With the continuing story arc, me leveling my first real alt, and the sudden influx of fellow bloggers/Tweeps coming to Kil’Jaeden, it got me thinking. Even though I’m the farthest thing from an accomplished raider, or, er…player, I know a big thing on everyone’s minds is player burnout. There are full guilds who, after Naxx, Maly, and Sarth 3D, are either anxiously awaiting 3.1 with Ulduar, or they’re hovering their mouse pointers over the ‘Cancel Account’ button. So much is expected of the average raider – respeccing at the drop of a hat, the pressure to preform at peak efficieny and skill, top heals, top DPS, etcetera, etcetera.
Funny how none of that matters when you’re little.
I’ve spent the last week slowly leveling my first hunter (and my only belf) through the tranquil forests of Eversong. It’s fun to learn a new class; as much as I adore my druid, it’s certainly a learning experience playing long-range DPS. It’s fun. It’s relaxing. It’s enjoyable. She’s actually being made specifically for some RP goodness, but I also have two baby cows waiting in the wings – a warrior and a shaman.
Not only that, but Cadistra is playing escort to Anea’s first Kil’Jaeden alter-ego – Rahima, a smokey-black cow shammy. Tromping back over to Red Cloud Mesa, and last night Eversong Woods (don’t ask me, I went to her ^_~), I remembered just how good it felt to just…play the game for fun. We weren’t tearing our hair out with the Safety Dance, or screaming over vent because so-and-so rolled one point higher on your epic ‘you need this to live’ item.
We were killing murlocs.
That’s it. Just simple, gurgly murlocs.
It was fun to concentrate on making friends, and happily chatting. It was fun having a 65 druid and a tauren death knight (Hi, Dueg!) in the blood elf starting area. It was FUN. Remember that word? ‘Fun’? Go ahead, take it slow…mouth out the important sounds, and say it with me: ffff-uuuuuu-nnnnnn.
So maybe if you’re looking for something to do, take a quick break from Naxx-25 and roll a new alt. Make some friends. Chat. Laugh. Burnout is unavoidable, but you’re the only one who can make things better for yourself. Don’t let WoW leave a sour taste in your mouth. It’s your game, and it’s your own world.
(I had a great screenshot from last night, but for some reason, it didn’t work. Stupid corrupted file, I shake my fist at you!!! *shakes fist* So in stead you get this picture of people OBVIOUSLY having fun being friends.)
Hey Let’s All Get Together
~Kelly
It’s cool to level with a bunch of friends, I think. I’d even try joining in if it wasn’t for the PVPness of the server (I PvP like I fly – lots of flailing followed by a dirt nap).
In any case, I think if it wasn’t for my guild and my alts I would have quit the game a long time ago. I may love my main, but it’s not enough to keep my ADD in check.
Pfft, ha ha, you think I’m GOOD at PvP? XD
To this day, I haven’t joined a single BG, Alliance raid, NOTHING. I HATE PvP. I’m only on this server because all my friends are. :< If I had it my way, I’d go PvE at the drop of a hat.
But hey, PvP builds character, I guess. =/ Also, when you actually DO win against someone….it’s….oddly satisfying. I won’t lie.
This post brings back memories of the early ESBU days. Fun before all else was/is our motto. We basically came to the same conclusions you listed above almost 4 years ago now. I ended up posting something similar to this on our site. Raiding for me is too much like having a second job. I’ll stick to just one thank you very much. lol listen to me talking about the good old days. I’m like a crazy old wow veteran now or something. I remember there was this one time back in original beta….
I definitely agree it builds character, at least makes you an opportunist when someone /afk =p *looks at Kelly* Yes I’m looking at ya >D
@Chibikeni – What?! He would’ve done the same to me! :<