World of Warcraft

wow.jpgIn a moment of weakness, I almost signed up for World of Warcraft. At least three good friends of mine were playing in a regular group. Groups of semi-social gamers are the most likely settings to tempt me into online gaming again. I’m not talking some massive, uber guild with leet raids, just the small but reliable online analogies of the old tabletop groups. After a trial arrived in my inbox courtesy of Speaks, I began the massive download process. With each step I felt dirtier and dirtier…

Proprietary downloader; admittedly the World of Warcraft trial is a huge download, something in the neighborhood of 2gb (that’s gigs not megs) so I can understand why some proprietary downloader might be used to optimize the download. This aside, I hate invasive and proprietary stuff, so I had a twitch of annoyance at opening this or that port and allowing this or that permission for it to run.

As the download and install ground away, I had Speaks on on instant messenger and talked about the various classes. I settled on something that would be a group asset, combine well with the existing members and still have some solo options because my gaming schedule is rather modest and challenging to accomodate some times. The basic good gamer manners.
Once the install was complete I had to register my trial account. I was put off again when it asked me for my credit card information?!?! For a trial. First Microsoft wants folks to pay to beta, now some weasel in Irvine wants my credit card number for a free trial? What is the world coming too. And all the while it kept assuring me that I would not be billed during or after the trial period. Nonetheless they also required that I choose a billing plan (monthly, quarterly, annually). Ok, now this is really annoying me. Because I want some guys who can’t keep their own servers secure, having my credit card information just to TRY their product. It’s like being shaken down for your social security number by the cheese sample lady in Kroger.

The final straw came while the installation started setting off various spyware warnings on my desktop. World of Warcraft was installing spyware on my machine? Possibly a false positive, those aren’t too unusual in the industry after all. Hmn, a quick Google suggests that Blizzard / World of Warcraft does install spyware on their users’ machines. Well, isn’t that thoughtful of them.
Ok, enough is enough. Off to the recycle bin, windows uninstall (because Blizzard doesn’t provide their own, not that I would trust them at this point) and a thorough cyber-scrubbing of the machine for any lingering gifts from the asshats at Blizzard.

So much for my MMO moment of weakness, but thank you Blizzard for reinvigorating my dislike of the “hobby”. I think I’ll go read a book or interact with the real world now, best of luck killing pixels and collecting digits elven princess.

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10 Responses

  1. TechNoir says:

    interesting. I was in fact concidering starting up on world of warcraft as well. The rumors of world of starcraft intrigue me greatly. I am on eve online, but I do have periods of inactivity there. Eve online I like cause it is you as a space ship commander. you can do the trade route or you can be the shoot em up type. It is a bit ruthless in sections of the game but verall an enjoyable experience.

    What spyware did wow install? They do have a program that I know of that reports if you are using certain known cheating programs. Was there anything else?

  2. Mystech says:

    TeaTimer (Spybot Search & Destroy) and ZoneAlarm both complained bitterly and process manager had a heck of a time killing the last lingering spawns of World of Warcraft. I have to admit (and you can probably tell from the tone of my post) that I was just annoyed and insulted at that point and just wanted Blizzard’s crap off my system. Maybe if I’m feeling academic, I’ll install it another time and do a more thorough examination. šŸ™‚

  3. syn74x says:

    I’m glad you resisted the urge. If you’re that interested in a social game, there’s a group of us who play DAoC semi regularly. Most of us have lives, so we’ll never end up as an uber raiding guild, but we do have fun. Chips & Salsa Boy has the info, if you want.

  4. Mystech says:

    I can’t believe it… you’re trying to pick me up on an MMO rebound! šŸ˜‰

  5. Mal Carne says:

    No, no, no. Come join my addiction. http://www.imperian.com

    Nothing to download. Nothing to pay. (You’ll end up paying anyway, but you don’t have to. Technically.) All right, the graphics are… well… nonexisitent. But anyone who grew up loving Zork won’t mind that.

  6. Tom Morris says:

    I’m glad that i’m not the only that thinks these games kill social lives. I have to have the live interaction to enjoy RP.

  7. imperatrix says:

    Well, I for one hope you actually end up throwing caution to the winds (and poking through the whatever-install-nonsense) to join us in WoW. I had a great time with you in EQ, and honestly think that WoW has a lot going for it that other MMOs don’t. One is the absolutely fantastic “don’t have to deal with the rest of the idiots” style of play that most of the people you know (me included) favor and can actually achieve.

    No, I’m not going to try to drag you in kicking in screaming, but I will admit that it’s fun. Hell, I’ll pay for a month for you if you want; you can give ’em my credit card number.

  8. Mystech says:

    I’m really surprised at the diametric opinions regarding MMOs and socializing. Folks almost seem to split cleanly into two camps; one that sees MMOs as just another form of socializing, and another that prefers their socializing in more tangible forms. In all fairness, I’ve meet some very nice people and formed some friendships beyond “the game” with individuals I met in MMOs. On the otherhand, I’ve also seen alot of online play simply become a “grind” and just an obligation. There certainly seems to be a fine line to walk.

    And thanks for the very generous offer, Imperatrix. I have to admit I was very moved at the offer. In the end, it wasn’t about the credit card alone. Once Blizzard tripped my “keep your spyware off my computer” alarm, they cut their throats. Whether its Sony rootkits, mandatory FBI backdoors on routers or Blizzard presuming to police people’s computer, I have no tolerance for those sort of shenanigans.

    God, I just used shenanigans in a sentence without even thinking about it.

  9. voxaurorae says:

    I almost jumped into defensiveness mode, because WoW -does- work as a socializing tool for the guild I’m in, because 90% of it is family or close friends, but I know twelveoaks would smack me, because I haven’t grouped with her in a month. :}

  10. Dave Newton says:

    The spyware is called Warden, and it snoops your system for hacks that farmers use (teleporting, speed hacks and the like). And yes, in addition to the peer-to-peer downloader that helps keep their costs down /by allowing their customers to serve patches to other customers/ it IS shenanigans.

    I still like the game. I have just reached level 60 with my main, but it takes longer if you play a lot of solo time and have tons of alts. I have a great guild that I found after multiple attempts with groups of losers.

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