?!

My exams are finally over. It doesn't feel like much, actually. I'm thinking it will sink in coming Monday when I wake up at 4pm, on Tuesday.

With regards to my previous post-exam plans, I've decided to scratch trying to trade a needle for barrows or whatever (Bandos?). What the hell was I thinking when I decided to do that? I was probably fazed by my then-condition, still burdened with exams and the like. Now I know I am too lazy for this sort of ambitious thing.

That aside, I guess I'll just train for 99 Attack whenever I'm on Runescape. Yay me.

This Title is too Long for the Post

To summarize my thoughts so far:

1. I am training more efficiently for 99 Attack as compared to a year ago when I was gunning for 99 Strength.

2. My cat now earns me twice the number of death runes. Thank you Ardougne Diaries!

3. The price of ranarr seeds isn't rising and I won't break even if I sell them at the GE's price, leaving the fate of my 6 mil in uncertainty.

4. I changed my name! I originally wanted 'The Kat', but since it was taken I settled for 'Kat Atkay'. If you speak Pig-Latin you will see it is merely two times of my name.

5. You can sell pineapples to the GE at a disgustingly HUGE profit! Of course, get your pineapple stock up first.

Also Photobucket isn't working so there will be no screenies.

ALSO on a totally unrelated note, tickets for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs who will be here in January go on sale today! Should I go, should I not, who knows?

If I Were President

So apparently the Runescape economy is undergoing inflation, seeing how millions of gp are being introduced to the game from drops every second. So far Jagex has introduced several money sinks, for example the repairing of degraded armour and Construction. This clearly isn't enough, but I've found the cure-all solution!

Taxes. Player's will hate it just like they do in the real world, but I'm guessing it would increase the value of a gold piece. In the long run, players will stop complaining, and we can live long and prosper. Jagex can tax P2P players based on the value of their houses, since my house is 2 chairs and a fireplace.

But, seriously, I highly doubt Jagex will start implementing taxes. For one thing, what are they going to base the taxes on? Probably the money value of a player's bank, but the richer players will rise in revolt, as their real life counterparts have been known to do.

Having said that, perhaps Jagex should meet the players halfway, and just tax certain luxury items, like party hats (Pow!), godswords (Bam!), and Barrows equipment (Kerplunk!). For Barrows, I mean in addition to the money that goes into repairing them.

The most effective way of introducing this system to the game is to first tax EVERYTHING. Players will whine and protest, then maybe after a week or so, Jagex will "make a compromise" and only tax said luxury items. There will be a game-wide sigh of relief, and players will feel happy to be taxed for only a portion of their assets. Think of businesses where prices are jacked-up in advance of a sale.

In other news, the name I wanted to change BlessKat to is taken. I'm pretty sure it's being held up for it's previous owner, because a search on the hi-scores confirmed no such person. So, I'm planning to wait a while and then try again. Till then no one shall know what this new name is!

Still Here

My first paper was today, needless to say I went in more nervous than a snowman in a steam bath (thank you, Justice League). I felt my hand shake when I wrote my name down, thankfully it subsided once I got down to the actual writing (today was English).

I felt I could have done better at my essay though, but my biggest fear was that I wouldn't be able to come up with a good storyline and have to settle for a mediocre one, so I guess today went alright. But I wrote the damn story in first-person, and I'm just thinking, the paper may have been a lot better if I wrote it in third person. Why why why! Oh but one thing to note, I was so riled up about today's paper I mentally prepared myself by coming up with random essay topics, and just so happened one of them came out! I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from saying lol i own u papr.

Back on Runescape, I've been training attack extensively at the spiders. I trained at the bandits a little bit, but after a while, I decided that it was 1) faster to get from a bank to the spiders and 2) more exp with the same amount of food. You know me, every lobster counts. Just like every swordie and shark.. Which is why I only use lobsters when training.

I've also gotten back to le grande Ranarr seed trade. The price has since doubled. Strangely this always happens to me every time I stop trading for a bit. Maybe next time I should just hold on to m'damn seeds.

I r bavk

Hello loyal reader! You must be loyal if you are reading this, since I haven't made a post in 5 months and I won't be announcing the posting of this post.

You may have noticed my slight absence. My national exams are on the end of this month, and I have been preparing for them because I hear they are a pretty big deal. Also I have been playing other games.

However they will end on the 13th of November, and I look forward to joining my clan back on Runescape. Tiz told me about this guy who bought a needle for 1gp and ended up trading it for a Bandos set (I think) after a series of trades, inspired by an actual man who traded his paperclip for a pen that looked like a fish, then traded that for something else until he got a house.

As I will probably have a lot of time on my hands after the exams, I want to try this trading thing. Maybe I will start a new blog to document my trades, or maybe I will just post here. Or maybe I'll get bored and start playing Runescape like a normal person. Anyway one thing I know is, I will be working towards getting 99 Attack.

One last thing, just yesterday Tiz got 99 Strength. Congratulations Tiz! I'm so proud you've finally earned the cape that I have had for about a year. If only you had a nice screenshot to go with it, eh? Just kidding. I suppose the screenshot thing was partially my fault, sorry.

Distractions

After a couple months' hiatus, I've started to become more active on Runescape. Yesterday was the first time I logged in without a purpose (previously I logged on to attend Dg's 99 Attack party, and one other time when I went to try out the new PvP system).

I decided I would get back on my slayer task, left untouched since the beginning of the year, because 1. I hardly logged on and 2. it was black/dark (same difference) demons and I am still scarred from a previous careless death experience.

Somehow this time I thought killing them in my F2P blue mage robes would not be fufilling, so following a guide I found, decided to get a set of Dagon'hai Robes.


Meeting whats-his-name (Surok?) beside the Saradomin (Zamorak?) statue East (West? No just kidding; it's east) of Varrock.


At Borg's Room. I shook quite badly because I had a few near-death experiences, and I really didn't want to lose half my friggin' bank account.


Yay!

By the time I got the robes (I had to navigate around the damned Tunnels of Chaos twice because the first time round, Surok didn't appear at the statue and I just blindly went looking for him) it was time for me to get off the computer, so my slayer task shall be left undone till the next time I log on.

Gold Coins Have You (Moments do too)

Yesterday we celebrated Blessings' 2nd year in existence. This is my first time celebrating an anniversary (save the 6 month one 2 years ago) because I missed last year's while at camp. We had 4 events, one after another (with short breaks in-between), starting with Clan Wars. I was glad to see some of our members again after my 2 week absence from Runescape. Also 2 ex-members turned up for a bit, namely Kicky and Evolution.












An intimidating sight at Clan Wars.




















Pking outside the GE.










I had a lot of fun yesterday. I believe my occasional Runescape boredom phase is over, thanks to the event!

On other news, today I spent 2 hours completing my iron dragon slayer task. I felt like coughing blood after the task because it took so damn long. But, I suppose it was worth it, since I got 4 rune b-axes. If they're still going for 40k like they used to (which I strongly doubt) at least I've profited from my trip.

Also, while visiting the GE to check on my ranarrs, some guy was selling a top hat for 110k. I considered buying a top hat before from a rune essence miner last year, but immediately backed down when he quoted a 100k+ price. 100k?! That's more than what I earn in a week! I continued mining my rune essence. But today, wow, the second I saw the offer for a top hat, I thought, 100k, I can earn that in a good day. So I bought it.


I didn't even feel the burn spending that 100k.

I love ranarr seeds and their fluctuating prices. They've made me the impulse buyer I am today.

A Change

I've been busy with school, and in 2 weeks I've only logged on once today, to visit Juna. I really wanted to see her because I haven't had my share of hunting/summoning/construction experience in a month. Unfortunately Juna, the unmoving sitting snake, thinks I'm lazy.


Something about being a good adventurer.

Well, I don't think I have time today to get that 66k exp. I will most probably go for a Bandos clan event tomorrow, so maybe I'll get some exp from there.

I also see Jagex put in the Price Check option.


Don't think I'll use it much.

One thing to be happy about though, Blessings is celebrating its 2nd year of establishment in 4 days. I'm glad we've reached this milestone and accomplished what thousands of other clans failed to do. I hope Blessings can move on together as a clan and stay strong, pretty soon we'll be preparing for our third year together.

Blessings owns!

Advertising Space

Since a few weeks ago, we've started this massive advertising campaign, following Kicky's departure. So far we're on 5 Runescape community forums, and 5 topsite lists. I hope we'll get to the top on one of those lists and new members will start flowing in, like we did last time when Blessings was on our old forum server.

Or maybe we could absorb a smaller, failing clan.

Apart from that, I've adopted a new merchanting tactic, and so far it's been faster in earning me money. It's still too early to see if it earns more than my previous tactic, but let's hope it does. So far I've earnt almost 1 million. I should be able to earn more this month, with extra revenue from a Bandos Chestplate drop we got yesterday at an event, which I will elaborate further in my next post.

Slugs and Knights

Today I decided to take a break from slaying... somewhat. I was assigned iron dragons for the first time, and the guide I consulted recommended Proselyte armour, which requires The Slug Menace to be wielded, which requires Wanted! and Sea Slug to be completed, both of which I haven't done.

So I started the day with Sea Slug. It is a short quest, and I don't think I took more than 45 minutes to complete it. All I had to do was walk around a lot, and look for this lady's son and husband.


Using the crane on the fishing platform, off the coast of Witchaven.

After that, I started on my second quest, Wanted. The great evil mage Solus Dellagar was on the loose and the White Knights hired me to track him down. It was simple enough, pretty straightforward.


After a long chase, Solus was finally cornered, and my backups arrived. But they died and I had to kill Solus myself.


Despite being a very powerful mage, Solus Dellagar looks nothing more than a hobo.

The last quest to do was The Slug Menace. It was also straightforward, but quite lengthy. Anyway toward the end, the system update notice popped out. I had a full ten minutes, and I was already on the last leg of the quest, so I decided to just get it over with. After killing a giant slug, there was a cutscene where this evil mother slug (or.. something) would come out and try to kill me, only to have my trusty White Knight advisor Savant tele me to safety.

However, there was a very real sense of urgency. By the time I killed the giant slug and the mother made her appearance, there was 38 seconds till the update. I feared that if the update interrupted my cutscene, I would have to repeat a very long and annoying part of the quest. So I spam-clicked my way through the dialogue, only to find myself in this situation:



Savant had tele-ed me at the exact same time the system updated! After a bout of lagging (and updating) I logged back on, to find myself safely in Falador, just like the guide said. I spoke to Sir Tiffy, and shock horror, the game didn't register my killing of the slug.


We 'are engaging'?!

Luckily when I re-entered the dungeon (where the slug is), the cutscene repeated immediately and I finished the quest without hassle.

After doing these White Knight-based quests, I thought about the knights' names. There's Sir Amik Varze (ceramic vase), Sir Vyvin (surviving) etc, but what's the pun in Sir Tiffy Cashien?

Edit: D'oh I was reading the Runescape Wiki and now I know Sir Tiffy Cashien = certification.

Oh Blimey

Ah... my Runescape year so far hasn't been what I expected.

Firstly, my ranarr trading was not as successful as I predicted it to be. First time round, I bought 260 ranarr seeds for almost all my money (5.7mil), and sold it for a decent profit of 400k. I had expected at least an 800k profit, but I guess I just had my hopes up after watching the price peak at 27k just before the new year. This time, it only got up to around 24k before stabilising, and dipping a little.

And then the second time round, I bought 265 seeds at 23.5k each, and yesterday I scrambled to sell them. Here's why.

I'm devoting my non-trading time to Slayer now for my 99 Attack that I should have by this year. So, after getting a few basilisk tasks from Summona (I switched from Chaeldar but my tasks remained the same.. Pfft) she gave me Dark Demons. Or Black Demons. Those huge things you can find in Taverly Dungeon after the Blue Dragons.

I tried meleeing them but they hit hard, so I got all my death runes out and have since been fire blasting them. Things were going fine when yesterday, I switched screens (I read The Office US scripts while playing to pass the time) for a little too long. When I got back I had been lured out of my safe spot and slaughtered in my priest/Shade robes.

I spam-clicked my lobsters (I don't buy sharks!) but it was too late. 0 Hp, "Oh dear, you are dead!", Lumbridge. In my inventory was my air staff, and 2 other things which I forgot but whatever it is I had NO runes left. So I grabbed some gear and ran back to Taverly Dungeon.

Sadly, while crossing the bridge (just before the Dusty Key gate) I received a message that my grave marker had collapsed. Still, I ran back to my death spot, hoping my items would be there.

In all, I think I lost abot 1000 death runes and 5000 fire runes, along with half an invent of lobsters, my 60%-grown kitten, my robes, and possibly my dragon boots. I'm hoping that they're safely stored in my bank and I just missed them.

After my death, I had to offer my ranarrs at a small profit (100k, give and take). Probably security issues. Also the ranarr prices weren't exactly skyrocketing either. Since last night none of them have sold.

So much for fast, easy money.

A Doubt? Helical!

It's the third day of the New Year and already I know what I'm going to be doing the rest of 2009 on Runescape.

1. Make tonnes of money with minimal effort.
2. Get 99 attack at my own pace (very slowly, in other words).

Allow me to elaborate. Tonnes of money with minimal effort.. What else but merchanting! I don't know why I've never realised this before but with ranarr seeds it's a win-win situation. After making your purchase, should the prices continue to crash, you can still make profit by growing the seeds and selling the herbs. Unless the price of everything crashes, but chances are, they're not going to.

Monitoring prices is also much easier now, since the GE datebase doesn't lag on the computer that I use now.

Next goal, 99 attack. I was convinced it is better to max attack with Slayer, since anyway I can get exp for 2 skills instead of one. Plus who doesn't want free whips after 85 Slayer? Training with Slayer means it'll take me a little longer to get 99 attack but I don't mind.