Today we’re going to talk … addons. Or rather, one specific addon, followed by a question. There’s this nifty little addon out there that I’ve used a little bit called Gryphonheart Items. GHI allows you to actually make items in game that you can then trade with other players that have the GHI addon, and by “item” I mean anything from a book to a ring or trinket to a statue or an engineering trinket. If you can loot it in game and carry it in your bags, you can make it in GHI. The exceptions of course are items of clothing — you can’t design a shirt to wear or something along those lines.
The best example I saw of GHI in use was a friend of mine who made a present for a roleplayer’s “baby shower” event. Instead of getting something tangible with gold or crafting something with their chosen profession, my friend decided to use GHI to make something completely unique. The item was labeled as a gnomish baby-rocker, with a description that indicated it was a self-rocking cradle that played a lullaby for the baby as it rocked. The best part was that when the player clicked the item, it would play the sound file for Lament of the Highborne, making it a fully interactive little trinket for the “pregnant” player.
As far as unique items go, the only thing in my regular bags that by all rights shouldn’t be there is Taretha’s Necklace — the one mentioned in Lord of the Clans that is retrievable via a horde quest. The last leg of the quest has you obtain the necklace because Thrall would like it back. This is all well and good, but when I looked at it from the eyes of my rogue, all I could think was that it was shiny, and pretty, and she would probably enjoy keeping it. So I did — I never turned in the quest, and it is one of a few that are left unfinished in my quest log. But with the introduction of GHI, I could make other odds and ends that suited my character, like the journals of Arch Druid Fandral Staghelm pictured above. In addition, I could make copies of every readable book in game and carry them around with me as my very own mini library!
I wondered though, what with the particular ingeniousness of this addon, what sort of items other people would make for their characters. What would represent them, what would they consider something that their character just “had to have” whether it be for looks or just a fun trinket to play with. Would it have a sound file linked to it, or would it just be something to read? With GHI, the possibilities are nearly limitless. So if you guys could make one thing for your character to carry around, what would it be?
gmaxwell World of Warcraft
In a follow-up to the lengthy Badge and PvP point preview for Cataclysm, Bornakk posts that weapons for PvP will be tiered much as normal and heroic drops are in current raiding.
Bornakk – Cataclysm Badge and PvP Point ChangesThe lower tier weapons will correspond in quality to items found in the latest raid tier on normal difficulty and cost only Conquest Points. The higher tier weapons will correspond in quality to items found in the latest raid tier on Heroic difficulty and will have a minimum personal rating requirement in addition to costing Conquest Points. All of the highest-stat PvP armor, including shoulder and head pieces, will cost only Conquest Points and have no rating requirements. We have updated our original announcement text to reflect this clarification.
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This basically means that while the best weapons will require success in Arenas and Ranked BG’s, PvP players will be able to get weapons upgrades via running PvP out of the gate rather than having to hope for an instance/raid drop. It also means an end to armor pieces, trinkets and other items requiring a rating to purchase, making gearing up for PvP easier. It seems likely that this change is aimed at making PvP easier to start in and taking some of the perceived need to PvE away from the PvP game.
Castro World of Warcraft
It’s been months since we’ve heard a peep on the Hollywood news lines about the Warcraft film or director Sam Raimi. When Spider-man 4 was canceled in January, there was speculation that Raimi might be headed to the Warcraft film next. A month later, we reported a rumor that Raimi’s next project might not be Warcraft, but a film adaptation of The Shadow. Seeing as Sony let the rights to the film lapse in March, it doesn’t sound like The Shadow is in any state of serious development; but it does raise the question of what exactly is Raimi up to right now?
While we still have no exact answer to that, Chris Metzen gave us a small update on the film in an interview over at vg247 published yesterday. When asked if a considerable amount of time was being spent on the movie, Metzen replied, “I wouldn’t say “considerable” at all just yet. We’ve been through a number of story meetings, and we’re still kind of getting it together with Raimi and his team and jamming on themes that we want to chase.”
Sadly, the interview didn’t reveal many specifics, but Metzen responded favorably when asked if he was concerned about dissappointing Warcraft fans: “Nobody wants to screw it up: we all want to hit it hard and have it be something that is as resonant and canonical as it can be. But given what Warcraft is, with all these moving parts, we’re going to have to take some liberties here and there. I’m under no illusions about that fact … ”
It’s hard to draw any new or concrete conclusions from the interview, but it’s good to see that the movie is still being talked about. WoW.com will keep you updated as we learn more.
Castiglione World of Warcraft
Steelseries and J!NX have teamed up to give away some loot over the next three weeks — hardware from Steelseries and some outer wear from J!NX, as well as other pretty cool stuff. The contest is open to Facebook users, who will be eligible to win one of six loot packs to be given away. Two loot packs will be given away each week, and each pack consists of the following:
1 SteelSeries World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse 1 SteelSeries March of the Scourge QcK Mouse Pad 1 SteelSeries Zboard Wrath of the Lich King Gaming Keyboard 1 J!NX Talking Murloc Plush Toy 1 J!NX Horde or Alliance Hoodie 1 J!NX Frost Resistance Hoodie 1 J!NX Green Linen Shirt 1 J!NX Horde or Alliance Shirt 1 J!NX Horde or Alliance Wallet 1 J!NX Horde or Alliance Cut out Sticker 1 J!NX Horde or Alliance Keychain The first week simply asks Facebook users to ‘like’ or become fans on both the Steelseries and J!NX Facebook pages, with two winners to be determined randomly on May 5, 2010. The second week will require Facebook users to flex their social networking muscles a little bit as contestants are asked to post a screenshot of their favorite person, place, or activity in Azeroth on the J!NX Facebook page and garner as many “likes” for their entry until May 12. The screenshot with the most “likes” will win one loot pack, while a panel of judges from J!NX and Steelseries will determine who wins the second pack.
The third week is a similar exercise in social network popularity, but contestants are asked to submit a video of an in-game dance party on the Steelseries fan page. As with the week before it, the video that ends up with the most “likes” at the end of the period, May 19, will win one loot pack. J!NX and Steelseries will select the winner of the second loot bag. If you’re not averse to the whole social network experience, this promotion seems like a relatively painless way to try and score some cool swag.
Catalans World of Warcraft
Zarhym just hit the forums to announce that they’ll be reviving the official community site’s Screenshot of the Day feature. Every day they’ll be releasing a new Cataclysm screenshot, and you can see today’s at the top of this post or on the official site.
Today’s screenshot appears to be a sea goblin in what might be Vashj’ir or the Abyssal Maw. WoW.com will definitely have our eyes glued to these daily screenshots, as they’re sure to include a lot of awesome visuals. Maybe even a female worgen! We can hope, right?
Castres World of Warcraft
As the years have passed in the World of Warcraft, I find myself meeting more and more players who have no idea what I’m talking about when I mention some memorable quest or tiny hideaway in a level 50 zone. This is by no means unexpected in a game as old as WoW, but I find it quite tragic that those near and dear to me are missing out on things that once captivated me. So what do I do? Well, I grab my semi-interested guildmate and whisk him away on a field trip; I take on the role of an Azerothian tour guide. Sometimes I even wear a funny hat.
I really enjoy the concept behind achievements like The Loremaster and World Explorer. It has a very “go see and experience the world for yourself” feel to it that I can agree with. The problem is I think those achievements are a bit overwhelming for the average person, myself included. I really can’t imagine actively going out and doing the hundreds of “gather 10 berries/feathers/saliva samples” quests for fun. What I’d really like to see is an achievement system that focuses more on quality than quantity: Loremaster Lite, for example, or World Explorer’s Top 20 spots. Kind of like Blizzard’s way of saying, “Hey, here is the stuff we are most proud of. Go see it.”
Blizzard is busy, though. But hey! I’m here, and I even have a funny hat to wear in real life! It’s not an explorer hat; it’s a squid hat. (It looks like a squid is eating my head when I wear it.) As I sit here, allowing my brains to be munched on by this crocheted Cthulhu, I have to wonder: are all those things I love about the old world going to exist once Cataclysm comes out?
Read more…
Castille World of Warcraft
The Icecrown Citadel raid buffs, Hellscream’s Warsong and Strength of Wrynn, have increased from 10% to 15% today. This is great news for those guilds just on the cusp of downing a boss — expect to see quite a few new Lich King kills and some more progression in the next day or so.
The buff is going to keep increasing, so expect it to go to 20% in about four weeks.
Enjoy!
Koeningsmark World of Warcraft
This multiple-rule-breaking screenshot was sent in by obvious sadist Stache of on Korgath. This reminds me that it’s about time to update our forbidden screenshot list. Anyone have any suggestions? One of the slots is already going to be filled by Celestial Steeds, so you can skip that one.
Do you have any unusual, beautiful or interesting World of Warcraft images that are just collecting dust in your screenshots folder? We’d love to see them on Around Azeroth! Sharing your screenshot is as simple as emailing aroundazeroth@wow.com with a copy of your shot and a brief explanation of the scene. You could be featured here next!
Castille World of Warcraft
Do you want to talk to your friends even if they’re on other servers, or the opposite faction on your server? Well, Blizzard aims to make that possible via Battle.net, and it’s coming before Cataclysm.
Zarhym – Re: Cataclysm Friends List Idea
This is exactly what we are working on implementing with Battle.net and real-life friends. You’ll be able to add friends at the Battle.net account level and talk to them while in-game whether they’re on the opposing faction, a different realm, or another Blizzard game entirely. This is coming prior to Cataclysm.
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Q u o t e:
Please tell me that people will not be able to “friend” me without my consent. I don’t care to be tracked across servers and factions except by a couple people I know IRL.
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This is correct. No one outside of your faction on your realm will be able to communicate with you unless you accept their friend request, or they accept yours. You will still have your normal World of Warcraft Friends list, but we’ll be adding in the ability to have Battle.net players on your Friends list as well. The characters on your Friends list will allow the same communication functionality which exists today. It’s only when you’ve confirmed someone as a Battle.net friend that you can take advantage of the additional communication features.
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The real surprise for me is that people playing, say, StarCraft II or Diablo III will be able to chat with people playing World of Warcraft via their Battle.net accounts. It’s a definite extension of their Real ID program mentioned during the StarCraft II preview, and I’m even more surprised that it’s going to be out before Cataclysm ships. I know that even if I don’t play Diablo III (which is unlikely, how will I be able to resist the barbarian?), being able to talk to the various friends I have across six servers will be a positive boon for me.
Castille World of Warcraft
Want to get Gold Capped? This column shows you how. Join author Basil “Euripides” Berntsen, also of outdps.com, the Hunting Party podcast and the Call to Auction podcast.
Enchanting is like the auctioneer’s sonic screwdriver. Having a maxed-out enchanter is a major boost to many other professions, as their ability to disenchant is just amazing. It will help you recuperate money when leveling your professions, as well as open up business opportunities that may not have been profitable otherwise.
So how else can you make money with enchanting?
The wrong way to make money with enchanting
Read more…
Castillans World of Warcraft
Lawsuits aren’t necessarily a fact of life in the world of video games, but they seem to be a bit favored over words when two parties just can’t seem to get along. David Allen, the gentleman formerly in charge of Alganon’s development, has opted for legal action in the matter of his removal from the company, which was followed by Derek Smart taking his position. While Smart has responded to Allen on his personal blog, Quest Online has taken the opportunity to attempt to put the record straight in a more official capacity.
According to the official statement, “the company’s members, forced to make a decision between David Allen and Derek Smart, unanimously voted to remove Mr. Allen as managing member thereby leaving Derek Smart as President of the company.” Those who have been following the debate since the beginning will note that this matches Smart’s depiction of events. The company states that it will defend itself against untrue allegations by Mr. Allen, and that they are confident the courts will see that there were no unfair actions taken on their part. The unfolding legal drama certainly has succeeded in stirring up more interest in Alganon, but only time will tell how the legal side will play out.
MMOvalue World of Warcraft
It’s that time in the Guild Wars 2 information cycle again: just as we are beginning to despair of ever getting new information, the floodgates open. ArenaNet’s been dropping some very broad hints over the past few weeks, most recently sending out a couple of very mysterious images.
Today dropped a couple of significant new pieces of information. First, one of the figures in the image (by the incredibly talented Kekai Kotaki) changed to reveal itself as what is almost certainly an Elementalist. Hopefully this is the first in a pattern, and we’ll get a look at the other figures still waiting in the background.
Our excitement over the new image barely had time to register when ArenaNet dropped a second bomb: a Guild Wars 2 blog. Talk about starting off with a bang: this first blog entry — accurately labeled a manifesto — takes the main points of GW2, things that we already knew, and expands upon them in a big way. Many points that we’ve wondered about are clarified, and the blog entry is easily the biggest piece of information we’ve gotten from ArenaNet since the last trailer.
If you’re one of the many waiting for Guild Wars 2, this blog entry is a must read, and be sure to check out next week’s Flameseeker Chronicles as we go over all the new information in detail.
Castillans World of Warcraft
Do you hear that? That faint yet alluring noise drifting over the MMO plains? ‘Tis the siren song of the free gametime, my child. It twists and turns with the wind, seeking out every nook and cranny where a potential player may be hidden. Few can escape its call, but then again, why would they want to?
Over on the Darkfall forums comes the announcement of a Return to Darkfall campaign aimed at previous players. If you were a Darkfall player before April 2010, Adventurine wants to invite you back for a two-week free play session. North American players also have the option to transfer to the NA server for free during this period. Adventurine is directing NA players to sign back up here, and EU players to head over there.
The 14-day free play offer will end on May 31st, so if you tasted of the fruits of Darkfall in the past and want to see if it’s sweeter today, now is the time to hop back on board!
Castro Dofus
If you’ve been waiting for more information or a first look into Funcom’s upcoming Age of Conan expansion, Rise of the Godslayer, then you’re in luck! This Thursday, April 29th at 12:00pm Pacific (3:00pm Eastern / 9:00PM CET), they’re planning on holding a special preview streaming event in conjunction with Xfire to give everyone an early look into the exotic new lands of Khitai.
“Age of Conan: Rise of the Godslayer is now very close to launch and we are very excited to share our view of the expansion with the world through Xfire,” says Game Director and Executive Producer Craig Morrison.
All you’ll have to do to catch the preview is to point your browser at the main Xfire site at the time mentioned above, sit back, and enjoy the tour. The game’s developers will be taking players along as they adventure through some of the new content, offering a chance to see lands and sights as yet unexperienced. There is also a plan to do a question and answer session after the preview as well. If you’ve been waffling on picking up the expansion, it sounds like a great way to figure out if it belongs on your “must pick up” list — or to ask any questions about Age of Conan that you may have.
Castro World of Warcraft
When it comes to stories of engaging fantasy worlds, one of the premier names that comes to the minds of many gamers is R.A. Salvatore. His Forgotten Realms books chronicling the adventures of Drizzt Do’Urden are fan favorites, and many are curious as to just what he’s doing on 38 Studios’ upcoming MMO, codenamed Copernicus. Thankfully, Salvatore took some time to sit down with Gamasutra and discuss plans for the MMO, as well as their lore-related single-player game, codenamed Mercury.
In this interview, Salvatore talks both on his gaming past, and whether or not his varied experiences in gaming have affected his writing on this project. He also touches on how important he feels immersion is in terms of getting people engaged — suspending their disbelief, and jumping into the fantastic worlds he weaves. Another interesting tidbit is how he feels that characters are most important in terms of telling a story — a tenet that has served him extremely well, if sales of his books are any indication!
If you’re looking for more illumination into the mind of the man shaping the overall stories for 38 Studios, then you’ll definitely want to pop over to Gamasutra and check out this latest interview. Of course, we also happen to have a pretty sweet interview of our own with Salvatore about Copernicus that you’ll want to check out if you missed it the first time around.
Castillans World of Warcraft