World of Warcraft

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