I will try to explain my entire leveling process...so be patient :) the first few levels I too was somewhat bummed down. Although I am not entirely sure why. I think it had to do with all my fellow guildies powerleveling, and me just falling behind and at some point I stopped leveling, and let WoW rest for a few weeks. Then I started again, and had a lot more fun in leveling, purely because the rush to level was gone again, and I could just do things my own pace. At some point the questing became more diverse (as talked about earlier) and I really enjoyed it. So I would just say, give it some time...spend that few bucks and buy the damned addition, its not that expensive right (atleast not compared to the amount of cash we're already sending Blizz every month)?
Something just struck me though, in combination with the previous posts and replies:
My leveling experience was enhanced by the fact that I took part in the casual, occasional chatter in the guild chat. Just having some laughs and looking at the more serious questions or just game questions. So even though this does not say anything about how blizz made the game, or if they made the leveling better, it might be important for your own enjoyment. So I think that in combination with the importance when looking at raiding/instancing, it can also be a very important part in Questing and overall game enjoyment.
Having said that, I would once again urge you more to buy the expansion (no I'm not a blizz employee getting money for each new buyer). Because the raiding/heroics/instances etc that are done most are done in the wotlk, you really need the expansion to be able to feel at home in a guild. Otherwise you'll always be that odd guildmember that just plays TBC. Damn blizz for trying to make us buy their expansions!!
Now just a short response to your loot statements: I thought you would be happy that you wouldn't find a blue item at every turn! You have to put in the effort now to get decent gear. The longer quest lines (consisting of >5Q's) often result in a blue item of some sort. Which gives you a nice closing reward at the end of a questline...not bad right?
Finally I also want to pose another question, one that I know cannot be answered, but would be nice to muse about: How do you identify a guild that you would feel at home in, and what would that guild be like? In other words, what do you look for in a guild, and can the 'feeling' of belonging be attributed to factors that you can determine before you join that guild?
Copra
· 5 months ago
Well, dear old friend, I guess the last question we both know the answer to.
But I think I have found one, which I will contact as soon as I find it's members -especially the recruiting officer- online...
On the levelling I would say that the game needs currently a hook for you to get interested in it again: Questhelper took away the suspense (which Blizzard is copying to the next patch) and the questing is now routine. The stories are mumbled in a mess due to the fact that there are too many available right away when you enter a quest node (like I wrote in the post itself. So the only way to get pepped up is to find your own fun. Or good company. C out
Azy
· 5 months ago
Having leveled one char via Borean Tundra and another via Howling Fjord, I can honestly say that the latter was FAR more interesting and fun. So you may want to poke your head into the Eastern side of Northrend to see if you like it any better. I really found Borean to have more similarities to previous WoW zones than Howling Fjord--of course, there is no escape from model repeats and kill 10 foozles, but overall, Howling is a good time! I also thought the questing followed more of a progression--as you note, it seems to be a bit jumbled in Borean.
My opinion, as a lurker in your blog, so probably not worth much =)
Azynthas/80 undead mage on Shadowsong
Copra
· 5 months ago
There is a saying over here, that you should try everything at least once, except folk dances and your grandmother... so I'm bound to try the Howling Fjord area at some point or another.
Besides, all opinions are counted: I'm trying the area for the first time, so all suggestions are welcomed!
C out
Oakstout
· 5 months ago
That was the way I originally felt when I picked up the Expansion last November. I let it sit for a good 3 or 4 months, then when I picked it back up, I discovered the other areas outside of Borean Tundra and Howling Fjords, which, by the way, is also kind of boring. But once you get out into Northrend and start experiencing some of the more interesting content, like the events in Ice Crown and Storm Peaks, you'll start to get a better appreciation of Northrend.
Well it get better, yes, will it be much improved over Outlands? I think so. Some of the more interesting quests are yet to come. I felt that the quests in Borean Tundra were fun in some areas, like the Druid quest like to protect the animals. But it was also a pain whenever you wanted to kill an animal to get your skinning or cooking up. You'll understand why when you get to those quests. But, once you get into the Dragonblight area and Grizzly Hills, it picks up a good bit. Also, once you get to Dragonblight, take the boat around to the kamagua area. That is the way to see Howling Fjords.
I can't explain it, but the areas are better once you start getting into them. The quests, at times can be boring, but eventually you'll come across a few very interesting and fun ones, like the Harrison Jones quest in Grizzly Hill or the Wraithgate quests.
If you try to look at it with an open mind, you'll always come out ahead, but if you look at it as just another way for Blizzard to make money off me or another set of grind quests, then you'll hate it.
Copra
· 5 months ago
Because of the fact that Outlands really grew up from the initial shock of the Hellfire Peninsula, I'm willing to report my thoughts as I go along. The better visual outlook alone promises a lot for the latter parts of the area, and I'm really waiting to see more of the phasing effects which took me by surprise at the Riplash Strand, where the Kvaldir mist shrouded the screen... Very nice effect.
You should know my stand with the content: I'm looking for the stories and questlines, not how Blizz is ripping us players off. So I'm having my eyes open, mind as clean as a newborn child's and my fingers twitchy... :P
Oh, and the cursed factions after factions are getting on my nerves...
All Comments
I will try to explain my entire leveling process...so be patient :) the first few levels I too was somewhat bummed down. Although I am not entirely sure why. I think it had to do with all my fellow guildies powerleveling, and me just falling behind and at some point I stopped leveling, and let WoW rest for a few weeks. Then I started again, and had a lot more fun in leveling, purely because the rush to level was gone again, and I could just do things my own pace. At some point the questing became more diverse (as talked about earlier) and I really enjoyed it. So I would just say, give it some time...spend that few bucks and buy the damned addition, its not that expensive right (atleast not compared to the amount of cash we're already sending Blizz every month)?
Something just struck me though, in combination with the previous posts and replies:
My leveling experience was enhanced by the fact that I took part in the casual, occasional chatter in the guild chat. Just having some laughs and looking at the more serious questions or just game questions. So even though this does not say anything about how blizz made the game, or if they made the leveling better, it might be important for your own enjoyment. So I think that in combination with the importance when looking at raiding/instancing, it can also be a very important part in Questing and overall game enjoyment.
Having said that, I would once again urge you more to buy the expansion (no I'm not a blizz employee getting money for each new buyer). Because the raiding/heroics/instances etc that are done most are done in the wotlk, you really need the expansion to be able to feel at home in a guild. Otherwise you'll always be that odd guildmember that just plays TBC. Damn blizz for trying to make us buy their expansions!!
Now just a short response to your loot statements: I thought you would be happy that you wouldn't find a blue item at every turn! You have to put in the effort now to get decent gear. The longer quest lines (consisting of >5Q's) often result in a blue item of some sort. Which gives you a nice closing reward at the end of a questline...not bad right?
Finally I also want to pose another question, one that I know cannot be answered, but would be nice to muse about:
How do you identify a guild that you would feel at home in, and what would that guild be like? In other words, what do you look for in a guild, and can the 'feeling' of belonging be attributed to factors that you can determine before you join that guild?
But I think I have found one, which I will contact as soon as I find it's members -especially the recruiting officer- online...
On the levelling I would say that the game needs currently a hook for you to get interested in it again: Questhelper took away the suspense (which Blizzard is copying to the next patch) and the questing is now routine. The stories are mumbled in a mess due to the fact that there are too many available right away when you enter a quest node (like I wrote in the post itself. So the only way to get pepped up is to find your own fun. Or good company.
C out
My opinion, as a lurker in your blog, so probably not worth much =)
Azynthas/80 undead mage on Shadowsong
Besides, all opinions are counted: I'm trying the area for the first time, so all suggestions are welcomed!
C out
Well it get better, yes, will it be much improved over Outlands? I think so. Some of the more interesting quests are yet to come. I felt that the quests in Borean Tundra were fun in some areas, like the Druid quest like to protect the animals. But it was also a pain whenever you wanted to kill an animal to get your skinning or cooking up. You'll understand why when you get to those quests. But, once you get into the Dragonblight area and Grizzly Hills, it picks up a good bit. Also, once you get to Dragonblight, take the boat around to the kamagua area. That is the way to see Howling Fjords.
I can't explain it, but the areas are better once you start getting into them. The quests, at times can be boring, but eventually you'll come across a few very interesting and fun ones, like the Harrison Jones quest in Grizzly Hill or the Wraithgate quests.
If you try to look at it with an open mind, you'll always come out ahead, but if you look at it as just another way for Blizzard to make money off me or another set of grind quests, then you'll hate it.
You should know my stand with the content: I'm looking for the stories and questlines, not how Blizz is ripping us players off. So I'm having my eyes open, mind as clean as a newborn child's and my fingers twitchy... :P
Oh, and the cursed factions after factions are getting on my nerves...
C out