What you just described is exactly what I’m saying. CRZ mixes realms such that you’re much less likely to see the same players as you level. Layering randomly logs you into a layer such that your much less likely to see the same players as you level.
Layering may be less impactful than CRZ, and have fewer disappearing players than sharding, but it still has elements of the worst of these two systems.
Yes, but layering also ensures all layers shares the same general chat, shares the same AH and so on. Only thing you don’t share between layers, is the world. It is still the same realm.
I’m on and off regarding layers. It’s actually similar to an idea I had about this where instead of sharding we’d just have a bunch of servers with the same name that would be condensed later. (moonguard1, 2, 3) etc. with them all linked from the beginning so the names wouldn’t be shared.
I remember Ironsides posting basically the same thing a while back as well. so this seems to be that similar idea.
Yea, you could call a layer a form of mini-server connected with another mini-server. Like an ice-cube tray almost.
Yes, players will be on the same realm, but each layer is essentially its own server. Player interaction takes place on many levels; guild, friends, random encounters, and chatting. Layering has a direct, negative effect on random encounters.
Some of you would complain about the font they use to write blue posts about Classic. It’s going to be what it is, your griping won’t matter, so let it go.
At any rate, I prefer this to sharding which I think wouldn’t fix the problem. We may just end up alright with layering so I support it.
I’ve seen people say that guilds and groups will still see each other, so we shouldn’t worry about the impact of layering. However, in Retail you can socialize with your guild and group with your friends to avoid sharding and CRZ, but the communities are otherwise long dead.
A community is more than your guildmates and friends list. Seeing the same people out in the world, people who aren’t in your guild or on your friends list, is very important.
I agree. But as long as it is temporarily, it is a evil we just have to swallow. Either that, or risk dead servers that needs to be merged down the road. None of the options is particular enticing, but I still think that layering is the lesser evil of the two. Merging you risk getting split from people you played with, to another realm where everyone is a stranger, and you have to start over.
Since we already is in beta, I don’t see them change course now though. We can only try hold them to their word, that it will be gone by phase 2. Otherwise, I have already stated I would unsub if it ain’t so.
I feel like this same post has been repeated across the years. Retail is the result.
/r/classicwow has put together some really nifty and informational graphics on the subject of layering, so I’m going to link them all here. I suggest taking a look at all of them since they all explain it in different ways. But it does make it much more understandable:
`https://i.redd.it/ut1byz022fy21.jpg
`https://i.redd.it/xpz3z1ly1dy21.png
`https://i.imgur.com/LUgl536.png
They said it will not exist in Phase 2. Is that not concrete?
Layering can be easily reworked to eliminate elements of CRZ and sharding, but still allow for later merges.
Instead of being placed on a random layer on login, players are placed on a layer they select on character creation, permanently, and cannot change it. Each layer becomes a true server until they are merged later on. No disappearing players, no swapping an entire server population on login.
Awesome infographics, no nits to pick on them!
What do you do when layers end up with wildly different numbers?
By phase2 (3000 max per layer);
Ship them off to a different realm where the numbers adds up better? Or if before phase 2, a layer is filled up ~3000 and someone wants to join a guild on that layer?
because it’s 2 completely separate things and don’t even function the same way in any sense of the word.
Nice!! Although, the last one… ![:rofl:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/rofl.png?v=6" ":rofl:")
If a given layer has a low population, then it will be merged sooner rather than later. This is also no different than being on a low pop server, but with an eventual solution in the form of layer merges. If Blizzard performs these merges in a timely manner, then no layer will reach terminal population numbers.
Choosing a layer would be no different than choosing a server. If you want to join a guild on Achimonde, you also have to determine which layer they are on. Each layer becomes a server in nearly every way.
The title of that thread is even funnier
`https://www.reddit.com/r/classicwow/comments/bpaibo/okay_is_this_explanation_good_enough_for_ye_twats/
I doubt they’re going to do more than 2 layers per realm unless they simply get swarmed to the Nth degree and they’re rendered incapable of spinning up new realms quickly enough(but somehow have capacity available on others).
I’d honestly expect 2 layers per realm to be more typical all things considered.
But if the above scenario played out a few weeks before Phase 2 is to start, they’d likely cap the realm during a maintenance window(or night-time/early morning population lull) so it cannot spawn a 4th “layer” and thus begin the server queues while opening up free migrations to a realm with a lower population.