Island Expeditions are the WoD Garrison to the....

[ro9ue]

...Legion Class Halls.

By that I mean, Expeditions are likely a precursor to a more thoroughly developed PVE content system.

Imagine if applied to Dungeons.

Instead of running Shrine of the Storm 100 times with the exact same bosses, mobs, etc you can now experience:

Shrine of the Storm A:
- Kthir everywhere, they've summoned a Kraken
- It's raining, and low visibility
- Lots of shadow magic, but holy magic can crit on these
- Bosses are: what they are now

Shrine of the Storm B:
- A secondary cave path has opened up
- There's a bunch of Troll Pirates here this time
- They are trying to collect a series of Old God Artifacts. The more they collect before you the harder they will be to kill
- Bosses are: Troll Pirate guy, NZoth empowered troll pirate guy, and a Void minion they've accidentally summoned with a mysterious artifact.

Shrine of the Storm C:
- Very bad storm, a lightning strike has opened up rocks to reveal an underwater pathway to a different part of the map.
- A tribe of Sethrak have come to harness the power of the lightning storm.
- They dish out a lot of nature damage.
- They bring Sethrak-themed mechanics.
- sethrak bosses


Etc etc

Entering a dungeon basically would be:
- a general map layout you can expect, with maybe different parts, caves, corridors, rooms, etc available based on the instancing
- a range of mobs that make sense for that dungeon, but are random
- NPCs may have random objectives you need to contend with, ie. they are collecting powerful artifacts, trying to assassinate an ally, trying to cave in your party in a dungeon, summon a big bad, etc
- phases where if u lose/win against the NPC objectives, it changes the next part of the dungeon. If you stop them from summoning a void minion, you maybe now need to contend with them attacking you in a small room in waves, but if u dont, u fight the void boss.

[saintminya]

That's a pretty neat idea. There is no way that would fly if it were to replace dungeons of any difficulty however. It would be need to squarely be a toggle, called say "Variable," that could be applied to Heroic or Mythic, or just Mythic.

[Dark-Zarupia]

Island expeditions could have been a good feature to have as some sort of dungeon mechanic.

Just like how Warfront could have been a good feature for a battlegrounds.

But Blizzard doesn't think that far,they rather throw in another store mount.

[MoanaLisa]

You're bringing up a good point. The nature of how they have handled expansion features lately has hurt the game quite a lot. We get what is potentially a pretty cool idea that is tossed out a bit half-baked and needing some work, they do minimal improvements over the course of the expansion and then it's never relevant again because it's abandoned by the next expansion.

Blizzard is famously all about iteration and for whatever reason, they've been adding features that they never really rethink or do some serious iteration on to improve them. Many players see the potential in the idea but it's all abandoned before it's ever had a chance to mature.

I was happy to hear Ion say they were rethinking that because I think it's one of the major problems with their design of late. You end up with expansion after expansion with half-baked concepts that never receive that Blizzard layer of iteration and polish. It's a let-down.

Some randomness in the content is for me a good thing. Running the same dungeon with everything in the same precise spot it was the other dozen times is really just bad once you notice it.

[Khaza-R]

The AI technology in IE will without a doubt rear its head again. And thats a great thing. Smart AI makes for more more interesting PvE content. Imagine a dungeon where the monsters hunt YOU.

[Nefarious Tea]

Island expeditions could have been a good feature to have as some sort of dungeon mechanic.

Just like how Warfront could have been a good feature for a battlegrounds.

But Blizzard doesn't think that far,they rather throw in another store mount.

Blizzard plays things EXTREMELY safely. They are more or less THE face of PC gaming and when their or Activision's publicity ends up in regular newpapers, not just gaming periodicals, they can't really afford giant gambles. They implement a system's basics, see what works, what doesn't, and improve it for the next expansion.

- - - Updated - - -

The AI technology in IE will without a doubt rear its head again. And thats a great thing. Smart AI makes for more more interesting PvE content. Imagine a dungeon where the monsters hunt YOU.

It wouldn't matter? I haven't played for eight months so my gear is about seventy ilvls behind my guildmates... less than a week back and a buddy of mine signs us up for island weeklies. I figure it's normal because blitzing normal was the way to go when I last played. Well, I see the Horde NPCs and they're a nuisance but manageable and I solo the three without too much trouble. Well, turns out it was Mythic islands we got queued up for.

Blizzard's never going to make AI that could ACTUALLY compete with players, because then bad players would be destroyed and would quit in a huff. Why do you think something like the Mage Tower challenges are not returning?

[Wyrt]

So, next expansion there will be a still awful, but slightly less awful, version of island expeditions?

[Aphrel]

Now that the rediculus dmg from certain abilities have been tuned down i find myself enjoying Islands quite a bit.
Its a shame that there is so little rewards from them.. i mean, 450ap?! Thats a piss in the ocean. Should be higher tbh.

[quite an expert in wow]

Thanks for reminding me I have to do my islands this week!

[Shadochi]

Island expeditions could have been a good feature to have as some sort of dungeon mechanic.

Just like how Warfront could have been a good feature for a battlegrounds.

But Blizzard doesn't think that far,they rather throw in another store mount.

Yeah, because everyone knows that the same people that come up with concepts for game systems also program them and also make art assets on top of that, which is why they don't have time to come up with better game systems because they are all making mounts.

- - - Updated - - -

Now that the rediculus dmg from certain abilities have been tuned down i find myself enjoying Islands quite a bit.
Its a shame that there is so little rewards from them.. i mean, 450ap?! Thats a piss in the ocean. Should be higher tbh.

Take into consideration the 3.5k AP bonus for weekly, as well as the mission.

[Qnubi]

Stop revealing future expansion features mate!

[Sharper13]

...Legion Class Halls.

By that I mean, Expeditions are likely a precursor to a more thoroughly developed PVE content system.

Imagine if applied to Dungeons.

Instead of running Shrine of the Storm 100 times with the exact same bosses, mobs, etc you can now experience:

Shrine of the Storm A:
- Kthir everywhere, they've summoned a Kraken
- It's raining, and low visibility
- Lots of shadow magic, but holy magic can crit on these
- Bosses are: what they are now

Shrine of the Storm B:
- A secondary cave path has opened up
- There's a bunch of Troll Pirates here this time
- They are trying to collect a series of Old God Artifacts. The more they collect before you the harder they will be to kill
- Bosses are: Troll Pirate guy, NZoth empowered troll pirate guy, and a Void minion they've accidentally summoned with a mysterious artifact.

Shrine of the Storm C:
- Very bad storm, a lightning strike has opened up rocks to reveal an underwater pathway to a different part of the map.
- A tribe of Sethrak have come to harness the power of the lightning storm.
- They dish out a lot of nature damage.
- They bring Sethrak-themed mechanics.
- sethrak bosses


Etc etc

Entering a dungeon basically would be:
- a general map layout you can expect, with maybe different parts, caves, corridors, rooms, etc available based on the instancing
- a range of mobs that make sense for that dungeon, but are random
- NPCs may have random objectives you need to contend with, ie. they are collecting powerful artifacts, trying to assassinate an ally, trying to cave in your party in a dungeon, summon a big bad, etc
- phases where if u lose/win against the NPC objectives, it changes the next part of the dungeon. If you stop them from summoning a void minion, you maybe now need to contend with them attacking you in a small room in waves, but if u dont, u fight the void boss.

I'd just like to say I think this is an absolutely sick idea. Well done.

[KaPe]

It wouldn't matter? I haven't played for eight months so my gear is about seventy ilvls behind my guildmates... less than a week back and a buddy of mine signs us up for island weeklies. I figure it's normal because blitzing normal was the way to go when I last played. Well, I see the Horde NPCs and they're a nuisance but manageable and I solo the three without too much trouble. Well, turns out it was Mythic islands we got queued up for.

Blizzard's never going to make AI that could ACTUALLY compete with players, because then bad players would be destroyed and would quit in a huff. Why do you think something like the Mage Tower challenges are not returning?

This has nothing to do with AI, but with scaling. AI enemies were already outgeared back in previous patches and it has only gotten worse since essences became a thing. That's not even mentioning island specific items, which are pretty crazy in some cases. If the enemies had a proper amount of hitpoints and damage, they could become an actual threat, but as it is now, they're more of a nuisance that slows you down. Even a healer can instantly kill them with Cyclotronic trinket.

[Soeroah]

I wish they didn't put so many unique rewards in an experimental, boring system.

[Holdodlig]

To me the Island Expedition are just a feature laboratory where they experiment their new system and look at the player's reaction about it. You get the "random" (because this shit is not random at all) monster spawns, the new IA (which can be really good in some PvE challenges or even in a bodyguard system) and the "dynamic" events (which is again a lie since those "dynamic" events spawn at a certain amount of azerite reached) which were used in the Season 2 of MM+ dungeon with the reaping affix.

And what triggers me is not the fact it's experimental, but that some rewards are so rare you need to do them thousand and thousand times. (2000 try for me, 0 mount).

[cparle87]

Island expeditions could have been a good feature to have as some sort of dungeon mechanic.

Just like how Warfront could have been a good feature for a battlegrounds.

But Blizzard doesn't think that far,they rather throw in another store mount.

You do realize that Blizzard has multiple teams that do different things, right? It's not like they stop working on all other content while they're designing a store mount.

[slime]

I wish they didn't put so many unique rewards in an experimental, boring system.

Up to their old tricks again, huh.

- - - Updated - - -

And what triggers me is not the fact it's experimental, but that some rewards are so rare you need to do them thousand and thousand times. (2000 try for me, 0 mount).

I believe it, these 1% drops are the worst thing about wow... well besides I guess 0.1% drops.

[Thelin]

You do realize that Blizzard has multiple teams that do different things, right? It's not like they stop working on all other content while they're designing a store mount.

Exactly this, and store mounts will continue, even if only 10% of the player base buy them, its still a huge revenue generator for them.

I really don't understand the hate with store mounts, you don't have to buy it, they don't impact you or your game play in the slightest, if you want to buy it then buy it, if not just shut up about it and move on. They literally give you hundreds of mounts in game, some that are recolors or very similar to the store mount version available. Just because you pay a monthly sub for a game doesn't mean free stuff has to rain down from the sky.

[cparle87]

Exactly this, and store mounts will continue, even if only 10% of the player base buy them, its still a huge revenue generator for them.

I really don't understand the hate with store mounts, you don't have to buy it, they don't impact you or your game play in the slightest, if you want to buy it then buy it, if not just shut up about it and move on. They literally give you hundreds of mounts in game, some that are recolors or very similar to the store mount version available. Just because you pay a monthly sub for a game doesn't mean free stuff has to rain down from the sky.

Exactly. The way some people carry on about store you'd figure Blizzard was stealing the food from their starving children's mouths. Besides, those of us who are enjoying the game and have been paying a steady sub got a free store mount just a few weeks ago.

[Soeroah]

Up to their old tricks again, huh.

Out of all the systems my collector ass has dragged me through, Islands are the worst. Sometimes you get a low drop on an NPC that has a low spawn rate. Sometimes you get once chance per week at a drop from a raid boss who is always present. Sometimes you need to wait for some arbitrary player-forced cycle to come around.

But Islands are the worst, because you get a random mix of Islands each week, queue for a random one of three, then the mobs native to the island are random and the mobs that invade are random, and the chances of getting loot are random, and which loot you get from which of the present mobs is random.

If raiders had that much layered RNG keeping their most sought-after items out of their hands they're freak the hell out.

Best case scenario, at the end of the expansion Blizzard puts everything on a vendor, or at least lets us solo queue for a specific island and puts the drop system back to "kill this mob to get a chance at loot from it". Once the Azerite grind isn't a thing any more, the original Island drop system will be better, because players can target rewards, if only slightly.

But I'd much rather they just put all the transmog on the Trial of Style vendor and leave just Mounts,Pets and Toys on islands, and either make them ALL tradeable or stop us from getting duplicates.