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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsWoW, Casually: Wrath of the Lich King is for casuals too
by Robin Torres 
May 13th 2008 at 11:00AM
Each week or so, Robin Torres writes WoW, Casually for the player who has 2 hours or less to play at a time.
You may have noticed that there has been quite a bit of news about Wrath of the Lich King lately. In that news, there are some very wonderful things in store for those of us with limited playtime. There is also a lot of resentment because of that from some of the players. In this column, I'll be discussing what we casuals have to look forward to in the next expansion and I'll be defending what is essentially our right to participate in the WoW lore and endgame.
What I won't be discussing, like I used to, are the casual friendly events in the schedule. If you look in the right hand column of this page, you'll see a great calendar of Upcoming Events. So check there for the latest Call to Arms weekends, Holiday events and It came from the Blog activities.
Join us after the jump for the news and perhaps a little ranting.
You may have noticed that there has been quite a bit of news about Wrath of the Lich King lately. In that news, there are some very wonderful things in store for those of us with limited playtime. There is also a lot of resentment because of that from some of the players. In this column, I'll be discussing what we casuals have to look forward to in the next expansion and I'll be defending what is essentially our right to participate in the WoW lore and endgame.
What I won't be discussing, like I used to, are the casual friendly events in the schedule. If you look in the right hand column of this page, you'll see a great calendar of Upcoming Events. So check there for the latest Call to Arms weekends, Holiday events and It came from the Blog activities.
Join us after the jump for the news and perhaps a little ranting.
First the casual-friendly news:
- 5-man instances will take less than an hour to complete: It often takes so long to find a good group, that it's hard to squeeze instances into our play sessions. Blizzard has declared their intentions to even have the heroic versions of these dungeons take no more than an hour.
- Death Knights are the FastPass to high level content: Yes, the powers and features of the Death Knight class look awesome, but there is also a side benefit to the way they will be implemented. If you have a level 55+ somewhere on some server on your account, then you can create one level 55 Death Knight per realm. This is great news if you don't have the time to level a character on a server where you have found friends with similar schedules. It's also a good thing if you have altitis and would like a jumpstart in getting to the parts of the game you haven't reached yet.
- Casual Raiders get to share in the story, too: I tend to write this column for those who have an hour or less to play at a time. But some casual players set aside larger blocks of time and just don't play every day. If you have the opportunity, this is a good idea so that you can share in the 10-man raid fun. The best (and possibly most controversial) news about raids for us is that all raids in Wrath of the Lich King will be available in both 10 and 25 person versions. This means that everyone who can at least participate in 10-man raids can now experience all of the endgame lore, even Arthas.
- We are dumbing down the game: A lot of commenters and forum posters think that making the game casual friendly is making the game less of a challenge for those who have the time and inclination for high level PvE and PvP. The new raids in Wrath of the Lich King will all have 10-man versions, but these raids are, according to Drysc, not going to be easy and they are not going to have the same loot or prestige that the 25-man versions will. All this does is allow 10-man raiders to share in the story and have a progression path in the endgame that can be completed with fewer people and less time. But the prestigious world firsts and the best PvE loot in the game will still only be available to the hardcore raiders.
- We're unskilled: I've addressed this before. Even if some casuals don't have the skills required to 25-man raid due to lack of time to practice, most are very skilled in what they do have time to do. We are about maximizing our playtime and don't have the in-game leisure to be bad at what we do. But let's say they are right and we are less skilled than the players who have more playtime. Does that mean that the game should only be for the best? Do you have to take a test to play any other MMO, single player game or even a sport for that matter? Sure, in order to be on a team, you have to try out. But everyone is allowed to play pickup games and many league activities (pool, bowling, etc.) have handicaps to allow all levels of players. It's the diversity of the player-base that makes this game great, not the egos of the elitists.
- We're lazy: This one really gets me. I see it shouted out in the Trade Channel and in the comments here on WoW Insider. We don't deserve to have anything worthwhile in the game because we are too lazy to raid. Balderdash! Most casual players don't raid because we don't have time to raid. We work hard in our real lives and have other priorities than spending long periods of time in-game. Casual players tend to have full time jobs, some with lots of overtime. We have wives, husbands, children, other non-gaming interests and even other MMOs. Of course, raiders have real lives, too. But successful raiders have opportunities like understanding spouses, jobs with no overtime, schools with flexible schedules -- things that many of us don't have if we want to thrive in our real lives. Casual players are usually the opposite of lazy. If anything, we work harder to have the most fun we can have when playing WoW.
I think the changes will be great for all players from the hardcore raider to the weekend casual. There is something for everybody. We all deserve a great game and it looks like we're going to get one.
WoW, Casually is a column for those of us who are playtime-challenged and proud Welfare Epic wearers. If you have questions or tips about how to get the most out of your limited playtime, please send them to Robin.Torres AT weblogsinc DOT com for a possible future column.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Expansions, Death Knight, Wrath of the Lich King, WoW, Casually
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 7)
Kaylek May 14th 2008 11:34AM
Case in point. Three stars of bashing and flaming the raider's viewpoint, while demanding that they accept yours.
Raiders don't care about "the alternate play style" and they welcome anyone to it. The problem comes in when that person feels they're entitled to the same, or the majority of, the same content that's normally rewarded to the raider's play style at a fraction of the cost. Be it time, skill, effort, whatever you want to tell yourself it involves. This is about giving out the same rewards in a cheaper package.
Most people who consider themselves "casual" and thus haven't or don't expect to experience anything above Karazhan are actually clocking in the same play time as everyone else. There's nothing to defend about being casual. But when you beat a game on easy and it tells you to try again on hard to see the full ending... that's just a proportional reward.
I think Nefarion should be a 10 man boss now (here at 70) and I think Illidan should be a 10 man boss later (at 80). But I don't think Arthas should be a 10 man at 80. Those who put in the effort deserve a unique reward. Gear is not it, because we only use that to progress (get it in your head, shiny epics are not our motivation).
I still salute Blizzard's attempts to find middle ground, but who here's really asking to have the cake and eat it too?
jbodar May 14th 2008 10:51PM
@Kaylek
But isn't a significant part of the reward the feeling you get when you beat something difficult, not just the story and gear? Why do people play Guitar Hero past medium? It's not for the cheesy unlockable guitars, it's for the challenge and fun -- and in some cases posting a video of it on YouTube.
Blizzard says that the 10-man will be difficult, but not as hard as the 25-man version. If Blizzard is smart, 10-manning Arthas won't kill him per se; he'll escape (read: get bored and leave) or self-rez. You'll just loot the room he's in. Call it cheesy, but it makes sense and it ensures that 25-man raiders get to "see the true ending".
Kaylek May 15th 2008 8:51AM
Okay, I can definitely concede to that possibility.
Sure, it's about beating something difficult, but you have to look at the difference between raid accomplishments then and the ones now.
Then, you had a look at all this really cool and well designed content that was difficult to get to and yielded a high reward that carried over into the rest of the game (hands down the best gear available), so you essentially went around with three badges of honor for your time and effort put in. While it may have felt too demanding for casuals, raiders felt they were getting a proportional reward for their efforts.
Now, that gear is great for its own use within those settings, but in world PVP as an example, you're facing people who are getting, yeah I'll say it, welfare epics just for clocking into a few arena matches everyday (again, the rating requirements, in my opinion, are the primary fix to this problem, so well done Blizzard). That's one badge you've lost as a raider, and I won't be greedy because it was only one reason to raid (though for many people it was THE reason, and I'll admit it was the reason that first pulled me into it).
Add to that the possibility that you won't be seeing unique content anymore, and all you're left with is the fact that it's harder. The value of the harder difficulty is inherently cheapened when you lose those other rewards. Will there still be hardcore raiders hitting the hardcore content? Of course. But the overall interest in 25 man content may diminish because there may not be a proportional reward for their extra efforts.
Theserene May 13th 2008 1:56PM
Both hardcore and casuals get something from this game. I fail to see how that is a bad thing.
Syme May 13th 2008 2:02PM
Thank you for a good article, Robin!
I believe this change to raiding with the addition of 10-man versions is a good thing. The biggest complaint I have had about end-game raids is that Blizzard chose to put the big story events in those dungeons. The story of Illidan, poster boy for the expansion? Find 24 more people and clear your schedule. If one could see the story with 10 people, that would be great. If the gear and bragging rights are important to you (I'm not knocking those, by the way), find 24 people and clear your schedule.
But with the lore being such a draw for a lot of players, it is smart of Blizzard to finally deliver on that. It shows that at least on the PvE side, the devs are listening.
Ilnara May 13th 2008 2:11PM
If all the casuals left this game, it would die as fast and horrible a death as all those other 'hardcore' MMORPG's that spawned back in the day, and more recently, that are all supposed to 'take WoW's crown. But if they are for 'hardcores' only, WoW won't suffer.
Face it people, casuals, and the fact that Blizz caters to them -as well- are the reason this game is as popular as it is. There are far less 'hardcore' players of WoW than there are 'casual' players of WoW.
Hardcores just burn through things without a thought, and move on as soon as something else comes along that allows them to thumb their e-peens and stroke their egos with less work. Which is why I always find the argument 'casuals have no skill' coming from the 'hardcores' as about ironic as it gets. If you people were really touting your skills, you'd be playing a PvP game that actually required some, not a game where you pretty much can stand around for 6 to 8 hours a day and be a success. Oh and don't get me started on the game mechanics of WoW. 'I press a button and hope the random number generator likes me' yeah, real skill folks.
ninjasuperspy May 13th 2008 2:44PM
I am in complete agreement. Catering 6% to the hardcore only reinforces Nihilum's "We beat your new dungeon a week after it was introduced and now after we've eaten all our cake we don't have any cake!" whinefests that made the last few months of BC so much fun.
Ugh. I payed just as much as everybody else. I want to see the end of the storylines without telling my fiancee "No honey, I can't mow the lawn. I need the next four hours (and four hours 4 nights a week) to beat Kael'thas." Because the Significant Female may have stopped going to Kendo with me, but she's scrappy.
ninjasuperspy May 13th 2008 3:04PM
@ninjasuperspy: That should be "catering to the hardcore 6%" a dyslexic is me. Also "Paid" rather than Payed. C'mon Firefox, fix all my incoherent blather!
Teni May 13th 2008 2:17PM
I am pretty adamantly opposed to gold buying of late for a relatively new reason: Chances are, the gold you are buying came from someone who stole the money from someone else. It's one thing to buy gold from some farmer, another to buy gold from someone who robbed guild banks blind with an account that was hacked by a keylogger.
Mick May 13th 2008 2:23PM
Since you don't work as many hours, or bring in as many clients, you should get the same salary at work, right?
And since you didn't score as many touchdowns, have as high of a batting average, or make as may baskets, you should still be a starter on the team, right?
And since you don't play as much, or put in as many hours, you should still get the same rewards and see all the same content as everyone else in WoW, right?
Because you never get any reward for working harder in real life. Why should it be any different in a game?
JParris May 13th 2008 2:26PM
Because games are not reality. It's a fantasy world. An escapist reality. Should not an escapist reality be better and more rewarding than actual reality?
Doffencrag May 13th 2008 2:36PM
Because you work the most hours, or bring in the most clients, you should be the only one to use the elevator, right? Or the only one to use the washroom, right?
Because you're the starter in the team, you should be the only one who can drink water during the game, right?
See, you're not the only one who can make lousy analogies.
You work the most hours, or bring in the most clients - by all means you should be the highest paid.
You score more touchdowns, or have a high batting average - by all means you should be a starter.
We just want to use the washroom.
We just want to use the elevator.
We just want to drink the water.
Nobody May 13th 2008 2:42PM
That analogy would hold true if Blizzard paid us to play the game. An employee's job is to perform to the utmost to earn his/her paycheck, just as an athlete's job is to earn his/her contracted salary. We, however, pay Blizzard to play the game, and since all of us pay the same subscription fee, we are all entitled to the same content.
Badger May 13th 2008 3:58PM
This is the dumbest analogy I've ever read, for all the same reasons that have already been stated. Don't hide your ill-founded sarcasm behind clever metaphors.
Kaylek May 15th 2008 9:04AM
@JParris
And taking away exclusive hardcore content means you're reducing part of the fun and fantasy for raiders. You would have a stronger argument here if the majority of casuals didn't already put the same game time in as most of the people running BT/Sunwell.
@Doffencrag
Yours are just as weak and one-sided. You're asking to play your little/minor league games in a pro stadium. Again, you would have a stronger argument here if the majority of casuals didn't already put the same game time in as most of the people running BT/Sunwell.
tommtomm May 13th 2008 2:50PM
I've read so many of these arguments it's sickening.
I'm a hardcore casual. I play somewhere around 15 hours a week, and go on probably 2 raids a week. The hardcore comes from my time commitment, the casual comes from the type of guild I joined and the type of people I play with.
The 10 man progression and shorter 5 man instances are wonderful for the game. This allows everyone better access to all facets of the game, for which they pay the same $15 as everyone else.
The real reason most of the 25 man guilds are ticked about this is they realize what a hit they are about to take. They are about to find out that only a small % are loot whores who are willing to put up with the 4 nights a week raid schedules. They will loose tons of people who only did 25 mans to see all of the games content. They will no longer be able to poach players from smaller guilds who would rather have fun with 5-10 of their friends than spend 4 hours with a bunch of strangers.
I have some questions for all the elitist who feel they are better than all the others because they cleared BT and have T6 gear. So what does that really do for you? Did you put that info on a resume for a job? Did you go to a bar and try to pick up a girl by saying you have a pair of legendary swords in a fantasy game? Did that work for you? Did you get laid or did she turn to her friends and they all laughed at the dork? Did you run around Org showing off your equipment and have some 10yo say you’re cool because you have T6?
I see the future of these people all the time. They try to brag because they have a BMW, a lake house or a VP title. These same people tend to be the ones now loosing their house because they have massive debt from trying to impress everyone, got fired because they were all talk and no production, or are on their 3rd divorce because they only care about themselves.
Learn to not associate your personal value based upon what you have. LOL, especially a pixel in a game that just means you wasted more free time than the other 9,990,000 players.
Spoony May 13th 2008 3:03PM
"They are about to find out that only a small % are loot whores who are willing to put up with the 4 nights a week raid schedules. They will loose tons of people who only did 25 mans to see all of the games content."
Did you ever stop to think in your post that maybe there are guilds out there who raid 25 man instances and are all friends and now these people are forced to play like loot whores if they want to play together because their content is now all able to be seen in 10 mans and easier, so why would they do it?
These people pay 15 bucs a month too why do they not get anything out their money but people now laughing at them for being loot whores.
Really is it to much to ask for a reason to be a 25 man raiding guild who doesn't want big e peens? Yes not all 10 million people will be able to see this content but just like people want pvp, or want reputations, or want to be able to play 5 hours a week and kill Arthas, we want to see things as a 25 man raid that we can't see anywhere else.
krat2 May 13th 2008 5:24PM
"Did you ever stop to think in your post that maybe there are guilds out there who raid 25 man instances and are all friends and now these people are forced to play like loot whores if they want to play together because their content is now all able to be seen in 10 mans and easier, so why would they do it?" -- Spoony
If you're friends with all of the people in your guild that can do 25-man content, that is fantastic. I applaud you, and you should feel lucky that you found something that many people in this game cannot find. When Wrath comes out, level with those friends of yours and continue to have fun. Play the new 25-man raids and beat them. You have a great setup now, there's no need to mess with what works.
If there are people who point and laugh and call you a loot whore... who cares? What do they know? You're with your friends, you're having fun, and you're playing the game the way you want to play it. Ignore them.
Likewise, there will be people who very much prefer the 10-man style of play, and will get every bit as much enjoyment out of their raids as you get out of yours. Do not resent them for that, and do not view it as a negative that they finally get to experience "the whole story" of the game. It is a different story, in a sense, than the one that you have, but it's finally open to them. Let them enjoy it.
jbodar May 15th 2008 8:39PM
@Spoony
If you are in a 25-man raid guild with your friends and you just want to see the content, then why does it matter if people in smaller guilds get to see a lesser version of the content at the same time?
We don't even really know how they plan to differentiate the two sets of encounters yet. I sort of doubt that Blizzard plans to make, for example, the Arthas final encounter exactly the same, just with more HP and boss damage. Assuming Blizzard is clever about this, they will give each path a different outcome, so long as there's no paradox. The 25-man path should be like the "good" ending for beating a game on "hard" mode, and the 10-man should end in a less satisfying way.
Glad your guild is a bunch of friends though, as opposed to the usual "strategic alliance to get phat lewt". My friends compose a similar guild on my original server. I am in the guild, but I'm not a raider, not because I'm not good enough or I don't put enough time in. It's because I can't commit to a schedule, partly since the times I log on varies, but mostly the fact that I moved 5 time zones away makes weekday raiding with them impossible.
MechChef May 13th 2008 3:27PM
Save for about 2 months of hardcore raiding, which I enjoyed, I have been on a casual level of play for the rest of my WoW life. But, I think everyone should have some opportunity to raid. Even 10 mans.
Previous to raiding, I did 5-mans in normal and heroic mode. I was a decent player, but nothing spectactular. Raiding improved my skills and helped me learn the finer points of my class that just aren't as important in 5-man dungeons. Example: Feint - Like the old adage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In a 5-man, if I draw aggro, I'll simply vanish and wash away my threat. In a raid, feint must be used proactively, because if I piss off the boss too much, I'll likely be turned into a little pile rogue-hamburger much faster than I can vanish away.
In 5-mans, I could out-damage the other two DPS spots in my sleep. In a raid environment, pitted against at least a few other rogues, and several other high-DPS classes with gear equal two or better than my own, it's not as easy to top the meters. It's necessary to build the best spec, use a good rotation, keep an eye on your buffs (slice and dice primarily), buy/make buff food and pots, and most of all not draw aggro.
After learning to do all this in addition to not standing in fire or cave-ins, I felt my skills improved immensely.