Blizzard Survey, Remote AH, Blue posts

[Boubouille]

Blizzard survey hints at extra character slots ... potentially
Earlier this week, a survey was sent to european players to gather data on ... tons of things related to WoW. Hidden among the general WoW questions was a fairly interesting one :

Apparently, Blizzard is seriously considering offering more character slots to players but you might have to pay for that. Just keep in mind that this is just a survey for the moment and it doesn't accurately reflect what we will or will not get in the future.


Access the Auction House From Almost Anywhere
The beta test has ended and the Auction House is now a premium feature.

In addition, with a paid subscription to the new World of Warcraft Remote service (http://us.wowarmory.com/wow-remote.xml), also launched today, you’ll be able to use the Armory website or mobile app to:

• Post items for sale from your character’s bag, bank, or mailbox on your faction’s Auction House or the realm’s cross-faction Auction House.
• Place bids or make buyout purchases on the Auction House.
• Collect the gold earned from a successful auction or reclaim the gold from an unsuccessful bid.

For more information about the new Armory Auction House functionality and the subscription-based World of Warcraft Remote service, check out the Web Auction House FAQ (http://us.wowarmory.com/faq-auction-house.xml) and World of Warcraft Remote FAQ (http://us.blizzard.com/support/artic...OTE&rhtml=true).

To download the free Mobile Armory app for iPhone and iPod touch, go here: http://itunes.apple.com/app/world-wa...321057000?mt=8

To download the free Remote Auction House app for Android, search for the "Remote Auction House" in the Android Market on your phone. To subscribe to World of Warcraft Remote, visit Account Management.

Blue posts

Existing Currencies/Badges in Cataclysm
We think it's fair to let you know what's going to happen to all of that old currency. It's not yet time for us to discuss that entire plan, but we'll do so in enough time for your to react.

Overall, you can expect that there won't be much motivation to hoard and even less to go out and farm old content in preparation for the Cataclysm launch.

We would definitely like to get some of that stuff out of your currency UI so you don't have to look at that lonely Badge of Justice for the rest of your character's career. (Source)

Masteries - Investing in multiple trees
Almost everyone at max level will want at least 51 / something / something to gain full benefit of their passive talent trees. A Shadow priest might be something like today's 14/0/57, (Maybe 21/0/55? Maybe 15/0/61?) because we're not giving them much reason so far to subspec Holy at all. A warlock or hunter at the moment (in Cataclysm) might choose a 51/10/15, meaning points in all 3 trees. This is all early though and sometimes players don't end up going with the builds we think they will and we want you to have more flexibility than you do today. (Source)

200% Spell Crit in Cataclysm
If so, does that mean smaller crits, or does that mean 200% spell crits baseline?
We're not sure yet. For the hybrid classes, having the 200% crits is a good way to distinguish the casters from the non-casters (jn terms of keeping healers or melee specs from doing quite so much damage with spells). For mages and locks there is less reason for them. (Source)

"Chaotic" world in Cataclysm
For all of the zones that take a turn for the worse, I would say there's an equal number of zones which improve in the chaos. Our goal is not to make the leveling experience dreary, or show you how much we can decimate familiar places. We want to add some vigor back into the old world in the wake of cataclysmic change.

[...] Just to clarify, in many cases there are different areas in each zone with different types of changes. So, maybe the Barrens has been ruptured in half and made a tumultuous place of battle between the Alliance and the Horde in the south, but there are areas of the Barrens that look more beautiful than ever before. The changes in cataclysm aren't being made to shift the scale toward ugly, unforgiving terrain. You'll find a multitude of differing environments within each zone, and within the overall world. (Source)

Armory: Guild Bank Logs Outdated
We are aware of an issue which exists presently on the World of Warcraft Armory site preventing guild bank logs from properly updating. We’re working to apply a fix for this issue and will provide an update when we have an estimated timeframe for resolution. (Source)

European Beta Guild Contest
This is pretty much the case; we'll just have to see. Obviously the EU has a lot more countries and laws to take into account. Anyhow, should we have any similar announcement to make, you won't have to ask here to find out about it. (Source)

Mage (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Arcane Missiles
The idea is to keep Arcane Missiles as a core mechanic that all mages want to use when it procs, but it's possible some spec may end up not using it if their other spells are propped up enough that you don't want to spend the cast time. We'll have to see when we get a little further in beta. (Source)

Warlock (Forums / Talent Calculator)
Warlocks in Cataclysm
Sorry, we just don't agree that that is a problem. It doesn't really matter if the talents are in a tree with a different name than your spec as along as the talents are useful, and those 15 certainly are.

To reiterate, we like Affliction using Shadow Bolt. We don't want Affliction to rely so much on Drain Soul because that feels a lot like a Shadow priest, and we don't like any class casting nothing but dots. So Shadow Bolt is sticking around. We also don't have a problem with Shadow Bolt being a Destruction spell and being buffed by the Destruction tree. Furthermore, we have no problem with Destro using something other than Shadow Bolt even though it's a Destruction spell. Finally, we don't mind that all of those talent points buff one spell. It's a really important spell! If you had to spend 15 points to buff a spell that was a trivial amount of your damage it would be a bigger deal, but then I'm fairly sure nobody would make that talent point investment in the first place.

All of those arguments seem like they offend your logic or something, which isn't enough grounds for us to want to change it. Different classes work differently. Mages focus on a school of magic while warlocks focus more on a source of damage (dots, pets and nukes) but even in that case, that doesn't mean they focus on their damage source to an extent that the mage focuses on Fire, Frost or Arcane (and in Cataclysm all mages will care a lot about Arcane Missiles in any event). We are really trying to resist class homogenization and having talent trees constructed similarly for every class works against that goal. Not similar is fine. Not functional is not fine.

What does bother us is having to get both Affliction and Destruction versions of hit, threat reduction, pushback resistance and range in addition to the crit damage from Ruin. Our plan is to put generic (affects all spells) talents for hit and pushback resistance in the first tier of Demonology and then just make the spells longer range so there is no need for a range talent. We're getting rid of all threat reduction talents. With the extra Cataclysm talent points, you should have more than enough points to get some in Demo and Destro as Affliction, and in fact we're leaning towards warlocks being one of those classes that does invest a little in all three trees. (Though again, not to the extent that you have no flexibility.)

If you're one of those warlocks who just really, really wants Affliction or Shadow Bolt to work differently, well, you have my apologies. No doubt if you were in our shoes you might design different talent trees. I have tried to explain our choice for the design above.

Video Games Live Comes to PBS
[blizzquote="Zarhym;http://blue.mmo-champion.com/t/25172043534/video-games-live-comes-to-pbs/]If you love videogame music and the music of Blizzard Entertainment, then you’ll want to keep your eyes and ears glued to your local PBS station this summer. For the first time ever on television, PBS will feature a “Video Games Live” concert special which will include three pieces of Blizzard music for your enjoyment: StarCraft II – Wings of Liberty Main Theme, Lament of the Highborne (featuring Vangie Gunn), and the Warcraft Suite. For more information and to watch the teaser trailer, go here: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzHLeDBKprA[/url][/blizzquote"]

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[Unclejesse]

I'm not very nice and think I will stay away from the forums for a week to calm down

(Note: This post might have been edited by Boubouille)

[Dmace63]

Well i don't think any person with a sound head, wouldn't think that they would charge for extra character slots

[Jasyn]

I would LOVE an extra slot. I'm not sure how much/if I would pay for it.

[Malorajan]

Without a doubt I would.

[Geckomayhem]

Wow! I really hope we get more character slots! I probably wouldn't pay for another character slot, but I desperately want at least one more. Worgen

The remote auction house doesn't interest me. I especially don't want to log into battle.net while at work. Who knows what malware could potentially be floating around. I really hope that it doesn't present security issues for people using it on their iphones and the like, too.

We would definitely like to get some of that stuff out of your currency UI so you don't have to look at that lonely Badge of Justice for the rest of your character's career.

I hope we will be able to trade in our old badges and emblems for 10g or something. It sure would clean things up. I was hoping they would look into this.

[Gracin]

Buying them would be nice, hopefully they would sell them in packs of 2 or 4. That way if you were ready to sit and make 4 new toons you could get it that way, or maybe you just want 2 slots for a new worgen and goblin.

The PBS thing looks pretty neat. Boub, you need to keep us posted on when that's gonna show up.

[asgarth]

I don't think charging 25 bucks (if we follow the tendancy) for an extra slot will be justify

But personally, this is absurd to pay, whatever the cost, to get 1 more character on a realm... If you want some extra slot, just clean up your character list and delete your lvl 37 alt that you didn't even played since 2008.

[brewklin]

really?

[Rensyk]

As I already have 50/50 Character slots done, I'd love some more but I hate the fact of paying for it. But of course I'll pay for it at the end but still - the fact of paying for something extra in the game doesnt really go on me at times

(I've spent around ~$1000 AUD on TCG Loot Cards, Server Transfers, Faction Changes, Pets etc so yeah, my money is loved :3)

Edit: Just to clarify, I do know it may not happen :]

[Sansai]

I personally feel that we pay enough as it is.

[Baluki]

Here's a novel idea, Blizzard: I buy your new expansion, and you include a new character slot on my server so I don't have to delete one of my existing characters.

A new character slot or two? Very interested. Pay for it? Not interested in the slightest.

[Muggetninja]

That PBS thing looks awesome, hope there is someway i can watch it when it comes, even if i have to watch it on youtube

[Kaneiac]

Doesn't affect me, but I know more than a few people who would be interested/have no problems. Neat.

Looking forward to the PBS broadcast, too.

[Herecius]

I don't think charging 25 bucks (if we follow the tendancy) for an extra slot will be justify

But personally, this is absurd to pay, whatever the cost, to get 1 more character on a realm... If you want some extra slot, just clean up your character list and delete your lvl 37 alt that you didn't even played since 2008.

Pretty much this. If you're the sort that spends so much time on WoW that you've got a full roster of characters on a given realm, all level capped, full tweaked out uber-characters that you can't bear to part with, you're probably the sort that would be happy to toss Blizz more money for extra character slots.

As I already have 50/50 Character slots done, I'd love some more but I hate the fact of paying for it. But of course I'll pay for it at the end but still - the fact of paying for something extra in the game doesnt really go on me at times

(I've spent around ~$1000 AUD on TCG Loot Cards, Server Transfers, Faction Changes, Pets etc so yeah, my money is loved :3)

Case in point.

[Gracin]

I don't think charging 25 bucks (if we follow the tendancy) for an extra slot will be justify

But personally, this is absurd to pay, whatever the cost, to get 1 more character on a realm... If you want some extra slot, just clean up your character list and delete your lvl 37 alt that you didn't even played since 2008.

Some of us don't have lowbie toons on said realm. I know on my main realm, I personally don't have a toon under 70. Honestly, I'm tired of having to switch my AH/Bank bitch when I decide to finish leveling the current one. lol

[Deleted]

Ka-ching! I suppose additional character slots would be a welcome addition though, free or not.

[tehhairbuns]

I sure as hell not paying for a character slot - its like wasting $10 on 1 hour DLC, really.

[Brizingr]

As I already have 50/50 Character slots done, I'd love some more but I hate the fact of paying for it. But of course I'll pay for it at the end but still - the fact of paying for something extra in the game doesnt really go on me at times

(I've spent around ~$1000 AUD on TCG Loot Cards, Server Transfers, Faction Changes, Pets etc so yeah, my money is loved :3)

Edit: Just to clarify, I do know it may not happen :]

how in the hell do u have 50 charecters... and why would u spend over $1000...

[Marzenia]

Survey or not we should not pay. New races/classes AT LEAST 2 more slots per realm. For 0 euros/dollars. We pay enough.
[me=Marzenia]bows.[/me]