The Burning Crusade: A long path to Mount Hyjal
by Paul Sherrard 
Dec 28th 2006 at 5:18PM
Without getting too much into the lore, you may recall Mount Hyjal as being a pretty pivotal place in the history of Azeroth. It was there that the Battle of Mount Hyjal was fought at the end of Warcraft III, and the destiny of the night elves was forever changed.We've known for awhile now that the Burning Crusade will let us access some moments in Azeroth's past, including Hillsbrad, the Dark Portal, and Hyjal. What we weren't really aware of until now, is the apparent gargantuan effort it's going to take individuals to get ready for and attuned to the Battle of Mount Hyjal.
Blizzplanet has a rundown on what you'll need to do in order to be admitted to the Caverns of Time for this epic event. Keep in mind that there will be some spoilers in there, but I believe it's worth the read just to get a grip on what Blizzard has in mind for us to get ready.
This is not like getting attuned for Onyxia or BWL. In fact, this seems like it's a bigger deal than the AQ40 event was, on top of which every single person in your 25-man raid group has to have completed all the steps.
Personally, I think this is pretty cool. Instead of slugging through raid after raid, you get a big build-up to that raid. No more walking into a giant event without some idea of what lead up to it. I think this shows that the Blizzard developers are thinking about the world they're creating, and the lore behind it. This can only be good for the continued success of the game, and I'm sure it works as a nice timesink for the beancounters, too.
What do you think of lengthy prerequisites and jaunts around the world before being let in to a big raid event? Does this encourage you or discourage you from pursuing quest chains and following the lore?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Events, Walkthroughs, Quests, Expansions, Raiding, The Burning Crusade
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Phyer Dec 29th 2006 9:31AM
To be honest, this is just going to be another pre-req that is going to seperate the casual players from the hardcore raiders. From the description of the quests and time required to complete them, I don't imagine I'll be looking to head into that instance anytime soon. Just the same, this is no different than the way I feel about Naxxramas right now - exciting for some people, but ultimately just not in the future of 80% of the games population.
joe Dec 28th 2006 6:58PM
All of the steps for stuff like this (artificially imposed needless stuff designed to keep you online longer) is what made me quit playing wow.
I basically just read this site to see if they'll get smart and introduce content exactly opposite to what you are talking about here. But it would seem that is not the case...
Freehugz Dec 28th 2006 7:06PM
Exact opposite being?.... Instant rewards for doing nothing so you can get on, get your reward and log off?
Ya, you're better off with first person shooters, I don't see any MMO that doesn't fit this type of formula
Oblitherax Dec 29th 2006 9:20AM
@ 1 : So, basically, you want to just be able to walk right into the final content of the expansion, without effort, and just 1hko the boss?
There is going to be plenty of content in the expansion that doesn't require this amount of effort. There are many options, and this is just one of them.
rogue Dec 28th 2006 8:03PM
@joe: Most of the content out there now is the opposite of this. It's not like you need to go through a laundry list of stuff to get into the dungeons in regular mode, or even do those first two wings for CoT. Just because they want to have one special wing doesn't meant all of the content is setup that way.
Laetitia Dec 29th 2006 2:30AM
I can't wait to get started on that chain! Hyjal is something of a special place for me in the World of Warcraft, so having to beat a lot of (what i think will be) 5 man content on hard mode, as well as beat the big raid bosses, before being able to enter. That sounds very good. And unlike Jailbreak you'll get loot along the way from killing the bosses and such.
It also gives Blizzar ample time to fine tune the instance since no one is going to get close to attunement any time soon.
Jason Dec 28th 2006 9:32PM
@joe
You pay blizzard the same $15 whether you're on for 20 minutes or 20 hours, so that pessimistic load of crap is far from true. The assault on Mt Hyjal was a very pivotal event in the history of WoW. I personally am both completely unsurprised and very excited that it's no small thing to take part in such an event. Playing through Warcraft 3 during a break from WoW a few months ago, going through that event from overhead made me drool in anticipation of being able to take part in it on the ground.
As to obtaining the two vials themselves, it looks like most of the keys you'll need in advance of this are key's you'll get along the way anyhow. Most of them, if not all, are for Heroic mode for the dungeons in The Outlands. As to completing those, it's certain to be no easy task. However, it will be doable, and I'd imagine by the time you're done with all that, You'll be in fairly good shape, gear wise. Since the vials themselves are quest items, they should be a guaranteed drop, so I don't see any real cause for concern on that.
Mark Dec 29th 2006 8:38AM
I agree with Joe...the casual loses again in the expansion. I'm not buying it either.
cloud Dec 29th 2006 2:01AM
I give it a month until they nerf this attument.
Honestly catering to the top 10% is one thing, catering to the top 500 people out of 7 million that play wow is another.
Unless I am reading it wrong, there is just no way this is happening for all 25 people, if it was one that I can see happening, 25 people, all in the same guild? HA.
This is extremely discouraging, something the very best of players are going to have a lot of trouble and frustration over.
I really just do not understand why blizzard does this, wait yes I do, a) there way behind or b) they don't want there content ripped through in a month.
Rev up those BG mods, that's what 99.9% of the player base will be doing once they see this.
The loot in there all better be artifacts...
Dave Dec 29th 2006 8:45AM
Bravo and I applaud it. It'll get 'nerfed'.. when the next expansion after TBC comes out and folks at level 80 can sleepwalk through the attunement.
Camaris Dec 29th 2006 4:35AM
It's the end of the world!
Seriously though, why wouldn't a raid-guild be able to get everyone attuned to this?
Mark B Dec 29th 2006 7:19PM
As far as i can see, the higher the level you get in wow, the more your REQUIRED to be part of a raid guild. I solo'ed or pickup grouped my way to lvl 60, going back at 60 to complete instances like Scarlet monastary solo as i couldnt get a good enough pick up group to play through and im not "hardcore" enough for Guilds (i often dont play for 2 weeks or even a month at a time)
There needs to be more solo/casual content, not just a bunch of uber level "l33t" dungeons to keep the topped out raid players from quiting to other MMORPGS.
Coanunn Dec 29th 2006 8:49AM
Wow, if the posters in this comment section were any more predictable it would have written itself!
Poster 1: I hate it, I can't hit a button and get phat lewtz!
Poster 2: You noob, go away. This is important.
In the end there needs to be content for people who will accomplish tasks like this in this game. Otherwise come level 70 (on or before the first of February for a very great many people) there will be only be so many things to keep them playing untill the next expansion. Yes it is frustrating if you don't get to see some content because of the pre-requisites but honestly if someone puts in the time and effort to do something like this they deserve the rewards.
Kyle Dec 29th 2006 10:03AM
In truth, the majority of the pre-reqs are things you will get anyway.
Krianna Dec 29th 2006 1:38PM
.... Haven't the raiding guilds been wailing about not having anything to stay together for?
Thomas Dec 31st 2006 8:11AM
I'd say QQ more to all those people who feel this is too much for them...but then I got frustrated at Final Fantasy for doing the same things. However, here in WoW you can get people to help you in tasks. Plus, like it's been mentioned already, you'll accomplish quite a bit of the requirements through natural exploration and leveling. I saw a post from someone who's already accomplished half the requirements just through normal questing...and he's only up to level 67. It can be done...and it will be done if you want to visit this instance. If you don't want to put in the effort, then you don't get to go. Simple.
robodex May 21st 2007 12:09PM
I think the attunement is excessive, but ONLY because it's not like anything that's ever been in game.
Before, attunements were done with small-group content; at the very most you had to go into UBRS or BRD to do them. The Onyxia attunement was probably (IMHO) the hardest to do, since it was such a long questline. MC required you to go into BRD (and, if you knew what you were doing, it only took about 20 minutes,) BWL required you to kill Drak, AQ was simply a large-scale server event and Naxx you could do solo if you had enough gold (I did my Naxx attunement at Honored without ever having stepped into Scholo or Strat.)
The difference with these raids is the fact that it's very difficult for someone to come in late. It's not like before where someone could simply spend a weekend getting themselves attuned for all of the high-end raids; in order for you to actually be attuned you need to be there in progression from the start.
I can kinda see why this is beneficial; it'll make sure you yourself have done all the previous content before moving up to the next one. Personally, I went from ZG to AQ/Naxx (no joke, but that's another story for another time,) so I skipped all of MC and BWL and only really experienced them on farm days.
These scrolls, though, are very good for guilds who have new recruits who have the gear and skill but haven't been able to get attuned for whatever reason (although, I doubt many SSC and TK-farming guilds will even look at you if you aren't attuned.)