Braindance: Small essay on why making the game easier is wrong

[DeadmanWalking]

And yet when Blizzard puts a purple ring behind a daily grind that takes 15 mins a day for 15 days the hardcore raiders throw a shit fit that they had to do something beyond plunging into a never ending cycle of dungeons. Oh and it was Blizzards fault for putting it there and not their guilds fault for demanding that they get that ring.

[Deleted]

People who casually play will only experience the standard stuff and those are indeed not challenging for most of the people that play World of Warcraft.
But those who take their time in the game notice that there is hard stuff out there, Heroic Raiding isn't a facepalm at all.

That's why WoW is so great, you got Gameplay for Casuals and for Hardcores.
One big world

This, definitively this.
There's still a sense of achievement to gain in the game.
The thing is, before, achievement was measured by the "uniqueness" of the gear. Now achievement is measured by ilvl.
For me at least, achievement is measured by the efforts I made to clear an encounter. Memories are all I need to feel epic in my level.

[Mad_Murdock]

Is taking a tram up to the top of a mountain as rewarding as hiking it? Does driving a car up a long steep hill feel like as much of a challenge as riding a bicycle up it?

And there we have our fundamental questions. What am I doing ? Why am I doing it ?
Your mowing the lawn. WHY ? If you're goal is to build stronger hands and forearms, then Scissors is clearly the correct answer. If your goal is to cut the lawn and get back to something more important (to you) then the lawnmower is the correct answer.

Why am I hiking the mountain ? Is it to get dire needed medical supplies ? Then I'd say the Tram is your answer. Out for the view and exercise and conquer it ? Then Hiking is the correct answer.

The problem we have in WoW,is you(not you personally) want to apply your reasons for climbing the mountain to my reasons. You climbed the mountain with no shoes, wearing speedos and believe that's how everyone else should do it. I want a coat, boots and someone to serve me hot coco every 30 mins. You demand I complete the climb in under 8 hours, I want to take 45 mins breaks and read the paper.

So you have your savage manly man way of climbing that mountain and I have my guided tour, won't break a nail way. What's wrong with that ?

Now see, that's where we who liked how gaming was more in the past greatly differ in opinion. I cycle 6km to work and 6km from work every day because I feel good about it. I could take the bus or a car if I had one, money isn't the issue in this case. I rarely even consider taking a bus if cycling is an option, because hell I like the fresh air and the little workout I get every day even though I'm an active football/soccer player and visit the gym regularly.

Well, I say you're a lazy sissy who is spoiled rotten!(not really) I had to walk 10 miles, in the frigid cold and I never complained! These days you kids sit on your fancy little sissy bikes that weighs less than 10lbs, wearing your sissy helms in case you fall off. In my day we had two round 500lbs stones and a stick and that's how we traveled! If we fell off, we cracked our skulls and died and we were happy! That's how real men do it!

You see we can play the old man's "Back in my day, we had it worse" all you want. You choose to Bike because you enjoy it, would you enjoy walking those distances ? In a suit and tie, in the summer, if there is no showers available ? Once upon a time people may have enjoyed endless grinds because at the end of it, it felt good and rewarding. Others, and I guess we can just generically say "These kid today", don't see the value in doing something "just because" Maybe they have it right and don't waste gaming time doing boring grinds for minor rewards.

[Deleted]

Well of course making the game easier is wrong, no need for an essay or 22 page thread.

Easier means no reward system and that's why we play the game in the first place.

Thank you.

ps if you don't play for that then we need to find you another game.

[Deleted]

I agree with the OP. Wrath created the 'Wrath Babies'. Blizzard is catering to the players that started in Wrath, Cata and MoP. That's the new direction for the game. I, personally, don't enjoy it, however, I do enjoy WoW at it's core and that's why I still play. If blizzards design plan fails (Unlikely) then they will change it accordingly...