This week there was only one choice for where to go and interview players -- the Oceanic realm of Thaurissan has been at the center of realm population issues in the last week, as Blizzard opened up transfers from PvE to PvP realms for the first time ever. I rolled a Dwarf on the Alliance side (where Horde reportedly outnumbers players at huge ratios) to see what things were like and if I could find some people with opinions on the transfers.
Things seem to be better than they were before at first glance -- we'd heard reports that only double digits of people were playing during even prime time, but when I logged on (about 6AM server time), there were quite a few people in the /who list. Ironforge was far from bustling, but I saw groups running around the Isle of Quel'danas, as well as running Magisters' Terrace.
The first player I spoke with was a level 70 Rogue named Supdawg, who was guilded with Celerity. He had an interesting story, and a unique outlook on the PvE to PvP transfer mechanicWoW Insider: So are you yourself a transfer? How long have you been here on Thaurissan?
Supdawg: Yeah. I just got here last night. I came from Khaz'goroth.
So you actually leveled to 70 on PvE?
No, I leveled to 70 on a PvP server. After I hit 70, my friends wanted me to switch to a Normal server, but when I found out I could get back on PvP I transferred right away.
Oh, so the transfer here was actually your second transfer. What server did you level on?
Agamaggan.
So why are you back here in a PvP server, then?
I think PvP is more fun, and more challenging.
Cool. So what do you think of this server so far?
There are already a lot of good players. The only thing so far is that sometimes it's dead and there's not a lot of people on.
Do you know anyone here from Khaz'goroth?
Yeah, I have a friend from RL who's a Holy Pally. He transferred with me the first time, too.
You're actually different from most transfers in that you leveled on a PvP server, but do you think it's unfair for people from a PvE server to come here without leveling PvP?
It doesn't really bother me. It at least gives PvE players a chance to see what PvP is like.
Right. Are you guys going to raid here?
Well I'm not much of a raider -- I like Arena and battlegrounds. But my friend will raid. He's up to SSC and TK. His gear is good enough to move on, but his old guild was holding him back.
And what are your goals before the expansion? What are you up to before Wrath?
I'm aiming to get my full Vengeful set [he's got everything but the chestpiece, it looks like after an inspect.], and I want to bring my Warlock to 70.
Sounds good. Good luck, thanks very much.
Thanks.
Next, I wanted to try and talk to someone who'd been on the realm before the transfers. I asked around in the City channel for Ironforge, and someone joked that "All of those people are already over on Dreadmaul." Finally, I got Hatfield, a 56 Priest in Ninja Assassin Sushi to chat.
WoW Insider: Heya.Hatfield: Hi!
So were you here before the transfers started?
I've been around here since April. But I'm afraid I transfered with most to Dreadmaul.
So why are you here now?
Now I'm back again because I like the idea of being outnumbered 300 to 1. And old friend reasons.
Wait, so how many transfers have there been on this server?
A month or so ago, many were allowed to transfer to Dreadmaul (a new server), because we were outnumbered.
Oh, but that made it worse.
Yeah, it did, but in honesty, it did remove a lot of the loud, annoying people who whinge. Then, a week ago, they opened up PvE servers to transfer here so people could try PvP.
So how'd you get here? What kind of server is Dreadmaul?
It's PvP too. My characters are still there but I just made Hatfield to chat with old friends.
Ah, so you're a reroll.
Yeah. I can't afford transfers. :P
I was mostly wondering if things have changed on the server since the transfers started. Has the situation been fixed?
I guess it has in terms of numbers. But socially the players coming here are quite arrogant.
Arrogant? How so?
Most have completed BT and have gone into that form of elitism.
But you still like the imbalance?
Yeah, I consider it akin to 300. It's like finally holding back the tide, and I enjoy that kind of idea. But yeah, I haven't noticed much of a difference yet.
Have any plans once you level up?
Aye, I'm going to be raiding for the guild. I've been powerleveling -- hopefully I will be 70 by the end of the week.
Wow, that fast?
Lol, but that would require giving up all RL events, which is crazy. I take pride in not being a complete WoW addict.
Yeah, that is a little nuts. Well thanks a lot, good luck with leveling and fighting the Horde.
Lols thank you.
Gamers on the Street goes out to talk to players live on the realms every Monday, finding out what's hot on players' minds. The Sunwell hot on yours? Visit our Sunwell page, with nearly everything we've ever posted about patch 2.4.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-16-2008 @ 9:11PM
Armo said...
I wish you would have asked us horde some questions :) The world pvp has picked up which is nice. Some of us who are working on alts are actually having to check over our shoulder now!
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6-16-2008 @ 9:55PM
Ruffknuckles said...
I play Horde on Thaurssian. As a family man with a two jobs, I don't have much time to raid. I enjoyed the world PVP lvling my first toon. But it has been real boring lately. now that my alts are also in the outlands, its refreshing to know that we will be able to do the world PVP quests. The Alliance has been owned by us soooo long that bringing in BT+ geared PVE raiders might give us a challange, we were not expecting Blizz to handle it THIS way, but it might stop the Allys from cryin,...for a bit. My friends said bring it on. better bring your ARMY. FOR THE HORDE!!!
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6-16-2008 @ 10:51PM
Old_thaur said...
To those contemplating server transfer. I ask you seriously consider what you are doing.
Having spent over a year on Thaur Ally before jumping ship to Dreadmaul, I can say that life is much MUCH better.
Before our guild and I left, the ability to pick up a heroic was almost non-existant on a regular basis, farming was neigh impossible and doing the QD dailies was just as easy. As an officer in our guild, recruitment was very difficult, and if you are transferring your guild I hope you dont expect to pick up many recruits on the new server.
Although an easy in to PvP, think about the advantages you already have (possibly functioning economy, ability to run endgame, do dailies etc) in your current environment and unless you're bringing enough ally to lessen the ratio (I dont know the exact numbers but enough to close the very large gap).
Otherwise take the free transfer and then paid char transfer to an actually functioning PvP server.
I hope it does change for your sake, but I think rolling or transferring to Thaurissan is a big mistake. Unless, like Hatfield, you enjoy the never ending run back to your corpse or endless addying in trade for a group.
It is exactly what it is - a last ditch attempt to save a server in a bad situation.
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6-16-2008 @ 11:45PM
Lotshots said...
I, along with my guild, took up this opportunity. As did 6 other SW raiding guilds and a number of BT/MH raiding guilds.
Transferring here has been one of the best things I have done in WoW. I grew up on a PVP server when it was a true gank fest. My mage, for example, had 19k lifetime kills and had barely done BG PVP - was only honoured with AV, for example. So I know a little of what it was like back in the day levelling on a PVP server. I really regretted rerolling PVE server a few years back to raid.
As a guild, I know of only one person who was a *little* miffed doing it but everyone else has thoroughly enjoyed their time here. We transferred after raid on the day trafnsers opened (two raid IDs in a week FTW) and I was completely shocked to see individual Hordies running around IF with impunity and looking bored.
There are tales from Horde on the forums of going AFK in IF for two hours and not getting killed. There were that few alliance on the server.
Now, there is a plethora of world PVP going on. Each faction is having a great time, except those Horde used to completing dailies undiisturbed. But I am sure a lot of that will settle down in the days/weeks/months ahead.
Last night we had an 80 man raid on SW get repelled (granted, mainly due to server side lag from that many toons in one spot - it was like AQ gates) whereas before Horde could wonder through the place. I am sure they are enjoying it. Their posts on the realm forums suggest they are.
Horde still heavily outnumber alliance, FYI, but at least there is some fight in the alliance now with good, geared players transferring. Also, the Alliance AH is now functional. Before, you could scan the ENTIRE alliance AH in 20 seconds whereas (for comparison purposes) Nagrand's AH took 15 - 18 minutes with the same mod.
The alliance problems on Tharassin were extreme. It wasn't that there was a faction population imbalance. The truth was that there was a complete absence of a functional faction alliance side. there was no real way for blizz to entice existing alliance on PVP servers to Tharassian. Why would they come? PVE -> PVP transfers was the only real solution to what was a unique problem.
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6-17-2008 @ 12:32AM
Frozenhell said...
Something did need to be done about the situation. Even as a Horde side player on Thaurissan, it was pretty bad when you could sit in Shatt for half an hour during prime time and not even see an alliance player at all.
I do hope that the alliance guilds that have transferred don't all use this as a stepping stone to then all transfer off to another PVP realm. Its rather fun having Thaurissan actually functioning as a PVP realm once again (alliance being "rare spawns" previously).
Having a bit of a battle to "re-take" the summoning stones out the front of BT and SWP when we've been raiding has been interesting.
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6-17-2008 @ 2:28AM
Ruffknuckles said...
"rare spawn" lol
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6-17-2008 @ 6:13PM
Vidi said...
One of your interviewee's is so out of touch they think they had to PAY for a FREE transfer?
"Ah, so you're a reroll.
Yeah. I can't afford transfers. :P"
Sheesh, Mike. Way to find the informed.
1 out of 100 stars for this article.
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6-17-2008 @ 9:45PM
Ruffknuckles said...
They were interviewing Alliance toons, what did you expect?
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