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All of the latest Mists of Pandaria newsBreakfast Topic: Titles! Titles! Titles!
by Zach Yonzon 
Sep 1st 2008 at 8:00AM
What do you guys think of the new titles? Frankly, I think a lot of them are pretty darn cool. But seriously, in all likelihood, these first-to-Level-80 characters will have little to no experience of Northrend. Your realm's first Archmage is likely to have no standing with the Kirin-Tor, for example. The first Paladin to Level 80, your realm's so-called Crusader, will most probably have grinded and not actually done any quests for the Argent Crusade. Perhaps Blizzard will have some retroactive titles, such as Conqueror / Justicar or even Scarab Lord, which wasn't implemented until after most AQ gates had been opened. What're your thoughts on the new titles?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Breakfast Topics, Wrath of the Lich King, Achievements
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 5)
Ahoni Sep 1st 2008 10:22AM
Blizzard wants everyone to enjoy the new continent and get to do all the quests and lore and everything else. But they recognize that some nutjobs are just going to race to 80 just to be able to say I was first. The people who will be getting the meaningless "first" titles are the same type of people who enjoy replying "first" on any internet discussion. Let them have their meaningless trophy.
cannedbread Sep 1st 2008 4:00PM
Meaningless it may seem, but if that was their intent, they should have saved those cool titles and given out some sort of other across-the-board first title, given to the first of each class.
KyoKenshin Sep 1st 2008 10:27AM
I don't mind having titles like these but in a game like this it's just unfair. I'll never be able to get one simply because of the time difference in the real world. I won't get Wrath until 3hrs after the people on the east coast get it. Say I wanted the fishing title, there'd be zero chance of me catching up to anyone on the east coast who had a 3hr head start...
Ayewyn Sep 1st 2008 10:57AM
That is a very good point. Since the trade skill titles will be taken in a mater of hours a 3 hour head start means everything.
Simon Sep 1st 2008 10:39AM
Those "first" titles are a joke. It's like actually rewarding people who post "FIRST" comments, just worse. Ignoring the content and speed grinding to 80, that's not what I see as an achievment.
"Grand Master [Skill]" should be reserved for those who have learned each and every recipe/formula/etc there is for that particular skill. Not for the one with the most time and support who just sprinted to the max level.
And the class titles should be achieved by very very complex quest chains where you need to use all your classes skills. Like the level 60 epic hunter and priest quests from MC or the epic flight form quest for druids, just even longer and more difficult. Those are realy cool.
Though, that would take real ideas and time to come up with ...
If they want to give a title to the first char at level 80, it should be the one from the illustration of this post!
cannedbread Sep 1st 2008 4:00PM
See, now that (to a degree) alienates newer players because they've never been to older raids/content and have never had the opportunity to collect some of the older rare recipies.
Give it to the first 200, or open it up for a week, that way it evens the playing field and still makes everyone a contender.
Bloodletter Sep 1st 2008 11:03AM
@ Simon
Great ideas, and very well put.
cannedbread Sep 1st 2008 4:00PM
I'll be rolling a DK on a new server, this gives a 55 level jump over everyone else, and 275 first aid off the bat, so if this stuff doesn't change...well, I'd be willing to shell out an extra $25 to transfer later for the opportunity to get those titles.
Terje Sep 1st 2008 11:20AM
I don't mind the first titles, as long as people like myself (with family and a job) can also get some titles.
Make more of em, with various difficulties.
bigjonno Sep 1st 2008 11:21AM
Those titles should be available to everyone who hits 80, not just the first. Have something really spangly for genuinely difficult or rare achievements, but the ones they've listed are incredibly generic and should be available to everyone. I'm pretty sure everyone with maxed out first aid should qualify for "Doctor" status.
Sinanju Sep 1st 2008 11:24AM
First, the new titles go against Blizzards' comments about seeing the new areas. Everyone will be trying to rush through without looking, just getting max points to finish so they can have a cool name. Second, most of us are at a disadvantage, as the beta testers will already know how to rush through and get to the finish line. Once again, Blizzard shows a total lack of regard for the casual player.
Papuchon Sep 1st 2008 11:41AM
No life titles... LOL.
ashley wheat Sep 1st 2008 12:01PM
I dont see why they have done this, they incouraging people to race past each zone just grinding, not apriciating thier hard work on making northrend all cool looking, also, this is fucked up for the casuals among us.
Procris Sep 1st 2008 12:04PM
This is one of the worst ideas i think Blizzard has ever come up with... You can just picture the meeting where they discussed this. "Hey, lets reward the players that don't actually work for a living or have any social life. They are after all, our bread and butter". Not to mention people who are in beta will have the edge since they know the layout in wotlk, the quests and so on far better than those who aren't in.
Getting the current titles that are in-game at least require you to actually work for them. Be it, getting exalted with all battlegrounds, donating money to a faction, or completing quest lines and a raid kill. These are obtainable by most players and are actually fair.
How about an epic quest line for each class at 80 that requires the player to put effort in.. but actually is open to everybody instead of just one person?
Probably won't happen, i'm all for rewarding Achievements to players that reach 80 first but titles should be available to everyone as long as they put effort into it. We might as well reward titles based on time played now i guess.
Procris Sep 1st 2008 12:06PM
This is one of the worst ideas i think Blizzard has ever come up with... You can just picture the meeting where they discussed this. "Hey, lets reward the players that don't actually work for a living or have any social life. They are after all, our bread and butter". Not to mention people who are in beta will have the edge since they know the layout in wotlk, the quests and so on far better than those who aren't in.
Getting the current titles that are in-game at least require you to actually work for them. Be it, getting exalted with all battlegrounds, donating money to a faction, or completing quest lines and a raid kill. These are obtainable by most players and are actually fair.
How about an epic quest line for each class at 80 that requires the player to put effort in.. but actually is open to everybody instead of just one person?
Probably won't happen, i'm all for rewarding Achievements to players that reach 80 first but titles should be available to everyone as long as they put effort into it. We might as well reward titles based on time played now i guess.
Draenors Sep 1st 2008 12:44PM
The titles are very cool, but as most of us agreed in the previous thread, giving titles for the first players who reach level 70 or get a profession to 450 is not a good idea. Mainly because many players will rush to level 80 and that it will require Beta-planning and help from other players.
Amaris' (topic above) ideas about giving titles to players who get Exalted reputation with class-specific factions or perform certain class-tasks is much better. A problem might be that too many players will get the titles. But it's still better than the rush-to-level-80-like-Arch-Druid-Fandral-Staghelm-would-have-done.
Of course, there doesn't absolutely have to be a lot of titles. The whole idea about these titles is not bad, IMO, but I would recommend the developers to remove or reconsider the system.
ironpantiez Sep 1st 2008 1:40PM
just xfer to a brand new server so you can be the first :)
Rich Sep 1st 2008 2:09PM
I don't have a problem so much with giving the First to's a title... Its the actual title themselves. Archmage? Archdruid?
Call the first to titles something else and leave the current first to title names to a complex and evil quest chain for the classes.
The sad part is the people will run around with the title and go "look at me!". They'll be lucky if i don't call them a loser.
Mognet T Sep 1st 2008 2:35PM
I think each title should be changed to what it SHOULD say: is a Multiboxer
Ukarih Sep 1st 2008 3:09PM
Also, anyone who gets the titles requiring one to level to 80 first will get two titles at once: the title for their race and the title for their class. This seems inequitable.
I am all for recognizing those who put in the hard work, however Blizzard must satisfy their large player base as well, read "casual," and provide these folks with something as well.
I like the idea of gradations of difficulty for titles.