Getting back into the game
Knightless is having the same problem I'd guess quite a few players have -- her interest in her character is flagging a bit, and she's trying to figure out a way to get more involved in what she's doing in Azeroth. This is an interesting situation, because at this point, with almost any other game, the player would just leave and go find something else to play (and actually, I can say from experience that sometimes taking a short break from the game completely can rebuild your interest in it), but things don't really work that way in World of Warcraft -- responsibilities to your guild and the people you've met in game will keep you around even when your interest is low.So what tips can we offer Knightless and others who are looking for ways to refresh their interest in the game? Rerolling is a big one -- I've always found that picking up a new class you've never played before can get you to look at a game in a different way. Running an instance that you haven't run in a while is always fun, too -- it only takes a little while to level up a character to Deadmines or Wailing Caverns levels, and both of those instances always renew my interest in playing through Warcraft. Running guild activities or contests are always fun, too -- especially since Knightless is a guild officer, she could organize some lower level runs or some "grind days," where guildies all get together in groups to level each other up.
Any other ideas for reviving a flagging interest in playing a character that you feel a need to play due to responsibilities or other connections in the game?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Fan stuff, Virtual selves, Odds and ends, Instances, Classes






Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Erik Mar 18th 2008 9:54AM
I personally suggest picking a goal and working towards it. Doesn't even matter what the goal is. Mine last week was my Ironforge rep this week it's cooking
Milktub Mar 17th 2008 4:58PM
In addition to my comment below, I agree with Erik.
On my "farming" toon, I have the current goal of maxing out my fishing skill. After the past two Saturday mornings of catching Golden Darters, I've gotten 365 skill.
On my main toon, it's maxing out the Outland factions before the patch. Just finished out Lower City (amazingly, it worked out that killing Murmur put me at 1/1000 exalted, and my Shouldergaurds of the Bold dropped), leaving only KoT and Thrallmar, both of which are just a couple instance runs from exalted. After that, if the patch still isn't out, I'll be running to pick up a dps set. If I finish that ... I dunno, guess I'll wear a wedding dress to tank Kara.
Naix Mar 17th 2008 5:33PM
I could not agree more. For me re-rolling a characters always seams to re-ignite the wow flame. I have a 70 priest, lock, rogue. Now I am rolling a Druid (24 now) and I have to say the Druid is a little of each class I have rolled. My brother and I rolled Druids but have a rule, don't out level the other. We are going to level these chars all the way to 70. So far it has been a blast.
Zerubabble Mar 18th 2008 1:12PM
Yeah, I agree. Rep grinding, leveling professions, or one that my roommate thought of: mount collecting. You could also collect pets. Another that I like doing sometimes is running friend's alts through low level instances. Or one I tried recently was twinking. As you can see, I've gotten bored a lot.
Erik Mar 18th 2008 3:43PM
I personally like my Tabard collection.
Dilana Mar 17th 2008 5:16PM
For me it's always been playing an alt, but then again I'm an altoholic. Several of the officers of my current guild on Skywall and I made new toons on the new US server that locked within 2 weeks and when it gets to be a bit much I go there where things are simpler.
I've also found myself lagging behind ever since I had my account hacked. My guildmates and fellow officers have been trying to renew my interest but they've even said if it had happened to them they would have quit as soon as they found out.
Milktub Mar 17th 2008 4:49PM
Recently I re-rolled. Not to get a feel for a new class or anything (I actually dislike low level content due to the weakness of everything around me), but as a gimmick.
I've been a Hordie through and through, but I'm starting an all Dwarf and Gnome guild. All toons must have a "cute" name, and the guild name is very cute.
Votum Mar 17th 2008 4:52PM
Get together a bunch of gulidies and go on a world tour to level your fishing skill from 1 to (whatever) together.
Pappagallo Mar 17th 2008 4:54PM
Dual-boxing. Worked for me.
Justin Mar 17th 2008 5:52PM
me too... When ever my interest is dropping i log on to my 2 mages and have a ton of fun even though i only play them once or twice a month. Playing two toons at the same time is so totally different, it's great.
Nick S Mar 18th 2008 12:45AM
same here. dual-boxing is the most fun i've had with WoW since i first hit 70 on my main.
C.A. Mar 17th 2008 5:01PM
I agree with everyone so far. Those aren't bad. Personally, i will go explore, including zones that are totally cross faction. Maybe go assults a town or try some world pvp. The secondary skill sets, and rep grinds are some good time killers/goals.
Rob Mar 17th 2008 5:03PM
Reroll on a new server (there is one that just opened only for new chars but i can't remember name). That makes the game essentially start over. Mind you, you won't have any sugar dadies here.
Switch faction. If you've never played the other faction, you are missing out on whole zones worth of quests.
Switch characters. Warlocks have a ton of lock-specific quests.
Dump your professions. Both of them, at the same time. Pick something new, such as tailoring or enchanting.
Zali Mar 17th 2008 5:22PM
There are so many different areas in the game to keep you satisfied that it's hard to not be satisfied... that said, I get bored all the time. Altitis is not a disease, but a healthy way of blowing off some steam. For me, my alts are all about trades. And classes. And questing in new starter zones. Since I an alliance player, I never get to see Horde zones to any degree... so I will roll a whored for a few hours and try and level up enough to get to see around their little towns and their big cities. Recently I decided that I wanted to get all of their flight paths eventually... so I'm leveling a BE hunter up, very slowly, so I can.
I have JC that I'm leveling up so I can cut gems, and I want an engineer to farm dust clouds, so I have one of them I'm climbing the ladder with. After that, it's my herbalist/alchamist.
And don't forget those annoying rep grinds that you always tell yourself that you will some day finish up. Or the quests in the lowbie areas that you never got around to getting done way back when.
I recently solo'd Gnomeragen. I was feeling particularly masochistic. But hey, I've never done it before.
Theres ALWAYS something to do.
prudychick Mar 17th 2008 5:56PM
I think this is where new alts come from. You get a little bored with who you've been playing and next thing you know you have a 20 something alt. Fortunately I seem to have enough to keep my attention. About the time they run out of rested XP is about the time I'm getting bored with them, I'll just move on to someone else.
My main source of boredness though comes from having to grind for a profession. I simply get very bored of running around looking for ore veins.
Matt Mar 17th 2008 6:02PM
Quit. If the game doesn't hold your interest, why would you ever want to play it?
Milktub Mar 17th 2008 11:29PM
Totally agree.
But there seems to be this "thing" about WoW that if you don't love it, there's something wrong with you. That's why you go on the forums and see someone with a post along the lines of "I just started this game and I've tried every class but I don't like any of them, plz tell me what class I will like."
If you don't like the game any more, you don't like the game. Stop playing. If months down the road, you want to play again, pay for a month and log on.
Saiforune Mar 17th 2008 6:36PM
I have reroll'd to a rogue and since getting him to 70 I've been trying to strive for a second toon with epic flyer. Alongside that I am completing old attunements like the TK one and SSC. I haven't started the SSC one yet, mainly because it doesn't offer a hella sweet title, but anywho the TK oen is a long hard drive since it requires 4 different Heroic instances and a raid. I do admit I will have to buy a Mag run to complete it, but i think my rogue will look nice with it and others will respecc me more in a pug. Plus, at lvl 80 in the Xpac i'll look Hardcore as heck. =D (at least in my eyes)
Narv Mar 17th 2008 7:13PM
I left the game for over eight months. I had gotten my first character to level 64 and just couldn't take it anymore. The constant griding, the frustration with groups in instances, the time drain. I swore I was done for good.
But, in the back of my mind, I always knew that Blizzard had saved my character . . . just in case. And so, one week ago, I returned. And my enthusiasm is greater than it's ever been. I take the time to enjoy the story behind the quests and I do exactly what I want to do. No grinding if I don't want to, etc. And within a week, I leveled from my character up to 70. It's nice to be back.
gabrar Mar 17th 2008 7:42PM
LotRO free trial. Putter with it for a while with no real plan to abandon WoW.