As a Horde player trying to find my way back to World of Warcraft, I am a little disappointed. I did not realize an old Blizzard error was allowed into the game. When I initially started up on Elysium, I really wanted to experience Alterac Valley in it's prime. When there was a constant battle between the Horde and the Alliance. Sure, it was rough being Horde in Alterac. I probably lost more matches than I had ever won, but it was the intensity of the battleground that made it feel alive. The constant push and pull. From defending Drek'Thar in the keep, and being able to push all the way to Dun Baldar's bridge, just to be slaughtered by champion archers. Whether we won at that moment, or wiped on the bridge, it felt like a real, "Battleground."
I hit 60 expecting to reenact the battle that required you to gather resources. The time where calling a ground assault or cavalry assault made a huge difference in the tide of battle. I remember being proud to be apart of the Horde as I rode alongside the cavalry, decimating any alliance that stood in our way. Calling aerial assaults made the all out war feel realistic, even though they were somewhat useless.
I understand that Elysium wishes to be considered, "Blizzard like," however I am disheartened that they did not take into account of the positive changes Blizzard implemented that made Alterac Valley what it was known for. I am aware of the comments that attempt to justify this backdoor giving Horde a fair chance at winning. Alliance did in fact have an advantage, but it does not create a sound argument to explain the bypassing of content. Alterac Valley was intended to be this struggle of push and pull, but thanks to the backdoor, my fellow Horde abuse this tactic, rather than our old proper rush of, "Let the tanks lead our rush across the bridge." In Elysium's current version of Alterac, if the raid fails the backdoor, then most players leave, or not using the backdoor to experience the battleground correctly is never considered to begin with.
I want to play an Alterac that fulfills these old ways. I am not sure Elysium will eventually make these changes, but I pray they will sometime in the future. I recognize this backdoor was once apart of the original game, but I can confidently say that people did not create their epic memories of Alterac during the time of this backdoor, but created these memories during the time that came after it's removal. To the Horde, the Alliance, and lovers of World of Warcraft, I hope one day we will be able to clash in the memorable battles of Alterac Valley. Even though it took hours :)
