Rainy Friday
So it’s Friday and here, in my corner of Azeroth, it’s raining. Rainy Fridays are good because you can snuggle in your favorite chair with a hot cup of Honeymint Tea. Or you can get drenched to the bone in the hunt for more Scourge to maim, dismember or otherwise pulverize.
Your choice, really.
Today feels like a mellow day for me, a rather nostalgic day if you will. I’m going to steal a question from a fellow blogger (whose blog rocks, by the way) and talk about “that moment.” The moment when this game became more than just another video game to you. When you decided to actually carefully craft your character into the shining example of perfection they are today.
I look back on my days in WoW with a bit of fondness. I picked up the game about a year ago with my husband, purely on a whim. We’d heard about this game and heard it was so popular and, us being the shunners of all things popular, we avoided picking it up. So there we were, in Fry’s, staring at the box and the little “for sale” sticker on it. We looked at each other and shrugged and picked up two copies.
When we got home, I realized the race I wanted to play (at the time, Blood Elf) wasn’t available until I got the Burning Crusade so I hopped on Blizzard’s website and downloaded it. I rolled a Blood Elf mage and started bumbling my way through this new game. The opening cinematic had me in awe as it gave me this sense that this was a tiny, tiny piece of something much larger and much more grandiose.
A friend of ours found out we’d entered the world and got us to roll on a new server on the Alliance side with him. That’s when Ailis was born. The concept of a Shaman appealed to me greatly. So my little blue-skinned, curvy-horned baby Shaman entered the world of Azeroth having no idea what lay in store for her.
I fondly remember riding a Hippogryph for the first time and thinking that was the coolest thing ever.
I remember struggling to reach level 40 so I could dual-wield. That’s all I wanted to do, hold two weapons. That felt like the ultimate in awesome.
I remember standing there amazed when I zoned through the Dark Portal into an all-out war.
I remember riding into Nagrand for the first time and thinking it was the most beautiful zone I’d ever seen.
I have two turning points in the game for me. I can’t really pick between the two because one was an experience and the other was help from a friend.
The first major turning point came when I hit 70. I dinged 70 about three weeks before Wrath came out, which means I still haven’t experienced much of the Burning Crusade content but that’s another story. The second I dinged 70, my GM at the time sent me my first raid invite. Another guild had graciously agreed to let these newb 70’s in on one of their Kara farming runs. I was in awe, scared, excited, confused and intrigued all at the same time. I had never been on a raid before. I didn’t even fully grasp the concept of a raid group or raid mechanics or anything of the sort. But I was hooked and absolutely needed to find out more.
The second major turning point came when I was barreling through my 70’s in the effort to ding 80 so I could keep raiding. The same now-guildie who dubbed me “Alice” in vent had a Shaman at the time who was an enchanter. He took one look at my enchant-less gear and said that wouldn’t do so he had me meet him in Valiance Keep while he chanted up all my gear free of charge. I realize that he had the mats in a stockpile and it wasn’t much skin off his nose but that gesture and the five minutes he took to teach me about enchants did wonders for me and really set me on the path to bettering myself as a player and as a Shaman.
So, what about you? What was your “moment” when this became more than just another game to you?
Ailis,
I dont think that I have had the chance to really thank ya for all the love that you have sent my way. I came to you as a Pug resto shaman and you made it possible to become a healing force to be reckoned with. If it were not for you and Armageddon, I dont think I would’ve been ready and able to move on to the next set of content to be released.
Thanx a ton. I wish success to you, your website and the future adventure that you are going to undertake with Rhy. Best wishes to you both.
PS. I expect to have the first daughter of your life to be named TAKAKO! =P
Awww…. *blushes*
Ok.. to answer that question though i have to go back in time a bit.
I played this game the week it came out. I used to play Warcraft 3 alot and loved the lore. My fav class was the ever shifty but noble Night Elves. I rolled a female Hunter because hunters are supposed to be female per Warcraft 3 gameplay, so I stayed true to that and Loved my Hunter till the mass Reputation of the class fell to crap because of all the new and unskilled players taking that class because of the pet. It was hell and hard work to make a name and keep it untarneshed from all the stupid things ppl did in game as hunters. I had an awesome hunter and all but when the Burning crusade came into play I wanted to have something that I wouldn’t have problems getting into groups with.
Thus the birth of Takako. She was powerful and beautiful. She sparked life into many and took many horde lives. She may not be the eldest but she is closest to my heart. But as all classes and specs go you always think you are good till someone tells you that you could do more!
I remember running Magisters Terrace and having the Tank whisper to me that I needed to change some things and start investing in food for buffs and such.
THis opened a whole new world for me and I then started to find ways to be better at what I do.
I now have a good number of people that say that I am the best healer they know and that means alot to the work that I have done to get there and have people respct me like that. But it was because of a few people that opened my eyes and then uplifted me to a point that I was confidant in my abilities.
Those are the points that have changed my toon and me alike.
I agree, Nagrand is the best zone to date (in beauty) and that is also Takako’s homeland!
Let me see…
I rolled an Orc Hunter, about 8 months ago. I was in Iraq and getting ready to come home, so things were slow (internet connection too, ping was often 2100 +). I was not sure I was going to like or continue to play the game so I kind of half-assed my way through about 15 levels (took days on my first toon due to inexperience and lag). I basically power leveled as hard as I could to level 70 so I could “raid” which is all the peeps in my guild wanted to talk about.
The point when I knew I was hooked? Kara. In particular the opera event, the first one I did was little red riding hood. That was about the coolest experience I have ever had in any game. When I was turned into the little red I ran my tiny ass off as fast as I could laughing the whole time cuz everyone in vent was yelling “Run little red, run.” It was truly a blast.
The timing worked out that I have done no other raids in BC or original, as I have spent all my time raiding in Wrath. I will go back to the others though. Just for the achievements. I don’t think anything will ever replace that first Kara run though. That was truly (pardon the term) epic.
Good blog (got to see it really recently) and very warm and cozy posts….
i am just learning the way to the shammy (a big pain, but i am 74 now and should ding 75 tonight….) and i must say i am still in love with my evil gnome lock – however this class does indeed rock!
on your topic, I must say lots of things amazed me. yes stepping into the portal was way more awesome than taking the boat to valiance keep (sry blizz, but that’s just true), however, I must admit that my first Kara runs were by far the single most awesome thing I have ever done (in this game). period.
the first time we downed the curator (and i got to roll for the uber staff) was one of the most glorious moments ever. did one kara run just for fun with my 80 lock few days ago – and i must admit that instance has something special: the balancing, the lore, the charisma of all bosses…. something i still need to experience elsewehere in the new content.
anyways, keep up the good work – and can i just ask you one question? would it be possible to post some of your thoughts on the talents of choice for resto and enhancement? and some of your thoughts about how did you get to being one of the best healers (quoting here)?
thanks and keep up the good work.