Hey all,
I've never been one to pursue an open beta invite or participate on a PTR because I've always been of the mind that I want the content to be fresh/new to me when its released and not feel like its already old hat. However, I'm starting to question this stance for the Cata beta.
With all of the changes coming our way (PARTICULARLY the switch to focus) I am wondering if I should throw my hat in for the open beta so that I can learn what I need to about the changes ahead of time and hit the ground running come release or if I should not even bother (after all, isn't questioning whether or not to try and score an open beta invite akin to planning what to do in case I'm ever struck by lightning?...neither seem at all likely to happen, amiright?). I don't want to be the guy trying to learn how the new system operates WHILE I'm running new dungeons and then inadvertently furthering the 'huntard' stigma. UGH!
What do you guys plan on doing?
lawman30 said:
Hey all,
I've never been one to pursue an open beta invite or participate on a PTR because I've always been of the mind that I want the content to be fresh/new to me when its released and not feel like its already old hat. However, I'm starting to question this stance for the Cata beta.
With all of the changes coming our way (PARTICULARLY the switch to focus) I am wondering if I should throw my hat in for the open beta so that I can learn what I need to about the changes ahead of time and hit the ground running come release or if I should not even bother (after all, isn't questioning whether or not to try and score an open beta invite akin to planning what to do in case I'm ever struck by lightning?...neither seem at all likely to happen, amiright?). I don't want to be the guy trying to learn how the new system operates WHILE I'm running new dungeons and then inadvertently furthering the 'huntard' stigma. UGH!
What do you guys plan on doing?
I've always felt the same as you about new expansions and large content patches - I'd just assume wait and experience the freshness along with everyone else. You're right though... with all of the changes afoot with the hunter class, I'm thinking that a head start isn't a bad idea. I think you should go for it.
I also think I have an obligation to the peoples of Azeroth to do some class reconnaissance and report the discoveries here on the site. Not sure if I'd get an invite, but I think I'm gonna see what it takes to get in.
Gar let's not kid ouselves here.
What you should do is conspire with Frost to make sure that the two of you, on behalf of all of Azeroth's greatest class, NEED beta keys so that you can begin to help explain the changes to us. Blizz has an interest in this because I am sure they do not want the hunter community at large to up and quit over the changes. How will groups do suitable DPS if all the hunters quit, amirite? =P
Seriously, though, I think that you ought to have a key given the fact that you do run a fairly successful hunter blog and you do have a knack for communicating things to the huntering community in a way that quells the Chicken Littles that are present among us, the same as with any class.
Consider your request /signed by someone, who in the eyes of Blizz is a nobody. =P
I've opted in for this one. For BC I didn't because the fundamental mechanics of the class weren't changing. For Cata though I thought forewarned is forearmed or something.
Ceyle said:I've opted in for this one. For BC I didn't because the fundamental mechanics of the class weren't changing. For Cata though I thought forewarned is forearmed or something.
Yep. I think going to this expansion knowing what to expect will be a huge plus. I'd like to have the learning curve behind me once Cataclysm goes live.
There is a reason Blizzard actively pursued Daniel Howell for Cataclysm testing and many sites and posts by 4-5 yr 'expert veteran players' , no matter how well intentioned or seemingly well informed illustrate it. The vast majority of these players take themselves and this game way too seriously and their arrogance permeates the majority of their satements. Most assume everyone else has been playing as long as they have though nowhere near as well.
Newbs lack the passion and the brains to spend hours pouring over spreadsheeets for optimum DPS and gear, probably suck at raids, hell may not even be L80 yet , gem wrong, some may even be closet clickers, aren't overly concerned about the cataclysmic Cataclysm changes and worst of all- many may not care enough to have 75 add ons and 47 macros to optimize and do justice to the hunter class.
My point? I consider this one of the best sites for non expert hunters, yeah there are a couple of us and Garwulf is excluded from the above (well cept the newb part-get into beta anyhow Gar, they need newbs too) but some of the posters aren't.
To you I would advise watching an old BRK movie about chain trapping when another player (of course a huntard) started shooting the raptor inside Refuge Point. His commentary about it is superb and though he may have busted a lamp or kicked a cat in private he didn't do so publicly. That's an Ambassador for the class and the game and Blizzard cares about the game and the new players they need to keep the money rolling in. They could care less about theorycrafting, so-called expert hunters , who da best or maximum optimization-cept maybe on the profit side. If they haven't lost the lifers yet, they aren't going to now even if the no ammunition change entails us hunters lovingly cradling our pets in our arms and firing mystical arrows or bullets out of their asses.
Many sites and self-proclaimed experts need remember their good ol newb days. You know, when they had fun. That's what Beta is about baby.
Agio-Newb Huntard.
Many sites and self-proclaimed experts need remember their good ol newb days. You know, when they had fun. That's what Beta is about baby.
Amen.
This focus mechanic is going to level the playing field somewhat. I'm looking forward to it. 🙂
Being a newb is fun.
I hope the above post wasn't meant to imply that I'm either too much of a n00b to know how to have fun or, even worse, that I'm one of the fuddy duddys that doesn't care about fun. Neither could be farther from the truth.
Hell, I'm a lvl 80 hunter with TWO BM specs. If that doesn't scream "fun lovin', I wanna party with that guy" then I guess I don't know what more I can do. The whole point of my original post was to convey the sense that, typically, I don't bother with open betas or PTRs because I WANT to have fun with the content once its released. What causes me concern, though, is that this time they are revamping our entire resource system. I'm somewhat concerned that, if I go into Cata fresh, then as I get familiar with the switch, people may mistake my learning with being a 'huntard'. I was simply trying to get a feel from others as to what their thoughts were.
Please don't think of me as either such a n00b that I ask dumb questions or that I'm a jerk who studies spreadsheets so that I can eek out that last 10 dps I need to get me to the top of Recount. Those assumptions just break my po little ol' BM heart. =P
lawman30 said:
I hope the above post wasn't meant to imply that I'm either too much of a n00b to know how to have fun or, even worse, that I'm one of the fuddy duddys that doesn't care about fun. Neither could be farther from the truth.
Hell, I'm a lvl 80 hunter with TWO BM specs. If that doesn't scream "fun lovin', I wanna party with that guy" then I guess I don't know what more I can do. The whole point of my original post was to convey the sense that, typically, I don't bother with open betas or PTRs because I WANT to have fun with the content once its released. What causes me concern, though, is that this time they are revamping our entire resource system. I'm somewhat concerned that, if I go into Cata fresh, then as I get familiar with the switch, people may mistake my learning with being a 'huntard'. I was simply trying to get a feel from others as to what their thoughts were.
Please don't think of me as either such a n00b that I ask dumb questions or that I'm a jerk who studies spreadsheets so that I can eek out that last 10 dps I need to get me to the top of Recount. Those assumptions just break my po little ol' BM heart. =P
The meaning of the post was a bit gray for me in parts, but I read it again and I'm pretty sure Agio had good intentions. I don't think he mislabeled or misinterpreted your post (…I hope not). I'm pretty sure he was moreover stating why a guy like BRK got in as opposed to one of the self-proclaimed hunter gods.
If Agio did think you to be an elitist type, 2 minutes looking at your comment history on the blog would tell him that you're all about having fun. You're the kind of guy who's cool with anybody and everyone, just so long as they're not an elitist or judgmental asshat.
I do hate asshats. No lie there. =P
Shoot... I better log off the forum and start readin' some Celestial Steed contest entries.
I've got a winner to announce sometime today!
Gar I might've missed it but I certainly don't recall seeing anything wherein you stated that you would announce the winner today. Take your time, bro. When you offer people somethig extra at your own expense its ok for you to go about giving it away on your own terms. Bottom line is I doubt anyone here would hold it against you if you opted not to speed read just to make us happy and announce someone today. But hey….your site, your call. It was a blast to participate in, anyway. Thanks for the fun.
P.S. you have no way of knowing if someone actually got the math question wrong in order to submit a post, right? Like if they kept hitting the button because they thought they were right and almost contacted you to tell you the thing was broke. Not that I did...I'm just wondering. /whistlesinnocently
No, I have no way of knowing when the forum blocks a login or post. I have heard from a handful of others though, that the math question spam-verification thingy is a pain. I haven't had it happen to me, but I think once in awhile it flubs up.
Don't worry... I don't plan on speed reading. I'm going to read the best ones through a few times. I want to make sure I make the right decision.
Even though my intentions were of the worst sort and I happen to like gray, my post wasn't directed at you lawman30 so no offense meant-just a few who have deigned to land their max dps celestial steeds (there's a spreadsheet on that somewhere yanno) here to ask a question or whatever then whine about the responses before they continue on to the next site and post the same crap. Rinse n repeat.
As for the comments about BRK etc., Gar has it exactly right as it pertains to the 'experts' and having done some beta(twice), for a game years back I can say with some authority that the last thing the devs care about is experts-they are the experts. Look at the shit kicking Ghostcrawler got being accessible on forums from wannabe devs. Devs care about mass appeal playability and who can give them broad based intelligent input and then get the message out without pissing or turning the majority of the players off hence why I figure Gar is a natural even though he's a newb. 
The vocal minority is just that, a minority but damn loud. I think of em as the Rush Limbaughs of gaming.
No matter, it's an underlying theme one sees in all long running games and as I truly am a newb to the game (like 4 months) I see it through a different prism is all. A gray one.
Of course after Blizzard ruins the game for hunters with the changes in Cataclysm, it's all gonna be moot.