Patch 3.3 PTR: New LFG interface
by Gregg Reece 
Oct 21st 2009 at 8:00PM
In the latest build of the PTR, Blizzard has included the new Looking for Group interface they've got in the works. As they had announced in at BlizzCon, the recent fix for the "Additional Instances" errors that were plaguing us a few months ago also adds the ability for them to allow cross-realm LFG. A new feature usually means a new interface and the trend proves true. It incorporates a lot of the long asked for features as well as removes several older features from the panel.
They've taken the current system that allows you to select your available roles (healer, tank, or dps) as well as select if you're willing to lead the instance. One thing that should help out is the ability to earn emblems as well as gold for doing just a completely random pug each day. While some of you might be groaning at this thought, they are willing to reimburse you for the inconvenience with 68G for completing a random level 80 heroic. This money scales based on how much of your party is random and how much is premade. The less random your party is the lower the cash return.
It's still early in the PTR and several features, like the ability to use the LFG panel to look for a raid, don't appear to be completely finished yet. I've included a gallery of what the new interface looks like thus far.
They've taken the current system that allows you to select your available roles (healer, tank, or dps) as well as select if you're willing to lead the instance. One thing that should help out is the ability to earn emblems as well as gold for doing just a completely random pug each day. While some of you might be groaning at this thought, they are willing to reimburse you for the inconvenience with 68G for completing a random level 80 heroic. This money scales based on how much of your party is random and how much is premade. The less random your party is the lower the cash return.
It's still early in the PTR and several features, like the ability to use the LFG panel to look for a raid, don't appear to be completely finished yet. I've included a gallery of what the new interface looks like thus far.
Patch 3.3 is the last major patch of Wrath of the Lich King. With the new Icecrown Citadel 5-man dungeons and 10/25-man raid arriving soon, patch 3.3 will deal the final blow to the Arthas. WoW.com's Guide to Patch 3.3 will keep you updated with all the latest patch news.Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Instances, Screenshots, Galleries, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 9)
Scien Oct 21st 2009 8:04PM
So wait... free money for Pugging?
Carnagefiend Oct 21st 2009 8:04PM
Make it rain baby!
joel Oct 21st 2009 8:05PM
XD
Vinci Oct 21st 2009 8:14PM
MONEY MONEY MONEY
tonedeff Oct 21st 2009 9:00PM
With all these free emblems, I hope that even the biggest nubs are so far ahead in gear (for heroics) that they can scrape them selfs threw a heroic without failing it for the rest!
Eternauta Oct 21st 2009 11:33PM
I can't wait for this feature!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's so exciting that I peed and pooped my pants!!!
Oh wait.. I think that last one was for the insane numer of cups of Vodka & Speed I drank..
wildwinds Oct 22nd 2009 2:02AM
One concern I have with cross-server PUGs is the language barrier. In Europe you find people from different countries playing on other countries servers. Random people you dont know combined with a poor grasp of the native server language could spell disaster in a dungeon!
Muse Oct 22nd 2009 3:22AM
We assume that the cross-server will only pick ones in the same language region. So Spanish players will get players from the other spanish realms, but not the English ones.
Besides. We're already used to having that one guy in the group who doesn't say a word but accepted the invite and got in the instance door. This just means they'll be from even further away.
Alavan Oct 25th 2009 8:22PM
I don't like this, they are paying us to not play with our friends. I sure hope that the amount of money that is decreased per person is not so severe as to keep friends away from friends.
Byagi Oct 21st 2009 8:05PM
This is going to make my life much easier. Trying to get groups for the short amount of time I have to play is not fun. This will be a great way to make extra gold and rack up some emblems. I noticed that the lvl requirements for for some dungeons on some of the screenshots was 80 - 83. Interesting.
ash Oct 21st 2009 8:22PM
I think 80-83 is the standard level range for heroics at this point.
LinkstheShiz Oct 21st 2009 8:59PM
This is going to be great for instancing as your leveling
crunk Oct 21st 2009 10:49PM
Yes I am looking forward to this feature. Maybe then I can finally find groups doing some of the older dungeon content for my lowbie alts.
Aedilhild Oct 21st 2009 11:17PM
I want to meet the guy who defies statistics and ends up in Old Kingdom with four ninjas EVERY SINGLE TIME.
Sean Oct 22nd 2009 4:16AM
This LFG interface looks sweet! The rewards for PUG'ing are good enough to get some of the better players who don't PUG to actually do it, increasing the amount of good tanks/healers for heroic runs. Blizzard has really done it right! Drop the patch soon, Blizz, please!
Hyperious Oct 21st 2009 8:08PM
Hmmm.... Normally, I'd be a little leary of running with a complete and total pug, without even having them be from my server...
However, the prospect of getting as much as 884g (13 dungeons, 68g each) every day, plus the 51 badges and whatever vendorable loot you get...
I think I may actually *use* this system! I mean, it can't really be much worse than pugging on my own server, I've just got a lot larger group to pug with.
So, another question that comes to mind is the summoning stones. How does that work in cross-server LFG? Do the players get insta-ported to the dungeon, or do they have to all make their way to whatever dungeon the system chooses for them, and then zone in?
How does that work?
mmason91 Oct 21st 2009 8:12PM
look at the pics. when you get all 5 ppl it does a rdy check then ports everyone there when everyone accepts. o and its only 2 frost a day that you get for the first run. i dont know if the money reward gets smaller every time tho
Kyle Oct 21st 2009 8:12PM
the 2 Emblems of Frost and the 68g reward only applies to the first random heroic you use LFG to do each day.
jorge_av Oct 21st 2009 8:12PM
Read the comment for screen shot #7. It will work just like the PvP button. You'll get teleported inside the dungeon.
ChasW Oct 22nd 2009 8:10AM
@Kyle: The way I read it, the 2 Emblems are only for the first dungeon, but the gold is rewarded every time, because of the way the two rewards are separated with the "Also" in the description. You could be right, though, so I'm not sure which is correct.