i have a confession to make: i am playing a mmorpg again (*sigh*). it’s “Lord of the Rings Online“. before jumping to fast conclusions, hear me out. i strongly believe that playing an online game is – like almost everything in life – about self-control. you do not have to let the game “get you”. play the game when you feel like it and you have exhausted all other options to have some fun but do not let the game become your second job and set your priorities.
with that being said, i created a set of rules to be able to enjoy an online game and avoid a “WoW-like” situation in the future. first off, i will not take on any responsibility ingame in the form of running a guild or organizing events (including hosting a guild website or forum). i will not hurry home or rush through ordinary tasks like eating or showering in order to be online at a given time in the evening. i will not play or even consider playing when there are other things to do. last but not least i will try to remember that it is “just a game” and shrug off any incidents that can induce drama or frustration as insignificant to me or my life. (i am not a better person just because my ingame character wears a certain armor or wields a specific weapon because in the end it really does not matter at all.)