Patch 4.1 Preview -- Dungeon Finder: Call to Arms
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker)
In patch 4.1 we'll be introducing Dungeon Finder: Call to Arms, a new system intended to lower queue times. Call to Arms will automatically detect which class role is currently the least represented in the queue, and offer them additional rewards for entering the Dungeon Finder queue and completing a random level-85 Heroic dungeon.

Any time the Dungeon Finder queue is longer than a few minutes for level-85 Heroics, the Call to Arms system kicks in and determines which role is the least represented. In the case of tanking being the least represented role, the "Call to Arms: Tanks" icon will display in the Dungeon Finder UI menu where class roles are selected, and will also display on the UI when the queue pops and you are selected to enter a dungeon. Regardless of your role, you'll always be able to see which role currently has been Called to Arms, if any.

Call to Arms is meant to lower wait times by offering additional rewards for queuing as the currently least represented role. To be eligible for the additional rewards you must solo queue for a random level-85 Heroic in the role that is currently being Called to Arms, and complete the dungeon by killing the final boss. Every time you hit these requirements (there is no daily limit) you'll receive a goodie bag that will contain some gold, a chance at a rare gem, a chance at a flask/elixir (determined by spec), a good chance of receiving a non-combat pet (including cross faction pets), and a very rare chance at receiving a mount. The pets offered come from a wide variety of sources, and include companions like the Razzashi Hatchling, Cockatiel, and Tiny Sporebat, but the mounts are those specifically only available through dungeons (not raids), like the Reins of the Raven Lord from Sethekk Halls, Swift White Hawkstrider from Magister's Terrace, and Deathcharger's Reins from Stratholme.

This system is meant to address the unacceptable queue times currently being experienced by those that queue for the DPS role at max level. The long queue times are, of course, caused by a very simple lack of representation in the Dungeon Finder by tanks, and to some extent healers. We don't feel the tanking and healing roles have any inherent issues that are causing the representation disparity, except that fulfilling them carries more responsibility. Understandably, players prefer to take on that responsibility in more organized situations than what the Dungeon Finder offers, but perhaps we can bribe them a little. While this system gives tanks and healers something extra, the incentive is being provided so that we can help players in the DPS role get into more dungeons, get better gear, and continue progressing.

While the gold, gems, flasks, and elixirs are OK incentives, we knew we needed something more substantial. We had briefly considered Valor Points and epics, but decided that wouldn't be working toward the goal of helping DPS players progress, and ultimately wouldn't keep tanks and healers in the Dungeon Finder system for very long. We settled on pets and dungeon-found mounts as they’re cosmetic/achievement items that players tend to try to get on their own, so why not change that up and offer them a chance to get some of those elusive pets and mounts in a way that also helps other players? Even if they don't get a pet or mount, or get one they already have, the gold and other goodies still feel rewarding enough that it won't feel like a waste of effort.

We think it's a pretty solid incentive to get tanks and healers queuing, give max-level players another way to collect the pets and mounts they so desire, and above all, to improve wait times for DPS players sitting in queues. In the case of lower level dungeons, it's actually not uncommon for DPS to be the least represented role, and so if this new system works out and we're pleased with the results, we may consider applying this same mechanic to lower level dungeons as well.
This article was originally published in forum thread: Patch 4.1 Preview -- Dungeon Finder: Call to Arms started by Boubouille View original post
Comments 1855 Comments
  1. Neurotoxinx's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Negrido View Post
    If the mounts were new, and as a result only available to tanks and healers, I would literally be The Hulk right now.
    That too. Like I said, I don't know why I dislike it, but something rubs me the wrong way. (And I didn't even farm long for any of the mounts they mentioned.)

    I suppose I just hope they don't become as hideously common as many of the holiday mounts did.
  1. madyrn's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Scarfy View Post
    expect a huge amount of fail tanks and healers in the future/ not only will dps still have a fairly long wait time, but will also end up the their 30-min deserter debuff because the tank and/or healer they got sucked ass
    That same "get ready for fail tanks and healers" statement was made over and over back when dual-spec was introduced. It wasn't the case. I have yet to see any more fail tanks and healers post dual-spec than I did before.
  1. Kahlis's Avatar
    I don't understand why DPS are crying.

    Want the mounts? Go solo the dungeons, they are very easy to do. My mage already got the Deathcharger and Hawkstrider and has been doing Sethekk Halls everyday for the past weeks. Only takes a few mins of my time.

    And DPS get shorter queues, why are you crying again?
  1. mmocddaaa9c7c3's Avatar
    Was this 1.4 as april fool? now I must stand in queue for bg too and do bloody instance? wtf?
  1. Nonfictionless's Avatar
    Dps will never be short lol. Blizz is basically punishing you for rolling a dps spec or pure dps class
  1. Whalephant's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Validity View Post
    It's not that there aren't enough tanks, it's that there aren't enough classes that CAN tank.
    You're completely and utterly wrong.

    4 of the 10 classes in the game can tank. In case you're stupid, that's almost half. The reason tanks are scarce is because, like you, most people don't want to tank.
  1. Imhullu's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Negrido View Post
    If the mounts were new, and as a result only available to tanks and healers, I would literally be The Hulk right now.
    This.
    Not so much the fact that tanks and healers get the chance at the mount, but the fact that it says there is no daily limit. Meaning they can have multiple chances along with the regular run of the mounts normal instance.

    If it's limited to those it is more bearable, move it to blue proto, or even cata mounts and we got an issue methinks.
  1. huldu's Avatar
    Most people don't tank because the dungeons are too "hard". That is the main problem. Unless you return to wotlk 5-15 min MAX queue time this "fix" won't solve anything. Dungeons HAS to be easy for the scrubs. If they wipe or the dungeon takes too long, they sure in hell won't queue up at all. In the end who cares about the 5-man dungeons anyway Blizzard? It's just faceroll content and has minimal impact on the game. It's clear that you only care about your precious raids.

    As for there being too few tank classes, that has nothing to do with it. It's frustrating just to tank any dungeon with random people. It doesn't matter if it's a level 20 dungeon or a 85 heroic. It's the same frustration. People just don't give a damn and show no respect toward each others.

    How about you make a clear difference between heroic raids and not. Add "regular" raids to a "raid finder" system that works like the dungeon finder, but for raids instead. Most people are going to try pug the content at some point why stop them from doing it. Isn't this the reason why you have "heroic" mode in the first place? Let the scrubs, "casuals" or whatever you call them do the "regular" raids and have the "elite" worry about heroic mode.

    I see people hit 85 all day long, being in one of the biggest guilds on the server i play on. For the average/casual player, once they hit 85 they get bored. First they have to deal with LONG queues just to get into 5-man hc's to gear up. That drives most people into creating alts. Then you have the "wannabe" raiders. They are just that. They want to raid but they do NOT have the gear or "skills" to do it. What do you think they'll do once they get bored of their alt? They just quit the game. The only solution i have is to drag their sorry a*** through older raids that i know they should be able to complete. There is no way in hell i can grab 9(85) people from the guild and just run through a 85 raid. Just pointing out how ridiculous it is to have two types of raids - both are clearly aimed "higher" than the average/casual player.
  1. Azrile's Avatar
    I think you will see a lot of what you saw the first few weeks of Cata.. a lot of very bad, and misgeared ´tanks´queueing. The one saving grace is that because of the troll dungeons and 4.2 valor switch coming, almost everyone will outgear the old heroics within a month or two.
  1. Philosofist's Avatar
    Lol... lame I already has these mounts tho.... :|
  1. Dominating's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kahlis View Post
    I don't understand why DPS are crying.

    Want the mounts? Go solo the dungeons, they are very easy to do. My mage already got the Deathcharger and Hawkstrider and is still doing Sethekk Halls everyday. Only takes a few mins of my time.

    And DPS get shorter queues, why are you crying again?
    Because 99% of these people read "Tanks/Healers get goody bags full of magical treats inaccessible to those damned, dirty DPS classes" and started flooding this post with the usual whiny banter.
  1. Simca's Avatar
    Tanks/heals get extra incentives for queueing.

    DPS get shorter queues.

    Win/win. Makes sense.
  1. frownface2000's Avatar
    As a mainspec tank who no longer has any incentive to run heroics at all (i don't even run my Daily Heroic anymore), I can say that this will definitely encourage me to run more Heroics when I have some free time.

    I would much rather run some of the current content for my shot at those mounts than constantly grind the old content. Sure, the old content is easier to grind, but I've found the grinds painfully boring
  1. myrddinde's Avatar
    At first they ruin the fun in tanking and healign and then wonder why people don't want to play it ... Who'd ahve guessed this would happen ... makes you wonder how far they can actually think ahead.
  1. Sett's Avatar
    This is 100% fine with me. People really need to understand that 'rare' means 1% or some stupid number that's low.

    We're already able to get these mounts easily by running the place over and over. Who cares if you can get the mount or pet like this? At least the tank is doing something useful besides farm strat 34203404 times.
  1. ComputerNerd's Avatar
    The reason for the disparity is down to the players themselves and the responsibility that is often shouldered by healers and tanks in having to go beyond their expected role.
    The tank unless stated otherwise should be dictating pulls and the pace, not the dps who often take it upon themselves to do that.
    Healers are expected to heal stupid in that dps feel that they can stand in the bad stuff because moving hurts their epeen meters.
    Gold or gems I do not think will cut it, nor will the "chance", and I would bet a rather slim one of a novelty mount which doesn't even have that much appeal anymore to many players due to the flying.
  1. Imhullu's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by madyrn View Post
    That same "get ready for fail tanks and healers" statement was made over and over back when dual-spec was introduced. It wasn't the case. I have yet to see any more fail tanks and healers post dual-spec than I did before.
    I find that hard to believe, as dungeon finder was released post dual spec, and you're saying from your random dungeon groups you've encountered the same amount, or fewer bad tanks, than when you had to make groups over trade or with your guild? o.O
  1. mmocddaaa9c7c3's Avatar
    Got magister terrace mount, been hunting other 2, so maybe I go useless pvp with my huntard and die
  1. shortcake26's Avatar
    Well, I am really disappointed in you Blizz. Not only are you giving tanks an extra incentive that most of us will never get to experience but you giving them an easy access to the game that some of us have worked hard for. Take mounts for example, one might run Sethekk Halls hundreds of times (literally) to get the mount and now a tank gets the incentive of possibly getting this mount just because they are a tank? Not fair, Blizz, not fair.

    So, while the tanks get more gold, possible chance at mount and pet drops, etc... We, the DPS, still have to deal with the asshat tanks who think they are the WoW Gods Creation to Awesomeness. There are a million reasons this "incentive" is flawed--for one... We pay for this game, there should be equal fairness across the boards, but this is not equal nor fair. While I continue to pay my $15 a month, and solo low level dungeons for the mounts and pets I want, all tanks have to do is simply que... get some gold, some valor, and hey maybe an awesome mount. While we, the DPS, get stupid loot drops, that most of us don't need anymore, a little gold, and oh hey... 70valor. Which come the next patch will already be easier to get. Secondly, this isn't going to solve problems... It's just going to make us, the DPS, deal with worse tanks and thus longer times in the dungeons and then resulting in unhappy, unsatisfied, players.

    This system is stupid... on so many different levels. I was already considering a move to rift--but Blizzard's obvious non-though out "plans" might have pushed me over the limit this time.
  1. Dominating's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Nonfictionless View Post
    Dps will never be short lol. Blizz is basically punishing you for rolling a dps spec or pure dps class
    Yes, because creating a system where tanks/healers can get goodie bags filled with trivial loot and mounts everyone already has is such a huge, crushing blow to DPS classes, equivalent to ripping out their testicles with a wrench.

    The real beneficiaries are DPS classes...

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