Patch 5.4 patch notes
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The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: What's your most memorable moment of amazement?
by Josh Rose 
Oct 21st 2010 at 8:00AM
Many of us get jaded playing WoW. We get burned out running the same raid for months on end as we wait for new content. We feel there is no reason to do instances anymore because there is nothing more to be gained -- or with the new expansion on the horizon, we think, "Why bother? I'll replace the gear with quest blues and greens leveling to 85." We spend a lot of time QQing about how there is nothing we need to do or want to do, or how we are bored with the current aspect of the game.
However, we have all had our Oh wow, that was awesome! moments -- those moments that bring us back to why we play this game and why we pay 15 bucks a month to keep doing so. I have had my fair share, usually a couple in each of the iterations of the evolving world that is WoW. The first one had to be Ragnaros. At level 60, getting to Ragnaros and watching him just erupt out of the lava pool all gigantic and epic-looking ... He is still one of the most impressive-looking bosses with one of the best deaths in the game; it is kind of a shame you can kill him with just one or two people now.
The Burning Crusade's high point to me was Mount Hyjal. I loved the Caverns of Time. I felt it was a great gaming invention to allow you to experience content from the old RTS Warcraft games in a WoW manner; being a part of it was a great idea. Also, Archimonde was a seriously great fight. Wrath has had a couple of memorable moments for me. Ulduar was a huge high point. Yogg+1 or +0 was such a truly difficult and exciting fight. And finally getting to fight Arthas -- that was a very well-designed fight, even in normal mode without the buff when it was actually difficult.
What moments in World of Warcraft have left you amazed? All the bugs, server downtimes and trolls be damned -- this made up for all of it. What instant made WoW all worth it for you?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 6 of 9)
pinteresque Oct 21st 2010 10:17AM
When I first started playing WoW on a trial account, I rolled a human rogue or somesuch. Wandered out of Northshire and into Elwynn and did some quests, and as I came to the end of them, killed Precious and all that, I felt vaguely dissatisfied - THIS was what all those people were so thrilled about?
...and then I got a quest that sent me to Westfall and I was like, "wtf is Westfall?"
And then I found the Map button, and was blown out of my chair.
I honestly thought Elwynn was the game, all of it. It didn't occur to me that there ever could possibly be a video game world as massive as Azeroth is.
pinteresque Oct 21st 2010 10:56AM
haha. Princess. Not Precious.
I've got ICC on the brain.
Brian Oct 21st 2010 10:21AM
I have to say that my biggest WOW moment in WoW was probably the Battered Hilt questline. I actually got to interact with the freakin' SUNWELL. How cool is that? Still my most memorable moment in the game.
Camaris Oct 21st 2010 10:20AM
The first time entering Howling Fjord. Most 'first times' in an expansion are awesome. The first time coming out of that fjord and into the 'plains' of Howling Fjord was pretty cool. The first time taking the turtle ride to Borean Tundra, and seeing the Dragonblight for the first time.
I always try to stay very strictly to where the quests bring me, first time around. No sneak previews, not portaling to Dalaran before you have a lore reason to do so, etc. IMO, it's the best way to experience a new expansion.
Rugus Oct 21st 2010 10:26AM
When WOTLK went live, I remember the first time I saw the packs of mobs in Howling Fjord, right above the first village. The land, the animals, the trees... it was like a Nagrand 2.0. Superb. I still love that zone.
Jason Ralph Oct 21st 2010 10:29AM
I deployed two months prior to Wrath of the Lich King launching. By the time I was able to check out Northrend, the game had been out for almost 15 months. Now, before I reveal my favorite moment, you need to know I'm a hardcore PvPer. Arenas. Battlegrounds. Dueling. World PvP. If it involves me being engaged, or the potential for me to be engaged with the other faction's players... I'm so there. When I logged out, I was sporting the latest and greatest set (complete with trinkets, rings, libram, etc.) of PvP... from The Burning Crusade.
You need to realize that by the time I log in, my gear had gone the way of the dinosaurs. Very few probably even remembered it, let alone recognized it.
I'm out questing in Dragonblight, and sure enough I find myself engaged with a rogue 3 levels over me. My first thought "Finally the WoW gods have smiled on me.". When the rogue realizes she aren't killing me (maybe emoting "Hi! How are you? I'm good. Thanks for asking! BTW I'm wearing the last season of PvP gear in BC. R U?". Was a bad idea) they attempted to vanish. Knowing they most likely have now blown all their cooldowns I unless the full potential of my damage as a... Wait for it... A holy paladin. I continue questing (bleh). Sure enough the area is flooded with Alliance members from the rogues guild and I bubble hearthed out. Once at the inn, I logged out and went and did something else for the next 2 hours or more.
BTW in cases like that (and they happened A LOT) was when I used bubbled. Otherwise it wasn't on my toolbar. It's not my fault I feel, that you attacked me and lost. Now I just log out wherever I'm, at as very few times does whoever just died not Rez with full vengeance of their guild that is on. LOL
Larka Oct 21st 2010 10:32AM
wow is my first mmo, my boyfriend got me into it (actually before i was going out with him, i saw stuff for it and wanted to try it out) well, he helped me level up, and one day he took me to Ironforge and through the tram. It was my first major city i'd been in, so i gawked at all the other players and all the stuff they had, then the forge...ah the forge. Only recently with the new water mechanics have i felt such aw, not even northrend really produced something like that, though i have come to expect such things.
dcb2124@gmail.com Oct 21st 2010 10:41AM
In original WoW- rolling my first character on my own account and flying the opening night elf cinematic over Teldrassil.
In Burning Crusade - stepping through the Dark Portal to see that huge endless battle with the demons taking place. Hearing that solemn and weary musical trumpet theme play when you first zone into Honor Hold, and then realizing how rich the narrative of the game was after seeing soldier who'd been stuck there for over two decades. The visuals of Blade's Edge Mountains, Netherstorm and Tempest Keep, Silvermoon, and the Exodar. The Naaru. Karazahn.
Wrath of the Lich King - Dragonblight was one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had- the music, the story, wrathgate, the visuals, everything, I will never forget that. Pretty much all of the music.The Mathias Lehner quests in Icecrown. The Death Knight intro quest where you're flying the dragon laying waste to everything. Defeating Malygos and the Lich King for the first times were probably the most epic moments of gaming I've had.
Milanor Oct 21st 2010 10:35AM
The very, very, very, very few things that weren't spoiled for me because I like to keep up on class news but try to avoid everything else about expansions/patches but can't because of people.
G01851 Oct 21st 2010 10:42AM
First portal to Shattrath City as a 20ish newbie hunter
First trip through the Dark Portal as lvl 58 not so newb hunter (same one)
Sharten Oct 21st 2010 10:46AM
I had just started a tauren warrior after long pondering between it and a night elf. My brother was in love with forsaken, farther than me along, and I was watching him play in Brill. This giant tauren warrior in full High Warlord gear came riding up to him in a kodo. It was dark, and it was so amazingly epic. That's my first and most memorable moment in the game.
S.O. Oct 21st 2010 10:54AM
Nagrand.
kubawoo Oct 21st 2010 10:56AM
For me it's got to be Dun Morogh and lvling my dorf warrior there. I'm not sure why, but the feeling of solitude (usually played in late evenings), the sound of steps on the snow, the wind howling between the trees and mountains and finally this great ambience music featured in the starting areas - even at 70, and then 80 I often found myself coming back there.
As for the sheer moments, in BC it'd have to be the Illidan fight. Black Temple had a pretty epic feeling to it as a whole, but finally, after all the wiping nights, reaching the Illidan himself, the guy I saw in the intro (I started playing in BC) the first time I've ever run the game... I really felt it that night. And when I first heard him shout 'Is that all the fury you can muster?!' for the first time, being the only fury warrior in the raid... went into an adrenaline rampage of some kind ;)
Wrath was a really short story for me and can't say I liked this expansion, but if I'd have to choose - I'd go for the first Saurfang kill. Guilds were racing to finish the first wing asap, we were all in touch as to exactly what progress we've got on the particular boss. We all knew that this is a really tough fight, especially after the short time we've spent so far in the ICC. I remember I've done a lot to improve my character, lvled up new professions, digged through a lot of theorycrafting on fury warriors... I just had really big expectations and gave my everything in order to kill this boss. Sounds silly probably, but my hand really hurt after the kill, from all the clicking ;)
Deragol Oct 21st 2010 11:15AM
Back in the day i used to play a lot warcraft 2 and the most memorable moment happened un vanilla playing my lvl 56 pally and stand before the huge huge dark portal the first time.. it just took my breath away.. cant forget that! Ty blizzard: )
Therar Oct 21st 2010 11:09AM
Deadwind Pass. I remember I was passing through questing and traveling to the blasted lands. As soon as you enter the entire mood changes. Nothing is alive. There's a skeleton swaying in the wind with a sign below it that says "Death to all who enter" (or something like that). And the music just sealed the deal. I remember getting frightened, my senses heightened from all that was happening, especially since the lights in my room were off.
Paulo Oct 21st 2010 11:12AM
Hmm.
My wow life has been a curious one. I started playing around...may 2005 i think.
My first character was a Dwarven Paladin.
I can't say i was overly impressed with the starting zone. After that i had many 1-35 characters but i failed to reach 60 long after the burning crusade was already ENDING. (i have trouble leveling. it's not my favorite thing in the world)
But i have to say the first moment i realized the hugeness and scope of this game was the first time i saw a 40-man Raid party moving towards Ahn'qiraj.
I followed them until the gates.
It was the day the gates of ahn'qiraj were opened after that HUGE collecting effort realmwide.
What i saw there nearly burned out my old PC. There ware around....2 thousand players in front of the gates.
Another more simple moment, and these ocurr a lot because i am a great appreciator of the work blizzard puts into making azeroth a consistent and life breathing context.
Was visiting places historic to the Warcraft lore.
The place where mannoroth's spear is located in Ashenvale. Andorhal, Black Rock Mountain, the Dark Portal, Scholomance, the Graymane Wall,
I still take screenshots with famous heroes NPC just like a real life fanboy.
When i got to rexxar in Outlands i nearly flipped. He was so cool it was ridiculous. And one of my favorite Warcraft characters ever.
My first raid experience was with a friend's toon. It was a lvl 70 Rogue.
We were doing Gruul's lair. And the size of that bastard still boggles my mind.
As for the themed expansions
in BC it was the first time i saw nagrand with my own eyes. To this day, still one of the most beautifully crafted zones in WoW.
in Wrath my favorite moment was the whole quest in dragonblight leading to Angrathar.
It was one of my favorite lore elements of the whole storyline and it was one of the most pivotal moments in warcraft history. Plus that first blizzard-made cutscene is the shit.
And i'm glad they liked the idea themselves because Cutscenes = Win.
The second favorite was the Death Knight Starting zone. It was blizzard at it's best excelling at fun and ingenuity. It's the single smoothest levelling experiences i've ever seen in a MMORPG.
and in Cata..Hmmm i haven't seen anything first hand yet. But i have a feeling that the Dwarven and Worgen storylines will be really really cool.
I don't care much for WoW's dragons storylines. So i'll be focusing on the races.
Also Thrall's new journey and Garrosh at the helm will be interesting to see it unravel.
Morgy Oct 21st 2010 11:15AM
Walking through the Dark Portal was a biggie for me...Truly epic
Pat Oct 21st 2010 11:17AM
Off the top of my head.. the Wrathgate cinematic :) Just ran my Shaman through Dragonblight finally (Skipped the zone completly on the way to 80) It's epic moments like that which bring me back.
Also.. In Heroic Pit of Saron, Fighting Ick, Dps and Healer died for some reason they couldn't even explain (Sigh) and I was left to heal the tank, We went like this for a while, Thunderstorm constantly coming off CD as I went OOM. Being chased, Even using Gift of the Naaru of all things to stay alive. While not epic.. I was complimented at the end. That feeling you get when people praise me, Keeps me coming back.. Maybe I should get a therapist?
razion Oct 21st 2010 11:20AM
BREWFEST! It has to be Brewfest. When I stepped into that carnival on my first year of the game (altaholism going strong!) and heard the background chatter. . . the silly stories and jokes. . . Now, I'm a very hard man to make smile--to make laugh doubly so. I was laughing up TEARS on that Brewfest. The sheer absurdity of the event kept the lol-train going for a good two days. I had no idea Blizzard could be so hilarious!
Saekeion Oct 21st 2010 11:20AM
The quest chain, starting with the quest A Tale of Valor was the most amazing thing I saw in the game. Sounds silly, but I get a bit teary eyed just thinking about it. The quest line is absolutely beautiful, and moving. Made the weeks of my grinding to get from level 62-80 completely worthwhile. After I hit 80, I felt compelled to roll a human male paladin just because of that quest.
After moment of sheer amazement was the cutscene The attack on Wrathgate. That was another moment that left me awe struck. :)