turtle crash course

[Blaketj]

Alright, I haven't touched the game in five, almost six years now. Last raided on nost. Played retail up until Wotlk or so, and frankly feeling a bit lost here.

First of all is there a concise place where I can read up on the new or semi-new features added from the more recent retail versions? Those added by this server specifically as well, of course. I've hunted down some information but I feel like I'm missing the bigger picture. Most importantly how's the crossfaction aspect of the game working? Bear with me here. I'm used to playing on vanilla pvp servers, and having a mixture of "hard core" players, which is confusing in itself, being able to apparently group and even starting in a containment guild with the other faction is interesting but confusing to say the least. I mean, for one example are crossfaction endgame pugs a thing?

Secondly I've talked to some rather friendly people after realizing the starting guild is basically a containment pen that would put your average twitch chat or imageboard /b/ to shame, and I've mostly gotten conflicting responses when asked about the raiding scene, how certain classes match up on this server etc. I'm not taking potshots at anyone or criticizing anything but simply trying to get a grasp at the current meta and preferred class roles as they have apparently changed somewhat on turtlewow.

Third and finally I'm again at a loss as to the nature of this server. It's advertised as RP but it's really not, is it? It's listed as pve but there's a dedicated pvp always mode and a crowd that's fairly dedicated to it from what I can gather. And then there's the whole hard core part of the population you can't meaningfully interact in almost any way. Again, just trying to figure out whether I can consider this a new home of sorts. And just to confirm - this is an English speaking/typing server? Absolutely no hate for anyone just figuring things out.

Basically thank you for any information provided.

[Aydea]

hello and welcome :)

I have found this thread for you, you might have already seen it but if not perhaps it might be of help to you.

Good luck and happy gaming!!

[Blaketj]

Thank you but I have actually. And while well written and quite funny at times it's still a bit too thin on some of the specifics, and not to mention it glosses over quite a bit of the fine details. (It's also at least two years old. I imagine things have progressed further in the meantime.) Crossfaction raids for example, is that a thing? The whole diplomacy system is extremely intriguing but even that person admits to them not being "particularly intuitive".

Would you believe it I didn't have a clue about the whole glyph thing until I literally stumbled on the NPC? If I could miss something that gamechanging, that easily, I'd rather not find myself leveled to 60 only to find that, yes, in fact, shamans are now the primary tanks or priests the prime dps but only under these specific conditions that flew over my head way back when

[Wafflecrusher]

Crossfaction raids are indeed a thing now, and the diplomacy system has been reworked to where any player can group with any player without any special action needed. You can't right click their portrait and invite them, but you can /inv (insert name) them, or invite them by right clicking their name in chat. Every guild I've encountered has players of both factions.

I'd say that addons are immensely helpful, specifically the AUX auctionhouse addon, pfquest (and it's turtle addition), and the one that automatically sells all the greys in your bag whenever you talk to a vendor. LFT is also a good one the vast majority of people use to find dungeon groups.

Some tips -
Leave the Newcomers guild once you get on you feet. It's alright, but there are a lot of good leveling guilds out there that aren't nearly as cringy.

If you go HC be aware that the team won't revive you for any reason, and I'd say the server goes down once or twice a day.

Think twice before turning on warmode. You can only turn it off one time, and people will gank you. The 20% xp buff is nice, but again, people will gank you.

Zones that were dead and unfinished, like Azshara, have been reworked and are now fun to level in (fun is obviously relative, those GD hippogryphs that zap you are pretty annoying). New stuff has been added virtually everywhere. I main a Tauren, and as a Tauren you're encountering new content by level 6.

Most specs are viable at the endgame, so play what you want! As is tradition, it's significantly harder to find groups as a dps than a tank or a healer, but it's still possible.

Paladins smack face now, so be prepared for that. Shamans are the most underplayed class by a significant margin, and after the upcoming patch they'll be able to drop all four totems at once with a macro.

That's all I've got. Welcome to Turtle WoW!

[Blaketj]

Thanks man.

Crossfaction raids are indeed a thing now, Every guild I've encountered has players of both factions.

So, how does that work with warmode? I can assume that guildmembers can control themselves, but imagine a pug where 1/2 of the players have pvp on... Or let's say a hypothetical situation. Player A is from one faction and player B is from the other, they've grouped. Player A was attacked by player C from the Bs faction. What can B do? Can he heal the player A, and if so will they also be considered in combat against C? Are they limited to just stand around and spam emotes?

Leave the Newcomers guild once you get on you feet

No kidding.

If you go HC

To each their own, but even without being extremely limited in your interaction with most of the other players that doesn't appeal to me in the slightest. I don't believe the game was designed for that type of gameplay but I digress.

Shamans are the most underplayed class by a significant margin

That's surprising to be perfectly honest. They've always been a blast to play but I assume with the early mount available to everyone and paladins being added to the mix the one nightfall enh shammy per raid is even less viable than before. I'd assume the troll discount polymorph would balance things out somewhat.

Think twice before turning on warmode. The 20% xp buff is nice, but again, people will gank you.

C'est la vie. I've always played on pvp servers. Speaking off, are there any plans of having a dedicated warmode/pvp server in the future? I like what I'm seeing to far and the only things that are putting me off is the lack of focus on the server and some of the retail and crossfaction features that have been added. No offence to the people behind it since I think they've done a great job so far but I really do feel the playerbase could benefit from a sticky and or something in the game explaining some of the features and changes added to the base vanilla formula.

[Dinoriel]

Hello, and welcome to Turtle! I've been playing on-and-off myself, so take all this information with a grain of salt.

TurtleWoW was originally made as a Vanilla+ RP-PvE server. This combined with initially small numbers were reasons why the server was made cross-faction. This was to make finding groups and people to RP with a bit easier. Sadly, RP isn't quite what it used to be and is mostly found within small guilds now, if at all. I haven't reached the raiding point yet, but as far as I know, dungeon groups can be cross-faction, so I would assume the same for raids. When it comes to progression, I've been told the server has progressed all the way to Naxxramas.

As for hardcore, such players have chosen to embark on the task of reaching level 60 without dying. They cannot trade, group with, or receive mail from non-HC players. HC is pretty popular for those looking for an extra challenge. Though the community is split on their opinions about them. Many regular players dislike HC due to being unable to share mobs. There's a lot of competition for resources in the starting zones. So regardless of whether you go HC or not, your best bet is trying to get to level 10 ASAP. It's a lot easier on horde since they're the less populated faction.

The PvP mode, or warmode, is a glyph you can buy in your starting zone that permanently makes you flagged PvP and gives you a 30% EXP boost (from what I remember). The downside is that you'll be ganked often, especially at the lower levels. You're able to turn off warmode one time, but if you turn it on again, it's forever.

There are also other glyphs such as slow and steady, which gives you 1x EXP rates and prevents you from getting rested EXP from tents (acquired by the survival skill). If you die, you lose 5% of your EXP as well, I believe. Though you are rewarded every 10 levels with certain items. I haven't tried this mode yet, so I am unsure what these items are (I hear bags may be a reward at level 10 or 20, but am unsure).

When it comes to classes, I hear that paladins are extremely powerful in the PvE/PvP scene, but I am unsure how they are in raids. For queueing dungeons, there's always a need for a tank or healer all the way to 60. So you'll probably have the most luck with any class not restricted to just DPS.

Lastly, TurtleWoW is an EU-based server. There's been some recent influx of players from the east, which has caused a lot of uproar in the community lately. Especially since a good chunk of the eastern population has been trying to sell gold to EU players, from what I know. The biggest complaints I've heard is that most of these players can't speak English and are causing high queue times on the main server during the day, which is part of the reasons why TurtleWoW recently made eastern servers.

There's also a post (I'll link it if I can find it) about an upcoming patch that will introduce a remade version of Gilneas and a lot more custom content. Things are just hectic now due to the increase of so many players.

Apologies if any of this has already been stated. Enjoy TurtleWoW!

[Blaketj]

Though you are rewarded every 10 levels with certain items. I haven't tried this mode yet, so I am unsure what these items are (I hear bags may be a reward at level 10 or 20, but am unsure).

Well, shucks. That would have been useful information to know before autopiloting to 40ish in the last couple of days. That's what I'm talking about though. You have these great features that you could absolutely enjoy if you had any reliable way of knowing they exist and how they work exactly. I mean, I see a term I'm not familiar with, I spend some effort to google it and dig around. But if it was a retail feature I'm not familiar with since I've stopped playing by that point I don't have a clue whether it's implemented 1:1 on turtle like it was described on some blizz forum potentially 5+ years ago. And that's if I'm aware of the mechanic at all.

I distinctly remember asking a very specific question in the containment starting guild several times over, and it was drowned by the very engaged and highbrow discussion on how they would milk Oprah if she was a tauren and how the cheese produced would taste like. Alright, barrens chat nonsense lol. I ended up getting my answer (which I confirmed since works completely differently now) after spending several hours digging thru old threads since most people that seriously answered in the game had a similar stance of well, I'm not sure but it should work like that. Maybe.

[Wafflecrusher]

You can group with people who have warmode active as the opposite faction. Once they enter your party they will automatically become friendly and you won't be able to attack them. Being grouped together with the opposite faction makes you unable to attack members of said opposing faction.

[Blaketj]

Being grouped together with the opposite faction makes you unable to attack members of said opposing faction.

How about attacking or being attacked by players of the opposite faction that are grouped with someone from your faction? Basically, is crossfaction disabling warmode/pvp flag while it's in effect under any and all conditions or not?

[Wafflecrusher]

My understanding is that once you group with someone of the opposite faction, you are prevented from engaging or being engaged in pvp combat. I'm not sure how far that goes, or any of the loopholes. I did have a situation where I was grouped with an alliance and a horde NPC attacked him. We were doing an escort, and npc we were escorting basically spazzed out like terminator after he's been rebooted, and couldn't figure out what to do.

Suffice it to say, grouping with players of the opposing faction works fine 99% of the time, and PvP is halted once you group together.

[Turboman]

Being grouped together with the opposite faction makes you unable to attack members of said opposing faction.

How about attacking or being attacked by players of the opposite faction that are grouped with someone from your faction? Basically, is crossfaction disabling warmode/pvp flag while it's in effect under any and all conditions or not?

Lets say you're a tauren that got ganked by a dwarf that is teamed up with undead priest. You and and the dwarf can attack each other, the undead priest can heal the dwarf but cant attack you.
Also if you're teaming up with a pvp-flagged player from the opposite faction - you cant attack each other as long as you're in the group.

[Dinoriel]

Though you are rewarded every 10 levels with certain items. I haven't tried this mode yet, so I am unsure what these items are (I hear bags may be a reward at level 10 or 20, but am unsure).

Well, shucks. That would have been useful information to know before autopiloting to 40ish in the last couple of days. That's what I'm talking about though. You have these great features that you could absolutely enjoy if you had any reliable way of knowing they exist and how they work exactly. I mean, I see a term I'm not familiar with, I spend some effort to google it and dig around. But if it was a retail feature I'm not familiar with since I've stopped playing by that point I don't have a clue whether it's implemented 1:1 on turtle like it was described on some blizz forum potentially 5+ years ago. And that's if I'm aware of the mechanic at all.

I distinctly remember asking a very specific question in the containment starting guild several times over, and it was drowned by the very engaged and highbrow discussion on how they would milk Oprah if she was a tauren and how the cheese produced would taste like. Alright, barrens chat nonsense lol. I ended up getting my answer (which I confirmed since works completely differently now) after spending several hours digging thru old threads since most people that seriously answered in the game had a similar stance of well, I'm not sure but it should work like that. Maybe.

I agree that is definitely part of the trouble with TurtleWoW. It's still just obsolete enough that googling anything related to server-specifc features probably won't land you with a concrete answer. Hopefully when all of this eastern-player/queue drama calms down, there will be some form of a post made to focus on new players to introduce them to the game. Heck, it probably wouldn't hurt to try making one myself. Though there's still a lot I don't even know. The only other thing I could direct you to is TurtleWow's database. Though it tends to be buggy at times: https://database.turtle-wow.org/

I still use it to keep track of my quests and make sure I have all needed for a dungeon since there are a few that are custom to Turtle. All custom content should be covered there, and it works similarly to sites like WoWhead.

That said, I try to avoid speaking in the starting guilds at all. There are a few helpful people, but most are there to troll. About a year ago, the guilds used to be moderated (at least to avoid real-world politics from entering the chat, which happened often). I don't see anything like that anymore.

There was talk of Still Alive (the HC guild) and Newcomers having their separate chats instead of guilds, which I think would be better. Regardless, even a mentor system at the very least would be nice. It could be similar to ascension where players apply to help out the newbies, and end up with an icon or title above their head that lets new players know they can ask them questions about the game and such.

[Blaketj]

It's still just obsolete enough that googling anything related to server-specifc features probably won't land you with a concrete answer.

That said, I try to avoid speaking in the starting guilds at all. There are a few helpful people, but most are there to troll.

Regardless, even a mentor system at the very least would be nice. It could be similar to ascension where players apply to help out the newbies, and end up with an icon or title above their head that lets new players know they can ask them questions about the game and such.

Oh hell, yes.

In the past week or so I've seen people that come straight from the current retail, I've seen people that come from classic. There are people that I highly doubt ever touched the game at all, and some have confirmed as such. I've actually ran into one guy I used to raid with on nostalrius almost five years ago now. That's an amazing melting pot of experiences, expectations and preconceptions. And my hats off to the turtle team for making this place for us to use and enjoy, and having the proverbial balls to try and improve on the experience most of us remember, consider or have at least heard it's THE wow experience. But, and this is obviously a personal take, it's really hard to commit the time and effort to properly engage if I simply don't have enough information.

And I'm not talking handholding here, I'm talking about basic gameplay and mechanics changes that have been introduced and the general vibe of the server. The stuff you can't find in the almost two decades of information on the vanilla game that's out by now. This has been one of the friendliest communities in WoW I have interacted with and I wish you all the best of luck but I still have no idea if I should even play here. And I doubt I'm the only one.

I saw and have gotten at least 500 different responses to the PVP question for example. And it would be a shame and a half if I that enjoy that type of content would move on because I took at face value literally dozens upon of dozens of people claiming it's dead, broken, not important or "carebear" while at the same time another person would leave the server because they've come for the pve experience or even the rp angle but have been driven off by oh it's cancer, expect to be griefed and ganked every step of the way since there's a ton of real hardcore pvpers around that will kill and fear your mobs until you let them kill you.

I mean, it can't reasonably be everything for everyone, so which is it?

[Dinoriel]

It's still just obsolete enough that googling anything related to server-specifc features probably won't land you with a concrete answer.

That said, I try to avoid speaking in the starting guilds at all. There are a few helpful people, but most are there to troll.

Regardless, even a mentor system at the very least would be nice. It could be similar to ascension where players apply to help out the newbies, and end up with an icon or title above their head that lets new players know they can ask them questions about the game and such.

Oh hell, yes.

In the past week or so I've seen people that come straight from the current retail, I've seen people that come from classic. There are people that I highly doubt ever touched the game at all, and some have confirmed as such. I've actually ran into one guy I used to raid with on nostalrius almost five years ago now. That's an amazing melting pot of experiences, expectations and preconceptions. And my hats off to the turtle team for making this place for us to use and enjoy, and having the proverbial balls to try and improve on the experience most of us remember, consider or have at least heard it's THE wow experience. But, and this is obviously a personal take, it's really hard to commit the time and effort to properly engage if I simply don't have enough information.

And I'm not talking handholding here, I'm talking about basic gameplay and mechanics changes that have been introduced and the general vibe of the server. The stuff you can't find in the almost two decades of information on the vanilla game that's out by now. This has been one of the friendliest communities in WoW I have interacted with and I wish you all the best of luck but I still have no idea if I should even play here. And I doubt I'm the only one.

I saw and have gotten at least 500 different responses to the PVP question for example. And it would be a shame and a half if I that enjoy that type of content would move on because I took at face value literally dozens upon of dozens of people claiming it's dead, broken, not important or "carebear" while at the same time another person would leave the server because they've come for the pve experience or even the rp angle but have been driven off by oh it's cancer, expect to be griefed and ganked every step of the way since there's a ton of real hardcore pvpers around that will kill and fear your mobs until you let them kill you.

That's completely understandable. Usually before entering ANY private server, I'd do a shit ton of research just to make sure what I'm actually seeing is legitimate and stable. If I can't easily access information, then I tend to get turned away pretty quickly. I'll admit, I was almost turned away from Turtle myself, but pushed through solely because of the desire to play a High Elf.

And yeah, I get what you mean. A lot has changed in TurtleWoW from vanilla and classic. I know enough to realize what I'm playing isn't the true vanilla experience. Meanwhile others who've never touched WoW are having their first experiences here, much like you said. It's interesting to think about. Though I definitely agree there should be something to at least touch up on the changes. Anyone that needs real handholding can access the tutorial through the interface options. Whether you choose to continue or not is up to you. Though if you do choose to stay, know that you are welcomed! As mentioned I've been on-and-off the server a few times.

As for the PvP question, many people are going to have differing opinions on the state of it. In my personal experience, it's definitely not perfect by any means, and I think warmode should have some type of additional open-world PvP benefits. Something like what goes on in Gurubashi Arena. Though most people like myself that enjoy PvE/RP tend to not go Warmode at all, and avoid being flagged as much as they can. Especially on HC.

Hardcore PvPers are also quite rare from what I know. I believe there are only 2 documented accounts of a player reaching level 60 as a Hardcore-Warmode player. The first of the two, leveling back when the server population was in the hundreds, and only grinding mobs found off the coast of major zones.

I mean, it can't reasonably be everything for everyone, so which is it?

A good question. Honestly, I'm not sure if TurtleWoW really has a clear vision anymore. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun server. Though the RP community it was supposed to turn into just isn't really there. I can't really say for certain what has replaced it.