Posts with tag ptr

What new players need to know about WoW patches

by Elizabeth Harper May 20th 2013 at 5:00PM

If World of Warcraft had but one holiday, it would be Patch Day: the glorious Tuesday (or Wednesday) in which the WoW servers go down for maintenance but come back online brimming with new, unexplored content. If you're new to World of Warcraft, or MMOs in general, you may not entirely understand all the fuss the community makes over patches. So just what is a patch? Why are they so important? And how can you get your hands on one? We'll do our best to explain.

What is a WoW patch?
Did you know we're playing version 5 of World of Warcraft right now? It's true: Version 1.1 was World of Warcraft's launch client and every expansion since has bumped the version number up a full number, while each patch release is a decimal place. The original game went up to patch 1.12 (the 1.1 launch client and 11 patches after), Burning Crusade (2.0) had a scant 4 patches, Wrath of the Lich King (3.0) had 3, Cataclysm (4.0) had 3, and Mists of Pandaria (5.0) is about to see the release of its 3rd patch, patch 5.3. These days, patches are coming more quickly than ever and we have no idea how many patches to expect before the next expansion arrives.

Filed under: WoW Rookie

Ask The Developers: PvP changes on the PTR

by Sarah Pine Apr 2nd 2013 at 8:00PM

A wild post has appeared on the EU forums, detailing the ground rules for an upcoming "Ask the Developers" opportunity relating to the PvP changes on the patch 5.3 PTR. It's currently locked, but on April 9th the thread will go live for 48 hours, during which time players are encouraged to post all of their PvP-related questions and to vote on their favorites. Don't ignore the voting option, because Blizz will be prioritizing their responses by popularity, and the questions with the most votes are the most likely to be answered.

There are also some ground rules for how the thread will work that are typical for "Ask the Dev" designated posts, and shouldn't be anything new for forum veterans. If you're planning on participating in the post, it's worth reading over them so your questions have the best chance of being taken seriously. So far it looks like this Q&A opportunity is only available to those with EU forum access, but we'll keep our eyes peeled for any similar posts appearing on the North American forum. You can find the full blue post behind the cut.

Filed under: News items, PvP, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.3: Even more battle pets from the PTR

by Elizabeth Harper Mar 29th 2013 at 12:00PM

Patch 53 More new battle pets from the PTR

If you're a fan of pet battles, then patch 5.3 is for you, bringing new pets, new pets, and new pets. And while we were already excited about the creepy/cute Unborn Val'kyr, now Wowhead has turned up more information -- along photos and drop locations -- on what to expect from the pets in the upcoming patch.

Many of these are being added to Burning Crusade era raids for the Raiding with Leashes II: Attunement Edition achievement which requires you to collect 10 pets from Karazhan, Serpentshrine Cavern, and The Eye. The reward for collecting all of these pets? It's another pet, the still mysterious Tito. But while most of the pets discovered so far require revisiting old raids, there are also some new wild pets and drops, including the previously mentioned Unborn Val'kyr as well as mini-Gahz'rilla Gahz'rooki, the ooze Filthling, and a couple of adorably miniature Direhorns, the Stunted Direhorn and Direhorn Runt.

So what's our favorite? Well, you already know how we feel about dinosaurs.

Filed under: News items, Achievements

Patch 5.3 PTR: Third Talent Specialization datamined

by Matthew Rossi Mar 25th 2013 at 3:30PM

Is triple specialization coming to World of Warcraft

If this little tidbit from the Wowhead database is to be believed, we may be receiving tri-spec in patch 5.3. Now, before you begin speaking in tongues or leaping out a window, some caveats:

This is the PTR, and stuff can be datamined that never actually makes it to live
Even if it does get tested on the PTR, it doesn't necessarily follow that it will be implemented
Sometimes stuff gets put in the files just to mess with us

So let us calmly and without panic contemplate what this could mean. How much could triple specialization change the game? Would you use it? Should it be as costly as dual specialization was when it debuted? Does it favor certain classes too greatly or does the hurdle of gear provide enough barrier to keep jack of all trades from dominating the game? What are your thoughts on this potential feature?

Update -- In reply to our request for comment/verification, Blizzard notes the following (best summed up by a tweet from Ghostcrawler on the matter):

@adamholisky We haven't announced triple spec. With that in mind, take anything data-mine-able with a grain o' salt.
- Greg Street (@Ghostcrawler) March 25, 2013

Mists of Pandaria is here! The level cap has been raised to 90, many players have returned to Azeroth, and pet battles are taking the world by storm. Keep an eye out for all of the latest news, and check out our comprehensive guide to Mists of Pandaria for everything you'll ever need to know.

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, News items, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 Gear Previews: Season 13, tier 15, and Throne of Thunder

by Elizabeth Harper Feb 27th 2013 at 4:00PM

If you've been waiting for some new WoW loot to drool over, today Blizzard posted previews of season 13's "Tyrannical" PvP armor sets. Season 12 will be coming to an end on March 5, making the Tyrannical sets your new PvP goal. Though we have to say, the paladin set looks kind of dangerous, like you might put someone's eye out accidentally with those giant blades attached to your shoulders. (It reminds us of warrior's tier 2 Wrath set, which also seemed like tempting fate. What if you tripped?) So, PvP paladins, please be careful and try not to run with scissors -- or those huge shoulders -- okay?

For PvEers, Blizzard also has previews of tier 15, which will be arriving with patch 5.2 -- that is to say, soon. Thankfully, Blizzard has finally taken the preventive measure of putting bells on the priests so they can no longer sneak up on you. (Apologies to stealth-loving priests everywhere.)

And if that's not enough preview action, our friends at Wowhead also have Throne of Thunder boss drops from the PTR (if you're not seeing them, click to sort "By Boss"). Happy looting, everyone!

Filed under: Blizzard, News items, PvP, Raiding

Patch 5.2 PTR: Heroic 25-player raid testing announced

by Matt Low Feb 26th 2013 at 8:00PM

We're almost there! I'm not sure if this is the last batch of testing to occur but over the next few days, a flurry of 25-player heroic raid testing will be available for players on the PTR. The current build on the PTR has reached release candidate status which certainly means we're getting closer and closer to the patch 5.2 being deployed on to the live servers. Be sure to grab yourself a full suit of tier 15 gear before storming these heroic bosses though. Expect your gear to scale up to help you in your efforts.

WoW Insider Throne of Thunder boss impressions

Today's blue post with full details can be found behind the cut below.

Filed under: News items, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Primordius

by Matt Low Feb 25th 2013 at 7:00PM

Your raid will run into Primordius in the later stage of the Throne of Thunder. Poor Primordius seems to be a saurok of some sort. The Dungeon Journal indicates that this is the chamber where the mogu first created or modified them. Check out the Know Your Lore column that Matt Rossi wrote a while ago about the subject.

I always thought these guys were annoying. Now you've got another chance to put one of the main saurok fellas to rest for good. Expect to be overwhelmed the first few times you try this. It'll end up being a little confusing simply because of all the different abilities, buffs, and debuffs involved.

Filed under: Raid Guides, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Durumu the Forgotten

by Matt Low Feb 10th 2013 at 6:00PM

I can't remember the last time I've fought a beholder. The earliest ones were seen during Burning Crusade right? The last time would've been on the prisons of Tol Barad. It's a giant eye which shoots laser beams and Durumu isn't an exception. I would have never guessed Lei-Shen would keep one of these around. This encounter specifically is going to stress on your raid's capabilities to think and move on their feet.

Anyone else hate fighting giant, floating eyes?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Ji-Kun, Durumu, and Primordius raid testing announced

by Matt Low Feb 6th 2013 at 9:00AM

Three bosses will be available for Throne of Thunder testing today, all on the 10-man difficulty. If this is your first time testing, your gear will automatically be scaled up to meet the ilevel required in this raid zone. Tier 15 gear should also now be available from the Flaskataur NPC in front of the faction shrines so consider picking up a set and testing those out in addition to the encounters! Not sure how to find the raid zone? Here's how you can get into the Throne of Thunder.

WoW Insider Throne of Thunder boss impressions

The blue post announcing today's testing can be found behind the cut below.

Filed under: Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Shocking raid preview of Lei Shen

by Matt Low Jan 27th 2013 at 8:00PM

This is it.

This is the final battle of the Throne of Thunder (excluding Ra-Den, of course). It's just going to be you and your party against Lei Shen. I'm telling you, this guy has many different ways to fry your raid. I haven't taken on a boss this technically complex since lady Vashj or even Yogg-Saron. Lei Shen has multiple phases along with intermissions in between them.

Read on about the different ways you can wipe!

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Jin'rokh and Lei Shen raid testing announced

by Matt Low Jan 24th 2013 at 7:00PM

We are in for a treat. The testing schedule Jin'rokh the Breaker and Lei Shen have been announced. Jin'rokh is currently the first boss of the instance while Lei Shen is the last boss. Not sure what the relation is between Jin'rokh the Breaker and Jin'rohk, The Great Apocalypse (if there is one). As always, your gear levels won't matter for the purposes of the PTR. What you're wearing will scale up accordingly to help with testing. Here's how to get into the Throne of Thunder. For previous bosses tested, you can check out Olivia's take on Horridon or my impressions of both Horridon and Iron Qon.

Raid Testing Schedule - January 25

On Friday, January 25, we will be testing two more raid encounters in the Throne of Thunder.

Each encounter should be available at approximately the listed times below for all Public Test Realms.

Jin'rokh the Breaker - 10 Player Normal
10:30 PST (13:30 EST, 19:30 CET)

Lei Shen - 10 Player Normal
16:00 PST (19:00 EST, 01:00 CET)

As always, this testing schedule is very fluid and subject to the realities of a beta environment. We might have to change the time of a testing session, change the boss being tested, or cancel a test entirely, due to bugs, server hardware issues, etc. This is particularly true for these early tests as we are still nailing down overall patch stability. Keep an eye on this forum for the latest information, and thank you in advance for testing and providing feedback.

Important Testing Notes

Q: How do I get into the raid zone?

A: At the northeastern edge of the swamp on the Thunder King's island, there is a Shado-Pan camp in a small cave. A sewer grate in this cave will take you directly to the zone-in point for the raid zone. (As more of the island unlocks, players will be able to access the main gate directly.)

Q: What gear do I use to test the raid?

A: As we did for Beta raid testing, we will be scaling players' gear inside the raid in order to facilitate testing. Gear will be scaled (up or down, as appropriate) to item Level 502 for the purposes of testing Normal modes.

source

Filed under: News items, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Staring into the face of Iron Qon

by Matt Low Jan 21st 2013 at 8:00PM

The first question that crossed my mind was is this guy pronounced Iron Con or Iron Chon? I think it's the latter, but I don't have a clue. Anyway, Iron Qon is one of the last few bosses in the Throne of Thunder before you can challenge the Thunder King himself.

After experiencing a few wipes, the current iteration of the boss abilities just seem overpowered. With any new boss, there's always that slight chance that we're not doing it correctly or that it's bugged. Usually, we assume that we're doing it wrong. But after repeated attempts and trying a myriad of assorted positions and strategies, nothing was working. We had a hard time putting a serious dent on that first flying quilen. The furthest we progressed was no less than 60% health.

Not exactly promising, right?

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: The horror of raid boss Horridon

by Matt Low Jan 20th 2013 at 8:00PM

You know what's worse than fighting a giant dinosaur?

A giant dinosaur with cannons. I don't know what those Zandalari trolls have been up to, but they're outfitting these lovely and peaceful dinos with weapons of war with the aim of unleashing them on us. Are we just going to stand by and let them trample all over us? Nope! Not one bit!

Read on!

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Raiding, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Wrathion's quest continues

by Matt Low Jan 17th 2013 at 4:00PM

The black dragon Wrathion has a new chapter for players to complete when patch 5.2 releases. The updated patch notes has revealed that in the new Throne of Thunder raid, Wrathion is going to charge players to infiltrate the palace. While we don't know exactly what tasks he'll want us to perform, it's bound to take some effort and skill involved.

What exactly are we going to get performing these random tasks for Wrathion? It has to be good since we're diving into another raid and challenging all these raid bosses.

The reward is a legendary quality metagem called Crown of the Heavens! It remains to be seen if this gem can fit into any socket or if, like the weapon counterpart, must be inserted into a Sha-Touched helmet. I can't help but wonder if the gems will have special or enhanced properties compared to the normal meta gems that we use. Here's hoping we'll be able to select a version of the gem which helps enhance our roles.

Stay tuned though as we expect to find out additional details on what Wrathion has in store!

Filed under: News items, Mists of Pandaria

Patch 5.2 PTR: Reputation gain changes

by Matt Low Jan 17th 2013 at 1:00PM

One change that's arrived with the latest patch 5.2 notes is one that has to deal with bonus reputation. Players have stated how grinding and repetitive the reputation can be. A suggestion that was offered was to bring back reputation tabards so players could continue to earn reputation while participating in dungeons. This would offer players two methods to earn reputation: Dailies and dungeons. Blizzard disagreed they didn't want players to double dip as dungeons already reward loot from bosses along with valor points. The developers mentioned sometime back in December that they were planning a way to include bonus reputation through dungeons. A suggestion was brought up by our own Matthew Rossi where players could represent a faction for a limited time.

That looks like the compromise solution we were looking for!

Patch 5.2 PTR and Patch Notes

You can now earn bonus reputation for your first dungeon and scenario of the day. You can select which reputation you choose to champion by selecting it from the reputation panel on the character screen. When you queue for a dungeon or scenario, the UI will remind you which reputation you are championing and allow you to change the reputation from there. (You cannot change that reputation once you are in the dungeon or scenario.)

source

The UI has changed so that the Reputation panel in the character screen displays which reputation they have purchased Grand Commendations for. That's great for people like me who've accidentally purchased the same reputation commendation twice.

How about it guys? What do you think of this alternative way to earn reputation? You can still knock out your dailies but between the commendations and the bonus reputation from dailies, I wager you'll be able to hit Exalted at a nice rate.

Filed under: News items, Mists of Pandaria

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