Removal of attunements, again

Remember when we had just gotten most of us attuned to SSC and they lifted it, it's like they're watching us and right when we hit something that requires a key they remove it. AT least this time we are a few weeks ahead of it, but still!

 

grumble grumble

 

http://www.mmo-champion.com

This makes me a sad panda

Think of it as an achievement! You're getting quicker with the attunements, so next time Blizzard does this, you'll be well into the newest instances! =D

 

/turn positive off. . .how it tires me.

To be honest, once the attunements are removed, guilds will just jump to Hyjal and BT, they will have never dropped Kael or Vashj. This will be a big seperation in a sense, we will have the guilds that killed Kael and Vashj, and those that haven't. It's kind of a warm thought knowing we will be the ones who have=)

It's also going to level the playing field in terms of gear. I know it sucks, but this is just more content that we've done others haven't, which is that much more experience. I'd also take the time to point out the business sense of doing this but I think that's readily apparent.

 

 

I think that Igor and I were talking about something very similar to this on the balcony at FPHQ. WoW is going to continue to move toward rewarding the causal player. Which in itself isn't a bad thing, it's only bad when they take the skill out of the game. I think we can all make a pretty decent argument that experience will roughly equate to skill. So bring 'em on. I'm pretty confident we'll do just fine.

 

*Edit*

Besides I don't give anyone grief when they want to do BGs with us if they haven't done X number of ABs or have don't have at least Y number of kills.

/shrug

Edited February 9, 2008 by Ecthelion

Besides I don't give anyone grief when they want to do BGs with us if they haven't done X number of ABs or have don't have at least Y number of kills.

 

And all our alt's thank you for it.

Players who have completed the attunement quests for Black Temple and Hyjal will be granted the title of “Hand of A’dal”.

This is why we need everyone attuned.

 

You may now fight Prince Kael’thas and Lady Vashj without first killing all the other bosses in their respective dungeons.

 

This is pretty awesome too.

Edited February 9, 2008 by loofa

dumb and dumb, though not surprising. The point of attunements was to make sure people didn't race through the game in the first day and kill the last boss and therefore stop playing the game. Blizzards needs the continous monthly subscription and therefore they must slow down guilds who can race through the content. Right now they are releasing more content with WoTK so there is no point in slowing people down and hence no attunements.

 

but like anything else in mass market society, the more people you get the more money you make.

 

Dumb down the game for the general public and the more market share you get.

 

At least they leave it challenging for a pretty long period of time, then start toning it down. Eh?

yea its an interesting concept, keep the hardcore crowd feeling elite with attunements then relieve those attunements when new content is released, which requires attunements =P

Hand of A'dal (he has hands?)

 

Sounds kinky, but I'll rock it.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Hana

you would :\

 

If it makes you all feel any better we won't be skipping SSC or TK.

*Edit*

Besides I don't give anyone grief when they want to do BGs with us if they haven't done X number of ABs or have don't have at least Y number of kills.

/shrug

 

 

Lies.

 

/points to end of the list.

 

On topic though, I'm glad they removed the attunements. For the people who completed the chain, they are going to get a title and the amazing repuation ring. So for the people who can't raid consistantly, like me, will now get to go in and help you fools down bosses if there is an opening. Anyway, it's a good thing and in no way takes away from what the most of our raiders achieved.

That is true Tutubo, if we ever needed to fill in spots in Hyjal or BT, it would be near impossible with the attunements. This really give none constant raiders a chance to help out, or for new raiders to step up. Imagine if someone wanted to change their main, would we go back to TK and SSC for just a couple of people? maybe, but we know it would be nothing but a huge pain in the ass to do so.

Dumb down the game for the general public and the more market share you get.

It should be noted that when WoW came out, some of the draw for allot of people was that it wasn't as 'hardcore' as games like EQ; No death penalties (ok, 10% equipment dmg, but compared to having your corpse looted of all your items? meh), lvl grind was easier, raids didn't require 100+ people, etc...

 

Blizzard has always had to contend with the hardcore vs casual thing and it's never gonna satisfy everyone.

 

I"d be happy to find a new/better/cooler game, but honestly, Blizz has done a pretty good job with WoW. Marketshare is two-fold; Getting new customers *AND* retaining old ones. I've tried to quit twice now, but there really isn't a decent competitor.

 

Would I switch to Warhammer or AoC if they really do seem 'better'? Hell yes! But, for now, Blizz has managed to 'retain' this customer.

Edited February 11, 2008 by Feanore

Blizzard has made a game which transcends hardcore/softcore line and also old/young. The previous games, though having a considerable audience base, did not do as good of a job at attracting different types of audience. When I mentioned Blizzard "dumbing" down the game, what I meant is they attract those players who usually don't play these types of games, because they already have "us".

 

What I mean is that gamers like us will play the game, the kicker is to attract the other audience who normally do no play this time of game. So what did Blizz do? They streamlined EVERYTHING. They made sure that there is plenty of solo content to do and quests and objectives are easy to spot etc. Is that a bad thing? Not necessarily as long as they keep both sides happy, in this case hardcore and casual. I think every player who is predisposed to play these types of games can be labeled hardcore while the casual is more for people who have limited about of "fun" time and that's the time Blizzard wants. They don't want the "casual" people to watch their favorite tv shows, they want you to log in and pay them money!

 

They keep the hardcore satisfied because they give them right enough enjoyment to keep playing and yet keeping the casual interested. They could make WoW a lot more hardcore but that would alienate the casual gamer base, and when money is the engine which controls what content is released...we will always have content that attracts the most public and therefore that mess of people who are somewhat casual and somewhat hardcore. Let's face it, Blizzard changed what MMOs are expected to do and with their outrageous selling numbers and player base...I don't think there's a game that can compete without diluting it's content to make sure they capture ALL the audience.

 

I guess if you are hoping for a revival of "hardcore" PvP or anything like that, then you're out of luck. Unless Blizzard decides to dedicate 1 server where such a thing is possible, but like all guilds who tend to "only" PvP, they find out that PvE content also important in keeping the fun in the game.

 

Now, since I lost half of you to the TDLR disease, I'll make a quick conclusion. The attunements are meant to keep the hardcore feeling hardcore for a brief time and after that brief time the hardcore's eyes will start wondering to other games (WAR, EQ etc) that's when Blizzard releases a new expansion and opens the flood gates for old content.

 

I don't think lifting of attunements is a bad decision, it's actually a very smart business decision.

I'm just happy that someday I'll be able to hit AltSSC.. AltTK.. and AltHyjal =)