Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

[Editorial] World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria: Review in Progress - Part Three

BillMurphyBillMurphy Former Managing EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 4,565

This week's Review in Progress for Mists of Pandaria covers the new Pet Battle System... and why it just might be the best part of Blizzard's latest WoW expansion.

The Pet System overall is a testament to WoW’s new direction: give player’s new stuff. I think it is a great system in Mists and adds a lot to the game even if it’s not for everyone. I say this because I was very much one of the doubters. I thought it would be silly and more annoying than anything else. Well, Blizzard proved me wrong. The idea that I can name my Mechanical Chicken was just funny, and I still have a soft spot in my heart for the Mechanical Yetis, two hysterical aspects of the game which WoW has now given a clear purpose outside of bragging rights. 

Read the rest of Garret Fuller's Mists of Pandaria: Review in Progress - Part Three.

image

Try to be excellent to everyone you meet. You never know what someone else has seen or endured.

My Review Manifesto
Follow me on Twitter if you dare.

«1

Comments

  • fivorothfivoroth Member UncommonPosts: 3,916

    This is one of the major reasons why I am tempted to buy MOP. Also I heard that there will be brawling in the new patch. Also I heard they have added transmogrification which lets you alter your appearance AND they gave my druid one of the most unique creative and innovative spells EVER - symbiosis! 

    Also I love playing new classes so I love it that there is a new one. Writing all this makes me want to go and buy MOP now lawl.

    Mission in life: Vanquish all MMORPG.com trolls - especially TESO, WOW and GW2 trolls.

  • elockeelocke Member UncommonPosts: 4,335
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game.   If they were incorporated into the game and had any meaningful rewards I would be all over it.  It doesn't, therefore I'm not and quickly got bored after getting a pet to level 5.
  • Mondo80Mondo80 Member UncommonPosts: 194
    The pet system is account wide, not per player, you have no reason not to try it.
  • Greymantle4Greymantle4 Member UncommonPosts: 809
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 
  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    One thing any good MMO will have is non cobat, non progression things to do.  Like in EQ2 you have housing and collections.  Rift you have artifacts.  WoW (and most games) you have mount and pet collecting.

     

    For years people have been asking blizzard for something to do with all the pets theyve gathered.  Blizzard answered.  There is no question the game is better because its in there, even if half the players feel like you do.  MMOs need more of this sort of thing.

  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538
    Originally posted by elocke
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game.   If they were incorporated into the game and had any meaningful rewards I would be all over it.  It doesn't, therefore I'm not and quickly got bored after getting a pet to level 5.
     

    you mean like achievements? Or countless othe things in many games?

  • BladestromBladestrom Member UncommonPosts: 5,001
    It's an indication of how little the current blizzard team understand about mmorgs. You could for example add street fighter style combat into wow or 5 a side football into call of duty, etcetera.

    rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar

    Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D

  • SlickShoesSlickShoes Member UncommonPosts: 1,019
    Originally posted by Bladestrom
    It's an indication of how little the current blizzard team understand about mmorgs. You could for example add street fighter style combat into wow or 5 a side football into call of duty, etcetera.

     

    Ridiculous comparison above there.

     

    They added it in because many people have hundreds of pets and there was nothing to do with them, now they added even more and allow you to fight against eachother.

     

    I don't really see the problem with games having more fluff, people whine that all there is to do in WoW is raid and run dungeons, when they add other stuff in people still moan, they can't win with some people.

    image
  • Greymantle4Greymantle4 Member UncommonPosts: 809
    Originally posted by strangiato2112
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    One thing any good MMO will have is non cobat, non progression things to do.  Like in EQ2 you have housing and collections.  Rift you have artifacts.  WoW (and most games) you have mount and pet collecting.

     

    For years people have been asking blizzard for something to do with all the pets theyve gathered.  Blizzard answered.  There is no question the game is better because its in there, even if half the players feel like you do.  MMOs need more of this sort of thing.

    From what I read the point of this is combat. And it seems strange to take companions and make a combat game out of them. Why not add housing and let them run free around the house and or yard.  That would make more sense to me then this. 

  • roo67roo67 Member Posts: 402

    I really enjoyed this game once . I don't even feel like going back for nostalgias sake anymore as I have done in the past . Theres so much they could have done with this game .ie player housing , guild halls . There so many fantasy creatures they could have used Centaurs and Ogres would have been good . Hell even leprechauns . They've given us pet battles and pandas .

    I remember all those jokes about go play hello kitty island in WoW vanilla ,somehow I dount the people making them would have done so had they known what WoW itself would look like in 7 years .

    Still Hello Kittys mega popular and so is WoW .........nuff said .

     
  • muffins89muffins89 Member UncommonPosts: 1,585
     i remember in gw2 beta when the arena in LA was first shown,  everyone was in awe of the possibility of mini-pet battles. 
  • FrodoFraginsFrodoFragins Member EpicPosts: 5,903
    I have zero interest in it.  If I resubbed to WOW I guess I could see it as a nice little option though when I'm bored.
  • SlickShoesSlickShoes Member UncommonPosts: 1,019
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    Originally posted by strangiato2112
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    One thing any good MMO will have is non cobat, non progression things to do.  Like in EQ2 you have housing and collections.  Rift you have artifacts.  WoW (and most games) you have mount and pet collecting.

     

    For years people have been asking blizzard for something to do with all the pets theyve gathered.  Blizzard answered.  There is no question the game is better because its in there, even if half the players feel like you do.  MMOs need more of this sort of thing.

    From what I read the point of this is combat. And it seems strange to take companions and make a combat game out of them. Why not add housing and let them run free around the house and or yard.  That would make more sense to me then this. 

    Because doing this is a lot easier than adding housing to the game. They are trying to get people back in to the world interacting not sitting in there instanced house. (it would be instanced because there is nowhere to realistically put housing in azeroth)

    Also games like Pokemon where you collect pets and fight them seem to be very popular so why not integrate something like that?

    image
  • SlickShoesSlickShoes Member UncommonPosts: 1,019
    Originally posted by roo67

    I really enjoyed this game once . I don't even feel like going back for nostalgias sake anymore as I have done in the past . Theres so much they could have done with this game .ie player housing , guild halls . There so many fantasy creatures they could have used Centaurs and Ogres would have been good . Hell even leprechauns . They've given us pet battles and pandas .

    I remember all those jokes about go play hello kitty island in WoW vanilla ,somehow I dount the people making them would have done so had they known what WoW itself would look like in 7 years .

    Still Hello Kittys mega popular and so is WoW .........nuff said .

     

    Pandas are ridiculous but leprechauns are not?

    Give me a break.

    image
  • ZorgoZorgo Member UncommonPosts: 2,254
    Originally posted by roo67

    I really enjoyed this game once . I don't even feel like going back for nostalgias sake anymore as I have done in the past . Theres so much they could have done with this game .ie player housing , guild halls . There so many fantasy creatures they could have used Centaurs and Ogres would have been good . Hell even leprechauns . They've given us pet battles and pandas .

    I remember all those jokes about go play hello kitty island in WoW vanilla ,somehow I dount the people making them would have done so had they known what WoW itself would look like in 7 years .

    Still Hello Kittys mega popular and so is WoW .........nuff said .

     

    There were plenty of EQ players making fun of WoW vanilla players for going to a kid's game - I still don't see how Panda's are worse than Cow people dancing to 'peanut butter jelly' or goat men from outerspace; 

    This game has always been a cartoonish tongue-and-cheek game. I have always thought it was like a Pixar movie which worked on two levels, for kids and adults.

    And I find irony in someone who moonwalked with their night elf to call my Panda childish.

    Someone in game asked me yesterday, 'A Pandaren? Are you serious?'

    My answer, "No, I'm not"

     

  • ZorgoZorgo Member UncommonPosts: 2,254
    Originally posted by SlickShoes
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    Originally posted by strangiato2112
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    One thing any good MMO will have is non cobat, non progression things to do.  Like in EQ2 you have housing and collections.  Rift you have artifacts.  WoW (and most games) you have mount and pet collecting.

     

    For years people have been asking blizzard for something to do with all the pets theyve gathered.  Blizzard answered.  There is no question the game is better because its in there, even if half the players feel like you do.  MMOs need more of this sort of thing.

    From what I read the point of this is combat. And it seems strange to take companions and make a combat game out of them. Why not add housing and let them run free around the house and or yard.  That would make more sense to me then this. 

    Because doing this is a lot easier than adding housing to the game. They are trying to get people back in to the world interacting not sitting in there instanced house. (it would be instanced because there is nowhere to realistically put housing in azeroth)

    Also games like Pokemon where you collect pets and fight them seem to be very popular so why not integrate something like that?

    I think adding a whole new 'balanced' combat system might pose a few difficulties; I'm not an expert, but I doubt that was 'easier' than housing would have been.

  • bbbb42bbbb42 Member UncommonPosts: 297

     if they had literaaly copy'd and pasted pokimon i would play their game cuz god knows nintentards will never leave their cave -_-   how many year did they take to change mario and their idea of changing mario was to add more coins imagine how long it will take for them to discover the internetz 

     

     if i had one wish it would be to get my hands on  pokimon source code from black / white hell i would be happy with even blue/red i would be a filthy rich by the end of next year

     
     

    image
  • maplestonemaplestone Member UncommonPosts: 3,099
    Originally posted by elocke
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game. 

    Um ... MMOs have no point except what you choose to make the point.

  • Shoko_LiedShoko_Lied Member UncommonPosts: 2,193
    Short story: WoW is now even more ezmode.
  • elockeelocke Member UncommonPosts: 4,335
    Originally posted by strangiato2112
    Originally posted by elocke
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game.   If they were incorporated into the game and had any meaningful rewards I would be all over it.  It doesn't, therefore I'm not and quickly got bored after getting a pet to level 5.
     

    you mean like achievements? Or countless othe things in many games?

    Erm, no.  I don't mean that.  Achievements can be considered a way of delivering content in the game.  Mini games like this, do not.  I guess it would make sense, if it fit the world and lore.  The way Keg Brawl does in GW2.  But these pet battles....make me feel like I'm stepping back into 8 bit territory and it's just...boring and non immersive pertaining to the world of Azeroth.

  • elockeelocke Member UncommonPosts: 4,335
    Originally posted by maplestone
    Originally posted by elocke
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game. 

    Um ... MMOs have no point except what you choose to make the point.

    Umm, let's stay on topic and not try to mince words to suit your "pointless" argument.  :D  Saying pet battles in their current form in WoW are pointless to the overall game has nothing to do with MMOs in general. 

    Now to further have this make sense to you who just want to argue because you like the system, why not add some type of reward system to enhance it and make it worthwhile.  Like titles, or a special mount from winning so many battles.  See, this is where WoW's lack of other systems such as housing really make potential systems like this fall by the wayside.  If you had housing you could make pet batttles a nice primary way of earning furniture and other additions to your housing.   Thereby making it rewarding and fitting into the world and design of MMOs.

  • GeezerGamerGeezerGamer Member EpicPosts: 8,855
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    And yet, people in the game are having a blast playing it. It's a mini game. I personally could care less, in fact, I haven't even paid the 100G to train it. But that's my opinion. But just because we don't like it, it's still quite popular and quite active.

  • muffins89muffins89 Member UncommonPosts: 1,585
    Originally posted by elocke
    Originally posted by maplestone
    Originally posted by elocke
    Except...the pet battles are just a mini game and quite pointless to the overall game. 

    Um ... MMOs have no point except what you choose to make the point.

    Umm, let's stay on topic and not try to mince words to suit your "pointless" argument.  :D  Saying pet battles in their current form in WoW are pointless to the overall game has nothing to do with MMOs in general. 

    Now to further have this make sense to you who just want to argue because you like the system, why not add some type of reward system to enhance it and make it worthwhile.  Like titles, or a special mount from winning so many battles.  See, this is where WoW's lack of other systems such as housing really make potential systems like this fall by the wayside.  If you had housing you could make pet batttles a nice primary way of earning furniture and other additions to your housing.   Thereby making it rewarding and fitting into the world and design of MMOs.

    i thought the point of playing games was for fun.  why does everything have to have a reward tied to it?  why does everything have to have an incentive?  it isnt enough that some people find these pet battles fun?  

  • skamperskamper Member UncommonPosts: 252

    Pet battles are a great addition to the game and something to do between down time.  This is probably the best addition to the game.

     

    Scenarios on the other hand are pointless and worthless. You basically out gear them within 10 minutes of being 90. I have NO idea why these were not pre-90 mini dungeons to help with leveling. IE: use scaling to allow all players to participate.

     

    Daily quest grind is beyond stupid right now. They said there would be choice and there is not. You have to grind 45 daily quests a week to get tokens.

     

    Challenge mode is meh. Harder dungeon for VP and cosmetic gear. Would have much rather enjoyed an actual Elite mode dungeon with 470 item level gear or something. No dungeon finder.

     

    Raiding is raiding. Except now, the competitiveness is pretty much stupid. Black market auction house allows for the really rich to buy heroic gear. The guilds who have been able to farm Galleon (496) and Black Market (509) are the ones who are 6/6H while the people gearing up the natural way are stuck 2/6 or 3/6H. Shout out to the guilds who stacked HoTW druids.

     

    Heroic dungeons are just a quick 15 minute run to get some VP or gear. A lot easier than Burning Crusdae and slightly easier than Cata.

     

    Talents - Some specs have mandatory talents like hunters (glaive toss or lynx rush), while other classes like monk have real choice.

     

    Monk is pretty cool. Healing is over powered. You will see a ton of monks being brought to heroic bosses and guilds 4 healing with 2. Brewmaster is comparable to other tanks, but has issues when generating chi while moving. Also pretty prone to large attacks because shuffle can fall off when having to move. Monk dps is pretty much just rogue (energy and combo points). Keep up buffs and dps.

     

    Worth mentioning: Rare monsters are fun to farm now. They drop some neat things. Cross realm zone is a great feature. It's fun to see barrens or redridge filled with players again.

     
    Overall pretty much the same as cata with a few changes.
  • FelixMajorFelixMajor Member RarePosts: 865
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    Originally posted by strangiato2112
    Originally posted by Zeppelin4
    No matter how many times I read this I'm still trying to figure out why put this in the game. What does it add? It seems pointless and silly. To each their own I guess. 

    One thing any good MMO will have is non cobat, non progression things to do.  Like in EQ2 you have housing and collections.  Rift you have artifacts.  WoW (and most games) you have mount and pet collecting.

     

    For years people have been asking blizzard for something to do with all the pets theyve gathered.  Blizzard answered.  There is no question the game is better because its in there, even if half the players feel like you do.  MMOs need more of this sort of thing.

    From what I read the point of this is combat. And it seems strange to take companions and make a combat game out of them. Why not add housing and let them run free around the house and or yard.  That would make more sense to me then this. 

    Housing is something I think WoW, after TEN years of running should have.

    Originally posted by Arskaaa
    "when players learned tacticks in dungeon/raids, its bread".

Sign In or Register to comment.