Some Thoughts How To Fix Leveling Timeline Mess

[huth]

Ha...ha....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....... Lore was tossed into the trashbin YEARS ago for the sake of gameplay and "well fuck what do we do now" storytelling... Anything and everything is open to retconning, rewriting and complete assfuckery if the "writers" think its "cool" to totally abandon established stories (looking at you Illidan "oh look im the saviour of the universe and you are all a bunch of dickbags for killing me at BT" Stormrage)

It never was on the table in the first place. Blizzard has always had gameplay in the top spot. If anything, lore has moved up in importance.

The one complaining about BT was Xe'ra, though, not Illidan. He's been largely "meh, whatever" about it.

[Deleted]

I like the idea of scaling. You could do the old zones in any order and finish the storylines before moving on, if you want to. In addition to scaling, the mobs need a slight attack power and spell power buff to add some challenge.

There is, however, still the problem with outdated graphics. It's a small issue for some, a big issue for some, but you'd think just improving textures could be done with hiring more artists.

[Vorecien]

Technically being the operative word here. Those zones were introduced with TBC expansion and though they appear to be located in the old world, they are not part of it.

I just find it a bit of a stretch. Their original implementation back in 2007 was meant to be locked behind an account owning a BC license. It's much more "realistic" if you add a portal (loading screen) than having a player run into an invisible wall, as that would require phasing, which was a mess back then.

[Travace]

I just find it a bit of a stretch. Their original implementation back in 2007 was meant to be locked behind an account owning a BC license. It's much more "realistic" if you add a portal (loading screen) than having a player run into an invisible wall, as that would require phasing, which was a mess back then.

I cant post images, but they mean that the Exodar and Silvermoon are literally in the same sky box as Hellfire Penninsula. There are screenshots where you can see both cities from Hellfire.

[Highwhale]

For people who don't believe what Exodar/Silvermoon is in Outland. Skip to 3.30 fuckers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rFE8HzIijY

[Vorecien]

For people who don't believe what Exodar/Silvermoon is in Outland. Skip to 3.30 fuckers.

I was wrong, but not as per the information dropped in this video. It was an official statement that these zones were added as a part of the Outland map so that it could be gated behind owning a BC license. It wouldn't matter lorewise at all.

Settled.

[Highwhale]

I was wrong, but not as per the information dropped in this video. It was an official statement that these zones were added as a part of the Outland map so that it could be gated behind owning a BC license. It wouldn't matter lorewise at all.

Settled.

I said Exo/Silver were in Outland technically. The reason why you can't fly there is because if you could you could fly to Outland zones. It would mattered lorewise. I understand gating thing but at the moment of Cataclysm release IIRC Vanilla/TBC/WoTLK were in one buy bundle.

[Knolan]

Wouldn't it be easier to simply expand the auto level adjust system to all the regions and let people level wherever the hell they want?

[Cernunnos]

All they need to do is have chromie show up and give you the quest at the start each expansion.


Just give you some dialog about preserving the timelines, then you proceed through the expansion as normal.

[shaunika123]

How to waste a ton on development cash on content no one plays through. Good idea



/s

yoU'd be surprised

[Jujudrood]

There's really no need to 'fix' leveling.
I wouldn't worry about it too much because leveling 1-110 now is a joke with how easy it is.
Even new players have access to heirlooms (gold-gated, sure, but they are there) so having zones redone for leveling purposes really wouldn't be worth it; there's no long-lasting bonuses because once you see them, you see them, then you are passed them.

Basically, it's fine the way it is.
If you are a story/lore junkie, but didn't play when each xpac was current, you can read about it.
Otherwise, I'd much rather they focus efforts on the next xpac zones and features.
If that means they revamp the old world for max level, then so be it, but don't do it just because leveling is a mess.
It's been a mess since Wrath, really, when everyone and their grandmas got all of the heirlooms and out-level a zone before finishing the first hub.

[Schattenlied]

Oh look, another attempt at getting vanilla servers...

This post has absolutely nothing to do with vanilla servers...

- - - Updated - - -

How to waste a ton on development cash on content no one plays through. Good idea



/s

Plenty of people enjoy leveling in MMOs... a great deal, actually... Most players don't raid, blizz said that themselves, yet tons of dev time is spent on that... Everyone levels.

I enjoyed leveling a lot before the stat squish fucked up the scaling, leveling new characters was my favorite things to do outside of raids... now this is the leveling experience and it's boring as fuck.

The difficulty scaling needs to be fixed before anything... being able to 2-3 hit kill things and not feel threatened at all while naked, let alone with gear equipped, doesn't provide a fun or engaging experience... It provides an extremely boring, uninteresting experience that I don't doubt drives many new players away, as well as people who no longer enjoy their main and want to swap, but can't bear the awful current leveling experience.

[Alydael]

I can actually fix this really easy.

This fix will most likely involve the least amount of dev time (and cost).

It includes no zone re vamp or quest revamps.

Early in the starting zone you either find an object or are contacted by the timewalkers.

The time walkers guide you through the leveling experience as sort of a "main questline" glueing things together.

They:

1) guide you through the zones and offer leveling/ combat tips and explain "tricks" for new abilities and rotations that veteran players might now, but new players probably wouldn't. They also guide you through the x pacs

2) They offer explainations when the story doesn't line up ("Hurry adventurer! We need your help at "$#$##$" because "blah, blah, blah")

3) The rewards are mostly utility stuff (extra large space bags etc)

4) Questline culminates in the Chromie scenario they just added

5) New achieve and title for leveling a new toon through the new "main" questline and, as a bonus- an exclusive heirloom. (To entice veterans to give it a shot)

6) Maybe even make an achieve for going through the whole main questline/ leveling without dying. Something along the lines of "the immortal" but different. (To add a little challenge).

[Linkin76]

It is what it is. Is it confusing and sometimes frustrating? Yup. Its not so much a "timeline" issue. You simply move from one expansion to the next. Each one building on the last. Each Xpac is its own entity with its own unique storyline. Legion is the only relavent one that ties all previous expansions together in some way depending on class hall. The only significant event from WoD was the last minute when Gul'dan being thrown into Azeroth.

Cataclysm changed everything. Revamping what used to be Vanilla WOW to tie in with what was the current Xpac. All you can do is simply ignore that aspect I guess. There is no outland without Illidan being a jackass atop is fortress. Demon Hunters and DKs deal with the aftermath of both BC and WotLK respectivly. New players SHOULD experience BC, Wrath, Cata ect. as they were implemented. Thats what they paid for.

As far as level scaling? No thanks. That doesnt solve anything. The mobs are not nearly as difficult as they were prior to Cata. even mobs 1-3 levels higher do not pose a real threat. The problems are the mobs themselves. No stragety, low HP...everything is spreadout to the point where there is no agro radius. some are even mixed with melee and ranged to prevent AOE grinding. The STat Squish took a lot away. (On a side note can you imagine what out stats would look like without the stat squish at 110?) With full heirlooms its just a morning jog through the park where you death touch everything.

I love this game. Ive dealt with the highs and lows. Started back at the tail end of 1.9. Leveling then wasnt perfect. it was kind of a mess. and looooong. Now you can buy a level 100 or spend a few thousand gold for heirlooms and blow through Dungeon Finder.

[Flurryfang]

As everyone knows current leveling timeline is complete mess. Most players start in Cataclysm then go back in times of TBC and WoTLK. And only then they come back in Cataclysm timeline and things gets normal. Death Knights and Pandarens have even more messed up timeline - they jump from expansions timelines back and forward. It mostly caused by Cataclysm revamp and i believe next revamp can completely fix current mess. There idea:

New Revamp of Kalimdor and Eastern Kingdoms:

1 - It's not secret what in last chapter of Legion we deal with Sargeras and his Burning Legion. And its not secret what Ashara and her Naga is next threat looming on horizon. New Old Gods invasion is good reason to complete revamp main two continents and update it's world to current timeline. And i'm talking about DEEP and CONTRAST revamp of current zones. Turn green forest of Feralas into dark and grim haunted forest. Make Plague Lands cleansed. The more changes the better. Blizzard can even change current capitals balance - destroy Stormwind/Darnasus/Undercity/Thunderbluff and rebuild Exodar/Silvermoon.

2 - After revamp Blizzard locks access to Outland/Northrend/Pandaria/Draenor/Broken Isles. Lore reasons why we can't go there can be different. For example: after Naga's (New Threat) attack Alliance and Horde lose it's ships/portals etc.

3 - Old expansions zones and access to them Blizzard put in new shrines in Caverns of Time. Total 5 new entrances in CoT - Outland, Northrend, Pandaria, Draenor, Broken Isles. New Kalimdor and EK zones added in Cataclysm can be accessed through CoT NPC in those zones (phasing).

4 - Finally put Exodar/Silvermoon in Kalimdor/EK continent world and allow flying there (Current Exodar/Silvermoon technically located in Outland). Also new starter quests for draeneis and blood elves!

5 - No need to change start for worgens/goblins/death knights/pandarens/demon hunters. Just call their first quests and zone like some "Long time ago..." session. So after they finish their starter zone they continue leveling in current (new 8.0) timeline.

6 - New Kalimdor and EK oriented for 1-110 levels. Rest levels people get in new expansion zones.

PS Another more radical way to change timeline mess is completely wipe whole world and remake new. But ofcourse Blizzard wouldn't make it.

Coming into this thread, i thought you might have an easy or atleast straight fix to the timeline mess. Instead, you are asking Blizzard to make an entirely new game around the timeline, which would in the end give little end-game content and bring many changes to the old zones, which are loved this day.

Did you not read the forums during Cata or do you simply forget that people have a touchy feeling about revamping leveling zones? It is simply not worth doing this huge amount of work to get the stories up to date, because people will not see it as content and it will be a huge waste compared to what other content Blizzard could make for end-game characters.

If you want to have the story-line make sense, you will have to come up with something smart that would not require Blizzard to redo about 2 years of work. Revamping the entire continent is not smart.

[Florena]

I don't feel it needs fixing. The only inconsistency is that at 60 we step back in time to BC, but then from that point on we only go forward. It's not that big a deal.

[Smokinya]

Best way to fix it would be to implement Belluar Gamings "Warcraft Tales" into the game but Blizzard put a stopper in that which is lame.

[A Chozo]

My favorite solution still is:

Use Blizzard's greates freature for timeline fuckery: The Caverns of Time. Make us go there, talk to some Dragon who explains us (with a neat cinematic!) wtf happened in tBC and WotLK, and then send us there.

[americandavey]

How about people realize its outdated content, spend the 3 to 4 hours of each prior expansion getting past it and move on. Wasting resources on outdated content for maybe some new people that never played wow. I see old folks complaining of the revamp and the raiders that get subpar raids.

[Deleted]

My favorite solution still is:

Use Blizzard's greates freature for timeline fuckery: The Caverns of Time. Make us go there, talk to some Dragon who explains us (with a neat cinematic!) wtf happened in tBC and WotLK, and then send us there.

Easy. Efficient. Make sens.
Love it.