Man that Chillbaine guy loves you huh?

I forgot you had a lifetime account with LoTRO, any plans to check out MoM soon, with you being 80 now?
 

I want to tell you what am I waiting for to happen in your blog: IT'S OVER, I QUIT WOW!

I no longer play WoW, and your blog is naturally a great deal about the western MMO no. 1.
So I just wonder after I read so many interesting things from you, what would make Tobold quit, what would he say about it, what would he play next?

I do not see it happen in the near future, so keep on writing from the hip, you are good at it. It is always interesting to read the thoughts you share with us.
 

Cool interview, I wish it would have lasted longer, with more Q&A. I like your blogs, it's always nice to get to know more from the writer.
 

I want to tell you what am I waiting for to happen in your blog: IT'S OVER, I QUIT WOW!

Been there, done that, came back for the next expansion. And I'm totally expecting to quit again in half a year or so, when I've seen everything this new expansion has to offer. I like WotLK, but I don't think it has 2 years content in it, even with added patches. And I don't believe Blizzard can meet their one expansion per year schedule.
 

Well, you know how many video games have 2 years on content in them for $40 + a subscription?

I think its a rather unrealistic demand.

Blizzard dont fail because they cant produce content as fast as people consume it. They succeed! precisely because they cant produce content as fast as people consume it. Great interview nice to get some personal details... but I cant agree when a blogger takes on the might of a massively successful firm and accuses them of missing mark in that particular way. Its just plain arrogant.
 

I think its a rather unrealistic demand.

What would be unrealistic about releasing one expansion per year? Everquest 1 and 2, and several other MMORPGs did it. And it was Blizzard itself who said they wanted to bring out one expansion per year, and then failed that target by a wide mark. Consumers must be allowed to hold a company responsible over their promises.

Anyway, nobody expects Blizzard to "fail" because of that. They just get dips in their subscription numbers, and spikes when the next expansion comes out. Why should the players be forced to subscribe to World of Warcraft for the whole 2 years it takes them to release the next expansion, if they have seen everything after less than 1 year? Quitting WoW temporarily is a totally sensible solution.
 

I would agree with Tobold. If you have seen all the content and there is nothing for you to do and you find yourself bored, then taking a temporary break is a good thing. I see nothing wrong with this.
 

I think that with the amount of money Blizzard is making it isn't to much to ask for an expansion every year and a major tweak\redo of some old content once a year (like redoing a zone or dungeon).
 

The "random boss abilities" idea is pretty neat, though as you said it would be difficult ot balance.

It also may help somewhat with raid compositions, instead of requiring a frost mage, 2 holy priests, a rogue for crowd control, etc., the raid would not know for sure how an encounter would work, and would bring any reasonably good combination of characters. (Of course, the bosses would have to be balanced properly, which is the hard part. Blizzard would have to avoid multi-shot lightning enchanted types, and it is entirely possible that raids would find ways to re-optimize everything.)
 

Nice interview. Maybe you'll see your hits go up.

In any case,

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

HO HO HO
 

i figure as this is the most recent post then this is the best place to say

MERRY CHRISTMASS TOBOLD.

have a great day and i look forward to another year of your blog in 2009 :D

keep up the great stuff

Bonno
 

I hope for some real competitors that do not try to re-invent the wheel or just copy WoW and try to surpass it with some extras. I am not sure if ANet will have success with Guild Wars 2, unfortunately.

WoW made the MMORPG genre mass compatible and more popular than ever. But at its core it is the EverQuest formula on steroids, with all strengths but also all its flaws.

Maybe it is really up to Blizzard to release the MMO of the future, but unfortunately the company was better at implementing and polishing successful ideas than innovating themselves. But they make great games, and I am sure they are creative and experienced enough to try something new and be successful at the same time.

But as long as WoW going so well, and since there is no real competition, WAR and AoC fail and even Guild Wars 1/2 are not real competitors, and Asia is far away... I fear there will not be a major and really superb new MMORPG soon. :(
 

P.S.: I felt a bit offended that the anonymous poster called Tobold at least slightly arrogant. He expressed his feelings, and many people for sure share them or share them not. Fine.

I think I am the demanding guy. A long time veteran player cannot get excited for too long about the 2nd or 3rd expansion of a known game, and if they want to keep me paying for WoW, they need to entertain me.

OK, I have played the game by far too long to enjoy it anymore. It is all my fault. - But this does not stop me from hoping for a bright future full of great MMO choices. :)