Want to preload Cataclysm without pre-ordering? Here's how
by Michael Sacco 
Oct 29th 2010 at 4:00PM
Pre-orders for the Cataclysm digital upgrade are officially open, and you can start downloading the remainder of the expansion's data the moment your purchase goes through. But what if you're awaiting a Collector's Edition or you don't have the money to upgrade online right now? You don't want to be left waiting for Cataclysm to download and install on launch night.
Thankfully, we've got you covered. There's an easy way to preload all the data you'll need to play Cataclysm the moment it goes live on midnight Dec. 7. Just follow these easy steps:
- Make sure World of Warcraft and/or the launcher and background downloader are completely closed.
- Open up your World of Warcraft folder.
- Open Launcher.wtf in Notepad and change the "accountType" line from LK to CT.
- Open Config.wtf in Notepad and change the "accountType" line from LK to CT.
Remember: This will only give you the necessary files to play Cataclysm. It will not upgrade your account and you will not be able to access Cataclysm features. You still need to buy the game if you want to play on launch day.
Thanks to Lemon King for the tip!
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.Filed under: Cataclysm
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 10)
Oakley Oct 29th 2010 5:02PM
Considering the downloader is primarily based on a P2P sharing method, and Blizzard seeds this with a specific amount of bandwidth, there would be no reason for Blizzard to be upset with this happening. The only people that "pay" for it would be the players downloading it if they have P2P enabled in the downloader. So even if Blizzard didn't post that, it still wouldn't be a problem. Because you can't use the patch unless you purchase the game.
So people on their high horse of "OMG it's illegal because you didn't buy it!" Can step down. Because you can't use it until you pay.
Randy Oct 29th 2010 5:02PM
Dante-
If you were indeed a big boy, you wouldn't have posted a response on how "big" of a boy you are.
Congratulations on disproving your point.
Love,
Randy
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 29th 2010 4:03PM
I sense a cease-and-desist letter coming in three... two....
Macgruber Oct 29th 2010 4:12PM
Yeah...this can only end badly.
While you're at it, can you tell me how to hack my game files so that battle.net thinks i've got a 25year game card?
Michael Sacco Oct 29th 2010 4:22PM
As I've noted in the post, this method was deemed perfectly acceptable by Blizzard.
Lemmiwink Oct 29th 2010 5:22PM
Why not just purchase it? That way you won't have to change your configs
Snuzzle Oct 29th 2010 4:35PM
Actually, the original post in the Blizzard thread was specifically to someone who attempted to purchase the Digital Download and got an error. I would be hesitant to use it in any other situation than the one that was specifically approved by Blizzard.
Cthulu Oct 29th 2010 4:41PM
Your just downloading the client that you would get in the box..you can't access any game information if you don't upgrade your account to cataclysm..like rolling worgens etc.
This is just a way to get the cd early and put your code in from your CE edition and get to playing.
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 29th 2010 4:47PM
Well, the sudden appearance of the blue post certainly changes things.
PRETTY CONVENIENT, SACCO!!!
Okay, I kid. But seriously...
1. It goes without saying that they have to add a lot of servers before Cataclysm goes live, and with all that's on their plate with regard to getting the new content ship-ready, the possibility that they got all the new servers installed six weeks early is a pretty hard sell. How's this relevant? Because...
2. If they're making digital purchase available on release day for the first time ever, they're going to want to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Hence why, as you stated, "you can start downloading the remainder of the expansion's data THE MOMENT YOUR PURCHASE GOES THROUGH" (emphasis mine). The requirement for payment is the filter which makes sure these downloads start happening in a more steady and predictable flow between now and release day, rather than all at once.
For them to just decide, out of the blue, "screw it, let's let all 12 million of them know exactly how to start their downloads tonight", an awful lot of things would have to be ready (including having been stress-tested) that I have a hard time believing actually are.
There's a strong possibility a certain blue poster is getting a stern talking-to before the afternoon's out.
Michael Sacco Oct 29th 2010 5:02PM
Editing the WTF files, which were always intended to be easily-editable and have no effect on your actual account status, has never and will never be against the rules. These are parameters that are intended to be fiddled with.
If Blizzard was truly strained for server bandwidth, then the gigs upon gigs that people have had to download both for the Cataclysm beta and patch 4.0.1 would have been a pretty big hardship.
This isn't against the rules, isn't a problem for Blizzard, and isn't worth fretting about.
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 29th 2010 5:03PM
And now that's a little freaky... I just saw my original post drop from blue all the way to black in about 4 minutes. I didn't realize such a thing was possible.
Never mind, I don't really want to know how the sausage is made.
Lupius Oct 29th 2010 5:14PM
"It is not against the ToS, EULA, or any other acronym."
What about the IRS?
Cthulu Oct 29th 2010 5:14PM
@grovinofdarkhour
Really, they rolled out a 7gig patch 4.0.1 to 11 million people without crashing the servers... why do you think they can't handle people downloading the rest of the info? Are you really that naive to think that blizz couldn't handle it?
Please don't use failed logic... the big patch has already been downloaded.
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 29th 2010 5:29PM
@ Cthulu
Yeah, guess you've got a point. If most of the new stuff is in 4.0.1 and 4.0.3, and there isn't really much "content" to Cata beyond flipping a few switches controlling what we can and can't see, then the heavy lifting will be long since done by release day.
I just have this thing where I never underestimate the ability of a corporation to act irrationally. (Even the ones I like.)
Corporations send out cease-and-desist letters to other companies all the time regardless of whether the law or their terms of use have been violated or not. They see something they don't like, they'll fire off a letter, just to see if it scares you into complying. Unlike some folks further downthread, I never thought the activity described above was necessarily "in violation", I just thought someone at Blizzard would see unexpected levels of activity on the download servers this weekend and have a WTF moment. But yeah, I sincerely hope you're right, and the 2-day download I already endured was the worst of it.
Spark Oct 29th 2010 5:30PM
-----
Grovinofdarkhour Oct 29th 2010 4:47PM
For them to just decide, out of the blue, "screw it, let's let all 12 million of them know exactly how to start their downloads tonight", an awful lot of things would have to be ready (including having been stress-tested) that I have a hard time believing actually are.
-----
Stress may not be their concern.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BitTorrent_%28protocol%29
Muse Oct 29th 2010 5:38PM
If all those users were downloading straight from Blizz, Blizz might have a problem. But most of you are downloading from other WoW-players while simultaneously uploading to other WoW-players. This is the beauty of bittorrent: it massively reduces the strain on the content provider's side.
Qot Oct 29th 2010 5:40PM
Question for those who have done this: the digital download has been established to not contain cinematics nor the ability to play cinematics. From http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=27187849287&sid=1#2
"Just wanted to add a bit more information to the thread and inform you that when using the new digital installer for the 4.0.X streaming system you will no longer be downloading the game cinematics and as such they will not load initially and you will not be able to access them once the game is installed. This change comes to help decrease the overall size/download requirement of the game and the cinematics can always be view at the Blizzard Entertainment YouTube page."
So, with this system, will you have access to cinematics if you later purchase the hard copy? Or will simply having the 4.0.3 file already loaded on your system make it look like Cata's already installed, preventing an install containing the cinematics?
And why would Blizz do something like this? The cinematics are important for setting the scene, especially the ones we've seen for worgen and goblins. Leaving them out to save a few electrons from getting dizzy going through the series of tubes seems like an odd, counterproductive choice.
Twill Oct 29th 2010 6:06PM
I am replying to this so Sacco is notified, since he also replied.
Question - I am going to the midnight release. Do you suggest I pre-load Cataclysm with the WTF file alterations, or should I just install the hard disk on Dec 7 at 1 in the morning?
Another Question- I am in college where they monitor file-sharing, there won't be an issue with that right?
Also - I have never been to a midnight release before, so *cough* my favorite WoW website should write an article on what it is like... I'm thinking WoW Rookie column? :D
Skarn Oct 29th 2010 6:23PM
"Actually, the original post in the Blizzard thread was specifically to someone who attempted to purchase the Digital Download and got an error. I would be hesitant to use it in any other situation than the one that was specifically approved by Blizzard."
Yep, Blizzard told someone that has NOT purchased the game to go ahead and do this to download the information. True, this person was trying to purchase the game, but he has NOT. Maybe it's all just semantics, but I'm with Sacco. It's just fine. As Cthulu said, Blizzard has already sent out tons of data with the 4.0.1 patch and the beta clients. Plus, any number of people could be reactivating tomorrow and have to download who knows how much info. Someone that hasn't played since early Wrath will have a lot of data to catch up on. This isn't gonna bother Blizzard's servers.
Catacomb Kid Oct 29th 2010 11:03PM
@ Sacco
Good info and good looking out, so thanks, but...
Dude, you edited the post AFTER Grovinofdarkhour's post, so it's not really appropriate to respond with "as noted in the post" to his concern.