tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post5369849380535416920..comments2024-03-26T09:53:50.263-06:00Comments on Eight Years in Azeroth: 4.75. Songs About Bikes, Gnomes, and ScarecrowsShawn Holmeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05110605868875966328noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-34618320846490270272021-04-28T05:11:37.930-06:002021-04-28T05:11:37.930-06:00Thank you ShawnThank you ShawnDariahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15385215076421393323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-80299529966054527832019-09-09T19:38:36.078-06:002019-09-09T19:38:36.078-06:00Yes, thank you. We are also looking for people to ...Yes, thank you. We are also looking for people to test this games if you players are interested.<br /><br />https://bit.ly/2lFD7XiAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-38396878163538542702016-10-02T11:09:00.252-06:002016-10-02T11:09:00.252-06:00Pretty sure my job at that time made me 15 minutes...Pretty sure my job at that time made me 15 minutes late. I'm down for a where are they now. Granted we are playing again now. This gonna start back up. Let your boy start a blog. The son of a guild leader in WoW ^^ <br />If he got his writing chops from dad, it will be a good read.<br /><br />-AmatsuAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06460716378590463017noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-77254571118966454122016-09-06T03:30:46.638-06:002016-09-06T03:30:46.638-06:00I never have played WoW, but reading your story ma...I never have played WoW, but reading your story made me feel as if I was a part of DoD, it made me interested in the lore, the boss mechanics, the loot and the people. Reading this blog made me laugh, got me angry, opened my eyes to the difficulties of managing people, some of which were only logging in to play a game, but also having others who logged in to be a part of something, a family, a Guild. I'm not ashamed to admit that I shed a tear when I read the final chapter, I felt the loss as if I was there that day. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us, it was an amazing journey and one I will continue to return to. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12111961852069752507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-9913157240377097962016-08-27T16:00:35.206-06:002016-08-27T16:00:35.206-06:00Great chapter. Very moving.Great chapter. Very moving.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-43343709848356921692016-08-23T21:48:11.904-06:002016-08-23T21:48:11.904-06:00I've commented throughout the earlier posts bu...I've commented throughout the earlier posts but wanted to add a thank you at the end for the terrific story. I honestly think it was very brave of you to put so much of your thoughts and emotions into it. <br /><br />I'm a bit sad now when I think of the hundreds or thousands of guilds across MMOs that never received such a heartfelt sendoff, including my own guilds from various MMOs in the past. *pours one out for my fellow members of Watermelon Minions, Black Daggers, Dereth Guard, and Spoiler Alert, wherever they are now*<br /><br />It was great reliving nostalgia for the parts of the game that I played, and then after that I stuck with the blog to hear about the people even as my interest in the raids themselves waned. Best of luck to all of DoD's members wherever they are now!<br /><br />Zanshin, Kil'JaedenZanshinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-30131792342404377032016-07-18T16:48:29.131-06:002016-07-18T16:48:29.131-06:00I have read your blog for years now. It is a littl...I have read your blog for years now. It is a little sad to see it come to an end. Thank you for sharing your story.<br /><br />I played from late Vanilla dipping into raiding in TBC. My guild really started raiding in Wrath. We were only a 10man, but many of your stories brought back memories of our own adventures. It was enjoyable to see WoW from the point of view of a 25 man raider and leader. To see the parallels in our experiences and our differences. Thank you for the trip down memory lane.<br /><br />There were times I disagreed with your point of view, as our guild was the target audience for the changes Blizzard tried to make towards the end of Wrath and into Cata - smaller, a little more casual. I will admit there were times that I was jealous that the 25 mans got all the better gear and rewards. But truth be told, I recognized that there was a different level of effort required and the rewards were fairly doled out. 25 Man was not something I wanted to put in the effort for every week so why should I get the same perks.<br /><br />There was something about Cataclysm that really was cataclysmic for guilds. Despite the changes that were made to benefit and encourage smallers guild, we did not survive the expansion either. Some of us have carried on through MoP and WoD, and are even looking forward to Legion, but it is not the same. <br /><br />Thank you again for your story.Ancastanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-8976256394233919992016-07-15T18:30:14.780-06:002016-07-15T18:30:14.780-06:00Just finished my read through, having started a fe...Just finished my read through, having started a few weeks back when it was linked from somewhere (Polygon or maybe Reddit, not sure which). The journey through time was incredible and I'm so grateful that I was able to experience. One thing that particular struck me was how much reading "Eight Years in Azeroth" was able to create the same effect that a great game world had; this was your story and your experience, of which I was an observer and a reader. <br /><br />But along the way, I remembered my own WoW experiences and relived my own memories of what I was doing as you were having these experiences. It was powerful and it gave me a lot of opportunities to consider the times when I made my own share of mistakes and did things and said things that I wish I could take back to this day. That was really powerful and I thank you for giving me the opportunity and the means not only to experience your story, but also contemplate my own.Matthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08930307330691449792noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-67023998695606874892016-07-11T00:40:46.339-06:002016-07-11T00:40:46.339-06:00This has been an emotional read down memory lane....This has been an emotional read down memory lane. It was cathartic to read this—thanks Shaun. I quit 6 years ago, and usually I don't miss playing WoW at all, but your descriptions really have me craving the good 'ol days. Thanks again for this memoir.<br /><br />(Directed here from Polygon)Baravisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-76520511133651030432016-07-07T16:59:57.268-06:002016-07-07T16:59:57.268-06:00Well I just read the entire blog in a few days...a...Well I just read the entire blog in a few days...absolutely riveting...I don't want it to end. <br /><br />Thank you for taking the time to write this. Anonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17594079505014362401noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-34311127294479743422016-07-06T15:57:25.296-06:002016-07-06T15:57:25.296-06:00I just discovered your blog yesterday. I was mindl...I just discovered your blog yesterday. I was mindlessly scrolling Facebook and came across your Polygon article. Never before have I been so captivated by a blog! My ex-husband and I (we were married at the time) started playing WoW near the end of Vanilla and ran a casual raiding guild called First Assault Division (US-Muradin, now Connected-Nordrassil). We experienced what I'd call a moderate level of success for probably about 5 or 6 years. We were our server's first level 25 guild as well! Reading your blog has been quite a nostalgic and emotional journey for me, especially since our guild experienced joys and frustrations very similar to yours. I still remember sitting at my computer, bawling my eyes out when major guild drama would erupt or raid groups would fall apart, all while marveling at how something that is "just a game" could make me so upset haha. We met several of our guildies irl--went on day trips with them, had them over to our house for a week or two, went to their weddings, etc. In fact, a few couples met in our guild and went on to get married and have kids together. My mom even played the game with us--she was our best DPS! She met another gal on there the same age as her (60-ish) and now they are best friends, visiting each other a few times a year. I've been lucky in that I've been able to maintain contact with some guildies via Facebook and such but there are others that I considered pretty good friends in the game that I no longer have contact with at all. I still feel a little ache in my heart when I think of them. I still remember what their voices sounded like in Ventrilo. It's nice to know that others have been touched so deeply by this game. Perhaps I will return to it someday. It's just hard knowing that it will never be the same without my original guild members and as we know, the game has changed a lot. Right now, I spend most of my game time in, of all games, Grand Theft Auto Online. I've gotta say that Los Santos is not--nor will it ever be--Azeroth. And Rockstar Games leaves a LOT to be desired in the way of quality control in their gaming development. Still kind of fun, though!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04064438400605502640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-68905898728495045652016-07-03T15:35:40.753-06:002016-07-03T15:35:40.753-06:00Love it. Thank you.
-XelnathLove it. Thank you. <br /><br />-XelnathAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00371275614950580725noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-34957974423713291822016-06-19T19:32:37.494-06:002016-06-19T19:32:37.494-06:00I've read this from nearly the beginning. It&#...I've read this from nearly the beginning. It's been a constant reference, entertaining but usefully cautionary. My own guild may see what happens to all good things, soon. But like yours, it's been a good thing.Aedilhildnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-19822317526658083172016-06-14T20:10:29.556-06:002016-06-14T20:10:29.556-06:00It was a good run. You made it farther than most o...It was a good run. You made it farther than most of us. For me when we were hitting the 40 player raids was the best. Frustrating as hell at the time. All those wipes learning Molten Core. TBC seemed great to start but in time I felt like there was too much time spent on daily quests and pugs. And then when I came back for one of their trial periods (or whatever they are called) it was great at first. But after spending time in the LFG queues and some of those groups I just couldn't do it. <br /><br />I've been back into beating my head into the wall of Eve Online for the last year or so, taking the war to the Goons, but starting to think my MMO days are over. Maybe something will come along. But it is hard to find a group like I was lucky to happen into. I met Ater (I forget his character's name at the time) in Lineage 1. Our first 'voice comms' were 4 of us on a conference call on our cell phones. Then on to Lineage 2 (after a couple of others) where we met some of what would become The Final Cut. Then on to Warcraft where we merged with DoD. There were many good times. I had to go back and re-read some of your early posts for those early day Molten Core memories. <br /><br />Maybe I should go log in to some World of Warships (the name makes me chuckle on every login).<br /><br />--Zyr *chirp chirp*Zyrnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-56258789244447236912016-06-14T15:45:04.655-06:002016-06-14T15:45:04.655-06:00I also wish things didn't end the way they did...I also wish things didn't end the way they did... but life after WoW has been good to me. If I wasn't so busy, I would have potentially made a come back. Raiding with you guys was some of the most fun I've ever had. I still watch the Illidan kill video every once in a while... You weren't a perfect leader, but you were exactly what DoD needed.Lyticvirusnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-41895929392986865352016-06-14T09:23:53.454-06:002016-06-14T09:23:53.454-06:00I think it very fitting that the end hits the week...I think it very fitting that the end hits the week the Warcraft Movie comes out.<br /><br />I didn't realize how much pride I had in this, until I started reading this blog. <br /><br />We did some good work, and I met some people I admire and respect.<br /><br />Thank you all.Littlebear, the once-green-now-competitive Hunternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-28763238542118938592016-06-14T09:19:27.177-06:002016-06-14T09:19:27.177-06:00/sigh. It's been a long strange road hasn'.../sigh. It's been a long strange road hasn't it?Kizmetnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-67164687158768178202016-06-13T13:57:47.207-06:002016-06-13T13:57:47.207-06:00<3 Goldy!<3 Goldy!Dalansnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-77786353846095890052016-06-11T11:19:09.806-06:002016-06-11T11:19:09.806-06:00DoD - Where are they nowDoD - Where are they nowMidwest Cocktail Experiencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14694831158263382791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-41351387526590625952016-06-10T12:44:59.019-06:002016-06-10T12:44:59.019-06:00@Anonymous,
1. Epilogue confirmed for next week.
...@Anonymous,<br /><br />1. Epilogue confirmed for next week.<br />2. As time allows, I'll provide some "Where Are They Now" posts for those many players. Might even try for a podcast.<br />3. I did not -- 10-Man never "did it" for me, and would not have been an adequate replacement...not in the short-term, or the long.<br />4. DoD and I are fused at the hip. It's there or nowhere.<br />5. See #3.Shawn Holmeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05110605868875966328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-54751912078652420902016-06-10T11:24:03.595-06:002016-06-10T11:24:03.595-06:00Why did you not just make a 10 man raid team?Why did you not just make a 10 man raid team?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-76210969356608353492016-06-10T11:11:02.345-06:002016-06-10T11:11:02.345-06:00Thanks for the read Shawn, I've been waiting e...Thanks for the read Shawn, I've been waiting eagerly each week since I caught up with your story around early TBC.<br /><br />Will there be an epilogue? <br />What happened to all the characters you've introduced us to?<br />Did you continue as a 10 man raider?<br />Did you ever consider joining another 25m raider guild without the burdens of leadership?<br /><br />As another non-raider I thoroughly enjoyed the story. My small friends and family guild cleared Kara, most of Naxx 10 then went quiet until MOP where we did most of MSV and some flex SoO. So I have experienced the thrills of working to defeat a boss and the joy when accomplishing it.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-27455457672332812152016-06-09T14:19:20.334-06:002016-06-09T14:19:20.334-06:00Good read. Enjoy your writing!Good read. Enjoy your writing!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-58296440532412846502016-06-09T11:27:32.206-06:002016-06-09T11:27:32.206-06:00What Jungard said. My feelings about this blog co...What Jungard said. My feelings about this blog coming to a close are similar (though not nearly as strong) as when I could see the writing on the wall for DoD. World of Warcraft was a significant portion of my life for seven years.<br /><br />DoD, for me, was a source of friendship and stability that carried me through many things: a really tough military deployment, loneliness while overseas, the uncertainty and depression of unemployed, post-military life, early college classes, bad romantic relationships, and so on. I give much of the credit for my personal growth and maturity to the friendships I found in DoD during those seven years. The Marine Corps made me into a man, but my time in DoD made me into a far more decent and mature one. Shawn's leadership gets much of the credit. I think without DoD, I would have been much worse off during that long period of early adulthood, and who knows what would have become of me without Shawn's and DoD's influence.<br /><br />To DoD: Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for the memories, the dead dragons, and the fat loot. But most of all, thank you for yourselves. For each individual who gave their time and effort to something greater. To those who cared not just about themselves, but about the other people who made up the guild we were part of. Thanks for your selflessness in taking the time to teach me not just how to be a better player, but a better human being. Thanks even for your examples of what <i>not</i> to do, and how to maintain composure and deal graciously with those lacking in social skills/decency.<br /><br />Special thanks to Blain, Guns, Klocker, Neps, Dalans, Turtleman. And to Hanzo, it goes without saying but I'll say it anyway, you were the best of us.<br /><br />No game has ever come close to the amount of fun, companionship, an accomplishment I felt while playing World of Warcraft. I can say for certain that I do not expect to ever again find a game or group of players with whom I feel such close ties and camaraderie, even genuine love.<br /><br />I'm dreading the epilogue next week, but also looking forward to Shawn's final thoughts and conclusions. I've looked forward to this blog every single week for the last five years, and now I have no idea what I'm going to do every Thursday morning. <br /><br />Shawn, for your sake, and for ours, keep using your writing talent.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />GoldenrodGoldenrodnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6556575758010903163.post-55323990256331302252016-06-09T11:23:08.052-06:002016-06-09T11:23:08.052-06:00Thanks Shawn. It been a fun read. Brought back man...Thanks Shawn. It been a fun read. Brought back many memories of my own journey. "In that moment, you're reminded that it isn't the loss of World of Warcraft that's sending you spiraling down this path, it's the loss of the people you play it with."<br />That is a great line by the way, sums it up wonderfully.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com