Friday, November 27, 2009

The end of a goblin era

Did you know that Gevlon actually wasn't any goblin at all in the first place? Or if he was, he was using a disguise all the time.

"I'm Gevlon, a human paladin with quite a strange story".
Those were the initial words in the first post written by the Greedy Goblin on September 6 2008. I'm proud to say that apart from himself (and possibly his gf), I was probably the first one to read it, and definitely the first one to comment. Check out for yourself.

Under the name Ghostboci, Gevlon had been a long time commenter at The Pink Pigtail Inn before he decided to start a blog of his own. As he wrote me, asking me for some advice how to make his new blog noticed, I was more than happy to help him out. Looking back, I can't help finding the following dialogue we had in the comments to this post rather sweet. Who could have thought at that point that Gevlon's blog would develop into one of the most visited, subscribed for, and talked-about blogs in the entire WoW blogosphere? Of course I don't think for a second that this this development took place because of my initial support; he has definitely done everything thanks to his own force, creativity and effort. But it was cool to see it happen, to be around from the very start.

During the soon-to-be 15 months that Gevlon has been blogging, he has developed quite a bit as a blogger . Well, the layout hasn't, he sticks to his minimalistic Blogger basic standard look, a living proof that content and interesting ideas mean so much more than pretty pictures for the impact of a blog. But the content has. He has gone through several periods. Sometimes he has been teaching gold making basics. Sometimes he has rather been preaching, spreading his goblin political ideas to anyone who was prepared to listen. Gevlon has also often put his idea at trial, performing practical experiments such as his buy-myself-a-raid-spot period and various apprentices, who he gave the tools to get rich - if that was what they wanted.

Now it's time for a new, possibly rather sharp turn in his blogging career. After hitting the gold cap on several occasions, after proving his points, like when his guild raided Ulduar dressed up in blue gear, it has been obvious that Gevlon had run out of challenges.

I've silently wondered if he would find the spark again, or if he would just close down the blog and terminate the subscription, since it didn't entertain him anymore. Gevlon gave me the answer the other day, as he declared that he had changed his "About me"-page:

This is what it says:

Now my focus is on soloing low level instances, with locked XP low level character, or with a pair of such characters with my girlfriend. I found this gameplay very much fitting to my anti-social playstyle, as I'm free to try out new tactics, don't have to carry nor being carried by others, can do it whenever I want, choosing my own challenges. While I still post about WoW economy, I do it rarely as I don't really see new, uncovered fields.
I'm pretty sure that this shift in focus will cost the Greedy Goblin some readers. How-to-make-gold is a topic that never goes out of fashion, while how-to-solo-low-level-instances is a very small niche.

Of course Gevlon is aware of this. His +3500 subscribers will probably remain stable for a while more (I think people are too lazy to unsubscribe actively), but the clicks will be fewer and so will the comments be. But so what? Gevlon doesn't care! Gevlon has never tried to make any profit from his blog. He doesn't own anything to anybody. He just keep doing what he always has done: enjoying the most precious of the privileges of a non-payed blogger: the freedom of speech.

Gevlon, we have disagreed more than once since you started your blog. I don't know if there's any way that I can disagree with you on the topic of soloing instances. Maybe I can. No one can be provocative like you.

Still you can be certain that this pigtailed gnome who joined you from the very start will follow you on your wanderings in this new field, even after the spotlights have been turned off and the thousand headed anonymous crowd has gone somewhere else to fight over nothing.

As a matter of fact, I'm quite looking forward to it. Who knows, maybe we'll once again get to see that human paladin who got lost somewhere on the way.

This one is for you Gevlon. Cheers!

PS And while I'm at it, here's one more toast for another old blogging friend of mine, Gnomeaggedon. He is going to appear as a special guest at the upcoming show of Twisted Nether Blogcast. You can follow it live on Friday November 27 at 8 pm PST, 11 pm EST, (which unfortunately is 5 am in the morning European Game Time). If you'll miss it because you're a turkey eating American or a sleepy European, you can do like I will and download it a few days later from the Twisted Nether website. Best of luck Gnome! You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this. Cheers!

15 comments:

MLW said...

He's the best WoW blogger that I have read. No one is more interesting, and no one is more willing to challenge conventional thinking, especially the addictive nature of these games, as much as him. I think he will always produce new ideas and perspective, regardless of his choice of activity. I'm looking forward to his new posts.

Kromus said...

I say bring on the new focus if he can write it as well as his other topics.

I think the first few posts you read have to be about a common interest, but after a while you become more interested in the blogger then the topic, and hopefully by that possible philosphy I hope he doesn't lose any at all :)

Its a good thing to do, though. Do what you want to do, not what the world trys to force you to do :)

Bell said...

He possibly could gain some readers back, really. I know a few people (as well as myself) who kind of fell out of reading his blog when he started social commentary instead of WoW information. Maybe with the change we'll wander back.

Klepsacovic said...

Interesting.

Gevlon said...

The support you gave at the start was crucial. I simply did not know where to start. Being completely new to a field, not knowing what terms to search in google is a hard period. Also you driven me the first big batch of visitors.

Thanks!

Anonymous said...

lol Larisa, no pressure now. I can't wait & it's a shame you can't make it, although maybe a little Gnomeaggedon and Squidly won't go astray with your morning coffee...

You were my first reader, well commenter at least, so I dare say in the first few. You have alway provided great support & I will be thinking ofand raising a beer to you when I am on tomorrow!

Panos said...

Gevlon's blog is indeed one of the most interesting ones to read out there.

Moreover, its nice to see that the bloggers community offers support to new members and the effect that this can, unltimately, have.

Larísa said...

@Jormundgard: Yeah. Even if I don't agree with Gevlon in all of his political ideas, there's one red line in his writing which I embrace totally: "think for yourself. It may take a bit of effort to get out of the chains of conventions and the expectations from others. But do it anyway. Free your mind and make your own opinions."

@Kromus: Yeah. To get my attention you need to write in an interesting way about something that interests me. But once this is done and I've got to know the blogger, it isn't that important what they write about. The relationship is already established.

@Bell: maybe. I think it's a tough niche, but who knows. The goblin has surprised us before.

@Gevlon: I'm glad you appreciated it and that I obviously at least didn't mislead you completely. My blog wasn't more than 7 months old, of which I believe 3 or 4 in English. So I wasn't really any expert. By now you have been blogging far longer than I had done when I wrote that advice post. I wonder what advice you would give if you got the same question from a next-generation goblin?

@Gnomeaggedon: If it only had been one or two hours later it would have worked, but 5 am a saturday morning is painful, especially since I'll probably stay up wow-ing until 1 am or so.... :(
But hey, maybe you can impersonate me? Pretend that I'm in the chat room! You've known me such a long time now that you should be able to figure out how I would comment and what I would ask you...

@Lance: There is indeed a lot of support and a very generous, caring atmosphere. I remember how much it meant to me when Aurik at /hug and Softhisle at A little Wow for me early greeted me welcome and commented on my blog as I did my first stumbling steps. And I remember an early mentioning and link love from Matticus. It really gave me inspiration to keep doing this. And even if I can't be everywhere and encourage everyone that deserves it, I still try to help out a little when I see an opportunity, commenting on new blogs that no one ever has heard of. I'm just trying to pay forward I guess. And I know a lot of other bloggers think the same way. If we want our community to stay refreshed, new bloggers replacing the ones who quit, we have to take good care of them and include them at an early stage.

We Fly Spitfires said...

I have a sort of love/hate relationship with Gevlon's blog :) Some of his stuff I find incredibly fascinating or funny yet other stuff, usually his political views, drive me up the wall :)

Ultimately his posts are definitely interesting though :)

Anonymous said...

Another nice post, Pinky!! I'm a reader of both yours and greedys blogs and thoroughly enjoy both for various reasons of which I won't elaborate at this time.

It's not too surprising that you would make a congratulatory post to the goblin in this way, nevertheless, it is refreshing. I chalk it up to your nurturing nature and willingness to support others even if their ideals or opinions aren't exactly as yours.

You say, here's to you, greedy. I say here's to you, Pinky!! Well done, friend. As always, I'm looking forward to more of your refreshing and inspiring posts.

Quicksilver said...

I actually believe that Gevlon has done a smart move from moving further away from the pure gold-making blogs, especially with all the lol-teenager-goldmaking blogs around which sprouted like mushrooms ever since gevlon and a couple of others let people know about Inscription and its benefits.

They even started using Gevlon terminology(goblin, M&S etc), already making him a sort of spiritual-father, because hey: "I are camping AH to make l33t goldz in wow I iz goblin"

Atm, making gold in wow is no great feat ( at least compared to what it used to be).

It was nicely used to attract people to his blog (I know that's how I found it, and through his links I found the PPI), but stirring away from it seems like a logical decision for someone who has a number of ideas to share.

lonomonkey said...

I read Gevlon out of sheer fascination I think. I just love the provocative ideas and even if I don't agree with him when it comes to political (I agree on the cause not the solution) he still manages to write it in an intelligent manner, something I respect.

You don't agree with Gevlon publicly to save appearances but deep down inside you want him to take over the world.

Carra said...

I've been following his blog for quite some time. He offers interesting reading.

It's fun to read ideas that challenge the mind. You don't have to agree with everything he says but at least it makes people *think*.

And of course, I agree with a lot of his thoughts ;)

Tesh said...

So, what's next? The Puritanical Paladin? Or a real Goblin once Cataclysm hits? ;)

Aye, I'll occasionally read Gevlon, and I applaud the new "direction" of playing low level dungeons. I wish more people would do that, playing for fun and challenge, rather than just going through the motions for raiding or welfare epics and daily chore gold.

Larísa said...

@We Fly Spitfires: Yeah, there are too many meh-blogs out there. Gevlon is one of the few that somehow touches me.

@Anonymous: “Pinky”, haha! That’s the first time I’ve been called that. But thank you for the appreciation and cheers!

@Okrane S: Gevlon, the spiritual father of the gold blogging community! Yeah, I think you’r right about that. And actually you could be right about that now is the time to move on if you want to be in the cutting edge of wow blogging. Time to find another niche to explore…

@Lonomonkey: Take over the world? Hm. I don’t think I’d go as far as that! But yeah, I too am tired of political correctness, people forming their opinions just in order to please others and retain their influence, not because they actually think so. Hypocrisy is something I really hate, and I think that’s something I have in common with Gevlon.

@Carra: Even if you disagree with everything at least you have to find solid arguments why you do so. And that’s a good thing too.

@Tesh: The only problem I see with the solo-dungeons-concept is that I can’t quite see myself doing it with my mage. Well, I guess if I went frost but… I think it’s more fun with a class that has more different possibilities – a hybrid or a class with a pet. But who knows, I may roll one and go for my own challenge hunt one day, inspired by Gevlon.