CingularDuality

Found this through Slashdot:
http://soulkerfuffle.blogspot.com/20...-from-top.html

Found this interesting. These issues certainly aren't specific to WoW, though...

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How can you destroy that which has no life?

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Grunt 70

Wow (no pun intended) I'm not a WOW gamer but this is an eye opener. My 14 y/o was trying to get me to buy this title for him and I've been resisting. (the whole subscription thing just doesn't do it for me)This post gives me solid ammuniton against purchasing it...I'll send this along to him for compulsory reading !!

Wouldn't this be an interesting thread in the WOW forum?

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"When force is necessary, it must be applied boldly, decisively, and completely. But one must know the limitations of force; one must know when to blend force with maneuver" - Leon Trotsky

Greflin

This is no different than EQ1 or UO before it. It is really no different than anyother game a person gets sucked into.

Kerostasis

Yes, can't forget good old "Evercrack".

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SmokingTarpan

Ugh, I hate this argument.

Gambling, drinking, sports, Battlefield 2, paintballing, building model trains, work; the list goes on. Any activity can be harmful to your life once you're addicted to it.

My firm stance is this: video games don't destroy people- weak wills, broken minds and lack of self-control do. I believe that someone letting a video game dominate their life is simply a sign that they're prone to addiction overall.

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[squadl]
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Acid

Tybalt, that was from the South Park WoW episode. You should all watch it.

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TheFeniX

Addiction comes in many forms. I used to get home from school and play TFC non-stop until dinner. Then I'd play till bedtime. Rinse. Wash. Repeat. I think what got me out of that whole rut was turning 16 and getting a car. Thank God for a libido and 4 wheels.

Gambling and alcohol are just two forms of recreation that can become debilitating addictions. Hell, I'd go so far as to say many American's struggle with an addiction to television.

Yes, gaming addiction is becoming an increasing issue. And most likely, you'll be seeing clinics open up for it (no, this isn't a joke). The mediator in your life is supposed to be you (or your parents, if you're not old/mature enough for it).

As Cing said, this isn't specific to either WoW or gaming. But it can become an issue if you let in control you.

I wouldn't stop my kid from a form of recreation based on possible negatives that come with it. You just have to find out if your kid is mature enough to not let a game run his life. To be honest, if you want to get a listing on his gaming habits, make him load up something like Xfire when he games. If you notice 100+ hours of gaming in a 168 hour week, then your kid has a problem no matter what the game is.

If anything, you could use it as a constuctive deal. Tell your kid that for every set amount of hours he plays WoW, he needs to come outside with you and play ball (or some other family oriented task). It's not like he can keep playing the game if you cut him off.

Anyways, it's your kid. I'm just trying to let you know that there are other alternatives than just saying "no."

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RocketPunch

LMAO!!!

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Foxoq

I have to say I agree. It all comes down to willpower in the end, but that article is quite interesting. Good find Cing.

Quest Shady

I think that the government should step in and ban Blizzard and games that can be addictive...Such as the recent online gambling bill...

"Said in JEST"

Really I think it is lack of willpower and I find it amazing how people get seemingly sucked in and can't get out....

I have friends that say WOW is addictive and one of them realized how far he was getting sucked in and totally uninstalled it... Cold Turkey...

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SmokingTarpan

I played Final Fantasy XI (FFXI), an MMO in the Final Fantasy line, before I played WoW. If anyone thinks WoW is bad, FFXI was even worse. In WoW you can play for an hour or two a day and, although you won't match the people who play religiously, you'll get things done and make progress. In FFXI, you had to play religiously or you got nowhere. Took forever to level, forever to get items.

I played FFXI for a little over a year, and it became like a second job for me. I woke up, went to work, came home, played FFXI until I had to sleep. In the entire timespan that I played the game, I think I didn't play for 3 days, and those were days that I had to go home to visit for the holidays or be disowned by my family. I was in the best guild in my server, had a decent amount of respect and some personal fame for some of my accomplishments. Then one day I looked up and realized I wasn't very happy with life or things in general, and that I was succumbing to addiction. Next day I deleted my character, uninstalled the game and threw out the CDs so I couldn't install it again. That was the end of that.

I do play WoW now, but it doesn't dominate my life. I basically play it to fill in time where I have nothing better to do. If I had a lot more going on in my life right now, I likely wouldn't be playing it at all.

Like I said, it all comes down to willpower, self-control and responsibility. In the case of a child, it's up to the parents to teach responsibility for life and to make sure the kid doesn't get carried away with things. I think the problems we're seeing with kids and video games stems from the parents not being involved enough or taking enough responsibility. Sounds like Grunt is on the right track with staying involved- just don't take other people's follies for an excuse to outright say no.

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[squadl]
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Steeler

I think I'm addicted to the Sandbox.

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Pistos

Here's the link to the discussion of this in the WoW Forum:

http://www.tacticalgamer.com/world-w...hing-chew.html

Personally I spend more time playing WoW than I ever have with a game. That includes some pretty good time sinks over the last 15 or so years. But the game isn't inherently different than any other game, or any other activity for that matter. Individuals (or parents if applicable) need to show restraint and know when its time to get up and go outside.

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70 Shadow Priest (and other assorted distractions)

Cheezyfli

Slowly raises hand to paintballing and computer games every once in a while... lol. I find a balance to it by doing school related stuff. but most of my free time that isn't being taken up by family or school is spent doing those 2 things right there....

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