Solo Queue - A World of Warcraft Podcast

Episode 16 – How Do You Solo? Interview with Josh Allen Show Notes  Welcome to Episode 16! Not a lot in the way of show notes for this episode.  There is an intro with me trying to dream up the perfect person to talk about the past, present, and future of the Warcraft universe in the wake of Warcraft Direct.  Then…   Interview with Josh Allen, aka Lore, aka devolore – 3:13 An awesome, informative, insightful, and wide-ranging interview with Josh getting to know him as a content creator and his experiences work at Blizzard as a Community Manager, a look into the creation process of WoW, his experience and perspective on the employment harassment and discrimination problems that were exposed beginning in 2021, and a look into the future of WoW, Classic, Remixes, player housing and much more.  Buckle up and listen!   Interview with Josh Allen, aka Lore, aka devolore – 1:13:35 Perhaps the slowest moving Lightning Round, with blamed laid equally on both of us!   Outro – 1:26:05 * A ton of thanks to Josh for coming on to share his knowledge and experiences! * Thanks to Blizzard and OGRE for audio, #dontplaymuted, my lovely wife, and you for listening. * If you want to support the show, SoloQueueWoW at Patreon.com * Thank you to current patrons, Andrew, Righteous Bandy, and ThatSkyGuy! And welcome free patrons Max, Eddie, Tim and Jon! * Also, big thanks to ThatSkyGuy for the base logo artwork on the show image today! * Subscribe to the podcast at your podcast feed of choice, Apple, Spotify, and all the rest. * You can contact me at soloqueuewow at gmail.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,Threads, and Threads. “We will see you out there."

Episode 15 – Princes and Paupers Show Notes  Welcome to Episode 15! Anniversary Trivia returns, it is good to be in game and behind microphone again, hanging at the 20th Anniversary event, and so much going on!   November News at the 20th Anniversary Celebration – 13:50 * 07 is coming, including Siren Isle zone. * Classic News – Cata Classic gets the Firelands raid and SoD Season 6 is coming https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24148556/ [https://worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com/en-us/news/24148556/]. * Trading Post is overflowing this month; check it all out here: https://www.wowhead.com/news/november-2024-trading-post-full-list-of-rewards-class-themed-armor-and-weapons-349409 [https://www.wowhead.com/news/november-2024-trading-post-full-list-of-rewards-class-themed-armor-and-weapons-349409]. * Plunderstorm makes its return in early 2025, but still in the Arathi Highlands and too soon? * Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct is coming Wed., November 13 – tune in live or later for all the new Warcraft game news.   Drink of the Month – 28:15    Mannoroth’s Blood Red Ale   Mount Segment that doesn’t yet have a name – 29:16 My thoughts on store mounts (and pets) including * Reven the fundraiser for Cure Duchenne, the form of muscular dystrophy that eventually took the life of WoW player Ibelin, subject of a recent Netflix documentary. $20 – yes. * 30th Anniversary Warcraft 3 faction mounts. $30 – yes. * Grizzley Hills Packmaster with vendors. $20 – yes. * Trader’s Gilded Brutosaur with vendors and the ensuing craziness. - $90 – no. * Store mounts and mogs help fund the game, just hope they steer clear of selling player power.   Couple extra topics not in the plan – 51:06 * The exact moment I stopped caring about keeping this episode short – I hope you are okay with that. * Mog collection rules mean any character can collect all appearances – gamechanger.   My gameplay this month with commentary – 58:00 * Hallow's End trick-or-treating took a level 70 to 76! * Anniversary and using trivia to level 20+ characters with Hallow’s End, Darkmoon Faire, and Anniversary buffs all while collecting Rested XP and until January 5! * Forgetting which inn your hearthstone is set to * Titan disc system – great story delivery system * Review of Story mode – unimpressed and still awaiting #followerraids, c’mon!   Main Topic:  Princes and Paupers – 1:38:50 A discussion of those who have plenty of time to play and how they differ from those of us who have limited time in game, how players can approach this, and possible help Blizzard could provide. #clippy   (re)Raid of the Month:  Crucible of Storms (BfA) – 2:06:02 I found the pre-raid questline that actually gives the Xal’atath story that I sought last month; still not a good raid to farm.   Addon Recommendation:  Saved Instances – 2:14:00 A great addon to track quests, dungeons, raids, currencies, and much more across many characters.   Solo Queue Mailbox – 2:17:50 The first review on Apple Podcasts is from Unique Exemplar and it is glowing - #grateful.   Outro – 2:20:24 * Thanks to Blizzard and OGRE for audio, my lovely wife, and you for listening. * If you want to support the show, SoloQueueWoW at Patreon.com * Thank you to current patrons, Andrew, Righteous Bandy, and ThatSkyGuy! And welcome free patrons Max, Eddie, and Tim! * Subscribe to the podcast at your podcast feed of choice, Apple, Spotify, and all the rest. * Sounds from Blizzard and OGRE #dontplaymuted * You can contact me at soloqueuewow at gmail.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,Threads, and Threads. “I will see you out there."

Episode 14 – Losing the War Within My Schedule Show Notes  Welcome to Episode 14! Getting the episode started, an apology for how I got it started, and can I mention my busy schedule any more times?  Hold my Thunder 45…   September News – Where better to do the news than at Brewfest! 15:13 1. RWF is over. Nuf said. 2. Getting into Raid Story Mode and Max Level Campaign https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/news/unlock-story-mode-for-queen-ansurek-in-the-war-within-full-guide-to-rewards-access/ [https://www.icy-veins.com/wow/news/unlock-story-mode-for-queen-ansurek-in-the-war-within-full-guide-to-rewards-access/] 3. Delves and how to get Restored Coffer Keys https://youtu.be/NcwQ36Iq6BE?si=GBEX81n_YMrhhje3 [https://youtu.be/NcwQ36Iq6BE?si=GBEX81n_YMrhhje3] And the Weekly Delves Event is coming Oct. 1 to Oct. 8 4. Preview of patch 11.0.5 - general * Drakthyr getting more classes * Dark Irons getting more mole machine destinations 5. Preview of patch 11.0.5 – 20th Anniversary Celebration https://www.wowhead.com/guide/world-events/20th-anniversary-event [https://www.wowhead.com/guide/world-events/20th-anniversary-event] * * New World Bosses * New Blackrock Depths Raid * New Gates of Ahn’Qiraj world event * Expanded Caverns of Time events * Lots of old items, transmog, toys * And more! 6. Warband Map to Everywhere All At Once toy 7. Grizzly Hills Packmaster mount – smash or pass? 8. Upcoming holidays – Hallow’s End, GGreat Gnomeregan Race, Brewfest!   My Impressions of TWW – 36:18 My thoughts on XP, leveling, the quality of the storylines, getting the pacing of leveling right (if possible), the music (stunning as always), zone design, why my druid is walking, riding ground mounts, and not shapeshifting, and what is the name of dynamic flying this month?   The Rookery as a Follower Dungeon – 1:10:35 Smoothly integrated in the flow of the campaign – can we do that with all of them?   Couple of Quality of Life Improvements 1:16:45 The small things do add to immersion.   Raid of the Month:  Crucible of Storms (BfA) – 1:22:56 Hunting for some 5 year old traces of Xal’Atath that I missed in current raid content – will it pay off?   Opinion on the Trading Post – 1:34:20 Adding my small opinion onto the bonfire that is Trading Post feedback – mine is not filled with anger, I promise.   Outro – 1:45:01 * Thanks to Blizzard and OGRE for audio, my lovely wife, and you for listening. * If you want to support the show, SoloQueueWoW at Patreon.com * Thank you to current patrons, Andrew, Righteous Bandy, and ThatSkyGuy! And welcome free patrons Max, Eddie, and Tim! * Subscribe to the podcast at your podcast feed of choice, Apple, Spotify, and all the rest. * Sounds from Blizzard and OGRE #dontplaymuted * You can contact me at soloqueuewow at gmail.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Threads. “I will see you out there."

Episode 13 - Early or Not, Here it Comes The War Within launches Full episode notes to come after I get a little sleep and get bored during a meeting at work. Dave

Episode 12 - You Still Want to Start WoW NoW? Part 2 Show Notes Opening Bit * Official Apology letter from Solo Queue HQ for the delay of Part 2   A Few More Words on the WoW Map * The whole screen map, zooming in and out * The quest log and small map, explanation of different types of quests and all the new symbols added to the map legend   A Few More Words on Gear and Gear Upgrades * Gear is the heart of WoW, but it can be very confusing * Soulbound and Bind on Equip gear historically * Transmog and learning appearances to change your character’s look * The addition of the Warbank and Warbound gear in TWW, sharing with all your characters * End game gear and the complicated upgrade track system. A good visual and explanation of the upgrade system here:  https://epiccarry.com/blogs/wow-war-within-gear-upgrade-guide/ [https://epiccarry.com/blogs/wow-war-within-gear-upgrade-guide/]   Modification and Customization Inside the Game * Settings, suggestions * Use mouse for movement – 2 buttons and steer * Set autoloot – first thing I do on all new characters * Going through Menu items * UI/addons * WoW edit mode * UI replacements – I use ElvUI, one of many * Source for add-ons – Curseforge, other sites * Advice for new playera: just start with the custom UI in the game; perhaps a future episode segment on solo Add-ons * Keybinds – Setting what you keyboard keys do * Macros – Shortcut buttons that simplify tasks, but I'm not the one to ask   The Many Ways to Play WoW * Getting to current content, important or not? * Dungeons/Raids and “end game” * Grouping * Levels of content * What solo players can expect and missing out on content * Follower Dungeons now, raids next? * PvP the other end game * I am not the expert * Rankings, seasonal rewards * War mode * Podcasts for more info, Technically PVP * Great Vault from various play; will add Delves (solo play) to vault in TWW * Bnet friends, social, guilds (who am I to talk about that?) * Warbands, after talking about guilds * Solo content, including out-leveling old content * Collections * Types of mounts including utility mounts * Transmog * Lore/history * Loremaster path * Know that much of the story is not in-game * Books, comics, etc. outside of game * Content creation community for lore * Podcasts - Live, Laugh, Lore Ep. 101, Nobbel87 * Chronicle I-IV * RP – role-playing in WoW * Professions, primary and secondary, gathering and crafting, playing the auction house   Where to get help? * YouTube videos * Lore: Platinum WoW for quick lore; Nobbel87 for in-depth lore * News channels: Taliesin & Evitel among the most popular, Hazelnutty, SoulSoBreezy, Bellular * Websites: Wowhead, MMOChampion, BlizzardWatch, IcyVeins, Petopia for Hunter pets * PODCASTS ARE THE GREATEST!!! The Starting Zone a great resource; Live, Laugh, Lore; Unshackled Fury; Girls Gone WoW; Thrall’s Balls * Discord groups * Twitch streamer communities * WoW Forums   Outro Thanks to Blizzard and OGRE for audio, my lovely wife, and you for listening. If you want to support the show, SoloQueueWoW at Patreon.com Thank you to current supporting patrons, Andrew, Righteous Bandy, and ThatSkyGuy!  Subscribe to the podcast at your podcast feed of choice, Apple, Spotify, and all the rest.  You can contact me at soloqueuewow at gmail.com, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Good luck diving into TWW launch this week or next. “I'll see you out there."