10 Answers about Warcraft

As I am working my way through WoW again with my baby Druid, I though it would be worth while to answer the '10 questions about WoW' that has been put forth over at Alternative Chat.

1. Why did you start playing Warcraft?

I started playing Warcraft because it was there. Basically, I was a big fan of the RTS Warcraft games and had just ventured into the MMO world with Everquest and then City of Heroes. My gaming buddy and I decided to transfer to WoW when it came out and the rest is history…

2. What was the first ever character you rolled?

I started out as a hunter because I liked the pets.

3. Which factors determined your faction choice in game?

I liked the Horde in the RTS games and wanted to play as an Orc. I always tend to lean towards the 'underdog' side as well.

4. What has been your most memorable moment in Warcraft and why?

I think my most memorable moment was when I reached level 85 on my Druid. This was the first time I had made max level, and I am pretty sure this was the first time I 'completed' a game. We all know that was not the end, but it certainly felt like an accomplishment.

5. What is your favourite aspect of the game and has this always been the case?

I have always enjoyed the community. At first it was my local gaming buddies, but as they drifted away from the game, I got into the Alea Iacta Est guild and I have been with them since. They are always a lot of fun and I have moved to other games with them as well.

6. Do you have an area in game that you always return to?

I tend to like Mulgore. Whenever I play with new people and we start out new characters, I usually roll Tauren so other than Orgrimarr for all the portals, Mulgore and Thunder Bluffs is probably my favorite.

7. How long have you /played and has that been continuous?

I started shortly after the game came out. I did not start out on day 1, but a couple of weeks after the game came out. Back then, I did not buy things before I knew they were going to be something I would enjoy. As for continuity, I have definitely taken time off. I never attained the max level until Cata was out – I just never motivated until then. I remember having a level 42 priest that I loved until a patch came out and reset how he healed – I think he is still at level 42 on some server.

8. Admit it: do you read quest text or not?

I do. I like to get into the lore and understand what I am expected to do. Certainly there have been times where I skip it, but I mostly prefer to understand the WHY of my quests

9. Are there any regrets from your time in game?

No real regrets. I do wish I had spent some time earlier in the game to raid – back when I had real life time to do so, but I never saw any of the big boss fights until LFR came out.

10. What effect has Warcraft had on your life outside gaming?

I think Warcraft has changed the perception of gamers and that has benefited me. I don't fear telling people I am a gamer now. Back before Warcraft, it was embarrassing to say you gamed as everyone would comment on how you were hooked on Evercrack. Now, I actually have mentioned my Warcraft experiences during job interviews and got positive reactions. Other than that, I like the sense of comradery in that I can almost go anywhere these days and know that someone has played Warcraft – it's practically a communal memory that so many of us share.

So that is where I stand on the 10 questions. It is hard to believe that Warcraft has been a part of my life for 10 years – more if you consider the RTS games. It is definitely a part of my life that I think of fondly and one that I hope to continue. I hope Warlords maintains my interest.

September Featured Link

I could cheat today and just mention the Alternative Chat link that I got the 10 questions from, but I'll throw down a different link here…

CT Murphy over at Murf Versus recently posted of his frustrations in League of Legends and I can completely sympathize with him. From my time in the game, I think things have gotten worse.

Game hardware – I do not know many other games that consistently have connectivity problems where 10-20% of the users get disconnected on an hourly basis. I certainly could not image raiding or running a dungeon in Warcraft or any MMO where someone goes AFK every few fights. I don't think the game would last too long with that type of experience, yet LoL has millions of players, many of whom disconnect frequently.

Community – in MMOs, you can turn off the trade chat or any channel that is harassing you, but in LoL, the only channel you get to pass information is also the only channel where toxic players shout obscenities all game long. Newer tools like curse chat may help this get better – I don't hear people being obnoxious when on voice chat so that is a positive sign. And these people don't wait until the game starts either – they often begin their harassment in champion select.

Griefers – the only game I can compare to LoL in terms of people who just want to destroy other peoples enjoyment is Eve. There are plenty of trolls in Eve – many of them group together and call themselves Goons, but they are a known quantity. You can knowingly play with the CFC or attack them, if they try to gank you, you can dock up or get in a bigger ship and fight them. In LoL, the typical griefer is on your team and either goes AFK and leaves you to suffer 4v5, sends a stream of obscenities and insults over the chat channel, or feeds the enemy team. There is nothing you can do about them – you can't attack them, you can't kick them from your team, you can only tolerate or ignore them and suffer with the struggle of trying to pull out a victory when fighting your own team.

With all these failings, I've been tempted to uninstall LoL just as CT Murphy has, and someday I may do it. For now though, I applaud him for taking a step to improve his quality of life and get rid of some headaches.

#WoW #10Questions #LoL #LeagueOfLegends #MurfVersus #Griefers #AlternativeChat