Dealing with temporary changes in-game
by Mike Schramm 
May 15th 2009 at 9:00AM
Larisa's got a good rant about something I've considered before in a slightly different context: players aren't very good at anticipating how temporary game changes will work out. We, as a group (not individually necessarily), are quite quick to judgment when we see changes to the game, and the word Larisa uses is "conservatism" -- she notes the examples of the reaction to the zombie outbreak and the Children's Week batleground issues, and says that players "tossed the gift away, like spoiled kids." We (again, in general, not you specifically) have a very short view of how temporary changes will affect the game, lambast Blizzard for changing what didn't need to be changed, and very often, when the dust settles and the zombies are gone or the event is over, we realize that it wasn't so bad after all.She's not talking about class changes here -- those are more permanent changes that affect the basic rules of the game. But specifically with temporary events (I'd even throw the Brewfest controversies, and the Headless Horseman complaints in the mix), players sometimes have reactions that are way out of proportion to the events themselves. These holidays and world events are temporary: shouldn't we just enjoy them while we can?
It's definitely a valid point, and something to remember for the next time a temporary event throws off your usual routine in-game. The fact is that we players are spoiled -- Blizzard generally does a great job keeping this game fun, and so when even a little issue sneaks into the game during a temporary event. But Larisa promises that next time she gets shaken up by a temporary change, she'll give it another chance. Sounds like a great idea to me.
Filed under: Items, Analysis / Opinion, Events, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Instances
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
markus0i May 15th 2009 9:06AM
You Blizzard Apologist! :D
While I agree with you, I wish the Scourge invasion was monthly respawning. That's a fun one.
Kassu May 15th 2009 9:22AM
Loved getting killed or being unable to use the AH as a lowbie. Loved it.
Yeng May 15th 2009 10:57AM
I think the QQers are really a minor part of the population. They just tend to be the loudest. There seem to be people out there that complain about everything Blizzard does, and feel the need to tell everyone that 'Blizz sux' but they are still playing the game, why?
Personally, I don't ever have issues with these temporary events. I loved the zombie apocalypse. I've done all the holiday events to date, even before achievements, and now with achievements, I have done them all, and none of them were as bad as people complained.
As far as I'm concerned if you find yourself getting angry about everything Blizzard does or getting frazzled by these temporary changes, its time for you to cancel your subscription and move on to a hobby you enjoy more.
Kakistocracy May 15th 2009 11:33AM
As annoying as parts of the zombie thing were, it was kinda exciting. The real problem was that for the most part, it was just people taking advantage of the opportunity to kill low level players of their faction (not that a free for all wouldn't make an interesting event for all the people that enjoy that sort of thing). I think it would have been better if it was less player dependent on the players to spread it. For example, if the npc zombies did not despawn (until killed, or should I say "killed"?), and remained in place after chasing people, they should make their way to cites and other populated places.
Firestride May 15th 2009 11:39AM
During the Zombie Invasion, I was a level 50-60 Druid. I had (and have) no ability to cure diseases, even though I can take off poisons and curses. As they kept bringing the timer down, it became more and more pointless for me to even head to a major town. What was I supposed to do, shoot at level 70 zombies? Give me a trinket that can cure the disease and I'll have fun with it in the towns, but as it was, Blizzard rendered my character useless for a few days.
Ahrla May 15th 2009 9:09AM
I actually rather enjoyed the Scourge event. I mean yeah, in some ways it was annoying. But it was a unique experience, one you can say, "Remeber when?" in guild chat.
WoW can sometimes can get monotonous. I for one appreciate the unique temporary changes Blizz throws in there once in a while to liven things up - even if it's a short-term aggravation.
Graham May 15th 2009 10:05AM
The zombie event was a blast! People just didn't look at it the right way. If a zombie apocalypse really happened, I wouldn't go grocery shopping and then QQ to everyone around me when a zombie attacks the guy at the register. ITS A FRIGGIN ZOMBIE ATTACK! You do NOT belong in the auction house! It's time to form zombie armies to ravage the country side, or its time to get a bunch of healers together to save the townspeople! Instead of taking advantage of this amazing change of pace, people just sat by themselves in the auction house going "Tsk tsk tsk. How am I supposed to sell Adamantite when there is a zombie attack. Wow Blizzard. Just wow." Well OF COURSE YOU CANT! THATS THE POINT!
I have one thing to say to people who didn't have a blast during the zombie event: UR DOIN IT WRONG!
Radiophonic May 15th 2009 9:09AM
WTB another zombie infestation.
offday May 15th 2009 9:12AM
No thank you. That one was poorly designed. I loved all the other events, but if you were a low level just trying to do quests and level up, then the zombie outbreak was a nightmare for you.
Irshalthra May 15th 2009 9:17AM
The zombie invasion was the #1 highlight of my WOW experience. With that said I do not want it monthly - it would turn out to be worthless then. I would however love to hit with future toons somehow...
I really like temporary world events.
Gaherin May 15th 2009 10:43AM
The whole point of the zombie invasion was to actually BE nightmarish.
You where not supposed to be levelling as the Lich King was on our doorstep!
Dont want to rant, but I think Blizz wanted some sence of impending doom, something that made an impact and give us reason to go to Northrend: they did!
Glaras May 15th 2009 9:09AM
I'll agree with you on all points save one: The Zombie Outbreak. There was no "gift" in watching all gameplay during the fire festival disrupted by members of my own faction who took great delight in completely disrupting the game. I said then, and I maintain the position that Blizz **blew it** when they allowed infected players to keep control of themselves after "death", and allowed them to visit hell and havoc on lowbie areas. What I took away from all of that was that Blizz could make a great storyline, and had a great concept, and then crapped all over it with their execution. I had huge armor repair bills at that time, and could not get *anything* done. Oh, and I alos learned that the great majority of players are just itching to completely screw the game up for everyone else, if they are given the ability to vandalize. In the end, I was forced to logoff and stay there for a couple days, because I did not want to be forced into PVP, which is what the event did. I was on a PVE server for a reason.
No, if Larisa thinks that one was "a gift", she's welcome to it, and I have serious questions about her judgment.
offday May 15th 2009 9:15AM
I agree 100%.
havitech May 15th 2009 9:25AM
The zombie event was not about PvP. It was about zombies overwhelming populated areas in the game, inducing panic and chaos, giving players the actual experience of being attacked by the Lich King. You didn't walk up to a quest giver in some out-of-the-way zone who told you, "Zombies are attacking the village! Go kill x zombies and I'll give you this gold." No, the zombies came to you and tried to eat your brains, the brains of other players standing around you, and the brains of that Auctioneer you were talking to.
Boydboyd May 15th 2009 9:24AM
You nincompoop!
Don't you see? The whole point of the Scourge zombie infestation was to show what would really happen in the World of Warcraft when the outbreak occurred.
If Blizzard would have dumbed it down, it would not have had the effect that it did. Yes, you wouldn't have been inconvenienced for a few days (more on this later), but that event was an integral part to the entire future of Azeroth as we see it in-game and in canon lore.
Speaking of you being inconvenienced for a few days, let me show you something:
October 23 - 27, 2008 was the ENTIRE event. Just five days.
November 23, 2004 is the date that the game was released.
That's five days of play time "interrupted" with one of the most significant events in the World of Warcraft, which we had been playing for 1,435 days by the 27th of October in 2008.
My math may be wrong, but that's only 0.3% of the time that the game has existed.
So there's the logical stuff up there. Prepare for my opinion.
IMHO, you can STFU and quit your QQ'ing. It was hilarious, fun, and I can't wait for another event like that.
sephirah May 15th 2009 9:25AM
@offday
You wrote you haven't a level 80 yet after 8 months of playing, so probably you were unlucky enough to have your only monthly hour of play "ruined" by the funny zombie invasion.
Do you know that you likely spend more time here complaining than actually playing?
Grendalsh May 15th 2009 9:29AM
Did your poor little world get upset by all those mean zombies invading Azeroth? I mean, how dare Blizzard affect the world like that - it's like there was an actual zombie invasion instead of their easily avoidable scripted spots. Who would ever want to play a game where something like a WAR could affect your play for a couple days. How completely unrealistic or fun.
Blizzard should never do anything to interrupt your gameplay or introduce fresh ideas that require playing differently than the other 350 days of the year.
Whiner.
Deadly. Off. Topic. May 15th 2009 9:36AM
I agree that this comment "tossed the gift away, like spoiled kids" was completely conjecture and outright bias opinion. I could easily point out that the real brats - the real spoiled jerks and a-holes were the ones who threw themselves into this “curse” and f**k up everyone else’s gameplay.
The event might have been fun if they didn’t make people flag pvp against their will or if they didn’t kill all essential NPCs. I’m sorry, but I did NOT join a PVP free for all realm so I could get flagged and killed. No thanks.
The only satisfaction I had was to get on my pally and cleanse every freaking person I could find. I also didn’t appreciate the insults and put downs by jerks who didn’t want to get cleansed.. And yet assumed I had to bend over backwards to let them do what they wanted. Yeah, right.
lightningjynx May 15th 2009 9:38AM
I was of two minds with this event. All in all it was a really good idea that Blizzard came out with, implementation may have been done a little differently, but they did what they did. Yes, I know it was supposed to be a zombie invasion, but things started to become a true cluster fuck. It was the people who became purposefully infected so they could then run to the lowbie areas to screw with the other players. Or what about the people who completely blew a gasket when you either killed them as a zombie, or cleansed them once they got infected? We were going against what they wanted, so they were allowed to complain, but those of us who didn't want to be bothered were told to keep our mouths shut. So yeah, the idea was an awesome one, the implementation was pretty well done. It is just giving the ability to screw with others to the playerbase with no negative effects that made this event bad.
Glaras May 15th 2009 10:49AM
Yeah, I expected the usual train of people who immediately resort to calling me a whiner, and the "QQ", and all the other remarks that demonstrate their complete lack of understanding of the reason I feel the Scourge Invasion was poorly executed. I'm neither surprised nor impressed. undoubtedly, they're the ones who were responsible for me having the opinion I do.
So, for the slow learners, here's what was wrong with the execution: the mechanic encouraged players with sub-optimal appreciation of others' gameplay to actively seek out infection in order to wreak as much havoc as possible. This is a completely unrealistic scenario, even when considering the fact that this is a "fantasy-based game." Only an extreme minority of Azerothians would have actively sought to embrace an opportunity to become a mindless minion of the Lich King. But see, that's the problem.
Blizz allowed players to become minions, but not mindless. Malicious, yes, very. But still self-directed.
This entire event could have been fixed with one change: infected players who do not get a cure within the given time limit become zombies of the same level as the player. Those zombies will then randomly patrol the zone in which they spawned, using the usual aggro mechanic.
This would have encouraged players to do one of two things: Head for the hills, or become active zombie-hunters. The infection mechanic would still have created a LOT of disturbance, but it would not have permitted players to force other players to PVP... as they were forced to do by having to face down a player-zombie who was several levels higher chasing them around the zone. The burst of speed the zombies were capable of easily allowed them to get into infection range of lower-level toons.
Had Blizz not given the self-directed zombie power to other players, forcing a more "realistic" response to the LK's invasion, I would have loved it. I'd have joined the other healers who were patrolling Ironforge on days 2 and 3, trying to stem the invasion. But we couldn't do anything to stop the dozens of newly-empowered sociopaths who rode in the gates as "friendlies" who we couldn't stop, only to completely obliterate the bank, the AH, and so forth.