MMORPG's are really fun. As well they are a social experience that takes about 2min to initiate.
This is a luxury most parents never had, so ofcourse it was misunderstood.
Its really easy to just play a mmorpg. Its not like a single player game where you get lonely. You have competition, you have social interaction, you have progression.
It has most things people look for in entertainment, in one neat package.
Most parents dont realize this. Moderation is something that needs to be instilled in a youth when it comes to mmorpgs. They dont need to come up for human interaction because they might have just been raiding with loads of other people, or running a dungeon. They dont feel the need to measure themselves up againsed their peers because they can already measure themselves up againsed people all over the world.
I know playing mmorpgs I lost the sense of accomplishment that came from being top of my class in middleschool/highschool (small schools of maybe 400ish) when I could compete with 100,000 other people in a video game. Winning there was a lot more impressive than beating out 24 other people in math class.
I was a smart guy, and thus I had "minor" issues in middle school/beginning of highschool being social. I had a few friends I spent time with but religion got the better of one, and drinking the other. So naturally I hung out with them at school, but when after I split before the bible pushing or booze chugging.
It was convenient and it provided for all my needs. Later I found my g/f and I started to get in with a crowd I still partially hang out with. Now im in university and I dont have as much time for the game, but atleast in university im competing with some of the brightest minds and Ive already got homework to fill in most of the gaps in my day.
MMORPG's are a VERY potent entertainment medium. Most parents never had something as satisfying as a mmorpg, I think it will definatly improve as people understand the games more and parents start to be more educated as they will most likely have experience.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
First, I don't think children should be playing MMORPGs, perhaps at all. There are so many things that a child should be learning and doing when they are young, sitting on their ass playing an MMO isn't one of them. Kid have SO much time available, they will never have as much free time again for the rest of their lives.
I disagree, retirement being a very obvious counter example. Vacations, easy jobs.
They should be learning at least one musical instrument. They should have at least one non-school activity like martial arts or girlscouts. Better to have both. They should be involved in at least one after school club and letter in at least one sport. Those things will never be available again. They MUST be done now because they will help make you the person that will lead the hoards of sheeple later as an adult.
Again I disagree. There is no reason to jam your kid into EVERY possible activity in the name of building character. Thats a great way to overwhelm a kid. Sure they should have activities, but having free time is when kids can dream, and grow creativly. I know that as a kid I used to sit and draw, or doodle. Id run around in the back yard with my brother or climb a tree. Play with friends and our imaginations. I believe, as do many child psyc, that children need time to be kids, unstructured play time. Above all of those flavoring activities, children's lives are their grades. College is not an option. Top tier colleges are not an option if you want to kickstart your career. SATs and GPA are your life.
THIS REALLY IRKS ME. Sorry, but this is a huge pet peeve of mine. Childhood isnt prep time for your job. College IS an option, top teir colleges are an OPTION. You can make great money in a trade. You can make great money opening up a coffee shop. You can make a living painting murals at the childrens hospital. What matters is that your doing something you love, not making 6 figures.
Telling your kids that grades are #1 and that they gota do good or else they wont get into good colleges and then they wont get good jobs then they wont have money and will be misterable is why you have all those miserable anti-social asian children in the library studying. Its why kids commit suicide because they cant live up to their parents expectations.
Its rediculous. IF and ONLY IF you have some time after completing the above, then you should be playing with friends in the real world... the one good thing about consoles over PC games.
... Im gona chalk this down to a joke. Kids arent tamagotchi's They need to grow socially as well as mentally or else you end up with a 30 yearold computer science masters student living in your basement suite. As for how people get 'addicted' (You can not be addicted to a game, it is a compulsion not an addiction) I don't understand why anyone would feed, cloth and house someone that was wasting away playing with toys all day. Computer games are toys, you would never allow the person to play with Barbi dolls all day rather than go to school or work. So Stop feeding them! There is not a single person anywhere that could continue to play a game if other people stopped paying their bills, feeding them and housing them.
It can be an additction. I encourage you to do some research in the subject.
The dictionary def' which is a good start says "the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming"
A compulsion is not playing video games, a compulsion is colour coding everything in your house or washing your hands every 5 min.
And yes their is. There is a government program called welfare, as well their are activities such as drug dealing which leave plenty of time for video game play.
If the compulsive person is a child in your home, then the computer is dropped in the pool until the kid is in National Honor Society etc. Parents are in control. If your kid is a loser in front of the MMORPG, it is because you are a loser parent. Period.
Your in control, but its just teaching your child moderation. Its a lesson that goes un-taught sometimes. Your child is not putty, you cant mold it exactly how you want and expect it to stay that way.
If the compulsive person is an adult, then throw them out the door. Pain is a powerful motivator. Nobody can play computer games living on the street. Hunger eventually drive these losers to seek a job. That job will be used to buy a roof, clothing and food. Poof - playing with toys all day goes bye-bye.
Again, I adressed that earlier, their are many ways they can cercumvent that via dishonest or illegal means. Helping them seems a better alternative than abandoning them.
Somewhere our society lost the concept of Effort = Reward. Nobody owes anyone anything so stop sucking off of people who do more and that means earn more than you do. Enablers are pathetic.
It also appears somewhere somebody forgot about reality. Yea effort=reward and some people are spoilt. But If everything was solved by telling people who dont do things the way you want to get lost. We wouldnt have had artists. We wouldnt have most of our inventors. Many great people out there didn't follow your set in stone guide to growing up. To be frank your opinions scare me. Don't enable your child to be a leech on society and don't be one yourself.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Just wondering what are some of the major impacts of online gaming on teens these days? Is online gaming addiction getting worst for teens?
The impacts? Well, I became addicted to online games. I played them 18 hours a day (if not more). Because of that, I went to university, earned a degree in CIS, and have been a programmer, NT admin, UNIX admin, webmaster, and web developer (not to mention a help desk peon).
Dear teens, get addicted to video games. It's a hell of a lot better than drugs.
Screw the few that lose their lives. The media clings to sensationalism. Those that lose their lives, have much deeper problems that have nothing at all to do with playing video games. Although, the media would have you think different.
I agree with the once a gamer always a gamer quote! because Gaming is just another source of fun that applies only to some people, much the same as football can be fun for jocks and smoking can be fun for stoners. I myself am totally addicted to gaming no matter what it is but I am also addicted to sports. I go from soccer to gaming to school to soccer to gaming it's an awesome routine and it keeps me active and keeps everything in moderation. Because anything ANYTHING that you do without moderation is bad for you (too much water kills, too much driving costs a lot, too much sports will get you injured)
Online games should be pointed towards teen and above. Children I think shouldn't have much part in mmo's because as said in other replies children really shouldn't be sitting inside doing nothing. EVEN if they want to become a professional gamer at age 7, kids should get out see the world and once they see everything and try lots of stuff then they can make their own decision what they do.
I think moderation still applies to children... although at that age, atleast im my experiences a lot of children still spend a lot of their free time (not at school) with their parents or friends parents either with them or near them so odd are unless everyone in their family and circle of friends are negletive parents most children that young will get experience with the world around them.
As for neglective parents, I think thats outside the scope of this debate :P
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
I agree with the once a gamer always a gamer quote! because Gaming is just another source of fun that applies only to some people, much the same as football can be fun for jocks and smoking can be fun for stoners. I myself am totally addicted to gaming no matter what it is but I am also addicted to sports. I go from soccer to gaming to school to soccer to gaming it's an awesome routine and it keeps me active and keeps everything in moderation. Because anything ANYTHING that you do without moderation is bad for you (too much water kills, too much driving costs a lot, too much sports will get you injured)
Online games should be pointed towards teen and above. Children I think shouldn't have much part in mmo's because as said in other replies children really shouldn't be sitting inside doing nothing. EVEN if they want to become a professional gamer at age 7, kids should get out see the world and once they see everything and try lots of stuff then they can make their own decision what they do.
Stop! the damn talk about children. This post is about teens, not kids.
Get back on topic, or please, don't post at all.
Why is it that you people can't stay on topic?
Teens should play games. They should be addicted to games. It's better than drugs.
If you are a teen, and you are addicted to games and not drugs, I salute you! Unlike some of these whack jobs.
personally, ive never had a problem with video games in general. this past week was spring break and all my friends were at the beach so i was left at my house with me video games. i know a few kids who only play video games and it drastically affects their activity in and out of school. their social lives are with the people they play with. rarely do i see them out in public.
the closest thing to a problem i had was when i was introduced to WoW almost two or three years ago. my friend let me play it on his computer one night and i came back the next morning before he even got up and played the game on his computer. that was the only time it was ever an issue. after that i realized my character would always be there and the game will never change. so i found it easy to pace myself; if i had time, i had time. if not, oh well.
some teens just arent mature about it and ignore the fact that there is a world out there.
I am 17, I play MMOs (currently playing EVE), and I went to college 2 years early. All teens are not stupid enough to invest their entire life playing video games. If they are then its the parents responsibility to keep them active.
Honestly the MMO playing teens are not the ones that most worry me about my generation. All my friends that play MMOs have some of the top GPA and SAT scores in the school. Its the lazy stoner teens who do absolutely nothing that worry me.
SWG is like meeting the hottest chick of all time and then have her give you every STD in the book and then she dresses a monkey up like a baby sues for child support and the judge says yes
Perhaps my age shining through, but, I reserve addiction for things such as drugs/alcohol. I hear one can become addicted to things like sex or perhaps even video games. Makes sense that anything that releases endorphins, I think that's right, maybe it's peptides, in the brain could become addicting. Equating this to personal experience, it depends on the individual. Some people can handle their "feel good brain chemicals" and some people can't. Those that can, it's no big deal. Those that can't.... well ... time to get some help. I don't see why this would be any different for whipper snappers ....... I mean teens.
Perhaps my age shining through, but, I reserve addiction for things such as drugs/alcohol. I hear one can become addicted to things like sex or perhaps even video games. Makes sense that anything that releases endorphins, I think that's right, maybe it's peptides, in the brain could become addicting. Equating this to personal experience, it depends on the individual. Some people can handle their "feel good brain chemicals" and some people can't. Those that can, it's no big deal. Those that can't.... well ... time to get some help. I don't see why this would be any different for whipper snappers ....... I mean teens.
~Hairysun~ Serotonin, which is a neural peptide, and one can become addicted to pretty much anything.
Perhaps my age shining through, but, I reserve addiction for things such as drugs/alcohol. I hear one can become addicted to things like sex or perhaps even video games. Makes sense that anything that releases endorphins, I think that's right, maybe it's peptides, in the brain could become addicting. Equating this to personal experience, it depends on the individual. Some people can handle their "feel good brain chemicals" and some people can't. Those that can, it's no big deal. Those that can't.... well ... time to get some help. I don't see why this would be any different for whipper snappers ....... I mean teens.
~Hairysun~
you really could be addicted to anything, but in most cases people only consider "bad habits" addictions. i mean, i have a chronic habit of longboarding but no one would say its an addiction. it depends on how you interpret what an addiction is. whether it be by definition or personal experience.
the only reason i can think of that would make a video game addicting would be the fact that its the most fun waste of time that requires the least amount of work. for example: that night when everyone else has plans, there is nothing good on TV, youve seen all the films you wanted to see, youre more than likely to jump onto the computer and open your favorite video game. in this case, MMO. which in moderation is not a bad thing and more than likely isnt an addiction.
Addiction is a power phrase thrown out by clever (or accidently clever) people in order to throw a negative connotation on it.
People think of addiction as something you do a lot of, possibly because you feel some need to.
There are a LOT of things that are similar to that but aren't actual addictions.
Smart (or stupid but accidently manipulative) people, who wish to manipulate the opinions of the masses capitalize on this ambiguity of the word to scare people into thinking that whatever they dont want you to do is an addiction.
Sure people play videogames a lot, specifically mmorpgs, but that doesn't imply and addiction.
because of the social interaction in a mmorpg, players dont get lonely playing it for long periods of time as you would have if you played diablo 2 offline by yourself for 2 weeks straight.
As well they get competition, which allows them to give themselves goals and asses their worth in the game.
Instead of saying people are able to satisfy most all of their basic entertainment needs in one package, while saving boatloads of money. People dont understand this.
They could be envious of how other people are just chugging along in a game without feeling the need to go get hammered at the bar.
They may be confused and possibly worried because they think their child/friend is reclusing and becoming an anti-social slug.
Both of these stem from not understanding what is actually happening. Just like How people made up crack pot theories to explain day and night when we didnt understand it. Or crazy theories of how the dinosaurs when extinct when we had no idea.
People will often fabricate crazy but seemingly possible answers to questions they dont fully understand. In the case of mmorpgs people just dont grasp exactly what they are so most often the seemingly harmless fact that they get all their entertainment for the day in one cost effective, clean package is labeled as addiction and life destroying.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Comments
MMORPG's are really fun. As well they are a social experience that takes about 2min to initiate.
This is a luxury most parents never had, so ofcourse it was misunderstood.
Its really easy to just play a mmorpg. Its not like a single player game where you get lonely. You have competition, you have social interaction, you have progression.
It has most things people look for in entertainment, in one neat package.
Most parents dont realize this. Moderation is something that needs to be instilled in a youth when it comes to mmorpgs. They dont need to come up for human interaction because they might have just been raiding with loads of other people, or running a dungeon. They dont feel the need to measure themselves up againsed their peers because they can already measure themselves up againsed people all over the world.
I know playing mmorpgs I lost the sense of accomplishment that came from being top of my class in middleschool/highschool (small schools of maybe 400ish) when I could compete with 100,000 other people in a video game. Winning there was a lot more impressive than beating out 24 other people in math class.
I was a smart guy, and thus I had "minor" issues in middle school/beginning of highschool being social. I had a few friends I spent time with but religion got the better of one, and drinking the other. So naturally I hung out with them at school, but when after I split before the bible pushing or booze chugging.
It was convenient and it provided for all my needs. Later I found my g/f and I started to get in with a crowd I still partially hang out with. Now im in university and I dont have as much time for the game, but atleast in university im competing with some of the brightest minds and Ive already got homework to fill in most of the gaps in my day.
MMORPG's are a VERY potent entertainment medium. Most parents never had something as satisfying as a mmorpg, I think it will definatly improve as people understand the games more and parents start to be more educated as they will most likely have experience.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Dear teens, get addicted to video games. It's a hell of a lot better than drugs.
Screw the few that lose their lives. The media clings to sensationalism. Those that lose their lives, have much deeper problems that have nothing at all to do with playing video games. Although, the media would have you think different.
I agree with the once a gamer always a gamer quote! because Gaming is just another source of fun that applies only to some people, much the same as football can be fun for jocks and smoking can be fun for stoners. I myself am totally addicted to gaming no matter what it is but I am also addicted to sports. I go from soccer to gaming to school to soccer to gaming it's an awesome routine and it keeps me active and keeps everything in moderation. Because anything ANYTHING that you do without moderation is bad for you (too much water kills, too much driving costs a lot, too much sports will get you injured)
Online games should be pointed towards teen and above. Children I think shouldn't have much part in mmo's because as said in other replies children really shouldn't be sitting inside doing nothing. EVEN if they want to become a professional gamer at age 7, kids should get out see the world and once they see everything and try lots of stuff then they can make their own decision what they do.
<a href="http://www.lolbase.net/us/Baneli"><img src="http://www.lolbase.net/us/Baneli/signature/626ffffff.png"; alt="Signature for Baneli (us)" /></a>
I think moderation still applies to children... although at that age, atleast im my experiences a lot of children still spend a lot of their free time (not at school) with their parents or friends parents either with them or near them so odd are unless everyone in their family and circle of friends are negletive parents most children that young will get experience with the world around them.
As for neglective parents, I think thats outside the scope of this debate :P
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...
Get back on topic, or please, don't post at all.
Why is it that you people can't stay on topic?
Teens should play games. They should be addicted to games. It's better than drugs.
If you are a teen, and you are addicted to games and not drugs, I salute you! Unlike some of these whack jobs.
I'll call anyone 10+ years younger than me a kid, too -- as they are whippersnappers to me!
.:| Kevyne@Shandris - Armory |:. - When WoW was #1 - .:| I AM A HOLY PALADIN - Guild Theme |:.
I'll call anyone 10+ years younger than me a kid, too -- as they are whippersnappers to me!
Your post is bait, and I'll bite.YOU know what I meant. Semantics are for fools that aren't smart enough to offer an intelligent recourse.
Back on topic, now.
personally, ive never had a problem with video games in general. this past week was spring break and all my friends were at the beach so i was left at my house with me video games. i know a few kids who only play video games and it drastically affects their activity in and out of school. their social lives are with the people they play with. rarely do i see them out in public.
the closest thing to a problem i had was when i was introduced to WoW almost two or three years ago. my friend let me play it on his computer one night and i came back the next morning before he even got up and played the game on his computer. that was the only time it was ever an issue. after that i realized my character would always be there and the game will never change. so i found it easy to pace myself; if i had time, i had time. if not, oh well.
some teens just arent mature about it and ignore the fact that there is a world out there.
I am 17, I play MMOs (currently playing EVE), and I went to college 2 years early. All teens are not stupid enough to invest their entire life playing video games. If they are then its the parents responsibility to keep them active.
Honestly the MMO playing teens are not the ones that most worry me about my generation. All my friends that play MMOs have some of the top GPA and SAT scores in the school. Its the lazy stoner teens who do absolutely nothing that worry me.
SWG is like meeting the hottest chick of all time and then have her give you every STD in the book and then she dresses a monkey up like a baby sues for child support and the judge says yes
Perhaps my age shining through, but, I reserve addiction for things such as drugs/alcohol. I hear one can become addicted to things like sex or perhaps even video games. Makes sense that anything that releases endorphins, I think that's right, maybe it's peptides, in the brain could become addicting. Equating this to personal experience, it depends on the individual. Some people can handle their "feel good brain chemicals" and some people can't. Those that can, it's no big deal. Those that can't.... well ... time to get some help. I don't see why this would be any different for whipper snappers ....... I mean teens.
~Hairysun~
http://www.straightdope.com/
the only reason i can think of that would make a video game addicting would be the fact that its the most fun waste of time that requires the least amount of work. for example: that night when everyone else has plans, there is nothing good on TV, youve seen all the films you wanted to see, youre more than likely to jump onto the computer and open your favorite video game. in this case, MMO. which in moderation is not a bad thing and more than likely isnt an addiction.
i can that the impact of online to us teens especially me because i have my own guild..
for me im addicted to my game right now.. especially in siege im one of the most active ones.
Addiction is a power phrase thrown out by clever (or accidently clever) people in order to throw a negative connotation on it.
People think of addiction as something you do a lot of, possibly because you feel some need to.
There are a LOT of things that are similar to that but aren't actual addictions.
Smart (or stupid but accidently manipulative) people, who wish to manipulate the opinions of the masses capitalize on this ambiguity of the word to scare people into thinking that whatever they dont want you to do is an addiction.
Sure people play videogames a lot, specifically mmorpgs, but that doesn't imply and addiction.
because of the social interaction in a mmorpg, players dont get lonely playing it for long periods of time as you would have if you played diablo 2 offline by yourself for 2 weeks straight.
As well they get competition, which allows them to give themselves goals and asses their worth in the game.
Instead of saying people are able to satisfy most all of their basic entertainment needs in one package, while saving boatloads of money. People dont understand this.
They could be envious of how other people are just chugging along in a game without feeling the need to go get hammered at the bar.
They may be confused and possibly worried because they think their child/friend is reclusing and becoming an anti-social slug.
Both of these stem from not understanding what is actually happening. Just like How people made up crack pot theories to explain day and night when we didnt understand it. Or crazy theories of how the dinosaurs when extinct when we had no idea.
People will often fabricate crazy but seemingly possible answers to questions they dont fully understand. In the case of mmorpgs people just dont grasp exactly what they are so most often the seemingly harmless fact that they get all their entertainment for the day in one cost effective, clean package is labeled as addiction and life destroying.
after 6 or so years, I had to change it a little...