Tom Chilton talks about Arena PvP and the tournament
by Mike Schramm 
Apr 15th 2008 at 3:00PM
Gamespy has an interview with WoW's lead designer Tom "Kalgan" Chilton about the upcoming Arena Tournament (which WoW Insider is actually playing in), and there's some good discussion in there about the PvE vs. PvP split and what Blizzard is planning for the Arena tourney and the game in general.He specifically mentions "changes" coming to the game (in a patch apparently "just a few weeks away") that will deal with the problem of exploits, specifically point and personal rating selling. He also says that the Arena game puts class balance "under a microscope," and says that the Lifebloom and Ice Block changes were specifically aimed towards balancing Arena teams -- Blizzard made those changes hoping that they didn't mess with PvE gameplay as much. Arena tournament players, he says, will be the "mad scientists" of class balance, so Blizzard can see firsthand what works and what doesn't. Finally, he mentions actual arena design, and reveals that in Wrath of the Lich King, there will definitely be some new Arena environments to play in.
Lots of good information in this one, especially for Arena players. We'll have to wait and see what that patch "a few weeks away" does for us, and we'll also have to watch and see what comes out of the Arena tournament -- lots of the changes that eventually show up in Wrath might come as a direct result of what happens in the tournament.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, Expansions, Interviews, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Clem Apr 15th 2008 3:23PM
Arena Sucks! Keep it off-line, and out of PVE.
Give us more battlegrounds.
Thanks.
Ryan Apr 15th 2008 3:24PM
Well, here's hoping for some more objective-based arena play, instead of the 'room with (a) pillar(s)' design they've been focusing on. I won't hold my breath though.
Verit Apr 16th 2008 1:46PM
I'd say he's responsible for all the rogue/warrior buffs in the last year.
Beldoro Apr 15th 2008 3:25PM
Chilton quote - One of our class designers is the guild leader of probably one of the most well-known PvP guilds in the world. I'll still keep him anonymous, though.
... Wonder what class he designs?
Badger Apr 15th 2008 3:36PM
"... Wonder what class he [tweaks to his own benefit]?"
FixT
darian Apr 15th 2008 5:35PM
Death Knights, obviously.
xseno Apr 15th 2008 3:32PM
Guess we wont see the fix to the druid+dual melee rolling over everything exploit......
Ras Gonzo Apr 15th 2008 3:46PM
Arenas SUCK! WoW is a PVE game 1st. PVP was a afterthought. If I want to play team deathmatch, Ill play COD4, not WoW!
Can't wait til WaR...
Ktok Apr 15th 2008 4:03PM
Wait... you hate PvP but you're looking forward to Warhammer? 0_o
Charlie Apr 15th 2008 4:15PM
I think he means he hates WoW PvP, but likes PvP.
It confused me too. Damn trolls.
Anyways, its a good interview. My best bet is that 2.4.3 (im assuming) is going to be the patch that launches s4? No idea.
Ryan Apr 15th 2008 4:33PM
Couldn't agree more. Arenas are so one-dimensional and boring, yet they're the only way to get competitive PVP gear. Here's hoping someone else can come up with an alternative. WAR does look promising, but lord knows EA can cock-up a game like no other company.
Nick S Apr 15th 2008 3:52PM
i'm glad to hear they remain committed to the PvE game. i hope that continues to be the case in the face of increasing demand for World of FPS.
Freelier Apr 15th 2008 3:59PM
Don't worry... World of FPS will be their next MMO.
Eternalpayn Apr 15th 2008 4:20PM
Anybody know what will happen when Wrath comes out with Arena? Will there be a 70 bracket still, or maybe a 70,79 bracket, then the 80 one? Or will people be forced to buy it to do Arenas?
Nox Apr 15th 2008 4:33PM
Chilton is a scrub. He explains off the lack of representation of hunters and other classes in high level arena by saying that they are hard classes to play but that a good player on a hunter will be as good as any other class.
Soooo... in a round about way what he is saying is "hunters are fine lrn 2 play"
We are talking about a class whos entire dmg portfolio can be canceled by one of two strats.
1. Run behind pillar.
2. Run up to hunter.
And what is Toms fix for that?
Give hunters Mortal Strike. Only make it a three second cast time so they cant actuality use it against anyone who is paying attention. Oh and make sure the cooldown on it is longer than its duration. Oh and lets nerf their mana regen in the next patch too so they are totaly screwed in arenas where mana is as important as life.
And what class does he play?
SUPPRISE! Warrior! Spamstring FTL.
His friends get inside info and post hints about upcoming changes on the forums. And then when people realize how unfair the situation is all of his friends posts are removed from the official boards so no one can see his shame.
He has repeatedly damaged the PvE viability of classes in order to try to balance his precious PvP. And at points it seems that the nerfs and buffs are less a result of any attempt to balance PvP... but more of a result of his personal interests in improving classes that he and his friends enjoy playing and nerfing the classes that are particularly strong against those classes.
It is impossible to balance PvP and PvE. It will never happen unless they make every class identical. But as of now PvE aspects of the game have taken a back seat to PvP because of people like Tom Chilton.
Nick S Apr 15th 2008 7:10PM
i dunno... i've played both as and against hunters, and i still say there are worse classes for arenas. namely everything cloth-wearing whose spells have cast times.
Milktub Apr 15th 2008 4:38PM
I'm most confused by the idea that the Arena Tournament will be "Mad Scientists" of class balance. Why is it that the ultimate test of class balance will be players who may or may not have ever played a class? Of the three people I know who are playing in the tournament, all three are playing a class that they've never played (or never played past level 10).
Nox Apr 15th 2008 5:57PM
Notice also that in the interview he doesn't at all address the real problem facing Arena PvP right now. The biggest exploit in arena right now is Win Trading. They have never addressed that problem at all. They dance around it by stopping people from buying their way onto teams and what not... but really... who cares about that. Does it affect the average player? Not at all. But win trading has effectively farms points off of low ranked entry level teams and pushes them onto high ranked "elite" teams. Its so prevalent that I have no respect at all for successful arena players whatsoever. I pretty much just assume they are win trading cheaters scrubs unless I know them personally. And most of the time I'm right about them.
So T.Chilton... why ignore the elephant in the room? Could it be because you and your friends are doing it yourselves?
Narissa of Eldre Thalas Apr 15th 2008 5:52PM
My problem with all of this is that this pvp is affecting everything. It's not that I don't arena from time to time, it's that pvp stats and gear not the same as pve gear and pve stats. Their not even the same style of environment let alone class roles.
Personally I think they should stop this nonsense. Mixing the two is only messing with class viability in what the MAJORITY of the players do which is PVE content. Yes, you too pvp server guys, remember it's how you level too. Arena and Battlegrounds where an afterthought, now it seem to be making the changes.
Nox Apr 15th 2008 6:02PM
If any of you were wondering what Win Trading is all about... check out this handy post from four months ago right here on Wowinsider.
http://www.wowinsider.com/2007/11/27/win-trading-cheating-for-the-top-arena-spots
I know it sucks to tell people how to cheat... but no one seems to know what this is or to understand how bad it is. Read it and think about it. Hard Core PvPers are farming their 2k+ ranking off of 1500 ranked teams because they know that even by cheating only a tenth of a percent of players can reach those ratings.