We Fly Spitfires – MMORPG Blog

Expect to see this box on the shelves of game stores as soon as 2011

I’ve been getting frustrated with Cataclysm lately. Not with the actual gameplay (because I’m not in the beta and haven’t even tried the darn thing yet) but because I’m being constantly teased with information about it and having it’s pixelated bosom waved in front of my face at every opportunity. It feels like the game is wearing some sort of virtual chastity belt, inviting us to look but not touch. Highly infuriating.

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"Gee willikers mister, this motorbike sure is fast! I can't wait to reach your love lair!"

So. 8 months after first experiencing World of Warcraft my brother has quit the game. He sent round a rather ranty email to myself and another mutual WoW friend on Saturday detailing his gripes about all of the other inhabitants of Azeroth. Apparently he was fed up of being insulted by random strangers, PUGers who constantly threw “hissy fits”, and people who call you a chicken if you don’t accept their invitation to a dual. After checking that his character wouldn’t be wiped when he unsubscribed (he’s still a noob at heart, bless ‘im), he cancelled his monthly subscription citing the reason as “other players are immature assholes’”. Smooth.

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Time travel is only one of my many hobbies

According to this screenshot that my brother sent me, I haven’t logged into World of Warcraft for 41 years. Rather impressive consider neither I nor WoW were around in the 60s.

Dear Blizzard, to discover the perpetrator of this bug simply look for the coder who recently received the entire series of Quantum Leap on DVD and is currently reading any H.G. Wells novel.

-Gordon McFly

Warrior talents. Now with 50% less fluff and 75% less choice.

My first experience with a talent system was back in 2001 when SOE introduced the Alternative Advancement concept with the Shadows of Luclin expansion for Everquest. I never got a chance to experience AAs until later in my EQ career as it was only accessible to high level characters (I was too busy starting feline alts and mooing over the new graphics engine to reach the level cap at the time) but I always got the impression that it was designed more as a way to extend player progression rather than anything else. Over time the AA system evolved, became more intricate, and soon found it’s way into other MMOs in one form or another.

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Sometimes you get those rare PuGs in which bears dance. Treasure them.

I’ve noticed a bit of an odd trend in WoW PuGs recently – everyone I meet is afraid to be friendly. Notice I said ‘afraid’ and not unwilling or unable. I’m no psychologist it’s true (please don’t tell the veterans hospital where I moonlight on the weekends), but the lack kinship that’s occurring seems to be more than just plain rude manners or late of netiquette. In fact, I think it boils down to players being a) reluctant to form lasting relationships because they know that they’ll probably never see any of the other party member’s again and b) they’re scared they’ll be insulted or derided if they come out of their shell too much. It’s all a rather sad state of affairs.

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Real ID: Making stalking more rewarding than ever before

As a lot of sites are reporting at the moment, Real ID has hit Battle.net and will be coming to World of Warcraft very shortly in it’s next patch. For those of you that aren’t familiar with it, it’s basically a cross-game chat system that lets you keep in touch with, well, anyone you want to really (provided they’re playing either WoW or Starcraft 2… for now). Initial reaction seems to be quite negative as folk aren’t very keen on the idea of fellow players finding out their real names (Real ID is linked completely to your Human Name and has nothing to do with character name or nickname) or tracking them wherever they go. I don’t blame them.

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Take a long, last look at these talents before they're obliterated

[Warning: contains mild spoilers about Priest talents in Cataclysm]

Leveling up healers in MMOs is usually pretty tough going. They are, after all, designed to heal which is not a very helpful mechanic for trying to solo and I’ve often wondered why so many designers insist on flooding healers with dozens of heals at low levels but few ways of defending themselves and inflicting damage. Surely it would make more sense to start off with fewer heals and more damage and then slowly acquire more and more healing abilities as one progresses?

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