text:
Winning Isn't Enough?
There's a topic in the Hearthstone subreddit that really irks me – Should the players that win the maximum number of times in the Arena get some sort of additional reward because they did so?
The suggested reward is tame enough to merit discussion as the absence of gold cards in the Arena seems like an oversight or planned purchasable option later but the origin of the suggestion is entirely offensive. Since when is winning not enough? 12 wins already awards the most gold, has the highest chance for an additional card pack or golden card, and gives the least dust. Is winning the highest possible number of matches already so pedestrian that another reward is needed?
Again, the idea of getting gold cards from an Arena run isn't a bad idea. I'd still prefer that golden cards in the Arena simply stem from your collection – if you have a golden version of the card you drafted, you can use it. Maybe a checkbox or an icon that toggles available golden cards for the Arena deck or on an individual basis would work. If selecting a card from the Arena deck is way the wind wants to blow, however, let everyone who drafts make such a selection after the deck has been made, or maybe as it's being drafted. Other than the experience and knowledge, previous Arena runs don't matter in the system. There's no rank structure, no identifier of merit or proficiency aside from forum fame and stream success. Keep it that way.
Speaking of the Arena, there's another Arena tier list for drafting out. Made by reddit user AntiGrav1ty, the list ranks class cards as well as commons, and is organized around the classes themselves. It's fairly comprehensive and definitely worth a gander. However, it is just a list and doesn't have the commentary something like Trump's card ranking does. Regardless, the tiers are useful. Maybe with some bugging and general encouragement the author(s) can provide some insight onto why some cards are ranked the way they are.
Patches, Delays, and Legends
Another Hearthstone patch hit a few days ago, guided by development lasers focused entirely on Jaina and her delay tactics. The changes are simple, a delay on the delay – Cone of Cold, Frost Nova, and Blizzard all had their costs increased by 1. A bit more room to maneuver against the inevitable Pyroblast.
And Open Beta is delayed until January 2014. Everyone who opted in the closed before December 16th should be playing and complaining about decks with six legendaries stuffed inside. The closed beta opt ins close January 7th, open beta should follow soon after. The major delays have come from the nitty gritty stuff – server infrastructure and hardware. Settling up the servers, databases and hardware takes time and planning. It doesn't happen overnight, but it does happen. Be patient and Hearthstone will be out sooner than you expect.
More top ranked players, too. There's been some fluctuation and rank swapping with the new round. A few of them have streams, too, so watching and learning from the best is a possible path to success. They lack the sheer numbers of Trump, Kripp, Hafu, and the other big name players so they're more able to answer questions and interact with the audiences. No disrespect intended to the celebrities but the reward of fame is also its price. Consider spreading the Twitch.tv love around. I'm considering starting a channel for myself and give you fellow card slingers another way to waste time.
I also got my first 9 win arena streak the day before the 12 win cap was released. As much as I dislike Garrosh, the warrior and I seem to speak the same language. Rushes, injuries, weapons, sacrifices. Thrall and I don't, despite my desperate attempts to make it work. Maybe I'm more Warsong than Frostwolf. Regardless, I know I hate Anduin.
See you in game!
Upcoming Patch
Another patch coming for Hearthstone, another round of card changes and adjustments.
As we move further into the closed beta, we're continuing to closely monitor card balance as more and more Hearthstone games are played. We also want to ensure that cards acquired in Hearthstone are done fairly through our various game modes.
The amount of gold gained by winning games in Play mode per day will be capped at 100 in the upcoming patch. This cap does not affect gold gained through Quests, Arena, or Achievements. There will be an indication within the game when this gold cap is reached. This cap is intended to combat certain methods of gold acquisition that violate our Terms of Service. The spirit of fair play is extremely important to us, and we will continue to monitor gold acquisition activity closely to ensure a fun and enjoyable game environment for everyone.
In regards to card balance, there are a few cards we've noticed that have sprung up that warrant some tuning, and we'll be making these changes in the next patch. Our goal is to change as few cards as possible over the course of time, but we felt the need to address these six cards in particular. The cards are:Shattered Sun Cleric, Flame Imp and Argent Commander. These cards will be adjusted along with the other cards we mentioned at BlizzCon: Mind Control, Starving Buzzard and Unleash the Hounds.
Shattered Sun Cleric is now a 3/2 (was a 3/3)
Argent Commander is now a 4/2 (was a 4/3)
- These cards are quite good for their cost, and they currently feel to be slightly above the curve in power compared to cards of a similar cost and type. Players end up choosing these cards for their deck much more often than other cards at the same mana cost. We want to increase the variety of cards being played at 3 and 6 mana.
Flame Imp's Battlecry now deals 3 damage (up from 2)
- Warlocks have a very strong early game, and this small change to Flame Imp should help a small amount. There are other cards that help the Warlock maintain early board advantage, and we're keeping a close eye on those as time goes on.
Mind Control's mana cost is now 10 (up from 8)
- Mind Control has some pretty accurate flavor text … perhaps a little too accurate. Raising the mana cost will allow players to have a couple more turns to play with their big minions.
Starving Buzzard is now a 2/1 (was a 2/2)
- At some ranks, Hunter was a bit strong versus Druids, Mages and Rogues. This change to Starving Buzzard will help even the playing field against those classes in particular.
Unleash the Hounds has been reworked and now reads: "(4) For each enemy minion, summon a 1/1 Hound with Charge".
- The old version of Unleash the Hounds was allowing for Hunters to win in a single turn, starting with no minions on the board. The new version adds some fun, new card combos to Hunters and helps with their ability to AoE.
We hope these changes will increase your versatility and creativity in making card choices for your decks, and helps to make Hearthstone a more fun game for all to enjoy.
The main changes I'm concerned with are the hits to SSC and AC. SSC is powerful for a 3 cost minion, even for a 4 cost minion. As sad as I am about it, dropping her health by 1 is probably the best move. Likewise for the Commander. He's still almost a guaranteed 2 for 1 trade, the opponent just has more options to trade with him. I don't Gul'dan much, or against him often, so the change to Flame Imp is one I'm more curious about than wary of. I feel sorry for Starving Buzzard – another target for Jaina to plink away. Unleash the Hounds might be more balanced, it might also be useless. I'd rather it summon a set number of hounds every time than a number that may or may not be useful depending on my opponent's board size. A bunch of 1/1s with charge probably won't save me if I get to summon them.
I celebrate the MC change. MC should be a dramatic game changer but it's often so deflating, morale wise, that continuing past that point feels more fruitless than it might be. Flamestrike can wipe your entire board but it doesn't hurt as much as MC.
As far as the gold cap, I don't play 30+ games a day. Those that do are probably machines or machine like. You can still earn full gold from quests, achievements, and whatever so no worries there.
And no wipe! Grommash Hellscream stays in my library!
A Mildly Triumphant Return
I took a break from Hearthstone after BlizzCon. The announcements were announced, a bit of the next patch was discussed, but I mostly came away with an anticipatory feeling. My curiosity about the game's future was stoked, my enthusiasm for its current form was still waning. So, a break. It ended up being much longer than I intended – the flu will do that – but after sometime languishing in bed and stuffing myself full of dense Thanksgiving goodies, I returned to the kinetic world of Hearthstone anew.
With no patch during my leave, little has changed mechanically about the game. There have been a few fun streams to watch, some good discussions to be had, but Hearthstone is Hearthstone. That makes sense – the game is still in beta, it's still a growing community, and it has only one card set.
That's the main thing to follow: one card set. The mechanics of Hearthstone aren't as complex as, say, Dota 2. Valve kept that game in beta for years because each hero is so intricate and tweaking each hero's abilities gives new metagame potential, team fight strategies, and lane tactics. Adding new heroes is akin to reshuffling the entire game.
Hearthstone is reaching a stable point. A basic metagame has formed for both Arena and Play and there are specific cards everyone uses, almost regardless of deck style. This isn't a bad thing. Quite the contrary, it's a good thing. The more stable the game becomes, the closer it will be to an official release. The Hearthstone team has some idea of what they want Hearthstone to look like when it launches and, given all the data they collect, they must have a good idea how to get there.
So my return to Hearthstone wasn't a resigned one. Not much has changed, sure, but it's a solid game I still enjoy. It's a bit steadier, a bit more predictable (aside from those infuriating top decks), and rewarding skilled play with more regularity. Decks are easier to design and anticipate. My first arena run back in the saddle went 7-3 and I was feverish and exhausted with the flu. Maybe I'm getting better, or maybe the game is reaching a point I understand more. Is there a difference?
As it stabilizes, expect the designers to throw curve balls to keep the game fresh. The first is a patch followed by the open beta. A retooling of a few cards and a swarm of new players will boost activity in the game. After that, I imagine the first card expansion will be along shortly. I hope the card expansions come a little quicker than the other Blizzard IP expansions – 2 years is a long time to wait.
A MOBA by any Other Name
Dota 2 is complicated. It doesn't have a learning curve so much as a learning wall. The volume of information to memorize and master is immense and intimidating: the multitude of hero builds, items, crafting, ward locations, creep respawn timers, rune types and timers, the hundreds of hero powers and status effects that can change them. Factor in team fight tactics, lane strategies, and meta game organization and the game has moved from complex to daunting, even unwieldy. That's just the knowledge required to play, not the mechanical skill required from the player like last hitting, hero ability timing, and map awareness. I've put more 500 hours into Dota 2, and about as many in the original, and I'm passable with a few heroes.
I wasn't sure what to expect with Heroes of the Storm so in my first game at BlizzCon I dropped my expectations. Whatever I played was whatever I was going to judge the game on. I've read the briefs from Blizzard, watched the videos, but I wanted to go in as open as possible. I did, I think. Over the course of the two day Blizzard celebration I spent about 4 hours with Heroes of the Storm and played 6 games with different heroes each time. My time certainly wasn't wasted. Heroes is fun, but that's almost unnecessary to say as a fan of MOBAs. It's got the standard trappings – lanes, heroes, pushing, and frantic team fighting – but Heroes does a few things differently.
First, there are no items (and no gold!). None. At all. No health potions, no tangos, no town portal scrolls. Your hero has a town portal ability that recharges. I don't miss the items. They serve a purpose in other MOBAs but items usually come with the baggage of being boring most of the time. They improve stats or damage, rarely adding powers or altering the ones a hero has. It's easy to be crippled by missing an item or two because you're not attacking as fast as you should be. The lack of items means the hero powers improve significantly on their own or via talents. It's a simple system that leaves more cognitive power for fighting and less for GPM and shopping.
No last hitting. This isn't unique to Heroes, *cough*League of Legends*cough*, but it's not common either. Last hitting is usually the sign of a precise, skilled player in Dota. It's how you earn most of your gold. With no gold to gather, last hitting has gone out the window. I don't mind it in Dota but I didn't miss it here.
Shared XP. Not reduced XP when another hero is close by, but even, shared XP for all heroes. Everyone levels at the same time. Your carries won't be 22 while your support are struggling at 10. The even power curve makes everyone solid in a team fight – no Crystal Maiden syndrome.
Mounts! What's a Blizzard game without animals you can sit on? Mounts do exactly what you'd expect – they help the heroes move faster. Easier grouping, more team fights. Everyone wins, except those that die.
The differences Heroes has from the other MOBAs reflect the game's thesis: it's about the hero punching, plain and simple. There are creep waves and towers and forts but Heroes wants you and your friends to square off against 5 opponents and beat each other silly. It succeeds on that goal – no one I spoke with didn't enjoy their time with Heroes and want more.
So who were the heroes I played?
Falstad and Nova from the Assassins, Sonya from the Warriors, Malfurion and Uther from Support, and Abathur from the Specialists type. The highlights:
- I enjoyed Malfurion the most but that's because I'm biased – I love playing support and looking like a weirdo. He heals well, roots, and silences.
- Uther heals well, gives his buddies invulnerability through Divine Shield, and can stun. Like any paladin, he's sort of a frustration to counter but rewarding to play.
- Nova is a sniper. Chances are that if she shot you, you're not going to live very long. She hits hard, summons an annoying clone, and can call a nuclear strike. It's as great as it sounds.
- Abathur is…different. He's interesting. He's a mix of Lifestealer and Wisp which makes him absolutely terrible to fight against. He's rated "Very Hard" to play and it shows.
- It's not that Falstad isn't fun, it's that the others were much more fun. I really liked flying over the jungle and descending on enemies as a hammer throwing alcoholic.
- Sonya didn't feel particularly special. Her abilities are simple and straight forward, as one would expect a barbarian would be. Maybe for the carries out there that like fighting and fighting and fighting (any Alchemist fans?) but she was the lull in my hero selection.
Heroes is a fun game so far. I want to play more. Boy do I want to play more. Hint hint, community reps. It's got some room to grow and I look forward to watching (and hopefully playing) as it does so.
Because Everyone Needs Weapons!
Five of the nine Heroes have weapons, and several. It makes sense that they'd swing swords or axes or shoot arrows and the casting classes wouldn't. A melee mage isn't a viable build in Hearthstone's progenitor. But mages, priests, warlocks, and druids still use weapons. A warlock without a weapon is half a warlock. I've taken the liberty of creating some epic quality weapons for the Heroes currently unarmed. To keep things balanced I've also added some epics for the already equipped.
Staff of the Shadowflame
6, 1/5 – +2 Spell Damage. Each time you cast a spell, lose 1 durability.
Anathema and Benediction
5, 1/1 – Your hero power now heals friendly targets and damages enemy targets.
4, 0/3 – Lose 1 durability, restore 3 health to a friendly target
your Hero.
Fist of Cenarius
6, 2/3 – Draw a card each time you attack.
And for the weapon ready:
6 – You are immune until your next turn.
Silver Hand Champion
7, 4/5 – Battlecry: Give all other friendly minions Divine Shield.
Lightning Shield
5 – Deal 3
4 damage to your next 3 attackers.
Thunder Clap
5 – Deal 1 damage to all enemy minions and reduce their attack 1 until your next turn.
6 – Your opponent cannot cast any spells
any cards next turn.
They're almost certainly not balanced so why not offer some suggestions in comments?
VanCleef trips!
And no longer has stealth.
The patch notes for the upcoming Hearthstone patch have been released and they're lengthy. Lots of balance changes (the ringleader has less health now) and piles of bug fixes. Secret and fatigue animations have been sped up and there's some clarity as to why you get a coin when going second.
The full notes are available here.
Hearthstone Closed Beta Patch Notes
Today is the day for our Hearthstone Closed Beta patch! This patch also includes the account wipe, so when the servers are available for play once more, you'll be starting again as if you were a new player. For more information on the wipe itself, please revisit our Account Wipe Incoming blog post, found here. Now, onto the patch notes!
- The maximum level is now 60, and you can earn XP in any game mode up to max level.
- Chat has been rejiggered.
- Gold gained in Play mode has changed from 5 gold per 5 wins to 10 gold per 3 wins.
- You can now acquire Golden Basic minions at higher experience levels.
- Arena rewards now give less dust and more cards.
- More gold is guaranteed at 5 & 6 Arena wins.
- At 9 Arena wins, you are now guaranteed an extra pack or a Golden card.
- The animations for Secrets and Fatigue have been sped up dramatically.
- All cards now have flavor text when you view them in your collection.
- "Spell Power +1" has been renamed "Spell Damage +1".
- Heroes can be unlocked in any mode (Play/Arena/Practice)
- Play, Practice and Friendly Play modes will now default to the custom deck selection UI if you've previously created a deck
- You can now click on chat bubbles to respond
- Social – When your friends complete an Arena run or get a Legendary card in a pack, you'll be notified so you can tell them, "Grats!"
- Quests that required you to win with a class now give you a choice between 2 classes.
Favorite Arena Picks
More than flair, Hearthstone's Arena is about solid cards that carry themselves. Synergy is something to spot as the deck is drafted but each pick is more about the best card at face value and not its potential when combined with a complex strategy. Constructed decks are where theme and flair can manifest with real power and presence.
But what cards have the best potential in a draft? Exact favorites vary from drafter to drafter, from deck to deck, but four out of five times I pick these cards over anything else presented. I wish I could swap most of these for a rare or even an epic when my choices are things like Angry Chicken, Coldlight Seer, or Hungry Crab.
Venture Co. Mercenary
Its effect isn't great, but he's a nasty threat. It also puts your opponent in an uncomfortable position – they have to deal with him or risk him running over a weaker taunt minion or chopping the health pool down in big swings. But dealing with him removes the minion inflation cost, usually meaning you've baited out a polymorph, hex, or a heavy hitter of the enemy's. Not bad for a five cost.
How many minions again?
Hearthstone provides a useful graph of information when constructing an Arena deck: the mana curve. It's an invaluable chart that can help smooth out the transition from early to mid to late game, fix problems as you construct a deck (too many high costs cards, or no beefy minions at all). Certain deck strategies can subvert the curve or ignore it entirely, but most decks and their players watch it carefully. I'd like the mana curve added when making custom decks in Play mode because of how useful it is. I consider its absence an oversight and it hopefully appears later.
I'd like to see another graph added to Hearthstone's deck construction: a minion versus spell chart. While not as vital as the mana curve, displaying a bit of info about the number of minions in your deck as well as the number of spells would be helpful. A mana curve taken at face value can be deceptive because it doesn't distinguish between card types. Lots of cost spells may keep your curve smooth but a lack of early minions may leave you vulnerable. It's not too troublesome to count the totals or track them externally but implementing such a feature seems like a natural addition to an already robust and informative UI.
As long as I'm talking about things I'd like added to a free game, how about showing cards by type? Neutrals and class cards, basics and experts, commons, rares, epics, and legendaries. The growing list of charts could be situated across from the deck list, or a button could be added next to the deck list to flip it over and display the information. Swap, swap.
These are minor suggestions from an immensely satisfied customer, however. The game is kinetic and fun, the cards well illustrated and expansive. I'd still really like banter from the heroes to each other. There are potentially more boards in the works, which is great, but I hate waiting for them. Personally I'd love to see an Undercity board with rats scurrying across the play area, maybe dodging cards. And anything from Northrend.
What about you? Any locales you're waiting for? Any information you'd like Hearthstone to display?
Update: I am a fool. The mana curve is available in constructed: hover over a hero's image and you can see your current curve.
Ben Brode Doesn't Flip Coins
Well, he probably does. Who doesn't? But he's careful and doesn't leave the construction of Hearthstone to chance and whimsy. In a previous column I discussed the issues with the coin that most players are stirred up about. It's a hot button issue – the coin has proponents and detractors. Hearthstone's forums are brimming with threads discussing, at length, the impact of that little card.
But none carry as much weight as the words of Mr. Brode. In a post on the Hearthstone forums Brode details the history behind its inception, the logic for its purpose, and the hard numbers of the coin's actual significance in games. With Hearthstone's systems closely monitored by developers the figures aren't amorphous, specific samples from a handful of games but rather a complete and exhaustive data set. And they provide some incredible insight into the coin's impact.
Across all leagues, 52.2% of wins are for the player who goes first. In master league, where the giants fight, that imbalance shrinks to 50.4%. The advantage of going first isn't insurmountable and the coin seems to be fulfilling its role as a field leveler. The passionate responses it stirs may be more related to its potential for momentum shifting: dropping a heavy minion a turn before it's expected or delivering a powerful combo attack (as has been done to me with frustrating regularity).
Arena statistics aren't provided, but further in the thread a player asks and Mr. Brode answers. The results are similar to standard mode, a slight advantage to going first but it isn't significant. The coin is here to stay. I'm happy the developers provided numbers about the coin's use and impact during a game rather than simply stating a position and expecting the players to live with it. The statistics and comments may not convince everyone but it convinces me. It's not a game breaker, just a light touch on the scale.
EU Closed Beta
After a few long weeks of waiting Hearthstone followers in the EU can start playing today, provided an invite finds its way to an inbox. The full details are available here. A high number language availability, no NDA, and a gold equivalency for money spent during the beta.
Check your inboxes, I hope to find some fresh players to duel.
Hero Banter and ditching daily quests
I like the chat wheel. I like the options. I don't think it needs anything added to it, except maybe a laugh emote. It could still be abused but only one hero would have a sarcastic, condescending laugh (and he's going to be dead soon) – the rest would be sincere laughs for a play or minion that worked well. I don't think custom options, "Hurry Up," "Lucky" or similar emotes will add much, if anything. Luck is part of a card game no matter how well you craft your deck but good players and good deck construction can counter it.
What I would like to see would is chatting between the heroes, with and without player direction. Many of them have relationships with each other or at least know of each other enough to have a strong opinion. Rexxar and Thrall are friends, or at least respect each other immensely. The "Greetings" emote could change when they meet each other in a fight.
After a particularly brutal attack, when the audience is oohing, the two trade friendly jabs about each other's lives. Thrall and Jaina could have uncomfortable, even awkward moments, because of their history. Anduin could be humbled by Uther, despite never meeting the most famous paladin in the history of the Knights; Thrall would probably have few pleasant things to say to Gul'dan, and vice versa.
The rivalries and alliances would just strengthen the game's already impressive atmosphere. Warcraft is smothered in lore so why not really take advantage of it? The beta is early, of course, and balance issues are more pressing matters than what angry words Thrall and Garrosh would trade. But the little things tend to give projects that extra shine.
But for something more mechanical, why can't we abandon daily quests? You can only have three in your log at any time and suppose you don't want to do one of them – playing Malfurion's druid is as much fun as trimming your nails – so why not abandon the quest to get five wins with the deck. You don't get another daily quest in place of it, you just don't have that one anymore.
It's a simple thing to add. With the trickle rate at which you acquire gold, anything that makes the grind more bearable is appreciated. It may slow it down but it makes it more fun, which is what seems to be driving the game anyway.
I'd also like some variety in the quests that make them less about grinds and more about tactics or clever playing. Maybe a quest to have a single minion deal 10 points of damage in one game? Or defeat three heroes with charge minions? The daily quests available now aren't always hard, though I don't enjoy playing the warrior, but they're rarely anything interesting. There's a lot that can be done with them to add variety to the objectives and I hope Blizzard decides to expand the options.
HORDE BIAS! A Red Shirt Guy Editorial on the "Faction Bias" Arguments
Hi readers and welcome to my first editorial type article. With the release of Patch 5.4's trailer (see it here if you haven't already), the debate on whether or not Blizzard is biased towards the Horde in content development has risen again. Its a subject that really came to a head with the release of Cataclysm, enough so that Blizzard actually had Dave Kosak make a blog post, "Dev Watercooler: Faction Favoritism". It was very negatively received, and in fact was seen by many as further proof there was faction bias favoring the Horde enough to be detrimental to the Alliance among Blizzard's developers. So, does this faction favoritism really exist? Is Blizzard ignoring half their playerbase because they can't muster the effort to to create content for a faction they don't like? Or is this all overblown outcry from WoW's notoriously unpleaseable fanbase?
Golden Gelbin and other news
Zeriyah provided a lengthy update on Hearthstone today, commenting on some changes to the game as it progresses closer and closer to beta. Among the items discussed was a restatement that the Hearthstone team is working vigorously to launch beta before summer ends. Zeriyah phrased the timeline for beta as "not days away from launching the beta, but […] not months away either." Progress is being made but patience is required.
The beta will allow players to spend real money on card packs and Arena entry. However, because of the changing nature of beta testing Hearthstone's developers have decided to reward players who put down cash with something special – a golden version of Gelbin Mekkatorque. When you purchase cards or Arena entry, you're granted a copy of the Gnome King. His golden version is only available this way: no crafting or lucky drops from card packs. A regular version can be crafted once the game is released.
Hearthstone has also been tested on the iPad with cross-platform play. Zeriyah called it an awesome milestone in development for Hearthstone. Any means of expanding the player pool for the game has to be considered an incredible success; cross-platform potential is a phenomenal one.
The update ends with Zeriyah telling the community to continue to engage with the Hearthstone team. The community helps guide how the game evolves and the developers want to know what's working and what isn't.
The Forge is now The Arena (Hearthstone Livestream)
Eric Dodds and Ben Brode explored the ever changing nature of Hearthstone today during an hour long livesteam. The duo began their commentary explaining that the Forge has been renamed to the Arena to avoid confusion with Hearthstone's card crafting system. The change reflects internal testing done by the Hearthstone team and also better captures the spirit of the game mode.After the name announcement, Dodds began to comb the Twitch stream for questions while Brode entered the Arena to build a deck. Building an Arena deck is entirely random. Players are presented with a choice of three heroes from the game's total of nine. Afterward, the building process guides players through deck construction with cards suited for the selected hero. In the livestream Dodds and Brode selected Jaina Proudmoore, the mage. Players have 30 choices to make the deck, each choice being between three random cards. The proceeding choices are not influenced by previous choices: i.e., selecting Ice Lance does not increase the likelihood of seeing a Frostbolt or Water Elemental. Any rarity of card can appear for selection. The maximum number of card duplicates in a deck is removed, allowing for three or more of any card. At any point during deck construction players can leave the Arena and return later, picking up exactly where they left off. The same is true once a deck has been made. Players that leave a game in progress, either by closing Hearthstone or disconnecting, are given a loss. The duo acknowledged that accidental disconnects are a problem the development team is addressing. Dodds and Brode emphasized that careful selection of cards is key to success in the arena. Deck strategies can change quickly as different cards are presented. Once a deck is built players enter a match queue against opponents of equal success with their decks. The games progress as normal. Each win, however, improves the quality of a player's Arena Key, to a current maximum of nine wins. The key is used to unlock a chest in Hearthstone's Arena that gives rewards. The value of the rewards can vary but it always includes at least one card pack for the standard play mode. Players can retire successful decks at any time. After three losses, a deck is forcibly retired and the player's key unlocks the Arena chest automatically. Dodds and Brode played two games during the livestream. The first was a decisive victory against Uther the Lightbringer. The second game was closer and resulted in a loss to Valera Sanguinar. A game was attempted between against Garrosh Hellscream but networking issues caused the session to crash. Dodds and Brode unlocked their chest at the end of the livestream, displaying the process and rewards. They received three bags of five gold, ten arcane dust, and a booster pack. While the rewards from the chest were initially unimpressive, the booster pack of five cards contained two rares and a golden version of the legendary minion Cairne Bloodhoof.
Blizzard Entertainment Careers – Job Openings – May-21-2013
Blizzard Entertainment Careers Team have posted new job openings these past days. Recently, Blizzard Entertainment was ranked #6 America's Ideal Employers 2013 by Universum after a survey with the participation of over 65,000 students. Join one of the best employers in United States and the World.
Follow the links below to submit your resume at the appropriate page:
- Language Tester, Italian
- Customer Service – In-Game Services
- Associate Producer / Producer
- Associate Producer – Localization
Looking for a different position? No sweat. These above are just the newest ones. Over 80 job openings available at Blizzard Entertainment here. Look for the navigation bar to search Americas, Europe, Asia and Oceania job openings.
Language Tester, Italian
Quality Assurance – Irvine, CA
Blizzard Entertainment is looking for intelligent and highly motivated multilingual game testers to help test our games in Italian. Job duties include documenting bugs, working closely with a team of translators, testing games for hours upon hours. An ideal candidate is a hardcore gamer with a localization background, or an individual with a higher education in a language-related discipline, who is good at both finding bugs and describing them in an organized and clear fashion. language testers must be able to work full-time at our headquarters in Irvine, California. Applicants must also be available to work extended hours and weekends when necessary, to meet project deadlines.
- Review the Italian translation of Blizzard Entertainment games.
- Ensure consistency with the glossary between games and other projects.
- Perform quality assurance for Blizzard Entertainment games and other projects.
- Review localized material and provide regular feedback to project leads and supervisors.
- Handle other duties as assigned.
- Passion for video games and linguistics
- Exceptional verbal and written communication skills in both Italian and English
- Excellent knowledge of fantasy, and / or science fiction worlds and an understanding of Blizzard Entertainment games
- Willing to work extended hours
- Excellent teamwork skills
- Able to work independently
- Strong motivation and a high level of commitment
- Previous experience in video game localization or video game quality assurance
- Higher education in language-related disciplines, and / or work experience as a professional translator
- Excellent knowledge of Blizzard Entertainment games
Applicants must submit (i) a cover letter (with language proficiency), (ii) a resume, and (iii) a mock game analysis of their latest favorite video game in English and Italian. Only resumes with cover letters and game analyses will be considered.
- The game analysis should demonstrate applicant's understanding of the game play mechanics and relationships to the design and implementation of the game.
- The game analysis should be on either a computer game or console game. Please limit the game analysis to no longer than 5 pages (the average length of an analysis is approximately 3 pages).
- This game analysis should not be a game made by Blizzard Entertainment.
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and its affiliated companies is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Customer Service – In-Game Services
Office – Irvine, CA
Customer support representatives or game masters (GMs) are service specialists supporting Blizzard Entertainment customers via phone, web chat, and email within the game environment and on account related issues. Through problem identification, troubleshooting, education and resolution, GMs are required to provide innovative and exceptional customer handling following Tier I Empowerment Guidelines. As a key member of customer service, GMs are expected to maintain Blizzard's culture of excellence and commitment to quality in every aspect of their work.
- Provide first contact resolution of customer issues via phone, web chat, and e-mail.
- Deliver timely and accurate responses to customer questions and requests.
- Take personal ownership of customer requests and maintain accountability for follow-through.
- Provide exceptional customer experience as measured through customer surveys.
- Maintain productivity that meets or exceeds departmental goals for Tier I.
- Perform account maintenance, data entry, and order processing functions.
- Display a professional, positive, and enthusiastic demeanor to employees and customers.
- Learn and review departmental policies and procedures.
- Provide proactive customer communication via phone, chat, or email when necessary.
- Maintain accurate account of hours worked and report any discrepancy in a timely manner.
- Maintain security and confidentiality of Blizzard internal information and customer / account information.
- Respond to general customer inquiries.
- Identify, update, and report on interface or game mechanic issues.
- Provide for restoration of character / item losses of low complexity.
- Investigate reports of player harassment or inappropriate behavior.
- Investigate and communicate reports of service outages.
- Escalate and communicate any customer well-being issues.
- Escalate or refer issues beyond the scope of Tier I training and duties.
- Other duties, as assigned.
- Team player with a positive attitude
- Able to work under pressure in a fast-paced, ever changing, high-volume environment
- Comfort with using telephony related hardware and software
- Flexible to work rotating shifts
- Strong customer service and written communication skills
- A minimum of 1 year experience handling customers within service / technical fields
- Basic computer and typing skills
- Familiar with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office
- Successful criminal background check may be required if allowed by local law
- Previous call center or direct customer-facing experience
- Excellent attention to detail
- Drive for self-improvement
- Passion for supporting gamers
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and its affiliated companies is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Associate Producer / Producer
Office: Irvine, CA
Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a producer to join our support systems engineering team. Support systems engineering is a 100% agile software development group currently using the Scrum framework. In this position, the producer will be empowered as the product owner for one of our Scrum development teams. The ideal candidate has a passion for product development and a natural aptitude for business.
- Meticulously maintain a product backlog that represents the product's vision and roadmap with a focus on customer and business needs.
- Build and maintain relationships with customers from all levels and job positions within the company.
- Communicate a clear vision and release plan for the assigned product(s).
- Actively manage expectations, results, and forward progress for internal and external stakeholders.
- Determine and report on product return on investment.
- Provide regular reporting of product scope, schedule, progress, and planning.
- Promote a collaborative environment for development, user experience and quality assurance to deliver successful products within.
- Strong desire to be a part of and contribute to a team environment
- Exceptionally self-motivated and directed
- Passion for user experience
- Previous experience in product development
- Able to set and manage business priorities judiciously
- A demonstrable understanding of marketing techniques
- Knowledge of the software development lifecycle and associated activities
- Possess a strong understanding of agile development methodologies, particularly Scrum
- Clear ability to manage a range of different personality types in a facilitative and professional manner
- Superior listening, written, and oral communication skills
- Proven ability to plan, execute, and complete project activities to achieve high quality results
- Able to articulate ideas to both technical and non-technical personnel
- Experience creating mock-ups, workflows, wireframes, and / or prototypes
- Product Owner Certification
- PMP Certification
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and its affiliated companies is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Associate Producer – Locatization
Office – Irvine, CA
The Blizzard Entertainment Localization team is looking for an associate producer (AP) to support the localization of text, audio, and video assets for Blizzard game titles, as well as, the localization of support services initiatives that accompany the launches of those titles. The ideal candidate has superior organizational and communication skills, three years of localization-related experience on a AAA title, fluency in one or more non-English languages, strong technical skills, and in-depth knowledge of Blizzard games. For more information, check out the posting.
The associate producer's primary responsibilities will be assigned by the localization production staff, and involve hands-on localization tasks within game clients as they ramp up for release. Other responsibilities will be to organize and execute localization requests for support services teams, such as, community, PR, web, video and post production, etc., whether via Blizzard's internal localization teams or its external vendor partners. The AP will also work with localization QA to champion localized product quality and the platform services project management team to ensure transparent and proactive communication to all relevant project stakeholders. Secondary responsibilities will be to challenge and champion the tools and initiatives designed to assist the department in running as efficiently and effectively as possible.
- Passion for video games
- Superior organizational skills and attention to detail
- Excellent oral and written English communication skills
- Self-motivated with an ability to work under tight deadlines
- A minimum of 3 years' localization-related product development experience on a AAA title
- Willing and able to travel internationally as needed
- Team-oriented with the ability to work independently
- Computer literate and familiar with MS Office products
- Understanding of the complete localization life-cycle
- Fluency in one or more non-English language(s)
- Experience with MS Project
- Above-average knowledge of Blizzard and its games
- Working knowledge of database and version control software
- Working knowledge of audio, graphic, and movie file types and applications
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and its affiliated companies is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.
Network Engineer
IT – Network Operations
Office – Irvine, CA
Blizzard Entertainment is looking for a highly motivated and skilled network engineer to join our network operations engineering team. The ideal candidate possesses a high level of experience with cutting-edge network platforms. The network engineer must be efficient and organized while working in a self-directed team environment.
- Design, install, and operate LAN / WAN network infrastructure.
- Perform network performance tuning and administration.
- Research new technologies including software and hardware, based on business requirements.
- Provision and deploy new routers / switches / security platforms in current or new data centers.
- Document operational processes and procedures.
- Develop and maintain network topology diagrams for all networks.
- Troubleshoot and locate root causes of network incidents.
- Mentor network administrators and technicians.
- Participate in production support and in on-call duties.
- A minimum of 5 years' experience with enterprise-level or service provider network design and support
- Excellent knowledge of TCP / IP protocol
- Knowledge of application flows, packet capture, and analysis
- Extensive experience with network routing protocol like BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP
- Extensive experience with Cisco routing and switching
- Knowledge and experience of public and private peering
- Security experience with Cisco and Juniper firewalls
- Experience with network monitoring tools
- Experience with load balancer solution
- In-depth understanding of network H / W architecture
- Superior troubleshooting skills
- A degree in computer science or a related field.
- Comfortable with Linux / UNIX
- Network certification(CCIE,JNCIE)
- Experience with supporting MySQL and Oracle
- Experience with SAN switching
Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and its affiliated companies is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer.


text:
Economic Statistics for 16 May 13
Here are today's statistics on the state of the economy:
The Consumer Price Index fell -0.4% in April, but rose 0.1% ex-food and -energy. On a year-over-year basis, the headline CPI is up 1.1% and the core is up 1.7%.
April housing starts fell -16.5% to a 0.853 million annual rate. Housing permits, conversely, jumped 14.3% to a 1.017 million annual rate.
Initial jobless claims rose 32,000 to 360,000, and the 4-week average rose 1,250 to 339,250. Continuing claims fell 4,000 to 3.009 million.
The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index slipped half a point to -30.2 in the latest week.
The Philadelphia Fed Survey slipped into negative territory in May, falling from 1.3 to -5.2.
Dale Franks
Google+ Profile
Twitter Feed

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Cheats and Walkthroughs(43)
Cheats and Walkthroughs
Microsoft's take on karaoke, Lips, may not become a runaway hit, but it's still getting behind the franchise. Lips: Number One Hits arrives later this year. More songs have been announced for Lips: Number One Hits, and if you want to know the specifics, keep reading.
- "California Love" by 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman
- "Barbie Girl" by Aqua
- "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga featuring Colby O'Donis
- "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears
- "The Fear" by Lily Allen
- "Don't Phunk With My Heart" by Black Eyed Peas
- "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'" by Scissor Sisters
- "Heartless" by Kanye West
- "Touch My Body" by Mariah Carey
- "Hey There Delilah" by Plain White T's
- "Always On My Mind" by Pet Shop Boys
- "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz
- "Push the Button" by Sugababes
[Image Credit: flickr / troutfactory]


text:
by Bridgette R. Odom
The first time your baby gets sick can be scary. If a fever accompanies other symptoms, you might be ready to panic! Chances are you're not the only one feeling that way.
One of our members, Chelsea, had a scary experience with her daughter.
"My daughter woke up with a temperature of 101°. By afternoon it was 104°," Chelsea shares. "My doctor had us bring her in for tests. They said she had a virus. After five days, her fever broke."
Recent research indicates that fevers in children play an important role in fighting diseases. Fevers are thought to interfere with the growth of infections and boost the body's immune system response.
It's hard to feel like you're "doing nothing" when your baby's sick and uncomfortable, but sometimes a watchful eye is the best medicine. Other times, you'll need to treat the fever.
Fever Basics
Fevers in babies usually signal an infection. These can be mild, such as a common cold or more severe, like bacterial pneumonia. Even bundling your wee babe too well can cause a rise in temperature.
What is a Fever?
A fever is a rise in your child's body temperature above normal levels. Many doctors define a fever as a temperature above 100.4°F (38.0°C) rectally or an oral temperature above 99.5°F (37.5°C).
How to Take Your Baby's Temperature
A rectal temperature provides the most accurate reading in babies under one year old. The AAP recommends that you choose a thermometer that doesn't contain mercury. Here's how to take a rectal temperature:
- Lubricate the tip of a rectal thermometer with petroleum jelly.
- Place your baby across your lap on his or her belly.
- Separate the buttocks and gently insert the thermometer 1" into the rectum.
- Hold it in place until it beeps.
- Remove the thermometer and read it.
When to Call the Doctor
Call your doctor if your baby:
- Is younger than three-months-old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4 °F (38 °C) or higher.
- Is age 3 to 12 months and has a fever of 102.2 °F (39 °C) or higher.
- Is under age 2 and has a fever that lasts longer than 24 to 48 hours.
- Has a fever over 105 °F (40.5 °C), unless the fever comes down readily with treatment and the child is comfortable.
- Has been having fevers come and go for up to a week or more, even if they are not very high.
- If your baby just received an immunization
Call Your Doctor if the Fever Includes:
Physical changes
✔ Stiff neck
✔ Purple spots on the skin; a rash
✔ Difficulty breathing
✔ Excessive drooling or trouble swallowing
✔ Seizures
Behavior changes
✔ Appears sluggish
✔ Won't nurse or take a bottle
✔ Cries even when comforted
✔ Difficult to awaken Because babies' immune systems aren't well developed at birth, any infant younger than three-months-old with a fever should be seen by a doctor.
Treating Your Older Baby's Fever
What should you do when your older baby has a fever?
• Don't panic! The American Academy of Pediatrics describes fever as "a positive sign that the body is fighting infection."
• Evaluate your baby. Just because you shouldn't panic doesn't mean that you should ignore your child's fever. While fever might be a good thing, it can make your baby feel miserable.
• If your baby's uncomfortable, treat the fever.
✔ Give acetaminophen or ibuprofen (if your baby is at least six-months-old) to reduce the fever. Follow the dosing information on the package.
✔ You can alternate each medicine every three hours for maximum effect.
✔ Sponge bathe your baby with tepid water.
✔ Don't overdress your baby.
• Keep your baby hydrated. Encourage breast or bottle-feeding. Give an electrolyte replacment drink such as Pedialyte™ between feedings. Count wet diapers. A hydrated baby has a wet diaper every three to hour hours.
• Continue to check for changes in how your baby looks and acts.
What is Febrile Seizure?
A febrile seizure is a convulsion that happens in a child with a fever. Most febrile seizures are over quickly and doesn't mean your child has epilepsy. These seizures won't cause any permanent harm.
During most febrile seizures, a baby will faint and then have convulsions or twitching of the arms and legs. It generally ends after a minute or two.
How to Handle a Febrile Seizure
Lay your baby on his or her side. Don't try to stop the convulsion or place anything in the mouth. Watch the clock. If the seizure last more than five minutes, call 911.
After the seizure stops, call your doctor. You might receive instructions for treating fever or asked to bring your baby in right away for an evaluation.
Medical references: -October 10, 2010. When Your Baby or Infant Has a Fever. National Library of Medicine. Updated by: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine.


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Three ways to build in Forest Glen without creating more traffic
As new homes, offices, and shops sprout around the region's Metro stations, Forest Glen has remained a holdout due to neighborhood resistance to new construction. But that may change as WMATA seeks someone to build there.
Last month, the agency put out a call for development proposals at Forest Glen, in addition to West Hyattsville and Largo Town Center in Prince George's County and Braddock Road in Alexandria. WMATA owns 8 acres at Forest Glen, most of which is a parking lot, and developers have already expressed interest in building there.
Forest Glen should be a prime development site. While it's on the busy Red Line, it's one of Metro's least-
On one side of the Metro station is a townhouse development that's about 10 years old, while across the street are 7 new single-family homes. The land the parking lot sits on is valuable, and it's likely that WMATA will get proposals to build apartments there because the land is so valuable. But zoning only allows single-family homes there, the result of a 1996 plan from Montgomery County that recommends preserving the area's "single-family character," due to neighbor concerns about traffic.
As a result, whoever tries to build at Forest Glen will have to get a rezoning, which neighbors will certainly fight. It's true that there's a lot of traffic in Forest Glen: the Beltway is one block away, while the adjacent intersection of Georgia Avenue and Forest Glen Road is one of Montgomery County's busiest. While traffic is always likely to be bad in Forest Glen, though by taking advantage of the Metro station, there are ways to bring more people and amenities to the area without putting more cars on the road.
Make it easier to reach Metro without a car
Today, two-thirds of the drivers who park at Forest Glen come from less than two miles away, suggesting that people don't feel safe walking or biking in the area. There's a pedestrian bridge over the Beltway that connects to the Montgomery Hills shopping area, a half-mile away, but residents have also fought for a tunnel under Georgia Avenue so they won't have to cross the 6-lane state highway.
Montgomery County transportation officials have explored building a tunnel beneath Georgia, which is estimated to cost up to $17.9 million. But county planners note that a tunnel may not be worth it because there aren't a lot of people to use it.
And crossing Georgia Avenue is only a small part of the experience of walking in the larger neighborhood. Today, the sidewalks on Forest Glen Road and Georgia Avenue are narrow and right next to the road, which is both unpleasant and unsafe. WMATA has asked developers applying to build at Forest Glen to propose ways to improve pedestrian access as well, and they may want to start with wider sidewalks with a landscaping buffer to make walking much more attractive. Investing in bike lanes would also be a good idea.
Provide things to walk to
Another way to reduce car trips is by providing daily needs within a short walk or bike ride. The Montgomery Hills shopping district, with a grocery store, pharmacy, and other useful shops, is a half-mile away from the Metro. But it may also make sense to put some small-scale retail at the station itself, like a dry cleaner, coffeeshop or convenience store, which will mainly draw people from the Metro station and areas within walking or biking distance. Some people will drive, but not as many as there would be with larger stores.
Putting shops at the Metro might also encourage workers at Holy Cross to take transit instead of driving, since they'll be able to run errands on their way to and from work. Encouraging this crowd to take transit is important, since hospitals are busy all day and all week, meaning they generate a lot of demand for transit, making it practical to run more buses and trains, which is great for everyone else.
Provide less parking
Whatever gets built at the Metro will have to include parking, not only for commuters, but for residents as well. While Montgomery County's new zoning code requires fewer parking spaces, each apartment still has to have at least one parking space. Even small shops will have to have their own parking. The more parking there is, the more likely residents are to bring cars, which of course means more traffic.
Thus, the key is to give future residents and customers incentives to not drive. The new zoning code does allow developers to "unbundle" parking spaces from apartments and sell or rent them separately. Those who choose not to bring cars will then get to pay less for housing. The code also requires carsharing spaces in new apartment buildings, so residents will still have access to a car even if they don't have their own. If Montgomery County ever decides to expand Capital Bikeshare, the developer could pay for a station here.
And the developer could offer some sort of discount or incentive for Holy Cross employees to live there, allowing hospital workers to live a short walk from their jobs.
No matter the approach, there are a lot of ways to build in Forest Glen without creating additional traffic. A creative approach can do wonders for the area's profile and elevate the quality of life for residents there.
Someone years ago put the turns for Holy Cross Hospital at Dennis Road, requiring people, ambulances, etc. most hours going to the Emergency Room to drive a mile and a half through heavily pedestrian-used Sligo park over speed bumps, which if you got someone in a delicate condition, isn't good to do. Add that it requires the time of an extra mile and a half out of the way at <25mph for no reason other than somebody affluent and powerful living off Forest Glen don't like ambulances going through their street.
In other words - Add the turn. If that means there isn't that parking lot or that space for buildings, so be it, but add the turn.
When Forest Glen inevitably develops, a pedestrian tunnel or bridge would be advisable for their safety. I have heard they're going to put a tunnel down at Georgia and Seminary, which I applaud. Those are cheap but people otherwise die. It took years for that action to start coming about, so PLEASE anyone involved in Forest Glen development start the pedestrian bridge or tunnel plans going now.
Or they are lazy and don't like walking or biking.
Seems Logical
I first want to rebut the presumption that neighborhood residents will fight development at FG Metro. Sure, there will be opposition, particularly from residents who have lived here for 20+ years. But those residents are declining in numbers.
I've lived here over a decade, and I've discussed development at FG Metro with several dozen neighbors over the years. Nearly everyone -- everyone -- that I've talked to about this is STARVED for development at FG Metro. We want this. We want retail there. Heck, I bet we could raise enough money to open our own coffee shop / dry cleaner / beer & wine store at the Metro.
It is a mistake to think of the neighborhoods near Forest Glen Metro as 1980s-focused "suburbs" with suburban-mindset residents. There has been a massive influx of young families over the last decade. So many that the local elementary school swelled to 200% capacity, and a brand new elementary school had to be constructed near the Metro station(opened last year).
Many if not most of these people moved from urban areas, and do not consider themselves "suburban". We chose the area as a compromise among superb schools, convenience to Metro and DC, and affordability. Our lots are small and the streets NE of the metro are fully sidewalked. Most houses have no driveways. We're a front porch, walking community. What we lack is retail to walk to. Bring it!
Walking along Georgia is like a highway (exhaust, etc). Going north towards Wheaton isn't great, going south is autobody shops and so on, until halfway to Silver Spring. Walking in the neighborhoods nearby, often there are no sidewalks on the northwest. The best walking neighborhoods are across Georgia, east towards the hospital.
Southwest, under the bridge, isn't terrible, but the shopping center and fire station are the nearest sections.
Going towards Brookville, it becomes industrial quickly, before reaching the park. In short, the two mile radius isn't really a sensible watershed for walking/biking commuters in many cases.
The 7 single family homes are a disaster. What was needed on that large site, which used to be a multifamily conversion, was a large mixed use development, similar to the new buildings in Wheaton, with perfect access to the metro. At least townhomes again. McMansions are no improvement.
charlie, someone not wanting to cross a hazardous intersection doesn't require their being lazy. Maybe they would do it if it was safe.
OF course it's made hazardous often because there isn't a left turn lane and people stuck behind who are going straight often try jumping to the right lane to get around unpredictably stopped cars. Again, look at Dennis/Georgia street design. Perhaps for less than 10 million they can fix the road design? They should - even if it costs more, TBH.
They should still put in a tunnel or bridge, though, because if someone's got physical disabilities, crossing Georgia holds too much risks.
A station entrance on the NE corner (this is both the Planning Board's and MCDOT's preferred alternative -- many millions have already been spent on planning and engineering) will boost ridership a great deal. By residents living to the NE (there are a lot of them), and by Holy Cross Hospital staff.
Not only will the new station erase those 13 lane crossings each way. It'll bring the station significantly closer. The existing entrances are not at the intersection, they are quite a ways west. The station is almost directly underneath Georgia Ave, so crossing those 13 lanes, walking a ways west, descending down to the tunnel, then backtracking west -- all that will be eliminated.
Now we just need the state to fund the new entrance or, hopefully, a developer will pitch in when the parking lot is developed.
Yep, those turning left at Forest Glen & Georgia should have a turn lane, so people aren't switching out who are needing to go straight.
mcs I don't know the details about the rezoning, but I think having those living in that purple zone letting Emergency patients and vehicles using the street instead of winding around Sligo Park always been logical. Bring it on.
SHA is studying/planning improvements for the GA Ave corridor from Forest Glen south to 16th (so through the commercial area). Info here: http://apps.roads.maryland.gov/WebProjectLifeCycle/ProjectInformation.aspx?projectno=MO2241115
Full funding and eventual construction is sill a long way off, but at least it's inching forward.
I've attended several stakeholder meetings with SHA on this project. All of the proposed alternatives include a slight widening of Georgia Ave at Forest Glen to accommodate left turn lanes and a pedestrian refuge / median.
The alternatives so far also include a grass buffer between the sidewalk and roadway for this whole stretch, and bike lanes. Unfortunately the study doesn't extend north of the Georgia Ave/Forest Glen intersection, so between Forest Glen and Wheaton will remain those stupid wide curbs that pass for sidewalks, unfortunately.
I think the whole area around Forest Glen Metro should have improved pedestrian and bicycle access. The sharrows and bike lanes along Forest Glen Road east of Georgia Avenue are a start, but a lot more needs to be done to make all road users feel welcome. Georgia Avenue is 8 lanes wide at the intersection with Forest Glen Road, and it only has a 4 foot wide concrete median. It is probably the best example of a traffic sewer that there is.
As your post said, the area north f the Beltway around the station is also starved for retail. It would be nice to see that professional building on the northeast corner of the intersection converted into some kind of low-rise (4 or 5 stories so it doesn't dwarf the surrounding homes) mixed use retail/housing like there is in College Park along Route 1. But before that can happen, the area will need to be more pedestrian and bike friendly. I hope MCDOT and the SHA work together on this, because this area has a ton of potential.
Ted Martin - you just made my day!
Seems Logical
Logically everything between forest glenn road and the beltway would be seriously upzoned. Perhaps Woodland and Myrtle would serve as buffers.
Forest Glen suffers from the same issue. All this talk of putting a pedestrian tunnel under Georgia Avenue is just an expensive way to avoid the real problem, which is the county being too scared to force the SHA to actually make the area more pedestrian-friendly.
due to neighbor concerns about traffic.Seriously? People choose to live adjacent to the Beltway and along one of the region's busiest N-S corridors and have the gall to complain about more traffic? They need to get over themselves and the pols need to stop pandering to them.
I agree, SHA can (and must) do much, much better at accommodating pedestrians and bikes. Hopefully they're learning. I've been pleasantly encouraged that they are from the Georgia Ave. study meetings I've attended (though actual construction resulting from those meetings are many years away.)
But I have to push back on the comment that "putting a pedestrian tunnel" under Georgia is a way to avoid the problem. The planned (but not funded) project is not a "pedestrian tunnel". It's a Metro entrance. As planned, it will look exactly like the Metro entrance on the west side of Georgia (picture here: http://moworldphotos.com/imagesssdp/forestglen_metro.jpg).
It will look like any Metro entrance because it will be a Metro entrance. For some reason MCDOT (who conducted the multi-million dollar study/engineering) and the Planning Board and SHA call it a "passageway". I've asked them if they don't use "Metro entrance" because they're not Metro, and they've said correct. But look at the study/plans -- this will not be a "tunnel" the way that word suggests. It will be a "tunnel" only in the sense that the west-side Metro entrance technically is a tunnel (though people don't usually think of it as one). Because it will be a Metro entrance, designed to Metro's specifications, and to be operated and maintained by Metro, just like any other entrance.
So the long-fought-for east-side Metro entrance is not intended as a substitute for at-grade pedestrian/bike improvements.
I'm pretty sure the speed limit everywhere in Manhattan (except for the limited access highways like the FDR) is 30mph.
Slower, but still stupid design doesn't solve highway problems.
@Ted Martin: Thanks for keeping up on the plans in the area, and thanks for the good news!
Manhattan isn't Maryland, making comparisons ridiculous.
by Doug Goldenberg-Hart on Apr 14, 2014 1:23 pm • link • report
As for reducing car numbers - It's a highway, and major route of transportation for much of the area, with an increasing number of people. You can't move to those apartments and then wish for less cars.
Enough with the idea we do not need cars. The county ex came to Forest Estates for a talk & he came in a really big SUV!He could have taken the red line from Rockville to Forest Glen and walked into our neighborhood. If I wanted to live in a city and be carless I would have moved to DC.
Hopefully one day the metro will run 24/7
Tunnel/ metro entrance from the NE corner of Georgia Ave and Forest Glen is the best news that I've heard since moving to the area. It would shave minutes off of most walks from that side of the station and encourage more metro use.
Thank you GGW for the article!!
It doesn't seem like anyone has comprehensively taken a look at the bike and walk experience of getting to Forest Glen. A new entrance on the east side of Georgia would help tremendously. But some relatively easy fixes would make the experience much more logical and attractive:
-Add curb cuts for bikes to access the "bike" entrance from the road on the northwest corner. Otherwise bikers need to either jump a very high curb or compete with pedestrians for limited sidewalk space (along with signal boxes and poles).
-Widen the sidewalk to the southwest pedestrian entrance. The south west entrance has an extremely narrow sidewalk that is often impinged by overgrown vegetation. A tremendous amount of space is taken up by unkempt landscaping while pedestrians and bikes trying to access the Metro entrance are forced onto a narrow strip right along Forest Glen Rd. This is Metro property, so it should be really easy to simply re-landscape it to add a wide walkway, or to work with SHA to widen the narrow sidewalk along Forest Glen. While they are at it, they should add additional bike racks to that entrance. It's great that they added them at all (for a while you just needed to lock your bike to the fence), but there is not enough capacity.
-Complete the sidewalks along Forest Glen Rd. Less than 3/4 of a mile from the station to the east along Forest Glen, the sidewalk suddenly disappears (well, it turns south down a hill to meet the Sligo Creek Bike Path). Pedestrians are forced to walk on the shoulder of the road for a bit until the sidewalk picks back up again on the other side of the road. As a pedestrian, this area is very scary, especially in low light conditions and in winter when the shoulder is covered in snow. And as a walker it would be really great to have sidewalks on both sides of Forest Glen all the way to Four Corners, but that seems too much to ask for!
-Speaking of snow, keep crosswalks at the station clear of snow! Snowplows end up leaving big banks of snow at the corner of Forest Glen and Georgia, which pedestrians have to climb over to access the station. It was a bit better this year. Back in Snowmaggedon, the snowbank was never removed, requiring pedestrians to climb for many weeks to get to the station from the Georgia Ave crosswalk. This is ridiculous!
-Improve the little pathway to access Sligo Creek Parkway (and the bikepath) from Godwin Drive. Like many bikers, I don't ride on the north side of Forest Glen Rd. because it is too dangerous. So to access the station I cut through the Forest Estates neighborhood. There's this little pathway that pedestrians and bikers use to connect Four Corners and Forest Estates neighborhoods. The asphalt is crumbling and almost non-exitant and it really needs repair.
by Four Corners Resident on Apr 16, 2014 9:10 am • link • report
Curb cuts are good. I would hope that with the road & tunnel additions and redesign it'd be a more streamlined plan.
Making all Forest Glen have sidewalks until it reaches the park path, fixing the way to the park is smart, too.
I'm all for having a Metro entrance on the EAST side of Georgia, however. That would help EVERYBODY. More housing on an 8 acre parking lot (which is always full, M-F, no later than 8:30 am) of land, however, would not. Let's not forget that you have PLENTY of retail at Wheaton and Montgomery Hills. I'd rather see revitalization of the strip malls at Montgomery Hills first. That would benefit the WHOLE AREA.
by Forest Glen Resident on Apr 24, 2014 2:30 pm • link • report
Sidewalks appear, disappear in illogical places. One whole side of Forest Glen Rd, across from the hospital, has no sidewalk, for blocks. Pedestrians have to walk on the street, again there is no shoulder, either, in some areas. Bicycling is tricky, and although sharrows are indicated, I have had vehicle, bus and other tantrums by drivers when I am bicycling on Forest Glen.
Let's build sidewalks on both sides.
PS....Charlie, get out and walk Forest Glen, yourself, before accusing anyone of laziness. That is just mean, and uninformed.
by Argyle Forest Resident on Nov 5, 2014 8:04 am • link • report
One thing is for sure. This is a multifaceted problem. Installing a $17+mil tunnel that leads to a 200ft stretch of sidewalk that then expects you to cross to the other side to get to Holy Cross -- crossing a street where cars are gunning-it to get to/thru one of the busiest intersections in MD seems a bit short sighted.
Great Article - and great discussion
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EDITOR'S NOTE — The following article was adapted from material in the 2005 North Carolina peanut information manual, Peanut Disease Management Chapter written by North Carolina State University plant pathologist Barbara Shew.)
An overview:
Foliar and soil-borne diseases must be managed to have a successful peanut crop Successful peanut production means wise management of disease. The basic elements are long rotations, resistant cultivars, early disease detection, weather-based disease prediction, scouting, and proper pesticide selection.
Identification and early detection are critical.
For many diseases, management decisions have to be made before the next crop of peanuts is planted. Others, such as leaf spot and white mold, require attention immediately before or soon after they appear.
Two different fungi cause peanut leaf spot. In the field, it can be difficult to distinguish between late and early leaf spot.
Early leaf spot usually causes brown spots surrounded by a yellow halo. These spots usually appear mid-July, although they can be on the plant as early as 30 days after planting.
Late leaf spot causes darker spots that usually appear in August. The best way to tell the two leaf spots apart is to use a good magnifying glass to observe spore production. Early leaf spot produces silvery, hair-like spores on the top of the leaf. Late leaf spot produces dark brown, velvety spores, usually on the underside of the leaf. Some fungicides are less effective against late leaf spot.
Fungicide application is usually required for control of leaf spot, either by using a set 14-day calendar schedule or by using a weather-based leaf spot advisory. The first spray should be applied at the very early pod stage.
Fungicides for the control of early and late leaf spot include chlorothalonil, tebuconazole, propiconazole plus chlorothalonil, propiconazole plus trifloxystrolin, azoxystrobin, pyraclostrobin and boscalid.
Another foliar disease is web blotch. It produces large, dark patches or blotches on the upper surface of the leaf. Later, lesions turn dark brown and become more circular. An entire field can be affected in a short time. Most leaf spot fungicides control web blotch.
Irregular or funky leaf spot is a relatively new problem of unknown cause. Symptoms appear early in the growing season on lower leaves. Lesions look like early leaf spot, but do not produce spores. Irregular leaf spot differs from phytotoxicity in that lesions are scattered over the surface. Some defoliation may occur, but yield losses have not yet been determined. Poor leaf spot control observed within 45 days of planting usually can be attributed to funky leaf spot.
Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus is spread through the feeding of thrips. Symptoms include stunting, dead terminal buds, pale yellow or white ring patterns on leaves; purple blotches on the underside of leaves; stunted, small and malformed growth; undersized pods; and red seed coats.
Sometimes, entire plants may wilt and have root rot, resembling Cylindrocladium black rot (CBR).
Use preventative measures to reduce the risk of TSWV. Cultivar choice and plant stand have the greatest effect on TSWV risk. In-furrow use of phorate may reduce disease incidence more than aldicarb. Phorate, however, doesn't control nematodes. A mid-season planting date will help disease suppression. Minimum-tillage appears to reduce the incidence of TSWV.
Use the Tomato Spotted Wilt Risk Index to assess overall risk of TSWV in a given field.
All soil-borne diseases have a pod rot phase. Therefore, management of soil-borne pathogens also helps reduce pod rot. Soil borne diseases are very difficult to control and most can survive in soil for years.
Prevent the build-up of diseases by using at least a three-year rotation to non-host crops.
Nematodes cause stunting, wilting and yellowing of the above-ground portion of the plant. Damage is often seen within clusters in the field. Depending on the species of nematode, root systems may be stunted. Nematode damage can increase susceptibility to CBR.
Check pods immediately after digging for possible root knot nematode problems. Fields to be planted to peanuts should be sampled for nematodes the previous fall. Fumigating with metam sodium for CBR control or applying aldicarb in-furrow at planting for foliar insect control may help reduce nematode populations.
Many fungi can cause seed and seedling rot. Seeds may not germinate, germinate but not emerge, or die shortly after emergence. The result is a poor stand with skips, which can lead to more TSWV. Rots often develop after seeds and seedlings are weakened by environmental problems or poor seedbed conditions.
Cold soils, less than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, retard germination and increase the chance for rots. Use high-quality seed coated with a good chemical seed treatment fungicide. Replanting is the only remedy for stand loss due to seedling disease.
Aspergillus crown rot causes pre- and post-emergence damping off and sometimes kills older plants. Rotation is effective for this disease. Azoxystrobin can be applied preventatively at planting. Seed treatments also inhibit crown rot development.
White mold or Southern stem rot symptoms include wilting of individual stems, brown stem lesions, shredded stems and pegs and plant death.
The disease is characterized by white, stringy fungus and tan to brown birdshot-sized balls (sclerotia) on the lower stems and leaf litter. Damage can occur with few visible signs.
Fields with heavy vine growth and excessive moisture are prone to stem rot. The disease is most active during the hottest part of the season, especially following rain. In drier seasons, the fungus is most active underground. Southern stem rot is often found along with CBR.
Fungicides used to control leaf spot, such as azoxystrobin, tebuconazole, propiconazole plus flutolanil and pyraclostrobin also control stem rot. Most soil fungicides work best when applied just prior to disease onset. Treat fields with a history of problems according to the leaf spot advisory between July 15 and the end of August.
Rhizoctonia limb and pod rot is sometimes confused with Southern stem rot or white mold. Rhizoctonia limb rot does not produce stringy growth or tan sclerotia.
Dark- or grayish brown lesions are usually found on the bottoms of stems where they touch the soil. Lesions have a purple border and may have a target-like appearance. Rhizoctonia pod rot affects pods at all stages of development. Management practices and fungicides are the same for white mold.
Sclerotinia blight starts by killing individual limbs. It requires careful scouting. Vines must be pulled back to reveal cottony growth of Sclerotinia on straw-colored stems. The end portion of infected limbs may remain green and look healthy for several days before wilting is evident. Small black sclerotia that are irregular in shape can be seen both on and in infected tissues. The disease favors cool and wet conditions and is more severe on injured vines.
Avoid vine injury by cultivating early. Rotate with corn or cotton. Winter weeds serve as hosts for the disease. Use moderately resistant cultivars.
The fungicides fluazinam and boscalid are effective against Sclerotinia blight when applied preventatively. A weather-based Sclerotinia blight advisory can be used to time applications.
CBR turns plants light green or yellow. The plants wilt and die. A blackened root system is characteristic of this disease. The fungus produces numerous brick red, pinhead-sized structures on crowns, lower stems and pods, especially following moist weather. If these fruiting structures are not visible, late-season wilting and root rot symptoms of CBR and TSWV can be confused.
Using resistant cultivars and fumigating with metam sodium usually controls CBR. Field with a history of 1 percent to 10 percent CBR should be planted to a resistant variety.
To avoid CBR being transmitted by seed, use seed produced in clean fields.


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- Plan a fun-filled family day out!
- Grab a Family Package at The Bowlevard, SKYCITY Hamilton for only $29.
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Subject to availability. All items to be redeemed in 1 visit. Not valid during school holidays. Package price incl. a max of 2 adults. Additional adults $10 each, & additional children (aged 14 & under) $8 each, for activity & drink only. Children must be accompanied by an adult. All items must be redeemed on the day of purchase & are not transferable, exchangeable or redeemable for cash. Car parking is for one vehicle for 1 entry/exit. Please validate car park ticket at The Bowlevard.
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The holiday season got off to a healthy start last month as credit and debit card usage and spending increased at restaurants, according to payment processor First Data. According to payment card data tracked by First Data, whose U.S. headquarters is in Atlanta, the restaurant industry logged a 6.2-percent increase in year-over-year dollar volume growth in November. The number of credit and debit card transactions also grew in November, with the restaurant industry logging an 11.1-percent ...
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Audio Canvas: 3D Printing with Andy Brayman
By Cornelia Carpenter • Aug 12, 2014
Andy Brayman is an artist who works with 3D forms and technology - he taught a 3D printing workshop at Anderson Ranch Arts Center earlier this summer. Brayman talks about the possibilities and applications for 3D technology in the art world. Doug Casebeer, Associate Director of Anderson Ranch, also contributes.


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< back to Mike's profile page
Agent Ratings for Mike Doherty
(64 reviews) Overall star rating: 4.8
Past 3 months: N/A
Closed clients: 4.8
Past 3 months: N/A
Closed clients: 4.8
Ratings Breakdown:
5 stars(52)
4 stars(9)
3 stars(3)
2 stars(0)
1 stars(0)
Showing All Reviews (64) Show only: 5 stars| 4 stars| 3 stars| 2 stars| 1 star| show all
Courtney B.
Home buyer in Mesa
What can I say about Mike? He has more patience than I could ever hope to possess, patiently showing house after house to us. My husband and I are very picky (some might say obnoxiously so) which is compounded by the fact that we didn't necessarily see eye to eye on all the "must haves" of our future home. Mike showed us homes all over the valley, from Surprise to Mesa, Phoenix to Scottsdale, and always kept the same positive attitude and provided practical advice. We finally found "the one" and I believe a large part of us not settling for something else was Mike's open-mindedness and never pressuring us, even though he probably wanted to a time or two. His communication was great throughout the home buying process, and all around, he was a great person to work with. His patience, professionalism and pragmatism were invaluable in our very lengthy house hunt.
Victoria B.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike was always there when we needed him. He took time to get to know us and he worked with the listing agents with perfect knowledge of what we wanted and what was deal breakers. Thanks Mike!!!
Betty P.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike worked with me for almost a year while we were waiting for our house to sell. He is the most patient realtor I have ever worked with. Every time I called him he answered his phone, I never had to leave him a message. I came out here by myself with out my husband. He helped me find the right property and steered me clear of ones that would not have been right for us. He helped us negotiate an offer that was acceptable to the buyer and us. He helped us with the lender and with the closing. We couldn't have been happier. He is truly a professional. I would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone looking for real estate.
Kathyrn N.
Home buyer in Phoenix
MIke spent so much time with us. As we looked at houses (we came from out of town) he seemed to get a feel fr what we really were looking for - what we wanted. We got the house of our dreams for the right price because of his hands on cordial approach.
Anna M.
Home buyer in Goodyear
Mike is an excellent realtor with a lot of patience. He found us exactly what we were looking for and stood by our side duriing the finance, closing, inspections, etc. He is truly a gentleman!
Previous review from Anna M.
Mike worked with us for over a year, he was great, he came all the way to Goodyear on a regular basis even if it was just to look at one house. I really appreciated that.
Tom G.
Home buyer in Gilbert
Mike's level of communication & responsiveness is second to none! We NEVER get voicemail, always Mike (and we called at some odd times:) and he was always patient with us. If he didn't have the answer at hand he would research and get back to us quickly. His guidance through the uncharted - for us - waters of a distressed property purchase was the key to this transaction happening!
Amber M.
Home buyer in Phoenix
We were VERY happy with Mike, This was our first home buying experience & he helped us through the entire process, he answered all of our questions, he was the best and I would recommend Mike highly to anyone!
Stephanie R.
Home buyer in Peoria
I have worked with Mike in the past and he has always been fantastic!
Merry M.
Home buyer in Waddell
Mike spent many hours helping us search for the right house, three times.
John J.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike was very professional and I appreciated his expertise and input throughout the process. He was always on time for his appointments and paid close attention to our needs and wishes.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike was extremely helpful, knowledgeable, thorough, and played a very valuable role in helping with the purchase of my first Home. I highly recommend Mike, especially if you are new to the real estate experience.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Met all my expectations, was responsive and gave me space to think.
Home buyer in Cave Creek
Mike was very informative and offered us great information from the start, since we were first time homebuyers we didnt know much about the process. He was available when we needed him. I know our transaction was a very stressful one for us and Mike due to complications with the bank and the seller regarding our closing date.
Jing B.
Home buyer in Chandler
Mike is a very great agent. He is very patient and very knowledgeable in the hectic real estate market in this economic condition. He had provided a huge amount of support, advise and service to us in the process of the acquisition.
Home buyer in New River
Mike did a very good job. He always anserd his phone or called us back in good time. He was polite and professional. He had a few problems in getting responses from Wells Fargo, but we don't think it was hes fault. I would use him again and I would also refer him, to others.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike took the time to make things happen when they needed to happen good job!
Deborah H.
Home buyer in Scottsdale
After 3 very poor experiences with other realtors, we were very leary when we decided to try Mike & Zip Realty. We are so glad we did! Mike really went far above of expectations! It is the most pleasant and rewarding experience we have ever had with a Realtor! Mike made the whole buying experience totally worry free! He and Audrey were there every step of the way! I would definitely recommend Mike and Zip Realty to everyone! We would most definitely use Mike & Zip again!
Brian T.
Home buyer in PHOENIX
Mike was one of the best I have had a chance to work with & would tell all my friends to use him.
Jim L.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike, was great to work with, he treated me like a customer. I would recomend Mike and Zip Realty.
Mark C.
Home buyer in Tolleson
Great communication, always helpful, always available. I would refer him to anyone I know buying a house in AZ. He was the perfect agent for my 1st home buying experience!
Thomas E.
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike was completely responsive during and after business hours. When the home buying process would stall out due to 3rd parties Mike would always be available with advice and would do what he could to encourage things back on track. If/when I buy another home I would not hesistate to contact Mike and intend to refer him to my friends.
Home buyer in Tolleson
Mike was great and always available when we needed him. He helped us understand the process of purchasing a home and we felt comfortable at all times with working with Mike
Marie D.
Home buyer in Phoenix
We have never been treated with respect by a real estate agent as we were with Mike. We had no idea what we were doing, absolutely none. He explained each step of the process along the way. And he was just so patient. Around the Christmas holidays, we drove by a house, called Mike and said can we see it and he made it seemed as if it weren't an inconvenience or anything...but it was the holidays and we felt it was a little out of his way to show us the house. We spent one day just looking at three or four, and it was not a problem for him at all. The one thing I really appreciated is the fact the he understood that we had to stay within our budget, we are average joe's....we don't live in Fountain Hills with a 5000 sq foot home and three cars.... I sensed that he really cared about our needs, not just making a sale. We have limited finances and he still went out of his way for us. Again, I can't say enough good things about this guy. And his assistant Audrey Papworth, she was on the ball with sending us paperwork via email and me shooting it back to her via email. Though I never met her, she was definately the one that helped organize things for all of us and it was appreciated.
Rosemary D.
Home seller in Phoenix
Mike is a complete professional. He is kind and thoughtful of both the seller and the buyer. I would recommend Mike without hesitation. He is the BEST!!!!
Previous review from Rosemary D.
Mike is one of the finest,fairest and most friendly agent I have worked with. He is VERY professional, always available and attempts in every way to provide the BEST possible service. Mike is the BEST!!!
Anastasia K.
Home buyer in PHOENIX
Mike was wonderful. He did a great job of negotiating for us as well as giving great advice. I can't think of a single person I would rather have help us with this process. We were stressed out first time home buyers and Mike not only reassured us, but helped us enjoy the process. Mike is worth every penny you pay him and then some. We will be back, and we will always use Mike. Thanks Mike !!! You are the best!!
Home buyer in Phoenix
Mike followed up all phone calls and questions promptly. He made it easy to understand the buying process for me. Working with Mike was a pleasure.
Home buyer in Glendale
Mike was extremely professional throughout the entire process. I fully realize that our price range is not that attractive to agents and brokers, but Mike treated us and worked for us as if that didn't matter. He was completely honest and forthright with us. I recommend Mike, and ZipRealty, to anyone that is in the market for a home.