First of, I do realize “mega servers” have their advantages. I also realize PVP realms have their advantages as well. Finding raids at 3 in the morning, arena mates, you name it. I do realize most players prefer a full or even overcrowded realm. The thing is: I don’t. All I want is to play on a medium (could be high at release, if I have to^^) pop German language PVE realm. And I am running out of options.
I don’t want to know every player on my realm, that’s too much. But I want to recognize most guilds. I want to meet people twice, by chance, while leveling. I want to buff people who pass me, and not try to tag mobs as fast as possible, so nobody gets to them first, because there are more players than mobs around. I want to be able to read the lfg channel.
I am a casual player to my core. Even at the times I have a lot of time to play the game, I play it casually. I start and never “finish” new characters, because I feel like it. I play both Alliance and Horde. I organize weird rp events. I post silly guild adverts. And when I felt like it during Classic, I made rank 10 and 11 by doing low level bgs (admitedly, it wasn’t that much “work”, because of pool boosting, but still…), because I liked the rank 10 head peace. I then proceded tonforget buying it with one of the characters. I visit dungeons I like several times with the same character, because why not? So I don’t need tens of thousands of players, just a few. Just 1000 or so on my faction, give or take. A smaller community just makes people behave differently and attracts a certain kind of player. The kind I like.
While this may seem strange to some, Aggrend has said that the Classic team wants to cater to the wishes of people playing on smaller realms as well. I do appreciate that, there is just no realm left that fits the description.
When Blizzard closed my home realm Celebras (which was a bit low pop for me in the end, but still I wouldn’t have ever left…), I moved to Lakeshire, a then medium pop realm with nice people and admosphere, just generally the kind of experience I was looking for. It wasn’t an rp realm, but I was still contend to be there. Now Blizzard has opened free transfers from a ton of realms (when it had already reached “high” on its own) and the realm is full. And it shows. The general tone and feeling are already changing - and there is no alternative. All German PVE realms are full and even if I was willing to play on an English realm, they are all full as well, except for Hydraxian Waterlords.
Medium pop PVP realms are no alternative for me, by the way. I am way to nice to kill anyboy (apart from rp PVP events^^). I feel sorry for it. I’m weird that way. I also don’t particularly like to be killed either. I also feel like PVE realms attract my kind of people, PVP realms don’t.
Who else likes a medium pop realm (PVE or PVP)? If so, why?
And to Blizzard (in the unlikely event of anybody reading this): What were/are you thinking? I know European medium pop PVE realm enthusiasts are propably a total niche for you, but please don’t just think about the mega realm player base upon making decisions in the future.
Me!
I like to be the one saving the day - alone or in my group - not standing in line to do so It kinda breaks the immersion. I even prefer low pop This is why I stay and play on HW - which is Medium now. PvP just no thanks, I can’t kill other players and do not like to either, and I think corpse runs are a waste of time.
I also prefer medium pop realms.
Though more important for me is the atmosphere and the community on the realm (and i also wouldn´t have left Cele. No way. )
Even realms with the same size do not necessarily have the same atmosphere. E.g. Razorfen and Lakeshire (despite Lakeshire always being a BIT smaller), were both medium pop for a very long time.
Nevertheless, Razorfen was always the “healthy” one. The one everyone recommended, the one with “more”. More PUG, more random raids, more GDKP (i guess), just “more”.
Lakeshire was always the “empty” one, the “dead” one.
The one with “less”. Less lfg spam. Less GDKP (ok, afaik more or less NO gdkp ).
The one, where people talked in complete sentencens!
While on most realms the LFG looks like:
LFM 1 heal MT
The same search request would look on Lakeshire like:
Looking for one healer to join us for Manatombs!
(and often this would have been already a short search request )
Sometimes there was someone writing something inbetween, probably someone new trying to fit in (like LFM one healer for manatombs).
But the overall atmosphere was really relaxed and comfy.
During the loophole a bunch of player left Lakeshire, and came back afterwards asking why the remaining horde player did not leave “this dead realm”.
The Lakeshire player were so mad, that they just chased them away
“Realm is NOT dead!!!”
When the FCT to Lakeshire opened last week, i was pretty relaxed.
Due to the reputation i did not expect that many german players would come, and i assumed, that no EU player would move to a german realm (and i think it´s a nice gesture to leave the transfer from Hydraxian Waterlords to Lakeshire open, so that returning Cele player can move to the biggest part of their old community).
However, I did NOT expect that so many would come. I really think, this was not to be expected.
So many!
And there are coming more, and more, and more, and more…
As Xerilin mentioned the common tone also changes.
I saw a LOT more “LFG 1 DD for SH HC then gogogogog” as usually (means, never).
There are player from Gehennas (“Blizzard transfered me to this realm, it´s not my fault” ( )
“I have no choice. The english realms are all DeaD”" (which is kind of funny, given the fact, that the germans always considered Lakeshire as “dead”).
When people mention, that Lakeshire is a german realm when someone writes in english, always an unpleasent discussions followed. Yesterday with some comments like:
"Those who want german in the LFG are just whiny b*****s, and “they just can´t stand the idea, that this is becoming the first german international realm”.
Someone on horde side, i guess someone who plays already longer on Lakeshire metioned today that he is more often invited to groups without message beforehand, and his “good morning” is often not answered anymore. And that Lakeshire always had been a small, but friendly realm and it would be nice, if it remained like this
The reaction?
“ok boomer”
This whole situation makes me sad.
Not only for the old-established Lakeshire player, but for my friends from Celebras.
I got the explict perimission to share a conversation i had, back then, the last evening before the doomsday (i never share anything without permission… but i think, this conversation makes some of our struggles back then clear).
Bero was one of the persons, who stayed until the end. I know there were several who decided to move to their new realm. And then decided: next week. And then: next week. and then: nex… oh, there is no next week… Weekend. Saturday! Sunday! Well, monday is also sufficient…
Bero sent the alts together with the guild to Razorfen, but stayed with Bero on Cele.
First to help for our goodbye games on sunday, then for the goodbye event of our dwarfes on Monday, and then to help the doomday party preparations on tuesday.
In the evening on tuesday, Bero decided to start the transfer (who knows… better safe then sorry). I was still busy with preparations, with the Zandalari, and so on.
About one hour later, i realized, that Bero was still online and asked, if the transfer went well.
The answer was: “I didn´t transfer yet.
I am looking at the char selection screen… is the guild tabard not beatiful?”
And, yes, it WAS. It looked good, and it fit perfectly to the guild.
But i doubt, that was really, what Bero meant…
At this moment, the realm (and i am sure, Bero liked Cele and the community) was almost empty (though a BIT more crowded as we expected… ).
Bero was probably one of the last mains, if not the last main, to be transfered.
The other guild, with whom they had raided together, had moved already to Lakeshire.
Some of Beros guild had already cancelled their subs.
Beros guild went to Razorfen (and Bero had followed with some alts - just to realize, that Razorfen is just not the realm, the atmosphere Bero was looking for or could handle. And left the guild and transferred to Hydraxian Waterlords…)
At this moment, the last thing left, the last reminder of what had been, was this guild tabard.
And Beros next comment was:
“You know, as soon as i hit this dumb transfer button, the next time i login, the guild tabard is blank” followed by a smiley that indicated disbelief and shock.
I am very sure, that Bero was again not referring to the tabard alone…
Sounds dumb maybe, but there was a LOT going on back then.
From “they can´t be serious” (June) to "they are… " (July).
We had to figure out, where to go. Who went where? what was the best option?
Who cancelled their subs?
I also had this moments of “what is going on here??? What does happen right now?” and i think, I was not alone with this.
A lot of Cele player created back then “spy chars” to check the different realms Blizzard offered, and to decide for the most fitting realm in terms of size, atmosphere, community.
And many of us chose Lakeshire.
For many of us, Hydraxian Waterlord was out of question, due to the language barrier (and Bero also moved later to - Lakeshire. And found a new guild. A guild, i know Bero is happy again. And Lakeshire (before the FCT)? “It´s not Cele. But it´s ok. At least not as bad, as Razorfen”…
The last few days, when we talked about the FCT and Lakshire i got the impression, the answer wouldn´t be “it´s ok” anymore…
As Trelw wrote somewhere else:
The Cele player lost so much.
For many of us, Lakeshire was the second best choice after Cele.
Many of the “queue refugees” do not take so much consideration in their realm choice. They decide with numbers (“the only valid choice for Alliance player (german) seems to be Lakeshire…”)
That´s ok, don´t get me wrong, but it´s a completly different mindset as the player on Lakeshire and Celebras had.
And they have SO MANY like minded realms to choose from.
We don´t.
I played on Lakeshire (among other realms, so i can compare) during Classic release. After moving my chars to Celebras, i left one behind, because there were not enough char slots on Cele. Everytime, i logged in during the 3 years to check, if Lakeshire was really as i remembered it, it was the same, relaxed, comfy atmosphere.
Within the last week of FCT this realm did not just increase in size, partially i do not recognize this realm anymore.
After the weekend, if even MORE player move, they will outnumber the old community even more.
We just wanted our small, comfy, (in best case medium population) RP realm (and keep it).
After we had to realize that our realm was gone, we settled on new realms.
Some found already new friends.
Sometimes we find returnees and even new player who are looking for a rp realm/the realm with most roleplayer, and can guide them (today someone asked in the german board, where most roleplayer are…).
And now, at least the Cele player on Lakeshire, are somehow losing their “new realm” again. Not the realm, but the atmosphere.
And this makes me sad.
I really like the Cele Community, the player, and i have a lot of respekt for them (especially those who stayed until the end).
As someone else said:
Not that i think, that anything what happened was intented, and i think the devs had good intentions.
But somehow, everything just goes wrong, and i don´t know why.
First no german realms
Then no german RP realm
Then the german RP realm can´t attract anymore everyone
Then the FCT lure too many people away
Then the realm is murdered
And now, the next realm is just being overrun.
And a lot of what happened, what not predictable.
It just happend despite good intentions from everyone…
There is a saying “everyone gets what they deserve” and i start to wonder, what the Cele community did.
I didn´t intend that it become so much
I just had to vent, and without SAMPLES why it´s a problem - how should one know?
But a huges thank you to everyone who took the time to read it
Mostly i feel sorry for my Celebras friends…
I am curious if after the extended weekend (it´s national holiday in germany) Lakeshire has also a queue. I wouldn´t be surprised since the Venoxis queue right now is about 10k people already (380 minutes) and more or less equal to the Gehennas queue (13k and 500 minutes).
At 1pm
Though, the Gehennas queue is apparently bad - because Gehennas is locked - and the Venoxis queue is wonderful (because it´s not).
So, everyone who does speak german and is looking for an overcrowded mega realm to join - Venoxis is your chance.
If you beat the queue, of course is looking at her level 1 spy char who is still waiting for being allowed to enter
Even Firemaw has a WAY shorter queue.
If even only some of the Venoxis/Gehennas player join Lakeshire (because “full” and “no queue”), on tuesday nothing from the old Lakeshire is left
I saw already one person looking for a group with GEAR CHECK!
For a leveling dungeon!
We are talking about a former Celebras player.
The player, who chose a GERMAN realm due to language barrier over a more fitting RP realm.
Because they want to talk in german (or have to because they don´t speak english).
exactly. this is why i stayed on celebras till 2-3 days before its closure.
so, i’m asking again: why did you murde… eh… close celebras in the first place, blizzard? as mentioned, i’m one of the persons who stayed on celebras until it got closed 2-3 days later. i took the free transfers to lakeshire (mostly because my guildies/friends didn’t want to move to HW due to language barriers and because it was the smallest german pve realm) and i have to say that even before lakeshire got so full the last days, it didn’t feel like home. i turned off LFG-chat because it just consists of abbreviations. most other players who i gesture at, don’t react - it feels cold and anonymous. characters named as “M*lfhunter”, “Wurstwerner” or “Polizeiauto” (to give a few examples) are doing the rest. though i still had some good moments with nice people remembers the big city raids. but still, i’m not sure when i’ve reached the point where i will leave my friends and move to HW or quit wow completely. and i’m not the only one who feels somehow like this. but that’s just my point of view - now it got so full that even the “common lakeshire players” who felt comfy and good on their realm don’t like it anymore.
so, blizzard, do, as you promised, something for the players who don’t like to play on full realms and open up a few more german pve realms and also give us back a german rp realm!
I used to play on RP realms back i the old days, I didnt do a massive amount of RP’ing but it made the game much more enjoyable to see people doing it, randomly encountering RP events in the open world while questing etc was fun
Players where nicer too on RP realms. You mentioned about how people write LFG adverts with a little wit about them, I remember somefunny one like
“The old Monastery has become over run with crazed human zealots spouting nonsense about making tristfall glades “great again”. Our Lady Sylvanus has tasked us to put a stop to these extremists and we need a brave healer to aid us!”
today we get adverts something along the lines off…
Personally I wish could have stayed on Celebras. For me Razorfen is full of strange people with even more strange names. Now with this way overfilled realm I have less fun then I thought I would have.
Yes, many of us prefert this kind of advertising for groups. And even, if it was not the same, the advertisments looked on Lakeshire at least more “readable”.
I think it was the closest a PVE realm can come to a RP realm.
It´s gone… there are some hours, where the “old Lakeshires” are at least shining through again, but often it´s just gone.
LFG 1 DD MT HC
is the norm.
And more and more gear checks, grind runs, “looking for dd with good dps” etc.
The same mega realm atmosphere we tried to avoid.
It took them only one week
And Hydraxian Waterlords is suffering from the same symptoms.
Queue refugees with weird names, a lot of ooc in say, “not so nice encounters in the wild” and of course this kind of advertisments:
This night, we had the first bored “visitors” yelling vulgar stuff in /y and /s to annoy roleplayers.
We all ignored them, and they left then again, but it´s something i did not see in WoW since my old retail RP realm started to die.
@Wru
Lakeshire is not any better anymore, unfortunately.
It´s becoming more and more of a “common” mega realm atmosphere every day.
At least I can now really play with my RL friend on Firemaw
It´s the same now everywhere anyway shrugs
Even HW has not benefitted from the free character migration. Yes, we wanted free character transfers open for everyone who chooses to play on an RP server but ATM everyone who is stuck in the Q to a mega server is prompted to migrate to HW with no further explanation what it means to play on an RP reralm.
Even if there would be an info - they won´t care.
They don´t care that Lakeshire is a german PVE realm and nevertheless come there.
Create english guilds. Grumble at germans for speaking german…
They care about numbers (or at least not being the minority), those who come to HW maybe about language.
But atm, many just don´t seem to care about anything except “leaving the queue”
I guess, it is too late now. They kind of don’t even need to bother anymore. Sorry, if I seem a bit bitter and frustrated. That’s because I am. I had little hope and was still disappointed. I thought, they might close free transfers to Lakeshire, once it is this full, but they haven’t. Not even now.
To quote (and in case you are wondering: No, this is not my alt^^):
It just feels completely different, as others have said in this thread. I hardly recognize anybody anymore, not even most guilds. The lfg reads more and more like on a mega realm. There is less communication in groups. People tag mobs somebody else is about to attack. People coming from large realms won’t even notice this, but it is a completely different culture.
I just don’t know whether to just quit right now or after a bit of leveling. I was really looking forward to it, but like this?
Two things.
First it seems Malou had to rename her Guild name.
Second all you lost German Alliance Players, come to Razorfen. As Razorfen is the holy land of any Venoxis hordler but not available for free, so the Alliance still stay normal because they all gathered on the two Alliance Realms Everlook and Lakeshire.
But I did it voluntarily.
I am already amazed that they let me get away with the name so long
At the time I was so, so mad when my old Celebras Malou was gone… meanwhile I am only sad sigh.
But that’s really sweet that you bring it up
As for Rarzorfen:
Most of the Celebrasions deliberately didn’t go to Razorfen, and the reasons haven’t changed.
It’s still the same as it was back then. Only that now we have the same (maybe a bit worse) on Lakeshire.
From a dev point of view, they didn´t screw anything up.
They are offering FCT to a realm - which has still capacity (unfortunately )
Many player on PVP realms do not want to do PVP anyway, and are better of on PVE realms.
It´s the same in the US they offer PVE, PVP, RP realms for every source realm. The only difference there is the language
We are players, though. And from my pespective, they did. They ruined my way of playing the game, after saying they cared about it. Filling every realm to the brim doesn’t mean they did everything right. So paying them to fix it (also, as you said: paying to go where, exactly?) would be a wrong incentive and I understand and applaud everybody refusing to do so.
A very minor issue (NOT!) that they managed to mess up AGAIN.
It kinda breaks the immersion. I even prefer low pop 
This is why I stay and play on HW - which is Medium now. PvP just no thanks, I can’t kill other players and do not like to either, and I think corpse runs are a waste of time.
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