Alt-a-holic or the buffet player

How many alts is too many?  

Is alt hopping ADD?  Lack of commitment?  Inability to complete something?

In Wow you can have a maximum of 50 characters spread across servers with 10 maximum per server. As I have been three-boxing, I now have access to 150 character slots.  The mind boggles at the sheer possibilities of class combinations, professions, mini-groups, etc.  LOL!

I've honestly been having fun with this and have even been leveling characters other than my beloved hunters.  Last night was a shaman and mage on on Azuremyst Isle (I really think Bliz did an excellent job with the Blood Elf and Draenei start zones - a redo of the others would be great!!!).  

Tonight . . . hmm.  The level one druids? The three hunters working the Defias Gang chain quest?  The 'locks are needing some love too.  Two-box the DKs?   Lol time will tell when I log on!

In EQ2, I've always felt Sony was a bit stingy holding you to a mere seven character slots unless you 'upgrade' to a Station Account.   Seven is definitely not enough!  The argument is you can make more on test or on the EU servers.  Personally, I've found that to be a lame reason.  I've toyed with going back and boxing EQ2 as I really love that game, but the whole character slot issue always grinds me.  If you have 10 or 12 classes you should be able to make at least that many per server.  JMO though.  

You can't really try different servers in EQ2 with the limited character slots.  I've killed off a few that were close to max level, just to try a different class.  I hate that!  I mean EQ2's  PvP is a major commitment and if you don't have the character slots to play . . .  the same goes for the RP servers they sound so interesting, but do you wipe out years of work on characters to start over?  /sigh   I wish Sony would loosen up on that!  I'm seesawing between cancelling my account and up the other two - how is that for split personality - LOL!

Part of my buffet/alt issues (I'm polite I know I have issues!) are - 

• I've really discovered over the past few years of playing MMO's that I like leveling and questing.  I want to read the quest, some have lots of lore or humor.  Just the npc's what they say I find interesting.  Finding those Easter Eggs is a hoot!
• I like crafting (EQ2 trumps WoW, but I can tolerate WoW's as its light years better than Warhammers!) and have tried every profession in every game.  Some I enjoy more than others but all fun.
  
• I love exploring - developers made these huge worlds with all the backstory and lore, yet so many just pass through without even seeing it (or caring I imagine)
  
• I like PvP whether its RvR, world raids or scenario/battlegrounds - I'm not much of a ganker, so unless someone's being a real jerk I tend to live and let live, I don't embrace red is dead.  
  
• I like RPing (in my mind - I'm not sure I can type in the action that I'm thinking I'm doing - if you know what I mean). But creating a personality for that individual character (mine all seem very distinct!) with each's personality reflected in gear, housing, pets, mounts, skills, places to quest, etc.  Why else would a ratonga from Freeport want to live in Qeynos?  Why does my night elf insist on regular vists to Darnassus?  Why is my gnome banker fretting to get back to Ironforge (she's been touring Stormwind, Darnassus and now The Exodar)?  I know weird but so it is.
  

Alts vs Mains

First I hate calling one a 'main' and the rest alts.  Whomever I'm playing at that moment in time is the main.  Whether its a level 2 or 20 or whatever.  It's the focus and the 'main' at that time!

But how do you know you  have too many alts?  When they blur together?  LOL!  When you need a spreadsheet?  When you're playing a character and don't have a clue who it is?  I don't know.  Some people bound to one character and max that one, then start over with another and max it.   I'm too ADD I guess - I jump from a hunter to a mage to a hunter to a lock to  . . .  with relative ease and lots of enjoyment.

But in all honesty I do use a spreadsheet for WoW to keep track of skill levels on crafting, also on the secondary professions - who needs mageweave for bandages and who needs wool.  Who's done cloth turn ins, etc., what spec each is, etc.  Plus the number of hunters I have (it's a closely guarded secret as it's an embarassing number) keeping specs/pets/gear needs straight a spreadsheet is almost mandatory.

In EQ2 there are collection quests, heritage quests, etc., along with crafting and skill levels - so a spreadsheet (okay a few spreadsheets) keeps them in order. 

Warhammer with its (IMO crappy crafting and no housing, etc.) I've never bothered organizing the gang.   

I guess we each have to find our joy and entertainment in the MMO worlds we play in - if you're bored and not having fun time to find that joy again!    This is why I don't condemn anyone for their play style unless they're abusive or nasty!  If you want to sit in Goldshire and b.s. all day or never level past 10 or level to 80 in ten days or less your dime!  Just have fun doing it.  

Me - I'll be running a couple of characters somewhere on Azaroth or Norrath - finding the obscure places for them to visit and taking screenies and just entertaining me!