Hiya,
Am I the only one who's competing against a game that doesn't really offer much social interaction but is just totally full-on shooting, killing and flying helicopters whilst shouting, "IDIOT, THEY'RE OVER BY THE TV STATION' into a headset?
The OLGA site is full of helpful advice but it seems a lot of it is hinged around people getting lost in magical mystical worlds and there's very little on real-time multiplayer war games. I can't help but feeling that a lot of the advice doesn't apply to our situation. My man doesn't build up his character at all, or make virtual friends, or get married in secret to some sexy elf. But he does fly around in that stupid helicopter at all hours and shout at the top of his lungs into the headset until the early morning hours. And then he's completely shell shocked and need to wind down with TV in bed for another hour. While I'm trying to get some sleep because I am the one getting up first in the morning to spend some time with the kids before I rush off to work.
Anyone with a similar experience?
NZ zebra, OLGA members have addiction problems to a wide range of types of video games. Due to the rather more addictive qualities, it seems that the largest percentage play MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) games as you have already noted. In a similar vein, I have also seen quite a few people recently who are addicted to SL (Second Life). However, there are others here who are addicted to other types of video games. For example, my problems are with just regular video games, mainly 3-D Pinball and Minesweeper, although I have also played Tetris, FreeCell and Solitaire quite a bit as well. I have also seen a few other members with similar type of video game problems, but not any for a while now. Although it is not the same as being involved in "real-time multiplayer war games", it does have the similarity of it not involving very much social interaction. Also, most addictions have a lot in common, even if their mode of expression is different. For example, I have read various parts of the AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) Big Book and have found that a lot of it applies to me once I replace "alcohol" with "video games". Also, there are books like "The Addictive Personality" that I have read (see the thread Book: The Addictive Personality for reviews about it such as mine in Reply #2) where it talks about addictions in general but with most of it still applying to me specifically. If you have any specific questions regarding your husband's playing, please post them and I am confident that you will get at least one or two responses. Also, if you think that my personal experience may help, feel free to PM me and I will try to provide a helpful response.
- John O.
[em]Carpe Diem![/em] (Seize the Day!)
Thanks J. DOe. I actually ordered "The Addictive Personality" on Amazon last week and am looking forward to reading it when it finally makes it to this side of the world. I think you are right in that most addictions have a lot in common and I think there might be some answers in there.
NZ, I agree, it's not that people aren't addicted to them...I just think the MMORPG has a higher addiction ratio due to the social aspect. First person shooters can be highly addictive since they are very face paced. In some ways, it may be harder to quit because the mind has a harder time adjusting from the fast pace and adrenaline rush. For me personally, I just never found shoot em ups to be very entertaining past a certain point. But then again, there are millions of gamers who never found WoW to be entertaining enough. Everyone has their poison of choice. However, the signs are the same, the results are the same. The addiction is the same...Where you read WoW, insert "Battlefield 2" and you'll see they are almost identical.
-Slade
"Falling down is not a failure. Not getting back up is the true failure"
I've logged untold hours in first person shooters, so I know what you're talking about.
The happiness of a man in this life does not consist in the absence but in the mastery of his passions.
-Alfred Lord Tennyson
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I've spend numerous hours playing Enemy Territory. I played so much that my roommate's drew a portrait of me and slipped it under my door: it consisted of a closed bedroom door with the word bubble "go away, I'm playing video games!" I found FPSs to be equally addicting to MMOs. If I got on a skilled team then I want to play for a while and win, if I was on a bad one I would at least try to throw a wrench in the other side's plans. It is the same ups and downs as playing an MMO. Leveling or winning a tough bout is equivalent to winning a round, getting player killed or being unable to complete a quest due to difficulty is the same as losing a round. There is no end to the FPS either - next map, next map. If I am annoyed I could always join a new server or switch sides.
FPSs eh.It's the first time I see the abbreviation and I actually had no idea they were called 'first person shooters'. That's really handy to know. Thanks.
RTS = real time strategy, is another abbreviation you'll probably read - a guy at school is probably addicted to them, he is like me a year ago, always tired and when he is awake, won't shut up about DOTA. I've been reading your posts for a while, zebra and even though your husband is about 20 years older than me, he seems to be in a similar state of mind that I was in a year ago. I knew I'd screwed up big time in World of Warcraft and was trying to control it. I'd go to my room about ten pm and think "I'll just play for an hour" and be there at 4am going click click click. Also, I used to breath this enormous sigh of relief on Tuesday nights when the servers were down for maintenance and I couldn't play. I could be wrong, but he seems to be in that place? Of course "that place" is still crap, I look back and wince at the things I'd do to avoid making the decision to quit. I hope he does it soon, in the mean time, I think it is really really cool that you are trying to understand the situation instead of judging. Some people become so bitter and apathetic about their loved ones...I have this feeling my mate Jesse's Mum is counting the days until he turns 18 so she can kick him out. How evil. James