3 MMO Mistakes

See here. A post over at Keen and Graev's blog about MMO mistakes. Their question is timely since I'm starting LotRO in the next week or two (depends when Amazon ships my stuff). So thanks to Keen and Graev for reminding me to reflect on my past MMO experiences before diving into a new MMO. Quoting a bit of their article:

What 3 MMORPG mistakes will you never make again? At first it seems like a simple game or perhaps an outlet for some creative thinking to create humor among those who understand commonalities in MMORPG’s. When you look deeper and really think for a moment you can actually discover that this question can cause you to think back and evaluate your play style, your experiences in MMORPG’s, and how much you have grown since you first began playing.

I posted a little mini-series on why I left World of Warcraft, so I can draw from those lessons learned.

What 3 MMO mistakes do I hope to avoid?

Focus on leveling fast. Towards the end of my time in WOW, I cared more about leveling as quickly and efficiently as possible instead of enjoying the content. I'm not talking about running an alt through Stranglethorn Vale for the seventh time. I was ignoring good content in new zones. People talk about how great the new Blood Elf and Dranei zones were... I wouldn't know... they were a blur to me. I hate to admit this but I had a detailed spreadsheet where I tracked my progress.

Try to be a raider. I don't have that kind of time, patience, or masochistic desire. Maybe skill too. Doesn't matter. I learned the hard way that raiding and me do not mix. A big, casual guild would be ideal for me. I love the small group stuff. I love difficult fights. I love joking around with friends. Not so much the killer attunements and mat farming and rep grinding and guild drama and waiting for the main tank to log in and...

Stick with doomed PUGs. I think of myself as a good guy. The kind of person that will stand by friends and family through all sorts of rough weather. But why do I put up with obnoxious, rude, and/or stupid strangers when running 5-man dungeons? My game time is limited. I need to balance being a good, helpful person with fulfilling my enjoyment needs. I should figure out guidelines for how to spot a doomed PUG and when to ditch it.