The slippery slope has finally ended.

[notorious98]

I disagree. Leveling is the absolute best way to learn your class. When you earn a new spell 1 by 1, you put it in context with all the spells you previously have, and it also helps with setting up key binds to a degree.

Uh, no you don't. Rotations for leveling are vastly different from those at endgame. Example, do you know how many times I've seen pallies specced into Ret that think they can tank? Or Druids wearing healing gear who think they can dps in cat form? Or mages that thought they should just spam Ice Lance? I've never leveled a druid, but I could find icy-veins and figure out how to dps with that class. And, as a hunter, I've never bothered using Bestial Wrath during the leveling process. Or Rapid Fire. Or any other CD. In fact, I don't use Serpent Sting either. I spam Kill Command and Arcane Shot until Kill Shot shows up. If I actually have to regain Focus, I'll use Cobra Shot. Why? Because they die.

[darkwarrior42]

I assume that every single person in this thread protesting the new service is also against RAF? It's the same concept, all that differs are the numbers.

(No, RAF isn't different because "you still have to play"; the time is so short that it's meaningless.)

[Elian]

Probably because they learned from Cataclysm how bad of an idea it was to create an extreme amount of low level content for a late expansion game.

No, probably because they know that there won't be many new comers to the game to experience that low level content so why not charge the current players more to boost their levels and skip all leveling content . "milk it while you can"

[metasine]

The OP has a real point that so many of you are dismissing after flying over at 30,000 ft. But think about it. This really is a big deal. From high up, it may not seem like engaging micro transactions and selling max-level characters will impact the game for others. But the truth is, in the details, it already has.

The game is constitutionally different. So much of the overall experience has been removed. Leveling is skeletal. Interaction is minimal and superficial. Immersion is gone. As a result, the community shifts from deep and dynamic to shallow and entitled. Instead of focusing on the former, Blizzard reinforces the latter. And thus, the game begins to change. The journey is minimized and defined by the reward. Justice/Honor points for gear, mounts. Valor/Conquest points for more. LFD to gear up. LFR to gear up some more and satisfy the urge for more gear, which created an even greater urge for gear, more opportunity without context and moving the game further and further away from substance - the kind of substance that kept people playing for a half-decade or more. The game is different. The community has changed, with half expecting opportunities to be spoon fed instead of being a part of something bigger than themselves, and the others getting sick and tired of it. And Blizzard wonders why they are having difficulty keeping players, old and new alike.

So, yeah, the OP has a point. This whole micro transaction model and potential max-level sale is only a bad thing and signifies that what made WoW wonderful is permanently gone. What a shame.

Basically this.

[Krez]

While I don't personally enjoy the idea of "easy" 90s, if it bolsters wayward subscriber numbers (climbing playerbase) I'm supportive. Eventually WoD will come out, and I suspect the time sink to 100, in addition to the garrisons and "different" end game environment, will be enough of a commitment where they're really just saving you (what? 30 hours or so when the MoP nerfs come?) leveling time. The interesting part will be the price point they decide to put on it. I'll bet in the neighborhood of 20-25 bucks.

[metasine]

Games and their philosophies have to evolve. If WoW was like TBC now, it would be much less popular.

So much red herring here.

[LilSaihah]

Probably because they learned from Cataclysm how bad of an idea it was to create an extreme amount of low level content for a late expansion game.

I have to actually run the numbers for this, but I think that MoP's sub losses have been going at roughly the same rate as Cata's.

Additionally, Cata's high amount of low-level content was not an active disincentive. It may have been a bad decision, sure, but any loss was an opportunity loss; they could have spent those developer resources enhancing the 80-85+ content. If they sell level 90s, then they actively don't want to make new low-level content, or make the levelling game easier, because it could potentially lose them money from people buying level 90s.

What new sub-max level content have they ever come out with? The redesign of Azeroth? Pet Battles?

5 new races with 8 sub-expansion zones, 2 new classes, zone revamps (cataclysm and dustwallow marsh), pet battles, dungeon revamps. I'd say heirloom gear too, because while it's not exclusively a sub-cap feature, it services them.

[Trubo]

No, probably because they know that there won't be many new comers to the game to experience that low level content so why not charge the current players more to boost their levels and skip all leveling content . "milk it while you can"

Beyond the milking part how is what you said any different than what I said? I think we both agree that low-level content is not a particularly viable strategy pursue in a game as old as WoW.

[Melchior]

I disagree. Leveling is the absolute best way to learn your class. When you earn a new spell 1 by 1, you put it in context with all the spells you previously have, and it also helps with setting up key binds to a degree.

When people pay money for their 90, they have to figure out how each spell will work with another all at once. I really believe that anyone paying for a 90 in a class they never leveled before are going to be awful. You just can't know your class inside and out that way.

Oh please. Just because a character learns spells one at a time doesn't mean they truly learn how to use them, considering those leveling mobs are absolute trash that die to Mangle spam. You simply cannot use your proper raiding rotation while leveling.

They did mention a tutorial where new players would learn, but let's assume that doesn't happen for the moment. Worst case scenario: You get a level 90 with all of their abilities thrown at you at once. It doesn't take that much brainpower to figure out what abilities do what, and you STILL have from level 90-100 to use them before you even start raiding. Bad players are going to be bad no matter what, good players don't need to learn everything one ability at a time.

Have you never done any of the beta tests? We've tested raids with maxed level template characters, and we didn't suck because we didn't level with them. Take a couple minutes and look at your abilities, it's not hard to figure out.

[Krathdar]

The people complaining about these things the past few weeks have been amazing me. Do you complain about the game, or just everything in general about life? Holy cow it's really not that big of a deal not to purchase a work around past leveling to 90. When they allow gear to be purchased that exceeds Flex, start complaining, until then worry about things that actually effect you.

affect?

[BatteredSausage]

careful with that line of thinking on these forums, since pretty much everyone here is going to slit your throat for having an opinion that differs from theirs...

First of all why the fuck did you quote the op when your second to post?

On topic, i welcome there decisions on this level 90 thing both free in wod and paid chars.

[Ateista]

because 1 character to level 90 totally means that the game is being dumbed down. no one that uses this feature will be good at their class, or ever learn to be good.

also, it's not level 100, so who gives a fuck.

people take this game way too seriously. settle the fuck down already. wow is not life. whether you want to believe it to be.

[Dormie]

There really isn't a discussion here. You all know it isn't right. I'm just waiting for the next Vanilla/BC WoW.

[KrazyK923]

There really isn't a discussion here. You all know it isn't right. I'm just waiting for the next Vanilla/BC WoW.

Uhh looks like a lot of people don't care, at the least, or welcome it.

Vanilla/BC WoW would fail hardcore, and I'm always grateful Blizzard doesn't listen to nostalgic fools who want to implement changes that ruin the game. And I even played during Vanilla.

tl;dr:

Doomsdayers are once again throwing a fit over nothing and will be proven the alarmists that they are. As they always have been.

[Melchior]

because 1 character to level 90 totally means that the game is being dumbed down. no one that uses this feature will be good at their class, or ever learn to be good.

also, it's not level 100, so who gives a fuck.

people take this game way too seriously. settle the fuck down already. wow is not life. whether you want to believe it to be.

Agreed.

Yep, never ever. We will forever be baddies that can't figure out our spells... that 1-90 experience is just too valuable!

Also, we must make sure that if Blizzard ever decides to change any of our classes, like they did to Paladin countless times already, we MUST delete that character and start that valuable leveling experience again... because you know, you need it to learn!

[Krathdar]

There really isn't a discussion here. You all know it isn't right. I'm just waiting for the next Vanilla/BC WoW.

I would argue the same point, but on the opposite side. What does somebody bypassing leveling do to affect endgame, the majority of content in MMOs?

- - - Updated - - -

Sounds like a bunch of people that don't want to level, but don't want to pay, getting upset.

[Trubo]

There really isn't a discussion here. You all know it isn't right. I'm just waiting for the next Vanilla/BC WoW.

And I disagree with you that this is game-breaking in any way but let's leave it here while we're still cordial to one another.

[Rumred]

Who cares if they let you get your 90's early or if you can buy max level chars. Don't give me the crap about "well they should learn their class by leveling" Oh yeah because that works so well and we have no bad players right? I could care less if people buy a max level and tbh i really dont care if they buy gear which i really doubt blizzard would do other then maybe outdated gear and lfr quality. I will gladly take my free 90 for buying the xpac so i can have one of a class i already have leveled on the other faction. I have grown tired of leveling 1-90 and really dont mind skipping it. I play the game for End game and PVP not leveling as that part of the game besides new xpacs has long since become boring to me.

Also i cant see how you can tie this into well they will prob sell gear next. I for one have seen paying for a max level as a option since wrath but do to cata i thought they could be fine holding it off for a bit like they have. Also they have said they are looking into the possibility of selling max level upgrades but have yet to make up their mind.

[Aeluron Lightsong]

You'd be better pressed to go to the thread where Bashiok posted. On the forums in a constructive way. Let them know your concerns if you are truly worried. Yes they see this place but better the official forums see your concerns then here. IMO.

[Kelthos]

I'm not sure why people always say they love Vanilla and TBC so much. I didn't play then, but I've talked with many people who have and most of them say it sucked compared to today. I think it's a lot of nostalgia. WoW was new and exciting then, but once you get used to something it loses some of its allure.

The same can be said for getting used to the mmo genre, I think. New things can come out, but it isn't as exciting as when you first started playing the game or within the genre.