Had an interesting turn of events over the weekend. Unexpectedly I was invited to a private server for World of Warcraft, specifically the Wrath of the Lich King patch and older. This got me thinking a great deal.
Firstly, I’m surprised private servers are still going. I mean, I shouldn’t be…but it’s one of those things I expected Blizzard to come down hard on (then again, based on the sheer number of gold spammers in the game once more…). Probably pretty naive of me, but it really was my thought process.
I also debated on whether to report them. For one, I honestly didn’t know if it would do any good. Also, that it isn’t current content, I don’t know how much of an exploit I view it as. Yes, an exploit is an exploit but I find myself debating on the loophole of it being from content that no longer exists or has changed drastically in the current game versus what they’re using. The one thing I didn’t debate was whether to sign up.
Believe it or not, I do kind of miss pre-Cataclysm. It’s one of those things I didn’t expect to say (and anything with the word “Trial” in the instance isn’t nearly as exciting either), but one I ponder just the same. I wish I could go back to those days, but with some of the changes that came to pass. I know, it’s easy to be selective but the fact is we get all or nothing and things will never be perfect. So yes, I miss the pre-4.0 game and talents and mechanics that I was familiar with. But I’m also enjoying the game at the moment, I just like the other better. It’s like going to the store for Heavenly Hash ice cream, but because they’re sold out you decide on Chocolate Chip Mint instead.
It got me thinking about Mists of Pandaria again as well. To be fair, I’ve read a tonne of blogs talking about the upcoming class changes and talent changes and what have you and I’m just not excited. I don’t know why, it’s just not grabbing me. I think because of the classes I play now, I “get it.” So it may very well be just a fear of the unknown. But if Mists came out without changing the mechanics I’m familiar with, I’d be quite happy (as unrealistic as that is).
Getting back to the private server issue for a moment, I do wonder what it’s like. Is it the world we all remember? Is it horribly buggy and full of hacks and viruses? Is it horribly buffed and broken where you can roll in and one-shot level 60 Onyxia? Again, I’m just curious.
But at the same time, I’m hopeful.
You read that right. You see, I secretly hope World of Warcraft sticks around even after the days of its subscriptions and vast player interest fades. When the doors finally close and it becomes a predecessor to something bigger, I don’t want it to vanish. I recently read a story of Star Wars Galaxies still having a private server that’s well received in the community because the fans (and there were enough of them) wanted to keep playing. It didn’t matter if there was new content or not, they wanted to play the game for what it was for as long as they saw fit.
I want some World of Warcraft players to do the same. I hope when the time comes someone has the skills (no doubt easier than I imagine) and financial wiggle room to make it happen…and most importantly that Blizzard doesn’t crush them under their boot heel (unless of course, Blizzard keeps a server open for people to keep playing on…which, I honestly don’t know what the odds on that would be).
Call it my guilt pleasure or fantasy. There’s more, sugar, but unfortunately that’s all you paid for today…
I was kind of thinking the same thing-there are a lot of analogies, but there is comfort in obtaining skills in any interest, and then honing those skills, and not having to learn them all over again. (I feel a blog post coming on! Better get the zinc and tissues!)
Sure, they may have been out of Heavenly Hash, and the mint was fine, but next time they stocked Hash, well, you know. It was in the cart faster than you can say “craving satisfied.”
So true.
…metaphors aside, I remember one day my wife and I were in the grocery store and just for giggles I hollared to my wife we needed to get Heavenly Hash. “I mean, come on, THERE’S HASH IN THE NAME!!!” …I think several people took me seriously.
I’d be on that last WoW server for sure. And I admit a private server with an pre-deathwing Hillsbrad Foothills and Auberdine has a lot of appeal.
Geeze, I didn’t even think about the pre-Cataclysm world changes when I wrote that. You raise even more positives.
Ditto — I sometimes miss the pre-Shattering version of the world, and wish I could have a way to play in it again sometimes.
The thing I have difficulty with, is having my cake and eating it too. I really love Dwarf Shamans, Tauren Paladins, Troll Druids, and Forsaken Hunters. Pre-Cata, I don’t get any of them.