Gaming Addiction?

[cbwing0]

Today's edition of the Washington Post included an article on gaming addiction: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7044-2004Oct4.html

The article claims that the addiction to games is based on "the God effect;" that is, the ability to have complete control over the world within the game.

What makes this absurd is that it was stated in the context of massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs, for short). The whole point of these games is that you are only one player among many, interacting with a world that you did not create, and which you most certainly do not control.

Still, I am curious about one thing: how many hours a day do you spend playing videogames? Would you consider yourself to be addicted to gaming?

On average I play less than 1 hour a day. Of course I will play more than that when I first get a game, and less if I haven't bought anything new for a while. What about you?

[kaji]

Interesting article. While I do think many people play games/watch movies to escape reality, I do not think this is true for the majority of gamers (or my self).

I would have to say that I am virtualy the same as cbwing0 when it comes to playing games. I have only clocked about 4-5 hours in the last week. However, when I get a new game I tend to put extra time into it at first, possibly double my normal time (8-10 hours a week).

[shooraijin]

Boo, they want you to register to read the article.

[cbwing0]

Boo, they want you to register to read the article.

Problem solved

(Article removed by me...not the mods ).

[Mithrandir]

Hmm... I don't know about that. It seems kind of far fetched to me... I've been into playing video games all my life - sometimes a LOT into it, sometimes not a lot into it. Certain games I can play for hours on end, others for literally minutes before getting bored, frustrated, annoyed.

Somewhere, deep down, I think every addict knows he's addicted. Lots of them are good at covering that up by feeding the addiction.

But video games...?

[Saint Kevin]

Yeah, whether or not you'd want to go so far to call it an addiction, I do believe games can sometimes play the role of an idol in our lives, when we play them rather than doing homework/housework/something we know God wants us to do at that moment. I've been there, it's been an idol in my life before, and I regret that. So long as we are able to do all things to the glory of God however (video games and anime included) then it should be fine. If we can't, then it's a problem.

Yeah, I'd believe people can get addicted to videogames, oldphil, as hard as it is to believe.

Also, CB, be careful what you cut and paste. I'd hate to see the Wash. Post sue you or something. Just to be clear - posting an entire article of something is almost certainly NOT fair use of copyrighted material. I'd advise citing bits and pieces of that article if you want to stay in the clear.

[cbwing0]

Also, CB, be careful what you cut and paste.

Point taken. If you want to see the article, just register with washingtonpost.com. It's free, so there's no reason to complain .

Or if you have Mozilla Firefox, just use the BugMeNot program, and it will fill in a random username/password for you...so you don't even have to worry about spam (not that they send you any in the first place...).

[Debitt]

>> Addicted to gaming? Playing god? Eeehh....maybe some people, but I can assure you that most gamers I know don't play video games to "play god."

I myself don't play more than an hour a day (unless you count DDR), and that's mainly on Ragnarok Online.

[Azier the Swordsman]

I play games to have fun and perhaps enjoy a good storyline with characters I care about. There's nothing like spending hours on end with a good game, completing sidequests, building up your characters for the final showdown, ect.

I'm not necessarily addicted, though I will admit gaming was the original major factor for wanting to study 日本語. (Japanese)

[Savior_Sora]

um...is playing for about 3 hours a day average too much?...and on weekends about 6?...

[Fsiphskilm]

teh....

[Savior_Sora]

I don't see the problem with all this. Games don't make people kill...it's just an excuse. Like Volt said its bad parenting . I'm gonna be agamer all my life, and no one can tell me otherwise.

I'll even do it after I'm married and have kids!! Not as much, but I still will. Hope my kids will play with me XD.

[Slater]

hehehe... yeah same here. But that's kewl since the woman I have in mind is a videogame psycho! ^^