Breakfast Topic: Would you ask for help in general chat on your realm?
Llane (US-Alliance), I am amazed -- amazed enough to try to sneak by WoW Insider's "no emoticons in copy" guideline and say what's in my heart for your general chat last night: pure <3.
Two nights ago, my husband (who hasn't played WoW since early Cataclysm) suddenly announced he missed playing an MMO with me and he was coming back to WoW. Did I have any characters in a friendly social guild with very relaxed raiding and absolutely zero pressure to maintain a schedule? I most certainly did, so despite my having been mid-stride in Pandaria with a Horde priest, we soon found ourselves newly guild-tagged on a fresh monk/pally combo. One night in, my partner in crime was ready to fork over the money to transfer a high-level duo capable of hopping into Pandaria immediately.
Thirty minutes and two character transfers later, cue the QQ. His badass level 85 shaman lay marooned on a side street in Stormwind, pinned beneath a screenful of options menus as my poor spouse called mournfully from his office to mine, "Where have my totems gone? I can't find my totems!" Writer/editor that I am, I began methodically sourcing shaman links on my second monitor, but he couldn't wait. He plunged into general chat, only to find himself buried yet again -- this time, under an outpouring of commiseration, recommendations, and sheer camaraderie that stunned us both. Nobody mocked, nobody trolled. Yep, they explained, he should have chosen his warrior instead -- his former main, ouch! -- but if his heart was with the shaman for now, here's how he could adjust to the new era. When he thanked everyone for their advice, his chat box immediately flooded with whispers from well-meaning players eager to continue the conversation and lend additional insights.
Ultimately, the totem-poor shaman was too stunned by the avalanche of changes to tackle reorientation that night, but his chat with other players had sealed the deal: This was a realm worth making a home on.
Well played, Llane. Well played.
What's the atmosphere like in general chat in your faction's old-world capital city on your realm? Could you rely on general chat for help or serious feedback about the game? Or (like the realm we transferred those characters from, which shall remain nameless), would you be afraid to even open your mouth?
