I play MMOs. I am not so young, but I enjoy the games. When I am playing video games, I do not smoke. (This is a good thing, yes?) I do not smoke at the computer as it is bad for the equipment and I do not have time to smoke will DPSing that mega beast in the dugeon.
I play with friends. Sometimes the friends have a life and leave me waiting in the lobby or in some safe zone. Taking a "bio" is understandable because it only takes a couple minutes. Usually everyone on the team runs at the same time. It is harder to sneak in a cigarette as no one wants to wait around 8 mintues for another player to finish a smoke...especially those who do not smoke. So, mostly I do not smoke so that no one has to wait on me. However, when I am playing an MMO and waiting for another player to be ready...I am not really playing and I want to smoke.
It seems like a prefect time to steal off for a cigarette. If one of the other players is dealing with children, has to answer a phone call, change their gear, or race across the map to meet up...the team really isn't waiting on me. I could sneak into the other room and smoke before the next dugeon while keeping an eye on the computer screen from across the house. If the busy player returns, I can snub out the cigarette and be back at the keyboard before they know I am gone. Sounds good.
This sounds wrong to me. Sneaking around to smoke. Not telling team members I need a smoke break because I fear they won't team with me if they have to wait for a smoker. We waited one time over 30 minutes for a team member to take a shower and grab a sandwich, but 8 minutes is too long for a smoker. No one said this, it is my thinking alone. Wrong or otherwise, I had to consider what to do with that time other than wanting to smoke.
Answer 1: I decided to keep myself busy in game by fighting nearby enemy. > some team mates didn't like this as they believed I was advancing without them.
Answer 2: Do light tasks about the area, dust, clear the desk, empty trash... > It actually takes less time to police my workstation then it does to smoke a cigarette.
Answer 3: Quit playing. > not an acceptable answer. I play MMOs because I enjoy them. Quitting a team because you do not want to wait on someone is not accceptable. No one will team with you if you play it that way.
Answer 4: I don't have an answer 4. Still working on this one. Maybe work some logic puzzles at my desk?
Suggestions are welcome as long as they are reasonable and do not insult my gaming passion.
