One person is going to get codes for Tiny, the Footsteps of Illidan, Slashdance, a Sandbox Tiger, and the Path of Cenarius in the next few minutes right here.

Just post a comment on this blog post that contains a question for the show.  You can ask anything you like.  We’re going to pull one question and add it to the many we’ve already compiled for this episode, and the person who submitted it will get the codes!

Big News Of The Week

• You’re still talking about Ghostcrawler’s essay on heroics from 19 days ago. That’s right, it’s been almost three weeks since he posted it.
• You’re talking about Archaeology and random number generator.
• You’re *still* talking about goblins and worgen, and which you like more, and why you dislike one or the other.
• And more.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

Archaeology Might Make You Some Money

In the forthcoming patch 4.0.6, it looks like Blizzard is increasing the vendor sale value of pretty much everything you create with Archaeology. In some cases, we’re hearing about value increases of 20 times the current, and in some cases, up to 80 or 100 times current values!

The Tol Barad Tidbits Keep On Comin’

Blizzard added something very interesting to the latest patch notes on this forthcoming bundle of joy. Specifically, attacking forces will receive a 200% capture speed bonus when they control 2 keeps, and defending forces will receive a 200% capture speed bonus when they control all 3 keeps. Double rainbow all the way across the sky! What does this mean?

Rapidfire Rumors and Scuttlebutt

Blizzard opened the “Raid and Guild Leadership” forum yesterday.

Blizzard is giving away two iPads every month in 2011.

Check out the art gallery: In particular, dig into that painting of Kil’Jaeden. It’s huge!

Town Cryer

Kiplen from the Altar of Storms realm writes: I am just recently returned to Warcraft after a hiatus of a year and a half. I had a lvl 55 dwarf hunter before and never got a chance to experience any endgame raiding or anything. My question is about macro’s. What are they and how can you create them without any real understanding of programming?

Start here, perhaps?

Drop Of The Week

Tanks For Dummies

What to do when you’re prepared to tank, and don’t know how to get started? We’ve gotten loads of e-mails the last couple of weeks like the following one: Sorlin said “I’ve done my research and now the only thing I have left to do is customize my UI. What mods should I get, what websites should I visit or what general things (like a threat bar) should I have to make me a better Tank.”

• -First of all, we want to address the tank’s big needs from his or her UI. You need to immediately target any of the mobs you’re fighting, be warned when you lose aggro, see what debuffs are on the target, what defensive cooldowns are have available, active, or on cooldown, and their remaining time, know information about the current boss, and review your group’s performance during and after a fight.
• Here are the mods that you want to acquire and master to accomplish all that: Tidyplates, PowerAuras, Deadly Boss Mods, and Recount.  Perhaps Skada, if you don’t like Recount.
• Our buddy Ravanna showed us this macro:

/cast [mod:alt] Heroic Leap; [mod:ctrl] Intervene; [mod:shift] Intercept; Charge

• Many more essential tank macros here.
• Finally, you need websites with resources for your tanking needs. You need to devour Tankspot, and the Elitist Jerks forum that is specific for your class: Elitist Jerks Druid Tanks, Elitist Jerks Death Knight Tanks, Elitist Jerks Paladin Tanks, Elitist Jerks Warrior Tanks.

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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Big News Of The Week

Let’s Patch This Sucker!

We got a heap ‘o trouble this week with new notes on patch 4.0.6, which Blizzard is deploying on the public test realm immediately, and looks to be going live quickly. It’s a big cleanup to non-critical parts of the game, for the most part, since they’ve been hotfixing the more important stuff on the fly for weeks, but 4.0.6 does have a lot of wondrous parts, which we will dispense with here.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

Lylirra Is Doing The Poll

Over at worldofwarcraft.com, there is a poll that asks the following question, “For those of you who have had the opportunity to play through the new high-level zones, which one was your favorite, and why?” It has only been up for about 18 hours, as we record this, and already the winning zone has a huge lead.

The Cataclysm Soundtrack LP is now in iTunes.

Town Cryer

Justin N. writes: Is there a resource that details what items are available for guild rep levels? So far the guild vendor just had the BOA cloaks, and I know if you get exalted you get the faction mount, but is there a place to see these in game?

Yes, probably. Don’t forget to hit “J” in game and look around that window!

Drop Of The Week

An Answering Machine For Your Dude

Over on Curseforge, a mod writer named Submann came up with a great idea – use a simple little mod to record whispers you get when you’re AFK, and then automatically play them for you when you return. Is that cool…. or what?!

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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Big News Of The Week

It’s Like 2010, Only You Add 1 To The End

Happy New Year! There is nothing quite like the changing of the date to make us take stock of what has happened in the game, the community, and for Blizzard over the last 12 months. And there’s nothing like a new year’s arrival to make us want to look forward and try to understand what’s coming. We’re going to do this in 13 parts.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

So What Do We Think Is Coming in 2011?

Let’s make some educated guesses, and then do our best to distance ourselves from them as the year goes on:

Town Cryer

Medasin from Shadowmoon writes: I went to my local best buy to look at external hard drives on which I could keep the bulk of the Warcraft content on and in turn freeing my computer of so much space. Well to my dismay when I asked a “Geek Squad” team member about doing this, they said I was mistaken that I could not play any large game which required installation using an external hard drive. He said I could only play small flash games off of them. Would you mind clarifying if this is indeed possible and how it can be done?

Jason W. writes: We have six tiers in our guild structure. In order to advance to the second rank, and gain access to higher slots in guild bank you have to have and authenticator. Most members think that reasonable, but we had one guildie leave the guild when they read that rule saying we were paranoid and that they were not going to spend more money to play a game they already spend money on to play. Are we justified in asking that your account be authenticated in order to keep from the guild bank being attacked?

Rumors & Scuttlebutt

He Still Can’t Decide Between Betty And Veronica

By far the most common question we’ve seen over the last month is this one: “What’s that Archaeology mod called?” We’ll we’ve got it for you right here, and also in our show notes. It’s called Archy.

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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Big News Of The Week

3.3 Million Deathwing Fans Can’t Be Wrong

In case you haven’t heard, Blizzard launched a little something called World Of Warcraft: Cataclysm exactly one week ago. Today, Blizzard announced that the third expansion to WoW destroyed the record for most sales of a PC game in its first 24 hours, with 3.3 million copies sold.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

Would You Like To Play A Game?

Today on the all-new and wondrous WoW community site, Bashiok told us all about War Games.

“Beginning with Arena Season 9, we’re giving Arena and Battleground teams the option to challenge each other to War Games, a new kind of skirmish that allows teams to practice, set up matches against friends or rivals, or even try out potential recruits.”

We’ll All Look Back On The Good Ol’ Days Of Guild XP

Remember, way back in early December 2010? When it was four times as much as it is now? For all of one week? The rumor going around and around tonight is that Blizzard has cranked the amount of xp you give your guild down from 100% to 25%.

Town Cryer

Zydiri writes: I am currently in air force flight training. In the plane I fly there are three little panels that pop out by the jump seat. Sitting as the jump seat gets pretty boring so people pop them out and write stuff on the inside. Last week I was reading each of the panels in turn. The first said something about how awesome class 10-06 is. The second one said Lieutenant So and So Sucks… The third one had FOR THE HORDE scrawled in big black marker. Naturally I said “That’s right For the Horde.” Of course my intercom was on and the pilot and copilot both turned back to look at me. Not a very cool move… Anyway, since then I have been inspired. I have started writing OBEY HENRY in black marker on any blank spot I can find on those panels. I think by the time I am done here I will have gotten to every jet on this base.

Rumors & Scuttlebutt

The Story So Far

As the world’s races struggled for survival in the wake of the Cataclysm, details came to light concerning what—or who—had caused the disaster. Prior to the upheaval, the Fury of Earth had cryptically told Thrall that Azeroth’s instability had been caused by something good that had turned unnatural. Something that wished to inflict pain and suffering on the entire world.

Part I – Part II

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Thanks to The Spirit Thief, by Rachel Aaron, for sponsoring this episode of The Instance! Read the first two chapters of The Spirit Thief here for free!

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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And we dropped the ball.

But we did judge them!  We got a couple of friends to help us, and we chose winners.  In doing so, we realized just how thankful we are to have an audience of such talented and fun-loving folk. Here the two winners:

Maxz, who proposed Blackrock Dopplebock:

“As the caverns of Blackrock Mountain began to tremble and quake the Dwarves continued to delve greedily and deep, uncovering the secrets of this dark brew. Like the monks of old, they hoped this liquid sustenance would sustain them through the upheaval to come. In the tradition of the Dopplebock, this dark beer is rich and malty with obsidian undertones. The bitterness of the hops is heightened by notes of brimstone, but remains submerged beneath the depth of the sweet, hearty body. As expected of a bock and a Dwarven brew, the alcohol heavy finish explodes from deep within like an ancient beast.”

Our other winner is Zurriel, with this Official press release from the offices of Vyral the Vile:

“This year’s Brewfest brings many new offerings, and we would be low to dissuade any discerning imbiber from trying them. In fact, we encourage it! Brewfest is a time-honored tradition, where every batch can share the spotlight. At the end of the day, we know you’ll return to your old standby. A brew as time-honored as the festival itself (well…maybe even a little more so). A beer that isn’t made from rusty hops and that doesn’t exploit captured Hydraxians—we have a purer source. Much purer. The beer that was with you through tough times and worse times. Twilight’s Hammer’d premium dark lager. Strong, slowly-roasted malty flavors that ultimately culminate in uncompromising victory. Your heart will explode. A refined taste smooth enough for an elf, yet strong enough for an ogre. Your friends will abandon you. A name backed up by centuries of unwavering resolve. You are already drunk. So enjoy this year’s festival! But when the stench of wet dog fades and you pine for an old friend, we know who you’ll turn to. Because everyone will. Eventually.”

Bravo! More after the break. Here are some honorable mentions -

Zett, who invented Zalazane’s Ice Malt Ambrosia:

The party heats up when you roll in with a case of Zalazane’s Ice Malt Ambrosia! It’s light, it’s crisp, it’s heavily sweetened! Zalazane’s is a potent mix of malted liquor and Kungaloosh, turning an otherwise undrinkable industrial solvent into an easily consumed and amazingly powerful good-time fun-drink! The ladies love Zalazane’s for it’s sweet citrus tang and surprising drinkability. They also love its low calorie count, cute pink dimpled bottles, easy to grip shape and adorable Kitten-penguin mascot!

Men love it for the tang.

So bring Zalazane’s to your next beach blow-out in the Lost Isles, and while the Orcs and Tauren are doing keg stands and beer bongs, you’ll be chillaxing with the Belfettes enjoying Zalazane’s chemically enhanced inhibition reducing properties.

ZALAZANE’S Ice Malt Ambrosia! It’ll get her smashed!

Xenos, for blatantly pandering to us with his Rottscandy’s Brandy.

Kristalleen, for blatantly pandering to us with Scotch Ohnson.

Geekgumbo, who entered a drink description that was so long, we needed a double-shot to get through it:

The Un’Goro Face Crater: Not for the weak of liver, this “Tasty” treat is a favorite of the Trolls. Bear in mind their liver regenerates, and their tastebuds have a bit of a suspect reputation to all other sentient  beings before attempting. Quoting from Azeroth’s “Bartender’s Bible” – “There is much support of the idea that gathering the ingredients for the Un’Goro Face Crater is more dangerous than actually drinking the drink itself, but this idea is in the minority after the late lamented Dwarven paladin Oiliver Rheed exploded after drinking 3 in a row and then attempted to blow out his birthday cake. ” The Drink is a combonation of several potent and exotic herbs mostly found only in Un’Goro Crater (Fungal Rock and the Lakkari Tar Pits have most of the ingredients), and can easily be found by any skilled (and stealthy) Herbalist. After a mash of seeds, grains and crystals are gathered, they must be soaked in a mageweave bag for 12 days and nights in the Golakka Hot Springs. During this time it would be advisable to start crafting a leather ball. After the requisite time passes, the highly fragrent mash should be taken out of the hot springs and the mash is to be stuffed into the leather ball. Feel free to kick the ball around with the local folk who live in Marshall’s Refuge, as those poor folk get little entertainment as it is. Once the ball is softened up, you may will smell a faint, sweet smell wafting from the ball. The mash is now ready for the most… err.. exotic part of the distillation process- the famous “Devil’s Run”. NOTE: This next phase is the most dangerous part of the creation, so please take heed. Wear proper protective gear, and make sure none of your fellow brewers are faster or sneakier than you. Find a Devilsaur. The bigger the better, and much pride is taken in finding the cruelest, hungriest, and nastiest Devilsaur possible. After finding the animal, get him to attack and throw the ball into the gaping maw. As Devilsaurs will eat everything, it will swallow the ball whole. Then run for your life. Then run some more. Keep running. After 46 1/2 Hours (this exact time was discovered by Thredmore Browntrouser, an unfortunate yet tough Gnome who actually survived the Devil’s Run) the Devilsaur will…ahem…no longer have possession of the Ball, and it can be retreived. Preferably with a long stick with a hooky thing at the end, altho certain Trolls who shall remain nameless have created a rather inexplicable game involving a target, the Devilsaur in question, and certain powerful laxatives. After the ball is retreived it is rarely still in the shape of a ball, and must be detoxified. Although certain Priest or Shamen Spells should do this they inevitably fail, as the Forces That Be wish to remain uninvolved in this toxic and silly mess. The only way to purify it is to dunk the whole mess into topmost fissure in Fire Plume ridge for a few hours, then get to Northrend to cool it near Icecrown Citadel. After it stops steaming, smelling and wailing (About 3 days) it is ready to be consumed. It is rumored that it was an epic drunken party in ICC that is the real reason the Lich King is so cranky, as the partiers refused to turn down the Louis Prima, and Arthas was very pointedly NOT invited. A lasting logistical problem has been how to drink such a toxic brew- a problem solved by the cunning artificers who developed the “Tankard of Terror”, one of the few epic items that can hold so angry a drink. I myself have a small batch of UGFC wailing away in my freezer now. If only I had a Tankard O’ Terror, I could enjoy this mythic beverage. After I finish writing out my will…

And finally, we had to ask what was this guy thinking? when we came across Megaduce’s Drop-a-Duce ale: “The ale you drink, when you can’t make a stink.”

Our winners have been contacted so that Taverncraft can ship their prizes directly to them.  Once again, thank you all SO MUCH for participating, and for listening to The Instance.  It is clear that the entrants had a lot of fun with this one, and we had a blast taking them all in.  We shouldn’t have let the fun go so long, but that’s what happens when you get to drinking.

Big News Of The Week

He’s Huge, He Can Fly, He’s Fiery, And He’s Pissed!

As if you weren’t fully aware of the obvious, we are one week away from World Of Warcraft: Cataclysm, the third expansion to WoW, and all its pleasant delights! We are also now one week past The Shattering, that night last week when Deathwing flew all over Azeroth and destroyed the very landscape, in addition to most of some of the cities we love. Don’t worry, they got partially-rebuilt really quickly. Like, immediately. But there is still some scaffolding up. Sorry about the mess.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

Do We Get Results, Or What?

One week ago, on the eve of The Shattering, we discussed the cost to the player who decides to take up World of Warcraft for the first time now, or in the near future. Something then happened that seems to happen a lot with The Instance: On the very next day, literally withing a couple of hours of posting the show, Blizzard slashed the prices of the original game and the first two expansions.

Town Cryer

Kevin I. writes: I just returned home from serving with the Air Force in the middle east and I was looking to pre-order Cataclysm Collectors Edition and do an in-store pickup so I can play the day of launch. Seems like all the stores in northern Utah are not selling them or are sold out and won’t hold on to one for me. I was wondering if you know where i can pick one up the night of. Waiting 3-5 days on shipping and paying twice the MSRP is not something I’m willing to do if i can avoid it. I don’t really want to buy it twice, one regular copy for launch day and one collectors edition 3-5 days later.

Cataclysmic Drop Of The Week

We’re doing this one last time, folks!

The Cataclysm is upon you, and you need some websites.  While this is by no means a comprehensive list, we want you to benefit from all the web has to offer by way of helping you find hat you need in-game over the next few days and weeks.  This list will be updated as we come across more best-in-class sites to bookmark:

Fishing – El’s Anglin

Pet finding – Warcraft Pets

Jewelcrafting and gem fitting – WoW-Gem

Mounts mounts mounts – Warcraft Mounts

Archaeology – WoWpedia’s Archaeology page

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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Big News Of The Week

The Upheaval Will Not Be Televised

In the frigid wastes of Northrend, the final battle against the merciless Lich King ended in victory for Azeroth’s defenders. Upon returning home, veterans of the unforgiving conflict against the Scourge were showered with praise for their valiant sacrifices, while the honorable dead were mourned. Yet as hope flared anew in the wake of the Lich King’s fall, Azeroth’s native elemental spirits grew confused and erratic, setting off a series of deadly natural disasters. Horde and Alliance leaders scrambled for clues about the troubling state of the world, but nothing could have prepared them for what was to come.

Rumors And Scuttlebutt

Let’s Talk Realm Firsts!

You know the routine. A new expansion comes out that has tons of feats of strength that only certain people can ever get. After the first few days of play, you’ve seen strangers on your realm get realm first achievements for reaching max level, maxing their professions, defeating the major raid dungeons, and every one of them for doing it before anyone else on the realm. And you’ll say to yourself, “next expansion, that’s going to be me.” Well, next expansion is two weeks away. Let’s get cracking now!

Rapid Fire Rumors And Scuttlebutt!

This Year’s WoWniversary Is Scaled Way Back.

Your Fortune Awaits! Blizzard is running a little Darkmoon Faire game.

Town Cryer

Elevator Operator writes: I was told the city portals were going away in Dalaran and Shattrath. What does this mean for my level 30 toon who got mage ported to Dalaran at level 5? Am I stuck there?

Additional show content provided by Darrell the Tipgiver, Steve “Buxley” Pietrowicz, James “Acuzod” Jefferies and the outstanding Instance Community.

Special thanks to DogHouse Systems, GoDaddy, and TypeFrag for sponsoring this episode.

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