News and Opinion

Gamespy just unveiled a whole bunch of new information about the upcoming WoW expansion. There’s a lot more information about the Death Knight, Northrend, and instancing in general.

Northrend

• Players to have optional and different starting zones
• "Not just be a land of ice and snow."
• Way bigger than Outland
• Un’Goro makes a return
• Flying mounts unlocked at level 77

Matt’s Reaction

Good. It was hard enough for me to kill stuff as it as a Disc/Holy Priest when I turned 70 in Hellfire without having all my kills get tagged. These screenshots are beeeeautiful. I always thought of Northrend as a big giant popsicle. Glad to see Blizz is varying up the location. Flying mounts will be used for levelling at 77+.

Raiding and Instancing

• All raid instances will have both 10 person and 25 person versions
• 10 and 25 versions will be on separate cooldowns (Can play in a 10 man earlier in the day and a 25 later)
• At level 80, every major encounter and boss fight can be experienced with a group of 10
• Heroic dungeons in WotLK will have separate loot tables than their non-heroic versions
• Another Troll instance or zone: The temple of Zul’Drak

Matt’s Reaction

Very good move by Blizzard. Karazhan is the most popular raid instance in the game by sheer difficulty level and accessibility. It is a lot more difficult to find players for a 25 player instance than a 10. I don’t see what the high end guilds will have to complain about. If anything, there is now more stuff for them to do. The 25 player loot will be substantially be more greater than the 10s. I’m curious to see how that will be pulled off. But either way, loot is loot. This will provide a great alternative from having to farm copious amounts of "Frozen Primals" or something.

In any case, us elitist Guilds still get our fun and challenge. The casual players will get their fill by being able to experience every raid dungeon in the game. You can even 10 man Arthas.

I’m also glad Blizzard learned more about their badge system. It was a great idea to have in TBC, but the incentives were just bad. Magister’s Terrace proved that Blizzard is willing to adapt new principles by separating loot tables.

Lore

• Malygos, dragon leader of the Blue flight, makes an appearance
• Worgen and sons of Arugal return
• New encounter based on a Warcraft III mission (Helping Arthas destroy Stratholme?)
• P.E.T.A. makes an appearance known as D.H.E.T.A.

Matt’s Reaction

Eh, I approve. I’ve always liked Blizzard lore. I’ve followed a lot of it since the original Warcraft. I wonder what other easter eggs we’ll see in the game. Hopefully we’ll get to see some SG-1 references at some point.

Death Knight

• Can apparently turn dead teammates into ghouls (Necromancers in Guild Wars)
• Starts at Level 55, available to any player with a 55+ character
• Starts at a Necropolis over EPL
• Can Dual Wield
• Are not double racials (Undead/Gnome, for instance)
• Every race can be a Death Knight
• The Tanking DK relies on parrying (2H tank for real?)

Matt’s Reaction

2 Hand tanking. This is going to be amazing. Just about everyone in the Guild will have a Death Knight now. The ghoul ability can even be used in arena. Imagine a team with Druids, Hunters, Mages, and other classes with pets (or the stupid mini Gnome trinket). The alternative will be an Enhancement Shaman variation. This will be very good news for Guilds with cheap tanks. Now they don’t have to spend copious amounts of gold to constantly respec their character. They can simply load up the right runes in order to satisfy whatever role they need to fulfill.

Vehicle System

• Ability to drive stuff around and interact with people or objects
• Gamespy Example: Players will fly over a human settlement being overrun with the Scourge, lowering a ladder down to pull up and rescue civilians. In one dungeon instance, players will be able to "liberate" some blue dragons that they can mount up and fly around, fighting their way up a massive tower.
• You can ride a mammoth which has it’s own combat abilities

Matt’s Reaction

This has to be the most coolest part of the expansion. Have you wished that you were able to shoot missiles at other players on their mounts? It seems like this might be possible in the expansion.

I’m really excited about the expansion now. I can’t wait!

 
Image courtesy of weirdvis

Dearest DPS,

We’ve had a wonderful relationship over the years. I’ve enjoyed your care and watchful eyes that you’ve had over me. But lately, I’ve found my feelings to be hurt on multiple occasions. Your words, once supportive and kind, have begun to sting more often. I appreciate all the advice and the criticism that you’ve given to me lately on the hardships we’ve had to overcome so that we can work together more effectively as a team. As we’ve continued in our affairs together into exotic locations like Black Temple and Mount Hyjal, your words have slowly been falling upon deaf ears.

You’ve been telling me lately that I’ve been doing things wrong or incorrectly. You’ve made fun of my friends and comrades who have done their best. I’ve held your hands and have never let go.

I can’t be the only one feeling this way especially after reading the scathing notes you’ve sent me:

• That I just couldn’t keep you up anymore
• Questioning my endurance
• Faking everything
• Doing it incorrectly

I can no longer accept this! I will not take this kind of abuse from you any longer. I have stood quiet in the shadows ever so obedient and mindlessly accepting your words. Why do you berate me so on the tasks we have done multiple times? Why do you continue to insist on giving advice to healers that know what they are doing? Why do you point fingers at us first like scolding a child taking a cookie from a jar?

We know the job that needs to be done. Do you? Do you not realize relationships take 2 in order to work? It has to be mutual! You sit there on the couch pressing the same buttons day in and day out expecting us to support your lifestyle without any effort from you whatsoever!

I grow tired and weary. I will settle for you telling me the objective that needs to be done and I will take care of it. But don’t you dare tell me who to heal and who to stay away from. I believe I’m a better judge of that than you! If you keep insisting on blaming me and my friends for your inexcusable mistakes, then our relationship will be have to be reexamined again!

I picked up 2 games a few days back in order to pace myself in WoW. The adrenaline first kill rush of taking down Bloodboil still feels fresh in my system and I hope I can capitalize upon that on Sunday. Many thanks to the numerous people who have contributed ideas and strategy for RoS in my last post. Rainbow Six Vegas 2 is my latest addiction. I love shooters.

Although according to the media, I’m a threat to society. I might walk into a school campus and start shooting up the place and actually cause serious damage because of my ability to coordinate the actual firing of guns with a mouse and a keyboard.

No long drawn out post today. But there are a few things I wanted to share to potential new WoW players. Post was inspired by What I Know at 64 that I Didn’t Know at 24.

1. Leveling as Holy is both a blessing and a curse. You can’t really kill anything but you will be the most sought after person during instance runs.
2. Your spells go as fast as your mana regen. Pack lots of water.
3. Players have long memories. Don’t be an ass or you might regret it when you finish leveling.
4. Make friends along the way. It makes the experience much more enjoyable and your survivability goes up.
5. Assume the person you’re interacting with is the real deal. The game’s anonymity aspect allows people to show their real personalities without fear of retribution.
6. Be smart with your virtual money. Don’t spend it on crap you don’t need.
7. Agility and strength aren’t important stats for Priests.
8. The achievements you accomplish in game are what you make of them not what anyone else says.
9. Take a moment and appreciate the detail and beauty of the area you’re in. Once you get to 70, you won’t ever go back there.
10. Just because it’s a game doesn’t mean you don’t have to try.
11. Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies on your ignore list.
12. The game’s loot is not worth getting emotional over. The people are. Don’t get the two confused.
13. Time is important. When you waste a minute of time in a 25 man raid, you’ve wasted 25 minutes.
14. Just like in the real world, you don’t have to be best friends with a someone to work with them. There are a fair number of people in my Guild who I wouldn’t have drinks with.
15. Your character is measured by the amount of gold you borrow and pay back.
16. Raid leaders are often incompetent and misinformed. But they’re people like you and I.
17. Read what your critics say but know when they’re full of crap.
18. When things aren’t going your way in a group, outline the goal that needs to be done as opposed to how it needs to be done to individual players.
19. Even though you don’t want to admit it, there really is someone out there that knows more than you do. Recognize them and learn from them.
20. The only thing constant about the game is change. There’s nothing you can do about it other than to learn and to adapt without complaint.

If you had a friend or relative that just bought the game, what piece of advice would you give them?