One of the reasons I went back to World of Warcraft was everyone I knew played WoW, well almost everyone. The Social Gamer in me wanted to be with my friends and fit in with the 11.5 Million other people who comprise the WoW community. When it comes to MMOs World of Warcraft is the “in” crowd.
I made it, I was back in. I was relating to my friends in Ventrillo about WoW and while I wasn’t raiding with them the fact that I was playing permitted me to join in their conversations in a relevant manner. Then this last weekend I had my monthly Battle Assembly with the U.S. Army Reserves; where most of the people I know also play World of Warcraft.
As soon as some of my friends their found out I was playing again they started sharing stories about Icecrown Raids and Dungeons they had completed or what their DPS or Item Level was. None of this mattered to me as I was just a casual gamer leveling an alternate character up via Dungeon Finder.
Then it came my turn to tell about what I was doing. I told them about my transfer from a PvP Server on Bloodlust to one on Emberstorm and then back to a PvE Server on Bloodlust. It was interesting; as soon as I mentioned I had gone to a PvE server I was shunned. Two people both agreed I wasn’t “hardcore” enough for leveling on a PvP server and that I must not like to PvP.
I enjoy PvP, hell I’m the only one out of this group who has tried Darkfall, Mortal Online, and Warhammer Online. I don’t like being ganked by someone 10 levels higher than me. I tried to explain that dying from someone with 5000 DPS while on a 74 Warlock isn’t fun, there is no chance for me to win. It didn’t matter, I was then labeled as a PvE Care bear.
These people who appeared to be my friends suddenly looked down on me because I didn't choose their version of WoW. Suddenly I wasn't the "in" crowd anymore. Sure I got to stand in the circle but I was on the outside of it looking in.
All these different clicks and groups formed around MMOs really bother me. No one can accept a live and let live policy. If I don't like or play how someone else thinks I should they attempt to either degrade or shun me.
I know exactly how you feel. The cliques, the groups, the "in crowd". As soon as I left a game I was into heavily and told my friends I'd be trying other games and blogging about my experiences, I was shunned too. I kinda expected a little support, how naive of me.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how a PvP server is "hardcore" at all. I'm only level 39 so far but I know what it's like to be ganked in other games and we have it easy.
There are too many places to level to be oppressed by constant gankers in WoW. I look forward to seeing what the next 40 levels are like.
When I first started leveling my Warlock I enjoyed the Undead story line... which took my to Tarren Mill... which is off limits to any lowbie. That zone is constantly haunted by high level gankers. It's not that there weren't other places to go, it's that I was cut off from content because of other players.
ReplyDelete(This was during BC so 70s had places to go and PvP)
Are you kidding me? There is actually a storyline in this game? Sweet. Is it actually rewarding or interesting? I've heard there weren't any good storyline quests, just dungeon finder and the normal "go collect 5 of this" quest.
ReplyDeleteThere are small story lines, nothing major.
ReplyDelete