The Queue: Getting ready for heroics edition
by Mathew McCurley 
Sep 22nd 2010 at 2:00PM
Hey, I'm back! Blame Alex. Yesterday, heroics opened up for testing in the Cataclysm beta. Tonight, the epic quest to get absolutely destroyed by these dungeons begins! Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday! Come one, come all. Witness the horrors, trials and tribulations of stalwart souls! The slaughter in the Stonecore! The battle in the Blackrock Caverns! Throne of the DIES ... The quite literal Deadmines! Hellish Halls of Origination. A truly Grim Batol! Uh... Vortex Pinna...culling? What do you want from me? It's early.
Enough of that. Let's get on with some questions.
There are some Cataclysm spoilers in a couple of The Queue questions this week, so be wary if you're avoiding that sort of thing.
snowleopard233 asked:
Will we ever see an automatic group finder for raids like we have for heroics? I know raiding with guilds is ideal, but sometimes I just really need to find a tank for the 10-man weekly without having to spam the general chat for an hour.
Personally, I don't think that I would want to see this. Dungeons and heroics make sense -- the maximum amount of time you're spending with a pickup group is an hour, tops. Raids have so many varying levels of difficulty, along with a much stricter lockout period, that one random gone wrong could lock you out for a week, as opposed to just getting locked out of a dungeon for a day. Raids are meant for something different than the dungeons and are therefore treated differently.
Aracross asked:
Why is Garrus in the background of the web?
Garrus has been doing the calibrations for the URL changeover. Give him some time. He's got a lot on his plate.
woshiernog asked:
People are too concerned with the wrong dates. The real question is when the Cataclysm trailer is coming out. So when is it coming out?
Amen, brother. I cannot wait to see what trailer they pull out for Cataclysm. We've had the contemplative villain trailer, so I'm guessing we won't get something as melodramatic as Wrath's cinematic. Expect some action. My guess is that we'll see it at BlizzCon or at the end of September.
Also, this question forced me to go back and watch all of the cinematic openings for World of Warcraft and the expansions, and I am impressed every time. The Cataclysm trailer cannot come soon enough.
JR asked:
The draenei starting area takes place right after the Exodar crashed, and the Forsaken starting area takes place as Sylvanas is freeing undead from the Lich King's control. Have these two areas been revamped in Cata? Are they still set in the past?
I just popped onto beta for a few minutes and made a draenei, and I did not see anything different, except the new voice-over introduction. The undead, however, are a different story entirely. Spoilers ahead.
Previously, you would awake as a newly broken free undead, finally slipping free of the Lich King's hold. Now, things have changed. As a fresh undead, you awaken in a shallow grave, newly risen in undeath by Sylvanas' val'kyr. You are told that you are not a slave to Sylvanas, but if you choose to follow her, things will be pretty great. Then, you are instructed to help newly risen undead out of its shock and stupor from being risen. Suffice it to say, this is a very, very interesting new beginning for Forsaken players.
daae asked:
Will death knights always start at level 55? It would be cool if they changed it to level 1 so you can see all the new Cataclysm content as a DK. I guess there is some lore reason they start at 55.
I am pretty sure death knights will always begin at level 55, because that is how their entire unique opening has been developed. They are still technically a "hero" class, and I wouldn't be surprised if that's the type of class additions we get from here on out.
Starting at level 55 is pretty much the reward for playing a hero class. You've already seen the early levels, presumably, on another character in order to unlock your death knight slot -- so congratulations, you don't have to do it again. Cataclysm fixes this to a large extent, with different leveling paths for characters.
Have questions about the World of Warcraft? The WoW Insider 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: The Queue
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
potatoboy Sep 22nd 2010 2:07PM
I posted this before, but as we get nearer I was just discussing with someone getting started in Cataclysm. It ended up being over 100 dollars for a battle Chest, WoTLK and Cataclysm.
How likely is it that we will see a World of Warcraft: The Azeroth Collection ala FFXI?
With Cataclysm on the horizon, it's going to be really tough for me to convince someone that hasn't played that they should invest about $120 into the game to play a Goblin or Worgen. Obviously It'd be in Blizzards best interest if they keep that cat in the bag as soon as possible to avoid delaying anyone's immediate purchase, but with Wrath shaping up to be the only expansion that doesn't have an immediate Beginner impact how will things pan out?
Newb: "Good day Shop-keep! I would like one of your finest World of Warcrafts."
Unmotivated Dept Store Goon: "Computer nerd stuff is in Aisle 7."
N: (Fumbles through boxes, buys the one that says World of Warcraft. Installs.)
N: "Wait... I can't play Blood Elves, Draenei, Goblins or Worgen unless I spend another $100 bucks?!"
-or-
Newb: "Good day Shop-keep! I would like one of your finest World of Warcrafts."
Know-it-all Gaming Store Goon: "A fine choice! Here is your Battle Chest, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, and might I suggest a 60 day game card?" (Rings up items) "That will be $150."
N: "Uhh... how much is Hello Kitty: Big City Dreams"
-or-
Newb: "Good day Shop-keep! I would like one of your finest World of Warcrafts."
Somewhere in-between Electronics Software Department Goon: "Oh we just got World of Warcraft: Cataclysm Catch Up Edition, It has everything you need for only 60 bucks. You can't get the $40 one if you don't already have the game."
N: "Time to go get pwnt!" (Skips merrily out of the store, preparing to roll on your server and ask you how to mine fish."
Kunikenwad! Sep 22nd 2010 2:13PM
"Mining fish is broken, please nerf. Skinning plants is working just as intended.
Signed,
Transmuting Glyphs"
Good points! They will offer a Battle Chest, but it probably won't be until the Cataclysm rush is over. I'd expect to see a Vanilla-TBC-WotLK battle chest in a year or so, then you'd have to purchase Cata separately. Market forces dictate that they don't have to cut costs ... if you don't have to drop prices, then why do it, right?
/willingly feeding at the teat of Blizzard ... and loving every second of it!
Jack Spicer Sep 22nd 2010 2:23PM
From my point of view, at this point BC should not be sold as a separate retail product, it should just come free with purchase of regular WoW.
tulipblossom Sep 22nd 2010 2:30PM
Every time I read "Good day Shop-keep! I would like one of your finest World of Warcrafts," I laugh so much. Not only do I wish people more often greeted one another with "good day," but I would find it endlessly adorable if they referred to a clerk as a shop-keep. And, "one of your finest World of Warcrafts" could not make me smile any more than it already does. What a great pick me up this comment was, lol.
Feldring Sep 22nd 2010 2:38PM
Let's just hope they don't run out. Continuing potatoboy's clever scenario with a twist on an old favorite...
Sales Clerk: "Ohhhhh!"
Customer: "...what now?"
Sales Clerk: "The cat's eaten it."
Customer: "This isn't really much of a game shop, is it?"
Sales Clerk: "Finest in the district, sir!"
Customer: "And how do you come to that conclusion?"
Sales Clerk: "Why, it's so clean!"
Customer: "It is certainly uncontaminated by Warcraft."
Mutak Sep 22nd 2010 2:47PM
IMO they should stop selling all the old expansions entirely and just sell the whole game in this expansion. With the revamp of the old world and the leveling process, this is the perfect time for a reset. The investment required in the base game + 3 expansions is keeping out more people than it's drawing in at this point.
Hell - i'd probably pick up 2 copies of Cataclysm if they did that, just to play around with dual-boxing.
Hank Sep 22nd 2010 2:54PM
When I rerolled I spent $20 on a the battle chest that included Vanilla and BC. The standard version of Wrath was $40...I'd assume they would make a battlechest that included Wrath and BC for $30.
Kunikenwad! Sep 22nd 2010 2:59PM
Well, we're not going to do shop-keep parodies without this one! I love Monty Python.
A customer enters a game shop.
Mr. Noob: 'Ello, I wish to register a complaint.
(The owner does not respond.)
Mr. Noob: 'Ello, Miss?
Owner: What do you mean "miss"?
Mr. Noob: I'm sorry, I have a cold. I wish to make a complaint!
Owner: We're closin' for lunch.
Mr. Noob: Never mind that, my lad. I wish to complain about this World of Warcraft what I purchased not half an hour ago from this very boutique.
Owner: Oh yes, the, uh, the Cataclysm...What's,uh...What's wrong with it?
Mr. Noob: I'll tell you what's wrong with it, my lad. 'E's dead, that's what's wrong with it!
Owner: No, no, 'e's uh,...he's resting.
Mr. Noob: Look, matey, I know a dead World of Warcraft when I see one, and I'm looking at one right now.
Owner: No no he's not dead, he's, he's restin'! Remarkable game, the Cataclysm, idn'it, ay? Beautiful water effects!
Mr. Noob: The water don't enter into it. It's stone dead.
Owner: Nononono, no, no! 'E's resting!
Mr. Noob: All right then, if he's restin', I'll wake him up! (shouting at the cage) 'Ello, Mister Polly World of Warcraft! I've got a lovely fresh cuttle fish for you if you show...
(owner hits the cage)
Owner: There, he patched!
Mr. Noob: No, he didn't, that was you hitting the cage!
Owner: I never!!
Mr. Noob: Yes, you did!
Owner: I never, never did anything...
Mr. Noob: (yelling and hitting the cage repeatedly) 'ELLO POLLY!!!!! Testing! Testing! Testing! Testing! This is your nine o'clock alarm call!
(Takes World of Warcraft out of the cage and thumps its head on the counter. Throws it up in the air and watches it plummet to the floor.)
Mr. Noob: Now that's what I call a dead World of Warcraft.
Owner: No, no.....No, 'e's sapped!
Mr. Noob: SAPPED?!?
Owner: Yeah! You sapped him, just as he was wakin' up! Cataclysms stun easily, major.
Mr. Noob: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That World of Warcraft is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour
ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged expansion.
Owner: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the Howling Fjords.
Mr. Noob: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home?
Owner: The Cataclysm prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable game, id'nit, squire? Lovely water effects!
Mr. Noob: Look, I took the liberty of examining that World of Warcraft when I got it home, and I discovered the only reason that it had been sitting on its shelf in the
first place was that it had been NAILED there.
(pause)
Owner: Well, o'course it was nailed there! If I hadn't nailed that game down, it would have nuzzled up to those bars, bent 'em apart with its cd case, and VOOM! Feeweeweewee!
Mr. Noob: "VOOM"?!? Mate, this game wouldn't "voom" if you put four million volts through it! 'E's bleedin' demised!
Owner: No no! 'E's pining!
Mr. Noob: 'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This World of Warcraft is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet Elune! 'E's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed 'im to the shelf 'e'd be pushing up the peacebloom! 'Is metabolic processes are now 'istory! 'E's off the twig! 'E's kicked the bucket, 'e's shuffled off 'is mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin' choir invisibile!! THIS IS AN EX-World of Warcraft!!
(pause)
Owner: Well, I'd better replace it, then. (he takes a quick peek behind the counter) Sorry squire, I've had a look 'round the back of the shop, and uh, we're right out of World of Warcrafts.
Mr. Noob: I see. I see, I get the picture.
Owner: I got an Aion.
(pause)
Mr. Noob: Pray, does it talk?
Owner: Nnnnot really.
Mr. Noob: WELL IT'S HARDLY A BLOODY REPLACEMENT, IS IT?!!???!!?
Owner: N-no, I guess not. (gets ashamed, looks at his feet)
Mr. Noob: Well.
(pause)
Owner: (quietly) D'you.... d'you want to come back to my place?
Mr. Noob: (looks around) Yeah, all right, sure.
Source: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~ebarnes/python/dead-parrot.htm
Moeru Sep 22nd 2010 3:12PM
WorLK DVD installs previous WoW versions along with it's own.
So...
Make a version of Cata that's a bit pricier, but has all the version licenses. Battle Chest style, but simpler, since people will only install the one DVD.
BarnesA52 Sep 22nd 2010 3:27PM
But how do I shot ore?
Pemberton Sep 22nd 2010 6:01PM
Indeed. I have enough trouble convincing my friends to pay $15 a month for the game.
SR Sep 23rd 2010 8:30PM
SLIGHTLY on-topic with "mining fish", but you can (or could, didn't check for a while) fish Peacebloom... >.>
Zayd Sep 22nd 2010 2:09PM
When can we look forward to the Cata cgi intro movie? Obvious guess is Blizzcon.
Love me a Blizzard CGI movie
Zayd Sep 22nd 2010 2:12PM
ha, ignore me. Didn't spot the questions already been asked and answered.
Sithril Sep 22nd 2010 2:21PM
I don't care when, I just want to see Deathwing as the biggest,scaries bad-ass dragon EVER.
arielespadas Sep 22nd 2010 3:01PM
thi biggest scariest badass dragon ever is Alexstraza
vocenoctum Sep 22nd 2010 3:01PM
I want to see Varion and Garrosh, weapons drawn, facing each other across a field, they hurl insults and get ready to fight. Then Deathwing cracks the ground open, they both go "holy fu##!" and run. Then he pounds the ground and oceans rush in and volcanoes erupt and he laughs and flies off as the armies are devestated by the side effects.
Balgus Sep 22nd 2010 4:12PM
No, the biggest, scariest, baddass dragon EVER was Galakrond. But he's dead so unless those buggers in dragonblight suddenly succeed in resurrecting him, ya dont really have to worry too much.
Psiwave Sep 22nd 2010 5:34PM
One of the most dissapionting things in this expansion was the failure to resurrect galakrond, so much untapped awesomeness! Why did LK trip all the way across the glacier to resurrect that poxy bint sindy when something far more awesome was just a little further down the road?
Wish I was the lich king, I'd teach those smarmy still-alive upstarts a thing or two.
ceilidhmcnaughton Sep 23rd 2010 10:51AM
You mean the biggest, SEXIEST dragon is Alexstrasza.