This is a gameplay experience thread. We talk about how we enjoyed the experience of a particular aspect of gameplay, what we thought were particular highlights of the experience, and what we think could be better next time.

It's been a while since we've had a large pre-expansion event, and I'm enjoying this one thoroughly. It's got scale, it's got an epic feel and it's at least a little sensible in-story.

Praise
Letting all levels participate, scaling their power appropriately

Making this a leveling opportunity was a great choice.

Big Epic Feel

All over the World

Having the factions actually working together

Criticism
There's not really much of a point to doing anything but the bosses. The structures and invasion points give less xp, less shards and less percent repelled. Maybe if the different types of events had their own rewards associated with them (Like, have invasion points grant more xp, have the bosses grant more shards, have the structures give a chance at a reward for a pet or mount or something)

I'm not sure how I'm supposed to survive some of the special moves. Like, searing flesh on my mage.

I keep tab-selecting pvp-enabled alliance players.

A somewhat more concerted effort from the NPCs to fortify and reinforce the handful of zones that keep being attacked would aid immersion.

I LOVE that they created an event that allowed for lowbies to gain incredible fast-tracked xp, easily obtainable gear that allows raiding of endgame, and introduces the villains of the next expansion, the mystery(Pillars of Creation) and mythology(Azeroth is a Titan).

Nice callback to Magni, too.

I feel Pandaria and Northrend could've used some invasions.

Most notably in Kun-Lai and Howling Fjord. Would be awfully convenient to those leveling in those expansion zones. Perhaps being able to skip over Draenor completely just by staying in Pandaria. I know I would!

And with the Big Epic Feel. Having a force like the Legion hit a land like Pandaria, where it seems the days get better, the seasons yield a bountiful harvest. You wouldn't think such a catastrophe would hit? Riding your mount over the wheat field farmland of the Valley of Four Winds only for the sky to grow ominous and a Legion Spacecraft to fly over head, raining fel fire down.

Might not be an epic feeling. But it would make the Invasions seem more surreal and important. Not just to Kalimdor and the EK.

Praise:

Let's me level all of my Alts. I am about to have 12 100s on my server.

Let's me gear my Alts. Now I can actually do something with them when legion launches and not feel gimped.

Great way to introduce the story and plot of the next expansion, and drop hints for people about what is going on. It sets the stage incredibly well, and shows you the motivations for both the Alliance and Horde without revealing to much.

Negatives:

No real replayability. The variation is minor, and whenever I get a flamecaller or a doomcaller of 1 shot debuff I want to punch a baby seal.

It makes levelling Alts in other ways feel dumb. I'm pretty much forcing myself at this point to finish the last character, despite how boring it is and how much I hate it now, because it is so much more efficient. It is literally gearing your toon while you level it.

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Praise

Level-scaling.

Voice acting.

Surprising amount of thought went into the detail of very minor things, such as little scripted events involving very minor NPCs (the family at Amberstill Ranch, etc) and hidden buffing items.

Drivable Gnome mecha-tanks after only twelve years.

Aesthetically impressive.

Phasing to ensure you're almost always arriving at 0% Phase 1 has thus far worked very well.

Criticism

Only takes place in six zones.

Become very repetitive after a short while.

Only worth while following the same loop of killing bosses.

Horrendous AoE and one-shot mechanics that go beyond just punishing you for standing in the fire.

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Things that I want to say have already been said by others.

Right now, one particular frustration I'm dealing with is that if there are too many people in one area it causes me to constantly lag out and d/c. It's pretty bad man.

Also I could be mistaken but it makes it look like the zones never truly progressed. In Hillsbrad, there are three Dwarves that I'm pretty sure Forsaken players were sent to kill and yet they're still there so that quest never happened?

Also, now that I'm levelling my enhancement shaman, you get butt fucked raw by every boss, any high level cunt with delirium who decides it's funny to kill low levels, and the faintest sneeze in your direction.

Welcome back to CCasterclysm, I guess.

#rage #poundsymbol

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Others have said pretty much what I'd say.

What I do really like is that they for the most part take place in or nearby major cities or towns that are important both strategically and economically. It gives the feeling that it's a real invasion and the Legion is attempting to cripple us by destroying or taking over critical areas and establishing a foothold there.

Also with all of the buildings I get to sit on top of them on my hunter and somewhat feel like a sniper covering my allies from a distance, especially since Blizzard has utterly destroyed MM's ability to play like a sniper from a mechanics standpoint with these godawful changes nobody fucking asked for, but that's bitching for a different thread. Particularly enjoyable is shooting down the felbats and other things in the sky that the people on the ground can't get in range of.