Tuesday Morning Post: Second time's a charm
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Jan 27th 2009 at 5:30AM
Whether we're getting patch 3.0.9 or just a couple quick server side fixes isn't clear, but whichever it is, we're getting downtime. Be sure to keep checking WoW Insider for up to minute news on what's going down with the downtime and the bug fixes. In the meantime, you can keep reading for a roundup of the hottest news and features from the past week. And hey, bug fixes and possible patch day panic aside, the Lunar Festival is still going strong. Be sure to check out our guide to getting to the Holiday if you haven't yet.
Hot News and Features
- How bad was patch 3.0.8? Disaster is one of the kinder words being thrown about.
- Who deserves the blame for patch 3.0.8? Some people are looking beyond the dev team.
- WoW Insider's Twitter Feed is a great way to keep abreast of the latest WoW news and a fun place to hang out.
- Poor Onxyia might be a bit lonely again soon enough: Old world boss gold drops have been nerfed.
- Learning to play in WoW isn't just about mastering skills, it's also about building a reputation.
- Lesson number 1 about web advertising: Letting a third party handle it is asking for trouble.
- If your Druid has fallen to the dark side, you'll want to check out our Balance gearing guide.
- Hey Rogue! Getting ready to break into the raid game for the first time? This Encrypted Text is for you.
- Hunters got both some bad and some good news in the pet-taming department.
- Also for Hunters, we have a guide for gemming and enchanting for PvP.
- Bad news for Holy Paladins as the Glyph of Holy Light got a nerf.
- Totem talk looks back at a week in 3.0.8 for Shamans.
- Warriors get the 3rd part of their look at raiding gear this week.
- For Death Knights, we have DPS gear to get you ready for Naxxramas.
- One change in 3.0.8 that went off without a hitch: You don't need simple wood to make a campfire anymore.
- Having trouble with good old Archie? We highlight an interesting take on his fight.
- We knew that 3.0.8 would change Wintergrasp PvP, but I don't think we expected it to happen quite in the way it went down.
- So we collected our thoughts on the whole PvP thing, and here's the way The Art of War(craft) sees it at the moment.
- If Gluth's giving your raid group grief, check our guide. Likewise, if Thaddius is too terrible, but sure to read these tips. We'll also help your surmount Sapphiron and kill Kel'thuzad.
- If Zul'drak frustrated your attempt at Northrend Loremaster in the past, be sure to check back in. There's new quests for you.
- Arena ratings have been a little wonky this week, thanks in part to a new Arena matching system. Also thanks to the whole thing where it had to be disabled altogether for a day or two. Which lead to the whole reset thing.
- Cooks and Skinners, you'll want to read this guide to Northrend gathering.
- Two Bosses Enter returns with a dragon showoff.
- Some people clamor for "classic servers." These folks just keep on plugging with true classic raids.
- Good news for Garona fans. She's coming back. You can read for yourself in the next issue of the official World of Warcraft comic.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Realm Status, Odds and ends, News items
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
MANCOWPIG Jan 27th 2009 6:06AM
Finally! I cant tell you how annoying it is to tank as frost and have the icon show its usable and start to spam it to "You cannot do that yet".
Gaaah
And the warlock bug was a little annoying as well.
I dont mind downtime as long as they actually fix the game.
NO MORE LAG IN DALARAN PLEASEEE
Xerous Jan 27th 2009 8:26AM
good luck with the Dalaran lag... it is inevitable when the population continues to grow and every single player possible is packed into an area the size of half of one of the Azeroth major cities (which always have had lag on any decent sized servers.)
Azradesh Jan 27th 2009 6:56AM
Am I the only one who's had no crashes, bugs or any lag after the patch? No one else I know has either. Did the patch go fine on the EU realms?
blazenor Jan 27th 2009 6:03AM
I'm crossing my fingers and hoping for a short downtime, Happy Fix the Damn Bugs Day everyone.
BenMS Jan 27th 2009 6:04AM
Awww, I th0ught it was going to be an article about Ahn'Qiraj....
I like me some bugs! (just not the messing up gameplay kind)
Nork Jan 27th 2009 6:10AM
funny how no-one is mentioning the new BOE world drop jewelcrafting designs
SaxxonPike Jan 27th 2009 6:13AM
I haven't noticed the new bugs being anything game-breaking. Just annoying. Like using your hearthstone and then having to step outside the building, then back in to be able to immediately log off and receive rested credit.
BenMS Jan 27th 2009 6:16AM
Actually, now that I think about it there has been a bug where I can't mount my flyer at Krasus' Landing, only since 3.0.8. I wonder if that's getting fixed...
havitech Jan 27th 2009 7:19AM
This has happened to me a few times even since before 3.0.8. Just go back into Dalaran and back to the Landing.
pyro4ic Jan 27th 2009 7:18AM
actually, everyone seems to be overlooking one fantastic 3.0.8 change for a certain, special, arcane bunch.
the changes to the arcane tree for mages in 3.0.8 was far more than welcome for those feeling left out in the cold with frostfire spec being the ONLY viable raiding spec prior.
Argaris Jan 27th 2009 6:50AM
mages aren't the only ones not complaining about 3.0.8, as a long, but quietly, suffering Elemental Shaman I'm quite pleased with the patch, bugs and all :)
Michael Jan 28th 2009 6:48AM
The spelling mistakes in game of late have been shocking. I have seen so many. It makes you feel like the spit and polish department at Blizzard is off doing something else.
rhorle Jan 27th 2009 7:05AM
The new patch is available its called 3.0.8a. The new launcher is pretty cool with patch downloads though it showed the patch notes for 3.0.8 which can be a bit confusing.
Unholydin Jan 27th 2009 8:34AM
Unfortunately the all the realms are still down. :(
Erik Jan 27th 2009 7:12AM
I have not had any serious issues, but I am a part time player. I am more annoyed at the constant down time. I dont mind fixing things, if there fixed right! Wonder if blizzard will ever do anything as a thank you to the players for all there mess ups.
pyro4ic Jan 27th 2009 7:18AM
Bliz tends to be good to the community. when wraith released, bliz gave players additional days of play to compensate for the downtime (although, there was much more of it).
I, personally, begin play each day at 3:00am PST, so none feel the effects of maintenance harder than myself. However, it is a small price to pay for the ever increasing overall satisfaction with the game. I'd much rather see bugs fixed and only get 6 days of play/week than see the proliferation of bugs.
Acabrino Jan 27th 2009 7:39AM
I did not have any issues with lag or bugs other than the ones I had before the patch, and they're not that bad. I think the worst problem for me are the queues, that is the problem me and my friends are facing.
Bossy Jan 27th 2009 7:54AM
Actually 3.08 is a very good patch now that most "glitches" were worked out.
A very nice PvP patch. Of course not up to the legendary 2.3 patch, but still for PvP real good balancing tricks (except for WL's who can still complain till 3.1).
BUT AGAIN an original whine POST from MY wowinsider website.
Ever since they launched their "sister" website of massively and promote heavely those other (garbage) MMO products, it has been the same all over on this website.
Look, we are WOW players (and most of us tried those other mostly terribly cheap and underdevelopped products and we PAID for it dearly I might say ....), so be constructive instead of following the EA paid website guys.
I hate to think of it: but Wow players had two FULL days of a broken Wintergrasp and had to live for 3 days without arena. WOW.
And it was as if the World ended. Well after a week I can honestly say: the moaners are still more childish than I thought they were.
And this includes - on the frontline even - the very posters on what ONCE used to be a very good informative Wow insider website.... without moaning.
Have a nice day.
Marcusfarkas Jan 27th 2009 8:02AM
Well I just got a data d/l from the launcher patch 3.0.8.9506
so we have a minor patch this side.
Outlier Jan 27th 2009 8:03AM
Hopefully they'll do some stuff to the instance server. Tried to do a MGT heroic yesterday (still farming the novelty items) and it said something like "No more instances can be launched, please try again later". I'm thinking it has something to do with Elders in instances.