item-database
Latest
Wowhead launches Warlords of Draenor database
With the Warlords of Draenor alpha now underway, the datamining efforts are in full swing. Our friends over at Wowhead have compiled their information into a specific Warlords of Draenor database, ready to fulfill all your spoiler-iffic, data-licious desires. You can find tabs for spells, talents, glyphs, factions, zones, items, and even a few item sets, for the transmogrification-conscious. Some of the details, such as icons, are still missing, but this is only the first round of datamining, and only the alpha after all! The database will certainly be updated as needed and as more information becomes available. As if to further emphasize the ephemerality of some of this information, there are some entertaining little alpha tidbits in there--items such as the "Test Chest" (it rhymes!), "Chris' New CR Test Gloves," and the fantastic "Novel Mind-Blowing Chest Guard." For some unfathomable reason I have a sneaking suspicion that these aren't the items' final names. It's just a hunch, though!
Final Fantasy XIV launches Libra Eorzea for Android
Imagine, for a moment, that you've brought your Android smartphone to a restaurant while your date has brought her iPhone. You both play Final Fantasy XIV, and she suggests you both pull up your character page on the Libra Eorzea app. Yesterday, you would have had to say no, hanging your head in shame before beginning your new life in the dumpster outside the restaurant for some reason. But now, you'd be able to just pull up the app, flash a confident smile, and ruin the date some other way. Yes, Libra Eorzea is now available on Android, offering a searchable database of items, quests, and achievements along with a wealth of knowledge about your character and friends. It's all available for one low payment of absolutely nothing. If you already have the app on an iOS device, it's the exact same thing, but for everyone else it's a chance to enjoy a little on-the-road database functionality. [Thanks to Wolfyseyes for the tip!]
TERA Tome database unleashes the mysteries of Arborea
TERA players, have you been spending weeks trying to find that one perfect weapon? Or maybe you just want to know which mob drops the crafting mats you need to pimp out your gear. Either way, the ZAM Network is here to help. En Masse Entertainment has announced on the official TERA site that ZAM's TERA database, alliteratively named TERA Tome, is live and kickin'. The current version of the site includes all of the nifty features that players have come to expect from ZAM's MMO databases, such as information on quests, items, and abilities as well as helpful forums and comments. Players trying to get a handle on their character's build should also find the site handy thanks to its useful glyph calculator that allows players to survey all currently available glyphs without the need to set foot in the game. Just head on over to the recently launched site to crack open the tome.
Blizzard improves the WoW community site (again)
Blizzard debuted the new World of Warcraft community site a while back, and it's definitely a huge improvement over the old one, which was really outdated and rarely helpful. The new site has a built-in Armory, better forums, a fairly robust Game Guide, and even regular dev blogs to give some insight on the development process. Apparently the improvements don't stop there, though, as Blizzard recently announced a laundry list of updates for the site, including: Rotatable 3-D models for gear in the item database Boss info pages, loot tables, and ability information Improved, easier-to-read search results And more! Check out the full list of changes and updates after the break.
CCP Games launches EVElopedia beta
As anyone who's ever tried to use EVE Online's item database knows, it's woefully out of date. Given the complexity of EVE, and the fact that the collective knowledge of the players is a resource unto itself, the developers announced they would create a sort of Wikipedia for EVE.This player resource, dubbed the "EVElopedia", would also be available via EVE Online's in-game web browser, as confirmed in July. Indeed, CCP Games is putting more emphasis on making EVE into a game that's better integrated with the web and social networking in general. What we didn't know, however, was when this would actually start to happen. At least, not until today. EVE developer "CCP VonSometime" announced this afternoon that a beta version of the EVElopedia is live, and already has over 6000 pages of content. The official EVE wiki is still in its infancy, but already it's looking to be a useful resource that EVE players didn't have before (beyond combing the forums.) Have a look at the EVElopedia and see for yourself. Or, in the words of CCP VonSometime, "Go forth, explore, and grow the EVE universe. Your community awaits it."
More Firefox + Wowhead goodness
Am I a Wowhead guru? Oh, pshaw! Please. Your fan-mail flattery embarrasses me. I mean, really, it embarrasses me. I'm as far away from being a Wowhead guru as... well, some simile that means "really, really far away." But hey, just because I may be dippy doesn't mean I can't keep offering up more Firefox + Wowhead love. Behold, Dictionary Search! This Firefox addon adds other "Search for" options on your context-sensitive menu (the one that comes up with you right-click your mouse). Dictionary Search allows you to highlight a word on a web page, right click it, and search for that word or phrase on any custom site you choose. Don't be fooled by the addon's academic (and thus, to me, scary) sounding name. You don't need to search a dictionary website; you can choose Wowhead as one of your four customizable search "dictionaries." Read more about how to install Wowhead on the Dictionary Search addon for Firefox.
The Wikipedia of EVE Online
CCP Games has officially announced a player-driven wiki project called the EVElopedia which is to be integrated into EVE Online, as well as a new division of the ISD volunteer program, The Yulai Archives & Record Repository Team (YARR). YARR will oversee the upcoming EVElopedia- a project which aims to create the definitive EVE wiki. Although there are already a number of sources of EVE-related information available to players, the EVElopedia is CCP-sanctioned. The woefully outdated item database will be revamped through this project, and numerous player resources will be added, essentially creating a Wikipedia for the EVE universe.
The Daily Grind: On leveling guides
With as busy as life can get, some consider leveling guides to be a nice way to be able to catch up to friends on very limited time. After all, you are still seeing content; you're just just following an optimized course and saving yourself from aimlessly wandering, looking for things. Of course, many people feel that this is basically cheating, because you're not exploring, or bothering to read the quest log seriously. (Of course, with item database sites like WoWdigger or mods like the above-pictured Lightheaded/Cartographer combo for World of Warcraft that point the way to the quest completion for you, the argument about "not reading the quest log seriously" kind of flies out the window.) This morning we'd like to ask you where you come down in this debate? Are you one of the people who feel that playing through using a leveling guide is cheating, because you're basically following in someone else's footsteps and not experiencing the game on your own? Do you think it's OK to use a leveling guide once you've been through the game "the hard way" and you're just leveling alts? Would you ever pay, or have you ever paid for a leveling guide? Do you think that paying for them adds to the stigma, or are they just worth it versus the general quality of many free guides available?
Wowhead adds new item links
My favorite database site has recently added a new feature to their item listings. When you look an item up on Wowhead.com, you'll notice a new link to the right of the item's name which says "Get in-game item link". When you click on it, a new window will pop open with some highlighted text. Simply copy the text into your in-game chat window and hit enter. You'll be given an in-game item link for the equipment you looked up on Wowhead, so you can check yourself out in the dressing room or pass the info on to another player.This is certainly a cool feature and one I'll probably play around with quite a bit. This may allow me to do away with some of the item database addons I currently use in-game. I'm already alt-tabbing out to read Wowhead all the time, so it won't be much hassle at all to copy their links into the game when necessary.Will you be using this feature at all? What do you think about it?
Wowhead adds rating conversions
My personal favorite database site has recently updated their item listings with a new feature. While not currently listed on their under development page, Wowhead has started listing the items in their database with the combat ratings converted into percentages, much like another one of my favorites, the RatingBuster addon. You can take a look at the picture above to get an idea of what I'm talking about. In this case, the Veteran's Band of Triumph has +22 critical strike rating which converts to a +1%critical strike chance at level 70, while its +22 resilience rating converts to -0.56% critical damage taken (among other things).Undoubtedly this relatively small change will make the site even more useful. Rating conversions are especially helpful when comparing gear choices and attempting to decide if a particular item is an upgrade or not. I know I'll be utilizing this new feature when doing just that.
Armory updated
Earlier today, Blizzard updated their Armory database to support many of the new features that were added to the game in patch 2.3. I've listed a quick summary of the changes below, but the most important one is the addition of guild bank support. Players will now be able to view the contents of their guild bank via the website. You'll have to log into the Armory with your WoW user name and password, so no worries about unguilded people snooping on your hoard. Additionally, a complete bank log will be maintained on the site, which is handy since the in-game log doesn't hold many entries.Check out my summary of the rest of the changes below.
