To me it is worth every single penny. It's so  beautifully designed and is involved into such a dramatic part of Warcraft lore that I think I am going to have a true-sized replica of it as soon as possible.

I think Blizzard has done a good job by allowing players to purchase things like this. At the moment I only own a Wrath of the Lich King collector's Edition but I must say i don't regret for a second I made this purchase - it is this first class quality and attention to details that grabbed me when I unpacked the box. And seems like Blizzard is being very careful with stuff they create, be it a video game or accessories and I am fond of this professional approach.

So yes, despite being an employee and having average salary, which is not much in my country, owning a Legendary Sword is still worth the money it costs for me. 

(price pasted from a random online store)

/discuss

No, this choice wasn't made due to the lack of gold for dual spec, and no, I don't solely enjoy tanking instances.  

Maybe it will sound weird to some, but leveling and questing as protection warrior is a lot of fun. I have been told to have changed my mind as soon as I respec either fury or arms. Been there done that. Not fun. Yes, it can be an entertainment for players who like big numbers to wield 2H weapon (or even two of them) but I am not bothered with slower damage dealing to one mob as long as I can afford dealing it to 10 mobs at once. It's enjoyment of becoming unstoppable killing machine.  

To make the fight more fun, I use my cooldowns at all times. It makes caster silenced or interrupted and melee stunned/disarmed most of the fight. It's sweet to not have a single blow/spell land on you during the fight. 

Just this.

<3 prot spec ^^ 

I have finally managed to acquire the Green Shard - one of the three shards needed to reconstruct the powerful artifact

After reading about The War of the Shifting Sands I can't help but musing as to what a tremendous effort it had cost our predecessors to actually complete the whole quest chain. 

I also think about a friendly community World of warcraft once knew, obviously, because without those players' support those chosen ones would have never succeed in their attempt. 

Why has this so dramatically changed? Mind you, those players only helped, which means they did not benefit from any of the purple quest rewards so the only fact that the level cap was raised since then is hardly an excuse. My main character is 20 levels and 3 years above this event and still it seems to be even more difficult to gather  (much less number of) people for different parts of this chain. I read about War effort and all the preparations that had to be made and it becomes clear that achieveng something this size seems unlikely to be possible in Lich King era. People are self-obsessed, and would only join to help you if they know they would be fairly rewarded for their assistance. The Lore itself does not interest them as long as it does not provide any upgrades for their characters.  

With the upcoming new Cataclysm expansion that puts an end to dungeons involved in this chain, I can't predict how  far I will be able to proceed, but I am greatful to the bunch of friendly folks who assist me and, which is more important, enjoy what they are doing, because playing side by side with a person that thinks and sees alike is a much greater entertainment.

Later I will upload a few screenshots I've done during defending Nighthaven from Eranikus as part of the chain. We managed to duo the event (me, epic holy priest and him, t9 feral druid). And I have to say this is one of the many outstanding things that make this game shine. I take my hat off before Blizzard for this.

And let's hope one day I would have the honor of holding the Scepter in my hands.

Been awhile.

This time that I wasn't posting was spent in a worthless effort to level one of my current characters to the cap through dungeons.

And maybe a few lower level characters as well.

But here is where I hit a dead end. My realm lacks players eager to accomplish anything rather than being boosted through game content untill they are capable of running through the Dark Portal.

If that is not a completely naive idea to have, there should still be realms that have players run dungeons at all levels, and that's the realm I would gladly play on. I wouldn't transfer any of my characters. Just start a fresh new (prot warrior, most probably) character and  join every dungeon I can, hopefully, without having to look for a group for 4 hours and then watch it disband in the middle of an instance. (no big deal when it happens once, twice, few times, once in a while. Bad to have it happen most[/i] of the time.)

If you happen to play on one of such (EU) realms, please post here. Most probably, I would transfer such character back 'home' after leveling it till certain level, to proceed with my guild in end game content so no, I am not looking for a guild or serious raiding team. Just a realm where most (many) players enjoy the process[/i] of getting to 80, not that magical number itself) and are not afraid of huge dungeons.

The only thing I'd change about WoW (apart from totally destroying WoTLK and getting back to 70 cap or even 60) would be adding more quests that require thinking, player attention and use of logic rather than 'killing boars' routine that most of them really are, and that also are simply interesting to read into,

Like the quest chain that starts with Sven Yorgen, for instance. Remember?

"...When I returned I saw a shadowy figure skulking near my barn, burying something. He fled before I could catch him, and I couldn't linger for I was hot on the heels of the Dark Riders. So I never discovered what was hidden...."

"...Ah, yes. I sold this book a month ago to a shady person. He didn't tell me his name, but he was a nervous, jittery chap, always looking over his shoulder...."

"...Morbent Fel has been defeated. The dark riders are still at large, but a small piece of that which I had hoped beyond hope has come to pass.

You have done the impossible, and your deeds will forever live in the legends of Duskwood..."

When I read all of it I thought it was the best thing I ever happened to read ingame. and being a part of this massive pieace of lore felt fantastic. And also sad. And I love sad stories.

Those, - The Legend of Stalvan, The Missing Diplomat ("...Recently a diplomat was sent to Theramore to meet with Jaina Proudmoore. That diplomat never arrived..."), and Shadowy figure chain - are my favourite quests in the whole game along with some old attunement questlines like the one to aquire The Master's Key (Caverns of Time being the best zone in the game for me)  a storyline in Karazhan that starts with Medivh's Journal...

Doing those quests one can actually see how the WoW Universe is spinning, what was, what is and what will be. They are like small pieces of a huge puzzle called WoW Lore and you get extremely excited when you can put it all together.

I regret very much that the opening of the AQ gates had happened on all servers long before I joined this game and I will never be able to complete some quests I know I would enjoy very much... And yet, there are many good quests still ahead and at least I've been through Scourge invasion!

Remember your favourite quests?

As you play you get attached to your virtual 'buddies'. After a day at work, you return into your MMORPG and share the evening with absolutely strange people who appear to mean so much to you it gets scary if you come to think of it.

Guess even heroes have their breakdowns. A guild leader of our guild has deleted all his level 80 characters couple of days ago, leaving his low level character to lead the guild of mostly 80s and well geared players...He worked very hard and very long on them, pre-TBC and pre-WoTLK...

I would have still been asking myself why he'd done so if I, myself, haven't been through same thing some time before. But I still cannot formulate the reason I've done it. At which point exactly does casual playing turn into hell that makes you quit the game (well, quit end-game content anyway)? What is that terrible something that suddenly ruins the fun for you so much you want to get away and out?

My guess is, in my case it could be WoW itself. It is not the WoW it used to be. I thought I could remove this bad feeling by moving to RP server but it didn't work. The mass hysteria about achievements and better/best gear has totally replaced what initially mattered in the game. Maybe I just fail to understand the very concept of a MMORPG but I always had cothinkers who'd totally support the idea of enjoying the process of playing, not how much you've scored and how much time you've spent doing it. With the release of WoTLK those cothinkers have vanished into thin air.

Learning the tactics seems to be right no more. Why bother when you'd expect a guild to take you in your greens into Naxx 10 and boost you to get some epics? Who cares if the patch is few months old and you are a few days into level 80?  Good for Ulduar it is a really tough place and not every 80 on my realm is through with it yet...

You are level 16 and want to have a run through Deadmines? You must be stupid! Nobody does DM anymore. Grow up, NAB. Go buy a boost and save 1 hour of your time plus you get all the loot!

I hate it I hate it I hate it. I guess my guild leader hated it also. That, plus this guild 'joint responsibility' system. if you are, say, a healing class and a guildmate is dying to do some run and he will be very upset if he doesn't do it today, and there is this  darn last spot in his pug and he's been wining and begging for good 20 minutes, you have to go help him no matter what your personal plans for the evening were...It doesn't matter if you are currently playing with your little alt and enjoying old Azeroth and having the best moments while, maybe, trying to complete a quest chain you have never previously done. As long as you have "<name>'s Alt" typed in your info, you must help a guildie. Nobody tells you or orders you to do so, of course not. But you feel you are obliged to do so. And since you are not a kind of person who would pretend not to read guild chat you go and you help. And even feel a bit of satisfaction in the end as the problem of your buddy has been solved... But some bitter taste remains and sometimes persists.

I wish WoTLK never existed. Yes I do. I love Northrend environment but I love much more the old game with its old dungeons and I hate the adea that you outgrow the mightiest bosses by "few" levels. It makes no sense. The new bosses could be mightier but certainly not us, mortals. I want to come to Caverns of Time and still get the impression that all the portals still contain  most powerful forces within... The thing is, I still get this impression...but the game tells me otherwise.

Also, I lack same thinking people on my server. Adventuring throughout Azeroth (mostly Kalimdor) I tend to stay out of any achievements (achievements for the sake of achievements) and Northrend dailies. And although I feel miserable it also gives me a weird bittersweet feeling when I get a  '0' result typing "/who aszhara"... Like a single player mode with no one to interfere with my plans and feelings.  

Sorry for spilling it all out in here. Thought it might get better if I do.

A follow up from  http://my.curse.com/blogs/wrooom/archive/2009/04/07/let-s-talk-about-wotlk.aspx

After trying desperately to learn to like damage dealing as shadow priest in a few instances and heroic Plague Wing (was taken there as soon as I dang 80 thanks to friends so my DPS was miserable but anyway) I've decided I need to get back to healing as fast as possible as clearly this is what I like to do most and damage dealing is definitely not my cup of tea.

This was a time to think of better spell power. My tailoring is only 415 at the moment so although it seems to be 'only few skill points away from Moonshroud Gloves and Moonshroud Robe (which I find the best craftables in the game for a healer), money- and time-wise it's eons away (taking into account materials and cooldowns) and for me that means plan B.

I must say I've grown very sick of picking herbs during this week-end as I've been doing it without stop for hours and made about 1300 gold to spend them on the said gear and also a few gems and enchants to improve some of my 'blue' gear.

Thanks to that heroic Plague Wing run and a successful roll on two items (Cowl of Innocent Delight and Bands of Impurity) I now had 4 epic items in my posession and after putting some spell power on bracers, gloves, weapon and also shoulders and head (Sha'tar and Scryers reputation enchants) I had a total of 1890 spell power and the next thing I remember was running to a priest trainer in Stormwind to get my beloved  healing spec back.

This wednesday we'll be starting a new Naxx run and also doing some heroics, with me as a healer this time, and I feel pretty confident and looking forward to those runs. No PUGs, pure guild run, so going to learn many things hopefully. Still have to read more about the encounters and get back my Deadly Boss Mods that I've not installed after repairing the game  a while ago.

Feels very nice to once again be able to finally play your favourite role in the game.

Oh, I almost forgot.

The build I am using is 24/47/0

Disc 24:

5/5 twin disciplines; 3/3 silent resolve; 3/3 imp.inner fire (have a question about whether it is buffing the spell power by 45% also or if not - whether I should be needing that at all); 2/2 imp. PW:F; 3/3 meditation; 5/5 mental agility; devine spirit and 2/2 imp. devine spirit.

Holy 47:

2/2 healing focus; 3/3 imp. renew; 5/5 holy spec; 5/5 spell warding; 5/5 devine fury; 5/5 spiritual healing; 3/3 imp'healing; 2/2 healing prayers, spirit of redemption, 5/5 spiritual guidance; 5/5 empowered healing; 3/3 serendipity; 3/3 test of faith.

This is a build of my own and it's been only slightly changed before so basically as long as this character exists I am using the same one. Haven't been full holy and also I hate to sacrifice my disc points for the sake of holy ones. But if to your opinion I would improve my healing if replaced some points I'd like your advise on them.

Do I  really need imp. fortitude? (always thought in terms of all raid I buff it's handy but could be wrong)

Improved inner fire. Does having a 3/3 in this mean that the spell power is additionally increased by 45% of Inner Fire usual SP increase? If it doesn't affect spell power but only +armor and charges, I definitely need to get rid of it and put those two points in Martyrdom (already thinking I should have put at least 1 point in there. Confirm/Deny)

Surge of light. I used to have 2/2 in this but I don't pretty much like anything that has a ...% chance of happening and as far as I remember it wasn't much of a help in boss encounters. Guess  inner focus is much better in that respect - at least you can control it.

Absolution... I am sometimes bothered by not having any points in it as there are encounters that burn down your mana as you constantly dispell. And if I should have points in it what from Disc tree should I sacrifice?

Do I need  holy reach? I've never had any problems with getting to players but then again I haven't been in all encounters so probably there are some situations where it is vital.

Serendipity... Took it due to my habit to overheal. Guess when I manage to avoid that I will also get rid of the talent points in serendipity.  Currently it does help me a bit.

Also the thing I've been questioning myself about since my very first death in the instance; do I really need Spirit of redemption? Yes, I understand that those few mana-free casts you have time to cast can save the raid but then again I don't happen to die that much and I have a feeling sometimes that this talent is wasted. 

Well, that's about all that concerns me at the moment. if there are obvious flaws you see in my build please post your thoughts and arguments I'd really use some good advises.

 Edit:

The patch day is a day of big changes for me. Guess I should have more holy points in my healing build than I used to  This will improve the healing bonus but not the spell power in general. Good they implemented this dual talent spec - no need to go respec everytime you are not in the instance.

UPDATE:

Looks like it is not as bad as I thought it would be.

This is what I've come to after carefully thinking each talent over:

Disc: Only now have 15 points in discipline tree:

5/5 Twin diciplines; 3/3 Silent resolve; 2/2 Imp.PW:F; 2/2 Martyrdom; 3/3 meditation,

Holy:

3/3 Imp.renew; 5/5 Holy spec.; 5/5 Devine fury; 3/3 Inspiration; 1/2 Holy reach; 3/3 Imp.healing; 2/2 Healing prayers; Spirit of Redemption; 5/5 Spiritual guidance; 2/2 Surge of light; 5/5 Spiritual healing; 3/3 Holy concentration; 5/5 Empowered healing;  3/3 Serendipity; 3/3 Empowered Renew; Circle of healing; 5/5 Devine providence; Guardian spirit.

Doesn't look so bad in action. A very slight loss in bonus spell power but I really feel no difference. Gained a bit in stamina and mana regen while casting hasn't changed. Guess priest healing spec is all about less spamming and more thinking now. And that is probably how i like it.

I wasn't sure about how to name this article guess its current name suits it best as it is about everything I have experienced since November 13 which was a devine mixture of joy, exceitement and frustration at the same time.

JOY AND EXCITEMENT 

Of course there was! A new so long-expected addon released and finally a boat arrives at a Harbor you haven't even got used to yet, and takes you to a whole new island of adventures. And this island, designed so beautifully, fills you with the satisfaction for something you've long awaited and can finally posess.

New lands, new races, new quest mechanics - someone may complain but to me it was all about perfect. With the exception of my graphics card perfomance it was like getting into an Imaginationland where everything you could think of was already there.

I flew through my 5 levels from 70 to 75. And that was when the frustration came in.

FRUSTRATION

The gear started to wear off. The gear I worked so hard and so patiently (being a casual player it does take time and patience) and stacked it with expensive gems so perfectly. My tier 4 gear that, I know, wasn't the top of it, and there was still  Tier 5 and Tier 6 and I still had quests in my log to get there, but it was perfect for heroics and raids (with the exception of the Sunwell, Mount Hyjal and Black Temple). And I realized now that it is time that I had to start it all over again. And probably I am a melancholic type because that frustration took me far enough to start playing with my lower level characters instead of improving my priest and  make it to the 80 asap.

For last 2 levels I had to respec into disc/shadow (something I was told to do all the time since level 10 but never did) because i really started to feel the lack of spell damage I deal. The mobs were hard to deal with as most Storm Peaks and Icecrown quests are level 80. It was my first experience as shadow and it took me awhile to get used to new spells and abilities. I loved Smite so much as Holy I couldn't stress how there is not a shadow spell that has no cooldown!  After awhile I figured what formula is best for me (Vampiric Touch, Shadow word: Pain, Mind Blast, Mind Flay, Shadow Word: Death if its not dead yet) and it started to get much better. I never ran out of mana since then and leveled to 79 and half the way to 80 with ease.

Now I am back on the track. BUT all of my realm friends are far ahead and raiding  Naxxramas and most of them are ready for Ulduar. I am leveling my tailoring (which is 410 only) so i could get the craftable epics at cheapest cost at 80. However the hardest gap to fill wouldn't be gear at all but the knowledge. While everyone on my realm seems to already know all Northrend dungeons tactics I only have experience in Utgarde Keep and Nexus which is close to zero in comparison.

REBIRTH

At this point I guess what matters the most is what surroundings you have. If there are friends that are willing to help you then there is no problem at all. If there is not, then you would most probably have to face dealing with pick-up groups and them complaining about your ignorance in terms of tactics even though you might warn people each time you step in a dungeon that you are a first-timer and know your class but not this specific dungeon tactics.

It is good I do have friends willing to help. And hoping to get back to healing soon as I am already missing it a big deal. And let's hope I will still be as good as I was told to have been  in 'good ole' TBC times =) 

Don't hesitate to post your experience with WOtLK in here. Would be really interesting to know other players' opinions and thoughts.

Going to update this thread with quests I've "stumbled upon" as I play.

TELDRASSIL

As you quest in Teldrassil (north-east part of it, level 10-12 area) and most probably gathering those mossy tumors off timberlings, there is one rare level 13 timberling - Blackmoss the Fetid who drops Moss-twined Heart which begins a  quest 'The Moss-twined Heart'  You can find him roaming around the lake and is rather easy to deal with at level 11+ (I usually find my characters quest there around this level) The reward is sweet - a timberling that will fight on your side for 20(!) minutes or until killed.

There are also two big plants - to north-east and north-west from Dolanaar (to the far left and to the far right as you exit Darnassus towards Dolanaar) that give you 1 quest each.

At the area where you do Tears of the Moon (given at Darnassus, Temple of the Moon) there is a druid-like cat named Mist. She is lost and you get the quest to lead her out of danger to her master (sentinel standing near the Moonwell), Mist is very easy to miss because even if you gather belts off herpys for the quest given by the same sentinel, you are likely to avoid that area as harpys there are 1-2 levels higher and the caster types are pretty dangerous if you are level 9-10. I'd say you'd have to walk straight north-west from the Moonwell and lean to whare Teldrassil actually ends (call it a bark - I used to think it was mountains hugging Teldrassil until I finally realized Teldrassil is actually a tree^^)

Imortant note! There is one quest that is not availible to you until you train cooking. So don't be a dwarf and spend a few coins on it and you get 250 to your Darnassus reutation plus a tasty sder kabob. The quest giver (cooking trainer) is named Zarrin.

I guess it is all there is to say about Teldrassil.

DARKSHORE

Beached Sea Turtle and Beached Sea Creature are objects you will meet along the way while questing in this area. All of these quests are handed in to the same quest giver in Auberdine.

Not many people read into 'WANTED! Murkdeep!' quest description and so not everyone is aware that to summon Murkdeep you have to keep killing murlocs at the area he spawns.

Also the Twilight Thugs and Twilight Disciples are rumored to drop Book: The Powers Below that I still haven't had a luck to get. It begins quest The Powers Below.  You can find them surrounding a small lake in the south of Darkshore (and to the right from the road heading to Astnaar). South of that lake is The Absent Minded Prospector.

To the north (the most northern part of Darkshore) you can get two quests from a gnome named Gelkak Gyromast. 

AZUREMYST ISLE

Nothing much to say about this area except that this area is famous for Blood Elf Bandit Mask  that sometimes drops from Blood Elf Bandit stealthing in northern part of the Isle. He also drops Blood Elf Communication thats starts a quest.

Once you enter Azuremyst from the boat you will likely see an infected nightstalker runt. Kill it. it will drop a Faintly Glowing Crystal to make you busy (quest Strange Findings).

If you are a reputation or Lore-Master title hunter you would want to drop by a starting draenei area Ammen Vale (eastern part of the Isle) and quickly do the quests there. When you get to the blood elves around there (north-west of Ammen Vale) - and you'll be needing Surveyor Candress to be slain for a quest - don't forget to loot his corpse (as the quest only requires you to kill him, not get any items off him) and you will obtain Blood Elf Plans which is a quest starter.

Back to northern parts of Azuremyst Isle, you will be given quests by furbolgs (supposedly you have already done the quest that teaches you their language) and one of those quests will require you to get to the coast (Murlocs... Why here? Why now?) for stillpine grain which can be either objects (looking like sacks of grain all around the area) or a drop off murlocs, When you are at that place, scout the coast for a  bigger gray murloc named Murgurgula (a very suitable name for a murloc) and leave noone alive - he drops Gurf's Dignity which Gurf the furbolg at Stillpine Hold will much appreciate to have back!

I think the last item to mention is a Rune-Covered Tablet looted from the naga to the south. Numbers vary, but it is around 2.5, 3% droprate and you might finally give up on getting it though.

BLOODMYST ISLE

At Bloodmyst Isle everything is pretty much easy to find/discover. Only two drop items that begin quests are Red Crystal Pendant which drops off the murloc Cruelfin [Rawgrlgrlgrlgrlgrrgle] thats spawns at the southern coast of Bloodmyst Isle (starts quest 'Cruelfin's Necklace') and Tzerak's Armor Plate that dropps off a demon named Tzerak to the south-west from the Blood Watch (starts quest 'Signs of the Legion')

There is also this quest giver I have almost missed on my way to do a 'The Missing Expedition' quest. It's Researcher Cornelius and he gives you quest  'They're Alive! Maybe...' He is located to the north-east to the entrance to the path up the mountain (where you kill Zatakh - the big spider) and if you take the quest he offers you can do it together with 'The Missing Expedition'

DUN MOROGH

So long as I remember (and I haven't found any info on the internet that would disapprove that) there is no drop items that begin a quest in this area.

Of all the objects i can think of there is only one - A Dwarven Corpse - that is  easy to miss (it starts 'A Pilot's Revenge'). However, if you have previously completed 'The Lost Pilot' quest, you will have no issues finding the corpse as the quest gives rather detailed directions as to where it might be (A Dwarven Corpse lies on the left side from the path to North gate, across from the quest giver.)

Speaking of Dun Morogh, I decided that I put a small note on Gnomeregan Exiles in it as well. I personally had a hard time doing 'Data Rescue' quest so this information could help those who might need it.

Here is the map. You start your way in a non-instance zone of Gnomeregan and it is there that you obtain the white punch card you need - it drops off non-elite gnomes running about the area.

When you have the white card, get down on the elevator, do not enter instance yet! Go to Techbot area (choose right side when you reach the fork). There are several Matrix Punchograph 3005-A objects. Use any of them and get your yellow card.

Now it is time to enter the instance. Go back to the fork and choose left this time.

Punchograph 3005-B is located in the bottom of the Dormitories. Use it and get your blue punch card.  

Now off to Matrix Punchograph 3005-C. You'll find it on a platform in Launch Bay (right in the middle of the room) and it is guarded by Electrocutioner 6000. I think you have to fight him as he is positioned very close to punchograph. Get your red punch card and proceed to the Matrix Punchograph 3005-D.

Matrix Punchograph 3005-D is located at the very bottom of the Engineering Lab. Using it will reward you with Prismatic Punch Card.  

You can leave through the back entrance now supposedly you've dealed with Electrocutioner 6000 and he dropped Workshop Key for you that opens the back gate.

LOCH MODAN

Farstrider Lodge for me was area I discovered many characters after I rolled my main one so just a map for you to remember there are actually two flight paths in Loch Modan =)

Also an interesting quest chain awaits you at the Dam to the north.

As for quest giving objects that are not involved with any other quests and thus hard to find - I am not aware of their existance in Loch Modan. 

Almost forgot!

ELWYN FOREST

Normally I try to avoid Northshire and Goldshire as often as possible but it may be less annoying to quest there on other realms.

Also, apart from Gold Pickup Schedule, that drops off mobs around Hogger area and Westfall Deed - off defias bandits, there is hardly anything worth mention in terms of searching.

A few hours after dinging my character handed in last quest for Gnomeregan that gave her the title. It was a long trip as I had no help from other players so it only includes soloable quests (group quests that can be soloed also count) and does not include PvP quests) so it is totally possible even if you hate to socialize and PvP but still play a MMORPG=)

Basically, it is all there. It's been posted a lot before and there are wonderful guides out there that tell you what to do and where to go step by step.

For me personally it was inconvenient to check with wow database on each quest I was about to do and see if it rewards with reputation or not cause it ruined the atmosphere I like about the game, so I followed my own rules which was a mixture of common sense, logic, knowledge and WoW experience.

Except for Gnomeregan Exiles, all the other faction reputations  (you'll need Stormwind, Darnassus, Ironforge, Gnomeregan Exiles,Exodar for the title) are pretty easy to gain by simply doing all the starting areas quests.

The character I gained Ambassador with is a human so that adds extra 10% to  reputation gained. So kind of still figuring if it is possible to do by characters of other races. I have no doubts about the four, but, again, Gnomeregan Exiles is in question.

Here is how I did it.

Starting out in Eastern Kingdoms (I tend to level in other racial starting areas but not in this case with a class that has many class quests given at 'home'), as soon as I finished Elwyn Forest/Lakeshire (by that time I was 21) I went to gnome/dwarf starting area and finished all quests there (Dun Morogh/Loch Modan)

From there to Wetlands as it is the closest area. After that I completed all availible quests for Darkshire (Duskwood), and after Duskwood I was done with Eastern Kingdoms for some time. I must admit these areas have vary nice storylines and quest chains that are fun to complete, especially the Shadowy Figure (Duskwood).

After that I moved to Kalimdor. By that time I was about level 30 and so Teldrassil and small part of Ashenvale quests gave little experience while huge amount of reputation. When you are in low level areas do not forget to use 'find low level quests' - you might find quests in very unexpected locations (for me it was a bridge from Dum Algaz to Arathi Highlands (assignment to deliver 'something' to Southshore in 12 minutes - nice reputation reward!)

Don't forget Stonetalon Mountains as around 12 quests that give you reputation with Gnomeregan Exiles involve various kinds of activities in that area.

Somewhere in between all those quests I had a visit to Azuremyst Isle/Bloodwatch Isle and completed all quests there. This place is awesome in terms of reputation farming for all factions (and even more awesome in terms of atmosphere but to each his own=))

Ashenvale with Stonetalone Peak was followed by returning to Eastern Kingdoms - Hillsbrad Foothills and Arathi Highlands and (although I haven't still completed even half of quests of those areas)

I completed all quests for two instances I was able to solo (and was not able to find a group to): Stormwind Stockades at lvl39 and Gnomeregan - at 40.

For Exodar, Stormwind and Darnassus I didn't even do one single cloth donation quest (and for Darnassus I didn't even have to do any of Teldrassil quests) and for Ironforge I did wool cloth and silk cloth donations (but could skip it as the next day I was already 999/1000 after handing in few quests in Arathi.

Also remember to accept all the quests from quest givers located in faction cities as most likely they will reward you with nice reputation. For example, quest "Reception from Tyrande" which is mentioned (on thottbot at least) to give +500 Darnassus reputation solely in fact gives also 350 reputation for Gnomeregan Exiles (and maybe other 3 factions). I've noticed it as I have GE reputation tracking bar in my UI and it went up 385(350+35) points after completion.  

The good thing would be, once in a particular area, to check with the area specific items because if you are a kind of player who doesn't loot everything you might leave some corpses unlooted and thus - miss some items that begin quests (like in Azuremyst Isle the quest item that drops off the infected nightstalkers). A zone specific item is not necessarily a drop - it can be just any object and you might miss it if you don't see an exclaimation sign hoovering in the corner of your minimap.

The very idea to become exalted with all home cities didn't come to me once I rolled this character. it was when i dinged exalted with Stormwind to my surprise that I decided to actually have a look at my reputations gained with other factions. What I saw there was amazing. Revered with all factions and I haven't even considered any reputation farming! From there on I actually started to pay attention to that too as I leveled. So probably all that could have been achieved faster and earlier if given a thought and some strategy.

Hope this very tiny bit of information helps. Didn't want to put any spoilers in here because I wanted to draw a general idea of approaching this matter than to just guide you from quest giver to quest giver (in which I wouldn't have succeeded more than many fine authors already have)   

Titled character: Wroom (warlock, level 40)

Realm: Khadgar EU

Planning next: become Grand Master of both engineering and mining + first aid, cooking and fishing at level 50 60 (thanks for correcting me on this one :)) What I actually meant was to get to the maximum skill level which is the same 375 points (as when you learn Master it allows you to raise your skills to from 300 to 375 and fishing fron 275 to 375 and Master <profession> is availible at  level 50) but you can't proceed past this limit until you are level 60.

Finally made it to 245 engi with my 35 warlock!

Either because I wasn't following closely profession guides posted at wow official forums of due to other reasons beyond my knowledge =) this profession requires solid portions of gold if you push it ahead of your level (meaning that, it is a bit hard for my 35 lock to wander the foothills of Searing Gorge in search of mithril deposits safely =P)  So what I basically do is collect copper, tin, iron to put to auction house and use that money to get mithril ore.

I have to admit engineering is definitely not one of the professions in WoW that guarantee you steady incom.  But sometimes you get lucky as an earned amount exceeds your wildest expectations. Most of the time, though, I have to rely upon low level items that are always in demand (such as greens, consumables, materials)

But apart from being pain in the chest engineering has one very amazing "side effect" - it's entertaining!

I have never had more fun than when I read about craftables side effects or actually experiencing them =)

Also yesterday I rolled (again, for the 7th time already - yes, I just love the Light's Hope Chapel battle=D) a Death Knight and picked mining (as none of my other characters except for this warlock had it) and now i guess leveling engineering will be much easier. Second profession would be skinning (so I can have a supply of leather for goggles any time of the day)

I think that it is pretty sad how things are being nerfed in WoW - to me it seems that the more effort things require the more satiscaction you get for finally obtaining them!

Good luck to all of you professionals and apprentices =)

/cheer