How Playing Tanki has Changed Me

[sonofchrysalis3 3,719]

I stumbled onto Tankionline about a week after our village received its G.A.S. internet modem from the magicians’ lab.  I was fascinated by the fact that humans even existed, but then to see what your species has created!  “Wonderstruck” is the only word I can think of to describe how I felt when I clicked the START button for the Tanki tutorial.

 

The first few times I played, I simply wandered around, amazed at the alien worlds I could explore without leaving home.  I jumped off of things, grabbed supply kits for no reason, and somehow managed to get on top of the tower in Aleksandrovsk using only a Smoky.

 

Eventually I started shooting at other tanks, and I got pretty good with my Railgun.  Then I caught my first Gold Box at Rio.  I saw it floating down with nopony near it, and, at first, I was scared to touch it, not knowing what would happen.  I took a risk and grabbed it.  When “sonofchrysalis3 has taken the Gold Box” appeared over my tank, I knew I was in this game for the long haul.

 

From such humble beginnings came forth a fearsome warrior whose exploits will be recounted for millennia to come.  Okay, maybe not, but I did devote a good bit of time and money to the game, and, as a result, I became a pretty skilled tanker.  My first fascination, interacting with another manifestation of intelligent life, was gone, and now all that interested me was the push and the shove for what falls from above (#GOLD BIL).

 

That’s when I started to notice myself changing.

 

“Cheap joke, Stratus,” you say, “changing is kind of what changelings do.”  I mean my behavior started to change.  Tanki was consuming more and more of my time and attention, and it was having both positive and negative effects.

 

     1.  I had something to do on boring, snowbound days.

 

When the winter storms marooned me in my home, and Twilight was too busy with royal duties to zap herself over for a visit, I could spend my time doing more than just stare at the sky and wonder what possessed the Pegasi to make such a heavy snow.  Tanki became my sanity-saver.

 

     2.  My priorities were messed up.

 

Yes, it was good fun when I was separated from my friends, but it was still fun when my friends were not only available, they were actually banging on my door, trying to get me to come outside and enjoy the snow.  I didn’t have time to go out and spend time with my pals!  What if the Gold Box dropped?  I would miss it, and that would be a tragedy.  So my friends left me alone, and I sat staring at my screen.

 

     3.  My ability to solve problems and develop strategies improved.

 

I’m in Brest.  The opposing team has our flag, and we have theirs.  How do we end the standoff?  I learned how to coordinate my team and shoot our way to victory in dramatic fashion, and that sort of brain-training has helped me solve real-world issues.

 

     4.  I became more and more irritable.

 

As time wore on and my skills improved, I started to get very upset in team battles.  My less-experienced, less-addicted teammates just seemed so maddeningly incompetent.  I felt like the only tank on my team, trying in vain to capture the flag or point while the other tankers ran around in circles with their hooves shoved up their noses, making spitty noises and stumbling over their own tails.  No one seemed to care except my opponents, who never lost sight of what was important: winning by a ridiculous amount of points.  I got so frustrated that, at times, I would open the battle chat box and start yelling at my teammates for their apathy.  “I’m pretty sure you guys didn’t trip and fall onto tankionline.com today.  You probably logged on because you wanted to play Tanki, so how about you all GET YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND PLAY THIS CONFOUNDED GAME!”  My heartless rudeness ran a lot of players away.  If you, the reader, happen to be one of those tankers I mistreated, I sincerely apologize.  I can only wonder what my penalty would’ve been had my hideous abuse of the chat box been reported.

 

When I finally emerged from my house after a hard day of losing, my friends were actually surprised to see me.  They were unnerved by my short temper and periodic yelps of pain.  Every beat of my heart pulsed inside my head, and I felt like my unicorn horn would pop off from the pressure.  Getting up before sunrise and playing nonstop until the afternoon caused headaches so terrible that everything smelled different.

 

The worst pain was the hunger.  My friends were slipping away, and I was apathetic.  But my deteriorating body was screaming for the nourishing power of their camaraderie and fellowship.  If you know anything about my species, you know we can’t survive long on apples and oats.  We aren’t designed that way.

 

I love Tanki.  It has an unmatched ability to unite people and ponies of all nations, languages, and creeds.  I respect the extraordinary individuals who created it and keep it timelessly entertaining.  I will always be a tanker, and that’s something I’m proud of.  But I know very well that the game’s designers never intended for it to overcome me.  The changelings have a long and ugly history of addictive personalities, tracing all the way back to our Mom and the addiction that turned her into Chrysalis.  She never made an attempt to enjoy that... “unfortunate magic” in moderation.

 

But I have resolved to be different.

 

I will be spending less time on Tanki, only playing it for an hour each Saturday (which I think is Tuesday for some of you and Wednesday for others).  Don’t misunderstand me; I am not pushing Tanki away like it’s an abomination.  It is, like all other fun things, good if enjoyed in moderation.  But I need some time to focus on what’s most important in life: my real friends.  They can give me love and purpose like no chat box friend can. 

 

Playing Tanki has changed me.  It has changed how I view myself, my friends, and the importance of keeping the two together.

Edited January 29, 2016 by sonofchrysalis3

[r_davinson46463a0 147]

then quit the game not that hard

[dilsharox 2,395]

this game is supposed to be addictive

[TankDestroyer890 135]

erm...

[GoldRock 6,165]

I've been reading your topics, and your writing style seems distinct, controlled and very entertaining. This one in particular was an excellent read. You could always consider applying for the English community's Reporter team, because it seems to me like this article's pretty official-newspaper-worthy...

[CockneyLad 31]

Wow, what a brilliant piece of writing. I agree with GoldRock, apply for a reporter role, plus that would give you less time playing tanki

[Reeco9 1,567]

Your writing style is impressive, and made for an enjoyable read.

 

Don’t misunderstand me; I am not pushing Tanki away like it’s an abomination.  It is, like all other fun things, good if enjoyed in moderation.  But I need some time to focus on what’s most important in life: my real friends.  They can give me love and purpose like no chat box friend can.

Well said.

 

Great work overall. As Goldy say, consider applying to be a reporter if you enjoy writing articles like this one.

[r_stdin0 11]

Getting more involved in a game in any ways just makes it harder for one to detach at will. The more steps you take into a field, the less chance you have to get out of it.

[1stsuperwhitedragon 408]

I've been reading your topics, and your writing style seems distinct, controlled and very entertaining. This one in particular was an excellent read. You could always consider applying for the English community's Reporter team, because it seems to me like this article's pretty official-newspaper-worthy...

wow

 

well I can't apply since I don't have Skype

[Yisroel.Rabin 16,224]

Started Tanki

Planned to quit.

Failed to quit.

Still play.

Plan to quit again some time this summer.

Probably will fail again.

 

It's simple, Tanki made this game as addictive as possible. How? Hard to tell with all these bad updates. :/ You know Tanki, I'll admit that at one point I was so into this game I didn't really do any chores around the house or listen to my parents. I snapped out of it though ;)

---

[The.Skilled.Legend 1,459]

I've been reading your topics, and your writing style seems distinct, controlled and very entertaining. This one in particular was an excellent read. You could always consider applying for the English community's Reporter team, because it seems to me like this article's pretty official-newspaper-worthy...

Read my mind eh?

[l.Godmode_0N 636]

my life is half ruined by playng tanki...but still i am addicted to this wonderful game :)  

 

Got low marks in the boards by which I lost my new bike which my parents offered me :(

 

[Remaine 4,687]

wow

 

well I can't apply since I don't have Skype

It wasn't directed at you.

Edited June 18, 2015 by Remaine

[BlazingCoder 108]

Wow.

[Fresh 2,390]

it took away the best game in the world runescape away from me and is the only game i play and i have started youtube videos if you want to watch type my kingbilal7 on youtube and this is a great topic to show people how it has affected your life in a good way, although i do rage alot because so many inexperienced players come in and start playing bad

[falcosenna1 8,320]

I've been reading your topics, and your writing style seems distinct, controlled and very entertaining. This one in particular was an excellent read. You could always consider applying for the English community's Reporter team, because it seems to me like this article's pretty official-newspaper-worthy...

Completely agreed! He has a great writing style, lovely to read! 

[U.N.E.X.P.E.C.T.E.D 118]

You should apply for the Reporter team, oh wait, maybe not. Since Tanki will take even more time then, even though your writing skills are impressive :P 

 

About your story, I kinda had the same problem. Not that bad, but since I abandoned my main account I am going out a lot more and I regret that I ever started this game since. I have spend so much time on it back in the days... It was just not worth it.

[eminem9870 605]

When is first played tanki, i thought you had to push people off to win. Since my friend said that tanki was like Robot rage(a game i suck at on miniclip)(first map i played on was silence btw.

Edited June 23, 2015 by eminem9870

[sonofchrysalis3 3,719]

The only good thing about Miniclip is the pool game.  Their version of Tanki is not as complete as tankionline.com.

[GHOST68INVINCIBLE 152]

man i too am addicted to tanki.

nice writing skills btw.

[Penguin40 1,714]

The only good thing about Miniclip is the pool game. Their version of Tanki is not as complete as tankionline.com.

You're right, but I have to say Miniclip is where I found Tanki from. And I played my first game at Miniclip, at the age of 2, I'd like to mention.

[Lankbouv 6,347]

Truly intriguing story of yours.

 

Definitely apply to the newspaper but do not let their dull writing style ruin YOUR writing

[Mr.I3oSS 557]

Impressive read, You certainly have a creative mind :)

Apply for Reporter and enjoy the company rather than those battles which ruined your Life