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4.1 Brings Zul'gurub and Zul'aman as 5mans, Class changes/balancing and Looking for Guild tool.
FearGX
Member Posts: 317
http://us.battle.net/wow/en/blog/2356431
The link above has all the information about 4.1 which is the first major patch for Cataclysm. It will feature class changes/balancing, 2 new 5 man Heroics, and possibly a Looking for Guild tool. 4.1 is still very early on the PTR, and lots more changes are coming. Nothing is confirmed or set in stone and is possible to be changed or canned. I'll go over 3 of the biggest changes I saw.
1:
Zul'gurub returns as a 5 man Heroic dungeon:
Originally a 20-player dungeon released in patch 1.7, Zul'Gurub will once again open its gates, featuring updated lore, all-new encounters, achievements, and improved loot! Zul'Gurub is now a level-85 five-player Heroic difficulty dungeon. To provide a new tier above the current Cataclysm dungeons, players can expect to find epic-quality item level 353 loot. The minimum average item level to enter this Heroic dungeon is 346.
2:
Zul'aman returns as a 5 man Heroic dungeon:
Ever a player favorite, the level-70 ten-player dungeon of Zul'Aman is being reintroduced as a level-85 Heroic five-player dungeon. Zul'Aman will join Zul'Gurub in a new Dungeon Finder tier of Heroic dungeons, providing epic-quality item level 353 loot. The minimum average item level to enter this Heroic dungeon is also 346. While Zul'Aman will be more of a throwback to the original dungeon featuring many of the same encounters, players can expect to find some updated gameplay mechanics, as well as new environment textures and lighting.
With the Zuls returning, you may be wondering about the unique mounts that were once contained therein. New versions of the rare raptor, tiger, and bear mounts will be available, while the old versions of these mounts will remain unique to those who already have them. We'll reveal more about how these updated mounts can be obtained in the future.
3:
Possible Looking for Guild Tool / System
This to me is the most interesting change, but according to the blog, there is a very small mention of this in the patch notes, but nothing is available for testing.
User Interface
* Work has begun on a new Looking for Guild system. Further details will be provided when we are ready for feedback.
------------------------
So what do you guys think? It is still very early into 4.1 and the blog is very recent, no word if any new raids will be available (The Firelands). Paladins got some balancing, as well as Warriors most notably. All of the above is available to be tested on the PTR, lookup http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/1181024/ to find the PTR and how to test 4.1
Comments
I wonder if ZG will provide Zandalar rep at all. I suppose it is unlikely, but would be neat if the couns and such still dropped.
As far as Zul'Aman, I thought it was stll in the game as a raid. So the "return of" wording seems a bit weird unless it was removed recently. I know we had run it just for the guild achievement not long ago is why i mention it.
All in all, interesting way to address the complaint about reward versus difficulty in heroics. Would be nice to see new heroics tuned to the 346 gear and dropping 353, but I suppose this is a reasonable "quick fix". Plus the older dungeons that they already made heroic versions of (SFK and DM) are pretty fun, so no reason to expect different here.
-mklinic
"Do something right, no one remembers.
Do something wrong, no one forgets"
-from No One Remembers by In Strict Confidence
Zul'aman isn't removed, so yeah it isn't "returning" just been changed into a level 85 heroic dungeon. Sorry for the confusion. I'll change the title actually.
gotcha. I wasn't trying to be picky. I just figured I had missed it's removal as I haven't had much time or reason to go back to the old raids after doing them for guild achievements. I certainly have fond memories of ZG from Vanilla though so interested to see what they change and how they balance it for 5 man. I suppose there is also the question about whether the mounts/pets associated with the raid will come back in the dungeon. That would be neat too as I never could win a damn roll for them! :P
-mklinic
"Do something right, no one remembers.
Do something wrong, no one forgets"
-from No One Remembers by In Strict Confidence
There was a post on the forums a few weeks ago asking blizzard to bring back the Amani War bear. A blue responded saying that Zul'aman would return and all the treasures within. People were going nuts wondering what the blue ment by that. Then 2 weeks later 4.1 announced Zul'aman been changed. People are still wondering if they will put back the Amani War Bear or if some new reward will be introduced.
My thoughts is that they will put it back in, which is quite sad for those who put in the effort to obtain it during BC (ZA was a raid back then, which was harder).
Haha, well I put in the effort to get the ZG mounts mostly during Vanilla and just never pulled it off so I don't feel so bad about them being readded (if they make it back in as well).
-mklinic
"Do something right, no one remembers.
Do something wrong, no one forgets"
-from No One Remembers by In Strict Confidence
Personally, I always thought it was cruel to make the Amani bear wear all that metal armor. It must have been like a cage that the poor thing had to carry about with him,
lulwut? It's a virtual bear. I mean its not fair anything has to wear armor/weapons like this game has.
Fury warrior duel wielding 2handers? ahahah I always thought I looked silly.
Is 4.1 going to be released on 1st of April?
I find it amusing that the WoW fanbois think Blizzard is doing this is some sort of nod to classic players.
If only they realised how much easier and cheaper it is to use old content. The time and effort taken to design an instance the size of ZG is massive and much more than the mobs in there - most of which used models and textures already in the game (trolls, tigers, spiders etc). 90% of the time and resources into making an instance is making the physical world inside the instance since it all has to be unique.
Oh, poor, deluded fanbois.
People still play Warcraft?
Cool!
Many of the fights are updated and are pretty damn cool now. I love the poison boss now that he make a huge poison maze for you to navigate while fighting him. Many WoW players dont mind because it gives them a chance to see something again thats been polished and updated and have a bit of a nostalgic trip. Plus they are fun anyways. Oh and I think the random quests you get in there it neat , you get it at the start but it could be 1 of many quests so thats cool.
Oh, poor, deluded haters.
How many more instances can they rehash? Blizzard has become a very lazy, greedy company. I dont know if it is because of Activision, or they are just being corrupted by their own popularity but its stupid. I'm glad I quit this game and broke my addiction.
EQ2 has a great "Looking for Guild" tool. Honestly, I've been surprised that WoW hadn't copied it yet. It would be very useful. If they went with what EQ2 has, it tells you a bit about the guild's "personality" too so it makes it fun and easier to find a guild you'd actually feel comfortable with. Forgive the atrocious grammar please. It shows you what members are online that you can talk to and can invite. It tells you what the guild's main focus is, raiding, casual, etc. It's just a very useful tool.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
2 thumbs way up!
Naxx is the only dungeon that was rehashed. SFK and DM are completely different dungeons... with no bosses the same. The maps are basically the same, but the mobs and boss mechansims are much different. Unless of course I am mistaken and Arugyle used to do pistal Barrage.
Its kinda like the 1-60 zones. They updated a lot of lore and continued a lot of stories and at the same time made the questing more fun.
Onyxia as well....as much as you can rehash a one boss raid.
Still, lazy or not, the "rehashed" instance seem to be pretty well received and there is some enjoyment to be had in the heroic versions
-mklinic
"Do something right, no one remembers.
Do something wrong, no one forgets"
-from No One Remembers by In Strict Confidence
You just don't get it. They could put the mobs and bosses and their abilities into any new 5 man. It doesn't have to be ZG.
But as you failed to understand most of the work that goes into designing a dungeon is not the bosses or the mobs or their abilities but the actual making of the dungeon.
Blizzard is re-using ZG purely to save money. And I'll repeat again - the abilities the spider boss has in the new 5 man ZG could be used in ANY new 5 man.
Considering most of classic raiders have quit WoW this has nothing to do with nostaliga. Most of the people I raided with during classic have quit the game.
If Blizzard really wanted to bring back classic WoW they could open servers running 1.12.2
As for being a hater I played WoW during classic. I remember being forced to get exalted with Zandalar and still doing Jin'do and Mandokir twice a week even though we were a Naxx guild. I doubt you would know why Naxx guilds still did Jin'do and Bloordlord and forced members to get exalted with Zandalar.
Oh, poor, deluded wrath babies.
Lets star with i have played wow for over 5 yrs. I love them going back and expanding the story of older places. I hate that the old raids like zg, zulaman kara and stuff become obsolete once a new tier comes out. Going back and making them 5 man dungeons is a great way to advance story and have fun with nostalgia.
I disagree with guy saying its about saving money if there is a company doesnt have to worry bout saving money its blizzard. Since boss fights will have all new mechanics and even a new end zone boss. With all new quest line they didnt cut corners here.
Some people will always hate blizzard u cant get the wow haters to ever think anything blizz does a good thing. as for old raiders quiting wow what a joke. The major guilds from then and now are still around and so are alot of the people i know who were raiding that content when i first started.
Its just not instances its bosses too. While some things make sense like Ragnaros and even though lvl 80 Naxxramas was poorly implemented in comparison to its epic greatness at lvl 60, it fit the story perfectly.
Nefarian coming back was just the lamest thing I've seen in an mmorpg.
But all this bringing back old content also makes the other content and bosses they do bring back like Ragnoros, which has a good story and valid reasons for bringing him back as a boss, look bad.
Blizzard are the most tight fisted company in the game. They've always been the Micro$oft of the gaming industry. As much as I loved Blizzard games they've never had any originality except for Diablo, but that was made by Blizzard North - a division long gone and who they screwed over and why Dialbo 3 looks to be complete rubbish.
I'll repeat again - most of the money that goes into making a dungeon (or outdoor instance which is more accurate) for ZG is the actually designing of the actual layout and building the instance.
I'm watching a 4.1 PTR video on youtube. They're redoing ZG and pooping on the original ZG. They're not updating any story. If you actually knew the story of ZG is that the 5 priests went to confront Hakkar and he enslaved them and drew on their powers. Thats why you had to kill the 5 priests (Bat, snake, panther, spider and tiger) before engaging Hakkar and why when you kill the priests they talk about being "freed". But there is Venoxis at the beginning of the video.
And I'm guessing they're destroying the uniqueness of the EoM event (do you even know what EoM refers to or how to get ZG class trinkets? better go check wowpedia) because Gri'lek is a boss that probably doesn't need to be summoned. I dont know if the other EoM bosses are in it.
And lets not forget about ZA. What new story could you possibly put on that? Zul'jin is dead. Thats it. (did you even play the Warcraft 2 expansion?)
I agree with Blizzard updating the story. Dont forget ZG was not the first time you fought Hakkar. You fought his avatar in Sunken Temple. There was even a questline from a troll in Steamwheedle port that involved you going into LBRS that explains ZG and Hakkar. But 4.1 is not updating the story - its just rehashing content - just like Onyxia.
But the way threy're bringing back Ragnaros as a raid boss is good and how it should be done. They're progessing his storyline and he is a character that you can bring back.
ZG, ZA and Nefarian are just complete fail.
As far as I know the bear will not be the same, instead it will be a new one, probably with a different color, with a shiny effect or something like that.