I said it before and I'll say it again. I'm not a huge fan of the new gimmicky mechanics of the new Dalaran and Orgrimmar Arenas. Blizzard highlighted these features in the PvP panel earlier today. There really isn't anything new, as most of these features were touted at the Worldwide Invitational, except that this time there are now textures for the maps.

I'll concur that the new dynamic elements add a bit of fun and another layer of strategy to Arena matches. That said, it also brings in an unnecessary factor of RNG. If Arenas are to be truly a barometer of professional and competitive play, it should have as little gimmick elements as possible. In Arena terms, it should be something uncomplicated like a boxing ring or martial arts mat. The new maps are more like American Gladiators or Takeshi's Castle. On the other hand, that kind of format has higher entertainment value.

The good news is that the best players will know the timing of the moving pillars, flames, and water spouts and use it to their advantage. The bad news is that those elements will save a lot of lesser skilled players' lives and sometimes break heals or worse, land accidental killing blows. Being at 1% health and dying to a flame spout while trying to get away from an opponent would suck big time, especially in pro competition.

Alright, I know what you're thinking. That's it? No announcements? No big bombshell revelation at BlizzCon? The biggest thing to come out from those two days was the announcement that StarCraft would come out as three separate games. Yep, that's not even World of Warcraft-related. What gives? Well, let's put it this way: we've got one huge game coming up this November, another -- or three -- coming out when "it's ready®", and the long-awaited Diablo III in development. Do we really need more games? Blizzard might actually be doing us a favor by giving us enough breaks to do some real world stuff. Like eat or shower. If you missed Day 2, here's the quick lowdown:

• All of us over here at WoW Insider have always enjoyed the independently-produced web series The Guild. So when we heard they were going to be at BlizzCon, we jumped at the chance to interview them. Check out Mike's little tete-a-tete with the cast of the show.
• First up for the day was my favorite panel, the PvP discussion, which Mike liveblogged for us. The developers talked about the new Arena maps, Battlegrounds, and what lay ahead for World of Warcraft PvP.
• Adam walked away a little grumpy from liveblogging the Dungeons & Raids panel because one of Blizzard's promises was to never field another dungeon as retardedly difficult as Sunwell Plateau. And you guys know Adam, he always likes his raiding hardcore!
• It's hard to be grumpy after watching the BlizzCon '08 Dance Contest, though. From the opening clip of a guy shamelessly mimicking an ogre to the girl doing the female draenei dance in 5-inch stilettos, it really brings an embarrassing smile to your face.

It's day two of BlizzCon 2008 in Anaheim and it's going to be even bigger than yesterday. And WoW Insider has you covered. Here's the schedule of what we are liveblogging today:

• 10:30am PT/1:30pm ET - WoW PvP panel
• 12:00pm PT/3:00pm ET - Raids and Dungeons
• 1:30pm PT/4:30pm ET - WoW Q&A
• 3:00pm PT/6:00pm ET - WoW classes (round two!)
• 5:30pm PT/8:30pm ET - Closing ceremonies

Plus, be on the look out for video from the dance contest, more costume galleries and more!

Happy Monday morning everyone! If you're a fan of World of Warcraft, chances are you heard about the big old shindig Blizzard threw in Paris this week. If you didn't a chance to get to Paris this year or catch any of the news over the weekend, you'll want to keep reading. We had a crack team on the convention floor, and more of us watching the live feeds all weekend, all working hard to deliver up to date reports and analysis. What that means for you is that this is the perfect place to catch up on all the WoW news from Paris. This handy list will direct you to exactly where you want to go to get the information you need.

Liveblogs and other event reporting:

• Opening Ceremony liveblog: If you haven't heard yet, there was a pretty big announcement at this one.
• Developer's Class Panel: There's a little something for every class in here. Find out what's coming for your favorite character!
• Q&A Grab Bag Panel: See what WWI attendees had on their minds, and how the developers answered.
• Dungeons and raids panel: See what's next in the Caverns of Time, Ulduar, and more. Don't forget to check out parts two, three, and four for the whole scoop.
• PvP panel: Find out about Lake Winterspring, siege engines, Arenas, Battlegrounds, and pretty much everything except class balance. Includes pictures! Be sure to check parts two, three, and four as well.
• Arena Tournament, day 1: Amanda Dean breaks down the results.
• Notes from the costume contest: See how creative your fellow fans are -- includes pictures!
• The goodie bag: Even in real life, we like our epic loot. Let us show you the swag.

Of course, if the flood of liveblog information makes your head spin, no worries, we have analysis on every angle and every little tidbit discussed during the Invitational. Check them out after the break.