Can I play WoW from the beginning (not Cataclysm!) with a "Starter Edition"

[Axonn]

Just got myself into a "Starter Edition" of WoW. I woke up with the intro cinematic for Cataclysm. I'm playing a Troll and I'm on some island. Can I play WoW from "the start" (aka, none of the new patches)? If I like it, I'll advance later.

Moved from OT.
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http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2106972&page=43

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KeithTalent

 

[zokudu]

No you cannot.

 

[Axonn]

But if I buy it?

 

[Bryf50]

I'm a little confused at what you're asking. When a new expansion comes out you pay for the new content. The patch is deployed to everyone and there is always one version that is allowed on the servers.

If this is your first time playing then typically you should just by the expansions as you hit the level caps(60,70,80).

 

[zokudu]

But if I buy it?

No there is only one version available on servers right now and that is 4.3 with all of its previous changes. You cannot go back and play as if none of the released expansions existed.

 

[Axonn]

zokudu: thanks for answering again. What I'm asking, actually, is whether I have access to the ORIGINAL STORYLINE. I want to play all the quests, back from 2005 or whenever it was launched.

 

[Arsinek]

zokudu: thanks for answering again. What I'm asking, actually, is whether I have access to the ORIGINAL STORYLINE. I want to play all the quests, back from 2005 or whenever it was launched.

Doubt it. Even if you dont buy expansions there are patches released that everyone gets regardless of purchasing expansions or not. My guess would be you would be questing in Azeroth how it is in Cata but you wouldnt have access to specific Cata things like the higher level cap and new races etc. I would guess plenty of the old quests are still there.

 

[lupi]

no, when cata happened the redid all the original world stuff. once you leave the original world for BC stuff, none of that has been modified since it was released.

 

[nageov3t]

when Cataclysm launched, the 1-60 leveling/questing experience was changed for all players, regardless of whether or not that purchased Cataclysm.

the only way to experience "vanilla" World of Warcraft would be on a private server.

 

[Glitchny]

Why would you want to play the crappy original starting quests that had little to no consistency or coherent story?

 

[Axonn]

Glitchny, I didn't know how the story was. But anyway, I guess that's that for my "vanilla" dreams. It's not so important anyway. I guess there is plenty of content in Cataclysm to make lvl 80. And besides, I know WoW is not about content but about raiding. (BTW I'm a Diablo 2 veteran so that's why I sometimes think in terms of content instead of pure raiding).

 

[PrayForDeath]

Glitchny, I didn't know how the story was. But anyway, I guess that's that for my "vanilla" dreams. It's not so important anyway. I guess there is plenty of content in Cataclysm to make lvl 80. And besides, I know WoW is not about content but about raiding. (BTW I'm a Diablo 2 veteran so that's why I sometimes think in terms of content instead of pure raiding).

You're not missing much, trust me. The original 1-60 experience was a pain to go through. They made it much better after Cataclysm when they redid the old content. And btw, they didn't rewrite all the zones, lots of old stuff is still there, they just updated it and improved the story/quest flow, made it more coherent, and more fun to experience.

And I don't believe the starter edition will let you go beyond level 60, but I could be mistaken.

 

[imaheadcase]

I have 7 accounts for wow that i got to level 60ish when i multiboxed 6 mages and a shammy..I bought all the games on black friday for $40 with expansion packs. Played a month, got bored and quit cause i beat everything.

 

[M0RPH]

Play Rift it's a MUCH better game.

 

[cronos]

You're not missing much, trust me. The original 1-60 experience was a pain to go through. They made it much better after Cataclysm when they redid the old content. And btw, they didn't rewrite all the zones, lots of old stuff is still there, they just updated it and improved the story/quest flow, made it more coherent, and more fun to experience.

And I don't believe the starter edition will let you go beyond level 60, but I could be mistaken.

The 'starter edition', which is what used to be called the '7/10 days free trial', has a level cap of 20 and can now be played indefinitely, for free.

When you actually buy the game, the first thing you have to buy is the 'Battle Chest' version, which will increase your level cap to 70 (includes the original WoW and the Burning Crusade expansion) in addition to removing all of the restrictions of the 'starter edition' (no trading, auction house, etc). This was on sale for $5 until last week (12/19), but I believe has a current retail price of $20.

 

[zokudu]

I have 7 accounts for wow that i got to level 60ish when i multiboxed 6 mages and a shammy..I bought all the games on black friday for $40 with expansion packs. Played a month, got bored and quit cause i beat everything.

You 7 manned AQ 40 at level 60 while multiboxing?

 

[Axonn]

PrayForDeath: Thanks man. That's good to know. I'll head on and experience Cataclysm with 2-3 characters up to lvl 20 and if I like it, I buy it.

M0RPH: Thanks for the advice.

zokudu: what's AQ? (I investigated and learned what multiboxing is - nuts )

 

[zokudu]

PrayForDeath: Thanks man. That's good to know. I'll head on and experience Cataclysm with 2-3 characters up to lvl 20 and if I like it, I buy it.

M0RPH: Thanks for the advice.

zokudu: what's AQ? (I investigated and learned what multiboxing is - nuts )

AQ stands for two of the old level 60 raids their nicknames are that because that is the number of level 60 players it took to complete them.

Ruins of Ahn'Qiraj (AQ20)
Temple of Ahn'Qiraj (AQ40)

I was just saying I don't think its even possible to 7 man these raids at level 60. Hence imaheadcase couldn't "beat everything" with his 7 new accounts.

 

[PrayForDeath]

I was just saying I don't think its even possible to 7 man these raids at level 60. Hence imaheadcase couldn't "beat everything" with his 7 new accounts.

By that he probably meant maxed out their levels.

 

[Axonn]

zokudu: Aaaaaaaaah, I get it now ::- D. Sorry man, too many new terms. Gotta get down and do some gaming & reading ::- D.

 

[imaheadcase]

You 7 manned AQ 40 at level 60 while multiboxing?

Yah, it varied. 7 was standard, i sometimes went up to 20 people when friend was at work i used his.

I have not played mine in a long time though, i have no interest in wow since it has no real pvp in it.