Morgan Day Speaks with Athalus on the Warcraft Race to World First: Sepulcher of the First Ones

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2022Apr 1

Timestamps below. Follow Athalus on Twitter: / athaluswcr Follow Warcraft Radio on Twitter: / warcraftradio Audio only podcast versions of this interview: Realm Maintenance on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3nh6Uz8... Realm Maintenance on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... Athalus of Warcraft Radio sat down with recently promoted Associate Game Director Morgan Day on March 30th, 2022 to discuss the Race to World First and the conclusion of Shadowlands raiding with the upcoming Season 4. The interview covers topics regarding the content of this tier’s RWF including the impact of the lengthy race on players, mechanics breakdown, the very death crab that stalled teams for a near eternity – Halondrus the Reclaimer, issues encountered by the raiders, and many other topics. The interview is available now on the Realm Maintenance podcast through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast hubs, and can also be viewed on Warcraft Radio’s YouTube Channel. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 02:37 Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful 07:18 Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier 08:24 Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits 13:20 Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier? 15:27 We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids? 18:06 What does QA look like for bosses internally? 20:10 What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer? 23:30 Will you be doing tier sets in the future or are they just a temporary choice you’re bringing back? 25:35 Is there room for the team to reduce the RNG component for gearing, so that higher level raiders are less likely to be excluded from raids based on their initial luck? 28:27 Is the team happy with the Great Vault? Is a similar system what we are likely to be seeing going forward? 30:40 Are you happy with where the economy is situated, or is there anything you are looking at to reduce the wealth gap between wealthy players and the common player in the short and long term? 37:02 Was extending the Lords of Dread fight for a minute beyond the berserk timer to secure the kill surprising to the team? 39:57 In the last couple of expansions we have had 4 to 4 and half raids. Was it always the plan to only have 3 or did something get cut at one point? In the future is there a target number of raids in an expansion? 42:53 What are some of the changes you’ve made this expansion as a whole team to better support the Race to World First? 46:49 Based on the race that just ended, are there additional areas in which the WoW team feels the need to improve the team’s support of the Race to World First for future tiers? 47:41 Thoughts on whether the Race to World First is an Esport 49:07 Is there ever a possibility to have regions just play with each other rather than separating regions? 51:31 Will there still be the traditional four difficulties for each Season 4 raid? 52:27 What is the fate of tier sets in season 4? 53:15 Do you have a sense for how long Season 3 will last, and when Season 4 will begin? 54:16 What sets World of Warcraft Raids apart from other MMORPG raids? 57:16 The alleged death of Halondrus

Transcript

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Morgan Day Speaks with Athalus on the Warcraft Race to World First: Sepulcher of the First Ones

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Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

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Morgan Day Speaks with Athalus on the Warcraft Race to World First: Sepulcher of the First Ones

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Chapters

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Changes in the design philosophy that set up Shadowlands raids to be successful

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Discussion on the excessive length of the Race tier

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Thoughts on the itemization and trading restrictions that pushed the teams to focus even more heavily on splits

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

Does that maybe change some of your philosophy going forward? Is a High difficulty fight like Halondus continuing to be a standard now in the middle of a raid? Are you happy with Halondrus’s position in the tier?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

We had the final bosses go completely unlooked at and you held them back for a week. No PTR testing. They’re not even out heroic week. Are you happy with how that played out, in general? Is holding back those bosses something you are looking to do in future raids?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What does QA look like for bosses internally?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

What happened with Method’s World Second Jailer kill as well as other kills that played out similarly, regarding the lack of healing on The Jailer?

Will you be doing tier sets in the future or are they just a temporary choice you’re bringing back?

Will you be doing tier sets in the future or are they just a temporary choice you’re bringing back?

Will you be doing tier sets in the future or are they just a temporary choice you’re bringing back?

Is there room for the team to reduce the RNG component for gearing, so that higher level raiders are less likely to be excluded from raids based on their initial luck?

Is there room for the team to reduce the RNG component for gearing, so that higher level raiders are less likely to be excluded from raids based on their initial luck?

Is there room for the team to reduce the RNG component for gearing, so that higher level raiders are less likely to be excluded from raids based on their initial luck?

Is the team happy with the Great Vault? Is a similar system what we are likely to be seeing going forward?

Is the team happy with the Great Vault? Is a similar system what we are likely to be seeing going forward?

Is the team happy with the Great Vault? Is a similar system what we are likely to be seeing going forward?

Are you happy with where the economy is situated, or is there anything you are looking at to reduce the wealth gap between wealthy players and the common player in the short and long term?

Are you happy with where the economy is situated, or is there anything you are looking at to reduce the wealth gap between wealthy players and the common player in the short and long term?

Are you happy with where the economy is situated, or is there anything you are looking at to reduce the wealth gap between wealthy players and the common player in the short and long term?

Was extending the Lords of Dread fight for a minute beyond the berserk timer to secure the kill surprising to the team?

Was extending the Lords of Dread fight for a minute beyond the berserk timer to secure the kill surprising to the team?

Was extending the Lords of Dread fight for a minute beyond the berserk timer to secure the kill surprising to the team?

In the last couple of expansions we have had 4 to 4 and half raids. Was it always the plan to only have 3 or did something get cut at one point? In the future is there a target number of raids in an expansion?

In the last couple of expansions we have had 4 to 4 and half raids. Was it always the plan to only have 3 or did something get cut at one point? In the future is there a target number of raids in an expansion?

In the last couple of expansions we have had 4 to 4 and half raids. Was it always the plan to only have 3 or did something get cut at one point? In the future is there a target number of raids in an expansion?

What are some of the changes you’ve made this expansion as a whole team to better support the Race to World First?

What are some of the changes you’ve made this expansion as a whole team to better support the Race to World First?

What are some of the changes you’ve made this expansion as a whole team to better support the Race to World First?

Based on the race that just ended, are there additional areas in which the WoW team feels the need to improve the team’s support of the Race to World First for future tiers?

Based on the race that just ended, are there additional areas in which the WoW team feels the need to improve the team’s support of the Race to World First for future tiers?

Based on the race that just ended, are there additional areas in which the WoW team feels the need to improve the team’s support of the Race to World First for future tiers?

Thoughts on whether the Race to World First is an Esport

Thoughts on whether the Race to World First is an Esport

Chapters

Chapters