Article by R.D.
Many games have focused on elements of isolation or quarantine. Alien: Isolation focused on being alone in space (with a xenomorph). Far Cry 5 zeroed in on a community where prepping for doomsday led to social isolation (and eventually nuclear holocaust). Being able to accomplish tasks on your own in a video game has always been a self-exploratory journey of strength and determination. However, in the upcoming weeks, we might see a different reason for setting out on our own in light of more than just a journey of self-discovery.
Coronovirus is sweeping the nation at the moment and nearly everyone has been affected by it in some way or another. The most common predicament is quarantine and isolation, or keeping yourself away from sick people or away from healthy people, depending on existing symptoms or conditions.
Quarantine vs. Isolation
First, we need to get our definitions straight. As defined by LifeHacker, quarantine is for people who might have the disease or who have been instructed to stay home and monitor whatever symptoms that they may be exhibiting.
Isolation is when someone has the disease and has isolated themselves or are isolated in a hospital.
Let’s say you are one of the few without the disease but you’re struggling with going through every day life with a world that seems to be crushing down around you. Here’s a gamplan inspired by…well…games.
Step One: Stocking Up
I’m sure you’ve all seen the toilet paper video. If not, watch it. This craziness happens every year in the south but instead of toilet paper, it’s typically bottles of water. When it comes to stocking up or prepping, customers in your local Walmart act more like the starving monkeys in Thailand than people.
You don’t need a million rolls of toilet paper, nor do you need a bunker full of supplies for the apocalypse. Preparing for a possible future quarantine just means that you won’t have trouble staying home for a few days.
When I first heard about coronovirus in early Febuary, I slowly began to stock up on canned foods and some paper products. I made sure that all of our meds were up to date and we had some medications that we hadn’t stocked up on before (antacids, etc). By doing this seemingly crazy act, I have avoided most of the insanity of shopping at the moment.
If you can, stock up on a few canned goods and granola bars, but be careful on OVERSTOCKING. This is where things get tricky. Depending on your household, you are probably not going to need 10 packages of toilet paper. If you are going to horde, do it in small doses so you are not exposing others to possible starvation. LifeHacker continues by saying “You don’t need a million rolls of toilet paper, nor do you need a bunker full of supplies for the apocalypse. Preparing for a possible future quarantine just means that you won’t have trouble staying home for a few days.” So everyone. Needs. to. Remain. Calm.
I grew up with the survival young-adult novel Hatchet and Little House on the Prairie. My great-grandmother survived the Great Depression. She washed out Ziploc bags and gardened and canned food in her later years. Nothing ever went to waste. Preservation and preparedness should be key elements of American self-reliance.
While not everyone has the means to, stocking up (easy on hording…I don’t like the word) has always been a part of being American. Preparing for the future is okay, as long as you aren’t denying others food or resources in the store that you are good on for the time being.
Headgear, bro
The CDC says that if you believe you have the virus, to “Wear a facemask when sick: Put on a facemask before you enter the facility. These steps will help the healthcare provider’s office to keep other people in the office or waiting room from getting infected or exposed.” Seems appropriate. Except…
Face masks are sold out at most places. The insanity surrounding their sale has been unexpected, but we should have expected it. While coronovirus is airborne, many experts suggest by covering your mouth, not touching your mouth and face, spending more time at home, we can slow the spread of the virus to help hospitals and medical facilities prepare for future cases.
While you could go with you standard face mask (if you were lucky enough to buy one), you can always get creative with it. For some inspiration, you can turn to some of your favorite games.
One Reddit user, u/HeyItsAppie, created this Black Persian outfit in Assassins Creed Origins. What better way to do a grocery store run than dressed like an ancient warrior?
Or maybe take an old school approach with a Mortal Kombat cosplay mask like this one from SpicyPandaCreations.
Maybe these are too subtle. You want to protect your ENTIRE face from this virus. For that, perhaps you’d like to don a Yalung mask from Far Cry 4?
And who can forget some of the best-known masks in the gaming world: Borderlands!
In Honor of the latest event in For Honor, how about a decorative and functional For Honor face mask? Perfect for a crusade OR raid!
Distancing Yourself
Think of Logan or Wolverine. Think of the Witcher. Think of all those game and movie characters who know that they don’t belong around people. Channel that angst and energy and get ready to stay in your house. For awhile.
If you are sick, the CDC says “Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.” If you aren’t sick but perhaps live in a more populated area, it’s best to settle in and cut your outside time short. While some experts are saying you can still go out as long as you are more than six feet away from others, many are not taking the chance and are foregoing outings altogether.
So you don’t want to risk it out there in the world, prepare for some monastic isolation in your self-imposed quarantine. In the meantime, you can play video games, visit the library and check out a few books (before they close the library), purchase a good book or two on Kindle (I’ve got several articles of suggestions on the homepage), or take up some new hobby.
Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.
Even if your level of risk is low, it’s important to be considerate of those around you who may be more at risk like children or the elderly. If you live alone or with a roommate, just set up your PC or console and buckle down for the long run with that game that you’ve been meaning to finish but were never able to find the time.
If you have a lot of time on your hands and you haven’t played them already, the Assassins Creed games are enormous and will consume a lot of time as you play through battles, stories, and costume changes. Other longer games include:
- Witcher 3
- Skyrim
- Final Fantasy XIV
- Persona 5
- Red Dead Redemption 2
- Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
If you really crave human interaction, try:
- World of Warcraft
- Destiny
- Monster Hunter
- Fortnite
- Apex Legends
- Minecraft
- Borderlands
But Seriously
We’re all hoping this passes over soon. But in the meantime…
- Wash hands for 20 seconds with soap (duh)
- Cover mouth when you cough
- If you think you may be sick with coronovirus, call the doctor’s office or hospital BEFORE you go.
- Alert healthcare officials and limit exposure to those around you.
- If you aren’t sick but are are worried about yourself or others, limit your time in crowded areas if possible (optional but encouraged)
- Be prepared to stay at home for awhile.
Photo credits: Doomsday picture: Getty, cover photo: https://aplaguetale.fandom.com/wiki/M%C3%A9lie, Death Stranding: https://www.thestar.com.my/tech/tech-news/2019/11/04/death-stranding-post-apocalyptic-postman, For Honor: https://forhonor.fandom.com/wiki/Lawbringer?file=Lawbringer.png, Alien Isolation: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/mxBNZ, Soup scene: https://gamerant.com/red-dead-online-how-to-gain-weight/, kit in hazmat: https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/1723169-hazmat-suit-edits
Story Quest Decoded 
