Monday, June 15, 2015

Monday Random Thoughts

- Third week at 100 on my horde hunter and I finally managed to find a world boss group.

- You know the carrot at the end of the stick for world bosses really is bad when getting groups is hard.

- It is bad even on reset day, but I play mostly on weekend and finding a group is near impossible.

- Found a Drov group, see people taking damage, seems they are already fighting it with auto accept on.

- I was in flight when I looked for the group, so maybe I will get there in time.

- Death, death and more death.

- Never thought I would be so mean to say it, but I was glad they were dying because it buys me time to get there.

- More people join asking for a summon.

- People that wiped with them saying wait for more but others not listening.

- No summon, no waiting, more attacking, more wiping.

- I land then run there, see the nightmare it is, bones everywhere.

- How long have you guys been at this?

- Two hours so far one says.

- Another one laughs, I've only been here for about 30 minutes myself.

- I drop group instantly, not interested in wiping for two more hours.

- Why can't people just assemble a group, wait for it to get together, then pull?

- Is it really that hard of a concept?

- After that, and fighting my way back to the flight point being I was on a PvP server (it was kind of fun) I saw a Ruk group.

- I sign up, start flying, get a summon mind flight.

- People are standing there, waiting for everyone to get there.

- This is more like it.

- We get everyone there, we pull as a group, we die, over and over again as a group.

- Please I just want to kill even one world boss.

- I am to the point I want to scream or cry, maybe even both.

- Two minute timer on reviving from dying so much.

- It only has a few millions left, please just let it die, I never want to do this again, it is a horrible experience.

- Five people alive, the rest of us spirits waiting to try and get back to do it with less than 1M left.

- Boss dies, I get gold and gold, as you might expect.

- And now I know why I will never do world bosses on a weekend again.

- Sometimes I need to remind myself why I don't do these things.

- Remind myself why I have this set of rules to play by.

- And with unrewarding world bosses, if you can not do it on reset day... don't bother.

- Massive repair bill and no gear.

- Yeah, blizzard really nailed the pattern for "fun" with this one.

- If you are the type of person that likes slamming your head into a wall until you start bleeding and pass out, then yes, this is very fun.

- For the amount of gold I spent on repairs I should have been guaranteed the damn mount from the thing.

- Moral of the story for blizzard is make world bosses worth doing so this does not happen again.

- Or maybe I should make sure I do it on reset day only.

- But it should never be like this, I should not have a tiny window where it can be done only.

- Even tried forming my own group for it the other week.

- After 45 minutes in the listing and having 1 healer and 9 damage dealers, I left my own group.

- Ridiculous.

- Up to 80 stones now, so might be done with the stones in 2 more weeks, but the patch will be out by then.

- Lets hope they let the new raid drop the old items like this did with siege.

- Not sure why BRF does not drop the stones.

- And no, lore reasons is not a good explanation even if it is accurate.

- But at least it works for my new hunter.

- He is not high enough to get into BRF anyway yet so being forced to do HM is not that bad.

- That is all I can do anyway.

- But up to 634 now, so almost there.

- Did you hear in the Q & A they were thinking of nerfing the gold from garrison missions so people would not feel like that have to log into all their alts?

- Nothing done yet, but they are "thinking" about it.

- I want to know who exactly thinks like this so we can have their brain checked out.

- Because they surely do not take after the guy in the Iron Docks that says "I think good".

- Or maybe the do take after him, because he doesn't and they don't.

- If you lower the gold now I have MORE reason to have to log into all of them because I am getting less.

- As it stands now I rarely log into all my characters daily.

- I make so much gold with garrison missions I don't need to.

- Even logging in to all of them only two times a week at most I make between 35K-50K a week with all my alts.

- Sure I could make a lot more, a hell of a lot more, as in at least 4 or 5 times as much, but I don't really need it.

- However, I am used to making that amount, so if they add diminishing returns I would feel forced to log into all of them every day if I wanted to maintain the gold income I was used to getting with them.

- So adding diminishing returns would have the exact opposite effect as they say they want to add it for.

-They want to make it give less gold so we wouldn't feel like we have to log into all our characters to do them.

- But if it gives less gold we will feel more like we have to log into all of our characters to maintain the amount of gold income we have gotten used to.

- Like I said, they don't exactly "think good" over there.

- I say they leave it be, the expansion is almost over (hopefully) anyway.

- If they want to adjust it, I have the best way they can adjust it.

- Limit the number of gold missions a character can trigger per day.

- And here is the key.

- And don't tell people you did that.

- In the end, it is best to leave it because the damage is done already.

- I feel bad for the people that were late to the show because they will get screwed while everyone that was there early made out like a bandit.

- That is another reason to let it just stay as is, or adjust it differently without saying a word that it was done.

- Because I know I would be really upset if I started to work up this money making machine right now and then when I got it running things changed.

- Blizzard really needs to keep away from doing things that anger their player base at the moment.

- Bottom line is, they can not add diminishing returns to gold missions to decrease peoples desire to log into all their alts.

- It would actually make them want to log in more, not less.

- In theory giving less gold sounds like a good idea but in practice people will try to offset that loss by logging into more characters.

- So their possible solution is no solution at all.

- Lets hope they go back to the drawing board on this idea.

- And stop listing to the dude from the Iron Docks.

- Just because he says "I think good" doesn't mean he actually does.

- I love that "I think good" line.

- Everyone always has lines they remember form raids or dungeons, this line is my favorite from this expansion thus far.

- Another one I think I have fun with is on the Kromog fight.

- I don't think I even remember what he actually says when he slams his fist because all I hear in my mind every time is "oblivion".

- Please tell me I am not the only one?

- My favorite line of the whole game is an old one and remains the same after all these years.

- "Me not that kind of orc"

- I don't know why but I crack up every time I hear that.

- When I first created my horde garrison on the beta I went all over poking orcs to try to get one of them to say that.

- I can confirm, there are orcs that will say that.

- And I get a kick out of poking them when I am bored just to try to get one of them to say it.

- I am so easily amused sometimes.

- I tried to pug a BRF on Friday.

- I still get a kick out of some of the requirements people ask for.

- Like the one that was 680 item level and AotC achievement for a normal fresh BRF.

- I just want to ask them if they are aware they are asking for a heroic achievement to do normal.

- Seems like over reaching if you ask me.

- I understand wanting a smooth run but that is like asking someone to have won a noble prize for botany if they want to work as your gardener.

- I mean 680 and AotC for even a fresh BRF heroic is perfectly fine even if a bit on the high end, but for a normal, come now, that is insane.

- Then there are the ones that are the other way around.

- Saw one, on blackhand heroic, asking minimum 630 item level.

- Yeah, right, a group of 630s is going to be able to kill blackhand heroic.

- If they are paragon or method maybe.

- Not if they are a pug people.

- Sure, I'll be right over there to help you out on my hunter.

- Not.

- I look for reasonable.

- Heck, I would even help a group I know won't get far.

- I never mind doing that.

- Saw one that was a guild group looking for a few more.

- Said, we will wipe a few times, we are learning.

- They asked for 670, which is more than reasonable for a group starting at the first boss and learning.

- So I offered to help, but it turns out they needed a healer, not another damage dealer.

- Oh well.

- So I am not a group prude.

- I don't only want "win" groups, I am willing to wipe with people.

- I just hate trying to find decent groups to sign up for.

- I think my personal rules are too strict.

- Like I will never sign up for a group that says "no bads"

- Sad part is that is like 95% of the groups.

- Lets face it, if you use that terminology, you probably are looking to get carried or are the bad yourself.

- I like "know fights", that attracts me when I see it listed.

- "Know fights" and "no bads" mean the same thing.

- One makes you sound like a decent person looking for minimize wipes the other makes you sound like an elitist jerk.

- And from my experience groups lead by an elitist jerks are usually the worst groups.

- Not the rule they are the worst of course, but just usually.

- So I stay away, far away from "no bads" groups.

- So Friday night this is what happened.

- Logged into a few characters to do garrison stuff then on to my hunter around a quarter after five.

- My goal is any tier boss.

- Remember when I said I won all four tier pieces in normal one week a long time ago?

- Well, those are the only four tier pieces I have ever seen, normal or heroic all tier.

- Yeap, my luck is that bad.

- Thankfully I had one decent week.

- Wish it would have happened in heroic, but beggars can't be choosers so a normal tier set is better than no tier set.

- So I was looking for any boss on heroic that was a tier boss.

- I check the list looking at everything anyway, never know if something else will catch my eye.

- After about 15 minutes I figured that is a waste of time and limit it just to heroic blackrock.

- Thirty minutes later, now 6 PM, still nothing.

- Shortly after I find a group that looks good and apply.

- I have a habit, if I am applied to one group I do not sign up for another.

- I wait for the response, either accepted or rejected.

- I wait the full time for it to time out, never accepted.

- If you do not want me please click declined right away, I hate people that waste my time.

- A few minutes later I find another group and sign up.

- I am accepted and then get kicked instantly.

- Figure it was an accident, apply again, get accepted and get kicked again instantly.

- Third try is a charm I heard, so I try again.

- Get accepted once more and the raid leader, a hunter says, sorry, not sure who keeps accepting you, I am not here to compete on gear, don't apply again.

- Ah, now I get it.  Someone else had invite privileges and raid leader was a hunter and did not want to compete for gear.

- I should have told him I already downed the bosses this week, I am only doing this to roll a coin, so I could not take your gear anyway, even if I wanted to.

- But that would get me kicked too most likely because if I downed it already than the boss drops less loot.

- I've learned to lie your butt off when asked if you downed anything this week.

- Take the advice from Nike, Just say no.

- Rolling around to 7 now, signed up for a few more, either get declined or timed out.

- This is starting to get beyond frustrating.

- I am not sure what is annoying me more as the 2 hour mark is rolling up on me, the fact I can not find a group or the people of trade chat.

- Around 7:30 I give up on looking right now, at least from my garrison.

- I need to get away from trade, it is rotting my brain.

- I decide to fly out and stalk a rare that drops a pet, so at least I can put my time to better use.

- I'll keep looking from there.

- It is now a little after 8 and a guild mate logs on, he is looking for a pug as well.

- But he is a healer, so he will have better luck than I of course.

- I'd say a good 90% of the groups listed are looking for a tank or healer.

- I ask him, if you get in a group and they need a DPS please let me know.

- He says sure.

- 8:15 he finds a fresh run for his healer, they do not need any DPS.

- I continue as I have not being able to find anything.

- At around 8:30 he says they downed hanz and franz and are moving to the next boss and need two DPS.

- I ask if I can come, he asks the raid leader and the raid leader says yes.

- Awesome, finally after 3 hours and 15 minutes trying to find a group for any tier boss I get something and it is a tier boss too.

- I apply, he says the raid leader stepped away, so I travel there and wait.

- Time passes, I see one damage dealer added to the group.

- I see another added to the group.

- Raid leader comes back, says he does not need me any more and lets it time out.

- Son of a bitch.

- I stopped what I was doing, I headed all the way over there myself, I have been trying to get into a group for over three freakin hours, and you said you would invite me because someone was in the group already that suggested me.

- I can not blame him for it being over three hours of my life wasted, that is on me for being picky with the groups I sign up for and not being willing to start my own.

- But I can blame him for making me stop what I was doing to head all the way there because he said he was going to accept me and then not.

- I said screw it, logged off right in front of BRF, said good night on voice chat and called it a night.

- This seems to be happening more often then not lately.

- Where I end up logging off wondering why the hell I still even attempt to play this game.

- On a happier note, at least my friend also ended up dropping group because they did not accept me.

- Nice to know someone got your back.

- Even if it was no big deal for him, he is a healer and got another group in less than 2 minutes, still nice that he left when they did not accept me after telling me they would.

- So word to the wise if you somehow stumble across this post and are not really playing yet.

- If you actually ever want to enjoy the game... roll a healer.

- Have a great day.

16 comments:

  1. I thought the gold nerf comment was less about consideration for player time and more about selling more tokens. But then I am the cynical type. If there are fewer ways to earn easy gold in game, more people will be interested in shelling out $20 for a few thousand gold. We will probably not see the figures for number of tokens sold, but I bet the number has nosedived over the last couple of months.

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    1. Of course it's about the token. I don't think there's much doubt. They screwed up a bit with treasure hunters and now need to nerf them because the already rich are covered for a year and there should be some new gold need created.

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    2. That idea pass through my mind as well. The one thing that actually goes against the idea of it being about the token is the fact that well before the token came out they mentioned the desire to lower the gold from it.

      The problem is that blizzard takes forever when there is an issue in game to fix it. They could have fixed the gold thing on beta, at release, a few weeks or months after, before 6.1, after 6.1, etc. They had so much time to fix it but they are just slow as crap when it comes to fixing things.

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  2. Of course they will nerf the gold. People are bragging left and right that they make half a million a week. So who's buying tokens if so? Pfft. I wish people would stop saying things like this.

    And I've always used my alts to support my main. Saying I'm doing it wrong and I should be playing alts how Blizz wants is just insulting. Blizz, it's been years, you don't get to tell me how to play and enforce it just so you get richer. If you cared about alleviating the alt situation, there would have been more important stuff to deal with.

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    1. Also, wasn't the salvage yard basically getting a nerf too?

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    2. There is no need to nerf the gold from missions. It is not like there are really inflation issues, at least not in the US. The token only sells for 20K as is. It is completely worthless. If they lower the amount of gold people can get it will decrease in price, not go up.

      If they do want to nerf it nerf it on the asian realms, maybe even UK realms, but on the US realms it is a non issue. The token is already not worth buying with cash as is, if the price goes down even further it sure as hell would not be worth it. They will not sell more tokens if you get crap gold for it.

      If they want to sell more tokens they need to do the exact opposite. They need to increase gold. So people have more and thus would be willing to spend more, so the price on the token goes up thanks to the demand of people that can afford to buy it, and then it is worth it for people to sell them for gold.

      So no, nerfing gold from missions will lower token sales, not increase them. Basic economics. Think about it in real life terms. When people have money the price of luxury items goes up, not down.

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    3. Token is 40+ k on EU. And actually, no, people will always make gold if they want to buy time, at least on EU. My guildies used to buy time before blizz offered the option and before garrisons.
      It's the ones that buy tokens from Blizz that matter. So who sells them? People who need gold. I am a person who would sell tokens if I needed gold. But since garrison covers my needs unlike previous expansions when I was flat broke, I just do not. I continue to pay my sub and remain uninterested in selling tokens.
      I would never sell for 20k like US though, guess EU is different in that regard.

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    4. I was actually about to buy the 120k yak before they announced the nerf. Now I'm keeping my gold just in case there's something on the AH I really want. Yes, I don't have a lot of gold, but 150k is enough for me to feel comfortable.

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    5. I think at least a dozen of my friends also bought time in game with gold. That is why it was a decent idea for blizzard to add it. Lots were doing it already. Except blizzard charges a hell of a lot more than other people were. But they were most likely using stolen credit cards, so at least it is honest now so even if more expensive it is better in my opinion.

      I have not even considered selling them. I think my personal breaking point would be around 100K where I might consider it. Or maybe as low as 40K if I was starting on a new server, but 20K seems so useless. I can not believe so many are selling in the US. Must be a lot of broke players over here and based on the number of people in my guild that never even saw 20K before this expansion, that seems like a very accurate statement.

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    6. The comfort mark for me is 100K, but with all the alts I have that adds up. My main of course has considerable more, but the garrisons have been a flow of gold I never expected. Like my rogue, whom I rarely log in, is approaching 100K and he usually never had more than 20K before. All thanks to garrisons.

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  3. Pugging with group finder is the path to frustration and getting nowhere. Openraid is where you can find good groups with good raid leaders. I've gotten near full clears on both normal and heroic the last couple of weeks.

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    1. I used OR last expansion quite a bit but have not at all this expansion thus far. I guess I should pop on and give it a look again. Thanks for reminding me about it.

      I am jealous, you probably had a full clear of both in less time than it took me to get zero boss kills in. :P

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  4. As someone with 50+ characters, 10 in Draenor (5 of which are 100) the gold is a nice bonus, yes. I've never been great at making gold but honestly it was never much of an issue. I made enough for me.

    However with the costs of the garrison, the gold from missions has been a nice offset. I think more than anything, nerfing gold would be yet another sign that Blizzard isn't thinking these things through. And that isn't a good sign.

    The other reason that nerfing gold may not have much impact on logging in is the "loss" of unharvested herbs, ore, resources, and daily cooldowns. Even when I have a day where I have no gold missions, I still may need to log in to do one (or all) of those other 4 things.

    All of that said - with their current track record, if they mess with things too much I'm sure I'll be logging into my alts less...because I just won't be playing or paying.

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    1. I've 10 100s myself. I don't even log into them all but it is nice to know that gold is there, should I wish to put in the effort to make it.

      Personally I do not harvest my herbs or mine even on the characters I do log into most of the time. I had well over 10K of each before the first month of the expansion was over and I am still not running out. My fireweed gardens are the only ones I do, once or twice a week.

      If the nerf gold however and I ever find myself needing gold, that means I might feel the need to do those things. Do you know how long it takes someone with 10 100s to do everything in all those garrisons even if they rush?

      Lowering the gold so we do not feel we need to log in as much would do the exact opposite. I would change for a 15 minute things each day most days to a 2 hour thing each day every day. No thank you.

      I say leave gold as it is, if someone wants to take full advantage of it, more power to them and if someone wants to be lazy and not log in all of them, like me, it is my choice.

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  5. I thought it was a decent q&a until he got to the part about class balance, which is the part I thought you'd jump on.

    So apparently it's alright to have a worst spec for a class, as long as there isn't a best spec? And screw you, arms warriors and survival hunters (and brew masters in 6.2), ability pruning actually didn't go far enough. Because apparently rotations aren't supposed to be engaging?
    It all left a very bad taste in my mouth, and a reminder that WOW is a long way down the Blizz totem pole these days with all their best designers assigned to overwatch and heroes.

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    1. I have a post with that in mind, but it is not solely about class balance, but game balance in general and how they handle it. Basically the idea that "its okay for this class to be bad for a while". I was not thrilled with that.

      Yes, a spec always has to be the worst of the three for a DPS class, but that does not mean it has to be horrible and it sucks that they always use the "we do not fix specs mid expansion" excuse all the time.

      I'll get to that in time. I write about whatever strikes me to write about for the day.

      SV hunter is just like Demo lock now. They will be battling with disc priests on the DPS charts come 6.2. So it hit my class as well as locks.

      Wow is dead last on blizzard priority list now. What makes more sense. Hundreds of workers and thousands of hours to make wow or a handful of workers and a handful of hours and add more cards to heartstone and make more profit in the long run? To a business hearthstone matters 10 times more than wow does now.

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