Wowinsider News
Blue Posts: Not blind nerfing Dragon Soul, PTR maintenance tomorrow
Join us every weekday evening as Today in WoW runs down all the WoW news that you could possibly want. From comments from Blizzard's blues to the latest datamining info -- we've got you covered.
I heard the floating skull was a little scary for some people. So here are some sheep. They shouldn't be that bad. It's not like the all explode or anything crazy...
Don't forget to check out our Weekly Podcast Roundup to find out what else is going on in the WoW community. And if you have a news tip, feel free to drop us a line and let us know.
I heard the floating skull was a little scary for some people. So here are some sheep. They shouldn't be that bad. It's not like the all explode or anything crazy...
Don't forget to check out our Weekly Podcast Roundup to find out what else is going on in the WoW community. And if you have a news tip, feel free to drop us a line and let us know.
Continue reading Blue Posts: Not blind nerfing Dragon Soul, PTR maintenance tomorrow
Filed under: Today in WoW
Blue Posts: Not blind nerfing Dragon Soul, PTR maintenance tomorrow originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Mega Bloks wants fans to channel their inner Thrall
Mega Bloks has a well-known partnership with Blizzard to produce buildable block sets based on the Warcraft and StarCraft franchises. It kicked off this relationship at BlizzCon with a life-size Thrall statue made out of Mega Bloks, allowing fans to pose with the blocky former Warchief of the Horde. Now, Mega Bloks is asking fans to "channel their inner Thrall" for a chance to win a life-size Doomhammer made out of Mega Bloks. You can enter right now by submitting a photo with one (or more, ostensibly) of the following conditions:
- Pose like Thrall (Stand proud, warrior!)
- Pose as Thrall (cosplay)
- Pose with Thrall (BlizzCon statue, figure, etc.)
Filed under: Blizzard, Contests
Mega Bloks wants fans to channel their inner Thrall originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WoW bloggers take off and unite with Sixth meme
What's that image above? Why, that's a screenshot of Azshara before the goblins took over, taken for our massive series of Before the Shattering galleries we put together just before Cataclysm launched. It also happens to be the sixth image from the sixth subfolder in my images folder, which leads us to a meme started by Gnomeaggedon from the blog Armageddon's Coming -- a meme that has taken off with alarming speed.
The premise is simple: Head into your images folder, select the sixth subfolder, grab the sixth image in the folder, post the image, and select six bloggers to tag for the next part of the meme. Those people post their own sixth images, tag six more bloggers, and so on. Those of you who are skilled at math can already see where this is going.
The premise is simple: Head into your images folder, select the sixth subfolder, grab the sixth image in the folder, post the image, and select six bloggers to tag for the next part of the meme. Those people post their own sixth images, tag six more bloggers, and so on. Those of you who are skilled at math can already see where this is going.
Continue reading WoW bloggers take off and unite with Sixth meme
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion
WoW bloggers take off and unite with Sixth meme originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WoW Moviewatch: Dragon Be Gone
I was reminded of Dragon Be Gone while chatting it up with friends. While the subject came up because of rocks ( ... yeah, just rocks), the whole video is absolutely fun. Dragon Be Gone was created by Erunno and Frozen Death Knight.
Videos like Dragon Be Gone are one of the strongest recommendations for WoW. The game has grown a rich community over its seven years. It's just kind of cool. The community has infinitely more depth that you'd suspect from simple television ads, which is a shame, since that community is probably one of its best parts.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
Videos like Dragon Be Gone are one of the strongest recommendations for WoW. The game has grown a rich community over its seven years. It's just kind of cool. The community has infinitely more depth that you'd suspect from simple television ads, which is a shame, since that community is probably one of its best parts.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
Filed under: WoW Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Dragon Be Gone originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Know Your Lore: The orcs, part 2
The World of Warcraft is an expansive universe. You're playing the game, you're fighting the bosses, you know the how -- but do you know the why? Each week, Matthew Rossi and Anne Stickney make sure you Know Your Lore by covering the history of the story behind World of Warcraft.
One of the problems in covering the history of the orcs is that after the Rise of the Horde period, we've done it already quite a few times. The history of the orcs is the history of the Horde. Just in covering Orgrim Doomhammer's life, we've covered the formation of the Horde to a great extent.
What's interesting when considering the orcs as a people is how they were betrayed by their own virtues. The orc tendency to revere the spirits, their genius at preserving clan individuality yet coming together in times of crisis, their willingness to respect their elders and heed their wisdom -- all of these traits were twisted under first Ner'zhul and then Gul'dan. While Ner'zhul was proud, even arrogant, his initial actions in kindling the war against the draenei were sincere. He believed that the spirit of his dead wife Rulkan had returned to warn him of the draenei threat, accompanied by a "great one" who would teach Ner'zhul new magics to use to protect his people.
No matter Ner'zhul's flaws, it cannot be denied he was sincere. Yes, he hungered for power and respect (even though he was in fact powerful and respected) and yes, he prosecuted the war with the draenei when he really only had the word of Kil'jaeden that the draenei were evil and plotting against the orcs. And yes, Ner'zhul ignored for a time that he was losing the respect of the ancestor spirits and that the elements grew distant from him. He put himself ahead of his role as elder shaman. It cannot and should not be denied. But even in his most aggressive moments, Ner'zhul was neither blind nor a fool. He began to realize that his spiritual advisor, Kil'jaeden, resemble a draenei and hated Velen with a fervor the orc could barely comprehend. He began to wonder why the spirts would not speak to him.
And so he made his way to Oshu'gun.
One of the problems in covering the history of the orcs is that after the Rise of the Horde period, we've done it already quite a few times. The history of the orcs is the history of the Horde. Just in covering Orgrim Doomhammer's life, we've covered the formation of the Horde to a great extent.
What's interesting when considering the orcs as a people is how they were betrayed by their own virtues. The orc tendency to revere the spirits, their genius at preserving clan individuality yet coming together in times of crisis, their willingness to respect their elders and heed their wisdom -- all of these traits were twisted under first Ner'zhul and then Gul'dan. While Ner'zhul was proud, even arrogant, his initial actions in kindling the war against the draenei were sincere. He believed that the spirit of his dead wife Rulkan had returned to warn him of the draenei threat, accompanied by a "great one" who would teach Ner'zhul new magics to use to protect his people.
No matter Ner'zhul's flaws, it cannot be denied he was sincere. Yes, he hungered for power and respect (even though he was in fact powerful and respected) and yes, he prosecuted the war with the draenei when he really only had the word of Kil'jaeden that the draenei were evil and plotting against the orcs. And yes, Ner'zhul ignored for a time that he was losing the respect of the ancestor spirits and that the elements grew distant from him. He put himself ahead of his role as elder shaman. It cannot and should not be denied. But even in his most aggressive moments, Ner'zhul was neither blind nor a fool. He began to realize that his spiritual advisor, Kil'jaeden, resemble a draenei and hated Velen with a fervor the orc could barely comprehend. He began to wonder why the spirts would not speak to him.
And so he made his way to Oshu'gun.
Continue reading Know Your Lore: The orcs, part 2
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Lore, Know your Lore
Know Your Lore: The orcs, part 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community
We get a lot of musical submissions and comedy bits sent to WoW Moviewatch. For better or for worse, we can't always run them. Moviewatch usually needs an animated movie or live-action narration to really work. It's a rough guideline, but it's been a consistent one for years.
Of course, we see some awesome stuff that deserves its own spotlight. These are songs, comedy routines, and moments of sheer awesome that you shouldn't miss. It's up to you to decide whether they're good, of course, but that's what makes it a community effort.
Of course, we see some awesome stuff that deserves its own spotlight. These are songs, comedy routines, and moments of sheer awesome that you shouldn't miss. It's up to you to decide whether they're good, of course, but that's what makes it a community effort.
Continue reading Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community
Filed under: WoW Moviewatch
Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones
We talked the other day about three things I learned to love about Battlegrounds by playing Star Wars: The Old Republic's Warzones. Honestly, I stopped at three on purpose. There's so much to complain about in Warzones that it could keep a retribution paladin (which I am) busy for weeks. But I didn't want to give the wrong impression; I really do enjoy SW:TOR Warzones.
Warzones offer a different game, different playstyle, and significant change of pace for a grizzled PvP veteran. While I could just go all mushy about my assault cannon, I'm more interested in the design aspects that really work well in Warzones. With that in mind, here are three things I think WoW should borrow from Warzones.
(And no, I'm not talking about Huttball here. Huttball is fun and all, but it's just a specific game. That'd be like saying "SW:TOR isn't good because of Alterac Valley." That's not particularly helpful, even if I do love scoring a goal through a sweet ball-passing chain. I'm talking about overall game dynamics.)
Warzones offer a different game, different playstyle, and significant change of pace for a grizzled PvP veteran. While I could just go all mushy about my assault cannon, I'm more interested in the design aspects that really work well in Warzones. With that in mind, here are three things I think WoW should borrow from Warzones.
(And no, I'm not talking about Huttball here. Huttball is fun and all, but it's just a specific game. That'd be like saying "SW:TOR isn't good because of Alterac Valley." That's not particularly helpful, even if I do love scoring a goal through a sweet ball-passing chain. I'm talking about overall game dynamics.)
Continue reading 3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones
Filed under: PvP
3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Spiritual Guidance: The Mists of Pandaria pre-beta shadow priest
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Spiritual Guidance for discipline, holy and shadow priests. On Wednesdays, shadow priesting expert Fox Van Allen comes from out of the shadows to bask in your loving adoration.
In case you haven't noticed, WoW Insider's class columnists have been on a pretty big Mists of Pandaria kick lately. It's because Blizzard just released a pretty big update to the talent calculator. Certain spells got shifted around; certain spells got changed.
I'm damn starved for MoP info, so naturally, I was eager to pore over all the new changes. But admittedly, I was a little bit disappointed. There's not a whole lot of new information for shadow priests since the last time we talked last MoP back in November.
But perhaps that is the news. There were some shocking omissions last time, namely Mind Blast and Devouring Plague, two spells that help define shadow priesting. I was quite confident we'd see both of them again -- their omissions from the MoP leveling experience just had to be accidental.
But here were are, four months later. Guess what's still not in the game?
In case you haven't noticed, WoW Insider's class columnists have been on a pretty big Mists of Pandaria kick lately. It's because Blizzard just released a pretty big update to the talent calculator. Certain spells got shifted around; certain spells got changed.
I'm damn starved for MoP info, so naturally, I was eager to pore over all the new changes. But admittedly, I was a little bit disappointed. There's not a whole lot of new information for shadow priests since the last time we talked last MoP back in November.
But perhaps that is the news. There were some shocking omissions last time, namely Mind Blast and Devouring Plague, two spells that help define shadow priesting. I was quite confident we'd see both of them again -- their omissions from the MoP leveling experience just had to be accidental.
But here were are, four months later. Guess what's still not in the game?
Continue reading Spiritual Guidance: The Mists of Pandaria pre-beta shadow priest
Filed under: Priest, (Priest) Spiritual Guidance
Spiritual Guidance: The Mists of Pandaria pre-beta shadow priest originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Dragon Soul Power of the Aspects buff to increase next week
Starting at server maintenance next Tuesday, the Power of the Aspects buff will increase in Dragon Soul. This means that the health and damage output from enemies will be reduced by 10%. Remember that this only applies to normal and heroic versions and that it can always be shut off.
The Power of the Aspects buff currently stands at 5%, which went into effect on Jan. 31, 2011. So it took about a month for the buff to increase to the next level. Blizzard has said the spell will continue to increase but not at a set interval, as was done in Icecrown Citadel.
The full blue post is as follows:
Blizzard Entertainment During the scheduled server maintenance on the week of February 28, the "Power of the Aspects" spell will grow more powerful, reducing the health and damage dealt of all enemies in the Dragon Soul raid by 10%. This spell will grow progressively stronger over time to reduce the difficulty and make the encounters more accessible. The spell will affect both normal and Heroic difficulties, but it will not affect the Raid Finder difficulty.
Don't need the help of the Dragon Aspects? The spell can be disabled by talking to Lord Afrasastrasz at the beginning of Dragon Soul.
We hope you continue to enjoy Dragon Soul, and that these changes encourage you to attempt a higher difficulty, or just keep pushing to down that next boss.
source
The Power of the Aspects buff currently stands at 5%, which went into effect on Jan. 31, 2011. So it took about a month for the buff to increase to the next level. Blizzard has said the spell will continue to increase but not at a set interval, as was done in Icecrown Citadel.
The full blue post is as follows:
Blizzard Entertainment During the scheduled server maintenance on the week of February 28, the "Power of the Aspects" spell will grow more powerful, reducing the health and damage dealt of all enemies in the Dragon Soul raid by 10%. This spell will grow progressively stronger over time to reduce the difficulty and make the encounters more accessible. The spell will affect both normal and Heroic difficulties, but it will not affect the Raid Finder difficulty.
Don't need the help of the Dragon Aspects? The spell can be disabled by talking to Lord Afrasastrasz at the beginning of Dragon Soul.
We hope you continue to enjoy Dragon Soul, and that these changes encourage you to attempt a higher difficulty, or just keep pushing to down that next boss.
source
Filed under: News items, Raiding
Dragon Soul Power of the Aspects buff to increase next week originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WoW Insider's Weekly Webcomic: Safe Passage -- Convergence
Welcome to Safe Passage: Convergence, another edition of WoW Insider's Weekly Comic.
Sneaking into enemy territory -- it's kind of like getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar, except you can die from it!
Check out the full comic right here, and tune in next Wednesday for a new page. You can also see all the previous pages in the gallery below.
Sneaking into enemy territory -- it's kind of like getting caught with your hand in the cookie jar, except you can die from it!
Check out the full comic right here, and tune in next Wednesday for a new page. You can also see all the previous pages in the gallery below.
Gallery: Safe Passage: Convergence
Filed under: WoW Insider's Weekly Comic
WoW Insider's Weekly Webcomic: Safe Passage -- Convergence originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
The Queue: Yaks are cool, I guess
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo) will be your host today.
I still want the frog.
hystrico asked:
any word on recipes in MoP? Like, should I be stocking up on Chef's Awards?
I had an issue with the original removal of the limit on Chef's Awards because of just this question. Obviously we have no idea how the new recipes and stuff will work for new dailies and all that, but one of the reasons I liked the limit on how many awards you could store up was because it kept that currency artificially deflated. When Blizzard removed that limit, everyone stocked up on Chef's Awards, so how do you fairly price new recipes with that currency? Who do you design for -- the guy who saved up 2,000 Chef's Awards or the guy who didn't? Which is fair?
Personally, I'd like to see Blizzard reinstate the limit, making one currency for each profession's dailies and recipe purchases and simplifying the whole thing once and for all. Hoarding tokens isn't fun, just like hoarding points isn't fun. Well, it's kind of fun.
I still want the frog.
hystrico asked:
any word on recipes in MoP? Like, should I be stocking up on Chef's Awards?
I had an issue with the original removal of the limit on Chef's Awards because of just this question. Obviously we have no idea how the new recipes and stuff will work for new dailies and all that, but one of the reasons I liked the limit on how many awards you could store up was because it kept that currency artificially deflated. When Blizzard removed that limit, everyone stocked up on Chef's Awards, so how do you fairly price new recipes with that currency? Who do you design for -- the guy who saved up 2,000 Chef's Awards or the guy who didn't? Which is fair?
Personally, I'd like to see Blizzard reinstate the limit, making one currency for each profession's dailies and recipe purchases and simplifying the whole thing once and for all. Hoarding tokens isn't fun, just like hoarding points isn't fun. Well, it's kind of fun.
Continue reading The Queue: Yaks are cool, I guess
The Queue: Yaks are cool, I guess originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Around Azeroth: The heart is a lonely hunter
After Mishkan of The Honor Guard on Earthen Ring (US-A) was lucky enough to receive a Lovely Black Dress during Love is in the Air, his guildmates asked him to pose in it and take a screenshot, possibly as some sort of elaborate hazing ritual. If, while looking at this screenshot, you find yourself hitting the space bar over and over again in a desperate attempt to get the heart container, you may want to take a break from whichever Legend of Zelda you're currently playing.
Gallery: Around Azeroth 3
Want to see your own screenshot here? Send it to aroundazeroth@wowinsider.com. We strongly prefer full-sized pictures with no UI or names showing. Include "Azeroth" in the subject line to ensure your submission dodges email spam filters; if you'd like to be credited, also include your name, guild and realm.Filed under: Around Azeroth
Around Azeroth: The heart is a lonely hunter originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Encrypted Text: Rogue poisons dramatically redesigned in Mists of Pandaria
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Encrypted Text for assassination, combat and subtlety rogues. Chase Christian will be your guide to the world of shadows every Wednesday. Feel free to email me with any questions or article suggestions you'd like to see covered here.
Throw out everything you know about rogue poisons. No, we need to go deeper than that. Throw out everything you know about rogues altogether. In the past few days, we've seen more blue posts on the official rogue forums than we'd seen since Cataclysm's launch. Poisons have been at the heart and soul of the rogue kit from day one. Even though parts of the poison system have changed over the years, the general concept has always remained the same.
Let me blow your mind: In Mists, you can have two poisons on each of your weapons at once. Let me do it again: All poison proc rates will be percentage-based. And a third time: Poisons are no longer applied to your individual weapons but to both weapons at once.
What does it even mean to put your poisons on both hands at once? What in the world am I supposed to write this column about if nobody's asking which hand to put Deadly Poison on any more? I'm going to slip and tell some new rogue that IP/DP is the best, and he's going to laugh and call me an old man.
Throw out everything you know about rogue poisons. No, we need to go deeper than that. Throw out everything you know about rogues altogether. In the past few days, we've seen more blue posts on the official rogue forums than we'd seen since Cataclysm's launch. Poisons have been at the heart and soul of the rogue kit from day one. Even though parts of the poison system have changed over the years, the general concept has always remained the same.
Let me blow your mind: In Mists, you can have two poisons on each of your weapons at once. Let me do it again: All poison proc rates will be percentage-based. And a third time: Poisons are no longer applied to your individual weapons but to both weapons at once.
What does it even mean to put your poisons on both hands at once? What in the world am I supposed to write this column about if nobody's asking which hand to put Deadly Poison on any more? I'm going to slip and tell some new rogue that IP/DP is the best, and he's going to laugh and call me an old man.
Continue reading Encrypted Text: Rogue poisons dramatically redesigned in Mists of Pandaria
Filed under: Rogue, (Rogue) Encrypted Text
Encrypted Text: Rogue poisons dramatically redesigned in Mists of Pandaria originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Breakfast Topic: I found a tol'vir rare... oh, no
I'm not kidding you guys. Seriously. I was doing archaeology the other day, flying around happily on the new Heart of the Aspects, listening to some music, when the most amazing thing happened. After solving for a Castle of Sand, I began my tol'vir archaeology ritual of pressing the solve button, closing my eyes, turning around and running out of the room. When I return, hopefully a rare tol'vir artifact will be waiting for me to obsess over.
This phenomenon known as the tol'vir rare find is an anomaly. Two quickly made their appearance for me, then vanished, forever leaving me to a storeroom full of Canopic Jars and Sketches of Desert Palaces. It's getting quite full in there. But not this faithful day. This day would be different.
Finally, the impossible happened -- another tol'vir rare. I'm freaking out, man. It's the monkey paw! And the worst part about this blessed miracle is that I can't go to sleep until I solve it.
Have you ever experienced the pain of the double-edged sword in World of Warcraft? Have you ever been the victim of something lucky that turned into an obsession?
This phenomenon known as the tol'vir rare find is an anomaly. Two quickly made their appearance for me, then vanished, forever leaving me to a storeroom full of Canopic Jars and Sketches of Desert Palaces. It's getting quite full in there. But not this faithful day. This day would be different.
Finally, the impossible happened -- another tol'vir rare. I'm freaking out, man. It's the monkey paw! And the worst part about this blessed miracle is that I can't go to sleep until I solve it.
Have you ever experienced the pain of the double-edged sword in World of Warcraft? Have you ever been the victim of something lucky that turned into an obsession?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Breakfast Topic: I found a tol'vir rare... oh, no originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Blue Posts: API questions, Rotface and Festergut
Join us every weekday evening as Today in WoW runs down all the WoW news that you could possibly want. From comments from Blizzard's blues to the latest datamining info -- we've got you covered.
I heard the floating skull was a little scary for some people. So here are some sheep. They shouldn't be that bad. It's not like the all explode or anything crazy...
Don't forget to check out our Weekly Podcast Roundup to find out what else is going on in the WoW community. And if you have a news tip, feel free to drop us a line and let us know.
I heard the floating skull was a little scary for some people. So here are some sheep. They shouldn't be that bad. It's not like the all explode or anything crazy...
Don't forget to check out our Weekly Podcast Roundup to find out what else is going on in the WoW community. And if you have a news tip, feel free to drop us a line and let us know.
Continue reading Blue Posts: API questions, Rotface and Festergut
Filed under: Today in WoW
Blue Posts: API questions, Rotface and Festergut originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Yak mounts lumbering your way in Mists of Pandaria
Yak mounts? In my Asia-inspired continent? It's more likely than you think, according to Blizzard community rep Bashiok. Today, he confirmed on Twitter that the shaggy beasts of burden we saw in Mists of Pandaria preview screenshots will be available as mounts when the expansion hits. What wasn't indicated was whether or not the yaks are the official pandaren mounts; I'm leaning toward no, but we'll see.
We were actually just discussing what the pandaren mount might be when this news came out. Blizzard joked about it at BlizzCon, with its mockup of a pandaren mount as a huge bouncy ball with a seat on top. Mat McCurley's personal opinion is (verbatim) "probably, like, a big frog maybe?" I feel it'll probably be something a little more dignified. Like a rickshaw. World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the next expansion, raising the level cap to 90, introducing a brand new talent system, and bringing forth the long-lost pandaren race to both Horde and Alliance. Check out the trailer and follow us for all the latest MoP news!
We were actually just discussing what the pandaren mount might be when this news came out. Blizzard joked about it at BlizzCon, with its mockup of a pandaren mount as a huge bouncy ball with a seat on top. Mat McCurley's personal opinion is (verbatim) "probably, like, a big frog maybe?" I feel it'll probably be something a little more dignified. Like a rickshaw. World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria is the next expansion, raising the level cap to 90, introducing a brand new talent system, and bringing forth the long-lost pandaren race to both Horde and Alliance. Check out the trailer and follow us for all the latest MoP news!
Yak mounts lumbering your way in Mists of Pandaria originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Massively's Guild Wars 2 beta reactions
In lieu of our weekly MMO Roundup, where we highlight the top MMO news of the last week from our sister site Massively, today we're highlighting one item in particular: Massively's Guild Wars 2 beta reactions. Guild Wars 2 seems to be the next MMO release that current World of Warcraft players are genuinely interested in. Massively's Shawn and Elisabeth had an opportunity to tackle the game hands-on in the recent closed beta weekend, so head over there and find out what they thought of the upcoming title.
Filed under: MMO Roundup
Massively's Guild Wars 2 beta reactions originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Should Blizzard leave heroic encounter difficulty alone?
When the Raid Finder was first introduced, I had high hopes for its impact on the game. While the main reason behind the implementation of this system was arguably to get as many players experiencing raid content as possible, at the time, I was more interested in the impact it would have on the progression races between all of the top guilds in the world. I have always had a great deal of admiration for players in these types of guilds and have watched intently during each new tier as they all vied for world firsts. I believed the Raid Finder could benefit this type of competition by preventing heroic encounters from being nerfed while the content was still current. Surely, I thought, if so many people are able to experience raiding like never before through this new tool, Blizzard would have no pressing reason to make heroic encounters any easier.
Well, it seems I was wrong, for in the very next tier of content Blizzard released, we saw progressive nerfs to these difficult fights. Personally, I prefer to keep these encounters the way they are, at least until a new tier is released. Something just feels wrong to see the hardest fights available made easier through a series of hotfixes. Even with respect to my own guild's progression, having sweeping nerfs hit Firelands just as my guild was putting in some really good attempts on Ragnaros felt like Blizzard moved the finish line, taking what would have been a very gratifying kill and turning it into an accidental one-shot that contained none of the catharsis we had felt during previous boss kills.
What do you think? With the Raid Finder now a reality and a new expansion looming on the horizon, do you think the difficulty of heroic raid encounters should be static, like those from tier 11, or should they be more flexible?
Well, it seems I was wrong, for in the very next tier of content Blizzard released, we saw progressive nerfs to these difficult fights. Personally, I prefer to keep these encounters the way they are, at least until a new tier is released. Something just feels wrong to see the hardest fights available made easier through a series of hotfixes. Even with respect to my own guild's progression, having sweeping nerfs hit Firelands just as my guild was putting in some really good attempts on Ragnaros felt like Blizzard moved the finish line, taking what would have been a very gratifying kill and turning it into an accidental one-shot that contained none of the catharsis we had felt during previous boss kills.
What do you think? With the Raid Finder now a reality and a new expansion looming on the horizon, do you think the difficulty of heroic raid encounters should be static, like those from tier 11, or should they be more flexible?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Achievements, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria
Should Blizzard leave heroic encounter difficulty alone? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
WoW Moviewatch: Beautiful Stranger
Romirevids has come a long way with his skills. You can see that plainly in Beautiful Sister, Romire's newest release. While the video won't be to everyone's liking, it's definitely a huge step from some of his previous work.
The story is a fairly straightforward "Dude, where's my Draenei/mount/sister?" gag, but I think that's a strength. The voice acting is a huge improvement for Beautiful Sister, and the plot actually steps forward with an even, good pace. My hat's off to Romire for good work.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
The story is a fairly straightforward "Dude, where's my Draenei/mount/sister?" gag, but I think that's a strength. The voice acting is a huge improvement for Beautiful Sister, and the plot actually steps forward with an even, good pace. My hat's off to Romire for good work.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.
Filed under: WoW Moviewatch
WoW Moviewatch: Beautiful Stranger originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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5 not-so-simple ways Blizzard can fix the World of Warcraft Auction House
Every week, WoW Insider brings you Gold Capped, in which Fox Van Allen and Basil "Euripides" Berntsen aim to show you how to make money on the Auction House. Feed Fox's ego by emailing him, tweeting him at @foxvanallen, or sacrificing your firstborn to him. And be sure to catch the return of Basil and Fox's podcast, Call to Auction!
Is the World of Warcraft economy broken? Not for everyone. Plenty of people get exactly what they need out of the existing WoW economy. High volumes. Quick sales. Strong profits.
For some, though, the economy is terribly broken. Plenty of folks are marooned on low-population servers with economies that crawl (if an economy even exists at all). There are few sellers and even fewer buyers. These players need help, and Blizzard isn't acting.
But what exactly can Blizzard do to help? Simple, small solutions won't help -- problems this big call for major action. And that's exactly what today's column is all about: major reforms to the WoW economy, any single one of which could right a ship that, for thousands of players, is sinking. For broken servers, a fix. For servers with humming economies, reforms that actually improve things and make the economy better and more fun.
So what are we waiting for? Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Is the World of Warcraft economy broken? Not for everyone. Plenty of people get exactly what they need out of the existing WoW economy. High volumes. Quick sales. Strong profits.
For some, though, the economy is terribly broken. Plenty of folks are marooned on low-population servers with economies that crawl (if an economy even exists at all). There are few sellers and even fewer buyers. These players need help, and Blizzard isn't acting.
But what exactly can Blizzard do to help? Simple, small solutions won't help -- problems this big call for major action. And that's exactly what today's column is all about: major reforms to the WoW economy, any single one of which could right a ship that, for thousands of players, is sinking. For broken servers, a fix. For servers with humming economies, reforms that actually improve things and make the economy better and more fun.
So what are we waiting for? Let's roll up our sleeves and get to work.
Continue reading 5 not-so-simple ways Blizzard can fix the World of Warcraft Auction House
Filed under: Cataclysm, Gold Capped
5 not-so-simple ways Blizzard can fix the World of Warcraft Auction House originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.