The Queue: Bad movie night
by Mathew McCurley 
Nov 28th 2011 at 11:00AM
Power Rangers: The Movie totally doesn't hold up. Just saying. Happy Monday, friends.
Patch 4.3 may hit tomorrow. Or not. Be ready for it anyway!
Ithrandil asked:
A while back a lot of green items were datamined and it was speculated that they would be a gateway armor set to move you from wrath leveling into cataclysm more smoothly. Has there been any update with how those items will be available?
We still don't know where these items are going to come into play or what their purpose will be, but stuff like this gets slipped in to patches much earlier than they are to be used all the time. Look at the dragon mounts and companion pets that show up all when people datamine new patches. The Celestial Dragon didn't materialize as an achievement reward for a year or so after it was patched in.
@mattkrotzer on Twitter asked:
Why is it that Blizzard uses gnomes so sparsely, or (literally, in the case of the new Chuck Norris commecial) as punching bags?
Honestly, I don't think Blizzard knows how it wants to use the gnomes. The gnomes are the most uninteresting race on Azeroth, from a compelling standpoint. Bear with me -- I'll explain myself. The humans are resilient, constantly being put down, but always make their way out of their problems. The night elves are similar, but add in the whole "original sin" motif with Illidan and Azshara, plus the fact that they are beings that live so close to their gods. The dwarves have a complex martial history and background of warfare, clans, and beer jokes. Even the worgen have more of a compelling story because they are under seige by the most devastating force in the Eastern Kingdoms since the Lich King.The draenei had an entire expansion about their lore, where they came from, and their intricacies.
The gnomes just aren't compelling or fun to write for when you have all of these other options to put your creative muscle into. Then factor in the Horde races, and you have very creative people with so many fun options to put their energy and craft into ... and the gnomes are just left in the dust. When Blizzard does add some gnome stuff, like the Mekkatorque leader short story or the revamped Gnomeregan starting area, it comes out great. There just isn't too much of it.
@tagegould on Twitter asked:
Is there room for any more classes?
Absolutely. What that class will be, however, I have no idea. Monk was an easy prediction because the monk has a distinct connection with the pandaren and already heavily exists in WoW's culture. Believe me, when you're running a game like WoW that constantly needs new blood infused into it, there is always more room for new classes, races, and locations.
Morgatho asked:
Who came up with the idea to have us time travel and take the Dragon Soul? we've been getting all fired up for this, yet as far as I know no one told us to do it.
Based on the whole time travel thing, I believe Nozdormu is the head honcho of this plan, since he wants to go back in time to the Well of Eternity but cannot because of the whatever in the future blocking his blah blah time travel Murazond continuity space time something. I think it's Nozdormu.
@Khalior on Twitter asked:
I might be heading to New York sometime in the next few months - What pizza place would you recommend I eat at ?
No joke, if you've got the time (about three hours), go on one of Scott's Pizza Tours. This guy is a maniac with the pizza knowledge. You get to walk around some of the coolest areas of Manhattan, and you get the history of some of NYC's most famous pizzerias. Also, you eat pizza. It's like a pizza nerd's dream. Why go to the Empire State Building when that's dumb and boring and you could go on a pizza tour instead?
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!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
Arkonn Nov 28th 2011 11:07AM
Re 4.3 release date:
Boub at mmo champion says this week, so i'm praying and hoping he's right! Really want to make sure I get a full week of DMF dailies so I can get me some lovelies!!!
Pyromelter Nov 28th 2011 11:37AM
That's another reason that there is a good chance it comes out tomorrow - blizzard would want everyone to use the new DMF (as well as making sure it goes well on live servers).
Stancha Nov 28th 2011 12:24PM
Is there or will there be a 4.3 trailer?
Noyou Nov 28th 2011 12:31PM
Bold statement by Boub, considering there was a blue post-telling us-but not telling us- the release date of the patch.
Sidfish Nov 28th 2011 12:59PM
Yes, and that blue post indirectly stated it would be the 29th. Unless there's some unforeseen technical problem it will be released tomorrow. The fact that people are still debating is kind of humorous.
Arkonn Nov 28th 2011 1:02PM
Indeed. Nothing offical, yet. Hoping we hear something soon though.
Paul Nov 28th 2011 1:11PM
@Stancha - That's probably the main reason that I suspect that 4.3 is next week and not this week. I'm pretty sure that when patch trailers have come out, they tend to hit 2-3 days before US patch day, so if it's not available by the end of today, then I really doubt it's this week.
As far as the blue post, it alludes to two possible dates. This week or next week. It favours neither.
Suzaku Nov 28th 2011 1:25PM
@Paul: I believe your memory is failing you.
3.1 trailer: April 13, 2009
3.1 patch: April 14, 2009
3.2 trailer: August 4, 2009
3.2 patch: August 4, 2009
3.3 trailer: December 8, 2009
3.3 patch: December 8, 2009
4.1 trailer: April 25, 2011
4.1 patch: April 26, 2011
Ilmyrn Nov 28th 2011 2:24PM
Here's the problem with 4.3 releasing tomorrow. Tomorrow is when the PVP season ends, and Blizz said that at the end of the season, all (well, most) of the current Conquest gear was going up for sale for Honor, BUT, that 4.3 would bring new Honor gear to buy.
So unless plans have changed (or I totally misremembered the blue post about the season ending), 4.3 has to be next week.
Either way, I can't wait. I still haven't gotten my Sulfurus (Seriously, Ragnaros drops the cloth belt and agi necklace FOUR WEEKS IN A ROW now?) or my four piece, while our druid has three full T12 sets, and is working on a tanking set, but I'm getting bored of Firelands.
Noyou Nov 28th 2011 2:41PM
Maintenance starting early tomorrow...
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3595347709
A coincidence?
Pyromelter Nov 28th 2011 2:47PM
Il-
I thought blizzard said they'd give a week notice to start the new arena season, with new gear and all. This is not necessarily dependent upon the patch dropping. They could easily hold the new gear, the new baradin hold boss, and the new season until next week (and activate that stuff with a hotfix and rolling restarts 12/6).
I could be wrong about that (sorry CBF to look it up specifically right now... would appreciate it if anyone has a blue link on the topic).
Faith Trust Nov 28th 2011 3:25PM
Last time a patch dropped, the pvp season ended the day before the patch.
And the new items and pvp season were deployed a week after patch.
Noyou Nov 28th 2011 8:30PM
And now it's been confirmed! Happy patch day naysayers! :)
Sinthar Nov 28th 2011 11:10AM
"When Blizzard does add some gnome stuff, like the Mekkatorque leader SHORT story or the revamped Gnomeregan starting area, it comes out great. There just isn't too much of it."
Thats just it isnt it - SHORT storeys for a short race - and 'not too much of it'. Even goblins have more interest with their money grabbing ways - and much better starting area.
Gnomes seem to be the butt of the joke race, and have been designed that way. Now if Blizz just made a '/punt' emote, EVERYONE would use it on the gnomes - myself included - and Im alliance!
thedoctor2031 Nov 28th 2011 11:27AM
I feel like Blizzard makes a joke of gnomes. All story lines involving gnomes really involve them creatively blowing themselves up or failing in some way. Sure, sometimes they do things right but its put in such a way that they didn't know what was going to happen. I really like that bad-ass gnome in Icecrown who led some bombing missions and I wish their were more gnomes like him.
Hob Nov 28th 2011 11:40AM
I thought the storylines at Fizzcrank Airstrip in Borean Tundra were great. The Gearmaster Mechazod story was really well done, in my opinion. And challenging when played as intended (i.e., without flight, and at the appropriate levels 68-70).
Killik Nov 28th 2011 11:43AM
Gnomes are meant to look cute. Unfortunately, they're too cute to work visually in the 'this time it's serious, world-shattering conflict' type of cinematics that Blizzard favours. This leaves them a bit left out of epic lore moments. If Blizzard does an expansion about diplomacy or giant robot factories, gnomes will be front and centre.
musicchan Nov 28th 2011 12:26PM
Honestly, I don't see how the goblins are treated much differently from the gnomes. They're both mostly about explosions and short jokes. As much fun as the goblin starting zone is to play through, it's really just one slap-stick joke after another.
Maybe Blizzard likes having races that are mostly used as comedic relief. Not saying they can't do serious things with them, but it's easier to just have them be the people you can laugh at in the most serious moments.
Fweet Nov 28th 2011 12:36PM
My WoW bumper sticker would read: "My alt is also a Gnome rogue."
Noyou Nov 28th 2011 12:40PM
I disagree with McCurley totally on this one. Because there is so little on them, I feel that adds to them being a compelling race. Maybe I am a simpleton, but I love the curious and experimental nature of them. That never gets old with me. Now with archaeology, if would be fun to have them work with the dwarves to improve their digging techniques :)