4.1 Preview -- Dungeon Finder: Call to Arms

So you have probably heard the news that Blizzard is going to release a Call to Arms for the DF system in the next patch, 4.1

In patch 4.1 we'll be introducing Dungeon Finder: Call to Arms, a new system intended to lowerqueue times. Call to Arms will automatically detect which class role iscurrently the least represented in the queue, and offer them additional rewards for entering the Dungeon Finder queue and completing a random level-85 Heroic dungeon.

Any time the Dungeon Finder queue is longer than a few minutes for level-85 Heroics, the Call to Arms system kicks in and determines which role is the least represented. In the case of tanking being the least represented role, the "Call to Arms: Tanks" icon will display in the Dungeon Finder UI menu where class roles are selected, and will also display on the UI when the queue pops and you are selected to enter a dungeon. Regardless of your role, you'll always be able to see which role currently has been Called to Arms, if any.

Call to Arms is meant to lower wait times by offering additional rewards for queuing as the currently least represented role. To be eligible for the additional rewards you must solo queue for a random level-85 Heroic in the role that is currently being Called to Arms, and complete the dungeon by killing the final boss. Every time you hit these requirements (there is no daily limit) you'll receive a goodie bag that will contain some gold, a chance at a rare gem, a chance at a flask/potion, a good chance of receiving a non-combat pet (including cross faction pets), and a very rare chance at receiving a mount. The pets offered come from a wide variety of sources, and include companions like the Razzashi Hatchling, Cockatiel, and Tiny Sporebat, but the mounts are those specifically only available through dungeons (not raids), like the Reins of the Raven Lord from Sethekk Halls, Swift White Hawkstrider from Magister's Terrace, and Deathcharger's Reins from Stratholme.

Interesting side note the post also said:

it's actually not uncommon for DPS to be the least represented role,

So why is it that there are more tanks and healers at lower levels then at the other end?

Anything that will help reduce queue times is a good thing and Blizzard must receive credit for attempting to fix the issue. But the question remains; will this actually fix anything? There is already over 10k in comments and most of them in the contrary.

 It seems to me that the biggest issue is not the system itself but other players. People complain but others’ stupidity. Well firstly we have all made silly mistakes; I am ashamed to admit that I have fallen off Nexus, Forge of Souls and Halls of Reflection to name a few. But I have resurrected myself, swallowed my pride and ran back in with my fingers crossed hoping that I wouldn’t get kicked. It seems that we lack patience; lack patience in the long queues and in each other. Many of the comments on the forums addressed the fact that people do not know their roles. Well how can one get to know their role apart from actually joining a random and doing it? Not all of us are in guilds that run regular randoms and progress together in a safe, secure environment. Questing is useful but it is not a raid environment. We run randoms to gain experience, learn our roles, test rotations, gain experience, justice/valor points and sexy loot with all the pitfalls and mistakes that occur on the way.  It seems that the issue is a double edged sword, and no it’s the not the purple kind that drop after a well-earned fight and lucky roll.

 

For me personally, I don’t think that this will be an incentive to complete this experiment; the experiment stands as it is without the prospect of goodie bags. It is more of the challenge to extend myself, learn new skills and appreciate a game that I love from another perspective. If you are reading this blog, ( /wave Laki) then to extent there is some degree of accountability; I won’t be hiding behind the anonymity that the dungeon finder enables.

Therefore a suggestion is that we need to be a little nice to the people that we meet during the 30 minutes or so that we are together in a random dungeon. Stop hiding behind your computer screen and realise that although the tank might have a shield that can spell casting, it won’t silence poor player behaviour.