BootyBay
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Around Azeroth: Under the loving arms of...
Reader Aryc sends us a unique perspective of the well-known Goblin statue in Booty Bay. We've seen plenty of shots of this iconic image standing in the distance in the sunrise/sunset/starry sky/etc, but this is the first time I've seen our Goblin friend up close and personal -- I can only presume that both myself and many Around Azeroth readers never bothered to swim over to the island to take a closer look. (And now you don't have to.)Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Around Azeroth: Duh nuh... duh nuh..
Though it looks threatening, I doubt that this particular shark is coming to get you like the classic Jaws shark might. For one, it's hanging upside down by its tail in the middle of Booty Bay, which really hinders its movement. Sent in by reader Astinius, it's an interesting angle on a standard Booty Bay image! Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
Midsummer Fireworks tonight
Don't forget, if you don't happen to already be out and about and looking at real fireworks this evening, the celebration will be happening in Azeroth as well. This evening, I believe every hour on the hour, firework displays can be seen over all the major cities in Azeroth (Booty Bay has been my favorite place to watch in the past, but I'm interested in seeing what happens in Shattrath this year as well). Additionally, there will be free booze outside the city gates, so get drunk and party!And if you haven't done the Midsummer quests yet, don't forget that IcftB will be running all over the world this evening also-- that will kick off around 8:00 pm EST. No matter what you're up to today in-game or out, have a great and safe time, and happy Fourth of July from all of us here at WoW Insider!
Around Azeroth: Our favorite view in Stranglethorn Vale
For today's episode of Around Azeroth, we're wandering away from Outland to revisit one of our favorite views of the old world. And if you don't recognize the shot above, I have to say I'd be very curious to know where you leveled between 30 and 45 or so! But for those of you who don't know what we're looking at, it's a shot of the Goblin statue that stands on a tiny island just outside the port of Booty Bay. In this sunset shot, sent in by reader Kalku of Dath'Remar, it looks quite tranquil.Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! Or perhaps you'd just like to see more of your pics from Around Azeroth. %Gallery-1816%
"Stranglethorn Hole" and the doom of casual WoW?
Recent reports that the general population of WoW players may be going down for the first time cause some concern, enough to even have our post on the subject listed on the BBC for a while. Our readers gave lots of reasons why something was missing from The Burning Crusade, from problems with the new raids, new items, or even lack of anything actually "new" at all. Granted, it is too soon to say whether people are leaving WoW en masse or not, but the concerns raised here are still valid.One of the main problems our readers cited was leveling boredom. The game before Outland is a bottleneck for casual players who want to explore other classes and playstyles but find that getting where they want to be with their new favorite alt would take more tedium and repetition than they're willing to tolerate. Some have the patience and dedication for it, but for others it feels like an impassible jungle.Stranglethorn Vale, sometimes called the "Stranglethorn Hole" (coined by Tobold in reference to black holes, I think), has been the prime example of 1-60 leveling boredom, because at some point between levels 30 and 45, quests in most other areas just dry up, and you're left with little choice other than to help out the goblins in Booty Bay. The Gaming Fascist complains that he couldn't get any characters through the Vale without it feeling like "an affliction or a chore, something I don't really enjoy and fall back to when times get too boring." This was especially infuriating for him since he apparently chose a PvP server and he got ganked a lot there. Anyone tends to feel frustrated and hopeless when your goal is so far away that you have no reasonable means to achieve it.We took a light-hearted look into the future a couple weeks ago, to see what solutions might present themselves in a few years as this problem gets increasingly severe. The fact is that has to be done for casuals who can't or don't want to go raiding, and if trying out new classes and isn't really a feasible option, then what's to prevent them from feeling stuck with nothing to do? More reputations to grind?
Around Azeroth: Above Booty Bay
If you're anything like I am, when you manage to climb to a high place with a scenic overlook, you can't help but leap off it in a dramatic fashion. (Preferably yelling "Wheeee!" on your way down.) However, reader Lee seems to prefer celebrating the view through dance. I didn't quite realize you could get to this precise spot with such a panoramic view across Booty Bay, but I suppose I've never tried terribly hard. Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part. If yours isn't posted immediately, don't fret! Shots are posted (more or less) in the order received, and yours will come up eventually.
