the queue

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Blizzard Watch rises from WoW Insider’s ashes

Posted by Peter (Devee) on February 4, 2015
Posted in: Blog. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

blizzard watch

WoW Insider might be finished, but not all of its staff members are. From its ashes, Blizzard Watch rises. As the name implies, it’ll cover all Blizzard titles, although it’ll focus primarily on World of Warcraft. It seems that Alex Ziebart, Editor-in-Chief of WoW Insider at the time of its closure, is in charge, but that wasn’t explicitly stated. Adam Holisky, Anne Stickney, Matthew Rossi, and Elizabeth Harper are joining him, and they hope to reach out to more people later.

Blizzard Watch is using Patreon to support the site. It’s a crowd-funding site that works a little differently than sites like Kickstarter. With Patreon, you pledge a certain amount per month. Their milestone goals were $8,000/month for full operations, $9,000/month for class columns, $10,000/month for expanded class columns, and $12,000/month for expanded coverage. They quickly reached their first goal and are currently, just a day after opening, hovering near $11,000/month. That’s pretty cool!

One of the first posts (if not the first) was one calling for Queue questions. No post could have made me happier. I love the Queue, and I’m very glad to learn that it’s going to continue to be part of my morning ritual.

Thank you, Blizzard Watch and team, for continuing your great reporting and writing!

Farewell, WoW Insider

Posted by Peter (Devee) on January 30, 2015
Posted in: Blog, World of Warcraft, WoW Insider Breakfast Topic, WoW Insider Community Blog Topic. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

wow insider

Alex Ziebart on WoW Insider confirmed today that WoW Insider will cease operations this Tuesday, February 3. This is definitely a sad day. This follows Alexander Sliwinski reporting on a rumor that Joystiq was shutting down on Joystiq itself three days ago. With them goes Massively as well.

WoW Insider was my favorite source of World of Warcraft news. There’s a void now, and I’m not sure how I’ll fill it. There are many other WoW blogs I follow but none like WoW Insider. I’m open to suggestions if anyone has any!

Many talented persons have written for the site, including some of my favorites like Dawn Moore, Anne Stickney, Fox Van Allen, and Olivia Grace (even if the last two weren’t writing for it recently). I wish I was better at using Twitter. I feel like things I might want to read get lost in the never-ending stream, but I’ll follow all the writers regardless.

I’ve written three pieces for WoW Insider too. In my Breakfast Topics, I posed the questions, how do you relationships in game affect relationships in real life, are you a closet reoleplayer, and has your perspective of Azeroth changed over time? I’ve also responded to Breakfast Topics here on Kor’kron 501st. In fact, you can tell how much influence WoW Insider has on me by checking the WoW Insider tag on my blog.

How will I know my lore without Know Your Lore articles? Most importantly, what about the Queue? The Queue is the daily column in which various WoW Insider writers answer questions from the community. It was by far my favorite column. Every morning I check for the Queue, and when it’s not yet posted, I keep checking until it is. It’ll be weird for it be gone.

Farewell, WoW Insider, and thanks for everything.

Suggested Reading: Of solving LFR woes, instance scaling, the WoW TCG, fishing, and more.

Posted by Peter (Devee) on August 29, 2013
Posted in: Other MMOs or Related Games, Suggested Reading, Warlords of Draenor, World of Warcraft. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Raid Lockouts and “Free Loot,” Balkoth, Balkoth’s Word, 8/25/13.

Balkoth discusses an idea he got from Theck at Flex Capacitor (who got it from someone named Thels). What if you got your shot at LFR loot (and/or Flex) when you downed a boss in normal or heroic if you hadn’t done that boss in LFR that week (or Flex)? Raiders would still be encouraged to step up in difficulty but no longer down. Great idea. I’m so mad at Blizzard for not doing something like this already.

Low level dungeon and raid scaling technology complete, Olivia Grace, WoW Insider, 8/28/13.

Tom Chilton revealed that Blizzard has finished the technology to up-scale dungeons and raids. They’ve yet to find a reward scheme that they liked for it.

World of Warcraft Trading Card Game closes its doors, Anne Stickney, WoW Insider, 8/26/13.

This makes me a sad panda troll.

Player sweeps all three Stranglethorn Fishing winning spots in one day, Lisa Poisso, WoW INsider, 8/28/13.

How could someone come in first, second, and third? Amazing.

Warcraft and its “Joker Problem,” Matthew Rossi, WoW Insider, 8/28/13.

We keep killing our good enemies.

The Queue: No Hearthstone Day, Michael Sacco, WoW Insider, 8/23/13.

The answer to the last question has information that’s good to keep in mind – the ilvls for Siege of Orgrimmar. Raid Finder: 528,. Flex: 540. Flex Hellscream Weapons: 548. Normal: 553. Normal Warforged / Ordos: 559. Normal Hellscream Weapons: 561. Heroic: 566. Heroic Warforged: 572. Heroic Hellscream Weapons: 574.

Know Your Lore: The life and legacy of Lei Shen, Anne Stickney, WoW Insider, 8/25/13.

Care to know more about the guy you just killed?

Item Squish extremely likely for WoW’s next expansion, Olivia Grace, WoW Insider, 8/24/13.

I think we all knew this was coming.

Suggested Reading: Isle of Giants, PVP and PVE, the Isle of Thunder, blind raiding, and more

Posted by Peter (Devee) on March 14, 2013
Posted in: Suggested Reading, World of Warcraft. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Why head to the Isle of Giants?, Anne Stickney, WoW Insider, 3/8/13.

This is a great overview of what’s offered on the Isle of Giants.

Blind player Ben Shaw on raiding and WoW for the sightless, Lisa Poisso, WoW Insider, 3/7/13.

If you’ve wondered what Ben Shaw, blind raider, has been doing, read this! (And if you’ve never heard of him, you really need to read it.)

Reconciling PvP and PvE, Rohan, Blessing of Kings, 3/11/13.

Rohan if it would have been possible to keep PVP and PVE on the same path, using the same gear. It’d be interesting!

Analysis of the Post-Hotfix 5.2 Battleground Scaling Changes, Cynwise, Cynwise’s Warcraft Manual, 3/13/13.

More information on the funky new battleground level scaling.

Ra’sha <Tender of Sacrifices>, Cymre, Bubbles of Mischief, 3/12/13.

Did you know you can obtain a dagger that allows you to kill yourself? It’s called Ra’sha’s Sacrificial Dagger, and Cymre can tell you more about it.

Oondasta, Cymre, Bubbles of Mischief, 3/11/13.

If you haven’t had the chance to fight Oondasta, reading about it might be good!

#194 First impressions of Stage One and Two of the Isle of Thunder, Spencer Nozell, Be MOP, 3/13/13.

Another look at the Isle of Thunder.

Know Your Lore: Vereesa Windrunner, Matthew Rossi, WoW Insider, 3/13/13.

Why’s that Vereesa Windrunner girl so mad, anyways?

Track your Isle of Thunder to-do list with this handy addon, Sarah Pine, WoW Insider, 3/13/13.

I just installed this, so I can’t yet say how useful it is. Apparently it tracks weekly things on the Isle of Thunder per character so you can know on what to focus.

PvP in Patch 5.2: Gear changes, resilience changes, class changes, Olivia Grace, WoW Insider, 3/11/13.

Lots of PVP changes.

Around Azeroth: Thunder was his engine and white lightning was his load, Elizabeth Wachowski, WoW Insider, 3/9/13.

I don’t usually share Around Azeroths, but this screenshot was pretty cool.

Spiritual Guidance: Priest gear in patch 5.2 and Throne of Thunder, Dawn Moore, WoW Insider, 3/7/13.

A list of all the gear you’ll be considering if you’re a priest.

Only one week left to get your Winter Squid, Sarah Pine, WoW Insider, 3/13/13.

If you need it, go get it.

The Queue: Hump day, Alex Ziebart, WoW Insider, 3/13/13.

@Dobablo asked, “If white smoke =pope and black smoke = no pope. Then green fire = what?” Ziebart answered, “Felpope.”

PVP Gear at 90

Posted by Peter (Devee) on September 14, 2012
Posted in: PVP, World of Warcraft. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

I recently asked a question in the Queue at WoW Insider that got answered on Wednesday, 9/12. The answer from Alex Ziebart pretty much matched what I was thinking and the answers I got from other WoW Insider readers.

Peter asked:

I want to run BGs when I first hit 90 (and probably while leveling a bit too, I suppose). Will I be using my current PVP gear (what was conquest gear before the patch) when I first 90, or will I be using quest rewards?

You’ll probably want to use the level 90 quest rewards. The iLevel on the new items is a big enough jump over level 85 gear that it’s worth it. Plus all players have built-in damage reduction now, so you won’t instantly die repeatedly in the level 90 stuff.

– The Queue: The monster at the end of this Queue, Alex Ziebart, WoW Insider, 9/12/12.

The reason why I asked was because I was wondering if I should bother enchanting or gemming my newly acquired PVP gear. No, I don’t think I will. I’d rather auction off my remaining mats and get new gear as I quest to 90. I’ll be at a very slight disadvantage at first I suppose, but I’d rather have the gold.

I can’t wait to try those new battlegrounds!