www.Tobold.com
Tobold@GMail.com
A blog with my thoughts regarding games I am playing and other stuff in life. Please read my Terms of Service
RSS Feed
Monday, January 29, 2007
WoW Journal - 29-January-2007
Still level 64, but I feel as if I have reached a milestone: I did all the quests in Hellfire Peninsula. Not a single quest left in any of the many locations there. Except of course for the ones I can't get at level 64 yet, but I figure those are related to the high-level part of Hellfire Citadel.
It feels like a milestone because I deliberately wanted to do all these quests before moving on. I only did very few quests outside Hellfire Peninsula, and that only when I was with a guild group doing some special elite or dungeon quest. As Hellfire Peninsula was also the only zone I quested in during the beta, I feel as if I'm now reaching the *really* new content.
Of course I wouldn't be level 64 with just the Hellfire Peninsula quests if I hadn't done a lot of dungeon runs as well. I enjoyed those, especially the Coilfang Reservoir ones. And I am honored with both Thrallmar and the Cenarion Expedition already, and that is without doing the Zangarmarsh quests for them, which should advance me a bit further. But I have a sneaking suspicion that the reputation system is calculated in a way that you can't get much better than honored without reaching level 70 and doing the endgame instances. At 5999/6000 in friendly, just 1 point away from honored, the mobs in Underbog stopped giving reputation, not even the boss mobs got me over the threshold. I had to hand in unidentified plant parts to get over the threshold, and as soon as I did, that repeatable quest vanished too.
Every faction now has a quartermaster offering lots of goodies if you are just high enough in reputation. But there was nothing I wanted for friendly or honored, I need to be revered or even exalted for the good stuff. And I'm sure that is going to involve some crazy grind again. That's why I never got to the good rewards of the old world factions, and I don't think Blizzard changed their policy on that: You need to give the people that are playing 16 hours a day every day something to do. I was positively angry when I heard about the only way to get a Netherdrake flying mount: You need to be on the top team for a season of the PvP. That is another reward that someone with a job and family won't ever be able to aspire to. I wonder if you could tell the Better Business Bureau how Blizzard promised you a Netherdrake in the expansion and then made it impossible to get. Well, probably more a case for a shrink. :)
- posted by Tobold @ 12:01 AM Permanent Link
Comments:
<< Home
Newer› ‹Older
At 5999/6000 in friendly, just 1 point away from honored, the mobs in Underbog stopped giving reputation, not even the boss mobs got me over the threshold. I had to hand in unidentified plant parts to get over the threshold, and as soon as I did, that repeatable quest vanished too.
In most cases you only need to do a single quest to advance further. it doesn't seem to matter which quest you do.
In most cases you only need to do a single quest to advance further. it doesn't seem to matter which quest you do.
# posted by 
: 29/1/07 00:03
: 29/1/07 00:03
While I'm sure the top arena teams will practice a bunch, only 10 matches per week will count towards their rankings. And with each match taking about 2 minutes, that's not a lot of time per week.
So, yeah, PvP might still be the realm of the catassers, but there's a chance for players with lives to jump in as well.
So, yeah, PvP might still be the realm of the catassers, but there's a chance for players with lives to jump in as well.
# posted by : 29/1/07 01:27
: 29/1/07 01:27
As previous poster pointed out, the arena system is not a time sink (other than maybe in sense of grinding the pvp gear from raids etc.)
Other point is that being Arena season leader is only one way to get a nether drake of some sort. There are other ways, and other drake models, though I don't know atm what those ways are.
That being said, I think it was obivious from the start that nether drakes and phoenexes will be specialty mounts, and not something everyone will get with little effort.
Other point is that being Arena season leader is only one way to get a nether drake of some sort. There are other ways, and other drake models, though I don't know atm what those ways are.
That being said, I think it was obivious from the start that nether drakes and phoenexes will be specialty mounts, and not something everyone will get with little effort.
I think it makes sense for those who excel in a competitive facet of the game to get unique symbolic rewards that are unavailable to everyone else. However I think it is a mistake when those unique rewards are no longer symbolic but convey gameplay advantages. Give them an awesome looking suit of armour, a beautiful mount or even a flashing light on top of their head but don't let it increase their stats or make them travel faster.
Blizzard appear to have got stuck in the belief that the only way to motivate players to do something is to reward them with something which increases their stats. Of course this has lead to an ever expanding spiral of player expectation.
I know I am at risk of sounding like a broken record here but the more I hear about the impact of itemisation in WOW the more I realise how correct Guild Wars is to enforce a low level and item cap. An obvious advantage of this is that it levels the playing field for all players. A less obvious advantage is that it preserves the value of game content. I am sure that the erstwhile elite dungeons of Azeroth are now virtually deserted because guilds have moved on to get the higher rewards available in the expansion. In Guild Wars on the other hand players both old and new still replay older content to earn titles, to capture new skills, to try out new combinations of abilities or to earn valuable loot. The key point is that the rewards from older content are just as valuable as they always were.
Blizzard appear to have got stuck in the belief that the only way to motivate players to do something is to reward them with something which increases their stats. Of course this has lead to an ever expanding spiral of player expectation.
I know I am at risk of sounding like a broken record here but the more I hear about the impact of itemisation in WOW the more I realise how correct Guild Wars is to enforce a low level and item cap. An obvious advantage of this is that it levels the playing field for all players. A less obvious advantage is that it preserves the value of game content. I am sure that the erstwhile elite dungeons of Azeroth are now virtually deserted because guilds have moved on to get the higher rewards available in the expansion. In Guild Wars on the other hand players both old and new still replay older content to earn titles, to capture new skills, to try out new combinations of abilities or to earn valuable loot. The key point is that the rewards from older content are just as valuable as they always were.
but there's a chance for players with lives to jump in as well.
The major problem is still that the players with no lives will be able to grind for great loot very fast and thus be able to do very well in the Arena. It's not the Arena itself that is the grind, it's the gearing up for it.
The major problem is still that the players with no lives will be able to grind for great loot very fast and thus be able to do very well in the Arena. It's not the Arena itself that is the grind, it's the gearing up for it.
# posted by : 29/1/07 16:05
: 29/1/07 16:05
The Wintersaber is a good example. Its a epic mount that is no faster than any other mount, but the skin is different and takes an insane amount of time to get.
For the players so inclined to spend months grinding faction they can, but once you get it you don't have a faster mount than anyone else.
The turtle mount is a good example too, if you want to pour extra money into getting a turtle, you can but its not faster - in fact its slower!
For the players so inclined to spend months grinding faction they can, but once you get it you don't have a faster mount than anyone else.
The turtle mount is a good example too, if you want to pour extra money into getting a turtle, you can but its not faster - in fact its slower!
Finding out that I won't be able to buy a Netherdrake pissed me off too.
It's nice how Blizz posted pictures of the Netherdrake all over the news page for what? 2 months? Just to let us know later that Arena Uber guilds will be the only people obtaining them. I'd be happier if they just slapped a 10k price tag on em.
It's nice how Blizz posted pictures of the Netherdrake all over the news page for what? 2 months? Just to let us know later that Arena Uber guilds will be the only people obtaining them. I'd be happier if they just slapped a 10k price tag on em.
I personally think the arena teams should all be outfitted in identical gear for their matches, and the rewards being gear they can wear OUTSIDE of the arena.
This would really make it about the teams with the most organization and skill.
This would really make it about the teams with the most organization and skill.
# posted by : 29/1/07 16:25
: 29/1/07 16:25
I just ended a four month break from Lineage II. I still dislike leveling my 76 toon. I stick with my lvl 60's toons. Much more satisfaction lvling regularly versus leveling every six months.
# posted by : 29/1/07 17:57
: 29/1/07 17:57
The arena netherdrake is not the only way to get a netherdrake mount, though it may be the only way players are currently aware of.
The blizzard announcement about netherdrakes as an arena reward was couched in terms that implied it was only "one" way to get a netherdrake, not the "only" way. Also, the reward is an 'armored' netherdrake. Why bother with the adjective if its the only one?
Finally, there is a quest chain that leads to becoming neutral with netherdrake mobs. It is surmised that additional quests will become available to gain exalted and allow the purchase of a netherdrake mount, much like the wintersaber.
I suspect they won't enable any method of gaining a netherdrake until the ranked arena season is underway, as it would be considered 'unfair' for pvers to have access before the pvpers.
The blizzard announcement about netherdrakes as an arena reward was couched in terms that implied it was only "one" way to get a netherdrake, not the "only" way. Also, the reward is an 'armored' netherdrake. Why bother with the adjective if its the only one?
Finally, there is a quest chain that leads to becoming neutral with netherdrake mobs. It is surmised that additional quests will become available to gain exalted and allow the purchase of a netherdrake mount, much like the wintersaber.
I suspect they won't enable any method of gaining a netherdrake until the ranked arena season is underway, as it would be considered 'unfair' for pvers to have access before the pvpers.
# posted by : 29/1/07 18:36
: 29/1/07 18:36
It seems odd to complain about those with "no lives" having a gear advantage in the arenas when in fact it doesn't look like there will be enough high end gear in the game to make a true difference when arenas begin. If you're interested in PVP, then hit the arenas when they begin. Earn the mount, and earn the amazing arena gear rewards. They've put something into the game that will take 30 minutes each week if you're truly amongst the best, and yet people are still complaining about perceived advantages that may or may not exist in the future. It boggles.
The only reputation system I ever liked was the Tranquilien one in the Ghostlands. That was just about perfect. The quests gave experience in such a way that you'd be exalted if you did just about every quest in the Ghostlands. No need for endless grinding or repeatable quests, just do everything. The lack of repetition plus seeing the end in sight early on was awesome.
# posted by : 29/1/07 19:30
: 29/1/07 19:30
The only faction grinding I've enjoyed completely thus far is Sporegar (sp?). Why? Because as a herbalist, I can "skin" my kills, thus not only am I working faction, I'm getting loot and raw materials for my time. When I found out this quest stopped at friendly, I was very very sad.
Considering how fast the leveling goes, I'm guessing this is what's supposed to keep us buzy for the next year. Anything good craftwise requires a substantial faction/time investment.
Considering how fast the leveling goes, I'm guessing this is what's supposed to keep us buzy for the next year. Anything good craftwise requires a substantial faction/time investment.
# posted by : 29/1/07 19:53
: 29/1/07 19:53
This is not a issue to be honest. Each of the instance areas have higher level instances. For Honor Hold its Shattered halls (and a raid instance can't remember what its called) and for Coilfang there is also a higher level instance.
These higher level instances are available at 67-80 (possibly 66 if you push the envelop) and give you rep till Exalted.
The difference of running the early instances till 5999/6000 before doing the quests is about 2-3 runs of the higher level instances which also give level 70 loot including the tier 3 dungeon sets.
These higher level instances are available at 67-80 (possibly 66 if you push the envelop) and give you rep till Exalted.
The difference of running the early instances till 5999/6000 before doing the quests is about 2-3 runs of the higher level instances which also give level 70 loot including the tier 3 dungeon sets.
Seems the game is all about Reputation these days.
There were grinds in Azeroth, but they tended to be end-game; now everything you do is for Reputation of one type or another (all pointed towards yet more uber-loot).
Will all this have any meaning when the next proposed expansion comes out?
There were grinds in Azeroth, but they tended to be end-game; now everything you do is for Reputation of one type or another (all pointed towards yet more uber-loot).
Will all this have any meaning when the next proposed expansion comes out?
# posted by : 30/1/07 12:44
: 30/1/07 12:44
I really enjoyed the Sporeggar rep. I managed to reach revered in a short time by doing the repeatable quest killing the Naga, Hibiscus and the Fertile Spores quests. Took about 2 days ,not solely working on that, but questing with my wife and running Underbog a few times. When I looked at how many mobs I needed to kill to reach exalted, I was intimidated, but the RPQ are great! 750 rep/turn in. I got my wand and dont see much point in getting to exalted, but it is doable.
Post a Comment
<< Home
