Feedback: Epic Battlegrounds

[Jarawana-zuljin]

I will say that whenever Epic queues pop super fast for me, it’s almost always to be a backfill in Wintergrasp because someone quit right at the start. Nobody’s either winning or losing yet. Probably indicates something.

[Edgeboi-arthas]

We’re modifying the scaling in the zone to make creatures more difficult for players at high item-levels.

What’s the point of playing this game if anytime you become more powerful the enemies do as well?

What a stupid change from a stupid game. Wow.

[Jugajr-emerald-dream (Jugajr)]

What’s the point of playing this game if anytime you become more powerful the enemies do as well?

The point of AV is not to outgear it and kill the boss with two towers up.

[Tsataga-whisperwind (Tsataga)]

I’m actually impressed with the stated attacking /defensive spread given.

[Gdtroll-illidan (Gdtroll)]

Some random ideas that just crossed my mind…

1 An easy improvement for AV would be to simply make it so the little “insignia” teleport trinkets “scale” with your character’s level in the same way that heirlooms do. This would encourage more casuals to actually wear them/use them. More players actually using these teleport trinkets could make for some interesting games

2 The various Alterac Valley quest-giver NPCs located in Hillsbrad Foothills should also be present inside the bg itself in my opinion. Just put them right there in the starting cave or something… even Wintergrasp has it’s quest-giver NPCs right there in the starting zone. This would encourage casuals to get their teleport trinket, actually focus on objectives, etc.

A lot of casuals are simply too lazy to manually fly out to Hillsbrad Foothills and manually track down the quest-giver NPCs, so most players just never do those quests. Having battleground quest-givers located way out “in the middle of nowhere” is just out-dated in 2019, it’s bad design considering the laziness of your average WoW casual.

[Jarawana-zuljin]

I’m actually impressed with the stated attacking /defensive spread given.

I wish Reflex distinguished attack or defense. Probably be fairly easy to do if the keeps have their own subzone ID # (and I’m guessing they do).

[Tsataga-whisperwind (Tsataga)]

I hadn’t considered that until now, but yeah that would be nice.

[Beefmaster-earthen-ring]

Ive really enjoyed playing Wintergrasp again. But it feels really long. Defense could knock the towers down and be sitting around for 15 minutes waiting for the battle to end.

[Bynir-dragonblight (Bynir)]

Is it though? I’ve gotten into AV’s with no tank (or worse, one tank and he thinks he should be southern defense), and they don’t let you switch specs. So I had to step up and it can be pretty dicey.

Yes it is. These NPCs are supposed to be generals of an army and the finale of a 40-man battleground, not a trash NPC anyone can tank.

I appreciate that there may not be a tank (though I can count the amount of times that has happened to me on one hand) but by the point you reach the general and he is in a killable state, you have destroyed all the towers and potentially the captain, so victory isn’t far off even if you don’t kill the general.

[Bynir-dragonblight (Bynir)]

What’s the point of playing this game if anytime you become more powerful the enemies do as well?

What a stupid change from a stupid game. Wow.

You are not supposed to outgear the NPCs in a PvP battleground when those NPCs are the objective. The games play much better when it requires teamwork to take them out rather than them being wet noodles.

These are good changes.

[Wolfnore-emerald-dream (Wolfnore)]

Current Bugs in Epic Battlegrounds:
- note: these issues are happening even when add-ons are turned off.

Please see below for recurring issues in-game for myself, and many others when participating in Epic Battlegrounds.

• The game client will randomly crash when a player builds a tank / vehicle in the Epic BG Wintergrasp, and Isle of Conquest. It happened a few days ago on my Goblin Hunter while in the Wintergrasp Epic BG .
• The second issue happened again last night after my tank was destroyed my camera kept turning uncontrollably 90 degrees. Note : /reload ui seems to correct the issue, but is NOT a permanent fix.
• Last night the third issue happened after I went back to build another tank / vehicle the catapult would not launch the projectile (note: this issues happens for tanks, and turrets). This issue has happened in every vehicle / tank at some point this expansion, and past expansions. Another note to this same issue is I saw a tank abandoned on the battle field, went inside it and the abilities did not work. My guess is the other player had the same issue, and left the tank. This happened multiple times last night. I would run up to a tank that was just sitting in the field of battle, and once inside the abilities did not work. Mainly the “1” ability. I tried using my mouse, and then my keyboard “1” key, but the projectile from the catapult would not fire, nor was an error message provided while hitting the “1” ability button.

These bugs happen in every Epic BG where there are vehicles / turrets.

[Jarawana-zuljin]

Is it though? I’ve gotten into AV’s with no tank (or worse, one tank and he thinks he should be southern defense), and they don’t let you switch specs. So I had to step up and it can be pretty dicey.

Yes it is. These NPCs are supposed to be generals of an army and the finale of a 40-man battleground, not a trash NPC anyone can tank.

I appreciate that there may not be a tank (though I can count the amount of times that has happened to me on one hand) but by the point you reach the general and he is in a killable state, you have destroyed all the towers and potentially the captain, so victory isn’t far off even if you don’t kill the general.

Maybe, but good luck herding cats and getting them to leave him. That said, I do take all the defensive talents when I’m in there (or skill book em in if no tank). Guardian affinity, ironfeather, increased bear healing, etc. Not sure if any DPS can be better equipped to impromptu tank than I am when I am in there.

I do agree that the towers should be a requirement, but not necessarily that the generals need to be Dynasty Warriors-esque supermen.

[Jarawana-zuljin]

We’ve been monitoring Wintergrasp closely, and have been pleased to find that win rates for defense and offense are quite even

What are the early leaving rates looking like? I keep getting in as a backfill in Wintergrasps, so I would assume that the /afk rate is quite high. Is the quit rate considered when you judge engagement and satisfaction?

[Tomten-arygos (Tomten)]

A toy that allows us to teleport back to the keep woukd be appreciated.

I still have (and use) my Frostwolf Insignia Rank 6 (iLevel 58).

I believe the Alliance version is called Stormpike Insignia Rank 6.

Are these no longer obtainable?

[Nitrolatte-emerald-dream]

I haven’t used one since classic. It used to take up a trinket slot. Not sure if it still does. Just make it easier on everyone and make it a toy?

[Tomten-arygos (Tomten)]

I haven’t used one since classic. It used to take up a trinket slot. Not sure if it still does.

It does.
Swap it, activate it, land back at keep, swap it back.
At least that’s how I do it. Not hard doesn’t take long.

That said, making it a toy, or even making the ability available as an enchant would be much more convenient.

[Gdtroll-illidan (Gdtroll)]

I will say that whenever Epic queues pop super fast for me, it’s almost always to be a backfill in Wintergrasp because someone quit right at the start. Nobody’s either winning or losing yet. Probably indicates something.

It might be me that’s causing you get dropped into some of those “in progress” Wintergrasp games that you mention, I just don’t stick around LOL

I’ll put in a good effort for the first game (if WG pops as the first bg of the night), but if WG pops a 2nd or 3rd time (or god forbid a 4th time) it’s pretty much an insta-afk out from me

To my fellow Hordies that are regularly getting backfilled into all these WG games, I’m sorry guys!

And yes, it does indicate something… because it’s pretty rare for me to get backfilled into say, Isle of Conquest. Obviously a lot of casuals don’t have the patience for WG, don’t like it, or both… so we’re seeing lots of early leavers/ragequits on both sides (both Horde and Alliance).

[Dosao-bonechewer (Dosao)]

We’re modifying the scaling in the zone to make creatures more difficult for players at high item-levels

Creatures include the bosses too ?

[Tomten-arygos (Tomten)]

Obviously a lot of casuals don’t have the patience for WG, don’t like it, or both…

Well I haven’t AFKed out of it, but it is my least favorite of the epics for the same reason I rarely do those Island things anymore; I play resto and feel like healing, while not completely useless like in Islands, isn’t needed like in the other BGs.

I guess I’ll always be Infantry (Queen of battle follow me !) not Armor or Artillery.
https://imgur.com/ZzOMMw8

[Aerîth-tichondrius]

We’ve been monitoring Wintergrasp closely, and have been pleased to find that win rates for defense and offense are quite even, with a less-than-5% advantage for defenders.

I hope Blizzard is looking in to win rates between Alliance and Horde.
I’m sure they have data.