Lets do a vote right here re: TBC

[Ozmachine-zuljin]

I think the research has already been done on this.

The most popular Private Server models have already proven the best way to move forward with different expansions.

Just as Circe said, the classic, an in fact all the expansion versions can be distilled down into a single, and final progressed server of that version. Classic can be the final Naxx pre-TBC version of the original WoW.

New servers can be fired up each year at a particular time so that new players can start out fresh on that version of WoW. They can then be progressed to completion of that version and then merged as the population declines, into the final completed version of said expansion.

Additionally, fresh, untouched servers of a particular version could be launched and character transfers to these realms could be locked, “at least to a certain progression point” to allow ONLY level 1 players wishing to start out and level on that expansion to cap.

As for moving from Classic WoW to TBC, I played a private server that had a quest line, completely developed, that once completed the level 60 classic character walked through the dark portal in the Blasted Lands and at that point, there character was forever transferred forward (no going back to classic with that character) to the TBC version for that server/realm.

You could start level 1 characters on the TBC server, but the majority of players came from the previous progressed server.

It does not take a great deal of effort to create multiple realms and list or name them in a manor that players can choose how they wish to progress.

I think the main concern this addresses is letting people that want to stay in classic and never move forward, the option to simply not do the quest line that starts the move to the new version of WoW.

It gives everyone time to progress at their own pace and enjoy this great game on their own schedule!

Again, the key here is to have battle groups for PvP broken up into progression / patch stages.

Every server / realm created, is progressed into that final patch for that version of WoW and then the population is merged with the original final progressed servers/realms. This allows the new players to come to always be able to experience the original. Starting from the first phase on the anniversary of the first original launch day!

[Döt-grobbulus]

1 or 4 are the obvious choices.

[Mirrina-ashkandi]

4. Though you forgot about the character copy where a character is kept on classic but copies of all characters in classic are added to a tbc server under the same name.

[Naruhodo-old-blanchy]

@Studlygnome-herod

Release new BC servers but all toons begin at level 1 and must progress through all content.

Yep that is how I want it, I want Classic servers to stay Classic and have new TBC servers, with zero transfer or any possible connections between the two, TBC should start fresh you start level 1 with zero gold.

Like this the economy won’t be broken as soon as TBC start since some guilds and many MANY bots has been farming gold since day 1 now and I bet some group of people have millions of gold at this point.

(Also I would call this a necro but its still relevant I guess?)

[Skaad-mankrik]

@Êmit-gnomeregan

Starting at 58 or at level 1 on a fresh server are the only ways they will do BC. Allowing Classic characters to 60 is an awful idea.

It’s obviously not the only ways. I would have laughed at the prospect of 58 premades…but Blizz did list that in their survey. I don’t see it happening though.

I do agree that allowing characters from Classic into TBC will have terrible side effects, namely that the economy will be completely and utterly destroyed right from the start. But…if players choose to bring a character to those servers, then they know that going in and accept that prospect.

There does have to be at least a few completely fresh servers where everyone starts at 1 with no transfer or copy of Classic characters. From a personal perspective, as long as that option exists I’ll almost certainly play TBC. Whatever they do besides that…I can voice an opinion, but I don’t really care.

[Mwezi-frostwolf]

#2 for most servers, and keep some museum (#1) or seasonal classic servers since those folks will ottherwise just go to private servers anyway.

[Azculain-heartseeker]

I say number 4 since thats what a vast majority of WOW players did in the first place BC was the first huge boom in population. But the last thing I want to do is be forced to go into that portal to escape the dead zone that will be the Vanilla areas in Classic. I already feel op as a Warlock in BC that would just be worse, I hated removal of the hunter dead zone I thought it made sense. I did enjoy some of the Shaman and Rogue changes if I did play BC would would not mind screwing with Mutilate. I thought Flying ruined the pvp and only liked maybe 20% of the new zone maps, there is a broader spectrum of hunter pet viability. Gear gap is absurd and this was the beginning of that trend.

[Rozen-bloodsail-buccaneers]

5. progress current classic servers to TBC and release new classic servers that are fully unlocked for those who want to stay in p6 classic forever. They won’t need very many of those.

[Azculain-heartseeker]

So boot the Vanilla loving players off the server but keep the economy they helped create along with the enchants progression and Twink alts you will quickly get more stuff for? How about no to that, you want to start over in BC you leave and go play on BC servers.

[Noobshot-benediction]

This is what is going to happen

@Noobshot-benediction

4 Things are going to happen post Naxx.

Spoiler Alert

1. All Servers will progress to TBC
2. Classic Stasis servers will open for people who want to Transfer their characters back to a stasis server of their choice.
3. Fresh Classic servers open (as needed) (non character transfers)
4. Fresh TBC servers open (as needed) (non character transfers)

This keeps the community the most intact and allows players to choose what they want to play while allowing blizzard to properly gauge true server populations.

And this is why

@Valarkin-pagle

Blizzard won’t be able to plot population metrics, ie amount of needed servers, faction balance, etc, based on “copies.”

A copy doesn’t make you choose, therefore there isn’t a sacrifice present from a choice…which can help ensure that the decision is not a capricious one.

How would you expect Blizzard to determine how many servers they need?
How many will be PvE or PvP?
How many are serious of sticking to Classic only, instead of creating insurance?
How many will want Classic only, but become bored later?

and so on and so forth.

Blizzard will do what is cost effective, will retain the most customers, with the lest amount of effort, that additionally removes as much of the guessing game as they can.

Classic ==> TBC.

Option for pure classic that will be a player choice…where you will be responsible for your choice and not them.

more examples why copies wont work

@Valarkin-pagle

First, server type to the same server type was a given.

There are currently 39 Classic servers split between PvE, PvP, and RP types.

Then you allow free copies.

Everyone copies lots of character “Just in case”.

Now you have 20 servers of copies ready to go just before launch as an example.

And Blizzard has managed to actually spent the time and energy to make sure everyone has their cake and can eat it too! Yay go us!

Then you discover that only 1 in 5 copies is actually being played in pure classic…because there is no downside to copying. Server hardware, that costs money, was added is now under utilized and server populations are low and/or horribly unbalanced.

The players will now blame Blizzard.

Then Blizzard will employ the oh so successful server balance strategy, that they currently have in place, to effectively address the issue in the way we all love!

It’s not that copying in theory isn’t a great idea…I think it is.

However the amount of effort, resources, and attention to detail necessary to pull it off is not something that Blizzard has shown in years.

It will be a monumental fustercluck of Biblical proportions.

[Rozen-bloodsail-buccaneers]

lol theres gonna be like 10 of you… sorry not sorry. The BC players helped build that economy and community just as much as the vanilla ones… You and your 9 friends can go play on a ghost town somewhere else.

[Krelah-argent-dawn]

@Rozen-bloodsail-buccaneers

lol theres gonna be like 10 of you… sorry not sorry. The BC players helped build that economy and community just as much as the vanilla ones… You and your 9 friends can go play on a ghost town somewhere else.

Do you seriously believe this or is it just an exaggeration-to-make-a-point? I think you may be very surprised to learn just how many people really like Classic and have no desire to play TBC. Just because you want TBC, that doesn’t mean the majority do. And the forum-posters are a bare, tiny, minority of the entire player base so that is not an accurate gauge. LOL.

[Rozen-bloodsail-buccaneers]

I think you will be surprised how many people prefer TBC. TBC is the MOST POPULAR expansion by far.

[Liin-yojamba]

One of the main reasons I played classic was for the hope they would release tbc. Don’t get me wrong I like classic but tbc is by far the superior game out of the two.

[Azculain-heartseeker]

I’m not sorry either because you are going to a new server, Blizz might merge some classic servers later on, but they wont give up the Classic cash cow either.

[Azculain-heartseeker]

Not me alot of it was too easy the specs were OP in many ways and outside of Zangarmash I really did not like many of the new Zones. Many of us did and still do see flying mounts as harmful to the gameplay, then of course there are the Blood elves, all the blood elves, kill myself.

[Joyson-sulfuras]

@Studlygnome-herod

I would not mind a fresh start.

yeah but all the dudes who have been playing classic since launch would. only people who dot care about this game want fresh tbc

[Moslin-dalaran (Moslin)]

Fresh reroll only

[Valarkin-pagle]

Server copies means Blizzard creating nearly 40 more sets of server hardware…most of which will be ghost towns after TBC launch. Followed by the headache of server merges to condense populations to sustainable levels…Blizzard has not shown much success doing this.

Optional server transfers after TBC goes live, to Classic only servers, avoids most of that, but it’s still going to be a headache when it comes to server balance and population levels.

As to no TBC at all…Blizzard is well aware that although most never saw AQ 40 and Naxx, and are currently enjoying that content for the first time…that has a limited lifespan. After you have farmed Naxx on your 3rd alt, 9 months down the road, without progress and a push forward, players will quit in droves. This has been proven time and time again in other games where there was a shortage of ongoing content.

And for the last time…and I really can’t stress this enough…Black Lotus and Arcane Crystals do NOT create gold nor kill an economy.

Gold comes from completing quests, selling to vendors, and killing mobs. We have more gold because we have more players per server. Player to Players sales do not create gold. Farming resources used by players does not create gold.

The economies are not as you remember because we did not have this many educated players on a single server before…many of which are AE’ing to a greater degree…and more gold is entering the economy.

[Fyreslayer-azuremyst]

Testing for wow logs