Interesting Article on Video Game Addiction

[pikachu54673]

If mod feel this belongs in OT I will not be offended if it's moved. :]

 

NOTE: The nature of the articles on this website are of a slightly higher maturity level, but it's nothing too inappropriate.

 

http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.html

 

The reoccurring example in this article is WoW, but I find that a lot of it can be related to Runescape as well. It's a very interesting read, and should bring up some good discussing.

 

Thoughts on the article?

Agree/Disagree with it being an addiction?

[Toad]

I skimmed through it you can get addicted to anything so It doesn't really bother me, can be addicted to cheese, you can be a workaholic, an chocoholic, a shopaholic. Gaming is no different.

[Shangdi]

Uh...I'm not addicted...*hides in a corner*

[TheWilch]

people cant control themselves. (period)

 

if i was addicted , id rather be addicted to playing runescape rather then smoking crack.

[Big_Stingman]

people cant control themselves. (period)

 

if i was addicted , id rather be addicted to playing runescape rather then smoking crack.

 

RuneScape is crack. Virtual crack.

[Saru Inc]

kinda common sense, I spent like a month learning about Skinner in Psych 201.

[Peronix]

Read the whole thing.

 

I agree with what most of the author said, and actually most of it I hadn't considered.

 

But I don't agree or at least I don't want to agree with him about games just getting more addictive in 10 years. I believe there are people in the gaming industry who are strong advocates of real fun who are working on methods of developing and delivering fun and novel content to players at a much faster pace. I don't think online gaming can survive with how it is for that long. Eventually people are going to realize that all online games are basically the same and that they aren't worth playing.

[geekdude]

I do not believe this is an addiction. It is a hobby. You wouldn't say a football player who practices for 5 hours a day addicted would you? You wouldn't say someone who spends 8 hours a day training ballet addicted would you? You wouldn't call those who watch Nascar on TV addicts would you?

 

There are several people who have physical disabilities which use video games as a way to escape their current world.

 

As someone would go out and hang with their friends playing football outside, I play Wow with my friends inside.

 

There is an excellent documentary called Second Skin which looks at some good points and bad points of video games. It shows the lives of three groups of people.

 

There are people who obsess over certain things. These people already have certain problems before they play video games.

 

That is pretty much all I have to say about video game "Addiction".

[Dupin]

people cant control themselves. (period)

 

if i was addicted , id rather be addicted to playing runescape rather then smoking crack.

 

RuneScape is crack. Virtual crack.

 

It eats your braiinsss. True story.

 

I do not believe this is an addiction. It is a hobby. You wouldn't say a football player who practices for 5 hours a day addicted would you? You wouldn't say someone who spends 8 hours a day training ballet addicted would you? You wouldn't call those who watch Nascar on TV addicts would you?

 

There are several people who have physical disabilities which use video games as a way to escape their current world.

 

As someone would go out and hang with their friends playing football outside, I play Wow with my friends inside.

 

There is an excellent documentary called Second Skin which looks at some good points and bad points of video games. It shows the lives of three groups of people.

 

There are people who obsess over certain things. These people already have certain problems before they play video games.

 

That is pretty much all I have to say about video game "Addiction".

 

Anything that is a habit can become an addiction, meaning your brain is dependent on it for happiness. Of course, it's not extreme enough to be a "physical addiction" where you would get all trembly and hallucinate, but you are still dependent. So it's an addiction.

[CBC]

I love the article. I had the general idea about game addiction, but the author makes everything about it so clear.

 

It's an addition, not a hobby when you would rather playing games instead of sleep, or do your homework, or run an errand for your parents.

[geekdude]

 

 

Anything that is a habit can become an addiction, meaning your brain is dependent on it for happiness. Of course, it's not extreme enough to be a "physical addiction" where you would get all trembly and hallucinate, but you are still dependent. So it's an addiction.

 

I'm not addicted. There is nothing else to do where I live. The only thing within 15 miles of me is a run down general store and some Amish people.

[elucin8er]

Very good article. My favourite part was linking up to slot machines / pokies, it's very true and I do find myself, especially on RS, wanting to do another trip at bandos because "surely it'll drop this time." Luckily, I find bandos enjoyable, otherwise yes there would be a serious problem lol.

 

As for the WoW related 0.001% chance drop, this is important for players to realise:

 

Sure, the top gamers who are server first will sit there playing hour after hour, doing the raid every chance they get to maximise their chances at this loot, in turn allowing them to clear all raid content. However, Blizzard have implemented a system of 100% chance rewards with these emblems you get 100% of the time. In just doing this players can designate their time ( because it won't be based on chance ) and allow themselves gear pieces that WILL be enough to clear the related content. I am also thankful they give you a week to do a raid, heavily slowing down the time you need to play. Naturally, doing it this way will definetly slow you down in raid progression, but you will get there in the end with healthy levels of play. The game is not a race, unless, yes I will say it, you have no life - lol.

 

Relating this drop % to RS:

 

A big thing about drop percentage in RS is naturally GWD / Tormented demons / Corp. And in all of those places you should be doing it for fun. Of course TD's get hell boring, and I did find myself wondering why exactly I was still doing them. I do believe in the case of TD's, you deal with it in order to get the money from it to have fun in other aspects of the game, having said that perhaps you shouldn't spend so much time there after you get to a bored level. Besides that I think GWD and Corp are always fun, in the same way raid progression in wow is always fun ( with a group of mates ).

 

There is a drop system in Pking as well, though other than EPers and Rushers I'm quite certain the guys out there are definetly doing it for the fun of it and not the drops. At least I do anyway.

 

Good article, I may think about it more while doing something on RS / WoW. Thanks for sharing

[CaJ]

I have been a Video Game Addict for the past two decades. Started out with the NES system, worked my way up to Xbox and PS2, and now I'm here playing Runescape.

[testingsomestuff123]

It's so true...

[Maximusa]

True.

 

However personally its also true it remains a hobby and I would only be spending time playing something else.

 

Aslongs as you do your homework or work it remains fun in a healthy way.

 

I dont really enjoy other online games but like runescape due to the grinding somewhat. I like the fact I havnt beaten it yet. Call that pulling a lever but its a fun lever to pull for me. (Sounds wrong.) Compared to most other generic games I know I could beat within a week. Even online game seem similar so I am not attracted to them as they seem too similar to each other. I been gaming for so long that I dont enjoy the new stuff as its not as good as the older games.

 

Its definately true it has a better reward system than most other things in life. However so do sports, boardgames, even books in a different kinda way. Etc. All other things I am addicted to? They sure all beat the A's I get on essays which involved alot more work and effort than grinding in a game. However flashy lights and the satisfaction is alot greater than the teacher giving me an A to be frank. Hell I dont even bother telling anyone besides family or close friends. Dont get me wrong. Good grades make me feel smart and it does feel good though.

 

I do enjoy getting good grades I suppose but I certainly prefer the instant satisfaction from hobbies. Be it gaming or something else. Probably why they are called hobbies. In real life its true I dont get to choose what my essay is about. The thing I have to spend weeks writing isnt even my choice. Ingame I can choose what I want to do and work for. Real life I get to choose my career but not so much that I hate writing essays. Dont matter if its even something I enjoy. My brain doesnt enjoy writing since im dyslexic anyway.. (Personally - However I love reading books.)

[Jondayla]

I do not believe this is an addiction. It is a hobby. You wouldn't say a football player who practices for 5 hours a day addicted would you? You wouldn't say someone who spends 8 hours a day training ballet addicted would you? You wouldn't call those who watch Nascar on TV addicts would you?

 

The football and ballet can become your career though. So that would be why they're not considered addictions. And yeah, people who watch too much TV are TV addicts...

 

Runescape can be an addiction - most of what was said in the article I completely agree with...

[blakdragon39]

Well, as a regular reader of Cracked.com, you should take anything they write about with a large grain of salt, it's not usually meant to be serious. :P That was one of the more serious articles I've read from them though, and it seems they did some research for it too. It doesn't surprise me one bit that they have people with Ph. D.s in brain control working for them. :P Whatever gets companies the money.

[Birdd]

I found this to be a very interesting read. Although the part about punishing the players for not playing doesn't really show up too much in Rs, that I know of. But the rest I could think of plenty of examples. Its sad that sometimes the video game becomes an addiction, but I understand how. I hope people who read this see past the mind games and see that there are more rewarding things in life than playing a game. Albeit, the game can be enjoyable, life provides much better thrills. Don't neglect it.

[sees_all1]

I'm pretty sure most of us could leave runescape for an extended period of time with no repercussions on our health, no symptoms of withdrawal.

Same with most things on the computer - there was a point in my life that I was on AIM 24/7 - I wasn't addicted, because I could leave (and did).

 

 

I do know people that are addicted to video games - they do show symptoms of withdrawal when they're not next to their xbox360 or ps3.

The important thing is they need to recognize when they're addicted, and they have a problem (just like someone with an alcohol or nicotine addiction).

As far as addictions go, video games certainly aren't the most unhealthy of them.

[Saru Inc]

I found this to be a very interesting read. Although the part about punishing the players for not playing doesn't really show up too much in Rs, that I know of. But the rest I could think of plenty of examples. Its sad that sometimes the video game becomes an addiction, but I understand how. I hope people who read this see past the mind games and see that there are more rewarding things in life than playing a game. Albeit, the game can be enjoyable, life provides much better thrills. Don't neglect it.

 

 

 

There a few examples of it, but its a little "less obvious." (Make sure you're on this weekend or you'll miss out on BONUS XP)

 

@ Sees All1, I have seen many people addicted to video games as well, heck I'm addicted to RS. But I don't really care tbh, lol.

[Ezkaton]

WARNING: This post contains is adult themed and uses several themes of that nature. Anyone who opens the hide tags does so on their own accord. Nothing in this message is offensive. If a Mod wishes to change or edit it then so be it.

 

[hide]

 

There's a fine line between addiction, hobby and impulse though..... and habit for that matter. For example some of you gave the weak options of cheese/food or TV or something. Yes of course you might like it but what defines addiction?

 

2 definitions are:

- Being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming (especially alcohol or narcotic drugs)

 

and:

- An abnormally strong craving

 

however this doesn't fully show if we're addicted or not. I mean..... when I get into the mood I can have an abnormally strong craving to pleasure myself. As can anyone else in this world, male and female alike. Does it mean that when we're in this mood and we have that abnormally strong craving that we're addicted? Then again, could it be a habit? Some people get into a regular system of doing it. Some will do it every week, yet others every other day. Or it could be a "hobby" as such. It's there for you to have fun with, so why not? Then again it could be impulse if you're in that mood for that kind of thing then why not do it? It releases endorphins and calms you down.

So am I addicted to pleasuring myself if I do it every week or so? No. I think not.

 

Another example could be drugs. You guys touched upon crack cocaine as one of the things people can become addicted to...... However how is it any different to masturbation and pleasuring yourself? Tell me. When you do it, what does pleasuring yourself do? Make you feel good? Make you feel like you want to do it again? Make you calm relaxed and happy? Well...... Isn't that the same as those people on crack cocaine? I mean.... afterall they want it to make themselves feel happy, release those endorphins and emotions.

 

What about alcohol? It gives the user a euphoric sense of being above everything. It makes everything fun and amazing. Well..... isn't that the same as sex and being with the person you love? When I'm with my girlfriend and if we decide to do it I know I feel top of the world...... I hardly see her and so then if I don't see her for a long time I'll pleasure myself. So therefore is sex an addiction?

 

With this in mind I'd probably say I'm a pleasure addict. I do what feels good for me. But isn't that the same for all of human nature?

 

With most of the majorly adult content out of the way, what about the watered down versions of something like facebook or some other social networking site, or youtube? I generally *HAVE* to go onto youtube every morning to see if the people I'm subscribed to have put videos on, or if there's any music that I want to listen to that's not on my iPod, iTunes or spotify.

Then facebook, when does that become an addiction? I atleast look at it if I'm there with nothing else to do. So does my girlfriend and so my bet is that majority of you look at it alot too. Updating status's and looking at what friends are up to.

 

So can you see? Where is the addiction exactly? Addiction is only in the mind that you crave that thing. However that craving *should* be easily stopped. However some people can be worse than each other.

Quite a few people in my hall here at Lampeter used alot of a drug called Methadone or something which is a type of Ecstasy. This gave them a euphoric happy feeling. Even I tried it once as it's currently legal in the UK (not for long though as it'll be banned as a Class A drug soon). It does give you that sense of happiness. However people are LAZY! They don't use their willpower that they were born with! The way some of them fought getting addicted on it was to have some in their room and not let themselves have any, no matter how much. (BTW I am no druggie, all I ever tried was gumming it, whereas they mostly snorted and gummed the last bits - snorting = ewwwwwww D: :blink: ) However some did get addicted and badly and have only just come out of it. But as you notice I used the word addicted. I should really say they fell into the habit or they used it as a hobby.

 

ANYTHING CAN BE AN ADDICTION.

 

You cannot go any where or do anything without being addicted. And runescape and games are the same. Am I addicted because when I come back from lectures I play most of the day until I skype my girlfriend? Am I addicted because I come on here and spend alot of time talking about it?

I get all my work done. I see my girlfriend and have long periods away from it without any type of side effect.

 

So...... Are you really addicted? Or just to lazy to use your own will power? I certainly see no addiction in it, just like pleasuring. [/hide]