20-01-2005 07:48									#1
	World of Warcraft Shortage Got spare money?

quote: Chris writes "FileFront has broke the news from Blizzard that they are no longer placing their highly popular MMORPG on store shelves, due to the recent server problems reported by Slashdot on Tuesday. Denying rumors that they had asked several stores to pull the game from shelves, Blizzard rep Gil Shrif is quoted as saying: 'We’re just being careful not to release additional copies to be sold until we feel the game servers can support additional players.' The online store on Blizzard's website shows the game to be out of stock. No word on whether or not this will affect the Korean release."

	20-01-2005 09:30									#2
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

Well I believe that's a good move on their part. I'd prefer them to control their sales to ensure that their servers will be able to run smoothly instead of them selling as much as they can and players end up dealing with overwhelmed servers.

	20-01-2005 10:51									#3
	Increase the size of your Attachments

The EB store near me has run out, has a huge waiting list, and can only get some in a few weeks time.

	20-01-2005 15:49									#4
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization 2

In retrospect maybe it's not bad being in Europe. By the time they release it they may have got on top of the problems and learnt.

*Really* hope they have enough servers for European release.

	20-01-2005 16:59									#5
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

DrSpike, learned what?
They had no clue that WoW was going to sell this well. If they did, they would have prepared.

As much as I hate having to wait buying a 2nd copy (I've given my 1st copy to a friend), Blizzard are doing the right thing.

It takes time to buy servers and to set them up, but with such a high selling game, they would love nothing more than to set new servers up, knowing darn well their income could triple once the asian and european versions are released.


They must be sooo happy right now.

	20-01-2005 19:14									#6
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

quote: Originally posted by Sn00py DrSpike, learned what? They had no clue that WoW was going to sell this well. If they did, they would have prepared.

Uh, you answered your own question. They underestimated demand, and hopefully wont do it again in Europe.

	20-01-2005 23:22									#7
	Support Apolyton

I've heard a rumour that most EB stores have been told that they will be geting more shipments starting next thursday. *shrug*

	21-01-2005 00:22									#8
	Support Apolyton

It's an awesome game.

	21-01-2005 00:55									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

A friend of mine got this game and it took control of his life...

	21-01-2005 10:34									#10
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

When I get my new PC, this will be one of the first games I'll buy.

	21-01-2005 17:24									#11
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

If you make it your very first, it will be your last

	21-01-2005 21:42									#12
	Tired of ads?

There's been 330,000+ preorders in the EU, think it's sold about 250k in the US so far. So we're talking like 90-100servers at the very least, not counting release week sales, so possibly more like 150 servers. The word "Staggering" springs to mind. It'd be the biggest MMORPG yet by far, aside from possible Lineage if you count Korea.

	21-01-2005 22:49									#13
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

The last I heard sales are at 600,000.

	21-01-2005 22:59									#14
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by Sn00py If you make it your very first, it will be your last

Actually theres speculation in some places about the relation of the growth of MMORPGs to declining PC game sales. PC Game sales in the US apparently went down yet again in 2004 - the data are only retail sales and dont include monthly MMO payments. If people who used to buy several new games a year are putting their money into MMORPGS that would explain a lot.

	22-01-2005 00:14									#15
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

I think that's very likely........a much better explanation that piracy at any rate.

	22-01-2005 03:25									#16
	Support Apolyton or Terrorists Win

quote: Originally posted by DrSpike I think that's very likely........a much better explanation that piracy at any rate.

Of course the one explanation hardly excludes the other. The decline has been so dramatic, I suspect it has several causes. MMORPGS, piracy, and the standard arguments on the shift to consoles probably all play a role. I hope that a shift to internet purchasing is part as well (IIUC the data are from brick and mortar retailers only)

	22-01-2005 22:31									#17
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I know that in my DAoC years, I only bought a couple of games and them mostly during the various times that i was moving and was without internet for awhile. Still NWN, Medieval and Rome total War and KOTOR weren't bad games

	22-01-2005 22:33									#18
	Get a bigger avatar today!

well I guess that answers whether or not to buy this game. I won't buy this game.

I hate server slowdowns.

I probably wouldn't like it anyways. I got bored of everquest 2 after a couple of weeks.

	22-01-2005 22:43									#19
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

Looks interesting enough, but thank god Im starting to suffer MMORPG burnout. Its about time I started to level me rather than some character

	22-01-2005 23:59									#20
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

quote: Originally posted by Dissident I probably wouldn't like it anyways. I got bored of everquest 2 after a couple of weeks.

But this is World of Warcraft.

	23-01-2005 02:13									#21
	Support Apolyton buy from Amazon

And the characters can dance.

	23-01-2005 04:52									#22
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations

quote: Originally posted by Dissident well I guess that answers whether or not to buy this game. I won't buy this game. I hate server slowdowns. I probably wouldn't like it anyways. I got bored of everquest 2 after a couple of weeks.

The server slowdowns are only present on the overpopulated servers.

I'm on Natherizem (sp?) which has a "low" server pop, and it's great.

	24-01-2005 19:50									#23
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by Sn00py DrSpike, learned what? They had no clue that WoW was going to sell this well. If they did, they would have prepared.

Probably learned the lesson taught by the release of Diablo II, when every (EVERY) pre ordered copy was on battle.net the day of release and their servers crashed and everyone complained.

This not only circumvents that problem, it also builds tension, anticipation for the release. From a marketing standpoint, this is the opposite of the release then patch effect.

	24-01-2005 23:58									#24
	Increase the size of your Attachments

The tension sure is building.

	25-01-2005 00:21									#25
	Full PM-box? Change here!

Some screenshots I took the other day. I'm a L45 Human Paladin, the BF (Johnnyboy) is a L46 Gnome Mage, and our friend Derek (Killua) is a L42 Gnome Warlock.


http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/2.jpg
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/3.jpg
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/4.jpg
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/5.jpg
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/6.jpg
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/7.jpg

	25-01-2005 01:42									#26
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

I'm starting to think that Blizzard could have improved the graphics a bit.

	25-01-2005 01:49									#27
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

I think they did a great job with the graphics engine and art. It runs great, even on **** graphics cards. My laptop has a Radeon 7500, and it runs the game in 1024x768 with full detail (minus pixel shaders, as the 7500 doesn't support those)

It looks better in motion, since everything is pretty dynamic...pouring lava, rippling water, moving gears, etc.

	25-01-2005 01:50									#28
	Support Apolyton, buy Call to Power 2

Also, for Firefox users and WoW players, check this out: http://www.ucalgary.ca/~drmilfor/wow/

Search plugins for WoW mobs, quests, and items I made.

	25-01-2005 05:29									#29
	Get a bigger avatar today!

I may eventually get this game. But it will be 6 months at the least.

	25-01-2005 08:15									#30
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Why six months?