World of Warcraft - does it live up to the hype?

[gulfcoastliberal]

I'm very interested in this game. Any feedback would be geatly appreciated. Is it worth it?

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. It's the only MMORPG I've played. I thought it was great, and got totally

obssessed, but shortly after maxing out my character's level at 60 I pretty much lost all interest.

At 60, you have no more need to really do quests etc. and the only way to really improve your character's gear is to do endless, repetitive runs of the same dungeons to get your 'set piece' armor and epic weapons.

The other part that killed it for me was joining a megaguild. To run the "high end" dungeons where you get the best epic gear, you pretty much have to be part of a large "raid" of 30-40 people. This pretty well mandates that you be part of some big guild.

Since most players are either teens or early-mid 20's at most, it's rather difficult for me, who is much older than all of these, to listen to some geek on Teamspeak or Ventrilo telling me or anyone else how to do things, or that you screwed up or whatever. Bad enough to have to listen to that in real life, but in a game?...

So I feel that once you have levelled to 60, the game inevitably pushes you towards a preoccupation with "loot" which you have to do repetitive, tedious dungeon runs with a guild full of loot obssessed geeks to do. And it's kind of necessary, because as the senior characters get better and better equipped, you become progressively less able to "compete" with them in player vs. player if you are poorly equipped.

Up until that point, the game is great. I know it doesn't sound like it from what I've said. But it really was one of my greatest gaming experiences until it got "played out" at level 60. My wife still enjoys gaming with my old guild though, so she's still actively playing.

[jumptheshadow]

2. You have a standing invitation...

to join our guild on Dark Age of Camelot. We are small but very serious about the game. Most of us are over 40 (although our newest member, a friend from a former guild, is a Canadian musician in his 20s). We fare decently in getting into groups, and we play in realm vs. realm and player vs. environment. We are a tolerant guild with a sense of humor. Tomorrow we're sponsoring a guild power leveling session where we will get XP bonuses by spending some of our guild merit points.

Or if DAOC is not your cup of tea, perhaps we might meet somewhere down the road in another game and launch a guild for older folks like us. ;) I find it makes a big difference when you tune out the kiddish banter.

[malmapus]

3. Use to play DAoC here, what sever you on

Played Pendragon, Spiritmaster :) Guess would have to start over again hehe

[jumptheshadow]

7. I'm on Hibernia Igraine

Look for anybody from the Celts Gone Wild guild (hehe, a little irony there) and tell them that Dormouse sent you. We will be happy to reintroduce you to the game.

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. Well,I'm installing the game now...

5 CDS?!

It's been a while since I've bought a game. Usually just download cracked versions but since this sounds good,I went the honest way. Once I get into the world I'll look you up!

[Mojambo]

9. I'm installing right now.

Almost done! This has been one of the longest installs for a game I've ever had.

Have you been playing?

So any tips for a newbie? ;)

What are the best servers? Your favorite starting zones? overall zones?

(These questions are for anyone, btw)

[democracyindanger]

5. I know it lives up to installing spyware on your drive

http://www.eff.org/deeplinks/archives/004076.php

Rejoice gaming fans, for the latest new “feature” of Blizzard Entertainment’s smash hit multi-player online videogame World of Warcraft is here! No, it’s not a new Sword of Destruction or Staff of Power—it’s spyware! Yes, unbeknownst to many gamers, World of Warcraft now has an unwanted special feature—a hidden program called “Warden” that snoops gamers’ computers looking for any "unauthorized third-party program" that “enables or facilitates cheating of any type.”

According to Greg Hoglund, co-author of "Exploiting Software, How to Break Code," this hidden program opens every process on a gamer’s computer, from email programs to privacy managers, and sniffs email addresses, website URLs open at the time of the scan, and the names of all running programs—whether or not those programs, emails, or websites could conceivably have anything to do with hacking.

[Ioo]

6. Fun if you love cartoons...

The world was a little to cartoony for me...

[Mojambo]

8. My copy should arrive any day

This will be my first since I played Everquest when it first came out. EQ was fabulously addictive (almost unhealthily so.)

Can't wait to play WoW. Everyone seems to really dig it.

[malmapus]

10. Been playing a little over 2 weeks now

Can't put it down, just like when EQ was released.

I'm all sucked into the Lore and quests. The trade skills are great too, had some friends say that post 200 they suck, but so far I'm still having fun with skinning and leathercrafting with my hunter, also working up a gnome rogue that does mining / engineering.

Its a great game and easy to loose yourself in IMHO.

On EDIT: The PvP is freaking awesome too. Started on a RP PvP server and am a member of a heavy RP all dwarf guild. OMG when the call goes out that Horde are attacking somewhere and my guild mobilizes, nothing like going ot battle with 30 other dwarves to save those humans and night elves heh. But yeah, can't describe the big fights outside of the BG. Freaking real battles with flankings happening and just insane (espicially when charging with your axe drawn along with your dwarven kin screaming the name and praises of King Magni before slamming into the horde lines heh).

[Mojambo]

11. I'm afraid to dip into PvP just yet (although you make it sound way cool)

I'm having fun playing PvE though.

I play on the Elune server (i think it's called?)

I have a 10 Night elf Hunter (Gillryn), 7 Orc Warrior (Tithrage), 6 Gnome Mage (Wrenny), 5 Tauren Druid (Nicorn), and a 4 Undead Rogue (Jandage.) I also created a Priest, Warlock, Paladin and Shaman but I haven't played them yet.

I'm having a blast even though I'm all thumbs with the interface.

I get to go learn how to train a pet now (great, another thing to manage in combat - I'm doomed!)