Looking at a Stat Squish Soon.

Because it is out of control!!!!

     Let's be honest, there is no feeling like watching big numbers fly across your screen while you are killing the big beasty in front of you.  The feeling your character is getting more powerful is awesome and fun, and we love that feeling that we are this martial or magical juggernauts that are nigh unstoppable as we slam our way through foes.  In a game there is a cost to that.

    We are looking at the same situation now that we were in Cataclysm where the numbers our characters were putting out were hitting close to the ceiling of what the game can handle.  Add on the many new ways to get and improve armor, and that number is climbing higher even more quickly than before.  I am fairly certain we will have another stat squish at the end of this expansion.

    And that is not a bad thing.  Last time the players showed they were supportive of such a thing.  We managed to accept the feeling that we were still hitting hard with lower numbers because Blizzard did a great job of evening things out.  I imagine it will work that same way again.  I do have my normal advice to Blizzard to go with that, and yes you have all heard me say it multiple times.

    Let's do a level squish as well.

    Seriously, use the leveling experience in Legion, apply it to the rest of the world, and then squish it.  Make it so mobs level with you to the level spread of that expansion.  For example, if we make original WoW 1-30, make the mobs stop adjusting to your character after 30.  That way we can go back and still feel invincible when running older content.

    Make it, Original 1-30.  Burning Crusaide 30-35.  Wrath of the Lich king 35-40.  Calaclysm 40-45, Pandaria, 45-50.  Warlords 50-55, and Legion after this expansion 55-60.

    Do we need this you might ask?  Well, yes and no.  I mean when a new player starts, they get a character that just has to level through current content.  So, they get one main who gets the head start so they can play with their friends and become part of the end game.  That is great.  What happens though if they hit 110, and don't like the class they picked.  They are then reduced to two options.

    Pay $60 bucks, then level the last ten again, or level through 110 levels for another alt who may or may not be as enjoyable as the character they are playing.  If you are a new player and have never leveled through all the beginning areas, that is completely discouraging.  Us old hat players know that you can level through all that content quickly enough, but if you are new to the game, that looks like a daunting trip.

    I think this is partially a matter of accessibility.  When you do your stat/level squish you could throw ilevel on the pile too.  If we can pull back and lower the ilevels with the squish that could give us even more room to develop and grow.  If they do it right it like last time, the feel of the game won't even be very different.  Just the numbers our characters are throwing up when they fight.

How does everyone else feel though?  Are these opinions completely off base, or would this lengthen the longevity of the game.  Am I wrong to think there is a mental hurdle for new players to level up to 110, or am I just postulating an opinion that has no bearing in actuality? How would you all feel about a level squish?

Lag.

As always, if you would like to support Ben Marble and his carnivorous plant wrangling consider purchasing one of his short stories at Amazon.com.

The Wheel Keeps Turnin'

And the players keep playing.

     We are in the middle of many changes for World of Warcraft.  Content is flowing like never before, developers and keeping even the static content such as world quests flowing and changing.  There are more ways to get rewards and develop your character than ever before, and it feels like the world is full and populated with other players again.

    So the question becomes, looking forward how can Blizzard keep up this momentum?

    New and fresh ideas need to keep coming.  We know what the near future holds.  We are going to get mini-holidays, three full tiers of raids, and more throughout the expansion.  We are going to eventually go to Argus and take the Legion on their home ground, and we are going to have fully powered artifact weapons that we have spent hours on while doing so.  At the end, we will be looking at 8.0.  The next expansion.  And yes, it is a little soon but I am wondering what will come next.

     I don't think we will have another Legion based expansion after this.  It will probably be old God based, or maybe we will have to deal with Bolvar as the Lich King.  He has obviously changed in the role he now inhabits.  Whether he is truly on our side or not, defeating the Legion was probably in his best interest.  Whatever those interests are... I am not sure it will be in the living's favor.

     We could also find other stuff in the universe.  What about exploring the remains of the titan's homeworld(s).  We could have an outer space adventure that is completely different from anything we have seen before.  We may not beat Azshara this go round, and if so the naga may be something we have to deal with on a larger scale.  If she pairs up with the old Gods then it might be a bigger struggle.

    There might even be something new, something we cause if we defeat the Legion, because nature abhors a vacuum.  If they are gone, what will take their place?

     What features will the future hold?  We already have an option for Horde and Alliance to be mercenaries in PVP, will we eventually be able to blur the lines while raiding?  Will we see the end of the faction divide eventually as it ceases to make sense as we keep having to fight these bigger enemies?  Players are still, and will always, ask for guild housing or player housing, will Blizzard give in eventually?  If so how will that look?

     What do you all think the future holds?  How long do you think the game will go on?  I firmly believe if they keep releasing content like we have now, it is possible, not necessarily probable, that WoW could hit twelve million again.  What would that be like?  And would Blizzard even tell us?

So fellow players, what do you think?

Lag.

If you would like to support Ben Marble and his fear of drunken line dancing, please consider purchasing one of his short stories at Amazon.com