That should be expanded upon, if Blizzard is managing it right once they get to whatever their population target is for a realm, they’ll either lock it to prevent people from adding characters. (Which on further reflection seems unlikely)
Or the more likely option is they’ll stop spawning more layers for that realm. So if Asmongold and Something Awful both end up openly targeting the same realm, don’t be surprised to see a 3K+ player queue to get into that realm. While even with layering, where it’s entirely possible on other realms a 400 player queue could spawn a new layer.
Hopefully we’ll learn more next week if they expand the beta testing pool like I suspect they’re going to. Otherwise, we’ll be waiting to learn more until Classic goes live on the 27th.
Actually 5 minutes alone would be enough to discourage layer hopping aside for some specific activities that would be difficult to actually take advantage of. I will be glad to hear something more solid on the cooldown periods, but the general idea is that you want to keep it open enough that you can play with others in other layers, but not ruin certain experiences by abusing the system.
I do take PvP server in mind even with that number. But that doesn’t mean I am right. If a person truly wants to layer hop because they went on a PvP server to be a total wuss, then they will have to wait for that cooldown to be gone. But at the same time, it can’t be made too restrictive in preventing players from interacting over layers.
Also to answer your question. Yes, I have only played on a PvP server even though I don’t actually enjoy PvP. I just like the social aspects you originally obtained from them. Unfortunately for Classic, I will be on a PvE server due to the guild I have decided to commit to.
We could just remove the layers and solve all potential of it’s abuse…
Also no it doesn’t need to be convenient it needs to be hyper restrictive. When you choose to move layers it needs to be a fairly big choice…
Layering defenders keep saying things like “Just think of it as a bunch of servers that you know will be merged eventually”. Ok fair enough but if that’s how we are going to treat it then it needs to carry some substantial weight and not be something you can change basically on a whim.
Chances are, if you’ve ganked someone 5 times, absent layering, they’d probably just log off. Net result: the player still isn’t present on your layer.
Indeed, Blizzard has never locked people from making characters on realm, only deterred them (queues, or warnings stating that this is a “full” realm). Then tried to encourage people to join low pop servers by renaming some as “New player” realms. They are not typically that heavy-handed with population control, thus the perhaps over-engineered solution of layers, shards, etc…
Honestly, I have been avoiding saying this. But you pretty much hit the nail on the head in how people will avoid being ganked. The people that don’t want players to avoid PvP just get a rise out of other people suffering. All well and good, I won’t demean them for there way of enjoying the game. But players will find ways to distance themselves from it obviously.
The amount of butt-hurt over a phase 1 issue, before there even is a working honor system is mind boggling IMO. It isn’t even like it’s impacting their ability to benefit from pvp.
They just want to inconvenience other players and they’re not happy to discover their ability to negatively impact another players experience is being slightly curtailed for a brief period of time.
Yeah, so everybody else who is locked into other layers can become annoyed at their inability to participate in PvP? (Because they might layer hop to avoid it?) LOL
5 minutes does not stop many possible exploits… “Man this area is camped pretty bad. hey mike your on a different layer right invite me to group so i can move layers to see if this one isn’t camped so hard.”… Having to compete or work with other players over resources is part of what makes an MMO what it is.
The only valid reason to swap layers is if one of your friends is on another layer and in that case something like an hour long cooldown isn’t a big deal because your not just going to play with your friend for 10 minutes then want to go back to your original layer.
Yes, that is preferred, I get it. But there are other much bigger problems in play during the opening days/weeks of Classic going live. You’re complaining about a freaking splinter in your finger while someone is bleeding out right next to you.
The integrity of the game is already ruined by then.
Merging servers is a far better solution, and it was already a property of vanilla. The auction houses will be normal, there will be a single cohesive world, there won’t be any phasing by any names necessary, there won’t be an over abundance of resources or multiple world bosses with the same name you can encounter before the first one respawns. All of these problems are caused by layering, the exploits, multiple bosses, over abundance of resources, screwed up auction house, etc… Layering is only making problems for the players, not solving them.
Specific Node farming: Why wait 5 minutes when you can find another node in less?
Gurubashi Chest Farming: This issue is solved more just by the fact there should be PvP in every layer for it, but it makes it difficult to jump into every single event consistantly.
Open World PvP: Can’t layer hop while in PvP combat and forced to wait to layer hop in longer increments than a full res timer.
Rare Mob Farming: Probably the weakest example I can give, but it still has an affect.
Scenarios that it won’t affect, but layering in general will naturally resolve as is:
Farming mobs like Devilsaurs: Every layer gonna have there cartels and layers make it 1 to 1 ratio on all resources.
Black Lotus: Same as Devilsaurs with competition present in all layers. Lucky you if you get away with more.
Grouping for quests with friends: Limiting the cooldown allows for more frequent layer transfers
4: World PvP: Faster transfer in layers to join more big PvP events. Also makes it to where players from other layers can hop to assist somebody that was ganked instead of the player hopping to avoid being ganked.