I’m currently playing on a full server (Pagle) and yet I barely see anyone.
A couple of players here and there, but there are no large crowds in sight. There is a chunk of players in Stormwind (obviously), some in Dalaran (those who’re still hanging on to Wrath content), but then again - that’s about it.
Does it have something to do with layering or is everybody experiencing the same thing?
It’s Blizzard pushing players away from leveling to sell boosts and gold. Players are offered the option to skip being in the world by design. That’s why.
Leveling is too fast and WAY too easy. You basically turn your brain off.
I started leveling a new character but I don’t think I’ll be able to endure the boredom of playing on this pathetic level of difficulty, so I’ll probably just focus on my high level characters for a bit and leave.
Between this and the fact that people just zoom through the leveling experience, I don’t really expect to see a lot of players out there even on full servers.
So? What would it add to your experience to see their models rendered on your screen? Because even in vanilla people barely talked to each other when they were around
Don’t worry, RDF will fix that.
The world would be empty even without RFD.
Gee, you might feel like you’re in a multi player game rather that a single player game… just a guess …
Not sure what Pagle you’re playing on but I’m up to my armpits in people in daily hubs. TB is almost unplayable at times if you can’t get any of the 180 people to actually group for the quests.
People are spamming heroics to be ready for the raids.
Meanwhile I’m playing horde on BsB (alliance heavy, but also a lower pop in the first place) and it feels alive. I see someone like every 1-3 minutes when just going around grinding rep.
When I was leveling, empty is not the word I would use. I would say it was too full. People having to camp the hyperspawns just to get their quest done.
Nice to see a fellow BSBer on here and from Flying Hellfish no less, cheers bro
See, now thats just too subjective. I personally hate the new Orgrimmar so I hang out in Dalaran in between queues, and if they hadnt added the auction house at Dalaran I’d be in Silvermoon. Extra unknown mute strangers arent always a benefit.
Not really, an RPG should make one feel like they are a part of a living world. It should make one feel immersed. Seeing other players around lends to that experience.
Have you tried interacting with them? Even brief interactions bring them to life.
I’m not a fan either, I didn’t care for many of the changes that the shattering brought.
for YOU. Not by definition. As far as I can tell, the 100 or so randoms I see around the AH / Bank near Orgri might as well be NPCs for all the interaction I have with them.
Have you tried interacting with them?
Unless I have a concrete goal in mind no, and why would I? They have their own things going on, its not world of small talk and random comments. Quests do not require grouping, even group quests can be solo’d with class knowledge and preparation; for dungeons there is RDF and before that I’d use the global chat, not ask people near me in the game world, raids the same or discord and PvP is all instanced queues. Even enchanting now goes straight into the AH. There is 0 in-game reason to pester another player just because their character happens to be near you, so why would I?
You needing people to randomly be around you to “feel” a certain way isn’t an argument. If people wanted to be out and about having adventures or experiencing the world, they would, but they dont because nobody wants to.
Exactly as often as I tried to interact with complete strangers in the supermarket or at Walmarts
How many new acquaintances did you make by interacting with complete strangers in your last time grocery shopping?
You keep mentioning the auction house. Guess you’re one of those transactional players. If what you’re focused on is gold and parses then no, you don’t need the world at all.
Making new acquaintances perhaps?
Something simple like, “ hey, I love your mog!” doesn’t constitute pestering. If you treat other players like NPCs then of course you have no issue with an empty soulless world. Enjoy …
What are you folk’s afraid of? I speak to random people while shopping, more often than not they respond.
Wasn’t at the grocery, but at Michael’s Crafts. Invited her to next month’s pottery painting to join myself and a couple friends. 
i only collect herbs and rdf so yee
Its where most people concentrate, most other areas are sparsely populated, if at all.
See, the problem is that you pass judgement on those who differ from you. It is not enough to have a different view, you need to feel yours is superior. I enjoy the lore, the scenery and the mechanics, dont really feel the need to force socialization, it’ll emerge on its own and physical ingame distance between models isnt a factor in that. You mention chatting people up, thats what global channels are for, even in RDF you might make friends, how is any of that related to models in your screen?
You’re lamenting the loss of something that never existed.