How Low Can You Go?

I’m curious how much time most people play MMORPGs. I honestly play about 10 hours a week average. That is really not much. It seems like everyone that started playing when I did has hit 60 and has been there for a while. I’d be thrilled to find a guild filled with people that have no interest in their level but instead focus on playing and having fun together. Are there any guilds dedicated to “slow play” or consider themselves “casual”? How about a guild for the family man or working man? Perhaps a guild with level caps based on the calendar. Maybe it’s been tried and doesn’t work, but it would be so great to have a group of regular people playing that don’t play all the time. Perhaps what I am looking for is a role-play guild. I look at our guild sheet in game and see that around 70% of the guild is level 60. I am *always* the lowest player online in the guild.

Am I all alone here?

Random Acts Of Kindness

[World of Warcraft] Hitting level 6 with my Druid increased my enjoyment of this class due to the improved ability for Random Acts of Kindness (RAoK). It is one of my favorite things to do in an MMORPG. Being able to buff people as you run by them (with GOOD buffs) or tossing a heal at them during battle is something I really enjoy. I wish more classes had a higher RAoK factor.

The Alliance Is For Girls!

[World of Warcraft] And thus I begin a new character, a female Night Elf Druid. Couple of things to learn about for me; how do other players treat a “female” character, and how can I tolerate playing a goody-goody Alliance character? Not to mention, a Night Elf.

Right now, she has reached level 5. Blazing forth into the purple-hazed woodlands of fancy and sweetness.

Two Weeks

[World of Warcraft] Two weeks – 14 days. That is how much free time I have on my account so far. I was suprised when I checked my account status and saw I had that much free time built up.

UPDATE: Checked it again. I missed a few days, it is actually 18 at this time and I am expecting 3 more days shortly. So that makes 21 days. Three weeks of free game time.

Shaman Says

[World of Warcraft] I spent some time playing my level 27 Shaman this morning. Took a while to get back into the swing of things. The gameplay is so much different for a Shaman than it is for a Rogue. I had forgotten how much variety there was in the class. I think I may start alternating my game time between my Rogue and my Shaman. Perhaps I’ll play one until it levels and then play the other. Be a good way to stay in full rest bonus. It may take me forever to get to 60, but I guess I don’t see the point in doing so anyway.

At 28, he gets the ability to walk on water. I’m not sure what benefit this has yet, but I look forward to trying it out.

Side note: I think I have strep throat. Going to have to see the doctor in the morning.

‘Lock Down

[World of Warcraft] Tonight was a short night, was really tired. Inhibit and I spent some time on our alts. I have a level 12 Warlock and he has a level 11 Mage. We each gained a level and it was enjoyable. I really like the Warlock class. It fits the Undead race too. It’s also a good way to let my Rogue gain some more rest XP. Damn stuff is addicting. Crack Rest. Crast? Crest? Erm, no. Nevermind.

SSDD & Ravenholdt

[World of Warcraft] Authenticating.

Just when I was starting to feel good about things. I have not reactivated yet and they are running out of time.

Update: I got in after waiting for a while. I pickpocketed 14 more Syndicate Emblems than I needed to get a Friendly reputation with the Ravenholdt crew. Skilled up a little on my lock picking too, nice to have those new locked chests. The Ravenholdt Manor quest appears to end when you get the reputation change. There was no other step given to me, nobody said to talk to anyone. So it seems like the quest is done at this point. I know people say it was not finished, it appears they took the next step out altogether at this point. I would have no way of knowing there is more to it.

And I’ll finish with two interesting links, here and here.

26

[World of Warcraft] Only had a brief moment to play last night after patching. I spent some time pickpocketing badges for my Ravenholdt quest as well as some hunting around the area for fun and profit.

By the time I was done my rogue made level 26. One of his new skills is “Cheap Shot” so I look forward to testing that out soon.

Turbine News

[Middle-Earth Online] Turbine has announced that it

…has finalized a deal with Tolkien Enterprises and Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) that grants Turbine the exclusive right to develop and publish massively multiplayer online worlds based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit literary works.

It is interesting to me that they have the rights to The Hobbit as well. While they claim to not have any plans to incorporate it into the current MMO under development, they did mention that they had a reason for buying the rights.

I also see they have pushed back the release of MEO to 2006. I think that is a wise move. Hopefully they can take their time to get this one right. I could very easily see it being a big failure.

In a recent Computer Games interview, a bold prediction was made by Turbine’s Vijay Lakshman; “I will go on the record as saying that Middle Earth Online will be one of the best MMOs ever made.”

Consider it noted.