Playing Wonderland Online in a row for five years seems a lifetime ago. An eons of playing does take a toll on my well-being. In the years that I played the game, I experienced getting burned out, getting trashed on, and oh yeah...getting vengeful. An online game is purported to give us fun and entertainment. However, there is something about online game that is elusive and intangible to explain. It can ruin us or it can still serve its purpose as a platform for entertainment. No matter how I like to contest that I am still being myself, I would be a hypocrite not to admit that WLO has greatly change a part of my being in some ways.
I can't avoid observing the transformation each one of us go through while playing the game. We evolved ourselves through the characters we created. In some ways, it gave us satisfaction as we slowly see the progression of our hard works. In another ways, it can emit the dark side of our personalities. We somehow mold ourselves into our characters and became a different person. Through the passage of time, we forgot our own perspectives. The outcome isn't always good.
At some point, we all go through some of these reactions and any virtual game addicts would agree that online games play a very strong factor in our attitudes and behaviors. Whether we choose to let the games affect us or not is up to each individuals. "Till then, enjoy :)
As the game slowly introduced new versions, the attitude and behavior of the players altered as well. A few remain the same but majority have undergoes a tremendous changes overall. I survived five years refraining from antagonizing anyone (but this is hard....), straying away from the bad one and prefer to do things on my own. I was very much an anti-social when I first began playing the game. This was simply because I speak a different language as English isn't my first language. By sheer will of pride, I grew up and gained more confidence in the game. Until now, a part of me still retain that inherent shyness but the game curtained our real persona from the people we met.
Gaining weight
How many times did Cupid reminded us to take a rest after a long bouts with the game? An addict wouldn't heed to this advice. I am in league with this one. The first 3 years, the game completely possessed all my free time. Having my very own computer doesn't help either. I vividly remember telling myself that I was seriously jeopardizing my health and need to do something about it. Yet, I was being a gaffe for even thinking about it as my addiction was so deep I felt completely enslaved by the game.
I finally came to my senses the last 2 years when I started to lose motivation with the game. It was at a time when I really take a good look at myself in the mirror and realize I gained weight. I threw myself into getting back in shape by running around with my pups and eating more fruits and veggies sans the carbohydrates. My last weigh in-scale told me I lost 1 stone...yayayayayay!!!
Sticking cigars in their mouth
I couldn't associate with this one as I am not a smoker. However, I heard of players who became a chain smoker when they started to get hook with the game. There are situation wherein a player was so hype up they resort to smoking more and according to them, to relieve stress. Another instance are players who simply forgot the passing of times that they lost count of how many cigar sticks they had consumed.
I even knew of one player who force herself to quit the game when she realized she was turning her house into a chimney. Having her own kids around concerned her the most. She used to tell me she only smoke about 3 sticks each day. During her stint with WLO, she was perplexed to discover she consumed almost 2 packs within the day. This left a bad taste on her mouth and made the decision to quit online game for good.
Putting aside home works and examination
An addict would confess that they tend to forsake their home works and incoming examinations because they couldn't tear themselves away from the computer. Some even stayed up past midnight. Who could blame them? Home works isn't fun. Examinations is horrible. They could have an easier time when playing online. Nothing to memorize, no theory papers to finish, no deadline for a certain projects. You can hear them yelling joyously "Thank God, its Friday!!!"
I personally saw how my niece was grounded from using her notebook because her grades had dwindled down. She will spent about 15 minutes doing the day's assignments and about 2 or more hours in front of the computer. My brother decided to throw the towel and put my niece in different activities...anything that will separate her from her notebook.
Not everyone will lose control the same way like my niece though. I have a few guild mates who actually stayed offline during their school days. Some of their parents were pretty good in disciplining their children to restrict their computer times. Better concentrate on studies first as WLO will still be there when they come back during weekend, holidays or vacation time.
Resorting to slang and cursing
In my lifetime, I only played 2 online games. Maple Story and Wonderland Online. With Maple Story, majority of the players are from Singapore. I observed how they speak their language the Sing-lish way. Words like "pai-se" (ashame), "sian" (tired), or sentences they uttered and ending with "lah." Whilst at WLO, players like to use the word "emo" (like me), "dude" (for both gender), "brah" (brother). Some players like Fern (she requested to be included here...muah, ha, ha) like to use phrases like "chicken tits!!!"
Players are very much attuned to online game and couldn't resist getting into the trend of urban slang. While this is perfectly normal, cursing is another thing though. I can understand how easily an online game could affect a player's language. But we do have a choice whether we wish to inject curse words on our daily gaming life. I chose not to as I know I won't live long should it come to my grandmere's attention that I was cursing.
A player I knew spent his first few years learning English in my guild. When he took off and created his own guild, he learned how to curse along the way. This was the first thing I noticed about him when he put one of his character back to my guild. He started to infuse "WTF", "F*CK", or "LMAO" everytime he talked in guild chat. It isn't my place to remind him of these changes. But this is a perfect example of how the game influenced him.
Getting involve in dating game
Players like Tali and Derek is one relationship I witness that started off as online friends and eventually became a real life couple. Many people may frowned upon such thing, but online relationships does exist. It is very difficult to put into words about the existence of online relationships as I experienced this one myself. One should wisely take into accounts the differences between a real and reel relationships.
A lot of the young players were easily lured by a few sweet talks and started to believe they have a relationships. Be forwarned that there are cases where some guys like to collect girl friends and use this as a decoy and bait them to spill out their accounts and passwords resulting to accounts getting hacked.
Others used online game as a dating venue out of sheer boredom. But the reality is that some of them are involved in a real life relationships. Flirtation is also quite common and we can all consider this as harmless. Both parties should be aware that they are dealing with an online game and everything shouldn't be taken seriously unless they decided to bring their relationships on the next level.
Desperately want all the "godly items"
Old players will share how a frantic player will move mountain just to get what they want. By hook or by crook, they will do all sort of unimaginable things just to satiate their whims. Its quite normal for any of us to dream of having everything we need in a game. But to what extent one should go to acquire their needs?
If you are a maller, this shouldn't be a problem. For those who seldom or never spent money on the game, this could be a frustration. Some would suggest selling quests, be an alchemist and be a good trader. I tried to do all 3 things and all effort expended were worth it. This way, I wasn't hurting nor offending anyone.
Some players sell accounts in exchange for "godly items." It is common knowledge that there was a second duped catastrophe that occurred at Taurus server. Another complete and ignominious failure of IGG. There are many godly items hidden beneath the dupper's numerous accounts. I actually saw a swift bracer with a sea diamond inserted and a total of 200 forges that belongs to an old acquaintance. But he sold accounts that doesn't belong to him. In the real sense, this offended the original owner who entrusted their accounts only to find out in the end, that their accounts wasn't taken care of.
Others were spotted botting for gold and even brag about being on the top gold rank. Goodness, didn't anyone ever told this gold botters that gold is useless? I don't mind selling my items for gold but I stray away from gold botters. Nobody cares how much gold you carry on. They can't exchange their botted gold for real currency, isn't it?
Getting aggressive and pugnacious
Some players just couldn't simply enjoy the game. In heated moments, they notch things up on a personal level. Some even threatened to hack account/s if they didn't back away. This is often seen on PK event or Trojan War event. Two events I rarely join as I do not have the time to listen to their drama. No one could comprehend why they chose to be aggressive. Aggressive is fine so long you know how to balance yourself and know you are dealing with something as futile as an online game.
One such case when I joined a PK event. If I'm not mistaken, it was my second time to participate out of my five years tenure at WLO. I went there to have fun and didn't expect anything. When I continue to win in each round of battle, someone wasn't happy about it. He began cursing and saying stuff on local chat. After the event, I landed on 2nd rank spot and the guy threatened that I should be prepared on next week PK event.
Like seriously, I don't take this kind of thing personally. This is just a game after all and everyone is entitled to win or lose in any events. It is nice to be acknowledge as being a good pkers but everyone knows I wasn't built for that. I am happy just being a quest built girl.
The storyteller
I don't know whether I can deemed myself as a storyteller or not. I always consider myself as a blogger. Fed Book is actually my second blogger platform. I simply blogs about my feelings and whatever is up on my head. When I said "players as storyteller," I am referring to those who loves to share their real life stories or just about anything and everything under the sun.
Nevertheless, there are players who likes to create stories. Sharing and creating are two different things. When I started to open my shop, people visited my shop and share their stories. Some good, some bad, some rather kept confidential. But how does one know whether the stories we were hearing are factual or not. I witness first hand a girl who kept creating stories just so people will empathize with her.
I don't really talk much in the game and seldom share anything. I rather just be still and listen to other animatedly chatting their life's away. Not that it is bad but we should realize not every stories we heard are genuine. It is very easy to create a story as we are all hiding behind our characters. Some tend to fantasize and from there, create a fictitious tales.
At some point, we all go through some of these reactions and any virtual game addicts would agree that online games play a very strong factor in our attitudes and behaviors. Whether we choose to let the games affect us or not is up to each individuals. "Till then, enjoy :)
