GearScore + Anon = Net Bullies or Skill > GS

Back in the good old days of Burning Crusade I began to get discouraged when I hit 70 on Paravel, my resto druid.  Why? Because I would look to join a group doing a heroic or raid and they would demand that you had a magically determined bonus healing stat.  Often time this stat was pulled out of the “wow forums floating cloud of trolls”. No real science or crunching of numbers determined what made an effective player. And more times then not it would be a number that could only be reached by already being one of the few who have cleared the highest content at the time.

I mean really, does it make sense to demand gear from Sunwell for a Kara run?  Does it? O.o

Fast forward to Wrath.  We no longer rate a player on spell power, healing power or AP but instead on something even MORE mystical, Gear Score.  It started with sites back at the close of BC that would guess at an items gear score and create a data base to try and rate your characters place on a progression bar.  Site like http://be.imba.hu/ were tools where you could look up your level 70 toon, see missing enchants, gems, get suggestions for your class and build.  All and all a very helpful tool if you used it to work on your progression.  However things changed

The problem started when competing sites raised up on the net using different formulas for coming up with their base score.  Remember, the scores at this time where a mystery, and value that enhancements, set bonuses, mixing and matching for stats, were all guess work. With this arose no standard of a “gear score”.  One group would ask for a GS of 1000 when another would ask for 750.  The issue being that depending on what site they used the 750 could be a better geared player than the site that provided the 1000.  Talk about a headache.

Enter a mod author who, more than likely had good intentions, that released an in game mod that would make a GS based on a math of his own.  His statement was that it was not the end all to be all, but DOWNLOAD AND USE MY MOD!  Drama can be so fun to watch in the mod community at times, especially when someone wrote a mod to break this mod and the rumors and flame wars flared.

But, I digress, so what else is new.  Issue is back.  If you don't have a GS of XXXX you cant come and you get kicked out.  This problem and mod leaves out some important information, like player skill.  I have said this before, but I would take an under geared skilled player over a noob or jerk in gear any day on a run.  The argument that you must have a high GS to clear the highest content is negated by projects like clearing ICC 10 in all blues!

If you know how to play your class and work with others you can and will be successful.  If however you expect to be carried through a run to get better gear but have not a clue how to play then you are more than likely the one who stands in the fire, misdirects onto a clothie, or taunts the boss off the tank at enrage.  It does not matter if you have the highest gear in the game at that point, you still fail at the game and cause issues within your group.

I know you are probably wondering where the bulling part comes into this argument, and well you should.  If you have a slightly lower GS than the “floating cloud of trolls” have determined for that hour, and you end up in a random LFG group, you could be exposed to behavior you would never see in a face to face social environment.  Just stop it people, treat others with respect please.  How much more enjoyable our gaming life would be if we could just learn to get along and not be jerkwads.

GearScore is a tool, and measuring stick, not the end all.  What we really need is a mod that will take gear score provided by Blizzard, enchants, gems, set bonus and all into account, along with rating and notes into account so its not about a bottom line number but more.  Oh wait, their is *smile*

Enter Elitist Group (used to be Sexy Group, from the same author who did Sexy Map and Sexy Cooldown)



Again, EG is just a tool.  I will write a review and tutorial soon covering its usage and how to maximize the information gained from it without being a jerk.

Just remember that we play World of Warcraft for fun.  So does the person on the other side of that avatar, treat them as you would face to face.

Digital Campus. No. no we are not crazy, stop looking at us like that!

One of the most interesting things I get to see from time to time is what I call the tilt head and look oddly into the distance look when I tell people about Redeemed Point.  Some assume right off the bat that because we are streaming "church" online, and because, at the moment, don't use pews and a "standard" seating arrangement, that we are some sort of strange radical group or trying to do things in a completely new way. If you get nothing else from this post please at least get this:

THIS IS NOT NEW!

Ok, sorry for shouting.  When the church began some 2000+ years ago it is safe to say that the Internet did not exist.  Nor phones, television, cell phones, twitter, facebook, or even. . get ready . . mass produced books!  The church was successful not because of what or how they did things, but because of WHO they did things for.

Jesus gave us a commission;

Mark 16:15 And he said to them, Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Like the early church we need to go to where the people are.  You and I know people who would never consider stepping foot inside a "church", yet make contact with them by some online means and you may just have an opportunity to tell them about your faith.

Above all things Tanya's and my desire it to reach the lost for the Lord.  Tanya does it in her own way, she shares insights of her walk on her own blog (hehe, took me long enough to convince her to start it) while I use podcasting (in the past), blogs, games IE (World of Warcraft) and other geeky and techie things.  Redeemed Point is born out of this.

Imagine if you will a small group of dedicated men and women who seek to do what Christ has called them to do in a local body, not only local but not forgeting Mark 16.  We are going out, and if by chance we can reach just one person, one at all, it is worth it!

So are we crazy?  Yea, don't you want to be crazy about Jesus as well? :)

(NOTE: Wordpress had eaten my first attempt at this article.  If it seems disjointed please forgive me and know more will come.)

Merry Christmas all!

What a great Christmas this has turned out to be.  Bethany is home from university, I have the day off, and the four of us are going to go see Avatar later tonight.  We awoke to are standard tradition, be it much later than when the girls where younger, where we are met with cups of coffee that the girls prepared for us; find our place around the tree and begin the passing out of the presents.

Everyone is happy with the gifts they got.  I am thrilled, Bethany got me 2 books, A Year with C.S. Lewis and the audio book version of his Screwtape Letters!  (can someone say more Lewis inspired writings this year? hehe)

This year is almost at and end and it has been one of those years you wish to just let pass by.  But the Lord is good.  It has taken over a year of healing from the wounds of the year before last, but with the renewed love and hope in my heart we have begun something exciting and thrilling.  If you have not heard about Redeemed Point yet then head on over and check out our church plant.

As far as the world of gaming, I am playing WoW still/again/still. :)  I have re-rolled and found a home with AIE (Alea Iacta Est) on Earthen Ring US horde side.  To say its a large guild would be.  well an understatement.  It happens to be the largest guild in the world, made up of fans of The Instance Podcast hosted by Scott Johnson. Even though its over 5000 characters it is a refreshing community of players.  Finlay truly casually/hardcore raiding without the pressure. It has been a nice change.

But most importantly I want to wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.  Always remember that no matter how commercialized or busy this time of year gets, its all about Jesus, the best Christmas Gift ever!

Twitter? Huh? New Way to Swing!

We truly live in a very connected and wired age.  With this age of communication ease has crept up some interesting and fantastic tools that help plug people into one another’s busy lives.  Gone are the days of “small town” Mayberry, where on any given evening you could walk around and talk with your neighbors as they swung on a large comfy swing on the front porch.  Today our lives are so busy that once we get home from work we rush to the fridge, get dinner started, make sure the kids are getting homework done and getting ready to rest and relax for the night, that is if you do not have extracurricular activities, preparation for the next day at work or what not. 

Our world has changed.  People are not as open to company just dropping by as they once did (This affects church and ministry life drastically, but ill save that for another post.)  At the beginning of this age you could feel a vacuum as people started to pull away from others, but then something deep inside of us longs to be connected.  But we don't have time. . We are busy.  I should take an hour or two out of my night to go over and see so and so, but then it turns into a 4 hour ordeal, then we get to bed late, and wake the next morning more tired that before.  Ever happen to you?  So what do we do to connect?

I am so glad you asked.  *smile*  About a year and a half ago I learned of something called Twitter.  At first it seemed silly.  It was explained to me that you simply put in up to 140 characters of what your doing, and people who follow you can read it. 

At first I was like.. “uhm. . so?”  I mean who wants to know when someone had a really yummy peanut butter sandwich?  So I put it aside for a few months until some issues in my ministry and life fell apart to such a stage that I withdrew into a deep cave.  It was at this time, the time I needed people and connections, that I blew the dust off of this platform and started to learn of its power to connect people together on so many layers and levels.  It was not simply about eating lunch.

Twitter has grown into an organic thing with people posting whatever they want, within the 140 character limit.  As of this writing I follow 138 people, and have 110 people following me.  This is amazing.  As someone who wants to know what others think and feel I can . . eavesdrop on a public conversation they chose to share.  I have been able to learn some amazing things about some of the people I have known for years or even days.  Things they reveal are non threatening, yet give us a picture of who they are. 

Not only can I see what they post, but I can in turn respond to them in a quasi IM.  By responding to them with an @ symbol I can direct a message to them that others that follow me and them can see.  Connection!

Now when I post something I have 110 people that will read it when it comes across their feed.  They too can then respond to me.  I will typically share small tidbits about my gaming, struggles, blog posts, ideas, questions and more.

Twitter has opened our world that is busy, bored, and alone into something that even in our hectic schedules gives us the ability to connect on a level not done before.  The ways to use it are endless.  And to be honest, the best way to get your head wrapped around it is to just do it. 

Head over to http://twitter.com and set up an account.  Then follow some users.  You can follow me by going to http://twitter.com/manorton Once you are following people just sit back and watch, learn and interact.

Come join me and others on the new swing on the new front porch, doing the same thing we did 50 years ago;  Sharing small bits of our lives with others.

WotLK - I'm IN! W00t!

Thanks to a friend I got a beta key!  w00t!  Paravel is on the server and im downloading.  Get ready for some Resto Druid info!  YES!!!

Paravel Communications is Up.

Well, after several months of trying to get bearing after resigning at First Baptist I have begun to take to heart the comments my friends have been telling me for years.  I have been developing web sites for guilds, churches, personal use for a long time.  Every time I finish a job someone would comment how they liked it, or how cool something was on it.  Soon the conversation would turn to "You should do this for a living."

Well, it is now time to see if they are right.  My deepest desire is to help others use the internet to reach out to the masses.  Weather it is a church or ministry, a local company, or someones private blog, they deserve to have a great web presence.

All I ask of my readers and friends is you pray for us as we try to get the company off the ground.  If you know of someone or you are in need of a custom site, give me a call.  *smile*

http://paravelcomm.com