Don’t Be An NPC

NPC’s, or Non-Player Characters, are basic. Plain and simple. Boring. Nearly every video game ever makes use of scripted bots whose only purpose is to fulfill menial tasks within the world of whatever game you’ve happened to pick up: merchants in Skyrim, merchants in Final Fantasy, merchants in any RPG ever, more merchants, merchants; instruction givers like Toad in Super Mario Bros, or Mr. Poopy Butthole in Pocket Mortys; more merchants. Even when they’re badasses, saints, or flat-out insane, NPC’s can never perform actions that aren’t predetermined by their code.

Now what if I were to tell you that you’re surrounded by NPC’s IN REAL LIFE? The sad fact of the matter is that the majority of people in this world are content to live their lives as if they are not in control. They let other people’s actions and decisions command them, just like NPC’s that are programmed to react to the player in a game. They perform the same tasks, going through the motions day in and day out as if there’s a HUD directing them along the same path on a 24-hour cycle. If you feel that every day is the same and you aren’t satisfied with the direction your life is headed, break the cycle!

Your life has one controller and it’s only in one person’s hands: yours.

Picture this: the incredible team at Bioware spent countless resources and hours building the world of the Mass Effect series. They slaved over their screens crafting a beautiful universe, a rich backstory, and more sexy characters than any galaxy has a right to hold. Now imagine if Mass Effect launched and, rather than explore the world they’d so carefully built, the majority of players were content to stay on the Normandy, occasionally talking to NPC’s and generally doing nothing? I highly doubt the team would have been motivated to produce more content, let alone three blockbuster sequels.

Now apply this concept of nothingness and repetition to your life: there’s an entire world out there for you to explore, things and people to see and do (see what I did there?), experiences to be had! Obviously video games are incredible – I never have and never will encourage you to stop playing, but when you’re not playing, shake things up. Prove to yourself and the world that you’re in control and can do anything you want to do.

Your game has loaded – Take The Controller and play!
Have you been living as an NPC? Have you been successful in being the person you want to be? Share your story in the comments below!