Friday, January 30, 2009

Questions

I want to pose several questions to would-be readers on gaming addiction and generate honest thoughts on this.


1. How do you feel people fall into this addiction? Is it rewarding for the receiver or others?

2. When is it appropriate to intervene on someone's behalf because you care too much for them?

3. Any thoughts on the gaming industry itself and how they market their products & to whom?


I just want to hear how others around the world feel about this topic. I feel that there may be others out there seeking the same help I'm trying to seek, but not sure how many. Please comment. Your thoughts are truly appreciated. Please keep comments clean too! Thanks!

CH

Monday, January 19, 2009

Gamers

Sometimes there are days when you feel like there's nothing to think about except gaming. It's for no strange reason. You live it, breathe it, and even dream it at times. You go around places in real life thinking, "I've seen this place before," only to be reminiscing of an environment you've seen in a previous or currently played title. All you talk about with your friends are entirely in video game land. It manifests everything you do. You ignore others although you hear them, react in a manner you normally wouldn't do, and carry an angry tone with loved ones-although you don't mean it. This is all bad and I have experienced this all too much. How do I get through this?

I have a Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. The former is nice for friends and family. The latter is dangerous in the wrong hands...mine in this case. Gaming altogether is an addiction though, even if the Nintendo Wii is nice for friends and family. So what is it that is so attractive about these games? Take a look at the following game I'm addicted to: Call of Duty 4-Modern Warfare.

Okay, it is 2009 and I am still on this title. The game was released in October 2007 and I purchased it in May 2008. I gamed that entire summer, and not even working a job. I stayed home and lost myself in it. Here is basically how the game works online. You are a soldier representing one of four groups of specialized military forces from four nations. These are the US, Russia, Britain, and I believe the UAE. In any case, there are different types of matches to choose from after your pre-selected to fight on any given force. These matches include Team Deathmatch, Free-For-All, Domination (capture the flag), Hardcore Team Deathmatch, Search and Destroy, Hardcore Search and Destroy, Sabatoge, and Headquarters to name a few (if not many). Your objectives are to mainly to kill the enemy. By doing so, you get to prestige or rank up in file. There are challenges along the way, geared towards getting you closer to that goal.

There are fifty-five levels per prestige/ranking, in which that totals ten of them. That is, ten total prestiges and to reach each one means going through one prestige fifty-five times. When you get to prestige two, you go another fifty-five times. Same with three, four, and so on and so forth. You have the option of ranking higher or not. All you get is a symbol, and supposedly better at the game. After five times, it gets redundant. But you're probably thinking after one or two, that's it. Well, the game really is addicting. There are other people around the world having just as much fun as you. But it takes time. As of this writing, I have played for nearly a month with all of my time combined. And still, I'm only an eighth prestige. This is it though. After this I said I was done. But then I heard myself say, "after this?" If I really mean to quit, I should. But it is not happening.

Help please! If you have any suggestions, please do not hesitate to tell me. Thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers

CH

Friday, January 16, 2009

The VGA-connection

Hi there,

Welcome to the Video Gamer's Addiction connection. I am in the process of making a creative network to serve as a forum for gamers and to help one another with this addiction. For now, I want to focus on a blog and hear what others have to say about this true psychological dilemma. I have found that I play video games hours on end, wasting valuable time and money that could be better spent with friends, school, work, and family to name a few. I will write posts very soon and hope to hear from others around the world facing the same problem.

Please join me if you are fully accustomed, tired, and hurt from the experience of video games. You may also join if you know someone who may be going through this experience as well. My hope is that we all help one another in the goal to be more productive and live well.

Cheers,

CH
Video Game Addiction