Breaking all the walls down
by Mike Schramm 
Sep 12th 2008 at 12:30PM
Blizzard really shocked us all yesterday with the PvE to PvP transfers -- we'd been told multiple times before that it just wasn't a possibility (and Blizzard even got in trouble for doing it for some of their friends). So a lot of players are wondering: just what other current taboos will Blizzard give up in the future, for either gameplay or marketing reasons? Cross region transfers is one idea that's come up on the forums, and Blizzard has (not surprisingly) turned it down, claiming that with the current architecture, it's not possible. Bringing one forum poster to respond that "we can expect to see it in about a year."Switching genders and factions of characters is another feature that Blizzard said will never be implemented, but of course after yesterday's news, who knows -- the last big feature that Blizzard has yet to add to the game is a brand new faction (the two expansions so far have given us new races and a new class), so if they do introduce a new faction, maybe they will allow us to fundamentally change our characters somehow. And the last bastion of change, the thing that Blizzard has implied that they'd never ever do, is allowing cross-faction communication or even grouping.
Which brings us back to some concerns from players yesterday -- the PvE-PvP gap was one of the things that made World of Warcraft stand out as a game, and by removing it, Blizzard has made their game less individual, and more homogeneous with everything else on the market. It seems unthinkable now that they'd ever allow Horde and Alliance to chat with each other or group together -- that war is what makes this Warcraft. But after yesterday, who knows what other walls Blizzard will be willing to remove to "provide players with more mobility and freedom to play with their friends"?
Filed under: Patches, Analysis / Opinion, Blizzard, PvP, Expansions, Classes, Death Knight
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
JPN Sep 12th 2008 12:43PM
It's one thing to change your POLICIES, it's another thing to change something that would require recoding the whole game.
Cup of Squirrels Sep 12th 2008 12:44PM
"Which brings us back to some concerns from players yesterday -- the PvE-PvP gap was one of the things that made World of Warcraft stand out as a game, and by removing it, Blizzard has made their game less individual, and more homogeneous with everything else on the market."
I agree with what a lot of Mike has to say here, but I completely disagree with this extract. This PvE to PvP transfer isn't going to change anything except people aren't going to shit themselves over pondering going to a PvE server, never looking back.
PvP will still be PvP, PvE will still be PvE. People aren't idiots and they know the difference.
It's just transfers.
Droodicus Sep 12th 2008 12:48PM
This.
Mike Schramm Sep 12th 2008 1:03PM
My point was that the PvE to PvP thing, however you feel about it, was one of the rules that's been in the game since the beginning. Until yesterday, it was just basic knowledge when you rolled in WoW that you had to choose a PvE or PvP realm. Now, it's not. And that makes this game less "WoW" than it used to be.
You're right, they're just transfers -- I'm not actually opposed to the change, and I think it'll help a lot of people play the way they want to, which I'm usually in favor of. But I think Blizzard has subtracted something from the game which was specific to "WoW", whether it was a good or bad thing.
oldwisemonk Sep 12th 2008 1:11PM
I agree that it was something you wanted to think about before deciding PVE or PVP. But there was a time you had to consider that you'd never have a mount if you wanted to be a Tauren. There was a time when we had to consider alliance or horde based on if we wanted to play a paladin or a shaman. Sometimes, things can change that were very much a part of WoW for us old-timers. Usually, they are okay in the end.
Harmun Sep 12th 2008 1:27PM
Like many changes, this one benefits some players and annoys others. PvP players feel like they could have saved themselves the trouble of leveling in an environment where ganking is possible if this rule had been in place when they started, and PvE players have to type out long angry posts decrying the PvP whiners. It's a lose lose situation.
darian Sep 12th 2008 1:38PM
They can take our transfers, but they can never take our SPACE GOATS!
If the PvE->PvP transfer thing was something that set WoW apart in the market, the market has bigger issues. The fact that Blizzard makes these kinds of changes is, in and of itself, different from other MMOs. This is almost akin to complaining that Blizzard fixed a bug that wasn't in other MMOs, it's to incidental (minus the occasional flame wars) as to be irrelevant.
Cup of Squirrels Sep 12th 2008 1:54PM
I see your point. I'm not a big MMO player so I don't know the different inclusions of world pvp in different games.
But I think there is so much more to world of warcraft's identity than it's PvE and PvP server gulf. And after all, you can jump from PvP to PvE, why is it that different to add the jump from PvE to PvP.
And, ultimately, the game has gone through so many changes since its start years ago. It seems amazing the things that we 'take for granted' in WoW today didn't exist when it started.
It just seems like such a mundane thing to claim is taking away from WoW's identity compared to what else is changing. I mean, an entirely new class? Removal of Naxx? No more ZA bears?
Just seems like nitpicking to me. Sorry ;p
Dawkins Sep 12th 2008 2:45PM
@ Mike Schramm
I don't know what you're talking about with that reply, because realm transfers weren't even allowed "in the beginning."
Feinel Sep 12th 2008 12:47PM
I wonder when people recognize the difference between - Not going to happen and We currently have no plans on doing that...
epsilon343 Sep 12th 2008 12:51PM
Um...chicken little?
This whole post seems to be a complete overreaction to something that I don't really see as a big issue. None of the fundamentals of the game have been changed and it's very far removed from the drastic and game changing things that you've listed off.
Had this been implemented a year ago I most certainly would've been ecstatic. When I came back I had a great tank on a PVE realm but my friends rolled on a PVP realm which forced me to start a new character. In the end it wasn't that bad and looking back at the experience, I can't say the leveling experience wasn't much different than that of a PVE realm.
Rob G Sep 12th 2008 12:51PM
I'm surprised to see what equates to whining as a blog post. I don't think this sets any sort of precedent for being able to talk cross-faction (and don't forget, we do have server forums), I think this just means that lots of PvE players are going to go to PvP realms and be very afraid. I'm stuck on a PvP realm (all my toons are on it) and I hate it, personally. Letting some people change isn't such a big deal, to be quite honest.
HappyMurloc Sep 12th 2008 12:54PM
What if they close it as soon as expansion will go full steam?
Maybe they are doing it as a temporary measure to disperse population a bit, in these times when even my Murky has Arena S2 set.
And then they will say "Well, we're suspending it, because of [insert bogus reason]" and at 80 PvP will be PvP and PvE will be PvE.
Arcaria Sep 12th 2008 12:55PM
I think you're making way to big of a deal out of this and you're not even making correct comparisons.
Allowing server transfers has nothing to do with in-game mechanics. Insider needs to get better writers.
Generik Sep 12th 2008 12:56PM
If it can make them money, you better believe they're at least considering it.
Taylor Sep 12th 2008 12:57PM
Ugh, if they introduced faction switching, i'd be in heaven. I have a T4 undead tank just sitting there rotting because that group of friends quit the game.
My Human Mage gets all the play time now, but it sure would be nice to bring him over to my server as an Alli.
Dotixi Sep 12th 2008 1:09PM
There are several neutral groups (Goblins, the Consortium, etc) Blizzard should group them as a neutral FACTION, since they are all about business and gold, and then allow us to switch to this new neutral faction and become MERCs for both sides. Maybe a penalty could be that Quests only reward gold and Rep and no items (Is that really a downside though?).
The Goblins seem to favor the Horde though...
Heilig Sep 12th 2008 1:48PM
That's the best idea I've heard yet on this subject. The difference between factions is ideological, which is simply an RP thing that I really don't care about. Let us join the Steamwheedle Cartel and I can play with my horde friends without rerolling.
MechChef Sep 12th 2008 12:57PM
My main leveled on a PVP server, and I later transferred to PVE. So if I was ever inclined to switch back, I wouldn't have any moral reservations. That said, I like the change simply because if I ever get the desire to sell my account, being on a PVE will no longer limit where they it can be transferred to.
Birdfall Sep 12th 2008 12:57PM
The PVP realms had ceased to function as they were originally designed -- they used to be the only way to PVP and now people can bg or arena anywhere. I'm not surprised this has happened and I'm glad for it.
I doubt they'll ever have horde and alliance working together (alas, my poor dusty alliance alts). Such things mess with the game itself rather than a feature that has become outdated. (Yes, I think PVP realms are outdated. They only serve high-levels who want to be jerks. People who want a fair fight go to battlegrounds and arenas.)