General Discussion

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Originally posted by tfox2k1
MMO developers certainly hold some responsibility in making games that require endless hours to compete.   They build an extremely addictive product and should really be forced to contribute to the funding of some online addiction assistance programs.
 
Much the same reasoning tobacco companies were forced into funding anti-smoking initiatives.   MMO gaming companies should be forced into funding similar programs for their addiction.
 
That being said the majority of the responsibility rests solely upon the gamer and the parents if the gamer is under 18.    
 
 

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Yeah well who gave me a penis with that highly addictive tendency to spank? Should everyone who has a kid be forced to contribute to sex addiction assistance programs?

The root cause for addiction is always the addict. Unless WoW is offering smack with each copy of WOTLK i have to disagree with you.

Originally posted by zantax

You know I put the blame for something like this and the incident that happened in Canada solely on the parents.  I know some people here say that "how is it the parents fault" well basicly as a parent you have to be involved with what your kids are doing.  I know my parents used to know all my friends and there parents to just be sure I was ok all the time.  They watched the games that I played and if it looked to violent or not appropriate they would take it away or sit me down and have a discussion about what the game is doing and that it was not real life.  Heck even "The Bugs bunny and Tweety" show was explained that it was not real and that TV and Real life are very different.  Guess that is why I never hit someone with a hammer...LOL. 

Basicly what I am saying is Parents have to be involved and work with there kids so that they have a good grasp on reality.  When all is said and don any MMO is nothing more then a GAME!!!  Just like checkers, chess, monopoly, risk...etc they game in the end is something to take your mind of reality for awhile but you have to realize that it will end sometime.  Another reason I say parents are not that involved in what there own kids do is this, last year I worked at Best Buy for 10 months part time, shutter, anyway near Christmas a lady and her 7 year old sone brought up some games to buy for his xbox.  Now as I was scanning them in one of the games said, "Check for ID" the game was rated T by the ESRB.  When I told the lady about the game being a restricted game she scoffed at me and said, "just sell it to me", "My kid wants it and he is going to get it."  I laughed and thought in my head, "This is why some people should not become parents."  I don't know just my 2 cents I guess.

No one could have said this better.

Originally posted by Briansho

Originally posted by originalegg

 

Wasnt there a story  about an asian couple who let their kid starve in the next room or something after a long gaming session?  The world is going insane, but thats nothing new =)

 

So if he did this play Darkfall it would be Darkfalls fault?

@originalegg:
 

It was actually a white couple here in the States. Considering both parents played games all day, I'm assuming "poor white trash on welfare" described them perfectly.

@Briansho:

I somehow doubt Darkfall will hold anyones interest for 24 hours at a time.

@ On the topic in general, I've never had any mmo where I've played more than 4-5 hours without turning it off to do something else. I may return to it later, but I've never felt the urge for "marathon" sessions.

Singleplayer rpgs are a different story. I'll stay playing a good rpg like the Final Fantasy series for 10+ hours at a time before noticing the clock.

Is 24 hours a long time to play WOW?  I remember standing in line with some diehard fans at midnight for TBC and some claimed their longest play time sessions were like 35 - 42 hours straight.

Mine's about 9-10 hours I think, before I pushed myself away from the computer and staggered away in a daze.

No, wait, that's a typical day at the office..... I felt better when playing WOW.

Originally posted by Neosai

I am not saying as to who to blame.  However, a few things.

1.  24 hours of gaming leads to hospticalization?  I know everyone is different, but 24 hours of even straight gaming is not really an incredible amount.  Only reason I can think of is that the kid is weak to begin with or played games so much that he is out of shape.

2.  Why blame the game when the kid is allowed to play for extended periods of time?  Where are the parents in this?

3.  A game cannot make you play for 24 hours straight, you can.

4.  The reason for the kid's hospitlalization could lie else where.  Poor diet, stress, etc etc.  Maybe the gaming only really triggered what was already there?

5.  Better to keep an eye on that kid.  The kid is only 15, the kid is at the peak of his life in terms of physiology and development.  If the kid can't handle this amount of stress on the body, then something other than the fact he plays game need to be reviewed as possible causes for his collapse.

It also needs to be pointed out that he was together with a few friends laning together, he forgot to eat and whenhe finally went out in the air he collapsed and stopped breathing. Hes friends dad saved him.

It was off course several factors, but dam, when I was 15 I did spent a lot off time outside doing everything. I gamed too but I would never played 24H then, who had the time for that?

My own record is 22 hours once a long time ago in the Linage beta, now I rarely play over 8 hours, just ain't fun unless you're in a big RAID or something.

The parents do actually have to get the kids outside some times if they don't feel for doing so themselves. Get them to play some live roleplaying game or something with plastic sword if they are so obsessed by fantasy.

Originally posted by TenSpotting

So when you drive for 24 hours straight and kill yourself, is it the cars fault?

1. ^^^QFT^^^

2. those who cannot handle a 24hr session must be weeded out anyway. seriously, we're going to need a tougher skin on the average gamer if we're going to d our planet from the lizard peoples.

I pity the people who think its the game's fault. Not much understanding of the world around you.

Have you heard of drugs? For example lets take morphine. Now there's a lot of morphine addicts so they should blame the morphine and stop making it? And all the people in hospital can scream in agony? Or better yet mayb they should sue the morphine making company? 

Everything has its purpose and everything can be abused. You hear me? CAN be! not will be. Drugs are made to help people bt they do get abused. Games are made to entertain people bt they also do get abused.

Otherwise you could say that people are never to blame for anything. The gun manufacturers provided the murderer with the weapon so they are to blame. The same manufacturer may provide to the armed forces that keep u safe. So it depends on intentions, NOT on the product.

One of these guys by chance?

Here is the English news about it.

http://www.thelocal.se/15742/20081117/

Few days ago, Swedes start