MMORPG's - The drugs of today?

[BlueLancer]

Alright, I'm ending this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BlueTear is completely right, and Pip, you're wrong. Simple as that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Secondly, everything you're saying is biased, based on opinion, and generally completely moronic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let's recap...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"If you're into art, you're into art. If you're into computers, you're into computers. RuneScape has nothing to do with it."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guess what? I'm heavily into games and I'd love to make it a career. I learn things about how games work, how to make them, etc, all from playing. Before I played, I knew nothing about it. So wanting to be a game designer is no longer a valid career? Whatever...lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Talking to people online gives you no social skills"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh? Why is that? I don't believe it is written anywhere that "social" means face-to-face contact. Get a dictionary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some random stuff about BlueTear being stupid..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He's actually intelligent, obviously. Who are you to say otherwise?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I played this game for a while..."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You were banned for autoing. You never played. Shut up, go away. You have no MMORPG experience, because you auto'd your stats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I'm sorry bluetear if you would rather waste your life doing nothing, at least you could make money and give it to some people to do something with it, if you see the flawed logic in that you're obviously an idiot."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First off, define "Life" and "doing something". Obviously, we are all living, thus we have lives. Playing a game is doing something. Are you aware that a LOT of people who play are actually going to college currently? What are you doing that's so awesome? Are you a doctor? A dentist? A lawyer? Will you ever be? Then shut up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'd like to address for a moment before I continue, that you state games/tv/etc does nothing good for you. In order to be successful, you must go out, get wasted, and have a "normal life". Most of what I do nowadays is watch tv, play games, and "self-study". I probably know more about just about anything you could think of, and you know where I learned it all? The internet, TV, magazines, etc. Know what I learned in school? That people are complete idiots and ruin their lives for "popularity". That's it. Well, that and some math.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dude, tv/the internet is awesome. I can learn anything I want, WHEN I WANT, rather than sit through 45 minutes of complete BS just to get an the answer I'm looking for. I hated school because I never learned jack. I'm too intelligent to be locked in a room and force-fed things I don't care about. You know what I learned in hundreds of hours of English class? NOTHING. I learned all my grammar from the INTERNET. As you can see, it's not too bad. I came home everyday after school and taught myself about things I should have learned in school, but was interupted by some moron throwing paper at a girl in front of him because he wanted in her pants. I can honestly say that I learned absolutely nothing (aside from math, and how to read, duh..) in school. Nothing. Yet they made me go to school for, what, 13 years? Man, I could have learned all that crap in 3 years, tops.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The fact that people are willing to spend so much time on Star Wars Galaxies is re-inforcing my point. Guess what, spend that time on the stockmarket and hey presto! You're making money! Or you can do it on a game and get nothing and waste time.. awesome!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You seem to miss every point put in front of you. People LEARN how to do things when they're playing. I'll give you $100 and no knowledge of the stock market, and let's see how much you make. But if I gave you $100 to get a subscription to a game, or heck, a tv program, a magazine, but game being the big one here, you could learn how to do it all with NO RISK, and then go out and become the best darn stock-broker in the world because you learned first. Sure you can just go straight to college for it, but how are you going to knowif you even like it or not before you go? How do you think I found out I love games so much? I only "liked" games before, now I love games so much, I'd rather MAKE them than play them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"I am possibly one of the open-minded people I know."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You JUST denied the existance of God in a previous post. BS much?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Poor people are the smartest people"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lmao....If they were so smart, they would go to college and NOT be poor! WHOA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just because some saps got lucky doesn't mean it's majority. Eminem grew up broke, now he can write ryhmes and is a millionare...So? How many white kids from nowhere has this happened to? Oh yea, none. So Einstien was poor! Yea, and? Being broke makes you smarter? My sister and I grew up rather poor, and she's a moron. She took the typical "loser" alcohol, drug, etc path. I took the "Keep myself clean of nasties, live longer, learn more, and eventually be MUCH better than her, rather than just better than her." method. Worked out good. I don't even get your theory on how poor people are smart, lol. I know so many poor kid's, and none of them are actually intelligent, come to think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm too lazy to type more. You need to stop posting your biased, unfactual, moronic opinions, though. You're degrading everyone (well, trying) and degrading yourself in the process. Guess what? WE KNOW WE'RE WASTING TIME! But we're wasting it how WE WANT TO. Have you forgotten you once played? Well, auto'd, but played kind of. :lol: You also once wasted time. WHO CARES. Sooner or later, everyone will quit and move on to their lives, a lot of us will be the future sucessful people of the world. What are you going to do, join a People Against MMORPG's group and complain the rest of your life? JUST SHUT UP already, God.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Damn, I've never agreed more with a post as a whole with every paragraph. I actually agreed so much that I accidently spilled whiskey on my keyboard.

[BlueTear]

I talked to Ameoba, a friend of Runescape 4 years ago who still plays. He used to have normal grammar and speaking skills. Now he rites n acts lke tis lal! I am focusing on these kind of people, not the kind of people who establish links with others and gain a benefit from it.

 

 

 

How does grammar relate to social skills?

 

 

 

...yet I at least provided evidence of 50% of people being addicted, a statistic which noone here can or has argued against and which is my main point.

 

 

 

Well let's, then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The statistic originates from two survey's. Links to these were posted throughout the Stratics, Lore and Vault MMORPG networks during 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of the respondants, no less than 79% were EQ players. Can we agree that depending on the style of the game, some people will find it more attracting than others? Differences include the game focus (combat, crafting, loot, questing), game layout (is it repetitive, interesting, does it have in-game lore?) and of course fundamental design issues.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such as, well, grinding. RS has the qualities of a game focused on the grindgame (... or was last time I tried it...) where advancing in skills is done by grinding that particular piece of experience. EQ has some of those elements aswell. Other MMORPG's have other focuses; Finishing the characters skill set is relatively fast (although still a grind) and allows quicker - with less time spent - action at the top tiers of the playing field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, some people - of a certain type - will prefer different MMORPG's with different focuses. Right? Some will like EQ more than another MMORPG due to elements in the game design.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the players of different MMORPG's can be said to be similar, yet they have some traits that make them play *that* specific game, is a survey with almost 3/4's of the participants origininating from one game really statistically representative?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I could make a survey I'd call "Do you like Star Wars?", get 72% of the responses from the SWG forums, then the rest from assorted forums. Would my answers be severly inflated by the fact that I asked on a Star Wars game? Of course they would.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because of the inherent game design, the game is more likely to attract people of a certain type. Just like EQ.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then, there's the fact that the survey is taken from 2002. This means the MMORPG market has yet to see the launch of WoW, SWG or EQ2 as well as several smaller MMORPGs. According to www.mmogcharts.com -> total subscriptions (whom, by the way, lists RS as having more paying subscribers than EQ2(!)), the total amount of players in the MMORPG's he deals with has more than doubled since 2002.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That means there are today, as opposed to when that survey was made, more than one million additional people styling themselves as MMORPG players. Even *if* we assume the 50% figure - despite how such a considerable majority of responses originiate from one game - was correct at the time of the survey, it pays no heed to HALF the bloody market of today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That being said, I don't dispute that there are people who are MMORPG addicts, and that they probably do make it into the double digits of %'s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But that survey, and the number you quoted from there, is not indisputable evidence that every other MMORPG player of today is addicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stop trying to defend Runescape your precious drug, and view it in a more broad spectrum. Send a guy with $100 whose played star wars addictively and already wasted a couple hundred bucks vs a guy who spent half the time researching stockmarket techniques and didn't waste money. Guess who wins?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wins? At what?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making money? I thought both you and me stated that making money is not neccesarily an endgoal, or something that's even "worth" pursuing? That there are other, better things to do in life, than making? Or did my illiteracy strike again?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stress-relief? That will of course depend largely on the two people we give money to, but I'd say it's safe to say the one who's playing a game he enjoys in is spare time (within reason) will be a lot less stressed than the stockmarket trader.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fun? Even more dependant on the persons involved. Stock market trading can, no doubt, be immensely fun. And so can a game.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is your choice ultimately, but don't limit yourself to MMORPGs when you could be doing something more.

 

 

 

More what? Stress-relieving? Educating? Money-making?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(edit: Fixed some really odd formulations and downright factual (well, mathematical) errors that crept in)

[logic-is-overrated]

You claim you earn money on poker, thus taking money from other people and making them unhappy. This is illegal for your age. I sell drugs to kids, thus taking money from them and making them unhappy. This is illegal. I see the comparison, Do you?

Lots of people play poker for fun and view there losses as mearly paying for their entertainment. And on that note, drugs actually make me quite happy.

[Pipalonias]

Cool, so you agree that at least 25% of people are addicted to games :) This is not taking into account the mass amount of players who are inevitably addicted through other games you mentioned, thus raising the average far above 50% I would imagine :). By the way, it would be nice to provide sources, as it can be made up you realize?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grammar does play a large part in social skills, how can you say it doesn't? :roll:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't care about making money, I was telling that to the person who had another argument with me. Please keep different arguments separate, and don't use them in the wrong context, so yes your illiteracy strikes again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And by definition of the person who originally came here, no. Games can sometimes cause more stress then fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluetear, once again, don't talk about what you don't know. If you had some previous experience of MMORPG addiction, then maybe you could talk. As such you are talking from a viewpoint that has only seen one viewpoint without consideration from the other side. Once again though, I would appreciate anyone who wants to argument with me to actually supply evidence, as such my evidence still overrides all ^^

[NorthernHero]

Whoah you got some serious conversation going on here, can't bother to read it all so I won't comment it. I just say one thing:

 

 

 

Damn you world of warcraft! :evil:

[Lionheart_0]

 

 

 

2. drugs illegal substance: an often illegal and sometimes addictive substance that causes changes in behavior and perception and is taken for the effects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at definition 2. That ends that argument. On top of that your definition also fits the view of MMORPGs being drugs. You absorb them through your mind and become addicted to get pleasurable effects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pipa... learn to read definitions, i know i have trouble somtimes too... Notice how it says substance 2 times in there. The internet and mmorpgs are not drugs becase tehy are not substances. And I dont think "asorbing stuff into your mind" is exactly scientific...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: read 2 posts up. yes you are right that games are addictive. I am addicted to RS as i siad before. But my stand point is that MMORPGs are not drugs. Anything can be addictive, but dosent always have to be a drug. A drug is what i stated before, a substance.

[BlueTear]

Cool, so you agree that at least 25% of people are addicted to games :)

 

 

 

... unless someone changed something when I wasn't paying attention, double-digits starts at 10, as opposed to 9, which is single-digit.

 

 

 

This is not taking into account the mass amount of players who are inevitably addicted through other games you mentioned, thus raising the average far above 50% I would imagine :).

 

 

 

Uhm... No. If we agree that 50% is an inaccurate figure for MMORPG's as a whole (although it *was* probably a darn accurate figure for EQ when he made it) because different games will attract different people who are more or less likely to end up in the addicted category, there's no factual evidence that taking these - as well as the changes in the market since 2002 - into account will go above 50%.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Or in other words, No; You're presenting the "statistical evidence" that everyother MMORPG player is addicted by by making up a number that says that more than half other players in certain games are addicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You still don't have any statistical evidence coorelated with realitity that's up to date, or was even accurately describing the market as a whole when it was new. I can - and am - arguing against your "evidence".

 

 

 

By the way, it would be nice to provide sources, as it can be made up you realize?

 

 

 

MMOCharts, which I did link to, aswell as the methology page on related to the nickyee.com link you posted. He managed to cover all the major - american-european markets at any rate - MMOG's of back-then (AFAIK anyway), to a lesser and greater degree.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grammar does play a large part in social skills, how can you say it doesn't? :roll:

 

 

 

Well, it could be the fact that if I were to say 'you' in real life (which I rarely do, seeing as english isn't my native language) the fact that I would spell it 'u' in MSN in no-way shows that I lack social skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And have you ever listened to a real conversation, and I mean listened as in what you're actually saying and not what you mean? Anyone who passes through a regular day of social interaction at work, school, whatever, will break grammar rules and no one will notice, because we always do that. A correct verbform is replaced by bodylanguage, or the context.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You don't talk grammatically correct even if your social skills are top-of-the-line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... but that's moving away from the topic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't care about making money, I was telling that to the person who had another argument with me. Please keep different arguments separate, and don't use them in the wrong context, so yes your illiteracy strikes again.

 

 

 

Actually, you gave me an example of how SWG was a waste of time compared to spending the same time on the stockmarket and make money, on page... 3. Look for the post where you called me stupid and self-centred.

 

 

 

And by definition of the person who originally came here, no. Games can sometimes cause more stress then fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agree, of course. Depending on the player, the game may be more stressful than fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluetear, once again, don't talk about what you don't know. If you had some previous experience of MMORPG addiction, then maybe you could talk. As such you are talking from a viewpoint that has only seen one viewpoint without consideration from the other side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My participation in this thread goes something like (excluding sarcasm);

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMORPG's that sharpens your mind.

 

 

 

Poor people being smarter

 

 

 

Noting that making money isn't everything.

 

 

 

Social skills and MMORPG's

 

 

 

Me whining over statistics.

 

 

 

More there-are-more-things-than-money

 

 

 

Me doing even more whining about statistics

 

 

 

More there-are-more-things-than-money

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now, which of these do I need to see it from an addict's point of view to argue?

 

 

 

Once again though, I would appreciate anyone who wants to argument with me to actually supply evidence, as such my evidence still overrides all ^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three years old statistics where 3/4 of the participants come from a single MMORPG that can in no way be considered typical in type and target audience for the market as a whole (as well as the size of the market today) does not qualify as evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said, I don't doubt that there are people who are addicted to MMORPG's (but the originial checklist in this thread may not be the most ideal way to figure out, nor some of the ways recommended in some of the other links). But they are nowhere near as common as you'd like to think.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(As a sidenote, I'd like to note that I believe RS - due the grinding and easy access system among other factors - is a game where you're more likely to find real addicts than in your "average" MMORPG of today)

[Purepehmo]

My drug is LSD ;)

[freecw]

Honestly.. MMORPGs are addictive, solve no problems, have no meaning and make you mentally challenged.

 

 

 

Marijuana is addictive, solves no problems, has no meaning and makes you mentally challenged.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

???!!??? 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 mentally challenged 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 * 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.

 

 

 

theres a lot of difference between mmorpg's and drugs. first of all, if you do drugs you are deystoying you body and you mind while if you play a mmorpg you are just wasting you time. and most people play games for entertament and thats all. just because its mmorpg doesn't make it bad. some people watch t.v too much. some people stay inside all day watching t.v, thats just as bad as playing a game.

 

 

 

if your addicted to a game and you stop theres not bad side effects. while if your addicted to drugs and then you manage to stop, the effects of it will follow you for the rest of you life.

[Bubsa]

Pipa, you're gonna need a harness to get you out of this whole you're digging. From what I've read, which is quite a bit, you're completely contradicting yourself. In no point, regardless, were you making any valid points.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm like BlueLancer, couldn't agree more with Tigra's post. Although, I didn't spill my whisky...just missed a couple of skittles in my mouth.

[Nadril]

Once again, another post not relating to the topic whatsoever. I really am trying to make a point, but it's wasted on ignorant people who want to detract from the topic and make stupid unrelated spam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you're into art, you're into art. If you're into computers you're into computers. Runescape has nothing to do with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pip, i disagree. Before i played runescape, i had no interest in graphical arts. Infact, i started because i just wanted to sell signatures to people on the forums here! and well, look now. I'm planing on going to college to get a degree in graphics arts (will be senior next year) and... because of runescape. hard to belive, fine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you don't have to quit school to play RS.. god. You can be the smartest guy in the world and be addicted to RS. Get over it. Maybe you should do some research before you look like an idiot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wouldn't quiting school be a sign of addiction? I'm sorry, but just because you sit there and play a game does not make you addicted. "if" you were addicted, you would do things such as, quit school , have your grades suffer, ect. ect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, what if i said playing a game, such as baseball, was adicting. Using your logic, if you have fun with something, and you play it alot, your addicted. Well, what if i played baseball alot, with freinds, ect. ect. Again, from your logic, what would i gain from this? nothing. I'm not playing profesionaly for money, and if i wanted to get stronger/healthier i could just go to the gym and it would be much faster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, you realy can't argue against that point right there, but what makes MMORPG's different than a game such as baseball. Sure, one is a physical game, one isn't, but they both raise "skills". Baseball will make you a more agile, healthier person, but then again MMORPG's will teach you teamwork, better english or in some case's even english if you speak a different language.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neither of these, MMORPG's or baseball, is making you money. However, you could be making money off of both of them, but i won't go into that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So tell me, what is the difference. Just because you don't "aprove" or like a certain way of having fun, does not automaticly label it as a "drug" that only addicts play. Sure, there is MMORPG addicts out there, but then again, people can get addicted to about anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluetear, once again, don't talk about what you don't know. If you had some previous experience of MMORPG addiction, then maybe you could talk. As such you are talking from a viewpoint that has only seen one viewpoint without consideration from the other side. Once again though, I would appreciate anyone who wants to argument with me to actually supply evidence, as such my evidence still overrides all ^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have little or no evidence. You want evidence MMORPG's arn't adicting. Well damn, look at most of us. We play MMORPG's, and last time i checked, i'm not depreiving my self to play them more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and by the way, your only speaking from one view point as well.

[Pipalonias]

Comments to above posts in no specific order.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can stand on either side having been on both. Obviously none of you have. :wink: In case you haven't noticed, those who have quit are willing to admit they are addicted, those who haven't are simply in denial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addiction is not what most of you think. Bad side effects happen from addiction to a game. The side effects of drugs will not follow you for the rest of your life. Quitting school is a sign of addiction, but I was addicted and I didn't quit school. My grades did suffer though, but I must admit that after quitting the game I have improved myself substantially.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noone has posted any counter-argument evidence yet compared to my evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Substance can be defined as my use of the word.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yay someone agrees with me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Therefore I rest my case.

[Lionheart_0]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can stand on either side having been on both. Obviously none of you have. :wink: In case you haven't noticed, those who have quit are willing to admit they are addicted, those who haven't are simply in denial.

 

 

 

You cant be playing both sides... now its seems more like a debate in here, so you sorta got to chose sides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addiction is not what most of you think. Bad side effects happen from addiction to a game. The side effects of drugs will not follow you for the rest of your life. Quitting school is a sign of addiction, but I was addicted and I didn't quit school. My grades did suffer though, but I must admit that after quitting the game I have improved myself substantially.

 

 

 

Fine this happend to you, but it dosent happen to all of us. Im addicted to all form of electronc games. My grades are not suffering. im a 79-80% average student (obviously my spelling is lacking)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Noone has posted any counter-argument evidence yet compared to my evidence.

 

 

 

What prooof, i see no links, and no bibliography to show that your "evedince is valid".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No.

? what you say?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have evidence.

again, give a link or bibliography.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Substance can be defined as my use of the word.

That word has a set deffiniton that is made by socioty(sp?). it is set, you cannot make it your own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Substance- 1.

 

 

 

1. That which has mass and occupies space; matter.

 

 

 

2. A material of a particular kind or constitution.

 

 

 

2.

 

 

 

1. Essential nature; essence.

 

 

 

2. Gist; heart.

 

 

 

3. That which is solid and practical in character, quality, or importance: a plan without substance.

 

 

 

4. Density; body: Air has little substance.

 

 

 

5. Material possessions; goods; wealth: a person of substance.

 

 

 

Therfor is has to be there, The internet is not really there, yet it is. Also, what i ment by substance is something that can be ingested and physicly put into the body.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Therefore I rest my case.

... dont say this so soon and lightly...

[Pipalonias]

Read my posts for a link, I'm not going to post it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. material: a particular kind of matter or material

 

 

 

2. tangible physical matter: physical reality that can be touched and felt

 

 

 

3. practical value: real or practical value or importance

 

 

 

There was nothing of substance in the document.

 

 

 

4. material wealth: wealth in the form of money and possessions

 

 

 

5. gist of meaning: the actual meaning of something said or written

 

 

 

the substance of their argument

 

 

 

6. philosophy unchanging essence: the unchanging essence of something

 

 

 

7. philosophy something individual and caused: something that is individual and caused

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMORPGs are technically real but not real, so they are a material or something similar to the list. Don't quote me or argue against me here or I get to ignore your argument. :) And it goes to your brainy! Brain brain brainy! Enters the mind through the playing of the games! Oooooh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rest my case on the will of my son-to-be, Anakin! Heehee.

[BlueTear]

 

 

 

I have evidence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seeing as actual explanations based on reality didn't hit home, I'll stick to responding with;

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, you don't.

[crimsonking]

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.Abrupt changes in work: Yes that is true ever since I started playing MMORPGs my work has gotten better quality than it was before therefore there is no bad problem with that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.Outbreaks of temper: Yes I do admit to doing that but not once have I every gone higher than yelling and swearing. Though I am a Teenager and its fairly normal for us to do that. Though I know when to hold back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.Not responsible: I don't have any problems with my responsibility I get my work done and even spend tons of extra time after school in my Naturalist class making sure every one of our animals are taken care of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.Changes in attitude: I'm a teen of course I have changes in attitude lol.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.Bad physical appearance: Not really thanks to Tae Kwon Do I am very fit though I sorta look emo with my hair covering half my face but I like it and thats all that really matters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6.Sunglasses:I never wear sunglasses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.Always long sleeve: I don't really like wearing shorts much but I almost always wear short sleeved shirts but I like wearing long sleeve just as much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.Friends with substance abusers: Nope none of my friends do drugs or drink except one that drinks but shes legal age to do that and she does it moderatly. + She is a really good friend and is fairly intelligent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9.Borrows money a lot: Nope I don't like to have any debts so I don't borrow money unless it was an emergency which hasn't happened yet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10.Steals: Never have never will

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11.Secretive behavior: Nope I secretly get on the comp at night to talk to my friends on RS but other than that nothing else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are some signs of internet addiction:

 

 

 

1.) Yes

 

 

 

2.) Somewhat

 

 

 

3.) Yes

 

 

 

4.) I only eat in front of the monitor when I'm alone at home.

 

 

 

5.) Nope I know I spend a lot of time on it and I don't deny it.

 

 

 

6.) My parents sometimes but they complain about everything

 

 

 

7.) Nope I never really check my email

 

 

 

8.) Lol my website sucked so I gave up on it

 

 

 

9.) Nope I do when I'm at school but not while I'm busy

 

 

 

10.) Already admitted to that one sorta its not really a sense of relief though its more of a sense of enjoyment than a sense of relief.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So yep I'm addicted I guess but this addiction has done nothing but good for me and I have done nothing wrong because of it. I have noticed two things that have rapidly changed in the past year one is that my creativity has gotten much better. Before stick people were better than my drawings and my speachs and stories just sorta dragged on and on but now my creations are somewhat better than some of the stuff that people make money on. The second is my intelligence before I was some christianity freak thinking that it is the right religion and everyone else is wrong. But now I have relized that there is no proof to any religion which means I'm agnostic. Many of you guys have seen how I was saying that all religions was wrong and that was one of the first steps I took to reach this understanding. Plus my understanding of other things has widened greatly. Such as East Asian beliefs, history, and language.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If this means I'm an MMORPG addict then I am certainly proud of it and happy for everyone else who is.

[Greatsilverwyrm]

Pipalonias, you say that none of us have been on both sides, you also make generalizations that, being generalizations, by definition, are untrue.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have quit several MMOs, at least one major one (EQ), and I don't feel that I was addicted.

 

 

 

I'm not saying that people can't become addicted, but, I am saying that not everyone who plays MMOs are addicted to them, which seems to be what you keep trying to hammer into us.

[katsuro0]

Not that God exists of course, just an expression = provocation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you dont believe in God, what do you have to live for? Will you just go through life, die, and be done with it? If you dont believe in an afterlife, then you are saying that everything you do on Earth will be a waste. I think you should look more into religion before you say a comment like that. :roll:

[Greatsilverwyrm]

Alright now, let's not turn this into a religious debate, we've had plenty of those.

[audee]

As i have read from polls.. most players of rs are juvenile.. (12 - 17 yrs olds)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel that this game teaches great deal about the art of trading (merchanting)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

things like barter trade (food items for armour etc etc), the laws of market demand and supply.. (keep rares till the demand for them goes up.. and hence price go up as well; and reap a handsome profit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hunting for maul (If you have notice when price of maul when slayer was first introduced.. and versus the price of maul nowadays)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from getting irritated when they cannot play rs which is the addictive factor..

[Lionheart_0]

Read my posts for a link, I'm not going to post it again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. material: a particular kind of matter or material

 

 

 

2. tangible physical matter: physical reality that can be touched and felt

 

 

 

3. practical value: real or practical value or importance

 

 

 

There was nothing of substance in the document.

 

 

 

4. material wealth: wealth in the form of money and possessions

 

 

 

5. gist of meaning: the actual meaning of something said or written

 

 

 

the substance of their argument

 

 

 

6. philosophy unchanging essence: the unchanging essence of something

 

 

 

7. philosophy something individual and caused: something that is individual and caused

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MMORPGs are technically real but not real, so they are a material or something similar to the list. Don't quote me or argue against me here or I get to ignore your argument. :) And it goes to your brainy! Brain brain brainy! Enters the mind through the playing of the games! Oooooh!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rest my case on the will of my son-to-be, Anakin! Heehee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Omg, you call that a source, posting something on a website and then asking for opions... where is the scientific reaserch on this...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also you keep dodging it, a drug is something that can be consumed, or injected, or go into your skin (nicoteen patches). The internet cannot be a drug becase it does none of those things. And anyways, a drug, if taken, will effect your body directly. Going onto the internet will not. Its or choice to sit there, to stare, to hurrt your eyes. the same for actual drugs, but if you stop going on the internt, you can stop right away. if you stop drugs, the after effects take time to go away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And stop saying "i arrest my case". You have not actuly proven anything.

[Pipalonias]

A drug can be consumed.

 

 

 

consume

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

conÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâ÷sume [kÃÆââ¬Â°Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢n sÃÆïÃâàâââ¬Ãâm]

 

 

 

1. vt eat or drink: to eat or drink something, especially in large amounts

 

 

 

2. vt use up: to use something in such a way that it cannot be reused or recovered afterward

 

 

 

3. vt engross or overcome: to fill somebodyÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s mind or attention fully (usually passive)

 

 

 

consumed by a desire for new experiences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read definition 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Great, you missed my point, you haven't been on the addicted side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluetear, stop argueing a lost cause. My source is the most valid source so far, and noone has any evidence to back their cause up. You even agreed with me that 17+1/10x72 of people at least are addicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a Chinese competition tomorrow, and I have to write an exnglish exam.. Sucks -_-

[Nadril]

A drug can be consumed.

 

 

 

consume

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

conÃÆââ¬Å¡Ãâ÷sume [kÃÆââ¬Â°Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢n sÃÆïÃâàâââ¬Ãâm]

 

 

 

1. vt eat or drink: to eat or drink something, especially in large amounts

 

 

 

2. vt use up: to use something in such a way that it cannot be reused or recovered afterward

 

 

 

3. vt engross or overcome: to fill somebodyÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s mind or attention fully (usually passive)

 

 

 

consumed by a desire for new experiences

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read definition 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Great, you missed my point, you haven't been on the addicted side.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bluetear, stop argueing a lost cause. My source is the most valid source so far, and noone has any evidence to back their cause up. You even agreed with me that 17+1/10x72 of people at least are addicted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a Chinese competition tomorrow, and I have to write an exnglish exam.. Sucks -_-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yet, your "source" was just people. Well, we have a "source" too. US. Yes, alot of us have played and quit runescape just fine. Didn't bother us, just got boored, and quit. So where is the addiction in that?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a difference between addiction and having fun. If your having fun you may play alot, like an addiction may seem. But if you stop having fun, you will stop. If it truly was an addiction, you couldn't stop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So why about you stop arguing a lost cause Pip? Your source more or less is nothing, and its just Testmonials. And to tell the truth, that kind of source is not the best way to prove something. You need to show me links of real, scientific studies or more-so , not just a link to some forums where a bunch of people though they were addicted to MMORPG's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So realy, you can debate with us all you want, but your going to lose one way or another.

[lunchbox456]

If MMORPGs are the drugs of today, then good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better then loading yourself full of drugs, doing something stupid, and having a chance to OD.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, what would you rather have? Real drugs, that in the long run will make you as smart as a rock, or MMORPGs, that just take you away from every day things. While bolth of them are no-win situations, the MMORPG situation has a *better* outcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All those people who say "well i perfer real drugz!11 LOL POT RULZ!11", please, go smoke EVERYTHING you find and kill yourself. I never thought one of my friends would be controlled by drugs, but since really bad drugs are becoming so common, he got himself addicted to cocaine. He has changed so much(for the worst), it's sad to see a mind go to waste, I can't talk to him anymore unless he's high, or else he snaps at everything, and is very, very iggnorant.

[Pipalonias]

I know a lot of MMORPG players who sound a lot like your friend lunchbox....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And no Nadril, you can play without having fun. I did, my friends Roy and Essex did. Like I said, you just don't know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But if noone else believes me, go ahead wasting your lives. It's like real drugs except without the fun.