Sunday, August 10, 2014

Ten Questions

My answers to ALT: ernative's 10 questions

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16E5_bOy1CEj0OgMuiMzorqLDxTSbIbxzsoM9EEkdewk/viewform

1. Why did you start playing Warcraft?
    Initially I started back in Vanilla when some EvE buddies began playing this new game. I had always had a fondness for swords and sorcery so I tried it out. I ended up only playing 3 months and stopping to return my full attention to EvE.
Then in 2009 my SO began to play WoW. I kept looking over her shoulder and marveling at what she was doing and then eventually rolled my own toon to play with her.
2. What was the first ever character you rolled?
    A Human warrior named Ectar. I figured that human and warrior would be the easiest to understand while I got used to the way the world worked. Coming from an AD&D background this seemed logical. Several dozen Hogger wipes later I gave up and rolled an Orc Hunter named Alaph. This guy made it to level 23 before I stopped and moved back to EvE.
When I started playing again I rolled what I now consider my true first character. My SO and I rolled mages, her a human, me a draenei. We terrorized the land spamming blizzard together and generally having a great time. That mages name was Airistal and she is now a goblin. I still love the draenei though and if I ever go back to playing alliance I will once again be draenei.
3. Which factors determined your faction choice in game?
    My SO wanted to be human so we were Alliance. I love the draenei but have always liked the Horde symbol and colors more. Thankfully I like goblins and pandas are neutral so I’ve had toons that I enjoy playing. I get teased a lot because even though I’m a guy I care a lot about how my character looks. I mainly play female characters because often I find the female model fits more with my idea of what my character should look like. Two main exceptions are draenei pallies and goblin shaman. Oh and anything Tauren. I really, really wish draenei could be Horde as they are my favorite race and would look good in red and black riding windriders.


4. What has been your most memorable moment in Warcraft and why?
    Defeating Ragnaros on 10N during Firelands was very epic for me. This was the first time I had raided with any level of competence and this was a massive accomplishment. I had also played a large role in our strategy for the kill. The joy we felt after weeks of hard work was amazing. Sadly we were not able to carry that same feeling over into Dragon Soul and I eventually left the guild with much heartbreak.


5. What is your favourite aspect of the game and has this always been the case?
    Raiding bar none. From the first time I was invited to do a Zul'gurub run as a 70 something to the most current runs through Siege I have always loved raiding and especially raiding with a tight knit group of devoted players.
6. Do you have an area in game that you always return to?
    I love my little farm on Half Hill. With each character I work to get my little hut all cleaned up and the pot bubbling with whatever delicious stew it is that is cooking in there. Logging in I can run down to the mailbox then tend to my garden. I am really hoping that Garrisons are able to carry over this feeling of this being my little space. It would be nice to see more interaction and to be able to do more from your own space.
   I suppose before Mists I would always go to the secret room in Dalaran. I worked hard to get all the books and it was nice to be up there alone sometimes.


7. How long have you /played and has that been continuous?
    I have a few days worth on an old account that I can no longer access. I also have main changed recently. I’ve played since 2009 logging some 40 hours a week or more when I’m in an active cycle. I’ve let my account lapse twice since then so no not continuous.


8. Admit it: do you read quest text or not?
    No! Emphatically no. There are two things that will make me read a quests text; 1)I can’t figure out what needs to be done to complete it, 2) transient guilt I feel when doing wiki lore reads. I really love the lore and love learning all the in-game and out of game history behind things. I’m a bit more interested in the story of the players and developers than I am about the characters and in-game figures. I absolutely love boss kill videos that include the player comms.
I seem to have gotten a bit off topic. I think my main problem is that I do not want to read in this medium. I love reading too, and on the computer no less but it is such a jarring pause to the action of the game. It is so unnatural. I enjoyed the way SWTOR did the spoken quests and would love if WoW at least had quest givers say their dialogue. I know it would be a ton of work but as is I just ignore the work they have done.


9. Are there any regrets from your time in game?
   I regret that I went back to EvE and didn’t get to enjoy Vanilla and onwards. Hindsight is 20/20 and I had a LOT of great EvE memories but I wish I could tap into the alternate universe where I had chosen WoW.
   In the same vein I wish I had tried a healing class sooner. I began healing at the start of Siege, or well that November anyhow and I fell in love. Not just with healing mind you but the healer community is absolutely amazing.
10. What effect has Warcraft had on your life outside gaming?
   Other than all the real life friends I’ve made I’m not sure. I’d love to say that raiding taught me something about organization and being a leader but honestly I transferred skills I learned in the military to raiding. Good question but I don’t have a good answer.  

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