Breakfast Topic: What is your city of choice?
by Andrew Ross 
Sep 17th 2010 at 8:00AM
Whether you're Alliance or Horde, you have a variety of choices when it comes to your favorite city. Maybe you like Silvermoon because it's quiet and the only people there aside from you are the Alliance who are going after Lor'themar Theron for their black war bears. If you're Alliance, you might prefer Stormwind because there is a mailbox literally right outside the auction house.
As someone who primarily plays Alliance, I prefer Ironforge. I love the dwarves and the lore behind them. The city of Ironforge is housed in a mountain. Whoever had the idea to put a city inside of a mountain deserves a keg of ale. There is only one way in and out of the city, which is good for the defenders, bad for the attackers. It's also impossible to get lost in Ironforge. It's a giant circle with one floor of buildings. Unlike Darnassus, you can easily move between the auction house and the bank.
Of course, Ironforge does have its flaws. While the layout is simple, that is also a major drawback. The architecture of the buildings was awesome in 2004, but in 2010, it's rather bland. Everything looks the same, which can cause some confusion when looking for a certain vendor or trainer.
What goes into choosing your favorite city? Do you prefer Dalaran for the portal room? What does your favorite city lack that others have?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
collinsm81 Sep 17th 2010 8:06AM
Orgrimmar also has a mailbox "literally right outside" it's Auction House.
As a member of the Horde, I prefer Undercity to Orgrimmar. Like Ironforge, it's a huge circle so it's hard to get lost. Unlike Stormwind and Orgrimmar there aren't as many people, but it's not dead like Silvermoon.
Architecture-wise, I like Silvermoon. Gorgeous City.
Anathemys Sep 17th 2010 8:24AM
I agree with Undercity. My first character was an undead 'lock, back when leveling actually took more than two weeks (no complaints, though!), so I know the place real well. On my Alliance, I stick with Stormwind.
Undercity would probably also be my favorite architecture, with Ogrimmar as a very distant second.
Kurtis Sep 17th 2010 8:27AM
Once you figure out how to get in, that is...
All of my Horde toons are Tauren. I find it difficult to get around the UC just because I'm "too big" and regularly have to dismount to get through doorways or avoid hitting ledges. And those ramps in the middle (bank) are just annoying because you have to inch around the corner on a narrow ledge. I'm not afraid of heights (I mean, look at Thunder Bluff!) as long as there's something solid beneath my feet.
oconn Sep 17th 2010 8:40AM
Hard to get lost in undercity? i havent got any horde toons so granted the only times ive been there is from the sewers but i cant think of a more maze type city. im sure i had to take about 30 turns before i got anywhere and im sure the only place i got was back where i was about 5 mins ago. dying when trying for the warbear there normally means i spend 20 mins trying to find my body.
i hate that place :(
Thanatovsky Sep 17th 2010 8:43AM
The most underrated thing about Undercity is that you NEVER need to dismount. Auction houses, banks, vendors, quest givers, trainers, etc., are all in mountable zones. It makes everything go so much faster.
Amaxe Sep 17th 2010 9:47AM
When I tried to roll Horde, the most frustrating thing about UC was how hard it was for me to find anything.
Arcticwolf Sep 17th 2010 10:05AM
When I first encountered UC I was the same - getting lost at every turn, unable to find my way out when I was finally finished... it was hell in green slime. But I got used to it. Plus, there's this handy thing called a map. I've got it bound to the 'M' key for quick reference.
My favourite city is Shattrath. Still got the portals, you can still fly there, and there is less people there than Silvermoon or Exodar.
Feldring Sep 17th 2010 10:05AM
"[...]but it's not dead like Silvermoon." If Undercity doesn't look dead to you, then I think you took a wrong turn at Albuerqueue! ;-)
The UC is where I spend most of my time as Horde. I recall that it seemed confusing as a new player, but it's hard for me to recover that sense; the layout feels so orderly and convenient to me now, even more so than Ironforge. The atmosphere is cool, calm and quiet, and I greatly appreciate that. It has a unique feel that gets to feel, dare I say, downright homey after awhile.
That being said, Thunder Bluff is hard to beat for pure, sunlit serenity. The sunrises and sunsets there are spectacular and you can almost feel the breeze in your hair. Things are generally convenient (although it's still easy to get lost to me) without it being overcrowded.
Alliance-wise, we need new digs, although I still have a fondness for Ironforge. Nostalgia and all that, mostly, but I wish someone would open a window or something. It gets stuffy in there! Wouldn't some shafts of light coming down from the vaulted ceiling be fantastic?
Raydex Sep 17th 2010 10:12AM
I adore Shattarath. Flying, portals, close proximity to places I have to go grind mounts...
Fa110u7 Sep 17th 2010 10:27AM
Ugh I HATE UC, ya its also a big circle but unless your having a race around the canals you have to navigate through all the awkward stairs and corridors.
For the Horde my favorite City is definitely The open, airy feeling Tauren city of Thunder Bluff. Once flying becomes possible in live I could see it become a big fav also. If I need to do any auction or bank stuff I usually just go to Org.
For Alliance Ironforge is defiantly my fav its extremely easy to navigate, for some reason being able to run in a straight line from the AH to the mail/bank really appeals to me.
collinsm81 Sep 17th 2010 10:55AM
I think you'll find the Echo Isles will be the new Orgrimmar. And maybe even the Goblin City.
Alliance-side: Stormwind is the most confusing city ever designed. I get lost there so much on my Alts. And ugly? Seriously. Human architecture is so ugly.
I think Exodar is the most gorgeous Alliance-side city. And underrated.
Aloix Sep 17th 2010 11:09AM
Agree on UC > Org.
I just like it better aesthetically, plus it's a bit quieter. Now that they've added more mailboxes, most of my AH toons have moved from SMC to there as it seems more efficient. SMC is lovely though.
All my non bank/AH/storage toons live in Dal usually.
(cutaia) Sep 17th 2010 11:14AM
"I think you'll find the Echo Isles will be the new Orgrimmar. And maybe even the Goblin City."
We're gonna need a chalkboard for this one...
Scilk Sep 17th 2010 11:25AM
Also loving Undercity. The green goo is a bit odd (more so in that the sewers that go *up*) and the extensive use of skulls in its architecture is overly cliché, but my god the layout is perfect.
The two tiered inner circle makes it easy to keep things close together but clear where the exits are for the various areas are.
The clever "colour coding" of the quarters (as well as quartering the outer circle in itself) makes it very easy to locate yourself and know which way to go.
The repeating layout conventions of where class trainers, skill trainers, vendors, AH, bank and "exits" makes finding these things intuitive and transposable between classes/goals when running on alts.
And of cause the fact that you will *always* get to where you're going even if you head in the wrong direction due to it being one big circle (with the added ability to save time by cutting through the middle "AH circle") means that a simple error wont cause you to have to backtrack for another 3 mins because you misremembered where something was.
It also has a convenient inset courtyard for holiday events (and a GIANT pumpkin for Halloween) and a decent distance between "side entrance" and "boss" when alliance are raiding on it so you have time to launch a counter attack! (I also love how alliance somehow always manage to get lost in UC, gawd knows how though).
To say the least, I love that city, and I cant wait to see the ruins above it fully made and explorable!
clundgren Sep 17th 2010 11:44AM
"I think you'll find the Echo Isles will be the new Orgrimmar..."
...and he's pretty good at predicting these things.
Andy Sep 17th 2010 12:31PM
Stormwind for my Vendor Harlot, probably my mage to. All the rest, probably still Dalaran.
trefpoid Sep 17th 2010 12:40PM
UC all the way. At first I would get lost and it was frustrating, but then I realised that this city is made perfectly. Vendors, AH, mailboxes, class trainers.. it's all very close and reachable. I also love how it's quiet and not crowded.. all my 10 toons live there and always will. It's the perfect city. I love Thunderbluff too, just because it's damn beautiful. My main is a mage, so I just take a portal there sometimes and relax.. it's just complete peace. Silvermoon must be my favourite in architecture. It's just gorgeous and it's right next to UC with that handy portal. Very nice, all my alts have leveled through Tranquillien and luv Silvermoon. Specially my tauren druid, who can't seem to find a class trainer anywhere besides Silvermoon and Thunderbluff (yeah). I can't wait for Cata and see our cities revamped. I just hope UC doesn't get crowded :(
Moonfaxx Sep 17th 2010 1:57PM
If you're a mage or have some form of reduced hearthstone CD, then there's no question for Alliance players -- the Exodar.
It is the most visually stunning, has trainers for most everything, has a great location for most everything if you can take the few minutes needed to learn your way around, is on the less faulty BC servers... and best of all, there is hardly anyone ever there. I have yet to see a train or piccolo at work in the Exodar AH.
Hih Sep 17th 2010 2:02PM
@Thantavosky: Not if you're a Tauren!
Shock Sep 17th 2010 2:03PM
UC is by far my favorite city. It does take some time getting used to where you're going. Once you do, you realize how compact everything is. It's not spread out like Org, SMC, or SW. IF rivals UC as my favorite but being horde since vanilla, I have to be a homer haha. Not to mention, outside of my paladin, I've always been undead. My first toon (mage) was undead. My lock (undead). Now my pally (belf =/) The only snag is the tightness to move around the bank in the center - when you're going up. Regardless, UC is amazing.