Goodbye

I think it's fair to say that this blog is no more. While I really enjoyed it at times, it always ended up feeling more like a chore.

I want to thank everyone who has been reading this for supporting my little experiment. In the near future I will be starting a more broadly focused tech/personal blog, which I will share the link here as soon as it's live. Until then, take care.

Also, I'm still on twitter: http://twitter.com/allirense

Cheers!
Fri

Introducing Lasoka!

I did it. I rolled another alt. I've wanted to play a Tauren Shaman since I saw the intro on my friend's computer. I quickly dismissed the notion because my friend told me to roll Alliance. But as you can see I've finally decided to go back and try it out.

I'm still building on her character. Lasoka is smart and spunky and she's going to be an Engineer. I'll be occasionally updating the blog with her progress. Right now she's at level 10 finishing up the last few quests in Mulgore.

I get lonely Hordeside, so if you're on Moon Guard don't be shy and say "Hello!"

Thoughts on the Blizzard Dev Q&A (with Gnomes!)

Unless you've been stuck without internet and the first WoW blog you
decided to read was mine, you already know about the WoW Developer
Q&A over on Twitter. Here are my thoughts about a few of the
responses.

Q: Will Path of the Titans be as time consuming as
obtaining Sons of Hodir reputation?

A: Sons of Hodir was easy, we're thinking more along the lines of
Argent Dawn rep actually. JK! As a matter of fact, we don't want the
paths of the titans to feel grindy at all so we're trying to make sure
that each step along the way feels more like a great quest, or a key
achievement (like killing all the bosses in a new raid zone). So, it
should be more oriented around accomplishing something that feels
important rather than grinding.

This is something I'm really looking forward to about Cataclysm that
for some reason I keep forgetting about. I think--or I'm hoping--that
it will elicit character development. I forsee the possibility of
interesting RP fodder resulting from this, and not just because Modan Co is filled with archeologists.

Q: Will Alliance ever get an ingame band like the Hordes
L80ETC?

A: Sure, if somebody knows of an awesome Alliance band...

Something with Gnomes:

• The Mekkatorquettes


• Sprynklez and the Sprocket Launchers


• The All-Star Tinker Fun Band


• The Boltbreakers*


• Whizze* and the Leper Gnomes


• 4 Non Pink Pigtails


• Geared Pink (via @psynister)


• GNOMES N' ROSES (via @Xanedris)

Q: With Cataclysm revisiting the old world, any plan to make
the old reputations worthwhile again?

A: With each expansion, we introduce new reputations with new rewards.
Sometimes we introduce reputations that are obviously related, such as
Argent Dawn/Argent Crusade and Cenarion Circle/Cenarion Expedition. We
don't update the rewards for existing reps, as we don't want to put
new characters at such a significant disadvantage.

Suggestion: If the old reputations are still going to exist post
Cataclysm, make them more valuable without causing a disadvantage by
having more vanity items (such as pets and mounts or RP gear)
available with revered or exalted status.

Q: Will there be anymore epic storylines with cinematics like
the wrathgate questline?

A: We have big plans for additional in game cinematics! We are happy
with how the Wrathgate questline worked out, and want to do more lines
like this.

Yay!

Q: Can locks have a summonable flying mount now please?

A: Now? As in right this second? No.

At least this hasn't been ruled out entirely, but I also want to know:
When are we getting our green fire!

While the Q&A may not have provided a ton of information, I was
happy to see a few questions answered, such as the current Goblin
establisments not turning Hordeside. It also made me even more excited
about Cataclysm. Forget Arthas! I want to make my Goblin already!

*Awesome Modan Co member!

Clever Clicks: New Title, Still Tasty

I've changed "Friday Linkday" to "Clever Clicks" for two reasons: 1) The title is way more awesome, and 2) this way I can post on any day of the week and not just Friday.

1. The discussion of the difficulty of raiding on Wrath continues by this post by guest blogger Thespius over at World of Matticus. I'd written a long comment that was deleted when Safari crashed.

While I agree with what has been said in the article, it is still difficult to find groups when you have recently hit 80 and everyone is running Uludar and TOtC--no one runs Naxx anymore, particularly not with a barely geared noob like myself. At least in BC there were plenty of people running Kara over and over to obtain gear. They keying process also gave people the perfect opportunity to obtain the gear necessary to run Kara. Now it's a lot more difficult to know what you're supposed to do next. It's a chaotic free-for-all of PUGs in TOC and Heroics.

2. Anna gives an excellent description of what RP actually is for those of you who might not know, or think we sit around saying "forsooth" all the time.

3. Immersiveness has been a popular topic lately, and it's tackled in this excellent post by Elnia. The particular focus is on how the story in WoW is broken up--by other quests, stopping and restarting of the game, etc. I remember this bothered me while leveling. I'd be on a fascinating quest chain, and then I'd be stopped by a bunch of lazy villagers asking for animal parts and the ears off enemies.

No Post-Weekend Update this week since my mother is in town and I've spent my entire weekend touring my city as opposed to touring Azeroth.

WoW is Too Hard - A Casual's Perspective

There has been quite a bit of talk since Wrath's launch regarding the content. Blizzard's goal was to make it more accessible to casual players, and in the end many hardcore players feel they are getting through the content too quickly and that it isn't as much of a fun challenge as in Burning Crusade.

Recently the topic was brought up again in a post in World of Matticus by a guest blogger Mimetir. Memetir's main point was that the ease of content meant that players could easily jump in once reaching 80 and not really know what they're doing. Larissa (sorry, hon, I don't do accents) told people to stop whining. She doesn't think it's too easy. It was Elleiras's response that elicited this post.

Blizzard's intention with Wrath was to make the raid game accessible to even the most casual of players...We knew that Naxxramas would be easy.

I'm not arguing what Elleiras is saying in the post. In fact, a hard mode and an easy mode of the same dungeon sounds, well, the same. The problem I have is that I may never get to experience it.

I am a casual player. I have to do this 50 hours a week:

Then I need 8 hours of sleep a night or I'm cranky and exhausted when trying to do the above. I also have social engagements, and other activities I'm involved in. I also like to do other things in game like events, RP, and alts. I'm busy.

I'd love to start doing Naxx, but anyone else who might be interested is already sick of it. The people complaining about how easy everything is mention how no one raids there anymore. If I can't do Naxx, I'll never be able to move on to Uludar and TotC, and even if I was able to gear up enough for one of those with Heroics, who would want me? I'm too green. I haven't raided enough.

WoW is too hard because no matter how accessible the content, if you get behind, you're stuck.

Post-Weekend Update: It was a Dark and Stormy Night

QOTW: "Do you think 44 G.N.E.R.Ds are enough to get 50 honorable kills?"

It rained non-stop this weekend, perfect for staying in and playing WoW. I spent Saturday RPing on Eadwacer (Modan Co's newest Geologist) and Sunday doing Hallow's End on Frijona. Here's my current dilemma: I really want the achievement and the title. Can you think of a more Warlocky title than "the Hallowed"? My mom and aunt are coming to town Thursday-Monday. There goes a few days of prime Headless Horseman grinding time. Luckily I managed to nab the Sinister Squashling pet already from putting out fires.

Frijona's Headless Horseman Wishlist

The Horseman's Reins
The Horseman's Seal
Wicked Witch's Band
Hallowed Helm
Sinister Squashling

Here's my plan of action: Kill the Headless Horseman every day I am able. I finished Tricks and Treats of Eastern Kingdoms today, so I'll try and get Kalmidor tomorrow and Outlands on Wednesday. I love how you also get gold from those things! After Kalmidor today if I have enough G.N.E.R.Ds I'll try for the PvP achievement. Meanwhile, I'll park myself in an inn so I can try to get as many wands as I can. At the moment I only have ghost. I'm hoping at the guild meeting tomorrow we'll all zap each other.

In other news, if you visit Azeroth United and click on the Blogger Unity link, you'll see this! It's currently second row, middle column:

It's me! If you ever feel like putting up a giant link to my blog, feel free to use it. Azeroth United is something I'm proud to put my name on. I encourage anyone reading to donate to their Hearts Hands and Voices campaign. Just $10 will get your name in some awesome drawings.

Leveling Poll Closed. And the Winner is...

Claren!

Claren the Druid won by a landslide. Now that the votes are in, who can tell me why? What's so great about Druids? Did Claren win because she's the only class that can heal that I had in the poll?