Breakfast Topic: Is it time for a change?
by Robert Bernal 
Apr 12th 2010 at 8:00AM
I've played World of Warcraft before and absolutely loved it -- I loved it until it became a second job for me. Then when I quit cold turkey, it turned into a bad break-up. I wanted to play it again but didn't want it consuming all of my time. I wanted to level without hating myself for sitting on a chair until my butt hurt, then finding a pillow and valiantly continuing on.
It's actually a deep, dark secret of mine (obviously not any more) that I never once got to the promised land that is level 80. I'll admit though, I had a lot of fun with the game. Hitting up instances and running through the well-written quests with friends was loads of fun. I wasn't a PvP god or anything, but I definitely had my good days back in my prime. I'll admit also that I still feel its callings now from time to time, and for all I know, I could be playing again tomorrow.
This brings me to an important question. What is it that keeps World of Warcraft players going strong? I remember when I first broke up with World of Warcraft, I went through an awkward rebound phase where I looked for any game I could find that would replace it. The sad part of this search was that I found myself wanting other games to be like Warcraft. The truth is, it may very well be the best one out there.
Even if it is the best, I want to know what gets people through the struggle of questing and grinding. As a semi-retired World of Warcraft gamer, I want to know if getting to the level cap is in fact worth the struggle. Is it the journey or the reward? What makes it all worth it to you?
Filed under: Breakfast Topics, Guest Posts
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 7)
Battery H Apr 12th 2010 8:06AM
Working new styles of play - leveling through completely different classes, has kept the game fresh. New roles to learn, from tanking without a shield to group foucsed healing (and still managing to keep the tank alive) means keeping up with another class and the changes that are comming.
Besides, having a nice fleet of professions makes it somewhat easier when I need that mithril casing in the Land of the Lost (aka "The Crater")
K Apr 12th 2010 12:53PM
http://www.destructoid.com/if-this-list-can-t-make-you-scared-of-mmo-s-nothing-can-166240.phtml
Actually, this is why you play.
Snuzzle Apr 12th 2010 3:54PM
Actually, that's why SOME people play, but not all.
Some people drink because they're hanging out with friends, some people play video games for the social aspect. Some people like challenges. Some people like constantly trying new things. Not everyone who plays WoW is sneakily addicted.
K Apr 12th 2010 4:19PM
From the perspective of the game mechanics, you're not playing it right then.
RetPallyJil Apr 12th 2010 8:06AM
It's the journey, mostly. And social interaction most of all. For example, I was gearing up like mad and having a great time. Now I have no guild, and can't find another, and I haven't even bothered to get my two freebie frost badges for almost three weeks.
WoW is just no fun by yourself.
Elleyna Apr 12th 2010 9:25AM
This is pretty true. Back during the end of BC, I took a free server transfer off a really overcrowded realm. Upon landing on the new one, I really couldn't find a consistent raiding guild (I'm a hunter, dime a dozen back then). Even when I outperformed a more established guild hunter, I was asked to sit when they needed to bring in other people. It just wasn't fun. It was the only time I ever canceled my subscription. I eventually renewed for WotLK and transferred back to my original realm ($75 later). My old guild let me back in, but I wasn't much of a priority once ICC came out. I was either going to quit again or find a new guild. I was lucky enough to find a guild that I'm absolutely loving both the people and the schedule (only 7 hours of raiding a week breaching the gap between casual and hardcore).
Long story short, you need to find people you have fun playing with otherwise the game loses a lot of its drawing power.
Daniel Apr 12th 2010 11:37AM
To each his own. I've played WoW for going on two years now and I have never belonged to a guild nor do I have any friends who play the game. I have two toons at level 80. For me, WoW is an escape from all the social stuff. I like the fact that there is something I can do where all my normal flow of life doesn't have any relevance.
I'm one of these people who worries whether the changes in Cata will actually leave a niche for people like me. One of the things that attracted me to WoW in the first place was that I could play it like an unlimited solo game.
For me, what keeps me going in WoW is that I'm not doing something else.
Joey Apr 12th 2010 11:46AM
Totally agree. My wife and I ran a guild for nearly four years and we leveled, pvp'd and raided with the same people during that entire time. In many ways these people, most of which we never met in real life, became our friends. We played for hours every weeknight and all night long every weekend, laughing it up on vent as we stumbled through progression.
Then right before the launch of Lich King, my wife and went on vacation and, in our absence, our guild merged with another. Apparently there had been some dissension over our ability to progress to higher content and the officers took it upon themselves to coordinate the move.
Due to how the merge was handled we lost about 150 of our 200 members and within 90 days of the merge, the new guild had dissolved altogether because of infighting. Subsequently, my wife and I now mostly play solo. We hardly talk to anyone involved in the old guild anymore (ironically except for the three people who orchestrated the merge) and the game has certainly lost most of its appeal. This is especially true for my wife who went from about four hours a night playtime to about four hours a week.
WoW is a very social game and, for better or worse, our friendships largely shape how we perceive our in game experiences.
sonatasun Apr 12th 2010 12:14PM
I agree. I don't derive pleasure from solo play. And this brings me to a problem I have with World of Warcraft. Most social interaction occurs around raids. Most raiding occurs with end content. The conundrum comes for the player who is not yet ready to raid end game. He/she is unlikely to find a active guild raiding the content at his level.
As for me, I now have T9 gear but can't get onto a guild running ICC. Most of the guilds want to see that I've completed at least the first level. I did get to complete Naxx but missed Ulduar because ToC dropped as I was ready to start Ulduar. The only ToC experience I have is as a PUG, and those usually don't make it past the faction fight. But because ICC opened the raiding guilds stopped raiding ToC.
I wonder what Blizzard could do for the game to keep raiding active for all of the tiers?
CaryEverett Apr 12th 2010 8:10AM
Blizzard laces their game code with a cocktail of nicotine, cocaine, and pure heroin.
Erzfiend Apr 12th 2010 8:27AM
I haven't been on all weekend. I can't stop shaking.
Halp? :
Darkseid Apr 12th 2010 8:31AM
This may be it!
Jamie Apr 12th 2010 9:01AM
1. WoW
2. game code with a cocktail of nicotine, cocaine, and pure heroin.
3. ????
4. Profit!!
Tom Apr 12th 2010 9:30AM
It's not so much the journey or the reward.
The thing that keeps me coming back for more is my friends, I've always played WoW with friends, whether they be the group of us who first started and formed our first guild, or the handful of friends I've made from different parts of the world from within the game.
If all of them stopped, I would too, I only enjoy the game when I'm with someone else.
If you cannot enjoy every part of the game, than it cannot be worth it. You are afterall spending money to play, if you cannot grind and enjoy the grind then it's not for you.
That being said, the game is nothing like it was 5 years ago, Blizzard has all but erradicated grinding. it's easier than ever to get groups, and get into the end game content.
In conclusion, my advice to you, is play the game. You said you enjoyed questing and running instances - you'll hit 80 in no time and then the world (of warcraft) is your oyster!
gperrigo Apr 12th 2010 9:01AM
I totally agree. While WoW is a game, it is a specific kind of game: a MMORPG. The fun for me comes from the Massive Multiplayer part. I have been in the same guild for the last three years. I've seen players come and go, but there has always been a core group of people in the guild who I dare to call my friends. The interaction with these people in a gaming environment always adds a new and fresh element to a world where many of us have leveled two or three toons to 80.
My two cents....play WoW. Not just for the great game that it is, but for the great people you will meet along the way.
Tomatketchup Apr 12th 2010 10:03AM
Indeed, the social part is probably the biggest part.
I keep logging back in just to see if my, errr, love interest is online. Otherwise I play something else.
Without her WoW is not worth playing.
(Until Cataclysm comes out, of course!)
jsm Apr 12th 2010 8:13AM
how have you never hit 80. thats beyond fail. and you're writing for wow.com? wow.
Zable Apr 12th 2010 8:18AM
Looks like someone didn't notice that this post is compliments of the guest blogger program.
Personally? The achievements and the friends. I'm a sucker for achievements.
Moonzcar Apr 12th 2010 8:24AM
Your comment is beyond fail. People enjoy different aspects of the game. I know people that enjoy the leveling process more than the end game.
Tokkar Apr 12th 2010 8:29AM
Seriously, you created an account here on WoW.com just to post that? That is so beyond fail.