Cataclysm a Failure? lol?

[peedei]

Zarhym of course thinks differently: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/to...429?page=6#116

You are mistaking the developers looking at the game with a critical eye with the claim that it was a "failure". We've seen a wide spectrum of opinions over Cataclysm and we're not afraid to look at what worked and didn't work (as we do with each expansion and game as a whole) and try to find better ways of doing things. I heard differing opinions overall during BlizzCon, but not once did I get the impression that any of those opinions boiled down to "Cataclysm sucks" as a whole. They had key elements that they disliked or thought could be improved on, but throwing the whole thing out the window as a "failure" is and should be considered a bit extreme don't you think?

As always, we want to keep learning and growing from each iteration of the game and that means that we're going to do that by continuing to look for your constructive feedback as well.

The fact is, cataclysm pissed off the majority of the player base:

- Made heroics too hard for bads and too long for casuals
- Lack of heroics for variety
- Dual lockouts so now raiders got half the things to do and 25man raiding got that much more unpopular
- Community went into a vacuum without the necessity for smaller guilds to pair up for 25man content i.e. less
server socializing
- Smaller guilds were also eclipsed by guild levels as larger ones had it a lot easier gaining levels; most
players just want to join high level guilds
- The end game was not expanded upon/compensated for the increase in downtime
- People stuck in cities waiting on instances 90% of the time without the above to alleviate
- Mixed feelings about linear questing but phasing turned it from an MMO into a single player RPG
- 1-84 has no significant learning curves because it's far too easy, dinging 85 with a lot of fresh noobitards,
ruining most vets playing time

I could go on, what do you think?

[DeanyKong]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

[The Glitch]

Zarhym of course thinks differently: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/to...429?page=6#116

The fact is, cataclysm pissed off the entire player base:

- Made heroics too hard for bads and too long for casuals
- Lack of heroics for variety
- Dual lockouts so now raiders got half the things to do and 25man raiding got that much more unpopular
- Community went into a vacuum without the necessity for smaller guilds to pair up for 25man content i.e. less
server socializing
- Smaller guilds were also eclipsed by guild levels as larger ones had it a lot easier gaining levels; most
players just want to join high level guilds
- The end game was not expanded upon/compensated for the increase in downtime
- People stuck in cities waiting on instances 90% of the time without the above to alleviate
- Mixed feelings about linear questing but phasing turned it from an MMO into a single player RPG
- 1-84 has no significant learning curves because it's far too easy, dinging 85 with a lot of fresh noobitards,
ruining most vets playing time

I could go on, what do you think?

I think you have some vaild point's that got trampled on due to the sarcasm and holier than thou attitude you attached onto them.

Zarhym is correct, there are many areas of Cataclysm that didn't quite work and that's good, it means they will try different thing's and keep the good part's while removing the bad parts. or tweaking the bad parts.

This is how all expansions go, they release new idea's some work, some don't, rinse repeat .

[melodramocracy]

Biggest problems with cata in my eyes:

-5 level incremental xpac (which we're getting more of for whatever reason)
-scattered 80-85 zones which didn't help much of it feel all that new.
-content recycling. Just not a fan of this at all, despite mechanics being different etc.
-revamped quests being better, but each zone has no variation to it now.
-minimal DW involvement throughout quests / instances in comparison to LK.
-raiding was a big brick wall to some players, and making orbs BoP just exacerbated the situation. That slowed down the gear up process for a whole lot of players.

Cata pros:
-pvp greatly improved with bigger health pools
-interesting boss mechanics (but wrath had it's share as well)
-lower level quests are more fun and varied, more humor here and there.

Cata wasn't a 'failure' per se, but certainly was the least interesting and well-received of the 3 we've had so far... and sub rates reflect that.

[The Glitch]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

I also strongly agree with this lovely Muppet (<3 Ernie)

[Deleted]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

This is the sad truth.

[Kakokun]

Depends what you mean by failure. The whole playerbase didn't quit or anything and I'm pretty sure blizzard made money on it. Is it a failure compared to other expansions? Sort of.

[Frioz]

I think you have some vaild point's that got trampled on due to the sarcasm and holier than thou attitude you attached onto them.

Zarhym is correct, there are many areas of Cataclysm that didn't quite work and that's good, it means they will try different thing's and keep the good part's while removing the bad parts. or tweaking the bad parts.

This is how all expansions go, they release new idea's some work, some don't, rinse repeat .

Agree but if I was to compared the xpacs, I would say cata was at the bottom for me.

[Judge Malthred]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

So true. Made this point in several similar "lol fail" posts. While I haven't enjoyed all of the new stuff in cata, I certainly didn't hate it all. I am really looking forward to Dragon Soul.

[The Glitch]

Agree but if I was to compared the xpacs, I would say cata was at the bottom for me.

And thats ok For me Cata too wasn't as much fun or rather didn't make me want to play day in day out as much as TBC/WOTLK did, however I still found certain parts of Cata to be fun

I just can't stand up with a straight face and call it a failure, as I would personally be lying

[melodramocracy]

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

I'm not sure anyone would consider the drop in subs 'absolutely miniscule'.

[Adam Jensen]

Cata was the worst xpac of the bunch, but it was an improvement over Vanilla and still a fun game in and of itself. It was not a failure, it just didn't live up to the standards produced by BC and Wrath (both of which I enjoyed immensely! GASP! A BC raider who enjoyed Wrath!)

[Deleted]

I think you have some vaild point's that got trampled on due to the sarcasm and holier than thou attitude you attached onto them.

Zarhym is correct, there are many areas of Cataclysm that didn't quite work and that's good, it means they will try different thing's and keep the good part's while removing the bad parts. or tweaking the bad parts.

This is how all expansions go, they release new idea's some work, some don't, rinse repeat .

Well what exactly in Cata worked well? Maybe transmog, guild perks and em.....em......I'm genuinely trying to think of things I liked. But it was rather bland, it didn't "fail" but it added so little it's hard to justify it as being good.

[sinisterwyvern]

I have to point out that that's not Zarhym, it's Nethaera.

Yes that is all.

Edit: nevermind that's not all

The fact is, cataclysm pissed off the entire player base

That's not a fact and you have no evidence of it. I'm of the player base and it didn't piss me off. Your thesis is garbage.

[Reparator]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

How big the absolute loss of subscribers was ? Close to a million subscribers ? That is with all the newcomers WoW gets from new markets ... so the number of ppl who left is bigger than that. Add to that how many players keeps paying but are not playing (I for example paid about 6 months of subscription this year without playing at all).

Absolute miniscule minority I don't think is the right term.

[Pann]

People are vocal when they're mad. People are not vocal when they are content.

The people saying that "Cataclysm was a failure" are an absolutely miniscule minority of the player base. It just so happens that they are the overwhelming majority of the forum and MMO Champion.

You have a point about people complaining when they are not satisfied.

I would say that is a bit unfair to label it a total failure when WOW still is the largest MMO but I hardly call losing 15-20% of your most valuable customers a success.

[Frioz]

Cata was the worst xpac of the bunch, but it was an improvement over Vanilla and still a fun game in and of itself. It was not a failure, it just didn't live up to the standards produced by BC and Wrath (both of which I enjoyed immensely! GASP! A BC raider who enjoyed Wrath!)

Kind easy being an improvement over vanilla, god it was terrible (no clue why people enjoy the ye old days, the only thing I enjoyed about vanilla was that it was my first mmo). BC certainly had its problems (god how many times i ran shadow labs for rep/kara for gear and spamfest of fireballs as a fire mage during raids...) but yea bc is probably at top for me.

[wariofan1]

Remember Wotlk? During its time it was flamed to hell, many people talk about it like its some kind of legend now a' days. The ones who are satisfied (like me) don't speak out loud very often, while if you're not satisfied with something you often go out and share your opinions, its the mindset of man, simple as that. Personally I love Cataclysm, and I enjoy every moment of it.

You have a point about people complaining when they are not satisfied.

I would say that is a bit unfair to label it a total failure when WOW still is the largest MMO but I hardly call losing 15-20% of your most valuable customers a success.

Do your maths, 1 million players out of 12 million ain't 15-20%.

[The Glitch]

Well what exactly in Cata worked well? Maybe transmog, guild perks and em.....em......I'm genuinely trying to think of things I liked. But it was rather bland, it didn't "fail" but it added so little it's hard to justify it as being good.

I loved the questing personally, the story was rich, the quests were fun, I loved Firelands dailies (I am an avid hater of dailies) but Firelands made it so you done them, and could buy your items with gold, no *have to* farm for months and months to get currency to buy items, rated BG's the new Zones were amazingly well designed and the artwork as always immense, the redo of all the lowbie zones and quests , were amazing, I've had so much fun levelling many new toons through these zones and feeling like it was a new game, The dungeon's for me were also alot of fun, again the artwork in these places just astounding, archaeology (while not perfect yet) was a fresh and interesting addition and I hope to see it keep evolving.Transmogging coming in soon also bringing life to old raids (people wanting to actually go back and do them now).

And probably alot more I have forgotten at the moment, but all in all there was plenty to keep me having fun, just not as much as TBC or WOTLK, though I do blame my real life for my time restraints these days more than the game.

[Adam Jensen]

Kind easy being an improvement over vanilla, god it was terrible (no clue why people enjoy the ye old days, the only thing I enjoyed about vanilla was that it was my first mmo). BC certainly had its problems (god how many times i ran shadow labs for rep/kara for gear and spamfest of fireballs as a fire mage during raids...) but yea bc is probably at top for me.

Oh none of them were perfect. BC heroics were overtuned, Wrath heroics were undertuned, resist gear was a stupid idea and so on and so forth, but overall, I liked BC and Wrath the best and honestly the pros and cons, for me anyways, cancel out and I can't decide which of the two I prefered.