All MMORPG gamers know that playing an MMORPG is significantly different than playing an FPS or any other video game. Other video games simply don’t have the same sense of community and progression as MMORPGs or the same sense of accomplishment when leveling up. I’ve been playing MMORPGs ever since I was 11 years old and have grown up playing MMORPGs. I’ve played everything from Everquest to World of Warcraft and while doing so I’ve also been actively engaged in traditional gaming like console games and non MMORPG Pc games.
Throughout my entire gaming career I’ve never looked at the two as equals. I’ve always felt that what happened in MMORPGs “mattered more” than what happened in other games and sometimes more important than what happened in real life. I would get more excited about finding a rare item in say World of Warcraft or finding an amazing deal on a scroll in MapleStory than real live events like acing a test or going to the movies. During my days of playing Everquest, I would at times forget to eat, because I was so hooked on the game. Obviously, at some point I would have to grab something to eat, but even as I got hungry, I couldn’t bring myself to get off my computer and grab a snack, as I felt some sort of need to keep playing as I wanted to continue getting stronger in the game. I also remember that whenever I had to go to the bathroom, I would literally SPRINT to the bathroom and when I finished my business SPRINT back to the computer to continue playing. I’ve always played non MMORPGs, but they were never the same, as I never found myself playing any non MMORPG for more than 5 hours at a time. When I played Everquest, five hours was nothing. From the moment I woke up, I would SPRINT to my PC and start playing until I had to go to bed. I would only play non MMORPGs when I was taking a break from an MMORPGs, as beating a single player game never felt as good as leveling up in an online game.
When I was addicted to MapleStory I would play the game every single day. Every day after school, my brother and my two friends that also played MapleStory would come over to my house and we would all grind together from 3PM to 8:30PM each and every day. At 8:30PM they would go home and play from their own homes. Because I had 8 computers on my network, I could have a lot of people playing MMOs with me. I went through this exact same cycle when I played World of Warcraft, but the only difference was that I had four friends coming over every day to play with me. We would blast music from one of the computers and all grind together for hours on end.
Now that I’m older, I still find myself playing mostly free MMORPGs, but not to the point of playing them the entire day, but that’s partly because I haven’t been super addicted to any one MMORPG lately except for maybe Perfect World and Fly for Fun, as I still play them regularly. When I find another great game, odds are I’ll get hooked and play all day. I’m convinced though, that MMORPGs are addictive. The most addictive component is the sense of progression. MMORPGs make you feel that once you become higher level, you’ll be able to dominate the game and have a lot more fun than you’re having at lower levels. It’s that sense of being awesomely strong in the future that keeps you coming back. The only games that can keep you hooked for 5+ hours at a time are MMORPGs, and if that’s not addiction, I don’t know what is.
ok first of all thats not weird since most ppl who enjoy mmos, do the same thing. i remember the first mmo i played was fly for fun , and i was addicted ,i started playing in the summer time and i would wake up from 8 am to 5 pm doing nothing but quest and grinding, and i would nothing until i finish, but when school came i stopped. but since then i stopped playing since i couldnt take the grind and looked for another free mmo but could find anything better.. you see you are not different at all, except for the 8 computers now that makes you a geek straight up. and i havent played the new mmo since they are all the same and my computer is broken and cant support nothing over 256 mb ram,, sucks. thats the only i broke the addiction except for school, and im trying to laid before my senior year.. the mmos were starting to make feel anti-social.
same thing with me and lineage 2 wich i played around 4h/day over the last 4 years.
what broke my addiction was actually age of conan
it really funny because i envisioned myselve playing both at once with conan only a few hours a week. now im still playing conan only a few hours a week but going back to senseless grinding in lineage2 somehow didnt satisfy me anymore.
Good job. That was a well written. I too have been addicted to mmorpg’s. Now I know why I was and if I relapse into my gaming addiction again, I will now remember that there is more to life then sitting on my ass playing a fictional, somewhat stupid game.
i smoke cigarets, dope and play mmos. mainly, my freetime consitsts of addictions but you know what? everytime i think about going out to some new trendy shitlocation paying more for 2 beers than for 1 monthly mmo fee just to get some bitch sleeping with me - thanks but i pass. hand me over that mmo addiction please.
lets just say being addicted to games is a decent way of living.
lol my first mmo was flyff as well
lol… was addictive… grinded for 8hours on saturdays, got a level every weekend.. was part of a weekly routine..
i never quite understood what happened lol.. coz the first time i played the game.. i stopped at lvl 50 for like 6 months. i came back and played all the way to 101… i never was a fan of fast leveling and super long grinds…
my body probably got use to the pressing of f keys for a few hours a day..
I got into a select school this year.. and the work load has reduced me to playing CS:S, just started Perfect World during my 2 week break, but i feel that i will either grind realy slow.. or wait till holidays to actualyl play this game
the addiction is strong, and it is detrimental, your grades do lower, your fitness is affected, we werent born to have a day infront of the computer.