If you had the opportunity to go back in time and change your decision to play Runescape, what would you do? Would you still play even though it sucked hours of time out of your life that you could have been doing something more fulfilling, or would you avoid the game knowing that it would be a waste of your time? Personally, I have enjoyed Runescape over the years, but I have grown up a lot since I first got addicted to the game. I realize that Runescape has caused me to make many poor decisions in my life, and if I had it to do over again, I would never have started playing Runescape.

 

I have thought about this several times in the past, and I was wondering what other people's stance was on the topic.

I wondered it myself, but in the end, I would likely play, but more strict on my time and quit in 2009. As detrimental it was for me quitting late, I did learn a lot of things encountering the correct friends from focusing on grammar (not lying), and other things.

I would still play RuneScape if I had the chance to go back and choose again. This was actually a topic of one of my old articles where I wrote about how RuneScape has been beneficial for me. Other than that, it's a fun time-killer.

Hard to say. I don't know if the bad that has come from me playing the game really makes up for the good. I can't imagine not being a part of this community in particular, but RuneScape is also the only reason I can touch type (one day I just realized I didn't really need to look at the keyboard anymore), and that particular talent does make my life a lot easier. It will be a lot easier to say in a few years when I see where I end up in life.

Anyone who says no either a) assumes that their presumably 15 year old self would know what their 20 year old self knows now or b) a complete liar.

I definitely don't regret my decision to play RuneScape. Sure I could have been doing something else, but if it wasn't RuneScape, it'd just be another game. I've learnt to type decently, learnt some multiples of 28, made heaps of great friends and had an awesome time.

I definitely don't regret my decision to play RuneScape. Sure I could have been doing something else, but if it wasn't RuneScape, it'd just be another game. I've learnt to type decently, learnt some multiples of 28, made heaps of great friends and had an awesome time.

 

And RuneScape makes you aware of the cultures of the other players if you know what country they came from. Sure, I was going to say "no", but the weird little bits I gained from RuneScape made it worth playing for awhile. In a way, my sense of (weird) humor could be credited to the multi-cultural friends I have, giving me more understanding compared to talking to my real life friends who all have only the same living conditions.

People who think if they chose not to play runescape, that they would have somehow not "wasted their lives", are lying to themselves. If it wasn't runescape, it would have been something else. That is the nature of addictive behavior. That is human nature. It's not any single game that harms people, but the harmful habits they've already developed probably way before even finding RuneScape. A time machine and a little regret won't change that. That is why I feel that engaging in a discussion of the shoulda-coulda-wouldas of RuneScape is a futile exercise. Worse, it's a dangerous way of justifying destructive behavior, since most of the people (again, a general statement here) still play the game they're lamenting over. It does very little to correct the behavior/addiction that is viewed as unhealthy or wasteful.

 

We played the game. We had fun. If you're still having trouble with walking away, get help from your support structures. If you managed to quit and still regret the time you spent, chalk it up to one of life's snafoos and move on because chances are, if you never played RS, it would have been something else. Going back in time to change your behavior would give you a measly 5 years, maybe. Is it worth it to sacrifice a hard-learned lesson and the friends you made along the way? It honestly isn't, and it doesn't help you grow as a person, that's for sure. (again, "you" as in anyone in that situation)

Edited April 23, 201214 yr by n_odie
Edited out last part.

If I could do it over. I would've never started playing. I missed out on some childhood things I could've done but was too busy stuck to the computer. RS is really the only game I've ever played and had ever played up until I started. In fact I never even wanted to play it. I thought it looked stupid but my friends talked me into it. All of which have quit... besides me. And if I have an addictive personality I would rather be addicted to something else.

Probably still would have. I definitely would have been addicted to some other game if I didn't start RS, kind of glad it was this one because I got involved with the community. Especially OT and ye olde Debate Club; Looking back, those two probably got me out of that "teenage shithead that knows everything" phase early :razz: .

Every questionnaire is going to have many sides and many viewpoints. When someone disagrees with yours it is not a personal attack, simply their opinion.

 

Please refrain from viewing an opinion as a personal attack. If you honestly feel it isn't an opinion, then report it, not reply to it.

 

Thanks!

I would not play again, and it has nothing to do with a perceived waste of time or money. If it had not been RS, it certainly would have been some other diversion.

 

But I certainly could have chosen a better diversion than RS - and knowing how things stand here in 2012, I would have chosen something altogether different.

I know too many cool people from RuneScape to change the past. Sure I've wasted a nice amount of my life on this game, and they aren't people I know personally. I still don't think I'd change it.

RuneScape has been helpful to me, it hasn't harmed me as much as it has helped.. Actions of the past, however, are a different story. But that's a different subject.

Honestly, I don't regret it at all. Runescape has always been nothing more than a timekiller for me; it's only filled the time when I'm too tired/ was too young to do anything more fulfilling anyways.

Essentially, it's never taken over my life, or affected what else I do, so I don't regret it. I've been good about not letting it interfere with school and my sport.

Yeah sure. If I wasn't playing RS I'd be watching TV or something

Probably, though I'd probably play a bit less, and I'd keep in track of more of the friend I've met through runescape. Also, like thus I probably wouldn't have much else to do. I've also improved my typing speed a lot through runescape.

My answer is coming from the opposite direction of the other respondents. If I had the opportunity to do things differently, I would have started playing five or six years ago when my oldest son first logged in to the game, instead of less than a year ago. I was spending my free time on other games. I am relatively certain that I would be close to a max cape by now.

I was actually just about to post this same question! Anyways...

 

Yes, because of the friends I've made over the years.

 

@Vezon: not sure if you realize this, but your question is something called "Zero-Based Thinking" (Google it). You just ask yourself, "If I was not in this situation, knowing what I now know, would I get into it again?" If the answer is NO, then the follow-up question is, "How can I get out of this, and how fast?"

 

This principle applies to all areas of your life where you suddenly feel unhappy-- bad relationships, careers, etc. Basically, if you're unhappy with your current situation and you would not enter it again if given the option, then you need to get away as quick as you can before you waste any more of your time on something that isn't making you any happier!

 

You really need to think about this and be real honest with yourself if you're actually gonna apply this principle to any major aspects of your life. Nobody wants to admit that they've been wasting their time on something lol

 

(In your case, Vezon, this means you should stop playing RIGHT NOW if you haven't already)

Yes, I feel that RuneScape has taught me some valuable pieces of knowledge. I know it certainly helped my language skills.

As Dax and Kimberly said, if I didn't "waste" my time with Runescape, it probably would have been on something else. However, if I could magically replace all the time I spent playing Runescape (or any videogame for that matter) with something more worthwhile or constructive, yeah I probably would.

 

But if I was able to turn back time, I must be a wizard or something. As a wizard I would stop dwelling on the past and take over the world. Hey, maybe my experiences in Runescape could help me further my wizard career!

There are a few things that I would try and prevent happening, things like putting the game in front of school/college work, but at the end of the day it has done no real harm, although sometimes I did play it a bit too excessively and missed out on social things because of it but I think that's all part of growing up and when your a teenager there are so many emotions, problems and confidence issues going through your head that sometimes the easier thing is to just sit and play a game.

 

Now I'm 20 and have matured a lot I guess that I now make the 'correct' decisions, I only play when there is nothing 'better' to do and it doesn't take any sort of control over my life.

 

So in answer to the actual question I don't feel like it's time wasted, like others have said it would probably just have been spent doing something else.