ex - Deathwing player.
Current on Tarren Mill.
My thoughts on the new realm :
The Lag
The lag problems are gone - didnt experienced any lag so far. Discconects are on a normal level - dont expect that noone will discconect there. Ppl still disconnect because of installed mods, ISP problems, PC problems etc., BWL bugs like in Razorgore room - yeah the new server doesnt mean that the bugs are gone - the game is the same , but this is nothing compared to what we got on Deathwing last weeks where like 7-8 ppl from the raid were consantly disconnected no matter where and the rest had at least yellow ping if not red.
Just if you decide to migrate do it with a positive attitude and you will see the difference. Dont expect a heaven, but the lag is really not a problem on Tarren Mill.
Population
Before Deathwing migrated there Tarren Mill was a ghost server. I made char there last Friday and was surprised to see 24 ppl in Orgrimar in peak hour and only 4 raiding guilds (3 horde, 1 alliance). Because of that lots of people on Deathwing were hesitant to move afraid of ghost server. The fact that blizzard stated the migration only 3 days in advance (like here for Dunemaul) didnt helped either. The thing that turned the wave was that top guilds on Deathwing made decission fast and stated on Sunday that they will be migrating. Soon lots of people followed.
In the end the current state is that probably 30-40% of Deathwing population moved, in this included most raiding guilds. Also a lot of alliance PvPers moved too in hope of a shorter BG queues (there were no Battlegrounds before deathwing migrated but several horde guilds stated that they only need alliance to open it). After that the domino effect followed and even lots of non-guilded PvPers moved. Also a lot of ppl not in the migrating guilds moved too to follow their friends (there are allready few new-formed guilds from such lone migraters).
This Friday Tarren Mill is nothing compared to last Friday, the main difference being it is allready a Live server. Even some drama allready started .
Currently there are a lot more alliance on the server, so when you guys organise the migrations keep that in mind. It will be good if more Horde guilds come than alliance.
You can check raiding progress on this thread (I just updated it) :
http://forums-en.wow-europe.com/thread. ... &p=1&tmp=1 One Horde guild that is up to Huhuran is missing from this update since they toke the decission to migrate the last moment and are in process of reforming (leaving some players, getting new ones etc).
TheBattlegrounds - allmost constantly there is several WSG/AB plus at least one AV open. There are no significant queues for Horde. For alliance side I am not sure, but I heard the BG queues are around 15 minutes.
There is a good base of unguilded ppl with good gear too - we were surprised how many good unguilded recruits applied to us, so I think there will be not much problems to fill the spots in your guilds in case of ppl stopping to play/going for long afkness.
About the server total population - I dont know the exact numbers, but basicly from Deathwing migrated the guilds that stated they will migrate last time, so I think Blizzard made their calculations and if only the people that stated they will migrate last time do so now I think there will be no problems with queues/overpopulation.
Currently the server (at least on Horde side) looks a bit empty, but still populated enough to not be boring, so I think it can accept around 15 more guilds plus the guys that will follow in the domino effect.
Just keep in mind: If a lot of people migrate from Dunemaul and the rest decide to follow there is probably a chance for overpopulation - just be reasonable and press the brake at some point. Make your decission if you migrate or not and stick with it.
That being said - hope to see you on the other side for those of you that decide to migrate and have fun on your current server for the rest of you that decide to stay