Friday, January 27, 2012

/ignore


Stay with me for a bit, even though I may have scared you. This post is the result of three recent events:
1. Blizzcon being canceled
2. Sense of frustration in general over game play and player choice(s), or lack thereof
3. Responsibilities to the real world

Now, I am not really that upset over Blizzcon being canceled per se. Of all the fans out there, only a small percentage could and did actually go. And, my impressions of it were somewhat disappointing, but the thing is, I had a lot of hope for this year, because I thought somehow, with the help of my new blogging buddies, we could do something cool --what exactly, I don't know. But it involved cocktails and writing, not necessarily together. 

The underlying question is, "Is Blizzard in trouble?" 

I don't really know, and am not sure how much it matters. 

Sometimes....but gee, sometimes...I really wish they'd listen to players (see blog list, sidebar left) who have some fun suggestions. Not every suggestion can or should be acted upon, but perhaps if Blizzards' think tank of sorts did talk to people like say, Tome, or Navi, or Vidyala (the list goes on) perhaps...well. My next post called "Dragon Lady" will offer up my wish.

One thing players have said time and again is more control over their actual play. For the first time last night, I felt a twinge of social pressure. I was exhausted, and cross-dressing rogue showed me the tips and tricks of archeology. And I'll be damned, it's really kind of fun! Got to cover and see beautiful scenary, dig up dirt, and got the virtual smell of sand, sweat, fresh mossy dirt, whatever, and see the sunsets all over the world. I mean, think aobut it: if you could fly around the 24 hours of a world of sunsets and sunrises, how amazing would that be? Perhaps NASA is working on it. Oh wait. Funding. Right. Besides, I really want that Assistant Professor title, and a ride-able dinosaur. Some guild-mates were finished with their raid (sigh--mixed feelings) and wanted to do one more heroic. On shaman girl, I had 50 little nagging valor points. Now, it's a numbers' game, and that infuriates me, too. Not having the flexibility about when and how I get Valor Points drives me nuts. I know that Blizzard will never not cap them. I get that. But what I wish for, and this is a big meta-wish, is more solo or partner play: quests and difficult, challenging things one can do by oneself, or with one other buddy, and a schedule of when I can get them. 

I do get resentful of Blizzard trying to shoe horn all the players in together all the time.

This is a shoe horn. People don't use them anymore.
It may be considered an antique.
To shoe-horn something is figurative language which means to make something fit when it doesn't want to. Sometimes I am in a fuzzy-slipper mood and they force me in my high heels.

A. I didn't want to go
B. I quit playing sooner than I wanted because my excuse of having to do dishes and a "no thank you" were met with a lot of "come on, it'll be quick, etc." I know they were being sweet, but like I said, I was really tired. I wanted to keep digging holes in my backyard and not hear Illidan talk about saving his people single-handedly.

So, Blizz, think about it: little bite-sized pieces, for those of us on a Blizz diet?

Which brings me to my scolding:

One technological aspect of our planet which is driving me bonkers is parents ignoring their children. I'm not talking about teenagers, etc., but those moms whose faces look more at their smartphones than their children's. Now, please believe me. No one works harder than young moms. And yes, this goes for dads, too, but somehow dads have managed to skirt this. I'm not giving them a pass, but the double-standards exist. This goes for all parents: "Get your damn face out of your phone and talk to your kids." If you wonder why our reading scores suck, look no further than the conversations you are NOT having with your kids. I go coo-coo nuts when I'm in a PUG and a player needs to tend to some young child in distress, and then feels guilt toward the strangers in the group. I am annoyed with the other players and annoyed with the parent. Don't misunderstand: any AFK moment should be met with a "excuse me" sort of thing, and be made quick. If it's truly an emergency, stop playing. Repeat: STOP PLAYING.


It reminds me of that character in The Guild with all the babies. I'm sure some teacher somewhere is going to get them in her classroom and be expected to teach them to read when they can't even talk. Schema building, people, it's all about schema.

Which leads me back to my original point: I think it's very cool to have all players, those with kids, those without, to play on their schedule and needs. Moms and dads need breaks, too, but also need to pull away when family responsibilities call. I don't know if Vidyala has children, but look how happy she is just to have a meal with a loved one?


One final point: Yes, I do wish Blizzard offered up challenging, interesting game play for those of us who crave a challenge, but don't necessarily want to carve out 8 hours of our week to do so, with other (shudder) people. I would like the whole raiding/guild structure to change. Not sure what or how, but more flexibility, say having someone on a 'day pass' and get guild perks for a fun raid run, old or new content, and not have everything be such a big stinky deal. The big macho guilds "We're NUMBER ONE! We're NUMBER ONE!" sorts of guilds, could be structured differently from others somehow. 


Okay. I'm done now. Go about your business people, nothing to see here.

7 comments:

  1. Theme song: Modern Guilt by Beck

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous27.1.12

    Whew, I was worried there for a minute but now I see the theme song. I'm still thinking about the cancellation and what it signifies. Of course it could just be what they said but I always find that unlikely.

    I couldn't have gone anyway, can't ask my husband to take vacation to baby-sit the dogs while I fly across the country. But I miss the whole idea of it and the coverage.

    I really think Blizzard should hire consultants. I don't think anyone there has a clue about how some of us use their game. They should hire an alt consultant, a achievement consultant, etc.

    I'm really used to being shoe-horned though, I think it's because I'm left-handed in a right-handed world, Lol. No one ever knows what I mean until I bring out my left-handed scissors and make them use them! Ha! See what I mean.

    SO I'll admit I take a certain amount of joy in using WoW in ways not intended by Blizzard (my one person guild is almost level 3, take that Blizzard, teach you to try to force me to do something against my will) I am in fact pretty contrary generally.

    But I would so love some epic class quests (I think Saz mentioned that one) it would be so incredibly fun to once in a while to not have to buck the system.

    TotA

    ReplyDelete
  3. You know, I didn't realise it was REALLY cancelled. I saw Boozekin say something about it being cancelled and I thought he was doing his usual thing about cancelling Blizzcon and making it Boozecon or something. Now I need to go read it.

    Gosh, I hate being the AFK mum in dungeons and raids. That's why I play after the kids go to sleep.

    Oh and OMG I got a mention!!! Thanks Matty!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AND have I told you how I love your "I write like" thing on the sidebar??? I've been sticking my writing and all my friends' writing in there to see who they write like. I LOVE IT.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous27.1.12

      Thank you Navi, I never saw that, it's off the ipad screen. Apparently I'm like Cory Doctorow. Wonder if it would change if I use different posts, will have to investigate!

      TotA

      Delete
  5. Navi & Tome - thank you for commenting. I have had all day to think about this, and will try not to be too wordy. Navi, I have no doubt your babies are loved--I didn't mean to imply that most parents aren't taking care of their children. (And I have no doubt that Australia is kicking statistical a**; it's the Yanks I'm worried about. Lots and lots of Yanks.


    The I Write Like I got off of Kasumoto's blog - and what's funny is my writing changes depending on what I put in. Of course, I tried a sample of my writing and got Margaret Mitchell (!), and then put in Blackberry Winter the Tolkien thing, so that's the one I boastfully posted. I wanted to say "as if," or "in my dreams." Anyway, those things are fun, to be sure!

    I guess what we're all saying is everything should not be do-or-die. If one has to leave a dungeon, then perhaps there is something else available as an option. I don't want to run a full dungeon for 50 valor points. (Extra credit? Make-up work? Oh, for the love of....)

    And I am sensing another 7-dungeon run on my tank in my future.

    No. Please. No.

    I have always admired the way players adapt this game to their own rules. Tome, that's how we "met" in the first place, was my admiration of your Ironsally via Imaraith.

    And I'll say it again - my player friends totally get me, and I get them. When we can do something together, we do, and when we're doing something else, we do. Just wish there was a third rail, I guess, for the actual "thing" to do? And, I'm spit-balling here, (yuck) it would be fun to co-join efforts on a profession, or have other ways for guilds (even an "army of one" to get some of the juicier guild perks. I don't care about raid feasts, just summons and mass rez. Heck, just summons would rock.

    Forced groups never work. I know this very well. We love to partner-up or fly solo most of the time. I have had great unexpected moments in PUGs, so I wouldn't give those up either, nor the support of a large guild.

    I agree with you, Tome - sometimes "bucking the system" get a bit tiring. At least some recognition when one does - Ironsally should be in her own Hall of Fame.

    Now my weekend is here. I am still at work, finishing up a few things, and will be here for several hours tomorrow. There was a time when that was a regular thing for me, but a combination of burn-out and expertise (sounds odd, right? I know what I'm doing but just don't want to do it anymore?) saved me. So now, to Azeroth, and then we'll just have to see what happens.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Crap. Too wordy.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment!