Ding! (Level 70)

The fact that I just hit 70 for the first time in World of Warcraft should make it pretty obvious that I’m a casual player. I didn’t start playing at launch, but it still took me almost a year to get a character to 70.

The momentous occasion took place in Netherstorm, as I turned in a quest (I forget which one) in Kirin’Var.

The handy (if you’re into that sort of thing) LevelSnap mod ensured that I snagged a screen capture of the moment. (Speaking of mods, the image on the right is a detail. If you click through to the full screen, you’ll see that I’m using Mazzle’s phenomenal UI compilation—with a few tweaks, of course.)

The event was something of an anticlimax. Only two others from my guild were online, and I’m not particularly close to the guild. (Perhaps someday I’ll chatter about online friendships in WoW in contrast to other games.) So I didn’t boast about it in guild chat. None of my real-life friends were online.

I did coax a smile from my wife, sitting nearby.

But, though no one sang out high praise for my hardly unique accomplishment, I did think it worthwhile to job all the way to Wildhammer Stronghold to pick up my lovely snowy gryphon.

Flying is decidedly fun. I figured I’d take the opportunity to fly over the Horde town of Stonebreaker Hold to get it “on my map.” I naively assumed that the guards didn’t police their own air space. Boy, was I mistaken!

Just as the area was revealed on my map, I got a debuff that I think was called “Spotted.” (Can anyone confirm this?) I flew as fast as I could (which isn’t even as fast as an epic ground mount), but I didn’t get far before I got hit. The hit didn’t do a lot of damage, but the fall. . . .

Let’s just say I didn’t hit my Levitate key in time.

Now I just have to figure out what to do next. I’m inclined to dig into PVP battlegrounds and the arena. But I also want to help my wife get her paladin to 70 and play around with a few of my favorite alts. Any brilliant suggestions?

Add comment July 5th, 2007

Addiction again

Tony Long at the venerable Wired tackled the issue of video game addiction today. The topic ain’t dead.

But the article strikes me as a little naïve. Saying that “the answer lies in education, enlightenment and—in the case of video games, at least—a little physical and mental exertion” is all well and good, but will a visit to the batting cage and a trip to Carneigie Hall really do the trick?

It’s sort of like yelling “eat less” at people with overeating disorders. Sure, that’s where they need to go, but they can’t just do it in one step.

Tony’s right, though, that video games are problems for different people to the degree that they’re problems for different people. Some people’s lives are being ruined or damaged with (not by) video games.

If you know you have a problem, seek help. If you know someone who has a problem, intervene. I am trilled that people are talking about video game addiction as a real (if unclassified) problem, rather than using “addictive” as a marketing slogan.

But I shudder when I hear people talking about further regulation. The rating system is enough. Let’s not forget what Prohibition got us!

Add comment July 5th, 2007