WoW - quick question about server population

[BeauJangles]

I just downloaded, installed, and started playing the 10 day demo of WoW.

I chose to join a server with the "recommended" population, but while I was playing some people were saying that the server's population is relatively low. Is this a bad thing? Should I worry about it? I'm not too invested in the characters I've created, so should I move to a more populated (medium / high) server?

 

[fyleow]

..

 

[Aikouka]

I've never had an issue with log-in queues on servers marked as "Full."

 

[Rastus]

For a new player, a low population is good. That usually means that the server is reletively new so there are a lot of lower level people around. On an older, more highly populated server, it's hard to get groups for instances because most of the people playing are in the outlands.

One downfall with a new server is the auction house is not going to be going good yet, so it'll be hard to find some things you need there.

 

[LeetViet]

Go with a medium or high population server.

I recommend Korgath.

 

[Balt]

Unless the server is new, you should avoid "Low" population servers. It might be easier to solo your way to 60/70, but it will be harder to find a group for instances and raiding. Raiding is really the only appeal the game has past a certain point.

When I used to play the game it was really frustrating that people would constantly join our high populated server and increase our queue, though.

 

[invidia]

Stay away from low population servers. After playing on all types of servers for a couple of years, I came to these conclusions:

1. Low Population servers are horrible in terms of ecomony, groups, and player interaction. Low population does not equal better latency. They never grow. Too many people transfer OUT of low population servers than IN. Pick a server that is already populated.

2. Highly populated PVE servers are the best for new players. Being PVE and populated, there are groups for all ranges of levels. Players with higher level characters tend to roll more alternative characters, as leveling one is much easier than on a PVP server. Most casual players tend to play on PVE servers.

3. Highly populated PVP servers tend to have problems with grouping pre-70. Most players on PVP servers prefer to stay at 70 and to keep working on it. Few players will reroll an alt because of the task in leveling in a PVP server.

4. Full/high population servers (at least 95%) DO NOT have queue or login problems. Nor is there bad latency. They are the same as a low population server, except there are more people to play with and a better economy.



So..... if you want to PVE and take your time leveling, I'll suggest a highly populated PVE server. One that is either balanced with horde/alliance.

If you want to PVP, choose a server with a well balanced number of horde/alliance or one with more members of your faction than the other. Do not worry about PVP since World PVPing does not exist and 99% of all PVPing takes place in instanced areas and arenas.


You can check for a "general" census of each servers at warcraftrealms.com



Edit: Also, "Recommended" servers = low population servers.

 

[lupi]

The "task" of leveling on a pvp server is laughable outside of those servers with a severe faction imbalance or when doing some of the escourt quest and such. Particularly now that so much of the game could be considered a waste land.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: lupi
The "task" of leveling on a pvp server is laughable outside of those servers with a severe faction imbalance or when doing some of the escourt quest and such. Particularly now that so much of the game could be considered a waste land.

Eh, I don't really agree... certain zones are notorious for their PvP interaction and even post-BC, this did not change at all. I was talking with a horde from my old server the other day and he was telling me how the most fun thing he can do in the game is kill newbies and spending 8 hours in STV isn't unheard of.

Originally posted by: invidia
Do not worry about PVP since World PVPing does not exist and 99% of all PVPing takes place in instanced areas and arenas.

>_> certain zones, as I mentioned above, are notorious for ganking. It's not even that you'll get camped, it's more like you'll get killed... 5 minutes later you'll get killed again... and again and again and again... a la Fat Bastard, it's a vicious cycle. The worst zones are most likely Stranglethorn Vale and Hillsbrad Foothills. Tanaris might be as bad, but I didn't have too much trouble in there. The problem I found with Hillsbrad is, most Horde head there around 20-22, but most Alliance go there around level 30. Alliance may start killing the low-level Horde and then that brings in higher level Horde that will kill everyone.

 

[Genx87]

It is hard to say, I picked a low pop server. But this was 1 week from launch. By new years day it went from low to high pop. It was actually quite enjoyable to watch the server grow from trickles of people in Iron Forge to a huge mass.

Anyways this late in the stage of the game. I would personally stay away from low pop servers. Mainly because my belief is WoW is leveled and over the course of the next 24 months will start to shed players. If you are on a low pop server now, imo it will stay a low pop server.

 

[BeauJangles]

So basically, I should create a new character on a medium or high pop server with a good Horde / Alliance balance and go from there?

Also I know it wasn't really recommended, but I'm starting in PvP world.

 

[Genx87]

I play on a pvp server, honestly it isnt much different from a pve server while lvling up. Sure you may get ganked every once in a while. But I find 90% of the people wont bother and just want to get their questing done. STV was probably the worst zone for getting ganked and it really wasnt all that bad.

Once you hit the end game at lvl 70 imo there is really nothing different from a pve vs pvp server. You spend 99% of your pvp time in a BG or arena.

 

[Majunior]

the economy on a low population server with be unestablished, so I would also recommend a medium to high population server. I would also recommend that you chose a PVP server. Leveling up on a PvP server will be marginally more difficult in the long run, but you will be able to transfer your character to any server you want. If you start on a PvE server, like I did, and find that you have friends playing on a PvP server, you won't be able to transfer your characters over. When they first introduced open transfers, the PvP servers cry-babies said that the PvE server players didn't deserve to be able to play on a PVP server.. they hadn't earned it cause they didn't level up in the more difficult environment.

 

[BZeto]

Definitely go with a high population realm.

 

[Xavier434]

I've been playing WoW for almost 2 years. Go with a high population server. The reasons that everyone has given so far in regards to economy, grouping, pvp, raiding, etc are all very true. I am on one and have not experienced a login queue for many months now even during peak hours. Overall, you will have more fun playing on a high population server which is what really matters.

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: Majunior
When they first introduced open transfers, the PvP servers cry-babies said that the PvE server players didn't deserve to be able to play on a PVP server.. they hadn't earned it cause they didn't level up in the more difficult environment.

I should complain that my rogue should be able to transfer everywhere, because I leveled when there were no 60's (or now, 70's) to help you do all your quests. I remember having to either find a group or just skip the quest, because there was no "HALP! U RUN ME THRU DM?"

But I guess since things weren't really balanced made it a bit easier too... I remember before diminishing returns, you could just have two to three rogues stunlock a mob until it died with a problem. I remember setting up a stun rotation with another rogue when doing the Mosh'Ogg Ogre Camp quest in STV.

 

[CKent]

DO NOT PLAY ON A RECOMMENDED REALM

For more in-depth reasoning and discussion, read this thread

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: CKent
DO NOT PLAY ON A RECOMMENDED REALM

For more in-depth reasoning and discussion, read this thread

I thought you'd say to look at warcraft realms to find the realm with the lowest amount of rogues .

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: CKent
DO NOT PLAY ON A RECOMMENDED REALM

For more in-depth reasoning and discussion, read this thread

I thought you'd say to look at warcraft realms to find the realm with the lowest amount of rogues .

Hahaha that thread is classic, especially the clothy tanks and chuck norris\mommy trade chat. Mainly because it is so effing true.

Anyways I am on Burning legion with a rogue and Mage and I recently(as in this week due to BL having a hardware upgrade taking it offline for 2 days) started playing my warrior on Suramar.

I believe BL is a release server and Suramar was with the first round of servers they brought up within a week of launch.

I can tell you on the Horde side of BL, trade channels isnt a spamfest, general chat is usually pretty tame. Suramar on the alliance side isnt as good as Horde BL, but not nearly as bad as it was in the first 6 months of the game.

 

[Anubis]

DO NOT ROLL ON WARSONG, its a release server however at least 1/2 the server pop is from Brazil, and the other half is 25% Russian and the last 25% is everyone else
unless you are fluent in Portuguese BRsong is a bad idea

i agree 100% with the not rolling on a low pop server as they do suck,

 

[Balt]

Originally posted by: Anubis
DO NOT ROLL ON WARSONG, its a release server however at least 1/2 the server pop is from Brazil, and the other half is 25% Russian and the last 25% is everyone else
unless you are fluent in Portuguese BRsong is a bad idea

i agree 100% with the not rolling on a low pop server as they do suck,

hahaha Warsong is the server I used to play on, and I agree completely. My guild finally transferred off when they opened up transfers to Korgath. We moved in part because of server problems, but what finally convinced enough people to vote for the move was the Brazilians. They just kept rolling on Warsong, despite the 500+ queues during primetime. I think most of the guild became pretty racist against Brazilians because of our time on Warsong.

 

[CKent]

Originally posted by: Aikouka

Originally posted by: CKent
DO NOT PLAY ON A RECOMMENDED REALM

For more in-depth reasoning and discussion, read this thread

I thought you'd say to look at warcraft realms to find the realm with the lowest amount of rogues .

They're everywhere, it doesn't matter... one of the most played classes after huntard Regardless their stuns don't start lasting for weeks & months until 60+ so the OP has a while to go... if he's casual / indecisive about class choice he may never have to worry about it.

 

[invidia]

Well, I leveled my characters on the older heavily PVP oriented servers. Pre-BC, Tichrondrius was somewhat easy to level, but post-BC, it's one of the most difficult servers to level on, as horde or alliance. I had an easier time on other PVP servers, like Kil'jaeden and Malganis...... But I was horde on Malganis, where we outnumber the alliance like 3:1.

If you played on a low populated PVP server or a PVP server with a severe faction imbalance, then the "task" of going through STV, hillsbrad, Nagrand, and other infamous ganking zones would be easy.

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Balt

Originally posted by: Anubis
DO NOT ROLL ON WARSONG, its a release server however at least 1/2 the server pop is from Brazil, and the other half is 25% Russian and the last 25% is everyone else
unless you are fluent in Portuguese BRsong is a bad idea

i agree 100% with the not rolling on a low pop server as they do suck,

hahaha Warsong is the server I used to play on, and I agree completely. My guild finally transferred off when they opened up transfers to Korgath. We moved in part because of server problems, but what finally convinced enough people to vote for the move was the Brazilians. They just kept rolling on Warsong, despite the 500+ queues during primetime. I think most of the guild became pretty racist against Brazilians because of our time on Warsong.

i really wish i could get my bro and his friends to xfer off of Warsong so i could as well, but they wont and i dont want to go alone

 

[lupi]

Originally posted by: Anubis
DO NOT ROLL ON WARSONG, its a release server however at least 1/2 the server pop is from Brazil, and the other half is 25% Russian and the last 25% is everyone else
unless you are fluent in Portuguese BRsong is a bad idea

i agree 100% with the not rolling on a low pop server as they do suck,

I knew a brazilian from one of my games way back when. 2 of them actually, at least till they started new chars on Warsong