Granado Espada PH event: War of the Factions report

Head on over to DeSanggria's report and to pCM Veya's roundup to read all the juicy details!

Congratulations to the winners!

Vivaldi: IntrudeRz
Pachelbel: Destroth
Caravaggio: TheCore
Carracci: GodLike
Cervantes: Yakisoba

Colony Wars update: new rules! Plus other updates

New rules for Colony Wars!

There will now be weekly Colony Wars sessions to be held every Sunday night at 2000-2200 Singapore time, starting with tonight's Colony Wars.

More importantly, there will be no reset of the claimed/captured colonies until sGE goes into commercial launch. If your Faction claims a Colony or Colonies during tonight's session, you can attempt to defend your possessions from all comers until, at least, the second week of August. [More on this date below.]

Now let's see the results of tonight's Colony Wars!



Congratulations to the following Factions who claimed Colonies: Yakisoba, CloudNine, CARNAGE, Anonymous, Vradical, and Norgard!

And good luck to you all as your defense of your possessions begins next Sunday!

***

More on the August thing: RCM Hrin has announced that the new Granado Espada patch, V. 2.1.18, will be released on 16 August 2007.

This patch includes the much-talked about Mercenary Contract and Character Trading feature, as well as Irawan, the Muay Thai fighter and new RNPC.

Caveat gamer: the commercial launch will NOT be on the 16th. However, the fact that the patch is almost online means that the commercial launch will be coming soon, and with it, the announcement with regards to the game's business model.

***

Quick family news update:

server: Cervantes
family name: NineMoons
current members: Aurana, First Aid/Fortitudo Scout - Tuon, Heaven or Hell Fighter - Chimal, ESP Wizard
levels: 48 - 48 - 48



I took that screenshot a couple of days ago, and at that time, Chimal was still leveling her The Illusionist stance.

The important bit, however, is in the visible Equipment pop-up box: however briefly, I had made my very first million vis!!!!

Of course I promptly blew the loot on some new weapons and armor, so I'm back to below that amount of money in the bank, but oh well~!

***

I should really get started on those new fanfiction entries for the Granado Espada PH website and for pCM Veya's fan teaser contest...........

Trivia Bonanza: Average Round is CLOSED!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their answers for this round!

The final round of questions [Difficult category] will be released on this blog by maintenance time on Thursday next week - 2 August - so watch out for that one!

Next week is the last chance to be eligible to win the Angel Wings, so do send in your entries then!

Rules are located here and here.

NineMoons's Granado Espada Trivia Bonanza: Average round!

Original rules.

The most important rules:

1. Email all answers to hisuifox@gmail.com. This is the only way you can submit your answers to the trivia questions. I'll be disabling comments on this post, and I will also not be accepting answers posted to the announcement thread at the official forums.

Remember, if you want your answers to be included in the competition, email them to hisuifox@gmail.com!!

2. For all trivia contest entries, the following restrictions apply:
- A misspelled answer is a wrong answer
- All or nothing format will be followed, especially for questions that require multiple answers
- Changing answers will not be allowed
- Follow all directions very carefully!

3. While this contest is intended primarily for the Philippine players and community of Granado Espada, our international players are also encouraged to join in.

4. Answers should be sent in this format:
- Family Name / In-game Name
- Server
- Email address
- Answers

5. Deadline for submission of entries will be at 11:59 PM (Singapore time) of the Friday after each round of questions is released.

Meaning, you must submit your answers for the Average round of questions by 11:59 PM of Friday, 27 July.

***

Second round!

Average Questions

- What was Grace Bernelli's rank / position when she was in the armed forces of Brestia?
- Name the headquarters of BOTH the Republicans and the Royalists.
- What was the CBT name of the wizard / musketeer armor Redingote?
- Give the FULL name of the other explorer who went with Ferruccio Espada to discover the New World.
- What is the FIRST quest item that Claude Baudez asks your family to get for him?
- What two items does Lisa Lynway sell at the Sea Elephant Cafe?
- What are the stone pillars which emit mysterious power actually called?

***

If you were unable to answer the Easy questions last week, now's your chance to join in!

The Difficult round questions will be posted next Thursday, 2 August.

Good luck to all and don't forget to email me your answers by tomorrow night, 27 July!

For posterity's sake, and for you to comment upon:

There's this fanfic contest, you see.

I started writing out a plot and actually worked out many of the details of the story for a few days.

And then I found out that the contest had a very specific set of rules, rendering my earlier efforts moot.

Since I have to begin a new story, I thought I'd share the one I haven't finished yet with you.

And so I give you my very first Granado Espada fanfic, a story inspired by Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and consequently entitled

The Pirates of Porto Bello: The Unlucky One

Part I

From the Office of Pioneering Support - All citizens of Granado Espada are henceforth warned against traveling into the Porto Bello area. This is due to reports of attacks on coastal settlements, instigated by a criminal element known only as “Captain Wing”. The Office of Pioneering Support has received word of towns being burned to the ground, goods being stolen, and hostages being taken. It is strongly recommended that all settlers near the coast temporarily evacuate to the Port of Coimbra.

From the Coimbra Militia and Punitive Forces - The Militia are looking for volunteers to assist in apprehending the piratical threat known as “Captain Wing”. This criminal has been terrorizing the coasts in and around the Porto Bello area and has been reportedly killing defenseless citizens, stealing their possessions, and burning down their settlements. Volunteers may sign up with Admiral Nuñez of the Office of Pioneering Support, who will be coordinating the defense of the Port.

Dear Mother:
I’ve just received a letter from Mistress Idge Imbrulia, asking after my health. Do you remember what I told you about her? She’s a Battle-Smith and I apprenticed with her for five years. At the end of my time with her, she sent me here to the Port of Coimbra, and suggested I assist her colleague Soho with the refining and enhancing of pioneers’ weapons and armor.
A year has passed since that suggestion and I’m happy to say that Soho has added his own positive assessment to that of my Mistress Idge’s. Both of them say I am doing quite well and may soon become a real Battle-Smith in my own right.
Now our skills are needed more than ever. Pirates are attacking the coasts around Coimbra, and the militia have called for volunteers to help defend the port. And all the volunteers want to make sure their gear is up to the task, so Soho and I are kept busy with the refining work.
I’ve been very busy, but that does not mean I have forgotten you and Father. I miss you both so much and wish you were here.
Harry

Dear Father,
I remember you saying that the journey from Orpesia to Granado Espada was nearly always peaceful and uneventful, but my ship, the Jaclina, was joined by an escort of a dozen small gunboats some few hundred miles out from port. According to the soldiers, pirates are attacking the coasts of the New World, especially near the area called Porto Bello.
The same soldiers have been recruiting volunteers to join the defense of the port of Coimbra, and many of us have signed up with them. I now have letters of marque that say I am part of the Pioneers’ Militia in Coimbra, and we have been promised training when we arrive in port, in five days’ time.
Father, I will do my best to stay safe - but I think that I will enjoy this adventure that has found me even before reaching the New World.
Anne

***

The port of Coimbra has a reputation for being one of the noisiest settlements of Granado Espada. The ringing of swords being made and tested can always be heard over the bustle of new pioneers arriving from the Old World of Orpesia, and the boom of cannon-fire punctuates the constant coming and going. It is a crossroads for the New World, as fledgling adventurers fresh from the haunted ruins of Al Quelt Moreza, intrepid journeymen exploring the Tetra Ruins, and veterans heading for the Capybara Plantation and its environs, can mingle freely here.
Harry Wheeler strode up the crowded sidewalk, waving at Camille the grocer as he climbed toward Lisa Lynway’s Sea Elephant cafe.
“Good morning, Mr. Wheeler,” Lisa smiled as he ducked into the cafe. “The usual?”
“Yes, Miss Lisa, thank you,” Harry replied, taking his usual seat at the long bar.
He was soon eating his customary breakfast of bread, cheese, and a cup of the cafe’s renowned hot chocolate, but he couldn’t take any real pleasure from the meal, not with the nervous babble filling the cafe.
“Nothing but bad news from Porto Bello,” a wizard said to his fighter companion as he toyed with his teacup. “There just aren’t enough people in the militia yet.”
“The Jaclina needs to get here sooner,” the fighter responded, drumming her gauntleted fingers on their table. “But the escort will slow them down - the gunboats need to scout their route. Not even the sea paths are safe these days.”
“It will take some time before my sister can arrive,” the wizard muttered, “and I can only hope I’m still here to meet her. My battle group will be leaving for Porto Bello soon.”
An elementalist two stools down from Harry fidgeted with his bracelets; brilliant red stones flashed in the early-morning sunlight. “I don’t know why I feel so excited,” he confided to Lisa. “I mean, I know there will be fighting, and people are going to get hurt....”
“That’s the adrenaline talking,” Lisa replied with an understanding smile. “Your body feels the need to defend itself from enemies. Don’t worry if you think it’s blocking your fears, that’s only normal.”
Lisa’s explanation was suddenly cut off by a thunderous roar that rattled windows and china alike.
And then she went on, her calm voice shockingly loud in the otherwise silent cafe. “That means ‘Ships sighted, ready for defense,’” she said. “Militia volunteers, report to your battle groups, now.”
Harry rushed through the port to Soho’s shop. Before he could say a word, however, the bare-chested enhancer motioned him to the back, where the forge was located, and locked the door behind them.
“No need to explain,” Soho said briskly, “I heard that cannon too. I knew you’d come here before joining your group, so I decided to give you something you can use.” He rummaged in a chest and pulled out a pair of finely tooled leather gloves. “These are for you,” the enhancer said. “I can’t leave the port now, so I might as well make sure that everyone who does is well-equipped - and that includes you.”
“I’ll do my best to come back and finish the work that you wanted me to do,” a deeply moved Harry said as he tugged on the gloves.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”

***

The ship that was sighted turned out to be the Jaclina, and the assembled citizens and militia decided not to waste the opportunity: they welcomed the ship with boisterous cheers and an impromptu celebration.
Anne deCygnus looked at the happy faces all around her and was stung by the stark relief she saw on many of them.
Seeing a soldier at the foot of the gangplank, she hurried to him and shouted over the noise of the crowds, “Sir, please show me the way to the Office of Pioneering Support!”
Admiral Nuñez greeted Anne warmly at the Office. “We’re all glad that you and your fellow passengers have made it here safely - now we have more reason to hope,” he said as he replaced his saber in its rack.
“Is the situation really so bad now, Admiral?” Anne asked quietly.
“As new settlers on the shores of an unmapped land, we aren’t properly equipped for any threats,” Nuñez replied. “It’s all we can do to support our brave adventurers as they clear the land of its monsters; pirates attacking us make for an entirely different threat all together.
“But enough of that,” and he smiled once again. “I was informed that you wished to join a battle
group immediately upon your arrival, Miss deCygnus?”
“Yes sir. I’m ready to fight against Granado Espada’s enemies.”
“As are we all, inasmuch as we can do so. I can give you an assignment now, and a letter of introduction to a commanding officer, but I’m afraid I can’t let you leave to join them until I can find a bodyguard to accompany you. You’ll be placed in an area that takes advantage of your skills but is somewhat difficult to reach alone. It’s for your own protection - I’m sure you understand.”
Anne nodded. “I do, Admiral, and I appreciate it. My thanks.”

***

Harry spent a sleepless night on a cliff high above the beached Porto Bello, scanning the horizon for signs of enemy activity. His relief, Francoise Medalle – the female fighter from the Sea Elephant – arrived on time for her watch, and Harry wearily made his way back down to the sheltered nook in which their battle group had made their campsite. Unfortunately, one look at his leader’s face told him that he was not yet about to get any rest.
“Orders from the Admiral, Wheeler,” his commanding officer, a stocky musketeer named Oswald Jarjayes, said as he came in. “You’re to return to port to pick up an elementalist named deCygnus.”
“Sir,” and Harry all but snatched the hip flask the other man offered to him. A quick sip of firewater did much to revive him.
“We should be grateful to the Admiral, Wheeler,” Jarjayes said. “This is a lightning elementalist who’s coming to join us. I say we’re lucky! She must have enough power to work across long distances or she wouldn’t be assigned to our group. You need to get her here in one piece.”
“I understand, Sir,” Harry replied.
“Good luck, Wheeler.”

Anne had received her orders from the Office of Pioneering Support that morning. Admiral Nuñez confirmed her assignment to Oswald Jarjayes’s company, and that she would be conducted to said company’s outpost that same night by a fellow sentry.
So she spent the day exploring the port, acquainting herself with the shops in particular. She’d purchased a quantity of elemental orbs from the tall, haughty-looking Absinian warrior named M’Boma, and also got into a friendly chat with Emilia Guliano, the consumables merchant who sold both magical needs and potions.
Now midnight was striking, and she stood just inside the gate to the Nimrod Bridge, where her escort would be picking her up. From inside the deep hood of her light cloak, she watched the guards change from one shift to the next, and as the port itself fell into an uneasy silence.
Footsteps sounded, moving up the bridge, and both sets of guards snapped alert: “Identify yourself!”
A lanky man walked into the light cast by the torches set into the gate. “I’m Harry Wheeler, from Oswald Jarjayes’s battle group,” he answered. “I’m looking for an elementalist.”
“Miss deCygnus?” the guard nearest her said. “You should go with him, ma’am.”
Anne nodded firmly and walked out the gate. “Mr. ...Wheeler, you said. I’m Anne deCygnus.”
“Please call me Harry, ma’am. I’m here to get you to our post.”
“Then let’s not waste any time. Lead on, Harry.”

They crossed Jezebel Glen without incident. Harry pointed out the shadows of other battle groups atop cliffs and rock formations, and twice he spoke very quietly with other militia sentries, who let them pass through their areas without trouble.
“Has there been any fighting?” Anne asked softly as they approached the path to Porto Bello.
“None yet,” an equally subdued Harry replied.
A human shape loomed out of the darkness at them, then, and Anne choked back a cry of surprise.
Harry whipped a pistol from its holster and leveled it at the stranger. “Who are you?”
The waning moon emerged from its cloud cover, and the two could see their opponent clearly: a swarthy man in disheveled clothing. A faint miasma of salt, stale rum, sour sweat, and gunpowder hung about him, and what was visible of his face was marred by a large bruise on his cheek.
“Jus’ my usual rottin’ luck,” the stranger rasped wearily. “Take it you’re out here to get me? Not goin’ to happen tonight.” He moved his hand, and a knife’s edge glinted in the weak moonlight. “Put your piece away, mister, or the lady gets a blade in ‘er throat.”
“I’d like to see you try,” Anne hissed, and drew one arm back. Sparks of electricity lit up the jewels on her bracelets.
“Shut it, miss,” the stranger said. “Never finish castin’ – be dead before you can blink.”
Harry did his best to intervene: “Let’s not get hasty, now. Miss deCygnus, please put your hand down. Sir, maybe you can put your weapon away....”
“I said shut it! Not bloody likely I’ll put my blade down, mister,” the other man snapped. In a flash, he was standing behind Anne, his knife now pressed to her throat. “One move, and the lady dies.”
Anne struggled, but felt the blade bite into her skin and stilled.
“Waitin’.”
Harry stowed his gun away and raised his hands.
“Follow me nice ‘n’ quiet, you two, and anyone gives me away I boot ‘em into the drink. Savvy?”
Anne and Harry had just enough time to share a look of dismay before the stranger began to quickstep down the path, backtracking towards a series of caves.
They had been sent to stop the pirate called “Captain Wing,” but now he had them, instead.

Another sentry, higher up on the cliffs, watched the unwieldy little procession as it stumbled deeper into Jezebel Glen, and loosed a carrier pigeon from a cage at its feet. The bird flew back to the Port, unseen by the militia scattered over the area.

“Things are going as I planned,” a hoarse voice muttered as its owner looked out at the deserted Baleares Square and, at its head, the dark Office of Pioneering Support quarters. “Ready the crew. We sail at moonrise.”

end part I

Luckily, I stopped here. Hope you have fun spotting the pop culture references...and let me know what you think the ending will be. ^^

Now it's time to work on that new story, good luck to me....

I have a question.

So how does the Mercenary Contract and Character Trading feature affect Family Levels?

My NineMoons family went to Family Level 5 just after getting to Lv44. By then, I'd been given a Panfilo, and had also created my Adelina, Bernelli, and Emilia. It was the number of RNPCs in the Barracks and their high levels that bumped my Family Level nearly to Baron Class.

If I use this upcoming feature, it will then be possible for me to take those RNPCs out of my family Barracks, right?

And if I do take them out - as well as my other stock characters - will Aurana, Tuon, and Chimal stay at Family Level 5, or will the Family Level be adjusted accordingly?

I wonder I wonder.

Trivia Bonanza: Easy Round is CLOSED!

Thanks to everyone who sent in their answers!

The Average questions will be released on this blog by maintenance time on Thursday next week - 26 July - so watch out for that one!

Let me repeat: I'll be giving away 10 - that's right, ten sets of Angel Wings, so what are you waiting for? Join already! Just send in your answers to the Average and Difficult rounds during the next two weeks!

Rules are located here and here.

THIS IS IT!: NineMoons's Granado Espada Trivia Bonanza now OPEN!

And now it's time for me to kick off my own special event for the Granado Espada PH community!!!

Original rules are here.

The most important rules:

1. Email all answers to hisuifox@gmail.com. This is the only way you can submit your answers to the trivia questions. I'll be disabling comments on this post, and I will also not be accepting answers posted to the announcement thread at the official forums.

Remember, if you want your answers to be included in the competition, email them to hisuifox@gmail.com!!

2. For all trivia contest entries, the following restrictions apply:
- A misspelled answer is a wrong answer
- All or nothing format will be followed, especially for questions that require multiple answers
- Changing answers will not be allowed

3. While this contest is intended primarily for the Philippine players and community of Granado Espada, our international players are also encouraged to join in.

4. Answers should be sent in this format:
- Family Name / In-game Name
- Server
- Email address
- Answers

5. Deadline for submission of entries will be at 11:59 PM (Singapore time) of the Friday after each round of questions is released.

Meaning, you must submit your answers for the Easy round of questions by 11:59 PM of Friday, 20 July.

***

Now, on to the first round of questions!

Easy Questions

- What is the most obvious change that happens to your avatars when Baron Mode is activated?

- What elemental property do the monsters of Porto Bello's Desolate Cliff share?

- True or false: Yellow or blue items below lv 32 can be converted into Enchantment Chips.

- What key combination is used to bring up the Squad Information window on the UI?

- What is the name of the ship on which the tutorial is set?

- Where is the NPC who sells Ferruccio Bread and Milk located?

- What color does the Corsair Rosso armor become when worn by a male musketeer?

***

The Average round questions will be posted next Thursday, 26 July.

Good luck to all and don't forget to email me your answers by tomorrow night, 20 July!

Game! articles: announcing the Granado Espada PH community contests

I announce the Granado Espada PH community contests - and my own trivia quiz - on the online edition of Game! Magazine.

For your reference, some links to help clarify what the contests are:

pCM Veya first announces the fan teaser contests; and here's my follow-up post.

Rules and regulations for the fan teasers, and the anti-bot forum signature campaign.

Rules and regulations for my trivia contest - beginning this Thursday!

Everyone join in! ^^

Colony Wars results!

As someone in the game commented earlier: this map seems a wee bit lopsided, but I guess that's just a demonstration of who has got the right stuff for Colony Wars right now. ^^

Congratulations to all Colony owners!

Oh and lest I forget: Colony Wars!

Colony Wars results for 14 July 2007:



While the mainstays are back on the map, it seems that new factions are also beginning to emerge as Colony Wars contenders - so stay tuned!

Congratulations to all the Colony owners!

Granado Espada PH Contest: NineMoons's Granado Espada Trivia Bonanza!

As a side-event to the fan teasers / contests for the relaunch of granadoespada.com.ph, I'll be hosting a special trivia quiz competition on this blog - and the winners get Angel Wings too!

Quiz Mechanics:

The questions for the trivia quiz will fall into three categories: Easy, Average, and Difficult.

The quiz will last for four weeks: Easy questions will be released during week 1; Average questions during week 2; and Difficult questions during week 3. Winners will be announced during week 4.

Quiz questions will be posted during each Thursday maintenance for the duration of the contest.

Answers for each round should be emailed in by Friday 1159pm for each week. Answers submitted via blog comments, in-game announcements or PMs, and / or forum posts shall NOT be accepted as valid.

Answers cannot be changed or amended once sent in. For example, if you sent in your answers to the easy questions, then find out one of your answers was wrong - you can't send in another email with the corrected answer. The first answer sent in is the final answer; this applies to all entries.

Answers should be sent in this format:
- Family Name / In-game Name
- Server
- Email address
- Answers

Easy questions are worth 1 point each; Average questions are worth 2 points each; and Difficult questions are worth 3 points each.

Questions will be drawn from ALL aspects of Granado Espada: the IAH passport, the official web site [GE and GE PH], the official forums, RNPCs, dialogues, quests, mobs, jobs, etc. [You get the idea ^^ And I've just told you where to look for the answers.]

There will be no multiple-choice questions.

A misspelled answer is a wrong answer.

When questions ask for multiple answers, the "all or nothing" format will be followed: all answers must be given, and all answers must be correct, to win the points for that question.

Drop me a line in the comments if you need any clarifications to the rules.

This contest begins during the scheduled maintenance on 19 July 2007 - so get ready with your answers!

Checking in before I AFK...

Big things are a-brewin' in this blog and I promise you all that you're going to like it.

I mean, how can you not like standing a chance to win Angel Wings to make your in-game characters spiffy?

As I'm now working on the mechanics of that contest I've been mentioning here and there on the blog, here's a bit of advice to all Granado Espada Philippines players:

Keep your eyes peeled.

I promise you you won't regret it - and you might even enjoy the game that much more.

Back to Porto Bello's Desolate Cliff then - need to level some more ^^

***

Want to win a Granado Espada Limited Edition Box, complete with Kim Hakkyu's signature?

Try this contest on for size!

NineMoons roundup: Granado Espada and some fun things

Let's put the important stuff right up front, then:

pCM Veya releases details of the GE PH fan teaser contests!!!!
So if anyone out there wants to join the Fansite / Fanblog, Fanfiction / Fanpoetry, and Fanart contests, here are the rules and regulations.

This includes a special Anti-Bot Awareness Campaign, having to do with forum sigs. Please check that out too, and show your support!

Oh and if anyone noticed - that's a lot of Angel Wings she has to give out!!!! Iwantonetoo ^^

Which behooves me to repeat the teaser in the final paragraph of this post:

Stay tuned for a contest I'm putting together along with pCM Veya - there will be fun, there will be prizes, and there will be questions galore!

***

Some faction talk:

More Fun [?] with Missions the Æphemeral way.

That last paragraph totally surprised me, though.

Helping the Faction Reach Level 50 - the benefactors.

Yes, I'm on that list.

Yes, I know we've got insanely big fish to fry to achieve the next faction level.

Phew.

***

Finally, some slightly off-topic fun:

NineMoons wins a Transformers shirt!

The question for this contest was, "Name your favorite Transformer, and give the reason/s why that Transformer is your favorite."

Here's my winning answer ^^

I'm getting an Autobots t-shirt - because hey, it would be pretty strange if I got Decepticon considering what my answer was!

And talking about Janette's emerging influential blogs project:

Can you find the NineMoons Family in this entries master list?

Colony Wars Weekend: Sunday results

And it looks like everyone else and their mothers too got in on the Colony Wars tonight, along with the return of Yakisoba to the map!



Congratulations to the following factions: Yakisoba, GoD, Dominion, CARNAGE, VIRLEAD, and VietNam on their Colonies!

Colony Wars Weekend: Saturday results; a new team!

Above, please see the results of Saturday night's Trial Colony Wars on Cervantes server.

Yes, there's a name conspicuously missing from that map, and here's the reason, straight from the faction blog: Yakisoba had a BBQ party and could not join the Colony Wars.

Tonight's Colony War promises a helluva lot of drama, all things considered.

Congratulations to GoD, Dominion, CARNAGE and Wetworks on their Colonies!

[Will update again tomorrow, after the other Colony War.]

***

After a surprise gift of a Panfilo de Narvaez character card from Thoraine, may I present my current main team on Cervantes server:



For lack of a better name - and just because he's Getaboshi Ossan - I named this Panfilo Urahara. ^^

He's currently equipped with two Knight Swords, with the proper enhancements plus a nice set of options; some good armor; and a bunch of nice accessories.

Tuon remains my main fighter with her Heaven or Hell stance, and is the main reason why Urahara is actually surviving in the NineMoons family's current training grounds, Theuringenwald Lakeside.



It's the first time I've added a male character to my Cervantes barracks, and this promises to be a lot of fun as for the first time I'm training two fighters at once. [Thank goodness for small blessings such as Panfilo's abnormally high HP.]

An update after getting caught up in real life....

Hey all! I know I haven't been updating in the past few days, much less leveling that much - as he already pointed out, my faction leader Harbin has cracked the 5x level, making it imperative that I do the same.

[Thanks to Thoraine and to Kraft, especially, for giving me such nifty items to help keep me going.]

In any case, I DID manage to achieve level 44 for all three characters of my main Cervantes team - and here's the picture to prove it:


That's my +4 Familiar Staff in Chimal's hands; and those are a +4 Templar Sword and a +4 Nedler in Tuon's.

I picked up the Familiar Staff while grinding in Tetra Ruins, if I remember correctly. The Nedler is a gift from Thoraine.

Do I also get to mention that this picture is also my current desktop wallpaper? I'm proud of my girls right now, I really am. ^^

***

Still talking about the July print issue of Game!, here are a couple of shots of the magazine in question. I bought a copy last Friday and was pleased to see what they did to my article - check out the pics!


Excuse the non-Granado Espada cover. This is only so you know what the issue looks like should you luck out and find a copy in local bookstores and mag shops.


Here's the beauty of the back cover, though - another version of the Granado Espada posters, this time with Pirate Adelina, a female mob that I'm assuming is a boss character [anyone know what she's called?], and Romina!


And just as a teaser - here's the first page of the article. Hope it whets all your appetites into going out to buy the magazine.

[Also - I find it so right that the girls on the first page actually make up my current Cervantes team.]

If you look closely at the screenshots in the article, they are of my Pachelbel NineMoons family of Ajimbura, Ryaneen, and Shizumi - the team I created expressly to write the article with. I must have taken over 80 screenshots of them and of their interactions with the NPCs and RNPCs just to help me out.

***

In Granado Espada PH news - look out and start saving up! The Limited Edition Box Set is coming our way, and first rumors say it's about PHP3000!

@.@ Okay, that's a lot of money, but man, anything for an Emilia the Sage... must start saving my money.....

Also: I've got some ideas for the fan contests they're drumming up - which ones are you joining? You can join any or all of the following: Best Fansite / Fanblog; Best Fanfiction / Fanpoetry; or Best Fanart.

Granado Espada roundup: bots, Colony Wars weekend, PH factions, and special events!

So, here are your latest news updates.

From RCM Hrin:

More news in the campaign against bots in Granado Espada, this time with the special participation of the GMs!

A weekend of Colony Wars! Here's the schedule:

7 July 2007, Saturday, 2000hrs-2200hrs (GMT+8)
8 July 2007, Sunday, 2000hrs-2200hrs (GMT+8)

Everybody get ready for another round of Claim, Command, and Conquer!

Also in this news post: a call against racism. Just remember, kids: we're all Homo sapiens and we've all got to learn how to get along, both in-game and in real life!

From pCM Veya:

Veya talks about the PH faction CARNAGE.

Watch out, all PH factions, as pCM Veya will be continuing to make the rounds of the Pinoy guilds in Granado Espada!

From your host:

My next series of articles will be about the origins of the names of the many armors and costumes in Granado Espada - and I'm telling you people, this is going to be more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Also, stay tuned for a contest I'm putting together along with pCM Veya - there will be fun, there will be prizes, and there will be questions galore!

Stay tuned!

Game! articles: The July print edition is out! Go grab your copy!

Announcing the contents of the July print edition of Game! Magazine.

Quoting from this blog post,

Don’t miss out on important quests when you set foot in the New World of Granado Espada with GAME!’s comprehensive walkthrough.

The walkthrough includes information on the new features of the Open Beta client; tons of screenshots from my own gameplay; and a couple of sidebars. One is about the color code of item-drop names; the other contains tips and tricks for the savvy pioneer.

I wrote that comprehensive walkthrough with massive amounts of help and patience from friends who play Granado Espada with me; as well as getting some input from IP-Interactive Product Manager for Granado Espada Ivee Feria.

For information on how to get started in the world of Granado Espada - and if you want to know what the NineMoons family on Pachelbel server looks like - please pick up a copy of this issue. ^^

All-servers EB at TriNoMa Mall in Quezon City, Philippines - quick report

I was able to drop by the all-servers EB [Eye Ball - a personal meeting] organized by the Caravaggio faction PasawayProphecy today. Held at the fifth floor of the newly opened TriNoMa Mall in Quezon City [Philippines], the call time was set for 11am. On the agenda were the Transformers movie, a quick meal, and possibly a drinking session - but I showed up for the discussions of Granado Espada that were sure to crop up among so many players!





I was the lone Cervantes representative at the event and wound up being the target of a lot of good-natured ribbing to come on over to the faction's server, Caravaggio.

Of course I'm staying with Cervantes for now. ^^ Maybe after my characters on Cervantes make it to 100, guys.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to meet up with pCM Veya who managed to catch up around 4pm. It was a good EB while it lasted for me. My apologies that I was there for only a short while [and thus can provide only a short report]; but I'll try to make it up next time.

***

Hey, Pinoy factions!

Got a meet-up or EB scheduled? Send me the details so I can help promote your events! Email me at hisuifox@gmail.com, or PM me in-game ["NineMoons], or drop a comment either on the main blog or on my chatbox!