Mental Breaks

I'm working on one computer and taking mental breaks on this one. I think I mentioned before that I'd gotten a new system for my "birthday" (which is actually this week) a few months ago. I'm working on various 3D models and such on it and on this one, answering a multitude of emails and MSN chats.

I also have an online game running at the same time. It's an online RPG which has been around for a very, very long time and has some unique aspects to it: like building/designing your own home.

My character has a very nice house on the beach of an island. It's fairly quiet and kind of remote from the busier areas of the "world." I like it. I wish I could keep more stuff in it, but I'm usually hitting the maximum limit for the home. I have a second account too, with I think I bigger home. It's in a bad location, though. Not for other players, but monsters that 'spawn' right outside the door. Think of it like a log cabin in the woods, but grizzly bears enjoy sunning on your front proch.

Anyway, I've often heard of "player run" events when a house collapses due to age. Essentially, it means the owner has either moved to a new location ~or~ they've stopped playing altogether and their account is now cancelled and the house is decrepit. Whatever the case, when these houses collapse, it becomes an event because there's usually something valuable inside that people can try and grab when the house finally goes down. Traditionally, there are a huge number of player-killers waiting to murder anyone trying to grab something so the entire area turns into a gigantic battle zone. Every once in a while, though, a house collapses in a safe zone. And I'm watching one of those right now.

The way a house collapse works is that the house sign states that the house is "like new" for an hour, then it progressively gets worse. It's not an instant thing, though. It can take up to ten days as it goes slightly worn, somewhat worn, fairly worn, and greatly worn. Each stage takes 1-2 days to occur. It's usually 24-36 hours for each stage. 10:30 yesterday morning it went from 'Fairly' to 'Greatly' and less than 45 minutes ago, it finally went to the final stage: "In Danger of Collapse."

So, one of my mental breaks is watching/waiting for the house to fall. I have a characterwho's hiding just outside the house and I'll activate another character on a different account who will move in with a couple of pack horses to try and grab as much as humanly possible!

So far, there's only one other person waiting. But this final stage can be anywhere from 12-24 hours to finally collapse. Obviously, I"m "busy" tomorrow morning, but I hope it happens tonight instead.... Gonna be a long night, but it could pay off if I get something good!

My other mental break/distraction these days is the daily Sudoku in our morning paper. From Monday through Sunday, the puzzles get progressively more difficult and I'll admit I didn't like doing them when I first tried them a few months ago. 2 weeks ago, I sat down to really try and managed to finish every one through every level of difficulty. It's a good break as I can concentrate on something that's entirely different than anything else I'm working on at the moment.

And there was this lengthy useless post --yet another break! :)