A Theory: Expansion for WOW

[Jarulf]

Probably the same way everyone else ever has.

With the new expansion will come new areas, new character classes, new playable races, new quests, new items, and possibly even new level limits and new graphics software upgrades.

Yes, I know what would be in there, the question was about having people on the same server running both expansion and non expansion. This means you must provide a VERY large patch for non expansion players to be able to show all this new things (even if they can't use it).

They probably won't be able to exceed the current level cap, either.  They won't be segregated from those who do purchase the expansion.  That's part of the marketing campaign FOR the expansion; people will see other people playing new classes/races, they'll hear their guildmates talking about the new areas open to them, etc.

And that works just how as far as PvP goes? You will tell all the ones not getting the expansion that, sure, play, but you will never have a chance or go at it since you will not reach as high level or get as good gear as you would if you pay extra for expansion?

How do you rebalance EXISTING areas for higher level chars (with better iterms, new skills and so on) while not making it hopless for those that stays with standard game. Look at main cities and the level of NPCs, guards and so on. You either get expansion layers treat the main cities as a newbie area (NPC wise), or make it impossible for non expansion players to ever be able to go there and so on. There are probably many other such areas, expamples I can't think of right now since I have not got to that many places in game, nor had high level chars.

THAT was what I asked about when wondering how others did it.