I don't have a problem keeping my playtime to an average of 1.5 - 2 hours a night. I understand that with the large scope and depth of MMORPGs, it's easy to get overwhealmed and set goals too high. But, with a little moderation and time management, it's not hard to have a life and play online games, really.
Interestingly though, it's not just online games where people can sink 8+ hours of idleness. People do it with parties, sports, movies, books, e-mail/phone gossip, etc.
Pre-pubescent nerds aren't the only ones that play these games, either. None of my RL online gaming friends fit that template at all. In fact, one is an extremely successful, built, handsome M.D. with a large house, expensive vehicles, great marriage, and two adult sons.
As for my personal motivation to play online games. I just really enjoy teaming up with a group of my friends and mushing baddies and engaging in interesting roleplaying. It's just a really fun, relaxing nightly past time which is much more fullfilling to me than watching sitcoms or sports.
Wrong, actually. The Meta-physicist profession has more game breaking mechanics than any other by a large margin. Many professions have their quirks and problems, but they can still function and function according to their profession. Most of the tools metas use have been broken since AO's launch. As far as content though, the class actually peaks at 130. Post 130, the class goes downhill unless the player alters their character to that of a soldier/agent role which then leaves them less bad, but still not good. I'd say that's pretty damn broken.
But moreover, it wasn't until two weeks ago that he (after being a level 200 Meta for quite a few months) finally admitted to himself that his class was so messed up past 130, that he had to "sell out" to a non-meta playstyle just to actually function. The profession has been complaining about this ever since the first meta peaked at 130. But it took a charismatic, well-known figure like Thedeacon to rally everyone together and really make the case known. Jayde was a similar figure for Adventurers even though the concerns that he addresses have been around even before I recomended the game to him.
One of my best friends on Anarchy Online sold her 165 character on E-bay for $350 after she got bored with it. 165 doesn't even really take too long to achieve and she didn't have any of the ultra rare items. I've seen the level 200 characters with all the rare gear go for over $500. Pretty damn good I'd say, considering she had a blast playing the game. How many idle hobbies pay off that much in the end?
Well, FunCom (Anarchy Online's creators) do have a program called ARK (Advisors of Rubi-Ka) that earn gamers free subscriptions through a few hours of service per week. Such services involve in-game tech support, customer service, greeting and helping new players, coordinating and running events and stories, etc. I'm sure Thedeacon is well aware of the ARK program, but probably just would rather do what he does on his own time. As far as FunCom putting forth an effort to keep guys like Thedeacon playing, the best thing they can do is add content and fix the gameplay problems that such players address. That would be much more valuable to Thedeacon and his ilk than a free subscription.
I hope that answered your question.
Indeed, but what needs to be mentioned too, is that the personas within online games tend to be WORSE than those of the real world. While the real world has restraints and consequences for actions, online games don't. So the result is a majority playerbase of rude, cruel, petty, shallow, fickle, negative, arrogant, greedy people. Online games are very much an UNHEALTHY place already. Candid, "colorful", helpfull players like Thedeacon, and even roleplayers in general, are actually rare in such games and usually limited to small groups of friends or organizations.
Slashdot Mirror
I don't have a problem keeping my playtime to an average of 1.5 - 2 hours a night. I understand that with the large scope and depth of MMORPGs, it's easy to get overwhealmed and set goals too high. But, with a little moderation and time management, it's not hard to have a life and play online games, really. Interestingly though, it's not just online games where people can sink 8+ hours of idleness. People do it with parties, sports, movies, books, e-mail/phone gossip, etc. Pre-pubescent nerds aren't the only ones that play these games, either. None of my RL online gaming friends fit that template at all. In fact, one is an extremely successful, built, handsome M.D. with a large house, expensive vehicles, great marriage, and two adult sons. As for my personal motivation to play online games. I just really enjoy teaming up with a group of my friends and mushing baddies and engaging in interesting roleplaying. It's just a really fun, relaxing nightly past time which is much more fullfilling to me than watching sitcoms or sports.
But a job isn't a liesure activity or entertainment. Please, be reasonable. I'm talking about a pasttime, not a job.
Wrong, actually. The Meta-physicist profession has more game breaking mechanics than any other by a large margin. Many professions have their quirks and problems, but they can still function and function according to their profession. Most of the tools metas use have been broken since AO's launch. As far as content though, the class actually peaks at 130. Post 130, the class goes downhill unless the player alters their character to that of a soldier/agent role which then leaves them less bad, but still not good. I'd say that's pretty damn broken. But moreover, it wasn't until two weeks ago that he (after being a level 200 Meta for quite a few months) finally admitted to himself that his class was so messed up past 130, that he had to "sell out" to a non-meta playstyle just to actually function. The profession has been complaining about this ever since the first meta peaked at 130. But it took a charismatic, well-known figure like Thedeacon to rally everyone together and really make the case known. Jayde was a similar figure for Adventurers even though the concerns that he addresses have been around even before I recomended the game to him.
Beacon warp, great tool. I just wish there were more Engineers around to actually use it.
One of my best friends on Anarchy Online sold her 165 character on E-bay for $350 after she got bored with it. 165 doesn't even really take too long to achieve and she didn't have any of the ultra rare items. I've seen the level 200 characters with all the rare gear go for over $500. Pretty damn good I'd say, considering she had a blast playing the game. How many idle hobbies pay off that much in the end?
Well, FunCom (Anarchy Online's creators) do have a program called ARK (Advisors of Rubi-Ka) that earn gamers free subscriptions through a few hours of service per week. Such services involve in-game tech support, customer service, greeting and helping new players, coordinating and running events and stories, etc. I'm sure Thedeacon is well aware of the ARK program, but probably just would rather do what he does on his own time. As far as FunCom putting forth an effort to keep guys like Thedeacon playing, the best thing they can do is add content and fix the gameplay problems that such players address. That would be much more valuable to Thedeacon and his ilk than a free subscription. I hope that answered your question.
Indeed, but what needs to be mentioned too, is that the personas within online games tend to be WORSE than those of the real world. While the real world has restraints and consequences for actions, online games don't. So the result is a majority playerbase of rude, cruel, petty, shallow, fickle, negative, arrogant, greedy people. Online games are very much an UNHEALTHY place already. Candid, "colorful", helpfull players like Thedeacon, and even roleplayers in general, are actually rare in such games and usually limited to small groups of friends or organizations.