7 Friendly Tips for Managing an MMORPG Addiction
Author's note. This article is just as applicable to myself as anyone else. I too am very guilty about letting things slide in order to play my favorite MUDs, but I try to keep these points in mind, and hopefully they can help you too!
It can be easy to get immersed in our favorite roleplaying game for hours. Cleaning can wait, laundry will be done tomorrow, eating is always another ten minutes away. We become the kings and queens of procrastination. But as we get older and wiser, we understand that school, family, work has to balance. Sixteen hours stretches in front of our MMORPG of choice just isn't acceptable - some sort of balance has to be struck.
I'm not here to wag my finger or do a cliche "gamers don't go outside" article. I go outside plenty, I just find other ways to log in! This last event in Achaea made it really hard to tear myself away from the screen. Luckily, the admins were clueing us in on when to be around, which allowed me to plan my schedule a lot more accordingly.
Keep it real
Just one more spar, one more step up the rankings, another percent of a level, a bit more gold, or even one more forum post to write (there are people on the internet who are wrong, after all). Many of us have succumbed to this at one time or another, but if it's too hard to tear yourself away, it can become detrimental. Have a realistic schedule, log on during peak hours when there’s a larger chance of things going on to avoid standing around “bored”.
Let people know
If you need to let your gaming friends know of the new schedule, do so. Don't be guilted into staying longer. You can ask them to email event logs you've missed. Drop some in-game responsibilities so that you don't feel pressured to stay on longer in order to fulfill your duties. If you feel overwhelmed in the real world with your fantasy work, then priorities might be a little wonky. See if you can outsource some of the work to a friend, everyone has an eager-beaver in their guild.
Don’t break your bank
Buying credits is a fantastic way to support the MUD developers, I’ve bought credits and will probably do so again in the future. But if I’ve got rent and car payment looming overhead, you better believe I don’t really need that level three Intelligence sash! Real life priorities come first, and that means feeding yourself right. If you need to keep up your credit addiction, learn how to cook meals from scratch instead of ordering out.
For easy digestion:
- Set yourself strict limits, a timer with a loud alarm, for bedtime, for dinnertime, for a walk in the park.
- Let your friends know of your new restrictions, they can be a bit more understanding and can remind you to log off when the time comes
- Cut down the virtual responsibilities, make room for more fun, less work in your shorter gameplay allotment.
- Get real goals and things done first, perhaps use your favorite game as a reward for achievement.
In summary, these are fantastic roleplaying games that let us immerse ourselves for hours, but don’t forget real life is an adventure too. If you really insist staying connected at all times, take a mobile MUD app with you. It definitely came in handy these past two weeks during all the exciting events in Achaea!
About the author: Nicola Newton has had a long-standing love for RPG games. From an early age she enjoyed the "choose your own adventure" books and grew into fantasy games like Planescape: Torment, and Diablo, but after even five years, she always comes back to play her ever-changing, favourite MUDs.
We Also Recommend
- Login to post comments
Comments
Okay?
Okay?
Why the skepticism?
Why the skepticism?
it's natural, i guess.
it's natural, i guess.
Maybe it is supernatural!
Maybe it is supernatural!
Awesome
Awesome
yes
It really is!
Yep!
Yep!
Uh huh
Uh huh
Yar, har har.
Yar, har har.
Oh a Dala'myrr.
Oh a Dala'myrr.
Oh
That'll solve your addiction!
Definitely
will.
Totally
Totally
no!
no!
Hey, another new article! And
Hey, another new article! And this isn't a horrible one, even if it is pretty mu
ch the same thing that's been said in a few others. I like the attitude of it.
It's a good trend. They
It's a good trend. They should keep it up.
It keeps me from feeling like I'm credit farming.
Even though I might be.
Hey, it's cool. I know I'm
Hey, it's cool. I know I'm just commenting for the six lessons per day.
..what.
Me too. :( But this article does make me feel like I'm not. D:
I just wish I had something more valuable to say. D:
Well, if we practice saying
Well, if we practice saying things often enough maybe we'll learn to say profound things on command?
new article
no i won't go outside.
have you seen outside?
have you seen outside? There's freaking water falling from the sky. Nope, I'm never going out there!
Seriously.
That stuff's scary. :P
It is.
There are also actual wild animals out there. Have you seen how much damage they can do?
I know
Tons. And I hear there's permadeath out there.
Yep even though there are
Yep even though there are people who think they can pray and get rezzed. Sad isn't it?
Howdja know I can't?
*peer*
Same way I know you can't
Same way I know you can't can't summon dragons, aren't friends with leprechauns, don't ride a unicorn, don't walk though walls, aren't the richest person on the planet, and on and on.
I have to agree with this.
I have to agree with this. Live cougars have been spotted on my driveway, as well as bear tracks. and dead deer. I'll keep to my gaming addictions I think!
The only thing I found that helps me log off in a timely fashion is by engaging my main interests first. I just can't settle myself otherwise!
Hey, I should send this to a
Hey, I should send this to a few friends of mine! :D
I like this article
It talks about mud addiction in a real light.
I for one think I have my mud addiction under control.
Then Again I could just be in denial.
Me too
And at one point, anyway, I was definitely overdoing it. Now, though, I seem to have balanced things out, even if I still do really love to MUD!
Not me
I still have some balancing to get to, but I'm getting there :)
My tip? Don't let Grudar
My tip? Don't let Grudar start interesting events at 2 in the morning
Hrrm.
Hrrm.
Well, now that I think of it
While in general I don't have trouble dividing my attention with other things at this point, what I *do* have trouble with is logging out once I've started to play. I'll get involved in some RP, and then I'm only able to tear myself away at 5 or 6 in the morning when my RP partners start to pass out at their keyboards! :P
Find people in different time
Find people in different time zones?
Old news, but thumbs up.
Old news, but thumbs up.
Yes
Yes
two, in fact!
two, in fact!
Great advice, thumbs up.
Great advice, thumbs up.
Agreed. Makes me realise I am
Agreed. Makes me realise I am down the blackhole of MUDs, and I'm far, far gone...
Yeah
Scary sometimes. But I don't wanna quit MUDing entirely :P
how about...
have a full schedule and try and extract between minutes to an hour a day of playing? Seems like proper real life
I've tried this
I've attempted it a few times but it's never worked for me. Props to those that it has worked for though.
True
I still like to just set a block of time aside so I can get something done. It is the only way I can do something without running into other stuff I want to do.
I really like this idea!
Doing the important stuff before the play even in a game may make me feel more productive. Thanks for the tip!
Agreed
Very good advice!
Agreed
Agreed
Hah!
Hah!
hah?
Hah? HAH?!
oh, of course. hahaha.
There are so many wrong
There are so many wrong people on the internet.
Totes
Way too many. And they need to be corrected.
Only I am right.
Only I am right.
Don't get upset if you die
Don't get upset if you die because you went to see why a baby was crying. Pesky turtles
definitely. Children are more
definitely. Children are more important than losing a bit of experience in a game!
Depends on the children, no?
Depends on the children, no?
Crying baby > then any alarm
Crying baby > then any alarm clock
Nice article, L. Balance is
Nice article, L. Balance is important, as ancient greeks said also (and Achaea has quite a bit of greek related stuff), παν μέτρον άριστον..
Translation?
Translation?
I do get worried about the
I do get worried about the people who overspend...
Gimme credits and then I
Gimme credits and then I won't have to!
Yeah
But some of them might be rich!
I set an alarm
I have to set an alarm to remind myself to get away some of the time.
That sounds like a good strategy to me!
Maybe I'll do something similar.
I should do that
I should do that
This was worse
When I was playing a game on AOL at the tune of $2.95 an hour back in 96. I really felt the addiction then.
ah, the good old days of
ah, the good old days of pay-by-the-hour internet!
That really used to be a
That really used to be a thing?
And now...
I feel old.
And dial-up... who remembers
And dial-up... who remembers plugging their computer into the wall and listening to the dial-tone? Then I got 512kb broadband and was the envy of all my friends... you people don't know how good you have it!
Back to the topic in hand, make sure you've done everything else you need to get done (eating, sleeping, washing, cleaning, work!) before you log on, set yourself a time limit or a fixed goal (which can be reduced if required, eg an xp gain reduced by death) and stick to it!
Wow, hard for me to imagine
Wow, hard for me to imagine getting addicted to that. I'd spend all my time visualizing money leaking out of my pocket...
man, this guy needs his
man, this guy needs his priotities straight
Seriously.
But while this joker's busy keeping a job, and having RL friends, I'm gonna be pwning n00bs. ROFL.
all good advice
all good advice
all good advice
all good advice
I could use some of this!
I could use some of this!
nice to see a new article
nice to see a new article
It is.
It is.
good info, stuff I don't
good info, stuff I don't need, since I balance my Achy time with my duties at home, and I find other things to do that need my attention more, I lack an addiction to Achaea at least..more like an addiction to Dark Souls and my 360 at times..and anime..
lately I've been feeding an
lately I've been feeding an addiction to anime in my spare time you could say..
yepppers...
.....................
Worse
things out there at least...
Wow, another new article.
Wow, another new article.
Heh
I know, right?
riiiiight...an alarm.
riiiiight...an alarm.
These are helpful...
But they're not the extent. Yeah, I'm guilty of it too, the late-night "Well, I don't really ahve to get up tomorrow, so I might as well make an eighteen-hour day of it". Excuse. In the middle of the week, no less! And as of now, being eight months pregnant, there's times I don't leave my house except to take the dogs out, or hit up the grocery store, cause it's freakin' cold in Canada this time 'a year, too. But if I'm in the middle of roleplay of some kind, or something's taking a little long to run on, I'll duck out of my computer chair, make it all the way to the kitchen, do up some dishes, start dinner, greet my husband coming home, and get back oto the computer before anyone knows I'm gone. Have a real conversation. Pet the cat. Remember that while the game changes, It doesn't usually change so much that fast that you're likely to miss "Everything" if you take a nap, eat a salad, meet your pet and remember that your character's spouse isn't actually the one picking up your dry-cleaning.
Great guidelines, like I say, but the most important part? Get a grip, man. I am not Aislygn. I am not over circle eighty, and need sleep and food still. Holy crap, stop being a sad sac and go get stuff done. In real life. You know, accomplish something that doesn't make you need to escape indefinitely into your game.
Hmmm...
I don't disagree, but that's a bit of a harsh tone. All the same, +1
hmm...
hmm...
NO!
NO!
it is not an addiction!
it's a way of life!
YES!!!!
I AM AN ELF!!! DON'T YOU TRY TO TELL ME I"M NOT!
+1
+1
yes, yes you are
yes, yes you are
I'm chained to the pc man. no
I'm chained to the pc man. no choice :/
Priorities
Real life is the priority. MMORPGs/MUDs are a wonderful and mentally balancing escape and should stay there. Nice article!
Agreed
Though they can be addictive
what's that worm thing?
what's that worm thing?
That worm thing
That worm thing is a Dala'myrr. They were a big part of the most recent event in Achaea.
Play Time
Since its winter I have alot more time to play. It'll just take some time to adjust to less time in the spring.
Me too
I definitely stay inside much of the time in winter.
I have problems with getting
I have problems with getting on too much all the time
I'm glad that new articles
I'm glad that new articles are coming out
luckily there will be more
luckily there will be more time ot be on during the holiday season
at least I'm not
at least I'm not sixteen-hours-streight bad
I'm only...
8 hours straight, with only food breaks in between >.>
I've done 16 hours straight
I've done 16 hours straight once or twice. Usually it's avoidant behavior..
It'd be interesting to
It'd be interesting to compare playing habits across MUDs.
lol
lol
What if your friends are
What if your friends are addicts? : /
The obvious course of action...
...would be to beat your friends at gaming. You wouldn't want to lose to them, would you?
time to be an addict too!
time to be an addict too!
Willpower
Willpower is needed before one plays. don't have to make a schedule. Just stop playing for awhile if you are playing too much. There are other things to do.
Save up for a circlet of the
Save up for a circlet of the will, your willpower will be even stronger!
lol
lol
ugh, I'm terrible even at
ugh, I'm terrible even at using this sort of advice
Yeah, sometimes there isn't
Yeah, sometimes there isn't much you can do! Might as well forget everything else and game on!
luckily, I'm not active
luckily, I'm not active enough to really get dragged into things
I could use this advice as of
I could use this advice as of late
good advice, if you really
good advice, if you really want to limit your time in realms, that is
Hopelessly addicted.
Hopelessly addicted.
I know, right?
I know, right?
Limit schlimit.
Limit schlimit.
I'm glad I have restrictions
I'm glad I have restrictions on my bank account, or else I would've have spent all my funds!
But. But...
Addictions are fun! Or else they wouldn't be addicting.
Ps. I'm kidding.
I could quit anytime, I'm not
I could quit anytime, I'm not addicted.
*snorts mmo dust*
Gleam, you mean.
Gleam, you mean.
It you comment on this post
It you comment on this post you have a MUD addiction obviously.
Obv. Still gotta get that
Obv. Still gotta get that gem..
lies!
lies!
good
Good take - game/life balance is always a key issue
i like being able to comment
i like being able to comment on an article without five pages of text
theres a lot less posts that
theres a lot less posts that just say 'redit' right now, to be certain
it's proably too late for
it's proably too late for this to help me :\
still a good article a few
still a good article a few days later
New article
will be up tonight!
well
I have this one rule of not spending real money on online games, other than that if it wasn't Achaea I would procrastinate in another way, MUDs are addictive but luckily so far it hasn't interfered majorly with my real life stuff, in fact i try to keep my IC and OOC lives apart from each other
credit addiction? Yep!
credit addiction? Yep!
Achaea is addicting
It is addicting, for sure
Good article!
I have to be strict with myself
nogfx.org/logs/245
nogfx.org/logs/245
:|
:|
managing addictions is for
managing addictions is for looooooooosers. Go big or go home! </troll>
Oh, lulz. :)
Oh, lulz. :)
Uh oh!
Someone say troll!
never say troll (or die,
never say troll (or die, whatever)
When
when you push off things you need to do around the house or for your family, then hard decisions must be made
+1
+1
+1
+1
Gets us all.
Gets us all.
Aye
Worse when you lose sleep over it eh? :P
I was hoping this was gonna
I was hoping this was gonna be a joke-style post.
Creee
Dit!
I am not addicted!~
I swear I'm not!
Proof?
Proof?
It's very addictive
Very very addictive
Boop!
Boop!
+1
+1
Credit!
+2
Good Read
Good Read.
credit
credit
don't think I'm around enough
don't think I'm around enough to get addicted to it.
I've been addicted to MUDs in
I've been addicted to MUDs in the past, and I forced myself to quit due to that - hopefully, nowadays, I can administer a bit more self-control.
never manage, only give in!
never manage, only give in!
agreed
agreed
so much to be said for having
so much to be said for having priorities outside of the game
Beep boop.
Beep boop.
Very useful advice
I'd also add that taking breaks from the internet and the game for periods of three days or more (leaving your iphone at home when you go to Spain, for example) is a good way to get a breath from the game.
For some reason, it also gives you more inspiration for when you return.
I agree
Probably the best way to beat your 'addiction' is to go somewhere without your laptop or other device.
free credit
free credit
Ultimately
Ultimately good advice. I know for sure I have trouble keeping up with irl things sometimes. May I also suggest, however, starting a sport of some sort? Thats been helping me quite a bit.
credits addicting
credits addicting
i don't follow these rules
i don't follow these rules
credit
credit
So addicting.
So addicting.
time really flies
time really flies
Get rid of your addiction by
Get rid of your addiction by having kids - never enough time in the day to get addicted to anything else. Still they will have moved out in 12 years.
when you see the sunrise,
when you see the sunrise, you've played too much!
agreed
agreed
what's wrong with an
what's wrong with an addiction
I would agree
But Achaea takes up too much of my time, seriously <.< Should sleep more - thankful it's the holidays haha
give in!
give in!
Can be a problem
I can get pretty addicted to games, which really does not help with my total lack of anything resembling a schedule for free time. I can definantly use some of these tips.