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The Daily Grind: How much content should an expansion have?
Everyone's got an expansion out right now -- EverQuest II has The Shadow Odyssey, The Lord of the Rings Online has Mines of Moria, World of Warcraft has Wrath of the Lich King, EVE Online has Quantum Rise -- there's no end to it, but then that's the point, isn't it?Well, you'd think that, anyway. Word on the street is that there are already Death Knights at level 80, and all the raid content in Wrath has been completed. One player reached level 80 in only 27 hours. Over a year of development for one week of content? Are MMO players just too damned hardcore, or did Blizzard aim too low? How much content should you be getting for $30 or $40 and your continued subscription, anyway?There are some folks out there who (to continue using WoW as an example) are still hacking through The Burning Crusade's content, or even the classic stuff. How do you think a balance can be struck between those folks, and the crews who have already bested all the Wrath content?
Is Wrath too easy?
Wrath of the Lich King has been out for a week. In that time, we've had the world's first level 80, the first complete and total clear of all raid encounters, and what seems like a billion "realm firsts." That didn't take long, did it? So, Tevri from Shandris dropped by the forums to question whether Wrath "is too easy." Zarhym showed up, in his classic witty manner. He points out that the folks who're doing this immediate clearing are, in general, the same folks who've done every raid encounter in WoW for like . . . ever. In a sense, they're pretty high on the "pro" scale. (For the record, they are 25 people out of 11 million subscribers. Certainly, others have done the content by now, but it would take 110,000 people having completed the raid to say even 1% has "beat the game." ) Zarhym also cautions about relying on "truthiness" to judge the content -- which is to say, going with your intuition when the facts are still out.
Ask A Beta Tester: AABT's greatest hits, part 2
On to part 2! This series of questions spans August and early September, and we'll keep moving forward this week.Hoops asked.... How much gold roughly would you get from questing 70-77 (until you unlock the flying mount)? I was wondering if it would it be worth farming money beforehand or would the money from questing be enough. Elizabeth answers: I'm not 77 yet, so I can't exactly address the question as asked, but I can tell you that I've made about 400g leveling from 70 to 72. That's just from questing, vendoring trash & unneeded greens -- and it includes some stupid deaths, plenty of repair bills(I blame Dalaran for many of them!), and training a couple of professions (35g to train a primary profession to the next skill level and 100g to train a secondary profession to the next skill level). Allie adds: I finally started keeping track of how I was doing gold-wise while leveling. On the beta I leveled a lot through instance runs because the demand for healers was so high; on the live realms I've leveled mostly through questing. Between 70 and 76 so far (remarkably fast for me but my guild starts raiding next week) I've made somewhere in the region of 2K gold after training, repairs, professions, etc., mostly through questing and keeping my bags as open as possible to sell vendor trash. As Elizabeth observes, that part's key; Northrend vendor trash and greens sell for a LOT.
One Shots: Run to the hills
From everything we've heard in talking to the many World of Warcraft players we know, they're pretty universally having an absolute ball playing through Northrend or creating Death Knights. As we're starting to see screenshots coming in from other folks playing through Wrath of the Lich King, we're getting much the same opinion from them. Today's One Shots comes to us from Machineman, who writes: Here's my rogue Machineman running through Valgarde with Utgarde Keep and the Vrykul harpoon launchers in the background.Truly stunning!If you're one of the 11 million denizens of Azeroth who has been trekking through the new content, we want to hear from you! Gather up some screenshots of you playing and send those to us here at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name and a quick description. Yours could be featured next!%Gallery-9798%
Breakfast Topic: What is your favorite part of Wrath?
My guildchat is filled with "this quest is my favorite part of Northrend so far" or "I love Old Kingdom" or other effusions about loot, zones, etc. It's fun listening to all of my guildies enthuse about their favorite things and knowing that I'm not alone in finding WoW more fun than ever to play.My favorite part of Wrath of the Lich King is anything having to do with Death Knights. I love Ebon Hold and all of the Death Knight beginning quests and my ghoul and Desecration and and and... Well, I could go on about it forever (though I'd rather be playing mine). I even think it's fun that Outland has been infested by Death Knights and the players who want to gank them. And, of course, I love Siouxsie.What is your favorite part of of Wrath so far? Have you completed a must-do quest? Is there a new instance that you particularly like? Do you have a new item that is your absolute favorite? Feel free to squee in the comments below.
CrossOver Games supports Wrath of the Lich King
If you're a Linux user worried whether you can play Wrath on your preferred operating system, there's some good news for you. CodeWeaver has confirmed that their CrossOver Games system-compatability product will continue to support World of Warcraft, even if your account includes Wrath of the Lich King. You don't even have to upgrade to a new CrossOver build. The current 7.10 version will run Wrath "just peachy," says CodeWeaver's COO John Parshall. According to the press release we recieved from CodeWeaver, Parshall apparantly did most of the Wrath "testing" himself. "I played well into my mid-70s on several of my characters," said Parshall. Like 99% of the WoW population, the COO also played a Death Knight to about level 60. So, you can rest confidently knowing your Death Grip is totally okay with Linux. The press release obviously didn't say whether he tanked or not, but I'm going to assume a Linux guru has the skills to pay the bills, as it were. CrossOver's web site does warn that there may be a few small problems, but that the game runs smoothly and exceedingly well. It comes just shy of running "flawlessly." Given that the COO of the company seems to be a devoted fan, you can assume that any serious problems will be worked out soon enough.
Officers' Quarters: It's IC in Northrend
Every Monday Scott Andrews contributes Officers' Quarters, a column about the ins and outs of guild leadership.It seems like quite a few players are in a hurry these days. They're in a hurry to be the first of their class or race to hit 80, or in a hurry to be the first on their server to clear a raid. They use the most effective method of gaining experience over time, ignoring all other options until they achieve their goal. In this environment, the role-players are definitely a breath of fresh air. This week's e-mail comes from a reader who wants to know whether "IC raiding" -- or raiding in character -- will be possible in this expansion.Hello, Scott. I'm a long-time reader, long-time guild leader, first-time send-question-in . . .er.Anyway! I run a . . . not sure what you'd consider 'small,' so let's say small (around 30 people) RP guild on Moon Guard. How feasible would it be for small, semi-unscheduled, IC raids (Naxx10 and other 10-mans) in Wrath? I know it'd be hard to do in fights, but do you think a small(ish) roleplay guild could pull it off?Thanks much!--Maciah Banes
Ask A Beta Tester: AABT's greatest hits, part 1
Yep, we've shocked the ol' column back to gasping life. The good kind of reanimation, though, not the kind you're probably killing in Northrend.Wow, this took ages. We got a lot of standout questions while doing Ask A Beta Tester, and I went through all of them trying to pick out the best, funniest, most helpful, or most unintentionally prescient among them. To be perfectly frank, we had so many that I started splitting them into separate articles. I've eliminated the questions that I expect readers will probably have answered for themselves at this point (e.g. Death Knight starting faction reputation) but kept all of the questions that I'm pretty sure are still relevant to the first week of gameplay in Wrath. I've also made a few additions and updates based on what we saw both in the beta and now on the live realms. I hope you guys enjoy reading these as much as we did answering them.I'm going to start off with the earliest series of questions that Elizabeth Harper and Alex Ziebart took in July and August. To round out the rest of AABT's best in the next few days, we'll keep moving through August, September, October, and up to the very end of AABT.
Breakfast Topic: Realm (in)stability
In general I've been pleasantly surprised at how stable my own realm has been since the launch. Yes, we've had queues, restarts, lag, and yes, we've also had an insanely annoying subgroup of people with absolutely no scruples over stealing quest spawns (to be fair, this isn't Blizzard's fault, unless you count their refusal to allow us to kill members of our own faction. I have been sorely tempted over the last few days). But in general, play has been pretty trouble-free apart from the crowds you'd expect at all the usual quest hubs, and the response to the expansion has been universally positive from everyone to whom I've spoken. Wrath, at least on my own realm, has gone live to a very happy and excited bunch of players.But with a look at WoW Insider's inbox, I'm not sure it's worked out that way for everyone. We've seen a spate of recent complaints about server crashes and giant queues, and this weekend we've gotten a lot of them from people playing on Oceanic servers particularly (one of our readers, James Flannery, wrote in to tell us about an Oceanic server queue that went from 86 to 161 minutes during the half hour that he'd already been waiting). While in general I think it's safe to say that Wrath's launch went much more smoothly than Burning Crusade's did, I'm not sure everyone's benefited despite Blizzard's efforts. Possibly it's a function of Wrath being even more popular than anticipated in certain regions. If you play on multiple servers, which realm(s) seem to be doing best and worst? Have queue times (if they existed) and server lag improved for you?
Arcane Brilliance: Leveling your Mage through Northrend
Each week, Arcane Brilliance rounds up all of the quest mobs in an area, gathers them all up into a giant, tagged, frozen gaggle, then AoEs them to death while everybody else has to watch and wait for the respawn. Just kidding, Arcane Brilliance doesn't actually do that at all. Why? Because that would make Arcane Brilliance a selfish jerk. I'm not even making a joke here. I'm saying in thinly veiled code to that Gnome Frost Mage in Gjalerbron yesterday, "you, sir, are a selfish jerk." Ok, so maybe the code isn't even thinly veiled. Maybe it isn't even a code, exactly. All I know is that one of these days, I hope you forget how much mana you have, and run out right when you've gathered an extremely large group of quest mobs, and that those quest mobs then surround you and tear you limb from Gnomish limb while you mash your Ice Block button in vain. Jerk.So, apparently an expansion came out, or something? Seriously, what are you doing here, reading this? I'm going to assume that you're trapped at work or something. Don't despair! There's still time for you to cultivate a nice, wet, contagious-sounding cough, something that can only be cured by a bit of time off, spent nursing yourself back to health in front of your computer, killing zombified murlocs and getting sea-lions to mate with each other. Not that we don't want you here, of course. We here at WoW Insider appreciate every second you choose to spend here. But holy crap, Wrath of the Lich King is awesome.Follow me after the break, and we'll discuss the process of leveling in this strange new continent, list a few leveling builds, and just generally blabber on about how awesome everything is.
And the first World of Warcraft player to reach level 80 is...
Nymh, Human Warlock of the EU server Drek'thar (and the real-world country of France) became the first World of Warcraft player to reach level 80 by working with an out-of-group Priest to spam area-of-effect attacks against rapidly-spawning mid-70s mobs, inspired by the technique of another World of Warcraft Warlock player named Jynxx, who eloquently explained the concept in a video (Note: probably won't make much sense if you're not a WoW addict already).Time from 70 to 80: 27 hours.Nymh did a lot of research and trial-and-error exploration of options in the Wrath of the Lich King beta test in order to be ready for the gauntlet after the EU launch, which of course came a little bit before the North American one. We'll note that the first-to-level-70-after-launch trophy went to another French player last year. Vive la France, no?[Via WoW Insider]
A look at World of Warcraft's unique characteristics
With Wrath of the Lich King imminent, we thought it would be a good idea to take a short look at just what has made and continues to make World of Warcraft so different than many other MMOs and whether or not it still retains that oh-so-different sheen. After four years of being pretty much the biggest dog in the yard, does World of Warcraft still bring new ideas to the table? Click below to find out what we think.
Lord of the Rings Online player's guide to World of Warcraft
Unless money or time is not an issue (or you write about games for a living), you have quite a decision to make this week. World of Warcraft's second expansion, Wrath of the Lich King, has released yesterday. Lord of the Rings Online's first expansion, Mines of Moria, is releasing this Tuesday. They both promise to be revolutionary expansions, and the fact that their launch dates are within a week of each other most likely means that you won't be playing both. Well, we're here to help bridge that gap a bit.While both games are considered high fantasy, and many of the features of both games could be considered very similar, actually comparing the two is a whole different story. In this feature article, we're going to break down and compare the two games and what they have to offer. Whether you're a LotRO fan who makes a little cross with your fingers every time someone mentions WoW, or you're a WoW player who thinks "Hobits r dum!", we'll let you know what you would have to look forward to in either game and their new expansions. Follow along through the link below! World Settings >>
The Daily Grind: How you likin' that Death Knight?
Alright, boys and girls, you've had a day to play around with your Death Knights. Sure, it's a bit early to make any definitive judgments, but what are your first impressions? We've been hearing glowing (wink) reviews of the Death Knight starting experience from our colleagues, and we'd tell you what we think, but eh, we're too busy playing right now.For those of you who actually have to, y'know, work this morning -- that is to say, for whom work doesn't include include playing World of Warcraft (you poor souls) -- go ahead and sneak in your impressions when your boss isn't looking. Unless you took a few personal days for the launch, in which case you're surely lost to the ice wastes for now, and we'll see you in a few days when you return for pizza and other supplies.
Breakfast Topic: What Northrend zone did you begin in and why?
After the Midnight Launch, I rushed home with my precious Collector's Edition, installed, patched and made a Death Knight. I'm not ready to play my DK yet, but I wanted to reserve the name and get her resting. Then I put my druid on a zeppelin and went to Northrend.I didn't research the best starting zone for my class. I didn't even think about where the zeppelin might be taking me. I just randomly chose the Undercity portal from Shattrath and went from there. So here I am in the Howling Fjord. From a Tauren perspective, I'm not sure how I feel about doing chores for the Forsaken. Ah well, we're all in this together, right?Where did you begin your Northrend questing? Did you research your decision, choose randomly or follow the pack?
World of WarCrafts: Color the Wendigo
Every Thursday, Shelbi Roach of The Bronze Kettle guides you in creating WoW-inspired crafts using real world mats with World of WarCrafts.Between the high possibility of servers going down, potential queues, or just general lack of mobs to kill because of the massive influx of Northrend nubs you're probably going to have some downtime. Yeah, you could probably join in with the Barrens Chat-esque Chuck Norris jokes that will inevitably plague the general channels of the two starter zones, or you could bust out the Crayolas and color this awesome Wendigo.Here is what you will need: White Cardstock Printer Colors (Pencils, Crayons, Markers, etc.) Scissors Glue Click on the images below to view a gallery of step-by-step instructions. %Gallery-36756% Want to print the step-by-step instructions? Copy and paste the instructions below.
Explore Wrath of the Lich King via photo essays
Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we'll keep this short. The Wrath of the Lich King's new gorgeousness is now live, and we thought we'd compile a short post consisting of several Wrath-related galleries for each of the new Northrend zones. If you're reading this for more information on the newest World of Warcraft expansion, and you have yet to purchase anything, let these galleries speak for themselves, and to your wallet. Be sure to check just after the cut for even more gallery goodness from our friends at WoW Insider. Gallery: Wrath of the Lich King: The Dragonblight Gallery: Wrath of the Lich King: The Howling Fjord
Keeping the wife happy: Wrath style
Isn't it fascinating to think of the people behind the toons you see running around your screen? Do you ever just find a quiet spot next to a busy marketplace or popular crossroads in game and just people-watch? Although it's sometimes fun to venture a guess at the real lives behind the virtual ones, we may overlook the increasing number of families who play these games together. Husbands and wives. Fathers and sons. Mothers and daughters. The combinations are almost endless.In a recent article over at Game Set Watch, Michael Walbridge takes a look at the inner dynamics of the family gaming habit. He tells an all-too-familiar story of one family member (in this case his wife) who wants nothing more than to play Wrath of the Lich King upon release, yet he has sworn off WoW for good, in lieu of Warhammer Online. When his wife finally realizes that swearing off WoW for good really means "for good" this time, it nearly brings her to tears. Will he give in and rejoin his wife at Wrath's launch? Will he continue with WAR, crushing his entire family dynamic? You'll have to check out the story to find out!
WoW Insider's Northrend Atlas
Now that World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King is live, we thought we should showcase a bit of the beauty of Northrend and its various zones. Thanks to our sister site, WoW Insider, we can see some of what they call "the best work that Blizzard has ever done." There's quite a variety of landscapes included in Northrend, from the bitter cold of the Borean Tundra and Icecrown to the sweltering heat of the rainforests of Sho'lazar. Be sure to take a good look at these outdoor zones and the work that WoW Insider has put into describing each one for us. Follow along through the link below, or check out their extensive coverage spanning the last several months. Go North >> Gallery: Wrath of the Lich King: Outdoor zone overview
Wrath of the Lich King 101
The much-anticipated Wrath of the Lich King expansion has arrived for World of Warcraft, and may well be one of the most popular expansions we've ever seen in the MMO industry. That said, WoW players may find themselves a bit overwhelmed by their unfamiliar surroundings. Fortunately, our friends over at our sister site WoW Insider have been tearing into WotLK, and put together a series of guides called "Wrath 101." The WoW Insider guides will give you an in-depth look at the Wrath expansion's geography, and help you to find your way around. We've rounded up the entire guide series and assembled them for you here. Enjoy, and keep watching Massively for our ongoing news and features focusing on the Wrath of the Lich King expansion. Wrath 101: How to get to Northrend and where to go once you're thereHow do I get to Northrend? For Alliance, head to the northernmost dock at Stormwind Harbor to get to Borean Tundra or take the boat out of Menethil Harbor in the Wetlands to be dropped off in Howling Fjord. Wrath 101: Level 70 PvP gearIf you were looking forward to getting gear upgrades through Honor at Level 70 when Wrath of the Lich King finally arrives in a few days, you probably shouldn't hold your breath. I know I advised doing a lot of PvP, but I meant that you should be keeping all that Honor for Level 80 rewards. Wrath 101: Getting from Borean Tundra to Howling Fjord and vice versaOne of the questions frequently asked is which zone will you be leveling in first? A large majority of players will pick Borean Tundra or Howling Fjord. Why not both? Wrath 101: Alliance flight paths in Howling Fjord, Borean Tundra, and DragonblightWe'll all be storming the (figurative) gates of Northrend, in one of two zones: Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord. The zones are pretty large, but fortunately, they're replete with flight paths. Wrath 101: Horde flight paths in Howling Fjord, Borean Tundra, and DragonblightPreviously, we covered the Alliance flight paths of the first three zones in Northrend. Now it's the Horde's turn.
