Do you like how we know everything that’s coming out beforehand or do you hate that because it ruins the surprise? Data mining in WoW has been a thing for a very long time and at this point it pretty much gets everything correct.
Wowhead posts everything and due to data mining we know the entire patch before it comes out. Even look at the recent example how we knew almost every aspect of dragonflight before it was even announced. So when they were like “new class!” We already knew what it was going to be and the name of it. What are your guys opinions on data mining?
They aren’t the only website data-mining. It’s pretty common. I like to know what to expect in game. Makes me more eager or less eager to play different content. Like I abhor PvP. The PvP tier sets for lock have me thinking about changing my stance.
I ignore Wowhead because I don’t want everything spoiled. I don’t mind overviews that Blizz gives us like they do for zones and major changes like professions and talent system but I don’t like having the story spoiled. I also won’t watch people stream questing so I can experience it for myself.
Even without Datamining, we’d know everything beforehand because of the Alpha and Beta (and PTR for content patches). I almost wish they just did all testing internally, but I know that wouldn’t turn out well, given how buggy some launches have been even WITH large scale public testing.
I don’t mind it, especially when in a lull. Gives me something to look forward too personally. Surprises are also short lived for me so the anticipation probably helps my hype.
For Transmog coming at least I can plan ahead and think about possible combos or see what I should start farming.
I don’t mind most spoilers, since without context they don’t really mean much for me.
It was fun back in the Vanilla PTRs and TBC beta when WoW’s future was this big mystery and data mining was something that naughty technically inclined community members did, but now that WoW dev has an established pattern and big name sites data mine constantly it’s a lot less interesting.
The biggest loss is dungeons and raids being studied down to the atomic level before they even leave the PTR. It just feels crappy and makes patch day more humdrum no matter how much you’ve been ignoring datamining sites.
Personally I think the need for dungeons and raids to be perfectly tuned on patch day is questionable. I’m not sure the benefit is worth the spoileryness of it all, and the bumps and sharp edges of raids that haven’t been on a PTR make world firsts less of a plain sprint and make them more interesting by putting the “cutting” into “cutting edge”.
Personally who cares? I can read the last 5 pages of a book or watch the last 5 minutes of a movie and “know” what happens.
If you really want to know and that’s fun for you then you’re likely the type who wants a friend to tell them how a book/movie ends before vesting your time.
To me that negates the experience, for others I guess it makes them feel safe or better vested.
*** SPOILER ALERT ***
One day you will die, and will quite possibly have many regrets.
I like seeing the new models and sets, gets me hyped for the expansion and allows me to plan out some goals. I ignore all the story posts, which Accolonn refuses to do then goes on a rage on stream at blizz for not encrypting the entire alpha/beta. Most spoilers can be completely avoided.
I think the less we know, the better, but right now with how untrusting and cynical the playerbase is of Blizzard, I think this helps a lot with deciding factors of if people want to give the company the benefit of the doubt with DF; those who like what they see will play it, and if not, then they can choose not to play.