If you could ask a CM anything...
by Azarialle | 05/03/2008 04:32:56 If you could ask a CM or dev 5 questions with a 99% chance they will all be answered fully (NOT a we’ll see or possibly!), what would they be? Bouncing is a legitimate form of Mana Regen |
by Drysc | 04/03/2008 17:08:31
Gently, on a pillow.
I think that there's always room for improvement, and while there's definitely things I'd like to see made even better, they're on such huge overarching terms that I know it's not going to happen in a single patch. The game now, in my own opinion though, is definitely better than the game released at launch. I think there's a lot to be said for the "new game" appeal, the nostalgia for those times, and the experiences that can't faithfully be recreated as any game progresses through a life cycle, but the game itself, game play and options, is definitely in a better place now.
1. Because not everything needs to be given away? 2. Yeah, so that was probably the least ideal situation one could muster. Originally design thoughts were that it was fine, and it was posted as such. Then some other designers came upon it, it was discussed off and on over a long period of time, through much arguing and disagreements, but eventually decided to be removed. In cases where we may grandfather in an item, or otherwise could encourage exploitation/rampant overuse of something we intend to be kept as minimal as possible, we don't provide any warning. So yeah, I think that covers it. 3. That was a bug as far as I know, and I don't remember the NPCs name. 4. You mean it failing from auto-attacks? Everything in the game is affected to some degree by latency, it just happens to be an ability that's affected by it to a much more visually and gameplay impacting way. Otherwise, I couldn't say, although there are at least a couple bugs related to vanish breaking unintentionally being fixed in 2.4. 5. If I answer you might ask the same thing of me tomorrow. |
by Drysc | 04/03/2008 17:31:26
1) Not being that closely involved in development time lines or appropriation of assets I couldn't say, it did definitely add additional development and testing time to that patch though. Since the work being done wouldn't be that of say... a quest/class/dungeon designer I don't think it had the impact you're implying. 2) I think there's a misconception about what CAN be addressed through a hotfix. Most things can't, or shouldn't be. If it needs to be addressed and can appropriately be addressed through a hotfix, then it is. 3) I'm not qualified to answer that, I wasn't involved in any initial design for the game. 4) "Re-hashing" armor is generally used for leveling items so that more attention can be paid to the high-level items, the ones you're going to wear for a while. Matching tier and arena sets is a decision to keep visual power comparisons. But no, we still don't think armor dyes would present the visual quality and impact we want with the items in the game. I don't feel it's totally out of the question, but there would be a lot of effort involved in making it work the way we would want it to work, and in the end still not guarantee it would help retain the visual consistency we want. 5) I don't care much for pet classes personally, not sure why, I guess the added necessity to control something other than my character isn't appealing to me. |
by Drysc | 04/03/2008 17:49:03
1. As far as how an issue may become resolved you mean? There's any number of ways it could go from discovery to implementation, but that's one of them, sure. 2. I doubt it. I don't anyway, I think they're pretty much the same they always have been. 3. Do you mean will random drops be removed completely? Nah. 4. I couldn't say with any certainty. 5. That's kind of setting me up for a self-glorifying answer, so I'll just sum up and say that we're always learning and putting that knowledge to use as best as possible. |
by Drysc | 04/03/2008 18:00:25
1. 2-3% I'm pretty tolerant... but I read a lot of posts, so that may actually be a lot of people. 2. Uh, hrm, I kind of like Shimmering Flats just because it's so easy to get the quests there done. Heh. Otherwise... Westfall has held up really well, I still like going there. 3. No, I don't play if I don't want to. 4. To limit the amount of people insta-porting to certain locations, it's just sort of the feel of the ability now more than anything too I think. 5. GMT -9? I think. |
by Nethaera | 05/03/2008 21:10:48 1. What other video games have you enjoyed in your life time? Alot of people were into EQ prior to this,kalgan most notably, were you? Are you a rpg fan or do you enjoy first person shooters? Kalgan was into UO. I don't recall him being involved in EQ. You may be thinking of Tigole. :) I personally was an FPS/RTS player long before I played MMOs. I've played many MMOs or at the least beta'd where I could. 2. What prompted you to work for blizzard? Did you do other forum moderating prior to this or was this something when you saw the posting you knew you wanted part of? I had wanted to work for Blizzard for many years prior to ever having the opportunity. I believe I counted up 11 years at least. I was caught up in Warcraft:Orcs and Humans from the start. I have prior experience in the industry, yes. 3. In original WoW, and into Burning Crusade content were you ever able to take part in raiding of any kind? Some people dig raiding tarren mill or southshore, others really want/ed more like onyxia and black temple. I took part in raiding prior to the Burning Crusade and still take part when I can in current raiding. I was also involved in the back and forth PvP of Tarren Mill and Southshore. While fun, the lag tended to put a damper on it. 4. What's your favorite item in game that one of your character's had? The ravager was my favorite mostly from looks but also how funny it was to just start randomly spinning after killing a level one rat. :-) Sorcerous Dagger was my favorite. I think it was my first significant epic item and it glowed. :) The secret we should never let the gamemasters know is that they don't need any rules. -Gary Gygax |
by Bornakk | 05/03/2008 13:56:03
1. Yes, especially when my guildmates that play the same class that killed me agree they are overpowered. As a follow up, does this make any direct impact on class balancing? Nope. 2. It would probably cause more harm than good, but we do post things when we feel they are necessary. On that note, here are some interesting Arena numbers: Lifetap change reverted  3. I have only seen it happen in humorous ways. You all know the other CMs already so I'll leave examples up to your imagination on this. ;-) No shouting though. 4. Lots of good feedback and points of view come from people on the forums, but if we have no information or updates on a specific complaint it can be difficult to say anything at all really, though we do try our best. So assuming this lines up with "the official company line" then sure. 5. Assuming you mean talent specs, I can't say. The character(s) and spec(s) I play are all still a secret. ;-) |
by Bornakk | 05/03/2008 14:00:28
Sorry, your answer was not in the form of a question. And it wasn't me, but we all know why it was moved. :) |
by Drysc | 11/06/2008 15:19:19
1. Yeah, well... haha, not everyone's an idiot. I like talking with people, I like trying to impart some of what I know as a person working for a game company to someone like myself before I worked here. It's really easy to be an enthusiastic gamer and have strong opinions, I've always been one, but once you've worked for a game company it really does change your perspective on how games work and how they're made. So, if I can just help someone see a little bit into the world of a development studio then I think it helps open up the possibilities for more fluid discussions. In any case, it sure can be entertaining. I think a better question is, do I like having to discuss everything through text? And I don't. I'd much rather be face to face with everyone, just chatting about whatever, but that's not the easiest thing to accomplish. I hope that when we, or at least I, am at a venue or tradeshow or whatever, that you're willing to come up to me and talk to me in person. 2. I think it's hilarious, but yes. 3. No. 4. Pay $0.99 - I don't have much of a sweet tooth. weird fishes |
by Drysc | 11/06/2008 15:28:16
1) I don't know. The number 6 may have been arbitrary, it may have been dictated by the character selection UI. I really don't know. The limitations on classes has always been sort of an idea of what fits for each race, and if 6 was the number, it was probably a question of "which 6 or less classes can this race be". 2) Well I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I would guess that if it is true it's probably because they're easily identifiable. Sometimes people just want to play as themselves in a game, they want to imagine the character they're playing isn't a character but that they themselves are in the game world. That doesn't work so well for most of the other races. Wouldn't you maybe like to shoot fireballs from your hands in real life? Instead of pretending you're something else, you're you, just in a fantastical world with god-like power. 3) Again, I'm not sure if that's true, but I can't really think of anything specific beyond pop-culture influence. 4) That may be an assumption or just your view on the pets, but in any case pet choices for those that know their strengths and weaknesses are really pretty limited. That's something that is planned to be addressed in Lich King. 5) Dwarves just aren't very magic-y. I remember playing one, it was cool, but I had to stop and think about everything I knew about Dwarves, and why on Azeroth I would be such a dedicated magic user. It just didn't fit with the Dwarven vibe I think. weird fishes |
by Zarhym | 10/09/2008 12:12:16
It's certainly a potential outcome on some time line.
Both are desensitizing. How are we going to justify arms dealing if we know we're all one? |
by Zarhym | 10/09/2008 12:15:39
Of course. We happen to like video games.
No. How are we going to justify arms dealing if we know we're all one? |
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