Breakfast Topic: Do you go on the PTR?
by Lesley Smith 
Jun 19th 2009 at 8:00AM
With the wiping of the official PTR forums, the release of the patch 3.2 PTR notes, and the slew of other new tidbits released yesterday, it's a sure sign that the start of patch 3.2 testing is imminent. I figured this would be a good time to find out whether you, our beloved readers, actually use the PTR (or Public Test Realm) or not. Now I have to go on the PTR (it's written in tiny print on my WoW.com contract) but I also wander in there because I want to. I'm a journalist purely because I have no patience whatsoever and this is a great way of seeing how the next patch is going to look ahead of time. While I was initially not that excited about 3.2, some of the stuff revealed yesterday has gotten me quite excited.
There seem to be two camps: Team A loves getting online first, seeing all the new content as soon as possible while Team B would rather wait for everything to go live on the real realms. The rest? Well they're not quite sure what a PTR is. Which team are you?
| Yes, I'm raring to go | |
|---|---|
| No, I'd rather wait for it to hit the live realms | |
| What's a PTR again? |
Patch 3.2 will bring about a new 5, 10, and 25 man instance to WoW, and usher in a new 40-man battleground called the Isle of Conquest. WoW.com will have you covered every step of the way, from extensive PTR coverage through the official live release. Check out WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.2 for all the latest!Filed under: Patches, Blizzard, Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Thunderwing Jun 19th 2009 8:07AM
This patch looks significant enough to check out ahead of time. I'm not always a PTR enthusiast, but I'll definitely be on for 3.2.
Valt Jun 19th 2009 8:11AM
Yes to see new nerfs for DK tanking. I pretty much go there 100% if premades are avaible again. After all these are kinda big changes rather than in last ptr, right?
MooGooGaiPan Jun 19th 2009 8:11AM
I don't normally bother, but I can't wait to see how the new druid forms look!
Jane-Marie Jun 19th 2009 8:13AM
I am a bit nervous about using the ptr, tbh. Not sure what i am expecting but my friends that i am used to gaming with won't be there to share in the experience which i don't like the thought of. And to my mind it will take the enjoyment out of the game if you go and visit it before everyone else, a bit like opening you xmas presents in the dead of night and then rewrapping them for when your family wake up.
Spazmoose Jun 19th 2009 10:36AM
I always had the same basic issue with the PTR, until the last patch. I knew that there were going to be issues with dual specs (which being an officer in my guild, I knew I would get questions from other guildies), so I hopped on there to pretty much check out the functionality.
I think this helped out a bunch, because a lot of people in my guild didn't know where to go, or how the mechanics of it worked even after they bought it.
Another thing was that I wanted to check out the tourney, which, because my computer was extremely laggy w/ the PTR, turned out to be little more than finding the location of the tourney, so that I could get started right away when the patch went live.
My point is, that even if you are not a hardcore raider, you may find some use in stopping by the PTR, even if it is only to check out the new druid forms :-)
pridetobeme1989 Jun 19th 2009 8:14AM
I for one never go to the PTR, i want to be surprised on the Live realms. Not sooner ^^
So i don't know everything before my friends do. So it keeps the fun in it ;)
M Jun 19th 2009 8:29AM
I just wish more people would be like this. The PTR is for -testing-, not seeing new content before it goes live and "counts". Guilds go to the PTR not to test the new code, but to practice on the new raids so they can spend less time to clear them on live.
That's another reason the "hardcore" guilds are so tired of content so quickly and whine so much.
pridetobeme1989 Jun 19th 2009 8:37AM
Indeed, That's why i never go PTR, i want to discover it myself even if it means wiping out a few times. Don't care cause i discovered it all myself on the live realm. That's what i did with al the Patches and expansions, and i will not stop doing that.
Artificial Jun 19th 2009 2:52PM
Yeah, I hate "spoilers" so I'm not into peeking into the PTR. I know the patch notes give it all away (mostly), but its one thing to read about it and quite another to actually experience it.
TehAdz Jun 19th 2009 8:15AM
I'd use it if I could work it out. I tried to get onto it last time is was open, and couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was supposed to do.
Zarfay Jun 19th 2009 8:16AM
I tried last time so I could play around with the premades.
I had a lot of problems when I tried to install it and when I asked on forums and the like I got no support at all.
I read guides on how to install it and followed them perfectly but it didn't work.
PTR must not want me on there.
Mike Jun 19th 2009 8:18AM
I haven't done PTR before (mostly because my account wasn't active for long enough), but I will be eligible this time and I think I may (as long as there are premades available).
Sargenus Jun 19th 2009 8:18AM
I tried to install the PTR but it kept freezing at 10%. Dunno WHAT to do! I never go on the PTR. But I wanna check out the Northrend Children's Week! *spaze*
mirk Jun 19th 2009 5:27PM
I have had the same issue. First of all, every time I try and install a PTR, it always seems hit and miss, even with the Step by step, do this exactly Wowwiki guide. I followed all the steps and it hangs at 10% and says, "This download is not authorized". Any ideas?
ReyesOfHope Jun 19th 2009 8:21AM
At the moment the PTR is on lock down, and has been since yesterday.
"The character copy queue is currently full. "
Veras Gunn Jun 19th 2009 8:23AM
I'm looking forward to the PTR exclusively so I can mess around with the changes they're making to Engineering. I want to see if the changes are significant enough to the tinkers to warrant use of them over the other enchants.
Does the Parachute tinker give more than or an equal amount of agility as the normal enchant? How much crit are Nitro Boosts going to give? How much haste are the hyperspeed accelerators going to give?
Abbadon Jun 19th 2009 8:26AM
If there are significant talent changes being made to any of the classes I play, I usually get on the PTR to check them out so I'm not spending an hour or two respeccing and whatnot when the patch goes live.
Otherwise, I've really never spent much time on the PTR. I'm not a fan of playing on a server that isn't "real" where there's nothing to truly show for my efforts at the end of the day. I'd still rather be working on something or another on my live toons.
Tordenflesk Jun 19th 2009 9:06AM
Even when there's not a queue, It takes to long for Blizz to copy my char, so no never been on.
pietrex Jun 19th 2009 8:29AM
I've only been on the WoTLK PTR, but I am going to check this one out as well. I want to see the new druid forms and a few other things. I doubt I will do much there, though.
Potvorka Jun 19th 2009 8:30AM
patch looks avesome, but i really have many thing to do before patch. Like farming time lost protodrake, wining fishing extravaganza and more on my low populated server, because with hiting patch 3.2 (maybe sooner) i will need to migrate to some bigger battlegroup. In my battlegroup Vindication is mostly not enough players for AV40 - one more bg for 40 players will kill the battlegroup absolutely...