Video Game dependency....

[ZeratulStukov]

Okay, so I'm not sure if to post this here, Gamers' Utopia or Members' Lounge... But, since it will be an intellectual discussion... Anyway, feel free to move it anywhere you want it... ;)

Video Game Dependency...
Why is the new generation so dependent of Video Games??? Whydo they stay awake all the night only to play World of Warcraft or CounterStrike online, or any other game?
What causes Video Game Dependecy?
How can we treat it?
And why so many people aged between 13 -> 19 like to play Counter-Strike online or any other game, instead of going outside, playing football, meeting girls etc?

I have never been so dependent to play a game 4 or more hours straight... Or stayin late at night only to play it... But some of my friends did. And lots and lots of Romanian people from 12 to 20 y.o. love to play CounterStrike or MU Online... and they play, and play, and play.... But why so much? Why they don't have limits?
Sometimes I wonder... How can guys that are at High School, and have classes in the morning, play half the night ?

Anyway, this thing is wrong!
Video Game dependency can sometimes lead to this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsom99Ds43U (Although it's just a hoax, there could be/surely are many true cases like this)

[MatGeo]

I have never understood how some people can become addicted to games. I think that video game dependency is a result of the person's lack of willpower or the ability to control himself, as this kind of dependency is different from drugs or cigarettes or anything like that, as it doesn't do anything to the body to make you desperately want it, so it's obviously a problem of self control.

As for why this generation is so obsessed about games, well I'm guessing because during their childhood their parents allowed them to play all day, instead of encouraging them to go outside, and make new friends, though they'll live to regret wasting the most carefree part of their life in such a stupid manner later(I'm a fine example of this sort of childhood).

[migidu]

It's not really dependency. At my younger age, I too I can consider myself a computer addict. Its not that all addicts is a result of the person's lack of willpower or the ability to control himself. Not true for all.

People want to go somewhere where they will be appreciated. And you cannot say things where you have not come from because it takes one to know one. For you to understand how video games can be so addictive you must have experienced to be a video game addict or have witnessed the experience of one. We all know any addiction, obsession or too much of anything is bad. That is where self-control or self-discipline comes.

Back to the topic :

1) They stay awake at night because less people play at night so there is less lag. They sacrifice their sleeping time to finish something they want or they enjoy. Also, there would be better players at night. If you do have heard of bots, you would not need to stay awake at night to play. There is also a different feeling when you play all night long, but this could cause shift in one's biological clock. Playing at night or at home is different when playing at day time. For horror games, it intensifies it. For just playing at night, your family members are probably asleep. or maybe you could cheat on your parents cause your deprived to play at day. Another would be, you want to make the most of your time to play, optimize or maximize which you cannot do at daytime.

2) This dependency is is self-issue first which is how one responds to a stimuli given to him by his environment. For some reason, my friend told me that playing video games stimulates your body to produce hormones found in chocolate which makes you happy when you play it. Or it helps produce the same addictive chemical added in tobacco and cigarettes making you addicted. Video games can be substituted to drugs as a means to deal with one's problem, an brief escape from reality. Another thing would be, it might be a trend to children. When ascendancy is at its play, people want it. All men want to be known for something. "Hey I'm the best CS player in the whole world!" This title is something admirable for people who share the same dreams and hobby, and not worth anything to people who dont know CS.


3) If you would treat it as a disease since you used treat, Discipline is the key. It's the parent's job to teach it to the child and the child to obey his parents. When you grow older, you'll realize if it was worth spending hundreds of hours of your life sitting down straining your eyes skipping your slipping time to play video games. So long as your happy, why not ? But sometimes, you could have wished you spent it for your personal growth and other meaningful and productive activities. You don't always need to be in the trend, go with the flow stuffs. Learn to make your own trend and be a good person.

4) My friend said because sexy virtual girls are in video games and it does help in preventing aids indirectly but one's desire is provokes that personal solo play is no longer fun. sexy virtual girls are not enough, then it goes. Also video games provide simulation of many things done in the real stuffs, wide genre. Violence in war games or 1st person shooting games is very enjoyable to some which they mimic in real life or they want to mimic in real life.

For some things to ponder. does video games not promote new scientific ideas which the military supports? Do they not prove bonding for those who share the same hobbies? It's only when too much it is wrong, even the ancient Greeks knew this.

Sometimes I wonder... How can guys that are at High School, and have classes in the morning, play half the night ?

its desire dude, will power, seduction, weakness, passion, its complicated. There's many things why you would do that, what's important is you dont become a useless unknown being, you should be at least fruitful in your personal motives and activities :)

[singo]

Why the new generation is so dependant on videogames?

I dont think they (we?) are, I personally only play games when I have nothing better to do (admittedly, as a student with only 8 hours of lectures a week that is a fair amout of the time) nor do I know anyone who really takes the piss with it.

And as to parents encouraging it, its because the media has convinced them it is unsafe to let their children outside because if they do they will vanish, be raped and then buried in a shallow grave (the children that were let out not the parents).


Of couse I am leaning towards considering it just another aspect of the technologically advanced society, people have been getting doing less because there is a bit of technology to help them be less active/make it enjoyable to be less active ever since the pointy stick was invented.

[MatGeo]

And as to parents encouraging it, its because the media has convinced them it is unsafe to let their children outside because if they do they will vanish, be raped and then buried in a shallow grave (the children that were let out not the parents).

Very true, but the media has also informed parents that video games can become an addiction and that they make kids less sociable, shy and everything. Though I have to admit, even though I don't approve it, that some parents are too protective with their children, it's fine to want them safe, but a lot of people overdo it.

[mranderson]

Why is the new generation so dependent of Video Games??? Whydo they stay awake all the night only to play World of Warcraft or CounterStrike online, or any other game?
What causes Video Game Dependecy?
How can we treat it?
And why so many people aged between 13 -> 19 like to play Counter-Strike online or any other game, instead of going outside, playing football, meeting girls etc?

and they play, and play, and play.... But why so much? Why they don't have limits?
Sometimes I wonder... How can guys that are at High School, and have classes in the morning, play half the night ?


It really isn't fair to say the entire new generation is so dependent on video games, but I'll admit there are more video game dependants now than there were a year ago. Although that might have something to do with the quality of games.

Video game dependency is easier for some people because you don't have to go out of your way to talk to other people. I have a fear of talking to new people, and still kind of do :(. I guess you could say I was addicted to video games back in the day. But playing video games gives you that sense of accomplishment, and that adrenaline rush in some games (don't know how woW gives you an adrenaline rush.) Also, most games have a community and you generally make friends and know people. In first person games you generally improve your skills which gives you another sense of accomplishment. Plus, you keep playing so you know you haven't wasted your life. The things that cause video game dependency are the basis for why you would do anything else. The real reason you should ask is why video games instead of something else (which you did, but I believe it to be the more important question.)

I guess the main reason is that you can get that base sense of achievement through video games rather than through interacting with people. It has been "proven" that playing video games for some people produces dopamine.

let's take this scenario. You lose a level in a video game, and beat it in five minutes, and regain that sense of accomplishment. But in real life, you say, go talk to a girl and get shutdown, or ignored. How long will it take you to regain your composure, and sense of accomplishment? Also, how long can you play sports for at your peak level? Oh, hmm. I'd say about half an hour to an hour depending on the breaks. How long can you play video games for...and don't you get the same basis of achievement? (Feel free to insert another analogy here)

It really isn't the parents choice though, especially when the kids hit junior high. My parents tried to stop me from playing video games, and I just ignored them (I think it drove me too playing them more :( ) Basically what it comes down to is that person's decisions, and experiences. If they have a good time interacting with other people than they probably won't become a video game addict, but if they don't than...it is their choices unless their parents decide what their kids are going to do all day.

Another thing though is that cliques form. If you play video games all day (not to mention if personal hygiene is neglected, not saying that you guys do), and don't make to many friends in school besides the other video game addicts you most likely won't get too much attention from other people. For some reason people thought I was wierd when some of the friends I had felt like telling people how much time I spent on playing video games (only two hours a day, only two :).)

One of the ways you can treat it is by having friends, and other people aware of the situation to help them out of it. Say, invite the addicts out to a football game, or social equavelent (try to hang out with others to after the game and get them to come with). Have them interact with other people. Also, make sure if they have been a video game addict their whole life, and are socially awkward the other people know about it, and don't make fun of them. Still, being addicted to video games doesn't make you any different than other people that make themselves socially isolated. People are just trying to blame it all on video games. What is wrong with this sentence? My kid isn't succesful because he plays video games.


Here is a link for the gist of the subject if you guys feel like reading through it. http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/node/1719

Personally I tried to read through it, and realized I already knew most of it. (And yes, I did put some of the points in my post.)

My friend said because sexy virtual girls are in video games and it does help in preventing aids indirectly but one's desire is provokes that personal solo play is no longer fun. sexy virtual girls are not enough, then it goes. Also video games provide simulation of many things done in the real stuffs, wide genre. Violence in war games or 1st person shooting games is very enjoyable to some which they mimic in real life or they want to mimic in real life.


I suggest you get a day activity with some girls, and take him with. Seriously. Just make sure he acts like a normal person, and the girl is understanding about video game addicts. Video games may mimic real life, but it still isn't even close to the real thing.

Quote:
Sometimes I wonder... How can guys that are at High School, and have classes in the morning, play half the night ?

its desire dude, will power, seduction, weakness, passion, its complicated. There's many things why you would do that, what's important is you dont become a useless unknown being, you should be at least fruitful in your personal motives and activities

Don't forget massive amounts of caffiene, and junk food for sugar rushes. I once went through a 24 case of mountain dew because I left it next to my computer. Also, your body needs to sleep, and recuperate which leaves crashing a viable option (say saturday or sunday if you go to school.) Or you can just go around all day with caffiene in your body. Plus don't forget about sleeping in the boring classes. :D

I'll leave you guys with this which some people actually act like this during video games :o (this may be an exagerration :cool:)(not sure how to get the youtube video to appear lol, tried preview, but you guys need to see this. Feel free to look around for the related videos.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olm7xC-gBMY&feature=related

[migidu]

i agree much with mranderson. :) there is a sense of fulfillment when you play massive online rpgs, which does have a community so you have social life. solo playing is unhealthy.

another point would be, one should know the boundary line between leisure and and addiction. :) when one fails to see this line, that's when you become an addict. it's always a choice how you budget your time. we all get 24 hours a day. so it's upto you, just remember that by the end of the day your 24 hours are completely consumed and replenished back to 24 hours the next day.

i believe only few people are gifted to have the ability to see that video games do have have some benefits. like you can gain knowledge, research skills, motor skills. it is when you sacrifice your health and other resources it becomes really bad. :)

seriously, for me, you get fulfillment in finishing an rpg, it's something personal and something you can be proud of that you can share to people who have the same dreams. you get fulfillment when you are among the most powerful players in WoW or any other MMORPG. it's something you are there but you are not in real.

love life can sprout from video games too. the development of the game, or even between players. though it can also destroy relationships. women usually envy video games because men spend more time to it than them.

trashtalking is a product of video games that provide chatting since you dont have to personally phusically show up who you are you get this confidence to say vulgar stuffs. cause you know they wont know you either, but they can, it's always possible to trace any user. :) i hate people who trash talk, and they are usually kids or immature people.

reasons why they play, it's personal. many players have their reason. why not make a survey in your community, i did once for one of my class. and the results were very intersting. :)

[singo]

solo playing is unhealthy.



And makes you go blind.

As I said I think that the "generation" isnt addicted, although clearly some individuals are. Possibly a better question would be "Why are some people addicted to video games?"

[mranderson]

It really isn't fair to say the entire new generation is so dependent on video games, but I'll admit there are more video game dependants now than there were a year ago. Although that might have something to do with the quality of games.

Video game dependency is easier for some people because you don't have to go out of your way to talk to other people. I have a fear of talking to new people, and still kind of do . I guess you could say I was addicted to video games back in the day. But playing video games gives you that sense of accomplishment, and that adrenaline rush in some games (don't know how woW gives you an adrenaline rush.) Also, most games have a community and you generally make friends and know people. In first person games you generally improve your skills which gives you another sense of accomplishment. Plus, you keep playing so you know you haven't wasted your life. The things that cause video game dependency are the basis for why you would do anything else. The real reason you should ask is why video games instead of something else (which you did, but I believe it to be the more important question.)

I guess the main reason is that you can get that base sense of achievement through video games rather than through interacting with people. It has been "proven" that playing video games for some people produces dopamine.

let's take this scenario. You lose a level in a video game, and beat it in five minutes, and regain that sense of accomplishment. But in real life, you say, go talk to a girl and get shutdown, or ignored. How long will it take you to regain your composure, and sense of accomplishment? Also, how long can you play sports for at your peak level? Oh, hmm. I'd say about half an hour to an hour depending on the breaks. How long can you play video games for...and don't you get the same basis of achievement? (Feel free to insert another analogy here)

Another thing though is that cliques form. If you play video games all day (not to mention if personal hygiene is neglected, not saying that you guys do), and don't make to many friends in school besides the other video game addicts you most likely won't get too much attention from other people. For some reason people thought I was wierd when some of the friends I had felt like telling people how much time I spent on playing video games (only two hours a day, only two .)


Wow, I'm like a prophet. Did you even read my post?

[diablos315]

It's the interaction of a game for me. I like to feel like I'm in control of something. I play WoW, EQ2, Starcraft, Diablo 2; Stuff like that. All those games give me a sense of control on a group or person. Plus it's just a really good time for me to just, well, kill time. I just now started getting into CS. I'm not much of a FPS person but a friend wanted me to play so I am :/.

[xodkrm]

I would say dependence on alot of things is related to wanting to dodge real life, maybe because of problems. Some things are actually physically addictive, and video games are not that.

[Dayoh]

I see video game dependancy, as escapeism from the real world.
Say for example your a kid around 10, parents are going thro a divorce you will spend alotta time in say WoW with your fellow Night elfs then listen to your parents argue about who get you etc.

Sad really, alotta kids turn to games for things like that when they should be talking to someone.