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BlizzCon 2010: Classic dungeon changes in patch 4.1
The liveblog of the Dungeons and Raids panel is still underway, but Cory Stockton (lead content designer) and Scott Mercer (lead encounter designer) mentioned a number of changes for classic world dungeons in Cataclysm's first big content patch, 4.1. So far, this is what we know: They're going to keep creating wings Utgarde Keep and Utgarde Pinnacle cited as an example of a successful split. They're similar dungeons thematically, but if players had to tackle them both together they'd be pretty arduous. Mr. Mercer had an amusing phrase for the whole venture: "I did a pass through all the older dungeons, and we're doing what I call Cutting Out The Suck." Graveyards are more convenient No more nightmare 10-minute runs back from a distant graveyard to the depths of a dungeon. They're expecting a lot of new players in Cataclysm and they don't want older dungeons to be a roadblock. "We don't want dungeons to be left behind in the redo, we want them to be up-to-par with everything else." Dungeon sections with pointless trash will be trimmed. They should be "Easier for players to understand (and) easier to navigate." Dungeons that are confirmed "fixes" so far Uldaman, Maraudon, Sunken Temple, Wailing Caverns and Blackrock Depths. Uldaman overhauls The dungeon is being split into two separate wings. Ironaya will be final boss of the first portion of Uldaman; they felt that the epic feel of assembling the staff and opening her room would be a good ending. The latter portion of Uldaman will be accessed through the existing back-door entrance. Maraudon overhauls Like Uldaman, it's being split into two: The "living" section and the elemental portion with the Princess. Sunken Temple overhauls One of the floors will be cut completely, although this is a change that will ship with Cataclysm rather than with patch 4.1 Wailing Caverns overhauls "Almost every boss has its own room now." Confusing portions have been cut. Blackrock Depths overhauls Teleporters added! BlizzCon 2010 is upon us! WoW Insider has all the latest news and information. We're bringing you liveblogging of the WoW panels, interviews with WoW celebrities and attendees and of course, lots of pictures of people in costumes. It's all here at WoW Insider!
Patch 4.0.1 PTR Patch Notes, PTR is live
The full notes after the break. They are essentially what we've been seeing for a while with the past Cataclysm builds, but this is for the 4.0.1 PTR. In addition to the patch notes being released, the actual patch is now live (and downloadable if you're up for a 16gig file tonight). Premades on the PTR will be coming in a few days, but are currently disabled. Zarhym -- 4.0.1 PTR Realm Status: Live 4.0.1 Public Test Realms are: Live Updated 9/11/2010 source
Zarhym: More content coming before Cataclysm patch
In response to some complaining that we were going to run out of content to play before Cataclsym; Zarhym responded that there was still a lot of content for the average player and: With that being said, we do have some additional PvE and PvP content and changes we plan to implement prior to the release of the big Cataclysm patch and subsequent retail release of that third expansion. We'll be discussing these new features in more detail in the coming weeks. This pretty much dashes any hopes of the expansion being released before midsummer or fall, since they wouldn't be developing any new content otherwise. Zarhym goes on to tell us that ICC will be the last tiered progression raid before Cataclysm. So we probably won't be getting the raids in the Sunwell Plateau, but we may get another Isle of Quel'danas and some more PvP fun as well. When asked if there was going to be any more tiered or higher level gear, Zarhym sidestepped the issue by admitting he was being ambiguous. So we may have other ways than raids to get better gear after ICC. Or we may not. Still this confirmation of more content before the big pre-expansion patch is news.
