Serious Gaming: Part 2

(Continuing from the previous post.)


But for all the positives that serious gaming may have, there are some notable dangers.  The one that I think needs to be highlighted is this: Taking it too Seriously.


This is the same thing that happens when screamed profanity barrels past the teeth of angry parents at tee-ball.  But usually, "taking it too seriously" isn't nearly that obvious.


More often, in my experience, it is a gradual process in which your energy expended increases while your enjoyment decreases.  It's an awful situation to be in, because the primary (and by which I mean physiological, psychological, and sociological) benefits of gaming are eroded, and - as stated previously - the game becomes work.


And you know what they say: All work and no play makes Jack a worn-out, burned out, neurotic overeater who is no fun to be around and gets very little done.  Or something like that.


So... how do you fix it?  Well, the first strategy is obvious: Take a break!  Invest some time in some other activity... maybe there's a hobby you've long neglected, or maybe it's just time to play something different.  Read a book.


Another thing you can try is to play differently.  Some games have alternative rules; this might be a good time to explore them.  Other games have built in variety, such as choices of race or class or alignment.  

You could also impose artificial limits on yourself. For instance, I once built a MtG deck that only had 1 kind of red card; the rest was green.  Sure it was gimmicky.  It was not made for tournament play.  It was just a curiosity deck that wasn't an absolute failure.  Or take a much more impressive example from a Pacifist in WoW.  At present he has almost taken a second character to max level without killing anything.

The point is, especially in cooperative gaming where people depend on you, gaming can feel like a responsibility and amass pressure and stress of its own.  So, it's important to keep asking yourself, "Are we having fun yet?" If not, or if you're finding the question hard to answer, perhaps it's time for a change.  I cannot say this emphatically enough, "It's a game."

Perspective, folks... always keep perspective.