Playtime vs. PLAYTIME
My WoW-Widow, WoW-Orphan and I have different perspectives on WoW Playtime.
At times like these, when people are madly tracking down addons, updating talent specs, looking for guides etc, this stuff really comes to a head. This is the reason that while my UI is different to the stock-standard Blizzard UI, it is a f-bomb-ing mess. I might get to install the addon in the 30 seconds between passionately wishing my wife good night, and logging in to raid, but I don’t get to screw around with it.
If it works 1st time, it stays. If it requires configuration, it goes.
So here are the different perspectives.
WoW-Orphan:
PC is on = Daddy’s working… Don’t work Daddy!
WoW-Widow:
PC is on = You are playing WoW…
I don’t care what you are doing, you are playing WoW!
If this in not within your allotted hours of WoW playtime…
Get the F-bomb off the computer!
WoW-Player:
Resting.
PC is on = the PC’s natural state… leave it alone.
Idle
Definition: Not playing, doesn’t count against WoW Quota
Includes:
- Searching for Addons
- Looking up Quests/Gear/Strategies/Blogs etc.
- Creating/Applying Spec & Learning Spells
- Scanning AH
- LFG/Waiting at Instance to begin
Playing
Definition: Playing, Quota Enabled, Do not disturb without understanding that clock will stop and penalty time gained at “Time On”
Includes:
- In an Instance/Raid
- Grinding Mats
So you see, sure I only have 5-6 hours of playtime, but I only play for 5-6 hours.
Idle time:
- should not be deducted from the quota
- That occurs during normal scheduled playtime, is still Idle time and that lost playtime should be exchangeable for another period in the week.
What do you think my chances are of living to the Expansion?
Gnomer and Out!
Oh I’m all with you… These days are really giving me a headache. Just getting the UI work at a minimum level would take you the whole week’s quota. And when you’re ready to play next week I can bet it’s all been messed up again and you’ll have to spend your hours on updating addons and settings…
It’s a huge time sink. The time you need to spend outside the game on the game is probably bigger than the playing time right now. I’ve got rediculously few achievments done in the game as it seems. But the biggest achievement of them all isn’t recorded. That is to make the game work.
But how could you explain that to anyone else? I know exactly what you’re dealing with….
My little fiery buddy, your agrument is clear, well-presented, logical and lucid.
Your WoW-Widow will deny it anyway. Enjoy!
Best of luck with that argument!
And fixing a UI takes forever. I “worked from home” on Wednesday just to download and install addons before everyone else got home and started crashing addon sites.
This article is good, and as a wowplayer, I heartily agree. (Especially about the researching and scanning!)
I’m in the same boat. I have a 3-1/2-year-old son and a wife who does not support my WoW habit. I have every Friday off of work and my son routinely takes a nap from 1:00 to 5:00. With my wife also at work until 5:00, I get four uninterrupted hours of WoW every week. With all of the broken add-ons, this week was going to be dedicated to getting my UI back to a 50% less clumsy and non-functional state. Yesterday, my wife called in the morning to inform me that her parents would be stopping over at around 4:00 so her dad could help me move some things. I snapped, “Are you F’in kidding me?!?” Unaware of my Friday afternoon WoW ritual, my wife could only assume, somewhat correctly, that I’d become an irrational psychopath at the flip of a switch. It was at that moment that I accepted the truth: I’m an addict.