#0 - Oct. 23, 2009, 3:03 p.m.
Q: Will Path of the Titans be a total grindfest like Sons of Hodir or will it be more organic like reputation through questing?
A: Sons of Hodir was easy, we're thinking more along the lines of Argent Dawn rep actually. JK! As a matter of fact, we don't want the paths of the titans to feel grindy at all so we're trying to make sure that each step along the way feels more like a great quest, or a key achievement (like killing all the bosses in a new raid zone). So, it should be more oriented around accomplishing something that feels important rather than grinding.
Q: Any plans on adding stat bonuses to certain titles your character obtains? Like "...of the Alliance" gives +5 to all stats.
A: We have no plans to introduce combat advantages to titles. Titles in WoW are very specifically set up as prestige rewards only.
Q: Any plans of doing anything with Grim Batol in the Wetlands?
A: Yes, we currently plan for Grim Batol to be one of the raid zones in Cataclysm. =]
Q: Love the steps taken to making high-end content accessible to casual players. How committed are you to continuing this?
A: This is something we talk about on a regular basis. There isn’t a line in the sand we have made, it’s much more on a per piece of content basis. We do like the way the regular modes are shaping up to be more casual friendly, while the hard modes are a way to reward very hardcore play.
Q: What’s Deathwing’s current relationship with the Old Gods?
A: In Facebook terms, I'd list it as "It's Complicated". "Single" or "Married" are probably too extreme in this case.
Q: At Cross-realm LFG if group are composed by members of other realms, do they have to fly there themselves or will they be teleported?
A: The current plan is for players using the LFG system to be automatically teleported into the instance, similar to how battleground queuing works today. This is active on the PTR now, and we plan to host a community event around this feature soon!
Q: Ulduar had one kind of hard mode(triggered).. ToC had another (ToC vs ToGC).. Onyxia has none. What will ICC have?"
A: ICC's hard modes will be triggered, but via in-game UI (much like how you toggle between normal and heroic modes today) rather than triggered by game mechanics (like not killing the three drakes before you attack Sartharion).
Q: Can warlocks have a summonable flying mount now please?
A: Now? As in right this second? No.
Q: When do hunters get to tame druids?
A: Right after druids get a hunter form.
Q: What are the plans for the current Goblin-run towns after Cataclysm is out?
A: Most Goblin-run towns will continue to operate as normal. In general, the existing Goblin cartels tend to be self-serving, and therefore aren't taking sides.
Q: There's plenty of great endgame content, what about some new early/mid content to keep new players entertained?
A: We actually have some small changes to the early game going live in 3.3.0 to help eliminate some new player confusion. This is not content specific, it is more focused around easing the new player pain.
Q: May I create a group with 4 friends and then use the LFG interface to gain the random dungeon reward?
A: Yes. In fact, you can join it with a full group of 5 and still get the random dungeon reward. The reward is for doing a random dungeon, not necessarily for having random members.
Q: Crowd control is all but dead in raids. Is that something you plan on bringing back?
A: Like say... with the Faction Champions encounter in ToC? ;]
Q: How will you handle beginning characters and higher level friends after Cataclysm? WIll they be out of phase?
A: Players will not be out of phase. The Cataclysm changes the world for everyone.
Q: Will players be able to do 'old world' quests after Cataclysm is released?
A: Only "old world" quests that we don't change. However, once the Cataclysm happens, it happens for everyone and there's no going back.
Q: Will there be Wintergrasp-like capturable zones in Cataclysm?
A: Yes, there is an island off the coast of the Eastern Kingdoms named Tol Barad. Players will fight for control of the island and its famous prison. However, while the battle for Tol Barad is not in progress, players will find that it will remind them much more of the Isle of Quel'Danas, in that it'll be a major daily quest hub with quite a bit of random world pvp (presumably).
Q: Any chance to make the LFG menu show not show classes you're looking for, but rather the roles they fill? i.e just showing all tanks or healers currently queued in LFG.
A: The plan right now is to allow players to register for roles they are can fill, then have the queue system make the best decision possible for the player. This is to give all classes an equal chance at participation. We also have plans to diversify the class makeup in a future PTR update.
Q: Thousand Needles is getting a big change in levels; how has the Cataclysm affected it? #blizzchat
A: As a result of the Cataclysm, Thousand Needles has been completely flooded with water!
Q: Will there be any more epic storylines with cinematics like the wrathgate questline?
A: We have big plans for additional in game cinematics! We are happy with how the Wrathgate questline worked out, and want to do more lines like this.
Q: With T10, are we going to see tokens like in Ulduar? or like CC? CC style had every class and spec rolling on the same thing.
A: With t10 we're going to see a hybrid. The tier 10 items (the ones with item levels you'd find in the 10-player raid) will be purchased with Emblems of Frost. The tier 10.5 items (the ones with item levels you'd find in the 25-player raid) will be obtained by getting a token (one that is specific to 3 or 4 classes, much like the Ulduar tokens) and using it to upgrade the tier 10 item that was purchased with emblems of frost.
Q: With Cataclysm revisiting the old world, any plan to make the old reps worthwhile again?
A: With each expansion, we introduce new reputations with new rewards. Sometimes we introduce reputations that are obviously related, such as Argent Dawn/Argent Crusade and Cenarion Circle/Cenarion Expedition. We don’t updated the rewards for existing reps, as we don’t want to put new characters at such a significant disadvantage.
Q: When race change is live, will we be able to change to any race in our faction no matter what class we are?
A: No, you can only Race Change to race that allows your specific class.
Q: In the future will hard modes have greater fidelity like Sarth, Sarth+1, Sarth+2, Sarth+3 rather than the Binary Normal/Hard?
A: Generally we have learned that hard modes should be more binary, but that doesn’t mean we will never do something like Sarth 3 drakes again.
Q: What will happen to Mankrik's Wife? Please don't tell me she's gobbled up by the lava?
A: You'll have to wait and see. =]
Q: Any plans for a gated system in IIC like in Colliseum that prevents us from doing hardmodes from day 1?
A: We do have a system that unlocks bosses similar to how we handled TOC and Sunwell. We are restricting hard modes to raid leaders that have defeated Arthas in regular mode.
Q: Any chance of being able to link more then one authenticator on one account? (in case I lose or break one)
A: We are talking about the authenticator and how to make it a better experience. Your suggestion is one we are talking about.
Q: Will 10-man raiding guilds see Legendary quality weapons (items) drop in there raids anytime soon? Or in Cataclysm?
A: Our current plan is to reserve Legendary weapons for the 25 person encounters, I wouldn’t rule it out in the future though.
Q: Do you have plans to have achievement points redeemable?
A: Achievement points are a prestige reward only. There are no plans to turn them into some kind of currency.
Q: Will leveling from 80-85 be like leveling from 70-80?
A: It's too early to say. We base our leveling more around how much quest content we have and how good the reward pacing feels. If we have as many quests as we did from 70-80 and if it feels like your character is getting a reasonable amount of new stuff for the time invested, then it could end up being similar.
Q: Will Hyjal be made for exploration in Cataclysm?
A: Yes.