The Queue: Dye job
by Adam Holisky 
Feb 25th 2009 at 2:00PM
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. Adam Holisky will be your host today.
So the Patch 3.1 PTR has dropped and all the madness associated with it has started. I always find it interesting to watch how some ideas and changes morph from "AMG! Imma gonna stop paying MY $15 A MONTH right now and you're gonna be out of a job because Titan's Grip didn't need to be nerfed!" to "WoW! These new Warrior changes make the Titan's Grip nerf pointless! I am so uber again!" I /facepalm at that sort of thought progression, as I suspect many of you do as well.Cielago asked:
"How how long do I have to get title and mount rewards for the achievements associated with Wrath raids and heroics? Is it until patch 3.1 when Ulduar gear will make them easier? Until the next expansion? Some time in between?"
There has been no official information. However we can look to the past to predict the future. Blizzard removed the ability to get the "Hand of A'dal" title in patch 3.0.2, along with the bear mount from Zul'Aman. I would expect them to do the same to all raiding titles and rewards with the 4.0.2 patch that will come about right before the release of the next expansion. I would expect you'll always be able to get the achievements, however. It'll just be the rewards that will change.
However with that said, the focus on achievements to delineate hard mode encounters and progression tactics is something new. Blizzard might have a different game plan in store for us, and they might just allow the titles and mounts to be achieved indefinitely. That would be rather cool I think, since plowing through Sarth 3D at level 100 will just make me smile, much like 2-manning Onyxia did back in BC (my resto shaman friend and my prot warrior took 45 minutes to do it, was great fun).
Derick asked...
"Why are there four color sets for T8 armor? 10 man, 25 man, and then what? Are they just re-coloring for PvP sets again?"
The second part of your question first. No, they are not re-coloring armor for PvP sets. Blizzard has said numerous times that one of the "mistakes" of BC was to make the PvP sets look the same as the raiding sets, and that they've learned from their mistakes and will make the sets visually different. There is no indication that they're going back on this.
Now why the different colors? As you said two of them will be for 10-man and 25-man sets, but that leaves two more. There's a bunch of possible answers, but all of it will be speculation more or less. Elizabeth Harper, our Editor-in-Chief, suggests that this change might be a prelude to armor dyes, something that would be very cool. Alex Ziebart points out that Blizzard has been doing a ton of re-coloring lately on many models, making it easier to add some variety into raid content. I tend to agree with Alex, and think that the re-coloring is just there for NPCs / mobs to have.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider crew is here with The Queue, our daily Q&A column! Leave your questions in the comments and we'll do our best to answer 'em!Filed under: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
sephirah Feb 25th 2009 2:05PM
In before elitists "blizz should remove old titles in 3.1"
Xretsim Feb 25th 2009 2:07PM
Why not a skittles armor, that would e very hilarious.
I think they should give players the abilities to change the color of their armor like the tabards....
"Frostmourne is a hunter's weapon" -Ghostcrawler
Heilig Feb 25th 2009 2:27PM
The other colors of armor are for npc's and non-set items. The recolored warlock T6 that became S3 armor was originally used by the rogue in the Illidari council fight and by the cloth shoulders that drop in BT. Expect to see the same models in different colors on npc's and as singular items that match other non-set items, much like all the DK starting zone clone armor that is in-game now.
Dying armor is a guild wars thing, and blizzard will never adopt it.
FantomRedux Feb 25th 2009 3:33PM
Yeah, I wouldn't wanna have to have ANOTHER thing to have spammed at me in trade, not to mention all the emokids would corner the black dye and drive the price up >:@
stupid GW dye market ¬_¬
DirkPitt Feb 25th 2009 2:10PM
In dark age of camelot there were dozens of dye colors that could be applied to armor. This allowed each person to personalize their gear and is a feature I would really appreciate in WoW.
Derek Feb 25th 2009 4:08PM
Agreed. I've never played Guild Wars, but I've heard of armor dying in various MMO's and have long thought that it would be a great idea. After all, we have blacksmiths, leather-workers, and tailors making armor (some of which actually requires dyes to make), so why don't they know how to re-dye armor? I know some people will want this to make their armor a specific color all the time, but for me, the true advantage would be the ability to make new armor upgrades match your existing armor better.
While it hasn't been much of an issue in Northrend (all the armor from questing and five-mans looks kinda, ahem, similar), I can't count how many times I've been levelling one of my toons, just finished assembling a matched armor set of some kind and then picked up an upgrade that made the fashion police take out a warrant for my immediate execution. I mean, would it be that hard to re-dye, say, one of those nasty mustard yellow cloaks to match that awesome red mail armor set I just completed? I can't see that it would, and I think it could make a great visual improvement. Just give tailors the ability to make and sell "dye kits" the way that LW's can sell armor kits and call it good, I say. Or heck, maybe scribes? After all, they already mill herbs, and that's where most ancient (and many modern) clothing dyes come from, after all.
mulvita Feb 26th 2009 8:22AM
I think the colors are possibly hard modes of 10 and 25 man. Just a guess
Chuddy Feb 25th 2009 2:14PM
1,2,3.....is this mic on?
Schulzy Feb 25th 2009 2:16PM
I played Guild Wars before this, and I though that they got it right being able to dye your armor sets. Loot wasn't as varied as in WoW, but at least you didn't look like Captian Fancy while leveling.
I would LOVE to be able to dye my armor blue and red to match my frostfire spec. Red mage T7.5 shoulders for the win.
Arcaria Feb 25th 2009 2:20PM
"captain fancy"
I voted this comment up for those two words alone. I lol'd a little in my mouth.
Rowan Feb 25th 2009 4:13PM
I did likewise after reading your reply to his comment.
stevens.ce Feb 25th 2009 7:52PM
Total win here. I voted your "Captain Fancy" and Arcaria's "loled a little in my mouth" up. Thank you both, guys.
jam Feb 25th 2009 2:17PM
What happened to the new instance that was supposed to be in Un'Goro crater, accessible only by through the Waygate in Sholazar Basin?
kabshiel Feb 25th 2009 2:58PM
Umm...there was never supposed to an instance in Un'Goro crater, accessible only by through the Waygate in Sholazar Basin?
TheKarmaPolice Feb 25th 2009 3:03PM
What new instance?
That was just to get the giant statue to come alive and tear shit up
jam Feb 25th 2009 3:22PM
Several WoW sites mentioned it, though.
Secondaidkit Feb 25th 2009 4:25PM
"Several WoW sites"? Name one so "facts" can be checked.
jam Feb 25th 2009 5:16PM
To be honest, I can't remember.. that's why I am asking. You seem almost offended, calling out for "facts". Hilarious.
Calaana Feb 25th 2009 7:40PM
It likely has more to do with the fact when that building area was added, what it was ended up on every news site everywhere. It's just part of a quest in sholazar, you just end up in a different zone for a little while. No instance.
Chuddy Feb 25th 2009 2:17PM
I saw all the new mounts and in game pets announced in the patch but no real word on how to get them....Especially Mimiron's Head - Summons and dismisses a rideable mechanical gnome head...imagine a tauren on it. lol.