Habits

I woke up this morning with something I haven't felt in a long time: a desire to play EVE. Unfortunately, I had to jump on a 6:30am conference call instead. Playing an MMORPG becomes a habit, and a break in service can lead a player to stray away.

For me, that break was the one introduced by the major DDoS attack that occurred in late January 2020. While I waited for Tranquility to stabilize, I began playing a lot more Final Fantasy XIV. Normally, preparations for Fanfest would bring me back to the EVE universe during the spring. But not in 2020. On 28 February, CCP announced the cancellation of the event due to the emerging COVID pandemic. Without the prospect of an EVE meet-up on the horizon, I turned further and further into the land of Eorzea.

The habit of playing FFXIV became entrenched in early April 2020 when I reached the Heavensward expansion content. Shadowbringers is a better expansion, but Heavensward is where I truly fell in love with the game. Looking back at my old blog posts and my Steam account, I've averaged 25 hours a week playing FFXIV over the past several months. I've kept my EVE accounts subbed, but I haven't done much more than occasionally undock during that time.

One year after the DDoS attacks that disrupted my EVE play, I'm reaching the end of the main story questline in FFXIV. Another disruption is coming, because I don't think finishing up my crafting and gathering gear while decorating my cottage is going to take that much time. I also doubt that the next expansion will arrive in the next 2-3 months. Still, without an event like a prolonged DDoS attack to interrupt my access to FFXIV, my time in New Eden may remain limited.