I am out of here

[Kingpin]

Well, first of all, I assume most people don’t agree with me, or the game would not be as popular as it is, but even then, I assume at least some of my criticism is valid even for those that play it. Of course, some like another type of game than me, who knows.

Hey Jarulf, didn't know you was playing WoW until Laz linked your thread on irc:)

Casual play/Exploring/Outdoor fun
At this stage in your character’s life, you are supposed to be in a guild, teaming up for instances (shifting into raids). You should never go around yourself alone and you should stop forgetting about having short casual fun outdoors, it is all instance play now. Quests are all elite if outdoors and very few of the quest lines are completable solo. Yes I know it is a multiplayer game, but up until level 50 or so, the game has lots of content that can be fun experiencing on your own when there is no scheduled guild content going on. This stops when you hit 60 (basically), the ONLY way to progress is by playing with full teams in instances with the possible exception being reputation grinding until you puke to be able to purchase that one extra recipe or item.

Causual players do have their problem, with how the game is built up. If you aren't part of a big guild, you are missing very much of the social thing it offers, and will as causal player have alot harder time at lvl 60. Find a group who do the standard 5 man, 10 man instances at lvl 60 can be hard enough, depend if you are horde/alliance, and population on your server. Outside instances, pvp there aren't much on lvl 60 to do, besides grinding rep/gold.

Areas to visit
Sure, there are no real new ones, I have “done” even the level 60 ones. Yet, those last several map areas of the game were I have spent my time since, say, level 50-55 has probably been the most boring, badly done and lacking in atmosphere, creativity and finish of all in the game. I would attribute this to the fact that Blizzard seems to believe that post 60, you should spend time grinding instances, preferably the raid ones!

Silithus together with Plagulands is the best high level areas for both solo/instances. Both that have added content over the latest patches. The game is big, so we have all to understand that the end game haven't as much variations as 1 to 50 have as example. The end game is pretty much either pvp or instances.

Trade skills
Trade skills are fun, I have tried most of them, but have come to the conclusion that most are only ever usable to either fuel lower level characters with temporary items for quick leveling. Apart from perhaps potion making and making bags, I have yet to find the crafting skills of much for myself or any other character of similar level to me. This is connected with bad item creation in the game, see below, my main gripe which strangely comes at the end. I can tailor tons of items out of which I wonder if 80% of them has EVER been crafted and used much by anyone in the game

Tradeskills are great in the game. But, the problem is the rare reciepes require in many cases visit instances. And for causal players some professions is hard to get anything useful from.

Alchemy is one of the professions that work very well as trade skill for even causal players, together with gathering skills skinning, herbalism, mining.

Items
So, about every other idea of what to do with your level 60 character out of the door, lets go the way one do in many other games, look for nice good items to improve your character. Sure, all the other alternatives about, are ultimately to get better items, but it turned out they were not so good at it, you simply won’t get fantastic items, ever that way, and it takes forever.

As you compare with diablo II. Sure, diablo II have a lot of more variations, but in todays D2 the item variation doesn't affect the true variations much. Most items in d2 is useless if you obtain the uber elite uniques. I belive the reason for the limited itemization in WoW, compare to D2 is to keep the balance. To much randomize and you will be out of control for give players still hard enough competition. Sure, this is a negative thing for the causal player. but remember the game is balanced for 6.5miljon players. This is something's they need to take into account for both pvp and pve and ofcourse they are far from perfect, what game is that? not even d2:)

The sets tier 0, 1, 2, 2.5, 3 is mostly instance set, besides the tier 3 set that is a levelup set for expansion. The rest of the items from the instances is to compose your own set of items. Many choose the later over use a complete set since it's in many case a better option.

The problem with know what boss drop what, is internet's fault. Without the sites that gives detailed drop what each boss drops. We would never know it before actual visit it, and it would take time before we learned who drop what setpart.

One of the biggest advantage with wow, same advantage as d2 have is that it never end. You can play it endless of hours and still have something's to do.