Post by Ashelia
As promised, we have the winners from
last week's Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning giveaway! We also have the news accrued from the past several days, including my personal favorite: StarCraft 2 RISK and World of Warcraft Monopoly. Those are my two favorite board games, so having them paired up with two of my favorite digital games seems a bit surreal.
In other news, we are still looking for
a PHP developer and a sales manager. We are doing interviews all week, so make sure to get your information in if you want a chance to work here at Wowhead!
World of Warcraft Monopoly® and StarCraft Risk®
We’re pleased to announce a partnership with USAopoly to release fresh takes on two classic board games. Monopoly®: World of Warcraft® and RISK®: StarCraft® combine tried-and-true foundations with new designs and gameplay elements inspired by our popular gaming universes. Those who dare to engage will discover a new chance to claim supremacy, both over their friends and over the battle-torn lands of Azeroth and the Koprulu Sector.
These games will formally debut at the 109th annual Toy Fair this Sunday, February 12 in New York City.
We’re holding a poll on Facebook right now where you can vote on which player pieces will make it into the final Monopoly: World of Warcraft board game! Ten options, including Murky, Chen’s Keg, Mechagnome, and a Spellbook are present, and the six most popular pieces will be represented in the game when it launches this May.
(Pieces pictured are casting sculptures and don’t reflect the final product.)Monopoly: World of WarcraftDescend into a world of myth, magic, and legendary adventure to battle for control of World of Warcraft’s iconic locations. Featuring custom graphics from our artists and designers, the Monopoly game’s land grab includes coveted real estate such as Twilight Highlands, Grizzly Hills, and the Swamp of Sorrows. In the rush to rule over the faction capitals of Orgrimmar and Stormwind, players will roll Alliance- and Horde-themed dice, and feverishly buy, sell and trade in true MONOPOLY fashion, until one player controls the lands and vanquishes all comers. The game retails for $39.95 and will be available in May at specialty stores across North America.
RISK: StarCraftThe forthcoming release of RISK: StarCraft will see players choose from the terran, protoss, or zerg factions and six unique heroes before going head to head in this board game classic. The struggles portrayed in the real-time strategy of StarCraft adapt perfectly to classic tabletop RISK gameplay, and the winner will be determined by astute deployment of military might and strategic field tactics. RISK: StarCraft will include three play modes and sports over 290 custom playing pieces. The game launches this summer and will be available in specialty stores throughout North America with a suggested retail price of $49.45.
Rolling on Same Items in LFR
Our patch note is wrong and we apologize for the confusion. We'll get it updated.
What i've seen happen was that the winner of the first roll will lose his role bonus for the second roll. if no one has a role bonus on the second role, then the winner of the first item does have a chance to win the second item.
This is correct.
The way it currently works is you'll lose the Need+ roll bonus if you win an item that drops twice from the same boss, but you won't be made completely ineligible to win it twice. If no one else has the Need+ bonus or rolls Need on the item, you'd still win it.
f they were the only person who needed on them, they'll still get the second one from what I've experienced. Was that the case for the situation you were in?
There were actually 5 people rolling on the trinket.. all of which got a bonus roll. I didn't personally roll for it because I didn't need it. But the person that won both had a bonus roll on both items.
That shouldn't happen. I'd suggest posting about it in the Bug Report forum. If you have any evidence to provide, that'd help too. :)
Kaivax
We have updated
the 4.3.2 patch notes to better describe the way this system change works.
I won both the caster staff and healing mace off Deathwing yesterday, and there were a bunch of people rolling on both. I had the role bonus on both items. Gave the staff away to a mage, but I've still seen several instances of people winning two items off the same boss this week.
Reminder -- the change that went in with this patch only affects rolls on identical items from the same boss.
Daxxarri on PvP
This week, the topic of discussion is:
Getting Geared –Whether getting ready to jump into PvP with a new character or preparing for a new PvP season, it’s important to get enough Resilience on your items to be competitive. What are the best techniques you've found to gear up fast?The battlefields of World of Warcraft are littered with the bones of those who have become casualties in the ongoing conflict between the Horde and the Alliance. You do not need to become one of them. One of the keys to victory is knowledge, and that is where the World of Warcraft War College enters the picture. In these discussions between players, you can learn and share strategies with other players to improve your tactics and improve your odds of emerging victorious from the field of battle.
Are you a veteran Gladiator with countless victories tallied? Are you new to World of Warcraft and striving to improve your PvP skills? In this weekly feature, we invite players of all skill levels to ask questions, share tips and tactics, and join a conversation dedicated to surviving and thriving in World of Warcraft PvP.
War College Thread Rules:- Stick to the rules. All posts should abide by the forum code of conduct and these War College forum thread guidelines. Feel free to disagree with each other, but please do so respectfully. When you express opposing opinions, focus on the idea, not its author, their rating, or perceived skill level.
- Be constructive. The purpose of this thread is to share effective tactics and strategies; to adapt, overcome and become a better player based on current conditions. Claiming that a class, comp or strategy is overpowered isn’t conducive to learning better play and tends to just derail the discussion.
- No soapboxes, please. This thread is for the community to discuss strategies and tactics amongst themselves, not to push individual opinions about game balance or design.
- Please limit conjecture. Theorycrafting definitely has its place, but it’s best to keep the discussion focused, on-topic and practical.
- Important: Please provide explanations and be prepared to provide evidence. These threads exist to elevate the level of strategic discussion on the forums. When appropriate, please provide examples illustrating tactics or techniques you believe to be effective. When using videos please post time stamps to help direct people to the specific points in the action to which you’re referring.
- Ask questions! These threads aren’t just for experienced players, but also players who are learning the ropes or want to improve their skills. On the same token, don’t attack other players for asking questions.
Strand of the Ancients weekend = full ruthless in ~4 days.
When you say four days, how much time are you spending each day in the battlegrounds.
Also, as an open question - how do you balance your Honor pieces against Conquest pieces? Which Conquest pieces do you prioritize?
To be all honest?
Do a premade with friends or get carried.
Newbie in a bg without any form of resilience will be eaten alive for breakfast and the bones gwaned upon.
Then as an additional point for discussion:
Is it better to convert Valor to Conquest and do Tol Barad raids to get a few PvP items before stepping into PvP at all, then finish gearing up via Honor and Conquest after?
I've noticed that some players have written posts that are all about BG tips (for example), but don't cover gearing. I think that the response so far has been awesome and the helpful posts are too, since there's some good advice in there, but it's best to keep posts on topic. Each week I'll be covering a different PvP related topic, and yes, we'll include battleground tactics - likely with an entire thread dedicated to tactics for a single battleground.
It will help us all get the most out of War College threads if every poster limits comment to the weekly prompt and everyone keep things focused.
You say..."this week"
When did the college actually start and where can I find the archives?
There are no archives... yet!
This is the first ever War College thread, but there will be a new thread posted each week. They'll be easily searchable using the term 'war college', and I plan to gather links to each thread in an archive post in the future.
I just got into work. I see this post and think wow this is a cool idea for them to do. Then I read the first 6 pages and see that there is 14 at this point. Is there anyway the posters/readers can like comments that are useful and dislike ones like mine that add nothing to the post. Expecting someone to read A 14 page topic isn’t going to encourage full reading and the posts will continue to loop.
While I'm pleased with the response the conversation has gotten, a large thread can get pretty unwieldy. I'll be including a prompt for players to upvote posts which include helpful information in the future. The rest, of course, will be up to the players reading the thread.
Then why not say that?
Why sell it as, "Hay guys. How does one acquire a ton of PvP gear quickly? Tell newbs how to do it?" And calling it a "War College" like anyone is going to learn anything from this thread?
I agree with you, that's probably what they're doing...but then why the whole, "Help others learn something" angle?
It's just weird.
Because that's not what it's for. This thread isn't a sneaky way to figure out how players are playing, and it's not a place for feedback on our systems (though we're certainly always happy to learn from any thread we read on the forums), it's a way for players to share information in a constructive and directed environment.
While this question was pretty basic, it's also a good starting point. I'll also throw in more advanced subjects in the future. In this, it will mirror the Art of War series that's been running on the StarCraft II site, which covers subject matter all over the spectrum of play. Ultimately, the point is to open a dialogue that allows players to share information.
Sure, not every player will read every page, but there are those who will, and just about every page of this thread has useful advice on it. A surprisingly diverse set of approaches to the subject too.
Once again, I'd like to thank everyone who has been participating constructively!
Most Valued Posters
It’s been quite a while since we’ve shared information regarding our forum MVP program. If you frequent Blizzard forums you’ve no doubt seen jade text stamped across threads here and there. Those with the power to wield green words are regular players -- just like you -- who’ve been recognized for their contributions to the forums in one way or another. And since we want to provide these player advocates with the resources they need to continue being awesome posters, MVPs have direct lines of contact with Blizzard community managers.
Now the time has come to bolster the MVP ranks. Those chosen for the program aren’t official representatives of Blizzard, and they don’t have to agree with every decision we make. They also aren’t expected to give up their posting personas in order to join. Our goal is to find frequent posters who are a positive influence on the gaming community in some form, whether it be through posting strategy guides or tips on various aspects of gameplay, or even just bringing a positive and constructive tone to the forums when socializing with their peers.
If you or someone you know fits the description of a Most Valuable Poster as laid out in the MVP FAQ, email us at MVPs@Blizzard.com. We select MVPs based on a large set of criteria, so don’t be discouraged from putting your name out there if you only post on, say, the Protoss Discussion or DPS Class Role forums. MVPs are welcome to post wherever they’re comfortable, including across the Diablo III, StarCraft II, and World of Warcraft forums.
But remember! The key to being a strong candidate is having a solid posting history. We’re always on the lookout for the next shining beacon of good within the community to join the illustrious ranks of our MVPs.
Want to know more about how a Blizzard MVP operates? World of Warcraft MVP Eldacar recently spoke with WoW Insider in this behind-the-scenes interview:
http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/behind-the-scenes-with-a-blizzard-forums-mvp-green/MVP FAQ:
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/900930866#6MVP FAQQ. Why was the MVP Program created?A. In many cases, the answers to questions posed on the forums have already been provided by Blizzard Entertainment employees, or are common knowledge for many in the community. However, answers by fellow players often go unnoticed while the original poster seeks a more official response.
In order to address this, we have instituted a program that has shown great success on other Blizzard forums: the MVP (Most Valuable Poster) program. A distinctive posting text color (green) is given to identified MVPs who answer other players' questions consistently and accurately. It lends a note of credibility to what they post; it allows players seeking answers to take what they say at face value, and frees up Blizzard representatives so that they can focus on their primary responsibilities.
Q. What does an MVP do?A. MVPs promote constructive posting wherever they can. They contribute to the community and encourage polite discussion throughout the forums. When you see an MVP post, listen to what they have to say—they were also chosen for their knowledge of the game.
Q. Why didn't you select _____, someone who always gives great constructive feedback on X subject?A. Please understand that MVPs are not class/race or community representatives in that sense; they are not chosen for their ability to criticize game mechanics and give feedback. They certainly can do this (and many do). The members of the Community Team are still your vehicles through which you should submit feedback by posting on the forums and in blog comments. We do not have a class/race representative system in place at this time and would prefer to hear all players' feedback instead of a select few.
Q. Why aren't MVPs the hardest of the hardcore players?A. You do not have to be max level in World of Warcraft, at the top of the StarCraft II ladder, or have the best collection of items in Diablo III to answer the majority of questions on the forums clearly and accurately. You do not need a specific number of Achievement points to be able to direct players to the appropriate page on the website for their question, or to link to an answer already given by Blizzard. MVPs are chosen primarily for their demonstrated communication skills and helpfulness toward the community, and while some of them may also be top-ranked players in one or more Blizzard games, it's not a requirement.
Q. Why aren't MVPs distinguished by the forum they post in most frequently, or the Blizzard game they play most?A. We request that all MVPs post only where they feel comfortable. With that said, a Battle.net account flagged by Blizzard with MVP status will display as such across all forums, and on all of our new Battle.net community websites. An MVP should therefore be considered a valuable contributor to the community wherever he or she is posting.
Q. How can I become an MVP?A. Keep posting constructively, answering questions about the game, and encouraging discussion throughout the forums—we'll take notice. Be sure to follow the Code of Conduct as well!
Questions or concerns regarding the MVP program or its participants can be directed to MVPs@Blizzard.com.
Essentially you get to become a MVP on the board if you sheepidly follow blizzs word as if mana from heaven and dont ask questions about the all powerful Blizzard of Oz.
The suck up gets the rewards while those who actually suggest ways to improve a game instead of saying its all great(albeit not in the best possibly way)
What gives you this impression? I'd honestly like to know if there's a way we can better combat this, because everything we've ever said since the program was founded is to the contrary.
And, while I'm sure you don't follow everything everyone with green or blue text says or does, I've had plenty of situations in the last four years I've been a community manager where MVPs have questioned, if not openly disagreed with, my statements. Several of these players are still MVPs and we share a great deal of mutual respect for each other.
They might even come in here to tell you that (once I crack the whip and call the dogs).
I like how this thread got derailed from being negative to becoming a lovely biography about each of our greenys.
Nice unintentional derail Zarhym!
Who said it was unintentional? I do this for a living, dwarf dude. :D
One piece of evidence towards the OP's argument is that I've never seen a green start a thread that is critical of the game or its developers. Having greens occasionally disagree with a blue in a thread is somewhat nice, but it hardly matters.
It would be be great to see MVPs that care to lay out ways in which the game has failed and could be improved instead of simply staying quiet until a blue happens to post in a thread.
You sadden me, Elidra.
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3657280029http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3967947868 (this one even made it's own article in WoWInsider!)
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/3278809976 (I made this one before I got MVP.)
If that's not enough, Eldacar is a PVP god with a guide, and Lissanna has been talking about druids for FOREVER.
________________________________________________
Healing Forum MVP
Practical beat me to finding the evidence. ;)
What gives you this impression? I'd honestly like to know if there's a way we can better combat this, because everything we've ever said since the program was founded is to the contrary.
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/4416712/The_Most_Valued_Forum_Posters-2_9_2012#blogThey also aren’t expected to give up their posting personas in order to join.
Really?
Ask me one time to tell you why I gave mine up.
The MVP program has grown and changed a lot since you were a part of it. Sure, there are times where I'll reach out to an MVP privately if they seem to be overly bitter or angry about something. But I don't like the concept of employees trying to micromanage the tone and language of MVPs on a regular basis. The way you naturally post on the forums over a period of time either makes you a good fit for MVP, or it doesn't.
How many MVPs are there? Like 300 of them in this thread.
There are about 30 North American MVPs total. I WANT MORE.
But doesn't the fact that every conversation that starts about the MVPs or even involves the MVPs, turns into a discussion about the merits of the MVP program suggest that MAYBE it's counterproductive?
It gives some posters (with or without green text) the idea that they are special.
It makes some previously prolific posters post less, making their MVP status ironic.
I would prefer to see the MVP program completely done away with. I see no reason why the people who were helpful can't continue to be helpful without green text and a shiny title under their name.
I wouldn't dare suggest most threads that receive MVP responses devolve into discussions about the merits of the program, much less
every thread.
What I do see quite often, however, are players who won't believe anything until they hear it "from Blizzard's mouth." The MVP program addresses this in a way. It gives us a means of officially recognizing helpful posters, which in turn tend to get more recognition from skeptical players.
It's almost as though we've given a stamp of approval on a player's posts for all to see. Based on my history with the program and as a community manager, I'm confident in stating it's been very successful. This is why we want it to grow as our websites and game platforms become increasingly social and community-driven.
Those ties have proven to be especially beneficial to MVPs. The personalized feedback and discussion is a great way for MVPs to try to best represent the community. MVPs on class- and role-specific forums are more likely to try to pull some strings than, say, support forum MVPs are, although everyone is welcome to speak their mind.
So an MVP with 2k Achievement points is listened to more about classes and roles than someone who's been playing since Vanilla/BC but doesn't have green text?
That doesn't seem right.
No. I don't care how many achievement points an MVP has. I don't care if they just started playing WoW during Cataclysm. I care about getting reasonable, well-written feedback that I can turn into a question for an upcoming developer meeting. I care about MVPs pointing out topics I may not be aware of when I first get here in the morning that might garner a lot of attention.
In all the time I've overseen the MVP program, I can't think of a single email I've received that was specifically about the performance of a single class -- a call for buffs or nerfs. The reason is because MVPs know those types of issues should be discussed on the forums.
Their direct line of contact with us is primarily for emergency issues, points of clarification, etc. They're not given greater power to shape gameplay than the average player, though they have the potential to have a bigger influence on the community. That's the point.
What does that have to do with you being able to help people with or without green text.
Explain to me what would happen to the level of advice/posting you do if your green text went away.
the green just makes them easier to notice. i might just start scrolling through threads instead of reading every single post. most of it is useless information anyhow. with the green text there comes a feeling of this person "should" have some knowledge. like i know if i see zeherah or bullet posting that is an indication of good info for hunters.
in other words. the green text isn't IMPORTANT, but it does help people find what should be the useful info.
I like this. On a basic but fundamental level, this is why MVPs exist.
What about if there is a legitimate complaint in that regard that an MVP feels should be brought to the devs' attention? Obviously making a thread about it (if there isn't already a good one) is mandatory, but would it be out of line to then bring that thread to your attention to ensure that the discussion that occurs therein is noticed by the proper people?
No, it's not out of line, but then there's no guarantee we'd react to their thread any differently than we would any other thread on the forums.
As was mentioned in this thread, there are no official roles for each MVP. So while Lissanna was chosen for being awesome and helpful within the druid community, she's not the druid representative, nor is she expected to report to us the climate within that community. She was chosen to keep doing what she's been doing and contact us if she has any questions/concerns about the community and/or her role in it. She was chosen to show other players Blizzard believes what she has to say on the forums is, more often than not, worth their while to read.
As for you last response, I also understand that it makes your job easier...but wouldn't be even easier to simply hire a nighttime mod to alert you to emergencies that arise on the forums and to compile issues instead of farming it to players?
I didn't really mean it like that. We have all kinds of internal alert structures. I was referring to more community-oriented, subjective issues where discussion between the community team and MVPs can be very useful. They might bring to our attention an article making its rounds on the Internet that has a lot of misinformation in it. Via email we can be a little more candid with them so they know how to approach discussions of the subject on the forums, if at all.
There are times where the forums are dominated by a single topic and we really need to step back, speak with other teams at Blizzard, and decide how to approach the topic. It's during times like that where having all CMs looped into a distribution list which includes all MVPs can be extremely helpful.
This stuff is all very nitty gritty and difficult to explain, so I'd prefer to leave it at that. I back what the other MVPs in this thread have said though about the benefits of this program existing. They get to see first-hand why it's useful to have a collection of friendly, constructive forum regulars in contact with the community team and be given additional recognition on the forums.
World of Warcraft Action Figures
Many of you were bewitched by the magnificent
Series 8 action figures: The Black Knight, Confessor Dahlia and Brink vs. Snaggle. But are you prepared for the whimsical Moonkin: Wildmoon or the horrific Headless Horseman? These much-anticipated Premium Series 4 action figures, as well as the Alliance and Horde Collectible Coin sets, are now available on the Blizzard Store.
These formidable figures are as lifelike as they come, and are just what you need to complete your World of Warcraft action figure collection. The exquisite coins boast a remarkable level of craftsmanship, worthy of even the most selective coin collectors. Be sure to snag them all while you still can!
The eagerly awaited
Moonkin: Wildmoon figure, standing at 17 cm, will fight any foe that crosses its path with the magical powers of nature and arcane.
Standing at 19 cm, the Hallow’s End Nemesis:
The Headless Horseman is here with his Sinister Squashling and loyal steed, ready to burst forth from the grave and scorch those willing to face him with his flaming sword.
With each coin plated in either gold, silver or bronze, and featuring a major
Horde or
Alliance leader, these World of Warcraft Horde or Alliance Collectible Coin sets are must-haves for any die-hard coin collector.
Horde CollectibleAlliance CollectibleDon’t miss the chance to get your hands on these spectacular limited edition Premium Series 4 action figures and Collectible Coin sets from our
Blizzard Store before they’re gone forever!
Ironman Challenge
Players across Azeroth have recently embraced a new, very personal achievement: leveling a character "Iron Man" style. What started out as only a small movement, this bare bones, no-frills style of play has now transformed into a community-wide call-to-arms known as the
Iron Man WoW Challenge, inviting World of Warcraft enthusiasts to see how close they can get to level cap with only the barest of necessities.
The goal of the Iron Man WoW challenge is simple: reach level 85. The catch, however, is that you must accomplish this task without the assistance of talents, class specialization, stat-improved gear, professions, buffs, item enhancements, or other players. And if you die? Well, then it’s back to square one.
Here are some of the
latest rules, courtesy of Selenagnomez – Kil'jaeden:
THE BIG ONE: If you die, EVER, that character is removed from the challenge.
Gear Rules:
1) No heirlooms.
2) No items equipped other than White or Gray items (except bags)
3) No item enhancements -- enchants/spellthread/weapon chains/etc.
Consumable Rules:
4) No food buffs. Only white vendor-quality food & drink may be used.
5) No item buffs. No scrolls, elixirs, flasks, etc. (except Quest items).
6) No potions (except Quest items).
Spells & Abilities Rules:
7) You may train and use class abilities learned from trainers (including Rogue poisons).
8) No talent points/pet talent points.
9) No specialization. No glyphs.
Gameplay Rules:
10) No guild perks. If you are guilded, it must be a level 1 guild.
11) No questing groups. All combat must be soloed -- parties to trade/portal/etc. are permitted.
12) No battlegrounds/arenas.
13) No dungeons/raids that reward experience. All leveling must be done out in the world.
14) No combat-enhancing addons (QuestHelper/Auctioneer/etc. are fine, use your own judgment).
15) No professions, primary or secondary, other than First Aid.
16) No sending gold/items from other characters*.
*You must earn your own gold/items via questing, looting, or trading/AHing.Interested? Awesome! To sign-up for the Iron Man WoW Challenge and discuss your progress with fellow participants (once you get started),
head on over to the official forums. Additional rules and details can also be found on the unofficial
Iron Man WoW website, hosted and moderated by players like you.
Vaeflare Being Helpful Again <3
Other players have already offered some fantastic advice for you, Brennan, but I also wanted to share some other considerations for you.
If you’re (understandably) leery of stepping into a Heroic dungeon or raid unprepared, as others have mentioned in this thread, you might try out normal dungeons instead. In addition to offering gear upgrades for you off bosses, if you use the Dungeon Finder to run a randomly-chosen normal dungeon, you will also be rewarded with Justice Points. You will earn this appealing bonus reward the first seven times you run a random Cataclysm dungeon each week. Justice Points are a form of currency that you can use in order to purchase upgrades for yourself from vendors located in your faction’s capital city. They’re especially helpful for filling out those pieces of armor you are eager to upgrade.
While forging ahead into a new dungeon might sound intimidating at first, you might consider asking a friend or guildee to come along with you to show you the ropes. Alternatively, you can read up on boss strategies online and use the in-game Dungeon Journal to find out a bit more about individual bosses and their abilities. The Dungeon Journal also shows what shiny weapons and armor you might receive from bosses if you are successful at overcoming them in battle.
Most importantly, keep asking questions and having fun. Every dungeon and quest was new to us at one point, so don’t feel intimidated! A willingness to learn and discover is all part of the journey, and there’s lots of us around that are more than happy to help you along the way. :)
In terms of hunter-specific advice, I’d also highly suggest checking out the Hunter forums for their great insight and helpful guides:
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/1012664/