So yesterday, not 12 hours after I posted a long, whiny, whinge-filled post, I logged back into Warhammer, and had a blast. Somewhat paradoxically, this only confirms the points I made earlier in the day. The game hadn’t changed in 12 hours. I hadn’t changed. What changed was the server population.
After 4 or 5 sessions of logging in, grinding Chapter 7 Influence with nothing to show for it but that little bar filling up ever so slowly, I finally found not just a group, but a couple of groups doing Chapter 7. We eventually formed a Warband and ran through the Plague Trolls PQ a few times, which finally got my influence capped, and got Gillain to level 16. It’s not a particularly inspired PQ but I was just happy to be out of there.
Finally free of the area, I traveled up the road a bit to the next quest hub. All the while it sounded like there was some pretty decent OpenRvR going on, but I was still licking those wounds a bit so I ignored it. The new quest hub offered a bunch of quests and I quickly knocked out several of them. I stumbled on a small Open group doing a Chapter 8 PQ with the aid of a high level White Lion, and tagged along completing that a couple of times and getting some nice new armor for the trouble (some blue witch hunter gloves dropped and I was the only witch hunter there).
So to recap: prior 4-5 sessions I gained Influence, a little XP, a little coin.
Last night in one session I gained: capped Chapter 7 influence, made rank 16, another half-level of experience, about a third of the influence I need for Chapter 8, explored a new area, read some interesting new quest lore, got sweet new gloves, a new sword, and some gold.
Clearly last night is the kind of gaming I’m paying to enjoy. So what can I do to maximize this kind of gaming session?
- Play in Prime Time. I think I’ll Just Say No to playing during the day on weekends. I have plenty of other things to do that are more rewarding than drifting around an empty world.
- Be willing to give up. If I log in and after ten minutes or so can’t find a group or something interesting to do, I’ll just log off and do something else. Being stubborn and forcing myself to stay and grind just makes me unpleasant
- Stop being anal. Sharing a Tier 2 PQ with a level 30 White Lion was kind of a wake up call that its OK to leave content behind for now. I’m an A-B-C-D person. If I read a magazine, I start at the front cover and read through to the back. When I’m playing an MMO I feel driven to complete an earlier section before moving on to the next. I’m only hurting myself by doing this. The content isn’t going anywhere.
- I’ll put this one in for Ysh: Ask. I’m part of a guild and I really need to get over my hesitation about asking for help from them. This has been a struggle for me. I don’t really think most of the guild even know who I am, and certainly they don’t know who my character is. That’s my fault, not theirs. If I never say anything and avoid Vent whenever possible, how are they supposed to get to know me?
If anyone has suggestions to add to this list, *please* leave a comment. I’m not alone in this “Warhammer is a good game when it isn’t sucking” kind of opinion. Maybe we can help each other to help ourselves to maximize the good times and minimize the sucking times.
I keep seeing “whinge” all the time and always wonder what is so difficult about spelling “whine” but finally broke down and Googled. Just in case. Ah you Brits and your funky-spelling and obscure words! *ducks and runs away*
I already canceled WAR. For such a brand-new bright and shiny game… it was dead. I’ve never seen a prime-time-only MMO until WAR. But any hours other than prime-time and that game is a ghost town. The game is horrible (and indeed, nearly broken unless you resign to only playing solo PvE) without other players. Add all the other problems to that and I just could not justify continuing to pay for it. Maybe someday, but for now, no way.
I completely disagree that the game’s no good solo. But that’s the beauty of opinions, isn’t it? I gained 2 levels this weekend, almost entirely solo.
Pete, you do need to get away from the idea that CoWs will bludgeon and poke you if you ask to group or get help. Hell, I’m near your level and WOULD love to group anytime. It’s good times with CoWs. Just type /g and then whatever you want me to come to. I’m easy like that. 🙂
Absolutely! Ask questions, ask for help or groups. Just say HI! and engage in conversation. That’s how they get to “know” you and get the whole “warm and fuzzy” feeling that great guilds can provide. I tried with CoW but the guild is part of the WAR population which is largely prime-time only so… extremely little success for me, which is… well, it’s just bizarre in an MMO…
What we (“we” being “me” and presuming most have similar opinions 🙂 ) don’t like is when someone spams for help every day and doesn’t really talk or do anything else besides spam for help. Don’t be one of “those guys” and all should be fine. That applies to any guild in any game. It’s just text chat. The worst that can happen is either “no” or simply silence.
Oh yuck, yes — the help beggars are just people who’d rather waste my time than their own. If it’s a teenager (or younger), I put it down to age and just say no; there’s a whole different way of approaching games if you’re a certain age, and I *try* not to be too crone-like and judgemental.
Everyone is afraid of rejection to some degree or other, but if you can’t ask your guildmates, who *can* you ask?
I really wish there were a way of saying “I”m in game now! Anyone else want to log on?” without clogging up a forum or having to sit on some irc channel all day (not my bag, not one bit). Hrm.
Ysharros, that’s a perfect time to use Twitter!
Isn’t that what Xfire is for? 🙂
I guess the good thing about Warhammer needing other players, is that I am less tempted to stay up too late. If I could find someone to fight in the small hours, I’d probably still be there.
In more sensible hours, I find if I make an open group, someone will turn up eventually.