5 Mans

First, an aside.

When reading Rivs blog on my blogroll this comment stuck out to me:

it’s nice seeing people reading what you write. It was easier to comment on blogs, nowadays it seems you have to jump through hoops of fire to comment on a blog.

Which I find is true for a lot of blogs – they want a link to my Facebook, or google plus. There is typically a WordPress option and while my blog is WordPress based I own the URL so I can’t use “open ID”. So often I want to participate on a blog, only to find out I can’t without using either something that identifies me personally in real life, or sign up for something new. When I comment on blogs I want to use my blogging name! Thankfully, most blogs do have ways (name/url) and use programs like Askimet to filter out the spam, and/or have a separate approval process.

I was reminded of this when I read a post here at The Sith Paladin while hunting for new blogs to read and saw he was calling for more 5 mans – and I agree! Unfortunately I couldn’t quite post that there so I am here, and linking it instead.

I tend to try not to link other blogs in my posts unless I am giving them cred for inspiring a post, or reposting a good find (flash games, etc.) because I prefer to be active on other people’s blogs where the thoughts originated. So, with that being said, where I CANT do that, I’ll just post here and link. Best of both worlds (for me)

End aside.

So, to the 5 mans – I have ALWAYS loved 5 mans. It is time well spent in a small group, doing something other than grinding or dailies.  I once posted:

Instances: WoW has ~80 pre-cap instances, (when you count instance wings and heroic modes) and only 22 targeted for max level. Isn’t that split in reverse? Shouldn’t there be 20 instances before the cap, and have 80 instances when you hit the cap – wouldn’t that make it harder for players to “run out of content” fast when the game truly begins?

and still believe it is a good design decision. Simply put, old hardcore players (and raiders) such as myself, we are growing in number. We have often started single (lots of gaming time), got a job (less gaming time) got married (even less gaming time) had kids (super less gaming time) and are settling into a place where we can’t enjoy the games we love in the same way. Sure, I can raid LFR now in WoW, but I can’t be part of a full blown 3x a week raid team – it just doesn’t work for me.

Jumping into a 30 minute 5 man would though. In fact, that would be enough to resubscribe me to WoW. Even when WoW had godawful faction grinds, the fact that I could do them in 5 mans made it manageable for me (and conversely, when they moved to a Daily Quest only format it pushed me away from Mists). In Warlords of Draenor, they have an opportunity to get me back.

Or any MMO for that matter. It could be a good strategy to get a certain type of gamer in a certain point of their life where they want the experience, but can’t make the same commitment they once could. 5 mans could be an avenue to do that.