It’s been three years now since I first signed up to Dark Warriors, a totally random pick that resulted from me clicking an ad. I can’t even remember where. Of course, I had no idea I would be playing the game so consistently over the years and still be able to enjoy it. My game has changed, from total newbie in seek of knowledge, clan owner, subscriber, ultra subscriber, to game helper and regular player again. A few things have been keeping me coming back, but my clan is the reason I still play the game. Getting a clan is the most crucial step for a newbie. You will get some coaching and make friends with a group of players. This is what will keep you playing the game. So, it’s important to make a good choice as far as your clan is concerned.

We can mainly identify 4 major types of clans.

1. The Venners

These are fighting clans. They gather together to pile up the bodies and gain maximum score at the end of the month. Usually, the main fighting clans consist of a core of experienced players, usually ultra subscribers with stats making them elite players in the game. They are prone to recruitment if you are ready to fight and build up your character to become elite too. From what I know, they are also very supportive. They usually team up in a group of 10-20 very active members. You will recognize these clans quite easily. Look at the CBR, a venner is there almost every months. Look in your logs, a venner’s member is there constantly. Join or fear the venners!

2. The Fun Crews

You can easily spot a Fun Crew by reading the clan’s description. Usually, it’s all about party and fun. It sometimes involves alcohol. Most of the time, the owners of Fun Crews are quite the jokers in the game’s forums. They really built a clan to their image. Because they usually have some very active members Fun Crews do tend to have their fun in the ven as well. I’ve never been in a Fun Crew, but I bet they will have forums filled with funny pictures. If your in for a laugh and some community fun, join a Fun Crew.

3. The All-rounder

This type of clan is a group that will not fit in the first two categories because they just do everything. This community varies in number and the owners will tolerate inactive players for a longer time. Since the All-rounder clan does not have an elite ven objective, they will usually have a big part of non-subscriber in their members. You will see them in the top 20 once in a while, between camping months. An All-rounder will have it’s own little inner circle, but only a few of it’s members will show up in the game’s general forums.

4. The Dead Clan

Hopefully, you don’t end up there! The Dead Clan, like the name suggests, is inactive. Most of the time, the applications are opened and the owner is not playing anymore. Don’t expect any help there, but expect to drown in a sea of other inactive players. These clans are easy to identify by their huge number of members who all drifted there when the owner opened the floodgates without filtering. As opposed to the Venners they will compete for the bottom 5 each months. A glorious sight.

Christmas is approaching and we will probably all have our own Holiday topic. This is mine.

This year, I want to review Santa’s myth and mystery. In real life, I still want to believe in the magic of Christmas. True. I wish to keep parts of my child’s heart intact. I won’t deny what good this time of year brought me. All the reunions, the memories. They will stay with me forever. Mostly this year, since I will spend Christmas and New Year alone, away from my loved ones for the first time. Fortunately, I still have various ways to communicate with them, a small compensation.

In DW, Santa touches me, for different reasons. Santa’s Grotto is a well kept mystery to me. I don’t know anything about the ongoings of the King of Christmas. But, I will enjoy the finesse of his tailors’ craftings during this joyful season. I will keep an opened eye on this year’s exclusive trends. Feel free to let me know if you are going to parade in a fine costume for Christmas.

Last year, a few changed their in-game names for Santa. RedMoon was one of them! Will it happen this year. Will once again Santa steal the show? If not in that way, surely in many other ways. Some will untie their purse to gift friends and clan-mates. The luckiest will hold a shining element (or more) in their hands. This gift is timeless as it actually allows one to go back in time. The sapphire, as tasteful as ever, will grant a few good kids with many benefits. Giving access to the SCC is a sure win this year! A generous act this year consists of a fair amount of helixes and a free market 101 class. No better ways for a witty newcomer to start a business.

Shoppers should expect these minimal rates for these stones:

Elements : 13,500,000 gold

Sapphire : 3,000,000 gold

Helix : 400,000 gold

Of course, the trading chat will give an opportunity for some to make advantageous deals. Also, don’t forget that gold, even if it’s a little more impersonal, is always a crowd pleaser.

Set aside that often criticized, but fun mercantile aspect, Christmas is most of all the time to send best wishes, mail old friends, make contacts, share a laugh, selflessly give away good karma, etc. Because, in the end, this is what Santa is all about. To me, there is nothing else.

First off, the Hercules game I tried to install failed…  And I know why. It was weird, way too demanding (posting pictures and stuff) and I didn’t promise a pre-determined prize (sorry, I’m not that rich). Or maybe it’s just because there is only one true Hercules and he needed not to claim his title. I like to think that’s the reason. So,  let’s present the winner of the DW Hercules contest. The only one who could stand up to the challenge. The one who could crush any presumptuous attempts to win his throne. The one who, if he played DW, would certainly be on top of every Wall of Fame’s categories (except losses). The one and only Hercules:

Well done! 20 elements for you!

Now, I think I could focus on the game itself rather than on my vain attempts to create some community events. My big up in November is certainly the ven, for it’s turmoil and revamp. So far, we have a raving trio over the million and a record-breaking month. It goes like this:

1.	Fun House	5	13,867,081	6,935,986	4,891	1,697,678
2.	FARMERS	4	9,423,213	4,713,888	4,563	610,237
3.	Rising Force	7	2,126,998	1,068,566	10,134	2,759,113

The rest aren’t even a match-up, but we still have some good fun, really! It’s not a major act nor it is my best, but I’ll be flirting with 10,000 kills this month.

I really like the fact that we actually have a top 20 now, and you better be part of it or nobody will know about your clan. I also like the talks around some possible ven changes.  I am for the medal system for top 3 and I think each clans in the monthly top ten should get something (if not a prize, a mention). A slight change that would add another dimension to the CBR. All in all, some neat changes were made that made the ven nicer and I’m sure there’s more to come.

On a lighter note, I’d like to know : Who is you personal ven nightmare. It could be the one you always wake-up with in your logs, the one you can’t beat but would really like to (you might dream about it at night ), the reasons are endless. Let’s see if we’ll get to discover some new tyrants to join the well known brutes. Of course, you guessed who is my worst ven nightmare…

Well, what’s going on here?

Ah! Guess I’m the last one to post… But fear not, because today I claim my Avenue (with much honor, needless to say). To begin with, I’m kinda getting old now : 2 years, 237 days and counting. But with age comes power. Once, my stats were low, now they’re okay… Well, I have to admit that I’m the weakest blogger in here. Two weeks ago, it wasn’t true, but Mag’s outgrown me, congrats Mag! But here, I think that I might be able to stand on the same ground as my co-blogger friends and enjoy a good time with them. That’s right, without being killed!

That brings me to the main subject of the day. I’ve been thinking… You know that TV show that aired like 10 years ago, Hercules :  The Legendary Journey (please, someone, remember!)? Well I’m very fond of it and it’s main actor Kevin Sorbo. And I thought, if we had to name a DW Hercules, a true, kind, strong, passionate hero, who would it be? Me of course if that’s what make a hero! But no, not that kind of proud and mighty hero, legendary in many ways. We’d rather be looking at the true meaning of Kevin Sorbo’s Hercules . Now some might say I got mixed up in my mythology for what I’m going to proclaim, but the true legend of that specific Hercules is all about the haircut! A silky, rich, flamboyant, gracious golden mane. The kind that belongs to Gods and descended to Earth. Well, who will be that DW Hercules, now tell me?

PS: By the way, if you think that you are that Hercules, send a link to a picture in my player’s mailbox so I can compile them in a follow-up article. Thank you!