video game addiction?
[quote name='L. Spiro' timestamp='1357048885' post='5016364']
People fit for the industry never need to ask if they are fit for the industry. If you are, it is in your blood and you know it. If you have to ask, it is not in your blood, and you would not make a good fit in the industry.
[/quote]
This might be going off topic but I honestly would not say that. IMO if you say that then you can say that about any industry their is.
Reason? Some people find their calling late or question if they really do fit in that area. Take my step-dad for example. His entire life he was an artist. When he was in high school he had a chance to actually have one of his pieces hung in a very well known gallery. Sadly he couldn't due to School UIL Rules (long story). He always had an eye for anything dealing with art. He questioned if he really fit in that industry though. Dropped out of college though he ended up getting a job at a Advertising Agency (business side). He decided he again wanted to give the art side of things a go again and now he sees that that industry was for him. So much in fact the company he works for goes to him now instead of some of the art people to get things done.
Their are a lot of people in life that really don't know if they fit in the industry they are interested in. By what you say then these people should not be in the industry at all. I'd actually say it's common for people to really ask them selves "do I really want to be a game developer for the rest of my life?"
How long have you been "addicted"?
I was "addicted" to games and activities, meaning 12-15 hours of that activity, no friends, no bathing, almost no eating, nervous moving when doing something else, only thinking about the activity, etc. But it only comes in bursts, when I do something that really interests me. It only meant a few video games (usually playing through the campaigns without pause), sometimes reading, and now some creative hobbies.
But I don't think its a real addiction, they are short periods and they were all about something that can be finished. And they don't affect my general life in general or affect it in a good way, though I'm a lone person.
Now I play when I have free time. The last 3 or 4 days, I've played Borderlands 2 with my brother for 4 hours or more a sitting. Sometimes I go 2 weeks without playing.
However, music is something I'm pretty much addicted to. There hasn't been a day in the past 3 weeks (other than New Years when I was away from my instruments) that I haven't practiced for 2 and a half or more hours. Maybe it'll slow down soon but I doubt it. I have the talkbass.com app on my phone and I'm either listening to music, playing music, browsing instruments on Craigslist, or reading about music, theory, players, bands, and many more on the talkbass forums on my phone.
It's what allowed me to become good at it and made me want to pursue going further
As a child, I played 6-8 hours a day when I could.
Now I play when I have free time. The last 3 or 4 days, I've played Borderlands 2 with my brother for 4 hours or more a sitting. Sometimes I go 2 weeks without playing.
However, music is something I'm pretty much addicted to. There hasn't been a day in the past 3 weeks (other than New Years when I was away from my instruments) that I haven't practiced for 2 and a half or more hours. Maybe it'll slow down soon but I doubt it. I have the talkbass.com app on my phone and I'm either listening to music, playing music, browsing instruments on Craigslist, or reading about music, theory, players, bands, and many more on the talkbass forums on my phone.
It's what allowed me to become good at it and made me want to pursue going further
Don't call practicing addiction. 2,5 hours is not that much. Many say one should practice at lest 3 hours a day on an instrument. Some say 8. If I had this addiction, I could be anywhere now in drumming, because I was very talented. But I didn't practice, because I only liked doing it in the band.
no but i play my gamesi n cycles usually especilaly when working . sometimes i have gone days even weeks without firing up one of my consoles or playing a PC game but then i get the itch and I almost Binge....its pretty interesting . in college it was even more erratic but now it kind of ebbs and flows. i won't play then play here and there, then play obsessively , before my behavior curves back towards not playing again. as i said it's funny and i have no idea why i do it.
As a child, I played 6-8 hours a day when I could.
Now I play when I have free time. The last 3 or 4 days, I've played Borderlands 2 with my brother for 4 hours or more a sitting. Sometimes I go 2 weeks without playing.
However, music is something I'm pretty much addicted to. There hasn't been a day in the past 3 weeks (other than New Years when I was away from my instruments) that I haven't practiced for 2 and a half or more hours. Maybe it'll slow down soon but I doubt it. I have the talkbass.com app on my phone and I'm either listening to music, playing music, browsing instruments on Craigslist, or reading about music, theory, players, bands, and many more on the talkbass forums on my phone.
It's what allowed me to become good at it and made me want to pursue going further
Don't call practicing addiction. 2,5 hours is not that much. Many say one should practice at lest 3 hours a day on an instrument. Some say 8. If I had this addiction, I could be anywhere now in drumming, because I was very talented. But I didn't practice, because I only liked doing it in the band.
When you feel a compulsion to do it and feel guilt and anxiety when you can't, I would call it an obsession of some sort. Most conservatories and such recommend no more than 4 or 5 hours a day because of the risk of damage to your hands. This time is only time spent with an instrument in hand, not searching for new music, reading up on it, contacting bands, and preparing lesson plans for my students.
It's not a life stopping addiction, but enough to keep me coming back.
Video game addiction? No but some people do suffer from obsessive compulsive disorders or impulse addiction like gamblers, plenty of online gambling addicts and they are a form of video games? Personally don't know of any..
I started with just making maps, and when I later ended up playing my own maps with 30 other people it was extremely motivational. If you have ever had that happen you know how it feels. Compare that to doing English homework. I am sorry but there is an obvious difference not only in motivation but in developmental growth. My capacity for English did not need further development back then.I guess I'll have to disagree here, as I'd never consider that making maps for a shooter, as creative as it can be, is more beneficial than studying literature and generally having an all-around solid education.
Your story was interesting, and I'm glad it worked out for you. I just don't think focusing almost entirely on game developing and ditching proper education is a good idea for anyone. Then again, I haven't actually managed to work on the game industry, but I don't think making games is THAT special that justifies rejecting school.
Just my 2 cents :)
