The desire to escape reality whenever possible is always an option in today's world. It began with movie theaters, and now has evolved into a personal, transportable device that still sits in your own bedroom. All it takes is high-speed internet access and an internet browser to fulfill all your virtual needs.
But over recent years, a new genre of computer video games has allowed young and older alike, to engage in a world unlike any other: a world where you can recreate your own self in numerous amounts of different environments; past, present, and future.
Granted, such virtual realities can be remarkably enjoyable and fun. If you're tired from the drag of everyday life, pop open a laptop with the right capabilities, and you have World of Warcraft logging you on to your own fantasy.
I myself even tested the waters of the "Massive Multiplayer Online RPG" world, as it is called, or MMORPG, for short. Of course, with my interest in comics and everything superhero, I went with the PC game, City of Heroes.
I was addicted from the moment I finally was able to get a proper hard drive for it. It was the "Sims epidemic" all over again. I found myself engulfed in my own character for hours and hours on end, sacrificing sleep and occasionally a bit of food in order to play the game. It was almost if I had "born" a new identity. Plus, kicking butt against virtual villains that are seemingly infinite in a crime-ridden land proved a good stress-buster as well. But as time passed, it got a little tiresome, as games usually do. After about 3 months of waning interest, I finally stopped for a long while because of school and entering into college life.
But for some, it's not that easy to get away. What really caught me by surprise was how long some people had been playing in the game. Now, I believe City of Heroes has been running since 2004, due to its 2nd anniversary being in May 2006. That would total around 3 years. Recently, the company decided to input Veteran awards for how long many of the players stayed devoted to the game. Once I logged in after a long absence, I was proud at the six month badge I had received which deemed me as "Faithful."
However, upon looking at other players' badges, I witnessed some surprising numbers that trampled my six-month stay into the dust. Some players had been devoted for 18, 24, even 36 months! Now that would account for 2-3 years since 2004. Still, this notification does not prove that they were on every single day during that time, but usually you would cancel your subscription if you were not interested in playing in the future.
Still, City of Heroes isn't as dangerous as World of Warcraft, from what I hear. I've never played the game before, but I do know a friend who has played it and most likely still is, and people have told me stories of how mesmerizing this game can be. One involved a student being kicked out of his college campus for non productivity. Another was said to have been absent from all outdoor life for two years.
Even if these stories are blown out of proportion, friends or family should watch for signs and symptoms of an entranced player. If you call your son or daughter down to eat, and they do not answer or simply say, "No," Then that's the time to check what's going on. If you don't see one of your friends on campus in a few days, give him a call. In fact, if you know your friend is the type to play a video game for hours on end, ask him or her out to hang with you or grab a bite to eat. Do your best, and try to let them breathe fresh air and experience the light of day again. A good way to get away from excessive time on the laptop is experiencing the outside world and keeping busy. If you and your friends routinely do things that do not involve leveling up, (as long as it is deemed acceptable) you might as well give it a shot. Spending all your time on an online RPG is not the most healthy thing to do in the world both physically and mentally.
As humans, we need companionship. Show that you're a true friend to those who may be a little too involved in video gaming. Call them up often, or even encourage them to go places with you. Let them know that they are wanted. That's one of the best things you can do as true friend to those who are engulfed in the virtual reality of the internet.
That does not mean players must end their time completely in their online fantasy. Online RPGs are still lots of fun to play. Just make sure that your friends or family get a bit of smaller, healthier doses of the game if you think they are experiencing too much. After all, there would never be a virtual reality if there wasn't a reality to live in first.
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