Thursday, July 13, 2017

A day at Barrows - RuneScape Reflections

A day at Barrows - RuneScape Reflections
A day at Barrows - RuneScape Reflections


The Barrows is a very popular, challenging and dangerous minigame in the massive online game called RuneScape. Many players make big money at the Barrows, but many - even the experienced Barrowers like myself - risk loosing millions worth of items due to bad luck or not being alert.

I am Barrowing a lot to get my mage and range levels to 99 (currently range 96, mage 97, combat 91). Barrowing is great mage training as the loots from the chest often provide  me with the necessary runes to cast Magic Dart of Slayer (slayer lvl 55 required). I have so far done well over 100 runs in the Barrows, and have acquired more than 3000 boltracks and blood runes and about 8k chaos runes. I don't keep count of gp or mind runes, but I am never out of stock of needed runes.

The most treasured loot I've gotten so far from The Barrows is:

* Torags Platebody
* 2 Guthans Helms (sold for 3.35 mill gp each =))
* Veracs Helm
* Veracs Brassard
* Veracs Plateskirt
* Karils Skirt.
Not to mention all the half keys - at least 4.

Most people pray Protection against melee attacks and thus don't have to hide and run like I do, they just activate prayer and let their character autoattack with a magic spell they have set. So these players spend a lot of prayer potions to finish off the brothers in the crypts. When you enter one of the crypts (spade needed) your prayer will be drained by approximately 10+ every 10 seconds or so. Without the sip of a prayer pot Barrows would be impossible to do except for those very high levelled accounts.

My way of barrowing is very risky but it saves me expenses on prayer potions. I have a moderately high combat lvl with 70 defense, but I only mage and range at Barrows as I have quit training melee altogether. Here is a simple description of how I do the Barrow runs.

I stock up with runes for entangle spells (79 magic required) and magic dart spells (55 slayer required). I don't use pray on the melee brothers at all - I simply search their tomb and instantly entangle the brother that emerges. Then I run off a couple of squares and attack with magic dart. The tangle spell holds my foe to the spot for 15 seconds, enough time to cast 4 magic darts. Before the tangle spell breaks I run behind the tomb and waits 5 seconds before I repeat with a new entangle. After a hold spell has been cast and worn off, your enemy will be immune to any hold spells for 5 seconds! Therefore it is important to keep your distance from physical contact with the melee brothers if your prayer is off  - their "embraces" aren't exactly like the ones you get in momma's arms =p

Finishing off the Melee brothers like I do is very risky. You must know how to hide behind the tombs the proper way. I use a technique that is similar to "side-stepping", two of the corners of each tomb give this possibility. Side stepping is used by high levels that fight close up with the brothers - when they need to eat and regroup they have positioned themselves at a corner of the chest such that when they just move a step off from their foe which will be stuck on the corner of the tomb.

I keep getting questions and comments on why I don't use Melee Prayer like everyone else. My initial thought was to save on prayer pots so I started using ancient magick. Again without praying melee. With my high magic level I can use Ice barrage - it holds the enemy for 20 seconds and deals massive damage. Ancient Magick turns out to be is very expensive, so I would start with an Ice Barrage and then continue my attacks with Ice Bursts. I made profit anyway (guess I was lucky with my lootings) - but I'd rather use my blood runes for some proper pk'ing.

After some experiments and testing I decided to continue with Modern Magic instead, and haven't regretted since. The risk has increased, but it only makes it more entertaning. If I should die and loose my Ahrims mage outfit or Guthan helm - well I hope the finder will be happy =p. So far I have been lucky - yesterday I got Veracs Plateskirt! Now I only need Veracs Flail for a full Verac set.

Aaaa! - the satisfaction of picking up free stuff! This happened on the same day as I got Veracs Skirt!

I was in Dharoks tomb preparing to take him down - as always with butterflies in my stomach - killing Dharok without melee prayer on is VERY DANGEROUS  (that guy can deal at least 58 damage in one hit when his health bar is close to zero).

Suddenly I see a player getting massive blows to his character, it happens so quick that he has no chance to escape.  And voila! On the ground is the remains of this poor player - and what riches he dropped! I picked up: Obsidian Shield, Black mystic top and bottom, 200+ rune arrows, Berserker helm, black ranger set and so on. My inventory was full of lobs and I unfortunately had to see some of the things this poor player dropped being picked up by others as I couldn't gobble up them lobbies fast enough.

With a newly "looted" obby shield and a fresh Verac Plateskirt in inventory I decided to teleport to closest bank and have a break from the game. No need to test my luck further =P

Anyway - Dharok is still waiting for me at the Barrows.

A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games

A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games
A Choose Up Game - One of My Best Games

The teams were picked and the line ups were announced. I was batting third. I could not wait to hit. Hitting to me was like eating for a fat man with a tape worm. I lived for the experience. I knew even before I batted that I would get a hit. I was so young and cocky! After the first two guys on my team made outs, I strolled up to the plate, as confident as Babe Ruth - pointing to center field in the 1934 World Series when he called his famous home run. Digging in and sneering at Donnie, I was determined to smack that pill. First pitch was a high and tight fastball.

I got out of the batter's box and stared at Donnie. I was thinking fastball for his next offering. I was right. The ball came in so big. I could see the red seams on the ball. Boom! I connected on that real sweet spot on the bat. All batters love that sound. That crack that sounds so solid. Pitchers hang their heads when they hear that noise. Itís like the strike of chalk on a backboard, they hate it. The ball jumped off my bat and sailed over the left and centerfielderís heads. It was a shot and a half. As I rounded the bases I got a glimpse of Mr. Ginsburg, the high school coach, watching me round the bases. This was Major League stuff.
A few innings later.....

Gazing at Donnie, I thought how much more determined he looked, as I went to bat for the second time. His brow was crimped and his eyes were staring. With a runner on first he was pitching from the stretch. His leg glided toward home his arm raised high, he flung the ball at me. I do not know what kind of pitch he threw. What I do know is that I hit a rocket about 15 feet over the third baseman's head down the left field line. As the ball rolled and rolled I scampered around the bases as if I was being chased by some animal. I saw home plate in my head as I ran. And as I rounded second base I again saw Coach Ginsburg now watching the outfielders race after the ball. I hit third base with authority and sped home for my second round tripper in two at bats. My teammates congratulated me. The stands were buzzing again. I remember my friends jumping up and down with big smiles on their faces.

I felt wonderful. Two times to bat. Two home runs, against our high school star pitcher. This game was a fantasy baseball dream come true. I was Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Willie Mays all rolled in to one that day.
   
Feel free to pass this on to anyone you think would enjoy reading about baseball.

Monday, July 10, 2017

A Brain Teaser Called Sudoku Puzzles

A Brain Teaser Called Sudoku Puzzles
A Brain Teaser Called Sudoku Puzzles


Sudoku Puzzles are brain teasers that have also been called wordless crossword puzzles. Sudoku Puzzles are often solved through lateral thinking and have been making a large impact all across the world.

Also known as Number Place, Sudoku puzzles are actually logic-based placement puzzles. The object of the game is to enter a numerical digit from 1 through 9 in each cell that is found on a 9 x 9 grid which is sundivided into 3 x 3 subgrids or regions. Several digits are often given in some cells. These are referred as givens. Ideally, at the end of the game, every row, column, and region must contain only one instance of each numeral from 1 through 9. Patience and logic are two qualities needed in order to complete the game.

Number puzzles very much similar to the Sudoku Puzzles have already been in existence and have found publication in many newspapers for over a century now. For instance, Le Siecle, a daily newspaper based in France, featured, as early as 1892, a 9x9 grid with 3x3 sub-squares, but used only double-digit numbers instead of the current 1-9. Another French newspaper, La France, created a puzzle in 1895 that utilized the numbers 1-9 but had no 3x3 sub-squares, but the solution does carry 1-9 in each of the 3 x 3 areas where the sub-squares would be. These puzzles were regular features in several other newspapers, including L'Echo de Paris for about a decade, but it unfortunately disappeared with the advent of the first world war.

Howard Garns, a 74-year-old retired architect and freelance puzzle constructor, was considered the designer of the modern Sudoku Puzzles. His design was first published in 1979 in New York by Dell, through its magazine Dell Pencil Puzzles and Word Games under the heading Number Place. Garns' creation was most likely inspired by the Latin square invention of Leonhard Euler, with a few modifications, basically, with the addition of a regional restriction and the presentation of the game as a puzzle, providing a partially-complete grid and requiring the solver to fill in the empty cells.

Sudoku Puzzles were then taken to Japan by the puzzle publishing company Nikoli. It introduced the game in its paper Monthly Nikoli sometime in April 1984. Nikoli president Maki Kaji gave it the name Sudoku, a name that the company holds trademark rights over; other Japanese publications which featured the puzzle have to settle for alternative names.

In 1989, Sudoku Puzzles entered the video games arena when it was published as DigitHunt on the Commodore 64. It was introduced by Loadstar/Softdisk Publishing. Since then, other computerized versions of the Sudoku Puzzles have been developed. For instance, Yoshimitsu Kanai made several computerized puzzle generator of the game under the name Single Number for the Apple Macintosh in 1995 both in English and in Japanese language; for the Palm (PDA) in 1996; and for Mac OS X in 2005.

A better understanding of the arcade and flash games

A better understanding of the arcade and flash games
A better understanding of the arcade and flash games


A short overview of the history of arcade games and flash games will show that there is a huge connection between these two types of games. Arcade games have a long history and, even though the arcade games were not in the past what we know them to be today, the same concept is the main ingredient for the new ones as well. The arcade games are usually simple, have iconic characters, a certain number of levels with increasing difficulty and they do not require high skills or much learning time. In addition, they do not have deep storylines as most console games have in our days. Todayís PC or console games with the same qualities can be considered arcade games.

Starting from the early 1920's with the use of old ëarcade games in the amusement parks (such as ball toss games, coin-operated machines or pinball) this whole industry has evolved immensely. This passion for arcade games motivated their producers to always search for something better and more entertaining. They have outdone themselves every time something new appeared on the market. From wood made machines and mechanical or electronic scoring readouts to the playing of games online, all games have conquered the hearts of the ageless children. Because people enjoy these arcade games so much they want to play them all the time. This is why they have not even completely left aside the coin-operated arcade games. They resort to them in restaurants, shopping malls, bars or pubs. However, they are only a substitute to the computer versions because playing games online is much better.

When speaking of flash games, we must take into consideration the fact that they are a more complex, more modern, even if their ancestors are definitely arcade games. Flash games take their name from the platform used for their building - ëFlashí, a program made by Macromedia. This modern interactive platform named ëFlashí has three major components: the player, the file format and the authoring tool. The main advantage of this program is that of being very easy to use. Because of this fact, the games built with the help of the platform have more options than others do. For example, a house the player destroys will burn down with different effects. In order to be more convinced of the high importance that this platform has for us when playing a flash game we should know that it is usually necessary to download a free version of Macromedia Flash Player each time one feels like playing free games online. Generally, you can download the latest version of ëFlashí from Macromedia. That is if your browser gets errors relating to Flash.

If you simply like to play good games online without knowing the whole technique that stands behind graphics, too many details about the designing of flash games are unnecessary. Flash games are all the games you play at home on your computer and have the ending ë.exeí (meaning ëexecutableí). As long as they make you enjoy the spare time spent at home, the flash games will be your best friend. A favorite application can turn into a real sport because playing flash games stimulates competition and trains reflexes. Web sites that host these kinds of activities and offer you free games give you the opportunity of joining teams of players and of participating to mass championships online.

Today, flash games have come to incorporate the qualities of arcade games. Flash games have levels, characters and certain plots, just as the old games did, only they are more advanced. Built on the same basic concept that stands behind the old arcade games, flash games now present a bigger potential.  Therefore, a wider public uses them. At least one can be found in any home and on any computer. They are short, usually easy to play and they have evolved the same way as arcade games - from shorter to longer, from simple plots to more complex and contemporary ones. When playing flash games you will have to accomplish a certain task. For arcade games, the idea is pretty much the same, meaning that you will have to solve a certain problem.

Many of today's Internet web sites offer a large amount of games, which are very popular thanks to their interesting and exciting plots, but also because of the fact that they are free games. Playing games online offers the player the chance to meet and confront new people or people they already know. Several surveys have shown that people enjoy sites that have a large offer of free games and that they would rather play flash games than do other things, considered more attractive in general. Another conclusion was that adults are more likely to play flash games than teenagers are. This goes to show that playing has no age and as long as the activity relaxes and makes people have fun it will always create an addiction. There is a child in everyone expecting to have his share of free games online.

10 reasons why online betting beats going down to the betting shop

10 reasons why online betting beats going down to the betting shop
10 reasons why online betting beats going down to the betting shop


Most people assumed that the internet would revolutionise the way we bet, just like the way it has revolutionised many other things in life. However, recent prevalence studies have proved that the number of people betting online is still not as popular as other forms of betting such as phone betting, going down the bookmaker and being at the track. So for those who haven't quite worked out the benefits of wagering online instead of these alternatives, here 10 good reasons why you should be:

1) Free bets: Due to the amount of competition online, betting companies like to encourage you to join their service in the hope you form some sort of brand loyalty. To entice you they will regularly offer a free bet. This is normally in the form of a matched bet (You put in a certain amount and they will match that amount.) and will allow you to double your money, if not more. Around big betting events like the World Series and the Kentucky Derby these free bets usually quadruple, making them a very attractive incentive. When was the last time you walked into the betting shop and the lady behind the counter said; "Here, have $10 on us". Most likely never!

2) Compare odds: There are many websites  online that allow you compare odds on all sorts of bets from all manor of betting events. You will be amazed at how much odds can very from one bookmaker to another, and by using online odds comparison tools you can seek out the best odds. This kind of information is only available online, but is free to use. If you are sat in the bookmakers all day you will only get the odds available from that specific shop, which may be much shorter than they are elsewhere.

3) Special offers: Something that seems to becoming more and more popular online is special offers such as "money back specials". This is something an </a><href="http://www.betastic.co.uk">online betting</a> site will offer in advance of a sporting event to gain interest from bettors. This could be something like, if your horse falls or if your team loses on penalties you will get your stake back. This is something you will rarely see offered in a bookmaker on the high street or over a telephone bet.

4) Other betting options: If you know anything about betting then you will have heard of betting exchanges and spread betting companies. These new betting sectors have largely formed due to the popularity of the internet, allowing all sorts of betting variables, with the final result being just one of them. Although these fairly recent betting options have caused controversy in the industry and in certain sports, there is no denying that they are extremely popular and are here to stay.

5) Increased markets: Most bookies tend to offer the popular betting markets, such as horse racing, football, basketball, baseball. With online betting there are a huge selection of bets to choose from including foreign sports betting, political betting, novelty betting and much more. For example some betting websites will allow you to bet on something like the 2nd division of the German Handball league or Gaelic football matches in Ireland. To be able to bet on sports and events that don't even occur in this country was unheard of until the internet made it possible. This can be hugely beneficial to bettors who follow all sorts of obscure leagues, sports or events.

6) Access to information: It doesn't take a genius to work out that you can obtain all sorts of facts, figures, statistics, historical data from the internet. This can be accessed very quickly at little or no cost. It doesn't matter how good the form guide writer is in your favourite paper, its never going to compete with the amount of data that is available online. There are all manor of forums, blogs and reports that can be easily accessed to assist you with your betting options.

7) Comfort: Why would you drag yourself all the way down to the bookmakers(that might be miles away), when you can relax in the comfort of your own home and make your bets. Bookmakers tend to be dreary places with Formica chairs, lacklustre decor and normally a bunch of sorry faces all around. It makes much more sense to put the kettle on, open up your browser and check out the bets of the day.

8) Speed: Provided you have a reliable broadband connection, online betting is instant. No standing in line or possibly missing the start of the race or game. You merely need to locate your bet, select your options and place your stake. This can all be done in the time it takes your to write down your selection on your betting slip. Some may feel that phone betting is just as quick, but you normally have to wait 5 to 20 seconds to connect to a representative. Why wait, when you don't have to?

9) Access from anywhere: Provided it is legal to bet in the jurisdiction you are in, then there is no reason why you can't place a bet from anywhere in the world, provided you have a connection to the internet. You can transfer money, place bets, check your account wherever you are and whatever time, day or night. Most high street bookmakers close, early evening, with the odd few staying open late. The same goes for several telephone betting services, and just imagine the bill from your hotel when you have called in half a dozen bets.

10) In-race betting: there is new technology starting to become more and more available online that allows you to bet in running or throughout a game. This is highly sophisticated stuff that is changing the way we can bet quite dramatically. There is no way in the world that this could be made possible in betting shops or even on the telephone.

For some; going down the bookmakers is so habitual it is impossible to change, but for others it should now be clear that the advantages are clear. Increase your chances of winning more bets, play online! Earn free bitcoin

10 Reasons To Buy An Xbox 360

10 Reasons To Buy An Xbox 360
10 Reasons To Buy An Xbox 360


Gamers and techies have waited with bated breath for advancements and innovations in gaming. To set the pulse racing and the mind thinking one needs to be challenged. This has become possible by computer technology and the wonderful world of gaming. Just as adventures and wars would have done in yester years these days it is technology that offers to quench the thirst for adventure. Microsoft has created a challenge in the form of the Xbox 360-- a visionary, super powerful, multimedia console that brings to you the GenX gaming world. Of course, the markets being competitive present so many choices.

If you need to be convinced here are a few reasons why you must buy the Xbox360.

1. There are games galore for the thirsty. Kameo elements of power, Project Gotam 3, Perfect dark Zero, and many more. All unique, with great effects and gaming wizardry.
 
2. The Xbox360 has wireless controllers as well as internet connectivity. The premium pack presents great delights offering freedom of movement and a superb range of over 30 feet. Ergonomically designed the controller has skip wires, tangles and boomerangs.

3. With an aim to please even the most discerning palate, the Xbox360 has an amazing variety of games. Some are exclusively designed for the box like Condemned, and Dead or Alive. Titles that have been widely acknowledge by expert gamers are: Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo, King Kong, and Condemned.

4. Amazing and most welcome is the fact that over 200 Xbox games will be backwardly compatible with the Xbox360.

5. Xbox 360 brings with it the arcade marketplace. Imagine free games, cheap games, and addictive non-stop games. The possibilities are endless and thrilling.

6. The Graphics are stupendous and bring to life the games in virtual reality. Xbox360 has three 3.2 GH processors that run with a 500MhzATI graphics processor. Whewóletís bow to power.

7. Endless possibilities with the Xbox360. Games, CDs, movies and customized music. It even connects to the Microsoft media center for a complete media sensation. You can let your creativity and innovativeness take wing.

8. The Xbox 360 is more than an everyday console. It is interactive and you can buy many things like bonus levels, episodic content, gamer specials, and gamer tag images.  You can download demos, and bonus packs from game developers. A live platform with no limits marketplace for developers and publishers.

9. The Xbox360 is a keeper of records. It creates history. The gamer card becomes your identity with name, image, scores, games you like, and your aims and mottos. This takes online fraternities a step closer to one another.

10. Fulfils many dreams and fantasies. The games are the best, interesting, mind stimulating, and exciting. The Xbox 360 takes the gaming world forwards and offers options like downloads, online plays, movies, as well as a touch button marketplace for games.  

The Xbox360 is a must for serious gamers. It indicates your dedication as a gamer and reflects your tastes and reputation in the cyber gaming universe. Opens up endless possibilities and takes you to the next generation gaming delights.

10 Basic World of Warcraft Gold Farming Tips

10 Basic World of Warcraft Gold Farming Tips
10 Basic World of Warcraft Gold Farming Tips


1. Its really easy and should be done right from the start of the game. Grab the 2 primary professions, mining and skinning. While you're out leveling yourself you can easily skin the animals. You're bound to eventually enter a mine which will have many minerals. Be sure to mine those ores. You can easily sell off the extra items to merchants or players.

2. Make sure you grab quests every chance you get. You can easily gain additional exp, gold, items and faction while you're leveling. You may even complete some of your quests with out even knowing because they normally require you to kill off mobs or require you to travel/speak to other NPCs. The quests of World of Warcraft are more player friendly than other MMORPGs.

3. Don't spend any money buying World of Warcraft items, equipments and other accessories early in the game. Low level characters from 1-40 are not gear dependent. Along with that fact, you'll get a nice load of items from just completing quests.

4. While you're out leveling, there are certain monsters that has better drops than others. An example would be humanoids. They tend to drop more gold and items than any other creatures in the World of Azeroth.

5. This is the advice I give to friends. When setting up your character, be sure first to read about the characters plus, and minuses; then set up for the strong and weak points. Take in consideration how the character supports himself and how the character can keep going and keep on track to level without losses.

6. Don't spend money on items at the auction during the first 10 levels of your character. Almost everything you will need will drop to you from the quests. Keep your activities balance in the amount time of questing and making products. Then, as you gain money from making and questing you will see your pocket grow.

7. The usual, your character does by the skills he has, whether it is mining, leather, or tailoring. You make and sell your products. This is how you gain, the more you practice your trade, the more gold you have in your pocket, when you sell the items. The higher the level your character is the higher the prices in the prices of your products.

8. Resale, this happened during the holidays. I know of a character that went out and bought snowballs and after collecting many, was selling them at a higher price to others. Later, bragging about the profit. Take advantage of this.

9. Once you level some you can charge others to guide them through lower quests that you can whiz threw. There are many ways to make money, for example you can protect and kill for lower characters.

10. In the group playing, be sure to express your wants and needs, to keep the character going. Drink and food on hand before; so your character can keep going till the quest is completed.