Making it online
Wow is the best known and most popular of a growing genre of online games dubbed Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). They’ve been around for a number of years, starting their mass-market popularity with Sony’s EverQuest and including games such as the space adventure game EVE Online and film spin-offs, such as Star Wars Galaxies and The Matrix Online.
However, even EverQuest at the height of its fame couldn’t really compare to Wow’s current size. Though its popularity (it was launched in 2004) has been growing steadily since, it has only recently become available in South Africa.
The basic concept behind Wow is that your character is given quests. Completing those quests gives the player experience points, which allows him to reach higher levels in the game. You start at level one and move up to level 60 and the quests you’re given are tailored to specific experience levels, allowing you to choose those that are closest to your expertise.
While the game runs on your PC you have to be online, as there are other players worldwide that you can co-operate with to complete more difficult quests. Players can form informal groups or join a guild – something that’s pretty much optional, though helpful, early on in the game but essential once you reach higher levels.
The Wow world is massive, and it can take months of playing to explore all the different areas even without tackling all the quests offered. Each area is rated so that, depending on a player’s experience, they’ll be able to breeze through a level, compete at their level or be overwhelmed the moment they cross the border. However, you do get the feeling that this is a living, breathing world where your survival depends on co-operating with others rather than running off on your own.
Even in SA, where online gaming is a niche hobby, Wow has attracted a cult following and most reputable games retailers stock it. However, it’s more economical to find a friend that has a copy, borrow the CD and ask him to send you a free, 10-day trial, which all players have access to. If you like Wow you can buy a product key online for less than it will cost you to buy it at a store.
One of the interesting side-effects of such games has been the emergence of what’s known as Chinese gold farms – effectively, people who are being paid to play the game to accumulate as much in-game currency (gold) as possible, which is then sold to other players for real currency. Having access to more gold allows players to buy high value items in the game with considerably less effort than would normally be required.
The success of the game is further shown by the fact that the TV show South Park dedicated an entire episode to Wow, which was produced with Blizzard’s co-operation.
A few words of warning: Wow has the potential to completely steal your life. It also requires a broadband connection to play. However, for someone who enjoys computer games and is looking for something to occupy his time this holiday season, World of Warcraft is a great option.
FINWEEK
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