Does exclusivity make a better game? Gating content

[nekobaka]

Somebody just linked it and then deleted it but I found it again

Apologies, I deleted it as it was not formatting correctly on my end at the time.

The post which was not directed to the quoted:

Because someone cannot understand what "more" means.

Q: I have read posts that claim you have said LFR saved raiding from bean counters and the chopping block. I cant find this. T/F?
A:There are no "bean counters" -- just us prioritizing. Can justify larger raids, more art, when it's not just a few seeing it.

Raiding would have still existed without LFR. The devs just would not have been able to justify spending a larger chunk of the overall development resource pie on raiding without LFR. Also, dungeons share the same development team as raids. The resources to make bigger raid tiers did not come out of thin air.

[Osmeric]

Apologies, I deleted it as it was not formatting correctly on my end at the time.

The post which was not directed to the quoted:

He wasn't actually saying there are no beancounters. He was saying THEY are the beancounters.

[faithbane]

I know I'm quite alone with this, but I always loved TBCs way to gate content.

Totally not alone... I even liked vanilla (although I don't have time to grind days and days to get a piece of nature resist gear anymore, it was meaningful at the time). It felt more deserving to finish a quest line / earn your entry & key and get more attuned with your character and skills made a difference. At least you knew that the people who were by your side against a raid boss farmed/raided/grinded and went through the same journey and were competent/patient enough to not bail after 1 wipe or just boosted yesterday etc..
Flash forward >>I remember one of our first ICC raids, this DK that was like 18th on dps, won the roll over the 2h from the first boss and afterwards asked in chat what enchant he was suppose to put on this (WASNT JOKING) while I was banging my head on the desk.. that was also known as why we use lootcouncil now event in my guild

/rantoff

[Pantalaimon]

The mere existence of LFR destroys the incentive, the meaning and purpose of joining a normal raid.
It's there. It's queueable. Same bosses. Epics.
Why would i bother entering a normal raid? Item level? To do what? Kill NPC's even faster in the world?

I think what really determines if a player stops raiding with finishing lfr, or progress further in it with higher difficulties, has more to do with what they value from the rewards/fun that raiding in general provides. If a player only values casual transmog they might just stick with LFR and not go higher in raiding, thus destroying further incentive to raid as you said. Although if they were a hardcore transmog collector that motivation might encourage to try and measure up to mythic raider capabilities for the mythic tier transmog. See how a player's motivation can keep them in lfr or beyond due to their goals in game, despite the existence of LFR?

Another example, if a player doesn't care about stat sticks and Blizzard decided to remove LFR those same players that don't chase higher ilvl as motivation still most likely would not raid beyond normal raiding. For some players (myself included) high ilvl only matters to make dungeons, Brawler's Guild, old raid farming, etc easier. In truth, the reason I started getting back into raiding for Wrath, Pandaria, & WoD was for cosmetic rewards, not specifically for higher tuned stat sticks. I got myself raid ready for mounts, or other CM rewards. The main reason I even started raiding HFC was to get the Mirror of the Blademaster trinket for CMs for titles/mount/weapons. So, long story short, cosmetics are often motivations for players like me, not gear. The existence of LFR doesn't get in the way of our motivation to raid, it's just that raid tiers that don't offer appealing enough cosmetic rewards and only offer higher ilvls are the windows we don't care to raid during.

It would be more accurate to say that LFR destroys the incentive to raid in higher difficulties IF it also rewarded the same mounts & titles as heroic/mythic raiding. If I want the cosmetics I still have to go beyond lfr unless I want to wait 2 years to solo clear it for the rewards.

[Deleted]

Apologies, I deleted it as it was not formatting correctly on my end at the time.

The post which was not directed to the quoted:

They think people give a crap about the art, and raiding, not the gear
Yet, contradict themselves by telling us (quite recently infact) that raiders are a minorty.
Whilst making so simple for a majority, and then cutting out content with LFR as its replacement.

[bufferunderrun]

Well, i'm probably atypical then because i want to be treated like dirt as a training regime until the day i finally reach the goal. That's when the praises, parties, gold and fortune come.

In MOBA's is a little different like you said but there are exclusive skins, borders and icons. Shows of respect and fortune to make you feel empowered and special (snowflake) on the community.
If Blizzard wants to keep LFR then make this "shows of respect" for the people who clear Normal mode+. It gives them incentive and meaning to keep playing.

The existence of LFR is making the "Game Over screen" happear on screen for a lot of people. I see that as a problem.
They shouldnt be seeing the Game Over screen on a tourist mode. I should be treated like dirt for clearing LFR to make me feel i didn't finish the game. (like the chicken hat in MGS:V)

Normal raids are done by at least 35% of the population, maybe more (on Myst of Pandaria at least)

The mere existence of LFR destroys the incentive, the meaning and purpose of joining a normal raid.
It's there. It's queueable. Same bosses. Epics.
Why would i bother entering a normal raid? Item level? To do what? Kill NPC's even faster in the world?

i literally hate peoples like you, blizzard is showering you and the rest like you with all kind of rewards and you are never satisfied, mounts, titles, special pets, special textures for sets; blizzard really need to stop catering to the bitchy kid and give those reward for all the difficulties lfr included.

you want a special exclusivity wildstar (lol) is that way-------------------------------------->

[Farabee]

Skill-gating by putting rewards behind difficult content? Yes. Absolutely.

Time-gating by locking your third artifact relic slot behind a week's worth of table missions? No.

[Demithio]

Skill-gating by putting rewards behind difficult content? Yes. Absolutely.

Time-gating by locking your third artifact relic slot behind a week's worth of table missions? No.

Pretty much this. Gating for a valid reason only, and must be done in an interesting way, not just because they need to stretch out the time further. Unfortunately though, there seems to be many here who want absolutely zero gating (read: effort) in any form. They want instant gratification with little to no effort where they are rewarded for simply showing up.

[Hyve]

It's not one or the other, and I think Blizzard has done a good job of it so far.

Anyone and everyone can see the raid content, but everyone also knows that Mythic is where the real magic happens. It has the coolest looking sets (generally), and also has exclusive mounts and titles, and even if the exclude the power of Mythic Raiders, the fact that you're raiding Mythic is something to almost be proud of.

Gating content is important, but when you make it a divide of "us vs them", it's gone too far. Whatever your views on the LFR system is, it doesn't impact you in the slightest, and gives everyone the chance to get involved, while allowing others to push through their more rewarding, and more challenging content.

As for other forms of gating outside of raids, I think time constraints are perfectly okay. Weren't around for that special event, that's a shame, but that's the nature of the game. Didn't manage to put enough time into the game to get Exalted with this faction? That's a shame, but that's the nature of the game.

It gives you the choice. Do I want to put in more effort into this event / game, and if the answer is;

Yes - Congratulations, you'll get the best and coolest rewards.
No - No worries, you'll still get the see the content.

[Deleted]

Funny video of videogames that mock you for playing on easy mode.
What i think Blizzard should do for me to try and "git gud"

[Sumatra Khan]

This subject is completely subjective. If you don't get by now that WoW's player base is diverse, and as a business; it's Blizzard's job to find the median to appeal to the broadest amount of players.

You don't want exclusivity because it makes a better game. Most WoW players don't see Mythic content, gear, mounts, certain transmog skins, etc. There is plenty of exclusivity.

You just don't like that people you deem unworthy get ANYTHING at ALL.

[SoundOfGuns]

I don't think it would. I mean in moderate forms maybe, yea, but the utter orgies of reputation grinding of the past makes me vomit all over the damn floor. I really am sick of reputation grinding. Its the laziest, most stupid time-sink you could come up with. Well next to gathering a billion pieces of X in three different quests for one legendary! *coughsringcoughs*... I don't know. Some gating is okay, but you can EASILY overdo it and it has been done plenty by blizzard in the past.