Burning Crusade - Beta Winning Notifications Underway

[nobbie]

Long overdue, but finally there:

My winning notification for the "n x level 25" leveling contest arrived today. I'm the lucky winner of a "Burning Crusade" beta-key for the beta test in Europe. The key will be sent when the starts.

Hope to see some of you there:)

[Bolty]

I have to admit, Google's translation tools just get better and better. I ran that German through the translator:

Your participation in races around most stage of 25 characters on the public Testrealms in March 2006 has you a place in the beta test to World OF Warcraft: The Burning Crusade secured. We will inform you and to you further information will dispatch, how you can participate in the beta test, as soon as the phase begins, in which the winners of the competitions participate may.

Congratulations!

Cute!

-Bolty

[lemekim]

I have to admit, Google's translation tools just get better and better. I ran that German through the translator:
Cute!

-Bolty

Why do I have a feeling that Bolty initially was going to post "I'll see you there soon", but then changed his post?:ph34r:

[Tuftears]

Congrats!:) We expect lots of non-NDA-violating reports about the beta!

[nobbie]

Congrats!:) We expect lots of non-NDA-violating reports about the beta!

Thanks. Here's the first one: Your tier 3 set from Naxxramas will be trash can fodder once you reach level 70;)

[Tuftears]

...

We want lots of NDA-violating reports about the beta now!

[oldmandennis]

Thanks. Here's the first one: Your tier 3 set from Naxxramas will be trash can fodder once you reach level 70;)

Taking this one to another thread... if I get a chance tomorrow. I might actually have to do actuall work.

[chippydip]

Thanks. Here's the first one: Your tier 3 set from Naxxramas will be trash can fodder once you reach level 70;)

I've actually wondered about that. Tier 3 gear has item levels between 86 and 92+ (not sure what the level on the rings are since thott doesn't seem to have any of them listed). Normally, level requirements are determined by subtracting 5 from the item level, so this gives us 81-87. Since this is (way) above the level cap, the required level is reduced to 60 so that current characters can actually wear them.

I can't see them changing the level requirements on existing items when they change the level cap, but will new items follow the old rules? If this ends up being the case, you might not see better gear until you hit the new cap since Tier 3 is already 10+ levels above even the new level 70 cap.

Note that this would apply to all dropped gear. Quest reward gear, on the other hand, often does not have a level requirement at all. Instead, it uses the level requirement of the quest itself to prevent lowbies from obtaining leet gear. If they go back to the old level requirement rules, I can see dropped gear becoming essentially useless from 60-69 with quest gear perhaps stepping up to fill this void. Or, Blizzard could completely change the gear scaling curves in the 60-70 range so that the rate of stat inflation increases even more :blink:

[lemekim]

I've actually wondered about that. Tier 3 gear has item levels between 86 and 92+ (not sure what the level on the rings are since thott doesn't seem to have any of them listed). Normally, level requirements are determined by subtracting 5 from the item level, so this gives us 81-87. Since this is (way) above the level cap, the required level is reduced to 60 so that current characters can actually wear them.

I can't see them changing the level requirements on existing items when they change the level cap, but will new items follow the old rules? If this ends up being the case, you might not see better gear until you hit the new cap since Tier 3 is already 10+ levels above even the new level 70 cap.

Note that this would apply to all dropped gear. Quest reward gear, on the other hand, often does not have a level requirement at all. Instead, it uses the level requirement of the quest itself to prevent lowbies from obtaining leet gear. If they go back to the old level requirement rules, I can see dropped gear becoming essentially useless from 60-69 with quest gear perhaps stepping up to fill this void. Or, Blizzard could completely change the gear scaling curves in the 60-70 range so that the rate of stat inflation increases even more :blink:

Jewelcrafting. That's the answer. If each piece of Tier 0 had 2-3 sockets, and you could stick jewels in them that added 10 stats each, and 10 stat bonus for completing proper colors, then those sets would be almost as good as Tier 3 items without sockets.

Now imagine items that are at least 10 levels higher with sockets. I can see how even blues would make Tier 3 obsolete.

[Sword_of_Doom]

Looks like we could be as soon as 3 weeks away from beta.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.a...p=1#post9341971


Tseric


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Q u o t e:
anyway, any chance you can let us know when you might start going into more details on the expansion regarding the classes.
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Closer towards Beta. If I had to ETA it, I would say we'll be talking about new abilities and spells in about 3 weeks, mebbe less.

[castille]

Looks like we could be as soon as 3 weeks away from beta.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.a...p=1#post9341971
Tseric
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Q u o t e:
anyway, any chance you can let us know when you might start going into more details on the expansion regarding the classes.
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Closer towards Beta. If I had to ETA it, I would say we'll be talking about new abilities and spells in about 3 weeks, mebbe less.

Er, I read that as 'design phase' begins in three weeks. Once design is done, actual implementation shouldn't take too long (since they're mostly reusing code available now), but I could easily see it taking another 2 weeks or so for balancing / to go through the design phase.

I'd say if they're only going to start talking about it in 3 weeks, you're really looking at 6 weeks for it to get through even the most barebones QA.

[Tuftears]

I'm gonna suspect castille means the redesign of the paladin and shaman classes, not the Burning Crusade expansion. :w00t:

As for socketed items: I'm gonna suggest it's quite possible that sockets could actually be paid for with itemization points, meaning that socketed items might have fewer stats than non-socketed items, with the expectation that you will be tailoring the rest of the socketed item to match your specific needs.

That obviously doesn't go toward Nobbie's statement that level 70 gear will completely blow away level 60 tier 3 gear. But it is a possibility.

[Concillian]

I've actually wondered about that. Tier 3 gear has item levels between 86 and 92+ (not sure what the level on the rings are since thott doesn't seem to have any of them listed). Normally, level requirements are determined by subtracting 5 from the item level, so this gives us 81-87. Since this is (way) above the level cap, the required level is reduced to 60 so that current characters can actually wear them.

I'm guessing they will significantly raise the ilvl of items dropping from normal mobs and in instances to make the 70 items significantly more worthwhile than the epic 60 items available now.

The only thing that keeps a level 55 mob from dropping ilvl 200 gear is Blizzard's rules. I wouldn't be surprised if ilvl 70 mobs start dropping ilvl 90-100 gear with sockets just to prove the point that pre-expansion gear is worthless. In any event, it's very clear from what has been said that the rules will change significantly.

[lemekim]

I'm gonna suspect castille means the redesign of the paladin and shaman classes, not the Burning Crusade expansion. :w00t:

As for socketed items: I'm gonna suggest it's quite possible that sockets could actually be paid for with itemization points, meaning that socketed items might have fewer stats than non-socketed items, with the expectation that you will be tailoring the rest of the socketed item to match your specific needs.

That obviously doesn't go toward Nobbie's statement that level 70 gear will completely blow away level 60 tier 3 gear. But it is a possibility.

Looking at some socketed items from E3 (And one from Jewelcrafting example on WoW homepage), it seems there is some itemization cost for these sockets, but it's small, probably small enough to make blue lvl 70 items with jewels be on par with Tier 3 epics.

[MongoJerry]

Thanks. Here's the first one: Your tier 3 set from Naxxramas will be trash can fodder once you reach level 70;)

Hint: Having a tier 3 set from Naxxramas will make it faster for you to get the level 70 items that will let you toss your tier 3 set from Naxxramas into the trash can.

[Warlock]

Hint: Having a tier 3 set from Naxxramas will make it faster for you to get the level 70 items that will let you toss your tier 3 set from Naxxramas into the trash can.

Based on a Tseric post I expect Tier 3 to be a sidegrade to 70 standard group gear, so it'll probably remain useful right up until you get into BC's end game (especially if group gear is budgeted in less raid-friendly ways). Whether that standard group gear will be blue or purple or hazel and how much of it's power will come from sockets I have no idea. (I'm using the term 'standard group' rather than 'small group' because of the hints at an elder game for small groups.)

Do you think Naxx will still be run post expansion? Seems a terrible waste if not.

Speaking of which, how is your Naxx progress? Any chance of a Neriad does Naxx thread?

[MongoJerry]

Speaking of which, how is your Naxx progress? Any chance of a Neriad does Naxx thread?

We have the three bosses in the spider wing as well as the first in the death knight and plague wings on farm. We're gathering mats now to do some serious patchwerk attempts this weekend. We also tried the second boss in the plague wing a few times. We'll come back to him when we get past a few of the abomination wing bosses. Seems pretty easy, actually, but any lag in that fight is a killer. Since my computer is really old, I had more difficulty in that fight than other people.

[Monkey]

Based on a Tseric post I expect Tier 3 to be a sidegrade to 70 standard group gear, so it'll probably remain useful right up until you get into BC's end game (especially if group gear is budgeted in less raid-friendly ways). Whether that standard group gear will be blue or purple or hazel and how much of it's power will come from sockets I have no idea. (I'm using the term 'standard group' rather than 'small group' because of the hints at an elder game for small groups.)

Do you think Naxx will still be run post expansion? Seems a terrible waste if not.

I know you weren't asking me, but I'm going to jump in anyway.:)

I think we'll see more gear diversity in the BC endgame than the current endgame. Blizzard has said that part of the jewelcrafting socket design is to keep people from seeing maxing a single stat like +damage as the only way to go. Similarly, the Tier 3 sets have 9 pieces and an 8 piece set bonus to allow more flexibility when choosing your gear. This suggests an overall trend of encouraging greater diversity in gear choices.

In that context, it would make sense that Naxx will still be attractive for some items. For example, Dreadnaught may prove to be the tank set necessary for initial level 70 raids. This rewards tanks who have their T3 the day the expansion comes out because they're ready to go. Meanwhile, raising the level cap effectively nerfs Naxx, lowering the barrier to entry to the BC endgame for people who don't have their T3.

[Zarathustra]

#1 request:

PLEASE... if it doesn't violate any NDA, clue us in on the new races' mounts.

[MongoJerry]

#1 request:

PLEASE... if it doesn't violate any NDA, clue us in on the new races' mounts.

Betas by their nature don't have NDA's. Alphas do, but not this kind of public beta. They know there's no way they'd be able to control the outflow of information once people are playing the game. In fact, I imagine that they count on it as free flowing word-of-mouth publicity.