ICC Hard Mode Videos, Cataclysm Goals, Comics

[Boubouille]

Icecrown Citadel Hard Mode Videos
Hard modes were unlocked last week and guilds released a couple of videos, there aren't a lot of them out there for the moment and I'll start with Deathbringer Saurfang, Blood Queen Lana'thel, and Lady Deathwhisper.

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Blue post - Cataclysm Goals

I think some of you are misinterpreting a couple of the Cataclysm goals.

We're not "overhauling the combat system." We are changing some lame stats to be more interesting (like Intellect) and removing some that just added complexity to the game without adding depth (like armor pen, which is pretty much just damage modified by how much physical damage you do). We are adding more health across the board, but that's to add a few seconds in between the time you take damage and the time you die, which we think will improve both PvE and PvP.

We're also not trying to "dumb down stats." Complexity and depth are two different things. Depth is really important to us. Without it, the game starts to get predictable and stale. Complexity can be a route to depth, but it doesn't have to be. The game of go has very simple rules but almost limitless depth (you can use chess if you aren't familiar with go). The game tic-tac-toe has very simple rules and almost no depth. It's hard to come up with examples that lots of players will get for games with too much complexity and not enough depth, mostly because those games either never become widely popular or don't endure. Ever heard the phrase "quick to learn but a lifetime to master?" That's depth.

Yes, we are messing with talent trees, but a simple skimming of the forums should suggest why. There are too many talents that have little depth but are mandatory (most of the talents right about the 51-pointer). There are possibly interesting talents that you can't afford because of the passive dps / healing / tanking increasers. There are also modifications we need to make just because you'll have 5 more talent points. There are also talents that we have modified along the course of LK in the name of closer spec balance that are now out of budget. We're not deleting any talent trees and starting over. We're trying to make them more interesting and more fun.

Comics
Dark Legacy Comic #225 and Teh Gladiators #113 are out!

[FacepalmerXtreme]

cool shiz

[mööh]

I LIKE WARRIORS

DLC wins again

[toychristopher]

I like intellect.

[SonsofDisaster]

SO much DLC love.

[phai]

Sweet morning, thanks to DLC <3

[Karnige]

People are just scared of change. Blizzard knows what they are doing. Like always just leave if you hate it so much. I for one am interested in the changes.

[Raynhard]

On Saurfang it's interesting how well and easy they handle the adds.

In my raids it's an absolute chaos

[LuckySeven]

<3 DLC. hehe.

[Fonill]

Yesh Saurfang looks like a beast, how many beasts in 10 man you think?

[fizyx]

Always a pleasure to see Jugg in action. And remember everyone... this shit isn't rocket surgery!

[Gilian]

Fights look almost exactly like normal mode. Would be more fun with 1 or 2 new mechanics.

[Samin]

DLC comic is....interesting, to say the least. Either author is looking to do some trolling or he's hoping to get trolled.

Or you are just homophobic? (It is indeed 'interesting'.. but that's it)

Didn't they say they wanted to step back talking about cataclysm? Well anyway, I don't get why everyone gets so excited about the talent tree changes and thinks it could be a bad thing. People think they won't be OP anymore? (facerolladin speaking here) Let them do their job and complain about imbalance when beta is out.

[Aleom]

Having not been in the Hard mode encounters in ICC yet, I may be completely off my mark here, so someone who's done this fight please correct me if I'm wrong....

But in making the fight "harder" for Saurfang it looks like all they've done is the following:
1) more beasts
2) faster runic power
3) more health
4) more damage.

I hope that the other fights aren't "harder" by simply having a code monkey make bigger numbers in the fight stats....I was kind of hoping for new mechanics, new things to watch out for, new abilities, new raid coordination etc etc....


But again, I haven't done THAT fight before and I'm only watching the video so correct me if I'm wrong.

[Kattias]

beasts root their targets

[Nevermindz]

I love DLC.

[Thatwsntmilk]

Blizzard knows what they are doing.

Like they knew what they did when they introduced arenas and afterwards admitted that it was their biggest mistake ever?

They are only "normal people" too. They try out a lot. Some things will turn out to be nice, some will turn out to be plain stupid.

[Charmy]

Yes, Keydar of DLC is gay. Deal.

If you want more proof see:
http://www.darklegacycomics.com/176.html

Gay WoW players represent! ;D

[eRAZOR]

Pretty damn amazing how they handle this.

[Upptagen]

Dunno if you find it interesting Bouboille but here's a video of Lord Marrowgar 25 Heroic: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opDzi...eature=related

The only new thing in the fight I realised was bone spikes duing bonestorm phase.