Addiction - Santos - DotA Addiction

AN EPIC BATTLE BETWEEN DOTA AND GIRLFRIEND

When he finally managed to pry his eyes away from the computer monitor to check the clock, Patrick saw that it was already 10 pm. He got so caught up with playing that he forgot he was supposed to be at Patio Palmeras Restaurant three hours ago. He wondered if his date would still be there, waiting for him to arrive for their anniversary dinner.

There is nothing extraordinary about Patrick. Like many other boys in Ateneo de Zamboanga University College, he gets by in his classes and can be seen more often loafing in different corners of the campus, or smoking a cigarette outside the gate, or playing DotA inside a nearby internet shop with his friends.

His girlfriend, April, is more laidback and reserved. She is friendly and approachable, studious but not nerdy. April and Patrick have been together for roughly a year. Both are deeply committed to the relationship. But lately, things between them are shaky because of Patrick’s addiction to the video game DotA.

Patrick’s DotA addiction started November 2008. It was during the semestral break, he had nothing much to do with April in Manila on vacation. April became fully aware of her boyfriend’s addiction only June of this year. “Nagbago na siya. At first it was okay with me that he goes with his friends to play DotA. But later on I realized that wala na pala siyang time for me and for our relationship. Nalulungkot at naiinis ako at the same time” April explained.
April didn’t expect Patrick to get so hooked on the game. The initial idea of letting Patrick enjoy some male bonding time with his friends evolved into something serious and problematic, with their relationship on the line. “I don’t want this relationship to fail. Sana naman maintindihan niya ako na I can never do this alone. I want his eyes to be fixed on me. I want his attention. I want him back” she said.

“Nakakaadik talaga siya. I enjoy playing it with all of my friends”, exclaimed Patrick. He was unable to resist his friends who would sometimes physically drag him to the internet café to play.

“I don’t care how much money I spend on it as long as I get the most of what I pay for. Enjoy talagang mag-DotA” Patrik said. He never expected the recreation to actually come between him and his girlfriend. “Once nakastart ka nang maglaro, you can’t help but play with it until sa magsawa at mapagod ka na. Pero ako? Imposibleng magsawa at mapagod ako kase my life revolves around DotA na.”

DotA, or Defense of the Ancients, is an online role-playing game popular to the youth today. The object of the game is for each team to destroy their opponent’s heavily guarded structures situated at opposing corners of the map known as “Ancients”. Players upgrade their heroes or characters and use gold to buy equipment used on their mission.

April said she has caught Patrick lying to her because of DotA. "Nagtext ako sa kanya. I asked him kung where siya. Magpapasama sana ako sa kanya. Sabi niya he has class daw. Eh nung nagpass by ako sa may internet cafe dun sa may Canelar nakita ko siyang naglalaro! Enjoy na enjoy siya tapos sasabihin niya saken na may class siya? hello?!", April said in an exasperated tone. “I hated him for doing that! Nag-lie na nga siya. tapos wala na nga siyang time for me dahil sa DotA na yan!"

While his girlfriend frets over the future of their relationship, Patrick is trying to ignore April’s complaints against DotA. He said his love for DotA is "normal" for boys his age. He said DotA separates the boys from the girls and without it, his time would be spent wasted..
DotA players race to destroy their own “Ancients”. In real life, Patrick and April have now become like competing DotA characters who have to destroy their own “Ancients”: Patrick’s ancient is his extreme addiction to DotA and April, her total paranoia over her boyfriend’s online addiction.

If one of them decides to level up to heat up the fight even more, then they might just end up being killed in their own battle.