The Queue: Still wishing for weather
by Alex Ziebart 
Nov 24th 2009 at 3:00PM
Please, everyone. We're begging you. Stop asking us Cataclysm questions that we'll need a time machine to answer. We're not in any betas, and if some of us were magically in an alpha, we probably couldn't tell you. We don't know what will happen to your favorite NPC when the world explodes. We don't know how much Loremaster will change. We don't know if Ragnaros procreates with Maiev Shadowsong. We don't know if Deathwing has enslaved a herd of unicorns.
Mr Shinra asked...
"Where are all battlegrounds supposedly located on the world map? I figure if come cataclysm we have the entire (old) world available for flight then perhaps we might by able to see the (empty/placeholder) battleground locations by flying over? I know the BGs are seperate instances much like a dungeon is, but it would still be kind of cool to be flying from, say Mount Hyjal to Orgimmar and passing over Warsong Gulch."
I can say with almost absolute certainty that we won't see these battlegrounds physically on the world map. There's simply no room for them. Unless I'm completely misunderstanding how Cataclysm is going to work, Blizzard isn't making a new world map. They're revamping the old one. They're prettying things up, filling in the gaps, and opening up the areas that were previously closed off. They're not stretching the map out or anything like that. There's no room between the Barrens and Ashenvale to stick Warsong Gulch. There's no room in Alterac to plug in the Valley.
If they were on the map, they would be in the filling places:
- Arathi Basin - Arathi Highlands
- Warsong Gulch - Southern Ashenvale
- Alterac Valley - Alterac Mountains
- Eye of the Storm - Netherstorm
- Strand of the Ancients - Off the coast of Northrend
- Isle of Conquest - Off another coast of Northrend
Condor asked...
"I read that there will be 5 attempts per boss in Icecrown at first. Does that mean 5 attempts total for all the bosses or just for the "end boss" of that wing? Using Naxx as an example for this system, does that mean, say, there are unlimited attempts on Patchwerk, Grobbulus and Gluth but then only 5 attempts on Thaddius?"
I'm going to caveat this answer again with "unless I'm horribly mistaken." My understanding is that only the end bosses of wings will gobble up attempts. You can wipe all you want on Patchwerk, but you better watch your step on Thaddius. The only bosses limited by attempts are Professor Putricide, Blood-Queen Lana'thel, Sindragosa and the Lich King himself.
Frank asked...
"Whatever happened to the weather in Azeroth? We used to get rain and now nada. Were the storms removed at some point?
I can't remember the last time I saw it raining."
I really miss weather in WoW. They left it in the old world, but only used it in Zangarmarsh in Outland and completely abandoned it in Northrend. I find it terribly sad, because I loved the somewhat random weather. One of my fondest raiding memories is actually from Zul'Gurub. We were fighting our way to Hakkar, and suddenly a wicked downpour rolled in. It got dark and wet, just like that. It added a lot of atmosphere and I miss it. Rain in Stranglethorn is possibly one of the prettiest things in game.
The lack of it in BC and Wrath leads me to believe they're just done with it. Who knows if we'll ever see it again.
Wilt Chamberlain said...
"I don't like you."
Man, I never knew the Big Dipper was such a hater. Why you gotta be like that, man?
Drak asked...
"How do Ogres reproduce?
I'll keep asking till it gets answered."
And I will keep ignoring it until you take a sex ed. class.
Ratskinmahoney asked...
"Does anyone know if heirlooms are going to continue to scale to 85 when Cataclysm comes? I'm assuming they will, and I'm wondering if it will be worth dropping my shoulders and chest in favour of the +20% exp until I hit 85."
They currently do not plan for current heirloom items to last through level 85. They'll only function up to level 80. At level 85, we'll probably have a whole new set of heirlooms we can pick up.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW.com 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: Analysis / Opinion, The Queue, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Meadow Nov 24th 2009 3:06PM
I miss weather too! I wish we could like vote to bring it back or something. It really made the world more realistic and added a lot to the zone. I go back to Ashenvale sometimes just to watch the rain fall on the lakes there.
talkaboom Nov 24th 2009 3:09PM
Depends on the where you are really. While rain in STV looked great, I once found a blizzard in EPL. It was out of character and ruined the already poor visibility. Now I just keep weather effects turned all the way down. After all there is nothing to see.
norcallights Nov 24th 2009 3:14PM
There is some weather still in the WotLK areas... it snows in some parts of Storm Peaks, and sometimes it rains in CoS. But I miss the zone-wide random weather events. I remember when I caught it raining for the first time when I was leveling my first toon. It took my breath away.
Also seems like the difference between day and night is less than it was in the old world... but maybe I'm imagining that.
machoflaco Nov 24th 2009 3:18PM
Ya, it was such a great effect!
GDkitty Nov 24th 2009 3:21PM
I dont really notice the night either around northrend, some places like icecrown and storm peaks the sky always sorta looks dark.
Only place i do notice it, is in Dal, the sky does get dark up above, and the little gnome guy walks around lighting all the lamp posts :D
Frank Nov 24th 2009 3:48PM
@norcallights - YES, exactly the reason i asked the original question (thanks for answering it, WI!). when i was first leveling, suddenly it started raining, and it blew my mind. for the first month or so, i was expecting the seasons to roll around, too (trees change color, lose leaves, snow fall, etc.) but it never happened. i still wish they would implement that. now that computers are more powerful, maybe they could. /crossing fingers!
zerokiwi Nov 24th 2009 3:53PM
I always found it odd that it "sometimes" rains in CoS.
Isn't that the same day in the past every time?
Why would it be raining sometimes and not raining sometimes in the same exact day and time?
Hoggersbud Nov 24th 2009 4:08PM
I was just in Menethil Harbor the other day and it was pouring, like a real drencher.
Man, that just felt....spectacular. Even though it had no effect on the game, it meant nothing, it was just something evocative.
And then I went to Northrend.
Krof Nov 24th 2009 4:32PM
I totally agree. I absolutely love the weather in Azeroth and I really do miss it in Outland/Northrend. I can agree that the weather might be a bit misplaced in Outland since it's in another galaxy or something, but why is there no weather in Northrend? Makes no sense... It adds sooo much in terms of atmosphere.
Whenever I'm in an old zone and I discover it's raining, I usually linger a bit and start fishing, I just can't get over how awesome it looks and feels.
And as someone else noted, the night/day difference is really noticeable in Kalimdor/Eastern Kingdoms. Try going to Tanaris during the day and then again at night, the difference is astounding.
vazhkatsi Nov 24th 2009 4:39PM
@zerowiki you know how if a butterfly flaps its wings in northrend, a hurrican happens in STV? well its the same basic idea. if you come in with a group without a warlock and it doesn't rain, the glabal situation is different from if you were to come with a warlock. subtle difference, and yet it affects the whole environment, sometimes causing rain.
kooda Nov 24th 2009 4:42PM
I was walking round Dalaran flew to Icecrown and didn't notice it was night until i ended up in Sholazaar, weather added to the night time effect too STV + night + rain = awesome
MeanGreen Nov 24th 2009 4:51PM
I've posted about this on the forums asking for a console command to activate weather effects(since they are purely cosmetic) but sadly, I'm afraid not many people liked the idea :'[
Blackhorn Nov 24th 2009 5:13PM
Anything you ask on the forums will just get stamped out like an ember.
I love the weather effects too.
I don't miss the day/night thing though. I mean, if you're a player with a set timetable, it really sucks to be playing "in the dark" for months at a time.
They should do what most games do and have an accelerated day/night cycle.
Gorgondor Nov 24th 2009 5:16PM
I wish they would add more weather to the game too, it really does bring a much fuller atmosphere. Here's the patch note from 1.10 which came out about a week before I started playing, I remember reading the notes and thinking, 'sweet, there's more to come' but it never did.
"Weather!
Weather has been introduced in the following areas around Azeroth:
Elwynn Forest
Tirisfal Glades
Dun Morogh
Darkshore
Alterac Mountains
Stranglethorn Vale
Feralas
Un'Goro Crater
Tanaris
Winterspring
Ahn'Qiraj
We will be adding more weather to the world as time progresses; this is simply the beginning!"
Melvyl Nov 24th 2009 5:25PM
During Hallow's End, I was riding in Dustwallow Marsh in a driving rain. I passed by Shady Rest Inn into the Barrens and bright sunshine. It actually made the transition seem that much more interesting.
Styvorama Nov 24th 2009 5:50PM
@zerokiwi
Alternate dimensions? Maybe we can pass through time, but caused a rift and splintered the past? I mean if you think about it, we are going back in time and messing with the past... not standard time travel protocol.
What if you did CoS one day and upon leaving found yourself on another realm? Or on the opposite faction?
Boom goes your mind!
Kerberos Nov 24th 2009 5:59PM
"....Also seems like the difference between day and night is less than it was in the old world... but maybe I'm imagining that."
The first 9 months to a year of the game it would actually get real dark out at night (don't remember when it actually changed, maybe around 1.10 when the rain and snow started). Now there is almost no difference.
ciross Nov 24th 2009 6:21PM
There is weather in icecrown in 3.3, at least the build I played around in a month or so ago. There was a heavy snowstorm around the tournament grounds, I was pleasantly surprised.
Sl0th Nov 24th 2009 6:45PM
It rains sporadically during the Culling of Stratholme because they're recreating the WC3 map. The WC3 map is rather rain-drenched when you play it, so they're keeping it as close to that as they can, I suppose.
I have seen it snow in Zul'drak and Stormpeaks occasionally. Other than that, Azeroth has a rather odd climate. I'd love to see weather and even seasons in WoW.
Brandon Nov 25th 2009 10:57AM
Yes Blizzard, please bring back more prominent weather effects!