Pandas rock!
I hear there is still a lot of QQ out there. I don’t know why. Anyone that thinks they are ripping off a pop culture movie is not paying attention. Are there parallels? Sure. So. freaking. what? I mean really, who cares. For those that want to QQ about pokemon? Yeah you are stupid. No, really. Pokemon was not some big unique standalone idea. small collectable fighting critters is a whole subgenera of anime, manga, and now american cartoons too. Heck TRANSFORMERS had overtones of collectable things that fight. The toy industry has been pushing that format for decades. Why? Because it SELLS. People really like collecting nifty things and then making them duke it out. Is it SO shocking that Bliz would do that too? What the eff did you want them to do with mini-pets? A pet grooming mini game? Teach them tricks and have little dog shows? Dress them up in tu-tus and have dance fights? Hey if you want silly and cutesy this WoP new feature is NOT it. It could be much much worse.
And as for Pandas… if you think they are too cute for WOW my friend has something to say to you:
BITE ME
Have you SEEN the art they put out? Those pandas are BAD ASS. No really. Seriously BAD ASS. These are not pandas you want to hug. They are not pandas making cute faces and witty comebacks while a Lemur slaps them around. WoW did not rip off that movie. That movie ripped off Warcraft III. Really. It was in this IP first. No one tells Blizzard what they can’t do with their own ideas. And Bliz always does it best. They have Pandarian Sholin monks, Panda ku-fu swordsman, Panda samurai, Panda ninjas. Panda. Freaking. NINJAS! That is going to be beyond awesome. If you want silly and not threatening looking, go check out Draenei, or BElfs. Speaking of which, did you know that they were actually planning to put Panderans in for the BC expansion but changed their minds? Yeah this is not a new idea.
And it is a good thing they did not put them in then for BC because now they get get their own continent and get it done right. That place looks amazing! I can’t wait to explore it.
I loved pretty much everything I saw at Blizcon.
Talents! Sweet!
Is anyone complaining there are too few? Gah! After you set up a decent build there are only a tiny handful you actually are free to spend any way you want. The only utility of all those other points was to give people ways to make a bad spec. That is bad game design! A few talents that are really interesting? Great! If you have been paying attention you know that they have been trying to move things in this directing for years. Most of the change they have made to talents the last several expansions has been moving in this direction. They wanted to make it harder to have a ‘bad’ spec but to make your choices matter. They kept trying and try and a lot of things really did not help.
This new system is great. They are actually making the classes even more diverse because now each ‘spec’ is more unique. People have to separate talents from spec in their minds. In 5.0 talents are NOT your spec. They are more like glyphs. They are customization. Previously the talent system was 95% a way a separating those that googled for a cookie cutter from those that didn’t and 5% character customization. Now the optimized cookie cutter spec is built in and automatic. A game should not have a system that only serves to let the ignorant sabotage themselves. That is what the old system was. The new system takes that away and gives us cool and interesting customization. If you are still doubting it go read up the lists of talents. These are real customization options. It is not stuff like ‘do I want to have 1% more crit to an obscure move or .05% more dodge while moving… gee, I don’t know. I guess I better look it up. DUMB. Now it is stuff like: here are 3 different ways to cast/or do damage while moving. Pick the one that fits your play style. I don’t LIKE min-maxing. I don’t need every bit of character customization to be about that. Let me have some that is about how I WANT to play and not have I HAVE to play to be viable. It is all about the little things like do I want my tanking cooldown to be an automatic proc or manually triggered. That is great! That is personal preference and play style.
Pet battles
Nifty. I might not do anything with it but it is great that they are putting in more things to do at endgame.
Challenge dungeons
Oooo yeah. I am so there. Standardized gear and leader boards? This is gogogo tanking heaven.
PVE Battlegrounds
Love it! Sometimes you just want to win. Or to feel like you are in a big epic battle that does not end with tea bagging.
Scenarios
These are a great evolution of the idea of chain quests and group quests. I can see them retrofitting a lot of old quest to match this system. I assume it will be phased and if so it is a brilliant new use of the technology.
New race, new class and tons of new end game content. How can anyone not be stoked for this expansion? Some people are impossible to please.
And as a closer to my rant here are the yummy yummy mana cupcakes my wife cooked up for our Blizcon party. No one ran low on mana as we cheer for the alliance to win the live raid (so close).
And it is a good thing they did not put them in then because now they get get their own contient done right. That place looks amazing! I can’t wait to explore it.
Stupid wordpress app ate part of my post…
These are the mana cupcakes my wife made up for the Blizcon party. We all had nice and full mana as we cheered for the Allaince in the live raid (better luck next time :P).
The ones that I see bitching are the ones who can’t get past the “panda” part of the whole thing. It makes me sad because most of them (not all mind you, but most) aren’t even looking at the things that have been changed for the better. It is these kinds of people that make me sad they have their own soapbox. It is always doom and gloom.
Me personally, I love everything I saw at Blizzcon. I’m excited for everything and I can’t wait to play it on the Beta.
It is so mind blowing to me that someone could be that close minded. I mean really…. American Indian COWS are not silly??!?! but somehow asian themed pandas are? It is the same! This is WOW. THis is the flavor of WOW. Did these people think they were playing LoTR online and Tauren were just a kind of mutant Orc?
I can’t wait for the beta either. Normally I dont want spoilers so I avoid betas. But this time I want to be all up to speed on monk tanking so I can power level one fast.
If anyone is out there who is still on the fence about Pandas. Don’t take my word for it. Go watch the videos from blizcon. When you can, see the panels. They covered everything and it is all awsome.
@ lyssi – assuming there’s one or not many beta server, let’s set up a Beta Panda Guild for Crits and SR and friends to play with pandas. I can’t wait! I want to try a premade monk to see what max level heals are like!
We should probably find out how many people got the annual pass. Both Slice and I signed up for it.
Rev and I did. Log did. I am darn sure Repgrind got it. Toxic got it. I think the only ones from our raid I’m not sure of are Grom and Sorak (now that Ado has chimed in).
Hmm, I think I may have to add more RealID friends because…. I’m seeing some potential for Diablo 3 coop sessions…
Falahla and I are getting it.
I think the people complaining about pandas simply aren’t paying attention. These are not care bears. Just because they tend to prefer peace doesn’t mean they won’t eat your face if you piss them off.
Truth be told, I am a little concerned about the low number of talents. Don’t get me wrong; I like the overall design of the new system. But only one talent every 15 levels is going to make leveling a little drab, methinks. Plus, I hate having to hit level 90 to get the coolest toys. I’d be happier with one talent every 10 levels, maxing out at 80. Eight total talents still isn’t too much, but it’d make the leveling process a little more rewarding.
PvE Scenarios sound awesome. I admit I do think pet battles sound pretty dumb, but no one’s forcing me to play them, so whatever. I’ll just ignore it like I do archaeology, PvP, and the other aspects of the game I don’t enjoy.
I caved and signed up for the free Diablo 3 and I don’t know a thing about the game…..but I get a shiny new mount!
“What the eff did you want them to do with mini-pets? A pet grooming mini game? Teach them tricks and have little dog shows? Dress them up in tu-tus and have dance fights?”
Ummmm…yes, actually, I would like this more than fighting….
I actually thought that would be cool too but…. maybe they will add a Pet Champion Groom-Off game?
I have never played a Diablo game but after last year’s Blizzcon I knew I would get it and be a Wizard. Rev is going to be a Demon Hunter and I think Log likes the barbarian…. If you feel comfortable with it by the time D3 comes out we can swap Real IDs and group together; I’m assuming that’s the only way they will let us play together… If not no hard feelings, we limit who we share Real ID with pretty strictly, having a very unique last name makes you paranoid.
Doof, Eloen, and I all got the annual pass 🙂
Yay! I have been reading about some guilds that are already planning to fold before Pandaria and it’s so nice knowing Crits won’t be among them – I believe Troutwort already got his annual pass – and makes me double glad to have come over here. BTW I haven’t talked to you much lately – I hope your progress on the Legendary staff is continuing smoothly!
Shoot, are you kidding? Pandas and pet battles are right up Crits alley!
You know I got the pass. Hell, I would be playing WoW anyway, and anytime there is a horse involved, I’m there.
Yeah that one was obvious when they released the image of the horse, I knew you’d be signing up. Genius, really, offering multiple incentives that ensnare all sorts of different players.
I will be getting it tonight or tomorrow 🙂
As expected, Grom – I knew you wouldn’t be leaving WoW any time soon. Good, then peer pressure means Sorak will have to, even if he hasn’t already.
Considering Sorak has been excited about the D3 beta for some time now, I’d be surprised if he doesn’t.
I should note that Pokemon also has grooming and dancing contests :B (I am pretty excited for the vanity pet upgrade!!)