I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure if Cataclysm is going to bring my 'lust' for WoW back...after doing everything there was to be done, I only grinded mats, gold and dailies...and those blasted raids that gets old sooo freaking fast. 

I actually wish it had something for me in it. I miss the guys I played with...and I...well...I can only hope there's going to be some challenge in the new expansion...but with the road Blizz are going down now, I don't think it's likely...

I have no doubts that many will like this expansion, and that most players will enjoy WoW for years to come...but I don't think it's for me anymore. 

Sorry for the sad post, but that is what I am...I used to like this game very much...

wow, I can't wait for this to be released....

will buy, play for some 2-3 months and wait for another expansion

Originally posted by saker

Blizzard is talked about as being so creative, so innovative (not saying I agree), where's the creativity, or innovation? No new class is a very major minus (and such a obvious thing to have done), can't imagine what they were thinking no including one. I don't see this expansion as doing them any good. I have no interest in re-opening my account for this.

You complain about blizzard not being innovative or creative and then turn around and complain about no new class.

New classes are common feature found in expansions (not every single expansion though). 

This seems to be a common complaint in forums right now.  People complaining about blizzard not doing anything creative or innovative and then followed up by a list of common expansion features that are not going to be in Cataclysm. 

If you really look at what this expansion is trying to accomplish it is rather creative and innovative.  I can't think of any game out right now that has done this.  If it goes over well I bet you see it start to happen in other games.

Originally posted by saker

---

 

level-based games are deeply afflicted with this whole "end-game" bs, no getting around it. High time to dump the whole level/class design.

Very much agree with the statements on level based games and long past due getting rid of them.

However I don't think that will eliminate "end game" content from games.  It is a step in the right direction.  Achieve and repeat is the basic formula of current mmos. That needs to be expanded on, otherwise a level less system doesn't really change much except removing levels as an achievement.

A skill based system won't be any better than a level based system.  The reason is that content it finite.  Once you've explored every area and done all of the quests that interest you, you are left with nothing but grinding and repetitive content.  Daily quests and honor/arena grinds are not a solution.  The only real solution I can see would be to figure out a way to allow player generated content or computer generated content that fits the design parameters of the original universe and increasing level caps exponentially.

Can't say I'm all that excited. They  have gave the raiders enough. Like to see more content for people who enjoy doing stuff in duos or 5mans. Quit feeding the raiders.

What made WoW so enjoyable for me was how solo friendly it is, for the most part, for the leveling up part of the game. I could group when I felt like it, but I never *had* to group.

Why is it that "endgame content", then, must always be group-oriented?

Blizzard and other MMOs need to offer alternatives to the standard raid-style endgame content. If I'm going to grind a dungeon or instance, then let at least a few of them be scaled for single, level 80 players or allow the use of pet NPCs (as is done in Guild Wars). Grinding an endgame dungeon is not ideal, but trying to find a group AND THEN grinding a dungeon on top of that is just ... insufferable.

Smart MMOs of the future are going to start offering a wider variety of types of worthwhile endgame content: solo, small group (2 to 3 players), and raid. Blizzard, as far as I can tell from Cataclysm, just hasn't figured this out yet.

As such, I strongly suspect WoW: Cataclysm will be eclipsed, at least for me, by a number of other MMOs now in the pipeline.

The reason there is no new class is because Blizz has a formula. 2 new races(TBC) 1 new class(Wrath) 2 new races(Cataclysm) They don't want a new class every expansion because new classes are often just Flavour of the Month at first.

I am very much looking forward to the revamped Azeroth. I belong to a very small minority who enjoy questing and socializing in this large beautiful world of Azeroth. I don't concern myself at all with spending my nights tearing through the same dungeons over and over again trying to get a single piece of equipment to drop. I love the incredible stories that Blizzard has created in this game. I actually read the quests I am given instead of just tearing through them at break neck spead so I can get to lvl 80 and collect gear. I can't wait for the Cataclysm.

Originally posted by tmr819

What made WoW so enjoyable for me was how solo friendly it is, for the most part, for the leveling up part of the game. I could group when I felt like it, but I never *had* to group.

Why is it that "endgame content", then, must always be group-oriented?

.....

Agree with this and mainly also with the rest.

But I'm wondering how they plan to organise this change for current players. I.e. somebody have now installed only regular Wow on his computer ... he/she is in i.e. Barens at lv. 11 .... what will happen when Cataclysm arrives? Will change also his environment? What will happen with current quests ... as quest givers may not exsist anymore.... etc etc. Or will this change happen only after some level ... but I guess not as they speak about leveling from scratch in new old world. Or will players with no Cataclysm installed stil live in old world and only one with Cataclysm installed will not see anymore old world but only new one and will be able to level from 1? Pretty confusing. Any idea regarding this?

Originally posted by pre_mar

Agree with this and mainly also with the rest.

But I'm wondering how they plan to organise this change for current players. I.e. somebody have now installed only regular Wow on his computer ... he/she is in i.e. Barens at lv. 11 .... what will happen when Cataclysm arrives? Will change also his environment? What will happen with current quests ... as quest givers may not exsist anymore.... etc etc. Or will this change happen only after some level ... but I guess not as they speak about leveling from scratch in new old world. Or will players with no Cataclysm installed stil live in old world and only one with Cataclysm installed will not see anymore old world but only new one and will be able to level from 1? Pretty confusing. Any idea regarding this?

Blizzard has stated that all players will realize the landscape changes and the quests will change in those effected areas. The Cataclysm will take place in patch updates for everyone. But if you do not buy the expansion you will not get the new dungeons,new races,new job etc.

I enjoy level based RPGs online and single player so I disagree with the people who are saying get rid of them...if you don't like a level based game, simply do not  play one.  

Looking forward to this new expansion, it sounds like the changes will be cool. I                                                                                                                                                                                                      

What will happen to the old world?

The changes they are making to hunters and to a lesser extent warlocks, added to the fundamental overhaul of the entire games stat system, pretty much makes up for no new class being introduced!

My only concern with cataclysm is it could be an anticlimax after we have all finished Icecrown and seen off the lich king.

Not even remotely exited this time tbh.

(Aladdin)I can show you the world
Shining, shimmering, splendid
Tell me, princess, now when did
You last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes
Take you wonder by wonder
Over, sideways and under
On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world
A new fantastic point of view
No one to tell us no
Or where to go
Or say we're only dreaming

(Jasmine)A whole new world
A dazzling place I never knew
But when I'm way up here
It's crystal clear
that now I'm in a whole new world with you

(Aladdin)Now I'm in a whole new world with you

(Jasmine)Unbelievable sights
Indescribable feeling
Soaring, tumbling, freewheeling
Through an endless diamond sky

(Jasmine)A whole new world
(Aladdin)Don't you dare close your eyes
(Jasmine)A hundred thousand things to see
(Aladdin)Hold your breath - it gets better
(Jasmine)I'm like a shooting star
I've come so far
I can't go back to where I used to be
(Aladdin)A whole new world
(Jasmine)Every turn a surprise
(Aladdin)With new horizons to pursue
(Jasmine)Every moment red-letter
(Both)I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you

(Aladdin)A whole new world
(Jasmine)A whole new world
(Aladdin)That's where we'll be
(Jasmine)That's where we'll be
(Aladdin)A thrilling chase
(Jasmine)A wondrous place
(Both)For you and me

I wouldn't mind seeing player created Dungeons :) They would be much more welcomed than any of the new ones imho...

The only reason tons of people play WC3 is because of player generated content, why not bring this to MMOs.  CoX did it, and it's pretty fun, but not very customizable.

 Hey guys, just thought I would drop in and add some comments on what you all have been saying.

• If you rid the game of the level/class system in WoW, Blizzard loses a lot of control over balance, especially for PvP.
• Player created dungeons is a nice thought, but honestly that would be extremely difficult to implement, and how would loot work? I would just create a dungeon with no trash, super easy bosses, and the best loot in the game.
• Someone said they do not want to add a new class because it is the "flavor of the month." Well guess what, new races are the flavor of the month too. When Blood Elves and Draeni were released, everyone re-rolled to play them. It is no different, at least it adds a new dimension to the game as opposed to simply a new skin for your character.

I would also like to apologize for how the article originally appeared, I never saw it in the state that it was originally published.

Cheers,

Eric Grucza

the alladin song is stuck in my head now

There is plenty end-game content.  The problem is you get to 80 and cannot get into a raid group.

I wonder if a solution would be alternate advancement (ala. EQ).  You get to 80 and can still earn experience, but for additional talent points; something like that.

Originally posted by pencilrick

There is plenty end-game content.  The problem is you get to 80 and cannot get into a raid group.

I wonder if a solution would be alternate advancement (ala. EQ).  You get to 80 and can still earn experience, but for additional talent points; something like that.

Please, for the love of god no AA.

Giving players empty experience bars to fill is not a solution to anything. 

AA is nothing more than artificial levels that players are made to grind out once they run out of actual levels to acquire.  It is essentially removing abilities from players until they grind through a few more pseudo levels and does not resolve any content issues.  Whatever the problem might be perceived as remains unchanged once people run out of AA bars to fill up. 

It really is an empty approach to content design with several bad side effects.  For example it just raises the requirements for entering raids and raid guilds.  Not only will a player have to level to max and explore dungeons to get equipped for raids, they will now have to grind out the appropriate number of AA to meet some raid or guilds requirements.  The more AA that is added to the game, the larger the barrier to join the game grows.

Wow is insanely easy to get into a raid and all it takes is a little bit of effort.  Creating a 10 man version of every 25 man raid goes a long way to making raids accessable to players, far more than AA does.