MMORPGs and YOU! - World of Warcraft - Republication

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[caption id="attachment_1986" align="alignleft" width="903"]                                                                       World Map _ World of Warcraft Azeroth[/caption]

Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. Today is Sunday June 1^st, 2014, and today I am here to share a previously published article. The reason fort his republication is simple, World of Warcraft is about to release another expansion to their game content. Earlier, this year, I published a very well received series of articles titled ‘MMORPGs And YOU!’ right here at The Other Shoe. Having said, I just feel I would remiss if I failed to update you, My Dear Readers, with regard to the newest expansion of content.

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Since the second year after the release of the core game, now referred to as ‘Vanilla’, Blizzard has regularly expanded the virtual world with the release of expansions. The very first of these expansions was ‘Burning Crusade’ back in January 2007. Their next expansion of content was labeled ‘Wrath of the Lich King’ was released November 18^th, 2008. Notice that the release dates, between these two expansions, was greatly accelerated .

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Next, at Blizzcon 2009, the next expansion named ‘Cataclysm’ later the release date was announced as December 7^th, 2010. Another years passed and on the occasion of the second ‘Blizzcon’ (since Cataclysm was announced) Blizzard announced the next (and most recent) expansion, ‘Mists of Panderia’. ‘Panderia’ was released to the general public September 25^th, 2012. That, My Dear Readers, brings us to today.

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On November 8^th, 2013 Blizzard announced the next expansion for ‘World of Warcraft’ to be named ‘Warlords of Dreanor’ with the release date set for December 20^th, 2014. (Four years, thirteen days since ‘Cataclysm’). It is that expansion, that is the reason, for my republication of the ‘Conclusion’ to the article series ‘MMORPGs And YOU!’ and this republication of the article for ‘World of Warcraft’. Later this week I will be writing and publishing one whole article devoted to presenting you, My Dear Readers, with information, screenshots, details and a video explaining the upcoming expansion.

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So, now without further adieu I bring you my original work for this storied franchise… ‘World of Warcraft’!

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[The article below was originally published December 11^th, 2013]

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[caption id="attachment_1988" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Danny at Stormwind Gates after Dragon Attack[/caption]

Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe. This is the eighth article of this series ‘MMORPGs and YOU!’ here atThe Other Shoe. Since the very first article of this series I have wanted to bring you screenshots and video of game play inWorld of Warcraft. However, it was not until this week that, through the kindness of an online friend, I had access to my World of Warcraft account. I was given a ‘Scroll of Resurrection’ from a good friend of mine in World of Warcraft. This ‘Scroll of Resurrection’ can be given to any player who’s been away from the game for more than three months to, quite literally, bring them back to life in the game.

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So for the next seven days I have access to all the characters on my account, there are seven characters in all. I will not be able to show screen snapshots or give video for all of my characters. So I have picked to of my favorite characters to play and throughout this articles you will see screenshots and in game videos of these two ‘toons’. The past three days have been set spent taking screenshots and making videos. At the end of each day I sort through the screenshots and videos to find the ones that show the most and look the best for this article today.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/XBNFhfv8GBA]

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For anyone that is thinking of expanding their PC gaming experience to a new genre. Or for anyone thinking of making their first venture in PC gaming the genre of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. World of Warcraftis quite definitely the game for you. My Dear Readers I played in many role-playing games, both on personal computers and in board games, previous to my introduction to this now world-famous game. First, a bit of irony. World of Warcraftmade its world debut November 23, 2004. November 23 is just three days after my birthday. However, in 2004… At the time of my birthday, I was not able to afford to purchase World of Warcraft.

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It was not until January 4 of 2005 and then I finally made my entry into this wonderful game. Unfortunately when I started playing there were huge lines, one had to wait in, just to get in and play your character. Often you would get kicked from the server, sometimes at very and opportune moments. I remember I was in the very first dungeon that I never played in World of Warcraft. The name of this instance is Deadmines. If you pick either human or dwarf for your first character this will, most likely be, the first instance you encounter.

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[caption id="attachment_1987" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Allen and Daniel on Bear Mounts in WOW[/caption]

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Now, My Dear Readers, I could spend hours upon hours writing basically a died to play of this game. I do not want to do that, instead I would like to introduce you to the game give you a little bit of the language the game show you pictures from the game in the videos. At the end of it all more than anything I would’ve liked to have peaked your interest in playing this MMORPG. Quite truthfully, nothing would make me happier than encountering one of you in Azeroth.

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[caption id="attachment_1986" align="aligncenter" width="630"] World Map _ World of Warcraft Azeroth[/caption]

(Azeroth – The World of Warcraft world)

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At the time this article was written there are four continents in Azeroth. They are; Kalimdor, the Eastern Kingdoms (where Humans and Dwarfs begin), Northrend and Pandaria. The next thing you will need to know is that this world is started out, in the very first game, (which in now referred to as Vanilla) with a just the continent of Kalimdor and the Eastern Kingdoms. The continent to the north, Northrend, was added in the Wrath of the Lich King expansion and Pandaria was added most recently. There have been four expansions to this world.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/WAPZiTZrV9w]

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The very first expansion to this game was released in January 2007, named ‘The Burning Crusade’. The next expansion was released in November 2008, named ‘Wrath of the Lich King’. The third expansion was released in December 2010 and was named ‘Cataclysm’. The fourth expansion, ‘Mists of Panderia’, was released September 2012. There is a fifth expansion planned, named ‘Warlords of Draenor’. I do not have the release date of this expansion. With each expansion the world of Azeroth has been an enlarged and the level cap has been increased.

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Each character, known in the game as a toon, grows with experience. The experience you gain as measured in levels. The original game, Vanilla, had a level cap of 60. With the most recent expansion you can now level your toon up to level ninety. Currently I do not have a level ninety toon. One of the few things that I’ve really wanted this year, for Christmas, was a extension of my membership to this game. With me not working, Allen being knowingly person in the house working, and me only bringing in a little over $900 a month I just… I just cannot justify the $15 a month subscription fee to continue playing the game. It is a sacrifice I willingly make so that my family has more money for food and the things we need.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/IT7q6XidJ74]

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There is a reason this game, at one point, had 12 million subscribers. There is a reason that even though there are literally dozens of MMORPGs on the market several million people continue playing this game. As well, whenever I think of playing an MMORPG World of Warcraftis the one I have the most desire to play again in the best memories of playing. One of the reasons for the great success of this intellectual property is that it contains elements from fantasy, steam punk, and science fiction. There is, quite literally, something for everyone in this game. If you like rolling hills, forests, babbling brooks, blue rivers and sunny skies then you will most likely want to start out as a human. Your capital city is the grand city of Stormwind. Each race has their own capital city within the game.

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[caption id="attachment_1994" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Enzo Worgen Toon in Shattarath[/caption]

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There many races that make up this game. On the side of the Alliance you have; Humans, Dwarves, Draenei, Gnomes, Night Elves, Worgen, Tushui Panderaen and High Elves. On the side of the Horde you have; Orcs, Forsaken, Tauren, Trolls, Blood Elves, Goblins, Huojin Pandaren, and Orges. (For more information on these races you can look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_warcraft_races#Humans)

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If you are a darker person, or a ‘Goth’, then you will like one of the darker races like; the Worgen, Goblins or Gnomes. The best way to find out, if you’re interested in joining this fantasy realm, what race would fit you best would be to visit the link I have left above. One of the most interesting aspects of this game is that Alliance and Horde cannot understand each other speak. If you are a human, for instance, and you are in a PvP (Person vs. Person) battle with an orc you will not understand a single word they yell at you. And, they will yell at you. The same goes for the Horde side, too. When we speak to each other, in these battles, they cannot understand what we say, either.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/HGBS9oOdiN0]

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This adds to the mystery of the game but also serves a function. In these battles where players battle each other we cannot understand them discuss their battle plans nor that can they understand us discuss hours. The next major choice you need to make will be what type of server you would like to play. There are two basic types of servers. There are Player vs. Environment and Player vs. Player servers in the game. In the Player vs. Environment servers it is you, and your allies, playing against the wild creatures and ‘Bad elements’ of the world. In Player vs. Environment you cannot be attacked by a member of the opposing faction while casually playing. You must enter a PvP battleground prior to engaging in battle with the opposing faction. This means, that as a low level player, you cannot be ganked (overwhelmed by) members of the opposing faction going out to do quests.

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[youtube=http://youtu.be/WAPZiTZrV9w]

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On the other hand, in a PvE (Player vs. Environment) server you cannot get ganked. This is the major reason I have always played in a PvE server. However, this is the main reason that, some people, prefer the PvP servers. They like the thrill of confrontation, the allure of happenstance meetings with opposition parties and the possibility of death. I can completely understand why these people enjoy the PvP servers. I just happen to not be quite as quick, with my hands, as I used to be… and I enjoy tranquility when I play. If you are like me, not wanting to be jumped and killed at random, then you should pick a PvE server. If you like the thrills I have outlined above, then you should pick a PvP server. Each world has both kinds of servers. Currently all my toons are on the Alexstraza PvE Alliance server. If you would like to try this game, and honestly if you are a PC user and play games… well, you have no idea what all you are missing if you have never played. If you would like to play, I would be happy to show you around and help you get started. I am the Guild Master of the Guild ‘Legion of Dragon Slayers’. We have Guilds in; World of Warcraft, Rift and Aion (currently).

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[caption id="attachment_1991" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Enzomatrix on Dragon Mount[/caption]

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As well, right now is a very good time to start playing WoW. Right now you can have the base game and the first three expansions for ONLY $4.99. (Here: https://us.battle.net/shop/en/product/world-of-warcraft). There has never been a better time to get into this genre and this game. As I stated above you can find me (Enzomatrix, Enzomatrixlt, Goodgulf [from ‘Bored of the Rings], and Devonshire) on the; Alexstraza PvE Alliance server.

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As always I am deeply honored that you come here and read my work.

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Thank you!

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http://www.ebay.com/usr/enzomatrixlt

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[caption id="attachment_2866" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Danny Hanning of The Other Shoe - May 6th, 2014[/caption]