Hi, I’m Zetox
(Preface: I wrote this post before Blizzard announced Spell Batching and am deciding to post it today to encourage recreation of the original system.)
I’m writing this to you Blizzard, WoW Classic Development Team, and WoW community because the most important issue in World of Warcraft for me has and always will be Spell Batching. My love for of World of Warcraft has been because of the rhythmic feel within the game that gives you an experience akin to playing a musical instrument. As a musician myself, the timing of the way controlling your character, outplaying opponents, and practicing how to achieve a victory through creative means has always excited me. That is until Spell Batching as it was originally formulated was removed from the game. As many players have heard of or become confused as to what Spell Batching means, how it affects gameplay, and what it provides. I figured that providing the community with a post to help clarify and explore those things would prove useful and helpful as well as giving clear consideration for the consequences of not restoring it.
First, in this post I will share with you exactly what it is and why it is required. Secondly, I will provide to provide three reasons for restoration. Finally, I will present three reasons each on how it affects both PvP and PvE. In this post, many of you will learn things in my post that will help you understand the gravity and weight of the consequences for not restoring the original version of Spell Batching that we once loved and adored which was ingame in different iterations until Cataclysm, Mists, and completely gone in Warlords Expansions.
What is [Spell Batching?
Spell batching is the function that the game uses for processes the timing of spells. Yes, it affects the timing for anything done to your target through any damage, healing, aura, interrupt, knockback, etc. Spells were processed every server tick around 400ms in what programmers call ‘batches’ instead of in real time dynamic latency 1ms-10ms as it does currently. For this reason Spell Batching is not only significant PvP as is primarily thought but it affects PvE because of everything it changes the timing in the way damage is dealt, heals are received, potions are used, and most importantly how interrupts are received. Because of this vast nature for all this spell timing; there are various types of interactions occur at with a multitude of spells in conjunction with one another all possible because how the Original Spell Batching system was made. Now that you know what it does, why is this required for World of Warcraft Classic to succeed?
Why is it required?
The most significant reason why Original Spell Batching is required for World of Warcraft: Classic to succeed is because the gameplay was created and founded on the system.
The integral systems of balance, complexity for classes, skillcap as a whole, experience in evaluating min/maxing, and progression for understanding how to play your character are embedded and intertwined in it. Below are my main 3 reasons for restoring the Original Spell Batching functionality & 3 video examples.
3 reasons for restoration of Original Spell Batching:
- Maintains the core component of skill, control, and rhythm embedded within all player gameplay in World of Warcraft.
- Enhances progression of personal class nuance development that lays at the foundation for the rest of WoW history.
- Strengthens potential for all new exciting interactions to occur that are flavorful, fun, and unique at an essential level for players to experience at every level of the game from the casual to the most hardcore.
Now that you know the 3 most important reasons for keeping the integrity of World of Warcraft: Classic successful and intact. Let’s move to talking about 3 separate reasons for both PvP and PvE functionality that rely on the correct implementation of the Original Spell Batching system. How does it affect you while you’re in a dungeon or raid? How does it affect you while in a battleground or duel? Even better; how does it affect you in World PvP when both systems collide? Let’s explore.
What does Spell Batching affect gameplay?
**Everything. Time influences combat at deepest degree.
How it affects PvP:
- Every global from the start to finish of every PVP interaction on any target (because targets are mostly moving). Pressing abilities with spell batching means that the game feels a lot LESS like a button masher destroying your keyboard in that every 1ms loss of timing keypress your skill diminishes; and more like a pendulum where the significance is about timing the alignment in GCD rhythm rather then a demolition of your keyboard.
- Any Y+X Axis movement can be altered in such a way that your character will gain or lose ground based upon when you use the spell. In the original system movement dramatically allows for flexibility of the player to gain a more precise and nuanced control of their character permanently.
- Extreme shrink, diminish, and decrease in possibility for creative outplay capacity via millisecond to millisecond timing of CC strategy. Waiting to use spells like blink or intercept because of your opponent potentially countering you with another mechanic say gouge or vanish in the same second is what gives way to the limitless outcomes Spell Batching provides.
How it affects PvE:
- Damage done while moving improves your advantage to avoid aoe function based mechanics versus standing still. You gain an advantage to all mechanics (EX: rain of fire or fear) while being able to move and jump WHILE doing damage; whereas without Spell Batching proper you do not.
- Healing done is strategical altered dependent upon your current target’s mitigation and attacker’s damage potential within overhealing estimation range. Situations where a healer is pursuing a reduction in overhealing versus keeping a tank alive must consider the batching for the opponents swing timer/spells/abilities.
- Interrupts are received such that choosing to do damage or interrupt is of risk/reward decision making importance; whereas with no batching that choice is null. Depending on player/mob timing pre-kicking spells is a viable; and also choosing to damage during a cast instead of properly waiting will result in a wipe (aka Kelthuzad).
It is my hope is that with this information, analysis, and overview of the integral significance of the Original formulation of Spell Batching that the World of Warcraft: Classic development team will take these details into consideration as the restoration continues for a game that has changed my life for the better, and as most importantly as the most significant MMO in history we all love and cherish.
Best Regards,
Zetox
Contact me on Discord at Zetox#1233 or Battlenet: at Zetox#11230 or on zetoxxd
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