Day Of The (Disappointed) Dead

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Hallow's End has come and gone, leaving me with only the helm standing between Syrana and Syrana the Hallowed.  Stupid RNG eluded me again.  Granted, I didn't go after it as much as I could have…

As Hallow's End ended, Day of the Dead began.  I was looking forward to this in game event.  I have fond memories of learning about it as well as celebrating it in Spanish class back in high school.

Mmm, sugar skulls.

When I heard it was being introduced into WoW, I was very curious how it would be.  I heard about an awesome little pet, which certainly made me giddy with glee.

Unfortunately, the reality of this short holiday was that it did not meet the high expectations I had built up for it.  Is that Blizzard's fault? Probably not.  Is that my own fault? Probably… (#iblamesyrana)  Honestly, I didn't think I had “high” expectations, but it felt like it fell short.  Lackluster.  Short.  Disappointing.

It took all of 5 minutes to complete all there was to do with the holiday and get an achievement.

Now, I understand that a short, two day event isn't going to require a lot to be done.  I understand that.  But, I thought there would be more than ONE quest.

In the wee hours of the morning, a post on WoW.Com went up about Day of the Dead that included this:

There's also a recipe in-game for Bread of the Dead, another translation of the holiday's Pan de Muerto. This is required for The Grateful Dead, which appear to be a collection of quests requiring players to bring the bread to various ghosts in graveyards all over the game world.

I am not saying WoW.Com misled me, but I read that to mean there'd be a few spots to go… at least to each capital city.  Which, to me, made sense.  However, there was only one quest to complete at your racial capital city (or apparently anyone could use the graveyard at Dalaran.  I had originally went to the Undercity – fitting, I thought – but was not able to get a quest).

Along with that, I surprised that players weren't really directed towards the festivities.  For most holidays, the commoners in the capital cities have a quest or otherwise direct you where to go.  These commoners did not have a quest and indicated that you could check out the festivities at any capital graveyard… yet, the only festivity I could partake in while at the Undercity was to dance with Catrina.

Sure, that gave me the achievement and 12 hour costume, but no quest.

I know there were some different guides posted up this morning on how to complete the holiday, but honestly, no one should have to read a guide beforehand to complete a holiday event.

So, off to Silvermoon City I go, in search of festivities that I can partake in.  I locate Catrina and her merchant buddy (how are they in several places at once? Spooooky~) just outside of Falconwing Square.

But I still don't see a quest.

I check out the goods.  Ooh, a skull mask, that could be fun. (Bought)  Oh, there's the recipe.  (Bought)  Hey, a bouquet of flowers! (Bought)

I admit, I was a little stumped on how to proceed next.  Knowing I'd need some bread, I learn the recipe, get flour and milk, and find out I can't bake it until I returned to the graveyard.  After the bread finished baking, I still don't see a quest.  I pop on “low level quest tracking” to be on the safe side.

Still no quest.

Huh.

I take another look at my inventory, decide to equip the bouquet of marigolds, and right-clicked to use them.

Voila! Spirits be wit you, mon.  And there is the quest – held hostage by a cheerful spirit.

If someone used the flowers to see the spirits before baking their bread, they would be able to pick up the quest and then have to use flowers again to turn it in.  Nice how the quest tells you to use a marigold when it's time to turn it in… but nothing told you to do that in order to obtain the quest in the first place.

Once you give the cheerful spirit some bread, you get your own macabre marionette, who is the cutest darn lil' thing, but will take up a bank slot for 354 days a year.  That's right, he doesn't get “learned” like other pets and can only be brought out to play during the Day of the Dead.

Possible Solutions/Suggestions

First of all, make that lil' guy an actual companion.  The other holiday event pets can be summoned any time of year.

Secondly, bring people's attention to the holiday.  Some people didn't even realize there was a new one.  Have the commoner's give you a quest to go talk to Catrina.  Even if it doesn't quite send you to the cemetery you need to be at, at least it's a start.  If there isn't a golden ! above an NPC's head, a lot of people just ignore them.

Thirdly, have a quest at a headstone that requires you to buy a flower to place upon it or use near it.

Fourthly, be able to offer bread to a spirit at each of the capital cities… or a quest from Catrina to honor a spirit at each capital.

Fifthly, when I click on one of the dancing spirits (who have chat bubbles) and they say they are enjoying a chance to talk and share stories with the living – let them tell me a story!

Now that I'm done ranting, what did you think of the event? Did you participate in it? What would you like to see done differently?

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