MMORPG's - The drugs of today?

Nadril · May 22, 2005

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.

of course you can. Sometimes there are booring days, but in the long run, alot of perhaps booring training goes towards having a lot of fun, such as pking in runescape. Yes, i trained before and didn't have fun. Why? Because i liked to pk and duel, and the fun there was worth not having a bit of fun.

and just because you suposably got addicted to an MMORPG, doesn't mean we will. Like i said, A lot of us here in OT used to play runescape, and quit when we got boored of the game. Same can go for other games as well.

Can an MMORPG be addicting? yes of course, just like you can read an "addicting" book (as in, you don't want to put it down) But, yes MMORPG's end too. When you get to the highest level, or just play everything the game has to offer for you... there isn't much left. But just as you might re-read a very interesting book, you may "re-play" a good MMORPG.

It's like real drugs except without the fun.

Oh and yeah, going and getting high and hurting your self is a TON of fun! I love to get lung cancer, glad I smoked instead of playing an evil MMORPG, because as we all know, MMORPG's are the devil.

lunchbox456 · May 22, 2005

It's like real drugs except without the fun.

Oh and yeah, going and getting high and hurting your self is a TON of fun! I love to get lung cancer, glad I smoked instead of playing an evil MMORPG, because as we all know, MMORPG's are the devil.

Exactly, at least MMORPGs wont fry your brain, if anything you learn because you meet new people in different parts of the world. As opposed to drugs which let you meet "Jo-Jo the pink elephant" or some stupid thing like that.

I honestly don't get why the person who posted above Nadril could be so clueless. Yeah, it's fun to not only kill your brain cells, but to also support a drug lord who uses that money for guns and "protection", and ends up killing an innocent child in a drive by. Way to go moron, you just participated in the killing of innocent people, maybe you should pick up a gun as well and start shooting, it would make the drug lords life alot easier.

BlueTear · May 22, 2005

Bluetear, stop argueing a lost cause. My source is the most valid source so far,

... which doesn't change that fact that it's outdated and statistically misrepresentative. Nothing you say, no other links anyone else may post except those that lead to a new study reaching across more games is going to change that.

It's a not a valid source; It's outdated and statistically misrepresentative.

and noone has any evidence to back their cause up.

Again; Outdated and statistically misrepresented statistics does *not* count as "evidence".

You even agreed with me that 17+1/10x72 of people at least are addicted.

That's a personal opinion of mine, not evidence. I don't try to pass it off as evidence. (And that math really sucks if you hope to hit 10 or thereabout)

jon45456 · May 23, 2005

I made a post about the same thing. heres the link: http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=261263

In my post there is an article about a guy who kills himself over Ever Quest

Nadril · May 23, 2005

I made a post about the same thing. heres the link: http://forum.tip.it/viewtopic.php?t=261263

In my post there is an article about a guy who kills himself over Ever Quest

\

...that happened two years ago and obviously was for many other reasons other than everquest.

Pipalonias · May 23, 2005

I wasn't hoping to hit 10, I was hoping to hit the number you said yourself. I'm sorry that you don't accept the most knowledgeable source of information about addiction from a person who backs up his answers because they are three years old and about a lot of everquest players. Ironic that I can use 50 year old sources that would be biased and manage to get 100% on my tests eh? Please, get a clue.

"The effects of long-term marijuana use on the intellect have not been established, and there is no evidence that marijuana causes brain damage."

"Long-term adverse reactions such as persistent psychosis, prolonged depression, or faulty judgment have also been reported following LSD ingestion, but whether these are a direct result of ingestion is difficult to establish."

There, I'm pretty certain those are the two most widely-used drugs in the world. From a source 1 YEAR AGO, hopefully not too long ago for bluetear, both detailing the fact that noone really knows the long-term effects on the user, and in fact you don't kill brain cells. And no, drug dealers don't kill children, I know a drug dealer who comes into our store every week to deal drugs in the backand he gives off the laid-back, business-man look without any form of violence. Maybe you should do some background research without any [developmentally delayed]ed bias first?

And uhh who gets lung cancer from drugs man? This isn't smoking, k?

A lot of you need to get your facts right and do some real research, provide some real evidence. Still waiting for the links bluetear btw ;)

Nadril · May 23, 2005

Last time i checked ciggeretes were a drug....

and anyways, marijuana and LSD do cause a lot of problems. LSD isn't harmful in the fact that it just hurts you off the bat, but it makes you do idiotic stuff such as trying to jump off a building thinking you can fly.

the Marijuana i'm not sure about, I'm nearly positive it has some bad effects, just not sure what exactly.

:?

BlueTear · May 23, 2005

I wasn't hoping to hit 10, I was hoping to hit the number you said yourself. I'm sorry that you don't accept the most knowledgeable source of information about addiction from a person who backs up his answers because they are three years old...

You can use three year old data and still hit close to the mark. For example, data on the worlds total population is so sketchy three-year old data is more of the norm.

But the reason why that survey is outdated, is because the MMOG market as a whole has changed. Let's take a look at the difference in size, using mmogcharts.com.

At the end of 2002, the size of the market (with some exceptions) would be totaled to around 1 250 000 players. Today, that figure is: 4 250 000.

The first value is about 29% of the latter. Now, using the worlds population as an example, taken from here and then going "back in time" using the same site til we hit 29% of that value, which is X/6 443 255 166 = 0,29... We're a few hundred million people short of two billion. Which would put us at... 1920-1930 or thereabout.

If someone asked you about the worlds population and you said two billion, you'd be laughed at.

If someone asked you for any demographic statistic of today and you used two billion as a the worlds total population, the statistic would be outdated.

It's not so much about the time as it is the large changes since the study was done that renders it outdated.

...and about a lot of everquest players.

Say the aforementioned demographic would be "Are you poor?" and 3/4 of the respondants came from Uganda, you wouldn't get a nice statistic for the world even in the '30's. Definitely not now.

Ironic that I can use 50 year old sources that would be biased and manage to get 100% on my tests eh?

Tell your teacher that the worlds population is two billion and use a study done with 3/4 of the participants in Uganda to back a statistic about the % of poor people in the entire world.

Think you'd actually pass?

Still waiting for the links bluetear btw ;)

This one. It's more likely to be wrong than not, but I'm interested in hearing how you would disqualify it.

I mean, you can hardly whine about age and correct statistical representation in that study while completely ignoring the same things about the one you keep pampering as "evidence".

Pipalonias · May 24, 2005

Errr.. it tells me that the average MMORPG player is addicted? 24 hours a week is the average. Holy [cabbage]. I'd consider more then 2 hours a day addictive, but 3 hours? That's getting serious gameplay.

And isn't your first data also a bit biased towards people who have subscribed to the game? This doesn't include all the little crazy addicts who are addicted to the "free" drugs :)

evilwithin10 · May 24, 2005

hmm... lets see here... (all my answers are in italics... lol)

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. yep

# Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper. yep

# Withdrawal from responsibility. yep

# General changes in overall attitude. yep

# Deterioration of physical appearance and grooming. nope

# Wearing of sunglasses at inappropriate times. nope

# Continual wearing of long-sleeved garments particularly in hot weather or reluctance to wear short sleeved attire when appropriate. eh? whats wrong with wearing a hoodie this time of year?

# Association with known substance abusers. err... dont think ill answer this one...

# Unusual borrowing of money from friends, co-workers or parents. only once in a while to buy a pop or something...

# Stealing small items from employer, home or school. cant say i havent done it before...

# Secretive behavior regarding actions and possessions; poorly concealed attempts to avoid attention and suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom, basement, etc. cant say i havent done this before either

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:'bout 5 hours a day... maybe a bit more on weekends

Q:responsibility?

A:whats that?

Q:do you get paid?

A: i wish

These are some signs of internet addiction:

1) Using the online services everyday without any skipping. yep (even at school)

2) Loosing track of time after making a connection. yep

3) Goes out less and less. actually starting to go out more since i got myself a gf...

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

5) Denying spending too much time on the Net. too much? is there ever too much?

6) Others complaining of your too much time in front of the monitor. only my younger brother thats been on it more than me lately :x

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

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

9) Loggin onto the Net while already busy at work. dont yet have a job...

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

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.

...Addicted and proud of it, lol :P

Greatsilverwyrm · May 24, 2005

Pipalonias:

I believe that marijuana and cocaine and/or meth are the most-common drugs. LSD hasn't been used mainstream since the 60's/70's..

Also, last time I checked, you smoke marijuana usually, with a lot of the tar and other fun stuff you get from cigarettes, which, while they may be legal, contain an addictive drug.

Your only data source is statistically misrepresentative. Computers and MMORPGs are a constantly growing and changing market. Statistics from 3 years ago don't mean spit in this particular case.

As BlueTear said, if you were to take the population of the world, however, 3 years ago would probably be pretty accurate, as the population has pretty much stabalized for the time being.

BlueTear · May 24, 2005

Errr.. it tells me that the average MMORPG player is addicted? 24 hours a week is the average. Holy cabbage. I'd consider more then 2 hours a day addictive, but 3 hours? That's getting serious gameplay.

According to this page, the average american watches 28 hours of TV a week. I'd guess that number is about the same for most western countries.

That site also uses an definition of addiction set forth by a professional, where as the link you posted asked the participants in the survey "Would you consider yourself addicted?".

And isn't your first data also a bit biased towards people who have subscribed to the game? This doesn't include all the little crazy addicts who are addicted to the "free" drugs :)

You mean, the statistic would be inaccurate because it doesn't take the 'free' players into account? It would be, due the composition of the respondants, statiscally misrepresentative?

... that last sounds surprisingly familiar.

Arsenes · May 24, 2005

What a silly post to recieve 8 pages of replies ...

Anyways, im not going to bother reading through the entire thing, nor get myself involved with the main people arguing throughout the thread. Im just going to post random things that might contribute to the post.

The most common street drugs today are Exstacy, Marijuana and Meth.

MMORPGs are not drugs, arguing about them being addictive is a debate seperate from this fact, but seriously stop calling them drugs, it's a stupid argument being made by manipulating definitions to suit your theories.

My opinion on the matter: sure not a whole lot of positive comes from playing them for ridiculous amounts of time, but its no worse off than consuming that much of any other form of entertainment.

Dark_Tigra · May 24, 2005

Pipalonias lost all POTENTIAL credability, assuming he would have been able to develope any, which is highly unlikely, by saying; "Since when do drugs give you lung cancer? Hello, this isn't smoking, people."

It's obvious that he is a sheltered idiot who believes all propoganda that is fed into his tiny brain. Smoking is not the only cause of lung cancer, you imbecile. My grandpa has lung cancer from working with Esbestos/Dust all his life. My father will also probably have it. My uncle is in the early stages of lung cancer, which they caught by chance at a check-up when he mentioned himself being short of breath sometimes. You know what? He never smoked a cigarette, ever. He's done drugs for 18 years. Choice drug? Marijuana and Meth, two drugs which are commonly SMOKED.

Assuming that you apparently believe anti-smoking propoganda, I can only believe that you'd believe any other falsehoods in, say...Game addiction propoganda? :roll:

These "surveys" were done by people who are AGAINST gaming. If it were done by people who are FOR gaming, I'll bet you anything the statistics would be REVERSED completely. If someone who is against gaming essentially says "Everyone who plays games are addicted. They all need to stop, now, or they will die." it's because they're fighting for their "cause". It's often not even factual information, and it's often fabricated to fit as such.

What really tickle's me is how much of a hypocrite you actually are. I know for a fact you have to had been playing 10+ hours a day at one point, because you were 99 thieving. Now you come back (for God knows what reason - JUST LEAVE!) and try to tell us we're all in danger of being complete losers because we're "addicted" to games! INTERESTING!

I play RuneScape because I have NOTHING better I could be doing. At all. The town I live in has 500 people in it, I know probaby 10 of them personally, from school, and I care about, like, 1 of them. That doesn't exactly make my activities great to choose from. So I just play games. RuneScape isn't the only thing I play, I also play console games, which I enjoy more because I don't have to listen to inane, whiney children like yourself. Please - Save the "I'm over 18, thus not a child!11" talk to yourself. If you act like a child, guess what? You're a diaper wearing, bottle sucking, cry-for-your-mommy CHILD.

However, it's apparent that your mind is dead-set on believing complete bullcrap. I can only say "Go ahead." and tell you to leave these forums. If we're such addicted, impressionable idiots, yet you're not, why do you keep coming back to argue? Leave. Go away. You're not wanted. Call Camobizkit. Oh no, I insulted your past again. Have a cry.

Greatsilverwyrm · May 24, 2005

Ad Hominem doesn't help the cause, Tigra.

I also believe that Pipalonias has said several times that he "realized he was addicted and stopped, and now is trying to save us from the same fate" or something along those lines..

Dark_Tigra · May 24, 2005

Darn Latin.

I'm sorry, Wyrm, I didn't realize that Pipalonias was, infact, Jesus Christ, and it was his duty to "save" us.

And to be clear, I'm still attacking Pipalonias, not you. :lol:

katsuro0 · May 24, 2005

I wasn't hoping to hit 10, I was hoping to hit the number you said yourself. I'm sorry that you don't accept the most knowledgeable source of information about addiction from a person who backs up his answers because they are three years old and about a lot of everquest players. Ironic that I can use 50 year old sources that would be biased and manage to get 100% on my tests eh? Please, get a clue.

"The effects of long-term marijuana use on the intellect have not been established, and there is no evidence that marijuana causes brain damage."

Microsoft ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ® Encarta ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ® Reference Library 2005. ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ© 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

"Long-term adverse reactions such as persistent psychosis, prolonged depression, or faulty judgment have also been reported following LSD ingestion, but whether these are a direct result of ingestion is difficult to establish."

Microsoft ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ® Encarta ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ® Reference Library 2005. ÃÆÃ¢â¬Å¡ÃâÃÂ© 1993-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

There, I'm pretty certain those are the two most widely-used drugs in the world. From a source 1 YEAR AGO, hopefully not too long ago for bluetear, both detailing the fact that noone really knows the long-term effects on the user, and in fact you don't kill brain cells. And no, drug dealers don't kill children, I know a drug dealer who comes into our store every week to deal drugs in the backand he gives off the laid-back, business-man look without any form of violence. Maybe you should do some background research without any mentally challenged bias first?

And uhh who gets lung cancer from drugs man? This isn't smoking, k?

A lot of you need to get your facts right and do some real research, provide some real evidence. Still waiting for the links bluetear btw ;)

Some users can undergo bad effects from marijuana. They may suffer sudden feelings of anxiety and have paranoid thoughts. This is more likely to happen when a more potent variety of marijuana is used.

The short-term effects of marijuana include:

1. problems with memory and learning

2. distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch) (6);

3. trouble with thinking and problemsolving (5);

4. loss of motor coordination; and

5. increased heart rate.

(and this is just one example)

ALL drugs are bad, in NO way can a drug be good (unless its a perscription drug)

MMORPG's can be beneficial, as many people that have posted here have pointed out.

Pete_the_Viscous · May 24, 2005

Another side effect of marijuana adiction would be the chronic lack of funds.

I disagree that no drug can be good; what's wrong with drinking a little at new year to celebrate? If it's done in moderation, there aren't any harmful side effects; not even drunkeness. In some cases, I say that the pros of drug use are greater than the cons.

Obviously I don't include alcoholism or lots of smoking, or anything like that in this.

Arsenes · May 25, 2005

ALL drugs are bad, in NO way can a drug be good (unless its a perscription drug)

MMORPG's can be beneficial, as many people that have posted here have pointed out.

*choo choo* all aboard the propoganda bandwagon. Did you quote that from a pamplet you picked up in your school library, or did mommy and daddy tell you that? Just curious, since it's obviously not from personal experience.

Greatsilverwyrm · May 25, 2005

Not to mention that prescription drugs have the possibility of being just as bad if not worse than illiegal drugs..

krunkthemonk · May 25, 2005

Not to mention that prescription drugs have the possibility of being just as bad if not worse than illiegal drugs..

Truer words were never spoken. About 1 year ago this happened.

The Star, Saturday, April 24, 2004

KELLY TOUGHILL

GLACE BAY, N.S. - Robbie and Jimmy MacDonald ÃÆÃÂ¢ÃÂ¢Ã¢â¬Å¡ÃÂ¬ÃÂ¢Ã¢âÂ¬Ã

lunchbox456 · May 25, 2005

I know a drug dealer who comes into our store every week to deal drugs in the backand he gives off the laid-back, business-man look without any form of violence.

Oh yeah, because all drugs dealers are saints.

Of course someone wouldn't get violent if they're doing what needs to be done, but I guarentee, you piss him off, you wont be safe.

Maybe you should do some background research without any mentally challenged bias first

I have never heard anything so hypocritical in my life. You are very biased, especially with the drug dealer thing, you did NO REASEARCH. You went on what you've seen, wake up and type into google "Killings that involve drug dealers". You'll be supprised.

Either you smoke pot yourself, and are trying to defend it. Or you're just brainwashed.

Dark_Tigra · May 25, 2005

ALL drugs are bad, in NO way can a drug be good (unless its a perscription drug)

MMORPG's can be beneficial, as many people that have posted here have pointed out.

*choo choo* all aboard the propoganda bandwagon. Did you quote that from a pamplet you picked up in your school library, or did mommy and daddy tell you that? Just curious, since it's obviously not from personal experience.

Prescription drugs are the devil, as I said in my topic I made, "Prescription drugs are the devil, here's why..." last Tuesday. Vicodin made me pass out and break my tooth out, long story short. Also, anti-biotics made my body intolerable to Gluten, which is commonly found in wheat. Now I can't eat anything with wheat in it..Which seriously limits my diet.

Laaaame. :(

BlueTear · May 25, 2005

Heh, Pip, I stumbled across a smaller version of the "Would you consider yourself addicted to the game?" that's from sept. 2003.

These "surveys" were done by people who are AGAINST gaming. If it were done by people who are FOR gaming,

'course, the really interesting part of that article is more or less directed at Tigra, quote from that article: "Are there positive factors to playing these games? Yes there are, and I wish people focused on these more often:", followed by links to several articles where, using the Daedalus survey's as a base, he outlines positive effects.

For example, this one where he posts survey re[bleep]s indicating that there's people who feel more comfortable communicating in real life after playing an MMORPG. This one, which ends with (quite contrary to Pip's originial posts regarding "social skills" in the game) "This data set demonstrates that MMOGs can, and should be, thought of as potential educational mediums for complex social skills.".

Disregarding the misrepresentation that must occur even in their recent studies (For example, since participating pretty much requires you to visit gaming forums to end up with the links, and the people who visit forums more often than not tends to fall into "hardcore" or at least not casual gamers), they're not that bad a source of information. And if they do have a considerable bias, it would actually be in favour of MMOG's rather than against them.

You just have to watch out so you don't use outdated statistics =P

Pipalonias · May 25, 2005

Bah. You and your resistant audience. You win.

Though I still believe my point stands :)

MMORPG's - The drugs of today?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

Create an account

Sign in

Important Information