Cross-Realm Zones Coming to Beta

[Herecius]

The numbers are out there. All you have to do is put two and two together. Blizzard is doing everything they can to give both players and investors the idea that WoW is the titan of the MMORPG world, to make it harder for competitors to make a splash.

Analysts estimated a couple of years ago that the chinese market accounted for only about 6% of WoW's gross. Fewer than five million copies of Cataclysm have EVER been sold.

*Fewer than five million box copies of Cataclysm have ever been sold. A massive amount was in digital sales.

If Blizzard was pulling the wool over the eyes of its investors, then we would know. They would know. All of Blizzard's financial data is public record. All of it. And it's not falsified. It would be tremendously, hilariously illegal if it was.

[TofuBeast]

>Cry about how good Vanilla was when everyone was out in the world and did large scale world pvp battles

>Cry when they implement the best possible solution to bring it back


Lmao this community

[MoanaLisa]

The main problem I see with this is the same issue we have seen with LFR/LFG - certain people from other servers seem to think its acceptaible to grief-play to varying extents as they can 'get away with it' without any of the social reprecussions you'd get if you were acting badly towards someone on your own server. Want to ninja a mob? sure why not, you'll never seen that guy again. Want to get into a random flame war in general chat? go right ahead, your guild won't know etc etc etc.

When exactly was the last time someone suffered repercussions for doing something in Ashenvale?

[Xerra]

This seems like a similar system to GW2's overflow server except the opposite cramming the smaller groups into one instead of making a new one for the crowded servers.

[TofuBeast]

This seems like a similar system to GW2's overflow server except the opposite cramming the smaller groups into one instead of making a new one for the crowded servers.

"We are also able to split over-populated zones and will be testing this new technology on the Pandaren starting area (turtle zone)."

[Marmot]

I...don't know what to say...totally unexpected and out of the blue, yet completely amazing.

[Dyptheria]

What's the point of allowing player to get more people to group with during low-level stuff, if the low-level stuff remains being that easy? Currently there is ABSOLUTELY NO POINT to group up, cause everything is piss easy, soloable, you're able to breeze through it within minutes, and the odd character I meet while questing I deeply regret, as they only slow me down by having to camp twice as much yetis for their skins ^^

Make content more difficult, slower-paced, the group experience worthwhile, and then introduce this... Doh!

You have a point, but Blizzard had to make those decisions based on the technology they had access to at the time. When they nerfed places like Dun Modr by removing the Elites, my attitude was, "reward more XP rather than making the mobs weaker" but that's no help when you can't get people to help you complete the quest(s) in the first place. Also, there are still group quests in the game - The Cipher of Damnation for example, or Divination: Gorefiend's Armor.

Overall, I think this is a good move. It allows them to bring back the "choke point" group quests and up the rewards for completing them. It allows them to maintain a multi-sharded architecture and yet make the move towards a more seamless experience for players. It may also pave the way for cross-realm guilds, which would certainly help out the would be raiders on low population realms, and would save the hassle of a realm merge, which is actually more complicated than you might think.

The background work which supports this may also enable things like cross-realm mail, and perhaps a limited merging of Auction Houses - the Neutral ones would be a good candidate, in fact that in turn might indirectly help out the Alliance and Horde Auction House economies on the smaller realms.

[Nailien]

I really like the idea but also think they are overcomplicating things a little. I think underpopulated realms merging would be more beneficial to both players and Blizzard..

[slackjawsix]

WE WANT WORLD PVP BACK WAHHHH, hey guys guess what well now u can play with alot of people in those low lvl zones... OMG I LIKED IT THE WAY IT WAS

there is no pleasing

[sweatshopkids]

Ultima Online 2.0

[Resentful]

Well now this was quite unexpected, I am literally shocked right now haha

[Williamgood]

It's a good idea and a bad idea at the same time. I wonder what will happen if one of these zones crashes=S affects all the servers are just one.

[Burningphoenix]

Here we go Troll ...erh I mean Barrens' chat.

[Easo]

One of the best ideas ever. And Blizzard is not stupid. Spawn rates, maximum players, all will be adjusted. And low lvl characters wont be lonely anymore.

[Jon]

Sounds awesome to me.

[Ruak]

You have a point, but Blizzard had to make those decisions based on the technology they had access to at the time. When they nerfed places like Dun Modr by removing the Elites, my attitude was, "reward more XP rather than making the mobs weaker" but that's no help when you can't get people to help you complete the quest(s) in the first place.. Also, there are still group quests in the game - in Shadowmoon Valley at the Altar of Damnation, for example.

Overall, I think this is a good move. It allows them to bring back the "choke point" group quests and up the rewards for completing them. It allows them to maintain a multi-sharded architecture and yet make the move towards a more seamless experience for players. It may also pave the way for cross-realm guilds, which would certainly help out the would be raiders on low population realms, and would save the hassle of a realm merge, which is actually more complicated than you might think.

The background work which supports this may also enable things like cross-realm mail, and perhaps a limited merging of Auction Houses - the Neutral ones would be a good candidate, in fact that in turn might indirectly help out the Alliance and Horde Auction House economies on the smaller realms.

And certainly they got the technology to merge servers. But they don't. Money will always be money. As many in this thread said - that doesn't solve the problem with low-pop realm raiding. Sure, I will have many people to level with. And then? By the time they introduce cross-realm guilds, etc, it'll be time for expansion N.6. Why not just merge low-pop servers NOW? I really hate how they release stuff slower than possible just to squeeze more money from the subscribers.

[cateran100]

Yeah...grouping in low level areas is absolutely necessary...There is a lot of grouping quest, impossible to solo them...ohh wait...NO!
I got bored to make an alt after my last 1 (hunter) who gained a level so quickly, was pointless to make any quests...Even if i started an area, 2-3 quests and bammm all of them turned to be grey because i outleveled so damn quickly...
I do not hate blizz (activision is another story) but this and RAF and the many low populated european realms pointing into 1 direction: not everything is so flawless and gorgeous with the game as they imply to show it

[Waterisbest]

Try to digest the following, if your mindless fanboy brains will allow it:

1) Chinese people aren't allowed to subscribe to WoW, by Chinese law. The game in China is virtually F2P.
2) According to previous Blizzard earnings calls, two years ago, more than 60% of WoW players were chinese.
3) The proportion of US & EU players has dropped dramatically.
4) The "total sub number" holding steady can ONLY be accounted for by an increasing number of chinese players.

There is only one conclusion. Activision Blizzard is misleading both players and shareholders by enveloping the chinese market into the subscription count.

Some people think they are way smarter then other people. They are the shareholders of the biggest MMO created ever (and might be shareholders of other companies as well). They are way smarter then you are and know FAR more then you do. They are shareholders for a reason and you just a normal poster on MMOC.

You just made something in your mind and now think it's the truth. EU and US players have dropped drastically? You have proof of that? I don't think so. Subs being stable is because Chinese players are increasing? Any evidence? Don't think so. Chinese players do subscribe to WoW but through the Chinese system and the system keeps most of the subs payment while providing a little percentage to Blizzard. Stop posting nonsense and come with REAL arguments along with facts. WoW's subs are stable when the game is in the most horrible position has been ever. And people are finding it difficult to take. Here is the truth, the worst state of WoW, might be worst for you, but not other people. And what does this excellent feature has to do with subs in the first place? Are you saying Blizzard is fooling people by adding a ridiculously awesome feature?

OT: Blizzard you are an inspiration. This is a step further to make large servers which will overcome all the population and progress problems some servers face. In the future it might be that we have 20-30 giant servers instead of 90-100 small ones. I'm guessing this was Blizzard's plan after all. But it can't be done in a year or two, so they are going about it slowly, adding up things one by one to avoid destorying the game.

This is a major slap in the face of the all current "new" MMORPGs. With all their new technology they still can't out think Blizz who is using outdated technology for their game. Simply brilliant. WoW competitors might be shivering and hating themselves after reading all this (and so will the WoW-haters).

Bring on this feature. Even though I didn't plan to level a character. This feature is encouraging me too. Just to want to experience this amazing feature personally.

[Maxilian]

Well i really like these idea, but there are some points that people have to see:

-Server will merge with one of the same tipe... PVP with PVP, PVE with PVE, RP with RP, and so on...

-PVP server: You don't like the idea to get ganked, well yeah that will happen but look at the good part, it will be easier to make a PVP event in X place and that would be AWESOME!

-Farming: Yeah, these will bring a lot of problem to farming mobs/nodes and all those things, but these may be seen in the PTR and (i hope) Blizzard may fix these problem (More nodes/mops, or just don't make Nodes/unique mobs crossrealm -unless you're in party with someone of another realm-)

-RP: There is no problem here (Withouth counting the problem certains servers are AKA: moonguard), but these will bring the possibility for people to comunicate and make much more RP event

-But i like the peace of lvling all alone and no be bothered by others people..., i know these feeling :P, but well what we can do about it? WOW is a MMO so nothing can be done :S

[BenBos]

I really like the idea but also think they are overcomplicating things a little. I think underpopulated realms merging would be more beneficial to both players and Blizzard..

Merging servers is never a solution because it fixes things for a limited time AND the present day content of WoW is this HUGE one full crowded server is not enough to populate all zones and all content.

This techique is a REVOLUTION in a fantasy based MMORP design. It is reversed ingeneering, in that you no longer create instances on ONE Server to control huge populations at the start of an expansion.

No this technique does the OPPOSITE, it populates low pop zones from different servers and this is done ... Seamlessly, not a loafing screen in sigh !.

In fact you could say that instead of playing with 5k players per faction on your server, you now play with ... 20 or 30 times that number to populate your world in low pop zones only. In fact they could go to 100 times. The potential is limitless.