All hobbies are waste of time then? I think mmo's are time better spent than watching some brain rotting soap on TV. And strangely it is normally those people that sit watching one soap after another, actively killing brain cells, who moan most about computer games being a waste of time.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
Absolutely and proud of it.
I think everyone needs escape time. I roughly play mmo's in the same way that others watch TV. I go to work, I come home, walk the dog, do the dishes, light the fire. Sit at the comp, look up the news, then play some video games for 2 to 3 hours; where someone else, would turn on the boob tube.
I wouldn't be surprised if mmo's were better for your brain too. Instead of passively reacting to a screen, you are actively involved in observation, analysis, decision and action.
So in this sense, I don't think it is a waste of time at all. Like doing crosswords, keeping the mind actively engaged is important excercise as you get older.
But; that said. The way I played from 99 to 2004 was insanity. I would never return to the 12 hour raids, losing girlfriends and getting out of shape those years led to. That, was truly a waste. Sad that I remember the days fondly.
Part of the answer lies in what you pointed out too; other hobbies are 'expensive'. Golf, muscle cars, skiing, model planes, trains, etc. MMO's have probably saved me a huge wad of cash, which I can instead invest in my family. And to me, that is having something to show for it in the real world.
that being said. I personally believe anything can be done overdone in excess. I used to be addicted practically to EQ1.. Now I game casual. Becoming a truck driver really opened my eyes other things I was missing while I was home. I enjoy gaming during my downtime while out on the road and parked. However when I'm home there are other things to be done. Go to the beach, go to the movies, have a cookout, or go watch my Florida state Seminoles play duri g football season. Overall just spend some quality time with my family and friends... Granted I also tabletop wargame if I get home for more than a few days at a time.
I feel like i am wasting more time reading this OP and replying then playing an MMO.
Sure i will bite...
I live in the asscrack of Alaska AKA Barrow Alaska, yesterday it was minus -18 degrees out and with windchill factored in it was a nice and balmy minus -32. So my family and i are stuck indoors more 3/4s of the year. Gaming, especially MMOs allow us to socialize more than we can physically, sure we winteract with each other, but as a whole we all find out niche or an outlet for our over abundance of downtime.
I am sure not very many people are int he same situation, but thats mine and my wife and 2 kids, MMOs keep us sane on those weeks where just stepping outside can literally kill you.
On a side note... Why in the hell does one post a question about what this entire site is about, basically calling into question why we all have the same interest for a hobby. Last i checked this was called MMORPG.COM. I guess sure Troll the entire community here.
Originally posted by vindir I suppose the same slap in the face coudl be applied for anyone who spends countless hours of T.V, movies, facebook, etc. At least with gaming (or mmo's in this case) I can gain problem sovling, learn and apply basic monetary lessons, hand-to-eye coordination, develop social skills, time managment, team work skills and probebly some other somewhat (if not useful) cerebral skills that can be applied to real world scenarios.
You are learning Pproblem solving, basic monetary lessons, social skills, time management, team work skills in MMOs? Really? What kind of problem analysis do you do in MMOs? How do you improve your time management skills by playing MMOs? Social skills - maybeeeeeeeee but no face to face social skills at all. What do you mean by basic monetary lessons? Team work - again maybe but again I wouldn't say you will improve at all unless your team work skills are completely 0 prior to playing MMOs.
Basically what I am trying to say is that you don't develop yourself in any way by playing MMOs. Games are supposed to be fun but I fail to see how you would develop any of the skills you've mentioned unless again you are very poor at each and every one of them. Again MMOs will not help you there either!
Mission in life: Vanquish all MMORPG.com trolls - especially TESO, WOW and GW2 trolls.
Of course MMOs are a HUGE waste of time, what else have they been? Have they ever been anything other than that? The important thing is that you know it is a waste of time. Surprisingly, not a lot of people view it as being a waste at all. I am a writer who spends a lot of hours working his job and devoting a good bit of time to his work. I balance my game time, sometimes I bendge a bit and play for hours, days, and weeks. But after a good bit I return to my normal life to get work done. I have higher priorities than MMOs, but sometimes spending time in them helps me in the long run.
I defintely feel like they are, they don't seem to go anywhere and don't seem to keep a traditional RPG feel, especially when it comes to storyline. Just seems like a pointless grind to prove one's self that they really have no life, which for me is a sad reminder that I really don't have a life ._.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
I'm sorry you feel that you have nothing to show for it. I've got several new circles of friends and a couple great jobs, including the kickass one I'm at now, to show for it.
I think you probably gained a lot more from it than you think, though. Think about the friends you've made, people you've met, events you've gone to over the years. Were those good experiences or bad? If good, then that's been a positive aspect of your life. It's something you've gained from. If they've all be bad, then stop playing, stop posting, and go find another hobby. The only thing more sad than realizing you've wasted years doing something is spending further time dwelling on it with that same crowd that you feel has contributed toward wasting your time.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein "Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I would say this is a thread questioning the benefits of mmo's. I back this gaming habit whole heartedly. Note what we were doing for fun before their invention. We played chess and checkers and poker. We gambled a lot. No, I would say graphic cyber has been a wonderful invention for mankind.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
Absolutely and proud of it.
I think everyone needs escape time. I roughly play mmo's in the same way that others watch TV. I go to work, I come home, walk the dog, do the dishes, light the fire. Sit at the comp, look up the news, then play some video games for 2 to 3 hours; where someone else, would turn on the boob tube.
I wouldn't be surprised if mmo's were better for your brain too. Instead of passively reacting to a screen, you are actively involved in observation, analysis, decision and action.
So in this sense, I don't think it is a waste of time at all. Like doing crosswords, keeping the mind actively engaged is important excercise as you get older.
But; that said. The way I played from 99 to 2004 was insanity. I would never return to the 12 hour raids, losing girlfriends and getting out of shape those years led to. That, was truly a waste. Sad that I remember the days fondly.
Part of the answer lies in what you pointed out too; other hobbies are 'expensive'. Golf, muscle cars, skiing, model planes, trains, etc. MMO's have probably saved me a huge wad of cash, which I can instead invest in my family. And to me, that is having something to show for it in the real world.
My time was somewhere between 99-2005 as well actually. Gfs were lost and weight was gained as well. Recently I haven't felt the need to login after a long days of work. I end up working on my bike or just herp derping on investment research. I wonder if this is because MMOs are becoming carbon clones of one another or I've just grown out of it.
Originally posted by MightyChasm All hobbies are waste of time then? I think mmo's are time better spent than watching some brain rotting soap on TV. And strangely it is normally those people that sit watching one soap after another, actively killing brain cells, who moan most about computer games being a waste of time.
My other hobbies are fitness training, investing, and supersport racing. Only one of them is remotely close to a waste of time but seeing as how I use my motorcycle as a main form of transportation, the knowledge I've gained from low/high side repairs, modifications and proper turning techniques are used on a daily basis. So no, I'd say my other hobbies synergize very well with my life. The only one that I'm having a hard time justifying is gaming.
As a entertainment, MMOs are or aren't a waste of time like any other.
However, hardcore mmo players obviously will fuck far less chicks, become more weird, anti-social, ugly and unpopular. So, if you measure the "usefulness" of a activity based on the amount of contribution to achieve status (in real-life), money and chicks, you should agree with the OP.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Only thing different is with a church is you stay with the church (possibly your whole life time)
Imagine joining a church (or for some of you a cult) and leaving it to join a new one every 3-6 months.
Thats why mmorpgs are a PARTIAL waste of time...yeah u have fun for the amount of time you are there...but for most we not looking for the temporary fun. more of a longtime commitment and a social community.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
I doubt you'll see fame and lasting glory in your new hobby. Whether you're spending your time gaming or...whatever it is you're doing now, you'd have no more to show for one or the other. The difference is you're now having more fun with one hobby than the other, and so you think the time you spent in the past was a waste. If you weren't having fun, it was a waste. If you were, then it served it's purpose, just like your current hobby is doing for you now.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
Same thing for me, all I could think about for the past 4 years (I'm 30) was my motorcycle. I still retained my interest in games, I follow them, even play as often as I can - which isn't nearly as much as in the good old days.
Why is this even a question, I thought the whole purpose of video games in general was to pass the time and have fun doing it...Did i miss something? It's supposed to be a waste of time!!
Currently Playing: ESO and FFXIV Have played: You name it If you mention rose tinted glasses, you better be referring to Mitch Hedberg.
As a entertainment, MMOs are or aren't a waste of time like any other.
However, hardcore mmo players obviously will fuck far less chicks, become more weird, anti-social, ugly and unpopular. So, if you measure the "usefulness" of a activity based on the amount of contribution to achieve status (in real-life), money and chicks, you should agree with the OP.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
yeah, i played tennis all my life and now i slap myself because i never became millionaire in real life like Pete Sampras.
Dude, hobbies are for your enjoyment. Waste time on mmos and still have fun? i wouldnt call it a waste of time. You got what the game was supossed to give you..... Fun. And i doubt you didnt have fun because you said you played for a long time. Nobody plays ridiculous amounts of hours in a game that they dont enjoy.
It is not just gaming, but sitting and watching TV or any sedentary activity; it makes me feel kind of guilt. I feel that I should be out broadening my horizons by experiencing new things or seeing new sights; or if I am stuck in I should be reading or writing, not living life via neatly packaged chunks of disposable entertainment. Then I think, fuck it, I'm going to play a computer game.
Originally posted by vindir I suppose the same slap in the face coudl be applied for anyone who spends countless hours of T.V, movies, facebook, etc. At least with gaming (or mmo's in this case) I can gain problem sovling, learn and apply basic monetary lessons, hand-to-eye coordination, develop social skills, time managment, team work skills and probebly some other somewhat (if not useful) cerebral skills that can be applied to real world scenarios.
No....just no.....
Get out a little bit more and you'll understand what I mean. You have some valid points but to throw Facebook, development of social skills, time management and team work skills into there...just hell no (and I'd argue against hte monetary lessons but I can see how that would work).
For every comment like this, it seems there are proponents for video games in education, though.
In a classroom environment, video games can help to develop all of the things vindir mentioned, just like any tool. Maybe you should expand your mind a bit.
I've clocked an absurdly high amount of hours into MMOs from WoW to Final Fantasy XI. After recently switching to a much more expensive hobby (supersport track days), I'm feeling the need to slap my face for wasting so much time on a hobby that amounts to having nothing to show for in the real world.
Anyone else ever feel the same way?
recently my girl told me about his english classmate hwo some gamming companys give him stuff just for playing ans testing games, hes 16 and can not recieve legally a mensuality or some monetary retribution...and told me he is a crack with games... so the point is, may be is a waste of time, but like everything, is matter of how good or famous you become in what you do, personally i enjoy gamming and i never going to quit, but also i work (part time) ,im studing another thing i love, music... AND ,also practicing kenjutsu and iaijutsu( sensei musashi samurai style) and i dont care if thats a waste of time or not,im just doing what i like to do, in my case gamming is like a way to distraction when im stressed... my gf too LOL, but if your ONLY hobby is playing games its hardly recomended another passtime activity,
Comments
agree - ive always felt the same
EQ2 fan sites
It is as simple as this.
Absolutely and proud of it.
I think everyone needs escape time. I roughly play mmo's in the same way that others watch TV. I go to work, I come home, walk the dog, do the dishes, light the fire. Sit at the comp, look up the news, then play some video games for 2 to 3 hours; where someone else, would turn on the boob tube.
I wouldn't be surprised if mmo's were better for your brain too. Instead of passively reacting to a screen, you are actively involved in observation, analysis, decision and action.
So in this sense, I don't think it is a waste of time at all. Like doing crosswords, keeping the mind actively engaged is important excercise as you get older.
But; that said. The way I played from 99 to 2004 was insanity. I would never return to the 12 hour raids, losing girlfriends and getting out of shape those years led to. That, was truly a waste. Sad that I remember the days fondly.
Part of the answer lies in what you pointed out too; other hobbies are 'expensive'. Golf, muscle cars, skiing, model planes, trains, etc. MMO's have probably saved me a huge wad of cash, which I can instead invest in my family. And to me, that is having something to show for it in the real world.
To each their own.
that being said. I personally believe anything can be done overdone in excess. I used to be addicted practically to EQ1.. Now I game casual. Becoming a truck driver really opened my eyes other things I was missing while I was home. I enjoy gaming during my downtime while out on the road and parked. However when I'm home there are other things to be done. Go to the beach, go to the movies, have a cookout, or go watch my Florida state Seminoles play duri g football season. Overall just spend some quality time with my family and friends... Granted I also tabletop wargame if I get home for more than a few days at a time.
I feel like i am wasting more time reading this OP and replying then playing an MMO.
Sure i will bite...
I live in the asscrack of Alaska AKA Barrow Alaska, yesterday it was minus -18 degrees out and with windchill factored in it was a nice and balmy minus -32. So my family and i are stuck indoors more 3/4s of the year. Gaming, especially MMOs allow us to socialize more than we can physically, sure we winteract with each other, but as a whole we all find out niche or an outlet for our over abundance of downtime.
I am sure not very many people are int he same situation, but thats mine and my wife and 2 kids, MMOs keep us sane on those weeks where just stepping outside can literally kill you.
On a side note... Why in the hell does one post a question about what this entire site is about, basically calling into question why we all have the same interest for a hobby. Last i checked this was called MMORPG.COM. I guess sure Troll the entire community here.
Lolipops !
You are learning Pproblem solving, basic monetary lessons, social skills, time management, team work skills in MMOs? Really? What kind of problem analysis do you do in MMOs? How do you improve your time management skills by playing MMOs? Social skills - maybeeeeeeeee but no face to face social skills at all. What do you mean by basic monetary lessons? Team work - again maybe but again I wouldn't say you will improve at all unless your team work skills are completely 0 prior to playing MMOs.
Basically what I am trying to say is that you don't develop yourself in any way by playing MMOs. Games are supposed to be fun but I fail to see how you would develop any of the skills you've mentioned unless again you are very poor at each and every one of them. Again MMOs will not help you there either!
Mission in life: Vanquish all MMORPG.com trolls - especially TESO, WOW and GW2 trolls.
This. Same game in different wrappers.
I'm sorry you feel that you have nothing to show for it. I've got several new circles of friends and a couple great jobs, including the kickass one I'm at now, to show for it.
I think you probably gained a lot more from it than you think, though. Think about the friends you've made, people you've met, events you've gone to over the years. Were those good experiences or bad? If good, then that's been a positive aspect of your life. It's something you've gained from. If they've all be bad, then stop playing, stop posting, and go find another hobby. The only thing more sad than realizing you've wasted years doing something is spending further time dwelling on it with that same crowd that you feel has contributed toward wasting your time.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
I would say this is a thread questioning the benefits of mmo's. I back this gaming habit whole heartedly. Note what we were doing for fun before their invention. We played chess and checkers and poker. We gambled a lot. No, I would say graphic cyber has been a wonderful invention for mankind.
My time was somewhere between 99-2005 as well actually. Gfs were lost and weight was gained as well. Recently I haven't felt the need to login after a long days of work. I end up working on my bike or just herp derping on investment research. I wonder if this is because MMOs are becoming carbon clones of one another or I've just grown out of it.
My other hobbies are fitness training, investing, and supersport racing. Only one of them is remotely close to a waste of time but seeing as how I use my motorcycle as a main form of transportation, the knowledge I've gained from low/high side repairs, modifications and proper turning techniques are used on a daily basis. So no, I'd say my other hobbies synergize very well with my life. The only one that I'm having a hard time justifying is gaming.
As a entertainment, MMOs are or aren't a waste of time like any other.
However, hardcore mmo players obviously will fuck far less chicks, become more weird, anti-social, ugly and unpopular. So, if you measure the "usefulness" of a activity based on the amount of contribution to achieve status (in real-life), money and chicks, you should agree with the OP.
Pretty sure escapism was the whole point.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Playing a new MMORPG is like joining a church.
Only thing different is with a church is you stay with the church (possibly your whole life time)
Imagine joining a church (or for some of you a cult) and leaving it to join a new one every 3-6 months.
Thats why mmorpgs are a PARTIAL waste of time...yeah u have fun for the amount of time you are there...but for most we not looking for the temporary fun. more of a longtime commitment and a social community.
I doubt you'll see fame and lasting glory in your new hobby. Whether you're spending your time gaming or...whatever it is you're doing now, you'd have no more to show for one or the other. The difference is you're now having more fun with one hobby than the other, and so you think the time you spent in the past was a waste. If you weren't having fun, it was a waste. If you were, then it served it's purpose, just like your current hobby is doing for you now.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
Interests change.
Same thing for me, all I could think about for the past 4 years (I'm 30) was my motorcycle. I still retained my interest in games, I follow them, even play as often as I can - which isn't nearly as much as in the good old days.
http://lyrics.iztok.org/verse/Lynyrd_Skynyrd/Simple_Man/80615
Currently Playing: ESO and FFXIV
Have played: You name it
If you mention rose tinted glasses, you better be referring to Mitch Hedberg.
....I like this, I think this hits it spot on.
yeah, i played tennis all my life and now i slap myself because i never became millionaire in real life like Pete Sampras.
Dude, hobbies are for your enjoyment. Waste time on mmos and still have fun? i wouldnt call it a waste of time. You got what the game was supossed to give you..... Fun. And i doubt you didnt have fun because you said you played for a long time. Nobody plays ridiculous amounts of hours in a game that they dont enjoy.
cheers
For every comment like this, it seems there are proponents for video games in education, though.
http://www.gamespot.com/features/minecraft-in-education-how-video-games-are-teaching-kids-6400549/
In a classroom environment, video games can help to develop all of the things vindir mentioned, just like any tool. Maybe you should expand your mind a bit.
recently my girl told me about his english classmate hwo some gamming companys give him stuff just for playing ans testing games, hes 16 and can not recieve legally a mensuality or some monetary retribution...and told me he is a crack with games... so the point is, may be is a waste of time, but like everything, is matter of how good or famous you become in what you do, personally i enjoy gamming and i never going to quit, but also i work (part time) ,im studing another thing i love, music... AND ,also practicing kenjutsu and iaijutsu( sensei musashi samurai style) and i dont care if thats a waste of time or not,im just doing what i like to do, in my case gamming is like a way to distraction when im stressed... my gf too LOL, but if your ONLY hobby is playing games its hardly recomended another passtime activity,
good luck finding the way my friend