World of Warcraft has a pretty big footprint: we try to create a world that appeals to casual and hardcore players alike. There's a whole body of players -- be they casual or solo gamers or serious gamers with time constraints -- who gravitate toward questing. It's the most accessible part of the game. Quests move you through cool locations, allow you to play through epic stories, and continually reward you without requiring a lot of practice or commitment. Not everyone has the time to raid, and not everyone wants to; for many players, quests are the whole game.

We're always looking for ways to improve World of Warcraft and, for Cataclysm, we introduced several UI features and new types of technology to help make questing more accessible, more immersive, and, most importantly, more fun! You've probably already encountered  many of these mechanics as you've explored post-shattering Azeroth, but we still wanted to take some time to discuss their purpose and functionality with you, as well as get your feedback on how they've contributed to your leveling experience this expansion.

Ready for more digging, travelers? Fantastic! There's a plethora of game and community developments this week just waiting to be discovered. Let's dive right in.

Welcome to World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, adventurers! Azeroth is positively buzzing with activity, so grab your shovels and let's dig into the latest community and game developments.

Greetings, travelers! While it's good to see you survived Deathwing's return, there's unfortunately no time for idle chatter. Much has happened these past two weeks, so let's sift through the rubble and explore the latest community developments.

Deathwing's emergence will change much more than the face of Azeroth; it will also introduce new dangers and adventures for the brave heroes who recently triumphed over the Lich King in Northrend. For those of you who have returned victorious from the cold north and are now prepared to battle against Deathwing and the sinister Twilight's Hammer cult under Cho'gall, a difficult choice awaits. Where will you go first in your quest to spare Azeroth from annihilation?

Azeroth's capital cities, once bastions of trade and commerce, are now under siege by forces from the Elemental Planes. While faction leaders have recently established Evacuation Portals throughout each city, allowing concerned denizens to safely escape before the next full-scale invasion occurs, we understand that accidents can still happen. In the event of an emergency, for example, you may become trapped, separated from your evacuation party, or be otherwise unable to reach a secure location. To ensure that you're adequately prepared for this worst-case scenario and can survive until reinforcements arrive, we've created a list of items to include in an Invasion Survival Kit to help you withstand the wrath of the elements.

With patch 4.0.3 now live, the stage has been set for the coming cataclysm. The return of Deathwing is imminent, and soon Azeroth will be changed forever. Many of you have been anticipating this moment. You've posted, blogged, podcasted, and even tweeted about it. But, after the world is torn asunder by the wrath of the corrupted Dragon Aspect, what will you do first?

After the appearance of Twilight's Hammer agents in Orgrimmar and Stormwind City, Azeroth's defenders swiftly thwarted the cult's bid to destroy the two capitals. Yet these victories have done little to soothe fears over Azeroth's calamitous state. Earthquakes continue shaking the world with greater frequency than ever before. Wayward fire spirits have engulfed Orgrimmar, threatening to reduce the proud Horde capital to ash. Across the Great Sea, a sudden influx of earth spirits has rocked the foundations of Ironforge, pushing the once-indomitable dwarven bastion to the brink of collapse.

To help prepare the denizens of Azeroth for life after The Shattering, we've been exploring a variety of dungeons, zones, and Battlegrounds that will be featured in World of Warcraft: Cataclysm, highlighting their key gameplay elements and delving a bit deeper into the characters that make these environments unique. If you missed out on any of these environment previews, search no further! We've compiled and organized them by their respective categories for you below. Be sure to check back periodically, too, since we'll be continually updating this page as new information is revealed. Enjoy!