Here's an easy way to play together right from the get-go.
Whoever gets the full account uses Recruit-a-friend to invite all of the other players to create their trial accounts.
Once you are in the game, the "veteran" account will be able to summon all of the recruits directly to him. While it may feel a little strange to be an Undead in the Tauren starting zone, you will have access to all the same quests (except class-specific ones).
And now with the advent of automatically learned skills, you don't even need to worry about not having a trainer nearby!
There is one potential drawback: Recruit-a-friend gives you all a 300% experience boost. You will gain levels very quickly, and as new players you may find the learning curve a bit steep.
If WoW is indeed linear too, how come they aren't complaining about WoW doing that?
The quests in world of warcraft are a completely optional path to progression. The quests do not stand between you and your friends at the level cap.
Quests are a fast way to level up, but there are plenty of other things available to do.
There's also enough quests in the game that your can do different sets of them on different characters. Playing different linear quests is more fun than replaying the same linear quests.
Are World of Warcraft quests linear?
In the sense that each quest tells you want to do, and completing quests open up more quests in a "quest chain", yes.
However, there are some elements in World of Warcraft that mitigate the linearness.
- Quest layering: generally you're given 2-3 quests at the same time in the same area and you get to choose what objectives to go for first. This is an opportunity to try to optimize and it adds variety to the tasks.
- Distractions: gathering skills and mini-pet combat break up the quest grind.
- Alternative scenary: At most level ranges, there are 2-3 different zones you can go to for at-level questing.
For starting players, some advice. As races have been added to the game, the starting areas have gotten more and more linear. The starting quest sequences for Worgen, Goblins, Pandaren and Deathknights are very linear and are not optional. If linear questing is something that bothers you, avoid those areas.
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