Blog Archives
Don’t Hate The Game, Hate The Player
Two posts in one day? Don’t blame me, blame Blizzard.
Actually, blame the player-base who seems to be losing their minds over nothing. Again.
According to blogs and forums across the World of Warcraft landscape, Blizzard has gone and done the unthinkable. They’ve opened the Pet Store, which allows players to spend Real Life Money for In-Game Items!
I fire back with a resounding yawn. They did the same sort of thing with the Race Change service, and I think the Orc racial affects the gameplay a little more than watching Kung Fu Panda bust a move.
What about the Faction Change service? For lifetime Horde players, it gives them the chance to play an entire half of the game that they’d never seen before. Ditto for Alliance to Horde transfers. That affects your gameplay more than Lil’ K.T. zapping critters while you fish, or whatever you people do when you have your vanity pets out.
In those particular cases, you don’t GET an item for your money – the CHARACTER is the item. More importantly, those purchases will have an affect on how you play the game. It might not be on a large scale, but it certainly has a direct bearing on the game. A vanity pet, no matter how gosh darn cute you find them, will not. Ever. They’re about as game-breaking as changing your Blood Elf’s hairstyle.
The masses saw what the scheming Blizzard was trying to do and cried out in true Nerd Rage fashion. This is a slippery slope for Blizzard! How long until you can buy epics or gold! HOW LONG?!
According to the Pet Store FAQ:
Does this mean you’ll be introducing more services like this in the future? Will you be introducing the ability to buy epic weapons/etc. in the future, for example?
As with the pets, mounts, and other items players can obtain through Loot cards from the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, Pet Store pets are purely cosmetic and just for fun. Like other paid services we offer, such as Paid Name Changes, Race Changes, and Character Re-Customizations, the Pet Store service is entirely optional and intended to provide players another means to enjoy World of Warcraft in a way that isn’t detrimental to the game and that doesn’t detract from the gameplay experience for players who choose not to use the service.
Hey there, overly dramatic WoW-Player Base, choke on that. M’kay?
But… but Blizz said there’d never be Faction Changes either! Or PVE to PVP transfers! What about that? Blizzard can’t be trusted!
Paranoia is fun. Don’t look now, but the Black Helicopters are circling your domicile.
What? They are?
There was a market for every one of the services Blizzard offers today. That means there was a public demand for it. Public. So many Players requested/demanded/begged for these things, Blizzard decided to offer them at a price. If they were going to waste development time on these non-essential services, be it Faction Changes or Vanity Pets, there had to be a great number of people who wanted it.
Remember that when you want to blame Blizzard. The Player Base put things in motion. Blizzard simply greased the wheels. Good on them for making a buck off of people who “need” these non-essential services.
However, Blizzard also showed they money does not make them completely stupid. They realised that introducing those services would not affect the gameplay experience. Players might have lost their minds when “carebears” could level up on PVE servers and then come to where the “real” game was, but the game itself was essentially intact.
Raiding is hard! Instances are hard! The public demands epics! I wanna buy my epics!
Allowing the ability to buy epics would undermine gameplay in that it would take away any motivation for players to play the game at all. At max level, getting decked out in purples is (apparently) what it’s all about. If you could just buy yourself a suit of epics, there would be no motivation to do the raids…
… or run the instances
… or get to max level
… or play World of Warcraft.
In answer to the Great Stupid Question – Blizzard will not let players buy epic gear or weapons. Ever.
However, there WILL be more micro-transactions coming, and I suspect they’ll be alot more interesting than vanity pets.
Well, most vanity pets. Now where did I put my wallet?
Race Change Goes Live
What is the Race Change service?
Our Race Change service is designed to allow existing characters the opportunity to change their designated race while staying in their existing faction (Alliance or Horde).
Can I use the Race Change service to change factions?
No, faction changes are handled separately through our Faction Change service. For more information, visit the Faction Change FAQ.
How do I begin the Race Change process?
To begin the Race Change process, please visit the Account Management page, select the Race Change option, and carefully follow the instructions provided.
How much does this service cost?
Each Race Change costs $25.00 USD (not including applicable taxes). This covers a single Race Change for a single character.
Is this service taxed? If so, how can I tell if my purchase will be taxed?
Players in select states in the U.S. may be subject to taxation when using our Race Change service. This list includes, but is not limited to:
– New Mexico
– Texas
Can I change multiple characters’ races at once?
No. The Race Change service only allows one change per transaction. If you would like to change multiple characters’ races, you will need to pay for each one separately.
At what level can I change a character’s race?
Characters level 10 and above are eligible for a Race Change. Death Knights will be unable to change their race until level 60.
Will this service allow me to customize a character and select a different name once its race has been changed?
Yes. Each Race Change purchase will also provide the target character with an included re-customization and optional name change.
Am I allowed to choose any race regardless of what class I play?
No, the new race you choose must be compatible with your current class.
Can I use this service to change the character back to its original race?
Absolutely; however, this will require purchasing another Race Change.
Will I be able to select Cataclysm races and class combinations for a character once they’re available in game?
Details are not available at this time. As development continues, though, we hope to provide more information.
How often can I change a character’s race?
You may change a character’s race every three days.
What happens after I initiate a Race Change?
Once your payment has processed and after you have remained logged out of the game for at least 30 minutes, you will see a new button to the left of the character’s name upon next login. Clicking on this button will allow you to select the character’s new race, as well as customize the character’s look and name. These steps will greatly resemble the character creation process.
To complete the Race Change, press the button labeled “Click to change your character’s race” and confirm your selections. If you do not wish to change the character’s race immediately, you may do so at a later time.
What will happen to the character’s old name?
If you opt to change the character’s name, the name will be locked from use on the realm for 90 days. You are not required to change the character’s name, though; this is simply an option we provide included with the Race Change.
What will happen to the character’s equipment when I change its race?
Equipment will be unaffected by the Race Change.
What will happen to the character’s mounts when I change its race?
Mounts which are not considered race-specific will remain unchanged by this process. Race-specific mounts will be exchanged for a cross-race equivalent. You can view a full list of race-specific mounts and their equivalents here.
What will happen to the character’s non-combat pets when I change its race?
Non-combat pets will not be affected by this process and will be available once the character’s Race Change completes.
What will happen to the character’s achievements when I change its race?
Achievements will remain unchanged by this process.
What will happen to the character’s titles when I change its race?
Titles will remain unchanged by this process.
What will happen to the character’s reputation levels when I change its race?
Upon changing races, the reputation level associated with the character’s previous race will be switched with that of the character’s new race.
All other reputations will be unaffected by the change.
What will happen to the character’s quests when I change its race?
Quests which are active in the character’s log at the time of the Race Change will be cleared and all quest items associated with these quests will be destroyed.
What will happen to the character’s flight paths when I change its race?
All flight points are unaffected by the change.
What will happen to the character’s “Friends” and “Ignore” lists when I change its race?
The character’s “Friends” and “Ignore” lists will be unaffected by the change.
What will happen to the character’s Guild and Arena team(s)?
A character’s Guild and Arena team will be unaffected by the change.
Can I use the Race Change service if I am a Guild leader or Arena team leader?
Yes. The character’s Guild and Arena teams will be unaffected by the change.
What will happen to the character’s honor and Arena points?
Any honor points, Marks of Honor, and lifetime honorable kills will not be affected by this process. Earned Arena points will carry over, as well; however, any pending Arena points accrued after the last maintenance period but before your Race Change is initiated may be lost.
Where will the character be located after the Race Change is complete?
Once the Race Change is complete, the character will be moved to the capital city of its new race.
What will happen to the character’s Armory profile?
Once you have completed the Race Change process, the character’s Armory profile will be updated to reflect any racial, gender, or name changes. Please note that our Armory system is still in beta at this time, so the character’s profile may not immediately display the updated information.
Will this service share a cooldown with the Character Transfer, Character Name Change, or Character Re-Customization services?
No. The Race Change service will not share its cooldown with any of these services.
Will this service share a cooldown with the Faction Change service?
Yes. If you perform a Race Change, you will not be able to perform a Faction Change for three days.
Can I purchase a Race Change for a character that has a pending Name Change or Re-Customization or is in the process of being transferred?
No. Before you can initiate a Race Change for a character, please complete any pending Name Changes, Re-Customizations, or Transfers. These pending transactions will prevent you from initiating a Race Change.
When will I be charged for the character’s Race Change?
You will be charged immediately upon pressing the confirmation button on the Race Change page.
Is there any way to cancel a Race Change while the process is pending?
Because your payment method will be charged immediately upon confirmation, you will be unable to cancel the process once you have pressed the confirmation button and the Race Change process is underway.
Is there any way to reverse a Race Change once it’s completed?
No. Once a Race Change is done, it is permanent. You may, however, purchase another Race Change to switch back to the original race once the service cooldown time has elapsed.
Rokk Talk 