The Players Blizzard Truly Failed With the Boost

WoW Classic Cataclysm Classic Discussion
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So far, probably the biggest failure of the plan to add boosts to classic TBC is the fact that it has split the community into two camps that, at present, seem more hostile to one another than the Alliance and Horde ever were.

The things I have seen said between people that both love the game and classic as a whole is honestly, extremely disheartening. The current level of vitriol between the pro and anti boost crowds will, I believe, bleed toxicity into the TBC live game, that simply did NOT need to happen.

But Blizzard opened pandoras box, and now we all have to suffer for it. But more than us veterans of wow that would even think to post on the forums, the part of the community that this will hurt the most, by far, is new players.

First, a new player who is interested in TBC, and is oblivious to the boosting drama, will log on day 1 and be presented with a choice to boost or not. If they do, they are immediately set up for a poor experience. We will all know what a boosted character looks like day 1, and the unfortunate truth is the hostility toward the proboost crowd will catch this new player in the crossfire, and they’ll likely experience some level of in game toxicity for having boosted that may drive them away from the game outright.

Second, they will have no idea what they are doing. They may have a fantasy in their head of being the hero and face of their dungeon party and sign up to tank, and will fail miserably. This will add continued stigma against boosted characters, and may result in them not being welcomed into groups, purely because of the obvious boosted gear they wear, which again, is a horrible experience for a new player.

Lastly, they will certainly hear about the controversy in every chart channel they automatically enter, and feel either unwanted by the community, or like the drama is simply too much to justify playing.

Contrast this with a world where Blizz never mentioned boosts at blizzcon, and, if asked, simply said, “It is classic. Those services were not available then. They won’t be available now.” Would the forums be alight with all this hate? Would there be any reason to argue? Would anyone on the proboost side really still be banging the drum, asking for this boost under these circumstances? I personally don’t think so. What about all of you?

Blizzard flat out FAILED new players.

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I regret that I only have but one like to give to your post.

Very well said.

Thanks.

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this dont split the classic community , classic player know what they wante is just , blizzard can not resist the quick cash grab and already know all retail player will support this announcement ,so he have the retail army on the classic forum , retail player playing classic and not retail lol retail player= # fel magic

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Community is always split on topics

Spend 5m in here on any given day and you’ll see that. Nothing new.

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Apparently the OP was not here when it was the Great Private Server vs Retail Returner Kerfuffle.

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Man you pick any week and it’s a new topic lol. In comparison to things like WBs and boosting mages, this is so minor.

Or is it the end of the world…of Warcraft

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I think the answer is to make RP servers boost free. RPGs are about leveling. But let’s be honest, a lot of players aren’t here for the RPG aspect. But a lot of us are. Make RP servers boost free! Or at least provide some servers that are boost free.

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Is leveling what makes a RPG a RPG?

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I would say it’s a fundamental aspect of it. What’s D&D without leveling?

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I disagree with the premise that it is new players who don’t know how to play/tank that will be the ones boosting. Most likely the boosts will be from veteran players who want to play on the same server as their friend/cousin/ whoever that they just found out plays WoW but on a diff server as them.
Or possibly the veteran who wants to have an alt [insert class] to help their guild on raid night. Such vets will likely be the ones who by boosts.

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I’d say it’s a minor aspect. Character growth is a fundamental element to me and even without leveling that exists

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And I’d say it’s a major aspect, so why not have a server for both types of players?

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Hey if they want to make a server for others to enjoy then they can have at it. I’m all about choices

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Since when is this 16 year old video game D&D?

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There are tabletop RPGs without leveling.

Take, for example, Fantasy Flight’s Star Wars RPGs (Edge of the Empire, Age of Rebellion, Force and Destiny). There’s xp, but no levels.

RPGs are, at least in that case, fundamentally about the narrative. And let’s be honest, there really isn’t much of one in classic. The RPG defense is silly.

Boosts are probably going to overall bad for the game, though.

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D&D is the foundation of the RPG genre.

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I agree that there’s presently a lot of vitriol. I disagree that it will stay. This too shall pass. TBC will come out and people will move on to another issue whether it be hellboars, dungeon difficulty, or the transition from 10 man to 25 man raids.

Not trying to simply discount the anti-boosters’ concerns, but that’s just how I see it playing out. It’s human nature.

Edit: oh yeah, I’m placing a bet right now that there’s going to be a lot of complaining about primal nethers too.

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While this is certainly true, unfortunately, I think you miss my point.

I am not making the point that "arguments r bad. new player not like. "

I am making the point that THIS argument is directed to ONE subject, and the people that participate in that subject by purchasing the level boost will have no anonymity because of the obvious gear they wear, and will be subjected to focused toxicity or exclusion specifically.

I understand where you come from on this, but I think you underestimate the human desire to trivialize problems. If a new player is presented with the option to boost, more than likely they will look it up to see what it means. After sifting through the pile of refuse that is this whole discussion, they’ll find that boosting means “getting right into the content” and “saving tons of play time to get the exact same stuff”, and that it’s a “one time offer”. A person with disposable income will likely see these as justifiable reasons to purchase, and not know about the pitfalls of doing so.

Also, I have two people I know irl that were new to current wow, bought the new xpac, which at the time was legion, got a boost, tried playing, and quit within a week. One, because people were so nasty to her for not knowing what to do in her FIRST DUNGEON at max, and the other because he couldn’t get passed the claws of ursoc quest and gave up.

Point being, boosts are not even positive for new players in retail, but at least they don’t have a target painted on their back specifically.

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If a person is willing to act that way because a person boosted then they were just a toxic person. Can’t save them. I will do what I always do and welcome them in and treat them with respect if they treat me and mine with respect.

To me this topic is no more dividing than any other topic