by Donna Fallesen

Created on: November 18, 2008   Last Updated: February 08, 2012

Starting out in World of Warcraft, as in starting any new game, I was in awe of the world and extremely confused. I remember choosing a Night Elf Warrior, getting lost in the Teldrassil area and eventually sliding down the side of the tree which if you are afraid of heights (like I am) you nearly die yourself. Yes, I panicked to the extreme and deleted my character entirely having known nothing about a Spirit Healer or how I could resurrect there without having to go and gather my body from the fall of a life time.

I might have only been level six, but at the time I was a starting noob and those six levels were hard to come by. It is funny looking back and thinking how big the world seemed to me at first, and now I look back like a seasoned veteran and think "I can get through that zone in three minutes flat!".

What really captured me in World of Warcraft was the lore, the ability to quest for experience, a variety of starter zones and the music. There was nothing like turning the volume up and just getting pulled right in to this other world. The colors, the noises, the voice emotes. It was all overwhelming at first. I hardly knew how to fight, and here I am running by people who have already figured out how to lay their character down or how to tell jokes. It was all exciting, new, and a playable game that wasn't too challenging out of the starting gate.

I remember the first time I got a gear upgrade, and I chose cloth over mail simply because I didn't know any better and the icon matched the color of my pants. My weapons and gear were gray up until the twenty range and I dared not step a foot in any of the dungeons for my noobishness of not knowing what to do or how to join up with people.

I had absolutely no professions until I picked up herbalism after passing the starter zone and I did not understand why I couldn't gather any of the gold circles on my minimap. I eventually figured that out, and had to go back after asking directions a few times. I actually swam from Auberdine to Westfall, and if anyone has ever done that, it seems like hours. I did it even though I was terrified I'd run into some sort of sea monster but I only came across clams and deep crevices ( I refused to investigate!).

Even though I was behind and it seems embarrassing now, it was probably among the best of my gaming memories. As World of Warcraft unfolded in front of me I could not wait to see the next zone, read the next quests, and yet I had no idea where I would find those in the game. When I notice new players running around in circles it makes me laugh, and I try my best to give out some pointers if they ask for them, but of course from my own experience they probably won't notice their text scrolling by with all of the other bright lights on Azeroth flashing in their face.

Learn more about this author, Donna Fallesen.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.