04-20-2005, 02:48 PM
Treesh,Apr 20 2005, 08:23 AM Wrote:It's not just the PvP servers. The PvE servers are having massive raids now as well.[right][snapback]74569[/snapback][/right]Boy, you got that right. Day 1 of the Honor System on Stormrage went about what I expected - all-out chaos! I was happily amused by the events of the night (and that they somehow surprised anyone). All those bored level 60's first ran to get their new Epic Mounts (crowds formed near each vendor of them) and then formed raids to hit enemy towns.
I figure it'll take a week or two for people to realize that they can rack up more Honor via small-party PvP rather than big raids, where each kill's credit is so diluted that it doesn't get you far. Until then, the huge town raids will be the norm.
Orgrimarr, Darnassus, the Crossroads, Ashenvale, Arathi Highlands, and more were all subject to huge raids on both sides. I stopped over in Darnassus and saw bodies littering the ground. All of this makes me happy as a clam. Maybe next time I go /pvp flagged and pick a fight in a crowd of people, I won't get slammed by 5 Horde while 20 Alliance stand there and watch. While the Honor System makes things even harder for non-60's on a PvP server, it makes things much more interesting on a PvE server, since there's more to do end-game now.
I've read complaints of some that this new system works against casual gamers. That's not really true - it's just that it's the first system in the game that doesn't cater to them in any small way, so it seems like that. PvP Honor rewards cater purely to the hardcore gamers, those who dedicate huge chunks of their lives to the game. Someone with a steady job and family will never be able to climb above the first few PvP ranks, so they're mad. I don't understand this attitude, even though I myself could never hope to get above the first few ranks either.
WoW needed a mechanism to keep the hardcore around, and now it has it. They can pit themselves against their fellow hardcores to get those top PvP ranks - and then fight to keep them. Without this system, hardcores would leave WoW in droves (and some already had).
One valid concern that casual players have is that they will have fewer opportunities to run high-level instances when they eventually get to them, because the hardcores will be out PvP'ing. This is true. But then again, those hardcores probably wouldn't still be playing WoW by the time the casuals got there anyway, having moved on to the next game of choice. So it's a toss-up there, in my opinion.
The equipment that high Honor ranks provides you isn't really any better than that found in the high-level instances and raids - it's just that it's geared towards PvP play while the general stuff is geared towards general play. This is even more positive feedback for hardcore PvP'ers - kill more enemies, and get better equipment to help you kill more enemies - along with the "WOW you have the l337 itamz!" attention they crave.
What's amusing to me is something that is inevitable: high-rank PvP Honor players on PvP servers will start putting down high-rank PvP Honor players on PvE servers. Let's see who does it first. :) They might not be aware of the counter-argument: that on a PvE server, you're basically always letting your opponent, who is unflagged, get in the first shot - plus you lack the ability to just gank any level 50-55 you see walking around, which will be done in droves on PvP servers to rack up Honor points. Who's got more actual skill, then? Hmm. It can be said that the PvP server ruleset simply allows you to rack up easy Honor that a PvE server ruleset forbids.
Anyway, I really feel for level 50 players on PvP servers right now. At 50, you are green to level 60's and represent an honorable kill, yet you have no chance of fighting back. After level 50, you're forced to hide in instances or walk around with a bunch of 60's to protect you. Ugh.
Expect more devious and fun PvP action on Stormrage. Expect traps. When you see that level 30-40 player, alone, flagged, in the middle of the road...guess how many stealthed level 60's are waiting for you to take the bait? This is something that works very well on a PvE server to sucker people into flagging themselves. Heck, I'd love to do it myself and waste some Horde scum with such a scheme. More ingenious ploys will no doubt be developed as well, and I can't wait to see them.
Go go Honor System!
-Bolty
Quote:Considering the mods here are generally liberals who seem to have a soft spot for fascism and white supremacy (despite them saying otherwise), me being perma-banned at some point is probably not out of the question.