The Black Abyss of the Damned

Or, if you prefer, World of Warcraft.

Yes, it is true. In spite of being a longtime anti-fan of MMORPGS, I have been sucked into the chasm that is generally known as the world of Azeroth. Like an unseeing tentacle rising from that deep blackness, it has seized upon my psyche with the grip of a steel golem and refuses to let go.

And I am thrilled to death about it.

I can’t give a good explanation as to why this particular game, or why now. I’ve tried other MMO’s in the past, and in each case my imagination could find no purchase. This time, however, I looked just enough to see the many layers that encompass this game and found myself beginning to salivate. As someone who adored The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion for its “come and explore another world” qualities, eventual migration to WoW could easily be seen as a no-brainer.

To start, I will say that the game has some distinct qualities that lend to its appeal. First is its caricature-ish visual style. Nothing is rendered in hyper-realistic fashion, but for this game it just fits. Another small virtue is its recognition of real-world time. The majority of my game sessions take place in the late hours of the evening, and having the game world visually reflect that is a nice touch.

Arguably the best quality in my opinion is the clear path of progression. Other MMO’s would randomly to drop you into the game world, and then fold its arms waiting expectantly for you to do something. Little to no direction would be given to the player as to what that something should be. Here, quests are easy to find and they gently guide one towards bigger and better things. In my mind, this reflects a well thought out game, one that I am surprised to have found.

Now, my misgivings regarding MMO’s haven’t entirely flown. One of the major reasons I abhor games of this type is the frequent collapse of societal etiquette that permeates the landscape. Griefers, campers, by whatever names you call them; these people exist solely to divert others from their experience and cause general mayhem. Just short of this demographic are those who have little clue what it means to participate in a real RPG. I refer to these as either munchkins or jabberbox’s.

The expression munchkin is taken directly from tabletop RPG lingo. It identifies players whose sole desire (or even cognitive thought) is the gaining of wealth and acquiring items. In short, finding “loot”. These single-minded souls will journey far and wide, paying little mind to others that inhabit the world, unless it is to kill them and take their possessions. Munchkins will churn through the game with lightning swiftness, seeing much, but experiencing little.

Jabberbox is a label of my own making, assigned to players that do nothing more than engage in inane, puerile dialogue via the common chat window. In tabletop games, a GM will normally clamp down on this kind of behavior, as it can diminish the immersive experience. No such custodian exists in MMO’s, so while speaking with the Marshall about a crisis with the local bandits, it’s entirely possible to hear details about some kids math test.

*sigh*

I have yet to encounter a griefer, and hope that I’m fortunate enough to never have to. As for the others, sadly, that’s an inescapable part of this variety of game. However, I still plan to enjoy my time in Azeroth, just as I have done the last few sessions I have played. Sooner or later, when I’ve explored as many nooks and crannies as I can find, I will grow weary of it and move on. This kind of thing happens with many games, as the dark tentacle falls into a lethargic torpor, loses its steely grip, and eventually gets discarded with the refuse.

- Gryff


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