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THE WORLD OF LAG!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 18 / 49
Date: November 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

IM NOT SAYING THIS GAME ISN'T GOING TO BE GREAT. I'M NOT SAYING I DONT LOVE IT. IM SAYING THIS GAME SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN RELEASED YET. I AM SAYING DO NOT BUY THIS GAME "YET!"
I am a bit of a MMORPG buff I have played many many many. I bought and played Star Wars Galaxies, Final Fantasy XI, and City of Heros the day that they hit the shelves. All MMORPG have bugs and glitches that need to be fixed and can only be ironed out when the game is actually in use. The problems that World of Warcraft has are 100 times worse than any of the other game I have played from the day they were realesed.
I have been playing for several hours today, I have had to log in and out over 20 times! The lag in this game is Unbearable! Often it is so bad that you are unable to interact with non-player-characters like shop keepers. Keep in mind that this is a stationary character, they don't even move. Thus fighting or any activity that requires movement... is impossible.
Repeatedly when I or my friends will zone, the game freezes on the loading screen. The only way you fix this is to minimize WoW and close it from windows. The great part about that is for the next 20-30 minutes as you repeatedly try to log in and it tells you your character is already logged in and disconnects you.
I have made 6 characters on 6 different servers. The problems are the same in every single one! Tonight Blizzard is shutting down 7 servers at 7pm eastern time for 2 hours each to preform maintenance. At 7 pm eastern, during peak gaming hours! This shows you how serious the problem are, that maintenance can't wait til the middle of the night or early morning when other companies usually do it. Any way all I'm really saying is give it 2-4 weeks before you buy, when it runs, the game looks terrific and I think this will be a game that I play for a very long time.

quick beta review

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: September 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I recently played the beta stress test for world of warcraft. I have played many mmopg's. I was very happy with the week of free play time that blizzard afforded me. I had a chance to play several of the races. Human warrior, undead warlock, and nightelf thief. Let me just say that this game is more complete in beta than shadowbane is now. WOW has a TON of mission content. I spent all week just doing missions, and not cheesey ones like city of heroes. The game was both fun solo, which i did mostly (having a job and all that) and in groups. I highly recommend this game, no player class seemed to really overmatch any other, but the real fun was game content. I hope this helps, and ill see u all online :)

Impressions of Stress Test

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: September 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I usually dislike reviews before the actual release, but I saw a poor evaluation of this game by another viewer and thought i'd say my bit having played the stress test recently. I've played plenty of mmorpgs in my time (AC, UO, EQ, DAoC, M59, and some not worth mentioning as alphas/betas). I really enjoyed WoW (worlds of warcraft) because it combined plenty of features from other games. I specially enjoyed the map which helped you keep track of where you were. The quest log is extremely handy and helps you 1. keep track of what you are doing and 2. lets you know where to go. The quests alone alleviate the burden of grinding (fighting) for levels and give purpose to your game-play. All the races have easy to use classes and WoW helps non-mmorpg learn how to play (I can say this as my girlfriend who has never played a mmorpg really liked this and actually out leveled my own character). The graphics, colors, and environments were amazing and will provide great competion for EQ2 and AC's new graphical update when they are released. And as before, while this was just a stress test and plenty of changes will be made after it, I myself am very excited about the release of this game and feel it'll help bring RTS players into the mmorpg fold. Blizzard never releases a poor game and the same holds true for worlds of warcraft.

Depends what you call fun I guess

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: November 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Well, I'll get right to the point. The game's strong point is the sense of accomlishment you get from new equipment and levels, the game's weak point is the fact that to get these things you have to wade through the most mundane tasks like a brainless drone.

Like most fantasy-based MMORPGs the heart of the game lies in the quests. Unfortunately, quests in WoW can quickly go from engaging to boring to frustrating. The general forumla is very basic: kill a certain number of monsters, or gather a certain number of a specific item, usually by killing monsters. There is some variation beyond that such as killing or talking to specific creatures or escorting an NPC, but they're the exception, and they're even less fun.

This wouldn't really be that bad if it weren't for the simple fact that beyond about level 25, quest-related items seem to drop at a decreased rate and I often found myself enraged at the fact that I was killing thirty or more of a certain kind of monster to get five items from them. Another problem is quests where you have to kill a certain type of monster, but that monster type will occur at a rate of around 1 for every 5 unrelated monsters around it, meaning you wind up having to kill a half dozen creatures you don't need just to get to one you do. A quest that only requires you to kill or collect five monsters or items can easily wind up taking an hour or more, and I often wound up simply abandoning quests because even to get to the location where the quest is done was taking me ten minutes. As if that weren't bad enough, if you take too long to kill your targets (usually because you can't find any) things you killed before will start to respawn right next to you and proceed to attack (on a delay), further complicating the quest and dragging it out. All this even assumes you're on a low population server and not fighting for the same resources as fifteen other people at the same time.

Beyond that, the trade and grouping systems are excellent - FAR better than that offered by competitors like Guild Wars (admittedly, Guild Wars having one of the worst examples of each). Items are diverse and there is a certain sense of accomplishment as you collect them and level up. Combat doesn't really require any brains, but it is still fun, and there are worse examples in other games.

If the game offered more diversity I might be inclined to continue to play it, but, as it is, the sense of accomplishment in moving up the ladder is simply dwarfed by the massive and unentertaining time sink required. I'm certainly not willing to continue to pay month after month for it.

If you don't mind grinding mindlessly and just enjoy finding and equipping new things, this game is for you. In that sense, it's very similar to Diablo - very little actual skill is required and you're constantly finding new stuff. However, if you look for a little depth in your gaming, you're probably going to find WoW frustrating and dull. Try a game like Guild Wars instead where there's not as much focus on advancement and more focus on player skill.

It's fun at first, but it really does get old after while.

Well...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: November 28, 2006
Author: Amazon User

My brother is in love with this game but my experiences in it have been pretty passive and indifferent. Objectively, I know it is good as an MMORPG but I just don't feel like spending so much time on the same quest formulas over and over again. Additionally, the large number of people do the exact same thing, reincarnating bosses, and 'real-world' language used by most of the players (admittedly, the last can be escaped by going to RP servers) ruins the suspension of disbelief and makes it hard to actually enjoy the storyline and subplots involved in the game.

Then again, no online game can be praised for it's storyline. If Blizzard had wanted to do that, they would make made another Warcraft RTS (hopefully they still will). All in all, this is a good game (due largely to its graphics and geography) but the time you spend on the gameplay, while entertaining to some right now, will later on in life make you wish they had read the Greek classics instead. All in all, there are far more satisfying games for less money (online fees = wow) ... pun intended.

Your position in the queue is 589

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 07, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I've just finished the 10-day free trial of World of Warcraft. I found the game pretty enjoyable, but I've decided not to buy. Here's why.

THE DOWNLOADS
After I finished the massive free trial download, which took several hours, I expected to be able to start playing. Wrong. As soon as I tried to log on, I was informed I needed to download an update. Whatever was in that update, it seemed to me they could've put it in the original download but, whatever. There were a couple more small downloads over the course of the 10-days, and then on the last day, I had another download that took at least 20 minutes to complete & install. I'm not sure how long because I left to run an errand and it was done when I got back. That's a lot of downloading to play a game.

PEER-TO-PEER DISTRIBUTION
I'm not sure if this is a big deal or whether I'm being too nitpicky, but WoW's updater software uses peer-to-peer distribution for it's large downloads. In other words, it uses its customers' bandwidth to help distribute its product. We had to do some fiddling with our antivirus software and our router settings, opening a couple of ports that WoW could use for this purpose. I didn't feel comfortable about doing this; luckily, my husband is a computer professional and was able to make the changes. Less knowledgeable users might not be able to get it to work. I don't think you should have to adjust your computer's firewall and router settings to play an online game, and I'm not sure I like having to share my bandwidth to distibute software I'm paying to use ... but that's just me.

THE QUEUES
After a couple of days leveling my character, I started encountering queues when trying to log in. They were typically 10-20 minutes, but it was still annoying. At the suggestion of the software, I'd chosen one of the "new" recently created non-PvP servers, but it was apparently filling up fast. By the time the next Friday night rolled around, the anticipated time to log on was well over an hour. I was never able to get on that server again. Instead, I started a new character on one of the older servers. I chose a PvP server, even though I don't care much for PvP, because all the non-PvP servers were either crowded or totally full. With Christmas coming and the new expansion being released soon, I can imagine the queueing will only get worse as time goes on.

THE GAMEPLAY
The gameplay was fine, but nothing spectacular. I'd played EverQuest for awhile when it first came out, and also Dark Age of Camelot, so I'm not a total newbie to MMORPGS. I was able to quickly create a character and start leveling. There was no steep learning curve, which is good, but there weren't a lot of surprises either, which is ... surprising. These things have been out for several years now--haven't there been any major innovations in all that time?

Still, I was enjoying the leveling game. I found WoW a lot easier environment to solo in than EQ was. I could easily find things I could kill by myself, and pulling one monster didn't usually result in pulling a whole group. I probably would've bought the game but, when I went to a department store where I thought I could purchase it (the Big "K"), I was told they no longer sell PC games. Console only. Pffft. They lost a sale and I lost a chance to be addicted to an endless sinkhole of time and money. Heh.

THE VERDICT:
I tried to log on last night, only to get the message that I had to download another "update." It took awhile, so I went off and ran an errand. When I came back, it was done, so I clicked "play." I was immediately told that my account had expired and I should click the "account" tab to purchase more time. Bleh, I hadn't been keeping track of the days. I doubt clicking the account tab would've helped because, according to the terms of the free trial, I would've needed to purchase the software to continue playing. At any rate, when I clicked the account tab, I got a broken link. I tried several times during the evening before finally getting a screen that said the page was being repaired. Whatever.

All in all, I think it was a very fair and honest taste of what owning the game would be like. Lots of time-consuming downloads, lots of wasting time waiting in a queue to waste time playing a game, and frustration if you try to manage (or, heavens forbid, cancel) your account. I think I'll pass. There are lots of other MMORPGs out there, and this one seems too high maintenance. Now I'm off to nag my husband to close a couple of PC ports and uninstall some software.

King of MMOs

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: January 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I started my MMO experience with Star Wars Galaxies by playing the 14 day free trial given to me by a friend. Before I started that game, I had been playing FPS(first person shooters) and simulation games for years. In fact I started an online gaming group that has collected over 100 members with the mutual goal of having fun in online gaming. Well with Star Wars Galaxies I embarked on a new adventure ... the Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game or MMORPG.

I moved from Star Wars Galaxies to other MMOs to include but not limited to; Guild Wars, City of Heroes; City of Villians; Auto Assault; etc. Some of those games were very fun and worth my time while others were a waste of time and money.

I had heard about World of Warcraft but after looking at screenshots I thought it was too kid like. I even accepted a 14 day free trial but only played 1 day.

Finally after being bored of other MMOs and not wanting to wait another year before playing Age of Conan, I went to the store and bought World of Warcraft. I started playing for a few days and then put the game away. Two months later a friend of mine said he wanted a new game and I told him I would play World of Warcraft with him just for the fun of gaming together. So we started playing the game.

To be honest, the first 10 levels were boring and I was dreading the game. However once I hit the teens I started to have some fun. Eventually I made it to my first "instance" at the Deadmines and was blown away. It was then that I discovered the Auction House and the various other little details in the game that enhance it beyond any other MMO I have played.

My journey to level 60 was a vast and interesting one. I sometimes pass by an area where I once remained during a time I was a lower level and can remember some fun times. Such as my first encounter with the enemy faction or the first time I flew over the Searing Gorge. The environment is totally awesome and seemingly endless.

Now that my main character is a level 60, I have joined a guild of players and we currently do the 40 man raid "instance" known as the Molten Core. All I can say is ... fun! Unlike City of Heroes where once you reach the final level and there is nothing to do, World of Warcraft opens up a whole new experience once you reach the top level. Raiding in instances, doing battleground fighting or simply gaining reputation for better gear makes the game worth buying AFTER you reach the top level.

With the expansion coming out this week. The level cap changes from 60 to 70 and promises to extend the life of the game for many more years. I will be installing that expansion Tuesday and beginning a new adventure in World of Warcraft!

Warning: Addictive

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 05, 2005
Author: Amazon User

WoW is absolutely the best computer game I have ever played. Not only is it a superior game to look at, play, experience. It also is hooked up to millions of other players via the internet. So, you are playing with people from around the world. It is fascinating, addictive, and fun. It is something that you will want to play all the time, so be careful, and don't say that I did not warn you.

The online component is nice because lots of players are always on and will help you with the game. It does take a number of hours to learn most things, but people are willing to help you out. The nice thing also is that you can play as often, or as little as you want. One small piece that is, once you get to lvl 60, or lvl 70 with the patch that is coming up, I don't know what else there would be to achieve. But, overall a great game.

JVD

"Wouldn't it be great..."

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: April 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've tried some online offerings and for most of them my friends and I usually end up saying something to the effect of, "wouldn't it be great if..." followed by some ideas we've had to improve whatever it is we're playing at the time. As much as it pains me to say it, a lot of game designers either don't think along these lines or they run out of man-hours or cash before these ideas can be executed. The fact is that even if you don't like the stylized graphics that Blizzard has brought to the MMORPG genre, you have to respect their ability to get everything else right.

The interface alone is at some times daunting because of the customization and overwhelming power and at other times you are simply shocked at how simple it all seems. I was left wondering HOW they could come up with such a wealth of improvements on their first attempt. What pact with the Devil did they make to get so far beyond what other games employ?

Again, if you just don't like the idea of tall elves with floppy ears or "cartoonish" Orcs and landscapes then nothing I could say would dissuade you from overlooking WoW. The simple fact is that the core of the game is better than anything I have encountered in any type of gaming experience and it just gets better from there.

Now if I can just convince my friends that time spent in any other MMORPG is just pointless. Well...it is! =- )

Blizzard shows their attention to detail and expertise once again...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 5
Date: December 05, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Coming off of a poorly managed MMO which shall remain nameless although if you're interested you can read my prior reviews of it by clicking my name - it was a breath of fresh air to step into the World of Warcraft.

I am a Starcraft fan myself, and have never played any of the RTS games based in the Warcraft universe, so it was a new experience for me to step into the world of Azeroth.

I've found myself in between missions just gawking at some of the sites that the game has to offer. Looking upon the 50 foot statues of kings long dead adorning the wall of a castle, and travelling into the depths of the castle and finding NPC's which offer me assistance, and are realistic in the way that they approach helping you - given the limitations of programming involved.

I don't feel like I have to worry about character breaking bugs as I've encountered in other MMOs. I don't feel like I have to worry about lack of content... because the amount of scenery and architecture and design in this world leaves me feeling as though it'd take me a year to see everything.

Combat is very straightforward, and makes a lot of sense. Levelling up your character is straightforward, although the Talent system seems a bit confusing at first I think I understand it more.

I'm a fairly new player to this MMO - but it is a great thing to be able to chat with friends through Ventrilo or Teamspeak and be able to work together to solve quests. I feel almost overwhelmed at the world as I follow my friends along a myriad of paths in the forest, hoping they don't leave me behind as it'd be hard to find my way back I'm sure. But after going through an area a few times - I learn it and it isn't so much of an issue.

I haven't seen 1/10 of the content available by all accounts... but what I've seen so far gives me a link to my character, and a feeling of accomplishment when I log off each night having stepped a little farther along in his progression.

I'm not a power gamer by any means - so the experience I have as a casual player is fulfilling in itself as I don't feel rushed into fighting Mr. UBER player in the PVP battlefields.

I didn't know what to think at first... but after trying it out for a few days it grew on me. After accomplishing the first few dozen quests out of what I hear are thousands available I know that I have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming levels.

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