I actually believe that WoW will be around in some form or another for a very long time. Like comic book long time. I think, the rule set will ebb and flow and adjust.
I think the dumbing down phase is just that; a phase.
I think eventually they will find a nice solid balance which will solidify its rule set in the same way that chess, or monopoly did.
Right now its a rough-ish patch (pun intended) - but I think adjustments will be made.
I think we will see dramatic changes to the talent system, potentially the addition of player housing and maybe a graphics/avatar overhaul before too many more subs are lost.
I think with multiple times the number of subs of any f2p or p2p on the market - they have a lot of time before utter failure could happen.
They'd have to make bad mistakes for a very long time for the game to go belly up - and I think it isn't likely that will happen.
It may get worse before it gets better, but I think they have time.
You know that Blizzard has a problem when a WoW based card game has MUCH more solo challenge these days than a 15 dollar subscription game...
The problem is not so much dumbing down mechanics, the problem is that MMORPG's absolutely have NO solo challenges. They are just grinding mechanics without ANY solo challenge.
My eyes were opened when I played Diablo3 in hardcore. FAST combat, extremely perma death challenges, hard mobs that could kill you ... ALL absent in WoW these days in solo mode.
Like I said: WoW 's Hearthstone is 100 times more challenging and fun ... with 10 minutes OR hour long game play per day...
I have to admit I enjoyed WoW up until the change in classes. I completely disagree with the developer's removal of class customization. All in all, WoW offers a lot, but the constant dumbing down left me no reason to be class #2346123 with only a handful of powers separating me from the thousands of others.
Cheers!
This is an example of someone like many who do not understand why the change to class customization was a good thing. Giving less but more significant choices did not dumb down the game or the classes. The old class trees with a lot of choices was just an illusion. As it turned out everyone in a specific class was the same. Everyone just went online and found the best build and did that. If you did not have the right picks or you missed one certain skill your toon was no good, so everyone was the same.
The new tree while many less choice makes your decisions more important and makes say a hunter beastmaster totally different then a hunter marksmen. So within a specific class there are totally different play styles now. I feel this has made the game more interesting. Yes less choices to mull over but your decision is more significant not easier. It is not perfect but it is a step in the right direction. Blizzard took a big chance in doing this for exactly how this poster reacted. They left the game because they felt it was dumbed down when in fact it fostered more diversity.
Sure WOW has changed a lot, I know, I have played since release. No, I do not agree with all the changes but it is better and more fun then ever. The easy way out is to say Blizzard dumbed down WOW. I disagree It has never been a hard game to grasp and play. However it has and still is a hard game to master. That is what makes it so good, easy to play hard to master. The fact is many hardcore players really left WOW because they simply got bored after many years of play. They then have to blame their leaving on someone other then them self, after all they put years into something that is no longer important in their lives. So it is easy to say WOW has been dumbed down instead of "I simply got bored". By doing this they then ease the true feeling, I have spent so much time on something that has no real meaning.
I on the other hand find mmos have meaning to me and are not a waste of time even when I leave a game after years. What they are to me is one of the most enjoyable types of entertainment available for the money. Sometime a game changes and you leave but games like WOW, that players play for years, see and exodus more from boredom then any really significant changes made to game play. SWG-nge being an exception, SOE fundamentally changed the game experience, Blizzard never did that to WOW even with the class changes. So is the dumbing down of WOW counter productive? No WOW was never really dumbed down.
Originally posted by spookydom I would like to see some kind of time locked progression server thing like Everquest did, with the community voting on what xpac or game feature to release next but starting with vanilla. May seem like going backwards to go forwards but would definitely bring players like me back into the fold I think.
I have to admit I enjoyed WoW up until the change in classes. I completely disagree with the developer's removal of class customization. All in all, WoW offers a lot, but the constant dumbing down left me no reason to be class #2346123 with only a handful of powers separating me from the thousands of others.
Cheers!
This is an example of someone like many who do not understand why the change to class customization was a good thing.
There was a time when hybrids where possible and viable. I remember those times fondly.
Class customization has definitely been seriously dumbed down, and personally dislike it.
I have to admit I enjoyed WoW up until the change in classes. I completely disagree with the developer's removal of class customization. All in all, WoW offers a lot, but the constant dumbing down left me no reason to be class #2346123 with only a handful of powers separating me from the thousands of others.
Cheers!
This is an example of someone like many who do not understand why the change to class customization was a good thing.
There was a time when hybrids where possible and viable. I remember those times fondly.
Class customization has definitely been seriously dumbed down, and personally dislike it.
Yeah, while it may be accurate to say that people would research the best builds and use them, I found that I much preferred having the ability to change stuff myself. I would use hybrids frequently to customize a character to my style of play over what the cookie cutter was. I may be in the minority on that, but just because they see a lot of similar builds doesn't mean that removing class customization is a GOOD idea, maybe it means that they need to create MORE choices or make it less clear for the user which is the best.
As far as dungeons/raids go, I still haven't found a game with the same level of polish provided by WoW. I mean in SWTOR I get to kill a f#*&ing Rancor! Which was awesome! However, I have found the majority of other games' dungeon experiences...... lacklustre at best.
As for speed, yeah, you get that everywhere though. Dungeons become repetitive, just like anything else.
I'll be interested to see what Wildstar and TESO bring to the table. I'm eagerly awaiting both of those to see what the difficulty ramp is like. However, I don't think you will see THAT much difference, really. I mean there might be an initial difficulty curve, but they have that with WoW too. Ask anyone who ever ran a heroic raid. I like WoW because I think it does a fairly good job of creating an experience for people seeking a challenge, but also those who want to, idk, play on their laptop in bed or something.
Comments
You know that Blizzard has a problem when a WoW based card game has MUCH more solo challenge these days than a 15 dollar subscription game...
The problem is not so much dumbing down mechanics, the problem is that MMORPG's absolutely have NO solo challenges. They are just grinding mechanics without ANY solo challenge.
My eyes were opened when I played Diablo3 in hardcore. FAST combat, extremely perma death challenges, hard mobs that could kill you ... ALL absent in WoW these days in solo mode.
Like I said: WoW 's Hearthstone is 100 times more challenging and fun ... with 10 minutes OR hour long game play per day...
Houston we have a problem ...
This is an example of someone like many who do not understand why the change to class customization was a good thing. Giving less but more significant choices did not dumb down the game or the classes. The old class trees with a lot of choices was just an illusion. As it turned out everyone in a specific class was the same. Everyone just went online and found the best build and did that. If you did not have the right picks or you missed one certain skill your toon was no good, so everyone was the same.
The new tree while many less choice makes your decisions more important and makes say a hunter beastmaster totally different then a hunter marksmen. So within a specific class there are totally different play styles now. I feel this has made the game more interesting. Yes less choices to mull over but your decision is more significant not easier. It is not perfect but it is a step in the right direction. Blizzard took a big chance in doing this for exactly how this poster reacted. They left the game because they felt it was dumbed down when in fact it fostered more diversity.
Sure WOW has changed a lot, I know, I have played since release. No, I do not agree with all the changes but it is better and more fun then ever. The easy way out is to say Blizzard dumbed down WOW. I disagree It has never been a hard game to grasp and play. However it has and still is a hard game to master. That is what makes it so good, easy to play hard to master. The fact is many hardcore players really left WOW because they simply got bored after many years of play. They then have to blame their leaving on someone other then them self, after all they put years into something that is no longer important in their lives. So it is easy to say WOW has been dumbed down instead of "I simply got bored". By doing this they then ease the true feeling, I have spent so much time on something that has no real meaning.
I on the other hand find mmos have meaning to me and are not a waste of time even when I leave a game after years. What they are to me is one of the most enjoyable types of entertainment available for the money. Sometime a game changes and you leave but games like WOW, that players play for years, see and exodus more from boredom then any really significant changes made to game play. SWG-nge being an exception, SOE fundamentally changed the game experience, Blizzard never did that to WOW even with the class changes. So is the dumbing down of WOW counter productive? No WOW was never really dumbed down.
This
There was a time when hybrids where possible and viable. I remember those times fondly.
Class customization has definitely been seriously dumbed down, and personally dislike it.
My computer is better than yours.
Yeah, while it may be accurate to say that people would research the best builds and use them, I found that I much preferred having the ability to change stuff myself. I would use hybrids frequently to customize a character to my style of play over what the cookie cutter was. I may be in the minority on that, but just because they see a lot of similar builds doesn't mean that removing class customization is a GOOD idea, maybe it means that they need to create MORE choices or make it less clear for the user which is the best.
As far as dungeons/raids go, I still haven't found a game with the same level of polish provided by WoW. I mean in SWTOR I get to kill a f#*&ing Rancor! Which was awesome! However, I have found the majority of other games' dungeon experiences...... lacklustre at best.
As for speed, yeah, you get that everywhere though. Dungeons become repetitive, just like anything else.
I'll be interested to see what Wildstar and TESO bring to the table. I'm eagerly awaiting both of those to see what the difficulty ramp is like. However, I don't think you will see THAT much difference, really. I mean there might be an initial difficulty curve, but they have that with WoW too. Ask anyone who ever ran a heroic raid. I like WoW because I think it does a fairly good job of creating an experience for people seeking a challenge, but also those who want to, idk, play on their laptop in bed or something.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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