change-your-faction
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The Daily Grind: How much retcon is too much retcon?
Things are changing in the MMO world. Back in the day, if you rolled a Druid in EverQuest that had all their points in Dexterity, you were stuck with it. You either re-rolled the character altogether, or you were always balancing buffs and looking for things to help increase your utility. And that wasn't even just in EverQuest - that was pretty much all of the early MMOs! Nowadays, if you don't like how your character looks in City of Heroes? Pop by and let the fashion designers make you over. Hate your initial traits from generation in EVE Online? Use your Neural Remap. Decided that fighting for the Alliance no longer does it for you in World of Warcraft? Change over to the Horde and Frost Shock people to death.With all that said, how much change is too much? As someone with a role-player background, when I create a character, I generate them with a certain personality and story in mind. Some things would fit, like changing outfits or hair, sure. But changing races mid-run? That seems strange to me. And while I can totally understand changing sides, I still don't understand changing sides without learning the language of the other side like we used to in EverQuest. It kills the potential back-story fun you can have. (Turning traitor, anyone?) But perhaps I'm just an old pen & paper geek waving her cane around on the lawn again. As such, I come to you - how much retcon for characters is too much? Are we sacrificing story and role-play fun in pursuit of making games easier and easier and easier?
The Daily Grind: Greener grass
I've played Alliance since Day One of my time in World of Warcraft. Granted I've dabbled now and then with Horde, I've always been so depressed by the starting zones that I never went further than level 4. However my recent experience with Aion and leveling both factions has given me a new perspective on playing 'good' and 'evil' factions. Indeed terms like that are fast becoming obsolete. So when a friend of mine told me she had rolled a Horde on a backwater server (describing her toon as 'furry with horns') I was eager to join her. Of all the Horde races, the Tauren seem the least evil, the most peaceful and have the prettiest starter zone. So I rolled a female shaman just to be completely different and my friend chose a male warrior.The grass really is greener on the other side of the fence. The quests are new, as is the lore and while the actual objectives are often similar it's like seeing an MMO with a new pair of eyes. Indeed I think it could totally change how you enjoy a particular MMO and how you play it. When it comes to WoW specifically, this is even more the case now that Blizzard have revealed their plans to allow you to change your faction. So, come on readers, have you leveled a toon in (insert your chosen MMO here), got them geared up and then decided to see things from the other side? Did you switch because you wanted a change? Was it the lore? Better quests? A chance to do something different? If you were like me, would you consider jumping ship and re-rolling during your next bout of burn out? Speak up, constant readers, and drop your comments in the box.
