So, you wanna be the master of…Malifaux?

Do you have the skills to be…..come a bro?

I wanna beeee the veeeery best, that no one ever waaaas.

Sorry folks. It’s been a Pokemon kind of day

So, recently, I have been playing a bit of the Pokemon Trading Card Game Online and actually thoroughly enjoying it. To be fair, I do not versus other players – I just use the stock standard trainer decks it gives you and battle the occasional NPC.

This got me in the mood for buying packs, something I find highly additive, exciting and often soul crushing.

ANYWAY, I get home with my little foil sealed packets of potential devastation and find this:

So on the left is my “bonus foil” and on the right is my “1 x rare”. They were actually the same card. What are the odds, ey??

Apparently pretty damned high. This has now happened to me a good 5-7 times. What is the go? Is it because the set has so few cards in it!? Or do I have magical pack-picker talons on me?

This got me in a nostalgic mood for checking out some of my older collection..

I miss the days where “foil” actually meant, do not expose to direct sunlight as you might burn a hole in the ozone with the reflection bouncing off of that bad-boy.

While I was digging these out of their super-secret-hidey-space I found a bunch of clippings I’d put into a folder with my cards.

Wow, $109.90!? Are you dicking with me? Should probs be nicer to the parents, the struggle to afford to raise a nerdy child was real.

Moving right along…I have been continuing to paint my Seamus Malifaux ladies – although, one of my hookers in tights appears to have gone missing. I cannot tell you, how devastating that is to me, to own a “set” that is not in fact “complete”. Like for MULTIPLE reasons, this is heavily upsetting. But we soldier on.

Wanna see me twerk it to Katy Perry’s – This is how we do?

So, unfortunately, I didn’t know that the angle I was on was casting such an orange hue over my photo – but we work with what we’ve got. The back of her dress is getting some highlighting and her skin is undergoing a little correcting time.

I actually dropped the whole mini in my drive way, skinning the paint off of her face, knees and the front of her dress directly after painting this.

Yooooou dropped me!? ME? Have you seen me? I’m amazing. I don’t know if we can hang out anymore, Ellie.

I tried my best to fix her back up, but she undeniably now had some uneven textures and variations in colour. Ah well, if anyone asks I’ll say she’s growing lumps.

Well, as per always, great chats! We should do this again soon.

~ El

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Blogger Tag: Best Games of 2014

So, in going with the write tag given out by ‘What’s your Tag?‘, I am going to do a quick list of the best games I played in 2014.

Now, I would like to re-state the ‘I PLAYED IN 2014’ part. These are not necessarily 2014 releases, and they are in no particular order other than the one my brain remembered them in!

Pokemon Alpha Sapphire (Nintendo 3DS)
– To be absolutely fair to all other games, this made it to my list partially because of my love for the Pokemon series of games. It is highly probable that the reason I thought it was an amazing game, is because of the same reason I loved all of it’s predecessors. BECAUSE, GUYS, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU KNOW BUT YOU CATCH BADARSE PETS WITH SUPER POWERS. What’s not to love?

The Last of Us (Playstation 3)
– This was just one of the most epic games I have ever played. To be absolutely honest, I felt like I had been thrown into the middle of this amazing movie and told to hit the ground running. I plan on buying a PS4 soon – this will be being re-purchased purely to play it on my new console. I’m not even kidding.

Beyond Two Souls (Playstation 3)
– Basically, see above. Epic story. Amazing acting. Love love love. Also, you may not have heard, but there was boob.

7 Days to Die (PC)
– I’m sure most people are familiar with this title, but I have literally not stopped wanting to play this game since I got it. Originally recommended to me by the Painting Sage, I was somewhat hesitant to purchase an alpha game with such a hefty price tag ($30AUD) – but it turned out to be money well spent for all the hours, with all the different friends I have spent killing zombies and building ridiculous looking forts.

Don’t Starve (+ Together BETA, PC)
– This, for the same reason as 7 Days to Die, made it on the list for the sheer amount of time I have enjoyed running around with friends quickly hording supplies for our camp – and adventuring off on my own to discover underground monster caves filled with fresh carrots and glowing bushes, this is a game I am happy to have spent my money on.

Well, I might leave that there, at a shortish list of a couple of games that particularly stood out to me over 2014 “vidja gaming”. I’m sure I’m forgetting a couple of epic things I played, but for right now – this is it.

I wish you all a fantastic 2015 and hopefully by 2016 I’ll be posting “Best holodeck games I played this year” … no? pipe dreaming? drat.

~ Always, Elison

Holding Miniatures up to a Torchlight

Alright, so when approaching this miniature I assumed a few things.
1. The skirt would be the hardest to paint/shade etc.
2. The fan and umbrella would be fairly simple.

So, even though it would appear I was correct on point 1, I was GROSSLY underestimating that whole umbrella/fan deal. I have literally spent my last 3 painting sessions with Painting Sage, just on these two items.

He seems to think it’s because now I’m stressing about them and over thinking the whole thing that caused this but still. They have turned out, pretty sub-par.

I’m not even sure this is a fan I’m holding anymore, El. What on earth is this colour scheme??

I think I’m going to step away, and leave them both and work on the bows/details before I come back to them. They’re honestly doing my head in!!

This is a little bit of a back track, but here is a nice shot Painting Sage took of my mini for me!! As promised.

Paint me like one of your french girls.

Onto slightly different news, so if anyone remembers a very generous lovely friend of mine gave me his collection of Warhammer 40K miniatures to paint?

After all of my chattering on about minis, and paints, and games and awesomeness – he sends me this photo with the captions of “LOOK WHAT YOU MADE ME DO”

Hello little Dragon. Very pleased to meet you!
*Disclaimer note: Not painted by me.

Yaaaay! More friends to talk miniatures to, and paint with! Yayayayay.

Now, the title of my blog was because between painting, work, life etc I have also been busy playing Torchlight II.
I got this in the recent steam sale for about $6 and have to admit – WELL WORTH THAT MONEY.

What’choo doin just floating mid air grinning at me, ey?

I would almost describe this game as Diabloesque. But it’s quite a bit faster paced in regards to Action/Quests and levels.

Dun dun DUUUUUUN.

I would honestly recommend this game to anyone that enjoyed either D2 or D3, or Path of Exile. All great games in my opinion.

Check out my SAHWEET face gear and pet spider. Because I’m a baller.

Well lovies! Talk again soon! Hopefully I will have some Halloween themed basing to you show you next time!

Sincerely, El

Wet palette? Don’t mind if I do!

I am often hovering over the Painting Sage’s shoulders wondering how the colours are so even, and the layers so smooth and watching the magical and weird use of a ‘wet palette’.
I have often wondered if using one of these might help my ability to keep the paint a nice consistency.

So! The other day I head over with coffee to start painting a Warmahordes miniature and Painting Sage has made me a wet palette!

My amazing wet palette in all it’s glory!!

I do have to admit, it has made life SO much easier. I’m not having to water down my paint to the point that it’s non existent to keep it fluid, and really the main reason for using water now is just to keep my brush flexible haha.
Absolutely loving it!!

The colours you see there are the colours I am using to paint up Shadow of Everblight‘s Warcaster Lylyth.
This is not actually an army I’m planning to play, but I love the mini.

Slowly but surely. She now has a cloak and some teeth in her hair – but need to get a better photo of it.

Oh, and I had a stab at trying something freehand. As you know I was given some Warhammer 40K stuff from a friend as a gift, and I’m painting one of them to give back to him – so I asked what he would like on the flag and took a shot.

I need to go over the white again as it’s such a transparent colour (Game Colour Off White) it need a few layers to get it even.
Before anyone mentions this – I did not paint this over the black actually – but I did accidentally cut off his botton teeth when I was painting the back around it, so the teeth have ended up darker/less white coverage.
I’ma fix it later.

Well, that will be all for today!! Can’t wait to finish work and do some more paaaiinttting !!!

Sincerely,
El

This will never be a miniature

Due to my enthusiasm for reading about other peoples miniature painting, the general rules of Malifaux and everything else tiny related – I decided to poke my toe into the community and stalk the Wyrd forums for ideas.

What I came across, was this brilliant artist making HIS OWN MINIATURES.

Mind = blown. I didn’t even know people could do this. And with such skill, and artisan, and professional talent. (See the thread I’m talking about here).

Either way, the artist (Mako) was also posting up some shots from attempting a go at some free 3D modelling software. And I’ve always wanted to have a go – so I headed over and downloaded Sculptris.

Here is the result of my ever pathetic first attempt. Although – I would love love love to make something I was proud of and maybe one day have it 3D printed.

TL;DR : First attempt at 3D Modelling and digital airbrushing. Don’t judge! Haha.

I leave you with these horrific images:

Colonel Sanders – come at me!

Eating, Gaming and Miniature Painting!

Heeeeeey, that title kind of rhymes?

So, I’ve been ridiculously stressed out lately. University Exams were on, at the same time as my job get’s super busy, at the same time as a number of my friends suddenly dissapear off the face of the Earth (Not dead, just avoidant!) and yea – you get it.
*First world problems, right?*

Well, I explained that because when I’m stressed out I cook – so the other day I find a fishmonger selling Moreton Bay Bugs, so I nabbed a few and did them in a garlic, butter and parsley dressing, sprinkle of rock salt and optional lemon.

Yea, kinda tasted like … fish prawns. Very meaty.

Another stress release, painting up my new Malifaux miniatures! Arrived safely in the mail the other day and I’m having a crack at painting up Myranda first.
Now, please keep in mind:
1. I am not very good at this
2. Any level of ‘success’ I achieve is because I’m planted next to a professional painter who’s saving my arse every time I stuff something up hahaha.

So this is her with skin and blue fabric done so far.

Oi, El…You’re not leaving me GREY haired are you? This is awful.

With the FLASH on looks really bad, but wanted to show that I’d painted on shine…even though, yea it kind of looks like smudge like this hahaha.

Other than these two activites, got in a little Neverwinter time, kind of dull now that the Event is over – but either way got to questing.

I was sent into this dungeon when a lot of sections of roofs have caved in and you walk up the debris to get tot he next ‘level’ of the dungeon and I discovered a somewhat glitch.
Was stuck here for a good 10-15 minutes trying worm my way out of the crack.

Don’t step on a crack, or you’ll fall and break your….ability to move forever.

Hunting a dead dog

I have been kicking around on Neverwinter for the past few days due to the event currently on!! Oh, how I love events.

This event releases monsters through variously placed portals through the main city (Protector’s Enclave) and the players can all run and kill them to protect the loving defenseless citizens.

Paaaartay! Who brought the boom box?

Once the portal closes a minute or two later, every get’s a ‘bag of bones’. Collecting these bones allows you to turn them in for various rewards – the top one being a new skeleton dog companion.

Keep moving you creepy citizen, I will not follow you into any suspicious looking lane-ways.

So, you need 40 bones to get the companion dog, and I was up to 35 when maintenance was announced to hit shortly. So I scrambled to get the rest of my bones and pick up my new puppy.

Looks like everyone else had this idea as well?

Because there are so many people at the spawn points, it can get a little messy trying to see what the hell you’re doing.
A problem I successfully solved, by planting myself on a pillar and casting from there.

Go team! I got your back! … from up here…

It also allowed me some good digital photo-ops between spawns…

Well, minutes before server shut down – I had success.
Everyone say hello to my new friend, SPARKY!

Arf arf?

Ever wanted to date a pigeon?

Then have I got the game for you!

Hatoful Boyfriend is a Japanese dating sim based on the story of a girl attending an ALL PIGEON SCHOOL.
She is the only human character in this game (despite the male pigeons having human ‘avatars’), and the goal is to get to know and then date the male pigeon students.

Now, when I said that the male pigeons have avatars, this is merely a figment of the girls imagination, and the feature can be turned off via a setting in the game – if you would prefer to enjoy your male counterparts in all their feathered glory.

I have to be honest, while playing the game, I did feel a tad suss…

Normally, I don’t mind Japanese dating sims, or at least – the one or two I’ve played before – but there was something about the idea of fictionally romancing a bird that made me….uneasy.
However, that could also be the fault of the dialogue.

If you say so…

Either way, in the same rhelm as my previous post regarding ‘Umadonna’ I wonder how many others of these are out there?

Actually, I take that back.
I don’t need to know.

Haha, sincerely – El

Baking, Gaming and Speculating

Today has been eventful in my tiny world.

1. Successfully completed all my work with a few days to spare before the dead line – so now I can just sit back making everything pretty before presenting it to my client.
2. I baked some pizza topping stuffed Anpan
3. I bought a low end low tech low cost tablet.

First things first. Anpan!
Welcome to one of my de-stressing hobbies, baking! After watching RunnyRunny999‘s YouTube videos I wanted to have a go at Anpan.
He stuffs them with Anko (a sweet bean paste) however, I decided to go with tomato-paste, ham and a combination of Swiss and Parmesan cheese.
Actually turned out pretty well…

I will however be needing to cook them at a lower temp in future, and put more of an egg wash on those bad boys.

Slightly changing the subject to my new tablet (also shown, new awesome comic leggings)…

I downloaded the WordPress app for this device too and I have to admit, like it much better than the version for the phone.

I fully appreciate that more space is going to equal better functions and ease of navigation, but I really like the reader and posts views.
Nicely done WordPress. You got the right people designing those apps in my honest opinion.

This is the same post view on the phone, for reference.

In my next up coming post, I shall be reviewing a dating sim based on the concept of a human girl attending a school with ALL BIRDS.
I do not mean Bird men, or people with wings, or even birds with human arms! I just mean straight up, 15-20cm tall BIRDS.

Moshi Moshi? Oh hi! Haven’t heard from you in a while!
What’s that? You’re dating birds now?
…Sorry I’m driving through a tunnel. *click*

Sincerely,
Ellison

Ys Origin

So, I was having a look through the different ‘demos’ that Steam has to offer as I’ve never really downloaded one before – just bought the game and then worked out if I liked it.

Either way, Ys Origin definitely caught my eye.

Like remember the days of all those awesome RPG Platformers? This is an awesome addition to the genre.

There’s something about sprites that I love.

The mechanics in the demo indicate that you have 3 attack elements that you can equip one at a time. Meaning my standard/special/power up attacks will follow that element.

I think fire was my favorite.

You could use these sort of magical spring platforms to jump onto higher levels, but unfortunately there was no way for me access the level to finish the first mission.

Pity, I was really enjoying that.

The first missing showed all these torches going out that you were required to re-light, to access the chest that holds the key to open the door.

But alas, it appears I could only go so far with the demo.

Will definitely be a purchase of mine in the near future however. This was an awesome way to kill some time relaxing and being able to watch YouTube at the same time.

If you get bored, and like to watch people cook – I would recommend RunnyRunny999. He’s a japanese guy (living in Japan) that cooks upon request for viewers – but isn’t amazing at it, and pretty amusing to watch.

Well, I’m out for the moment!
See you all next time.

Sincerely,
El