World of Warcraft Website Redesigned (PC)

[Ion Silverbolt]

Blizzard has redesigned their World of Warcraft Website.

We're pleased to announce that we have updated our World of Warcraft web site. The site features a complete redesign, numerous exclusive screenshots, answers to some of the most frequently asked questions and more!

You can take a look at the new page from here (http://www.blizzard.com/wow/).

[Ion Silverbolt]

Some of those player models look hella sweet. With all these pay to play games coming out, i'm hoping at least one is awsome.

[bLaCkOuT]

The graphics look great ... but after reading about the game it sound identical to AC2 with mounts (horses, wolves).

The combat system is "tactical" where you start auto-attacking and then time your special attacks. Magic classes have spells, melee classes have their special attacks. Just like AC2.

Crafting system sounds identical too. AC2's leaves a lot to be improved upon so this might change.

Oh, the other main difference I just thought of was the "instancing" system like what AO used where you and only you or your group would have access to the mob's contained within.

I'm going to have to see a lot of of a differentiation before I go all googily over it like I wanted to :)

The good thing is its Blizzard and they always make awesome games, so I'm sure it will turn out good.

[Null Actor]

It's too bad they decided to copy other games instead of innovating and creating something that might be new and fun.

[Spider]

just because it's not new doesn't mean it won't be fun.

[Canis Lupus]

Hah ... like anyone ever gets tired of FPS's ... and those are the games that almost never incorporate anything new except added weapons, added maps, added playing modes, and better graphics...

Other than that, it's always a crosshair, a gun, and something to shoot at ...

[Null Actor]

Yeah, the difference being that I just plain don't like the current incarnation that MMORPGs have turned in to. I don't like the gameplay, and I don't like the mechanics.

I wonder who will make an MMORPG that doesn't conform to the crappy standards of all the others. Don't get me wrong, if you like autocombat and level treadmills, have fun. I won't stop you. However, I want more from a massively multiplayer game.

[bLaCkOuT]

The longevity of MMORPG's are what give it the flavor it has. Companies desire to have subscribers that will stay for a good length of time and therefore the level treadmills are innertly created. Companies will have to come up with another way for a time sink such as that to provide the level of accomplishment that leveling provides. I, for one, don't see that happening soon, if at all.

About the only RPG I can think of that strayed away from the level tread mill was FFX and even then, it was a level treadmill without the levels (The sphere grid ... fight, get exp, raise stats ... same thing). I think the level treadmills are what make RPG's what they are.

RPG's are made to provide a way to assume another role in life without radically changing your lifestyle. So far, only FPS and RPG provide that escape. Some day, a different type of life "escape" game will be made, but until that time this is what we're stuck with.

One game, Savage, is sort of a different MMO game in which it combines the FPS genre with the RTS genre. There is a commander who orders your team to do that or this and as your team fights the other team, it gains "experience" that can be used to purchase upgrades/buildings (not sure on the buildings) and further advance your team. Good idea, I'll have to keep an eye on the development process to see how it goes.

The nice thing about FPS games, is the whole strategy aspect of outsmarting other human components. AI oponents are only as smart as their programming, whereas humans can think abstractly. Thats why they have such a lure.

Personally, I'd like to see an RPG/FPS mix in which you level up almost solely via PvP. Kill off X amount of the other team, make this much cash/exp and spend it to upgrade your speed, aim, etc. Have like cities that can be captured and such. Would be fun. Hard to implement, but fun.

[Null Actor]

I think the biggest travesty in gaming is that the term 'role-playing' has come to mean 'number manipulation'.

The level treadmill is the cheap way of keeping your players playing. The better way would be to give them a story, a gameworld, a reason to keep playing. Improving your numbers isn't a reason to keep playing for me, it's just a cop out. If these games had global stories that I personally could interact with and influence, perhaps they wouldn't seem so cheap in terms of quality in my eyes.

[bLaCkOuT]

The only problem with that is new subscribers ... everyone knows what its like to only see the last half of a movie. You're left wondering what actually happened to the point where you'll go see the movie again just to see the beginning. The other problem would be the massive amount of support that would be required for such a project. To have a story line changing every moment of the day and night would make the game horribly difficult to keep up on. The "live" team or whatever would have a hard time coming up with brand new ideas eventually and then what? People wouldn't have anything to keep them entertained (read level treadmill) in the meantime while more of the story is made.

[Null Actor]

I don't think it's as difficult as people wouldn't think, if the game is created from the ground up to support it. The problem is that no developers seem to be willing to experiment.

I am curious to see what blizzard does for story and quests, that's the one area that I believe might actually make the game worthwhile, but that's also the kind of thing you won't know if it's any good until you can actually grab and play the game.

[bLaCkOuT]

I don't know ... with the introduction of instances ... it seems that a majority of the time spent will be solo/group fighting in that instance, seperated from others.

When I think storyline ... I think of many people being able to take part in it and with instances of "zones", is that really possible? That concerns me, but we'll have to see what exactly they plan to implement otherwise. They'd be stupid to lay all their cards on the table at this point so I'm sure they have more.

I'll just wait till open beta and then play it on my antique piece of trash computer to see if its any good.

[Xtren]

I like the new design a lot more... it's much improved. It seems to be easier to find your way around now, and the loading screen at the beginning was a little annoying. I also like the new layout and background. The site does seem to have a lot more new content too, as well as some pretty good screenshots.