So, looks like I came back just in time for some patch goodness.

I am very pumped about Ruby Sanctum. No one ever wants to run OS anymore, and I really enjoyed OS. I like the shorter raids that are mainly built around one monstrous baddie to fight. Of course, from what I understand, though the Ruby Sanctum infrastructure will be implemented in this patch, we won't actually get to see the new raid for another week or so. I'll try to be patient:

Please note due to the way this patch is being applied in all regions, this dungeon will not immediately be available in North America. Stay tuned to our General Discussion forum for an official announcement on the opening of the Ruby Sanctum.

Then there's this Real ID thing. I know there have been a lot of concerns over this implementation, and as someone who values their privacy, I can understand. I deleted my facebook account for that very reason. Well, some variation on that reason. So, in order to keep this Real ID from violating my privacy, here are my major concerns.

1. Real ID needs to be on an individual basis. In other words, I create some kind of Real ID connection with Fulguralis, which he accepts. Then, when I'm on my SAN toon, he can send me a tell and let me know that something exciting is going down on my home server. We already know each other's real names (his real name is Alfonzo Illustriatza Calcaterra, btw, google that shit), so I have no concerns. This is a direct one to one connection that no one else can see. I am okay with this. From what I understand, this is how Real ID will work.
2. Now, here's what I'm really hoping will be implemented. One day Alfonzo tells me my ass looks fat in that sissy robe, and I tell him he casts like a mage, and we decide that we no longer want to be connected. I am hoping that Blizz will allow us to sever that connection, so that AlfonzoFulguralis will no longer pester me with Jenny Craig propaganda while I'm goofing off with my SAN friends.
3. I would love love love it if we could make Real ID connections with friends on European servers, but I seriously doubt that will be possible. If we can, you can all get in line behind me as I try to pester Tam into accepting my Real ID connection invitation. I will assault him with annoying Americanisms and pictures of George Bush and Rhett Butler until he accepts**.
   
4. I'm assuming we will be allowed to have cross-faction conversation connections.
5. ETA: Whoa. I just caught this - thanks to Lissanna and Wow.com. DO NOT WANT.
   

IF YOU OPT-IN TO THE REAL LIFE FRIENDS FEATURE, THOSE PEOPLE YOU DESIGNATE AS "REAL LIFE FRIENDS" WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE NAMES OF YOUR OTHER "REAL LIFE FRIENDS," AND YOUR NAME WILL BE VISIBLE BY THOSE PEOPLE THAT YOUR "REAL LIFE FRIENDS'" HAVE DESIGNATED USING THE SAME FEATURE.

So, to continue in that line of thought, there will be massive changes incoming to the chat UI. These are the sorts of things that sail miles over my Dwarven head, so I'm just going to copy and paste some of the details, because until I see them in action, it means nothing to me.

• Players can now right-click on any chat type (Whisper, Trade, General, Party, Raid, etc.) and choose to move conversation types into separate windows. This will move that chat type to a separate tab in the Chat frame which can be undocked and moved anywhere on the screen.
  • Using the Move to Whisper Window option on a Whisper will place the conversation with that player in a separate tab.
  • Any time a conversation with another player is put into its own tab, the tab will glow when a new message is received.
• Hovering over the Chat Frame and using the mouse wheel will allow players to scroll through chat text.
• Players can select Classic Mode under Interface Options to keep the Chat Frame functionality closer to what it was prior to patch 3.3.5.
• The Simple Chat User Interface option has been removed.

Now, this next part is pretty freaking cool. Apparently Blizz is implementing a system that will essentially learn from the behavior you portray on your toon. I suspect this is something they have been able to do for a very long time, and because of the controversial nature of it, have shied away from it. This is one of the first implementations of it we have seen - but I suspect we might see more of it in the future. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but from the perspective of Blizzard, it certainly ought to reduce the amount of in game tickets they have to resolve.

The functionality of the Vote Kick feature in the Dungeon Finder will now behave differently according to a player's history with the system. Players using the Dungeon Finder who rarely vote to kick players from a group, or rarely abandon groups before a dungeon is complete, will find that the Vote Kick option will have no cooldown. For players who frequently abandon groups or vote to kick other players, the Vote Kick option will be kept on a cooldown. This functionality will adjust itself as a player's behavior while using the Dungeon Finder changes.

One final thing regarding the Real ID. I know it will be tempting to release your ID information forth into the blogosphere because it's a great idea to connect to all your blogging friends. I think that's great, and I think that's wonderful - however, I will not be doing that. For once, I really do value the privacy of my name, but it's also because I'm a horrible multi tasker when it comes to conversations. I get incredibly overwhelmed when multiple people are talking to me at once, and I'm useless at whatever I'm attempting to get done. So, please don't take it personally or as an insult. When I'm feeling chatty, I jump on SAN or open up Twitter. What I like about these options is that when I'm DONE feeling chatty... I can log out.

So, the big question is... Whatever happened to 3.3.4?

** I would never actually do this, and if anyone does this to me I will find out where you live with my super mapping abilities and plant 8000 pink Ashlee Simpson barbie dolls in your yard.