Joe's Stream.

Joe's Stream, version 2.0

Hello, I'm a newbie PoE player who came from playing Final Fantasy 14 for about a year. I also stream this game as well (typically around 6:30 pm, US central time). I'll also be posting follow up blogs in this forum too. With that, here's a rundown about me/my playstyle:

• I usually play vinyl records when I stream, as in-game music/sound effects gets repetitious after a while, and having never grown up listening to vinyl - I grew up listening to cassettes - I figured "Why not?". And my tastes run the gamut, from folk music and jazz, to rock and metal, and some avant-garde/experimental as well. I'll even play some polka from time to time (instrumental only though. Singing ruins it), so one should keep an open mind.

• I eat/drink when streaming (apparently it's a big streamer no-no), especially on a work day where I don't have much time. Usually it's something small though, a cheese bagel and an energy drink or something. I save the bigger meals for off-stream (To me, yeah that's rude. I'm there to watch you stream, not watch you eat a full-course meal >:| ).

• My computer randomly restarts! I've had it ever since I installed a new graphics card, which was required just to be able to stream this game. So I'm guessing it's incompatible with the rest of my PC. I've tried troubleshooting it, but nothing works (one time I actually made things worse!). So I find it better to just live with it than to risk catastrophe and/or a broken bank. So, if you're watching me stream, and I suddenly go offline, well there ya go!

• I play SSF (solo self-found) Standard. I used to play SSF Hardcore, but my game crashes and my computer restarts too often to play in SSF Hardcore now, not worth it. Not to mention mechanics in general are way harder - lots more stuff that can kill you in one hit - than in Diablo 3, as far as I can recall (been a few years since I played D3). I would often sandbag out of fear of getting one-shot (Avarius first comes to mind), which wasn't exactly hardcore. I was as much relieved as I was devastated when my guys died. So, SSF SC is now my home. And in case you're curious as to why I play SSF and not regular SC/HC, here's why.

• I don't rush. I'm not a speedrunner. Please don't expect me to be running end-game content within a day after getting this game. This is how I've played since WoW back in '09 I think.
Journey > destination.

Aside from that, I'm really liking this game so far, moreso than Diablo 3 and even Diablo 2 (as controversial as that might sound). Hope to be streaming here a while and I hope you like my stream too. :]

https://www.twitch.tv/joe__schmoe

Joe's Stream, 1/31/18, 6:28 pm.

I'll make this a quick one, as I have to get ready for work. Just did some of the act 2 quests on my marauder. Kinda cool using that Infernal Strike+Ancestral Call+Melee Splash ability and watching all the enemies explode at once. I imagine this becomes useless once I start getting enemies that are resistant/immune to fire, in which case I might wanna load up on Glacial Hammer.

And for the records I played, they were:

Frank Zappa - Ship Arriving Too Late to Save a Drowning Witch
Pink Floyd - Obscured by Clouds
Lou Reed - Rock n' Roll Animal

Okay, gotta get ready for work. Take care and thanks for reading. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/224435782

Joe's Stream, 2/1/18, 6:20 pm.

Like yesterday, worked on my marauder some more, and got him to level 23. Nothing like watching monsters blow up. :]

https://clips.twitch.tv/GenerousSlickHorseSSSsss

On the downside though, I didn't get much accomplished questwise (still trying to find Oak :\), so tomorrow I'll try to work on them some.

And here's what I played today:

Metallica - Kill 'em All
NWA - Straight Outta Compton

Okay, have to get ready for work. Take care and thanks for reading/watching. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/224759936

Joe's Stream, 2/2/18, 6:31 pm.

Just continued on my marauder, and this time I managed to do enough act 2 questing to get to the part where the sky turned black. I also got him to level 25 as well. Seems this guy is my main right now. All the pieces seem to fit. :]

Oh, and here's what I played today:

Jethro Tull - This Was
Ween - God Ween Satan

Okay, gotta get ready for work. Running a bit late. I should be on the same time tomorrow (6:30-7:30 pm, US central time). Until then, take care. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/225101609

Joe's Stream, 2/3/18, 6:29 pm.

This morning I did some off-stream maraudering, and went from level 25 to 27. And I also learned that the Frost Blades ability is classified as a single-target melee attack ie. it works with the Ancestor's Call and Melee Splash gems. Good to know. >:]

Buuut anyway, for today's stream, I got to level 29 and made it to act III. Tomorrow will be a continuation of that. Starting to see 4-socket items now! :O

And not sure if it's required for the storyline progression, but I'm skipping all the Trials of Ascension until the very end if possible. I royally suck at these. The first three I did I very nearly died on them, so I'd at least like to progress all the way to the end of the storyline first before risking these. I'd rather die in battle than in a World's Hardest Game mini-game. >:\

Aaaand here's what I played this time around:

Kraftwerk - Radio-Activity
Tom Lehrer - That Was the Week That Was
Vangelis - Opera Sauvage (various parts)

Okay, have to start getting ready for work. Running late making this blog post. Thanks for reading, and have a good night. :]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/225474516

Joe's Stream, 2/4/18, 6:26 pm.

Made some progress today! Went from level 29 to level 32, and got as far as the "The Docks" part of the Act III storyline. And for tomorrow it'll be even more of the same, trying to get the act III questline done. Encountered an interesting monster: Attacking ribbons. What'll they think of next? lol.

Okay, and here's what I played today:

Jimi Hendrix - Are You Experienced?
The Residents - Meet The Residents

Okay, have to get ready for work. Running late making this blog post, surprise surprise. Have a nice night and see ya next time. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/225832247

Joe's Stream, 2/5/18, 6:33 pm.

Made some excellent progress today, and completed the Act III questline, although it wasn't easy, especially the Dominus fight:

https://youtu.be/_4YZ8xMhPMYz

And I also got my guy from level 32 to 37, so I got in some good leveling as well. And tomorrow I'll probably continue working on the act IV questline, assuming I don't decide to farm act III stuff instead (it's taking me 2-3 hits to kill monsters right now, a little slow for how I like it).

And I discovered another reason I like this game: The "mana reserved" mechanic. Instead of just constantly casting buffs in order for them to stay up, just reserve the mana instead. And at the same time make it a bit more of a challenge as well (although I kinda wish the perma-buff effectiveness was based at least in part on how much mana is being reserved, and not just on gem level), and not just make it a mere bonus passive.

Sooo, that's that. And here's all the records I played today:

The Beatles - White Album
Sheila E - The Glamorous Life
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
Moody Blues - On the Threshold of a Dream

Okay, time to call it a night. Take care all, and see ya next time. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/226130464

Joe's Stream, 2/6/18, 6:59 pm.

About 30 minutes into the stream my mic cut out on me. So for about 20 mins you couldn't hear me or my music until I remembered to check my OBS. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

Good session today otherwise. Worked on the act IV questline some and also ran around and farmed a bit. And had a few brushes with death as well, like this one for example:

https://clips.twitch.tv/EnergeticHeadstrongWoodpeckerCclamChamp

Lack of lightning resist will do that to ya!

And I also made a few discoveries as well: One, the Scion class. I went ahead and tried it out, but couldn't play it long enough to come to any conclusion, especially considering she's a full hybrid. Not really sure of where to go with her.

I also found the "solo self-found" mode as well, but it seemed kinda redundant, as it's already how I play. Awesome concept, but I wish it was an option at the start. The horse has left the barn at this point. :\

https://youtu.be/KHM_z2Kpsog

Sooo, that's it on that. Tomorrow is the start of my work week, so it'll be short 1-2 hour streams now, and not the long 4-5 hour ones I've been doing. :[

And for the records I played today:

Pink Floyd - The Endless River
Butthole Surfers - Locust Abortion Technician
Herb Albert's Tijuana Brass - Whipped Cream & Other Delights
Funkadelic - One Nation, Under a Groove

Okay, thus endeth the stream. Take care and thanks for watching/reading. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/226453619

Joe's Stream, 2/7/18, 6:28 pm.

Working on my new SSF (solo self-found) hardcore marauder today. I went from level 6 to level 12 and just killing Brutus (but nearly dying because my mouse got "stuck" on the boss. I reeeeeeally wish "move only" didn't require a 1-5/Q-T keybinding!), so some pretty good progress was made today. And for tomorrow I'll probably just continue on the act I questline. I now have the Infernal Blow + Ancestor's Call + Melee Splash combo, so it should be smoother sailing now.

I also found my first unique in SSF, although it's pretty much useless to me:

https://imgur.com/a/EdGdc

And as for the records I played they were:

Vangelis - Earth
Tom Waits - Swordfishtrombones

Okay, have to get ready for work. My work week has started, so I'll only be doing 1-2 hour streams now. So, thanks for reading, and see ya next time. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/226772694

Joe's Stream, 2/8/18, 6:30 pm.

Worked on my marauder some, and managed to beat Merveil in order to complete Act I. Having "move only" hotkeyed made the battle easier.

https://youtu.be/3nf_m6XYVNI

So now I've started in act II, which is where I'll pick up on tomorrow when I stream again.

One of my favorite areas in the game. Why? https://clips.twitch.tv/ProtectiveRelentlessAubergineRitzMitz

And here's what I played today:

Prince - Self-Titled Second Album
Bill Cosby - Why is There Air?

Okay, have to get ready for work now. Take care everybody. See ya tomorrow. ;]

https://www.twitch.tv/videos/227098004