Why does blizzard time-gate small patches? I understand big ones, but still I am asking, why is it needed for small patch? There is nothing to do on day 1. Can they introduce new time-gate system at least? Like for example, day 1 up to 3 chapters on story and some system unlocks (events/progression/reputation etc…), then on day 3 we can finish story and unlock more new systems…
I also want to add that we aren’t going to upgrade some special gear during these time-gated updates, so there is no point of prolonging it to be honest, I would really like if they remove time-gating completely, just my point of view.
What do you think? Should we be heard if we all want it? Don’t let the post die if we all agree to this, but please, tell me why you disagree, it is important to have this kind of civil conversation for such a big change.
it usually takes about 2 hours to complete 2-3 chapters of story. giving us full unlocks would be around 5-6 hours. then you have unlocked every system to grind, so there is something to do. it would be completely same as it is now, just instead of doing 2h a week story, you would be able to sit one night and do it all.
whats the difference please explain to me. as I see it, its shallow content anyway, it would be more hype to do it all in 1 sitting, rather then playing it for 3 weeks with last story chapter lasting 15minutes for few quests finish or boss kill.
well more players would play for longer period of time if they released some actual open world content, not in grindy systematic way, but something that is fun and involves pvp/pve like some island where complete games shifts into BG area with PVE content to grind currency for upgrades/collectables. they did this during mop and cata and people loved it, why dont they give us that instead of collecting trash cans in undermine or doing some reputation in some of the most boring ways, repetitive + shallow in every sense. they need to return to old formula and do something, thats why they are losing players and this is why they are not reporting player numbers since wod.
The only time Open World content was popular is when you could farm things that were useful in high end M+/Raids. Including your 2 examples of MoP and Cata. BOTH of which were dailies, which were a Reputation Grind. Comparatively speaking, what we got now is MUCH better.
Not factually true, but I agree that the time-gated nature of the upcoming patch is just stupid. It sort of makes sense for the ‘limited time event’ type of features (like the Deadly Duos thing), but for regular ‘new’ (let’s be honest, none of it is really new is it?) content it should just be available right away.
Without timegating there would be nothing for 6 month’s. They simply don’t have the resources / people to make content come out faster. Remember Blizzard is a business and it goes as follow:
Attract customer = Money > Keep customer engaged = More money > Customer not happy = Make deals (6 month Blizzard shop purchases) = Customers money without having customer to play the game > Release new content after 6 month = Customer returns.
Blizzard in a nutshell. Miracle u haven’t figured this out yet when this game exists for an eternity now with every year the same marketing strategies. Nomatter how much u dislike this. This is how the world works. They will get money from the majority of the people even if you and me quit the game. That’s the harsh truth and that’s why they continue this path.
This is something that I really hate and I don’t remember where else I had read it. It went something along the line of “The best customer is the one who pays without consuming”.
I really dislike the trend of WoW since Shadowlands. I remember when we complained about Cataclysm and WoD being expansions without content which were abandoned in the middle. Turns out Cataclysm had more content than Shadowlands, it had more content than Dragonflight, and it will end up having had more content than The War Within too. And WoD had more raid bosses than either of the last 2 expansions and probably will end up having had more than TWW too.
not in systematic way introduced with new system. take example if they re-made farming in open world, giving us many varieties to farm solo or in group, all kinds of different materials that are used to mythic+ or raid, or even battlegrounds (which I would farm for). this is why vanilla wow was special, you could go out in open world and go for one thing, and end up doing completely different thing 2 hours after. it was like playing real virtual reality mmorpg game, today this isnt the case, because u are either farming on 1 spot with AOE groups, or you are gathering herbs/ores with dragonriding not meeting anyone, no interaction whatsoever. I think if they introduced sandbox designs in open world, but keeping competitive content in place like it is today, I think that would be great for the game…
they want to give people time to enjoy new incomign world content before they will go back to just spaming instance.
if i have to guess - with each season more and more casuals are just done with overtuned raids dungeons instances and just enjoy mega casual world content and transmog farms.
Here is the thing. We are like this because all the good things you claim from Vanilla were annoying. And people demanded change.
Like “meeting people” as you claim. Sure. Nice. But not so nice when those people ninja a node or something.
Or the flying. Yeah… sounds bad now. How about having to literally walk from node to node? Taking maybe… 10 minutes between each node. And you needed 50 of those to make something of value.
Additionally… what materials? Can you give specific examples of things you farmed in the OW in Vanilla that proved to be even a little useful? Because most of the things that were truly useful were either farmed in Dungeons, or the grind was so incredibly stupid that it wasent really that worth it.
Look. Looking back at the past is not the way. Vanilla is gone. It sin your memories, and it will never come back.
However, when it comes to farming, there are solutions. You just have to think outside the box. And here is the real problem, and the real solution:
Currently WOW is a 2D world. It was made when land mounts where the only thing. And in 20 years they have not properly adapted this game to flying. Which is a 3D mode of transportation.
And this expansion it is even more visible. We are inside caves most of the time. And in this cave, all the NPC cultures could have built on the walls and ceiling. And yet… NONE of them did. The ALL built 2D flat cities… even spider people…
So. You want more “umphf” to the Open World Content? Then use the 3D space fully. And that would solve many of your issues. But returning to Vanilla? Dumb idea. Vanilla is gone. Dont exhume the dead body. It used to be beautiful, but now it stinks of rotten meat.
I agree with you that vanilla days are gone, and although I would like more relaxed content like gathering/farming with patience and not having option to rush, I still understand you from where you are coming.
I am however looking from different kind of perspective. All these things in retail and combat as well, are sped up to the point that you are always on the verge of rushing and being impatient. Of course you can be patient still, but it makes you want to rush if you want to maximize your profit or combat rotation. It acts as if you need second brain to think for you, that’s why we have addons in the first place…
When I played other games (I didn’t for some 15 years), mmorpg mainly, I re-wired my brain completely from shallow corruption of my mind that is impatience and hasty mind. I honestly believe they could re-design game in a different way, more akin to vanilla gameplay, and I believe strongly that they would make good impact on already established open world.
Also I must say one more thing which I hardly disagree with you since I know for a fact what is true, about vanilla materials… You literally had 20-30 useful materials and some 15-20 consumables that are all farmable in open world and were very useful. Just find some youtube videos about this topic, all from as low as level 20 to max lvl zones could be used to maximize your DPS/HEAL/TANK in dungeons and raids, although not needed. That’s my point, you could spend 1h a week to farm for 3-4h raid run, but at least retail should give us various ways to farm in open world, this can be treated as content, but for some reason many MMORPG players don’t. However I have over 350h in New World just playing economy merchant like gameplay, and I would like to do that in WoW as well, but it just isn’t possible when my options are not roaming the open world, instead they are sitting on 1 spot with 4 other people and pressing simple rotation + they are ultra hyping it and I cannot relax, everything is hasty and you can feel it in the air and it’s not good content in my opinion.
There are tiers of things you craft. That is why you had things like:
(1) Lesser Healing Potion, (2) Healing Potion, (3) Greater Healing Potion, (4) Superior Healing Potion, (5) Major Healing Potion…ect… Each one giving you more HP. Each one requiring materials from higher and higher level zones.
Same thing with all other consumables. Food included. And even crafted gear follows the same trend. There is no situation in which to craft an Epic level 60 robe you would use “linen cloth”. It would require Runed Cloth (and a lot) and materials gathered from level 60 dungeons or raids.
Therefore there is no situation in Vanilla WoW where you would go kill Durotar Boars for some consumables.
And the 2 or 3 exceptions to that rule are marginal examples. Like Potion of Swiftness. Which required low level materials, but its use was marginal at best because it shared CD with other, more potent potions.
You are aware that New World is a dead MMO that died PRECISELY because they gave too much weight to the gathering aspect of the game right?
I am not sure if asking that from WoW is a good idea.
Let me just expose an analogy of why this is why I disagree with that statement. It’s simply too idealistic.
Lets say you come back from a 12h shift at work. You are tired as hell and all you want to do is to relax and chill out watching a movie.
But instead of going home and watching some documentary about Snails… You go to a block-buster cinema and watch a Transformers movie. Full of explosions, action, and war.
Then you complain that you “cant relax watching a movie”.
Simply put. You CAN relax in wow. Blizzard has done TONS of things for you to relax in wow: WQ, Open World, farming (which is identical to Vanilla)… crafting… Pet battles… collectibles… Delves…
SO MUCH STUFF to do and relax. In fact, I am prepared to say that there is much MORE stuff to relax to, than stuff to stress about. And its more diverse. M+ is repeat 8 identical dungeons for 6 months. Raid is repeat the same identical bosses for 6 months. Open World… you have such a vast selection of activities it the variety pales in comparison to the “stressfull” part of WoW.
But in spite of this, you choose to go with 4 other people to do a M+ dungeon… You cant complain at this point… you simply cant… Im sorry… You have what you want in retail. But you choose not to do it.