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Great blog!! I actually fear trying WoW because I'm a fairly social person and totally figure I'd get addicted! I was in a beta for an MMO game called "Carpe Diem" and I loved the teamwork involved and the people. The game ultimately failed but it gave me a taste of the addiction possibilities.
I'm waiting on some of the PS3 MMO's that are upcoming (The Agency, FF, etc.) and if they don't have a monthly fee I may give them a try... and just try to keep things under control by ensuring I play other games. If I didn't have a PS3 I could easily see myself just playing WoW and being happy with both the game and social aspects.
... but I'm glad I get to experience a broader variety of games, because I do love FPS shooter games... though the social aspects are quite different! :)
I'm waiting on some of the PS3 MMO's that are upcoming (The Agency, FF, etc.) and if they don't have a monthly fee I may give them a try... and just try to keep things under control by ensuring I play other games. If I didn't have a PS3 I could easily see myself just playing WoW and being happy with both the game and social aspects.
... but I'm glad I get to experience a broader variety of games, because I do love FPS shooter games... though the social aspects are quite different! :)
This just reminds me of how much I miss playing WoW... It was on a private server nevertheless, but still, I miss it a lot
Interesting, you almost make me want to try WoW. Although I know it's not for me, I find it boring, and I even played it before at a friends and promptly fell asleep at the keyboard. You sir, are quite persuasive.
Not a bad read, I myself played a WoW trial but my experience ended with that. I got to around level 15 or 20, but I don't like the idea of spending all my time on one game. I prefer to play a variety of games and the $15 a month fee doesn't help. I think if I get into an MMO it's gonna be SW:TOR. That game gives me a boner.
@Grafkhun
That's incredibly interesting to me. I feel that I got my fill from the trial and that what WoW had to offer wasn't enough to keep me interested. The fact that this simple evaluation has persuaded you is astounding to me.
That's incredibly interesting to me. I feel that I got my fill from the trial and that what WoW had to offer wasn't enough to keep me interested. The fact that this simple evaluation has persuaded you is astounding to me.
I'm actually surprised that Destructoid is getting more and more blogging about WoW. For a game that ends up representing the bane of many core gamer's existance (Monthly fees, money over craft with regard to some design decisions, time sinks and excessive playtime commitments, etc), it seems like its growing in popularity around the blogosphere.
Fascinating, really.
Fascinating, really.
@Tubatic
I wasn't aware of a rising trend of World of Warcraft blogs. This blog was inspired by the recent fall of a dear friend into addiction, something that her, her boyfriend, and her parents all share. I didn't understand the appeal, and my two weeks with the trial was my attempt to crack the code.
I think I accomplished my goal, to some extent.
I wasn't aware of a rising trend of World of Warcraft blogs. This blog was inspired by the recent fall of a dear friend into addiction, something that her, her boyfriend, and her parents all share. I didn't understand the appeal, and my two weeks with the trial was my attempt to crack the code.
I think I accomplished my goal, to some extent.
I'm glad you blogged about WoW, because as Tubatic said, it doesn't get no respect: nyack.
Seriously, last year, I was in a 4 day a week raiding guild, was the top Priest theorycrafter (IE crunching numbers a few hours a day + spreadsheets to maximize damage/efficiency), and absolutely loved the game. I literally quit because my wife and I were planning our wedding and we were moving 4 states away a week after.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the social aspect. If you talk to top raiders, 9/10 will tell you "I made good friends in WoW, and since I only talk to them IN the game, really, I would miss them if I quit".
Nice job!
Seriously, last year, I was in a 4 day a week raiding guild, was the top Priest theorycrafter (IE crunching numbers a few hours a day + spreadsheets to maximize damage/efficiency), and absolutely loved the game. I literally quit because my wife and I were planning our wedding and we were moving 4 states away a week after.
I think you hit the nail on the head with the social aspect. If you talk to top raiders, 9/10 will tell you "I made good friends in WoW, and since I only talk to them IN the game, really, I would miss them if I quit".
Nice job!
Well the way you describe the achievements, interactions, and semi immersion, makes it sound somewhat appealing. Although I know it's not, but it sounds like something that I'd want to get into. I don't know, maybe clarifying all the parts of the appeal did something to me.
Ah. Addiction.
I've got my own jerkish opinions on that topic, but that's a whole stupid conversation in itself that I've batted around these blogs before...
But, I will say that, so far as addiction goes, the game is designed for capturing and holding your time, mind and emotions, and an addictive personality is certainly vulnerable to experience something *at least similar* to addiction. At most, sure enough, its full blown addiction...
I would say that you've hit the points of that very well, but I think achievement plays a larger role than the other two, personally. By the shear amount of time required for achievement, the escapism is often over stated, and is sometimes assigned too much gravity as an arguing point from uninformed loved ones.
While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward. You stepped in to walk to the mail box. Its seems like a few reasonable minutes, but to someone looking at you, it looks like you're enraptured. Couple that with the fact that you can't pause WoW, and you've got a harmless play session that mimics these tell tale signs of harmful addictive behavior.
Again, not to say anyone's addiction isn't real. Its just that the mechanics of the thing bolsters the diagnosis.
I've got my own jerkish opinions on that topic, but that's a whole stupid conversation in itself that I've batted around these blogs before...
But, I will say that, so far as addiction goes, the game is designed for capturing and holding your time, mind and emotions, and an addictive personality is certainly vulnerable to experience something *at least similar* to addiction. At most, sure enough, its full blown addiction...
I would say that you've hit the points of that very well, but I think achievement plays a larger role than the other two, personally. By the shear amount of time required for achievement, the escapism is often over stated, and is sometimes assigned too much gravity as an arguing point from uninformed loved ones.
While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward. You stepped in to walk to the mail box. Its seems like a few reasonable minutes, but to someone looking at you, it looks like you're enraptured. Couple that with the fact that you can't pause WoW, and you've got a harmless play session that mimics these tell tale signs of harmful addictive behavior.
Again, not to say anyone's addiction isn't real. Its just that the mechanics of the thing bolsters the diagnosis.
I'm surprised. This is a nice read and most of these points can relate to most MMOs in general. I've been playing online games since BBS doors were all the rage, so I've been here, there and back again.
With WoW, I've tried a few times (mainly at a friend's request) to get into the game. The farthest I've ever gotten was in the mid-fifties before I got bored. For me, the older MMOs like UO or EQ sparked a closer community due to having to work together to reach anything beyond the starting area with some amount of efficiency. While it can be applied to WoW, it's not the same as the game is solo-friendly until you get to the parts that require a party (raids, heroics, etc).
From all I've seen, WoW is a race to get to the end-level to grind the end-game. That's fine for a majority of people, but it does little to invoke a growing community that I felt with older MMOs due to not being nowhere near as accessible as MMOs are today. While I've seen a few RP guilds in action in WoW, the game itself doesn't really push its own lore around. The world will remain the same no matter what the players do. I guess that's what I appreciated in Asheron's Call the most is that the players effected their world and the world was always changing.
I'm getting way off the subject. WoW succeeds because it caters to the casual and hardcore, but it doesn't appeal for those in between I'd wager.
With WoW, I've tried a few times (mainly at a friend's request) to get into the game. The farthest I've ever gotten was in the mid-fifties before I got bored. For me, the older MMOs like UO or EQ sparked a closer community due to having to work together to reach anything beyond the starting area with some amount of efficiency. While it can be applied to WoW, it's not the same as the game is solo-friendly until you get to the parts that require a party (raids, heroics, etc).
From all I've seen, WoW is a race to get to the end-level to grind the end-game. That's fine for a majority of people, but it does little to invoke a growing community that I felt with older MMOs due to not being nowhere near as accessible as MMOs are today. While I've seen a few RP guilds in action in WoW, the game itself doesn't really push its own lore around. The world will remain the same no matter what the players do. I guess that's what I appreciated in Asheron's Call the most is that the players effected their world and the world was always changing.
I'm getting way off the subject. WoW succeeds because it caters to the casual and hardcore, but it doesn't appeal for those in between I'd wager.
@Tubatic
Addiction may have been too strong of a word, as World of Warcraft is obviously a personal choice that they very much have control over. Obsession is a far better word. I would agree that achievements are the main driving force behind their obsession, and that the other two factors are simply what pulled them into the game in the first place. The achievements is what made it stick.
Addiction may have been too strong of a word, as World of Warcraft is obviously a personal choice that they very much have control over. Obsession is a far better word. I would agree that achievements are the main driving force behind their obsession, and that the other two factors are simply what pulled them into the game in the first place. The achievements is what made it stick.
@Chocobo Knight
I would agree with your statements for vanilla and Burning Crusade WoW, no doubt. Lich King, though, feels a little different to me. I've been meaning to draw up a blog about this very subject myself.
Of course, it may be just me, since Lich King has found me guildless and mostly soloing and PUGing. But there's something about the quality of the quests and quest structure now.
I'll get around to that article one day.
I would agree with your statements for vanilla and Burning Crusade WoW, no doubt. Lich King, though, feels a little different to me. I've been meaning to draw up a blog about this very subject myself.
Of course, it may be just me, since Lich King has found me guildless and mostly soloing and PUGing. But there's something about the quality of the quests and quest structure now.
I'll get around to that article one day.
@Tubatic - I heard about the revamped quest structure with WotLK. While it would be interesting to experience it, it would be back to the same endgame tendencies after it is all said and done until the next expansion. It's funny since I have a copy of Lich King, but I simply can't bring myself to play it again. Even after building a new computer from scratch, I can't persuade myself to install everything and have another go at it. I suppose the static world does little to hold my interest for long since after you've done everything - what's left to do? I can see having a tight group of friends playing being an attractive lure, but I can't remember the last time I experienced a good guild since Dark Ages of Camelot. Man, RvR was intense.
Lich King is an entirely different experience. In vanilla WoW, it was literally impossible to PUG raids. In BC, it was mildly possible to log on one night and find people putting together a 25 man Mag or Gruul run. In Lich King, nearly everything can be PUGed.
This was a very interesting read. It was good to see someone give it a shot without screaming "ZOMG YOUR LIFE IS OVER" or "LOL BASEMENT".
Personally, I play it for the lore and the RPG-ishness of it. No, I don't "role-play" in game, but I do like to get into the head of my character, much like you would in a game like Fallout 3 or KOTOR or even Half-Life.
Good read man. Good read.
Personally, I play it for the lore and the RPG-ishness of it. No, I don't "role-play" in game, but I do like to get into the head of my character, much like you would in a game like Fallout 3 or KOTOR or even Half-Life.
Good read man. Good read.
Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooookay...
First things first, god dammit Amaranth...
I hate you so much right now...
I quit WoW 2 years ago. Went cold tukey. Second hardest thing to do aside from quitting smoking (I still smoke). I played for 2 years 5 hours everyday minimum.
I have felt the urge to play that game every single freaking day since I left. My old clan buddies email me to come back (I was their main tank).
My girlfriend and every single one of my real life friends and my mom all know that I love that game to death.
Sigh...
I hate you because after reading this article, I REALLY want to play it again.
Screw it, I'm reading up on the most current raid.
Also, FOR THE HORDE!
First things first, god dammit Amaranth...
I hate you so much right now...
I quit WoW 2 years ago. Went cold tukey. Second hardest thing to do aside from quitting smoking (I still smoke). I played for 2 years 5 hours everyday minimum.
I have felt the urge to play that game every single freaking day since I left. My old clan buddies email me to come back (I was their main tank).
My girlfriend and every single one of my real life friends and my mom all know that I love that game to death.
Sigh...
I hate you because after reading this article, I REALLY want to play it again.
Screw it, I'm reading up on the most current raid.
Also, FOR THE HORDE!
Congrats on getting Topsauce in today's Cblog recaps!
I played WoW for about 3 hours one time, just to see what it was like. Wasn't my cup of tea, but talking with other players, and reading stuff like this, makes me see the appeal of it.
I played WoW for about 3 hours one time, just to see what it was like. Wasn't my cup of tea, but talking with other players, and reading stuff like this, makes me see the appeal of it.
um... I don't play WoW.
Anyway, not a bad post, but I think you would've made your points stronger if you had actually asked people you were playing with why they kept playing then quoted them.
Some parts of this read like when the news media tries to talk about how not all video games are evil(but most are). You had a basic idea of what you would say then just played the game so you could say you've tried it, but without ever really being a "WoW player".The ideas were okay, but your logic behind them was kinda flawed. It would've made your points much stronger to use examples that actually applied to the game you were talking about.
The actual review parts of the game were good, but the whole foray into "why do people keep playing" started to rub me the wrong way.
Also, next time ask before you use someone's name, this was so awkward.
Anyway, not a bad post, but I think you would've made your points stronger if you had actually asked people you were playing with why they kept playing then quoted them.
Some parts of this read like when the news media tries to talk about how not all video games are evil(but most are). You had a basic idea of what you would say then just played the game so you could say you've tried it, but without ever really being a "WoW player".The ideas were okay, but your logic behind them was kinda flawed. It would've made your points much stronger to use examples that actually applied to the game you were talking about.
The actual review parts of the game were good, but the whole foray into "why do people keep playing" started to rub me the wrong way.
Also, next time ask before you use someone's name, this was so awkward.
Here's the thing- your actions really don't have an effect on the landscape of Azeroth. You and sixty of your closest friends can manage to carve up Thrall right on his throne, but he'll be right back there within a few hours as if nothing happened. WoW is a terrific playground, and a good platform for team strategy, but for that reason, I simply can't find it an immersive world.
That being said, this is still a well-written defense.
That being said, this is still a well-written defense.
I'm a former WoW player who was decently hardcore. I wasn't a raider or anything like that, but I did have a couple of level 70 characters and one level 80 when I quit last December. I have had no desire to go back since, and I'm finally over the game.
With that said, I absolutely loved WoW. It never took over my life as I am way to ambitious of a person to let it detract from my family, career, MBA, etc. However, while the grind was tedious, it was the game that I dreamed about as a kid when I played board games like Hero Quest and D&D.
Really, the addiction comes less from the world and more from your character. You put so much time and effort into your character and it becomes a part of you.
Anyways, I quit WoW partly because I got over it after 2 1/2 years but also because I got tired of the community and social status tree. Being as busy as I am (and since I didn't allow WoW to take over my life) I was constantly behind in the arms race to get the newest epic armor, weapons, etc.
Since WoW is the most popular MMO out there, it's filled with a lot of bad/annoying/etc people that make it the worst MMO community by far. After a while, I just got sick of the arrogant attitudes that were found on the game that I didn't find in other MMOs like LOTRO or WAR.
With that said, I'm not done playing MMOs. In fact, I plan on jumping back onto LOTRO soon. WoW, however, is officially retired with me.
With that said, I absolutely loved WoW. It never took over my life as I am way to ambitious of a person to let it detract from my family, career, MBA, etc. However, while the grind was tedious, it was the game that I dreamed about as a kid when I played board games like Hero Quest and D&D.
Really, the addiction comes less from the world and more from your character. You put so much time and effort into your character and it becomes a part of you.
Anyways, I quit WoW partly because I got over it after 2 1/2 years but also because I got tired of the community and social status tree. Being as busy as I am (and since I didn't allow WoW to take over my life) I was constantly behind in the arms race to get the newest epic armor, weapons, etc.
Since WoW is the most popular MMO out there, it's filled with a lot of bad/annoying/etc people that make it the worst MMO community by far. After a while, I just got sick of the arrogant attitudes that were found on the game that I didn't find in other MMOs like LOTRO or WAR.
With that said, I'm not done playing MMOs. In fact, I plan on jumping back onto LOTRO soon. WoW, however, is officially retired with me.
@ Tubatic
"While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward."
Ive been playing WoW for several years, and that statement I find untrue. WoW is just about the only MMO that I have played that you can log on for 15-30 minutes and get something accomplished and just log off without any hesitation. This is gaming from a serious raider in my days, where I was raiding 4-5 nights a week for couple of hours, not so much anymore, I used to log on just to raid at one point and wouldn't touch the game except at those designated raid times. It really depends on the person, and how much you let the game take control of you. Sure it is meant to be addictive aka FUN and hence why it is the best MMO on the market (Best formed by sales and amount of players not opinion).
Anyways pretty much depends on your personality and your own weaknesses to so called "Addiction". Me I don't have that problem, heck I play 2 MMOs and work and still find time to do anything else I want to, Currently Playing WoW, Final Fantasy 11 and other online games.
"While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward."
Ive been playing WoW for several years, and that statement I find untrue. WoW is just about the only MMO that I have played that you can log on for 15-30 minutes and get something accomplished and just log off without any hesitation. This is gaming from a serious raider in my days, where I was raiding 4-5 nights a week for couple of hours, not so much anymore, I used to log on just to raid at one point and wouldn't touch the game except at those designated raid times. It really depends on the person, and how much you let the game take control of you. Sure it is meant to be addictive aka FUN and hence why it is the best MMO on the market (Best formed by sales and amount of players not opinion).
Anyways pretty much depends on your personality and your own weaknesses to so called "Addiction". Me I don't have that problem, heck I play 2 MMOs and work and still find time to do anything else I want to, Currently Playing WoW, Final Fantasy 11 and other online games.
@ Tubatic
"While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward."
Ive been playing WoW for several years, and that statement I find untrue. WoW is just about the only MMO that I have played that you can log on for 15-30 minutes and get something accomplished and just log off without any hesitation. This is gaming from a serious raider in my days, where I was raiding 4-5 nights a week for couple of hours, not so much anymore, I used to log on just to raid at one point and wouldn't touch the game except at those designated raid times. It really depends on the person, and how much you let the game take control of you. Sure it is meant to be addictive aka FUN and hence why it is the best MMO on the market (Best formed by sales and amount of players not opinion).
Anyways pretty much depends on your personality and your own weaknesses to so called "Addiction". Me I don't have that problem, heck I play 2 MMOs and work and still find time to do anything else I want to, Currently Playing WoW, Final Fantasy 11 and other online games.
"While someone goes into WoW to do "just one thing", it ends up taking them hours. Not for any rift with life proper, but for the fact that this "one thing" requires hours of time while seeming fairly straightforward."
Ive been playing WoW for several years, and that statement I find untrue. WoW is just about the only MMO that I have played that you can log on for 15-30 minutes and get something accomplished and just log off without any hesitation. This is gaming from a serious raider in my days, where I was raiding 4-5 nights a week for couple of hours, not so much anymore, I used to log on just to raid at one point and wouldn't touch the game except at those designated raid times. It really depends on the person, and how much you let the game take control of you. Sure it is meant to be addictive aka FUN and hence why it is the best MMO on the market (Best formed by sales and amount of players not opinion).
Anyways pretty much depends on your personality and your own weaknesses to so called "Addiction". Me I don't have that problem, heck I play 2 MMOs and work and still find time to do anything else I want to, Currently Playing WoW, Final Fantasy 11 and other online games.
Wow, I actually read all of that and the comments. And I've never even touched WoW.
First I want to say, this was a really well formatted blog, superb :]
Secondly, you make me want to trial WoW. However I feel I would get addicted. I may trial it one day. And my friend's really want me to try it as well, not sure though yet.
First I want to say, this was a really well formatted blog, superb :]
Secondly, you make me want to trial WoW. However I feel I would get addicted. I may trial it one day. And my friend's really want me to try it as well, not sure though yet.
