Doing a gaming comic, you would probably assume that we play quite a lot. Anyone that plays with us though comes to know that the opposite is actually true. While we do try and get as much time in as we can, it usually doesn't compare to how much time our friends manage to fit in. Even with our limited game time, Pie and I have never felt the need to go through a game quickly. We always prefer to consume it slowly and methodically- to come at the experience with intent. It's always been important to us to appreciate and discuss the little things we find with one another, to share in the experience together. We take in the beauty of the world that was crafted and the thought behind some of the design; appreciating the subtle nuances of what makes a game great has always been something that she and I share a passion for.

When I told many of our friends that we were not using the compass provided in Final Fantasy XIV: Heavensward to discover the Aerther currents (nodes necessary for you to learn to fly in each zone), many of them looked on quizzically. One friend even said she found it funny that for as little time as we play, we always seem to take the most inefficient paths; seemingly squandering what little game time Pie and I actually do manage to squeeze in. I mean, why not be more efficient with the little time we do have?

To us thought, exploring a game and appreciating the love, care, thought and devotion that went into it is something that we get a lot of personal enjoyment out of. In many ways, it's as if we get to connect with the creators in an intimate way, allowing them to speak to us through their art by being receptive and taking time to really listen to what they have to say. I'm not certain many of our friends really get this aspect about us, but they understand to that it's important to us and let us enjoy the experience at our pace.

The ability to explore, to take your time experiencing and reflecting on the new has always been a very soulful journey to me. Even if we are traversing virtual worlds, I feel as if I get to fufill a bit of my own wanderlust on a fraction of the budget necessary to do so in the physical world.