A Major Problem

Community General Discussion
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Hello!

I don’t normally post here, but recent events have prompted me to think about this more and more. I’ll organize it into a neat format too! Just to preface this, I’m a casual player. While I’ll do the occasional Mythic+, I’m not into PvP, or any raid higher than Normal. If someone invites me to a Heroic raid, I’ll join; but only if I know the mechanics.

Shadowlands
Do I think Shadowlands is a good expansion? Yes, and no. Yes in that there was some entertaining content, but no because of the huge gear disparity for casual players. It becomes a problem when someone struggles to get gear to the point where they just want to quit. That doesn’t solve anyone’s issues. Instead, it creates more problems. Sure, there are guilds out there that will work very hard to help members gear up. So how can this be resolved?

The solution is simple. While I’ve seen some good threads and suggestions in the Community Council, it appears the future is going to be dictated by the 1%. The Mythics raiders, top Mythic+ players, and top PvPers. 9.2 attempted to resolve this by offering gear that can be upgraded pretty far from the campaign (to the dismay of the high-end players). However, having your character completely decked out in that gear creates a problem. You now outgear LFR, but good luck getting into a Normal.

The suggestions need to come from all camps, not just one subset of players. If I knew how to resolve the issues in one go, I’d suggest it. Fact of the matter is, I do not. Which then brings me to my second point.

Community
While I can understand wanting to get from 50 to 60 as quickly as possible, everyone needs to realize that not everyone has the same set of skills. There are those who run the leveling dungeons for fun, and there are those that run them like it’s a Mythic+. Speeding through everything, pulling the entire dungeon, and then ragequitting when things don’t go their way. While I understand this isn’t something Blizzard can fix, it’s up to each of us to realize that we’re not the only ones who play. We do need to keep everyone in mind. I have a guild member who absolutely refuses to run dungeons because of this reason.

This could be partially resolved by separate queues for those who might be practicing for Mythic+, and would thus prefer a fast-paced experience. However, the downside of that is the community would then be further divided. I’m sure there are ways to create a sense of community again, but the way we’re heading isn’t the answer. More community-based activities are needed to bring everyone together again instead of being at each other’s throats.

Gearing
I touched briefly upon this in the first section. However, the gearing is absolutely abysmal. Going through Threads of Fate for what seems like the hundreth time is exhausting. You don’t gear up that much, you can’t queue for dungeons right away, and the opportunities to level-up become more and more sparse as you continue. Item Level only increases as you level, and duplicate items are abundant. Just recently, I got 5 duplicate rings from ZM, 3 duplicate chest pieces from leveling dungeons, and 2 duplicate helms.

I’m one of those players who gear up multiple specs, but even then the duplicate items are a pain, especially where rings are concerned. There is no reason why two rings with the same name can’t be equipped at the same time. I got a 110 ring and a 116 ring. I already had a 96 ring previously, but I couldn’t replace the lower item level ring with the 116 because of the Unique Equipped modifier. It did cause my average ilvl to suffer a bit because of it, as in it didn’t go up the amount it should have without the Unique Equipped modifier.

Simply remove the Unique Equipped modifier in leveling gear, and this issue would be resolved.

Conclusion
Although this whole thing may have sounded like a rant, and it partially was. This thread was the result of months upon months of thinking about the current state of WoW and what the future holds. Do I think the future looks bleak? Absolutely. As long as Blizzard continues to cater to the 1% of top-tier players, things will never improve.

A good effort was from Blizzard were the Season 4 changes and new stuff coming in that season. Unfortunately, the general consensus is “too little, too late”. I fully agree with that. The ripcord has been pulled yet again. Blizzard is struggling to come up with ways to satisfy all players of every skill level. So far, it has failed.

In short, Blizzard needs to stop listening to just the 1% and instead take feedback from everyone. The opinions of the 1% aren’t any more important than the opinions of everyone else.

Note: The “1%” represents the small subset of the player-base that Blizzard seemingly listens to more than anything else. Their suggestions are almost always implemented, but “1%” is just a figure of speech, not an actual percentage of those players.

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While yes Blizz needs to take feedback from everyone. I also don’t think they are done announcing 9.2.5 upcoming stuff. People want everything announced right away and then if it don’t get added they get mad it was even announced.

I honestly don’t get the issues people have with gearing up? I recently returned and without doing any raids or lfr I went from low 100 ilvl to 219 with barely any effort on my part.

Separate queues would lead to longer times for lfd then we have now. There would be major shortages of tanks and healers imho

I could be wrong but I thought you could do instances at 50? I honestly don’t remember at what point I was able to do them on this guy. As far as the unique items…I kinda agree with you.

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Only if you have an average item level of at least 80. So far, I’ve never been able to queue for LFD as a fresh level 50.

Thinking about it more, I do agree with this statement. I think there needs to be less of a focus on Mythic+, as it seems that’s all WoW has become. Mythic+ is a central figure, and so is most of the toxicity that came with it. I can remember when Mythic+ was only a glimmer in a designer’s eye. The game was good! People helped each other instead of this mentality that Mythic+ has bred of “I’m better than you.” While there was some competition before between players, it was never this bad.

Then again, that could be the rose-tinted glasses coming out again.

Once you get to 60, it becomes less of an issue. From 50-60, you’re showered in duplicate items, sub-par stats, and a plethora of dungeons where I’ve seen people get nothing at all. However, Blizzard has tuned itemization around max level. 1-59 is completely random and only serves to help your character progress.

With 9.2 just released, there’s tons of time for Blizzard to take feedback from everyone. Make 9.2.5 great and carry that momentum through 10.0.

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Oh that would be why I didn’t have an issue getting into instances at 50 all my guys are above 80 ilvl. I havent leveled a new toon up in a while.

Yes I agree that the focus is on M+ way too much. I don’t about the whole it caused the im better then you. I remember that kinda stuff from LK. One of the reasons I haven’t raided since I returned is I don’t like pugging any thing I have severe social anxiety and have had bad experiences when I tried m+'s. I barely do LFD without my few guild mates that still play.

I’ve never really focused on gear as I level. I just do my thing so I guess that would be why I missed the gear issue leveling up.

And yes there is time to take feedback from everyone. But a lot of people who play are like you and don’t come to the forums to voice their opinions. But finding a balance between the mythic crowd and others will take time. I don’t know if it will ever be fixed correctly.

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A level 50 who has access to an auction house that has a full complement of shadowlands crafted gear can get an ilvl of 80, though it may require a lucky world quest or two to get trinkets, which rarely come up.

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In my experience (which I’m fully aware may be different from someone else’s experience), I’ve struggled to get enough gold to even get Expert Riding before level 50. I don’t play the AH all that much while I’m leveling, so I usually don’t have that much gold by the time I hit 50. Especially if I do buy anything from the AH early on.

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Of course they are struggling, because it’s near impossible. Without trying to be rude, Blizzard is not required to cater to every skill level, or every play style. The game is more casual friendly than ever, however that’s not the reason subs have dwindled since Wrath.

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Like I said, it depends on the auction house how much gear costs and whether it is even available. The faster you level, the less gold you have. New characters of mine on a new realm usually go without faster flying.

This is your opinion, not a fact.

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I found and find gearing up to and past I-level 200 difficult, I’ve done it on my hunter, and I have barley broken past 200 on my DK and Mage being that I don’t really play a Main as most think of it, I like to play multiple classes.
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Blizz, has in some ways made the shadowlands expansion alt friendly and, in most ways made it horrid … the soulbound designation for example , I understand it was added to stop sales of gear in the AH … but account bound would do that too ,while allowing one Alt to help another on the same account.
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as for unique equipted … I hate it … again I understand that it was added to prevent stat and proc stacking , but a little programing would do that too.
duplicate un-equip-able items could also be solved by allowing a short pick list of items when you loot a boss, so you can at least have a chance of getting something you need …instead of a duplicate item that is merchant fodder.
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I agree that Blizzard needs to listen to the entire paying player base , maybe send out more Mass in game mail surveys ? with more open ended questions and answers to pick from ? not like the last one that gave a slanted question and just two choices … so they would only see what they wanted to see.

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It’s absolutely a fact. Don’t mistake casual friendly with alt friendly.
I’m not going to bother listing all the reasons why it’s proven to be more casual friendly, because if you still think it’s not, no facts I put forward will change your mind.

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Nope. The only thing that’s a fact is that you are claiming your opinion is a fact.

You have no “proof” whatever that it is “casual friendly”. Removal, trivialization, and degrading of what was casual content, removal of alternate methods of gearing up, and things like making it harder for levelers to get gear are all part and parcel of your belief system which is divorced from reality.

Spoken like a true elitist who never met a casual and has avoided socializing with anyone who might burst your bubble.

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Wow, you’re incredibly aggressive. Bad day at work? I’ll forgive you.
I’m far from elitist, but once again, I’m not going to explain my casual gameplay to you, because you’ve already assumed I’m not, based on your opinion, passing it as fact. Maybe run a hot bath.

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I’m not aggressive at all. You’re lying or you are so clueless you have no idea what a casual is and how they play.

Based on your claim that the game is incredibly casual friendly despite less way to gear up and less casual content.

You have no “proof” that removing casual content and ways to gear up has made the game more “casual friendly”. Perhaps you’re one of those who post that casuals should be deliriously happy to have pointless chores to do to fill their time.

The fact that you can’t even describe what you claim is your “casual playstyle” is very telling.

Maybe you should. Most neckbeards could use a shower.

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Ok boss :joy:

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That’s true. However, the balance still needs to be there between the high-end players and the casual players. I’ve seen changes that leaned more towards the high-end crowd than the casual crowd.

Required? No. However, it would be in their best interest to balance the game around a variety of playstyles and skill levels. Do I think gear should be given freely? Absolutely not. There has to be some work done, but the progression path should be different.

9.1 did this with the Korthia gear. The high-end crowd was very upset because they wanted the higher item level stuff to be exclusive to them. Fortunately, the same system of upgrading open world PvE content carried through to 9.2; with the same results, unfortunately.

A perfect example was Zereth Mortis. Originally there was a lot more to do, which was then scaled back before launch. The reason? People complained there was too much content. Now, there’s too little content. Pretty much the same people are complaining over again. I will acknowledge that in some cases, the same person didn’t complain about both. It did and still does happen occasionally though.

In my opinion, that’s why Blizzard probably stopped taking everyone’s opinion into account and focused on one group of players. I think Dummybump said it best though:

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