MMORPG's - The drugs of today?

[KRT_Set]

MMORPG's are addicting. That is a fact. Just look at the people around here who play them. You can tell yourself that you're not addicted, you can say that it can't happen to you, you're too smart for that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is posted on the Cenla Chemical Dependency council website:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signs and Symptoms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Behavior characteristics associated with substance abuse:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Abrupt changes in work or school attendance, quality of work, work output, grades, discipline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Withdrawal from responsibility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# General changes in overall attitude.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Continual wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short sleeved attire when appropriate.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Association with known substance abusers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Unusual borrowing of money from friends, co-workers or parents.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Stealing small items from employer, home or school.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

# Secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom, basement, etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sure, not all of those apply to addicted gamers, but many of them do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a short conversation with a player of an MMORPG

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q:How long do you play per day?

 

 

 

A:2-3 hours generally why; like if anything im adicted to the responsibility

 

 

 

Q:responsibility?

 

 

 

A:yes im a player moderator in runescape

 

 

 

Q:do you get paid?

 

 

 

A:no

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some signs of internet addiction:

 

 

 

1) Using the online services everyday without any skipping.

 

 

 

2) Loosing track of time after making a connection.

 

 

 

3) Goes out less and less.

 

 

 

4) Spending less and less time on meals at home or at work, and eats in front of the monitor.

 

 

 

5) Denying spending too much time on the Net.

 

 

 

6) Others complaining of your too much time in front of the monitor.

 

 

 

7) Checking on your mailbox too many times a day.

 

 

 

8) You think you have got the greatest web site in the world and dying to give people your URL.

 

 

 

9) Loggin onto the Net while already busy at work.

 

 

 

10) Sneaking online when spouse or family members not at home, with a sense of relief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should count the number of those that apply to you. If you have even one of those, you could be addicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addiction is a mental and physical problem, and needs to be treated with a doctor.

[SHIPPOU]

how about most of us in OT haven't played RS in quite some time.

[djg42087]

mmorpgs and pot are the drugs of my today

[jak722]

I agree! I agree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OMG I agree!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*sobs* :cry:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seriously. I need help...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meh... Just 1 more hour and then I'll quit.

[Pipalonias]

Honestly.. MMORPGs are addictive, solve no problems, have no meaning and make you [developmentally delayed]ed.

 

 

 

Marijuana is addictive, solves no problems, has no meaning and makes you [developmentally delayed]ed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

???!!??? Not only this, but Marijuana at least only wastes your day every week or so(I assume?), while as MMORPGs ensure you are always thinking about playing, always wanting to play.. these are the typical components of a drug are they not?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU DO NOT GAIN ANYTHING FROM IT.. why do people not realize this? THE ONE argument people can make for it is that it's very social and increases your socialskills, but does it?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How does sitting in a room for 8 hours playing a game increase your social skill?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How does talking to random people about the same things which don't exist and have no meaning and who you will ultimately never talk to again have any impact whatsoever on your social skills? Oh wait... they reduce them.. my bad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU CANNOT PLAY NORMALLY FOR SHORT TIMES. This is the most [developmentally delayed]ed thing ever. I can smoke once a day and it's fine as well.. NO. For most people who enjoy it , it becomes a habit, and ultimately it's like drugs. You can try drugs but there are two consequences. You like it and continue slowly destroying yourself until you die/stop, or you don't like it and you don't take it anymore. Ultimately they point to the same solution, stop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This [cabbage] has really got to stop.. they need to make anti-MMORPG campaigns and post them around the place. I used to be an addict myself, it's fun while you play, you tell yourself you're playing for fun and to be social.. BUT YOU"RE NOT! Think about it... you play everyday or whatever, and then ultimately as it goes you leave/quit the game. Congratulations, there goes X(500?) hours of your life which you could have done ANYTHING and you would have been more productive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did anyone else notice this disturbing and destabilising trend appearing?What do you think of it? Do you agree with my views or do you think I'm completely and utterly wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And no offence but the [developmentally delayed]s spamming in here about [cabbage] can go and die, you are the people who I'm trying to help, and you are the ones who are screwing yourselves over. 1600 posts today, 4500 posts tomorrow.. happened to me, it will happen to you.

[logic-is-overrated]

I prefer real drugs but I guess there is some slim connection there if you really stretch it.

[Pipalonias]

There is a large if not equal connection.

[blade995]

Then people say they are over weight from eating junk food, what about all the videogames that people play. Most people that are adicted don't get exercise or eat right. Which leads to people sueing mc donalds for being fat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's ok to play 1 hour a day but not all day. People, get outside and do something (no not just playing on a laptop outside :lol: ). You will probily thank youself later for not playing this game as much and find something better to do.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another thing is it's not good for your eye's to be starring at a monitor the whole day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your woundering i still play runescape, but only around 30mins a day. I am usaly outside all the time skateboarding or playing a sport. :wink:

[Rizla]

Some people here serioudly need to get their facts straight before they press submit.

[blade995]

Some people here serioudly need to get their facts straight before they press submit.

 

 

 

Who are you talking to on this? If it was my post, I thought it was thought out and logical. I guess not if it was about mine :oops:

[Rizla]

 

Some people here serioudly need to get their facts straight before they press submit.

 

 

 

Who are you talking to on this? If it was my post, I thought it was thought out and logical. I guess not if it was about mine :oops:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nah i totally agree with your post, don't worry.

[Greatsilverwyrm]

I just realized that I've been wearing sunglasses more often than normal, and until about 6 months ago, I hardly ever wore long-sleeved shirts...

 

 

 

I guess I should get some help . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The thing I've found with games, though, is that I'm "addicted" to them for maybe a month or so, until I've beaten them, or almost beaten them, but then I just stop, and go back to life as normal..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm the same way with books, although it's more like a few days to a week instead of a month.. Should we start touting books as drugs, as well?

[Pipalonias]

And that's the problem with addicts, they're not willing to see what they're doing is wrong, they have no factual basis or explanation of anything, and ultimately they need to get their facts straightened out before even posting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Had they maybe prolonged their miniscule sentences with some basis they could possibly raise an argument, but ultimately they have none and therefore resort to playing RS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And no, books you GAIN something, you learn something, MMORPG's you learn pretty much nothing, play for a really long time until you quit and realize that it's a waste.. which may be a huge lesson upon itself but it's better to just know it from the start.

[Greatsilverwyrm]

Who says you learn more from say, going to the mall with some friends, than you would from playing an MMO for a couple of hours?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've found that many of the things I've experienced and learned either directly through, or because of gaming comunities, that can be applied to the "real world" and/or have made me better as a person..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For instance, I would never have gotten into computer graphics or art at all were it not for MMOs, and art is a major part of my life right now. Same thing with computers. 7 years ago I didn't know a mouse from a megabyte. Now I'm looking seriously into pursuing computers and technology in some form as a career path.

 

 

 

Without online communities, I would not be nearly as good a writer as I am now, nor, I think, would I be as intelligent.

 

 

 

Games, as long as they are good, spark your mind, make you think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also, at the risk of being a hypocrite, have not resulted to personal insults when trying to prove a point.

 

 

 

Had opponents to games expanded - "prolonged" was a poor choice, forgive me for changing it - their miniscule minds with some.. On second thought you complete that. I can't begin to try to deal with all the poor wording.

[Lordjake]

maybe this all explains the syringes in my drawer and why my pupils are always dilated :shock:

[Pipalonias]

Don't make out games to be the reason you started it. Had you the ambition or the intelligence to pursue your goals, you would have accomplished your goals sooner. You've been here for at least 4 years, I remember you from about 3/4 years ago, and you cannot say that the time you wasted here could not be spent finding out more about the topic and ultimately being a better person.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When people post this kidna crap it's just stupid. The fact of the matter is that going to the mall with friends is learning and talking, while sitting on msn and talking about how much people you have pked or paladins you have thieved means [cabbage] all. Sure you may have gotten into computers, sure you may have improved your writing, but co-incidentally had you just tried it in the first place you would have achieved a lot more in a shorter period of time. Usually the smartest people are the poor people, as they have no distractions like computer games etc. to stop them from real learning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Games do not spark your mind, they limit your mind. There is only so much you can do in Runescape for example, and the thinking in it is non-existant. I never insulted them, I just made a point that people here are spamming without having any logical back-up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And lastly the wording is fine, prolonged is a better word to use then expanded, and don't try to lecture me on wording, stick to the topic.

[Exarch]

I'm addicted to the internet, and video/computer games, but I rarely have fun. Like atm I am playing Guild Wars. It is better than any other game I have recently played, and while I should be having fun, like a normal person would be, I'm not. Nothing is fun anymore.

[Pipalonias]

Is that supposed to sound/be satirical? If not then why don't you just quit like the main point of this post is?

[Greatsilverwyrm]

That's just the thing, Pipalonias, I wouldn't have started them at all, because I wouldn't have known that they were interesting, or existed, or whatever...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The smartest people are poor? Ok, now it's your turn for some logical backup. Show me proof other than a half-wagoned theory. Show me scientific studies. Give me real-world, modern-day examples.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think that you are holding far too tightly onto RuneScape. Most of my defenses against MMOs are not defending RuneScape. I agree that RuneScape is a mindless click-fest that no real good comes of, which is why I stopped playing it after I realized that there was more grind than a chop-shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However there are good games out there. There are games that can sharpen your mind.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the wording thing, I don't want to get into a huge argument over that, but I think people would agree that the wording of that entire sentence/paragraph was poorly worded. The poor choices compounded on each other, and to fix one you would have to unravel the whole thing.

[Pipalonias]

Name One MMORPG that sharpens your mind.

 

 

 

There obviously would have to be SOME games that sharpen your mind, but those are created for the purpose such as maths games and such :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't see how playing runescape could possibly make you get more into computers, considering that getting on to runescape and playing does not require computer skill whatsoever, and that it would lead to computer graphics or art is just funny. You were around for 2d runescape, you cannot say that it was worth it. Ultimately speaking this isn't a valid argument as you may have gotten into computers through your studies nevertheless and improved upon yourself, but you may not have, and thus we cannot draw a conclusion from this. Besides the point it doesn't have anything to do with MMORPG's being addictive, as you could have gotten into it, but still be addicted and thus not spend all possible time you could doing something interesting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is detracting completely from the topic, but we can talk about social classes. The smartest people hmm... I can take examples from my school, the smartest don't have the internet at all, they are on scholarships because they cannot afford the school costs. Poor people usually have to work hard to make money and get somewhere, the stupidest at my school co-incidentally are the richest.

 

 

 

"If youÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re so smart, we ask without thinking, why ainÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t you rich?

 

 

 

With thinking, we know the answer: many of the very smartest people, perhaps even most, find better things to do than making money."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on topic, let's branch out into other MMORPG's to continue discussion. I can think of World Of Warcraft, Guild Wars, Everquest and Final Fantasy Online off the top of my head. Now I haven't played many of these, but I know for a fact that WoW and Guild Wars are more click-fests then real "sharpness of mind," and I highly doubt Everquest or Final Fantasy Online would be any different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I disagree once again with my sentence structuring. Seems logical and fine to me. :)

[Pipalonias]

http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/gateway_addiction.html - Excellant group of studies and research on the issue. :)

[Greatsilverwyrm]

Guild Wars sharpens your mind. More on that further into my post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I've already said that I thought RuneScape was a waste of my time, and have stopped playing.

 

 

 

Yes, RuneScape did get me into those things I mentioned, but not directly. Directly I am into them as a result of the communities and the people I have met through them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I still maintain that Socio-Economic Class has little to nothing to do with a person's intelligence. Until you can provide actual proof..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now... Guild Wars...

 

 

 

I don't know what version or where you played, but if you think it's just a click fest, you haven't played the game.

 

 

 

If you're any kind of a serious player there is a good deal of strategy to it. Which skills to use, who to attack when, who to have in your party, etc..

[Demeige]

actually it's been proven marijuana isn't addictive at all because it doesn't cause any cravings or withdrawls and that kind of stuff like alcohol and cigarettes.

[Pipalonias]

Well I just did give you actual proof of socio-economic class, so I don't know what I should be doing?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And surely you would have gone and used a computer and found a website and ultimately used it to find a professional website for graphical drawings with a forum to express your ideas, though like I said before I cannot prove this so ultimately I have no retort to your argument. That being said You could have also gone in another direction which might have ended up making your life better overall in all terms, so you cannot say thanks to MMORPG's your life is better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By playing Guild Wars seriously, you are effectively playing it moreso as a serious game and not as fun, and that's edging right on my point :) And ultimately it becomes less of the level of acumen, and more of what you know to be overpowered and what to do in certain situations. It therefore becomes knowledge and you don't have to adapt as much anymore until ultimately you know the game back to front through playing and it requires no acumen at all. I was one of the top 5 Age Of Titans players in an RTS, which undoubtedly requires more skill then MMORPG's, and I found that it was more of an experience issue/overpowered issue rather then acumen.

[Rease]

As is the case with basically every single competetive game in existence, Pip (Nice to see you again, btw).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every game eventually gets to the point of who has the most time to spend on it (effectively making it a job), who gets the fastest at it (making it more of a routine), or who memorizes the most (this again makes it a routine, eventually.)