Contemporary raiding and real-life obligations
An unidentified reader wrote to WoW Insider explaning that while he is in a raiding guild, his life schedule does not allow him to raid. He feels he's being left behind as groups ask for higher DPS.
What practical advice is there for progressing in the game while being a player with RL obligations?
First off, I'd like to tell you that you're not an outlier, there are many of players in similar situations. Nearly all WoW players have real life obligations including work, school, and families. The two most important things to work on are balance and realistic expectations.
It's easy to get suckered into playing too much WoW. To balance WoW with life, you need to determine how much time you can spend in game, while leaving plenty to meet your other responsibilities. If you can, try to schedule WoW at regular times, that way you build relationships with folks you play with often.
You should also try to match your expectations to your availability. Some folks have more time for raiding, and will progress faster. Once you've established the amount time you can/should play, you can tailor your personal goals to meet them. You can spend some of your time researching specs, strategies, and gear. That way you can maximize your in-game experience.
If you simply can't fit in time with your raiding guild, or they don't have space for a part timer, you may be in the wrong guild. There are a number of guilds, like mine, that cater toward working adults. While we do some kind of raid nearly every evening, our crew changes. Weekends work better for some folks, and weekdays work better for others. We're pretty flexible about who goes when. We mostly do 10 man content, and we won't be downing Ulduar any time soon, but we do enjoy ourselves and make progress.
Check your realm forums for a guild that suits your style. If you're willing to make a transfer, you can look around at other servers or in the guild recruitment forum. Take some time to get to know a potential guild before you make a commitment.
Will Blizz do anything to help those wanting to LFG with other players?
Blizzard has done quite a bit t to help make raiding accessible to all kinds of players. Where raids once required 40 hardcore players who nearly always worked together as a team. I have no idea how they managed WoW and life back then. Times have changed: raids are now legitimately PUGgable and even casual players have a shot at them. The "Looking for Group" tool has been widely embraced on alot of servers. If you prove yourself to be competent and socially acceptable in raiding PUGs you will often get find yourself getting tells asking you to fill a spot in a raid. You can also join a guild of similar folks, and PUG out spots that your guild can't fill.
It is now possible for players of all commitment levels to experience most of the content. Just plan ahead and expect to be flexible.
Good luck, and good hunting.
