Patch 3.3 PTR: A look at the Raid Browser
by Gregg Reece 
Oct 30th 2009 at 11:00AM
While some people are upset at the lack of cross-realm support for raiding, others of us are relieved. This means no cross-realm raid stealing, no cross-realm ninjas, and no cross-realm toy trains for us to smash. It is also fairly difficult to get the same group of people back later to finish a raid when they're scattered across your battlegroup.
However, some of the new features include the fact that the Looking for Group channel will be turned on by default for all characters and will be available in major cities, just like Trade and General. It will also be uncoupled from the LFG and Raid Browser interfaces. This means that those people who currently spam Trade with raid requests can move over to LFG and still hit their intended audience.
Right now, it also looks like you can queue for both classic and BC era raids as well as the current level content from the interface while on a level 80 character. I'm not sure if this will stay in as a similar feature was available in the normal LFG tool, but was removed a build or two later. There are still a few rough edges, but it appears to be coming along nicely.
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.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Malkavos Oct 30th 2009 11:13AM
I've been considering a move to a high-population server, but was waiting to see how all these new LFG and LFR changes would turn out. The PUG scene on my home server isn't all that vibrant, and now that I know the raid system will only be on a per realm basis, I'm thinking about it again.
Cataca Oct 30th 2009 11:20AM
The cross-realm feature for the LFR tool was all that was going to save it. The current LFG tool isn't used at all for raids currently and I predict that without the cross-realm feature it will stay that way for many servers.
It's sad that this feature may not make it just because of ninjas.
machoflaco Oct 30th 2009 11:23AM
At first I was a little disappointed until I read this blue post:
"If a dungeon group falls apart after 1-2 bosses, it's not nearly as big of a deal as if a raid group falls apart after 5 bosses of Ulduar."
Now I agree 100%.
Cataca Oct 30th 2009 11:30AM
I can understand that a 5man heroic falling apart is better than a 25man raid.
But what does it really matter if the failed raid is comprised completely of people from your server or not? It's still a failed raid that your saved too.
machoflaco Oct 30th 2009 11:35AM
Hmm, I guess you are right. I've played a raid PUG of Ulduar and group fell apart after 2 bosses.
Karilyn Oct 30th 2009 12:17PM
An easy solution for that it would seem is two fold...
1. LFR Tool gearchecks players before letting them sign up for a raid, same as LFG Tool will do.
2. The LFR could additionally require that the person has the achievement for having completed the raid somewhere on their account. This would indicate that they know the fight, even if they are on an alt instead of their main.
Jack Miles Oct 30th 2009 12:37PM
@Karilyn
"The LFR could additionally require that the person has the achievement for having completed the raid somewhere on their account."
You want it to be only possible to join a raid if you've already completed that raid? Wouldn't that make it.... difficult to progress with pugs? When would you get a chance to get the achievement at all, presuming you're guild won't do it (hence using the LFR) and you don't have 25 close friends all of the right class free on the same day?
Karilyn Oct 30th 2009 1:32PM
Guilds are for progression raids.
Pugs are for farming raids.
A pug is not a place to teach 24 people how to do all the fights, and spend hours wiping over and over again until everyone understands the fight mechanics.
fearthefireblade Oct 30th 2009 11:23AM
No cross realm capability? How is it any better than what we have now?
That sucks.
Jack Miles Oct 30th 2009 11:30AM
Bring back World LFG! EVERYONE loved that... right?
MightyMuffin Oct 30th 2009 11:47AM
They took that out? No wonder I wasn't able to type stuff in LFG channel like I used to in Icecrown...why did they take that out, again?
Cataca Oct 30th 2009 11:49AM
I know the LFG channel will be on when in a city like the Trade channel is. But can you also join the LFG channel by using the LFG tool too, if you can't be in a city at that time? (or maybe just by /join LookingForGroup etc)
(cutaia) Oct 30th 2009 12:04PM
I generally turn on my LFG tool to some random thing like a zone or a group quest just so I can keep an eye on the /lfg channel while I quest. If this new system turns lfg into a city only thing, I'll actually be pretty disappointed... :(
Jack Miles Oct 30th 2009 12:32PM
I actually meant the patch 1.9(ish) LFG channel where every player on your server would be automatically connected. Though I actually would like to see the city LFG joinable from anywhere in the world, just not automatically.
MazokuRanma Oct 30th 2009 1:00PM
It seems to me that if they allowed a LFG channel to be available worldwide it would just switch the problem from LFG people in Trade to all the Trade people switching to LFG. After all, why use a city only chat when you can spam your merchandise to the whole world?
I'm not sure whether or not I'd really care if there was a worldwide channel being used in such a manner, but I think Blizzard does, otherwise trade wouldn't be city restricted to start with. Not giving gold spammers the ability to spam a worldwide channel 24/7 probably also factored into the decision I imagine.
Jamie Oct 30th 2009 11:46AM
You'd think with all these upgrades to the dungeon system, the changes they're putting in place to remove LF/G spam in trade they'd be able to come up with something to keep trade chat open for trade only...
Thinking backing to my comment "how do you kill one that has no brain?"...
3.2.2 Patch Notes
General:
- New global city chat, "lolchat", for all your inane chatter needs.
Jamie Oct 30th 2009 11:46AM
blah fail... 3.3.2 not 3.2.2...
Super Healer Oct 30th 2009 11:50AM
I think I read somewhere that the LFG random dungeon module extrapulates your current gear level and filters out those groups that you wouldnt be suitable for? Therefore undergeared players couldn't group with players who are overgeared and vice versa....?!
It would be great if the LFR module somehow managed to do that as well to stop people who arent yet geared for a particular raid from overestimating themselves (either intentioanlly or not). although some would argue thats the raid leaders job! It may not work or be possible, just a thought...!
Malkavos Oct 30th 2009 12:11PM
I honestly don't think it's that intelligent. From what I can tell, it's just there to impose a minimum requirement on people -- as in people still in quest greens from Grizzly Hills do not get into your H-ToC group -- not to match them with people geared at their own iLevel.
Prudelas Oct 30th 2009 12:48PM
The ability to set a minimal gear score that filters out under-geared players would be great.