Posts with tag redridge

World of Warcraft's seventh anniversary took place earlier this week. Rather than the dry, impersonal WoW retrospectives you can find almost anywhere this time of year, the crew here at WoW Insider decided to hold our own retrospective instead, looking back on what pulled us so deeply into the game to begin with. Today, we're sharing our very first World of Warcraft memories, whether that was seven years ago, long before the Shattering, or just last year. I'll get things started, then the staff will join in afterwards.

My first WoW memory is in Stranglethorn Vale. There are other events prior to STV that exist in some strange nebulous place in my mind, but Stranglethorn is the first event that I can really pin down. I was playing my very first character, my undead rogue on the Silver Hand server, trying to kill an elite alligator for the Excelsior quest. This was in December of '04, maybe January of '05. I was absolutely terrible at the game. I simply could not kill that alligator. Everyone I knew did it with no difficulty whatsoever, but I couldn't manage it at all.

The reason I couldn't kill it? I was spamming Sinister Strike while dual wielding white vendor-bought daggers. That was the day I decided I should learn how to play the game rather than hope my friends take pity on me and fly across Azeroth to kill elites for me. Now I'm here, on this site, doing this. That's one heck of a step up.

So when I first heard about the Cataclysm, I actually sort of figured Blizzard would use a sort of phasing system on the old world: You'd start in the current old world, and at some point, you'd do a quest series that would phase you into the new, Deathwinged Azeroth similar to the way one progresses into Icecrown in Northrend. However, the word has come down: When Azeroth burns, it'll be changed for good. There's no going back. Even those who don't buy the expansion will still find themselves in Deathwing's new world.

While we're told some zones will remain relatively unscathed, almost every zone will be touched in some way, whether it be simple storyline changes or more massive shakeups from rivers of lava or shrunken coastlines or war, or even more greenery thanks to shifting water sources.

So here's my simple question: Will you miss it? Will you be nostalgic for a desolate Desolace or the massive Barrens? Will you mourn for fallen Astranaar and Auberdine? I'm sure some things will be missed more than others, but then again, change can be good. Being able to move on to new challenges and new excitements has me pretty psyched all told. But then again, what if they get rid of Lakeshire Bridge? I have been waiting a long time to see that done. When the Cataclysm comes, what will you miss? What will you be glad to be rid of?

This is a fun thread over on the forums, and though we've talked about favorite cities a few times before, I like the use of the word "settlement" -- it seems different enough from "city" to consider separately. Your favorite city brings to mind images of metropolises like Stormwind or Orgrimmar, but "settlement" could mean anything -- the Mirage Raceway, way out in the middle of Shimmering Flats (those Goblins probably live there, right?), or the Arrakoa camps around Terrokar Forest. "Settlement" opens up the question a lot, from the biggest cities to the smallest huts on the outsets of Azeroth.

So what's your favorite in-game settlement? Booty Bay and Loch Modan get a lot of votes in the thread. Personally, I kind of like the Westfall Brigade Encampment up in Grizzly Hills -- it was fun wandering around there and seeing the old faces from Westfall. Back in the old world, Lakeshire holds a little fascination for me -- it was the first time in the game that I was out of Elwynn and starting to realize just how big the world really was.

What about you?

Uda of Blackhand sends us this shot of a heart-warming moment in Redridge Mountains. Though we're in the middle of an Alliance town, apparently little Hilary knows no hatred for the Horde. Uda found her necklace in the lake and she rewarded him with a copper and a smile!

Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing a copy to aroundazeroth@wow.com, with as much or as little detail as you'd like to share with the world!

Bawls of Tanaris sends in this unusual shot taken in Redridge. "But Elizabeth," you tell me, "that doesn't look anything like Redridge!" Well, I suppose I can't blame you if you don't recognize the place, since this particular underwater view doesn't show off any of the quaint town on the lake. However, it's a nifty new perspective on a tired old place.

Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.

See more of your pics from Around Azeroth.

Reader Greyan of Chromaggus sends in this shot taken out in Redridge mountains, just above the place Yowler spawns. What is it? What's it for? Heck if I know. Just some empty space behind the scenes, that we're probably never meant to see.

Do you have a unique shot of Azeroth or Outland that you'd like to show off to the rest of the world? Tell us about it by e-mailing aroundazeroth@gmail.com! You can attach a picture file or send us a link to one -- and don't worry about formatting, we'll take care of that part.

See more of your pics from Around Azeroth.

No, not that sort of farmer. Nick Yee over at the Daedalus Project is collecting "interesting social phenomena", and this tale of pitchforks and violence is among the exhibits. Members of the "Farmers Unite" raid regularly hang out in Redridge, dressed in overalls and straw hats, bashing lowbies with an assortment of weaponry from brooms to fishing poles.

If you've been on the wrong end of a shovel with fiery enchant, you may have little sympathy for these players, but it sounds like a hilarious way to spend an afternoon.

Got a guild that does something even stranger? You can always let us know via our tips form.

[via Wonderland]