Human Female Model Feedback, Season 15 PvP gear, Blue Posts, Connected Realms, Art

Auto-Switching to Resource Spender, "Savior," the Diablo Rap by Have No Fear and the Space Bards, LastZoul's Fire Crusader

Weekly News Recap, Handbook: Game Basics, Community Spotlight DK Hero, ArenaValue

Human 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.


Originally Posted by Bashiok (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
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.

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)

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)

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)

EU Connected Realms Update - 23/01
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
The following realms are due to be connected next:

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 1/23
Originally Posted by Blizzard (Blue Tracker / Official Forums)
As 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.

  • 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.


This article was originally published in forum thread: Human Female Model Feedback, Season 15 PvP gear, Blue Posts, Connected Realms, Art started by chaud View original post
Published on 2014-01-26 11:06 PM
91 Comments
Comments 90 Comments
  1. Kathranis's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kelliak View Post
    Again, if none of you want to put aside money for it and make that happen, then you SHOULD be left behind.
    Let's just reword your argument into what it really is: "Screw everyone else, I want 10% more polygons."

    FWIW, based on these posts, I'd rather play with someone who has to run the game on low settings than with you.


    I'm going to say the exact opposite is true:

    It's completely reasonable for people currently running the game on older hardware to have some expectations that they can continue running the game on that older hardware.

    It's not reasonable for people currently exceeding the recommended system requirements to have expectations that the game cater to them specifically at the expense of those running the game on older hardware.


    It's also not as if the minimum system requirements don't increase each expansion. I've got an old PC in another room with a GPU that shifted from supported to unsupported in Cataclysm.
  1. Airbag888's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Alexander Krizak View Post
    Let's talk about a theoretical person named Bob. Bob works a crappy 9-to-5 job to support his family; at least, it's supposed to be 9-to-5, but he ends up having to put in a lot of unpaid overtime to make deadlines. Between rent, utility bills, food, school expenses for his two kids, he doesn't have much money at all for entertainment. He could save up for a few months and buy a new PC game, but all the games released today have requirements far beyond the PC he still has from college. Console games would require investing in, well, a console. But his old rig still runs WoW, and $15 a month? That he can manage. It's actually a lot of entertainment for his money, with new raids coming out periodically, PvPing, questing, all sorts of things to do. It's just a great way to unwind after a grueling day at the office.

    But then one day, Mike Morhaime suddenly gets hit by a bus, and a man named Kelliak learns that he was somehow related to the dearly departed Mr. Morhaime, and he has inherited a controlling interest in Blizzard Entertainment. Kelliak wastes no time installing himself at the top of Blizzard's command structure, and he has a new direction for WoW, a brighter, more ELITE future for the game. Graphics artists are hired by the truckload to produce the new, high-resolution graphics that'll cover every inch of the game world, and soon, WoW is indistinguishable from any game produced in the year 2014.

    Of course, sacrifices have to be made, and unfortunately, the new WoW just won't run on Bob's old computer. Separated from both his source entertainment and the social groups WoW let him interact with, Bob seeks out a new thrill to spend his meager entertainment budget on, and he finds it in cheap beer. Bob soon becomes a drunkard. He loses his job. His family leaves him.

    But hey! At least WoW is pretty again, right?
    As much as I dislike discrimination what you painted is the picture of someone that's poor but who is unable to unwind without WoW with the ONLY other solution being alcoholism. If that's what society's come to it's sad.
    Meanwhile while 'catering' for people that should know better you're keeping a game, that's otherwise pretty great, in the late 90's (yes because when it came out it already looked outdated compared to its peers)
    Do note that:
    1. Graphics fidelity does NOT mean lifelike models and environments
    2. Improving a game's engine or changing it, does NOT mean increasing spec requirements because most engines WILL scale if developed with that in mind.

    In essence, blizzard has brainwashed a lot of people into thinking
    1. Their game looks gorgeous
    2. They're doing all that's humanly possible to keep the game great

    There's other games out there that will run nicely on your setup and look like they're from 2014. WoW runs nicely only when you give it a ton more processing power than it should for a game with such low poly counts.
  1. Rudol Von Stroheim's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kathranis View Post
    Let's just reword your argument into what it really is: "Screw everyone else, I want 10% more polygons."

    FWIW, based on these posts, I'd rather play with someone who has to run the game on low settings than with you.


    I'm going to say the exact opposite is true:

    It's completely reasonable for people currently running the game on older hardware to have some expectations that they can continue running the game on that older hardware.

    It's not reasonable for people currently exceeding the recommended system requirements to have expectations that the game cater to them specifically at the expense of those running the game on older hardware.


    It's also not as if the minimum system requirements don't increase each expansion. I've got an old PC in another room with a GPU that shifted from supported to unsupported in Cataclysm.
    You do realize the majority have systems that exceed the recommended system requirements at this point by a significant amount, right? Again, we're not talking about 2k machines. We're talking about machines that run under a thousand dollars that make what these "lower-end" players are using look like they're being ran off of a hamster in a wheel.

    So actually, it WOULD be unreasonable for people with machines at the extreme bottom end of the spectrum to expect requirements to stay as they are. It can't happen if Blizzard wants to advance the look of Warcraft and help keep it SOMEWHAT competitive with a growing market.

    What is with you guys? You don't need to buy a thousand dollar video card to get the results you need. Get that in your heads. You don't need 32GB of RAM. You don't need the latest processor. You don't even need much of HDD if all you're playing is WoW. It is not this "leap of death" you guys seem to think it is. The spectrum doesn't range from 1999 crapware to BAM 2013 SUPER-SHIZ with nothing in between. I really do not, in any way, get your issue with this.

    At some point you have to upgrade, it is inevitable.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Airbag888 View Post
    As much as I dislike discrimination what you painted is the picture of someone that's poor but who is unable to unwind without WoW with the ONLY other solution being alcoholism. If that's what society's come to it's sad.
    Meanwhile while 'catering' for people that should know better you're keeping a game, that's otherwise pretty great, in the late 90's (yes because when it came out it already looked outdated compared to its peers)
    Do note that:
    1. Graphics fidelity does NOT mean lifelike models and environments
    2. Improving a game's engine or changing it, does NOT mean increasing spec requirements because most engines WILL scale if developed with that in mind.

    In essence, blizzard has brainwashed a lot of people into thinking
    1. Their game looks gorgeous
    2. They're doing all that's humanly possible to keep the game great

    There's other games out there that will run nicely on your setup and look like they're from 2014. WoW runs nicely only when you give it a ton more processing power than it should for a game with such low poly counts.
    What are you talking about? WoW has one of the lowest strains on any PC in terms of MMOs.

    The reason these people are having problems or concerns with this update is they're running on some seriously ancient hardware. Otherwise they shouldn't be sweating it.
  1. Collected's Avatar
    Getting an answer out of Blizzard is like extracting blood from a stone. "Will the old models still be an option for slower PCS?" "UHh we don't know" ... so you've been working on these new models for how many years.. and you still don't know if the old ones will be present as a toggle option? Would it really do them any harm to put peoples minds at rest?
  1. Airbag888's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Kelliak View Post

    What are you talking about? WoW has one of the lowest strains on any PC in terms of MMOs.

    The reason these people are having problems or concerns with this update is they're running on some seriously ancient hardware. Otherwise they shouldn't be sweating it.
    I'm talking about how badly optimized WoW's code is. Your fps is linked to the network code, when the net lags/slows down/can't keep up your FPS drops whereas it should go up because you're not feeding new information about the scene. That fact means that even when you upgrade substantially and your internet latency stays the same (not a choice, more like lack of choice) you get crap fps.

    Anyway I agree with your points in this thread. What I wish for is blizz scrab their engine and re-do it like triple A studios have been doing it. We keep hearing about how it takes severe programming acrobatics to achieve something in WoW's engine while in others it's just a few sliders to move left or right.

    A new engine would also allow them to support a broader range of specs and scale nicely with good hardware keeping everyone happy.
    Instead we get a bunch of new mounts on the cash shop

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Collected View Post
    Getting an answer out of Blizzard is like extracting blood from a stone. "Will the old models still be an option for slower PCS?" "UHh we don't know" ... so you've been working on these new models for how many years.. and you still don't know if the old ones will be present as a toggle option? Would it really do them any harm to put peoples minds at rest?
    Totally agreed, I mean they've been burned before by idiots that took everything literally or even made stuff up but it's a minority which they pretend they don't care about so show some balls
  1. Aesahaettr's Avatar
    Well, I've been told, I guess I'd better give up the hobby I enjoy because I'm too poor. Thanks for that.

    Time marches on, fine, I get it.

    But I don't see what's wrong with having a model toggle switch. it in no way has a negative impact on all the people who can run it.
  1. Farora's Avatar
    Looking at the new human model they left nothing of the old version in tact. It's a completely new model with a new look. I hope they don't screw up night elves :/
  1. Toffie's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Farora View Post
    Looking at the new human model they left nothing of the old version in tact. It's a completely new model with a new look. I hope they don't screw up night elves :/
    Screw up? The old human models just rubbish looking for a 2014 game, they have blown all expectations with the new models.
    Only thing they did was uplift the texture & increase the polygons.
    http://i.imgur.com/VaIphPC.gif

    I don't see how anyone can complain about the models, or do you people complain about every good change?
  1. Farora's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Toffie View Post
    Screw up? The old human models just rubbish looking for a 2014 game, they have blown all expectations with the new models.
    Only thing they did was uplift the texture & increase the polygons.
    http://i.imgur.com/VaIphPC.gif

    I don't see how anyone can complain about the models, or do you people complain about every good change?
    Did I hurt the fanboys feelings? My point is that Blizzards goal was to keep the look and feel in tact, they didn't succeed with that. The female gnome and human look like they are from another game. Yes the models look good for todays standards, just not like they are related to the originals.
  1. mmoc3e2a45e3d3's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Farora View Post
    Did I hurt the fanboys feelings? My point is that Blizzards goal was to keep the look and feel in tact, they didn't succeed with that. The female gnome and human look like they are from another game. Yes the models look good for todays standards, just not like they are related to the originals.
    I have to respectfully disagree. As I see it, the new models so far have really kept the soul of the old ones only adding more detail and life. It sounds like by your standards they shouldn't have changed at all, and what would the point of updating them be, if they would still have that old and out of date look?
  1. Airbag888's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Farora View Post
    Did I hurt the fanboys feelings? My point is that Blizzards goal was to keep the look and feel in tact, they didn't succeed with that. The female gnome and human look like they are from another game. Yes the models look good for todays standards, just not like they are related to the originals.
    Models look good by todays standard?? What you haven't played any games at all since 2008?
  1. Hubbl3's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Airbag888 View Post
    Models look good by todays standard?? What you haven't played any games at all since 2008?
    I'm sure that super photorealistic models would look great in WoW.
  1. Wayne25uk's Avatar
    The game is about the gameplay not the game graphics,you dont sit there thinking "WOW THAT GAME LOOKED GREAT,SO GREAT I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I DID ON THE END BOSS!" no you remember it for the things you do in game regardless of graphics,tbh i prefer shitty graphics to this ultra realism crap,i would rather play Tomb Raider one on PS1 than the new tomb raiders. And compare GTA Vice City's cartoony graphics to GTA 4 and 5s,i bet you remember more things about Vice City and like it better same as me.
  1. Lickintoad's Avatar
    Back when EQ released the Luclin expansion, they offered the option on a race-gender basis to use old or new models for the player races. A number of people were attached to the old models and didn't want to use the new ones. I don't see any real reason why the same thing can't happen here.

    That said, I really like what I'm seeing so far. My first character and my current main are both human females. I'd love to see how they'd look with the new models. I don't see how this model looks anything close to waifish. Looking at the comparison shots, they're pretty much exactly the same (the lower legs seem slightly more slender, and the body all-around seems more toned because of the new texture). I'm anxious to see what the orc females will look like.
  1. zeuseason's Avatar
    This change is about 1 thing: boobs

    Blizz's target audience is noticing too which is their goal.
  1. mmoc4954163bc3's Avatar
    Prolly impossible but Mantle would rock for Wow, seeing how good it is for low end CPUs.
  1. mmoc813c9e8448's Avatar
    blood elf model !
  1. Uwibami's Avatar
    I am going to be extremely disappointed, if Blizzard lets the loud and obnoxious community fuck up yet another feature that looks perfectly fine.

    The models look amazing so far, and they've done a damned good job keeping them close to the original.
    Just because people don't want to update their 10 year old PC's, doesn't mean the rest of us should suffer so that they can continue to not opgrading their computers.
    If you don't know how to handle money, you shouldn't be paying a monthly fee for a game to begin with.
  1. Asvaldr's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by Airbag888 View Post
    I'm talking about how badly optimized WoW's code is. Your fps is linked to the network code, when the net lags/slows down/can't keep up your FPS drops whereas it should go up because you're not feeding new information about the scene. That fact means that even when you upgrade substantially and your internet latency stays the same (not a choice, more like lack of choice) you get crap fps.

    Anyway I agree with your points in this thread. What I wish for is blizz scrab their engine and re-do it like triple A studios have been doing it. We keep hearing about how it takes severe programming acrobatics to achieve something in WoW's engine while in others it's just a few sliders to move left or right.

    A new engine would also allow them to support a broader range of specs and scale nicely with good hardware keeping everyone happy.
    Instead we get a bunch of new mounts on the cash shop

    - - - Updated - - -



    Totally agreed, I mean they've been burned before by idiots that took everything literally or even made stuff up but it's a minority which they pretend they don't care about so show some balls
    So much this. Case in point, I had a family member who recently broke down and upgraded their pc from 2006. 2006! Because his wow client would lock up while trying to run recount in current raid content. That is absolutely beyond pathetic, but that's the crowd that's sweating bullets over this change. If you aren't at least willing to upgrade your computer every eight freakin' years, you may just need to consider a new pass time, no offense.
  1. Dawnseven's Avatar
    Quote Originally Posted by orangelemonrain View Post
    You'd be surprised about the amount of WoW players that play with lower end PC's. Heck there's many, many WoW players who only play WoW and don't play other games, with many hardly knowing much more about gaming in general. I used to think such a statement would be ridiculous but now I'm meeting people like that all the time that run WoW on the lowest settings. I would not be surprised if they lost 15% of their player base with such a move.
    It depends on your frame of reference though when you refer to "lower end PC's". A low end PC in 2014 doesn't compare with a PC from 2005. That's how I took the comment you referenced. I'm all for WoW not requiring a $200 video card, but if you're playing on a machine that you got when you started high school and you're out of college ... for cryin' out loud get a better machine.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Alexander Krizak View Post
    Let's talk about a theoretical person named Bob. Bob works a crappy 9-to-5 job to support his family; at least, it's supposed to be 9-to-5, but he ends up having to put in a lot of unpaid overtime to make deadlines. Between rent, utility bills, food, school expenses for his two kids, he doesn't have much money at all for entertainment. He could save up for a few months and buy a new PC game, but all the games released today have requirements far beyond the PC he still has from college. Console games would require investing in, well, a console. But his old rig still runs WoW, and $15 a month? That he can manage. It's actually a lot of entertainment for his money, with new raids coming out periodically, PvPing, questing, all sorts of things to do. It's just a great way to unwind after a grueling day at the office.

    But then one day, Mike Morhaime suddenly gets hit by a bus, and a man named Kelliak learns that he was somehow related to the dearly departed Mr. Morhaime, and he has inherited a controlling interest in Blizzard Entertainment. Kelliak wastes no time installing himself at the top of Blizzard's command structure, and he has a new direction for WoW, a brighter, more ELITE future for the game. Graphics artists are hired by the truckload to produce the new, high-resolution graphics that'll cover every inch of the game world, and soon, WoW is indistinguishable from any game produced in the year 2014.

    Of course, sacrifices have to be made, and unfortunately, the new WoW just won't run on Bob's old computer. Separated from both his source entertainment and the social groups WoW let him interact with, Bob seeks out a new thrill to spend his meager entertainment budget on, and he finds it in cheap beer. Bob soon becomes a drunkard. He loses his job. His family leaves him.

    But hey! At least WoW is pretty again, right?
Page 3 of 5 FirstFirst
1
2
3
4
5
LastLast

Site Navigation

Social Media

Services

My Account

Support

Advertise

Resources

Terms of Service

Privacy Policy

Our Communities

© 2023 Magic Find, Inc. All rights reserved.