The Solo MMO Player got a little tired of all the rogues hiding in questing areas waiting to backstab folks who are fighting an NPC or attacking folks on the transport. He remembered using Spy Classic which reads and organizes the combat logs when he first played WOW and searched it out again. It is excellent when it comes to figuring out what is going on. It opens up all sorts of options and levels the playing field by giving players all sorts of information about other players in an area. The use of Spy has now spread all over his realm. Recently updated.
https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/spy-classic/files
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Thursday, November 28, 2019
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
WOW Classic: Why Mana Isn't Regenerating
The Solo MMO Player is getting lots of folks asking him why their mana isn't regenerating in PvP. This is due to the five second rule (often abbreviated 5SR). This is the most concise explanation I've found.
http://wow.allakhazam.com/wiki/Five_Second_Rule_(WoW)
Basically, if you cast a spell (or things like hunter shots) that uses mana, you will lose the mana the spell cost and none will regenerate for five seconds. If you cast two spells that use mana in a row, you will lose the mana for both and the timer that started to count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 after the first spell was cast will be reset to 1 again when you cast the second spell. This delays the building back up of your mana.
You need to figure out how to space the mana-eating spells so that you don't delay the return of mana unnecessarily. This article has some tips to help you. Read the Comments for more help and clarification. This article is from 2007 so it likely will be helpful for Classic WOW players.
https://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=2081
If you are interested, there is an add-on to help you track mana. It is called Five Second Rule. The Solo MMO Player does not use this so I don't know how well it works.
https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/fivesecondrule
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
http://wow.allakhazam.com/wiki/Five_Second_Rule_(WoW)
Basically, if you cast a spell (or things like hunter shots) that uses mana, you will lose the mana the spell cost and none will regenerate for five seconds. If you cast two spells that use mana in a row, you will lose the mana for both and the timer that started to count 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 after the first spell was cast will be reset to 1 again when you cast the second spell. This delays the building back up of your mana.
You need to figure out how to space the mana-eating spells so that you don't delay the return of mana unnecessarily. This article has some tips to help you. Read the Comments for more help and clarification. This article is from 2007 so it likely will be helpful for Classic WOW players.
https://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=2081
If you are interested, there is an add-on to help you track mana. It is called Five Second Rule. The Solo MMO Player does not use this so I don't know how well it works.
https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/fivesecondrule
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Saturday, November 16, 2019
Pawn Scales for WOW
Since a lot of folks have been searching this blog for information about Pawn scales to use in World of Warcraft, I thought I'd do a summary with all the current information available. The Pawn software is downloaded from Curse. This link is for the download and tells you where to follow Vger on Facebook for news, etc. Don't rush to download, though. Read on, McDuff.
https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/pawn
Pawn scales are used to compare two pieces of gear to tell you which will give you the most boost in your character's stats. Apparently by Pawn version 2.3.11 (November 3, 2019) Pawn works for WOW Classic in all languages that it works in for WOW Retail.
You will still need to import your own stats for Classic as they are not built in for this version of the game. How do you do that? If you are really really into theory crafting, you'll want to read this WOWHead article about Pawn and SimulationCraft. Be warned, though, WOWHead has inaccuracies now that it is a for-profit company, not the obsession of bloggers and extremely knowledgable gamers. The Solo MMO Player has found at least three instances of incorrect information over the last month.
https://www.wowhead.com/how-to-use-simulationcraft-and-pawn
There is some question as to the accuracy of the built-in Pawn scales in Retail. The best way to make Pawn scales as correct as possible is to build your own. The second link below is to a Google Doc that explains how to do this with SimulationCraft. I don't know how up-to-date this is since the G-Doc isn't dated.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/57vlvo/how_accurate_is_pawn/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pW5mWY9nkfWoRCOHfoXqeeGb8s-jMoSVy-g8uveUv4c/edit
Icy Veins' forum has a nice summary of how all this works using a Warlock as an example (dated 2014). The author reminds folks that Pawn or SimulationCraft stats are about current gear. They don't give you any information about what sort of gear you should seek down the road as you play.
https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/topic/7275-scale-factors-and-you-an-explanation-of-stat-weights/
By the way, Weebly has stats for you to import. This is old information derived from The Elitist Jerks and MaxDPS, so don't use it unless you are playing The Burning Crusade. I am only including this for the sake of completeness because it sounds likely Blizzard will have a Burning Crusade server opened in 2020-21.
http://tbcwowaddons.weebly.com/pawn.html
UPDATE: This article has proved very popular among those who want to data mine WOW, so I've added it here so similar things are together in one place.
https://solommo.blogspot.com/2010/07/learning-data-mining-in-your-spare-time.html
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/pawn
Pawn scales are used to compare two pieces of gear to tell you which will give you the most boost in your character's stats. Apparently by Pawn version 2.3.11 (November 3, 2019) Pawn works for WOW Classic in all languages that it works in for WOW Retail.
You will still need to import your own stats for Classic as they are not built in for this version of the game. How do you do that? If you are really really into theory crafting, you'll want to read this WOWHead article about Pawn and SimulationCraft. Be warned, though, WOWHead has inaccuracies now that it is a for-profit company, not the obsession of bloggers and extremely knowledgable gamers. The Solo MMO Player has found at least three instances of incorrect information over the last month.
https://www.wowhead.com/how-to-use-simulationcraft-and-pawn
There is some question as to the accuracy of the built-in Pawn scales in Retail. The best way to make Pawn scales as correct as possible is to build your own. The second link below is to a Google Doc that explains how to do this with SimulationCraft. I don't know how up-to-date this is since the G-Doc isn't dated.
https://www.reddit.com/r/wow/comments/57vlvo/how_accurate_is_pawn/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pW5mWY9nkfWoRCOHfoXqeeGb8s-jMoSVy-g8uveUv4c/edit
Icy Veins' forum has a nice summary of how all this works using a Warlock as an example (dated 2014). The author reminds folks that Pawn or SimulationCraft stats are about current gear. They don't give you any information about what sort of gear you should seek down the road as you play.
https://www.icy-veins.com/forums/topic/7275-scale-factors-and-you-an-explanation-of-stat-weights/
By the way, Weebly has stats for you to import. This is old information derived from The Elitist Jerks and MaxDPS, so don't use it unless you are playing The Burning Crusade. I am only including this for the sake of completeness because it sounds likely Blizzard will have a Burning Crusade server opened in 2020-21.
http://tbcwowaddons.weebly.com/pawn.html
UPDATE: This article has proved very popular among those who want to data mine WOW, so I've added it here so similar things are together in one place.
https://solommo.blogspot.com/2010/07/learning-data-mining-in-your-spare-time.html
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
WOW Classic: Master the Sheep
If you are a mage in classic WOW, learn to sheep. It's one of the best CC tactics in the game. Sheeping is turning an enemy into a sheep with a mage spell. (This is also called polymorphing.) There are limitations (you can only sheep one target at a time, plus you and your party have to not attack it while sheeped or it will revert to the original form) but it's a great tactic. Sheeping typically lasts 10-12 seconds but it can last longer, up to 50 seconds.
By the way, the Solo MMO Player says if you are soloing Classic WOW, it's probably best to attack the main boss first, then pick off the ads. This is the opposite of normal strategy but when you are on your own, you have to adjust things.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
By the way, the Solo MMO Player says if you are soloing Classic WOW, it's probably best to attack the main boss first, then pick off the ads. This is the opposite of normal strategy but when you are on your own, you have to adjust things.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Monday, October 28, 2019
Where are the Training Dummies in Classic WOW?
The Solo MMO Player wanted to know where the training dummies are located in Classic WOW so he can try out some macros he's written. Sadly, according to Blizzard there are no target dummies in Classic. There are target dummy NPCs in Undercity but they are not attackable.
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/wow-classic-not-a-bug-list/175887/114
Here's a list of their locations if you are playing Retail WOW.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Training_Dummy
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/wow-classic-not-a-bug-list/175887/114
Here's a list of their locations if you are playing Retail WOW.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Training_Dummy
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 17, 2019
The Problems of a Solo Hunter in Classic WOW
The Solo MMO Player says that hunters and their pets have a lot of moving parts in Classic WOW. Petopia explains it best. This page is particularly helpful as it explains how to tame wild pets, learn their abilities and transfer those to other pets.
https://www.wow-petopia.com/classic/differences.php
Basically you have to tame a pet that is your level or lower, then feed and level it. You have to train it in the abilities you've chosen by spending training points, and those abilities must be leveled in rank as your pet levels. Fortunately you can only have three pets in Classic or you would lose your mind trying to keep it all straight. Follow the links in Petopia above to help you figure this all out.
WOWhead also has charts that tell you what your pet will eat, and organizes pets by whether they are better at offense or defense or whether they do ok in both.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-wow-hunter-pets
Icy Veins has a great chart that compares DPS among the various pet types.
https://www.icy-veins.com/wow-classic/hunter-dps-pets-guide
Good luck and happy hunting!
P.S. If you are an experienced hunter, these BBB articles are for you.
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/30/kitty-burst-dps-and-you/
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/24/from-the-mailbag-mangle/
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/18/so-should-i-get-cranky-in-my-first-post/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://www.wow-petopia.com/classic/differences.php
Basically you have to tame a pet that is your level or lower, then feed and level it. You have to train it in the abilities you've chosen by spending training points, and those abilities must be leveled in rank as your pet levels. Fortunately you can only have three pets in Classic or you would lose your mind trying to keep it all straight. Follow the links in Petopia above to help you figure this all out.
WOWhead also has charts that tell you what your pet will eat, and organizes pets by whether they are better at offense or defense or whether they do ok in both.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-wow-hunter-pets
Icy Veins has a great chart that compares DPS among the various pet types.
https://www.icy-veins.com/wow-classic/hunter-dps-pets-guide
Good luck and happy hunting!
P.S. If you are an experienced hunter, these BBB articles are for you.
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/30/kitty-burst-dps-and-you/
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/24/from-the-mailbag-mangle/
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/18/so-should-i-get-cranky-in-my-first-post/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
The Problems of a Solo Rogue in Classic WOW
To get poison capability on your blades during a quest as a level 20 rogue you have to acquire lock picking in another quest as a rogue first. The practice boxes inside the lumber mill you have to open to gain lock picking have a rare level 23 elite spider camping them, so you will have to level beyond level 20 to kill the spider. This is a small area with two-three other spiders and some of the small fire-spitting dragons roaming around outside the mill, and a solo player will have to worry about the elite spider re-pawning. Perhaps some wiser and better player can compensate for these issues as a solo Level 20 rogue, but if you are a regular player like the Solo MMO Player, don't listen to what WOWhead says about the practice boxes quest.
Actually, WOWhead's information is becoming similar to that of a travel guide writing about Thailand who has never set foot there.
I have to say that some older WOWhead information seems good.
https://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=116181
For now Warcraft Tavern seems to have the best information, but the quality level of game info has dropped significantly across the board in the last five years.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/guides/wow-classic-lockpicking-guide-1-300/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Actually, WOWhead's information is becoming similar to that of a travel guide writing about Thailand who has never set foot there.
I have to say that some older WOWhead information seems good.
https://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=116181
For now Warcraft Tavern seems to have the best information, but the quality level of game info has dropped significantly across the board in the last five years.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/guides/wow-classic-lockpicking-guide-1-300/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Saturday, October 12, 2019
The Flora and Fauna of WOW
Here is a truly specialist site-
http://wowbiology101.weebly.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
http://wowbiology101.weebly.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Revisting Blogs about Classic WOW
I've started trying to find old class content from 2009 and earlier for the Classic WOW game. It's not easy. Most of the links with good information at one time are now dead and gone. Arcane Brilliance, SpicyTuna, Empowered Fire, Big Red Kitty, Psynister, they are all defunct.
But Critical QQ is still around, with lots of mage information. This appears to be the first posting, Halloween 2007. I recommend you rummage around as you'll get a real feel for what players were like in the original game.
https://criticalqq.wordpress.com/2007/10/
This article about the Fire Mage in PvP is from Critical QQ in 2010.
https://criticalqq.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/fire-mage-pvp-problems-and-solutions/
Slice and Dice's article about mages destroying rogues on heroics might be useful. He played a rogue back in the day, so don't look for much mage info here. But if you are a rogue, this is the blog to explore.
https://samueltempus.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/whats-up-with-my-heroic-dps/
Big Bear Butt is a famous hunter but this early article is all about feral druid specs. Enjoy it if you are a druid but if you are a hunter, this is the Mother Lode.
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/22/variations-in-feral-druid-specs-no-math/
Harpy's Nest is all about playing a priest or mage. This is a typical article. It lists all the places you can pick up the Polymorph spell if you are a mage. Who doesn't want to turn stuff into a pig?
https://harpysnest.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/the-many-flavours-of-polymorph/
Finally, Frost is the New Black is all about playing a frost mage, a restoration druid and a shadow priest. I'm not sure all the information on these characters is all Classic-specific, but it's a good place to explore.
https://frostisthenewblack.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/meanwhile-frost-is-pretty-awesome/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
But Critical QQ is still around, with lots of mage information. This appears to be the first posting, Halloween 2007. I recommend you rummage around as you'll get a real feel for what players were like in the original game.
https://criticalqq.wordpress.com/2007/10/
This article about the Fire Mage in PvP is from Critical QQ in 2010.
https://criticalqq.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/fire-mage-pvp-problems-and-solutions/
Slice and Dice's article about mages destroying rogues on heroics might be useful. He played a rogue back in the day, so don't look for much mage info here. But if you are a rogue, this is the blog to explore.
https://samueltempus.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/whats-up-with-my-heroic-dps/
Big Bear Butt is a famous hunter but this early article is all about feral druid specs. Enjoy it if you are a druid but if you are a hunter, this is the Mother Lode.
https://thebigbearbutt.com/2007/08/22/variations-in-feral-druid-specs-no-math/
Harpy's Nest is all about playing a priest or mage. This is a typical article. It lists all the places you can pick up the Polymorph spell if you are a mage. Who doesn't want to turn stuff into a pig?
https://harpysnest.wordpress.com/2010/08/20/the-many-flavours-of-polymorph/
Finally, Frost is the New Black is all about playing a frost mage, a restoration druid and a shadow priest. I'm not sure all the information on these characters is all Classic-specific, but it's a good place to explore.
https://frostisthenewblack.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/meanwhile-frost-is-pretty-awesome/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Monday, October 7, 2019
Druids and Experience in Classic WOW
The quickest way to level your druid in Classic WOW is to find and kill mobs that are all your level.
If you kill something that is a lesser level than you, you get less experience than usual, which makes sense. Oddly, the same thing happens if you kill something of a higher level than you-still less experience than usual!
If you kill a mob that is lower level than you, still less experience. If you kill a mob that's all higher level, still less experience.
The best way to proceed if you are a druid according to the Solo MMO Player is to find a mob with everyone the same level as you. This isn't easy as mobs generally are a mix of levels, but it's worth thinking about as you run from Point A to Point B in Classic WOW….
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
If you kill something that is a lesser level than you, you get less experience than usual, which makes sense. Oddly, the same thing happens if you kill something of a higher level than you-still less experience than usual!
If you kill a mob that is lower level than you, still less experience. If you kill a mob that's all higher level, still less experience.
The best way to proceed if you are a druid according to the Solo MMO Player is to find a mob with everyone the same level as you. This isn't easy as mobs generally are a mix of levels, but it's worth thinking about as you run from Point A to Point B in Classic WOW….
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Thursday, October 3, 2019
WOW Classic Guild Names, Recruiting and Interesting Behaviors
The Solo MMO Player is finding the new guild names, ah, interesting. The favorite this week is Nagging Wives. We cannot wait to hear what happens when the spouse finds out the name of hubby's guild.
However, we think this might be the perfect gift to soothe the spouses in the Nagging Wives guild. Wonder if there is a discount for bulk purchases?
https://gear.blizzard.com/us/game/world-of-warcraft/cute-but-deadly-blue-murloc-kigurumi
Guild recruitment pitches are nearly as good as guild names. Today we heard of a guild looking for old vanilla WOW players. They say that they are a casual raiding guild that gets drunk, raids, and cannot remember the raid the next day. Translation: We need an experienced babysitter who can run the raid for us while we down multiple brews in quick succession. Don't expect a stampede of older players, folks. Adults have better things to do with their time.
Player behavior continues to baffle the Solo MMO Player. Tonight he had someone steal a drop out from under him, then ask where he was going to raid next. He also heard someone complain loudly, "They keep killing me!" This was on a PvP server. PvP doesn't stand for Pepperoni Vegetable Pizza in WOW, folks.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
However, we think this might be the perfect gift to soothe the spouses in the Nagging Wives guild. Wonder if there is a discount for bulk purchases?
https://gear.blizzard.com/us/game/world-of-warcraft/cute-but-deadly-blue-murloc-kigurumi
Guild recruitment pitches are nearly as good as guild names. Today we heard of a guild looking for old vanilla WOW players. They say that they are a casual raiding guild that gets drunk, raids, and cannot remember the raid the next day. Translation: We need an experienced babysitter who can run the raid for us while we down multiple brews in quick succession. Don't expect a stampede of older players, folks. Adults have better things to do with their time.
Player behavior continues to baffle the Solo MMO Player. Tonight he had someone steal a drop out from under him, then ask where he was going to raid next. He also heard someone complain loudly, "They keep killing me!" This was on a PvP server. PvP doesn't stand for Pepperoni Vegetable Pizza in WOW, folks.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
All About Mounts in WOW (Classic and Retail)
You have to walk just about everywhere in Classic WOW, which is prompting a lot of questions about mounts, especially flying mounts. This is a good summary about mounts in general for the entire game.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Mount
In Classic, you can't get a mount until you are Level 40. Flying mounts are not available in the Classic version of the game since flying wasn't introduced until Level 60 in the Burning Crusade expansion.
https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/wow-classic-mounts
There are differences between how mounts work in Classic/Vanilla WOW and in Retail WOW.
https://progameguides.com/wow/wow-classic-how-to-get-a-mount/
If you want to run the numbers before picking that first mount for Classic, this is the website for you.
https://vanilla-wow.fandom.com/wiki/Mount
You can also get mounts from other races in Classic. It can be convoluted but this site will guide you.
https://www.gosunoob.com/wow-classic/how-to-get-mounts-from-other-races/
Here is a nice summary of how to get flying mounts in Retail WOW, with a special druid section since they have a flying ability. Bottom line: it'll cost a lot of gold and you have to be Level 60.
https://www.wikihow.com/Fly-in-World-of-Warcraft
Wowpedia has a list of all the mounts in the game which is useful. This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/List_of_mounts
Warcraft Mounts is a specialist site just about mounts, including retired ones and upcoming mounts. This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://warcraftmounts.com
And naturally Blizzard will sell you mounts for real cash. (Note that this is the US shop. You'll need to switch to your local shop if you are not US and then use the search function to find the available mounts.) This is also the place to buy pets and in-game fireworks, etc.
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/family/world-of-warcraft#mounts
WARNING WARNING WARNING
Don't buy a mount from the Blizzard store and expect to use it in Classic. It looks like all the currently available mounts for purchase are flying mounts which are not available to use in Classic.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://wow.gamepedia.com/Mount
In Classic, you can't get a mount until you are Level 40. Flying mounts are not available in the Classic version of the game since flying wasn't introduced until Level 60 in the Burning Crusade expansion.
https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/wow-classic-mounts
There are differences between how mounts work in Classic/Vanilla WOW and in Retail WOW.
https://progameguides.com/wow/wow-classic-how-to-get-a-mount/
If you want to run the numbers before picking that first mount for Classic, this is the website for you.
https://vanilla-wow.fandom.com/wiki/Mount
You can also get mounts from other races in Classic. It can be convoluted but this site will guide you.
https://www.gosunoob.com/wow-classic/how-to-get-mounts-from-other-races/
Here is a nice summary of how to get flying mounts in Retail WOW, with a special druid section since they have a flying ability. Bottom line: it'll cost a lot of gold and you have to be Level 60.
https://www.wikihow.com/Fly-in-World-of-Warcraft
Wowpedia has a list of all the mounts in the game which is useful. This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://wow.gamepedia.com/List_of_mounts
Warcraft Mounts is a specialist site just about mounts, including retired ones and upcoming mounts. This is for both versions of the game I think.
https://warcraftmounts.com
And naturally Blizzard will sell you mounts for real cash. (Note that this is the US shop. You'll need to switch to your local shop if you are not US and then use the search function to find the available mounts.) This is also the place to buy pets and in-game fireworks, etc.
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/family/world-of-warcraft#mounts
WARNING WARNING WARNING
Don't buy a mount from the Blizzard store and expect to use it in Classic. It looks like all the currently available mounts for purchase are flying mounts which are not available to use in Classic.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
WOW Classic (and Later): Getting Around Five Second Global Cool Down
If you are an old time WOW player, you'll be interesting in this Elitist Jerks' article on getting around the five second global cool down timer. This is really important for PvP.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080408033047/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t15393-global_cooldown/
Here is a more detailed information about the five second rule, including the mana regen formula in case you are into math.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080408013010/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t15391-five_second_rule/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20080408033047/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t15393-global_cooldown/
Here is a more detailed information about the five second rule, including the mana regen formula in case you are into math.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080408013010/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t15391-five_second_rule/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 22, 2019
WOW Classic: Your Own Pet Chicken
In WOW Classic you can get a pet chicken by buying special chicken feed from Farmer Saldean in Westfall. Feed it to one of the chickens running around in the field near him and it will become your chicken companion.
https://classic.wowhead.com/npc=233/farmer-saldean
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://classic.wowhead.com/npc=233/farmer-saldean
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
WOW Classic: Learn to Kite
The Solo MMO has noticed that the current crop of players in WOW Classic don't have even the basic skills or know any of the tricks that players learned and shared in the original game years ago. Kiting is an excellent example. What is kiting? It's drawing the enemy towards you into a more advantageous setting for you to take the enemy down. Various classes use kiting in different ways as this discussion makes clear. (Sorry, but the Warcraft Hunters Union website appears to be gone now.)
https://us.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/4079844216
Some enemies will follow you for a very long distance. Kite them, then dash as fast as you can to a road. Roads are generally safe spaces where enemies won't follow you.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://us.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/4079844216
Some enemies will follow you for a very long distance. Kite them, then dash as fast as you can to a road. Roads are generally safe spaces where enemies won't follow you.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
WOW Classic: The Elitist Jerks Live Again UPDATED
Probably the most famous WOW guild back in the good old days was The Elitist Jerks. And they were just that—plus the most amazing theory-crafters you'd ever see. Many ended up working for Blizzard later.
Their forum website and all the information therein is gone except for traces in the Wayback Machine. I found an April 2008 listing of blogs members of the EJ created. (They aren't traditional blogs but appear to be more discussions and short articles in most cases.) This is as far back as the Wayback Machine goes for this section of the website. Change the date slider to explore further.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080415041127/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/all/
Probably most of these are dead links but I'm going to see how many still have information available. Just because….
Ok, how about this—Application of Military Leadership to Raid Leadership. (The Solo MMO Player is going to laugh himself silly over this one.)
https://web.archive.org/web/20080421233405/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/malan/101-application_military_leadership_raid_leadership.html
Here's the Small Wars Journal's article referenced above, just in case the link breaks.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080814003544/http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/12/fm-30-operations-sams-rewrite/
Again from April 2008, here's the Theorycrafting Think Tank. First link is the intro.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407040725/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/boethius/91-finally_birthing_ttt_blogs.html
Here's the meat of the section. Have fun exploring.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080409231823/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t21302-theorycrafting_think_tank/
UPDATE: If you are pining over the loss of the Elitist Jerks, then this site below is for you. Why do I think that? Let me quote from the home page: "Increasing class synergy and the prevalence of proc-based combat modifiers have eroded the accuracy of traditional calculators that rely upon closed-form approximations to model very complex mechanics. The goal of this simulator is to close the accuracy gap while maintaining a performance level high enough to calculate relative stat weights to aid gear selection."
You are welcome.
http://simulationcraft.org
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Their forum website and all the information therein is gone except for traces in the Wayback Machine. I found an April 2008 listing of blogs members of the EJ created. (They aren't traditional blogs but appear to be more discussions and short articles in most cases.) This is as far back as the Wayback Machine goes for this section of the website. Change the date slider to explore further.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080415041127/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/all/
Probably most of these are dead links but I'm going to see how many still have information available. Just because….
Ok, how about this—Application of Military Leadership to Raid Leadership. (The Solo MMO Player is going to laugh himself silly over this one.)
https://web.archive.org/web/20080421233405/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/malan/101-application_military_leadership_raid_leadership.html
Here's the Small Wars Journal's article referenced above, just in case the link breaks.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080814003544/http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2007/12/fm-30-operations-sams-rewrite/
Again from April 2008, here's the Theorycrafting Think Tank. First link is the intro.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080407040725/http://elitistjerks.com/blogs/boethius/91-finally_birthing_ttt_blogs.html
Here's the meat of the section. Have fun exploring.
https://web.archive.org/web/20080409231823/http://elitistjerks.com/f47/t21302-theorycrafting_think_tank/
UPDATE: If you are pining over the loss of the Elitist Jerks, then this site below is for you. Why do I think that? Let me quote from the home page: "Increasing class synergy and the prevalence of proc-based combat modifiers have eroded the accuracy of traditional calculators that rely upon closed-form approximations to model very complex mechanics. The goal of this simulator is to close the accuracy gap while maintaining a performance level high enough to calculate relative stat weights to aid gear selection."
You are welcome.
http://simulationcraft.org
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Thursday, September 5, 2019
WOW Classic: Quit the Guild
If you play WOW or WOW Classic for a white, you'll see folks pestering you to join their guild. Some of them will spring this on you in the middle of a quest, too. If you don't notice and accept the invite by mistake, you'll be in their guild. Want to leave? The easiest way (although it's not as much fun as insulting the GM) is to just type /gquit.
https://us.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/3811454978
You may be able to right click on your name in the guild roster and then choose the quit menu item but this doesn't always seem to work.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://us.battle.net/forums/en/wow/topic/3811454978
You may be able to right click on your name in the guild roster and then choose the quit menu item but this doesn't always seem to work.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Sunday, September 1, 2019
WOW Classic: Hunters and Their Pets
Here are some links with pet info. Most appear to be older. If you are a beginner doing the quests to get pets, use Stay to get rid of one pet or get out of aggro range of the first pet so you can tame a second. Or get it killed. (There doesn't seem to be a Dismiss key early on.)
https://classic.wowhead.com/spell=2641/dismiss-pet
Remember, your pet won't be able to do anything until you find a pet trainer (will be next to the hunter trainer but not all locations have pet trainers).
Use your pet to draw aggro away from you. You can tell it to go to certain places. Send it a slight distance away so the monster will attack it instead of you. You can resurrect it over and over once you have a pet tamed.
You have to adapt your play style to the pet in Classic WOW. Pets are not alike in everything but their appearance in the original vanilla WOW. So look at these links and pick the best pet for how you play. Here's information about various pets and their builds.
https://www.icy-veins.com/wow-classic/hunter-dps-pets-guide
Scroll down towards the bottom for more pet build stats.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-wow-hunter-pets
The ultimate pet site is Petopia. Here is Petopia Classic.
https://www.wow-petopia.com/classic/
Warcraft Tavern has a list of all rare hunter pets in a database you can sort. This appears to be for Vanilla WOW/Classic WOW.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/hunter-pets/rare-hunter-pets/
Pet attack speeds.
https://web.archive.org/web/20061112230516/http://tkasomething.com/attackspeeds.php
How to train your pet.
https://web.archive.org/web/20070406191702/http://petopia.brashendeavors.net/html/articles/skills_main.shtml
Training guides.
https://web.archive.org/web/20070408070200/http://petopia.brashendeavors.net/html/articles/tameguide_main.shtml
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://classic.wowhead.com/spell=2641/dismiss-pet
Remember, your pet won't be able to do anything until you find a pet trainer (will be next to the hunter trainer but not all locations have pet trainers).
Use your pet to draw aggro away from you. You can tell it to go to certain places. Send it a slight distance away so the monster will attack it instead of you. You can resurrect it over and over once you have a pet tamed.
You have to adapt your play style to the pet in Classic WOW. Pets are not alike in everything but their appearance in the original vanilla WOW. So look at these links and pick the best pet for how you play. Here's information about various pets and their builds.
https://www.icy-veins.com/wow-classic/hunter-dps-pets-guide
Scroll down towards the bottom for more pet build stats.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-wow-hunter-pets
The ultimate pet site is Petopia. Here is Petopia Classic.
https://www.wow-petopia.com/classic/
Warcraft Tavern has a list of all rare hunter pets in a database you can sort. This appears to be for Vanilla WOW/Classic WOW.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/hunter-pets/rare-hunter-pets/
Pet attack speeds.
https://web.archive.org/web/20061112230516/http://tkasomething.com/attackspeeds.php
How to train your pet.
https://web.archive.org/web/20070406191702/http://petopia.brashendeavors.net/html/articles/skills_main.shtml
Training guides.
https://web.archive.org/web/20070408070200/http://petopia.brashendeavors.net/html/articles/tameguide_main.shtml
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
WOW Classic: Travel Tips
Traveling in Classic WOW is difficult. There aren't any docks to travel from, for example. Pick up flight paths everywhere you go if they are available and utilize hearth stones. A hearth stone can be gotten from an innkeeper. That makes that inn your "home." You can always go back to that inn if you use your hearthstone.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Friday, August 30, 2019
WOW Classic: It's Not a Bug but a Feature UPDATED
WOW Classic has been a revelation to folks since nothing works the way you are used to in the retail game. Blizzard has a list of things reported as bugs that are actually features. A lot of them are hunter-specific. (And you should know that Blizzard doesn't fix actual bugs. Learn the workarounds.)
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/wow-classic-not-a-bug-list/175887
UPDATE: Blizzard has added to the list of items that aren't bugs and has explanations of how things work.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/news/blizzard-updates-the-not-a-bug-list/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/wow-classic-not-a-bug-list/175887
UPDATE: Blizzard has added to the list of items that aren't bugs and has explanations of how things work.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/news/blizzard-updates-the-not-a-bug-list/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
WOW Classic: Choosing Characters and Addons
If you are playing Classic World of Warcraft this week, roll a caster. Melee players will have trouble with some quests. Hunters will start out great but then begin having trouble as they level. The original game didn't balance characters well, so some are weak and some are strong. Word to the wise from the Solo MMO Player….
For help, Warcraft Tavern has a lot of class-specific material. No idea how good it is. The Solo MMO Player is relying on his memory of playing the classic version of the game.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/guides/type/classes/
This forum has help for new players. Again, no idea how helpful it will be for Classic WOW.
https://wow-noobs.livejournal.com
Hunters have to level their pets and level their weapons. Just because your pet has an ability, doesn't mean you can use it. You have to train the pet to do these things. Pet trainers are next to the hunter trainers but not every town has a pet trainer.
When it comes to addons, Bartender doesn't work very well. Never has. Probably never will. (The Solo MMO Player says you have to be drunk to even attempt to get it up and running.) Dominos is much simpler to use. Dominos Classic is specific for the Classic version of WOW.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
For help, Warcraft Tavern has a lot of class-specific material. No idea how good it is. The Solo MMO Player is relying on his memory of playing the classic version of the game.
https://www.warcrafttavern.com/guides/type/classes/
This forum has help for new players. Again, no idea how helpful it will be for Classic WOW.
https://wow-noobs.livejournal.com
Hunters have to level their pets and level their weapons. Just because your pet has an ability, doesn't mean you can use it. You have to train the pet to do these things. Pet trainers are next to the hunter trainers but not every town has a pet trainer.
When it comes to addons, Bartender doesn't work very well. Never has. Probably never will. (The Solo MMO Player says you have to be drunk to even attempt to get it up and running.) Dominos is much simpler to use. Dominos Classic is specific for the Classic version of WOW.
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Sunday, August 4, 2019
Wonder Why The WOW Quest Areas Are Overrun By The Other Faction?
You can look up your World of Warcraft server here and see what proportion are Alliance versus Horde. (US and Europe only)
https://realmpop.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://realmpop.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Back to Classic WOW
Blizzard is re-releasing Vanilla WOW (version 1.12) on August 26, 2019 at 3 p.m. PDT. The game will be free to monthly subscribers and be released in six phases.
https://blizzardwatch.com/2019/05/29/everything-know-wow-classic/
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-subscription?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=Search&utm_content=28807318&utm_campaign=BLZ_WoW_L_Classic_Anniversary_Q3_2019_NA
Here are all the details—
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-is-how-blizzard-plans-to-finally-bring-back-vanilla-wow-servers/
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/everything-we-definitively-know-about-classic/25299
https://warcraftlover.com/wow-classic-beginners/
Here's my list of Favorite WOW Links. Some are dead (this was written in 2010), some are still going and still useful.
https://solommo.blogspot.com/2010/12/favorite-world-of-warcraft-links.html
Sadly, most of the classic content captured here just goes to dead links, so don't bother doing searches. WOWHead now has a Classic WOW section, though.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-world-of-warcraft
So does Ten Ton Hammer. How good it is, I cannot say.
http://www.tentonhammer.com/games/world-of-warcraft
WOW Insider turned into Joystiq and was closed by AOL but some WOW Insider folks run Blizzard Watch now. Here's the WOW section. (They cover many Blizzard games.)
https://blizzardwatch.com/category/world-of-warcraft/
The Elitist Jerks website is gone but you can probably find it via the Wayback Machine. The second link below is the 2005 version.
http://web.archive.org/web/sitemap/http://elitistjerks.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20050612075638/http://www.elitistjerks.com/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
https://blizzardwatch.com/2019/05/29/everything-know-wow-classic/
https://us.shop.battle.net/en-us/product/world-of-warcraft-subscription?utm_source=Bing&utm_medium=Search&utm_content=28807318&utm_campaign=BLZ_WoW_L_Classic_Anniversary_Q3_2019_NA
Here are all the details—
https://www.pcgamer.com/this-is-how-blizzard-plans-to-finally-bring-back-vanilla-wow-servers/
https://us.forums.blizzard.com/en/wow/t/everything-we-definitively-know-about-classic/25299
https://warcraftlover.com/wow-classic-beginners/
Here's my list of Favorite WOW Links. Some are dead (this was written in 2010), some are still going and still useful.
https://solommo.blogspot.com/2010/12/favorite-world-of-warcraft-links.html
Sadly, most of the classic content captured here just goes to dead links, so don't bother doing searches. WOWHead now has a Classic WOW section, though.
https://classic.wowhead.com/guides/classic-world-of-warcraft
So does Ten Ton Hammer. How good it is, I cannot say.
http://www.tentonhammer.com/games/world-of-warcraft
WOW Insider turned into Joystiq and was closed by AOL but some WOW Insider folks run Blizzard Watch now. Here's the WOW section. (They cover many Blizzard games.)
https://blizzardwatch.com/category/world-of-warcraft/
The Elitist Jerks website is gone but you can probably find it via the Wayback Machine. The second link below is the 2005 version.
http://web.archive.org/web/sitemap/http://elitistjerks.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20050612075638/http://www.elitistjerks.com/
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Elder Scrolls Blades Login Issues UPDATED AGAIN
The game has been having login problems since December 26, 2019. You'll either get a screen asking you to accept the game terms which then sends you to make a new character or have to log in using your login and password again and again and again. If you get the new character screen just back out of the game any way you can and try to log in again later.
Note that the best fix for the login issue now (2021) is to create a new one. Go ahead and do so. Once you do the first walk down the path fighting NPCs, then get past the creation screen, you will be told you have two characters and to pick one to keep. KEEP THE OLD ONE, not the new. After that things should be fine again. This issue seems to be triggered by updates to the game.
The game has been having login problems since December 26, 2019. You'll either get a screen asking you to accept the game terms which then sends you to make a new character or have to log in using your login and password again and again and again. If you get the new character screen just back out of the game any way you can and try to log in again later.
NOTE: The February 2020 update no longer let me click OK after the error message shown below. I had to delete the game from my mobile device, download it again, and then log on with my login/password. That apparently fixed the issue.
Apparently other folks are having trouble with the game crashing after a kill. I've read that deleting all your outstanding Jobs fixes this but I can't swear to it. I had the game crash yesterday after I clicked on a chest to open it. When I tried to log back in, I got the "create a new character screen," so I waited a bit before trying again. When I managed to get the regular login screen and logged myself back into the game, I was at a slightly different place in my Job but the chest was in my list unopened, so I opened it and continued. The game booted me once more during the Job but I finally managed to finish it without any penalty beyond having to wait to get logged back in twice.
There's a new issue now—you may get a message about a communication error with an error code upon login. Click ok and the login will proceed normally. This is what the Bethesda site says about this particular 400-3-204 issue. I have not reinstalled the game. I just click on Ok and play normally since I only use one device and account to play.
https://help.bethesda.net/app/answers/detail/a_id/46906/kw/communication%20error
I have problems with the login for Elder Scrolls Blades and I bet I'm not the only one. First up, the software will download to my iPod Touch (6th generation) but the Apple Store says it won't work on that device. Above is the error message I get when I try to open it. It's possible that when the 7th generation iPod Touch comes out in the fall of 2019 it will be supported. No way to know yet.
Secondly, I had a period when my login and password to Bethesda.net and Blades wouldn't work. I finally got it going again but there was no record of my Level 1 character so I started over and created another character. Then both characters started showing up after login. I consistently choose my Level 10 character, got the window saying Are You Sure? We'll Remove the Other Character, and confirmed that I wanted the Level 2 character gone.
Then I am taken to the entry screen and —surprise!— the Level 2 character is there. It wasn't deleted and my choice of the Level 10 character was ignored. I've gone through this about five times now. The only way around it is to continually try to log in, get the wrong character and wait a while to try again. Eventually I get the error screen below.
My character name is removed for privacy. Searching the Bethesda.net website, this is what it says about this code.
https://help.bethesda.net/app/answers/detail/a_id/45803
Once I push Resync, then the correct Level 10 character appears in the main login screen. It's frustrating and means I cannot play the game when I want, but only when the game allows the proper character to appear. Hopefully this will be fixed. I've sent a ticket to Bethesda about the issue.
We are still in beta for Blades, after all. Problems are certain to appear.
UPDATE: Bethesda has fixed my login issue (took about 3 days but 2 of them were the weekend and folks need time off) and I am no longer having to constant log into the game, either. Thanks!
UPDATE #2: Got a note from Bethesda customer support about my issue (after it was resolved). Here is what they suggest doing to try and fix the issue, just in case you are having the same problem.
If you continue to have an issue after attempting the above steps, please let us know! If you are able, please take a screenshot of the screen you are encountering asking you to select a character, and any errors you see.
UPDATE #3:
The chest screen is stuck on opening one chest. Can't leave the page, either, and the notification that I've forgotten to open a chest takes me back to the screen that I'm frozen on. Turning off Wi-Fi and leaving it off for a while doesn't clear this. Ticket submitted to Bethesda. If they have tips to fix I'll post them here. After about 4 hours of this, it cleared of its own accord, perhaps because of the ticket I submitted 45 minutes earlier.
NOTE: The February 2020 update no longer let me click OK after the error message shown below. I had to delete the game from my mobile device, download it again, and then log on with my login/password. That apparently fixed the issue.
Apparently other folks are having trouble with the game crashing after a kill. I've read that deleting all your outstanding Jobs fixes this but I can't swear to it. I had the game crash yesterday after I clicked on a chest to open it. When I tried to log back in, I got the "create a new character screen," so I waited a bit before trying again. When I managed to get the regular login screen and logged myself back into the game, I was at a slightly different place in my Job but the chest was in my list unopened, so I opened it and continued. The game booted me once more during the Job but I finally managed to finish it without any penalty beyond having to wait to get logged back in twice.
 |
| Communication Error? |
There's a new issue now—you may get a message about a communication error with an error code upon login. Click ok and the login will proceed normally. This is what the Bethesda site says about this particular 400-3-204 issue. I have not reinstalled the game. I just click on Ok and play normally since I only use one device and account to play.
https://help.bethesda.net/app/answers/detail/a_id/46906/kw/communication%20error
 |
| Blades Not Available on iPod Touch |
I have problems with the login for Elder Scrolls Blades and I bet I'm not the only one. First up, the software will download to my iPod Touch (6th generation) but the Apple Store says it won't work on that device. Above is the error message I get when I try to open it. It's possible that when the 7th generation iPod Touch comes out in the fall of 2019 it will be supported. No way to know yet.
 |
| Two Profiles, Names Erased for Privacy |
Secondly, I had a period when my login and password to Bethesda.net and Blades wouldn't work. I finally got it going again but there was no record of my Level 1 character so I started over and created another character. Then both characters started showing up after login. I consistently choose my Level 10 character, got the window saying Are You Sure? We'll Remove the Other Character, and confirmed that I wanted the Level 2 character gone.
Then I am taken to the entry screen and —surprise!— the Level 2 character is there. It wasn't deleted and my choice of the Level 10 character was ignored. I've gone through this about five times now. The only way around it is to continually try to log in, get the wrong character and wait a while to try again. Eventually I get the error screen below.
 |
| Communication Error Screen |
My character name is removed for privacy. Searching the Bethesda.net website, this is what it says about this code.
https://help.bethesda.net/app/answers/detail/a_id/45803
Once I push Resync, then the correct Level 10 character appears in the main login screen. It's frustrating and means I cannot play the game when I want, but only when the game allows the proper character to appear. Hopefully this will be fixed. I've sent a ticket to Bethesda about the issue.
We are still in beta for Blades, after all. Problems are certain to appear.
UPDATE: Bethesda has fixed my login issue (took about 3 days but 2 of them were the weekend and folks need time off) and I am no longer having to constant log into the game, either. Thanks!
UPDATE #2: Got a note from Bethesda customer support about my issue (after it was resolved). Here is what they suggest doing to try and fix the issue, just in case you are having the same problem.
Let's try the following steps to see if we can get your account to recognize the character you are selecting:
- Restart game
- Restart device
- Update device (if possible)
- Check to ensure you are on the latest update of the game in the App store
- Uninstall the game and reinstall it
- Put your device into "Airplane" mode, wait a few seconds, and then turn "Airplane" mode off to reset your connection.
- If using Wi-Fi, power cycle your home network
- Clear the history and cookies from Safari.
UPDATE #3:
The chest screen is stuck on opening one chest. Can't leave the page, either, and the notification that I've forgotten to open a chest takes me back to the screen that I'm frozen on. Turning off Wi-Fi and leaving it off for a while doesn't clear this. Ticket submitted to Bethesda. If they have tips to fix I'll post them here. After about 4 hours of this, it cleared of its own accord, perhaps because of the ticket I submitted 45 minutes earlier.
UPDATE #4:
Here is the fix for error message 0-10001-1.
https://solommo.blogspot.com/2021/09/elder-scrolls-blades-error-message-0.html
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
***************************
Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)