WoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gifWoW Insiderhttp://wow.joystiq.comen-usCopyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/WoW Insider ShowEvery week, the WoW Insider Show brings you news and views from the World of Warcraft and the site that covers it all, WoW Insider. We introduce a panel of rotating guests, including bloggers from WoW Insider and other WoW blogs, and many popular personalities from around the WoW community. From the live listener chat and polls during the show, to the emails direct from listeners (reach us at theshow@wow.com), right on to the "meat" of the show -- in-depth discussion of the most popular news and posts on WoW Insider -- the WoW Insider Show is a terrific source of news and entertainment about what's going on with Blizzard and their World of Warcraft. Listen live every Saturday at 3:30 pm Eastern on our Ustream page (http://www.ustream.tv/channel/wow-insider-show) or subscribe to the feed and let us know what you think by reviewing the show right here in iTunes.Guild ratchets to level 25 on 100% pure, steam-driven gnome powerhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/guild-blasts-to-level-25-on-100-pure-steam-driven-gnome-power/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/guild-blasts-to-level-25-on-100-pure-steam-driven-gnome-power/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/11/guild-blasts-to-level-25-on-100-pure-steam-driven-gnome-power/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gnomeregan Forever
"This makes me super happy. I want to join this guild." What sort of guild does it take to evoke that kind of reaction from Community Manager Zarhym on the official forums? Gnomes -- lots and lots of nothing but gnomes.

"Gnomes are tiny little bundles of concentrated awesome," writes Forbidra, the GM of an all-gnome guild on Wyrmrest Accord (US). "They have endured so much hardship, and yet their indomitable spirit and insatiable curiosity shines through. Gnomes attack their problems with their intellect and ingenuity, rather than with brute force. Still, many players consider gnomes a joke race and don't take them seriously. We in Gnomeregan Forever respectfully disagree. Many of us in G4 not only love roleplaying our characters but actively strive to combat gnomish stereotypes and discrimination on our realm. We believe that gnomes can do pretty much anything any other group of players can do and have heckuva lot of fun doing it!

"Oh, indeed we do! And honestly, all joking aside, most people seem to secretly love gnomes. Whenever our guild goes someplace together, people stop and stare. You can almost see thought bubbles popping over their heads: 'OMG, gnomes!!' Sometimes they will follow us. They have no idea what we are up to, but they figure with that many gnomes, it's gotta be fun, right?

All gnomes. All fun. All the time. Meet Gnomeregan Forever.

Continue reading Guild ratchets to level 25 on 100% pure, steam-driven gnome power

WoW InsiderGuild ratchets to level 25 on 100% pure, steam-driven gnome power originally appeared on WoW Insider on Fri, 11 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>all-gnome-guildall-gnomesfacebookfeedfeaturedforbidragnomeregan-forevergnomesgnomish-guildworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoFri, 11 May 2012 14:00:00 ESTBehind the scenes of the recent solo heroic Alysrazor killhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/behind-the-scenes-of-the-recent-solo-heroic-alysrazor-kill/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/behind-the-scenes-of-the-recent-solo-heroic-alysrazor-kill/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/05/03/behind-the-scenes-of-the-recent-solo-heroic-alysrazor-kill/#commentsFiled under: ,

At this point in WoW's evolution, we've become somewhat accustomed to reports of gutsy solo boss kills. However tricky to pull off, most of those accomplishments involve content from a previous expansion and rely on the particular skill sets of a determined death knight or paladin. But soloing current raid content, let alone current heroic raid content? Not so much.

So when shadow priest Shantál of Al'akir (EU) recently pulled off an eye-popping kill of heroic Alysrazor, the WoW community sat up and took notice. With a painstakingly developed strategy that carried him outside the flame wall and exposed him to increased damage, Shantál picked his way around each road block in the encounter to achieve a uniquely remarkable victory.

Continue reading Behind the scenes of the recent solo heroic Alysrazor kill

WoW InsiderBehind the scenes of the recent solo heroic Alysrazor kill originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 03 May 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>alysrazorfacebookfeedfeaturedheroic-alysrazorshantalsolosolo-killsoloingworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 03 May 2012 09:00:00 ESTTransmog dealers excavate gold and renewed gameplay from old instanceshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/transmog-dealers-excavate-gold-and-renewed-gameplay-from-old-ins/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/transmog-dealers-excavate-gold-and-renewed-gameplay-from-old-ins/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/19/transmog-dealers-excavate-gold-and-renewed-gameplay-from-old-ins/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Blackest Rose transmogrification dealers
Transmog sets are hot, hot, hot -- just ask the guy who gave away 1 million gold after building his personal fortune by selling gear destined for transmogrification sets. It's the rare player who hasn't caught on to the fact that selling those dowdy old leveling greens can rake in surprising amounts of gold in today's mogging era.

Taking things a step further by assembling and selling full transmog sets, however, is the province of fewer players -- a select few indeed, according to Mickél of The Blackest Rose, a transmog set dealer on Madoran (US-H). "We were the first to do it on our server, and I have a feeling one of the few in game who is selling complete mog sets," he explains. "My partner works on making custom sets from the random greens we have; hers are often very clean and perfect-looking. I use the named sets, i.e. Emerald, Righteous, Abjurer's, etc."

Before you cry, "Aha! Must do this!" -- think upon the sheer amount of time and effort that goes into a transmog dealership done right. Mickél and his partner Aridas have to farm up each and every piece of gear. No set is complete without every last piece that shows, whether it drops quickly or not. The team needs to develop and market customized, themed looks and then farm up whatever's required from the four corners of Azeroth. They have to find a profitable way to offload all the random pieces picked up along the way.

And what about those teeth-grinding runs when a piece that's needed just won't drop? Run it again. And again. And again.

So why would any player in his right mind spend hour upon hour grinding for lowbie gear?

Continue reading Transmog dealers excavate gold and renewed gameplay from old instances

WoW InsiderTransmog dealers excavate gold and renewed gameplay from old instances originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>aridasfacebookfeedfeaturedmickelmoggingthe-blackest-rosetransmogtransmogrification-businesstransmogrification-setsworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:00 ESTQuadriplegic player establishes resource beachhead for other disabled gamershttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/quadriplegic-gamer-establishes-resource-beachhead-for-other-disa/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/quadriplegic-gamer-establishes-resource-beachhead-for-other-disa/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/12/quadriplegic-gamer-establishes-resource-beachhead-for-other-disa/#commentsFiled under:

Could you play World of Warcraft if you were totally blind? What if you were legally blind and suffered from progressive hearing loss, too? Or let's say you could see and hear just fine, but you suffered from a panic disorder -- and you were a tank. Perhaps you were physically disabled, but you had someone to help you out in the game -- or then again, maybe you played all on your own.

If we haven't already lost you to the inspirational barrage of the previous paragraph, consider one more possibility: Would you still play World of Warcraft if you were quadriplegic? Quadilious of Drak'thul has been DPSing his way through endgame raids for years now -- and now, he's building a site for other disabled gamers. Quad's slowly but steadily refocusing his website as a resource for others, sharing his years of experience overcoming WoW's mechanics and contacting medical professionals and other disabled gamers to round up ideas, tips and inspiration for disabled gamers in general.

On the back of a dragon from the seat of a wheelchair, Quadilious returns with an update on Dragon Soul, smaller raid teams, and adaptive gaming.

Continue reading Quadriplegic player establishes resource beachhead for other disabled gamers

WoW InsiderQuadriplegic player establishes resource beachhead for other disabled gamers originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>disabilitydisableddisabled-gamersdisabled-playersfacebookfeedfeaturedQuadiliousquadriplegiaquadriplegicquadriplegic-wow-playerworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 12 Apr 2012 17:00:00 ESTWhy Game of Throne's Hodor has come back to the World of Warcrafthttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/why-game-of-thrones-hodor-has-come-back-to-the-world-of-warcraf/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/why-game-of-thrones-hodor-has-come-back-to-the-world-of-warcraf/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/04/05/why-game-of-thrones-hodor-has-come-back-to-the-world-of-warcraf/#commentsFiled under: ,

Backstage at Game of Thrones: Hodor and Bran
When Game of Throne's Hodor, actor Kristian Nairn, showed up to talk Star Wars: The Old Republic and RIFT on the podcast of our sister site Massively back in February, we knew it marked a temporary state of affairs. As enthusiastic about lightsabers as the Belfast resident was at the time, we suspected he'd eventually make his way back to Azeroth, the gaming world that's captured his heart and imagination.

... Which is how I found myself logged into World of Warcraft late last night, merrily ignoring my deadline for transcribing the final pieces of this interview, as Nairn and I struggled to find a Game of Thrones-themed guild name that hadn't already been devoured whole by hungry fans of the critically acclaimed HBO series. (Meanwhile, the Riders of Brohan were keeping my Decline button busy with repeated invitations to their own spin on a fantasy-named guild. Folks, if you're an aspiring Bro, this is your big chance -- this guild's obviously riding hard in search of a full roster.) After a crazed evening spent losing signatures to the Bros and new character deletions as quickly as we could recruit them, success was had. A guild was created, my final interview with Nairn was completed, and I logged out to finish cobbling together a handful of meandering conversations with Nairn conducted since February of this year.

Does the man have more than a monosyllabic "Hodor" to say about why his heart lies with Azeroth? Why, yes -- yes, he most certainly does.

Continue reading Why Game of Throne's Hodor has come back to the World of Warcraft

WoW InsiderWhy Game of Throne's Hodor has come back to the World of Warcraft originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookfeedfeaturedgame-of-throneshodorkristian-nairnthe-winds-of-winterworld-of-warcraft-game-of-thronesworld-of-warcraft-hodorworld-of-warcraft-interviewsworld-of-warcreaft-kristian-nairnwow-communitywow-hodorwow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 05 Apr 2012 12:00:00 ESTCan playing WoW improve your brain power?http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/can-playing-wow-improve-your-brain-power/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/can-playing-wow-improve-your-brain-power/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/29/can-playing-wow-improve-your-brain-power/#commentsFiled under: ,

Older players improve cognitive function through playing WoW
Can playing World of Warcraft maintain or improve your brain power? When it comes to specifics like improving cognitive function, there really haven't been many significant, sizeable research studies that can put hard numbers on the line. WoW player and early onset Alzheimer's disease sufferer Bill Craig would certainly attest to the power of gaming in maintaining brain function -- he's living proof that WoW can be a vital part of a brain-healthy regimen to stretch and maintain cognitive function. (If you haven't already read Bill's story, you owe it yourself to follow that link. It'll make your day.)

So when news of a fresh research project looking at WoW's effects on cognitive abilities in older players started making the rounds in the national media, Bill was one of the first to ping us with an excited email. "Tell us something we didn't already know, right, Lisa?" he crowed. "Guess I might be called a 'pioneer' of sorts, huh?" Indeed, Bill, you're totally my hero -- and look out, because it looks like the scientific world is starting to catch on and catch up to our secrets.

This week, WoW Insider interviews Dr. Jason Allaire at North Carolina State University, who co-authored the recent study showing that playing WoW can boost certain cognitive functions in older adults. Himself a former WoW player and long-time MMO player, Dr. Allaire shares a gaming-filtered view of how his research and WoW interrelate to show that indeed, World of Warcraft can be good for your brain.

Continue reading Can playing WoW improve your brain power?

WoW InsiderCan playing WoW improve your brain power? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>agealzheimersalzheimers-diseasebill-craigcognitioncognitive-functionfacebookfeedfeaturedjason-allaireolder-gamersolder-playersresearchresearch-studyworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 29 Mar 2012 17:00:00 ESTFinally, a leveling guild worth calling homehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/finally-a-leveling-guild-worth-calling-home/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/finally-a-leveling-guild-worth-calling-home/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/15/finally-a-leveling-guild-worth-calling-home/#commentsFiled under: ,

Running instances
Join a leveling guild? More often than not, I find myself advising players to steer clear. My Drama Mamas mailbox is overflowing with tirades from players stranded by the inevitable explosions of time-bomb guilds that've been hastily duct-taped together by random new players. Even the groups that manage to gather a congenial group of people almost unfailingly burst into flame when members reach the endgame and hit Real Issues: loot rules, raid group membership, scheduling conflicts, rules of conduct ... In these rudderless, inexperienced groups, drama is unavoidable. Most disintegrate sooner rather than later, with members moving on to guilds with more formal organization, rules, and missions.

But then we heard about a European guild that seems to have a lock on this whole leveling guild thing. Tipster Ben jumped the English language barrier to clue us in: "This guild is different. People recently start to create leveling guild mostly for the perks, and this people are here way before the perks. I believe they are around for helping and not for making gold." We investigated and found a guild that's focused not on reaching the endgame but the journey there -- special events and grouping and friendships and contests and retro raids and teamwork ... And the officers seem to enjoy organizing it all as much as the players do participating in it.

Why would an experienced WoW player keep coming back to a level 54 character to spend a massive slice of her time and energy leading a guild full of players who are toddling through content most players are more than happy to speed-jump? It's all about The Leveling Agony.

Continue reading Finally, a leveling guild worth calling home

WoW InsiderFinally, a leveling guild worth calling home originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>colosiafacebookfeedfeaturedguildslevelingleveling-agonyleveling-guildthe-leveling-agonyworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 15 Mar 2012 17:00:00 ESTAll-druid guild shreds Dragon Soul by tooth and clawhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/all-druid-guild-shreds-dragon-soul-by-tooth-and-claw/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/all-druid-guild-shreds-dragon-soul-by-tooth-and-claw/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/08/all-druid-guild-shreds-dragon-soul-by-tooth-and-claw/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Druids of the Beast
Why is there something inherently funny about a bunch of druids all together in one place? Whether it's a flock of squawking, Moonfiring moonkin or a genial pack of dancing bears, even the most dedicated lore fiends among us have to admit that the design for these characters is all a wee bit silly. No matter how you cut it, the mere thought of a gathering of all druids evokes a grin every time.

What's not so silly, though, is this all-druid guild's rampage through WoW's most challenging raid content. Druids of the Beast is no gentle gathering of roleplaying night elves, drifting through Darnassus to pluck at the tangled knot of druidic lore -- no, this is a full-on, endgame raiding guild that also happens to be comprised entirely of members of the druid class. You'll find no army of declawed alts in this guild, no buffing machines parked outside raid instances. Druids of the Beast's roster represents pure, unadulterated druidic power, and its progress through Dragon Soul is among the world's leaders for all-druid raiding.

Continue reading All-druid guild shreds Dragon Soul by tooth and claw

WoW InsiderAll-druid guild shreds Dragon Soul by tooth and claw originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>all-druiddruiddruid-exclusivedruid-guilddruid-raidingdruids-of-the-beastfacebookfeedfeaturedraidingworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 08 Mar 2012 13:00:00 ESTHeroic Madness on 7 hours a week -- the shape of guilds to come?http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/heroic-madness-on-7-hours-a-week-the-shape-of-guilds-to-come/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/heroic-madness-on-7-hours-a-week-the-shape-of-guilds-to-come/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/03/01/heroic-madness-on-7-hours-a-week-the-shape-of-guilds-to-come/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Raiding on two nights a week is certainly nothing novel in this day and age. Casual raiders can often devote no more than two nights to WoW. Fans of the Raid Finder find twice a week a reasonable fit. Heck, more than a few of the most dedicated raiding groups have lightened their weekly loads to two nights in light of end-of-expansion doldrums. Even so, three nights per week is probably still the norm among groups that consider themselves dedicated raiding guilds.

But two-night raiding may be building a steamhead as the playerbase matures along with the game. "A couple years ago, you did a feature on a two-night guild when they killed heroic Lich King," wrote reader Oatz of Full Spectrum on Alleria (US). "Well, when Cataclysm started, that inspired me to create my own two-night guild (seven hours per week). I am now proud to say that our two-night guild has just killed heroic Madness, making us not just the #1 two-night guild but also #24 on 10-man and #62 overall in the United States."

Impressive, yes -- but what caught my eye about this email was Oatz's almost off-handed conclusion about the stability of his guild's roster. "It's interesting how raid groups are evolving over the years as the playerbase gets older," he mused. "Our guild is full of professionals in their 20s and 30s, many with spouses and kids, and none of us can raid more than two nights. I'm a practicing lawyer myself, but I started WoW back when I was a lowly college student."

"I remember back in vanilla, even, when there were no server transfers," he continued. "Raiding guilds were always competing for recruits based on progression. It seems now that as the raider playerbase has increased and gotten older, for the majority, it's more based on schedules and other niches."

WoW on demand vs. WoW as a time-gobbling behemoth -- is this where the serious WoW hobbyist stands in 2012?

Continue reading Heroic Madness on 7 hours a week -- the shape of guilds to come?

WoW InsiderHeroic Madness on 7 hours a week -- the shape of guilds to come? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookfeedfull-spectrumoatzraid-scheduleraid-timesscheduletwice-weekly-raidingtwo-night-raidingworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 01 Mar 2012 09:00:00 ESTTipster unearths treasure chest of classic WoW raiding memorieshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/tipster-unearths-treasure-chest-of-classic-wow-raiding-memories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/tipster-unearths-treasure-chest-of-classic-wow-raiding-memories/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/23/tipster-unearths-treasure-chest-of-classic-wow-raiding-memories/#commentsFiled under: ,

Do you ever wonder what you missed by not playing WoW back in the early days? You've seen the classic instances, of course, as you've swatted aside their bosses during mining expeditions for transmogrification gear -- but what were these viragoes like back in the day when conquering them took 40 players at the top of their game hurling themselves against the storm, before modern levels, gear, abilities and game mechanics reduced them to mere echoes of their former fury? Screech "rose-colored glasses!" all you like -- WoW classic and The Burning Crusade were far and away the eras that pinned me most devotedly to my keyboard, smitten by the game. (Others think very differently, as demonstrated below.)

You can't really relive the classic experience today; there's simply been too much water under the bridge. Still, I'd love to be able to give newer players a taste of those old raid instances in a way they just can't get from muscling through the instances today. But if playing through won't do the job, neither will videos from the past. Boss kill and strat videos cast an analytical eye on the proceedings, remaining aloof from the atmosphere and focusing more on the spray of combat text and special effects. On the other end of the spectrum are roleplaying epics that, while entertaining, represent the particular personality and experience of a specific group of players.

If you've got time to burn, though, you might enjoy sinking into these vanilla-era flavor films by Order of Watchers on Ragnaros (EU). WoW Insider reader Karol discovered these old-school gems ("Maybe it just found me in a nostalgic mood, but I think both of them are masterpieces from the old times and worth a mention" -- we agree, Karol, so thanks!), tipping us off to this abstract of one Hungarian guild's march through classic encounters and The Burning Crusade. Somewhere between a guided tour, a roleplaying narrative and guild memory book, these videos attempt to preserve a glimpse of the wonder the guild felt on the path through the earliest endgame content in World of Warcraft.

Continue reading Tipster unearths treasure chest of classic WoW raiding memories

WoW InsiderTipster unearths treasure chest of classic WoW raiding memories originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>40-man40-man-raidingclass-raidingclassicclassic-wowfacebookfeedlarenonorder-of-watchersraid-instance-moviesraidingraiding-moviesvanillavanilla-wowworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 23 Feb 2012 13:00:00 ESTTrade skill crusader brings back customer service and sweat equity to craftinghttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/trade-skill-crusader-brings-back-customer-service-and-sweat-equi/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/trade-skill-crusader-brings-back-customer-service-and-sweat-equi/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/16/trade-skill-crusader-brings-back-customer-service-and-sweat-equi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Vial of the Sands
WoW players today tend to consider the deterioration of the in-game community in terms of relatively recent influences like the Dungeon Finder and then the Raid Finder. We sometimes forget that design tweaks and new systems have been chipping away at the paradigm of Azeroth as a place to forge ongoing personal relationships for years now. Take a gander at the beginning of this analysis I wrote on the death of the Azerothian salesman all the way back in the hyper-modern era of The Burning Crusade circa 2007:

Forget the endless debate over hardcore versus casual -- there's another moniker that we here at Insider Trader hold dear: salesman. What's that? You don't know any salesmen in WoW these days? You're not alone. Times have changed since craftspeople toiled to build reputations as the go-to traders on their servers ... when Ironforge was the hub of civilization, where a few elite enchanters held court over the entire server with coveted formulae from such exotic locales as Stratholme and Scholomance.

It's a brave new world in today's Outland. Most enchanters don't enchant for the general public at all, unless you provide mats and a tip. And in any profession, with so many other players on the servers who have the same patterns (even rare patterns are generally available from more than one player) and so many easy ways to make money (hello, daily quests!), there's little reason to hang around town to build a regular clientele. Components provided or created by other professions are readily available on the Auction House -- there's no need to seek out and nurture relationships with another player from a complementary profession.

Have the conveniences Blizzard has developed for today's crafters meant the death of the salesman?

Most WoW players would agree that convenience and self-service is the way of today's game. But for one stubborn tradesman on Sentinels (US), life as an Azerothian salesman is anything but obsolete. Daen, a dedicated craftsman and proprietor of Daen's Crafting Emporium, single-handedly maintains what may be one of World of Warcraft's last remaining bastions of personal craftsmanship and trade skill service -- with a twist. This proprietor not only aims to provide personal service, but he does it at no charge, with the insistence that customers devote sweat equity to their mutual creations as well.

Continue reading Trade skill crusader brings back customer service and sweat equity to crafting

WoW InsiderTrade skill crusader brings back customer service and sweat equity to crafting originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>clientscommunitycraftingcraftsmanshipcustomer-servicecustomersdaendaens-crafting-emporiumfacebookfeedfeaturedprofessionsrelationshipssweat-equitytrade-chattrade-skillstradeskillsworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 16 Feb 2012 14:00:00 ESTBehind the scenes with a Blizzard forums MVP "green"http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/behind-the-scenes-with-a-blizzard-forums-mvp-green/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/behind-the-scenes-with-a-blizzard-forums-mvp-green/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/09/behind-the-scenes-with-a-blizzard-forums-mvp-green/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Carrying the flag
Who are the "greens," the shining emerald jewels of the posting community on the official World of Warcraft community forums? How does one go from being, say, Eldacar the PvP enthusiast to Eldacar the forums MVP, who recently unleashed a volley of questions on the current state of WoW PvP that gathered a virtual storm of opinions and insights on the official PvP forums? Who is this guy, and why is everything he posts on the forums in bright green letters? Here's your answer -- the scoop on a green straight from one of the blues, Blizzard Community Manager Jonathan "Zarhym" Brown:

"Eldacar's posting style and contributions to the community first crossed my radar during Cataclysm beta," Zarhym explains. "He had created some very useful guides on the beta forums detailing good feedback and bug reporting etiquette. I stickied his information and had brief contact with him via email and in the beta around that time.

"In the fall of 2011, once the community team solidified plans for expanding the MVP program, his name popped back up in part because of some PvP-related posts he was working on," he continues. "I really make an effort to try and hang onto the names of constructive, eloquent posters -- whether or not they're critical of some of Blizzard's decisions. The MVP program is really meant to be a reflection of the diversity within our community. Its members are just a collection of folks from the community who are embraced by their peers for their knowledge and personality, to the extent that we want to give them official recognition. I think Eldacar's a damn fine example of this."

A "damn fine example"? Frankly, we're with Zarhym -- Eldacar's thoughtful approach and obvious passion for his subject matter made trumpeting his recent call to arms for player feedback a no-brainer. So who is this guy? And how'd he get so damn fine, anyway?

Continue reading Behind the scenes with a Blizzard forums MVP "green"

WoW InsiderBehind the scenes with a Blizzard forums MVP "green" originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>blizzard-forumsblizzard-mvpeldacarfacebookfeedfeaturedmost-valuable-postersmvpmvp-programplayer-feedbackpvp-feedbackpvp-issuesworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 09 Feb 2012 13:00:00 ESTPlayer documents the two-headed monster of his own WoW addictionhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/player-documents-the-two-headed-monster-of-his-own-wow-addiction/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/player-documents-the-two-headed-monster-of-his-own-wow-addiction/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/02/02/player-documents-the-two-headed-monster-of-his-own-wow-addiction/#commentsFiled under: ,

Battling the addictive power of World of Warcraft
The slow, viscous slide into a life consumed by gaming has become a media tale standard, usually including a bleary-eyed shot of the player blinking in the thin light of the computer monitor. Penned by journalists unfamiliar with the enveloping nature of MMOs, these stories skitter across the surface of a passion turned fixation. Without an understanding of the many positive forces of games like World of Warcraft, writers are unable to do more than entwine readers within a Lovecraftian tangle of gaming's most mind-numbing temptations, pushing them back into the light at the end with a complete, triumphant rebuke of the game in question.

The tale of Sevrin's descent into and return from Azeroth takes a different turn. A third-year film production student from the United Kingdom, Sevrin hasn't blocked World of Warcraft from his every thought -- instead, he spent months poring over his experiences to create a documentary of his experience. IRL: In Real Life, a short film featured last week on WoW Moviewatch (watch it again after the break), takes a frank look at how incessant gaming nearly pulled a young man's life off track -- and then provided the fuel for the creative project that's helping him move on.

If anyone could understand this kind of rise and fall, this dance with the glamors that wetly suck players into the virtual vortex, only to spit them out coughing and gasping with a renewed appreciation for life, it's fellow WoW Insider reader Keelhaul, aka The Mogfather, the player who racked up an incredible 1 million gold only to turn around and give it all away. "Brilliant," he commented simply on last week's Moviewatch showing of Sevrin's video. "Change a bit of the storyline and that's me as well." We suspect it's many of us, to some degree. Let's look inside at Sevrin's take.

Continue reading Player documents the two-headed monster of his own WoW addiction

WoW InsiderPlayer documents the two-headed monster of his own WoW addiction originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>addictionfacebookfeedfeaturedgaming-addictionin-real-lifeirlsevrinwarcraft-additionworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-addictionwow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 02 Feb 2012 09:00:00 ESTWhy enmity means success to these vile rogueshttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/why-enmity-means-success-to-these-vile-rogues/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/why-enmity-means-success-to-these-vile-rogues/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/25/why-enmity-means-success-to-these-vile-rogues/#commentsFiled under: ,

Lurking above
So let's talk about ganking and getting ganked -- vile, nasty, evil rogues. How WoW players rage against rogues! You'd think an entire collective of them would be utterly reviled by the player community -- but not this group, which is such a straight-up gang that many of its sap-and-drop victims actually become cross-faction buddies. Vile Thorn of Defias Brotherhood (EU-H), an all-rogue guild that recently packed up shop and moved from another slowly stagnating roleplay, is probably the amicable gank squad you'll ever come across (or that'll come across you -- you know what we mean ...).

With an ironclad one-kill rule and a hankering for cross-faction roleplay, Vile Thorn takes no prisoners when it comes to fostering realm-wide roleplaying and world PvP. Its roster shows no sign of tanks, healers or other DPS classes; this group is utterly dedicated to its dark duties. GM Arli reports a warm welcome from players on Defias Brotherhood, both in character and out, after the guild's weekend sprint in search of a wider roleplaying community. To gank, or not to gank -- why is death at the hands of the Vile Thorns so compelling that one guild of factional enemies even realm-transferred along with its nemesis?

Continue reading Why enmity means success to these vile rogues

WoW InsiderWhy enmity means success to these vile rogues originally appeared on WoW Insider on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>all-rogue-guildfacebookfeedfeaturedroguesroleplayingrp-pvpvile-thornworld-of-warcraft-interviewsworld-pvpwow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoWed, 25 Jan 2012 20:00:00 EST70-year-old raiding grandma wields legendary and leads her guildhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/70-year-old-raiding-grandma-wields-legendary-and-leads-her-guild/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/70-year-old-raiding-grandma-wields-legendary-and-leads-her-guild/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/19/70-year-old-raiding-grandma-wields-legendary-and-leads-her-guild/#commentsFiled under: ,

Fighting Warlord Zon'ozz
You don't get much more charming than the Knitting Grandma, the surprise hit guest at last fall's BlizzCon 2011 WoW Insider Reader Meetup. Remember her? She charmed our staff and meetup guests alike with her dry wit and talk of Thunder Bluff-themed socks.

Today, we press forward from the warm, fuzzy territory covered by the Knitting Grandma with two window-rattling volleys in the battle against gamer stereotypes:

  1. You don't have to be a granny to knit and play World of Warcraft. Even the author of Clique, the preeminent click-casting addon, gets his knit on.
  2. Whether they knit or not, even grannies can be GMs. Of raiding guilds. Who've raided since original Molten Core. And top the DPS meters. Wielding Dragonwrath, Tarecgosa's Rest. (So yes, that does indeed qualify her to tell you kids to "GET OFF MY LAWN!")

Meet Marthazon, the 70-year-old GM of Spartans on Dalaran (US-A).

Continue reading 70-year-old raiding grandma wields legendary and leads her guild

WoW Insider70-year-old raiding grandma wields legendary and leads her guild originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>70+year+old+raiding+grandma70-year-old-player70yearoldraidinggrandmafacebookfeedfeaturedgrandmagrandmothergrannymarthazonraiding-grannyseptuagenarianworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow+joystiqwow-communitywow-interviewswow-peoplewowjoystiqLisa PoissoThu, 19 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST"Guide dog" player and guild embrace sightless guildmate, steer team to victoryhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/guide-dog-player-and-guild-embrace-sightless-guildmate-steer/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/guide-dog-player-and-guild-embrace-sightless-guildmate-steer/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/12/guide-dog-player-and-guild-embrace-sightless-guildmate-steer/#commentsFiled under: ,

Davidian and Hexu
After seeing this guild's victories through the lens of their mutual friendship, you'll never look at the bonds and teamwork among guildmates within Azeroth the same again. Writes our tipster:

My name is Nico and my character is Ignatious on Chamber of Aspects (EU). I'm co-GM/officer in a guild called Die Safe. We are a small (15 to 20 accounts) casual guild whose members like to raid on a couple of nights a week. I'd like to make clear that as a guild we are not hardcore or elitist, and we try to stay out of the realm spotlight as much as possible, so this isn't exactly familiar territory for me.

In our guild, we have a member that raids with us who is completely blind. His name is Ben Shaw, and he currently plays an enhancement shaman called Hexu. Ben used to be a soldier in the British Army and, whilst serving in Iraq, was involved in an incident with a roadside bomb in Basra. As a result of the explosion, Ben suffered multiple shrapnel wounds and had to have both of his eyes surgically removed.

Ben is a strong-willed individual and was not prepared to accept that he could no longer do all the things he previously enjoyed, even if that meant challenging peoples' preconceptions about blindness. Since the incident, he has embarked on numerous activities considered off limits to the visually impaired, some of which have been reported in the international press.

Everyone does their fair share of relaying information to Ben, but none more so than Davidian, our resident death knight.

Continue reading "Guide dog" player and guild embrace sightless guildmate, steer team to victory

WoW Insider"Guide dog" player and guild embrace sightless guildmate, steer team to victory originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>ben-shawblindblinded+iraq+vet+raidblinded+iraq+war+vet+raids+with+a+little+helpblindediraqvetraidblindediraqwarvetraidswithalittlehelpdavidiandie-safedisabilitydisableddisabled-gamersfacebookfeedfeaturedhexuvetveteransvisually-impairedworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow+insiderwow-communitywow-interviewswow-peoplewowinsiderLisa PoissoThu, 12 Jan 2012 14:00:00 ESTGuild champions volunteer spirit beyond the borders of Azerothhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/guild-champions-volunteer-spirit-beyond-the-borders-of-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/guild-champions-volunteer-spirit-beyond-the-borders-of-azeroth/http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/01/05/guild-champions-volunteer-spirit-beyond-the-borders-of-azeroth/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Evening of Giving
From Olympic medalists and Hollywood actors to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? Where World of Warcraft and cool ideas and people meet, you'll find players who deserve 15 Minutes of Fame.

Noble knights in shining armor are a dime (a silver?) a dozen Alliance-side in World of Warcraft. Where you find one or more Alliance roleplayers, you'll find a veritable solar flare of the Light. In most cases, however, the buck (or the Light, as it may) stops right here at the boundary between Azeroth and Earth. But in one longstanding Moon Guard (US) guild, the Light spills forth into all corners of members' lives. The Bearers of Light's noble guild foundation rests on charity, both in game and out. Moving beyond regular newbie zone assistance events, the guild recently embarked upon a real-world community challenge that's racking up life-changing results.

Since its inception in the classic WoW era, this guild force for good seems to be filling an apparently unique niche among Azerothian guilds. Back in 2009, WoW Insider's David Bowers (then author of our roleplaying column) wrote about discovering the guild with his own character: "The guild I eventually chose is called The Bearers of Light on the Moon Guard server, and I chose it because its members pledge to be kind to others. It was the first and only guild I've ever seen in World of Warcraft that is explicitly founded around the spirit of benevolence and charity. I felt that it was a perfect match for me personally -- if you've seen movies like Pay It Forward or read about ideas such as random kindness and senseless acts of beauty, then you will have seen the kind of impact this theme can have on a group of people. Once kindness itself is a goal, it makes life so much more livable."

Looking for inspiration to start your new year off on the right foot? Look no further than The Bearers of Light.

Continue reading Guild champions volunteer spirit beyond the borders of Azeroth

WoW InsiderGuild champions volunteer spirit beyond the borders of Azeroth originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>bearers-of-lightbearing-light-to-the-worldcare-packagescharitycommunity-servicedavid-bowersevening-of-givingfacebookfeedfeaturedhelping-newbieshelping-othersmonth-of-givingnewbiesthe-bearers-of-lightvolunteeringvolunteerismworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peoplezelynaLisa PoissoThu, 05 Jan 2012 17:00:00 ESTA 16th Minute of Fame: Where are they now?http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/a-16th-minute-of-fame-where-are-they-now/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/a-16th-minute-of-fame-where-are-they-now/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/29/a-16th-minute-of-fame-where-are-they-now/#commentsFiled under: ,

From Olympic medalists and Hollywood actors to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? Where World of Warcraft and cool ideas and people meet, you'll find players who deserve 15 Minutes of Fame.

A college choir that specializes in choral arrangements of music from video games. A Hollywood horror actress. A guy known for Moonfiring targets out of the sky. We like to keep track of all the WoW-playing friends we've met through 15 Minutes of Fame. Even the stories of folks who aren't playing WoW anymore are stories many of us can relate to, offering a glimpse behind the curtain among players you and I may very well have grouped with during the past year.

Not everyone has time to respond to a year-end retrospective (we're looking at you and your Game of Thrones shooting schedule, Hodor!), but everyone still has a story to tell. Pull up a chair and our year-end gallery and sit awhile with some friends who play World of Warcraft, too.

Gallery: 16th Minute of Fame

A 16th Minute of FameThe irrepressible Bill CraigListening inGaming hard elsewhereDanforth embarks on new gaming projects

Continue reading A 16th Minute of Fame: Where are they now?

WoW InsiderA 16th Minute of Fame: Where are they now? originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 29 Dec 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookfeedfeaturedretrospectiveworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 29 Dec 2011 18:00:00 ESTThe player behind the mysterious Mailbox Magehttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/the-player-behind-the-mysterious-mailbox-mage/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/the-player-behind-the-mysterious-mailbox-mage/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/22/the-player-behind-the-mysterious-mailbox-mage/#commentsFiled under:

Mailbox Chick checks in
From Hollywood celebrities to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? We're giving each approach its own 15 Minutes of Fame.

There's this mage on my realm who's always at the mailbox around the corner from the main Auction House in Stormwind right about the time I play another of my alts. I'm not talking about any of the mailboxes right there in the little square -- I'm talking about the one through the archway by the canal, toward the fishing quest area. Yeah, kinda out of the way, right? It's always at odd hours, when not many people are around. I can't help but notice her when she's there.

For a long time, I assumed that Mailbox Mage was just another banker alt, but then I noticed that she's actually leveling at a glacial pace. Now, as someone currently bringing up several alts simultaneously to try to sample all the revamped leveling storylines and zones, I can attest in no uncertain terms that sneezing too many times in a row nowadays will cause you to level. Mailbox Mage, though, plays pretty regularly. From what I can see, she logs in for a couple of hours at a time several times a week. She comes and goes, always heading off in different directions; she's obviously busy doing something. So I took a peek at her character profile -- instance runs and activity galore! I've come to the conclusion that that she's periodically freezing her XP, gobbling up every last bit of content in each level range before moving on.

Continue reading The player behind the mysterious Mailbox Mage

WoW InsiderThe player behind the mysterious Mailbox Mage originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>facebookfeedfeaturedinterestingplayer-profilesworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 22 Dec 2011 19:00:00 ESTPlayer nabs two legendaries in one weekhttp://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/player-nabs-two-legendaries-in-one-week/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/player-nabs-two-legendaries-in-one-week/http://wow.joystiq.com/2011/12/15/player-nabs-two-legendaries-in-one-week/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Heart of Flame quest
From Hollywood celebrities to the guy next door, millions of people have made World of Warcraft a part of their lives. How do you play WoW? We're giving each approach its own 15 Minutes of Fame.

It's a good week when you can say you've finally completed a legendary weapon in World of Warcraft -- and for one hard-working player on Spinebreaker (US), it was a very good week indeed. Lucky dog Nasar and his alt Grômp have both completed the legendary staff Dragonwrath, Tarecgosa's Rest this week. Even more remarkably, the alt actually beat the main to the punch by a few days.

Pulling strings behind the scenes? Nepotism? Cronyism? Hitting the ol' casting couch, even? No, Nasar and Grômp earned their staves the old-fashioned way: dedication to guild and goals. "We have exceptional casters in our guild, and Nasar is one of them," says guildmate Linthiel. "We always knew we wanted to give Nasar a legendary, even though we couldn't give it to him first. Nasar has been leading our guild's GDKP, which enabled our alts to get Firelands gear, and many mains on our server a shot at killing Ragnoras. I've personally been raiding with Nasar for over three years -- we both got our Firelord title last week -- and I am very happy for him. His main and his alt deserve this."

Continue reading Player nabs two legendaries in one week

WoW InsiderPlayer nabs two legendaries in one week originally appeared on WoW Insider on Thu, 15 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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]]>dragonwrathdragonwrath-tarecgosas-restfacebookfeedfeaturedgromplegendarylegendary-itemsnasarworld-of-warcraft-interviewswow-communitywow-interviewswow-peopleLisa PoissoThu, 15 Dec 2011 19:00:00 EST