Ah, as we come closer, I feel that an end is coming to Pandaria sooner than later. I know it hasn't been out for very long but it feels like we've been in Mists of Pandaria for Eternity already, or maybe it's just me. Let's go through all of the nostalgic moments of previous expansions and make ourselves feel old.
World of Warcraft (2004)
We couldn't see very far, the graphics were awful and a lot of stuff was bugged, but let's just be thankful Rogues didn't get those shields.
Most Nostalgic Moment: Leveling up for the first time. Seeing all the areas, travelling to areas with skulls as levels and getting owned followed by long graveyard walks, entering a dungeon for the first time, etc. Your very first 60 was kind of like "OMG I hit 60, Wahoo! Now.... to save up for epic riding."
Least Nostalgic Moment: Raiding. I know a lot of people say they miss raiding in Vanilla WoW, but perhaps I had a different experience. A lot of people still stood in things they shouldn't have, but graveyard walks were incredibly long, boss fights were long and you had a VERY slim chance at loot. Hell, about the same as my bad luck chance for loot in LFR. Plus, while gathering 40 people up for a raid might seem epic, you'd be surprised to see how many of them were actually doing something before damage meters made it obvious.
Burning Crusade (2006)
Most Nostalgic Moment: A tie between fighting Illidan, walking through the portal for the first time and going to Nagrand. Nagrand was a breath taking scenery zone with a lot of ogres that needed killing. Plus, the many group quests there always had plenty of people there and I always ran into plenty of World PvP.
Least Nostalgic Moment: Arenas. I've never been much of a hardcore PvPer but once this gear started getting introduced, my interest in PvP started going down. If you were behind a season, you might as well had just bent over and accepted your fate. Also, the lag was pretty bad during certain eras of BC and my server got its name Illidown.
Wrath of the Lich King (2008)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Killing Arthas before the nerfs/patch. Honestly, this boss is the last time I ever felt the way I did when killing a boss. The adrenaline pumping, no one had messed up yet, no one stood in a shadow trap, everyone killed Valks, no one was spreading defile and his life was dropping slowly. Then we all finally get insta-killed during his last final few percent and we finally beat him. This fight is the last time to this day that I had ever felt that adrenaline rush.
Least Nostalgic Moment: Watching the population of the Alliance vastly decrease. World PvP was pretty strong up to the point where they released faction-transfers. Then, it was only history after that because we saw the population of the Alliance decrease very fast.
I would also have to say leveling in Northrend. While others might have enjoyed it and found it fun, I found it worse than leveling in Pandaria. The quest streamlines have vastly improved since then and Northrend was just so depressing. It definitely wasn't as demonic and as dark as the Burning Crusader areas, just depressing.
Cataclysm (2010)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Having a guild capped with 1,000 people and 100-200 people constantly online. Guild challenges were always met on the first day of every week and it was like a gold mine that wouldn't stop cashing in. Chat was always hilarious (and offensive to some).
Least Nostalgic Moment: I'm not sure where to begin here. I could start with the (portals, portals, portals) or the introduction of another culture that speaks little to no English into dungeon finder, or perhaps the half-assed (in my humble opinion) raid Dragon Soul and so forth. The only thing I honestly found great about the expansion was how much detail and time was put into the revamping of the old world. Even areas people don't like venturing to such as Burning and Searing were fun again.
Also, Vashj'ir.. No.. never again.
Mists of Pandaria (2012)
Most Nostalgic Moment: While we have yet to see the best of the best, I have actually really enjoyed this expansion. It brought me back and while I don't agree with some of the things they've put in place, such as the ridiculous caps it's been really fun so far.
Least Nostalgic Moment: So far, it would have to be leveling a Prot Paladin from 89-90. I leveled it sole prot in dungeons up to that point and the damage was awesome. Sure, I could round up about 10 mobs but it would take forever to kill them and in general, it was a nightmare. This would have to die with dailies and reputation. I have no ambition to do all of those dailies again with another 90. Then again, I only have two 90s and one of them being the Prot Paladin. Perhaps with another char at 90 I'll feel differently.
?????? (2013/14)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Here's what I think will be the most Nostalgic moment, it'll be going back to the Outlands while the effects of the war on Azeroth have taken it's toll. Going back to those areas and seeing undiscovered parts of Outland would be awesome.
Least Nostalgic Moment: For me, I honestly think it'll be seeing people hit over 1 million HP just from quest gear. Have you seen the iLvl 600 cloaks they're giving people come soon? Good mother of all that is holy, that HP gain is absolutely nuts.
Man, where does the time go? When you just sit and think about everything in the past few years, it seems like yesterday, but in reality.. it was so, so, so long ago.
World of Warcraft (2004)
We couldn't see very far, the graphics were awful and a lot of stuff was bugged, but let's just be thankful Rogues didn't get those shields.
Most Nostalgic Moment: Leveling up for the first time. Seeing all the areas, travelling to areas with skulls as levels and getting owned followed by long graveyard walks, entering a dungeon for the first time, etc. Your very first 60 was kind of like "OMG I hit 60, Wahoo! Now.... to save up for epic riding."
Least Nostalgic Moment: Raiding. I know a lot of people say they miss raiding in Vanilla WoW, but perhaps I had a different experience. A lot of people still stood in things they shouldn't have, but graveyard walks were incredibly long, boss fights were long and you had a VERY slim chance at loot. Hell, about the same as my bad luck chance for loot in LFR. Plus, while gathering 40 people up for a raid might seem epic, you'd be surprised to see how many of them were actually doing something before damage meters made it obvious.
Burning Crusade (2006)
Most Nostalgic Moment: A tie between fighting Illidan, walking through the portal for the first time and going to Nagrand. Nagrand was a breath taking scenery zone with a lot of ogres that needed killing. Plus, the many group quests there always had plenty of people there and I always ran into plenty of World PvP.
Least Nostalgic Moment: Arenas. I've never been much of a hardcore PvPer but once this gear started getting introduced, my interest in PvP started going down. If you were behind a season, you might as well had just bent over and accepted your fate. Also, the lag was pretty bad during certain eras of BC and my server got its name Illidown.
Wrath of the Lich King (2008)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Killing Arthas before the nerfs/patch. Honestly, this boss is the last time I ever felt the way I did when killing a boss. The adrenaline pumping, no one had messed up yet, no one stood in a shadow trap, everyone killed Valks, no one was spreading defile and his life was dropping slowly. Then we all finally get insta-killed during his last final few percent and we finally beat him. This fight is the last time to this day that I had ever felt that adrenaline rush.
Least Nostalgic Moment: Watching the population of the Alliance vastly decrease. World PvP was pretty strong up to the point where they released faction-transfers. Then, it was only history after that because we saw the population of the Alliance decrease very fast.
I would also have to say leveling in Northrend. While others might have enjoyed it and found it fun, I found it worse than leveling in Pandaria. The quest streamlines have vastly improved since then and Northrend was just so depressing. It definitely wasn't as demonic and as dark as the Burning Crusader areas, just depressing.
Cataclysm (2010)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Having a guild capped with 1,000 people and 100-200 people constantly online. Guild challenges were always met on the first day of every week and it was like a gold mine that wouldn't stop cashing in. Chat was always hilarious (and offensive to some).
Least Nostalgic Moment: I'm not sure where to begin here. I could start with the (portals, portals, portals) or the introduction of another culture that speaks little to no English into dungeon finder, or perhaps the half-assed (in my humble opinion) raid Dragon Soul and so forth. The only thing I honestly found great about the expansion was how much detail and time was put into the revamping of the old world. Even areas people don't like venturing to such as Burning and Searing were fun again.
Also, Vashj'ir.. No.. never again.
Mists of Pandaria (2012)
Most Nostalgic Moment: While we have yet to see the best of the best, I have actually really enjoyed this expansion. It brought me back and while I don't agree with some of the things they've put in place, such as the ridiculous caps it's been really fun so far.
Least Nostalgic Moment: So far, it would have to be leveling a Prot Paladin from 89-90. I leveled it sole prot in dungeons up to that point and the damage was awesome. Sure, I could round up about 10 mobs but it would take forever to kill them and in general, it was a nightmare. This would have to die with dailies and reputation. I have no ambition to do all of those dailies again with another 90. Then again, I only have two 90s and one of them being the Prot Paladin. Perhaps with another char at 90 I'll feel differently.
?????? (2013/14)
Most Nostalgic Moment: Here's what I think will be the most Nostalgic moment, it'll be going back to the Outlands while the effects of the war on Azeroth have taken it's toll. Going back to those areas and seeing undiscovered parts of Outland would be awesome.
Least Nostalgic Moment: For me, I honestly think it'll be seeing people hit over 1 million HP just from quest gear. Have you seen the iLvl 600 cloaks they're giving people come soon? Good mother of all that is holy, that HP gain is absolutely nuts.
Man, where does the time go? When you just sit and think about everything in the past few years, it seems like yesterday, but in reality.. it was so, so, so long ago.