Best timeperiod for WoW?

[Super Kami Dende]

Pandaria was amazing.

[Deleted]

WOTLK was by far the golden days

WotLK was the beginning of the end. It's where the sub growth hit a wall after going strong all through vanilla and TBC. It's where 5-man dungeons were trivialized with LFG, it's where they introduced the multiple difficulty/size to raids, making raiding feel like a grind rather than a progress. It's where they started doing a reset in every content patch, so you didn't need to finish a tier to move to the next.

It basically enabled a god-mode to the game, which felt good for a short while, but broke the fundamental effort-reward balance. The results can be seen in the sub trend.

[CaptainV]

One thing one must realise is that the causality of "max subscriptions" is not directly related to "best expansion" or "glory days".
Rather, the differentiated curve is what tells the truth. In short, WotLK was when the increase in subscriptions stopped and began to decline. Why this decline occurred, there are many arguments. Some of the direct arguments are that the causality of decline in subscriptions are the content WotLK offered versus earlier instalments. One can presume that the majority of new subscribers came through friends and if friends quit, so does the new players invited by friends.

The true analysis lies, not in the total number of subscribers, though, but rather on the length of subscriptions pr unique account. You can try and gain a picture of when most "accounts" where recycled with new ones or if most accounts have been active since vanilla. This is where the truth lies and it is information that only Blizzard has. Because, say, most vanilla accounts were active until WotLK, but then through marketing, WotLK gathered a huge spike in new accounts, however at the same time, they lost a huge chunk of vanilla accounts. This then in turn means that a fundamental change in game design of WoW made them lose a lot but the increase in fame gave them more subscriptions so that the total number of subscribers were unchanged or increasing until a point where it declined.

WOTLK was basically the pinnacle of the trilogy, if you consider vanillia to WOTLK a trilogy then there was literally nothing Cata could have done to best it, it was literally the highest quality level the game could have reached at any point. Basically, WOTLK was what everyone wanted no matter how great or small, it had something for literally 'everyone' and felt like the most 'complete' expansion in terms of experience it offered to a multiple audience not just a raiding minority. It literally had a themepark vibe that no expansion since has ever come close to reaching.

Cataclysm trimmed away at WOTLK, because they simply couldnt live up to what WOTLK was, they realized that making another game that required the same amount of effort and time would be costly and difficult enough as it was. So they took the easier, somewhat lazier option. Design the game they already had and remake it into a new standard.

This was obviously met with bad reception and fairly well deserved bad reception, Cataclysm brought the first of two major killing blows to the old talent tree system which direly hurt many peoples individuality. It also removed alot of gimmicky but interesting aspects, such as exorcism being efficent only vs undead or demons for paladins instead making alot of class uniqueness begin to become more hedgemonised in favor of a smaller more bus-minded margin.

Basically, Cataclysm was blizzards attempt to make the "Ensidia" guilds of TBC return by appealing to their demanding nature, it dumbed content down to make way for content specifically tailored to making "heroic" dungeons feel "heroic" again, and equally making raiding feel "hard" again.

This was basically their perogative as you can read from the old posts regarding Cata at the time, which was more than a small mistake because it was basically the exact opposite community of the game that actually wanted. Most were already pretty okay with what was already on offer, relaxing but fun casual content with their friends, which most were playing with at the time.

The biggest issue is that those that just wanted to play for fun were never the target audience blizzard intended, evidenced very strongly by the fact they made a move for a compedetive raiding scene, not once, but twice.

First with Cata, then with Warlords.

They really need to stop this whole competetive vibe its really not healthy for the game.

[Namalia]

WOTLK was basically the pinnacle of the trilogy, if you consider vanillia to WOTLK a trilogy then there was literally nothing Cata could have done to best it, it was literally the highest quality level the game could have reached at any point. Basically, WOTLK was what everyone wanted no matter how great or small, it had something for literally 'everyone' and felt like the most 'complete' expansion in terms of experience it offered to a multiple audience not just a raiding minority. It literally had a themepark vibe that no expansion since has ever come close to reaching.

Cataclysm trimmed away at WOTLK, because they simply couldnt live up to what WOTLK was, they realized that making another game that required the same amount of effort and time would be costly and difficult enough as it was. So they took the easier, somewhat lazier option. Design the game they already had and remake it into a new standard.

This was obviously met with bad reception and fairly well deserved bad reception, Cataclysm brought the first of two major killing blows to the old talent tree system which direly hurt many peoples individuality. It also removed alot of gimmicky but interesting aspects, such as exorcism being efficent only vs undead or demons for paladins instead making alot of class uniqueness begin to become more hedgemonised in favor of a smaller more bus-minded margin.

Basically, Cataclysm was blizzards attempt to make the "Ensidia" guilds of TBC return by appealing to their demanding nature, it dumbed content down to make way for content specifically tailored to making "heroic" dungeons feel "heroic" again, and equally making raiding feel "hard" again.

This was basically their perogative as you can read from the old posts regarding Cata at the time, which was more than a small mistake because it was basically the exact opposite community of the game that actually wanted. Most were already pretty okay with what was already on offer, relaxing but fun casual content with their friends, which most were playing with at the time.

The biggest issue is that those that just wanted to play for fun were never the target audience blizzard intended, evidenced very strongly by the fact they made a move for a compedetive raiding scene, not once, but twice.

First with Cata, then with Warlords.

They really need to stop this whole competetive vibe its really not healthy for the game.

I agree with a lot of this. Competition brings out the worst in people, and removing competitiveness from WoW would be great.

[ls-]

I agree with a lot of this. Competition brings out the worst in people, and removing competitiveness from WoW would be great.

But what else is there to do if there's no competition? O_o We, humans, always compete IRL, that's what allows us to move forwards.

[Bapestar]

Yea Wrath and BC in the lead like usual, they are the best expansions.

[Luckx]

According most sites TBC have highest score among all expansions

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...urning-crusade User Score 7.8
Generally favorable reviews based on 749 Ratings

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...-the-lich-king User Score 7.4
Mixed or average reviews based on 874 Ratings

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...raft-cataclysm User Score 5.5 Mixed or average reviewsbased on 916 Ratings

[Deleted]

WOTLK was basically the pinnacle of the trilogy

In terms of story and the environment I completely agree. However, it is where they fundamentally broke the game design, from which they never recovered. LFG trivialized dungeons, and the full reset in every patch and multiple difficulty/size modes trivialized progression. The game design moved to instant gratification, which has continued to this day. The big problem being, that the only real source of gratification is the effort-reward loop, which instant gratification breaks -- so it is a self-defeating design. If they had continued with the TBC game design, WotLK would have been one of the most amazing games ever.

[Joozt]

Vanilla - everything was new people where more social
Drunk raiding MC till 6am <3

[Deleted]

According most sites TBC have highest score among all expansions

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...urning-crusade User Score 7.8
Generally favorable reviews based on 749 Ratings

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...-the-lich-king User Score 7.4
Mixed or average reviews based on 874 Ratings

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/wo...raft-cataclysm User Score 5.5 Mixed or average reviewsbased on 916 Ratings

I hope you simply jesting when you are using metacritic as a way to determine how good a videogame is. Anyone who dose use metacritc in any shape or form other than to laugh at probally also copy and pasted or pastes(this is if you are still going to school) wikipedia for their school assignments

Also on the top Woltk->TBC --------->Vanilla---->MoP--------------------------------------------------------------------------------->WoD-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------->Cata(ye deal with it hated cata more than wod and still do)

[Violeta]

Vanilla + Crusade

[zubaja]

WotLK for the raiding and MoP for the lore take the cake for me.

[Thrif]

But what else is there to do if there's no competition? O_o We, humans, always compete IRL, that's what allows us to move forwards.

What? A vast majority of human beings prefer to just enjoy themselves over competing. Hanging out with friends or watching TV is a lot more popular than competing in sports or similar.

Some people tend to always compete IRL. Those are usually the people that has very little to begin with, and are looking to prove themselves for whatever reason. Incidentally, these are the same people that tend to compete a lot in video games. And really not the people we need in the community.

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Vanilla > TBC > Wrath >> > Mop > Cata > Wod

How are people even voting for Legion?

Because they can read?

[Vaelorian]

The longer I play WoW, the more I cannot choose between expansions. I used to vote Vanilla, then I voted TBC and then I started at times to vote on WOTLK and even yes even Cata (Played until the end of Firelands).

Everyone of these expansions had some magic for me. Be it in raids, dungeons (prenerf), outdoor content or questing.
I mean sure if I recall the best adventures/outdoorcontent I had, this was during Vanilla.
If I recall the best raiding adventure, this was during Cata (again, didn't play Dragonsoul)
If I recall the best dungeons, this was during TBC and prenerf Cata.
If I recall the lore etc, this was during WOTLK.

I don't know what to pick anymore. But I do know that Cata was not the best expansion that I played even though the raids were great for me. So this one falls off my list.
The rest I cannot really choose anymore. So I rather give the period I loved the most, which started in Vanilla until the end of WOTLK. This to me regardless of all its flaws during that period was the best period of gaming I ever had anywhere.

[Niwes]

vanilla - end of bc. without any questions, for me.

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Vanilla > TBC > Wrath >> > Mop > Cata > Wod

exactly the same for me.

personally, i dont get why ppl vote wotlk always that high. the dungeons were horrible easy and the introduction of lfg was the beginning of all evil. It was just a useless dungeon vp grind. but raids were great. dailies were ok. leveling was ... hmmm ... ok, but not that great. argentum tournament was good. but the dungeons experience was just horrible.

for me, wotlk was the milestone when wow changes to that mass audience catered game and loosing his soul. so i dont get why ppl are that hyped for it. tbc was light years better imo.

[Deleted]

The longer I play WoW, the more I cannot choose between expansions. I used to vote Vanilla, then I voted TBC and then I started at times to vote on WOTLK and even yes even Cata (Played until the end of Firelands).

Everyone of these expansions had some magic for me. Be it in raids, dungeons (prenerf), outdoor content or questing.
I mean sure if I recall the best adventures/outdoorcontent I had, this was during Vanilla.
If I recall the best raiding adventure, this was during Cata (again, didn't play Dragonsoul)
If I recall the best dungeons, this was during TBC and prenerf Cata.
If I recall the lore etc, this was during WOTLK.

I don't know what to pick anymore. But I do know that Cata was not the best expansion that I played even though the raids were great for me. So this one falls off my list.
The rest I cannot really choose anymore. So I rather give the period I loved the most, which started in Vanilla until the end of WOTLK. This to me regardless of all its flaws during that period was the best period of gaming I ever had anywhere.

What are your thougths on MoP though?

[Rumred]

for me it would have to go Wrath>BC>WoD ( my old guild from BWL-Wrath came back so it will hold a place in my heart)>MoP>the rest

[Deleted]

Spent more time playing in WoD, Mop and Cata, but even still my most memorable by far is when I was a noob back in wrath being carried through ICC.

I regret not being older/more experienced to be able to enjoy wrath to it's fullest, but still by far my favorite time in WoW.


Also can we take the time to notice the guy above me just put WoD ahead of MoP.

[Vaelorian]

What are your thougths on MoP though?

In every expansion sofar apart from MoP I've raided relatively serious to really hardcore. Well in all expansions apart from MoP.
I didn't dislike the theme. I liked the questing and I liked the farm. I like the island of the thunderking and timeless isle. I did LFR as that was the only option to raid at the time. I hated it.
But the dungeons were so very much bad. The gating of those reputations etc were horrid. I didn't dislike doing dailies btw. I just disliked how the gates were handled. I don't dislike gating. But I dislike how some gates work.

I loved the war effort/cloak chain of quests. Didn't like how professions were gated on that daily cooldown (as in WOD).

So yeah MoP is sort of out of my equation just because I didn't fully play this expansion. But my feeling of MoP as a non raider felt that it lacked a lot of fun for me. Strangely enough in WoD I did raid. But I have better memories/experiences in MoP then WoD. So MoP wins vs WoD. In Cata however me and my own guild was kicking ass on the worldranks raidwise. The leveling experience and prenerf dungeons were awesome. So Cata wins from MoP if I check my own experiences. But I think if I try to look at MoP vs Cata objectively, MoP would have been the better expansion for most people. (didn't raid dragonsoul btw)

Thank you for asking

[Soulwind]

Pandaria.

5.0 was a bit of a grind, but the rest of the expansion was a smooth, fun experience without shitty raid tiers like ToC or DS. It had plenty of daily content, unlike WoD. And it added Scenarios, Challenge Modes, Brawler's Guild and Pet Battles outside of the PvE/PvP gear progression. Had dungeons and 5.0 reputations been a bit more interesting, it would have been the perfect expansion.