For your consideration: Gaming
For the love of World of Warcraft
I’m a gamer. Or well I was, once upon a time (I still am, but more of that in my next gaming blog post). My weapon of choice for 5 years though was World of Warcraft. Now some people don’t like Warcraft. My OH for one never saw the appeal, PS3/PS4 games (first player), strategy games those he loves but not Warcraft. Some people just don’t get it either – ‘you have a tail?’ ‘Damn right I do..’ and will tell you every time you mention it. The thing is, I loved it. I still do, so I thought it was about time I shared my story.
I started playing because of an ex. He was quite a serious player (Horde) and suggested that I might want to join up, become a member of his guild, do ‘stuff’ together. I did eventually join (Alliance), but when I did it wasn’t because of him, no, it was a year later when I was very single, very lonely and at a time when I needed a break from the world. I found it hard at first - not just the game itself (damn you Hogger) but also finding connections within the game with other players. Slowly though, as my confidence grew, I began grouping up with the same people for dungeon runs, quests and eventually PvP. I soon joined a guild, levelled up to the max and had multiple characters (Tulsa – Human Hunter, Asttrid – Draenei Priest, Pheeby – Dwarf Paladin and finally, Attasee – Draenei Shaman – who later became my main along with Asttrid). I had titles (Asttrid of the Shattered Sun! Attasee Bane of the Fallen King! To name a few). I saw in a couple of New Years Eve’s there (I hung around the 1st then later the 2nd auction house in Stormwind a lot) killed a epic King, wore epic and sexy outfits, fell in love, regularly sat at the top of dps leaderboards and made thousands at the auction house.
Then one day I simply stopped playing.
(And apologies if I get a little technical here)
The night it happened I was 5 quests off completing the Loremaster title in Icecrown on my character Asttrid. It was a place I loved and I had a favourite inn there where I would rest my toons overnight. This particular evening I made my way there, sat Asttrid down and suddenly thought to myself – this is it. I can’t do this anymore and so with a deep breath, I said good bye & goodnight to my guild and then logged out. I haven’t been back since. That was over 5 years ago.
Do I miss it? Yes. Do I miss the community? Yes. Do I miss levelling up? Yes. Do I see myself ever playing again? Probably not. Possibly. Maybe. I don’t know. But now I know I don’t need it. I also don’t have the energy to raid anymore if I am being honest. I’d like to think somewhere there’s another Sam sat at her desk kicking ass, being totally awesome and looking as sexy AF hanging out in Stormwind. I’m also pleased to say some of the people I met playing Warcraft I’m still in contact with. Once player still calls me by my nickname Assie when we speak on twitter, others now know me as Sam.
The thing is, in my eyes I’m still a Warcraft player even though I don’t play amd I always will be and that thought makes me happy.
/dance
/snog
/leavegroup
/cheers
Photos: top Attasee, (Enhancement Shaman), bottom Asttrid, (Shadow Priest)
I’m a gamer. Or well I was, once upon a time (I still am, but more of that in my next gaming blog post). My weapon of choice for 5 years though was World of Warcraft. Now some people don’t like Warcraft. My OH for one never saw the appeal, PS3/PS4 games (first player), strategy games those he loves but not Warcraft. Some people just don’t get it either – ‘you have a tail?’ ‘Damn right I do..’ and will tell you every time you mention it. The thing is, I loved it. I still do, so I thought it was about time I shared my story.
I started playing because of an ex. He was quite a serious player (Horde) and suggested that I might want to join up, become a member of his guild, do ‘stuff’ together. I did eventually join (Alliance), but when I did it wasn’t because of him, no, it was a year later when I was very single, very lonely and at a time when I needed a break from the world. I found it hard at first - not just the game itself (damn you Hogger) but also finding connections within the game with other players. Slowly though, as my confidence grew, I began grouping up with the same people for dungeon runs, quests and eventually PvP. I soon joined a guild, levelled up to the max and had multiple characters (Tulsa – Human Hunter, Asttrid – Draenei Priest, Pheeby – Dwarf Paladin and finally, Attasee – Draenei Shaman – who later became my main along with Asttrid). I had titles (Asttrid of the Shattered Sun! Attasee Bane of the Fallen King! To name a few). I saw in a couple of New Years Eve’s there (I hung around the 1st then later the 2nd auction house in Stormwind a lot) killed a epic King, wore epic and sexy outfits, fell in love, regularly sat at the top of dps leaderboards and made thousands at the auction house.
(And apologies if I get a little technical here)
The night it happened I was 5 quests off completing the Loremaster title in Icecrown on my character Asttrid. It was a place I loved and I had a favourite inn there where I would rest my toons overnight. This particular evening I made my way there, sat Asttrid down and suddenly thought to myself – this is it. I can’t do this anymore and so with a deep breath, I said good bye & goodnight to my guild and then logged out. I haven’t been back since. That was over 5 years ago.
Do I miss it? Yes. Do I miss the community? Yes. Do I miss levelling up? Yes. Do I see myself ever playing again? Probably not. Possibly. Maybe. I don’t know. But now I know I don’t need it. I also don’t have the energy to raid anymore if I am being honest. I’d like to think somewhere there’s another Sam sat at her desk kicking ass, being totally awesome and looking as sexy AF hanging out in Stormwind. I’m also pleased to say some of the people I met playing Warcraft I’m still in contact with. Once player still calls me by my nickname Assie when we speak on twitter, others now know me as Sam.
The thing is, in my eyes I’m still a Warcraft player even though I don’t play amd I always will be and that thought makes me happy.
/dance
/snog
/leavegroup
/cheers
Photos: top Attasee, (Enhancement Shaman), bottom Asttrid, (Shadow Priest)
Love this. I feel the same way about my old LOtR fanfic group. I don't write fanfic anymore, and do sort of regret staying in it so long... not because of any of the people I met or stories I wrote, but because it was me not fulfilling my potential as a writer. And that's personal, that's just my standards for myself, but it was the right thing to do. But there are so many aspects of it that I do miss, so I understand the sense of mourning and also of belonging even though it's not a daily thing in your life anymore. I feel like these things are rites of passage for geeks, our way of evolving and growing up. Wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteIt was community and for a time family. I do miss it but it’s not what I need now. My gaming life has evolved though...
DeleteGreat post, Sam. I love that you stopped doing this on a high, and that the possibility remains of you going back. I think I'm so used to the narrative of people stopping doing something because they've grown disenchanted with it, so it's quite refreshing to hear about someone stopping doing something because they don't feel they need it anymore. The nearest thing for me would be my reader-blogger days. I kept my own reader-blog for 5 years and gave up because I wanted to spend more time writing. But I always loved it. Loved blogging. Loved the whole of thing of writing posts, sharing thoughts <3
ReplyDeleteI think that’s why I still love the game because I left for the right reasons but because it bored me. I’m still annoyed I didn’t get the Loremaster title though.
DeleteI just want to say it was very cathartic writing this. I think this is the first time I’ve listed all my characters, their names and spec. I wasn’t Sam for a long time and now I am again it feels right to step out into the open.
ReplyDeleteI do find blogging quite cathartic - it has the diary-like quality to it. My blogging has always tended to the personal. Quite... confessional.
DeleteI never got to grips with gaming, but when Tomb Raider came out I really got into it, and other than some Mario it's been my only foray. What is do relate to is the sense of community, and especially that things are of a time.
ReplyDelete