I speak this time not as someone with Social Anxiety Disorder, but as someone who is disabled due in part to some physical conditions (Fibromyalgia, Migraines) and this can make every day life difficult, let alone computer gaming.
I played a hunter in World of Warcraft. I think by the time I quit, she was a level 71 or 72. It was right after Wrath of the Lich King came out. When I had started playing, both my brother and my daddy played the game and I was excited to play with them.
But drama galore in that guild, so my ex (who I was engaged to at the time) and I joined another guild. I loved this guild. It was filled with so many funny, kind, smart, witty, caring people.
And we had a lot of fun in the dungeons and running around doing stuff, but then we got up to the levels where it was time for the raids, and we couldn't do it because we just didn't have enough people.
So we had 2 options: join a larger guild or recruit.
We chose option 2, but still weren't having enough people on when we needed, and some of the recruits got so pissed if we weren't right there doing everything for them.
So I told them to go ahead and find a larger guild to join. I knew I wouldn't be able to go with them. Why? Because larger guilds, the good guilds, the "top" guilds, would not want a guild member that might have to leave because they are sick. If I didn't have the best armor, they didn't want me. And how could I get the best armor if it was going to result in my health being hurt?
Now let me guess, some of you are thinking: So don't play.
Or: Only play the small stuff.
It just feels sometimes that that option is so unfair. I'm ill, so what am I doing wasting my time with MMORPGs? It's not like I can do all of the end game stuff so it's pointless! Too bad that I wanted to play with my family!
This was the decision my mom had to choose. She quit WoW because she couldn't sit up at the computer anymore, and I know she was upset because it meant losing some of that time, time she enjoyed, with us. And she can't try out new games with Daddy at all now.
Sometimes I wish they had things that were just as worth doing that won't take 5 hours of my time. I wish that there were ways guilds could do well without having to recruit members that are assholes or want the leaders to do everything for them.
It sucks that illness already gets to take so much from me.
I am in a similar position, different medical issues, but whomever I game with has got to understand I may bail out, perhaps suddenly some nights.
ReplyDeleteThe way I look at it is that I will not have the time, money, or resources to enjoy all the content an MMO* has to offer, but I have become fairly zen about it. Picking a level of engagement and figuring out the right balance so you get to enjoy the content you would enjoy the most is part of the game experience. For me this actually contributes to the feeling of a living world because two players may not see the same story lines and that is actually pretty cool from a RPG standpoint.
Have you tried Guild Wars 2 Emi? I played it fairly solidly for a while and with raids you just join in. Sure there are guilds and stuff, which give you bonuses and stuff but I just wandered around the big raid sites etc. and just joined in. A good option perhaps?
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, she's the co leader of our Guild in Guild Wars 2! We have a small guild but it's got people we know and who know us and understand if someone is not up to it, which occasionally happens. You're right, it's a really good game for that kind of game play.
DeleteYes, I have. It's been a nice change of pace and we've been able to play every Monday with a small group and have done a good job together. I really appreciate the differences with GW2. It lets me play with people again.
DeleteEmi,
ReplyDeleteAlthough I do not suffer from any severe maladies I am still able to relate. The main issue I have is that I refuse to have a second job. When raiding, you are part of a large community that relies on your punctuality, ability to understand your role in resolving tasks and most of all the ability to commit in the same fashion as your fellows. (Much like my job) There is the rub. I cannot make myself take a game as seriously as is needed to effectively raid. I see it as something I do with my leisure time and as a way of forgetting about my day to day worries and immerse myself into a fantastic world. Certainly the thrill of achieving goals and especially the camaraderie that comes along with shared achievement are perhaps the foundation for the somewhat addictive nature of these games, but having several other interests that made fewer demands on my time and attention eventually steered me away from MMO’s as a whole. It was at that time that I really began to push myself and my friends to hang out and play around a table. Whether it was a game of Formula De, Red Dragon Inn or simply Dungeons and Dragons, I got the same level of endorphin filled fun as I ever did online and did it on my terms. Perhaps you and your family may find a better outlet in these kinds of games. Of course there is a thriving community of gamers on G+ you can call on to aid you or even join in.
I wish you well my dear and hope you find the kind of entertainment you are looking for, but when you play these online games, they will always be designed towards those who can afford obsess over them as opposed to those who simply want to have a little fun.
Regards,
Jim Sandoval