Cataclysm is before us

I have to apologize for my lack of blog posts as of late.  I've been sick and the dayhome has been quite busy.  We now have a steady few kids coming each day.  Today we have seven kids!  Good thing there are two of us.  I have been trying to figure out video editing program Sony Vegas with every free minute I get.  I'm very thankful for the invention of quiet/nap time!  Hopefully, I'll have a video to show you guys soon. This also means that we're doing better financially, being able to pay off our bills sooner, which, in turn, means I'll be getting more game time soon (Likely before the end of the month!). 


Cataclysm is coming!

It seems like everyone is posting about Cataclysm these days.  I don't consider myself a follower but why wouldn't everyone be posting about Cataclysm?  I'm sure we're all looking forward to the new expansion not only for new content to explore but also for the opportunity to explore Azeroth again in a whole new way.  If I get my gamecard before Cataclysm comes out, I will not be making too many low level alts.  I'm going to hold off until Cataclysm hits, so that I can level a new character in the new Azeroth.

I'm loving the new Guild systems Blizzard is adding in Cataclysm.  While they bring more challenges to smaller and growing guilds, I see them as an exciting challenge.  Guild leveling means every guild member will be able to contribute to the guild by doing the everyday tasks they normally would with their characters; participating in rated battlegrounds, dungeons, raids, completing quests, and unlocking guild achievements.  Helping the guild level will also reward the guild member with guild reputation and guild perks.  This will, hopefully, reduce guild hopping and encourage bonding and more camaraderie within guilds.

I'm also looking forward to the new guild user interface.  It will include upcoming events, the guild experience bar, your reputation with the guild, latest guild news, and major guild accomplishments.  The roster will now show player professions as well as their recipes.  Blizzard has obviously noticed that people were creating many different addons to hold information just like this.  I guess they are paying attention to what their fans want after all.

There have been many different reports of when Cataclysm is going to be released.   Apparently, Amazon sent emails out to various sources saying it would be released November 23, 2010.  I've seen other people reporting that it would come out on November 29, 2010.  Most retailers seem to be posting December 31, 2010 as the date, but I seriously doubt it would be released after X-mas.  Blizzard has been silent on the release date but they have posted a rough schedule of upcoming patches suggesting that after patch 4.03 there will be a pre-release patch to prepare for Cataclysm.  Since the PTR is on patch 4.01, I'm guessing a November date is more likely for the release date.