My life? No, probably saved me from doing other things that are much more destructive, and for as much money as I have spent on it over the years, I probably would have spent 10x that in much less constructive ways.
My health? Yes, it certainly wasn't the most healthy activity I could have chose to invest a lot of time in.
Gaming is like watching movies or listening to music for me. It has so many positive influences. I really can't think of a single way that it has hurt me or something.
Constantine, The Console Poster
"One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive selves." - Carl Jung
Have the impacted my life. Definitely, negatively I would say overall no.
Mainly gona speak about MMOs since I spent the majority of my game time playing those. Pre-mmos I spent alot of time on consol games but it was in balanced with everything else.
While I probably would of done a little better in college if I was not waking up every 27mins for 3mins for a world boss spawn all hours of the night in ffxi for the whole time I was in college every night, and spending 50-55hrs a week in the game. I still finished with a 3.56gpa. That other .44gpa is worth like 40k more a year though. So yea hit me there. But I am making more then enough and I am in the top 5 performers at my firm.
I meet the love of my life in a mmo, was my guild's main healer, getting married this year. Been together for 3.5yrs now. I also have meet hundreds people from across the globe, many here in the US I have met in Real life. So alot of friendships were made in gaming that would of otherwise not happened. I still talk to many ppl I met 10+yrs ago regularly.
It allowed me to save tons of money which let me buy a house, expensive car, and alot of stuff. P2P MMOs are dirt cheap entertainment compared to all others forms of stuff to do in this world... Seriously 160hrs of entertainment cost the same as 3 games of bowling (`1.5hrs) and less then 1 movie at a theater.
In the end was it negative? hell no. If I had the choice I would of changed nothing honestly... except maby my major to computer science, fell in love with coding in my Sr.Year as an accounting major after changing from education to that. Too much money spent to change my major for a 3rd time lol.
I have played games most of my life. From board games like monopoly to Terrible Swift Sword early on. And then to computer games like Wizardry, Quake, Doom, Battlefield and now games like Stationeers, Kingdom Come Deliverance and Destiny 2. And that only mentions a few. In between, I married and had 4 kids and 4 grandkids. I have stayed married to the same woman (who doesn't game) for 42 years. Never did I pass up family time for game playing. Never have I or any other of my family felt like killing anyone in real life. We are all just normal, maybe a little boring, group of people. And we love it.
Negative impacts are hard to quantify, there certainly was an impact on my life, for both good and bad perhaps.
I used to fill up a lot of free time reading science fiction novels, gaming took away some of that, but I would say first the internet and then Smart phones took more of that than gaming.
I'm sure I lost far too much sleep gaming, nor did I perhaps take "advantage" of being married as much as I could, but hey, 3 children was more than enough.
I was always there for family activities, vacations, coaching youth sports teams or Scouting, even if I did bring the gaming laptop along with sometimes.
Hey, I'm not a successful rock musican, well, can't blame gaming as I have no voice, or musical talent.
Perhaps one regret, photography was a big hobby before gaming, and clearly funds and free time were diverted from it to play games.
I do have an addictive personality and could (and almost did) fall into issues with alcohol, so perhaps gaming helped me steer clear of other bad behaviors, though I really attribute most of that to my wife and God. (Yes, I said it, Chris Pratt would approve)
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Everyone knows what OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is and I actually think most people have it to a certain degree. For examlay, but I'm a bit more controlled now than I was before.
But do you feel that video gaming has had a negative impact on your life? So were you clinically addicted to it or just played it in a controlled manner?
Sincerely,
. What other semi-OCD or real OCD traits do you have? Or something you always do in every game that is maddeningly neurotic. For example, I don't do anything in games that is neurotic, I don't sit there in PoE and have the perfectly organized stash tabs.
I don't have any OCD tendencies while gaming, well as long as being able only play MMORPGs /RPGs and never more than one at a time doesn't qualify.
I'm assuming meticulously organizing my inventory in games is just for efficiency nor the fact when games heavily restrict or charge me for space I want to punch the monitor is nothing OCD like.
Now at home, different story, can't seem to teach my wife to always hang up freshly washed shirts on the left side, nor to keep them separated into proper types, dress shirts, t-shirt and then collared polos from left to right.
Socks, sorted on the drawer by color and while I have no such color requirements for underwear, I prefer they be "rotated" meaning take out any in the drawer and put the newly washed at the bottom, and then replace the older ones on top.
I don't rage at her when she doesn't do it, I volunteer to take my laundry up to hang or fix it quietly afterwards. (Yes, of course I know exactly which items are out of place, doesn't everyone?)
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I still finished with a 3.56gpa. That other .44gpa is worth like 40k more a year though.
I want to know what companies pay a salary based on gpa; I need to go work for them.
I want to help design and develop a PvE-focused, solo-friendly, sandpark MMO which combines crafting, monster hunting, and story. So PM me if you are starting one.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I've cut back to 1 hour a day from 10 hours a day thanks to a new wife entering the equation. I been too old for too long to have games as a priority in my life anymore. Never know, I may lose my job and get a divorce and then I can get 20 hours a day!
That looks like a club of anonymous alcoholics Most people here are obviously addicted to the games, but some struggle to admit it. Also it is not necessary the addiction to ruin your life to be addicted. I like chocolate. And it is bad for my skin. So I do not eat it every day. But still I'm addicted. And the video games are much stronger narcotic, because the chocolate is not escaping from the reality.
Also, if you met your wife or girlfriend on a party with lot of cocaine, and you live happily ever after, that does not mean the cocaine is a good thing, or even good for your health.
I think it's safe to assume that there is more to many our lives than video games.
I would be to quick to make assumptions. And if you have any doubts about anyone's posts you should probably just ask.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
no. I miss the games I played as a kid. they helped me become more social, believe in myself, learn different strategies, etc.
if anything, I would say IRL friends/partying hurt me in a vast majority of ways.
This. I made a lot of friends both online and IRL through video games. They are just like any hobby. They help you connect with people who share similar interests. They are a form of entertainment and I would never regret winding down with entertainment. But beyond that, I am actually happy I played video games more than the average joe. They kept me out of social circles my mother certainly would have had a heart attack if I was apart of. My parents actually will acknowledge the fact that when I start playing EQ in 7th grade that my vocabulary increased greatly. After all that was back in the days when you actually had to read text to complete quests.
But yeah like @WoeToTheVanquished said, IRL friends/partying had a more negative impact on my life than video games. Though both my nerdy video game side mixed with my IRL friends/partying side led me to my beautiful wife who bore out first son last year, so no video games haven't impacted my life negatively.
If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!
Overall I love technology, computers and networking so video games fall under that blanket. If I didn't play video games I would be into doing something else on the computer. Compared to other hobbies it's not that expensive.
As to mental illness and gaming I think the line is drawn with any addiction when it stops you from working and paying your taxes. An article I read stated that a lot of CEO's have what could be call full blown mental illnesses, they just channel it around gaining power, making more money, and screwing over people they hate or don't care about.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Similarly like you, i also ballsed up my degree, i spent way to too much time in EvE at time i should have been studying, so instead of getting a 1st i got a 2:2 ... Sad, but hey-ho life is what i s.
In terms of OCD. heck yes, but one of my quirkier things, is when i make a brew (coffee to you none brits) I will boil kettle whilst i put the sugar then coffee in, then when i pour in milk i have to re-boil kettle i can only put the water in the second or 2 after the milk has been added... Yes i know its still boiling hot, but thats me, and the coffee/sugar has to go in the cup same order, So , Sugar first, Then coffee then milk and finally hot water.
Also when i get home from work i cannot do ANYTHING until i have changed out of work clothes, the missus knows to not even talk to me until ive been upstairs to get changed... I blame my old dear for this as her insistence that i change out of my school clothes before i do anything!:. Am i OCD i reckon im a 6/7 out of 10 on the scale if i was to be tested.
Most people here are obviously addicted to the games, but some struggle to admit it.
No need to make assumptions about other people's life in order to try to justify that other thread you made about penalizing play time... It almost seems to me that you are trying to project your own weaknesses on others.
It is not about the other thread. And I admit my addictions, you do not
You don't know him and don't know he "has" addictions. Let's not be arrogant.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
Everyone knows what OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is and I actually think most people have it to a certain degree. For example, if I have a stack of cash with me, I'll have to orient the cash all in the same way. Part of the definition of OCD is that it has to have a realized negative impact on your life. The orienting cash in a certain way impacts my life for a few seconds every 3 months or so. Therefore, it doesn't affect me at all and even though I'll say I'm OCD in this regard, the reality is, I'm not clinically OCD.
Getting to video games, I admit they have been an addiction for me and that they have negatively impacted my life, but I do love them so much though. They screwed up my undergraduate and delayed my career choice for 5 years, screwed with me in all facets of life. I still play, but I'm a bit more controlled now than I was before.
But do you feel that video gaming has had a negative impact on your life? So were you clinically addicted to it or just played it in a controlled manner?
Sincerely,
Cryomatrix p.s. What other semi-OCD or real OCD traits do you have? Or something you always do in every game that is maddeningly neurotic. For example, I don't do anything in games that is neurotic, I don't sit there in PoE and have the perfectly organized stash tabs.
To answer your main question .. NOPE .. not at all in fact some of the skills I have picked up while playing help me in my everyday job. Teamwork and Teambuilding.
As far as OCD .. I will agree that putting your cash all the same way (Heading your bills) is something I do .. but then i learned that from my mother, who was a banker, and I still do it.
[[ DEAD ]] - Funny - I deleted my account on the site using the cancel account button. Forum user is separate and still exists with no way of deleting it. Delete it admins. Do it, this ends now.
Yes. Every minute spent playing a game is time I'm not doing something productive or something that holds more value.
Spending less time with my loved ones. I spend a lot of time with family, but with the limited amount of time we have I know I will someday regret not spending more with them instead of playing video games.
Learning something new. I've always wanted to learn Italian and Mandarin, but dedicated myself to actually start learning Mandarin or stick with Italian.
I could be reading more books in my free time.
I could be doing more work on the house to give it more appeal.
I could be donating my time to charity and/or other community building organizations.
The list goes on and on.
However, if it weren't for video games I wouldn't have the career that I have today. I was so fascinated with EQ that I wanted to learn how to code and make my own MMO someday (unrealistic, I know). I found that I loved designing, coding, and the problem solving that goes along with it. I stopped with my associates in accounting and went on to get my masters in Software Engineering (I guess in a way gaming cost me more education expenses) and never looked back.
I've spent time in various worlds, interacted with amazing characters, and met some great - and not so great - people along the way. So I don't see it entirely as time wasted, but not used to the best of its potential.
Who knows *shrug*. If I didn't spend some of my free time gaming I may have taken up drinking or something more destructive
Most people here are obviously addicted to the games, but some struggle to admit it.
No need to make assumptions about other people's life in order to try to justify that other thread you made about penalizing play time... It almost seems to me that you are trying to project your own weaknesses on others.
It is not about the other thread. And I admit my addictions, you do not
You don't know him and don't know he "has" addictions. Let's not be arrogant.
Clearly he has unnatural affinity for old Star Trek characters.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
If yes, then it's amusing how some of us found their career and way to earn their living through video games, and others think it actually hindered them.
I most likely wouldn't be an as successful software engineer right now without those games I've played 30+ years ago, and which made me start programming to do the same thing.
So true. It was my love of games which encouraged me to write my first Basic program on a Trash 80, and then buy a PC clone and learn to navigate DOS in order to play games.
Self teaching myself I managed to move from purchasing to software testing, hardware and supporting the network at a small engineering company.
Ultimately lead to a 30 year Tech career and it lilkely would not have happened without gaming.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I spent my life from 21 -25 behind bars , a very wild life of drugs and alcohol , and an assault charge got me there ..
When i got out i knew i had to change , and one day reading a magazine , advertising a C64, and all it could do ,and it caught my attention.... Having had an interest in fantasy novels growing up .. The possibilities of the pc intrigued me ..(partiuclarly an article about Richard Garriot and Akalabeth)
So i picked one up , was the early 80s , ive been gaming since , i havent drank or done drugs since .. I also began investing my excess cash into developers and publishers , even magazines .. (because i no longer drank and drugs) ..
I have done really well over the years having gotten into this early ..
Now im married have a beautiful wife a great 6 year old son and a big beautiful home , i owe much of my success to gaming and the path it has led me ..
Been one helluva fun ride , altho sometimes some folks here may think me harsh and unfair in my judgements "at times" , I have an incredible passion for gaming and really expect the best...
I've noticed a few patterns on why I feel it has had a net negative on me.
I knew my career choice when I was a kid and I never changed and it clearly wasn't in tech. So the gaming just held my career back as I was "career" oriented by the time I was 10 or so.
I'm also ambitious so I tend to go into "work" when I'm off as I am at a point in my life where I feel bad if I don't do anything productive. I'd love nothing more than to play games all day, but the reality is, when I have the chance to do that. I tend to feel bad about it after a couple of days.
It also comes down to opportunity cost, I've been writing a novel since August 2012 and I'm 85,000 words in, I would have finished it a long time ago but I take breaks from it to get into video games. When I'm addicted, which is mostly all the time, i don't do anything but play video games in my spare time. Since my spare time is always limited. 80 hour work weeks, wife and kid, it is hard for me to do many things.
Hence, I tend to say it has a negative impact. I definitely became more addicted when I was depressed and it helped in college, but overall, I think the above is why I find that it has a negative impact.
I'm the type of person who thinks working 40 hours a week is part-time, when I had the option to take a harder class my 2nd semester of senior year in high school, I would take the harder version of the class. People would be like, "yo man, you already got into college, why take the harder class." To which the answer is, "I'm here to learn".
But then again, I'd always be brought down by my gaming addiction. It would prevent me from studying hard for things and excelling at school. I did well enough for myself, but in terms of academics, i've always hit the lowest level I need to scrape by and get to where I need to go.
I'd look at people who go to class, come home and study until they fall asleep and then i'd look at myself, go to class, come home and play games with a little bit of studying. People would go out when they were done but in crunch time, they had the willpower to study and I didn't because of gaming.
Overall, I am lucky to be where I am in my career, it is a good career, it is just that I take on too much and when I should be focusing on other parts of my life, I am playing games. I do spend time with family and usually don't give up family time for gaming (because I can't).
There were really interesting posts here. I am not alone. I guess I can continue gaming as long as I try to stay more efficient in my life, perhaps, I can reach a state of equilibrium where I don't feel bad for playing games. It does get to a point where I listen to podcasts that help improve my job when I'm gaming . . . .
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Cryomatrix
Catch me streaming at twitch.tv/cryomatrix You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.
Comments
My health? Yes, it certainly wasn't the most healthy activity I could have chose to invest a lot of time in.
Mainly gona speak about MMOs since I spent the majority of my game time playing those. Pre-mmos I spent alot of time on consol games but it was in balanced with everything else.
While I probably would of done a little better in college if I was not waking up every 27mins for 3mins for a world boss spawn all hours of the night in ffxi for the whole time I was in college every night, and spending 50-55hrs a week in the game. I still finished with a 3.56gpa. That other .44gpa is worth like 40k more a year though. So yea hit me there. But I am making more then enough and I am in the top 5 performers at my firm.
I meet the love of my life in a mmo, was my guild's main healer, getting married this year. Been together for 3.5yrs now. I also have meet hundreds people from across the globe, many here in the US I have met in Real life. So alot of friendships were made in gaming that would of otherwise not happened. I still talk to many ppl I met 10+yrs ago regularly.
It allowed me to save tons of money which let me buy a house, expensive car, and alot of stuff. P2P MMOs are dirt cheap entertainment compared to all others forms of stuff to do in this world... Seriously 160hrs of entertainment cost the same as 3 games of bowling (`1.5hrs) and less then 1 movie at a theater.
In the end was it negative? hell no. If I had the choice I would of changed nothing honestly... except maby my major to computer science, fell in love with coding in my Sr.Year as an accounting major after changing from education to that. Too much money spent to change my major for a 3rd time lol.
Let's party like it is 1863!
I used to fill up a lot of free time reading science fiction novels, gaming took away some of that, but I would say first the internet and then Smart phones took more of that than gaming.
I'm sure I lost far too much sleep gaming, nor did I perhaps take "advantage" of being married as much as I could, but hey, 3 children was more than enough.
I was always there for family activities, vacations, coaching youth sports teams or Scouting, even if I did bring the gaming laptop along with sometimes.
Hey, I'm not a successful rock musican, well, can't blame gaming as I have no voice, or musical talent.
Perhaps one regret, photography was a big hobby before gaming, and clearly funds and free time were diverted from it to play games.
I do have an addictive personality and could (and almost did) fall into issues with alcohol, so perhaps gaming helped me steer clear of other bad behaviors, though I really attribute most of that to my wife and God. (Yes, I said it, Chris Pratt would approve)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
I'm assuming meticulously organizing my inventory in games is just for efficiency nor the fact when games heavily restrict or charge me for space I want to punch the monitor is nothing OCD like.
Now at home, different story, can't seem to teach my wife to always hang up freshly washed shirts on the left side, nor to keep them separated into proper types, dress shirts, t-shirt and then collared polos from left to right.
Socks, sorted on the drawer by color and while I have no such color requirements for underwear, I prefer they be "rotated" meaning take out any in the drawer and put the newly washed at the bottom, and then replace the older ones on top.
I don't rage at her when she doesn't do it, I volunteer to take my laundry up to hang or fix it quietly afterwards. (Yes, of course I know exactly which items are out of place, doesn't everyone?)
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.
I'd much rather have a 3.0 at Harvard or Westpoint than a 4.0 at the local community college.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
This isn't a signature, you just think it is.
I would be to quick to make assumptions. And if you have any doubts about anyone's posts you should probably just ask.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
But yeah like @WoeToTheVanquished said, IRL friends/partying had a more negative impact on my life than video games. Though both my nerdy video game side mixed with my IRL friends/partying side led me to my beautiful wife who bore out first son last year, so no video games haven't impacted my life negatively.
If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!
As to mental illness and gaming I think the line is drawn with any addiction when it stops you from working and paying your taxes. An article I read stated that a lot of CEO's have what could be call full blown mental illnesses, they just channel it around gaining power, making more money, and screwing over people they hate or don't care about.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
Similarly like you, i also ballsed up my degree, i spent way to too much time in EvE at time i should have been studying, so instead of getting a 1st i got a 2:2 ... Sad, but hey-ho life is what i s.
In terms of OCD. heck yes, but one of my quirkier things, is when i make a brew (coffee to you none brits) I will boil kettle whilst i put the sugar then coffee in, then when i pour in milk i have to re-boil kettle i can only put the water in the second or 2 after the milk has been added... Yes i know its still boiling hot, but thats me, and the coffee/sugar has to go in the cup same order, So , Sugar first, Then coffee then milk and finally hot water.
Also when i get home from work i cannot do ANYTHING until i have changed out of work clothes, the missus knows to not even talk to me until ive been upstairs to get changed... I blame my old dear for this as her insistence that i change out of my school clothes before i do anything!:.
Am i OCD i reckon im a 6/7 out of 10 on the scale if i was to be tested.
This post is all my opinion, but I welcome debate on anything i have put, however, personal slander / name calling belongs in game
where of course you're welcome to call me names im often found lounging about in EvE online.
Use this code for 21days trial in eve online https://secure.eveonline.com/trial/?invc=d385aff2-794a-44a4-96f1-3967ccf6d720&action=buddy
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
As far as OCD .. I will agree that putting your cash all the same way (Heading your bills) is something I do .. but then i learned that from my mother, who was a banker, and I still do it.
Don't have anything to add. Cause this was meant for another place lol...
But games made me lazy, but more creative at same time...
My Skyrim, Fallout 4, Starbound and WoW + other game mods at MODDB:
https://www.moddb.com/mods/skyrim-anime-overhaul
- Spending less time with my loved ones. I spend a lot of time with family, but with the limited amount of time we have I know I will someday regret not spending more with them instead of playing video games.
- Learning something new. I've always wanted to learn Italian and Mandarin, but dedicated myself to actually start learning Mandarin or stick with Italian.
- I could be reading more books in my free time.
- I could be doing more work on the house to give it more appeal.
- I could be donating my time to charity and/or other community building organizations.
The list goes on and on.However, if it weren't for video games I wouldn't have the career that I have today. I was so fascinated with EQ that I wanted to learn how to code and make my own MMO someday (unrealistic, I know). I found that I loved designing, coding, and the problem solving that goes along with it. I stopped with my associates in accounting and went on to get my masters in Software Engineering (I guess in a way gaming cost me more education expenses) and never looked back.
I've spent time in various worlds, interacted with amazing characters, and met some great - and not so great - people along the way. So I don't see it entirely as time wasted, but not used to the best of its potential.
Who knows *shrug*. If I didn't spend some of my free time gaming I may have taken up drinking or something more destructive
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Self teaching myself I managed to move from purchasing to software testing, hardware and supporting the network at a small engineering company.
Ultimately lead to a 30 year Tech career and it lilkely would not have happened without gaming.
No regrets
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
When i got out i knew i had to change , and one day reading a magazine , advertising a C64, and all it could do ,and it caught my attention.... Having had an interest in fantasy novels growing up .. The possibilities of the pc intrigued me ..(partiuclarly an article about Richard Garriot and Akalabeth)
So i picked one up , was the early 80s , ive been gaming since , i havent drank or done drugs since ..
I also began investing my excess cash into developers and publishers , even magazines .. (because i no longer drank and drugs) ..
I have done really well over the years having gotten into this early ..
Now im married have a beautiful wife a great 6 year old son and a big beautiful home , i owe much of my success to gaming and the path it has led me ..
Been one helluva fun ride , altho sometimes some folks here may think me harsh and unfair in my judgements "at times" , I have an incredible passion for gaming and really expect the best...
I've noticed a few patterns on why I feel it has had a net negative on me.
I knew my career choice when I was a kid and I never changed and it clearly wasn't in tech. So the gaming just held my career back as I was "career" oriented by the time I was 10 or so.
I'm also ambitious so I tend to go into "work" when I'm off as I am at a point in my life where I feel bad if I don't do anything productive. I'd love nothing more than to play games all day, but the reality is, when I have the chance to do that. I tend to feel bad about it after a couple of days.
It also comes down to opportunity cost, I've been writing a novel since August 2012 and I'm 85,000 words in, I would have finished it a long time ago but I take breaks from it to get into video games. When I'm addicted, which is mostly all the time, i don't do anything but play video games in my spare time. Since my spare time is always limited. 80 hour work weeks, wife and kid, it is hard for me to do many things.
Hence, I tend to say it has a negative impact. I definitely became more addicted when I was depressed and it helped in college, but overall, I think the above is why I find that it has a negative impact.
I'm the type of person who thinks working 40 hours a week is part-time, when I had the option to take a harder class my 2nd semester of senior year in high school, I would take the harder version of the class. People would be like, "yo man, you already got into college, why take the harder class." To which the answer is, "I'm here to learn".
But then again, I'd always be brought down by my gaming addiction. It would prevent me from studying hard for things and excelling at school. I did well enough for myself, but in terms of academics, i've always hit the lowest level I need to scrape by and get to where I need to go.
I'd look at people who go to class, come home and study until they fall asleep and then i'd look at myself, go to class, come home and play games with a little bit of studying. People would go out when they were done but in crunch time, they had the willpower to study and I didn't because of gaming.
Overall, I am lucky to be where I am in my career, it is a good career, it is just that I take on too much and when I should be focusing on other parts of my life, I am playing games. I do spend time with family and usually don't give up family time for gaming (because I can't).
There were really interesting posts here. I am not alone. I guess I can continue gaming as long as I try to stay more efficient in my life, perhaps, I can reach a state of equilibrium where I don't feel bad for playing games. It does get to a point where I listen to podcasts that help improve my job when I'm gaming . . .
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Cryomatrix
You can see my sci-fi/WW2 book recommendations.