When the local internet scene began taking hits on the DotA gaming public I wasn’t one of those people who jumped the bandwagon and threw stones at the Warcraft III custom game and the players who were obsessing over it. I wasn’t one of those people who picked up a stone and threw it at the obsessed DotA gamers because I once reached that stage where I consciously chose playing the game over my girlfriend (who’s now my ex, thank God).
However, I was one of those people who shallowly became addicted to the game unlike some of the stories I’ve been heard who practically, eat, breathe and sleep with only DotA in their minds. I was still able to function as a class president during college, I was able to do my tasks from school and I was even able to carry other responsibilities outside of school.
So you see, I was still socially capable of connecting with people then, and I wasn’t just mingling with fellow DotA players and the staring blankly at the PC itching to kill a hero or two.
This story starts during the waning months of my relationship with my ex, who I loved back then but was driving me up the wall. She was the type of girlfriend who, I don’t want to have now, but then was so into because she was my first ever gf ( I was 19 back then–).
I actually used playing DotA as an excuse to escape from the ‘us’ times that I’ve started to detest because it doubled as a ‘rant time’ for her whenever we talk. Plus, I was finally feeling the stress of not only the relationship but also of simply just communicating with people, I never was really a sociable person and small talk for me doesn’t really work. Whenever I talk to someone it’s either: 1. I have a reason to talk to you or 2. I really want to talk to you enough for me to find a reason to talk to you.
Talking to people then was in fact really stressful (for me) and to make matters worse I had to handle a gf who has become someone I didn’t really want to talk to because she only added the stress that I was feeling then. I know, I know, I wasn’t really a decent bf back then but that’s how I saw it and that’s how I coped with it. I wanted to actually talk to her about it, but she wasn’t the person who can take confrontations well. Whenever we had talks before she’ll curl into her shell and practically block the rest of the world, even me just because she didn’t like the tone and the discussion. (I never got to know if she changed then or not but then that bridge has already been burned down and would never be rebuilt ever again, thankfully).
My patience was actually at its limit back then and I was really trying my hardest to avoid talking to her. There were times when I would lie that I was on my way home from school (studying at UST and living 1 hour away from the school was a convenient excuse for me really) but the truth was, I was playing DotA with my friends from the other section.
There came a point where I turned my cp off so she wouldn’t bother me while I was playing. In fairness to myself, there were moments where I would actually tell her that I was playing DotA with my buddies when I felt like it.
However, it didn’t stop there, when I got home I start up my PC and continue on with my DotA gaming using Garena, and I would totally ignore my gf then save for a reply or two if the need arises.
DotA became my coping mechanism to the harsh realities of living through a demanding gf (in my pov anyway) and there were times that I chose playing DotA rather than spending time with her. However, I must stress that having a difficult gf is NOT or WILL NOT ever be reason enough to choose DotA over her.
Kasi naman pumasok ka sa isang relationship and that’s reason enough that you should choose the person you love over something that doesn’t help you in the long run (unless you are a pro DotA gamer because that’s your way of income). Seeing how my relationship went caput, then, it made me realize that I wasn’t really ready to have one. Kumbaga immature pa talaga ako to handle a relationship back then and hopefully guys who are in one right now and choosing a game over their gfs should see the immaturity of their ways.
I’m not saying that right now I’m mature enough because I’m not. There are times that I’d just rather spend the whole day playing videogames rather than go through the trouble of meeting and socializing with people. However, if you’re in a relationship that’s a different thing all together.
It’s rare for gamers, especially for those who look like me to get a girlfriend these days kasi nga naman we’re not capable of knowing the ‘moves’ to get a girl (wag na kayong magyabang at magpakaplastic pa mga tsong, alam naman natin lahat ng talagang hindi tayo marunong maghandle ng babae without the help of others lalo na dun sa mga taong walang ‘moves’ and ‘looks’ like me) so I think it’s just justifiable to say that we guys should really know how lucky we are to even get a decent enough gf.
Of course I’m not saying that us gamers are such lowly creatures na we should cling on to any girl who decides to be with us and all. It’s just that DotA (and any other games for that matter) is just a GAME. It should never even be a hard decision between a game and a person.
But then, it’s all about the person’s preference really. I personally suggest that anyone who thinks having a gf is ok even if you’d choose DotA over your gf should take a look at himself first before even courting a girl. For those who have one right now and still choosing a pc game over their real partners should take a moment and think things through and see if you’d really have a gf or just play DotA.
I’m going to leave you guys with this video na alam ko familiar sa atin lahat 😀
4 Comments
Well marami na ngang lulong sa DOTA… at marami ang ipagpapalit ang gf sa DOTA… pero mawawala pa rin naman sa aking palagay ang hilig sa isang laro lalo na kapag nagkapamilya na ang isang tao… pa arbor ng video ha at ilang ideas… post ko sa http://pagodkanaba.blogspot.com … great site!
sure go ahead! 😀 and yeah the sad truth on the matter is madami ngang pinagpapalit ang gf sa dota
well I am a pro gamer, I do play warcraft III for hours a day (average of 10hours a day minimum of 5) and I also have a, well we could say above average gf and i am lucky to have her. she’s a professional, earns well, religious and gorgeous and very understanding. We have no conflicts with me being a gamer and my game time, she actually supports me in this especially when in international tournaments. It also came to a point that even when im with her, i still think of warcraft and how to beat the legendary Moon of wemadefox, in those times i just need to be aware with what i have, what im doing and whats important.
I also play warcraft III at garena and play against koreans and recently played Heroes of Newerth. ;p
For me its just having time management and knowing your priorities, sometimes gamers need to be knocked hard to know whats really important in their life since they are so submerged into the fantasy world.
sorry magulo yung comment.. haha! its a rush of ideas/comments XD
cheers to your article..
thanks man buti naman at inaalagaan mo gf mo 😀 sa ngayon kahit baligtarin natin mundo talagang nahihirapan parin ang ibang mga tao sa pagkamit ng gf na tulad ng sayo 😀
more power to the two of you 😀