Level 60! Took about 8 months of around 8 hours a week (two 4-hour nights a week, usually) to reach the top level. That’s comes to 256 hours of play time from start to top level. I have no idea if that is fast or slow compared to others or the norm. I wasn’t particularly rushing through the game.

In the single digit levels, I was gaining a level for about an hour’s play. From levels 10-40, I was gaining a level each time I played — about one level per four hours of play. I could tell a bit of a slow down in the 40s, and then the 50s were just dragging. I was not racing to reach level 60, but I just enjoy seeing real advancement at a steady rate.

I enjoyed playing the game to just see and interact with the world, but there is a competitive spark in me that really likes to see my character advance. Not competitive towards others in the game (there’s hundreds of people who made 60 before and/or faster than I did), but competitive toward my self, my own time.

The game is not over for me. There’s plenty to do at level 60, and I have dabbled in a couple other characters that I may now play more regularly. But I’m not in a guild, I’m not good at PvP, and I’m not interested in the intense end-game raiding that some folks get into, so my level 60 orc hunter may get put on the back burner for a while. One of my friends, who is in a relaxed guild, has invited me to raid some smaller dungeons when I feel like it. I’ll probably do that some, just to see what the experience is like.

It’s cool to know that I’ve made it to the top level of a game. I must admit to some bit of self satisfaction at walking through a city and knowing that others see my character as having reached the level pinnacle. Yeah, I know, some of those lower level characters are alternates for players who have their own level 60 character. Don’t deprive a slow gamer his moment of self-delusioned pride.

But I still have that stupid Scout rank on my name. Shall I explain how much I dislike having that?

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Yesterday, I got in WoW to take some more pics for D&D. Kind of funny how I haven’t really played WoW in over two weeks except for taking pics for D&D.

But, anyway, while I was in Un’Goro Crater, I saw a group of about 8 Alliance take on King Mosh – a level 60 elite tyrannosaurus.

In Tanarus, I went after Occulus — level 50 elite dragon (I’m level 54). I killed him. Had to heal Pig 2 or 3 times, and I was completely out of mana at the end, but he went down beautifully. Occulus puts out some brutal damage.

Then, in Silithus, I experimented with one of the at least two tornadoes swirling in the desert. I was curious what would happen if I went up to one. Would I get damaged? Would I get picked up and thrown? What would happen?

Well, nothing happens. Rather disappointing, really.

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

Hurrah! I have a mount. I’m a level late (now 41), but I had to make some gold to afford it. I’ve mentioned my bad luck with the Auction House, and how my leatherworking skill really isn’t making me any money. I ended up running through Wailing Caverns three times for good loot to sell. Eventually made the 100 gold to afford the mount training and the wolf mount.

I’m all styling now with my big, bad dire wolf. And it really does make travel faster. I think the orcs’ wolf mount is the coolest in the game. Although, the warlock’s felsteed, with the flaming hooves, is a pimped up ride, too.

But I still have the Scout rank on my name. Sounds silly on a 40+ level character. Have I mentioned how much I dislike the military title I got for entering a battleground one time?

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com

I sailed to Booty Bay (BB) last night and explored the town. BB is a mixed town — Horde and Alliance folks mingling. I went looking for the flight path master and ran into a little trouble.

I found the sign for the flight master, went into the building, up to the flight level, and tried walking through the doors onto the platform. But I couldn’t get through the door. An invisible barrier kept me out. I saw others passing in and out of that doorway, but I couldn’t. I saw the flight master next to the door, and the griffons on the platform.

For the record, this was my first time looking for a flight path in a mixed town. Every other town I had been to with a flight path just had one flight master.

I figured there was some glitch. Oh well, I wondered if I could click and activate the flight master from inside the building (I was very close to him, just he was out and I was in). Putting my mouse over him, I saw his name, his title “Flight Master”, and ?? Level. I clicked on him.

Uh oh. Very bad idea. This spot was the Alliance flight platform/path. Clicking on him constituted an attack. He and two of his griffons jumped on me immediately. I died in about one second, give or take a couple nanoseconds.

And my PvP flag was turned on for that act. I ran my ghost back and resurrected myself. Then I found a little corner to sit down in and recover my health. I was more conscious of the Scout rank on my name now more than ever.

I was afraid my PvP status would bring every PvP Alliance character to attack me, but fortunately no one bothered me. The PvP tag only lasts a few minutes, so soon I was back to normal.

I did eventually find the Horde Flight Master.

I blame all this on my friend, because he suggested I get the flight path in BB, but failed to mention there was two — one being for the enemy Alliance. And then he suggested I hunt in Stranglethorn Vale — level 30-45. I’m only 32 right now. Do you think he’s trying to get my character killed? (Like I can’t manage that result on my own?)

Bullgrit
bullgrit@totalbullgrit.com