OThankGoodness

It seems that I had developed a small addiction over the winter months, and it has taken me until now to realise that it existed. Down the side of my blog is a link to OGame, a game on the internet where you own planets and build ships and blow things up and trade and stuff. I was introduced to it by my cousin who is an avid player of the game. He and his friends have an 'alliance' in the game, and I was invited to join. I did.

The game is good, but it has one flaw: it never stops. Never. When you log off, it carries on going. Your mines produce more stuff, your ships keep flying and the rest of the world keeps watching. So, when you have a busy day at the office, then have a quick read of your book, then have tea, then go to the gym, then watch Arsenal play Man United and then return to your computer, it is possible that things may have happened whilst you were away. They did yesterday. I returned to the game to find practically everything gone. Some guy somewhere watched and watched and watched until he realised that I wasn't paying attention and went for me. I lost all my (imaginary) ships, lost most of my (imaginary) defences and he stole loads of my (imaginary) resources. I imagined that I may be annoyed, but I wasn't. I withdrew from my cousin's alliance and stopped playing the game. I have returned to the (real) world.

I sincerely apologise to my cousin as I know that he loves it and I know that my leaving the alliance has affected the alliance's score. However, they will continue to gain points fine without me.

What bothered me was the realisation that it had taken up so much of my life. I've spent hours checking up on it, moving ships around and building things. I would wait to ensure that my fleet was safe before leaving the house. I don't think heroin addicts have it that bad.

I welcome the new year as a free man, and I say the same to you all: go out and play.

But do drop back here from time to time. Please.

technorati tags: ogame, play, addiction