Recently just got back into raiding

[warz]

Yeah, I recently just started raiding again. Since I've been back, for the past two weeks, we've downed Gruul plenty of times, one shotting him once, and have gone through SSC, also. Karazhan is easily farmed, which is should be. Although Karazhan is a great source for much needed gear, it's not required for progression. You can get similarly good gear from PVP, and Heroics. A lot of guilds on my server are focusing so much on Kara that they've been running it for months. My friends guild died because all they did was run Karazhan, and never tried to progress.

I haven't got any good drops, still, which sucks, but the good news is we can clear just about all of Karazhan in a single night, and will be doing it tonight. I should get all the cloth priests drops since the other priest has them all already

[Newby]

... and in a week you'll have quit WoW again. =P

[warz]

Possibly, but I just got a new computer, so I'm checkin' it out for the first time with all the settings on highest quality. I have to say, it's almost an entirely different game. (settings were previously all on lowest quality)

[Newby]

Possibly, but I just got a new computer, so I'm checkin' it out for the first time with all the settings on highest quality. I have to say, it's almost an entirely different game. (settings were previously all on lowest quality)

I have them all set to superhigh settings. I am thinking of getting 2GB of RAM to replace my 1GB... since walking into IF/SW = lag to the point where I hit 0 FPS.

[warz]

Possibly, but I just got a new computer, so I'm checkin' it out for the first time with all the settings on highest quality. I have to say, it's almost an entirely different game. (settings were previously all on lowest quality)

I have them all set to superhigh settings. I am thinking of getting 2GB of RAM to replace my 1GB... since walking into IF/SW = lag to the point where I hit 0 FPS.

yeah. with settings all on high, shattrath is a death trap. im still using the on-board 128MB video card, so sometimes while flying, or running in STV, it'll be a little jumpy.. a weird kind of jumpy, it looks almost like internet lag but it's not. IF/SW are fine for me

[Towelie]

Possibly, but I just got a new computer, so I'm checkin' it out for the first time with all the settings on highest quality. I have to say, it's almost an entirely different game. (settings were previously all on lowest quality)

I have them all set to superhigh settings. I am thinking of getting 2GB of RAM to replace my 1GB... since walking into IF/SW = lag to the point where I hit 0 FPS.

I get over 30 at all times with all settings up all the way... :-/

[Sidoh]

Shattrath is usually really painful for me.

In normal conditions, I probably get ~20 FPS with the settings up all the way (at 1280x1024 resolution).  I also usually have a bunch of other applications running (and dual monitors, which probably bogs things down quite a bit too) including Firefox, Thunderbird, Zend, Winamp and gaim.

The machine I'm on now is 1 GB RAM, AMD 3400+ and XFX 6800 GT 256 MB.  That will change tomorrow, though!

[Joe]

I'm usually between 10fps and 15fps, and I have dual monitors, and I generally run Firefox, Thunderbird, iTunes, pidgin, and UEStudio.

1 GB RAM
Pentium 4 2.8GHz
nVidia MX4000 128MB

[leet_muffin]

WoW graphics never impressed me. Superhigh graphics with zero lag, too. Guild Wars graphics were alot more impressive.

2gb RAM, 512 mb video (Radeon x1600Pro.) 3.06 GHZ Processor.

[Sidoh]

WoW graphics never impressed me. Superhigh graphics with zero lag, too. Guild Wars graphics were alot more impressive.

2gb RAM, 512 mb video (Radeon x1600Pro.) 3.06 GHZ Processor.

The game is what, 3 years old?  They shouldn't be impressive.  Guild Wars may have better graphics, but I don't think I'd consider them "impressive" by today's standards either.

In all honesty, though, graphics are pretty unimportant to me when it comes to RPGs.

[trust]

Firefox has a nasty memory leak problem, at least for me. It uses like 250mb of RAM sometimes.

[Joe]

WoW graphics never impressed me. Superhigh graphics with zero lag, too. Guild Wars graphics were alot more impressive.

2gb RAM, 512 mb video (Radeon x1600Pro.) 3.06 GHZ Processor.

The game is what, 3 years old?  They shouldn't be impressive.  Guild Wars may have better graphics, but I don't think I'd consider them "impressive" by today's standards either.

In all honesty, though, graphics are pretty unimportant to me when it comes to RPGs.

I can have fun playing Diablo II still, and on a good day, original Diablo.

[Newby]

Firefox has a nasty memory leak problem, at least for me. It uses like 250mb of RAM sometimes.

Not a bug. It's a feature!

[Sidoh]

I'm fairly certain it was mainly because of the dual monitors.  I'm using the same machine now (while setting up my new one) and I was getting 30 FPS running through Shattrath.  It was a bit laggy coming into the center, but it ran way more smoothly than it did yesterday when I was running dual monitors.

[Hitmen]

Turning on/off my second monitor has no noticable affect on my FPS. Though I run the game @ 1280x1024, but on the lowest settings, because my computer sucks.

[Sidoh]

Turning on/off my second monitor has no noticable affect on my FPS. Though I run the game @ 1280x1024, but on the lowest settings, because my computer sucks.

That could be the reason.  I might have been pushing my video card (or some other component) to the limit of its abilities.

Also, I assume that you mean disabling output to two monitors?  Turning the power on a monitor off shouldn't do much.

[Hitmen]

That could be the reason.  I might have been pushing my video card (or some other component) to the limit of its abilities.

Lowest settings @ 1280x1024 *is* pushing my graphics card, or at least my processor, to its limits. But then again I have a radeon 9550 and an AMD athlon xp 1800+. The processor is actually the more likely culprit.... I used to have a 2400+ but it died and I had go back to the old one I guess the graphics card is at least a tiny bit more up to date.

Man, that processor kicked ass when I got it in 2001, though...

Also, I assume that you mean disabling output to two monitors?  Turning the power on a monitor off shouldn't do much.

lol

[Sidoh]

Regardless, there was a huge difference when I didn't have dual monitors enabled.

[Hitmen]

Hmm. It would be pretty weird if it affected you but not me, especially if it was more than a marginal difference. My experience is that I went from playing when I didn't have dual monitors, to getting another monitor and not noticing the difference if there was one. I'm going to do go and test to see if I get an actual FPS difference or not. I'm bored... so why not?

... time lapses ...

With dual monitors:
Flying around shatt: 15-20fps (average around 15)
Flying around terokkar: 25-30fps (average around 30)

Without dual monitors:
Flying around shatt: 15-20fps (average around 15)
Flying around terokkar: 30-40fps (average around 40)

I'm pretty sure this backs up my thought of the limiting factor being the processor... even though it is late, shatt has a lot more going on, and stays about the same. However, out in the wild, I get about 10fps more on average. The already crappy city performance is probably why I didn't notice when I first added the second monitor.

[Sidoh]

Nothing had changed except my secondary monitor being disabled.  I had been getting 15 fps.  With it disabled, I was getting an average of 30.  There was definitely a difference.  I don't think it's that strange.  We're using two completely different computers and perhaps most importantly, video card manufactured by different companies (I'm using a XFX 6800 GT).

[Hitmen]

I don't think I worded the end of my last post well. There was a definte difference with and without dual monitors for me, it is just that I didn't notice it when I orginally switched to two monitors. After looking at actual numbers, it is clear that I get a very noticeably 10fps increase when I'm outside of the major cities. I was also theorizing that the reason for there being no difference when I am in the cities is because of my wimpy processor being the bottleneck. And that lack of difference led me to believe that there was no difference in performance, when their obviously was (though it wasn't as much as yours!)

[Sidoh]

I don't think I worded the end of my last post well. There was a definte difference with and without dual monitors for me, it is just that I didn't notice it when I orginally switched to two monitors. After looking at actual numbers, it is clear that I get a very noticeably 10fps increase when I'm outside of the major cities. I was also theorizing that the reason for there being no difference when I am in the cities is because of my wimpy processor being the bottleneck. And that lack of difference led me to believe that there was no difference in performance, when their obviously was (though it wasn't as much as yours!)

Sorry, I probably misread or misinterpreted what you said.  I'm still on whatever pain medications are in that pill bottle.  It's interesting to see the numbers in a more concrete form, though.

[warz]

karazhan puts me to sleep.

[Ender]

Oh. I misread this for reading. My hopes soared! and then plunged.

[Sidoh]

Oh. I misread this for reading. My hopes soared! and then plunged.

Anyone else see the irony?

Seriously, Ender, some people don't share the same interests as you.  Don't expect them to, either.

[Ender]

Just kidding, just kidding. I'm a pretty tolerant person, except when it comes to addicting video games, really tall people, and dairy products.

[AntiVirus]

Just kidding, just kidding. I'm a pretty tolerant person, except when it comes to addicting video games, really tall people, and dairy products.

FUCK!  I play WoW and I am really tall..  You must hate me.

[warz]

Oh. I misread this for reading. My hopes soared! and then plunged.

You're looking for reading, but you misread and cannot read it would seem. You should instead look for tutoring.

[Ender]

Just kidding, just kidding. I'm a pretty tolerant person, except when it comes to addicting video games, really tall people, and dairy products.

FUCK!  I play WoW and I am really tall..  You must hate me.

Well, you like Muse, so you're exempt. Origins of Symmetry ftw.

Oh. I misread this for reading. My hopes soared! and then plunged.

You're looking for reading, but you misread and cannot read it would seem. You should instead look for tutoring.

Touchy. Want some Kleenex for those tears?

[leet_muffin]

I'm really tall and a cow, you must really hate me.

[Warrior]

Oh. I misread this for reading. My hopes soared! and then plunged.

You're looking for reading, but you misread and cannot read it would seem. You should instead look for tutoring.

LOL.

[Sidoh]

That's the irony I was commenting on. :]

[warz]

yeh :p

[Hitmen]

So I was messing around with a premade on the test realm last night, in a raid with like 35 people and we got totally owned by doom lord kazzak. Later I was with a different group and we downed gruul easy. Having the best gear in the game can't even come close to making up for organization and the lack of skill of most people :||

[warz]

Well, when you think of the fact that a tier item gives you what.. like 400 more HP, maybe allows you to do 30 more DPS, or heal for like 100 more HP.. i mean, wtf - at that level better gear doesn't have an insane impact. There is a difference though between generic level 70 gear, from Karazhan, and gear required for Black Temple, though, im sure. But skill of players can make up for lack of gear. I'm horribly geared, but I'm one of the best healers in our guild, and I have played for like 1/4th of the time these dudes have.

[Furious]

So I was messing around with a premade on the test realm last night, in a raid with like 35 people and we got totally owned by doom lord kazzak. Later I was with a different group and we downed gruul easy. Having the best gear in the game can't even come close to making up for organization and the lack of skill of most people :||

I've been playing on the PTRs too.  I rolled a Dranei Shaman ( spec'd elemental ) and I've come to realize that I'm in love.

[Sidoh]

I've been playing on the PTRs too.  I rolled a Dranei Shaman ( spec'd elemental ) and I've come to realize that I'm in love.

You should try Enhancement too.  I owned a 70 Warlock last night who had way better gear than me several times.  Windfury procs for 1200 with a pretty shitty weapon (green 1H mace, 59 dps).

[AntiVirus]

Would I be able to play a private test realm even though my account is "frozen" for regular WoW?  I don't want to buy 2 months until I move back into my dorm since my router at my house doesn't allow me to play.

[Sidoh]

Would I be able to play a private test realm even though my account is "frozen" for regular WoW?  I don't want to buy 2 months until I move back into my dorm since my router at my house doesn't allow me to play.

No, I'm pretty sure you can't.

[Hitmen]

I copied a bunch of premades of characters I want to play. One was a shaman too, since I made one on newby's server a while ago and it's ~30. I went enhancement and it's awesome. I also copied a mage, a warrior, and a priest, but I haven't played any of those as much. I really like the shaman.

Lots of people (usually blizzard suckups on the WoW forum) say you shouldn't use the test realms as a playground.... but the fact that I was having fun with those characters at a high level means their going to keep getting my money, so I doubt they care. Plus, everyone else does

[warz]

do these test servers require you to modify you wow installation a ton? i was reading one that required like two installs of wow, and stuff. id like to run around at a level 70 something, with full tier 6 gear.

[Sidoh]

do these test servers require you to modify you wow installation a ton? i was reading one that required like two installs of wow, and stuff. id like to run around at a level 70 something, with full tier 6 gear.

The last (and only) time I did it, you downloaded an installer which set it up for you.  You launch a different executable located in a subdirectory in the WoW install directory, IIRC.  It's all pretty easy to do and you don't have to change anything once PTRs close.

[Hitmen]

You launch a different executable located in a subdirectory in the WoW install directory, IIRC.

If you use the launcher there is a "public test" button along the buttom you click instead of the big play button. But yeah, it's nice and easy to set up.

[Sidoh]

If you use the launcher there is a "public test" button along the buttom you click instead of the big play button. But yeah, it's nice and easy to set up.

Ah, okay.  That's pretty cool.  I don't think the launcher existed when I was doing it, lol. 

I disabled the thing because it annoyed me... although seeing recent Blizzard news is sometimes cool, as long as it isn't boring crap like the comics.

[Furious]

3k+ chain lightning crits and 2k+ shock crits are nice 

[Sidoh]

3k+ chain lightning crits and 2k+ shock crits are nice 

My earth shocks are ~1500 when they crit and I don't have a single point in Elemental (and absolutely no +spell damage gear other than  a totem that gives +72 damage to shocks).

If I had the melee T6 set (that's what they're giving out, right), I'm sure I'd have at least equally (I highly suspect more) impressive burst damage numbers for you.  Like I said, I'm using a crappy green 1H mace.  In fact, the majority of my gear is green.  If I had the 1H axe/mace from arena points (which is over 40 DPS more than the POS I'm using), I'm sure Windfury procs would add up to 5000 pretty easily (assuming I had other pieces of gear on par with that axe).

I was Elemental for a while, but found that Enhancement was much more effective for DPS (at least in PvE.  It seems extremely effective in PvP as well).

I have a real level 70 shaman, by the way.  I don't play on the PTRs.

[Joe]

Turning the power on a monitor off shouldn't do much.

Did you mean to say "anything", or are you referencing a feature of VGA that I don't know about?

(Serious question.)

[Sidoh]

Did you mean to say "anything", or are you referencing a feature of VGA that I don't know about?

(Serious question.)

No, I meant to say "much."  I'm pretty sure that a video card could determine if a monitor is off (maybe this is only true with DVI or something)?

This is a suspicion and I don't care to research it or squabble over it any further (mostly because I'm uninterested).

[warz]

So, what's the farthest any of you guys' guilds have progressed to? Progression is always fun.

We've got Gruul, Magg and Void Reaver on farm (free T4/5 ftw), and Karazhan is a joke - we're almost phasing it out completely. For some reason, though, we haven't had any success with Lurker, or any SSC bosses, yet.

[Hitmen]

lol.

I'm in a "casual raiding guild."

In other words, we haven't gotten anywhere. Stuck on maiden in karazhan.

I don't have enough patience to play with a real raiding guild, so it works for me. I don't expect to be going anywhere fast, but going somewhere slow is better than going nowhere.

[Furious]

I want to raid but...

life > WoW

[warz]

I want to raid but...

life > WoW

it doesn't take much. i log on at 7pm, monday through thursday. i raid with the guild for 2 or 3 hours, usually, and then get off. those are the only days i play wow for the most part.

[Hitmen]

After much procrastination I got my kara key today. I also entered kara for the first time. Someone in my guild had to leave during the run, and they asked me to come in to help on Moroes. Someone fucked up and we wiped in like 45 seconds. Apparently they had been trying for a while, and at that point they gave up. An altogether underwhelming experience. But I assume I will have a bit more fun if I'm part of an actual run

[warz]

Moroes is actually the toughest fight in there, if you know all the other fights. It seems that Moroes is the only fight we seem to wipe on, before one shotting the rest. Moroes is a slightly long, mana intensive fight that requires everyone to be paying attention. The other fights in karazhan are like if you do them once then youve done them 100 times.

[ZeroX]

You can pug kara easily enough. You need 10 people with subpar gear with intelligence. Moroes is alot easier if you have 2 shackles.

[warz]

Yup. Like I said earlier, Karazhan is a joke once you're beyond it. It's there as a stepping stone for your Tier 4, though.

[Furious]

You can pug kara easily enough. You need 10 people with subpar gear with intelligence. Moroes is alot easier if you have 2 shackles.

You finally running it?

[Hitmen]

Did my first *real* karazhan run today. We made it through the opera event, and went down a few times on curator before calling it, after more than four hours. We're pretty sure we can get him next time. Was tons of fun. No loot though

And I was second on the damage charts, even though all the other DPS was epic'd out, and I don't have a single one

[warz]

Good job. Curator drops some good loot. Which opera event did ya'll get?

[Hitmen]

T'was Romulo and Jullianne. Took us three tries. The first time we got them down individually no problem, but one of the tanks went down during the last part. Second time we screwed up early. The third time everything went perfect, no deaths. It was the first time anyone in the group had done it, so I'd say it was pretty good.

Raid again tonight at 9:15!

[warz]

damn, 9:15, thats late. i just got 2 more epic items tonight from karazhan.

on a side note, do ya'll think: "Hello there i am interested in your account. I am willing to trade you an xbox 360 with 2 wireless controllers, guitar hero 2 /with guitar, gears of war, need for speed carbon, and fight night round 3."

would be a good trade for my account with a 70 priest, and 60 warrior on it? i think im going to do it. i need something to get me off wow anyways

[dark_drake]

on a side note, do ya'll think: "Hello there i am interested in your account. I am willing to trade you an xbox 360 with 2 wireless controllers, guitar hero 2 /with guitar, gears of war, need for speed carbon, and fight night round 3."

That really sounds suspect.

[Hitmen]

damn, 9:15, thats late. i just got 2 more epic items tonight from karazhan.

I got my first and second epics ever tonight.

Tonight we did Attumen, Moroes, The Wizard of Oz opera event, and then went back to try at Maiden, but had a couple really bad starts, wiped when she was at ~10k hp, and then people decided it was sleep time. Friday they are trying at curator again but I'm not going to be able to be there

[warz]

That really sounds suspect.

nah i dont think so. ive emailed him back a few times, and he says hes taking a year break from college, and has been playing wow a lot recently, but doesnt want to level up on his own. he says the xbox was a gift from somebody else, and he didnt want it in the first place. i asked if it works, and he said it's only a month old, and everything works. ofcourse id have to verify that somehow. he lives in the same area as me though, so that should be easy.

[Newby]

on a side note, do ya'll think: "Hello there i am interested in your account. I am willing to trade you an xbox 360 with 2 wireless controllers, guitar hero 2 /with guitar, gears of war, need for speed carbon, and fight night round 3."

would be a good trade for my account with a 70 priest, and 60 warrior on it? i think im going to do it. i need something to get me off wow anyways

Fuck yeah. Unless your priest is epic'd+++ out with like, a full set of T5, $280+$100+$90+$60+$60+$40 = worth way more than your characters.

[Hitmen]

Curator, chess event down tonight. Woohoo!!! We're doing pretty good for only having a single member with any raiding experience. Trying for shade monday.

[warz]

shade is an easy fight. it just requires that everyone knows the routine. there's also a minimum health requirement in this fight. most cloth wearers that are new to karazhan will die after he sheeps / pyro blasts you. i used to die every time when my gear sucked. i also hope that you all have deadly boss mods - it'll help out big time with shade

the chess event is easy, it's free epics

[Hitmen]

the chess event is easy, it's free epics

Yeah, the clear up to it was harder since it was 2AM and people were starting to leave, we only had 8 people for the clear. Chess event was easy, even though we screwed up the first time. Once we got used to using the pieces and such we were all good though.