World of Warcraft - English (NA) Forums -> Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Analysi

Zarhym

Blizzard Poster

141. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 09:52:44 PM PST

Q u o t e:
Why every single patch so far had servers crashing for couple days? "Ice has melted" is so far best patch, nothing is crashing, just annoying chat bug.... but how can you not notice something like that? All it takes is to slap patch on internal server and log in to see if it works.

That's not really true. We do quite a bit of testing for all major content patches, but there's one major way to ensure a patch will work smoothly on the scale for which it is required to run on thousands of servers around the world -- release it.

Q u o t e:
Why is Kara + Gruul were ready out of the door, while now we only have Nexus (recycle)?

I'm assuming you mean Naxxramas. Very few people saw Naxxramas, and it fit perfectly into the story line. We included it because we thought it would be cool, and I still do think it's cool.

You could argue that Kara and Gruul were ready out the door. You could also argue that they were not tuned nearly as properly as Naxxramas. Yes, some people find Naxxramas too easy. This could be true. It could simply be because the encounters were no big secret. Either way, we decided this time around to give people a very accessible entry-level raiding experience, giving players a few months to level up, clear Naxx, and gear up before releasing the next tier.

We're also keeping more of an equal path with PvP and PvE progression. For the most part, we're going to be making sure that the next tier of raid gear is in line with the next tier of PvP gear.

Q u o t e:
Why are we still doing major balance adjustments... like 30% nerfs/buffs so late after expansion shipped?

Because we think balance could be better. That's probably not the answer you were prying for. It just happens to be true.

Feels trolled

Yogsothoth

Icecrown

142. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:00:27 PM PST

Naxx at 80 is about as hard in quest blues as 3.0 kara is at 70 in T6. Not saying this is a bad thing, I like my 3 hour, 16 emblem cakewalks, but it's a little off-putting when your entry raid content can be pugged by a bunch of people faffing about in the auction house sampler platter. Here's to hoping that Ulduar is as awesome as the devs want us to think it is.

edit: my first "first", hot diggity.

[ Post edited by Yogsothoth ]

Yog-Sothoth knows the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the gate. Yog-Sothoth is the key and guardian of the gate. Past, present, future, all are one in Yog-Sothoth.

Kether

< Exilium >

Malygos

143. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:03:18 PM PST

Q u o t e:
Well, riddle me this blues..

Why every single patch so far had servers crashing for couple days? "Ice has melted" is so far best patch, nothing is crashing, just annoying chat bug.... but how can you not notice something like that? All it takes is to slap patch on internal server and log in to see if it works.

Why is Kara + Gruul were ready out of the door, while now we only have Nexus (recycle)?

Why are we still doing major balance adjustments... like 30% nerfs/buffs so late after expansion shipped?

based on your class and level, I'll aim to keep this simple, and use as few big words as possible:

1) Code takes up many many many lines. Just one little error and bam, things get messed up. It's almost never as simple as "just look at it to see if it works." Certainly not when we're talking about multiple servers running whole different worlds. Your reductive rationale is just that... reductive and incorrect.

2) WotLK came with Naxxramas, Obsidian Sanctum, and Eye of Eternity. That's three (3) raids. That's also three (3) more than you thought there were (0). It's ok... numbers are hard.

3) Classes have always and always will require re-balancing. It's the nature of the business. Plus, it keeps things interesting. To think there's a single "perfect formula" to evening-out ~9 distinct classes in both a PvE and PvP environment - especially when their foci and development goals have changed so radically since the initial release - is just plain silly.

Riddle me that.

Black
Then
White Are
All I See
In My Infancy

Tirza

< of Manticore >

Rexxar

144. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:06:59 PM PST

Q u o t e:

Metzen will always find something awesome for you to do. The creative development department is like a factory of cool.

lol... Close enough. ;)

This should come with a shovel.

Rioteyes

< B B B >

Garrosh

145. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:10:06 PM PST

With as easy as it is to clear all content in the game.. by anyone.. as long as they have the time..
it's putting the pressure on blizzard to chrn out more content.
I hope that Ulduar is damn tough and stops a ton of people in their tracks for a long time.

I'm talking pre BC Cthun + getting the bad combo from Nef while having to fight 3 Vaels in a lag-filled room with poor visibility-hard.
and to make matters even worse... youre flying mounts whisper you throughout the encounter and block out the DBM/Big Wigs warnings with their incessant ramblings.
Repairs bills are 4x higher if you're in a guild.. and setting it to Master Looter makes bosses only drop 1 item.. and there's an 85% chance it's for melee Hunters.

www.fark.com

Zomba

Hyjal

146. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:10:46 PM PST

Q u o t e:
Because we think balance could be better. That's probably not the answer you were prying for. It just happens to be true.

With all due respect I can't accept this view for every change, its seems disingenious. Arcane Power for example was surely assasinated not balanced. It was already balanced and had been so for the five previous years that it durated virtually unchanged in the Arcane tree. Reasonable people agree that this is long enough a timeframe within which 'balancing' can occur.

Kether

< Exilium >

Malygos

148. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:11:37 PM PST

Q u o t e:

With all due respect I can't accept this view for every change, its seems disingenious. Arcane Power for example was surely assasinated not balanced. It was already balanced and had been so for the five previous years that it durated virtually unchanged in the Arcane tree. Reasonable people agree that this is long enough a timeframe within which 'balancing' can occur.

who are "Reasonable people?" You?

Certainly no one working there...

Black
Then
White Are
All I See
In My Infancy

Zomba

Hyjal

150. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:19:16 PM PST

Q u o t e:
who are "Reasonable people?" You? Certainly no one working there...

To clarify, anyone who thinks that five years (i.e. human years) is long enough - and then some - to achieve balance to a talent/ability.

Anyone who thinks five years isn't long enough is not 'reasonable'. Simple enough for you?

This change proves there are simply no taboos anymore within development. Could one for example contemplate 'Divine Shield' being balanced after such a long time? Based on 3.0.9, you betcha.

Zarhym

Blizzard Poster

151. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:20:02 PM PST

Q u o t e:

Of course it's not true, but uhhh you neglected to mention that the Budget for the WoW project has probably been cut in half or more.

I have forgotten to mention a lot of things in this thread that could be circulating as baseless theories in the minds of those reading, you're at least right about that. :)

Feels trolled

Kether

< Exilium >

Malygos

152. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:22:13 PM PST

Q u o t e:

To clarify, anyone who thinks that five years (i.e. human years) is long enough - and then some - to achieve balance to a talent/ability.

Anyone who thinks five years isn't long enough is not 'reasonable'. Simple enough for you?

This change proves there are simply no taboos anymore within development. Could one for example contemplate 'Divine Shield' being balanced after such a long time? Based on 3.0.9, you betcha.

to reiterate a point I made earlier...

Q u o t e:
Classes have always and always will require re-balancing. It's the nature of the business. Plus, it keeps things interesting. To think there's a single "perfect formula" to evening-out ~9 distinct classes in both a PvE and PvP environment - especially when their foci and development goals have changed so radically since the initial release - is just plain silly.

Black
Then
White Are
All I See
In My Infancy

Crapoleon

< Tofu Council >

Blackrock

153. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:23:24 PM PST

All I can say is this game is going to get annoying if they keep releasing an expansion every year. If you have to constantly keep leveling up, gear up, only to lose it in less then a year's time, it can get irritating.

Q u o t e:
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.

- Bertrand Russell

Cristofer

Blackwing Lair

154. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:25:02 PM PST

Actually the 301 is incorrect. Apparently I got so lost in the statistics that I forgot simple math.

I corrected the OP.

[ Post edited by Cristofer ]

When God gives you Lemons, you.... FIND A NEW GOD!

Zomba

Hyjal

155. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:27:46 PM PST

Sorry, I can't call what isn't balancing, balancing. And neither can the 'reasonable' person, as defined tightly and specifically above. Balancing could have occured of course within the five year timeframe in question. It didn't and its too late for anyone but the 'unreasonable' person to refer to it as balancing.

Maybe assasination is too dramatic a term, ok here is a more reasonable one, expedience.

Aleira

Dragonblight

156. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:31:27 PM PST

Q u o t e:

I have forgotten to mention a lot of things in this thread that could be circulating as baseless theories in the minds of those reading, you're at least right about that. :)

Just out of curiousity, Zarhym, how "open" is in within the company in regards to development and such? You, for instance, are a CM, but are you briefed on new content, or is the whole company involved in the discussion? Or do you get sneak peeks because of your position?

Nothing specific, but how much of it does the average employee get to see, before the public does?

Cristofer

Blackwing Lair

157. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:33:10 PM PST

Q u o t e:
All I can say is this game is going to get annoying if they keep releasing an expansion every year. If you have to constantly keep leveling up, gear up, only to lose it in less then a year's time, it can get irritating.

All i can say is 39.95 for Wrath of the Lich King --->EXPANSION PACK<--- is severely overpriced.

Granted I paid for the collectors edition, i expected to be paying alot.

But how many game companies do YOU know who can get away with charged a full game retail price for an expansion pack.

Blizzard, you earned the golden "DUDE, YOU GOT BALLS." trophy. (stolen from thatguywiththeglasses) lol.

[ Post edited by Cristofer ]

When God gives you Lemons, you.... FIND A NEW GOD!

Rockefeller

< Jaded Souls >

Steamwheedle Cartel

158. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:35:03 PM PST

Q u o t e:
Sorry, I can't call what isn't balancing, balancing. And neither can the 'reasonable' person, as defined tightly and specifically above. Balancing could have occured of course within the five year timeframe in question. It didn't and its too late for anyone but the 'unreasonable' person to refer to it as balancing.

Maybe assasination is too dramatic a term, ok here is a more reasonable one, expedience.

Talent trees are defined differently over time. Design goals have fundamentally changed. Back in BC/Vanilla, there was 'pvp' trees, 'tanking' trees, 'pve' trees, etc. Now the new design element is FUNDAMENTALLY different.

So? This means that talents that were previously never seen in PvP now are, and are coming under increasing scrutiny.

Zarhym

Blizzard Poster

159. Re: Blizz Slows to a Crawl, Comprehensive Ana 02/11/2009 10:40:13 PM PST

Q u o t e:

Just out of curiousity, Zarhym, how "open" is in within the company in regards to development and such? You, for instance, are a CM, but are you briefed on new content, or is the whole company involved in the discussion? Or do you get sneak peeks because of your position?

Nothing specific, but how much of it does the average employee get to see, before the public does?

It definitely varies depending on one's position. There are sneak peaks of sorts every so often for most everyone in the company to see, but they're by no means comprehensive. It's more of a presentation of what the different teams are working on. Community managers are typically privy to a lot of information since we spend a lot of time filtering between the developers and the community.

Feels trolled

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