I hate Bioware.

It's official.

Herein contain Alastair Romance spoilers for the game "Dragon Age: Origins", if you do not wish to see them do not read further, please. There will also be the rantings of a bipolar artist that seriously gets way too into these games.

So, around 20 or more hours into the game I find I'm getting nervous about how people keep warning me about our love. We've made love, etc., and he keeps saying he loves me.

I get headaches worrying about it, so I look it up.

My worst fears are confirmed: if you are a mage of any sort, even human -- he WILL NOT marry you. He will not stay with you. He will dump you for his uncle's f-ing widow.

NO.

I deny this; I'm so upset I'm crying and now I can't stop. I have issues with Fantasy worlds, see, it's what I believe makes me a half decent artist and writer. I live these things very closely. I cried during the romance scene and all, and was so happy for several (um, make that two) days while he said loving things to me like "yes, my love" and told me he did love me. Well, my character would rather die than see him married to another. Let them stop the damned Blight themselves. I refuse to play any longer.

Childish?

Certainly!

But I'm hurt. I'm still a child at heart and I feel this very strongly, almost as if my husband is doing it to me. Truly, as a matter of fact. I am hurt, devastated. Instead of being happy like I was and hoping for a happy ending I ache. Just as if it is real.

I may simply quit playing the game entirely.

I did not enjoy many parts of it; I swore VERY OFTEN and despised the mage's quests in the Veil, etc. I even had to print out a guide for one! I never do that!

And now, what? I simply refuse to put myself through his rejection...and to see him married to that slut just because he needs an heir and I'm a mage that needs to go back to my fricking dog kennel "tower". No. I can't.

Man, I am weird.

I've been getting into these interactive Fur Real and PlaySkool toys - you know the ones, the "hot" toys of the year. Kota the Triceratops, Butterscotch and/or S'mores the pony (ponies).

I want one.

Now, before you call me crazy - I know I am anyway, pbbbt! -- I want a cheap one, or, better yet, a BROKEN one. I actually want one that doesn't work. I like broken and mismatched toys the best, ones that have gotten love but now are cast aside.

*edit: managed to get a S'mores! But now he's taking up so much space in our house... waugh. xD

Ha, I promised updates

...and here I am not blogging. Well, I tend to do that. *shrugs*

New Underhanded eBay Trick - negative feedback?

eBay buyers, beware - there is an underhanded tactic being used by equally dastardly sellers to get around the system if you leave them negative feedback.

See, they're not allowed to leave you negative anymore. This is supposed to have us comfortable to give honest feedback - the threat of "retaliation" feedback is supposedly a thing of the past. Untrue, because a recent transaction left me irritated and once again shaking my head at eBay Customer Service - such as it is.

I purchased something. It arrived not as I expected it, and the seller wouldn't answer my messaging via the site. I was thus forced to go to Paypal's transaction center and submit a report. I made a partial mistake about the item description; it's true, so they filed against me. However, the lack of the "new" condition of the item in hand that I received and the seller's lack of communication forced me to leave a negative feedback. They seemed not to care that they did not hold up 100% of their bargain, so I stated such in my feedback.

The seller saw this feedback.

No matter that I have the item - it was shipped to me! -- they sent me an "unpaid buyer alert", claiming that I did not pay. I declared that I did and this was very "petty" of the seller, and said they were trying to "get back at" me for leaving them negative in this fashion. Very bad form, in other words.

Apparently this pissed them off further, for they declared I hadn't paid and we couldn't reach an amicable solution. This means eBay sent me an "unpaid item strike". Unlike negative feedback for sellers, I am unsure if the strikes go away - I don't think they do. Negative feedback, however, does after a certain amount of time. So I sent a copy of the Paypal email with headers and the strike was immediately removed, although the mail sent by the staff had a grave "warning" if it ever happened again.

Thanks for contacting us about the unpaid item strike you received.

Our records show this is the first time you've appealed an unpaid item
strike. Based on this and the information you gave us, we've removed the
strike from your account. Any future strikes could affect your account
status though, so take a few minutes to learn more about our unpaid item
policy. . .

[insert many URL's leading to things I already know here].

In short, be aware that this happens now and know how to appeal these disputes if this happens to you.

1.) Keep all Paypal receipts! I know it's just an email and if you purchase a lot they clog up your inbox, but keep them for a decent interval so you have it if this happens to you.

2.) Contact eBay again after the appeal. Keep at them. We want sellers to stop doing this and for the staff to be aware it is happening. They will put you off many times but they'll soon take notice if it happens to many people.

3.) Keep on leaving deserving feedback. Don't let the underhanded tactics of bad sellers cow you into abstaining or even leaving bland positive comments. Give them what they deserve. They have your money, they don't care what happens now except to make sure no one does it to them again so they can keep gulling more buyers.

The Gamer-Chick Test

Written solely by myself, plz credit me and my site (air-lobster.com) if you'd like to reprint.

Ladies that like to hold a game controller in your hand, raise it up and be proud! That's right. You're not as few as the male persuasion would believe. There are many, many females that play console and hand held games and not just "girly" ones, either. Men are blinded to real female gamers because they have visual standards. If it's not a top "Barbie" style model that plays the games, they don't see her (for the most part). Advertising clutches like those Asian ladies that are paid to play games all day simply because they are models ruin the real gamer reputation, too. Look beyond a tiny waist and surgery-enhanced features and you'll find the real gamers.

Are you a gamer chick? A real gamer ... or a wannabe?

I'm not trying to belittle casual gaming girls but the ones that swear up and down that they're "gamers" when in reality they just like to say they are. They can not escape my scathing tongue, for it's ladies like that that are ruining the real gamer reputations. They are the ones that cause their husbands to roll their eyes and ask for "your husband's" (or boyfriend's) gamer handle on xBox 260 or the PS3 because of course even though you state you need someone to game with they don't believe you. Of course the man plays games. You don't. They think this because their wife or significant other plays a certain way. Let's review this list of what could make you a big time gamer. My husband (who tests video games for a living, funny enough) and I have discussed this time and time again, so you know that at least one male agrees...and believe me, his co-workers (they have only a single female on staff) do too.

Take this in the style it's written in - tongue-in-cheek -- although if you're like me you'll be giggling and nodding all the way through. I've included brackets for "check marks" if you're so inclined to print and check 'em off as you go...


Do you dress for comfort when you play games (ie, pajamas in the middle of the day)?

[ ] Have you trimmed or hacked your nails completely off because "it was too hard to play" a certain game controller?

[ ] Tied up your hair because it might distract you at a crucial moment (even if it's really short)

[ ] Put off showering for more than an hour because you were "busy playing"?

[ ] ...didn't shower for the day because of the same reason?

- -

Have you played any game consecutively (straight through) for 2 hours or more?

[ ] Longer than 4 hours?

[ ] So long you got a semi-permanent "wrinkle" on your rear where the fabric of what you were wearing/the couch printed into your flesh?

[ ] ... your foot fell asleep?

[ ] ...several body parts went numb?

[ ] Made it through an all-nighter with several pots of coffee or energy drinks just to beat a game?

- -

Have you ever ''held it in'' instead of going to the bathroom because you were "almost to the Boss" or something similar?

[ ] ... held the 360 controller precariously out the door while peeing so you could start a match (hey, you're almost done)

[ ] ...hey, the PS3 controller works even when I'm in the bathroom!

[ ] Purposefully didn't drink a lot so you could "last longer"?

- -

Have you screamed obscenities at an unfeeling television set when you die in-game?

[ ] When you're about to?

[ ] When you think you're about to?

[ ] Do any of those include threats against the game developers/designers/beta testers?

[ ] ...and their unborn children?


- -

Have you hit your own leg or unfeeling couch arm, etc during a game?

[ ] In frustration?

[ ] With excitement?

[ ] Nope, you hit someone else.

[ ] So hard you yelped with shock.


- -


Have you thrown a game controller in anger or excitement?

[ ] The cord acts like a bungee, so you were safe (and so was the furniture)

[ ] Screamed "Oh, shit, those are worth $60 why did I do that!"

[ ] Yes: and hit someone across the street.


- -


Have you ever been "game-hunting" for something you want?

[ ] Through several different game stores?

[ ] Through all the game stores in the area

[ ] ...and not in the are (out of state)

[ ] ...along with a Wal-Mart or two

[ ] You peruse eBay and Amazon on a daily basis.

- -

Is "love of games" something you look for in a guy?

[ ] He needs to like gaming like you do.

[ ] Bonus: he comes with a game system you don't have!

[ ] ...and/or games you haven't played!

[ ] He'd better have a good sense of humor as well since you often beat people when you play against them.


- -

How many consoles and hand held systems do you own?

[ ] More than two

[ ] More than four

[ ] More than you can have hooked up to televisions in your house, even with spare TV sets and multiple-channel boxes

[ ] ...as well as several duplicate systems "just in case"

[ ] An out-of-region system (NTSC/ US, Japanese or PAL, whichever counts for you)

[ ] ...several of these.


- -

And perhaps the final question...

Does your husband talk about you, game-wise, to his buddies?

[ ] Brag about your skill in general?

[ ] That you're better than he is?

[ ] That his wife is "cool" because she doesn't complain when he brings home a game?

[ ] Complain that you're hogging the console when he wants to play?