Do we need a multiplayer addiction clinic?

trev9999

I think we do.

Czzarre

Addiction is very real. There is a variety of articles regarding internet addiction, of which MMORPG, fall under. Several sites (which I wager IM not allowed to post) offer boards (ironic as it may seem) to help internet addicts.

Torrential

Death1942

there should be clinics set up.  particularly in vulnerable areas like South Korea, China and the US (though this is a world wide problem).  i think this needs to be controlled (somewhat...you cant really control drugs but a reduction in users helps) and i think many parents would love the satisfaction of having a clinic like this incase their kids play too much.

Azeroth04

I think gaming companies, especially MMOs, need to implement some sort of measures for this. WoW has a loading quote that says something along the lines of "don't forget that you have a real life as well." They also have parental controls which allow someone to only play at or for certain times. I don't think gaming companies will push this too much though because they want you to play. I think it's more of the responsibility of the individuals or their parents to control this.

Czzarre

I honestly think one of the biggest things MMORPG devs can do to help player addiction is to set up a VISIBLE clock on the screen. I know Ive been in the middle of quest/raid/pvp and the tmie just gets away from me, till I eventually turn around and see the clock on the wall ...ugg.

A lot of MMORPGs have a clock feature, but its usually buried or attached to a small rollover. I think it should be integrated prominantly  into any UI

Torrential

Thillian

My only wish is to die while sitting in front of my computer playing my favourite MMORPG. That would be a real heroic and honorable death.

Bane82

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Originally posted by Czzarre
I honestly think one of the biggest things MMORPG devs can do to help player addiction is to set up a VISIBLE clock on the screen. I know Ive been in the middle of quest/raid/pvp and the tmie just gets away from me, till I eventually turn around and see the clock on the wall ...ugg.
A lot of MMORPGs have a clock feature, but its usually buried or attached to a small rollover. I think it should be integrated prominantly  into any UI
Torrential

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EQ had something similar at loading, almost like an alarm clock that would sound out after X period of hours. I never used it though.

Cola

Hell no we dont.

We just need a better drug

VPellen

I've had the same thoughts on MMO addiction for quite some time, so I'll pull up my "stock response". Enjoy.



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There are a lot of different views on the concept that online games are addictive. Some people honestly believe that they're incredibly addictive and a threat to our society. Some people think that they're absolutely fine and do no harm whatsoever. Some believe that whilst online games can be addicting, it's not a big enough problem to warrant large scale attention. And of course, quite a few people think that it's a matter of personal responsibility. There are all kinds of people with opinions on the matter; Lawyers, parents, gamers, designers.. everybody has their opinion.



All parties are right in some respects, and all parties are wrong in some respects. But more than anything, most everybody is missing the point entirely.



Creating a thing called "Online Game Addiction" is absolutely useless, because it's more concerned with the symptoms than the cause. There's no denying that people get addicted to online gaming; It's a fact. How rare it is, that's debatable, but we can't deny that there are people out there addicted to online gaming. But looking at how to treat that is complete and utter idiocy. No, we need to look at the source.



People play online games for a variety of reasons. Some just enjoy the game, leveling up and obtaining new gear, killing monsters, being blacksmiths, what have you. These people enjoy the game mechanics. Personally I can't see why: The grind bores the crap out of me, to be perfectly honest. But it is there, and some people are stuck to it. But that's not the primary lure. If it was, we'd see more general Video Game Addiction, as opposed to specifically Online Game Addiction.



Online games have a much greater lure in that they are social spaces. For this, I summon "example".



I knew a guy, nice guy, but the furthest thing from a social butterfly you could ever describe. He got wrapped up in an online game to an unhealthy degree. Was playing 12 hours a day at one point. But the weird thing, he hated the game. Utterly despised it. It was a Korean grindfest that will remain nameless, but effectively, it was gameplay he despised. He played anyway. Why?



His guild was a tightly-knit group of friends. Really close, first-name basis, share-your-darkest-secrets friends. These people were his social life, his whole life. He cared about them more than anything. He would log on to just plain hang out, participate in raids, enjoy PvP alongside them, or just sit in town and shoot the breeze. This was his social life. These were his friends. Can you be addicted to your friends? Can you be addicted to a social life? He wasn't taking drugs, he wasn't drinking or smoking, he wasn't getting drunk and going on midnight rampages. He just sort of sat around all day. That was it. But he would have been classified as an addict.



Incidentally, when he finally did leave the game, it was due to a falling out with his friends. He just left and never came back.



Social gratification is a powerful, powerful thing. It's one of our primary drives as a species. It exists online, and it's extremely potent. The cloak of anonymity allows a person to be themselves in ways they might not be able to be in real life; Free of everyday prejudice and presumptions. But what does this really tell us other than why people get addicted?



People are not perfect. People have problems. Some things in life that one person can shrug off, hell, some things that most people can shrug off, may be crippling to a small handful of people who just don't want to deal with it. Everybody copes with their problems in different ways. Some people, when facing their problems, will just go and bury themselves in work. Some people will take drugs or go get drunk, some people will just party the night away, and some people will log onto their virtual world of choice and just enjoying being able to exist without having to worry about the pressures of everyday life.



If you have a friend, a family member, or anybody else you know who's apparently addicted to online gaming, and you really want to help them? Stop looking at what they're doing as a horrible soul-consuming activity that they need to get away from. Stop thinking about if they need to be put into a special clinic that can get them off the "addiction". The addiction is an illusion; they aren't mindless androids who are hooked on a substance. Something in their games is giving them a retreat from that which pains them. If you really want to help, try talking to them. You might be amazed to find out what's depressing the hell out of your friends that they just never really talked about. But if a person is addicted to a game, for the love of god, look past the game.



The person in question will probably thank you for it.

Shoal

 

Nah.

We just need better MMORPG.

Hit me !