WoW as a Refuge: A Personal Story and a New Beginning

Hello everyone,

I’ve become a bit more cautious about posting and commenting on my own posts or others’. That’s why I’ve taken some extra time before jumping back in.
The forum rules have become much stricter compared to 10 or 15 years ago when I was actively playing. Back then, there were wonderful forum threads where we could rate each other’s transmogs, appearance, or names. Guides were well-written by respected class representatives and ambassadors.
It was a slightly more conservative time, but after spending some time on the forums now, I feel that the community spirit has changed somehow. Maybe that’s just modern times.

It’s similar to the guilds I’ve encountered in-game. There’s a lot of coming and going—not everywhere, but often. People aren’t as patient anymore; everything has to move quickly. It’s a different pace, and while I understand that, it sometimes makes me think about how fast everything is moving.

There’s a certain underlying mood now, at least that’s my impression. I don’t know how you all feel about it. Maybe I’m just a bit nostalgic by nature, holding on to the old days. But I’ve also seen extreme behaviors in how people interact, whether in dungeons or raids. It’s very different now. The monsters are attacked at a completely different speed, and there’s a noticeable impatience, even discriminatory attitudes from some players—whether it’s towards new healers in dungeons or people asking simple questions.

I find that a bit sad, but perhaps a few wonderful souls, like you here, can make a positive impact. Thank you for the exchange; I really enjoy reading your messages.

If it’s alright and allowed, I’d love to share more updates here over time on my journeys through Azeroth, perhaps even recapturing a bit of the past.

Take care, safe travels, friends.

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This aspect has definitely changed generally speaking yeah. It’s hard to pinpoint what the exact cause is, I think there are many that in total create this consequence. I agree that it’s a shame. At the same time, whenever I do things that involve other players I don’t know, and things deviate from the ‘efficient, fast’ track, you’ll usually notice the more patient players with a sense of humour. I think there are still plenty. We’ve just all got a bit more quiet, and I think the game ramping up speedwise is at least partly to blame for that.

I’ve got no solutions, besides remaining cheerful and patient yourself! I hope you’ll find plenty of likeminded people :slight_smile:

Oh and an edit, I’d love to read your updates!

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Hello friends,

I hope your journeys in both Azeroth and real life have been safe. It’s been some time since my last post, so I thought I’d give you another update. A lot has happened, and I’ve discovered some exciting new things.

I’ve been exploring new timelines, including Shadowlands. I have to say, I’m completely enchanted by the transmog options there. And how cute are those little owls (NPC)? Beautifully designed! I’ve also revisited Warlords of Draenor – the expansion where I paused my WoW journey years ago. The Garrison system feels like a glimpse into what housing might look like in the future. I’m really hoping for proper guild halls someday – that would be amazing!

My guild has grown quite a bit, and we’ve completed our first guild dungeons. It’s a great community, but I’ve noticed how much things have changed over the past 10 to 12 years. Patience and the willingness to grow together as a team seem rare these days. People often expect everything to be perfect right away, which doesn’t always match their own experience. It’s amusing at times, but also a bit disappointing.

This mindset is especially visible in dungeons. In Timewalking dungeons, players often skip everything except the required mobs to reach the final boss as quickly as possible. Efficiency is key, sure, but where’s the enjoyment? Time seems to have become the most valuable resource – understandably so, but it’s a big shift.

Still, not all changes are for the worse. Adaptation and tolerance are more important than ever, both in Azeroth and real life.

As for my character: I’ve made a big change. After more than 12 years as a Paladin and Warrior tank, I’ve switched to a Blood Death Knight – as a Mechagnome! These little guys are hilarious and come with amazing racial abilities. I even got myself a Murloc transmog and shrink further with Noggenfogger Elixirs. I love running around as a tiny Iron Man. The reactions I get are priceless!

I’m looking forward to hitting level 80 soon and tackling Mythic Plus dungeons. I’m not a fan of random groups, so I’ll probably look for a dedicated team. Voice communication makes everything smoother and more fun.

Speaking of which: Has anyone tried the in-game voice chat? I’ve only used Teamspeak and Discord so far, but I’m curious about the in-game quality.

Lastly, I’d like to thank those of you who reached out via Battlenet. I’ve made a few digital friendships, and one person is even interested in playing together more regularly. That’s a great development!

In the end, WoW is about fun and community for me. I hope you enjoyed my little update, and maybe we’ll see each other in Azeroth someday!

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Read all your posts and I was going to comment earlier saying that whilst I hope you find what you are looking for, when I returned I found the same changes that you are now discovering.

I left WoW during Cata and returned towards the end of Dragonflight and it feels like two different games. I don’t know if that is solely down to society or also that I am a different person now than I was back then

I’m glad you are enjoying and finding people to play with, I hope you get what you need/are looking for out of the game.

As for…

I don’t think anyone uses this.

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