"Tigole Deep-Breaths more"
by Allison Robert 
Sep 21st 2008 at 4:00PM
Interesting note from the forums, although apparently quite a few threads are being deleted or locked even as I write this; Jeff "Tigole" Kaplan appeared momentarily in this thread written by a player complaining about the 51-point Restoration Shaman talent, Riptide. The original poster notes Blizzard's guiding philosophy of never shipping a game before they're truly done with it, and contrasts that with the fact that some of Riptide's visual and audio effects are unlikely to be finished in time for Wrath (the spell itself is apparently 100% functional, just not the bells and whistles Blizzard usually programs to accompany player spells and abilities). Another player down the thread characterizes this as Blizzard caving to demands made by Activision. Tigole appears a few comments down to ban the first commenter for "trolling," adding that the game is still being worked on. The second of the two commenters mentioned is then handed a ban by Tigole as well. One of the response threads that appears to have survived is here, with a set of reactions ranging from sympathy to Tigole to a recountment of EverQuest history to concern over how the two players were banned.
I'm somewhat torn, and had wondered whether the whole thing was a joke; I've not seen Tigole appear on the forums to ban people before (although it's entirely possible he has and I've just missed it). I've seen worse behavior on the forums escape official comment, but it does seem as if the number of complaints (rational or not) has hit fever pitch on the discussion boards. And -- let's be frank -- a lot of it does seem like pretty pointless carping. I've had a chance to see the beta myself now, and I don't think anyone could realistically accuse Blizzard of skipping its usual attention to detail (indeed, the only running complaint I've seen on the beta servers is that they're too popular). Still, these particular bans seem a little out of the ordinary, unless there's something going on I haven't seen.
**EDIT: as of 4:12 pm EST, it looks like the above referenced response post has also been deleted, but the original source thread is still intact.**
Filed under: Shaman, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, News items, Expansions, Classes, Wrath of the Lich King, Forums, Rumors
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Rewolf Sep 21st 2008 4:07PM
"An error was encountered while processing your request
[The topic you're trying to post to has been deleted] "
Damn, they're fast.
Nick Sep 21st 2008 4:11PM
jinx!
Allison Robert Sep 21st 2008 4:12PM
Yep, I'm updating the post - looks like they just nabbed that one too.
Scottyy Sep 21st 2008 4:15PM
To be honest, that didn't really seem like a basis for a ban. Looks more like those remarks personally poked Tigol in a sensitive spot, so he banned them.....
Phoenixblight Sep 21st 2008 4:21PM
I would have done the same thing every patch there are those Complaining about what it being done. Then to bash the workers that are busting their ass day in and day out. " They aren't doing their job" I would be on the same boat as Tigole and start banning. Beta is a privilege and if you want to use that privilege to bash the people that are trying their damnest to make you happy, Maybe you just don't deserve to be in Beta? We are Beta to test and to give feedback, not to QQ
kabshiel Sep 21st 2008 7:24PM
Tigole's been banning people a lot lately, which is probably for the best.
i Sep 21st 2008 8:57PM
It's kind of sad really. WoW is losing a lot of its flavor, and I think it has to do with activision. I mean seriously - pve to pvp transfers, recruit a friend (to the extreme) and now pushing direct tv on me for a dam polar bear mount? And this whole "homogenization" them of wrath has me really depressed about the game. I want variety, i want excitement, i dont want every 1v1 match to be fair, i dont want every healer to have a hot and every dps to have utility. Im a little saddened of the direction wow is going, I really am. Tigole seems pissy because people are starting to point that out. He has been going on a banning rampage and its goddam annoying.
O well, mark my words, by the time the next expansion rolls around wows subscribers will be cut in half.
But then again, by that time blizzard will put out world of starcraft or something like that.
Im sure the die-hard wow fanboys will tear this post apart.
eillind Sep 22nd 2008 12:26AM
@i
I couldn't put it better myself.
Preston Sep 22nd 2008 2:48AM
Maybe Tigole looked at the number of subscribers who left for Warhammer over the weekend and took out his rage on the negative forum posters.
Ktok Sep 22nd 2008 10:42AM
@i
You've already dismissed anyone that doesn't agree with you as a fanboy. That = fail.
Even so, I will say this... Tigole banned those people for attacking Blizzard employees and saying that they were lazy and not doing their jobs. People need to wise up and realize that "I don't have what I want yet" does not equate to "the people in charge of delivering what I want suck". This isn't McDonald's. Software development takes time, game development takes even more time, and MMO development takes *stupid* amounts of time.
I side with Tigole on this one. Don't attack the poor code monkey that's putting in 60+ hour weeks to provide you with a *game* for Christ's sake. If you feel something is missing or not right, use the /bug option and write a clear, well mannered message about what isn't right. It'll get their attention a lot faster than being an ass on the forums.
Nick Sep 21st 2008 4:10PM
An error was encountered while processing your request
[The topic you're trying to post to has been deleted]
...that thread that you claim "survived" didn't
Amaxe Sep 21st 2008 4:20PM
Q u o t e: (the original post)
It would appear Restoration Shaman are getting a nice honor in the expansion, having a 51 point talent that is unique in being the only one that will not be finished at the release of the expansion.
It seems to me that this is a clear violation of Blizzard's so stated "When it's done" policy, and undermines it completely. If Spirit Link was presenting balance issues to Blizzard, if it couldn't have been done earlier, and, if it was an obvious problem to the developers, no release date should have been set if they absolutely knew they wouldn't be able to finish it.
Tigole's response:
You're banned for trolling. The game is not out yet. We're still working on it. Stop trying to start flames.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That reaction seems a bit extreme to say the least, given what get permitted.
Unless the OP has some sort of history, I find that problematic
RogueJedi86 Sep 21st 2008 4:51PM
Seconded, very harsh overreaction.
I've felt the same as the banned person. Blizzard says they don't release stuff until it's ready, but they're already pushing stuff out of WotLK because they can't finish it in time for release date. Side-effect of the ActiBlizz merger?
Discograndpa Sep 21st 2008 5:14PM
I fail to see how this is trolling.
Blizzard has a "when it's done" policy, and they're clearly not going to follow through on it for WotLK.
He's a player voicing a concern, he didn't say, OMG WTF BLIZZARD SUCKS FOR THIS, he just went ahead and pointed out the obvious.
I've never been a fan of Tigole, and it seems like there must be some other issues going on for him to overeact over this.
Especially sinc just about every other troll in the history of the WoW forums doesn't get banned.
Kaphik Sep 21st 2008 6:48PM
The amazing number of posts complaining about shaman already before the beta is even finished is what contributed to it. Sure, every other class had it's share of people QQing before their class was addressed, but the outcry about shaman is ridiculous.
It's not finished yet. I agree with Tigole in that the original poster was just trying to start up some trouble on the General forums. Had he posted it on the Shaman class forums, I doubt he'd have been banned.
Bloodchills Sep 23rd 2008 2:24PM
Let me be the first to remind everyone that banning doesn't happen on a whim. Tig likely looked at the guy's history and saw that he was out of warnings for starting flame-wars, so he banned him.
Blizzard doesn't ban people on a whim. It's earned.
wowblogger Sep 21st 2008 4:23PM
TBH it is true. The game will not be fully ready by 13th Nov. Blizz just wants to make sure to keep players and prevent them from moving to WAR. Forum bans are ridiculous. Freedom of expression Blizzard? http://www.worldofwarcraftblogger.com
Reinard Sep 21st 2008 4:36PM
Stop advertising your fucking blog at the end of every damn comment =\ It's obnoxious.
smcn Sep 21st 2008 4:41PM
"Freedom of expression"
Forums are private property. In the real world, you have every right to kick someone off your property for any reason you can come up with.
Nick S Sep 21st 2008 7:15PM
Just because it's private property doesn't mean you have to treat it like your bathroom - what they've created is a public space, regardless of ownership.
Suppression of dissenting speech is what it is, regardless of the rights of those doing the suppressing.