Breakfast Topic: World PvP
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I remember when my freshly made human rogue first left the friendly confines of Elwynn Forest and ventured across the river into unknown Duskwood. This being the first toon I had played, I was entering this new zone with a mixture of excitement and wonder. As I carefully began to explore the landscape, without warning, a trio of mounted level ?? horde warriors came storming over a hill crest, leapt from their steeds and tore me to pieces before I knew what hit me. Thus was my introduction into the cruel and exciting world of PvP.
After playing WoW for the better part of four years, that experience still stands out as a defining game experience for me. Thinking back now, it was one of the major hooks that kept me logging back in for more. Why? It was unpredictable. It was totally unexpected. It really made me feel that the game world was alive. I had obviously interacted with other toons up to that point, but that moment just seemed to add a sense of realism to the game. For the first time I felt that I was playing in a living, breathing, dangerous world.
Soon after that incident, I switched over to a PvE server so that I could play alongside some real-life friends. The leveling process and end-game raiding progression has been great fun, but the content has always felt scripted. Even arenas and battlegrounds, which by design are mutually agreed-upon encounters, tend to feel very repetitive and predictable. I've always wanted to go back to a PvP server so that I could relive some of those spontaneous experiences.
Recently, I joined a PUG being formed over trade chat with the goal of getting the For the Horde! achievement. We grouped up in Auberdine, 31 of us, and began our decent on the capitals of the Alliance. It was the most fun I've had in a long while. As we rode en masse to each city, the excitement would build as we rounded each turn. Had the Alliance been tipped off to our arrival? Would there be much resistance? Have they set a trap for us? The battles were spectacular. Dynamic, fluid fights with upwards of 70 people engaged at a time. It just felt epic. It was reminiscent of the 40-man raid days of the Temple of Ahn'Qiraj and Molten Core, truly grand in scope and consistent with the lore and feel of the game world.
Tell us, dear readers, have you had any memorable experiences in world PvP? Would you like to see it become a larger part of the gaming experience? How can players be enticed into participating more actively in this style of play?
