archaeology
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Aion digs through history with an in-game event
Atreia's precious artifacts don't belong in some rich guy's collection -- they belong in a museum! If you're feeling the Indiana Jones vibe and are in the mood for a little treasure hunting, then Aion's got the in-game event for you: Picking Up the Past. The past is a litterbug, we tells ya! Starting today and running through October 5th, Picking Up the Past challenges players on both sides of the faction fence to uncover fossils that are apparently everywhere. Some will be easy to find; others are riding piggyback on dungeon monsters. Once a player find enough fossils, he or she can can turn them in for a variety of rewards including medals, Abyss relics, consumables, crafting mats, and -- why not? -- couples t-shirts. There are no quests associated with the event; simply find and turn in fossils as fast as you can!
The OverAchiever: Mountain O' Mounts from professions
Every Thursday, The Overachiever shows you how to work toward those sweet achievement points. Today, we are convinced that archaeology's RNG won't apply to us. There are a number of interesting (and by interesting, perhaps I mean "occasionally very expensive and likely to drive you insane via RNG-laden accessibility") mounts available from professions, though for some of them, you'll have to be a practitioner in good standing before you'll ever be able to learn them. Regrettably, I am the bearer of some very bad news this week concerning the Vial of the Sands for all those of you who like circumventing the highest costs in the game. Also read: Combining The Ambassador and Mountain O' Mounts Mountain O' Mounts in Outland Mountain O' Mounts in Northrend Mountain O' Mounts in 5-man dungeons Mountain O' Mounts in raids Mountain O' Mounts from achievements Mountain O' Mounts from PvP
Patch 4.1 hotfixes for June 1
Don't make the mistake of thinking that because the patch 4.2 PTR is up that patch 4.1 won't see any changes, because today's round of hotfixes will teach you otherwise. Once again, Blizzard's Zarhym brings us a grocery bag of class, raid, and other fixes, including the following. Warlocks will no longer be able to give people the increased buff from Improved Demonic Tactics when they switch specs or otherwise lose the talent, and their Glyph of Imp will now not affect all warlock pets. Maloriak in BWD is now going to prefer to cast his Flash Freeze on ranged players and won't cast it on a player specced to tank. Tanks can still have it chained onto them, however. Bountiful Bags guild perk will no longer create more keystone items from archaeology finds. The goblin racial Best Deal Anywhere will now only work with vendors you have reputation with and won't stack with exalted guild reputation dealing with guild vendors. The full list of hotfixes after the beep.
WoW Moviewatch: Archaeology
I sometimes feel like no portion of the game is really real to me until it's featured in machinima. Until someone's put the game dynamic to music and video, it just doesn't tend to stick out in my head. I've been pretty successful at ignoring Harrison Jones in Cataclysm, but thanks to Greyfoo, I'll have to learn Archaeology. Greyfoo has put his immortal stamp on Harrison Jones. For the first time, I actually care a tad about the master of WoW antiquity. And Greyfoo's explanation of why Jones does what he does makes the character a little more empathetic. This isn't the first time Greyfoo has changed our opinion about the game. "I hated the draenei until Exodar Disco," says Mat McCurley. "I love Velen now, and I like their story." 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.
Patch 4.1: Even more new archaeology items
The last build rolled out on the patch 4.1 PTR introduced some cool new items, but Blizzard wasn't done there. The build rolled out today included even more! These items include: Pterrordax Hatchling Voodoo Figurine Extinct Turtle Shell Technically, the turtle shell was in the last build, but we misinterpreted the item when we saw it on Wowhead. Our initial guess was that it would be a drop in Firelands due to a display bug giving it the heroic label, and we assumed its itemization was unfinished. However, we eventually came to the conclusion that it's extremely likely that the shield is actually an archaeology award -- it's bind on account. It will lose its current heroic label between now and when the patch launches. These items are continuing Blizzard's effort to populate neglected research types. Trolls needed a little more love beyond the endless journey to find Zin'rokh, and fossils needed even more love. An epic shield, another pet, and the other additions from previous builds will go a long way toward making fossil dig sites less ... painful. WoW Patch 4.1 is on the PTR and WoW Insider has all the latest news for you -- from previews of the revamped Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub to new valor point mechanics and new archaeology items.
The Queue: There's a surprise at the end
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. Today's edition of The Queue discusses the nature of the death knight, the recent lack of creepy whispers, the nature of the vrykul, and ... something special. Enjoy! Oscar asked: Is it me or does it feel as if the whole "caster" part of DKs was just wholly abandoned and just being confined to Death Coil and a few other abilities?
New archaeology items coming in patch 4.1
If you remember the recent Ask the Devs chat that the fine folks at Blizzard posted, you'll remember the following exchange: Ask the Devs - Answers #1 Q: Are there any plans to bring new items to Archaeology with each future patch? - Idej (North America/ANZ) A: We may not make it every patch, but we designed Archaeology specifically with this kind of expandability in mind. Our most immediate plans are to add rare items to the Vrykul and especially Troll races, since they have so few, and add more to Fossils in general since you end up with so many Fossil sites. We also have some plans to make it slightly easier to focus on races upon which you want to focus. source It appears we may be seeing the first of these rare items in the datafiles, as the Vrykul Drinking Horn, the Troll Drum, and the Ancient Amber now exist. These three rares flesh out three races that had limited reason to want to solve them. Now we're all just waiting for a means to focus on the races we want, am I right? WoW Patch 4.1 is on the PTR and WoW Insider has all the latest news for you. From previews of the revamped Zul'Aman and Zul'Gurub to new Valor point mechanics to the new Archaeology items.
Researchers claim discovery of lost city of Atlantis, conveniently located in southern Spain
We had to do a double take when we read this headline from Reuters, but sure enough, it's not April1st yet and its writers don't seem to be joking: the location of the lost city of Atlantis has finally been discovered. Such is the bold claim from an international team of researchers, dreamers and intrepid adventurers. With the use of ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography, they've unearthed evidence to suggest that a spot on the southern coast of Spain, just north of Cadiz, played host to what may have been human society's first metropolis. One of the reasons why it's taken archaeologists so long to pinpoint its whereabouts may be the fact that it lies 60 miles inland, where you wouldn't really expect it to be susceptible to the effects of tidal waves (which is what Plato's account of the ancient city identified as its demise). A National Geographic documentary on the subject will be broadcast this evening where we may learn more about what was discovered, the methods for doing so, and the gorgeous tans those scientists built up in sunny Spain.
Blues explain nature of archaeology cooldowns
Several players and Community Manager Lylirra shared some discussion today on the official World of Warcraft forums about the cooldowns of novelty items crafted through the archaeology profession. In the thread, the original poster suggested that the cooldowns of certain novelty items were too long in comparison to others and that Blizzard should consider fixing the discrepancies. The poster used Pendant of the Scarab Storm and Bones of Transformation as an example, noting that both items have a vanity effect that lasts 20 seconds but a cooldown difference of 90 minutes. Lylirra responded, explaining that the cooldowns, though seemingly random, were chosen with specific issues in mind. She explains that with the Pendant of the Scarab Storm specifically, developers were concerned that the item's effect might strain certain players' computers. Archaeology Items' Cooldowns The current cooldown was chosen deliberately, but I can see why you might think otherwise (100 minutes is kind of strange for a cooldown time). Anyway, summoning a harem of scarabs can be pretty taxing on some systems, so there were some initial concerns about putting the pendant on a short cooldown. Based on the feedback we've received, though, we're looking into reducing it. We agree that the effect is pretty cool and would be nice to use it more frequently. source Personally, a little lore logic behind the items might be nice as well. How is it that my character can summon a god every 3 minutes, but it takes 10 minutes to round up some sassy dwarven ladies?
Addon Spotlight: Archaeology made easy
Each week, WoW Insider brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. This week, tol'vir rares never drop for Mathew, even though Mathew is a good boy who doesn't kill level 23 worgen while doing archaeology. Okay, I lied. Now that archaeology has been buffed to a certain degree with new tol'vir digsites and a lower cooldown on Survey, it's time to get a little addon-serious about the secondary profession. A few weeks back, I talked about one archaeology addon that took some of the interface away for me, because it was a three-click pain in the butt to get to the artifact counter. Now, with the recent changes, that isn't the case. In that time, however, loads of new tools have come to the forefront of the archaeology community. Read on for archaeology made easy.
Patch 4.0.6 PTR: Sell prices for common archaeology artifacts changed (again)
After the hoopla that went on over a 1,000g sell price on the Word of Empress Zoe, Blizzard has changed the sell values on all of the common archaeology artifacts again on the PTR. Word of Empress Zoe's sell price to vendors has gone down significantly, but to compensate, many other commons have had their prices increased to even out the spread of money-makers in the profession. Thanks to Wowhead for the comprehensive list. You can check out the full table of common sell prices after the jump.
The OverAchiever: A guide to basic archaeology and its achievements
Every Thursday, The Overachiever shows you how to work toward those sweet achievement points. This week, we start digging. You guys remember the Dalaran fountain, right? I loved that thing. It was a wonderful, idiosyncratic little peek into the thoughts of an array of Azeroth's lore figures, both the important and the obscure. It added a number of little touches to the game's story that we never would have seen otherwise, and Blizzard even gave you an achievement for getting all the coins. I thought that whatever mad genius came up with the Dalaran fountain should have been chained to a desk at Blizzard and left there until he came up with more ideas like it. Well, they can finally let that guy off the lead. Archaeology is kind of like the Dalaran fountain, except instead of being crammed into a tiny corner of Dalaran, it's everywhere in the world, and instead of concerning 53 people who made wishes, it affords you a peek into seven civilizations and the world's fossil record. Pretty sweet, eh? Well, you're going to have to work for it. If you're completely new to archaeology, I've included a short set of instructions here, but otherwise, we're going to head straight for the civilizations and achievements related to WoW's newest profession.
Addon Spotlight: Minimal Archaeology
Each week, WoW Insider brings you a fresh look at reader-submitted UIs as well as Addon Spotlight, which focuses on the backbone of the WoW gameplay experience: the user interface. Everything from bags to bars, buttons to DPS meters and beyond -- your addons folder will never be the same. This week, we go digging for surprises. Greetings, friends. I trust Cataclysm content has been as fun for you as it has for me? Finally having settled in, I've started to power through my trade skills and new professions. Archaeology was something I purposefully abstained from in the beta, mostly because it was the piece of new content I wanted to experience fresh. So after reaching 85 and heading off on new archaeological adventures, I was instantly hooked.
Archaeology grants group-wide buffs in Cataclysm 5-man dungeons
Archaeologists have the ability to give a group-wide dungeon buff to all their party members upon entering Cataclysm's 5-man dungeons. Each buff is gained through a repeatable quest during which the appropriately leveled archaeologist turns in a specific keystone to activate the zone-wide buffs. The specific turn-in locations are near the beginning of each dungeon. Here are a list of the buffs available: Blackrock Caverns Dark Iron Contingency Plan: Reduces elemental damage done to you by 5 percent; requires a Dwarf Rune Stone. Throne of the Tides Waters of Elune: 10 percent bonus damage against Naga; requires a Highborne Scroll. Stonecore Might of the Earthen: Reduces physical damage taken by 5 percent; requires Dwarf Rune Stone. Grim Batol Vengeance of the Wildhammer: 5 percent damage increase; requires Dwarf Rune Stone. Vortex Pinnacle Whispers of the Djinn: Heals your wounds and replenishes mana slowly; requires Tol'vir Hieroglyphic. Lost City of the Tol'vir Tol'vir Secrets: 10 percent bonus damage against the Neferset; requires Tol'vir Hieroglypic. Halls of Origination Map of the Architects: Increases movement speed; requires Tol'vir Hieroglyphic. Thanks, Uriah! World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.
Archaeology receives stealth buff
Yesterday saw a slew of hotfixes, but it appears that today's maintenance has added a stealth buff to archaeology. Previously, all surveys in an area were only allowing three fragments per successful survey, making the archaeology grind a little long. Today, it appears that surveying an area is allowing anywhere from three to six fragments per survey, a substantial buff for those trying to complete artifacts at a speedy pace. While there has been no official blue post regarding the change, it has been verified in game. For more information about the archaeology profession and how to get started, check out our Archaeology 101 video, courtesy of Robin Torres. [Thanks wowdigsite.com!] World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.
The Queue: Min-maxing archaeology
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. What does one do after hitting level 85? Spend three straight days digging up rocks, of course. Zin'rokh, you will be mine. Even if your model is upside down now. MoarHeroisms asked: What's a good time to use the green archaeology fragments to solve artifacts? Is it a good idea to use a handful at once?
Cataclysm 101: What to do first in Cataclysm
Cataclysm has already gone live in Europe, and it's only hours away now for those of us in North America. Are you prepared for it? Do you know what you need to know to hit the ground running when Cataclysm content becomes active on live realms? If you don't, we're here to help. Below are answers to some of the most common questions that have been asked about starting the Cataclysm experience. How do I learn to fly in old Azeroth? You can get your Flight Master's License in Outland or Northrend, but the much better options are Stormwind for the Alliance and Orgrimmar for the Horde. Horde players want to talk to Maztha and Alliance players want to talk to Bralla Cloudwing. Wowhead has excellent maps for finding both of them.
The OverAchiever: New feats of strength in Cataclysm
Every Thursday, The Overachiever shows you how to work toward those sweet achievement points. This week, we discuss the achievements most likely to drive you crazy in Cataclysm. "Wait a minute," you say, in your continuing quest to point out that I am one card shy of a flush. "We've already covered feats of strength." True. But we covered the ones that are becoming feats, most likely in patch 4.0.3. Are you still waiting for the Zulian Tiger to drop? Of course you are. I can't do anything to help you with that right now, so I figured I'd add to your misery by covering all the maddening stuff you'll find in the game later.
Cataclysm Beta: Archaeology item Scepter of Az'Aqir hints at return of rideable qiraji
The newest beta build just went live and included some amazing new archaeology information. Loads of new items are available for your perusal over at MMO-Champion's excellent database of archaeology items. Some of the more interesting items, which hint at the rewards available through the archaeology profession, include the cosmetic pet Mummified Monkey Paw and wearable Queen Azshara's Dressing Gown. But most interesting of all, to me, is the Scepter of Az'Aqir. Why does the Scepter of Az'Aqir give me good feelings? First, it is an archaelogy mount reward that is not the skeletal raptors that we have already seen. I am glad that there isn't just one mount reward for the profession. Secondly, the mount's icon is that of the Ahn'Qiraj-bound rideable Qiraji Battle Tanks and the ultra-rare Black Qiraji Battle Tank. Could this be the return of some of the most awesome mounts in the game, allowing players to have another shot at using these mounts outside the gates of Ahn'Qiraj? Only time will tell!
The OverAchiever: Cataclysm achievements FAQ
Having polished off the 25 most evil and 25 most entertaining achievements from Wrath of the Lich King, it's time to take a look at what awaits us in the future. Trying to suss out what's going on with Cataclysm beta achievements right now is a little tough because there are a lot of things that haven't been implemented yet, but I'm going to answer as many of our most frequently asked questions as I can today. As on the PTR, characters on the beta copy over without most of their achievement history, and it's a little weird to see yourself toting around stuff like the Loremaster achievement without actually having its prerequisites. Anyway, keep in mind that this is a snapshot of what we know in beta build 12803, and I don't believe that Blizzard's added most of the Cataclysm-related achievements yet.
