Confessions of a Video Game RPG’er

Hello blog-o-sphere! Since I haven't given you anything meaty to chew on in a few weeks, I have been holding onto this one for a while and finally decided to let it go. Let me know what similar experiences you may have with regards to video gaming.

Dungeons and Dragons Online Load Screen

I can say that honestly, I have an addictive personality…without question. When I smoked cigarettes (up until about 2004-2005ish, I can’t remember when I quit), I was all in! I smoked something fierce. It wasn’t until I decided that enough was enough that I quit. And in all honesty, I would have started back up again if it wasn’t for my son’s face when he told me how proud he was of me when I did it. But, I digress. Point is, I did the same thing with video games.

I played Neverwinter Nights, Diablo 2, Temple of Elemental Evil and even tried Dragon Age recently (just to name a few) and LOVED them. Then I was addicted to the MMORPG’s. I played Dungeons & Dragons Online and eventually migrated to the grand-daddy of all MMORPG’s: World of Warcraft (Or, World of Warcrack as it is affectionately known in certain circles.) I did not play them; I immersed myself in them.

A WOW Screenshot for guild website Home Page

Here is the allure of it: Go to your PC, log in and get immediate gratification. You do not need to wait for other people (for the most part), and you can work at your own pace.

Table top gaming, of which I am a huge fan, requires patience, teamwork and social skills to get the most out of them. Video games can be played alone. It is a strange, sexy and compelling dynamic. And again, keep in mind that these are my experiences, yours may be completely different.

I played these RPG video games to the point where I wanted to be in their worlds more than my own. I was to the point where I cared more about how much gold I had than how much money I had in my own checking account. It was bad.

My point of this is to be careful. Know your own personality. Know your family needs. Make a schedule and stick to it if necessary. Video gaming is not worth losing your family, girlfriend, boyfriend, loved one.

Also, and this is a BIG also: I do not blame the video game companies! I cannot state that enough. It’s not their fault; it was mine! I am taking personal responsibility for my faults and addictions. On a side note, just because some bands play devil music does not make me want to worship the devil. You decide what you do. Always. Capishe? You are the captain of your own brain-ship; drive it responsibly.

There you go. I shared my experience and said my peace. I will probably expand on this in later blogs or re-hash certain experiences with you all too if you want to hear them.

Now, does anyone have a similar experience that they can share?

Of course you do—Lemme’ hear ‘em

I hope you enjoyed the sample! See you in Wothlondia! Cheers!

Please visit MY HOME PAGE to enjoy an extended reading experience, see direct links to purchase my full length novel, Covenant of the Faceless Knights, the short stories: Wothlondia Rising, and to see what else Ashenclaw Studios, LLC has in store in the future!

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