The Isle of Conquest and Season 7
by Zach Yonzon 
May 22nd 2009 at 4:30PM
Even though vehicle combat has gotten fairly mixed reviews, we know for a fact that it works rather well in PvP implementations such as Lake Wintergrasp and Strand of the Ancients. Wintergrasp, in particular, has been so popular that it has created all sorts of problems for Blizzard, leading to the development team finding ways to actually reduce the number of people playing in it. If Wintergrasp is any indication, the Isle of Conquest should be incredibly fun, as well. The key word here is "large-scale", which hopefully indicates a return to Alterac Valley-level epic battles.
It's too soon (and rather pointless) to speculate on the mechanics of the Battleground, but it leans towards being of bigger scale than the fifteen-man Eye of the Storm or Arathi Basin. I mean, you wouldn't call either Battleground "large-scale", would you? At any rate, with all the data Blizzard has gathered from the success and popularity of Wintergrasp, expect Isle of Conquest to be several steps in the right direction.
In other news, it truly looks as if we should get used to shorter Arena seasons, with Season 6 seemingly coming to a close with Patch 3.2. The biggest question here, however, is what PvE gear will the new Arena and Honor items be matched with? The answer might lie in the same patch preview -- the Argent Coliseum. With unique 5-man, 10-man, and 25-man challenges, there's bound to be equivalent gear. So even if Patch 3.2 won't contain Icecrown Citadel just yet, there'll be a whole slew of delicious new gear to work for.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, PvP, Battlegrounds, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Hammey the hamster May 22nd 2009 4:42PM
OMFG!!! Love it :D and cant wait for the argent arena thing 0.0 hope Kael has returned as a knight and know wants revenge. But back to the isle. I think it will be a mix up of capture the flag and wintergrasp. Well i hope :D
Woif May 22nd 2009 4:51PM
Yeaaa no. Hes dead and was serving the burning legion anyways.
Bubsa May 22nd 2009 5:08PM
Magister's Terrace was merely a setback...
Chuck May 22nd 2009 4:41PM
Wow! It's a lot more than I expected, and I definitely did NOT see a 25 man coming.
While it probably won't be Ulduar in size/ambition, I hope it's at least as large as SSC or TK, and is at least Ulduar hard in difficulty.
Also, new BG's are always sweet.
Thander May 22nd 2009 4:48PM
I don't think it will even be that big. The coliseum really isn't that big when you look at it. It's gonna be just like Violet Hold. The story being somehow they've gathered various Lich King baddies to pit you against. The bosses are harder and more complicated based on which size group you have. The gear will probably be a half tier higher to fit with the new arena gear in the same patch. I think of it as something fun to do but I don't see it being a huge dungeon. You can probably only get a few good items out of it. Hardcore raiders won't get more than a few weeks out of it.
Burix May 22nd 2009 4:46PM
WTB Keep defense + bonuses for the isle for which keeps you command.
lunded May 22nd 2009 4:50PM
Maybe I'm wrong, but Wintergrasp is only "popular" because it's an easy route to marks, shards, honor, and PvP gear, gems, and enchants. I don't think anyone likes the huge lagfest that Wintergrasp is on most servers, it's just that it's faster than the BG honor grind.
A lot of players enjoy normal PvP, and not the vehicle stuff. Hopefully the new BG will make room for both.
Disappointed2009 May 22nd 2009 5:40PM
To me the fun of WG is that it is not instanced and not shared over the battlegroup. Fighting with and against people you know from your own server is what is fun, instead unknowns from other servers. Plus WG feels like it actually matters. Getting the guildies to get there and join in together is much of the fun too. yes I know you can make premades, but it isn't the same thing.
Poppa May 22nd 2009 11:00PM
I would play WG now except I'm tired of the lag. I put up with the lag to get the gear, but no more.
So, I think you are right that people are mainly playing now for the gear, but more would be playing if lag wasn't so bad.
Jardal May 22nd 2009 4:51PM
I'm hoping this new battleground is like UT4's "Onslaught" mode
Grolldir May 22nd 2009 4:59PM
Please get rid of vehicles, they simply suck!
Chupathingy May 22nd 2009 5:04PM
anyone else think this could point the next expansion to maelstrom since the BG is an island not necessarily in northrend?
(is probably over interpreting)
RogueJedi86 May 22nd 2009 5:22PM
Strands of the Ancients is an island too. Situated south of the Dragonblight, but that's still closer to the Maelstrom than the rest of Northrend.
Nagash May 22nd 2009 5:15PM
I think, that Blizzard need to put an effort on pvp side. Wintergrasp is a sucess, cuz is a mass pvp that remember us the idea of Conquer!! there are 2 things that wow lacks, 1- GvG pvp, we have guild rankings for pve, but we dont have it for pvp... why dont they do a huge bg that guilds battle with other guilds? In fact, pvp in wow is meaningless, and wintergrasp finally brought some meaning for pvp players.
so, my hints are:
1- do more GvG, lot of people likes it.
2- competition moves the world. people do pve to beat the machine, but to be one of the best guilds ever too, do the same with pvp... is a pain and veeeeeery boring this BG system, that you keep doing the same thing to equip. get the wintergrasp example, and do a pvp system that grants you fame, honor, and gear.
for me pvp in wow is incomplete... they only think about pve.
Oink May 22nd 2009 5:15PM
Well, lets hope we finally get the druid forms we deserve
SunwellVialist May 22nd 2009 6:32PM
Don't I wish we did...
Somehow I don't think we'll see em anytime before 3.3 :/
Shulkman May 22nd 2009 5:22PM
New Arena Season: Season 7 will officially start, paving the way for all-new items and challenges....
For the DK's and Ret Pally's who will continue to steam roll over all the other classes.
Nagash May 22nd 2009 5:27PM
Another thing, the game is supposed to have alliance X Horde battle... we need more competition against them, like wintergrasp, cuz when horde win wintergrasp, alliance is not able to use it... this is the magic. BG sux, cuz if horde or alliance wins, nothing happens, just do another one, and another.... this kind of "wars" that happens once in a day, or once every 3-5 hours... is cool, the winners earn some rights, and the loser is penalized. what is the fun to play a soccer game that you know that in the end will be a draw.
Nagash May 22nd 2009 5:29PM
of course DK´s and Ret Pally´s will continue to steam roll over the others, cuz as i say, they only balance the game to pve, the pvp is always left behind. they need to balance the classes to pvp and pve
jurandr May 22nd 2009 5:44PM
Euripedes said that what they ought to do is split the mechanics down through pve and pvp. I almost like that idea, but I think it would make the game too confusing.
http://criticalqq.wordpress.com/2009/03/24/nerf-dont-warlocks-fear-nerf-part-two/