Gitr Knows WoW

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Dump Wowaceupdater for Jwowupdater

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I’ve had problems with Wowaceupdater even loading for months. Then I heard from PhiLogical this weekend that he was having the same problems. Due to a recent Windows blows issue that necessitated a fresh install of XP, I gave Wowaceupdater another try.

After the download started, it stopped. I tried to resume it, but it told me that it had already begun and couldn’t continue. So I deleted the temp folder it was creating and calling out as the issue several times, but it refused to try again.

Throwing my hands up in the air, I decided to Google for a Java-based updater, just on a whim. I found Jwowupdater at http://code.google.com/p/jwowupdater/ and I’ve never been happier with a little piece of software in my life. Not only does it download your Ace addons, but you can point it to the interface addon sites to download updates to non-Ace addons.

Jwowupdater screen

All you need is to have a semi-current Java installation from http://www.java.com/en/download/manual.jsp and it will automatically link the .jar filetype for the updater to run with Java. The program’s interface is a bona-fide stupid-easy, but there is an excellent README included.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I am.

Patches Are Creating Stupid-Easy Mode

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Blizzard is making the game too easy. Sure, I see why they are doing it: there are fewer and fewer people playing in the Old World to make it easy to group up and complete Elite quests. Now that you know I know why, I’m going to complain about it anyway to make a broader point.

Remember those Elite kill quests in Winterspring? The bear, Ursius; Chimera, Brumeran; and that ever-so-hard cat, Shy-Rotam? Man, those were benchmarks of greatness! If you could take those on as like-level or below, you were the bomb!

Those benchmarks are no longer cool, because Patch 2.3 removed the l33tness from them. Ursius is just a big bear, and he’s not the only mob that’s been neutered. I’ve noticed things being easier than before and it just wasn’t clicking that they are no longer Elite.

So what the heck are we supposed to do for benchmarking our abilities? I can kill things 4-5 levels higher than me right now, but how would I stack up against the great Ursius?

I’ll never know.

What former Elite mobs are leaving you with a big let-down when you go after them?

Remembering My Epics

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I was thinking about the gear I used with Paladr – particularly the number of epics he had pre-50. The difference with Protectr leveling without a single epic has been unnoticeable, though. So, why do we bother?

On Silvermoon, the same epics I had on Velen cost a minimum of 250g, and upward of 650g. Insanity! I’m not paying that much for 5 levels of use. Oh, sure, sometimes you come across an epic or even a rare piece that lasts 10 levels due to its extra-special stats that make it worth passing up tons of other pieces of higher levels.

So, let’s set the stage:

You have level 70s who are doing dailies for easy gold, but you are busy leveling your lowbie, so your balance usually hangs around 40-100g. How much is too much to spend on an epic?

How Things Have Changed

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Friday night, a level 70 guildie ran me through Sunken Temple because I had about 5 quests to take care of. When we were done, he got on guild chat and said,

I’m getting tired of this game. Nothing ever changes.

Most of the replies from similarly-geared guildies were in agreement with him. I was not, but I was too tired at that point to make my case.

Without consulting patch notes, I can think of quite a few changes since I joined Azeroth, and I’ve heard of the nightmares of beta and some of the first patches. We all know that they added instances with patches early on: Mauradon, Dire Maul, and Molten Core, but what has changed about the game?

I’ll get the ball rolling with the first comment.

Gitr Visits the Isle of Quel’Danas

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After the great patch download of March 25th, 2008 that is known as Patch 2.4, Gitr immediately flew from Stormwind to the Isle of Quel’Danas, which was conveniently already a flight point. After flying right up to Ironforge, the game went to the zone/instance loading screen and I was suddenly flying over the North Sea toward and island.

The flight path takes you around the south and west side all the way up to the very northern tip where you are dropped off at the familiar (if you’ve played a Blood Elf) area around Silvermoon City. I recognized the ship as being from near the partying belfs, the area to the south look exactly like the starting zone, and the area was hopping with people. There were at least 300 toons running around the immediate area on Silvermoon realm, taking my normal 55fps down to a crawling 20fps.

The first thing I did was scream. Bloody murder! My UI was completely broken! Well, I did neglect to check the ‘load outdated addons’ from the character screen, but that’s beside the point. My WoWaceupdater refuses to work since I installed XP Service Pack 3 RC2. I know that was dangerous, but it solved my BSoD issue. I logged out to work on my research paper and slowly whittled away at downloading about 100 Ace addons.

When I logged back in later, I had most of my UI working and was able to complete 2 dailies for 9g each in about 10 minutes. As of this morning, Silvermoon is 47% done with the goal before Phase 2 opens up. I was very confused for some time until I researched what the heck was going on. I couldn’t figure out why people were killing things everywhere if there weren’t any more questgivers around.

I had a chance to run Magister’s Terrace, but it came a bit too late in the evening to due the trip justice. I’m probably a little better geared as dps now, but with good healing, I should be able to main tank it and enjoy playing it my way: toe to toe.

Did you get a chance to enter the Isle or Magister’s Terrace? How did you like it?