I wonder how many people out there play MMORPG’s the way I do. I guess technically you could say that I am doing it wrong but am I the only one? Maybe it is because I started so late into the genre (1 year after WoW launch) that I felt the need to play the way that I do so I could “catch up.” Once I started playing this way it just kind of became my normal, even though I know it is not how the game was intended to be played.
I guess I should give you an example of what I am talking about. Primarily the leveling process in WoW and Rift is accomplished through questing. Yes you can level via PvP and Dungeons (even gathering now) but the games are designed so the heavy lifting of leveling is done through questing. It is through the quests that the player is introduced to the games lore, the story behind the game as it were.
Being a fan of fantasy fiction you would think that I would really enjoy this part of the game, and getting to know the story through questing would be a big draw for me. It isn’t. In fact as far as I am concerned, the lore is the part of the game I ignore the most. I am sure you are asking yourself how this could be possible. How could you do hundreds if not thousands of quests and know nothing about the lore?
Easy, I don’t read the quest dialogue. I can’t be bothered with it. In my small circle of friends I am rather infamous for ignoring quest text altogether. Obviously playing this way can lead to problems and frustration but that hasn’t deterred my behavior any. I skim down to see what I am supposed to be collecting, killing or finding and then off I go. I really could care less why Mandrakes wife is dead under the bridge. All I know is I can’t find the dizzy bitch to save my life and it is pissing me off. Razor, where the fuck is she?
Oh I think I have just stumbled onto something! I don’t read quest dialogue because I don’t have too. I have nearly always been able to ask someone to spoon feed me the details when I need them. Fail indeed! But this can’t be my fault can it? No, the responsibility lies on the shoulders of those that enable me. It is all so clear now. It is not my fault I suck at this part of the game. It is Razor’s fault. You dirty enabler; you have ruined the MMO experience for me. How could you be so selfish?
All kidding aside, I really do ignore the quest dialogue and the lore. I am not sure why but I do. Currently in Rift I have no idea why the Guardians and Defiant are at odds. All I know is Defiant was closer to Horde so guess what, we are playing Defiant guys. Do I really care why we have a problem with the bad guys in Greenscale? No. I just know those bastards drop shinies and the number one rule to get those shinies is to GTFOOTF, I will figure out the rest when I need to.
As I write this I realize that it all sounds ass backwards and I am fine with that. Remember I am a big fan of play how ever you like to play. If my Fail questing is affecting you, maybe we shouldn’t quest together. Maybe that is why no one wanted to quest with me in Rift. Maybe that is why Tuck rushed to 50 and Razor lagged behind. Maybe those bastards conspired against me because they think I lured them away from WoW? Just because you are paranoid, that does not mean that someone is not out to get you.
Lol good post, But i never really read the lore parts either I just read what i am supposed to be doing or research it, With Rift this is not such a big deal as you have the built in Questhelper. As far as me lagging behind you know it had nothing to do with you and everything to do with Chris getting paralyzed in Afghanistan, but I wish I would have thought of that reason.
I have recently ran across what I despise most in the game and that is someone asking me what my DPS is to see if I was a fit for the group. My response was I cleared T2 DSM last night, the response back was “thats not what I asked anyone can be carried” My thought in my Brain was wait A minute I was there for Guild first kill of The Duke, a really decent DSM T2 clear and you think that I got carried. LOL apparently Duke must be an easy fight. my response was , LOL just take someone else, I truly hope they got a 600 dps fire standing monkey that contributed less overall damage and capabilities and they suffered the whole way……
I am the exact same way Kauz, Only time I read the quest dialouge would be if I am having troubles with the quest, Rift in generall has kicked me in the ass, with them having a lot of quests you need to use X item when Y mob is at 10%… I would kill 50 then think huh why am I not getting credit.
You’re not the only one, I routinely skip quest dialog. I think a large part of it is the result of my previous history in EverQuest. There, it was all dialogue and nothing else. So when I made the leap to WoW and found that the quests all but pointed at the things you were supposed to kill and then a big target was painted on the guys head that you turned the quest into… I felt no need to burden myself with dialog. Sometimes this is an issue, but only rarely. And since I can simply open up the quest log if I need details.