Gamer Babe: Raine

Thanks to Marc Adam for referring me our next Gamer Babe.

She's 21-year-old Raine and she's currently at Sukagawa City, Fukushima Prefecture in Japan taking up graduate studies.

Without further ado, the interview...

GM T: Tell me something about yourself?
Raine: People call me Raine or Aya. I’m an International Relations student who also happens to be an aspiring chef, a flamenco dancer, a bookworm, and an avid online gamer in my free time.

GM T: How did you get into gaming and online gaming?
Raine: I was living a serene life surrounded by my Barbies and Cabbage Patch dolls, but this was disrupted by the arrival of the Super Nintendo. I grew up surrounded by a bunch of male cousins and they’d challenge me on Street Fighter and Tekken games. Later on, I got to play Final Fantasy 3, and I was hooked. Ever since then, I’ve tried to get my hands on every Final Fantasy episode that came out and my cousins and I would be on this mad race to finish the entire disc. In early 2004, shortly after the Fenrir server opened, my cousins introduced me to Ragnarok Online. Because of my fondness for chivalry, I became a swordswoman, and the rest, as they say, is history.

GM T: What online games do you play? Why do you like it?
Raine: Ragnarok Online is actually the first MMORPG that I got into. I’ve also tried numerous other online games; I was a Fairy Elf at MU Online, a Corite at Rising Force Online, and a Druid at World of Warcraft. But then, I always ended up with my first gaming love. I guess what I like most about Ragnarok Online is that the gameplay and storyline is simple enough to be easily understood by those who are just starting to get their feet wet in Midgard, and yet interesting and multi-layered enough to keep long-time players hooked on the game. There’s something here for everyone; PVP for the bloodthirsty (laughs), WOE for the team-players and strategists, and countless new maps and expanded job classes for the adventurous souls who are always looking to explore something new.

GM T: What's the best reason that you got into MMORPGs?
Raine: Initially, I’d say the best reason I got into MMORPGs is that it provides a venue for me to just relax and hang out; leaving iRL worries out the door for a short time. The virtual world is a place wherein you could set a goal upon logging in and have no difficulty achieving it before logging out. But then my initial reason isn’t the same as the reason why I stay and continue playing this MMORPG. And the reason that I stay weighs a lot more; I keep on playing because of the community. The world may be virtual, but the people behind it are real. And I’ve made countless good friends and I’ve met a variety of interesting people both in Midgard and through the cool events Ragnarok Online has for its players.



GM T: What do your non-gamer female friends tell you when they find out that you game?
Raine: Almost all of my female non-gamer friends react with surprise. People would say that I am the least likely person that they could think of who would be into gaming. And when they learn that I am an impassioned gamer, they would get this look of disbelief and ask why... I just tell them it’s a hobby, a form of amusement, and an extension of my social life all rolled into one (laughs).

GM T: What's your most unforgettable moment ingame?
Raine: The moment my knight got her fin helm from the millionth Obeaune she has slain (laughs). That was sheer elation. I remember how frustrated I was getting that time; my knight was way past the minimum required level to don the fin helm and I’ve been leveling her in the Undersea Tunnel for weeks with the hopes of being able to loot that elusive headgear – to no avail. When the moment came at last, it was pure joy. I went back to town, bought a magnifier, and proudly paraded around wearing my fin helm. It was such a status symbol for knights that time. Those were the good old days (reminisces). ^_^

GM T: Do you have any advice or tips for girls out there who want to try gaming?
Raine: Don’t brush gaming off as something that’s only for the guys. Choose your game, get your feet wet, and then dive in. Gaming, in the right doses, can be a lot of fun and can give you rewards that may well go beyond the virtual gaming world. Sooner or later, you might just find yourself playing the role of the dominatrix who kicks ass (in a good-natured way, of course) in-game, and who is surrounded by new-found gaming buddies iRL.

GM T: Final words for your friends, guildmates or fans?
Raine: RoK on people!~ Keep your priorities straight and be sure to keep it clean and make it fun, both in the virtual and the real world. ^_^

SHORTS

Favorite Job: Biochemist
Favorite Skill: Acid Bomb
Favorite Monster: Angeling
Favorite map or area: Amatsu
Favorite Weapon: Excalibur
Cutest headgear for you and why? Big Golden Bells and Charming Ribbon… they make my avatars look sweet, feminine and harmless (which may be misleading *winks*).
(complete the sentence) If I were the most powerful being in my gameworld I would: spend my days accumulating even more power (laughs evilly). Seriously, I’d take on a couple of apprentices who are willing to devote time and effort in maintaining fair game play and promoting camaraderie between players.
Song genre(s) you love: Pop, j-Pop, Contemporary Worship
3 songs in your mp3 player? Utada Hikaru’s First Love, Hillsong’s To The Ends of the Earth, and Pachelbel’s Canon in D
Movies you watched recently: The Human Stain, Chicago, Marie Antoinette
Books you recently read: JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (for the nth time), Margaret Atwood’s Life Before Man, and Nicholas Sparks’ A Bend in the Road

Thanks for your time, Raine and goodluck in your studies!

Guys, if you know any other candidate for the next Gamer Babe, let me know okies?

In the meantime, why don't you check out the links below