I have this nagging feeling that expansions in WoW is slowly killing the game. I'll try to explain:
When playing the original WoW, pre Burning Crusade, we all knew that 60 was the level cap and reaching that would make it possible to go into the raid instances. Gear upgrade was slow.
Then BC landed. In a couple of days (hours for some) they had exchanged every last piece of equipment to Outland greens. All work pre-BC was more or less for naught - if you look at the game gear wise. The good experiences lingered though (I still remember taking down Onyxia and meeting Ragnaros)
In Outland we where going for 70 asap. We all knew that instance loot in Hellfire Citadel or Coilfang was just a step on the way. Many even didn't enter the mid 60 instances before trying heroics (which is a huge mistake as all know who tried heroics with someone that hasn't done the regular).
For me, a medium fast leveller, I reached 70 and made all of the instances, but no raid content, before the news of WotLK released.
A friend of mine had grinded for money a lot to be able to make his tailor set (Frozen shadoweave). He got a bit pissed. "Why the hell did I do all this work when in a couple of months it will be all for nothing?" he asked me.
The only good answer I could come up with was: "But you must be playing for now also!?"
Investing in WoW
Somewhere here I got a bit concerned. If we should be inspired to try to get better and better equipment we need to feel the investment (of time) is worth the outcome (of gear) in accordance to its longevity (time to update making it obsolete).
I think this might be more of a problem for casual gamers. If playing time is scarse (like mine) and I have 12 months before next expansion makes gear outdated I don't want to put 6 of these months into getting ok gear for early raid content. The investment doesn't pay off enough.
Then we have the arena season gear and the discussion of welfare epics which makes it even more complicated. (For those not into this discussion it is about that the Season 1 gear is available for honor, which makes grinding Alterac Valley the best way to get great gear. For dps the S1 gear is on par with heroics/Karazhan gear).
Time over execution
Now it might feel like I am whining about my gear not being good enough and it takes too long time to get it. Well I am ;) No not really. The thing I think is the problem here is that WoW is extremely concentrated on gear improvement. All the avenues on getting good gear is more or less about the time you invest in the game. This might seem offensive to say, but I don’t mean that all are unskilled that have good gear - but admit that you met your fair share of real asshats with really great gear? =)
Maybe this is a better way to put it. Playing little but good gets you ok gear. Playing a lot but quite badly gets you better gear.
Since this is a tanking blog mostly I just ask you to remember all the times in a PuG with some real stupid party/raid member that you more or less ask not to mess things up and are glad if he’s on auto shot (yeah I'm talking to you huntard =) ).
Conclusion?
Hrmm, I got a bit sidetracked here. But my point is: Since WoW is such a gear improvement orientated game, too short intervals between making that earned gear obsolete (welfare epics or new level caps) makes it less interesting to play the game.
If the focus could shift towards skill this wouldn’t be that much of a problem.
One thing to take into account is the difference between vertical vs. horizontal advancement in a game. Vertical is things orientated on getting you onwards, horizontal is stuff that improves the experince on your actual level without increasing the ability to progress. Vertical orientated games are more addicitive (new fixes/gear) and WoW is one of them.
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I agree with what you've written mostly, but not completely. Everything you've done GEAR related will become "for naught" simply because Northend greens will just be better gear (for the most part).
But as you mentioned, the experiences lingered.
I'm a casual 70 and I will never see Sunwell Plateau, let alone Black Temple. But I'm doing all the quests regardless to make some money to maybe update my great. It's a more personal upgrade - look at what I accomplished!
I do see how hardcore raiders would be frustrated with the oncoming expansion, but what I've heard is that your blues and purples last awhile in the newer world, making the first few levels just that much easier.
Agree about the acomplishment. That is your own - always.
I think the biggest thing about the race is that you are almost never on the same level as your mates. Which means ganging up with them is mostly a mercy mission by one or the other. This works the same way with gear. A new 70 gannging up with BT geared 70s really dont need to do much - except avoiding getting killed.
This is a paradox in the game. It is ment to be a social game - but the game mechanics prevents you from being soical and having the most fun at the same time. Since having fun is much about being challenged and overcoming it.
For hardcore gamers this isnt that much of a problem since they have about the same gear. But me and my frinds have that constant problem. They play a lot more than me - which makes em over geared compared to me.
This is probably a double trouble for me thats wants to tank. The tanks gear kind of sets the level of competition possible to face.
I understand your position on this as I felt a bit cheated myself when BC came out and all this hard work was obliterated.
The conclusion that I've come to is that the game isn't about the gear, it's about the experiences. I still relish the memories of razergore and every bit of gear farming was totally worth that kill. The gear is just the mode of transportation toward the ability to kill the boss.
My favorite fights are the ones that require skill more than gear, ie: shade of aran when BC was just out and we'd just hit 70.
Hope I am not stomping on your post I really do enjoy reading your stuff.
I agree with you totally that it is a waste. That's why I cancelled my wow subscription.
I am bitter about wasted time, wasted gear, wasted honor points, wasted arena points, wasted badges of justice.
They need to make an exapnsion does leverages old content; makes it richer and more diverse instead of abandnoning it.
great post man :)
in WoW process itself is more than result.
Don't 'invest' in computer game that you even don't own (read license) and you will not get screwed up when virtual fantasy world changes.
Join some RP guild. Those can be hell-o-lot-of-fun, but overlooked by lot of people.
IMHO Blizz enforces rapid gear changes because people like shopping (not buying, but looking for best thing from lot of options) - oh, yea, I want that new blinky-pinky, I have to sit for 50hrs at computer playing their monthly subscription based game to get that, no probs, I must, its important to me.
Is it? no really, is it? :)
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