/. discovers MMOs can be addicting - Page 5

Zarcath · 10-19-2006, 06:03 AM

Any activity involving more then 1 person to meet a goal requires teamwork.

My bro-in-law linked me this story too. He told me I should read it and that every gamer should. He recently "quit" WoW because he was neglecting his family. Somehow he thinks your friends plight affects me or that people should realize something and stop playing WoW.

WoW or any other game that is based on teamwork and discipline brings out the best and worst in people on a daily basis. In this way I'd like to think WoW/MMO as like a martial art, your first opponent is yourself. You see the best and worst of yourself and in others, do you accept who you are? make changes? accept others? In normal life, situations may never arise where peoples true selves are revealed. I like to meet people in games because you learn who they are, how do they handle dying (failure)? do they help you complete quests (dependable)? do they punk out after they get their loot (greedy)? My grampa died last month and half the family turned into monsters over the will. Sides I never saw in them.

Anyone that plays any form of game has issues. They seek entertainment, escapism, they have problems. Don't kid yourself by thinking if you stop playing games your problems are solved. Your friend got a good look at himself and didn't like it, not playing WoW won't fix himself, he has to address whatever the issue is.

The reason I'm pissed off is because he's blaming WoW. It's the blame game and that my friend is a true addiction.

lumberjack · 10-19-2006, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antarius

The comment I have the most problem with is your statement claiming the "irrevocable damage" caused by your time playing World of Warcraft.
Didn't drink party enough? Go find some friends and get drunk.

he is saying that not going out and getting drunk was detrimental?
are you fucking kidding me?
drinking and getting drunk and acting like a dipshit is way overrated, if WoW kept the guy from getting wasted and possibly driving while drunk and killing someone, i say thats a fucking positive thing

Samflam · 10-19-2006, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lumberjack

he is saying that not going out and getting drunk was detrimental?
are you fucking kidding me?
drinking and getting drunk and acting like a dipshit is way overrated, if WoW kept the guy from getting wasted and possibly driving while drunk and killing someone, i say thats a fucking positive thing

He never implicitly said that, don't derail this thread into some straightedged bullshit argument.
The guild I am in understands that real life issues trump anything in game, and no one would ever hold a period of MIA against someone.
But to gear someone up only to watch them leave/quit the game is annoying as shit.
When you hit the raid level of play then you have to be aware that your decisions affect others too. For every fuckup who loots and quits there's 100 people who have their shit together and understand that it's just a game.
Your friend probably got some amazing loot in his tenure as class leader, and I am willing to bet he fucked over alot of mages in his guild who are STILL playing and would have benefitted from the gear he had.
I'd say he's not only a loser, but a selfish one at that.

Tyen · 10-19-2006, 08:23 AM

I have 40days /played on my char on the progression server. 70 days on WoW is hella casual.

That article is super duper bandwagonish.

robustyoungsoul · 10-19-2006, 05:03 PM

Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm doing the best I can to gather as many arguments on the other side as possible and organize them.

In the meantime, as soon as I could get my hands on a WoW "testimony" (sorry, can't think of a better word) on the positive side of things from someone in exactly the same position from the same guild, I posted it.

I hope it will receive at least a modicum of the attention that the other post received, although I am not hopeful since it has become pretty apparent that the view of "WoW is evil" makes for a more sensational story.

http://soulkerfuffle.blogspot.com/20...t-of-view.html

infernus · 10-19-2006, 06:16 PM

I think it's comes from experience, knowing how to handle something like a MMOG.
Myself, i played The Realm way back when, at the same time playing UO, and then EQ for 5years as officer for 2years in one of the top 10 Quarm first guilds.
You really got to know what you're capable of handling.
When i left EQ for WoW i was over that shit and i raided a little bit of MC but it was the end of raiding for me, i just pvped, played alts and now have like 5 x 60's.
You gotta do what's fun for you, sometimes in the guild back in EQ i had to log on cause i didn't want to let anyone down, 70-100 people relied on the few officers and i didn't want to be the one to let the guild slip. Clearing and pulling in Fear when you're level 48 Monk all the way to still pulling and clearing Fear when you're 65 years later, you don't do that cause you want to, you do it cause you have to for the guild.
I just have fun in WoW now, and enjoy every moment and look back at EQ and was proud of what we did, but it's hardcore shit and i've decided now i'm gonna leave it to the rest of you ;p
Don't fool yourself that you can handle hardcore raiding when you have a doubt you can't, cause it's called hardcore for a reason and then you fuck yourself and your guild up for what? In the end it's for nothing if you have all but bad memories/experience of it.

Kuro · 10-19-2006, 06:24 PM

My friend met a woman who turned into his girlfriend and eventual wife through EQ1.

The game should be banned, it irrevocably ruined his life

Hardcore Cracka · 10-19-2006, 06:44 PM

WOW IS DARK SIDED

oaklanbash · 10-19-2006, 07:29 PM

Why was I brought in to this thread... sigh wasted my first post on this bullshit thread....

Gahid · 10-19-2006, 10:06 PM

The game is entertainment. That's why people play it. Because it's interactive and entertaining.
That is my positive testimonial. No one is forced to play. There doesn't need to be an arguement for if it's entertaining - if it wasn't entertaining the game would flop.

robustyoungsoul · 10-20-2006, 12:11 PM

/. was kind enough to put up the alternative side of the story.

Hopefully a few people will follow it and realize that, as you guys have been saying all along, it is an issue of choice and personal management.

http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/10/20/1518225.shtml

Thanks for those of you who were willing to speak to me on this.

Daerath · 10-21-2006, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robustyoungsoul

Neither one of us wants to ban Warcraft. It's a sweet game.

I'm sure Blizzard is relieved that two people think their game is sweet and don't want to ban it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by robustyoungsoul

Not to mention the fact that it has been shown time and again that certain video games trigger the same response in the brain that heroin and certain other addictive drugs.

First, post links to the studies please.

Second, just because WoW may cause parts of the brain to become active (or more active) doesn't mean WoW is a problem. The problem is that drugs like Heroin cause *physical and mental addiction* whereas WoW causes a low-grade mental addiction more akin to a habit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by robustyoungsoul

I think the problem is relative. If someone only has 30 free hours a week to spend time with their family and they spend 25 of it on WoW, I'd call that a problem. But if they've got 100 hours free, well, spending a quarter of it relaxing and playing a game really isn't a big deal... after all, it's no different than taking some time to yourself to watch TV or read a book or do whatever.

The problem is not relative at all. The ENTIRE POINT is whether or not what you do in your free time has a positive, negative, or neutral impact on the rest of your life. I could spend all 30 hours making clay pots and if my life is not negatively impacted then it is a good use of my time. If my life were negatively impacted then it would be a bad use of my time. This isn't rocket science.

Assuming this entire thing isn't 100% bullshit designed to get some internet fame I would have to say that your friend needs to soldier the fuck up. Ooh, 70 days played. Please. If that was addictive and damaging to his life then he is horribly weak willed.

Valorale · 10-21-2006, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soygen

I used to be a DJ, spinning mad tracks and hooking up with hot chicks at raves. Then I thought to myself, "This isn't enough. I want to be a class leader."

HAHAHA you win sir!

Christ almighty wha whaaa gained 30lbs in a year? Easily done and dropping the weight can be done far faster. Christ ive lost 40lbs over the last 6 months playing wow quite effortlessly. Simply change your eating portions and habits, eat a turkey wrap instead of a steak n cheese sandwhich, order a grilled chicken salad instead of a burger, cut out 90% of the sugar drinks you normally consume and have water instead. Rent an exercise machine you can use while playing wow and use it 2-3 times a week(treadmill was my choice). Thats it!
The hardest part of all that is finding a system that works so you dont feel like youre actually dieting/exercising, once youve made the effort to figure that out, its all downhill, keep doing it till you reach your target weight.

Hex · 10-21-2006, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Valorale

Rent an exercise machine you can use while playing wow and use it 2-3 times a week(treadmill was my choice).

Wait, what?

You play WoW while you are on a treadmill?

I ... don't know what to say.

Mind is boggled.

Kolle · 10-21-2006, 12:08 PM

it's convenient if you live in a place with stairs. In my case I have to go up and down the stairs if I wanna get a snack or a drink. It's built-in exercise.

10-19-2006, 06:44 PM	#68 (permalink)
Hardcore Cracka Majestik Moose Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,614	WOW IS DARK SIDED Attached Images __________________

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10-19-2006, 06:03 AM	#61 (permalink)
Zarcath is a little tea pot. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Carlsbad CA Posts: 6,465 +75 Internets	Any activity involving more then 1 person to meet a goal requires teamwork. My bro-in-law linked me this story too. He told me I should read it and that every gamer should. He recently "quit" WoW because he was neglecting his family. Somehow he thinks your friends plight affects me or that people should realize something and stop playing WoW. WoW or any other game that is based on teamwork and discipline brings out the best and worst in people on a daily basis. In this way I'd like to think WoW/MMO as like a martial art, your first opponent is yourself. You see the best and worst of yourself and in others, do you accept who you are? make changes? accept others? In normal life, situations may never arise where peoples true selves are revealed. I like to meet people in games because you learn who they are, how do they handle dying (failure)? do they help you complete quests (dependable)? do they punk out after they get their loot (greedy)? My grampa died last month and half the family turned into monsters over the will. Sides I never saw in them. Anyone that plays any form of game has issues. They seek entertainment, escapism, they have problems. Don't kid yourself by thinking if you stop playing games your problems are solved. Your friend got a good look at himself and didn't like it, not playing WoW won't fix himself, he has to address whatever the issue is. The reason I'm pissed off is because he's blaming WoW. It's the blame game and that my friend is a true addiction.

10-19-2006, 08:23 AM	#64 (permalink)
Tyen The future, I came from it Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,660 +3 Internets	I have 40days /played on my char on the progression server. 70 days on WoW is hella casual. That article is super duper bandwagonish.

10-19-2006, 05:03 PM	#65 (permalink)
robustyoungsoul Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12 +0 Internets	Thanks to everyone who responded. I'm doing the best I can to gather as many arguments on the other side as possible and organize them. In the meantime, as soon as I could get my hands on a WoW "testimony" (sorry, can't think of a better word) on the positive side of things from someone in exactly the same position from the same guild, I posted it. I hope it will receive at least a modicum of the attention that the other post received, although I am not hopeful since it has become pretty apparent that the view of "WoW is evil" makes for a more sensational story. http://soulkerfuffle.blogspot.com/20...t-of-view.html

10-19-2006, 06:16 PM	#66 (permalink)
infernus Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 16 +0 Internets	I think it's comes from experience, knowing how to handle something like a MMOG. Myself, i played The Realm way back when, at the same time playing UO, and then EQ for 5years as officer for 2years in one of the top 10 Quarm first guilds. You really got to know what you're capable of handling. When i left EQ for WoW i was over that shit and i raided a little bit of MC but it was the end of raiding for me, i just pvped, played alts and now have like 5 x 60's. You gotta do what's fun for you, sometimes in the guild back in EQ i had to log on cause i didn't want to let anyone down, 70-100 people relied on the few officers and i didn't want to be the one to let the guild slip. Clearing and pulling in Fear when you're level 48 Monk all the way to still pulling and clearing Fear when you're 65 years later, you don't do that cause you want to, you do it cause you have to for the guild. I just have fun in WoW now, and enjoy every moment and look back at EQ and was proud of what we did, but it's hardcore shit and i've decided now i'm gonna leave it to the rest of you ;p Don't fool yourself that you can handle hardcore raiding when you have a doubt you can't, cause it's called hardcore for a reason and then you fuck yourself and your guild up for what? In the end it's for nothing if you have all but bad memories/experience of it.

10-19-2006, 06:24 PM	#67 (permalink)
Kuro Support Beam Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 1,977 +56 Internets	My friend met a woman who turned into his girlfriend and eventual wife through EQ1. The game should be banned, it irrevocably ruined his life

10-19-2006, 07:29 PM	#69 (permalink)
oaklanbash Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 178 +0 Internets	Why was I brought in to this thread... sigh wasted my first post on this bullshit thread....

10-19-2006, 10:06 PM	#70 (permalink)
Gahid Registared User Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,006 +1 Internets	The game is entertainment. That's why people play it. Because it's interactive and entertaining. That is my positive testimonial. No one is forced to play. There doesn't need to be an arguement for if it's entertaining - if it wasn't entertaining the game would flop.

10-20-2006, 12:11 PM	#71 (permalink)
robustyoungsoul Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 12 +0 Internets	/. was kind enough to put up the alternative side of the story. Hopefully a few people will follow it and realize that, as you guys have been saying all along, it is an issue of choice and personal management. http://games.slashdot.org/games/06/10/20/1518225.shtml Thanks for those of you who were willing to speak to me on this.

10-21-2006, 12:08 PM	#75 (permalink)
Kolle Registered User Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 4,879 -25 Internets	it's convenient if you live in a place with stairs. In my case I have to go up and down the stairs if I wanna get a snack or a drink. It's built-in exercise.