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Monday, November 13, 2006
BC Journal - 13-November-2006
This weekend I didn't play my level 63 priest, but leveled up a Draenei mage to level 11 instead. If in the release version I'll make a new character, it will probably be a blood elf, to stick to the Horde side. So the beta is a good opportunity to see the new Draenei starting zone and quests. So here is a screenshot of my mage on the Draenei mount, the elekk:
No, I didn't reach level 40 over the weekend, but there is a very fun quest where for 15 minutes you are allowed to ride an elekk to warn several people of a coming invasion. You can't use the time to go anywhere else, you'll get kicked of the elekk if you ride it away from your target. But it gives you a nice taste of things to come, and how your mount will look like once you have the level and money to buy one.I had the impression that there are more quests with scripted events, besides the normal "kill 10 foozles" quests. I especially liked the quest where you run from totem to totem to learn the furbolg language, getting temporary abilities like flying or invisibility for each leg of the way. The quest where I disguised as a tree was fun too.
I'm planning to play this character until I did all the new Draenei quests, which will probably be around level 18. And that is the problem of the new races in the retail version, after level 18 you'll be back to the old leveling grounds, to quests you probably already did several times. Not fun, I would have wished for more mid-level content in the expansion. Well, maybe the next expansion will add some.
- posted by Tobold @ 7:05 AM Permanent Link
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Those elekks are HUGE! Too bad nobody will notice the gnomes anymore now...
# posted by 
: 13/11/06 09:14
: 13/11/06 09:14
Tobold,
I wonder how many people will actually level up a draeni/blood elf to 60 or above. For my part, I think it would be incredibly frustrating to be clearing out the STV quests for the 10th time on my draeni, while knowing that I could be exploring new content on my existing 60s.
I think a few people will make a strategic choice to level up a blood elf pally or a draeni shaman, but I wonder if you will ever see a level 70 blood elf mage, priest or lock.
I wonder how many people will actually level up a draeni/blood elf to 60 or above. For my part, I think it would be incredibly frustrating to be clearing out the STV quests for the 10th time on my draeni, while knowing that I could be exploring new content on my existing 60s.
I think a few people will make a strategic choice to level up a blood elf pally or a draeni shaman, but I wonder if you will ever see a level 70 blood elf mage, priest or lock.
# posted by : 13/11/06 17:50
: 13/11/06 17:50
Tobold,
I wonder how many people will actually level up a draeni/blood elf to 60 or above. For my part, I think it would be incredibly frustrating to be clearing out the STV quests for the 10th time on my draeni, while knowing that I could be exploring new content on my existing 60s.
I think a few people will make a strategic choice to level up a blood elf pally or a draeni shaman, but I wonder if you will ever see a level 70 blood elf mage, priest or lock.
I wonder how many people will actually level up a draeni/blood elf to 60 or above. For my part, I think it would be incredibly frustrating to be clearing out the STV quests for the 10th time on my draeni, while knowing that I could be exploring new content on my existing 60s.
I think a few people will make a strategic choice to level up a blood elf pally or a draeni shaman, but I wonder if you will ever see a level 70 blood elf mage, priest or lock.
# posted by : 13/11/06 17:51
: 13/11/06 17:51
I'm not in the beta, so I can't test this myself but... Is the quest Draenei-only? Or could you take any race there to get the quest and check out the mount? Wouldn't even need to be a lo
I want screenshots of dwarfs/gnomes on the elephant!
I want screenshots of dwarfs/gnomes on the elephant!
# posted by : 13/11/06 17:54
: 13/11/06 17:54
Regarding mid-level content, I think that the root problem may well be as simple as, "Its easy to get in a rut". But there is a bunch of mid-level content available already. Just on the Horde side leaving The Barrens / Silverpine Forest there are many options (from memory):
- Hillsbrad Foothills
- Stonetalon Mountains
- Ashenvale
- Thousand Needles
Leading to...
- Desolace
- Duskwallow Marsh
- Stranglethorn Vale
- Arathi Highlands
- Alterac Mountains
...
I can say for certain that I have not exhausted these regions, and I doubt that many people have completely exhausted them. I suspect that the problem is that it is all "existing content", and people tend to run the same path with the alts that they ran with the main.
For my part, I would say that of the above list, I've probably done just about every Hillsbrad Foothills quest, and maybe all of the Alterac Mountains quests, but I *know* that there are *several* quests in the other regions I've never yet done. Sometimes I'll unexpectedly run across content while filling in blank map areas or running down unexplored paths. For example, I only recently (and purely accidentally) found the cove (and all the quest there) in Arathi Highlands. And I've accidentally run across isolated NPCs offering quests scattered around Duskwallow Marsh.
My goal with alts has been to try to enter areas that my main didn't, and do quests my main never tried; it's more time-consuming, but the content is still fresh.
If anything, I would ask for more mid-level instances, or maybe a greater randomization of existing instance spawns (alternate maps / mobs). It seems that every alt is obliged to make the WC run, then the SFK run, then the BRD run, etc. -- if you want a shot at blues.
- Hillsbrad Foothills
- Stonetalon Mountains
- Ashenvale
- Thousand Needles
Leading to...
- Desolace
- Duskwallow Marsh
- Stranglethorn Vale
- Arathi Highlands
- Alterac Mountains
...
I can say for certain that I have not exhausted these regions, and I doubt that many people have completely exhausted them. I suspect that the problem is that it is all "existing content", and people tend to run the same path with the alts that they ran with the main.
For my part, I would say that of the above list, I've probably done just about every Hillsbrad Foothills quest, and maybe all of the Alterac Mountains quests, but I *know* that there are *several* quests in the other regions I've never yet done. Sometimes I'll unexpectedly run across content while filling in blank map areas or running down unexplored paths. For example, I only recently (and purely accidentally) found the cove (and all the quest there) in Arathi Highlands. And I've accidentally run across isolated NPCs offering quests scattered around Duskwallow Marsh.
My goal with alts has been to try to enter areas that my main didn't, and do quests my main never tried; it's more time-consuming, but the content is still fresh.
If anything, I would ask for more mid-level instances, or maybe a greater randomization of existing instance spawns (alternate maps / mobs). It seems that every alt is obliged to make the WC run, then the SFK run, then the BRD run, etc. -- if you want a shot at blues.
"I wonder how many people will actually level up a draeni/blood elf to 60 or above."
Well, I would expect new players for one.
Not to mention theres a spattering of 60+ Draenei and Blood Elves in the beta at the moment, aswell.
Well, I would expect new players for one.
Not to mention theres a spattering of 60+ Draenei and Blood Elves in the beta at the moment, aswell.
# posted by : 13/11/06 20:18
: 13/11/06 20:18
doeg, the problem is for the mid-high 30's to mid 40's, you're really at a quest low point.
You say
- Desolace
- Duskwallow Marsh
- Stranglethorn Vale
- Arathi Highlands
- Alterac Mountains
as options. Of these, only STV has a large amount of quests. The cove (I stumbled..well fell into this place with my first character a long time ago) quests can easily be completely finished in 30 minutes at which point you're sent to...you guessed it, STV. With a loop to come back and do an extremely easy quest for a nice ring I might add, but still, it's STV.
Desolace's quests are best run in the early 30's, except for a very few, and highland ones (that's the hammerfall place, right? I always swap the two) are mostly elite quests after the first set. With the quest leading to an area with insanely quick respawn, it's usually done by a higher level guild mate storming your through.
Duskwallow has a good amount, but you might, assuming you do the assorted mini series out in the water from the ogres and the Shady Rest Inn set, get a level out of it.
Horde or Alliance is still stuck for many levels in the STV hole. Just like most people will run to the racetrack in Thousand Needles at 30-32 and pound out those quests for fast and easy exp, STV offers the most content in the smallest area. Having to run all over to find a quest giver slows down exping and isn't fun.
I'm guessing this was somewhat by design. There are too many quests pre-30. I've leveled up 2 horde chars and 4 alliance chars and only a few shared the same quest line (DM for the Alliance, for example). For 30-45 or so, everyone has to use the same areas. Duskwallow, for example, could use a nice neutral quest hub, maybe on one of the islands. Like a Hemmingway North, if you will. The levels are perfect, and there is no end of monsters, but there's no true reason to hang out here longer than you need.
Come 46+, you again have a large amount of zones, and even more post 50, plus instances. It's those 15 or so hell levels...
I know them too well, as my warlock is going through them again. 6th time *sigh*
You say
- Desolace
- Duskwallow Marsh
- Stranglethorn Vale
- Arathi Highlands
- Alterac Mountains
as options. Of these, only STV has a large amount of quests. The cove (I stumbled..well fell into this place with my first character a long time ago) quests can easily be completely finished in 30 minutes at which point you're sent to...you guessed it, STV. With a loop to come back and do an extremely easy quest for a nice ring I might add, but still, it's STV.
Desolace's quests are best run in the early 30's, except for a very few, and highland ones (that's the hammerfall place, right? I always swap the two) are mostly elite quests after the first set. With the quest leading to an area with insanely quick respawn, it's usually done by a higher level guild mate storming your through.
Duskwallow has a good amount, but you might, assuming you do the assorted mini series out in the water from the ogres and the Shady Rest Inn set, get a level out of it.
Horde or Alliance is still stuck for many levels in the STV hole. Just like most people will run to the racetrack in Thousand Needles at 30-32 and pound out those quests for fast and easy exp, STV offers the most content in the smallest area. Having to run all over to find a quest giver slows down exping and isn't fun.
I'm guessing this was somewhat by design. There are too many quests pre-30. I've leveled up 2 horde chars and 4 alliance chars and only a few shared the same quest line (DM for the Alliance, for example). For 30-45 or so, everyone has to use the same areas. Duskwallow, for example, could use a nice neutral quest hub, maybe on one of the islands. Like a Hemmingway North, if you will. The levels are perfect, and there is no end of monsters, but there's no true reason to hang out here longer than you need.
Come 46+, you again have a large amount of zones, and even more post 50, plus instances. It's those 15 or so hell levels...
I know them too well, as my warlock is going through them again. 6th time *sigh*
# posted by : 13/11/06 20:45
: 13/11/06 20:45
If you're running out of quests in the 40-45 range Horde-side, there are several Feralas / Hinterlands quests to do in that range, as well as several in Tanaris, and a few in Swamp of Sorrows. And I haven't done any of them, but I think that there are Badlands quests in the 35-45 range as well. And be sure to get your mechanical chicken :)
I did a lot of STV quests, but didn't do all of the STV quests with either character.
It would *definitely* be nice to have more quests in the 35-45 level range -- and, I think, a reasonable expectation for the BC expansion that apparently will not be met - but I didn't completely exhaust the Horde quests in the 35-45 range with my first two toons. I'll have to let you know how I feel after my sixth time through 30-45 in the leveling-to-60 grind... :)
Makes me wonder if Blizz considered that people would level 6 separate toons to 60?
I personally know at least 10 people in RL that play WoW and only one has more than one level 60 toon. As I understand it, it is not uncommon for it to take 6 months calendar time to level to 60.
I did a lot of STV quests, but didn't do all of the STV quests with either character.
It would *definitely* be nice to have more quests in the 35-45 level range -- and, I think, a reasonable expectation for the BC expansion that apparently will not be met - but I didn't completely exhaust the Horde quests in the 35-45 range with my first two toons. I'll have to let you know how I feel after my sixth time through 30-45 in the leveling-to-60 grind... :)
Makes me wonder if Blizz considered that people would level 6 separate toons to 60?
I personally know at least 10 people in RL that play WoW and only one has more than one level 60 toon. As I understand it, it is not uncommon for it to take 6 months calendar time to level to 60.
I'd like to get a Draenei mage to 60 (I mean 70), but while leveling to 20 or even 30 is usually easy and fun, the remaining levels are brutal. Especially after you've done them once, or twice.
I'm not in the beta, so I can't test this myself but... Is the quest Draenei-only? Or could you take any race there to get the quest and check out the mount?
Checked it out with my human priest, and yes, he was able to take the quest and ride around on the elekk. Sorry, didn't have a level 10+ gnome or dwarf handy to make a screenshot.
Checked it out with my human priest, and yes, he was able to take the quest and ride around on the elekk. Sorry, didn't have a level 10+ gnome or dwarf handy to make a screenshot.
Not to mention theres a spattering of 60+ Draenei and Blood Elves in the beta at the moment, aswell.
I find this incredibly disturbing. It's a beta. It's throw away "work" these 60's are doing. I'm in the beta and my goal has been to see the new stuff, see what's broken and tinker around with it.
Those grinding to 60 in the beta, scare the crap out of me.
I find this incredibly disturbing. It's a beta. It's throw away "work" these 60's are doing. I'm in the beta and my goal has been to see the new stuff, see what's broken and tinker around with it.
Those grinding to 60 in the beta, scare the crap out of me.
# posted by : 14/11/06 17:28
: 14/11/06 17:28
It's throw away "work" these 60's are doing. I'm in the beta and my goal has been to see the new stuff, see what's broken and tinker around with it.
I think beta testing what is broken if you level up a Draenei or Blood Elf to 60 is totally valid. And I feel unwell about using the term "work" here. Unless somebody is a gold farmer, playing WoW should never be work. Don't we all have characters we played a while and then discarded? There is no fundamental difference between not playing a character any more because you lost interest, and not playing a character any more because he was on a beta test server and got deleted. The day you stop playing WoW, you lose all "work" you put into WoW, unless you sell your account.
I think it would be much better to consider time spent playing as fun, and not as work, thus you aren't losing anything when you give up a character, or a beta character gets deleted, or you stop playing WoW totally.
The only scary thing I see is how little time it takes some people to reach level 60, which suggests that their balance between virtual and real life isn't very good.
I think beta testing what is broken if you level up a Draenei or Blood Elf to 60 is totally valid. And I feel unwell about using the term "work" here. Unless somebody is a gold farmer, playing WoW should never be work. Don't we all have characters we played a while and then discarded? There is no fundamental difference between not playing a character any more because you lost interest, and not playing a character any more because he was on a beta test server and got deleted. The day you stop playing WoW, you lose all "work" you put into WoW, unless you sell your account.
I think it would be much better to consider time spent playing as fun, and not as work, thus you aren't losing anything when you give up a character, or a beta character gets deleted, or you stop playing WoW totally.
The only scary thing I see is how little time it takes some people to reach level 60, which suggests that their balance between virtual and real life isn't very good.
It *is* kind of scary to think about a volunteer tester leveling a throw-away toon to 60.
But after thinking about this some, it's possible that the 60s were 'created' by Blizz rather than 'manually' leveled.
Or maybe paid testers did the leveling to 60.
Hopefully...
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But after thinking about this some, it's possible that the 60s were 'created' by Blizz rather than 'manually' leveled.
Or maybe paid testers did the leveling to 60.
Hopefully...
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