This is Bricu and the fox kit from Tol Barad.

I won’t parse words here: Cataclysm RP was more difficult than Wrath. Don’t get me wrong: I enjoyed a lot of this xpac, and the rp it inspired, but coming off the high of Wrath… Well, it was hard to top.

Truth be told, cata was a Hard xpac. We lost people. Stories took forever to tell because everyone was busy. So of the RP hooks just didn’t set. But with the upcoming 5.04 patch, all this is going to change. Rp has picked up. People have returned to the game… And new stuff is coming.

So, dissect the RP of the Cataclysm. How did it affect you and your circle?

Two weeks into Cataclysm, how is your RP going? Did it stall because of the rush to 85 or did you squeeze your RP into questing/leveling? Canonically, where did your toons go? Were they shipwrecked or did they witness Hyjal burn? Did your new gobling/worgen get to celebrate Winter’s Veil this year?

Fill us in on the RP you’ve participated in since the Cataclysm!

Cataclysm is changing the game dramatically. We will have to learn new builds and rotations, and learn how we mesh with other roles. As WoW’s meta-plot advances, our RP is subjected to equally dramatic changes. And to be fair, all of these changes may be a bit overwhelming.

The best way to handle changes this big is one aspect at a time. The aspect to work on first? Enjoying the game. If you want to work on the crunchier aspects of WoW and hit up the target dummies until you’re pulling the proper DPS or practice healing with a ton of pugs? Do it. If you want to spend your nights getting the RP back in order before Deathwing ruins everything? Do it.

What do you need to get back into the swing with WoW? Is it something you can take control of, or is it something that needs to happen in game?

The coming Cataclysm will affect more than just the world of Azeroth: Organizations, governments and guilds will have to respond to how Deathwing reshapes the world. Deathwing is not the only agent of change in Azeroth–he’s just the next Big Bad we face in the expansion. There are other individuals and groups that can affect change, albeit on a much smaller scale than a Dragon Aspect corrupted by Old Gods. The dramatic changes to the game world provide an excellent backdrop to other, more local changes.

What is the current state of your RP Circle, Guild or group? What stories have they completed? Did they help contain a demon or destroy the Lich King? Did their last major score backfire? What stories fell by the way side? What consequences have followed your groups actions?

For instance, Cataclysm will bring some dramatic changes for the Wildfire Riders. Historically speaking, the Riders were a mercenary guild who cared more about payment than loyalty to anyone government. They also have an tendency to thumb there collective noses at authority figures. In Wrath, this changed. The Riders were caught–and squeezed–by SI:7 and the other gangs of Stormwind. While they have managed to weather that particular storm, they currently have to change or die.

First and foremost, the Riders will have to answer to someone. They have a minder, or a case manger, who is watching their every move. This is the price they pay to avoid having their own hung up on the gallows (or to keep Old Town from having to deal with the Guard). Given these circumstances, the Riders have had to branch out their business: So they’ve started to diversify. While they are still a Merc company, taking any number of jobs, they’ve also started working on political wings and charitable wings. When the merchants gather to talk about trade policy, Tarquin will represent brewers and tavern owners. Orphans and other children of limited means looking for education and apprenticeships will be able to recieve high quality educations thanks to the Jolstraer Taborwynn Memorial Fund. Of course, given what the players know about the upcoming expansion, future challenges will put a huge strain on the Riders reputation and their coffers.

These changes, all stemming from in-game events, are the consequences of their previous stories. Cataclysm is simply the catalyst for these changes. The expansion is an opportunity to give us new direction for stories and events in the post-Arthas world.

Are your stories coming to ahead in Cataclysm? What groundwork has been laid for your guild, your circle and your characters? What changes are you going to address thanks to upcoming expansion?

I received an email from Jan this morning asking,

Unfortunately, I’m one of those avid wow players who haven’t received any
cataclysm beta invites!

Do you think it’s wise to just wait for the release? Because some people
say playing the cataclysm beta will eventually remove the fun in playing
when cataclysm is released. I’m afraid it will feel like leveling an alt
from 70-80, which is not as fun as leveling the first one. I’m actually
still subscribed in WoW even if I’m not playing anymore just to get a
chance in getting an invite.

Do you still play WOTLK? It’s getting a lot boring now and I’m running out
of things to do…

Excellent questions!

I’m assuming that your “should I wait for release” is for what to do if a shiny beta invite appears in your mailbox.

The answer to that is sort of “your mileage may vary,” but let’s peek into it a bit.  In order to answer your question, I need to shoot one back your way:  how do you see yourself spending time in the beta?

I have to admit I’m a pretty casual beta-er.  I know there are plenty of people who’ve spent as much time as they can exploring the world, leveling up, and drinking in every shiny new pixel.  I’m more the log in for a few hours, do some random things, then next time I log in do something completely different sort.

The people reading the bug reports are probably /facepalming:  “I love the detail in this house in Gilneas!”  (Don’t worry, I submit useful bug reports, too, I promise.)

But you know what?  It’s a good way to experience it, for me.  I get to see some of the world without feeling like I have to do everything omg right now.  And everything’s subject to change.  The quests I do in the beta might change when the game goes live.  Talents and spells are going to change.  Itemization and skills will change.

Knowing that what I see in the beta won’t be the same as what I see when Cata goes live is pretty neat.  It’s a sneak peek of what’s to come.  It’s also a chance to try out a whole bunch of things without having to really make a solid commitment to any of them.  On my character screen, I have Threnn, Annalea and Davien.  The rest are a rotating cycle of alts that I’ve created just to see how things play.  None of them are all that safe from deletion if I need to free up a character slot for the next new shiny to come along.  Worgen priest!  Human hunter!  Goblin warlock!  Troll druid!  Somewhere in there will come a Tauren paladin and who knows what else.

I’m like a puppy in a room full of neat smells:  “What’s this?  What’s this?  What’s this?  Oh, look over there!  What’s that? What’s this?”

I’ve scoped out a whole bunch of spots that will be neat for RP, and as I go along questing, I’m keeping an eye out for story hooks.  Why, yes, my beta experience is totally selfish.

You mention that some friends say it will take the fun out of the release.  I think that will depend on your playstyle.  I could absolutely see, if I were to spend all my time in there getting Threnn to level cap and running the instances over and over, that it would feel like a bit of a chore having to do it all over again when the expansion goes live.  If that’s what you’re concerned about, I’d recommend trying something new with your characters.  Pick a spec you haven’t tried before.  If you have multiple 80s, don’t transfer your main to the beta servers.  Poke around on a secondary or tertiary alt instead, one you won’t get around to leveling for a while.  Do you play primarily one faction?  Roll a lowbie on the other side of the fence and play through the starting zones.

Other people I know in the beta are having a blast leveling their mains.  They’re enjoying the new talent trees and trying out the new content.  They’re getting their number-crunching started now and love theorycrafting.  The week-to-week changes are exciting for them.

Whether or not participating in the beta will take the fun out of Cataclysm’s launch definitely depends on your playstyle.  For me, it’s been fun to see a little bit of a lot of things.  That way, there will still be plenty of surprises for me when Cataclysm goes live.  For others, focusing on one character is more their cup of tea.  The advice I’d offer to anyone of any playstyle is this:  if it starts feeling like work, it’s time to switch gears — whether that’s simply playing a different character or logging out altogether.

As for whether I’m still playing Wrath, hell yes!  I’ll be honest, I don’t mind the slower pace between expansions so much.  Right now, Threnn, Anna and Davien are about as well-geared as they’re going to be until Cata greens replace Wrath epics.  PvE-wise, I can concentrate on finding some new shinies for Lyr and leveling my baby shaman.  I’m in no rush for him — he’s been around since 2006 and is still wandering around in Stranglethorn.

RP-wise, it’s quiet for all my characters, and again, that’s okay by me.  If something interesting comes along, they can join in, but meanwhile, they’re doing their day-to-day things, enjoying a little while where the world isn’t falling apart.  I have a couple of loose ends to tie up for Davien, and some others for Annalea that will probably carry into a story line for her in Cataclysm.  Threnn and Bricu are planning for the future, figuring out what they want to do now that the world’s a safer place for their daughter.  Y’know, for now.

What goals do you have left for yourself in Wrath?  Any alts you’d like to cap or gear?  Are there any achievements you’re after or reputations you’d like to max out?  Are there any storylines you haven’t had a chance to finish yet for your characters?

A whole lot will be changing in the starter zones — now’s your last chance to see the old Vanilla world, if there are any races or classes you haven’t explored yet (or if you’re up for some nostalgia.)

What about some silly fun?  Some of my hordie friends have been doing Iron Man runs — starting off in the lowbie dungeons with no gear, and equipping only what drops, then working their way up.

However, if you find yourself bored every time you log in, it’s also perfectly valid to take a WoW-break.  The game shouldn’t be an obligation or a chore, and if you’re hearing the siren song of DragonAge, Starcraft II, or going to the beach, go for it!

All right, readers, if you’re in the beta, tell us what you’re up to.  If you’re not, what’s keeping you busy in-game (or out of it, if you’re taking a break?)  Any advice for Jan?

Let us know!

He's all growed up.

This week, the only real amount of WoW time I was able to get was RP night on tuesday. However, last week Ringo wanted some assistance in determining the time span between Wrath and Cata.

As we can see from the above Screenshot, it is clear that at least three to five years have passed since Vanilla. This is using only in game lore sources. Outside of WoW, there may be a better source as to how much time has passed.

I’ll keep looking! If you have any other questions, comments or vague-misgivings, drop us a line!

Bricu becomes king of Stormwind in Cataclysm

The changes we’re facing in Cataclysm might be just as dramatic–but not as absurd–as the picture above. If you’re one of the lucky RPers who has a pre-planned Epic Story to fill in during this Lull, you may not feel the same tedium that a number of your peers are experiencing. Personally, I think trying to plan an epic in a post-Arthas world, with the number of weeks before pre-Cata content starts, is far too difficult to accomplish. I also think that it’s unnecessary. RP doesn’t have to be epic to be successful.

Pen and Paper RPGS refer to the gap between major events/chapters as “Downtime.” This is where one would tell their GM that their character would be, “training, going to dinner parties and maybe buy a house.” Depending on the level of complexity of the downtime-event, one would either assume that it happens, make a few dice rolls to see how it happens OR RP it out. While it is safe to assume that Blizz is going to give us some hint as to how much time passes between content releases, WoW RPers cannot just say, “X happens to Y player.” We need to RP during our downtime.

Downtime will give RPers a perfect opportunity to prepare for the Cataclysm. Rogues and Ne’er-do-Wells may use this time to begin to craft persona’s, disguises and insinuate themselves in the right social circles. Gnomes–especially those who will be rerolling as priests–may find that their arcane research is taking a more spiritual bent, especially given the success of the Crusade. Dwarven artists might find that their mediums–stone, paint, their painting subjects–are whispering to them. Trolls, who listen to their Loa’s, may find that other spirits are beginning to clamor for their attention. Certain Tauren may be listening more to An’She than to the Earthmother. A Human warrior may start hunting in Elwynn forest, only to find that they prefer Archery to swordplay (and maybe they find a wounded wolf cub…) RPing these interactions can set the stage for your character’s transition in Cataclysm.

Dinner Parties, Pub Crawls and other small events that we discussed (however briefly) yesterday can occur during one’s regular RP time. Take the opportunity to hear how other characters have addressed the end of the Lich King. Downtime is another great opportunity to find, meet and develop RP relationships with new RPers.

Last, but not least, this Downtime is a great opportunity to develop your character’s “homefront.” Given the lack of new content, is your Paladin patrolling Westfall? Is your priest working with those traumatized by the Horrors of Icecrown Citadel? Maybe said Priest is trying “experimental therapies” by leading parties into the Citadel to help their patients heal. Maybe your Mage is finally going to open that school they’ve been dreaming of–so RP night can become Arcane 101 Lecture night.

Downtime is an essential part of any RP session. While traditional RPGs let us breeze through it, in WoW we have the opportunity to set up and explore this aspect in more detail. Personally, I think this is the time to explore some of the upcoming changes in a positive manner…

…of course, some of the changes will be more dramatic. More on that later.

How are you dealing with the Downtime? Fill us in!

Now, we know that the world of Azeroth that, for some of us, we could probably traverse in our sleep or while alt-tabbed without running off of cliffs or into walls, is going to be going through some major changes.  One of the ones that was mentioned in the devchat last week caught Lansiron’s eye:

Q. With the Lich King defeated, in Cataclysm, will the Plaguelands be green and beautiful again?
A. Western Plaguelands will finally be free of the plague in Cataclysm. It’s hard for the Scourge to survive without their beloved Lich King. I guess this means we need to rename the zone?

Yep, that’s right, all you Northerners!  If your character was born west of the Thondoril River, the ancestral homes you once might have thought lost forever could possibly be restored!

Now, we don’t have a lot of information here, like, if the Western Plaguelands are restored, why not the Eastern Plaguelands as well?  Will Andorhal be rebuilt?  What happens to the Scourge in Scholomance?

However, I think even the start of a cleansing becomes a pretty major theme for RP.

Have you started thinking about what the healing of the Plaguelands will mean for your characters?  Where are they now, in terms of those blighted lands — do they still hope for a cleansing, and maybe even work towards one?  Have they given up on those dreams completely?  If they’ve given up, what happens when the lands are green again?

What about Forsaken characters?  If the lands can be revived, will the news make your deaders take heart, or will it fill them with a new kind of dread?  I’ve seen Forsaken who revel in their undead states and others who only want it to end.  Those who search for a way to live again, and those who have accepted what they are.  Might the cleansing and healing of the Plaugelands hold answers for any of those?

I’m not sure what this will mean to Davien.  She’s long since been resigned to her Forsaken state.  She doesn’t want to become human again.  But she won’t pass up an opportunity to learn how it happened, if she can study it.

Threnn’s story here will, I think, depend largely on Bricu’s.  He’s said before that reclaiming Lordaeron and the North is off his agenda, and has been for a while.  While Lordaeron will probably still be under Forsaken control, and Stratholme’s still off to the east, I’ll be curious to see whether this will make Bricu rethink his position at all.

Most likely, I’ll be ficcing out something for one of Threnn’s good friends, whose family lived on the western banks of the river, and who hasn’t been back to the North for many years.

What RP opportunities do you see for your characters?

First, a disclaimer: while I’m sure there will be lore aplenty and all kinds of speculation over the months leading up to the expansion, we still have in all likelihood a year before its official launch. This means anything and everything is subject to change. I’m not sure how much we’ll discuss it here — I’m personally very interested to see the story bits as they come out, but as for the mechanics (guild achievements, changes to stats, etc)… they don’t hold as much interest for me. (Yva or Bricu might have some neat musings on those things, though, which is the beauty of co-blogging.)

Second disclaimer: spoilers of a minor nature within. I’m not going into great detail, but if you spent last weekend hiding behind a rock to avoid news about the expansion (much like I did when the last Harry Potter book came out), you might want to click away now.

Hokay. Are they gone?

Here we go.

One of the things that interests me very much is, broadly, the idea of change. We’ve been questing and RPing in what is a fairly static world for the last four years. The phasing system helped with that in this most recent expansion, and several times, they used it to great effect. Think about the starter quests for the Death Knights, when between one phase and another the world turns red with the blood of Havenshire’s citizens. Or, out in Icecrown, how you get to witness the construction of Crusaders’ Pinnacle.

But Old-World Azeroth has been largely static. Stormwind Harbor was a brilliant addition, as was the opening of Eversong Woods and Silvermoon City, but for the most part, the world remains completely unchanged. The skies over Stormwind darkened during the pre-Wrath Zombiepocalypse, when Arthas sent his minions to attack, but once that event was done the city went right back to normal.

More years ago than I care to mention, I played in the beta for Asheron’s Call. My favorite part, since it was my first experience with an MMO, was running from town to town and being a tourist. As the beta wound down and the official game-launch approached, an ominous, omenous comet appeared in the sky. All over the world, things started changing. Cities that had previously been sanctuaries were suddenly overrun by monsters or engulfed in flames.

I still, somewhere, have a screenshot entitled “Rithwic Burns.” When I’m less full of fail, I’ll dig it up.

What made it so very cool was the idea that anything could change, that it was a mistake to take that world for granted, and that the next time you logged on, something might be vastly different.

With WoW, the only sweeping changes that happened came during content patches or over the course of a few days’ questing. Once you got to the end of a chain and the phasing was done, though, that was it; the world settled onto its foundations and stayed that way for your characters. Any changes in their IC environment had to be in the players’ imaginations: shop burnt down during the Zombiepocalypse? You have to emote the scorch marks and ruined timbers, post the tale of it and ask your fellow RPers to imagine along with you, or explain it to someone in whispers during a random encounter.

So now, we’re headed for upheaval on a very grand scale: Deathwing’s rise is going to break the world — floods and fires, once-dead places suddenly in-bloom, what once was green becoming barren. A wall long sealed cracking and spilling forth its very-altered inhabitants.

Oh, the RP opportunities.

Sure, once the expansion is launched, the landscape won’t be shifting on a weekly (or even monthly) basis, but the initial tumult is going to leave most of our characters reeling for a good long time. It’s a chance to strip them of things they’d once thought solid, eternal. Or to make them rediscover what they’d forgotten was most important. Will they try and rebuild? Will they take the opportunity for vengeance and set out to destroy? Will they simply walk away, let everyone believe them dead in the wreckage and start over completely?

It’s true that it doesn’t require the developers shifting pixels around for us to do these things. If you want to turn your character’s lives upside-down right now, you have the power to do it at any moment. But the idea of it happening on a global scale is what’s intriguing. Everyone will be witness to these events. Not a single person will be unaffected by the drastic changes. Even if, say, Stormwind somehow escapes unscathed, its citizens will still feel the far-reaching effects.

Obviously, we have a long way to go. We can try predicting where our characters will be in a year, but we still have a pissed-off Lich King sitting up there in Northrend, biding his time. So, rather than asking what RP plans you’re making from an expansion, I’m inviting you to toss out things you’d love to see affected by the Cataclysm. It can be stuff that’s already been confirmed at Blizzcon or your own wouldn’t-it-be-cool-if type of speculation.

Mine?

Nagasaurs.

Okay okay. I’d like to see the redemption or reclamation of some of the lands that have been in ruins for years and years — Duskwood, or even just a corner of the Plaguelands, maybe some of the Dead Scar up in Eversong. Imagine being one of the inhabitants of that area and finally seeing your homeland heal, just a little. How would those citizens celebrate, especially when some of their gain might have come at the expense of a neighboring area? Say, Darkshire becomes sunny Grand Hamlet once more, but every day they have refugees pouring in from the now-shattered Lakeshire.