Virtual Reality
Virtual reality. As we become more technologically advanced, this comes closer and closer. Maybe one day, the virtual and real worlds will meet in some science fiction reality. But now, the closest I've been to VR is in MMORPGS - massively multiplayer online role playing games. Usually the player takes the role of a character represented by an avatar in a game and lives out his life in the game - as the rules and world rules of the game dictates.
I've grown up with video games and this is just the next step in gaming. From stand alone pcs, to slow 14.4k modems and LANs to MMOs. But I came to realize something today. No matter how it is, virtual friends - people you get to know in the virtual world - can never replace real friends in the real world. I know them as nick names, maybe first names, what they do, where they come from, their job, maybe. But usually not much more. The only thing we do talk about is about the game as it's the only thing that we have in common initially.
As everyone is behind nicknames, and can make different characters, it's hard to weed out people's motives or who they really are. Being a somewhat too honest chap, I've encountered maybe more than my fair share of internet pain. I guess it is true that nice guys finish last. It seems so in the internet world where you're ditched just because you've got no more use to them. It just seems more prevalent that you're used by people and people have less qualms about using others because it's just a game, or it's just hiding behind the characters.
Maybe it's just me being bitter and upset about these so-called "friends", but the good thing is that it has woken me up to the reality that this game is more curse than fun, and that it would not be so bad to leave it after all and focus on my real life.
These two worlds collide, real life and the virtual world and it's a hard thing to find a good balance between the two of them. If you are focusing too much on the real world and neglect the virtual world, then you're dumped by the guild you're in. So there goes the concept of playing for fun because it's no longer fun when you have to fight for your spot in addition to fighting to your real world. And then there's politics involved wherever humans are involved, so add that element in as well and you've got a recipe for more stress than is actually wanted from such a game.
Back to the topic of friends. I learnt the hard way that in such a game, there is no such thing as loyalty, honesty or trust. You are only kept for as long as they can get any use out of you. And it is up to yourself to get what you can out of it. I never used to think like that - but after the last turn of events, I can't be bothered to help anyone else anymore. It's not worth my time or effort because everytime I tried, it's only led to pain and heartbreak.
So screw the others, I'm only going to be concerned for myself only. I don't care if it sounds harsh, because it's better I look after myself than let others take advantage of my niceness.
I've grown up with video games and this is just the next step in gaming. From stand alone pcs, to slow 14.4k modems and LANs to MMOs. But I came to realize something today. No matter how it is, virtual friends - people you get to know in the virtual world - can never replace real friends in the real world. I know them as nick names, maybe first names, what they do, where they come from, their job, maybe. But usually not much more. The only thing we do talk about is about the game as it's the only thing that we have in common initially.
As everyone is behind nicknames, and can make different characters, it's hard to weed out people's motives or who they really are. Being a somewhat too honest chap, I've encountered maybe more than my fair share of internet pain. I guess it is true that nice guys finish last. It seems so in the internet world where you're ditched just because you've got no more use to them. It just seems more prevalent that you're used by people and people have less qualms about using others because it's just a game, or it's just hiding behind the characters.
Maybe it's just me being bitter and upset about these so-called "friends", but the good thing is that it has woken me up to the reality that this game is more curse than fun, and that it would not be so bad to leave it after all and focus on my real life.
These two worlds collide, real life and the virtual world and it's a hard thing to find a good balance between the two of them. If you are focusing too much on the real world and neglect the virtual world, then you're dumped by the guild you're in. So there goes the concept of playing for fun because it's no longer fun when you have to fight for your spot in addition to fighting to your real world. And then there's politics involved wherever humans are involved, so add that element in as well and you've got a recipe for more stress than is actually wanted from such a game.
Back to the topic of friends. I learnt the hard way that in such a game, there is no such thing as loyalty, honesty or trust. You are only kept for as long as they can get any use out of you. And it is up to yourself to get what you can out of it. I never used to think like that - but after the last turn of events, I can't be bothered to help anyone else anymore. It's not worth my time or effort because everytime I tried, it's only led to pain and heartbreak.
So screw the others, I'm only going to be concerned for myself only. I don't care if it sounds harsh, because it's better I look after myself than let others take advantage of my niceness.
posted by Dippers at 4:41 AM
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