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August 01, 2005
PvP Server Differences (Part 2)
Server Sample: RP (High), PvE (Medium), PvE (High), PvP (High)
Sampling Period: 6/30/2005 2:00 am - 7/07/2005 2:00 am
Sampling Resolution: ~14 minutes
Parsing Method: The sample unit is each unique character. Each character was tracked across the server logs. Total playing time, lowest observed level, highest observed level, guild affiliation, and zones seen in were parsed.
Data Filter: None
Sample Size: 106,762 characters
Here, we continue the PvP server differences findings.
Grouping Ratio
Characters on the PvP server were observed to be in a group more often than characters not on PvP servers. Overall, the difference was about 30% vs. 25%. The increased grouping ratio seems to be reflected across all 60 levels.
Level Progress
We calculated the level progression that each observed character made over the one week period. Characters on PvP servers made a significantly higher, but marginal, difference over the one week period than the other servers.
Leveling Time
Messages on forums seemed to suggest that it was harder and took longer to level on PvP servers than on non-PvP servers. While we did find a significant difference, it was almost in the opposite direction. Characters on the PvP server leveled faster than most of the other servers. In fact, perhaps the need to level is more salient on PvP servers than non-PvP servers and outweighs the difficulty of leveling.
Posted at August 1, 2005 10:40 AM
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Comments
i know in my case, i definately felt theurge/need to lvl fast on my pvp server. i started as a druid and got all the way to lvl 33 where i really was just plain sick of the druid. even tho at that time i was seemingly ahead of the curve of most peoples lvl'ing.
then i switched to my mage and started over, and by the time i got back to the 30's and was a good distance behind most peoples lvl in STV it absolutely made me want to lvl faster to try and avoid further ganking.
thanks to that experience in STV i have pretty much never had any need to leave a horde character i run across alive 8)
Posted by: drypulse at August 1, 2005 02:26 PM
The table "Average leveling time by server type (in minutes)" doesn't represent a proper comparison between PVP servers and PVE servers. In the table you compare PVP (high) to 3 different types of PVE servers (medium, high and RP high).
This is adding in extra variables into the data. You should have compared PVP (high) to PVE (high), RP-PVP (high) to RP (high), and finally PVP (medium) to PVE (medium)
Posted by: Mitchell at April 12, 2006 11:28 PM