This actually seems like a contentious topic, which surprises me. It seems obvious to me that Blizzard would create an entirely new server for TBC (the same way you choose between Classic and Retail in the drop-down menu of the launcher). People didn’t clamor for Classic to be 18 months, they wanted Classic as a museum. It was the majority opinion that people wanted Classic forever. Progressing those servers to TBC seems counter-intuitive. Furthermore, a lot of people interested in TBC didn’t put too much time into Classic. Maybe they have one 60 they haven’t logged on to in a year. Maybe they only got to level 40 and moved on to another game. Those folks would probably not want to play a TBC where a group of people are starting at 60, in full epics, with 10,000g hoarded up and they’re starting at level 1.
I can’t imagine a scenario where Blizzard progressing the current Classic servers would fulfill the original vision of Classic, or appeal to the largest possible demographic of TBC players… Fresh new servers with the 2.0 questing and experience buffs (maybe even another 2x for good measure) would make the 1 - 60 experience more like 100 hours instead of 200 and even out the playing field (and economies) of the TBC realms.
I wish the forum had a poll function, but it doesn’t seem to. What are your thoughts, and briefly why do you feel that way?
P.S. I presume the answers I’ll get here are subject to a significant selection bias - the readership of this forum are majority Classic players that probably have pretty decked out 60s and tons of gold and would likely want to keep those advantages moving forward in TBC. I suspect the larger player population would feel differently. I’d like your opinions even if it’s inevitable that the responses will be disproportionately “pro-progression”.
I was filthy rich going into vanilla TBC, I expect to have 10x that wealth going into classic TBC. That’s all that matters, the have nots who aren’t farming their wealth now can shove it where the sun don’t shine. All my alts will have epic flying ASAP
Perhaps you misunderstood my post or what some people are proposing. No one got a level 58 in BC. You simply advanced your characters what ever their level. If it was 60 it moved on as a 60. If it was 49 it moved on as a 49. If you didn’t play vanilla you started at level 1. What some are proposing is characters don’t move on. You get to start bc with a 58.
Nobody talking about progressing the servers thinks Classic servers would just disappear. If the current servers progressed, there would be new ones, ideally with character copy, for those who want to stay in vanilla WoW.
Progress the existing servers and have a few dedicated vanilla ones with free character copies as well as some fresh TBC servers, OR leave the servers on vanilla and add both fresh TBC servers and ones with character copies from vanilla realms. Then condense vanilla servers after the inevitable population decline. Option #1 is better.
lol “I know the actual responses I’ll get here will disagree with me but the completely unknowable void of public opinion in the game definitely agrees with me”
Yeah blizzard asked people if thats what they want. That was one of the 4 answers to “How should we progress” in the TBC survey from what feels like a year ago.
I think the best option is honestly to progress all existing servers then create new vanilla ones and let those who wish to stay have free copies.
The hardcore vanilla guys are seriously overestimating how many people will want to stay.
When TBC comes, we are NOT gonna need like 30 vanilla servers or whatever it is in NA. 2 pvp and 1 of every other type will serve for their museum piece.
I don’t see the need to over complicate things. Just let us transfer our toons(if we want too,) open new realms for those who want a “Fresh” start; Just let everyone play the game the way they want to play the game.
That’s probably about right but there’s not going to be a functioning classic rp pve server. There’s only one now and it’s low pop. Most playing there will move to BC
When subs were growing so fast fresh servers and new servers with transfers were needed. I liked them then. But now they just aren’t likely to be needed.
You’re rather an absolutist. When subs went from 6 million to 12 million new servers were necessary. I started with horde on Thorium Brotherhood. When Moonguard was released about a year later I decided to make it my alliance server. In a couple of years it became so over crowded blizz offered free transfers to a new server, Farstriders. I moved all my alliance alts there. It was a great server for years until the rapid sub decline.
The same thing happened with TB. It became over crowded and Blizz offered free transfers to Wrymrest Accord. I moved my horde alts there. I’ve heard that some new servers didn’t get enough players and that may be true. But that’s not my experience.
