Bashiok about new content!

[Black Rider]

Maybe blizz could implement city based siege warfare where using the siege equipment is actually a benefit instead of a hindrance.
I mean honestly I would love instanced versions of capital cities as pvp maps

Gonna love WoW City siege <3
Maybe they gonna give us more rewards for killing enemy kings?

[Anjerith]

How would you go about creating a City siege system that would be of any kind of relevance if it was phased or even instanced? A phased city means major major lag for the phased players and the unphased - youd still be dealing with the load time for all players (some would just be invisible to others, thus phantom lag).

Making them phased or instanced then removes any sort of lasting damage or impact to the affected cities unless you applied some sort of debuff to every player of the losing faction (increased repair costs, decreased xp and honor or whatever). If you think the Scourge invasion QQ was bad wait until you have millions of players bitching about how some scrubs gave them a debuff because they couldnt sit in a city and defend it all day.

[mvaliz]

I definitely feel they need to bring more "sandbox" elements outside of raiding and gearing up. Hell, I've felt that way since Vanilla! :P

My hopes is that's the direction they're going to go with the next xpac > onwards.

[xskarma]

Amen.



To the guys that often find themselves sitting in Ogrimmar; I demand links to your achievements showing that you have completed everything in the game on even one character. Otherwise your just being lazy and there is (sadly) no patch that is going to fix that.

Now, now, not always a question of being lazy, but some things require more than 1 person, so that's not always an option and smoetimes you are just not in the mood to just go hunt achievements. I mean most of what I can get on my main is either raid based or PvP based, I'm not always in the mood to do either, and just want to do something else for a bit. I for one like questing and wouldn't mind more daily area's or a scenario type thing that is like a changing world type questing thing.

[Black Rider]

Do you remember something called "scenario" datamined during 4.2 PTR? It was on Alcaz Island
Maybe it's the part of the thing they're going to add?

Sourse:
http://bit.ly/pB76cC

[Deleted]

Some more of those mini games like the sunflower one would be a nice touch, instead of yet more repetitive quest grinds

[Gurbz]

Give us something interesting and rewarding instead of these repetative quest grinds.

Such as? It's easy to demand something vague. But try defining what you want. Specifically, what exactly are you expecting that isn't a repetitive grind that doesn't either take forever to design and implement, or isn't blown through by the payers so fast that there is no feasible way for Blizzard to keep engaging content available to the players? And it has to appeal to the largest portion of your player base as possible. Good luck with that.

[Deleted]

It's easy to demand something vague. But try defining what you want

You are correct - so I edited my original post to soemthing more constructive, and suggested some more mini games. If that concept could be developed further I think there could be some really fun activities to play with here and there when bored for 30 minutes.

Another idea would be a zone where you can buy your own house or room and equip it how you wish. Tricky to implement of course, but worked quite nicely in games such as Oblivion.

[Deatheryn]

It would be awesome if they could design solo dungeons that are individually generated each time so that you never really knew what it was you were going into exactly! Obviously it would have to be within reasonable limits of the particular level range, but would generate of different experience for each person running it! Even incorporating some kind of small puzzles to break up the hack and slash! Something like you could zone in the same portal 100 times and never see the same exact instance! It would be awesome if raids were made this way as well so no one strategy worked for everyone and would keep people on their toes!

I know this is a pipe dream but wouldn't it be awesome!

[Thorrior]

*shrugs* restore arena to it's previous glory please.

[Cyph3r]

If they were to make us start from scratch what compensation would they offer to the ones who actually spent the time and effort to max them out? I've always had mine maxed out within a month of each expansion and really don't see why I need to lose all that work.

A) What could they possibly have to gain from it?
B) How would they avoid the people who would get REALLY REALLY pissed (and with good reason) about it?

It seems like a loss-loss situation, both for blizzard and the players. Why in hell would anyone do or want that? Neither blizzard nor the players want to feel hundreds of hours of gametime sent down the drain, let alone the rare patterns one might have or... Hell, the downsides are so many that I can't even imagine someone considering it realistically.

Rant time...

Both of you did the exact thing Bashiok was talking about with people flipping tables. All you saw was the "start from scratch" part and freaked out. I want to point out that starting from scratch would only be necessary if they gave the profession system the deep foundation level overhaul that I'd like to see. Let's be honest here, the crafting system works, but it's not any fun. It's not very interesting. It's not something one can take pride in (ok so you have every pattern for your profession in the game, great... how often to you actually use ANY of it?). And it sure as HELL isn't very well laid out from skill level 1 to about 325.

Right now the only purpose the crafting system serves is to provide players with consumable enhancements for endgame activities, along with small personal buffs and for some, a source of income. It could be so, so much more and you're lying to yourself if you think the system is anything more than just "functional". I don't like the idea of the hours of work I've put into my professions just going away either, but I would GLADLY give it all up if they were to overhaul the system in the way I'd like to see. Here's some of the stuff I'm talking about:

Gathering is unfocused. We transition from the secondary item from ore nodes being stone to being elemental bits (and later shadow even dropped off that list). Mining feeds 3 professions, leather feeds 1, herbalism feeds 2, and enchanting is this weird self-feeding thing.

There are literally DOZENS of crafting materials that only have a couple of sources, and are only used to create 1-3 items in the game, and never used for anything else, ever.

Most of the crafting professions actually provide you with some benefit at very low levels (sub-20), then virtually nothing until you get to Outland, and sometimes not even really until Northrend. The 75-325 skill range is something that we endure, we grind through it because we know there's good stuff coming later. Why can't we have some good stuff now? Why can't I have my shoulder inscpriptions/gem sockets/fur linings/tinkers/trinkets/whatever at level 40? Why must I create item after item that absolutely no one in the game wants or needs just so I can have fun stuff in 30 levels?

At some point in the game's history Blizzard decided they liked the idea of the professions working together to create items well enough to actually implement it in the game. However, these items (which in many cases are required to progress the profession at all) are, like the aforementioned rare mats, used for a couple of patterns at most then never again. And it's something they never do anymore. How about a little continuity here? I'm talking about stuff like the plans or schematics or recipes some can make that teach a new item to a different profession, or stuff like iron buckles. Yeah, remember those damn things?

There are also a TON of gear patterns that simply have no reason to exist within the current game. Mostly because their stat layout is useless within current character design and gearing philosophies. This stuff should all get updated or outright removed.

Here's what I'd like to see: Basically crafting at end game works pretty well. We have our nice self buffs, and we have some decent gear. So lets take that functionality and spread it out along the entire skill range right down to the bottom. At say around level 20, players should start getting access to whatever the "perks" of their chosen profession is. That means stuff like shoulder enchants, tinkers, the ability to add gem sockets, etc. Leatherworkers currently can make armor kits. That's about as close as anyone comes. And even then, it's just additional armor. Lets see some with stats. And of course this would include the stuff you can only put on yourself, just like we have at endgame. Now I mentioned gem sockets, this would of course mean we'd have to have stats gems at low levels. That's fine though, we have gems early on, allow them to be cut, and just put colorless sockets on everything until Outland. There's no reason new players can't get used to the idea of gemming early, just leave the whole socket bonus thing till later. The list of craftable gear also needs to be looked at, and then redone. I'd say a good third of it can probably get removed or redesigned. introduce craftable PvP gear early on. Give us sets with set bonuses. Stuff like this.

Next, profession interplay; either flesh it out, or remove it entirely. Right now we have clashing philosophies. Either professions need to rely on eachother, or they need to be completely self sufficient. Right now it's both, depending your your skill level. Personally, I'd prefer if they DID depend on eachother. Largely because I would like to see the ingredients of high end designs get a bit more complex. I mean really? The only things I need to craft this epic, complex and large plate chest piece is some elementium bars and a gem or 2? What about the leather straps, the buckles, the ornate filigrie, the mail portions, etc. In short, we need to be able to make PARTS. Engineering has this early on. We make all sorts of little bits and pieces, then combine them all into a mechanical dragon or something. This is the model everyone should use. Or at least everyone who crafts gear. Leatherworkers would need buckles from blacksmiths, blacksmiths would need leather strapping from leatherworkers, tailors would need gem sockets... Buckles, straps, stitching, rings, gems, etc. This is all stuff we should first have to craft before we can make the big piece. Not only does it make more sense, but it's a good way to interact, it's something we can sell or trade throughout leveling, and it would make leveling the profession itself feel much, much less grindy.

Finally, we have specializations. Again, here is something which lacks continuity. They removed the speciallizations for the armor crafting professions a while back, yet decided to keep them in for certain others (Alchemy and Engineering). Personally I like the idea of specializations, but I get that not everyone does. My issue is with how they've been used since. Alchemy's isn't even that bad, since it doesn't really determine what they can or can't make, but rather gives them a bonus when making certain items. Engineering's, on the other hand, DOES determine what you can or can't make. And unfortunately, since freaking BURNING CRUSADE, they've added a grand total of 5 patterns to each of the 2 specializations. Cataclysm added 1 each. One. What is the point of even still having them if you're not going to add anything to them, or make them interesting in any conceivable way? Take them out or fix them, across the board.

So as you can see, I'm not even calling for any professions to be removed, or new ones added. I just want to see the ones we have brought up to speed to match the current design. I mean we just saw a total overhaul of the 1-60 game, and yet the professions during that level range are more worthless than ever. If I were a new player questing through the low end content right now, I would be severly dissapointed with the profession system, and would probably completely ignore it, it's not like we can't get by just fine without it right now. And the last thing I would want to hear is "keep working on them, they get better at endgame". Really? You mean I have to waste time grinding on this shit when I could be doing something fun, just so I can get some perks later? No thanks.

But that's exactly what most of us do, on every new character we make. It's broken, plain and simple, and it's time for a fresh start.

[xskarma]

Rant time...

< Gi-normous SNIP >

It's broken, plain and simple, and it's time for a fresh start.

I'm severly conflicted by what you wrote, I want to disagree but you make some poignant arguments that have merit.

For instance I can rationalise that we don't get perks at low level cause we aren't actually any good at our proffs yet, but then I have to think is that then really fun to do anymore unless you indeed look at endgame and I have to agree that it would be far more "fun" to get some power-ups from our profession early on; really feel like we are working towards something and getting better.

One thing that has always bothered me greatly is that, especially in those in between levels you mention, the crafted stuff is usually only craftable AFTER you have use for it. Even if you manage to keep up (impossible due to the mobs you need to kill to get said mats level you up, thus pushing you ever past the point where you need them) with a steady flow of crafting mats the stuff is, like you say, often useless in stat location and/or you get better from dungeons (which I get, is "harder to do") and from quests too (which I don't get) this particular problem would delight me if Blizzard fixed it, by for instance dropping stuff BEFORE you need it, maybe not in quantities enough to fully level, but enough to make 1 or 2 usefull items every 10 levels.

In the end though, I spent thousands of gold getting professions done, and I would love some work on it, but NOT by throwing everything away, that is just too much. Just at least make those at (near) max level keep their level and redo some earlier parts, Blizz should be smart enough to implement a way to do this.

[Noomz]

I love him and his humor.

[Skippy88]

http://todowow.com/gallery/cataclysm...zshara_009.jpg - That's one of the golf ones I saw. It's up on top of a mountain. As you leave Org and go into Azshara fly up and basically straight. You should see it on the left with a pool.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_McpLfvmkTt...0_212926-1.jpg This is the pic of the "racetrack" which as it turns out is just a transportation to get around the zone.

Sports would be fun but your right if you are interested in a specific sport then you most likely should get a sports game. I think one thing they can do is create their own specific game like how JK Rowling created quidditch for the Harry Potter universe.

[Wilian]

So I think next xpac will show as something brand new mechanic of game!

What do you think?

Edit: Damn misspeled Bashiok's name xD

Sounds to me that he speaks of the already confirmed 4.4 patch that won't have any raid content but some sort of world even/non raid stuff instead.

[Cyph3r]

...In the end though, I spent thousands of gold getting professions done, and I would love some work on it, but NOT by throwing everything away, that is just too much. Just at least make those at (near) max level keep their level and redo some earlier parts, Blizz should be smart enough to implement a way to do this.

Realistically, I don't think Blizzard would make us start from 0 skill again, unless it was the only option (like if they completely removed the current professions and added a totally new system). Most likely if things were to get the sort of overhaul I'm talking about, our individual skill level would stay where it is, even if we had to relearn every single pattern (which yes, would cost money but at least we're not starting from 0). Ultimately I guess I'm just saying that for me, personally, I'd be willing to give it all up if it meant getting the system overhauled. I doubt that's what would actually happen though. I just want a reason to care about professions from 1-60 again.

[Nevintsha]

That dosn't sound so bad. If its going to make me go :O then that will be something good
(B/c I havent had a " :O " moment since BC )

[mvaliz]

*shrugs* restore arena to it's previous glory please.

OK - I'm not much of a PVP guy... but I have to ask, what have they done to Arena that makes it so bad now?

Seriously... isn't Arena basically the same thing as it was back in BC? Fight in skirmishes, get your rank, buy your PVP loot with rank points, repeat?

What's the problem?

[Falrinn]

Sourse:
http://bit.ly/pB76cC

Just an FYI, there is no need for a link aggregator on MMO-Champion. They make sense on places like Twitter when the number of characters you have is strictly limited, but here it just makes more work for you and causes the more paranoid among us (such as myself) to become very suspicious of you. I have no way of knowing if "bit.ly/pB7cC" goes to the actual source or to a keylogger site. Even though I know you've been around for awhile, your account could of always been compromised.

Anyways, this isn't the first time I've seen an odd reference to this. I have a feeling whatever it is will be the big feature of Expansion 4.

What I'd love to see is a sort of 1-player dynamic dungeon. Unlike standard dungeons that have little to no variation, these dungeons would completely change their layout every time you enter. Imagine the dungeon is set up on a vast grid, each "square" contains either a hallway or a room. Both of these could contain mobs, minibosses, traps, or logic puzzles. When you reach the end you'll fight a tricky, but very soloable boss (think maybe triple the difficulty of a Molten Behemoth with equally avoidable mechanics).

After killing the boss, you'll be granted a reward package containing a couple of crafting mats, a small chance at a mount or pet, and a new currency that can be used to purchase new gear/etc. You can complete a dynamic dungeon as many times as you want, but after doing it 7 times in a week you will no longer have a shot at a mount/pet and the currency reward is cut in half. Groups of up to 5-players are also permitted, but it will reduce the currency reward at the end.

[Vulryth]

Loving the table turn. ^^

bro thats a TABLE FLIP