My first day in Azeroth. I wish I could tell you specifics, but it was so long ago that all I have are impressions. The game definitely made an impact on me, but I think it is safe to say that if you are reading this, your first day and mine probably weren’t that much different. Or maybe they were, but the impact the game had has definitely given us common ground, no matter how different we may be.
The thing that rings truest in my memory is the sense of awe as I watched the opening cinematic. I was a dedicated console gamer back then, only dabbling in PC games on a whim. As I have stated before, I had a small bit of experience with MMO’s before WoW, but I would go so far to say that I was casual to the point of making the most casual seem hardcore. I had never even played Warcraft before, or any Blizzard PC game for that matter. The opening cinematic set the bar for me, got the juices flowing. Images of the epic battles fought with my childhood cronies during Dungeons & Dragons sessions percolated in my cerebellum. I was hooked before I even knew the first bit of lore or the first aspect of game mechanics.
Dungeons & Dragons was a huge part of my adolescence. From there, I branched out into other games, such as Star Wars, the Roleplaying Game, and Shadowrun, the latter of which occupied a great deal of time in my late teens and early twenties. When I joined the Navy at the tender age of twenty-two, I found friends who were also gamers. A lot of my buddies on-board ship were computer guys, but I had a dedicated cadre that I role-played with. A little bit of the World of Darkness by White Wolf Studios, but most of our time was spent playing Cyberpunk or a game that my friend Will Borral came up with. I don’t even know what it was called, but Will was the most incredible game master I have ever gamed with. I have lost touch with him, but heard that he continued in the Navy, and did some work for Steve Jackson Games. Anyhow, I digress. My time in the fantasy world of D&D was behind me. I had graduated to Gaming in a William Gibson-esque world of Street Samurai and Deckers. Dwarves, Dragons, and Trolls seemed like child’s play, memories of a time when I didn’t know any better. After I got out of the Navy, it was hard to settle in to gaming without Will. I was spoiled, no, ruined, by my years of gaming under his creative direction. I turned to another childhood friend, the video game. Consoles became my recreation of choice, and I dove in with both feet. Sure, I had a computer, but that was mostly used for looking up FAQ’s or reading game reviews. Consoles were much easier, all you had to do was get the game for the right system, and you were pretty much good to go.
So there I was, watching this rifle-toting Dwarf with his bear companion navigate a snowy mountainside, listening to this incredible score that I knew. I had never heard it before, but it sounded just like the soundtrack that played in my head during those early gaming sessions with my friends. Watching the Elf shift into cat form took me completely unaware, and left such an indelible mark that my first character was a Night Elf Druid, which I still play to this day, although he is Tauren now. That first day was a marathon gaming session that lasted for nearly 8 hours. I seem to remember not having any clue what I was doing, and that has not necessarily changed. Everything was either self-taught, or learned through the patience and kindness of others. I went in without a single friend in Azeroth, but I have certainly made more than a few in my travels. Even with knowing nobody in the game, none of the history of Azeroth, or if there was even a clear-cut way to win, I knew that first day that this game was going to be remarkable, if for no one else other than myself. Did I have a clue as to how remarkable it would become, and how many millions of people would tread the same digital landscape? Nope, I sure didn’t. I don’t think anyone did. Talk about lightning in a bottle.
Anyhow, that is my memory of my first day in WoW. Sorry for the wall of text, the rambling, and the really disjointed trip down memory lane. You know what they say about aging, this first thing to go is the memory, and the second things is…crap, I don’t remember. Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Gaming!
Oz
The smart part, not the not-letting-me-name-him-Luke part. I am not that much of a jerk.
After thinking about it for a few days, I think it boils down to the fact that I just have not found my “voice.” This isn’t as cut and dry as it was years back when I did game reviews and editorial content for an ametuer gaming site. I had a clear idea of what I wanted to do, and how I wanted to write. I have access to some well respected podcasters, so I may see if I can get some guidance from them.
