Cataclysm is around the corner and with the promise of worgen and Deathwing, I once again find myself really, really, really considering running out and buying the damn xpac. BUT, I'd also have to buy Wrath and that does give me pause. Fortunately I have come to my senses and here is why:
We started playing WoW in November of '04. We hooked up with a friend in January of '05 and threw ourselves in 100%. We played until November of '08, at which point, it was time to quit. I found myself shaking my staff at newbies who did not know who Nef was. I found myself pining for the good ol' days of actual rep grinding. And fishing, my most beloved of past times, was now popular. Egads!
I remember when Scholo was a friggin' PITA. Before the original nerf patch, when the instance was at least a 2 hour venture. To anyone who remembers these days, all I should have to say is the zombie room and have you cringe. I remember when UBRS required an actual strategy. I can remember wiping at the end, and having to sneak back in cat form to rez a damn priest or pally.
I remember when Vael was referred to as "The Guild Breaker." Longest 4% of health EVER. I remember spending hours upon hours of grinding, killing, gathering and collecting to get 3 pts. of rep. I can remember farming for hours to trade for dark iron ore to get the damn +22 enchant.
I remember AQ40 and the first time you encountered Hulu. I can remember spending hours looking for a damn group to go fight a world dragon. But most importantly, I remember being the one of the first druids on our server to have full Stormrage, the diamond ring from Nef and the pineapple staff from the world dragons.
And then Burning Crusade came and my epic, pimped out gear was suddenly gimped and I had to do the level grind again. Okay, I guess. Why not? Wait ... the friggin' draenei? Wth?! Gah, nvm, the raging fanboy is trying to digress.
The game was suddenly filled with n00bs who thought the rep grind was a PITA. Who would never see Nef. Who would never farm for Wildheart. Raiding was lame, PvP was lame... I was just over it.
Now people with whom I work want me to get back in the game on a "casual" basis. The problem being that I am not a casual player. I want to raid, and raid it right. I am a farmer. I will log on 4 hours before a raid and craft, enchant and cook to prepare. I will be at the instance 30 minutes before and help summon. And God help us if someone is late or if we have to PuG. Because 4 years of a world where PuGs were embedded in the 7th level of hell, have ingrained within me that I do not party with people I do not know. If I'm logging on to go party with strangers, what's the point?
I miss joking on Vent and hearing Med yell for more Dots, more DPS! I miss cursing Sheyla for drawing aggro. I miss Pally tank healing. I miss the good old days. And no amount of bells and whistles can bring that back.
And really, the people with whom I work think I'm strange enough as it is. I don't need them seeing that I'm a friggin' hardcore, old school MMORPGer, too. :)
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