Still 5 months left on my account, but over the next few days I’ll be shutting everything down. I didn’t think I’d be writing another farewell so soon having just written one two years ago as I retired from the military. I’m now a former multiboxer and in the category of those who are unhappy with the recent changes as well as several other things with Blizzard specifically. While there are positive things coming for the Multiboxing Community, its time for me to move on.
But more important to note at the time I returned to WoW after a 12 year hiatus, I suffered from deep depression, untreated PTSD from numerous operational tours in Europe, Central and East Asia, as well combat tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Philippines; with unending high anxiety and agoraphobia from operational stressors as a senior leader having to work 100+ hours a week. The last 3 years of my career I was considered “deployed in place” stateside to support operations worldwide at a moments notice, and my last year I spent 2-3 weeks of every month TDY, while I was going through the Medical Evaluation Board and doctors appointments for botched surgeries before being retired at 90% disabled in my late 30s.
Retirement came and then it all shuts off replaced by a void, but now you have nothing to occupy your time and no subordinates to care for; self identity, friends, colleagues, and support groups are stripped from you and you’re left with nothing. You think you’ll fit in with Service Members still but you never will, cause you’re retired and not active duty anymore. So, you sit in line to get coffee and hear regular people complain about all the little things as the narcissism and self entitlement festers uncontrollably (I wanted soy milk, I’ve been here for 5 minutes, WHERES MY DONUT, I WANT A MANAGER, etc.) And all those sacrifices you made from the time you saw the World Trade Center fall while living just outside Manhattan on the Jersey side, breathing in jet fumes for several weeks, to all the times you nearly didn’t come back home make you think you’re better off suck starting a pistol so you don’t have to watch society turn Idiocracy into more of a documentary then it already is.
FUN. But back to my earlier point. After convincing me to return to WoW, the void I had was filled by my brother, sister, many friends and enemies along the way playing WoW. But more recently and importantly the multi-boxing and farming community, who took the time to teach me, critique me, and foster my development from being a simple hyperspawner to a full fledged pvp killer, M+ runner, and solo raider. In the last two 2 weeks before the change I went from several thousand kills to well over 30k kills in just open world pvp on my account, it felt great and not ganking or a camper either, I still got owned by players who were way better then me a lot. I love farming cause its like gambling (though I don’t gamble, cheaper on retirement and disability), but I loved and respected the other things even more because of how difficult they are to do.
So in March I noticed among all the other medical stuff I had going on (rhabdo, loss of balance, and nerve damage in my legs from compartment release surgery), I started losing control of my right hand from from nerve damage to my spine and my arm, and I lost a family member. So I quit the Mythic Raiding team/guild of my wild brothers and sisters of Brotocol-Cho’gall (hope you’re well). I transferred back to Thunderhorn to focus on getting my Bruto, multiboxing, and being my best for me. 28 days later (there was zombies, jk) I made over 8 million gold, had 2 additional accounts, and a Bruto. Success is the great divider between those that are motivated and those that pour their energy into attacking others through correspondence. My journey saw me land at isolated (yes a small i), where I made a great many friends and the chillest group of people that keep it high and tight, feathering it, following proto, while going downtown. In 5 weeks this island of misfit toys, all strangers initially, went from a diverse population of neckbeards to a well oiled machine achieving AOTC. Truly a great group of people (I’ve never laughed so hard on discord, p.s. I have a mic now).
In World PVP it was always great to earn the respect of players who previously hated boxers as you come to their rescue. But also I still was cursed at and called derogatory names multiple times a day without ever prompting it but I played how I wanted to, and in life not everyone is going to like you.
STEWARDSHIP. Other boxers were in a similar camp as me, where we spent a lot of time helping others. From countless hours questing or killing things that was inefficient to our playstyle, to over 200 free Freehold runs I provided to level others, to the paying for other players subs who couldn’t afford it. And running other players through mythics cause they couldn’t find groups. And its all for the stewardship, don’t care about anyone owing anything, just enjoy the game… I’ll also be giving away over 2 mil gold tomorrow from the SL refunds which I used to purchase tokens.
REVENUE. My last note I’d mentioned on an alt on a different forum, but just in tokens alone this year (and I stopped counting at 300 which were all from this year), I bought over $6000 worth of tokens off the AH. I had 9 accounts, 8xFarmers, one poster, and farming buffs ain’t cheap. It was always cheaper to buy them then farm them myself. If I’d paid for a sub for a year instead of tokens, it would have cost me only $1440 for 8, and I’d just scrap the 9th account. To all the players that complained about multiboxers, Blizzard really took one for you on this one, you’re always going to have issues, and if you think its was bad before, give it a month or two. I also maintained between 3-22 mil in gold value of auctions, which included everything. I sold a lot of stuff, and there were a lot of sales in the 100-300k range which obviously were WoW tokens. Also didn’t node farm, nor buy any raid/m+/vision runs for my toons either.
In closing, thanks to all the players (people) who helped fill emptiness with adventures, nostalgia, and joy. I’ll never run again irl, and I don’t move nearly as ninja-like I used to. But being able to do all those things in game really made the time spent special, and the relationships even more so. While I disagree with alot of what your organization does I do appreciate the hard work and efforts of the Blizzard staff, and a heartfelt thanks to my brother, Digitalmerc (also departing WoW) sister (departed WoW), Nitekrawla (no clue where he is, has anyone seen him?), and for any vanilla Thunderhorn players BLOOD KNIGHTS!!! Long, winded, just like the military……
Respectfully,
Locur (Pantao)
Gorudo Kabuki Farm Family – Yojimbo, Ujisato, Ebina, Tsukiji, Amatsumikabo, Ito, Ehomaki, Enokitake (and many, many more)
