Breakfast Topic: Does the Background Downloader get you fired up?
by Daniel Whitcomb 
Jul 20th 2009 at 8:00AM
But with the announcement of new dailies to be opened to people with enough faction in Patch 3.2, I've felt like I need to make that final push. However, it wasn't until a few days ago that I finally kicked myself into gear, and I'm now at a week and counting of doing my tournament dailies every day without fail. The reason? The background downloader went up.
Now, I understand that the background downloader isn't always a harbinger of an inevitable patch. It's simply a pre-loading of some finalized data or art. The patch itself could be a month away. In fact, I'd bet we'll still have to wait the better part of a month for it. Still, it does seem like a milestone, and with one more milestone passed by, I've felt extra motivated to prepare my main to get the most out of the patch, even if it's not for completely logical reasons.
What about you? Has the background downloader caused you to kick your Patch 3.2 preparations into high gear? Or is there something else you're using to motivate yourself? Or are you just going to keep on coasting until patch day?
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, Analysis / Opinion, Events, Breakfast Topics, Quests, Achievements
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Aaron Jul 20th 2009 8:05AM
I rolled a druid and got her to level 30 since the background downloader kicked it. I just want to see the new forms for myself. ha
healo Jul 20th 2009 8:05AM
Yes and Yes. Of course it will be awesome to see new content, items, heirlooms etc. But It will be equally as awesome with the new PVP changes.
Chaz Jul 20th 2009 8:06AM
I am fired up.
Nash Jul 20th 2009 9:01AM
No, it doesn't fire me up that much! My upcoming vacation do that for me these days! :)
The thing though, about the downloader is that it isn't downloading. I'm talking 8.5Mb after one and a half day of downloading. WTF is that? Anyone else has similar problems?It is really frustrating...
Delshay Dethecus US Jul 20th 2009 11:35AM
Yes this is what's happening to me, I let it go all weekend and its at 49%, just sitting there with the green light and No Problems Detected. I blame Fairpoint Communication and the crappy DSL.
Emanne Jul 20th 2009 8:14AM
I'[m hoping I'll be able the most out of the ulduar achievements before those pretty proto drakes disappear. Hopefully it won't be for a while though.
Nix Jul 20th 2009 8:15AM
I have a DK as my main and as a casual, the Argent tournament is a good source of gold (plus i'm after the mounts). When I read about the changes to those who have the crusader title, I started grinding my way to get exalted with the 5 home factions! DKs are a little at a disadvantage imo when it comes to rep since we don't do the many quests for the home cities. (BC is more about other factions as well as WOTLK). But I loved every single bit of it plus now I have an incentive to the the 50 mount achievement to get the Albino drake :)
TangoWRX Jul 20th 2009 8:17AM
I am interested in using this way to get the heirloom items, and I also like the idea of the pony for a mobile bank & mail.
Josin Jul 20th 2009 8:22AM
In the sense that I become frustrated with some of the changes being made to various classes in the patch, yes, I get fired up by the downloader.
In terms of the Argent Tournament... I hope they do something to spice it up. It has so much potential, but it lacks life. I think even adding more NPCs milling about, discussing contestants, etc. would give it a better feel. I mean, it's got t-shirt vendors, which was an awesome touch, but no "fans" to buy them! I want to see kids in Orgrimmar shirts chasing kids in Stormwind shirts (and vice versa) families of dwarves (in Ironforge tees) chanting (drunkenly) from the stands for their champions! Trolls casting "hexes" on the opposition! Tauren beating drums in support!
Make an event of it!
Sleutel Jul 20th 2009 8:32AM
You mean, like something to actually justify the currently creepy random crowd noises that you occasionally hear out of thin air? :P
andy Jul 20th 2009 8:34AM
"I want to see kids in Orgrimmar shirts chasing kids in Stormwind shirt"
this made my laugh, i think it would make some ppl explode in nerd rage, i man they're already complaining that we are having a fairground on the lich kings back garden, having children running around too
hey kiddys wanna go out side and play,
but mum theres no where to go
sure there is go to icecrown, the centre base of scourge activity on azeroth, home of the lich king,
isnt that dangerous
nah theres a fairground there now.
Josin Jul 20th 2009 9:17AM
Hey, if you're going to suspend disbelief, might as well go all the way with it. Besides, we have little kids there all the time. Sure, they're "squires," but they're still little kids running around Icecrown.
Anaughtybear Jul 20th 2009 9:40AM
Probably my favorite sight ever in WoW occurred not too long ago in Icecrown. I had just landed on the Horde ship when the Alliance ship passed by too close. The Horde NPC gunners opened fire immediately, and the Alliance ship just turned and ran as fast as it could, back the way it came.
Erthshade Jul 20th 2009 3:48PM
@Anaughtybear: I saw that once. Unfortunately, it happened the time that the flight from Dalaran to the ships glitched for me and my tauren hunter landed on the Alliance ship.
As for the topic at hand, I have to say that yes, seeing the background downloader activate has given me new incentive to finish off the Crusader title for at least one character.
Sleutel Jul 20th 2009 8:31AM
The background downloader is a filthy, filthy tease. "This is the patch you could be having."
Amapele Jul 20th 2009 8:40AM
I'm a little bummed to see a lack of enthusiasm towards the Argent Tournament. I love it! I think for individuals that are thinking it's "lacking" need to remember that the grounds are still being built and word is still "just spreading" about the tournament. Now it seems with this new patch, building will be done and those that have had the ability to compete and become champions as well as gain rep with the silver covenant are now REALLY going to get to enjoy what it means to be a champion (with new dailies etc). From my understanding the story of the Argent Tournament is new, so of course it's not going to be amazing right off the bat...what is?
I will however agree about the vendors and such though...it'd be nice if more rep based items were available. Sure we have our mediocre slew of items available for champion seals, but I'd like to see tailoring patterns or other fun toys for purchase.
Sooo, anyway to answer the question, yes I'm pumped (for AT and the new BG) but no I'm not really doing anything out of my way to prep for it.
M Jul 20th 2009 9:01AM
"From my understanding the story of the Argent Tournament is new, so of course it's not going to be amazing right off the bat...what is?"
The thing is ... There's SO much under-developed lore in the game already that they don't need to create something new. Especially something that's struggling to find a connection like the tournament. If they did create something new, it better be mind-bogglingly amazing (unlike the tournament). A MUCH better alternative to the tournament would have been to expand on the Nerubians and Azjol-Nerub, and to use that to tie 3.1 into 3.3 and Arthas/Icecrown. Or perhaps even begin to tie into the next expansion. Blizzard missed an amazing opportunity.
The idea of a PvE arena/tournament is a great one. I have also been among proponents of such an encounter. But for a whole tier of raiding to be structured around it, is really weak.
The idea that the Argent Crusade needs to challenge people to see who is fit to battle Arthas is a bit of a stretch. I mean, in game, the Crusade is telling the people who killed the old god who was corrupting Northrend, who defeated the five watchers left by the titans, and who defeated the very messenger of the titans that "oh, I'm not sure you're ready to fight Arthas. Here, poke each other with sticks on horses for a bit because that will determine whether you're good enough or not".
*sigh*
It's great that people enjoy the tournament. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. On its own, I probably might have liked it as well. It's just that Blizzard really did mess up an amazing opportunity to really build up the story leading to Arthas, and instead tried to rip off Monty Python and Knights of Camelot. And the changes with the patch are going to drive Ulduar into obsolescence as soon as it drops.
Jon Do Jul 20th 2009 10:35AM
I'll admit that I'm no fan of 'vehicle combat'; I'd prefer to play my character class. However, I've given it a chance on two separate toons and have been running the AT drill for weeks now.
My main beef with the AT is that it is buggy. I didn't notice so much at first, when you repeat something every day you start to notice.
About every other day my opposing jouster will suddenly go green (friendly) in mid-fight and despawn for no reason, leaving me to start again. Sometimes I won't leave combat after a win, so if my life is low I have to dismount and start with a new mount. Frequently my bar will highlight shieldbreaker or charge, but when I press it I get a 'too close' message. And of course there are the enemy jousters who occasionally rage (or something) at being repeatedly beaten and gain the ability to shieldbreaker and charge without cooldowns at almost zero range (sometimes taking out three shields in less than a second).
I guess that with a standard 5-button interface in a controlled environment I would have thought they could get it right.
Kylenne Jul 20th 2009 10:40AM
Honestly, I love the AT and have zero issues with it lorewise. It makes perfect sense considering the context of what's happened so far, and it's pretty damn smart of the Argents. I think the people who insist QQing about it not fitting just don't understand the point of it and it gives them something convenient to complain about. That or they suck at jousting.
Amapele Jul 20th 2009 10:47AM
@M
Fair enough. As of right now I am more of a PVPer and haven't stepped foot into the bigger instances like Ulduar so I understand that I'm missing out on some amazing gameplay. Perhaps that's why I find AT so amazing, haha.
@Jon Do
I completely agree with you about the mount quests being buggy. Nothing infuriates me more than when I have a champion down to 4% life and they step a centimeter outside of the ring and I get a, "Seems you need more practice, better luck next time" message. What?! Same thing with shield breaker and charge. If I'm too close to them to do those things, shouldn't they be also? I also have beef with Battle Before Citadel in that those damn scouts respawn at a .1 second rate. That quest isn't difficult to do solo but it'd sure be a lot easier if those things stayed dead for 30 seconds longer.
So anyway...still loving that tournament! haha