Wishing all my readers a very HAPPY VALENTINE’s Day!

A toast to you and your partner. May you have a sweet one.

My Life For Aiur. My Love For You.

Here’s wishing all those with “special someones” a Happy Valentine’s day!

Share the love!

Peace!

- GM T

First, a Happy Valentine’s to everyone.

In celebration of Cupid’s day, I thought I’d write a short piece about love, relationships and online games. It’s a fact that some couples have actually met online through a game, got engaged and got married. A good example would be the post about a marriage made in RF Online I made last year.

If it’s really destiny, then love will find ways. But let’s not forget that there are still people who are out who take advantage of the guillable and clueless. Although the MMORPG customer-base is male dominated (90%), there still are REAL females who play. But don’t let the sexy avatar or the “cute nonsense” you read in the chat window fool you. These “chicksilogs” aren’t really interested in you, it’s the gear of your character they want.

More after the jump…

How it starts

It all starts with a short chat, a couple of quests and then some extended nights of uber-gaming. Once a couple “connects” online, they then exchange instant messengers, emails and then graduate to getting each others’ cellphone. Soon, after lots of texting and calling they finally go out on a date. Couples probably have met before going on their first date, most likely through a guild EB or a community event.

What to do next

During the initial “get-to-know-you” stage (and assuming that you verified that it IS a girl on the other end), don’t be too agressive. Just get to chat and know each other. Safe topics would be other hobbies, school or high school memories, vacation topics, and travel. You’ll know that you “click” if you find a lot of things common between both of you.

Try to do special things for her character/avatar. I remember one time in Ragnarok where there was a quest. After getting the required items, the NPC will give you a “personalized” ring inscribed with your name. So, I made a new character and named him “I Love You Babe” so that the ring’s name will end up that way. I did the quest and gave the ring to my wife’s character. It was an unforgettable moment for us both. I’m sure that your games will have cool Valentines’ items and events. Go out of your way and get some stuff for her, right?

It’s no joke

Just remember that relationships, especially if it’s marriage, is NO JOKE. I advise you to really think about what you’re about to do. It’s a life changer. And once you pledge together, there’s no turning back. Don’t forget to do good in school and finish your studies so as not to freak out your parents.

In closing, even if you met in a game, this thing called love and the committments you’ll have to make IS NOT A GAME. It’s not as if you can just leave the guild or party – you can’t. So before making that big decision, consult family and friends and make sure that both of you are ready for the bigger game called “life”.

Happy Valentines’!

May cupid’s arrows never miss.

GM T

Yeah… yeah… I know it still is very early and Valentine’s is next month. But I was recently inspired to do this post when I saw someone peddling flowers on the way here to work. I wondered how a gamer, especially an MMO player, might deal with Valentines. What sort of gifts would appeal to a girl gamer or to a fellow gamers’ “special someone”?

Of course, it’s a fact that flowers and chocolates are guaranteed to hit the “spot” when it comes to Valentine’s gifts.

Some tips on valentines gift ideas after the jump…

Here are some valentines gift ideas to get you started

• In-game items that scream “LOVE” – sometimes when the Cupid’s season comes, online games have patches that include special flowers, cakes or even chocolates. Try to farm for these and avail of the special events and show your partner that you took time to get them
• A special note – if the game has a messaging system, a special prose or poem can say “I love you” in a unique way.
• A video – If you can sacrifice a few hours of your time by combining screenshots of you and her, you can put them together in a simple video. You can either mail it or upload it online for her to see
• Real flowers – even if others say that it’s common, nothing beats REAL flowers as a valentines gift idea. If you don’t have time, you can just order online and let the experts prepare it for you. Check out this short video on how to say I love you.

So, what other ideas do you have? Here’s wishing you more love in both the online gaming world and in real life.

And remember, it’s never early to say “I Love You”. If you really care, Valentine’s should be everyday!