Gaming Addiction IRL #7
The very popular role playing game, Everquest is host of many people
being addicted to its game. A man commited suicide at the age of 21 as
his mother revealed concerns that “He couldn’t stay off it” and “You
can’t just get up and walk away”. She guessed that her son had a
rejection or betrayal in the game to make him so upset, trying to talk
to him she felt like she made it worse by making comments like “they’re
not real people”. Since her sons death the mother connected to hundreds
of other people who are addicted to playing Everquest, considering
sueing sony, the CEO John Smedly one of the creaters of Everquest states
that it is not the games fault but the players becoming addicted even
though it is just a game.
Showing posts with label Modern Gaming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Modern Gaming. Show all posts
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Monday, 25 May 2015
The symptoms of Game addiction
The symptoms of Game addiction
Symptoms of game addiction
There are both physical and emotional symptoms causes by game addiction
emotional symptoms include restlessness when unable to play, avoiding family and friends to play games, Always occupied with gaming activity when doing unrelated things.
Physical symptoms include fatigue, migraines, poor personal hygiene and syndromes caused from the over use of gaming necessities such as the mouse or keyboard/controller.
Gaming addiction is just like any other addiction as it has short-term and long term effects. Short term effects include hunger, fatigue which can eventually lead to long-term affects such as sleeping disorders, change in sleeping patterns and complete change of diet leading to serious health issues.
There are medication that can be giving to help with gaming addiction. The main medication used has been bupropion to treat this disorder. This type of medication changes the brain chemistry to reduce cravings for gaming similar to a nicotine patch. This has proven to be effective to game addict patients however there can be side effects.
If you experience any of these symptoms there are helplines that can assist you. This can be found from previous posts.
-Anthony
Article: http://www.psychguides.com/guides/video-game-addiction-symptoms-causes-and-effects/
The causes of game addicton #2
Gaming Addiction #2
Even though it is not recognized by the American Medical association as a diagnosable disorder, Gaming addiction can be very real for many people. According to the University of New Mexico, recent studies suggest 6 out of 15 gamers show signs of addiction. There are different effects and symptoms for different people.
Are there different types of video game addictions?
There are two major types of videos games therefore creating two major types of game addictions. Standard video games are designed to be played by a single player and have a story mode with mission. Addiction is created through the completion of the challenging missions or to create a high or higher score.
The other type of video game addiction is associated with online multiplayer games. These games are played online with other people and are especially addictive because they generally have no ending. Gamers with this type of addiction enjoy creating and temporarily becoming an online character. They often build relationships with other online players as an escape from reality. For some, this community may be the place where they feel they’re the most accepted.
What causes an addiction to video games?
There are many different causes for addiction to video games. The main reason is purely because they are designed to be that way. Video game developers, like anyone is trying to earn money and profit so to make their game spread around is to get players addicted to it. They create the game to be challenging enough to be fun but not too challenging to make the player quit. Games are made to make players feel like they can achieve more and more but usually just out of reach. This shows that gaming addiction is very similar to a more widely recognized disorder of gaming addiction.
Are there different types of video game addictions?
There are two major types of videos games therefore creating two major types of game addictions. Standard video games are designed to be played by a single player and have a story mode with mission. Addiction is created through the completion of the challenging missions or to create a high or higher score.
The other type of video game addiction is associated with online multiplayer games. These games are played online with other people and are especially addictive because they generally have no ending. Gamers with this type of addiction enjoy creating and temporarily becoming an online character. They often build relationships with other online players as an escape from reality. For some, this community may be the place where they feel they’re the most accepted.
What causes an addiction to video games?
There are many different causes for addiction to video games. The main reason is purely because they are designed to be that way. Video game developers, like anyone is trying to earn money and profit so to make their game spread around is to get players addicted to it. They create the game to be challenging enough to be fun but not too challenging to make the player quit. Games are made to make players feel like they can achieve more and more but usually just out of reach. This shows that gaming addiction is very similar to a more widely recognized disorder of gaming addiction.
-Anthony
Sunday, 24 May 2015
Pop Culture’s view of Gaming Addictions
Pop Culture and Video Games
These are just some examples of gaming and gaming addiction in the media.
• South Park : “Make Love, Not Warcraft” & “Guitar-Queer o” – gaming addiction parodies
• South Park: “Freemium isn’t Free” Stan becomes addicted to a mobile game. His addiction is compared to his grandfathers addiction
• CSI: Miami : “Urban Hellraisers”- investigation after a man is found dead from gaming 72 hours straight
• The Simpsons: “Marge Gamer” & “Lisa gets an “A””- Marge and Lisa (respectively) become addicted to games
• Law and Order: SVU: “Bullseye” a mother and boyfriend neglect their real child as they protect a virtual child
• The Big Band Theory: “The Barbarian Simulator” Penny (non gamer) becomes addicted to an online MMORPG.
These are just a few episodes of the hottest Television shows at the moment. From the above examples, it’s pretty obvious to see that even Pop Culture has acknowledged gaming addictions are a real issue in our current society and preventative methods need to be adopted before further harm.
-Luke
These are just some examples of gaming and gaming addiction in the media.
• South Park : “Make Love, Not Warcraft” & “Guitar-Queer o” – gaming addiction parodies
• South Park: “Freemium isn’t Free” Stan becomes addicted to a mobile game. His addiction is compared to his grandfathers addiction
• CSI: Miami : “Urban Hellraisers”- investigation after a man is found dead from gaming 72 hours straight• The Simpsons: “Marge Gamer” & “Lisa gets an “A””- Marge and Lisa (respectively) become addicted to games
• Law and Order: SVU: “Bullseye” a mother and boyfriend neglect their real child as they protect a virtual child
• The Big Band Theory: “The Barbarian Simulator” Penny (non gamer) becomes addicted to an online MMORPG.
These are just a few episodes of the hottest Television shows at the moment. From the above examples, it’s pretty obvious to see that even Pop Culture has acknowledged gaming addictions are a real issue in our current society and preventative methods need to be adopted before further harm.
-Luke
Prevention and correction on the global scale
Prevention and Correction of Gaming
To combat the growing addiction to gaming many governments have began seeking ways to prevent or avert addiction from either occurring or spreading. The countries and their contemporary solutions are as listed:
• China- Programs to rehabilitate addicted victims. The government forces the attendance of those seeking rehabilitation.
• United States: - Computer gaming addicts anonymous formed online, which include a 12 step program and daily meetings.
• United States – reSTART: resident treatment centre for “pathological computer use” established in Washington.
• United States- Gaming Addiction (company name) established
• Canada – Computer addiction services show that 80% of addictions are categorized as “gaming addictions”
• Australia: Video Game Addiction Treatment Clinic (www.videogameaddictiontreatment.com.au) established
• Korea: Age limitations and government intervention
Straying from the actions of government, game providers and gaming hardware providers are now taking preventative and correction warnings with their products. The Nintendo Wii has been laden with on screen warnings to remind gamers to regularly take a break, and go outside. Games, like the Battlefield series, now include warnings regarding inappropriate lighting, posture and taking breaks from gaming sessions.
These are methods, attempting to secure the future of society as normal human beings without the fear of at least one type of addiction.
-Luke
Saturday, 23 May 2015
New Generation
Games and the New Generation
As years pass, new games and consoles are released to meet the expectations of a newer gamers. Because of this each generation of gamers can participate in a unique experience. The gaming industry mainly on pleasing the next generation of gamers. This can be bad. In an overview of what games have evolved from, many people can argue we live in an era of great releases. However others would argue innovation and improvements within both the games and the industry are to lacklustre.
This can be seen in two main problems. The first being the failure to expand gaming ideas and ideals, to produce new games unseen before. We may live in a era where gaming experience may have advanced but the games being played have not completely changed. Why? Because games aren't as new and revolutionary as they used to be. This is in the sense that many of the best selling games are not new or innovative but rather repeat over and over with little to no improvements. A few games may pop up into mind; Fifa, Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, Battlefield, the list continues. Rehashes,sequels, and reboots. A majority of games are following one if not more of these motives in an attempt to brainwash audiences into thinking a newer version is better, when in actuality nothing is different. It becomes so very disappointing. And its not that developers of the games make it under the radar or display anything new. Many such as EA and Actavision, constantly release a yearly game, the same as the last but with the impressive addiction of a new number or title. Because of this, the current generation of gamers are feed sub par gaming compared to the new innovative titles of the past. It can be that ideas are running out and that newer unknown games take too many risks. But I personally do not agree with that. Ideas are endless. Risks need to be made. Constant crap is not acceptable.
The next issue that gamers face, is the divide between gaming platforms. The newer generation face the problem that many previous generations face. Which console to get? The Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. The answer is neither because the PC is the true step into the future. You may wonder why. It is actually really clear. Both the Xbox and the PlayStation, have the exclusive games and a good experience with new entertainment feature such as Netflix and Foxtel, but it lacks the power and precision the PC gives. This is because the consoles, in a simple term weaker than PCs. To minimise costs and still give a suitable result both consoles have opted for hardware that falls behind most if not all custom PC's. This is an issue as games release on all platforms then suffer a quality divide. Quality divide is where a game is not released at its full potential and is held back due to other factors. Games such as Watch Dogs and the recent Witcher 3 game, have been limited due to the developers being paid to reduce the quality of their games so that the console versions can have a chance to gain more market. For this generation it means that evolving into the future of gaming may have to come to a halt if limitations are put onto games due to this quality divide.
-Alex
This can be seen in two main problems. The first being the failure to expand gaming ideas and ideals, to produce new games unseen before. We may live in a era where gaming experience may have advanced but the games being played have not completely changed. Why? Because games aren't as new and revolutionary as they used to be. This is in the sense that many of the best selling games are not new or innovative but rather repeat over and over with little to no improvements. A few games may pop up into mind; Fifa, Call of Duty, Assassins Creed, Battlefield, the list continues. Rehashes,sequels, and reboots. A majority of games are following one if not more of these motives in an attempt to brainwash audiences into thinking a newer version is better, when in actuality nothing is different. It becomes so very disappointing. And its not that developers of the games make it under the radar or display anything new. Many such as EA and Actavision, constantly release a yearly game, the same as the last but with the impressive addiction of a new number or title. Because of this, the current generation of gamers are feed sub par gaming compared to the new innovative titles of the past. It can be that ideas are running out and that newer unknown games take too many risks. But I personally do not agree with that. Ideas are endless. Risks need to be made. Constant crap is not acceptable.The next issue that gamers face, is the divide between gaming platforms. The newer generation face the problem that many previous generations face. Which console to get? The Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. The answer is neither because the PC is the true step into the future. You may wonder why. It is actually really clear. Both the Xbox and the PlayStation, have the exclusive games and a good experience with new entertainment feature such as Netflix and Foxtel, but it lacks the power and precision the PC gives. This is because the consoles, in a simple term weaker than PCs. To minimise costs and still give a suitable result both consoles have opted for hardware that falls behind most if not all custom PC's. This is an issue as games release on all platforms then suffer a quality divide. Quality divide is where a game is not released at its full potential and is held back due to other factors. Games such as Watch Dogs and the recent Witcher 3 game, have been limited due to the developers being paid to reduce the quality of their games so that the console versions can have a chance to gain more market. For this generation it means that evolving into the future of gaming may have to come to a halt if limitations are put onto games due to this quality divide.
-Alex
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