Fighting the MMO Urge...

[ArchV]

Is anyone else struggling to get over playing an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online... specifically World of Warcraft in my case) to play other games, particularly single player ones?

I read an article awhile back asking "Are MMO's good for the game industry?" It was talking about how there a bunch of people that don't buy games they might be interested in because they're too busy playing an MMO game. If you have WoW to come home to every evening, it makes it hard to get into a different game, especially if you have a bunch of friend relying on you for raids and dungeon runs, etc.

Anyway... just thought I'd see if I was the only one struggling with this issue. I'm totally excited about Titan Quest, and I love nothing more than to play it for hours and hours on end... but it still comes in second place to WoW. Hopefully I'll be able to carve out some time for TQ :(

[Killa John]

I gave up WoW about 4 months ago, and am extremely happy that I did. It took up so much of my time, it's all I could think about all the time (now replaced by TQ :confused:), and it caused some serious problems in my personal life (my gf got pissed about how much I played every day). The downside is that I still miss playing, WoW is a great game and I made some good friends while playing, and had countless hours of fun. What you need to do is decide whether you want this addiction looming over your shoulder for the next few years, or if you want to be able to pause your games and come back and finish it when you have time. I had almost forgot how nice it was to be able to pause and save games. Some people just can't handle that kind of addictiveness without it getting out of hand, and I am one of those people. I think I will be just as addicted to TQ as I was to D2, but I can play on my time, and not everyone elses, and I think I can now handle it.

[ArchV]

I gave up WoW about 4 months ago, and am extremely happy that I did. It took up so much of my time, it's all I could think about all the time (now replaced by TQ :confused:), and it caused some serious problems in my personal life (my gf got pissed about how much I played every day). The downside is that I still miss playing, WoW is a great game and I made some good friends while playing, and had countless hours of fun. What you need to do is decide whether you want this addiction looming over your shoulder for the next few years, or if you want to be able to pause your games and come back and finish it when you have time. I had almost forgot how nice it was to be able to pause and save games. Some people just can't handle that kind of addictiveness without it getting out of hand, and I am one of those people. I think I will be just as addicted to TQ as I was to D2, but I can play on my time, and not everyone elses, and I think I can now handle it.

Well, here's more details that makes it much more interesting in my case... I got my rogue to level 60 over a year ago. I then cancelled my account. Only recently did I reactivate it. So I took a nice long break. Definitely able to break addiction at will. I did the same thing with Everquest, eventhough I was paying for that account for almost 5 years before I cancelled it hehe.

As for the personal life issue, I won't have one, because my wife plays as well :rockon: She just started a new character a few weeks ago and she's up to level 29 (she also has a 48 and a 34 from a year ago).

As for the REASON we reactivated the accounts ... we just had our first child almost 6 months ago. She went from a full time job to a stay at home mom. She started going crazy with nothing to do during the day when the baby naps. WoW solved that problem fast hehe. It would be all good.... except that now TQ is coming out, and I want to play that :) She'd play it too, except that she's definitely more into WoW right now with her new character. I'm at 60th and don't have 'responsibilities' to a guild or anything, so I can pretty much put it aside for awhile. Just gotta bring myself to do it :) I'm sure once I have the Titan Quest box in my hands, it will be a much more powerful factor!

[Roland]

Cut the ties with WOW myself 4-5 months ago and I felt "free" for the 1st time in a year and 1/2 LOL

Will be a long time before I even think about touching a MMO again :)

There are plenty of good quality games and I will be able to play at my convenience and not rule my life!

TQ
(coming soon)
NWN 2
The Witcher
HellGate: London

(Older Games I'm toying with atm)

Fallout
Sacred:Gold
Dungeon Siege 2

There is NO need for a MMO in my life LOL

graTz on making the Break!!!

And Welcome!

[Sven]

I played MMORPGs for a few years when they first came up. I really don't play them now for a few reasons...

1) People on there tend to be immature and only out to ruin your experience which makes their experience better. (for some reason..)

2) Developers... I don't trust them anyone. Especially SOE and its ambiguous content patches for content thats already suppose to be in the game.

3) There are too many MMORPGs and each claims their MMORPG is the next best thing. I think WoW is probably the best atm.

4) Time. I may not have much of a social life, but it seems ridiculous to spend hours on end, day in and day out, to gain that extra magical item. And you PAY to do this. I'd rather have an interesting job that I get payed to do.

So, those kinda summerize it. Also, the 15$ a month adds up, and your life isn't so complicated trying to live the lives of 4 other fantasy characters. :\

[ArchV]

3) There are too many MMORPGs and each claims their MMORPG is the next best thing. I think WoW is probably the best atm.


I'd say so :)

http://mmogchart.com/Chart7.html

I read an article awhile back saying that some publishers and developers are refusing to make an MMO right now because WoW is far too powerful to compete with!

[Alkaidia]

I have never played an MMO for a couple of reasons:

1.) I refuse to pay monthly to play a game, (maybe I would if I was older and had a job).

2.) This is kind of scary actually. With my mom's computer came a trial of Everquest. I started to play it a bit but, (luckily), decided I didn't like it, (played for about an hour or two and just got confused). About two days later my Mom started watching a documentory on MMO's, specifically Everquest (by the way I didn't now what MMO's were yet). But it was about MMO's and addictiveness. They found that Everquest was actually addictive. Though most people did not suffer from a very bad level of it. The main reason for the addictiveness they felt was because Everquest never ends, (which I believe is true for most MMO's). It was interesting though because the people they interviewed were definately addicted, (it was obvious), and their most extreme case, (very extreme case), the person killed himself over the game. But of course that isn't normal. But because of this I would be kind of worried about starting to play an MMO. And I am worried a bit about my friend who recently started WOW. Though, my main reason for not playing a MMO is still the fact that I refuse to pay.

Thanks
Alkaidia

[Viperace]

I used to be an 'addict' of MMORPG.

Seriously, i got no life at the moment. Now that I am thinking back, I wish that my time is better spent for something else. Grinding the same monsters again and again for hours.. ouch, how dumb I was!!:rockon:

There are many good game out there, single-player or multi.And there are many good movies/books/activities out there waiting for u.:)





They found that Everquest was actually addictive. Though most people did not suffer from a very bad level of it.

I know that it was addictive even though I haven't seen nor play it. Back in the forum of www.hardwarezone.com , some guy actually said that he and his wife divorced due to his wife being addicted to the game and play it for her life!
Believe it or not, but that thread is many pages long.

[CymTyr]

I recently broke my WoW addiction in May. I'm taking a break, with options to come back to my guild when I'm ready.

We've cleared MC, BWL, AQ20, ZG, the first two bosses of AQ. Since I've left they've just gotten past Huaha(sp?)

Anyway... WoW is an extremely high maintenance game. I didn't realize until after I broke myself from it how bad it was. Fortunately for me I'm fairly perceptive and I could see things I didn't like, despite the fact that I used to utterly adore Blizz.

Now I play DDO, but that said, it is an extremely low-maintenance mmo. I spent three hours last night raiding with my guild, logged off, played TQ, checked in today, and now I can do whatever I want for the rest of the day.

I am looking forward to Vanguard, though (please see my other thread in this section).

Anyway... grats to giving up WoW. As far as addiction, I've seen reports where people addicted to video games get similar brainwaves to alcoholics going on a binder (when they're playing). Kind of interesting how shiny lights and pressing buttons can be a true addiction... but scientifically it looks that way. (Sorry cannot provide links, this was seen on a friend's computer a while back).

I never got into EQ... played Lineage 2 for a while and quit because it was utterly stupid how much you had to grind in that game (and that was before they adjusted xp to make it easier). Beta for Rose Online... blech. WoW.... yeah I had a great year and a half myself but it's time to move on.

Besides, is it really fun having to rely on 39 other people to have their s*** together so you have a chance at a purple? LOL

Long-winded and probably OT... but these are a few of my thoughts, nonetheless.

Peace homies,

-Cym

[siege]

WoW is a lot like Titan Quest until you reach end game. You can run around soloing the content with the occassional grouping if you want, but at 60, you are forced to play with 39 other people to accomplish anything.

It takes careful planning and a huge time investment to arrange such massive groups, considering that the raids take anywhere from 4-6 hours at a time. The game really is designed for those that do nothing else but play the game and I couldn't stick it.

It feels too much like work, where you feel you have to log in and contribute, otherwise be fired (kicked from a guild.) Great game up until that point though.

[badmojo]

I recently quit playing WoW myself (a few months ago), after a year and a half. I can't believe how much "free" time I got back. I was usually playing 20-30 hours a week (and I have a full time job and wife).

Alcoholics will run with groups of friends that drink the same amount. It gives the sense of being normal and provides a support network for bad behavior. I actually think that making "virtual" friends in guilds creates a similar experience. The "hardcore" and "elite" guilds want you on 20+ hours a weekend.

My guild exploded after a year. I played for a couple more months, but I couldn't ever really enjoy the game like I used to. There were too many pricks, kids on power trips, and other BS with new guilds.

You couldn't really enjoy the game as a unguilded 60 (or pair of 60's in my case).

I actually enjoy games that I can pause and:

A.) Get a beverage without 4 people screaming at me on voice chat.
B.) Go pee
C.) Actually turn around and listen to my wife occasionally
D.) Put out that fire in the kitchen

There was a Korean wife and husband that left their child at home for 2 days whlie playing WoW and the child died. I don't feel so bad about that wipe at Scholomance now.

[badmojo]

4) Time. I may not have much of a social life, but it seems ridiculous to spend hours on end, day in and day out, to gain that extra magical item. And you PAY to do this. I'd rather have an interesting job that I get payed to do.


I was actually having to "farm" for leather to make stuff in WoW and then play the auction house like Ebay. Somehow I thought that this was fun at the time. I would laugh myself to death if someone told me that an entire game was based on making leather goods and selling them........let alone spending hours to do it.

[Mivo]

Cymtyr/Tim as in alt.games.diablo2? If so, Michael V. says hi! :)

I still play WoW, and I enjoy my social network there. I mostly only login for raids and events, though, and don't just "play because" -- that used to be a problem, but I grew bored of it (it isn't really a replacement for real life!), and now it's just something I do when I feel like it. WoW is not a bad game, but it's also not the only game anyone should play. I like the pace of single-player games and that I don't have to interact with others if I just want to play a bit.

[CymTyr]

Yeah, it's me. :)

Good to see a face from agd2, it's been a very long time.

I spent the past year and a half playing WoW, played Lineage 2 for almost a year before that...

Now I'm back to single player games, mostly. TQ has a hold on me, but it's funny because I can take a break any time I want.

I'll send you a PM. :)

[Blackjack]

I'm taking a sabbatical from City of Heroes after 2 years (Update 7 was unbelievably buggy, and I've had a lot of stability problems I didn't have previously), and am enjoying TQ a lot so far. While I do miss a few friends from the game (I've encouraged them to try TQ), I'm glad to be off the MMO Grind Wagon for the moment. :)

[nefarious]

I quit WoW like 4months ago but I bet when I did quit 1000 others were just signing up. I'm currently beta testing a game but it's the only MMO I've played since I quit WoW and I really can't get into it; it's a good game in MMO standards but it still consist of endless grinding just to have the best gear so you can one up other players in pvp. I enjoy the single player experience much more or games with just multiplayer because these games aren't very time consuming; you can save when you and quit when you want; sure you can do this too in a MMO but then you won't really get anywhere; like WoW you have to maintain your rank or you have to play for hrs to complete a raid it goes from willing to play to you must play and I don't like that idea.

I will say that one good thing about MMO's is that you get to meet people all around the world and make new friends; that's one thing I don't regret having spent years playing MMO's is that I made a lot of good friends.

[CymTyr]

I agree, making friends worldwide is always a good thing! :rockon:

It's opened my perspective on a lot of issues and current events, and I love getting an "outside" perspective on an opinion I may have or my friends are willing to share.

Europe rocks!

-Cym