World of Warcraft players of all shapes and sizes

Thanks,guys,andthankstoallourreaderswhohelpmakeWoWInsideraresponsive,congenialcommunityratherthanameregaminginformationdump.We'regladyou'rereading-andwe'regladyou'rejoiningtheconversation,too.SoBadger,thisisyour15MinutesofFame鈥?butnotbeforewecarveoutafewsecondsfortheotherreadersourstafffeltdeserveaWoWInsidershout-out:

AngusManatankTchernobylJParrisHeilig

WoWInsiderreader:Badger
Maincharacter:Andronikos
Server:MoonGuard("greatRPhaven,butqueuesarenowupto500+atpeaktimes")
Guild:HouseTalshara("small,close-knit,lightRPwithawesomepeople,someofwhompreferheavyRPattimes")
WoWplayersince:Summer2005

15MinutesofFame:We'vemissedyouaroundlately!Wherehaveyoubeen?
Badger:Alloverthefreakin'place,really.Iwasresearchinggradschoolstuffforawhile,tryingtogetmyfinancesinorder,takingcareofafewbigchangesatwork...Basically,"reallife"hasjustbeengettinginthewayforthelastfewmonths.Thingsarestartingtocalmdownnow,though.

Wehearyouhaveathingforgnomes...
Suredo.SnoopPupandLittleTaremyGnomeboys.Y'allareshort-butyou'rereal,baby.
"Ahhh..."You'vejustfinishedtheperfectWoWplaysession-whatdidyoudo?
Mostlikely,IfinishedatonofquestsinsequenceandbankedsomegoldsellingthematerialsIharvestedinthefield.IalsoprobablytookadvantageofeveryopportunitytofurtherdevelopAndronikosasacharacter(intheliterarysense).

Sowe'vetalkedaboutwhatyoudoingame,butit'swhatyoudooutofthegamehereatWoWInsiderthat'sgottenyounoticed.WhatdoestheguybehindBadgerdoinreallife?Iworkinadvertisingatoneofthebiggestandbest-knownnewspapersinthesoutheast.Idon'thandlethesalesdirectly,butI'moneofthebehind-the-scenescrewwhomakessureallthegearsinthegreatpublishingmachinekeepturning.

HaveyoubeentoBlizzconoranyWoWorguildmeetups?
...You'rekidding,right?Withmydebts?Icouldsaveupformonths,workingseveraljobs,andstillnotbeabletoaffordatriptoBlizzCon.Asfor"guildmeetups,"thatwouldbeawesome-butfornow,IjustsettlefortalkingwiththeotherguildiesinHouseTalshara(who,asI'vesaid,areawesome)onvoicechatwheneverIcan.

AnyplansaheadforBadgerinWrath?
Ohhell,yes.IactuallyspentadecentbitoftimeplayingwiththeDeathKnightclassduringthebeta,butasIsaidabove,reallifeinterferedandIendedupspendinglessandlesstimeinthetestingenvironment(though-spoileralert?-IthoroughlyenjoyedalmostallofwhatIexperienced).IplantoworkmyarseofftoexperienceasmuchOldAzerothandOutlandcontentasIcanbeforeItakeontheScourgeinthefrozenwastelandsoftheNorth.Lorewise,I'mplanningformyfirstDeathKnighttobethelost,presumed-deadfatherofmycurrentmain.(I'mtemptedtolinkheretotheoldFlashanimationforDad'sHome.)

HowlonghaveyoubeenaWoWInsiderregular?
That'sagoodquestion...Idon'tremember,exactly,butI*think*I'vebeenvisitingthesiteandpostingcommentssincelate2007.Aswithanytypeofmedia,thevastmajorityofreaderspickandchoosewhattheyreadandthenmoveonwithoutcommenting.

What'sdrawnyouintothecommentsandmadeyousucharecognizablemainstayoftheWIreadercommunity?
I'mkindasurprised(andflattered)thatanyonewouldconsidermea"mainstay,"butIwillbethefirsttoadmitthatI'mrathervocalinthecommentssections.It'saninterestingopportunitytointeractwiththeotherreaders-especiallywhentheyhavequestionsaboutthesettingofthegame-andreallybuildasenseofcommunity,whichiswhatIlikethemostaboutsiteslikeMassivelyandother"themed"blogs.Also,youcanneverhavetoomanyfriends.

Whatareyourfavoriteregularcolumns/features?
DavidBowerswritesAllTheWorld'sAStageandI'mabigfanofRP,sothat'seasilymyfavoriteoutofanyofInsider'sregularcolumns.(MichaelGrayisgreatwhenhefillsin,too.)(Editor'snote:Thefeelingseemstobemutual."I'velovedreadingBadger'scommentsonmyarticles,"writesDavidBowers."Itwouldbeneattoturnaroundandinterviewhimwhenheleastexpectedit!:)")KnowYourLoreistypicallyafunread;it'sgreattolaughyourassoffwhileyoulearnmoreaboutthehistorybehindthegame'ssetting.Itaddstotheimmersion.MattRossi'scolumn,TheCareandFeedingofWarriors,isalsoreally,reallyinformativeforsomeonewholikestofeelimportant(likeme)simplybecausetheygethitallthetime(again,likeme).And,ofcourse,there'salways[1.Local],whereIgettoseewhattheotherreadersarethinkingaboutandsayingatanyparticulartime.Thecommentsareusuallyeithereye-openingandinsightfulorthey'rehystericallyfunny.

Also,eventhoughhewasneveraregularInsiderreader(tomyknowledge),Ijustfoundouttonightfromreadinglastweek'spoststhatEzraChattertonpassedaway.Ijustwantedtosay:TheEarthMothermayhavelosthergreatestmortalchampion,buthislegendwillliveonforever.RegardlessofourallegiancestotheAllianceandtheHorde,Ithinkwecanallagreeonthat.R.I.P.

WhatotherWoWsitesarepartofyourWoWmediadiet?
IreadNatalieMootz'sblogTheGameDameandvisitJohnPatricelli'sBigBearButtBloggersemi-regularly.I'mveryslowlyintegratingmyselfintotheblogosphereandtheLiveJournalcommunity(thoughIvisitLJfarlessfrequently).IalsofrequentlyuseWowheadandinteractwiththeothersiteusersthereviatheirforums.WhenIneedharvestingorcraftingadvice,IcheckLootablesinadditiontotheWowheadforums.Mania'sPetopiasiteisessentialtoanygoodHunter,soIcheckthereallthetimeformyHorde-sidecharacter(s).

Tellusaboutyourgamingbackground.Where'stheBadgecomingfrom?
God,that'slikeasking"Whatdaysoftheweekdoyougooutside?"(Friday,incaseyouweregenuinelycurious.)IhaveseveraldozenPCgames,fromrecentstufflikeBioshocktoclassicslikeFullThrottleandBaldur'sGateII.MyfavePCgame,otherthanWorldofWarcraft,isWarhammer40,000:DawnofWaranditsexpansions.I'malsoahugefanofTeamFortress2.(That'sanothergamewhereIhavebeentoldI'mquitegoodatvocallyimpersonatingthecharacterclasses.)Notabigfanofconsoles;callmeaclassicist,butIpreferthesword-and-boardstyleofamouseandkeyboard.OtherMMOexperience:GuildWars(themostgraphicallygorgeousgameI'veeverplayed,withasoundtrackthatstirstheheart),andEVEOnline(trial-redefinedthephrase"epicscale").

WhatattractedyoutoWoW?
Thesettingandstory,forstarters.ThefactthattherearededicatedRPcommunitieswasahugehelp,too;asawriter,Ilovecharacterdevelopment,andtheideathatIcanbeinvolveddirectlyindevelopingastoryline.

Whatkindofaplayerareyou-solo,smallgroupoffriends/relatives,bigguild,raiding,PvP,RP,tradesman,altaholic...?
Ihaveplayedthisgameoffandonfornearlytwoyears,andstill,IonlyhavetwocharactersthatIseriouslyplay.I'maperfectionist,andIhaveaproblemdividingupmyattentionbetweenhundredsofalts,thoughtherosterisgrowing.Asformyplaystyle,I'mallaboutRP,soItrytorunquestsandcarryonbusinessintownwhileremainingincharacter.IusuallyeitherrunquestssoloorIworkwithasmallgroupofin-gamefriends-usuallyfolksfromHouseTalshara,buttherearemanyothers,too.