Breakfast Topic: What we don't know
by Mike Schramm 
Oct 20th 2009 at 8:00AM
I found myself without much to do last weekend, so I spent most of my time in Azeroth. My paladin, who's been extremely slow to level lately, went on a burst of XP gathering, and I got him from around 67 up to about 73, finishing up Outland and making some solid gains in Northrend. At 68, I logged out to my level 80 hunter, picked up the Tome of Cold Weather Flight, and passed it back to my pally, so as soon as he stepped on the northern shore, he could take to the skies in his flying machine (yes, he's an engineer, and he's headed for a chopper as soon as I can make it).
But then something strange happened (I mentioned this on last week's podcast as well): not one, not two, but three different people sent me tells in the same evening, all of them asking just how I was flying around Northrend at level 68. I feel like we covered the topic pretty well here on WoW.com, and of course Blizzard had the information listed in the official patch notes. But somehow, news of the Tome had flown (sorry) under these players' radar.
But then something strange happened (I mentioned this on last week's podcast as well): not one, not two, but three different people sent me tells in the same evening, all of them asking just how I was flying around Northrend at level 68. I feel like we covered the topic pretty well here on WoW.com, and of course Blizzard had the information listed in the official patch notes. But somehow, news of the Tome had flown (sorry) under these players' radar.
And it got me thinking about what else many players don't know or have heard about the game yet: I mentioned voice chat the other day, and sure enough, many people didn't know there was in-game voice chat at all. Obviously, we bloggers here at WoW.com read and learn about this stuff every day, and there's even things that we don't know or don't remember exactly (just listen to me on any given podcast, and you'll hear me forget exact information about old patches or raids I haven't thought about in a long time).
So today's question is a tough one: what don't we know? What kind of stuff, even though it's working and out there on live realms, still hasn't been found or realized by a lot of different players? What in-game features or items aren't used by lots of people, just because they aren't necessarily aware they're out there?
And of course the corollary to that is: why don't we know it? Is Blizzard not doing enough to make players aware of these things (they send a note when epic riding becomes available at 70, but I never got a note at 68 saying I could buy a Tome and go flying), or are community sites like ours not doing something we should? Tell us what you think in the comments below.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, Fan stuff, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Breakfast Topics, Quests
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 13)
Javiji Oct 20th 2009 8:04AM
On my server, I picked up the Venomhide Ravasaur and much to my surprise started getting numerous tells in Dal asking where it came from. I'm still getting about 2 or 3 a day asking how I got it.
http://www.wowhead.com/?spell=64659
Chuck Oct 20th 2009 8:27AM
I get questions every time I ride the Raven Lord mount. I've learned not to stand around on it because I get interrupted constantly to answer what it is.
Jorges Oct 20th 2009 9:37AM
Exactly the same happens to me with my Fiery Warhorse (Attumen The Huntsman's Horse). And especially in Hallow's End, when I have at least 10 whispers a day asking me if that is the horse of the headless rider >_
Siorra Oct 20th 2009 10:21AM
Same thing goes for all rare items and mounts to be fair. Back in TBC I was rocking Ashes and the glaives. Couldn't be in a city without getting some form of a whisper.
Colin Oct 20th 2009 10:23AM
I just got my Headless Horseman mount yesterday and I've already had quite a few tells asking me where you get it, or better yet I've been asked how a warrior got a death knight mount.
Deadly. Off. Topic. Oct 20th 2009 10:28AM
Sad thing is, just this weekend, someone paged me and asked me where I got my netherdrake mount from. -_- You'd think they'd know by this point.
(cutaia) Oct 20th 2009 10:45AM
Never underestimate the playerbase's ability to not know things, D.O.T. I had a level 72 ask me how to use a meeting stone just the other day.
Stag Oct 20th 2009 11:20AM
Wow, some people didn't know something so they asked about it. Well I never!
Got news for you lot, there was a time when you also did not know this stuff. Also, there's a bunch of stuff you still don't know! Get over it...
(cutaia) Oct 20th 2009 11:46AM
No one here really sounds all that upset, buddy. We're just discussing the topic that was given to us by the article.
doit Oct 20th 2009 11:51AM
@stag
It's kind of inexcusable nowadays with the wealth of knowledge available to us with all those database sites out there...
hiiro Oct 20th 2009 1:25PM
You know, when I see someone on a mount I don't recognize, I just click on them, see the name of the mount as one of their buffs and then go over to wowhead and look it up.
Asking questions in the search engine age is a tad lazy.
Summer Oct 20th 2009 2:31PM
I always find it amazing that people won't take the 5 whole minutes to read patch notes to see what's new.
nighthawque Oct 20th 2009 5:32PM
They always ask my hunter where he got his skyguard ray mount.
rawrawrawr Oct 21st 2009 3:06AM
I get asked quite regularly about where I got my Grunty pet, or Kirin Tor Familiar.
Mike Oct 20th 2009 8:05AM
I didn't know about the raptor mount you can get from ungoro until about a week ago.
DM7000 Oct 20th 2009 8:09AM
My paladin has the Headless Horseman Mount from last year and it's surprising how many people didn't know it could fly. I was just flying around questing and before raids and I received what seemed to be a thousand whispers asking me how I got it.
Aaron Oct 20th 2009 8:07AM
"What kind of stuff, even though it's working and out there on live realms, still hasn't been found or realized by a lot of different players?"
FIRE! and you don't stand in it! HAHA! I jest.
I kept getting asked where I got my leveling shoulders. I guess people thought it was a drop? I would use Atlas and link them the heirloom stuff and they were absolutely blown away when I explained it scaled as you level. I did get tired of looking at the same shoulders for 80 levels and I was very glad to remove them after my first heroic run, but the XP was fantastic.
Thundrcrackr Oct 20th 2009 10:08AM
It would be cool if the heirloom items upgraded their look every 20 levels or so. Starting off simple looking and getting better and better as they level along with you.
Minidrake Oct 20th 2009 6:22PM
THIS. Oh, yes. THIS.
On the other hand, my new alt is a druid. Cat form does not update its look as you level.
Bob Oct 20th 2009 8:08AM
I meet a lot of warrior 'tanks' when leveling my alts that don't know how important sunder armor is.