So I'm Playing an MMO....

I never thought I'd play an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online, or Majorly-Massive Obsession). I thought I'd never be able to play the game enough to justify the monthly membership fees. Well, along comes Trusty Friend Rogue Nine with Guild Wars. For this MMO, you simply buy the game(s) (there's 3 in the series, plus an expansion), install them, and play online with a few million of your favorite friends.

I had heard about people joking about World of 'Warcrack' being addictive, and never understood it. Until I started playing an MMO.

Sure, it's not an RPG game where I get to make choices that ultimately alter the world. In Star Wars: KotOR, you can be the purest halo-over-the-head Jedi, or the vilest Sith Lord, and save the galaxy or turn it into your personal dominion. Since MMOs are played by literally millions, you can't have the game world being altered every 2.3 seconds when someone beats the game. That'd be a little tough on the continuity. However, GW does manage to hook you anyway--just completing the game Nightfall is an achievement in itself, since it takes hours over 6 large areas to complete the 20 missions. Then there's the search for elite skills instead of the ordinary ones. After that is the search for perfect weapons to do the maximum damage and also look cool at the same time. Then you can redo all the missions on 'hard mode' (read, crazy-kill-you-dead-fast mode) to get another title. There are still other titles for opening up treasure chests, being lucky or unlucky, drinking, and even eating sweets (which would be my personal favorite if it weren't hard to find the chocolate bunnies and candy canes).

After several months' play and help from a host of guild mates, most of whom are crazier about this game than I am, I've managed to max a couple titles (Protector of Elona and Legendary Spearmarshal, thank you) and am well on the way to a third (Holy Lightbringer). After maxing 2 more titles after that, I'll be Kind of A Big Deal and ready to move on to something like God Among Mere Mortals. However, I'll need to play a _lot_ more before getting to that lofty title. So if you go on the Guild Wars site, I'll probably be there--whisper Alina Stormseeker and you'll likely find me.