Reading the Cataclysmic Tea Leaves

Okay, that little thing about curiosity... Well, at least I'm not a cat.*

I was curious about whether people would abandon Blizzard's official WoW Classic servers when Cataclysm Classic comes out, and that led to an even more basic question: are there any Cataclysm private servers out there?

Uh... I have no idea.

In the interest of answering that question, I decided to turn to search engines to find out the answer.

That led me to dkpminus.com**, which actually has listings of private servers from all sorts of expansions from World of Warcraft.

Yes, even Shadowlands.

The homepage as of 16-Nov-2023.

The site claims that they keep it up to date, but obviously someone who spins up their own private server for themselves and their friends won't likely be represented here. Still, it does give you some idea as to what might be going on in the private server community.

What I'm going to do is provide a quick chart as to the numbers of WoW servers per expansion. Obviously I'm reliant upon what dkpminus.com provides, and not all private servers are alike in terms of faithfulness to the original content, but hey, it'll give you an idea as to where the popularity resides.

Okay, here's the WoW private servers per expansion as of November 16, 2023:

You'll probably want to click on the graphic to expand it.

The "Promoted" servers don't show numbers on the lists, so I've kept them separate. Also, some sites have multiple servers and are counted individually. For example, among the several Warmane servers there's Warmane - Lordaeron (PvP - Blizzlike) and Warmane - Blackrock (PvP - Custom Style) in the Wrath listings, so each Warmane server is counted separately.

If you click on a server name, you get more details:

Warmane - Icecrown is the most populated
server in the Wrath listings.

...and the Classic Plus server that people
tend to mention the most, Turtle WoW.

***

I was actually surprised that there was a single Warlords of Draenor server out there, although it's very sparsely populated.***

But one thing I also found interesting were the people who frequent that (relatively) large RP-PvE Shadowlands server. I guess Shadowlands has its fans after all, albeit from the RP community.

A lot of the private servers are PvP oriented, so if you're not into that... Oh well.

While perusing the comments section, I see that the private servers are very much a "play at your own risk" environment. There are numerous complaints of misbehavior and bots throughout, and on some listings the occasional positive comment can feel like it was planted there by that server's team. 

So...

My question as to whether there even are Cataclysm private servers has been answered. The Wrath private servers are by far the largest contingent, but Cataclysm is represented.

*Hey Wilhelm, did you know that if you put "you know what they say about curiosity telestra" into Google search, that one of your graphics is the third one that appears in the "Images" tab?

**As in "THAT'S A FUCKING 50 DKP MINUS!!!!" from the infamous Onyxia Wipe Animation video from back in the day, detailing a raid leader's meltdown on an Onyxia wipe. The original was removed by YouTube for graphic or violent content, so I found the original here on Rumble.

***I guess those people are hanging out in their garrisons.

Meme Monday: Miscellaneous Memes Once More

Sorry, I was listening to The Carpenters, and Yesterday Once More popped on. Hence the "Once More" part of the title.

Anyhoo, here's some memes that have been in my pile for months and needed a post...

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I believe
this was done in the middle of Shadowlands.
From Reddit.

I honestly don't know where I got
this one from. Still, highly appropriate.

The real reason why I don't like
flying in MMOs.
Again, I've no idea where I got this one from.

Uh.... maybe Demotivational sites?

A Short Bout of Introspection

Believe it or not, I'm not a curmudgeon in real life. 

Okay, I was well on my way to becoming one until the pandemic hit and I decided to simply stop utilizing Facebook. Not having constant reminders of the insanity of life thrown in my face has helped me a lot, particularly with my ability to control my blood pressure.

Right about now, if this were posted on Facebook or Elon's Playground or another form of social media, I'd get at least one person commenting that because of who I am I can afford to ignore what is happening around me. And you know, they're not wrong; I acknowledge that I am on the default difficulty setting in the US. However, if I'm always angry or upset, that does me no good either. It may be great for advertisers or companies or people who want to use those emotions to make money off of me, but it isn't great for myself as a person. 

There is a big difference between pretending what happens in the world doesn't exist and acknowledging that it does exist but realizing I can't affect most of it. 

Even before social media --back in the 80s and 90s-- I spent a lot of time watching the news and keeping up with politics and being angry about it.* And you know what came out of that? From my viewpoint, I had absolutely no impact whatsoever on things. 

Sure, I voted, but beyond that did I affect change? No. 

Did I get people to come together to do things? No. 

The reality is that very few people have the drive and charisma --and the money/influence-- to make things happen. If you don't have that, all you end up doing is being angry for... what, exactly? Being impotent in the face of current events? Having things not go your way?**

Are there other currents going on in my life that I won't talk about on the blog? Of course there are; I'm not the person to air my dirty laundry in public, and after a certain point I've come to the realization that said certain things aren't going to change. Are those things worth further disruptions in my life? Probably not.

***

I think the biggest realization that I've made of the past 4-5 years is that I should focus more on what I can change --myself and my relationship with other people-- more than what I can't. I can acknowledge events but I have learned only recently to finally just let it go. 

What, you wanted Elsa?
From Memedroid.

It is still not easy.

If I sound like a curmudgeon when expressing my displeasure about something, I apologize for that. Old habits die hard, I suppose. 

*The Microsoft antitrust trial alone generated a ton of heat among my acquaintances at work.

**I cheer on Cincinnati sports teams --and the University of Dayton-- so you'd think that I'm used to things not going my way. 

Meme Monday: NaNoWriMo Memes

Okay, they're not *specifically* for NaNoWriMo, they're writer memes in general, but boy do they hit home.

If you've been writing of any sort --and yes, my fellow bloggers, that includes you-- you probably see yourself in a couple of these memes.

One of the first things I learned when doing
research is to use Incognito Mode at the very
minimum. Not that I end up in any areas that
aren't going to put me on a watch list or something,
but serendipity is a real bitch for a writer.
From Neil A. Hogan.

When I write, this is my demon that
I MUST slay. From Twitt-- aw, screw it.
It's Elon Musk's bitch. Maybe we ought
to just call it that and be done with it.

...And here's my fever dream. I think I ought
to be worried when my fever dreams start talking
back to me, but outside of some cute graphics
I've posted, they haven't done it yet.
From Lindsaylovinlife.wordpress.com.

I haven't had this specific issue much,
the positive (?) of having a small readership,
but it does hit on that inevitable "Who?"
you might get as a writer. I encountered this
when I mentioned WoW Insider to someone
in raid who used to raid back in original Wrath.
From Bookbird.

And one bonus NaNoWriMo meme....

When I played basketball as a kid in 4th
and 5th Grade, I WAS THAT KID on
the right. The only difference is that I'd
contort my arms and legs because I simply
couldn't sit still. Yay, hyperactivity!
From themomwhoruns.com, whose blog
has included a Meme Monday as well!
Woo for Meme Mondays!!

That Feeling When...

...you look up and realize it's November, and you've been unconsciously writing fiction for the past week without prompting.

It must be NaNoWriMo.

I didn't sign up for it this year, because every time I did I would end up with barely 2000 words. And this time it wasn't about trying to prove to myself that I could write something, like I did the past couple of Blaugusts, I...

Well, I just started writing. Not because of NaNoWriMo, but just because of the urge to do so.

***

One thing I don't understand --I truly don't-- is why Cardwyn has gotten under my skin as much as she has. 

I mean, she's by far not the first fictional character I created and wrote about, and also not the first RPG/MMO character I've written about either, but something about her has just taken root and I can't shake it. This is one of life's quirks that truly annoy me, because I'm not one for fan fiction. It's not that she's a canon character or anything, but the world that she inhabits is owned by a corporation, and that definitely qualifies her as fan fiction in my book. 

And I'm not projecting myself on her, either. At least I don't think I am, since if you gave me an offer that I could be whatever RPG class I wished in a real life scenario, I'd probably pick a Paladin. 

I really don't know why, but I've already put down 9500 words and 22 pages worth of story, which ain't that bad for someone who really started cranking this out about 3-4 weeks ago, sandwiching it around work, gaming, and blogging. If I were to simply abandon any sort of editing along the way and just spewed words out, I could really keep this story going for a good long while. 

/sigh

Anyway, here's a short sample of what falls out of my head like it's part of a fever dream:

I faced the next broken beam, summoned the Arcane, and used the magic like a pry bar. The pieces plopped to the ground.

“Gah.” I shook myself as a tendril of frost curled up my spine.

Jas had an odd look on his face. “Uh, Card?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you sure you’re not cursed or something? As soon as you cast, your entire complexion changed.”

“Yeah, I’m sure. I was checked out by a couple of Cenarion friends of mine, and even I inspected myself several times. I know what aura a curse leaves on a person, and I just don’t have it.” I called upon the Arcane again, and the replacement beam rose into place. “Everything I’ve seen so far makes me think it’s all in my head.”

Jas hammered away at the nails. “I’m not saying I don’t believe you, but…”

“…you don’t believe me.”

“Oh, I believe you’re telling the truth, but I also think there’s more to this than just something in your head.”

“Jas, I love you to pieces, and I’d like to think you’re right, but that doesn’t change my reality: my time spent in that place damaged me, and I’m not afraid to admit it. I don’t want to end up like Mom and hide it deep down inside, where it’ll explode sometime later.”

With me using the Arcane, we made quick work of the remaining two beams and clucked at our oxen to pull the wagon back. I shivered and rubbed my hands.

“Card, there’s something wrong with you,” Jas said.

“Yeah,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I noticed.”

“No, I mean really. Your breath is frosty.”

I sighed. Well, if nothing else, both of my old teachers were going to eat with us tonight, so I had two pairs of trained eyes in one place. “Okay, I’ll ask Evelyn and Elsharin to look me over this evening. Happy?”

“It’s a start. What about one of your friends from the Cathedral?”

“I didn’t know that Trevor counted as just ‘one of my friends’,” I teased. Jas was, after all, the last member of the family to figure out that the Knight and I were lovers.

“You know what I mean. One of the priests.”

I took off my work gloves and mopped my brow; despite the chill in my bones, I was perspiring. Maybe later this afternoon a dip in the pond would be a good idea. “I think Lukas and some of the others are over in Outland, but I’ve got enough contacts at the Cathedral that I could probably be seen by someone.” 

“Good. If they need somebody to provide an eyewitness’ account, I’ll be glad to oblige.”

“Not a bad idea, since by the time we get back to the house I’ll be fine,” I replied, amused by my brother’s choice of words. Evelyn made sure that all of us were taught rhetoric when we were growing up, and Jas’ command of language was much greater than the average Elwynn farmer.

Kinda Sorta Classic Plus

The report from Blizzcon 2023 is that the WoW Classic team is rolling out Cataclysm Classic --to the surprise of nobody-- and a new "Season", the Season of Discovery.

The blah-blah-blah about finding new abilities is one thing, such as Mage Healers*, but there are two big ideas to make Classic Era fresh that caught my eye:

• Starting the level cap at L25, and then after a predetermined set of time the level cap is slowly raised a few levels at a time.
• The concept of new raids such as a 10 person Blackfathom Deep raid and other assorted "endgame" content.

For all of those people who created L5 Hogger raids, this might be just for you. 

To be honest, the concept of re-imagining some of these old instances as full on Classic style raids is very appealing. Low to mid level instances such as Blackfathom Deeps, Maraudon, Uldaman, Gnomeregan, Razorfen Kraul, and Razorfen Downs would feel much more epic in a raid format, as long as they don't get a "modern" treatment of instance/raid design and chop off all of the immersive feel in pursuit of button mashing difficulty. 

And wow, I was just thinking about the possibility of trying to do a Season of Discovery toon in hardcore mode.  

*"I prefer my healing done by a specialist. After all, would you really want me to heal you?" --Cardwyn

EtA: Fixed the link for Cata Classic.

Meme Monday: Halloween Memes

It may be cold here in my corner of the Midwest on 2023's Halloween*, but we might as well get into the swing of things with some Halloween Memes. 

Booooooooo!

Uh.... This is something that I could
see in the late, lamented, Calvin and Hobbes
comic strip. From Bestlife.

Ah, Natasha, you never fail to inspire.
From Dailyfunnyquote.

And this is me. From TheFunnyPlace.net.

Wait a sec.. I'm not a...
From Frosted Events.

And one bonus Halloween meme...

Fixed it for you!
From Pinterest.

*Projected temperature when trick or treating starts at 6 PM EST is 41F with blustery winds, and 36F at the end. Brr!