Thoughts on Garrisons (constructive)

[mvaliz]

I would just like to know how Blizz plan to keep the feature relevant in future expansions.

I doubt they'll keep the Garrisons in WoD "relevant"... but I plan on keeping them relevant as they're a perpetual money-maker for farming WoD materials/gems/goods/ect until the servers shut down... ^_^

They'll most likely just make a new set of Garrisons in the following expansion that has its own flavor/style. (Dwarf/Troll buildings, for example) along with buildings that focus on specific next-expansion events and situations.

[huth]

Blizzard stated at Blizzcon that Garrison and Farm are expansion-specific content, that will be replaced with new content after the expansion ends. We could get a second, new Garrison wherever we go next, but blues said we won't be taking our WoD Garrison with us into 7.0

While the farm was already known, where did you hear that in regard to the Garrison? I remember no such statement.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I doubt they'll keep the Garrisons in WoD "relevant"... but I plan on keeping them relevant as they're a perpetual money-maker for farming WoD materials/gems/goods/ect until the servers shut down... ^_^

They'll most likely just make a new set of Garrisons in the following expansion that has its own flavor/style. (Dwarf/Troll buildings, for example) along with buildings that focus on specific next-expansion events and situations.

Honestly I think they'll eventually have to admit that Garrisons is too big to compartmentalize. Too useful and too much fun, and then they'll actually add more onto it.

To say the least, I'll openly say Garrisons are the next Transmog.

[mvaliz]

While the farm was already known, where did you hear that in regard to the Garrison? I remember no such statement.

I remember them saying it somewhere too... but I can't recall offhand. if I find it I'll let you know...

...to be fair, they're currently probably just testing this to see how it works (kinda like farm led to Garrisons)... so next expansion might be something bigger/cooler/more detailed. (A customizable flying warship or something silly. :P)

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

I remember them saying it somewhere too... but I can't recall offhand. if I find it I'll let you know...

...to be fair, they're currently probably just testing this to see how it works (kinda like farm led to Garrisons)... so next expansion might be something bigger/cooler/more detailed. (A customizable flying warship or something silly. :P)

I know they'd said, in response to questions on "why no new guild levels again" that there are features that they'd rather keep "compartmentalized" to their respective expansion.

Honestly "compartmentalized" is more a way of saying "We can't really expand it because it's too OP/underused." It's why Guild Leveling wasn't expanded, or why Challenge Modes won't likely return. Yet we'll get new Scenarios, and Transmog rules are always being loosened.

[huth]

I know they'd said, in response to questions on "why no new guild levels again" that there are features that they'd rather keep "compartmentalized" to their respective expansion.

Honestly "compartmentalized" is more a way of saying "We can't really expand it because it's too OP/underused." It's why Guild Leveling wasn't expanded, or why Challenge Modes won't likely return. Yet we'll get new Scenarios, and Transmog rules are always being loosened.

Challenge modes will return, they already said as much. On the other hand, they might just have went to far with guild levels on the first attempt, and have now run out of proper options.

[Slowpoke is a Gamer]

Challenge modes will return, they already said as much. On the other hand, they might just have went to far with guild levels on the first attempt, and have now run out of proper options.

That's why they had scrapped raising the cap to 30 in MoP. They said that the perks didn't feel like anything more than a rank up on the old ones.

With most guilds at 25 now, it's probably an issue of "what do we give guilds for the extra levels" as opposed to "we don't like the system."

[Ogait]

Didn't they mentioned that there is multiple Garrisons? I remember that someone at Blizzcon said that each zone would be better to some professions and others would be better for other professions...

What I see at Garrisons is that they're doing them for another gold sink (10k upgrades?) and something to try to lower the bots ingame (since we can put NPC's farming ores for us while we're offline)...

But let's see, still too early to speculate about something that is not tested yet -.-'

[mvaliz]

I know they'd said, in response to questions on "why no new guild levels again" that there are features that they'd rather keep "compartmentalized" to their respective expansion.

Honestly "compartmentalized" is more a way of saying "We can't really expand it because it's too OP/underused." It's why Guild Leveling wasn't expanded, or why Challenge Modes won't likely return. Yet we'll get new Scenarios, and Transmog rules are always being loosened.

...they said Challenge Modes are returning.

Here's a link to their PVE section - and a pull-quote from the last line talking about dungeons:
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/11499600

Last but not least, players looking for the ultimate challenge will be able to test their skill in time-trial Challenge Modes for most of the dungeons.

EDIT: Keep in mind that there's no reason not to include them as there's very little work that's needed for it. (just a set of unique armor, some acheesments and an iLevel switch) If anything it's an extra bullet point on the game box they can print. :P

- - - Updated - - -

Didn't they mentioned that there is multiple Garrisons? I remember that someone at Blizzcon said that each zone would be better to some professions and others would be better for other professions...

What I see at Garrisons is that they're doing them for another gold sink (10k upgrades?) and something to try to lower the bots ingame (since we can put NPC's farming ores for us while we're offline)...

But let's see, still too early to speculate about something that is not tested yet -.-'

When I watched the pannel they said you can have only ONE Garrison... but that garrison can be placed into any of the WoD zones in specific areas. I believe they went so far as to say you can even move the garrison to another zone if you so desired. (love to see the in-game explanation for THAT one! I'd feel like I have a TARDIS then. :P). Though you'll most likely have to pay a VERY heavy fine to move it from zone-to-zone.

[Herecius]

I really, really hope Blizzard decides to go ahead and make your alts followers of some sort, so you can actually see your own alts of the same faction milling around your base, or even send your alts off on missions. God damn that would be sweet.

[Ogait]

Yeah probably that can happen as well, but the cost will be insanely high.
If we'll have to pay (not final build!) 10,000g to upgrade one thing, I imagine how much I'll have to pay to upgrade everything and move the Garrison around to have the highest benefit from it.

Also, I really hope the upgrades are account wide !!
At this moment I'm doing Farmville with 9 characters each day to farm Golden Lotus and in WoD if I've to pay all that gold to upgrade everything I'll cry really loud!

Let's wait and see. I really hope Blizzard open beta soon, because I'm losing the interest on MoP already after what I saw in Blizzcon!

Good Night / I'll answer tomorrow since it's really late
~ Ogait

[mvaliz]

I really, really hope Blizzard decides to go ahead and make your alts followers of some sort, so you can actually see your own alts of the same faction milling around your base, or even send your alts off on missions. God damn that would be sweet.

Somebody asked that question in a QnA and they said they liked the idea. So... here's hoping! ^_^

It would be awesome for me as I personally have, like, one main and 5 bankalts.... and I always imagined them just mulling about in some store together...

[Rendia]

What makes you think you will be able build every building in your Garrison?

First off... layout:



From what we currently see here, (subject to change) there are 11 plots total for you to fill it seems from this. One of them will automatically be your Inn/Town hall, so that's 10 left to fill.

Now, lets count the professions:

Alchemy
Jewelcrafting
Leatherworking
Blacksmithing
Engineering
Tailoring
Inscription
Enchanting
Mining
Herbalism
Leatherworking
Fishing
Archaeology
Cooking
First aid

That's 15 (FIFTEEN) professions!
Now, we can subtract one of them because I believe they stated that the Inn will house the Chef for Cooking...and I'd be REALLY surprised if there's a first aid one...
This leaves us with 14, possibly 13 if First Aid isn't addressed.

Now, are you ready for this?

On top of this, there are additional types of buildings OUTSIDE of professions that you can build. Two of them we've been told about is the Barracks that let you house more followers, or the infermary which speeds up your recovery rate of followers (Could also be the first aid building!). They also have listed there a Storehouse, Salvage yard and a Dance Studio (These are VERY unconfirmed and are most likely placeholders... but still, there will be more than one kind of building)

So... there ya go. So far it seems like you cannot get all the buildings in your garrison. One person might have their garrison focus soley on Follower aquisition, housing and ability to allow them to send them out on more missions to get themselves more gear. Another person (such as myself) might focus on professions as they're 150% casual (My first one is the fishing pond... HANDS DOWN!!!!! ^_^)

Correct me if I am wrong, but I swear they said that we were going to be able to expand on our plots of land?

Garrisons and new models are what is likely to draw me back into this game, I cannot wait.

[Kraenen]

Are you allowed to have sex orgies in your garrison?

[Rendia]

I really, really hope Blizzard decides to go ahead and make your alts followers of some sort, so you can actually see your own alts of the same faction milling around your base, or even send your alts off on missions. God damn that would be sweet.

+1 for this! I would love to see all my Renndia, Rendya, Rendea, etc, lol, running around and working for me!

[Aeluron Lightsong]

They need to make it relevant for more expansions or not compartmentalize it. It's an awesome feature >

[Herecius]

They need to make it relevant for more expansions or not compartmentalize it. It's an awesome feature >

This seems like the sort of feature that might move forward, if it's popular. I imagine you might be able to move your garrison into the new zones as a new expansion hits.

[Spirthealer]

They need to make it relevant for more expansions or not compartmentalize it. It's an awesome feature >

+1

If they let us move spots like they said they would, why can't we just move our spot/land to a different X-pack Zone. Dose not look that hard to do rely.

[Balazzar]

All the followers and quests they can do will become pointless as gear and rewards advance with future patches.

This sums up all of WoW though........ So, your point is?

[xskarma]

I hope that these Garrisons on Draenor are a step that will be continued in further expansions. The idea of going to a new place in the next expansion (after Draenor) and build a new Garrison, with new itterations of followers, and new stuff to decorate this new place, is extremely pleasing.

I think (and hope) that the current prices they put on upgrading buildings and such is just weird placeholder material, possibly an effect of the mock up UI, just something to make it look good. There's no way that people in general have the kind of funds to upgrade buildings for 10k a pop, I know most of my friends and guildies don't, and I doubt Blizz would make a part of the game in a way that puts it out of reach for most people. The only way they'd do that is if there is actually a way to generate gold by playing with the Garrison (meaning creating new gold, and not by trading and getting it from other people, since that is a finite and too small pool to get gold from). But I have my doubts that Blizz would willingly put a feature in game that could be used to generate the kind of funds needed to buy 10k upgrades. WAY too much potential for goldfarmers to abuse such functions.

The only other thing that I feel should be added is that when you have a fully built up Garrison, with buildings in all the spots, and maximum upgrades of all the buildings, you should be awarded the title Sir/Lady. (they'll never do that, but they should.)