It's occurred to me that my routine may not look particularly casual to some people. I honestly am not sure how to define casual. As someone who, at one point, raided 40 hours a week on top of many other hours per day play time (at one point I averaged 17 hours a day playtime) even playing 5 hours a day could seem casual.
So I've decided to put down what I'm actually doing so I can give a better picture of what "casual" means to me right now.
The main change in how I play isn't actually in what I do in-game but when and how I play. I used to skip classes to play, I'd play late into the night, and there was always something that needed to be done. Now I fit WoW into my schedule, my schedule is no longer built around WoW.
With one exception, and that is the time that I wake up. I have my first class at 8 AM and live 30 minutes from school, so I could get by waking up at 6:45-7, but instead wake up at around 5 AM. I like having a relaxing "sit around" feel to my mornings so I don't feel rushed, and I spend that time cancelling and reposting auctions. So from around 5-5:15 I cancel and repost auctions. Somewhere in there I shower as well.
I try to get my alt army through their Tillers farming and Faid her 20 Elites on the TI done during this time; but depending on how long AH chores took I may not have enough time, especially this week when Crown Chemical is tacked on to every alt's daily farming routine.
On MWF I only have class until noon, then go to the gym, then with the necessary post-gym shower I'm home and free again around 2. On T/R this is much later due to lab times and longer gym visits. Tuesday nights are Flex night with the guild, so no gold making happens on Tuesdays except for the occasional cancel/repost. This sucks because Tuesday nights are prime gem selling nights but gold making is not my top priority while Faid still has to gather Runestones.
When I get home, whatever time that may be, I cancel and repost auctions during my post-gym shower. (Cancel scan, hop in shower. Hop out, Gather mail. Finish drying off, Post Scan, etc.) From then on it's basically free time; some of it's done making gold; usually spent prospecting or milling while doing homework, and I'm usually "done" with my WoW "to do list" within an hour. I may pop on here and there to do some pet battles, cancel and repost, etc. but that's basically my routine. I do one cancel/repost before I head to bed and then keep going.
It's weird to be so loose in my gold-making considering the regimental routine I used to stick to but it's also liberating. Since nothing's perfect anyways I don't feel obligated to make sure I get to every task or be absolutely sure to be the cheapest on the AH. Things are much more laid back, it comes down to "What can I do in the time I have?" instead of "How can I make time for the things I need to do?", and I'm enjoying it a lot.
I'm up to half a million again, so that's like 500k in ~7 weeks? I'm happy with that. Plus I'm 1-2 weeks away from my legendary cloak, so yay!
500k In 7 weeks?
ReplyDeleteBloody Hell!
What has been your current best goldmaking source/profession during these 7 weeks?
ReplyDeleteAfter I saw 500k in 7 weeks I'm starting to wonder if it's my server, my routines, or just lack of attention to certain markets. Almost makes me wish I could hire you as a coach for a week >.<
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI am right behind you on the legendary cloak! Pretty exciting!! I have always tried to fit my wow time into my 'normal' school/work schedule and it can seem daunting. At times you can play more and others your too wiped to even log on! Your gold numbers are outstanding btw, gosh. Keep it up Faid, great to see you back in action!
DeleteI've been focused on goldmaking for 47 days now and I'm on track for 500k in another 8-10 days, give or take. I also don't feel like I've done anything crazy, nor am I widely diversified. I am of the belief that after reading your account (and its follow up) that perhaps the lack of diversification is better.
ReplyDeleteGenerally, I focus very hard on gems, and to a lesser extent on enchanting, and to an almost nonexistent extent (basically whatever I farm up on my 90's on Sunsong Farm) potions. There is a very very small side business in transmogs. Gems make up about 80% of what I make, however. Because of that, I think I understand that market extremely well. I don't saddle myself with gems I'm not going to sell very often. I know when it makes sense to buy a price up and I know when it doesn't.
Given that I've never actively attempted to make gold in WoW before, I'm not sure if this is a lot or a little. But it doesn't feel particularly difficult. Just a little bit tedious.