It’s funny how a well formatted post is suddenly written off as ai these days.
I found it very survival game / sandbox like. Usually in retail it’s all about daily goal, or weekly goal, AoE stuff down efficiently as possible, routine etc. Classic on the other hand felt like I was playing some survival sandbox game. It was more about what I want to do today, what aspect of my existence in the world can I dedicate this evening to.
I felt very nostalgic, yeah. Logging on felt like I was going back in time at first, certainly while I was still levelling through Elwynn Forest. I think I spent almost a week in the Elwynn, just slowly levelling, starting professions, fishing. It all felt suddenly so meaningful in classic, that it refueled the passion for the game in me.
I really like the feeling of “togetherness” that classic has even from level 1. Levelling is a big part of the game and every moment of it feels like you in solidarity with everyone who is levelling somewhere in the world currently.
The slow pace of it and power of enemies makes it worth to stop grinding XP and go out of your way to do important spell quest line, or level profession up to your level, do some cooking. Again, that kind of survival sandbox feeling where “what do i do now” is a question that has many viable answers.
Another very important thing is that end game ceiling is low and withing normal player reach. There are no raid difficulties, no M+ levels. When you finish that Molten Core run, you know it’s the very same Molten Core that everyone runs, and you get the very same gear. It’s easy, but not boring. There’s just two extra tiers of gear on top of that, so even if you don’t do anything besides it, you still feel pretty successful. Average Joe can feel they have a shot at getting pretty high and meaningful progress.
I think the modern game is fine in the direction that it chose to go. Even myself, sometimes I don’t have time for classic, but I still want that WoW game experience, and I play retail. It’s hard to blame devs, because they do serve the target audience.
I am, but much less so that in the past. I feel like I’ve seen it all. I remember I used to look forward to older Blizzcon. I didn’t even had a wish list, I just wanted to see the exciting announcement and how the game will change. It wasn’t until WoD where I suddenly started having wishlists.
I do however feel that Dragonflight was generally a big step in the right direction. Me from 4 years ago would’ve loved it. I think I just burned out on the state of the game in previous two expansions and that’s why I play much less these days. I have some wishes for further improvements, but I can’t decide whether they will make the game better, or I’m just lazy to play it.
I think it did. Shadowlands for example, was very big on RP choice and player agency with locked Covenant choice, and PvP gear that was very much about gear power. But I don’t think it’s a very successful strategy, because retail and classic are completely opposite experiences. One is all about the goal, and the other is all about the journey. So what makes classic, is considered chores or time gating in retail.
I think Dragonflight is their realization that it was mistake. DF detached itself from classic paradigms.
I think there should be nostalgia, but for the cost of modern game design. What works in classic doesn’t necessarily work in retail.
I don’t think so actually. I think MMOs these days don’t attack new playersю People I talk to IRL play other types of games, much more instant “quick play” ones, without commitment. So in order to attack new players WoW needs to essentially stop being itself and alienate current veteran playerbase. So it’s tough.
I think WoW can make a better job of making players feel a part of community again, feel “togetherness”. Retail feels like the community is only on the very top. The community is only in gladiator range in PvP, or high M+. And when you’re below that, you just feel alone and meaningless.
Partially it’s because internet brings up cream of the cream. It was much easier in the past to take things immediately around you for granted. Nowadays best of the best is readily on display.
Maybe they can use some ai magic and bring players together. Like, “sounds like you both enjoy the same content and play at the same level, maybe you should add each other to friends?”. Or, “these are the currently open groups that seem close to your playstyle and skill level, would you like to join?”.
Because, for me personally, the biggest barrier of social interaction in retail WoW is that I just assume everybody is an alt of some hyper mythic raider or gladiator, because that’s all who’s left, and they’re going to be annoyed with me. Many others people probably feel the opposite that most other players are trolls.
Some sort of reputable gauge of who the person is what is their playstyle would be nice.