"Addict" or self-control?

Bassmansam · 10 Oct 2019 at 10:31

malachi said:
Question for everyone.

Playing games for escapism and playing games for entertainment? Are they both the same?

Isn’t evert hobby a form of escapism?

malachi · 10 Oct 2019 at 10:43

Bassmansam said:
Isn’t evert hobby a form of escapism?

Well I enjoy going to the gym and doing martial arts but I don't see it as an hobby.

placeholder · 10 Oct 2019 at 11:19

If its having a negative impact on your life and you are doing it at the expense of other things then its a issue whatever it is. I used to spend a hell of a lot of time on Championship Manager as a young teenager but if I wasn't doing that I would probably have just been watching TV anyway so I didn't see it as an issue - it was just something I liked doing in my spare time.

If you are doing it and its preventing you socialising, having a job, getting a proper nights sleep, functioning as a proper adult then you have a real problem whether its gambling, drinking, drugs or playing computer games. If its just something you like to do in context of being a well balanced person then carry on.

bloodiedathame · 10 Oct 2019 at 11:35

I think it's very easy to get addicted to games. I wouldn't be surprised if console manufacturers or game services were forced to put time limits on in the future.

Screeeech · 10 Oct 2019 at 11:57

bloodiedathame said:
I think it's very easy to get addicted to games. I wouldn't be surprised if console manufacturers or game services were forced to put time limits on in the future.

We do in some countries, South Korea have a law which is meant to prevent children under 16 from playing games from midnight until 6am, when they login they have to provide their government identify card details and we basically boot them out at midnight. Although it's not perfect, I believe there's been a big increase in identity fraud, and parents can actually sign a waiver to the law if they want their kids playing 24/7 lol..

But overall, I'm supportive of legislation which would prevent kids getting sucked into addiction, provided it's sensible and it works.

Bassmansam · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:09

malachi said:
Well I enjoy going to the gym and doing martial arts but I don't see it as an hobby.

Of course they are hobbies..

VincentHanna · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:13

If you enjoy them I guess they are hobbies.

I don't particularly enjoy the Gym, so it's not a hobby.

malachi · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:13

Bassmansam said:
Of course they are hobbies..

I don't see them as hobbies because they are part of my daily exercise routine. No different from me going to work (which I enjoy doing) or taking a run around the block.

But I see your point.

SPG · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:39

Oh dear god, if gaming 18hrs a day makes you happy and you pay your tax`s and not going around causing people strife. Then play games all day. If you want a girlfriend then stop gaming and do something to meet other people outside or be lazy and get on dating App.

So many excuses and not enough ownership it gets right on my nerves.

EdwardTeach · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:50

The closest to addiction was probably football manager. When it first came out I got kind of obsessed with it. I got less sleep than I should have, but still held down a job and a social life.

I did go through a short phase, where I dropped out of uni and spent a few months playing games, and not going out. I would say this was a symptom of depression rather than a cause, and probably helped me get through a rough time.

Sutters · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:52

I've often wondered about losing control and addiction. Like if you can't control yourself then who is in control, does the game control you now?

EdwardTeach · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:58

BowdonUK said:
I've gamed all my life from 12 years old to my 40s. I currently play 6 hours a day, 7 days a week. I don't think its the amount of hours a person plays games. I think its when you obsess about it. If someone obsesses about anything then they have a problem.

I don't think kids these days have learned the life skills before they start gaming.

Throwing controllers, breaking keyboards, and smashing monitors and consoles is abnormal behaviour. Who wants to play or associate with someone who does that?

How do you manage 6hrs a day with a job?

bainbridge · 10 Oct 2019 at 12:58

SPG said:
Oh dear god, if gaming 18hrs a day makes you happy and you pay your tax`s and not going around causing people strife. Then play games all day. If you want a girlfriend then stop gaming and do something to meet other people outside or be lazy and get on dating App.

So many excuses and not enough ownership it gets right on my nerves.

Unless you're being paid to play games full time, which I imagine is a miniscule proportion of the gamers out there, you won't be able to game for 18 hrs per day and pay tax.

SPG · 10 Oct 2019 at 13:05

bainbridge said:
Unless you're being paid to play games full time, which I imagine is a miniscule proportion of the gamers out there, you won't be able to game for 18 hrs per day and pay tax.

Weekends you can, and you may only work part time....

bainbridge · 10 Oct 2019 at 13:07

SPG said:
Weekends you can, and you may only work part time....

Point taken. Though it would be very part time to game 18 hrs and get some sleep

SPG · 10 Oct 2019 at 13:16

Who needs sleep when you game all day

Back in the day when the Mrs was away with business I may have on occasion phoned in sick for a couple of days to play Age of Conan

Brownie points when she got back as the house was spotless little did she know i only moved to get the bathroom... Good times

adam cool dude · 10 Oct 2019 at 14:16

robgmun said:
It's pretty much the reason i prefer single-player games and stay away from MMORPG's and Battle Royal games. They're repetitive to me. With single-player games, they typically don't last more than 20-30 hours (sometimes much less) and they're no different than watching a movie or TV series.

Same for me. I have shone away from those kind of games. Single player games only. Currently working my way through the Bioshock collection as I only originally played the original. I do still online game but only driving Sims and FPS as they are really easy to pick up and play a couple of games for the odd half an hour here or there.

I have never been one to get addicted though. Smoked for ten years then woke up one day and just gave up. Used to drink like all teenagers but forgot the last time I have drank from a tap!

Diagro · 10 Oct 2019 at 16:24

When I was a child i used to play old isometric mmorpgs.

I spent my time buying gold from cheap Chinese gold sellers, and selling it onto the European guilds.

I could make around £0.10 per million gold sold, I think if i recall correctly, i sold in excess of 100billion gold on one game alone within 2 years.
I was doing this across 4 games.

I was 14... stopped at 17... made a nice bit of pocket money

Was i addicted? Yes.

Eurofighter · 11 Oct 2019 at 08:37

I used to play games s lot. Never did me any harm other than maybe reading some gaming forums during computing lessons. Ha.

Efour · 11 Oct 2019 at 09:00

Diagro said:
When I was a child i used to play old isometric mmorpgs.

I spent my time buying gold from cheap Chinese gold sellers, and selling it onto the European guilds.

I could make around £0.10 per million gold sold, I think if i recall correctly, i sold in excess of 100billion gold on one game alone within 2 years.
I was doing this across 4 games.

I was 14... stopped at 17... made a nice bit of pocket money

Was i addicted? Yes.

I love you version of playing a game....