Patch 5.3 interview with Ghostcrawler
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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsThe Queue: Yaks are cool, I guess
by Mathew McCurley 
Feb 22nd 2012 at 11:00AM
I still want the frog.
hystrico asked:
any word on recipes in MoP? Like, should I be stocking up on Chef's Awards?
I had an issue with the original removal of the limit on Chef's Awards because of just this question. Obviously we have no idea how the new recipes and stuff will work for new dailies and all that, but one of the reasons I liked the limit on how many awards you could store up was because it kept that currency artificially deflated. When Blizzard removed that limit, everyone stocked up on Chef's Awards, so how do you fairly price new recipes with that currency? Who do you design for -- the guy who saved up 2,000 Chef's Awards or the guy who didn't? Which is fair?
Personally, I'd like to see Blizzard reinstate the limit, making one currency for each profession's dailies and recipe purchases and simplifying the whole thing once and for all. Hoarding tokens isn't fun, just like hoarding points isn't fun. Well, it's kind of fun.
Someone interrupted my writing of the last paragraph on AIM with:
So, what's this I keep hearing about March and press and Mists of Pandaria?
Blizzard has announced a Mists of Pandaria press tour kicking off in March with a big press something-or-other and promises of lots of new information about the next expansion. This fact has led us all to speculate on what that timing could mean for a release date or projected release window. Press is a big deal in the video game industry, because hype is absolutely everything. The more you penetrate the mainstream media with stories about tons of gamers lining up or huge events, the better.
So the press tour begins in March, which means we're going to get the "face" of Mists of Pandaria then. What do I mean? I mean we will see the pitch. Here's what is new and exciting, Blizzard will tell us, and we will respond. We've already been shown the premise, but now we need to see the pitch. Show us those character models, Blizzard. You know you want to.
@eresin84 on Twitter asked:
Did things move pretty quick between Aggra and Thrall? She's preggers at the end of DW fight.
Thrall and Aggra have been together for an ... acceptable period of time, I would think. We don't know what's cool in orcish culture with kids and all that, so we just speculate. Hey, Chris Metzen, where's my rulebook and reference guide on orc societal mating customs and premarital lifemate shamanism? I need it to answer this question.
@credgett on Twitter asked:
who is Tyrygosa that is mentioned during the DS raid? I havent come across her in game before
Tyrygosa is a blue dragon that featured prominently in The Sunwell Trilogy. She is at the Wyrmrest Temple helping to defend against Deathwing. Check out her Wowpedia page.
People on Twitter asked me:
Wait, is there really going to be a WoW Insider Show Podcast panel at PAX East this year?
Yes. We will have more details for you soon.
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! ADAM
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 6)
Noyou Feb 22nd 2012 11:57AM
With the tool tips on the updated talent calc and bashiok stating that they wouldn't release the update until the F&F Alpha, I am going to say it's probably going on right now.
Noyou Feb 22nd 2012 12:01PM
Aaaand this is a reply to Revynn....(queues elevator music) ^^^
Shinae Feb 22nd 2012 11:31AM
I hope that I'm not the only one who thinks that the March press event will be the kick-off for the Mists beta, which will likely be their most public beta ever (with all of those Annual-Pass players).
Blizzard devs seem to be much more forthcoming with beta/PTR information than they used to be years ago. I guess when they saw how efficient we've (especially MMO-Champion) become at data-mining files and passing the word around, they decided to beat us to the punch by putting their plans forward in the light they want it shown, instead of letting players make wild and inaccurate speculations.
Noyou Feb 22nd 2012 11:47AM
I think that sounds about right. If beta doesn't start around then, it will be 2-3 weeks later. I think the presser will be the lifting of the NDA and a shiitake load of info spewing forth.
(cutaia) Feb 22nd 2012 11:56AM
I don't see why not.
We have to keep in mind that the first stages of "beta" don't even have to include everything. They could release a "beta" which doesn't include the continent of Pandaria yet, just to start getting massive feedback on the talent changes so far. Giving people access to the Pandarian starting zone and Monks, even, would be a good start. Doing it that way ensures that people in the beta are testing the parts of the game you want them to test, and that your feedback is very targeted.
So, yeah, even if the new dungeons and raids aren't finished, and even if the high-level questing zones aren't finished, and hell...even if the talent trees are still undergoing some adjustments...they *could* release a beta.
I don't know if they *will* do that, but if you ask me, that would be the best way to get MoP ready for release in the fastest timeframe possible.
greenfuse80 Feb 22nd 2012 11:41AM
I hope that's the sitting animation for Pandaren. So sick. I would like to say that I'm very pleased that we'll be getting yak mounts. That paired with my Pandaren shaman will get me that much closer to feeling like Aang. Now all I need is a Momo looking pet...
Puntable Feb 22nd 2012 12:51PM
at about the other traditional asian beast of burden, the Water Buffalo?
Shinae Feb 22nd 2012 2:34PM
Yaks are cuter than water buffalo because they're fuzzier. Cuteness wins!
andrews Feb 22nd 2012 11:57AM
Why an artificial gate on daily rewards? All that will do is push out the time someone could get "all of them." That will financially benefit a few, but pull from the entire community, in the form of higher prices (and keep some "useless things" from being made at all.
Artificial gating is inane.
Aaron Feb 22nd 2012 8:38PM
"Why an artificial gate on daily rewards? All that will do is push out the time someone could get "all of them.""
Exactly. If you give players an incentive to play obsessively, some of them will. Capping, for example, the number of daily quests you can perform makes it so that a player has to make choices, which is an important part of character development. Second, it prevents full-time players from gaining too big of an advantage over more casual players. Some advantage is fine and appropriate, but diminishing returns are important because they encourage players to set priorities.
Also, that pacing helps to keep players occupied, because each major patch has to last about six months. If I could spend one afternoon grinding Tol Barad Commendations to buy everything I need, why come back? Why fight for Tol Barad if they have nothing I want? This was exactly the problem with Halaa, a world PvP objective in Nagrand; players got marks for killing other players in the area, without limit. When the zone was crowded, players could get what they wanted within a few hours of play. So they did, and they never came back, and future players were left with nobody to fight. Since mid-TBC, it's been practically impossible to earn Halaa Battle Tokens legitimately, resulting in kill-trading and other practices that violate the spirit of the game.
"Artificial gating is inane."
Blizz has already removed several artificial hurdles by:
- Removing attunements and Heroic keys,
- Giving players access to mounts at an early level,
- Allowing players to champion most new factions, and
- Making prior-tier gear available for purchase with Justice Points.
Have these changes made the game better? In some ways, yes; I appreciate that they don't want to force people into a certain play style (again, see Halaa, where the *only* way to earn Battle Tokens was to kill an opposing player). On the other hand, those hurdles build anticipation, and anticipation makes the eventual achievement more rewarding. The Tempest Keep and Karazhan attunement chains not only added to the story, but made an accomplishment out of merely crossing the threshold. Having a daily limit on Kalu'ak reputation (three dailies, 500 rep per daily) gives me two weeks to dream about that epic fishing pole. These hurdles, arbitrary though they are, encourage players to think long-term, rather than simply treating each rep grind as a business transaction.
andrews Feb 22nd 2012 10:20PM
I already have a good fishing pole, but I didn't know about that one!
I am not sure I like the daily gating though when you can only do 25 dailies each day, even for old content. I am having a hard time (with motivation) pushing through Firelands Molton Front dailies already anyway, so I suppose the limit is not as big a deal any more. Though I cannot do both TB a lot, Molton Front and anything else significant. Too easy to hit the cap.
Maymer Feb 22nd 2012 12:03PM
I have a challenge for the Queue regarding Transmogging.
I have finally gotten my shaman all set and geared up through LFR, and I was thinking to myself, what should I try and go for as a look that is unique, intriguing, but slightly recognizable?
Then it hit me....and now I need your guys help.
I want my shaman to resemble the Demoman from Team Fortress 2.
I already know how to get the eyepatch, but I need a good chest piece that looks like ammunition is hanging from it, finger tip less gloves, and possibly a way to make my axes resemble something bar/alcohol related.
Any suggestions?
Twill Feb 22nd 2012 12:19PM
there are mugs for maces, but not axes.
also, for the chest, look up quests that have you hold a container on your back. its imperfect, but all i could think of.
Shinae Feb 22nd 2012 12:59PM
There isn't a chestpiece in WoW with attached ammunition, unfortunately. That would make a great hunter set (and therefore available to shaman).
The closest gear I know of for such a look is leather, so it won't work for transmogrifying your shaman's gear: http://wowroleplaygear.com/2010/01/11/bards-set/
Check out a bunch of mail looks here: http://wowroleplaygear.com/2010/01/04/stylish-mail-sets/
Puntable Feb 22nd 2012 12:04PM
They said there would be areas spread out over Pandaria with banks and auction houses. Do you think these will consist of one city each for Alliance and Horde? Will it be a number of towns maybe the size of Southshore? Or will I be going to a bank at one of Nessingwary's Cousin's Expedition tents?
Noyou Feb 22nd 2012 12:11PM
I think there will be one in the first zone and one maybe in the last zone. I kind of imagine them like the goblin towns (Everlook and Gadgetztan) only not with goblins.
zackwbrandon Feb 22nd 2012 12:17PM
If you look at the Blizzcon maps (probably edited internally by now, but still) and consider that each faction gets a helpful 'race' on Pandaria, I would imagine that we will get the occasional Gadgetzan or Area 52 sized settlement with the appropriate (faction specific) AH and banks. The maps suggest that there are at least one of each such settlement per faction 'race' in each zone.
Puntable Feb 22nd 2012 12:30PM
This got me thinking about why people camp their characters where they do. Important things are a Bank and an Auction House, but also access to profession trainers, crafting materials, profession daily quests, reputation daily quests, portals, training dummys, the trade channel, and the all important JP and VP gear vendors. Certainly they cannot put all this stuff in every little town, can they? Won't everyone hang out where they DO put all these things in one place?
Edymnion Feb 22nd 2012 1:00PM
Agreed, Puntable.
I park my 85's in Orgrimmar because of the exact reasons you said. Trainers are there, both class and profession. The bank and AH is there, Trade chat for raid pugs is there, anvils and mat vendors for professions are there, etc.
I will of course set my hearth to the zone I'm leveling in come MoP, but at the end of the day I will almost certainly be parking my toon in whatever location has everything in one place. And God help Blizzard if they decide to spread it all out so that you can't go to one place to get everything. I remember the days of having to go to Silvermoon to train Jewelcrafting or Paladin levels, while you spent all the rest of your time anywhere else. I have no desire to return to that, and I think the vast majority of players will raise holy hell if they try to go back to "Well your class trainers are only in Orgrimmar, your profession trainers are only in Thunderbluff, but Trade chat is only available in Undercity" type layout.
Puntable Feb 22nd 2012 1:24PM
My worry as well. Are they "giving us a reason to be out in the world instead of in a city", or are they forcing us to waste a lot of time traveling all over Pandaria to do the things we want to do?