I really want to like PvP servers. For some reason, the *idea* of being at war with the opposite faction, with danger around every corner, and engaging in battle with unpredictable human foes is very appealing.
However, the *reality* of a PvP server is my level 39 Paladin getting jumped by a level 70 Rival Warlock in 3/5 Vengeful Gladiator.
There's probably an interesting thought somewhere in here, but I'm too disgruntled to try and find it.
Edit: Just for reference, I have been on a PvP server before. My first character was a warrior on a PvP server (made it to level 48), and my warlock levelled to 60 pre-TBC on a PvP server.
So I have experience with PvP servers. It's just odd that I keep coming back to them, even though I really should know better by now.
Being able to kill Allies mining your node when you get to 70.
ReplyDeleteI've never played on PvE servers but I imagine it would be infuriating not being able to attack my enemies just because they don't want me to!
ReplyDeleteGetting griefed by higher level players is unfortunate, but it will only make you stronger :P
I mean srsly, there's a war going on!
PvP servers mean you can count on a higher number of jerks than normal and you still can't kill the people you most want to kill anyway - the idiot members of your own faction.
ReplyDeleteFor the ability to kill anyone, anywhere, anytime... look no further than AoC.
ReplyDeleteYou can whack your own guildies even :)
I think the theory of killing others is fine; the but the practicality of building a game that allows it is you'll get gankers who like to make other people miserable.
ReplyDeleteWhich is why I totally hate pvp realms; too many idiots who like to camp corpses. And yes, I've leveled a few toons on pvp; 18, 38, and numerous below 15 and they've all been repeat-session ganked.
Leveling a mage on a PvP realm for the first time... I've been ganked to death thrice in 51 levels. Two in STV (where else), third in Silvermoon City because I was still flagged when riding past a party stealing our festival flame.
ReplyDeleteThe only difference in practice is that I tend to be more jumpy. I actually wish there were more action left in old Azeroth. What's the point being on a PvP server otherwise?
Last year, Blizzard announced that much to their surprise, some jerks will sit AFK in battlegrounds to sponge honor off of the work of others. It was a leap forward, in a way; designers recognized that some players will take advantage of other players.
ReplyDeleteWhat you're encountering in PvP realms is just another facet of the same problem. Some people will act like jerks if they are permitted to do so. It's not many people, but they will always be there. There's nothing you can do about it, and it seems to be encouraged on PvP servers.
I suppose if Blizzard was serious about catering to this portion of their customer base, then they'd remove all PvP restrictions so you could attack your own faction. In my mind's eye, I can see 20 level 70s of varying races refusing to leave Elwynn Forest because of the easy kills.
Welcome to PvP servers. And that behavior is normal "normal". Fortunately, you are on range that you will rarely find people too high.
ReplyDeleteOnce you hit HFP and Zanga, you might find more 70s looking for ganking opportunities. I've only been camped once, and I was able to get away from the situation rather quickly (Aspect of the Beast has some usefulness after all).
One trick that helped me a little while leveling was to keep (yet another) set full of Stamina. It won't help you against players way too high, it will dampen those somewhat above your level (around 5 levels).
As for confessions, I just can't level a Night Elf on a PvE server out of the starting zone. Well, just once, and because I leveled it on the server off-hours.
Just for reference, I have been on a PvP server before. My first character was a warrior on a PvP server (made it to level 48), and my warlock levelled to 60 pre-TBC on a PvP server.
ReplyDeleteSo I have experience with PvP servers. It's just odd that I keep coming back to them, even though I really should know better by now.
Lol. Why would you play the easy version of a game when you could play the more challenging version?
ReplyDeleteplaying on a PVE server is like turning the difficulty setting way down and the excitement setting to "off"
I want to scream every time I do my SSO Dailies. I get ganked three times minimum every time I do them, and usually far more than that.
ReplyDelete"Lol. Why would you play the easy version of a game when you could play the more challenging version?"
ReplyDeleteIf ganking-and-being-ganked was the only "challenge" the game has to offer, maybe I'd agree with you.
But, the game has so many other challenges, and the goals and milestones take time to achieve, time which is wasted by ganking-and-being-ganked. Which is why PvP servers are for people who either a) choose ganking-and-being-ganked as the main reason they play the game or b) don't have a solid grasp of playtime economics.
Give me a PvE server anyday, where I can actually devote my finite playing time to all of the other challenges the game has to offer, and leave the ganking-and-being-ganked crap to the little kiddies to waste their time on.
(I have a number of toons on PvP servers, by the way, including a level 45 Rogue that prevailed against a level 54 Warrior who picked a fight with him the other day. So it's not that I'm a softie "carebear" or don't know how to World-PvP. It really all comes down to time economy for me. PvP servers waste more of my time than PvE servers do; maybe you value your time less than I value mine; to each their own).
Implement Honour penalties when killing someone who is grey to you.
ReplyDeleteOr, and i do stress OR, give Honour bonus to players killing a skull level player, with the XP Bonus getting smaller the bigger the groups.
That would rock the boat i say :)
PvP... some people like it, some people don't. I leveled my first 70 on a PvP server. The funny thing is, I like leveling to 70 on a PvP server, I hate being 70 on a PvP server. I don't know why it is, but I just don't.
ReplyDeleteAs for a PvP server being more challenging, I don't necessarily think that's true. No amount of skill in the game is going to save a level 30 character of any class or race from a level 70 in full S4 gear. None. That's why it's called ganking. I've had more fair fights(equal level/equal player number) on a PvE server than I have on a PvP server.
I would say a PvP server is a challenge of patience and tolerance rather than one of skill.
Before cross realm BGs and even battlemasters, PvP servers were more like what they were intended/expected to be.
ReplyDeleteI think it's common knowledge that once upon a time, the only way to get a reasonable queue time in BGs as Alliance (depending upon your server, my old server was horde heavy since waaayyy back) was to be on a PvP sever.
These days, thanks to x-realm BGs etc... PvP servers are only really good for ganking. That's all I'm able to figure out. This is exacerbated by the level increase to 70 and the end-game gear inflation. Before, a lvl 50 actually had a decent shot (played well) against a lvl 60 (this was when blues were considered pretty awesome). Now, as a lvl 60 who hasn't been to outlands... against lvl 70 with decent gear, you might as well just lay down. Even if there's 2 of you. Unless the two of you are warlocks...
It's really gotten stupid.
I have only ever played on a PVP server as all the people I know from work are on PVP servers. To be honest, I am waiting for free transfers to open so I can transfer all my toons to a PVE server. Why? Because all I really like to do is Quest and Raid. I do not get much time during the week to play, and spending half to three quarters of that running back to my corpse is not fun.
ReplyDeleteI mean I can count how many times are Raid started out on time only to be delayed because the opposing faction was killing at the entrance to the Raid.
So yeah, PVP is fine in BG's, its what they are for and with plenty of PVP zones and Areas, we don't need to be dying every time we look at running some where.
A lot of the people that are complaining about PVP servers say that they have tried them. And they have. Up to like level 40-ish or even only to the teens or twenties.
ReplyDeletePVP servers aren't for everybody but before you completely discount them you need to get a character to 70. Being able to kill the opposite faction in the same way that you were killed all the way up lessens the sting. And having a 70 to log into kill the 50-ish that just ganked your 20-ish alt just feels good.
Your first character to 70 on a PVP server is by far the hardest and most frustrating but after that it can just be plain fun.
Playing on a pvp server for me is like driving fast on the highway, but instead of looking out for cops you are looking out for players of the opposite faction.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is after a while you know where to expect them the most, so when in those places you are more cautious.
I don't get frustrated when I get ganked in STV, because I know that is the risk. I get frustrated that they put daily quests in contested areas.
When doing most dailies, I'm not in the mood to pvp.
Most of my characters are on a pvp server and I still consider that server my main server
"Lol. Why would you play the easy version of a game when you could play the more challenging version?"
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't say PvP is harder. To me PvP makes WOW less of a game, and more an exercise in either accepting random butt-sex, or being a type of personality in a game I would categorize as "less-than-heroic".
PVP servers to me is everyone at level 70 huddling in capital cities unless they're going out to do instances or dailies.
RP servers are the true "adult" servers.
However, the *reality* of a PvP server is my level 39 Paladin getting jumped by a level 70 Rival Warlock in 3/5 Vengeful Gladiator.
ReplyDeleteAh ! Some with similar thoughts. I started an alli lock on a pvp server after insistence from friends that it would be "fun". However, many lock quests make you go to the barrens - and pft.. Till there is someone 3 lvls above you, you can give a fight, but not when you are lvl 20 something, and level 70s camp on you.
That may be the idea of fun for the 70, for me its just a waste of time - and I got a lot of time constraints. I can play onlu for a couple of hours everyday. My main was a lvl 70 hunter, but cant really give the commitment to my guild for raids with the time crunch I have - and one of the main reasons to look at starting a new character.
I really like playing wow - with the endless quests and the deep lore, but after the experiences of the PvP gankers, I was fast losing the taste for it. An hour spent trying to get some person who has too much time on his/her hands off from my corpse is time wasted, not 'fun time'.
Ultimately, i ended up back on pve server. Frankly, PvP servers suck - not because they are hard or anything - but because of gankers.
@Anonymous who said :
Lol. Why would you play the easy version of a game when you could play the more challenging version?
you can easily bump up the difficulty - just go to zones which are 10 lvl above you. In essense getting ganked is that - and if you like getting ganked, you can very well like questing in lvls which are 10+ above you. Or if you are already lvl 70, solo kara.
Interestingly, its only when the other faction is sure that he/she can beat you, that they fight you. E.g. I have come across toons just a couple of lvls above me, who won't engage in fight, but give a wide birth; but no 'skull' lvl person leaves a chance to gank. Tere are just bullies out there.