Newslist For MMOValue

With the 3rd anniversary of Lord of the Rings Online rolling along and a new connection between Turbine and Warner Bros ensuring no shortage of operating funds, it seems like it might be a little strange to find Lord of the Rings Online’s newest expansion Siege of Mirkwood being offered on deals.woot today. That said, it’s there nonetheless, and for those who may have been holding off on picking it up until the price dropped, there’s no time like the present!

The deal offers everyone a chance to pick up the Siege of Mirkwood Complete Edition, which includes the core game, Mines of Moria, and Mirkwood as well as 30 days of free game time for the incredibly low price of $9.99. Now, with that said, this is for the US version run by Turbine, and is strictly digital download only. However, for $10 you really can’t beat it — especially if you’ve never played before or haven’t touched the game since launch, but have been thinking about picking it up recently.

And hey, if you’re new to the lands of Middle-earth, be sure to check out our handy information on how to get started in skirmishes, skirmish rewards, or Justin’s excellent on-going column chock-full of LotRO tips, tricks and more — The Road to Mordor!

Castille Lord of the Rings Online

FigurePrints announced that they are now creating busts of your character. You give them your character’s name and server and they will produce a statuette of your character’s head and shoulders on a World of Warcraft labeled stand. They are being offered now at $69.95, which is quite a bit less than the full statuette at $129.95.

Half the fun of this announcement is the fact that you can get a preview of what your character’s bust will look like. You can choose to not show the helm, cloak and/or tabard. Or you can have your character wear one of several armor sets available.

I don’t know if this was announced today in honor of Boobquake, but I like to think it is. Perhaps it’s just the romantic in me.

Catelet World of Warcraft

In history, we often see that military thinking focuses on what is known to have happened and therefore misses chances to prepare for what is coming. Preparing for the horrific trench warfare of World War I led many to build large defensive fortifications that ended up being less useful than was expected in dealing with the highly mobile mechanized warfare of World War II. (And yes, I’ve been watching a lot of History TV this weekend.) This first started becoming something I noticed might have a relation to the WoW player base when I started reading forum threads about AoE tanking on warriors.

The disconnect there seems to be fairly simple once you move beyond the specific arguments. People keep asking for a tool or tools to make a style of tanking more easily achieved that has been directly stated to be something that we will not be doing in the future. Unlike in real history, where things unfold with no true way to have any sort of advance warning (the best you can do is prognosticate based on trends), game design has actual, stated design goals. While it’s certainly true that things do not actually go as planned in anything like a perfect way, trying to lobby for the inclusion of tools to help you perform better at a task that is one the designers are trying to cut back on is not only counterproductive, it’s also myopic.
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Castres World of Warcraft

Blizzard just released a lengthy statement on Cataclysm badges and PvP point changes. Badges are going away in Cataclysm. Instead, everything will be point based for both PvE and PvP gear. There will be four types of points earned (two PvE and two PvP):
Hero Points, Low tier PvE gear Valor Points, High tier PvE gear Honor Points, Low tier PvP gear Conquest Points, High tier PvP gear Hero points are like the current Emblems of Triumph. Valor Points are like Emblems of Frost, and have a cap on how many you can get each week. Honor Points are like the current Honor Points, and Conquest Points are like the current Arena Points. There will be maximum caps on each sets of points.

Personal ratings will be removed from almost all items, including weapons.

Blizzard’s full statement after the break.

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Castro World of Warcraft

Today Blizzard released some stunning new standards for raids in the upcoming Cataclysm expansion. Chief amongst these changes, which every WoW player should be aware of, is the combining of 10- and 25-man loot tables, 10- and 25-man raid lockouts, and the continuation of gated content.

No longer will 25-man raids provide better gear than 10-man raids (although they will drop more of the gear), and no longer will players be able to farm both the 10-man and 25-man version of a raid dungeon each week.

The following are the bullet points of this announcement:
10- and 25- man raids in Cataclysm will share the same lockout Normal versus Heroic mode will be chosen on a per-boss basis in Cataclysm raids, the same way it works in Icecrown Citadel 10- and 25- man bosses will be close in difficulty 10- and 25- man bosses will drop the exact same items 25-man bosses will drop a higher quantity of loot, but not quality For the first few raid tiers, our plan is to provide multiple smaller raids. Instead of one raid with eleven bosses, you might have a five-boss raid as well as a six-boss raid. Content will continue to be gated First Cataclysm raids will be tuned for players in dungeons blues and crafted items The full statement after the break.

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Castres World of Warcraft

Digital distribution is the in thing these days. Steam, in particular, has turned PC games into something that’s almost easier to buy at home rather than in the store, with a ridiculously wide selection and the promise of never worrying about lost discs. The biggest drawbacks are the download times and potentially losing your login, and what MMO player doesn’t plan for those issues? But there’s still something nice about a boxed copy, which is why European gamers can take joy in the fact that Global Agenda will be releasing a boxed retail copy of the game starting in September 2010.

Thus far, the game has been using primary distribution through Steam, which has worked well — but as the official statement explains, a retail box helps improve visibility. The game will launch in an English version in cooperation with Iceberg Interactive, with a German version due out a bit later. No word is given on whether or not an American boxed version will be available. It’s a unique opportunity for Global Agenda, which itself is a very unique game, and success with the boxed copies likely will lead to more developing projects and more content for the game’s fans.

Castille World of Warcraft

The big announcement out of Star Wars: The Old Republic came ahead of time this week, with the release of a surprise video documentary detailing combat. On the other hand, the game isn’t only about combat. Having completed the Threat of Peace storyline in comic form, the site has launched a new comic to continue exploring the game’s lore in more personal terms. Blood of the Empire has gone live, taking the exact opposite approach to the prior comic by focusing on a young Sith during the conquest of Republic worlds for the growing empire.

True to form, the comic presents the Sith in the most straightforward fashion possible, leaving plenty of room for the moral ambiguity that classically defines BioWare’s games. If that doesn’t quite grab your fancy, the team’s fan roundup has gone live, along with new concept art and a short trailer for the game. The former shows off some of the technology designs at work, while the latter highlights environmental effects from sparking generators to rippling water. It’s a somewhat more contemplative look at Star Wars: The Old Republic compared to non-stop lightsabers and laser blasts, and it might prove a welcome contrast after the earlier announcements

Castillans World of Warcraft

Dungeons and Dragons Online fans know that the DDO Store has items on sale almost constantly, but rarely does the crew at Turbine mark items down with such enthusiasm.

The normal DDO Store sales usually involve a handful of Adventure Packs and maybe a few other items. This sale, however, includes all Adventure Packs at a 30% discount, as well as an impressive array of other items large and small. Some of the more expensive premium items are discounted — the Drow and Warforged races and the 32-point build — as well as items all the way on the other end of the scale. Cleric Hirelings can be had for as little as 5 Turbine Points, for example. If you’re planning to stock up, keep in mind that the DDO Store only allows you to purchase items appropriate to your character’s current class and level, so you’ll be a bit limited according to your current character roster.

If you’re a fan of the DDO Store or have been considering a purchase, this is a good time to take a look. The sale ends on the 29th.

Castillans Dofus

On the EU forums, a character named Redbranch from Thunderhorn came up with what I thought was a pretty nifty idea — getting his/her fellow players to chime in on a list of 101 things to do in old Azeroth before Cataclysm hits. It’s sort of the WoW equivalent of The Bucket List, and the responses range from the violent (“Slaying as many people as possible”) to the nostalgic (“Go base jumping again in Feralas”) to the practical (“Prepare plentiful supplies of gold”).

Then Slorkuz chimed in with the following:

SlorkuzQuote:

The old world is changing forever. Let’s compile a list of things to do before the end.

1) Play through all the starter zones, to give some idea if each race’s lore.

Visit the Shimmering Flats!

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We already know that Thousand Needles is going to be mostly underwater in Cataclysm, but it was another nudge to the realization that the world we know is going bye-bye forever. Right now, my personal “bucket list” includes doing the dungeon set 2 quest line, but I’d love to hear from other players on how they’re approaching the “end of the world.”

Castille World of Warcraft

WoW Magazine is looking for some new information, helpful hints, and feedback in the form of two polls just added on the official Warcraft forums. What’s in it for you? The best responses they receive will be incorporated into the magazine’s features as quotes, and people whose suggestions are used will have their character fully credited for the quote they provide.

The first is a request for tips, hints, and other useful information for the “Battlegrounds Back to Basics” feature, regarding Eye of the Storm in an upcoming issue:

BashiokThe industrious gnomes and goblins at World of Warcraft Official Magazine are currently working on the next issue. One of its regular features is “Battlegrounds Back to Basics” – this time around covering Eye of the Storm

As part of that feature, we’re looking for hints and tips from EotS veterans. Is that you? If so, please feel free to post your favorite one-line strategies, tactics and tricks that help give you the winning edge. They can either be team oriented, or even class specific. The best suggestions will be incorporated into the feature as quotes – and of course your character will be fully credited. Remember – these should be straightforward one-liners – we’re not looking for long paragraphs packed with intricate details.

Thanks in advance to all!

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The second involves the upcoming beta for Cataclysm, whether or not people are avoiding it and what those that are opting-in are looking forward to among other things. Is this a hint that we’ll see the beta for Cataclysm before we see the next issue of Warcraft Magazine? Who knows — but check out the post for more information on what kind of feedback they’re looking for:

BashiokThe gang at World of Warcraft Official Magazine would like to know if you plan on participating in the Cataclysm beta. What about it gets you excited? What should people know before opting-in and participating? Are you purposefully avoiding the beta and all information? Do you love to hunt down bugs, do you thrive in a world of the unknown, or do you despise the impermanence of a testing environment? Tell us about your best experiences from past tests, missed opportunities, your dos and don’ts, your beta hopes, and anything in-between! The best posts will be incorporated into the feature as quotes, and your character will be fully credited.

Thanks in advance to all!

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Have an opinion about either of the two topics? Check them out on the official Warcraft forums and put your two cents in — who knows, you may end up in Warcraft Magazine!

Castiglione World of Warcraft

It’s official: registration for the 2010 World of Warcraft Arena Tournament is now open! Like last year’s arena tournament, players will participate on regional tournament realms — separate from live realms — for a spot to play at the live events. The arena tournament will use the 3v3 arena format for teams, and the regular arena season on live servers will not be interrupted by this event. The cost of registration is one payment of $20 per eligible World of Warcraft account. For more information on eligibility and restrictions, check out the Arena Tournament rules page.

This year’s cash prizes, including prizes awarded at both the regional finals and world championship, amount to over $200,000. But even if you don’t win the big prizes, there’s still something out there for participants — players who have participated in at least 50 rated tournament games on one character with the same team will be eligible for Murkimus, the gladiator murloc pet that players may remember from last year’s tournament. Please note that as of patch 3.3.3, Murkimus is an account-wide pet that will apply to all WoW characters on your Battle.net account. Players who have a character in one of the top 1,000 teams and have participated in at least 100 rated tournament games during the last four weeks will also receive the Vanquisher title for their live characters level 71 and over.

While the news may be good for players that missed out on last year’s games, some have expressed disappointment that there was no new pet and title for this year. Zarhym addressed this in a post on the Arena Tournament forums:
ZarhymWhile it would be cool to provide a new pet, we’re not necessarily trying to encourage as many people as possible to pay $20 and sign up for this tournament ultimately because they want a new pet. It’s a nice perk to encourage people, but we don’t want the Arena Tournament to be a more complicated version of the Pet Store. We want players who are serious about competing to sign up for the tournament, not just a reason to take in more money through offering a new vanity pet with each new tournament.

Koeningsmark World of Warcraft

The Classifieds brings you weekly updates on news from around the WoW community. Have guild news or a Random Act of Uberness to share? Email TheClassifieds@wow.com.

The RNG does not hate you. It’s just been spending all of its quality time this week snuggling up to Taedran of US Silvermoon-A. “I’ve been having a strange week,” Taedran confesses. “Physically, IRL, I’ve been really sick and feeling awful, but in WoW … It’s as if God is smiling upon me, because there are a few items I have been farming for every chance I get, items that I have been farming for, for more than a year. These items are: Swift Razzashi Raptor from Zul’gurub, Orb of the Sin’dorei from heroic Magister’s Terrace, Shard of the Fallen Star from AQ40 and quite a few others! This week has fulfilled all my dropping wants! And to top that all off, my guild just beat Lich King, and so we are all Kingslayers now. And guess what Lich King dropped? The only item I want off of him — the healing mace. And I won it!”

This is the point at which we should probably all gather ’round and clap Taedran on the back, congratulating and wishing him well … It’s just that I think I have something in my eye, and I really don’t have a free hand, anyway. I have to keep pounding this need button over here — unless I make the right sequence of rolls (I’m going for 4, 8, 15, 16, 23 and 42; I read ‘em on this weird metal hatch out in the middle of Sholazar Basin), something bad is going to happen … Something that might keep me from prying my fair share of loot out of the grip of that filthy rotten fleabag gloriously lucky bloke, Taedran …

Castillans World of Warcraft

Warcraft: Shadow Wing, Vol. 1: Dragons of Outland, the new Warcraft manga written by Richard A. Knaak and illustrated by Jae-Hwan Kim, now has a preview available online at BlizzPlanet.com. Shadow Wing follows the continuing story of Jorad Mace and the blue dragon Tyrygosa, who parted ways with Kalecgos and Anveena at the end of the Sunwell Trilogy. Jorad and Tyri meet up in Outland — and hopefully the manga explains what the two have been doing out on Celestial Ridge all this time, and how Tyri’s research eventually ties in to Malygos’ efforts up in Northrend.

In addition, there is also a preview available for Warcraft: Mage, the second in the series of class-based books that began with Warcraft: Death Knight. Unlike Death Knight, which detailed the untold story of Thassarian, Warcraft: Mage seems to be taking a different route and telling the story of a character as yet unseen in World of Warcraft. Aodhan is a young man who comes from a lineage of paladins and warriors, but finds himself drawn to an entirely different path. While training to become a mage in Dalaran, Aodhan and the rest of the city abruptly find themselves under siege by Malygos and the Blue Dragonflight. Warcraft: Mage is also written by Richard A. Knaak and illustrated by Ryo Kawakami, who has also done work for the Warcraft: Legends series.

While the manga novels still aren’t available for pre-order, it looks like both novels will be released on June 1, 2010, from TOKYOPOP, and will be available at bookstores across the country.

Castillans World of Warcraft

For the last few years, I’ve been using the Sons of the Storm website and various Blizzard artists’ DeviantArt galleries to get my Blizzard concept art fix. As of this evening, it seems Blizzard is taking a step toward consolidating all of this artwork into one public place.

Blizzard.comWe’re pleased to announce the grand opening of our new Concept Art gallery, highlighting the myriad characters, environments, and other artwork we create during the development of our games. We plan to update this page regularly with a wide variety of never-before-seen pieces of art reaching all the way back to Blizzard’s early days, so be sure to check back often!

Castro World of Warcraft

There’s an understandable problem with selling game currency in subscription games, where it’s generally considered verboten for good reason. While some subscription games will sell you things in addition to the monthly fee, there’s a general sense that you should earn your advantages. But in free-to-play games that have a cash shop allowing players to purchase items directly… well, the very idea of gold selling seems kind of silly. But it can happen, and Runes of Magic has experienced a bit of a problem of late with the trade of Diamonds (their cash shop currency) for gold.

The game has traditionally treated the currencies as interchangeable insofar as players with lots of Diamonds and not enough gold could sell their excess to other players. Unfortunately, the current spate of RMT activities have called for draconian measures: they’ve taken away the ability to trade Diamonds for gold. They’ve also temporarily removed the ability to send gold through the mail. The official announcement stresses that this is a temporary measure to combat unacceptable behavior. While less gold spam is a good thing, fewer features are a negative, so this new is a mixed bag for Runes of Magic players.

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