So let me get this straight....

It's not the same system. While it may be a competitive-based system similar to the current honor system, it doesn't involve the same time-based elements that created conflict with the current system.

The time-based elements and the competitive-based elements are being seperated.

The ladder system has a completely different set of regulations on it. One of worthy note is the fact that groups are going to be matched up and rated in a more detailed matter, taking things into account such as gear and win/loss history, which didn't really happen in the current honor system.

Q u o t e:
Doesn't that seem kind of dumb?

No, it doesn't. The people who want to get some gear and play in BGs will be able to at their own pace. The people that want to be very competitive in PvP will have the opportunity in Arenas.

Q u o t e:
Why are you using nearly the exact same thing for arena's when you admit its broken?

We're not. It isn't even nearly the exact same thing. It is a different thing.

Q u o t e:
And why do you "fix" it and then make all the gear irrelevant?

What do you mean? All the gear irrelevant? What, because of the increasing level cap? Not making much sense here.

Q u o t e:
Why is the only decent gear you can get in the game through raiding?

Arena gear is going to be comparable to raiding gear, it will just be designed more toward PvP than raiding.

Q u o t e:
Is that the only thing considered challenging......raiding?

Stop being such a reductionist.

Q u o t e:
Some people are worried that the gear you can get using "honor points" won't be good enough, and players will more or less be forced to raid in order to get good enough gear to "keep up" in competitive arena PvP.

Others, like myself, are equally worried that the "honor points" will actually make it TOO EASY for casual PvPers to get gear equivalent to the stuff raiders have to spend hundreds of gold wiping and learning new content to earn.

Can you appease these two diametrically opposed factions in one post, Tseric? I CHALLENGE YOU, SIR. :-P

Competitive PvP is taking into account factors like gear. When you have a point value in the ladder system that accounts for gear and other factors, it negates the benefit of being vastly better geared than your opponent. In the event you are playing a lesser ranked team, you are going to advance your position less in the ladder, so steam-rolling PUGs is not going to help towards acheiving the highest ranks. Playing against teams that are on par or even higher ranked than you is going to give you the most return and move you up in the ladder system.

That's the first part.

For the second part of your post, you have to consider that the Honor system rewards never have nor will they likely ever be equivalent to the best raiding gear in the game. Now, the level 70 gear going in may be better than some current raiding gear like Tier 1 or 2, but still won't be as good overall when new tiers of armor are released. Your second point is kind of a non-issue.

Q u o t e:
He flat out said the gear you get outside of arena or raiding is not of the same quality.....that makes it worthless.

And again, stop being such a reductionist. By your line of thinking, the top-tier of PvP and raiding gear is the only thing of any value. So every other piece of gear in the game is worthless?

Don't be absurd.

Q u o t e:
You've answered every question buy why the heck there isnt going to be any compensation for our time.

Game experience may change during online play. This is the nature of MMOs. It is not an environment where you save your receipts to file your taxes and get everything that you feel you deserve. Things occur that help the majority of people and if you are one of those people it might affect differently, you should align yourself to the course of the change. Otherwise, you are just fighting an inevitable tide.

Changes happen and those who hold on to the past are lost.