Do you regret starting playing mmorpg games? / How has is changed you?

[Rhyna]

Regret is such a strong word.
Sure, i might have played too much at times, but i made a big effort out of not turning any RL happenings down because of the game, which worked out fine. What i didn't realise, though, was that even though i didn't skip anything, i didn't take any initiatives either. So i quit around 2½ year ago, started setting more time aside for school and gym.

Grades improved a good deal for me, and i'm in the shape of my life. I can run long distances by now (or atleast compared to before) and play on the local soccer team.
But i don't regret having spend the time on the game, that i did. I really got to knew some fantastic people and figured how to organize shit without pissing everybody too much off. But i don't regret quitting at the time i did either.

As for how MMORPGs have changed me, i don't think i'd gone all hyper-active with the training if i had never started MMOs. Main reason was that i felt i had to make up for the hours wasted at the pc. So you could say it was for the better, i guess.

What i don't get are the people saying that they might aswell play MMORPGs as watch TV, because it doesn't work like that. You don't have to pick which of following 2 brainless activities you want to engage yourself in. I watch 1 hour of telly a week and spend the rest of the time on reading books, going out, attending cultural events (musical and operas, stop looking at me like i'm a freak ), reading/learning about new things that i don't know about and so on.

In summary; I don't believe regretting what you have done, only getting over it. If you don't feel MMOs has an impact on your life, then there's no reason to stop.


Ps: Hi Cozak Didn't know there were other goons around here

 

[Arumos]

I have been playing daoc for 4+ years now (kinda lost track) and to me has given a lot of fun and have met a lot of really nice people.

I wouldn't say i regret playing, although its an addiction and i find that most days its a large part of what i think about, even now i am at college sitting in the library reading forums <sigh>.

The addictive part to me is the way u can progress on a chracter, i found the rvr aspect the most addictive part to me and played solid for about 6 months in an effort to gain Realm ranks, wouldn't quit until i got 9L7 etc etc, really wouldn't advise this

However if i hadn't played daoc i woulda been drinking and staying out late etc which noways is rare and with the situation i am in currently it wouldn't of been fair on my family.

Overall I am still enjoying my time in daoc a lot, and can't see myself quitting unless i am forced to by some reason or another, but it does have a big impact on my social life and how i perform in school, due to playing it till the early hours of the morning i struggle to get up and end up shattered everyday.

Like others, I am only 17 so i'm sure playin daoc has led to me missing a lot of things and will effect my health in the future in different ways than other people my age (don't smoke/drink(much)) alto i'll prolly end up blind

 

[Amesdar]

When I started playing, back in the March after release (I think...) I was quite a slim 14 year old boy, clever, damn nervous about talking to anyone, and doing anything, and could spell brilliantly.

DAoC was my first MMORPG, and to be honest, when I first started, I was scared stiff at the thought of actually going Online and doing stuff with people I'd never meet face to face. But it was kind of excitment too.

DAoC has changed me alot. I'm now so much fat, I actually have man boobs, I stayed up late, it once got to the point that after leaving school (and doing ALOT worse than I should have, due to spending too much time on CERTAIN games..) I just sat about, for nearly a year, doing nothing but waking up at 6PM in the eve', playing DAoC, and then going to bed at 10AM after Children's T.V finished on Channel 4. I can't spell for anything anymore, I usually end up typing words that are totally the opposite from what I'm thinking. I shake alot.
After spending ... what is it, three, four years now? worth of £8 Subcription it's left a hole in my mothers bank, and I also recently actually started paying Real Money for Platinum, seen as I never seemed to have as much as the others I knew in game. It was at this point, I realised what the HELL I was doing, and how far this game has taken me.

I'm 18 now but still...
After all this though, I am DAMN glad I found DAoC. Sure, there are some less desirable side effects, but all in all, it's helped me build confidence, both online and offline. I enjoy outings ALOT more as It's a change form what I normally do - sit and cabbage. I appreciate my Real Life friends alot more.
It also helped me get a job. As I realised how much of a lazy worthless SoB I'd be if I just sat around playing my game, and also my mother cut off Mythic from pulling money from her Bank Account, so i needed to find a way to pay for the Internet + my games. Ha.
Me and my Nephew found something we both enjoy, playing DAoC. And we've become alot closer because of, which is cool. I just hope now he won't follow in my path, as I don't think he'll pull himself out as well as I have.

Whew, I only meant to write a few lines.. Heh... well... that's my story, in short -:

Plusses of my DAoC Experience:
1.) I'm alot more confident
2.)I enjoy the Real Life and fresh air alot more when I get the chance to do something worthwhile out there.
3.) I appreciate the people I know in Real Life alot more.
4.) It forced me to get a job to pay for it.

Negatives of my DAoC Experience:
1.) I've gained weight.
2.) I sometimes type words that have NOTHING to do with what I'm trying to say/Handwriting has gone down the pan.
3.)It's cost me, I mean, my mother, a Fortune.

 

[remi]

nice thread, to bad i got such problem with being serious on the net.

(had lotsa serious text here, which i wrote for my own personal therapy and then deleted)

summerized: I was addicted, now im not.

 

[old.Tohtori]

I always kept my massives at bay and never let it interfere with my social life.

When i go through those "ccan't be arsed to meet people or go to pub" phases, i played more.

In the summertime, when the weather is hot (sings) i tend to play less.

I never really got addicted, though i used to play daily for hours on end, i still managed work.

Nowadays, i'm in a relationship so playing can't really become a problem...

Not that i can't, but the GF has gone crazy over WoW so, second comp should provide me with enough MMO/net/writing time i need

So, basically it's just a matter of keeping it sane, playing according to your lifestyle at the moment and not stress about "wasted time". There's no such thing.

Ofcourse people can argue that you culd useyour time more wisely, like learn stuff or exercise, but then again, it's your choice and quality time is quality time, whatever your hobby is.

If you don't get my drift, do ask, here or in private.

Toodles!

 

[Dimmer]

I can't really remember when I started my first MMORPG anymore, but DAoC have really changed my life for good, in this game I have experienced so many diffrent people, and also found out what idiots some of my RL friends infact are.
The game has changed my personal life alot, from bad! to worse! But then again I have met some really nice people in the game over the years, and have actually went so far to drive to a diffrent contry to stay with a fellow player for a week without ever having met him before (bit strange but we had lots a fun).

Upside:
Met lots of new friends ingame
Gained at least 1 new RL friend
My english have improved writing as well as talking (TS server)

Downside:
Lost a few RL friends
Damn tired almost every day at work due to the late hours online.
Don't get out so mutch and do exersice

Don't know why, but now i'm writing this I can't think of all the good and bad things that have happend to me since I started playing loooooooong time ago.

Well I gues this is most of my story then, hope you don't end up and loose friends like I did.

 

[Herbal]

nice thread, to bad i got such problem with being serious on the net.

(had lotsa serious text here, which i wrote for my own personal therapy and then deleted)

summerized: I was addicted, now im not.

You will always be an addict Remi, i've seen the pictars of you roleplaying a thane irl.:touch:

 

[SkarIronfist]

Good question ....

Well I have to admit at various points, DAOC has been a bit of a drain on my time. I think leveling a spellcrafter in 7 days was a low point. Though its a very good time filler when you are unemployed ...

Luckily my significant other steps in and tells me that I playing to much. Nowadays I just play 3 nights a week for 4 hours with one of the guilds semi opted groups.

Which I enjoy immensely ... even if I do have a good moan at them when we get wiped again.

It is very difficult sometimes to get the balance right and I imagine its alot harder for the younger players.

Answer - Do I regret it, never. I have played with alot of good people from all over europe. You just have to find a balance. If you have an addictive personailty, then thats the issue you need to resolve. If it wasnt DAOC, it would proably been something else. So see a shrink and come back when your head is in order.

 

[Brite]

is it me or do certain threads like this seem to keep bumping themselves, always seems to be polls that do it

 

[ElemenT]

Whenever someone votes, the thread gets bumped up.

 

[Adari]

i regret playing daoc, waste of time dominated by a sad bunch of losers

shudnt of taken me years to realise

 

[boppas]

Nice topic Blej's, instead of the usual /whines we get on FH

Ok,

Started playing mmorpg's about 10 years ago (when AC was released) then moved onto DAoC when it was released with breaks in-between for other mmorpg's ive tried.

When i started playing daoc, i was what some would call a "Casual" player just a few hours a day..but it didnt take long until I was up till early hours in the morning clicking away on my QB like a propper junky. During my years in mmorpg's my life has changed alot.. from 1 kid to 5 kidz, from one home to another from one to job to the next etc, but the one thing that never changed was my addiction to mmorpg's (DAoC in particular) I've now opened my eyes & said enough is enough, Past few weeks ive tried to cut my playing time alot, i can even not log on at all for a whole night (or even 2!) You know when you have been playing DAoC too much when you say "lol" in a real life conversation with someone & to make things worse the guy i said it to has never played mmorpg's so he looked @ me weird!

I've also picked up on my hobby's, as the last few years all i did was "DAoC/Sleep" hardly a good father eh , I just feel sorry for my mrs who has put it with it for so fkin long, I know if it was her sitting at the PC almost 24/7 playing a game id prob have said "fuck this" & packed meh bags!

Guess the biggest turning point & eye opener for me was summit that happened irl, Silly that it took summit like what happened to our family to happen that made me realise theres more to life than mmorpg's.

Just gutted that ive probably wasted 10 years of my life on PC Games, maybe not 10 but definately 5 due to daoc addiction.

Not saying im packing them in altogether, but im definately not gunna play them like i did..maybe a few times a week & a few hours a night, tbh all im gunna try is DnL when thats released, but i know now that theres more to lige than mmorpg's so my time on it will be very casual & if it does turn out to be poor or not what i expected i then will probably quit mmorpg's altogether.

Now it's time to start living once again & spend quality time with my family.

bops

 

[Raven]

so glad i started playing, made some good friends. i was heavily addicted a year or so back, taking days off work sick to play etc. Playing from 6pm to 1/2am during the week, 8am to 1/2 am at the weekend.

I dont play nearly as much as i used i barely even play at all actually, i still love the game its just i have found, or should i say re-found better things to do with my time.

 

[Carnalito]

I have mixed feelings about games in general. Sure, it did fuck up some of my schoolwork (all fixed now tho ). But thats about it tbh.
Only thing that bothers me atm is that there's so little time to play theese days. Work+sleep = 16 hours. That leaves 8 hours for gaming, seeing girlfriend, seeing friends, seeing family, reading, working with music, watching a movie, etc.

It all comes up to what you like/want to do with your time. Some ppl likes watching 22 guys run around on a field kicking a piece of leather, some like climbing mountains, diving, polishing their expensive cars with a diper, etc.
In the end it doesnt really matter as long as you're enjoying whatever your doing ? imo

Gaming is just another lifestyle, one which im personally totally fine with

Sorry for my poor gramar etc

 

[Artiis]

Well erm, Im 16 and I love it

I blend work and gaming together, and im doing ok

long live DAoC

 

[CuddleBunny!]

i wish i never got my own computer
when i was 14 i had more friends than i can count, was out having fun each day, having a great social life, then i started sitting on irc and my social life got less great. after a year of massive irc pwnage, i started playing cs, wich made my social life even less great. then i started with diablo2, and my social life was starting to suck, and i said no when friends asked if i wanted to do something, cause i wanted to play, wich caused most of my friends to stop asking, then i started palying daoc wich turned out to be my social lifes downfall. now i am playing less and less computer games, and going out more and more(as much as i possibly can actually). and my few close friends wich i still have contact with has been very nice and let me hang out with them again(even tho i turned them down for computer games for 5 years) and my social life is getting better. if i can manage to stop playing computer games completely, and go over to my friends to chat with them instead of using msn and such - i'm pretty damn sure life would be sweet again. computers and internett is more addictive than the worst of drugs, and it ruins you life(not in such a bad way as drugs tho..)


my opinion in poor writing(bleeding eyes ftw.)

 

[Kaun_IA]

mhm.......come to think of it...MMOs have fucked up my social life alot. play way to much. but now its fucked and i dont really care tbh
dunno about me changeing becouse of the MMOs, becouse i have played too long to and i even cant imagine how i would be if i had not started playing them.

 

[Bubble]

Well I used to go out every friday and during weekends too with mates. Had an okay social life, was also pretty fit playing in a 5 a side team and basketball team...

Then someone at my work told me about this game thats like Ultima online only better. Paided my £50 to import it.


DAOC RUINED MY LIFE

(Think i can get any money from this sad tale?)

 

[xxManiacxx]

Tbh my gf and 2 kids destroyed my social life alot more then any game

 

[Nedo]

To be fair and square MMORPG's focked my life up quite a bit. (or D2 first which I cant call a MMORPG).

Once I get stuck playing I dont sleep enough I dont see my friends as I should, I let GF do her own thing (if she stays at all), I browse forums on worknig hours (omg am doing right now to :/ ) So voted I regret it.

That being saids its funneh as hell and has lead to me visiting guildfriends in Wienna and had guildmates visiting me in Stockholm and had sicko amounts of laughing in front of computer.

Meeting new gf and letting Daoc > her feels scary though.....

 

[Hypoxia]

Its a balancing act especially as you get older - Im 35 now, married recently and have just found out my wife pregnant uke:

I have started to admit in recent months that I can't committ to MMOs seriously anymore (I used to be hardcore RvR DAOC and was hardcore WoW for a bit)

Since I work away from home 5 days a week it's not a problem atm but I think my days are numbered - currently looking for something which has all the fun of daoc and WoW eith about 25% of the time requirement.

Answers on a postcard (I am borrowing Guildwars this weekend to see if it is the answer)

 

[Afran]

Started playing DAoC when I was 10 years old, have been playing for 5 years now, on and off though. I don't really regret starting DAoC or MMORPG's in general, however it has affected my social life quite a bit in the past.

 

[CuddleBunny!]

Its a balancing act especially as you get older - Im 35 now, married recently and have just found out my wife pregnant uke:

I have started to admit in recent months that I can't committ to MMOs seriously anymore (I used to be hardcore RvR DAOC and was hardcore WoW for a bit)

Since I work away from home 5 days a week it's not a problem atm but I think my days are numbered - currently looking for something which has all the fun of daoc and WoW eith about 25% of the time requirement.

Answers on a postcard (I am borrowing Guildwars this weekend to see if it is the answer)

congratulations on the pregnancy!
guildwars is a great game, takes less effor, you can have fun without playing 24/7 for 4 months in pve, it's a really relaxed and casual game

 

[Deepflame]

guildwars is a great game, takes less effor, you can have fun without playing 24/7 for 4 months in pve, it's a really relaxed and casual game

My summary of guildwars while I was playing my elementalist:
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <target next> 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 <target next>
Repeat until <target next> comes up blank, move to the next red dots in the way of your mission objective, repeat.

But yeah, GW really does take less effort. I only have to move my finger like 2 CM.

 

[pip]

Keeps me out the pub so i don't spend money Gf sees more of me and we get along better so i quess not I think it will depend on your irl situation

 

[Balthazaar]

Have to say I regret it too, even tho Ive met lots of nice people online since I started with Diablo 5 years ago.

Never totally abandoned RL but there are many things I wish Id done instead of playing computergames.
Been working fulltime all the time and never misbehaved at my work, apart from arriving late, beeing tired and browsing forums at work hours .
Still Ive only really done what is required of me in RL plus things I really want to do, going out on weekends, occasional conserts, traveling etc.

It works ok with friends even tho they dont see how I can sit home and play rather than watching a movie or some other weekday activity.
Girlfriends however pretty soon find out that they dont get much priority, so havent have a real 'serious' relationship for the last 5 years.

Had a break for a bit over a year and things started to take spin but then some evil people tricked me back, you know who you are .

As many others have said for me its either all or nothing, just cant manage to play a 'little' in a mmorpg.

DAoC is my last mmorpg tho.

 

[Dallas]

get a gf that plays daoc, problem solved

 

[Ballard]

get a gf that plays daoc, problem solved

nah you just end up saying things like 'stfu noob' to each other

 

[Kasall]

I played games like Jumpgate, Diablo 2, WOW, And the infamous DAOC.
The way it has affected me is minimal actually, I'm 37 yr old and have a gorgeous wife and a great son, My son is a better player than me because I was dreaming about the game asleep and playing the game awake and I said to myself this isn't having a RL. So I stopped playing so much. FFS i was waking up thinking i'd been part of a Keep retake. I'm a casual player now and my life is pretty good.............. Moving to Spain from the UK next year so i'll prolly take a break from gaming for good.

 

[Lamp]

Been playing DAOC since its UK release.

Have tried 2 or 3 other MMORPGs and imo DAOC is the best. By far.

No regrets starting playing it.

Sometimes ppl piss me off in game, but I either walk away or log

Sometimes the utter shite I've read in FH pisses me off, but that's not a reflection of my DAOC on-line gaming experiences, which on the whole have been enjoyable. And addictive. Very.

How has it changed me ? TBH it hasn't. Its just a game. Its like watching a DVD. Play for a bit then turn PC off and do something else. Can take it or leave it. I dont have any RL mates who play and I wouldn't consider anyone in game or on FH as a mate, so wouldn't miss it if they pulled the servers. But its good fun and when I play I enjoy it.