Now the dust has settled...

Earlier this week WoW Insider made a pretty big announcement that due to budget cuts a number of writers and columns would be axed. Whilst I don't claim to read every single WI post I do read a fair few and I visit the site most days during my lunch hour. There are certain columns and columnists that I read more regularly than others but as a whole I appreciate the site and what it does. It's a shame that these cuts need to be made and I know those that are leaving will be missed by the community.

Here's some of my personal favourites...

Community Blog Topic: WoW Resolutions

This weeks WoW Insider Community Blog Topic from Robin Torres asks "What are your World of Warcraft resolutions?"

 

I'm not really a big fan of real-life new year resolutions mainly because I like to think that I don't need a new year to do something. Having said that when it comes to WoW there are a few things that I would like to focus on in the coming months (it just so happens were at the start of 2014). If amything these are pre-Warlords of Draenor resolutions.

Community Blog Topic: Should professions be account-wide?

It's been ages since I took part in a WoW Insider Community Blog Topic. I've missed a few completely, there was a couple of topics I wasn't sure enough about to write a post etc but never fear - I'm back!

This weeks topic comes from Robin Torres - who asks "Should professions be account-wide?". And for anyone, who like me, always has to think is that 'profession with one 'f' or two hmm... how many 's' again' I know how you feel!

#WoWscreenshotaday: Days 26 & 27

Day 26: Entrance

One of my favourite instance entrances in-game has to be the entrance to Onyxia's Lair.

Day 27: 10 minutes from home

 

For this one I was inspired by an article on WoW Insider a while back Have you ever gone for a walk?. I started off directly below Dalaran city and followed the road around to the south and into Dragonblight. I walked for 10 minutes and this shot is taken from where I finished - in the Crystal Vice.

Community Blog Topic: Is Leveling Too Easy?

This weeks WoW Insider Community Blog Topic asked by Robin Torres is "Is leveling too easy?". To set the scene a little, former Blizzard developer Mark Kern has recently claimed that WoW is too easy (read more here). We've also seen an in-game store bought item that grants a 100% xp buff - Enduring Elixir of Wisdom - datamined. To me these give slightly conflicting messages - if the game were to easy why buff xp?

Nostalgia...

I've been wanting to write a blog post about in-game nostalgia for some time now. I have however struggled to work out a way of writing down my feelings without sounding like an arse. But, WoW Insiders Matthew Rossi has inspired me!

Firstly the inspirational article in question. Matthew Rossi posted an article about The living game and the end of nostalgia which I highly recommend everyone reads (especially if you intend to read further on). I think that he has hit the nail on the head repeatedly throughout his article. It's well balanced, well written and most of all sums up how I feel.

Anyway, I have decided to jump right on into the deep end so here goes.

Community Blog Topic: What 3 features do you wish WoW had?

WoW Insider has started hosting 'Community Blog Topics' which I think is a really great idea and way for the blogging community to interact etc. This is the first time I will be particiipating in this community event but hopefully there will be many more in the future.

Last week Robin Torres asked 'What 3 features do you wish WoW had?'. Robin's wishlist consisted of:

• Free server transfers
• Unique class storylines
• Account-wide mail

All of which I like the sound of. But I do have some wishes of my own...

Level scaling
The abilty to scale a character down (obviously not up) so that you can quest, dungeon etc. with lower level friends or to complete content at the appropriate level (so that it's a challenge). For me there is a lot of content that I never had the chance to do when it was current. I know I can do dungeons still but there's a lot of older raids that I'd like to have experienced. I hear lots of nostalgic stories of how hard Raid-x was back in the day and how better to understand these sentimentalities.

Galleries/Museums (Similar to housing)
A lot of people talk about in-game character housing which I like the idea of. However, I'd much prefer it to be a more gallery/museum like facility. I'm not overly fussed about my characters having beds, wardrobes and sofa's but I would like a place to store [older] archaeology artefacts that I've made (ie a museum). Moving slightly more towards housing I'm quite keen on the idea of a communal guild area where the heads of defeated bosses are displayed - similar to how you might see the stuffed & mounted head of a deer in a stately home. This being said I can see the appeal of character housing in general.

Storage Solutions
I guess this in part relates to the above point. I am a bit of a hoarder but I think it's a general issue within the game - that being, people have bags and banks full of items that have no day-to-day use but they don't want to get rid of. Above I have outlined how archaeology items such as Kaldorei Wind Chimes can be stored but what about tabards? or armour/transmog sets?
I think tabards would work really well being incorported into the character pane ('C') in a similar way to titles. Once you purchase the tabard it appears in this pane and can be chosen.
Armour/transmog sets would again work well in galleries/museums. I'm not saying have an unlimited set of manakins waiting to hold theses sets but maybe two or three. Or even if you had to pay for your manakins like you'd have to pay for storage.

Breakfast Topic Thoughts: Do You WoW-Craft?

On Sunday (yes, I'm a little behind) WoW Insider's Breakfast Topic by Elizabeth Harper was "Do you WoW-Craft?". Personally I do quite enjoy crafty stuff but it's finding the time to get it done that causes me issues. A few of my work colleagues are also ino crafty stuff and we attempt to have weekly craft nights (aka Crochet Club). However, as I struggle with crochet I have been cross stitching instead. I am currently working on my first WoW-Craft and whilst it's a work in progress I am really happy with it. Hopefully it will be finished fairly soon and then I need to decide what exactly to do with it!

Stage 1:

Stage 2:

Stage 3:

Breskfast Topic Thoughts: How do you start a new character?

This morning's WoW Insider Breakfast Topic by Elizabeth Harper was How do you start a new character? I'm a bit of an alt-aholic and have made a dozen or so characters in the short time I've been playing WoW. I don't have a serious problem or rather addiction to making alts like some players but it's still a large part of my in-game experience and enjoyment.

Night Elfs have an awesome array of hair colours.

Normally when I'm making a new character it's because I've already decided to roll a particular class and/or race. If I've only chosen the race (for example) then I set about picking a complementary class. There has been one case where I had my heart set on a Pandaren paladin (Palminglee) but sadly Panda's can't be paladins so I made a shaman (Shaminglee). Now that's the relatively easy part over with.

Tauren horn style can be changed.

I find picking the character features can vary from being quite tricky to almost too obvious. As I'm sure we're all aware the customisable options vary between races, some have lots of options and others only a few. For me, this can pose an issue. If we take the faces for example - some I don't like, others I love and some I'd pick but they don't jump out at me. I, therefore, usually go for the one's that really appeal to me. I also try to keep each characters features unique - so when I have two or more of a single race I try to pick different features etc.

Goblin ear customisation also alters the nose and chin.

My final step during character creation is the naming. I don't follow any particular naming convention and so there's no limit or criteria that I need to follow. In a way I have shot myself in the foot by not having one. I am yet to think of a character name during the creation process that I've then chosen and has been available. There are so many names already taken, yet the number available is still enormous. Nonetheless, it's incredibly hard to pick the right name. I'll admit to having created a new character, played for a bit, decided I don't like the name and re-rolled the character exactly the same bar the name! For me, paying to change a character's name isn't a financial option and so I give myself until level 20 to make the delete/re-roll decision.

I'm really intrigued how others create new characters and would definately recommend reading the comments section of the original article.

Breakfast Topic Thoughts: What type of character would your mother play in WoW?

It turns out that yesterday (Sunday 12th) was Mother's Day in various countries but not here in the UK. Our Mother's Day was back in March and to celebrate I did a post on in-game Mummys (mounts) and their kids (pets) which you can view here.

Yesterday, WoW Insiders Dawn Moore asked What type of character would your mother play in WoW? and I thought this was a pretty neat question. It really provoked some thought as well as I'd never considered my mum playing WoW or even what race/class she is most like in personality etc.


Firstly, what would my mum play? Well it's safe to say my mum isn't the best with computers. She's approaching 60 and whilst she is suitably skilled to do a lot, with computers, I don't think games is her thing. However, if she ever did play I think she'd enjoy pet battles and leveling professions - much like myself. I think she'd find the combat a bit too much - too many buttons, too much going on etc. (again, a little like myself!). As such I can't really say what class or race she'd play out of choice but...

 

What is she most like? Race is easy - a (ginger) dwarf, much like my warlock Boltzy whom I pride on looking most accurately like myself. Class is slightly more tricky. She's got a range of qualities; good with plants, nature and mending (like a healer [primarily druid]), a stubborn battler (which I imagine to be a tank-like quality) yet she can be a bit of a witch. Overall, I guess my mum is more like a druid but dwarfs can't be druid. I guess the next best thing is a shaman - she can heal but can also deal some serious damage!

WoW Insiders asks: Why Do I Still Play WoW? & How Do You Pay to Play?

A couple of days ago WoW Insider asked via Twitter: Why do you still play WoW?

I thought this was an interesting question and have been thinking about my reasons for playing ever since. Now I haven't been playing for that long, in fact it wasn't that long that I celebrated my first year playing. So, I suppose the game is still reasonably fresh to me. For long-term players the game can become stale with the expansions being the only major changes and I understand why players take a break (or even quit) if said expansion isn't to their liking.

Anyway, I'm meant to be writing about me and not other players.

I've always played computer games and WoW filled a niche for me. I play a variety of games from god-games (Sims, Black & White, Theme Hospital, Zoo Tycoon etc.) to adventure and Sci-Fi (I own a lot of Star Wars games and am a big fan of the Lego games!). Anyway, WoW involves adventure, questing and fantasy - all of which I love.

In addition, WoW incorporates a social element. It's not just a case of inviting your friends over to play on a console - it's different. I get that consoles do now allow you to socialise but I'm a little old school when it comes to consoles and don't play any online. I've met some awesome people via playing WoW - not to mention those I've met subsequently via blogging - and I want to maintain contact with these people and the awesome community. They're my virtual friends and it doesn't matter where you live, what you do etc.

And finally - it's like an addiction. I have quite an addictive personality and I'm a creature of habit and routine. So it's not surprising that I got hooked. Yes I go though days where I don't want to log in so I don't. But most of the time I want to play. I want to do something, to complete this, to finish that. It has become part of my life and it fits in just perfectly!

I guess in conclusion I play WoW because I enjoy it on many levels! Perhaps it is just because I'm still such a newbie but I think that I will be playing for a while yet. Truth be told I'm not sure if I'd ever be able to properly quit (like forever).

Today, WoW Insiders Breakfast Topic by Elizabeth Harper asks How do you pay to play?

Tonight I am a little sad it has to be said. I thought my game time ran out on the 25th. However, when I went to log in I found that it had ran out today *cries*.

Normally I pay a month at a time as I'm never sure how busy I'll be and if I'll have the time to play enough to warrant paying. Most of the time I have plenty of spare time. Recently, however, I've been rather busy at work and outside of work meaning my in-game time has suffered. I don't feel like I've paid for nothing but I do wish I'd had chance to play more.

So why don't I just buy another months subscription and be done with it? Well I'm going on holiday on Monday for 5 days then it's Easter weekend meaning I probably won't have a chance to play until early April. I'm reluctant to buy game time when I'll potentially not play for 7-10days.

Having said that I really want to be playing right now and dreading a long free weekend (the first in a long time) without it. I wonder if I'll last until Monday or not...

Busy day at the 'Office'

As I'm sure a lot of you are aware WoW Insider recently posted asking What are your favourite WoW blogs? Let's see them all! I decided to think about my answer at work today and that I would post when I got back this evening. When I got home I quickly logged into blogger to find that my blog had had 150+ viewers today and couting! To say the least I was shocked.

Initially I attributed this massive influx to me having signed up to twitter yesterday. But I was soon in for an even better surprise. My blog had been mentioned on the WoW Insider post, so thank you soooo much Kaitz.

If you haven't already commented and added a few other blogs to the discussion then please pop over there and share them now!