This has been a decision I've been thinking about for a really long time now (almost a year or so in total). Back in November 2012 I took a pretty lengthy break from World of Warcraft (6 months in total, the longest I had ever been away from the game) due to getting a new job. I worked so many hours and had so many other games to play with my friends that I just couldn't find time to play as often as I wanted too. When I decided to quit my job to go back to school and had a lull period I decided to pick it back up again. I was over a tier and a half behind the content and was sure I was never going to be able to Hard Mode raid again. However, I was lucky to find a guild that was willing to give me the chance and knew I was good from my server reputation. I was back to my peak period where I was playing 8+ hours a day to catch back up with what needed to be done to be a Heroic Mode competitor. Everything was fine for a little while until that feeling began to creep back in. That feeling of dread when I had to stop playing another game that I was enjoying to log on to raid. Eventually, it escalated to me making excuses so I didn't have to log on or just wouldn't show up at all and it was then that I decided that I was finished.
For my entire WoW career I have raided, most of that time being spent as a Hard Mode raider and to play the game without raiding seemed impossible. What else was there to do in the game besides from raid? So to me it was either HM Raid or don't play at all. It took me a very long time to see that it doesn't always have to be that way; especially with the new casual player friendly model that Blizzard is pushing with their title. So how do you know if it's time to hang up the mantle and become a more casual player?
When The Game Is No Longer Fun For You!
This is the most important thing. First and foremost (even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes) it is a game! It is a hobby and it is meant to be fun and relaxing. No matter how many hours you play a week it is up to you how you spend your time since you're the one spending your money. If you play because you feel obligated then you're just going to end up hating the game. Play for you and no one else. If you're worried about your guild or your friends no longer being there for you if you decide to stop, then they weren't really your friends in the first place.
Not Raiding Doesn't Mean Not Playing!
This is something that took a few expansions to understand for me. The game has changed, you don't need to be a raider to be doing something in the game now. You can do so many other things in the game now including Dailies (for mounts/titles), Achievements, Dungeons, LFR/Flex Raiding, Scenarios, Pet Battles and doing old world content with friends that you don't need to be a raider to enjoy the game. Play the game to how you wish to play and have fun with it!
WoW Is Not All or Nothing!
I'm the type of gamer who will play something non-stop for a few weeks and then not touch again and play something else and come back to it later. Which is probably why I feel burnt out on WoW so easily. But when you decide to take a break or stop playing a specific aspect of the game (such as hardmode raiding) that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to give up everything in WoW completely. That is a difference that took me quite a long time to realize unfortunately. You can still log on for a few hours a day or none at all, you can still follow the news and even keep your blogs/social networking without playing the game all the time. Just because you don't want to play anymore doesn't mean you have to give up everything else that you enjoy doing surrounding the game.
So what is in the future for me? I have stepped down as a Heroic Mode raider after nearly 10 years but little else has changed. I will still be keeping the blog open with weekly posts of various topics every Tuesday (and possibly Fridays) with more posts on Non-WoW related topics (including LoL, SWTOR, Rift, Smite and Wildstar when it is no longer under NDA) being featured. I will still be streaming various games including WoW as I will be moving my Druid over to US-Thrall to be with my Family in Trauma II run by the fantastic @WoWMartiean (which is a great place to hang out if you need a friendly home!)
I want to thank the wonderful guild mates I have been raiding with for the past several months. Their raiding environment was one of the best I have ever been apart of and made the decision to quit very difficult. Thank you for giving me the chance and a special apology to Wooshen (our Mistweaver Monk) for taking her HM Horridon Trinket it will always keep a special place in my bags. And I wish luck to Trauma II as they are about to receive a handful once I get there.
No comments:
Post a Comment