How Much Damage Have Server Locks Caused?

Hi all,
Just so you know I did have most of this video done yesterday, wanted to do a few more checks ingame before I put it up today.
Then Blizzard goes and removes the server locks! Either way I was pretty happy with how it turned out, and wanted to use this as a chance to talk about Server Overpopulation too.
So I didnt change it too much as a result, hope that makes sense. At least the locks are gone though.
Any other medium population layered server people here :)?

Locking is irrelevant. The actual issue was the unlocking of transfers to anywhere...a prime example is the server Sulfuras, was prolly the best and most balanced server in NA. Culture was good, very few pserver EU elitest types. Then the servers got unlocked and all the pserver ppl, who have played thru vanilla half a dozen times and leveled in vanilla many times more, who were mostly all on a couple servers figured out that their lives would be SO much easier if they all transferred to other servers. So that is what they did, since then...no other guild could get a world boss, even once...they used to be fought over every spawn. PvP was destroyed, our top brackets almost DOUBLED in honored required per week and NO ONE but their guildies could get there as they monopolized all of the best honor farming pre-mades, didn't matter if you played as much as them, they could get higher honor per hour, thus you can't rank past 11/12 until they were all done, couldn't even really get past 10 as even playing 16 hours 7 days a week would not get you into higher than bracket 12. The culture quickly changed into elitist speed running for if you guild did NOT do that, it could no longer recruit anyone but there worst of players. So yeah....locking high pop servers, irrelevant.

Always enjoy watching these videos about classic. I'd play it, but I hate the slower leveling with a fiery passion. But regardless, I'm glad classic exists for all the fans that wanted it back. I do hope Blizz figures this out, so there can be some sort of smoothness to it all. I wonder how Mega servers would fair like in ESO? I know they're far from perfect, but it's a thought. Unless there's just some mechanics I don't understand about ESO's servers.

I just rolled on Firemaw and even though it's unlocked it feels totally dead levelling up, probably because of layering. Zandalar Tribe is listed as medium and the world is far fuller, and it has no layers.

They should cap number of active accounts pr server so queues never happen and layers won't be needed. On average it might be a good idea to lower max pop pr server.

imagine wasting time on classic.

Lol you're really pumping out these pointless videos xD

I always advocated for WoW (both Classic and Retail) to use the Runescape "world" system. Pretty much, you are able to hop to any server you want whenever you want, with the populations of each server listed in the menus. That way, servers will tend to auto-balance population wise, and there would be no need for sharding, layering CRZs etc. that would disrupt the community. The cons of this system would be the end of server identity for Classic WoW, and also it would wreck havoc on local server economies. Personally, I consider these sacrifices worth it.

Layering in TBC will be exploited in some way and also it would be the end of the open world PVP events. I hope they make new, smaller servers for tbc

We need a new Nost/lightbringer pserver. 1.12 modified client.

Eliminate the classic dungeon exp rates.

Enough of this madness.

Layering is fine i am not in the mood for being in Q again for hours

For a second I thought it was a warlock exploit.

I do not want sharding. It will ruin the world pvp it will ruin the rivalry we have with guilds from opposite faction it makes encounters people of opposite side. A solution to our current server issues is to begin with open the character creation. Done. Announce publicly how long it will take for servers that doesn't complete the war effort to get their gates opened to prevent people having to speculate whether they need to transfer to raid or not which keeps smaller servers very unreliable for future. Not done. Make a plan for what can be done at servers with very unbalanced factions to complete war effort portion of opposite faction. Not done. To look into population of a server and make calls on it being full or not by looking at how many is online in average and have layers only during the time there are expected to be a higher than usual population or only keep layers according to zones where this may be an issue. Read capitol cities brm stv silithus. Not done. Do same thing to world bosses won't spawn in 1 layer if it has been killed in other layer and have shared respawn cd regardless of layer. What layer it spawns on is either random, or if engaged with at 1 layer, despawn from all other layers. Until engaged with, synced movement pattern on all layers. Not done. For the aq event, like with world buffs, if engaged with on one layer, goes for all layers and can't be engaged with at other layers separately

I already miss private mega servers... I was hoping they would be like that even though I get that's not true to the original game, neither is what we have now. I played on Alterac Mountains server during vanilla and TBC and right around when wrath came out. It was a fairly smallish server and I didn't even join a guild, just met some random guy and we started levelling together from there on out. Yes a far cry from 10k people in literally one zone mega competitive trying to kill just 1 mob or get one herb or node lol. I really just like the competitive aspect of having such a massive amount of people in one server, and the little cliques and cartels that form out of that competition. I'm all for a no cap no layer no shard server where anarchy is the only rule, and I know there are plenty of others who feel the same. Plenty of people can't stand even the thought of that and that's fine, but why not give us both? I figure blizzard should cater to ALL audiences like they tried to do with retail but not in a watered down "please everyone" way. Do it in a ballsy, against the grain way.

the lvling is a problem on all servers even on low pup servers the lvling is dead, its dungeon boosting all the way, and guilds are transferring away from the servers making them more dead, so it might be time to put some low pup servers together or do so people can transfer to them for free

This is an extreme example, but I am starting to wonder if it's possible to have less servers overall with a higher cap? And then have layering for all of the level 1 'Bank' characters and – if Blizzard insists on keeping them – the bots as well (though I'd rather the bots were gone).

One argument I have is I don't believe locked servers are why people aren't leveling on those servers. I don't think there are many people leveling period.

They really screwed us by using mega servers. Vanilla size would have been nice

I just leveled to 60 and all I can say isyupp

Looking to level up a rogue, after all this blizzard nonsense which server would you sugest boys that has stayed healthy with active players among all levels?

This actually explains why they limited dungeons.
They didn't want the new people to solely focus on dungeon carry grinding joining the servers it would also influence gold buying. Also they get to catch a bunch of dungeon bots.
They're probably going to take out dungeon cap when the lockdowns are gone and bots are at a more healthy level of only the hardcore and secretive few.
Also the game lost 70k accounts (that's 7 super full servers), for the ban wave of bots that ran almost 24/7 probably. Server population is based on how many people are on the server at that current time.
A whole bunch of people will come back and make alts, so I think we can actually trust blizzard on these decisions imo.

I read the title and was like “fucking warlocks at it again...”

the only french PVE is locked since january, just saying

We should all be thankful that sharding is not a thing in classic wow.

Didn’t read any of the comments, but I will say. Even for the servers that aren’t locked, are also having these same issues.

they should put server faction locks. f.e. you cant create a horde on servers that have a higher horde population. this forces ppl who want to play on a certain server with a huge faction imbalance to pick the faction that is the weakest. that way they can pick: you are allowed to play on a full server but you have to pick the weaker faction OR you can just play whaterver on a medium server. of course this would force blizzard employees to regularly (like every 1-2weeks) check the faction balance.

With all the clips that you have of soloing content, WHY havent you dabbled in the dire maul north solo hunter farm. It is so lucrative!

So in other words, Blizzard bungled another chance to redeem themselves. TBC is going to be a disaster at this rate. If private servers can handle thousands of players at once, why did Blizzard feel the need to lock certain servers?

I don’t know if locks did anything but dungeon running on Alts on my server is close to impossible. It’s boosts or nothing. Took me 3 days to find a SM group.

What about faction locks - too many Horde, lock it from new players, but allow new Alliance players and maybe offer a 10% exp gain for those new players.

Oh there definitely is sharding in RP servers :D

Not sure I agree entirely. The server I am playing on is not locked yet we have the same issues you are describing - layers.

I really hate that server transfers are a thing, all ive seen from is bad stuff, the only good thing about it is if your server dies you can transfer off... But ive only ever seen servers die due to transfers, and i mean its classic if you dont like the way your character looks and your level 53, oh well your gonna have to restart to change it. Oh no your server died and your 60, go reroll on a different server just like in classic... But i dont see how they would change it so there is no server transfers at this point

Just join Bigglesworth US WEST you wont regret it

Thalnos is the only low pop server because of that free xfer. And they haven't moved a single finger to fix it yet

I'm on Razergore PVP and my leveling experience so far has been great

god bless server unlock. On my server leveling was COMPLETELY dead for 2 months. In about 3 days after the unlock everyone is runing dungeons again. Fcking blizzard never do this again please

I've played on flamelash for a long time, we are a 95/5 horde dominated server and we are losing tons of players weekly transferring off before AQ. At this points its even challenging finding boosters, leveling dungeons are non-existent

What about Battle Groups?
Sharding but only for certain servers?
Like 1 Major, 1 Medium and 1 Minor server gets to phase in and out with each other. Each server still retains its own auction house and player base, but the overall feel of the game would be 3 servers in one world

Cant wait til this comes out on mobile.

What EU realms are worth to start playing Classic? I feel just I am late at this moment, I dont know it worth to start playing Classic now...

Honestly think connected realms with layering may be the answer. Not the best solution but it would mean you can find people to raid with still without being forced onto a new server and potentially losing your name.

I dont think lifting the new character ban has done anything, all it does is allow new accounts to make new characters, which are mostly botters.
There really are no new players to Classic currently and there wont ever be for Vanilla (atleast until far closer to TBC)
If high end guilds need fresh recruits, they need to allow transfers.

Golemagg went from full to medium. Crickets can be heard

I'm glad i chose an RP realm at the start of classic. Our server is healthy, almost 50% ratio per faction.

1. Forbid boosting by limit the level difference between 2 toons.
2. With server transfer, ppl can only bring soulbound items, but no golds/lotus.

People are asking for a solution to classic that is not retail. I am beginning to understand why Blizzard was reluctant to "release" classic wow.

Servers unlocked. Consumable price drops immediately