Icecrown Raid Difficulty, Pug with the Blues

[Boubouille]

Icecrown Raid Difficulty Functionality

In the upcoming patch we are adding a new feature to the Icecrown raid instance that allows the raid leader to change the instance's difficulty setting on a boss per boss basis. The way the raid leader chooses to switch is the same as now, by right-clicking on the character portrait. The difficulty settings can be changed from inside Icecrown Citadel, with some restrictions. For example, you cannot change the difficulty in combat or during certain events specified by our design team. To enable the ability to change the raid difficulty to heroic, you must first defeat the Lich King on normal mode, as doing so unlocks the heroic version of this raid instance. There is no heroic version of trash; meaning changing the difficulty will only affect boss difficulty.

We chose this particular functionality because we didn't want to use the Trial of the Crusader method, and have four versions on a raid of this size. We felt the Ulduar method of having to know a certain trick to do on the boss was difficult to communicate and tied too heavily to achievements. We might eventually convert Trial of the Crusader over to this new system but Ulduar and Naxxramas will likely never change.

PUG with the Blues
Now comes the time to be a forum hero and fraps how you wiped because of a Blizzard employee.

)

For a chance to group with us, be sure to use the Dungeon system and choose the "Random Heroic" option.

[...] To be specific, we'll be queuing using the "Random Heroic" option in the new Dungeon system. If you want a chance to join a group with one of us, you'll need to queue up this way as well.

[...] All Blizzard employees participating should have the tag in front of their names. Each employee will be able to pick whatever class, realm, and faction he or she wants.

[...] In total there should be 30-40 Blizzard developers, producers, and community team members using the Dungeon system for at least an hour.

[Dlonyer]

Running with a blue would be cool, I wonder how realistic it would be to come across one.

[Theprophecy2186]

I'm curious if they'll even mention they're a blue, or if you will be able to tell right from their name.

I guess you'd have to know one way or the other, or else whats the point in telling the community to do this?

[Halym]

Pugging with a blue.

Sounds like wipefest.

[Balance]

I personally wont be on the PTR's but I can't wait to see how the new LFG and the ICC difficulty switch work.

[LavaDuck]

If the EU PTRs weren't such a lagfest...

edit: added a few dots to emphasize!

[Haxxored]

You know the PTRs are in trouble when blues have to advertise to get people to log onto them.

Seriously though I wonder what happens if you get a blue in group I know I wouldn't want to do a dungeon with them, id rather pester them about changes and ask questions about the design intent. Blues only get real data and answers when no one knows they are looking.

[Boubouille]

You know the PTRs are in trouble when blues have to advertise to get people to log onto them.

No, it's just called a stress test.

[Herecius]

Very cool of the blues to do that. Maybe we'll hear some fun stories.. hopefully of blues embarrassing themselves, mwahaha.

[ralphie]

Pugging with a blue.

Sounds like wipefest.

500dps lock/rogue/hunter inc!

[shadowflay]

Is that US only or both ?

Because the time seems.. very late lol THOSE BASTARDS!

[Master Guns]

I personally think it's a really cool idea that they are doing this.

[Nixia]

I personally think it's a really cool idea that they are doing this.

Me too.

Just thought about something, what if the group they end up in is worthless? Like whipe 5 times on the first boss or something like that. Will they just leave the group, cheat or just out stand the pain?

[riflemancho]

I have pretty stupid question but i will ask it.. Lets see we use lfg system go the dungeon we kill lets say 2/4 bosses. One of our party leaves / or is a scrub. We use the system to find another dude, or some of my guild. How does he enter istance ;? I'm not sure right now how do i enter istance with new lfg, just its tl;dr all the information about it. So how actually a party enters a dungeon, and ofc if one of the dude's is scrub, and we must replace him. Thanks

[Ravasha]

Ask them to let Pyroclasm affect Soul Fire aswell. Thank you.

[shadowflay]

I have pretty stupid question but i will ask it.. Lets see we use lfg system go the dungeon we kill lets say 2/4 bosses. One of our party leaves / or is a scrub. We use the system to find another dude, or some of my guild. How does he enter istance ;? I'm not sure right now how do i enter istance with new lfg, just its tl;dr all the information about it. So how actually a party enters a dungeon, and ofc if one of the dude's is scrub, and we must replace him. Thanks

I think there's a button near the mini map, where you can click on it, and it summons you inside

[Drizzay]

i like it how you can change the difficulty of a boss instead of the whole instance, nice option blizz.

[riflemancho]

I think there's a button near the mini map, where you can click on it, and it summons you inside

Same like bgs, i should thikned about it :P Thanks

[kiwi.cozy]

Man, I would love to have a job that has me do instances, lol. But that's really cool; wish I could try to team up with them.

[B@nj0 P3do]

But the PTR is so boooring! :