If you mount it they will come

Bornakk the Blue reported recently

When 3.1 goes live, the rewards for “Glory of the Raider” and “Heroic: Glory of the Raider” are being removed. These achievements will still be active, however, players will no longer receive the Plagued Proto-Drake or Black Proto-Drake for completing them. Similar to our decision to remove the Amani War Bear from Zul’Aman, the goal is to ensure that such mounts retain a degree of rarity in the game; and with raids progressing into Ulduar in patch 3.1, we feel obtaining the rewards for “Glory of the Raider” and “Heroic: Glory of the Raider” would be somewhat trivialized. For this reason we will be offering new fast mounts (310 speed) as rewards for completing select achievements associated with 10 and 25-player Ulduar.

This of course has lit a fire under a few of my guildmates. But still not as much as I thought. I finally realize it isn't lack of time or lack of wanting to do things together, they are simply not interested.

That kinda makes me feel better in a way. And I was definitely a bit more emo than I want to admit with my previous post. I just wish I knew earlier and I would at least try to pursue other opportunities. B

From random estimates, we'll have 2 months to finish up the achievements before Ulduar is released. But I have a feeling it will come sooner than we think.

I'm just going to plug away at trying to get them done and hope for the best.

Fair weather raiding

Suddenly the enjoyment of WoW has declined like the stock market. Okay, definitely not that bad. But I've recently found myself not logging on at all or logging on and wondering why I'm doing so.

It's not the usual reasons - boredom, the feeling I'm playing too much, etc.

No this time it is, for the second time since I've started playing WoW in 2004, the disappointment caused by other people.

The first time, I was part of a group that was making exceptional progress in BC content. The raid leader snapped or something (I was never able to get a clear answer) and quit leading the group. A few other people quickly jumped ship we were left with a group that struggled to get one or two bosses let alone a clear and I ended up so disgusted about it I pretty quit raiding altogether (other reasons helped my decision).

I felt I was raiding with online friends, but instead they just happened to be people who wanted to raid with whoever was progressing fastest. I'll pause to say this wasn't a pug group, these were people I had raided with for at least a year or more.

And now recently, to a lesser extent, I felt I was joining a guild of people who wanted to raid together. But turns out for certain things some of the guild raids with other more progressed guilds.

When I realized getting achievements were not going to be the goal of this guild, I think my enjoyment declined. I understand their position. Achievements are a personal thing. If you want them, chase after them on your own time. But I wonder what is a guild for if you're not going to do things together, whether it take a little longer or not.

I immediately felt like just another healer that was helping the raid run versus someone they liked raiding with. I'm not a healer-for-hire. At least I don't enjoy feeling like one.

I feel like I'm just a part of a bunch of fair weather raiders. I'm holding out hope that my feelings change.

Blizzard seems confident in its game

enough for a Blue poster to say

"If you're just burned out, it's also not the worst thing in the world to try out some other games -- the past couple of years has been great for them. Just check back in with WoW every now and then. :)"

Resto4Life says goodbye

A blog a recently started perusing is shutting down.

Resto4Life was a blog my blog could aspire to. It used graphics creatively (something I feel my blog sorely lacks), the content was solid (unlike my personal ramblings) and had a community.

The reasons its shutting down are equally admirable. Phae is having a baby and the blog takes up too much valuable time. I've often marveled at how anyone with small children can find time to play the WoW meta game.

The blog was helpful to me and many others. I'm not sure who will take up the leafy mantle but Resto4Life will be missed.

Remembering your characters

I think for many of us, World of Warcraft was one of our first MMORPGs that we spent a significant amount of time playing. So the idea of having a place to remember characters you've left behind may be odd. But for lots of gamers they have a long history from games like Ultima Online and Everquest. And when gamers retire they don't quit gaming they just move on to the next game. With that in mind I found The Burial Grounds not weird but fitting.

It is a website that lets you create your own monument to a character you've played with a place for a few comments about your time in a that virtual world. It also lets you mention where you've moved on.

I remember thinking about (I'm sure I got the idea from someone's blog) how it would be neat if there was a quest you could do that actually killed off your character when it came time for you to quit. I don't know of any games that are like that. I've known of players logging out in their favorite spots one last time. Or returning to the starter area. So a site like Burial grounds isn't too far fetched. The graphics look like something out of original Everquest so the momunments themselves aren't anything to look at, but the idea that players don't want their characters forgotten even when they left a game on bad terms, one person typed "I vow to never play that game again" says something.

Blog visit : Part Time Druid

Part Time Druid is actually playing his warrior now and his druid has been demoted to bank alt. That still doesn't stop him from posting some interesting things.

What caught my eye is his Time Versus Skill: My WoW Jealousy post. He wonders if he had the time some players do how much better would he be. I've wondered how many achievements I could get if I could play more. He and I are a bit different though, I'm in a relationship with someone who plays WoW and have no kids, he as at least 2 kids from what I can tell. So I essentially have more free time, but I can empathize.

Although you hear on the forums "There is nothing to do!" I feel like there just isn't enough time to do all you could do in game.

But there is more to it than that, the more time you spend logged on, the more time you find things to do. As I cut back, the key is for me to not log on at all. And all of that...stuff...will still be there but I won't see it, so I won't do it.

Since Part Time Druid is playing his warrior now and I'm trying to throttle my game hours maybe I can snag his moniker.

Cutting back again

After running around for Lunar Festival and then almost immediately having to run around again for Love Is In The Air world events I've hit a mini-burnout.

Just look at my first sentence, I said I was having to do this. I wasn't forced to do any of it, but I felt compelled because if I didn't do it this year I'd have to wait a full year to do it again (gasp)!

Tycho of Penny Arcade described grouping/raiding as "regimented, codified, other-directed "leisure" and "precisely why I got out the first Goddamned time."

Achievements and the world events have begun to feel that way for me.

I've laughed with the guild about how achievements have only exacerbated the completist, addictive tendencies most mmorpg players have. But it should be an uncomfortable laughter. Like the friend whose weekend drink binges that make him so fun to be around have seeped into the week day.

As I sat for hours camping an achievement the other day, I realized I had crossed that line. I should have uninstalled the game then, instead I've compromised and vowed to cut back yet again. Like someone from AA I'm going to take it one week at a time.

I'll let you know how it works out.

World Events Achievements

I haven't had a chance to try, but according to the General Forums it is really hard to get the Be Mine! achievement to complete the Fool For Love achievement.

The Bag of Candies has an extremely low drop rate.

But the reason why I'm blogging about this is the amount of exasperation people are having about it. There's already thread capped out and another one has started.

Players have mentioned they have alarms set to remind them to log on every hour, and (I assume jokingly) have been losing sleep over it literally.

One person even went on to say they wish there was no such thing as world events. Before achievements you never would get such an outcry over the same activities.

The adage "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all" doesn't seem to apply here.

The opposite of attunement

One thing I've noticed on my realm are the number of guilds that are moving from 10-man to 25.

Raiding is inarguably more accessible now a big swing from BC attunements that required 5-man milestones that many groups couldn't (or didn't bother to) reach.

Now the type of player who claim they only want to do instances with their 10 friends, are starting to branch out and up.

Guild #29,358 downing the 4 Horseman isn't going to make its rounds on wow blogs and websites but I don't hear wow losing any numbers.

10 vs 25 man loot

I've noticed this twice on the forums, in General and in Raids & Dungeons. A request that 10-man loot be equivalent to 25-man loot.

First you have to go on the premise 10-mans are as difficult as 25-man dungeons. I cannot speak from personal experience, but from what I've read 10-man Sartharion + 3 drakes is harder that its 25-man counterpart. One encounter isn't enough to support giving a 10-man boss the same loot table as a 25.

Just as Blizzard decided to decrease from 40 to 25. The argument is more people cause more complexity. And this I agree. How often have you beat an encounter because of less people than more. It happens. The oft quoted "herding more cats" is mentioned when discussing why larger raids are harder. It's quoted because it's true.

Also don't forget, if there is a instance tuned for 5 or 10 you start to have to make it workable for a variety of specs. You end up having to water it down so Joe 'n Friends can down it with whatever class mix they decide to have. If they tuned it tightly to make it rough going, many of these close knit group of friends simply would not have the necessary elements needed.

What I found most interesting is a few people saying they should just get rid of 25-mans altogether. But they didn't really give a reason why. To me it sounds like some players want their 10-man achievement to be the pinnacle of the game. Which makes them no better than the elitists they despise.

What happened to smaller groups just want to see content?

It quickly goes back to why do you need 25-man loot if you are only willing and/or able to tackle 10-man instances? I remember when I had decided to take things more casual I knew I wouldn't be able to have access to the best loot anymore. It seemed fair to me.

Choosing which achievements to chase

To quote Michael Corleone "Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in."

Attempting to "complete" all the achievements sure feels that way.

I'll never be Beelsebub the gnome warlock, who at last count, has 7,630 achievement points.

But I also realize I already may be above average myself - nearing 5,000. For example, let me use the example of a guildie who has expressed no interest in acquiring achievements points beyond what we get through raiding, etc. I must preface that he's a Death Knight. He hasn't even hit 2,000.

It's similar to "anyone who plays more than you plays to much and anyone who plays less, plays too little." How far you want to take achievements is up to you, but I think most would agree passing the 6k mark as hardcore achiever.

I have a feeling getting that far will require me to play beyond my comfort level. That leads me to choose which achievements I should bother with. For example Baron's mount is one of those achievements that could potentially take a lot of time. Yet I want the mount. I could get a ton of other achievements done in that same amount of time. Yet...it's the Baron mount!

Yeah the choices may be harder than I thought!

Wild Growth 6 second cool down

I've only raided once since the Wild Growth nerf. What I discovered is while I don't use Wild Growth much, I did use it more than I realized. In other words I found myself reaching for it when the cool down wasn't up more times than I expected.

I consider myself lucky. In druid years, I haven't been resto very long. So healing spells changing doesn't really effect me as much as someone who may have relied on it for months.

Rejuvenation

The blog title not only reflects my current role as a resto druid, but also what I feel my blog needs.

I feel like I've been blogging and playing wow almost begrudgingly. As if I'm forced to do so and as if unhappy doing so.

I like to blog and I like to play wow. I can only imagine I have some deep-seated depression going on. But if it is indeed the case I'd rather it not permeate into 2 of the things I supposedly enjoy. That I feel the need to say this at all leads toward something I'd rather not dwell upon.

I'm going to try to spruce up my blog a bit. I look at Resto4Life and Tree Bark Jacket for inspiration. My next post(s) will be attempts to be cheerier. I'm sure my cynicism will leak through, but my hope is that it will lead to a better reading experience for anyone who still reads this.

What type of healer are you?

I came across this post over at Matticus' fine healer blog.

Based on the signs I could fall under 4 of the 5 archetypes in my healing career.

I think in the beginning I could identify with Hero Complex. I'm not sure what came first for me the Reluctant Healer or the Ex-Healer. And now I think I most closely identify with the Average Gamer. I've never had the God Complex and this is written with such extremes I doubt many players have. Healers may be rare but they aren't that rare where other players would put up with this type of behavior.

Do the quests!!!!

Wrath brought us some interesting quest chains this time around.

If you really hate questing then ignore this. But I don't want to hear a single person say there is nothing to do if they haven't even bothered to, at least, do a majority of the Northrend quests. And no, majority does not mean just enough to get you to 80.

The world changes as you complete these chains and there are things you miss by not doing them.

I won't tell you what they are because that would defeat the purpose of saying "Do the quests!!!!"

Now you know what I've been up to.

Holding raid slots

Due to RL a friend of mine decided to cut back from raiding for a while. He was only gone for perhaps a month or so. But when he came back and wanted to raid full time, he was sat on the bench. He understood that as a price to pay. He had to earn his raid slot back.

However unless you're really good you don't usually leave a spot open for someone to leave for that length of time and come back to. So his raid slot had been filled.

The next alternative was raid swapping. And this is what both the guild and he felt was fair. After sitting on the bench for a while, always willing to fill in as needed (and it was needed) he hoped to start getting to get in the game and let someone else warm the bench.

Unfortunately, although the raid leader said this was what would happen it never did. The raid leader consistently sat my friend on the bench even though he performed exceptionally well each time he got to raid.

In the end my friend switched guilds and is much happier as a result. Looking back we can only imagine the raid leader had an axe to grind but wasn't willing to share his reasons. What's worse than a over the top aggressive raid leader? A wishy-washy passive one.

I happened to follow me friend to this new guild and since I've been there someone left and they said "your slot will be waiting for you when you return". It is indeed a warm sentiment to share when someone leaves raiding unwillingly (due to RL, money, etc.) and I'm sure a nice one to receive.

Our raid roster at the moment is just right for most content (we can do some of it undermanned), but with us on the slim side for the harder content (where every person counts).

If the player comes back now, he'd be very welcome on our harder instances, but there is a chance someone would have to sit out on the other ones to fit him in.

And I have to ask is this fair to the person that filled in for him while he was MIA?

How do you tell the paladin you're recruiting "Hey we really need you right now, but there will come a time when Joe the Player comes back and you'll be relegated to the bench"?

So I can see it from my friend's side as well as a little from my former guild's side. I wouldn't tell a player their slot is safe. It isn't fair to the other 24 players who want to raid, especially if they can't at least give you an estimate on when they think they'll return. I wouldn't tell a player they aren't able to earn a position back on the roster either, especially if they have been a consistent raider in the past. If I felt there was no place for them, I hope I'd have the guts to tell them so, especially if I care an iota about them.

For the good of the guild

Quite often you read a blog and get ideas for what you want to talk about on your own. This happened with Tobold's blog which lead me to Matticus' blog which lead me to the Greedy Goblin's blog and back here.

Apparently Matticus is a guild leader faced with a raid member who decides he wants to take a break until Ulduar (the next raid after Naxxramas) because he has all the gear he needs and doesn't want to burn out.

I can side with both Matticus and the paladin to some extent.

In the guild I joined with the release of Wrath, I've seen players with different levels of progress:

1) The over-achiever who leveled the fastest, raided the earliest and has gear for various specs already. Has more gear than what he knows to do with.
2) The average-guy (for our guild) who leveled pretty fast, raids a lot but may or may not be lucky with drops. Has pretty much what he needs now. <----I'm here
3) The lucky-guy who didn't level fast, raids just enough, but got lucky with drops. Has pretty much what he needs now. Lucky bastard.
4) The bringing-in-the-rear guy who didn't level fast, doesn't raid much. Doesn't have what he needs, but may get lucky gearing up fast because the rest of us have pretty much what we need.
5) The alts. These are the #1 and #2's characters. Who either have everything or pretty much what they need and want to gear up their alts.

I am in the camp that I am willing to continue raiding for my guild on my main ONLY if they are gearing up their main characters. I have no desire to keep going to instances just because they want to put their 2nd and 3rd character in epics.

This, for me, leads to burnout very quickly because
1) I'm not getting anything out of it, except the chance to be nice
2) Being nice is often misused and abused
3) Runs go unbearably slow with too many alts

For the good of the guild, I will keep raiding and finding reason to raid for the core of the raid group. Because I hope they will do the same for me.

When I see more and more alts coming to raids, I'll either politely bow out or bring my own alt!

Queue Queue

I've heard some queues are upwards of 1.4k My server isn't that bad, but it has been averaging 45 minutes.

Also if you are lucky to get in, sometimes you are met with "cannot start additional instances at this time" when trying to zone into an instance.

And then there's the lag felt 'round the world when the battle of wintergrasp is at the door to the keep.

I bet other games would kill to have these kind of problems.

New Year's Resolutions

For me this time last year I had 2 simple resolutions
1) Play WOW less
2) Enjoy WOW more

Overall I think I played WoW less than I had the previous years, even canceling the game for a short while.

I enjoyed my new character more than my old one, even going so far to retire what I felt would always be my main.

However I can't say with honesty I kept my resolutions. This leads me to set the same resolutions this year. Maybe I can do better this time around.

As mentioned in my previous post I've been rebelling against the idea of playing alts. My theory is if I'm that bored with my main character I should just log off the game instead of hopping on an alt and attempting to finish another endless list of things.

I've been tempting to start new alts already, but with my resolution in mind I'm staving off temptation. It has actually been working a little I happily admit. I've logged off several times recently simply because I've grown bored of what I'm doing on my main. Not having another alt to sink my time into helps make logging off easier.

I want to look back next year being successful keeping my resolutions this time. That will be the best achievement of all.

The Alt Expansion?

A while back, in an attempt to lessen my play time, I decided to focus on playing one character instead of spreading it out among alts. This dovetailed nicely with the introduction of achievements. More time on one character, more opportunity to complete achievements on it.

But with the Wrath of the Lich King expansion I've noticed a curious thing. With its ease of leveling, ease of regular instances, ease of heroics and current ease of raiding even the more casual player can finish end game within a few months of its release.

The curious thing is how many players, at least in my guild, have essentially shelved their main characters to play alts. In the past it would at least take several months before you even found things have eased up enough (getting your professions maxed, getting your gear crafted, getting attunements) to have "free" time to start playing alts.

"But there is a lot of end game left!" you say. Finishing all heroic achievements and killing Sartharion with 3 drakes up is something to strive for, but doesn't take up all your play time unless your guild is focusing on it.

So while lucky to start running heroics with my guild again, it is mostly with their alts. Still better than pugs but usually with an under geared character hoping to get a bunch of drops. As a result the achievements I want to get are on the backburner because you have a better chance of accomplishing them with main, well-geared, well-played character.

Unless I myself decide to start playing alts again, I'm just spinning my wheels as far as the group achievements go. I could spend time on the solo achievements but I specced to primarily group and at the moment is what I'm enjoying believe it or not.

I remember reading in Everquest you grouped because you had to. And part of World of Warcraft's revelation and revolution was you could solo and progress. With this expansion your ability to solo is coming much, much faster. Great for those who like to solo. Not so great for those of us who want the multiple player experience.