A different version of WoW?

So.

I finally decided to give WOW US a go. After much anguish over not going to Karazhan, over having to go to instances with kids bunking off school, over generally not playing with mature adults, I plucked up courage and installed WOW US.

Or at least I tried to.

The problem, it seems, is that WoW EU and WoW US, although claiming to be different versions with different patches, is that they're exactly the same. So when I came to try and install WoW US, my computer quite rightly told me to stop being an idiot - WoW was already installed.

Of course, this made me pause. If my computer thinks WoW is already installed, then thats because it has registry entries telling it so. How do I tell my computer that I want to install WOW somewhere else because I want TWO versions of it?

The simple answer is that you can't.

The only way out for me was to make a copy of the entire WoW folder and move it to a different directory or, in my case, drive. I've since renamed the folder and the shortcut to WoW US. And thanks to Elsha, I had a valid WoW & TBC license Key. And just to top it off, I went and got a free 14 trial key so I could play for free for a couple of extra weeks (I now have 44 free days to play to see whether I like it or not).

I checked with Elsha's B-I-L, and picked an Oceanic Server as my new home. Oceanic Servers are those that have been formatted to match the Australian daytime so our night is the Server's night. Unfortunately, the server itself is in America, so I still have latency, but it's not as bad as Europe - 400 to 800ms.

Umming and aahing, I decided to pick Paladin (I have so far played Druid, Hunter, Mage, Priest, Warrior, Shaman, Rogue and Warlock) and try levelling her as Protection-specced. That basically means I level slightly slower but I have boosted Armour and by picking the right equipment to wear, I can also boost my health.

Elsha's B-I-L went for a Priest, ostensibly so we could form up and play a healer/tank combo.
So far so good.

But... I do miss my old guild. I have friends and companions there whom I miss.

Must Blizzard really make me start all over again simply because they couldn't stick my details onto a dvd and send it overseas? Even though WoW EU and WoW US are exactly the same?

Why Western?

A long time ago, I was bought Bushido: The Way of the Warrior roleplaying game, and it remains today one of the few games I really want to play but have not managed to find anyone who could either understand its rules or want to play it.

Its a really interesting game system because it doesn't hinge at all on Western Ideology. Western ideology is apparent no matter which game you play in now, and I blame that fair and square on Capitalism.

Just for once I'd like to see a game where money doesn't matter, but in fact social status does.
The more quests you do, the more honour you receive. You can't trade honour, you can't sell it or buy it, you can only personally make it.

Killing things does not give you phat lewt. Saving towns gives you honour, helping people, etc.

MMOs should adopt a pyramid scheme so better and more social players can help lower level
players. Suddenly you have a game where community is more important than the gear you wear.

Why must we play Westernised games?