Patch 3.2 will show quest objectives on the world map
by Eliah Hecht 
Jun 23rd 2009 at 8:00PM
The patch 3.2 PTR patch notes have been updated again; I still expect the PTR to go live sometime today. The only new information in this iteration of the notes is what they'll be marking in the way of quest objectives on the world map, and with what markers. We already knew they'd be doing something like this, but we didn't have the specifics.
- A skull graphic will be placed on the map in the general area where creatures players must kill can be found.
- A glowing skull graphic will be placed on the map in the general area where creatures can be found that drop quest objects.
- A gear graphic will be placed on the map in the general area where players must loot objects found in the world.
- A chat bubble graphic will be placed on the map in the general area where players must interact with a specific NPC.
- X marks the spot on the map where players must reach, discover or explore a designated area.
- A yellow question mark graphic will show on the map to provide the location of a NPC whose quest the player has completed.
I'm sure a certain group of players will be mad at what they see as a further dumbing-down of questing, although another group will be pleased that they don't have to tab out to Wowhead or use a mod like Carbonite anymore.
Keep in mind they're also making the quest log double-paned, with a full list of quests on the left side, and the text of the selected quest on the right. This eliminates the need for a mod like DoubleWide (pictured).
By the way, a big thank-you to Zarhym for highlighting which areas of the patch notes have been changed; it helps to see the new information at a glance.
Patch 3.2 will bring about a new 5, 10, and 25 man instance to WoW, and usher in a new 40-man battleground called the Isle of Conquest. WoW.com will have you covered every step of the way, from extensive PTR coverage through the official live release. Check out WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.2 for all the latest!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
conker87 Jun 23rd 2009 8:04PM
This is pretty awesome. Will go back to Cartographer if it's better than Carbonite.
Daniel Jun 23rd 2009 9:30PM
I do think it makes things easy. I've never used an add-on all the years I have been playing the game. But in a case like this, I don't have a problem with them making it easy so long as it can be turned off. The issue isn't easy; the issue is freedom. If I prefer to play the game with out a helper, as I have done all along, I should have that option.
Rhyno Jun 23rd 2009 10:21PM
I like this, Blizz really does listen to their community. I mean QH is one of the most popular addons and blizz thinks to themselves if it that good and people think it is necessary then it should be in the game not an addon. Same thing with the equipment manager. Good job Blizz its why we play your games.
Xanwryn Jun 23rd 2009 10:41PM
I like this too. I've always used Quest AddOns such as LightHeaded, Carbonite and QuestHelper (currently use the QH and LH), Carbonite's too bulky but LightHeaded owns as an alternative if QuestHelper ain't working lol).
This will save up on a bit of screen real estate (yay lol, finally get rid of some crap on mah screen) and hopefully will be less memory intensive.
Call me lazy, I just can't stand trying to find out quests on my own. Sure, that may ruin "half the fun" but I enjoy reading the logs, not scouring the globe trying to find X item or monster...
Urza Jun 23rd 2009 11:26PM
No kidding. I'll be using Lightheaded and Tomtom again when this goes into place, along with Cartographer. No more need for Carbonite... thank god!
Sanchito Jun 24th 2009 9:56AM
This is actually a welcome change for me. I like tweaking my ui from time to time, but certain mods aren't compatible with carbonite. As far as making the game easier, it's able to be turned off if you don't like the help it offers so no whining should be going on.
Magresda Jun 23rd 2009 8:08PM
Wow. Another huge change (primarily) aimed at leveling. If I read this right, it will remove the need of any external quest addons such as Questhelper or Carbonite.
Only good things can come out of this, but I'm expecting another shitstorm of "omg blizz is making stuff to ez amg".
conker87 Jun 23rd 2009 8:10PM
Those people can shut up. If they thought about it then technically they should have started whining back when WoW first came out, since we had the ability to do this ourselves anyway (QH and carbonite, etc)!
Janaa Jun 23rd 2009 9:45PM
WoW must have come out on your planet a year after ours, when those mods were NOT available, and we did have to actually explore. Why should people say Blizz are making it easy, "shut up"? Blizz themselves are saying that. That, exactly, specifically. Should Blizz shut up too?
You're just on the defensive because you need QuestHelper to know which mobs to kill, unlike those of us who prefer to read the quest log. I understand why you'd be on the defensive too - not being able to read quest logs is usually a sign of diminished mental capacity. But thats ok - Blizz are making it easy for you.
Shitstorm? No. Its just exactly what they're doing. I think you're telling the wrong people to shut up. People who say Blizz are making it easier are completely correct. The people you want to abuse are those like myself - the people who think you're stupid because you can't play the game without aids like these. Direct your anger appropriately.
Preston Jun 23rd 2009 10:01PM
It's just annoying when somebody's QuestHelper addon isn't working, and they invade general chat with a barrage of dumb questions that are answered in the quest text. It often seems like the majority of QuestHelper and Carbonite addons are kids and stupid adults who just want a big arrow telling them where to look and press W. It's a sign of our society getting dumber by the minute.
ChiperSoft Jun 23rd 2009 10:05PM
Those people didn't whine back when they added the sparkly effect to quest objects in the environment. Or at least, if they did they stopped the instant they did the first quest that required it.
The same will happen here. They may whine about it dumbing things down, but they'll still use it.
Faar Jun 23rd 2009 10:07PM
It's a bit too far-reaching a conclusion to say our society is getting stupider because of some symbols on a minimap in a computer game.
Personally I think this is great. I've played WoW since early 2005. I've done nearly every quest in the game, a lot of them MANY times, since I've leveled a small army of alts of various sizes, colors and classes. You can only bother to read quest text so many times before you go completely numb in the head reading the same damn words over and over, so yes. This is a welcome change.
kia Jun 23rd 2009 11:20PM
I don't think you were playing from the beginning of the game, Conker87. I started in early 2005 - so not even from day 1 - and alt-tabbing out to Thottbot was your *only* choice and the general knowledge of game zones and quests and range of quest-assistance addons was nowhere near what it is today.
I have no issue with Blizzard's changes, so long as they are optional. Seeing as the new quest tracking options that came with 3.1 are optional I'm sure they will be. I'm perfectly happy not to have brightly coloured skulls and whatnots all over my world map but it doesn't put me off my game that other people like em.
jbodar Jun 24th 2009 12:03AM
Well, this won't replace Carbonite for me anyway. It's got too many other features that I just can't replicate quite the way I like with similar mods:
- GPS/map/minimap integration
- Warehouse (seriously, I don't know how I lived without this before considering all my alts)
http://www.carboniteaddon.com/WarehouseFeatures.shtml
And "bulk"? 4 gigs of RAM fixes all that ails ye. :)
I don't quite get all the seething hatred toward people who use these mods. I'm not a chittering moron. I can read quest text, but I've just done it SO many times, that I just want to get it done without deciphering some of the inane tidbits that pass for "directions". I've got places to go and monsters to slay.
Saleheim Jun 24th 2009 5:13AM
Good to see Blizzard is still finetuning Wow. That they still seek to improve the fundamentals of the game. Great news.
Jon Do Jun 24th 2009 9:13AM
OK, Blizz has been teasing and beating around the bush on the topic of rushing people to the endgame. Enough with the playing around. I have four at level 70+, Explorer, and about 70 quests short of old-world Loremaster, one dungeon run-through from old-world Dungeon Master.
I've been-there-done-that, and I would like the OPTION to start ANY class toon on ANY server at, say, level 55.
C'mon - Am I asking too much?
Recently I wanted to roll on a friend's server, but I like healing, so DK is out. All the heirloom stuff is tied to a server (unless you do a paid transfer) - and is account-bound, so my friends can't pass them over to me. And Blizz keeps incrementally making leveling easier - making me think that as soon as I roll and spend time leveling, about the time I get my healer to 55 they'll add an option in 3.3 to create at level 55.
Calybos Jun 24th 2009 6:01PM
This does look interesting. I just hope it doesn't make the interface too complicated to learn for new players.
tonedeff Jun 23rd 2009 8:09PM
Seems like a nice idea to have a built in version of quest helper into the game. BUT then at teh same time i think they are just making this lvling process quicker, easier, FASTER then evger befor. Soon it iwll be just go kill 1 mob in each area to level.
rhorle Jun 23rd 2009 8:13PM
Because having to alt-tab and go to wowhead.com or download a mod like quest helper, zygors, tourguide+tomtom, carbonite etc is so much slower and better now.
If you are going to complain about the leveling process becoming easier, then actually complain about stuff that does that. Adding objectives to the map does nothing to speed up the process, because these things exist already in third party sources. The leveling process remains the same speed, using these tools is just easier since it is now packaged with your wow client.
Janaa Jun 23rd 2009 9:47PM
Why would anyone need to alt-tab to wowhead or download a quest mod when the quest description in-game already tells you what to do?