Patch 6.0.2 marks the beginning of the Warlords of Draenor pre-launch event(s).
The Iron Tide sees the implementation of a lot of new graphics and new game mechanics, including revamps of talent trees, core spells/abilities, etc. They’ve pared a lot from the game, apparently.
Anyway, now that the patch is just a few hours away, I’m eager to see what things are like tomorrow when I boot up. I’ve been playing WoW since Day 1 and kind of chuckle at the fact that I still play. Not like I used to, mind, but I do still play.
I long ago resigned myself to the fact that they were gonna have to simplify the game to keep appealing to the masses, so the “pruning” doesn’t bother me as much today as it would have years ago.
Having said that, it seems like my main, an Arcane Mage, will be even more fun to play in WoD. Woot!
Who else is still playing WoW and is looking forward to this?
Wow…so many changes. Suspect I’ll probably just jump in and screw around with stuff to figure it out at first, then go back and read up on it later. I’ll likely return to my mage as my main, unsure about spec. I’ve been running a lot of Frost with a Fire alternate, but Arcane remains my first love…
Aye; it took me over 90 minutes to read thru it all. I glossed over a lot of stuff too, particularly if it didn’t have to do with my Mage or my Warrior. I figure I can always go back and read up on my other classes when it’s time to level them to 100.
ETA: The patching has begun! See y’all in about 10 hours!
That’s going to be my strat, as well. Frankly, that’s always how I do stuff. Instructions are for when experimentation runs into a brick wall.
Some part of me resents Blizzard’s constant effort to make sure I have no idea how to play my class, however. I just got competent in the classes of my stable of alts, and now I have to learn it all over again.
It’s like Kay’s joke in Men in Black about having to buy the White Album again.
I stopped playing somewhere during Cataclysm; we were at a point where we couldn’t justify spending the money every month. But some of the new stuff looks interesting, and WoW (as I remember it, at least) is still more ‘playable’ than anything I’ve come across since I last played it, so I might just need to re-up for a few months at least…and more if I like what I see.
If I understand correctly, 6.0.2 is the ‘pre-launch patch’; when does Warlords of Draenor actually ‘go live’?
Just as well it’s Maintenance Tuesday. It took our computer about 5 hours to optimize the game files and download the patch. As maintenance is still underway I haven’t tried to log on yet. I expect a logjam when the realms go back on line from people all trying to get on at once.
I’m looking forward to the new expansion. Yes, there are changes. I’ve been playing WoW for 9 years now (!) and every expansion brings changes. Every change brings cries of doom. Mostly, the changes are neutral or make the game more accessible so on the whole I’m still happy with everything.
WoW has been my one constant indulgence over the past decade. I might be eating rice and beans for days on end but I can always escape to Azeroth! (or Outland, depending)
Yes, today is the pre-launch patch and world event(s).
The actual expansion is scheduled for mid-November.
I started playing a couple of months before Wrath of the Lich King came out. The timing was coincidental, I had no idea what WotLK was, that was just when I finally moved past dial-up internet and could play WoW.
I played a very lot, a whole very lot, until I finally got burned out and stopped playing. Then along came Cataclysm, and I started playing a whole very lot again, until eventual burn-out set in once more. Then there was Mists of Pandaria, and history repeats. So I know there’s no way in hell I’ll be resisting the call of WoW when Warlords hits the market. In fact, before I even saw this thread, I was thinking I should fire up the launcher and get caught up on patches.
There are some HUGE changes in this patch. No more Hunter’s Mark?
They are finally implementing some improvements in the inventory system (toy box, higher stack levels, being able to assign purposes to bags; being able to craft using items in your bank); this is an area where Guild Wars 2 was way ahead of WoW.
I got in around 2:00-ish Central today. Took my mage (in fire spec, just on a whim) and did the event quests in Blasted Lands. The stat squish was a little jarring just looking at the numbers, but combat doesn’t really feel much different. If anything, it was easier…I could two-shot some of the orcs with crits, couldn’t really do that yesterday on Timeless Isle. If you go through all of the quests, you’ll eventually kill a soloable boss and get sent back to Stormwind to tell the King what a badass you are. He gives a new title and a pet (a rolling spiky ball thing).
Tried to queue for the new dungeon, never got a group for it. Didn’t try PVP either.
I like the bag/banking storage changes. Lots more room available now.
My action bars suddenly have empty spaces on them. Feels odd.
Did see some chatter from people that ran the new dungeon–apparently sheep/sap is a thing again, as healers are struggling. Dunno if that’s a power issue, or just a learning the new stuff issue.
Very limited player here but my Hunter has been gutted. Not much else to do but do an aimed shot then wait for the kill shot. Boring thus far (grinding as a level 41 Hunter that is). Miss hunetr’s mark.
Eh, so far in WoW’s development I’ve supported pretty much every simplifying change they’ve made. 98% of their changes removed fake choice or irrelevant bullshit. Less complexity doesn’t necessary equate to dumbing down. Take quests flat out giving you gear for your spec in MOP. It didn’t remove any real complexity, all it removed was the tedious bullshit where I went “can I use any of this? Oh, cool, an upgrade!” or “can I use any of this? No, which one sells for the most?” It wasn’t like I was debating the relative merits of the +Int plate or the +Str leather.
The only simplifying change I really opposed is the removal of class quests and it’s way late to still be mad at that.
The Iron Horde quests are simple and few. It took me about 20-25 minutes to zip thru them. The UBRS instance took about that with a PUG. UBRS was more fun than the quest line.
I’ve been in the PvP queue for more than 90 minutes now; I’m guessing PvP is broken at the moment, or maybe just the queue is.
I don’t notice the new character models at all. Frankly, I thought the changes were small enough that they barely needed mentioning. Now that I’m seeing them in game, I continue to think so.
The stat smush is awesome. In a lot of ways it feels like BC all over again.
However, I feel OP as hell. I can 1 or 2 shot damn near anything. And even tho I’m dressed in a bathrobe, nothing seems to hurt me much.
So far the thing I like best about WoD is the return of the Dark Portal to the login screen.
