This just in...

[MentatAssassin]

Just saw a post about the WoW release on Battle.net

Althougth the title text of the post currently says something about the final stress test, the rest of the text clearly talks about a retail relase. I'm assuming this is the real deal and not just a mistake :lol:

Edit: There is also a post on the World of Warcraft Community Site now.

-Mentat

[--Pete]

Hi,

Just saw a post about the WoW release on Battle.net
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Link, please?

--Pete

[Artega]

Just saw a post about the WoW release on Battle.net

Althougth the title text of the post currently says something about the final stress test, the rest of the text clearly talks about a retail relase.  I'm assuming this is the real deal and not just a mistake  :lol:

-Mentat
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23rd of November? Honestly, I don't think WoW is quite ready for retail just yet, but it makes since that they're working for the holiday season. And from what I've been hearing, the Beta is a lot better than most final versions of MMORPGs out there :)

[MongoJerry]

23rd of November?  Honestly, I don't think WoW is quite ready for retail just yet, but it makes since that they're working for the holiday season.  And from what I've been hearing, the Beta is a lot better than most final versions of MMORPGs out there :)

I'm going to withhold final judgement until I see the open beta patch that is supposed to include hunter and pally talents, warrior and possibly priest refinements, some massive and needed overhauls in Kalimdor areas, and the introduction of a raid instance and a small battleground. However, I have to say that I feel much better about this release timetable than I did a month ago. One of my biggest worries about the game was the question of what would keep someone playing their characters once they reached the lvl 60 cap. Now that I've been able to play and experience some of the high-end content, however, I'm much less worried about it. I like the direction Blizzard is heading with that. The primary issue for me regarding "releaseability" is how well thought out and developed the classes are at the start of Open Beta. If the new hunter and/or paladin talents are like the half-formed joke talents warlocks got at first, then I'll be very disappointed. However, if they're well thought out and only need minor tweaking, and if the new content is pretty good, then yeah, releasing the game at the end of this month wouldn't be a travesty.

[--Pete]

Hi,

Thanks for the links -- guess I'll have to give myself (and Magi) a birthday present. :)

--Pete

[lemekim]

I'm going to withhold final judgement until I see the open beta patch that is supposed to include hunter and pally talents, warrior and possibly priest refinements, some massive and needed overhauls in Kalimdor areas, and the introduction of a raid instance and a small battleground.  However, I have to say that I feel much better about this release timetable than I did a month ago.  One of my biggest worries about the game was the question of what would keep someone playing their characters once they reached the lvl 60 cap.  Now that I've been able to play and experience some of the high-end content, however, I'm much less worried about it.  I like the direction Blizzard is heading with that.  The primary issue for me regarding "releaseability" is how well thought out and developed the classes are at the start of Open Beta.  If the new hunter and/or paladin talents are like the half-formed joke talents warlocks got at first, then I'll be very disappointed.  However, if they're well thought out and only need minor tweaking, and if the new content is pretty good, then yeah, releasing the game at the end of this month wouldn't be a travesty.
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Speaking of the patch, here is what Blizz said today about it:

"I believe the last time I discussed the patch, I said, "not for awhile."

Tyren "

And

"The process of patching the client up to this point has been a different technical structure than the client that we will be releasing come launch. Thus to syncronize the two different versions of the same client, the closed beta testers had to reinstall the entire client.

The new content patch will arrive sometime in the not too distant future, and the dev team has done it's best to make sure that patch is not too heavy so the download should not take very long.

Tyren "

However the "not too distant future" sounds awefully close to the release day. =(

[Tal]

Hi,

Thanks for the links -- guess I'll have to give myself (and Magi) a birthday present. :)

--Pete
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Happy Birthday to you two early. :)

[Roland]

Hi,
Link, please?

--Pete
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Link.

[Bolty]

The classes aren't even close to being balanced. There are entire gameplay mechanics that haven't even been introduced yet!

There is NO PvP system!

All I can say is, WTF?

Imagine if the Sorceress only had 2 of her 3 skill trees in the game during beta just 3 weeks before release. There are so many skills, class quests, talents, spells, etc not fleshed out yet it's not even funny.

This is rushed. After all that effort, they're going to rush it. I'm really shocked, to be honest. Everquest 2 is scaring them that badly.

-Bolty

[Lissa]

The classes aren't even close to being balanced.  There are entire gameplay mechanics that haven't even been introduced yet!

There is NO PvP system!

All I can say is, WTF?

Imagine if the Sorceress only had 2 of her 3 skill trees in the game during beta just 3 weeks before release.  There are so many skills, class quests, talents, spells, etc not fleshed out yet it's not even funny.

This is rushed.  After all that effort, they're going to rush it.  I'm really shocked, to be honest.  Everquest 2 is scaring them that badly.

-Bolty
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Actually, I don't think EQ2 is the reason. Remember, Blizzard had stated earlier this year that it would be out before the end of the year. Also, Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest holiday shopping weekend in the US. Likewise, Blizzard has been doing a lot of stuff internally that they haven't shown the Beta testers (the add in a number of gaming magazines tends to show this).

WoW, in it's present form, is equal to what most MMORPGs coming out today are 6 months after they launch. The first couple months of any new MMORPG are bumpy and WoW will be no different in that respect, the big difference is the bumps will be a lot smaller than most (look to the history of the launches of AC2, AO, DAOC, and Lineage 2).

[Bun-Bun]

Actually, I don't think EQ2 is the reason.
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I humbly beg to differ. The timing of the Open Beta to coincide with the EQ2 release seems to link the two inextricably. From a marketing standpoint, it's exactly what I'd do to counter EQ2, especially if there is some concern that the market is being saturated and a major source of players is fallout from other MOGs.

[Saxywoo]

The classes aren't even close to being balanced.  There are entire gameplay mechanics that haven't even been introduced yet!

There is NO PvP system!

All I can say is, WTF?

[right][snapback]59294[/snapback][/right]

All I can say is that they better have one hell of an awesome patch coming that balances EVERYTHING out, includes a PvP system, and an Honor System or there are going to be a lot of pissed people when the game goes final. What is Blizz going to do? Subject everyone to a 500+ MB download of a patch a month after the severely incomplete and flawed game hits shelves? Or are they going to pull a Microsoft, where they are putting out patches everyday, trying to patch something, but breaking 3 things in the process?

If Blizz wants to go down in flames, this is a perfect way to do it.

-SaxyCorp

[MongoJerry]

The classes aren't even close to being balanced.

OK... I'm not sure where you're coming from. I guess I'm so used to Diablo II, where "balance" was a complete joke. Looking at only those classes that have their talents, I don't see any classes that are grossly overpowered or grossly underpowered. There are things that could use some adjustment to make some classes more useful in groups certainly, but I don't see where you're coming from with your "classes aren't even close to being balanced" comment. All classes can solo when they need to. All classes have a function in a group setting. I've dueled, ganked, been ganked by, skirmish with, etc. all classes and while there are some class/talent combinations that are better than others, there aren't any clear-cut classes that can destroy everyone all the time. Tell me which of the classes that have talents you think are grossly over or underpowered.

Now, there are two classes that don't have talents. One such class are paladins, who nonetheless are quite popular are are desired at least in high level instance groups. It makes sense to me that they would be among the last classes to get their talents, because they were the one class that were really playable without them. Hunters, on the other hand, are gimped without talents. It makes sense. They were the last to be added. What the patch does for them is going to play a big part in how ready I think the game is for release. The other classes, though, are pretty darned good.

There are entire gameplay mechanics that haven't even been introduced yet!

There is NO PvP system!

Let's wait for the patch, eh? We'll see what our first battleground is like. There's a lot there in the game even if no PvP system is in place, though.

Imagine if the Sorceress only had 2 of her 3 skill trees in the game during beta just 3 weeks before release.

OK... but that's not the case, so I don't know what you're saying. The upcoming patch is supposed to have talents for all classes and that'll leave 3 weeks for testing. I'd like it to be more, but most of the class stuff is there.

There are so many skills, class quests, talents, spells, etc not fleshed out yet it's not even funny.

OK, they're short on class quests. That's sad, but hardly "hold the release"-worthy. Talents, skills, and spells, though, are pretty well designed. A few additions and adjustments can be made, but I don't see the "it's not even funny" part. Every class (except hunters) can contribute uniquely to high-end groups. I'm thinking that maybe you're making your judgements based on lower level stuff or on stuff from months back.

This is rushed.  After all that effort, they're going to rush it.  I'm really shocked, to be honest.  Everquest 2 is scaring them that badly.

Yeah, probably. It's Christmas and EQ2. They're not going to push things back, because of that. Despite what you might think, I really am going to withhold judgement until I see what the next patch brings. If the paladin and hunter talents are jokes like the first round of warlock talents, then I'll be pissed. If the Ashenvale, Stonetalon, and Desolace revamps are terrible, then I'll be very disappointed. But from what I've read about the talents and from what I've seen from other revamped areas, I'm hopeful.

I hope that the battleground and raid instance we get are good, but that's less important to me. For release, what matters to me is that the classes are developed and that the level 1-55 areas are enjoyable. After release, they can then add all the high end raid and/or PvP crap they want.

[Bolty]

If Blizz wants to go down in flames, this is a perfect way to do it.
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They will have one more patch before release.

One last chance.

If the patch is like so many others, just introducing new bugs to replace old ones, and introducing no promise of a PvP system at all, I'm done with WoW. It was a lot of fun, but there are other ways to spend my time.

See - what if no PvP system is fleshed out? When the game goes final, you'd have a choice: create a character on the currently-pointless PvP servers IN THE HOPE that they'll someday implement a workable PvP system, or just save yourself the aggravation and go non-PvP?

See, for longevity's sake, the game will be much more interesting with PvP when everyone's capped. That's why I'd like to play on the PvP server. But without any kind of POINT to PvP'ing (as implemented now), that would be just stupid.

-Bolty

I'm so incredibly disappointed right now. This game could have been the ultimate MMORPG, and they're stopping just short.

[Roland]

OK... but that's not the case, so I don't know what you're saying.  The upcoming patch is supposed to have talents for all classes and that'll leave 3 weeks for testing.

What planet are you living on? The game COMES OUT on the 23rd! Today is the 5th! That's 18 days between now and release - TWO and a HALF weeks! And the Open Beta (and thus the next patch) is not even due out until the 8th or 9th, which means that leaves them with, at MOST, 15 full days of testing. That's just over two weeks. You're plotting a whole week which they don't have.

I hope you're right that this game isn't as bad as Bolty seems to think. Frankly, I'm still reeling from his comments. My view of the game is exceptionally limited right now, especially since I'm a level 12 Paladin (no Talents) on a non-PvP server. But I can tell you this - Pallys are gimped. Without talents we can barely manage mobs one-on-one, and I do mean barely. Hopefully talents will change this. And, hopefully more tweaks are in the works for us. :P

Two and a half weeks to go, and Bolty's spouting off about all these problems? My confidence in this game is suddenly very shaken. But, then again, this is CLASSIC Blizzard behavior... Let's just hope they can pick up the pieces.

[LochnarITB]

What planet are you living on? The game COMES OUT on the 23rd! Today is the 5th! That's 18 days between now and release - TWO and a HALF weeks! And the Open Beta (and thus the next patch) is not even due out until the 8th or 9th, which means that leaves them with, at MOST, 15 full days of testing. That's just over two weeks. You're plotting a whole week which they don't have.[right][snapback]59312[/snapback][/right]

You people seem to be forgetting one more factor. Release date is the 23rd. EBgames shows it as shipping on the 22nd so that people can have it the day it is released. We are now in a stress test with an open beta coming next week. At some point, this thing has to go gold so that CDs, and the game boxes they come in, can be put together and shipped out. That does not happen overnight and I would think that it would have to happen very, very soon.

People are certainly going to be buying a beta and should expect to heavily patch for a while. I just don't see any way that can not be the case if they actually do release on the 23rd. :(

[Thecla]

Actually, I don't think EQ2 is the reason. [right][snapback]59300[/snapback][/right]

Who knows -- but I also find it hard to believe that the release of EQ2 isn't a strong factor, and that it may have forced their hand. I'm sure both SOE and Blizzard figure that many people will only choose between these games, and the one that has a head start can get a big advantage. A few weeks won't be a big deal, but 4 or 5 months would be.

Maybe Bliz has a lot of content up their sleeve, or maybe not, but I'm much more skeptical about EQ2's readiness than WoW's. It will be interesting to see what the reviews on EQ2 look like after they launch.

[Roland]

You people seem to be forgetting one more factor.  Release date is the 23rd.  EBgames shows it as shipping on the 22nd so that people can have it the day it is released.  We are now in a stress test with an open beta coming next week.  At some point, this thing has to go gold so that CDs, and the game boxes they come in, can be put together and shipped out.  That does not happen overnight and I would think that it would have to happen very, very soon.

People are certainly going to be buying a beta and should expect to heavily patch for a while.  I just don't see any way that can not be the case if they actually do release on the 23rd.  :(
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I haven't forgotten that at all. In fact, I was conveniently leaving that out, but still allowing room for it. As I said already, that leaves at MOST 15 days of testing before the game goes live.

The next few weeks should prove interesting. :P

[Walkiry]

I hope this comment doesn't annoy anyone, but I'm savouring the delicious irony with a small grin on my face.

The "threat" of the Diablo II release rushed quite a few Diablo "clones" to the market that, without the rush, could have been excellent fun games. Now Blizzard is getting the short end of the stick and having to release early because of EQ2.

That aside, I do hope that last patch before release does indeed introduce a great deal of fixes, just for the sake of the Lurkers that so far had shown great enthusiasm for this game. Irony or not, if the game is released in a state that is too short of the expectations of those players that have been enjoying it during Beta (and in no small way contributed to its development) I'll be disappointed.

[lemekim]

Rereading quot from Tyren again:

"The process of patching the client up to this point has been a different technical structure than the client that we will be releasing come launch. Thus to syncronize the two different versions of the same client, the closed beta testers had to reinstall the entire client.

The new content patch will arrive sometime in the not too distant future, and the dev team has done it's best to make sure that patch is not too heavy so the download should not take very long.

Tyren "

I think I understand now how they will try to accomplish this. Apparently the release game will not include our input from Open Beta. It will probably a separate, more advanced version of the patch we are about to get. They are making a separate version that will be THE release, and whatever input we add from Open Beta will be implemented at a later date. This is the ONLY way they will be able to go gold and release before november 23. If you add the time needed to actually implement the changes and fix the bugs, and the fact that patch didn't even come out yet, this comes as the only possibility.

I can't even begin to explain how BAD that would be.