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General: Player Perspectives -Time To Quit?
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
What are the warning signs that you may not be enjoying MMOs as much as you used to and that you should step away? MMORPG.com columnist Jaime Skelton shares her opinions in this week's Player Perspectives column.
"I don't really have the money to try a new MMO," a friend told me recently. "I guess I'll keep playing this one, even though I don't really play anymore." When asked why she didn't just quit, she told me, "It's boring, but I still have some friends that miss me and I like to pop on and chat with them once in a while." I couldn't convince her to quit, even after relating my own stories of how I'd gone through the same feelings repeatedly, to find I was just wasting time and money.
The MMO Industry doesn't want you to quit, of course. It makes money by your loyalty to its game styles and brands, just like any other entertainment business. By that logic, I shouldn't encourage players to quit either; writing about the industry pays my bills, and if they don't prosper, neither do I.
Read Is It Time To Quit?.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
IMO, MMORPG's could and do become an addiction, just like smoking. This article is great in the way that it helps you realize just that. It is short and yet constructive. Props to author.
In China they have special bootcamps that help children and adults to overcome this addiction.
Truly yours EVE addict.
I remember a 37 year old programming coworker of mine when I was fresh out of college used to play WoW. He would spend most of the work day on the armory and I took over almost all of his work load. Our boss asked him to quit playing for 3 months while we finished the simulation contract, and told him that he knew he had spent about 10% of his time working for the past few months. He raged, quit his job, and moved to England to stay with his online girlfriend he met in WoW.
Now this was crazy. We had a badass job. I mean a really, really cool programming job. We were writing the software and graphics engine for this huge navy simulation. He couldn't focus on anything but WoW. It was insane. For some the addiction is as life changing as something like alcoholism.
All things need to be taken in moderation. Play MMO's as long as they are fun, but remember they won't last forever like your real life.
I think too many people both take MMOs too seriously, and play to "win". Both of which are signs you need a break.
For example if you pick up a new MMO and the first thing you do is start figuring out the quickest and most efficient way to get to the top level, then you are going to miss out on most of the fun in that MMO simply so that you can win. And then since you have a high level character, if you do create a new toon and try to experience all of the game on the way up it won't be the same or as enjoyable as if you did that originally. I see a lot of people pick up a new MMO and say "What's the fastest way to level?" You are going to be bored of that game quickly and move on within a month or two if you approach all games that way.
The other is to take an MMO to seriously, it is still just a game. If you go to the game's main forums and scream about how a minor change is terrible or "A slap in the face" or "Just killed the game", then you probably need a break. You are treating the game like it is real life or a job. Play to have fun and do not worry about the small things. Take it slow, explore, enjoy. But don't get so into the game you have to go yelling how much the game sucks (while you continue to both pay for it and play it) because of change a or b. That is a huge sign you need a break.
Along the lines of above, if you are screaming at other people in game because they did something differently in a battleground or such then you would have, then you need to take a breather. It's a game, it's pixels, have fun.
But overall it's a good article for people to realize priorities in life. Although I don't know if continuing with a game because you have friends there is necessarily bad. It's not really much different then hanging out at a coffee shop with friends, or hanging out at someone's house watching TV. They all cost money in different ways, and being social isn't bad.
Don't normally read these columns but this one was good. Thank you.
Also. I've grown very fond of EVE Online recently and will be hopping back into the routine soon. Yay.
I was just about to post that this article is like the beginning of a support group.
I met this guy a few years ago when my wife and I were newly weds and I was playing SWG. This was before the CU even, so maybe it was more than few years ago.
Anyway, he was a huge Star Wars fan and we were talking about Star Wars, playing Empire at War and consuming mass quantities of beer.
I start to tell him about SWG and it was like he sobered up instantly and pretty much cut me off. He went on to tell me that his wife made him promise her that he would never play another MMORPG ever again.
I was shocked. I couldn't imagine my wife asking me to give up any of my recreational time or endeavors. I told him so.
He then told me how he played EQ to the exclusion of everything else. He told me he played so much that he stopped taking care of his personal hygiene, and would even play EQ over some horizontal refreshment with his old lady.
At first I was shocked, but then when I got home and started talking to my wife about it, I started to think that maybe he was exaggerating and that his wife was whoring up all his attention and didn't want him to do "other things".
I held to that belief for a few years, and even when people talked about it on forums I thought they were exaggerating. It took me awhile to come to terms with the fact that some people just can't pull away. Don't get me wrong, I can't tell you guys how many times my wife and I made love to the sound track of FFXI in the background because I we just wanted to get a quickie on and go back to what we were doing, but real life, family, and health always trumps video games.
Maybe we're just sex addicts and that addiction takes center stage. I'm playin'.... sort of. hahahaha
This is a great topic, I'm glad you brought this up.
I call it 'MMO Burnout" and to give light on how I handle the breaking point I take 'leaves of absences'. Meaning I take a break and get into another game, or even turn to real life to find enjoyment. After while I start to miss Game X and return, or just move on. I go with the flow.
Awesome! This is one of the best articles I have ever read on these Forums. Gratz!
I always laugh when people rush rush rush to end game of a new Game to show off their Accomplishments that they are Max levels and in no time afterwards they are the first to complain about how bored they are and there is nothing left to do. I find them to be more addicted to the game as they must have played 20 hours per day to get there. When I hit over 2 hours of straight game play, I know I have had enough for the day. At least the game last longer for me and I am less willing to quit as there is still tons to do and explore
Its worse to actually think about doing something then actually doing it!!!
Wow this is a great article, i sent it to a few of my friends hoping they get the hint. I reciently quit lotr, via self imposed exile as i have a lifetime account.
Very good article and well written. Many points are dead on. Don't comment many times on the post here but this one is excellent.
Dave
you know i often wonder "should i quit" many times myself. I have a few mmos on tap but rarely play any. Mainly cause real life takes up my time, often months at a time. And yet when i hope back into my MMO i do have fun, until RL drags me off to...render, work, detail my novel(s), and so on...
I disagree with your point about trying out new mmo's. I enjoy trying new things and hence have over the last 13 years of online gaming played more games that I can remember. Normally I'd play a game for 1-3 months depending on how easy it was to max out a character and then I'd play a different game. They are but a game, something to be played for a while before playing something else. I truely am amazed that people play these games for more than a few months. It's a bit like eatting the same thing each day. Life is simply to short to waste it on a singular mmo game for any length of time. Try new stuff and actually live your life in the real world rather than vicariously through an avatar. You maybe suprised to learn there are real people out there!!
Do you know whether you are having fun? You enjoy it, look forward to it, but don't feel guilty while doing it, don't have people in your life being seriously neglected at the expense of your fun. Including yourself.
Then, when your aren't having fun...stop.
If you are having fun...fine.
Problem is, most people can tell whether they are having fun, but some cannot. Furthermore, there is no difference between MMOs and most other activities in life. They can all be addictive. Heck, exercise can be addictive, ever hear of "runners high"?
And the symptoms are pretty much the same. If you don't have a life outside the game, you need to walk away, cold turkey.
Now let's see. I have pretty much dumped WOW. Now what should I do. Hmmm, STO beta? Go back to Lotro? D&D seems fun. Or maybe...... I should read a book. Gaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!!
Fortunately, I have everything under control.
---------------------------
Rose-lipped maidens,
Light-foot lads...
Ted: "I'm feeling a little disconnected from my real life.
I'm kinda losing touch with the texture of it. You know what I mean?
I actually think there is an element of psychosis involved here. "
eXistenZ
www.ActionMMORPG.com
One man, a small pile of money, and the screwball idea of a DIY Indie MMORPG? Yep, that's him. ~sigh~
Great article and it couldn't have come at a better time for me. My cousin just made the decision to quit the genre, which inevitably lead to my contemplation of those very same ideas you touch upon within your article.
Now first I must say that initially I was shocked when my cousin informed me that he had made the decision to quit. Our friends and I were always referring to him as the "MMO Pimp", stemming from his constant need to entice anyone he came into contact with, into playing whichever game he was at the time.
However, after that initial shock wore off, I found myself asking if I should follow suit. I then went through the very same thought process, almost to the T, as you describe and to make this brief, decided that I was going to stick with them as I am still very much enjoying the genre.
Now, some of you may wonder if I may be addicted and the answer that I can give with the utmost confidence is a resounding no. I have come to the realization that I might have been blessed with the ability to not become addicted to anything, it would seem. I perhaps am the opposite as I get temporarily bored of something very quickly and therefore need to be doing something new every so often. I am a person in which the definition of "variety is the spice of life" would be fitting.
While this does deter me from leveling a character as quickly as my friends and colleagues seem to, that boredom never seems to last completely and I'm usually back at the game within a period of time. Are there going to be any 5+ hour gaming/raid sessions in my future? Definitely not. I guess I could be referred to as a moderate player. Perhaps that is the very reason why I don't grow tired of a game, like some. My reason for leaving is usually due to the fact that my friends have moved on to another game in which I follow, not because I am tired of the first.
Having said all that I will admit that I have yet to find the MMO game that has everything that I am looking for. Maybe that is something that may never happen, who knows. I can say that I'm still very much enjoying the ride in the meantime.
Your fail comment, failed.
Gameing has been my hobby since I was a kid and it`s been a great hobby. I never was a addict though, until I played Everquest back in 2001. EQ did take over my life in a way, but that was my own fault. I left EQ in 2004 for WoW and EQ2 and became pretty hardcore with those games also. MMOs were the only games that I played anymore at that time. I guess my MMO addiction is finally over now though. Gameing is still my hobby but I have finally started playing console games again. I`m haveing a blast with my PS3. I can put down the controller so much easier than I could have walked away from the computer. I still play Vanguard from time to time but I rarely group now because I know I will have to dedicate at least 2 or 3 hours of my time for that one group. My time with Vanguard is mostly to talk to guildies and just stay in touch (kind of what the article was saying).
This may sound wierd, but does anyone else still get the urge to play the MMO that they were hooked on but quit? I`ve not played Everquest in a while, but I still get the urge to play it sometime.
i quit like 2 years ago still floating around the f2p world not spending a dime on any mmos. Free trials and betas (real betas) testing the waters until the time comes to actually spend money on something worth my time. So i knew what i had to do. Stop funding any pile of crap to continue forward and bring more shame to the genre. So i quit a long time ago.
I have the same feeling when i had urge to play Asheron's Call. Which I didnt return anyway because I know it will be the same thing. Just gotta move on or maybe expansion or whatever comes out next.
Kain_Dale
Great Article Jaime . Bravo. I see these things over and over and just wish for some way to relate it to others. I will certainly be pointing them at your great Article.
Good read, great article, however, I don't 100% agree about there being an addiction issue with trying out a whole bunch of other MMOGs. That's called MMOADHD.
I know my days of MMO gaming are going to end. I don't try every game out anymore. I can choose what I will entertain me and I what I can avoid. Even then, I know I will not play two or three MMOs at once any more. It got too crazy.
Especially when the games that consumed by time like a Fast Foward Remote control. Gosh, how many times did time run away from me. Now I know if its midnight I am done. I no longer feel the urge to advance, and keep up and level up, and camp, and grind for that last nugget of virtual goodness..
It all seems the same now. I know once Star Wars Knights of the Republic is launched, I will no longer play any more MMOs. I just won't because I am tired of even looking for the next new thing.
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Thank you for this article, it says everything I've thought for a long time. I figure it this way, if you can walk a way for a week and not miss the game you're not addicted (provided you're not just leaving to play another game, but to participate in real life). I do realize there are those that are truly addicted and they need help if they are. And most of my friends from online gaming I know in real life or on social websites as well (i.e. facebook, myspace, etc.), so I can still enjoy our friendships outside of the games. That's my line of thinking anyway
.
I came to MMOs (relatively) late with the launch of EQ2 in 2004. Over the next 2 years I must have spent hundreds or thousands of hours playing only EQ2 and no other games at all. That all changed forever with the birth of my daughter in 2006. Since then, I've migrated to LoTRO and only play once a week or every other week. Over the past 6 months I've even drifted away from LoTRO and for a time, I must have tried out 20-30 new MMOs just searching for something new.
Now we are about to have another baby, a son this time, so I canceled my LoTRO subscription (somewhat regretfully.) I plan to return by Christmas, maybe.
My point in all this is that for a time, I think I was definitely addicted. Eventually I got older and Real Life (tm) made it clear I wasn't going to be immersed in MMOs anymore. A blessing in disguise really, since I have a great time with my daughter. I can say this: if you ever want to really break your MMO habit, have children. You will find that playing only from 10PM to midnight, once a week has a severe dampening effect on your ability to raid or group. (Or play, period.) :-)
There Is Always Hope!
I can honestly say that WoW endgame ruined my fun with MMOs.
Its like being an alcoholic and then trying out light beer or non-alcoholic beer.
Other games simply don't do it anymore.
Just when you think you have all the answers, I change the questions.