Raider Resentment in TBC
Terra Nova have an excellent article up for discussion, concerning The Burning Crusade. There's one quote in particular in it that really does make me boggle, though.
One poster, RedWolf, comments:
Personally I have been upset by the way the expansion completely negates all previous player achievements over the last 2 years. [...] A guy who hit 58 yesterday is just as well off in TBC as I am, having been at level 60 and raiding for two years now. This is extremely upsetting and demoralising, as it makes players feel like their accomplishments in the game to date have been worthless.
Well, really, what were you expecting? The difference in level caps has to make a difference in power, or it loses meaning completely. And the fact that it was to rise to 70 has been common knowledge for a long time. You spent two years tooling around in the same eight instances, and you expect sympathy now that you have to get another ten levels so you can do the same thing until the next expansion?
This is something in which the time-is-greater-than-skill principle is showing again; if RedWolf had actually gained anything in the way of abstractable skill from his raiding, he or she would still have an advantage over the new player. But the "skills" in raiding aren't that notable; a little ability to coordinate, and a little ability to memorise the tactics that work against each ability of the boss, and you're sorted. After that, it's just a grind to get to the gear that will enable you to take on the next most difficult instance. As it is, all they've put in is time, and all they have is a measure of time put in.
It's a game. If you expect anything other than enjoyment at the time you're playing from it, you're going to be disappointed, and if you aren't having fun raiding, then you're completely missing the point.
Posted by Drew Shiel at January 26, 2007 12:58 PM
