Recent WoW Addict

[Davidpaul007]

Hello, I'm a former WoW addict. Well, probably not an addict by most people's standards, but I did play WoW nearly every day since just before the release of Burning Crusade up until last month. Most days I probably played 30m-1.5hr instead of watching TV. Unfortunately there were rainy weekend days where I spent much more time than that playing. When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider) and soon realized how dumb it was to go in the same dungeon week after week trying to get that next upgrade.

I kept playing though, probably 10-15hrs/week and most of the time was spent doing dailies or goofing off. I finally saw the light and realized how I didn't even enjoy the game anymore but was playing more out of habit (and I don't really care for TV).

So now I am starting breaking out some PC games I've been meaning to play for a while (Mass Effect, Bioshock, Crysis: Warhead). After reading some PC game threads here, for other game ideas I've had some serious memory lane jogs.

As other WoW players can probably attest, when you play an MMO like this you go into a "bubble" and don't realize what else is going on in the game world. I feel like I've missed 2+ years of PC gaming and now I want to make it up!

So what's the point of this post? I wasn't sure when I started, but now that I mention it:
1. Do you think I was an addict?
2. Have you experienced a similar "MMO Bubble"?
3. What games in the last year or two should I be looking into? (not listed above). In the past, I've really enjoyed most types of games. Quick list for an idea of my tastes: FarCry (loved it!), Crysis (pretty fun), Total Annihilation/Starcraft (tons of hours here), Serious Sam I and II, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, NOLF, Half Life I and II, Portal (awesome), BF2...etc.

I'm admittedly shallow when it comes to graphics, I love pretty graphics, so I'm not too interested in games pre 2007.

 

[Kalmah]

Definately play Mass Effect.

I'd also check out Company of Heroes. (damn awesome RTS game)

Not much in the last couple years has really kept my interest though. (besides ME and COH)

Nothing HUGE has really been released(that I've cared for.. IMO).. Kind of waiting on Diablo 3, Starcraft 2 and Dragon Age at the moment.

 

[Aikouka]

I most likely own a bigger game collection than most and have no desire to play it. Even if I stopped playing WoW, I wouldn't have much of a desire to play them.

Although sometimes I do break out DDR or GH on my XBOX.

 

[MagickMan]

I've played WoW since beta and I still enjoy the game, largely because I have several "real life" friends in my guild. I wouldn't keep playing if it were just about killing bosses and getting new gear (or the lame-ass, fucked up PvP).

One thing that I found to be important is to limit my play and actually go out and do things. You won't find most of us logged in on "off" nights, and most of us don't care about squeezing in every 10-man just to get that last piece of gear we want from the zone. At one time we used to be a 5 day /wk progression guild, and the burnout was too extreme. Now we've cut back to 3-4 days, and to everyone's surprise we actually started learning faster and shot up to #1 on our server (and ~60 in the US). The game is a lot more fun when you don't let it control your life.

As for other games, I play other PC RPGs (Oblivion, NWN2, V:TM, etc.) and I can still be coerced into a DotA match. Most of the time though, I go out to the movies, date, or hit the gym. Life's a lot better when it's more balanced.


One thing that worries me, I played in the Aion closed beta and I really liked it... I may have to avoid that one, one MMO in a person's life is plenty.

 

[ericgomes]

Mass Effect 2, and Bioshock 2 are going to be great. Pick up Call of Duty if you want. I've played first person shooters for around ten years and Call of Duty takes the cake for it's complexity and uniqueness.

 

[Shortass]

Team Fortress 2. It's like the arena but actually fun.

 

[SneakyStuff]

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
Hello, I'm a former WoW addict. Well, probably not an addict by most people's standards, but I did play WoW nearly every day since just before the release of Burning Crusade up until last month. Most days I probably played 30m-1.5hr instead of watching TV. Unfortunately there were rainy weekend days where I spent much more time than that playing. When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider) and soon realized how dumb it was to go in the same dungeon week after week trying to get that next upgrade.

I kept playing though, probably 10-15hrs/week and most of the time was spent doing dailies or goofing off. I finally saw the light and realized how I didn't even enjoy the game anymore but was playing more out of habit (and I don't really care for TV).

So now I am starting breaking out some PC games I've been meaning to play for a while (Mass Effect, Bioshock, Crysis: Warhead). After reading some PC game threads here, for other game ideas I've had some serious memory lane jogs.

As other WoW players can probably attest, when you play an MMO like this you go into a "bubble" and don't realize what else is going on in the game world. I feel like I've missed 2+ years of PC gaming and now I want to make it up!

So what's the point of this post? I wasn't sure when I started, but now that I mention it:
1. Do you think I was an addict?
2. Have you experienced a similar "MMO Bubble"?
3. What games in the last year or two should I be looking into? (not listed above). In the past, I've really enjoyed most types of games. Quick list for an idea of my tastes: FarCry (loved it!), Crysis (pretty fun), Total Annihilation/Starcraft (tons of hours here), Serious Sam I and II, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, NOLF, Half Life I and II, Portal (awesome), BF2...etc.

I'm admittedly shallow when it comes to graphics, I love pretty graphics, so I'm not too interested in games pre 2007.

More like missed 2+ years of LIFE, at least that's how I felt back when I played that game. Call of Duty 4 was the first game I picked up after taking a PC gaming hiatus though, lots of fun and as casual/hardcore as you want it to be.

 

[coloumb]

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007

As other WoW players can probably attest, when you play an MMO like this you go into a "bubble" and don't realize what else is going on in the game world. I feel like I've missed 2+ years of PC gaming and now I want to make it up!

So what's the point of this post? I wasn't sure when I started, but now that I mention it:
1. Do you think I was an addict?
2. Have you experienced a similar "MMO Bubble"?

Nope - a WoW addict would be what you'll see in the movie "Second Skin" - these are players which play WoW 14+ hours per day and/or people who lose their jobs due to WoW:

http://www.secondskinfilm.com/

Youtube trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPOxuOCGi9I

Unfortunately they pulled the video from HULU so you don't get to watch the freebie version. It's definitely a good movie if you've ever been hooked on playing MMO's.

Unless you run with friends that you like to play an MMO with - you'll soon find yourself tiring of the end game treadmill.

 

[Schfifty Five]

I played a lot pre WotLK, then stopped and it felt good to not go through the grind again.

However, as WotLK came out, I kept track of it every now and then and read up on updates and new addons and stuff and soon enough I started getting an itch for it again. About 1.5 months ago I started up again and now I'm pretty geared, but not really hardcore raiding.

So beware, you CAN be sucked back into it haha.

 

[Hacp]

Can I have your wow stuff?

 

[QuantumPion]

I feel exactly the same way as the OP. I recently cut back to only 1-2 hours per week, from ~30+. I don't have regrets about my time playing WoW, I loved it back in the day. But now its just too dumbed-down and nothing is new with WOTLK. I'm glad I am just growing out of it, as opposed to being forced to quit for some exterior reason. Better closure that way

 

[nageov3t]

I used to play with my sister... we both raided, but I considered her an addict and me not.

I raided 4 nights/week, but raiding was just about the only time I'd log in and if something better came along in RL, I had no compunctions about missing a raid to go out instead.
my sister raided just as much as I did, but... she'd blow off friends/family to play, gained a massive amount of weight, and would log in just to hang out or level alts, something I reserve for when I'm absolutely batshit bored and have nothing else to do.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: Aikouka
I most likely own a bigger game collection than most and have no desire to play it. Even if I stopped playing WoW, I wouldn't have much of a desire to play them.

Although sometimes I do break out DDR or GH on my XBOX.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I have tried out the Aion beta and I did enjoy it...and plan to play with a couple of RL friends. I will try VERY hard not to play it as much as I did WoW, I'd like to leave room for some other games as well.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: SneakyStuff

Originally posted by: Davidpaul007
Hello, I'm a former WoW addict. Well, probably not an addict by most people's standards, but I did play WoW nearly every day since just before the release of Burning Crusade up until last month. Most days I probably played 30m-1.5hr instead of watching TV. Unfortunately there were rainy weekend days where I spent much more time than that playing. When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider) and soon realized how dumb it was to go in the same dungeon week after week trying to get that next upgrade.

I kept playing though, probably 10-15hrs/week and most of the time was spent doing dailies or goofing off. I finally saw the light and realized how I didn't even enjoy the game anymore but was playing more out of habit (and I don't really care for TV).

So now I am starting breaking out some PC games I've been meaning to play for a while (Mass Effect, Bioshock, Crysis: Warhead). After reading some PC game threads here, for other game ideas I've had some serious memory lane jogs.

As other WoW players can probably attest, when you play an MMO like this you go into a "bubble" and don't realize what else is going on in the game world. I feel like I've missed 2+ years of PC gaming and now I want to make it up!

So what's the point of this post? I wasn't sure when I started, but now that I mention it:
1. Do you think I was an addict?
2. Have you experienced a similar "MMO Bubble"?
3. What games in the last year or two should I be looking into? (not listed above). In the past, I've really enjoyed most types of games. Quick list for an idea of my tastes: FarCry (loved it!), Crysis (pretty fun), Total Annihilation/Starcraft (tons of hours here), Serious Sam I and II, Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow, NOLF, Half Life I and II, Portal (awesome), BF2...etc.

I'm admittedly shallow when it comes to graphics, I love pretty graphics, so I'm not too interested in games pre 2007.

More like missed 2+ years of LIFE, at least that's how I felt back when I played that game. Call of Duty 4 was the first game I picked up after taking a PC gaming hiatus though, lots of fun and as casual/hardcore as you want it to be.

Well, I dont' really feel like I missed part of my LIFE, since I never planned my life around WoW. Sure there were times where I didn't go work in the lawn and instead played, but if not for WoW I'd have probably found something else to do anyway

I played DAoC back a few years ago and after quitting that game I did feel like I actually missed out on life because I let the game consume me. For the most part I would say I was never as consumed with WoW as with DAoC. Hopefully I'm "growing up" enough to realize there is more to life than pixels and will be even less "addicted" to Aion.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Nexuiz is fun ....

 

[EvilManagedCare]

I have wondered myself about the gaming bubble. Then I replay a game from another genre and it is just not satisfying. I generally only play RPGs, so anymore you're not left with much choice besides bad Diablo clones & MMO's.

I don't care so much about what's been released at this point, but I am quite excited about Dragon Age & Diablo 3.

 

[rh71]

when my twins were born, the next few months I was still able to play here and there. Not raid, but I can get things like pvp for res gear, etc. done. Now that they sleep at 8pm, I have a lot of time to myself, and the wife... we hang out till around 10ish when she sleeps then I get back on. Sometimes I raid at 9pm, maybe once or twice a week. It's still fun, I still find myself itching to log in and get something accomplished. That's the appeal to me, getting the next thing done. Right now, finish off my res gear on my alt. Once that's done, I'll find something else in the game to do. That's what keeps it fun for me at least.

I can't seem to play FPS anymore as that isn't as fulfilling a feeling since nothing is saved. I was playing Sims3 for a while but that got old because it was really slow.

 

[2dt Drifter]

I played the game over a summer, 12+ hours a day. I was in between junior and senior year of college and delivering pizzas. I straight up quit to find a career. A real addict will tell you he's quitting and will brag about actually selling his account... only to buy the game 3 weeks later and start out new again. Had a friend do that.
I second Company of heroes and TF2.

You'll get the itch every once in a while to play it again.. after quitting 4 years ago I've sometimes thought about playing it.

 

[DangerAardvark]

I didn't really like Mass Effect. Mass Effect pretty much exemplified a current trend in gaming: it was BIG, but incredibly SHALLOW.

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

Originally posted by: Schfifty Five

So beware, you CAN be sucked back into it haha.

Yeah this is 100% true. I quit EQ2 a year and a half ago after raiding 5+ hours a night and even now still get the itch to play and I have to force myself not to resubscribe.

 

[Qbah]

Congrats on opening your eyes and seeing the light. I've been down that road myself (a bit more extreme). I would say that the statement "When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider)" pretty much shows that you were an addict - that sounds like the guy from Second Skin saying "cut down to 3 days a week for raiding when the twins were born". Good that you stopped And congratulations on your son!

As for games, try Call of Duty 4 - it's a lot of fun! The sequel, Modern Warfare 2, is just around the corner (11.10.09 - premiere). Crysis: Warhead is fun too. Bioshock to name another game. Or Fallout 3. And a small warning - the games will feel boring after an MMO, but just put in a few more hours into them and you'll see you will have fun in them too. Maybe try some co-op fun in Gears of War. Or Mass Effect for a nice shooter-ish RPG with a great story. The new Prince of Persia is also a favourite of mine - nice story told, the game just flows and is very well made - though some people don't like it that much. Also, Tomb Raider: Legend and the follow-up, Tomb Raider: Underworld are enjoyable games too (at least they were for me).

There are also smaller games, but a lot of fun nonetheless - like Braid. It's available on Steam and well worth the price!

Finally, you'll most likely get an urge to play WoW again and will "feel" you can control it better this time. Just save yourself the trouble and don't follow up on that. You will get sucked in again Stay strong and steer clear from that game or any other MMO.

 

[JujuFish]

Originally posted by: Qbah
I would say that the statement "When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider)" pretty much shows that you were an addict - that sounds like the guy from Second Skin saying "cut down to 3 days a week for raiding when the twins were born".

Er, what?

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Originally posted by: loki8481
I used to play with my sister...

Ewww!!! :Q

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: JujuFish

Originally posted by: Qbah
I would say that the statement "When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider)" pretty much shows that you were an addict - that sounds like the guy from Second Skin saying "cut down to 3 days a week for raiding when the twins were born".

Er, what?

Weren't you paying attention? Giving up bullshit games to take care of your family means you have problems. A normal human would bail on his family and raid harder than ever!

I played WoW for a couple years. It was lots of fun until blizzard removed global chat. Up until then, I could be anywhere in the world and be informed when people were starting a group for something. I would see a message like "need healer for UBRS" and I would join the group even though I wasn't actively looking for a group. After global chat ended, people would only see what groups were forming if they were actively searching for a group, and this basically killed instances. Forget finding a group in 2 minutes, try 20 minutes. I would still be playing WoW today if blizzard didn't try so hard to make their game as unplayable as possible.

OP, try giving Return To Castle Wolfenstein another go. Playing WoW probably destroyed a bit of your gaming skills (as it did mine) but RTCW on hard will beat your ass until you stop sucking. Once you get your skill back, online shooters like TF2 and COD4 are a lot more enjoyable.

 

[Davidpaul007]

Originally posted by: ShawnD1

Originally posted by: JujuFish

Originally posted by: Qbah
I would say that the statement "When my son was born in March I quit raiding (I was a casual 2 day/week at most raider)" pretty much shows that you were an addict - that sounds like the guy from Second Skin saying "cut down to 3 days a week for raiding when the twins were born".

Er, what?

Weren't you paying attention? Giving up bullshit games to take care of your family means you have problems. A normal human would bail on his family and raid harder than ever!

I played WoW for a couple years. It was lots of fun until blizzard removed global chat. Up until then, I could be anywhere in the world and be informed when people were starting a group for something. I would see a message like "need healer for UBRS" and I would join the group even though I wasn't actively looking for a group. After global chat ended, people would only see what groups were forming if they were actively searching for a group, and this basically killed instances. Forget finding a group in 2 minutes, try 20 minutes. I would still be playing WoW today if blizzard didn't try so hard to make their game as unplayable as possible.

OP, try giving Return To Castle Wolfenstein another go. Playing WoW probably destroyed a bit of your gaming skills (as it did mine) but RTCW on hard will beat your ass until you stop sucking. Once you get your skill back, online shooters like TF2 and COD4 are a lot more enjoyable.

I almost lost my coffee when reading your intial statements. I honestly didn't understand how going from 1-2 nights a week raiding to zero after my son was born made me an addict either...but I was trying to see his logic.

I think you are right on about my skills going down the drain...I've had a couple butt kickings in Mass Effect already that were embarrassing.

EDIT: Where you really referring to the original RTCW released in 2001 or the Wolfenstein game just released? I was a fan of the original game wayyy back when I was a kid and beat them. I think I tried out RTCW a few years ago but it didn't stick with me.