Servers with a smile

[bearbehind]

Right, im getting WOW on friday (at long last :rolleyes:) and i have a question.

What server should i join?

I am a complete newbie to the game and dont know a furbolg's elbow from a orc's a*hole. So should i join a reccommended server or not? Is there much difference between servers, do certain servers run faster that others? etc.

basically I'm after a server with a few friendly faces on it that actually make playing enjoyable and fun... Any one got any to recommend, or any to steer clear of??

:ponder:

PS im in the UK and on only in evenings if that makes any difference whatsoever...

[Tikki]

well...i would first decide on PvE or PvP! and i would certainly recommend one where you know a few people! it's a good idea that you're asking around! playing with people is much better than playing alone!

[bearbehind]

Thats my thought, I'm prob after PVE cos i'm not majorly competitive and feel the need to beat peole I just like to play a bit.

[Tikki]

there are also normal servers, where you can choose to go on pvp! that may suit you as well...since if you ever have a bad day, you can click pvp and get your aggression out on a few lowbies :)

[irogue]

there are also normal servers, where you can choose to go on pvp! that may suit you as well...since if you ever have a bad day, you can click pvp and get your aggression out on a few lowbies :)


No wonder I got ganked. DON'T TAKT IT OUT ON ME!! :grin:

My suggestion is to roll on both PVE and PVP servers and see which one you like better. PVE is fast to lvl but PVP makes me excited - even I get killed.

[bearbehind]

I'm opting for PVE or normal so i can get to grips with teh game before i get butt raped by people like Tikki on a bad day :) - especially since i currently don't know which end of a sword and whcih end you poke people with.

And i assume that latency & thus the dreaded lag will be cut if i get the nearest server in a sense of locality.

[Tikki]

lol...yeah....i love taking my anger out on pvp!!!
LOVE IT!!
muuahahahaha.....it's so satisfying to pvp!

[rgirty]

I know others have said this, but put some serious thought into this.

PVP or PVE

If you don't like to be camped, or griefed or harassed or put on blacklists then go PvE.

If you like to camp, grief, harass, kill players who cannot hope to defend themselves go PvP.

I would suggest PvE. I'm on rp/pvp and if I could talk a few people into xfer I would go PvE myself. A RP server.

[Tikki]

it is all up to you!

PvP isn't as horrible as you make it out to be. you can be camped, or ganked...but that's a great part of the game. I mean for me, wow would be just like any other rpg game if it was just me against the mobs. the excitment in the game for me IS PvP, since it's unpredicatable and isn't just like killing another computer operated being.

Like what everyone says - it's what you want out of the game.

I wouldn't not choose a pvp server just because you're new. you'll have time to get a good understanding of your character before you go into pvp. and before you go into contested lands, you can choose when you want to pvp.

I would say that if you like unpredicatable play which can be sometimes frustrating, but also completely fulfilling....you may like PvP. If you want to be able to quest safely and enjoy the story of wow without always looking over your shoulder - than rp (oh, and my understanding is that on a rp server, you must always be in character, correct?) ...

[rgirty]

PvP isn't as horrible as you make it out to be. you can be camped, or ganked...but that's a great part of the game

Alright, let me give two real world playing examples that happened to my guild last night.

I got a group together for heroic mech, in the meantime a few of them were finishing up some quests/repairing etc so I was doing some AH just waiting when a level 28 person in the guild asked for help in duskwood.

3 level 70 horde where there rooftop camping anyone coming in and out of the inn and even people inside the inn.

He wanted to finish some quests there but could not, because he couldn't navigate around the zone without them ganking him..or even come out of the inn.

A few of us went down there and they left, about 10 minutes later they were back resuming the same behavior.

The individual then had two choices, leave the zone or keep asking the guild for help hoping these people would leave.

He chose to go somewhere else.

If you want to suffer this type of behavior while leveling, roll pvp.

Due to the delay with helping the level 28 in duskwood only 2 of us had made it to the summoning stone in cosmo.

Before we could get the rest of the party summoned about 7 of a 25 man horde raid going to the eye showed up and started ganking people at the summoning stone.

No big deal, we take the 5 minute flight from shat to cosmo.

Upon arrival at the FP when taking flight one of our party members was dotted by a lock and hit by a hunter. He died in mid air. High enough that he had to use a spirit rez to retrieve his corpse.

After finally navigating around the horde and waiting for the rez sickness. to wear off we were finally able to start heroic mech. If we were on PvE we could have been summoned and started our instance 30 minutes sooner.

If you have hours and hours to play, i guess it is no big deal. If you have only a few hours per night like myself it truly becomes tiresome.

Trying to do the "fires over skettis" bombing? There are groups of horde wearing the costume you get from part of a questline that makes you appear as one of the mobs there. They hide in the highest spots so that when they gank you, you have to spirit rez.

Trying to do relics emination in blades edge? 3 or 4 gankers routinely run from one of those spots to the other ganking people who are trying to do the quest.

Wrangling some rays? If you do manage to get one targeted one of the hunters hanging around the area will either kill you, or kill your ray before you can get it wrangled.

If you finish these quests, have fun trying to turn them in. 2 or 3 ranged attackers are normally rooftop camping (not against the rules in outland) are ganking people who try to turn the quests in. If you attack them, the guards will kill you but they are out of reach of the guards on the roof.

All this has happened to me in the past 2 days.

Feel free to roll PvP if you want, but don't let some players tell you "its not that bad" because what I displayed here is real world behavior.

Yes, there are people who "get their aggression out" by killing lowbies who have no defense over..and over. They truly enjoy themselves by causing misery upon others.

That is how the PvP servers work, all of it within the rules.

[bearbehind]

PVE it is then... :)

Does anyone recommend a specific server rather than just server type. Are any servers just full of kids talking crap as this would just do by head in?

[rgirty]

Are any servers just full of kids talking crap

All of them, although slightly less on rp servers. No you do not have to be RP if you are on an RP server. I'm on one and have never RP. RP have restrictions on naming for the most part thats the only difference i've seen.

[Tikki]

Alright, let me give two real world playing examples that happened to my guild last night.

I got a group together for heroic mech, in the meantime a few of them were finishing up some quests/repairing etc so I was doing some AH just waiting when a level 28 person in the guild asked for help in duskwood.

3 level 70 horde where there rooftop camping anyone coming in and out of the inn and even people inside the inn.

He wanted to finish some quests there but could not, because he couldn't navigate around the zone without them ganking him..or even come out of the inn.

A few of us went down there and they left, about 10 minutes later they were back resuming the same behavior.

The individual then had two choices, leave the zone or keep asking the guild for help hoping these people would leave.

He chose to go somewhere else.

If you want to suffer this type of behavior while leveling, roll pvp.

Due to the delay with helping the level 28 in duskwood only 2 of us had made it to the summoning stone in cosmo.

Before we could get the rest of the party summoned about 7 of a 25 man horde raid going to the eye showed up and started ganking people at the summoning stone.

No big deal, we take the 5 minute flight from shat to cosmo.

Upon arrival at the FP when taking flight one of our party members was dotted by a lock and hit by a hunter. He died in mid air. High enough that he had to use a spirit rez to retrieve his corpse.

After finally navigating around the horde and waiting for the rez sickness. to wear off we were finally able to start heroic mech. If we were on PvE we could have been summoned and started our instance 30 minutes sooner.

If you have hours and hours to play, i guess it is no big deal. If you have only a few hours per night like myself it truly becomes tiresome.

Trying to do the "fires over skettis" bombing? There are groups of horde wearing the costume you get from part of a questline that makes you appear as one of the mobs there. They hide in the highest spots so that when they gank you, you have to spirit rez.

Trying to do relics emination in blades edge? 3 or 4 gankers routinely run from one of those spots to the other ganking people who are trying to do the quest.

Wrangling some rays? If you do manage to get one targeted one of the hunters hanging around the area will either kill you, or kill your ray before you can get it wrangled.

If you finish these quests, have fun trying to turn them in. 2 or 3 ranged attackers are normally rooftop camping (not against the rules in outland) are ganking people who try to turn the quests in. If you attack them, the guards will kill you but they are out of reach of the guards on the roof.

All this has happened to me in the past 2 days.

Feel free to roll PvP if you want, but don't let some players tell you "its not that bad" because what I displayed here is real world behavior.

Yes, there are people who "get their aggression out" by killing lowbies who have no defense over..and over. They truly enjoy themselves by causing misery upon others.

That is how the PvP servers work, all of it within the rules.

heheheheheh.......muuuahahahahahahahahahah.....that stuff just makes you stronger...puts the drive in you! makes you want to lvl to a 70 all the quicker!

Instances like this do happen, but they're not constant. If you're in a place where that's happening, it takes no time to either fly out, or run out. These hassels are so tiny compared to the fun you get when you start joining raid groups and you meet up with a bunch of 70s and just duke it out.

PvP gives you everything you can get in a PvE server, plus a little more.

But, if things like this really ruin your game ~ than it's not worth it. I like to think of it like a two players James Bond game for N64. :sunny: it's always fun playing against the best players - it becomes a challenge to win! And when you do - it's worth it :)

PvP can be a die hard as you make it..just like anything :) And you can always tell where not to go in the land you're in by "_____ is under attack!" ...

[PlayThemAll]

PvP can be a die hard as you make it..just like anything :) And you can always tell where not to go in the land you're in by "_____ is under attack!" ...

Unless your flying into say Southshore and get the msg a few seconds before landing and getting mobbed by 10 L70 Horde.

PvP is fun and it adds a lot to the game. I tried PvE and still play a few toons there. Its nice when you want to just quest/instance in peace but it does become a little sterile after a while.

I also agree with rgirty, griefers and campers can ruin a night for you if they pick you or your area to camp/grief. Yes, I can play an alt if this happens but sometimes you plan things with other people and only have a small window to do them. Sometimes I wish they also had the meeting stones inside the instances.

[Summër]

Mm.... World PvP > all other PvP in my opinion, but it can sometimes be a lot to handle, especially at low levels.

Just last night, I was in Hellfire Peninsula about to do Blood Furnace for those hawt shoulders, when about 10-15 60-70 hunters decided to camp outside of Honor Hold. Boy was that boring...

We got a few 70s, made a nice raid group and sent them packing however. Now THAT was fun.

[Tikki]

We got a few 70s, made a nice raid group and sent them packing however. Now THAT was fun.

My bf and i were just being evil in sundown retreat...just killing the guards and the occasional player that popped up (cause we're evil losers)..anyways, all of a sudden 30 ally players come riding in all on mounts and jsut tear the place up...nothing was left standing...we both sat there watching in pure awe....it was the prettiest thing ever...seeing all that green riding towards you....we then joined up and made our way to a few more cities....it was great...mind you, i do feel bad for the horde players that we crushed...that was a lie.

PvP is just a little something to spice the game up.

PvP ganking/camping is annoying for sure...but there are lots of annoying things in the game....like those people that just circle around you and jump for an entire minute at the AH/Merchant/Fire/Mail box!!!

[kcma]

PvE = snooooooooze

after all, AI is AI, they don't change, no matter how complex you make it, it is exactly what it is.

ppl do what ppl do, PvE forcefully limit what ppl can do. if you want to experience the game at it's fullest, go PvP. otherwise, go WOW-lite, i meant... pve.

[rgirty]

If you're in a place where that's happening, it takes no time to either fly out, or run out

In other words, if you want to be forced out of certain areas of the game roll pvp.

If joining a raid of 70's and "world pvp" is fun for you, thats great.

Killing the same people over and over, with deteriorating honor that eventually becomes 0 in the "great battle of southshore #123284538238" gets your blood pumpin' then PvP servers are truly your best friend.

Don't forget about serverwide blacklists. We have one individual on the horde side who plays a tremendous amount and has a long list of people that he hunts/camps/kills anytime he sees them.

If you want to subject yourself to this, go PvP. Don't be deceived by some that are saying "its not that bad" and its fun!

If the above and my other posts sound like fun, its for you.

If you are one of the people who have a lvl 70 and stealth around lowbie zones one and two shotting people then the PvP server is a true delight.

[Tikki]

i don't have a 70...as a matter of fact I have a lvl 41 druid and a lvl 25 warlock. my druid gets owned in PvP - but it's still fun.

rgirty, i think you're talking about the select few who ruin PvP. I doubt many people go around making lists of individuals to hunt. There are certain places that are major key spots for PvP action...but then again, if you travel enough around your server, you'll know the areas that are pretty much dead.

For instance - I know ashenvale is a PvP hot spot - whereas I can quest for hours in desolace and stonetalon without seeing more than one or two horde (and they're questing like myself so they don't bother with me). PvP holds a lot of karma...if you go around ganking people and continuously raiding on high traffic places, then you're most likely going to go on a black list...otherwise, the occasional pew pew on an opposing player is just going to be a change from the everyday mob.

I know my server well. therefore i know where i can quest with few horde interruptions. On the other hand, i know where to go if I want an excellent match!

now, the outlands may be different...i've yet to go there....

but i want to reiterate my point - you don't need a lvl 70, or any high lvl toon to enjoy PvP.

[xDarkDrifterx]

heheheheheh.......muuuahahahahahahahahahah.....that stuff just makes you stronger...puts the drive in you!


PvP gives you everything you can get in a PvE server, plus a little more.


:heart: :flowers:
___________________________________

Don't Roll PVE!!!! PVE is :tongue: :thumbsdown:

You'll get bored on a carebear server . . . come with us :evil:

gooble gobble gooble gobble one of us one of us . . .lol

___________________________________

Go PVP and learn to survive !!!! :thumbsup:

WOOT GANKING!!! :wink:

___________________________________

P.S.

Don't forget about serverwide blacklists. We have one individual on the horde side who plays a tremendous amount and has a long list of people that he hunts/camps/kills anytime he sees them.

If you want to subject yourself to this, go PvP. Don't be deceived by some that are saying "its not that bad" and its fun!

It's not all like this - and it does happen - I'm on some blacklists . . .maybe was - b/c once you get good and get good gear the hunted becomes the hunter . . . :evil: :grin: . . . and we're not gonna decieve you . . .it IS fun and it IS "not that bad" . . . don't be deceived by those that will say it is (much love rgirty lol) . . .

One thing you should know though is this - you CAN transfer from any PVP server to a PVE server (incase the heat got to high in the kitchen) but you CAN'T transfer from a PVE to a PVP server (if all of sudden you get bored).

Good luck with your choice either way you'll enjoy it immensely. :grin:

[Beruen]

rgirty, i think you're talking about the select few who ruin PvP.

I think the truth is somewhere in between. If you're the kind of player that likes to have a plan of what you're going to do when you log in, then "oops, the quest givers are camped, guess I go do something else" is pretty annoying, and will stick out. The thing is, it doesn't have to happen often to ruin your enjoyment of the game, if you're not getting something out of it in return. Think of your car not starting once or twice a month, and you have to walk/bus to work. I can't tell the OP whether he'd enjoy PvP or PvE servers better, but I do think that implying that these kinds of things don't happen often enough to impact the enjoyment of the game is doing him a disservice.

My first server was a PvP server, and I eventually abandoned a lvl 42 and multiple characters in the lower 30s because I just wasn't interested in PvP, but couldn't avoid it (I was there because that's where my friends were). I was even getting to the point that if it was an equal level fight, I was more likely to drive off the attacker than die. It just did nothing for me, and the fact that I had to deal with getting ganked a few times every day at best wasn't adding to my enjoyment of the game.

I have no doubt that there are people that are happier on PvP servers, as well as people that are miserable on PvP servers. I also have no doubt that the same is true on PvE servers (though replace miserable with bored). The faster/more complex arcade games outpaced my reflexes some time back in the late 80s, and what reflexes I have are all totally wrong for PvP. So, I don't PvP, even on a PvE server. I'm just not meant for it. Which isn't to say that I think less of people that do PvP. In fact, I'm in awe of the good ones.

[rgirty]

it IS fun and it IS "not that bad"

If 20+ man raids on summoning stones, not being able to turn quests in. Rooftop camping of lowbies sounds fun to you then a PvP server is where you need to be.

If that does not sound fun, then PvE.

[Dhoum]

Having played on both PVE and PVP servers (albeit only to mid-40s) I can say that both have things to recommend them ... occasionally I'm frustrated on my PVE server when I see the Horde attacking my own NPCs and can't hit them back ... occasionally I'm frustrated on the PVP server when I get randomly ganked by some Alliance adolescent.

With regard to RP servers, no you don't have to roleplay there but I've been seeing an annoying trend of people playing on RP servers mocking people who are actually roleplaying. If you don't want to roleplay, fine, but expect people to be roleplaying around you ... possibly even roleplaying in instances.

On the question of choosing a server based on its population, I'd say that as a new player you might be better off playing on a recommended server, as there are more likely to be untwinked characters of your own level on it. On higher population servers, you are more likely to see twinked alts who expect you to have the same expertise as they do. Quite often these more experienced players will be helpful and give you pointers on how to play, but that's not always the case ... and it can be demoralising seeing characters with far better gear than you, taking on content that you wouldn't dream of. On the other hand, gathering professions tend to pay better on established servers (where more people have gone to the Outlands money pit) than they do on newer servers.

I've played on both types of server and I can't honestly say I have a particular preference. My choices have been almost entirely based on where my RL friends are playing and, although there are good and bad points about each server, I've enjoyed playing on all of them.

[bearbehind]

I know of one person in RL who plays WOW but his character is prob quite experienced as he has been on since xmas. Therefore i assume that I would not be able to group together with him very well due to the skill difference. Is this the case? Would i be better just jumping into a reccommended server and making my own alliances with people who are just joining?

[xDarkDrifterx]

Well that's up to you really, you'll be at his level within a month or two or three lol depending on the time you have to play. And having a higher level player around to help you with quests / gold / or whatever (esp. one that is a friend in RL) can be a priceless asset - but there's also the whole adventuring into someplace new - knowing noone and having to make it on your own . . .but if you can have help I'd probably take it as it would have made my life easier when I started.

OMG having all 16 slot bags on my lvl 14 is priceless . . . talk about not having to stop to get water/food/or sell items, it's nice, and you'll only be stoppping to repair or take a break. (that's assuming he'll give you some initial pocket money when you join up :wink:)

[rgirty]

For those of you who think it really isn't that bad just browse through these threads on my rp/pvp realm.

Bounties, gank lists..etc. Really, have a read before you roll.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=97770080&sid=1

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=174680649&sid=1

[xDarkDrifterx]

For those of you who think it really isn't that bad just browse through these threads on my rp/pvp realm.

Bounties, gank lists..etc. Really, have a read before you roll.

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=97770080&sid=1

http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/thread.html?topicId=174680649&sid=1


:laughing: THATS AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup:

OMG I want to start this on ours if it hasn't already!!!

This reminds me of DragonRaja my first mmorpg (and it was pvp but w/ 3 factions - two @ war and one neutral) where they had a wanted pole in the center of town (like the ones in wow) but players could for a fair amount of gold put up a price on anyones head and if the player killed that person with the bounty and came back to the pole within an hour they could get the cash reward . . . ahhhhh good times good times :grin:

Sometimes it would take like 5 of us to take down one OP Hacker player (the game was full of holes) and we'd split the reward . . . this would be awesome to do on WoW PvP servers!!! :idea:

[rgirty]

:laughing: THATS AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup:

OMG I want to start this on ours if it hasn't already!!!

This reminds me of DragonRaja my first mmorpg (and it was pvp but w/ 3 factions - two @ war and one neutral) where they had a wanted pole in the center of town (like the ones in wow) but players could for a fair amount of gold put up a price on anyones head and if the player killed that person with the bounty and came back to the pole within an hour they could get the cash reward . . . ahhhhh good times good times :grin:

Sometimes it would take like 5 of us to take down one OP Hacker player (the game was full of holes) and we'd split the reward . . . this would be awesome to do on WoW PvP servers!!! :idea:

This is what some people think.

People like me think it would be nice to go from place to place w/out getting ganked or having some bounty on my head.

Think it over before you roll, give it a good long thought before you decide.

There is a reason you have normal and pvp servers. If you roll pvp you are subject to this behavior.

[xDarkDrifterx]

This is what some people think.

:evil: :grin: :wave:

what's got two thumbs and loves to PvP?


:thumbsup: :thumbsup: this guy right here [points at self] :wink:

[Zendarin]

:laughing: THATS AWESOME!!!! :thumbsup:

OMG I want to start this on ours if it hasn't already!!!

This reminds me of DragonRaja my first mmorpg (and it was pvp but w/ 3 factions - two @ war and one neutral) where they had a wanted pole in the center of town (like the ones in wow) but players could for a fair amount of gold put up a price on anyones head and if the player killed that person with the bounty and came back to the pole within an hour they could get the cash reward . . . ahhhhh good times good times :grin:

Sometimes it would take like 5 of us to take down one OP Hacker player (the game was full of holes) and we'd split the reward . . . this would be awesome to do on WoW PvP servers!!! :idea:

Every time I start to think that rolling on a PvP server might be fun a post like this reminds me why I want nothing to do with them

Yeah you will be bored eventually on a "carebear" (PvE) server if your attitude is like the above poster. If, on the other hand, you actually like helping others and expeiencing people who are giving and friendly you might actually like that PvE server long term.

You can also experience both sides of the game on a PvE server (both horde and alliance toons) which you cannot do on PvP.

[bearbehind]

Well that's up to you really, you'll be at his level within a month or two or three lol depending on the time you have to play. And having a higher level player around to help you with quests / gold / or whatever (esp. one that is a friend in RL) can be a priceless asset - but there's also the whole adventuring into someplace new - knowing noone and having to make it on your own . . .but if you can have help I'd probably take it as it would have made my life easier when I started.


Problem with that is that he spends way to many hours on it compared to what i'm intending to do. I may join his server but i'd prob just set off on my own and refer to him when needed. Besides, I think i want to explore and discover the game & all the things that make it great at my own pace without having to keep up with someone who has seen it all and done it all already.:smiley: