Are garrisons going to make capital cities dead?

[Rivin]

I honestly doubt that enough people will bother min/maxing their garrisons enough to empty out the capital cities. There might be a noticeable drop from the people that do, though.

Keep in mind that the average player probably doesn't even know a thing about garrisons except that they exist. Just look at how many people on here, a fansite (of which the userbase is generally more knowledgable than the average player) didn't know that garrisons can have an AH. I don't think that the average player is going to a) know about it or b) bother doing the quest to unlock it.

[Drilnos]

I honestly doubt that enough people will bother min/maxing their garrisons enough to empty out the capital cities. There might be a noticeable drop from the people that do, though.

Keep in mind that the average player probably doesn't even know a thing about garrisons except that they exist. Just look at how many people on here, a fansite (of which the userbase is generally more knowledgable than the average player) didn't know that garrisons can have an AH. I don't think that the average player is going to a) know about it or b) bother doing the quest to unlock it.

It's hardly surprising considering the content is unreleased. The garrison auctioneer hasn't even been implemented yet. Once the expansion is out and people actually start leveling, they're going to be introduced to the garrisons in the first couple hours of playtime. Maybe half the people who do Spires of Arak are going to pick the Smuggler's Run. Word of mouth will do the rest.

[Deleted]

Does anyone know if it is or will ever be possible to decide which music track of one of your faction's races plays while being in your garrison zone? The best thing about Stormwind for me is definitely the great tune that always plays when entering and being in it. Also, I'm confident I won't spend much time in Ashran unless I want to do PVP (which I don't have high hopes about by the way) - the music that plays there isn't bad, but the one in SW is just calming.

I sort of agree with what a lot of people have stated here so far. The capital cities are not going to end up being dead zones, that's for sure, but I think many people will prefer to take care of their own garrison instead of idling in a capital, just checking the mailbox and auction house when waiting for a group to be formed.

[Rivin]

It's hardly surprising considering the content is unreleased. The garrison auctioneer hasn't even been implemented yet. Once the expansion is out and people actually start leveling, they're going to be introduced to the garrisons in the first couple hours of playtime. Maybe half the people who do Spires of Arak are going to pick the Smuggler's Run. Word of mouth will do the rest.

I think you're giving them too much credit. :P Even if they knew about it (which I still find unlikely), they would have to actually upgrade the trading post and do the quest to unlock the auctioneer. I don't think enough people will bother to really affect city populations.

[Pony Soldier]

No, of course not and I can give you the two reasons why: Auction house and trade(AKA Troll) chat.

[Saravat]

I will most certainly find a way to be in capital cities instead of my garrison. Honestly, I don't like the garrison's appearance. I'm Horde, and I find that Frostfire Ridge, while striking, is too visually monotonous. It would have been a great quest zone to pass through, but it's not a place I want to hang out. The Horde garrison itself - which is situated in Frostfire - is not appealing. I'll go there when I have to, but it's not a place I would ever want to just hang out. I've been in beta since early July and I have tried to like both Frostfire Ridge and the Horde garrison...but I just can't get into them.

And don't get me started on the Ashran area. No thanks. I'll find a way to keep my hearth in Orgrimmar or Dalaran or the Shrine.

[Sinndra]

No, of course not and I can give you the two reasons why: Auction house and trade(AKA Troll) chat.

another person that failed to even skim a few other posts. you can use the AH on your Garrison. so you only have one reason and as you put it, people will try to keep the length of time dealing with "troll chat" to a minimum. only going to the city when absolutely necessary to use that.

[Lochton]

Horde side for me, no. I don't like the Garrison, so I'll find a different place.

Alliance side for me, yes. Rather stay there in my decked out base then to have to disable multiple channels of spam everytime I enter a city.

[Mezzolith]

I'm still salty about losing Black Temple as my capital. So yes, I will be staying in my Garrison.

If I miss the Thunderfury spam and arm-chair politicians in trade chat I'll just go to Stormwind.

[TheWindWalker]

They'll do a fairly good job of keeping Ashran's Capitals relatively low-pop but Stormwind/Orgrimmar will probably continue to be packed.

[Drilnos]

I think you're giving them too much credit. :P Even if they knew about it (which I still find unlikely), they would have to actually upgrade the trading post and do the quest to unlock the auctioneer. I don't think enough people will bother to really affect city populations.

A lot of assuming that it'll be an unpopular feature here. People were saying the same things about pet battles before MoP.

[Arrowstormen]

I think you're giving them too much credit. :P Even if they knew about it (which I still find unlikely), they would have to actually upgrade the trading post and do the quest to unlock the auctioneer. I don't think enough people will bother to really affect city populations.

There's absolutely no doubt that you won't be able to get around Garrisons, and not only because every zone starts with you making an outpost and getting a Garrison Blueprint.

[MoanaLisa]

SW and Org will probably be a little less busy. It's possible that the difference between now and in the future will be that a lot of people stay in capital cities now and are more or less based there (or at the shrines in Mists); with garrisons they may be just visiting and then leaving again. Even if true that may be a distinction without a difference.

[Darknessvamp]

You're assuming they won't remove most of Shrine's portals in 6.0.

Have they suggested that they are going to do that?

[Rivin]

A lot of assuming that it'll be an unpopular feature here. People were saying the same things about pet battles before MoP.

Oh no, I don't think it will be unpopular. I just don't think it will be a place where enough people will choose to idle that it will have a major effect on capital city populations.