Cataclysm Screenshot of the Day - Skywall
The official Screenshot of the Day Gallery has been updated with 2 interesting screenshots of Skywall.



Cataclysm Beta - Hunter & Warlock Pet Data Wipe Inbound
Originally Posted by Zarhym (Blue Tracker)
During the standard beta realm maintenance on Thursday morning, we will be wiping all pet data for hunters and warlocks to fix a data corruption issue. Hunters will need to tame new pets as a result of this change, while warlocks should simply notice that their pets' names have changed.

New Cataclysm Beta Launcher FAQ
Originally Posted by Zarhym (Blue Tracker)

Below you will find the answers to common questions about the new Launcher being added this week. For more information and discussion, please review this announcement: https://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/t...01168&sid=2000

Q. How much data is in each stage for a full Cataclysm installation?
A. In general, about 5% of the data is red (required), about 70% of the data is yellow (base gameplay), and about 25% of the data is green (extended data).

Q. How is data assigned to each stage?
A. Data is assigned to each stage based on the relative need for that data. Red is required to get into the game, yellow is data needed for base gameplay, and green is for variants of base game data (higher-resolution graphics, alternate sounds, other flavor data).

Q. How do I know when the entire game is downloaded?
A. The progress bar will reach 100%, and then will not be shown on subsequent launches (until there is a new patch released).

Q. Will I still be able to download patches from mirror sites?
A. Yes, standalone patches will still work.

Q. Will the downloader still use P2P / bittorrent?
A. Yes.

Q. Will large patches still be downloadable in advance through the background downloader?
A. Yes.

Q. Will it be possible to download the entire game before I begin playing it?
A. Yes.

Q. Is this mandatory?
A. No. Users will have the option of playing before all game data is downloaded and applied. They may choose to enter the game, or they may choose to wait.

Q. On patch days, will I be able to start the patch download before the realms are back up?
A. Yes.

Q. You are requiring a reinstall of the beta client. Does this mean I will have to reinstall my WoW retail client when I buy Cataclysm?
A. No. As with the prior two expansions, there will be a lengthy patching process to migrate users from the prior major version (3.0) to the new major version (4.0). Data for this patch will be downloaded in advance via the background downloader.

Q. Will I still be able to download a patch once and copy it to multiple machines?
A. Yes, as long as you have fully downloaded the entire patch. However, as with the prior expansions, patches from a previous major version (all patches prior to 4.0) will not work with the new major version.

Q. What if I have a low bandwidth connection?
A. After the initial beta release, users with connections below 1 MB/sec will be required to download all data before entering the game. Users with connections above 1 MB/sec will have the option of entering the game before all data has been downloaded and applied. Users at any bandwidth may exit the game and resume the download if they find the play experience undesirable.

Q. How will this affect new characters logging in for the first time?
A. If a player chooses to enter the game while content is still downloading, data for the introductory race video and zone fly-through will be applied at the loading screen to ensure a smooth game introduction. This is currently only functional for new worgen characters. Other races have not yet been optimized, which may lead to issues with the opening fly-through if they are loaded while content is still being downloaded.

Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment

Guild Contest Status
All winners for the Cataclysm Beta -- Guild Contest have been selected and should be contacted via email soon. (Source)

In-Game Footage as Cinematics
Sort of taking it off subject to to start with, but it's inevitable that eventually computer graphics will reach the point where there's no such thing as pre-rendered cinematics. But we've all been hearing that for a while, and while we are getting closer, we're definitely not there yet.

We don't think we are. We don't pretend we are, and our in-house cinematics department is bigger than ever working on cinematics that are better than ever.

Regarding World of Warcraft - Each World of Warcraft release, including the initial and subsequent expansions, has had a single cinematic. It's what plays when you first launch the game. This intro-cinematic approach has been done primarily because, as an MMO, pulling players out of a multiplayer environment where anything could be going on at the time they hit the point where the cinematic could play is risky. Say you're PvP flagged and a cinematic starts to play. Or you happen to be having a very heated discussion in guild chat, etc. etc. It's not an ideal play space to be popping up full screen videos. The story was intended to play out within the game world itself through text, voice, and effects.

With Wrathgrate we tried something new. Using our in-house video team which had been making many of the machinima trailers for us (most of which can be found here http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/downloads/movies.html) for promotional use, as well as commercials, the South Park episode, on and on, instead used it as a way to show events to the player in a more cinematic approach. We had come a long way and with new technology a lot of the previous concerns were either completely squashed or had working solutions to remove a lot of the potential aggravation caused by interrupting the game.

The response was extremely positive. People really enjoyed it, and so it was used again as a way to give Arthas a more epic and cinematic end. Certainly befitting of a King. (Kael and Illy should have been so lucky...)

So, those are not pre-rendered cinematics, they're clearly using in-game assets, we don't claim otherwise. However, we do claim that they are completely kick ass and know that most people enjoy what they add to the game. Key word 'add', because they are truly additions which took nothing away from the intro cinematic each release has had.

The Wrathgate and Fall of the Lich King allowed us to really take it up a notch and deliver something spactacular.

Now, on to the subject of StarCraft II - In our opinion it also has amazing cinematics. The in-engine story telling in StarCraft II, which you say has detracted from the cinematics, is comparative to this - http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/t...k/855f805c.jpg from the original StarCraft.

We think we've come a long way.

Bottom line, we still have an incredibly talented cinematics team and we'll continue to produce the amazing pre-rendered cinematics you've come to know and love. (Source)

Paladin (Forums / 3.3.5 Talent Calculator / Cataclysm Talent Calculator / Beta Skills/Talents)
Retribution Rotation
The rotation won't be 121212 under any circumstances.

At the very basic level you could call it 1112111311121113 but almost every class boils down to something similar if you ignore all of the other talents and abilities. What will keep Ret from falling into a rotation that stable are:

1) Having to manage other attacks. Judgement isn't the kind of button you eventually get around to using.
2) Getting Holy Power coming in at somewhat unpredictable (but not completely random) intervals.
3) Dealing with procs like Art of War.

Seals do way too much damage on live and in Cataclysm. We haven't worried about that damage yet because we're still working out a basic rotation that feels good. We also are mindful that deemphasizing white attacks of any kind risks making haste less attractive. (Source)
This article was originally published in forum thread: Skywall, Cataclysm Beta Launcher, Blue Posts started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 72 Comments
  1. mmoc25376db926's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by dragothica View Post
    The statue in the first picture clearly needs a redesign. Guess what it looks like..
    Ah damn there goes my "inb4 penis etc" posting -.-
    And it's the angle of view, the statue is the same like the two in the second ss. But we Player indeed will see it mostly from this look up angle... ok, they should remodel this thing a bit or this wonderful setting will suffer under ridiculus penis-jokes
  1. Tribunal's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Typhron View Post
    I'm sorry, I thought I heard something crazy in my ear. They can't seriously be thinking about changing Ret back into a Proc based class with few options. The only problem with that model was FREAKING ALL OF IT (See: All of tBC. Seriously, go look).

    Or did Ghostcrawler miss the point of the post, being that the whole reason why the rotation looks like it does is due to 2) and 3)? I don't know...
    At least I'll be the only one willing to go ret again!!!

    :P

    But really, I hope it's good. I can't see it (no beta ) so that's all I really feel I can say at this point.
  1. Second's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by buechse View Post
    ...ok, they should remodel this thing a bit or this wonderful setting will suffer under ridiculus penis-jokes
    Thats normal egyptian bird statue. I dont see any reason why it should suffer from immature behavior of wow players and thus being redesinged. Grow up or get proper sexual education.

    New Cataclysm Beta Launcher : So, when will Blizz get some guts and implement rootkit into launcher to prevent keylogging ? We even had (rare one, i know) example of "authentificator fail", as that was clearly issue of keylogging.

    In-Game Footage as Cinematics : So, we had none, noone cared. We have two based on ingame engine - nerd rage about dropping quality ? Come on, if you want movie, wait for one that is being planned. That was huge jump from none to some and just becouse its not movie quality i am not going to lynch Blizz, i like both Wrathgate and LK fall.
  1. Maerad's Avatar
    I want more cinematics or ingame vids - at the same awesome lvl the "fall of the lichking" intro was ...

    Terenas: Look now to your defenses, my son, for the champions of justice gather at your gates!
    LK: Let them come. Frostmourne hungers.
    Most. Epic. Line. Evarrrrr.

    Gave me goosebumps all over :3

    ---------- Post added 2010-08-04 at 10:22 AM ----------

    Quote Originally Posted by Lokke View Post
    I hate you, I really hate you now ... those pictures in my head, they hurt
  1. Zaerix's Avatar
    I have to say that I'm a bit sick of all of the Paladin-only news posts lately, and I'm a Paladin.

    It would be fine if they contained something I could look forward to, but everything lately has been minor changes or complete reworkings of things that aren't broken, quite possibly making them broken in the process.

    Please give news to other classes so I can stop being a sad pally panda every day.

    And also, the Retadin rotation was never 121212, I believe you're thinking of something like Arcane Mages *ba dum tch*
  1. Sollace's Avatar
    Im loving how the new zones are looking. Uldum , skywall and deepholme all look amazing. Now that that guy brought the statue to my attention...IT CANT BE UNSEEEN GAAAH.

    ^ Oh and wtb some DK love for once. I dont think ive seen any blue posts about frost at all so far.
  1. Sonoka's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Zaerix View Post
    I have to say that I'm a bit sick of all of the Paladin-only news posts lately, and I'm a Paladin.

    It would be fine if they contained something I could look forward to, but everything lately has been minor changes or complete reworkings of things that aren't broken, quite possibly making them broken in the process.

    Please give news to other classes so I can stop being a sad pally panda every day.

    And also, the Retadin rotation was never 121212, I believe you're thinking of something like Arcane Mages *ba dum tch*
    I couldn't agree more on the point of paladin news.
    Also agreeing on the rotation for rets.. we wiggle alot more abilitys than many other specs.
  1. Lord Lichfury's Avatar
    Blizzard must have been seeing different feedback than I was seeing because from what I saw people despised the fact that Arthas was given his final sendoff in a poorly animated machinima. They should stick with the time tested high-definition cinematics which prove that every once in a while Blizzard can reward players with a clip of their favourite boss or location with excellent graphics than what was quite frankly an awful-looking end to an extremely important (but poorly displayed) boss.
  1. Sonoka's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Lord Lichfury View Post
    Blizzard must have been seeing different feedback than I was seeing because from what I saw people despised the fact that Arthas was given his final sendoff in a poorly animated machinima. They should stick with the time tested high-definition cinematics which prove that every once in a while Blizzard can reward players with a clip of their favourite boss or location with excellent graphics than what was quite frankly an awful-looking end to an extremely important (but poorly displayed) boss.
    Also, this^ (=
  1. Noomz's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Bugmenot View Post
    It is only me, or did they dump that idea total and used machina videos for cheaper production in lich king? If the above isn´t true anymore, why not some more real cinematics? And why on earth he even mentioned concepts that did not apply since ages?
    What are you talking about? Wotlk was the expansion to have ANY FORM OF CINEMATICS IN-GAME. A number of in-game cinematics were used for both trailers and in-game.
    Vanilla didn't have anything of the sort at all, and only the intro cinematic.
    TBC didn't have any of the sort either, only the intro cinematic, and I didn't see you cry about that.

    What cheaper production would there be to talk about? Are you suggesting that Wotlk didn't add features? Are you suggesting Wotlk was smaller then TBC?

    Get real.
  1. Granyala's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by TobiasX View Post
    The cinematic is supposed to be something awe-inspiring; WotLK's was definitely not. In-game cutscenes are a nice thing to include in the odd dungeon or event but not the death of the expansion's iconic boss. It should've been a full cinematic.
    A full grown cinematic is probably too expensive for a free content patch. Plain and simple.
  1. Sonoka's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Noomz View Post
    What cheaper production would there be to talk about? Are you suggesting that Wotlk didn't add features? Are you suggesting Wotlk was smaller then TBC?

    Get real.
    I most certainly think TBC was bigger than WotLK, both content-wise and lore-wise.
    Even tho Draenei crap.
    WotLK have been nothing but pure boredom.. I for myself only played 'til about mid of Ulduar patch, then quit and recently started again(1 week ago) due to the fact that Cata is "soon" coming out.
    TBC was awesome.
  1. ninjasuperspy's Avatar
    Haha. My Ret "rotation" looks like CS, Filler, CS, Filler, CS, HP Ability, rinse, repeat. The fillers end up being a FCFS/Clash thing between Exo, Judge, Conc, Hammer of Wrath and Holy Wrath (that's not prioritized, just a list of what I'm looking at). I then end up using Templar's Verdict whenever I don't have to put Inquisition back up. I like it, the whole hybrid rotation/FCFS with finishers thing feels really fast paced and reactive.

    I'd shank my own mother for Power Auras though.
  1. Sensa's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Noomz View Post
    TBC didn't have any of the sort either, only the intro cinematic, and I didn't see you cry about that.
    actually that's not true, if memory serves me, there was a cinematic/cut-scene in MGT as part of a quest.
  1. Nynde's Avatar
    awesome instance
  1. Hands's Avatar
    I'm very weary of the ret changes... If it stays anything near the way it is on beta, I may find myself playing characters other than my pally come Cataclysm.

    Also, regarding the guild contest; that post is from last week. I kept the thread bumped and got a few thousand views, along with a few hundred replies, to get the response you posted. However, there has since been an update. Guild Contest winners were contacted via email on August 2.

    Zenlyth - 8/03/2010
    Hiya Hands,

    Q u o t e:
    Have all of the 500 winners of the contest been contacted already?

    Yes, all winners have been contacted.
    (I have a link to the original post, but I'm too new to these forums to post it)
  1. Noomz's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Sonoka View Post
    I most certainly think TBC was bigger than WotLK, both content-wise and lore-wise.
    Even tho Draenei crap.
    WotLK have been nothing but pure boredom.. I for myself only played 'til about mid of Ulduar patch, then quit and recently started again(1 week ago) due to the fact that Cata is "soon" coming out.
    TBC was awesome.

    That's not because Wotlk was boring but because you've grown out of the game. That's natural, you can't keep liking the same thing forever.

    Doesn't change the fact that TBC only had its intro cinematic and nothing else in that department.


    Quote Originally Posted by Sensa View Post
    actually that's not true, if memory serves me, there was a cinematic/cut-scene in MGT as part of a quest.
    That "cinematic" was a fly-through of the area.


    Fact still remains, Illidan never got an epic awesome in-game cutscene at all. Wotlk did.

    Not sure you all know the time and numbers it takes to create a cinematic of Blizzard quality.

    Another fact still remains: The WoW community is still the most spoiled, egotistical, dumb people in a community I've come across outside the animé community (marginally worse but in other ways).
    You'll freaking complain about bloody anything and you're never bloody happy about anything you get either. Always, ALWAYS complaining.
  1. Raqubor's Avatar
    Skywall looks amazing, and TBH i didn't see the strange shape in the bird statue, i don't think it looks like a p* since you can clearly see it's neck and head and birds like this (spoonbill/blue heron/stork) are like that when they sit.

    Maybe it's just you who are perverted, seeing p*s everywhere.

    Ps: Can't wait to explore Skywall!
  1. DrgnDancer's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowIceAvian View Post
    Neutrality doesn't work too well when people start stealing your store's goods en masse while holding you at gunpoint.

    Not that I really have any particular issue with pirating music and games, mind you... it's just that most ISPs can't be simple tunnels anymore when the most common use of P2P protocols is to steal content.
    And legally download video games, and legally download Open Source Operating Systems, and even legally download music and other media that's been released into the public domain. The problem is essentially that peer to peer systems are the most efficient way to distribute data ever designed. the fact that it CAN be use for illegal purposes is totally immaterial to that. Obviously people illegally exchanging data want to do it as fast as possible. So do all of the many legitimate users of P2P technology.

    Making a useful technology completely impractical to use, simply because it can be used for something illegal, is exactly why we need Net Neutrality laws.
  1. Bugmenot's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ShadowIceAvian View Post
    Neutrality doesn't work too well when people start stealing your store's goods en masse while holding you at gunpoint.

    Not that I really have any particular issue with pirating music and games, mind you... it's just that most ISPs can't be simple tunnels anymore when the most common use of P2P protocols is to steal content.
    Nonsense. It is not about piracy, it is about bandwidth. P2P traffic is huge, traffic ain´t free and providers want to keep there flat rate cheap, which means they have to keep traffic per user low. If your argument would be valid, I could not simply ask you why a lot of isp do exactly the same with voip, blocking it complete, denied usage in their terms of use or use QoS filters and set it to low priority … sure, that are only those isps that offer regular phone services themselves, especial mobile carriers. Regular providers set voip even on high priority in their QoS, but these days p2p every often on low … again, brave new world without net neutrality, it is only a small step from here to start to surpress content at all.

    Have not paid your isp the gaming extra? Well, bad luck than, only 300ms ping to blizzard servers, but for 5$ extra they can fix this … *grumble, swear* , t-online did this some years ago already

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