Curse

myrealnameismatt · Feb 28, 2008, 10:25 PM // 22:25

Forgive me if I am waffling on, but I just feel the need to put this out into the ether
in the hope that someone might relate to something here.. :S

I have effectively stopped playing gw altogether, and i've really been wondering,
(well tbh rationalising) why I ever spent so much time playing. I really do think that
I spent far too much time playing and I would definately say that it was more than a
habit, it was an addiciton. The allure of a virtual world drew me in at a time in my life
when I was vulnerable and needed something to fill the empty spaces. Somewhat akin to the
way desperate, traumatised people turn to religion to ease their troubles and find some
meaning to their existences.
After only a couple of months away from my addiciton my life has changed beyond recognition
and I have a new perspective on why I spent so many hours, days, months
and years effectively living in a virtual world.

Just some thoughts:

Play is a natural thing for a human being to do. Play is a defining characterisic of the
human animal, it is something that is hard-wired into our brains.
As young human beings we are predisposed to use play as a mechanism for learning
and preparing us for our lives, allowing us to experiment with and to observe the world
around us. Through play we can push our boundaries, expand our imaginations and
increase our capacity for formulaing ideas and living worthwhile and fullfilling lives.
The physical world around us is shaped by our ideas. Ideas are the products of abstract
thought, imagination, looking around at what is there and making the link between the old
and the new.

Communication is a natural thing for a human being to do. Communication is a defining
characteristic of the human animal.
Communication is the key to transforming transient, subjective thoughts into a shared
idea. The ability to express ourselves to others is the glue that ties us together
into communities and societies. The individual becomes part of a network and the network
has more power to change the world around us than an individual could ever hope for.
The individual becomes empowered as part of something larger.

Technology facilitates the formation of widespread networks with far greater numbers of
individuals. Technology allows us to remove the temporal and spacial constraints from
the flow of ideas between individuals within a network. Information may be transmitted
through a wire across the world with the push of a button. I still have a certain sense
of wonder when I realise that i'm talking to someone in real-time who might be on the
other side of the planet.

I beleive that when we mix these very powerful human elements, coupled with a simplistic
reward system where every action has a consequence it can become very intoxicating indeed.

Don't get me wrong, I fully embrace the new-era of mass communication, it is very much a
part of my life, but I really struggle sometimes to balance the virtual and the real and
it is probably for this reason that i'm going to avoid mmo's.

/waves to the people in gw, wishes them the best.

StormDragonZ · Feb 28, 2008, 10:29 PM // 22:29

You could have just said "My life is more important than GW at the moment. I wish everyone a fun time playing while I move on with my life."

myrealnameismatt · Feb 28, 2008, 10:34 PM // 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by StormDragonZ

You could have just said "My life is more important than GW at the moment. I wish everyone a fun time playing while I move on with my life."

Haha yeah - you are right, sometimes I use a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
I do wonder however if some of the people who have an addiction and don't really realise, or don't want to admit it to themselves think about the reasons behind why they play and if enough is done to help people find a balance. Maybe a discussion on the subject wouldn't be such a bad thing to have?

Bohya · Feb 28, 2008, 10:54 PM // 22:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by StormDragonZ

You could have just said "My life is more important than GW at the moment. I wish everyone a fun time playing while I move on with my life."

Lol some people would think otherwise.

jonnieboi05 · Feb 28, 2008, 10:58 PM // 22:58

hmm... GW is an addiction, yes. i used to be addicted back when i first start playing (24 months ago). after i had some RL issues, my relationship fell apart, and i resorted to GW trying to ease my mind. as such, i played anywhere from 10 hours to 15 ours a day. after roughly 12 months of playing GW all day everyday, i decided to take responsibility and get a job (since i was running low on case from what i've had saved up from before my life broke down xD). to this day, i work, come home, hang with my new girl on GW (for ~4-5 hours a day), talk on skype while on GW (an excellent online voice chat program), goto sleep, and repeat proccess. it's not much, but it's my life and i'm very contempt with it.

it's: simple, very cash-saving, and trouble free (meaning it keeps me away from drugs... getting put in jail... the basic "bad" elements in one's life. ^^ so, in a sense, GW is like a haven to those who work and want to avoid wasting cash and having 24/7 drama.

those who play GW 15+ hours a day, i hope one day you too will realize how much you're missing out in life. there's a lot that RL has to offer, so, embrace it while you can and don't let it waste away in front of a computer screen, destroying your eyes and any possibilties you MAY have been destined to encouter that day on "normal" means. ^^

Balan Makki · Feb 28, 2008, 11:06 PM // 23:06

Yeah, MMOs can be a deadly time-sink. Sucking away all of your life. Be very careful when you try and draw a line between fun and addiction as it can get very blurry, this applies to many things.

I saw this problem more-so in WoW, where many of my guildies had a hard time discerning reality from virtual. GW is far more forgiving in that it does not force you/shame you to play at the same level as all your friends. There is no burden of Stat creep, or PvP viability in GW.

But like anything, if you are not careful, your life will slip away.

Skyy High · Feb 28, 2008, 11:11 PM // 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by StormDragonZ

You could have just said "My life is more important than GW at the moment. I wish everyone a fun time playing while I move on with my life."

What he said. I think we're all aware that games can be addictive; congrats on figuring out that you were in too deep. Hope you come back to the dark...I mean, I hope you get some more free time in the future.

Bohya · Feb 28, 2008, 11:16 PM // 23:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Balan Makki

Yeah, MMOs can be a deadly time-sink. Sucking away all of your life. Be very careful when you try and draw a line between fun and addiction as it can get very blurry, this applies to many things.

I saw this problem more-so in WoW, where many of my guildies had a hard time discerning reality from virtual. GW is far more forgiving in that it does not force you/shame you to play at the same level as all your friends. There is no burden of Stat creep, or PvP viability in GW.

But like anything, if you are not careful, your life will slip away.

Guild Wars has only been out for a few years. Considering the average life expectancy for someone is around 75 then I wouldn't realy think it would make much of an impact.
Anyway people just want to have fun with their life and Guild Wars is a great way to do that, so I wouldn't realy say that 'It's a waist of your life!'
(muttering) Anyway, I'm not an addict if your wondering..you know *sniff*.

Siirius Black · Feb 28, 2008, 11:23 PM // 23:23

An addiction??? nah, I only play 27 hours a week.

quickmonty · Feb 28, 2008, 11:31 PM // 23:31

I've only played 10K hours in the past 33 months. I'm not addicted.

furanshisuko · Feb 29, 2008, 12:18 AM // 00:18

lol i use to play runescape b4 gw :P
crappy yeah i know but i there was a day i was crazy about getting a rare weapon on the game i kept chopping trees for 24 hours straight ,didnt went to work lol just because of that, god that was boring :P

credit · Feb 29, 2008, 01:08 AM // 01:08

Virtual Worlds.

Redfeather1975 · Feb 29, 2008, 03:05 AM // 03:05

I stopped playing GW a week after EotN came out.
I've played 14 other games since then.
I've eaten 29 hamburgers since then.
I've assassinated 46 targets since then.
I've talked on the phone 46 times since then. Coincidence?
I've danced at 92 clubs since then.
I've seduced 92 women since then. Another coincidence?!
I've raised 13 corpses into undead slaves since then.
I've had to dispose of 13 messes since then.
hmmmm.....what else.
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Divinitys Creature · Feb 29, 2008, 04:13 AM // 04:13

I was addicted to GW but I don't regret it, I got a lot out of it and I really needed it at the time it came into my life. But I understand where the OP is coming from.

Zahr Dalsk · Feb 29, 2008, 06:31 AM // 06:31

I was addicted to it. Then a massive chemistry project forced me away from it, and in that time I realized I could spend my time doing the important things in life - high quality single player and/or tabletop RPGs.

Redfeather1975 · Feb 29, 2008, 07:00 AM // 07:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zahr Dalsk

I was addicted to it. Then a massive chemistry accident forced me away from it, and in that time I realized I could spend my time doing the important things in life - fighting crime and saving lives.

I hope you don't mind, I changed 2 parts of your post to make it sound amazing.

Bohya · Mar 01, 2008, 12:59 AM // 00:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfeather1975

I hope you don't mind, I changed 2 parts of your post to make it look EVIL!!!.

Same to you.

Redfeather1975 · Mar 01, 2008, 04:01 AM // 04:01

What did you change?!
I cannot tell.