Critical mass when playing one night a week

Working on my farm

There is a lot of excitement when starting a new game or a new expansion for an existing game.  However, when you are only playing one day a week, it doesn't keep you going, it is more a reminder of how far behind you'll be soon.

I've discovered that there is a 'critical mass' I've reached playing World of Warcraft that makes it more enjoyable to stay with the game than to start a new game.  I know people who are playing.  I'm not an expert, but I'm comfortable with the way the game works, the way the crafting works and I don't feel like I am missing too much.

I tried to play Lord of the Rings Online and you'd think it would be a better fit for a person playing one night a week.  There is no monthly charge, the cost for adding the areas for questing is minimal given that it would take me quite a while to complete them at my current rate.  However, I played a couple of characters to around level 10 and I've stopped.

If my daughter or wife were able to play at the same time I could, that would probably make a big difference, but I just didn't have the motivation to keep going.

Most MMOs are difficult to play one night a week.  Even with World of Warcraft, although it's easy enough to finish the quests, it is difficult to remember what I was doing one week to the next.  However, it's much easier if you know there are people there you can chat with or to whom you can ask questions.  It's easier knowing that there are only 5 levels (3 now) until I can advance my status with the Tillers and play around with the different cooking and farming options.

So, here I am some days not playing at all, some days only planting.  However, about once a week I do get a session where I have time to play and enjoy the game and, hopefully, see some of the people I've played with these last 8+ years.  That's longer than I've been with two of my three daughters.  Although I don't get to see them often now, that does count for something.