MMORPGs: are they as addictive as you think?

[Audio]

Hey peeps
I thought i'd type this up because of something that has happened to me recently which hit me kind hard. I've been on this interweb for many years, seen some sick pictures, people and fads but this took a bite outa me.

I know the pull in World of Warcraft. I have played it since it came out but these days i dont get anything from it. I know how deep people go into this game; everything is serious and gets their full attention. I personally never felt this way towards the game. Sure it's great to kill time and perhaps talk to people but i always ended up saying to myself: "so what if i get good gear...then what do i do?".
Recently I have been looking for something to do with my mornings. My FPS game servers only really come alive in the afternoons. I tried downloading some new mmo's to see if i could get anything interesting but i couldnt really be arsed with 6Gig downloads. Then...i remembered Second Life.

Long story short: I have 'played' on Second Life for 4 days and I am already shitting myself (pardon the French) at how many hours i was on it. Now you may think after playing WoW, i should be used to hours in one spot, but this felt wrong...really wrong. Last time i was on it, I didnt realise that i hadnt eaten for 9hours. All i was doing was chatting to these two people i bumped into and time just went. In Second Life, the possibilities for doing things is limitless. You can be what you want to be, no matter how weird. Furries, robot, a full scale dragon, gods gift to women, vampires, warewolves, princess, supermodles, Darth Vader, zombie, butterflies, flying-merman-with-wings-wearing-jeans.....anything man!. I spent hours standing / walking about and talking rubbish, not to mention perving on the 'i am really this hot in real life' female avatars :3 (There are so many women on this thing, you wont believe it)
What sickens me to my core is that i noticed this myself.I saw myself getting sucked into it. I'm sure your parents have bitched about how many hours you spend infront of the screen...but for someone who prides in his resilience to MMOs, this scared me. Not just saying that..i was pacing the floor saying out loud "what the F*k have i just been doing...stop it..just..stop"

Perhaps i have had just a taste of what people who are addicted to WoW however i'm not convinced. I have a feeling that this was a worse 'bite' of addiction and infact WoW players are not as addicted as i once thought. I turned on Second Life to chat with people and perhaps explore this 'world', perhaps visit a virtual Russia or something. Second Life is a dark..dark place people, i do not recommend it. I'm going back to Uni next month and i cant afford to be sucked into a Second Life while i have gotten so far in my first (and only!) life.


In summery -- for those who scroll to the bottom and read the first response. (you know who you are..i do it too sometimes ).
The people who play on MMORPGs for hours on end are not as 'addicted' as you may think. For those who have an interest in trying World of Warcraft, but worry about getting sucked into it..first read into Second Life: they chose that name appropriately. People actually do..work and live in Second Life; make real money in it and make/break relationships.

 

[The Geek Lord]

There is no game addicting enough for me to spend more than six hours on it at a time. And hell, I never beat most games because I lose interest about halfway through. Oh hey, shiny object. *Drool*

 

[SturmDolch]

I tried Second Life but couldn't really get sucked into it. I didn't really understand what was going on and I got lost.

I was a pretty avid WoW player as well for a while, but only about as much as you said; in fact, I quit when I finally hit the level cap (after taking breaks every time I almost hit it, then an expansion came out every time) of 80 because I didn't know what else to do.

The MMO that did suck me in was Lord of the Rings Online. I hadn't RPed before that game, and I didn't really RP when I first played it, either. But I started reading about all these RP kinships (guilds) and how much fun it is, so I decided to give it a shot.

Mistake.

It's addicting. There are no levels; the only progression is your popularity amongst other RPers. There is truly never an end, unless you kill off your character or get bored. The problem with this? I was never really doing anything. I'd spend hours in the Prancing Pony just waiting for people to come in so we could RP together. Hours spent wandering, talking to people.

Plus, there's the drama. The drama was what made me quit once and for all. Honestly, if you think of playing LOTRO and roll on the Landroval server, stay the hell away from a kinship called The Veil. The leader is a venomous woman who picks a random person she hates, destroys their credibility, then moves onto the next person.

Another part of the RP game? People start confusing it with real life. My character had an in-game wench. But the wench's player started confusing shit thanks to her shoddy real life husband. I'm still scared some crazy Russian will come looking for me someday.

I love RPing. You make a character and play the game from their eyes, acting as they would. I love creative writing and RPing is like writing a story together with other people. The problem, as usual in group undertakings, is the people themselves.

 

[TheKagestar]

I know how you feel Audio. I used to spend every day of my life playing WoW. I would easily sit down and play non-stop, without eating, using the bathroom or taking a general break for 6 to 12 hour stretches. For me I had a problem definatly. But some people would argue that you can't get addicted to an MMORPG, since they are comparing substance addiction to the addiction one feels when playing such a game. Logically, it would be harder to imagine being addicted to the game than a substance if one hasn't experienced it.

I remember my girlfriend (now of four years) about a year and a half ago telling me to stop playing, that it was bad for me. I didn't see the damage it caused my relationship to be honest, only later I would realize that whenever she would bring up a subject, I would turn the conversation around to relate it to WoW. A quick example would be if she told me she met her friend, I would retort, "Oh yeah I met an old friend today in WoW" etc. But this would continue on and on. It was pretty scary.

The reason I was addicted was because I felt like outside my house, no one really needed me. I had no real purpose. However, in the world of WoW. I was a high dps rogue who was picked for all the raids, who everyone in the guild needed to maximize our potential, yadda yadda etc. So I felt like I was needed. It was exaclty the attention I needed.

However, luckily enough, one day I just really irrated with the behaviour of my fellow comrades. After leaving my guild and joining a new one, I felt that I wasn't needed anymore. But I didn't feel bad, I felt relieved! So I quit the game. And a year and a half later I've never felt better.

Now-a-days I just play fps's and single player rpgs.

But you're right however on the topic that it is less addictive than when it once was. I could say that from what I seen in the last few months of gameplay a lot of people were complaining (in-game) how bad the game was getting. People would trash talk other people who couldn't defeat a certain boss saying, "It's not as hard as it used to be (nerfed)", or it's the same recycled BS that Blizzard puts out. I felt all these comments (not majorily directed at me) helped me condition my leave from the game. So in aspect, the community which pulled me into WoW and held me there, also helped me pack my bags when I was leaving.

 

[stabnex]

Like any other game, once you've played through all the content to the point where you have your own personal walkthroughs, you realize they're not worth it anymore.

QUIT PLAYING WoW YOU BASTARDS!

Edit: Sorry if I seem a bit confrontational, but I'm just trying to help.

 

[Your once and future Fanboy]

I find most of them hard to keep playing, not adictive, and mostly seems like a chiore after the first three to four hours.

there are a few exceptions but then it is just about how long it takes before feels like a choire. the best ones, like WOW takes to about level 15-20.

 

[spartan231490]

There is no game addicting enough for me to spend more than six hours on it at a time. And hell, I never beat most games because I lose interest about halfway through. Oh hey, shiny object. *Drool*

This, i played wow and i can't even get in it enough to get a char to 70, and my second highet is like 30. Just not entertaining.

 

[Blights]

Like any other game, once you've played through all the content to the point where you have your own personal walkthroughs, you realize they're not worth it anymore.

QUIT PLAYING WoW YOU BASTARDS!

Wat.

Seriously? When you hit the level Cap in WoW, it becomes a whole other game. Raids, Arena teams, seasons, epic loot, raiding guilds, PvP guilds, etc.

You probably haven't even played the game, yet you are going to base it off accusations made by players that probably didn't even get past the starting zone.

That last part also made you look like a douche, you can't change someone's opinion by shouting it out and insulting them.

 

[stabnex]

Like any other game, once you've played through all the content to the point where you have your own personal walkthroughs, you realize they're not worth it anymore.

QUIT PLAYING WoW YOU BASTARDS!

Wat.

Seriously? When you hit the level Cap in WoW, it becomes a whole other game. Raids, Arena teams, seasons, epic loot, raiding guilds, PvP guilds, etc.

You probably haven't even played the game, yet you are going to base it off accusations made by players that probably didn't even get past the starting zone.

That last part also made you look like a douche, you can't change someone's opinion by shouting it out and insulting them.

hehehehhehee!

What.
The.
Hell.

Tell me you're joking.
THAT'S NOT FUNNY!

Fuck you, Blizzard. I'm cancelling my WoW Subscription RIGHT NOW.

BRB

*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*tick*

THERE! No more of my money for you.

You think I'm joking?

Spoiler: Click and see

btw, I did all those things. and got bored after I whacked the big chump.

 

[OmegaXzors]

No. The following will only make sense to those who played the game.

Runescape: 3 years, level 106, full Dragon (at the time), and a yellow party hat. Quit in 2006.
Guild Wars: 2 years, two characters with full Obsidian characters - one of which has ten maxed titles. Quit in 2008.
World of Warcraft: 6 months, one level 80 Blood Elf Warlock, epic flying with an Onyx Netherdrake, full 7.5 Tier armor, plenty of other crap. Quit in April of 2009. I got the game a week before Wrath of the Lich King came out. I was also level 80 after like 2 or 3 weeks.

No, none of them are addictive. I called it, "I beat the game" and just resisted playing the game. Upon quitting, a friend would try to drag me into another game. It usually worked but I didn't care for Everquest 2 so I remain MMORPG free.

Quitting these games has caused me to have relationships with beautiful women, learn to play guitar to the point of covering Dethklok, Arch Enemy, Bring Me The Horizon, etc., and now performing on stage with my band. Yeah. Fuck MMO's.

Note: Any of those who want to message me for "free shit" can shove those hands that were about to type that message into your own eye sockets, ripping them out of place, and then putting them into a blender. You will then turn the blender on, mix it with whatever additives you'd like and then drink it. If you refuse to do this, I'm refusing service to you.

 

[geldonyetich]

I thought i'd type this up because of something that has happened to me recently which hit me kind hard. [...] Long story short: I have 'played' on Second Life for 4 days and I am already shitting myself (pardon the French) at how many hours i was on it. [...]I spent hours standing / walking about and talking rubbish, not to mention perving on the 'i am really this hot in real life' female avatars :3 [...] What sickens me to my core is that [...] I saw myself getting sucked into it. I'm sure your parents have bitched about how many hours you spend infront of the screen...but for someone who prides in his resilience to MMOs, this scared me. [...] I turned on Second Life to chat with people and perhaps explore this 'world', perhaps visit a virtual Russia or something. Second Life is a dark..dark place people, i do not recommend it.
[...]
In summ[a]ry -- for those who scroll to the bottom and read the first response. (you know who you are..i do it too sometimes ). The people who play on MMORPGs for hours on end are not as 'addicted' as you may think. For those who have an interest in trying World of Warcraft, but worry about getting sucked into it..first read into Second Life: they chose that name appropriately. People actually do..work and live in Second Life; make real money in it and make/break relationships.

This reads like one big Second Life love/hate relationship with you. "Second life is a dark place but I just couldn't stop playing it, therefore Second Life is addictive and MMORPGs are not that addictive." Or something like that.

I disagree for two reasons:

First, we're looking at Apples and Oranges [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apples_and_oranges]. Second Life isn't an MMORPG. It's a graphical chat room. (One somewhat corrupted by people realizing they can make real money through Lindens and consequently chose the shortest path as being the libido, but I digress.) Second Life has no grind or advancement, it doesn't string you along to get more levels or gear or skill points or whatever, and consequently it's not addictive in the way MMORPGs are. I can believe you were hooked on Second Life just not for the reasons I would associate with an MMORPG, but rather for the reasons one would be addicted to a chat room or forum.

Second, your logical premises are out of line. Your point is "Second Life is more addictive therefore MMORPGs are not addictive" then you're demonstratively wrong: MMORPG addiction is baby killingly real [http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2005/06/547.ars] for some people. Just because one thing is addictive doesn't mean another thing won't be addictive. But it's subjective. As for me, I actually didn't get hooked on WoW for very long because I was sick of EverQuest long before I played WoW (a game that highly resembles EQ). Once you stop giving a damn over earning completely imaginary levels and gear, most MMORPGs are dreary, boring experiences whose only redeeming factor is your friends are playing them.

Old Republic and Guild Wars 2 give me some hope for MMORPGs as they promise to do some interesting things with the narrative to fundamentally change the experience to be a whole lot more worthwhile than grinding. Time will tell if I like what they come up with, though.

 

[Cody211282]

I've never had a problem quitting MMOs hell I usually only play them for about 2-3 months then get bored, but I do know a few people who are hopelessly addicted to WoW and have dropped out of school because of it.

 

[TheKagestar]

Like any other game, once you've played through all the content to the point where you have your own personal walkthroughs, you realize they're not worth it anymore.

QUIT PLAYING WoW YOU BASTARDS!

All well and dandy, and somewhat right, even including every aspect of WoW. But the sheer amount of luck/time/patience to complete everything. It would be near impossible to do so before the following expansion. It never ends. Like that film. But it kills you slowly. O_O

Also, those last five words aren't really a great deterrent for players of WoW, even if you were to direct that at an actual player let alone anyone in this thread who may still play it...

 

[silver wolf009]

No amount of grinding in any MMO can keep me if I dont want to be kept. I really dont see how people can let these game overtake so much time. Im all for a really long gaming session but i dont do it when I know I need to be somewhere or that I have something to do.

 

[Kialee]

I played retail WoW from roughly the time it was released, up until ever so shortly after Burning Crusade came out. I just didn't like it after the expansion.
Yes, I was more or less addicted. I spent way, way too many hours a day playing, but I was having fun and something that vaguely resembled a social life.

Besides, that's how I met my current significant other. I don't do the whole retail thing any more, but I still have a soft spot for the game. Call me sappy.

I also played Runescape for a few years, when I was quite a bit younger. Starting with the only partially 3D version, too! Badly drawn sprites and all!
kids nowadays, they ain't know a shucks-darnit thing about gamin', dagnabbit
ptooey

 

[Yureina]

The more than the real world and your own personality needs an alternative or some kind of "Escape", the more likely you are to fall into a trap of heavily playing an MMO. What type of MMO or what you actually do in it depends between people, but if that need is there, it can get filled by an MMO and result in some sort of "addiction". Breaking it... well, I guess it would be either finding alternatives or (eventually) realizing that the "Addicting activity" was actually rather obnoxious and not really worth all the time and effort that you are sinking into it. The latter is how I got off my WoW "addiction".