It's been almost three months since my last post. I'm still hoping to find a way to play one day a week, but even that's been too ambitious for me recently. The good news on the game front is that now that the Macintosh Client has been released for Lord of the Rings Online, I have some small hope that I might actually be able to get my wife to play online with me.
Neri recently wrote about how she had to start playing World of Warcraft differently and, although not in the same context, I did have to make a similar decision. In some ways this blog was a reaction to wanting to start playing more without the possibility of falling into the situation where I felt it was taking me away from what I needed to be doing, with a full time job, a wife, three children, and all the responsibilities that surround those things.
However, balance is difficult. When I was playing SWToR briefly I decided that I couldn't play enough for it to be fun, at least for $15 a month when I was lucky if I could play one night a week. Now I still wonder if I can truly play any MMO one night a week. I haven't given up hope, but I haven't been very successful so far. A lot of what drives MMOs is the rewards that lead to other rewards and so on. When you are playing one night a week, you really lose a lot of that continuity.
Anyway, I'm still hoping I can get a night a week where I'll play (and hopefully post about it). If it can become a regular habit, I think I can set those goals and keep a roster of what I'm doing. In an odd way, it could be similar to someone who is playing multiple games where they have to lower their expectations and remember their goals between sessions.
In any case, if you are still following me, thanks! I haven't given up hope and possibly there are others that are in similar situations. And just maybe you'll get another post soon!
Good luck with your quest to find balance! I myself am kinda failing miserably (Thanks, RIFT) and still probably play far too much, but I have managed to fall into a rough routine where real life is no longer neglected.
ReplyDeletePlaying with your wife sounds like an amazing idea! I really hope she agrees to join you in Middle Earth. Think of it as a date night where you don't have to worry about sitters or dinner tabs. My husband and I love having a few beers and playng WoW together on a Friday night. We probably do more chatting than playing, but it's a great experience none the less.
If that fails, I constantly hear about how Guild Wars 2 is the ultimate casual gaming experience. I immensely enjoy the exploration (I believe discovering all the vistas unlocks some amazing rewards) and the way your character scales back if you venture to low level zones (Yay for quests and exploration that will always grant experience!), but the lack of raiding made me lose interest. That, and I really suck at jumping puzzles :P If you can justify the cost, I suspect it will be just what you're looking for.
Hopefully we see more updates from you in future :)
I'm hoping she'll like LotRO, since we both enjoyed the books and have read them several times. However, it's not her kind of game, so I don't have much confidence. Wish me luck!
DeleteThanks for the suggestion on Guild Wars 2. If I get in to the habit of playing, a one time charge wouldn't be too bad, though I'll probably wait until the price goes down. It always does.