WRUP: Want to be a part of the MoP beta? You have the power!
by Fox Van Allen 
Mar 23rd 2012 at 10:00PM
Every week, just at the start of the weekend, we catch up with the WoW Insider staff and ask them, "What are you playing this week?" -- otherwise known as: WRUP. Join us to see what we're up to in and out of game, and catch us in the comments to let us know what you're playing, too!
Well, certainly you all have read the news -- the Mists of Pandaria beta is open. And you're probably not in it. I mean, after all, if you were, wouldn't you be spending your time this evening playing it instead of reading this nonsense?
But still, for those of us who are beta free, you cannot give up hope -- for, you see, you have the power. You have ... crystals! Look at them longingly. Hold them close to your face. Now hold them slightly away from your face. Now have someone look at you from a different angle. Do you feel the power? Are you surrounded by glowing light? You'll find that crystals power truth!
I'm pretty confident that the secret to getting in this MoP beta hinges on proper crystal usage, so don't give up hope if you're not in yet. Just spend several hours a day holding and hoisting crystals. And while you're waiting for the power (that you already have, mind you -- you have the power), you can tell us what you're playing this weekend. And finally, you can answer our bonus question: If you could have any in-game ability to use in real life, what would it be?
Adam Holisky (@AdamHolisky) I'm writing this Wednesday afternoon, so I have no idea if the beta will be out yet, but I hope it is, and I hope that I'm playing it when this is published. If not, then I'll probably be working on Mass Effect 2 (I beat Mass Effect 1 the other week, finally).
I wish that I could summon food like a mage. Because I'm fat, and fat guys like food. It's how we (dinner) roll.
Anne Stickney (@Shadesogrey) I'll probably be spending most of this weekend writing my butt off. I haven't really got anything else planned other than the usual weekend raid. Bonus question: Being able to stealth would be pretty cool. I mean, who hasn't imagined what they'd do while completely invisible?
Chase Hasbrouck (@alarondruid) Still slowly working my way through ME3. Can't wait to see this ending that everybody is complaining about, so I can stop avoiding all the discussion of it. Bonus: Shadowmeld, for those conversations you desperately want to get out of.
Dan Desmond (@antigen_) I'll probably be playing [redacted] for a lot of the weekend, if it turns out to be any good. Don't worry, I'm not talking about Mists... though I would certainly like to play that as well. (/nudge Blizzard) Bonus? Bubble hearth, hands down. Yes, that is a paladin ability -- Glyph of Righteous Retreat, anyone?
Daniel Whitcomb (@DanielWhitcomb) I will mostly be obsessively checking my Battle.net account for a Mists of Pandaria invite. If I can tear myself away from that, I will probably play some Mass Effect 3 multiplayer. I still haven't unlocked the Turian Sentinel -- what is up with that?
Fox Van Allen (@foxvanallen) (gplus.to/foxvanallen) Recovering from sickness that ruined my plans for last weekend. One thing's for sure, though -- I'm not playing Mists of Pandaria beta, because I'm not in it (QQ).
Joe Perez (@lodurjz) Continually refreshing my battle.net page, and working on play-through #2 on ME3. Also, decided it's that time of year where I break out Super Mario RPG for my yearly play-through. SNES time!
Josh Myers (@PostColloquial) If @gomatgo ever tells me where he lives, I should hopefully be attending a Smores party this weekend. Also, playing some WoW; I might try to get my druid or paladin to 85 this weekend, as they're two of the three classes I still have sub-level cap.
Kelly Aarons (@Cadistra) More masochism in Devil Survivor 2 and maybe some Raid Finder and alt leveling. My job is winding down from a serious bout of overtime, so I just want to do something brainless for a bit. Any in-game ability? Why, that's easy -- Shapeshift! Helping someone move? Turn into a bear! Running to catch the bus? Cheetah! Missed the bus? Turn into an eagle and fly to work! Imagine what you'd save in gas!
Lisa Poisso (@LisaPoisso) I appear to be coming down with a cold, so right now, I'm just hoping I feel good enough to play anything at all ... But yanno, gaming's the best when you really feel lousy and you can't sleep any more. So there's that. Bonus question: Psychic Scream. I need this to clear a hole in traffic all the time.
Mathew McCurley (@gomatgo) Finishing Mass Effect 3 this weekend, no lie. Also, WoW and LoL. I would very much like to have Enraged Regeneration from my warrior right about now. My body is a mess. (Updating mine playing beta love you all going into coccoon.)
Matt "Matticus" Low (@matticus) Mists beta. ... Yeah, I'm kidding. I wish.
Matthew Rossi (@MatthewWRossi) I'm playing the "Please take my fluids and decipher from them what's wrong with me, medical folks."
I would like to be able to leap onto things and explode. ala Heroic Leap
Matt Walsh (@Rhidach) Playing a ton of Mass Effect 3 co-op this weekend. Need to get myself ready for the jump into gold. Bonus: Crusader Aura would be nice. Being able to do my commute in a third less time? Yes, please!
Megan O'Neill (@slowpoker) Leading a Firelands run on my bear, reading, and of course, trying to keep up with all the information coming off the beta. Bonus: Levitate, because while I like to pace late at night, my downstairs neighbors don't appreciate it much.
Michael Gray (@writegray) I'll be playing some Warzones, maybe some Battlegrounds. Of course, if beta, then beta. That goes without saying. My ability: Time Warp. Waiting through the next four months is going to be a bummer.
Olivia Grace (@oliviadgrace) If there is beta, then OMG beta! However, if there is not beta, then probably more 5v5! Oh and the bonus! Definitely Hearthstone, every time. I could put it abroad somewhere!
The weekend is the perfect time to kick back, relax and enjoy some game time. Are you an achievement junkie? Can't get enough raiding? Rolling a new alt? Considering taking the leap into roleplaying? Whatever your favorite way to play World of Warcraft, let us know in the comments what you're playing this weekend!
Filed under: WoW Insider Business
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Pyromelter Mar 23rd 2012 10:09PM
I'll be doing some work for my profession (yuck), then probably doing the Mass Effect 3 thing. I think I've figured out what it is I don't like about ME: all the damn dialogue. I actually like the story and the lore and the characters to a certain extent, but I just can't sit there for 10 minutes listening to everything everyone says. I think this is why I like Half-Life 2 so much better, there's a lot more action and story, the dialogue is there but it's in context and often in combat, and DAMN YOU VALVE MAKE EPISODE 3 ALREADY. But yeah Mass Effect is good, but it's not as good as it's reviews get, most overrated series ever.
As far as wow abilities IRL, teleportation of course. Really, why would anyone take any other ability?
Shade Mar 23rd 2012 10:45PM
The issue I always run into when discussing this with my friends (...yes I do have this conversation quite often...) is where are the ports set to?
Problem 1: How do you fairly decide what the Earth-based teleport locations are? "My house", "my office", "my favorite restaurant" are nowhere near equivalent to Orgrimmar, Dalaran, and Silvermoon, for example.
Problem 2: Stemming from Problem 1, Teleport/Portal can be (fairly) viewed as useless since the spells specifically state WoW locations. What will otherwise unempowered humans do in Stormwind, and how will they get back to our dimension? (Woe to you if you port to Org as a human :P)
Problem 2: Is it fair to count every single teleport location as one spell? After all, each city has its own spell in the game files.
Overall my opinion is that the humble hearthstone is far more useful. Even if you can't use your own house as a hearth location since you're not an innkeeper, just set it to a hotel, motel, or bed+breakfast near your home/workplace/school. You can also change it at will, which keeps it useful if you travel a lot.
--@SyntheticAether
Pyromelter Mar 23rd 2012 11:12PM
Dude, if I could teleport myself to Azeroth, I'd blow this joint so fast...
Kyle Mar 24th 2012 12:57AM
@Shade
"Problem 2: Stemming from Problem 1, Teleport/Portal can be (fairly) viewed as useless since the spells specifically state WoW locations. What will otherwise unempowered humans do in Stormwind, and how will they get back to our dimension?"
Sell off bits of our comprehensive knowledge of the WoW Universe ;p
Everything from where the horde lacks guards, where to find the best sources of herbs and minerals across 3 continents and the shattered remains of another planet, and what the plans of most of the small cults around the world are - or alternatively work the Stormwind auction house full time - you'd make more than enough gold to live a comfy life - assuming you can find a place to buy a house
Allan Mar 23rd 2012 10:23PM
but.... i dont have any crystals... What do i do Fox?
SamLowry Mar 24th 2012 10:22AM
Be happy that you didn't support the looting of a national park or forest, which is where many American crystals tend to be found, or provide any support to flakes like this:
http://www.earth-keeper.com/arkansasarticle.shtml
Revynn Mar 23rd 2012 10:27PM
Toying with the idea of starting a blog. I also have a RaF account that is going to expire soon and I'd like to take more advantage of that (Multiboxing is never something I really got a hold of). Otherwise, camping Time-Lost and probably playing some SWTOR.
Revynn Mar 23rd 2012 10:44PM
As for WoW abilities IRL, I think I'll need to go with Time Warp. Being able to speed up/slow down time would be great just about . . . Every day. Late for work? Time warp. Want more time to sleep in? Time warp. Want a longer lunch hour? Time warp. Stuck in a painfully boring meeting? Time warp.
isawakumo Mar 23rd 2012 10:28PM
On the MoP beta - I see so many complaining that they weren't brought in the first round. I was, and let me tell you something - It isn't pretty. Sure you have pandas, and the panda newbie area. But here's some of what you DON'T have.
- Mounts. You can get the skill, but no mounts will hold you. Enjoy walking EVERYWHERE.
- Working skills/talents. MANY talents are NYI, dont do anything, or just plain dont work.
- 85-90 Content. About the only thing 85s can do is pick their noses and send stuff to new pandas.
- Bugs enough to blot out the Sun. Crashes, bugs, and all manner of craziness.
Have some patience, you'll get in soon enough, and likely at a stage when things are a bit more stable :)
As for IRL ability - Just make me a Naaru, that would take care of it :)
xrarndx Mar 23rd 2012 11:25PM
THIS. Welcome to BETA - I wish your post was plastered over everything that said "beta" on it. People these days read the word "beta" and translate it to "free early gameplay".
No.
No.
No.
No.
Beta is not for you to jump around and rub it in other peoples faces to say "I got in beta first! Haha, I know about the new expansion before you :)" no, beta is BETA, meaning its to be BETA TESTED. TESTING. Key word the people miss out when you talk about beta. It's to be tested to remove bugs and make sure everything is working on full release.
Please, make people aware that BETA IS BETA and that it is not a free ride into early gameplay - it's a difficult and frustrating testing phase, where any decent person should be reporting all bugs they encounter with as many details as they can muster, at least until the very end of beta where most things have been worked out. THEN you can just enjoy having an early experience.
For those of you complaining you didn't get in first: Good. The fact that you're complaining shows that you only want to get in early so you can see the jiggly panda belly first hand ASAP. If you knew what beta is really like, you'd be happy you weren't some of the first to get in.
Lemondish Mar 24th 2012 12:45AM
My issue is that the panda starting area and the monk class IS what I want to focus on in beta. I don't care about the 85 to 90 content, at least not at this juncture. I want to get my hands on the monk and put the Pandaren animations to the test. So, while the beta is lacking in content, it has the ONLY things I want to spend time on in it, so I'm doubly upset that there isn't even a time frame for when I'll get a chance to play what is already there.
Domintal Mar 24th 2012 1:11AM
@xrarndx
I dunno about you, but getting in early just to see some of the crazy bugs is half the fun of it. :) Sending in tickets to report it is a must do during it, but seeing the bugs is pretty fun, no matter how limited the content is.
isawakumo Mar 24th 2012 1:04PM
@Lemondish - You will be happy then to have not gotten in this round, At least half of the pandaren animations are absent, he has no voice beyond grunts while getting hit (which the female panda shares), and MANY of the monk abilities are still being hammered out.
I will give you a piece of candy to gnaw on, though.
Fortifying Ale - Doubles your HP for 20 seconds, but you can't be healed. 1.5min cd.
Touch Of Death - Kill any enemy non-player with less health then you. 2 min cd.
Likely to be nerfed, but amusing now.
Mill Mar 23rd 2012 10:29PM
...Taric want's his niche back.
Shade Mar 23rd 2012 10:33PM
I'll be going through my last hurrahs in Northern VA before my move to Los Angeles on Monday. The American Art Museum in DC is hosting an exhibit on the history of video gaming until September 30th and I'll be hitting that up on Saturday. Will probably visit the dinosaurs in the Natural History museum while I'm there :D
Bonus question: Evocation, depending on what constitutes mana IRL. I choose to interpret it generally as some mix of energy and motivation, meaning sleep, mood, and willpower are increased. At, for example, the gym, Evocation will allow me to push further toward my absolute limit but I won't suddenly be able to do things I was physically incapable of doing beforehand, such as instantly recovering halfway through a workout.
--@SyntheticAether
Pyromelter Mar 24th 2012 2:16AM
Oh shit dude, I'm originally from the east coast, and now in LA. Let me know if you need pointed in the right direction or something. (Hint, the beach is /flexes muscles and points -----------> that way)
Adam Mar 23rd 2012 10:44PM
FOOL! Crystals were INTEGRAL to the WRUPing process!
cueball83081 Mar 23rd 2012 10:49PM
Death & Decay...
Why?
Why not?
Meh Mar 23rd 2012 11:11PM
I have the power!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8ZcmMK64Ok
dannyleitner Mar 23rd 2012 11:13PM
Rebirth.