WoW Insider

Helpful UI Mod: FindRemind

(Christopher Linton) — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 11:02:00 EST

I enjoy the little UI mods far more then the huge Cosmos or Titan mods. There is something about a program specifically created to remove an annoyance that I find delightful.

How many times have I rezzed and gone about my merry way, only to realize 5 or 10 minutes later that I forgot to recast my ore finder? It always really annoys me, because I have no idea how many veins I have missed in that time. FindRemind is a tiny little mod, and all it does is remind you to recast after a resurrection. A little dialog box pops up, you click Accept, and you never have to miss another ore vein or herb again.

[Thanks WoWvault]

Filed under: Add-Ons

Helpful UI Mod: FindRemind originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 07 Mar 2006 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

To Merge, Or Not To Merge?

(Christopher Linton) — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:14:00 EST

I have never been a part of a successful guild merger. I have been involved in three, and in each case the downfall of the guild has been imminent. Why is it that when two (or more) groups try to combine their resources and members, they fail most of the time?

1. A guild merger is often a symptom of deeper problems within one or both of the guilds. Guilds with no problems a far less likely to be interested in mergers than those with lots of discontent among their members.

2. Officers don't like to give up respect and privilege. Guild officers earn respect from members. That's why they are officers. In a guild merger, some officers are bound to get demoted, and those who aren't have to earn the respect of a whole new group of members. That inevitably leads to friction within the larger group.

3. Play styles and rules are bound to be different. Loot rules...the bane of a guild's serenity. Even if members aren't thrilled with the loot rules that a guild uses, they learn to deal with them. If a new group comes in and has a different way of determining looting, who gets to lead and go on raids, or the way that promotion within the guild structure is handled, it leads to accusations of favoritism.

conclusions after the jump.

Continue reading To Merge, Or Not To Merge?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion

To Merge, Or Not To Merge? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 06 Mar 2006 13:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Armor Graphics! Oh Wait...Just Placeholders.

(Christopher Linton) — Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:18:00 EST

Shadow's Edge has pics of the new AQ armor sets up on their website. I was excited until I realized that they were reused and they looked rushed and unfinished. Oh well, that's what they look like right now, and hopefully they will be updated in short order.

Filed under: Items, News items

New Armor Graphics! Oh Wait...Just Placeholders. originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2006 10:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Does Blizzard Oil the Squeaky Wheel?

(Christopher Linton) — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 09:00:00 EST

I have played Warriors as my mains since the day the game was released, back when their abilities were seriously bugged. Execute would drain your rage whether it hit or not, our chance to hit was calculated incorrectly, et cetera. The boards were flooded with "Fix Wars" posts, and Blizzard fixed us, albeit slowly. It seems to me that there will always be those who are not content with their class, and if they complain loudly enough, things get fixed. The polite requests get lost in the wash.

As I was trolling the WoW forums, I came across this thread. The thread quickly spirals out of focus, but there was an interesting discussion going on in the first few pages. Does Blizz give preference to the forum loudmouths, and if so, is that a bad thing?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, WoW Social Conventions

Does Blizzard Oil the Squeaky Wheel? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 20 Feb 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

New WoW Manga

(Christopher Linton) — Fri, 17 Feb 2006 11:18:00 EST

For those of you out there who are serious lore-junkies like myself, the WoW mangas are like giving a sip of water to a man dying of thirst. There is a little information in them, but it is surrounded by the mediocre writing. I read the first book of the Sunwell Trilogy with a mix of eagerness and distaste, because the story was interesting and there was some character development, but the writing style wasn't really what I expected or wanted.

Well, mediocre or not, I have no choice but to pick up this new one, because I have a problem. Well, they say that admission is the first step and I'm addicted to WoW lore, so that's why I'll be buying the next book in the Sunwell Trilogy.

Filed under: Odds and ends

New WoW Manga originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 17 Feb 2006 11:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Well, You Knew Druids Were Versatile!

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:40:00 EST

Druids are arguably the most versatile class in WoW, what with their shapechanging and all, and this video is a perfect example. This 34-man group of druids drop Onyxia, which is a testament to the versatility of the class. It would be possible for the other hybrid classes, Paladin and Shaman, to do this as well, but I can't see how any other non-hybrid class could pull this off, unless they were completely maxed out with items. Well done, Druids of Al'Hakir.

/golfclap

Filed under: Machinima, Fan stuff

Well, You Knew Druids Were Versatile! originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 15 Feb 2006 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Way of the Warrior

(Christopher Linton) — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 10:21:00 EST

WoW Stratics has released their first iteration of Way of the Warrior. I have played warriors almost exclusively since release. In fact, I always play warriors in everything, from Diablo II's barbarian to LARPing as a fighter. Having played warriors in many different forms and in many different games, I really like warriors in WoW. They aren't the best interpretation of the fighter type that I have seen, but the importance of their role is undeniable. I prefer the fighter, not as a crowd-control tank, but as a class which can be relied upon to deal out good, reliable damage all day long. There is an element of that in WoW, but other classes do that so much better that warriors are not used in this capacity.

Well, Stratics' Way of the Warrior is a good guide for people just starting the class, and it has a few good builds, but it doesn't have much endgame usefulness. If you are interested in a detailed breakdown of the different warrior abilities and ideas for a few good builds, check it out.

Filed under: Tips, How-tos

The Way of the Warrior originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 14 Feb 2006 10:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Blizzard Rumored To Have Bought 1500 New Servers

(Christopher Linton) — Thu, 09 Feb 2006 10:31:00 EST

Rahul Sood, President of VoodooPC, has rumored that Blizzard just purchased over 1500 new Opteron servers. If they did so, it is likely that they will be used in conjunction with the release of the Burning Crusade expansion. Now I really know nothing about servers, but according to the hype, these bad boys are "the business". It's exciting to see Blizzard making such a large investment in the future of WoW, and hopefully these new servers will make a noticeable difference.

Filed under: News items

Blizzard Rumored To Have Bought 1500 New Servers originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 09 Feb 2006 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

WoW Ipod Video Trailers

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:10:00 EST

Apple has released WoW trailers designed specifically for the Ipod Video. For those of you lucky enough to own them, these are great for a quick bus ride or a long lunch line. Apple is allowing you to bring a little piece of WoW with you when you travel, in order to fully submerge all of your existence in Azeroth (and Kalimdor).

The same trailers are avaliable in larger sizes too, and feature a Burning Crusade trailer, a Zul'Gurub tour, the old E3 trailer, and the Battlegrounds trailer.

Filed under: Odds and ends

WoW Ipod Video Trailers originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 08 Feb 2006 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

A PSA From Sluggy Freelance

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 17:45:00 EST

Sluggy Freelance, which is a gem of a webcomic, has had a short hiatus recently and their filler episodes have all been WoW-related. They are all funny and relevant, but this particular comic struck a chord with me. The mistyping of Rogue as Rouge is incredibly prevalent, and whenever it happens I am tempted to correct the individual responsible. I rarely do because I don't want to be "that guy", but it grates on me nonetheless.

Thank you for this PSA, filler artist Thyla, and may we all take it to heart.

Filed under: Machinima, Fan stuff

A PSA From Sluggy Freelance originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 08 Feb 2006 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Some Character Creation Reopened

(Christopher Linton) — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 13:33:00 EST

Blizzard is reopening character creation on 36 realms after determining that they were stable enough that the influx of population wouldn't significantly change the player experience. They aren't reopening all servers, but this is a big step towards that. I checked earlier this morning and they weren't open yet, but hopefully by now they are avaliable to create characters.

You can find the forum post here.

Full list of realms after the jump.

Continue reading Some Character Creation Reopened

Some Character Creation Reopened originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 06 Feb 2006 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daddy Wants a Conqueror's Crown

(Christopher Linton) — Mon, 06 Feb 2006 12:21:00 EST

Blizzard has put the quest rewards for the Brood of Nozdormu up on the main site. I for one am very excited, because there is some excellent defense gear in there for Warriors, to help us reach that elusive 420 defense. Also, the armor from that set looks halfway cool, a quality which has been somewhat lacking for Warriors lately. This isn't that important on regular servers, but for those of us on RPPVP servers it helps us to get into character. There isn't much in the way of resistances, but there are other armor sets for that.

Filed under: Items, Blizzard

Daddy Wants a Conqueror's Crown originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 06 Feb 2006 12:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Location of all 50 Lunar Coins

(Christopher Linton) — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:06:00 EST

Mosh on the WoW Europe boards has provided the locations of all 50 coins that need to be gathered at the Lunar Festival. I still need the Stratholme coin and the Thunder Bluff coin, and those will be tough since I'm trying to solo them all. I'll hopefully be picking those up later today, and receive the unending adulation that is my due.

Filed under: How-tos, Events

Location of all 50 Lunar Coins originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 02 Feb 2006 11:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

World of WarCrack Addiction.

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 13:16:00 EST

How much time do you have to spend on a game to classify is as an addiction? I suspect that the number is different for each person, but there comes a point for every player where the game starts to intrude on real-life responsibilities. There are some whose iron will allows them to limit themselves to playing only a few hours a week, and more power to them. There are also we lucky few whose responsibilities include playing WoW, but for most people there are very few concrete benefits, aside from those ingame friendships which spring up. When WoW starts to take over real life, every player faces a decision. Matthew Rorie over at GameSpot was faced with that tough decision, and he decided to go cold turkey. He's out. Gave all his gold and items away and deleted his characters.

Let's be real. WoW is really, really fun. It is the most fun I've ever had with a video game. I love it so much that it is difficult for me to admit to myself that it is pretty much a waste of time, as are most "leisure" activities. This isn't a problem, since there are no rules that require people to be constantly productive. However, some people find that "waste" of time abhorrent and quit. This is not to disparage WoW and it's devoted playerbase, of which I am proud to call myself a member, but it is important to call attention to the people who start to feel like their lives are slowly being consumed by the game.

Are you addicted to WoW, and if so, is that a bad thing?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion

World of WarCrack Addiction. originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 01 Feb 2006 13:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Get Out Your Snow Shovels! Jeff Kaplan Talks About Patch 1.10

(Christopher Linton) — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:17:00 EST

1UP.com has an exclusive interview with Jeff Kaplan where they talk about the 3 main changes in the new upcoming patch.

The biggest change is the Priest talent reworking and reset, similar to the Paladin reset in the last patch. Also, a few of the exciting new armor sets are previewed. Hopefully Warriors will get an alternative to the current armor sets, if not in sheer power, at least in looks. Also, here's a quick preview on the quests involved in getting those sets.

The final big change is the addition of weather effects. Now, I'm not sure why these are being added at all. Thankfully for those of you on lower-end computers you will be able to turn them off. Latency is sometimes crippling on my mid-level box, especially in cities, and I can't help but be concerned about how this addition will affect that. Personally, I have never seen weather effects as something necessary, but apparently there is a vocal group of players who feel that it would enhance their experience.

Are you in favor of weather effects? What are your thoughts on the other upcoming changes?

Filed under: Blizzard, News items

Get Out Your Snow Shovels! Jeff Kaplan Talks About Patch 1.10 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 31 Jan 2006 10:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Killing Death

(Christopher Linton) — Sat, 28 Jan 2006 14:11:00 EST

One of the hardest things to get right in an MMO is the death system. Developers need to balance it so it includes the recreational players and the hardcore players without making one group feel slighted. I feel as though WoW has done a good job with that balance, while leaning slightly to the recreational side. Death is an annoyance at most until you start grinding high-end instances, where the repair bills really start to add up. Before WoW, I played Dark Age of Camelot, which I feel really nailed the death system. Death was more of an event in DAoC, because there was experience loss involved, too. You could always run back to your gravestone to /pray, at which point you regained some of that lost experience, but sometimes that wasn't feasible. The loss was considerable, and it made you far more cautious while playing, as a general rule. Still, I never felt as though a death was a huge, game-ending setback, I just felt that I had made a stupid mistake that I needed to learn from.

The loss of item durability and sometimes resurrection sickness is a little soft, in my opinion. I understand that if the penalties were made more severe that WoW might lose some of it's fans, but I hope it wouldn't. I would hope that, with the sting of death being a little enhanced, it would encourage players to be a little more cautious.

All that being said, I really am fine with the current death system. It is only slightly annoying, and it opens up the game to a wide range of people, which is the main draw of the game in the first place. I have seen forum posts calling for "hardcore" realms, with perma-death and full looting of player corpses, and that doesn't seem fun either. I play this game as much for the variety of people that I meet as for the next BWL run with my guild, and I'm glad that the current system is generally attractive to everyone.

If you could tweak the death system, how would you change it, or is it perfect the way it is?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends

Killing Death originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 28 Jan 2006 14:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Scarab Gate Opens!

(Christopher Linton) — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:29:00 EST

The Scarab Gate has opened on the Medivh server. Kalahad, a Horde player from Fury Guild finally rang the gong and won the race!

Seriously, I have an alt on Medivh, and I was sorely tempted to jump over there and watch it open, but I felt like that would be betraying everything that I hold dear, so I funnelled all my energy into farming Thorium instead. Which wasn't nearly as cool, to be honest.

Screenshots here, forum coverage here.

Filed under: Realm News, Events, News items

The Scarab Gate Opens! originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 24 Jan 2006 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

NoGold.org

(Christopher Linton) — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 22:31:00 EST

The sentiments against gold-farming have always been high, but I have never seen such an organized, well thought-out, and serious response to it as I have found on nogold.org. It is fascinating that almost all WoW sites are covered with gold-selling and power-leveling ads, though the majority of players revile those who sell gold and those who buy gold. I will be interested to see if this No Gold movement picks up steam.

Do you think that it is possible to put the gold farmers out of business, and if so, what will the impact be on the WoW community at large, and fan sites in particular?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Economy

NoGold.org originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 21 Jan 2006 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

New Karazhan Screens!

(Christopher Linton) — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:11:00 EST

Our buddies over at OGaming have posted new Karazhan screenshots. Karazhan is an instance to be introduced in the Burning Crusade expansion that is inside Medivh's tower in Deadwind Pass.

I have always been a little disappointed that the particularly interesting Medivh storyline wasn't fleshed out as much as it could have been in WoW, so I'm happy to see that those level 60 characters who choose to can delve a little deeper into the history of Karazhan and the lore of Azeroth.

WoWWiki has a good article on the lore related to this dungeon, in case everyone isn't as big of an Azerothian history freak as myself.

Filed under: Fan stuff, News items

New Karazhan Screens! originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 20 Jan 2006 15:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lunar Festival Sneak Peek on IGN

(Christopher Linton) — Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:43:00 EST

IGN has an exclusive sneak peek of the upcoming Lunar Festival in WoW. Blizzard seems to be putting a new emphasis on the WoW lore, with this festival celebrating the first defeat of the Burning Legion thousands of years ago. there seem to be plenty of new quests avaliable, judging from the screenshots provided, and most exciting, a crazed demigod to defeat!

Filed under: News items

Lunar Festival Sneak Peek on IGN originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Jan 2006 00:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

I Was Wrong. So Very, Very, Wrong.

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 15:57:00 EST

After the heated reaction by some readers to my previous post about selling accounts, I was confused so I decided to talk to Blizzard directly to get final clarification on the subject. They responded to my email suprisingly rapidly, and were very helpful in clearing up any confusion that I had.

I was wrong when I stated that it was within the player's rights to sell their account. The EULA, which I drew my conclusions from, only applies to the actual physical game manuals and disks. Useless though it might be, anyone can attempt to sell those items to their heart's content.

The Terms Of Use governs WoW accounts and everything associated with them, such as gold and items. The TOS states that accounts cannot be bought or sold.

My confusion stemmed from the EULA's repeated reference to "the Game", "the Game Client", and "Service". "The Game" doesn't include the account, merely the physical items in the box, but I didn't make that connection.

Anyhow, I made a mistake, but I hope that my continued research into the topic and succesful attempt to get a definitive answer will atone for my offense.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends

I Was Wrong. So Very, Very, Wrong. originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 18 Jan 2006 15:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Arathi Basin Guide

(Christopher Linton) — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 18:39:00 EST

If you're a relative new PVPer, Arathi Basin can be very intimidating. It has more players than Warsong Gulch, it is considerably bigger, and the objectives aren't nearly as clear.

This comprehensive article over at OGaming is for you.

Even if you are an experienced player, it is likely that you will find something in this article that you can sink your teeth into. As a moderately dedicated PVPer, I've never pulled off a 5-cap and I found their advice very helpful. I'll try for the 5-cap tonight and let y'all know how it works out. :D

Filed under: Tips, How-tos

Arathi Basin Guide originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 15 Jan 2006 18:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Scepter of the Shifting Sands Quest Summary

(Christopher Linton) — Sun, 15 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST

TS, of the rather frighteningly competent Blighted guild on Alleria, has written up an excellent summary of the Scepter of Shifting Sands quest.

Now I'm incredibly jealous. I'll never be in a position to enjoy most of this quest, since I don't currently have the gear or the guild to pull it off. I'm currently in between guilds and by the time I settle into one comfortably enough to participate, this entire chapter in WoW will be over. I'll just have to content myself with all the juicy new content after the scepter is completed and the gong is rung on my server.

Scepter of the Shifting Sands Quest Summary originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sun, 15 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Woes of a Carebear

(Christopher Linton) — Sat, 14 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST

I really should be on a PvE server.

I was randomly questing this morning when I came upon a Tauren 2 or 3 levels below me fighting a mob. I did what I usually do, which is /wave and move on, because I know what a low blow it is for a Warrior to charge an already engaged opponent. As I was moving off, I got ganked by a priest and a mage, both of which were 6-7 levels higher than me. They then proceeded to corpse camp me until I logged off in frustration. They must have seen me spare the Tauren, yet they continued to gank and CC me.

Now, I have never played on a PvE server. There is a hardcore gamer in me that refuses to let me "wimp out" and go PvE. I acknowledge that I am a carebear, but how can other people take so much joy in being jerks? I enjoy PvP, and defeating another player in a fair fight is one of the biggest rushes I get playing WoW, but the sneakiness makes me want to roll a rogue named "Gankilicious" or some such and just sit in the barrens ganking people ALL THE TIME.

I could never do that, but in moments of anger I imagine the ganker's monitor melting from the sheer rage being directed at them. Anyway, if you see a Gankilicious rampaging through the Barrens, you'll know that I've finally been pushed over the edge. And if the name "Gankilicious" is already taken, I apologise and humbly suggest that you rock out with your bad self.

Woes of a Carebear originally appeared on WoW Insider on Sat, 14 Jan 2006 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

A Little Addon Love for Warriors

(Christopher Linton) — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 16:00:00 EST

I started using this on my Warrior this morning, and I was floored.

Basically it is a mod that allows Warriors to keybind a whole mess of useful things (like switching stances) and autocast execute, overpower, etc. This is great for soloing, but it really comes into it's own when tanking, because of the "help most wounded party member" and autocast Sunder Armor and Taunt. Any priest or other cloth user will love you for casting so efficiently. It is also hyper-customizable, which is great for having separate PvE and PvP load-outs.

Filed under: Warrior, Fan stuff

A Little Addon Love for Warriors originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 13 Jan 2006 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hidden Quests

(Christopher Linton) — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST

Tobold has posted a few lesser known quests for both Alliance and Horde.

I tried the Thandol Span quests on my warrior, and sure enough I needed a swiftness potion to reach the column. For all the cookie-cutter "Kill 37 rabid kittens" or "collect 42 centaur kidney stones" quests there are in WoW, every once in a while you come across a quest that is especially innovative and fun.

What other quests have you come across that might have escaped the notice of most casual players?

Filed under: How-tos, Odds and ends

Hidden Quests originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 13 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Selling Accounts Part 2: EULA Clarification

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:30:00 EST

In my previous post regarding selling accounts, there were several people who commented on the ethical implications of selling accounts. That wasn't what the post was about, but I feel like there is a myth regarding selling accounts that needs to be addressed.

Blizzard allows you to sell your account.

You can put it up on eBay and sell it for thousands of dollars. Blizzard is fine with that. If you examine the End User License Agreement on the WoW homepage, it clearly states that as long as you permanently sell, not only the account, but the game disks and manual, you are within your rights as an owner. This is not to say that selling the gold or items within the account is legal, but the account as a whole is yours to do with as you please.

Filed under: Odds and ends, Blizzard

Selling Accounts Part 2: EULA Clarification originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Request Etiquette

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:40:00 EST

As I was running through Ironforge today with my guild-less alt, without warning a guild charter opened in front of me. I was slightly annoyed by someone interrupting my day without asking, so I declined to sign and kept moving. A few seconds later, the same document popped up again. I declined and kept moving. After the third signature request, I yelled at the offending party to back off, and was finally left alone.

I find it extremely annoying when people open guild charter windows, invite me to groups, or trade with me without asking permission. I decline everything on principle, but some particularly forward individuals don't seem to get the message. Does everyone have these problems, or am I just hypersensitive?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion

Request Etiquette originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Barrens, or WoW's Daycare?

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST

The guys from Penny Arcade sum it up well. [link to comic that may be NSFW].

As I entered Elwynn on my way to the Darkmoon Faire last month, a wash of childish imprecations and accusations of homosexuality flooded my general chat channel. I always forget how ridiculous starting areas are. I wonder why there is such a marked difference between, say, Barrens Chat and STV chat. Both are hugely popular, highly traveled areas, but Barrens chat is like a foul-mouthed 3rd grade recess where everyone has bullhorns, while STV chat is helpful and civilized, for the most part. Are there really, as I strongly suspect, hordes of hyperactive 11-year-olds who create character after character, never having the patience to level them up past 9 or 10? Do these hypothetical hordes just sit and mouth off to each other in an orgy of puerility, while the serious players just quietly power through those early levels until they can be free of the starting areas?

On the other hand, perhaps each of those darling youngsters matures at a startling pace. After the brief few levels of immaturity, they grow into productive players.

I suspect that it is the former, while I hope it is the latter. Heaven knows that I've never stayed in a starting area for one instant longer than I needed to. It will take someone with a stronger stomach than I to test my theory.

The Barrens, or WoW's Daycare? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Selling Characters in WoW

(Christopher Linton) — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:30:00 EST

I confess, I'm an eBay junkie. I love to browse around and buy and sell useless knickknacks, so when I started to get bored with my lvl 60 warrior, I sold him. This was relatively early in the game, so I was astonished at the price that I got for him. it was almost double what I had expected, and it got me thinking, "Someone has payed a (relatively) obscene amount of money for my character, and they have no idea how to use him."

Playing a character up to 60 is a daunting task, and, once accomplished, should give you a good idea of how to handle your character. Every class has nuances that can only be appreciated if the player has spent hundreds of hours with that class. A beginner starting at 60 would be a waste, because he or she would be deluged in items, special abilities, and talents. Not having acquired these a few at a time, learning how to use them gradually, they would be lost. I imagine the people opening up their freshly-purchased account and scratching their heads in confusion.

The level of competence required from endgame PVP and instance raids is very high, and those who don't measure up are quickly blackballed, so I feel a certain remorse in taking these people's money and throwing them to the wolves.

The other option is that an experienced player purchased the account, which I can't even begin to understand. The majority of fun which I receive from WoW is in gaining levels, or a "levelgasm" as I call it. Once I hit 60, the fun plateaus.

Anyway, have any of you ever purchased an account online, and if so why, and did it work out for you?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cheats, Odds and ends

Selling Characters in WoW originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 11 Jan 2006 00:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments