Things like this make me realize I can measure how long I've played a game in years.

Despite spending the past few weeks bashing my head against Mythic bosses, I have just now officially lost it. My roommate better get out of the way, because I am going to start flipping tables over the most aggravating aspect of this game that I have ever encountered.

How convenient that the Flippable Table toy is so close.

This is some Neopets-level RNG frustration, because I did those Winter Veil dailies every day, eventually bumping up in desperation to ten different characters including my level 80s on PvP servers, and I never got the Foot Ball that comes from the Stolen Present. Now, I have to cope with that empty spot in my toy box reminding me that I missed a time-sensitive drop for an entire year. Considering I was playing in 2012 and received this item from under the tree and then destroyed it not knowing it would eventually become a toy, this is terrible news for my inventory, because from now on I am going to hoard absolutely everything. Spirit of Shinri? Hoarding it. Fractured Sunstone? Hoarding it. Transmog for armor types I can't even use? Hoarding it! Supreme Manual of Dance? Hoarding every single one. Maybe one day they'll release a feat of strength that requires me to create my own KPop ensemble with garrison followers two expansions after they are already obsolete. At this point, it wouldn't even surprise me if those bastards released a vanity item that only drops from Vanilla mobs and then destroyed the planet of Azeroth. Yes, I just called Blizzard a bunch of bastards, because nothing has made me want to trek over to their office building and flip over the desk of a dev more than this damn Foot Ball!

Oh wait. Blizzard headquarters is actually pretty close to me now.

See ya.

-Avia.

P.S. Please post bail.

What I Am Thankful For

As much as we all bitch that WoW is full of bugs and that GMs never know what they're talking about, I have never been more grateful that I am a WoW player and have to deal with Blizzard's customer service on a regular basis rather than another company's. Call it cliche, but I was not aware of how good I truly have it until I had to spend time with a certain company's "Help Center" over the Black Friday weekend. Let's take a look at a typical conversation with a WoW GM.

GM Fluffernutter: A feather catches the wind and flutters down to the leaf-strewn ground, landing next to an inquisitive squirrel. Suddenly, it transforms into Fluffernutter, who approaches you and says...
GM Fluffernutter: Hi, Ayaliss. How can I help you today?
Ayaliss: Well, the trash in our raid instance was bugged and wouldn't let us get to the boss, but in the day that it took you to answer the ticket, we reset it and fixed it ourselves.
GM Fluffernutter: Excellent. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Ayaliss: Not really.
GM Fluffernutter: Great! Have a nice day!
GM Fluffernutter: A giant hawk swoops down from the sky, grabs Fluffernutter in its talons, and flies away into the sun. You can see Fluffernutter wave as his majestic form gradually shrinks into a spot of light against the wispy clouds.
"You have been chosen to fill out a GM survey!"

or...

GM Fancypants: Hi there, Ayaliss. How can I help you today?
Ayaliss: I was supposed to get an item, but I didn't receive it.
GM Fancypants: I just mailed it you.
Ayaliss: You're awesome.

Compare those to a conversation I had with a "Game Advisor."

Headupass: How can I help you today?
Avia: I'm trying to order some games, and it keeps declining my payment. I've tried two different cards.
Headupass: Can you call your bank and check if the card is working?
Avia: What? I just said I tried two different cards. It looks like a problem your website has all the time. It can't be something on my end. I just used this card today. In fact, I just used it on your website two days ago.
Headupass: If you can make sure there is nothing wrong with your card, I can forward you to our Specialist Team.
Avia: Uh... Ok. *tabs out for a minute and pretends to call the bank* The bank said everything is fine.
Headupass: *50 more asinine questions about my credit card* Alright then. I'll transfer your ticket to the Specialist Team. They will email you.
Avia: Do you think they'll get back to me before the sale is over?
Headupass: They'll email you soon.

A "Specialist" emailed me two days after the sale ended and said that they were glad my order went through and thanks for contacting them. The order never went through, by the way; I'm not sure whose account history they checked.

The whole ordeal made me realize, not how bitching about WoW is unwarranted, but how all that bitching could be better placed. This isn't a "Blizzard is awesome and we should kiss their asses" type of post. There are plenty of things to complain about in WoW, and the old adage about having no right to complain has never made sense to me. If I feel like complaining, I can complain, and other people can't stop me. But I now know that gaming companies feel no obligation to take care of their customers, and the level of service that I've experienced playing WoW is relatively not bad compared to other service representatives who spend all day not helping anyone.

Feeling those warm fuzzies? Happy holidays.

-Avia.