Online games will literally ruin one's life

[wilbur lim]

Do you concur my perspective? This is actually genuine. I quit playing online games since 12,for I had realised that it had affected my education profoundly.I was depressed and infuriated.That trail lead to more problems which I would not like to cite.

POEM

Games will inevitably ruin one's life.
You shall not lie
That it is not a negative one,
Though it may be fun
And makes you spellbound.

Be conspicuous,
Be thoughtful,
Be bright as a candlelight,
And be eminent in your life.

What do you conceive of it?Any objections is allowed.

[Pensive]

Objection!

Sure they can be pretty addictive but it all depends on how you manage your time with games and the other work you are supposed to do. You can't blame the games now, can you? :)

[Chava]

Objection, I play online games like others watch TV. My little brother plays, even my mom of fifty plays, and in fact plays it rather well.
I know many many many people who play and most have enough common sense not to let it influence their daily lives.
Yes i have heard of people dropping out of school, one, who already had very very little interest in school, and whom should have gone into some practical study instead.

In general, this is a very generalising statement, and i'm sick of people saying that online games are so bad. They're not. They're just as much about self discipline as everything else in life. Moderation.

[ClaesGefvenberg]

I must side with Chava and Pensive here.

I have spent countless hours playing online (I don't right now, but that is just because I don't see any sufficiently addictive game at the moment). The only thing it really affected was my TV time, which dropped dramatically. I can live with that.

This is an interesting subject, though: Why not add a poll on how many hours/week we spend on online gaming?

/Claes

[Dori]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with playing online games all one's life. In fact, I deem that to be a life well spent.

Too much wanting to be smart and great will ruin one's life.

[Shalot]

I don't really play online games unless you count those facebook lil green patches etc (hey facebook friends --- I really love those plants hint hint hint :D -- I don't know if we're fighting global warming or not, but I just like the neat little plants!!! and sorry to all my current friends who keep getting those plants everyday. I just love sending them!!)


But my point about online activities is that I don't think they would ruin your life unless you start doing them when you know you're not supposed to. Like, if I were to log onto facebook or Lit Net at my job, I would probably get reprimanded if not fired. I probably couldn't get on anyway, because they limit access to many Web sites there, but the point is, if you're playing games or chatting online instead of fulfilling your obligations, then you will have problems.

If you log onto LitNet while you're supposed to be getting ready for work you will have problems. If you drink and our hungover and can't get out of bed when you're supposed to go to work, you will have problems. If you go on a roadtrip with friends instead of studying for your math exam, you will fail and you will have problems.

Online activitiy is like anything else - if you do it in moderation when you're supposed to, then it won't ruin your life.

[tractatus]

I spend time with yahoo chess and backgammon once, but forget nowadays. They are not so addicting really.

[InspireMe]

i used to play online games for hourrrrrs when i was in my early teens. here i am now and my life isn't ruined. some people grow out of it, some people just know how to manage their game time. it just depends on the person. however there are some that don't have anything else to do and totally rely on online games for entertainment. i know someone that is like that. they aren't motivated.. i wish i could do something to help them move on with life, but they seem to be stuck and they like it that way. meh, i wouldn't necessarily say it's ruining that person's life, but they could find something better to do as well..

[RobinHood3000]

I like video games in general, but I have no interest in online gaming - can't afford the temporal or financial investment.

[HerGuardian]

For me, games are time-consuming. I spend time playing chess online that can be used in doing better things.

[RoCKiTcZa]

Indeed, I believe that is somewhat true, though not entirely, as some games can be totally educational provided you know how to budget your time--that is, you can do your homework and read on your lessons before getting tempted to play them. Being a student in a not-so-ordinary high school (a science high school, to be exact), I have been exposed to different kinds of people, and have noticed that those who are extremely dedicated to their studies and possess total confidence in their current intellectual capacity (meaning they know it is sufficient to get them through all of their subjects without any difficulty AND with high scores), are capable of balancing gaming with their studies and even have all the time to get immersed in DoTA, Flyff and the like, to the point that they become total addicts. And that is normal. Indeed, it is not at all unusual to find many, if not most, students in my school still playing online games more than three times a week, even during weekdays, without failing their subjects at all, a feat that should surprise you, had you been familiar of the killer requirements that spice up our hell weeks. :flare: I am not like them, however, in the sense that I do not play online games, as I prefer to spend my recreation time on sites such as litnet that are just as fun (and just as addicting!:p) as online games but provide its members with an adequate stock of knowledge and even equip them with the right skills to survive real life--and by real life I mean the life that's out there, not just that which online game-players adapt in fictional realms--most especially that of communicating with other people; and in fact I can say I have improved much in that aspect since the time I joined litnet a little over a year ago. ;)

[John Goodman]

I'm a victim of online games. I would ignore school work and play instead. I knew it was a problem, but I liked the people I was playing online with and didn't want to just disappear on them. At one point I was ignoring my friends calling me on a Friday or Saturday night to come to a party they're at to play online instead. Thankfully I played on private servers that were shut down so I could quit for good.

That was mostly in grade 10 and the start of grade 11. I'm much more social now and my grades skyrocketted upwards. Based on my grade 11 grades I got early acceptance to a few universities in the UK I had my eye on. I also have a part-time job and volunteer for the local special olympics soccer team. No way in hell am I ever playing online games again.





*This is all MMORPGs, not necessarily online games in general. I can play a game like Counter-Strike for 30 mins every few days and not feel the need to play all the time.

[Chava]

For me, games are time-consuming.

Of course they are... But it's about time management. I come home from uni, study for three hours, have dinner, clear up, and manage to pack in a good two hours of play before heading into sleep.
It's a choice. I choose to spend time on it.

Where did the thread starter go!

[formality hater]

I think "ruin" is a strong work but surely, they do cause a little problem ,especially for those students who face problem managing their study schedules!

[aBIGsheep]

I got a level 29 Human Mage.
:D

[Chava]

47 Draenai Priest, and my funky Troll hunter and her tiger, Zoma. ;)

[aBIGsheep]

Zoma? Like the drug from A Brave New World?

I still remember that orgy porgy poem.

[Chava]

Yep, that Soma.:)

[The Atheist]

It's a strange but known psychological effect of online games that some kinds of addictive personalities do get addicted to them.

Unlike slot machines, I don't think the manufacturers deliberately choose patterns which enhance addiction, but it still exists. I know that it has been a problem in Asia with several suicides linked to it. We had a very recent case in NZ (http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaruherald/4596880a6432.html)* where a young girl sent pornographic pictures of herself to gain game points she was so hooked on one.

*news article, Rated G. :)

To the OP - congratulations on getting yourself over it. Keep up the good work.

[Poetess]

I play this game, YoVille, more than 12 hours a day I suppose.
My friends and family are going crazy. I`m not giving anyone attention.
I have JUST created another account to transfer the money i get from the new character to my original character so that I furnish my home.
I`m really getting addicted.. Okay I was this was wrong, "I already got addicted".

[The Atheist]

I play this game, YoVille, more than 12 hours a day I suppose.
My friends and family are going crazy. I`m not giving anyone attention.
I have JUST created another account to transfer the money i get from the new character to my original character so that I furnish my home.
I`m really getting addicted.. Okay I was this was wrong, "I already got addicted".

Get help.

Seriously.

[Haven]

YoVille !!???!! Hey thanks Poetess for the tip off [via Atheist :) ] ... from one addict to another ... I can do 12 hours easy on Second Life, especially if it is raining ;) So I would have to say that games are addictive and can takeover your life. But nahhh they dont wreck your life ... they are games, they are fun and its your money to spend Poetess!!

[Poetess]

Haven, i`m just pissed off my sister is using the other PC, which means I can`t transfer today`s money!
I slept at 6 AM and woke up at 9 AM, directly to YoVille to get my income from the factory!
But i`m just sure that one day i`ll have to stop playing it.

Haven, let me know who you are there okay?

[Haven]

LOL doesnt she know you have rent to pay !!! ??? !!! Will IM you :)

[Chava]

Yeah, I never understood the addiction factor in Second life... I'm busy enough dealing with paying my real rent. The escapism of World of Warcraft is half the appeal.
It's like I never understood players creating human characters when you can be elves, or trolls, tauren, skeletal, or Satyresque... I'll trade for hooves and a tail anyday.

Speaking of which i should go and pay my rent...

[Bakiryu]

ok this is embarrassing but I love playing tetris online, I play a lot, there's something about stacking the thingies :blush:

[wilbur lim]

One doubt-how can you manage playing while studying?Especially this intricate literature?Don't equivocate.=)

[K. Skywalker]

I must say I am super addicted to games; video games, online games, board games, you name it! When I was in 1st grade, I play a lot. There was one time I skipped a day in school just to play video games. I was really having fun that time, but as I get older, I realized that it's pretty useless, unless if you're free and got nothing to do, then it's fine, but if you're putting yourself into it, forgetting everything else, then your life is ruined for sure.

[Bakiryu]

One doubt-how can you manage playing while studying?Especially this intricate literature?Don't equivocate.=)

Study? I never have.

Literature is just something I enjoy, like sweets.

I do not know how other people do it though.

[Chava]

One doubt-how can you manage playing while studying?Especially this intricate literature?Don't equivocate.=)

All work and no play isn't necessarily the best form of study. It's important to take breaks. My professors even instruct us to get home from class, take an hour or two's break before we continue studying. Your brain needs breaks, that way it'll be easier to absorb the information later.
Some people play computer, some people watch tv, some people sleep, and others make cakes. I really don't see why this needs to be a major problem, and certainly don't see how these poor games are doomed to wreck my life.
We're all intelligent individuals who are quite capable of evaluating the amount of time we spend on both our studies and our game time.

Seeing as I have nothing to do for the next few hours, i think i'll go and revive my priest who is dead in a jungle somewhere...