Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsBreakfast Topic: Missing features
by Zach Yonzon 
Apr 2nd 2009 at 8:00AM
Actually, the Dance Battle System was less funny to me if only because it reminded me of the one promised feature they still haven't delivered on. Remember the dance studios that were supposed to come with Wrath of the Lich King? They pruned that feature away even before Beta, but it doesn't mean we've forgotten all about it. In fact, this latest gag might've been Blizzard's way of poking fun at themselves for failing to deliver on their promise.
A lot of the features they've parodied over the years have actually been pretty cool. I mean, being able to dial for food and have it delivered in-game would've been pretty neat. I wouldn't have minded a Tin Foil Hat to keep those nosy Alliance from inspecting me in Dalaran (or Shattrath back then). So while a full-blown dance competition ala America's Best Dance Crew is definitely too silly for the game, where're the dance studios? Heck, I know Blizzard scoffs at the idea, but how about player housing? So many developer hours devoted to increasingly unpopular Arenas, and no personalized housing in sight? Hey!
Ok, maybe player housing isn't such a hot idea, but these April Fools' pranks made me think about what's not in the game right now. I mean, a few years ago we wouldn't have considered dual-specs as a possibility. Flying mounts? Preposterous! Of course, the game actually moves forward, and a lot has changed since the game launched. What's on your wish list of features? Armor dyes, maybe, or -- gasp -- race change? A day after April Fools', I think we're entitled to think up of crazy features of our own.
Filed under: Breakfast Topics
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 5)
Nickyjean Apr 2nd 2009 8:49AM
Not to mention a class mount for every class, both Epic and regular.
My favorite would be training your current regular mount to be epic, for a fee.
Herb Apr 2nd 2009 8:45AM
Why not an April Fool's quest chain... something where you have to trick other players into going through a lower lvl instances again with you... and if they do it, they get a 2 hour can't remove dunce hat or something
take the joke "in-game"
Midorie Apr 2nd 2009 8:47AM
Zach, your post sounds eerily similar to most of the whiny QQ posts on the forums yesterday from people who refuse to have a sense of humor.
Catiya of Feathermoon Apr 2nd 2009 8:50AM
Yep, that's not so out of the norm for a lot of posters here lately.
Centipede Apr 2nd 2009 8:48AM
Player housing would not be bad.... (if implemented in a nice way + not too expensive).
I would also like a real WAR going on in 'old' Azeroth. I think they can do this with the next expansion. Phasing + old continents = cities in ruins, untill we slay enemies etc.etc.
Catiya of Feathermoon Apr 2nd 2009 8:49AM
All of this talk of making armor more customizable, or being able to add little things to it to make it more "your own" is making me excited xD
I'd /love/ a simple dye option, or even just the ability to add feathers, visable gems, visable thread, etc to armor. I think it'd make for a wonderful mini-xpac or just a patch.
Ariette Apr 2nd 2009 8:52AM
Soo I have to share this one story from our guild, Murderous.
We have this guy (Darko) who is very integral in the guild and his been with it since the start. Well all of us are in Naxx finishing up Gluth (finnallyyy) at 1% health and one of our members in there with us said "Guys...Darko just left the guild". The place goes dead silent, no one loots the boss, and everyone is going back to guild chat to see all the messages he left (even though he knew we would be in naxx). He said he finally got application approval from Gentlemen's Club and he's been waiting a long time, and he's gonna have to leave us but to whisper him anytime. I immediately think...april fools! But then the GM, myself, and others in the guild pst him and see he is in fact in Gentlemen's Club. We're heartbroken and completely surprised and our GM is furriousss! After 5 minutes of still dead silence with the loot just being rolled on as if it were the least important thing in the world, he whispers one of our officers and asks to be invited back. ; ) He asked a GC officer to let him in for 5 minutes just to make it as authentic as possible.
We're sooo gonna get him back but it was one of the most well-executed ones I've ever seen!
Doorbasher Apr 2nd 2009 9:04AM
Maybe I'm just being a spoilsport, but I'd rather Blizz not bother with the housing, the dance studio, the armor dyes, etc.
How about they work on raids and get Ulduar out the door, fix the lack of content. How about they get PvP back on track, be that arenas, battlegrounds, or other. How about they spiff up the class balance and fix some of the itemization problems.
I'd rather see that kind of stuff instead of a new /dance.
laughtrey Apr 2nd 2009 9:22AM
We've been getting that going on 5 years now, it's time for the little things.
My only experience with player housing is in SWG, and it was implemented badly. Structures would decay over time and you had to have a reservoir of money in it to keep it from being destroyed. But eventually the economy got so inflated people could put 20 years on their house and not bat an eye. Then, all those same people quit the game and there are literally hundreds of ghost towns across the servers just reating lag and server strain.
The way the do player housing is like Phantasy Star Universe, instance portals to your own location. Having static houses all around the world would not only not work because of the lack of space but would also increase the lag/server strain on busy days.
doug Apr 2nd 2009 9:04AM
I play warcraft to do things that I can't possibly do IRL. It's a game, it's fantasy, and it's fun to group up w/your friends to down big bosses, execute perfect strategies, (aka don't stand in stuff) and get gear. You get to meet new people in the major cities or in raids.
You know what's not fun? Sitting in a house.
vyx Apr 2nd 2009 10:35AM
/agree
I was reading all of these comments asking for housing and I'm like "why?" I would much rather the developers spend time on raids, instances, new BGs, anything that is actual content, than to have them wasting time so I can, uhm, have a house?
The "I want a house" QQ makes me think of the "World of World of Warcraft" parody from The Onion. "Now that I have a WoW house, it's like I'm really sitting in my house doing nothing...."
I don't want to sound like one of those "I don't want it so no one else should have it" people, but I would bet 99% of the people playing the game would prefer one new boss anywhere in the game over a fully customizable house.
kabshiel Apr 2nd 2009 12:28PM
The economy's pretty bad right now, so some people don't get to sit in a house IRL.
winks Apr 2nd 2009 9:21AM
Dark ages of camelot was the first to have dyes back in 99'
Creamy Apr 3rd 2009 2:12AM
I would like to see a player owned house on world of warcraft. Maybe two new professions to go a long with the new idea - construction and woodcutting.
You can customize all your house inside and out. This will make many houses unique, but building your house should be expensive, but in the end it's a accomplishment for all the hard work you put in there.
Houses can store tier gear and Arena season gear, so players can enjoy their old gear with joy. Trophies from facing the strongest bosses and living to tell the tale. Fun PvP games so friends and even strangers can join in for some fun.
Maybe even "create your own instance" making your unique instance so guildies would have something fun to do in the middle of their raids. Also there would be no repairs, it's all for the fun.
A cool mount stable as well, shows you're favorite mounts (may just show your top 10).
Party games, with beer and food. Party with everyone an have fun in your house.
Can you have the biggest baddest house in Azeroth? We all could dream.
A lot of these idea I took from Runescape but would like to see this in a WoW style.
Spiritwolf Apr 2nd 2009 9:27AM
I'll post my experience with the Dance Battle system.
http://imgboot.com/images/spiritwolf/dance01_1.jpg
http://imgboot.com/images/spiritwolf/dance02.jpg
Britannic Apr 2nd 2009 9:29AM
One thing that I would love to see Blizzard implement is something similar to what they did with the Death Knights but for all character classes. When an account at least one character that is either over 55 (like for the DKS) or at the current level cap then when they create a new character they have the option of starting out at level 55 as well on that new character.
I am often told that the purpose for making the classes start at level 1 is to teach the player the mechanics of that class so that by the end-game they will know how to play the class competently. I can tell you, that doesn't work as I've met any incompetent level 80 characters. And, clearly, people starting with DKs at level 55 have mastered that class well enough without the first 54 levels of exposure to the class putting a big hole in that reasoning.
So, why make people who have mastered one class have to go through the monotony of the low level grinds when players have already demonstrated the ability to take on a new class and master without the 1-54 monotony? Just start us within reach of the higher level content already and save us some time.
That's what I'd love to see added to this game.
Pessipragmatic Apr 2nd 2009 9:29AM
"In fact, this latest gag might've been Blizzard's way of poking fun at themselves for failing to deliver on their promise. "
Indeed. They've been failing to deliver alot lately. Quite frankly, last year's jokes were actually funny and interesting. This year's "gags" just one more example of how Blizzard and this laxing WoW staff is letting the best of the game just slip away into stupidity.
Darkblue Apr 2nd 2009 9:30AM
I think that saying player housing is "so GW" is untrue...EQ2 had a player housing system that I for one, really liked. That said, I understand completely why player housing-or dance studios are not top priority for Blizz...and in turn, play Sims 2 to get my decorating fix :-)
Dankf Apr 2nd 2009 9:33AM
More capital city portals: Once you are, let's say Revered with Orgrimmar Rep, a special npc in that city will now port you to any other major city.
A better way to earn Horde/Alliance faction: Runecloth is the most expensive cloth just because of the old rep grinds. It's time to offer turn-ins for netherweave and frostweave.
A guild hall: more feasable and useful than player housing, a guild hall could contain banks, vendors, anvil/forge, dungeon trophies, achievement info, etc.
Flying mounts in Kalimdor/Eastern Kingdoms. Come on Blizzard. You make $15M every month. You can pay someone to render the roof of the Undercity. :P
Luisette Apr 2nd 2009 10:17AM
Seconded on the cloth turn-ins.