If you are on a PVP server because you want to be able to farm nodes and kill those who claim them before you, then being on the lower end of an imbalanced server seems like it’d be your preference.
At least, if the numbers of farmers were greater on the opposing faction, such that you could engage in forced PVP with them, unlike Normal servers where they could just toggle PVP off.
Does it? Maybe it does, maybe it doesn’t. I do enjoy larger population servers for this reason, but idk if total numbers vs per capita numbers really prove this out. I think what your saying sounds reasonable at least, here.
Faction balance does? I’d imagine that those who lean towards bein stressed by being ganked would prefer to be on the dominant faction of a PVP server, or really on a Normal server.
Being able to kill the guy farming mana elementals is cool, until he shows up with friends because he wants access to them too. At that point, world PvP happens and the side with less players is going to get pushed out. Moreover, the dominant faction is more capable of killing the less populous faction without fear of serious retaliation. That’s literally how it works on significantly imbalanced servers. I know this because I’ve been there. I was on Stalagg for months as it trended more and more toward Horde.
Obviously, this comes at the expense of the outnumbered faction. Balance ensures that both sides have a healthier respect for one another while maintaining the atmosphere of a PvP server in which you can be killed by enemy players any time. Once again, when population imbalance starts to become severe, one side tends to bully the other out of quest hubs and farming spots.
The side with fewer engaged players, perhaps yes. But that isn’t necessarily true. Of course, there’s strength in numbers.
It also isn’t necessarily true that you’ll have more helping you in WPVP just because you have more overall numbers on your faction.
It isn’t even clear how you define what faction balance means. We can make a lot of assumptions, but those assumptions may or may not be reasonable.
Do we assume that if Horde have alts and run 2 raids a week, then Alliance have equivalent numbers, and we judge faction balance based on raid log numbers?
And does that matter with regards to how many people are in a given area on the world map?
Do some individuals have more sway over others with regards to being able to call for reinforcements? Does faction or faction balance influence that? How do you measure it?
And even if you do… you have the option to choose your preference, as long as it isn’t regulated and diversity of faction balance exists. Otherwise, what do we end up with?
I’m not struggling with it. You’re now making comments that are bordering being worth flagging.
When I first played WoW, I was living in a country that was at war. Real war. It still is. I know what that means first-hand. And nothing I have stated in this thread suggests that I do not.
My experiences on an imbalanced and progressively more horde-dominated server beg to differ.
We judge faction balance by the number of people playing any given faction actively on a server. Both factions participate in the same activities for the same professions and often even the same quests.
We, the players, don’t “measure” it. We report what we experience, and when those experiences are overwhelmingly negative, it becomes a problem – with faction imbalance being the primary culprit. When Alliance in a 30-70 horde dominated server ask for reinforcements because a few horde are camping farming spots and pushing you out, you’re practically inviting snide ridicule in zone / world chat.
I mean, am I having problems in a conversation? With you? What are you suggesting?
Not necessarily. I’ve experienced it. I wouldn’t feel confident making the claim that anybody who experiences anything knows what that thing is.
That’s your definition. It’s interesting that you use the term “fight” yet rejected it earlier.
I’d love to know what “genuine question” means to you, because it appears to me that this isn’t genuine at all.
In WoW, there is no war. There is no actual death, no threat of death, and whatever war is happening isn’t between players or factions. It’s completely fictional, story (lore) war.
Cool! We have different perspectives and different opinions! That’s great.
How?
People, as in individuals, and not number of hours per individual? Not number of accounts, mains, alts, etc. just number of individuals, regardless of how often they play? Should they log on within a day, week, month, year?
I mean, I feel like some people are much better off playing on Normal servers. Blizzard obviously feels that everybody is, and so there are no PVP servers anymore in Retail WoW.
Maybe they could have renamed the servers Opt-In PVP and Forced PVP, and that would make the difference in what people choose. I like Forced PVP servers, esp. as the underdog faction. It feels much more like a dangerous world to play in, and small victories feel much more substantial.
I do realize that that is my opinion, and not a fact that others have to accept.
how is faction balance, regardless of which way it topples, not important? how is 30/70 (as an an example) A:H not an issue on numerous servers? how far is your head in the dirt?
Well, not important is perhaps not the best choice of words. It can definitely be important to some. Having faction balance diversity though can give agency to those who feel it is important, in that they can select to play on servers that have the type of balance that is important to them.
I mean, it’s one thing to disagree with someone, but to attempt to insult someone for having a different opinion…
