Thoughts on the first day.

[Cryptoengineer]

I woke at 2:30 AM, and was on line 5 minutes later.

The new drop actually occured at 2:45, not 3:00.
I'm on a medium pop server, (Misha-US) which is
a west coast server (although I'm on the East Coast),
so the drop was 11:45 PM in its zone.

The area in front of the portal was pretty crowded, but
the new quest popped onto the screen, and I didn't have
to fight to click the NPC. Got in, and didn't experience
any special problems - goal items either could be shared,
or respawned instantly.

I played for more or less 10 hours straight, then took a
nap. By then, I was at 93.5, had a garrison, and was in
Gorgrond.

Later in the afternoon, I played another couple hours,
and on hitting 94, moved on to Talador.

The weird thing is, the Talador zone XP is about 1/3
lower than in Gorgrond. The quests all seem to reward
garrison resources as well - perhaps that's why. When
the game comes back up, I think I'll go back and see
if I can finish any other questlines in Gorgrond.

I really haven't figured out the garrison thing. I've
put in some buildings at the main location, and upgraded
to level two, and have outposts in Talador and Gorgond,
but am not sure what to do next.

I'd been intending to leave the garrison alone till I
hit 100, but that may not be feasible. I didn't want
to waste time gathering materials, etc, on low-xp
quests.

Other notes:

* The 'bonus goals' are worth doing - each set
awards about as much as 3 local quests, and go pretty
fast.

* The dungeons are of limited use - Slags isn't worth
it once you hit 92. Iron docks is marginal at 94. Haven't
tried Auchindon yet. Later ones may drop useful gear.

* As with all expansions, the first zones are a cakewalk
for toons which have spent months gearing up in the previous
xpac. With an ilvl 562 toon, I haven't yet replaced a single
piece of gear, though the blue rewards are starting to be
in the same ballpark as my worst MoP items. I'm soloing
lvl 94 elites without too much trouble.

* I like most of the new zones. I dislike blasted,
ruined landscapes, and pre-disaster Draenor has a lot more
green than Azeroth or Outlands.

* My lock still has the final stage of the green fire quest
in his log. I wonder if I can go back at 100 and curb-stomp
the guy?

All in all, I'm enjoying the new content. This lock is zerging
his way to 100; the other toons will take time to smell the
roses, and the blood.

pt

[Catriona R]

On Fri, 14 Nov 2014 10:33:30 -0600, Cryptoengineer

Post by Cryptoengineer
I woke at 2:30 AM, and was on line 5 minutes later.
The new drop actually occured at 2:45, not 3:00.
I'm on a medium pop server, (Misha-US) which is
a west coast server (although I'm on the East Coast),
so the drop was 11:45 PM in its zone.
The area in front of the portal was pretty crowded, but
the new quest popped onto the screen, and I didn't have
to fight to click the NPC. Got in, and didn't experience
any special problems - goal items either could be shared,
or respawned instantly.
I played for more or less 10 hours straight, then took a
nap. By then, I was at 93.5, had a garrison, and was in
Gorgrond.

Hah, I can tell you're on a lower pop server, no talk of lag, and not
much issues with bottlenecking? Lucky ;-)

Post by Cryptoengineer
Later in the afternoon, I played another couple hours,
and on hitting 94, moved on to Talador.
The weird thing is, the Talador zone XP is about 1/3
lower than in Gorgrond. The quests all seem to reward
garrison resources as well - perhaps that's why. When
the game comes back up, I think I'll go back and see
if I can finish any other questlines in Gorgrond.

There'll be a bunch of bonus objective there, Gorgrond seems a very
short zone, but it's because you get totally different questline
depending on which outpost you choose; you'll get bonus objectives in
all the areas the other choice would've given you queusts, though.

Post by Cryptoengineer
I really haven't figured out the garrison thing. I've
put in some buildings at the main location, and upgraded
to level two, and have outposts in Talador and Gorgond,
but am not sure what to do next.

Just do what's available - you've got your buildings, so place work
orders if you have the materials, send your followers on missions, do
quests for more buildings when they become available, etc.

Post by Cryptoengineer
* The 'bonus goals' are worth doing - each set
awards about as much as 3 local quests, and go pretty
fast.
* The dungeons are of limited use - Slags isn't worth
it once you hit 92. Iron docks is marginal at 94. Haven't
tried Auchindon yet. Later ones may drop useful gear.

Rubbish exp but interesting to at least see - and I was relieved to
find Slag mines was just fine for a rusty healer like me who's not
done a dungeon in over 2 years ;-) Gives me hope for the rest of them
being similar, fingers crossed - it seems endgame is kinda forced back
towards 5-mans again with the removal of scenarios, so I need to get
back in practice...

Post by Cryptoengineer
* As with all expansions, the first zones are a cakewalk
for toons which have spent months gearing up in the previous
xpac. With an ilvl 562 toon, I haven't yet replaced a single
piece of gear, though the blue rewards are starting to be
in the same ballpark as my worst MoP items. I'm soloing
lvl 94 elites without too much trouble.

Yep, 564 here, my weapon is the lowest ilvl, so it may not be too long
until I find something to beat it, and I did actually replace one
trinket, despite the replacement being lower ilvl - I had 76 int with
a proc of X crit for Y sez on Z chance, and got a quest reward of 74
int with a proc of X intellect for Y sec on Z chance (numbers
identical), and frankly int > crit anytime!

Post by Cryptoengineer
* I like most of the new zones. I dislike blasted,
ruined landscapes, and pre-disaster Draenor has a lot more
green than Azeroth or Outlands.

So true, Draenor is lovely, even Gorgrond, which is deserty, is
natural desert and rock formations, not ruined ones. Lovely planet in
general, and the later zones are just as nice in my experience.

[unknown]

Post by Cryptoengineer
I woke at 2:30 AM, and was on line 5 minutes later.
The new drop actually occured at 2:45, not 3:00.
I'm on a medium pop server, (Misha-US) which is
a west coast server (although I'm on the East Coast),
so the drop was 11:45 PM in its zone.
The area in front of the portal was pretty crowded, but
the new quest popped onto the screen, and I didn't have
to fight to click the NPC. Got in, and didn't experience
any special problems - goal items either could be shared,
or respawned instantly.
I played for more or less 10 hours straight, then took a
nap. By then, I was at 93.5, had a garrison, and was in
Gorgrond.
Later in the afternoon, I played another couple hours,
and on hitting 94, moved on to Talador.
The weird thing is, the Talador zone XP is about 1/3
lower than in Gorgrond. The quests all seem to reward
garrison resources as well - perhaps that's why. When
the game comes back up, I think I'll go back and see
if I can finish any other questlines in Gorgrond.
I really haven't figured out the garrison thing. I've
put in some buildings at the main location, and upgraded
to level two, and have outposts in Talador and Gorgond,
but am not sure what to do next.
I'd been intending to leave the garrison alone till I
hit 100, but that may not be feasible. I didn't want
to waste time gathering materials, etc, on low-xp
quests.
* The 'bonus goals' are worth doing - each set
awards about as much as 3 local quests, and go pretty
fast.
* The dungeons are of limited use - Slags isn't worth
it once you hit 92. Iron docks is marginal at 94. Haven't
tried Auchindon yet. Later ones may drop useful gear.
* As with all expansions, the first zones are a cakewalk
for toons which have spent months gearing up in the previous
xpac. With an ilvl 562 toon, I haven't yet replaced a single
piece of gear, though the blue rewards are starting to be
in the same ballpark as my worst MoP items. I'm soloing
lvl 94 elites without too much trouble.
* I like most of the new zones. I dislike blasted,
ruined landscapes, and pre-disaster Draenor has a lot more
green than Azeroth or Outlands.
* My lock still has the final stage of the green fire quest
in his log. I wonder if I can go back at 100 and curb-stomp
the guy?
All in all, I'm enjoying the new content. This lock is zerging
his way to 100; the other toons will take time to smell the
roses, and the blood.

None above 92 so far , can't get on.
It doesn't make much difference and the alts should be fine given the
initial chain rewards but one thing I have noticed, not a SINGLE green
to send back to the line of alts despite an exercise in mass slaughter
to see what dropped.
In other xpacs there would have been a couple of greens, a lvl ~500
green usable by 87 is a nice gold bonus on AH or for DE compared to
vendor price.
For professions I have not got a single non gather profession drop
although there is a lot less for dedicated professionals to do.
I think I could like this garrison thing even though I expect a lot of
expensive mistakes at first. Ohh a barracks, I should build that right
now....what do you mean limited space..am I not 'commander'?

I am a bit put out by 'we give you this land', now slaughter
everything that moves and cut down everything that doesn't.
One of the NPC saying 'I can see you have done this before' whilst
slaughtering for greens cracked me up just a bit at first. Not so much
by the sixth time.

[Catriona R]

On Sat, 15 Nov 2014 12:48:38 +1030, | || ||| ||||| || |

Post by unknown
None above 92 so far , can't get on.

95, nearly 96, that's after a lot of trying (and failing) to play
though.

Post by unknown
It doesn't make much difference and the alts should be fine given the
initial chain rewards but one thing I have noticed, not a SINGLE green
to send back to the line of alts despite an exercise in mass slaughter
to see what dropped.
In other xpacs there would have been a couple of greens, a lvl ~500
green usable by 87 is a nice gold bonus on AH or for DE compared to
vendor price.

I've had some random green drops, they're not as good as quest rewards
though. At least I can DE my own quest rewards now with the garrison
enchanting building, that is pretty sueful for my non-enchanter main!
I intend to get my enchanter levelled enough to learn the new recipes
*next*, but that may take a while, so at least getting a headstart on
gathering materials and being able to enchant my better pieces while I
wait for my alt to catch up is a help :-)