BlizzCon Mini Pets Start to Arrive UPDATED

Deathy the Murloc pet is starting to arrive in the email of folks who subscribed to the BlizzCon Internet stream.
http://www.maniasarcania.com/2010/11/10/blizzcon-2010-mini-pet-code/

UPDATE:  Apparently DirecTv BlizzCon subscribers are starting to get their codes.  I think regular DirecTv subscribers who signed up for the Pay Per View BlizzCon show will get their codes in the mail with their bills.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/11/10/blizzcon-2010-pets-for-directtv-subscribers-arrive/

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Login Server and BlizzCon Shipping Issues

There were login server issues last night, with many people unable to log in.  Battle.net was taken down for maintenance to fix the problem.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/login-server-issues-this-evening/

In an unrelated issue, there's been a blue posting on the forums that pre-sale items from BlizzCon have run into a two week shipping delay.   Everything that was ordered before the Oct. 22-23 convention should ship by November 3.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/28/bashiok-announces-blizzcon-pre-sale-shipping-delays/

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BlizzCon: The Obvious Question UPDATED

Let's ask the obvious question based on what is being released about Cataclysm at BlizzCon--Why is there not more info about the game being released in less than 8 weeks? The only thing the Blizzard developers have talked about there are patches that will hit after Cataclysm releases.  The raid they showed was staged, not in-game.  Is anyone there able to play Cataclysm except for selected raids?

I think the reason there is no real Cataclysm info is folks are working on the game trying to get Patch 4.0.1 bugs fixed and make Cataclysm playable. They dare not show off what only a few folks on the Cataclysm beta have seen.

The lack of info is a very disturbing sign.  This game is going to be released before it is ready.   That's why players now are esseentially doing beta testing during Patch 4.0.1 which they have to pay for.

Anyone else seeing bugs, screen freezes, missing or excess honor and justice points, or being killed for no reason?

UPDATE:  BBB talks Patch 4.0.1 and asks questions of his own.
http://thebigbearbutt.com/2010/10/23/inverted-expectations/

Ditto Coldbear
http://coldbear.wordpress.com/2010/10/23/cataclysm-the-death-of-immersion/

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The Blizzard Pre-Sale Broken

If you were interested in buying Blizzon merchandise (and bought Blizzcon tickets or the DirecTv package), you can't.  The site is down.  It is supposed to be up again October 10 at 10 a.m., probably California time.
http://wow.joystiq.com/2010/10/09/blizzcon-48-hour-presale-delayed/

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BlizzCon Schedule (October 22-23, 2010)

Here's the schedule of events at this year's BlizzCon (Oct. 22-23).
http://us.blizzard.com/blizzcon/events/schedule.xml

Many thanks to WOW Insider for pointing this out.

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BlizzCon on DirecTv and Internet Streaming

If you are already a DirecTv customer, you can visit BlizzCon October 22-23 on your television set via Pay Per View.  The cost is $29.95 plus extra charges if you call in the order via the phone or via a live operator on the phone.  You may order this between October 9 and October 22.  Note that if you aren't a DirecTv customer, they will give you BlizzCon Pay For View at no charge to sign up for the service.
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/blizzcon

Here's the Internet Streaming order information.  The site above says if you sign up for the DirecTv Pay Per View, you automatically get access to the Internet streaming videos.  A few more details here.
http://support.directv.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2871/related/1

Hopefully once October 9 rolls around there will be more details about this service.  Last year information was scarce, especially if you signed up via the DirecTv site. I did find this site which may be where the four channels of streaming videos will happen.  It seems to be where folks who aren't DirecTv customers order just the streaming videos of BlizzCon.
http://blizzcon.rayv.com/

Here are the Live Streaming FAQs, including system requirements.
http://blizzcon.rayv.com/Pages/en/FAQ.aspx

Here's WOW Head's summary of the above.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=169996

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Blizzcon 2010 Pet Revealed

The pet (a miniature deathwing) folks who attended Blizzcon 2010 (in person or virtually) has been revealed.
http://www.wow.com/2010/08/25/blizzcon-2010-pet-revealed/

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Blizzcon Virtual Tickets for Sale

When the video starts playing and says  it "is coming with all its glory--and all its horror" I don't think they meant the online streaming video of Bizzcon October 22-23, but that is what this link advertises.  A virtual ticket to the show will cost just under $40.
http://blizzcon.rayv.com/

When I clicked on the FAQ link, the fine print seems to say that online viewers can look at four channels (two tournaments, the main stage programs and stage two programs) while DirecTV subscribers will just get one channel for the same price.  But don't quote me on that.  It is not clear just what folks who want to subscribe via DirecTV get versus those who use streaming video or watch in their browser window.

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BlizzCon Tickets on Sale June

Tickets will be on sale June 2 and again June 5.  They cost $150 each.  There will be multi-channels on DirecTv as well.  Some things will be on the Internet for free.
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3179373

Mana Obscura reports the free pet will be a Mini-Deathwing.
http://www.manaobscura.com/?p=690

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Pets in the Mailbox UPDATED

People who previously turned their WOW accounts into Battle.net accounts started receiving their penguin pets in their in-game mailboxes last night.
http://www.wow.com/2009/10/15/mr-chilly-is-in-the-mail-on-battle-net-accounts/

This week folks who viewed BlizzCon via DirecTv pay per view in the U.S. started to get little plastic cards via snail mail with their Grunty the Space Merloc pet code.  Log into the website they give you, log into Battle.net, enter the 25 digit code on the back of the card and then Blizzard emails you your Grunty in the in-game email system.

Each character you have gets one of these pets.  As far as we can tell, they are bind on equip so these won't show up on eBay unless someone didn't use their plastic Grunty card code when it arrived in the mail.

UPDATE:  Some folks are not happy they have to switch to Battle.net but a lot of folks are unhappy their penguin pet looks pretty much like the brown blob you see out of the corner of your eye when a mouse runs across the room.
http://www.wow.com/2009/10/18/1-local-the-battle-over-battle-net/

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Player Created Mini-Documentary on BlizzCon

Video and commentary here along with a link to a LA Times news story also about BlizzCon.
http://www.wow.com/2009/09/11/fan-created-documentary-about-blizzcon-an-event-for-fans/

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A Day in the Life (Machinima)

This won BlizzCon's 2009 Machinima Contest.

http://www.wow.com/2009/08/26/wow-moviewatch-a-day-in-the-life/

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Gallery of Raids and Dungeon Layouts from BlizzCon

http://www.wow.com/gallery/blizzcon-2009-wow-dungeons-and-raids-gallery/

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Transcript of BlizzCon's Cataclysm Class/Items/Professions Panel

http://www.wow.com/2009/08/21/blizzcon-2009-class-items-and-professions-panel-live-blog/

MMO Champion is doing a great recap of everything on their site on their front page (currently).

http://www.mmo-champion.com/

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Integrating Battle.net into Starcraft 2 UPDATED

Kotaku reports BlizzCon had a panel today on how Battle.net and Starcraft 2 will be integrated. It uses one's email account to tie things together in some way. I post this here as eventually all of Blizzard's games will be integrated in a similar manner.

http://kotaku.com/5342994/upcoming-blizzard-battlenet-feature-draw-from-warcraft-xbox-live-life

Looks like Starcraft map mods will be tradable across Battle.net

http://kotaku.com/5343006/blizzard-you-may-sell-your-starcraft-2-maps-on-battlenet-eventually

WOW Insider expands on the Battle.net features.

http://www.wow.com/2009/08/21/blizzcon-2009-the-new-battle-net-and-wow/

And Fahey shows off photos of Battle.net and Starcraft functions.

http://kotaku.com/5343008/battlenet-and-starcraft-in-pictures/gallery/

UPDATE: Kotaku reports Starcraft 2 can be played offline. You don't have to log into Battle.net.

http://kotaku.com/5344013/starcraft-ii-can-be-played-offline

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WOW Cataclysm Leak and New Race/Class Combos Speculation

MMO Champion is researching what the next expansion pack for WOW (named Cataclysm) will be like. There are lore spoilers in this information so don't look if you don't want to know. I've posted the summary at WOW Insider but for the most information follow the link to the MMO Champion website. Most of this will be released publicly at BlizzCon apparently.

http://www.wow.com/2009/08/14/world-of-warcraft-cataclysm-leaked-by-mmo-champion/#continued

The possible new race and class combinations are discussed here. I can't say all this speculation on the next expansion pack or upcoming patch interests me terribly but here is the information for those who want to know.

http://www.wow.com/2009/08/14/new-race-class-combinations-datamined/#continued

Big Bear Butt has written an interesting reaction to the Cataclysm changes.

http://thebigbearbutt.com/2009/08/14/speculation-on-cataclysm/

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