The Queue: This dog
by Michael Sacco 
Apr 10th 2011 at 2:00PM
No, it's this one. This is the dog.
Devin asked:
What exactly is Data Mining? When I hear about someone data mining, I imagine someone hacking into Blizzard's servers but assume if that was the case there would be legal action against sites like mmo-champion and they would be less hasty on admitting how they found that sweet new mount/boss/whatever.
All datamining really is is using a program to look at the game files included with either the regular game client or the PTR client. The files included with the client have several types of data, including 3-D models, textures, music, sound clips, and more. Using WoW Model Viewer, for example, is a form of datamining. There's no real hacking going on, especially of Blizzard's servers. The information is right there in the files; it just has to be interpreted.
Bobury asked:
What is the best dungeon leveling spec for a rogue that you can still solo in? My rogue atm is level 29 and combat.
All of the rogue specs are perfectly viable for soloing and dungeon crawling, but you may find that the combat tree has a lot more talents that make it easier to survive damage as well as inflict it. It is, after all, the toe-to-toe spec, as indicated by its description in the game client.
Nitride asked:
I am confused about the timeline of what is now Outland.
Were there Alliance settlements/holds before the planet was shattered and sucked into the twisting nether? NPCs mention being cutoff for 20 years or so, was the Dark Portal opened 10,000 years ago, closed and reopened and then closed and reopened a third time (with a 20 year gap between the last two)?
The Dark Portal was opened once before the First War (to let the orcs onto Azeroth), once during the Second War, and then semi-permanently just recently. It did not exist at all prior to the First War, so it certainly wasn't opened 10,000 years ago. All of the Alliance settlements you see in Outland were either created after the portal opened the second time or are new additions since it was reopened for The Burning Crusade. Draenor has been steadily falling apart since the last time the portal opened, hence the disarray some Alliance settlements are in.
Chapmanistan asked:
The guild I was currently rolling with in game fell apart and now I'm stranded and guildless and looking to raid. I know with 4.1 there is a Looking For Guild feature coming but I was wondering if there is any other way to hunt for a guild besides using the WoW forums. They are daunting for a noob like me.
There's the guild recruitment channel in game, which is a pretty basic chat channel where people will advertise their guilds if they're recruiting. If you're not totally against using the forums, then you can go to your particular realm forum and check the guild recruitment threads there as well. If all else fails, you can just ask around in game, too.
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 7)
Devin Apr 10th 2011 2:03PM
Yay!!! I just told my GF that I was "published" and when she came in to see she thought I said "Puppy".
Decaying Apr 10th 2011 2:11PM
So your girlfriend was...
...distracted by puppy
Lotice Apr 10th 2011 2:27PM
YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH-
*Distracted by puppy*
MusedMoose Apr 10th 2011 2:40PM
Congratulations on getting published!
MusedMoose Apr 10th 2011 2:41PM
Would-be edit: damnit, I didn't realize that you were just talking about getting one of your questions answered, I thought you meant you'd written something that had been published. Thought I was offering congrats from one writer to another. @_@ Fail on my part.
DeathPaladin Apr 10th 2011 3:26PM
This is all moving towards a "You're the man now, dog!" joke, isn't it?
Devin Apr 10th 2011 3:29PM
I thought for sure that by now there'd be someone saying "Getting your question answered on wowinsider.com isn't getting published". Thanks for letting me down trolls.
(cutaia) Apr 10th 2011 3:54PM
But...someone DID say that! This be some confusing comment thread right here...
*takes shot of DayQuil*
Silversol Apr 10th 2011 7:15PM
*takes shot of DayQuil*
...is this that new The Queue drinking game?
Take a shot for every comment that gets cut off or someone complains about the comment system. Take a shot for every comment that's already been addressed in an earlier comment. Take a shot for every double post or mis-reply.
Odin Apr 10th 2011 8:01PM
^^ This sounds like a wonderful idea Silversol.
undraxis Apr 10th 2011 8:35PM
*distracted by puppy*
Amazing how dogs can make you forget about crappy days >.
Draelan Apr 11th 2011 12:40AM
@ Silversol
That sounds like an overdose in the making. lol
Matrillik Apr 11th 2011 9:17AM
This one time I overdosed on Dayquil.
0rion Apr 12th 2011 4:16PM
I shuspect I wouldn't even make it through a shingle page of comments before I hit the floor with a drinking game like that ...hic!
Eregos ftw! Apr 10th 2011 2:03PM
Q: Does the phone authenticator work in Canada? I tried to put it on my account, and I didn't have the option.
Also, is it as safe as the iPod one assuming I don't lose my phone?
kingoomieiii Apr 10th 2011 2:09PM
Nope. It only asks you to call if your login is "unusual" (like from another country).
Trilynne Apr 10th 2011 2:58PM
not sure what you're asking about? You can have the option to call and authenticate yourself if Blizzard notices something weird about your login attempt; this is currently UNAVAILABLE in Canada, afaik.
But the mobile authenticator, which works on iPod Touches and smart phones like the iPhone, DOES work in Canada.
Pugs 'R Us Apr 10th 2011 2:06PM
...looks good enough to eat ^^
cloudhopper013 Apr 10th 2011 2:06PM
Oh god... the cute... how can you not expect anybody to be... URK... *twitch*... *distracted by puppy?*
Is there any program or way that I could make or modify my own in-game models to use in things like machinima? I know there are plenty of programs that people use to mess around with premade models to create their own buildings and cities, but I could have sworn I've seen custom models in work.
icepyro Apr 10th 2011 2:25PM
To the best of my knowledge, anything not in game files in machinima is edited in after the fact. I don't recall custom models. There are models that are either not implemented in game or used for so few items you may not be aware about and thus seem like a custom model. Most animators (and general public if they know for that matter) are willing to answer "what model did you use for X at Ytime?"
Then again, that's just best guess as I don't make machinima.