Today, I fought a recent boss that has beaten me down twice now in quick succession. No, it's not terribly strong, I just have to pay attention closely so my comrades and I don't die. So then why do I keep dying? It's something else that isn't strong: my internet connection. Those words that appear at the top of the screen, "Connection Lost!" frustrate me to no end. I know in a few minutes, I'll find myself spawned in Falador, racing against the clock to reach my gravestone. Albeit, this race against the clock thrills me to no end (note, I forgot there were gravestones and was overjoyed by the fact I had a timer on my screen.) I made it back to my gravestone and picked up a load of fish and potions. I can now suit up again and try my luck, not against the beast, but rather against the wifi signal. But there is another fight I am fighting that frustrates me: my connection with the Runescape Community.
Looking at the scenario, it was with relative ease that I made it back to my finishing point. I had a clock telling me that I had to book it unless I want to kiss my gear goodbye. I could trust that once that clock ran out I'd be out of my gear that I've had for a while now and I knew for sure that I didn't want to lose it.
I'm very much memory inclined with my life standards. I like to give my significant other little trinkets I've kept over the time I've known her. I bring up old stories with my friends from elementary school lunch days and how delicious it was to have chicken nugget days. Same thing with my Runescape life. I have the first two rows of my bank account dedicated to gifts and trinkets that friends have given me. A black full helm (t) from the Shiva tribute drop party at Slayer Tower, 1337 needles for when I retired from being a TET Leader, you name it. I have random things that make me smile every time I open my bank account.
So as for this equipment I'm racing against the clock to pick up, I'm frantic because I don't want to buy another set. No, I want what I already own and thus the thrill of racing against the clock is that much more.
But while I thought about that notion, I also began to wonder if that means I am holding onto the past? Yes, I still have an unofficial drop party room in my POH (and with the talks of the free trade/wilderness return, my room may make a triumphant return as well…). But I know that my desire to hold onto sentimental items or POH rooms is not to blame for my disconnection with the community, rather, I am to blame. I stopped playing regularly. I stopped reading forums regularly. Perhaps it was the last year of my university experience that took me away from it all. I'd come back to my room, Facebook it up, then call it a night. I didn't care I wasn't playing or understanding the updates, my connection was lost and was not trying to reestablish it, and I was fine with that.
As time went on, and I got my examinations out of the way, I came home to a Christmas break during which I was looking forward to just relaxing. I had some time on my hands so I decided to check up on the game I've spent my last six or so years playing. I charged up my membership credits and jumped into good old world 99. There was my character, awaiting my revival, wanting just one more adventure. At this moment, I looked up a clan chat to lurk in and have been lurking ever since. I now am acting like the noob I am and forgetting that I can travel in the most interesting of ways again. I can catch implings with my bare hands. The excitement started to return to me. (Yes, even catching an impling without a butterfly net excited me.) I started to reestablish the proverbial connection with the community once again.
The one difference between an internet connection and one with the community is that one is easily fixable with a few button smashings, the other takes delicate time. It can't be turned on with a flip of a switch, but rather by submersing yourself within the game, the forums, and other media to get you in the pool. With all these glorious re-connections, there is a negative side to the coin. With every connection being reestablished, there are those that are being disconnected. You know that gravestone timer that was ticking away? Well there is a community clock that is ticking away as well. Each of our clocks will one day tick to zero for whatever that reason may be - so what then? That is the question I am unable to answer for you and or for myself. I can only hope that when that clock strikes zero, I can look back and say, "You've served me well. Thank you."
