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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsForum post of the day: Keep your E-sport out of the Battlegrounds
by Amanda Dean 
Apr 23rd 2008 at 8:46PM
Drysc's announcement of new gear requirements for season four has not been entirely well received. Doorf of Maelstrom is downright upset with the addition of arena point requirements to battleground honor gear. In a thread entitled "Keep your E-sport out of the Battlegrounds" feels that this new mechanic is unfair and forces people to play in the arena in order to truly enjoy the battlegrounds.
Several posters, like Evennia of Feathermoon agree that arena and battleground are separate PvP systems. The forums have many threads today expressing outrage at this change. Dottie of Sargeras believes that this change will be the subject of a lawsuit since it is limiting people's access further to certain aspects of the game. This is an extreme extension of the argument that all players should have access to all game content. Still others, such as Oded of Draenor are once again calling for a separation between traditional WoW and the arena Esport.
Don't get me wrong, I love to play in the arenas, but I agree that the arena and battlegrounds should be treated as separate systems. I suppose the change could be an attempt to refocus folks on their PvE goals. By making battlegrounds less fun and requiring arena participation, many casual PvP players may pursue the PvE environment.
Filed under: Items, Blizzard, PvP, Forums, Battlegrounds, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 6)
Ircasha Apr 24th 2008 10:37AM
I'd be happy to give back my S1 gear if Arena gear weren't allowed in BGs, but only Arenas. Getting S1 gear (if you aren't an Arena player) is just a matter of survival if you like to BG. Blizz essentially added access to the Arena gear for honor because they didn't want to update the Honor gear and with the gear disparities between Arena and Honor gear growing increasingly larger, they needed to do something.
I love to BG, they are a blast when everyone tries (which is sadly a rarity). I dislike Arenas. It's a personal preference issue. As far as I'm concerned they can make the requirements for Arena gear as difficult as they want, but adding an Arena requirement for Honor gear is bs. If they want to make a complete Arena set that's fine (and what they should have done to start with), but gear accessible for BG honor should not require someone to play Arenas to attain. Are the requirements that difficult? Not really, but that's not the point. I have a limited amount of time to play and I would prefer not to have to play something I do not enjoy in order to be reasonably competitive in a part of the game I love.
Alaw Apr 24th 2008 8:28AM
Raiding gets you good gear much faster than QQ-ing does.
Benzin Apr 24th 2008 8:29AM
When arena gear moves to honor all reqs should be removed. the way it's going right now and looks like it will continue to stay this way is there are 3 sets of gear out at a time. right now it happens to be S1 on the honor system. S2 on reduced arena point costs. and S3 with full costs and with reqs.
Now from my understanding when S4 starts S1 gear is no longer buyable? S2 goes to honor and S3 stay's on arena with reduced cost. Slightly lowered reqs too I think? S4 goes full cost and new reqs.
Now what happens on S5 when it rolls around? S2 goes away and EVERYONE is FORCED for play the damn arena to get a raiting to wear stuff you buy with Honor? That is flat out stupid logic. Keep the ratings on crap you buy with ARENA POINTS! Leave the honor loot alone.
The current issue I see is adding reqs to the "off-set" peices i.e. bracers/boots/belt. Forcing what for the last 3 seasons has been honor gear BOUGHT with honor. Making you now play the arena so you can get a rating to buy honor gear. Why?
My opnion like other have posted on the forums is to NOT have these "off-set" peices by honor bought from now on. Put them on the arena point vendors since you HAVE to play arena to even wear them in the first place now. That is the whole damn issue. The issue is not "OH NOES!! no more afk epics!!"
Move rating crap to arena. Leave honor alone.
Sean Apr 24th 2008 8:39AM
It's not about the gear, nor is it about laziness. It's all about the gameplay; let's put this in perspective. I enjoy playing chess, but, if someone tells me that in order to play chess I must play backgammon (which I do not have much skill at yet at all) first, I'm going to be a bit put out, yes? Same deal here. Who here has not enjoyed the thrill of being part of a team that holds and defends objectives in other types of games, say Battlefield 1942 and such? Keep Battlegrounds for these people, and the Arena for people who like straight out deathmatch style play that made Unreal Tournament such a hit.
It's only fair to award points to earn gear based on their participation in those clearly separate areas as well. I don't advocate layabouts, but those who play honest may be a bit put out as a result of this change (usually the ones that get the most hurt). As for the /afk thing, I think that is a dishonest approach to fighting, no offense, and should be frowned upon by all in one way or another... ;-)
Vidi Apr 24th 2008 8:44AM
I agree with Jagoex.
The only reason to require an arena rating for Honor purchasable gear is to put players who don't normally arena into the fray. This places a bunch of people into the arena on which others can gain rating.
I have defended Blizzard on alot of things but this is manipulating the system as bad as Win Traders, if not worse because it's actually a mechanic of the game.
Personally, I will not enter the Arenas again under any circumstances. I tried it, I hated it ( even when I my team won a few ) and I went back to the BG's where I actually enjoy PvP.
If this is the shape of things to come, I'm gonna go play Toontown. Seriously.
native Apr 24th 2008 9:03AM
i don't enjoy arenas so i don't play them. i really enjoy battleground so that what i tend to play.
if blizzard alters the game to the point where i find i'm not recieving the satisfaction out of it that i feel i should, then i'll play something else.
i just wonder if blizzard is trying to compete with a game thats not even out yet (Warhammer) rather than continue to grow and support its current fan base and subscribers.
Angus Apr 24th 2008 9:08AM
Said it before and I will say it again.
I am not welcome in arena. My class/spec combo sucks for arena and there is no reason for me to go and get frustrated for a few hours at having matches where all I do is mash a button in frustration while the words "Can't do that while stunned" go on my screen and then I am dead.
Trying to force me there and not let a spec that has a PVP gear set annoys me. I won't do it.
Alveredus Apr 24th 2008 9:50AM
Personally, I think it's fine for an exclusive BGer to be in S2.
I think the issue that I (and many people) have is that most of the Guardian's boots, belt, gloves, necklace and trinket will require arena ratings.
This stuff is the upgraded version of the Vindicator's set and the Veteran's set.
It shouldn't be tied to Arena.
Alveredus Apr 24th 2008 9:50AM
That requires Arena.
The people who talked about suing are trolls.
But making Honor gear require Arena is contrary to the honor system of "everybody gets it eventually".
If you want to involve more skill/effort, make BGs like they were pre-Honor system but DON'T require Arena. Arena and BG mix too much as is.
But Arena should NOT be the center of PvP. It should be a sideshow and not the main event and winning a single Arena match should never be required for anything other than the newest Arena gear.
Dillon Apr 24th 2008 9:54AM
Give me a break ...
S4 gear is on par with Sunwell loot. It *should* be hard to get. S3 loot is having rating requirements lowered once s4 hits. S2 loot will move to honor points.
Sorry if you have to be moderately good in order to buy the best pvp gear out there vs welfaring on a 1200 rating 5v5 team each week.
It's like saying "Oh, Sunwell is way too hard! Why can't they just give us loot for zoning in?"
Alveredus Apr 24th 2008 9:51AM
Oh! And my Arena teams are usually 5-5 and we can't break 1550.
I don't know how winning 1-2 games is supposed to get you to 1575 or 1650.
Badger Apr 24th 2008 9:51AM
Dude ... No offense, but no one paid attention the last two times you posted, so why post the same, repetitive drivel a third time?
Badger Apr 24th 2008 9:52AM
Apologies, I stand corrected. Alveredus (sp?) had something constructive to say.
Hurlrage Apr 24th 2008 10:00AM
Erf.
No problems here, Blizzard can put any restriction on stuff they want. However, arena stuff should not be usable out of arena.
Period.
terra Apr 24th 2008 10:07AM
Unless I completely missed a change, a new team starts at 1500. So you have to win a few to qualify for anything.
Ktok Apr 24th 2008 10:15AM
Personally, I don't care that the S4 gear has insane requirements... I'll never get them because the only 70 I have that is of a class strong in Arena (warrior) is also my guild's MT and therefore Prot spec. My Hunter, which I do arena with, is flat out not going to be part of a 2200 team. Ever. Hunters, for all the ass I can kick, just aren't *that* good in arenas as a class.
What pisses me off is the arena rating needed to buy BG rewards. Take them out of the BGs and put them on arena merchants for arena points if you must, but do NOT mix Arena and BG.
Oh and as for you people bitching about PvP QQers? STFU. Yes a lot of people do AFK in BGs and get epics for nothing. Know what? I hate them too, but I'm not one of them... so you can kiss my arse with your blanket accusations that anyone not happy with these changes must be a cave camper.
JALbert Apr 24th 2008 3:02PM
There's a 2544 rated 2v2 hunter on my server. Armory Wilhelmina. (Ravenholdt)
The people who say "I can't do X because of [gear/spec/race/comp]" are merely the ones that won't.
turkeyspit Apr 24th 2008 10:17AM
As much as it strikes me as stupid that you should have to run Arena to get gear that you buy with BG Honor and Marks, I never understood why the non-set Epics available via Honor were the same Level as the current Arena Gear?
I can walk into the Hall of Champions today and purchase S1 Head, Shoulders, Chest, Leggings and Gloves, but S3 Neck, Rings, Wrists, Belts and Boots. Huh? What?
Why can I not buy S3 Belt, Wrists and Boots with Arena points? Why must an Arena player be forced to run Battlegrounds for honor and marks to get the current accessory pieces?
If you guys didn't know by now that the Blizzard devs fail at their jobs, here is yet another indication of it. Does the above make sense to anybody?
turkeyspit Apr 24th 2008 10:42AM
But it doesn't make any sense whatsoever, and never did.
I should be able to walk into the Hall of Champions and purchase S1 Armor and Accessories with BG marks and honor, and an Arena player should be able to hit up the Arena Vendor for S3 Armor and Accessories with Arena points.
People are looking at this change as being stupid. No, you are wrong. We are already -at- stupid; this change is just 'more stupid'.
And Sunwell, MH and BT are all T6 instances, so I'm not quite sure what you are getting at. Instead of doing a T7 set, they added in 3 more pieces to T6 making it an 8 piece set, and not a 5 piece set. (T6.5 I guess?). This is just lazy programming on Blizzards part, because they didn't want to create new Tier sets so close to WoTLK.
The more I play this game, the more I realize that WoW isn't fun because of the current team of Devs; it is fun in spite of them.
Tripno Apr 24th 2008 10:22AM
As we know, WoW is divided into 4 basic gameplay types: Hardcore pve, casual pve, casual pvp, and Hardcore pvp.
Casual pve eventually leads to the hardcore side with attunements and gear checks. Casual Pvp leads to harcore via arena ratings and gear requirements.
As a casual pvp'er, I like the current system. I have no problems with ratings on arena gear. Currently, battleground gear is how we "gear up" and stay competitive, and this gear gives us a jumping-off point if we ever decide to cross the bridge to hardcore pvp.
However, the recent blizzard announcements regarding raintgs requirments is upsetting....If this trend continues and "skill checks" are implemented on all pvp gear, they effectively remove the casual pvp gameplay, and player, from this game.