Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Bean-counters and mojo: What if?


So, I was posed this question yesterday: "What if gear and other things in WoW gave you no additional stats or performance enhancements--would you still play?"

Knee-jerk response: Yes. Unequivocally yes.

Now, in the longer response, because heaven knows I can't just say one thing, I shared the long saga of my play history with this poor soul. He knows me very well, but hasn't spent that much time with me recently to know I never give short answers, especially to questions I spend a lot of time, passion, and energy doing. It's not like he asked if there was any more beer in the fridge, and I gave him the history of brewing. I mean, I'm chatty but I'm not an asshole.

So let me give you the short version: Play. Fun. Pretty. Level up to 80, 3 months. Next year spent crying, trying, dying. Making friends. Joining guilds. Not having a clue. Getting a clue. Starting other classes. Fairly stable play world.

BUT -- that damn gear. I admitted a few posts ago I had become quite the litle gear tramp. Because of the pre-determined destinastic nature of WoW, players are required to use the framework of the game. Better gear + Better skills = Better play performance. And it is nice to go into old content for transmog runs, where obviously the gear means nothing stat-wise, and just play for fun and pretty.

Did you read that? Play for fun and pretty.

We both brought up a car analogy. His was a Ferrari. Granted, they are sexy beasts of cars. Would I want one, really and true? No. I couldn't afford the insurance or upkeep, and for my lifestyle just wouldn't be practical. I remember years ago Volvo pissing me off by making me feel like I didn't love my loved ones if I didn't put them inside of one. I was inferior and inadequate. Apparently, rich people only get to protect their progeny and kin. He asked me how I feel when I'm in a situation and see others with much better gear than I have, and I said the most part, I don't notice, but sometimes I will notice someone's stats for DPS/Damage, and that pushes my "inspect" instinct, and sure enough, 90% of the time they have the sh*t. But---not always, hence the formula you see above. I did tell him that the only times I get irked is when I see someone with a raid mount or legendary I really have no way of obtaining unless I wait for old content, and furthermore, I think it is cool they have it, and if you have orchestrated your play time to be in a raid environment, there is a grand, beautiful, wonderful magic about setting yourself up for a chance of a great, rare mount (not professional crafting items though--we talked about this people. My position is firm. Unheard. But firm.) then godspeed, young raider, godspeed!

My in-game friends make me--happy. Really really happy. As do my real life folks, too. My new guild is super cool, and I get the sense that none of us are in it solely for the potential of gear. In fact, today a guildmate who had to stop for personal reasons posted on the thread he hoped he could get a spot, too. In my opinion, the more the merrier. I know there are only so many seats in the Volvo, though.

I used the above screenshot of Zep to illustrate this point: she is wearning a replica she obtained from the Darkmoon Faire. I saw it, wanted it, and worked for tickets for it. I think she looks beautiful. Does it add to her mana, or haste response times? No. It's all pixie dust and "we can fly" spitshine.

So for my own calculations - the time I spend in Azeroth is not spent counting beans or tally-marks, but the unaccountable, the extraordinary factors. And if I can't find it there, I'm sure there are some goblins and gnomes who are hard at work in laboratories now, too. Keep working little guys, but as long as I see a friend, I'm cool.

9 comments:

  1. Amazing what we play for isn't it? I wonder if I was asked that question 6 years ago if my answer would be different. Probably not.

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    1. It is interesting when you really stop and analyze - and I should say it wasn't the dress per se, but that I could hang out with a buddy or two, get a pretty dress, and just be happy. My "new" blogging world has brought me so much happiness, too!

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  2. Anonymous4.7.12

    That's what I like about this game, sure there's a lot of stuff that can depress you if you're not able to do it but you just have to focus on the things you can do and still enjoy. It can be hard when you see everyone overtaking you but that's what blogging is for... to vent when you need it.

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  3. ROTFL!! Those commercials pissed you off too! Yes, must protect those young "job creators" at all costs while the rest of us proles can just take our chances in a rusting chevy.

    Thankfully gear doesn't bother me at all, in fact leveling Ironsally was a relief not having to bother with it. Druid is used to topping out 40 or 50 ilevels below everyone else but since I don't raid it doesn't matter. Instead I want an Orb of Deception ... and a Volvo, lol.

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    1. Laughing and laughing! Knew we were kindred spirits!

      Cymre - so much like life, eh? Lots of negativity out there, but then - shining lights! Just hope they aren't the headlights of an oncoming Volvo!

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  4. I luv that outfit sooo pretty!

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    1. Thank you - as my mom always said, pretty is as pretty does - Zep is a nice healer, most of the time...

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  5. From my 'other half' .... 'hmmm I'm not enjoying D3 as much as I thought I would. It's just not as engagine as WoW'.

    Who'd have thought!

    Like you ... even without stats on my gear, I'd still play as it's not the stats that keep me in the game in the first place.

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    1. It would be interesting if Blizzard cut the "designer labels" out of everything...and just like real life, there is always something new to discover!

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