I just wanted to say im sorry that it happened regardless of the cause and/or reason.

I found Liz Wooley's website: www.olganon.org . She is the lady that was on the 48 hours interview. This site was apparently founded by her. While snooping around all these sites, I noticed that people defending EQ or other points of view other than: "I am an EQ widow" or "EQ is the devil" were patently not welcome. Such is the case in non democratic, oppressive and non tolerant cultures. Hitler would love these folks...

Anyway, the following is a cut and paste from the site. I added my own thoughts in parenthesis. enjoy.

These twelve steps are guidelines for members of On-Line Gamers Anonymous to live by. Regardless of which step you are about to enter, the support of the twelve step program will help you recognize and conquer on-line gaming addiction.
(...You might even level...)


1. We admitted we were powerless over on-line gaming, and that our lives have become unmanageable. (3 accounts, 5 servers, 40 characters and a partridge in a pear tree...)






2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. (For my "main" character, I chose Quellious because she is so damn tranquil...)



3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God (Quellious) as we understood Him (Her).






4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. (...I discovered a Flowing Black Sash, Robe of the Lost Circle, and Silk Handwraps...)





5. Admitted to God (Quellious), to ourselves and to another human (though I prefer Iksars, now) being the exact nature of our wrongs.





6. Were entirely ready to have God (Quellious)remove all these defects of character (particularly the very low starting INT stat).





7. Humbly asked Him (Her) to remove our shortcomings (Yeah, Monks should be able to carry any weight up to the limit...).





8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed (Orcs, bats, goblins, more orcs, more goblins...), and became willing to make amends to them all (...sounds like a quest...).





9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible ("Have I mentioned I am sorry for killing you...5000 times???"), except when to do so would injure (..is this a spell or an ability?...), them or others.





10. Continued to take personal inventory (Damn!! Still haven't got my Epic...)and when we were wrong promptly admitted it ("oops, sorry I don't have enough plat to buy that twink item").





11. Sought through prayer and meditation (When I don't worsen my wounds...) to improve our conscious contact with God (Quellious) as we understood Him (Her), praying only for knowledge of His (Her) will for us and the power to carry (more than 14 stones) that out.





12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry (more than 14 stones...)this message to other compulsive on-line gamers and to practice these principles in all our affairs. (It still sounds like the Antonican Bards quest to me...)

I just read the article on the 48 hours web site. The mother was describing the game as though she knew what she was talking about. I personally dont think EQ had anything to do with the death of the person. But if I were her and i thought this game caused the death of my son, i would not go anywhere near the game for fear of being "addicted" my self. IMHO the reason the EQ login screne was up was because he was trying to get on eq. If something that happened in EQ was the reason he killed himself, wouldn't he still be logged in to whatever character it happened to. Mabye EQ was the only thing keeping him from suicide. I know that when I am haveing problems that playing eq and beating the crap out of some orcs in CB or gobbies in HK helps a lot.

This story was a rebroadcast. This was reported a year ago when this ADULT killed himself. He was 21 years old and shot himself in the head in front of his computer while on the log-on screen to EQ. What does this mean? Who really knows. Was this the fault of EQ, I dont believe so. Sounds like he left reality before EQ. OR didnt have much of a life prior to EQ. Whichever it was makes little difference now. He was an adult responsible for his own actions. The family can blame whoever or whatever they feel they need to in order to deal with the loss. But when it comes down to it thousands of people play this game and manage NOT to kill themselves over it.

Is there tention in the game of EQ, well yes there is. But there is also tention in the work place, at home and almost anywhere else you go. It is a matter of how you deal with it. Some people just can't. Simple.

Did I watch the show? NO I didnt. Why? Cuz this was not the first time the "News" has run something like this. I have however read numerous posts on this and listened to the chats in game. I am a wife and mother of 3 sons, 2 teenagers and a 10 year old. We have 2 accounts of EQ and 2 computers. All 5 of us have chars on various servers.
Are we a family of addicts? No I dont believe so. Somehow we manage to go to work, school, socialize (off the computer), do chores, eat and use the bathroom. All things that require you to walk away from the computer desk.
I do realize that this poor woman feels the need to blame someone for her loss, and that it is ever so much easier to blame someone else then yourself. BUT: EQ is a pay to use game. Pay for the game itself (not cheap for all upgrades). Pay to be connected every month (that too is not cheap if you add that up every month of play).
Now if a child is under 18 years of age, I would be assuming that a parent or guardian has purchased the computer along with the on-line connection. The game, I suppose could have been a gift or even purchased by a child. The EQ account(s)have to be paid for monthly either by credit/debit card or by the game cards available in the stores. Now after all of that you would think she would have known that her child played this game.
So I am going to assume this mother knew this. I am also going to assume that the computer that this child used was in his bedroom or at least in a room that is seldom walked through by a parent.
This whole problem comes down to LAZY PARENTING.
For one thing, Parents should not own computers they DON'T know how to work themselves (take a class, learn something), if there is a problem with the child and a computer FIX the problem (delete the problem, lock up the computer). Get your childs computer OUT of their rooms, if you can't see them or what they are doing make it so you can. Know what you are paying for (store bought games, on line gaming, etc). Pay attention to your child, it's really not that hard of a thing to do. Here is a little hint for you parents out there: IF your child is too quiet for too long, he/she is doing something you should know about. IF your child is being loud or is upset, he/she is doing something you should know about.And your last hint : THE INTERNET is NOT a Babysitter for your laziness.
I honestly feel bad for this woman. Loosing a child must be a horrible thing to have to deal with. I never want to have to experience it. But I am surely NOT going to sit around and wait for it to happen. Children do NOT raise themselves nor do they come with instructions. Try using common sense, next best thing ask for help on how to raise or deal with them. But dont blame others for your failures in parenting when all you do is feed, cloth and hand them money and trinkets. PARENTing is a PARENTS job not socioties.

I feel that all of us have some excellent comments regarding CBS's airing of "Addiction". I also however, believe that it is up to us to not just post on this board, but send CBS an email about your thoughts on their bias NOW. We can pay them all the lipservice we want here in this forum, but they are not going to be monitoring this forum.

Send CBS an email everyone, think it out -- give them a "thinkpiece" that is well thought out. If you're going to send them profanity, then don't help, because you'll only turn them off. Give them a reason to apologize publicly to us, tell them why their piece on addiction is wrong. Tell them how their coloring of our "world" is incorrect, and how they as a media tabloid are biased and narrow-minded. Convice them that they are wrong, and we are right, and I know that CBS will air your posts -- at least a few, anyway.

We are all posting on here, which I think is good, but let's send them a message -- not just from me, but from as many of us as possible. CBS said that EQ is 100,000 strong, then dang it, let's show them what it's like to receive 100,000 emails from 100,000 different people, telling them just how wrong they are, and why. There was a sheriff who posted on here, who had some outstanding things to say -- LET THEM KNOW WHAT KIND OF MASS THEY ARE DEALING WITH. My 1 email isn't going to do squat, but all of yours will make one Hell of an impact.

So, I've sent mine, I let CBS know how they did not tell the other side of EQ. You all have so many excellent stories as to how EQ has helped you. I hope you let CBS know that this dark cloud they have pictured masked brilliant sunshine.

Well I watched this piece of so called news. Much was the same as they showed around the time of the SoL release. They failed to convince me that my playing and enjoying EQ will result in my blowing my brains out one day. Sorry CBS.

Obviously they didn't want a "balanced" report or they would have seeked out one of the many thousands of us who play that aren't "addicted" and play the game simply because it's enjoyable. I spend maybe 3-5 hours a day in EQ with usually a break in between. Sometimes less, sometimes more. It's all dependant on what I'm doing RL that day and if I feel like jumping into the game. Do I get upset when I die in the game or lose out on a drop I really want? Sure but not near enough to think my real life isn't worth living.

I personally don't think it's Sony's responsibility babysit all of it's players because a couple players have emotional problems to the point that they replace their real life with the game.

The media hype on this shows just how much the media tries to control our lives. They can't just come out and say, "don't play this" because people wouldn't listen. To get around that, they use sob stories and obviously biased reports based on a couple odd cases to get their agenda across.

Just my opinion.

Doesn't the media have a sniper or Saddam Hussien they could be overdoing? Aren't these kinds of things evil enough? You have to go after EQ now?
Just like that last guy said. Personal responsibility. Most of us realize that it's just a game. CBS should too.

Hello, my name is Gledhill McFinnifinnish and I am an addict.....

ok, I admitted it lol, but really, what is so bad about this game that the media wants to slam it? when you break it down, it is nothing more than a graphical chat room with a few extra quirks. I for example live in alaska, and am in the air force, I have always been a introvert by nature, and I have always loved playing computer games. through playing everquest I have made so many friends now (several that live very close) and others, we talk outside the game, and actually lead normal, respectable lives outside the game. I personally wouldnt trade the experiences or friends I have for anything.

I do agree however there are some people who tend to take the game a bit seriously, and yes, end up ruining relationships, jobs, or in some cases worse... and of course, the people around that decide they should blame the game, INSTEAD of the people truly responsible. I mean, all it is is information in a compact disk, that transmits data over fiberoptic wires. It not a frickin brain control device. The people who play this dont change because of it, the truth is, they already have a problem, and play the game to bury it, and when the problem finally resurfaces ... well obviously they blame the game and its players. In reality this people should seek help, because there is seriously something wrong with them. This are the people who ruin this stuff for the rest of us.

oh well, I am blabbering again, dont mind me, us gnomes do that :P

but anyways, I just wanna say that all of you out there should just swallow your pride, and keep on gaming, thats the only thing we can do to combat this slandor by the media.. jsut ignore them.

and of course if they do try to shut us down, we turn the rabid kobolds on them :)

later all

Gledhill McFinnifinnish, 41 cleric
Collective of Dark honor
Terris thule (look me up :) )

I started playing 3 years ago. My buddies would go out and spend nights the bar drinking and such, then getting home at 3 in the morning after spending a ton of cash and risking getting picked up on the way home. I did that some but then started playing EQ. For the $10 bucks a month, I could meet up with new friends... go exploring... get quite scared... be a good person... teach younger players by example or by explaining their faults... all sorts of stuff. Playing a druid, problem solving skills help learning how to fight and live... buying a couple of inexpensive weapons (5 bucks maybe) on ebay so i could do some nice damage with something that i could not get ingame (but are laughable weapons now)...

Then life sent me a curve ball and moved me from my home to a place I knew noone. EQ allowed me to keep in touch with my friends.

Sure, maybe some need to play less... maybe I do... but I sure am glad it was there. It made things easier for me.

Personally, I am tiring of the game and will move on. Will I get rid of my account? That im still deciding.

Everquest is addicting, how can a game that so many ppl ***** about nerfs here and nerfs there and say how bad it sucks, still play the game. Why because they are addicted, anyone who has lvl 60 chars who play faithfully everynight are addicted. I play every night i know im addicted, **** i use to drink everynight for like 5 years straight everyday, I know i was addicted to that, who cares if your addicted anyhow, its your own business, thats what its all about living in america, to try to be free and do what the hell you want to do without reprimands. EQ is fun, raiding gives you a rush after you kill a nice mob or kill one in your group and then you win that item, thats how i feel..