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!

Friday Linkday: September 18, 2009

I'm over in the chat channel for the Twisted Nether Blogcast this evening. We'll see how long I last before I crash. Lots of links this week, perhaps to make up for not doing this feature last week? Perhaps.

1. Awesome post by Abi (who is a dude) on great uses for Demonic Circle in various end-game raids and instances.

2. Pirates Day is coming! I would find it hilarious if someone actually didn't know about this until reading my blog, but lets just say that I'm excited. Brewfest should be fun, too. The brewfest garb is the one outfit in WoW I'd by psyched to be able to get my hands on in real life.

3. Anna who has too many of herself posted about using accents in RP. I love the accents in game. The Troll accent is my favorite. This is a great post for anyone wanting to start using but isn't sure where to begin.

4. Should Guilds Be Democracies was a fascinating read for me. When I was an officer I once got in an argument with another officer regarding a policy that most of the guild members, and myself, didn't agree with. The officer told me pointedly, "This isn't a democracy." And I remembered thinking it should be more democratic. Go read the post.

5. There's been lots of speculation as to what the upcoming guild talent points are going to entail. Matticus has a clever post appropriately titled Guild Talent Point Wishlist. My favorite wish from his list is "let's be pals" because we can all use to make the rep grind a little easier.

6. You should probably wait until after Pirate's day to do this, but here's an easy guide on getting rep with the Bloodsail Buccaneers.

And there you have it, with only 11 minutes to spare!

Post Weekend Update: Big Tongues over Puppy Men

-I finished the Frenzyheart/Oracle quest chain. My choice of Oracles was pretty obvious. Pets! I don't have enough rep to buy the egg yet. Also, the Frenzyheart folks are pretty much jerks, with the exception of the wasp hunter that follows you around for a while. He seemed alright. He didn't get all excited that I was his slave like the others. I was a little sad to let him go. But...pets!

-Frijona is now one level away from 80! As soon as she hits 80, you wont have to suffer through another "ding" post, at least until the new expansion hits.

-Speaking of Cataclysm, if you haven't watched the trailer yet, go do it now. I'm so excited. I'm completely pumped. I can't wait a year and a half for this! Heroic Deadmines, folks. Heroic Deadmines!

Coming Soon: Something awesome. But it's a secret!

[Image Credit: It's all over the internet. If it's yours, let me know and I'll credit you appropriately.]

Politeness Goes A Long Way: The Valiance Expedition Rep Grind

Here’s the thing: I don’t have very much gold. I’m level 77 and I’d like to be able to take an epic flyer around Northrend. The reputation discount for Artisan flying in 3.2 really excited me. Right now, I’m Revered with Valiance Expedition so I could get the skill for 4250 gold. But since I’m nowhere near that, I’m pushing for Exalted, by doing four PVP daily quests in Grizzly Hills and one PVE daily quest in Howling Fjord.

The Howling Fjord quest is called Breaking the Blockade and involves riding around on a stolen Zeppelin and bombing pirate ships. The best part of the quest is the imprisoned Goblin that yells when the zeppelin arrives and leaves. The first time I did it, it took me about five tries and quite a bit of time.  I can now do it in one run. Stand as far towards the very front of the zeppelin as you can (think “I’m King of the World” in Titanic) and then tilt your camera at the boats. When the boat is behind the zeppelin you can tilt your camera around and get a few shots in. Be sure and hotkey the bombs as well.

The PVP quests are fairly straightforward.  The only issue I’ve had with them is being ganked by Horde players. I don’t PVP. When a Horde player attacks me, and he’s not say 5 levels below me, I’ll just run away. With level 80s this sometimes doesn’t work. Yesterday, I had to hop Hordeside to ask a Belf Priest to stop ganking me. She apologized and said she was having a bad day and went to play on another toon. Later, another level 80 decide to start killing me, until I /plead–ed him to stop. He /sorry–ed and left me alone, so I /thank-ed him and he left me alone. Politeness goes a long way even in skirmishes between factions!

Post-Weekend Update: Let's Get Potterly

What did I do in game this weekend? Not much. Problem one, I had a long work meeting on Saturday. Then after the work meeting was over, I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was dark, magical, and humorous at points. I even teared up a bit at the end. (Note that I'm the hugest sap ever. I cry at any movie that's the least bit remotely sad.) My main complaint about the film? The lack of the Harry Potter theme music. That music causes a thrilling feeling for me, and I missed that!

Any thoughts on what the WoW movie is going to be about? Will it have a sad ending? Will I cry?

On Sunday I spent time getting the blog re-design working. Isn't it lovely?

Oh, right, and I was mentioned in WoW Insider for my post on Tenen the Explorer. Welcome WoW Insider folks!

Coming Soon: How to obtain rep with Valiance Expedition quickly before 3.2 comes out (hopefully not tomorrow!), thoughts on the upcoming expansion.

Who's On First?

There's a meme going around WoW-blogville where you tag the person who posted the first comment on your blog. My blog is fairly new as I only have, what, thirteen posts? But I was tagged by Absitively and Posolutely of Gnometastic.

The first person to comment on my little blog was K of More Dots! More Dots!

In other news...

I've given up on the Merrymaker achievement and so has my friend Mortice (although he's level 80 and has even run a 25-man so I'm sure he could easily accomplish it). I lost a roll on the hat after I finally found a PUG and that basically destroyed it for me. Winter's Veil will be over soon, anyway. I still want Frijona to have a title, so I think I'm going to go with Diplomat instead. I already have the Sporregar rep, and it just suits her better.

I'll be away from WoW and blogging for the next five days as I will be in the land of freezing temperatures, snow, and dial-up internet. Practically the entire Veritas guild is taking time off as well.

Happy Holidays!