Video games these days can get as deep as Dan Brown novels and as fun as a dozen theme parks combined. That is why it is totally understandable for any player to spend (or waste) time being completely immersed in the gaming world. It would be an understatement to say that most gamers are merely influenced by their favorite games. In fact, if asked about their true fantasies, the majority would answer by describing their world through gaming terms. This article explores the signs that mark you as someone who views the world in a whole different manner.
Gaming while you sleep
It begins with dreams. As you start to spend more and more time with the game you love, you start to live it. It invades your dreams, turning them into exciting missions you wish you could play. Friends turn to allies of destruction while the people you dislike transform into monsters. Weapons you never had suddenly appear in your pockets. And if you die, you get to start over; it’s your dream after all!
The Real First Person View
That apple is dead
The first person perspective is the best way to play in any game because of its almost personal nature. Real life being an FPS from the start may not feel as cinematic without the gun at your hip but an easy remedy to this problem is to simply carry a knife or to secretly buy a toy gun and play around with it. (P.S. I don’t play with toy guns, not anymore anyway. (P.P.S. I wish I could.))
Failed Parkour
In games you can’t go from point A to point B without first leaping from a building, blowing up a few cars or two or showing off your impressive Parkour skills (as experienced in Assassin’s Creed or Prince of Persia). It’s a dangerous display, but awesomely fun. I don’t recommend imitating Ezio Auditore. He might lose a few squares of health from a bad fall. You on the other hand will lose that and be desynchronized, permanently.
Crysis looks better
Just look at the anti-aliasing and the diffused lighting!
Being a PC game graphics enthusiast, I’m always critical about texture resolution, lighting and all that stuff. Sadly I sometimes look at real life objects the same way. I end up saying to myself “Hey, that’s some good antialiasing right there. Oh wait…” I do however admit some parts of Crysis being prettier than real life. And then there’s Skyrim which totally makes me look outside and scoff at how ugly the real world is. One of my friends even wishes he could install a graphics card in his eye.
Imagining the HUD (Heads up display)
We're lucky our virtual heroes don't need to waste time eating
You’ve just had your lunch and watched that blue health bar at the corner of your vision replenish. That pretty much explains your level of immersion (see mark sheet below).
The Red Barrel Syndrome
I love red barrels. They’re always where I want them to be and they’re the most fun to shoot at because they explode (and enemies really love hiding just behind them for some reason; I guess they like barrels as much as I do). Even though I’m aware I can’t gloriously explode red, fuel-filled barrels in real life, it doesn’t stop me from staring at them and wishing I had a gun with me. Fortunately, I know for a fact that this little dilemma is shared by many of my gamer friends.
If you just discovered that you suffer from all of the above, I have bad news for you. If, however, you are totally lost with what I’ve just described, you need to stop playing the game of life and move on to Battlefield 3 or something similar.
Here’s a mark sheet for your troubles:
0: You are a perfectly normal human being who views the world how it should be viewed. That is not necessarily a compliment.
1: You are taking your baby-steps to the virtual wonderland.
2: Still learning, still much left to experience.
3: You are definitely in the zone. But your free will still remains.
4: The world you knew yesterday has changed. You’re not sure if it’s real or just another RPG game.
5: Food or health potion? Trip to the groceries or a dangerous hike to obtain rare objects?
6: You have broken free of the shackles of real life. It has now become infinitely more interesting for everything you do is an objective to complete.
Let us know of your score!
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