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The Queue: Nuts and bolts
Oh boy. Most of us are the walking dead after BlizzCon, but let's get back to something resembling normalcy with a Queue. We're going to start off today with an important matter concerning authenticators and account security, then move on to a bit of WoW.com business and Onyxia. I'd also like to direct attention to two really good comments from the last column re: technical issues, Shadow's and Logarth's.Zerounit asks... I recently got an Authenticator in the mail and I noticed something while I was inspecting it: there appears to be no way to open it short of cracking it open with large objects. Is there a battery life on these? If it stops giving me my magic codes, will I have to get a new one? I got an authenticator for my own use recently and have to admit I hadn't thought to look into the battery life, which is a very good question indeed. A dead authenticator means you have no way of getting into the game (or even into your online account) without official help from Blizzard. Turns out the little security doodads are manufactured by a company named Vasco, and after poking around their website, I'm reasonably certain that Blizzard authenticators are a variant of Vasco's DIGIPASS GO 6 model. What makes me so sure? The GO 6 model page is the only one accompanied by an article on fraud and hacking in online gaming. They don't come right out and say that Blizzard is a customer, but unless Hello Kitty Online is a bigger hive of scum and villainy than even we gave it credit for, you don't have to be a genius to figure out that World of Warcraft figures prominently in MMORPG account theft.
The Queue: Nobody expects the Druid Inquisition!
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Allison Robert will be your hostess today.Adam and Alex are busy packing for BlizzCon, so I've sneaked into the Queue offices to answer some questions this evening. There's no consistent theme here, folks; we're all over the map today with BlizzCon, lore, and player textures. If you don't see your question here, I still have a few in mind from the last post to answer tomorrow.Smapdor asks...There are 3 historical scenarios that can be found in Yogg-Saron's "brain room"...What is the Shadow Vault event? I would guess that it is something as important lore-wise as the (other) two, but I have no idea.It's widely believed that the Shadow Vault "memory" depicts a very recent and very unfortunate occurrence that took place (without player knowledge) after the Wrath Gate event. The NPCs in question are thought to be the souls/spirits/incorporeal whatsamajiggies of Saurfang the Younger and Bolvar Fordragon, who perished in the fight, victim to the Lich King and the Royal Apothecary Society respectively. The Wrath Gate cinematic implies that the Arthas has at least Saurfang's soul to toy with (which would explain the Orcish Turned Champion), but the identity of the Immolated Champion is less clear. Bolvar is by far the most likely possibility -- after all, the Immolated Champion is wearing the same armor Bolvar wore going to his death -- but nothing's been confirmed. Bottom line? Expect to see both Saurfang and Bolvar show up in the Icecrown Citadel raid in some capacity.
The Queue: Dragon Slave!
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Allison Robert, erroneously described by Alex Ziebart as "universally adored" on this site (whisper the phrase "I hate Tauren cat form" in Turtlehead's direction and run) is your hostess today.Mmmm...my favorite kind of Queue, the kind with a tank question. Actually, there were two good tank questions from the previous Queue, but the one asked by Gatorforest is something I'd like to address in a separate article. Additionally, two of the questions you'll see here wound up requiring fairly involved answers, so there are a few more questions I'd like to take a crack at sometime later this weekend if I get the time.And because it's Friday:Charlie asks...How many Queue columns does it take for one to finally reach the front of the line?The readers or the writers? I don't know about the former, but for us, it depends on the outcome of the previous day's in-staff gladiatorial match. Much like Mary Sues in the now-classic Pirate Monkey comic, THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE. Actually, I'm just using this as an excuse to quote the following:Professor Flitwick: Wait, she said she's both Dumbledore's and Snape's daughter. How is that possible?Dumbledore: Ehh, remember that Christmas party where we all got really drunk?
The Queue: I am cow, hear me roar
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Allison Robert is your host today, because Alex and Adam are off fighting Romulan time-travelers while she is on academic probation pending an investigation from Starfleet. It's a cruel world out there for creative problem-solvers.Yes! I am going to break the cycle of YouTube videos with a silly picture. A few PvP-related questions today, which I believe is karmic payback for stealing the column, because I loathe PvP. Oy!Elry asks...Is there any hint that anytime in the future Blizzard will implement a harsher sentence than no honor points on high level players ganking much lower ones?Something like this was actually part of the classic game in the form of the Dishonorable Kill, which went the way of the dinosaur in Patch 2.0.1. You can argue that the problems with Dishonorable Kills arose entirely from execution rather than concept, and the implementation of a Dishonorable-Killesque punishment on gankers is a pretty common request. Let's be frank -- nobody really defends ganking, Blizzard included. But, as any GM could tell you, as long as there's a "PvP solution" (read: getting your own faction's players to hunt down the jerk who's camping you) to your problems, there's not much they can or will do unless the player concerned is definitely griefing.
The best of WoW.com: June 30 - July 7, 2009
A cataclysmic week over at Joystiq's sister site WoW.com -- Blizzard has trademarked the "Cataclysm" name, but for what, we're not quite sure yet. The next expansion seems likely, though the next-gen MMO needs a name as well, or maybe it's a brand new project. Whatever it is, we'll likely find out at BlizzCon this year -- there's a cataclysm a'comin'. News Hunters discover "new" Worgen petA glitch in the game lets you "tame" a humanoid Wolfman to attack and fight for you. Good times! Blizzard files trademark for "Cataclysm"A series of trademarks hints that the next WoW expansion might be named Cataclysm. Faction changes coming to the World of WarcraftBlizzard announces that, sometime in the future, you'll be able to change from Horde to Alliance and vice versa. Faction changes Q&AA short series of questions and answers about the upcoming faction change mechanic. China's gold farming ban not really a banA followup to the "ban on gold farming" in China shows that the legislation isn't quite what we thought it was. Features Guildwatch: Paydirt in the drama mineOur weekly column of guild hijinx and achievements has all the drama, downed, and recruiting news you'd ever want. The Queue: You are slightly more prepared than you wereYou ask us some questions, and we deliver you some answers. Arcane Brilliance: Living Bomb on the patch 3.2 PTR is awesomeOur Mage blogger is a little excited about upcoming changes to his talents. Why won't Blizzard let me change my race?You'll be able to change your faction soon, but you still won't be able to change your ingame race. Blizzard's Tier 9 previewGet a pictoral look at the next series of Tier armor going into the game.
The Queue: Panda-monium edition
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Michael Sacco will be your host today. Here's a Queue question straight from me to me: What do me and panda bears have in common? The answer is rings around our eyes, though I'm pretty sure that pandas have them genetically and not from staying up until seven in the morning watching Veronica Mars.But of course, what does that question have to do with The Queue? I could say "I guess you'll just have to read on! Excelsior!", or I could just tell you that it's because people asked about Pandarens today. Let's start off with some basic questions first, though.iamnotacarebear asked:The question i have is with this increase of running the heroics, is the red heroic drake going to be removed? I would hate to see this happen, but i wouldn't be surprised.Good question, IANACB!
The Queue: Nice Crown! edition
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Mike Sacco will be your host today. Queue, queue, queue. Everyone must be really excited for the eventual 3.3 patch, because we've got a ton of questions about Arthas and Icecrown today. What the heck, guys! BUT YEA, I SHALL ANSWER THINE PLEAS.m_rydelis asked:I have a question here, so as I remember from Warcraft TFT, Lich King was left to freeze on Frozen Throne, and in WotLK cinematic we see him on it, so did it just melt down, or something happend, because there is no such thing as Warcraft as Frozen throne now. Icecrown Citadel was built over the Frozen Throne, and Arthas has apparently done a lot of construction on Icecrown Glacier since TFT and especially since the opening cinematic. The Frozen Throne likely still remains inside of the fully-constructed Icecrown Citadel, but we'll definitely see when 3.3 launches. Cyrus asked:Do we even know if there's going to be a 3.4? Has Blizzard announced it, or are people assuming it just based on the number of content patches in BC? Maybe progression will just go OS, Naxx, EoE, Ulduar, Argent Coliseum and Icecrown.The plan is for there not to be a 3.4. Blizzard has stated time and time again that the plan is for Arthas to be the final boss of the Wrath cycle and for Icecrown Citadel to be the final content patch of the Wrath cycle. The next expansion should be approaching much sooner than the wait between vanilla and BC (and BC and Wrath) as well, so this timeline could work out fine provided that the 4.0 train keeps rolling as it should. Blizzcon should clue us in as to how things are progressing in that regard, so keep your eyes open.
The Queue: Hey Sacco, can you do today's The Queue edition
Playing the role of Adam Zibbert tonight will be the Michael Sacco. There will be a brief intermission between acts. Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Zibbert will be your host today. You know the drill! LET'S GET US SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.Bearkub asked... My main is a lvl 80 paladin (holy/prot), gold is not an issue, and I have everything I could want off the Wintergrasp PVP vendor/npc. My alt is a level 70 hunter (hilarity ensues). Is it worth it to spend 200 stonekeeper's shards to buy the +10% XP bonus shoulders? Or would those shards be better spent on something I can sell for gold (the non-bound pvp meta-gems, for example)? Is there something to spend the shards on that I'm unaware of? I imagine they're worth it on a lvl 58 DK alt, but I'm not sure what the "cost/benefit" cut-off is.Heirloom items are pretty great, in my experience, especially the shoulders. With 3.1, they also grant 10% extra quest experience on top of mob XP, which is a lot -- especially given that most of your XP earned while going from 70-80 is going to be quest XP. It, essentially, takes a flat 10% off of your leveling time, sometimes more. And, when you're done with it, you can send it to another alt, even if they can't wear that specific armor type, because the item will automatically become the highest possible armor type for that specific character. I'd say it's worth the purchase, but it's a personal choice. Just remember you can get gold back at any time, but leveling time isn't something you can recoup.
The best of WoW Insider: April 14-21, 2009
Patch 3.1 has been out for a week now in the World of Warcraft (in fact, patch 3.1.1 is coming out today), and players have tons to do -- we're all raiding Ulduar, playing around with dual specs, and leveling up through the Argent Tournament to become Champions of our own factions. In fact, there's a lot of new stuff in World of Warcraft, so if it ever gets overwhelming, worry not -- Joystiq's WoW Insider has you covered. Here's our most popular posts in the past week. News WoW Insider's Guide to the Argent TournamentIt's joustin' time in the World of Warcraft. Here's what you need to know. WoW Insider's Patch 3.1 FAQFrequently asked questions about last week's patch, answered just for you. Ghostcrawler on the mechanics behind Armor PenetrationOne of the game's devs talks about one of the tougher damage dealing mechanics to figure out. First day for Champions on the Argent TournamentThe very first class of Champions arises. Curse, WoW Interface band together to block WoWMatrixA small shakeup in the addon world leaves a few players hanging right around patch day. Features Wrath 101: Emalon the Storm WatcherThere's a new boss in the Wintergrasp Vault, and here's a quick guide to taking him down. The Queue: Service with a smileYou ask, we answer. That's how it works. How to get the Turtle MountWant to get your hands on the brand new aquatic mount? Here's a few tips. How to activate Ulduar's hard modesSure, anybody can raid Ulduar. But can you do it on hard mode? Lichborne: Top Death Knight DPS builds and patch 3.1With dual specs out, everybody wants to know which builds are best. Our Death Knight column breaks down which talent points to look for in patch 3.1.
The best of WoW Insider: March 24-31, 2009
Ravagers, boars, and tigers, oh my. Patch 3.1 is bringing all sorts of wild animals into the game (though there are definitely of plenty wild animals available already) and WoW Insider is your animal tamer. No matter what Blizzard is tossing in to the world's most popular MMO in the next content patch, we'll make sure you've got the knowhow to tame one for your own. News WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1Our constantly updated guide to the new patch will you get you as ready as you can be. Orangemarmalade's 1 vs. 2 comeback explainedA play-by-play of how an Arena Mage was able to conquer two players in one match. Vaneras answers a whole lot of Mage questionsThe casters among you may want to read what Blizzard has to say about the Mage class. iPhone Authenticator now in App Store for freeBlizzard releases a free mobile authenticator program for your iPhone or iPod touch. 65% fewer Arena teams in Season 5Where exactly have all the Arena players gone? Features The Queue: Scantily clad editionThe Q&A column answers exactly why women in the game seem to have such skimpy gear. Scattered Shots: Finding a unique petNeed a singular pet for your Hunter? Let us help. Ready Check: Ulduar and burnoutRaiders aren't quite as happy as they could be with the raiding game. Spiritual Guidance: Sartharion with all drakesHow to help out a Sarth 3D run on your healing Priest. Time is Money: Low-level clothWhere to make the money with Wool, Mageweave and Runecloth.
The best of WoW Insider: March 3-10, 2009
It's PTR time in the World of Warcraft, which means we're all checking out the next content patch before any of the changes go live (or are actually finalized). So now's the time for crazy stuff, whether it be testing out brand new bosses, seeing Warriors get a chance to break open Pally shields, or any of the other patch 3.1 lunacy. WoW Insider's got up-to-the-minute news about all of it. News Full Tier 8 armor sets beginning to emergeGallery previews of the soon-to-be hottest armor in the game. Ulduar on the Patch 3.1 PTR: The Flame LeviathanWe walk you through the first boss in Ulduar, the game's next new raid instance. Ulduar on the Patch 3.1 PTR: Ignis the Furnace MasterAnother big bad in the Titan-built Ulduar. Patch 3.1 PTR Build 9658 Warrior changesWarriors can now remove Paladin shields? Yeah, that's a big change. Retribution DPS too lowGhostcrawler comes out and says what Retadins everywhere are already thinking. Features WoW Insider's Guide to Patch 3.1Everything you need to know about the new patch, all in one place, and updated often. Guildwatch: Ok, ready for summonBecause, sometimes, you just need to revel in how petty and childish guild members can be. The Queue: Hard mode is HardAmong the Q&A in our daily column, someone wants to know just how hard Ulduar really is. Time is Money: Selling your quest rewardsOur new column on making money fast in-game tells you how to get the most out of quest spoils. Shifting Perspectives: Tanks, Wrath, and crushing blowsEven Blizzard enjoyed this great column on how Tanks are handling the damage that gets thrown at them.
The best of WoW Insider: February 10-17, 2009
Lots of great news from the World of Warcraft this week -- we learned more about the big patch 3.1 update coming to the game, as well as the dual spec system. And someone (we aren't yet sure who) kept melting something called the Ice Stone, in one of the more hilarious bugs of the Love is in the Air festival. Good times -- learn more by reading these popular posts from Joystiq network site WoW Insider. News The Ice Stone has melted!Confusion reigned over a world event bug this week: what was the Ice Stone and who forgot to put it in the fridge? WoW Insider's guide to patch 3.1Everything you need to know about the game's next content patch, continually updated. Dual spec Q&A with GhostcrawlerOne of the game's devs lets us in on the plans behind the much-awaited dual spec feature. Voidwalker raid tanking going awayWarlock pets tanking? Blizzard is putting the kibosh on that. Jeff Kaplan leaving World of WarcraftThe game's last original top dev heads off to Blizzard's new MMO. Features The Queue: Change we can believe inYou've got questions, The Queue has your answers. Encrypted Text: Why the 3.0.9 Rogue changes were necessaryThe latest bugfix changes get discussed in our Rogue column. WoW Rookie: Level 80 -- now what?You've done it -- you've finally hit level 80, but you're not sure where to go next. Let the WoW Rookie help. Please give me something to grindBlizzard has gone out of their way this expansion to make leveling and questing as varied as possible -- which is why Alex just wants to do some mindless grinding. Officers' Quarters: Dual spec, double loot?How to deal with the dual spec system while dealing out loot to a raid.
The best of WoW Insider: February 3-10, 2009
Busy week over at WoW Insider -- we've got another patch on the horizon and a whole new set of changes to digest. If it's in the World of Warcraft, we've got news and views about it. News WoW Insider's guide to Patch 3.1Everything you need to know about the new patch -- and even some things you don't. Patch 3.0.9 to go live this weekBlizzard puts another set of hotfixes in the mix. Best. Bug. Ever.A Death Knight's Death Grip can send you on a trip around the world. Big changes for Hunters in patch 3.1Something we never thought would happen has: Ammunition is out of the game. Mana regeneration changing dramatically in 3.1Blizzard is flipping the script on regenerating mana in the next patch. Features The Queue: Legendaries are for suckersForget purple -- orange is the new awesome. Wrath 101: Darkmoon cardsA look at the new decks in Wrath. The OverAchiever: 100 Mounts AchievementsOur brand new achievements column will help you get all the mounts you can handle, including the Albino Drake above. Ready Check: Preparing for UlduarWhat to do when you're expecting... a new raid. Totem Talk: 3.1 shocks and awes Shamans
The best of WoW Insider: January 27 - February 3, 2009
This past week in the World of Warcraft was enough to make moonkins laugh with glee (that's what a moonkin is above, in case you don't know your WoW lingo). And WoW Insider covered it all -- here's our top 10 posts of the week for you to peruse at your pleasure. News Believe it or don't: Patch 3.1 notes leaked?These patch notes were later confirmed as fake. But they sure look purty. Mysterious twink rends worldsA level 10 twink ... that beat Gruul? Tier 8 preview videoA look at the new gear you'll probably never have. Official 3.0.8.9506 patch notesBugfixes for bugfixes in the latest patch to the game. Replenishment is mandatory, and other buff discussion from GhostcrawlerThe forum dev with the mostest ruffles a few buff feathers. Features Guildwatch: Topping meters on every character, every nightDrama, downed, and recruiting news from guilds around the realms. The Queue: Last ritesOur Q&A column answers what to do with just one month left in the game, and other reader questions. Ask a Lore Nerd: More Scourge loveSome people know some lore. The Lore Nerd knows all. Scattered Shots: Hunter changes in 3.0.9 and 3.1Our Hunter column examines the future of the ranged DPSers. WoW Rookie: Will my computer run WoW?Unsure if your PC will play? Let our beginner column help you out.
The Queue: Patch 3.0.8 is here!
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.Good news, everyone! We have a guest star today on The Queue! Yes, that's right, a very special guest! Well, sort of. I guess she's not that special after all, but our resident Feral Druid guru chimed in to answer a Bear question yesterday, and she answered it better than I ever could. Our first question of the day is hers to handle, then it's back to me. Because you all love me, right?thon asked...I've had a lot of heated debate on the current def cap of Druid Bear Tanks. Is there one if specced into Survival of the Fittest? Is it lower than a normal tank class? I'd love to be able to tell them for certain to pipe down!
The best of WoW Insider: January 6-13, 2009
Things are hopping in the World of Warcraft -- there are queues on the servers, everyone's hit 80 (or is closer than ever), and there are daily quests and Heroic instances aplenty to run. And if you need insight on the game (or maybe a reason to go back), WoW Insider's got you covered -- from up to the minute patch note news, daily updates on WoW and its community, or insights into where to go and what to do, make sure to stop by the blog every single day. News Updated patch notes for patch 3.0.8Changes for the next patch (which we're supposed to see soon ... hopefully?). Authentication server and official forums downA few months after Wrath's release, Blizzard is having trouble keeping the servers up. No PvE servers are under populated... And the problem seems to be mostly on PvE servers. World of Warcraft listed as one of the thirty most offensive gamesDrinking, sex, violence, and language -- it's just another day in Azeroth. Emblems of Heroism to be exchangeable for Emblems of Valor on the PTR10-man and Heroic badges will be able to be exchanged for 25-man badges in the next patch. Features Breakfast Topic: What's the most embarrassing thing you've ever done in WoW?Our daily discussion digs deep into some of the most awkward moments of the game. The Queue: Spreading the plagueIt's simple: our readers ask questions, our bloggers answer them. Encrypted Text: Why Rogues love Hunters and other Honor Among Thieves ironiesAre you a Rogue? Have a Hunter in the group? Then you'll want to read this. Ready Check: Guide to Naxxramas (Construct Quarter, part 1)Don't take one step into Naxx without these raiding tips. WoW Casually: Returning to WoW as a casualOur weekly casual column looks at something lots of players are doing lately: coming back to the game.
The Queue: Frost resistance, hot or not?
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.We're very light today, as most Mondays are. Coming off the weekend when everyone is playing instead of reading we're pretty short on questions that aren't repeats! No need for elongated excuses, though. Let's dig into the few questions we do have.Phyalt asked...As a healing Priest should I be worried about frost resist going into Naxx?
The Queue: I believe I can fly
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.So I made an oopsie yesterday. A rookie mistake! I referenced a picture that I used in The Queue a couple of days ago, and also showed off a picture of the character it may have been referencing. Only I used the same file name for both, so the original picture turned into the second picture. I'm pretty pro, I know. It's been fixed though, so if you want to see what the heck I'm talking about, check out Sunday's edition and then yesterday's edition and you will understand! Now, on with the show.Tim asked...I heard that there are new DK only facial features coming in the next patch. Will existing DK's get a chance to redo their toons or does Blizzard actually expect us to cough up $15?
The Queue: Overkill and delicious tears
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.The image I used for yesterday's The Queue raised some eyebrows, with a lot of people wondering what it was or where it was from. It's just one of a series of paintings throughout Dalaran of the various player races. There are some hanging in the inns, some in the shops, et cetera. My plan was to cycle through them all over the next week or so, and random selection gave me the incredibusty human female first. It might be interesting to note that I'm pretty sure that painting is a nod to Tifa Lockhart of Final Fantasy 7. It could also just be a regular ol' human female wearing the level 1 Warrior starting gear. Who knows?Today you get the Female Blood Elf, and now let's get the Q&A started.Plaguenog said... Any chance they'll let me use Badges of Justice to buy new badges? Or possibly a reduction in prices for lvl 7o badge gear? I'm basically looking for any reason NOT to use as many of my lvl 70 badges for gems to Auction off.
The Queue: Greatfather Winter is coming to town
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft.Welcome back! Before we start, I'd like to take a moment to remind all of you that Winter Veil starts tomorrow at 6 AM! Are you excited? I'm excited. After the next couple of days, keep an eye on WoW Insider for some great holiday guides and features. Now, let's get to the Q&A shall we?Flint asked...Is it possible for a level 80 hunter to solo any of the lowest level Outland instances, or will the boss fights be way too much for one person to handle by himself?
