WRUP: Playing favorites
by Alex Ziebart 
Aug 21st 2010 at 2:00PM
It's another weekend at the WoW.com office, which just means more time with the Cataclysm beta for most of us. A good blogger never sleeps*, so even in our downtime, we're thinking about what you guys might want to see next. With that in mind, WRUP's bonus question this week: For those of you in the Cataclysm beta, what's your favorite revamped old world zone so far?
Adam Holisky (@adamholisky): This weekend, I'll be cleaning the apartment and throwing out lots of crap as I prepare for an eventual move. My favorite revamped zone is by far Mount Hyjal. I mean, the old one was kind of bland ...
Alex Ziebart (@alexziebart): My office really needs a good cleaning, so I'll be doing that. If there's any time left in my weekend after that, it's going to be more of the Cataclysm beta. My favorite revamped zone is Silverpine Forest by far, even though it upsets me that only the Horde gets to see the story there. The Alliance should get to see that story play out, too.
Allison Robert (@AllisonRobert): I'm going to try to get more experience tanking and healing for 5-man runs on the beta so I can write a post or two on what people can expect there. I'm still at a loss to explain why almost all of my video footage is upside down, though. Any work on cat DPS has been postponed indefinitely until the feral damage and/or scrolling combat text bugs get fixed. Favorite revamped Cataclysm zone so far is a tough call, but I will say the biggest shock was probably Thousand Needles.
Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey): Hopefully raiding on Sunday if the server behaves -- we're working on getting everyone Icebound Frostbrood Vanquishers, aka rideable Chillmaws. Other than that, it's just a mad scramble of writing as usual. As for the new zones ... I really love what they did to Azshara, but Eastern Plaguelands is a close second -- the way that they revamped EP makes it a lot easier to navigate. It's really fun now.
Amy Schley (@wowlawbringer): I'll be playing around on my new 4/12 ICC-10 and -25 resto shaman. I never knew raiding could be so dang fun! As I'm not in the beta, I just note one of my favorite zones in Nagrand, as it reminds me quite strongly of my current home state of Kansas. Except in Kansas, the cows don't talk. Unless you've been out in the sun way too long.
Brian Wood (@frostheimwhu):I'm working on a new hunter song and collecting some of the pretty new Cataclysm pets. The best zone in Cataclysm is unquestionably Ironforge. It's pretty much the same, because it's just hard to improve upon dwarven perfection.
Basil Berntsen (@outdps): I'll be preparing for my trip to Dallas and going to family dinners that will prevent me from podcasting.
Chase Christian (@madsushi): I'll be poking around in EVE some, getting schooled by Robin on Words With Friends, praying for Shadowfrost shards to drop for my guildmates while leading an ICC-25, and testing out subtlety rogues on the beta. My favorite revamped zone would have to be Orgrimmar; they've really breathed some new life into the city.
Daniel Whitcomb (@danielwhitcomb): I move next weekend, so I will probably be frantically cleaning and packing most of the time, though I do want to slip onto beta to get through the rest of the Vashj'ir zone and maybe do a bit more leveling on my goblin hunter. Speaking of which, my favorite changed zone so far has got to be Silverpine Forest, but it's sort of a love-hate thing. The atmosphere is amazing, the story is shocking, compelling and visceral, and the quests are varied with a lot of fun mechanics ... But I am pissed off that worgen players don't get to see the next part of their own damn racial storyline. Screw riding the night elves' coattails in Kalimdor; we should be in Silverpine fighting the Forsaken alongside Crowley.
Dawn Moore (@dawnwow): Writing, podcast and working on my UI. I'm trying to design a new UI that'll work for me in Cataclysm.
Gregg Reece: I'm going to run the dungeon finder on the beta until I go blind this weekend, if real life permits. As for my revamped old world zone of choice, I think from looks, I like Thousand Needles. Becoming an inland archipelago is interesting, although I haven't played anything with it yet.
Joe Perez (@Lodurzj): Beta, writing, video editing and preparing for the podcast recording Monday. Also getting ready to transform For The Lore into a much bigger project, so the crew there is all hard at work this weekend. It will be a busy weekend for sure. As far as my favorite re-worked old zone, I really like Western Plaguelands, Darkshore and Ashenvale. I like the big changes that are sweeping the world. It feels fresh and new again.
Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra): Working like a mad cow, as usual. Playing the crap out of Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, and I doubt there's time for much else. My favorite and ... not-favorite revamped zone for Cataclysm is The Barrens. The first time I flew over it, I nearly cried. It's cool to see it change, and there's so much to do, but ... there's also a lot of sadness.
Matt Low (@matticus): Beta, beta, beta, beta. Or something. I really want to get into some more of these instances, but I'm being thwarted. Otherwise, I'll just continue leveling out the rest of the way. Favorite zone: Probably The Barrens. It's gone from wasteland to oasis in more ways than one. Oh yeah, and nice to see some Alliance presence there as well! That's what I'm talking about! (And who says we're all Horde-biased?)
Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo): Scott Pilgrim this weekend, writing and job hunting. I think I might also work on a theme song for the podcast. My favorite revamped zone in Cataclysm so far is either Silverpine, Western Plaguelands or Southern Barrens. I love the changing world, and these zones show off the change incredibly well.
Michael Sacco (@mikesacco): Playing Might and Magic: Clash of Heroes, which you should play too. Redridge.
Rich Maloy (@stoneybaby): I'm off to DC this weekend for a siblings + significant others weekend. Looking forward to spending some quality time with both the girlfriend and the family. I'll be back on Sunday in time for a heroic Halion-25 kill (hopefully).
Robin Torres (@cosmiclaurel): Silverpine Forest! It's what I'm doing this weekend as well as my favorite revamped old world zone in Cataclysm. The quests! The lore! The fun! The action! I'm going to start another Forsaken character just to run her through again.
Zach Yonzon (@Battlemasters): If you're in the beta -- why would you be playing anything else? And I'll have to go with Chase on this one ... Orgrimmar is just too badass right now.
*Please send help. We're so tired ...
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Iirdan Aug 21st 2010 2:23PM
"Basil Berntsen (@outdps): I'll be preparing for my trip to Dallas and going to family dinners that will prevent me from podcasting."
Oh no! Does this mean no Hunting Party?
Iirdan Aug 21st 2010 2:27PM
Oh, and my favorite revamped zone is undoubtedly Durotar. The Echo Isles is absolutely amazing (Zuni! Noooo!) and the new Southfury Watershed area is excellently designed.
sccorp.sc Aug 21st 2010 2:50PM
As a student and a business man in Dallas, I welcome you to our city! If you get a chance, if you're in uptown, you should definitely check out Nick & Sam's Bar and Grill, the Palamino Bar & Grill at the Crescent, and the Tower Club at the Thangsgiving Tower.
Typically you need to be a member to access the Tower Club, but if you just tell them your just in Dallas for business anyways they should let you to the bar--drink's and the best view in the city. Must be in a suit and tie to access the elevator on the ground floor.
Adremelek Aug 21st 2010 2:23PM
I'm really excited to quest in the new silverpine, except for the whole spider dangling from the cave ceiling thing that was explained in the queue yesterday. I do not like spiders. I couldn't look at the screen while I was killing that giant one in Terrokar. I nearly died :)
mayhemevolved Aug 21st 2010 2:43PM
You should watch the video of the stream from Wednesday. Robin had a little run in with that hanging spider. Good times.
Kittens Aug 21st 2010 2:55PM
And they're not being nice to great white shark-phobiacs like me either. They even put a freaking huge one in Redridge! Redridge, it doesn't even have a sea!!
That being said, Redridge would have been my favorite zone if I hadn't been visiting Silverpine Forest as well. Silverpine is simply.. the king of all zones.
/bow
/kisses Silverpine's feet
Alison Cousland Aug 21st 2010 2:24PM
I like Darkshore the best but it's sad that it's changing. I mean, I was like ':D YES" First time round now I'm like "I'm gonna miss ya buddy :(".
Helasmoth Aug 21st 2010 2:25PM
I'm not in the Beta, but my favorite zone has to be Eversong Woods and the Ghostlands. They way the Belf starting area was designed was really awesome and I love the quests.
I will be working on alts. Bet a friend I can get a brand new pally to 80 before they can hit hit 80 on their 70 Druid. So far I'm winning.
I will also be raiding LK 10M with the guild going for 12/12 on normal. Those cursed defiles!
Teron Aug 21st 2010 2:30PM
I just want to salute another Shin Megami Tensei player, more people need to play that series.
Also, the zone I'm most looking forward to, and dreading is Silverpine forest. I've leveled at least two, maybe three alts through there, so it'll be sad to see it change. Do the sons of Arugal still occasionally run around out there in beta?
And completely off topic, since they're removing the wrathgate event from cataclysm, are there any other changes in Northrend/outlands in beta?
Donhorn Aug 21st 2010 4:27PM
Currently Outlands and Northrend are exactly the same, and from what I hear there are really no plans to change much if anything with them besides ending the Wrathgate event at the cutscene instead of in Undercity.
Cadychan Aug 21st 2010 5:06PM
I salute you back, my friend! I have played, if not own, every SMT for the PS2 and DS (except for Nocturne...it was my roommates.' Need to get my own copy).
If you get a chance, Strange Journey for the DS is just...mind-blowingly awesome.
Carry on, friend! Hee-ho!
Petrie Aug 21st 2010 3:38PM
My favorite zone in the Cataclysm Beta is that one place where they did all that stuff to and there's all this new stuff in there. Yeah, i love that place
zappit Aug 21st 2010 4:08PM
I'm going to fly around in the beta with super fast bugged crusader aura =)
Donhorn Aug 21st 2010 4:23PM
I'm going to lament the (hopefully temporary) loss of my lovely Goblin Rogue and probably work more on my Worgen Druid now that a broken quest is fixed.
Donhorn Aug 21st 2010 4:24PM
As for favorite zone I have to say it's my old least favorite of all time Azshara. Holy Tauren did they make that place like a gazillion times better! Goblins FTW!
Oni Stardust Aug 21st 2010 4:40PM
I've been playing with my lowbie Warrior Tank and enjoying it, so I think I'll be spending all my free time this weekend hitting up the dungeon finder with her. Although I might switch over to my main long enough to get enough badges and stone keepers shards for a couple plate heirlooms and maybe a Battleworn Thrash Blade.