There is one aspect of MMORPG's (Massive Multiplayer Online Roleplaying Games aka Final Fantasy or World of Warcraft) I never expected. In game relationships. I'm talking in game "romantic" relationships.
I'm not bashing or even condemning the people that choose to enter such relationships. I just personally have a hard time grasping it. Maybe it's a weird double standard for me.
Take my friendship with Ty. He and I met a very long time ago, after I'd first started playing. He, myself and Jimbo are so close we speak frequently on the phone. We talk about everything and plan to meet up soon (hopefully! we've been saying this for years) I consider him my best friend and tell him things my own family doesn't know about me. I don't consider this 'strange' at all.
I've also wondered about the 'dynamics' of it. Does it work the same as any other relationship, the only difference being you don't have the physical aspect? How does it work for the people that are married in real life? I've known of one guy who moved in with his older in game girlfriend, her children and her HUSBAND. I still can't figure that one out.
I've actually known people who have meet online, got into a relationship, met in person and eventually married. I can't tell you how the relationship is or what not because they turned out to be extremely bizarre and Jimbo, Tytus and myself stopped speaking to them.
Maybe strange love is only good for strange people? Jamie, help me out, I know WoW is the same.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Strange Love
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I don't think it is odd to have friends through on-line games at all. Blogging would not be much different, if not very much more personal then a game and you become great friends with those people. Example, I know littlesunshine thinks the world of you and did you two not meet without the physical but only the words. I have about three friends on WOW that I cherish. I talk to them about every other day and I geniunly care about these people.
HOWEVER, on-line romance or game romance is a bit different. Whenever you become close to a person and have similar interest such as WOW, I could see where the attraction could come from BUT for the most part, people that play on-line games are relatively wierd. I still have friends that can't believe I play.
I used to be apart of a guild where two players met up with each other and started dating (chances of meeting somebody in your city, let alone country is rare in WOW) and then it went bad and the girl quit the guild and literally the whole guild of over 300 people fell apart. But really, why would anybody date somebody with the user name "sillypickle", lol?
I guess for the people that meet online it might seem wierd to us but everybody meets for a reason and I guess one strange person deserves another strange person.
On-line relationships are the most bizarre things but I sure do cherish them.
Hope this helps...I feel like I am rambling :)
I find the formation of online relationships to be fascinating. I don't mean the relationships formed at match.com or other relationship sites because, with those, people are looking for romance.
I am referring to the kind that people form on message boards, online games, and so on. I am thinking of doing a thesis on this topic.
Post a Comment