It’s my 26th Birthday today, the 27th January 2008, and it is fun to go back and look at some of my gaming history, especially online gaming. Like accumulating 3,517 hours of game time in Xfire records alone… And sharing with you my “Birthday Prayer just for YOU”.
Follow up:
My top game recorded on Xfire:
#1: NCsoft/ArenaNet’s Guild Wars – 1,876 hours
#2: Activision Blizzard’s World of Warcraft – 974 hours
#3: NCsoft’s Lineage II – 258 hours
#4: NCsoft/DestinationGames’ Richard Garriott’s Tabula Rasa – 128 hours
#5: WebZen’s Mu Online – 78 hours
#6: Origin Systems Inc’s Ultima Online – 55 hours
#7: Softnyx’s GunBound World Champion – 46 hours
#8: LindenLab’s Second Life – 27 hours
#9: Activision Blizzard’s Warcraft III – The Frozen Throne – 15 hours
#10: Activision Blizzard’s StarCraft Brood War – 14 hours
And a lot of the hours I spent with some of these games and other games are not accounted for because there was still no Xfire during those times I played these games, like for example StarCraft Brood War. Then for WarCraft III: The Frozen Throne, GG Client and Xfire are conflicting each other, and neither of the two wants do a patch to avoid the conflict
Then there is also my first multiplayer online game called AnsalonMUD, the predecessor of MMORPGs, a text-based online game where you only have to use telnet. This is where I had the opportunity to become what we call today as “GameMaster” or “GM” in an online game, and my experience from AnsalonMUD landed me a job in the MMORPG industry in the Philippines. (So thanks to all my friends from AnsalonMUD, I wish I can meet you all one day!)
I also founded a guild, the Holy Order of the LightTM which is now not just a game-guild but a full-pledged community of responsible gamers. Led the guild for 3 1/2 years then I stepped down for the nth time. One of my objective was to just start a new guild where and to whom I can share my ideals of a gaming community, make it grow, train new leaders, and ultimately leave it to their hands. It was hard because Asians see their Guild Leader (GL) as the “sole foundation” of a guild, and so I have to keep being the GL. Now they stood and are far better off than when I was the leader. I always believed in the skills, brain, and will of the collective and empowering each individual, and that’s what I imparted to this guild. All of its success is not just because of me, but because of all the people who keeps on fighting and keeping the faith strong and alive. I am very proud of them all! Thank you guys!!
Now, here I am, 26 years old. Another turning point in my life, and a bigger ‘level-up’ for me in this harsh reality of life – the “Real-World”. I will get married (no details ), then have a family, children, and so on. Being a pioneer in the Online Gaming Industry (OGI) here in the Philippines taught me a lot of things and helped me grow. There were many ups and downs and I am so grateful for all of those. Why? These trials of fire molds a person to be better, like how blacksmiths molds the metal to become swords, shields, or pieces of armours. A big thanks to all of you for making my ‘introduction’ to the real-world very colourful. One day, and that day is coming very soon, I will leave this industry and become an ordinary gamer and customer, to have my own business(es). That’s what I have set my eyes on ever since I was still studying.
Finally, a word of advice to all the gamers out there who are addicted already (and many of you still do not admit it), always remember this axiom: “NING“, short for “No Income, No Gaming“. My online gaming addiction happened way back 1998 and 1999, years earlier than most of you. When I finally realized that, I completely went offline for most of the year 2000 – no internet, and mostly no touching of laptops and desktop PCs. Was it hard? Not really, I can do it again if I have to, why and how? Simple. Electronic gaming was developed for entertainment, relaxation, and escaping-the-real-world-temporarily. It will never replace one’s social life and well, your future.
I still play games. I have an active subscription with World of Warcraft and Tabula Rasa. I also play Guild Wars and Lineage II (being a big fan of NCsoft, Richard Garriott, ArenaNet, and Activision Blizzard), and is actively beta testing other games for the sake of enriching my gaming portfolio. But do I sacrifice my family, fiance, work, and social life for the sake of playing these games? Nope, not anymore, after I learned my lessons twice! 5 and 7 years ago. Twice is more than enough for me so I pray that you’ll do better than me.
Be a responsible gamer. If you LOVE to play games, especially online games, then STUDY and/or WORK HARDER so you can land a job that pays you enough for you to also spend money for your gaming life. Remember, when you play electronic games, you don’t just pay for the game itself and the subscription, you also must pay for the electricity or iCafe rentals. Then you also must eat, you need a place to live, you have to pay your taxes, buy clothes (real-life). If you have a family or plan to have a NORMAL and HAPPY family, then you have to support your family, be good to your husband/wife, support your children, and so on. Now, if the job you have only pays you enough to get you through your every life, then you know very well which one to sacrifice – your gaming life. If you have a family, then the more weight and reason that you have to sacrifice almost all or all of your gaming life.
So with that, being someone who’ve been to a lot of experiences, my birthday wish, no, my birthday PRAYER is that you will Be A Responsible gamer. Don’t add to the list of gamers who only tainted this industry because of their irresponsible gaming but rather be a testimony to others of what positive things gaming can do to everyone. Be A Responsible Gamer!
As I always say, “NING? No Ding!“, what’s a ding you ask? Character level up! (If your character gains a level, you say DING!)
Again, say it with me: “NING? No Ding!”. What’s NING? No Income, No Gaming.
Thank you very much and God Bless you all!!
– GM/CM-Yukino Nun Xue (“Niyebe”)