evercrack
Latest
The Daily Grind: What makes you stay with a bad game?
I freely admit that I've played games that I hate, but the incredible thing is that I've kept playing them, sometimes for several years. I remember actively hating EverQuest in its early days, but MMO alternatives were slim, and getting my friends off the evercrack and into something interesting like Asheron's Call was darn near impossible. The truth was that I was willing to do almost anything to hang out with my guild, including spend $10 a month to camp-check and corpse-run. So I wonder how many of you have played or are playing a game you dislike, and why? Do you do it out of a sense of loyalty to friends and guildies, like I did? Do you suffer from the completionist's compulsion to finish everything he starts? Do you just want to make sure you've gotten your money's worth? Do you hold out hope that the game (or your tastes) will suddenly change? Or is there some other reason? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: What addicts you to MMOs?
PvPer? PvE lover? Are you all about the raids? Are you in it for the small group content? Achievement grabber? Battlegrounds dominator?What drives your passion for MMOs? We usually put this type of stuff into more catch-all terms, such as "PvE player" or "PvP player" but we want to know exactly what pulls you into MMOs. No more of this beating around the bush and talking about large swaths of content.So today's question is thus -- what is that one element that really keeps you coming back for more? It could be from any game or any genre, we just want to know what it is. Tell us a nice story about why it excites you so much as well, because we want to know what makes you tick.When you feel the need for speech then head on down to our comment box and go to town. Let your keyboard free your feelings and shout them out for the whole internet to hear!Ready, steady, go!
"EverCracked! The Phenomenon of EverQuest" to debut at SOE Fan Faire
We don't doubt that many of our readers first got their feet wet in the world of MMOs with EverQuest, a game that gave rise to addictions so severe that it was often referred to as "EverCrack" by its loyal fans. It's these folks (this blogger amongst them) that will likely get the most enjoyment out of a new documentary called EverCracked! The Phenomenom of EverQuest that is set to debut at SOE Fan Faire 2009 later this month.The documentary is hosted by Jason "Jace" Hall (of the Jace Hall Show) and features interviews not only with some of the main brains behind the game, but also with another very important group of people -- the players. We aren't sure yet when those who aren't visiting Fan Faire will be able to see it, but for now, check after the break for a preview trailer.
WoW Moviewatch: World of Warcraaack
Those of us around in the EverQuest days will recognize the "crack"ification of a game's name that can be addicting beyond a healthy level. Not to imply that any amount of crack is healthy. Remember, Turpster says "Don't do drugs!"But Warcraft? That's healthy. I mean, I still shower every day. And unlike the Orc protagonist in today's video I don't go down and get a big gulp, so I'm better than him.The video is short and to the point, and Yumfries does a good job animating the characters throughout. The audio cuts are a little rough at points, but that can be overlooked rather easily.Worth a chuckle in my book.
WoW player more ashamed than porn addict
It's not the first time WoW addiction has been addressed, and it won't be the last. This one, however, is a nice change from some more sensational pieces. In an interview with The Boston Globe, well-known psychiatrist Dr. Jerald Block discusses what he calls "pathological computer use." His clients, he says, can be "more ashamed of playing World of Warcraft than looking at porn." These kind of interviews aren't uncommon, like the CNN editorial from a few months ago. However, a few things about Dr. Block's interview struck me as pretty well-balanced. First, Dr. Block has quibbles about the phrase addiction. He feels that word addresses the wrong issues and nuances. Dr. Block prefers "pathological computer use." In my opinion, that word indicates the game itself isn't the problem, but instead the manner in which the person uses the game.Dr. Block also discusses a patient who was very successful at EVE Online. After a fairly disastrous event, he felt betrayed by everyone he knew in the game. Dr. Block spells out the problem isn't only how subject deals with that issue, but that the subject's (out-of-game) friends can't understand. What might be a legitimate, troublesome event is being related-to by people who don't have context to an individual issue. Of course, while it probably ended the player's addiction -- I don't know if I'd list this kind of disaster as a way to quit playing WoW.It's a refreshing view on WoW addiction, and worth a bit more look at Dr. Block's web site.
The Daily Grind: Are you addicted to your MMO?
Sure, it's fun to say that you're addicted to your favorite MMO, but for some people, it might actually be true. If you can't stop thinking of playing during those rare moments when you're away from the computer; if you miss work or school because of play; if your friends and family express concern over your pastime, you might want to consider if it's time to take a step back. In fact, here's a handy guide to overcoming MMO addiction. But as serious as actual addiction is, only you can decide for yourself if you've crossed the line. And it can be somewhat tricky to make that distinction. What do you think, are you perilously close to being addicted to your favorite MMO, or can you quit whenever you want?
CNN on WoW addiction
Last week CNN ran an editorial story about online game addictions. Its the typical story about how bad online games can be, and how this addiction can destroy a person's life. The article itself has some good examples of this, from both Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft. In particular, a specialist at the Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery at Proctor Hospital, talks about a young man in his twenties. This poor fellow has lost numerous jobs, his girlfriend, and is quite the recluse since he became addicted to World of Warcraft. It's quite the unfortunate tale, and I'm sure we're all sympathetic to his plight.Many of us have someone in our family, or otherwise know someone who has dealt with an addiction. They can be a difficult period in everyone's life to deal with. Addictions to WoW and other games in the genera can be no less serious than an addiction to gambling. The results are all the same: people loose their jobs, their families, and can become severely depressed. When that happens disastrous things take place, such as the young man that lost his life in South Korea last year.The article on CNN doesn't go into any great detail about what you can do if you think you or a loved one has an addiction to WoW. It does give some tips to family members, but CNN is hardly the place to go to for medical advice. Instead, don't bother with anything else then going right to your doctor. Any doctor, at any clinic, anywhere, can at least point you in the right direction.I'm sure a few of our readers out there have dealt with this in the past, either directly or indirectly. What have you done? What stories do you have to tell?
