It may not specifically be a WOW thing, but it has kinda become an MMO only thing. Practically all other games seem to actively discourage their potential social aspects. Even other Blizzard games.
And considering how few major MMOs there are… you’re down to WOW, FF14, and a few remaining runner ups.
And WOW is king for that sort of thing.
The gaming community actually needs MMOs as a social meeting point, because too many of us are shut ins that are never going to find other gamers in real world interactions. (Especially if you live in a boring place)
I do agree that online games should be obligated to promote the social aspect.
And i agree that MMO’s are good for meeting other people and such, it’s just my point there that this isn’t exclusive to MMO’s but to online games in general.
The point of this thread is you spent money on an activity. This activity gets you entertainment. As stated, I think the relationships formed from 15 YEARS show it’s also more than just entertainment. You could not have played any other game for that time period and investment and get the networking of this game. No game has the social reach or ecosystem this game has/had, none, zero, zilch.
Nobody said its impossible to meet other people in an online game. Nobody. Not once. But to say the social aspect of those other games is equal is flat out wrong and you’d have to be out of your mind to suggest they are.
Saying I dont think it’s worth it, all that time, all those people, dont matter i could have just magically time traveled and played gears of war and it’s the same thing, is incredibly dense even for GD.
But personally i’m thankful for the amazing relationships and people i’ve found through wow. I’ve travelled to the Uk to spend christmas with a friend i met online and it was the best month of my life
I mean if you want to get pedantic, social is entertainment of the kind. And i completely understand why would somebody be happy to mention that, because 3 of my best friends i’ve met in World of Warcraft that i still know and talk to them to this day. It’s almost like were one big happy family.
But when looking for a game and if your telling me reasons on to buy a game, you’re giving me entertainment that can be had elsewhere. I want to know what kind of entertainment i can get out of that game specifically, like the content and such. Because i personally think that social and gaming are two completely different things here, but just overlap, and i would like to keep that separated when i’m talking about what i like about the game. That’s where i’m coming from here.
So doesn’t that mean Online games are more then just entertainment?
That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have the capacity to do so, especially since it’s online.
Where are you getting the idea that i’m saying their the same thing here?
I understand and recognize that in terms of social aspects, that WoW is better in that aspect, as well other MMO’s. Heck, you just responded to a comment that is more or less agreeing to that. But it doesn’t make it into a reason to get the game because it has nothing to do with the game outside of just being the place you two happen to be there because that person who is looking to trying the game, might possibly wants the reason that is within the game, in addition,not exclusively of chatting to people and such. That’s my point here.
So you get married in WoW and make friends. Okay, what about the gameplay? Or it’s mechanics, or the story, or the graphics, the characters, the content and so on?
I really hope this explains on where i’m coming from here.
i’ve had 2 graphics cards which died in a very specific part of Shattrath.
the first time i thought it was co-incidence, but it when it happened a second time i decided it was blizzards fault.
…i’m not going to test a third time to confirm.
Entirely not the point of the thread, but it does make me feel less bad about spending a CONSIDERABLE amount on commission art and/or art I also buy the copyright for in relation to my novels. (Example: covers) Since I still am not spending 3k yearly on either (…probably.)
Why feel bad about it? You and the creator of said work came to a agreement of which was what both parties felt was a fair value for the work of art. You wouldn’t feel bad if the creator of the artwork requested a price higher than what you perceive the value of said art, right?
Also, as a book collector… I rarely buy a book based off the cover art… the contents have more value.
In WoW, even assuming a modest 10 hour day, you would get 300 hours. Disregard I’m not advocating anyone play this game for 10 hours a day, 30 days a month. The point is: you can AND MORE!!!
But you don’t find value in that? Even with the state of the game as terrible as it currently is, it’s still an amazing value. I spend more on lunch in a DAY than I spend on my WoW sub.
You’re playing your Atari 2600 cartridges and trying to compare it to WoW. gg
It’s actually not. There is such a thing as time value of money and interest. $15/mo since 2004 at around 8% annual return if you put it in an index fund would be around $6140. And you’re neglecting the opportunity cost of the time you wasted playing. There is a lot of time actually directly wasted in WoW doing chores, waiting around, etc.
When you factor this in, WoW ends up being an incredibly expensive hobby actually. If you wonder why so many people are poor and miserable, it is because we have engineered a society aroud deceiving people who do not understand opportunity cost or time value of money. I encourage everyone to check their payment plans for phones/cars, mortgages, etc and take a hard look at the system and what you actually end up paying. You’ll realize how much of a scam most things are.
I’ve never purchased a race change, name change, server xfer-- but I did get that one unique ravager mount from the store when they still sold it. Wasn’t subbed during all of cata and most of mop, and I have been unsubbed during long bits of wod, legion, and bfa… particularly when the game was wearing kind of thin. I think I did pretty well cutting away some fluffier WoW expenses.
Most do not. And WoW is hardly a bargain relative to a litany of other games and hobbies when it comes to longevity of engagement.
I’ve probably spent a few thousand on my bike over the last 15 years, but it doesn’t make me buy it all over again every other year or change its shape, size, color, and method of use. it also takes me places in the real world, helps keep me fit, and opens opportunities for real-world experience and socializations.
Regardless, the real toll paid for what WoW has become in BFA and now especially in SL is the priceless commodity of your time alive. The wasted portion of time spent in this game has become absurdly greater than for anything else I play or do in that it provides neither progression nor even simply fun.
