WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com WoW Insider http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif WoW Insider http://wow.joystiq.com prods@weblogsinc.com (Weblogs, Inc. Producers) (Weblogs, Inc. Web Support) en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. View our terms of service here: http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/ Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/ <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Dragon Be Gone]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/wow-moviewatch-dragon-be-gone/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/wow-moviewatch-dragon-be-gone/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/wow-moviewatch-dragon-be-gone/#comments I was reminded of Dragon Be Gone while chatting it up with friends. While the subject came up because of rocks ( ... yeah, just rocks), the whole video is absolutely fun. Dragon Be Gone was created by Erunno and Frozen Death Knight.

Videos like Dragon Be Gone are one of the strongest recommendations for WoW. The game has grown a rich community over its seven years. It's just kind of cool. The community has infinitely more depth that you'd suspect from simple television ads, which is a shame, since that community is probably one of its best parts.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Dragon Be Gone originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/jokes-and-songs-decorate-the-wow-community/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/jokes-and-songs-decorate-the-wow-community/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/jokes-and-songs-decorate-the-wow-community/#comments We get a lot of musical submissions and comedy bits sent to WoW Moviewatch. For better or for worse, we can't always run them. Moviewatch usually needs an animated movie or live-action narration to really work. It's a rough guideline, but it's been a consistent one for years.

Of course, we see some awesome stuff that deserves its own spotlight. These are songs, comedy routines, and moments of sheer awesome that you shouldn't miss. It's up to you to decide whether they're good, of course, but that's what makes it a community effort.

Continue reading Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community

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Jokes and songs decorate the WoW community originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> cypherember-isolteguide-to-machinimalolmachinimamoviesmyndflameow-machinimaworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videoswowcrendor (Michael Gray) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/3-things-battlegrounds-should-borrow-from-sw-tors-warzones/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/3-things-battlegrounds-should-borrow-from-sw-tors-warzones/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/22/3-things-battlegrounds-should-borrow-from-sw-tors-warzones/#comments We talked the other day about three things I learned to love about Battlegrounds by playing Star Wars: The Old Republic's Warzones. Honestly, I stopped at three on purpose. There's so much to complain about in Warzones that it could keep a retribution paladin (which I am) busy for weeks. But I didn't want to give the wrong impression; I really do enjoy SW:TOR Warzones.

Warzones offer a different game, different playstyle, and significant change of pace for a grizzled PvP veteran. While I could just go all mushy about my assault cannon, I'm more interested in the design aspects that really work well in Warzones. With that in mind, here are three things I think WoW should borrow from Warzones.

(And no, I'm not talking about Huttball here. Huttball is fun and all, but it's just a specific game. That'd be like saying "SW:TOR isn't good because of Alterac Valley." That's not particularly helpful, even if I do love scoring a goal through a sweet ball-passing chain. I'm talking about overall game dynamics.)

Continue reading 3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones

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3 things Battlegrounds should borrow from SW:TOR's Warzones originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battlegroundbattlegroundsbgspvpstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarzoneswzwzs (Michael Gray) Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Beautiful Stranger]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/wow-moviewatch-beautiful-stranger/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/wow-moviewatch-beautiful-stranger/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/21/wow-moviewatch-beautiful-stranger/#comments Romirevids has come a long way with his skills. You can see that plainly in Beautiful Sister, Romire's newest release. While the video won't be to everyone's liking, it's definitely a huge step from some of his previous work.

The story is a fairly straightforward "Dude, where's my Draenei/mount/sister?" gag, but I think that's a strength. The voice acting is a huge improvement for Beautiful Sister, and the plot actually steps forward with an even, good pace. My hat's off to Romire for good work.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Beautiful Stranger originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[3 things Warzones taught me to love about Battlegrounds]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/3-things-warzones-taught-me-to-love-about-battlegrounds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/3-things-warzones-taught-me-to-love-about-battlegrounds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/3-things-warzones-taught-me-to-love-about-battlegrounds/#comments OK, I admit it. I've been trying out PvP in Star Wars: The Old Republic. You can't claim to have diverse knowledge of disparate PvP systems if you don't ever, you know, play other games. "I hear it's hard to get the huttball across the line" isn't quite the same as "You touch the huttball and 15 Sith Juggernauts appear and teabag you like the Lipton Army."

That doesn't mean I've quit my time in WoW Battlegrounds. Not to offend any saber-jockeys out there, but the PvP in WoW is better. Don't get me wrong. I'm having a great time firing rockets and dodging laser swords, but WoW's PvP has been honed as a separate game style. Its balance and play is beautiful and elegant. I didn't even realize how true that was until I spent some time in SW:TOR's analogous group PvP area, called Warzones.

Let me put my money where my mouth is. This is a (small) list of things I've learned to love about Battlegrounds from doing Warzones.

Continue reading 3 things Warzones taught me to love about Battlegrounds

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3 things Warzones taught me to love about Battlegrounds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> battlegroundbattlegroundsbgsstar-wars-the-old-republicswtorwarzonewarzones (Michael Gray) Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Stupid Hair]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/wow-moviewatch-stupid-hair/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/wow-moviewatch-stupid-hair/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/20/wow-moviewatch-stupid-hair/#comments Happy Monday, everyone! For a special treat today, we have some brand new Greyfoo! How can you not be excited? Greyfoo conceptualized Stupid Hair back in December 2011. While he's been working on the idea for months, general distractions and a busted hand kept him from releasing the video until now.

The video comes in two parts. The first half is a subtle cautionary tale about going up against Deathwing. While you might think a coterie of Azeroth's strongest heroes would be immune to stupid traps, Thrall discovers to his horror that his raid members embrace amazing gullibility.

The last half is Greyfoo's trademark funky beats and smooth singing. Greyfoo has crafted an amazing homage to the silly haircuts you can get in game. Remember, stupid hair is just a barber shop visit away.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Stupid Hair originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: How to Win at Guilds 2]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/wow-moviewatch-how-to-win-at-guilds-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/wow-moviewatch-how-to-win-at-guilds-2/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/wow-moviewatch-how-to-win-at-guilds-2/#comments Billy got kicked from his guild, which means he needs to find another guild. And so it was that Billy went on another tour through the various frustrating guild stereotypes. If you think about the baggage being carried by a single person, consider then the collective baggage hauled around by an entire guild!

How to Win at Guilds 2 is probably one of Wowcrendor's best videos in a while. It's a longer video and contains a deeper, more detailed criticism of the game. It's also a good example of that nice, painfully funny analysis for which Wowcrendor is known. I think we all know guilds or people like those in this video.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: How to Win at Guilds 2 originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimahow-to-win-at-guildsmachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videoswowcrendor (Michael Gray) Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Phat Loot Phriday: Precious' Ribbon]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/phat-loot-phriday-precious-ribbon/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/phat-loot-phriday-precious-ribbon/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/17/phat-loot-phriday-precious-ribbon/#comments
When we last left our heroes, Lolegolas had unleashed all the flavors of the rainbow and turned Sylvanas into a dog. Throgg was really confused by the situation but sure that nothing could possibly go wrong.

"You turned her into a dog!" Miranda shouted. "How did you even do that? That's not how that's supposed to work." The human still looked like an iron dwarf, which made the girl's voice sound especially surreal. "I'm going to get into so much trouble."

"Can we keep her?" Throgg asked. He immediately dropped to his knees and pulled a small, pink cloth from his backpack. "I still have Precious' Ribbon! It'd look great on her."

"We can't keep her," Lolegolas instantly replied. "We already have a dog."

The Gilnean tapped his iron dwarf foot in annoyance.

"We're not getting any answers from her this way," Miranda said. "We need an amazing coincidence or a bit of deus ex machina to continue our quest." She coughed into her hand with significance, as if that were some kind of cue.

Just then, Abercrombie blundered into the throne room. He froze when he saw the proceedings. "Oh, crap," he muttered. Then, without further ado, he hiked up his robes and bolted back down the hall.

"You had to know that was going to happen," Lolegolas said.

"Well, maybe," Miranda said. "It was just good timing, that's all. Quick, after him!"

Precious' Ribbon
Type: Shirt

Item information: You get Precious' Ribbon from the dog named Precious in Icecrown Citadel. It has a very low drop rate, though, so expect to be farming forever.
Phat Loot Phriday brings you the scoop on some of the most ... interesting ... loot in the World of Warcraft, often viewed through the eyes of the stalwart Throgg and indelible Lolegolas. Suggest items you think we should feature by emailing mikeg@wowinsider.com.

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Phat Loot Phriday: Precious' Ribbon originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewtfat-lootfeaturedworld-of-warcraft-itemsworld-of-warcraft-lootwow-itemwow-itemswow-loot (Michael Gray) Fri, 17 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Raining Frost -- Stormwind Assault]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/wow-moviewatch-raining-frost-stormwind-assault/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/wow-moviewatch-raining-frost-stormwind-assault/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/wow-moviewatch-raining-frost-stormwind-assault/#comments You need to give this video a little bit of time to get started. The opening is a little slow, in my opinion, but the video picks up pace considerably after a short time.

I'm actually kind of excited to meet WazopVids, as I'm looking forward to what he might do in the future. Not much plot rears its head in Raining Frost -- Stormwind Assault, but the video shows a lot of promise in terms of pacing, tension, and graphics.

I loved the diver's HUD graphics. While it doesn't feel very WoW-like, admittedly, it was an effective technique for getting some anticipation and action in the plot. After all, otherwise you could simply sum the action up as "undead falls from sky"; in this version, you get "undead falls from sky with a cool HUD."

WazopVids is working on the next video already. You can see the teaser for it at the end of Raining Frost -- Stormwind Assault, so stick around to get that preview.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Raining Frost -- Stormwind Assault originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamovieswazopvidsworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[How to protect your healer]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/how-to-protect-your-healer/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/how-to-protect-your-healer/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/how-to-protect-your-healer/#comments Last week, we talked about what it takes to kill a healer. While we obviously had a few "be a death knight" jokes, the discussion was pretty good. It's a clear and obvious point: If you don't kill the enemy's healer, you're in for a long, hard Battleground.

If it's so important to kill the enemy healer, then the inverse must also be true: Protect your healer. If you'd ever like to experience the life of a rope caught in a tug-of-war between 15 wild dogs, roll a healer in Warsong Gulch. It's kind of like that.

Without your protection, your healer will soon be enjoying life as a greasy spot of ex-character. This is bad. First, that healer's your team member. Second, that healer is your own best avenue of survival, since you need healing. If you want healing, protect your healer. Simple stuff.

As a general rule, I'd place protecting your healer among any Battleground's highest priorities. You can't let the protection get in the way of things like capturing the flag, but by the same token, you probably won't capture said flag without your healer.

Here's how you get that protection done.

Continue reading How to protect your healer

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How to protect your healer originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featuredguidehow-to-play-wownew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guideprotect-your-healerrookie-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraft (Michael Gray) Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Celebrating Valentine's Day]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/wow-moviewatch-celebrating-valentines-day/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/wow-moviewatch-celebrating-valentines-day/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/15/wow-moviewatch-celebrating-valentines-day/#comments This is the last of our Valentine's Day videos, since the big holiday was yesterday. I saved this one for last because it's a little odd. Essentially, Celebrating Valentine's Day is a decent video. I mean, it's not mind-blowingly amazing or anything, but the video had a good idea driving it and the animation is done pretty well.

The oddity is the voice acting. All the dialogue is performed by AT&T's Natural Voices. On one hand, that's weird and it sounds really creepy. It's totally distracting from the rest of the video. On the other hand, it's a novel use of the technology, and I could see this kind of automated voice making its way into machinima. But for now, mostly weird. The dialogue itself is just fine, but the robo-voice just makes me feel like someone's selling me something.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Celebrating Valentine's Day originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> celebrating-valentines-dayguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: The Transmog Run]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/wow-moviewatch-the-transmog-run/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/wow-moviewatch-the-transmog-run/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/14/wow-moviewatch-the-transmog-run/#comments Work Warning: Some cursing.

We've all been there. You're totally in love with this incredibly awesome dude or dudette. Your own little fantasy world builds up around the object of your obsession. You run through the dialogue in your mind, slowly building up the perfect date. This is Quixotica's version of those events, but I can't spoil the ending.

Quixotica made this video to help celebrate Valentine's Day. While The Transmog Run probably won't be an ideal video to share with your loved one, it's a great way to look at the holiday with a bit of irony.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: The Transmog Run originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesquixoticathe-transmog-runworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: All's Fair in Love and Warcraft]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/wow-moviewatch-alls-fair-in-love-and-warcraft/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/wow-moviewatch-alls-fair-in-love-and-warcraft/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/13/wow-moviewatch-alls-fair-in-love-and-warcraft/#comments Work Warning: A bit of cursing and a little raciness here.

'Tis the season when gamers' hearts turn to their significant others and we ponder how lucky we are to have them in our lives. Valentine's Day usually doesn't get a lot of extra press from the machinima crowd, but Miss Septula decided to make something a little special for her boyfriend Ray.

All's Fair in Love and Warcraft is short, which makes sense since it's really a holiday card for the boyfriend. It's a really cute idea, and I wish I had thought of it myself. I even liked the kid-like singing in the video; it reminded me of homemade Valentine's Day cards (which are, for the record, the best kind).
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: All's Fair in Love and Warcraft originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamiss-septulamoviesseptulaworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: How to Tell if Your Warsong Gulch Will Fail]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/wow-moviewatch-how-to-tell-if-your-warsong-gulch-will-fail/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/wow-moviewatch-how-to-tell-if-your-warsong-gulch-will-fail/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/wow-moviewatch-how-to-tell-if-your-warsong-gulch-will-fail/#comments Warsong Gulch is a frustrating map. It's a great game (one of my favorite), but it doesn't take much for a team to run right off the rails. One or two people determined to live in the field, one person who just doesn't have the juice to win, or even a bad flag carrier are all things that can wreck your game -- not even to bring up the dreaded turtle match.

Wowcrendor sums it all up in this movie about failing Warsong Gulch. It's not a complex video, sure, but it doesn't take a complex video to explain what can go wrong. If you find yourself saying anything that takes place here, take some time to reevaluate your strategy.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: How to Tell if Your Warsong Gulch Will Fail originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamovieswarsong-gulchworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videoswowcrendor (Michael Gray) Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Phat Loot Phriday: Rainbow Generator]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/phat-loot-phriday-rainbow-generator/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/phat-loot-phriday-rainbow-generator/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/phat-loot-phriday-rainbow-generator/#comments When last we left our heroes, they'd snuck into the Undercity disguised as iron dwarves. Not to bore you with details ... Let's just assume they used dashing swashbuckling and debonair ne'er-do-welling to reach the Dark Lady's chambers.

"So, let me get this straight," Lolegolas said slowly. "Abercrombie never spoke with you."

"Vile sindorei!" Sylvanas said. "I am the Dark Lady of Iambic Poetry! I speaketh not to yon humans as if yea verily hath been here forsooth."

Throgg counted on his fingers as he repeated with the woman had said. "I swear, nobody speak normal, nowadays."

"They probably think it's great story," Miranda commented. She reclined on a step, tapping her staff impatiently against a foot. While the Glinean maintained his iron dwarf costume, the human girl had let hers drop as soon as they saw Sylvanas. Curiously, the guards did not attack her on sight. "All deep and meaningful."

"Look, your Angstfulness," Lolegolas muttered. "We need to know what Abercrombie is up to. If you can't talk to us like a normal person, we'll have to take drastic action."

"Action? When the darkness dwells in my blood, this crawling in my skin doth make for a broken crown upon my head!"

"OK, that's it," the blood elf muttered. "I didn't want to have to do this, but I'm tired of you quest-fetching bums. Behold the awesome power of the Rainbow Generator!"

Lolegolas grasped the front of his shirt and tore it open. A small disc hanging on his chest whirred loudly, and a bright rainbow exploded forward. The many-hued light engulfed Sylvanas, hiding her from view. Only a few seconds passed before the light faded away. The undead woman could not immediately be seen.

"Oh, crap," Miranda said. "You turned Sylvanas into a dog."

Item details: Rainbow Generator is a trinket (+14 stamina, +9 crit) that creates a rainbow when used. You get it by completing the quest Open Their Eyes in Felwood.
Phat Loot Phriday brings you the scoop on some of the most ... interesting ... loot in the World of Warcraft, often viewed through the eyes of the stalwart Throgg and indelible Lolegolas. Suggest items you think we should feature by emailing mikeg@wowinsider.com.

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Phat Loot Phriday: Rainbow Generator originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewtfat-lootfeaturedworld-of-warcraft-itemsworld-of-warcraft-lootwow-itemwow-itemswow-loot (Michael Gray) Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[How to kill a healer]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/how-to-kill-a-healer/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/how-to-kill-a-healer/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/10/how-to-kill-a-healer/#comments One of the themes that keeps coming up when we talk about PvP is this: Killing a healer is tough. It's a fundamental part of balancing an MMO. If any single DPSer could simply kill a healer with ease, then there wouldn't be much point in being a healer. If all factors were truly equal, then a healer's output should match a damage dealer's output. It's just a matter of one equals one. Only superior skill or gear should allow for the death of a healer in any reasonable amount of time.

More importantly, a healer must be able to keep up with the damage from more than one DPSer for a short period of time. Consider 5-person Arena matches. Commonly, teams are built of four DPSers and one healer. (We're not looking for comp arguments here, just the basics.) For at least a few seconds, a healer should be able to keep a focus target alive. The same goes for three-person Arena teams. See where this is going? Healers, by nature, need to be able to withstand a huge amount of DPS for a short time.

These balance issues come into sharp focus when you're one lone PvP damage dealer trying to whoop up on a healer. What was once a fundamental basic of balance philosophy becomes a huge pain in the neck. Here's how to handle the situation.

Continue reading How to kill a healer

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How to kill a healer originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featuredguidehow-to-kill-a-healerhow-to-play-wownew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guiderookie-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraft (Michael Gray) Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Sentinel Hill]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/wow-moviewatch-sentinel-hill/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/wow-moviewatch-sentinel-hill/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/wow-moviewatch-sentinel-hill/#comments It's been a little while since we've kicked back with good friends EmberIsolte and the GreyFoo. I think it's time to remember one of the most beautiful, chill, and melancholy movies to grace this column: Sentinel Hill.

Think I'm waxing poetic? Maybe a touch. But Sentinel Hill is such a bittersweet movie that it's stuck with me more than a year later. I originally took the song to be a lot sadder than the creators had intended; they were aiming for something hopeful. Of course, to have hope, you have to be in a bad place, so I'm sticking to my gosh-darn melancholy guns.

Really, this is just a beautiful piece. Take the time to check it out.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Sentinel Hill originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> emberisolteguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviessentinel-hillthegreyfooworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:30:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Beauty of WoW Part IV]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wow-moviewatch-beauty-of-wow-part-iv-wed/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wow-moviewatch-beauty-of-wow-part-iv-wed/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/08/wow-moviewatch-beauty-of-wow-part-iv-wed/#comments Cruising around a newly released game like Star Wars: The Old Republic, it's easy to be impressed by the graphics. After all, the brand new techniques and fresh cinematics are all very bright, shiny, and unknown.

It's so easy to be impressed that we might forget some of the lovely scenery in World of Warcraft. Working with a game that's been in place for years, the designers of WoW create city after city of breathtaking, gorgeous landscapes. It's not just the technology, it's the art.

Beauty of WoW Part IV is one player's attempt to hold onto the sense of awe and wonder she felt while cruising Dalaran. The floating city remains one of my favorite places in game, so I can empathize with her feelings.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Beauty of WoW Part IV originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Break the Trees]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/wow-moviewatch-break-the-trees/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/wow-moviewatch-break-the-trees/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/07/wow-moviewatch-break-the-trees/#comments Break the Trees is a beautiful, cohesive music video; we don't see as many of these as we once did. Sharm provides the vocals, while the animation is created by Khayllys. The video is fairly short, only clocking in a little over two minutes.

My only real criticism of this music video is that the blur and glow effect felt a little overdone. Don't get me wrong -- the whole thing was lovely. But there's only so much blur and glow a man can take before his head starts hurting.

Even with that critique in place, though, I still enjoyed Break the Trees and fervently hope to see more like it in the future.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Break the Trees originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> break-the-treesguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviessharmworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: I'll Fight For You]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wow-moviewatch-ill-fight-for-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wow-moviewatch-ill-fight-for-you/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/06/wow-moviewatch-ill-fight-for-you/#comments I love this video for a few reasons. I'll Fight For You is a guild tribute video by Antimatter (who did Colder), featuring music by Jason Derulo. The first reason I love this video is that I love heartfelt, honest, friendly videos that commemorate the friends and family we all enjoy in WoW.

More importantly, I liked this video because it exemplifies a favorite aspect of machinima. While I like to think of myself as a fairly pop-culture-savvy dude, I don't know every artist, every song, and every cover created. While I obviously recognized the Toto sample, I've never been exposed to Jason Derulo. I really grooved to this song, and I loved the way it worked with the video. So now I get to enjoy a new artist, which is an added bonus to a video like this.

All in all, nice job, Antimatter.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: I'll Fight For You originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimaill-fight-for-youjason-derulomachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Mon, 06 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Phat Loot Phriday: Lovely Undercity Card]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/phat-loot-phriday-lovely-undercity-card/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/phat-loot-phriday-lovely-undercity-card/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/phat-loot-phriday-lovely-undercity-card/#comments When we last left our heroes, the fearsome foursome were sneaking beneath the bowels of shattered Lordaeron. They wore Iron Dwarf costumes from Wrath of the Lich King because I said so, that's why.

"I hate the way this place smells," Lolegolas complained. He stroked his iron beard. "It's like every angry poo-poo in the world cried out at once in terror and came here for refuge."

"Undead," Throgg said, as if that explained it.

"Halt!" a voice cried out. Actually, crying out is what the voice attempted. What it accomplished was kind of a dry, rasping croak. An undead guard waddled up to the intruders. "Who goes there?"

"Aye, laddie! We're to be seeing stout the Lady Sylvanas Windrunner pilsner," Lolegolas replied quickly. "We have a lager invitation and proof of her porter affection!"

"Well, you sound like a dwarf, but you're clearly not Alliance," the undead rasped. "Do you have any proof?"

Throgg quickly held out a small red card. He would have spoken, but he didn't have the blood elf's mastery of beers.

"Oh, a Lovely Undercity Card," the guard muttered. "Fair enough, then. Go on about your way."

Lovely Undercity Card
Type Inventory item, like a potion.
Use Increases Intellect for 1 hour, increases as you level.
Flavor text "From the Banshee Queen, Lady Sylvanas Windrunner."

How to get it Bring a gift to the Banshee Queen. Stay tuned for how Throgg got his.
How to get rid of it Just use it, and it will disappear.
Phat Loot Phriday brings you the scoop on some of the most ... interesting ... loot in the World of Warcraft, often viewed through the eyes of the stalwart Throgg and indelible Lolegolas. Suggest items you think we should feature by emailing mikeg@wowinsider.com.

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Phat Loot Phriday: Lovely Undercity Card originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewtfat-lootfeaturedworld-of-warcraft-itemsworld-of-warcraft-lootwow-itemwow-itemswow-loot (Michael Gray) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: WoW Meets Dubstep]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/wow-moviewatch-wow-meets-dubstep/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/wow-moviewatch-wow-meets-dubstep/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/03/wow-moviewatch-wow-meets-dubstep/#comments I hear there's this dubstep music all the kids are into nowadays. Being an old man of questionable taste, I phoned some of the local teenagers for a primer. Their advice was to "listen for the drop." I kept listening for the drop, but I couldn't really hear it.

Nonetheless, WoPairs created WoW Meets Dubstep as a way of bringing this newfangled music into good old Azeroth. I don't really know if it was successful, since I kept waiting for the bass line to stop gently weeping.

If you have trouble making sense of this video, don't worry. It's meant to be random, I'm told.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: WoW Meets Dubstep originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> dubstepguide-to-machinimamachinimamovieswopairsworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-meets-dubstepwow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[How to kill a flag carrier]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/how-to-kill-a-flag-carrier/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/how-to-kill-a-flag-carrier/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/how-to-kill-a-flag-carrier/#comments We've spent the last few weeks talking about Warsong Gulch and how to be a successful flag carrier. This week, let's talk about the most important skill for everyone else: how to turn that flag carrier into a greasy spot on the ground. These skills apply relatively equally to Warsong Gulch, Twin Peaks, and even Eye of the Storm. If the enemy has a flag, you want to kill them.*

Let's remember that the entire other team will (should) be protecting their flag carrier. That really leads to the basic strategy here -- how do you kill that one dude when 10 other folks are trying to keep him alive? It's not as hard as you might think, but it does take a little forethought.

*Unless you're in Eye of the Storm, in which case: Get the damn towers.

Continue reading How to kill a flag carrier

How to kill a flag carrier originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fcfeaturedflag-carrierguidehow-to-kill-the-flag-carrierhow-to-play-wownew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guiderookie-guideworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraft (Michael Gray) Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Bring Back The Con]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/wow-moviewatch-bring-back-the-con/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/wow-moviewatch-bring-back-the-con/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/wow-moviewatch-bring-back-the-con/#comments We've all heard the news by now: no BlizzCon 2012. For various reasons, Blizzard is eschewing the convention in favor of focusing on other priorities this year. While that's perfectly reasonable in most respects, missing out on BlizzCon is a bummer to plenty of fans.

There's no way a big announcement like that could go by without some community discussion. Elysiam opted to lament the loss of BlizzCon in song with Bring Back The Con. I originally expected this video to be a webcam-fest, but I was pleasantly wrong. The musical performance is surprisingly strong, and the video does a great job evoking the feel a previous BlizzCons.

While missing BlizzCon 2012 sucks, at least this video means something good comes from the change.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Bring Back The Con originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> blizzcon-2012bring-back-the-conelysiamguide-to-machinimakayhettingmachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Thu, 02 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: RP-PvP events on Defias Brotherhood]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/wow-moviewatch-rp-pvp-events-on-defias-brotherhood/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/wow-moviewatch-rp-pvp-events-on-defias-brotherhood/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/01/wow-moviewatch-rp-pvp-events-on-defias-brotherhood/#comments This video is a roundup of various world PvP events on the roleplay server Defias Brotherhood (EU). While we generally don't do a great deal of PvP videos around here, this was enough of a unique snowflake that I wanted to bring some attention to it.

A common complaint on official forums is that world PvP is dead. (For those who don't know, world PvP is the phenomenon wherein multiple characters flag and fight wherever they happen to be standing. Tol Barad doesn't really count.) I'm a big fan of this video because it proves world PvP is still viable; it can happen, if you're dedicated enough to getting out there and doing it.

Thanks to Croftzi for the tip; I was really happy to see this video.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: RP-PvP events on Defias Brotherhood originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> croftziguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videosworld-pvpwow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Racial Stereotypes]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/wow-moviewatch-racial-stereotypes/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/wow-moviewatch-racial-stereotypes/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/31/wow-moviewatch-racial-stereotypes/#comments Work warning: Very mild cursing -- like, way mild ... but thought I'd warn you anyway.

Wowcrendor tackles the seedy underbelly of player perception toward in-game races in Racial Stereotypes. Don't worry: this is purely trolls and elves and stuff, nothing about the real world. I admit I had that mild cringe at first, but it's just in-game stuff.

I think the most painful part of this video was the number of people I know who actually line up inside Wowcrendor's stereotypes. The whole way through, I just kept thinking, "Yup, know him. And her. And her." I guess that's what makes it funny, but it definitely makes me want to go re-roll.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Racial Stereotypes originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesracial-stereotypesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-crendorwow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videoswowcrendor (Michael Gray) Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Soulbound]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wow-moviewatch-soulbound/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wow-moviewatch-soulbound/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/30/wow-moviewatch-soulbound/#comments This video is an odd critter in our machinima lineup; it's a little exciting whenever I can say that. TauriMovies created Soulbound using Gigi's lyrics from the collaboration song also called Soulbound. So this is a machinima of a specific vocal track from a collaboration. How meta is that?

The typography flows beautifully. TauriMovies captured this concept, fed it some grub, and made it his own. While I'm not sure how well the vocal performance works outside the context of its original track, the overall effect of Soulbound is pretty fun. You need to make allowance for personal music tastes, of course, but I think the end result is pretty awesome.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Soulbound originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Phat Loot Phriday: Iron Boot Flask]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/phat-loot-phriday-iron-boot-flask/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/phat-loot-phriday-iron-boot-flask/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/phat-loot-phriday-iron-boot-flask/#comments When we last left our heroes, Throgg was complaining about Garrosh, essentially proving his membership in the Horde ... or, alternatively, proving his membership in the Alliance. Hatred of Garrosh is a unifying force in Azeroth, similar to love of Legos in the real world.

The four rode into Tirisfal without much fanfare. Lolegolas was careful to guide the party away from the dirt road, staying out of sight from the undead guards who stalked the kingdom's highway. Throgg grew increasingly quiet.

"I've not smelled Abercrombie," the Gilnean said quietly. "Not a whiff of a food court, Hot Topic, or Cinnabon within miles."

Miranda stared at the druid hard for a moment. "You stealing my gig, Spot?"

"My name is not Spot," the Gilnean replied absently. "We'll have to go into Undercity beneath Lordaeron." He frowned, and his jaw clenched. "Hate that place."

Lolegolas clapped the Gilnean on the shoulder, speaking quietly. "If it helps at all, we do, too. No one likes reminders of bad days."

"This is very touching, but let's keep to business. We'll need to take the sewer exit in," Miranda said. "We could maybe hitch a ride with one of the inevitable Alliance raids, but I think we're better off sneaking in. Ride flying mounts to stick near to the ceiling, maybe, until we get close to Sylvanas."

"And then we all die horribly?" Lolegolas said. "We can accomplish that plan anywhere, we don't have to go into Undercity to do it."

Continue reading Phat Loot Phriday: Iron Boot Flask

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Phat Loot Phriday: Iron Boot Flask originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewtfat-lootfeaturediron-boot-flasklolegolasthroggworld-of-warcraft-itemsworld-of-warcraft-lootwow-itemwow-itemswow-loot (Michael Gray) Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Mama Said Freeze You Out]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/wow-moviewatch-mama-said-freeze-you-out/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/wow-moviewatch-mama-said-freeze-you-out/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/27/wow-moviewatch-mama-said-freeze-you-out/#comments I don't think it's any secret than I'm a child of the '80s. OK, technically, a child of the '70s. But my formative years of music preference were filled with plenty of LL Cool J. It's no surprise that Nananea's Mama Said Freeze You Out is a favorite of mine. Listening to the song is like sinking into a warm, fluffy blanket of my teenage music, just with Nananea instead of LL Cool J.

Of course, even better than just a parody of the original song, Mama Said Freeze You Out is one of those rare, rare videos in which the Alliance PvPs the ever-loving snot out of the Horde. You don't get a lot of that. Most of the "I'm so awesome, Imma blow up your dog with my mad epic daggers" videos tend to be Horde-flavored. I guess that makes sense, since there was a time when the Horde racials were vastly superior for PvP, but it still makes treats like this video that much more delicious.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Mama Said Freeze You Out originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamama-said-freeze-you-outmoviesnananeaworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[How to carry the flag in Warsong Gulch]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/how-to-carry-the-flag-in-warsong-gulch/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/how-to-carry-the-flag-in-warsong-gulch/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/how-to-carry-the-flag-in-warsong-gulch/#comments Last week, we talked about some basic strategy for Warsong Gulch. We ran through the basics, the general flow of the fight, and how you (tend) to win it. One subject came up a bunch in the comments and landed in my email box a few times. That question: How do you run the flag successfully?

It's no surprise that's a contentious issue. Without debating the fine points of who should be running a flag, I think we all agree that being the flag carrier is an incredibly vital role. Touch the flag and you just became the focus of 19 people in the Battleground. There's a little more to the job than just mashing a particular cooldown, so let's take some time this week to talk about strategy and tips.

Continue reading How to carry the flag in Warsong Gulch

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How to carry the flag in Warsong Gulch originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fcfeaturedflag-carrierguidehow-to-play-wowhow-to-run-the-flagnew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guiderookie-guidewarsong-gulchworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-to-play-world-of-warcraftwsg (Michael Gray) Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Quest: Impossible]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/wow-moviewatch-quest-impossible/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/wow-moviewatch-quest-impossible/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/26/wow-moviewatch-quest-impossible/#comments Quest: Impossible is actually a few years old, but tipster Captain Guy suggested it for a re-watch. And since a new installment in the Tom Cruise vehicle has recently hit mainstream media, now's as good a time as any to take a look back at Quest: Impossible.

The premise of the video is fairly simple. A crack team of Horde agents is tasked with blowing up portions of Alliance territory, most notably Stormwind itself. They seem to do a fairly good job, though some of the visual narrative is a little confusing.

Quest: Impossible has a nice punch line at the end that explains why the Q:I team was sent in the first place. It's worth a laugh or two, although players who weren't around for world PvP in vanilla might need some translation. I'll leave that spoiler to commenters, since I don't want to ruin the joke here.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Quest: Impossible originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesquest-impossibleworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Burn it to the Ground]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/wow-moviewatch-burn-it-to-the-ground/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/wow-moviewatch-burn-it-to-the-ground/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/wow-moviewatch-burn-it-to-the-ground/#comments Work Warning: Burn it to the Ground has some suggestive language by Nickelback. Also, it's Nickelback.

Let's get this out of the way: Yes, it's Nickelback. It's also the Horde band that was once L70ETC and whose name I can no longer realistically follow. I get it, OK? And while I really wasn't looking forward to featuring another video containing those two things, Burn it to the Ground managed to get my attention.

RaddarFX says this is his first machinima. If he hadn't said so, I never, ever would have guessed. His control of the models, use of lighting, and general staging of the entire video is absolutely amazing, especially for someone new to the machinima scene.

I'll admit the subject matter didn't make me jump for joy, but RaddarFX's actual execution is so skillful and impressive that I absolutely had to share this video.

You can see it yourself over at Warcraft Movies.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Burn it to the Ground originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: LFR Summed Up in 30 seconds]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/wow-moviewatch-lfr-summed-up-in-30-seconds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/wow-moviewatch-lfr-summed-up-in-30-seconds/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/24/wow-moviewatch-lfr-summed-up-in-30-seconds/#comments We all love the Raid Finder. I mean, it's pretty awesome -- you can go and do raids when you have time, enjoying a good chance of actually finishing the raid and grabbing some gear. The Raid Finder is the very definition of a Good Thing.

Of course, it has the same drawback random 5-man groups suffer: the people. While most WoW players are fairly awesome and fun, you always get a person or two whose intense personalities make for a memorable instance.

Wowcrendor tackles this subject with LFR Summed Up in 30 seconds. Take the time to check it out; just like the title says, it's only 30 seconds long.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: LFR Summed Up in 30 seconds originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: IRL - In Real Life]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/wow-moviewatch-irl-in-real-life/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/wow-moviewatch-irl-in-real-life/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/23/wow-moviewatch-irl-in-real-life/#comments IRL - In Real Life is about one player's struggle with WoW addiction. While I normally get a little apprehensive when this subject gets brought up, I think the creator did a good job of talking about how he fell down a tunnel, got somewhat obsessed, and then pulled himself out of the hole.

The video is incredibly smooth, well produced, and excellently narrated. I think the little in-jokes, clever, informative graphics, and carefully balanced approach is what makes the movie so effective. It'd be easy to go on a rant about how the game's never done -- you can't ever say you're "done" -- and so on. Instead, the narrator looked inside himself and found his own answers.

This video won't be for everyone, but it's definitely worth watching.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: IRL - In Real Life originally appeared on WoW Insider on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimain-real-lifeirlmachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Mon, 23 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Operation GnoVibrator Fury]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/wow-moviewatch-operation-gnovibrator-fury-today/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/wow-moviewatch-operation-gnovibrator-fury-today/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/wow-moviewatch-operation-gnovibrator-fury-today/#comments Who knew? It turns out that Anonymous is largely made up of gnomes. That's probably not a surprise to any of us who spent real time with gnomish engineering.

With all the recent talk of SOPA, PIPA, and Megaupload, the gnome members of the hacktivist community finally decided to take action. Working through Olibith, these gnomes have announced Operation GnoVibrator Fury. They are Anonymous. They are pretty small. They do not forgive. And most of the time, they do not forget.

This is a super-short video (see what I did there?), but it's a lot of fun.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Operation GnoVibrator Fury originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> anonymousgnovibratorguide-to-machinimamachinimamegauploadmoviesolibithoperation-gnovibrator-furypipasopaworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[Phat Loot Phriday: Belt of the Beloved Companion]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/phat-loot-phriday-belt-of-the-beloved-companion/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/phat-loot-phriday-belt-of-the-beloved-companion/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/20/phat-loot-phriday-belt-of-the-beloved-companion/#comments When last we left our valiant heroes, Throgg was making bad jokes. As a result, we'll be taking a slightly more serious approach this week and give those puns a chance to come off cooldown. Also, SOPA bad.

The Gilnean and Miranda both slept in their respective tents. Lolegolas chalked it up to their having been so busy getting the party safely through the dwarf lands. He tossed another chunk of wood into the campfire.

"I have something for you," Throgg said. "Got it a while back."

Lolegolas looked across the campfire at his orc friend. The two had enjoyed dozens of adventures in the last year. He couldn't escape the pressing feeling that it had to end. The doubt plagued him throughout Arathi.

Throgg pulled a long, scaled belt from his sack. The orc stared at it for a moment and tossed it across the distance between them. "Belt of the Beloved Companion. I can't use it, thought you could."

Lolegolas ran his hands along the belt. "This is a magnificent item. Room for red gems, lots of enchantments that benefit hunters." Lolegolas opened his mouth to continue but stopped.

"Might need it," Throgg said quietly. "If Abercrombie is with Sylvanas, Undercity will be hard to escape alive."

Continue reading Phat Loot Phriday: Belt of the Beloved Companion

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Phat Loot Phriday: Belt of the Beloved Companion originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> fat-lewtfat-lootfeaturedgarrosh-suckslolegolasthroggworld-of-warcraft-itemsworld-of-warcraft-lootwow-itemwow-itemswow-loot (Michael Gray) Fri, 20 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[How to win at Warsong Gulch]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/how-to-win-at-warsong-gulch/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/how-to-win-at-warsong-gulch/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/how-to-win-at-warsong-gulch/#comments In our continuing efforts to help players new to PvP get out there and blow up other players, we're focusing this week on Warsong Gulch. We'll talk briefly about the rules of the game and then look at common strategies.

Warsong Gulch is one of the simpler Battlegrounds in terms of raw strategy. It's essentially Capture the Flag. Each team has a base, and a flag that sits in that base. Your team's goal is to grab the enemy's flag and return it to your base without losing your own flag. Do that, and you score. Score three times and you win.

When you pick up the flag, you can't mount or use certain effects without dropping the flag. Notably, druids and shaman can engage their travel forms while carrying the flag, making them speedy options for what's known as the flag carrier. (Speedy does not imply superior; we'll get into that later.) The longer the FC holds the flag, the more damage the FC will take from player attacks. When you kill an FC, the flag will temporarily sit on the ground, waiting for someone to pick it up. If the friendly team does so, the flag returns to base. If the enemy team does so, they now have a new FC.

There you go. Those are the basics.

Continue reading How to win at Warsong Gulch

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How to win at Warsong Gulch originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> featuredguidehow-to-play-wownew-to-world-of-warcraftnoob-guidepvprookie-guiderookie-pvpworld-of-warcraft-guideworld-of-warcraft-helpworld-of-warcraft-noobsworld-of-warcraft-rookieswow-guidewow-helpwow-noob-guidewow-noobswow-rookiewow-to-play-world-of-warcraft (Michael Gray) Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Mister Evil Runs for Office]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/wow-moviewatch-mister-evil-runs-for-office/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/wow-moviewatch-mister-evil-runs-for-office/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/wow-moviewatch-mister-evil-runs-for-office/#comments Mister Evil Runs for Office is an older Oxhorn video, released a little over a year ago. While the video was a general political parody at the time, it's been on my mind lately as we all consider the ramifications of SOPA.

Ostensibly, the video is about Mister Evil's doomed race to become dean of Evil University. When I watch the video, though, I can't help but think about the shenanigans, sound-bite politics, and general distasteful miasma that surround our elections. While the entire political speech is obviously fantasy and fake, Evil's words unmistakably remind me of actual, real-world campaigns. That's a scary thought.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Mister Evil Runs for Office originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimamachinimamister-evil-runs-for-officemoviesoxhornsopaworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Thu, 19 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: Worgen of Stormwind]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/wow-moviewatch-worgen-of-stormwind/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/wow-moviewatch-worgen-of-stormwind/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/18/wow-moviewatch-worgen-of-stormwind/#comments Baka Savant and Wicked Wood created Worgen of Stormwind long before the Gilneans all went fuzzy. It's an older video, but it still retains its charm. Even though the video uses the old mob model for worgen, it's still a whole lot of fun.

I like the music, love the vocals, and I'm still enamored with this video. I wouldn't hate seeing an update to it, since we now have worgen as a playable race. That probably wouldn't be worth the effort, though, considering how pitch-perfect the rest of the video is. We can just use our mind's eye to sub in the player models for werewolves instead.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: Worgen of Stormwind originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> baka-savantguide-to-machinimamachinimamoviesworgenworgen-of-stormwindworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider <![CDATA[WoW Moviewatch: WoW Hardware Store]]> http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/wow-moviewatch-wow-hardware-store/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/wow-moviewatch-wow-hardware-store/ http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/17/wow-moviewatch-wow-hardware-store/#comments Reader Kristen wrote us and said, "This is actually the very first machinima I ever saw. For the time it was made, it was quite sophisticated."

The WoW Hardware Store has been around for a long, long time. It was released in 2006, six years ago. That means children who were born when this video was released are now in the first grade. The animation in the video was definitely sophisticated for the time, but I actually consider them sophisticated even now. That's because the animation, visual effects, models, and graphics all work together very well; the visual effect is pleasing and driven by the movie. The video has aged well.

I guess someone could remake this video now, using all the new widgets and models put into the game to support the goblins. But I'm not sure it'd actually be any better -- just new.
Interested in the wide world of machinima? We have new movies every weekday here on WoW Moviewatch! Have suggestions for machinima we ought to feature? Toss us an email at moviewatch@wowinsider.com.

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WoW Moviewatch: WoW Hardware Store originally appeared on WoW Insider on Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]> guide-to-machinimahardware-storemachinimamoviesworld-of-warcraft-moviesworld-of-warcraft-videoswow-created-movieswow-fan-movieswow-guidewow-hardware-storewow-machinimawow-machinima-guidewow-movie-guidewow-movieswow-video-guidewow-videos (Michael Gray) Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST WoW Insider