04-29-2005, 09:59 AM
Very nice thread. First off, I do consider myself a casual player and in this case, I believe I am THE casual player. I am sure there are many others too though.
Some have tried to think about what a casual player is, here is my own view (how I regard myself). First off, I don't play a lot and often. Perhaps I don't play for a week or two at times. When I do play, it might be just that half hour or one hour in the evening to relax a bit. Of course, sometimes I do decide to actually play and spend a whole day.
I don't power level. I take my time, get involved in the story and so on. Why? I guess almost everyone do, but since I only ever will probably play 1 or two chars per faction to higher levels, that character is my ONLY mean to experience much of the game, its story, areas and so on. Hence I play "slow". It does not mean I can't pick up skill or learn to play complicated characters, but I will probably not learn all the fines and tactics of the game in detail, although I tend to learn the character class I play quite well after a while.
Due to the time limits and similar, I will end up playing either solo or party randomly for short periods. I might have to redo even smaller dungeons (not instances, I mean the small ones all over) since the 1 hour I played, was with someone not so good and/or I didn't have the time to reach even to the end of that small grotto. In addition, I personally am the type whole like to do ALL quests, even the ones that are for level 5 chars when I am level 30 if I come across it.
That is one type of casual player to me. This still mean that I want to run instances and group with others (and learn to group well, and probably will in the end). If I ever get to level 60, I will most definitely be able to instance and raid (that is what one call it right?) with others and be good at it and have the possibility. Actually, I never got to play a single instance in the beta (I played very little the last fall of the beta) and only once entered the Veiling Caverns instance part solo and killed a few monsters, then had to leave.
Anyway, back to the classes. I am at heart a warrior, hence I played a warrior in the beta to level 35 or so. I liked it, I managed (solo even) for the most part. I relied a lot on fishing/cooking for healing to cut down on down time and also had herbalism/alchemy (at that time, one could almost get all professions). I don't like the "tanking" part though since I like offensive warriors so I don't think I would like or be good at warrior in groups.
I played a NE priest to level 15 or so and actually liked it. Sure, mostly solo, but also partied a bit. I think I managed quite well even offensively. I particularly like the prospect of being able to group well and when reaching higher levels do more "runs" and such as opposed to go solo. I don't think a slower killing in itself (solo) would be a problem since I can go slow anyway. No idea if it is hard to play a healer well, but I definitely think I could learn that, even playing not so much other classes to understand them.
Paladins are to me just a variant warrior with built in healing (yeah, I know, simplifying and yes, I talk based on limited playing of all characters in beta only at low levels).
Rogues seems to me as warriors with sneaking abilities. Played one at the very start. However, from what people have written, they seems slightly like micro management in fighting, having to sneak up behind and all that. I don't have that patience or like having to go through it. Otherwise I think Rogues would be great. It is still on my list though as the warrior to play.
Druids seems very nice and fun. Only worry is how it would do when I eventually reach high levels and want to group more. Seems I get to play a little of everything with this class which can be good. NE have them too which is a bonus since I want a NE.
I don't think I would personally have the patience to play warlock or hunter with the pets, I like it "simple". Not to say it would not suit a casual player, but I simply have not fallen for them.
Shamans to me seems like a type of warriors. Again, I think I would prefer actually fighting over tossing around totems. You see I have some strange feelings on how each class is to play which might not be correct, but it is more about how I would find them suit my playing style.
Mages might be cool but I have for some reason never felt like trying it out. In beta I got the idea they were somewhat fragile, had to drink all the time and basically was all about tossing missile spells.
Other classes? No idea (did I even miss any?)
As for races, I think I have been convinced to go for Undead instead of Orc for the Horde. That means I will probably start out with a NE and a Undead. Classes looking at are Priest, Druid and Rogue. Rogues seems to deal lots of damage, which I like, but I fear I won't find the play style suit me, a warrior (by warrior I mean me playing the "warrior char" should not sneak and be cautious, I can use my Priest for not doing frontal charges) should go for it in direct melee.
This seems to me indicate I should go for a NE Druid and a UD Priest!! Hmm, might be it.
Profession? I always thought a Priest would do well with tailoring, but from what I read, it is a useless skill in many aspects, right? I mean from a casual player and so on. I never really liked it when they switched it the "max 2 professions" in the beta. My experience (up to level 35 warrior) was that smithing never really cut it, I very often had better or almost as good gear from quests or shops. Usually, when I got to that nice weapon or armour, I had already got a similar one from some other place. Alchemy was nice for my warrior and in general, so I might go Herbalism/Alchemy on one of the chars. Never tried much engineering (made bombs mostly) but seems fun. But is mining enough for it? OR do one need a lot of material from other professions? I got that impression.
From the posts, it seems Herb/Alch would be nice for my Druid. Some suggested it for the Priest too. Since they are different factions, I canât send stuff between them so it wonât matter they are the same. Or would Engineering be good for the Priest? Hmm, not sure.
In any case, at least I have got a lot of information and tips out of this thread, great, I hope other casual players will too and even newbies, I think it is a good thread for those too. Perhaps it should be considered as a sticky really!!
Some have tried to think about what a casual player is, here is my own view (how I regard myself). First off, I don't play a lot and often. Perhaps I don't play for a week or two at times. When I do play, it might be just that half hour or one hour in the evening to relax a bit. Of course, sometimes I do decide to actually play and spend a whole day.
I don't power level. I take my time, get involved in the story and so on. Why? I guess almost everyone do, but since I only ever will probably play 1 or two chars per faction to higher levels, that character is my ONLY mean to experience much of the game, its story, areas and so on. Hence I play "slow". It does not mean I can't pick up skill or learn to play complicated characters, but I will probably not learn all the fines and tactics of the game in detail, although I tend to learn the character class I play quite well after a while.
Due to the time limits and similar, I will end up playing either solo or party randomly for short periods. I might have to redo even smaller dungeons (not instances, I mean the small ones all over) since the 1 hour I played, was with someone not so good and/or I didn't have the time to reach even to the end of that small grotto. In addition, I personally am the type whole like to do ALL quests, even the ones that are for level 5 chars when I am level 30 if I come across it.
That is one type of casual player to me. This still mean that I want to run instances and group with others (and learn to group well, and probably will in the end). If I ever get to level 60, I will most definitely be able to instance and raid (that is what one call it right?) with others and be good at it and have the possibility. Actually, I never got to play a single instance in the beta (I played very little the last fall of the beta) and only once entered the Veiling Caverns instance part solo and killed a few monsters, then had to leave.
Anyway, back to the classes. I am at heart a warrior, hence I played a warrior in the beta to level 35 or so. I liked it, I managed (solo even) for the most part. I relied a lot on fishing/cooking for healing to cut down on down time and also had herbalism/alchemy (at that time, one could almost get all professions). I don't like the "tanking" part though since I like offensive warriors so I don't think I would like or be good at warrior in groups.
I played a NE priest to level 15 or so and actually liked it. Sure, mostly solo, but also partied a bit. I think I managed quite well even offensively. I particularly like the prospect of being able to group well and when reaching higher levels do more "runs" and such as opposed to go solo. I don't think a slower killing in itself (solo) would be a problem since I can go slow anyway. No idea if it is hard to play a healer well, but I definitely think I could learn that, even playing not so much other classes to understand them.
Paladins are to me just a variant warrior with built in healing (yeah, I know, simplifying and yes, I talk based on limited playing of all characters in beta only at low levels).
Rogues seems to me as warriors with sneaking abilities. Played one at the very start. However, from what people have written, they seems slightly like micro management in fighting, having to sneak up behind and all that. I don't have that patience or like having to go through it. Otherwise I think Rogues would be great. It is still on my list though as the warrior to play.
Druids seems very nice and fun. Only worry is how it would do when I eventually reach high levels and want to group more. Seems I get to play a little of everything with this class which can be good. NE have them too which is a bonus since I want a NE.
I don't think I would personally have the patience to play warlock or hunter with the pets, I like it "simple". Not to say it would not suit a casual player, but I simply have not fallen for them.
Shamans to me seems like a type of warriors. Again, I think I would prefer actually fighting over tossing around totems. You see I have some strange feelings on how each class is to play which might not be correct, but it is more about how I would find them suit my playing style.
Mages might be cool but I have for some reason never felt like trying it out. In beta I got the idea they were somewhat fragile, had to drink all the time and basically was all about tossing missile spells.
Other classes? No idea (did I even miss any?)
As for races, I think I have been convinced to go for Undead instead of Orc for the Horde. That means I will probably start out with a NE and a Undead. Classes looking at are Priest, Druid and Rogue. Rogues seems to deal lots of damage, which I like, but I fear I won't find the play style suit me, a warrior (by warrior I mean me playing the "warrior char" should not sneak and be cautious, I can use my Priest for not doing frontal charges) should go for it in direct melee.
This seems to me indicate I should go for a NE Druid and a UD Priest!! Hmm, might be it.
Profession? I always thought a Priest would do well with tailoring, but from what I read, it is a useless skill in many aspects, right? I mean from a casual player and so on. I never really liked it when they switched it the "max 2 professions" in the beta. My experience (up to level 35 warrior) was that smithing never really cut it, I very often had better or almost as good gear from quests or shops. Usually, when I got to that nice weapon or armour, I had already got a similar one from some other place. Alchemy was nice for my warrior and in general, so I might go Herbalism/Alchemy on one of the chars. Never tried much engineering (made bombs mostly) but seems fun. But is mining enough for it? OR do one need a lot of material from other professions? I got that impression.
From the posts, it seems Herb/Alch would be nice for my Druid. Some suggested it for the Priest too. Since they are different factions, I canât send stuff between them so it wonât matter they are the same. Or would Engineering be good for the Priest? Hmm, not sure.
In any case, at least I have got a lot of information and tips out of this thread, great, I hope other casual players will too and even newbies, I think it is a good thread for those too. Perhaps it should be considered as a sticky really!!
There are three types of people in the world. Those who can count and those who can't.