The Queue: :eueuQ ehT
by Adam Holisky 
Oct 28th 2010 at 11:00AM
Credit for that image goes to Zach (who does most of the site's banner/side images for us).
Andostre asked:
Ever since the most recent patch, my wife and I both get booted back to the login screen after about 60 seconds alt-tabbed out of WoW. Do you know if this is an intended change or a bug, or is this just an issue on our end?
It's a known issue, and the only solution I've found is to not alt-tab out. I've got a bunch of computers nearby, though, so it's not a problem for me. But if you don't have a spare laptop or something ... cross your all available limbs for a fix.
Larka commented:
Two years till new updated models? I really hope you're wrong, but if you're right, those better be some good models.
I hope I am, too, but think about changing just one model. Maybe decreasing the size of troll feet, which are a little large. That one change, while easy to do in any model rendering program/language, would necessitate changing hundreds of shoe textures, potential collision issues, and thousands of hours of QA testing. Now multiply that for every body part across every race. You have a couple of years' worth of work for the modeling and art team.
Now, if it's just something as simple as changing the way human females' lips look -- that's markedly simpler. But if they just release such a simple change, millions of people will whine endlessly for more. That's a production decision from very high up. (I'm just using this as a likely example; I have no inside info here.)
The Other Tim asked:
I just started using Google reader to keep up with all the hot scoops across the parts of the internet that I care about. Does WoW Insider get "credit" as if I visited your site? I know you all gotta get them clicks.
I honestly don't know for sure, but we're not concerned about it. People think we're out to get clicks and all that jazz, but really we're just here to create an online daily WoW magazine of news, information and analysis. We figure as long as you're interested in getting part of your WoW fix from us, we're doing something right, and however you go about it makes us happy. Warm, fuzzy happy, too, because it's cold outside.
Isthebrent asked:
Is patch 4.0.3 going to go to the PTR, or is the beta pretty much where all the testing on that patch will be done?
Updated answer! Yup, we're going to see a patch 4.0.3 PTR soon.
Jamie commented:
Oh, I see what [REDACTED] did there!
You don't know the half of it.
Note: In an attempt to send our amazing copyeditor up the wall, The Queue is titled thusly today. Sorry, Lisa!
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 11)
Sal Oct 28th 2010 11:06AM
I know they're going to make Mimi's head and Invincible a rare drop come cata. What about black/twilight drake from Obsidian Sanctum hard mode? Any word if that will be changed?
Thiron Oct 28th 2010 11:36AM
This ^
I'd like to also ask same about Azure Whelpling pet from Azhara.
Hasselhoff Oct 28th 2010 12:05PM
I believe I read that the OS mounts will not change their drop mechanics.
Robert Oct 28th 2010 12:37PM
I am quite certain that Blizzard said the OS drakes would be changed to rare drops.
Tdog Oct 28th 2010 1:56PM
Blizz did in fact say that they will not be changing the drop rate of the OS drakes. I'd link the blue post but I really don't want to browse through what was 26 pages of the comments on about the taking out of the ZG mounts and questions about other items the last time I checke. I'd assume there's more pages to go through now. Also mentioned was the fact that the Naxx era drakes will not be coming back.
Josh Oct 28th 2010 2:02PM
"I am quite certain that Blizzard said the OS drakes would be changed to rare drops."
They've never said that. In fact, they've said the exact opposite.
http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27291810112&sid=1&pageNo=13#257,
when asked about the OS drakes Lylirra said " These mounts will not be changing, and they'll remain available through their current mechanics in 4.0.3. "
Herman Oct 28th 2010 2:59PM
regarding the whelplings- most of these are going bye bye, due to the mobs that drop them no longer being there. so red whelp, azure whelp and i think green whelp. however there are now more black dragons around, so the black whelp should be easier to farm
loop_not_defined Oct 28th 2010 3:21PM
Regarding the whelps, Blizzard has stated that they intend to keep all of them available, if not immediately. So, whereas the ZG mounts are still being decided on (whether they'll stay or go forever), the whelps will definitely be returning.
loop_not_defined Oct 28th 2010 3:26PM
Here's the link regarding the whelps:
http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/27291810112/mounts-and-items-removed-in-4-0-3
Natasha Oct 28th 2010 11:07AM
For the Alt-Tab question, I've found that simply playing the game in windowed (even fullscreen windowed), lets you surf the internet if needed without getting logged out.
It does affect preformance a little, so you may have to sacrifice shadows under your character, depending on your pc, but hopefully that's not too high a price :)
Elwoods Oct 28th 2010 11:33AM
Yeah I found this a solution as well.
It wouldnt have worked on my old laptop but this new one is the bizz!
Aly Oct 28th 2010 11:59AM
I've started using the overlay feature from raptr to surf the web instead of alt-tabing. The browser has a few quirks but if I need to look something up on wowhead or check another site real quick it works pretty well. Plus raptr is a pretty decent IM client.
Rob Oct 28th 2010 12:18PM
I was also going to mention this. Further, if you have it windowed certain processes will still continue to run such as mailbox clearing and AH posting. At least that was the case prior to the AH nerf (and thus is not strictly relevant). I imagine there are still some processes that stop when you alt-tab though.
If that's not clear, what I mean is that prior to 4.0.1 we used to be able to do a bunch of stuff windowed (but not focused) which would stop when alt-tabbed. I'm not sure that's still the case, but it may be for certain things.
trisco2001 Oct 28th 2010 1:27PM
There's an option in the advanced video settings to limit the framerate of WoW when its in the background. If you're having performance problems while WoW is in the background, try running that back to like 10. Good luck!
Viper007Bond Oct 28th 2010 1:46PM
Fullscreen windowed mode is the best thing ever if you run multiple monitors. You can click over to your other monitor to browse Wowhead or whatnot without having to minimize WoW. Works great.
Darasen Oct 28th 2010 3:00PM
I thought the bug might be intentional to try to kepp people playing the game playing and those not playing, well, not playing. All to try and not have queues or massive ones come Cataclysm.
Scomparsa Oct 28th 2010 5:59PM
What Viper said. I run two 19" monitors, and I currently have WoW on my left monitor (AFK in an ICC25) and wowinsider, Facebook, etc on my right screen. Fullscreen Windowed is epic.
Helston Oct 29th 2010 2:52AM
This also helps people who, like me, often hit the dreaded Windows Logo button. Instead of half a minute of "OH S***, HOPE THE RAID LIVES WITHOUT A TANK" there's only two seconds of that.
David Gouldby Oct 28th 2010 11:08AM
"People think we're out to get clicks and all that jazz, but really we're just here to create an online daily WoW magazine of news, information and analysis."
I can understand the entire Wowinsider team feels that way, but what about your owners? I'm sure AOL want to keep the hits/ad-revenue streams going strong :)
I know AOL were responsible for taking the wow.com domain away from you lot. I hope their new site idea fails badly, so they can give you the domain name back!
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 28th 2010 11:28AM
Well, how long's it been, six weeks? Two months? And they haven't done crap with it. http://www.wow.com/wow/index.html