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Fake news can help you kill the world in 'Plague Inc.'
Strategy game Plague Inc. has been around for ages, but its makers are still working on ways to keep it relevant and interesting. The game, which sees players do their best to wipe out the world with infectious disease, was given an anti-vaxxer scenario earlier this year. Now, the potentially-devastating phenomenon of fake news is on the agenda, too.
Patch 5.4 PTR: No Stromgarde scenario
Brand new Blizzard Community Manager Lore has posted to clarify the datamined information on the Stromgarde scenario. Unfortunately it seems like our enthusiasm may have been a little misplaced, as Lore explains: Lore Just to avoid any further confusion, there is no Stromgarde scenario in patch 5.4, and what you've seen datamined is little more than a developer experiment with a stand-in name. This happens quite often; developers will put something quick together to test out some new tech or functionality, and the remnants occasionally slip through to the PTR files where dataminers can get ahold of them. So, just to be clear, there is currently nothing related to Stromgarde in production. That's not to say it's a location we'll never revisit, but should that happen, it will not be in 5.4, and the recently datamined files will not be part of it. source Yet again, it's a good reason to take datamined information with a pinch of salt. Don't assume that, just because something is in the files, that it's in the patch. Even something being on the PTR doesn't mean it's going to make it into the patch. So, while it's fine to be excited about new content, it's best not to take datamining as gospel. Nonetheless, this leads to some interesting speculation. Just exactly what was this experiment? What else might the scenario technology be used for? And are there other scenarios you'd like to see? We'd love to see some more of the old world turned into scenarios.
World of Warcraft patch 5.3 rushes into a new battleground
With the World of Warcraft community adjusting to life after patch 5.2, Blizzard is revving up the engine to patch 5.3. The public test realm patch notes have become available, although the patch itself is not yet on the PTR. Patch 5.3 looks to be a boon to PvP players, as it'll kick off a brand-new battleground: Gold Rush. Gold Rush takes place in Pandaria's Valley of the Four Winds and has both factions fighting for control over mines. Other content coming in 5.3 is a new arena called Shado-Pan, four scenarios, heroic difficulty levels for scenarios, and adjustments to loot rolls. Our sister site WoW Insider has the full patch notes, so go check 'em out!
Patch 5.2 PTR: Dungeon Finder updated with reputation rewards
Recently, Blizzard revealed that they were adding another method for players to gain reputation in patch 5.2. In addition to fulfilling work orders for the various factions around Pandaria, players can represent a faction when they queue into a dungeon. In the above screenshot, you'll notice that the Dungeon Finder interface has been updated. When you click on the Choose Reputation button, your Reputation tab will appear. Choose the Pandarian faction you want and click Find Group. You can only cash in on this reputation reward once per day. My main has hit exalted with most of the factions. I'm still working on the Anglers but I have a hard time motivating myself to push for it. Work orders and the reputation rewards in the dungeon queue should help ease that grind up. I feel the same way with my alts. I have absolutely no interest at the present in doing all those dailies again (at least, not for a long time).
Patch 5.2 PTR: Reputation gain changes
One change that's arrived with the latest patch 5.2 notes is one that has to deal with bonus reputation. Players have stated how grinding and repetitive the reputation can be. A suggestion that was offered was to bring back reputation tabards so players could continue to earn reputation while participating in dungeons. This would offer players two methods to earn reputation: Dailies and dungeons. Blizzard disagreed they didn't want players to double dip as dungeons already reward loot from bosses along with valor points. The developers mentioned sometime back in December that they were planning a way to include bonus reputation through dungeons. A suggestion was brought up by our own Matthew Rossi where players could represent a faction for a limited time. That looks like the compromise solution we were looking for! Patch 5.2 PTR and Patch Notes You can now earn bonus reputation for your first dungeon and scenario of the day. You can select which reputation you choose to champion by selecting it from the reputation panel on the character screen. When you queue for a dungeon or scenario, the UI will remind you which reputation you are championing and allow you to change the reputation from there. (You cannot change that reputation once you are in the dungeon or scenario.) source The UI has changed so that the Reputation panel in the character screen displays which reputation they have purchased Grand Commendations for. That's great for people like me who've accidentally purchased the same reputation commendation twice. How about it guys? What do you think of this alternative way to earn reputation? You can still knock out your dailies but between the commendations and the bonus reputation from dailies, I wager you'll be able to hit Exalted at a nice rate.
Scenario rewards improved
Scenarios have had a boost to their rewards with Patch 5.1, now offering the upgraded Greater Cache of Treasures, with added epics! This reward only drops from random scenarios, along with valor points, and currently appears to drop from every random scenario undertaken in a day, although it is possible that this is a bug. The previous Cache of Treasures rewards can still be obtained from the upgraded Greater Cache. These new caches will now include item level 476 items of all materials to fill all slots, along with 450 and 463 rares. Drop rates haven't yet been clarified, but having done a few scenarios the chances of winning blue pieces seem to have drastically increased! The 463 items include a few weapons, so could be a great way to get over the hurdle into raid finder gear levels, if the usual avenues aren't open to you. Also, they're certainly a decent way to get things to disenchant, as the drops don't seem to be particularly tailored to your spec. Perhaps this will be the boost scenarios need, of course WoW Insider doesn't have access to in-game figures, but they seem not to be something that players are making a great deal of use of, possibly thanks at least in part to the suboptimal rewards. Hopefully, these improvements will make scenarios more useful, and therefore more widely utilized. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
5 tips for surviving scenarios
Scenarios are like the palate-cleansing sorbet that comes in between courses at a fancy restaurant. They're not as involved as questing through zones, and they don't offer upgrades on a per-boss basis like heroic dungeons. But they also don't require a five man group to complete. Because there is no need for a tank or a healer, this means that the queue times for scenarios are usually ultra-fast. And maybe it's because they don't have the loot tables or span of a heroic dungeon, but scenarios come across as a little more lighthearted and fun. It's not quite fluff content, because you do get valor points and a chance at some gear as well as gold. But it's not really something you need to farm for that one piece of gear you need for raiding, either. Scenarios fall somewhere in between, and because of this, sometimes people just don't quite know what to do once they're in one.
Patch 5.1: Vol'jin gets a new model
MMO-Champion has the above image of Vol'jin, refurbished in time for his starring turn in his upcoming patch 5.1 scenario. In fact, according to Wowhead, Vol'jin will now come in two versions, healthy and battle damaged. He's like a Masters of the Universe toy now! Vol'jin's long been a fan favorite as head of the Darkspear Tribe of trolls, a major lore figure and friend of Thrall, and he's moved to prominence as the most opposed in the current Horde leadership to Garrosh Hellscream. It looks like that opposition may have cost him a bit. There are also several new loading screens, including this one featuring Vol'jin himself that's probably connected to his scenario. Considering he's being featured in a novel next year as well, it seems likely that Vol'jin and the Darkspear are moving into a far more prominent role both in the Horde, and in the World of Warcraft as a whole. It may be too early to call, but I definitely see a surge for Vol'jin as Warchief. Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.
A walk-through of the Fall of Theramore scenario from the Alliance side
The Fall of Theramore is live on European servers, so as your spy across the pond I thought I'd run it as soon as possible to bring you a review and how-to from the Alliance side. Please note that if you don't want spoilers, don't read this. This post is going to be very spoiler-heavy if you want to be surprised by Theramore's fall. Last warning! Spoilers behind the cut!
Theramore's Fall release date changed, unlocking today
Ready for your first taste at scenarios? You'll get to enjoy them a day earlier, it looks like. Kaivax's post on the official forums has been updated to indicate that the Theramore event is actually releasing today (September 17) in the U.S. and not tomorrow, as was previously planned. Bashiok hopped on and provided some additional timeframe details: Bashiok For US servers it will be unlocked today in the afternoon. source There are some item level requirements you'll need to be aware of before you run the scenario, so be sure to check those out. Additionally, you can get prepped for the scenario by reading our short history of Theramore; find out what all the fuss has been about over the years. Looks like it's time to go see Jaina get mad!
Battle of Theramore scenario to launch Sept. 18
We now know exactly when the Battle of Theramore scenario will be available for play. From Sept. 18 to 24, the week before Mists of Pandaria goes live, we'll be able to queue up for the scenario alongside two friends. This is straight from Vaneras over on the EU forums. Vaneras - Battle of Theramore: One Week at Level 85 The Battle of Theramore, the first of many Scenarios coming to World of Warcraft, is a story-changing event that will be available to level-85 characters for one week only -- the week leading up to the launch of Mists of Pandaria on September 25. For the duration of the week of September 18-24, level-85 characters will be able to queue up for and participate in the Alliance and Horde versions of this new Scenario with two friends. (Please note: if friends are not available to you at the time, two will be provided. Batteries not included. Subject to change. Void where prohibited.) After the lifting of the mists, the Battle of Theramore will join all other Scenarios as level-90-only content, and everyone -- including players who missed it at level 85 -- will be able to play through the event. Upon completing the Scenario for the first time, players will see the aftermath of the battle whenever visiting Theramore in Dustwallow Marsh. Theramore will eventually be changed permanently to its post-battle state in a future patch, sometime after the launch of Mists of Pandaria, whether or not players have completed the Scenario. We'll see you there! source So there you have it. You get one week to run the battle, be you Horde or be you Alliance, and then it's time to level to 90 if you want to run it again. But unlike previous world events, this scenario will remain in the game indefinitely -- if you miss it during that one-week period, you can always head back to it after you're done leveling. It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: Brewmoon Festival
Those pandaren sure know how to party. One of the scenarios available for previewing and testing on the beta realms is the Brewmoon Festival. This party is hosted up in Kun-Lai Summit. Right away, you'll run into Brewmaster Boof. It takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work to host a large celebration, and the Brewmaster has dispatched his assistants to gather ingredients for the famous Kun-Lai Kicker. Naturally, good help is hard to find, and the assistants have not checked in lately. You'll be asked to track them down and retrieve their precious cargo.
Healers need something like the raid dummies
If you didn't know by now, there will be a new raid dummy setup in Mists of Pandaria's latest beta build. They will be located in Shattrath and are designed to mimic a raid boss. They will have 50 million health, can be killed, respawn quickly and are set up in such a way that they won't interfere with other people's tests. They will not turn to face you, so you can practice DPSing from behind, and will give a full suite of raid buffs for the duration of your combat with the dummy. The idea behind this new marvelous tool is to make it so players can get a better idea of their actual numbers in terms of damage output under the optimal conditions. It's a way to really bring simcrafting back into the game instead of solely through a spread sheet, adding a layer of practical application. It's a fantastic idea, something that I think should have been around for a long while. While I agree something like this is fantastic for DPSers, lets not leave out the other player types as well. Something like this could be absolutely amazing for healers, something that I know would be most welcome.
Blizzard previews two MoP scenarios
Following along on the hype train (choo, choo) after the MoP release date announcement come previews for two scenarios, a new feature in the game's fourth expansion. The two scenarios in question are A Brewing Storm, where you have to protect a brewmaster with the very pandaren name of Blanche while she brews her finest beer yet, and Greenstone Village, where you take on the forces of agitated earth spirit Hui. Scenarios are short, queueable instances for three level 90 players of any class -- no holy trinity needed. Progression is based on fulfilling story objectives instead of defeating trash and bosses. Check out the full previews for Greenstone Village and A Brewing Storm over on the official WoW site. You can now read more about the Mists of Pandaria Scenarios feature in our updated expansion preview website! Check out our sneak peek at two of the scenarios you and your friends will be able to play in Mists of Pandaria: A Brewing Storm and Greenstone Village. What's a "Scenario?" Scenarios are short, instanced adventures for three players that directly follow the stories and events in the open world. In a scenario you'll be presented with a number of goals you need to achieve in order to progress. So instead of "clear trash, kill boss, rinse, repeat", you will be given objectives you have to complete to move the scenario's story forward. Yes, that's right – scenarios are heavily story-driven, much more so than dungeons. You'll be able to queue for scenarios, dungeons, raids, and battlegrounds all at the same time in Mists of Pandaria. Scenarios share a common UI with dungeons and raids as part of the Dungeon Finder, and you can check your queue statuses by clicking on the LFD icon next to your minimap. Check out the previews now for more info and screenshots, and make sure to check back often as we'll be adding info for more scenarios soon. Stay tuned! source It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Leaderboard: Open world vs. instanced PvP
In the great coliseum where PvP warriors go to clash metal and drench the sand with blood, there are two doors. One leads to a place where open world PvP is embraced; the other leads to instanced PvP. Each warrior must make his or her choice which door to step through, and once that decision is made, there is no going back. Except there totally is. Open world PvP has the allure of PvP happening anytime, anywhere. Theoretically, players can vie for control of towns and regions, amassing in large armies to sweep the land of unclean filth. Or they can just zerg a spot and be zerged in return. Instanced PvP is attractive for its tightly controlled setting. The teams are usually evenly matched in numbers, and clear objectives for winning are given. So out of the two flavors of MMO PvP, which is the superior one? Vote after the jump and then back up your decision in the comments!
Mists of Pandaria Beta: The Unga Ingoo scenario
During my sojourns on the beta, I assiduously ground my way to level 90 for one reason and one reason only: to get flying back as soon as possible. But since I'm here now, I figure I might as well explore some of the new content the game has to offer -- namely, scenarios. If you listen to the WoW Insider Show, you know that I've been looking forward to scenarios. They're content that you can run more easily than a dungeon without tight constraints on role. Just hop in and go. So of course, I went in as a prot warrior and tanked it. Don't blame me; blame how amazing prot is as a leveling spec in Mists of Pandaria. What follows is a run-through of the scenario I ran (called Unga Ingoo), complete with a variety of screenshots of the action. If you like pirates, monkeys, monkey pirates, monkey pirates on islands, or just smashing any of those things in the face in your own private monkey island, then you'll like Unga Ingoo. Also, Monkey Island was a classic game series -- but that's neither here nor there.
Mists of Pandaria Beta: New Dungeon and Raid Finder UI
The Dungeon and Raid Finder tools are getting a visual overhaul in Mists of Pandaria, combining multiple tools into one. The new menu, opened by default with I or Ctrl+I, mashes together the Dungeon and Raid Finders into one utility along with the new Scenario Finder and a tab for dungeon Challenges. I liked when the PvP interface was mashed together but it still had the drop-down menu issue. Hopefully, there will be a day when drop-down menus are gone forever. Check out this gallery of the new Dungeon and Raid Finder utilities that I just snapped in beta. What do you guys think? %Gallery-151580% It's open warfare between Alliance and Horde in Mists of Pandaria, World of Warcraft's next expansion. Jump into five new levels with new talents and class mechanics, try the new monk class, and create a pandaren character to ally with either Horde or Alliance. Look for expansion basics in our Mists FAQ, or dig into our spring press event coverage for more details!
Warhammer Online releases patch 1.4.5 highlights
Despite Mythic Entertainment's recent winnowing of the Warhammer Online servers -- bringing them down from four servers to a measly pair -- the company is still hard at work developing patches for the RvR-based title. Patch 1.4.5 will be hitting the live servers tomorrow, January 31st, and it brings a number of interesting changes and also ushers in the return of fortresses, which should be good news for open RvR fans. With the recent Skaven invasion, a number of relics have been found in myriad underground tunnels dug below the game's fortresses. Players will be charged with guarding their faction's relics while attempting to purloin those of the enemy. The Grovod Cavern scenario is also making a return, allowing two teams of 12 players to duke it out in the crumbling cave. But this time, there's a twist: Players will be taking control of two teams of Skaven; hilarity will ensue. To top it all off, 1.4.5 is bringing fortresses back into play (after they were removed some time ago), which should hopefully encourage players to head back into the open RvR lakes for fun and profit. For the full details, just head on over to the Warhammer Online official site.
Breakfast Topic: Which part of "Mists of Pandaria" has you most excited?
When we saw that Blizzard had registered the Mists of Pandaria trademark back in August, no one was sure what to think. Was it a sign of the next expansion, a WoW Trading Card Game pack, or simply Chris Metzen playing an elaborate prank on us all? It turns out that the first option was the correct one, but big fat pandas are not the only things we have to look forward to next year. Huge talent changes, the WoW version of Pokemon, scenarios and challenge modes, a new class (the monk), and even a free copy of Diablo 3 (with the new WoW annual pass) are all bundled into the next expansion. Which one of these interests you the most? %Poll-70088% The news is out -- we'll be playing Mists of Pandaria! Find out what's in store with an all-new talent system, peek over our shoulder at our Pandaren hands-on, and get ready to battle your companion pets against others. It's all here right at WoW Insider!
WAR shakes up the world with patch 1.4.1
After a few weeks in testing, Warhammer Online's 1.4.1 patch has hit the live servers today. Topping off the list of improvements to the game is a brand-new claim window, which was designed to handle the various account entitlements that players have accrued. This interface now replaces the in-game mail system as a way to deliver the special goodies that players have earned or purchased over the years. Patch 1.4.1 is also aiming at shaking up the game with two major changes to the status quo. Several PvP armor sets are now much easier to attain, and in many instances they can be purchased at a lower level than before. This means that players will find themselves better-equipped to participate in the brutal hand-to-hand combat that the game offers. WAR is also rotating its scenario lineup: Some scenarios have been called out of retirement, some have changed tiers, and some are being put in mothballs for the time being. You can read the full 1.4.1 patch notes over at Warhammer Online.
