Cataclysm Mastery System Details UPDATED

Blizzard has announced details about the new mastery system that will change the stats of your characters forever when Cataclysm hits.  WOW Head explains it all in a few words:  "In a nut shell the mastery system will basically give you bonuses that increase damage, healing or survivability according to the amount of points spent in the tree. Along with it you will get a secondary bonus to a stat that is most desirable to you, like haste or crit. There is even a third bonus which will be completely unique to the tree and will benefit from the mastery rating on high-level gear."
http://www.wowhead.com/?blog=147803

UPDATE:  WOW Insider published some clarifications Blizzard made this evening.
http://www.wow.com/2010/03/09/updates-and-clarifications-on-the-mastery-system/

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

Patch 3.3.3 Downloader Active

WOW Insider is reporting the downloader for Patch 3.3.3 is active.  They don't expect the patch to show up for a few weeks, however.  Not today, in other words.  By the way, the article has a link to their constantly updated article about what's planned for this new big patch.
http://www.wow.com/2010/03/09/patch-3-3-3-background-downloader-active/

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

WOW Not Coming To A Console Near You

Here's why not.
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3178263

This link is the original G4 story, but it doesn't add anything to the above.
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/703047/Blizzard-Thinks-About-A-Console-World-Of-Warcraft-All-The-Time.html

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

The Goon Squad Attacks (with Video)

WOW Insider reports that the Goon Squad, a Horde guild from Mal'Ganis-US, has defeated Fordring in a victory for the Lich King.  You are probably thinking, wait a minute, aren't we supposed to be killing the Lich King, not his opponent?  You are right.  Goon Squad isn't playing the game as Blizzard intended.  They specialize in trolling, griefing, in bending the game rules, and playing the game with their own backwards logic.  There's a video, too!
http://www.wow.com/2010/03/08/goon-squad-downs-tirion-fordring/

WOW Insider calls this emergent gameplay, "that is, taking a strict set of rules and using them to produce results unintended by the rulemakers."  It is rather refreshing to see a guild whose main goal isn't accumulating pretty gear, but playing the game, even if by their own twisted rules.

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

The Spamalyzer (Addons) and Other Lag Addons

Spamalyzer wins my vote for Best Addon Name.  It helps you identify addons like Carbonite or GearScore that cause lag by spamming chat during raiding.  The writer says this happens even if folks don't have the addon themselves.  If this is a problem for you, it is worth checking out.
http://pwnwear.com/2010/03/09/spamalyzer-addon-can-help-lag/

UPDATE:  Another lag fighter called Leatrix
http://www.twistednether.net/2010/03/08/resource-site-spotlight-leatrix/

***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com