Reconnecting With an Old Love

 Oblivion concept art.

Oh my! Has it really been a whole week since I last posted? I knew I was getting a bit slack here, but that’s a tad ridiculous.  The reason for my absence is equally pitiful too, so much so I even thought about inventing a more acceptable excuse to peddle. I couldn’t bring myself to lie to you lovely people though, so here’s a wee brief history to put my shameful story in context:

 

 Once upon a time, in the days before I discovered the wonderful realms of blogging, Flickring and Tumblring, I had another technological romance. My first true love in the computerized world- gaming. Yes folks, I was a bit of a gaming geek. In years gone by I would spend hours on end conquering ancient civilisations, exploring medieval castles, governing mega-cities, or building rollercoasters that would make your eyes pop out. It was everything a master procrastinator could wish for.

Over time this passion waned somewhat and I managed to wean myself off what I eventually came to regard as one of the most unconstructive pastimes imaginable. “They’re rotting your brain!” I’d chastise myself, “Go read a book instead!” And so it was that I was able to reclaim enough free time to pursue other endeavours such as this blog.  At least until this week, when, in a moment of weakness, I succumbed to my addiction once more and rekindled an old affair with possibly the greatest game this world has ever known- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. 

 

It was himself who’s to blame; he was wandering around the house one day humming the main motif from the game’s breathtaking soundtrack and the next thing I knew I was rummaging through my desk looking for the disc. Since then I’ve spent my evenings traversing the wild and varied landscape of Cyrodiil; visiting it’s walled cities, joining it’s guilds, foraging it’s woodland for rare fungi and elusive medicinal plants. I’m now as handy with a blade as I am masterful at all schools of magic; as good an armourer as an alchemist; and as devout an occultist as I am a pious pilgrim. Oh, just talking about it makes me want to cut this post short and get back to it!

No. I have to control myself! I wouldn’t mind only this will be my third  time playing it through. You’d think I’d have bored of it by now but nope, it really is that great. I can’t even use the auld ‘better off reading a book’ mindset to dissuade myself either, for Oblivion really is the closet you could ever come to actually living inside one. Honestly, the whole thing is like a well written and fully interactive fantasy novel. The story lines can change depending on the decisions you make too, and the virtual world is so vast and detailed it would take an eternity to tire of it.

Anyway, there you have it- the reason why I’ve been so anti-social online this past wee while. Pretty pathetic excuse really, isn’t it? Well at least I’ve recognised the problem now and can nip it in the bud. Wouldn’t want this particular obsession taking root again, especially not when I haven’t even started on the Christmas presents I’d planned on making. I’m extra poor this year and  really have to take the DIY route as far as I can; I’d bloody better get round to it! I’ve managed to gather up a list of other things-to-do a mile long over the past week too and catching up with all your blogs is high up there on it. So from Monday on there’ll be no more questing for me for a while.

For now, though, I need one last night with my cute but feisty little dark elf avatar. She’s sitting in there, all bored and lonely in my pc’s frozen memory banks, waiting for me to come and take her adventuring. How could I deny her one last outing when I’m going to be abandoning her for who knows how long? Poor wee thing… ;)

Well folks, hope you’re all having a lovely weekend and that it’s more productive then my own is promising to be. I leave you now with a short clip from the game’s intro, in case any of you wanted to get a little taster of what the hell I’ve been babbling about.  Or maybe you’re thinking about a gift for that gamer in your life? If you are then just make sure it’s someone you don’t want to see too often because if you buy them this they’ll likely disappear until July!