Shadowlands: Rapidly Climbing the Ladder in Popularity

[OMGTwitchTV]

I had no clue Afrasiabi was gone, which makes sense now, it explains the drop in quality.

Alex Afrasiabi on WoD

In Nagrand, it's literally a side quest, and you're doing -- there's these archaeologist, these goblin archaeologists, and they're searching for like, a runestone I think it is. It's basically like, it was a fun quest, the mechanics were cool and it paced well, it was a couple of strung together, maybe three quests. And it ends in this moment where the goblins, to excavate this relic, they set up this crazy weird contraption and they do this Ghostbusters thing and the chief goblin there is like, "And THAT'S how you do archaeology!" and I was like "This is the greatest quest I've ever done."

When a game designer claims a side quest with goblins in Nagrand is the greatest quest he has ever done in 5 DLCs, and was almost single handedly responsible for flying not returning to the game in WoD (thank god they changed their minds in 6.2.2), I have to tell you: Play Shadowlands. You will not be disappointed. Also, I am so glad Alex is gone. Shadowlands is the beginning of something better and I hope I continue to be impressed by it as time marches on. I was not impressed with WoD or BfA, but Legion was not horrible (still wasn't Wrath or BC), and SL has yet to show me anything horrible. Maybe 9.1 or 9.2 will prove me wrong, but I just don't see it happening. This is the most fun I have had since Cataclysm.

[Angrie]

I got bored of it in less than 4 weeks. Cleared normal two times and half of the raid in HC, a few +9 keys and Thorgast till layer 8 and was bored to death.

This guy knows.

It's quite boring. The dungeons are not good for M+ MOSTLY because player refuse to learn them and make pugging an unfun experience. 85% of my guild is already back at Classic, so what does that say about SL?

Raid is just like all raids before it, nothing really exciting there.

Covenants are dumb, soulbinds are dumb. Maw is so dumb I only go there when i have to. Torghast is cool and dumb at the same time. I like mage tower like content so it's getting there for me. Wish there was more reasons to go there.

PvP WAS ok, now it's just hilariously dumb.
World content is awful (anima grind is WORSE than AP or Azerite)

The story is ok so far... being too gated for my liking. Wish i could see all of the story without having to use a new character or reroll covenants.

I'd put SL below Cataclysm (which i don't think is nearly as bad as people make it out to be.)

1. Wrath
2. BC
3. Vanilla
4. Legion
5. Cataclysm
6. SL
7. MoP
8. BfA
9. WoD

[Dastreus]

Someone really over values FF XIV content patches, and this is coming from someone who loves FF XIV.

Every single time FF XIV drops a patch, you can do all the non-raid content in 2 hours, 3 at most. In fact, if you don't care at all about raiding, you can stay unsubbed until they offer the player callback campaign (3 free days) and do everything that patch has to offer comfortably over 3 1 hour sessions. If you like raiding? It stretches a bit more, but 4 bosses every 6 months is underwhelming for so many people. And let me be clear on this: for the raid bosses with actual difficulty (not trials, not 24-man raids) there are 12 bosses over 2 years. 12 bosses. 2 years. WoW often does this with a single raid patch.

I'm not defending Blizzard here, but 1 content drop from Blizzard (outside of WoD's selfie patch) is arguably equivalent to all 5 of FF XIV's patches.

ok ok fair (except for selfie patch is the worst thing ever), but you get some other content. Relic quests, and new game plus mode keeps expanding. (Not new, but DOES give you new stuff if you bought any level boosts for classes.. now you can do the story!) But beside that, what me and my friends mostly do is run dungeons or maps or hunts... or some combo... to get our weekly end game tokens.

And that brings me to a big problem WoW has had for years. They need to bring back currencies for gear from vendors. It would significantly reduce the RNG of the game, too. They just kind of stopped the whole Valor/Justice tokens thing after the failure of MoP's version of it. Instead of seeing that the big problem was needing to unlock rep to get the equipment from said vendors, they just axed the currency thing entirely. No, now you hope you get good drops in Raid or Mythic, or that World Quests will upgrade something garbage you have, if you just hit max level.

[Orby]

It sucks that everyone is enjoying this expansion because I been so burned out after reaching max level I felt a bit overwhelmed by everything that needed doing that I just gave up.

At this rate this expansion will be my MoP2, back in MoP I also burned out and missed all of it and that expansion was well loved now days, and its a huge regret I have is missing that expansion.

I been trying so hard to get on and play WoW lately trying my best to just enjoy myself but my god every time I see what needs to do I immediately get exhausted and log off. I haven't been onto WoW for 2 weeks and its sad, because I hear how much fun people are having and wish I could be having that much fun too

[Imonaboat69]

Really enjoying SL so far as a casual player.
WoW have changed, I became older and the expectations of having fun also changed.

I don’t feel any pressure of doing the daily’s at all compared to other people around here.
It’s mostly reputation and don’t want to be the very best in a short amount of time.

For me a MMORPG is about farming, having fun with guildies and pushing yourself to the limit you can handle to get the maximum result.
I can’t reach Rival rank, which I know, but will keep on trying. Yes it comes with flaming and raging kids but hey who cares, I have fun in the end and just continue.

Due the pandemic or people’s mindset nowadays they want 100% with only giving 50% effort. That’s not how the real world works.
100% bg wins, 100% arena wins, 100% 1v1 wins and most of all EVERY m+ atleast 1 item.

[Kel_Sceptic]

It sucks that everyone is enjoying this expansion because I been so burned out after reaching max level I felt a bit overwhelmed by everything that needed doing that I just gave up.

At this rate this expansion will be my MoP2, back in MoP I also burned out and missed all of it and that expansion was well loved now days, and its a huge regret I have is missing that expansion.

I been trying so hard to get on and play WoW lately trying my best to just enjoy myself but my god every time I see what needs to do I immediately get exhausted and log off. I haven't been onto WoW for 2 weeks and its sad, because I hear how much fun people are having and wish I could be having that much fun too

I always had this feeling when I wanted to prove myself .... as ... to .... what ... exactly .. I dunno.

In MoP launch, I've burned myself after the first 2 months and made a quick brake, it was the last expansion/period I've played while in a raiding guild.
In Legion I've started it much casual, doing the quests in my own pace, reading all quests, enjoying it. But after I've dinged, I've farmed the Mythic starting of that launch, that I've burned myself and made a quick brake.

Even I was playing 100% solo, no friends, no guild, that was happening because of the old raiding experience in tbc/wotlk, when the guilds were inducing this rush to ding max level so we can raid.

In BFA and Shadowlands I've started again as Legion and change my entire mindset, playing the game without the focus on gear "RUSH, BIG DPS, ME BEST" and just playing the game entirely for myself.

Out of the 43days since SL launched and I dinged the 1st 60, I have /played ~19days just at level 60, and that time is 95% /played only for my pleasure. Not forced to do Raids/M+.

It is more enjoyable to play the game for you firstly, then for your guild, friends and lastly for the gear.

Really enjoying SL so far as a casual player.
WoW have changed, I became older and the expectations off having fun also changed.

I don’t feel any pressure of doing the daily’s at all compared to other people around here.
It’s mostly reputation and don’t want to be the very best in a short amount of time.

For me a MMORPG is about farming, having fun with builders and pushing yourself to the limit you can handle to get the maximum result.
I can’t reach Rival rank, which I know, but will keep on trying. Yes it comes with flaming and raging kids but hey who cares, I have fun in the end and just continue.

Due the pandemic or people’s mindset nowadays they want 100% with only giving 50% effort. That’s not how the real world works.
100% bg wins, 100% arena wins, 100% 1v1 wins and most of all EVERY m+ atleast 1 item.

I'm totally with you, man!

[Eggroll]

Polish is certainly better than BfA, no genocide as introductory storyline is a plus, too.

The heavy gating is getting on my nerves and so does the terrible terrain design that is just out to get you. I conciously avoid doing open world stuff just because of that. Did I mention the "not even a ground mount" in the Maw? Yeah. No. I just go there once a week max for the souls, and one or two quick daily quests on that occasion. Other than that I avoid the place like hell. Same with Thorgast. Can't bring myself to go through the drag.

Sooo, while stuff is mostly polished it is also deliberately designed to antagonize the player. How is this "fun"...?

I can't agree with you. I think I have the least playtime in a new xpac since forever. Usually I spend loads of time playing at xpac release, exploring the new zones and stuff. Now though, I find myself rather doing old content, grinding mounts and xmog than doing current content.

Also the change to the Timewalking event sucks donkey balls imo. Can't even level up my lower level toons during timewalking anymore. What gives?

[HawkonBloodeye]

Did I mention the "not even a ground mount" in the Maw?

I like this. I love content without mounts so you get to experience it without skipping everything from scratch. Also, now there are two mounts available. Just do torghast
twisting corridors and you 100% get it.

[Brewhan]

I made the terrible mistake to choose Threads of Fate for my first two alts, boi leveling them by simply wandering the maps in search for yellow dots without a proper story to follow feels really bad.

yeah threads of fate is rough but me doing the disney story a 2nd time was just too much. I actually hated the story leveling up. The only saving grace was a bit of revendreth story but it was soured instantly after the first quest when the damn gargoyle npc himself says not to trust the sire.. spoiled already.

[odamienskii]

I can only speak for myself, but so far, this expansion is on par to be my new favorite. It has already knocked TBC out of 2nd place and is heavily breathing down the neck of WotLK for first. I came into this game Jan 19, 2006, and after Cataclysm, have just not been impressed with the DLCs that followed. Granted, that is just my personal, subjective opinion. I am speaking for no one but myself, nor am I claiming my opinion to be imperical data on the state of the other DLCs.

Is anyone else either seeing Shadowlands move into their number one spot, or at least rapidly climbing the ranks? I know we still have a ways to go in this expac, but if 9.1 and 9.2 are anything like the launch, I have no doubt this expac will apologize for the last 4 in my book and become the new number one on my list.

that couldnt have anything to with how strong warlocks are in pvp could it? interesting post, not biased at all.

[Soon-TM]

yeah threads of fate is rough but me doing the disney story a 2nd time was just too much. I actually hated the story leveling up. The only saving grace was a bit of revendreth story but it was soured instantly after the first quest when the damn gargoyle npc himself says not to trust the sire.. spoiled already.

Meh, Maldraxxus and Revendreth were ok-ish imo, but Ardenweald and especially Bastion... ZzzZZzZzzzZ.

[Dch48]

I'm finding it hard to stay interested enough to log in every day. BfA was much better at this point in it's development. I hated Maldraxxus, tolerated Revendreth, was okay with Bastion, and Ardenweald is by far the best. I hate the dependence on Torghast to advance my campaign progression. It's like the horrible Visions all over again. I really don't like the Legendary acquisition system being a necessary part of the campaign. Maybe it's just the system itself. I don't like being forced into crafting. I would have to say that at this point, this is the worst expansion ever.

[OMGTwitchTV]

that couldnt have anything to with how strong warlocks are in pvp could it? interesting post, not biased at all.

I wouldn't know. I don't PvP. Also, all opinions are biased. It is what makes them opinions. If you want subjective, feel free to go find solid facts to support your claims. I can only write from what I know, and what I have experienced. Also, since the creation of this thread, I have moved away from my warlock, and all other classes in an effort to focus on one class from now on: Mage. Arcane mage at that. I get that Fire and Frost are still very OP in most cases, especially for folks who know the class well and have played them for years. But my enjoyment of this expac has less to do with which class I am playing and more to do with how much content there is and how diverse and interesting everything feels for a change... at least for me.

[Lolites]

I enjoy it more than BFA, but not as much as legion. By this point I had 2 or 3 max level characters in legion. I can't be bothered to get past 52 on my alts for some reason.

yeah, i can get behind this, have 2 chars on cap, and crapload on 50-52 as i kind of cant be bothered to level them, in legion i was so much more interested in class campaign that i am in covenant, even though there is "only" 4 covenants so it would take way less work than class campaigns, but i had all of those...
+ the artifact weapons were amazing

[Gurg]

Really enjoying SL so far as a casual player.
WoW have changed, I became older and the expectations of having fun also changed.

I don’t feel any pressure of doing the daily’s at all compared to other people around here.
It’s mostly reputation and don’t want to be the very best in a short amount of time.

For me a MMORPG is about farming, having fun with guildies and pushing yourself to the limit you can handle to get the maximum result.
I can’t reach Rival rank, which I know, but will keep on trying. Yes it comes with flaming and raging kids but hey who cares, I have fun in the end and just continue.

Due the pandemic or people’s mindset nowadays they want 100% with only giving 50% effort. That’s not how the real world works.
100% bg wins, 100% arena wins, 100% 1v1 wins and most of all EVERY m+ atleast 1 item.

Completely the same mate. I've been playing wow since vanilla and when i was 16. Time passed, game changed and we got older. Our perception of having fun is different now than before. These days I mainly log on and have fun with my mates in m10, some PvP and few wipes on HC Castle. Its not even the game it self, its more having banter with mates and simply hanging out online since.. well covid.
Completely agree with you on your post, well put.

It sucks that everyone is enjoying this expansion because I been so burned out after reaching max level I felt a bit overwhelmed by everything that needed doing that I just gave up.

At this rate this expansion will be my MoP2, back in MoP I also burned out and missed all of it and that expansion was well loved now days, and its a huge regret I have is missing that expansion.

I been trying so hard to get on and play WoW lately trying my best to just enjoy myself but my god every time I see what needs to do I immediately get exhausted and log off. I haven't been onto WoW for 2 weeks and its sad, because I hear how much fun people are having and wish I could be having that much fun too

Sorry to hear that. Its not as bad as you think tbh.
It can be overwhelming for first few days once you hit 60 because everything gets thrown at you, but once you clear those things up - its getting way easier.

On basic level "there is no mandatory thing," however for anything above casual requres some more involvement in it.

Basically its down to this -
Weekly:

1. Do your covenant/renown story quest (two of them are done passively as you play the game).
Covenant quest takes you around 20min max, if you read the dialogs. Renown quests are done passively trough the Maw and Thorgast.
2. Do Thorgast for ash. If you are not aiming to be competitive there is no need to push higher layers than 6 (not so mandatory after 1st leggo), Between 30-60min per week.
3. Do at least 1 mythic dungeon for weekly vault (not mandatory).. eh.. 25-40min per week.
4. Do at least 3 raid bosses for weekly vault (same as above, not mandatory, but gives you extra loot option for the vault).
Totally optional. And you can do LFR versions for 187 loot.


Daily:
1. World quests (not mandatory, but huge part of the system and source of Anima, beginners gear and reputation),
2. Covenant callings,
3. Maw dailies (completely optional, however part of getting smoother Thorgast experience).

Catch up system is also really good and majority of the catch up is done, again, naturally as you play the game so whenever and if you decide to come back you wont face any insane grind.

Just take your time and do things at your own pace, no need to rush it, and pay no attention if you run onto someone toxic.
Biggest selling point for me, and i presume for a lot of people, is WAY less RNG with expansion systems.
Even so they reduced loot, just by not having as such RNG as we had in previous expansions feels way better.
Opinion on zones and story is purely personal so i wont go into that.

[Eapoe]

All these posts about burnout and too much to do. LOL...just, what?
Required things to do:
Torghast runs twice a week (after unlocking 8 layers, which isn’t even required itself). This takes roughly 2 hours a week.
3 x Renown quests:
1 takes 1K Anima. Can be earned over multiple days and doesn’t need rushed. Can still be done on day 1 with some effort.
1 takes freeing souls from the Maw. Takes roughly 10-30 minutes depending on hearthstone location and class/spec. You can literally run a circle around the area just west of Ve’nari to get them all.
1 is tied to covenant campaign quests. Takes 30 minutes to an hour.
That’s it. That’s what is required. Overall that is 3 1/2 hours minus the anima quest, and that can be done in roughly 2 hours if you crunch down for it.
There are 168 hours over a 7 day period. 56 of those dedicated to sleep (if you sleep 8 hours a day). 40 to work (average work week). That leaves 72 hours for other things for averages.
Look, I get it. Sometimes it is hard to find time with kids, work, spouse, etc, but if I can find time to do the basics with other things in game (PvP, m+, raid 9 hours), while working anywhere from 40-70 hours a week, while working out 30-90 mins a day 5 days a week, then I don’t see how people can complain about a bare minimum as if it’s requiring 80 hours a week to do them.

[Orby]

All these posts about burnout and too much to do. LOL...just, what?
Required things to do:
Torghast runs twice a week (after unlocking 8 layers, which isn’t even required itself). This takes roughly 2 hours a week.
3 x Renown quests:
1 takes 1K Anima. Can be earned over multiple days and doesn’t need rushed. Can still be done on day 1 with some effort.
1 takes freeing souls from the Maw. Takes roughly 10-30 minutes depending on hearthstone location and class/spec. You can literally run a circle around the area just west of Ve’nari to get them all.
1 is tied to covenant campaign quests. Takes 30 minutes to an hour.
That’s it. That’s what is required. Overall that is 3 1/2 hours minus the anima quest, and that can be done in roughly 2 hours if you crunch down for it.
There are 168 hours over a 7 day period. 56 of those dedicated to sleep (if you sleep 8 hours a day). 40 to work (average work week). That leaves 72 hours for other things for averages.
Look, I get it. Sometimes it is hard to find time with kids, work, spouse, etc, but if I can find time to do the basics with other things in game (PvP, m+, raid 9 hours), while working anywhere from 40-70 hours a week, while working out 30-90 mins a day 5 days a week, then I don’t see how people can complain about a bare minimum as if it’s requiring 80 hours a week to do them.

It's not wholly down to the amount of stuff to do, but my enjoyment of those things combined with the amount of enjoyment or lack there of from said things, otherwise I would have burned out in BfA, I was bound to burn out eventually its happened before and it was bound to happen sooner or later just sucks that once again its happening in an expansion that (so far) people are loving

I can hop on tomorrow and I would go in with the intention to love and enjoy my time but after 5 minutes its just constant groan of knowing what needs to be done and the feeling of anxiety doing it.

Fear not mostly likely I'll return again when the next expansion comes out revitalized and excited to play again. I aint here to say "Dah Wow SuCkS cOs I AinT PlaYIng it AnYmoRE". Man I could never hate WoW I been playing since 2005, but I can admit that sometime syou just need to step away for a bit.

[Eapoe]

It's not wholly down to the amount of stuff to do, but my enjoyment of those things combined with the amount of enjoyment or lack there of from said things, otherwise I would have burned out in BfA, I was bound to burn out eventually its happened before and it was bound to happen sooner or later just sucks that once again its happening in an expansion that (so far) people are loving

I can hop on tomorrow and I would go in with the intention to love and enjoy my time but after 5 minutes its just constant groan of knowing what needs to be done and the feeling of anxiety doing it.

Fear not mostly likely I'll return again when the next expansion comes out revitalized and excited to play again. I aint here to say Dah Wow SuCkS cOs I AinT PlaYIng". Man I could never hate WoW I been playing since 2005, but I can admit that sometime syou just need to step away for a bit.

That’s completely fine and justified. Not enjoying the game is a valid excuse to not want to play the game. I took a break in Legion due to not having fun. I completely understand.
My post is mainly about people saying there’s too much to do. I probably should have left the burnout issue out of the post, but stating burnout from too much is why I left it in there.

[Kel_Sceptic]

That’s completely fine and justified. Not enjoying the game is a valid excuse to not want to play the game. I took a break in Legion due to not having fun. I completely understand.
My post is mainly about people saying there’s too much to do. I probably should have left the burnout issue out of the post, but stating burnout from too much is why I left it in there.

I had some moments in the 16 years while playing this game, when I didn't want to play it because of various reasons (limited free time, IRL situatians, actually to much wow/burned out from 2 months of playing while having a broken leg, and so on), that made me 1. delete all my characters, 2. hate the game and find alot of things that I hate about it, 3. trash it in every discussion.
But, except the BFA break were I've payed the sub but didn't played for ~1 year because BFA, all other periods were actually my own stuff happening, and the game was fine.

The game is addictive, and there were periods when I wished I stop playing it, but couldn't, so I was bashing the game in every part of it, just to make the HATE stronger so it will make me leave it.

We all go through periods and periods, I've passed mines, and I've accepted that WoW is part of my lifestyle. Hell, even in BFA, when it was BAAAAD, I still payed the sub, and logged every 2-3 months when the nostalgy start kicking.

It is what it is, like an actual marriage, with ups and downs, some situations you can accept, but out there there are alot of divorces aswel, and marriages that broke and recovered even after divorce (I'm talking about you BFA)

If you hate the game more then 40% and not like it 60%, then it is ok to take a break, maybe things will sort out the next big patch, the next expansion, or ... never

[Beuargh]

Well, after 23 pages, it seems that SL is not climbing the popularity ladder for everybody..... just like any other xpac. Things you like that someone else don't. Usual stuff To remind you that you cant speak for anybody else....

So maybe its climbing your ladder, OP, but like already said numerous time, opinions are like assholes, everybody has one. And yours doesn't smell better than anyone else's.