Gamers on the Street: Reading up on WoW

Gamers on the Street logs onto U.S. servers to get the word from the front on what's going on in and around the World of Warcraft.

When you can't log in to World of Warcraft, do you get your fix from game sites instead? Gamers on the Street visited with two chatty young players from Zul'jin this morning about their WoW reading and research habits. Deathrowcame (70 Undead Warlock) and Docevil (70 Undead Rogue) were both on alts when we met up, but both popped over to Orgrimmar on their 70s to finish our conversation and take a group shot, as well as to share a few tidbits about life on Zul'Jin.

Be sure to drop by the comments at the end of the article and share your own favorite sites and sources.

Gamers on the Street: Hi guys, thanks for sharing. We're curious about people who like to read and research their characters and game info a lot. Are you both the studious type?
Deathrowcame: Yeah, I am. I got a 70 'lock that I bought, so I have to research it – no, I'm joking,. LOL
Docevil: I read up on what abilities I can get and what the easiest specialization is to use to level.
Deathrowcame: I surf wowhead and thottbot daily to research gear for my level and class and what quest my class should do.

I was just about to ask -- how many characters do you two have?
Deathrowcame: I have this character, a 70 'lock, a 70 Warrior, a 26 Pally, a 63 Hunter and a bunch of other level 20/belows.
Docevil: I have my whole ZJ account filled with 'toons, but I don't play them all -- mostly banking, twinks or alts.

So your time on WoW sites sounds like very focused time, really -- you're both mostly searching for the latest and greatest gear for your current level?
Docevil: Yeah, but I also have a level 70 Undead Rogue that I like to keep updated in armor.

What sites do you commonly read?
Docevil: Wowhead for searching in-game items and Thottbot so I can see what I get next time I can train.
Deathrowcame: I read your site a lot, Wowhead, a lot of the WoW forums. I surf the CS forum daily. I like to look in the class forums a lot to hear people complain about how classes are overpowered, so I also enjoy telling them to STHU. Because there's so many idiots on it, I can relax and laugh while flaming noobs.

Why do you think the forums have that tone? I take it that it doesn't bother you?
Deathrowcame: You mean why are so many idiots in it? Because they do stupid things, I guess. LOL Such as "Hay guys, I just gived out mah accounts to the frend he got me bant lol unban pl0x k thx."

What about you, Docevil? Do you visit the official forums much?
Docevil: Not so much ... occasionally to see what people are talking about and to see if I can get caught up on the lore.

Do you think that Blizzard should moderate their forums more than they do? Less? Just right?
Deathrowcame: More – a lot more. And the game too.
Docevil: I think they could use more improving, when I read stuff can get off topic.

So you take advantage of the laxity to wreck some shop -- but you wish it were actually a more civil place to hang out? Is that a fair summary?
Deathrowcame: If you're going to write an article on this, could you please put this one thing I'm about to say?

It's all your quotes, baybee. ;)
Docevil: LOL
Deathrowcame: "There's this one guy named Ollivander. He gets on the Horde side trade chat. He's been level 35-36 for months now. He sits there all day and flames. He goes by around nine other alts with Olli in their names, such as Ollivantwo. Everyone who sees him put him on ignore."

I suspect we'll have to hit that one with the OT Hammer. LOL
Deathrowcame: LOL
Docevil: Ollivander is annoying, and Blizz bans his accounts all the time and he still spams people. I want him off the server, too.
Deathrowcame: Yeah, Doc. He's been banned like six times this past month, and he's got like 40 accounts.
Docevil: Yeah. He has no life.

Whoa, maybe we need to have a survey on Ollivander.
Deathrowcame: Yeah, do it!!! DO IT!
Docevil: LOL Yeah, do it.
Deathrowcame: Please.

Heh. So where do you guys head when you want in-depth mechanics info?
Docevil: The only references I use are wowhead for WotLK info and Thottbot for leveling. Then Wowwiki.
Deathrowcame: Oh yeah, I use Wowhead, Wowwiki and Thottbot. And Wow Insider. :)
Docevil: But only for WOTL info.
Deathrowcame: I don't use Thottbot very much, though. It's ugly and annoying.

So how much time do you think you spend daily reading WoW sites?
Deathrowcame: An hour to two hours.
Docevil: 1 hour to 1-1/2 hours at the most.
Deathrowcame: I play the game my whole day though, except for weekdays when I have school.

... today is a weekday, Death ... /grin
Docevil: LOL True, that.

Get thee to class!
Docevil: I can't go to school till next year. Too late to enroll me, 'cause I moved.
Deathrowcame: LOL I meant I don't play it the whole day on weekdays. :p Although I did leave school early today :)

You don't surf WoW sites in class, do you?
Deathrowcame: Yeah, I use a proxy to do it.
Docevil: My school BANS the WoW web sites.

Oh, poor Doc. Trapped playing the game instead, eh?
Docevil: Hehe, yeah.

Well, I'll let you two get back to it. Thanks, guys!

Gamers on the Street goes out to talk to players live on the realms every Monday. Check out what people thought of last year's BlizzCon, or players' New Year resolutions.