The entirety of this post could be summarized in the title.
As we approach the month of March and with it the beginning of spring it has become apparent to the dedicated few that still hold out hope that we will likely not be playing classic this summer. My reasoning for believing this is that there simply would not be enough time for testing. (And I’d imagine Activision would like to launch a sizable marketing campaign, given this is going to release in the middle of an expansion which in the past generally represents a lower sub count than beginning and end of expansions)
Unless, there has been what I would deem significant internal testing I don’t think we would even want you guys to rush this out this summer.
None-the-less every time I search for information regarding this project all I find is frustrated players (such as myself) reminding one another that all we can do is sit here and wait.
I’m not naive enough to be asking for an update from blizzard. I wholeheartedly believe that their team is working their tails off to get this content to us as quickly as possible. But what I would be curious to hear: a community discussion on how the gamer/developer power dynamic became skewed to leave the players feeling powerless, frustrated, and muted.
Perhaps there is an internal stigma that World of Warcraft is too big to fail?
I’ll be curious to hear your posts assuming this isn’t too anti-Activision to be purged.
Hopefully one day we will be recognized as players, not payers.
[Removed by Forum Moderator for language.], but it really comes down to the “I want it now” generation. It is a thing–look it up.
It is unfortunate for companies such as Blizzard because their product is such that they cannot find ways to cater to the current “i want it now” generation. Check out “The Mythical Man Month”.
This “Power Dynamic” is really just people who have grown up spoiled, getting everything instantly, and having no idea how to go be productive while they wait for toys they want. For instance, I am going through some Microsoft tests and C# books to get some certifications so I can relax and play when it comes out.
The thing is that they can’t answer questions until they have a definitive answer. You are asking question to which they don’t have definitive answers to. People asking when its coming out, if they gave a date and people took time off work then a month before launch they were like “Ohhh sorry, were pushing it back a week” that would piss alot of people off. Plus they don’t want to discourage people with certain answers and are trying to not deter people from being hyped for it.
Trust me I want answers to alot of the above questions too, but I under stand why they can’t answer questions until they have things set in stone.
Make decisions, explain the rationale and own them. They will get more flack if it is all unveiled at once in an already released game. For the mean time they can at the very least acknowledge the major questions. I mean have they at least acknowledged the overwhelming desire for earlier AV, for example?
I am less concerned about when, as much as I am what it will consist of.
I never had hope, so there isn’t much to disappoint me. Adapting classic to modern architecture isn’t an easy task with a small team, so I’ll be grateful if we get to experience something acceptable within 2019, which they’re still shooting for.
Just remember lack of communication and strategic communication are different things even though they may appear the same to us on the receiving end. Thing is they won’t state something things not set in stone because they will be persecuted for it if they end up changing their mind later for whatever reason.
What if they said they would use old AV, then later they state they are running into issues with it and going to use new AV instead atleast for the time being, that or they say they are going to delay launch to complete that portion. Some may say take your time, other may say they want the game now even if it means they get new AV instead. Then they split the player base and cause a divide in the community.
i think you maybe worrying too much about this. Remember, this isn’t a brand new game. While testing does need to be done on certain things, there is other stuff that doesn’t need tested because that was done on original release.
I think you are just being anxious for release. They could be well into alpha now, and since they don’t need to announce when beta starts, that could happen in days for all we know.
We will likely see it released during summer, the thing is I don’t think Activision considers Classic as anything else than a minor sideproject.
They are likely not expecting it to be any kind of large scale success story and thus consider it as just an easy additional side revenue.
It likely won’t have much of an advertising campaign and it’s just going to be released in relative silence.
You guys really are just balls of anxiety aren’t you? Who says they will need any outside testing? If they even do who says they needs months of data? Maybe they only need a month of testing, maybe a week, no one knows. They have literally 0 new systems to test, they have 0 new values to test, everything is already setup for them and IF they needed any testing it would 100% just be bug testing. During the legion beta demon hunters were changed CONSTANTLY because they were wayyyyy too overpowered, something like this literally needs no testing in classic.
Perhaps I was unclear. Yes, knowing what they will ultimately go with would be fine but that was not the point of my post. I specifically italicized the word “acknowledge” multiple times. If no concrete information is available, acknowledging player questions and desires will suffice. Silence is not golden in this case.
There most likely are some things they just don’t know yet. As was said above having to recant statements later could be more damaging than just not saying anything. However there is a lot they do know and they could share. Such as the question of whether or not there will be a beta.
How much beta testing do you think they would need? I’m thinking they could sort things out in less than a month, which means they could release beta in late July and still launch by the end of summer (assuming they mean northern-hemisphere-summer and aren’t getting cheeky to launch in late December and say it’s “summer 2019” in Australia…).
I feel ya, though – I would like them to announce some sort of tentative schedule, and not the Soon™ crap they think is still cuter than it never actually was.
I don’t think beta testing is going to hold them up. Does anyone think they need 6 months of beta testing and summer is already out of reach if they don’t launch beta tomorrow?
i recall, before the advent of the internet, having to wait 4 years or thereabouts for each new star wars film in the original triology, which was star wars: episode IV, a new hope, star wars: episode V, the empire strikes back, and star wars: episode VI, return of the jedi.
the fans would scan the store magazine and fanzine shelves for any glimmer of information…for 4 years between a new hope and empire, and 4 years between empire and jedi. it was all very hush hush, almost excruciating.
this classic wait seems a lot better… i just have to keep telling myself–it could be worse.
I was too busy playing with my Star Wars action figures and having them taken by my teachers, never to be seen again. (In hindsight the jerks are probably making bank on them and my Micronauts if they didn’t 86 them)