Cataclysm Thread

[Caradir]

I wonder if there whole idea is to push people into the end game as quickly as possible so that they can concentrate development there.

Would not surprise me, but why put in all they effort they do on dev cycles if thats the case?

Personally I am all about the journey (dont stop believin') being as epic as the endgame content in games such as this, and when the journey feels diluted or rushed then it just doesnt impress me. 

It wont keep me from logging in, but seeing myself blitz the current old world content and then knowing that even when its changed in Cata they have made MOAR ways for me to rush through (and Im the master of finding way to make it so things take time) what is going to be new and fresh old world content just annoys me slightly.  And makes me wonder why they even waste development cycles on it.

unfortunately it seems they cater for the masses, and as L7 sing "The masses, are asses"
IM with you Jon, i like taking my time enjoying the world. i feel slighlty disturbed that they added so many new areas for the 70 -80 journey i have done 3 to get to 80. Instances are rushed through and just seem easy (far too easy) no real skill or tactics required (even in the Heroic modes ive done) except for the odd fight but they are few. It does seem its about the destination and the journey is the annoying thing in between.

[Mangala]

Dont get me wrong, some quest chains could benefit from this - currently doing the Rod of Dartol line on my priest and given I have the guys book in my bags, I shouldnt have to go back to quest givers for the rest of the line, the book should give it out. But just giving the next phase of certain quests out as people dont want to take the couple of minutes to go back to a hub...

Its these people that turned AV into a 15min zerg, and from what I know of current cap instances made them into 15min AOE fests (yes Blizz didnt help by allowing it with skills and stupidly easy to get gear) etc etc.  

Re: asking for more content, blizz are giving more, but its their idea of more.  Stuff to get done in short time for maximum reward - be it xp or badges or actual gear, so that no one is left behind (theres a slogan in here somewhere and I cant think of it). And its only short time stuff as people whine, and blizz seem to think that whine on forums = lots of people agreeing, when forum users of a game are a MINORITY (unless this is blizz's way of saying "look ma, we help minorities" ) of that games playerbase.  

Surely planning your time makes much more sense than bitching that "OMG I cantz gets teh uberzor lewts n titals az I haz to do other things all the time, 1minut is tooo long to do a instance. gief loot butan". I know gaming is a pasttime, a way to spend some of your free time, but being organised about it just works more yes?

[Caradir]

Re: asking for more content, blizz are giving more, but its their idea of more.  Stuff to get done in short time for maximum reward - be it xp or badges or actual gear, so that no one is left behind (theres a slogan in here somewhere and I cant think of it). And its only short time stuff as people whine, and blizz seem to think that whine on forums = lots of people agreeing, when forum users of a game are a MINORITY (unless this is blizz's way of saying "look ma, we help minorities" ) of that games playerbase.  

its the BBC school of thought, 1 complaint = another 1M silent who agree

[Warcold]

Still I think I hear bitter vets speaking as I don't think you guys havent ever groaned when a questgiver sent you back to exactly the same area to kill monsters you have already killed hundreds off in the previous three collect-quest in the same area. But because you lived through it, it's suddenly part of the experience??? Hmm, don't agree. Just less grind this way (or is grind part of the world experience too?
Maybe a experience slider would be nice. Not stop or go XP like I gather it is now. Just be able to get 70% of XP all the way (or change whenever). -> Be able to do (or be forced to do) all the available quests there are, while THE OTHERS can just hop from max-XP-area to max-XP-area.

[Mangala]

Maybe a experience slider would be nice. Not stop or go XP like I gather it is now. Just be able to get 70% of XP all the way (or change whenever). -> Be able to do (or be forced to do) all the available quests there are, while THE OTHERS can just hop from max-XP-area to max-XP-area.

Im moist.

[Kathras]

I guess its just the fear of the slippery slope to boredom.  The instances are easier...okay.  Flying mounts let you avoid 'trash content'....okay.  Create and resolve all of your auctions via a web browser.....okay.  No longer a need return to the hub to get quests......uh, okay.  If the ease of advancement continues to trend in this manner, how does that effect the value?  Eventually we'll be playing http://progressquest.com/.

[Mangala]

NDA is to be lifted.  Closed Beta Incoming.

Anyways in light of that MMO Champ is showing off the stuff it has:

http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/

I'll be cut and pasting stuff here most likely, as MMO champ is dying due to all the traffic.

Class info page links:

http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1116 Death Knight
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1117 Druid
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1118 Hunter
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1669 Mage
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1670 Paladin
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1123 Priest
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1122 Rogue
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1124 Shaman
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1125 Warlock
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1676 Warrior

[Mangala]

US Closed Beta Forum:

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/board.html?forumId=7555625&sid=2000

[Mangala]

WoR has lore stuff up:

http://www.worldofraids.com/topic/17178-cataclysm-lore-details/

Cataclysm sees quite a few changes to existing lore. This is more a story progression than anything, but with some of them being very dramatic changes, I wanted to recap everything I've found so far.

Horde

    * Garrosh Hellscream is the new Warchief and has reinforced Orgrimmar and many Horde outposts around Azeroth with dark iron. He's also reclaimed Gorehowl -- his father's weapon -- and now wields it.
    * Thrall was captured by SI:7 (and it looks like Garrosh actually set that up), to be later rescued by the Goblins during their new player experience.
    * Cairne Bloodhoof was poisoned by Magatha Grimtotem and is now dead.
    * Baine Bloodhoof is now the leader of the Tauren race in Thunderbluff (those that are part of the Horde).
    * The Forsaken went against Garrosh's wishes and released a plague on Gilneas, killing most of its inhabitants. Sylvannas is expected to be further in the dog house once Garrosh learns of this.
    * The Horde have, thanks to Goblin ingenuity, built "The Bomb" -- a weapon of mass destruction -- and unleash it on a night elf village in Stonetalon Mountains. Garrosh, displeased with the slaughter of innocent people, kills the general who ordered the bomb to be dropped.



Alliance

    * Magni Bronzebeard attempted some sort of ritual in Old Ironforge and was turned to stone, leaving Ironforge without a single ruler. While attempts are made to remove the curse from Magni, Muradin Bronzebeard, Moira Thaurassin and Falstad Wildhammer have formed a council of rulers.
    * Varian Wrynn has devoted resources to upgrading many Alliance outposts on Azeroth, including Sentinel Hill.
    * The worgen "curse" was actually created by a sect of druids known as the Druids of the Scythe, wielders of the Scythe of Elune and the magic it provided. They fell victim to the feral nature of the worgen and lost control of themselves -- forever transforming. They had to be locked away in the Emerald Dream, though Archmage Arugal managed to free some and in turn released the curse upon the denizens of Gilneas. The trees you see in various screenshots with the glowing blue liquid flowing from them are trees where the Druids of the Scythe were contained and put into slumber.
    * The Park in Stormwind was indeed destroyed by Deathwing after he emerged in Azeroth. This is confirmed by a group of NPCs chatting before the boat ride out to Vashj'ir. Some had previously thought that an earthquake may have destroyed it.



Other

    * Edwin VanCleef is dead. His daughter, Vanessa VanCleef is now the leader of the Defias Brotherhood. She has unleashed a plot to bring down Stormwind after witnessing the assassination of her father some 5 years ago.
    * Corporal Keeshan is the main character behind the Redridge zone progression, known as John J. Keeshan. The story revolves around the Blackrock Orcs planning an invasion of Lakeshire, and plays out much like a Rambo movie where you must recover Keeshan's bandanna, bow, knife and a locket from his lost love, as well as freeing his captured Bravo Company friends.
    * Kalec is rounding up all of the blue dragonflight, as he fears the death of Malygos will be a sign of weakness and Deathwing will send out agents to assassinate the remaining dragons within the flight. This holds true as the black dragonflight has invaded Azshara to hunt down Azuregos. Kalec and Azuregos help low level Horde players to repel the invasion.
    * Malfurion Stormrage is the only thing keeping Darkshore from being devoured by the Cataclysm; he's created a giant twister in the middle of the zone.
    * The Twilight's Hammer are attempting to summon an Old God in Darkshore, Soggoth the Slitherer.
    * Deathwing has summoned Ragnaros and agents of the Plane of Fire into Hyjal. The players go through a linear quest chain culminating in the banishment of Ragnaros back to the Plane of Fire. Involved in the chain (and fights leading up to and including Ragnaros): Ysera, Aspect of the Green Dragonflight; Malfurion Stormrage, Jarod Shadowsong, Cenarius, Goldrinn, Aviana, Aessina, Tortulla, Hamuul Runetotem, Fandral Staghelm. It's pretty damn epic.
    * The Cenarion Circle and Cenarion Expedition are the reason for Desolace seeing the growth it has, and have thus named the middle of the zone the Cenarion Wildlands.
    * Ysondre is the last of the Dragons of Nightmare, and although she has been saved from the nightmare, she states she can never return to the green dragonflight. Emeriss and Lethon are already dead; Ysondre helps players kill Taerar during a quest chain in Feralas.

Woah - those are some changes to the lore alright.

[Mangala]

While the lore changes look mental, especially for an old worlder like me, i do wonder how the obvious Aspect changes will affect the Sceptre of the Shifting Sands quest chain (I know AQ is open every where even on new realms, but its still an epic doable chain excepting getting the title & mount)?

OOOO I like the looks of the Blackwing Descent raid:

http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/1056





It seems its in (obviously ofc) Black Rock Mountain.  And tbh I always liked the instances there, they had that proper crawl feel to them - the joys of BRD for peoples Ony attunement and then ofc endless LBRS to get the Ubrs key made   So to be back there will be fun I reckon.

[Kathras]

One of the mage changes is disconcerting.  I have an arcane mage whose bread-and-butter are the arcane missiles.  It wasnt completely clear to me what they are expecting me to use once that spell is changed.

[Mangala]

I havent looked at the classes properly yet, but hopefully now the NDA is going poof, they'll actually start to address any concerns people have short of "waaaaa my class isnt the bestest anymore".

[Mangala]

I SO NEED TO DO THIS ACHIE:

http://db.mmo-champion.com/a/4861/we-are-legendary/

Yes its probably a joke, but would be a fun one to try

[Gunnarr]

Atiesh can't be gotten anymore.

[Mangala]

Atiesh can't be gotten anymore.

It cant?

How come?