I wish I could say that it was just as easy to step away from World of Warcraft as it was the last time. I’ve only played WoW during that ten-day trial almost a year ago and then recently for the free 30-day trial that came with the battle chest. I’ve never been a subscriber to the game, but I did feel a stronger connection to the game after 30 days than I did after the end of my previous trial. So what made it different this time?

Time did not seem to make a huge difference in creating a bond with the game. I got to level 20 after 30 days but I was at level 14 after 10 days last time. I'd seen a much different part of the game world, but that wasn’t what made the real difference. Three factors contributed most to my newly-formed connection to WoW.

The first factor was that I really liked my character. It was fantastic to play as a lovely little blood elf, small and blonde and like a better version of myself. While I did appreciate the level advancement, I liked the fact that I felt like I was doing good for others in the virtual community, even if it was just fiction. I felt immersed and wanted to make my character do well because I liked her.

One of the best parts about being a hunter is that you can gain a pet early on in the game. Having a pet cat (mine was a ghostclaw) was fantastically comforting and instantly gave me an emotional connection to the game. I love cats in real life and miss having one as a pet while I’m away at college. In the game world, I had a pet to look after which would, in turn, help me fight and look after me. The cat made me feel much safer in fights and provided and essential support. Even if it wasn’t real, having an faithful, furry companion that followed me around and helped in tight situations was a great comfort.

The last element that gave me a greater connection to the game world was having a friend join at the same time. He got me to buy the game in the first place. While he soon had other commitments and I leveled up faster than he did, I still had a real person that I could connect with in the virtual world. This made the game feel more real and helped me to internalize how other players really are people sitting at their computers.

Given these new elements tying me to WoW, it seems unlikely that I would quit after my trial ended. However, other issues had arisen since I began playing that made me reconsider a subscription. First, there was a physical problem of my PowerBook lacking a video card. Whenever I played WoW, the fan would become incredibly noisy in its unsuccessful attempts to keep my laptop cool. For fear of overheating, I didn’t dare to play any longer than two hours a day. I'd seen what WoW could look like on more powerful computers, where the settings could be optimized. I was able to see so much more in the game, including the subtle bouncing of my elf’s ears as she ran.

My final frustration with WoW was a bigger issue. I enjoy soloing because I don’t have to schedule time in to play and I don’t have to depend on anyone. Given the great diversity of the personalities of other players in WoW, I prefer to complete quests alone. This can lead to problems, especially in the higher levels. There was one quest where I was trying to rescue people from an unpleasant area full of undead. Unfortunately, the undead were grouped into swarms so they were nearly impossible to pick off slowly. After I'd died several times, making little progress, I decided that it would be best to wait for my friend to level up so I could have some dependable help with that quest. While I enjoy playing WoW alone, there seem to be some situations where I need help and I prefer to wait for the point where I can play with people I can trust from real life.

I let my 30-day trial end, but it has not been as easy to give it up as it was before. I enjoyed playing WoW in the mornings before class and found that, while it was not a stunning game, it was somewhat mindless. This made it a fantastic way to unwind. I miss my blood elf and my pet. However, I feel that I had a good experience with the game and learned a lot. For now, I will shift my focus to other games and school, but I hope to take WoW up again when I can find trustworthy people to join my party.