I don’t know, landed on a single layer? Whatever the case, your results don’t refute the fact that OP’s steps work for others. I’ve consistently been able to do this on Whitemane as Horde and Bigglesworth as Alliance.
Here’s my 3rd set of screenshots in this thread, duplicating it:
imgur.c0m/a/k0o5JiZ
I included the (awful) chat with time stamps including seconds for reference.
First one taken at 6:45:34, z-“Stormwind City” 29 gives me only 2 people.
Second at 6:45:49, “Stormwind City” 29 gives me 12 people. The 2 from my first search plus 10 more. All of them are in SW, so they should have shown up in the first search. Name/Guild are irrelevant.
Third at 6:46:02, z-“Stormwind City” 29 returns the same two people from the 1st search.
Fourth at 6:46:12, “Stormwind City” 29 gives me the same set of results from the 2nd search, plus an additional 2 players who presumably just entered the city. Other than the 2 new people, it’s exactly the same set of players from the 2nd search. These 10 players obviously didn’t all walk out and then back into SW in the span of 25 seconds, so why were they absent from the 3rd query?
What have I done wrong? Why when I include the “z-” do I only see the same 2 people over and over? Why when I remove the “z-” do I see the same additional 10? Why do those 10 - who are in Stormwind - not show up when I search “Stormwind City” as a zone, but do show up when I search “Stormwind City” globally?
I think you’re searching a zone that’s so full you’re hitting the maximum number of names returned even on only your own layer. This is the situation the Blizz developer described.
Either that, or your server has already been reduced to a single layer.
Try limiting your search to a single level of character.
I was able to reproduce the OP results testing in Undercity, however I think there are some fundamental misunderstandings on how zones work in this game. I decided to run a little test here to see if it was correct. Obviously I have no real proof, and this is a simple test, also I’m at work and can’t keep WoW open constantly so no screenshots or exact numbers.
While in the inner section of the Undercity (near bank)
/who z-“Undercity” 1-10 -> Small list of players, 4 including myself.
/who “Undercity” 1-10 -> Larger list of players, around 12 (plus a couple not in the same zone due to char/guild name hits).
I can /tar any person in the first list and find them, can’t do the same with the second list.
While in the Magic Quarter of Undercity
/who z-“Undercity” 1-10 --> Smaller list again, but the names are different than before. All the ones I could see before are gone and replaced with names that were in the previous larger list. I did not join a new group, I simply ran into the Magic quarter.
/who “Undercity” 1-10 --> Pretty much exactly the same as the previous search above.
Same thing I can /tar people from the small list, not the larger one. Someone that was not in my first “z” filter list now appears in my “z” list, which to me proves that the difference in the lists has nothing to do with layers, but where I am in the zone.
Conclusions
This has nothing to do with layers. Depending on where you are in a zone you will see different results with the “z” filter. Is it possible I switched layers while running around in a city? Unlikely, but not impossible.
I personally do not think there is any truth to what OP is suggesting, but I appreciate the passion they have in trying to figure this out. Hopefully other people with more time can I either find similar results, or show my theory is also wrong.
Just fix the exploits then release a fresh server. People like me who care enough will have a clean uncorrupted server and those who don’t care can just stay where they are.
Maximum number of names returned is 50. None of my results show 50.
This is more plausible. As Pagle doesn’t seem to need the extra layers most times. I suppose with server queues I can do this method again and see if anything changes.
LMAO, if you’re resorting to telling a developer he’s WRONG then this thread is pointless, you have an agenda and are intent on promoting it no matter what FACTS are presented to show you’re wrong.
This is the era we’re in … I suppose you’re claiming that dev’s post is a FAKE POST!
Many other people confirmed it is true. The test is easy and recreateable.
Either OP is pulling the long con and posted on many different accounts of “others” repeating his test with success, or he’s right and it’s easy to figure out layers with simple /who queries.
I’ll try the same test when I get on later tonight.