The Queue: Time went new and got old like history

Who’s ready for the first Queue of 2019?! That’s right, new year, new Queue. And what better way to celebrate the forward-movement of time than with a throwback?

You see, today’s Queue isn’t your average, everyday Mitch Queue. No, this one is special…

Let’s Li’itch Queue.

Kalcheus starts us off with a question as open-ended as the remainder of the year:

Q4tQ: What’s your big WoW “Wish” for 2019? Playable Vrykul? Cross-faction play? Azshara the new High Queen of the Alliance?

Liz: I think my 2019 wish is for a story that actually engages me. I’m really not into the Battle for Azeroth story, though it’s had some great moments.

And I’m a little concerned that we’re falling into the Garrosh syndrome. Again.

Mitch: Biggest WoW wish? I’m not sure I have one singular wish. But since 2019 is likely going to mean a new expansion announcement, I would like to see the next expansion reveal that the faction conflict will be continuing. I know that’s going to be an unpopular answer, but I actually like having the “war in Warcraft” and the feeling of factions meaning something.

Mind you, I don’t want it to be the FOCUS — but it could be something like the class storylines in Legion that occurred alongside the main demon-fighting story. Or even something more ancillary. Either way, I don’t want it to be another expansion of “FACTION WAAAR! okay now we’re done for a few expansions before we declared FACTION WAAAAAR again”

See, I have faith it won’t head in that direction, but it almost seems like the story’s coming out too slowly to make the playerbase at large feel that way.

Liz: I want to have faith, but the story is not giving me a reason to have faith.

Mitch: I’d like the story to come faster, even if it didn’t come with major patches.

I guess related to your point: I don’t want Sylvanas or Azshara to die. They’re both too interesting to be killed off for good (or even in a way that feels “for good.”

Liz: I don’t mind a “Sylvanas is evil” storyline, I mind it being a rerun… which it appears to be set up as. Though I would say Sylvanas has a lot more flair than Garrosh.

Mitch: She’s still conniving in a way Garrosh was not, and in a way players aren’t privy to, which I like.

Liz: She’s an interesting character, so it would be a shame if Blizzard simply used her for a “the plot needs us to start a faction war” throwaway.

Mitch: Agreed.

Liz: For continuing the faction war — which I disagree with, and not just because I’m contractually obligated to disagree with Mitch — I think it would be interesting if they kept giving us choices, like Sylvanas or Saurfang. Or just let us nope out of things.

Mitch: I just really hate the idea of it as an expansion-specific thing, because that means its inevitable return feels like it’s being shoehorned in for plot’s sake.

Liz: I like the idea of a neutral faction where people could just say “to heck with this faction war thing,” and really give players an alternative to committing the occasional plot-required atrocity, but I’m honestly not sure how it would work gameplay wise.

Mitch: I’d be okay with that, too. Blizz just needs a good way to DO it, which… maybe post-120, we’re given a decision? That’s really the only way I could see it remotely working.

Liz: In 2019: more war, more choices!

Mitch: [Fire emotes]

 

Mistah Jay has two 2BEs, and Liz and I… agree?!

2BE: 2018 vs 2017 (Serious one: Green Dragonflight vs Blue Dragonflight — when they were immortal.)

Mitch: 2017 was genuinely the worst year of my life, so 2018 kinda wins by default. It wasn’t a great year, but it also wasn’t a horrible year. It was just a year.

Liz: 2018. The whole brain surgery thing really put a damper on 2017. Even though I’m still paying off the surgery bills, which isn’t exactly a walk in the park, it’s not brain surgery, so it’s had that going for it.

Mitch: Oh hey, we agree on something two questions in!

Liz: Dang. Gotta find some more conflict.

Mitch: Okay, well, uhh… I’m gonna go Blue Dragonflight then for the second part. Ysera is dead, and despite Blue’s disarray, they’re still uber magic dealers.

Liz: Blue Dragonflight all the way. Blue are all about magic and green, what, sleep all the time

DAMMIT MITCH

Mitch: (Though FWIW, I prefer the Bronze/Infinite Dragonflight over all.)

F

Liz: Jay did say “when they were immortal,” which would have been before Ysera’s death.

Mitch: oooh, missed that part.

Still Blue

because magic

Liz: Ysera and the greens vs leaderless and disorganized blues?

Mitch: Isn’t Kalec leading them now or something?

…wait, that’s post-immortality

Liz: In a Ysera vs Kalecgos fight, I’d vote Ysera.

Mitch: Yeah, I’ll give Green that win.

Liz: I think we may have to agree to agree on this question.

Mitch: F

Liz: That’s TRIPLE agreement here. We should stop.

Mitch: Surely it won’t happen with… Question number 3!

 

ElainedeShalott, you made us sort of agree again. For shame!

What’s quicker. Flying to the other end of the zone for a single target WQ or doing a kill stuff until the bar is filled right near the flight point you are already at?

Liz: Stick near the flight master.

Mitch: Totally depends on the WQ and how you approach them. Personally, I prefer the one-and-done WQs, but going to Group Finder and staying put is probably faster in reality.

Liz: The flying time plus the inevitable run to the quest objective is going to take as much time as doing a more time consuming WQ. One and done quests are faster, but some of them are so remote. I tend to do whatever quests are most conveniently clustered to avoid travel time.

Mitch: Yeah, it’s just a matter of impatience. I’m less impatient killing one thing, but I don’t think it’s objectively faster.

Liz: This calculation may change when flying comes in, though, since you’ll be able to go directly to each objective.

Mitch: Oh, for sure.

 

Lotharfox, what do we look like to you, time scientists?

Are there time zones in Azeroth? Or is the same time in Eastern Kingdoms as Kalimdor? For that matter, how do they compare time between Azeroth and other planets like Draenor and Argus?

Mitch: Timezones…. Based on the in-game clocks, all of the zones we’ve been to have the same timezone (except maybe Timeless Isle for obvious reasons). Draenor and Argus are broken, floaty-platform planets so… I don’t really know if they can be considered having timezones.

It would be cool to see the in-game sky appear differently based on Eastern Kingdoms or Kalmidor, but each zone has such unique skyboxes anyhow, it’s hard to see that working. For now, let’s assume Azeroth doesn’t understand timezones.

Liz: I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone wearing a watch in Azeroth.

Mitch: Does the Waist of Time count? (No pun intended.) Does it even show time anymore?

Update: It does!

Liz: There’s a clock tower in Stormwind but does it actually change?

Mitch: Uhhh… /horde

Liz: Well, I just logged on and checked and it appears to be accurate to server time.

Mitch: Is one of the sides still wrong?

Liz: Do HORDE have any clocks?

Mitch: I don’t actually know lol

I’m assuming there’s one somewhere

but maybe those mean ol’ Alliance destroyed it in their siege of our peaceful Lordaeron.

Liz: Something about this isn’t quite right.

Mitch: RIP

You broke time

You’re the reason Draenor happened!

Liz: I didn’t do it! The clock did it!

Mitch: The Alliance clock.

Liz: And actually I’m wrong about it being accurate to server time.

Maybe if I sit here and stare to see if it moves.

Mitch: While you do that, we can move onto Question 5

Liz: I think this means time doesn’t exist on Azeroth. It’s a completely invented construct.

Kind of like in real life.

Mitch: True, true.

 

Stewart Tolhurst asks us to fill multiple requirements before even answering:

Q4tQ – Which faction leader should Rossi doom next by writing an article about how awesome they are and that he’d be gutted if anything happened to them?

Mitch: The thing about this one is, Rossi has to both think this person is awesome and be gutted at their downfall. Which probably means someone like Malfurion is off the table. And the ones that do fit that for sure — Jaina, Tyrande — would not be ones even I’d want him to doom. I actually do like them.

And Liz will kill me if I say Mekkatorque

Liz: I don’t think it works if Rossi genuinely does not feel this way about a character.

We can’t just force the issue.

And Mitch, you know… something is already happening with Mekkatorque.

Mitch: I know, but he’s not dead-dead.

Liz:Rossi would be too late writing that article.

Mitch: Y’know what? I’m gonna go with Saurfang. Dude’s becoming a major pain in my Queen’s side. His doom would probably clear the path for a newer, better Azeroth.

Liz: And I could see Rossi writing a Saurfang piece, so….

Mitch: >:D

Liz: And with how beloved he is, That means killing him is the obvious story twist.

Mitch: I mean, he has been ready to die for a while now. It actually does make sense for him to die. I honestly cannot see him wanting to be Warchief.
he literally was about to march into the entire Alliance army so he could die an honorable death.
he begged Anduin to kill him.

Dude’s ready to be done.

Liz: I’m not sure if the more surprising twist would be him dying or him being forced to lead.

Mitch: I’d be more surprised if his being forced to lead lasted longer than a patch
that would be the real twis

Liz: Having a Horde leader who sticks around? That would be a shock.

Mitch: Maybe he can get a foothold on a different, alternate-reality planet named after him, a la Vol’jin lul

Liz: Actually, that’s on my game wishlist for 2019: a Horde leader who sticks around for more than ten minutes.

 

rjagoda wants to know something you may already know by now, but oh well:

What are your plans for NYE? Other than taking over the BW Twitter feed?

Mitch: All right, last one — NYE plans. Obviously, I have my crazy Twitter plans. But otherwise? I’m spending it with my family this year. Last year was a wild n crazy time in the Dominican Republic with open bars and beaches and all kinds of fun. This year? I want to keep it relatively calm. Family, video games, wine.

Oh, and tomorrow/today (Jan. 1), I’m seeing Into the Spider-Verse with my family.

Liz: I’m staying at home with the dogs, who are FREAKING THE HECK OUT because the world is exploding.

Mitch: Ugh. Seeing dogs get scared by fireworks is the saddest thing ever.

Liz: Abby’s going to spend the night panting and shaking. Fireworks normal. You can’t even distract her with treats or pets, she’s just upset and probably wondering why no one else is worried because

THE WORLD IS ENDING.

Why isn’t anyone paying attention to this??

Mitch: I’d always seen people talking about dogs and fireworks, but never really experienced it.

That is, until a few years ago when my (now-ex) girlfriend’s dog was hiding in a room and looking sad and terrified while they were going off. Honestly, my heart still breaks thinking about that particular moment. That dog was amazing and didn’t deserve that :frowning:

Liz: Abby has a tendency to crawl under (and sometimes knock over) furniture. So she and her sister are in a pen filled with pillows to prevent … well, everything.

Last 4th of July she broke the ceiling fan which is. Uh. Yeah. That happened.

I still don’t have a ceiling fan.

Mitch: Ugh :(

 

And on that decidedly uplifting note, we end the first Queue of 2019! Hope you all have a great year and are currently nursing a hangover as best as possible.

Until next time!