Time has come for the next patch and to install it you need to download the entire new client. The new patch should be up and running according to Blizzard, but if you do experience log in problems, I?m sure it will solve soon. Have fun all and enjoy the new patch! You can read the details here.

http://en.wow-europe.com/patchnotes/patch-12-18-04.shtml

Yesterday we added two new quest types to our list which had previously included Bounty, Convoy, Errand, Slayer, Survey and Trophy quests - today we also have Task and Boon quests. We have tried to separate our quests into these catagories to make things easier for you. This way you can get a quick idea what the quest is about, and even search for any specific quest type you might prefer from others. If you want to know more about quest types, you can study my post on the forum here...

http://www.questkeep.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64

For those of you already familiar with our current quest types I've added a brief description of the two new ones below.

Task Quest
Some quests require you to perform a certain task. This could be ?destroy the kolkar attack plans? or ?open the locked chest?. We call this a Task Quest and by that we mean all quests where you need to do something specific which does not necessarily require killing or looting. Task quests are often favoured by rogues because they are quite easily solved by stealth. However, the item you need to interact with is often guarded, so a good fight is never a waste of time. Expect task quests to be a different experience involving stealth, caution and a slightly different approach than the traditional hack and slash.

Boon Quest
This type of quest is actually not a real quest ? at least not in terms of appearing in your quest log. Boon quests are often seen as an aftermath to real quests and they do not give XP rewards. Instead a Boon Quest is repeatable and in most cases it involves handing over one or more items to an Npc in exchange for temporary buffs or single-use items. when you discover a boon quest, make sure to mark it?s location since you might want to return every now and then to replenish the buffs rewarded to you. You might even experience doing a real quest, getting your XP and after that you can repeat the quest, but without XP ? only to receive a beneficial spell or item.

Yesterday Blizzard had a fansite chat. Some interesting reading. It seems like many things are on the work desk on Blizzards side to improve the gameplay in many ways. Read the fansite chat, its all good news.

http://en.wow-europe.com/misc/fansitechat121304.shtml

Also it put our flash map on hold until further notice, since it seem Blizzard are thinking about improving the map functions as well. We wait in excitement :) 

We are making some very nice and detailed maps to use in WoW. But we need your help. Please visit the forum to read more about your options to change how the maps will end up looking.

http://www.questkeep.com/forum/showthread.php?t=171

Blizzard announced yesterday that WoW has broken a number of impressive records:

• Wow sold to more than 240,000 customers in the first 24 hours (best opening day for a pc game)
• 200,000 customers registered their account within the first 24 hours
• 100,000 customers were playing concurrently by 5 pm on launchday
• All 40+ launch servers were at capacity within the first day
• 40 more servers launched over thanksgiving weekend
• 350,000 copies of the game sold over thanksgiving weekend

Find the full press release here.

Also not directly in the press release, but worthy of note is the implication of the following statement:
"Blizzard is currently evaluating its ability to ship additional games to retailers, given the unexpectedly high demand on the servers."
This sounds to me like they're actually considering NOT making more boxes available when they sell out, at least not immediately, to ensure that their servers can handle the strain they're going through right now.

Also lacking from this press release is the fact that, statistically speaking, more than 350,000 people in North America are mocking me subconsciously with their time in the game, while I can't even play a European beta, let alone a release. *sigh*

Why this pain?
I am supposed to wake up joyful, excited and filled with Christmas spirit, softly whistling a Christmas tune while driving to work. But... The car stereo pumps out Rammstein?s "My Hertz brennt" for full volume and I?m fighting the stupid mailman wearing his stupid elf hat for the best spot in the fast lane.
My precious PC has not been turned on for more then 15 minutes since USOB ended, and even thou I?ve been playing WoW for no more then maybe 8-10 days in total and only in USOB - I miss it badly.

Usually I spend the biggest possible chunk of my free time sucking up the radiation from the monitor, so you can imagine the situation is serious. I?m totally uninspired at the moment, the COH account is cancelled, a mail containing a 15 days offer to play my old Horizons account for free, hit the Deleted folder the second it arrived, and the EUOB key is awaiting possibility of activation.
The EU forums has been buzzing about "EUOB December 1." but no blue text confirmation about the subject, short look at the EU site - no update so far - ok, it wont be a good day today either.

Ok, breath inn, breath out. Eyes closed, my mind wanders back to the days where I roamed the woods of Azeroth - ahhh, the thought of home, grass kissing my feet and my pointy ears register the soft song of the forest, friends gathered around the fire and the herbalist sending a mug around containing a not specified drink changing colors. Or did the colors start changing after the first sip? Never mind, I feel alive.

?Snap out of it!?
Boss standing in front of my desk, tapping his foot, his look burning a hole in my shirt and the artery at the side of his neck looks like it could burst any minute. "The case you grabbed when you got here is still on your desk and you?ve been looking like you?re not here all day. What state are you in??"
"Denial?"
He turned around and walked away. I tell my self that there was a smile on his face.
We?ll see at the end of the day.