Is now a good time to join World of Warcraft?

[Asehujiko]

People who actually like grind scare me, but yea, you're right. If you actually like grind, then WoW is the game for you. If you want a more open, free form, and complex experience, play EVE. Everyone should still try EVE first.

you saying wow is bad is just personal preference, you can't tell people what to like.

WAR is like WoW, but better. I think LOTRO is better too. Pre-NGE SWG was loads better. WoW isn't the epitome of that kind of MMO, there are other better ones. Personally, I don't like that kind of gameplay, but there are plenty of people who do. And all those people should play something other than WoW. Doesn't have to be EVE, just anything better. Because not only are WoW's classes unbalanced (a warlock gets his ass handed to him in PvP because other players don't have to just target his demon, yet the Warlocks horrible PvP abilities aren't talked about in the description. No, he just sounds like a total fucking badass in the description. Pretty misleading, don't you think?), but the game itself only starts to get good once you hit level 50 or so. Up until then, the quests are just a lot of the same boring crap. WoTLK catered only to the higher level players, which means the game for lower level players is still just as bad as it was before. At least WAR has good, meaningful PvP and LOTRO has much better quests and a much richer backstory.

The OP here asked for wether he should join WoW now or wait a few months, not to have the entire thread clogged up with CCP advertisements and plain misinformation on other games. I'm going to give you the benefit of doubt here and assume your alleged balance problem originates from you never having played the game and doing your calculations purely on assumptions instead of simply being a blatant lie.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

The OP here asked for wether he should join WoW now or wait a few months, not to have the entire thread clogged up with CCP advertisements and plain misinformation on other games. I'm going to give you the benefit of doubt here and assume your alleged balance problem originates from you never having played the game and doing your calculations purely on assumptions instead of simply being a blatant lie.

Well, I played the game for a few months as a mage and then I left to play EVE, but I just recently played a trial as a Warlock. I was level 16 and I got my ass handed to me by a level 11 hunter because he and his pet just concentrated on attacking me instead of my Voidwalker. That isn't balanced. If one class can walk all over another class, that's just plain stupid. I dunno, maybe I was playing the game wrong, but from what I've seen, the game just isn't balanced.

As for the "misinformation," WAR does have meaningful, or at least somewhat meaningful PvP. While the death penalty isn't serious and you don't lose much when you die, you can fight over territory. And about my comment on LOTRO, it does have a richer backstory and the lower level quests are better than those of WoW.

 

[Asehujiko]

Well, I played the game for a few months as a mage and then I left to play EVE, but I just recently played a trial as a Warlock. I was level 16 and I got my ass handed to me by a level 11 hunter because he and his pet just concentrated on attacking me instead of my Voidwalker. That isn't balanced. If one class can walk all over another class, that's just plain stupid. I dunno, maybe I was playing the game wrong, but from what I've seen, the game just isn't balanced.

As for the "misinformation," WAR does have meaningful, or at least somewhat meaningful PvP. While the death penalty isn't serious and you don't lose much when you die, you can fight over territory. And about my comment on LOTRO, it does have a richer backstory and the lower level quests are better than those of WoW.

Warlocks are one of the best classes in 1v1 pvp so you must have done something wrong, starting with using your voidwalker, which is your pve pet. Single isolated event where you made several big mistakes =/= definitive game balance so stop preaching it as that. That is misinformation.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

Well, I played the game for a few months as a mage and then I left to play EVE, but I just recently played a trial as a Warlock. I was level 16 and I got my ass handed to me by a level 11 hunter because he and his pet just concentrated on attacking me instead of my Voidwalker. That isn't balanced. If one class can walk all over another class, that's just plain stupid. I dunno, maybe I was playing the game wrong, but from what I've seen, the game just isn't balanced.

As for the "misinformation," WAR does have meaningful, or at least somewhat meaningful PvP. While the death penalty isn't serious and you don't lose much when you die, you can fight over territory. And about my comment on LOTRO, it does have a richer backstory and the lower level quests are better than those of WoW.

Warlocks are one of the best classes in 1v1 pvp so you must have done something wrong, starting with using your voidwalker, which is your pve pet. Single isolated event where you made several big mistakes =/= definitive game balance so stop preaching it as that. That is misinformation.

Well... You still didn't address the issue about the quality of the lower level content.

 

[Ghost Wolf]

Is there an issue with the lower quality content? I don't think so. Yes the quests are generally repetitive but unfortunately this is common among all PVE orientated MMOs. Don't forget the level 1-60 quests in WOW have been there for over 4 years now, pre first expansion. Newer MMOs like LOTRO have had plenty of time since to build upon these and expand the ideas.

To the OP (if he's still bothering to read this), if you want to jump into WOW, go for it. There's always new players about, or older players levelling alt characters. More often than not, if you ask someone for help, unless he/she's a complete asshat, they'll be more than happy to help out. Even better, if you can find a busy-ish social guild to join, they'll usually be willing to help out as well. A lot of people regard WOW players as obnoxious and arrogant but to be honest, most of the ones I've hooked up with over the years are courteous, polite and friendly.

 

[Woe Is You]

Well... You still didn't address the issue about the quality of the lower level content.

Last I played LotRO, there was a point where the content would simply end and the only way to get to the level cap was to grind your way to it. WoW has never had that problem at least.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Absolutely not. The upcoming patch will destroy the class balances and ruin everything for the players.

Do not join.

 

[Danzaivar]

Lol @ the guy saying WoW is crap because you have to grind, then suggesting the grind-fests that are WAR and LOTRO while advocating the game that you don't need to play to play (EVE).

Personally i'd say don't touch WoW. If you go at it casually you won't really get anywhere for months and it can start to drag. If you put your all into it your real life will suffer as a consequence.

It's a good game, sure. It will suck up all your time tho.

 

[Eipok Kruden]

Well... You still didn't address the issue about the quality of the lower level content.

Last I played LotRO, there was a point where the content would simply end and the only way to get to the level cap was to grind your way to it. WoW has never had that problem at least.

Meh, I guess everything I heard was lies. Oh well. I still don't like WoW. Just not my thing, but I guess it isn't bad.

 

[Ghostkai]

Now is the best time to actually get into WoW, take an easy to level character like a hunter, zoom to 55 (it's very very fast nowadays - christ knows what the people who talk about loads of grinding are on). Then roll a Death Knight, you'll not regret it, the Death Knight starting area is simply sublime, and anyone whose played it will know what I mean. It's cake full of rich lore, rivialries and plots, all accompanied by the overwhelming presence of Arthas, The Lich King. From the moment you are created, to the Death Knights Rebellion at the Battle of Lights Hope Chapel, your captivated. (I shan't ruin it for anyone, but it's fucking epic)

Unfortunately you then get thrown into Outlands, and have to endure 10 levels there, but once you have, Northrend awaits. And Northrend is such a treat, it really is. Epic quest lines with voice acting and twists you didn't expect, bombing runs in Icecrown, killing a dragon with your bare hands (quite hard), Insulting a Cheftian with something involving his Mother and Live stock (I kidd you not) only to lure him into an ambush.

Northrend is fantastic, and raids are very casual friendly now, as is making money and other such activities. I see players who play for 4-6 hours a week keeping up with the more hardcore crowd. Everything is so easy to grasp now.

Now has never been a better time to join WoW, you won't regret it.

 

[sneak_copter]

WoW is the grindiest MMO that I have ever played.

Good Thing!

An MMO without the grind is like Michael Jackson without a nose.
Oh... shit.

 

[sanzo]

Now is the best time to actually get into WoW, take an easy to level character like a hunter, zoom to 55 (it's very very fast nowadays - christ knows what the people who talk about loads of grinding are on). Then roll a Death Knight, you'll not regret it, the Death Knight starting area is simply sublime, and anyone whose played it will know what I mean. It's cake full of rich lore, rivialries and plots, all accompanied by the overwhelming presence of Arthas, The Lich King. From the moment you are created, to the Death Knights Rebellion at the Battle of Lights Hope Chapel, your captivated. (I shan't ruin it for anyone, but it's fucking epic)

Unfortunately you then get thrown into Outlands, and have to endure 10 levels there, but once you have, Northrend awaits. And Northrend is such a treat, it really is. Epic quest lines with voice acting and twists you didn't expect, bombing runs in Icecrown, killing a dragon with your bare hands (quite hard), Insulting a Cheftian with something involving his Mother and Live stock (I kidd you not) only to lure him into an ambush.

Northrend is fantastic, and raids are very casual friendly now, as is making money and other such activities. I see players who play for 4-6 hours a week keeping up with the more hardcore crowd. Everything is so easy to grasp now.

Now has never been a better time to join WoW, you won't regret it.

Oh god... is your avatar echo mending?

 

[hortez the champion of the frozen wastes]

you know what? join if wow, eve, lotro, or whatever. Just keep in mind that wow isn't actualy that grindy as people would have you believe, eve has the retarded concept of not playing to get better at it, and lotro i haven't played.

 

[WillSimplyBe]

WoW is the grindiest MMO that I have ever played.

WOW... The grindiest?

Good Sir, I do believe you've never played a Korean MMO.

 

[sanzo]

WoW is the grindiest MMO that I have ever played.

WOW... The grindiest?

Good Sir, I do believe you've never played a Korean MMO.

Yeah, Ragnarok is a hell of a lot grindier than WoW

 

[Andraste]

Funk, totally disagree with you on the Death Knights. They are waaaaay more powerful as compared to other classes, except at perhaps level 80. There's not much point in playing a warrior at this point, if you are interested in end-game. And leveling with them is easier (especially soloing!) than most any other class.

Actually, the reason to play a warrior is that, no matter what a death knight may say, it's almost guaranteed that they are not a good tank. I've had the occasional good one, but often it was because he was overpowered for the dungeon in question. I think only once did I have a competent Death Knight tank that was around the proper level for the dungeon. Of course, I also think that tanks/healers are more fun/challenging to play than regular old DPS's too.

Then again, paladins make good tanks AND they solo well... so maybe there isn't a reason to be a warrior besides roleplaying.

Fair point on the tanks. If they don't have the experience leveling a tank, they likely aren't good at it with the DK.

I'm speaking of the experience of a friend who leveled a warrior (tank spec) to 70, then when Lich King came out, started leveing again. He got to 72, and for shits and giggles rolled a Death Knight. He was able to level that so much faster than the warrior, and the DK was a better tank anyway, the warrior he's played since just after launch still sits at level 72.

 

[ae86gamer]

]It depends on two things to me.

First, can you afford it?
Secondly, do you like MMO's a lot? (i.e.: grinding)

If so, go buy the battlechest w/ the original and the burning crusade

what does grinding mean??

 

[Calax]

Anytime is a good time to really start, It's only when you hit endgame content that timing matters. For example, right now if you were to join by the time you hit endgame content you might have a little trouble getting a raid slot because you'd be behind the general population by 1 tier in terms of raiding. You could still do it as people are forming new guilds and gearing out alts, but it'd just be a tad bit harder, even more so if you're rolling a tank (you need like 2 tanks total for most of the 25 man content you'll meet thus far). From what I've seen healers are harder to find than tanks, then again I'm a freaking tank so anything i join has one off the bat.

PVP is different because you can always get in at any time and do ok, not great but ok. Admittedly PVP anymore is a kind of side show anymore (at least to me). Sure you can do it but they haven't really done much to spruce up the game to my knowledge.

My suggestion is that you try to find a friend (real life) and roll up on his server, as you'll have an overall easier time leveling because you can ask that friend to send you through a dungeon to pick up gear so you don't have stupid amounts of trouble leveling because your gear is under powered (for example, using level 12 legs until you're 31). Also if you get frustrated by getting ganked by a bored lvl 80, roll on a pve. On a PVP server getting murdered while you're leveling stupid amounts of times is a right of passage rather than an oddity.

Ultimately WoW has gone through some significant changes recently because Jeff Kaplan (the lead dev) recently left to work on the other blizzard mmo project in development. Since he's been gone there have been some pretty good balance changes, but one thing to understand is that below lvl 80 there will always be significant balance changes.

 

[John Funk]

You really heard wrong. Death Knights are fine, WoW is pretty grind-light, and the expansions only make it better. Nostalgia is a powerful thing

As for OP: Sure, give it a try. The new content is the best it's ever been.

Re: grind, expansions (and nostalgia), and giving it a try, agreed. People start new characters all the time. Sure, the 70-80 level cities are a bit more bustling than old Ogrimmar, but they are by no means deserted. There are still plenty of people running around, doing quests, spamming trade channels and dancing on mailboxes.

I've played WoW on and off for about 3 years. I start new characters every now and then. I'd recommend an RP server if other players are likely to annoy you, though seeing as you've played multiple MMOGs, you'll probably just take them in stride. I don't think WoW will be any more grindy than what you've played - probably less. It's easier than some of the games you've played, for sure, so if you are looking for a more complex gameplay, maybe you should try SPREADSHEETS IN SPAAAAAACE EVE.

Funk, totally disagree with you on the Death Knights. They are waaaaay more powerful as compared to other classes, except at perhaps level 80. There's not much point in playing a warrior at this point, if you are interested in end-game. And leveling with them is easier (especially soloing!) than most any other class.

Leveling up, sure. But they're not that bad at 80, IMO.

Hey, I'm a healer. They'll never take my job

 

[MisterAnarchist]

if you like end game material then you would probably like WoW, however if your more into PvP then Warhammer Online would be more your style. a lot of people will say "WAR suck", but they probably haven't played it recently. they have improved a lot of things performance wise and the game play is a lot smoother than what it used to be. biggest plus imo is east coast maintenance time

I know a lot of people who say "WAR sucks" who haven't even played it. Damn (WoW) fanboys

What this post says. WAR and WoW are pretty similar MMO wise, but WAR focuses more on PvP, and actual skill, than PvE and grinding for gear

WAR was only bad for 2 reasons, low server population (took forever to get into a pvp scenario) and faction imbalance (why didn't they just have mirror classes like every other MMO?) But I played from closed beta to 3 months after release, I'll eventually try it again cause everything else about it was amazing.