Online "friends".. Particularly through gaming.

So I'm 30 now, living in Asia, and haven't had any lack of social life in the last 13 years. Every night of the week, because of where I live and the schedules that people are on, someone is out for a couple of beers.

A year and a half ago, I got really into Rocket League and am probably in the top 100 of India, SEA and Japan. I play the game in short breaks while I work on personal web-dev projects. But I still went out and met the lads for beers.

A month ago, I started using Discord to play with teams more easily and I've just started going out way less because of it. I just have more in common with these guys in general and they're really interesting. Apart from the regular Asian guys who are good at English, there are a lot of expats and I've found people talk way more freely over Discord than at the pub.


I feel weird that at 30, I turned down beers with the lads tonight because I was happy to chill at home with a few beers (enough to make this post), play some good games and chat to some good people.

Wondering how common it is.



Edit: As a simple example: I don't know any web developers in real life but I talk a lot with a Singaporean guy who is really experienced. It's refreshing to talk to someone like that because none of my friends even know about F12.

jamesbere

I see nothing wrong with that at all as long as it doesn't consume your life, online gaming can be addictive.

Your Face

Yes.

Tzardine

Eh, whats F12 ?

_Kaiser_

At this stage of my life (early 40s), most of my friends are settled and living all over the place having bought in the Good Times. As such, getting people together at all is tough but we have a Viber group we chat on daily and another group for one of the games a few of us play.

We do meet up when we can though.. Recently had a weekend in Wexford for BBQ, beer and a catch-up which was good fun.

I rarely go out anymore though.. partly for the above reason, partly because I have an hour's commute home every day, but mostly because I couldn't be arsed.. would rather stay in, have a drink if I want (usually don't though) and just relax.

pitifulgod

Most of my real life friends, I know via Twitter. Get on great with them. Varied age range and value them a lot. See them regularly in real life. So yep it's just how things work now. Know another guy who knows a fair few in Scandinavian nations via World of Warcraft.

captbarnacles

Have a couple of friends from gaming 15 years ago. You can share things with them you mightnt be able to with friends here safe in knowledge they dont care and will never meet people involved. Have met one of them when they came to Dublin.

We had a great group in the game and a night in with them became much better than a trip to the pub.

AllGunsBlazing

Rocket League is highly addictive in my experience - and also costly on controllers when I lose! I've forced myself to quit on a couple of occasions only to end up coming back. I never use chat though as I turn into an absolute cvnt when I play.


Top 100 is genuinely impressive btw.

NIMAN

Do you see yourself gaming when you are 40, 45, 50, 55?

NIMAN

NIMAN wrote: »

Do you see yourself gaming when you are 40, 45, 50, 55?

Yeah, definitely. But not the intense multiplayer games.

The Witcher 3, which I played a year ago, was easily one of the most engrossing fictional worlds I've been in, apart from The Stormlight Archive. I look forward to catching up with a couple of decades of single player classics.

B.A._Baracus

I'm not anti-social by any means. But at my age now I would rather stay in, have a few beers and watch a movie or play a game than going out.
I remember when I was in my early 20s and HAD to go out. Felt like it was a sin if I didn't go out at least once that week.

Going to a bar with friends is better now if it's something here and there and not a weekly tradition.

B.A._Baracus

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

I'm not anti-social by any means. But at my age now I would rather stay in, have a few beers and watch a movie or play a game than going out.
I remember when I was in my early 20s and HAD to go out. Felt like it was a sin if I didn't go out at least once that week.

Going to a bar with friends is better now if it's something here and there and not a weekly tradition.

Yeah, a lot of my friends now still do it as a routine. I go through phases where that's good craic and I've nothing against it, but it feels like a lot of other things in life take a back seat if your weekend is a long hangover.

Lord Nikon

I played online with a lot of guys in the states a few years ago, but family life is taken over, and I game maybe once a week. Mostly playing Bf1, and noticed no one is talking at all. Maybe everyone is on Ventrillo or Discord.
My close mates have gone off the radar completely(no Facebook/Twitter/Instagram), not a text from them lately either. Had a newborn the the OH a few months ago, and they weren't bothered to even call over, couldn't be bothered talking to them at this stage because of it. They live barely 30 minutes away.