Gamer Girl Confessions: Cataclysm...Late Edition

Jaedia of Jaedia's Menagerie had the BA:ST for last week:

What are your initial thoughts about the Cataclysm expansion?

It's a topic you can take anywhere you'd like. What's your favourite new zone? What do you think of the instances? Any screenshots you'd like to share? Anything you're excited to get started on?

So, for those that don't know, I've had some trouble getting into the game to play the past few weeks. The Elephant and I had our Collector's Editions sent to my parent's house since we'd be on vacation there when Cataclysm released. My computer crashed before we left, so I got a new laptop while we were up visiting my parents.

Once we got Cataclysm installed, we were ready and raring to go... only to find out that the modem/router combination my parents use for their internet (which works fine for my brother on Steam games and my father for streaming his movies and tv shows) does not work so well when two Cataclysm-enabled WoW accounts are trying to vie for bandwidth. Needless to say, the very few hours we played Cataclysm the week it came out we were sitting in Starbucks... which still wasn't all that great, but better than not playing.

After getting home on Thursday, we've finally had some time to do some serious play time with Cataclysm. Finally.

My thoughts? It's a lot of fun, but I feel rushed, in a way. It's not that anyone's rushing me. And I do want to get to 85 asap so that we can be ready for the raid deadline we've set within the guild. But, it just feels like there's so much to do, and so little time to get some of it done pre-raiding. Because pre-raiding is always fraught with dungeon grinding to hell. Though, since a lot of mine and the Elephant's per-heroic gear comes from Reputation grinds, it shouldn't be too bad, and a lot of fun.

Yeah, we're those sick people that love reputation grinding. Diplomats and Ambassadors (before the damned Tabards came into play, I say!) and Guardians of Cenarius and the like. And Champions of the Thorium Brotherhood (there should be a title for Exalted, damnit...). Yeah. We like to rep grind.

Anyway, I really do like it. And I can't wait to experience more of the content. We've been grinding our way to 85 (and hit 83 last night!), but I can't wait to finish leveling my Archaeology, and Professions and start on all the Achievements we've been skipping to grind our way to 85.

Here's some screenshots I've taken on Chestnut while we've been out and about. Beware of possible spoilers!