Sientir's Blog

Hello! This week (+2 days, because 2018 is ending on a Monday) saw me cover most of the Wintersday event in Guild Wars 1. I had fun recording all of this, and am very glad to have it more spread-out than Halloween ended up being. This also marks the end of VOD of Consciousness round-ups, because today's episode was the last VOD of Consciousness episode. New years are times of change, and that's definitely happening here. VODoC had a good run, but, well, you all saw the announcement video, right? (If not, you should be able to find it previously posted here!) Thank you for watching, and please continue to join me with the new content I'm making! -- Sientir Direct video links: Guild Wars: Decorations - https://youtu.be/irf3aLXa8oA Guild Wars: Present...Defense? - https://youtu.be/Ut2D8m69Ljg Guild Wars: Merry Christmas! - https://youtu.be/a3u9_7wxtjY Guild Wars: Gift Retrieval - https://youtu.be/kG45G62nNXk Guild Wars: Dancing Moa and Skruuj - https://youtu.be/_M...

This week I focused on doing stuff on my Ranger, Anna Yggdrasill. I collected heroes and skills and began pursuing the Prophecies storyline. Recording these episodes made me really appreciate the structure of Prophecies when it comes to acquiring skills in a way that I'd forgotten over the years. It's definitely something I'm thinking about as a game designer. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Recruiting Heroes - https://youtu.be/xWyqrYL5B3I Guild Wars: Chasing Zenmai - https://youtu.be/-W-XkwGOjSY Guild Wars: D'Alessio Seaboard - https://youtu.be/kb0kNMcG12U Guild Wars: Skill Questing in Kryta - https://youtu.be/V8h3rSMMSQM Guild Wars: Deja Vu? - https://youtu.be/RkEU17v-D1Q Guild Wars: To the Temple of the Ages! - https://youtu.be/H-k6ern-pKE Guild Wars: Tablets of Janthir - https://youtu.be/A6vc1TuRgro

This week was a lot less structured than many have been, since I didn't have specific goals in mind of what I wanted to accomplish due to the fact that I'd finished most of the story stuff. As such, there's a real hodge-podge of things: random Nightfall missions, skill capturing, a Bonus Mission Pack episode, etc. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Passing Through the Consulate Docks - https://youtu.be/nBiEwmeT70s Guild Wars: Exploring the Maishang Hills - https://youtu.be/rkroPlvHtqw Guild Wars: Elite Skills Wanted, Will Travel - https://youtu.be/dqmI7r74S1E Guild Wars: Venta Cemetery - https://youtu.be/Su3glYv1a4I Guild Wars: Divergent Paths - https://youtu.be/-l0NP9kj9iQ Guild Wars: Jade Sea Quests - https://youtu.be/7DXCcA7oCIA Guild Wars: Turai Ossa - https://youtu.be/7GH9xz0s55k

This week was a productive one! I finished both Hearts of the North AND Young Heroes of Tyria. This leaves me needing to figure out what I'm going to do next, but I'm sure I can figure something out. Also, even if you don't watch all of these, I highly recommend the Future Plans episode (the first one). In it, I discuss my plans for VOD of Consciousness starting next year. I'll be making a more formal announcement video for it closer to the time, but this is a good chance to hear it early. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Future Plans - https://youtu.be/sZ7RMZ9JpxQ Guild Wars: Hunting for Keiren - https://youtu.be/9vnVVbu3COY Guild Wars: Salad Sourcing - https://youtu.be/iVWlWYSN1ZA Guild Wars: The Wedding - https://youtu.be/5WY8JKhbLfw Guild Wars: The Frost Gate...For Real This Time! - https://youtu.be/euXRH5ecLEo Guild Wars: The Gates of Kryta - https://youtu.be/sNOBrtG4AzQ Guild Wars: Young Heroes of Tyria - https://youtu.be/wRCxVA4_DhE

This week saw me conclude the War in Kryta (which was a lot shorter to play through than Winds of Change, but I think that's because it was more streamlined than the original release). I also began Hearts of the North, which takes place between the War in Kryta and Winds of Change. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Koril the Malignant - https://youtu.be/4aprxbLoV9Q Guild Wars: Mustering Our Defenses - https://youtu.be/Z23-8FMzxyo Guild Wars: Mantle On Our Heels - https://youtu.be/yK7Ys3TpaKw Guild Wars: Defending Lion's Arch - https://youtu.be/5rlQon2JEHw Guild Wars: War in Kryta Denouement - https://youtu.be/Fv-6I5xgE90 Guild Wars: Gwen Gets Promoted - https://youtu.be/oT-fCDZLWy0 Guild Wars: Keiran and Miku - https://youtu.be/DVnb9FFAVCY

This week I continued doing War in Kryta content. This involved doing some stuff for Keiran Thackery, then eventually transitioned to doing bounties for Princess Salma. These bounties escalated to include Mursaat leaders! Direct video links: Guild Wars: Off-Duty Outdoor Meal - https://youtu.be/0FIXPd_o4bw Guild Wars: Krytan Alliances - https://youtu.be/b1QINFlt0po Guild Wars: Salma's Bounties - https://youtu.be/3SuEHowSL9A Guild Wars: White Mantle vs. the Ascalonians - https://youtu.be/MKFpcQ7zKaQ Guild Wars: Willem the Demeaning - https://youtu.be/yNRuNs3qRac Guild Wars: How do I get to Loamhurst? - https://youtu.be/zLhDJq3GqcI Guild Wars: Aily the Innocent - https://youtu.be/uuxNAn9lWTY

This week saw me complete the main story for the Winds of Change content in Guild Wars 1. I then did the Zinn quests and began the War in Kryta. A lot of specific questing, huh? Though, I do make time to go and grab an elite skill or two along the way. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Defending Kaineng Center! - https://youtu.be/4OhOByl-fQc Guild Wars: Defending Cantha's Citizens - https://youtu.be/cgvnDrTZV8A Guild Wars: Defending Shing Jea! - https://youtu.be/b5fxdet_cr4 Guild Wars: Winds of Change Finale - https://youtu.be/pfTb3v5H6KM Guild Wars: Zinn's Killer Golems - https://youtu.be/ofwjNy8cuDc Guild Wars: Zinn!!!! - https://youtu.be/u7zIr1RqzOQ Guild Wars: War in Kryta and Asuran Trials - https://youtu.be/gdZaqnG1Kpc

This week was mostly focused on the Halloween content in Guild Wars 1. I'm glad I was able to get to it, since I didn't actually get to record until November 1st! I had fun playing it, and it makes me excited for the Wintersday content that'll come out around Christmas/New Years. Direct video links: Guild Wars: Halloween in Tyria Part 1 (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/2_Rwa9egPbQ Guild Wars: Halloween in Tyria Part 2 (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/ea7p_FpFDX0 Guild Wars: Halloween in Elona Part 1 (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/M8WYeUcbTv0 Guild Wars: Halloween in Elona Part 2 (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/DWV4_2QdZBI Guild Wars: The Mad King's Underworld Emissary (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/Il9bbBlVdk8 Guild Wars: The Mad King vs. Palawa Joko (A Halloween Special) - https://youtu.be/42Dxz3MQIV8 Guild Wars: The Truth About Ashu - https://youtu.be/UAylzoVe_mE

This week I spent my time playing through more of the Winds of Change content for Guild Wars 1. Things are really heating up in the story, and in a way that feels like oddly relevant social commentary for today. Direct video links: Guild Wars 1: The Ministry of Zealotry - https://youtu.be/Vw-h8C-KyS4 Guild Wars 1: Jade Bomberhood - https://youtu.be/DtiPVzu5r0g Guild Wars 1: Gang Machinations - https://youtu.be/WRJYMT9xo1g Guild Wars 1: Defending the Luxons - https://youtu.be/-Sw1Fah_3j4 Guild Wars 1: Seeking Ashu - https://youtu.be/dlb9d7QvI-M Guild Wars 1: The Angchu Tengu - https://youtu.be/TaKXcNXBVjM Guild Wars 1: Ryun Grayfeather - https://youtu.be/lFVHW6m0f4g

This week I mostly played Guild Wars 1, with a focus on collecting random things (skills and hero armor). I did finally get back to Winds of Change content. I also finally made a Dev Play recording of Highway to the Moon! I don't show off everything the game has to offer—I wanted to give people an incentive to explore the game themselves (and buy it, of course!)—but I do show off a typical playthrough of the game. Direct video links: Guild Wars 1: Divine Coordinates - https://youtu.be/88UL4mn3rCY Guild Wars 1: Somewhere in Mineral Springs... - https://youtu.be/f1bf9fBgRcA Guild Wars 1: Capping Necro Elites - https://youtu.be/dpbLFzd9XGI Guild Wars 1: Remains of Sahlahja - https://youtu.be/SZOFJzp0wQM Guild Wars 1: The Shadow Nexus - https://youtu.be/_jkk5uXXVys Guild Wars 1: Reison the Phoenix - https://youtu.be/9NLA0UN_Evw Highway to the Moon: A Dev Play - https://youtu.be/1UkWj5oV7Sw

This week my Pre-Searing Ascalon character got to level 20, becoming a Legendary Defender of Ascalon! I also began a Let's Play of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice in an intentional decision to use my VOD of Consciousness recording time to work on my game backlog. And then I returned to Guild Wars 1 and the Winds of Change content. Direct video links: Legendary Defender of Ascalon - https://youtu.be/HCSKuE2RbsI Senua's Boat Ride - https://youtu.be/57XOaWZqHBA Senua and Her Sword Arm - https://youtu.be/WKroT3FHP30 Firesetter Senua - https://youtu.be/zPkZBkjWFNo Firefighter Senua - https://youtu.be/VtAkYjP5orc Nahpui Quarter Lacks Resurrection Shrines - https://youtu.be/a7Eq_nmcpgE Aggressive Infiltration - https://youtu.be/5dAnQrowB9o

This week I continued working on Winds of Change content. This included finishing off the last of the Afflicted, and the beginnings of the Ministry of Purity targeting other groups, in this case, the criminal organization, the Am Fah. The Am Fah have a particular fondness of the Affliction-causing plague, so this progression makes sense. Also, this week I finished the Fury3 Let's Play! It ended up having 8 parts in total. Replaying the game was a lot of fun! I'm glad I did this Let's Play. Direct video links: Cleansing Zunraa - https://youtu.be/M9waDr8Krp8 The Tactical Power of Stairs - https://youtu.be/xddrkn4CC4E Who Is the Wave? - https://youtu.be/C29Ox5AOz4w The Giant Afflicted Threats - https://youtu.be/5kY1Y2GXYts The Am Fah Plague - https://youtu.be/6t-uo6F0mUk Reading and Running - https://youtu.be/D1__dDiQSrU Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 8—FINALE) - https://youtu.be/5hgFRbm7rkA

This week I continued the Winds of Change content, making it through cleansing the rest of the areas near Kaineng. I struggled a lot on Shing Jea Island, though, both in Minister Cho's Estate (where some bad build decisions complicated my efforts) and massively in Haiju Lagoon. I spent a lot of episodes this week trying out various builds to try and conquer that particular quest, and they were longer than normal, too. The buildcrafting process is one I personally find really engaging, so the recording times felt shorter than the episodes actually are. A sign of a well-crafted system, but perhaps the videos are a bit long, heh. Direct video links: Winds of Change: Cleansing Sunjiang - https://youtu.be/sMBN_fqe8FQ Menagerie of Death - https://youtu.be/GltSiaN-EQM Three Person Team - https://youtu.be/gBZm6iSiNDQ My White Whale - https://youtu.be/oKbmlwCQZ2M Build Experiments in Haiju Lagoon - https://youtu.be/J1ym03Xn-xY Try Pacifism - https://youtu.be/_3tdQF1zR6E Let...

I started off this week by being a bit uncertain about what I wanted to do. I eventually decided that I wanted to continue working on filling out my Young Heroes of Tyria book, then return to Winds of Change content. And, of course, I continued the Fury 3 Let's Play! Direct video links: Stepping into the Ring - https://youtu.be/Er9e8Wzw58k Young Heroes of Jokanur Diggings - https://youtu.be/beusOKZf2nc Young Heroes of Blacktide Den - https://youtu.be/piQ5_qtDdeY Young Heroes of Minister Cho's Estate - https://youtu.be/eVXEdCedruU Young Heroes of Zen Daijun - https://youtu.be/WIS4GxRwT5g Winds of Change: Cleansing the Undercity - https://youtu.be/VTd2I4sU-M4 Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 6) - https://youtu.be/Ju66mhI7mMQ

This week on VOD of Consciousness I finished the Wayfarer's Reverie, finally read the Hero's Handbook (which summarizes the Eye of the North story) and showed off one of the four Bonus Mission Pack missions. I wanted a fancy new spear to make into a Zealous spear, and the one I wanted came from completing Saul D'Alessio's story. Oh, and of course I continued the Fury3 Let's Play. Direct video links: Wayfarer's Reverie: To the Wizard's Tower - https://youtu.be/jliKX-B1SW4 Wayfarer's Reverie: Maguuma Edition - https://youtu.be/6PTIF9oyRJw Wayfarer's Reverie: Lyssa's Frozen Temple - https://youtu.be/dN3Rm1fmYAU Wayfarer's Reverie: Finale - https://youtu.be/IzyX2CDL6xI Reading a Book - https://youtu.be/A0sOr5iXuG0 That's Not Spectral Agony! - https://youtu.be/Z9Zmn0JQbQ8 Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 5) - https://youtu.be/NkVSTNVGeZM

This week I finished Eye of the North's story. I also had a couple of extremely long episodes as I tried to stuff the Wayfarer's Reverie into one week. I ended up not being able to do that, so there are going to be a bunch of (shorter) Wayfarer's Reverie videos next week as well! I also continued the Fury3 Let's Play, of course. Direct video links: Into Destructions Depths - https://youtu.be/nMdQvn0BKuI The Central Transfer Chamber - https://youtu.be/Z7GQKdplJjU The Great Destroyer - https://youtu.be/grBnmaiVmSk Wayfaring in Cantha - https://youtu.be/O5L2GJhlQ0E Wayfaring in Elona - https://youtu.be/bXl0R4VfBCo Still Wayfaring in Elona - https://youtu.be/_-YqL_b8kt8 Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 4) - https://youtu.be/3lRYe1v8nzo

This week I was able to finish the Asuran part of the Eye of the North storyline, which is pretty exciting to have accomplished. Of course, I also got to part three of the Fury3 Let's Play. I'm enjoying doing that. Direct video links: Giant Stairs and Armor Balance - https://youtu.be/6R8VpfwlDRA Gadd and the Bloodstone - https://youtu.be/3e0uql27JXQ Heavy Handed Balancing - https://youtu.be/nkiQf84Ajkk Plot Wounds - https://youtu.be/fxzSQgjOCe8 Stretching for an Acronym - https://youtu.be/ffRBhM17IW8 The Great Dwarf - https://youtu.be/Wgf3Ek3h9fk Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 3) - https://youtu.be/Cyg7sudJ--4

This week on VOD of Consciousness saw me finish up stuff in the Charr Homelands region of the map (at least for now) with me completing a number of side quests there. I also made my way into the Asuran lands, even recruiting Oola. Finally, I continued the Fury 3 Let's Play, completing the second planet. Direct video links: Seeking Anton, Discussing Ultimates - https://youtu.be/5ZZ7hBqceSA Anton's Revenge - https://youtu.be/Qwdd2VTjLR4 Titan's Forest - https://youtu.be/Cr8UMdG_tSQ To Asuran Lands! - https://youtu.be/LrUy4aiuSRc Brand New Rata Sum - https://youtu.be/jiwbZ-pRlig Oola's Lab - https://youtu.be/zgS70pby2JM Let's Play: Fury 3 (Part 2) - https://youtu.be/X1OnVfWbV34

This week I played a lot more Guild Wars 1, as is customary. I'm wanting to get a lot more progress made in the Eye of the North expansion's story, so I spent a lot of this week doing that. I also started a Fury 3 Let's Play subseries within VOD of Consciousness that I'm planning on running on Saturdays. I think there should be about 7-8 episodes of that? Oh, I also switched up the ordering of the name, so that instead of "VOD of Consciousness [2018] Ep. ### - Title", I put the Title first and the VOD of Consciousness part second. My hope is that, if people see them recommended, the actual title being first will make them sound more interesting. Also, if the title gets partially cut off, then I'd rather lose the VOD of Consciousness part than the actual episode name. Direct video links: Searing Crystal Crater - https://youtu.be/suhxnSldLn4 Search For the Ebon Vanguard - https://youtu.be/0mfpyATRGfk Capturing Doomlore Shrine - https://youtu.be/S2l9...

This week I finished off my (on screen) time in Pre-Searing Ascalon, returning to my Paragon and tackling the Norn/Dwarf portion of the Eye of the North storyline in order to gain access to some quests needed to unlock some powerful Player vs. Environment only skills. I also tried an experiment, where I played a different game, Middle-Earth: Shadow of War, for one episode. I'm curious to know what people thought of that! Direct video links: Bandits of Regent Valley - https://youtu.be/em38UF2Ezc4 The Nornbear - https://youtu.be/LsXYUcyXzdQ Evicting Charr - https://youtu.be/WkhmLbXx1RU Hunting Destroyers the Norn Way - https://youtu.be/rz_0un9_4y8 King Jalis's Encampment - https://youtu.be/UjNjpWQAwds To Middle-Earth! - https://youtu.be/RoiR-ONfuDk How Does This Slalom Work? - https://youtu.be/d0sPgcfGXvA