computer.)

I went in and did another event to get a minipet. I wanted to do Griffon, but the group wanted Princess. So guess what I got?  :)

She's so freaking adorable.

Jackpot! Now...which one is a new video card for me?

Fun in the Snow!

Another brief foray into Wintersday activities last night, really late, before collapsing into bed. Wish this damn cold would STOP already. Geeez.

First stop was Tixx's Infinirarium, then on to the Winter Wonderland. Spent some gems, played some bells, got a chance to chat briefly with some guildies, had some giggles. Here are my lovely screens and witty comments.  ;)

Found Tixx's airship! Soooo cool. Can't wait to go inside!

Inside was a big fight and tasks and teleporting and pretty scenery. I was totally confused. Didn't help that I haven't played the game in weeks. Couldn't remember how to use my skills! I was a disgrace to mesmers everywhere.
But check out my shiny new greatsword. RAWR!

After defeating Tixx's rogue-bot, Toxx, I sat down to take in the view. Amazing artwork! Bravo. 

Spiral and a toy Ventari. I got the frame toy-piece for the Ventari as a reward for this instance.
Have to research what to do with that. Make a toy, obviously, doh! But I've heard you can only make two of three, so I may have to choose. 

I snapped this picture during the cut scene at the start of the Winters Wonderland jumping puzzle. Sooo pretty! Well done, ANet, well done. Cookies & egg nog for everyone!!

"Cookies?? Cookies are friends, not food," says Mr. Gingie.  :D

Watching other players doing the jumping puzzle. I thought that was totally cool, cuz you could cheer for your group! Or else pelt them with snowballs. It's all good Wintersday fun!
(And no, of course I didn't complete the jumping puzzle. Do you guys know me at all??)

In the jumping puzzle, found Quaggan plushies!
OMG these would outsell the Charr plush if they were a real thing. (HINT HINT Anet!)

I spent some gems on a Mystery Box but only got Ugly Sweaters, Hats and Socks, plus two duplicate dyes and...this!!

My First Wintersday

I got a brief chance to game today between working and coughing up a lung, and I was so excited! The snow and decorations all over Lion's Arch were beautiful! They've done such a good job of making the world look festive. It put a big smile on my face...until my next coughing fit. :(
I took a few screens as I explored a bit. I'm hoping to get back in game today to see what's up with Tixx when he visits my hometown of The Grove. Should be fun!

For me? Oh, thank you!

Yay! More cooking recipes! Kinda funny to be making ice cream in winter, but whatever.
Dulfy has all the recipes if you'd like them.

I played the music game and had a blast! It was such a different type of game; a nice change from "slaughter this and jump up that". I had to tear myself away from this. Definitely going back.

I really wanted to buy this, but I don't have 700 gems.
It would look so great in other colours, don't you think?

Built a snowman out of magic snow and then had a snowball fight with an Asura in L.A. Super fun!
Haven't done the PvP Snowball fight yet though.

This loading screen is AMAZING. I was pondering the stars a while back while in-game and I wondered if there were constellations. Hartak said that probably the constellations were made up by fans, but this picture hints that there was some design to the glittering vista above us!

I did buy some lovely earmuffs to keep my ear-leaves frost-bite free.

So many more fun things to come for Wintersday(s) festivities! Happy holidays, everyone!

My Comic Entry

I've entered the GW2 Guru Screenshot Story Contest. Here is my comic featuring my guildies from Clan of the Lost Minds!

Who will win Tyria's Got Talent/??

Here are the names of my lovely, unsuspecting friends who got their pictures taken!
Panel 1: Spiral, Warmad, Ynney and Alcanar
Panel 2: Bots!
Panel 3: Miss Modra and Spiral
Panel 4: Avocadance (aka Shanky) and me as Agga Gemseeker
Panel 5: Me as Mistress Madheart and Majyst as Carnelion Teethhurt
Panel 6: Me as Mousekin Madheart plus two kitten-Charr NPCs
Panel 7: Miss Modra, Spiral and Warmad
Panel 8: Dezi, Spiral and Majyst
Panel 9: This is a screen I took on headstart day when Spiral was a sprout. Sooo many naked Sylvari!

The winner of the contest is chosen by GW2 Guru and seems to be pretty subjective, but I had a lot of fun making this comic and I hope you like it! :)

Contest, Screens, Art & More

So even though I haven't been in-game much, I still enjoy reading about Guild Wars 2 and following them on The Book of Face and Twittah. I've come across a few excellent links that I'd like to share.

1. GW2Guru is having a Screenshot Story Contest! First prize is 2,000 gems. Sweet! I am totally going to enter as I have sooo many screens to work with. Now to think of something clever...might need booze to help lubricate the innovation centers of my brain. :)

2. For those of you who (like me) can't play GW2 in high-res, check out I<3GW2 for beautiful screens of Tyria. This guy is an in-game photographer and a brilliant one. Maybe it's his shorty Asura viewpoint?

3. I read a very informative and reassuring post by ANet on The War Against Bots. I was impressed that they have a Security Coordinator for the game. Talk about a neat title to put on your resume! Plus, I was doublely -- is that a word? -- impressed with the details of how they identify, track, verify, and ban botters. Worth a read if you've ever felt that your botting reports were being ignored.

4. A talented and organized Guild Wars 2 fan created a desktop wallpaper with all the Wintersday events on it, so you don't have to miss a thing!

5. I have zero artistic talent. I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. My best work is done in fingerpaints, or perhaps mashed potatoes + gravy. But these GW2 fans have created some amazing art!

Finally, I received my reward chest from the Lost Shores Weekend One-Time event and got a nice surprise from it!

Now THAT'S a sword!

Yup, that's Skybringer, my new greatsword. Pretty darn nice, eh? I like it. I like it a LOT. I wish it glowed...glew?...had glow?... I wish it was prettier, but I'm sure it slices and dices just fine as it is!

Cheers to all, and see you soon for Wintersday!