Friday, July 22, 2011

Old Habit Re-Surfaced

Video Games had always been my Passion. Two days back I did something which triggered me to write this. The old habit transformed itself and revisited.
My childhood had associations with characters of Mario, Contra, etc. In my college days, games became my addiction. It would be any game though preferred were strategic territorial. AOE was one of My Favourites. Now a days I don't play but since last 1 month, the old habit re-surfaced.
During college day, my friend cum room-mate, a person with rational approach towards life, would always advice me to contain my passion to a level of sanity. I often heeded his advice and un-install all games. And reinstall them again in a day or two when the influence of advice weakens against my urge to play. The Rationale in Me too tried to control but it seemed incorrigible. But I also had to ensure my good grades, so a month before exams I would un-install and destroy the source (i.e. I would break all game CDs). And I would visit the game shop on the very day of my last exam to buy all those games which I broke including few new ones. I would delay my home return for a day or two so that I could peacefully play games to my heart content.

Of all, this particular incident explains it all.
It was post 5th semester exams time, I intentionally delayed my home journey for two days while my roommate left the same day.
I accompanied my friend to station, and after his train departed, I returned to my flat. No words to express with what joy. All the way from station to my rented apartment (17km), while I rode my bike, I continued thinking how will I create new regions and play with different strategies.
Reached home & started playing somewhere at evening 6. The game continued for 30 hours i.e. until mid night next day, when the power went off. I hit hard the table and cursed Indian government for not being able to give sufficient power supply. Then I felt hunger. It was natural, since last 30 hours while I was playing I lived on sugar and water. Easy source of energy. Then I also realized that my eyes were excruciatingly painful. I used a torch to inspect my eyes. Those were bad, both swollen while my right eye was blood red. The continuous CRT monitor staring was the reason (the doctor told next day). I wondered if the anti-glare screen was at all effective or was it my mistake. The feeling was mix of guild & fear. Whatever it was, I didn't want to wear specs. I swear the very moment that I would never play games (with such insanity, I clarified myself) and wished the power cut should continue at least until I sleep or my resolution wouldn't last even a night.
When at job, the first thing I bought from my salary was the best anti-glare specs. The lightest frame & glass, most effective at CRTs and wouldn't give mark on my nose. But the game playing continued but for some years.
What about the incident I mentioned at the starting??
Well it's like this. Now fb host the games I play, not addicted though. Recently there was a new game launched, territorial kind of game. Here you build army and loot others resources, but even your region can get attacked if you are off-line. I unleashed havoc on many other's region but needless to say they retaliated. And there's this one guy who tested my patience by attacking quite brutally every time I dared take penny from his region. So I kept my game on-line on laptop @home. But there were many such smart people. So two week later the game got an update and the session gets auto logged off if you are not active for a specific duration. What the hell? To those whom I razed covering myself under this strategy, haunted me back in my region.
So two days back I scripted the login part and scheduled it. Now my region remains active even while I am at office/off-line. And since last Wednesday evening my region is never attack. Now it's show time again. Wow the pleasure of Invincibility has no bounds.
Someone said Old Habit dies Hard but what if one never wanted it to Die. I have got my old passion transformed as I devised not to waste time on un-productive habits even if you wish to maintain. Technology Helps.