StranglethornVale
Latest
Around Azeroth: Zeppelin crash!
I honestly think I've spent a lot of time exploring Azeroth, but this scene in Stranglethorn Vale is a new one on me. I'm not quite sure exactly where in STV this crashed zeppelin is located, but I agree with Pyrana of Scarlet Crusade, who sent us this shot, noting, "Maybe I'll think twice about taking the zeppelin from Grom'Gol to Undercity from here on out..."Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: But where does the water come from? (Revisited)
You may recall recently seeing an Around Azeroth post featuring a screenshot of one of the many floating islands in Nagrand (and Outland in general), this one with a waterfall falling gracefully over the sides. I wondered, at the time, where the water was coming from to create this never-ending waterfall. Today, reader Fanny of Twisting Nether sends in a shot taken from Stranglethorn Vale, near Booty Bay, showing where water within Azeroth comes from -- out of thin air! I've got to say this explains everything... if Azerothian waterfalls can come from nowhere, why should Outland waterfalls be any different?Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Is this guide the answer to the leveling problem?
Lately, we've had some good discussion about the possible drop in WoW players lately, as well as one important reason for some players' frustration with the game: 1 - 60 leveling boredom.Michael over at MMOG Nation struggled a lot with the same issues many of us have been having, including the leveling bottleneck in "Stranglethorn Hole," but he seems to have found the answer that works for him -- and it isn't new content, new features, or "new" anything from Blizzard! He just follows Jame's Alliance Leveling Guide. (There's a Horde one too)In his post, Michael writes: With my laptop open and my game running on my main machine, I don't even have to alt-tab. I just turn my head, reference the guide, and then do what it says to do. By chaining myself to this experience as written down by Jame ... I've found it to be incredibly freeing. Don't get me wrong; I completely [think] the first time through a Massive game [like WoW] should be a period of exploration. But ... I've quested in STV with three different characters now. I've braved the deserts of Tanaris before; having someone tell me where i should be and what I should be doing is actually exactly what I need right now.I feel stupid saying this, but it's the most fun I've had playing WoW in a long time. I only pick up groups when they're running the same quests I am, and I just generally plow ahead with the well-laid-out instructions. It's like having a tour guide to Azeroth in some ways, and I'm really enjoying playing Tourist.Is such a guide the answer to all our alt-leveling woes? Have any of you had a similar experience?
"Stranglethorn Hole" and the doom of casual WoW?
Recent reports that the general population of WoW players may be going down for the first time cause some concern, enough to even have our post on the subject listed on the BBC for a while. Our readers gave lots of reasons why something was missing from The Burning Crusade, from problems with the new raids, new items, or even lack of anything actually "new" at all. Granted, it is too soon to say whether people are leaving WoW en masse or not, but the concerns raised here are still valid.One of the main problems our readers cited was leveling boredom. The game before Outland is a bottleneck for casual players who want to explore other classes and playstyles but find that getting where they want to be with their new favorite alt would take more tedium and repetition than they're willing to tolerate. Some have the patience and dedication for it, but for others it feels like an impassible jungle.Stranglethorn Vale, sometimes called the "Stranglethorn Hole" (coined by Tobold in reference to black holes, I think), has been the prime example of 1-60 leveling boredom, because at some point between levels 30 and 45, quests in most other areas just dry up, and you're left with little choice other than to help out the goblins in Booty Bay. The Gaming Fascist complains that he couldn't get any characters through the Vale without it feeling like "an affliction or a chore, something I don't really enjoy and fall back to when times get too boring." This was especially infuriating for him since he apparently chose a PvP server and he got ganked a lot there. Anyone tends to feel frustrated and hopeless when your goal is so far away that you have no reasonable means to achieve it.We took a light-hearted look into the future a couple weeks ago, to see what solutions might present themselves in a few years as this problem gets increasingly severe. The fact is that has to be done for casuals who can't or don't want to go raiding, and if trying out new classes and isn't really a feasible option, then what's to prevent them from feeling stuck with nothing to do? More reputations to grind?
WoW Future-Vision: Express train to the level cap
The year is 2012. WoW fans are excitedly awaiting the game's 5th expansion, Revenge of the Gnomes, which brings two new races to the game (Sporeggar and Goblins, at last!), as well as a new class (the Tinker), and a slew of other features. As everyone knows, this is the expansion where the gnomes finally take back Gnomeregan from the troggs, pushing them back all the way into the "Undergloom," a vast and ancient network of caverns beneath Azeroth. Of course, the gnomes also accidentally stumble upon the long-buried prison of the Old Gods and unleash unbridled havoc on the World of Warcraft, but that's where the fun is, right?I could go on and on about the new features included in Revenge of the Gnomes, but I'm sure you've heard about most of them already (like the subterranean hovercraft group-mounts and blue-pill, red-pill potions for alchemy). Suffice it to say that the feature everyone is most excited about is that the level cap is once again being raised another 10 levels, to a grand total of 110. Like everyone else, you're probably wondering how in the world (of Warcraft) are you going to level your new Goblin Tinker character all the way through those tedious levels of 1 to 100? Everyone wants to try out the new content, but no one wants to slave away through Stranglethorn Vale for the 48th time. To complicate things further, Blizzard still doesn't want to add any more 1-60 quests in the lower-level zones (not to mention any of the Outland, Northrend, Emerald Dream, or Great Sea Expansion zones)! Fortunately, though, Blizzard's got what you need! Are you prepared for the "/level" command?
Around Azeroth: Welcome to Yojamba Isle
Reader Tiffa sends in this shot of Yojamba Isle, which looks like the ideal setting for a beach party, doesn't it? Blue sky overhead and palm trees below! However, the Zandalar tribe which resides here is a serious lot, dedicated to the fight against Hakkar, the Blood God, and his minions in Zul'Gurub. But if you fancy some good times in old Azeroth, pay the Zandalar a visit! The fights in Zul'Gurub remain some of my favorite in the game.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Why does it always have to be murlocs?
While you can't see all of the majesty of the Vile Reef from here, these ruins are are just off to the side. I think I'd even enjoy the place if it weren't for the swarming aggressive murlocs and the constant danger of drowning. Reader Arral of Arathor (EU) sent in this shot, noting the amount of time Blizzard put into this game -- even detailing these underwater areas.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.See more of your pics from Around Azeroth.%Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: The green hills of Stranglethorn
Chef from Medivh sends in this shot that perfectly captures the essence of Stranglethorn Vale. Well, okay -- it's the essence of the zone minus the temples full of angry Trolls and the countless ravenous beasts that wander the land. If you disregard that , though, the place is really quite scenic, don't you think?Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.
