WRUP: What are microtransactions? edition
by Elizabeth Harper 
Feb 20th 2009 at 8:30PM
Adam Holisky: I'll be doing one word this weekend: microtransactions.
Alex Ziebart: Trying to get some Heroic groups going on my Protection Paladin, and if that fails I'll either be playing Warhammer or Left 4 Dead. If the PTR goes up tonight or sometime this weekend, everything else gets shelved for that. Also, giving Adam lessons on microtransactions.
Despite the desire for our bloggers to have a well-rounded knowledge of the gaming world, we are hoping that Adam finds something better to do. For the rest of the team -- and your own weekend play plans -- read on!
Allison Robert: We'll be working on 10-man Sarth 3D this weekend, in which I will sit absorbing Sarth's fire breaths and pretending that I am a voidwalker (I still think the whole voidwalker-tank concept on what's currently the hardest fight in the game is both incredibly clever and also funny as hell). Probably some 10-man achievements now that people are getting Glory of the Hero done. Hmmm. And I think I need to get some herb farming done too.
Amanda Miller: I'm setting aside a chunk of time to start making back some of the money I spent this week on my death knight's speedy flying training. Herbing and mining and skinning, here I come.
Dan O'Halloran: More 5-Man Heroics, daily Daily Dalaran cooking quests, daily Dalaran JC quests and getting back to my baby Hunter. And to that mage in the Heroic Oculus PUG last night who couldn't be bothered to summon water because your bags were too full, I definitely will not be grouping with you again.
Daniel Whitcomb: I'm currently at 44/50 pets for the skunk, so I think I'll try to pursue that this weekend. I still need the Mechanical Chicken, the Sprite Darter, the Worg Pup, and the Spiderling, so that's a quick easily quested 4 right there, then I just need to figure out where to grab the other two. I'm also slowly working toward getting the badges for a new breastplate and/or gloves, so hopefully I can knock out a few more heroics for badges this weekend as well.
Elizabeth Harper: Working towards the 100 mounts achievement, one Baron run at a time.
Jennie Lees: Away for the weekend, but easily contactable by guildies in case the PTR comes up so I can hop on it from my laptop. Who needs a holiday when there's new content to beat?
Lisa Poisso: Ditching the raiding life for casual life. I think a weekend's the perfect time to catch the attitude. ;)
Matt Low: Left 4 Dead.
Matthew Rossi: Getting my Tauren Warrior and DK ready for raiding.
Michael Sacco: Leveling my baby Mage, doing Sarth+3 again and hoping for good roll luck a Twilight Drake, making money for rogue's epic flying.
Mike Schramm: GTA IV Lost and Damned. But I will be playing WoW to raid and level my Leatherworking and reputations -- I finally fixed my hardcore gaming PC, so I'll finally be able to see Northrend in all of its graphical glory again.
Nick Whelan (who will soon be writing our Warlock column): Hopefully I'll be raid-leading two 4 hours sessions of 10-man Naxx. One on Saturday and one on Sunday. I say hopefully because so far only 6 people have signed up for what is usually a much more popular event. I was /planning/ to go destruction this week, to give me some background on the spec so I could write about it. However, given my rather abysmal performance in OS / Vault as destro, I think I'm going to need more practice before I ask 9 other people to rely on me as destro. >.>
Zach Yonzon: Inch closer to Battlemaster.
So, dear readers, what are you playing this weekend?
Filed under: Odds and ends
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Cake Feb 20th 2009 8:36PM
Try and get lucky Liz, managed to farm it in two runs recently.
I doubt they will bring microtransactions to the game, it would mess up the established system quite a way unless they add carefull balanced items, which blizzard doesnt have a knack for.
Thaliana Feb 20th 2009 10:21PM
I. Hate. You.
In a purely your luck is better than mine way. Me and the Baron? Much tighter than I'd like to be. I've been his deathbed companions quite a bit...and he still won't will me his mount...
dav Feb 23rd 2009 2:22PM
Confused as to what microtransactions are, clicked the link. Still don't get it. What are they?
Boocat Feb 24th 2009 5:27AM
I believe that WoW has microtransactions already in the form of Loot Cards from the CCG game. I can walk into any hobby store and just buy the loot card that I want.
Nindle Feb 20th 2009 9:07PM
Boocat, you are correct. Buy Blizzard unlike other games has managed to make that extra bit of money and keep people just about happy because they sell loot that serves generally no purpose other then being flash. I think this is ingenious as people still need to work for their gear. And, being cosmetic, the TGC cards and loot will never need to be updated as:
Style =/= Level/Stats.
-Nindle
Nadril Feb 20th 2009 9:01PM
I'll be playing SF4 all weekend, maybe mining some as well while my friends shaman catches up to my warrior.
Wiffleman Feb 20th 2009 9:03PM
Got my baron mount on the first run. I was farming for Valor pants, saw that drop, and thought, "Yes, that's nice, but WHERE ARE MY PANTS!"
~15 runs later they dropped. Yay.
Esoteroth Feb 20th 2009 10:02PM
I hate you I've done the Baron run 235 times(my guild the knights of the Eld of Quel'dorei can attest to this), but good luck on the Baron run anyone else who's doin it
Ilnara Feb 20th 2009 9:08PM
Pushing towards 80 on my DK.
Woo...
Jaxson Feb 20th 2009 9:42PM
Last weekend, I advised that I'd be leveling my main (fire mage) to 80, thus completing this true casual player's first ever level-capped toon. The goal was met, however...
This weekend I need to buy a buttload of ram so I can actually enjoy lvl 80 content. My first trip to Wintergrasp was a framerate nightmare of "oh, I guess I'm dead now? I wonder how that happened..."
syi Feb 20th 2009 10:24PM
i've noticed alot of people flat out stop playing wow since L4D came out and just now loggin back on for the firt time. what gives? i didn't see it as that great of a game, shoot the zombies and i can't wait the zombies out, someone clear this up for me please
Glokclock Feb 23rd 2009 1:00AM
It's there addictiveness of killing hundreds of zombies over and over, also much more fun when your friends are yelling over the mic about the huge of horde of them coming towards you. Makes for many laughs and good times
Aubrecia Feb 20th 2009 11:21PM
Another VH run a day until I get the hit trink that just plain refuses to drop for me. H-UK and H-COS until I get some better rings (and hopefully a bronze drake), and then hoping against hope that someone will be willing to do the first part of H-HOS so I can try for some new shoulders.
By the time I run VH, UK, and COS a couple more times, I'll have enough badges for my T7 chest, and then I think I'll feel better about running Naxx-10 for the first time whenever it happens.
Psy Feb 20th 2009 11:48PM
Since it already is the weekend for me, I'll continue to play some Half-Life 2 and Garry's Mod. And possibly some WoW.
Riley Feb 21st 2009 12:17AM
dinging 80 this weekend! (finally, i only got wrath a few weeks ago)
and probably some CoD4 for 360
and D&D (actually D20 future for a few months, then back to D&D)
jurandr Feb 21st 2009 12:39AM
Taking a break
Getting a little burnt out. oh well.
Trug Feb 21st 2009 1:17AM
I'm going to take that next step and finally try to get an epic flying mount for my hunter.
so skinning and dailies here i come!
and finally Sunday i will order a brand spanking new computer so i finally can see northrend in all it's freezing glory.
no more 1,9 fps for me, yaaaay
Mullets_Frostwhisper_EU
vexis58 Feb 21st 2009 1:27AM
Hopefully pushing my RAF-linked friend up to 60 with my warlock alt by the end of the weekend, allowing me to level-grant another alt or two up as well.
Oh, and yet another 25-man Naxx. Hoping for my druid's T7.5 robe this time. And maybe the GMs will finally get around to giving me the cape I won last week that the loot master accidentally gave to someone else.
Bossy Feb 21st 2009 4:26AM
So...
Thick FAT liars .... (an that includes the "staff" of Wowinsider).
You ALL finished the Raid achievements of WotLK already???
Curious since the websites statistics are all very clear.
ONLY 0.2% cleared the Raid achievements of Naxramas.
Good God what a bunch of whiners and complainers.
They couldn't even do the introduction Raid iachievements of WotLK and are already whining for patch 3.1, which will be even harder.
I am SOOOO glad there are these websites that show only 0.2 % of Wow raiders could brag.
All the others are whining liars.
yeah Raiding in WotLK is easy when only 0.2% of the raiders could achieve them.
It is like saying running the marathon is easy.... when you do it in pieces of 100 meter.
Kemikalkadet Feb 21st 2009 4:58AM
What?