Ask Gauss

Oh Sunday how we missed you. Thank you for returning at the most unexpected time of the week. Ok that was my poor attempt and humor for the day. So as most if not all of you know Sunday means it is time for Ask Gauss. The post of the week where I answer questions sent to me throughout the week, I know exciting isn't it? Also in an attempt to make sure I no longer get asked how to send in questions, it is simple. There is a link at the top of the page that you can click on or you can send an email directly to gaussafication@gmail.com. Yes I know it is very simple, but some how someway it seems the ret pally comes out in people and they fail. So shall we get to the questions?

I am sure everyone has asked you this, but what is your opinion of Call to Arms?

Easy, I think this is a wonderful idea for a variety of reasons. First off, what is the problem? Long queue times for DPS. How do we solve it? Get more non DPS in the queue. How do you get people to do things they don't want to do? Offer them something for doing it. So Blizzard has tried to make healing and tanking more interesting this didn't work in the way it was intended. So by offering rewards of any kind no matter how rare this will do many things. For one DPS with tank or healer offspec capabilities will be attempting to do so. Players that are insane about collecting and don't have the offspec option will roll an alt to sure this purpose, because of the bind on account nature. The last one and I think the most important one. The tank or healer that is geared and doesn't need to do a heroic now has a reason for doing so other than just being bored. They have something to aim for no matter how rare it is. Remember these are the people that raid week after week hoping for a drop, they will do anything if there is a chance. So regardless this will increase the tank and healer pool there isn't any doubt of that.

Now for the people  complaining that they play a DPS class and this is unfair. You all just need to just shutup and know you have no right to complain. Blizzard doesn't even have to find a reason to lower your queue times. They could be like a bank and say yep 30 minutes is a good enough time for someone to wait. They found a way that will reduce your queue times probably by at least half and you find a way to complain and about getting nothing out of it. You are getting half your wait out of it. So please just shutup about it.

How do you give a player who needs help, help without offending them?

This is situation that many people don't want to be in. If someone is struggling or you know they can do better. I am one of those people that want to help. If it is pointing out just some gemming issues, asking them about rotations, keyboard turning and clicking, or UI setup. There is always a way to approach it without talking down to people. Now there have situations where I have been in where I have offered advice and been snapped back at as a know it all. Those kinds of people are the ones that will always believe it is their way or no other, and will just go on with under preforming. You can even offer resources or videos to help people out because frankly that is the best way some people learn. You can type for years and years explaining a fight, but someone could watch one video and understand. Some people will be offended regardless and you cant help it, but it is the ones that you do help and that will thank you for it that will make you happy to help someone else in the future.

What is your best Screenshot or the best one you have seen from Cataclysm?

Simple

That is it for this week, hope you all got what you needed out of my ramblings. For those waiting for it next week's Reader Post I want you all to send in your screenshots or ones you have seen that are nothing shy of awesome. Enjoy what is left of your weekend everyone.

Queue Times

As many of you know who play a DPS spec queue times are 30+ minutes. This can, of course, be fixed by queuing with guildies or friends who are a tank or a healer. Now for players who this is an option for that works for us, but what I know and what Blizzard must know is that this makes the queue times for those DPS in queue even longer. Why? Well because if a tank or healer friend is only queuing with a DPS then a DPS that is already in a queue is not going to get in that spot in the group if the tank/healer didn't queue alone. Meaning a DPS is jumping the line. Now there have been many solutions put forth for this to be fixed, but what is my idea?

Well the simple solution is just to have more tanks and healers something which is easier said then done. What we don't want to do is drain the Tanks and Healers that are in the queue out. My solution isn't a perfect one, but I believe it will help slightly. You see when Dual spec was introduced many DPS created a Healer or Tank off spec that they would then gear for and learn to play that much better. You see when something is available to you in a game like WoW it is as if you have to use it and improve upon it. Now I know some people use their offspec for PvP or a second PvE spec I know this, hell I do it currently. Now what if Blizzard made Tri-Spec a possibility. I think this would increase the Tank and Healers not by a massive amount, but by an amount that the wait time in queue is actually noticable. Sure we will still have people using it for PvP or extra PvE specs, but even if only 1 person uses it to add another tank or healer to the queue the times will improve.

Just a simple thought that someone at Blizzard has had to thought of, and have to know that it will make those customers of theirs waiting in these long queues that much better.