Some advice on how to enjoy AH more responsibly and hopefully prevent burnouts so you may enjoy the experience longer!
*Note: This is mainly for those who don't have other hobbies/external activities*---------------------------------------------------
- Make sure you don't play too long!
+ If you have decided to take the chance to play for a long time or intense periods after work/study make sure to read a book or have another distraction while your climbing out/etc (don't forsake SA entirely tho). Lifting weights/doing push-ups and sit-ups also is a great way to spend your climb-out time or between sorties!
+ Your mind will eventually accumulate and simulate your experience of the game and build expectations around previous game-play (due to the nature of the game and since game-play is unpredictable, this will leave you often emotionally weak). This often includes other individuals/players as well.
+ Avoid staying up beyond normal waking hours to play! If you still want to keep playing, wake up early; maybe 5:30 or 6:00 am to play instead!
- Make sure you don't get killed too many times!
+ Due to the natural hunter/gatherer instincts, after not succeeding at what your doing continually, this will build up frustration and lower self-esteem. In some more active-minded individuals they will find this gets them easily depressed and may cause emotional stress (note: playing too much will weaken your mind to the effects of AH).
+ When you die often you will notice it is much easier to just re-up then it was the last time, the need for "getting back" at others or re-winning your "honor" may drive you to put yourself in positions which will compromise your emotional stability. When this happens, take a 5-10 minute break, go for a quick walk or do something else for those 5-10 minutes (length depends on how long it has been going on for).
- Make sure you don't play the game too seriously!
+ Prioritize assignments/work/homework over the game! Always play AH with a clear consience and with no "to-dos" to do!
+ You will notice that some of the "worst" players always complain about things and have to explain to others why such things happened/etc. This is a sign of being over-attached to the game!
+ You will notice that some of the "top" players have "Systems" in order to keep their rankings/etc and rarely engage in fights which will even provide a shadow of a doubt of losing. This is a sign of being over-attached to the game!
+ What makes this game is that you and other people can "create" situations which reveal the inner workings of the other persons! Its like dancing, but in the sky and with planes. If you don't dance but just sit on the sidelines waiting for an easy opportunity you will miss out! If you dance too much and wave yourself around like a drunk person, you will find people don't like dancing with you!
+ Don't take yourself or your "reputation" too seriously! Enjoy your time with others and don't trick yourself into thinking your a better/worse person then anyone else!
Section added later; particulars: How to extend your enjoyment of the game- Understand why you enjoyed the game the first time you played!
+ Don't let yourself build mental "structures" and ways of dealing with situations beforehand! Engage in a situation and let what's inside come out by itself!
+ There is only one version of fun in this game, and thats HTC's vision of it! Your "version" is only a desire to control it (this comes with time and effects everyone, so be careful)!
+ Remember how you first felt when you played for the first time and keep that in your mind at all times!
+ Get to know and link up with other players in your neighborhood/town/city and arrange occasions to play online together (Host a local AH LAN)!
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Practical things you can do:
- Limit yourself to a set number of hours or "lives" per day/week.
- When you feel yourself emotionally react to situations in-game, force yourself to smile and don't allow yourself to engage with the emotional response OR Take a break.
- Before you play, make sure to remind yourself to have fun over and over!
- Always make sure your in a position of emotionally "giving" to the game and not "taking" before you start! Otherwise you will just look to it as a means of hiding real and deep emotional issues (and hurt the game experience and community in the long run)!
& Good luck!
