Sadly looking like Tinkers could become a reality.

[Buliwyf the Omen]

Guys, stop acting as if a tech-themed Expansion would be hard to market.

It would be just as easy to develop and showcase as it was with Pandaren and Monks in MoP.

[Triceron]

Guys, stop acting as if a tech-themed Expansion would be hard to market.

It would be just as easy to develop and showcase as it was with Pandaren and Monks in MoP.

I don't think you remember the controversy surrounding MoP, and how much damage control they had to do throughout the entire expansion.



People forget that this was the expansion where everyone cried out for WoD to save them from Pandaland. In retrospect, it was a fantastic expansion! But a lot of people were not happy with the theme, and the subs dropped dramatically during its run. This is why I point this out as a Marketting problem, because that's what it really was. The expansion was fantastic, the content was great, and yet it still didn't hold the numbers.

Sadly, WoD was the complete opposite where they finally had the theme right, but they dropped the ball entirely on all content. That and they made quite a mess out of the story by trying to explain way too much.

[Buliwyf the Omen]

I think we are gonna get this:





And this:




Would be the smartest move from Blizzard, tbh.

[Triceron]

I think we are gonna get this:

Would be the smartest move from Blizzard, tbh.

I'd agree with this. New class and Class skins would be the best move. All in a continued dark expansion as we all expect

[Katchii]

All the things you mentioned were filling the cup. Freaking tinkers would be the last drop. Seeing a guy named john rambo wielding something that resembles a rifle or rocket launcher... Yeah, I wont be a part of that. All the things ppl usually whine about (class balance, raid difficulty, gear..) are fine with me. This would not be. Not that it matters, I understand there are ppl who will enjoy it. It would destroy wow for me though.

I get all the rest of the post, but this last sentence just doesn't add up. If Tinkers would "destroy" it for you there's something else going on besides that. As you acknowledged, the Tinker stuff has been in game a LONG time and it hasn't destroyed it for you yet so I find it really hard to believe that Tinkers as a class would "destroy" it for you when that stuff has been in game.

If it's the last thing on a long list, fine I can understand it, but you make it sound like by itself it's enough to destroy it for you. Doesn't seem right.

[protip]

I don't think you remember the controversy surrounding MoP, and how much damage control they had to do throughout the entire expansion.

People forget that this was the expansion where everyone cried out for WoD to save them from Pandaland. In retrospect, it was a fantastic expansion! But a lot of people were not happy with the theme, and the subs dropped dramatically during its run. This is why I point this out as a Marketting problem, because that's what it really was. The expansion was fantastic, the content was great, and yet it still didn't hold the numbers.

Sadly, WoD was the complete opposite where they finally had the theme right, but they dropped the ball entirely on all content. That and they made quite a mess out of the story by trying to explain way too much.

Yeah, I don’t think expansions that lack a proper sense of danger do that well. MoP picked that up pretty quickly, but I think it weakens the release if it’s not easy to understand what you are going to do as a character in a new expansion.

I've noticed these personal attacks in a lot of posts and it's abit unfair, when I first came in here I was all for anyone getting what they want but when it came to expressing my own wants and likes for the game im shot down as if im not a paying customer like them, Oh and I love steampunk shizz I just hate gnomes and in WoW I look forward to the day we return to fighting the scourge and undead as those story lines where interesting whereas mechagon was freaking boring.

Yeah, the personal attacks are way out of line.
He doesn’t speak for anyone but himself.

[Triceron]

If it's the last thing on a long list, fine I can understand it, but you make it sound like by itself it's enough to destroy it for you. Doesn't seem right.

It's the same sentiment a lot of people expressed during MoP.

A lot of people were fine with having an expansion set in Pandaria and going through it all; begrudgingly. Yet having playable Pandas kills their enjoyment because they have to suffer with partying with Pandarens and seeing them present in raids whereas they have no choice but to deal with it. With an expansion material, you put up with it for a year or two and that's it; but with a class it's always gonna be there.

I don't agree with the sentiment, but I fully acknowledge that many people feel this way about certain races and classes. I get the Edgelord hate, I get the Furries hate, I get the Gnomes hate.

[Buliwyf the Omen]

I'd agree with this. New class and Class skins would be the best move. All in a continued dark expansion as we all expect

After Allied Races it honestly wouldnt surprise me, although they for sure would go a bit more in depth with it than Taliesin.

I can see them slightly altering abilities so they fit in even further, or even exchanging some completly, but not that widely that it would require a whole new class, they would probably call them Prestige Classes or something (Allied Classes just sounds stupid)

[Teriz]

Are you seriously insulting people for not liking tech/gnome/goblin themed stuff*? You should take a break from the forums, friend. This is getting out of hand. And it's coming from someone that loves cyberpunk and steampunk.

I'm talking about people who go beyond simply disliking the idea. I'm talking about the people who think the concept isnt real warcraft, or threatening to quit if the next expansion isnt death or void based.

In short, an expansion featuring Gnomes and Goblins wouldn't be hard to market to true fans of Warcraft.

[ping-pong]

I get all the rest of the post, but this last sentence just doesn't add up. If Tinkers would "destroy" it for you there's something else going on besides that. As you acknowledged, the Tinker stuff has been in game a LONG time and it hasn't destroyed it for you yet so I find it really hard to believe that Tinkers as a class would "destroy" it for you when that stuff has been in game.

If it's the last thing on a long list, fine I can understand it, but you make it sound like by itself it's enough to destroy it for you. Doesn't seem right.

It's an opinion and a feeling I have. It doesn't have to make sense to you or make it right for you Are you a fan of Lord of the rings? How would you feel if there was a cowboy with 2 guns in the fellowship as a 10th fellow? It wouldn't really feel like he belongs there, right? You'd lose quite a bit of the atmosphere with such things. That's what I wouldn't want in wow. To each his own, I'm sayin I'm callin it quits if they introduce tinkers. You're free to enjoy them to the rest of your wow days

[Teriz]

Do you truly believe the words you say though. How likely would you say this even is?

And you don't think this "vacation" would be difficult to market?

Not at all. An expansion based around Undermine and underground Azeroth would be easy to include Tinkers, revolve around tech, and be easy to market.

The only ones who would have a problem with that would be people who have a problem with Gnomes or Goblins taking center stage.

[Jastall]

That's another possible angle that can contribute, if for some reason the Night Warrior thing on its own isn't enough. The more I look, the more I definitely see potential for "Dark Ranger" or a similar theme. I'm not sure what form, exactly, it would take. And there is a lot of supporting evidence for Tinker as well.

Honestly, at this point I think we'll end up getting both at some point. I suspect it's really just a matter of which comes first.

- - - Updated - - -



I'm not so sure about this. Consider how much crossover there is between existing classes. Look at the crossover between warrior and DK. Both are plate wearers who tend to use large weapons. The difference between them is, again, largely stylistic. One has an aspect of undead and death-based magic, while the other uses a shield and rage.

That's just once example. I could draw more between other classes very easily. . After all, there are THREE cloth-wearing spellcasters, with balance druids and elem shammies also being casters. That's a LOT of crossover in what amounts to the same archetype of "caster" class.

Don't be so quick to dismiss the concept of a Dark Ranger simply because there's already a hunter. While I agree that it's more likely we'll see something else, after taking a good hard look at all the possibilities, I actually can't rule out Dark Ranger completely.

It can't be ruled out, but I feel it does have several hurdles. Another elf-only class would suck, so they'd need to write a lot of dodgy lore to justify why the Dark Rangers, as in the elven Forsaken that have consistently been shown as some of Sylvanas's most hardcore supporters, would be teaching Void Elves or (so help me) living humans their bags of tricks.

Now of course dodgy lore is a Blizzard staple, but even so in terms of theme the only Dark Ranger that has been shown to be anything more than a hunter with a dark theme/aesthetic and maybe a few more abilities is Sylvanas herself, which is not only a big NPC exception but is now hostile to Horde and Alliance alike anyway.

The biggest hurdle is that I can scarcely see how a tank or healing spec would at all fit the class. They can't transform into a tanking monster, they never use healing magic or shields or anything along those lines, and pet tanking seems like a supremely unlikely long shot as well. And I really doubt they're going to introduce a 2 or 3 DPS spec class.

Necromancer seems possible to me, even if it would require a lot of stretching to make them distinct from DKs (especially Unholy). Dark Rangers seem more trouble than they're worth.

[Triceron]

Not at all. An expansion based around Undermine and underground Azeroth would be easy to include Tinkers, revolve around tech, and be easy to market.

The only ones who would have a problem with that would be people who have a problem with Gnomes or Goblins taking center stage.

So... the majority of people? Considering Gnomes and Goblins are the least played race across the board, how does this appeal to the majority?

I mean the data is pretty solid here.

I don't think you realize the impact behind 'and be easy to market' when we're talking about the next 2 years of World of Warcraft content. This isn't Hearthstone we're talking about.

[Teriz]

So... the majority of people? Considering Gnomes and Goblins are the least played race across the board, how does this appeal to the majority?

I mean the data is pretty solid here.

Except it's skewed data because their "unpopularity" isn't based on hatred, it's based on there not being a class available that fits their theme.

[Triceron]

Except it's skewed data because their "unpopularity" isn't based on hatred, it's based on there not being a class available that fits their theme.

But you recognize it is unpopular. So how is marketting an entire expansion around an unpopular class going to be easy? If anything, it will be difficult, even with a Tinker class to sweeten the deal.

And frankly we've seen the result. Tanking numbers in MoP, despite having fantastic content.

People care about themes. Themes influence popularity. It's not a surprise why the most popular expansions all revolved around the same edgelord themes you seemingly criticize.

[Aekero]

All I'll say is if it's another elf exclusive class I'm quitting!

... For a while then I'll be back, but seriously having new classes so restricted is really annoying, basically ruins that portion of the new expansion for me.

[Elestia]

Dark rangers are literally hunters.

More like Horde Shadow hunters inc... thrown glaives and bows, mail armor. Zandalari, Darkspear only.

Alliance Wardens. Nightelves and void elves only. Same deal with glaives and ranged mail.

[Dragtox]

If they so desire. Considering how deep the technology theme and history is in WoW it shouldn't be that difficult.

well gnomergang still got alot mystery in it dont think we solved the problem there yet
something wierd dangerus thing abut that mountain they planned to build the gnome city in that we need more lore on

and goblin may return to their old island abit lazy to not find the name on it now

- - - Updated - - -

I'd be lying if I didn't say I'd love these idea.

y if they start as skin then maby becom its own thing later

[Teriz]

But you recognize it is unpopular. So how is marketting an entire expansion around an unpopular class going to be easy? If anything, it will be difficult, even with a Tinker class to sweeten the deal.

Unpopular only in the context of population numbers, which again are attached to class options. Thus people won't avoid an expansion simply because it has a Gnome or Goblin on the cover.

And frankly we've seen the result. Tanking numbers in MoP, despite having fantastic content.

WoD did far more damage to WoW than MoP ever did. In addition, MoP is regarded as one of WoW's best expansions.

People care about themes. Themes influence popularity. It's not a surprise why the most popular expansions all revolved around the same edgelord themes you seemingly criticize.

Again, MoP is one of the most popular expansions in WoWs history, and it isnt edgy or dark. This expansion is very dark and edgy, and most people seem to hate it.

- - - Updated - - -

well gnomergang still got alot mystery in it dont think we solved the problem there yet
something wierd dangerus thing abut that mountain they planned to build the gnome city in that we need more lore on

and goblin may return to their old island abit lazy to not find the name on it now

There's also Undermine which could be a continent (and where an Old God is rumored to be imprisoned beneath), there's the Blingtron War, there's more Titan facilities, and there's the concept of Gadgetzhan becoming a major city like it did in Hearthstone;





But hey, no one would want to play any of that right?

[MoanaLisa]

It's always funny how people like that say that it's "uninteresting for them and many others" then you check like any poll on what people want to see as the new class and Tinker normally gets around twice as many votes as the 2nd place option.

Polls where? Here? Forums, especially this one are useless for that. People form tribes and vote accordingly. There's rarely an option for "Do I care enough about this to even bother."

Does anyone remember the race that was requested more than any other over the years to add to WoW? Pandaren? How did that turn out on the forums?

In the end, how a class or feature or anything else implemented is much more important over the long run than some website poll with 500 votes.

For the record: I'm not in favor of any new classes. There's too many already.