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What are the developers at Blizzard smoking?
Vozz
Member Posts: 27
The more I watch what the current development team is doing to WoW, the more I'm convinced they've gotten so high off of their good publicity, that they believe they can do no wrong. What prompted this little outburst from me? Well, ever since their introduction last year, arenas have been a point of contention; the developers have rebalanced PvE and non-arena PvP around them, and then a few months ago actually announced that they're decided to turn WoW into an "e-sport".
As if these the recent trend towards "World of Arenacraft" wasn't enough, the devs have now decided that gear gotten from BGs will require an arena rating. Most of the playerbase (including quite a few arena players, from the posts I've read) haven't been happy with arena becoming the new raiding of WoW (meaning that everything is balanced around it), and so Blizzard goes and now tells anyone who wants to do any kind of organized PvP that they'll have to do arena to buy their gear? This does not sound like a good business decision, as is demonstrated by the huge uproar on their forums, with BG PvPers, PvEers and arena players alike all teaming up to bash this as a horrible idea.
So here's my question: does whoever makes these sorts of decisions at Blizz look at the same market as the rest of us? Do they really think having arena take over the game is going to stave of Age off Conan (which comes out next month)? Do they not realize that pissing off the majority of the game's player base isn't something you can get away with when there's competition on the horizon, sometimes only a month or so away? What are they thinking?
...moo?
Comments
First off, this whole "e-sport" business is not really a factor since it's on it's own special tournament server that you have to pay a seperate fee to play on. I'm not really sure what that has to do with the PvE and PvP servers most of us play on. It's a completely seperate issue. You could argue that some decisions are being made to support this seperate arena tournament server, but I find that pretty hard to believe since it's one stinkin' server. I don't believe that Blizzard is dumb enough to make changes for 1 server that would have a negative impact to 10 million paying customers. Basically that's a bunch of speculation that has no basis in truth.
As far as the rest of your concerns, well this has been an on-going discussion since arena's were introduced with BC. Before we jump to conclusions I think we need to see what the next expansion does to the current PvP situation before we start declaring doom and gloom. People have been doing that for over a year and yet there's still a ton of PvP going on in WoW. It may not be what you want, but it apparently does have an audience especially considering the whole new arena tournament server. I'd be very interested to know how many entrants they have received.
This is the first I've heard about Blizzard stating that BG gear will require an Arena rating. Can you tell us any more or point us to a link? I'd like to find out more.
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
I think they smoke dutch green stuff..
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waiting for ... nothing..
if you are correct it wont make things very good for blizzard.
Does the horde still win 95% of the time still in BG's?
Played : WOW, LOTRO, COH/COV, EQ2, SWG, and WAR.
Playing EVE Online and AOC.
Wtg for SW:TOR and WOD
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
Unless stated elsewhere it seems to look like it. Though I feel sorry for the subscribers if that is the case because they are already paying a monthly fee for the game. Just another attempt to squeeze more money from the players pocket.
Call me paranoid or delusional if you will, but I tend to agree that Blizzard are getting very lazy when it has the potential monthly income of $150,000,000 PER MONTH.
Ok, so its not a constant subscription. However, the likes of Eve online can successfully hold its head above water with 200,000 subscribers, and yet brings out a complete graphics revamp and then aims to bring out yet another giant leap in its games development within a year.
However, a company who has a subscription base that is 20 x that amount struggles to bring out ONE complete expansion within a year. Blizzard has the money to keep WoW at the forefront when it comes to releasing large amounts of content for its game. Its not as if it doesn't have the money to pay for enough developers to keep time down to a minimum.
Top 10 Most Misused Words in MMO's
You can't always throw money at a problem and expect it to get resolved. There are only so many cooks you can have in your kitchen so to speak.
Until you cancel your subscription, you are only helping to continue the cycle of mediocrity.
They're thinking, "What competition?" And guess what? They're right. AoC isn't competition for WoW.
Until you cancel your subscription, you are only helping to continue the cycle of mediocrity.
You can't always throw money at a problem and expect it to get resolved. There are only so many cooks you can have in your kitchen so to speak.
Can you smell what the Blizz devs are cooking?
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
Im glad the season 4 non-set epics will require a personal rating. When they introduced the personal rating requirement with season 3 I thought it didnt go far enough. I think season 4 is a little leinent too.
No more "welfare epics".
No more scrub noobs grinding out arena points by losing 10 games a week or cheating.
I swear, it really is the players that are screwing up WoW. First everyone complains about "welfare epics" and now people are complaining that they cant get "welfare epics".
Make up your minds people.
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
No, there's no grind whatsoever. This is a special tournament server setup. Applicants will get a lvl 70 character of their choosing with enough gold to outfit him anyway they like. NPC's will offer pretty much all the best gear available to PvP'ers and the player can deck out his character anyway they like. This is not an MMORPG, this is a PvP "e-sport" spin off from the MMORPG. It has little to nothing to do with WoW and that's why I don't understand what any of that has to do with WoW. They can change the rules on this tournament server anyway they like without changing the MMORPG and most likely that is what they will do.
So many people asuming things.
the arena server is a temporary server to run the arena competition, each entrant (team) pays a small fee and gets the chance to go to blizzcon and battle for prize money. A good deal if you manage to get to the semi finals.
And the fee is in place to stop everyone and their granmother from entering, Wow has millions of player not a handful like other games... its the only sure way to handle the situation... elese the qualifiying rounds would go on for years.
And dont forget its impossible to please every one so ofc people will complain over the littlest of changes.. but becuase it displeases you dont think your the majority.. becuase you certainly are not.
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
Unless stated elsewhere it seems to look like it. Though I feel sorry for the subscribers if that is the case because they are already paying a monthly fee for the game. Just another attempt to squeeze more money from the players pocket.
Unless stated elsewhere? You mean like on Blizzard's own website? Honestly, if you don't have a clue what you are talking about, it's probably better to not say anything at all then to mis-inform people.
If you would actually like to find out more about it, check out the following link.
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/index.xml
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
Unless stated elsewhere it seems to look like it. Though I feel sorry for the subscribers if that is the case because they are already paying a monthly fee for the game. Just another attempt to squeeze more money from the players pocket.
Unless stated elsewhere? You mean like on Blizzard's own website? Honestly, if you don't have a clue what you are talking about, it's probably better to not say anything at all then to mis-inform people.
If you would actually like to find out more about it, check out the following link.
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/index.xml
So according to the link, current paying customers will have to fork over another 20 bucks every 6 weeks to enjoy something they already pay monthly for. Yeah thats just so appealing in every way.Looks like its insta-70 character/gold item shop with a chance to win money to me.
Don't be terrorized! You're more likely to die of a car accident, drowning, fire, or murder! More people die every year from prescription drugs than terrorism LOL!
So you have to pay more for the same grind?
Unless stated elsewhere it seems to look like it. Though I feel sorry for the subscribers if that is the case because they are already paying a monthly fee for the game. Just another attempt to squeeze more money from the players pocket.
Unless stated elsewhere? You mean like on Blizzard's own website? Honestly, if you don't have a clue what you are talking about, it's probably better to not say anything at all then to mis-inform people.
If you would actually like to find out more about it, check out the following link.
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/pvp/tournament/index.xml
So according to the link, current paying customers will have to fork over another 20 bucks every 6 weeks to enjoy something they already pay monthly for. Yeah thats just so appealing in every way.Ok, maybe I should have made myself more clear. Reading and comprehension are kind of important.
1) Current paying customers don't HAVE to do anything. It's optional. Look it up in the dictionary. It's under the O's.
2) If they WANT to, they can pay 20 bucks for the priviledge of trying to WIN cash and prizes. Kinda like the lottery. That's under the L's.
3) Only it's better than the lottery because your chances of winning are directly related to your skill in WoW arena 3v3 play and even if you don't win, you get the priviledge of playing 3 fully decked out PvP lvl 70 toons on a level playing field with the top WoW PvP players in the world for 6 weeks complete with bragging rights and chest thumping. Ever want to find out if the Warlock really IS the top PvP toon to play? Now you can do it for the low low price of $20. No grinding required.
They're thinking, "What competition?" And guess what? They're right. AoC isn't competition for WoW.
Not on it's own no, but couple that with Warhammer, Chronicles of the Spellborn, Aion, Stargate Worlds, Jumpgate - amongst others - all launching before Xmas and that's a major chunk torn out of WoW's pedestal.
All those players have to come from somewhere and as WoW has 65% of the MMO market it could hurt them the most.. I reckon Warhammer will put a 1 million player dent in WoW's crown by Xmas and if they're good go even further.
Hence Blizzard panicing and back-tracking on pvp but they still haven't got it. Areans are small scale. People want open world, city raids and all the big stuff. They can't provide that.
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You can walk the walk but can you talk the talk?
They're thinking, "What competition?" And guess what? They're right. AoC isn't competition for WoW.
Not on it's own no, but couple that with Warhammer, Chronicles of the Spellborn, Aion, Stargate Worlds, Jumpgate - amongst others - all launching before Xmas and that's a major chunk torn out of WoW's pedestal.
All those players have to come from somewhere and as WoW has 65% of the MMO market it could hurt them the most.. I reckon Warhammer will put a 1 million player dent in WoW's crown by Xmas and if they're good go even further.
Hence Blizzard panicing and back-tracking on pvp but they still haven't got it. Areans are small scale. People want open world, city raids and all the big stuff. They can't provide that.
I think you're overestimating the impact these newer games will have on WoW. Certainly, some people will try these out but most likely they will get bored within a month and return to WoW. Especially with Wrath of the Lich king.
People have been telling us that games have been going to 'dent' WoW for a loooong time, and every single time, every single big I.P: Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, Brad McQuaid... it's all been bullshit.
And from what I'm hearing about the games in beta atm, there's nothing going to dent WoW right now.
The only threat to WoW is Blizzard themselves, if they screw up Wrath of the Lich king, if the new World Battleground, Seige Engines, Death Knights, and content fails to live up to the Blizzard standard - then it's possible that things will drop.
But out of all the current MMOs and their upcoming expansions, all of the upcoming MMOs, Wrath of the Lich king is the favourite to win. You don't need to like WoW to see this, you just need to be a betting man.
Still waiting for your Holy Grail MMORPG? Interesting...
If the new games coming out offer something new and different, it is possible that they will take players away from WoW. As soon as you start thinking nothing can touch you is when something comes along and knocks you into the dirt. That is what I believe Blizzard may be facing in the near future. WotLK may be an outstanding expansion, who knows, but it may also leave a sour taste in peoples mouths that are looking for them to do something new. It is all speculation at this point.
Is there such a thing as a WoW killer? No. WoW has been far too successful to be "killed". Not even SWG has died after the mess it has been in. WoW will dwindle in numbers, that is enevitable, but it will be around for many years. It may not be on top, but it will be.
Thalos Vipav
Star Wars Galaxies: R.I.P.
Summary of the OP post-
"Opinions are like @ssholes. Everyone has one, and they usually stink."
I think the folks over at Blizzard know 10,000,000,000,000 times as much about their game, how to market it, and what their players really want then any of us do.
To think otherwise is lunacy.
You can't always throw money at a problem and expect it to get resolved. There are only so many cooks you can have in your kitchen so to speak.
The anaology your looking for is "9 women can't make a baby in one month."
... transmitted on 100% recycled electrons ...
What you're not taking into account is that many many players have already gotten sick of the same ol' same ol' and quit, only to be replaced by more and more players who have just started playing or quit playing 3 years ago and wonder what it is they've been missing and are back for a second go around. It's not like there's any shortage of people who have never played WoW. I personally know quite a few gamers that have never tried WoW. There's still millions upon millions of gamers that have never tried WoW. And there's a bunch of people that played it when it first came out and haven't played since. To assume all those people will never try it or not try it again or that they will try it and not like it is foolish. So it really doesn't matter how many they lose over the next couple years, what's more important is how many do they gain in the same time period? What's old to you is brand new to a lot of people and many still find it quite enjoyeable.
I understand that many jaded vets come here and bash the game, and maybe they do it on other sites too, I wouldn't know. I got sick of it, but there's thousands of new people who will use WoW as their gateway into MMOs. Do you think Blizz cares about what a couple hundred people care about? As long as it's not TOO big of a dent in the green stuff they're dancing in, they don't. They're doing what they think will give them the most money in the shortest amount of time; catering to the casuals, since they far outnumber hardcore vets. This will only keep going. WoW has a gameplay style and they're not going to change it.
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A human and an Elf get captured by Skaven. The rat-men are getting ready to shoot the first hostage with Dwarf-made guns when he yells, "Earthquake!" The naturally nervous Skaven run and hide from the imaginary threat. He escapes. The Skaven regroup and bring out the Elf. Being very smart, the Elf has figured out what to do. When the Skaven get ready to shoot, the Elf, in order to scare them, yells, "Fire!"
Order of the White Border.
It's funny you mention that WoW caters to casuals because a common complaint against WoW is that raiding and taking part in all the big-lore events requires such a big time commitment.
I think it caters to both pretty well. The fact that it caters to casual players better than most other MMORPGs doesn't mean it can't cater to hardcore players as well.
Still waiting for your Holy Grail MMORPG? Interesting...
They are catering to people who don't want to put any effort into anything, adding too much repetitive solo content for them, and changing the game in the process. I am one of the casuals they lost due to the changes in gameplay in the 2.4 patch amongst other serious changes.
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Sadly, I see storm clouds on the horizon. A faint stench of Vanguard is in the air.-Kien
http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2006/12/13/