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I find myself at times, SO obsessed that it really begins to scare me. Is this a common thing, or is it just me? In the end I find myself thinking I never should have got this game, because it is slowly destorying my life, because I end up not doing things that should be done just to play EQ, and now I don't think there is anything I could do to stop myself.
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...In the end I find myself thinking I never should have got this game, because it is slowly destorying my life, because I end up not doing things that should be done just to play EQ, and now I don't think there is anything I could do to stop myself.
Sure there is. Just put down the mouse, shut down the computer and step away from the game for a while. What you really need to do is develop a little self control.
Take responsibility for your actions and DO the things in real life that have to be done. First. It's really that simple. If it'll help, yuou can put yourself on a schedule. Give yourself, oh, say 3 hours an evening to play. When it's over, LOG OFF. No excuses, you played, you're done!
When you return EQ will still be there... Realise that it's not going to go anywhere without you and you're not going to miss anything. A day, a week, or a month doesn't matter to your toons... time is suspended for them if you're not logged in.
Sure laundry and dusting aren't as exciting as taking down an Orc Centurion but they never were any fun so nothing has really changed on that score.
If you find yourself even THINKING about blowing off something in real life that matters... STOP and think again. Don't call in sick to work cause you heard about a cool LoDN. Don't cancel plans to go to a party or to a club or a movie just cause a couple buddies are camping the Dervs in WC.
JUST DON'T DO IT!!!
The game runs 24/7 so there is really NO EXCUSE to EVER blow off work or real life commitments. And here's the key: IT WILL WAIT FOR YOU. That's right! The game will wait for you.
And when you return, the game will be just as much fun as it always was. The difference will be that you're acting like a responsible adult. And that could even make it more fun.
The bottom line is, it's just a game, don't give it more import than it is due. I gotta go now it's a beautiful day outside and I wanna go get me some of that!
(edit to spelling, what else is new!)
Edited, Sun May 9 16:45:43 2004 by OldBlueDragon
Thanks, I will try that, I hope it works.
This game is addictive, no way around it. If you are easily addicted to things, stay far away from this. The reason it gets people addicted is because it's a disguise basically. You run around and level up, and soon you're looked upon as powerful. In a few months of playing you go from zero to hero and that's a very appealing concept. Some psyches aren't able to handle this though if the line between fantasy and reality is a little weak.
Don't think I'm saying you're a nutcase as it happens to all of us on some level. Seriously, this is a game where you can go and slay a god, and if you're enveloped in the game and your mind is enveloped in the game to an extreme extent... it's obvious how doing these kind of things would effect you.
Just do like Ol' Blue said, if you feel it's taking over your life, STOP for God's sake. I'm sure you've heard the stories of the crazed D&D player, thinking it's real and stabbing another person with a sword, then going off to live in a cave (Or was that a movie?).
It's natural to be a little addicted to this game, the disguise fits on everyone and it's a very nice one, just be careful you don't become too involved.
Don't think I'm saying you're a nutcase as it happens to all of us on some level. Seriously, this is a game where you can go and slay a god, and if you're enveloped in the game and your mind is enveloped in the game to an extreme extent... it's obvious how doing these kind of things would effect you.
Just do like Ol' Blue said, if you feel it's taking over your life, STOP for God's sake. I'm sure you've heard the stories of the crazed D&D player, thinking it's real and stabbing another person with a sword, then going off to live in a cave (Or was that a movie?).
It's natural to be a little addicted to this game, the disguise fits on everyone and it's a very nice one, just be careful you don't become too involved.
1 post
Sounds to me like you are displacing or really more projecting your problems of self-control onto EQ. I used to do it until I figured out that I was doing that. Then well my EQ playing time dropped from 30-40 hours a week and my GPA of a nice 2.1 moved up to 3.4 and my time playing is less then 10 hours now. Just getting what is wrong in the right state of mind fixed up my issues with this "addicting" game
I sometimes find myself thinking about EQ a lot during days in school and when i am at work. Then i remember that i am not going to drive my 55 beastlord to work or do final exam on what spell components i need for my 25 wizard. This game has a hook and it sinks it deep, so again as stated earlier priorities need to come first and playing a game last. In fact i should be studying right no....
Sometimes, late at night, I find myself wandering around the city streets in a dark robe carrying a staff made of beer cans and chicken wire...I animate a skeleton which I stole from my anatomy laboratory...I usually end up in the cemetery where I wreak havoc on my specialty, the dead...I don't cast my evil DoTs on the helpless humans whom I encounter (they don't see me, I'm invisible)...I would say this last point is a shining example of my self discipline...
Blacktharne confessed:
OH MY GOD!!! I thought I was the only one who did that!!! Just one question, what kind of beer cans... (I used Pabst Blue Ribbon cause they also help to deflect the gamma rays from the alien motherships...) Oh, yeah... we also differ on the chicken wire thing... I used duct tape.
(Dude, I am laughing so hard I'm cryin')
Quote:
Sometimes, late at night, I find myself wandering around the city streets in a dark robe carrying a staff made of beer cans and chicken wire...I animate a skeleton which I stole from my anatomy laboratory...I usually end up in the cemetery where I wreak havoc on my specialty, the dead...I don't cast my evil DoTs on the helpless humans whom I encounter (they don't see me, I'm invisible)...I would say this last point is a shining example of my self discipline...
OH MY GOD!!! I thought I was the only one who did that!!! Just one question, what kind of beer cans... (I used Pabst Blue Ribbon cause they also help to deflect the gamma rays from the alien motherships...) Oh, yeah... we also differ on the chicken wire thing... I used duct tape.
(Dude, I am laughing so hard I'm cryin')
Too late. You're one of us now! muhahahahahahhaha
I can understand exactly how you feel, I had the same problem. OldBlueDragon is right, self control is the key. When i realized that, my desire to play just vanished (don't get me wrong, I'm still playing, but now I know that it's just a COMPUTER and a GAME and nothing else...). Btw, thanx to tarv who gave me an excellent answer when I posted some weeks ago:
Jesus christ man live a little, yes EQ is fun, but i'd rather spend an afternoon in a beer garden with my wife than sit in front of a PC lookig at Pixels.
Do you think that there is a possibility of having both, EQ AND a life without thinking of it every 5 minutes?
Sure work like this: when your at work sarounded by total F*ckwits who's idea of life is getting plastered for 3 days of the weekend and recovering on mondays, think of EQ.
When your in Bed with the wife and she's getting jiggy with it ... don't.
I spend an awful lot of time on EQ but it is instantly put aside if my son is awake or my wife finds something interesting to do.
Balance in all things is a good thing.
Fridays in my opinion should be a EQ free zone and family/Friend time as a Bare minimum.
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Jesus christ man live a little, yes EQ is fun, but i'd rather spend an afternoon in a beer garden with my wife than sit in front of a PC lookig at Pixels.
Quote:
Do you think that there is a possibility of having both, EQ AND a life without thinking of it every 5 minutes?
Sure work like this: when your at work sarounded by total F*ckwits who's idea of life is getting plastered for 3 days of the weekend and recovering on mondays, think of EQ.
When your in Bed with the wife and she's getting jiggy with it ... don't.
I spend an awful lot of time on EQ but it is instantly put aside if my son is awake or my wife finds something interesting to do.
Balance in all things is a good thing.
Fridays in my opinion should be a EQ free zone and family/Friend time as a Bare minimum.
Here is a fun approach: log in for ONE month at a time (/em looks around to see if Sony is listening).
I work in a school (in Australia) so school term times are NO EQ times. But I get reasonable holidays. When they come along, I pop the credit card details in the account.. then IMMEDIATELY cancel the account. This gives you ONE months play time (if you select the minimum amount to pay), and an auto shutof at the end of that time.
The other real problem is learning to manage other's expectations of you in-game. In a guild? Don't pick one that has "must be on every evening for four hours and raid all weekend" type rules. Pick a family-fun guild that will support you but understands your self imposed limitations.
Give yourself SHORT TERM GOALS. Achieve the goals, take a break. For instnace "gotta get to 46" or "gotta save up for a horse". Enjoy the triumph, and sit back and enjoy RW for a while.
Try NOT to spend RW time analysing car number plates to see if they make EQ accronyms (LFG, AFK) and don't say "I'm going AFK now" when you go out to lunch break at work".
Edited, Mon May 10 07:22:43 2004 by Trebarr
I work in a school (in Australia) so school term times are NO EQ times. But I get reasonable holidays. When they come along, I pop the credit card details in the account.. then IMMEDIATELY cancel the account. This gives you ONE months play time (if you select the minimum amount to pay), and an auto shutof at the end of that time.
The other real problem is learning to manage other's expectations of you in-game. In a guild? Don't pick one that has "must be on every evening for four hours and raid all weekend" type rules. Pick a family-fun guild that will support you but understands your self imposed limitations.
Give yourself SHORT TERM GOALS. Achieve the goals, take a break. For instnace "gotta get to 46" or "gotta save up for a horse". Enjoy the triumph, and sit back and enjoy RW for a while.
Try NOT to spend RW time analysing car number plates to see if they make EQ accronyms (LFG, AFK) and don't say "I'm going AFK now" when you go out to lunch break at work".
Edited, Mon May 10 07:22:43 2004 by Trebarr
LOL, its a Pabst reference...my girlfriend's grandpa was a big PBR distributor in the 70s, I've got all kinds of PBR gear from the 70s...The old man won't drink anything else, so I get the pleasure of the Pabst when we visit...
PBR cans as gamma deflectors...Nothing else compares....
PBR cans as gamma deflectors...Nothing else compares....
It may be addictive, but you can 'put it down'. (I did not play ALL weekend! Wasn't too tough 
...)
If anyone gives you grief about it, just think, if you were addicted to gambling or drugs, your life would be 1000 times worse. My EQ habit costs less than my cable-tv bill. (Even excluding the modem fee which I would have if I played EQ or not.) And does not threaten, my health (pizza and diet soda while playing notwithstanding).
Granted I am not in school, and do have the resources, but you get my drift. Do not put EQ in the category of REAL addictions.
...) If anyone gives you grief about it, just think, if you were addicted to gambling or drugs, your life would be 1000 times worse. My EQ habit costs less than my cable-tv bill. (Even excluding the modem fee which I would have if I played EQ or not.) And does not threaten, my health (pizza and diet soda while playing notwithstanding).
Granted I am not in school, and do have the resources, but you get my drift. Do not put EQ in the category of REAL addictions.
Thank you everyone, I have been managing my self-control a lot more now, and I manage to only play 2 and 1/2 hours a day, and 4 hours on weekend days.
I generally agree with the previous posts in this thread, but I have a suggestion that might also help you get RL necessities done.
Use EQ play time as a reward to yourself for getting those chores done. Decide ahead of time on a specific RL goal and a specific amount of EQ time for AFTER the RL goal is done.
I find that often once I get going with the RL stuff, it is much easier to put off playing EQ. Sometimes, I just keep doing chores to get them out of the way so I can have a bigger block of EQ time later in the week or weekend.
Of course, this is only for "chores". RL social activities and entertainment involving other RL people should almost always come first without being viewed as things you "have to do."
Edited, Tue May 11 13:30:53 2004 by Steale
Use EQ play time as a reward to yourself for getting those chores done. Decide ahead of time on a specific RL goal and a specific amount of EQ time for AFTER the RL goal is done.
I find that often once I get going with the RL stuff, it is much easier to put off playing EQ. Sometimes, I just keep doing chores to get them out of the way so I can have a bigger block of EQ time later in the week or weekend.
Of course, this is only for "chores". RL social activities and entertainment involving other RL people should almost always come first without being viewed as things you "have to do."
Edited, Tue May 11 13:30:53 2004 by Steale
When I get to the point where my wife and kids are on my back about playing so much I uninstall the game.
I've quit EQ twice. Once for a year and once for 6 months. Each time I quit, I found other things to occupy my time, so I really didn't miss it after the first few days. The funny thing is - BOTH times I started playing again, I was on vacation. A lot of people are addicted to things.... food, TV, drugs, alcohol, EQ, even sex. If you feel you are playing too much, then you probably are. I found that setting a firm time to stop playing every day really helps. EQ will eat away at you minute by minute and hour by hour if you let it. You know the drill --- just 5 more minutes and pretty soon it's 45 minutes then an hour then 2 hours! If I set a time of 8:00pm to stop playing, I know I have to finish whatever I'm doing by 7:30. I know it takes me between 15 to 30 minutes to complete all the little errands that I feel I have to do before I camp.
Another thing that helps... I play a game with my son. I tell him the time I will stop playing every day. If he ever sees me playing after that time, he can unplug my computer from the wall. I promised him that I would not get angry or yell at him if he helped me.... ROFL... about 10 minutes before my scheduled quiting time I usually see him sneaking peeks at me from the doorway. (And yes he has unplugged the computer more than once on me.)
Descarte Meditations Arch Lich - Povar
I've quit EQ twice. Once for a year and once for 6 months. Each time I quit, I found other things to occupy my time, so I really didn't miss it after the first few days. The funny thing is - BOTH times I started playing again, I was on vacation. A lot of people are addicted to things.... food, TV, drugs, alcohol, EQ, even sex. If you feel you are playing too much, then you probably are. I found that setting a firm time to stop playing every day really helps. EQ will eat away at you minute by minute and hour by hour if you let it. You know the drill --- just 5 more minutes and pretty soon it's 45 minutes then an hour then 2 hours! If I set a time of 8:00pm to stop playing, I know I have to finish whatever I'm doing by 7:30. I know it takes me between 15 to 30 minutes to complete all the little errands that I feel I have to do before I camp.
Another thing that helps... I play a game with my son. I tell him the time I will stop playing every day. If he ever sees me playing after that time, he can unplug my computer from the wall. I promised him that I would not get angry or yell at him if he helped me.... ROFL... about 10 minutes before my scheduled quiting time I usually see him sneaking peeks at me from the doorway. (And yes he has unplugged the computer more than once on me.)
Descarte Meditations Arch Lich - Povar
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