addiction

[Low Levelled]

What do you think it means to be addicted to Runescape? Is that why we play, no matter what the update is? The people who quit, does that mean they overcame the addiction? Kind of weird to think about.

[Ambler]

Playing whenever you can, even if there are other, more important things (work/ school/ other real life) that you should be doing instead. This is my definition of an addiction, and I do kinda fit into it. :wall:

[Krampell]

I'm gonna assume it's the same as any other addiction.

Unable to stop, no matter what it does to you. Good or bad.

And then quitting, overcomming the addiction, that is if you had one to begin with.

[Kirschen]

When one gets on the computer, they head straight to the RuneScape website without so much as a second though, scanning for updates and whatnot. As for playing, one would feel the need to at least log in and enjoy its activities, putting off any work they were assigned to. I used to have an addiction to the game, but its progressively weakened over time as I got bored to it. In fact, I could easily quit now if I wanted and not feel any strong withdrawal. :unsure:

[ssamriga]

I'm totally addicted :)

Have quit several times, but always come back.

Good thing is I am not "that addicted" to put my social life behind RS, but alltogether I have spent too much time on RS by my standards... and it doesn't look like I will ever be able to quit it for good.

[AKwaspRS]

When one gets on the computer, they head straight to the RuneScape website without so much as a second though, scanning for updates and whatnot. As for playing, one would feel the need to at least log in and enjoy its activities, putting off any work they were assigned to. I used to have an addiction to the game, but its progressively weakened over time as I got bored to it. In fact, I could easily quit now if I wanted and not feel any strong withdrawal. :unsure:

 

I found it rather interesting how Runescape and Facebook could be interchanged in this comment, and both are pretty accurate.

[xInfinityx]

What do you think it means to be addicted to Runescape? Is that why we play, no matter what the update is? The people who quit, does that mean they overcame the addiction? Kind of weird to think about.

 

 

I think you're addicted to Runescape if you do any of the following:

 

 

A: Pay for membership.

 

B: Pay for RWT.

 

C: RWT TO 2496.

 

 

If you do all of them... that is just very very, sad.

[Hedgehog]

What do you think it means to be addicted to Runescape? Is that why we play, no matter what the update is? The people who quit, does that mean they overcame the addiction? Kind of a weird to think about.

 

 

I think you're addicted to Runescape if you do any of the following:

 

 

A: Pay for membership.

 

So, because I spend $5 a month to unlock 95% of the game, I'm addicted? I'm not really following your logic.

[Arceus]

I spend a lot of time playing, but I wouldn't say I'm addicted. Often I've had to put off skilling completely due to having a ton of other higher-priority things to do.

[muckytears]

I often considered myself to be 'addicted' to Runescape, but not to a level where it is affecting my health or college work or anything like that - ie I still get all the important stuff done, but sometimes I'll think that I'm spending too much time on the game and could maybe be doing something better with all that time. This point for me is when I'm no longer playing runescape just for a bit of fun and a way to relax.

[Gwasha]

What do you think it means to be addicted to Runescape? Is that why we play, no matter what the update is? The people who quit, does that mean they overcame the addiction? Kind of a weird to think about.

 

 

I think you're addicted to Runescape if you do any of the following:

 

 

A: Pay for membership.

 

So, because I spend $5 a month to unlock 95% of the game, I'm addicted? I'm not really following your logic.

 

How can paying for something qualify someone to be addicted? I understand that I pay $5 a month for something that's not needed, but I don't need internet services, phone bills, a car, etc., yet I pay for all of those too? Does that mean I'm addicted to checking my school work, calling my friends and family, and getting to and from school?

[Zaaps1]

When one gets on the computer, they head straight to the RuneScape website without so much as a second though, scanning for updates and whatnot. As for playing, one would feel the need to at least log in and enjoy its activities, putting off any work they were assigned to. I used to have an addiction to the game, but its progressively weakened over time as I got bored to it. In fact, I could easily quit now if I wanted and not feel any strong withdrawal. :unsure:

 

Well I think there's a difference between an addiction and an obsession, and if you permit me, I think I would categorize your past situation more as an obsession rather than an addiction.

[stonewall337]

Addiction, the inability to quit. Simple as that. It does not mean that players who don't WANT to quit are addicted. It means that people who CAN'T quit are addicted.

[Yay0siris]

in jr high i use to play every morning before i went to school. i'd say that's addiction.

[Kirschen]

When one gets on the computer, they head straight to the RuneScape website without so much as a second though, scanning for updates and whatnot. As for playing, one would feel the need to at least log in and enjoy its activities, putting off any work they were assigned to. I used to have an addiction to the game, but its progressively weakened over time as I got bored to it. In fact, I could easily quit now if I wanted and not feel any strong withdrawal. :unsure:

 

Well I think there's a difference between an addiction and an obsession, and if you permit me, I think I would categorize your past situation more as an obsession rather than an addiction.

 

Would explain why I feel easy if I decided to quit since I was mainly into it because of my avid desire to play at the time. Would be interesting to read more of the details on the difference.

[Pinata]

I'd say 7 or more hours a week is addicted. So ye I'd be addicted. I wouldn't say its a harmful addiction, unless maybe putting in 70hrs a week.

[stonewall337]

Honestly, I don't believe in such a thing as a video game addiction. At least, not by the technical definition. Technically, an addiction is chemical in some sense. A compulsion is the correct term.

[Zantareous]

My addiction had several swings throughout the years.

 

At one point, up until about 3 years into playing, it was all I could think about. If I was playing a sport, I was thinking about RuneScape, if I was at school, I was thinking about it; this included things like not taking notes in class but instead writing down goals and ideas on scraps of paper, when on vacation instead of going outside and enjoying myself I stayed inside and wrote in a journal about step-by-step things I would do once I got back on the computer, etc.

 

At all times I found myself only able to play RuneScape, to consider other games seemed preposterous (not to say I didn't occasionally play other games, I would feel guilty for owning an Xbox and not playing it so every so often I would purchase Live and play a little). Even to this day, after basically being done with the game for the past year, I find myself unable to get into any other game - but the lack of interest doesn't stop there, I find myself unable to become interested in anything new, and I slowly lose interest in things I enjoyed back when I played (it's like quitting RuneScape dragged my whole life down with it).

 

Staying up until 4 am each night, *and then* starting homework. Going from one the top of my class to nearly not graduating and then working my ass off at the end to make up for everything, that's RuneScape, that's addiction.

[Contractor]

Cancelling plans to play runescape, not completing other more important activities to play runescape, scheduling your day around runescape, dreaming about runescape (I remember I was getting 99 runecrafting and dreamed I was sitting on my computer runecrafting lol)

Oh lord, all of these happened to me several times over the last 7 years haha

[asfcjfdyitfhglh]

My addiction had several swings throughout the years.

 

At one point, up until about 3 years into playing, it was all I could think about. If I was playing a sport, I was thinking about RuneScape, if I was at school, I was thinking about it; this included things like not taking notes in class but instead writing down goals and ideas on scraps of paper, when on vacation instead of going outside and enjoying myself I stayed inside and wrote in a journal about step-by-step things I would do once I got back on the computer, etc.

 

At all times I found myself only able to play RuneScape, to consider other games seemed preposterous (not to say I didn't occasionally play other games, I would feel guilty for owning an Xbox and not playing it so every so often I would purchase Live and play a little). Even to this day, after basically being done with the game for the past year, I find myself unable to get into any other game - but the lack of interest doesn't stop there, I find myself unable to become interested in anything new, and I slowly lose interest in things I enjoyed back when I played (it's like quitting RuneScape dragged my whole life down with it).

 

Staying up until 4 am each night, *and then* starting homework. Going from one the top of my class to nearly not graduating and then working my ass off at the end to make up for everything, that's RuneScape, that's addiction.

I started it when I was young, and it was magical for me. No new games can fill its shoes. There's no spark. I agree with much of your post. I have since quit three or four times and always say I won't go back but I do. It's always for one day only but it's still going back. I still think about it even though I quit. It kinda was part of my childhood and since I grew up with it (I'm 14 now, think I was 8 when I started) it's something that seems to be lodged in my brain. I've started playing Xbox more but I still visit these forums and I still check runetrack. I honestly don't think I will ever be able to forget it because of how big a part of my life it was. Fortunately I put school and social life above all other things and spend more time doing those things than RS - I've played maybe 10 hours this year? Point is I agree, it had a huge impact on my life.

[Uade]

I'd say when you are addicted to anything it's when you can't stop doing it. In this instance, Runescape. Like even if your mom told you to get off, you don't and do anything it takes to stay on. That's addicted. If you just play a lot (even 10hrs+ a day) but are able to get off whenever real life calls or whatever, I don't consider that addicted.

[Lord Paul]

^Very appropriate signature. :P

 

I think most serious players go through some stage of addiction/compulsion at least once. Mine just lasted for about 2 years and now all I do is afk skills while watching movies or doing school. It's kind of funny that I feel like it's a waste of time not to play Runescape while watching movies or writing English papers. I have to thank the meta-gamers for that mentality, which actually I'm thankful for. I do a lot of multitasking in real life now. :P

There isn't much motivation anymore, which seems to be fairly common for people around my levels that were aiming for max/completionist.

 

So I guess if I was still addicted, I would make myself concentrate soley on RS even when I don't feel like it. I think quite a few us of can admit to that. :-|

[NukeMarine]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that everyone's definition of normal playing is just what they're doing, while addiction is just something more than that which is obviously not them.

[Zerker_Jane]

I'm going to take a wild guess and say that everyone's definition of normal playing is just what they're doing, while addiction is just something more than that which is obviously not them.

 

Ha yes that is true for me but only because I've been addicted to Runescape in the past and can now differentiate between how I'm playing now and addiction. I was skipping school and social events to play RS, any time I wasn't playing RS I was slowly going insane thinking about dat xp waste and I would stay up until ridiculous hours in the morning and then wake up in a few hours to play RS again.

 

Now, mainly because my competitive friends have all quit and I no longer really train any accounts just PK or PVP, I can go weeks without logging on runescape and just forget about it. Then when I remember I log in, get bored, and log out. And other times I can slink right back into my old habits and spend all night playing on runescape. The key difference however is I no longer blow other things off to play RS, I play when I have free time only and social life comes first.

 

A fairly efficient yard stick is if you're thinking about dat xp waste when you're not playing Runescape, you're addicted.

[jddogg]

^Very appropriate signature. :P

 

I think most serious players go through some stage of addiction/compulsion at least once. Mine just lasted for about 2 years and now all I do is afk skills while watching movies or doing school. It's kind of funny that I feel like it's a waste of time not to play Runescape while watching movies or writing English papers. I have to thank the meta-gamers for that mentality, which actually I'm thankful for. I do a lot of multitasking in real life now. :P

There isn't much motivation anymore, which seems to be fairly common for people around my levels that were aiming for max/completionist.

 

So I guess if I was still addicted, I would make myself concentrate soley on RS even when I don't feel like it. I think quite a few us of can admit to that. :-|

 

Omg this is so accurate about feeling like you're wasting time doing things without some afkable runescape training going on in the background at the same time. I totally feel that way about runescape and alot of other situations now. I feel like runescape has taught me to be a badass multitasker and find it hard to NOT multitask in normal day things.