Blue Posts and Other WoW News: Answering some MoP QQ and thoughts on MMOs

Before I begin, I should clarify that the following post is composed entirely of my own, personal opinions.

I think that games in the MMO genre tend to transform at the level cap, mostly because leveling has ended, which heralds a slight change in basic gameplay.

In World of Warcraft, many of the same experiences that are available when leveling up remain available at the level cap (questing, exploring new areas), and you also gain access to new experiences and challenges. The motivations and goals tend to be a bit different and less single minded. Rather than pursuing a new level, and the new abilities and talents that can come with it, instead you might be seeking a powerful item, trying to defeat a more powerful enemy in PvE, or achieving a milestone in the PvP game, among many other goals including completing achievements, finishing collections, capping professions, etc. Gameplay broadens, from the relatively simple road of questing and leveling, into a broad plain of possibilities.

The leveling experience awaits once again with a new character though, and playing a game with a new character class can offer an entirely new gameplay experience, especially if you select a different class role than the one you're already used to. Of course, expansions also offer the opportunity to experience leveling again for end-game characters. Some would say that there's an unfortunate tendency for players to plow through expansions as quickly as possible to pursue end-game again, because they have a pre-conception that "it's the only thing that matters".


I absolutely adore table top gaming, and it's a popular pass time here at Blizzard.

I believe that a good game master, with the help of a group of players who are willing to invest themselves in the story and their characters, together can create an experience that is truly thrilling, engaging, cathartic and satisfying. Even a not so serious game can be outright hilarious, and I don't think I've ever spent as much time laughing as I have around the gaming table.

It's quite an awesome feature as I see it; after not too long a dungeon becomes too easy or simple because of out-gearing it or a number of other reasons. These challenge modes will allow you to compete on par with other players who have better gear as everyone will have a fixed Ilvl when inside challenge dungeons.

This means you are all competing for the prestige of being the fastest to complete these dungeons compared to others.


This particular mini-game may not be for everyone, and it's not designed to be. We want to be sure that there is something in the game that each player can enjoy doing, be it PvP, PvE or even pet battles; pet battles are being implemented to create a fun, new type of activity that all players have access to and offering an alternative to increasing the power and strength of your character specifically.


Just as it was in BC, WotLK and Cataclysm, the setting is changing. I don't think that the look and feel of any expansion to date has been like the previous, they have all had a very unique feel, this is true for Mists of Pandaria as well.

Mists of Pandaria will be on a continent which is largely based around Asian culture, this differs greatly from any previous expansions. BC was a very demonic setting, WotLK was in a cold and frigid Northland, and Cataclysm was set where the world was beginning to literally falling apart as can be seen in the landscapes. So we assure you that it will be different ^^


Well, we are taking several initiatives to try and bolster world PvP and bring it back to everyone! For one, we are not allowing flying in Pandaria until level 90. This means that there will be no people suddenly taking off into the skies when you approach them, unless they have reached the max level :p We are re-introducing optional world bosses which players will fight each other for. There are also many more initiatives that are being taken so we hope that world PvP will once again be bustling with activity :)