Game Compulsion

[Felicitates]

This is a topic I feel like could be particular to this forum, as we've all had those moments where we've neglected the real world to collect all the monster cards/ reach level 200/ 100% quest completion/ etc.

I ask everyone to tell me their story and what they're did/are doing to overcome it. This is a topic that's interesting to me, as most of the time I find it hard justifying most of what I do in life besides love.

I feel like the end is especially true. The gaming world is full of love and support!

[HeavyMenace]

Maple was the only game I ever wasted a lot of time on and Nexon did the work for me by making their game pomegranatety. That's not to say that I'm spending my time much better now that I barely play Maple. For me it's more like internet compulsion than game compulsion.

Nice motivational video BTW. Strong and reassuring words but for most people a video won't be the push they need to get out there.

[Corn]

Maple was the only game I ever wasted a lot of time on and Nexon did the work for me by making their game pomegranatety. That's not to say that I'm spending my time much better now that I barely play Maple. For me it's more like internet compulsion than game compulsion.

Ha ha, same.

Not to mention I got into League of Legends...which I may or may not be addicted to, but if I am, it isn't as bad as Maplestory.

[Zelkova]

Ha ha, same.

Not to mention I got into League of Legends...which I may or may not be addicted to, but if I am, it isn't as bad as Maplestory.

I agree, LoL isn't really addictive to me. I believe that is because it is segmented into games. When a game is over you can call it quits and not miss out on your IP booster or what have you.

[Felicitates]

I know I spent an excessive amount of time on games because it was the only place where middle American people weren't like "oh. its that weird foreign girl who likes learning. lets not be friends with her." It was the place where despite being so young, people loved whatever funny, witty quip I'd say. Regardless of my age, sex or race people usually welcome my opinion, advice, etc. That was my favorite part of the glorified chatroom known as Maplestory. I could have great discussions with people and build great friendships in this one place where I felt like I had power. Where my strength could be measured, and improved.

[Icedemontrihorn]

First thing that popped in my mind when I saw that was Extra Credits. I remembered showing part one and two to a few people about a year ago (irl and in maple). They really nailed the spot with that episode. The correlation between maple and this is no different.

Right....my story. It was kinda simple really (edit: I say that now but I just remembered all the past attempts to quit that game....)....got into pokemon (again) and didn't play tooo too much after I beat the E4. I can play the game, leave it for a month or two, come back and I don't feel too left behind. Maple on the other hand....stay away from the game for a month and you'll miss out on soo much stuff. >.>

[Justin]

I suffered pretty heavily from this for a few years right after i graduated from high school. After 4 years of crappy part time minimum wage jobs and basically holing myself up in my room to play maplestory and other MMOs I just... got tired of it. It wasn't the life I wanted to have. So I asked my mom what she could recommend, and now, a year and a half later... I'm a manager for a retail store, I graduate school in half a year, and I've retained a 3.75 GPA. Never been more proud of myself in my life and I'm actually looking forward to the future, not being doubtful of it.

I think a lot of gamers need to see things like this more. Most people think they're helpless but they just don't know or realize that there are a LOT of outlets out there they can rely or lean on. It's never too late to give life another try.

[Words]

I lose interest often and easily so it's not that hard to get away from games. However, it's also an issue in real life but friends and most of my family seem to understand and accept the fact that I just won't talk to them for a couple weeks/months. The only thing that really pineapples me about gaming is how bad it can screw with my already pineappleed up sleeping schedule.

[Onion Knight]

Post's a bit of a mess, had a little laundry to hang up.

Some section of my uh, "story" can be seen on my old account here at SP: @Beg;. This thread specifically is a particularly grotesque example of what this video goes on about, and there may be other examples in the Angry Dome and in other posts too. At this point, Maple was my only social life bar the family, and the only real place I didn't feel like a massive waste of space. I added modest value to this virtual world and it's virtual community, IRL I was nothing but a massive burden on everyone who knew me. Those were dark days.

Something small did change late 2012. Whether this is a false memory conjured up on my part to shield myself from the catastrophe that inevitably awaits me in a few months or not, something definitely began to feel different that year to years previous and that feeling is still there today. It certainly wasn't an overnight change, I don't recall at any point going "RIGHT, MY LIFE WILL BE BETTER STARTING NOW" (well I did but nothing came of it), but over time it's seems like the grip Maple used to have diminished somewhat since that feeling turned up. It is easier these days to just stop and do something else which is strange because even in the face of recent events I still like Maple, possibly even more so than I used to since I made the full switch to Kanna.

It could be as simple as recognising that what Maple has given me over the years really hasn't been worth what it's cost me in time and effort. It may also be because last year I received the best academic marks I'd ever received at Uni, giving me the extra hope and confidence in my own ability I needed to not want to retreat into pure escapism all the time. It could even just be that I've got more important things to do, and the fear of the consequences of not doing them outweigh my desire to reach level 210/get RA equips in the absolute most meso-efficient way or what have you. Maybe I'm just fed up of the same predictable emotional cycles of satiety and outrage Maple seems to forcefully invoke, and need a change in routine. Could be any combination of or all of these things, or something else entirely.

I don't know the details of your situation or how serious it is, but I believe with some well-placed minor choices these little things may just add up to one big favourable conclusion at some point later on. Hope that was vague enough to apply.

[VerrKol]

I think this is definitely a problem, to a greater or lesser extent, to every single person playing a MMORPG seriously. Maple is probably just amongst the worst on this spectrum. The game is designed to constantly have events which compel people to continue playing or be left behind. The daily log in a kill X monsters for X days are the worst because there's little wiggle room. Players are encouraged to participate and continue to participate every single day. This is not a reasonable or healthy situation.

I'm sure some would be quick to point out that if something is happening irl, we just need to make that the priority. But the compulsion, which I think is a great word to describe it, is a powerful pull. I know I found myself playing longer than I intended to try to "finish" the level or complete the quest. Then I'd suddenly find myself 3 hours later and hopelessly lost for time to finish things that actually matter.

This isn't something I've really shared with SP, but I kind of pineappleed up my life last year and flunked out of school. Gaming compulsion wasn't the main factor or possibly even a large factor (lots of family problems), but it was a factor. I can honestly say that the hours I spent on Maple trying to compete in my self constructed mission against the heavy NX spenders hurt my grades. The instant gratification of video games dulled my appreciation for academic achievements and contributed to my erratic sleep and eating habits which can't have been healthy.

The final straw for me wasn't flunking out of school. It wasn't my financial dysfunction. It wasn't my lack of motivation to find a job. It was my mother's genuine distress that really got to me. I was managing fairly well at home (fairly = attending classes and playing less than 6 hrs a day), but it really hurt her to see me fall so low.

I quit Maple nearly a month ago now and haven't been tempted to log on since. I do play LoL a couple times a week, but I can responsibly decide when I'm able to play because there are no deadlines for advancement. There are no "events" compelling me to log on daily. More than anything, I enjoy the social and competitive aspects to a well designed game that at least somewhat requires and promotes strategic thinking.

In summary, gaming compulsion has effected my life and I'm sure nearly everyone on this site. I will always have to be careful in how I budget my time and how much I let games control me, but I'm doing better. Since quitting, I feel better physically and mentally and I know that I will return to school (I'm at community college until they let me return) and finish (only 5 classes to graduation).

[KhainiWest]

It's odd because I can't relate to this video at all. My biggest addictions were definitely C&C zero hour and maplestory at one point. I loved CC because I talked with people that gave interesting perspectives, who gave me conversations I could really, enjoy. I had a huge social life outside of it though, but, I wasn't as entertained during those times. Most people wanted to drink, maybe smoke a little pot, and they were respectful of my decision not to do either, and it wasn't like we were sitting around doing nothing, but they just didn't give me the conversations I craved.

Sure the hours I spent just sitting in my friends basement playing perfect dark, melee, and all sorts of games were beyond fun, but after awhile, a kind of predictable tier system between all of us formed and lost its lust. When I had to move and half my closest friends also moved/gotexpelled the only friends that I always had a belonging to, were my online ones. After awhile, I ended up talking to people in their mid 30's/40's and learning things well before my own age. I grew up way to fast and my medium was in fact these games I played. After awhile everyone moved on, I got a girlfriend, we moved to maplestory and it just went downhill. At first it was fun, it kept a contact with my real life friends who were gone, and gave a more engaging chat system, but my girlfriend was much more enthralled about it then I was, but the growth was seen, and I enjoyed it.

After awhile, I decided I wanted to be the best, put a big chunk of change down, and went for it. I wanted to set an example for players, that these condescending hackers throughout the servers corrupted. I accomplished it, I didn't work for 3 months because I went through an internship and they were being d`icks about, so I applied to another position and got in instantly. By the time I got to working full time, I just maintained my title, but the game got progressively more expensive, with less and less responsibility towards the safety of your character. After realizing the the developer was more of a threat to me than these guys who want to throw me under a bus, I left.

It was hard at first, not necessarily because I missed the game, although everyone would miss the accolades to being popular, even if online, but just because real life bored me so much. I'm naturally adventurous, but the idea of a bar or a club, which people in my age gap pretty much live their lifes around, just gives me a headache. It lacks any type of appeal, I did date a girl for 3 years, but she missed that party life, on top of other things including immigration policy being ridiculous that broke us up. To be honest without her, I probably would have gone back eventually, but she was a necessary distraction, and I owe her a lot for it.

To be honest, for a lot of games, going simply cold turkey won't work, but maplestory is probably one of the few that does. You're offline for a month or two, your character loses all it's appeal, the changes are so drastic that youre easily overwhelmed, which makes getting back into it so much harder, yet making you attached so much easier. It's a double edge sword.

I just don't see this problem solely as a "I'm lost and I feel worthless in this on going hamster wheel which is life", nor do I see this an addiction. I see someone that is bored and doesn't have enough resources to explore and find those things that give you the same entertainment value. The best thing you can do is explore, take risks, don't be afraid to make mistakes, and don't be ashamed at the things you do find enjoyable. My aunt is probably the prime example of this. She's constantly looking for things to engage her, she plays piano, violin, got into interior design, gardens, and just shops for artistic things. Engage yourself in things that stimulate you, somethng to make you interesting, you're going to be living with yourself your entire life, might as well not be a bore!

[PoetryIsFail]

Oo that video was good

Personally I only ever felt that compulsion in maplestory because the gameplay was consistent, just like the video said, I'd be rewarded for some hours mindlessly dumped in; it wasn't a challenge and in the end I still got some small prize. The only way I 'broke' that compulsion was by realizing that in the long run, the rewards didn't matter.

[Sardines]

Escapism.

[Encyclopedic]

I feel like I'm going though this right now. I've been playing maple in some form for 5-6 years now. After a while I got fed up with nexon so I moved to private servers, which I've been playing for about 1-1.5 years now I think. Recently the one I was playing on was shut down and I haven't actually had a desire to find a substitute for maple. I've been playing quite some Terraria and Pokemon Y lately but neither of those even come close to the 'pull' that maple had.
My life has been impacted pretty heavily by maple and I'm somewhat happy to let it go now.

[Corn]

I agree, LoL isn't really addictive to me. I believe that is because it is segmented into games. When a game is over you can call it quits and not miss out on your IP booster or what have you.

It's strange. Some of my friends have an insane compulsion to LoL. Like, literally staying up all night to play the game. I mean, fine, I might understand getting the first win of the day, but playing until 5 AM or beyond?

LoL are most of these people's first game. I like to think Maplestory built up an immunity in me .

[Felicitates]

The best thing you can do is explore, take risks, don't be afraid to make mistakes, and don't be ashamed at the things you do find enjoyable. My aunt is probably the prime example of this. She's constantly looking for things to engage her, she plays piano, violin, got into interior design, gardens, and just shops for artistic things. Engage yourself in things that stimulate you, somethng to make you interesting, you're going to be living with yourself your entire life, might as well not be a bore!

This is great advice, I know for sure because of Maplestory I was always very scared to apply to art school because I didn't think I was good enough. I wasn't good enough because instead of actually drawing I was just grinding out in Temple of Time =\ I regret that every day of my life.

Escapism.

Wunderlust.

[Sardines]

I didn't think it was possible to take six and a half minutes to explain escapism.

[Shads]

Basically I had this same problem with every video game I ran into. I had gotten a gameboy at the age of 5 and I think the mistreatment I got from my fellow peers didn't really help. It caused me to become more of the recluse I am now (I'm only 17 so I definitely have a lot of room to make up for this). Eventually I was introduced to maple. When I was first introduced I hated it. Too much grind too much time but my friend literally wanted me on for hours a day and I genuinely despised him for it. He was a bigger addict but I think I was the reason he stopped playing now.

Eventually I got back to America and said, "eh why not look at what GMS is like". Unfortunately I wasn't really hooked until my friend moved to Alabama not to long after I had gotten back. This had me hooked, we started on zenith and had a fresh start and it was eh until I hit windia. I was hooked because of friends. Eventually this got to the point where I would start losing sleep over maple instead of trying to get up with the old shows. It eventually got to the point where I would still be playing it very actively but hated the game because I had hit southperry and realized how much of a money trap the game actually was (I had started realizing it before but SP shoved in my face more). Eventually my friend started to get turned off from playing because no matter what he'd do I'd always be better than him in the game, to the point where he rarely plays for others but only for himself and only when people ask for him to play. (I asked him to help with the absolute belt and he literally just wanted to train his wind archer for two MPE stages and said he wanted to go back to minecraft saying the game was getting to grindy for him). This was already to the point where I rarely log on until I notice something that seems ok for me while avoiding the point of spending money to get nx.

Now it's more of the point where I play games occasionally but I'm still a shut in. I'm trying to concentrate more on school now but really my grades are beyond repremending. Not really an oops of more of a "I should have gotten that under control before". I'm having some concentration and self motivational issues now but I don't think their tht bad since maple has given me this odd "I have to do about 4 hours of work now" which sometimes gets me ahead of my classes.

Maybe I'll edit this later, I'll probably forget instead.

[Fiel]

I don't even find games interesting anymore.

After seeing the guts of a game and understanding how everything works behind the scenes, the game loses its magic. It seems contradictory that I'm so interested in figuring out the puzzle of how games are packed/encrypted then, once doing so, I lose a lot of interest. But hey, I can't win them all can I?

It was just this past week when I was looking after game after game after game on Steam looking for an interesting one to play. After searching for about 2 hours I finally concluded that there are plenty of interesting games, just none that are interesting to me. So the thought of playing GTAV doesn't sound nearly as interesting to me as learning moar Russian.

Now playing a video game feels like going on a treadmill where the more you play it the more an integer increases. After a while, you stop caring about the integer. There's nothing special about the integer. Anyone can increase it. What if it's by a factor of skill that it gets increased? That makes me want to see what other people can do to push the limits of the game. This is why I'm still interested in competitive gaming (LoL, Brood War, SC2) even if I would never play the games myself.

[KhainiWest]

I don't even find games interesting anymore.

After seeing the guts of a game and understanding how everything works behind the scenes, the game loses its magic. It seems contradictory that I'm so interested in figuring out the puzzle of how games are packed/encrypted then, once doing so, I lose a lot of interest. But hey, I can't win them all can I?

It was just this past week when I was looking after game after game after game on Steam looking for an interesting one to play. After searching for about 2 hours I finally concluded that there are plenty of interesting games, just none that are interesting to me. So the thought of playing GTAV doesn't sound nearly as interesting to me as learning moar Russian.

Now playing a video game feels like going on a treadmill where the more you play it the more an integer increases. After a while, you stop caring about the integer. There's nothing special about the integer. Anyone can increase it. What if it's by a factor of skill that it gets increased? That makes me want to see what other people can do to push the limits of the game. This is why I'm still interested in competitive gaming (LoL, Brood War, SC2) even if I would never play the games myself.

What limit's do you suggest? Gaming in general has bored me as of recently as well. The only games I play are BF3/BF4, Generals zero hour, pokemon and fire emblem. Although the last two are more about integers increasing, they still have this character aspect that was simply good writing.

I'm just curious from a coder standpoint, what would blow your mind? Did skyrim do it for you for a period of time?