If you're looking for tips and tricks on min/maxing or the quickest way to put an effective raid party together, you're looking in the wrong place.
Here we're going to explore the best ways for a casual player to get the most out of just about any massively multiplayer online game. That said, even if you're already a hardcore wow-head, these tips are worth their weight in wow gold if you're looking for the best ways to breathe new life into your playing experience.
Enjoy the scenery:
It's not the quest that matters, but the journey. Well, that's not entirely true with MMO's, after all, if you don't complete your quest, you don't get any aion kinah, valuable XP or phat lewt, but that's not my point.
Artists and programmers have poured literally hundreds of hours if hard work into crafting a living breathing world, and the sad truth is that most players will simply race across the landscape with nary a glance at their surroundings.
Playing fantasy games, and MMO's in particular is all about escapism, and getting to visit a world different from our own, and become people we aren't. Take a moment to stop and smell the roses, those murlocs will always be there waiting to be slain.
Pace yourself:
In a similar vein to that above, most folks forget about having fun once their in free games, and start thinking about the quickest and most efficient ways to level. Efficiency isn't generally fun, and it's mostly associated with work.
There is no "right way" to play an MMO, so if it takes you weeks to hit level ten instead of five hours, don't sweat it, what's most important is that you had fun on the way there, there are no prizes for coming in first.
When you're ready, get the expansions:
The great thing about MMO's is that they grow around the player, you can play as much as you want or as little as you want. If you're jumping on board an MMO a few years late, don't feel pressured into getting the various expansions that might have come out if you aren't ready. Why waste your money on Burning Crusade and Lich King or Cataclysm when World of Warcraft Classic has hundreds of hours of gameplay to occupy you with?
Find a good friend to play with:
As stated earlier, there's no right or wrong way to play an MMO, but even the most ardent solo player will enjoy the game even more if he can play for a few hours with a good friend.
Find someone you don't get to see as often as you like, and then offer him a free trial (MMO's are always giving away free trials). If he accepts, you're likely to get some bonus schwag for recruiting a new player, and you've got someone to share your adventures with.
You don't have to spend every waking minute in-game with your pal, but you'll find that companionship makes even the most mundane of tasks in an MMO become infinitely more fun. This is also a great way for hardcore players to start a new alt character and get over the boredom of having to do all those early lower level quests over again.
Find more good friends online, don't be shy:
Of course, if you're a solo player this might got against your programming, but if you're something of a social butterfly, guilds, groups and parties make playing MMO's a real blast. There's nothing like sitting around outside a cave to formulate a plan with your buds before storming a lair.
Get into the lore, check out the novels, buy the comics:
This all pre-supposes that you enjoy the game to a certain degree already, but a great way to get even more out of whatever MMO you're playing, is to pick up some of the literature. A number of the larger and more successful MMO's like EverQuest II, Warhammer Online, World of Warcraft and Age of Conan are all supported by books and comics, and with a little snooping around you can find out which ones are well written and worth getting.
It's hardly essential of course, but more often than not you'll find your newfound knowledge just enhances your appreciation and enjoyment of the game.
Get on the forums:
This goes hand in hand with socialising in play games. If you've got the time and the inclination, get to know your in-game friends on the game's message boards and forums. You'll also be able to interact with developers and community liaisons to know what changes are going to be made in-game and how they'll affect your character.
Have fun in game, don't turn it into a grind fest:
Remember, it's the journey that's important, turning an MMO into a grind fest is the fastest way to make it totally un-fun. Try not to take things to seriously, and while min-maxing is okay, remember, it's just a game, not a second job.
Don't resub unless you actually want to play:
By this point it's fair to say you're pretty into whatever MMO you're playing. The danger here is to start just going through the motions and playing not because you want to, but just because the game's there. If you have an addictive personality it an be difficult to quit MMO's, but it's good practice to play for a couple of months and then take a break, the game's always going to be there.
One thing you can do to ensure that you don't just keep playing even when you don't want to, is to cancel your subscription just after you've renewed it, this way it won't auto-charge you for the next month, and you don't feel guilty about not playing.
Go to a con at least once:
Con's are fun, especially the larger ones, if you can, you should take the opportunity to go to Blizzcon at least once. Tickets are expensive, but the experience is quite unlike anything you're likely to have seen before, and its definitely well worth it. Oh, and take a camera!
Congratulations! You're hardcore:
If you've managed to follow all these steps above correctly, wouldn't you know it, you're now a hardcore MMO gamer! Hardcore MMO gaming isn't just about finding the right formula to creating the most powerful high level character the land has seen, it's about getting the most out of your chosen MMO, it's about finding the fun, and keeping it fun.
