Reaper of Souls First Look: Historical Westmarch

Patch 5.4.1 Live This Week
Patch 5.4.1 goes live this week, bringing updates to the Recruit a Friend system, the Blizzcon pet, and tooltip updates to reflect the Patch 5.4 hotfixes. The previously mentioned merging of all previous patches into one file has been reverted, so it should be a very small download.

Murkalot
Murkalot's Flail is the Blizzcon Reward pet added in Patch 5.4.1, and grants the Murkalot achievement. If you aren't going to Blizzcon, you can still get him by purchasing the Virtual Ticket.



Recruit a Friend In-Game UI
The Recruit a Friend system has been moved in game, making it even easier to use.



Emerald Hippogryph
The Emerald Hippogryph is the new Recruit a Friend reward and grants the Friends In Places Even Higher Than That achievement.





Recruit a Friend Pet Rewards
Some pets that were previously only used for promotions in Asia are now Recruit a Friend rewards.


Achievement Changes
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Arena
Player vs. Player

Feats of Strength

Player vs. Player
  • Fire-Watcher has been updated to reflect the hotfix down to 2,000 coins, down from 10,000.

Proving Grounds
Scenarios



Mounts and Pets
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Mounts
  • Emerald Hippogryph (New) Summons and dismisses a rideable Emerald Hippogryph. The capabilities of this mount depend on your Riding skill and location. Account wide. 1.5 sec cast.

Companions
  • Bernard (New) Right Click to summon and dismiss Bernard. Battle Pet. Instant.
  • Murkalot (New) Right Click to summon and dismiss Murkalot. Battle Pet. Instant.




New Strings
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
  • BLIZZARD_STORE_ERROR_PARENTAL_CONTROLS - Feature has been disabled by Parental Controls.
  • CHOOSE_ONE_REWARD - Choose 1 Reward
  • CLAIM_REWARD - Claim Reward
  • ERR_RECRUIT_A_FRIEND_ACCOUNT_LIMIT - You have submitted the maximum number of recruits for this time period. Please try again later.
  • ERR_RECRUIT_A_FRIEND_FAILED - Failed to send Recruit A Friend request. Please try again later.
  • PREVIEW - Preview
  • PRODUCT_CHOICE_NO_TAKE_BACKSIES - Are you sure? You can't change your selection after this step.
  • PRODUCT_CHOICE_SUBTEXT - (%s)
  • PRODUCT_CLAIMING_FAILED - Error claiming product. Please try again.
  • QUEUED_STATUS_LOCKED - |cffff2020Locked|r
  • QUEUED_STATUS_LOCKED_EXPLANATION - You are locked to this rated battleground until it finishes.
  • RAF_BENEFIT1 - Level Faster
  • RAF_BENEFIT2 - Grantable Levels
  • RAF_BENEFIT3 - Summon your friend
  • RAF_BENEFIT4 - 30 days of free game time
  • RAF_BENEFIT5 - In-Game Mount
  • RAF_BENEFITS - Benefits
  • RAF_BUTTON_DISABLED_FACTION - You cannot use Recruit A Friend while playing a neutral character.
  • RAF_BUTTON_REWARD_TOOLTIP_DESCRIPTION - You have earned a reward from Recruit A Friend! Click here to claim it!
  • RAF_BUTTON_REWARD_TOOLTIP_TITLE - Recruit A Friend Reward
  • RAF_BUTTON_TOOLTIP_DESCRIPTION - You can recruit a friend and earn fantastic rewards!
  • RAF_BUTTON_TOOLTIP_TITLE - Recruit A Friend
  • RAF_DESCRIPTION - Earn game time, in-game rewards,\nand more by recruiting your friends
  • RAF_ENTER_EMAIL - Enter your friend's email address
  • RAF_ENTER_NOTE - Write a note to your friend
  • RAF_ENTER_NOTE_PROMPT - Enter a note...
  • RAF_FAQ - Recruit a Friend FAQ
  • RAF_INVITATION_SENT - Your invitation has been sent!\n\nYour friend will receive an email with instructions on creating a new account and downloading the game. You will be notified in-game when they have created a new character and you can begin your adventure together.
  • RAF_INVITEE_FRIEND_ADDED_EXPLANATION - You are now friends with the person who invited you to play World of Warcraft.\n\n|cffffd200Right-click|r their name to whisper them when they are online.\n\nYou can now join up and enjoy Azeroth together!
  • RAF_INVITEE_FRIEND_ADDED_NOTICE - Open your friends list to find your friend that invited you to play World of Warcraft
  • RAF_INVITER_FRIEND_ADDED - Your recruited friend is now your Battletag Friend: |cff88C5ff[%s]|r
  • RAF_MORE_DETAILS - [Click here for more details on how it works.]
  • RAF_PRODUCT_CHOICE_CLAIM - Click to choose your reward
  • RAF_PRODUCT_CHOICE_EARNED - You have earned a Recruit A Friend Reward
  • RAF_REALM_INFO - Your friend will be directed to join:\n|cffffd200%1$s|r on |W|cffffd200%2$s|r|w
  • RAF_SEND_INVITATION - Send Invitation
  • RECRUIT_A_FRIEND - Recruit A Friend
  • RECRUIT_A_FRIEND_FACTION_SUGGESTION_ALLIANCE - Your friend plays for the Alliance faction. Pick one of these races if you want to play together.\n\nHuman, Dwarf, Night Elf, Gnome, Draenei, Worgen, or Pandaren
  • RECRUIT_A_FRIEND_FACTION_SUGGESTION_HORDE - Your friend plays for the Horde faction. Pick one of these races if you want to play together.\n\nOrc, Undead, Tauren, Troll, Blood Elf, Goblin, or Pandaren.
  • RECRUIT_A_FRIEND_REWARDS - Recruit A Friend Rewards



New Mail
Originally Posted by MMO-Champion
Automated In-game Mail
  • Automated In-game Mail #399 - Emerald Hippogryph: Some feel that the Emerald Hippogryph is the most majestic of these noble creatures.

    Even if one does not agree, they are certainly a striking sight nonetheless!

    --Mei Francis - Exotic Mounts



New Icons



Recruit-A-Friend Updates Coming Soon
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
It’s been a while since we’ve updated the Recruit-A-Friend program, but the time has come once again to close the doors for a bit and do a little remodeling. On Tuesday, October 15, we’ll be temporarily shutting down new Recruit-a-Friend sign-ups. Don’t worry though—the program will be back (and better than ever) before you know it.

While we don’t have an official date to share regarding the release of the updated Recruit-A-Friend (RAF) program, those whose accounts are already linked are not affected by this, and any unclaimed rewards will be redeemable once the program starts up again. You’ll also be happy to learn that the current reward will still be available when the Recruit-A-Friend program returns—in fact, players who participate in the upcoming program will have even more reward options available to them. We’ll have more details for you at a future point in time.


Connected Realms Update
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
As previously announced, we’ve been working toward connecting realms to increase the number of players on low-population realms, and since then have completed several connections. As a part of our ongoing communication, we wanted to provide you with an update that contains a list of completed realm connections, currently planned connections, and any additional future plans in one convenient location.

*Please note this list does not encompass all potential future connections. Please check back for further updates.

Completed Connections
  • Aegwynn and Gurubashi
  • Anub’arak and Chromaggus/Garithos
  • Auchindoun and Laughing Skull
  • Balnazzar and Warsong
  • Black Dragonflight and Skullcrusher
  • Blackwing Lair and Detheroc/Dethecus
  • Blood Furnace and Mannaroth
  • Burning Blade and Onyxia
  • Chromaggus and Garithos
  • Dalvengyr and Dark Iron
  • Drak’Tharon and Firetree/Rivendare
  • Dunemaul, Maiev, Boulderfist and Bloodscalp
  • Hakkar and Aegwynn
  • Nesingwary and Vek’nilash
  • Rivendare and Firetree

Next Realm Connections
Once determined, dates and times for the next round of realm connections will be provided in the General Forum and in-game breaking news.

Next Round
  • Haomarush and Detheroc/Dethecus/Blackwing Lair
  • Stonemaul and Bloodscalp/Maiev/Boulderfist/Dunemaul
  • Tortheldrin and Frostmane
  • Winterhoof and Kilrogg
  • Gul’dan and Skullcrusher/Black Dragonflight
  • Lightning’s Blade and Burning Blade

Plans for these connections may change at any time, but we’ll provide additional updates on specific dates for future connections here as we can. Please note that as a part of the connection process realm times may change to match each other.

For more information on Connected Realms, please read the preview blog post here.

Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Realm Population Issues
Blizzard has currently done everything they can, pouring tons of resources and money into making a system that allowed cross realm, guilds and servers.

People are stuck on ether a dead server or a server with a queue of two hour. How to solve this you ask? Well here we go, this conclusion will blow your brains out, it took me years of thinking, but I think I finally know how it can be solved! Are you ready!?

Make paid character transfers free already.

The resources they put into making cross realm guilds would have been better if put into a creating a automated transfer system.

What do you guys think? would free char transfer solve these issue?

Actually, it might make matters worse.

Hypothetical situation: You're on a nicely balanced realm with a healthy population. The next day a large portion of players from your faction decide to move to another realm for whatever reason, maybe to dominate the opposite faction there. With no cost involved, it would be an easy thing to up and move on the spur of the moment. Your realm would now be quieter and you'd be on the minority faction. You'd probably want to move as well after that. Would anyone from your faction ever roll a char or transfer willingly to that server once the faction balance was skewed like that?

Right now, if people could freely move to whatever server they wanted, what do you think would happen? I strongly suspect the busier realms would get busier and the quieter realms would get quieter. The horde-heavy realms would become horde-only and the same with Alliance.

But I'm genuinely interested in your opinion on this, what do you think would happen?

Oh yes what about connected realms ? It was suggestively due for 5.4 but right now it just looks like GMs' little playground, where they seem to pick on a day basis what servers would be fun for them to connect, for example on the French side, Naxxramas and Temple noir who are both deserted, which must be useful...
Connected Realms were designed specifically to tackle the issue of low population realms. We've begun with the process as mentioned here, and there are many more realms yet to be connected. It has been a long and careful process, selecting which realms to connect, and we're pushing forward with it carefully but purposefully. Realms will continue to be connected with other realms until they have a healthy population, so please don't assume that we're done with the realms that have been involved so far if their population isn't yet ideal.

As I said earlier, the ability to move for free, even with a cooldown, could potentially cause overnight faction/population fluctuations which the current costs somewhat prevent. However, we are always looking for ways to help with faction imbalance/population issues, so please continue with your feedback. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)

News Recap
There has finally been some news recently, so here is your chance to catch up!

This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 5.4.1 Live This Week, Connected Realms Update, Blue Posts, News Recap started by chaud View original post
Comments 48 Comments
  1. mmoc64b8b195a0's Avatar
    The Doggy is so cute :3
  1. Alopex Major's Avatar
    Making us pick between exclusive pets and a new mount, that's just mean! still really happy it's going live today. The new UI for it looks cool.
  1. ThistleChaser's Avatar
    IF you can get all four pets at once (one mount or all four pets), then I'll RAF myself again. One pet isn't the same value as one mount, after all! /keeps dreaming
  1. ACES's Avatar
    Anyone know how to get to the new RaF interface in game? I need to recruit myself again.
  1. sagajin's Avatar
    such doge------------------------------------------------must have
    --------------------------------------------so cute-------------------
    ----------so op--------------instabuy-------------------------------
    -------------------blizztakemymoney-------------------------------
  1. Sajakain's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ACES View Post
    Anyone know how to get to the new RaF interface in game? I need to recruit myself again.
    Yeah I'd like to know this, too.
  1. chaud's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by ACES View Post
    Anyone know how to get to the new RaF interface in game? I need to recruit myself again.
    It isn't live yet. Once it is, there will be a button next to the SoR button on the Friends List.
  1. rcshaggy's Avatar
    I want that Emerald Hippogryph so damn badly and the dog would be a nice update to a new dog species in World of Warcraft.
  1. VanquishersFate82's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by chaud View Post
    It isn't live yet. Once it is, there will be a button next to the SoR button on the Friends List.
    Ah thank you was wondering, I suspect they're waiting till EU gets the patch as well and then activate it later.
  1. Alopex Major's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by lordreinhart View Post
    Ah thank you was wondering, I suspect they're waiting till EU gets the patch as well and then activate it later.
    Rats, I rushed to login and RaF too XD Hopefully it's activated soon.
  1. Toiran's Avatar
    So can we now RaF again or from tomorrow (EU)? Or is it still closed? Excuse me if I missed that anywhere.

    Edit: Just saw above post.
  1. Frozenbeef's Avatar
    just what we need more pets and mounts that require you to have multiple accounts to get -.- If i wanted a game that rewards you with free stuff the more friends you invite i would play farmville -,-
  1. furydeath's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Frozenbeef View Post
    just what we need more pets and mounts that require you to have multiple accounts to get -.- If i wanted a game that rewards you with free stuff the more friends you invite i would play farmville -,-
    Or guild war's they give you a free pet for every year you been playing what does blizzard give..... a bill
  1. Machariell's Avatar
    Which the prediction of the RAF 05/11?
  1. Shudder's Avatar
    Why the hell isn't RAF up? FFS got people waiting.
  1. Bytecus's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by furydeath View Post
    Or guild war's they give you a free pet for every year you been playing what does blizzard give..... a bill
    [WoW's 4th Anniversary], which awarded a [Baby Blizzard Bear], and [WoW's 5th Anniversary], which awarded an [Onyxian Whelpling]

    They've gotten slack over the years, but I'm sure their 10th will be something special.
  1. branone's Avatar
    Fucking hurry up and release RaF, bloody blizzard always getting my hopes up and crushing them due to incorrectly placed dates. And if we have to wait for EU to be reset then wouldn't that mean it's up in 2 days? I bloody hope not...
  1. chaud's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by branone View Post
    Fucking hurry up and release RaF, bloody blizzard always getting my hopes up and crushing them due to incorrectly placed dates. And if we have to wait for EU to be reset then wouldn't that mean it's up in 2 days? I bloody hope not...
    This patch only added the system. No date has been announced for the return of RAF.
  1. mmoc1d6d8fe61c's Avatar
    ok patch is live but i dont have murkalot yet, i do have the ticket on my acc ..... what am i missing ? :O
  1. ButterToast's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kinkiey View Post
    ok patch is live but i dont have murkalot yet, i do have the ticket on my acc ..... what am i missing ? :O
    I'd like to know this too, where is my pet ?????

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