Gaming their way to addiction
Jason LaMotte
Issue date: 1/7/08 Section: The Inside
|
perches on the windowsill, looking beyond the curtains to the world outside, Dunin looks into a completely different world - the "World of Warcraft" (WoW), brought to life by the flat screen of his computer.
The CTX monitor, connected to a computer Dunin built three years ago, stands on a desk next to a picture of his girlfriend of four years and a textbook for his Japanese language class. The junior computer science major sits with his legs crossed, sporting a pair of Plantronics headphones around his neck, while his WoW character, a rogue named Benth, participates in one of three weekly raids with his guild.
The voices of Dunin's guild members, coming from places as far away as Spain, sound from the speakers as the members unite to fight "trash mobs" in the land of Zuli-Aman, a troll city, in Azeroth. The guild, called "Abstract," has already killed two bosses, Walorakk and Akil'zon, and has seven minutes to reach the last boss, Halazzi, before it fails the raid
Paying $15 a month to play on the game's first expansion set, "World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade," Dunin is one of more than 9.5 million people who subscribe to play WoW. Yet, as the number of players grows so, too, does concern for the game's effects on them.
In June 2005, EuroGamer.net reported that a child had died due to neglect by her parents, who were playing WoW at a local internet café in Korea. Also, in August of that year, GameSpot.com said the People's Republic of China proposed new rules to limit the playtime of the country's estimated 20 million computer game players in order to curb social and financial costs they perceived to be brought on by the popularity of games like WoW.
Maressa Hecht Orzack, Ph.D., director of the Computer Addictions Study Center at McLean Hospital and assistant clinical medical professor at Harvard University, has worked for more than 15 years treating addictive behaviors. She said side effects of game addiction include loss of sleep, not eating, violent behavior and seizures.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 12
Merrymend
posted 1/11/08 @ 6:48 PM EST
http://www.warcraft.com
Try it.
You'll love it.
- Merrymend of The Venture Company server
Liam Stubbs
posted 1/11/08 @ 7:07 PM EST
I'd just like to say one thing about this article. Bravo. You've managed to add to the hundreds of anti-WoW articles out there. To be honest this is probably one of the worst articles I've read, mainly because of the mistakes in it. (Continued…)
me
posted 1/11/08 @ 7:20 PM EST
You say " seven minutes to reach the last boss, Halazzi, before it fails the raid"
but thats were it fails Its not before the raid fails its before it fails a quest for extra items from Zul-Aman not "zuli aman" so he wont fail the raid they will just fail a challenge that they can just restart after 3 days when Zul aman becomes like new abd if they dont reach him in 7 minutes they can still kill him and they can take there time
This game is about being interactive with other players and the cases you pointed out i feel have nothing to do with the game just some wackos that want an easy way out of saying they didnt love there children enough so they want to find a way out with out them looking bad. (Continued…)
Dave
posted 1/11/08 @ 7:38 PM EST
It seems to me that people need to be less concerned with correcting semantic lore BS (the average reader doesn't care if it's Zuli'Aman or Zul'Aman) and more concerned with the ridiculous sensationalism of these articles foster. (Continued…)
Jeff
posted 1/12/08 @ 2:52 AM EST
This article also uses the idea that just because a infinitesimal minority of people get too involved with the game that the came causes the problems. (Continued…)
William
posted 1/12/08 @ 9:14 PM EST
I commend the author on engaging a hot-topic subject and bringing it to the attention of the student population at Northeastern, however the arguments Mr. (Continued…)
Cynthia
posted 1/12/08 @ 11:43 PM EST
This post is pathetic. What really disgusts me is the part about the divorce. Many couples get divorced for money issues, cheating, spending more time with friends etc, yet THIS IS GROUND BREAKING! I would rather have my significant other play a game then to run off with some floozy IMO. (Continued…)
Corinne
posted 1/14/08 @ 12:00 PM EST
Here we go again. Video games! Induce violent behavior in children! Suck your soul and make you fail school, quit your job, and slip into an addict-like stupor!
Same story, different day. (Continued…)
Tom
posted 1/14/08 @ 5:19 PM EST
i have to agree with pretty much everything in this article...having played WoW for a year or so and Everquest before that I know how addicting these games can get. (Continued…)
Moberg
posted 1/17/08 @ 11:05 AM EST
NERD/VIRGIN ALERT!!!
(someone had to say it)
Post a Comment