Blizzard is Unstoppable

[Professor S]

I've often criticized Blizzard for not creates more starting classes for WoW. To me, the classes create gameplay bariety and they are what keep me playing. Needless to say, I've stopped playing. But recently I took a look at their latest patch notes:

http://www.wowinsider.com/2008/09/14/ptr-3-0-2-patch-notes/

Its dawned on me. Blizzard isn't creating new classes because they are constantly reinventing their existing classes. Being a Hunter devotee, I look at the changes that are taking place with my mouth agape. The Hunter class is nothing like what I played. The idea of pet talent trees makes me emotionally "erect".

I may have to look into this game again...

[Angrist]

Wow yeah, they really changed a lot. I'm just looking at the warlock class (only one I really know [or knew]), it's amazing. Most changes are good, but some a bit weird. 1 spell used to give +20% spell damage, now it gives 30% of your spirit as damage. Locks never needed any spirit and most items didn't have any on it. Guess they wanted to change that.

[TheGame]

I have a 70 hunter too, those changes are pretty insane. <_< The changes to my 70 pally are big too, however I feel paladin has been beefed up a lot, while hunter's changes have more potential to make them weaker.

[DeathsHand]

The major +1.0.0 patches always bring along plenty of exciting changes... They make me want to start another alt and grind my way back up from the beginning!

I had quit again, and was pondering an attempt to sell my account (Collector's Editions of both, a nice 70 druid and a number of others)...
Then I found out another friend of mine got into playing the game...

So instead of making a bunch of money, I bought another month and pre-ordered the Lich King Collector's Edition...

*shame*

[thatmariolover]

I've been playing in the WotLK the beta, and can say for certain that Paladin's and Priests are fairly extensively buffed. But those are the only two chars I have past 70 on this account.

Blizzard has patches down to a science at this point, though. They know exactly what will keep people playing and make old players look twice at resubscribing.

[Vampyr]

Adding new classes to MMORPG's with PvP elements also has a tendency to ruin balance for a while.

[TheGame]

Adding new classes to MMORPG's with PvP elements also has a tendency to ruin balance for a while.

Being a ex FFXI player, I must say that it has a bad effect on PVE also if you add too many new classes. I'd take more balance over more variety any day. Though honestly, with how the talent tree system works, I'd say the game has a ton of variety too.

My mains are Retribution Pally and Survival Hunter. I can tell both of them seem to be fairly well buffed.

[Professor S]

And how pissed do you think Games Workshop is? Blizzard has essentially been ripping off every idea GW ever had and has been perfecting it in a video game world. Starcraft is the most obvious piece of plaigerism (sp?) I've ever seen, copying the look and set-pieces of Warhammer 40k down to every last space marine, and GW is left with their collective junk in their hand having stuck to their turn-based ethic for far too long.

Finally, GW is moving forward, but I thinks its far too late. Blizzard has co-opted their world and made it play so well to the populace that GW will likely be accused of copying Blizzard's copy of GW's game world.

Not to take anything away from Blizzard, as they have made fantastic games, but they still ripped off GW's universes.

[Angrist]

And I hope you do know why? Warcraft 1 was supposed to be a Warhammer game, but the deal got cancelled and Blizzard went on independently. So it's not a coincidence.

[Professor S]

And I hope you do know why? Warcraft 1 was supposed to be a Warhammer game, but the deal got cancelled and Blizzard went on independently. So it's not a coincidence.

No, I didn't know. Good info. Still, thats Warcraft. They kept stealing and in more obvious ways with Starcraft.

[Angrist]

Well, I don't know anything about Warhammer, so I can't comment on that. But I've never seen anything like Zerg and Protoss in Warhammer 40k. Could you explain what you mean? Because to me it's just the atmosphere they stole.

[Professor S]

The Zerg are basically a mod of the Tyranids

http://uk.games-workshop.com/tyranids/knowyourfoe/1/

Marines are almost exact copies, but honestly with less flair, of the Space Marines

http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/miniature-gallery/18/

And the Protoss remind me of the Eldar, but the comarison less obvious

http://uk.games-workshop.com/eldar/gallery/1/

[Professor S]

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2006/20060410.jpg

[Angrist]

Marines: yeah, obvious.
Zerg: eh... they look more like Aliens than like Tyranids.
Protoss: nah, no resemblance.

Are there any more races in Warhammer 40k? And what about the (hi)story, the lore?

Also, you can hardly blame a company for doing what it's good at. Making computergames.

[TheGame]

I think WoW is the greatest MMORPG to come out to date. Its easilly the most complete game to me. And to keep things interesting they're always changing and rebalancing the game. I like how they play with people mentally too, they make it clear from the start that its just a game, and nothing you get should count as some life achevement or something lol

I really like how when they re balance, most of the time its positive changes too. For the most part, every class is somewhat stronger then how they started out. I think Rogue is the only class just nerfed over and over, but Rogues are annoying so screw them. :P

When I played FFXI, if a class was too strong, the developers mindset was to make that too strong class weaker. Blizzard seems to take the route of making everoyne else stronger to catch up.

[Professor S]

Marines: yeah, obvious.
Zerg: eh... they look more like Aliens than like Tyranids.
Protoss: nah, no resemblance.

Are there any more races in Warhammer 40k? And what about the (hi)story, the lore?

Also, you can hardly blame a company for doing what it's good at. Making computergames.

The resemblance in the Protoss to the Eldar is more in gameplay and themes than look. And I'm sorry, but the Zerg are very reminiscent of the Tyranids, IMO.

The lore is very robust. There are novels written about it going back decades. Personally, I think Warhammer's lore far exceeds that of the Warcraft/Starcraft lore. It feels more authentic and the stories are pretty amazing. Its a very unique reality.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=warhammer+40k&x=20&y=15

As for other races and info:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warhammer_40,000

And I'm not criticizing their Blizzards ability to create great games. They make fantastic games, and I've played pretty much every gamne they've ever made. But I'll call a spade a spade and they did rip off much of their gaming universe (at leats the look of it and many of the unit designs) from Games Workshop. Its less a criticism than it is simply an observation.

I think Blizzard has done a much better job with GW's properties over time in the videogame arena than GW has. Mark of Chaos is a MESS to play, and so far the only one that has been successful is the Dawn of War series, which I LOVE, and where they finally got passed the turn based elements and went real time.

[TheGame]

I'm curious, do any of you guys play on any good PVE servers? I'm thinking of making a new toon, and raising them up to try raiding. I have 2 70s already, but I mostly play with a lady friend of mine on them. She's kinda strapped up by school right now.

[DeathsHand]

I'm curious, do any of you guys play on any good PVE servers? I'm thinking of making a new toon, and raising them up to try raiding. I have 2 70s already, but I mostly play with a lady friend of mine on them. She's kinda strapped up by school right now.

Horde or Alliance?

If you're playing Horde, Area 52 seems like a good one. I have a 70 druid there.
But whatever you do, stay away from the Moonrunner server... Terrible, terrible for Horde players...

Alliance... I haven't got a clue.

[TheGame]

I have horde and alliance toons. I prefer leveling as horde though, maybe because I'm just used to it though. lol