Adding connected realm ladders

[Daibutsusan73]

Guys come on. There is no "whining" coming from me. I lost my #1 spot on my server as well. But lets be real, being #1 with little competition is just fooling yourself. Why not just take a screen shot, photo shop it so you're tops again, and just look at that when ever you want.

I don't know what your new competition is like, but I had the largest collection on my server, with a pet number that doesn't even rank in the top 500. Thanks to the new connected realms list, I'm now up against the 29th and 35th pet collections in the US!

I've been coming to this site for many years, and on my server I have always been in at least the top 5, usually the top 3, and there have been many periods over the years where I was #1. I only come to this site to check my rank, and the collections of my peers. Now that I know I will likely never break into the top ten, and absolutely not break the top 5, there's no reason to visit this site anymore.

If Blizzard truly wanted connected realms to be considered one realm, then they would have eliminated the separate realm names when they combined them, but they didn't. There are still separate realm names for a reason.

Look, If the right move is a more "accurate" list to see where your collection stands, then why even divide the realms or countries at all, just have one master list with every WoW pet collection.

[Quintessence]

Again, this Connected Realms change is a continual work in progress. Additional updates to toggle how users see rankings is something we're taking a look at.

Remember that there are many different ways players approach collecting. Some enjoy the competition, while others don't mind what rank they are. There is no absolute "right way", and we appreciate all types of collectors. With that in mind, please keep the discussion civil and friendly!

[Daibutsusan73]

Again, this Connected Realms change is a continual work in progress. Additional updates to toggle how users see rankings is something we're taking a look at.

Remember that there are many different ways players approach collecting. Some enjoy the competition, while others don't mind what rank they are. There is no absolute "right way", and we appreciate all types of collectors. With that in mind, please keep the discussion civil and friendly!

With all due respect, I love this site, and I agree, obviously there are many types of collectors, but this discussion is about a ranked list, which I would argue is only about competition. This new combined realm leaderboard only benefits a minority of collectors on this site that have 920+ pets, but they already have the top 500 list to compete with.

I'm not sure who this was implemented for. There are only a few folks that asked for it on this thread, was it made for them? Most folks seem to be either indifferent or against it.

If this change was about pure competition, as I've stated before there's already a top 500 list. It seems like this is a weird half-measure to make a minority of elite collectors happy about being at the top of a larger combined list so that they can feel like they are beating even more people than before, while simultaneously not having to feel small on the top 500 list. Either way you slice it, combined realm leaderboards are still a segregated list, and thus "inaccurate".

The way I see it, you have a master list for the elite collectors, and single realm leaderboards for the rest of us, just like we used to have.

[Mehetabel]

EXACTLY! You whiners that wanted this probably have nothing else you do in the game. Your collection is all you have to boast about.
This was totally implemented wrong. It should have been given to the whiner Zogs as a drop down just like overall. If implemented at all.
If It's Not Broke, Don't Fix It.

We weren't whining, we were politely asking for a change that has been implemented on other ranking sites (ie Wowprogress) for a very long time.

Anyone who regularly checks their rankings on here are doing it for the competitive aspect, right? In that case, shouldn't more competition DRIVE you rather than put you off? To use a RL comparison . . . if organisers of a marathon upped the entrance numbers one year, do you think all the entrants would go "what's the point, some of the new runners are faster than me"? No, they would train longer and harder so they got better.

I've been asking for this change DESPITE knowing that I would lose my server 1st rank, simply because I'd rather know that my rank is accurate. It's a challenge and challenges are great because who wants a game that's easy. It's motivated me to get a move on and get out there and collect the pets I'm missing.

And FYI, I do plenty else in game. I also collect pretty much everything, not just pets, including readable books/journals. I am, however, insanely proud of my pet collection because I've put 10 years of hard work and time into it. Not going to apologise for that.

[Tabbilox]

With all due respect to the good folks who run this website, this change should NEVER have been made until it was toggle-able. Forcing all users to view the Leaderboards the way the original requesters asked was just plain wrong! Making the Leaderboards so that all Users could tailor their list the way they prefer to see it - Priceless!

Seriously though, everyone is different. We all have different motivations, different goals, different abilities. As several folks have related, there is a kind of gap between the "Average Serious Pet Collectors" and the so-called "Elite Pet Collectors." The average Collectors have few to none of the Card Game pets or the BlizzCon pets and most likely never will. (I personally have the two pets from last year's BlizzCon and no TCG pets and consider myself to be an average serious pet collector at 854 unique pets.) Some folks are greatly motivated by seeing how they stack up against the best the world has to offer. Others are daunted by such overwhelming competition. Beginning collectors especially are more likely to be overwhelmed and put off by such huge numbers posted by elite Collectors.

But here is the key, the absolute vital point: Neither side is right...and neither side is wrong. Both sides, both viewpoints are equally valid. Whether you want to see how your collection stacks up against the entire world, or you just want to see how you're faring against only your Faction on only your Server, or somewhere in between, your choice is right for you. Just as some thrive in the free-for-all whirlwind of galaxy-wide competition, others need to take baby-steps and look at a smaller group of challengers in order to not be overwhelmed and decide to chuck it all and stop being a Pet Collector. Are you Elite Pet Collectors so threatened by newer Pet Collectors that you want to prevent possible incoming new Pet Collectors from joining our community? Probably not, I'd assume, but that is what could happen if we force everyone to see the dance through the same eyes. I saw a quote in a company newsletter once that went something like this:

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing."

Perfection in our Pet Collectors community is having all or most those extremely hard to get Card Game and BlizzCon pets. I'm never going to get them. Most people that don't already have them will never get them. Waving them all in front of us all the time is demoralizing and demotivating. Allowing us the average collectors the polite fiction of ignoring those with these unattainable pets if we so desire will allow us to be challenged in a more manageable way so as not to scare away new recruits to our ranks.

I think this is a great feature for those who wish to see the bigger and wider picture of the greater community of Pet Collectors. But it really MUST be turned off until you can make it optional. Sorry, but it must. It was totally unfair to pop it on us in a non-optional format.

[Mehetabel]

But here is the key, the absolute vital point: Neither side is right...and neither side is wrong. Both sides, both viewpoints are equally valid.

You've made a very good point there.

Whether you want to see how your collection stacks up against the entire world, or you just want to see how you're faring against only your Faction on only your Server, or somewhere in between, your choice is right for you.

Another good point and I do agree that a toggle would be a good option. You're right, whilst some of us do thrive on the "elite" competition (and believe me, I'll never have ALL the pets either) we DO still want to encourage new collectors and keep current collectors. If a toggle is a possible option then it would be a good addition.

[Peanutty]

I guess I'll never get the fuss over realm rankings - I have a fairly complete collection and use this site to manage that collection, not to make myself feel like I've outperformed someone else. If I really want to compare my collection to others on here, then I only look at overall rank, because that paints a more accurate picture, even though I know I'll never have some of the pets that others do.

Maybe this makes me the minority of active players, but I admit that I 1) don't bother updating my account for months sometimes and 2) I'm not registered on any of my main characters or realms anyhow. So that sort of thing is always going to y throw off the realm ranking system on here. If it makes someone happy to see me drop in ranking due to lack of updating, or to not appear on their realm list because that's not the realm I'm registered to, that's fine by me, but it's also not accurate.

[Daibutsusan73]

With all due respect to the good folks who run this website, this change should NEVER have been made until it was toggle-able. Forcing all users to view the Leaderboards the way the original requesters asked was just plain wrong! Making the Leaderboards so that all Users could tailor their list the way they prefer to see it - Priceless!

Seriously though, everyone is different. We all have different motivations, different goals, different abilities. As several folks have related, there is a kind of gap between the "Average Serious Pet Collectors" and the so-called "Elite Pet Collectors." The average Collectors have few to none of the Card Game pets or the BlizzCon pets and most likely never will. (I personally have the two pets from last year's BlizzCon and no TCG pets and consider myself to be an average serious pet collector at 854 unique pets.) Some folks are greatly motivated by seeing how they stack up against the best the world has to offer. Others are daunted by such overwhelming competition. Beginning collectors especially are more likely to be overwhelmed and put off by such huge numbers posted by elite Collectors.

But here is the key, the absolute vital point: Neither side is right...and neither side is wrong. Both sides, both viewpoints are equally valid. Whether you want to see how your collection stacks up against the entire world, or you just want to see how you're faring against only your Faction on only your Server, or somewhere in between, your choice is right for you. Just as some thrive in the free-for-all whirlwind of galaxy-wide competition, others need to take baby-steps and look at a smaller group of challengers in order to not be overwhelmed and decide to chuck it all and stop being a Pet Collector. Are you Elite Pet Collectors so threatened by newer Pet Collectors that you want to prevent possible incoming new Pet Collectors from joining our community? Probably not, I'd assume, but that is what could happen if we force everyone to see the dance through the same eyes. I saw a quote in a company newsletter once that went something like this:

"Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing."

Perfection in our Pet Collectors community is having all or most those extremely hard to get Card Game and BlizzCon pets. I'm never going to get them. Most people that don't already have them will never get them. Waving them all in front of us all the time is demoralizing and demotivating. Allowing us the average collectors the polite fiction of ignoring those with these unattainable pets if we so desire will allow us to be challenged in a more manageable way so as not to scare away new recruits to our ranks.

I think this is a great feature for those who wish to see the bigger and wider picture of the greater community of Pet Collectors. But it really MUST be turned off until you can make it optional. Sorry, but it must. It was totally unfair to pop it on us in a non-optional format.

All excellent points. I couldn't agree more.

[Peterc]

A classic case of 'You can please all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you cannot please all of the people all of the time'.

For what it is worth (and that is not a lot as it has already been stated we all have different views and reasons for collecting) I totally disagreee with those that say this shouldn't have been done until it could be made optional.

Peterc

[Angelcat2887]

i can see the points on both sides, i as many others have said i was a little shocked to see that i had dropped from 2nd to 5th place on the server list.

I just look at the list for fun and to motavaite me to get lvling and getting tho's last few pets i had gotten lazy about (im looking at you [pet]Stunted Direhorn[/pet]) but as someone who has other pet collectors in her guild and helps them a lot, they have lost a lot more ranks than me, and it did make them want to stop for a while.

and i told them this: rather then always trying to beat the #1 on the server make little goals and just try to beat the person above you, then the next after that. with every new expac and patch we have a pet rush and the ranking go crazy for a while anyway.

Yes there are some people who have all the TCG and blizzcon and CE pets, but they have spent really money to get them, something that others cant or wont do. nothing wrong with that but dont hate on the people that have because you can never reach the same number of pets as them.

As fun as the rankings are, it should always be about your personal collection and how you can improve it, it shouldnt matter how many others have as long as you still have a pet to go and collect.

just my 2 cents

[Quintessence]

UPDATE: Users can now toggle Connected Realm viewing.

Go to Manage Account section > Connected Realm (click Enabled/Disabled, will take a moment for the page to reload to save)

Your profile page will show your rank based on your selection and you will also view the Realm Leaderboards based on your selection.

If you opt to Disable Connected Realms by default, you can still view connected servers on the Realm Leaderboards by checking Show Connected Realms on the Realm Leaderboard page, and then hitting Go again to refresh.

Find any bugs with this new feature? Please report them, thanks!

Thank you to everyone for your patience and feedback!

[Daibutsusan73]

Thank you so much for this compromise, greatly appreciated.

You guys rock!