Breakfast Topic: Cross-Server BGs
by Jennie Lees 
Feb 2nd 2006 at 8:00AM
You know how it is. You're waiting in the queue for battlegrounds but there aren't enough players online--or you keep running up against the same players, and you want some variety. Someone in my group last night had this stroke of inspiration: she asked "Why can't we play BGs against people from other servers?"
Given the instanced nature of BGs, it could be possible, although it may be more unfair thanks to world events (imagine a server that has opened the Gates of Ahn'Qiraj versus one that hasn't). Honor rankings could be per-server and/or per-continent. Of course, there are other problems with this idea, so we're opening it as a Breakfast Topic for you to mull over with your cereal and coffee.
What do you think? Would cross-server BGs work, or be disastrous?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, PvP
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Aaron Feb 2nd 2006 8:39AM
Well, they are planning on doing them, aren't they? I'm almost positive Blue has mentioned it in the past, and that "they're working on it"...
How could it be any worse than the current situation? haha...
JZ Feb 2nd 2006 9:22AM
This isn't a new idea. It has been widely rumored to be under development by Blizzard and occasionally confirmed.
Check this portion of a recent Blizzard developer chat:
Teleios: It's been mentioned a few times at blizzcon and in magazines that cross-server battlegrounds are something that Blizzard very much wants to implement if at all possible. Have cross server battlegrounds gotten any closer to being a reality?
Kalgan: Yes, I can say that cross server battlegrounds have gotten closer to being a reality. However, even assuming no other obstacles come up it'll still be a while before they're ready.
You can read the rest: http://wow.warcry.com/index.php/community/articles/chat12192005.php
As for me I think it would be nice simply for the fact that it is hard to find a game in BG when you want. Say, I want a game on a Saturday morning - it is unlikely right now on my server but maybe across the world I could find enough like-minded players to make a go. Heck, have any of you even SEEN a 30-39 instance of Arathi Basin? I haven't.
jennie Feb 2nd 2006 9:29AM
That may explain where my groupmate got the idea from ;-)
Still, I think they have their pros and cons; it would be nice to fight against other servers, but if they end up constantly out-equipping me then it might not be so pleasant.
Dustin Feb 2nd 2006 9:54AM
Jennie, what would be great is some type of matching system like they use in Warcraft 3. A simple quick scan of your character would put you in a BG with similar players, thus a more balanced experience. I think this would only be possible on cross-server BG's due to the larger population pool.
Nitriletiger Feb 2nd 2006 10:27AM
i have been thinging about this idea for weeks now, but with some differences. you could challenge your friends from other servers in a dueling arena but not in a big BG
Wreck Feb 2nd 2006 11:39AM
"A simple quick scan of your character would put you in a BG with similar players, thus a more balanced experience."
Thats not what WoW is about, what is the point in working hard to get phat gear if you can't beat up on brand new 60's.
Chubby Feb 2nd 2006 1:03PM
I can not wait till they come out with Cross Server BG's. I have a very tough raiding schedule and when I actually do have free time I dont have 30mins to 1 hour to wait for a BG to start.
I dont mind going up against better equipped Geared opposition every time. In my oppinion this just makes you a better PvPr by learnign how to overcome different scenarios.
Chubbs
Ristic Feb 2nd 2006 4:14PM
I'm thinking this might not work because of honor rankings... aren't you ranked up against other players in your server only?
jennie Feb 2nd 2006 5:33PM
As a longterm FPS player I do like skill-based systems; perhaps matching based on rank would work nicely, but it might fail if people group up into mixed teams.
lucasbfr Feb 3rd 2006 7:51AM
An other idea would be to open cross-server BG when the queue is getting too long (say 45 minutes?). Waiting 2 hours for AB is getting annoying :)
boneyard Feb 3rd 2006 8:20AM
having to wait 45 minutes before you could do it, seems way too long.
as mentioned blizzard is working on it, so eventually we are gonna see them if nothing bad happens during development. i do think it's too easy to just say it is possible just because the bg's are instanced.
i rather first see blizzard come up with a better matching system for the current battle grounds. if you get into one and see the highest ranked oponents working together you know it is gonna be a lost fight.
Silvertusk Feb 3rd 2006 11:30AM
I think there should be some sort of ranking system, similiar to Warcraft III's ranking system. Records your wins and losses, compares them to everyone else that has a rank, and will preferrably suit you up with other equally-skilled players (regardless of what gear they have).
Haryon Feb 5th 2006 11:03AM
There is a very easy solution that would help (not solve, just help) against the lack of players for BGs :
- open a server that is dedicated to Battlegrounds.
What does it mean ? in fact nothing, it's just a normal (or pvp but honestly I love BG and I hate wild pvp) where all BG wanabee will go. Bliz needs code nothing new, just advertise the server and maybe allow migration from all servers to that one based on honor grade (only those say above rank 5 can move).
You have it, a server where you are sure that BG will be filled most of the time.
Ah and please, don't give the deserter flag when the guy got crashed, and worse when someone else in the raid got crashed. And don't open a BG is there is only 3 players on those 'games end in 5 minutes' grr).
Allow us to see how many people are waiting on each bg queues and in currently running bgs - on both sides !(so that we know better how long we gonna wait, and what hope we have to join).