How to "Adult" Play

Well...if you were looking for a "how to" on cybering in Vana'diel, I'm sorry. This is not about that, silly!

It's some experience and thoughts that I've come realize when playing FF11. A ZEN moment, if you will.

Ever since I moved, my RL has been very active, and that's a good thing. But at the same time, my adventures in Vana'diel has declined some. And I was a little sad about it. I don't have any super duper weapons, I don't have any super duper rare ex items.

But...as a "mature" player, that's something I have to live with. FF11 is in 6th year, and lots of people around me, who were either in High School or College have now graduated and joined the work force. Some that were already in the work force have gotten married, or got kids. Heck, even Miss Haijin's kid's now 6 years old!!

So naturally, a lot of my firends can't be on as much and they all have RL things that requires attention.

I think...to us (or at least my LS mates) we've come to enjoy FF as a "game" in it's truest sense, and it's no longer a "life style". We log on when we can, we do what we can, if we have time and desire to.

Sure, some once a week events we still keep, but it's no longer who's got what gear. It's more like - who's doing what and if we want to join them. We've come to realize that items are things that we MIGHT get, if we luck out. Sometimes we do, somettimes we don't. But either way, it no longer really bothers us. It's truly a "game".

I used to say, "Oh, come on, it's just a game!" but I don't think I really felt that this was a "game". Saying "Oh, come on, it's just a game!" was more of a excuse when things didn't go my way (or somebody else's way). Some where inside me, this was a life and a competition with other players.

But lately, I've come to really think of this as a game.

This is a fun game, a past time, where I can find things to do when I'm bored at home. I don't have to "retire", I don't have to quit. I can log in and play as much as I want, or not play at all for a few days. It's not a competition against anybody. You log in, have a few laughs and get a sense of "satisfaction" from completeing whatever task at hand, much faster and easier than in RL, thereby becoming a sort of a stress reliever. (FF11 as Stress relief? ...ok, maybe that's a bit too much LOL)

It's simply one of the more fun past times in my life.

...and I hope some of you who are thinking of "retiring" come to realize that before it's too late!