Level-based World Phasing & Reminiscence Mode

[Nurvus]

DISCLAIMER: Brainstorm-y post - not very well organized.

1 - Progressive/Chronologically Dynamic World
When Cataclysm was released, the whole Azeroth changed for everyone - at all levels.

What if the World actually changed as you reach certain levels instead of whenever a new expansion is released?

What does this mean?
1 - Everyone starts in "Old Azeroth (pre-Cataclysm) " (even Death Knights)
2 - At level 58+ you will go to Outland (no change here, Azeroth is still pre-cataclysm)
3 - At level 68+ you will go to Northrend (no change here, Azeroth is still pre-cataclysm)
4 - When you reach level 80, you "advance" in the chronology of Azeroth, and thus see the Cataclysm event (cinematic, etc)
5 - From now on your Azeroth is the "New Azeroth" (post-Cataclysm), and all areas in it are meant for level 80+, including Elwynn Forest, Durotar, etc.

New Challenges / More Relevant Content
This allows Blizzard to fill the whole world with all sorts of new content - end game, rare monsters, challenges, secrets, events, etc - without interfering with the leveling experience of lower levels.

Expandable Concept
This idea doesn't have to be limited to Pre/Post Cataclysm.
Blizzard can later expand this concept to provide additional layers of content for areas relevant to any new expansion they release, such that the world evolves as you do, and you always have content meant for your level range in various places of whole world.

Q: How do I complete low level quests I left behind?
2 - Reminiscence (placeholder name)

Reminiscence takes you back to Old Azeroth so you can complete level 1-79 content.
A level 80+ can also group up with a level 1-79 to do 1-79 content this way.

Explanation:
Once you reach level 80 and witness the Cataclysm, you are in the New Azeroth.
Lorewise, at that point you already did everything you were supposed to do before the Cataclysm.
Gamewise, however, you will inevitably leave level 1-79 content behind you as you reach level 80.

In a way, you can consider that Reminiscence allows you to "relive" the past.

3 - Fight Your Equal
Ganking lowbies is not PvP - so don't give me the "roll a PvE server if you don't like PvP".

In my opinion, each area should have 2 Level-based phases:
Normal Phase - Max Level appropriate to questing in the area
Overlevel Phase - Level considered too high for the area
Example (Hypotetical):
Hellfire Peninsula Normal Phase = 1-68
Hellfire Peninsula Overlevel Phase = 69+
This means if your goal is killing lowbies in Hellfire Peninsula you need to bring your lowbie character.

How does this work when grouping with lowbies?
Q: Wouldn't this end up bringing high level players to Normal Phasing?
A: It would be the other way around - the low level player would be brought to the "Overlevel" Phasing.

[Serissa]

Ganking lowbies is not PvP - so don't give me the "roll a PvE server if you don't like PvP".

It is PvP as long as Blizzard (creator and supreme ruler of WOW) says "it's PvP". You can think whatever you want.

[Vaelorian]

DISCLAIMER: Brainstorm-y post - not very well organized.

1 - Progressive World
When Cataclysm was released, the whole Azeroth changed for everyone - at all levels.

What if the World actually changed with leveling instead of whenever a new expansion is released?
This could happen in a future expansion!

What I mean is, instead of all of Azeroth changing when Cataclysm came, what if only level 80+ could see this new Azeroth, and everyone lower level saw the old Azeroth?

Azeroth Lv1 to Lv79 would look like the Old Azeroth (pre-cataclysm).
This is where the leveling up to 60(79) would take place.

Azeroth Lv80+ would look like the New Azeroth (post-cataclysm)
All areas here would be level 80+. Even Darkshore, Elwynn Forest, etc.

2 - Reminiscence Mode
Q: How do I complete low level quests I left behind?
Reminiscence Mode would take you to "remember" the past.
Gamewise, you haven't done those old quests.
Lorewise, however, you are merely recollecting the past, as you (supposedly) already did all of the past events.

Well... you wouldn't be able to complete all those quests, simply because they aren't there anymore. Just like in the real world. You'd go back to your "home town" after years and see that your old school has been made an old folks home. Your teacher (if he still lives) has moved to another province/state. The supermarket you used to go with your mom when you were young, is now a parkinglot next to a cinema.

I don't think that this "old quests are gone" will have a big impact. Almost no one visits old stuff after they outlevel it.

I mean, doing WotLK quests after pandaria makes no sense lorewise, so you're essentially "remembering" the past.

If you are referring to the already changed Cata enviroment and then going to WOTLK area's, then yes you are correct that the timelines are fucked up in WoW.

Grouping would lower level players would automatically put you in Reminiscence Mode.

I think this would be a bit hard and unneeded. You already have phased technology where players your own level, are further ahead in quests. You suddenly cannot see them anymore. So while I would like what you are asking, I think it is not required.

3 - Separating Proper Level from Overleveled Players
Ganking lowbies is not PvP - so don't give me the "roll a PvE server if you don't like PvP".

If the idea you proposed sofar will be implemented, I doubt that high level playes could still gank lowbies unless they party up with lowish players. But still, ganking happens nowadays so ... why change that.

In my opinion, each area should have 2 phases:
1 - Max Level appropriate to the area
2 - Max Level too high for the area
Example:
Hellfire Peninsula would have two level ranges - hypotetically, 1-68 and 69+.

I like this suggestion. So after I completed all the quests and improved my level I would be able to see the landscape turn towards why I was questing there, or keep up to speed with lore.

This means if you take your high level to Hellfire Peninsula to kill NPCs and lowbies, you'll probably find people with the same mentality as you. Good luck!

dude keep away from the stupid PVP stuff. It has almost no relevance. You're not going to be lowlevel all your life.

[Nurvus]

It is PvP as long as Blizzard (creator and supreme ruler of WOW) says "it's PvP". You can think whatever you want.

They don't say anything about it, so I say it's not PvP.

- - - Updated - - -

Well... you wouldn't be able to complete all those quests, simply because they aren't there anymore. Just like in the real world. You'd go back to your "home town" after years and see that your old school has been made an old folks home. Your teacher (if he still lives) has moved to another province/state. The supermarket you used to go with your mom when you were young, is now a parkinglot next to a cinema.

I don't think that this "old quests are gone" will have a big impact. Almost no one visits old stuff after they outlevel it.
(...)
If you are referring to the already changed Cata enviroment and then going to WOTLK area's, then yes you are correct that the timelines are fucked up in WoW.

My idea is this:
Everyone starts in "Old Azeroth" - meant for leveling up to 79.
Once you reach level 80, you are in "New Azeroth" (maybe you sees the cinematic) - where all areas would be meant for people level 80+
You can go back to "Old Azeroth" by entering "Reminiscence Mode" - so you can do old quests.

Why would you do old quests? Lorewalker achievement, etc.
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I think this would be a bit hard and unneeded. You already have phased technology where players your own level, are further ahead in quests. You suddenly cannot see them anymore. So while I would like what you are asking, I think it is not required.

Not if you understand what exactly I'm suggesting.

If the idea you proposed sofar will be implemented, I doubt that high level playes could still gank lowbies unless they party up with lowish players. But still, ganking happens nowadays so ... why change that.

I like this suggestion. So after I completed all the quests and improved my level I would be able to see the landscape turn towards why I was questing there, or keep up to speed with lore.

The thing is, Outland would not have "Old azeroth and new azeroth" versions.
Furthermore, even in Old Azeroth, a level 10 is a lowbie to a level 20.
Even in New Azeroth, a level 80 is a lowbie to a level 90.

[Deleted]

This won't be very easy to grasp as a new player...
You can't help your low-level friends anymore.
Also, in Cata they revamped the 1-60 zones for a good reason, this would essentially revert those changes...

[Revi]

Yeah, as Butger said, they changed the leveling experience for a reason. For new players coming in, the felt the old zones presented a bad first impression due to the outdated and less streamlined nature of the zones. Agree or disagree, this is why it changed, and doing this would be incredibly counter-productive.

Not to mention they already have trouble populating the zones, and this would separate players even further.
It wouldn't fix ganking lowbies either, those who wanted to do this would just go into "Reminiscence mode".

They don't say anything about it, so I say it's not PvP.

They've explicitly stated multiple times that it's a part of playing on a PvP realm and they support it as long as it doesn't turn into griefing (continued ganking/distruption of the same player). It IS pvp and to combat it you can either play on a pve realm, try to escape, or gather more players to help you fight them.

[Nurvus]

This won't be very easy to grasp as a new player...
You can't help your low-level friends anymore.

Wrong. Nothing changes in partying. You enter "Reminiscence Mode" which takes you to "Old Azeroth".

Updated the original post to explain it better. I hope it's easier to understand now.

Also, in Cata they revamped the 1-60 zones for a good reason, this would essentially revert those changes...

It would keep the best of both worlds.
You see, Veterans saw the "Before" and "After" cataclysm.
New players can't - they don't know what changed.

If Blizzard does what I suggest, you will have 2 Azeroths.
The main changes will be to content in the New Azeroth, as it will be meant for level 80+.
But this also allows them to FILL the world with Rares, amazing challenges, etc.
A whole world of endgame!
And the best of all is they will be mostly using content they already developed!

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Added a few comments on additional positive consequences of my suggestion.