TriangleArrow-Left.svgJune 2014 Issues of the Questaholic Magazine August 2014TriangleArrow-Right.svg

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~!~ Wolfie's must see anime/manga ~!~
by Wolfie
***********

So... What is anime? Many people will say that anime must come from an Asian country and meet all kinds of qualifications to be truly "anime" however the definition of anime is simply: "Animated". I'll be sticking with the official definition and not be picky about what is/is not anime. Additionally I'll also be suggesting a manga or two which is simply a Japanese comic (Or Manwa if it Korean) read left to right top to bottom. As for my qualifications on what I'll be reviewing I'm going to stick to finished series so if they spark an interest and someone wants to pick them up they won't have to know the hell of weekly releases and also relatively short to mid-size series so they will be friendly to noobs and people that don't have long attention spans or a lot of free time. I'm also going to try and cover a wide range of genre from romantic comedy to action adventure to dark and filled with blood. I'll put maturity warnings where needed because Asian culture has a more relaxed standard than many people are used to.

Sundome

Content warning right off the bat on this one. Definitely 18+, contains some nudity and is 90% perverted jokes. The genre is romantic comedy, 18+, tragedy. The setting is a group of guys have a club about the supernatural/aliens/whatever and they all get scholarships if they make it through highschool without... interacting with a female. The main characters start out all male hopeless unattractive losers and then the club gets some female members and interesting things start to happen. The main character for some reason appeals to the new girl (most likely because he is pathetic and fun to tease but also perhaps because he is so earnest) and she sets a series of challenges for him that help him be more outgoing and more confident or just torture him for her amusement. The demo picture I used is one of the female members asking why this group of male shut ins never actually goes outside lol.

The romance in this manga is beautiful because it gives pathetic guys hope and dares them to be more outgoing themself, and the pervy humor is just non stop laughs, but the catch is the girl interested in the main character is clearly battling a serious disease. The reason I'm recommending this series despite it being 18+ is because it is SO MUCH MORE than just cheap laughs and "lol nudity". (Although the character reaction images are hysterical) As the main characters get closer and you start to feel for them and see signs of how the girl is dealing with her illness... it breaks your heart. Reading this manga is the only time I have ever laughed and cried at the same time. I think that is what love is, when you hurt inside but you're happy anyways because being together makes everything better even if it isn't ok. It teaches the reader an important lesson. The time you have with someone is finite. Everyone is dying at a different rate. Don't waste the time you have and when you love someone *love* them and don't be shy about it because you never know if they will say yes or not and how much time you will have with them.

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The Lucifer and Biscuit Hammer

So I may be a little biased having worked on one of the teams that edited this manga into English but this manga remains one of my all time favorites for numerous reasons. The genre is action adventure with a romantic undertone. The world becomes threatened by a mage who has constructed a giant hammer in space to smash the earth, the catch is he is a bit of a gamer and will only drop the hammer after the 12 defenders of earth and their leader the Princess are killed. The catch to the catch is that many of those chosen to defend the earth... hate it. Many of the characters are damaged and have been in some way betrayed by humanity and would just as soon turn their backs on saving everyone including the main character! The princess herself loves the earth... but she wants to destroy it so that no one will ever be able to doubt that she owned it. This is sort of meta (media which comments about other media) because it takes every hero stereotype and flips them on their heads.

It, like Sundome is also a story about a broken main character enchanted by a strong independent woman who takes him outside of his comfort zone and makes him grow up. The female main characters actually both struggle with illnesses as well. Think of this as a >18 version of Sundome if overly pervy humor is a dealbreaker for you, except with super powers. However this manga really goes into the way people are broken and the grey areas that we all live in. Even the people that hate the earth and want it to end are not truly evil and the same applies to the people that hurt others so bad they would side against the earth and hope for the destruction of everything. Just understanding that and seeing people in broken situations struggle to do the best they can and learning from what answers they come up with is just such a massive help to anyone also looking for answers or at least it was for me.

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Toradora

This is a pure romantic comedy anime. The main character is a guy with a serious face so people think he is always angry and always violent (I also have a serious face and have the same problem with people finding me threatening/unapproachable irl so I identify strongly with this character) and he has a crush on a girl that is a bubbly ray of sunshine the polar opposite of how he is perceived. Meanwhile while he is thought of a delinquent the female lead character is actually a bit of a delinquent and she also has a crush on someone the total opposite of her... a member of the student council. They happen to find out about the situation the other is in and also be best friends with the crush of each other so they form an alliance! An alliance to get each other dating their crushes. Naturally they are clumsy and... just bad at most things and it is a really fun journey just watching them hang out and the silly stuff they get up to. The friendship they develop is simply beautiful and they have a hilarious time together even if there are some serious moments that will make you sad. I honestly think this is a must watch if you want to see how love works first hand. It isn't about who is right/wrong for you or who might get their feelings hurt by what you feel it is simply about being true to yourself and having the best time you possibly can.

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Hellsing Ultimate

There are 2 Hellsing anime, make sure you watch the version titled "Ultimate" as it is the one based on the manga. I'm going to say this is a *near* 18+ age rating. The violence and bloodshed are *Extreme*. It is known as the show so violent Hell is singing, hence the name. The setting is that Dracula (aka Alucard) is a vampire that has been defeated by a group of monster hunters and now swears alliance to the bloodline of the man that originally defeated him and goes out stopping other monsters. The monsters are strong and spooky and don't sparkle but Alucard is just... overpowered. The humans and allies that fight alongside him though are not and they do often get injured and die. If you want to see a slugfest where monsters go to war with spooky lore for an undertone all wrapped up in a few movies Hellsing is probably the very best anime you could watch to scratch that itch.

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Berserk The Golden Age Arc

Berserk is probably just over the 18+ age limit. It is 3 movies long (and an anime tv series if you want to watch that as well). It is similar to Hellsing in that is has an incredible amount of blood and some supernatural monsters but the initial focus was soldiers and mercenaries in a medieval setting going to WAR. The main character is a killing machine that works as a mercenary because that is what he was raised to do and that is simply what he can do well and he also enjoys the fight. This is his story as he goes about his journey and battles many many foes and forms alliances and rises through the ranks until eventually his goals change and then some stuff goes down, stuff that makes The Red Wedding look like a small family disagreement and his goal becomes one of revenge against demons. The characters are diverse, and mortal, and the story and fights are amazing. If you are looking for oldschool combat... this is for you.

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.hack//sign

This anime is the original "help I'm a gamer stuck in a mmorpg" type anime that has been imitated countless times since by incredibly popular others: Accel World, Btooom!, Sword Art Online, Log Horizon, Air Gear and Hunter x Hunter (not the entire anime for the last 2 but 1 arc each), No Game No Life, Mondaji, and Angel Beats. As mmorpg players I don't think I need to explain why the idea of being inside a game is so appealing and also why so many people feel they could be heroic or at least strong if they had the same abilities as their avatars. So this anime is just an incredibly awesome adventure with a wide and diverse game world, hidden challenges and a touch of lore. If you love mmorpgs and think virtual reality gaming is going to be the best thing to ever happen and are into/want to get into anime then I am connfident when I say it would be impossible not to like this anime. The setting and feel of exploration and being the first person to discover in game secrets is just fantastic. Fun fact: My first clan was called "The Crimson Knights" and I joined because that is the name of a clan in this anime, sadly the names were not related. So you can thank (or blame) this anime for getting me into the clan life.

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Code Geass

When you go to war no matter how just it is you lose things, precious things. Teaching that lesson alone makes this anime worth a watch in my opinion. This is an action anime through and through that heavily stresses strategy and forethought before going into combat. The setting here is a brother wants to make the world a better place for his crippled sister and after getting involved in a terrorist attack he is forced to side with the terrorists because his tyrannical government isn't taking any prisoners as a result of the attack and he ends up in a zone believed to contain only terrorists. As a result of the event he ends up coming into contact with a witch and she grants him a power capable to change the world. The resulting struggle between him and the government spans out to even include his own followers and if they can trust some random person just showing up saying he can help them win. The strategy and combat are first class and the characters diverse and fulfill a wide variety of roles related to carrying out a hostile takeover of an entire government. This anime is simply a masterpiece.

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Cowboy Bebop

This is a space western! Basically the setting is exploration in space has created a new "frontier" to explore for futuristic space cowboys to go wild in. If you are familiar with Firefly this is basically an animated version that Firefly was most likely inspired by. The main characters are a rag tag group of bounty hunters tracking criminals across the galaxy trying to make a living any way they can. They uncover a lot of evil plots and life stories in their adventures and see many amazing places.

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Attack on Titan

Humanity has been attacked by man eating giants that have pushed us to the edge of extinction and reset our technology to approximately a medieval level from all the damage. The only place humans can survive well is inside a massive city composed of 3 walls with the better off further and further in. This anime/manga is all about those that live in the walls and their struggle to do battle and survive against superior foes. Many fight and many die and it doesn't always work out but sometimes they grasp a glimpse of hope or take an amazing leap forward and this series is just a testament to the human spirit in all its shades.

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Article by Wolfie

Interview with Kappathegray
by Nicole

Mskonnan10

Ooooohhh! Those are Kappas? Didn't know there was such a thing. 5- icon eek.gif What other 'pranks' are you guilty of?

In high school my friends and I used to have "destruction nights" where we gave each group of people a list of items to collect. So we would raid people's yards for plants, signs, street name signs, construction cones, flowers. You think of it we probably tried to steal it, or at least take a picture of us near it. I tried to steal hurdles from the middle school across from my street, but the neighbors called the cops and I almost didn't get away! 13- icon twisted.gif

Now, Kappathegray, I called you a 'graywolf' once. But how about you tell all of us the origin of your RS name?

It's super simple. I am crazy obsessed with Gandalf from LOTR. He is my favorite, ever. Actually, anything that deals with magic/elves and almost anything mythical (like the Eragon series).

You are one of the clan founders, and you knew Draz and Seth before that. How did you guys come to meet in game?

I met Seth through Draz. And since I knew Draz before that he introduced me to his now, 'wife.'

Do you know each other in real life?

I know Draz irl. We went to middle school through high school together, played in band together, graduated and everything! We didn't talk much in high school, but we became better friends once we graduated.

When did you first start playing RS? What keeps bringing you back to the game?

Draz and I just had a conversation about this last week. I think we officially decided that I had started playing in late 2003/early 2004. Pretty sure it was my freshman year of high school. I keep playing because sometimes I enjoy the mind numbing tasks that don't require much thought. And other times I simply want to be in a world where magic exists.

Favorite sayings? Favorite Color? Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?

I don't have any type of trademark saying, unless ending every sentence with "Fool." counts. But some favorite quotes I enjoy even if they seem cynical:
"Relationships are like glass. Sometimes it's better to leave them broken than to hurt yourself trying to put them back together."
AND
"I still love the people I’ve loved, even if I cross the street to avoid them."
AND
"A friend is someone that knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

I don't really have a favorite color, but I have a favorite color scheme...any combination of silver/black/grey/red/white. I also really enjoy anything turquoise/seafoam green.

I got hit in the head with a bowling ball my sophomore year of high school. My glasses went into my eyebrow and if they would've gone in a quarter of an inch farther I wouldn't be here today. Or so the doctors said. That's always my favorite story. No one ever really knows how to respond to it.
61- lol.gif

Miss Alaska

You won't eat my arm, will you?

Well, you have to feed me a cucumber with your name carved in it and then I'll spare you. Otherwise your arm is fair game! 21- fresse.png

What brought you back to RuneScape as it entered it's new era?

I hate leaving things unfinished. At one point I was in a questing clan WITHOUT a quest point cape. So that needed to change ASAP.

What are you usually doing each day in the game?

Most of the time I'm just skilling. Usually wasting large amounts of money instead of playing risky mini games and learning other, better strategies. I am a creature of habit. And as long as I have it in my bank I don't care if it takes me a month.

What's your favourite movie?

That question should be null and void. I don't think I could choose. It is such a long list. The first that comes to mind is Donnie Darko, Princess Mononoke, and The Perks of Being A Wallflower. Also Burlesque and Rent are pretty freaking amazing.

Are you a morning or afternoon person?

Afternoon/evening person all the way.

One word to describe yourself?

Honestly the first word that comes to mind is Loud. But I don't know that that's as accurate as I want it to be. But I'll stick with it. haha.

LizBeth

I like asking personal questions. Feel free to omit if you don't feel like answering them.

I am an open book with anyone about anything. So I am excited to answer your questions!

How did you learn about RuneScape?

A friend from middle school at the time, Sold222 in game, first introduced me. And I hated it. I thought it was incredibly stupid. Until I started schooling him in skills and was far better than him. haha.

Do you like RS3 better than the back-in-the-day RuneScape?

I am just now getting used to RS3, but I definitely am an old school RuneScape fanatic. No doubt about it. I think with the whole adrenaline power moves you take away what it truly means to be 99 in any and all combat levels. You can just compulsively key jam the moves. Ehh...

I've read somewhere that you majored in Psychology in college, was there a particular specialty in Psychology that you focused on? If so, why that specialty?

It is true, as of May 2013 I received a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. It was just a general psych degree, but I want to pursue higher education specifically in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Instead of the research side of it I want to deal with hiring/firing, appraisals, compensation etc. I want to focus more on the human resource aspect of it rather than research. I don't have the patience or empathy/sympathy to do any sort of strict counseling as a career.

Do you like sports? Were you involved in certain sports while in school?

I used to play soccer. Mostly left/right defender. I played for about 6 years and it got incredibly political going into high school so I stopped. I miss it a lot, but don't really do anything with it now. I also used to be on a couple bowling leagues and almost won some money in a couple state tournaments. The only reason I am proud of getting that far is because I was, at the time, the only 'semi-professional' bowler who did NOT curve his ball. I miss bowling most of all. I think my highest game is a 263. Bucket list item is to of course bowl a 300.

Do you have a favorite team?

Other than playing soccer and some bowling i know NOTHING about sports teams. I stick to Runescape, books, and sunshine when Ohio gives it to me 41- icon basketball.gif

Do you play any instruments?

I actually started out playing the flute in fifth grade. I couldn't buzz my lips for any of the brass instruments and my instructor at the time was thrilled with my woodwind lip service. haha. In seventh grade, I think, maybe eighth grade, I switched to bassoon and absolutely adored it. I miss it to this day. I could've gotten a ton of scholarships throughout college, but those things cost a fortune and band in college takes up a large amount of time that I was not willing to put in. During marching band season I played the cymbals because I refused to go back to treble clef when I had been doing bass clef for so long. That, and I didn't enjoy the saxophone. Which apparently was the easiest to transition to from the bassoon.

What's your favorite music/song? Do you have a favorite singer/band?

This question is on par with the favorite movie one. It is physically not possible for me to choose any individual band/song. However I do have a small list of songs that I could listen to over and over again for the rest of my life. In no particular order:
If It Means A Lot To You - A Day To Remember
Here (In Your Arms) - Hellogoodbye
The Everglow - Mae (The entire album from beginning to end)
Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge - My Chemical Romance (The entire album basically got me through all of high school)
Bulls Make Money, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered - Chiodos
Hide And Seek - Imogen Heap

Seriously I could go on and on and on and on. Those were just the few that popped into my head immediately. Other bands I listen to more often than others: Cartel, Panic! At The Disco, The Story So Far, All Time Low, Imagine Dragons, Paramore, AFI, Ellie Goulding, Secondhand Serende, Pierce The Veil

What's an awesome day for you?

Oh gosh. An awesome day for me would be some sort of combination of kayaking in the sun down a super long river, skydiving and reading outside in the sun. Really, any day that is not work is an awesome day.

Nicole Angel

How long have you been involved with Runescape?

I think it's been about 10 years. That's insane to me.

What are some of the biggest changes you've seen while playing Runescape?

The one thing I still cannot get used to that I hate so much is the constitution skill. I don't understand the calculations for the amount of health you get. Another change was all the graphical updates. I forget how long ago that was, but they revamped so much.

What is your favorite holiday item?

My favorite holiday item that I do not own because I haven't been playing long enough is the scythe. I think that thing is pretty rad.

What is your favorite quest?

Over the span of the 10 years I have been playing I don't know that I have an absolute favorite. I think The World Wakes was absolutely incredible, but I wouldn't say that it was my favorite. Quick story about questing, I actually had my account hacked for awhile before I was able to get it back. So I missed out on a lot of quests because I didn't get to do them myself. I guess maybe Nomad's Requiem only because I was super proud of doing that one on my own.

Over the few years you've been playing, is there anything you've learned in-game that you've implemented in your real life?

This is an awesome question, and I wish I could say yes. But alas, I spend money in-game the way I do irl and that's about it.

Now the other way around. Anything you took from real life to the game?

Man, I feel so lame. Nothing that I can think of that crossed over. Does that make me incredibly blah?

What is the nicest thing you've done for anyone? How about in game?

Um, recently I dropped quite a bit of money on groceries for my friend since she is struggling with money. In-game I used to do stuff all the time like actually give back people's gems when they asked me to cut them before assistant came about. Now I don't do much because people are so rude. Except the Clan Quest gang 1- icon biggrin.png 1- icon biggrin.png 1- icon biggrin.png

What's the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Draz can literally make anything appear in my inventory when i need it. He really can do everything. The list is still on going, so I'll update it when maybe I can give back to him. haha.

What are your current goals in Runescape? Aspirations in real life?

At this point I just want to complete the tasks. The tasks are haunting me! Some 99s would be nice, but I just want to be able to do everything in each skill, even if that means I don't have to get to 99.

Real life aspirations would be move out of the retail world forever. And start doing something with my degree to save up money for my wedding! I would like to travel a bit. Not to any special places, but I want to say that I've set foot on Hawaii, Alaska, Paris, Nice, Australia, and Egypt. I just want to live a comfortable life.

What is your favorite type of food and what is the dish?

This is embarrassing. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE meatloaf. 10- icon redface.gif And basically anything with potatoes.

Do you speak any other languages? Because that would be sexy, right?

I know very few French words, eighth grade was a long time ago. And I am fluent in American Sign Language. I am certified in it as well. In case of an emergency and no one is there to interpret I am able to act as a translator. I could talk about ASL for a loooooooong time. It's such a passion.

Do you have any hobbies? Favorite sports, games, like to read, draw, write, play music?

I'm pretty boring to be honest. I enjoy reading lots and lots. Anything by Chuck Palahniuk. Mostly sci-fi/fantasy and fiction. I like cycling as well, but I do not do it often enough to even begin to call it a hobby.

What is your one biggest regret in life and how have you learned from it?

This may not be the best thing to do to myself, but I told myself to never regret anything. The person I lost my virginity to was not exactly the best person to lose it to. That is probably the closest I have ever gotten to feeling regret about something. Thinking about it makes me feel like an idiot. It was such an extremely dark time in my life.

Is there a promise you've made to yourself that you keep true to this day?

Well, I am recently engaged. Which is so crazy! So the promise of being with someone forever is something I am so excited to do. I found someone who wants to spend the rest of forever with me. I don't think I've ever felt strongly about a promise before as I do about this one.

Congratulations!

Any superstitions you believe in?

If karma is superstitious, then yes. I fully believe that if you're constantly a piece of garbage to everyone all the time that the universe takes notice and dishes it right back to you. And I think working retail I believe in the full moon/Friday the 13th stuff because those days are absolutely terrible. Seriously.

If you remember, what is your most vivid or best dream you've ever had?

This is rough. I wish I could remember a good one. You know you only remember about 20% of your dream when you first wake up. It deteriorates within seconds of being awake which is why you typically can't recall it right after waking, or later that afternoon. I have recurring dreams/nightmares of being in some sort of danger/kidnapping and trying to scream, but not being able to scream loud enough for anyone to hear me.

What's your overall goal in life? What do you think your purpose in life is?

Oh man. This is super introspective and I have not thought about it. My overall goal in life, at least right now is to be happy. I don't need to make a difference in a global way or be remembered nationally. I know I've left my mark. If I can make my family and super close friends happy then I'd say that's my purpose and I succeeded.

If you had 10 million dollars, in what ways would you use it?

School loans would be gone immediately. That is the first thing. Then I would pay off my car. Next I would pay off my parent's house. They aren't doing too well finacially. And I'd purchase cars for them. After that I would invest most of it. And leave it for potential children, or my sister.

What region are you from and what is your favorite thing about that place?

I am located in northeastern Ohio. My favorite thing would be that most of my family lives here. I hate the Ohio winters. They are awful. But we do have the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame! Which I have never been to.

What are some debunked stereotypes about the place you grew up in or currently live in?

Uhhh, no stereotypes. Ohio is one of the most polluted states in the US. You can check that out via the interwebs. I guess Ohio girls are supposed to be ugly. I remember that being a thing for a quick second. I've met my fair share of gorgeous women as well as hideous ones. I think that applies to all places.

What are some things on your bucket list?

Getting married in Ohio---when the law passes.
Bowling a 300.
Skydiving---which I've already done.
Nothing too crazy.

What is the biggest lesson you've ever learned or took to heart?

Patience is everything. And listen to your parents. Also, do your best not to regret your choices.

What do you do to cheer yourself up when you are sad or have a bad day?

Normally I read. Anything to lose myself in the reality of being upset. That or I'll binge watch shows on Netflix. Typically Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Family Guy, or Xenia.

If you were to devise a plan to try to make the world get along with each other, what would be the necessary steps?

I am not intelligent enough for this question. I have absolutely no idea how to go about doing it. I am fairly cyclical..idk that it can be accomplished. So idk that i should take the time to devise a plan to fix it.

Wolfie

Your name contains "The Gray" is that a Gandalf reference? If so/not what made you go with the gray?

Yes, yes yes it is! I really wish I would've spelled gray as grey.

Do only Kappas appeal to you or are there other "classic" monsters you enjoy?

My last name is Kapusinski. So it was my nickname in high school. I didn't know for the longest time that Kappas were mythical monsters. But, I've totally embraced it and I think they are fascinating. Not so much monsters, but I seriously love Elves. I would be one in a heartbeat if possible. And I enjoy a good vampire story every now and then. I've thought about immortality and at this point in my life I think I could handle it. I want to be able to see all my friends and family grow old and live their lives.

Are you a Lotr fan? If so what is your favorite scene?

I am currently reading the series for the first time. I was always so intimidated by Tolkien. My favorite scene in the movies has to be from Return of the King. Towards the end when Aragorn says, "My friends. You bow to no one." And then all of Minas Tirith bows down. I have goosebumps now just typing it out. Such a powerful scene. I also love when Gandalf rides out to save Faramir and his group from Osgiliath when the Nazgul are coming. When his light lights up the background music just makes it so intense.

What do you most enjoy about runescape?

Just simple skilling. It takes my mind off things. Even if some of it is monotonous.

What is your favorite book(s) other than lotr and why?

OH MAN. This again, rivals the music and movie questions. No order: The Perks of Being A Wallflower, Running With Scissors, Dry, the Eragon series, The Mist, the entire Sookie Stackhouse series, I Am Number Four series, the Golden Compass series and so many more. My all time favorite if I had to choose though is probably The Child Thief by Gerald Brom. Everyone should read it. Seriously.

Cireon

When you die, will you be reborn as Kappathewhite?

I want to say yes, however it just seems so racist. So I hope I can transcend to maybe another color. Or stay gray. I'd be cool with that too.

You have been part of this clan for a long time. What do you think is the biggest change in the clan since back then?

I have been here since Draz had it drawn out on paper. The clan constitution has gone through some intense and major changes.

Runescape has changed a lot as well. What do you miss from the early days?

Just the old combat system. That's the big one for me.

What do you think were the best changes in Runescape since back then?

Bleh, just the graphical updates. Since I don't really do bossing I am not too picky about other things. Just don't mess with my skilling!! 8- icon mad.gif

How many other letters do you know from the Greek alphabet?

Haha. Not many at all. Probably the super well known ones. Alpha, Beta, Kappa, Chi, Omega, Delta, Gamma, Phi. I think that's about it for me.

Santa Ends

Do you have another group of friends outside of clan quest? If yes, what do you do with them?

I do not. I don't chat very often at all. Clan Quest for life, forever!

Do you have a favourite year of runescape?

Not that I can think of. Maybe the early years because I had time after school to play more. Now that I have to be an adult I don't get as much play time as I would life.

What's your fondest memory of RS?

When we did the big celebration and everyone did the QPC emote. And pretty much anytime when Draz, Seth and I are on at the same time. It rarely happens now.
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Article by Nicole Angel

Your Horoscope for July, 2014

~ LizBeth ~

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AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18)

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PISCES (February 19 to March 20)

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ARIES (March 21 to April 19)

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TAURUS (April 20 to May 20)

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GEMINI (May 21 to June 20)

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CANCER (June 21 to July 22)

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LEO (July 23 to August 22)

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VIRGO (August 23 to September 22)

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LIBRA (September 23 to October 22)

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SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21)

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SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21)

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CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19)

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Source: Horoscope for the Whole Year

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Article by LizBeth

~!~ Recipe ~!~
~ by Lizbeth ~
**************************

Sloppy Joes Recipe

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Ingredients:
1 pound extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, minced
1 red pepper, diced
1 can small red beans or pinto beans, preferably low sodium drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 whole-wheat burger buns

Directions:
Brown the meat and the onion in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, breaking up the meat into crumbles as it cooks. Pour the drippings out of the pan and discard. Add the garlic, jalapeno, and red pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally. Stir in the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Place a half-cup scoop of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

Bon Appetit!


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Article by LizBeth

LEGACY MODE DISCUSSED
An article submitted by Earth, from our friends on RSBandB
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Thanks to Earth, we have a link with RSBANDB, a RuneScape fan site. They post high quality magazine articles, and we are invited to share those articles in our Questaholic magazine.

Back to the Future... Well Sort Of...
by Tanis

That's right McFly, we're going back to the future only this time no flux capacitors or DeLoreans required. The Legacy Beta was launched on Monday, June 16. This is probably the most anticipated update of the year perhaps next to Elf City. There is a lot riding on this update and as you will see it's not going great. There are a lot of reasons why the beta, in my opinion, is failing thus far and I'm not sure Jagex is to blame for this one but we'll go into that later. One thing is for sure, Legacy is not ready for prime time and I strongly encourage everyone to vote no this week when the poll comes out that asks us if Legacy should go live right away. There are many reasons to vote no, but let's start with taking a look at what Legacy is, why it was developed, and what the goals of Legacy are.

What is Legacy mode?

It appears from looking at the RuneScape forums many players either didn't understand or didn't read what they were voting for when voting for Legacy mode. First off Legacy mode is meant to bring the look and feel of the old combat system. Notice it's supposed to bring the look and feel back of the old system not the old system itself. Legacy mode provides a relaxed combat experience along with the older type of interface. I've played the beta and it does look and feel like the old system. It looks old, antiquated, slow and boring so yeah they've definitely brought back the older style combat. It's important to remember that it is not the old game mechanics necessarily. They have to work within the existing combat system which is why it is only supposed to give the player the look and feel of the old system - this is an important distinction. That being said there is a lot of work to do it is definitely not ready for prime time.

The Issues

Of course like all betas, the main issues are balancing. For example the Armadyl God Sword and the Granite Maul are very overpowered. Chaotic weapons are underpowered and there are just a host of other weapons and armour that need to be balanced better. Another problem with Legacy at the moment is the graphics don't feel quite right. It's hard to put your finger on it, and there is plenty of contradictory feedback on the forums, but it mostly pertains to the chat box and the colour scheme. It just looks to cartoony. Of course the other big issue, and one that I don't believe can be resolved, is dual wielding. Dual wielding just feels weird and is unbalanced, however this is something we are just going to have to put up with because it is not possible to take dual wielding out. I know people don't want to hear that but it is the case. Some of the more broader issues were clearly predictable and it is no surprise that they are happening now. For one, PVM is just not good in Legacy mode. Granted I can't for the life of me figure out why anyone would want to PVM in Legacy mode but the fact remains that it is pretty terrible. Now we knew this would be the case and especially with bosses that came out after EOC, they were specifically designed with EOC in mind. The other issue I have found so far is that Legacy mode should really be called PVP mode. I think that is who it was developed for and who will be using it. I'm glad to see that community revived and I hope that Legacy will be acceptable to them, however, I just can't see the average RuneScape player using this mode very much. When you enter the beta for the first time you really realize just how far this game has come and how awesome it is now and I just can't see anyone but PKer's utilizing Legacy.

Testing the Beta

This is a biggie. Right now it is the players that are letting the community down not Jagex. This beta is looking very similar to how the EOC beta went. When I go to Edgeville I should see lots and lots of players gearing up to go into the Wildy and do PKing. Instead what I see is people buying and selling equipment. Seriously? For real guys, buying and selling worthless beta equipment, you've got to be kidding me. There is no reason to buy or sell anything, everything is free and nothing counts towards the live game so I can't understand why this is happening. One thing I do know is when you are standing around buying and selling you are not testing and you are not helping to make the system better. The other major problem I see is that people are using gear that they will never use in the wild or flat out can't afford. I will never see someone in the wild with dual Drygores and a set of full Torva. So why am I seeing it now? I don't know and it doesn't make any sense. It's good to have all of the weapons and armour available but if it is not something you're going to use in the live game then you shouldn't be using it in the beta. I should be seeing people in PVP gear, Rune, Dragonhide, etc. Please test this beta as if you were in the live game. There is no way that Legacy will be a success if these things continue. Remember the awful launch of EOC and how it was not ready at the time it went live. That was because people were doing the very same thing they are doing now. If you really do care about Legacy then you need to test it properly. Now let's look at the other big reason you should vote no on launching Legacy into the live game.

Player Feedback

The feedback on the Legacy thread is frankly terrible. It's incoherent, uninformed, and full of rants and ragers. Once again this is not helpful. I remember the feedback on EOC was very similar. Now there are some constructive comments that are helpful to the Jagex team, but for every one comment that is making a constructive point there are 10 people that are just complaining. In comparison if you were to look at the feedback on the Elf City you will find a very different situation. Elf City feedback is very constructive and has led to changes being made that is making it a better product in the end. If you want Legacy to be a success then use the Elf City feedback as a guide. Just be polite and constructive in your criticism and provide possible solutions if you can. It's okay to be critical, that is the point, they need to know what is wrong and what is not working but when it comes across as mere complaining it's probably not going to be taken seriously. We can do better on both of these fronts. We can test better and we can provide better feedback.

I know it sounds like I've been hard on people in this article and there is truth in that. I just don't want to see us make the same mistake twice. We are older and wiser and we know better, we can make Legacy a success. Although I will not be using Legacy mode because I am an EOC player I want it to succeed. I want the PVP community to come back and revitalize the Wildy. I want people to have the choice which mode they like better. I want the game to be healthy and be around for years to come. Legacy has the potential to do all of these things but you have to vote no. I know it's exciting, I know we want it to be ready but the truth is that it's not. There are too many bugs and balancing problems, not to mention all of the problems that we have yet to find out because people aren't testing it correctly. If we can hold back, if we can have patience, we can do this right if not then we are looking at EOC part two and I don't think anybody wants to go through that again. See you guys next month, until then happy RuneScaping.

Source: RSBANDB Informer. http://informer.rsbandb.com/

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Article by Tanis