Aggra: Oh noes! Thrall's a goner. Will you help me?
Dallanna: Up yours, you s***-skinned hag! I'll just join a group of 25 people and whack the elemental lords. We've already whacked Al'Akir.
Aggra: BAWWW*Smack!*
Dallanna: Shut your hole, woman!
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Double Standard of Balancing Ret In-game
As evidenced by Grimbold:
Ret has been more or less balanced in organized PvP several times throughout WotLK and even in Cata before the WoG nerf, but for some reason the devs insist on balancing ret around unrated BGs and sub-1500 arenas, where opponents are less likely to take advantage of our weaknesses against kiting and dispels, and where our lack of offensive utility is less of a problem- not having a snare isnt as much of a big deal when your opponents are too stupid to kite anyway, and even before Cata we could "interrupt" bad casters by just running through them.
It just pisses me off that the way the devs "balance" ret completely contradicts the way they balance other specs.
Ret is OP in low rated arenas but average in organized PvP? TO THE GROUND!
Mages OP in low rated arenas but average in organized PvP? Its fine l2p.
Ret is using its resources to heal instead of DPS? Herp derp we can't be having that, never mind the fact that healing has pretty much always been ret's only strong point compared to other dps specs.
DKs are using their resources to heal instead of DPS? Cool story, bro.
Seriously, what the hell.
Pretty much. And later on, I'll add in the links from blue responses to add to the sheer silliness of it all.
Ret has been more or less balanced in organized PvP several times throughout WotLK and even in Cata before the WoG nerf, but for some reason the devs insist on balancing ret around unrated BGs and sub-1500 arenas, where opponents are less likely to take advantage of our weaknesses against kiting and dispels, and where our lack of offensive utility is less of a problem- not having a snare isnt as much of a big deal when your opponents are too stupid to kite anyway, and even before Cata we could "interrupt" bad casters by just running through them.
It just pisses me off that the way the devs "balance" ret completely contradicts the way they balance other specs.
Ret is OP in low rated arenas but average in organized PvP? TO THE GROUND!
Mages OP in low rated arenas but average in organized PvP? Its fine l2p.
Ret is using its resources to heal instead of DPS? Herp derp we can't be having that, never mind the fact that healing has pretty much always been ret's only strong point compared to other dps specs.
DKs are using their resources to heal instead of DPS? Cool story, bro.
Seriously, what the hell.
Pretty much. And later on, I'll add in the links from blue responses to add to the sheer silliness of it all.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Zarhym says one thing, Blizzard does another...
The Zarhym says:
But we don't. Really. So it's a little annoying that you repeatedly spout this stuff as fact because, from your specific perspective and gameplay vantage point, you actually start to believe we would design one faction with more favor than another. The idea is moderately stupid from a lore standpoint, but incredibly dumb from a business standpoint.
Stop saying it. I don't care what anecdotal examples you come across while playing. The bigger picture lacks the conspiracy you wish could justify your complaint.
The Blizzard developers say:
FOR DUR HORDE!!!1111
Seriously, Zar, can I call you Zar? I'm gonna call you Zar, if you were to compare the overall written lore between both Horde and Alliance, I would say that your statements are not only contradictory to what the other Blizzard developers have done, both in game and at Blizzcon, but it seems that this statement is only capable of being called "damage control".
You tell us that you care about both factions.
You show that you only care about one by the fact you actually moved their story forward.
The time I checked, turning Redridge into a pastiche of the Rambo movies does *not* move the story forward.
Why are all the Alliance leaders standing around, dumb as posts (And no, Malfurion does not count! He's a damn, dirty, neutral!) while several of the Horde leaders are out actually doing stuff?
How come the Horde still got their intro to Twilight Highlands, while the Alliance's was scrapped and replaced with a lame reference to a long and discountinued webcomic?
But you know what, Zar? I'll give you the chance to prove yourself.
At Blizzcon, *don't* let the CDdevs scream "For the Horde!", *don't* make the Alliance the butt of your Jr High School jokes, *do* start putting the Alliance in the grand scheme of things instead of letting wretched little prima donnas like Thrall steal all the limelight.
*Then*, and only then, will I believe you. Until then, it's all a bunch of hot air.
And for those of you who want to try and say that it's all in the hands of the fans? Drink a gallon of bleach.
The Developers encouraged this kind of behavior by their own behavior, statements, and attention to various aspects of the game. It's Blizzards game, and in their interactions with the community, they never fail to say how cool the Horde is. It's all on them.
Aelamdor was able to voice our concerns far more eloquently than I can at the moment.
But we don't. Really. So it's a little annoying that you repeatedly spout this stuff as fact because, from your specific perspective and gameplay vantage point, you actually start to believe we would design one faction with more favor than another. The idea is moderately stupid from a lore standpoint, but incredibly dumb from a business standpoint.
Stop saying it. I don't care what anecdotal examples you come across while playing. The bigger picture lacks the conspiracy you wish could justify your complaint.
The Blizzard developers say:
FOR DUR HORDE!!!1111
Seriously, Zar, can I call you Zar? I'm gonna call you Zar, if you were to compare the overall written lore between both Horde and Alliance, I would say that your statements are not only contradictory to what the other Blizzard developers have done, both in game and at Blizzcon, but it seems that this statement is only capable of being called "damage control".
You tell us that you care about both factions.
You show that you only care about one by the fact you actually moved their story forward.
The time I checked, turning Redridge into a pastiche of the Rambo movies does *not* move the story forward.
Why are all the Alliance leaders standing around, dumb as posts (And no, Malfurion does not count! He's a damn, dirty, neutral!) while several of the Horde leaders are out actually doing stuff?
How come the Horde still got their intro to Twilight Highlands, while the Alliance's was scrapped and replaced with a lame reference to a long and discountinued webcomic?
But you know what, Zar? I'll give you the chance to prove yourself.
At Blizzcon, *don't* let the CDdevs scream "For the Horde!", *don't* make the Alliance the butt of your Jr High School jokes, *do* start putting the Alliance in the grand scheme of things instead of letting wretched little prima donnas like Thrall steal all the limelight.
*Then*, and only then, will I believe you. Until then, it's all a bunch of hot air.
And for those of you who want to try and say that it's all in the hands of the fans? Drink a gallon of bleach.
The Developers encouraged this kind of behavior by their own behavior, statements, and attention to various aspects of the game. It's Blizzards game, and in their interactions with the community, they never fail to say how cool the Horde is. It's all on them.
Aelamdor was able to voice our concerns far more eloquently than I can at the moment.
Friday, May 6, 2011
Stupid Hordie of the day....
In the story forum, where it's been made quite clear that there is no Role Playing, only discussion of lore; we have Fayn, Role-Playing her own little story and response to Drek'Thar's refusal to aid the Forsaken, while later on in the same thread, she whines,
"Don't want to turn this into yet another Forsaken post.
Just my impressions from a random npc and wondering what everyone else's impressions of random npc's."
So, let me get this straight, you saunter into the Story forums, full well knowing the kind of heated and ban-worthy exchanges going on and instead of forbearing and going against the purpose of the Story forum when you could have gone to the World's End Tavern instead, you very stupidly post said subject, then demand people show the forbearance you, yourself failed to show?
If I had but one superpower, it'd be able to reach through the internet and smack stupid people.
"Don't want to turn this into yet another Forsaken post.
Just my impressions from a random npc and wondering what everyone else's impressions of random npc's."
So, let me get this straight, you saunter into the Story forums, full well knowing the kind of heated and ban-worthy exchanges going on and instead of forbearing and going against the purpose of the Story forum when you could have gone to the World's End Tavern instead, you very stupidly post said subject, then demand people show the forbearance you, yourself failed to show?
If I had but one superpower, it'd be able to reach through the internet and smack stupid people.
Not much of a choice, really...
...concerning the new predicament the writers and Blizzard have thought up for us, we are now forced to have to save the Green Jesus' soul after its been shattered in four pieces.
Do we *really* have to save Thrall?
Can't there be an option just to let him die?
Because I really hate having to rescue characters that I loathe.
Case in point; for those of you who played Final Fantasy 8, Squall; the biggest wanker of a protagonist next to Cloud from 7, is forced to save a nearly suffocating Rinoa Heartily in space, the most hateful, wretched, unrealistic, brain-dead, arm candy *thing* in the history of video games. For some reason beyond logic, he saves her and then goes to the scene which makes me wants to claw my eyes out, stick an icepick in my ears, then fly to Japan and hunt down Tetsuya Nomura, since it's HIS fault we got this turd of a game.
So, really. Come on, Blizzard, give the Alliance a chance to stick it to the Horde by letting that spineless hypocrite die. It'll actually let the Alliance do something in the actual Warcraft story line, since it seems you're not doing that much with it nowadays.
Do we *really* have to save Thrall?
Can't there be an option just to let him die?
Because I really hate having to rescue characters that I loathe.
Case in point; for those of you who played Final Fantasy 8, Squall; the biggest wanker of a protagonist next to Cloud from 7, is forced to save a nearly suffocating Rinoa Heartily in space, the most hateful, wretched, unrealistic, brain-dead, arm candy *thing* in the history of video games. For some reason beyond logic, he saves her and then goes to the scene which makes me wants to claw my eyes out, stick an icepick in my ears, then fly to Japan and hunt down Tetsuya Nomura, since it's HIS fault we got this turd of a game.
So, really. Come on, Blizzard, give the Alliance a chance to stick it to the Horde by letting that spineless hypocrite die. It'll actually let the Alliance do something in the actual Warcraft story line, since it seems you're not doing that much with it nowadays.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Petty Anti-Mage post here...
From the tentative 4.2 Patch notes:
I've always hated that spell. And now that it's gotten even weaker, I laugh like Nelson Muntz at you! Ha ha!
- Ring of Frost now has a 1.5-second cast time.
I've always hated that spell. And now that it's gotten even weaker, I laugh like Nelson Muntz at you! Ha ha!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Updating Elwynn Forest...
Today's post comes from Elenie, who pointed out that the human starting areas are neither engaging, nor progressing.
Elwynn Forest: (This is an easy one as I've had this thought through several times)
In Northshire Abbey, you are met by a Paladin and his squire (a quiet kind of man), whom assists you in fighting back the Blackrock Orcs and killing Goblin Spies and such. At the end of Northshire, said squire's mentor is slain by the Blackrock leader and you and he avenge his death, during the process of which we have a mini Turalyon moment where the squire picks up his master's sword and leads the demoralized forces of the Abbey to victory.
Upon entering Goldshire you immediately pick up several quests dealing with the mayor, things such as taking back goods and such that Bandits stole (be a good reason to visit the area north of Goldshire, between SW and the Abbey where those camps are). Before handing them in, your squire friend from Northshire (Let's just call him Joshua for the sake of having a name), detains you briefly.
Investigating the crates you find objects and such that aren't quite right for a public official to possess; Ladies undergarments, illegal substances, etc... as well as order forms all in the mayor's name. The Paladin explains the man is well known as a Hedonist and a weird one at that, but you didn't find what he was looking for.
Continuing along, you head south to the mines which are -held- and being used by Stormwind. The deepest parts of the mine are infested by imps. The Foreman mentions that before they'd cleared it out, the Kobolds had begun practicing demonic magic somehow. When you get to the deepest part of the mines (through a hidden door), you find a stone chamber piled with corpses and mutilated remains of numerous people, and Joshua kneeling down amidst them, reciting a knight's song to speed the souls of the innocent slain by evil to the next life.
He tells you that at Northshire he found a burned bit of parchment on the Blackrock leader's person with a seal that looks like it might belong to the Mayor of Goldshire, and that he felt a deep sense of foreboding about the man, and had been investigating him since. Although the Mayor had enough vice under his belt to throw off most investigators from believing him guilty of anything serious, Joshua's persistence led him to this underground chamber. He believes the Foreman of the mine is either being bribed or coerced into keeping quiet about it.
You part again, promising to keep this quiet, and move on to the farm of Tommy-Joe and Maybel, where you're asked to go looking for their missing children. After investating the two (still feuding) families, you're convinced neither took their grandchildren to spite their children or in-laws. Joshua meets you again and convinces you to head up to the Thunder Falls with him.
You find the children in a cave behind the waterfall, with several Forsaken warlocks. Dispatching them and freeing the children, Joshua offers to take them home so as to keep them safe, while you search for evidence. Finding blatant Twilight's Hammer stuff everywhere, you're about to assume it was them, when you notice on your way out a ring on the ground with the insignia of Goldshire on it.
When you return to the farm and meet Joshua, he muses that the Twilight's Hammer doesn't quite add up, and asks you to take the ring to a retired Marshal in the Eastvale Logging Camp. The man identifies it as being the seal of the mayor of Goldshire, except for a strange etching on the back that he hadn't seen since he was in the Second War and destroyed an Altar of Storms.
The head of the logging camp states that some of her peasant workers were abducted by the murlocs. You head to the large island in the middle of the nearby lake and find the murlocs slaughtering them. You attempt to destroy them before they slaughter everyone, and die in the process. Joshua arrives, battles through them to your corpse, bubbles, and performs a Mass Ressurection. Together with the Peasants who arm themselves from several of the murlocs you killed, you drive the beasts off.
On the lead murloc's corpse, you find a missive signed in the name of the Mayor of Goldshire, speaking about how important it is to slaughter the peasants on the island because of a leyline, and that the murlocs needed to follow some ritual. Joshua determines it is demonic and that the Mayor has been behind Elwynn's problems from the start. You and he fly over to the Westbrook Garrison.
Intending to speak to the commander there, you find out the man is dead thanks to Hogger, and the men are in disarray. Joshua rallies them and takes command, marching a large regiment south with you to destroy the Gnolls and Capture Hogger (he belives Hogger might be in on the Mayor's scheme and wants to ask questions). After Capturing Hogger, two mages teleport the beast off to the Stockade on Joshua's orders. With the Garrison under his control, he orders the men to move out to Goldshire and place the town under martial law, and bring forth the Mayor.
Arriving in a phased Goldshire, Joshua stands in the town square in the center of a ring of guards with the civilians outside it. The mayor laughs at the young Paladin's accusations and dismisses the proof you've collected as, 'Enemy Propoganda.' Joshua lifts a relic he found in the mines and breaks it with his shield. The mayor lets out an inhuman scream as various energies flow out of him, reducing him to looking akin to a Forsaken or Wretched. Joshua, you, and several guards escort the man to Stormwind in chains, to the throne room for a trial.
Varian, at first shocked and horrified at what he see's, listens to the accounts of you and Joshua, looks at the presented evidence, and agrees the man is guilty of consorting with dark forces for his own personal gain, betraying his duty and station as the mayor of Goldshire and leader of that region. The sentence of death is carried out. Varian congratulates you both and assures you a new Mayor will be appointed to Goldshire. Joshua mentions heading to Westfall due to some rumors disparaging the King's good name. He bids you farewell.
From there on out you'd see him periodically in the other human zones, watching this Paladin grow into something more of a decent character representing Stormwind. When he aggro's you'd hear him say, "For the King," in a deep, calm voice.
[Edit]: Grammatical errors, and to quote the person who requested my thoughts. Sorry for the length. Also...
TL;DR - I'd make Elwynn have an over-all storyline.
Elwynn Forest: (This is an easy one as I've had this thought through several times)
In Northshire Abbey, you are met by a Paladin and his squire (a quiet kind of man), whom assists you in fighting back the Blackrock Orcs and killing Goblin Spies and such. At the end of Northshire, said squire's mentor is slain by the Blackrock leader and you and he avenge his death, during the process of which we have a mini Turalyon moment where the squire picks up his master's sword and leads the demoralized forces of the Abbey to victory.
Upon entering Goldshire you immediately pick up several quests dealing with the mayor, things such as taking back goods and such that Bandits stole (be a good reason to visit the area north of Goldshire, between SW and the Abbey where those camps are). Before handing them in, your squire friend from Northshire (Let's just call him Joshua for the sake of having a name), detains you briefly.
Investigating the crates you find objects and such that aren't quite right for a public official to possess; Ladies undergarments, illegal substances, etc... as well as order forms all in the mayor's name. The Paladin explains the man is well known as a Hedonist and a weird one at that, but you didn't find what he was looking for.
Continuing along, you head south to the mines which are -held- and being used by Stormwind. The deepest parts of the mine are infested by imps. The Foreman mentions that before they'd cleared it out, the Kobolds had begun practicing demonic magic somehow. When you get to the deepest part of the mines (through a hidden door), you find a stone chamber piled with corpses and mutilated remains of numerous people, and Joshua kneeling down amidst them, reciting a knight's song to speed the souls of the innocent slain by evil to the next life.
He tells you that at Northshire he found a burned bit of parchment on the Blackrock leader's person with a seal that looks like it might belong to the Mayor of Goldshire, and that he felt a deep sense of foreboding about the man, and had been investigating him since. Although the Mayor had enough vice under his belt to throw off most investigators from believing him guilty of anything serious, Joshua's persistence led him to this underground chamber. He believes the Foreman of the mine is either being bribed or coerced into keeping quiet about it.
You part again, promising to keep this quiet, and move on to the farm of Tommy-Joe and Maybel, where you're asked to go looking for their missing children. After investating the two (still feuding) families, you're convinced neither took their grandchildren to spite their children or in-laws. Joshua meets you again and convinces you to head up to the Thunder Falls with him.
You find the children in a cave behind the waterfall, with several Forsaken warlocks. Dispatching them and freeing the children, Joshua offers to take them home so as to keep them safe, while you search for evidence. Finding blatant Twilight's Hammer stuff everywhere, you're about to assume it was them, when you notice on your way out a ring on the ground with the insignia of Goldshire on it.
When you return to the farm and meet Joshua, he muses that the Twilight's Hammer doesn't quite add up, and asks you to take the ring to a retired Marshal in the Eastvale Logging Camp. The man identifies it as being the seal of the mayor of Goldshire, except for a strange etching on the back that he hadn't seen since he was in the Second War and destroyed an Altar of Storms.
The head of the logging camp states that some of her peasant workers were abducted by the murlocs. You head to the large island in the middle of the nearby lake and find the murlocs slaughtering them. You attempt to destroy them before they slaughter everyone, and die in the process. Joshua arrives, battles through them to your corpse, bubbles, and performs a Mass Ressurection. Together with the Peasants who arm themselves from several of the murlocs you killed, you drive the beasts off.
On the lead murloc's corpse, you find a missive signed in the name of the Mayor of Goldshire, speaking about how important it is to slaughter the peasants on the island because of a leyline, and that the murlocs needed to follow some ritual. Joshua determines it is demonic and that the Mayor has been behind Elwynn's problems from the start. You and he fly over to the Westbrook Garrison.
Intending to speak to the commander there, you find out the man is dead thanks to Hogger, and the men are in disarray. Joshua rallies them and takes command, marching a large regiment south with you to destroy the Gnolls and Capture Hogger (he belives Hogger might be in on the Mayor's scheme and wants to ask questions). After Capturing Hogger, two mages teleport the beast off to the Stockade on Joshua's orders. With the Garrison under his control, he orders the men to move out to Goldshire and place the town under martial law, and bring forth the Mayor.
Arriving in a phased Goldshire, Joshua stands in the town square in the center of a ring of guards with the civilians outside it. The mayor laughs at the young Paladin's accusations and dismisses the proof you've collected as, 'Enemy Propoganda.' Joshua lifts a relic he found in the mines and breaks it with his shield. The mayor lets out an inhuman scream as various energies flow out of him, reducing him to looking akin to a Forsaken or Wretched. Joshua, you, and several guards escort the man to Stormwind in chains, to the throne room for a trial.
Varian, at first shocked and horrified at what he see's, listens to the accounts of you and Joshua, looks at the presented evidence, and agrees the man is guilty of consorting with dark forces for his own personal gain, betraying his duty and station as the mayor of Goldshire and leader of that region. The sentence of death is carried out. Varian congratulates you both and assures you a new Mayor will be appointed to Goldshire. Joshua mentions heading to Westfall due to some rumors disparaging the King's good name. He bids you farewell.
From there on out you'd see him periodically in the other human zones, watching this Paladin grow into something more of a decent character representing Stormwind. When he aggro's you'd hear him say, "For the King," in a deep, calm voice.
[Edit]: Grammatical errors, and to quote the person who requested my thoughts. Sorry for the length. Also...
TL;DR - I'd make Elwynn have an over-all storyline.
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