So is this website, 8D.

 

I've known the type.

One in particular...

A guy in my dorm (years ago) did NOTHING but game, night and day. He'd leave his room to get something to eat and to relieve himself.

His roommate had to essentially pick a fight with him to clean up the disgusting mound of half-empty food containers surrounding the computer..............or to take a shower.

Countless times hallmates confronted him or complained to an RA about the noise, as he would crank of the volume on the surroundsound system he had hooked up to the computer to further engulf himself in the experience.

He did go on trips occasionally.........................to gaming conventions and competitions.

He had a picture of some attractive celeb chick on his desk... Apparently she was into gaming as well (I had to hear the story a couple times.)

When he wasn't running around firing weapons on his computer, he was doing it on the paintball course. At least he was getting some exercise. (I have no problem with paintball. While I personally have not done it, it looks fun enough in moderation. I'm just pointing out that the only other activity I knew him to do was strikingly similar to his gaming habit. )

Once, I was heading back to the dorm and there were a couple of squad cars near the entrance with flashing lights. Of course I was curious, and I had the usual suspects rotating through my head as I trudged up the stairs. To my complete surprise the cops had detained the hall gamer. Apparently somebody pinged somebody else in the dorm excessively and crashed something or other and next thing you know he's threatening physical violence... OVER A GAME!!!

Essentially this dude failed out of school, as those that don't go to class or do work tend to do. I don't remember what he was studying (or intending to study ), but there was always just "too much work for anyone to actually complete."

I wonder where he is today.



I knew others that were pretty much into gaming, not enough to really interfere with life as a whole, but certainly grades to some extent.

It's interesting, though. I never really thought of it as a real addiction in the same way as drugs or something. But it makes sense.

 

I remember one dude who played Starcraft all day long in college. I'd always ask him if he wanted to go drinking with us but he just said no and went back to blowing up aliens and shit or whatever that game is about.

 

I've played World of Warcraft on and off since it launched in 2004. I started playing with a few buddies and roommates, and at first we were all playing pretty much all the time. No one skipped work to play, but as soon as we got home we'd log in, and play until it was time to head to bed. At the time we all kinda made fun of it, because lets face it, spending a lot of time in front of a computer, regardless of what you are doing, is pretty lame. It's a lot easier to do if you have real life friends doing it as well.

Eventually we all drifted away from the game, and eventually back to the game. Personally I cancelled my account and didn't play for about a year. When I went back I found out that pretty much everyone else had come back as well (I move every 6 months so I don't always keep in touch with every friend, I kind of have a different set of friends for each place I live). Now the six of us all play pretty casually, if I'm not doing anything I may play for a few hours. If no one's on, I typically will log off after 20 minutes or so. Other wise it's not really playing an online game with friends, its just another video game.

Now, there is one of my friends that took the game too seriously. He lost a few jobs. He got kicked out of his apartment, and went on medication. He had literally months of playing time (one character had 150ish days played, another had 120 days played) and so he wouldn't be tempted he deleted his characters, had one restored, then deleted again (Blizzard will let you delete a character and will let you bring one back just in case of accidents). 6 months later, after getting back on his feet, he went back to it. Still plays everyday, for hours at a time. He works 40 hours a week, but typically in 3 or 4 days, so he spends his days off online, the whole day. I get phone calls periodically from him, but all he wants to do is talk about the game. Since I'm often at work, I don't answer. Sorry. Life gets in the way which a lot of people that play the game don't/can't comprehend.

So if you made it this far into this novella, ultimately I think it can be a scary thing. I've seen some sad shit come out of this and I don't think it's unique. If you have an addictive personality, you'll find a home eventually. It's very easy to rationalize on an online video game, because hey, you are being social. You are playing with other people. Some you know, some you don't, some you might get to know. I've personally made a few friends through the game, and the guild I was/am a part of has an annual party in Reno for New Year's. Everyone's invited and no one logs in for about 4 days because they're too busy getting drunk and partying. But for the day to day its REALLY easy to rationalize the time too. So what if you played for 5 hours? What's the difference in watching a couple movies? Ultimately I think if something you enjoy doing, and not a lifestyle, its not a big problem. When you start cancelling things with friends or not planning things on certain nights because you have to raid those nights, that's an issue. When you call in sick to work, leave early from work, or your work performance slips because you didn't sleep the night before or all you can think about is going home and playing, that's an issue. Of course same could be said for television. I know people that didn't do anything on Thursday nights because they had to watch the NBC line-up. Is that healthy? Probably not.

For the record, I have about 45 days played across a few different characters. I'm actually a little ashamed of that. 45 entire days wasted since November of 2004. Now, in a way its not wasted because I enjoyed the time for the most part, but I think about what I could've done with that time if I hadn't been playing. There's a reason why this generation isn't getting close to a cure for cancer. Sad to say I'm ashamed to admit that play time to the guys I play with. 45 days would make me a first class newb. I know of several people that have topped the 300 day mark. I can't imagine they have many interests outside of sleeping and gaming. I'd imagine eating takes a distant backseat.

 

I used to play this game online called Runescape... I was really different because it was like a city with people who can trade yada yada... I was really rich on the game and would play it all night to lvl up my character. Luckily someone hacked my account and stole all my stuff so I quit playing. But this was when I was 14 or so haha.

 

World of warcraft... man oh man, where to begin.

Lets first start off by abolishing the stereotype that's been mentioned in this thread that everyone who's addicted to these games are nerdy, virgin teens who live in their parents basement and eat hot pockets all day long.

I have played WoW non-stop since its release, and only finally just took a break from it for a month. I have a few characters and a few lvl 70s(thats the top level), and i played the game to its fullest and beyond. There is a whole 'nother world in WoW. Its an escape from real-life, and in that escape it lets a person be whoever they want to be and do whatever they want with little to no consequences for their actions (excluding -DKP). There are around 8-9 million subscribers to WoW, which costs 15$ a month to play, and maybe 5-10% are really addicted. There are those that get on immediatelly after work or dont skip class and those that play casually. But taht 5-10%.... they have the worst addiction out of any addiction known to man. They get about 2 hours at most of sleep, they lose families, lose jobs, lose friends, lose weight, eat unhealthy, lose all social contact and lose much of contact with the rest of the world, including me for two years. Raiding, and farming and earning DKP and status in WoW is all that matters to them... because many in society strive to be the best at something. Online-gaming is a mental disorder, and has even been involved in a few suicides and homicides and deaths (losing gear or equipment, cheating online(yup), backstabbing online friends). People just say "Its a game man.. chill". No, to many, its not just a game - It really is life. Like any addiction, it can be cured and pulled away from. Even the producers and designers at Blizzerd Entertainment (makers of WoW) caution that it can lead to serious addiction and one of the warnings when logging into the game is "Take everything in moderation... Even World of Warcraft". I took a two month break after hitting 70 on three characters within a release of the expansion, and since the game was so revolutionized in raiding and how instances were - i ddint feel the need to play again really.... but now im back in it, but a much much much more casual stance.

The hook about online games isnt about how cool the graphics are, its not about how strategic the encounters are and etc etc etc... Its the community.

The WoW community especially is so large that one is always meeting new people and can easily stay in contact with pseudo-friends that they've grouped, quested, helped level with. I really have made great friends in WoW, and ive even backstabbed a few people. The purest and most sadistic emotions come out in people when playing online, and my theory behind that is.... because the internet is a mask. With the internet noone REALLY knows who that person is behind the computer... in real life im pretty quiet and like to listen rather than talk, but online i really am a whole new person.. and ive recognized that. Most people really aren't themselves on the internet, and thats the hook to WoW. Being a fantasy character that you can make your own and do whatever you want in the World with.... and its addicting. Many people who play WoW are businessmen and people with all sorts of jobs ranging from lawyers, to frybois at mcdonalds, to stockbrokers to pizza-delivery boys.... Millions of people play.

Everyone should be aware of online-gaming, and if you have any friends, loved ones, and especially kids... get them away as soon as possible and cut them off before the addiction sets in, because after that they will go to any extent to be online and play. I know, i used to throw tantrums whenever the internet would go out and be so worried that the people in my guild, whom were counting on me to show up to the raid, would subtract DKP or lower my rank or something, and i would drive near libraries or internet coffee shops just so i could pick up a signal and play.... its very sad, but true.

Anyways, im done ranting.

Edit: To see the full extent of how much i played... Azdelt says he has 45 days spread across a few characters since 2004... I have 170 days just on ONE character since 2004.

 

my brother was addicted to a game similar to WOW and so was my best friend, they tried to get me into it but i wasnt stimulated by it at all. my reason is that I have limited time on this planet why waste it on a game where no one really recognizes my accomplishments? my brother and friend play a lot less now after getting them to realize that they could have greater things in life rather then playing a game. they still play on occasion but not non stop where we have to schedule shit around raid nights or something :rolleye:

 

sorry mate.

funniest thing i have read in a long time!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

See? Told you I was noob status. I only have one level 70, one 61, a couple mid thirties.

 

I used to a serious counterstrike player. I got into leagues and started going up the chain. As I went up the league chain, my grades went down. This was when pc cafes went big and everyone was csing (cool kids, nerds, jocks). Everyone from all cliques would meet up after school to the pc bang. 10th grade is one of the most important years in high school and I messed it up. Realizing that, I completely quit and worked on junior year. That salvaged my hs career a bit. I agree with the other posters that addiction is a a serious condition. It just depends on where you put the addiction towards. It depends on the person's will power to realize and change the lifestyle. Hey, the addiction could be worse, like gambling.