The deadly sin of Curiosity, killer of cats.

Noahdeer, over on Blog Azeroth, posted this Shared Topic:

We all know of the Seven deadly sins (Wrath, Greed, Sloth, Pride, Lust, Envy and Gluttony) and we all succumb to aspects of them at one time or another, but is there one particular sin that affects you more than the others when you play World of Warcraft?   Are you a bit too prideful about your armor set? or Do you look upon someone with envy when they have a piece of armor that you don’t have yet?

I believe it was the great space western philosopher Malcolm Reynolds who, when asked what his own sin was, said “Ah Hell, I’m a fan of all seven.  But right now, I’m gonna go with Wrath.”

Aye Aye Captain Tightpants.

Wrath – not just “of the Lich King” or “of Khan”, but something that keeps me warm at night.

World of Warcraft, as grand and all-encompassing as it may be, is just a video game.  Blizzard wants more people playing their game, so they’ve tried to hammer out the dents in the learning curve to allow for ease of entry (Editor’s Note — deleted the “Like your Mom” joke because, come on, too easy.)  Unfortunately, the more they simplified things for newer players, the more the existing player base ramped up the difficulty through social interaction.

And by “social interaction” I mean “being a raging shit-boner.”  Thus begins my rage-bomb.

Nobody likes being made to feel stupid, or inferior, especially when they’re playing a video game.  It takes time to learn how to play your class, or learn boss mechanics in dungeons.  But once the basics are down, the World is your oyster.  If sexy RP servers and WowIronman.com have taught me anything, it’s that there’s no wrong way to spend your time in-game.

But there are players who do not embrace that concept.  Screw optimal rotations; if you’re not using your in-game time like they are (aka “the Right Way”), they will squat over your head and shat on your forehead.  Y’know, people like:

1) Snobby Raiders.  Raiding is a niche Blizzard developed, just like PVP, to engage more players once they’re level capped.  Gotta keep ’em playing, keep ’em feeling like they’re progressing once players reach max level, right?  Right.  So Blizzard amped up encounter difficulty, let players throw crowds of characters at it, and reward the characters accordingly with pretty purple pixels.  While I haven’t done any raiding since my Everquest days, I do know the thrill of the raid and the sweet satisfaction of downing a boss.  It’s a pretty cool feeling, and can be a great bonding moment with your fellow players.

However, many raiders have the attitude that if you are not doing 25-man content, 10-man content, or raiding at all, you are “doing it wrong.”

Seriously, go fuck your hat.

It pisses me off to no end when raiders make non-raiders feel like they’re somehow inferior because they’re not grouping with nine or twenty-four other people to kill things.  We all, raiders and non-raiders alike, killed the same content to get to the end game.  Just because some people choose to do other things once they’re level-capped doesn’t make them any worse than anyone else.  Just like wearing raid loot or a raid title doesn’t make you better.  Hell, you could be a complete half-wit who eats paint chips while you play, but saddle up with a team of non-mouth breathers  and you can get through the content.  That’s the thing about team play – really good can help make up for the less than good.

So congratulations.  You and your buddies killed Deathwing.  You’re no better than the gnome flying around picking herbs.  You just chose to spend your time differently.  Also, you’re a bit of a sucker for punishment.

You haven’t killed Deathwing yet? How have you not killed yourself, noob!

2) Entitled Douchebags.  If you want to party in Club World of Warcraft, fifteen dollars a month is the cover charge.  What happens once you get past the velvet rope is up to you.  There is no guarantee that hotties will be grinding up on you.  There is no promise of cramped, sexy bathroom nookie.  There’s a good time to be had, but sitting in the corner booth sipping your water won’t make it happen.

But there are WoW players out there who don’t understand.  Y’know, the “bathroom nookie” part.  (Editor’s Note — Maybe some of us prefer not to play where we poop.) There are also players who feel that they should be getting all the perks that other players have.  They have the RIGHT to see all of the content.  They DESERVE the same loot.  I mean, it’s not their fault that they have lives and can only play a couple of hours a week!  They should get the same purples as rep grinders, farmers, or raiders!  They pay their fifteen bucks a month just like everyone else, dammit!

To all of that I say this:  Go piss up a rope and suck the wet end.  That taste in your mouth is the taste of failure.  Also, urine.

You are “entitled” to two things in World of Warcraft – Jack and Shit.  Pay your money to Blizzard, and Blizzard gives you a World (of Warcraft) to play in.  You are entitled to the same opportunity everyone else has – to play the game.  If you don’t have the time to put in, that’s not anyone else’s issue but your own.  Others have had to sacrifice things to advance in the game and earn their shinies (like family time, personal hygiene, social skills, sunlight).  If you’re not in a position to do the same, be happy with what you have.

You can’t always get what you want in a video game, or Real Life.  Grow up.

… and do WHAT with the wet end?

I could go on and on (seriously, I have a list), but I feel that you, dear reader, are picking up what I’m putting down.  There are millions of people playing World of Warcraft.  Tens of thousands per server.  Thousands per faction.  If people would treat each other the same way they would if they were in the same room, I think more people would not only play, but they’d stick around.  WoW is a reflection of our society.  What parts it reflects is up to all of us.

Play nice.  Don’t be an asshole.