Arena Matchmaking, Blue posts, Fan Art

[Boubouille]

New Arena Matchmaking System - Additional Information

Because of the way the new system works, there has been some question as to the purpose of each of the different ratings, so here goes:

• Team rating: Team rating is the primary measure of a team’s skill during the course of its existence. Titles and arena points are based on team rating.
• Personal rating: Personal rating only exists to ensure that a player has participated enough on a team to deserve the benefits of being on that team. When personal rating gets close enough to team rating, we judge it is likely the player deserves the benefits of the team.
• Matchmaking rating: This rating exists to ensure quality match-making despite players changing teams. In addition, the theoretical mathematical foundations of the new matchmaking system allows this rating to adapt much faster than team rating and personal rating, making the entire system more correct. In our measurements to date, this rating has been quite precise in predicting the outcomes of future matches.

One important point to note is that the personal rating currently converges towards the matchmaking rating instead of the team rating, which we realize can cause lot of confusion and frustration. We will be making an adjustment in the near future that will cause the personal rating to converge towards the team rating instead of the matchmaking rating, which should alleviate much of the current concerns.

Same team, different Matchmaking Rating
Partners on the same team can have diverging team ratings if their matchmaking ratings are different. As mentioned above, we will be adjusting it so that personal rating will no longer diverge from team rating and will instead always converge towards it.

Team / Personal rating convergence
Team rating currently converges towards the average of the matchmaking ratings on the team. Personal rating currently converges towards each individual's matchmaking rating. As such, the team rating currently ends up in the middle of the personal ratings of each member of the team, usually around the average personal rating of the team. As mentioned above, we will be adjusting this to keep personal ratings in line with team ratings. (Source)

Past Win/Loss and new ratings
We included history from before the implementation of the new system in determining the matchmaking rating. If you or your partner played with another player before the new system, data from those games would also be included in your current matchmaking rating.

My only question is if a team has a good MMR, but a terrible TR, why put them against a 1900ish team to lose 6, and the 1900 team win zero?
This would happen if:
1. They are matched because the first team's matchmaking rating is near the second team's matchmaking rating.
2. The first team doesn't lose a lot because their team rating is lower than than the second team's matchmaking rating.
3. The second team doesn't win a lot because their team rating is higher than the first team's matchmaking rating.

Matchmaking rating on different brackets
The matchmaking rating is separate for each bracket, and the matchmaking ratings do not interact between brackets in any way.

Blue posts

AV Token in the Concerted Efforts/For Great Honor quests
We stated a little while ago (I think) that we plan to add the AV token back to this quest (For Great Honor is the Horde equivalent) in the future. (Source)

[US] Upcoming Free Character Moves
These are the PvE realms from which we would like to offer free character moves in the near future. The current plan is to offer moves from these realms in smaller chunks and shorter periods of time than we usually do. With the exception of the first five realms listed, I do not have any additional information with regard to destination realms at this time.

Arygos, Alexstrasza, Shadowsong, Eonar, Hyjal, Kargath, Aerie Peak, Thrall, Lothar, Azuremyst, Khadgar, Durotan, Thunderhorn, Elune, Stormrage, Anvilmar, Duskwood, Eldre'Thalas, Blade's Edge, Dawnbringer, Skywall, Drenden, Windrunner, Moonrunner, Bladefist, Llane

Please make this Alliance transfers only this time. (Windrunner)
It will be. The same goes for: Elune, Stormrage, Anvilmar.

[EU] 28/01 Free Character Migration
Due to population and faction differences, the following Free Character Migration will be available until February 3rd:

Horde only: Magtheridon --> Haomarush, Tarren Mill, Trollbane, Zenedar, and Silvermoon (normal/PvE)

Alliance only: Aerie Peak, Aggramar, Alonsus, Aszune, Azjol-Nerub, Bronze Dragonflight, Bronzebeard, Emerald Dream, Eonar, Khadgar, Kul Tiras, Runetotem, Shadowsong, Silvermoon, Turalyon --> Magtheridon (more about this: http://forums.wow-europe.com/thread.html?topicId=7575650109&sid=1)

Burning Legion, Crushridge --> Dentarg, Genjuros
Grim Batol, Sylvanas --> Shattered Halls, Vek'nilash
Ravencrest, Stormscale --> Haomarush, Karazhan
Al'Akir, Outland --> Agamaggan, Ahn'Qiraj
Kazzak, Twilight's Hammer --> Kor'gall, Trollbane
Shattered Hand, Stormreaver --> Boulderfist, Laughing Skull
Argent Dawn --> Steamwheedle Cartel, The Sha'tar

Please note that any migration may be closed at any time should a destination realm's population rise too high.

If you have any questions about this specific migration, please feel free to add them below. However, note that migration is opened based on realm population analysis, not popular demand, so requests for other free migrations will not be responded to.

FAQ: http://www.wow-europe.com/en/info/faq/charactermove.html

New Fan Arts
The Blizzard Fan Art Section has been updated with new artwork.

[FIRST]

FIRST!

[Toiran]

Don't add AV tokens, AV is dead

This, although it would increase activity in AV, i dont think it will enough.

[MuTe]

Don't add AV tokens, AV is dead

AV is cool, and its the only bg horde is good at on my server. but dont make it so we have to deliver 5 marks for the same honor. Either make it 4 different marks from any bg, so ppl can choose not to play a sertain BG they done like and still be able to do deliver 4 marks. Or give honor for delivering av marks. for example 2k for 10 marks or something. I dont play AV (although i like it) because i have 100 marks, and the honor rly isnt that good compared to the other bgs + the 900 honor.

And why they havent changed the honor cap is beyond me! 75k is so easy to get, and u buy 1 item like Deadly belt 62k and u can farm again. A cap like 250 would seems reasonable. And arena rating cap to 10k?

[LavaDuck]

A dwarf and a female elf :P

[eRAZOR]

Don't add AV tokens, AV is dead

I chose AV any day over the Warsong or even EOS

[Marvdatboi]

w00t I gots me sum cookies diz mornin guys.

[nokra]

That warlock fan art is freaking phenomenal!

[Deleted]

That warlock fan art is freaking phenomenal!

Sure is, so well done.

[Elementium]

Lock sets are definitely some of the coolest.

[Balbaroy]

Don't add AV tokens, AV is dead

Thats exactly why they're doing it.

[Elpay]

AV is cool, and its the only bg horde is good at on my server. but dont make it so we have to deliver 5 marks for the same honor. Either make it 4 different marks from any bg, so ppl can choose not to play a sertain BG they done like and still be able to do deliver 4 marks. Or give honor for delivering av marks. for example 2k for 10 marks or something. I dont play AV (although i like it) because i have 100 marks, and the honor rly isnt that good compared to the other bgs + the 900 honor.

And why they havent changed the honor cap is beyond me! 75k is so easy to get, and u buy 1 item like Deadly belt 62k and u can farm again. A cap like 250 would seems reasonable. And arena rating cap to 10k?

The reason they have marks is to push you to play those games. If you could turn in single marks than you could just farm honor from Strand of the Ancients and never que for anything else. The problem with AV was the AFKaves. People would que just to get marks and free honor. Since there were 40 people, organization was near impossible. People would even level in the harpie caves to get honor at the same time. In my opinion they need to boost the honor gained in AV as it is the most difficult to maintain.

In other news they have talked about raising the honor cap. Just like everything else Blizz says we are working on it because very little is in balance. Also they don't call out too many realease dates as to when they say it will be realeased. All gets confusing when you change the whole game and only have 2-3 codemonkeys to fiz the game. Hell, they don't have enough codemonkeys to prevent Gold Farming adds from their official posts. LOL!

[MuTe]

The reason they have marks is to push you to play those games. If you could turn in single marks than you could just farm honor from Strand of the Ancients and never que for anything else. The problem with AV was the AFKaves. People would que just to get marks and free honor. Since there were 40 people, organization was near impossible. People would even level in the harpie caves to get honor at the same time. In my opinion they need to boost the honor gained in AV as it is the most difficult to maintain.

In other news they have talked about raising the honor cap. Just like everything else Blizz says we are working on it because very little is in balance. Also they don't call out too many realease dates as to when they say it will be realeased. All gets confusing when you change the whole game and only have 2-3 codemonkeys to fiz the game. Hell, they don't have enough codemonkeys to prevent Gold Farming adds from their official posts. LOL!

But i dont think adding the AV marks into the list of marks to gain the exact same amount of honor for 5 marks as when u used to turn in 4 marks is a good idea. Why would it be bad if ppl could just deliver 4 different bagdes and choose from 5 different bg's? This way they can choose to dont do a sertain bg if they dont like doing it. For example i like AV, but i dont like WSG so much.

So i would deliver a AV, EOTS, AB and SOTA mark, while another guy would deliver a EOTS, WSG, AB, SOTA mark. It wouldnt kill any of bg imo. And if it turns out that for example AV is the lesser favorite, maybe blizzard should do something about that bg to make it more fun/rewarding.

If ur a PVE player your not forced to do the same HC for heroic badges. If you dont like a sertain HC, then u can farm ur badges else where.. why cant BG be the same?

[Mahtamori]

But i dont think adding the AV marks into the list of marks to gain the exact same amount of honor for 5 marks as when u used to turn in 4 marks is a good idea. Why would it be bad if ppl could just deliver 4 different bagdes and choose from 5 different bg's? This way they can choose to dont do a sertain bg if they dont like doing it. For example i like AV, but i dont like WSG so much.

So i would deliver a AV, EOTS, AB and SOTA mark, while another guy would deliver a EOTS, WSG, AB, SOTA mark. It wouldnt kill any of bg imo. And if it turns out that for example AV is the lesser favorite, maybe blizzard should do something about that bg to make it more fun/rewarding.

If ur a PVE player your not forced to do the same HC for heroic badges. If you dont like a sertain HC, then u can farm ur badges else where.. why cant BG be the same?

I can't get a decent weapon from badges, I need to either farm ore for it or go grind HC HoL for the axe. I can't do something else.

On the other hand, nothing is forcing you to do AV to get honour. That's just the bonus honour that'll require marks from all battlegrounds.

You're only real approach on arguing for AV's continued exception is, in my opinion, that the AV marks are so ridiculously easy to get. Being a PvE:er at 70 it was the only mark I constantly had more than 50 of, and often more than 100 having my mailbox clogged with them.

[MuTe]

I can't get a decent weapon from badges, I need to either farm ore for it or go grind HC HoL for the axe. I can't do something else.

On the other hand, nothing is forcing you to do AV to get honour. That's just the bonus honour that'll require marks from all battlegrounds.

You're only real approach on arguing for AV's continued exception is, in my opinion, that the AV marks are so ridiculously easy to get. Being a PvE:er at 70 it was the only mark I constantly had more than 50 of, and often more than 100 having my mailbox clogged with them.

Thats true, but i actually like AV. And some other ppl may as well. If ppl can afk their way to av marks (and any other mark imo) then thats a flaw ingame, and blizzard should not "fix" that problem by forcing players to farm MORE bgs. Thats just lazyness, and will result in even more AFKing, because a real afker doesnt care if he gets 1 or 3 marks. If he really wanted 3 marks he would try to win the BG.

U say the only way to get a nice wep is to go this HC. Thats because you dont settle with a lesser wep, go naxx, farm ore, or dont like the one from badges.. but atleast you have a choise. If pvpers have to farm all marks to get the honor from the quest, they dont have a choise other then, get the honor or not.

Look at the BG quests as the HC dailies. U can choose not to do a HC daily if u rly dislike it, but if you want the extra badges u can choose to do it. Daily HC changes every day. The BG repeateble quest does not change, and forces you to do the same thing every time. Result is, if ur Battlegroup is bad in AV ull have to spend alot of time to get the quest done. Its just another nerf for pvpers who allready have a hard time getting gear.

[Allyric]

pvpers who allready have a hard time getting gear

LOL.




The art added recently is really very well done.