Life Before Runescape

[elpadrino]

Runescape has more or less been a part of our lives, wether it be small part, or a huge part. For me it has been in my life for over 5 years, but three serious ones. I am a normal teenager, like the majority of players, but I cant say that I am the same normal teenager I was three years ago. There has been tough times and great times, but through it all the only thing that stayed constant was my desire to play. But did it really? Do you really think you want to play? Take a moment and think back to the first time you got members, or the first time you go full rune, can you remember the actual feeling of wanting, desiring, to play? Now tell me, is that the feeling you have right before you log in everyday? This, actually is only a small part of what I am here to discuss.

 

 

 

Runescape is in more ways than one, like a drug. Now hear me out, when I think about why people still play when they have no real desire to play, it seems perfectly clear to me. Runescape becomes your life, there is a median but its a useless one, I will discuss later. I want you to think back to your life before Runscape, many of you will say you had a gf, or your grades were better, or you had freinds that you lost touch with. The reason that you lost touch with your friends, is that Runescape can actually take over your life. Now all of you expereinced players or even beginers, know that Runescape is only fun when your putting a lot of time and effort into it, if your not then your getting nowhere and it gets boring quick, like a lot of other video games. But Runescape is not a normal game, runescape simulates what a lot of people desire in real life, friendship, excitement, adventures, thrills, even love. But most of this is not real. These are generic replacements of the real emotions. Like any drug you become addicted to the substance tricks your mind into thinking you need it. Now if you will, remember when I was talking about actually desiring to play? After a while that desire dissapears, but your mind tricks you into thinking that you need it, its a part of your life, it has replaced things in life that may be harder to earn or achieve but, in the end, are more worthwhile and satisfying.

 

 

 

When I personally think back to my life three years ago, I was dating, I had closer relationships with my friends that I appreciated very much, but even that was taken over by Runesacpe. I have forgotten what its like to actually have fun, develop relationships, things with actual value. Call me stupid, but there is nothing I desire more than to go back three years and change it all. Runescapes grip on your life is so overwhelming, for example even as I right this my mind is still telling me I want to play. Some of you may say,"Runescape hasn't taken over my life, I only play for an hour or two a day and I have plenty of real friends" well that may be true but sooner or later if you continue playing it builds its grasp on you, no game that you have played for years, YEARS, can not become a part of your life. As far as finding a median goes, well it doesnt exist, you can try playing an hour a day but the game just isnt fun unless you put time into it. What is even worse is for the more experienced players who have put so much time into the game that they cant be asked to raise any hard skills but they still play because they need it, wether they think they do or not.

 

 

 

Wether or not you get anything out of this is your choice, but there is one thing that I insist you do, try and think back to before you started playing, think about what life was like than, think about how runescape has become a part of your life, wether it is destructive or an anti-drug, just think, and ask yourself, was it all worth it...

 

 

 

P.S. thanks for reading it all if you did, and please DISCUSS. I would also like you to post your RSN and how long you have been playing somewhere in your post 8-)

 

 

 

Sincerly,

 

Mexican5.0 (5 YEARS)

[katakid1]

Katakid1, Loki Strikes

 

 

 

I have moved, surprisingly at my new school I became super popular. The Only adverse affect of Runescape is I am 10 pounds overweight.

 

 

 

I have been playing about 3-4 years now.

[lavirylime]

RuneScape is only as addicting and destructive as you allow it to be. It's possible to be high leveled and still maintain a healthy social life. Don't use this game as a scapegoat with with you attribute your failure to control yourself.

[blakdragon39]

I agree with many of the things you are saying, but this is not necissarily what it is like for everyone. A few years ago, this may have applied to me, but not anymore.

 

 

 

I still play for many hours a day, but it doesn't rule my life. I sacrifice Runescape for more important things, like school, friendships and relationships. I am dating someone right now, and Runescape doesn't get in the way. All it really takes is the realization that real life can be much better than this game, and some self control.

[ugafan_2009]

Ugafan 2009 (level-100)

 

 

 

Account was made almost 3 years ago...with a break lasting about a year. (305 days but I know I logged in once during that time which cut like 80 or so days off).

 

 

 

I really don't think my social life has hurt since I started playing. I see my friends more than I did when I started playing actually. It is possible to play the game and have a decent social life.

 

 

 

Even though I don't have a girlfriend, it really doesn't bug me. Relationships can get annoying at times, and I'm low on money. :wall:

 

 

 

For the time being, I'm happy being single.

[Stilev]

started my account Stilev 2 years ago, since i started playing runescape i've gained more friends in rl, my grade point average has rasied, i've gotten in better shape, and i play more rs then ever, try explaining that. guess im just one of the lucky ones \

 

 

 

o also if i quit runescape right now i'd probaly just go upstairs and watch TV or play on my Xbox or something, my life really wouldn't change at all

[Itsjustagame]

I started when I was 12...

 

Im almost 19 now.

 

 

 

I can't compare my "social life" as it's two complete different types of "life"

[Giordano]

RuneScape sure has been one of the best things that happened to my life. Ironic, isn't it? Not so much of RuneScape itself though, but rather what it led me to.

 

 

 

One day in my newbie days I searched for cheats for the game, not knowing how complex the game really was. Went to GameFAQs, no luck there. So I searched Google, and guess what I found? Tip.It. I went into it and found the forums. Now remembering a forum I went on during the summer, forums were pretty damn fun and entertaining and I joined it.

 

Read and posted on General P2P and General for a while, then I went to the Off-topic forums and wow. Never in my life have I seen a place with so much logic and intelligence...and still is to this day, regardless of the downgrading community other there. That forum taught me a lot about logic and life, that has influcened my current thoughts and beliefs. Which in turn raised my soical life/skills, whatever, and improved my life as a whole.

 

 

 

Now back to RuneScape itself, it is very entertaining to this day. I play it when I want to, I've never 'played' RS and did nothing entertaining. Now I'm not saying it's always top-notch fun, at times it gets dull and I don't play for a while. My lastest being last week. But now I'm doing a whole new plan, using combat to get money. That would be fun for quite some time. :

 

It has also revealed my possible-future carrer: Director. 8-)

 

 

 

~Pasta Cheif

 

Playing since November 2005. 1 Year, 8.5 Months.

[highlanders]

Elpadrino, nice post, finally someone who understands. Don't expect much support from the people here though, they're so much in it they don't even realise what's happening to them. Most people admit they have a problem only when it gets really bad.

[usahellyes]

Highlanders:

 

I admit that I had a problem with Runescape affecting my life. That was 2 years ago. Runescape was at first used as an antidepressant and then I saw it as an escape from real life. My life went on a downward slope, and then I realized what was happening. At first, I got less depressed because of it. But later, once I was playing it for 3 hours or more a day, I realized that it was the reason I was still depressed. It was taking me away from my friends. At the beginning of the 2005-06 school year, I quit for a month. I found that some people at my school played it, and I began playing again, limiting myself to an hour a day. From then til now I play in moderation, maybe a bit less, maybe a bit more. But I know when to say when, and in fact, I have become friends with the two people who played Runescape from my school. Guess how we met? I overheard them talking about Runescape.

 

 

 

In conclusion, I would say that in moderation, Runescape is actually somewhat good for you, but if you play a lot, it isn't. You start losing connections within the real world and when you become disenchanted with Runescape, you have no one to turn to.

[Xstarfox33X]

I've started playing since summer of 2001, at that time i have to say the affects of the game havn't hurt me yet. It wasn't till i started playing again during 2004 that really started having affects. I started working time around the time i spent playing this game instead of the opposite. School works been turned late these days, and this game did nothing to help my procrastinate habits. But like what someone guys said on this thread already, its all about ur own self control, so now i just time myself ea day and try not to play all the time, ESPECIALLY during the school year.

 

 

 

P.S. I Have an account that has my real name as the name =), And i am afraid to get on it :ohnoes: :ohnoes: :ohnoes:

 

 

 

becauz of stalkers :anxious: (jk)

[spooferfish]

Spooferfish (level 111). Started just after Dragon Slayer was released (can't remember date).

 

 

 

No negative effects on my life. I've gained weight, but not from being on Runescape. I got a car. After riding my bike everywhere then going to my car, I gained some weight, but that put me to the right weight for my age/height and all that stuff. I live on a big hill, riding my bike up it all the time has given my legs alot of muscle tone, and even over-developed muscles. If I bend my leg really far (like if I were trying to kick myself in the rear) there is a bulge that I've been shouldn't be there. (It's all muscle, it's not unhealthy). I've stays active while playing runescape and having a car enough to keep that there.

 

 

 

My social life hasn't been effected either. I have a new group of friends after graduating from high school. But that had nothing to do with Runescape.

[FastForce]

Fastforce (124... 450k def xp till 125 :D )

 

Been playing for the past 3.5 years

 

 

 

Life was boring before Runescape tbh :P ... Could never find a game where I would keep playing and not get bored after 2 days.

[Star_Fox]

a few things that runescape changed me....

 

 

 

 

 

- went from below 120 pounds to above 165. :lol:

 

 

 

- gained a lot of respect over the net.

 

 

 

- i was a big nintendo fanboy before runescape, i awed at my gamecube every time i came home.

 

 

 

- lowered my GPA...

 

 

 

- and, of course, tip.it :

[Slayr]

You posted this on RSC too :D

 

Same thing I said there:

 

Runescape is not a drug to me. It's just another thing to do with my free time

[rareghoul1]

runescape has influenced my life in a good way, even if some of you think it's bad. at my elementary school, we had a program called accelerated reader(AR), which was good for me since i liked reading. basically what it was was you read a book, took a test on it, and it usually had 10 questions(though i read david copperfield in 4th grade, had 70 questions), and you got points depending on how well you did on the test and how many points the book was worth. well, i basically became a celebrity at my school, me and another student, her name was denise and we were friends since 2nd grade, had so many points that they had to make new symbols of our status, i.e. up to 500 points you got 3 different medals, we got past that, i got 800 points and they made a trophy, denise got over 1000 points and they made a plaque. so anyway, i couldn't go anywhere without at least 10 people i didn't know saying hey can i play with you? or something like that, because everyday i would play a game where you hit a cherry ball against a brick wall, don't make fun of me for it but i was pretty much the best at my school. i couldn't stand being a "celebrrity", i hated it. then i went to a charter school in 6th grade, and nobody knew me. i liked it that way. one of my friends intoduced me to runescape, which was looked down upon at that school. i liked the game, and it kept me away from everyone except my friends. i quit for 3 years and i started being known by everyone at the school. in 8th grade i started playing runescape again, and people stopped hanging out with me again. before i played i was 20 pounds over weight, completely out of shape. now i'm 10 pounds underweight and in the best condition of my life. then i moved, and i'm a celebrity at my new school. everywhere i go there's 10 people saying "hey (insert my name here)!", i was sick of it. after about 2 weeks, it seemed to stop abruptly, although in another 2 weeks, the last day of school, about 7 girls asked me out. although i like girls, i'm not at the stage where i am able to date them. so you could say that what seems like a bad thing to everyone else is a good thing to me. i have about 5 rl friends, the number i've had at the previous 2 schools i went to. it's the perfect amount in my opinion, it's not a small amount but it's not too many. so runescape has really made my life better. oh yeah,

 

 

 

rare ghoul2 played 5 months with that name, file was erased after inactivity, playing under the same name now, 7 months running.

[PastyGangsta]

This game has not taken over my life, I only play when I have time and nothing important to do. I'll admit I dont have a girlfriend now but Im fine with that, women can be so high maintinence sometimes Id rather be without them. Some of my friends dont really play RS anymore, they got sucked into Halo 2 and their Xbox 360's, and now I really dont want to be friends with some of them anymore. They are so full of themselves anymore I dont know what to do. I have other friends though that dont play as much but they still come on once in a while... and I am ok with that now. They arent stuck up and we are quite a bunch. I mean really, I'm white, and my main friends are all from 5 different ethnicities. (Our parents dont think we have noticed that yet, but we have and we couldn't care less : )

 

 

 

-The Pastyganster (Been playing since 2001, but on other accounts whose names I will not say. The Pastyganster has existed since April 15, 2005.)

[Viv]

life before rs was lame life with rs is still lame rs just makes it cooler.

[hellbellz]

Call me stupid, but there is nothing I desire more than to go back three years and change it all.

 

 

 

Smartest thing I've seriously hear anyone say about Runescape.

 

 

 

I wish the same thing, go back 2 years ago. I wish this stupid game didn't take over my life for a year. I've stopped playing as much as I used to, maybe 2 hours a day. I play it when I have free time. My friends used to ask me to go outside, I lied or something to play Runescape. Now I've learned Runescape should be the last thing I need to do, on my list.

 

 

 

I've learned to realize that I had forgotten what it was like to have real fun until about 7 months ago at the beginning of the school year. I have thought about quitting a lot, but I havn't so far. I've taken breaks.

 

 

 

And as a last word; I hope everyone that is addicted to this game comes to be smart enough to say when it's time to get off of the computer and enjoy your childhood while you can. You're only a child for a small portion of your life, it's care free, you have easy work, no job, the best part of your life. Enjoy it and have fun in real life

[Randox]

This is adly quite true. My main (Randox) was created 1 month after the relesase of rs2, which I belive is early 2002. It has definatly filled, if not created a gap in my social life, partily caised by going to a choll some distance away, so most of my friends are now in inconvenient places. I still date, and do stuff with friends, but I would do more of both if RuneScape werent there to ease the bordoom. Up untill I got involved in the Wise Old Man investigation, I would have honestly said no, it's not worth it, but the WOMDA investigation gives me something I don't have in Real Life, something I can pursue on the side. As can easily be seen by my levels verses my time spent playing, im not a hard core leveler, I honestly don;t care. I spend alot oof time doign nothing, and it makes me happy.

 

 

 

Right now. My life would definatly be 'better' to an outside observer if I never had disscovered RuneScape, but I think it is worth it. Rember: Eevrything in moderation, including moderation. ie: Moderation is a good policy, but everyonce in awhile its good to just go overboard.

[Olbritishchap]

k nex2, almost 3 years now(since the fall before yo-yos)

 

 

 

i agree that runescape can get addicting, but you have got to have control, don't not do something with friends just because you want to play runescape, i personally log out pretty much as soon as my friends come over and we go do something, i only play about 1-2 hours a day, if i dont have anything to do. but i do agree it is rather addictive.

[Kill_Thomas9]

Before runescape... before time had even begun, there was just God, and the heavens. God decided to make a mighty land and to call it "RuneScape". On the first day, he created day. Not night, just day. On the second day, he created the land, and the sea. On the third day, he created the animals, monsters, and other worldly beings. On the fourth day, he created humans. On the fifth day he created animations, and brought all to life. On the sixth day, he created Andrew Gower, to rule the kingdom. On the seventh day, he rested.

 

 

 

 

 

Well thats what it was like before I started playing runescape.

[rareghoul1]

Before runescape... before time had even begun, there was just God, and the heavens. God decided to make a mighty land and to call it "RuneScape". On the first day, he day. Not night, just day. On the second day, he created the land, and the sea. On the third day, he created the animals, monsters, and other worldly beings. On the fourth day, he created humans. On the fifth day he created animations, and brought all to life. On the sixth day, he created Andrew Gower, to rule the kingdom. On the seventh day, he rested.

 

 

 

 

 

Well thats what it was like before I started playing runescape.

 

 

 

uhhh i don't understand, could you clarify? oh and also, that's the only part of the bible i really know, so don't add in any more bible stuff. i have to read it one of these days, but i don't have one at my house....

[Adam007]

I wrote up on this issue. Runescape doesn't really mess up people's lives. It just takes away initiative from other areas, which can be bad. It's not like people choose to play runescape over having fun with friends. It's just by playing runescape instead of getting bored and wanting to do anything worthwhile, people never get around to initiating stuff on their own. My advice to people dealing with this is to just replace something with playing runescape if you get bored so you don't feel like you need to revert back to it whenever you are bored. Instead just force yourself to do something worthwhile.

[rapa333]

I do year 10 maths in year 7 with extreme ease, Year 9 work is so easy I don't need to work. Before I started playing Runescape, I actually had to work. I haven't gained any weight(I'm still slightly underweight) and my social life hasn't decreased a bit. I don't think RS has had a negative effect on me.