[:1]If you are in a major city for any period of time, you are likely to see "WTS" and "WTB". You may also see "I want to group for questing in STV" or even " LFG 2M DM PST for Info!"
As you progress through the game you will easily know and remember all of these without needing to look over anything. But, for the time being, here is a comprehensive acronym list. Not all of these are used across every server, so be careful! And this is not a list of "Leet Speak" nor of "textspeak."
� Add: Will usually refer to any additional monsters that have started fighting your group after you are already engaged in combat. For example, if you are fighting a bear and half way through the battle a wolf comes along and begins attacking you, this would be considered an "add".
� AFK: Is short for "Away From Keyboard". You can active the AFK flag on your character by typing /afk in the chat line. It also automatically activates if your character is idle for an extended period of time
� Aggro: This refers to aggressive actions against a player. If a monster turns and attacks you, you have gained aggro.
� AH: Is short for "Auction House". This is where you can sell and buy items from other players of your same faction (and opposite factions at Gadgetzan).
� AOE: Is short for "Area of Effect". This is when a spell can affect all targets in an area instead of being directed at a single target. Blizzard, Frost Nova, and Hellfire are all examples of AOE spells.
� BB: Is short for "Booty Bay".
� BFD: Is short for "Blackfathom Deeps".
� BOE: Is short for "Bind On Equip". This means that when you equip the item, it will no longer be tradable to another player and can only be sold to a vedor.
� BOP: Is short for "Bind On Pickup". This means that when you loot the item from the monster, it will no longer be tradable to another player and can only be sold to a vedor.
� BRD: Is short for "Blackrock Depths".
� BRS: Is short for "Blackrock Spire".
� Buff: A spell cast on a player, pet, or mob which enhances a specific statistic for a set time period. Spells such as "Mark of the Wild" and "Power Word: Fortitude" are examples of buffs.
� De-Buff: A spell cast on a player, pet, or mob which places a negative effect on a specific statistic for a set time period. Spells such as "Demoralizing Shout" and "Curse of Weakness" are examples of de-buffs.
� DOT: Is short for "Damage Over Time". This refers to a spell or effect that slowly deals damage over an extended period of time, rather than all at once.
� DM: Is short for "Dire Maul".
� DPS: Is short for �Damage Per Second� and refers to the amount of damage a player can do in 1 second.
� DS: Is short for "Darkshore" and or "Darkshire".
� GG: Is short for both "Good Game" and "Good Going" depending on the context in which it is used. If you happen to save a party member, someone might say "GG" meaning good going. If you beat some one in a duel, the other person might say "GG" meaning good game.
� GZ: Is short for "Gadgetzan".
� HOT: Is short for "Heal Over Time". This refers to a spell or effect that slowly heals damage over an extended period of time, rather than all at once.
� IF: Is short for "Ironforge".
� KS: Is short for "Kill Stealing". This occurs in games when another player or group attacks a mob that you are already fighting in order to get the experience or items from it.
� LBRS: Is short for "Lower Blackrock Spire".
� LFG: Is short for "Looking For Group".
� LFM: Is short for "Looking For More".
� LS: Is short for "Lakeshire".
� Mara: Is short for "Maraudon".
� MC: Is short for "Molten Core".
� MH: Is short for "Menethil Harbor".
� MMORPG: Stands for "Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game". In an MMORPG, thousands of players exist in the same game world at the same time. This creates an incredibly rich and active environment in which interesting things are constantly taking place. MMORPGs provide thousands of hours of game play, with a nearly infinite variety of goals to achieve across a vast world covering miles of land and sea. For the World of Warcraft, we will also be adding new content on a regular basis, thus ensuring that there will always be new adventures, new locations, new creatures, and new items to discover.
� Mob: Is short for "Monster" and is a word used to describe creatures that you kill in the game aside from other players.
� NPC: Is short for "Non-Player Character". These are computer-controlled characters. Quest givers, merchants, inn keepers, etc.
� OMW: Is short for �On my way�.
� Ony: Short for �Onyxia�.
� OOM: is short for �Out of Mana�
� ORG: Is short for "Orgrimmar".
� Proc: A term used to denote when a special effect of an item randomly triggers or what the special effect of said item does. Proc only refers to a randomly triggered effect that arises from attacking or being hit. If your item has an ability to click it to make it cast a spell 100% on demand, that is not considered a Proc.
� PST: Is short for �Please Send Tell� meaning whisper the player.
� RFC: Is short for "Ragefire Chasm".
� RFD: Is short for "Razorfen Downs".
� RFK: Is short for "Razorfen Kraul".
� RR: Is short for "Redridge".
� Scholo: Is short for "Scholomance".
� SFK: Is short for "Shadowfang Keep".
� SM: Is short for "Scarlet Monastery".
� Strat: Is short for "Stratholme". (Can be paired with Living/Scarlet or UD(for Undead))
� Tank: A player that can take hits and gain aggro of mobs.
� TB: Is short for "Thunderbluff".
TBC: Is short for "The Burning Crusade," the expansion pack going live 1/17/07
� ST or Temple: Is short for "The Temple of Atal'Hakkar."
� Train: Train or training is when someone pulls a group of monsters past another player, causing them to get attacked. Please do not confuse this acronym with the training you do at your own class trainer.
� UBRS: Is short for "Upper Blackrock Spire".
� UC: Is short for "Undercity".
� Uld: Is short for "Uldaman".
� VC: Stands for Van Cleef and is used to refer to "The Deadmines".
� WC: Is short for "Wailing Caverns".
� WoW: World of Warcraft
� WTB: Is short for "Want To Buy". Usually used on the Auction channel. Example: "WTB stack of 10 light leather"
� WTS: Is short for "Want To Sell".
� WTT: Is short for "Want To Trade".
� XP: Is short for "Experience Points".
� ZF: Is short for "Zul'Farrak".
Taken from the Official WoW site, this is very likely to gain quite a few new ones in a week with the release of TBC! I added a few and modded a few to the way I know them best...
Source
Battlegrounds:
AV: Alterac Valley
AB: Arathi Basin
BG: Battleground
WSG: Warsong Gulch
And guys....feel free to add more!|||This may or may not be used in-game but I've seen OFC used here on the forums and have asked about it. No one have given me an answer (that I've seen) as to what this stands for. Any ideas, Stigg?|||OFC = Of course? Do you have a context to put it in?|||Quote:
This may or may not be used in-game but I've seen OFC used here on the forums and have asked about it. No one have given me an answer (that I've seen) as to what this stands for. Any ideas, Stigg?
Of Course I know what OFC stands for :) There are other "fun" ways to put OFC together to mean "of course"....but thats left to the imagination :)|||Well now, ofc, I feel like an idiot. I feel a rant coming on.|||Its understandable, a lot of terms and acronyms used in WoW are from textspeak, and seeing as how a good portion of the older players don't use textspeak (AIM hasn't been around THAT long...) it gets kind of confusing.
Such as QQ. Quit Crying? Cry More? Teardrops? Where did THAT come from? I'll put money on, in the near future, somebody comes up with a way to condense Supercalifragilisticexpealidocious into 3 letters....|||A friend told me QQ resembles tears coming from a pair of eyeballs. And for the most part, I can understand acronyms having a great use in such an environment such as the in-game chat channels.
But we're not in-game now. Onyxia isn't waiting around the corner, ready to fry and flay the next chump who pokes his nose out. These forums don't move that fast, nor are they a high-pressure situation like an end-game raid instance. Most of us are wasting time at work or school. Does it really take that much longer to type "of course" than "ofc"? When did we get so lazy, and why? *I knew I felt a rant coming on*
It's just like Stealth Assasin (no offense intended, you were just the first example that popped into my head) said, "i can type proper i just choose not to". So instead of taking a moment of effort and typing properly, we're choosing to be lazy and, consequently, incomprehensible simply because typing out a few more letters will take too much time away from our alloted time to waste. I get it now.
[/rantquit] Sorry for that, sometimes I'm very easily frustrated.|||I agree. I use two textspeaks when I talk. ZOMG and wtfpwnd. And I only use them because I think they are funny looking and sounding :) "lol" on occasion....but most of the time thats used to mean "I would type haha" but Im fighting and my hotkeys are closer to lol.
Or a type the textspeak to make fun of somebody/something. Like if I were to type in guild chat "ZOMG u n00b! wtf did joo do-lasaurus?" Nobody (including myself) would take me seriously....and those occasions are best saved for circumstances when somebody takes the wrong fligthpath...in an attempt to lighten the mood.
[/rantoff]|||Awesome post Stigg, I would have loved to have this a few months ago.|||Thanks oh invisible power *cough V.A. cough* for editing the post!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Picking a Server
[:1](Comments welcome. This is a draft of an answer to a very common question).
There are several factors to consider when choosing a server. If you don't already have friends on a particular server and just need to pick one, the choice can seem more difficult than it has to be.
There are a few things to think about:
1. Server type
2. Server population
3. Server time zone
People often want to know where the "best" server is -- which one is friendliest, has people willing to help new players, and has a welcoming attitude. Trouble is, people who reside on any given server will have both good and bad stories to tell. Put simply, there are good people on every server, and there are jerks on every server. You will find both everywhere.
Your own attitude will help. If you go to a server expecting to find people who will wait on you, give you what you need to progress, and spoon-feed you the content, you're unlikely to find a good experience. Most WoW players admire the ability to do things for yourself, so the more self-sufficient you become, the more likely you are to find friends who will work with you as a team. If you start out by begging, you're more likely to find yourself getting ignored a lot.
That said, there are some generalizations as well, which will be addressed under "server type".
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER TYPE:
----------------------------------------------------
There are four types of servers: PVE (Normal), PVP, RP (Roleplaying Normal), and RP-PVP.
----------------------------------------------------
PVE: PVE stands for "Player vs. Environment". On a PvE server, you don't enter into combat with other players unless you choose to do so, by an action known as "flagging". Normally, a player on a PVE server has their PVP flag turned off, meaning that you can't attack other players, but you also can't be unexpectedly attacked by another player. You can only flag for PVP against members of the opposite faction (which is true on all servers, not just PVE). You can go your entire gaming career in WoW on a PVE server without ever engaging another player in combat. You can also be flagged for PVP by attacking an NPC (non-player character) of an opposing faction. You are also automatically flagged for PVP if you enter one of the opposite faction's four major racial cities (Stormwind, Ironforge, Darnassus, and Exodar for the Alliance; Orgrimmar, Undercity, Thunder Bluff, and Silvermoon City for the Horde).
There are opportunities for occasional PVP if you want them. You can engage in Battlegrounds or Arenas, which are small and large combat against a group of the opposite faction. Every server belongs to a Battlegroup, a collection of servers, so you will find as you enter the Battlegrounds that you will see people from other servers. There are some PVP quests as you level up, which you can do or not do as you wish. There are rewards for PVP, but not everyone enjoys the PVP experience.
Many people recommend choosing a PVE server if it's your first time playing an multiplayer roleplaying game. For many, it's a more relaxing experience, as you don't have to watch over your shoulder every minute to see if you're going to get attacked by another player. It's the most popular server type of the four. On a PVE server, you can make both Alliance and Horde characters on a single account, so you can try and play on both sides. PVE servers tend to be a little more open and friendly than PVP servers.
PVE servers tend to have a higher number of Alliance than Horde. Most of the time, however, this doesn't matter to everyday play.
If you make a character on a PVE server and decide to change servers, you are limited to switching to another PVE server or a regular RP server. You cannot transfer characters from a PVE realm to a PVP one.
Advantages: Easier to get quests done than on a PVP server. Reasonably tolerant of new players. Probably the most laid-back of the four environments.
Disadvantages: Some find the lack of constant PVP dull.
----------------------------------------------------
PVP: PVP stands for Player vs. Player. On a PVP server, you are automatically flagged for PVP combat in all zones except a few of the lowest level zones, the four major cities of your own faction, and inside instances. You can level to your late teens and early 20s by staying in "green zones", without ever having to flag for PVP.
Many people enjoy PVP servers for the added excitement of having to deal with hostile players as well as monsters. PVP servers also have to put up with a lot of "ganking", which usually refers to higher-level characters killing lower-level characters for fun, an experience many of the gank-ees find extremely frustrating. PVP players usually have low regard for PVE players("carebears").
PVP servers also tend to have a higher ratio of "griefers", people who seem to live to make other people's lives miserable. Since there are more opportunities to do this on a PVP server than on a PVE one, they tend to congregate here in higher numbers. Since the Blizzard game masters assume that players have more ability to handle problems on their own, they don't tend to intervene when these kinds of problems occur.
PVP players also tend to be far more critical of players who are not self-sufficient. While there are pockets of friendly, helpful people on PVP servers, many people complain of PVP servers being less open to new players. Think of a PVP server as the worst of the Wild West frontier, with a "sink or swim" attitude.
On a PVP server, you can only have characters on your account who belong to either the Alliance or the Horde, but not both. If you want to try the life of the other faction on a PVP server, you will either need to get a second account or make characters on a different PVP server.
If you decide to change servers, you can choose any of the four types of servers. However, if you switch from PVP to PVE, you can't transfer back to PVP later. Once you're on a PVE realm, you're limited to PVE or regular RP.
Population can be a key factor to whether it's a good PVP server or not. If there is an extreme imbalance between the two factions, or if the population is either very low or very high, there can be problems. There tend to be more Horde than Alliance on pure PVP servers.
Advantages: Tend to be more lively. Many people think they're more exciting than PVE. Gives you some way to retaliate against the opposite faction directly.
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to complete quests in highly contested areas. Ganking. Not for everyone. If you like questing in peace, this may not be a good choice for you. Some areas nearly require grouping for simple survival.
----------------------------------------------------
RP (Roleplaying Normal): RP servers are roleplaying servers. They use the PVE ruleset, and therefore are little different from PVE servers in mechanics. It differs primarily in culture. There are also some specific rules about using chat channels, as well as more strict guidelines for naming your characters. You can see the rule set differences here:
http://us.blizzard.com/support/artic...rticleId=20458
Culturally, you will find a larger number of people on RP servers who want to be actively social. RP generally means pretending that the real world doesn't exist and that you actually are your character and live in Azeroth, but you will find people sticking to this to varying degrees. Many people only RP very lightly or not at all, and there are others who are very hardcore RPers, sometimes referred to as purists or the "RP police". Different guilds have different advertised RP levels, from none to heavy, where you are expected to RP pretty much 100% of the time.
Even if you are not an RPer, you will find that people on RP servers are much less tolerant of leetspeak and bad spelling. Typing something like "r u going 2 goldshire" is likely to earn a lot of derision in public channels. Using proper spelling and grammar helps a great deal on RP servers.
Since RP servers have the same ruleset as PVE servers, you can create characters on the same account from both factions. You are also limited to server transfers only to PVE or other normal RP servers.
Advantages: Tend to be more social and outgoing. Many consider RP servers the friendliest type of the four. Public chat relatively free of leetspeak and references to the real world, especially once you've left the 1-20 new player areas.
Disadvantages: Can be somewhat elitist. Some of the "RP police" a bit tiresome to deal with.
----------------------------------------------------
RP-PVP: RP-PVP servers are roleplaying servers with the PVP ruleset. Nearly everything about both RP and PVP servers apply here, although the culture of these servers is a mix of the two types. RP-PVP servers tend to be friendlier than normal PVP servers, and a little less rigid than normal RP servers about roleplaying. With only a couple of exceptions, most RP-PVP servers enjoy a near-balance between Alliance and Horde. There are a couple of exceptions; Twisting Nether and Ravenholdt have many more Horde than Alliance, and Emerald Dream has slightly more Alliance than Horde.
RP-PVP servers also tend to have high populations, partly because there are only 6 US realms (out of 223) and 15 (out of 233) EU realms.
Advantages: Same advantages of both PVP and RP realms.
Disadvantages: Same disadvantages of both PVP and RP realms.
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER POPULATION
----------------------------------------------------
According to a major realm census site, the average server population for US servers is around 18,000, for EU servers around 13,000. There are US servers ranging in population from just over 5,000 to over 35,000. EU servers tend to have more balanced server populations.
Ideally, you should choose a server that's right around average -- anywhere in the 12,000 to 18,000 range is good. The population will be stable and active, the economy not as likely to be wildly high or wildly low.
A low population server often means the server isn't doing well, and people are leaving. It usually indicates a server in decline. The economy may be poor, with items you need to sell to get money not selling for much because there simply aren't people buying them.
Very high population servers -- in the US, probably over 25,000 -- can have their own problems. It's common for high population servers to have wildly inflated economies, which can be good for getting money when you are young and poor, but other things in the auction house are equally overpriced. Servers with populations over 30,000 can often have queues, meaning you may have to wait anywhere from five to thirty minutes just to log into the server.
Google "warcraft census" to find popular census sites that will point you in the right direction. While not 100% accurate, they will give you a good idea of the server's general population numbers.
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER TIME ZONES
----------------------------------------------------
US servers are in EST, CST, MST, PST, and Oceanic time zones. If you're planning to group a lot, picking a server in your own time zone will make it easier to find groups and guilds at prime gaming times. If you're living in PST, you may find that being on an EST server will make it hard to schedule raiding activities, especially when they're starting raids at 7 or 8 PM EST, which means you'd have to be ready to start at 4 or 5 PM. This may work on weekends, but not so well on weekdays.
However, if you're primarily interested in soloing, you may pick an off-time-zone server for that very reason. I live in EST and have an alt on a PST RP-PVP server and play there in the early mornings sometimes. It's quiet and I am more likely to be able to play without being ganked all the time (not that it never happens, but it's safer than playing later in the day).
All European servers are in CET (Central European Time).
Here is a list to date of US servers and their time zones:
All European realms are in the CET (Central European Time).
US REALM TIME ZONES:
EST (Eastern Standard Time)
- PVE (33): Area 52, Arygos, Bloodhoof, Dalaran, Drenden, Durotan, Duskwood, Eldre'Thalas, Elune, Eonar, Exodar, Fenris, Gilneas, Kargath, Khadgar, Llane, Lothar, Medivh, Nazgrel, Norgannon, Ravencrest, Shandris, Shu'halo, Stormrage, Tanaris, Terokkar, Thrall, Trollbane, Turalyon, Uldaman, Undermine, Ysera, Zul'jin
- PVP (34): Altar of Storms, Alterac Mountains, Andorhal, Anetheron, Anub'arak, Arthas, Auchindoun, Azshara, Black Dragonflight, Bleeding Hollow, Burning Blade, Dalvengyr, Demon Soul, Dentarg, Eredar, Executus, Firetree, Gorefiend, Haomarush, Jaedenar, Lightning's Blade, Magtheridon, Malorne, Mannoroth, Scilla, Shadowmoon, Shattered Hand, Skullcrusher, Smolderthorn, The Forgotten Coast, Tortheldrin, Warsong, Ysondre, Zuluhed
- RP (3): Argent Dawn, Earthen Ring, Steamwheedle Cartel
- RP-PVP (1): Ravenholdt
CST (Central Standard Time)
- PVE (26): Aggramar, Alexstrasza, Alleria, Blackhand, Draka, Eitrigg, Garona, Greymane, Hellscream, Hydraxis, Kael'Thas, Khaz Modan, Kul Tiras, Madoran, Malfurion, Malygos, Mok'Nathal, Muradin, Quel'dorei, Rexxar, Runetotem, Sen'jin, Staghelm, Thunderhorn, Vek'nilash, Whisperwind
- PvP (26): Aegwynn, Agamaggan, Akama, Archimonde, Azgalor, Balnazzar, Blood Furnace, Burning Legion, Cho'gall, Chromaggus, Detheroc, Drak'thul, Frostmane, Garithos, Gul'dan, Hakkar, Illidan, Korgath, Laughing Skull, Mal'Ganis, Mug'thol, Sargeras, Stormreaver, The Underbog, Thunderlord, Wildhammer
- RP (6): Farstriders, Kirin Tor, Moon Guard, Scarlet Crusade, Sisters of Elune, Thorium Brotherhood
- RP-PVP (4): Emerald Dream, Lightninghoof, Maelstrom, Twisting Nether
MST (Mountain Standard Time)
- PVE (6): Azjol-Nerub, Doomhammer, Icecrown, Perenolde, Terenas, Zangarmarsh
- PVP (5): Bloodscalp, Darkspear, Deathwing, Kel'Thuzad, Nathrezim
- RP (1) Shadow Council
PST (Pacific Standard Time)
- PVE (30): Aerie Peak, Antonidas, Anvilmar, Arathor, Azuremyst, Baelgun, Bladefist, Blade's Edge, Bronzebeard, Cenarius, Draenor, Dragonblight, Echo Isles, Gnomeregan, Hyjal, Kilrogg, Korialstrasz, Lightbringer, Misha, Moonrunner, Nordrassil, Proudmoore, Shadowsong, Silvermoon, Skywall, Suramar, Uldum, Uther, Velen, Windrunner
- PVP (32): Blackrock, Blackwing Lair, Bonechewer, Boulderfist, Coilfang, Crushridge, Daggerspine, Dark Iron, Darrowmere, Destromath, Dethecus, Dragonmaw, Dunemaul, Frostwolf, Gorgonnash, Gurubashi, Kalecgos, Kil'Jaeden, Lethon, Maiev, Nazjatar, Ner'zhul, Onyxia, Rivendare, Shattered Halls, Spinebreaker, Spirestone, Stonemaul, Stormscale, Tichondrius, Ursin, Vashj
- RP (6): Blackwater Raiders, Cenarion Circle, Feathermoon, Sentinels, Silver Hand, The Scryers
- RP-PVP (1): The Venture Co.
Oceanic (South Pacific)
- PVE (5): Aman'thul, Caelestrasz, Dath'Remar, Khaz'goroth, Nagrand
- PVP (4): Barthilas, Frostmourne, Jubei'Thos, Thaurissan|||EXCELLENT summary. The only thing I'd alter is to bring out the fact that you can't transfer from PvE to PvP servers. Perhaps a mention of server transfers in the general section? Something along the lines of 'don't obsess over finding the perfect server... you can transfer from one server to another if you want to... " then a quick mention of the limitations.|||It gets a sticky.|||Ren, that is awesome! Very comprehensive piece of work. Thanks.|||Addition: Ghostlands, CST, PvE server
Is there a statute of limitations on being able to edit a post?
...Ren|||Quote:
Addition: Ghostlands, CST, PvE server
Is there a statute of limitations on being able to edit a post?
...Ren
I believe it's one hour.|||It's quite useful for the beginners,thx|||Quote:
( about pvp servers )
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to complete quests in highly contested areas. Ganking. Not for everyone. If you like questing in peace, this may not be a good choice for you. Some areas nearly require grouping for simple survival.
i think this is realy too drastic ^^ while it may be true in some extreme cases like outdoor events or when the new isle was opened, most of the time you dont get too much troubles.|||I personally think that you should also take into account the age of the realm. Someone would take more advantage with entering a recent realm, with one year or one year and a half than to enter a realm that has been around for 3 or more years. It's easier to find a Guild and proceed onto high-end content, as the guilds are not all full yet. Can't forget that the older realms have the advantage of being more stable, relatively to the economy, PvP, etc...|||Should add in that PvE to PvP paid character transfers are now possile.
There are several factors to consider when choosing a server. If you don't already have friends on a particular server and just need to pick one, the choice can seem more difficult than it has to be.
There are a few things to think about:
1. Server type
2. Server population
3. Server time zone
People often want to know where the "best" server is -- which one is friendliest, has people willing to help new players, and has a welcoming attitude. Trouble is, people who reside on any given server will have both good and bad stories to tell. Put simply, there are good people on every server, and there are jerks on every server. You will find both everywhere.
Your own attitude will help. If you go to a server expecting to find people who will wait on you, give you what you need to progress, and spoon-feed you the content, you're unlikely to find a good experience. Most WoW players admire the ability to do things for yourself, so the more self-sufficient you become, the more likely you are to find friends who will work with you as a team. If you start out by begging, you're more likely to find yourself getting ignored a lot.
That said, there are some generalizations as well, which will be addressed under "server type".
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER TYPE:
----------------------------------------------------
There are four types of servers: PVE (Normal), PVP, RP (Roleplaying Normal), and RP-PVP.
----------------------------------------------------
PVE: PVE stands for "Player vs. Environment". On a PvE server, you don't enter into combat with other players unless you choose to do so, by an action known as "flagging". Normally, a player on a PVE server has their PVP flag turned off, meaning that you can't attack other players, but you also can't be unexpectedly attacked by another player. You can only flag for PVP against members of the opposite faction (which is true on all servers, not just PVE). You can go your entire gaming career in WoW on a PVE server without ever engaging another player in combat. You can also be flagged for PVP by attacking an NPC (non-player character) of an opposing faction. You are also automatically flagged for PVP if you enter one of the opposite faction's four major racial cities (Stormwind, Ironforge, Darnassus, and Exodar for the Alliance; Orgrimmar, Undercity, Thunder Bluff, and Silvermoon City for the Horde).
There are opportunities for occasional PVP if you want them. You can engage in Battlegrounds or Arenas, which are small and large combat against a group of the opposite faction. Every server belongs to a Battlegroup, a collection of servers, so you will find as you enter the Battlegrounds that you will see people from other servers. There are some PVP quests as you level up, which you can do or not do as you wish. There are rewards for PVP, but not everyone enjoys the PVP experience.
Many people recommend choosing a PVE server if it's your first time playing an multiplayer roleplaying game. For many, it's a more relaxing experience, as you don't have to watch over your shoulder every minute to see if you're going to get attacked by another player. It's the most popular server type of the four. On a PVE server, you can make both Alliance and Horde characters on a single account, so you can try and play on both sides. PVE servers tend to be a little more open and friendly than PVP servers.
PVE servers tend to have a higher number of Alliance than Horde. Most of the time, however, this doesn't matter to everyday play.
If you make a character on a PVE server and decide to change servers, you are limited to switching to another PVE server or a regular RP server. You cannot transfer characters from a PVE realm to a PVP one.
Advantages: Easier to get quests done than on a PVP server. Reasonably tolerant of new players. Probably the most laid-back of the four environments.
Disadvantages: Some find the lack of constant PVP dull.
----------------------------------------------------
PVP: PVP stands for Player vs. Player. On a PVP server, you are automatically flagged for PVP combat in all zones except a few of the lowest level zones, the four major cities of your own faction, and inside instances. You can level to your late teens and early 20s by staying in "green zones", without ever having to flag for PVP.
Many people enjoy PVP servers for the added excitement of having to deal with hostile players as well as monsters. PVP servers also have to put up with a lot of "ganking", which usually refers to higher-level characters killing lower-level characters for fun, an experience many of the gank-ees find extremely frustrating. PVP players usually have low regard for PVE players("carebears").
PVP servers also tend to have a higher ratio of "griefers", people who seem to live to make other people's lives miserable. Since there are more opportunities to do this on a PVP server than on a PVE one, they tend to congregate here in higher numbers. Since the Blizzard game masters assume that players have more ability to handle problems on their own, they don't tend to intervene when these kinds of problems occur.
PVP players also tend to be far more critical of players who are not self-sufficient. While there are pockets of friendly, helpful people on PVP servers, many people complain of PVP servers being less open to new players. Think of a PVP server as the worst of the Wild West frontier, with a "sink or swim" attitude.
On a PVP server, you can only have characters on your account who belong to either the Alliance or the Horde, but not both. If you want to try the life of the other faction on a PVP server, you will either need to get a second account or make characters on a different PVP server.
If you decide to change servers, you can choose any of the four types of servers. However, if you switch from PVP to PVE, you can't transfer back to PVP later. Once you're on a PVE realm, you're limited to PVE or regular RP.
Population can be a key factor to whether it's a good PVP server or not. If there is an extreme imbalance between the two factions, or if the population is either very low or very high, there can be problems. There tend to be more Horde than Alliance on pure PVP servers.
Advantages: Tend to be more lively. Many people think they're more exciting than PVE. Gives you some way to retaliate against the opposite faction directly.
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to complete quests in highly contested areas. Ganking. Not for everyone. If you like questing in peace, this may not be a good choice for you. Some areas nearly require grouping for simple survival.
----------------------------------------------------
RP (Roleplaying Normal): RP servers are roleplaying servers. They use the PVE ruleset, and therefore are little different from PVE servers in mechanics. It differs primarily in culture. There are also some specific rules about using chat channels, as well as more strict guidelines for naming your characters. You can see the rule set differences here:
http://us.blizzard.com/support/artic...rticleId=20458
Culturally, you will find a larger number of people on RP servers who want to be actively social. RP generally means pretending that the real world doesn't exist and that you actually are your character and live in Azeroth, but you will find people sticking to this to varying degrees. Many people only RP very lightly or not at all, and there are others who are very hardcore RPers, sometimes referred to as purists or the "RP police". Different guilds have different advertised RP levels, from none to heavy, where you are expected to RP pretty much 100% of the time.
Even if you are not an RPer, you will find that people on RP servers are much less tolerant of leetspeak and bad spelling. Typing something like "r u going 2 goldshire" is likely to earn a lot of derision in public channels. Using proper spelling and grammar helps a great deal on RP servers.
Since RP servers have the same ruleset as PVE servers, you can create characters on the same account from both factions. You are also limited to server transfers only to PVE or other normal RP servers.
Advantages: Tend to be more social and outgoing. Many consider RP servers the friendliest type of the four. Public chat relatively free of leetspeak and references to the real world, especially once you've left the 1-20 new player areas.
Disadvantages: Can be somewhat elitist. Some of the "RP police" a bit tiresome to deal with.
----------------------------------------------------
RP-PVP: RP-PVP servers are roleplaying servers with the PVP ruleset. Nearly everything about both RP and PVP servers apply here, although the culture of these servers is a mix of the two types. RP-PVP servers tend to be friendlier than normal PVP servers, and a little less rigid than normal RP servers about roleplaying. With only a couple of exceptions, most RP-PVP servers enjoy a near-balance between Alliance and Horde. There are a couple of exceptions; Twisting Nether and Ravenholdt have many more Horde than Alliance, and Emerald Dream has slightly more Alliance than Horde.
RP-PVP servers also tend to have high populations, partly because there are only 6 US realms (out of 223) and 15 (out of 233) EU realms.
Advantages: Same advantages of both PVP and RP realms.
Disadvantages: Same disadvantages of both PVP and RP realms.
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER POPULATION
----------------------------------------------------
According to a major realm census site, the average server population for US servers is around 18,000, for EU servers around 13,000. There are US servers ranging in population from just over 5,000 to over 35,000. EU servers tend to have more balanced server populations.
Ideally, you should choose a server that's right around average -- anywhere in the 12,000 to 18,000 range is good. The population will be stable and active, the economy not as likely to be wildly high or wildly low.
A low population server often means the server isn't doing well, and people are leaving. It usually indicates a server in decline. The economy may be poor, with items you need to sell to get money not selling for much because there simply aren't people buying them.
Very high population servers -- in the US, probably over 25,000 -- can have their own problems. It's common for high population servers to have wildly inflated economies, which can be good for getting money when you are young and poor, but other things in the auction house are equally overpriced. Servers with populations over 30,000 can often have queues, meaning you may have to wait anywhere from five to thirty minutes just to log into the server.
Google "warcraft census" to find popular census sites that will point you in the right direction. While not 100% accurate, they will give you a good idea of the server's general population numbers.
----------------------------------------------------
SERVER TIME ZONES
----------------------------------------------------
US servers are in EST, CST, MST, PST, and Oceanic time zones. If you're planning to group a lot, picking a server in your own time zone will make it easier to find groups and guilds at prime gaming times. If you're living in PST, you may find that being on an EST server will make it hard to schedule raiding activities, especially when they're starting raids at 7 or 8 PM EST, which means you'd have to be ready to start at 4 or 5 PM. This may work on weekends, but not so well on weekdays.
However, if you're primarily interested in soloing, you may pick an off-time-zone server for that very reason. I live in EST and have an alt on a PST RP-PVP server and play there in the early mornings sometimes. It's quiet and I am more likely to be able to play without being ganked all the time (not that it never happens, but it's safer than playing later in the day).
All European servers are in CET (Central European Time).
Here is a list to date of US servers and their time zones:
All European realms are in the CET (Central European Time).
US REALM TIME ZONES:
EST (Eastern Standard Time)
- PVE (33): Area 52, Arygos, Bloodhoof, Dalaran, Drenden, Durotan, Duskwood, Eldre'Thalas, Elune, Eonar, Exodar, Fenris, Gilneas, Kargath, Khadgar, Llane, Lothar, Medivh, Nazgrel, Norgannon, Ravencrest, Shandris, Shu'halo, Stormrage, Tanaris, Terokkar, Thrall, Trollbane, Turalyon, Uldaman, Undermine, Ysera, Zul'jin
- PVP (34): Altar of Storms, Alterac Mountains, Andorhal, Anetheron, Anub'arak, Arthas, Auchindoun, Azshara, Black Dragonflight, Bleeding Hollow, Burning Blade, Dalvengyr, Demon Soul, Dentarg, Eredar, Executus, Firetree, Gorefiend, Haomarush, Jaedenar, Lightning's Blade, Magtheridon, Malorne, Mannoroth, Scilla, Shadowmoon, Shattered Hand, Skullcrusher, Smolderthorn, The Forgotten Coast, Tortheldrin, Warsong, Ysondre, Zuluhed
- RP (3): Argent Dawn, Earthen Ring, Steamwheedle Cartel
- RP-PVP (1): Ravenholdt
CST (Central Standard Time)
- PVE (26): Aggramar, Alexstrasza, Alleria, Blackhand, Draka, Eitrigg, Garona, Greymane, Hellscream, Hydraxis, Kael'Thas, Khaz Modan, Kul Tiras, Madoran, Malfurion, Malygos, Mok'Nathal, Muradin, Quel'dorei, Rexxar, Runetotem, Sen'jin, Staghelm, Thunderhorn, Vek'nilash, Whisperwind
- PvP (26): Aegwynn, Agamaggan, Akama, Archimonde, Azgalor, Balnazzar, Blood Furnace, Burning Legion, Cho'gall, Chromaggus, Detheroc, Drak'thul, Frostmane, Garithos, Gul'dan, Hakkar, Illidan, Korgath, Laughing Skull, Mal'Ganis, Mug'thol, Sargeras, Stormreaver, The Underbog, Thunderlord, Wildhammer
- RP (6): Farstriders, Kirin Tor, Moon Guard, Scarlet Crusade, Sisters of Elune, Thorium Brotherhood
- RP-PVP (4): Emerald Dream, Lightninghoof, Maelstrom, Twisting Nether
MST (Mountain Standard Time)
- PVE (6): Azjol-Nerub, Doomhammer, Icecrown, Perenolde, Terenas, Zangarmarsh
- PVP (5): Bloodscalp, Darkspear, Deathwing, Kel'Thuzad, Nathrezim
- RP (1) Shadow Council
PST (Pacific Standard Time)
- PVE (30): Aerie Peak, Antonidas, Anvilmar, Arathor, Azuremyst, Baelgun, Bladefist, Blade's Edge, Bronzebeard, Cenarius, Draenor, Dragonblight, Echo Isles, Gnomeregan, Hyjal, Kilrogg, Korialstrasz, Lightbringer, Misha, Moonrunner, Nordrassil, Proudmoore, Shadowsong, Silvermoon, Skywall, Suramar, Uldum, Uther, Velen, Windrunner
- PVP (32): Blackrock, Blackwing Lair, Bonechewer, Boulderfist, Coilfang, Crushridge, Daggerspine, Dark Iron, Darrowmere, Destromath, Dethecus, Dragonmaw, Dunemaul, Frostwolf, Gorgonnash, Gurubashi, Kalecgos, Kil'Jaeden, Lethon, Maiev, Nazjatar, Ner'zhul, Onyxia, Rivendare, Shattered Halls, Spinebreaker, Spirestone, Stonemaul, Stormscale, Tichondrius, Ursin, Vashj
- RP (6): Blackwater Raiders, Cenarion Circle, Feathermoon, Sentinels, Silver Hand, The Scryers
- RP-PVP (1): The Venture Co.
Oceanic (South Pacific)
- PVE (5): Aman'thul, Caelestrasz, Dath'Remar, Khaz'goroth, Nagrand
- PVP (4): Barthilas, Frostmourne, Jubei'Thos, Thaurissan|||EXCELLENT summary. The only thing I'd alter is to bring out the fact that you can't transfer from PvE to PvP servers. Perhaps a mention of server transfers in the general section? Something along the lines of 'don't obsess over finding the perfect server... you can transfer from one server to another if you want to... " then a quick mention of the limitations.|||It gets a sticky.|||Ren, that is awesome! Very comprehensive piece of work. Thanks.|||Addition: Ghostlands, CST, PvE server
Is there a statute of limitations on being able to edit a post?
...Ren|||Quote:
Addition: Ghostlands, CST, PvE server
Is there a statute of limitations on being able to edit a post?
...Ren
I believe it's one hour.|||It's quite useful for the beginners,thx|||Quote:
( about pvp servers )
Disadvantages: Can be difficult to complete quests in highly contested areas. Ganking. Not for everyone. If you like questing in peace, this may not be a good choice for you. Some areas nearly require grouping for simple survival.
i think this is realy too drastic ^^ while it may be true in some extreme cases like outdoor events or when the new isle was opened, most of the time you dont get too much troubles.|||I personally think that you should also take into account the age of the realm. Someone would take more advantage with entering a recent realm, with one year or one year and a half than to enter a realm that has been around for 3 or more years. It's easier to find a Guild and proceed onto high-end content, as the guilds are not all full yet. Can't forget that the older realms have the advantage of being more stable, relatively to the economy, PvP, etc...|||Should add in that PvE to PvP paid character transfers are now possile.
Which game and expansions do I need: Read this first
[:1]So, after repeating myself for the umpteenth time here's the skinny:
Your region
It doesn't matter where you are in the world.
You can play on US servers from the EU. You can play on Korean servers from Australia and you can play on EU servers from China (though China is always a bit... "if they don't block ya"). The only reason not to is lag. As in, the further you are from your server (realm actually, one realm = multiple servers presented to you as one) the worse your gameplay will be.
What determines your server-location? Where you create your account:
US = www.worldofwarcraft.com
EU = www.wow-europe.com
KR = ??
Oceanic = ??
China = ?? (but you get the idea)
There is a different game client to go with each of these regions, but that can be downloaded from the above World of Warcraft Account Management page.
What to install
Always, no matter what you buy or don't buy, if you're going to be playing wow the right way (that is, no private servers, we don't likes them here) you need to be using the latest greatest version of wow (3.3.5 as of writing) (currently 4.0.3 ~ Gorny).
The game client itself is actually completely free to distribute to as many friends as you like on as many pc's as you can get away with. That includes downloading from a (reputable) website and lending the disks to and from anyone who'll have them. The level of content you can experience is then dictated by your account (see below).
Even the installed game client is pretty free to distribute as is. Your password is not kept anywhere, only your account name (which, granted, still is somewhat of a security risk) and your addons and their data.
In fact, if you're migrating to a new pc you can simply copy over your wow installation folder and be good to go.
Expansions and whatnot
There are several levels of accounts:
- Trial
- Vanilla
- Burning Crusade
- Wrath of the Lich King
Trial:
- You can make a Human/Dwarf/Night Elf/Gnome or Orc/Troll/Tauren/Forsaken (=Undead)
- You can level up to L20, have xx amount of gold, bla bla
- All kinds of restrictions to prevent griefers from annoying other players
Vanilla (aka Classic):
- Same as trial without the restrictions
- Level up to L60
Burning Crusade (aka BC or TBC):
- Level up to L70
- Make a Draenei or Blood Elf
- Go to Outland. The Dark Portal lets you in from L58, but you can portal in sooner with the help of a Mage. You won't get any quests until reaching L58 though.
Wrath of the Lich King (aka WotLK or Lich King):
- Level up to L80
- Once you have at least ONE character L55 or higher you can make Death Knights (they start at L55 and are awesomesauce). On any server you want.
- Go to Northrend. You can freely go there any level you want, but you won't get quests there until L68.
Upgrading is done by purchasing a box:
- Trial -> Vanilla = buying the World of Warcraft box
- Vanilla -> Burning Crusade = buying the Burning Crusade box
- Burning Crusade -> Wrath of the Lich King = Buying the Wrath of the Lich King
and there is no skipping possible.
You can get a good deal by buying the WoW Battlechest which is Vanilla + BC for a nice price.
When purchasing a box you are in effect getting two separate items:
1. A CD and/or DVD with the game client on
2. A one-time use authentication code to upgrade your account with (do not confuse with "Blizzard Authenticators", an altogether different beast).
The CD/DVD is of course a bit unnecessary as you can download the whole thing. The authentication key is the most valuable part until it's been used. After that it's only use is that a GM might request it to verify your identity (so don't throw it away).
So, that's it, sticky??|||Maybe mention that Jewlcrafting is only available to accounts which have Burning Crusade whereas Inscription is available to all.
To future proof this post perhaps mention that the "cataclysm" will occur and affect all accounts. That AFAIK flying in Azeroth will be available to all flying eligible accounts, but without cataclysm you won't have access to the new races and new 80-85 areas of Azeroth.|||Oceanic plays on the US realms Win :)|||Quote:
Oceanic plays on the US realms Win :)
I was too lazy to do the actual research on the realms thing since I was merely trying to convey the principle of it. But thanks. Now the newbie oceanic players won't be desperately looking for a separate wow-site .
Another useful addition would be to illustrate that it is entirely possible to space out your purchases like this:
- Start a vanilla char (say Human Warrior) in a trial account
- Level to L20 or play to the end of the trial period (whichever comes first)
- Buy vanilla
- level to L60
- Buy TBC
- Level to L70
- Buy WotLK
- Level to L80
- and so forth for following expansions|||Looking good, i stickied it for now :)|||It could also be noted that although you don't need to buy a CD to instal the game, it is alot faster to use the CD as opposed to the online download. Also, in order to play WoW you will need to make a battle.net account (either US or EU, doesn't matter which as long as you know which it is) and merge your WoW account to it.|||does it matter cant you play them all|||I wasn't aware you could play on US servers from EU? I take it you would have to download the US client?|||Quote:
I wasn't aware you could play on US servers from EU? I take it you would have to download the US client?
You can play on any region's servers from anywhere in the world as long as you have the appropriate client and account. If I had a EU account, and the EU client, I could play on the EU servers from the US. I doubt I'd get a very good experience though: Lag would be incredible given the distance between me and the servers and the time difference would probably make it difficult to get any good end game raiding, but I could play on the EU servers.|||I found this helpful, and I'm sorry if I over read what I am about to ask in the help guide above, But here is my question
I am new to WoW, I am still on the trial account, Is it possible for me just to upgrade straight to =WoTLK= without playing or buying the other expansions?
Your region
It doesn't matter where you are in the world.
You can play on US servers from the EU. You can play on Korean servers from Australia and you can play on EU servers from China (though China is always a bit... "if they don't block ya"). The only reason not to is lag. As in, the further you are from your server (realm actually, one realm = multiple servers presented to you as one) the worse your gameplay will be.
What determines your server-location? Where you create your account:
US = www.worldofwarcraft.com
EU = www.wow-europe.com
KR = ??
Oceanic = ??
China = ?? (but you get the idea)
There is a different game client to go with each of these regions, but that can be downloaded from the above World of Warcraft Account Management page.
What to install
Always, no matter what you buy or don't buy, if you're going to be playing wow the right way (that is, no private servers, we don't likes them here) you need to be using the latest greatest version of wow (3.3.5 as of writing) (currently 4.0.3 ~ Gorny).
The game client itself is actually completely free to distribute to as many friends as you like on as many pc's as you can get away with. That includes downloading from a (reputable) website and lending the disks to and from anyone who'll have them. The level of content you can experience is then dictated by your account (see below).
Even the installed game client is pretty free to distribute as is. Your password is not kept anywhere, only your account name (which, granted, still is somewhat of a security risk) and your addons and their data.
In fact, if you're migrating to a new pc you can simply copy over your wow installation folder and be good to go.
Expansions and whatnot
There are several levels of accounts:
- Trial
- Vanilla
- Burning Crusade
- Wrath of the Lich King
Trial:
- You can make a Human/Dwarf/Night Elf/Gnome or Orc/Troll/Tauren/Forsaken (=Undead)
- You can level up to L20, have xx amount of gold, bla bla
- All kinds of restrictions to prevent griefers from annoying other players
Vanilla (aka Classic):
- Same as trial without the restrictions
- Level up to L60
Burning Crusade (aka BC or TBC):
- Level up to L70
- Make a Draenei or Blood Elf
- Go to Outland. The Dark Portal lets you in from L58, but you can portal in sooner with the help of a Mage. You won't get any quests until reaching L58 though.
Wrath of the Lich King (aka WotLK or Lich King):
- Level up to L80
- Once you have at least ONE character L55 or higher you can make Death Knights (they start at L55 and are awesomesauce). On any server you want.
- Go to Northrend. You can freely go there any level you want, but you won't get quests there until L68.
Upgrading is done by purchasing a box:
- Trial -> Vanilla = buying the World of Warcraft box
- Vanilla -> Burning Crusade = buying the Burning Crusade box
- Burning Crusade -> Wrath of the Lich King = Buying the Wrath of the Lich King
and there is no skipping possible.
You can get a good deal by buying the WoW Battlechest which is Vanilla + BC for a nice price.
When purchasing a box you are in effect getting two separate items:
1. A CD and/or DVD with the game client on
2. A one-time use authentication code to upgrade your account with (do not confuse with "Blizzard Authenticators", an altogether different beast).
The CD/DVD is of course a bit unnecessary as you can download the whole thing. The authentication key is the most valuable part until it's been used. After that it's only use is that a GM might request it to verify your identity (so don't throw it away).
So, that's it, sticky??|||Maybe mention that Jewlcrafting is only available to accounts which have Burning Crusade whereas Inscription is available to all.
To future proof this post perhaps mention that the "cataclysm" will occur and affect all accounts. That AFAIK flying in Azeroth will be available to all flying eligible accounts, but without cataclysm you won't have access to the new races and new 80-85 areas of Azeroth.|||Oceanic plays on the US realms Win :)|||Quote:
Oceanic plays on the US realms Win :)
I was too lazy to do the actual research on the realms thing since I was merely trying to convey the principle of it. But thanks. Now the newbie oceanic players won't be desperately looking for a separate wow-site .
Another useful addition would be to illustrate that it is entirely possible to space out your purchases like this:
- Start a vanilla char (say Human Warrior) in a trial account
- Level to L20 or play to the end of the trial period (whichever comes first)
- Buy vanilla
- level to L60
- Buy TBC
- Level to L70
- Buy WotLK
- Level to L80
- and so forth for following expansions|||Looking good, i stickied it for now :)|||It could also be noted that although you don't need to buy a CD to instal the game, it is alot faster to use the CD as opposed to the online download. Also, in order to play WoW you will need to make a battle.net account (either US or EU, doesn't matter which as long as you know which it is) and merge your WoW account to it.|||does it matter cant you play them all|||I wasn't aware you could play on US servers from EU? I take it you would have to download the US client?|||Quote:
I wasn't aware you could play on US servers from EU? I take it you would have to download the US client?
You can play on any region's servers from anywhere in the world as long as you have the appropriate client and account. If I had a EU account, and the EU client, I could play on the EU servers from the US. I doubt I'd get a very good experience though: Lag would be incredible given the distance between me and the servers and the time difference would probably make it difficult to get any good end game raiding, but I could play on the EU servers.|||I found this helpful, and I'm sorry if I over read what I am about to ask in the help guide above, But here is my question
I am new to WoW, I am still on the trial account, Is it possible for me just to upgrade straight to =WoTLK= without playing or buying the other expansions?
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