Subject: Questions [watersprite] 918 views

[watersprite]

Watersprite was pleased to notice the change in atmosphere. In her head she made a note to provide more details when speaking to people in the future. However, she couldn’t help, but feel a little discouraged about ronin’s vague answer. It was also hard for her to understand why someone would want to “waste” time, but that was a topic that would have to wait for another time.

“Well, games in general would be more helpful. So . . . Do you have any preferences for what type of game you play? Or do you primarily play whatever looks like it could be a good way to waste time?”

Admittedly watersprite was intrigued by ronin’s offhand comment, but the way he said it made it seem like a closed topic that he didn’t want to talk about. Although, watersprite mused, isn’t that the point of selling something? To rope new people in?

“Sorry to add more questions, but if you wouldn’t usually play a game like DO, what caused you to play it?”

[ronin47]

"Hmm..." At this point, Ronin was thinking what kind of intelligent answer he could give to watersprite. He hoped for her own sake, she would continue and ask more game-experienced people out there once she's done with him. "I don't really have the patience for RPGs," he said. "I do play one from time to time but only if it happen to catch my attention. Depends on the plot, graphics and soundtrack. Other than that, I grab some nice-looking fighting games. They're handy in case I have some of my classmates over."

He didn't really like it when he have any of his classmates (who his parents confuse as friends) at home for some group project but in their eyes, he had no reason to refuse them. He could always say no - Ronin wasn't afraid to but he didn't want them to ask why. He would rather pretend to be friendly with them in front of his parents than hint any animosity at home. He couldn't care less whether it becomes the hot gossip topic the next morning but it was going to be cumbersome being in school when people would keep reminding him of home. Ronin was among the few who actually liked school as a distraction.

And what about Digimon Online then? Wasn't it a distraction too?

"It's personal," Ronin answered. "Sorta...not really, I guess. I'm a working student and I need the extra cash I earn by staffing here."

He was aware the kind of impression that answer would evoke and it was exactly what Ronin wanted. He wanted her to think that he was working to support himself. He didn't like lying but it didn't mean he feel bad doing it.

"Mind if I shoot you a question in return?" he asked. If he were being honest, he wasn't really interested in computer programming but he didn't want the interview to focus on him too much. "Do you really have to know this stuff for you to become a programmer? You could always apply in DO." He didn't really know the application process for programmers but he threw the idea out in the air anyway.

[watersprite]

As she listened, watersprite couldn’t help but nod her head. Back home she would occasionally see her brother play an RPG and while the premise seemed intriguing, she was astounded by how much time it took him to find the amulet of such-and-such or get through a dungeon. It was also good to hear that both the music and plot of a game were considered along with the graphics. And, being a student herself, she could totally relate to his comment about needing a way to support himself. However, she was more than a little bit surprised when he decided to ask her a question.

“Oh, not at all,” watersprite replied, slightly bemused when she thought about how she had done this to him. She started smirking when he mentioned applying for DO. Not because it was silly of Ronin to think that she would want to work there; watersprite had actually suggested it to her advisor as an alternative to her “research”.

“As far as programming goes, no this would be mostly unnecessary. However, I don’t want to be just a programmer, I want to actually design software. That way I won't feel like I'm spending my life doing the work for someone else.”

It went a little deeper than that, watersprite didn’t know why, but the thought of spending the rest of her life in a box doing the same menial tasks over and over was frightening. Despite the fact that that was exactly what she was doing right now as a student. Maybe she was just holding on to some hope that if she spent her time pent up studying now that she wouldn’t have to later.

“Pretty much, I have to learn how to distinguish my work from the creations of others. It’s funny that you brought up applying for DO, I had actually considered it, but my advisor implied that I wouldn’t be able to get the work experience I needed.” Truthfully, he had implied much more than that and watersprite could feel her face reddening as she thought back to their last meeting. When she had suggested applying to work at DO her advisor had just looked at her sadly and asked if she really thought that they would hire her on as more than just a programmer. “Pretty much, I’ve spent too much of my time focusing on grades so my repertoire is not that diverse. I need to rectify that as soon as possible,” watersprite finished quickly, inwardly kicking herself for giving so much away.