Cataclysm Sightseeing

Hi!

I made a few promises to some people to take a look at Cata, and I have. But, I don't want to spoil the expansion for Hanu so I have not done any questing on her, nor have I entered instances and the likes. I've just done a whole lot of sightseeing and of course leveled up one Worgen and one Goblin. ;)

Spoilers: Some new race leveling info - though not in too much detail, I promise. And a bunch of screenshots of Azeroth post Cataclysm.

Because I've actually covered every inch of Azeroth and I cannot possibly publish all those pictures here, I will publish them on Hanu's Picasa after this blog is up and link to it...here.

But where to start?! There's so much to show you! Hmmm...Goblins!

The starting area was sooo much fun! Giant turtles, pygmy men, gadgets, cars and zombies... 

Bling, bling... new, fancy shades!

Everything is phased of course, so make sure to enjoy your time there while you can. 

Phasing is done in a very fun way for the Goblins, where you for example have to use a Town In A Box to create your new leveling zone - it consists of course of a little box and a whole lot of explosives. *giggles* When you activate the box you are thrown in the air by the explosion and as you come back down a new leveling area is waiting for you. 

Phasing makes leveling very relaxed and safe, as there is no way higher level characters can come in and bother you while you enjoy your first ten levels.

Did I mention you get a car right away? With a radio! ;D

Drop by for a lobster dinner in Stranglethorn Vale.

The amount of details put into the Goblin starting zone is amazing and the race itself has been given quite a lot of personality. Well, the Goblins have always had a lot of personality, just that now you actually get to see it in full force. As expected they are one hell of a party and gold loving race with a lot of binge drinking and eating, resulting in power struggles and a mess of a town. Add to that some interesting inventions and you are guarranteed to have a good time here. 

This is perhaps why the Goblins were also given Azshara as their new home. In addition to this their presence is now quite imposing in a lot of old areas such as Thousand Needles, Stranglethorn and Orgrimmar, where they now have their own part of the city.

I honestly don't think that any race has granted so much fun and cool to their faction as the Goblins will do to the Horde.

Country club Goblin Style in Azshara

Their presence in Azshara is huge and there is a lot of fun to be had there - we're talking golf course, swimming pool, sauna, deck chars, bar and a race track/roller coaster here! It's really, really, reeaaally cool! *envy*

All reservations about the Goblins disappeared after going through their starting zone quests plus Azshara, and I have to say that I am very tempted to make a Goblin of my own and do some proper leveling.

 

 

 

 And now the more talked about Worgen. To be honest, I actually prefer the Goblins to the Worgen. There is something lacking that I cannot quite put my finger on. It could be that the zone, quests and  female forms weren't finished when I leveled. Time will tell. Just wish they didn't have that strange British accent... *sighs*

 But make no mistake. Gilneas is stunning and more so than any other zone in my opinion. I don't know what will become of this area outside the leveling phasing, but it would be a shame to use it just for that. The city itself is very interesting and the cathedral at its heart is stunning.

Yes, the leaves really do look like that in the game. ;)

 

More interesting to this blog though are the outfits displayed by NPCs in Gilneas. Top hats and old fashioned lady hats with lace and all that are everywhere and almost every Guilnean citizen is finely dressed. Men wear suits and ladies pretty dresses. Somehow it all reminds me of Karazhan.

Anyways, I expect that these models will be introduced as gear for all players to wear. The top hats already have - at least for Worgen players as they are a quest reward.

The dogs you can see below are of course the pets all Worgen hunters automatically recieve.

 

 I'm also thinking that these dogs will be added as pets in some form or another and I wouldn't be surprised if the Forever-Lovely Rose becomes more accessible for those who did not get one during the valentine's festival.. But I haven't really checked any of this out. I will as soon as I have the time. :)

And then there are the new druid forms for the Worgen. I love these kittehs! The bear forms are pretty decent as well - they are more feral looking and remind me a little of Horde druid forms. No horns though.

 

And if you are going to play a Worgen and are jealous of the Goblins for getting to drive their own car, perhaps you will find some comfort in the fact that you will, at least for a little while, get to drive one of these. ;)

My fav little discoveries.

Before I show off some pretty scenery and changed zones, here are some screens of little things and that may not be noticed but that none the less make WoW what it is.

 

One of these is the addition of...FOXES! Yaay! Adorable! I want one as a pet nao!

Among the million things that have been improved in the game, my favorite is about flowers. They actually look like flowers now and the details are pretty amazing. These roses are from Gilneas, where you can find them growing in rose gardens, on buildings and even hung on walls to dry. These models will hopefully be implemented to other rose models in the game - especially to the florist in Dalaran. So far there are two colors in the game, white and red. More will surely come.

Pygmies of the Lost Isles! Be sure to have sound on while leveling your Goblin character because the sounds these little guys make are hilarious. Loved questing against them so much that i wish it had lasted longer. I'm sure we'll see much more of these guys - in Uldum for instance. And yes, that's my Goblin Pernille with a Pygmy hat that's a little too big...made me look like Marvin the Martian.

Prettier and more interesting Naga models. Again, while questing on my Goblin I ran into some very pretty Naga ladies. Looks like  they have discovered clothes *giggles* I want that shirt and look. 

 

Also, and even more fun, we now have baby Naga! Yupp! Baby Naga. Here's Pernille on her...hmmm... inflatable seahorse. Really hope we get to buy these...

With the Goblins come some pretty inventive and fun signs. On Kezan there are quite a few and I have already seen one like it in Stranglethorn, so there's probably more out there. Here's one of the Goblin trade prince and Kaja'Cola! It gives you IDEAS! <3

 

 

It's always fun to run into famous people. 

Here are some you might have heard of. ;)

Garrosh I find is realy scaary.... 

Lady Sylvanas is up to no good...and...

Yes, I've met Thrall too... *melts*

 

One last person of note before I show you some pretty scenery:

Place: Darkshore... Time: Post Cataclysm... Comment: Toto, I don't think we're in Darkshore any more...

And will you look at that! Hello Malfurion Stormrage! Not the only place you will find him though. ;)

Scenery!

You can fly pretty much anywhere now, and though most areas have changed, seeing familiar places from above makes the experience just as new. For instance...

Karazhan from above...

Undercity *smiles*

Dire Maul

Booty Bay - check that water out!

Thunder Bluff

  

And then, new scenery! :)

Nope, I'm not showing you Hyjal *grins*

Former Shimmering Flats, now Shimmering Deep, to the left and Tanaris and Gadgetzan to the right.

Goblin Ship - Shimmering Deep

You all know where this is I think. ;)

Theramore with a new highway through the swamp to Mudsprocket where there is now a path to a more revived Desolace...

Where there is now a new Cenarion Circle camp.

Water never looked this nice... STV

Barrens, now split into two zones.

New gate closing off Mulgore from the now disputed Southern Barrens.

Gilneas

Darkshore

Old dock in Auberdine.

New camp in Darkshore.

New type of Night Elf tree buildings, this one in Darnassus.

If i could only remember where this was... :S

Blasted Lands I think...

No comment *grins*

Mean Naga in Blasted Lands

Poor Murlocs...forced to leave their homes *pats*

Feralas.

Southshore! Help! Looks like those stinkbombs finally did the place in!

Tarren Mill's looking pretty good though...scary...

Somehow I doubt that these guys drop a Black Tabby. It's the Old Dalaran Wizard 'town'  - where wizards are replaced by elemental guardians (go farm kitty while you can!) - in Silverpine Forest, which by the way looks pretty good now. The Sepulcher seems to have grown and...

There even seems to be some kind of a taxi service going on.. *giggles*

And last but not least...Uldum!

It's huuuuge!

*hugs camels*

Yes, I am in love with this zone...

<3<3<3<3<3

Told ya it was purrrty!

 Well, that should be enough for now... ;) Check out Picasa if you want more.

*hugs*