A relative stranger to the world of PC gaming, I have an astounding observation to make: I never got to appreciate how blissfully atrocious World of Warcraft was (is) as a game. While the world was playing Diablo and Ultima Online I was (silly me) playing Dungeons and Dragons like a good and most would contest true gamer.
When I began playing WoW two years ago it was to spend more time with my boyfriend. I figured: Games are games and if I am to bring my gaming into the next generation I might as well jump in feet first and discover what all the rave had been about. Well, of course, I thought it was me. I thought that my lack of experience and lack of respect in the game made me hate every arduous moment I spent in font of the computer. I fought my way to level 70 in the last year only to find out that there was nothing beyond that. The instances were the same, simply scaled to fit the same set of scaled spells. The players were the same, they had simply spent as much time (oh, but defiantly more) time in front of the computer as I had.
Of course I thought I must have been failing at being gamer because I could not appreciate this bit of fluff they passed off as a game. This game which 10.9 million people play. Eight hours a day. Seven days a week. Barely eating, hardly sleeping, with occasional bathroom breaks. Teaching their heart to pump less frequently in order to conserve energy and stay up that extra 87 minutes because they got the boss to 36% on the last run before they wiped. Oh how I wanted to find the secret. That clue which explained why the accumulation of gear was the driving force in a game. The factor that flipped my attitude and made me understand why my fingers were numb and my eyes were bloodshot and my left shoulder was cramped.
Blessedly, then came Warhammer. Oh that shining beacon. I learned something this weekend that explained something to me. No, I didn’t get The Answer to Life, the Universe and Everything. But I did suddenly appreciate my two years lost in bewilderment while playing WoW. You see, there are a few PC gamers who understood what they were doing when the converted to WoW. These were the precious few who were Diablo pioneers; Ultima Online homesteaders; and yes, even the patriots of Dark Age of Camelot. They knew that what they were doing on WoW was not gaming. No, WoW was a brief stopping off point. It served as a bridge from Dark Age, to the beautiful revolution that Warhammer has brought.
Now, when I say these gamers knew what they were doing that is to say this. They knew that nothing would ever beat Ulitma Online. It will be immortalized in history as the single game that “got it right.” They also knew that with the upgrades in computer technology and that the programmers of PC games would never be able to keep up.
WoW was a mildly amusing game which kept them entertained while technology was built and game developers build platforms. It was a game in which to conserve old gaming relationships, garner new ones, and even learn new techniques from people. It even served as a place to bitch about how bad WoW is and reminisce about older PC games. In essence WoW was a social networking site for PC gamers. Want to keep your old friends close? Form a guild! Want to see who has the most time to play? Look at their gear. Need to interview new players for future game action? Group with them!
People didn’t love WoW, eat sleep and breathe WoW, this wasn’t some strange addiction which I was apparently immune to. Nor was the move to WoW a grudging one because “there was nothing better.” (There wasn’t) No, this was a strategy. Keep your friends close, form new connections, build an army, and take over the next generation with vigor. These people weren’t mindlessly button mashing. They were making connections.
Now when I say I never go to appreciate how atrocious WoW was as game, I mean I never understood the beauty in it. I was just enough game to be mildly entertained. It was an easy game so good gamers could buzz through the levels and get on to the important business of interviewing friends. It was a good training game for the next generation of up in coming gamers to learn to do mindless tasks for very little reward. Finally, you could weed out all of the fucking idiots.
You know who they are. They are still playing WoW at this very moment. So, I say I am glad that I had my minor experience on WoW. I am better for it. I appreciate good games so much more now. I simply wish that someone had clued me in sooner. So that instead of cursing the idiot who pulled too soon, I could have just filed it all away as a learning experience. No, I applaud those entrepreneurs who saw that game for its full potential…. Kinda makes me want to go back and maybe even try my hand at playing an Alliance character (Tori the Gnome). Who knows? Maybe even Everquest?
Oh, just made myself laugh so much I peed a little bit. No, I’m good… I really don’t wish that much pain on myself.
I say to you, gamer, play Warhammer.
Warhammer, not just another social networking site, they let you kill people before maximum level! (tooth sparkle)
1 comment:
A long time player of two of the afore mentioned MMOs, I definitely agree that Warhammer is of higher calibur than WoW. I still think there is a long way to go for the game, and MMO gaming in general though. I would really like to see some true innovation rather than all the repeat games. That was probably the biggest addicting factor in Ultima Online is that everything was so new and constantly changing.
Maybe we will see more innovative games when MMO game creators get more funding without strings attached. I know it costs a lot to make such a big game, but I really wish that they could design the game on a small level to make sure it's fun before scaling to the MMO game they plan it to be.
Until there is something better, Warhammer is what I will be playing.
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