…Or my girlfriend will beat you up.

I think every MMO has players that take anti-social behavior to new levels every chance they get. Since WoW has 7 million players, it’s good odds are you’re going to run into an asshat at some point. So as I stumble along collecting soil or eggs or pelts for a quest, I stumble across players that find it high comedy to make my life miserable.

This isn’t going to be some long psychological profile piece on “What I Think Is Wrong With Online Gamers That Misbehave”, rather an interesting note on another aspect of the game.

Raven’s characters are much higher “levels” than mine, and as anyone that plays WoW knows, “Level = Power”. A quick word over the voice program (or a quick message if the voice program isn’t running), and a high-level Angel of Retribution appears to bedevil those that bedevil me. Yes, it’s like a small child running to mommy, but face it folks, Mom never shot someone in the ass with an arrow to get her point (no pun intended) across.

It’s loads of fun to see the tables turned on the “Grief Player”, and their reaction. Add in the fact that it’s a guy getting his virtual ass whipped by a GIRL, and you’ve got some comedy gold.

The Lovers That Slay Together

Raven (my soulmate) and I – like 7 million other people – play the online game World of Warcraft from Blizzard Entertainment. While we share so many things in common, our approach to the game is significantly different in some ways.

I need to talk about Raven. She is a rare combination of beauty and intellect. Don’t let the long blonde hair and gorgeous eyes highlighting a beautiful face deceive – she’s not one you make “blonde jokes” about. Raven is an executive that handles communication for a large multi-national corporation. She is multilingual, and speaks English better than a lot of “native” Engilsh speakers (Like oh, George W. Bush for example).

She brings this intelligence to WoW. She reads about the game, the quests, the challenges, the character types. She has links to important websites that offer help and hints. When she approaches a challenge in the game, she knows what to expect and has a plan. Raven is a Success Story waiting to happen.

Me? I’m Groundhog Day Meets Sword and Sorcery. I approach a quest with all the finesse and preparation of a brick through a plate glass window, and will be headed back to resurrect and collect my gear thinking “Okay this time I’ll try…”

Many of our online adventures together in the game start with me saying “C”mon, how hard can it be?” (I should point out that Raven’s avatars are far more advanced than mine. She will bring her game character and experience along with me as I approach a quest to help me, and I never cease to find new ways to make things go very, very wrong.)

Through the magic of the internet and voice over IP, Raven and I can communicate even though separated. She can say “NO WAIT!” and it sounds like she’s sitting in the room with me (and at those points I think she really wishes she was there with me, within arm’s reach).

As my soulmate, Raven will agree that we communicate on a non-verbal level. Even if she didn’t even think it, I’ll hear it. For example, she’ll say “Stand right here and don’t move”, and I hear the unspoken “Until I get busy clearing the area. Then you can wander off and come screaming back to me with half this dungeon in tow.”

And when we’re coming back from the angel to resurrect and collect gear together, she’s sometimes silent. You know that’s true love.

Love is…

Online?

At least that’s how I found my lady love. We met in an online game 5 years ago.

“Lady Love” doesn’t do it justice. Soulmate is really more accurate. I know people talk all corny and wax poetic, but after 5 years – the vast majority of that time spent 5,000 miles from each other – I’m pretty sure I have it right. (Finally)

She knows me and I her, and she could have walked away a long time ago and didn’t, and hasn’t. We share similar political and social beliefs – we think alike to a point where it seems supernatural. This is a person that finishes my sentences, or says what I say at the exact same moment. That’s a lot of fun around friends and family, I mean all the “awws” and strange looks are always a grin. Granted when it happens out in public people tend to hold up crosses at us and back away muttering prayers and incantations, but we don’t live in a perfect world.

This is also a first Blog post that I need to get out of the way. Suffice to say there will be more (with pictures!), and I suspect they shall be more enjoyable reads.

- JL