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Weekly News Recap, Handbook: Game Basics, Community Spotlight DK Hero, ArenaValueHuman Female Model Feedback
The new Human Female model was released on Thursday, and Bashiok took the opportunity to comment on some feedback and questions about system requirement changes.
As we've said, we're looking to in essence update the original models, even though in actuality making them completely from scratch. Out goal is to keep the "spirit" of the originals, but increase poly count, texture resolution, and animation (to a pretty amazing effect, we think. What we're not looking to do is change what these characters are and what they've been. We already face a huge hurdle in that we're messing with what is the most iconic and personal part of the game - a person's character. A digital representation of themselves in the game world, even if if that representation is a giant cow-man. Way above and beyond anything else in the game, changing how someone looks is a monumentally delicate task. We want to keep the proportions as similar to the original models as possible, we're going to keep posture and silhouette close to the originals, but all just with a much higher level of detail. When you see your character it should still be your character, and these should still be representative of the player character models we've all been playing as for the past 9+ years.
It's really tempting to want to make major revisions, but someone chose to play a character largely because of the way they looked, and it has come to represent their in-game identity.
That's all well and good! But making her skinnier and more waifish, especially in WARcraft, seems like the wrong direction in which to have deviated.
I would have to respectfully disagree that she deviates to any great degree from the original model when compared side-by-side, except that the proportions are slightly more full.
Here are the two shown in the preview without any alteration. - http://i.imgur.com/VaIphPC.gif
Ok well this is taking all sorts of weird turns, so I'll just close this thread by saying there's no commentary here on anything outside of the game, nor should there be. This is the original model launched with the game with more polygons, higher resolution textures, and better animations. That's our goal, and we think we're creating faithful reproductions of the originals.
My question is, do you have any idea at this time what that demand is going to be? I have signed up for Beta and my computer specs are listed there, but I also know that I get lag in raids and high graphic environments, like flying through heavily colored areas.
We don't, and we tend not to have updated system requirements/recommendations until most content is in, most big changes and engineering are done, and we're looking like there isn't going to be anything else that would greatly affect performance. So we won't really know absolutely until some point through the beta. We're keenly aware of the system requirements the new character models may require, and how that could impact client performance. No further details yet on how they'll be supported on lower end systems, if at all.
Fun fact, the game still supports processors and graphics cards that were released over 8 years ago. To put that in other terms, modern day systems are in some cases 50x more powerful than the lowest end systems the game still supports. Moving us forward graphically in such a dramatic way with the new models is going to require a lot of testing, tweaking, optimizing, and determination of what we can realistically support going forward, but we just don't know what that will look like yet.
Would it be possible to include the old models as a option so that users with older computers can opt out if the new models do cause some frame-rate lag.
That's of course something we've considered as a fail-safe, but again just don't know quite yet.
It's really tempting to want to make major revisions, but someone chose to play a character largely because of the way they looked, and it has come to represent their in-game identity.
That's all well and good! But making her skinnier and more waifish, especially in WARcraft, seems like the wrong direction in which to have deviated.
I would have to respectfully disagree that she deviates to any great degree from the original model when compared side-by-side, except that the proportions are slightly more full.
Here are the two shown in the preview without any alteration. - http://i.imgur.com/VaIphPC.gif
Ok well this is taking all sorts of weird turns, so I'll just close this thread by saying there's no commentary here on anything outside of the game, nor should there be. This is the original model launched with the game with more polygons, higher resolution textures, and better animations. That's our goal, and we think we're creating faithful reproductions of the originals.
My question is, do you have any idea at this time what that demand is going to be? I have signed up for Beta and my computer specs are listed there, but I also know that I get lag in raids and high graphic environments, like flying through heavily colored areas.
We don't, and we tend not to have updated system requirements/recommendations until most content is in, most big changes and engineering are done, and we're looking like there isn't going to be anything else that would greatly affect performance. So we won't really know absolutely until some point through the beta. We're keenly aware of the system requirements the new character models may require, and how that could impact client performance. No further details yet on how they'll be supported on lower end systems, if at all.
Fun fact, the game still supports processors and graphics cards that were released over 8 years ago. To put that in other terms, modern day systems are in some cases 50x more powerful than the lowest end systems the game still supports. Moving us forward graphically in such a dramatic way with the new models is going to require a lot of testing, tweaking, optimizing, and determination of what we can realistically support going forward, but we just don't know what that will look like yet.
Would it be possible to include the old models as a option so that users with older computers can opt out if the new models do cause some frame-rate lag.
That's of course something we've considered as a fail-safe, but again just don't know quite yet.
Season 15 PvP Gear
Patch 5.4.7 updated the Season 15 gear to be item level 550, as well as switching the colors that the Horde and Alliance get.
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
It probably goes without saying, but just in case: we'll be increasing Base Resilience and Battle Fatigue to keep things in line.
So what's next? 80%? 90%? 100%?Are just going to stand there and blink at each other?
We totally agree that having Base Resilience and Battle Fatigue numbers so high is not an ideal experience. We don't like it either. We want to significantly lower, or possibly even remove them in Warlords.
Thing is, doing that requires a lot more underlying work to be done first. Health pools, ability scaling, mana regen... all of those need some pretty substantial adjustments. That's not something we'd consider doing mid-expansion, but in 6.0 (where we're already shrinking numbers down via the item squish), we can.
In the meantime, we want to be able to offer PvP'ers some new gear for the new season, and in order to do that, we need to tone damage and healing back a bit. We have to work within what we have currently available, and that means increasing Base Resilience and Battle Fatigue.
Are you going to tone down scaling with some classes? WW and rogues scale ridiculously well with agility and damage is insane right now. I know with the increase of resil it should help, but I feel like it's not going to be enough.
We're definitely looking out for any balance changes that will be necessary. I don't have any specifics to share at the moment (we'll know more after we can get some testing in) but there will likely be some. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
I'm 50/50. I'm concerned that PvP gear will be much easier to get than equivalent PvE gear. But yet is indeed harder to acquire than timeless or LFR and should as such be better. I would vote for 540, which is flex level.
It's important to remember that Flex gear can be upgraded to item level 548, and has extra advantages through things like sockets and set bonuses. We don't feel that the extra 2 item levels on Prideful pieces are going to make them more desirable for Flex raiders.
And yet non-arena gear remains the same. So my days of PVP for a bit are over. I have no desire to "Arena" or RBG. Yet I get screwed more and more for PVP
If you're referring to Honor gear, as in previous seasons, we'll be making the last season's (Grievous) gear available for Honor. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
So what's next? 80%? 90%? 100%?Are just going to stand there and blink at each other?
We totally agree that having Base Resilience and Battle Fatigue numbers so high is not an ideal experience. We don't like it either. We want to significantly lower, or possibly even remove them in Warlords.
Thing is, doing that requires a lot more underlying work to be done first. Health pools, ability scaling, mana regen... all of those need some pretty substantial adjustments. That's not something we'd consider doing mid-expansion, but in 6.0 (where we're already shrinking numbers down via the item squish), we can.
In the meantime, we want to be able to offer PvP'ers some new gear for the new season, and in order to do that, we need to tone damage and healing back a bit. We have to work within what we have currently available, and that means increasing Base Resilience and Battle Fatigue.
Are you going to tone down scaling with some classes? WW and rogues scale ridiculously well with agility and damage is insane right now. I know with the increase of resil it should help, but I feel like it's not going to be enough.
We're definitely looking out for any balance changes that will be necessary. I don't have any specifics to share at the moment (we'll know more after we can get some testing in) but there will likely be some. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
I'm 50/50. I'm concerned that PvP gear will be much easier to get than equivalent PvE gear. But yet is indeed harder to acquire than timeless or LFR and should as such be better. I would vote for 540, which is flex level.
It's important to remember that Flex gear can be upgraded to item level 548, and has extra advantages through things like sockets and set bonuses. We don't feel that the extra 2 item levels on Prideful pieces are going to make them more desirable for Flex raiders.
And yet non-arena gear remains the same. So my days of PVP for a bit are over. I have no desire to "Arena" or RBG. Yet I get screwed more and more for PVP
If you're referring to Honor gear, as in previous seasons, we'll be making the last season's (Grievous) gear available for Honor. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Blue Posts
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Karazhan Crypt
Oh yeah, I remember that! Haven't seen a screenshot in quite a while. Not sure I know the story on it but knowing our development processes back then there tended to be a lot more stuff made that we just didn't use. I can't imagine the game rating rumor is accurate, because if it was content we wanted to use we'd just take out the upside-down sinners or whatever the issue was and use it for whatever it was we wanted to do with that space. It's not like they're permanent fixtures. Fun rumor though! More likely we just changed our minds. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Tyrael's Charger as a Store Mount
The regions are separate ecosystems, and availability of items within one region vs. another aren't usually particularly noteworthy because you're never going to see that player in Taiwan on your server with that rare item you got for logging in during some event, or got through that limited time promotion. We think it kind of sucks that a pet collector in Europe could never hope to get that China-exclusive Golden Pig pet from back in 2007, or that just because you live in a region with a different business model where the Annual Pass didn't make any sense, that you never had a chance to get a Tyrael's Charger. We definitely do not want to undermine the exclusivity of someone's mount or pet between them and their friends, or guild, or server, or region, but we think it makes a lot of sense to have equality of items ... not even their availability necessarily, but just their existing, throughout all regions. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Oh yeah, I remember that! Haven't seen a screenshot in quite a while. Not sure I know the story on it but knowing our development processes back then there tended to be a lot more stuff made that we just didn't use. I can't imagine the game rating rumor is accurate, because if it was content we wanted to use we'd just take out the upside-down sinners or whatever the issue was and use it for whatever it was we wanted to do with that space. It's not like they're permanent fixtures. Fun rumor though! More likely we just changed our minds. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Tyrael's Charger as a Store Mount
The regions are separate ecosystems, and availability of items within one region vs. another aren't usually particularly noteworthy because you're never going to see that player in Taiwan on your server with that rare item you got for logging in during some event, or got through that limited time promotion. We think it kind of sucks that a pet collector in Europe could never hope to get that China-exclusive Golden Pig pet from back in 2007, or that just because you live in a region with a different business model where the Annual Pass didn't make any sense, that you never had a chance to get a Tyrael's Charger. We definitely do not want to undermine the exclusivity of someone's mount or pet between them and their friends, or guild, or server, or region, but we think it makes a lot of sense to have equality of items ... not even their availability necessarily, but just their existing, throughout all regions. (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
Blue Tweets
Originally Posted by Blizzard Entertainment
Art
Speaking of holiday event rewards...any chance of a corgi vanity pet like the one in the Greench cave sometime in the future?
Always a chance! Seems to be lots of enthusiasm for more dog breeds w/ both players & designers. (Dave_Maldo)
Warlords of Draenor Stats
Will STR still add parry in WOD or not? Cause both AGI and INT increase crit right now.
Currently, the plan is that yes, Str still gives Parry for Str-users. And Agi still gives Dodge for Agi-users. (Celestalon)
PvP
But to clarify that statement, I think fiddling with DR's is like fiddling with core of arena. I'm afraid of results.
You and me both, but we think it's the right move to make the game better. There will be challenges to overcome. (Source)
dampening imo was a bad fix, you can't tell me that there isn't a better fix that doesn't gimp a specific roll!
One role prolongs a fight. One role ends it. We have to address one of them to avoid a stalemate. (holinka)
a dmg buff would be recieved better then a massive FU healers debuff. It would let the healer contribute more offensively also
I'm not sure about that. I think we'd just see a lot more "what hit me?!" complaints (holinka)
Any plan for a PvP version of Proving Grounds ? Something like arenas vs NPCs to learn the ropes ?
I would love to do something like this. Not sure when/if we'll get to. (holinka)
Is necrotic strike affected by BF the same way heals are? If not what's the reasoning?
Oh no, not this again. Necrotic strike is affected by Resilience because it is damage. It is not affected by Battle Fatigue. (holinka)
I get damage being mitigated by res, but surely the heal absorb should be affected by BF? It has become OP as BF has increased
No it should not be reduced by BF because it is not a heal. It is a damage spell. (holinka)
Please use the item squish to get rid of base res.Balance PvE numbers after PvP.Priorities are different but that would help alot!
We dislike how large base resil and battle fatigue numbers have gotten too. Out goal is to reduce or eliminate both in Warlords. (holinka)
could we ever see a solo queue RBG group finder? i feel like it could use the in-game voice chat that never gets love
You'll be able to use the Group Finder to find RBG groups. Like the idea of someone forming/running groups instead of queueing. (holinka)
World
Have you tried making the world feel more alive? Dynamic instead of static? NPCs pacing around feels robotic and artificial.
Yes. In fact, there might even be engineers experimenting w/ tech for that right now. Experimenting, mind you. Maybe. (Dave_Maldo)
Speaking of holiday event rewards...any chance of a corgi vanity pet like the one in the Greench cave sometime in the future?
Always a chance! Seems to be lots of enthusiasm for more dog breeds w/ both players & designers. (Dave_Maldo)
Warlords of Draenor Stats
Will STR still add parry in WOD or not? Cause both AGI and INT increase crit right now.
Currently, the plan is that yes, Str still gives Parry for Str-users. And Agi still gives Dodge for Agi-users. (Celestalon)
PvP
But to clarify that statement, I think fiddling with DR's is like fiddling with core of arena. I'm afraid of results.
You and me both, but we think it's the right move to make the game better. There will be challenges to overcome. (Source)
dampening imo was a bad fix, you can't tell me that there isn't a better fix that doesn't gimp a specific roll!
One role prolongs a fight. One role ends it. We have to address one of them to avoid a stalemate. (holinka)
a dmg buff would be recieved better then a massive FU healers debuff. It would let the healer contribute more offensively also
I'm not sure about that. I think we'd just see a lot more "what hit me?!" complaints (holinka)
Any plan for a PvP version of Proving Grounds ? Something like arenas vs NPCs to learn the ropes ?
I would love to do something like this. Not sure when/if we'll get to. (holinka)
Is necrotic strike affected by BF the same way heals are? If not what's the reasoning?
Oh no, not this again. Necrotic strike is affected by Resilience because it is damage. It is not affected by Battle Fatigue. (holinka)
I get damage being mitigated by res, but surely the heal absorb should be affected by BF? It has become OP as BF has increased
No it should not be reduced by BF because it is not a heal. It is a damage spell. (holinka)
Please use the item squish to get rid of base res.Balance PvE numbers after PvP.Priorities are different but that would help alot!
We dislike how large base resil and battle fatigue numbers have gotten too. Out goal is to reduce or eliminate both in Warlords. (holinka)
could we ever see a solo queue RBG group finder? i feel like it could use the in-game voice chat that never gets love
You'll be able to use the Group Finder to find RBG groups. Like the idea of someone forming/running groups instead of queueing. (holinka)
World
Have you tried making the world feel more alive? Dynamic instead of static? NPCs pacing around feels robotic and artificial.
Yes. In fact, there might even be engineers experimenting w/ tech for that right now. Experimenting, mind you. Maybe. (Dave_Maldo)
EU Connected Realms Update - 23/01The following realms are due to be connected next:
English Realms
The following realms are scheduled to be connected after the realms above:
English Realms
French Realms
German Realms
English Realms
- (PvP) Xavius and Skullcrusher
- (PvP) Auchindoun and Jaedenar
The following realms are scheduled to be connected after the realms above:
English Realms
- (PvP) Dragonmaw and Haomarush
- (PvP) Zenedar and Bladefist
- (PvP) Deathwing and Karazhan/Lightning’s Blade
French Realms
- (PvE) Krasus and Eitrigg
German Realms
- (PvP) Blutkessel and Arthas/Vek’lor
US Connected Realms Update 1/23As previously announced, we’ve been working toward connecting realms to increase the number of players on low-population realms, and since then have completed several connections. As a part of our ongoing communication, we wanted to provide you with an update that contains a list of completed realm connections, currently planned connections, and any additional future plans in one convenient location.
*Please note this list does not encompass all potential future connections. Please check back for further updates.
Future Connections
We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, January 30th during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PST through approximately 1:00 p.m. PST. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.
We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, February 6th during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PST through approximately 1:00 p.m. PST. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.
We do not have a date for the following realm connections, but will update this post when we do.
*Plans for these connections may change at any time, but we’ll provide additional updates on specific dates for future connections here as we can. Please note that as a part of the connection process realm times may change to match each other.
*Please note this list does not encompass all potential future connections. Please check back for further updates.
Future Connections
We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, January 30th during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PST through approximately 1:00 p.m. PST. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.
- Alleria and Khadgar
- Anvilmar and Undermine
- Archimonde and Agamaggan/Jaedenar/The Underbog
- Cho'gall and Auchindoun/Laughing Skull
- Eitrigg and Shu'halo
- Mok'Nathal and Silvermoon
We will be connecting the realms listed below on Thursday, February 6th during a scheduled maintenance beginning at 5 a.m. PST through approximately 1:00 p.m. PST. Once maintenance is finished, these realm connections will be complete.
- Hydraxis and Terenas
- Kirin Tor and Steamwheedle Cartel
- Shattered Halls and Executus/ Kalecgos
- Thunderlord and Azgalor/Azshara/Destromath
- Uther and Runetotem
We do not have a date for the following realm connections, but will update this post when we do.
- Alterac Mountains and Balnazzar/Gorgonash/The Forgotten Coast/ Warsong
- Azjol-Nerub and Khaz Modan
- Eldre’Thalas and Korialstrasz
- Farstriders and Silverhand
- Spinebreaker and Wildhammer
*Plans for these connections may change at any time, but we’ll provide additional updates on specific dates for future connections here as we can. Please note that as a part of the connection process realm times may change to match each other.
Blizzard Art Update
Blizzard has added more pieces to the World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria Art gallery.
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