Wowtcg.com has the (first?) preview of the Purple Puffer pet!
From the screenshots, this companion looks like it will be quite large. And oddly enough, it remains in its bubble even when underwater lol. Silly fish, you can swim! Perhaps it suffers from mysophobia (fear of germs)? :P
Note: The Wowtcg page states that this pet is Bind on Equip, but Wowhead and MMO-Champion's database is listing it as Bind on Pick Up. It's unclear which is true, but in the past most TCG companions have been Bind on Pick Up. With the changes Blizzard is making to pets and especially PetStore and TCG redeemable ones, it's tough to say and we probably won't find out for sure until Patch 4.3 is released.
I can't wait to see this FIRST aquatic pet on live servers!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Pet Battle Poll
Something that I noted during the recent MoP Developer Q&A was a poll that asked "Excited for Pet Battles?!" The results of the voting shouldn't be taken as concrete stats or seen as a complete representation of the entire WoW and pet collecting community, but I just found it interesting that the 'very excited' vs the 'very not excited' votes were close. 27% to 24%. To top it all off, the more moderate option took the cake with 30% of the votes.
I can't wait to see how the interest will shift and what a future poll with similar or the same options will turn out, once more information and details about pet battles is released.
If you'd like to view the poll, simply go to the Wowheadnews page with the Q&A full transcript, and there should be a large clickable box in one of the sections. Hit replay and you can see the entire session (polls, pictures, and embedded video included).
I can't wait to see how the interest will shift and what a future poll with similar or the same options will turn out, once more information and details about pet battles is released.
If you'd like to view the poll, simply go to the Wowheadnews page with the Q&A full transcript, and there should be a large clickable box in one of the sections. Hit replay and you can see the entire session (polls, pictures, and embedded video included).
MoP Dev Q&A
WoW's next expansion Q&A session is currently live, and I'm watching it closely for any pet-related news. The following is a summary of what I've gathered so far:
The session is over! I asked a few questions concerning pet battles, but unfortunately they weren't cool enough to be answered and/or there wasn't enough time to get around to them. *sad face* Oh well, maybe next time!
For the full questions and answers (only the pet Q&As), hit the break.
- Devs hope to implement experience gain from pet battles. Not enough to level just by participating in battles, but enough so players feel rewarded.I'll be adding more as the Q&A progresses.
- Players will be able to toggle pet battle duel invites on and off just like normal duel invites.
- Players will be able to duel other players in pet battles, but there will also be a queuing system in which players can pet battle/duel other trainers of similar level.
- Pet battle combat = "simple combat system with some engaging depth".
- Grasshopper pet!
- Possible pet battle spectating mode.
The session is over! I asked a few questions concerning pet battles, but unfortunately they weren't cool enough to be answered and/or there wasn't enough time to get around to them. *sad face* Oh well, maybe next time!
For the full questions and answers (only the pet Q&As), hit the break.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Wowhead TCG Contest
Wowhead is having an EPIC TCG contest giveaway! Thirty (count them, 30!) TCG prizes, ten of which will be the soon-to-be-released companion, Purple Puffer. :O
To enter is easy: make sure you have a Wowhead account and leave a comment on their post (linked above). In your comment you must answer the following question: 'What is your favorite holiday in World of Warcraft and why?'
That's it! They will be picking the winners on November 2nd at 12:00PM PST, so be sure to get your comment in before then.
For the full list of rules and other details, visit the link above. Good luck to everyone entering!
To enter is easy: make sure you have a Wowhead account and leave a comment on their post (linked above). In your comment you must answer the following question: 'What is your favorite holiday in World of Warcraft and why?'
That's it! They will be picking the winners on November 2nd at 12:00PM PST, so be sure to get your comment in before then.
For the full list of rules and other details, visit the link above. Good luck to everyone entering!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
4.3 PTR - New Pet
MMO-Champion is reporting another new pet that's been datamined from the latest PTR build. Yes! Another possible new pet. :D Soul of the Aspects!
Could this be the companion who's model was datamined by Wowhead not too long ago (Chromatic Dragon Pet)? Perhaps the new rogue legendary weapon guild achievement reward? From the looks of the pet's item icon, it does strike me as similar to that of the Chromatic Dragon Pet model.
Unlike Lil' Tarecgosa, though, this companion is BoP and not Bind on B-net account. So maybe it's not the next "legendary" pet.
Whatever this vanity pet might be, it sounds pretty epic. *Insert giant echo'ing voice* SOUL of the ASPECTS. It just sounds awesome lol.
I've added it to the list of possible new pets in 4.3, and hopefully we'll see a preview of this companion soon!
Could this be the companion who's model was datamined by Wowhead not too long ago (Chromatic Dragon Pet)? Perhaps the new rogue legendary weapon guild achievement reward? From the looks of the pet's item icon, it does strike me as similar to that of the Chromatic Dragon Pet model.
Unlike Lil' Tarecgosa, though, this companion is BoP and not Bind on B-net account. So maybe it's not the next "legendary" pet.
Whatever this vanity pet might be, it sounds pretty epic. *Insert giant echo'ing voice* SOUL of the ASPECTS. It just sounds awesome lol.
I've added it to the list of possible new pets in 4.3, and hopefully we'll see a preview of this companion soon!
More Card Loot? Loot Cards?
The producers for Blizzard's WoW TCG, Cryptozoic, is coming out with another card game based on WoW. It will be called 'Clash of Champions' and is scheduled for release in spring 2012.
My biggest question: could this mean an opportunity for more loot cards? Specifically... companion pet loot cards? :P So far there's no definitive answer.
Keep in mind 'Clash of Champions' will be an entirely separate card game from the TCG that currently exists. From what I understand, the objectives will be different and possibly the gameplay. Maybe there won't be any room for loot cards in this new WoW card game, but we'll have to wait and find out.
My biggest question: could this mean an opportunity for more loot cards? Specifically... companion pet loot cards? :P So far there's no definitive answer.
Keep in mind 'Clash of Champions' will be an entirely separate card game from the TCG that currently exists. From what I understand, the objectives will be different and possibly the gameplay. Maybe there won't be any room for loot cards in this new WoW card game, but we'll have to wait and find out.
Read the Fine Print
The newest Lawbringer post on Wowinsider made an interesting point about the Guardian Cub. It's under "Buying something that's not for sale" in the article.
The sale of PetStore and similar redeemable items in-game for gold has always been confusing and vague to me. In some instances it's ok while in other situations, it's not. That's pretty much why I've stayed away from buying anything (that's not already found within the game) for gold. (Plus I'm a bit of a penny-pincher even with in-game and "fake" currency. Why spend the money when you can go out and get it yourself? But I digress :P)
With the introduction of this new pet and the new system in which Blizzard is pretty much saying it's ok to buy gold (in this specific situation only), will it cause even more confusion for players and pet collectors? It would be a shame for collectors to be punished because of a lack of information/knowledge. It would also be a shame if people were turned off of the PetStore companions because of the confusion. Those pets are too cute to go without homes. :(
I think Mathew McCurley sums it up pretty well when he writes, ""No, you can sell this but not this" is a hurdle for many casual players and a bit of a leap in logic that not everyone could be clued in on." And I definitely agree that there needs to be some sort of large (and very, VERY specific/clear) disclaimer, public service announcement or something to alert everyone of the difference between the older PetStore companions and the new, upcoming Guardian Cub. Otherwise, there are going to be even more players duped by gold sellers and other scammers, and I'd hate to hear about a situation like that souring pet collecting for anyone.
The sale of PetStore and similar redeemable items in-game for gold has always been confusing and vague to me. In some instances it's ok while in other situations, it's not. That's pretty much why I've stayed away from buying anything (that's not already found within the game) for gold. (Plus I'm a bit of a penny-pincher even with in-game and "fake" currency. Why spend the money when you can go out and get it yourself? But I digress :P)
With the introduction of this new pet and the new system in which Blizzard is pretty much saying it's ok to buy gold (in this specific situation only), will it cause even more confusion for players and pet collectors? It would be a shame for collectors to be punished because of a lack of information/knowledge. It would also be a shame if people were turned off of the PetStore companions because of the confusion. Those pets are too cute to go without homes. :(
I think Mathew McCurley sums it up pretty well when he writes, ""No, you can sell this but not this" is a hurdle for many casual players and a bit of a leap in logic that not everyone could be clued in on." And I definitely agree that there needs to be some sort of large (and very, VERY specific/clear) disclaimer, public service announcement or something to alert everyone of the difference between the older PetStore companions and the new, upcoming Guardian Cub. Otherwise, there are going to be even more players duped by gold sellers and other scammers, and I'd hate to hear about a situation like that souring pet collecting for anyone.
"Optional" = Not Really Optional
Disclaimer: The views in this post may not be reflected by those associated or affiliated with Quintessence or Perks N Peeves. Opinions are those solely of the author. Also, I highly recommend reading the comments that follow as there are a lot of good points and discussions. :)
I mentioned that I would dedicate an entire post to the topic of pet battles, but after reading a blue post response to pet battles... I just feel compelled to say this here and now. Maybe I'm just having a knee-jerk reaction, and with time I'll see a clearer and more logical side to this, but right now I just can't hold back my frustration and irritation.
Alright, so pet collectors. What do collectors desire? Namely classical pet collectors who really have no interest in putting their pets in battles. To acquire as many companions as they can, right? To complete their collection by adding to it all the pets that are currently available. What if there are pets that are available but ONLY if you participate in pet battling...?
Now, this pet battling feature is supposed to be "optional" yes? But in the end is it really? Especially for classic collectors?
I mentioned that I would dedicate an entire post to the topic of pet battles, but after reading a blue post response to pet battles... I just feel compelled to say this here and now. Maybe I'm just having a knee-jerk reaction, and with time I'll see a clearer and more logical side to this, but right now I just can't hold back my frustration and irritation.
"It's about giving people options in the game to play it how they want to." - ZarhymI find this statement and the whole concept of pet battles contradictory. I'll explain why in a moment.
"...you're actually getting a use out of the pets you've collected over the years, in order to progress them in a fun mini-game, unlock countless more pets, and just generally give your character a new depth of style and flavor." - ZarhymNote the bold portion of this statement.
Alright, so pet collectors. What do collectors desire? Namely classical pet collectors who really have no interest in putting their pets in battles. To acquire as many companions as they can, right? To complete their collection by adding to it all the pets that are currently available. What if there are pets that are available but ONLY if you participate in pet battling...?
Now, this pet battling feature is supposed to be "optional" yes? But in the end is it really? Especially for classic collectors?
Monday, October 24, 2011
Breakdown of Blizzcon 2011 Announcements
I'm back at home and I've finally managed to catch up on stuff that needed attending to. Now it's time to take a closer look at all the new info that was shared at Blizzcon 2011!
The biggest thing of course is pet battles, but I'm going to save that for a post of its very own. It's a huge topic that I could probably go on for pages and pages about, so I'll save that for later.
First and foremost: According to Doobjanka's post on the WarcraftPets Facebook, the revamped Darkmoon Faire will NOT be reputation based.
"Exalted rep get[s] no benefits towards the new pets."
This is exciting news for me since I still have yet to hit exalted with the faire! I hope that those who have already reached exalted with the DMF get something awesome from the faire upon its 4.3 release, though. It's quite a feat to stick it out and grind through it. I don't think I'm even halfway and I'm exhausted!
There are other things that I have questions, comments, and thoughts about though. All of it after the break.
The biggest thing of course is pet battles, but I'm going to save that for a post of its very own. It's a huge topic that I could probably go on for pages and pages about, so I'll save that for later.
First and foremost: According to Doobjanka's post on the WarcraftPets Facebook, the revamped Darkmoon Faire will NOT be reputation based.
"Exalted rep get[s] no benefits towards the new pets."
This is exciting news for me since I still have yet to hit exalted with the faire! I hope that those who have already reached exalted with the DMF get something awesome from the faire upon its 4.3 release, though. It's quite a feat to stick it out and grind through it. I don't think I'm even halfway and I'm exhausted!
There are other things that I have questions, comments, and thoughts about though. All of it after the break.
Blizzcon Day Two - Wrap Up
A big thank you to all the admins of WarcraftPets, and especially Breanni for a lovely dinner! It was great to be able to discuss everything from WoW to Starcraft and D3 to (eep) black widow spiders haha.
Other than more play-testing and hanging out with guildmates, day two of Blizzcon 2011 was pretty tame.
I saw a person dressed up as Stinker, though! Needless to say I had to restrain my urge to add her to my collection. :P
Other than more play-testing and hanging out with guildmates, day two of Blizzcon 2011 was pretty tame.
I saw a person dressed up as Stinker, though! Needless to say I had to restrain my urge to add her to my collection. :P
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