World of Warcraft - English (NA) Forums -> Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07

Nethaera

Blizzard Poster

0. Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:37:31 AM PST

When is the official launch time for the Burning Crusade?

The official launch time is 12:00 AM (midnight) EST on January 16th.

What time will I be able to log in and play BC?

You will be able to log in and play as soon as you have purchased your copy of the Burning Crusade, installed it, and activated your key. Many retailers will be open at midnight. Please check with your local store for more information.

*Players will be able to play the expansion as of the official launch time.

Blizzard will also be participating in midnight sales and signings at several California locations. For more information visit the following link: http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/misc/wowx-midnight.xml

Will I need to install from the CD? Why?

It will be necessary to have a Burning Crusade CD and a Burning Crusade authentication key in order to play The Burning Crusade expansion. There is content on the Burning Crusade CD that will need to be installed that was not included in the patches we recently released. Each account (in the event multiple are played by one person) will need its own copy of The Burning Crusade expansion to install the additional content, and be upgraded with the included authentication key.

Will I need to patch after I install from the CD?

Yes, the patch released after the game was completed (2.0.0-to-2.0.3) will need to be reapplied once the expansion is installed. If you’ve deleted that patch from your computer then it is possible that you will need to download it again.

If I have the beta already, do I need to delete the beta and install fresh?

When the game goes live, you will need to uninstall your beta client before installing the expansion. Use your computer's Add or Remove Programs function to remove it. If you do not see the beta listed there, just simply delete the Burning Crusade Closed Beta folder. Remember to back up any screenshots or UI settings that you may want to keep.

Where do I need to enter my key when upgrading? Is it through the client or on the website in Account Management?

You will need to enter your key at the Account Management page to upgrade your account to access The Burning Crusade. We will have a link on the main site for players to access it.

I play on two accounts. Will I be able to upgrade both accounts with one key?

No. You will need to upgrade each account you play on with a different key.

If I bought a Collector’s Edition but upgrade with a regular key, will I be able to upgrade to the CE version later?

No, you won’t. Once you enter a key for the upgrade, the option to enter a key will be gone and you will not be able to upgrade using the Collector’s Edition key.

Will I be able to get the new Collector's Edition pet on all of my characters or only my new characters?

All of the characters attached to the upgraded account will be able to use the new Collector's Edition pet.

I share a computer with someone else; will that person still be able to play if I upgrade but they don’t?

Yes. You will both be able to play as you normally would. The other person will not have access to the Burning Crusade content until the account he or she plays on is upgraded with a Burning Crusade key.

Can I just buy a key online and download?

We are not offering online purchase or download of The Burning Crusade at this time.

Will there be Tuesday Maintenance, or will I be able to play without planned downtime?

There will be no scheduled maintenance for release day, though should it be deemed necessary, we may have rolling restarts.

Will the realms be brought down prior to the release of The Burning Crusade?

No. We do not have any plans to bring down the realms prior to the release of The Burning Crusade. Players will be able to continue playing without interruption.

Will I need to leave my CD in the drive in order to play?

Once you have the expansion installed, you will not be required to have the CD in your drive to play.

I won’t have access to my CDs due to being away from home. Will I be able to upgrade the account I play on?

You will be able to upgrade the account; however, until you install from the CDs, you will not be able to play.

Will everyone receive a free respec upon release of the expansion?

No. There will be no free respecs with the release of the expansion.

Will honor points be reset to zero upon release of the expansion?

No. Players will be able to retain their current honor points.

Will new realms be opened when the expansion is released?

We are planning to open new realms with the release of The Burning Crusade, but we do not have any specifics to share at this time.

Once I install the expansion, can I go to Outland, and how do I get there?

The Dark Portal, the gateway to Outland, is located in The Blasted Lands. The only requirements to enter Outland are that you have installed the Burning Crusade expansion, have upgraded the account you play on with the Burning Crusade authentication key, and your character is level 58 or higher.

Will there be some sort of big ending to the Dark Portal Event that is going to happen at midnight? I don’t want to miss it if I’m in line getting my copy of the expansion.

There will be no final event as a part of the Dark Portal event. The event will run until the release of the expansion at which point players who have upgraded to the expansion will be able to go through the Dark Portal.

[ Post edited by Nethaera ]

Sphiriah

Proudmoore

1. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:37:53 AM PST

Cool.

And thanks, this was needed.

[ Post edited by Sphiriah ]

Kraylessa

< Brave Companions >

Draka

2. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:39:10 AM PST

NETH!!! You still haven't said WHEN we'll be able to enter our activation keys!!!! That is the question everyone wants to know the answer to. We already know about being able to buy our coupies at midnight.

Edit: Thanks for adding the answer to this one, Neth. You may also want to list the questions about rested exp and quest turn-in exp for current level 60s. I know they've been answered before, but I still see both questions pretty frequently.

[ Post edited by Kraylessa ]

Kraylessa, 60 Night Elf Priest ~ Kraylarra, 60 Human Paladin ~ Kraylune, 60 Night Elf Druid
Kraylorna, 60 Human Warrior ~ Kraylanna, 59 Human Warlock ~ Kraylendra, 16 Dwarf Rogue

Thundertail

< Templar Knights >

Mannoroth

3. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:39:55 AM PST

So if I buy a copy at midnight EST, can I log in?

They've been dodging that question all week, and I just want to know if it's worth going to a midnight event when I have my copies pre-ordered.

Krispy

< Reverence >

Greymane

4. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:40:03 AM PST

Hmmm...interesting.

I ride totems when no one looks.
I'm going to kill you and mount your head on my TV. And if I get better reception, it'll help me more than you ever did in your life. -Red, That '70s Show.

Krystallynn

< Annarchy >

Dark Iron

5. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:41:27 AM PST

Q u o t e:
NETH!!! You still haven't said WHEN we'll be able to enter our activation keys!!!! That is thequestion everyone wants to know the answer to. We already know about being able to buy or coupies at midnight.

What she said. It's a simple, 2-word question..."Which Midnight?!"

You have said that, if I have my copy now, it will do me no good, so there is obviously a time at which upgrades will be possible. You have said "midnight", like there is one universal midnight that we all share, but that is not the case.

"Which Midnight?!?!"

Grrrr...so frustrating. We have lives that we need to make adjustments too based upon this information, and it's impossible to get :(

[ Post edited by Krystallynn ]

Kraylessa

< Brave Companions >

Draka

6. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:41:48 AM PST

Oh, you may also want to clear up the thing about quests in your quest log not awarding exp if you are already 60.

Kraylessa, 60 Night Elf Priest ~ Kraylarra, 60 Human Paladin ~ Kraylune, 60 Night Elf Druid
Kraylorna, 60 Human Warrior ~ Kraylanna, 59 Human Warlock ~ Kraylendra, 16 Dwarf Rogue

Teehee

< Entourage >

Eldre'Thalas

7. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:48:13 AM PST

Can you just PLEASE assume that it's 12:00 AM EST for everybody?

She might not want to say in case it changes a bit due to some reason. Then everybody freaks out and calls her on bad information she had no control over.

Daenerys

Shadow Council

8. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:50:30 AM PST

she answered everything except THE most frequently asked question, when can our accounts be upgraded, midnight EST, CST, MST, PST, the time zone we're currently sitting in.

[ Post edited by Daenerys ]

Renket

< Blitzkrieg Corps >

Maelstrom

9. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:51:42 AM PST

She did answer it. You can play it once you have the CD and have it installed. You can buy the CD at MIDNIGHT in YOUR TIME ZONE, so Midnight means Midnight, where ever you are.

Krystallynn

< Annarchy >

Dark Iron

10. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:53:17 AM PST

Q u o t e:
Can you just PLEASE assume that it's 12:00 AM EST for everybody?

She might not want to say in case it changes a bit due to some reason. Then everybody freaks out and calls her on bad information she had no control over.

If she gives info and it changes, folks will freak out.
She's not giving the info now and folks are freaking out.
If she gives info, it doesn't change, but folks don't like it, folks will freak out.

Trying to plan actions around whether or not folks on the forums are going to freak out is pointless.

And assuming is pointless as well. The info is available, and I'd like to know. The Monday evenings of several thousand people hinges upon when the upgrade is possible.

Gontusk

Jaedenar

12. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:54:15 AM PST

Thanks for the post. There's a lot of good information I see that people have been asking about.

But -- The question of when can the accounts be upgraded is still out there. It's obviously an issue since it's been said before that someone couldn't enter Outlands if they somehow had the expansion box right now. If the real answer is something like it's active a day ahead of time and after that you can put in your key as soon as you get the box but that's not being said to prevent PST players from crying nerf the EST players it's fine by me, but it'd be nice to know.

Either way doesn't affect me lol. The character I'm planning on playing from here on out as you can see isn't 60 yet and won't be by Tuesday. And I'm not picking up my copy until after work on Tuesday anyway. ;)

Krystallynn

< Annarchy >

Dark Iron

13. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:54:35 AM PST

Q u o t e:
She did answer it. You can play it once you have the CD and have it installed. You can buy the CD at MIDNIGHT in YOUR TIME ZONE, so Midnight means Midnight, where ever you are.

No, she did not, because I can have a CD RIGHT NOW, but she has said I can not play right now, so obviously you are incorrect. What she did say was that as soon as I install AND UPGRADE, but she has not said when the upgrade will be available.

Hence the question.

Kellia

< Coup De Grace >

Medivh

15. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:54:51 AM PST

Q u o t e:
She DID answer it...many times. You purchase your copy of BC...install it...upgrade your account and play. You can play as soon as TBC is made available to you from a retailer.

I'm trying to figure out exactly why this is so hard for people to understand....

Q u o t e:
No, she did not, because I can have a CD RIGHT NOW, but she has said I can not play right now, so obviously you are incorrect. What she did say was that as soon as I install AND UPGRADE, but she has not said when the upgrade will be available.

She's assuming that no one will have it before release day in their time zone, as well they technically shouldn't. If you got the actual box and CD earlier than release day in your time zone, you shouldn't have the right to use it yet anyway because its not release day. Maybe a clarification should be posted, but still...it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out...

Edit: Well, Neth just updated her original post to satisfy everyone who can't figure it out on their own. :P

[ Post edited by Kellia ]

CTProfile: http://ctprofiles.net/1740330
"Can we not almost die next time?!" ~ Rikku, FFX-2

Scruple

< Thrust >

Dark Iron

16. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:55:43 AM PST

Q u o t e:
So if I buy a copy at midnight EST, can I log in?

They've been dodging that question all week, and I just want to know if it's worth going to a midnight event when I have my copies pre-ordered.

I want clarification on this as well, please.

Moontea

Sen'jin

17. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:56:00 AM PST

Q u o t e:

Can you just PLEASE assume that it's 12:00 AM EST for everybody?

She might not want to say in case it changes a bit due to some reason. Then everybody freaks out and calls her on bad information she had no control over.

I think it's safe to assume EST as well. It would be pretty pointless to have the East Coast (and central and mountain times) be able to purchase the game at midnight in those time zones and then have to wait the up to 3 hours to be able to play the game. I don't plan on being awake 3 am Tuesday morning just so I can be in queue to maybe play the game at 6 am. :\

And I also agree, if Neth says a specific 12 am time, and it turns out not to be true or it comes down to they won't be able to have the game running then for some odd reason, then you'll have a few hundred people making posts, "Y DID U LIE 2 US?!?!" It was said on the beta forum that they SHOULD be up at 12 am launch day, Should doesn't mean 100% for fact, but it's a strong possibility it will be.

Semulin

Maelstrom

18. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:57:02 AM PST

Did you notice the rolling restarts on the 15th?

What do you think those are for?

Don't click reply yet to flame, really stop and think.

Ok, now you can flame.

Krystallynn

< Annarchy >

Dark Iron

19. Re: Burning Crusade Expansion FAQ-1/11/07 01/11/2007 10:58:52 AM PST

Q u o t e:
I think it's safe to assume EST as well. It would be pretty pointless to have the East Coast (and central and mountain times) be able to purchase the game at midnight in those time zones and then have to wait the up to 3 hours to be able to play the game. I don't plan on being awake 3 am Tuesday morning just so I can be in queue to maybe play the game at 6 am. :\

Well now, if we're trying to influence the decision, then I'm going to say it's pointless for it to be EST and give one group of folks a head start over the entire country. Blizzard is PST, so it should be midnight PST. EST/MST/CST folks can get the CD's and install, but can't get in until the rest of the country can.

I mean, if we're just throwing out our preferences :)

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