Goodbye Exploration
There is a time in every game I play that I feel a sense of belonging. Where I am no longer simply a player of the game, but have in some way made it my own, possibly feeling as though I control a piece of it.This happened earlier this year for me in the World of Warcraft. At this time, I’ve created a special bond to something called “cliff walking.” This practice involves walking carefully across a steep cliff to gain access to areas of the game otherwise not accessible. Normally, this feels like cheating – but in a game where I am supposed to explore every where, I want to explore everywhere! This ability has also been allowed by Blizzard (the company that created the game) since it was discovered when the game was in Beta. So, while I do not think it is how the game is intended to be used, it really feels great.When you’re high in the cliffs, above the perfectly landscaped areas and in the nitty gritty – where textures aren’t blended and repeated pixels stretch on and on – that’s where I feel I’m privileged. When I look upon what the developers look on as they are creating this land, I feel as though I have moved one step closer to that coveted position at Blizzard. On the same token, I can get to places that are on the brink of release and get a sneak peak, fulfilling my thirst for knowledge ahead of everyone else. Granted these are selfish reasons, but, like I said, they give me a feeling of belonging.Unfortunately, this feeling will soon fade. In the next content patch (1.9) they will be attempting to remove this ability. My guess is they will be successful, but in the patch notes they say “Players should no longer be able to walk on steep terrain.” I believe this means that it is a part of the game physics that will take more than pushing the “Cliff Walking Off Button” in the game engine. With hope, it will work for a while, but I imagine they will blot it out as soon as possible.With this knowledge, I’ve decided to place several characters in key locations that will no longer be accessible once the patch hits. I am unsure if Blizzard will move these characters after the patch, but I hope they do not.As pictured below, my Gnome Mage Serenny waved goodbye today to the land that she loves (mages are especially lucky as one of their skills allows them to teleport through invisible walls placed by Blizzard). Let’s all wave goodbye with her!/goodbye Cliff Walking. I will miss you.