The Evolution of Raiding 1

No matter what you think about World of Warcraft, few can deny that it is an immersive MMO experience that manages to cover the many aspects of the genre with a level of polish that one would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in one package. Whether you are into PVE, PVP, or RP, you can find it all in WoW at a level that few games are capable of reaching (although, some RPers would adamantly argue that the lack of a housing system is one of the great pitfalls of the game that is yet to be rectified). However, my favorite aspect of the game is PVE; and, further still, raiding. There is nothing like getting together with 9 or 24 guildies - or maybe even a PUG if you are desperate or not willing to be tied down - and downing the great, big baddies that the game has to offer.
As someone who started playing the game during the second expansion, The Burning Crusade, I have only seen some of the evolutionary process that WoW has gone through over the years. However, the one thing that has remained a constant in all my time with the game is the hardcore versus casual raiding debate. This topic has sparked many a flame war in the WoW forums. Casuals believe that they should be able to experience the content that the more hardcore players do because it is part of the game that they are paying for - even if they lack the skill and/or time to commit that the more hardcore players do - and understandably so. During the Burning Crusade, there were long atunement quest chains, nigh insurmountable gear checks, and *gasp* skill - yes, skill - barriers that prevented them from doing so.