The Queue: An exclusive leak

Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mike Sacco will be your host today.

Yesterday, I went to Cryptozoic Entertainment's Irvine HQ for a sneak preview of the upcoming WoW TCGTwilight of the Dragons expansion set. While pretending to take a bathroom break, I snapped a picture of their R&D planning whiteboard, which is based on information Blizzard gives them about future plans for the MMO. I signed an NDA, but I don't care -- this stuff is too big not to share. Click it for a better look.

Themightysven asked:

So I was cruising through Highlands yesterday, blowing up bad guys with my leet lvl 84 skillz, when I dinged 85, and suddenly every fight was palatially more difficult. As an example, when I was 76 I soloed the first two challenges in the Amphitheater of Anguish, at 85 I could barely make a dent in the non-elite elementals in Thrall's questline without having to stop and drink. I know that ratings degrade, but it seems like they may have degraded way more (while spell cost skyrocketed)

I wish I took Screenshots before and after because it seemed like my mana and mana regen both tanked by about 2000 in one level change. Am I crazy? I didn't notice this on any other 85 (DK, Rogue, Mage) (okay, I may have noticed a lack of Oomph on the rogue, but not this severe...)

You're not crazy! The amount of rating necessary to increase your stats increases dramatically each level from 80 to 85, so your gear gets less effective. You actually get weaker as you level. Pretty funny, right?

Jishdefish asked:

None of you have used your crystal (or Magic 8) ball in a while, so my question for you is thus:

Which will we get first: New Moonkin or Warlock pet models?

I would include Vanilla races too, but that is unlikely to be first as we'll probably need a new expansion for something like that.

My money's on new warlock pet models, if only because Blizzard came right out and said it's working on them, whereas updated moonkin models are "something we'd like to do."

Scott asked:

Why doesn't Blizzard hire established talent for voices in game? They certainly can afford it. Or is it a "we don't want to worry about using them later on?" sort of thing.

Tony Jay is about the most famous person i can think of blizzard using.

Well, there's actually a lot of established voice talent in the game. Cam Clarke, for example, who voices the male blood elf character, has been voice acting for decades now. Several Wrath and Cataclysm boss voices are by voice actors from Team Fortress 2 (the Heavy is also the male vrykul). Even Michael Dorn, who you might recognize as Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation, does voice acting for human and tauren males.

Unfortunately, they can't all be great (or aren't, anyway). It could just be personal perception, but I feel like the general quality of line readings has gone way downhill since The Burning Crusade. I'm tired of Sindragosa's voice actress, I'm tired of Keristrasza's horrible line readings (and her even worse powers bestowed upon her by DEATH. WING). I'm not sure what caused the decline, but it's definitely there, at least coming from the perspective of a longtime fan.

Oscar asked:

With Ragnaros and Al'Akir dead, will their be instability with those elements since their leaders are gone?

Unlikely. The strongest elementals remaining will fight for power in each plane, and one of them will inevitably become the new leader of their particular element.

Maq asked:

Has there been any further news on the guild transfer service? I haven't been able to find anything other than the original announcement, but I'm waiting with bated breath for this service to become active.

I hate having to give this answer, which is why I avoid questions like this, but no, no new news.

Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column. Leave your questions in the comments, and we'll do our best to answer 'em!