Why do people say Vanila is better? And is it really ? (Not a troll or QQ post)

[Ninve]

Disclaimer: This is not a troll post; these are just some of my thoughts about classic WoW and WoTLK. So pls if you are not interested in this subject or if u don’t want to spend the time reading such a long post, well don’t!

The question that I put myself before writing this article was why not both WoTLK and Vanilla?


Why Vanilla?

Hello everyone, this is my second post. After my first post where I explained the reasons why I quit WoW (and some of my experiences), I got some very nice feedback and some people asked me to write another article about WoW. The most important that I think I can write about is to try and explain why so many people these days say that Vanila WoW is better than WoTLK.
Ok so to begin with I’m Ninve of Argent Dawn EU. I’ve been playing WoW since the release up until about 3-4 months ago. I think most of us, the “old school” players ( if I can say so :P), remember the nostalgia of the first time we logged into the world, the first time we saw someone with Thunderfurry, Ashkandi, Grand Marshal (weapons & armor) or any other epic weapon or armor. Back in those days when I first started I was really impressed about those things. I was impressed even when I saw people on cats or horses, kudos, raptors and so on, let alone when someone came around with an epic mount (even people that had pets were fucking nice; also the flying mounts in TBC were very nice!). Back then it was trully an epic achievement to get such an item. I think these are the things we think about when we actually say that vanilla was better. Now everyone has epics, the word “epic” stopped having its true meaning if u ask me.

About PvE
Pls remember the days when the AQ war was about to begin, the HUGE event that started, with gathering materials for the war, or when the Dark Portal opened, THOSE WERE FU**** good events!!!!!! And to be honest I haven’t experienced anything like those in A LOOONG time. Those were trully great events where every player could contribute for a faster server raid progression, not only the lvl 60s, but also a lvl 1 player that had any or even no profession could help with some materials. Now let’s not say that only in vanilla this happened, no ofc we can see the Isle of Quel'Danas which is (if I’m not wrong) the last event of this type that was made. The difference is that not all players could bring their contribution to this event, only end lvl players could (so I think this took a bit from the epicness’ of things, also the grind got a bit boring after the first 2 weeks :P).
It’s pretty hard to describe everything that impressed me about vanilla. I think just because stuff was new and I didn’t know every corner of the world. I could pass a zone 3-4 times a day and always see something new or interesting. Nothing could bring back that vanilla flavor.
I have to mention here some of the instances that remain in my heart as the best ones (in design terms mostly): Dead Mines, Scarlet Monastery (JUST FUCKING ROCKS), ZF (I really liked it), ST (though sometimes it was too easy to get lost in there if you know what I mean>.<). I also loved most of the raids; for example I will always remember how paladins were sent in with bubble first so tanks could pick up the boss and & ads without 2 much pressure for the healers, or how chaotic was the first boss in Blacking Lair, it was fucking great.TBH most of the instances have their good and bad parts but some like LBRS I don’t want see 2 soon: P ^_^.

About PvP
So let’s talk a bit about pvp. The beginning of Vanilla had something that I think WoW will not have again: I will call it “mass world pvp” to be more specific, Hillsbrad Foothills (just an example). Where to the factions would battle, where the lvl didn’t actually matter, you were going to get in the battle even if you were lvl 30 or 40 or 60, the lvl didn’t matter. Also let’s not forget about the Blackrock Mountain, STV and other contested areas. Most players blame this on the BGs, I don’t think it’s as simple as that because let’s be honest the first 100 AVs (at least) were just soooooo PERFECT. I know AV sometimes took 6 freaking hours but nobody actually cared because when you were (for example) behind Ivus and you were charging for the horde stronghold it was a great feeling. Or when you were making a last stand on the bridge, trying to kill the enemy batrider that was decimating the alliance forces. Those were moments that players that did not experience will never get a chance to. Which is really really sad. I think people stopped mass world pvping because it was easier to get items if u just did BG nonstop, so there was no reason actually to kill outside the BG, I think they could have made a better system where for example you needed half the pvp points for an item if your kills were done outside the BG . It’s just an idea.
The problem back then was that not all classes were even close to balanced, I think most of us remember how you stood no chance against a good rogue in very high lvl gear. I think now classes are more balanced. Ofc they are not even close to being perfectly balanced but they are a bit more than they were back then.
The new system with war machines that Blizzard introduced in WoTLK really has big potential. I think they made an even greater job with them than they managed to do up until now!
Also remember how people in WSG used to wait if the enemy team had less than 8-9 players on the team ? Well you don’t see that kind of “honor” these days.

About RP
I think RP had only to gain with every new expantion, I think we can almost all agree that now RPs can get the items for their fantasy characters much easier. Which is really not a bad thing. I know most people don’t like this part of WoW. But let’s be honest, there are two kinds of RP: bad RP and good RP. For example most of the Goldshire RP is bad RP :P. But I found myself occasionally in the surroundings of some very good RPs. Then I just wanted to sit there and watch & listen to them RP, because they had such a brilliant way of doing it. I was always rubbish at RP but I loved seeing good RP at work ^_^ it relaxed me so much!

Quests
Ok so quests, again here is an example where I think the 2 expansions brought mostly only good stuff. There are so many great quests in TBC and WoTLK, I mean I could do them 10000000 times and not get bored with them, they are so FUCKING fun (easiest example here are the booming quests but so many more). The only sad thing I can think of that they left behind are the attunement quests, I really loved those, they gave such a big impression of lore, or that’s at least how I feel about them ^_^.

Getting at the end of the road.
I will be honest with you WoTLK is a better game than Vanilla, but if anyone would ask me what I would play if I had a choice? I would 100% chose Vanilla WoW. Why? I think because I’m trying in a foolish way to relive those trully epic moments. Why is WoTLK a better game? Well I think the best arguments I can bring here are diversity and better class balance. Also let’s be honest some of the artwork that’s in WoTLk is fucking great and some quest are so ridiculously fun that I wish I could do them 1000 times.
Now at the end I will post some vide s that remind me of the old WoW and the nostalgia back then. I also wish everyone that read these pages to get in the game and have the best experience ever amongst some of your best friends. And let’s not forget even if you are the most Vanilla defending player or if you are defending WoTLk please, remember what made and makes this game trully wonderful and great, and don’t let anyone take that away from you!

Armed only with good thoughts I wish you goodbye and thanks for reading
Ninve of Argent Dawn EU!

Videos:
The Death of PvP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e07RgSdlaA
Leeroy Jenkins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkCNJRfSZBU
Cranius Big Blue Dress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2z29Rk8814w
Chronicle of the Annoying Quest: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90Bf_wJSq2A (this is just the first episode from a great series I suggest you watch them all if you are a fan of this time of machinima)
Random Exploration Movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5JmVHXO__cQ
Grand Marshal Maydie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Emu7P1yGg0k
Swifty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02jSlJcDoDY
Vurtne: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmzeBMVW7jg (this was quite late if not even at the start of the TBC but still it’s very entertaining)
WoW Blind : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhBEIJ7umHc (modified the post to add this because it's one of the best machinama ever made!!!)

[Ceara]

People remember the good times rather than the bad, and those bad times that are remembered are looked upon with nostalga instead of disdain. "Hey, remember that time in this game that we had to take 2 hours a night to organize our 40 man raids, they don't make raids like they did then anymore"

Also, the encounters themselves weren't necessarily harder, but there were a lot fewer tools, specs and strategies available to make them easier, so once a boss was finally downed after hours, days or weeks, the sense of accomplishment was that much greater.

[Huntingbear_grimbatol]

Vanilla = PvP really unbalanced, high end raids were complicated to get to and complicated/hard to raid. R.I.P 40mans

TBC = PvP fair, except of lol restodruids.. PvE was just lol. some cool flashy things but not really a challange

WotLK = Naxx was a failure. Ulduar best raid ever IMO. TOC, heroic is somewhat hard.
DKs ruined pvp balance, early patches VERY unbalanced pvp. as of 3.2.2 only destruction locks need a small nerf poke. IMO.

[sicness]

I definitely enjoyed Vanilla, raided all Instances. But I also liked TBC (again all Instances) and now WotLK. It is just a bit different with every xpac.

Like comparing the 6 Starwars films or the 4 Indyana Jones.....

This is a good analogy, there's really no comparison with the original and expansions as they both changed wow rather drastically. Overall though the people who claim vanilla was better are typically the ones who try to get people to think that they're better than others simply because they played in vanilla while the majority of people didn't. There's been so many improvements and changes that it's practically a completely different game.

[Tanksenior]

>Insert Not this Shit again pic here<

Dude, this is the 500 MILLIONTH THREAD ABOUT THIS. I don't give a fuck if it's not a troll or QQ post, it is still the 500 millionth fucking thread about the same old crap. /rant.

[Quog]

I don't mind the changes to PvE over the years but Vanilla raids did have more of an epic feel to them. As for PvP Southshore was as good as it will ever get. AV was kinda fun when it had new and unique elements to it but all the esport crap has ruined PvP completely.

[losfer]

I like vanilla better. Why? Because I had alot more fun back then.
The community was alot better. Today chats are getting spammed by kiddos, crying about a ninja, anal or whatever.
In vanilla there was in my experience 99% less ninjas, because the community was so good the ninjas got frozen out.
Didnt have name/faction/server changes back then.

Vanilla was better because it felt like an mmorpg. Now all we got is elitist, selfsentered whiners, and there is no way to ignore them all

[fr0ggerz]

>Insert Not this Shit again pic here<

Dude, this is the 500 MILLIONTH THREAD ABOUT THIS. I don't give a fuck if it's not a troll or QQ post, it is still the 500 millionth fucking thread about the same old crap. /rant.

it must suck to read a similar thread 500 million times then lol. though i hope you didnt reply to all 500 million threads lol

[Sien]

Where would we be without http://huhuranisserious.ytmnd.com/

[elchali]

Whenever people see threads like these, they're just getting nostalgic, myself included.
Everything seemed better back then, but I believe your mind exaggerate that "nostalgic'ness".

It was just harder to accomplish something back then, as there were only a few end-game raiding guilds per realm, not like today where there are 10 or so. And just to try pugging a raid? Good luck.
And as it was harder to accomplish something, it gave you a more satisfying feeling, than it does in todays raids.

Criticize me if you believe I am wrong.

[The_Flying_Dog]

Where would we be without http://huhuranisserious.ytmnd.com/

Wow O_O This > Onyxia wipe... wow....

[Condemner]

TBC = PvP fair, except of lol restodruids.. PvE was just lol. some cool flashy things but not really a challange

except Sunwell and black temple even before the wrath patch , ow and gruul and magtheridon before nerf.

Vanilla was epic also because everytime i say someone in at least t2, i thought i'm never gonna get that .

Don't think vanilla was overall better though. Every expension had it's positive and negative things.

[Netherinfern0]

>Insert Not this Shit again pic here<

Dude, this is the 500 MILLIONTH THREAD ABOUT THIS. I don't give a fuck if it's not a troll or QQ post, it is still the 500 millionth fucking thread about the same old crap. /rant.

Read it then comment.

[Iseldir]

Well, I loved vanilla... but only because it is, as many mentioned, nostalgia. Everything was new and adventurous. You didn't have all this "NEED EPIX ACHIEV/GS OF [insert random number here]". I do remember a few ninjas here and there, and amazingly enough I haven't come across one since vanilla. I guess I'm just -that- lucky.
Oh, wait, there was some kid that tried to ninja items from level 70 raids a few weeks ago... And as far as the events go, they were super epic. I was playing on an alt when the AQ event began(I didn't have the money to pay for my account, so I made a character on my sibling's.) I felt cool killing bugs around level 30 and getting 70s or so a kill. Easy way to get gold. <.<

A lot of epic things came from vanilla. I <3 it, but I wouldn't want to go back. I actually know how to play most my classes fairly well now, instead of just thinking "wtf does this do??".


Anyhoo, I don't believe one was better than the other, I just think in vanilla it was 'new' and that's what made is special.
Just my opinion though and the way I feel about it. -sagenod-

[Melonberry]

So you're saying that vanilla wow was good because it was new? I guess I agree with you there. Sadly that was probably the only good thing about it.

[Soreila]

There were lots of good things in Vanilla. The xpacs just removed the chore behind some of those good things. Some people liked that, some don't care, and some don't like it.

[velourea]

some of us see the expansions as cheap ripoffs.

I know it's hard, but there's no arguing in taste.

[Zokten]

There were lots of good things in Vanilla. The xpacs just removed the chore behind some of those good things. Some people liked that, some don't care, and some don't like it.

removed some chores to just add many new chores.

Vanilla > TBC > Wrath

Wish they would do a Vanilla server set just to have some good times again.

[Kheirn]

Vanilla was better because MMO's were still the backwater geek-game that only the mega-dedicated people played. Then the casuals got a whiff of it and checked it out and from there it went further. WoW's biggest flaw is it's huge community where every second person you encounter is a retard or a dickwad.
WotLK as a game beats Vanilla bigtime. However, as a play-experience it's frustrating and annoying. Why? The community.

So far I've seen less of this in Aion or Rising Force Online where the communities are smaller and you actually enjoy grouping with others and people tend to help eachother out.

[seam]

People remember the good times rather than the bad, and those bad times that are remembered are looked upon with nostalga instead of disdain. "Hey, remember that time in this game that we had to take 2 hours a night to organize our 40 man raids, they don't make raids like they did then anymore"

Also, the encounters themselves weren't necessarily harder, but there were a lot fewer tools, specs and strategies available to make them easier, so once a boss was finally downed after hours, days or weeks, the sense of accomplishment was that much greater.

This, pretty much.

Imo anyway.