I see World of Warcraft is going through some major changes again. No, I still don’t play (a year later) but I do keep an eye on the game as a lot of friends still do.
The changes have been so massive over time that it’s almost a different game than it was “back in the day”. Oh, the changes have been getting there for some time, but some major mechanics are changing. So I’m going to mutter a few things I wish… and who knows, maybe some version of the game would include. Let’s start with what’s probably my biggest annoyance.
I have always been annoyed at the basic class restriction of armor types. “You’re a magic user, you can’t use any armor but cloth.” “Why?” “Because I said so.” “But the Paladin gets to wear plate and cast magic.” “So? He’s a Paladin, he’s allowed.” Ummm…..
If’n I were to make a recommendation, I’d do something along the lines of how the stuff you’re wearing affects the spells you do. As a broad outline, the denser whatever it is that surrounds your body, the more interference. Yes, there are games that have done this before. It works in an incremental point system like WOW where each piece accumulates. As to interference, I’ve seen several things that work. The simplest is to add a “bonus target resistance”. Another factor is reduction of effect. One of the wilder variations I saw (which only worked for some things) was that it modified the accuracy of your spell – very annoying to cast healing on the DPS next to the tank, doncha know. Along the same lines was a reduction in range (and if applicable duration). One last thing I saw was an increase to the ‘cost’ (mana and time in WoW terms) of casting the spell. Frankly, ANY of these would be good. THEN… add a talent – a God’s Gift – for Paladins that allows a reduction of the armor effect on spells. Allow the totems to be unaffected by the armor. Druids? Tough it up, pals (grin).
Another minor thing that’s annoyed is weapons. Why can’t my priest wield a halberd or a sword? Unfortunately I don’t see that changing, ever – not and staying WoW. There is no earthly reason I can see for a priest to be incapable of handling a pole arm. This is especially true when a gnome CAN – pole arm, two handed sword, and any number of other weapons that are two or three times the bearer’s size. sheesh.
I can actually tolerate racial restrictions. Even if they really bothered me, see weapons.
A more serious problem in my eyes involves instances. Much is made of how HARD the large group instances are. Um…. not really. Oh, Molten Core (to name one) wasn’t a cinch, but you could have a couple of slackers in an otherwise good but not great group and still succeed. I’m not talking about UberPlayer taking some low level pals along, I’m talking topped players with fair gear – and a couple of them could be serious slackers.
In my experience the fewer players on the team the less you could slack.
I would love a philosophical change that allowed 5 man gear to be just as good (if not better) than 10 man or 20 man or 40 man gear. It’s harder to get the group together, sure, but that has zero to do with quality.
Worse than the paradoxical fact that it’s easier to succeed in the large team dungeon is the fact that loot is worse. Oh, the lucky few get great stuff, but… Run a 5-man and everyone gets something – usually several somethings. Run a 20 man and it seems as though you’re lucky if half the team gets drops.
Of course, if you can get better gear from 5-mans why go to the larger instances? That is a challenge, of course. I can think of a few possibilities. There are always the “Because we CAN” groups. I would like to suggest that there might be some unique gear – not necessarily better, but significant – from running it. (Though it was waaaay to tight, I liked that the “I am a Priest” staff and “I am a Hunter” gear quests required a drop in these places. I’d recommend doing it again – one of the Things You Must Do is in a large-party instance. Just not one drop out of 1000 tries and only one of them for the entire party to argue about. The Druid Flight Form was a right guide, here – just add a large instance to the requirements.)
One of the upcoming changes I like is the ability of crafters to modify gear stats – not a lot, just a little. And if I read it right, the ability to repair gear if it’s in their purview. I’d actually have liked it (back when) if when making gear the maker would be allowed to add X points however he or she wanted. Part of the learning could have been ‘this is how to add spirit’ or ‘this is how to increase damage’ or, well, you get the idea. Yes, some specials would forever be linked to the object, but the general idea would have worked, I think.
Another thing that I wish that is impossible given how the game was created – I wish you weren’t immune to the least levels.
That one’s been around since I played the basic three books of D&D back in the day. It is absurd that somebody can laugh, take off all his armor and weapons, and wade into literally hundreds without any chance of suffering at all. Now it’s too late to change it for WoW, but I’d like to see some small modifiers. Things like ‘there is never zero chance of hitting’ and perhaps a group modifier (if you’re attacked by 30 morlocks the sheer mass is going to move you unless you do something). I’ve liked the games that have collision detection – no running through anybody – and here’s a place where that would play. The absurd damage levels higher level players can take (and give) are a compromise with reality – I remember the wild discussions back in game design days about how to reflect incremental damage and worse how to account for an experienced veteran taking on so many newbies with less problem. Not to mention the “heroic saga” tales these things reflect. Which is why, in the end, a fighter can take off everything and wipe out a couple hundred morlocks with just his fists.
I just don’t like it.
I won’t be getting back into MMORPGs anytime soon – money and time pretty well preclude that. (The former for now, and if/when I’m working again the latter is a certainty till I get a handle on everything.) But I can dream a little.
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