Losing Yourself (and Time) in the Game

[OursIsTheFury]

I've lost track of time multiple times while playing games I love. Time does fly fast when you don't want it to. But now since I'm working too I've limited my time strictly. I play only when I have a lot of spare time or on days off, and can take the risk to forget time and play to my heart's content. Or I play when I'm really stressed or need a small break, I put a timer on my phone to remind me that I need to stop now.

I know the feeling. If prolonged sitting while playing games isn't such a health risk, I'd play all day too. But it's not, so people should really stretch their legs, at least do some walking, every hour to avoid health hazards like blood clots or trapped nerves. You know those people who die while playing video games? Yeah, that happens in real life. So it's better to take a break once in a while, eat and drink, then resume your gaming session.

 

[Neo]

I know the feeling. If prolonged sitting while playing games isn't such a health risk, I'd play all day too. But it's not, so people should really stretch their legs, at least do some walking, every hour to avoid health hazards like blood clots or trapped nerves. You know those people who die while playing video games? Yeah, that happens in real life. So it's better to take a break once in a while, eat and drink, then resume your gaming session.

Absolutely! When I was a kid, I would play all day everyday, especially during summer vacations, year after year, just completely immersed into the games and not caring about anything else except food breaks. At first I didn't realize the kind of effect it was having on my health but I eventually started feeling it. I just had to put this habit under control before it got out of hands. I started limiting my time gradually day by day and included more simple exercises to make it up. It took time, patience and determination but boom, it worked.

 

[JaiGuru]

For me it's World of Warcraft. That game is designed specifically to prey upon the exact variety of compulsive that I am. There are so many things to collect: Pets, armor, weapons, locations, achievements...it just goes on and on. There are dozens of story lines to follow and associated quests to work towards completion. There are multiple difficulty levels of dungeons which require increasingly more commitment to get through. I can sit down in front of that game and easily lose seven or eight hours if I do not watch myself. It's like a time warp.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Absolutely! When I was a kid, I would play all day everyday, especially during summer vacations, year after year, just completely immersed into the games and not caring about anything else except food breaks. At first I didn't realize the kind of effect it was having on my health but I eventually started feeling it. I just had to put this habit under control before it got out of hands. I started limiting my time gradually day by day and included more simple exercises to make it up. It took time, patience and determination but boom, it worked.

Yes, I agree. It's all about moderation. Also, you can't help yourself if you don't see what's wrong about sitting down and playing for hours at a time. It starts with you. For me the one thing that stopped me from playing that long for games is when I finished everything I can in the game, and that's when I start getting bored. I'm the type who wants to finish the entire game 100% at least once. After that, I quickly get bored.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

For me it's World of Warcraft. That game is designed specifically to prey upon the exact variety of compulsive that I am. There are so many things to collect: Pets, armor, weapons, locations, achievements...it just goes on and on. There are dozens of story lines to follow and associated quests to work towards completion. There are multiple difficulty levels of dungeons which require increasingly more commitment to get through. I can sit down in front of that game and easily lose seven or eight hours if I do not watch myself. It's like a time warp.

Yup. MMORPG - and especially one of the first huge MMORPG - is incredibly addictive. I don't think WoW had competition the scale and popular as them during the 2000s. Lots of stories about people getting addicted, stopping school activities, failing grades, selling their real life items for credit or in-game items, losing their jobs because they can't stay away. Wow, I'm glad I didn't have the money growing up nor the stable internet to sign up for it.

 

[WarVet]

Yup. MMORPG - and especially one of the first huge MMORPG - is incredibly addictive. I don't think WoW had competition the scale and popular as them during the 2000s. Lots of stories about people getting addicted, stopping school activities, failing grades, selling their real life items for credit or in-game items, losing their jobs because they can't stay away. Wow, I'm glad I didn't have the money growing up nor the stable internet to sign up for it.

Haha Yeah, man! Back in those days, my parents wouldn't let me play online games Now that I'm actually older I kinda thank them, not for limiting my liberty but because I didn't take that much interest in online gaming and actually set out to live the real life by going out with my friends. When I do play it's something totally controlled, to unwind only.

 

[Sino989]

I think losing yourself is a good sign that the game is good honestly because I don't think you could get lost in a game that's boring so to me games that you get lost in are good.

 

[JaiGuru]

Yup. MMORPG - and especially one of the first huge MMORPG - is incredibly addictive. I don't think WoW had competition the scale and popular as them during the 2000s. Lots of stories about people getting addicted, stopping school activities, failing grades, selling their real life items for credit or in-game items, losing their jobs because they can't stay away. Wow, I'm glad I didn't have the money growing up nor the stable internet to sign up for it.

Oh wow. Well I'm not that addicted. I still take showers and put work first and all that. I'm also not as into the game as I once was. Having been there since Buning Crusade you just lose interest after a decade or so. :sweatsmile:

Starcraft seems to elicit that same sort of manic compulsion in people, too. I have heard numerous stories about people in South Korea holing up in cybercafes to play it and sitting there until they die! Can you imagine being so thoroughly subverted by your favorite game that you just refuse to eat? And what is it with this sort of behavior and Blizzard games?

 

[Scholarkin]

Hmmm.
Most at times in the night, I will lay on my bed playing games. The urge to reach the next level keeps me awake and before I realized, it morning already.
It's a very bad habit so what I now usually do is to put the phone away from me sight in other not to be tempted to play games.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

Oh wow. Well I'm not that addicted. I still take showers and put work first and all that. I'm also not as into the game as I once was. Having been there since Buning Crusade you just lose interest after a decade or so. :sweatsmile:

Starcraft seems to elicit that same sort of manic compulsion in people, too. I have heard numerous stories about people in South Korea holing up in cybercafes to play it and sitting there until they die! Can you imagine being so thoroughly subverted by your favorite game that you just refuse to eat? And what is it with this sort of behavior and Blizzard games?

You'd think people would lose interest though after all this time. There are still those who have been there at day 1 and are still playing today. If it were me I would have probably gave up and tried a new game after a few months. These guys have been running the same game over a decade, spending all their money on it, and basically putting their lives on a halt because they won't do anything else. Now that's dedication.

 

[JaiGuru]

You'd think people would lose interest though after all this time. There are still those who have been there at day 1 and are still playing today. If it were me I would have probably gave up and tried a new game after a few months. These guys have been running the same game over a decade, spending all their money on it, and basically putting their lives on a halt because they won't do anything else. Now that's dedication.

I've always taken breaks. I've also never been among the truly elite players but that's the price you pay for behaving sanely, I suppose. I'm nearing the end of one now. I haven't played since the Switch came out. The thing is, the game has changed so much. Every expac it's almost like a brand new game with all of the mechanic changes, quality of life additions, new story, new content. I've always likened it to how Final Fantasy games usually had very similar battle systems and nomenclature. A new story and world was always built atop the familiar basics. WoW feels a little like that; the same game you know and love, but some how perennially fresh.

 

[Neo]

Yes, I agree. It's all about moderation. Also, you can't help yourself if you don't see what's wrong about sitting down and playing for hours at a time. It starts with you. For me the one thing that stopped me from playing that long for games is when I finished everything I can in the game, and that's when I start getting bored. I'm the type who wants to finish the entire game 100% at least once. After that, I quickly get bored.

I can totally relate! Its just so satisfying to finish the game 100% once and then I can play at my own pace whenever I want, the way I want. I always make new games a priority until I finish it once, and I'll adjust my time accordingly.

 

[Fuzyon]

When I was a kid I used to play games all day, time would pass instantly while I was so focused on playing. Nowadays I'm an adult so I don't lose myself in the game since I have so many other responsibilities and things on my mind.

 

[Wolfparttimer]

Have you ever "lost time" in a game, or accidentally spent way longer playing then you meant too? How do you try to avoid having that happen?

OK so,
Yes, I have lost time in a game. I have to say that I was kind of addicted to League of Legends so I lost a lot of time playing that game, I played LoL for 5 years until I decided just to let that game go. I guess growing up is one of the reasons I stopped playing.
Yesterday, I accidentally spent the whole afternoon playing KrosMaga, it wasn't intentional but I kind of fell in love with doing some things on that game haha.
The only way I have to avoid spending too much time playing games is by watching anime or doing something else. I'm too addicted to any kind of games so it's better for me to just not play sometimes.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

I can totally relate! Its just so satisfying to finish the game 100% once and then I can play at my own pace whenever I want, the way I want. I always make new games a priority until I finish it once, and I'll adjust my time accordingly.

Just finished Life is Strange yesterday, then proceeded to do the rest of the achievements for the rest of the afternoon. I finished last night, but I also kinda want to do another playthrough. I already completed the game 100% though, and apparently I made all the right choices in my first playthrough, so I really don't have a good reason to play it again. I did everything right, and I'd rather not pick the "wrong" options just to see what happens.

 

[Eggy216]

Just finished Life is Strange yesterday, then proceeded to do the rest of the achievements for the rest of the afternoon. I finished last night, but I also kinda want to do another playthrough. I already completed the game 100% though, and apparently I made all the right choices in my first playthrough, so I really don't have a good reason to play it again. I did everything right, and I'd rather not pick the "wrong" options just to see what happens.

It would definitely be interesting to go back through and try to live with a different lease on life, wouldn't it? I haven't actually finished the game yet (just the first episode, though I'm planning on continuing the series when I get a chance) but I think seeing the different ways her/your story can play out is one of the most interesting aspects of the construction. Don't look at it as trying the "wrong" options, think of it as a "new" path to walk down.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

I've always taken breaks. I've also never been among the truly elite players but that's the price you pay for behaving sanely, I suppose. I'm nearing the end of one now. I haven't played since the Switch came out. The thing is, the game has changed so much. Every expac it's almost like a brand new game with all of the mechanic changes, quality of life additions, new story, new content. I've always likened it to how Final Fantasy games usually had very similar battle systems and nomenclature. A new story and world was always built atop the familiar basics. WoW feels a little like that; the same game you know and love, but some how perennially fresh.

Which is a testament to the game devs. But I don't think they've been giving out "addiction advisory" to players and urge people to take breaks once in a while. The stories I've heard about WoW addiction is real and it is scary. It's not exactly drugs, but people have quit school just to play the game full time. People stopped going to work, people spent their savings on the game, and people even died because they sat down and played a round for a long time that they had a heart attack. Gaming addiction is a serious thing that people need to be more aware of.

 

[WarVet]

OK so,
Yes, I have lost time in a game. I have to say that I was kind of addicted to League of Legends so I lost a lot of time playing that game, I played LoL for 5 years until I decided just to let that game go. I guess growing up is one of the reasons I stopped playing.
Yesterday, I accidentally spent the whole afternoon playing KrosMaga, it wasn't intentional but I kind of fell in love with doing some things on that game haha.
The only way I have to avoid spending too much time playing games is by watching anime or doing something else. I'm too addicted to any kind of games so it's better for me to just not play sometimes.

It seems to me your life followed the natural course buddy. When we're young and have time to kill it's natural to get addicted to a game. But when we get older other responsibilities come along and we have to leave that take second place. The problem lies when we're older or have responsibilities and let gaming as our priority in detriment of more important things like job, family, and relationships. My brother will turn 18 soon and he stills play a lot. I wonder what will happen to him.

 

[OursIsTheFury]

It would definitely be interesting to go back through and try to live with a different lease on life, wouldn't it? I haven't actually finished the game yet (just the first episode, though I'm planning on continuing the series when I get a chance) but I think seeing the different ways her/your story can play out is one of the most interesting aspects of the construction. Don't look at it as trying the "wrong" options, think of it as a "new" path to walk down.

Yeah but the choices were kinda obvious though. It's not like it's all grey choices; most are black and white and unless you really intentionally make the wrong choice. it's pretty obvious what the right decision is. Be nice to people, don't make fun of them since it might come back to bite you in the ass later. How people get it wrong baffles me a lot. It wasn't that hard.

 

[Wolfparttimer]

It seems to me your life followed the natural course buddy. When we're young and have time to kill it's natural to get addicted to a game. But when we get older other responsibilities come along and we have to leave that take second place. The problem lies when we're older or have responsibilities and let gaming as our priority in detriment of more important things like job, family, and relationships. My brother will turn 18 soon and he stills play a lot. I wonder what will happen to him.

Well it's not like I followed the natural path (but I get what you are saying), I didn't stop playing them when I was 18, I thing I played harder around that age, and still studied, went out with my friends, and had a job. Your brother is going to be fine, if you see that he is a little bit too addicted then you can help him to not put video games before life, or just let him have some life lessons by himself. Spending too much time by playing video games is going to have a cost that he will learn later (Something that I learned not long ago).