New Year…New Game…New You?

By Shayalyn





Every year we make the same old New Year’s resolutions: we’re going to
lose some src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album02/champaign_on_ice.thumb.jpeg"
style="width: 114px; height: 150px;" align="right" hspace="4"
vspace="4"> weight and get more exercise, or eat healthier, or get
organized. And every year, those same resolutions come back to haunt
us. After all, we wouldn’t have to re-make them every year if we’d
managed to keep them in the first place, would we?



This year, why not make different resolutions? Why not try to make some
that won’t require dieting, or the purchase of a gym membership you’ll
stop using after a month or two. Make resolutions that won’t deprive
you of your twice-weekly Krispy Kreme or Starbucks addiction. Some time
this year, if all goes well, Turbine will favor us with a shiny new
game: Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar (LotRO). Before you
enter Middle Earth for the first time, why not resolve to be a better
gamer? What does being a better gamer mean? Only you can make that
determination. I’ll share a few suggestions, though, and you can figure
out for yourself which ones fit.

Be Tolerant of Other Players



You may be the shiz, and you may know everything there is to know about
LotRO and playing MMOGs, but not every gamer has the same agenda.
Whatever your playing style, it’s important to remember that there are
others who don’t want the same things you do from the game. Some want
to number among the “uber,” while others simply want to socialize and
have fun, and there’s a full spectrum of players who fall somewhere in
between. If we’re more understanding and accepting of one another and
the varied ways we like to play, then the game will be more fun for
everyone.



Teach Well; or Learn to be Taught



In any situation there are those who know, and those who need to learn.
Those with knowledge are called upon to be helpful and guide others,
and those who need to learn are called upon to be open to advice. It
really is that simple, but we rarely manage to fall into step behind
this principle.



If you’re one of those players who knows the game, it’s a given that
you’ll win a lot more friends and influence a lot more people if you’re
able to act as a guide without chastising or belittling others. Yet,
somehow, some gamers fail to show respect. Instead, you’ll find them
gleefully bashing one another in an attempt to look superior.



Then again, not all novice players take advice well, either. So if
you’re new to gaming and don't know the ropes it’s up to you to
remain humble and grateful to those rare folks who do want to offer
assistance instead of acting like know-it-alls.



src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album02/deep_sleep_2.thumb.jpg"
style="width: 150px; height: 148px;" align="left" hspace="10"
vspace="4">
Make Time for Sleep



It’s easy to get completely absorbed in a game. It’s easy to latch onto
the gamer’s mantra: “Sleep is for the weak!” Trust me, sleep isn’t for
the weak; it’s for the healthy and focused. Lack of sleep may lead to medical issues like decreased immune system functions and obesity. It’s known to cause
decreased performance, too. The fact of the matter is, you’re not at
your best when sleep deprived. So if you’re losing sleep in your quest
to be an elite gamer, you may well be having the opposite effect on
your “skillz” as your ability to think clearly diminishes and your
health declines.



And it’s not just me saying this. You can Google “sleep deprivation
study” and find tons of links that’ll point you to the same
conclusions, or read href="http://www.harvardmagazine.com/on-line/070587.html">this article
by Craig Lambert in Harvard Magazine for some real insight into why
sleep is important.



Make Time for Life



Hey, I’m just as guilty as anyone--I’ve thrown myself into a game at
the expense of real life; and my family and friends have paid the
price. I experienced a sad wake up call when my daughter was in first
grade. She brought home a paper she’d written src="http://lotro.tentonhammer.com/files/gallery/albums/album02/family_hug.thumb.jpg"
style="width: 150px; height: 96px;" align="right" hspace="10"
vspace="4"> about her family. It was a fill-in-the-blanks sort of
thing, and the prompt read: “My Mommy _________.” Now, there were many
things my little girl could have chosen to write: My Mommy plays with
me; My Mommy is pretty; My Mommy reads me stories…you get the idea.
What did my daughter write? “My Mommy always plays EverQuest.”



Enough said, right?





Do you have to wait for LotRO to put your gamer’s resolutions into
effect? Certainly not. No doubt we’ll be playing online games until
LotRO is released (perhaps that other href="http://www.ddo.com">little game Turbine is working on, to be
released soon). The time to begin considering what kind of gamer you’ll
be in 2006 is the very next time you log into a MMOG. So, while we
patiently wait for Middle Earth to unfold on our PCs, maybe we can
decide to reinvent our gaming selves. And if we manage to do that, then
perhaps we can feel a little less guilty about the lapsed gym
membership or the Krispy Kremes.



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