tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48083916740006392252024-03-14T14:21:00.540+11:00Non Elitist Raiding DiaryTips for those not on the bleeding edge of WoW raiding.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comBlogger193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-9451508208107896702011-03-18T09:43:00.002+11:002011-03-18T14:27:58.408+11:00Hints for Valonia and Theralion 10I walked into the 2 dragons fight cold. I had read the strat, but most strats make no sense to me and tell me nothing that is really useful (one of the reasons I write my own).<br />
<br />
The main thing I walked away from this fight knowing, is that this is not a DPS race, it is a survivability fight. Stay alive and you will easily beat the enrage timer. As usual, you can go find strats and videos on the web if you are so inclined.<br />
<br />
So here are some things that helped me stay alive and healing during that fight:<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Pink dragon</span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">spread out</span> - don't stand too near someone so when blue poop hits you on the head, it doesn't splash the sides of the bowl too much and splash the person next to you.<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
Run in under the tail for black out</span>. Black out is really obvious to see on a person. DBM puts a skull on the persons head and they are glowing blue. STAY UNDER THE FRICKEN TAIL until the dispeller says GO! because if you don't, then the damage will make the healers very unhappy. (ETA replace "Under the tail" with "gathering spot of the RLs choice")<br />
<br />
If you are the dispeller - be super fast and call out quick.<br />
<br />
Smashy smashy. This dragon doesn't seem to be too bad.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />
Transition:</span><br />
Don't stand in the poop.<br />
If you DO stand in the poop and you end up in a weird twilight world, haul your arse to the portal on the side and GTFO ASAP! Avoid the glowing balls.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue dragon:</span><br />
range <span style="font-style: italic;">SPREAD THE FUCK OUT!</span><br />
Melee group stack under the tail.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">OK here's the tricks: </span> <br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">Purple arrow</span><br />
If you have a purple arrow on your head, run to melee. Melee will be under the tail, if they are not, that's their bad. No matter if you have an x on your head too. (see rules for x on head below)<br />
IF YOU HAVE HOTS OR DOTS AND AN x... I am not 100% sure if each tick causes an explosion, I think it might... so be careful of that.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-style: italic;">X on your head</span><br />
If you have an x on your head, and you are stuck in melee (ie you are a rogue or something or have a purple arrow on your head) DO NOTHING. No autohits, no nothing. Stand there and /dance or something till it goes away<br />
<br />
Otherwise, x on head GTFO! get away from anyone get out get away and continue doing what you normally do. <br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
Why x and v?</span><br />
x does aoe when you "do things" like heal or hit shit.<br />
v drops poop from on high and you need to share the love.<br />
<br />
Get this bit right, and not standing in the blue flamey bits on the ground is easy!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">When the pink dragon gets annoyed</span><br />
at some point, the pink dragon will start flaming 1/3 of the room. Designate a spotter (we found that dead people make great spotters) to tell the raid where the flames are going to be. At the point, it doesn't matter about DPS at all, just get out of the poop on the ground. Seriously, just concentrate on not standing in the bad and getting back to the pink dragon on the ground.<br />
<br />
And it back to pink dragon again.<br />
<br />
I found, the most important thing I could do in this fight was stay alive, and as a healer, emergency spot healing the raid to save idiots who stood in the poop *cough* like myself. Sometimes they died, but that actually turned into an advantage because it isnt a DPS race. <br />
<br />
Hope that helps people wrap their brains around things - it has clarified things a bit for me.<br />
<br />
I think the real trick is getting the inny and outey bits right (x and v) and having a good spotter for the 1/3 flamey bits, and also remembering that it is NOT a DPS race, you gotta stay alive.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-71588204189946224562011-03-01T09:53:00.000+11:002011-03-01T09:53:06.753+11:00Magmaw alternative comingThere is another way of dealing with the adds in Magmaw - when I have opportunity to look at the ins and outs (and gotchas) for doing it the alternative way, I will pop up a Magmaw Part II post :)<br />
<br />
Cheers to ratshag for reminding me!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-49902521381169627402011-02-28T09:46:00.001+11:002011-02-28T09:58:43.293+11:00Magmaw 10HI!<br />
Well, this expansion, strats are going to come a fair bit slower as I am with a much more casual raiding guild. But, I am still going to be writing up everything I can - and this one is about MAGMAW!<br />
<br />
First up, Magmaw is a giant worm that doesn't move. He has a <i>ginormous</i> hit box, so hunters, be really careful when dealing with the small amount of trash leading up to him. One misclick and you pull the boss and everyone starts wondering why people are dying. It's funny the first time....<br />
<br />
Anyway, for some reason people say that Magmaw has 2 phases - I personally find that terminology confusing, so I wont use it. It's not <i>really</i> 2 phases at all. But you will see what I mean when I get to it. Also, I will do a TL:DR at the end which summarises the fight in about 3-4 sentences.<br />
<br />
Magmaw is a gear check. It has high but predictable damage output, and it is to some extent a DPS race.<br />
<br />
Magmaw can do a few things when he is free to wiggle around and you set up your raid team positioning accordingly.<br />
<br />
<b>Shopping list: </b><br />
1-2 tanks (our team goes with 2, but 1 would also work if you are confident with your skills),<br />
3 healers<br />
5-6 DPS - at least 1 ranged<br />
<br />
<b>The positioning is as follows:</b><br />
Tank is on one side of Magmaw, everyone else (except the one ranged I mentioned) is "behind" Magmaw on the other side. Get as close to the giant worm as you can <i>but don't fall off the edge!!!</i> This, while funny even the 7th time, leads to wipes! The one lone ranged (usually a hunter for obvious reasons, two if you have two hunters) hangs out in range of heals, but at "ranged". There is a bit of broken floor in the middle, hanging around that is a good visual marker.<br />
<br />
That's it. Stay with that as best you can. Tank keeps the attention of the boss, the DPS/Healer group don't stand in the poop and the ranged dude also doesn't stand in any poop.<br />
<br />
<b>What poop is there?</b><br />
Well, there are several kinds of poop. There is Ignition, which is fairly obvious as half the room catches on fire. If it is the half that the DPS/Healer group is on, they need to get out of it asap, then move back when it is over.<br />
<br />
There is another kind of unavoidable poop that the healers simply have to heal through. You will see it because everyone's health bars will start plummeting. But most everyone is grouped up, right? AoE heals are fantastic here and make that part of the fight almost trivial when done right.<br />
<br />
<br />
One is especially for the ranged guy. Every... oh 30s or so, Magmaw will cast something called <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=78006">Pillar of Flame</a> at someone at ranged (and if there is no ranged, then it will be in melee which is <i>bad</i>). It's like the steam geysers in Valithria from ICC. You have 4s to get out of the poop on the ground before you get launched into the air.<br />
<br />
<b>BUGS!!</b><br />
From the ground of this event, a whole stack of adds will appear - Lava Parasites. Under <i>NO CIRCUMSTANCES </i>must these little critters be allowed to a) live or b) hit anyone. I can't stress this enough. When they are out, they are the number 1 DPS priority, no matter what else is happening. I mean it.<br />
<br />
So, now these adds need to be CCed - slowed, trapped, ice bolted... and more especially, kited. See why I recommended a hunter be at ranged? Whoever is at ranged needs to kite these suckers around, not get hit, and not die. Also, they need to keep enough threat on them all that the DPS in melee are not pulling off the kiter. Every class has something they can do - go research what you can do to help slow or kill these adds. I mean everyone, pallies and rogues included. It is vitally important that these bugs die. <br />
<br />
If they touch you, this is what happens: they decide you are a great host for their babies, and stab your stomach and <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=94679">infect you</a> (read the tool tip, it's worth it!), you then get <i>so sick</i> you <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=78937">chuck more parasites</a> everywhere. I mean, seriously awesome stuff, but kind of fatal to your existence and the existence of the raid. This pretty much causes a wipe.<br />
<br />
OK got all that?<br />
Not too bad - it's pretty much, don't stand in the poop, kite and kill the bugs. <br />
<br />
<b>"The Next Phase"</b><br />
At some point Magmaw will emote something about exposing his pincers (always a bad idea for the boss to do) which, conveniently, will then EAT THE DAMN TANK. Yes, Magmaw will bend over and <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=89773">chomp on the tank</a>. This debuff is visible on most raid frames - healers, time to focus on the tank. In 30s the tank will irrevocably die so healers, don't worry if your tank suddenly carks it. It just means the DPS are not doing their job.<br />
<br />
<b>Huh? What Job?</b><br />
2 DPS need to be allocated the job of jumping on Magmaw's head. When he bends over to chomp on the tank, a little vehicle arrow will appear when you mouse over him. One at a time, you can jump up on his head, but <i>beware</i> that vehicle icon is not available for long, so you have to be quick.<br />
<br />
Once up, your action bar will have a thing to do, which is use <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=79589">constricting chains</a> to tie his head to the spike in the middle there. OK DPS, this is where you need to talk on vent or something. You BOTH have to get your chains on at the same time. If only one gets done, then Magmaw will rip free and well, you have to go again, and since you only have 30s till the tank dies, you really only get one shot at this. The animation that goes along with chaining Magmaw is not short, so talk, and time it together.<br />
<br />
Magmaw also likes to headbutt the raid at this point often stunning people. Not a lot you can do about that except wear it. I mean, you can probably dodge away, but I don't believe it is worth bothering with. <br />
<br />
<b>Spiked</b><br />
Let's assume you got it right, and Magmaw is tied to the spike. The target will now change to <i>exposed </i>something or other - be sure that you are DPSing the right thing! Because, while Magmaw is chained down, you are doing double damage. Also, there is zero healing required at this time, so healers, you will need to use this tome to regenerate mana however you do it.<br />
<br />
CAVEAT: If there are parasites up - no matter what happens, they are a DPS target priority. The only 2 people excused from dealing with parasites are the DPS jumping on Magmaw's head. Even then, they need to get their job done asap and get back onto the parasites.<br />
<br />
Eventually, Magmaw will break free, and we are back to dealing with him as usual. This is where my group uses a second tank to ease the pain of the <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=78199">being munched on debuff</a>. But if you are confident, you can use the same tank.<br />
<br />
<b>Threat Dump!</b> <br />
DPS - be very careful of threat - there is a aggro dump when Magmaw is chained (I think it is at that point) and it CAN turn around and snot you for about 120k on cloth if the tank it not quick enough on the taunt. Possibly not enough to kill you, but it will give the healers the scare of their lives.<br />
<br />
<b>TL;DR </b><br />
OK maybe more than 3-4 sentences... <br />
<ul><li>One ranged for kiting parasites (priority kill targets), hunter best.</li>
<li>Rest group up "behind" Magmaw.</li>
<li>Don't stand in the poop.</li>
<li>2 DPS jump up asap, coordinate chain activation (30s Max time for this).</li>
<li>Burn Magmaw (parasites die first).</li>
<li>EEEP! Aggro Dump!!!</li>
<li>Rinse, repeat.</li>
<li>Collect bad RNG loots.</li>
</ul>Good Hunting - that's most of it. I know I skipped some things, but they really are irrelevant to know about.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-78098763286566862992011-02-23T14:08:00.000+11:002011-02-23T14:08:13.979+11:00Mana vs Concentration potsSo, while deliberating the ins and outs of paladin healing this week with my guildies (mostly, my paladin partner in crime, Siha) we came to a bit of a realisation: I was mana potting, she was conc potting.<br />
<b><br />
</b><br />
<b>What exactly is the difference?</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57192">Mana pots</a> give you a one shot 10k (approx) hit of mana.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57194">Conc pots</a> mean you stay put for up to 10s and gain back up to 22K mana (more if you are an alchemist - which I am not, so I dont know the details of the buff there).<br />
<br />
Here is a bit of an analysis I popped on our forums trying to figure out which was better (slightly edited for a couple of errors I made and were pointed out to me):<br />
--<br />
So, 10s of silence with a <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57194">concentation po</a>t gives a guaranteed 22k mana. But you cant do anything else. For 10s. <br />
<br />
vs<br />
<br />
A <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57192">mana pot </a>(quick 10k) plus hitting the boss. Seems like the proc rate of <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20165">insight </a>is about 30-40% per successful melee hit giving around 937 mana, with a judgement doing about 3.5k, but also leaving you free to heal or do other things.<br />
<br />
So in 10s a <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57192">mana pot</a> (10k instant) plus 2 judges (7k) plus 5 (ish) hits with a proc rate of about 2 of them returning mana puts you about 2 k behind a <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57194">conc potion</a>, without having to be immobile for 10s (ie you can <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85673">WoG</a> or <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20473">HS </a>or anything else at the same time)<br />
<br />
<i>Thoughts?</i><br />
<br />
I think it is situational. Clearly, Magmaw favours <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57194">conc pots</a> (probably bracketed by <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20165">judgements </a>to maximise regen) but I suspect other fights might favour the <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57192">mana pot</a>.<br />
--<br />
Siha added that coinciding <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=54428">DP </a>with a conc pot would really throw you back up in the mana stakes, and I said while that is a good idea, (I mean it really IS a good idea, and one of which I should have thought), it didn't change the math because both mana pots and conc pots could be coincided with <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=54428">DP</a>. <br />
<i><br />
</i><br />
<i>So people - what have you experienced? When is it a good time to mana pot? when is it good to conc pot?</i>Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-60980257758234617942011-02-18T08:20:00.002+11:002011-02-18T08:24:05.398+11:00One boss in BWD gawnSo, we killed magmaw on our first 10man adventure into raiding on wednesday night. In typical raiding style, it went down on the last pull of the night!<br />
<br />
I drew a lot of conclusions from that raid, and I need to do a couple more before I write up some advice on how to kill magmaw (there are a couple of very straight forward things you need to do to win) but also, on holy paladin healing. There were two of us in the raid - and we are both very competent pally healers, with VERY different styles. Looking at the recount summaries made me guffaw in amusement. The other holy pally was using Divine Light as her go to spell, and pumping out the HPS. She probably has a good 8-10 gear points on me. Me? Well, I was using every trick in the book to squeeze as much as I could out of what I had! I used literally everything, except Light of Dawn, which I am not a fan of as a spell.<br />
<br />
Today, I am hoping to go through the parses and see how much mana I generated compared to the other holy pally, and see if that is where I was lacking. I strongly suspect it is. I was experimenting with flasks and food, and I was trying the int flasks - I suspect until my gear picks up, I might need the spirit flask.<br />
<br />
Here's a screen shot of the kill attempt and my spell usage (Yes I know they don't fit on my actual blog, just click them and they will take you to a page with just the image. RSS feed readers... you will have no idea what I am talking about!)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rt82ViE40kg/TV2LuM7iwyI/AAAAAAAAAGY/_AKcE5cygls/s1600/magmaw+usage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rt82ViE40kg/TV2LuM7iwyI/AAAAAAAAAGY/_AKcE5cygls/s1600/magmaw+usage.JPG" /></a></div><br />
As you can see, I was very evenly using every trick at my disposal. I was keeping shock on CD as much as I could (which, honestly, probably wasn't enough). Here is the other holy pally:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bsd_2WoJgM/TV2PYUwqWBI/AAAAAAAAAGg/KpY7e_UjqSk/s1600/magmaw+Sail+usage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_bsd_2WoJgM/TV2PYUwqWBI/AAAAAAAAAGg/KpY7e_UjqSk/s1600/magmaw+Sail+usage.JPG" /></a></div>As you can see, she was pumping out the DLs hard as her go to spell. I simply do not have the mana, or regen to keep that up as much as she did.<br />
<br />
Then the money shot - why I need to up my spirit:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TFHvvkyy47M/TV2Ngxr8gWI/AAAAAAAAAGc/v-a6mSZZBdE/s1600/Magmaw+healing+done.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TFHvvkyy47M/TV2Ngxr8gWI/AAAAAAAAAGc/v-a6mSZZBdE/s1600/Magmaw+healing+done.JPG" /></a></div>Guess where Brang ran short on mana completely and utterly and was running on fumes? Yes, I was the light pink line. This really rams home to me that my attribute distribution on my gear is not ideal, and I am a bit short when it comes to being 10man raid ready. Not a LOT short, just a little bit.<br />
<br />
Remember that list I put up a couple of weeks a go with the self gearing information? Yeah, well I'm still wearing that list. It's not the best list, but as you can see above, it <i>is</i> really just about raid ready, or at least very close to it. I am near to replacing my crafted helm with the JP badge helm and that might make a bit of difference for monday, we will see! Unfortunately, I don't have another holy pally to compare myself to in that raid. <br />
<br />
But, I think I acquitted myself quite well, I kept pace on the whole, considering my gear level. I didn't die too much, I didn't stand in the fire, and on the whole, the tanks didn't get omnomnomed to death.<br />
<br />
Monday will be another raid instance, so we will see how that goes! I will chat to our kiters of adds for magmaw and see if I can get a good understanding of how they controlled the adds successfully (as toward the end of the night, they really had those adds under control) Then I will write up a NERD guide to 10man magmaw.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-9745289999922723442011-02-11T08:49:00.000+11:002011-02-11T08:49:59.791+11:00Short health-based updateSo you all know that I had been scarce here because I was "sick". Well, I was sick, I was nauseated all day every day and struggling to just get to work and collapsing when I got home.<br />
<br />
But I had to wait until all the scans and tests were done to be sure that nothing was going to go wrong. Because when you are having a baby, the last thing you want to have happen is tell people, only to have something awful happen within the first 12 weeks or have to make a difficult decision.<br />
<br />
So, I have been very busy in RL, with christmas/New year, organising a wedding (I have my own heirloom ring now for levelling with), convincing my partn^H^H^H^H^Hhusband to play a worgen with me, and... you know... growing a human in my belly.<br />
<br />
It takes <i>time</i>!<br />
<br />
Well, I seem to be a lot less sick now, I have a lot more time to play WoW and I have actually even started healing properly and have some ideas and advice on what to do in heroics, at least. May I say LoH is your friend, and so is holy shock.<br />
<br />
And for the record, my very next grim batol heroic dropped my bracers. I'm pretty happy, and raid ready! Now, its just a matter of slowly replacing my 333 gear with 346+ for added shininess for entry level raiding.<br />
<br />
My ret set is not changed much in the last week - but the ret update has added about 1k to my DPS (I can push 10.5k with my ilvl333 gear as opposed to pushing 9k). I got compliments from the DPS in my PUG heroic last night for what I was able to do with what I had (they were all partially raid geared, and I was keeping up, well, in the same ball park, with my quest greens!) so I was feeling on top of the world after that - still am, in fact. Also, I held my own in the Tol Barad raid - again, pushing over the magic 10k DPS requirement.<br />
<br />
So, this week has been successful for me.<br />
<br />
Next week, Southern Wardens steps into 10man raiding. Which I am looking forward to. Should be interesting.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-68493764814427571512011-02-04T09:12:00.000+11:002011-02-04T09:12:28.903+11:00Getting ready for Heroics (and raiding to some extent) as holy with minimal luckSince I have had little to no time for heroics (and every time I do, it takes upwards of 2 hours because there are always a few of us learning what is going on as I always go as a guild group), and RNG has been less than kind to me with regards holy gear, I have had to work on getting my gear sorted out very much on my own.<br />
<br />
<b>Shopping list:</b><br />
About 2500 JP, about 5000 if you want to buy a helm instead of the crafted one. Rep grinding to exalted Earthen Ring and Therazane, Honored with Ramaken by quest levelling and wearing a tabard. Bad RNG in heroic drops. About 5-10k gold to use. A herber alt. JC as a profession.<br />
<br />
So this is what I have done thus far:<br />
<br />
<i>Helm</i> - get the <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=55039">Stormforged Helm</a> created by a guildie. You can buy a helm with JPs which is better, but as you will see later, I spent my JPs on another item to cover off other, larger upgrades.<br />
<br />
<i>Neck</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62354">Pendant of Elemental Balance</a> (Earthen Ring Honored)<br />
<br />
<i>Shoulders</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=63913">Twilight-Heart Shoulderplates</a> (Quest Reward, Traitor's Bait, Horde side, unsure of alliance equivalent in Twilight Highlands) <br />
<br />
<i>Back</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62357">Cloak of Ancient Wisdom</a> (earthen ring revered)<br />
<br />
<i>Chest</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62359">Peacemaker's Breastplate</a> (Earthen Ring Revered)<br />
<br />
<i>Wrists</i> - Good bloody question. Still researching my options there, and waiting for RNG to strike in Grim Batol for <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=56464">Bracers of Umbral Mending</a> off Erudax<br />
<br />
<i>Gloves</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=58110">Gloves of Curious Conscience</a> (1650 JP)<br />
<br />
<i>Belt</i> - Expensive (truegold is owie), <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=76448">Light Elementium Belt</a> (crafted Epic, needs 4 <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=53039">hardened Elementium bar</a>s, 3 <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=58480">Truegold</a>, 2 <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=52078">Chaos Orbs</a>)<br />
<br />
<i>Legs</i> - My second piece of luck - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=63464">Greaves of the Misguided</a> (Heroic Shadowfang Keep, Lord Godfrey)<br />
<br />
<i>Feet</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62438">Drystone Greaves</a> (Ramaken - honored)<br />
<br />
<i>Ring</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62352">Diamant's Ring of Temperance</a> (Therazane - revered)<br />
<br />
<i>Ring</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62436">Ammunae's Blessing</a> (Ramaken - Honored)<br />
<br />
<i>Trinket</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=52354">Figurine - Dream Owl</a> (JC)<br />
<br />
<i>Trinket</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=52353">Figurine - Jeweled Serpent</a> (JC)<br />
<br />
<i>Mace</i> - A bit of luck! <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57872">Scepter of Power</a> (Heroic Halls of Origination, Setesh)<br />
<br />
<i>Shield</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=57925">Shield of the Mists</a> (950 JP)<br />
<br />
<i>Relic</i> - <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/item=62244">Tattooed Eyeball</a> (Inscription) This is where you will need your herber. The ink is hideously expensive, and it takes about one stack of cataclysm herbs per ink. If you have the money, GREAT! If not, get herbing!<br />
<br />
It's not the BEST list of items, but it is a very fast way of getting mostly ready to kick arse and take names in heroics at least. I suspect, it might even scrape you into almost ready for raiding with an understanding guild.<br />
<br />
So, in the last 4 days, that is what I have done. Gone from 277 and 264 items and a lot of quest greens, and done the above. I hope to heal my first heroic some time this weekend (My ret gear has been far outstripping my holy gear in luck and drops and so I have been DPSing all my heroics I have been doing) so will be able to put all this to the test!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-61437417800148074042011-02-02T09:37:00.000+11:002011-02-02T09:37:54.425+11:00Ret to the FACEIt seems that the RNG gods are displeased with the goats I have been sacrificing to them asking for holy plate, and have, instead, in their infinite wisdom, showered me with DPS and Tanking plate instead. This is wholly depressing since healing is my thing that I do. I heal stuff. I heal stuff when I am ret as well. Although, apparently I also Tank stuff when I am ret too.<br />
<br />
This is not all bad. Ret is stupid fun. And when I say stupid I mean it. My screen lights up like a christmas tree whenever I get into the thick of it and I am madly pressing the current glowing button and waiting for my combo points to hit 3 before I do something with them (or sometimes less if my "<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=84963">hit shit harder</a>" timer says that buff is about to run out).<br />
<br />
You see, I always loved playing rogues. My first toon was a troll rogue and I played the hell out of that character, until I was convinced to reroll alliance with work mates. So, you can imagine how damn excited I was to find out that my holy rogue is just as much fun to play!<br />
<br />
Now, 4.0.6 will be a big change to ret. I am looking forward to the change in mastery. I might actually start stacking that at some point! I am going to have a look this week at numbers and things that I can produce (I have about ilvl 333 average gear, and seem to be able to produce about 8k average DPS on a boss if I dont have to cover tanking or healing), which, for someone excited by the shinies on her screen, are some quite respectable numbers... <i>for ret</i>. Yeah, I put the caveat <i>for ret</i> on there because no matter what I do, I seem to be about 1-2k behind people with similar levels of gear to me. Which is kind of depressing, really.<br />
<br />
But my guild are lovely, and they take the broken holy pally along as ret to try to farm for heroic gear anyway. That said, I actually mostly hold my own these days. There really isn't a lot to ret; keep your <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=84963">hitty harder buff </a>up, <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20271">judge</a> and <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=35395">crusader strike</a>/<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=53385">divine storm</a> when they are off CD, use your holy power when it gets to 3 on either the <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85256">hitty one</a> or your buff (or use <a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85673">word of glory</a> if things are looking a little dire) and whenever one of your abilities glows, use it! Use all your CDs on bosses. That's the guts of ret. There are some ideas of rotation and start ups, and there is finesse in choosing which proc to use when many proc at once, but really, those are not too important to people who are not at top end raiding just yet. For most of us, venturing into our first raid, or gearing up in heroics, the finer ins and outs of decisions as to which proc to use when is not a life or death situation. Not standing in the poop will yield much greater results. That extra 100DPS just doesn't matter to us at this stage. I am not saying it won't soon, but it doesn't <i>yet</i>.<br />
<br />
It's not quite the faceroll it used to be, but it is a lot shinier on the screen!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-87745012187694171612011-02-01T09:34:00.000+11:002011-02-01T09:34:02.301+11:00I have been quiet a whileBut I promise you it is for good reason!<br />
<br />
[ Tangent alert - Non WoW related commentry below, feel free to ignore ]<br />
<br />
Last week, I got married.<br />
<br />
Yep.<br />
<br />
After 10 years of being with my partner, we finally got around to standing up in front of people and saying emotional stuff to one and other with the sole purpose of making people cry. Well, he made people cry, I made people laugh. But that is us.<br />
<br />
So yeah, I now have a heirloom ring for leveling up with, and so does he.<br />
<br />
Things have been a bit crazy, my WoW time has been rather limited. Well, my time on the internets in general has been limited! I am only just getting back into the swing of things this week.<br />
<br />
And I'm still sick as a dog. But I should have results on why and how in a couple of weeks - had some blood tests last week and having a scan next week. After that, the doc should know exactly what is going on. We do have a pretty good idea at the moment, but I'm not going to say anything until exactly what is going on is confirmed. I have had to come off the MS meds just in case, and that is making life a little bit interesting.<br />
<br />
So only being capable of lolling around on couches feeling awful has also cut into my motivation to do things other than feel sorry for myself. That said, I am back at work this week, so we will see how well I cope doing that.<br />
<br />
[ Tangent over - wow related stuff to follow ]Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-83352951436509070982011-01-12T11:42:00.000+11:002011-01-12T11:42:28.529+11:002 years!Well, this snuck by...<br />
my 2 year blogoversary was on the <a href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2008/12/because-my-guild-blog-got-too-small-for.html">22 December</a>!<br />
<br />
YAY ME!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-60720463888753849402011-01-12T11:40:00.000+11:002011-01-12T11:40:08.432+11:00Mojo FoundVery quick update between the craziness of work.<br />
<br />
My mojo is definitely back! I am currently bemoaning the fact that I wont be able to properly play until the weekend due to life and organising a wedding (I just realised 2 weeks left of the *cough* ... oh dear, I have a lot of work to do!). I hope to get back into everything properly in February when my health should be settling down and the wedding done and dusted.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-89075498696724790632011-01-07T13:19:00.000+11:002011-01-07T13:19:37.049+11:00Losing your mojo<b>What on earth do you mean, run out of mojo?</b><br />
I have lost motivation to play! Apart from going and smacking a few trolls and stealing theirs, it's a question we all face in some way or other at some time. And there are a few things you can do if you love playing WoW, but are not really motivated at this point in time. Usually, it is due to circumstances in and/or out of game.<br />
<br />
<b>What happened?</b><br />
Personally, I have a rather good out of game reason for mojo-loss that I wont go into for the moment (one day I will explain it, no it's actually not MS-related but that is part of the issue) that will probably eventually stop me playing in any way shape or form that is considered "regular". This was making me play less and have less energy to put into my guild, which consequently suffered, meaning that I was not enjoying the time online that I was spending, because I spent it feeling guilty that I was not motivated to run the guild.<br />
<br />
<b>So, what have I done that is keeping me going?</b><br />
It isn't really worthy of a lot of blogging, but I have gone back to the beginning. I have managed to convince my fiance to play (yes, my boyfriend didn't play WoW! He didn't get me into it, I am annoying HIM to play. Although, he is a massive minecraft fan ans once I showed him the mining and blacksmithing professions he got inordinately excited) and we have decided to play on Proudmoore, where quite a few of my RL friends hang out. It is also the guild that my RL friends have been pestering me to join for a couple of years now.<br />
<br />
So, I moved a couple of alts across as well as starting my worgen with my fiance (druids are fun, for the record) and started playing over there when I felt the need for company and easy levelling. My mage has been a great joy to play (I really love all the procs you get in fire spec, it is so exciting and compelling to keep on going on a hot streak!) and I played more and more over on Proudmoore, less and less on Brang and Frosty.<br />
<br />
Until this weekend I realised something - I had not logged onto Brang in over a week. I had recommended that me and my partner start on Proudmoore, not Frosty. This was a massive realisation for me that perhaps <i>I</i> should go there too. So, I was mulling this over while happily exploding mobs on my mage and I made a decision. I was going to move.<br />
<br />
Now, this guild on PM is a much more "casual" guild, but playing in a guild just for the raiding that I didn't necessarily get along with the people <i>in</i> it made me realise something earlier last year. I don't raid to raid. I raid for fun. I found out last year that I don't care if I wipe over and over and over as long as the people are GRADUALLY improving and the conversation is entertaining. This is leisure time, it's supposed to be FUN! not stressful.<br />
<br />
After talking to the PM guild, and my GL, I transferred last night.<br />
<br />
Only to have a name change fail. *sigh* so, 1 GM ticket later, we will see if that gets fixed up.<br />
<br />
<b>Who <i>is</i> the PM guild that made you leave your home?</b><br />
Southern Wardens. You may have heard of them. They have been around for a very long time across a couple of MMOs - the WoW guild was formed in 2004 (yeah, they have been going <i>that</i> long). Their guild leader is the writer of <a href="http://www.bananashoulders.com/">Banana Shoulders</a>, and there is at least one other blogger from <a href="http://huntersrhok.blogspot.com/">Hunters Rhok</a> in there too.<br />
<br />
So yeah, that's why I have been a bit quiet; dealing with my health (which at the moment is a full time job yeesh!) and losing my mojo.<br />
<br />
Here's to hopefully finding my mojo again and some more strategy writeups - but certainly not at the pace I was doing it last year. I'm going to try to add in some more paladin theory crafting as well.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-71593078928699374642010-12-20T08:25:00.000+11:002010-12-20T08:25:57.509+11:00The Cataclysm levelling experience so farWell, I wanted to post this a week ago, but it seems Life and Work have smacked me around the head a lot, and I have had minimal time to log on recently. I am currently half way through 84.<br />
<br />
Previous expansions (including vanilla) I charged to the level cap, and was assisted to get as much XP as possible to get to endgame as fast as possible. As I get older, more cynical and with more alts, I am finding I want to actually <i>level</i> this time. I want to experience the story of the Naga, of consorting with ancients, or really smelling what uldum smells like.<br />
<br />
I have completely finished Hyjal, and I loved the epic feel to it. I felt important, I felt like I was making a difference. Pity we had to go undercover again, I felt they ruined that section of the story with the pre-events. But apart from that, the Hyjal story line was engaging, the questing was useful (if there were "go get me 6 of these" it was clear that they had a reason). I was tricked, duped, sent up trees to save baby bears, used, abused, stuck on hippogriffs and dragons, had molten bore jokes thrust in my face and so on and so forth.<br />
<br />
Vash'ir wasn't the amazing experience it was sold to me as. I found the quest tricks annoying rather than engaging (to the point that I spent over 45 mins trying to figure out why my seahorse kept despawning, only to discover it was my vanity pet after about 30 attempts, then to have arrows shown on my screen and have my action bar mod fail so I spent another large amount of time screaming and wondering why hitting the REAL arrow keys wasn't working... yeah, not a happy camper). I also gave up on the zone about 2/3 of the way through it. The story was LONG, the quests not engaging (the only really interesting thing was the naga phasing story) and I wanted to get levelling. So Vash'ir went bye bye.<br />
<br />
I skipped deepholme and went to Uldum. Now, I had heard mixed reviews of uldum, that it was not linear, the quests were terrible, the cut scenes were annoying and so on and so forth. However, I am finding the quests interesting, the cut scenes FUN! and the xp very nice. I'm only half way through Uldum, but I hope to finish it as I hit 85.<br />
<br />
I think this is the longest time it has taken me to hit level cap ever. Someone give me some of their spare time please? I am missing mine. I won't get to log on for at least another 2 days either. Yeesh, talk about getting the twitches.<br />
<br />
And my poor guild needs recruiting and some love, MMOLeader needs some of my attention and my blog here needs some time too.<br />
<br />
I have some opinions on Holy Pally healing as well, but given the state of flux the class/spec seems to be in at the moment, I might wait until it settles. Suffice it to say that holy light is still your go to spell, with the odd flash, shock on CD, and get in there and hit those mobs. No matter what anyone says, a free heal is a free heal, use those Holy Power points!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-5326707783075419212010-11-24T10:19:00.000+11:002010-11-24T10:19:43.861+11:00Leadership FailureHappy Shattering, all!<br />
<br />
In celebration of WoW 2 dropping into Azeroth today, I am not going to write about it. Instead, I am going to pop up a post I wrote on <a href="http://mmoleader.com/topic/137-leadership-failure/">MMOLeader</a> about how you can deal with leaders that are not performing up to your standards.<br />
--<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sIRckzAlMbE/TOxLxql1JSI/AAAAAAAAAGM/CqEQFYAN33s/s1600/failure-300x225.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_sIRckzAlMbE/TOxLxql1JSI/AAAAAAAAAGM/CqEQFYAN33s/s1600/failure-300x225.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
What happens when a leader is not up to the task? Not only does your sanity as the leadership team suffer, but the group being led will almost certainly be suffering as a whole. You will often observe this with a drop in performance of the group and socially, morale will start to plummet. Perhaps people will start griping at each other, there might be some infighting or the most disastrous one, your group will start hemorrhaging members. If it is moved to the latter stages, you <em class="bbc">might</em> be too late. That said, it is never too late to stop, regroup and rebuild.<br />
<br />
<strong class="bbc">Failure Behaviour</strong><br />
So, what are some of the things a leader might be doing which could be identified as an issue? <br />
<br />
The first, most damaging and usually most obvious one is mutiny. They openly and actively go against what the leadership team agrees to be doing. This may be publicly, or it might be in the privacy of the leadership team communication channels, or it might be subtle undermining of the leader, the level of mutiny can vary.<br />
<br />
A loss in time available to play the game can be another way that a leader can be identified as an issue. Being a leader is taking on responsibility above and beyond just gameplay, and in order to be an effective leader, that leader needs to have the time to do what needs to be done. If circumstances change, it is quite valid to mark a leader as having to be replaced simply because the work is not getting done.<br />
<br />
Making the wrong decision to promote someone to the leadership team is another reason to remove them. Everyone makes mistakes, and some people just don't fit what is required to be a leader. Perhaps they didn't realise what was entailed in the job and are simply not up to the mark. Perhaps you didn't realise that the person was missing a trait you consider vital to being a leader in your group. Perhaps they just don't gel with the established leadership team.<br />
<br />
The last reason I will mention is attitude. A change in attitude from the leader in question can trigger a removal of an officer. They might be doing everything else right, but if their personal morale has dropped for any reason, this will negatively impact your team. Or simply, your group doesn't like this person's style. <br />
<br />
<strong class="bbc">Incident Management<br />
</strong>The very first thing you should do after you have identified an issue is take reasonable steps to try to rectify the situation without making any changes. Identify the issue and take immediate steps to minimise the impact of the actions. This can be enough to buy you some time to deal with the leader in question. Talk to your other leaders and see if you can get them to cover any responsibilities that are missing, or patch up any relationship problems in the group as they see them (which, really, they should be doing anyway. Sometimes people need a little prod to get moving as they worry about stepping on other peoples' toes in situations like these). <br />
<br />
<strong class="bbc">Problem Management</strong><br />
Talking to the leader in question about why they are behaving the way they are is leadership 101. Communication is always key. Take the leader aside and have a chat, find out what is going on with them to cause the problem. Talk to your fellow leaders and not only inform them of the problem, but see if they can help resolve the issue or perhaps shed some light on why the leader is behaving the way they are. Do your best to figure out what can be done to help the leader in question. Support, redistribution of duties, argument mediation... all of these things and more could be used to try to keep your officer in place and functioning again. <br />
<br />
<strong class="bbc">Problem Resolution</strong><br />
From all this you will have 3 likely outcomes, which could be the following<br />
<br />
<em class="bbc">Leader stays<br />
</em>Structure changes are best kept to a minimum, so if you can negotiate a way for the leader to stay, then this is the best outcome. Giving them a chance to rectify the issues, work on them and grow as a leader is a good chance to develop not only your own management skills, but the leadership team's skills as well. Make sure that feedback is given to the leader and support is maintained during this probationary period. Everyone should be given a chance to show they can rise to the occasion in my opinion. Make sure that the entire team is supported if there has been any strain on the team relationships and especially if there has been a redistribution of responsibilities or changes in positions to accommodate new working parameters.<br />
<br />
<em class="bbc">Leader leaves by choice</em><br />
It might be that, after all the negotiations, it becomes apparent that the leader in question doesn't think they can stay in the job or doesn't want to stay. This should be relatively easy to have a transition period in which they stay in their job until a suitable replacement can be found. The leader can then drop back to whatever they feel they can do at this stage in time and the group can move forward together and clearly with no hard feelings.<br />
<br />
<em class="bbc">Leader needs to be removed</em><br />
During negotiations it might become apparent that the leader needs to be removed, but is not willing to step down of their own volition. This is the most tricky situation to mediate and will require super-amazing communication skills in order to execute without causing too much upset to the team. Try to keep everything as transparent as possible, and be as reasonable as possible. The leader's personal relationships will become a sticking point in all this, especially if there are some strong loyalties or friendship ties within the group to this person. More especially if those ties are to you. Be careful - there is no easy way to do this. You have my sympathy if it has come to this point.<br />
<br />
At the end of the day, don't forget that you are playing a game. If it is no longer fun you are doing something wrong.<br />
<br />
I have had to remove leaders before, and demoting friends who decided that leadership was no longer their thing is easily the hardest thing (emotionally) I have ever had to do. Even declaring that I was done leading and thus the team stopped functioning was easier than removing friends from office (especially when those friends then drifted out of your life). This is emotional, and anyone that tells you different is not a good leader.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-38995299688255664112010-11-12T09:34:00.000+11:002010-11-12T09:34:26.712+11:00What are my more popular posts?I was meandering around my site, looking at feedburner stats and the stats provided by blogger to see what my more popular posts are.<br />
<br />
<div class="gwt-HTML"><div class="GMQVX1KPN"> <a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/04/lich-king-arthas-menethil.html">1883 views - "The Lich King - Arthas Menethil</a>" </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">Unsurprisingly, my most viewed piece of work. This seems to get linked to by guilds the world over from their forums. Occasionally, these guilds have <i>unlocked</i> forums and I have opportunity to see what was said about my guide. Mostly it is positive, and sometimes there are penny drop moments for people which is satisfying to see. The main way people get to this post is via pwnwears couple of link backs to me in his compilation posts of online guides.</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><div class="gwt-HTML"><div class="GMQVX1KBO"> <a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/03/sindragosa.html">1821 views - "Sindragosa" </a> </div><div class="GMQVX1KBO"><a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/06/heroic-lady-death-whisper.html">1266 views - "Heroic Lady Death Whisper</a>" </div></div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/05/heroic-saurfang.html">622 views - Heroic Saurfang</a> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">People get here from google. Not as often linked to forums as our good friend the lich king, I can only assume this is mostly for people doing their own research. There is a sharp drop off in page views as I assume that google doesn't show saurfang as high on the search lists.</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><br />
</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">From here we drop into my leadership posts. These guys sit in the 2-500 view range.</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/10/loot-as-skinner-box.html">Loot as a Skinner box</a> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/09/copping-it-sweet-taking-criticism-as.html">Copping it sweet: taking criticism as a leader</a> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><a class="GMQVX1KNN" href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/2010/10/theres-movement-at-station.html">There's movement at the station...</a> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">These posts all had a lot of link love. They did the rounds of my corner of the blogosphere, which was extremely awesome to watch and every time someone links to me I never believe that they think my work could be good enough to promote. They are also all posts made within the last 2 months.</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"> </div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">Of course, this is not looking at the RSS feed traffic or general traffic from the wonderful people out there linking unasked to my blog! I am a believer in putting links to other blogs I like. If I find a new blog, it goes in my reader for a couple of months. If I find myself reading it and enjoying it, I will pop it in my <a href="http://nonelitistraiding.blogspot.com/p/blogroll.html">blog roll</a>. If not, then I either unsub or I just read it occasionally.</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN"><br />
</div><div class="GMQVX1KPN">So, luckily for me I will be continuing my strategy writing come Dec 7 (it will only be 10man focused, but I suspect that will be what the majority of people will be doing anyway). In fact, I will be documenting not just the working strategy, but also the discovery process we will be going through to create a strategy. I hope this will be interesting and entertaining for everyone to read!</div></div></div>Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-24652496726489110632010-11-08T09:39:00.000+11:002010-11-08T09:39:53.858+11:00An example of excellent leadershipThere are still awesome leaders in this world, one of them is named <a href="http://blacksen.com/">Blacksen</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://blacksen.com/archives/846/comment-page-1#comment-1719">Blacksen and his guild</a>, <a href="http://imperative-guild.com/">Imperative</a>, took it upon themselves to thank "Red Shirt Guy" in a way that the rest of us would never be able to - took him on a 12/12 ICC HM run. They gave him offspec shinies he might not otherwise get, and the winner of the roll for Arthas' horse, Invincible, gave up his shot at the mount in favour of donating it to Red Shirt Guy (who was quoted as saying that Arthas' "... loved that horse more than he loved Jaina Proudmore", yeah I think that was worth it).<br />
<br />
Red Shirt Guy has had to deal with a lot of internet tough guys taunting him and attacking him. The video in question was brought to my attention by my partner (a reddit addict, and not a WoWer. He plays minecraft, and I don't ever want him to play Eve as I would never see him again). We both watched the video, and came to 2 conclusions - that the guy had a touch of aspergers (which red shirt guy later confirmed... I mean, his passion and attention to lore detail was amazing!) and that Red Shirt Guy had never used a PA system where there is a delay on hearing yourself talk. If you are not used to it, your automatically Slllloooowww dooownnn youuurrr talkinnnngg because your brain wants you to finish hearing yourself before going onto the next sound. If course, in your own head, this works just fine. On a PA system with a delay? Well, you just start talking slower and slower as the delay will never catch up and you quite often sound like you have a speech impediment of some kind (and sound pretty much exactly like Red Shirt Guy). <br />
<br />
This delay technique is being used in <a href="http://www.casafuturatech.com/Books/NoMiracleCures/DAF.shtml">a scientific manner</a> as well. People with stutters find almost immediate relief from a lot of their stuttering as soon as you feedback their own speech with a slight delay into their ear. Why is that? For the exact same reason Red Shirt Guy sounded like he had a problem with talking - it slows you down, it tricks your brain into waiting. Stuttering is often caused by your brain going too quickly and getting stuck (of course it is vastly more complicated than that, but I am not a neuroscientist!).<br />
<br />
I made my thanks known to Blacksen personally, but I think he and his guild deserve a public shout out. Thanks from all of us who didn't hate, who quietly admired Red Shirt Guy for getting up and asking the question in front of literally thousands of people, for putting up with the ridicule, who understood what happened on that day to his voice and who are the silent majority who noted the event and moved on.<br />
<br />
Leaders are not just people who can lead their group, but they lead the way within the community as well. Blacksen has shown that he is not just a good leader within the context of competetive PvE content (Imperative are one of the best PvE guilds in the world, a piece of notable leadership in and of itself) but the guild and ALL its members are leaders within the WoW community at large by extension of this position. What they do is what everyone else will try to emulate. Their behaviour is watched and it is counted - every single member of that guild (and guilds in similar positions) are leaders. <br />
<br />
This single act of kindness shows me that Imperative are the kind of leaders I want to be at the top of the game, showing the rest of the world that not only can you be badass (as Blacksen puts it) but you can be AWESOME and still be kicking butt and taking names. <br />
<br />
So, thanks Blacksen and Imperative for being non elitist, hardcore PvE leaders.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-79801142811255799812010-11-06T19:01:00.000+11:002010-11-06T19:01:30.207+11:00Of PUGs, Mages and tangentsThis is a bit of a (long) Story Time with Aunty Brang, but I was so excited, I had to share. I won't be offended if you just skim it and click "read" on your RSS feeder, I also wont <i>know</i> but SHHH... <br />
<br />
I am generally not a LFD-er. I am not a fan of the people you get in pugs from that tool. Generally people are silent, and when they do talk it is because you screwed up, or they are telling you to wait for mana or demanding a buff of some kind. The anonymity and randomness has made people forget their manners, on the whole. Occasionally, the LFD tool has sparks of awesome. This is the tale of one such awesome point in an otherwise boring time of levelling. There is one moral from this story, one point that I keep trying to make over and over... communication is key. If you communicate, then people are a lot more tolerant of you, as you will see in the following dialog.<br />
<br />
I was levelling my little mage, Dhaliri, <i>trying</i> to catch up to some of my friends who had overtaken me so we could go do some instances together. With some trepidation, I hit the LFD key, and start questing. Within minutes I was being ported into Utgarde Keep "I WILL PAINT MAH FACE WITH YOUR BLOOOOD!" <i>(Sure Ingmar, whatever you say)</i>.<br />
<br />
It didnt take long for me to realise that something good was about to happen:<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: Try to keep up</span></div></blockquote><br />
So with out much further ado, we charge into the instance. The DK Tank is pulling like a champion, taking large groups of mobs (but not too many) and the rest of us are carving up the AoE. We all seem to know what we are doing, waiting for the DnD to go down before we start wailing on everything. Then... this happens...<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:53 [Priest Healer]: I don't get the trend for tanks to totally disregard that the healer needs mana...what is that?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:54 [Tank DK]: I wasn't disregarding, I just wasn't paying attention</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:54 [Hunter]: an s on their chests now??</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:54 [Hunter]: lol</span></blockquote><br />
At this point, I think I had a massive crush on the hunter...<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:55 [Tank DK]: The very last time I ran this, I ran it with a druid who said he could faceroll</span></blockquote><br />
Uh oh! Could we possibly have a cocky, annoying tank?<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:55 [Tank DK]: I wasn't mitigating properly, usually I can heal myself a bit</span></blockquote><br />
*blink* SERIOUSLY? This tank was saying that the wipe was partially his fault! I think I have a crush on the tank now too! He even took the priest seriously with the next comment:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:55 [Priest Healer]: no idea what that is</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:56 [Tank DK]: It's so easy, he could roll his face over the keyboard and it would workl </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:56 [Hunter]: lol</span></blockquote><br />
Hunter is giggling his head off at all this, and so am I.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">14:58 [Tank DK]: Mana?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:58 [Priest Healer]: thanks</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">14:58 [Hunter]: no ty i am good lol</span></blockquote><br />
Ah Hunter - how I love thee, let me count the ways. And thus we proceeded to completely smash the instance. Then, the Tank DK dropped the bombshell:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:13</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: This is my second character, right next to the 55 warrior I dropped to make this one</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:13</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I just love tanking</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:13</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I'm gonna make a druid and a pally too</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:13</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: u r good at it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: yeah, you are doing really well at tanking for your second character</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: =D</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: ya :D</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: My buddy has played WoW for about 4 years</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: Im watching your threat and its solid</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I learn a lot from him</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:14</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: well, hes a good teacher</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:15</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: yes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:15</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: Thanks =D</span></blockquote><br />
We enjoyed that run so much, we decided to go again, but with a new healer. This healer has a rather... LOW mana pool. AAAAAAAAAAaaaand we wipe. Now, read the following interaction:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:25</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: What happened?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:26</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: I pulled aoe</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:26</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Druid Healer]: i died<br />
...<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:27</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I screwed up the positioning of my DnD</span></span></blockquote><br />
There was a bit more to the conversation than that, but it is pretty boring to read. The upshot it we identified what went wrong and we corrected it. The only thing the druid had to say was "I died". The rest of us were trying to figure out what happened and how it occurred. I didn't pull aggro again, I watched the DnD and made sure my AoE was in the right places... however, the druid kept dying, generally, it seemed from a lack of mana (as the Tank DK was starting to look after himself), or not realising that DnD wasnt going down sometimes and pulling healer aggro.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:40</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: healer down</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:40</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: How?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">...</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:41</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I didn't think they'd be a problem, little babies hit a lot when they're many</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:41</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: I just blood boiled and assumed I'd have aggro thil they died</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:42</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: druids pull healer aggro pretty hard</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:42</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: something to be wary of on aoe pulls</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:45</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Druid Healer]: sorry guys, sik of running bak</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:45</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Druid Healer]: gl</span> <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: mmm so ... odd healer is odd?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: strange</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: did he was hurting himself ? xD</span></blockquote><br />
And the Druid decides to leave after the first boss. However, while we were waiting for him to run back one time, us Dranei entertained ourselves by telling jokes to the mobs.<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:43</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: ajajajaj draenei talks like russians lolol.. sorry my first ally char</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: Kind of</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: was just gonna say that</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: Ever heard of Babylon 5?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: ya</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: The dranaei are based on the boneheads from that show</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:44</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: their prophet is even named Velen! (in Bab 5 its Valen(</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:45</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: im gonna check them out later :)</span></blockquote><br />
Did I mention that this group rocked? Anyway, the new healer rocks up and we see the following exchange:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: hi !</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: Hi there</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: hi</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: A DROOD</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:46</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Hello noobs and noobetes</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: :P</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: joks</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: You are going to fit in JUST FINE</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: im scared now</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: I would be</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: for sure</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Just cause im a druid</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: adn your a mage</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:47</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: And you like dragons</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:48</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: :O</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:48</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: I SAW THAT MOVIE</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:49</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: i made this toon when i was like 10</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:49</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: then i got it to liek 15</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:49</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: (oh man, I feel old right now)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:49</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: and stoped playing it for like 5 years</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: adn now i am 15 and i decided to play it again</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol how old are you</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: 40?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: not THAT old</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Tank DK]: 23!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: 26</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: 32</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: 38 here</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: oops 34</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol u old people</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: getting senile in my old age</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:50</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: young wippersnapper</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: and you are a Femlae or a male :P</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: One day YOU WILL BE OLD JUST LIKE US MUAHAHAHAAAA</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [DPS DK]: same as my char</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:51</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: ditto</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Hunter]: same here</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Finkle bottom saggy tits :P</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: sorry :(</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: lol?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: lol</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">15:52</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: you should be CONFUSED</span></blockquote><br />
Yep, that was pretty much one long exchange as we pulled into the next boss. We smashed through the instance and queued up again. This was worth it just for Youngling's random comments while we waited for the next healer to sort out a mod:<br />
<br />
<blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">15:58</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: when i run sideways it looks like i am running foward</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:00</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: Tree is for Fight</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: yeh</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: GUESS WHAT</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: what? (dare I ask?)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: CHICKENS GO MEOW WHEN PEOPLE ARE NOT LOOKING!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: how do you know?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: cause i videod it</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: :P</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:01</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: SS or it didn't happen!</span></blockquote><blockquote style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:03</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: Feel my suductive dance</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:03</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Youngling]: :P</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">16:03</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"> [Dhaliri]: that damn moonkin dance makes me lol</span></blockquote><br />
Finally, the shammy logs back on... we charge in...<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:03 [Tank DK]: Here we go</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:04 [Tank DK]: Get ready for epic heals</span></div></blockquote><br />
And disaster strikes as the tank comes crashing down... <br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:04 [Youngling]: lol</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:04 [Tank DK]: WELL I NEVER!</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:04 [Youngling]: Moments like this you need a Minti</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:04 [Youngling]: lol</span></div></blockquote><br />
I pull aggro and decide Ice Block is my friend. <br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Youngling]: Mage get back</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Youngling]: if worst com e to worst use Invisiblility</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Tank DK]: If worst comes to worst</span></div></blockquote><br />
(I would if I HAD invisibility at that level...) I decided that advancing in a negative direction was the best thing for me to do right now... but I didn't count on LFD putting awesome people in my group a third time running. <br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Shammy Heals]: you know what...that's my bad sry...</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Dhaliri]: I ran</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Dhaliri]: what happened?</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Shammy Heals]: my comp got freeze again</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Youngling]: lol</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Ret Pally]: I tanked</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Youngling]: :P</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Ret Pally]: we won</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Dhaliri]: AH</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Dhaliri]: I saw! </span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:05 [Tank DK]: It's okay =D</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Dhaliri]: I froze, then ran, then ran back and helped!</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Ret Pally]: lol</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Tank DK]: runn!</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Youngling]: Lol you didnt help shit</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Tank DK]: loool</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Dhaliri]: I DID!</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:06 [Youngling]: :P</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:07 [Dhaliri]: Im helpy mcHelpPants</span></div></blockquote>This was the very first pull of the instance. How many people would have just quit? But NOT US! We trooped on!<br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span><br />
<div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:22 [Dhaliri]: LOL so used to being a tank healer - on the tanks heels all the time</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Youngling]: lol</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Youngling]: what a noob</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Youngling]: :P</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Dhaliri]: You wish you were as noob as me</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Youngling]: fuck yeh</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:23 [Dhaliri]: see?</span></div></blockquote><br />
And Youngling was just as entertaining as previously. Unfortunately, I had to leave after this run... but I couldn't be let go without a passing shot from the crowd...<br />
<br />
<blockquote><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Dhaliri]: ok Im off guys - cheers for that</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Dhaliri]: GL with the levelling!</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Youngling]: *cough* noob *cough*</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Youngling]: :P</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Dhaliri]: haha</span></div><div style="color: purple;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">16:29 [Tank DK]: =D</span></div></blockquote>Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-39705731075151580602010-10-28T18:38:00.000+11:002010-10-28T18:38:53.878+11:00There's movement at the station......for the word has FINALLY passed around!<br />
<br />
I have been working on a SuperSecretProject for a few weeks now. <br />
<br />
One day, I was hanging out on the <a href="http://pwnwear.com/forum/leadership.html">pwnwear leadership forum</a> and thought... "If I wanted advice as a leader, where would I go?" After a quick internet search, I came up with a few blogs, but no real home or place to go for advice or just a good old whinge.<br />
<br />
It seems that I was not the only one with this thought. Gravity from Pwnwear was thinking similar things. One quick conversation later and we were embarking upon a brave new world of leadership community building. This world was named<br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1658759158"><br />
</a><br />
<a href="http://www.mmoleader.com/">MMOLeader</a><br />
<br />
We busily worked on what it would look like, how it would feel, what was the purpose. Along the way, we invited some people to join us in creating this new corner of the internet. Karatheya from <a href="http://blog.cold-comfort.org/">Cold Comfort</a>, Kasgrin from the <a href="http://pwnwear.com/forum">Pwnwear forums</a> and Blacksen of <a href="http://blacksen.com/">Blacksen's End</a> all thought this was a mighty fine idea and agreed to be contributing authors.<br />
<br />
Together we worked hard to create a space that... for a new home looks pretty good, if a bit utilitarian at the front end. We are hoping that as we grow and develop, so will our forums and more especially, our front page (I have cemented my realisation that "pretty" is for other people, however cool back end crazy coding, yeah, that's more like me!).<br />
<br />
So please, if you are a leader or you enjoy reading about leadership and want somewhere that you can call home, join us at <a href="http://www.mmoleader.com/">MMOLeader</a>. We are not just about WoW, we are looking at all kinds of gaming leadership. We even have a section for professional development, because so much of the theory and ideas presented to keep an online group running is used in the workplace as well!<br />
<br />
It is easy to become a member. You can login with your facebook or twitter accounts, or just comment anonymously if you wish, but to get the most out of the forums come and make an account.<br />
<br />
The most important thing I have left till last - this is a community first and foremost. While a few of us will be authors, admins and moderators, if you wish to become an author, start posting! If the article you write is good enough, you will make it to the front page as a featured topic. No commitment, no responsibility, no strings attached. If you don't want to be put up front on the front page, just let us know in the post.<br />
<br />
If you have enjoyed reading this blog at all, I hope you will come give MMOLeader a try.<br />
<br />
Now, all that said - I will still be posting here. Much of my content will be cross posted if it relates to leadership in any way shape or form, but my strategy posts will still be finding a home here. In fact, come cata, this blog will undergo a slight content shift as I will be documenting my adventures in Pastafarian.<br />
<br />
So Big News! Please pass the word around, it is going to be hard to generate the initial buzz, but I am hoping that all you wonderful people out there will help me achieve that!Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-54357533550918516672010-10-28T14:52:00.001+11:002010-10-28T14:55:36.416+11:00Holy Rogues be BUFFED!30% across the board in the beta build and Bacon up from 1 minute to 5 minutes.<br />
And mastery buffed as well. We might be viable again in Cata! WHEE!<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><br />
</div><blockquote style="background-color: white; color: blue;">* Holy Radiance's effectiveness now diminish on targets farther than x yards away.<br />
* Divine Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 8538-9512 to 11100-12366<br />
* Holy Wrath now scales from 61% of SpellPower, up from 30%. Base damage reduced by 22%, from 3122 to 2435.<br />
* Exorcism now scales from 34.4% of SpellPower or AP, up from 15%. Base damage increased by 15% from 2343 to 2741.<br />
* Flash of Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 5313-5961 to 6907-7750.<br />
* Lay on Hands no longer restores mana.<br />
* Holy Light base healing has been increased by 30%. From 3202-3567 to 4162-4637.<br />
* Beacon of Light now lasts 5 min, up from 1 min.<br />
* Mastery: Illuminated Healing now absorbs 10% of the amount healed, up from 8%. Now lasts 8 sec, up from 6 sec. Each point of mastery increases the absorb amount by an additional 1.25%, up from 1%.<br />
* Holy Shock base healing has been increased by 30%. From 3033-3285 to 3943-4271.</blockquote>Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-47665282797175981762010-10-21T21:23:00.000+11:002010-10-21T21:23:50.547+11:00Holy Pally Co-efficients 4.0.0.1987So, in a post over on <a href="http://bossypally.wordpress.com/2010/10/18/numbers-for-4-0-1/">The Bossy Pally</a>, Ophelie was mucking around with spell coefficients for Holy Pallies. Now she has gone off to Blizzcon and left us all hanging with regards the patch adjustments. So, based on her math, here are the updates.<br />
<br />
I have made a COUPLE of changes to what is going on - there seem to no longer be ranges on the tooltips for heals, just a straight number. So, I got my kit off in the middle of Dalaran in the name of science and came up with these numbers:<br />
<br />
Nekkid (92 SP at level 80 - base values)<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85222">Light of Dawn</a> -1687<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85673">Word</a> - 1699 per charge<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20473">Holy Shock</a> -1975<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=82326">Divine Light</a> -8499<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=19750">Flash of Light</a> -5319<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=635">Holy Light</a> - 3187<br />
<br />
Clothed (3416 SP at level 80)<br />
Light of Dawn - 2296<br />
Word - 2312 per charge<br />
Holy Shock - 4047<br />
Divine Light - 11566<br />
Flash of Light - 7615<br />
Holy Light - 4335<br />
<br />
Coefficient = (Clothed heal - Nekkid Heal)/Clothed Spell Power<br />
<br />
Light of Dawn - 0.18<br />
Word - 0.18 per charge<br />
Holy Shock - 0.31<br />
Divine Light - 0.89<br />
Flash of Light - 0.67<br />
Holy Light - 0.33<br />
<br />
Compared to the previous values:<br />
Light of Dawn = MISSED<br />
Word of Glory = 0.22<br />
Holy Shock = 0.69 <br />
Divine Light = 1.04<br />
Flash of Light = 0.77<br />
Holy Light = 0.33<br />
<br />
EEP check out holy shock! They really mucked around with that one! <br />
<br />
I have linked the values on WoWhead so you can see what Ophie used (note these MIGHT get updated soon). Seems we have been dropped across the board - which is in line with the comments I am hearing that Paladins are over powered at 85. So, that's actually a good sign. I'd rather be tweaked with now, rather than later, that's for sure.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-64755723611739141812010-10-21T11:08:00.001+11:002010-10-21T11:12:23.199+11:004.0.1 and initial Holy Pally reactionSo, I spent 2 hours patching then another 3 hours readjusting my UI and figuring out my spec (which I am still not happy with) and wondering what on earth is going on with glyphs. Oh man, I wish I were an inscriptor, they were raking in the money! RAKING IT IN.<br />
<br />
But this is a holy pally post - a very bad, I haven't raided yet, wtfamIdoing post.<br />
<br />
First of all, I would like to welcome my new Holy Rogue style of play to my keyboard. I can't tell you how immeasurably happy I am to have my 2 favourite classes smooshed together in such a way. I was leaping around my chair with excitement. It seems blizzard are finally pushing paladins back into melee. I never understood why Holy Paladins all stood at range to heal. It doesn't fit the lore, or the class. I was always in the thick of it, seal twisting depending on what I needed at the time, health or mana, and by doing that, allowing myself to use different stats to other paladins. I could value crit higher. Bring on the Combat Medic, I say. I am looking forward to raiding encounters in Cata which will allow this to happen.<br />
<br />
I am going to ignore anything about spec and glyphs for the moment. I am not convinced mine are right and I need to play a little to figure out what I think is useful in terms of spells before I tweak in any way yet. I expect to be spending some gold on respecs.<br />
<br />
For reference, I have a spec something like <a href="http://wowtal.com/#k=Yu7g5Tp.a5o.paladin.">this</a>. <br />
<br />
<b>First of all what do we have to use as a holy pally now?</b><br />
The very first thing I noticed was I have a lot less on my bars, but a lot more that I need to look at. I have moved from 1 bar under my feet with OHSHIT buttons and a GCD timer from quartz, to 2 bars and a holy power meter and quartz to manage everything I feel I need to watch constantly.<br />
<br />
It seems things are now grouped into 3 catagories for healing. <br />
<br />
<b>Heals</b> <br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20473">Holy Shock</a> - This seems to be our bread and butter heal. I keep it on CoolDown (CD) at all times. It was reasonably cheap and generates Holy Power (HP). If it is not on CD, why not? As far as I seem to play, it is always on cooldown.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85673">Word of Glory</a> - This is a free heal. Again, if you have HP and it is not on CD, why is it not on CD? Use it at every opportunity you have, generally on the tank, but really whatever needs it. 3 HPs mean the heal gets up to 5k.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=82326">Divine Light</a> - This is our heavy hitting heal. Seems to me to be a little underpowered for the mana cost at the moment. I am sure this will get balanced out at 85 as we scale up. For the moment, use sparingly and only in emergencies.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=19750">Flash of Light</a> - Ok, so this is our upside down heal. What used to be a quick small cheap heal is now a quick EXPENSIVE middling heal. Bigger than holy light. I seem to be using this a lot in heroics, its fast and fights dont last long enough for me to run out of mana.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=633">Lay On Hands</a> - This is unchanged from 3.x, but now the CD is 10mins base. Which is pretty much one per fight. Looks like every pally took the glyphs/talents to reduce the CD on this, so Blizz decided to just reduce the CD. Smart move.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=635">Holy Light</a> - What used to be the staple for healing is now probably going to gather dust till we hit 85. It is REALLY cheap now, like ludicrously so, but it heals like you are drinking water as a placebo. I suspect it is designed to be our average damage evener-outerer (the math design says that is the case).<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=85222">Light of Dawn</a> - This has a great graphic! The conal area of effect will take some getting used to, but this will be a great melee healing device. Wont work so well on ranged, they generally don't like standing in any position which will make this at all useful.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=53563">Beacon of Light</a> -Despite the nerf, I found that bacon should be on the tank at all times regardless of anything else. We have so many more instant and free heals to throw around, that requiring this to be 100% I feel certainly would have been over powered. The HP talents that go with this make it even more attractive as it will generate a free heal for every 3 casts.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20165">Seal of Insight</a> - Go forth and be a combat medic. Hit shit the way Paladins were meant to! FINALLY! So happy about this change.<br />
<br />
<b>Holy Power Generation</b> <br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=35395">Crusader Strike</a> - Combat Medic strikes again. If you get a free cycle, throw up a crusader strike and generate HP. Hitting stuff is fun.<br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20271">Judgement</a> - old faithful. Use it when you can. <br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20473">Holy Shock</a> - Yep, should always be on CD and always generating HP for you.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Mana regeneration</b><br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=54428">Divine Plea</a> - Seems this is pretty much unchanged from 3.x in terms of how and when you would use it (which is obviously, use early, use often) <br />
<a href="http://www.wowhead.com/spell=20165">Seal of Insight</a> - Again with going in and being a combat medic, this seal regenerates not just health, but mana too.<br />
<br />
<b>UI changes?</b><br />
We have a lot fewer spells to deal with now, but there are a lot more things to watch. All our spells are on odd cooldowns, and we need to keep track of HP to be sure to use Word as often as we can. I came up with a bit of an odd idea - I have a mostly opaque bar under my toon's feet with all my heals on it, behind that I used a mod (in this case, IceHud) to place the holy power bar behind that, so I could see at a glance which of my heals were ready to use, and how much HP I currently had.<br />
<br />
However, I have now decided that is a terrible idea and simple have a counter next to that healing bar instead. <br />
<br />
So, that's my initial reaction to what we now have to play with. I have some idea of how to use it now, but really, I have a nasty feeling that our gimpedness now will not be an issue at 85. We are in pre-cata patch testing... the talents and abilities we have now are not designed to be ready for 80. They are designed for 85 raiding. So, if you feel your incapable of being useful in heroic LK, have a break! Don't cry and say that your class is broken and you are going to reroll, and blizzard doesn't love you and all that other QQ I am seeing at the moment. I cant recommend more that you play an alt and go see what HEALING TALENTS classes have in their trees now. Judgement of Light might be gone, but it has been absorbed as talents in just about every talent tree I have looked at. Little things like that. Go see what syngergies are out there now for you. Yeah, so you will have less HPS on the healing meters, SO WHAT? As long as your targets stay alive and the boss dies, does it matter if you are at the top or the bottom of the meters?<br />
<br />
Go play an alt. Go play the auction house. Have a break! You have earned it.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-72194432787138247512010-10-08T12:30:00.001+11:002010-10-08T12:40:11.590+11:00Loot as a Skinner boxLast night, my fellow officer was explaining our guild concept to a new guildie. He is studying psychology and he mentioned Skinner boxes in the explanation. No, I don't mean you skin a mob called a "box" and get epic loot from it. I mean, a something called a "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operant_conditioning_chamber">skinner box</a>", but not a REAL skinner box, a software one. One of the most famous skinner box conditioned mammals are Pavlov's dogs - who were conditioned to slobber at the ring of a bell. I realised that I had not explained <i>why</i> our guild is doing what it is doing on this blog. So, here is why.<br />
<br />
<i>Disclaimer - I am not a psychologist. I am a trained scientist and I am using my skills learned within that to apply critical thinking and research to something I think leaders should understand at some level, or at least be aware of. I am sure that the below article will be contentious, and please comment if you have opinions or experiences to share! There are a list of links to read if you are interested in more information at the end of the article. If you read nothing else, read the one from cracked.com.</i> <br />
<br />
<img height="70%" src="http://kenkat.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/skinner_box.png" width="70%" /><br />
<b>How is loot a software Skinner Box?</b><br />
So the basics of the skinner box experiment are thus (I am going to assume you read the link above): Rat A in the skinner box is rewarded every time they press the button. Rat B in another skinner box is rewarded randomly when they press the button. Rat B will press that button more and more in hopes of gaining a reward, eventually just pressing that button continuously regardless of how much reward they actually have.<br />
<br />
According to Skinner, Rat B displayed behaviors similar to a gambler. The next press might give them the thing they are after. It becomes less about the reward itself and more about obtaining the reward. I can easily see how this would extend to WoW and loot. Clearly, the lever is killing the boss and the reward is the Phat Lewtz we gain from the boss. <br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinforcement">Reinforcement</a></b><br />
<br />
There are many levels of reinforcement within WoW (and other games and MMO's) to keep us coming back for more. There is simple randomness "Will my item drop?" then to compound that once it does drop, "Will I win that loot?". That is one nasty lever! Not only are you being conditioned by a random drop, you can SEE that random drop (which proves that the drop exists) but then that random drop is randomly allocated within the raid. <br />
<br />
Now let's take it one step further, I assumed that the boss died every time - <i>it may not</i>. So, not only are your random elements "Will my loot drop?" and "Will I win it?" but also "Will we kill the boss?". And one more element to that "Was I there when the boss was killed this week?" because perhaps you were unavailable that night, perhaps you were benched or perhaps the leadership team decided to not kill that boss that week.<br />
<br />
Just think about all those variables for a moment. All of those things that can affect whether or not <i>you</i> get the reward. To use the schedule terminology, WoW raiding loot is a mixture of Fixed interval (ie weekly resets), variable interval (which bosses are killed a week, whether or not that boss has loot you want), variable ratio (who is in the group that week and your loot drops at a fixed percentage), and continuous ratio (raid loot drops every time, <i>BADGES oh the Badges!</i>). It has several levels of reward abstraction (ie after the loot drops, it is still some ratio as to whether you get it or not). It has multiple levels of concurrency and complexity. Simply put, it is the most complex and amazing skinner box I have ever seen and I was completely sucked in by it for some time. It is even incorporated into our jargon - Farming anyone? <br />
<br />
<b>Breaking Bad Boxes</b><br />
There are many things that are done to break parts of the skinner box. The main reason to break parts of it is that the skinner box makes you feel slightly out of control (well it did to me). You don't know when the next "fix" is coming, when that next big win will happen. This causes friction and frustration between guild members. Good guild leaders understand this at some level, even if they don't understand why it is happening. There are a few basic methods to break the mechanisms to keep your guild ticking along smoother than the average guild.<br />
<br />
The first and most prevalent one is (obviously) be in a guild. Reducing the number of people competing for the loot fixes the variable nature of allocating loot. LFG system actually exponentially increases this variable. If you want to gain an item, fix the group that you are going to be pressing that level. Randomising the people you go with will increase the randomness of you gaining the item, and increasing the effectiveness of the skinner box around you.<br />
<br />
Following on from fixing the group of people around you, comes using a loot allocation system (like DKP). Making it clear when you will get that next piece of loot relative to other guild members removes a level of complexity to the system and calms people down. It changes the Variable Ratio loot allocation to an Interval Ratio (In random kills, but x drops, I will get item y). It would not have been hard to implement a DKP system within WoW, but they didn't. They chose to keep the two level variable ratio.<br />
<br />
Further to that is planning ahead - letting people know what your raiding schedule is. What are you planning to kill when? Who needs to kill which boss for their push at the reward lever? How many badges do they need to upgrade an item?<br />
<br />
The hardest thing to do is to create a culture where loot is no longer a reward, but a tool. Loot is what you need to kill the next boss and the reward is working together as a team to overcome a challenge. <i>WotLK has made this VERY difficult to do, as they have created an environment that causes this challenge to have been removed placing emphasis back on loot as a reward and reinforcing the loot skinner box</i>. I think this last point sums up why I enjoyed TBC vastly more than WotLK.<br />
<br />
<b>Using the Skinner Box for your own reasons</b><br />
Having tools to break the box and the knowledge that the box exists means you can manipulate these tools to create or break morale in your guild. If you need people to turn up to raid nights? take away the predictability of what bosses you are doing when - add that element back into the skinner box of raiding and condition your guild to respond to that. You can take it away at will and put up schedules again, but as soon as the members start slacking off, add it back in and they will be pre-conditioned to respond and turn up to raids again.<br />
<br />
This is not as nasty as it sounds.<br />
<br />
Understanding how this works is a wonderful way to break the conditioning on yourself. Once you can break it on yourself you will be much more objective and strategic in how you run your raids and how you run your guild. It also allows you to break the subscription model the skinner box promotes and ensure you have a good balance of gaming versus Real Life. It is another tool in your guild leader arsenal to use, or to leave in place. It is your choice. <br />
<br />
Given how well constructed this skinner box is, I am not surprised that there has been very little written on the topic. Here is a quick link spam to articles I have read in the past (and could still find links to) on the topic.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://mechaware.net/blog/?p=43">Mecha the Slag - from July 2010</a><br />
<a href="http://tobolds.blogspot.com/2007/08/are-mmos-just-skinner-boxes.html">Tobold from 2007!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.moosebites.com/2009/02/great-big-skinner-box-dictionary.html">Moose Bites from 2009</a><br />
<a href="http://www.nickyee.com/eqt/skinner.html">Nick Yee on the EQ skinner box</a><br />
<a href="http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/3085/behavioral_game_design.php?page=1">Gamasutra from back in 2001!</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html">Cracked.com from this year</a> with some great links I recommend you read including some I already had read and linked above.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-51912088391563502632010-10-05T13:05:00.001+11:002010-10-05T13:27:58.659+11:00Everybody knows.....It was announced on the Blizz WoW twitter feed last night that Cataclysm is going to be available on December 7th 2010. This fits with MMO-Champion's datamining finding that Season 9 will be starting on December 14th.<br />
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Well, I know what I am buying myself for my birthday!<br />
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What surprises me is that no one seemed to have noticed that little announcement on twitter. I was surprised that it slipped by the people I follow.<br />
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Anyway, Happy Cata!<br />
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ETA: I originally predicted June as a release date for Cata. When it became clear that was not on the cards, I revised my date to late November/early December. However, 7 December makes me happy, because I will be back from sydney in time to enjoy Cata!! The next question - do I try to get a collectors edition?Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-15751004579868677042010-10-04T14:16:00.001+11:002010-10-04T14:31:29.985+11:00Updating your Guild Site is ImportantGuild websites have 2 important functions - promoting communication within and without the guild. This is achieved generally with having a members and non members section.<br />
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For the non members section, having a front page blog is a great way to advertise your guild. It can show your achievements, and highlight the great things about your guild. The most important thing it shows is that your guild is organised and active. Your website is the portal to your guild when not in game. It will be doing all the things that you cant do ingame.<br />
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Within the guild, one of the main things a website is for is to get people together and the best way to do that is making sure they have a way to communicate out of game. It is a great place for announcing upcoming guild events, getting people to organise things to do, more especially it is used for keeping track of DKP, putting up a raid calendar (to schedule raids and check peoples availability), a place to hold screenshots and mayhaps even a chat feature.<br />
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This article will list the things that are important to people who are not members yet, and are based on my own experience and the feedback I have had over the years about guild web site construction.<br />
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<b>Customised Domain Name</b><br />
Something that shows you are a serious guild is a custom domain name. These days they are not very expensive, and often come with redirection services. If you are not very web savvy, it is almost certain that someone in your guild or someone you know is; ask them for help. If you can get your domain name registered and redirected to your guild site, then do it, even if you are using a bulk guild hosting service.<br />
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<b>Recuitment status</b><br />
Having a <i>current</i> recruitment status on your front page is a wonderous thing. It is vitally important that the status be updated regularly (preferably with some kind of date on it). I have received much feedback asking about recruitment statuses in my time. By making it clear that they were current on the page, the number of questions I received on the topic diminished significantly. I would then receive positive feedback that the website was active and up to date.<br />
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<b>Blogging</b><br />
Having someone(s) who are willing to write about your guild on your front page can be a great way to show the world what life could be like if they were a member. Writing about things guildies say in gchat, adventures you go on, acknowledging achievements, screenshots and things like that can make your guild members feel included. Having more than one contributor is a fantastic thing, but often difficult to find. It can also serve as a history for your guild in years to come.<br />
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<b>Pictures</b><br />
Some guilds like to include member galleries in their websites, where members can upload their photos and screenshots for other guild members to see. Putting them on your front page with a "random photo of the day" application, or linking them in blog posts can keep the guild active and show everyone what your guild looks like and what you value together. Obviously, separating out private, guild only shots from publically viewable ones should be the order of the day there.<br />
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<b>Forums</b><br />
Clearly forums are important, as often application processes are done via forums. Some guilds have a public section to their forums (for example Elitist Jerks has a rather extensive publicly accessible section of their forums) and some don't. Making it clear on your website that you <i>have</i> forums is a good idea, no matter how publicly accessible they are.<br />
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<b>About Us</b><br />
Never forget to put on your website a section that describes your guild. Who are you? What do you do? What are your goals? Who are your members? Armory Links? Where did you come from and where are you going? This is your advertisement to the world. "<i>Come read about how great a guild we are!!"</i><br />
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<b>DKP standings</b><br />
Some guilds like to show off their DKP standings and the latest shinies that guild members have acquired. Personally, I would not do this so I don't have a lot to say about it, but it is a perfectly valid thing to show on your site to promote your guild.<br />
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<b>Keep it Simple, Stupid</b><br />
With all of that information on your front page, try and keep that front page as easy to navigate as you can. Menus and drop downs are a great aid to the new user, highlighting of important things like Applications Sections. Links to important places. Remember that most of the people coming to your site will be new users, try to remember what it was like to be new somewhere - what did you want to know about a guild? Go look at other guild websites and don't be afraid to take their ideas and use them on your own website. Use effective graphics and colour schemes; be consistent within that.Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4808391674000639225.post-15147509361052744652010-10-01T10:54:00.001+10:002010-10-04T08:42:14.769+11:00RealID headsup<a href="http://mentalshaman.com/2010/09/30/real-id-redux/">Pewter just posted about RealID</a> as announced by WoW Twitter account.<br />
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You can now log into battle.net, go to "account", then Communication Preferences under settings (I will have pictures up later, but for the moment my work firewall is not letting me upload them) and you will see the options there for RealID.<br />
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I recommend doing this as soon as you possibly can.<br />
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(Edit - due to working and health issues over the weekend, I failed at putting up pictures, and I am still having firewall issues now) <br />
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<span id="goog_899117930"></span><span id="goog_899117931"></span>Brangwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13934844163901377024noreply@blogger.com