Tobold's Blog: Would you quit WoW after a reset?

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Would you quit WoW after a reset?

Shadowbane, a PvP-centric MMORPG that pretty much failed, is trying to get things into balance by doing a reset. All characters will be deleted, and everybody starts over fresh at level 1. Pretty radical stuff that. The interesting part of that is that it reveals a lot about the reasons why we play: If we play for the entertainment, a reset might not be so bad, especially if it is combined with some improvements to the game. If we play for the achievement, a reset is lethal, as it wipes out all of that achievement.

Imagine something really, really bad happened to World of Warcraft. Like during maintenance some technician accidentally destroys all character data including backup by copying empty files over them in the worst possible order. Or some bug randomly shuffles everyone's equipment, leaving level 1 n00bs in T6 epics and raiders holding a pointy stick, with no way to reverse it. Or some duping bug totally destroys the economy. And the only way to fix the mess would be to reset World of Warcraft, deleting all characters and having everyone restart at level 1. Would you quit WoW if that happens? Or would you rely on your guild forum being sufficient to find your friends back, and have fun starting over? Would that decision depend on Blizzard making improvements to the level 1-60 content?

If WoW would reset, and you would start over, what would you change? Would you move to a different server, for example from PvP to normal, or trying to find a server that is more populated or less populated. Would you change faction from Horde to Alliance or vice versa? Would you play the same class you are playing now, or try something completely different?

I think if WoW would reset I would keep playing. I'd discuss with my guild whether we wanted to change server or faction, but go with whatever they decide. But I would play a class I haven't played much, a druid maybe, or a warlock. Of course I would miss my current characters, but on the good side I would have the opportunity to visit the old world dungeons again with a proper group of friends. What about you?
- posted by Tobold @ 11:36 AM Permanent Link

Comments:

I wouldn't resubscribe, no.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 12:20

I've "reset" once. I left my old main and alts to reroll at one of those newfangled RP-PvP servers. I even re-created my main there. If I had to reset now, I'd probably switch factions (just for variety, I like playing Horde), but not a server. I'd probably also switch roles from a water vendor to a tank or a healer.

# posted by

Unknown : 7/2/08 12:58

It would suit me at the moment but am not so sure I would if I was a raid centric player that had reached level cap but then I will never be that kind of player...

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:00

As I already quit I dont care, but eventually we would get the real subscriber numbers..

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:06

Imagine something really, really bad happened to World of Warcraft.

It did - they put a couple of elitist headcases in charge of their "endgame" development. ;)

But seriously, the "journey" from 1-60 or whatever is always the most fun part for me, and I can usually do it a couple of times or more before running out of steam.

Doing so on an equal footing is a huge incentive, so the idea of a server wipe or joining a brand new server is always appealing.

Personally, I'd actually be happy to pay real-life money to see the look on "hardcore" raiders' faces if they announced a wipe. A sweet thought indeed...

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:12

Actually that would be kind of nice. Sure, losing all I achived would be a little shocking but after all: Its only that Kara/Za-Crap and some PvP-Epics. I could get those again very fast.
And on the good side:
Once again the old content would live! I could find groups for every instance in five minutes! It would be like the days when WoW was young, except that everyone is more experienced and can avoid the worst beginner mistakes.
For example I wouldn't discover the arena at the beginning of season3 and my poor little undergeared priest wouldn't have to play against guys decked in full s2-gear.
The priest would still be my main, but I would change my alts a bit. And I would change server again, those RP-Servers have a reasonable amount of Emos O.o"

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:15

if that happen to WOW (major bug / virus attack, all backup tape destroyed)..

i think blizz will give ppl a chance to start from 60 or 70. if they are old customers that is.. new player / less than 1 month maybe get option to start at 30/40

it will piss ppl off off course and WOW will lose customers but in the end blizz will compensate somehow for the loss.. however lazy/stupid/raid-oriented dev in charge of WOW.

Staring over is ok for ppl who love alts, but for ppl who only got 1 main (or 2) and focused on raiding it will be a pain to restart everyting. but they will swallow it and continue playing. after all they are hardcore players

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:26

As I've understood the game mechanics in Shadowbane, I don't think you can compare a reset in WoW with a reset in Shadowbane.

Success in WoW is mostly measured in time invested, more time -> more levels | more gold | more loot. Your gain is your gain an noones loss, even in PvP.

I saw Shadowbanes PvP compared to a game of Risk, ultimatly weaker players lose and only a few really strong players can participate in PvP in the end. Wiping the server clean means everyone can get back in the game. In Shadowbane it seems your gain is someone elses loss.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 13:54

I'd find it a lot easier to start over as the Horde character I always wanted to be. As it is now, I find it hard to abandon my Ally mains.

# posted by

Bildo : 7/2/08 14:21

I would crit my pants :o)

# posted by

Casual Raider : 7/2/08 14:41

Interesting question!

I would probably continue to play if family and friends did, since I play socially for the most part.

And if I had to rate WoW's 'parts', I'd say that the leveling-questing game is the best part anyway.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 15:40

I wouldn't be too bothered to be honest. As has been stated it would mean it was like the 'good old days' just after release when everyone was on a fairly equal footing and instancing in the old world was commonplace.

I wouldn't like the inevitable fight for all the quest mobs though :-)

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 16:06

Right now if it happened I'd probably just get all my friends into Tabula Rasa and play it until Warhammer came out. I'm starting to notice that four years seems to be the max for me playing the same MMO.

WoW would survive a situation like this much better if so much of its content wasn't locked behind raiding. Then again a reset would totally destroy the old school raid games like Lineage, EQ, and FFXI.

# posted by

Relmstein : 7/2/08 16:16

Personally, after working 6 characters up to 70 and my wife working 3 up to 70 I would quit and burn the hard drive wow in installed on.

# posted by

Mr. Gone : 7/2/08 16:20

I think it would be great. I'd actually be able to play the game I really liked and get groups at the appropriate level.

I'm trying to level a horde priest for the first time with some friends. But every group I get at least 2 members are too high level and the run is pretty boring as a result.

I started refusing those runs and went for 2 weeks without an instance run. Not sure which sucks more.

# posted by

sam : 7/2/08 16:20

I was a heavy raider pre-TBC BWL/AQ/Nax - etc. TBC came out, I played for a month - it was, for me, in effect a reset. Replacing gear from BWL that took hundreds of hours to get to, where you could do a 2 part quest in Hellfire and get a green quest reward almost of the same caliber.

I actually quit - and went back of all things to Shadowbane - was playing on Braillia when the news of the reset/merging of servers came out. Most people are generally excited about it in Shawdowbane, but in WoW - a game basically about accumulation and your gear - it kills it.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 16:40

I dinged 70 on my first Alt a couple of nights ago. I'd be willing to start all over as it only took me 15 days /played to ding 70 this time around. Same server, same side, same classes. With Vent, finding your friends/current Guildies would be easy enough.

One thing I would do differently. I'd hit the BGs several nights per week on my way up to 70, so I have lots of Honor to spend when I get there. Marks are easy to come by, Honor not su much.

# posted by

Cap'n John : 7/2/08 17:19

I think it would matter why there was a reset. If it was because they wanted to start over again with the game design -- different classes, different way to allocate talents and skills, etc. -- I'd probably be interested enough to try again. If it was exactly the same game from scratch, I'd quit. I like alts as much as the next person (5 pushing 70), but without improvements or something very different to experience I'd see no reason to start all over. If I wanted to mindless repeat exactly the same thing over and over, I'd do daily quests...err, wait a minute... :)

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 17:24

I dunno I've already rerolled a ton of chars in wow, a night elf druid to 60, a gnome warlock to 60 and a troll mage to 40. Not to mention tons to lvl 30 or so. I think it would be fun to have people playing the lower dungeons since they are so fun and the bgs without twinks as they are more fun that way so that would be a good thing but would I come back for the party? Not sure.

# posted by

Thallian : 7/2/08 17:59

The wait until WOTLK comes out would be unbearable for raiders I imagine. Even if they leveled again they'd have to attune themselves to dungeons again, re-equip the chars, etc. It would take months to catch up with the raid progression, and they'd essentially be repeating the same things.

I personally wouldn't mind. I'd probably keep the same class and faction too, at least on my main. I might roll different alts. I might roll a troll hunter instead of an orc hunter, though. Love their accents :)

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 18:03

Sure I'd resub. I play for social aspects and some RP - could care less about the junk I have accumulated. I'd miss my alts with the most developed personalities, although it would be simple to incorporate their stories into the "next gen."

Skavvy

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 18:20

Sadly, unless all my friends agreed to leave and play something else with me, I'd probably start over. I've already done it once, starting an alliance paladin on a pvp server.

I think we might consider switching factions from horde to alliance though, just to get a different perspective.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 18:57

Honestly, I would most likely just start over on the horde side. I've gotten a horde alt up to 70 but I didn't do many of the quests on that side so it would be like a whole different game for me.

# posted by

Mr. Gone : 7/2/08 19:30

No Way! I've dedicated enough of my personal time to the game to get the things I have. If I had to start from zero all over again I'd be furious even to the point of considering Legal Action against Blizzard for all the money I've paid up to this point in subscriptions.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 19:38

I'd be upset sure, but then again I'm addicted so I'd start all over.

I'd stay in the same realm and try to find my friends. Then from there figure out whether they were staying or going to another realm.

I love being a Paladin so much that I'd start off with that again. This time would be faster because now I can at least pretend to know what I'm doing! :)

# posted by

Kyrilean : 7/2/08 19:49

Interesting news about Shadowbane. Because it's focused exclusively on PvP, Shadowbane's playerbase will more likely be united in their reaction and welcome the change as it will effect everyone pretty much equally. Certainly, there will be those who will quit over it. This news makes me curious about playing it again. I still have the shortcut on my desktop. :)

If Blizz reset WoW, they would probably lose more players, but I'm sure enough will hang in there that it wouldn't negatively effect their bottom line. For some, there's a huge draw to starting over - trying something new (class, race, faction), leveling with friends you made in end game, meeting new people and forging new alliances, or even redoing your current class with the intent of getting it right this time.

Me? I would welcome the opportunity. I love creating new characters and I love playing on new or low pop servers. In fact, I have personally reset a few times and am in the process of resetting once again. So it wouldn't be a problem for me. As for characters, I'd go with what I'm doing now... embracing my love for the hunter class.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 19:51

I technically already "reset" by leveling a 70 BE pally. To add to the experience I even walled myself off from guilds and whatnot more or less and went with pugging.

I would think that another reset would be rough for people on existing content like BC. Sure the rep grinds are better than vanilla, but they're still a very tedious grind. I can't say I know many people who would want to willingly go through that experience again. You would probably have to bribe them with fresh reps such as the ones they'll likely add in Lich King in order to keep the game fresh.

On another thought, a reset would eliminate all PvP ranks that players held during the old honor system. To some people that was a pretty big achievement. You can't get those back from a reset.

# posted by

Sternie : 7/2/08 20:04

To those who think of this with horror, hey... you're not going to be playing this one game all your life. All your gear, epics, achievements -- mean nothing. NOTHING -- they won't carry over to the next game, they will just be gone. All those hundreds of hours spent grinding -- all gone.

All you'll have left are your friendships. And what do your character's levels and gear have to do with friendships?

As long as you're playing with friends, it shouldn't matter if you're a level 1 orc running from scorpions in Durotar or a 70 draenai with solid purples and shoulder spikes that scrape the clouds.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 20:17

Here's what I've been saying. Blizz should take their lowest populated servers and merge them together. That saves some machine power that can be used to open up new servers. You would not be able to transfer to these servers and they would be strictly 1-60 content, naxramas beeing the top raid instance.

That would resurrect the old content and make alot of people "reset".

# posted by

thrstn : 7/2/08 21:01

As long as you're playing with friends, it shouldn't matter if you're a level 1 orc running from scorpions in Durotar or a 70 draenai with solid purples and shoulder spikes that scrape the clouds.

unfortunately in this game if your level 1 and your friends aren't you've got two bad options.

One slog away till you catch up. which never really happens because by the time you get to 70 they are in raid gear.

Or let them power level you which isn't much fun.

It's a shame they don't do more to enhance the social experience.

# posted by

sam : 7/2/08 21:18

I love the game, but a good part of that is the people.

If my core group of friends said "Sorry, just can't do it again" I'd have to think long and hard about renewing. (Of course, at this point, I can't quite see them saying that!)

If they decided not to, it'd go to my second tier support - the rest of the guild. If enough of them were going to stick around, I'd probably give it a shot, although with less enthusiasm.

I'd probably keep the same class/spec as my main for the first leveler, but I don't know if I'd stick to the same faction. I'd be fine either way.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 21:42

I'd take a long, hard look at WoW...

Then I'd say, "I can't quit you, babe."

And resume leveling.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 21:50

The question is a bit more subtle when you consider how the reset came out.

Shadowbane is resetting in a very controlled, deliberate way. They're presenting everyone with the option of starting over again.

If WoW were to experience your hypothetical situation, it doesn't sound as deliberate. So really, you have to look at it as two questions:

1) Would you re-roll if the game developer chose to force everyone to do so?

2) Would you re-roll if the game developer screwed up and forced everyone to do so?

I would question the game developer's intent/skill in both of those.

If it was WoW, I would not reroll. Maybe a year ago.

# posted by

Anonymous : 7/2/08 23:27

The main difference here is that WoW, for the most part, is not a PvP game. Your progress is never really hindered by other players. In a fully PvP game, you eventually end up in a deadlock where nothing changes unless someone quits. The top guild will be the top guild unless a) they stop logging in or b) a bunch of other guilds team up and "break" them. Option B will be followed by a brief struggle for power and the allied guilds turn on or cannibalize each other, and then you are back to the deadlock. In WoW, another guild being in the Black Temple doesn't stop you from going to the Black Temple.

# posted by

Jason : 8/2/08 00:11

I'd use the time to try other online games. Pirates, Conan, and Warhammer come to mind.

If nothing was entertaining, then I'd wait for the expansion and see what it offers.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8/2/08 01:05

Not a chance!

I'm waiting for my account to expire anyway... the day when I can not make an excuse and log on to that piece of crap can not come fast enough.

I've level'ed 3 alts to be useful to my friends and guild, prot warrior, pali healer and a dps hunter.

The hunter aside... I would not dream of thinking about playing again all the way to 70.

I would find it funny, and a form of poetic justice... for making it a raid game and nothing else.

What I would find funnier... is the fanboys in the official forums defending Blizzard still for such a massive bulls up.

You know they would!

# posted by

Anonymous : 8/2/08 01:49

Interesting question. I don't get to play a whole lot b/c of RL so I would probably quit and check out other games that I haven't had a chance to play yet.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8/2/08 04:00

hmm

this discussion bring me to realize.. life is an MMO .. we all born with nothing and we leave with nothing. so what will be bring to judgement ? i guess our deed whether its good or bad will influence our afterlife, not our money/stuff/rich/gear..

just like an mmo. if you behave like immature brat you wont get as many friends as when you treat other kindly.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8/2/08 04:10

I'd love a reset...if it included 12mths of free play due to the inconvience. At this time WoW means nothing to me and there is no achievement to playing since it is so easy.

# posted by

Anonymous : 8/2/08 04:29

I'd keep playing.

Same class too. Can't guarantee same faction or race.

Because I love leveling hunters *is insane, and knows it* and I'd love to be able to do lowbie dungeons with the current guildies. (If they were still playing, that is.)

# posted by

Pike : 9/2/08 05:27