What happens if we have these queues in phase 2?

[Fox-azshara (Fox)]

With these insane queues and the high estimates of populace per server, it seems like it would take over a 90% drop off for these server populations to even out to 3k each by phase 2… What happens when phase two hits and the Grand Marshal / High Warlord grinds start happening? How is it even remotely feasible to try doing that grind while there are queue times? I feel like it will result in heavily favoring people who use exploits to afk without disconnecting and account sharers…

The only thing I can come up with is literally changing your sleep schedule to wake up at 3 am before the queues hit (if that even works when layering is gone) and basically add onto that 3 month long 12-18 hour grind per day, a set schedule of play time. I genuinely think that might end up becoming the default requirement to grind it, as even trying to sit out one of these insane queues would sabotage you for the week. Really questioning their decision to allow the realms to be so far over the end goal capacity of 3k. Accounting for drop off is one thing… counting on only 10% of the players to stick around to phase two is another…

[Tobisway-stormrage (Tobisway)]

Maybe the first thing to be done is to stop treating the game as a full time job that you have to switch your sleep schedule around just to make it work?

[Fox-azshara (Fox)]

I’d prefer that not to be the case… Hence… the point of this post? Though in reality, the grind for grand marshal is a full time job 3 month job, so I guess it having a set schedule as well shouldn’t be too much of a surprise.

[Mogar-stormrage (Mogar)]

On a related subject, I don’t know how they’re planning to end layering by phase 2. When that happens, the queues will get much larger.

I called this scenario…but it was very obvious.

[Fox-azshara (Fox)]

Yeahhhhh. I really don’t get it. I reeeeeeeeeaaaallly don’t get it lol. I feel like they’re betting against themselves in this process and are just counting on people to hate the game.

[Demarya-area-52]

They are trying to hold it back so Retail isn’t destroyed and Ion keeps his job. It’s obvious, actually. How bad will they look when Classic has double the subs of BFA?

[Fox-azshara (Fox)]

I swear J. Allen Brack has probably lost all credibility at this point lol.

[Zilzikt-barthilas]

On a related subject, I don’t know how they’re planning to end layering by phase 2. When that happens, the queues will get much larger.

I called this scenario…but it was very obvious.

You are assuming phase 2 is a fixed date deadline that they will turn off phasing.
Phase 2 could be a flexible date where when phasing is no longer required.

[Lorkhan-grobbulus]

if queues continue to be a problem, I kinda expect them to just keep upping the realm population cap like they did earlier today.

Maximum Realm Capacity Increased – August 28

With hotfixes that we are currently deploying to all WoW Classic realms, we are substantially increasing the number of players that can be simultaneously logged in and playing. We expect this to result in smaller queues for realms that have large queues, and some realms should no longer have queues at all. We will closely monitor performance and stability throughout this process. Thank you very much.

[Mogar-stormrage (Mogar)]

You are assuming phase 2 is a fixed date deadline that they will turn off phasing.
Phase 2 could be a flexible date where when phasing is no longer required.

Classic Content Plan

At BlizzCon 2018, we proposed a plan to give Classic four content phases. These were planned to be centered primarily on raid power progression. Currently, based on both your feedback and our own deliberations, we’re now planning to increase it to six phases. Our focus is still primarily on player power-progression, but we’re also aiming to capture what it felt like to play in a realm community in original WoW. To do that, we’re planning to mirror the approach taken by original WoW, with patche…

Phase 2 is Dire Maul, Azuregos, and Kazzak. The when is a mystery, of course. But that’s what constitutes Phase 2. And Blizz said layering will be turned off before Phase 2. Perhaps a day before, perhaps much earlier. But they also said they anticipate that Phase 1 will be the shortest phase, since they want Dire Maul added somewhat quickly.

But the point was and is that if queues are this big right now, imagine what happens when layering is removed. Double, triple, quadruple the queues. Maybe more. Maybe a lot more. So, again, good luck to them in getting rid of layering before Phase 2. But that’s something Ion promised, and something Brian and Omar also committed to. Maybe Phase 1 will end up lasting a year then.