Editorial | 7/14/2011 at 10:14 PM

Co-Op Couples: What's in Your Wallet?

Two gamers with a crises - one prepping for a raid...and one prepping for a social evening.

Here's a typical conversation during non-combat gameplay at our house:

Me: Hey! How did you get so much stuff in your bags? And how did you get so many bags?
Him: I do a lot of exploring 'n trade skills. I made the bags.
Me: Oh. How come I don't have more bags?
Him: You didn't tell me you needed them.

Pause while I calm down.

Me: Well, I do. I have all this stuff…
Him: What kind of stuff?
Me: You know. Stuff.
Him: (sighing, knowing he's walking into a situation fraught with peril) Would you like me to take a look?
Me: (preparing to defend myself) Sure, that would be great.

Interval of a few minutes while he reviews my limited-space over-stuffed bags.

Him: Why do you have all this food?
Me. Because I might need it.
Him: But the game doesn't require you to have food except for a buff.
Me: Yeah, I know but remember how you had to have food in EverQuest? I guess I've never broken the habit.
Him: Um. Ok. Why do you have so many mana potions? Your character doesn't use mana.
Me: Oh, right. Can you use them?
Him: Nah, they're too low-level.
Me: Should I put them in the bank?
Him: I'd sell 'em, and I'd sell the other junk.
Me: What junk?
Him: Anything that's grey.
Me: Ohhh, THAT's what the grey title means…
Him: (choking back the laughter) Yep. You can trash the low-level buffs.
Me: Ok. How do I know which ones to trash? (I've learned not to ask, "Why can't I keep them all?")
Him: (in his patient, not quite exasperated voice) Trash the ones that are more than five levels below your current level, and put the ones that you can't use yet in the bank.
Me: Ok.

A few more minutes go by while I get to a bank…

Me. Uh oh.
Him: (response correlates directly to whether he's in combat) What?
Me: I think I have too much stuff in the bank.
Him: (thinly disguised condescension clearly evident) Want me to take a look?
Me: (this is gonna to be baaaad) That would be great. When you're at a safe place, of course.
Him: Why do you have that? (pointing to a lovely pink cheongsam)
Me: I love that dress! I got it during the Festival (World of Warcrafts "Festival" for Chinese New Year) and besides, it's pink!

Him: (sighing) Um, ok. Why are you saving those? (pointing to some armor)
Me: Because I'll need that when I'm higher level.
Him: Nah. You'll have better by then. And if you don't, I can make you stuff.
Me: Ok.
Him: Why do you have those? (pointing to things this toon can't use)
Me: Because I might start a new character. (Ha ha! "Might"? Probably… ok, definitely.)
Him: Ok. If you need the space, send 'em to me if they're green and I can disenchant them.
Me: Um ok. How do I get more bank space?
Him: When you need it, you buy another slot. But it's expensive.
Me: How expensive?
Him: I'll give you the money. Just don't put any junk there, ok?
Me: Ok. I'll try not to.
Him: And I'll send you some bigger bags, ok? Same rule applies. No junk.
Me: (thinking woot! More room for all that cool stuff I can't bear to part with!) Ok. Thanks.
Him: No problem. Ok, time for my raid to start…
Me: Ok. Good luck! I love you!
Him: (he's already got his headphones on so I'm not sure he heard me…)