The Computer Addiction

[BondJamesBond]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070716/ap_on_re_us/neglect_internet_addiction

Michael Straw, 25, and Iana Straw, 23, pleaded guilty Friday to two counts each of child neglect.

the Reno couple were too distracted by online video games, mainly the fantasy role-playing "Dungeons & Dragons" series, to give their children proper care.

Last month, experts at an American Medical Association meeting backed away from a proposal to designate video game addiction as a mental disorder, saying it had to be studied further. Some said the issue is like alcoholism, while others said there was no concrete evidence it's a psychological disease.

Here's my thought: Eventually children are going to find a video game that possesses their life. When this happens, the parents need to let their children play. Eventually, the kids will get bored with the game, and realize all games just get plain boring. Thus the end of excessive gaming. Clearly, this Nevada couple was deprived of the video gaming luxury throughout their childhood.

I used to play 5 hours of Runescape on the weekends and 2 hours on the weekdays. When I finally realized what sh*t I was wasting my life with, I found Soldat. Soldat also got boring after a while, but I was just done with hunting for games. I guess I kind of settled with Soldat. I probably play on the computer a half hour a day, most of the time I'm reading news, chatting, or experimenting with web design.

Computer games are addicting, and I say the cure is to just keep playing till you're just sick of it.

[Flamingo]

Or till your hand really hurts
I shouldn't be computing so much

[Whopkins]

they're not addicting if you have even the slightest bit of self-control.  they're just a hobby.

[Valorman]

I get addicted to good games when I first play them. (Gears of War most recently.)
But after a while it wears down and I play it for an hour a day now.

[a-4-year-old]

they're not addicting if you have even the slightest bit of self-control.  they're just a hobby.

true

I play games a lot not because they are addicting, but because it is one of the only things you can do by yourself.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

I play games a lot not because they are addicting, but because it is one of the only things you can do by yourself.

Because things like reading and riding bikes are completely out of the question, right?

Anyway, BJB said that you should play addicting games until you're sick of them, but I don't think that's a very good solution.  Do smokers smoke until they're sick of it? Or do they continue to smoke because they're addicted?

"But Gamer!" you say.  "You eventually run out of things to do, right?"  Not in the games that addict people.  The most addictive games are open-ended.  Think of most MMORPGs.  Sure, part of the obsession is getting to level 70 or level 99 or whatever it is.  But another part is hanging out with your clan.  Every clan experience is different, offering unlimited replayability.

Then there are the single player games.  Some people play games, not because they're fun, but because they want to do everything possible.  These are the guys that will find every secret area in Mario.  These are the guys who learn cheat codes by grinding button combinations.  These are the people who beat Fable several times, just to experience every path.

And you know what? Once the player tires with that game, dozens of new titles will be available.  Now he's good for another several months.  That's why a video game addiction is hard to break, and that's why trying to burn out the gamer won't work.

[a-4-year-old]

I play games a lot not because they are addicting, but because it is one of the only things you can do by yourself.

Because things like reading and riding bikes are completely out of the question, right?

I bike when I have some place to go and I read every night.

[Biscuiteer]

I have to totally agree with Gamer_2k4. A gaming addiction would be easy to break yourself off of it if there were only a few, bland games in the market. However, some people who are addicted to gaming are addicted because they simply have nothing else to do. They tend to be hardcore gamers until they head into collage or their first job, which they find unusually refreshing and entertaining because they have never done anything like that in their lives - but the number of those types of gamers are not as high as the 'true' hardcore gamers.

[BondJamesBond]

Do smokers smoke until they're sick of it? Or do they continue to smoke because they're addicted?

Some smokers smoke too much and eventually realize what they're doing to themselves - or a family or friend notices the excessive smoking.

Some gamers game too much and eventually realize how worthless it is - and that all other games are essentially the same.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

Some gamers game too much and eventually realize how worthless it is - and that all other games are essentially the same.

So Tetris is essentially the same thing as Splinter Cell, which is essentially the same thing as Madden?  And those are essentially the same thing as Civilization and WoW?  Man, I was about to go out and buy Civ 4, but since I already have Madden, why bother?  Now that I think about it, since I can play Tetris for free on my computer, there's really no reason to buy video games ever again.

Of course, you may have been trying to say that all games are worthless when played in excess.  However, that's WHY there are so many genres of video games out there.  Maybe you're tired of sneaking around and you just want to shoot something.  Ditch Splinter Cell, play Halo.  Or maybe Everquest isn't treating you so hot.  Good thing there's DOA.

As long as a player finds the experience enjoyable, it will never be worthless.  For example, maybe you like to go hiking every day, but lately that hasn't been doing it for you.  Is hiking worthless? Of course not.  You just need a break from it.  And the break can be another outdoor activity, too.  Maybe you'll start playing basketball with your friends.  But in the same sense, one video game can feel "worthless," but then the gamer will just switch to another one.  I'm not defending the action, but the situation isn't as simple as you're making it out to be.

[a-4-year-old]

Some gamers game too much and eventually realize how worthless it is - and that all other games are essentially the same.

So Tetris is essentially the same thing as Splinter Cell, which is essentially the same thing as Madden?  And those are essentially the same thing as Civilization and WoW?  Man, I was about to go out and buy Civ 4, but since I already have Madden, why bother?  Now that I think about it, since I can play Tetris for free on my computer, there's really no reason to buy video games ever again.

THEY ARE ALL VISUAL STIMULUS.

People who get "addicted" are generally playing MMORPGs, and in this case they are "addicted" because they gain some kind of pride from their accomplishments (gaining another level and the such) They would normally get the same feeling if they did something important... ever. Sadly these people are so pathetic that they find comfort in a game that tells them they aren't useless.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

People who get "addicted" are generally playing MMORPGs, and in this case they are "addicted" because they gain some kind of pride from their accomplishments (gaining another level and the such) They would normally get the same feeling if they did something important... ever. Sadly these people are so pathetic that they find comfort in a game that tells them they aren't useless.

Well, there's also the social aspect of it.  As far as I can tell, people get addicted BECAUSE the games are MMORPGs - that is, because the games are massively multiplayer.  The get to hang out with their clans, meet new people, have conversations, and so on.  The addiction may simply be a surrogate for a social life, but if that's the case, then the players are even less likely to quit.  The whole "no man is an island" phrase comes into play here; if you can't experience real social interaction, at least you can have virtual interaction.

[Rhombus]

bla bla bla bla. Recent research has pointed out it is physically impossible to be addicted to video games.

[a-4-year-old]

People who get "addicted" are generally playing MMORPGs, and in this case they are "addicted" because they gain some kind of pride from their accomplishments (gaining another level and the such) They would normally get the same feeling if they did something important... ever. Sadly these people are so pathetic that they find comfort in a game that tells them they aren't useless.

Well, there's also the social aspect of it.  As far as I can tell, people get addicted BECAUSE the games are MMORPGs - that is, because the games are massively multiplayer.  The get to hang out with their clans, meet new people, have conversations, and so on.  The addiction may simply be a surrogate for a social life, but if that's the case, then the players are even less likely to quit.  The whole "no man is an island" phrase comes into play here; if you can't experience real social interaction, at least you can have virtual interaction.

so our conclusion is only the pathetic and socially impaired could ever be "addicted" to games, or at least MMORPGs.

[Wormdundee]

Rhombus, if you're going to spout out some sort of broad statement like that it's generally a good idea to provide a link to where you found this information, noone's going to be taking your word on the subject.

Plus, I would like to read whatever it is that you read to find that out.

[Rhombus]

http://www.insidegamer.nl/nieuws/15982/Onderzoekers-zeggen-videogames-niet-verslavend.html

this link is dutch.. and I'm way too lazy to find the english one. anyway... the "american medical association" stated that... so google around.

[{LAW} Gamer_2k4]

so our conclusion is only the pathetic and socially impaired could ever be "addicted" to games, or at least MMORPGs.

Isn't that the very definition of a gamer?

EDIT: (looks at his name...ehh...that was 3 years ago)

[BondJamesBond]

So Tetris is essentially the same thing as Splinter Cell, which is essentially the same thing as Madden?  And those are essentially the same thing as Civilization and WoW?  Man, I was about to go out and buy Civ 4, but since I already have Madden, why bother?  Now that I think about it, since I can play Tetris for free on my computer, there's really no reason to buy video games ever again.

Yeah, they're all different genres. However, don't they all essentially have the same effect? You get addicted to these games, play it excessively, and then find it boring again. For a few weeks I'm hooked - but eventually the fire burns out and I'm bored with the game.

Now, hiking and video gaming? ... Where do we start?

I'll try to keep to hiking here.

First hiking, then some basketball, then a little bit of soccer, then some football, then swimming, tennis, baseball, and now... Wait. I'd be pretty exhausted.

First GRAW2, then some Everquest, then a little bit of Civilization 4, then some Call of Duty 4, then DOA, WoW, Splinter Cell and now... Wait. I'd be pretty exhausted.

[Lord Frunkamunch]

But not physically, you don't have to exert yourself at all. Being bored isn't the same as being tired.

*EDIT*

bla bla bla bla. Recent research has pointed out it is physically impossible to be addicted to video games.

Wishful thinking. That's b.s.

[a-4-year-old]

The research I found for the argument that video games are addictive was just a survey of tweens and teens who just said that they "felt like they where addicted" These are children, they don't know what an addiction feels like. Its just like the morons who interview the little kid playing doom and the ridiculously easy to manipulate child says "I'm killing people."