Wowpedia

We have moved to Warcraft Wiki. Click here for information and the new URL.

READ MORE

Wowpedia
Don't have an account?
Register
Register
Wowpedia
Wowpedia
274,795
pages
in: Blizzard Entertainment, Game terms
English

Changes: Caverns of Time

Back to page | (Difference between pages)
Sign in to edit
Ā 
No edit summary
Ā 
Line 1: Line 1:
  ⚫
[[File:gms.jpg|thumb|The Game Masters]]
āˆ’
{{infobox instance
  
āˆ’
|name=Caverns of Time
  
āˆ’
|aka=Several instances
  
āˆ’
|ss=Cavernsoftimegate.JPG
  
āˆ’
|caption=The gate that was once closed, opened before the oncoming storm
  
āˆ’
|loc=[[Tanaris]]
  
āˆ’
|races={{Race|Bronze Dragonflight}}<br />{{Race|Infinite Dragonflight}}
  
āˆ’
|boss=
  
āˆ’
|type=
  
āˆ’
|level=66-85
  
āˆ’
|players=5-25
  
āˆ’
|key=
  
āˆ’
}}
  
āˆ’
{{Caverns of Time wings}}
  
āˆ’
[[File:Cav-of-time.jpg|thumb|right|The Caverns of Time]]
  
āˆ’
[[File:CavernsOfTime2.jpg|thumb|The Caverns of Time]]
  
   
  +
| name = Game Masters.
āˆ’
Located in the eastern part of [[Tanaris]], the '''Caverns of Time''' contain various portals to different key historical periods and events in Warcraft history. The caverns act as a crossroads for the various timelines, and through them one can travel back and forth along the ebb and flow of time.
  
  +
| capital = Game Master Island
  +
| faction = Horde and alliance
  +
| Level = ?? Boss To level 1s They are 85- 80 }}
   
  +
'''Game Masters''', or '''GMs''', are [[Blizzard Entertainment|Blizzard]] employees. GMs are the overseers of ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' and watch over a server to solve problems, disputes, and sometimes punish people disobeying the [[Terms of Use]] policy Blizzard set forth. You can create an in-game petition (usually called a "[[ticket]]") to alert the GMs to certain problems you are experiencing. Typically, GMs only initiate action when a ticket has been filed by a player, though scattered exceptions to this have been noted.
āˆ’
The Caverns of Time are home to [[Nozdormu]] and the [[bronze dragonflight]]. It is their sacred mission, one which was charged to them by the titans, to guard the caverns against the intrusion of mortals, whose interference would assuredly disrupt the flow of time. Recently, a mysterious force called the [[infinite dragonflight]] has begun to meddle with time. The Bronze Dragonflight is recruiting adventurers to make sure that the events that took place in the past remain as they were.
 
   
  +
Sometimes, the term GM or Game Master has been used to refer to any blizzard employee who works on World of Warcraft. To avoid confusion, developers, and others with specific jobs are referred to by those titles, and official blizzard posters are referred to as "blues" or "blue posters" on the official forum.
āˆ’
==History==
  
  +
'''Game Masters are NOT to be used for help with quests, asking them for money, asking them for gear, etc.'''
āˆ’
Relics of past ages live half-buried in the sands near the entrance to this vast cave system. The bronze drakes of the mighty dragon Nozdormu patrol the borders, making sure that no mortals enter the sacred grounds at the cavern's entrance. Those who somehow slip past the drake guardians and enter the caverns have never returned quite the same ā€” tales describe how some appear as old men, while others are reduced to infancy by the cavern's strange energies.<ref name="Dungeons & Dragons Warcraft The Roleplaying Game 211">''[[Dungeons & Dragons Warcraft The Roleplaying Game]]'', pg. 211</ref>
  
   
  +
==How Game Masters Talk==
āˆ’
The Timeless One sensed a threat to his beloved timeways. Shadowy agents have infiltrated the Caverns of Time, attempting to sabotage four key historical events: [[Thrall]]'s escape from [[Durnholde]], the monumental battle of [[Mount Hyjal]], [[Medivh]]'s creation of the [[Dark Portal]] and [[Arthas]]' culling of [[Stratholme]]. In the face of this overwhelming threat, Nozdormu is enlisting heroes to help him prevent the fabric of time from unraveling forever.<ref name="TBCman 7">''[[TBCman]]'', pg. 7</ref>
  
   
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|Blizzard Sysetm|[A Gm would like to chat with you. Click here to Begin] }}
āˆ’
<gallery>
  
  +
āˆ’
File:CoT flash.jpg|History from [http://media.worldofwarcraft.com/bc-minisite/index.htm Burning Crusade flash site].
  
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|Paradox| Hello there Starlight My name is Game Master Paradox. How can i help you today? }}
āˆ’
File:Caverns of Time TCG.jpg|In the [[World of Warcraft: Trading Card Game]].
  
  +
:{{text|Whisper|Starlight to Paradox| Hello there i am being Bullied on World of warcraft. }}
āˆ’
File:CavernsTime.jpg|The Caverns of Time loading screen graphic.
  
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|Paradox| Ok Starlight. What did they say to you? }}
āˆ’
</gallery>
  
  +
:{{text|Whisper|Starlight to Paradox| They called me a Sucker and they called me a Big Bi*** }}
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|Paradox| Ok I will look into this for you. Is there anything else? }}
  +
:{{text|Whisper|Starlight to Paradox| No thank you Bye. }}
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|System|The GM is unavalible at the moment if you still have a ticket open. Do not close it. If you need some more assistance Please Make a new Ticket. }}
   
  +
[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]:{{text|Whisper|Rhys Callum smart| That was created By Me. This page needed to show the players how Game master Should talk thank you! }}
āˆ’
==Appearance and denizens==
  
āˆ’
[[File:CoT overview.jpg|thumb|Overview of the area]]
  
āˆ’
The caverns are not all sand ā€” some former barren areas are full of lush forests and all around the Caverns there are huge dragon watchers, some on all fours and some on two legs, towering above everything else, and they wield huge axes. A few vendors and other humanoids exist throughout the Caverns, among them being frozen human warriors that surround towers of old [[Lordaeron]] and frozen citizens of [[Stratholme]], an alcohol vendor, an enchantment materials vendor and a vendor that sells general goods. From the general goods vendor (who is called a {{title|Provisioner}}) you can buy new types of cheese and water. The frozen NPCs' eyes all creepily move and glance around.
  
   
  +
== About the job ==
āˆ’
The bronze dragon [[Anachronos]], who sits outside the gate, is labeled as a "?? Boss" but is not hostile at this point in time ā€” although his companions [[Tick (drake)|Tick]], [[Chronalis]], and [[Occulus]] do remain aggressive. It is not at all a risk to walk right into the caverns as they currently stand, so long as you don't get too close to any of the dragons other than Anachronos.
 
  +
In October 2010, MachinimaRealm (on Youtube) released an interview with a former game master in World of Warcraft. She answered submitted questions from players about game masters. One question was about whether it was an office job or not. She answered that it was in fact an full-time office job. She then also mentioned that game masters could only play as a game master on special computers configured to do it, so it's not possible to simply login as a game master using a password.
   
  +
When asked about the work environment she answered that she believed Game Masters had to be among the most enthusiastic World of Warcraft-players she had ever met. They were not allowed to play the game while working but would often do so during lunch breaks. Another game master who answered questions submitted on reddit was of another opinion, stating that becoming a game master was a good way to get rid of your WoW-addiction. He did emphasize however that it was a really good work environment since they shared many of the same interests.
āˆ’
The caverns contain several instances with content culled directly from their previous ''Warcraft'' games or periods of the ''Warcraft'' history that elapsed between them. At one point Blizzard also discussed a battleground set in the past, but the project appears to have been shelved.
  
   
  +
== GM interaction ==
āˆ’
==Instances==
  
  +
* GMs chat via whispers with players to provide them with information regarding a ticket or to gather more information from the player. Recently, players conversing with a GM get a separate interface frame apart from their normal chat interface.
āˆ’
To access the instances in [[Heroic]] mode, obtain [[Honored]] [[Reputation]] with the [[Keepers of Time]], and then buy the [[Key of Time]] from [[Alurmi]], the Keepers of Time quartermaster, in the [[Caverns of Time]]. The Culling of Stratholme does not require any key nor reputation for Heroic mode.
  
  +
* GMs at times may even make themselves visible to the player, but these are rare circumstances.
  +
* Players often get responses via in-game [[mail]]. It is usually one of several form letters tailored to tell the player that an action has been taken, or that the issue will be investigated. Communications from GMs via the mail system will have a blizzard logo and special appearance. This special stationery is triggered by an item called "Blizzard Stationery"[http://www.wowhead.com/?item=18154]. Typically any mail will be copied to the email address associated with the player's account.
  +
*GMs may also contact players about tickets filed by others, either clarify a question about the ticket, inform the player of an action being taken that affects them, or to "get a player's side of the story". Typically players are not asked about reports filed against them due to anonymity concerns, but if action is filed against them, they are presented via email with the offending action and are able to appeal via reply.
  +
* Greetings used by GMs vary from typical hellos to an in-character roleplay scenario such as the GM appearing in a swirl of mist or riding up on a mount. Some GMs will also follow up with as they close a ticket, though all tickets are officially closed with an automated statement informing players that they may send feedback to blizzard via an e-mail address.
  +
[[File:Gm_chat.pngā€Ž]]
   
  +
== Special abilities/functions ==
āˆ’
===Escape from Durnholde Keep===
  
  +
* GMs have differing spreads of abilities granted to them, presumably dependent on their seniority or area of expertise.
āˆ’
[[File:CoT entrance to Old Hillsbrad Foothills.jpg|thumb|The entrance to Old Hillsbrad Foothills]]
  
  +
* GMs have the power to port players to locations; usually they only do this if they catch players exploiting the game (e.g. terrain exploiting for an advantage in PVP or [[Line of Sight]] exploiting in PVE), if the player is stuck, or if they are trapped in an area that they can not log on into (such as a battleground or instance when the server for it is down). Sometimes teleportations will be to obscure/inconvenient locations to make sure the player is not further using the GM system for a free hearth.
āˆ’
{{bc-section}}
  
  +
* GMs can retrieve lost items under certain sets of circumstances, including bugged items that do not work (a common example is darkmoon cards that mysteriously cannot be sold on the auctionhouse because they had "charges" that were consumed. As of Wrath of the Lich King, a suspicion that a hard limit on item restoration by GMs exists has been confirmed, as when an item is restored to a player, the in-game mail containing the item will note that they have been charged an item restoration. Players will not necessarily be charged if a broken item is being repaired or a similar problem not involving accidental deletion/disenchantment is being fixed. At times, players have had tickets referred to "item restoration experts" if the responding GM believed the ticket warranted further investigation.
āˆ’
* [[Thrall]] [[Escape from Durnholde Keep|Escaping from Durnholde Keep]] (''[[Warcraft Adventures: Lord of the Clans|Warcraft Adventures]]'' (not released)/Novel ''[[Lord of the Clans]]'') (level 66-68 5-man')
  
  +
* GMs may possibly transfer items stolen under pretenses such as an enchanter running off with materials, however reports are highly conflicting regarding under what specific circumstances this will be done. Generally GMs do not involve themselves in potentially dramatic situations such as [[ninja looting]] or mutual disputes.
āˆ’
* Bosses: [[Lieutenant Drake]] ā€” [[Captain Skarloc]] ā€” [[The Epoch Hunter]]
  
  +
* So-called "GM items" (also called "[[artifact]]s") exist, which are not accessible to players, and usually have some specific function or appearance regular players would not have access to. Two documented examples, [[Martin Fury]] and [[Martin Thunder]] include special abilities to kill targets instantly and are presumably used for testing. In at least one instance such an item had found its way into player hands and was used by the player for exploitation purposes.
āˆ’
* Note: Due to the level requirements of its prerequisites, must be level 66 or higher to go do the [[Escape from Durnholde Keep]].
  
  +
*GMs can enter a mode that causes all mobs in the game to ignore them. They can also not deal damage in this mode. This is likely used to prevent being attacked should they need to get to a player in an area full of Mobs.
āˆ’
[[Durnholde Keep]] was the headquarters of the [[orc]]ish internment camps in southern [[Lordaeron]] following the [[History of the Horde|Horde's]] defeat in the [[Second War]]. At this time, [[Thrall]] was a 19-year-old slave to human officer [[Aedelas Blackmoore]], who intended to use [[Thrall]] as a puppet [[Warchief]] to control the orcish Horde and thus gain power over his fellow humans. However, Thrall knew that he was destined for more, and so he made his escape from Durnholde to find others of his kind, eventually discovering the [[Frostwolf Clan]] and his place as Warchief.
  
   
  +
=== GM Appearance ===
āˆ’
This instance contains the entire [[Hillsbrad]] area as it appeared 7 years ago, before the Horde destroyed Durnholde, and [[Tarren Mill]] fell to the [[undead]].
  
  +
* GMs interacting in game will have "[[File:Blizz vs.gif]]" prefixed to their name in the chat interface to prevent GM impersonation.
  +
* GMs showing themselves to players will always start on the so called "GM Island" as soon as they create the character. It seems that this island is not of any other use as those GMs seen on there have not moved at all until they teleported away.
  +
* GMs are allowed to choose the name they want to use themselves. They don't usually have characters on every realm, if they have to meet players in the game world it might take some time until they have created and prepared their character.
  +
* GMs showing themselves inside of the Game World are still using another IM-like client to whisper with players. If you ever happen to meet one in game, you will notice that his character name has got some slight differences to his name in private conversations.
  +
* GMs still appear in the game to some players. They have got the possibility to change their displayID, for example into that of a [[pit lord]].[http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/03/09/englewood-poses-and-the-live-coverage-wraps-up/ ] One interesting fact about this is, that they do have spells for that instead of using the console.
  +
* It seems that not every GM, if any of them at all, has full console access. There is a special tab in the spellbook for blizzard spells, that contains every spell a GM could ever possibly need. (e.g. spawn/despawn/teleport players/appear to players and so on).
  +
* GMs appear to be prohibited from using their position to affect any in-game characters they have a connection with, including their own, or those of friends and family.
  +
*GMs are not allowed to moderate a realm in which they have their private account characters, or if there is a conflict of interest.
  +
*GMs are not server-bound.
   
āˆ’
===Opening the Dark Portal===
 +
==== Armor ====
  +
GMs generally wear [[Gamemaster's Slippers]], a [[Gamemaster's Robe]], and a [[Gamemaster Hood]], though one has been seen wearing aesthetic gear.
āˆ’
[[File:CoT entrance to Black Morass.jpg|thumb|The entrance to Black Morass]]
  
āˆ’
{{bc-section}}
  
āˆ’
* Defend [[Medivh]] while he [[Opening the Dark Portal|opens the Dark Portal]] (''[[Warcraft: Orcs & Humans|Warcraft I]]'') (level 70 5-man)
  
āˆ’
* Bosses: [[Chrono Lord Deja]] ā€” [[Temporus]] ā€” [[Aeonus]]
  
āˆ’
* Note: You '''must''' first complete [[Escape from Durnholde Keep]] to access [[Opening the Dark Portal]]
  
āˆ’
[[Medivh]], the last of the magical [[Guardian of Tirisfal|Guardians of Tirisfal]], was possessed at birth by the evil Titan, [[Sargeras]]. It was Medivh who first contacted the corrupt orc sorcerer [[Gul'dan]], also in the service of the [[Burning Legion]]. Together they sought to bridge the dimensional gap between [[Azeroth (world)|Azeroth]] and [[Draenor]], homeworld of the [[orc]]s, to facilitate the destruction of Azeroth. On the appointed day both Medivh and Gul'dan concentrated their considerable magic energies, forcing the collapse of the dimensional barrier. The setting of this event is the [[Black Morass]], now known as the [[Blasted Lands]].
  
   
  +
===GM responses===
āˆ’
Players defend Medivh as he opens the portal.
  
  +
* GMs are bound heavily by their job's rules, but are still friendly. In one case when a player was feeling "lonely", a GM talked to the player for a while as she did other things on the job. She also appeared in person briefly as a '''Draenei Warrior, level 70.''' She was in assorted gear, obviously for aesthetics.
  +
* Once as a joke, a player asked if his petition could reach [[Jeffrey Kaplan]], or [[Chris Metzen]], in which case the "unnamed GM" responded, "They aren't available.", and in the following conversation disclosed that [[Jeffrey Kaplan]] and [[Chris Metzen]] in some cases answer player tickets.
  +
* As part of a joke, a player asked a GM a choice: If faced with either Pie or English Crumpets, which would he take? The GM responded that, even with his choice of preserves, he would prefer apple pie, but "...would sneak a slice of cheese on top of it".
  +
* Another player once, after asking a Game Master for an item recovery, decided to ask the GM if he played ''Guitar Hero III: The Legends of Rock''. The Game Master first "suspiciously watched behind his back" and "then whispered silently, "Yes"". The player then asked if he could play "Through the Fire and Flames" on Expert level, to which the Game Master responded with "well, I'm still kinda stuck on Medium, haven't played the game in a while now, so if I'd try now, I'd might be a bit rusty ;)".
  +
* Game Masters are not server-specific; they can answer petitions on any realm, except for ones that they have characters on. Neither are they allowed to talk to people they know.
  +
* Game Masters have a special mode called GM Mode. When it is enabled all monsters become neutral to them, however they cannot deal damage to any monster even if they engage in combat. They can also see normally invisible things, such as Spirit Healers.
  +
* Once, a player asked a Game Master what kind of mounts Game Masters used. The GM quickly replied, "Nike Shoes".
  +
* In a conversation with a GM, when he was asked what level GMs were, he replied, "Every level". Also, when asked whether GMs have to adhere to the level 80 level cap or are able to advance to higher levels he replied, "There is a cap for everything."
  +
* Once when a GM was asked if he liked pancakes he replied "Pancakes are awesome. So awesome I am closing your ticket!"
   
  +
== Lead and Senior Game Master ==
āˆ’
===Battle of Mount Hyjal===
  
  +
Titles you will see in the official forums in signatures of [[blizzard forum poster]]s. So far, they tend to post in the Realm Status forum.
āˆ’
[[File:CoT entrance to Mount Hyjal.jpg|thumb|The entrance to Mount Hyjal]]
  
āˆ’
{{bc-section}}
  
āˆ’
* [[Battle for Mount Hyjal]] (''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos|Warcraft III]]'', [[Twilight of the Gods]]) (level 70 25-man raid)
  
āˆ’
* Bosses: [[Rage Winterchill (tactics)|Rage Winterchill]] - [[Anetheron (tactics)|Anetheron]] - [[Kaz'rogal]] - [[Azgalor (tactics)|Azgalor]] - [[Archimonde (tactics)|Archimonde]]
  
āˆ’
At the pinnacle of the second battle against the Burning Legion it was clear to the races of Azeroth that the only way to achieve victory would be to unite their forces in a final, desperate push for victory. This battle took place at the peak of [[Mount Hyjal]], at the foot of [[Nordrassil]], the [[World Tree]]. The [[Night elf|night elves]], led by [[Malfurion Stormrage]] and [[Tyrande Whisperwind]], the new [[Horde]], led by Thrall and [[Cairne Bloodhoof]], and the remnants of the [[Alliance of Lordaeron]], led by [[Jaina Proudmoore]], united their forces against [[Archimonde]] and the demonic forces of the Burning Legion in a massive, epic battle to defend Azeroth. Victory was narrowly achieved, even as Archimonde reached the World Tree and attempted to drain it of its energy.
  
   
  +
It is known that Senior Game Masters are the "shift leaders". They make sure that none of the GMs does anything he is not supposed to do and they hand in the weekly reports written by each of the game masters.
āˆ’
*Note: The Battle for Mount Hyjal is the only section of the Caverns of Time that contains no presence of the Infinite Dragonflight. For speculation as to why, see [[Infinite dragonflight#Nozdormu's Involvement|Infinite Dragonflight - Speculation]]
  
   
  +
Some of the moderators of the [[CS Forum Representative|Customer Support]] forum come from Game Master backgrounds.
āˆ’
===Culling of Stratholme===
  
āˆ’
[[File:CoT entrance to Culling of Stratholme.jpg|thumb|The entrance to the Culling of Stratholme]]
  
āˆ’
[[File:CoT collapsed tunnel.jpg|thumb|The Entrance to Culling of Stratholme, Pre-WotLK]]
  
āˆ’
{{Wotlk-section}}
  
āˆ’
* The [[Culling of Stratholme|Purging of Stratholme]] from its infected inhabitants (''Warcraft III'', [[The Culling]]). (level 80 5-man)
  
āˆ’
* Bosses: [[Meathook]] - [[Salramm the Fleshcrafter]] - [[Chrono-Lord Epoch]] - [[Mal'Ganis (tactics)|Mal'Ganis]]
  
āˆ’
The next instance, included in the second expansion, is [[Stratholme]] several years in the past. Players join [[Arthas]] in "cleansing" the city of plagued villagers, one of the final acts in a series of personal changes that culminates in Arthas becoming a [[death knight]] of the [[Lich King]], and one of the first acts into his decent to madness. This was a level within ''Warcraft III''. [[Jaina Proudmoore]] and [[Uther the Lightbringer|Uther]] are seen in this instance briefly, as Arthas had a disagreement with his mentor before the culling of the people of Stratholme, and disbanded the order of [[paladin]]s to which Uther belonged ā€” the [[Knights of the Silver Hand]].
  
   
āˆ’
===War of the Ancients===
 +
== See also ==
  +
* Life on [[GM Island]] - [http://www.wow-europe.com/en/recruitment/gm-island.html Life on GM Island] at the [http://www.wow-europe.com/en Official Europe site (en)].
āˆ’
{{Cata-section}}
  
āˆ’
* The first invasion of the Burning Legion on Azeroth, pre-Sundering (Novel ''[[War of the Ancients]]''). (level 85 10/25-man raid)
  
āˆ’
During the interview with [[Tom Chilton]]<ref>http://www.worldofraids.com/topic/17009-exclusive-tom-chilton-dishes-details-on-cataclysm/?s=aec79e8d3efdfa9d2124c857f034a967</ref>, it was confirmed that another instance is set ten thousand years in the past, during the first invasion of the [[Burning Legion]]. This content is planned post-release as part of the progression on to the fight against [[Deathwing]].
  
   
  ⚫
== External links ==
āˆ’
==[[Human Illusion]]==
  
  +
<!-- Read http://www.wowpedia.org/Wowpedia:External_links before posting your links here.
āˆ’
Due to lore reasons, primarily the absence of certain races at the time periods portrayed in the CoT instances, the [[bronze dragonflight]] will place the spell [[Human Illusion]] on all [[Draenei]], [[Night Elf]], [[Blood Elf]], [[Tauren]], [[Orc]], [[Forsaken]] and [[Troll]] player characters, turning them into [[Human]] forms of themselves - but retaining all of that character's actual gear on their new temporary model. Death Knight players will still retain their echo voices and blue glowing eyes.
  
  +
Links that do not conform to the rules will be DELETED.
  +
Repeat violations may result in a BAN.
  +
Have a nice day. :) -->
  +
* {{elink|link=http://us.blizzard.com/support/index.xml?locale=en_US&gameId=11&categoryId=2408&rootCategoryId=2318|type=blizzard|desc=US support page GM portal}}
  +
* {{elink|link=http://www.wow-europe.com/en/support/gamemasters.html|type=woweu|desc=Game Masters}}
  +
* {{elink|link=http://www.wow-europe.com/en/support/gm-article.html|type=woweu|desc=A Game Master's Life}}
  +
* {{elink|link=http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9pfrj/i_was_a_game_master_for_wow_for_three_years/|site=Reddit|title=Reddit|desc=I was a Game Master for WoW for three years}}
   
āˆ’
==Quests==
  
⚫
[[File:CoT.jpg|thumb|The Sand Clock]]
  
āˆ’
[[File:Caverns of Time-Sand Clock.jpg|thumb|right|The old Sand Clock]]
  
āˆ’
* {{questlong|Neutral|66|To The Master's Lair}}
  
āˆ’
** {{questlong|Neutral|68|The Caverns of Time}}
  
āˆ’
* {{questlong|Neutral|68|Old Hillsbrad}}
  
āˆ’
** {{questlong|Neutral|68|Taretha's Diversion}}
  
āˆ’
*** {{questlong|Neutral|68|Escape from Durnholde}}
  
āˆ’
**** {{questlong|Neutral|68|Return to Andormu}}
  
āˆ’
* {{questlong|Neutral|70|The Black Morass}}
  
āˆ’
** {{questlong|Neutral|70|The Opening of the Dark Portal}}
  
āˆ’
*** {{questlong|Neutral|70|Hero of the Brood}}
  
āˆ’
* {{questlong|Neutral|70|The Master's Touch}}
  
āˆ’
* {{questlong|Neutral|70|The Vials of Eternity}}
  
   
  +
[[es:Game Master]]
āˆ’
==NPCs==
  
  +
[[Category:Blizzard Entertainment]]
āˆ’
[[Alexston Chrome]] appears first; he appears to be a [[tavernkeeper]] and operates an establishment named the [[Tavern of Time]] where he sells five varieties of alcohol.
  
  ⚫
[[Category:Game terms]]
āˆ’  
āˆ’
Next to appear is [[Yarley]], a dwarven armorer who sells ordinary blacksmithing supplies and can repair your gear.
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
The last vendors to appear are [[Galgrom]] and his effeminate brother [[Bortega]], orcs who have become stranded between some point in the past and the present. Galgrom sells various foodstuffs, including two new items, [[Garadar Sharp]], which restores 4,320 health over 30 seconds and requires level 55, and [[Filtered Draenic Water]], which restores 5,100 mana over 30 seconds and also requires level 55, as well as some level 65 foods and projectile weapons. Bortega, a poisons/reagents vendor, sells nothing new.
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
Other unselectable NPCs ([http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=29865 Stratholme Citizen Specimen], [http://www.wowhead.com/?npc=29868 Stratholme Child Specimen] and more) appear throughout the open areas. Also, other factionless NPC's and they, like the vendors, are members of the [[Keepers of Time]] faction (with the exception of Alexston Chrome, who appears to be factionless).
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
==Quick Travel to Caverns of Time ==
  
āˆ’
As of Patch 2.4, [[Zephyr]] at the [[World's End Tavern]] in Shattrath City can port characters who have at least [[Revered]] reputation status with the [[Keepers of Time]] directly to the entrance of the Caverns, just next to the meeting stone and the [[Steward of Time]].
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
{{Wotlk-section}}
  
āˆ’
In the ''[[Wrath of the Lich King]]'' expansion, players can also use the portal located at the [[Violet Citadel]] in [[Dalaran]] or speak to [[Zidormi]] standing in front of it. Unlike the transport from Shattrath, there is no reputation requirement.
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
==References==
  
āˆ’
{{reflist}}
  
āˆ’  
⚫
==External links==
  
āˆ’
{{Elink|type=wowus|link=http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burningcrusade/townhall/cavernsoftime.html}}
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
{{Caverns of Time}}
  
āˆ’
{{Bronze Dragonflight}}
  
āˆ’
{{Tanaris}}
  
āˆ’
{{Dungeons}}
  
āˆ’  
āˆ’  
āˆ’
[[es:Caverns of Time]]
  
āˆ’
[[fr:Grottes du Temps]]
  
āˆ’
[[Category:Caverns of Time| ]]
  
⚫
[[Category:Caves]]
  
āˆ’
[[Category:Neutral towns]]
  
āˆ’
[[Category:Planes]]
  

Revision as of 15:22, 10 July 2011

Gms

The Game Masters

| name = Game Masters. | capital = Game Master Island | faction = Horde and alliance | Level = ?? Boss To level 1s They are 85- 80 }}

Game Masters, or GMs, are Blizzard employees. GMs are the overseers of World of Warcraft and watch over a server to solve problems, disputes, and sometimes punish people disobeying the Terms of Use policy Blizzard set forth. You can create an in-game petition (usually called a "ticket") to alert the GMs to certain problems you are experiencing. Typically, GMs only initiate action when a ticket has been filed by a player, though scattered exceptions to this have been noted.

Sometimes, the term GM or Game Master has been used to refer to any blizzard employee who works on World of Warcraft. To avoid confusion, developers, and others with specific jobs are referred to by those titles, and official blizzard posters are referred to as "blues" or "blue posters" on the official forum. Game Masters are NOT to be used for help with quests, asking them for money, asking them for gear, etc.

How Game Masters Talk

File:Blizz vs.gif:Blizzard Sysetm whispers: [A Gm would like to chat with you. Click here to Begin]

File:Blizz vs.gif:Paradox whispers: Hello there Starlight My name is Game Master Paradox. How can i help you today?

Starlight to Paradox whispers: Hello there i am being Bullied on World of warcraft.

File:Blizz vs.gif:Paradox whispers: Ok Starlight. What did they say to you?

Starlight to Paradox whispers: They called me a Sucker and they called me a Big Bi***

File:Blizz vs.gif:Paradox whispers: Ok I will look into this for you. Is there anything else?

Starlight to Paradox whispers: No thank you Bye.

File:Blizz vs.gif:System whispers: The GM is unavalible at the moment if you still have a ticket open. Do not close it. If you need some more assistance Please Make a new Ticket.

File:Blizz vs.gif:Rhys Callum smart whispers: That was created By Me. This page needed to show the players how Game master Should talk thank you!

About the job

In October 2010, MachinimaRealm (on Youtube) released an interview with a former game master in World of Warcraft. She answered submitted questions from players about game masters. One question was about whether it was an office job or not. She answered that it was in fact an full-time office job. She then also mentioned that game masters could only play as a game master on special computers configured to do it, so it's not possible to simply login as a game master using a password.

When asked about the work environment she answered that she believed Game Masters had to be among the most enthusiastic World of Warcraft-players she had ever met. They were not allowed to play the game while working but would often do so during lunch breaks. Another game master who answered questions submitted on reddit was of another opinion, stating that becoming a game master was a good way to get rid of your WoW-addiction. He did emphasize however that it was a really good work environment since they shared many of the same interests.

GM interaction

  • GMs chat via whispers with players to provide them with information regarding a ticket or to gather more information from the player. Recently, players conversing with a GM get a separate interface frame apart from their normal chat interface.
  • GMs at times may even make themselves visible to the player, but these are rare circumstances.
  • Players often get responses via in-game mail. It is usually one of several form letters tailored to tell the player that an action has been taken, or that the issue will be investigated. Communications from GMs via the mail system will have a blizzard logo and special appearance. This special stationery is triggered by an item called "Blizzard Stationery"[1]. Typically any mail will be copied to the email address associated with the player's account.
  • GMs may also contact players about tickets filed by others, either clarify a question about the ticket, inform the player of an action being taken that affects them, or to "get a player's side of the story". Typically players are not asked about reports filed against them due to anonymity concerns, but if action is filed against them, they are presented via email with the offending action and are able to appeal via reply.
  • Greetings used by GMs vary from typical hellos to an in-character roleplay scenario such as the GM appearing in a swirl of mist or riding up on a mount. Some GMs will also follow up with as they close a ticket, though all tickets are officially closed with an automated statement informing players that they may send feedback to blizzard via an e-mail address.

Gm chat

Special abilities/functions

  • GMs have differing spreads of abilities granted to them, presumably dependent on their seniority or area of expertise.
  • GMs have the power to port players to locations; usually they only do this if they catch players exploiting the game (e.g. terrain exploiting for an advantage in PVP or Line of Sight exploiting in PVE), if the player is stuck, or if they are trapped in an area that they can not log on into (such as a battleground or instance when the server for it is down). Sometimes teleportations will be to obscure/inconvenient locations to make sure the player is not further using the GM system for a free hearth.
  • GMs can retrieve lost items under certain sets of circumstances, including bugged items that do not work (a common example is darkmoon cards that mysteriously cannot be sold on the auctionhouse because they had "charges" that were consumed. As of Wrath of the Lich King, a suspicion that a hard limit on item restoration by GMs exists has been confirmed, as when an item is restored to a player, the in-game mail containing the item will note that they have been charged an item restoration. Players will not necessarily be charged if a broken item is being repaired or a similar problem not involving accidental deletion/disenchantment is being fixed. At times, players have had tickets referred to "item restoration experts" if the responding GM believed the ticket warranted further investigation.
  • GMs may possibly transfer items stolen under pretenses such as an enchanter running off with materials, however reports are highly conflicting regarding under what specific circumstances this will be done. Generally GMs do not involve themselves in potentially dramatic situations such as ninja looting or mutual disputes.
  • So-called "GM items" (also called "artifacts") exist, which are not accessible to players, and usually have some specific function or appearance regular players would not have access to. Two documented examples, Inv chest samurai [Martin Fury] and Inv mace 01 [Martin Thunder] include special abilities to kill targets instantly and are presumably used for testing. In at least one instance such an item had found its way into player hands and was used by the player for exploitation purposes.
  • GMs can enter a mode that causes all mobs in the game to ignore them. They can also not deal damage in this mode. This is likely used to prevent being attacked should they need to get to a player in an area full of Mobs.

GM Appearance

  • GMs interacting in game will have "File:Blizz vs.gif" prefixed to their name in the chat interface to prevent GM impersonation.
  • GMs showing themselves to players will always start on the so called "GM Island" as soon as they create the character. It seems that this island is not of any other use as those GMs seen on there have not moved at all until they teleported away.
  • GMs are allowed to choose the name they want to use themselves. They don't usually have characters on every realm, if they have to meet players in the game world it might take some time until they have created and prepared their character.
  • GMs showing themselves inside of the Game World are still using another IM-like client to whisper with players. If you ever happen to meet one in game, you will notice that his character name has got some slight differences to his name in private conversations.
  • GMs still appear in the game to some players. They have got the possibility to change their displayID, for example into that of a pit lord.[2] One interesting fact about this is, that they do have spells for that instead of using the console.
  • It seems that not every GM, if any of them at all, has full console access. There is a special tab in the spellbook for blizzard spells, that contains every spell a GM could ever possibly need. (e.g. spawn/despawn/teleport players/appear to players and so on).
  • GMs appear to be prohibited from using their position to affect any in-game characters they have a connection with, including their own, or those of friends and family.
  • GMs are not allowed to moderate a realm in which they have their private account characters, or if there is a conflict of interest.
  • GMs are not server-bound.

Armor

GMs generally wear Inv boots fabric 01 [Gamemaster's Slippers], a Inv chest cloth 23 [Gamemaster's Robe], and a Inv helmet 29 [Gamemaster Hood], though one has been seen wearing aesthetic gear.

GM responses

  • GMs are bound heavily by their job's rules, but are still friendly. In one case when a player was feeling "lonely", a GM talked to the player for a while as she did other things on the job. She also appeared in person briefly as a Draenei Warrior, level 70. She was in assorted gear, obviously for aesthetics.
  • Once as a joke, a player asked if his petition could reach Jeffrey Kaplan, or Chris Metzen, in which case the "unnamed GM" responded, "They aren't available.", and in the following conversation disclosed that Jeffrey Kaplan and Chris Metzen in some cases answer player tickets.
  • As part of a joke, a player asked a GM a choice: If faced with either Pie or English Crumpets, which would he take? The GM responded that, even with his choice of preserves, he would prefer apple pie, but "...would sneak a slice of cheese on top of it".
  • Another player once, after asking a Game Master for an item recovery, decided to ask the GM if he played Guitar Hero III: The Legends of Rock. The Game Master first "suspiciously watched behind his back" and "then whispered silently, "Yes"". The player then asked if he could play "Through the Fire and Flames" on Expert level, to which the Game Master responded with "well, I'm still kinda stuck on Medium, haven't played the game in a while now, so if I'd try now, I'd might be a bit rusty ;)".
  • Game Masters are not server-specific; they can answer petitions on any realm, except for ones that they have characters on. Neither are they allowed to talk to people they know.
  • Game Masters have a special mode called GM Mode. When it is enabled all monsters become neutral to them, however they cannot deal damage to any monster even if they engage in combat. They can also see normally invisible things, such as Spirit Healers.
  • Once, a player asked a Game Master what kind of mounts Game Masters used. The GM quickly replied, "Nike Shoes".
  • In a conversation with a GM, when he was asked what level GMs were, he replied, "Every level". Also, when asked whether GMs have to adhere to the level 80 level cap or are able to advance to higher levels he replied, "There is a cap for everything."
  • Once when a GM was asked if he liked pancakes he replied "Pancakes are awesome. So awesome I am closing your ticket!"

Lead and Senior Game Master

Titles you will see in the official forums in signatures of blizzard forum posters. So far, they tend to post in the Realm Status forum.

It is known that Senior Game Masters are the "shift leaders". They make sure that none of the GMs does anything he is not supposed to do and they hand in the weekly reports written by each of the game masters.

Some of the moderators of the Customer Support forum come from Game Master backgrounds.

See also

External links

EspaƱol
Community content is available under CC BY-SA 3.0 unless otherwise noted.
More Fandoms