After transferring to Nagrand and joining up with what I suppose one might call 'hardcore' I've come to a few realisations.
I prefer being casual.
I love raiding, don't get me wrong, but when I can't go out with friends, can't play sports after school, can't do anything, because 24 other people I don't even know are depending on me to push 6 buttons for four hours, it really makes me think, 'How much is too much?'. I don't regret transferring. I'm learning new things, I'm actually making progress (Al'ar down tonight), and I'm having fun while I raid. But I'm trying out for a university football team on wednesday (nfl football), and I was actually worried for a bit because it would break my 100% attendance; then I thought about it more. I'm 17 years old. I shouldn't be spending 68 hours a week playing a game with nobody that I know from school or other shit.
You ask other 17/18 year olds how they spent those years, they'll probably say;
Studying hard
Partying with friends
Playing sports
What do I say?
Playing an online game.
I'm sick of putting everything else out of the way to play this, I'm failing 4/7 classes at school, I don't play any sports when I'm not forced to, and I go out with friends on average once or twice a month. I need to get my shit straight and instead of wasting my time doing this crap.
68 hours a week. Lets assume I worked for 68 hours a week instead of this shit, and got paid minimum wage for it. It's around $43,000. If I sold my account? I'd be lucky to get $1000. Have I enjoyed the time spent on this? Yeah, I have. But I think I could be doing better, bigger things.
A lot will come down to this football team, if I get on, my attendance will drop to 50%, which is below the minimum, so I may be kicked. But will I regret it?
Fuck no.
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4 comments:
Partying is NOT a good alternative to playing games, btw. Doing any other hobby in place of it, yes, but partying... hell no. Drinking, getting fucked up, or any other number of things that people do at parties... NOT worth it. :p
As for the time consumed by the game, yeah... there's a lot that goes into hardcore raiding. As a teenager I know I sure as hell didn't play games the way I do now. I did, however, play expensive hobbies such as Magic the Gathering... which was a RL interactive RPG :p, but very expensive to keep up with. I also played console games which I'd blow through and then purchase new ones frequently. Expensive as well.
I went to car meetings and other related junk... I went out, movies, dinner, concerts... all of which cost a lot of money.
When I look back at it, playing WoW would have been cheaper. Maybe not the most social of things, but very inexpensive compared to the money I spent on keeping myself entertained.
Sports, however, would be a great alternative. Being active in any way is always better than sitting on your ass at the computer.
I wouldn't have played WoW as much as a teenager, but I think it would have been a part of my routine, still, had it been an option. (It came out when I was 18 or 19, I think.)
I dunno - for me, 15 bucks a month while growing up would've been a good investment towards something that can provide endless, although repetitious at times, entertainment. Spending 50-60 dollars a week on movies, concerts, gas to travel, and other shit... is very costly. Real life people and relationships are good for you, don't get me wrong - but damn is it expensive to do anything more than sit on your ass with someone else to keep from dying to boredom.
You do what you gotta do. For me, Warcraft is a hobby. It's one I definitely enjoy. I started playing in January 2006, and didn't hit 60 until December 2006, I was hardcore casual ;) When BC started, I never intended to change, but one thing led to another and I found myself in ILL and raiding. I realized how much fun it was, and that it was definitely something I'd like to do.
I spend a lot of time playing Warcraft, but I don't regret it. I don't let it get in the way of things I want to do, and honestly, I've met so many awesome people, like you, and Jes, and Jago, and I could go. I'm planning on meeting at least 4 people I met in WoW as soon as I can :) I wouldn't give knowing all you guys up for anything.
And like Jes said, my $15 (well, $30 for me) in WoW is just $30 I'm not spending on other junk. And honestly, I used to buy a lot of games, so I think it pretty much balances out.
I know WoW isn't fun some days, and some days even I think, "What's the point?" But then I remember, oh yeah, this is fun. If it's not fun, I would never encourage anyone to stick around, and I've definitely seen some people quit, or stop playing often because they don't enjoy the game anymore.
You do what you gotta do.
I hear ya Jez. 100%.
It has gotten to the point where I fit WoW in during many hours throughout the day because I can't do anything else. Sitting in my lecture hall or office or at home in the late hours of the day are usually mutually exclusive with other things I'd rather be doing.
So yeah, I WoW. But do I play when there is something better to do? Hell no.
And when I say something better, that is comprised of many things. I'm sure you know what I mean.
I don't think WoW is actually that bad of a thing to do. The majority of people in high school and college spend 50x more money on beer in a week. Or cigarettes. Or drugs, like pot. And even if all they do is party, think of the gas they burn just driving around, picking up friends and going back and forth to the clubs and houses.
I see WoW as more or less interactive TV, and I spend the same time on it that I would spend watching shows. When it's time for work, I go to work. When it's time for dinner, I eat. When friends want to hang out and go to ESPN Zone, I go. WoW basically substitutes my "lazy time" with "lazy time with friends talking on Vent".
I think as long as you have your priorities straight and you don't neglect the obvious aspect of real life (i.e. showers, food,, money, etc), then you're all good. =)
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