Recruiting - The Horde! 👺

[Tehya-wildhammer]

[Horkim-argent-dawn (Horkim)]

Excuse me cowpoke that’s my copyright and I expect royalties.

[Gworn-argent-dawn]

I like Horde. Horde is cozy.

[Kaytlinne-argent-dawn (Kaytlinne)]

I see that Syanidi deleted their post, so my ‘reply’ actually seems to be floating in a vacuum. Ah well.

@Inetzen-argent-dawn

Hmm… Yeah, please keep your negativity alliance side. We don’t appreciate that kind of attitude, to be honest.

Oh please, I can be entirely critical of Alliance side as well; SW at its low ebb and the fact that Goldshire still exists are worthy of critique a-plenty.

But I’ve had some real fun Horde side. I am genuinely sad that I’ve felt pushed to retire my Shaman due to the atmosphere I’ve encountered recently. So I don’t appreciate YOUR attitude that somehow everything is 100% hunky-dory that and I should be silent, ta.

[Hallwell-argent-dawn (Hallwell)]

What attitude though? He/She shared their thoughts on Horde without being toxic or anything like that. Can people stop being offended by every single thing? You are the one with negative attitude here

[Brigante-argent-dawn (Brigante)]

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Alliance may massively outnumber Horde on AD but it seems in the grand scheme of things Horde outnumber the Alliance - why else does the Alliance have a 30% buff to War Mode (the only canonical mode and thus the only one to matter) whereas the Horde only has a 10% boost?

Because it is a bonus applied on a Regional basis, not a realm basis, or separated from the ‘Normal’ realms basis, as such AD will be effected the same way as the rest of the EU realms, even if the population with War Mode on split is different from the ‘Normal’ realms. Is how I understood it anyway.

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Honestly I would roleplay more on Horde, but I find there far too many unpleasant sorts leering around, not to mention cultish, bubble-like mentalities being very prevalent. Too much of an “Us vs Them” competitive mindset to make long term roleplay there viable imo.

I don’t think that is a problem only on Horde side ( I mean, The Alliance side fracturing into arguing blocs with bubbles and OOC recrimination is pretty much a staple for any RPpvp campaign and was on the bingo card someone produced I believe), nor that it is necessarily true. I -do- play both Factions, despite always posting on Brigante. I do that as I like to be transparent as to ‘who’ is saying what, if I have an opinion I will state it openly and own it. As such, I do see both sides, and what you describe is not a Horde Phenomena but an RP one, it can be found on both sides, however, due to the numbers imbalance, it can be found much more on Alliance side.

That’s not saying anything bad about the Alliance playerbase, that is just saying that when you amplify the numbers, you get more of the good and bad, the problem comes when the bad becomes the norm. Ironically it is easier as an unguilded Non-Orc to find RP Hordeside, than it is as an unguilded Non-Human in the supposedly egalitarian Alliance. I am not sure why that is, but I have a theory that might or might not be wrong;

In the Horde, the races get their chance at power, with varying ones being in their ascendance or not, for a time it was Orcs, then Trolls, now Forsaken. As interesting as Sylvanas as Warchief is, I doubt she will last, who is next? Baine? Lor’themar? shudders Gallywix? It makes for an interesting dynamic to play out, as much as it is annoying that the Horde seems to have a ‘musical chairs’ policy towards leadership.

With the Alliance however it is all about “The Humans plus friends show!” as such there is a massive disconnect when it comes to RP. I have noticed it is vastly easier to find random RP on my two human characters, than on my Gnome (Who is not a zany whackeroo by any means) or my Draenei or Kaldorei. The Bubble on Alliance side seems to be Humans vs anything Else. Always has done. The only time we saw similar on Hordeside was during the tail end of MoP when it was “Orcs Orcs Orcs!”

Maybe with another race getting a fair crack of the whip as ruler of the Alliance that would change? I don’t know, that’s just my theory on it.

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Oh and to add the unfortunate state of Horde lore at the moment, not everyone wants to side with Sylvanas, or have their characters persecuted for not agreeing with her.

But that’s what is -interesting- about it. Playing Brigante now is like being an honourable Prussian Luftwaffe officer, during the 1940’s regime in Germany. He’s an honourable sort, a basically decent person, but for all the fact that he is fighting out of patriotism to his nation, his efforts are still propping up a regime that he feels more and more uncomfortable about supporting. It is that conflict of ‘How far is too far’ when it comes to loyalty to a body politic? When does ‘I am only obeying orders’ cease to be a rationale, and becomes an excuse? Morally, he’s totally on ‘Team Saurfang’, he believes in Honour, and that War can be fought with chivalry and grace, but at the same time, he has a wife and two infant children who are vulnerable. Lofty principles are easy to hold, when it is only yourself who will suffer if your loyalty comes into question.

It is a horrible kind of ‘fun’ to RP someone in that situation. Moreso than just “Well, we’re the good guys, and…we’re good” There is obviously much more to Alliance RP than that, but the complexity is lacking at times, likely due to the writing.

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Tends to drive people to the protagonist faction.

That there is the problem. Not that you said it! But that you have nailed it. Blizzard have recently stopped writing as if there were -two- Protagonist factions, and instead is just one. I think we can all guess why, a certain author and her pets, but that is where the two Faction system fails. For it to work, and be playable, -Both- Factions need to feel like the Protagonists, the instant you get a new Dev in who is determined to drive her (By her own admission) favourite characters and Faction as the Protagonist, then you have a problem.

That’s the problem. You can’t have a two faction system and expect people to be constantly told “you’re the baddies!”

That never worked on the School playground, and it isn’t particularly working now. More nuance is needed in the game, less bombastic signalling as to who is good or bad.

Unfortunately, because we are all humans behind the computer screens (Assuming Skynet hasn’t become self aware ten years early) our barometer for ‘Good’ vs ‘Evil’ is pretty much “What side are the Humans on?”

Which, if you think of the last century…is a pretty low bar to set.

[Faceslinger-argent-dawn (Faceslinger)]

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Alliance may massively outnumber Horde on AD but it seems in the grand scheme of things Horde outnumber the Alliance - why else does the Alliance have a 30% buff to War Mode (the only canonical mode and thus the only one to matter) whereas the Horde only has a 10% boost?

About 30 mins ago the Alliance made a raid and completely occupied Dazar’alor over Warmode, I had to switch it off because the capital inn was unwalkable/playble. So I’m very baffled myself, and am reporting it as a bugged system.

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Honestly I would roleplay more on Horde, but I find there far too many unpleasant sorts leering around, not to mention cultish, bubble-like mentalities being very prevalent. Too much of an “Us vs Them” competitive mindset to make long term roleplay there viable imo.

I’d say that’s everywhere. I’ve met some very harsh/toxic individuals over on Alliance. It doesn’t mean that the Horde doesn’t have it’s controversy, lately that focusing more on Rotgarde vs not. But for some reason I tend to hear of guild drama from Alliance more so than Horde, and it’s not just because people on Horde know how to keep quiet.

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Tends to drive people to the protagonist faction.

It’s odd to think of it this way, considering that the Horde is arguably getting more spotlight; who’s the protagonist, the one that gets more story, or the one who you can connect with? Secondary characters in books might relate to me much more than the main hero, but that doesn’t make them anything more than what they are. That’s not to say that the Alliance isn’t getting story, as it’s also finally getting conflict with Tyrande pulling out and focusing on Darkshore.

It depends. If you like your goodie-two-shoes everyone-is-hugging RP, ok, if not, I know a few people who’ve gotten sick and tired of Nice Guy “Peace” Paladin/Argent from Alliance.

[Raes-argent-dawn (Raes)]

I’d play the Horde but thematically many of the races just don’t suit me, that and I hate to challenge myself. I’ve tried a few times honest (Nightborne, Goblin, Belf, Highmountain) - my Gnome plays more like a Goblin stereotype sometimes. It’s a question of janky morality vs. monotone mauve Anduin for me.

Probably super fun for other people though, shouldn’t dissuade you. Many have made the leap.

[Gworn-argent-dawn]

@Raes-argent-dawn

I’ve tried a few times honest (Nightborne, Goblin, Belf, Highmountain)

You haven’t tried THE Horde-races…

[Lukas-argent-dawn-8166 (Lukas)]

@Brigante-argent-dawn

Not that you said it! But that you have nailed it. Blizzard have recently stopped writing as if there were -two- Protagonist factions

There has never been two protagonist factions. There’s been one and one antagonist faction in denial, which the Horde has been since Thrall became warchief, with an interlude with Garrosh (doing it right) and now Sylvanas (doing it awfully wrong).

[Fahleera-argent-dawn]

To add an unpopular opinion here: instead od creating the threads focusing on ‘recruiting Horde/Alliance’ or ‘is Horde/Alliance dead?’ we allow people to RP the themes and races they want - and be happy for them and the (alas split into two factions) RP community, which is still alive and kicking? I would rather be happy that RP is still being a hobby for so many people - no matter Horde or Alliance.

[Tehya-wildhammer]

@Fahleera-argent-dawn

we allow people to RP the themes and races they want

How are either of those threads stopping anyone from RPing what they want? All the horde thread is is an attempt to encourage die-hard alliance mains to try out the other side for a change. Get some variation going, stuff like that.

[Faceslinger-argent-dawn (Faceslinger)]

Like Tehya says, how is making a ‘hey guys would be cool to see more Horde around’ impeding upon your enjoyment of RP? Have we reached that stage already?

[Kruule-argent-dawn (Kruule)]

@Fahleera-argent-dawn

unpopular opinion here

Wrong thread, and how are these posts not “allowing” people to RP what they want?

I’d rather take these faction pride-themed threads over the umpteenth Knightly Order, Draenei Futa Discord Community or “Do X to the X above you forum fun ;)” ones.

[Invader-argent-dawn (Invader)]

If I’m still subbed to this rubbish game when goblins get their remodel, trust me on this one, I’ll join the Horde in an instant.

[Rakihu-argent-dawn (Rakihu)]

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Alliance may massively outnumber Horde on AD but it seems in the grand scheme of things Horde outnumber the Alliance - why else does the Alliance have a 30% buff to War Mode (the only canonical mode and thus the only one to matter) whereas the Horde only has a 10% boost?

Oh! Oh! I can answer that! Me! Me! Me!

The Alliance chickens out of war mode and stays outside of it 85% of the time. Sour about dying this one time while leveling I guess.

Also, when have I been toxic?

[Lukas-argent-dawn-8166 (Lukas)]

@Rakihu-argent-dawn

The Alliance chickens out of war mode and stays outside of it 85% of the time. Sour about dying this one time while leveling I guess.

I think it’s more having Horde death squadrons camping the flight points during leveling that turned people off. Even Blizzard acknowledges the problem. Still though I think trying to peel people off Alliance onto Horde will only be viable when desired criteria for “die-hard Alliance” are met.

[Tehya-wildhammer]

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

Horde death squadrons camping the flight points

Implying Alliance doesn’t do this just the same.

[Rakihu-argent-dawn (Rakihu)]

@Lukas-argent-dawn-8166

@Rakihu-argent-dawn

The Alliance chickens out of war mode and stays outside of it 85% of the time. Sour about dying this one time while leveling I guess.

I think it’s more having Horde death squadrons camping the flight points during leveling that turned people off.

I don’t think that those two problems are mutually exclusive. I’ve been in war mode before trying to get my 10 Alliance kills and whenever the hordies in my group spent 20-40 minutes fruitlessly searching for Alliance (I’m talking 1 kill if lucky) they started looking in their camps, and then eventually after 60-90 minutes fell back on Alliance/Neutral flight masters.

[Lukas-argent-dawn-8166 (Lukas)]

Leveled my Horde character entirely in War Mode, happened once.

Leveled at least three characters on War Mode on Alliance it happened several times, each time around. All hours of the day as well. It’s as if the Horde does not have a normal working schedule.