Forum post of the day: Just a number
World of Warcraft
attracts a variety of players from all demographics. Players face different sets of challenges based on where they are in real life. Students may face time crunches at some points that prohibit themselves from immersion in the game. Parents have many obligations that may pull themselves away from the keyboard with little to no warning. There are times when big projects at work require extra hours. Some may even go into labor in the middle of a battleground. Somehow, despite our divergent responsibilities, we all come together to enjoy WoW.
Crothiuz of Lethon has found himself in the middle of an age-related struggle. Posting in the Guild Relations forum, he told a tale of how he was excluded from a raid because he was only fourteen years of age. He feels that he has carried himself in a mature manner and it is only his age that has precluded him from running Karazhan with his guild. He was then kicked from the guild while he was offline. The original poster is concerned that age will continue to be a factor in his online aspirations.
Maturity is one of the main themes that came across in the comments of this thread. Although a chronological age over eighteen, twenty-one, twenty-five, or even thirty does not entirely gauge the emotional state of the player, it's a reference point that some guilds use to begin their member searches. In some ways it makes sense to try to be in the company of one's peers, on the other hand this is an arbitrary measure of a persons attitude or ability. Age is not the only source of wisdom and balance.
The other major concern is scheduling. Younger players tend to be more controlled by the demands of their schools, parents, and peers than older players who have more stable schedules. Parents can, and do, at times pull the plug on game play as they deem necessary.
The culture of the guild was also mentioned. Although WoW is a rated T for Teen game, "adult language" and graphic topics often go unfiltered by many players. Everyone's behavior varies based on their company and some would prefer to keep maintain a level of behavior that they recognize is not suitable for younger people in their guilds. Again, age is a subjective way of gaging tolerance.
My best advice to the original poster is to keep looking for a guild that suits his needs and his emotional maturity level. I wouldn't suggest lying about his age, but if he's comfortable in an adult environment, perhaps he should just keep that bit of information private.
