The current state of World of Warcraft

[pure.Wasted]

Posted this in another thread last night, but it seems more relevant here, really. For the record I got to level 65 or so, stopped with BC. Never raided.

My problem with MoP, and this is going to sound a little funny, is that it feels like the first time Blizzard has ever been up-front with the players about their intentions. Forget the lore that you hold so dear and don't want to see retconned away, forget the continent-spanning quest chains that will never receive their promised resolutions, what we have for you is ten levels of adventuring and we're going to make them the most fun ten levels of adventuring you've ever had in WoW. Maybe in any game, period. And they will at that. I don't doubt it. Atmospheric zones, even more fun quests, Pokemon-style battles to keep you occupied when you don't feel like questing OR arenaing OR battlegrounding OR raiding... it'll absolutely be a blast.

But even during Cataclysm, I think there was still a shred of hope that one day, maybe not with that expansion, but the next one, the game would transcend itself and become what Blizzard envisioned it being when they rolled out their first trailers nearly a decade ago. And now they're finally admitting precisely what WoW is, and precisely what it is not, no lies, no bullshit. They're finally at peace with its limitations. So I don't feel like Mists of Pandaria is letting Arthas's WOTLK down or Deathwing's Cataclysm down, I feel like it's letting itself down, like a middle-management 9-to-5 type going back in time to see his 5-year old self playing with rocketships just to sigh and say, "I know you don't like math... but it gets easier. I promise."

You just killed a 5 year old's dreams of going to the Moon, Blizzard. How could you?

...I'm totally not emotional about this, at all.

You're not left with much else to do than level another alt or troll /trade chat in Stormwind/Orgrimmar. So people can make jokes about "PokeWoW!" all they want, because at least it's adding in more things to do that don't involve gear grinding.

That's basically what it boils down to. World of Warcraft as a game means having as much fun as possible while leveling up and getting ready to arena/raid with your guildmates, with stuff to do between arena and raiding, to keep you from getting bored. It doesn't necessarily mean an epic fantasy experience (it could, and sometimes does, but not necessaarily), it doesn't mean a great story with interesting characters (though they sometimes make passes at it), it means fun. Period.

And if that's the only thing you ever wanted from the game, then I don't see why Mists is going to be any different than any other expansion so far.

 

[RJ 17]

MOP isnt mainly about Pandarens its about the Alliance vs horde and the old hatred reaching boiling point. This is the ytime where the alliance and the horde are both villain and hero. Were reaching the ending oh phase in storytelling. This is to work out all the bad demons inside of us so we can focus it on the true threats.

From the Hero's Journey

Atonement with the Father
In this step the person must confront and be initiated by whatever holds the ultimate power in his or her life. In many myths and stories this is the father, or a father figure who has life and death power. This is the center point of the journey. All the previous steps have been moving in to this place, all that follow will move out from it. Although this step is most frequently symbolized by an encounter with a male entity, it does not have to be a male; just someone or thing with incredible power. For the transformation to take place, the person as he or she has been must be "killed" so that the new self can come into being. Sometime this killing is literal, and the earthly journey for that character is either over or moves into a different realm.
The attonement we speak of is attoning for the past crimes of of the days when the horde butchered without mercy. This is the time we kill those old hatred and move on.

I'd be inclined to believe you if the Horde and Alliance hadn't already joined forces to take down the beasts of AQ, Illidan and the Burning Legion, Arthas, and I'm guessing Deathwing. I've been out of the loop for a long time now, but them suddenly wanting to get "back to the basics" of Horde vs Alliance seems as forced as making an expansion based on what was originally an April Fools joke. Yes, I know the Pandarens were around in WC III and FT, but the fact remains that they pulled a gag about making Pandarens a new race and - most likely due to the fact that said gag actually had a LOT of people wanting Pandarens - they decided to go ahead and do it.

Edit: In short, they're running out of cannon fodder to throw at the players as far as world-threatening super villains. In fact I'm pretty certain all the major villains are dead. Arthas is dead, Illidan's dead, Deathwing's dead (coulda sworn he either already dead or marooned by the end of Beyond the Dark Portal), the Burning Legion has been destroyed...I really can't think of any big-name villains left in the bucket.

 

[Ordinaryundone]

I don't play it personally, but from what I've heard from people who DO, all I've heard is how it's about 3 years from being a ghost town (hyperbole of course).

3 years is an eternity in video game talk. Seriously, we will likely have new consoles by the time 2015 rolls around, and if WoW is still going strong by then then Blizzard should pat itself on the back for creating a game that outlived an entire console generation, again.

 

[MetallicaRulez0]

the Burning Legion has been destroyed...I really can't think of any big-name villains left in the bucket.

The Burning Legion actually hasn't been destroyed. The biggest bad of them all, Sargeras, is actually still alive at the head of the Burning Legion. What happened at the end of BC was hardly the end of the Burning Legion. We merely stopped one of Sargeras' lieutenants from entering Azeroth (Kil'Jaeden). We actually didn't even kill Kil'Jaeden!

This is just wild speculation on my part, but I would not be surprised if the expansion after MoP is centered on the Burning Legion, with Sargeras as the end boss. It would be a fitting finale for WoW as Blizzard transitions to supporting Titan.

 

[Zeckt]

It's only worth paying for a month once every half a year casually. I have no idea how people spend their time with that free diablo 3 1 year subscription thing, I don't mean to be rude but they must be glutton's of repetition.

 

[Gamergeek25]

snip

If i remember my book lore like cycle of hatred. 1 year before WoW timeline wise. Theramore humans and the orcs were more than happy to jump into war. We glimpse this in wrath when Orcs attacked human targets over undead. And in all fiarness BC lore was not the greatest. Also remember the Burning legion was crippled but not destroyed. Whenever they did work together it was due to they were forced to. This expansion there is no real threat (sha is a differant story)

 

[RJ 17]

the Burning Legion has been destroyed...I really can't think of any big-name villains left in the bucket.

The Burning Legion actually hasn't been destroyed. The biggest bad of them all, Sargeras, is actually still alive at the head of the Burning Legion. What happened at the end of BC was hardly the end of the Burning Legion. We merely stopped one of Sargeras' lieutenants from entering Azeroth (Kil'Jaeden). We actually didn't even kill Kil'Jaeden!

This is just wild speculation on my part, but I would not be surprised if the expansion after MoP is centered on the Burning Legion, with Sargeras as the end boss. It would be a fitting finale for WoW as Blizzard transitions to supporting Titan.

I'm almost certain that Sargeras is dead, Kil'Jaeden and Archemond went from lieutenants to leaders of the Legion.

But I forget where I know that from, I just know that I know it. But as I said I've been out of the loop since the end of BC, so I'm not going to argue this with you. Well, that and I don't really care enough to argue this with you.

snip

If i remember my book lore like cycle of hatred. 1 year before WoW timeline wise. Theramore humans and the orcs were more than happy to jump into war. We glimpse this in wrath when Orcs attacked human targets over undead. And in all fiarness BC lore was not the greatest. Also remember the Burning legion was crippled but not destroyed. Whenever they did work together it was due to they were forced to. This expansion there is no real threat (sha is a differant story)

Yeah, the Orcs were hostile before the events of WoW, however look at all they've been through SINCE then. They killed a giant hentai tentacle monster frickin' Aspect for crying out loud, and the most powerful one to boot! It should be pretty clear to everyone by now that a united Azeroth can take down any threat. Edit: To clarify, "Can't we all just....get along?" To me, it still seems like a stretch to have animosities between the two return. So what, it's going to be a PvP expansion? Or is some threat going to come eventually that *gasp* makes them work together again?

As for the Legion, see the above comment.

 

[Gamergeek25]

the Burning Legion has been destroyed...I really can't think of any big-name villains left in the bucket.

The Burning Legion actually hasn't been destroyed. The biggest bad of them all, Sargeras, is actually still alive at the head of the Burning Legion. What happened at the end of BC was hardly the end of the Burning Legion. We merely stopped one of Sargeras' lieutenants from entering Azeroth (Kil'Jaeden). We actually didn't even kill Kil'Jaeden!

This is just wild speculation on my part, but I would not be surprised if the expansion after MoP is centered on the Burning Legion, with Sargeras as the end boss. It would be a fitting finale for WoW as Blizzard transitions to supporting Titan.

I'm almost certain that Sargeras is dead, Kil'Jaeden and Archemond went from lieutenants to leaders of the Legion.

But I forget where I know that from, I just know that I know it. But as I said I've been out of the loop since the end of BC, so I'm not going to argue this with you. Well, that and I don't really care enough to argue this with you.

snip

If i remember my book lore like cycle of hatred. 1 year before WoW timeline wise. Theramore humans and the orcs were more than happy to jump into war. We glimpse this in wrath when Orcs attacked human targets over undead. And in all fiarness BC lore was not the greatest. Also remember the Burning legion was crippled but not destroyed. Whenever they did work together it was due to they were forced to. This expansion there is no real threat (sha is a differant story)

Yeah, the Orcs were hostile before the events of WoW, however look at all they've been through SINCE then. They killed a giant hentai tentacle monster frickin' Aspect for crying out loud, and the most powerful one to boot! It should be pretty clear to everyone by now that a united Azeroth can take down any threat.

As for the Legion, see the above comment.

actually i was looking into the soundfiles and sargeras had a voice during wrath. He was voicing a mysterious voice when you fought varithmeas or how ever you spell the name. Blizzard has interview they even said Sargeras is somewhere out there. heres the sound bite info "Sound\\Creature\\Sargeras\\WG_Sargeras_HOR01.wav"

 

[I.Muir]

I NEEDS an engine update, it NEEDS a graphics update, it NEEDS to change its mechanics past the traditional tank/healer/DPS.
I love GW2's model of everyone being responsible for themselves in a fight, so you can have as many of whatever class fighting the same encounter for the same reward.

Blizzard has straight out said before that they will not update the engine or really the graphics. They want the game to be playable now with the same computer you had when you bought wow eight years ago. They feel that jacking up the requirements would piss a lot of people off since they would now either have to upgrade their computers or nolonger be able to play a game they bought and paid a subscription for.

This is Blizzard to the letter.

A refusal to evolve or change their product to appeal to the absolute maximum demographic possible, because of the people who're still running Windows XP on some piece of garbage from - as you said - eight years ago, or simply react with lunatic hysterics at the notion of change.

They're a business, so I can't fault them for this, because it's what's attracting and keeping the most customers, but I'm sure there are developers who're going to fuckin' therapy because their opus, their life's work, is being forcibly reduced in quality and evolution by a business model.

Compare this to EVE Online - they update the engines and graphics regularly, and the response to people bitching that they can't run it:
"Stop trying to run EVE on a graphing calculator or cinder block."
That, and I believe they have a separate client with their graphics from four years ago for people who're either too poor or stubborn to upgrade their cinder blocks.

You guys talking about the same game right? Or are you blissfully unaware at the graphical improvements over the last xpac and this upcoming one? The aesthetic is the same, but the game sure as hell looks a lot smoother than it did.

And whats so bad about older games exactly? I remember gamers being overly nostalgic about their old n64 and snes titles. If you find it stale then don't play it, but the game is good for what it does.

Blizz has aged very very well. It would not have to change much at all to vastly improve it's look and my hope is that with the next expansion it will. New animations, some new textures and no more 2d/3d trees. Nobody plays on a machine that's 8 years old and if they do they are the 0.1%. Computers that can't run wow now were not supposed to run games at all. Also windows xp was awesome, if it could utilize the hardware of today I would use it over windows 7.

On another note, having a race join either faction could for an interesting pvp scenario make, hope they get it right.

 

[tzimize]

WoW is a sad shadow of its former self. It's been streamlined and dumbed down to ridiculous levels throughout Cataclysm, and 'epic' gear is so easy to come by now the term has lost any meaning it ever had. It's no longer something to work toward - it's something you get handed to you.

Cross-realm dungeon/raid finder devastated any sense of server community and led to the absurd situation we have now, where once you hit level cap you never have to leave the faction capital again. Ever. Meanwhile out in the world the people who enjoy levelling are quitting because the levelling content is crushingly linear and easy-mode is hardwired in via the most draconian level restrictions on open world content I've ever seen.

I went back to WoW for a little while earlier this year, but it felt like a farewell tour. The core mechanics are still rock solid but it's all being pissed away.

Mists won't kill WoW, but the decline started with Cataclysm and World of Pandaland will do nothing to reverse that. The game is simply too big to die quickly, but I honestly don't see how they can drag it on past one more expansion after this, perhaps two.

Cataclysm was the dumbing down? Hah.

Burning Crusade has been the only real expansion as far as I am concerned. It is the only expansion where crowd control has mattered and the heroics were actually heroic.

I'm glad wow made raids 10 man, but thats more or less the only good change. Facerolling is everything these days. It makes for an easy grind, but I'd rather have to do fewer and harder instances than many easy ones.

 

[Danial]

]I'm almost certain that Sargeras is dead, Kil'Jaeden and Archemond went from lieutenants to leaders of the Legion.

But I forget where I know that from, I just know that I know it. But as I said I've been out of the loop since the end of BC, so I'm not going to argue this with you. Well, that and I don't really care enough to argue this with you.

Sargeras is alive, his Avatars and corrupted souls (Medivh)where killed but the dark titan is very much alive (and according to GC will be the last, LAST boss) and is considered much more powerful than any other boss in the game including Deathwing. Of his lieutenants, Archimonde is dead, he died for for good at the end of WC3 or Hyjal depending on what you have played (Not that i got to see him die in BC being a sodding Prot paladin) and Kil'Jayden was defeated in his wakened state at the end of sunwell but survived, should also be noted that he did what he did in sunwell apparently without Sagaras's permission. So, there is that.

Yeah, the Orcs were hostile before the events of WoW, however look at all they've been through SINCE then. They killed a giant hentai tentacle monster frickin' Aspect for crying out loud, and the most powerful one to boot! It should be pretty clear to everyone by now that a united Azeroth can take down any threat. Edit: To clarify, "Can't we all just....get along?" To me, it still seems like a stretch to have animosities between the two return. So what, it's going to be a PvP expansion? Or is some threat going to come eventually that *gasp* makes them work together again?

As for the Legion, see the above comment.

From the beta they use the "look what we accomplished together" stuff as a reason not to go to full out war, but the reasons why they are being forced into war for the most part make up most of the story of mists out side the back story of the Pandaria. I don't like Spoilers but it is addressed and used as a main story line push as apposed to just ignored.

Oh and yeah that last DW fight was slightly meh, but it cost 4 of the Aspects there remaining powers and the full use of the dragon soul to pull it off. Also with the aspects gone's WoW loses its worst Deus ex machina, no more "lulz dwagon did itz" from the lore team.

 

[joe-h2o]

I think I'm one of the only people that played during vanilla that doesn't really complain about the current difficulty level (well, one of the only people that I've noticed). Yes, WoW has been streamlined and it's vastly easier than when our guilds had to organise 40 man MC days/weeks and distribute dkp, etc. But, I've always played for lore, and to be honest Cataclysm certainly delivered in that regard. I just like being a Warlock, that's all, as long as I can cast Corruption and Drain Life I won't complain, although to be honest, I do miss my SL/SL spec.

I sometimes miss vanilla. I used to stand in Dalaran with my Benediction and T2 on just to feel like an old timer, but I'm sure there's a lot of nostalgia blurring away the annoying parts.

I think the high point for me was BC - they just about had PvE at the best it would ever be, with Black Temple as the crown.

It just didn't feel the same in WotLK, although some of the environmental design they did in the zones was beautiful.

OT: I'll take a couple of moles of your avatar please

 

[BLAHwhatever]

The new Expansion and especially the style (Teddy bears) and reaching out into social games (Pokemon online thingy)has alienated a good deal of their former customers.

Their business strategy was kinda smart now. Currently there's nothing/not much to do in WoW, but subscribe for another year and we'll throw in Diablo 3 and the next expansions beta.
But I feel it's just lifeprolonging measures at this point.

They've long reached the state of "Enjoy the things we design for you, pricks, fuck your feedback, we know what's good for you better than you, so just shut up, pay the subscription fee and enjoy the shit sandwich" in my opinion. I even stopped reading their forums a long time ago because I could predict every blue post after reading the first line, no matter how long it was. "No, we're right, you're wrong, kiddo"

We'll see how their new direction is playing out. They're targeting a younger audience while trying to keep their older customers. We'll see if the actual content of the game will be engaging enough.

I kinda doubt it.

My money is on GW 2. Probably won't take the MMOthrone, but be the best competitor for a long time to come

 

[I.Muir]

The new Expansion and especially the style (Teddy bears) and reaching out into social games (Pokemon online thingy)has alienated a good deal of their former customers.

Their business strategy was kinda smart now. Currently there's nothing/not much to do in WoW, but subscribe for another year and we'll throw in Diablo 3 and the next expansions beta.
But I feel it's just lifeprolonging measures at this point.

They've long reached the state of "Enjoy the things we design for you, pricks, fuck your feedback, we know what's good for you better than you, so just shut up, pay the subscription fee and enjoy the shit sandwich" in my opinion. I even stopped reading their forums a long time ago because I could predict every blue post after reading the first line, no matter how long it was. "No, we're right, you're wrong, kiddo"

We'll see how their new direction is playing out. They're targeting a younger audience while trying to keep their older customers. We'll see if the actual content of the game will be engaging enough.

I kinda doubt it.

My money is on GW 2. Probably won't take the MMOthrone, but be the best competitor for a long time to come

Wow still has a while to go, and I don't think they have gotten that bad yet buuuuuuutttttt this mmo will fall like the roman empire eventually. Interesting how nobody has denied it which I guess is enough information to guess what current state of wow is in any case. The only thing really being discussed is when and what to.

It won't be the choice of the players that really kills wow, it will be the shadowy businessmen working behind the scenes. They will pile bad decision on top of bad decision and go into blackout mode on the forums and deny everything (just like bio ware from the start).

Worst case scenario wow survives and keeps getting stagnate in certain areas and nothing new comes in. More likely that any new mmo will be built based on the successes of wow like they are already and without wow to eat them alive they will actually survive. Best case scenario is a truly groundbreaking mmo redefines what it means to be an mmo and kills wow off without being anything like wow. Like mmos have grind, what if you didn't? What keeps people playing games without the hamster pressing the button for a chance of reward type of psychology.