First, I wanted to make clear that I am not a WOW fanboi or hater.I have been playing the game off and on since few months after it came out. At first glance I thought the game too cartoony for me and waited a few months after release to play. I have read numerous times on various fourms about the good and bad of WOW and ultimately had to answer the question "Why do I keep coming back to WOW."

1. Grafics= I am not big on grafics but one thing with WOW is certain, the grafics fit the game. Sure, they could have grass that looks real or trees that are more detailed but for this game they fit for me.

2. A world that is big and free. Thats right, I said it, I can go anywhere, back and forth and do anything that I am into. If I need materials for crafting I can go back to noob land all day and always find something I missed the last time.

3. Smoooth. When I jump, swing a weapon, shoot a bow or jump off a cliff my toon follows my command the moment I hit the key. This is one of the main reasons I keep coming back, my pc on high settings maintains my commands.

4. Certainly there is a problem with the communtiy with its mixed age groups that can be left to question. For example, in big cities I see some, "Me and my homies are going to get stupid and kill everything". Now I do not know what that means however, I do get a kick out of reading such jibberish and trying to figure out what they are talking about.

Finnally, there is always something to do in WOW such as aquiring the next level of armor, learning a new trade or playing the Battle Grounds minimaps. I started a Death Knight just to see what all the hubub was about and its like playing a new game. The story line is good with new skills to learn and test.

We could go all day talking about the game being "hard core" or not. I have yet to find a clear and concise definition of the term. If it is the amount of time one spends in game then I guess my 6-9 hours a day puts me in there somewhere. If its the playing style then one surely has the chance in WOW to show it in game. Ultimately, when I get bored of elfs and trolls I change to another game until I hear of something new coming out. The game is well priced for its applicaitons and to complain about its popularity only tells me that the carebears can not find any other game to play.

And the Darkfall drama continues, was getting bored with the other posts.

Originally posted by Vinterkrig

someone explain it to me, i'm not really sure why people are so obsessed with having a pet in a mmorpg

its something that seems fairly new as i've been playing mmos for far to long, and i've never seen it be such an important thing to so many people

..... are you all just sad you don't have one irl or something?

Im trying to figure out why people are soo obsessed with having to know why other people play the way they enjoy themselves in an MMO, that is even more strange.

I may have to agree with you on the class increase. The DK was a neat idea but seems, at least to me, a class that is limited. Understandably so, there is only so much the company can do in adding new classes with original abilities and such. Juist a thought.

Originally posted by sachy55

put it this way i think its wrong to push these types of games onto young impressionable minds that pretending to be a girl is okay, lets be honest games like wow are targeted at a younger audience with the cartoon styling. giving players the option to choose gender is perverse and especially for a younger audience indulging or encoraging this, it makes me sick to be in a gaming enviroment that allows this. i think its kind of sad a large proportion of younger generation and older act effiminate and cross dress. i think to promote a healthy society should teach men to be men and women to be women , cant get any simpler than that.

This could really get political huh? I see visions of women’s lib coming on demanding equal rights with society limiting what a game player can and can not do. Sticking to the topic of these companies procedures minus cultural and racial differences, I am forced to disagree with your view. On one had there is the concept of separating young minds to say boys are snakes and snails and puppy dog tails who should not cry or feel emotions. This may be a little confusing for the young mind that is taught in society that there is a glass ceiling that should not be there. I do not see a push effect from game companies, I see a lack of control in parenting. If a parent who feels as you do and does not want there child to play such a game which allows this ability…forbid them to play it. Simple huh? I mean which young impressionable mind can afford such games without support from mommy and daddy? You make a valid parenting point, I just don’t see how the power of impressionable minds are in the hands of any one other than the parent that purchases the pc and game for the child.

Nothing breeds success like success

I concur, the issues you pointed out are there and legit. Honestly, I could get over most of them except the low payoff for small group PvP encounters. For me, the grouping of 4-7 players roaming the area in search of a group of competitive nature makes up for much. There is something about spotting and adding up the abilities of another group and deciding to attack and win which becomes rewarding in itself. However, as you indicated the payoff is not there. A sad situation in my case. Enjoyed the write up and hope things get fixed, this really could be a neat game.

Originally posted by Kexo

There are so many interesting bugs in this game. Some of them let you walk through walls. Some of them like the one I discovered a few days ago are awesome. Of course in order to verfiy this bug I had to replicate it a few times to make sure that it's real and repeatable. Unfortunately those ungratefull devs didn't see it that way and wacked me with the ban hammer eventhough I did /bug it. Oh well, maybe after my 12 days ban expire perhaps the devs can get this damn game out of the beta and cut down on all those game breaking...or at least keep the server up for one entire weekend.

Was the ban implemented before/during/after the action? Did you learn of it, repeat it then report it or were you in the middle of the act when you were banned?

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Boggles the mind, file the gender identity concept along with the “criminal behavior due to playing games” theory. The thought of being able to enforce such a policy alone brings visions of money and legal problems galore. Nevertheless, I am forced to ask who has a right to tell this company how to operate its business. If the company wants to conduct such practices, then by all means…do so. It will only provide entertainment to me. Sort of like the “We Just say “NO’ to drugs” policy implemented in America at one time, My only concern here is that a group of people become “qualified” to tell this company how to operate. Why? Because if the elected, designated and allocated said group becomes that powerful they may change their minds and decide that it is a good policy. That is say, who am I to tell any company how to set their path, to take this point one step further, I hope there never becomes such a “game police” that is able to tell any gaming company how to operate. The silly policies of the Western countries certainly would back-up such a concept.

 

Yes, anti-discrimination laws are sooooo silly.

 

I'm sorry where is my "white-only toilet" again? I need someplace to file your post.

File it along with the "We just say no to drugs" box. This is a company that is Not in America and who are you to depict how they operate?
 

"Just Say No" was a public service campaign aimed at getting kids to not take illegal drugs... it has absolutely nothing in common with discriminatory business practices. 

I am not depicting how they operate - I am poking fun at the arrogance and ignorance inherent in your post.

As for the topic at hand... this is China, a socialist country that curtails personal freedoms already. Unless someone can convince the Politiburo that this is an issue, then we are all just "Whistling Dixie".

I concur, we are all just Whistling Dixie however, as I stated the Just Say No campaign reminds me of this mind boggling practice, I see this as to concepts with equal results and join you in poking fun at the arrogance it displays.  Which seems equally arrgant of a political party.
 

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Boggles the mind, file the gender identity concept along with the “criminal behavior due to playing games” theory. The thought of being able to enforce such a policy alone brings visions of money and legal problems galore. Nevertheless, I am forced to ask who has a right to tell this company how to operate its business. If the company wants to conduct such practices, then by all means…do so. It will only provide entertainment to me. Sort of like the “We Just say “NO’ to drugs” policy implemented in America at one time, My only concern here is that a group of people become “qualified” to tell this company how to operate. Why? Because if the elected, designated and allocated said group becomes that powerful they may change their minds and decide that it is a good policy. That is say, who am I to tell any company how to set their path, to take this point one step further, I hope there never becomes such a “game police” that is able to tell any gaming company how to operate. The silly policies of the Western countries certainly would back-up such a concept.

 

Yes, anti-discrimination laws are sooooo silly.

 

I'm sorry where is my "white-only toilet" again? I need someplace to file your post.

File it along with the "We just say no to drugs" box. This is a company that is Not in America and who are you to depict how they operate?
 

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by seabeast

That is say, who am I to tell any company how to set their path, to take this point one step further, I hope there never becomes such a “game police” that is able to tell any gaming company how to operate. The silly policies of the Western countries certainly would back-up such a concept.

 

I'd like to see a 'game police' which forces companies to deliver what they promise.

I agree with you on that one, except that they can not even do that let alone proof of sexual identity. Funny how culture sets in with gaming huh? Oh NO, a United Nations Gaming Police possibility, don’t give em any ideas. lol

Boggles the mind, file the gender identity concept along with the “criminal behavior due to playing games” theory. The thought of being able to enforce such a policy alone brings visions of money and legal problems galore. Nevertheless, I am forced to ask who has a right to tell this company how to operate its business. If the company wants to conduct such practices, then by all means…do so. It will only provide entertainment to me. Sort of like the “We Just say “NO’ to drugs” policy implemented in America at one time, My only concern here is that a group of people become “qualified” to tell this company how to operate. Why? Because if the elected, designated and allocated said group becomes that powerful they may change their minds and decide that it is a good policy. That is say, who am I to tell any company how to set their path, to take this point one step further, I hope there never becomes such a “game police” that is able to tell any gaming company how to operate. The silly policies of the Western countries certainly would back-up such a concept.

I just want to know who/what group of  people have  the right to tell this company how to operate? Because if that said group changes its mind and agrees that this is a good policy we could be in for some problems

Originally posted by Horusra

Originally posted by seabeast

Originally posted by Toquio3

Originally posted by rothbard

Originally posted by Toquio3

Originally posted by rothbard

 

(...) a law forbidding discrimination, are illegitimate. (...)

 

thats cute.

yes, and true.  Forced discrimination is just as evil as forced nondiscrimination.  Discrimination is a fact of acting individuals.  Every single action you perform, no matter how small, implies a degree of discrimination.  There is always something you could of done instead.  You are always discriminating. 

and yet, black people now have the right to go to the same schools as white people, and are not stopped at 'no blacks' signs in restaurants. this is not evil. the opposite is.

so is it right for one county or nation to tell another how to operater their gaming industeries?
 

 

One side note that is funny...now science and not racism or culturalism is telling schools that blacks,whites, males, and females should be schooled separately because they all learn better in different ways.

so answer the question, which group of people should tell other countries how to operate?

Originally posted by Toquio3

Originally posted by rothbard

Originally posted by Toquio3

Originally posted by rothbard

 

(...) a law forbidding discrimination, are illegitimate. (...)

 

thats cute.

yes, and true.  Forced discrimination is just as evil as forced nondiscrimination.  Discrimination is a fact of acting individuals.  Every single action you perform, no matter how small, implies a degree of discrimination.  There is always something you could of done instead.  You are always discriminating. 

and yet, black people now have the right to go to the same schools as white people, and are not stopped at 'no blacks' signs in restaurants. this is not evil. the opposite is.

so is it right for one county or nation to tell another how to operater their gaming industeries?
 

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''Aurora Technology over in China has apparently decided to cut out the middleman in the equation -- they're banning any male players who play female characters, requiring players to confirm their gender via webcam in order to enforce the ruling.''

''Aurora is a subsidiary of Shanda, a company responsible for publishing Aion and Dungeons and Dragons Online in the region, which are names slightly more familiar to players on this side of the pond.''

Source : www.massively.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/

Pretty extreme if you ask me. For those of you males who like playing as female chars, you would be sorely out of luck in China.

 

And who is to say what is  right or wrong with what China does in their own country??

Dead students in Tiananmen square perhaps?

Personal Freedoms have a price. China is not a free country.

Just dont meet a lot of any dead players online or the foums, perhaps every country should decide what is appropriate and not for their own people huh?
 

Kool, so they just want to be left alone to oppress their people? Or in the case of Tibet they just want to be left alone to oppress someone else's people?

-At least you are in good company... Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini... they all felt the same way.

But we'll let you negotiate for us... "Peace in our time" and all that, right?

so what country of dead students should be made King of gaming...or do we just do a hitler thing and allow a war to start over online gaming practices? surely such a reason for war would be new since we already lost milions of people for other reasons. And who would support such a war over gaming??
 

Originally posted by dterry

Originally posted by seabeast

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''Aurora Technology over in China has apparently decided to cut out the middleman in the equation -- they're banning any male players who play female characters, requiring players to confirm their gender via webcam in order to enforce the ruling.''

''Aurora is a subsidiary of Shanda, a company responsible for publishing Aion and Dungeons and Dragons Online in the region, which are names slightly more familiar to players on this side of the pond.''

Source : www.massively.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/

Pretty extreme if you ask me. For those of you males who like playing as female chars, you would be sorely out of luck in China.

 

And who is to say what is  right or wrong with what China does in their own country??

Dead students in Tiananmen square perhaps?

Personal Freedoms have a price. China is not a free country.

Just dont meet a lot of any dead players online or the foums, perhaps every country should decide what is appropriate and not for their own people huh?
 

Originally posted by NeverLand7

''Aurora Technology over in China has apparently decided to cut out the middleman in the equation -- they're banning any male players who play female characters, requiring players to confirm their gender via webcam in order to enforce the ruling.''

''Aurora is a subsidiary of Shanda, a company responsible for publishing Aion and Dungeons and Dragons Online in the region, which are names slightly more familiar to players on this side of the pond.''

Source : www.massively.com/2009/10/27/chinese-company-bans-gender-bending/

Pretty extreme if you ask me. For those of you males who like playing as female chars, you would be sorely out of luck in China.

And who is to say what is  right or wrong with what China does in their own country??

Originally posted by parrotpholk

 Weekends seem to be a real issue which has not been addressed to this point. I have got to where I dont play at all on Sunday because I know the outcome. Although a trial is a good thing it seems the overall reception has not been all that positive due to the technical issues. 

I don't know, as a trial player I hooked up with three other players and we all have decided to sub-up. Who/What/Where has the overall reception not been positive due to the Tech issues? Things that make you go hmm.

I dont know, my rig is between mid-recommened specs and I never had anything like you discribe. Pretty wierd, I got two toons and pass the first quest (barrel part) and went outside and had access to plenty more. Yea, im on the buddy key too. Things that make you go hmmmm.