An Open Letter

[Tarien]

This is a copy of something I posted here on the official EU WoW forums. I appreciate it's a loooong read, and if you can't be bothered just click away, but any feedback would be greatly appreciated, either here or the official forums.

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A few months ago, I unsubscribed. I've returned to the game now to prepare for cataclysm, but I've had some time to think about why I left and I wanted to share some of the thoughts I had in this open letter.
It was the first time I've ever quit the game voluntarily, previously it was always work getting in the way. I quit because I was bored. Not just now, but for most of WotLK. I just wanna set out and suggest for the Devs (or Blue's if they wanna pass the info back) what I thought worked, didn't work with WotLK, and suggest some things that I feel would improve Cataclysm.

So what worked or didn't work in Wrath of the Lich King?

Well for one thing, questing in WotLK, the actual quest lines, awesomesauce. Wrathgate, finding werewolves and getting away during Grizzly Hills, taking back the Ebon Blade enclave in Icecrown, and many many others, epic stuff. Not so awesome though was all the wandering about between an annoyingly large number of locations in each zone to do 2-3 quests at a time. I much preferred the Burning Crusade method of having nice compact quest hubs each with 5-15 quests at a time where you could complete a ton, hand them all in at once. It gives you a much stronger feel of what is going on in the lives of the NPCs at each hub, you feel more involved and that you've had more of an impact, rather than feeling annoyed with 1-2 NPCs inability to farm 10x[Quest Item], kill 20x[Quest Mob] etc, then move to the next unrelated NPC(s) some distance away and repeat. There's also the benefit of looking forward to a nice chunk of XP when you hand in a dozen quests.

Raiding in Wrath was pretty poor overall, I feel you failed to entertain us as much as in Vanilla and BC. Naxxramas was dull, if you're going to recycle old content, there should have been an equal amount of new content. I get that you spent a lot of time on it and felt that many players would appreciate a chance to see what they missed first time around, but recycled old content is ultimately boring old content, especially when you dumbed that content down and offered no hardmodes so that raiders completing their second trip through Nax were getting very bored very quickly. <removed some stupid misinformation about Hyjal here>

I have no idea why we killed Sartharion, there's so little Lore behind him in the game. Malygos was alright, although you should consider some slightly less annoying voice acting. ToC was terrible, five bosses in one room. Recycled same bosses for hard modes (nothing major in the way of new mechanics). Dull dull dull dull dull.

ICC you recovered, and it was a fun instance (I'll explain in a minute it's one let down though). Ulduar was the only truly epic instance, it was without doubt the jewel of Wrath. Rich with Lore, filled with challenges, incredible to look at, and some epic loot to boot (Val'anyr, Mimiron's Head), I kinda wish that this instance swapped places with TOC, so that the final raids of Wrath would have been on a high note.

Arthas (and this is why ICC ultimately didn't have that epic feel for me), possibly one of the most fearsome and downright epic characters in Warcraft lore, and I have to admit I got bored with him popping up everywhere. "Oh, it's you, again. Surprise surprise you spare my life. Again.". You trivialised the Lich King. Even killing him felt meaningless. When I finally killed him, there was no lasting sense of achievement or relief, tomorrow felt no different to yesterday. I honestly think that the villains should play more of a background role. Let us feel the effects of their vile schemes, let us discover how beloved characters deaths were ultimately the responsibility of each expansions arch villain. But please don't have them popping round for tea and biscuits every day. Especially not when they sound like Batman did a nice throaty voice over for them. It's just not sinister.

So for Cataclysm I would like to see a few changes. I know I might be a bit late in asking for these things, but it can't hurt to ask, amirite?

1) More compact quest hubs, some more 'fantastic' zones (Zangarmarsh, Crystalsong and Nagrand are my favs ever). It is a fantasy game, right? While I appreciate that Northrend is all snow and ice and pretty bleak looking, only Crystal Song felt truly fantastical. Maybe this is just my personal preference though.

2) More Lore behind whatever raids you implement. Some quest lines leading upto a raid at the very least. Mini events in a minor patch before the main patch would be amazing (similar to how you're doing pre-cataclysm events, although on a smaller scale maybe?). More story telling within the actual raid works well too. Perhaps not a Kael'thas speech before every attempt, but certainly some NPCs talking about what's going on or what they suspect, or a gasped last few words from a boss as he dies that should we choose to we can listen to/read (or ignore if this is our umpteenth clear of a raid instance).

3) Attunements. No wait, seriously. Not tough ones like TBC, something that could be done mostly solo with possibly 1-2 group/dungeon quests to finish up. They are fun, they give us interesting Lore and backstory to raids. Remove them each patch (ie in 4.1 attunements for 4.0 are removed, 4.2 removes 4.1 attunements, etc) so that 3 patches from now you arent struggling to find people to help your alt attune, make the attunement account wide, whatever. Attunements aren't a bad thing if they are done right, they provide interesting and fun back story to raids. Take a leaf from another game developer I am a big fan of: Bioware. One of their video blogs states that they believe there is a fourth pillar of MMO gaming - story telling. I strongly agree with this, and think raid attunements are beneficial if properly implemented.

4) Challenges! I really really hope that Blizzard get that this expansion was for the most part too easy. No one anywhere in the world values or appreciates something that is available on demand. I applaud the idea that everyone should be able to see the raid content, but at the same time you are destroying the game and I wonder if you realise it?

I mean, in the first instance, virtually every raid has been puggable. Why bother with a guild if you can pug? I've met dozens of players who actually prefer to pug than join guilds. An MMO is built on social interaction, and by making the content too easy you are eroding the need to play as a group. Achievements for boss kills have become tickets into another raid, rather than something that your guild achieved that you take pride in.

Secondly, frustration. Pugs often fall apart over minor wipes. They are full of self centered, self important, greedy cut throat ninja's. By making content easier, and removing the need for guilds, you are turning end game raiding from epic content into an exercise in frustration. Sure some pugs work, and over time they get better, but would you rather be in a guild of friends when the going gets tough, or a pug? Where do you think you will have the most fun?

Thirdly, if anyone can do it, or see it, or go there, where is the mystery? Where is the wonder, the magic, the legend? I remember back in Vanilla when I was new and casual, hearing about the one guild who were clearing Black Wings Lair. Rather than make me feel left out or like I was missing out, I felt inspired. I felt a thrill hearing about these dedicated players, these dedicated warriors, healers. Seeing them come back with new and exotic weapons and armour. You automatically assume that people won't play if they can't see all the content. But I think that since BC, your subscriber numbers are down (you sure haven't released any numbers since 2008!), and that is because you aren't challenging them, and there are no heroes or epic guilds among the playerbase to inspire them. People are bored and leaving.

I would honestly aim for a Burning Crusade level of difficulty again as a starting point, with hard modes no different to how they have been in Wrath. Give us the choice of taking a boss on in normal or hardmode, the same way you have done in Ulduar or Icecrown, rather than the ToC method. And then each patch, give the old content a 10% buff similar to the one used in Icecrown now (so by patch 4.3, 4.2 has a 10% buff, 4.1 a 20% and 4.0 content has a 30% buff). Maybe in the pre-5.0 patches increase it again to help people into the final raid instance. This will allow for more casual or less able guilds to catch up and everyone can see the content, but never will the raid content be so easy as to allow pugs to dominate as they do now, never will people get bored at the lack of challenge, and maybe some of the wonder and magic will be restored to end game content.

I'm pretty sure that in writing this I have forgotten some things that I may edit in later, but I hope this strikes a chord with fellow players, and that someone somewhere within Blizzard reads this and can give some feedback.

If you made it this far, thanks for reading.

[Kalokagathos]

I must say, i agree with you like.. all post through.. ESPECIALLY Attuments.. I love'd the feeling that i was "Now Prepared to face the dangers in there"..
One thing, i think they realeased some subscribtion numbers within the last months, still on 11million if I'm correct.. it was on the frontpage =)

I hope Blizzard will read your letter and consider some of it! =)

[Lesigh]

I really agree with you except on Ulduar (though I understand I'm in the minority here) and the lore factor of raids. Blizzards current version of lore is a 1 minute intro everytime you encounter a boss. Waiting through Saurfang's intro 6 times a week is getting a little ridiculous. I'd rather that effort be put towards the quests surrounding the raid like the attunements you mentioned.

All of your other points reflect my views completely. I don't want to see people's alts in the top tier because they run heroics in Cataclysm. I want to see more difficult heroics and attunements like Kara's that send us there (though maybe something like the Hyjal attunement is a little overboard). Watering down the content doesn't help anyone except extreme casuals. The fact that I can roll a new 80 and step into a pretty successful ICC with less than 8 hours played at 80 is ridiculous, this needs to stop. I know you only touched briefly on this in your letter, but I want to see better community, the dungeon queue (while totally awesome) has taken away a lot of player interaction.

[Zeniff]

The fact that I can roll a new 80 and step into a pretty successful ICC with less than 8 hours played at 80 is ridiculous, this needs to stop.

Why does this need to stop? You are playing a game. You are playing with friends. Why shouldn't you be able to start up and play with them?

[Pojodan]

WoW stopped catering to the hardcore crowd quite some time ago, best to live with that and seek out hardcore minded MMOs if having to spend months preparing a character for end-game content is important to you.

1) Have you been to Grizzly Hills or Sholzar Basin? Northrend is hardly all snowy and bleek. Yes, the two highest level zones are that way, but it is the frozen throne, after all.

2) I would like to have more lore options and quest lines leading into major raids. For example, the rings you get with rep out of ICC. Would be nice if a lengthy quest chain was needed to get those, but you should be able to skip that and still raid the place regardless. Long attunements are just too frustrating to casuals, which WoW is catered to.

3) Again, WoW is casual-friendly. Atunements, outside of 'Hi, go over there and get your key', are counter to WoW's direction right now. Lead-up quests are good, but it's nice to just drop into a raid when called upon.

4) Chalanges are great, and they're there. See heroic modes, Algalon, 0-lights, etc.

[iceberg265]

Interesting read, agree with some, disagree with some. Blizzard obviously disagrees with a lot of it though, unforunately.

[pickley]

WoW stopped catering to the hardcore crowd quite some time ago, best to live with that and seek out hardcore minded MMOs if having to spend months preparing a character for end-game content is important to you.

Cause hard modes are for casuals? Good to know every tom dick and harry can kill 25 man HM's.

[snowblind]

I disagree with everything you said.

Having any thought that Hyjal is going to be "rehashed" is pretty fuckin' dumb since the Hyjal we've been able to go to was a raid instance that took place in the past. What part of that would possibly be re-hashed?

Attunements are stupid. They don't serve the purpose that you think they do, and only serve to cockblock guilds from finding new members.

The quest hubs are fine. In fact, I don't recall a single hub with 1-2 quests in it, outside of Dragonblight and the various flights. Calling those hubs is a bit of a misnomer.

The mystery and wonder you had at the beginning of the game can never come back, because you will never be new to the game again. Asking for Blizzard to pull an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on you just so you can feel like a kid in a candy shop again is a bit much.

Blaming Blizzard for fail pugs is stupid.

You claim that the player base is selfish, yet this "open letter" reeks of that very same stink. You want Blizzard to cater to you and the small, but exceedingly whiny and vocal, minority.

If you and your ilk would pause and think critically for 5 minutes about why content seems easier now, maybe you'd understand that it's unavoidable.

- Better gear for everybody. This has nothing to do with the ease of attaining said gear - but how gear has progressed. Look at tier 1 and 2 for any given class. Look at all the wasted stats, all the mis-spent item budget. Look at tier 4-6 - getting better, still some wasted stats. Now look at tier 7-10. Wasted stats are all but gone.
- Acceleration of information. All but the top .1% of guilds don't start beating new content until the top .1% does it first, and posts their strats. Raid success is a quick YouTube video assimilation away.
- Better addons. Grid. Clique. Healbot. DBM and its ilk.
- Better players. The current zeitgeist would have you believe that most players right now are "bads". By today's standards, this might be true... but a very large portion of players have been playing this game for at least 2 years now, if not 3 or 4. A lot of the bleeding edge raiding guilds have either been raiding together for a very long time, or have at least had individual members raiding for a very long time.

Of course, this will all fall on deaf ears at best, or get ripped to shreds by self-proclaimed "elitists" who, of course, are 12/12 HM ICC right now and have been for "months".

[Frozenbeef]

i don't care about raids....they could be incredibly hard with only 0.01% of people defeating the first boss and it wouldn't affect me :P

What i do care about thougth is having the ability to get "good" quality gear outside of raiding such as from quests, heroics, arena, bgs etc , not the best equipment available but somthing to work too after i get to max level, rather just getting to max level doing all quests then making a new alt...

[Tarien]

I disagree with everything you said.
Having any thought that Hyjal is going to be "rehashed" is pretty fuckin' dumb since the Hyjal we've been able to go to was a raid instance that took place in the past. What part of that would possibly be re-hashed?

My bad on this point, there's been a lot to catch up on in the last few months regarding Cataclysm. Still, why the hostility? It's hardly central to what I wrote is it. I think someone is just looking to make loud noises and be heard.

Attunements are stupid. They don't serve the purpose that you think they do, and only serve to cockblock guilds from finding new members.

Not if you actually read what I wrote, they can be implemented as solo quest chains that grant access across your account rather than just one character, and the attunement requirement can be removed once the content is superceded by the next patch presumably with new content.

The quest hubs are fine. In fact, I don't recall a single hub with 1-2 quests in it, outside of Dragonblight and the various flights. Calling those hubs is a bit of a misnomer.

I'm glad you feel that way, I felt things were a little spread out and I am working my fifth character through Northrend so I am pretty sure that things are more widely spread. It's just an opinion.

The mystery and wonder you had at the beginning of the game can never come back, because you will never be new to the game again. Asking for Blizzard to pull an Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on you just so you can feel like a kid in a candy shop again is a bit much.

I disagree, Vanilla was amazing, but so was TBC. While there are elements that will never come back, a good expansion can reinvigorate a game. WotLK didn't do that, at least not for me.

Blaming Blizzard for fail pugs is stupid.

You claim that the player base is selfish, yet this "open letter" reeks of that very same stink. You want Blizzard to cater to you and the small, but exceedingly whiny and vocal, minority.

I read these two lines, and wonder how you can call me whiny and vocal. If you honestly believe that pugs are more fun than raiding with a guild, and you think that pugs are not becoming more common, well you've been playing a different game. Trade chat on my server is unreadable at peak times because of constant spam from pugs, it scrolls faster than you can read it. Many are desperately trying to hold together a raid where someone DC'd, left, or was kicked. The growing number of pugs is directly linked to the growing ease of raiding. I never said Blizzard was responsible for them failing, but they are responsible for them existing.

If you and your ilk would pause and think critically for 5 minutes about why content seems easier now, maybe you'd understand that it's unavoidable.

- Better gear for everybody. This has nothing to do with the ease of attaining said gear - but how gear has progressed. Look at tier 1 and 2 for any given class. Look at all the wasted stats, all the mis-spent item budget. Look at tier 4-6 - getting better, still some wasted stats. Now look at tier 7-10. Wasted stats are all but gone.
- Acceleration of information. All but the top .1% of guilds don't start beating new content until the top .1% does it first, and posts their strats. Raid success is a quick YouTube video assimilation away.
- Better addons. Grid. Clique. Healbot. DBM and its ilk.
- Better players. The current zeitgeist would have you believe that most players right now are "bads". By today's standards, this might be true... but a very large portion of players have been playing this game for at least 2 years now, if not 3 or 4. A lot of the bleeding edge raiding guilds have either been raiding together for a very long time, or have at least had individual members raiding for a very long time.

You have a lot of good points here, but virtually every one of those addons was available during TBC, so was youtube, so were strategy guides and so on. While I understand that all of the above have made raiding easier, it doesn't change the fact that this whole expansion's raid content has been dumbed down too far, and I don't think that that's a good thing.

Of course, this will all fall on deaf ears at best, or get ripped to shreds by self-proclaimed "elitists" who, of course, are 12/12 HM ICC right now and have been for "months".

In all fairness you raise some good points, its just a shame your arrogance and attitude get the better of you.

---------- Post added 2010-06-28 at 10:51 PM ----------

i don't care about raids....they could be incredibly hard with only 0.01% of people defeating the first boss and it wouldn't affect me :P

What i do care about thougth is having the ability to get "good" quality gear outside of raiding such as from quests, heroics, arena, bgs etc , not the best equipment available but somthing to work too after i get to max level, rather just getting to max level doing all quests then making a new alt...

On the one hand I envy you, I wish I could play as casually. On the other hand, if I had written above something along the lines of 'I dont like raids, PvP in any form, quests or dailies, give me some content', its a bit silly. You're ruling out two of the pillars of endgame content (PvP and PvE raiding) and asking for some content regardless. Kind of like walking into a bakers and asking for a pound of steak. It's not whats on offer :P

---------- Post added 2010-06-28 at 10:54 PM ----------

WoW stopped catering to the hardcore crowd quite some time ago, best to live with that and seek out hardcore minded MMOs if having to spend months preparing a character for end-game content is important to you.

1) Have you been to Grizzly Hills or Sholzar Basin? Northrend is hardly all snowy and bleek. Yes, the two highest level zones are that way, but it is the frozen throne, after all.

2) I would like to have more lore options and quest lines leading into major raids. For example, the rings you get with rep out of ICC. Would be nice if a lengthy quest chain was needed to get those, but you should be able to skip that and still raid the place regardless. Long attunements are just too frustrating to casuals, which WoW is catered to.

3) Again, WoW is casual-friendly. Atunements, outside of 'Hi, go over there and get your key', are counter to WoW's direction right now. Lead-up quests are good, but it's nice to just drop into a raid when called upon.

4) Chalanges are great, and they're there. See heroic modes, Algalon, 0-lights, etc.

All are good points, and I don't think the game should be only for hardcore gamers, I play quite intensely and once I was raiding in an extremely hardcore guild, but I wouldn't want to play that way again. Even so, I feel that this round of raids has been weak, both in terms of Lore and in terms of Challenge. Yes there were some good raids which I did highlight (Ulduar, hardmodes etc), but there was a lot of bad content (ToC) and overall the raiding is just too easy, gearing up is too easy. Something easy to obtain has no value and eventually generates no interest, and I don't want WoW to head down that path, which is where I see it going if some things don't change in Cata.

[snowblind]

Not if you actually read what I wrote, they can be implemented as solo quest chains that grant access across your account rather than just one character, and the attunement requirement can be removed once the content is superceded by the next patch presumably with new content.

If you're going to make them so minor and largely inconsequential, why even bother?

I'm glad you feel that way, I felt things were a little spread out and I am working my fifth character through Northrend so I am pretty sure that things are more widely spread. It's just an opinion.

And I've leveled 8 through Northrend. If you think its spread out, at best you forgot what 1-58 was like, and at worst, didn't play in Vanilla. Especially now with flying mounts available at level 60, epic at level 70... leveling in Northrend is extremely fast.

I disagree, Vanilla was amazing, but so was TBC. While there are elements that will never come back, a good expansion can reinvigorate a game. WotLK didn't do that, at least not for me.

Nostalgia is an exceptionally powerful drug. People were saying the same shit during TBC about Vanilla, and mark my words, there will be people just like you pining for "the old days" of WotLK when the 4th expansion is getting ready to come out.

I have some very vivid and good memories from Vanilla and TBC.
I also have some very vivid and bitter memories from Vanilla, and especially TBC.

It's a lot easier to focus on the good of old things and the bad of new things. You get pissed about stuff, and forget about all the things that made Vanilla and TBC suck, but still retain the good memories.

If you honestly believe that pugs are more fun than raiding with a guild, and you think that pugs are not becoming more common, well you've been playing a different game.

I didn't say anything of the sort. I just said that you can't fault Blizzard for how players interact with each other.

I never said Blizzard was responsible for them failing, but they are responsible for them existing.

And? People have been pugging raids for years - the barrier of entry was just much higher. If you honestly think there shouldn't be any pugs ever (successful or otherwise), you're severely deluded.

In all fairness you raise some good points, its just a shame your arrogance and attitude get the better of you.

It's not so much arrogance as it is a growing annoyance with these navel-gazing, woe is me, nostalgia-fueled whine-fests.

This game has never even fucking been hard. It's always been the easy mode MMO, ever since day one. The fact that early raids were harder is actually a testament to how poorly the game was initially designed (compared to today). Encounter design has come such a long way that they are no longer needing to inject artificial difficulty into otherwise simplistic fights with cheese-ass mechanics to exploit engineered weaknesses in players.

So, I'm sorry if my attitude puts you off, but apparently nobody that makes these types of topics has any kind of long-term memory or ability to look past their nose.

[Rystastic]

(Hyjal is a questing Zone)

[Deleted]

But I think that since BC, your subscriber numbers are down (you sure haven't released any numbers since 2008!), and that is because you aren't challenging them, and there are no heroes or epic guilds among the playerbase to inspire them. People are bored and leaving.

This happens before each expansion, it's nothing new.

[WarriorGuides]

I 110000000% agree on every single term, but one;

Do you know how hard it is to get 15(?)million players to all LIKE/LOVE something? it just cant be done, ever.
So blizzard has to homogenize things to make it more available and unfailing to players. Thus making some content/experience extreamly bland; but only to you. To some not so much

For example: I loved TOC. It really felt like a tournament, and its where i had the most fun.

[damntree]

This game has never even fucking been hard. It's always been the easy mode MMO, ever since day one. The fact that early raids were harder is actually a testament to how poorly the game was initially designed (compared to today). Encounter design has come such a long way that they are no longer needing to inject artificial difficulty into otherwise simplistic fights with cheese-ass mechanics to exploit engineered weaknesses in players.

So true.

[Ashtoncutter]

And then each patch, give the old content a 10% buff similar to the one used in Icecrown now (so by patch 4.3, 4.2 has a 10% buff, 4.1 a 20% and 4.0 content has a 30% buff). Maybe in the pre-5.0 patches increase it again to help people into the final raid instance. This will allow for more casual or less able guilds to catch up and everyone can see the content, but never will the raid content be so easy as to allow pugs to dominate as they do now, never will people get bored at the lack of challenge, and maybe some of the wonder and magic will be restored to end game content.

That's the only part in your post I don't agree with.
I've tried to PUG some ToC25 (and even Naxx 25), and kept noticing that alot of people tend to just do alot of DPS, while not doing anything about adds, interrupts and other stuff that causes any DPS loss. People can't be bothered with tactics anymore. Because 'old' content is considered 'ezmode'.
If 'old' content should still be accessible, Blizzard should just remove some of the adds, fires and other 'difficult' stuff.
Though I won't like this, I think that's the only solution to make the lazy people do some raids aswell.
If you want challenging raids, though, you should just do the newest content.

[Lebored]

There is a fatal flaw in your letter.

Nobody cares about you or your opinions.

Increased subscription amounts is all the evidence needed to show that you're just ranting about your personal views rather than a broader real problem.
Aside from the fact that MMO-Champ is a bastion for the embittered "old schoolers" who are upset that this is no longer the game they're used to, the majority of people are happy with WotLK and the changes it brought, no matter what the vocal minority has to say about it.

[Tarien]

If you're going to make them so minor and largely inconsequential, why even bother?

You clearly can't read because you missed the bit where I talked about Bioware's philosophy that storytelling is the fourth pillar of MMOs. I find the Lore behind everything interesting. Should we just stop naming bosses and instances, give them alpha numeric names. Raid D54, Boss 9L? If we aren't interested in the story behind things why bother naming them, just go kill it.

And I've leveled 8 through Northrend. If you think its spread out, at best you forgot what 1-58 was like, and at worst, didn't play in Vanilla. Especially now with flying mounts available at level 60, epic at level 70... leveling in Northrend is extremely fast.

Again, I agree, I just prefer levelling in Outland, I prefer the way the hubs are organised. It's my preference and I don't see why you're crying so hard about this very minor point.

Nostalgia is an exceptionally powerful drug. People were saying the same shit during TBC about Vanilla, and mark my words, there will be people just like you pining for "the old days" of WotLK when the 4th expansion is getting ready to come out.

I'm sure there are many people with many preferences, and I don't see how this is at all relevent to what at the end of the day, is my opinion. I've already stated quite clearly that I don't feel I see this with a set of rose tinted glasses. I thoroughly enjoyed Vanilla both during and after. I can say the same for TBC. I cannot say the same for all of WotLK, in my opinion some things could be done better and this is just me expressing that. Nostalgia doesn't really enter into it.

I didn't say anything of the sort. I just said that you can't fault Blizzard for how players interact with each other.

You're right, I'll lay the blame on imaginary celestial beings instead, after all, they were clearly behind the whole thing.

And? People have been pugging raids for years - the barrier of entry was just much higher. If you honestly think there shouldn't be any pugs ever (successful or otherwise), you're severely deluded.

It's not so much arrogance as it is a growing annoyance with these navel-gazing, woe is me, nostalgia-fueled whine-fests.

This game has never even fucking been hard. It's always been the easy mode MMO, ever since day one. The fact that early raids were harder is actually a testament to how poorly the game was initially designed (compared to today). Encounter design has come such a long way that they are no longer needing to inject artificial difficulty into otherwise simplistic fights with cheese-ass mechanics to exploit engineered weaknesses in players.

So, I'm sorry if my attitude puts you off, but apparently nobody that makes these types of topics has any kind of long-term memory or ability to look past their nose.

Quite frankly I would love an armory link to the guy who thinks that instances like SWP and the original Naxx were easy.

I don't have a problem with pugs, I know they have always been around, I also believe that there are a rapidly growing number of pugs and that this isn't beneficial to the game. Giving shit away for free is never good. I am not advocating some elitist point of view here where only the top 1% of people should be able to see raid content, but I don't think that the current system of freebies and 'just dinged 80 today look at my ICC25 Heroic gear lulz' is the way forward either. I've tried to outline a system that would work for everyone, but I feel you just want to overlook any of the constructive suggestions I have made, and find ways to brow beat me. Good luck with that.

[vesseblah]

But I think that since BC, your subscriber numbers are down (you sure haven't released any numbers since 2008!), and that is because you aren't challenging them, and there are no heroes or epic guilds among the playerbase to inspire them. People are bored and leaving.

http://investor.activision.com/relea...leaseID=444224

As of December 31, 2009, approximately 11.5 million gamers worldwide are subscribed to play Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft.

Was 11.5M also at the end of year 2008. There's no increase, but there's also no decrease in subscriptions. There are no press release about the current status because there's no news there. Nothing happened to subscriptions at all. There's equal number of leavers and new players. WoW is the only monthly subscription based MMO that can retain their customers instead of going free to play or cutting servers, which to me doesn't sound like people would be leaving.

You could've found the facts in few minutes if you had bothered to look for it instead of writing several pages of mindless drivel to explain why you don't like WoW anymore. Not gonna bother debunking all other stupidities in this post since others have done pretty good job at it already.

edit:

Quite frankly I would love an armory link to the guy who thinks that instances like SWP and the original Naxx were easy.

In FFXI you lose half level when you die, you can't level past ~10 without being grouped because all random mobs will wipe the floor with you, and there's still one boss that hasn't been killed in over three years without exploiting it. Best tries so far were around 18 hours, not the candlyland 18 minutes we have. WoW is the Hello Kitty Island Adventure of MMO's and always has been.

[Tarien]

There is a fatal flaw in your letter.

Nobody cares about you or your opinions.

Increased subscription amounts is all the evidence needed to show that you're just ranting about your personal views rather than a broader real problem.
Aside from the fact that MMO-Champ is a bastion for the embittered "old schoolers" who are upset that this is no longer the game they're used to, the majority of people are happy with WotLK and the changes it brought, no matter what the vocal minority has to say about it.

Fortunately I can say the same to you. I am very sure that the vast majority of whiny little kids who can't achieve anything but suddenly it's okay because Blizzard are handing shit out for free are extremely happy. Ecstatic even.

Oh, and there have been no posts from Blizzard since December 2008 regarding subscription numbers, despite regular posts before hand at every million milestone. Maybe it's a summer slow down, a pre cataclysm slow down, or maybe the market is just saturated. But I bet you can't link me anything to prove any growth since WotLK was initially released. So pipe down until you can find that non-existent proof.

EDIT: Poster above me found the one link I know of, and oh look, no growth.