EQ2 MountGate – Options R Us

Last week I reported (mostly via Ark’s Ark) that the Powers That Be had decided that mounts wouldn’t — be that is, at least in combat. This caused quite a furore on the forums and in the blogosphere (torches! pitchforks!) and the decision was reversed amended improved to give us all more options, which is always a good thing in MMOs. Can’t have too many options. Except maybe when it comes to boob sliders — I really only accept those when they’re paired with “package sliders” and I have yet to see one of those in any game (Age of Conan maybe?). And what about {expletive deleted} jiggle physics? Why does that only apply to breasts? I demand equality of jiggle!

Uhh, where was I? Oh yes, mounts.

So anyway, one of the recent patchlets on the Test server added some options to the animations section of the, er, options screen. Here it is:

It’s easy. See your mount Always/Never/Not in Combat. Piece of cake. Lovely job on the part of the EQ2 team and it should make everyone happy except Whiny Rage-Bastard who’s never happy about anything anyway and would find a way to complain even on Christmas morning.

The default setting is to hide mounts during combat, and for my money that is extreeeeeeemely irritating. Seriously. Draw weapon, *poof*, fight-fight-fight, run towards next opponent and the mount re-*poof*s under you only to *poof* again the second you draw your sword. The added 5-second post-combat delay actually only makes things even more irksome, at least to me. However, I’m sure that some people will be delighted with this option and therefore it’s a good thing.

Different horses for different courses, right?

(See whut I did thar?)

In other news, happy Cinco de Mayo for those of you living — as I am — in an area where it’s celebrated. Being French, I am extremely conflicted about this one. Part of me is tempted to drive down into the middle of Albuquerque and loudly yell “Allons enfants de la Patrie! A la Bastille!” but I doubt it would go over well. Assuming anyone understood it.

The other part of me just thinks I should get myself a beer and a party sombrero and keep my evil French revolutionary leanings to myself.