Welcome, friends, to another Reader UI of the Week. It has been an exciting week for addons … sort of. User interface customization has been enabled on the Cataclysm beta servers, and addon authors are working hard to create some awesome new mods. Hopefully, in the near future, we will be getting some cool new user interfaces coming out of beta, as well as addons and changes.

In the meantime, we’ve got some awesome user interfaces to cover. Today’s reader submission comes from Aanye on the Cenarius realm. Using Fizzik’s UI as inspiration and a set of UI-defining requirements, Aanye has gone and made a very capable and very slim laptop user interface for himself. Let’s take a look.

Continue reading Reader UI of the Week: Aanye’s UI

Filed under: Add-Ons, Reader UI of the Week

Reader UI of the Week: Aanye’s UI originally appeared on WoW.com on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to know what you’re missing in the beta? Here’s a front-line report from priest Vaelor on Mekkatorque (EU): “I’ve spent most of my testing time enjoying the ever-so-delightful experience of healing premade tanks with a third of my health, but whenever I can stop tunnel-visioning my party frames, I take a look around to appreciate the artwork. In my opinion, Vortex Pinnacle blows everything out of the water.

“Unfortunately, my little time there has been plagued by players’ crashing just by mousing over random air elementals, killing said air elementals, and subsequently getting my ass handed to me, as the air elementals’ pals knocked me off the floating complex in retaliation for killing their brethren.

“However, I did manage to snap a few screenshots, and something tells me that Beacon of Light is so last year. As you can see in the picture, Power Word: Barrier is going to be the new hotness in the upcoming fall/winter 2011 Holy Fashion Week. Also, rumor has it Anna Wintour is going to dedicate a spread in Vogue (Dalaran edition) to Divine Aegis and Power Infusion as the must-have accessories of the season.”

Filed under: Around Azeroth

Around Azeroth Beta Edition: Out of the darkness, into the light originally appeared on WoW.com on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This Breakfast Topic has been brought to you by Seed, the Aol guest writer program that brings your words to WoW.com.

I could have taken part in the Cataclysm beta, but I chose not too. Here are my Top 10 reasons why I decided to wait to play Cataclysm until it is released some time later this year:

1. I only have so much time — might as well put it toward making my toons stronger.
2. I’ll let other people work the kinks out.
3. I get bored enough repeating quests as it is. Why do the quests when they don’t really count?
4. I don’t want to get accustomed to playing a level 85 mage, only to have to go back to my level 80 mage.
5. Why level (or for that matter, play) with a character you can’t bring into the “real” non-beta world? I’m not that ambitious.
6. I’ve done the beta before: fallen in love (well, strong “like”) with certain spells or abilities, only to have them taken away. (Mirror Image so rocked when it first appeared in the Wrath beta …) I don’t want to experience that pain again.
7. Most of my guildmates won’t be there. I like having my guild around.
8. I actually don’t think I’m a skilled enough raider to be any help with my feedback. I really need to do a boss encounter four or five times before I start to get it down well.
9. If I am going to risk wife aggro, I want to risk it for something that counts.
10. I’m not a fan of spoilers. I’d rather experience it all when it goes live.

Are you playing in the Cataclysm beta? Why or why not? Would you, if you had the chance?

Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Cataclysm, Guest Posts

Breakfast Topic: Are you dodging the Cataclysm beta? originally appeared on WoW.com on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Happy Tuesday morning, everyone! We got a new patch in the beta this past week, which has led to much rejoicing, as goblins are playable again. Of course, as one bug is squished, a few thousand more pop up — but the bug in the screenshot above? I rather like it. My worgen is not only a ferocious werewolf, but also a twisted Victorian mad scientist, his visage forever corrupted by his own experiments, dooming him to stalk the night bereft of love and companionship forever.

Never fear, though, the latest patch blitz from the beta servers has bought also brought the good stuff. There’s a veritable cornucopia of new goodies to pore over, including new racial character introductions, new guild achievements and updates to archaeology and inscription. There’s much more, of course, and you can read all about it here on WoW.com. You’ll have plenty of time do so, too, as realm maintenance is scheduled for the usual 5-11 a.m. Pacific time today. And thus, dear reader, read on, for the tragic cautionary tale of Dr. Worgenstein — I mean, more WoW news.

Continue reading Tuesday Morning Post: Mad science edition

Filed under: Realm Status, News items

Tuesday Morning Post: Mad science edition originally appeared on WoW.com on Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is, of course, the second Orc vs. Wild video. I’m curious to see how you feel about these videos. Wowcrendor has always been a fan favorite, and I think he’s found a great voice and outlet as Boar Thrills. This series could turn into something as epic as his How to videos, especially if he keeps expanding his options through the world.

Filed under: WoW Moviewatch

WoW Moviewatch: Orc vs. Wild: Winterspring originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Continue reading Cataclysm Beta: Warrior glyphs

Filed under: Warrior, Cataclysm

Cataclysm Beta: Warrior glyphs originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Choose the adventures of the WoW.com staff as we level our characters in <It came from the Blog> on Zangarmarsh (US-PvE-H).

I’m so sorry I never had the stream last week as promised. I got sick, then The Spawn got sick and we had to go visit Great Grandpa who was sick. Boo! (The Spawn and I are fully recovered and Great Grandpa is well cared for.) You may have also noticed we didn’t have our usual polls on Friday. That’s because we are going to have them on Wednesdays from now on. Our adventures will be recapped on Mondays, which begins today with the return of Foxlight and Patent after the break. Ch-ch-ch-changes! But first, the schedule:

Schedule

• Adam Holisky as Adammentat, the level 62 tauren druid, will play on Monday at 10 p.m. EDT.
• Robin Torres as Robinemia, the Forsaken huntress: Wednesday, 11 p.m. EDT. Note: This will be streamed.
• Amy Schley as Patent, the level 29 troll rogue: Thursday, 10 p.m. EDT
• Anne Stickney as Annephora, the level 42 troll warrior, will play on Saturday at 1 a.m. EDT (which is Friday at 11 p.m. Zangarmarsh time).

Adventurers who play when they can

• Fox Van Allen as Foxlight, the level 25 blood elf paladin
• Lisa Poisso as Prupher, the level 11 tauren druid
• Michael Sacco as Shockbroker, the goblin shaman
• Christian Belt, as Selfloathius, the level 16 blood elf warlock
• Robin Torres, as Robinemia, the level 29 Forsaken mage
• Matthew Rossi as Andrenorton, the level 17 troll mage
• Michael Gray as Grayfields, the level 17 tauren hunter
• Gregg Reece as Sandwichdoc, the level 16 troll shaman

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: Patent and Foxlight

Filed under: It Came from the Blog, Choose My Adventure

Choose My Adventure: Patent and Foxlight originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Want to crush your enemies, see them driven before you and hear the lamentation of their women? Blood Sport investigates the entirety of all things arena for gladiators and challengers alike. C. Christian Moore, multiple rank 1 gladiator, examines the latest arena strategy, trends, compositions and more in WoW.com’s arena column.

Listening Music: Stevie Wonder. I listen to this stuff when I play arena — teammates think I’m ridiculous. I think they’re ridiculous for not appreciating Stevie. Although, I guess it is a bit weird to hear kill targets shouted while You Are the Sunshine of my Life … is blaring in the background.

Understanding the big picture

Gladiators look at arena battles very differently than most. This isn’t because they’re naturally gifted at solving complex riddles or puzzles — they just have enough arena experience to understand things that others might not. Well, get ready, because this is the start of your crash course in seeing what we see, how we see it.

So sit back, relax and crack open a cold one.

Continue reading Blood Sport: Good momentum

Filed under: PvP, Add-Ons, Blood Sport (Arena PvP)

Blood Sport: Good momentum originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Every Monday evening, WoW.com brings you a long list of WoW podcasts that were published the week (and weekend) before. If you don’t see your favorite podcast listed, just let us know in the comments. Be sure to leave a link to it, and we’ll pick it up next week.

All podcasts and content belong to their owners. WoW.com is not responsible for what you hear, and some of the content may not be safe for work.

• All Things Azeroth Shade (By Calvin Klein)
  
• Blue Plz! Season 4 — Episode 28
• The Instance Mixed Marital Sippy Cup Parasailin’
• Rawrcast Double Up!
• Twisted Nether Blogcast Party Like It’s 99

Continue reading Weekly Podcast Roundup: Aug. 30-Sept. 5, 2010

Filed under: Weekly Podcast Roundup

Weekly Podcast Roundup: Aug. 30-Sept. 5, 2010 originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario, we know and love you best as our favorite plumber — but don’t think we haven’t figured out that you’re sneaking around out there as a druid, too. So what would happen if you tucked the beloved characters of Mario into the World of Warcraft? The result is David Stonecipher’s “WoW Meets the Mushroom Kingdom” art series. Stonecipher’s drawn up his own vision of how the Mario universe’s most famous characters would look inside Azeroth.

Mario as a druid? Bowser as a warrior? Try all 10 classes on for size. “I did something a little different with these pieces this time,” Stonecipher wrote us. “I’ve created a video that shows each artwork be created from blank canvas to finished completion. This allows people to get a look at how the art is created in various stages.”

See more of Stonecipher’s video game character mashups at GameArtOnline.com, or click past the break to see the other five WoW classes in Part 2 of the WoW/Mushroom Kingdom series.

Continue reading World of WarCrafts: Hey, it’s-a me, WoWio!

Filed under: World of WarCrafts, Arts and Crafts

World of WarCrafts: Hey, it’s-a me, WoWio! originally appeared on WoW.com on Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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