Here's a quick update from the Pirates of the Burning Seas developers. They've set up a step-by-step FAQ at the main site discussing how they calculate for how many server the game needs. They've also listed the updated server names, which you can view in the full article.

If the Guild Wars Yuletide promo has enticed you to purchase some skill unlock packs, but you're not exactly sure how they work, then fear not: ArenaNet has released a skill unlock pack FAQ to help clear up any uncertainties you may have regarding your new item.

According to ArenaNet, you can use the skills unlocked by the pack in PvP as either a PvP-only or PvE character, provided that you meet certain conditions. Check out the ArenaNet's answers after the jump!

Still wondering about the finer details of World of Warcraft's upcoming voice chat feature for patch 2.2.0? Blizzard spokesman Salthem over at the WoW Europe Forums has set up an FAQ for this particular matter, which should help in explaining how the game's now-integral VoIP system works.

If you're of the Public Test Realms, we imagine this guide will go a long way to help explain any problems you may have encountered while experimenting with this new feature.

If you're a newcomer, consider this a teaser of what to expect when this new feature becomes available with the next game update. The full list is available for viewing at the Europe's WoW forums, although we'll also provide some snippets here to give you an idea of what to expect:

Q: When can I try it out?

A: You can help us test the voice chat feature right now by logging in to the Public Test Realm and trying it out. Visit the PTR section of account management (located at WorldofWarcraft.com) to download the PTR client. If you want to play on the PTR using an existing character, instructions for copying a character to the PTR are also available at the page linked to above.

Q: Why did you choose to implement voice chat?

A: Since launching World of Warcraft, we have made a number of improvements to the interface to offer players more convenience and ease of use. The voice chat system is another such feature. It is simple to use and fully integrated into World of Warcraft, making it that much easier for players to communicate with each other.

Q: Will I be able to customize voice chat through World of Warcraft, or is it accessed via the account management webpage?

A: You can access the voice chat options via the in-game options menu. The parental control options of the voice chat feature are accessible via the parental control system located on the official World of Warcraft website.

 

If you're playing World of Warcraft, then you've undoubtedly heard about the introduction of in-game VoIP. No longer will players have to use third party solutions for their communication needs since this service will ideally provide each player with immediate information regarding the status of their party.

As Blizzard Poster/ Community Manager Nethaera promised, she's now posting a listing of the Frequently Asked Questions in the forums which has vital information that every player who plan on using this should know. Since the list is pretty long, here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about the service:

Q: What is the new voice chat feature in World of Warcraft?
A: The voice chat feature is the proprietary in-game voice communication system for World of Warcraft. It allows World of Warcraft players to communicate with each other using a simple-to-use interface that is seamlessly integrated with the game.

Q: Is the voice chat feature free?
A: There is no additional charge to use the voice chat feature; it is included with your monthly subscription fee.

Q: How can I deal with someone who’s being disruptive in voice chat?
A: While voice chat is not moderated by our in-game support team, we’ve provided tools to enable players to appropriately block or otherwise avoid voice chat from unwanted sources. At any time, you can right-click a player’s name and select the Mute option to avoid receiving voice chat from that player. If you right-click a player’s name and select the Ignore option, you will not receive voice chat or text chat from that player.

To avoid having uninvited players join your private chat channel, you can set a password for the channel. We also recommend viewing the updated Parental Controls page in account management, which now includes the ability to block or alter the use of voice chat on an account. For more information on how to use the voice chat features and controls, please visit our online voice chat manual. (Parental Controls Page and Voice Chat Manual should be available soon.)

If you want to read the entire FAQ, click on our Read Link which will send you to the WoW Forums. So far, the service looks pretty well implemented, but we won't be able to say until it has been given a proper stress test in the heat of a Raid.

 

Cosplay and impersonation competitions aside, it looks like Blizzard's got more goodies in store for World of Warcraft players heading over to tomorrow's BlizzCon event. The convention's site has updated with information on the Event Realm segment of the con, which will enable players to participate in a set of in-game special events, in a specially designed realm.

Aside from offering players a chance to try out one of several pre-made level 70 characters, the Event Realm entitles players to get glimpses of new content that is not available to WoW's public realms. And while we're not too sure what this "special content" is supposed to be, we can only hope that it will have something to do with the "Wrath of the Lich King" rumor that's been under heavy speculation as of late.

The full FAQ should be available in the Read link below. Consider this one of the many surprises that await those fortunate enough to get into this year's BlizzCon event.

Even though Blizzard has said that it has yet to release the details for the rumored World of Warcraft expansion Wrath of the Lich King, rumors about it continue to pour in. According to some players, an FAQ for the expansion appeared last night over at the MMO video game's official site for Europe.

Of course, the said document is no longer hosted, probably pulled out immediately. WoW-dedicated German site WoW-Szene was able to get hold of the FAQ and hosted it on their front page.

Our Read link below will take you there if you want to see the whole document but we also took the liberty to highlight the most interesting parts of it:

• Wrath of the Lich King will introduce the death knight hero class to World of Warcraft. Once certain criteria are met, players will be able to create a new death knight character, which will start at a high level
• Players will be skirmishing with the minions of Arthas from the moment they set foot on Northrend. He will be a constant presence as players progress through the expansion content -- which will culminate in a showdown with the dread Lich King himself.
• As with character advancement up to level 70, players will gain access to an array of potent and exciting new abilities and talents as they make their way from level 70 to level 80
• We'll be offering some fun ways to alter both existing and new characters with regard to dances and hairstyles
• Inscription allows the player to permanently enhance their spells and abilities and to create mysterious items of power to use, trade, and sell

 

It's still a few more winks before the release of NCsoft's much awaited expansion for Guild Wars titled Eye of the North, so it's understandable that a lot of gamers are getting curious about it. Now, most people I know don't like looking like total noobs in front of their peers considering that most of the information about it can be found online. What would you say if we could cut down your research time in half?

Well, most of the frequently asked questions (FAQ) were compiled by the guys at the Guild Wars community support page, so you have no reason not to visit it and check it out. If you're lazy (like me) then here are a few of the key points that were discussed in the FAQ.

What will GW:EN offer me?

• All-new content designed exclusively for your existing Guild Wars characters
• 18 huge, multi-level dungeons to explore
• Monuments commemorating your Guild Wars achievements that give access to special items and titles in Guild Wars 2
• 150 new skills (50 of which are special, roleplaying-only skills) to use against your foes
• 10 new Heroes to help in your adventures
• 40 new armor sets suitable for the great heroes of the land
• A first look at some of the exciting, playable races in Guild Wars 2
• Numerous new items, weapons, and titles

What is the release date of GW:EN?

Guild Wars: Eye of the North will be released in the third quarter of 2007.

Does GW:EN introduce any subscription or other fees?

No. In keeping with the spirit of previous Guild Wars games, GW:EN does not require a monthly fee to play.

There you have it. If you want to know more, feel free to click on the read link to take you straight to the full FAQ. So start reading up and gathering info so you won't be unaware about the changes when this expansion goes live.

 

Information is always good...so long as it's easily accessible. And while Blizzard's World of Warcraft's The Armory section is chock-full of info bits just waiting to be found, we imagine exploring and understanding this massive database can be quite a daunting task for most newcomers to Blizzard's MMORPG.

With that said, we're letting you chaps know that The Armory has recently updated with the FAQ and Updates pages. The FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page will provide first-time visitors with a brief rundown of The Armory's features, such as the "Find an Upgrade" and "Pin a Profile" features. The Updates page, on the other hand, will provide players with fresh information on the latest innovations, changes, and announcements relating to The Armory.

Just head on over to the WoW site (the source link) in case you're interested in reading the full details.

We've covered quite a few details on how the Spam Prevention Tool works in World of Warcraft and how to maximize its use when reporting spammers. Blizzard Poster/ Forum Moderator Nethaera has posted a short FAQ with some details on the new Squelch feature included in the tool.

First and foremost, what happens when you report a player for spamming you? Well, Nethaera basically said that the player you reported is automatically squelched for the rest of your gaming session. This means that he/she will be ignored even when you change characters. A report will be sent to the GMs for review. Appropriate action will then be implemented depending on the situation.

Another feature that was discussed is using this to report mail spammers. Nethaera gave word that reporting these players is similar to the chat reporting. Just click on the"Report Spam" option and you will automatically ignore all mail from the said user. If multiple reports are given by different players, then all mail from the said player become temporarily invisible until the game masters have reviewed the case.

The spam reports are limited to five per player over a 24-hour period. In addition, it is only possible to send reports at a rate of one per minute. I assume this is to prevent the use of this tool as a denial of service weapon on WoW with spammers just flooding the accounts of the GMs with multiple reports. The same reporting restrictions apply, i.e. you will not be able to report any players on your friends, guild list or yourself.

That said, we encourage everyone to actively use this tool and help rid WoW of the common enemy we all face: spammers. After that we can go back to ganking each other. For now though, let's just keep "ganking" these spammers by sending in reports. Be sure to keep checking back here for more updates on World of Warcraft.

 

Some Mac players have been looking for a patch mirror to download updates for Blizzard's World of Warcraft. Now while the downloader should handle the patching, there are a few cases where players will still have to look for a copy of the file and manually patch their own games.

For those with that problem, Blizzard Poster/Forum moderator Tigerclaw was nice enough to respond in the WoW forums to dish out some info on where to find the patch and how to install it. There are two places where the file is available, the first would be in macgamefiles.com (this is where he personally  uploaded the file) and on filefront.

Installing it is simple. Simply extract the file, place the patcher in your game directory and run it. That wasn't so hard right? However, before downloading, be warned that some have given word that it takes a good 10 to 15 minutes to download it so be prepared with something to read like an FAQ or a skill guide for your character. A finer choice would be to browse a few WoW articles from QJ.net while waiting for the download to finish.