Online Gaming Addiction

Soldato
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Well i watched this documentry about Online gamers called "second skin"
it was pretty interesting tbh, it was strange to know the reality of being addicted, there was plenty of people on there which have lost marriages, lost jobs, friends, all because of online games.

there was even one guy who actualy shot himself dead, while playing Everquest, killed himself at his computer desk.

there was also some nice change arounds which you seen people addicted, they lose all electricty and power and have no choice but to stop playing and because of this, this person got a job, done his house up, and lost about 4-5 stone.

i got some stats off the documentry here

50 milion people play an MMORPG
1 in 3 female gamers date someone they met in a virtual world
for every 1 female gamer there are 10 males
Half of MMO players say they are addicted (25 million)
1 in 5 say they are residents of a virtual world
4 out of 5 are in a guild
there are over 100,000 gold farmers in china
Nearly 50% of online gamers value there online friends the most
1 in 3 gamers have told people online a secret they have never told anyway in real world
25% of mmo gamers are between 12-19
15% over 30
60% between 20-35

(pretty random stats, i probably mist a few which would have put them together better)
it was all about how people are moving towards online gaming, because online gaming takes them away from the harsh reality of the real world, and how every year the online gaming community is growing missively each year,

is the world and real world communitys this bad, that people want to get away from it all and live in a box ?, and value there online "friends" they have never met more.

Do you know someone whos addicted, or know people who have dated through online gaming ?

i cant explain it all myself, but it was a good documentry for pc online gamers, it was over a hour and a half long.
 
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Man of Honour
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Some interesting stats there.

I have to admit, I get way way into some games and I feel very sorry for my girlfriend. She is very nice about it though, and puts up with it :). Online gaming is certainly where the industry is moving toward. It is something I could never have imagined happening though and tbh really dont understand HOW they are so addictive! I suspect there will be a lot more awareness campaigns in the years ahead.
 
Soldato
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I think it's all about escapism. I also believe it has to do with confidence, a lot of people don't interact very well with humans in real life but with a polygonal alias they can pretend to be a super cool guy/gal with big armor. :p

Quite a broad statement but a lot of people do find it hard. Interaction is a lot easier for them through there pc.
 
Soldato
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A few of the guys had jobs, but they still managed to play 11 hours a day, some would Pee in a bottle so they wouldnt have to go to the toilet and waste time, they were in america, i think they all do that there anyway so.

it was very interesting to see disabled people, they say they play mmorpg's because it would make them feel free, they can get out of there disabled bodies and be whoever they wanted, pretty sad.
 
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Soldato
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Soldato
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A few of the guys had jobs, but they still managed to play 11 hours a day, some would Pee in a bottle so they wouldnt have to go to the toilet and waste time, they were in america, i think they all do that there anyway so.

it was very interesting to see disabled people, they say they play mmorpg's because it would make them feel free, they can get out of there disabled bodies and be whoever they wanted, pretty sad.

Sad? Disabled people are constantly scrutanised even in todays society so I think its positive for them. But people with no disabilities then they're just crazy... :p
 
Soldato
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I was slightly hooked on WoW for nearly 8 months, I played it daily, usually for upwards of 5 hours.

While my education suffered a bit (the eventual reason for quitting), I wouldn't change it for the world, because it was one of my favourite online experiences. In an MMO, most people get on. You feel part of a community, a group of friends, and that was something I didn't always feel happened in real life.

It's essentially a world where everyone shares the same common interest: to play and enjoy the game. You don't even have to tell them much about yourself, heck the people I knew for 8 months didn't know much about me, not even my first name. I just logged on, had a whale of a time, and logged off.

I have some good memories, but in terms of real life value, playing video-games does nothing. Perhaps at the highest tier, a figure of less than 1% you can make a bit of money, and I believe under 100 people in the UK actually make enough money to live off it.

I'm glad I got out when I did.
 
Soldato
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Sad? Disabled people are constantly scrutanised even in todays society so I think its positive for them. But people with no disabilities then they're just crazy... :p

i ment sad as in Crying sad.....not that there sad themselves :p

and apez, its true, you can log online, and be accepted instantly you are not judged for the way you look or where you come from, i think its sad the real world isnt like this, and this is why online gaming is growing hugely each year, but on the other hand its quite disturbing after watching the documentry, what could happen when you do get deeper and deeper into online gaming.
 
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Soldato
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i ment sad as in Crying sad.....not that there sad themselves :p

:eek: Oh dear. Well I'll leave it for the lulz.

I used to play EVE and it was great only problem was I got into a corp that was had mainly american users so the time difference was killer. Affected my sleep patterns for sure.
 
Soldato
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I watched this the other day too...

I'm a bit of a wow addict. I've been playing since release but the reason i play is because im extremely competitive. I want to be the best. Now i know this because i played global operations/ravenshield and then cod 4 religiously, once i reached my peak on these games i moved on. By being the best i mean being able to knife everyone on warehouse cod 4 without taking a hit.
This is what keeps me playing wow, the fact that new more powerful items are added with each patch perpetuates my obssession with being "the best". Sure ive made some brilliant friendships on wow but anyone i find i truly connect with quits the game.

Ive had bouts of just plain quitting wow and not touching the thing for months, i find my self aimless. Extremely bored and just not sure what to do with all my free time purely because for the last 4 years id spent ALL of my free time playing it.

I'm at a cross roads again, im in a very successfull guild which are about to clear the new 25 man instance. For some reason i just dont feel like playing, whether its the fact MW 2 is on the horizon or not i dont know. Am i the only person like this? I doubt it, i think youll find addiction comes from comptetiveness with regard to gaming.

Of course there is the other type of gaming which plays purely because the virtual world is more appealing rather than their real lives which is what the documentary points out and focuses upon.

Second skin did a good job but the subject is too broad for them to cover in this documentary. There are a lot of people who play games in a healthy way.

Finally id like to point out that once mmorpgs hit consoles that 50 million will spike, and you will see a lot more cases of "addiction".
 
Soldato
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indeed frenzy, i can pretty much say 95% of the people in my guild in wow are addicted, and about 65% of them are unemployed. addiction is a massive thing in people lives of the last few years, i just cant imagine what will happen when the likes of wow Eventualy collapse, because they will not last for ever, obviously wow is the major hitter of addiction.
 
Soldato
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I have played MMOs on and off for years. It is simply that this is anew thing.

People watch TV for hours a day and do loads of stuff just as compulsively but no one cares.

There isn't much else to do on a weeknight is there really?
But I agree if you play every waking hour it is a little odd and probably detremental to a persons wellbeing.


I have played MMOs on and off for as long as I can remember. Perhaps it is because I am such an addict that I have never been nnot addicted for long enough lol but after playing MMOs from around 15 I now need to be playing on my life feels empty in some ways. :D

I am not addicted. I can go for weeks without playing and I manage to go to work and do housework but if I have any spare time I will be on the PC and if a MMO has come out recently I will be playing it.

But if it only has positive effects then who cares, it is a goodthing for keeping me entertained not bad.

I would stop if it was affecting my life in a bad way, nor would I sit on the dole and play Wow all day.

I would be more unhappy if I was watching Strictly come dancing like the other 90% of the population. But that is ok cos everyone does it.

It's like drugs, they can be used or abused. Make the choice.
 
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Soldato
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One of the arguments they had was,

People play football because they enjoy it, people watch tv because they enjoy it, people play chess because they enjoy it, peopel play online games because they enjoy it....so what makes them different to anyone else just because they enjoy gaming, there gamers, and thats what they do, and if they enjoy it and if there living who gives anyone the rights to say its wrong

ive played wow for nearly 2 years and my ingame time is about 200days played, thats bad, but im not addicted, i make excuses not to raid sometimes because i cba, the reason im there is because the community is great for a start, keeps me away from drugs, keeps me safe and out of trouble, also stops me from spending money and getting drunk, all round its great, if you have your priorities correct, and if your keeping healthy at the same time.
 
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Associate
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25% of mmo gamers are between 12-19

This is what is most troubling. Children (I don't know whether there is any psychological truth behind this but I belive in it unless proven otherwise) aren't gaining the social abilities that will be needed in the work place or school. This will make said person become more distant and more addicted to a MMO. Chatting over MSN or WOW doesn't prepare you at all for any physical social interaction, which I can definatley see has affected some 'friends' of mine (their hardly friends any more, just LOL'ing shells)
 
Soldato
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The thing is i can just stop watching tv and not think about it again. When im not on wow, i'm constantly thinking about what to do in wow next.

I have a theory, when you play a game you really really enjoy you release happy hormones. As a result you play the game for a long time, untill you are tired enough to stop. Because of this you are slowly "brainwashed" into thinking playing this game is a good thing. Eventually your brain will either assosciate it to such a point you will think its normal spending vast amounts of time doing this activity or you will feel you need to play in order to feel good.
I sometimes twitch involuntarily when im at work, is this my brain telling me i should be off playing wow so i can get my fix? meh maybe im thinking about it too much
 
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