Breakfast Topic: Your favorite news from the Twitter dev chat
by Michael Sacco 
Feb 27th 2010 at 8:00AM
We found out a few choice tidbits about Cataclysm, including what's going on with the Blasted Lands revamp, the possibility of more old-world heroics like Shadowfang Keep and Deadmines, and the state of the Plaguelands after Arthas' defeat. How Tol Barad will (and won't) be like Wintergrasp also came up.
We also learned a bit about Wrath's design philosophy, including what Blizzard liked about Wrath (questing), what they didn't like (limited attempts on bosses), and what's sticking around for Cataclysm (Dungeon Finder).
And that stuff's only the tip of the iceberg. What was in the Q&A that spoke to you personally? What are you excited about now that some of these questions have been answered?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
explosion987 Feb 27th 2010 8:04AM
I like the fact that they are going to focus on the Battlegrounds a bit more in Cataclysm.
Izaach Feb 27th 2010 4:56PM
As much as I like BGs, the return of pure Alliance vs. Horde warfare on 4.0 begs for more info on the mechanics of world PvP. Raiding the cities of opposing factions with flying mounts sounds pretty epic, but will there be any limitations?
Clydtsdk-Rivendare Feb 27th 2010 8:04AM
New Caverns of Time instance. Sure, it was already pretty obvious given we've gotten a new one(s) each xpack, but confirmation is great.
The Tainted Scar. Does the place even have a purpose right now? I'm sure it must have had some obscure quest chain in Vanilla...
Clydtsdk-Rivendare Feb 27th 2010 8:05AM
Ohh, Kazzak. Nvm.
Sargenus Feb 27th 2010 8:09AM
It's majorly where Warlocks start the Ritual of Doom chain, and the mobs also drop the Eye of Shadow, used for a Priest quest to obtain Benediction/Anathema. As well, this is where Lord Kazzak/Lord Kruul(Level 60 World Boss(es)) spawn(ed). Obviously Lord Kazzak became Doom Lord Kazzak and moved to Hellfire, and Lord Kruul hasn't been in-game since TBC.
(cutaia) Feb 27th 2010 11:02AM
There's also a chapter of Draconic for Dummies that drops from the elites there for the Shifting Sands questline.
Ozmodius Feb 27th 2010 8:05AM
My personal favorite news is that they are sticking with the plans they laid out during Blizzcon that Warlock Soul Shards would become part of the UI and would no longer be a physical item.
MORE BAG SPACE FTW!
Swifteye Feb 27th 2010 8:08AM
We need heroic Wailing Caverns, dangit.
Pretty much all Alliance do Deadmines as their first major one (even the Nelves and Draenei from Kalimdor, since their starting zones are in the middle of BFE)... I'm assuming they're calling SFK the Horde counterpart but, really, that's mostly an Undead thing. The vast majority of Orcs, Trolls and Tauren have their first "real" taste of an instance with Wailing Caverns (RFC is too short for a heroic, and really, a lot of us skip it anyway).
If they're going for nostalgia value (which choosing Deadmines and SFK would certainly indicate), heroic WC would be the way to go!
Merusdraconis Feb 27th 2010 8:18AM
The problem with that is that Wailing Caverns is a terrible instance. It's three times as long as it needs to be. Go solo it sometime - it truly is far too big.
MazokuRanma Feb 27th 2010 8:47AM
It's true that WC is rather poorly designed right now, but they're redoing a ton of old world content. It seems to me that they could both make a heroic version of WC while at the same time improving (read: streamlining) the instance overall.
Swifteye Feb 27th 2010 9:22AM
I *have* solo'd it. I love soloing it, actually; I've sold more Gloves of the Fang than I can remember and it's a great money-maker!
I dunno, I guess I'm in the minority but I think the "sprawling" factor is part of its charm! If nothing else, it's hard to imagine all those raptors being crammed into tiny halls with no room to run.
I think we've just been spoiled by mounts, to be honest. There *is* a lot of running in WC and it feels kinda slow when you're used to riding everywhere, but it still doesn't take all that relatively long, and it gives you a chance to take in the scenery! But, I'm very sentimental... I can see why people might think it's too long; I just never really thought about it because that particular aspect of the instance has never bothered me in particular. ^_^;;
Noah Feb 27th 2010 9:25AM
I think they're making heroic Shadowfang Keep somewhat for lore reasons (worgen and whatnot).
dkhar Feb 27th 2010 11:55AM
It's actually the opposite, many horde do RFC and skip WC. WC was fine back in vanilla, but once people found out how long it was, and add in the fact that no matter how many times you do it you can still get lost in that dam place, just about every horde skips it now while leveling, and dreads it when it comes up in the Dungeon Finder. I ran that place so many times for various reasons(taking alts through, LW mats, 'of the Fang' set pieces), for the way blizz is trying to streamline everything, it really is very outdated now.
Gumbolaya Feb 27th 2010 1:00PM
The Barrens gets cracked in half, but I'm sure all those caves underneath make it through the cataclysm just fine
Shelle Feb 27th 2010 3:18PM
Well, part of the incoming cataclysm descriptions say that part of the barrens have become lush again because of the druid's successful efforts. Since WC is headquarters for druid efforts in the barrens, that seems to suggest big changes in the instance itself...
On a somewhat related note, WC is yet another example of people going underground and subsequently going crazy. Naralex took up residency underground in the caverns, connected to the dream, and began having nightmares that affected the minds of his druid followers. Emerald dream-old god connection?
Check out this article. Most mind blowing loregasm ever about the old gods, emerald dream, and dragonflight connections: http://greyshades.wordpress.com/2010/01/11/cataclysm-or-catalyst-speculation-on-the-future-of-azeroth/
Bryan Dare Feb 27th 2010 11:46PM
Wow, this is funny timing. I just soloed WC on my rogue last night.
I agree both that its size is part of its charm and that it's annoying to slog through.
Having Wowhead up with a map with bosses marked is REALLY helpful. =)
I think if we could just mount up in there it'd be fine.
Oh, and one shouldn't have to go back to the start of the instance to get what's-his-face; he should just appear in the final boss chamber. At least that's how I feel on the matter.
thyco1 Feb 27th 2010 8:31AM
im happy about recieving the first bit of new alliance info since we were told that SS was not conquered by the horde, but was taken out tidal waves.
The info about the worgen having a base in the currently called tainted scar is very good news, although blasted lands was already alliance controlled. And then the new that WPL could be a lot less depressing, not saying the zone currently sucks as i love WPL and EPL as they are at the moment but in an RP kinda way. FInally the confirmation that the shimmering flats is now i guess...the shimmering lake?
Heres hoping that this comming week we get a few updates on the cata site like the female worgen and all the other screenies they said they should put up
Blayze Feb 27th 2010 8:19AM
*Still* no word on the old factions, and a handwaved answer of "lol badge of honour" to the question of "Why do the WSG and AB rep grinds suck so badly?"
I am disappoint.
MazokuRanma Feb 27th 2010 8:43AM
What do you want to know about the old factions? They're laughably easy to get to exalted now, if that's what you mean. Between easy cloth turn-ins and, more importantly, the tokens they added with the Argent Tournament, the old factions take little to no effort to max out. Will they still take some time investment? Yes, but they should. There are achievements associated with them, it shouldn't be something you're handed at level 1. Hell, if you start a new character these days, you can have more rep with your off-factions by 80 than vanilla toons could get with their main factions by 60. They removed diminishing returns on reputation gains, they added low level quest tracking to help people find quests they missed (This was done both to help with Loremaster as well as reputation gain), and they've added special reputation tokens with the Argent Tournament. What more do you want on old factions?
Regarding AB and WSG rep... who cares? They're right, sure it takes a long time, but they're useless factions, only good for adding to the Exalted achievement at this point, and some BG specific achievements. Since they're -achievements-, it's right they take some level of effort to obtain. I've been playing since vanilla and am currently only Revered with both, but I'm fine with that. If I really want them I'll put in the time, but the fact that they're hard to get is fine since they provide no tangible benefits anyway. They're legacy reputations that serve to show someone has a great deal of experience in those BGs. I see no reason they should make obtaining Exalted with them easier.
Henrah Feb 27th 2010 10:05AM
@MazokuRanma
I think you totally misunderstood what Blayze was saying.
This may be a strange concept to you, but there is more old world factions than just the city factions.
What is going to happen to reputations such as The Thorium Brotherhood? The Argent Dawn? Timbermaw Hold?
We have yet to have any news on how the old world revamp will damage, or even destroy, old world factions.
I believe that is what Blayze was saying.