The Dangers of WoW
Sunday, 15 June 2008
I have a friend.
Surprising, I know. But that's not the point of this story.
As far as I can tell, she's a total and utter World of Warcraft addict and, as far as I can tell, it's having a detrimental effect on her life.
We used to talk quite a lot - either on the phone, or on msn, or via text message - and were really good friends. We've known each other for a long time and get on really well. Except she got this game a few months ago and, well, she's been getting more and more distant since she's been playing it. The first signs of trouble were so minor that I didn't really pay them much attention. MSN screen-names containing her character class and level; that sort of thing.
She even tried to get me to play it. I've dabbled in MMORPG's before - Guild Wars and Tabula Rasa are my favourites - but have no desire to play a standard RPG that has, luckily, very high production values. I've told her this in several emails that I was bombarded with at work, and also said that I don't have the time to play WoW enough to justify paying for a subscription every month. I have work, freelance work, books to read, other games to play, whiskey to drink. 'I never thought I'd have time to play it either', the lady doth protested, 'but I started and then I managed to find time anyway!'
That, ladies and gentlemen, sounds a bit like addiction.
It all got a little surreal last week. As far as I know, the level cap is 70, and she was on 68. She was also on Windows Live Messenger in the daytime, which is unusual as she's normally at work. So I asked, and was told that she'd booked the day off.
'Oh, for a special occasion?' I asked. Then, the answer that I'd been dreading came back.
'Yeah, I'm getting to level 70 today!'
Oh dear.
I haven't had a conversation with her for, literally, months. I can't make any inroads on MSN because I don't get past the initial greeting before she's back in fantasyland, and I'm not really in the mood to go ringing her. I'm too angry to speak, anyway. She texted me at the end of last week with an apology and, while I'm tempted to say it's fine and try to go back to normal, I know that won't be the case. She's ignored me - after saying that I'm her best friend - before and, when I've made issue with it, has promised that it won't happen again. Except it does, time and time again.
So now I'm left waiting. If she'd like to chat and talk and have a real conversation - which I really do miss, actually - then I'm here. If not, then I hope she's happy killing orcs and stuff.
Surprising, I know. But that's not the point of this story.
As far as I can tell, she's a total and utter World of Warcraft addict and, as far as I can tell, it's having a detrimental effect on her life.
We used to talk quite a lot - either on the phone, or on msn, or via text message - and were really good friends. We've known each other for a long time and get on really well. Except she got this game a few months ago and, well, she's been getting more and more distant since she's been playing it. The first signs of trouble were so minor that I didn't really pay them much attention. MSN screen-names containing her character class and level; that sort of thing.
She even tried to get me to play it. I've dabbled in MMORPG's before - Guild Wars and Tabula Rasa are my favourites - but have no desire to play a standard RPG that has, luckily, very high production values. I've told her this in several emails that I was bombarded with at work, and also said that I don't have the time to play WoW enough to justify paying for a subscription every month. I have work, freelance work, books to read, other games to play, whiskey to drink. 'I never thought I'd have time to play it either', the lady doth protested, 'but I started and then I managed to find time anyway!'
That, ladies and gentlemen, sounds a bit like addiction.
It all got a little surreal last week. As far as I know, the level cap is 70, and she was on 68. She was also on Windows Live Messenger in the daytime, which is unusual as she's normally at work. So I asked, and was told that she'd booked the day off.
'Oh, for a special occasion?' I asked. Then, the answer that I'd been dreading came back.
'Yeah, I'm getting to level 70 today!'
Oh dear.
I haven't had a conversation with her for, literally, months. I can't make any inroads on MSN because I don't get past the initial greeting before she's back in fantasyland, and I'm not really in the mood to go ringing her. I'm too angry to speak, anyway. She texted me at the end of last week with an apology and, while I'm tempted to say it's fine and try to go back to normal, I know that won't be the case. She's ignored me - after saying that I'm her best friend - before and, when I've made issue with it, has promised that it won't happen again. Except it does, time and time again.
So now I'm left waiting. If she'd like to chat and talk and have a real conversation - which I really do miss, actually - then I'm here. If not, then I hope she's happy killing orcs and stuff.
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