Videogames addiction?

[Hell³]

Gaming industry blog Gamasutra posted a couple days ago the article "Games and Addiction, Are We There Yet? (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070105/clark_01.shtml)", it tries to compile the current status from various points of view about this that could be one of the most controversial topics about the favorite hobby of maybe the majority of the people who visits this site. Since this is a topic that is very close to home (2000+ GW hours can do my speaking) I guessed you would like to read it as well. Enjoy.

Gamasutra, que es un blog de la industria de videojuegos, publicó hace unos cuantos dias el artículo "Games and Addiction, Are We There Yet? (http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20070105/clark_01.shtml)", trata de compilar el estado actual desde varios puntos de vista de este que ha de ser uno de los temas más controversiales acerca del pasatiempo favorito de probablemente la mayoría de la gente que visita este sitio. Ya que este es un tema que es muy cercano a mí (mis más de 2000 horas en GW pueden hablar por mí) me imaginé que a ustedes les interesaría leerlo también. Que lo disfruten.

[HeliogabaluS]

mas ke adiccion es el entorno, se encuentra adentro lo ke nos gusta, y afuera no
asi de facil, y sencillo, menos cop0mplicado , ademas kien no es adicto>?
el humano es un animal de costumbres, algunas adcciones a lo ke sea se aceptan socialmente como los ke komopran, o los codependientes a relaciones, o los ke necesitan cafe pa despertar, o los ke fuman, o chupan o comen mucho chocolate..

es la naturaleza humana, fuimos diseniados con muchas dependencias y debilidades por la raza maestra ke nos creo para ser sus esclavos hace miles de anios!
pero ahora ke estamos solos y ke fuimos abandonados hace miles de anios tambien, crecimos con chingos de deficiencias, y algunos chingones ke se dieron cuenta lop explotan pa vendernos cosas..

p0ero es algo completamente normal, no hya nada malo en ello, a menos ke ser "humano" sea malo! :love: :love:

[Smokeheim]

There's a lot too be said about video game addiction and even technology addiction. Recently I read an article that there are a substantial amount of people that check there work/home e-mails once every half an hour, not too mention those that are part of forums that they post on or are a part of. Researchers have said that this leads too hightened stress levels and that a lot of people can't leave work and just sign off. Now they get e-mails at all times of night and day so never 'truly' finish work.

Then there's gamer addiction... Well, I may not have a single game addiction like our dear Hellc or Vic but I know I love my damned computer games. Look at me collection. It spans over two decades of games. I keep the boxes lovingly in as mint condition as I can. I love games (specific genres). I love the art too games, I love the story in games. I'd call myself an addict. A damned lot of the time I would rather be playing my computer rather than having too socialise with people. At least my computer can keep me highly entertained, I can't say that about a damned lot of people.

Socially acceptable? Probably not. No addiction is seen as socially acceptable. Smokers in Australia are alienated and treated as scum, alcoholics are in the same catergory. Compulsive gamblers are advertised as evil. Shit I think that caffiene is the only one that people really arn't wholeheartedly against. Addicted Gamers are put into the compulsive gambler, alcoholic catergory I think.

Probably doesn't help that people have said that computers games have played a part in things like the Columbine(sp) Shootings and the massacre of people in Canada. News articles dictate that computer games have been responsible in some way or other too evil social events. Bad press = bad addiction. Meh, anyone that blames a computer game for being a psychopath is a fool and those that eat it up even more foolish.

I suppose like any addiction, if it starts destroying your life, then it is a bad thing. It's just knowing the point when it has hit 'addiction' that is hard too work out.

The Prophet is quite correct in saying that humans are a people that are easily addicted too anything that they do. Having a low willpower is probably a bad thing, but then again, if people were a little more entertaining, then maybe computer game addiction wouldn't be a problem...

:cool: :evil: :p :nod: :cool:

[Hell³]

Well, there is some truth in your ideas, we have something in our minds that makes us dependent of what we seem to enjoy. But we must start to make some distinctions here. We have the tendency to compare this kind of addictions to other types of addictions that would have some similar traits to what we could consider videogame addiction. But to me, chemical dependencies (be it nicotine, caffeine, alcohol or hardcore stuff) have more differences than similarities to the behavioral conditions videogame addicts might present.

I think first and foremost as it was said in the article it's needed to have a real definition of the traits and quirks that said addiction would have to be properly classified and eventually diagnosed. Comparing it to chemical dependencies won't really help. About being a good or bad thing, it also won't help recognizing that it becomes a problem when it starts affecting your life and your social environment. The problem here is, when you have to take action to stop that from eventually happening?, where do you preemptively strike against the signs that could eventually lead you to be really FUBAR?. Right now we don't really have any of that. Or for any other "modern" afflictions (internet/forum/chat/email/porn addiction anyone?).

And other thing, why is that videogame addiction gets so many attention?, is it because the children could be directly affected? or is it because the videogames industry is a multibillion dollar one that has exponentially grown almost unchecked for the last two decades? the sharks are smelling blood in the water, and be sure that this whole push of the media it's not by any chance casual. Getting videogame addiction an official recognition as a real affliction would mean that maybe developers could eventually be held legally responsible. Just as Big Tobacco has been tried to be held for many years now.

[Smokeheim]

Bah!! Gaming company's should never be help liable for mistakes made in parenting. Realistically, if 'gaming addiction' happens in early teenagehood or before, then it is the parents fault. If you don't look into your childs life, or you accede too there every whim, how the hell do you expect them too operate in the real world? Discipline is the key. Would you give a packet of cigarettes too a child of 13 every day, of course not, same applies too gaming. When growing up, we weren't allowed inside the house after school except too go too the toilet and eat snacks that mum made. We were outside, riding our bike with mates, building treehouses/forts pretending that we were marines shooting 'Charlie'. If a parent takes the easy option and says, shutup and sit in front of the XBox, Wii, PC then it is their responsibility and their fault their child has a lack of social skills. It would be their fault if the child has a 'video game addiction'. Discipline and order are key. By raising ones' child too not only excel in in video games but in various things, it can taste everything that life has too offer.

Once the child has grown too an adult, hopefully (because you bought it up correctly) it has the capacity too know that, 'Oh shit, I should see my girlfriend wife/child I shouldn't go on this World of Warcraft raid.' Slight video game addiction, no worries. Just because I have a glass of scotch on every day that ends in Y doesn't mean I'm an alcoholic. Just the same as video games.

Alas, repetitive behaviour from a human being changes the neural pathways of the brain. Doing something often enough makes it a habit and something like that is hard too break. There may be no physical dependency like nicotine in cigarettes, but many people don't find the nicotine near as an addictive as they find the actual action of smoking. Habit is the problem and the solution is easy, increased will in people. Just add a couple of spoonfuls of willpower in the morning and everything will be just fine and dandy... ;) :p :) ;) :p ;)

[Black Scorpion]

I could not agree more with you Smokeheim, i think games it self its not the problem, the problem its to dont have discipline and order in your life to just take it the "exact dosis" that doesnt take you away from the things you have to do in REAL LIFE. As you said as an example, spent time doing a "raid" in a rpg game instead of go out with your gf, family or friends, etc. for me its just a matter of BALANCE in your life and mind, to give the exact value to things.

At least for me, real stuff in my life comes first than to play a lot of hours in a virtual world that could keep me aside from doing things with my gf, friends or family.

Games are good when you take them as their meant to be, a distraction for the time you have not to much to do, fun its always welcome, but you have to be aware not to immerse yourself all day in them.

My humile opinion.

[HeliogabaluS]

el pedo es la gente ke jala del gatillo, no los fabricantes de armas.
el pedo eske estamos condicionados a depender de las cosas para llenar nuestros vacios emocionales, aun asi, kien dice ke estar con la novia todo el pinche dia no es adiccion?
o con la familia o lo ke sea, es problema cuando se nombra como tal, cuando no no pasa nada, la sociedad esta podrida por los publicistas, no hay vuelta artras, esta es senial de la decadencia de los valores "tradicionales", cuando esto pasa en las culturas kiere decir ke e4stan proximas a su anikilacion.
se le llama decadencia, y se siente muuuuuy bien!

ademas solo es "malo" cuando alguien lo dice, la neta prefiero lidiar con gente ke konozco en internet ke kon la banda zombie ke no tiene esa "adiccion", pero si muchas otras "socialmente" "aceptadas"

todo se deriva del lenguage, es la palabra la ke define el problema.