How likely will 8.0 add "hardcore" servers?

[Moxal]

Less than 0%. Much like vanilla servers or etc.

[Averrix]

I think 8.0 would be the perfect time to introduce "hardcore servers" don't you think? I'm not talking about hardcore mode like Diablo where when you die, your character gets deleted. Just special rule set like:

- Much slower leveling speed (no XP boost, no character boost)
- Removal of LFR and Dungeon Queues
- Removal of Crossrealm/virtualization technology
- No server transfer
etc.

Wow has been drifting more and more into a single player with MMO elements. They need to bring back the core essence of what an MMORPG is supposed to be.

Why would you want to live in a world like this? Do you have all the time in the world to take months to level? This is terrible.

[Imnick]

Almost no chance.

[Shammyrock]

Doubt it would need to be tied to any expansion

[MrFiddleswitch]

I would agree with just about everyone else and say 0%. That being said, I would love it if they did make servers that had:

No heirlooms or character boost
No CRZ (LFD system can remain - but server only, not cross server. There's no need to go back to yelling in general all day and I could care less about LFR either way)
No catch up mechanics for raids (this is probably asking for a bit much)
No character transfer to that server (maintain economy)
No faction changes on that server (maintain pvp/competitive environment)
Enemy Modifiers to the entire server (similar to mythic+ base modifier - more health/damage for all enemies across all aspects of the game, questing mobs, dungeon trash/bosses, raids, etc)

I don't want to go back to vanilla - it was broken and unbalanced. However, WoW no longer has a sense of community on it's servers and the game has simply become too forgiving outside of Mythic Raiding. Eliminating CRZ, going back to a system that required character investment and progression, and making the game a little less forgiving (IE: you need to use CC in dungeons instead of just face rolling) would make for a much better experience.

I would absolutely re-roll on a server like that. I would even be willing to pay more per month for that honestly.

[Nnyco]

If i would use your logic, Raids should not be in the game cause only 5-8% are doing them...

implying that is even the correct number about 10% is not a very small minority

[SoulSoBreezy]

I think 8.0 would be the perfect time to introduce "hardcore servers" don't you think? I'm not talking about hardcore mode like Diablo where when you die, your character gets deleted. Just special rule set like:

- Much slower leveling speed (no XP boost, no character boost)
- Removal of LFR and Dungeon Queues
- Removal of Crossrealm/virtualization technology
- No server transfer
etc.

Wow has been drifting more and more into a single player with MMO elements. They need to bring back the core essence of what an MMORPG is supposed to be.

I don't see this as compelling at all. I can experience WoW now in the same way by being in a guild that I like (which I am).
Slower leveling speed only means anything until you're done leveling.

[deniter]

Why would you want to live in a world like this? Do you have all the time in the world to take months to level? This is terrible.

Months is for casuals, mate. Make it years and i'll be all over it.

[Deathquoi]

I would love for them to add this in 8.0...



Just so they can remove it in 8.1 when nobody uses it.

[Cæli]

basically the fact that blizzard remove some rewards results in players having a particular progression, and such realms would make the character progression less advanced no matter what, resulting in a participation level close to 0

[Cosmic Janitor]

Why do you think it would be a 'perfect time'?

How likely? Not at all. No indication has been given that blizzard is looking into it. This is even less likely than 'vanilla servers'

Nailed it. 1st post. /End_thread.

[Gadzooks]

I'm not talking about legacy or vanilla servers at all. The same exact game, same content like normal servers but with the removal of "toxic" features. It wouldn't require a lot of resources either. Just removing some key elements to make the game feel like you belong in an actual MMORPG.

Blizzard has stated from day one, they will not maintain two separate versions of the game.

[Golden]

I think 8.0 would be the perfect time to introduce "hardcore servers" don't you think? I'm not talking about hardcore mode like Diablo where when you die, your character gets deleted. Just special rule set like:

- Much slower leveling speed (no XP boost, no character boost)
- Removal of LFR and Dungeon Queues
- Removal of Crossrealm/virtualization technology
- No server transfer
etc.

Wow has been drifting more and more into a single player with MMO elements. They need to bring back the core essence of what an MMORPG is supposed to be.

I wish they would implement this. Maybe then the war between hardcore and casuals (in regard to challenge) could end.

I'm sick of the endless fighting, and maybe quarantining the two factions onto separate servers would provide a better experience for everyone.

Even if the new server type failed, at least then gamers would know and hopefully stop parroting these same ideas over and over again in every MMO forum.

[MoanaLisa]

Blizzard has stated from day one, they will not maintain two separate versions of the game.

That was true until J. Allen Brack floated the idea of pristine servers.

At the very least that showed a willingness to consider the idea of maintaining two separate versions. He didn't have to float that trial balloon. He's pretty much dining at the top level of the food chain in Irvine.

[Darktbs]

The glorious days were when your reputation on your server mattered. One couldn't simply leave a dungeon or raid group on a whim. One had to commit or eventually you'd be known as a quitter and finding a group would become quite a challenge. Being accountable for your actions changes things in a positive way. CRZ and queue management system(s) are simply a cancer that has plagued WoW for too long.

My vision for these so called "hardcore" servers isn't something for everyone, but in my opinion, it would greatly improve the quality of the game for those who share the same beliefs...and there are many.

You can call then "Social Server" but the changes you want don't change the difficulty at all.Most of the things you said affects the social aspect, not difficulty.

Removing LFD will not make Heroic dungeons harder, it will only make it longer to do then, Normal dungeons are for leveling and fresh capped characters, Heroics would be the "normal" version and Mythic and Mythic+ are the harder modes.And LFR is hardly considered Raiding so why would it affect overhaul difficulty?Removing or leaving LFR/Normal/Heroic would not make Mythic more or less difficult.

Removing Heirlooms will only make the leveling experience slower, mobs will not die as quickly but in the open World there is no real threat, with or without looms.

No server transfers only mean that people will not be able to change server if they feel like it.Not touching difficulty.

CRZ removing would not change the difficulty either, people would just scream in general chat for a group, get in said group, do a WQ or Rare and be done with it and the world would either feel less populated or the same.Again, not touching difficulty.

You want a Hardcore server?Make you lose exp when dying or make you lose your character when dying, make mobs hit harder or the character hit less.Make professions worth it considering gear is next to impossible to get, first Aid being required and so on.

[araine]

never going to happen since it is a massive waste of $$$ and resources to please that 0.5% group that would like it. the rest of the players will never want to see resources wasted on this crap

[Flatspriest]

The odds of hardcore servers being released at 8.0 or even 9.0 or 20.0 is approximately 0.000000000000000000001%.

[Teri]

You forgot the most important thing "1 raid difficulty" .

Example on Live, Not so hardcore server : People get all crazy after 1 wipe now so they ask people with +20 itemlevel above the raid, titanforging and 3 raid difficulties greatly pushed that direction.

Hardcore server wouldn't massively jump itemlevels per 1 tier.

[MoanaLisa]

People get all crazy after 1 wipe now so they ask people with +20 itemlevel above the raid, titanforging and 3 raid difficulties greatly pushed that direction.

That's an interesting and non-intuitive thought.

Why in the world would anyone believe that a group leader requesting +20 item level above the raid would be in the slightest bit interested in playing on a more-challenging hard-core server? That doesn't compute.

The only reason to build groups like that is to make the run easy-peasy simple and quick. That's quite the opposite of the spirit of what's being discussed, no? Hard-core? Difficult? Challenging?

[Teri]

That's an interesting and non-intuitive thought.

Why in the world would anyone believe that a group leader requesting +20 item level above the raid would be in the slightest bit interested in playing on a more-challenging hard-core server? That doesn't compute.

The only reason to build groups like that is to make the run easy-peasy simple and quick. That's quite the opposite of the spirit of what's being discussed, no? Hard-core? Difficult? Challenging?

I probably wrote it wrongly, edited now.

I mean hardcore server with 1 raid difficulty wouldn't overgear content like it does now. Smaller itemlevel gaps between tiers.

Questing gear would be adequate enough for 5 mans

ToS Normal and the "maximum" is 55 itemlevels within the same tier (70 if you count LFR), with exponential scaling that's huge. Harcore realms wouldn't have that, and have different structure:

Progression:

Questing gear -> Dungeon Gear > Raid tier 1 2 3,

Catch-up dungeons like Mythic+ are debatable.

Also crafting gear would be more complicated , depending how hardcore and "catch-up" mechanics are concerned..

Crafting need to be designed to not force everyone into blacksmith/tailoring/leatherworking.


If they add crafted gear of some sort, it should have personal looted BoP material relevant to the content it came from.



Player-skill check:

Even if you gated each dungeon via heavy attunements again it's not gonna stop boosts unless they add solo-challenges in the attunement :P

Imagine this if there was a " mage tower " type deal for each tier before progressing upwards, so you can't get carried by others all the time.

It would prove someone is able to "earn" their spot from tier 1 to tier 2 to tier 3, and it would be a legit way of telling someone's progress instead of being " boosted " to high gear or " curve "

Imo hardcore really means you gotta play that 1 character and work it's way upward. Obviously tier 3 would have an easier time in tier 1/2 and catch up would exist in some ways always.

So basicly you go like this:

Questing gear -> Dungeon Gear -> Solo challenge 1 -> Tier 1 > Solo challenge 2 -> Tier 2 > Solo challenge 3 -> Tier 3

Solo challenge attunements mixed with hard raids is a game I'd love to play, and it would support "hardcore" community somewhat.

I do see boosts advertised for "mage tower skin" in trade chat, like wtf is that, but I assume that's an illegal way where they ask you to pay to play your account. And illegal.