[WoW]Wotlk:Raid instances to have 10 and 25 man versions, Death Knight starts at 55

[UnchainedAcolyte]

Originally Posted by projoking

It feels like Blizzard is just giving you the cow for the price of the milk to retain your business.
...
World of Warcraft is a game that caters to the masses. That is all there is too it. It is not a game for the niche crowd a la EQ or AO or UO to name a few. The game is handed to you on a silver platter.

Yes; the game is made with a broad playerbase in mind, that's obvious. While some game elements aren't as complex or involved as I prefer, because my MMO time is more limited nowadays, it's nice to know I don't have to raid to get decent gear. If it were competition-based in the game, while more appealing to some, including myself to some extent, it would turn many casual players off.

Originally Posted by projoking

Granted this may be blizzards attempt to allow more casual players to gear up and attempt some of the higher "raid" type content, but I feel like it is a half assed solution. Of course the argument can be brought up that it is their money too and why shouldn't they get to experience the new content.
...
I guess I would say life isn't fair.

Right. However, Blizzards model is to generally level the playing field and have people have greater accessibility to most content, which is why their model has worked exceptionally well for business.

I would prefer the DK be a true "hero class", and would prefer to quest for it, or do something arduous to limit the number of death-tards roaming the lands, but the model is accessibility, and that model has worked, and people enjoy it. The irony is that the exceptional "hero class", unlike other classes, will be playable by all races, unlike the regular classes, lol. And I'm sure that while some of the mechanics will be fun and cool, they *will* be nerfed to hell if overpowered. Maybe we should call it the welfare class, a handout for all who reach 55 (senior-citizen/social security class?).

The irony is that for all of your bitching, even if Blizz were to release a non-instanced competitive server for the niche, competitive players and guilds, folks would whine about the PvE carebear servers and their gear acquisition: "But they don't have to compete to get the same gear!". It's not about the competitive aspect, it's about e-peen.

Everyone pays about the same for a monthly sub (no arguments on the Asian pay systems plzkthx), so why not have most of the game be generally accessible to them? For the sake of your e-peen? Go raid and get better gear then, and show people you can use it effectively.

Originally Posted by projoking

I know I must sound bitter and come across as an asshole, but the truth is I just expect more from my money and I am in a sense a shareholder in this company called WoW and these are just my two cents worth.

Only about 9 million or so other shareholders disagree with you. While I would prefer some features be a little different, Blizz has focused on quality. As a more casual player I haven't even gotten to TBC content yet due to reduced play time and an interested in leveling up with a few friends, which slows us down. So far vanilla has been impressive in terms of quality. I'll take quality and long awaited expansions over buggy, half-assed content anyday.


EDIT: In response to CyrusReij, yes more of the same fantastic artwork in the environments. Areas look great

[Gwen Rockpounder]

Originally Posted by Wilfan

It's not a heroic class, it's a new class. Heroic class was a moniker with barely a concrete feature back then and now all that's left is an empty buzzword.

The only "heroic" feature is that you start at higher level, but frankly can you imagine them putting a new class at this time that starts at 1? All your friends would be trying the new zones while Mr. Death Knight has to crawl through STV for the bazillionth time. Shaman/Paladin was horrible enough, even with a TBCified 1-20.

As they aren't chucking a pair of "new" races in this time, I hope they do dangle a huge carrot of DK goodness for the first couple of weeks at least so the first level 71 zone isn't more packed than an FOH Emma Watson convention

[Wombat]

Any idea on release date?

TBC took about 5 months to go from Family & Friends to release; one would think this will take less, given the lack of new races to work with and the strong adherence to the TBC model.

The one wildcard being, of course, SC 2. You'd think Blizz would want to get WotLK out sooner rather than later; you'd also think Blizz would want to get SC2 out for the end of November. Whether either want is a possibility is the questions.

And 10-man raids are a great idea. All those extra raids mean extra raid targets in cases of non-optimal class counts, etc.
PVE-wise, those DK tank abilities seem to infringe on paladins more than anything.
PVP-wise, forced movement is going to significantly hurt the old pillar humping game - one that DK gets his hooks on you the rest of his team unloads while you're caught out in the open.

[projoking]

Originally Posted by UnchainedAcolyte

...Only about 9 million or so people disagree with you. While I would prefer some features be a little different, Blizz has focused on quality. As a more casual player I haven't even gotten to TBC content yet due to reduced play time and an interested in leveling up with a few friends, which slows us down. So far vanilla has been impressive in terms of quality. I'll take quality and long awaited expansions over buggy, half-assed content anyday.

On most of your points I agree with you and won't debate them simply because its opinion.

This comment however... Just because a lot of people like something doesn't mean things are great or wonderful. Besides you should know as well as I do that most of those accounts are gold farmers.

Furthermore you just admitted you haven't even gotten to the BC content yet. My gripe is not with old world content. I loved that portion of the game. I am talking about the current and new content and the content that is to come. I have no problem with good gear I simply feel that Blizzard is upping the stats way too fast. What's next? In 3 years are we going to have 500 dps items? I mean come on its the same game with higher numbers.

I guess I am just pushing for innovation is all. Blizzards already working on another MMO and I remember them saying somewhere that they expected WoW's life cycle to be about 5-7 years or something close to that. So it would appear they have their cash cow and will milk her till she is dead. To be honest I can't be too bitter about it. It is after all just business.

[Cuppycake]

My bets? Blizzard will time the launch for Warhammer's launch.

Much like timing Gamespy's press embargo for today, 2 weeks before AoC launch, after being silent for awhile about WotLK.

Much like timing WoW's release within 1 week of EQ2's.

Much like timing Blizzcon 07 for the same weekend as the SOE Fan Faire.

Much like snubbing E3 this year and timing their private Blizzard press event for the first day of E3.

[spronk]

You don't stay #1 by being nice to your competitors, so yeah Q4/WAR release time is probably right. TBC went F&F in August 2006, beta in September, and release in Jan2007 so we can probably expect beta in June/July and release around October. Hope they re-invite the TBC beta testers back. The F&F WOTLK is already ongoing btw.

More nice shit: NO FUCKING KEYING FOR RAIDS. Goddamn, glad they learned that lesson from TBC. Also running a 10 man raid doesn't lock you out of the same 25 man, and it sounds like the 25 man drops one tier higher loot (so for example T7 may drop from 10 man Naxx, T7.5 or T8 from 25 man Naxx).

Not sure if this is gonna work, very nice HD 10 min trailer of WOTLK from MMO champion:

(edit: click the HD button and follow the link, the HD version looks much better)



Looks like its gonna be a lot of fun, not a ton of terribly innovative or new stuff but I love the art style, and the new stuff looks like real fun. Hope they talk more about inscription though, if its one of the 2 profession slots that'll suck.

[Sunder]

Originally Posted by spronk

Hope they talk more about inscription though, if its one of the 2 profession slots that'll suck.

Jewel crafting took up a profession slot, I no reason why they wouldn't have inscription do that same thing.

[The Ancient]

Originally Posted by Zehn - Vhex

I don't want to ressurect the 'best zone thread' but Blizzard needs to go back and look at BRD and say "How do we recapture this epicness?"

BRD was pretty epic the first few times you sent foot in it and are quite lost. But after 60's have been running it for a few months, people never spent any time exploring the thing, it was Emp runs and Onxyia attunements and all that epicness goes to waste.

Everybody loves that epic feel, but it's a hard sell to the devs on content that is only going to be experienced for a limited time.

[EmiliaEQ]

Originally Posted by Sharmai

Keys to making money and being super valuable when the expansion hits.
1. Make a non-plate/non-dps character that heals.

1 word : bloodmage, best healer class ever made.

[UnchainedAcolyte]

Originally Posted by projoking

...This comment however... Just because a lot of people like something doesn't mean things are great or wonderful. Besides you should know as well as I do that most of those accounts are gold farmers.
...
I guess I am just pushing for innovation is all.

It also doesn't mean because it is popular that it is necessarily bad, either. However, to appeal to a broad range of tastes implies that it usually is not anyone's personal definition of "best" in any category, but it likely is good in most. Please don't imply the idiotic McDonalds analogy.

You really believe that most, being the majority, of 10 million active accounts, are gold farmers? 5 million +? A decent percentage, perhaps even as high as 8-10%, and I feel I'm stretching it, but not 50%. Please.

I agree on the innovation aspect. Again, to appeal to a broad audience, most elements need to offer accessibility. Offer some examples.

I will agree with you on the stat ceiling, but Blizzard has accomplished this in a variety of ways (damage/heal/crit modifiers to armor and equipment, enchantments, etc.), and will continue to do so; the inscription profession sounds like a good way to make things interesting and a little better tailored to individual tastes. Part of the inherent problem (and a means to force replayability via alts), however, is a level-based system and the feeling of progression in a game. If you have nothing to achieve over and beyond given those parameters, where do you go?

[Itzena]

Originally Posted by spronk

sucks for funcom though, all this wotlk hype now for the next few days is gonna drown a lot of their thunder.

Truly exquisite timing on Blizzard's part.

[kaid]

I think since they are opening all raid events to 10 man raids will be the five man runs will be kinda similar to BC. For big epicy type areas like blackrock depths those will be the 10/25 man raid zones. Kinda like kharazan now so you can have the best of both worlds pretty easily.

[UnchainedAcolyte]

Originally Posted by Itzena

Truly exquisite timing on Blizzard's part.

Someone needs to shoop a pic of AoC and boobies and then have the Lich King's head blocking them...lol.

[Bizanich]

Two things.

I'm curious about WotLK right now is the CG cinematic and how they'll introduce it (when's the next Spike Video Game Awards?).

and....

Aerial combat = new BG?! /pray

[Kodylan]

Originally Posted by Bizanich

Two things.

I'm curious about WotLK right now is the CG cinematic and how they'll introduce it (when's the next Spike Video Game Awards?).

and....

Aerial combat = new BG?! /pray

Vehicles will work in the new BG, yes. Whether there will be aerial combat though is yet to be seen... they didn't really talk much about the new BG at all other than to confirm there's one being added, and that it'll require both attacking and defending to win the map.