tabstopper wrote:
Even if we accepted your premise ("the role itself should be the reward in a game"), you're missing the point for Call to Arms.
...
The problem isn't the mechanics of tanking. It's the player base. And there's only so much Blizzard can do about that without a massive redesign of the game. Therefore -- Call to Arms.
I'm not missing the point of it. You're making mine. CtA is at best a band-aid.
1. Tanks tank and healers heal because they enjoy tanking and healing.
2. Tanking and healing is not enjoyable in a pug.
3. Offer a reward for doing something they don't enjoy.
is easier to accomplish than
3. Make tanking and healing pugs more enjoyable.
an unintended compromise.
The entire game is essentially: Do entertaining repetetive task in order to unlock ability to do more entertaining repetetive tasks. Sometimes those tasks are less than entertaining and a player trudges through in order to continue the game, but the pattern is typical.
Here's a possibility: The "Skinner's Box" aspect of WoW trains some players to place undue value on vanity items such that the attainment of those items is worth even doing something they don't enjoy. Those are the players CtA will attract, not necessarily those who enjoy the role itself. This might lead to the problem of more bad tanks and healers some are worrying about. That might be the trade-off for the hoped for more reasonable qeues.
...and here's a suggestion: provide an additional buff similar to luck of the draw to tanks and healers.
added:
not sure I like that idea actually, just trying to think of another quick fix that might work.
Edited, Apr 12th 2011 12:35pm by shammypowah