NationStates Jolt Archive

So I was watching this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQSkw_rj8w) and in the first few minutes they introduce a woman who plays about 30 hours of EverQuest a week, portraying this as a disturbingly high number of hours etc.

At first that seems like a lot, but how many people spend a comparable amount of time in other activities that we don't think of as strange, like sitting in a chair watching TV, reading novels or whatever?

That's not to say one can't become addicted to something like that. It happens, but there's plenty of things an addictive personality can latch onto as well. This video seems to be slanted to imply that MMO publishers are no different from big tobacco. That strikes me as harsh, especially considering the undeniable demand for such games.

Thoughts?

Some weeks, I spend over thirty hours playing my guitar... Though I'm going to say with the highest confidence that it's a good thing, since you can actually create things with an instrument.

But if people want to play their games that much, then go ahead. It's really not anybody's place to say they can't.

There was a television program that talked about this. I forget which one (60 minutes, or some such). I don't remember it too well, except that they showed this "time-lapse" photography of this guy playing for 8 hours.

What was hilarious is that, his wife (who complained about his gaming habits), was sitting in the background literally the entire time watching TV.

I dont give a shit what people do in their free time as long as its not hurting anyone.

There was a television program that talked about this. I forget which one (60 minutes, or some such). I don't remember it too well, except that they showed this "time-lapse" photography of this guy playing for 8 hours.

What was hilarious is that, his wife (who complained about his gaming habits), was sitting in the background literally the entire time watching TV.

Heh, that sounds about right. Kind of like how my dad used to complain about me playing games for hours on end, when he'd just be watching TV for ten-plus hours himself.

Anything can be addictive. Sitting and staring at a wall for 30 hours a week falls into that category.

Heh, that sounds about right. Kind of like how my dad used to complain about me playing games for hours on end, when he'd just be watching TV for ten-plus hours himself.

I don't think it was 60 minutes... I can't remember which program it was, but it was skewed to make Everquest (and by extention, MMOs) look extremely bad. It was made of fail, though, simply because of their little time-lapse photography attempt.

I don't think it was 60 minutes... I can't remember which program it was, but it was skewed to make Everquest (and by extention, MMOs) look extremely bad. It was made of fail, though, simply because of their little time-lapse photography attempt.

That's quality stuff, there.

if marijuana can be emotionally addictive and still legal so can MMO...wait scratch that..

yeah its addictive and its slightly weird to pretend your somebody else on a game for a long period of time *awaits II lynch mob* but I don't see a problem with sealing yourself off from reality if you so wish, so I will send a letter to Mr Brown telling him to not go overboard with anything on this

I dont give a shit what people do in their free time as long as its not hurting anyone.

torturing houseplants? making babies? baking a cake but not being able to eat and thus letting out a cry for help? dying horribly in a fire?

Ok, well I just watched that Youtube video.


What an utter load of bullshit. Lady, your kid had psychologicl issues. Deal with it. Everquest didnt give them to him.

You should have been more concerned with why he would withdraw from you guys into a virtual world. Seriously if everything outside of Everquest was so great, why did he always withdraw there?


I suspect there were other issus involved shes not talking about, because it doesnt fit her agenda and would maybe force her to admit that she fucked up or something.

MMOs steal viewers from TV. Thus to TV execs they're evil. Less viewers means lower ratings, lower ratings means lower advertising revenue. Lower ad revenue means lower salaries for pompous self righteous bastards who cancel brilliant shows before they're out of their first motherfucking season.

Anybody else here spend 30 hours a week on Internet boards?

Anybody else here spend 30 hours a week on Internet boards?

Probably all of us.

EDIT: Probably just here.

Every once in a while I read about some korean or chinese man who games himself to death and I wonder just how bereft his life must've otherwise been. He probably died happy.

Every once in a while I read about some korean or chinese man who games himself to death and I wonder just how bereft his life must've otherwise been. He probably died happy.

Wow LG... that was straightforward, logical, even a little poetic, without even a hint of sarcasm and no bad puns.

Are you sick?

People can get addicted to anything. I knew a guy who flunked out of college and had his mother calling the police to report him as a missing person because he incessantly played Everquest. Of course, I also have known people whose lives were ruined because of drug or alcohol use, while most people I know who engage in either can do it in moderation.

I don't see the possibility of addiction as a reason to do away with or criminalize an activity for those who don't have that problem.

Anybody else here spend 30 hours a week on Internet boards?

I think I spend 30 hours at the pub...shit:p

Wow LG... that was straightforward, logical, even a little poetic, without even a hint of sarcasm and no bad puns.

Are you sick?

In many ways. :)

Ok, well I just watched that Youtube video.


What an utter load of bullshit. Lady, your kid had psychologicl issues. Deal with it. Everquest didnt give them to him.

You should have been more concerned with why he would withdraw from you guys into a virtual world. Seriously if everything outside of Everquest was so great, why did he always withdraw there?


I suspect there were other issus involved shes not talking about, because it doesnt fit her agenda and would maybe force her to admit that she fucked up or something.

It reminded me of that case back in the early 80s when a kid committed suicide and everybody blamed Dungeons & Dragons. What came out way later was that this kid already had a litany of issues and if anything, D&D kept him alive longer than he'd otherwise have made it.

Sounds like in the video this guy may have been snubbed by someone he had the hots for. It doens't take EverQuest for that to happen. It could happen in real life, in a chatroom, or anywhere in between. She just blamed EQ because it was his thing.


Anybody else here spend 30 hours a week on Internet boards?

:looks as innocent as possible:

I think I spend 30 hours at the pub...shit:p

Just going to add this one. We have a few regulars that will come down and sip on their beers just to hang out with others to BS and watch sports at our bar. I on occasion will see how much they are drinking and it isn't very much. They probably cost me money because of the free food we put out. Anyway it is social thing more than anything. If you are sitting out in a pub hanging out with people that share interests or sitting online hanging out with people that share your interests it is the same thing. I personally have had some great conversations with people while sitting out with the crowd and mingling. The people that I would question are those that sit in front of a TV for 4-8 hrs almost comatose. Those people have something wrong with them I hardly think someone sitting and interacting with people while using their brain is hardly bad online or in a pub.

MMOs steal viewers from TV. Thus to TV execs they're evil. Less viewers means lower ratings, lower ratings means lower advertising revenue. Lower ad revenue means lower salaries for pompous self righteous bastards who cancel brilliant shows before they're out of their first motherfucking season.

I think you're on to something here.

Just going to add this one. We have a few regulars that will come down and sip on their beers just to hang out with others to BS and watch sports at our bar. I on occasion will see how much they are drinking and it isn't very much. They probably cost me money because of the free food we put out. Anyway it is social thing more than anything. If you are sitting out in a pub hanging out with people that share interests or sitting online hanging out with people that share your interests it is the same thing. I personally have had some great conversations with people while sitting out with the crowd and mingling. The people that I would question are those that sit in front of a TV for 4-8 hrs almost comatose. Those people have something wrong with them I hardly think someone sitting and interacting with people while using their brain is hardly bad online or in a pub.

I second your comment. Additionally I played World of Warcraft, A lot and when my month ran out I didn't sign back up. I lost maybe 200g worth of stuff in the mail. If it is addictive it didn't get me.

Keep in mind many times people play these MMOs' with real life friends, so in a strange way you actually work as a team with a group of people to acheive a common goal.

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p

A BSG MMO would be fairly rubbish.

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p

4 2/7 hours per day? That's a long time in the shower...

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p
4 hours a day? Showering?

Jesus Christ. Do you have one when you wake up for an hour, pop home for your lunch, which you eat when showering, then have an hour-long shower after getting home and another before you go to bed or something?

4 hours a day? Showering?

Jesus Christ. Do you have one when you wake up for an hour, pop home for your lunch, which you eat when showering, then have an hour-long shower after getting home and another before you go to bed or something?

I take showers that can be about 1-2 hours during the week and shower twice a day on Saturday and Sunday because I get bored and I love being just being able to shower in the dark. Yes, I'm crazy. Ok, not quite 30 but it gets up there.

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p

As long as they are not "rape showers" I don't see a problem with em.

I take showers that can be about 1-2 hours during the week and shower twice a day on Saturday and Sunday because I get bored and I love being just being able to shower in the dark. Yes, I'm crazy. Ok, not quite 30 but it gets up there.
...

How do you guys even have a shower in an igloo? Does it not melt, exposing you to polar bears and...err... meese(?) and such?

I take showers that can be about 1-2 hours during the week and shower twice a day on Saturday and Sunday because I get bored and I love being just being able to shower in the dark. Yes, I'm crazy. Ok, not quite 30 but it gets up there.

Mom- Billy, what's taking you so long in the shower?
Mom- goes in bathroom to scold Billy for taking to long in shower. Mom opens shower curtain... Billy! :eek:

Bna everything fun before people get addicted to them!

Thoughts?
I agree with the sentiment that online gaming can be as valid a form of entertainment as any other mass media source. The thing that I find is that I want how I enjoy myself to be something I can talk about with people, and there's something of a stigma hovering over MMORPGs in the general public. Even though I only play for about 10 hours a week (about the same amount of time I spend writing for NSG!), mentioning that I enjoyed chatting with a party of single parents during a late night questing session would generally meet with blank and/or bemused expressions. You don't get that when you talk about your views on this week's episode of the Apprentice or the Simpsons, Coldplay's new album ("It's available online, you know"), or your response to Mark Haddon's new book ("he's the guy that wrote 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time'").

A BSG MMO would be fairly rubbish.

Seconded.

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p

Nah it just means you're like Kramer. You can prepare meals in there, be on the phone, have a garbage disposal installed in the drain...

People (And the media) use video games as a scapegoat since they're new. 30 hours isn't that much, how much time does the average person spend watching TV? THAT might be interesting. But as usual they go after games, and MMOs because they're popular and new.

And yes, I relieze this point has already been posted, I just like to state my view, even if nobody reads it. :D

Stats on Canuck TV viewing per week: http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/research_documents/statistics/television/tv_viewing_habits.cfm

Can't find a good study on Americans but:
http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/media_agencies/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003659276

MMOs can be addicting but addiction is a voluntary action so it's not a disease.

MMOs can be addicting but addiction is a voluntary action so it's not a disease.
Actually lies in terms of addiction being voluntary.

I think I spend about 30 hours a week taking showers... am I addicted? :p

No, i think your not responsible for the water bill or the heat for it.

So I was watching this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQSkw_rj8w) and in the first few minutes they introduce a woman who plays about 30 hours of EverQuest a week, portraying this as a disturbingly high number of hours etc.

At first that seems like a lot, but how many people spend a comparable amount of time in other activities that we don't think of as strange, like sitting in a chair watching TV, reading novels or whatever?

That's not to say one can't become addicted to something like that. It happens, but there's plenty of things an addictive personality can latch onto as well. This video seems to be slanted to imply that MMO publishers are no different from big tobacco. That strikes me as harsh, especially considering the undeniable demand for such games.

Thoughts?

This ridiculous tendency to label anything and everything an "addiction" these days is stupid, counter-productive, and just plain ignorant. Small wonder it's most often peddled in pop culture and the media.

But yes, MMO publishers are not different from tobacco companies, in that they are both businesses and both in the business of supplying a good to meet demand. Though I know portraying tobacco companies as the embodiment of evil is almost as common and widespread a thing as labeling everything an addiction. Why, one might suggest that demonizing tobacco companies and products is itself an addiction.

This is really creepy: Couple Busy With Video Games Starve Children

http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Couple_Busy_With_Video_Games_Starve_Children_07101.html

No, i think your not responsible for the water bill or the heat for it.

I live in a 17-floor apartment building. :D No shortage of hot water on the 8th floor. Being on the 4th floor sucked though; less hot water.

Things I'm addicted to due to me spending around or almost 30 hours a week:

school
breathing
running
sleeping
sitting in cars
smelling things
sitting at tables
and NSG of course :)


Damn, I'm a mess. I should go see a psychiatrist, and hopefully I won't get addicted to him too.

Who the hell runs 30 hours a week? Are you a serial mugger?

Who the hell runs 30 hours a week? Are you a serial mugger?

Only part time.

So I was watching this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAQSkw_rj8w) and in the first few minutes they introduce a woman who plays about 30 hours of EverQuest a week, portraying this as a disturbingly high number of hours etc.

At first that seems like a lot, but how many people spend a comparable amount of time in other activities that we don't think of as strange, like sitting in a chair watching TV, reading novels or whatever?

That's not to say one can't become addicted to something like that. It happens, but there's plenty of things an addictive personality can latch onto as well. This video seems to be slanted to imply that MMO publishers are no different from big tobacco. That strikes me as harsh, especially considering the undeniable demand for such games.

Thoughts?

Some people spend 40 hours sitting performing mind-numbing tasks that cause ennui, depression, and a sense of alienation. It's called "work."

Actually lies in terms of addiction being voluntary.
Addiction is the result of voluntary action so addiction is voluntary. Just because you become dependant on something doesn't mean that you didn't freely shooce to begin it in the first place.

Some people spend 40 hours sitting performing mind-numbing tasks that cause ennui, depression, and a sense of alienation. It's called "work."

Absolutely and I believe we should immediately ban it. ;)

Ive been a MMO player for several years now. Ive played EQ, Star Wars,EQ2, WoW.
Many of my friends play as well.
Ive SEEN people lose jobs, and watched marriages dissolve over these games.

They are very much like a drug in the respect that some people cannot tell when they are using it too much. Some people get into them, and use them as a means of "escape". Theres nothing wrong with it really, until you are "escaping from reality", rather than living in it.

Sleep gets lost, and alarm clocks dont get heard, and time clocks dont get punched.
Congrats, you lost your job cause you were up too late leveling you Night Elf MOHAWK with Mr T.

Wives get ignored, and treated like they dont exist.
They get fed up with the back of a your head Z(since thats all they ever see of you), wonder if you dont find them attractive anymore, and leave your dumb ass.
CONGRATS! You lost your better half becuase your guild was raiding that new instance, and you just had to go becuase they, "really needed the heals".


MMO's are so cool, its like a drug.
Some folks cant handle thier drugs, and shouldnt do them.

MMOs are not technically addictive like controlled substances (at least not until someone blows open a story about subliminal codings in WoW) but the qualities that make them habit-forming basically boils down to the experiments of B.F. Skinner.

Instead of rats flicking levers for food pellets, you have people sitting in front of their PCs for hours on end in hopes of gaining levels, gaining skills, gaining loot, gaining prestige, gaining power, gaining body counts, so on and so forth. If they receive those rewards just enough, they'll continue to flick at the proverbial lever in hopes of getting more. If an MMO was hardcore to the point where casual gamers were shit out of luck, they would do comparatively poorly as only hardcore obcessives will continue to subscribe to them; everyone else would drop out and try something that's easier and more rewarding. And everytime an expansion comes out with new content, that's another food pellet dropped down the chute that the rats want to flick away for.

Is it a coincidence that the Skinner experiment has an awfully eerie resemblance to the slot machine area of a casino? I think not. MMOs are just coincidentally (or even deliberately) harnessing Skinner's principles.

Some people are more vulnerable to the rewards than others, and they tend to become the hardcore addicts that ignore friends and family in favor of the next big raid and loot.

hm. I'm doing MMOs for about 50 hours a week and still find enough time for a fulltime job, reading books, playing music, sleeping, performing procreation rituals and various other activities.. according to the various studies this makes me a highly sick junkie. Strange, but I still feel better than some of my friends who regularly spend their weekends sleeping off their friday evening hangovers.

hm. I'm doing MMOs for about 50 hours a week and still find enough time for a fulltime job, reading books, playing music, sleeping, performing procreation rituals and various other activities.. according to the various studies this makes me a highly sick junkie. Strange, but I still feel better than some of my friends who regularly spend their weekends sleeping off their friday evening hangovers.

That's because you're not the type prone to addiction. It's like allergies to bee stings. Not many people out there who are sensitive, but it hits them a lot harder.

I hate this shit.. They try to make mmos seem so freakin evil. Kiss my ass. If someone leaves their child in a hot car to die.. that's not the games fault.

I understand what they are saying .. as in when ppl that play EQ call it ever crack.. or those in WoW .. play alot.. but c'mon. There are ppl that are addicted to the internet period.. porn .. chat rooms .. FORUMS.. my space. Get the fuck outta here. If anyone does some crazy shit .. they already had a problem.

I hate this shit.. They try to make mmos seem so freakin evil. Kiss my ass. If someone leaves their child in a hot car to die.. that's not the games fault.

TV and D&D were in the exact same scapegoat spot years ago. News outlets realize that blaming parental irresponsibility doesn't make for as much sensational headlines and copies than it would blaming the source of escape.

TV and D&D were in the exact same scapegoat spot years ago. News outlets realize that blaming parental irresponsibility doesn't make for as much sensational headlines and copies than it would blaming the source of escape.


Was before my time I guess. I don't ever remember TV being branded an evil .... ooooh you freak thing. I hope you are right .. and this BS will pass .. along with the mentally inept folks who play these very enjoyable games that do stupid shit .

Addictive? Meh, I could quit anytime. ;)

MMO's are so cool, its like a drug.
Some folks cant handle thier drugs, and shouldnt do them.
QFT. My brother's addicted, and that's why he's failing uni courses and no one talks to him anymore. I can't go in his room anymore - at best I get a "whaddyawant".

Of course, if there was no WoW, there'd probably be something else. WoW didn't create his problems, but it's doing a great job masking them to his own perception.

TV and D&D were in the exact same scapegoat spot years ago. News outlets realize that blaming parental irresponsibility doesn't make for as much sensational headlines and copies than it would blaming the source of escape.

Not only that, but nobody wants to be told it's their fault, and that they need to put forth more effort.