How many pathetic video gamers do you know?

[SillyBear]

First of all: This is not an attack thread. The word pathetic is used here in its literal sense and I am not attacking video gaming or anyone here.

Recently, a friend of mine has gone from the title "gamer" to being just plain pathetic. She, like many people, has fallen into the grasp of World of Warcraft. She plays the game all day, has met a "boyfriend" on it (who doesn't even live in the same country), and constantly puts real life as a secondary to the video game.

There's an event on? She can't go, because she is doing a raid. More and more she refuses our offers to go and socialise and have fun. I recently visted her house and it was really, really sad. Nearly every anecdote she tells is WoW related, and I am starting to dislike being around her.

She has almost entirely escaped into video gaming. She doesn't need to do anything now. She doesn't need to try and find a male, because she has this "boyfriend" online. She doesn't need to find work or anything and she is on government wages.

I find myself getting angry about the whole situation. It's downright awful and she has turned from a fun, hard working person into a lazy, moody and selfish (and if I am being honest, pathetic) person.

So, I'd like to ask the question, do you guys know anyone who is like this? Are any of you yourself like this? Also, if anyone is feeling kind, any advice on what I should do here in regards to my friend? Why did this happen to her?

Sorry to bring the tone down with an unhappy thread, but I'd love to talk about it! This really is the down side to gaming and it is something we should all discuss.

 

[Corekrash]

Game addiction mirroring Drug addiction... Pull a Trainspotting on her? I honeslty don't know how to help other than lashing her down to a bed until the Wow is out of her system and she sees the baby crawl across the ceiling.

I actually know a couple people almost as bad as that, but they were never really "Friends" more like associates that hang out with my actual friends. One in particular works for a phone company from home, playing, you guessed it, World of Warcraft. Then I found out he also only sleeps on average about 20 hours a full week (7 days, not the business week of 5 days) The rest of the time? he is on his pc, playing WoW. He once proudly explained to me how he could be on a call with a customer at the same time he was raiding. To top it off I have never witnessed him ever talk about anything but WoW.

Last time I saw him was about a year and a half to two years ago, and he apparently has since cut off all human interaction with everyone I knew that knew him. Sadly, this seems a bad side effect of MMORPG games, but it is little difference in my eyes to any other kind of addiction. Sure game addicts aren't spending all their money on drugs or other forms of self destruction, but sitting in front of a computer all day and paying monthly for it? that can still do wonders for ravaging your health. As long as there are people with addictive personalities, and things people can get addicted to, stuff like this will likely keep going.

 

[SillyBear]

Gaming addiction really is dangerous. I can't think of any other entertainment based hobby that chews so much time and can completely destroy a person. I don't know any bookworms or film buffs that are as pathetic as these people.

Be safe people! Game in moderation.

Edit: a lot of people are trying to pick debates with me over the way I worded this post. I am pointing out the fact that gaming addiction is dangerous and millions of people (and many on this website) are affected in negative ways by it - lots of the time they don't even know it.

tl;dr:


I am in favour of gaming in moderation. Like most things. Spending 12 hours a day in game isn't healthy.

 

[-Drifter-]

My brother gets this way when he plays Diablo 2.

 

[Talydia]

I was one at one point. Even ended up failing out of college because of it. That's a bit of a wake up.

 

[snowpuppy]

I played it at a friends once, that game SUCKS YOU IN.
First time I played it I thought it was quite boring, the next time I did, well lucky my home pc at the time was riddled with viruses or I may have bought it... scary.

 

[Daniel Janhagen]

I know a few people who met their current boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse in World of Warcraft, if that's what you mean. I don't play it anymore, but there's nothing inferior about socialising in World of Warcraft (or another MMO) vs going to parties or whatever you want her to do instead.

edit: Also, does being on government wages mean she works for the government or does it mean something bad that I missed?

 

[.No.]

Game addiction mirroring Drug addiction... Pull a Trainspotting on her? I honeslty don't know how to help other than lashing her down to a bed until the Wow is out of her system and she sees the baby crawl across the ceiling.

I actually know a couple people almost as bad as that, but they were never really "Friends" more like associates that hang out with my actual friends. One in particular works for a phone company from home, playing, you guessed it, World of Warcraft. Then I found out he also only sleeps on average about 20 hours a full week (7 days, not the business week of 5 days) The rest of the time? he is on his pc, playing WoW. He once proudly explained to me how he could be on a call with a customer at the same time he was raiding. To top it off I have never witnessed him ever talk about anything but WoW.

Last time I saw him was about a year and a half to two years ago, and he apparently has since cut off all human interaction with everyone I knew that knew him. Sadly, this seems a bad side effect of MMORPG games, but it is little difference in my eyes to any other kind of addiction. Sure game addicts aren't spending all their money on drugs or other forms of self destruction, but sitting in front of a computer all day and paying monthly for it? that can still do wonders for ravaging your health. As long as there are people with addictive personalities, and things people can get addicted to, stuff like this will likely keep going.

I would reccomend this, pull a trainspotting on her. Or make her watch it and exchange heroin and games, except point out that only gaming that excessively is like doing drugs.

 

[Corekrash]

I played it at a friends once, that game SUCKS YOU IN.
First time I played it I thought it was quite boring, the next time I did, well lucky my home pc at the time was riddled with viruses or I may have bought it... scary.

I played wow a couple hours a day for about 2 months and never looked back. I still can't figure out what the big deal is. All I can come up with was it wasn't my cup of tea. That being said I've been playing Diablo 2 since around its release, but thankfully only about once a week

 

[.No.]

I know a few people who met their current boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse in World of Warcraft, if that's what you mean. I don't play it anymore, but there's nothing inferior about socialising in World of Warcraft (or another MMO) vs going to parties or whatever you want her to do instead.

edit: Also, does being on government wages mean she works for the government or does it mean something bad that I missed?

Probably means she's on unemployment, though that's just a guess.

 

[SillyBear]

nothing inferior about socialising in World of Warcraft (or another MMO) vs going to parties or whatever you want her to do instead.

Yes. Yes, there is.

edit: Also, does being on government wages mean she works for the government or does it mean something bad that I missed?

It means the government is paying her to be a slob and not do anything. Awful kind of them.

 

[Tuesday Night Fever]

Edited: Vented about a roommate at university, then felt bad about it. I don't want it on my conscience if I somehow manage to destroy what little dignity he may have.

Anyway, long story short, I had a roommate who played video games to the point where they got in the way of education, hygiene, and basic social skills. We tried our best to help him, but he was to far gone for our efforts.

Though he's probably content with his life, I wish him the best, and hope he someday manages to clean himself up. When that day comes, I will personally welcome him into adulthood.

 

[Doom-Slayer]

has met a "boyfriend" on it (who doesn't even live in the same country) She doesn't need to try and find a male, because she has this "boyfriend" online.

Ooooohkay...was about to respond favorably but you said that. I get your intention but it still seems a dig at online relationships by saying that they dont count. Being in an online relationship myself(in about 2 weeks it wont be) Im going to say they DO count and in some things even more so than physical relationships. If you didnt mean that then I apologize.

OT: Ya that seems to happen a lot with WOW which is slightly sad to be honest. I do have 2 friends who play WOW who are surprisingly immune to this affect and are still awesome. One used to be enthralled by I presume he freed himself somehow and now plays it casually.

 

[SillyBear]

Ooooohkay...was about to respond favorably but you said that. I get your intention but it still seems a dig at online relationships by saying that they dont count. Being in an online relationship myself(in about 2 weeks it wont be) Im going to say they DO count and in some things even more so than physical relationships. If you didnt mean that then I apologize.

Being in a relationship with someone you have never met, never seen face to face, never touched, never smelt, never seen their body language or their vibe, never spent the day with and never seen in a natural environment is not the same as normal relationships. Sure it counts, but it's not even close to being the real deal.

 

[Daniel Janhagen]

Probably means she's on unemployment, though that's just a guess.

I see. Well, she should try to get a job then.

nothing inferior about socialising in World of Warcraft (or another MMO) vs going to parties or whatever you want her to do instead.

Yes. Yes, there is.

If you seriously think that (and it seems you do), I don't know how to change your opinion. I have friends that I didn't meet in WoW, and I have friends I did meet there. They're the same quality friends, but the WoW ones are three times as many (not counting my family and relatives, obviously). I do not regret a single hour spent in that game. (Five years worth).

These days I play Dungeons & Dragons (3.5) tabletop instead, but that's more to do with the lack of roleplaying facilities in WoW compared to afk life than the social side of it.

 

[SillyBear]

If you seriously think that (and it seems you do), I don't know how to change your opinion. I have friends that I didn't meet in WoW, and I have friends I did meet there. They're the same quality friends, but the WoW ones are three times as many (not counting my family and relatives, obviously). I do not regret a single hour spent in that game. (Five years worth).

You're partaking in your social relationships through a barrier of security. These friends of yours online aren't really connected to you other than through voice and by game. You have never seen them outside of the game, you have not seen how they interact with the world and you are interacting them with the equivalent of a brick wall between you.

Of course you don't agree with me, you're too entrenched to do so. And that's fine! I realise that people can make friends online, but to suggest that being friends in WoW and being friends in real life is equal is ridiculous.

Real life>Fantasy. Of course there is a place for both and of course you can be enriched by both, but one is significantly more important and holds more gravitas than the other.

Even trying to suggest to me that talking through a laggy voice communication system and cartoon characters is as equal as real life conversation is being completely ignorant to biology. Face to face conversation and non-verbal cues count for a fuck load.

 

[similar.squirrel]

My best friend, who is one of the most handsome, hardworking and likable people I know got addicted to WoW for a few months when he went to live in America. He ignored the fact that a huge number of girls were interested in him, and raid instead. Thankfully, he quit some years ago.

 

[Doom-Slayer]

Being in a relationship with someone you have never met, never seen face to face, never touched, never smelt, never seen their body language or their vibe, never spent the day with and never seen in a natural environment is not the same as normal relationships. Sure it counts, but it's not even close to being the real deal.

You have heard of video chatting have you not?..skype etc? That fulfills all your requirements exluding smell, and how that is crucially important is beyond me. Me being me I can actually comment on both experiences("real" and online) and they are surprisingly similar, with the one exception that you can be about 100 times more truthful and open in online relationships which sounds bizarre but actually is pretty obvious(since you dont have that whole "talking to someones face, dont really want to admit my secrets" thing)