Guild Wars 2

As I understand you and think like you.

I feel for you, and in a similar but not quite the same situation.

I’m 33, male, and my wife is disabled with Chronic Pancreatitis and Myasthenia Gravis so I have to stay at home in case she needs me. I used to work in retail before she got bad.

Guild Wars 2 is to me what television might be for other people. I’ve clocked up 9,300 hours (granted some AFK is in there!) which has helped me pass the time and get by during difficult situations. I’m probably spending too much time on it if I’m honest, but I agree with you all the same – I think the game is great as it is and I’m glad to always have somewhere to go when I need it.

:)

A lot of people who always say the usual “video games is a waste of time”, they usually sit in front of their TV all day long.
There is nothing wrong with spending your time on video games, unless if it’s an addiction and it causes you to not function in your dailylife.
(Not saying that’s the case with OP)

The thing is, it’s not a lifestyle option for the large majority of people… any able-bodied person of working age who is spending that much time in-game on a daily basis is wasting time, because they probably have a lot of other things they have to be doing. I’m not saying I want to be stricken with a debilitating condition, but I’d probably be playing a lot more if I didn’t have to go to this stupid job every day to support myself.

Anyway, I’m glad you’ve found relief in GW2, and I wish you the best in the future.

Only problem I have with any of it are those that live on these games and declare people like me lazy/entitled/‘wants everything on a silver platter’ when we express dismay over things we find to be inordinately time-consuming or elsewise demanding of degrees of commitment folks like me cannot afford to give to game-things.

Personally, I think its a wonderful way for people that would elsewise be shut-ins or isolated for just whatever reasons to be connected in some way to people and activities they would never otherwise get to be.

My situation is simple: I work a lot and am adamant in my prioritizations of making sure I spend the time with my friends and family that works best for us before spending time on things like my games.

If nobody’s trying to tell me to ‘stop being a scrub’ or ‘get a guild’ or other comparatively asinine dismissals when I say things like ‘Nobody with anything to do in their lives except live on the game and farm for XXXX will ever be able to get XXXX, and I think that’s dumb.‘, I’m not very much inclined to criticize what others do with their time either.

And for people like you, OP, I’m sincerely glad we live in a time when things like this exist for people in your position. It might not be the life you likely would’ve hoped for yourself, but I’m glad that things like this can provide something better and more than isolation, loneliness and nothing to look forward to for those that might very well need it.

What is OP? I’m sorry

Original Poster, which is you as you originated the thread.

naiasonod.9265:

Only problem I have with any of it are those that live on these games and declare people like me lazy/entitled/‘wants everything on a silver platter’ when we express dismay over things we find to be inordinately time-consuming or elsewise demanding of degrees of commitment folks like me cannot afford to give to game-things.

Personally, I think its a wonderful way for people that would elsewise be shut-ins or isolated for just whatever reasons to be connected in some way to people and activities they would never otherwise get to be.

My situation is simple: I work a lot and am adamant in my prioritizations of making sure I spend the time with my friends and family that works best for us before spending time on things like my games.

If nobody’s trying to tell me to ‘stop being a scrub’ or ‘get a guild’ or other comparatively asinine dismissals when I say things like ‘Nobody with anything to do in their lives except live on the game and farm for XXXX will ever be able to get XXXX, and I think that’s dumb.‘, I’m not very much inclined to criticize what others do with their time either.

And for people like you, OP, I’m sincerely glad we live in a time when things like this exist for people in your position. It might not be the life you likely would’ve hoped for yourself, but I’m glad that things like this can provide something better and more than isolation, loneliness and nothing to look forward to for those that might very well need it.

This, all the way. Frequently, when people who invest so much time into the game address (sigh) “casuals,” they do so in a demeaning way. As someone with a job and another MMO to focus on, GW2 has to do a lot to compete for my attention. I’ll be honest when I say I don’t overly mind some of the “grindy” tasks (ascended gear, yer gettin’ the stink-eye, you too, Maudry), but I poke at them when I can. I’d rather not have some otherwise-unproductive SOB tell other players they need to “l2p” or gold-grind for things that shouldn’t be so obnoxious to get.

Enough of that ramble though.

OP, I’m glad that GW2 brings you enjoyment that’s worthy of your time. And thank you for bringing some light and civility to the game and forums. Wish you the best.

GW2 is a wonderful hobby. It’s a rich and attractive world, and easy to stay immersed in if you’re of a particular mindset. If playing this helps you get through your day then that’s great. While I wasn’t in the exact same boat as you, OP, it helped me get through some issues I was facing. Plus it’s fun!

Some people aren’t going to get your situation and, with the Internet being what it is, will release their inner sociopath and let you know all about it. I’m sure you know which mental bin to put those people in.

For me it has become somewhat more than a game. Little about me, 26 years old, was in the Air Force for six years, now I’m a full time student, so I have a lot of time on my hands. I have dedicated a lot of time into this game (+5k hours) and countless hours on the forums with advice and other things. Some people think it’s a waste of time and my talents would be better elsewhere. However, I enjoy this game and the community. As long as I still have a passion for this game and the many friends I’ve met through it, I’ll continue to play.

Hi Jaymee… I can understand what you’re saying completely and I’m happy you found something to take your mind off your pain.

My wife is disabled and I care for her. Often distraction is the only thing that works for her pain as well. Don’t worry about what other people say. They don’t live your life, and people who haven’t been in your situation won’t understand. Most of them anyway.

For my wife, Guild Wars 2 is also a way of life.

Really enjoyed your post, Jaymee. Though I am not in your situation, I can easily see myself having the exact same perspective if I were in your shoes. Honestly, for someone to tell you that you are “wasting” your time displays an appalling lack of sensitivity, in my opinion.

Though it’s funny, as I type this, I remember a few years ago, in a different game, I was, briefly, in a guild with a guild leader who was disabled and also spent a great deal of time online in-game. At first, it was pretty cool, logging in and knowing she’d be there. But then came the day that she testily informed us that she could see no reason why each of us could not spend 4 hours per day gathering materials to donate to guild upgrades.

Four hours. A day. Doing nothing but running around in-game chopping trees, mining metals, and harvesting plants. After working at least 40 hours a week (and often more), if I had come home and spent four hours gathering materials I would never have had time to actually play the game.

I didn’t share that story because I thought you were in any way similar to her. I don’t get any kind of vibe from your post that you expect everyone else to show the same level of commitment to the game as you do. But it does illustrate that no matter where you fall on the scale of time invested in the game, everyone needs to be aware that we all have the right to choose our own level of commitment to our gaming hobby, and no one should be made to feel bad about that choice.

Thanks for sharing your experiences, Jaymee! :-)

Jaymee.1560:

This game is a way of life for me, and I know I can’t be the only one who feels this way. If I was not meant to live in the world the way most do, I praise ArenaNet for giving me another world I could live in and be a valuable member of, in which I am no longer invisible to the world.

This… can’t be wrong.

While you have my sympathy, I cannot agree with you.

It’s obvious that you were not given the same opportunities in life as most people.

The fact is, no one was.

We all have our limitations, the things that hold us back. Some have it tougher, many have it easier. And there are many ways in which we can all become a valuable member in this world, not necessary for the whole world, but at least for some people. Escaping to other worlds, artifially made, is not one of those ways.

Games can be a good way to make friends, to compete, to develop social skills, to develop leadership, to train the brain, your reflexes, relax, have fun, and whatever. They can even provide you with the money to sustain a family, which is trascendent per se.

But helping an artificial guy in Shaemoor has no trascendence at all. No more than watching a tv show does.

Helping guys in Tyria is just some escape, which you surely need (and i am not even willing to question how much of that you need, you surely know better than I do), but nothing else and, for other things, I am sure you can do better than that. (an i, in no way, mean to tell you how you should live your life)

Gaile Gray.6029:

I love this thread. I am sharing it with the entire dev team, because I think it’s a wonderful point of inspiration for those of us who are creating, to helping those who create, a game world in which players can have fun, meet friends, and have respite from the challenges of daily life.

All the best to you, Jaymee, and to you and your wife, penelopehannibal.

Gaile, I hate to be that guy, but please also tell them to make PvE not to suck.

Haha, jk. :P

OP, I feel you so much. I was trying to explain this to my girlfriend just the other day and she was amazed by my words. She is the kind of person that has barely touched a videogame in her life and the fact that they can be so important and refreshing in people’s lifes took her by surprise. We can fall in love, meet new important friend and allies and even free ourselves from our physical limitations through playing.

Kudos to you and the Anet team and shall we meet in game.

I do not have physical disabilities. But recently my mental ones have thrown my life for a loop. Lost my job, can’t find another. Things of the like and this game has done nothing short of aid me in all of it.

I love this world. I love that in this game I can talk, share, and communicate in ways I simply cannot in real life. Even after years of actual therapy, I’ve never found anything like a game that allows me to be social and not stuck on some mental spiral.

I am glad that you feel how you do and no it is NOT wrong. We all have reasons we do what we do and they are all okay choices. This game is an amazing place.

Everyone needs an escape, some more than others. if spending money on GW2 brings you happiness, then why the hell not, I say. No different than spending money on any other hobby or consumable vice.

GW2, and really any MMO where you feel at home, can become your own world. I adore GW2 and I love the community. As Mike and Collin said at pax so many times, GW2 is by far the friendliest MMORPG community in the world.

GW2 is my home away from home, where I connect with people all over the world for one common goal: Having fun and getting away from life’s stresses.

Since I am not in this situation nor do I know anyone who is, I never thought about it this way. But the OP shows how great a game like this can be to some people. I am glad for you that this game relieves some of your burden, and allows you to do some things that would otherwise be very hard for someone in your situation.

Aenesthesia.1697:

(Snipped most for space, my apologies)
We all have our limitations, the things that hold us back. Some have it tougher, many have it easier. And there are many ways in which we can all become a valuable member in this world, not necessary for the whole world, but at least for some people. Escaping to other worlds, artifially made, is not one of those ways.

Especially that last sentence irks me. I respect your opinion, but please do not state this as a fact, if you want to be viewed as a reasonable person. A game like Guild Wars 2 is a way to reach out to those “some people”, just as going to a concert, drinking in a bar, organizing events, volunteering, fixing stuff, you name it. You might view it as being less valuable, but that is subjective, and I do not agree. This is my opinion.

I am happy to spend time running dungeons with guildies a few evenings a week, and that would not be possible of our guild master nor several other members invested time in this game. So they give my life a measure of quality I would have had to search for elsewhere otherwise. Would I have found it? Who knows.

This is a very nice thread dedicated to those that there only means of reaching out, by doing so online / internet. It is nice to see something like this being posted and I am glad to be a part of the Guild Wars 2 community.

Aenesthesia.1697:

But helping an artificial guy in Shaemoor has no trascendence at all. No more than watching a tv show does.

Helping guys in Tyria is just some escape, which you surely need (and i am not even willing to question how much of that you need, you surely know better than I do), but nothing else and, for other things, I am sure you can do better than that. (an i, in no way, mean to tell you how you should live your life)

I did not read that as what the OP meant. It’s not the pixel people that are providing the sense of worth and the vital distraction from pain, it’s the ability to make friends, to have a social circle at your fingertips even when your body won’t let you go out for face-to-face things. It’s teamwork, and banter, and sharing a story.

I have two friends with MS. They’re quite social in the “real world” but gaming has given them a good outlet on top of that. One of them is a long-time WoW friend (we’ve met up when she’s been in town for business trips, and it’s amazing how much she accomplishes even when her legs won’t work well enough to let her use the Metro or her mouth decides to go slack for the day so she talks like she’s been novocained to death in a dentist’s chair). The other isn’t an MMO player, but does tabletop, geeky board games, LARPs, and is the life of most any party).

More power to you, OP, I’m glad you’ve found a way to transcend the unfair limitations your body has given you.

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

I must say Guild wars 2 is an important part of my life.
Though priorities lie with my family (married , father of 2 daughters(4 yrs & 5 months)) and my dog, I tend to look for things ingame I cannot hope to see elsewhere.

I’m 40 yrs old , there is little wrong with my physical body other then the fact I have bad knees, a bad back and bad shoulders, mostly due to epilepsy attacks gone bad and my length and weight I suffer, mostly due to mental issues.

I have suffered a minor stroke at 23 leaving me epileptic and it wrecked me mentally.
I used to be an athlete, rowing single sculls, at reasonable level, I studied at university.
Now I have a very bad memory. I have difficulty recollecting faces. I can remember nearly everything from before the stroke, but all things afterwards remain blurry and vague. My study failed, I am not able to work, at least that’s the general opinion of most, due to excessive fatigue, concentration problems, and seizure hazard.

I was earning a little on the side doing computer maintainance and some DBA (oracle/arcgis) work at the time, which is difficult or impossible now as I cannot recollect the variable names anymore when programming…

I suffer from PTSD due to teasing and harasment from older kids (being 2m04 now, already gives an impression I was a tall boy when young, but I was as tall as a 12 yr old I was only 8 at the time…) Due to this I can completely collapse mentally leaving me panicked and unable to act in crowds I see people in crowds I was teased by 25+ years ago… I only go out with a companion, be it my wife or my dog (even though he (my dog is a male german pointer 6 yrs old) has no official training he works for me, keeping my attention when I panic, and warning me when I start seizing), I’ve been in therapy about 5 or 6 times now, but due to the fact the teasing was for a prolonged period (from 6-14yrs old) I tend to relapse a lot.

I’m also suffering (hypo)manic depressive disorder. I have phobia’s making it difficult to meet people. I hate most interaction with other people then very close friends. I hate the the city, the masses of people, pushing me around and not respecting my space.
It makes me aggressive and stressed, which is dangerous, cause when the stress tones down, I seize. Epilepsy seizures have been very dangerous in the past I’ve had periods I was in hospital every 2-3 months, each time with lifethreatening seizures, Even to the point my wife has been brought in to say goodbye…. multiple times. I’ve been given up 7 or 8 times now… but am still alive.

In Tyria I’m free to do what I want. I feel free. If I run into dragons or problems I can face them. It gives me freedom to run around not having to worry about the ghosts of my past. I can go and feel alive without moving… I can feel at peace even if there is none….

And no I’m not worrying about te pixel people, I see characters and know there is other players. I can interact with them If I want, or not. I have had better chats and talks (ts3 and so on) with people then I hve had for years in the world. My fear stays in the background, I do not need to expose myself…

For me it is also important to keep mindfull and not forget to stay in contact with the real world…so: My priorities lie with my family (married , father of 2 daughters(4 yrs & 5 months)) and my dog.

5772 hours played. still meeting people and discovering things.

@ OP I’m glad you found a beautiful world and live free from the bonds that hold you back in real life. I think we have roughly the same experience but on other grounds…

Smooth Penguin.5294:

Jaymee.1560:

~~~ snip ~~~

So what you’re saying is that you’re a real life Taimi, and GW2 is your Scruffy? That’s the best analogy I could think of.

LOL! Um, not quite. Taimi has more of a sassy attitude than I have. I pray to the Six that one day that I reach her level of free sarcasm!

However, I still do stick to my gun that Trehearne has never been properly pollinated, and that is the reason for his dull demeanor, lmao… AND that apparently Rytlock has just a little tooooooooo much fun in the Mists while he was MIA from Tyria… Returning as a whole new class of whoop-*%@!

OP, I’m a fully functional adult male with none of the RL issues you face everyday and even I find the game to be more than a hobby. I often find myself spontaneously thinking about GW2 and the few friends I’ve made in game during random activities and even during work or in the middle of a conversation.

It’s definitely a lifestyle and I’m 100% sure that if you asked the populous of GW2 if they could stay home and game all day, you would be surprised at the amount of people that say yes.

Also to Anet’s credit, they have done a good job making you feel like you are part of this world.

Look I know you are disabled and all but I kind of hate the fact that you have a great excuse (sorry to belittle your situation to a word like excuse, if I was smarter I’d think of something more appropriate) to play the game as much as I probably do or at least would like to.

However my envy does not stop me from feeling happy that you’ve found an outlet for your energy and I thank you for sharing your story.

@Charrbeque.8729

LOL. Thanks for that laugh.

I tried to post here the other night but my job has certain locks on the internet so I could not. But I will say I know how you feel or as close to it as I can see my wife is disabled as well and she does the same as you she gets into games to just forget the pain and what not and it helps her. I did show her this and all she said was I feel her so I want to say love this it brought a smile to my face and to my wifes for we feel the same.

Charrbeque.8729:

MMORPG = Many Men Online Role Playing Girls
GIRL = Guy In Real Life
;)

MIND. BLOWN.

My husband also think, as he too now plays GW 2, is that… this is good for me in many ways may of which I posted in my original comment, but he believes that it is keeping my mind active.

This wouldn’t be the first MMO that I have been dubbed – “The Crafting Queen” and GW 2 is no exception. He believes that, with the amount of crafting I do, from jewelry, to armor, to all out ascended material gathering, he thinks this helps keeps the mind functioning… instead of… sitting dormant, as it would if I were watching TV, so he says, and… now I actually wonder if there’s any truth to that?

People, when having lots of time and nothing to do, turn to various ways to fill that time with something of meaning. For some, it’s reading books or watching television/movies. For others it’s gaming on their PC where they can for a time indulge in forgetfulness over what their problems are in reality.

I’ve met people who do that. I’ve also met people who have taken . . . another path, which is tabletop games. Same deal as the MMORPG players, they use the game to socialize and have friends around to lighten their mood and help them cope. Sure, objectively looking in 90% of the time their life sucks. That other 10% though? Totally makes it worth their while.

. . . same could be said for many other people who consider themselves “normal”, honestly. We’re all chasing that little breath of time out of our lives where for once we don’t have things worrying on our nerves, or things holding us back from having a good time. We just . . . are.

That’s why people do the hobbies they do.

Hey Jaymee, nice to meet ya!

Yes, playing is much better than sitting passively watching TV. You are actively doing something. I believe the GW nurtures many skills and accomplishments that are important in Real Life. Crafting, Trading Post games, Leadership and generally learning how to be successful. The journey is the reward.

I play a lot and what I like best is that the Bad Guys are clearly labeled.

Jaymee.1560:

My husband also think, as he too now plays GW 2, is that… this is good for me in many ways may of which I posted in my original comment, but he believes that it is keeping my mind active.

This wouldn’t be the first MMO that I have been dubbed – “The Crafting Queen” and GW 2 is no exception. He believes that, with the amount of crafting I do, from jewelry, to armor, to all out ascended material gathering, he thinks this helps keeps the mind functioning… instead of… sitting dormant, as it would if I were watching TV, so he says, and… now I actually wonder if there’s any truth to that?

That’s too sciency to not be true so I am going to believe it.

LOL, thanks guys… I guess my husband has a point, this could be used as “therapy”

Jaymee.1560:

My husband also think, as he too now plays GW 2, is that… this is good for me in many ways may of which I posted in my original comment, but he believes that it is keeping my mind active.

This wouldn’t be the first MMO that I have been dubbed – “The Crafting Queen” and GW 2 is no exception. He believes that, with the amount of crafting I do, from jewelry, to armor, to all out ascended material gathering, he thinks this helps keeps the mind functioning… instead of… sitting dormant, as it would if I were watching TV, so he says, and… now I actually wonder if there’s any truth to that?

There’s something to this. The brain is not a muscle, and thus does not atrophy the way muscles do if not used regularly. However, people are creatures of habit. If you get out of the habit of thinking, it can be hard to pick it up again.

Empathy has never been the strongest impulse. Add in the total anonymity and distance of the internet and you get that kind of thing a lot.

Fact is, most players/people won’t understand, nor will they try to. You’re far better off just ignoring it and keeping the ones that do around.

2c

Oh and here’s to hoping you get a Scruffy golem at some point in the future.

I like this thread in that a lot of people have come out of the woodwork to describe their experiences with spending a lot of time in-game and in the community. I’ll contribute in a totally different way, though.

I think it’s wonderful that the gaming industry has been able to offer some people these opportunities.

But I don’t know if it’s healthy to try and promote the game as being an alternative to life so to speak.

Now, I’ve got my own disabilities and setbacks; I have a rare form of incurable epilepsy that cannot be traced back through my brain. Seizures may happen at any time for no reason with no trigger, at any part in my brain. Medicine alone is around $2k a month on the best insurance available in the US. I can’t drive, and so on.

What I learned after moping through high school, though, is that a lot of what hinders one’s self is in his head; I let myself go socially through this part of my life such that I was set back quite a bit socially, and the re-percussive bullying during that time made the process recursive; I have never dated (still), had held a best friend for more than a year or so at that time, or had done anything with my life. I joined no clubs or activities. I did nothing educational outside of school. I sat in a room every day doing nothing but playing these games.

Now, did that open up doors? Absolutely. I became a trusted member of an MMO community to the point where I was placed in a position of power over moderation, later GM’ing, further forum administrating, offered a full-time job and move across the country to work for them, and the likes – all starting at 16 and before even turning 20. I did it unpaid for so long, and got to learn a massive amount about international business and the internals of the MMO industry. It’s been a hell of a ride.

But while attending college, I’ve realized I missed out on too much. I never pushed myself to do anything but be part of a game. There was a hole I was artificially trying to clog with a distraction – a guise of therapy and physical potential equal to that of everyone else – and that hole led to me accepting myself as inferior or hindered for a long time.

My advice? Live life or die miserable. Don’t try to fill the circular hole with the square block; it is and never will be enough. I’m in the process of getting my motorcycle license (two years seizure free in a few months!). I’ve picked up archery and beginning parkour. I re-tuned my guitar again for the first time in eight years not long ago with aspirations to perform. I plan on going snowboarding next season when I’ve got the cash and settle down. I grabbed a new skateboard this past summer and learned to ollie again after a lot of falling from not trying in a decade :P

These things could literally kill me – I go for the cycle to avoid the risk of injuring anyone else despite it being more dangerous if I were to crash, and it’s possible that they will end my life “prematurely,” and my family’s not had an easy time with it – but I’ve come to the conclusion that if you feel there’s a void somewhere, you absolutely should and can do it, one way or another. My conversation abilities have improved a hundred-fold outside of game-speak, since it was all I knew, and I’ve realized I’ll never get to experience my missed opportunities like prom, the early leg-up on dating, or better grades and learning so much more academia to go to a better university. But it doesn’t matter. If one is fulfilled, there is no such thing as dying “prematurely,” because if you see and experience as much of the world as you possibly can, which is impossible to complete, you’ve achieved what some elders may not be otherwise able to say they have in their lives.

If the game offers the only solace needed, then by all means, indulge yourself. But take it me – the “spaz” back in middle school when I’d have an episode daily while we struggled to find new/working meds for five years – if you still feel a void, fulfill it. It’s not worth living just hoping it’ll get better, because it won’t; you need to go and fill that hole yourself. And you’ll be happy you did.

Neb.4170:

Empathy has never been the strongest impulse. Add in the total anonymity and distance of the internet and you get that kind of thing a lot.

Fact is, most players/people won’t understand, nor will they try to. You’re far better off just ignoring it and keeping the ones that do around.

2c

Oh and here’s to hoping you get a Scruffy golem at some point in the future.

Only Taimi can do Scruffy any justice. Besides, she has better hair than I do, lmao

DeceiverX.8361:

I like this thread in that a lot of people have come out of the woodwork to describe their experiences with spending a lot of time in-game and in the community. I’ll contribute in a totally different way, though.

I think it’s wonderful that the gaming industry has been able to offer some people these opportunities.

But I don’t know if it’s healthy to try and promote the game as being an alternative to life so to speak.

Now, I’ve got my own disabilities and setbacks; I have a rare form of incurable epilepsy that cannot be traced back through my brain. Seizures may happen at any time for no reason with no trigger, at any part in my brain. Medicine alone is around $2k a month on the best insurance available in the US. I can’t drive, and so on.

What I learned after moping through high school, though, is that a lot of what hinders one’s self is in his head; I let myself go socially through this part of my life such that I was set back quite a bit socially, and the re-percussive bullying during that time made the process recursive; I have never dated (still), had held a best friend for more than a year or so at that time, or had done anything with my life. I joined no clubs or activities. I did nothing educational outside of school. I sat in a room every day doing nothing but playing these games.

Now, did that open up doors? Absolutely. I became a trusted member of an MMO community to the point where I was placed in a position of power over moderation, later GM’ing, further forum administrating, offered a full-time job and move across the country to work for them, and the likes – all starting at 16 and before even turning 20. I did it unpaid for so long, and got to learn a massive amount about international business and the internals of the MMO industry. It’s been a hell of a ride.

But while attending college, I’ve realized I missed out on too much. I never pushed myself to do anything but be part of a game. There was a hole I was artificially trying to clog with a distraction – a guise of therapy and physical potential equal to that of everyone else – and that hole led to me accepting myself as inferior or hindered for a long time.

My advice? Live life or die miserable. Don’t try to fill the circular hole with the square block; it is and never will be enough. I’m in the process of getting my motorcycle license (two years seizure free in a few months!). I’ve picked up archery and beginning parkour. I re-tuned my guitar again for the first time in eight years not long ago with aspirations to perform. I plan on going snowboarding next season when I’ve got the cash and settle down. I grabbed a new skateboard this past summer and learned to ollie again after a lot of falling from not trying in a decade :P

These things could literally kill me – I go for the cycle to avoid the risk of injuring anyone else despite it being more dangerous if I were to crash, and it’s possible that they will end my life “prematurely,” and my family’s not had an easy time with it – but I’ve come to the conclusion that if you feel there’s a void somewhere, you absolutely should and can do it, one way or another. My conversation abilities have improved a hundred-fold outside of game-speak, since it was all I knew, and I’ve realized I’ll never get to experience my missed opportunities like prom, the early leg-up on dating, or better grades and learning so much more academia to go to a better university. But it doesn’t matter. If one is fulfilled, there is no such thing as dying “prematurely,” because if you see and experience as much of the world as you possibly can, which is impossible to complete, you’ve achieved what some elders may not be otherwise able to say they have in their lives.

If the game offers the only solace needed, then by all means, indulge yourself. But take it me – the “spaz” back in middle school when I’d have an episode daily while we struggled to find new/working meds for five years – if you still feel a void, fulfill it. It’s not worth living just hoping it’ll get better, because it won’t; you need to go and fill that hole yourself. And you’ll be happy you did.

As much as I tend to be someone staunchly inclined to think its good to get off the computer and do useful things in living color, you kinda come off like your opinion of living life is the only relevant one.

Don’t be too hasty to presume to know others’ circumstances, is what I’d caution. Often as not, they’re less like one’s own than one might necessarily imagine.

re: People downplaying, disregarding your choices.

A lot of people simply do not tolerate other people, as much as they’d seem to. Basically if it holds no interest to them, it can’t hold interest for anybody. I honestly feel sorry for people like that which remain such close minded and unimaginative.

Also, “waste time?” Technically everything is a “waste of time” because we will all die anyways. Humans clearly shouldn’t make art, build buildings, or seek to better oneself because the sun will eventually grow into a red giant and obliterate the solar system, in which turn the universe will die a heat death. To assume you are the solo person to discern what is meaningful is quite laughable,

But this kind of attitude leads to stagnation and would have definitely not fueled progress. Instead, it fuels mediocrity, and causes people to bury themselves in possessions of which they use to judge themselves and others. And what do you know, they’d want others to conform to this miserable form of mediocrity and be threatened if you aren’t.

Anyhow, you only live once. But do consider possibilities of other aspects of life aren’t mutually exclusive with this game.

Guys, come on… look, I didn’t make this original post just to come off as if I am using my health problems as an excuse… because I’m not. Because of my MS/CP combo, there are only about a million things I can no longer do due to my physical setbacks. I can’t even leave my home without someone with me for my own safety.

I am only stating the good that Guild Wars 2 has done for my life, and how I very well could be in a way worse circumstance than I am now if I didn’t have the game to keep me occupied.

Please, don’t argue… I know as long as there are two people in the world, there will always be two different opinions. I just wished to thank all ArenaNet has done for me over the last 2 and a half years, and even over the last 9 years, as I’ll count Guild Wars 1 into the mix.

For my life, in my personal set of circumstances, this game has been a blessing for me. That is all. It gives me something to look forward to each day aside from taking a crap ton of medications and fighting to retain what little physical independence I have.

This is not meant to be a debate on who could be doing what to improve their lives.

naiasonod.9265:

As much as I tend to be someone staunchly inclined to think its good to get off the computer and do useful things in living color, you kinda come off like your opinion of living life is the only relevant one.

Don’t be too hasty to presume to know others’ circumstances, is what I’d caution. Often as not, they’re less like one’s own than one might necessarily imagine.

Far from what I’m trying to convey. Sorry if that’s how it came off, though. I mean that one shouldn’t try to just ignore these types of problems. As I mentioned, gaming as I did brought me an immense opportunity and a one-in-a-million experience – one that I’m still ever-grateful of – and that it’s not all about doing other things in the “real world;” obviously I still like to kick back and kill time here.

What I mean is that one shouldn’t try to fill up a longing to do something with the distraction of something else. It’s why I’ve come to the conclusions I have about how to live life happier. Are there limitations? Absolutely. You will absolutely never see me going skydiving or anything pertaining to swimming on my own. That’s just simply reckless. But it doesn’t necessarily mean I can’t try those things with other people (albeit I personally don’t have much of a desire to, anyways, but that’s my personality).

As I mentioned, if the game is what can fill that void, indulge in it. Nobody should be able to say otherwise.

Jaymee.1560:

Guys, come on… look, I didn’t make this original post just to come off as if I am using my health problems as an excuse… because I’m not. Because of my MS/CP combo, there are only about a million things I can no longer do due to my physical setbacks. I can’t even leave my home without someone with me for my own safety.

I am only stating the good that Guild Wars 2 has done for my life, and how I very well could be in a way worse circumstance than I am now if I didn’t have the game to keep me occupied.

Please, don’t argue… I know as long as there are two people in the world, there will always be two different opinions. I just wished to thank all ArenaNet has done for me over the last 2 and a half years, and even over the last 9 years, as I’ll count Guild Wars 1 into the mix.

For my life, in my personal set of circumstances, this game has been a blessing for me. That is all. It gives me something to look forward to each day aside from taking a crap ton of medications and fighting to retain what little physical independence I have.

This is not a meant to be a debate on who could be doing what to improve their lives.

And I totally understand. An older ex-co-worker of mine was in a similar scenario (although not exact), and believe me I recognize my disability is far better than what some others have, even in the realm of just epilepsy. Some have their entire brains corrupted so to speak where their bodies can barely function – a tragic scene I witnessed at a meeting with the Epilepsy Foundation some years back, where eight year olds were strapped into wheelchairs while undergoing a never-ending chain of seizures – so it’s not that I do not understand limitations. It’s why I posted what I did; you mentioned this thread in your original post that it was to be a discussion, and I wanted to emphasize that to those who can fill that void, they should. It’s not to downplay you or your experience. In fact, what I intend is the total opposite. I’d like to try and motivate those with the feelings I had in the past to push the envelope if they can, because only fulfilling those desires will bring true happiness. if those desires don’t exist, then there’s no need to try.

Maybe I worded things poorly, or my attempt at reducing the post size caused the message to not get across clearly. I don’t know. I just want to make people aware that one shouldn’t just write off things as bad or unsafe or risky or impossible just because of a medical setback. If one really has the desire to do something, I believe they will find a way. Will the blind set records in speed cycling? Likely not. But it shouldn’t stop him from experiencing the feeling of riding a bike. I’m not saying everyone should go offline and make themselves “better” people. No, not at all. I want to enforce the belief that people should follow their passions to the end of the earth and pursue a balance in their lives, because that’s what makes life meaningful.

I hope that clarifies what I wrote above, and maybe you can see where I’m coming from if you re-read the above.

In August of 2012 I got into an accident that left me handicapped for 6 months. I suffered a cranium fracture and became completely deaf in my right ear… I rather not explain the trauma I went through in recovery.

Viewing my TV screen made me nauseated. A monitor screen was easier to bare in small intervals, that’s about the time I got into GW 2. After the first week where my nausea settled down, I started playing religiously. The amount of time I played… Into the third month I must have been 7 ranks higher than the average PvP player. I was on less and less as I progressed; able to move around without stumbling and being completely disoriented.

Once I “recovered” and went back to work, I didn’t return to the game till 2014. Since then it’s become a stress reliever. Looking back at it all, the game was the best medicine that I had… well.. aside from Advil. I refused the hospital’s medication.

I agree with the OP completely. The game has been a medicine to me. Definitely a stress reliever while working in the oil field. People will never understand unless they experience (I hope they never ever, do) these things, and remedy themselves with a source suitable to them.
Whether that be through a video game or other form of socialites.

Let’s be honest. If I were disabled and could not work, I would be playing MMOs all day long, too.

Tom Gore.4035:

Let’s be honest. If I were disabled and could not work, I would be playing MMOs all day long, too.

I’m afraid I would not.

I have about six other things I would rather be doing, one of which could possibly earn me money again if I really bore down and practiced polishing my writing. The thing I’d be doing most would probably be going back to designing my tabletop RPG setting . . .

. . . either that or trying to make the Ars Magica rules make sense to people I play with

I consider playing this game at least an hour a day as part of my lifestyle as well. One could call me OC for doing this. :P

Malkavian.4516:

I consider playing this game at least an hour a day as part of my lifestyle as well. One could call me OC for doing this. :P

I try, I really do.

But as my computer is a little above a toaster (it only has two cores in its CPU) . . . it makes it hard to do so without rebooting before hand to make sure it’s not gonna chug.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

Tom Gore.4035:

Let’s be honest. If I were disabled and could not work, I would be playing MMOs all day long, too.

I’m afraid I would not.

I have about six other things I would rather be doing, one of which could possibly earn me money again if I really bore down and practiced polishing my writing. The thing I’d be doing most would probably be going back to designing my tabletop RPG setting . . .

. . . either that or trying to make the Ars Magica rules make sense to people I play with

Yeah well depending on the type of disability, I’d probably also revive my miniature gaming and tabletop RPG hobby, too.

My MMO playing would probably also change in form a lot. I would probably run a guild or get a lot more involved in the RPG/WvW scene.

Social interaction through the medium of gaming has exploded, and it has become a great way to meet people who share at least some common interests as you. Certainly if you are limited in other social activities for whatever reasons.

I think it just still has a bit of that “Mom” stigma on it, but it’s fading of fast, where your parents just think you are being anti-social spending all your time in your room. Not knowing you are socializing with people from all around the world.

So hurray for online gaming.

Social interaction via online means is great, but it should still not be the only form of social interaction – unless of course you would be greatly limited in the other forms for one reason or another.

Thankfully, our kids still go to school where they will have to learn “real” social interaction, with consequences for acting like a kitten. Some of them carry those rules to online interaction, others… well let’s just say with no consequences some people will happily ignore all social rules altogether.

Jaymee.1560:

LOL, thanks guys… I guess my husband has a point, this could be used as “therapy”

My therapist recommended social gaming to me. I am bi-polar with severe and rather debilitating social anxiety. It’s hard for me to connect with people in the real world and even harder to hold down things like jobs because of it.

My therapist explained some stuff I don’t even understand yet but that things like Gaming are great ways to open up to relax, and to allow your mind to grow.

There have also been studies that show almost any kind of gaming activates parts of your brain and help with concentration, time management, Cognitive and Critical thinking skills. Also “twitch” gaming helps with eye-hand coordination and fast paced reaction.

So in a sense you are right there it can be therapy.

Jaymee, it is wonderful that you can enjoy playing GuildWars and GuildWars2. I must admit that I don’t feel as challenged in the game as I do in real life. I was once a world class athlete able to run a four minute mile, now I can barely walk my two miles a day without the pain of RA. I play a left handed mouse and type about twenty words a minute lefthanded as well, doing Fractals is a major challenge. Twenty years ago I was hit by a speeding motorist, he was doing eighty five miles per hour through a red light, thankfully I only broke thirty four bones after being tossed like a rag doll two hundred feet. I know that I play the game a little to much, but that could be OCD, and maybe I take Tyria more serious than I should as it has been there for me during those times when I needed to escape thoughts of the pain. Then, last year I had a stroke and GuildWars2 helped with restoring some motor skills and parts of my memory. For just about ten years now GuildWars has enabled me to be more social both in the game and real life, our community of players are the best around.
I did stop playing for a little over a month last year because of depression, things happen that I couldn’t cope … thoughts of my family of characters patiently waiting for me bought me back from the depths. I don’t want to leave the story unfinished (except some of those jumping puzzles) with so much more still to come.