Robin Torres
Articles by Robin Torres
Community Blog Topic Results: Making professions better
In our last Community Blog Topic, we asked how to make professions better. As usual, we got many verbose answers and I've excerpted just a few of them. JC_Sway from LOL Survival has a few suggestions for improving professions. Every profession should be able to make a mount, and they should all require that trade skill. The current situation is inconsistent and convoluted. New armor and weapons should have unique models. There should be exactly ONE way to get some awesome looking models, wether it's for transmog or not, and that is a craftsperson. Multiple recipes on a shared daily cooldown. Right now, my alchemist makesLiving Steel every day regardless. That isn't exactly interesting. Maybe make those cooldowns weekly so we don't feel compelled to log in every day. Want to make 7 Living Steel on Tuesday and be done with it for the week? No problem. The ability to repair things you can craft at a nice discount. Maybe put it on a 2-5 hour cooldown.
Drama Mamas: When being female is a problem
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. Sometimes it just feels safer to hide your gender in game when you are female. Hi, I have noticed the last few years getting worse, or that I am just on the wrong realm. That if a guild has a female player in it, once the members find out, their hormones starts to act up. This way I am still more closing up against giving details about me, even if I am still being who I am, I just started to refuse answering questions like what is your realname. (which is commonly asked). They hardly ask for gender, but that comes because they hardly met a girl in WoW (possibly because some are doing the same as me) I guess.. So everyone is male unless proven otherwise. I have no problem with that, however if I prove otherwise, their hormones starts to act up and not sure what happens in this guild, but it will highly end up like most of my last guilds, being driven away from the guild by pestering.
Community Blog Topic: How to make professions better
For this week's Community Blog Topic, we turn to Neuromante: I'd like to throw in ideas about what to do with main professions: how to simplify them, make them more entertaining/profitable, less grindy, etc. For starters, I'd love it if my scribe could summon a table and chair to actualy write glyphs, and my alchemist summon a mini-lab with bunsen burners and all. One thing I really liked about Star Wars Galaxies was the crafting. I loved that you could go out and harvest mats and they would vary in quality. Therefore if you were diligent enough about gathering, you could craft items that were better than other people's. I'd like to see something similar in World of Warcraft. The problem is that SWG had harvesters you could go and plant and set to gather while you were away. You would just have to go and empty them when they got full. There's no way that a setup like that will work in WoW. Too much would have to change.
Reminder: It came from the Blog's Love Zeppelin party is tomorrow
Tomorrow morningish a few of WoW Insider's writers will be joining the It came from the Blog annual party on the Love Zeppelin. When: Tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 22 at noon EST (9 a.m. PST, 11 a.m. server time) Where: Meet near the flightpath in Orgrimmar on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) Who: Any level Horde player How: Ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite There will be dancing, party games, and love. You'll also have the chance to ask questions from some of our staff. Join us! Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
It came from the Blog: Join us for a party on the Love Zeppelin
Love is in the air, but I've got good news and bad news. The bad news is that this holiday does not lend itself to group activities where the group is multiple levels. The good news is that It came from the Blog is going to be having a party anyway: our second annual party on the Love Zeppelin. When: Saturday, Feb. 22 at noon EST (9 a.m. PST, 11 a.m. server time) Where: Meet near the flightpath in Orgrimmar on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) Who: Any level Horde player, clothing optional How: Ask any member of It came from the Blog for an invite What: Fun, dancing, party games, love We won't be having a raid for this event, so any level character can join us. We hope to see you there! Updated: Some of the WoW Insider writers will be joining us, so you can ask them questions and otherwise rub virtual elbows with them. Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Community Blog Topic Results: Your new WoW holidays
The current Community Blog Topic asked you to design your own World of Warcraft holiday. We got many detailed responses, but I've only taken excerpts from them. If you like the general idea of the holiday, click through the link to the original. Astalnar from Cogitationes Astalnaris gives a very detailed description of the Rites of Passage holiday. Rites of Passage, as I would call this holiday would take place between 8th and 22nd of March. Thus it is right between Love is in the Air, and Noblegarden. During this holiday daring adventurers would embark on epic journey across Azeroth to obtain the items that would prove their worthiness, and let them pass the Rites. Such items would be a Dry Cloth from Ocean's Bottom, Lie of Many Colours, and Horn of Hornless Old Hag. The search would take them across all the continents of Azeroth, both known and unknown. Most of the items would be located on still undiscovered continents. There would be number of clues pointing to Outland, and they would need to fish for hours in the backest of the backwaters Azeroth can offer. Searching for the next clue. It would be fun, if the clues for every player would be randomly generated, thus the Holiday stays actual even years after it would first appear.
Drama Mamas: The case of the badgered scapegoat
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. We're still looking for responses from people who have received our advice. If we've answered your letter, please tell us how things worked out. Send it in to robin@wowinsider.com so we can add it to our annual results column. This week's letter comes from a returning player. Hi. After a year long hiatus, I'm coming back to wow on my own, my friends have either stopped, migrated, or are doing Heroic Mode which I can't. So I just joined a random guild as a slightly-undergeared Priest, we're at 11/14 Normal. I'm having issues though. - One is I'm not very good in the meters (usually 20-ish % below the similarly-geared RCham my GM plays), and the RL/GM is constantly on my case about it. No matter that I'm usually not the first healer to die, causing the wipe, or that my tasks are done (don't let Thok's kiter die, solo-heal one side of the Spoils...), the Truth is in the meters. Also, on the rare occasion I die first, I've got to justify myself over vent, on top of my spontaneaous apology. On the numerous occasions the GM does die first (usually twice, she's a shamy), she's quite mum about it.
Community Blog Topic: Design a new WoW holiday
World of Warcraft has had the same holidays for a while now with very few changes. It's time for something new to fill in the months that have no events. For this week's Community Blog Topic, design a new WoW holiday. My new holiday would occur in August each year and is called Pet Adoption Week (PAW). It would be a week of pet battle related activities. Achievement: Pet Adoption Capture one of each family of pet. Previous pet captures would not count toward this achievement; they must be completed during PAW. Achievement: Critter Caper Capture 10 different critters. Again, previous pet captures would not count toward this achievement.
Reminder: It came from the Blog's Lunar Lunacy 2014 is tonight
Tonight we will be roaming around honoring nobles together during It came from the Blog's annual Lunar Lunacy event. When: Tonight, Jan 31 at 10:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. PST, 9:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at the Lunar Festival in Orgrimmar (near the flightpath) on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-Horde) Who: Any Horde character level 10 or above How: Ask any It came from the Blog member for an invite, if you're not already in our family of guilds. This is a lowbie-friendly event. The only reason we ask for level 10 or above is so that we can form raids for mage travel. So please come along even if you don't have a mount. We hope to see you tonight! Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Community Blog Topic Results: New WoW classes
Our latest Community Blog Topic asked you to pitch a new World of Warcraft class. Many commenters suggested that WoW did not need another class, but that misses the point. Several classes with very detailed designs were blogged and commented about. I've only excerpted a few here, so follow the links to see the full descriptions. AedanBlounsø at SnobGoblin describes the bard class in full detail, including specs like the Heartmender: Primary Abilities Song of Hope - Restores an allys health and increase their damage done Unearthly Affection - Convinces an enemy to redirect their attack to another ally. Pure of Heart - Melee attacks against the Heartmender causes an aura of protection to slow the attacking enemy while healing the Heartmender. Hymn of Heresy - Waves of mystical energy emerge from the Heartmender, causing allies to increase their critical strike rating while damaging enemies. Arrows of the Soul - Heartmenders convert agility to intellect.
It came from the Blog: Join us for Lunar Lunacy 2014
It's time for It came from the Blog's annual event: Lunar Lunacy! When: Friday, Jan 31 at 10:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. PST, 9:30 p.m. server time) Where: Meet at the Lunar Festival in Orgrimmar (near the flightpath) on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-Horde) Who: Any Horde character level 10 or above How: Ask any It came from the Blog member for an invite, if you're not already in our family of guilds. We will be making things go boom, achieving, running, and perhaps dying. If you don't normally play Horde, please join us anyway. This is your chance to see how the other half lives. We always have a good time and the more, the merrier. Hope to see you there! Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Drama Mamas: Addiction or no?
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. Have you had your letter answered here on Drama Mamas? If so, please drop us a line at robin@wowinsider.com and let us know how things are going. We'll round up your responses into our annual results column. Let this week's drama commence. I have an issue that's probably not uncommon to some readers of WoW Insider. I play WoW. I adore it, it's the most fun I've ever had with a computer. I live with a person who LIVES WoW. I don't mean that in a glancing-blow type way. That's what she does. She wakes up, goes to her computer, and plays WoW, then goes to sleep when no one else is online. She wakes up in the middle of the night to check guild chat on her phone. Her daughter is failing Math? It can wait, Raid is in an hour. Full raid gear on one character? Time to level another and get that one geared too. Relatives living in the same house want to talk? Hang on, quest turn-in time. You see where I'm going with this.
Community Blog Topic: Pitch your new WoW class
When we recently asked readers to pitch their expansion ideas, a few people came up with new classes. Some of them were so interesting, we'd like to see them fleshed out a little bit more. So pitch us a new World of Warcraft class. In old school Everquest, I played a bard: Eponyne Songtart. Goodness, those graphics are so bad by today's standards, and I never noticed how she looks like her leg is amputated in that picture. Now it's all I can see. Anyway, the bard class was very buggy for a long time, but I still loved playing her. I'd like to see a similar class in WoW. Class name: Bard Maximum armor class: Mail
Drama Mamas: The case of the drama magnet
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. Every year we round up the previous drama into a results column. If we have answered your question here, please drop us an email at robin@wowinsider.com and tell us how you're doing. On to this week's drama. I've been playing mmo's for years now, I've played all different sorts with all different people. I've played PVE, I've played PVP. I've acted as mentor to new players, and I've taken the role of leader in endgame or guilds. But I made a realization recently- no matter what game I go to, no matter what role I take, I am a drama magnet.
Community Blog Topic Results: Your WoW resolutions
For last week's Community Blog Topic, we asked what your World of Warcraft resolutions are. We got a few humorous monitor resolutions, but we got some sincere responses as well. Nativebrown at The White Pine Journal wants to PvP more. I don't have a lot of interest in the raiding at the moment and since I've just finished leveling a Human rogue to 90 I'm resolving to spend the rest of this expansion pack on PvP. I've always liked PvP and make sure to take the time when I'm leveling to hit each bracket at least a few times. That being said I never really put in enough time at max level to gear up well and feel truly competitive. There's an awful lot of battlegrounds now that provide nice variety and while I'm not sure yet if I'm going to jump into Rated Battlegrounds or Arenas I'm looking forward to buckling down, picking PvP as my in-game job and doing it well.
Drama Mamas: The case of the evil guild leader
Drama Mamas Lisa Poisso and Robin Torres are experienced gamers and real-life mamas -- and just as we don't want our precious babies to be the ones kicking and wailing on the floor of the checkout lane next to the candy, neither do we want you to become known as That Guy on your realm. What do you do when you realize your GM is not a good person? Dear Drama Mamas, I promise to keep this as short as possible while still giving you all the needed details. I am, and for all intents and purposes HAVE been, a member of of a guild of which the GM and I have know each other for a long time. We've gamed together across numerous games as well as several MMOs in our day, developing a guild that has followed us in the same manner as I've followed him. I was young when we began our quest of gaming, but now as I grow older, I'm learning that he is an enormously terrible person.
Community Blog Topic: What are your WoW resolutions?
We're coming up on the new year, so it's time for new year's resolutions. For this week's Community Blog Topic we ask, "What are your World of Warcraft resolutions?" I've got two characters tottering on the brink of 90, waiting for me to take them all the way. So I definitely want to get those taken care of. As far as pet battles, I want to get one of each kind to 25 and get as many related achievements as possible. And then there's LFR. I have a confession to make: I've never used the Raid Finder. I fear PUGs. But I need to get over that while there are still people running them. What are your WoW resolutions? Blog about your answer and link to it in the comments below. Or if you don't have a WoW-related blog, respond in the comments. We'll spotlight some of the answers next week.
Reminder: It came from the Blog's Winter Veil 2013 is tomorrow
Tomorrow, It came from the Blog will be holding our annual Winter Veil event. When: Saturday Dec. 28 at noon EST (9 a.m. PST, 11 a.m. server time) Where: Meet under the tree in Orgrimmar on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream Who: Any Horde character level 10 or above How: Ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite We're going to get a couple of achievements and otherwise have a good time. Make sure to bring your Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater, some snowballs and any Crashin' Thrashin' vehicles you may have. Please join us! Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
It came from the Blog: Join us for Winter Veil 2013
It came from the Blog has some fun stuff planned for this year. We'll get an achievement or two and otherwise have a good time. When: Saturday Dec. 28 at noon EST (9 a.m. PST, 11 a.m. server time) Where: Meet under the tree in Orgrimmar on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream Who: Any Horde character level 10 or above How: Ask Tizzi or any member of It came from the Blog for an invite If you have snowballs and a Gaudy Winter Veil Sweater, you'll want to bring those. Otherwise, they are available for just a few copper from the Smokywood Pastures vendors. This is our last event of the year, so come join us! Please join us on Zangarmarsh/Hellscream (US-PvE-H) in It came from the Blog. All guild ranks can invite, so /whisper Tizzi or any online member. You are all welcome as long as you play by our simple rules -- basically, don't be a funsucker! Visit the guild FAQ for more details.
Community Blog Topic Results: World of Warcraft expansion ideas
The current Community Blog Topic is "Pitch your World of Warcraft expansion." There were so many wonderful ideas -- too many to spotlight in this column. I have just excerpted one small piece of some of the expansion ideas, so if you see something that interests you, click through the link. It will be well worth it. Astalnar at Cogitationes Astalnaris Fury of the Lich Queen Jaina goes berserk, for every injustice and fault that she suffered in all those years. We start the expansion with clensing the water sources that Jaina poisoned with her arcane magic. After that we have to deal with random portal shifts that release vast amounts of Mana Wraiths and demons on us.