Selecting a Realm
WoW is played by roughly 5.6 million people around the world, and because of that, not everyone can play in the same virtual game space. If Blizzard tried to set things up like that, the game's computer systems probably couldn't handle it and even if they could, it would get insanely crowded and no one would have much fun. For that reason, Blizzard has set up a worldwide network of computer servers, with each one running its own copy of WoW's virtual game world. Each one of these copies is referred to as a "Realm."
On the Character Selection screen, click the "Change Realm" button. It will bring up a menu that looks like this:
On the Character Selection screen, click the "Change Realm" button. It will bring up a menu that looks like this:
This is the Realm Selection menu (You may have seen this already). Within this list, you should pay close attention to the Type listed for each Realm. The four types of Realms in WoW are:
For the purpose of this guide and because you are a new player, it is strongly recommended that you choose a Normal Realm to start on. You may also notice that the menu has tabs at the bottom with different location names on it. Those tabs represent different Regions of Realms that you have access to. You can play on any Realm in any Region you have access to, but you should start out selecting the Region closest to where you live. You'll be more likely to have a better connection to the game, you'll meet more people who are from your area and speak the same language as you, and you'll have an easier time finding people to do team activities with since you'll be in (or close to) the same time zone. For more information on Realms and Regions, click here.
Once you have selected your Realm, click "Okay" to return to the Character Selection screen.
- Normal, or PvE (Player versus Environment): Normal Realms are the most basic type of Realm, and their primary gameplay focus is on completing Quests and on fighting computer-controlled enemies, both alone and in groups. You can fight against (and be attacked by) players from the opposite Faction while on Normal Realms, but only under very specific conditions.
- PvP (Player versus Player): PvP Realms still give you the opportunity to complete Quests and fight computer-controlled enemies, but there is a much greater emphasis on fighting other players on these Realms. You can be--and likely will be--attacked by players from the opposite Faction whenever you travel through zones that are not completely controlled by your own Faction. This can make the process of leveling-up Characters very challenging.
- RP (Roleplaying): RP Realms work essentially the same way as Normal Realms do. On RP Realms, however, players have tighter restrictions on what names they can give their Characters, and players may be expected to speak "in character" in any form of in-game communication, as though they were playing a role (hence the name) in a story. This is meant to create a feeling of being more fully-immersed in a fantasy world.
- RPPvP (Roleplaying Player versus Player): Quite simply, this is a type of Realm which combines the greater story immersion of Roleplaying with increased emphasis on Player versus Player combat.
For the purpose of this guide and because you are a new player, it is strongly recommended that you choose a Normal Realm to start on. You may also notice that the menu has tabs at the bottom with different location names on it. Those tabs represent different Regions of Realms that you have access to. You can play on any Realm in any Region you have access to, but you should start out selecting the Region closest to where you live. You'll be more likely to have a better connection to the game, you'll meet more people who are from your area and speak the same language as you, and you'll have an easier time finding people to do team activities with since you'll be in (or close to) the same time zone. For more information on Realms and Regions, click here.
Once you have selected your Realm, click "Okay" to return to the Character Selection screen.
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World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion are registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
World of Warcraft, its associated expansions, all content described by this guide, and all images contained in this guide are the sole intellectual property of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Any questions, comments, or concerns about this guide? E-mail: [email protected]
World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, Cataclysm, Mists of Pandaria, Warlords of Draenor, and Legion are registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
World of Warcraft, its associated expansions, all content described by this guide, and all images contained in this guide are the sole intellectual property of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Any questions, comments, or concerns about this guide? E-mail: [email protected]