The awesome Leigh Alexander, who writes for pretty much everyone (including herself) thinks she has a problem. She has figured out that between playing games, making game-related crafts, and doing other game-related things (like writing about games), she may be a little unhealthily addicted. After all, as shocking as it may be, there is an entire world out there without games (we know, it hurts us to think of it, too!) So what's a girl to do?Clearly, attempt to go an entire week without playing games of any kind. Nothing. None. Not even, as she says, Minesweeper. Having just restarted Puzzle Quest (again), this blogger feels the burn of potential obsession as well, but a whole week? Without any games? That's daunting. Could you do it?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-05-2008 @ 10:41AM
Arc said...
This is a nice way to keep ourselves from getting to drawn into this fantasy world we create for ourselves, but this really isn't going to solve the addiction that lies here. So what if she stops for 1 week, it is only a band aid. I would like to see her ween this video gamin down to something like 1 or 2 hours a day to obsess about them. That would be a real feat, since you are not just putting if off you are indeed solving the issue. Well Soldier front awaits me...smell you later!
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1-05-2008 @ 10:59AM
nintendolover said...
The longest I went from not playing videogames was four months. It was when the GBA SP was dropping in popularity and new GBA games and the DS was beginning to emerge.
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1-05-2008 @ 11:04AM
John B. said...
Games for me are like books. When I find a game that I like, I can put it in and play for 12 hours at a time, and I can keep that going until I beat it. Then again, its really once in a blue moon I find one that I really like (once every 2-3 months), and in between those, I barely play at all.
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1-05-2008 @ 11:52AM
Pizza Pasta said...
Nope.
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1-05-2008 @ 12:00PM
Tom said...
Uhh, I don't know. Video games are one of my biggest hobbies, so I doubt I could stop for a week, just like I couldn't stop drawing for a week or not doing art related stuff for a week. However, it depends on how much you play in said week. If you on average play more than 5 hours a day (I usually play for 2 hours of 1 hour increments) then you're probably playing games too much.
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1-05-2008 @ 12:37PM
raindog said...
I didn't play games for about eight months earlier this year, in the months leading up to my partner's death and for a couple months afterward. Even now I only play a couple hours maybe one night during the week, and then usually one entire day of the weekend I'll dedicate to gaming. So yeah, apparently I can stop. I just don't want to right now.
On the other hand, over my xmas to new year's vacation I probably played about 50 hours of Geometry Wars, Lego Star Wars, Mario Galaxy, Mercury Meltdown, and Raving Rabbids 2, plus assorted DS and Linux games. Oh yeah, and then I went back to Ocarina of Time.
Today I'm wiping Vista off of a laptop for someone, so I guess my 6-8 hours of solid gaming this weekend will have to be tomorrow.
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1-05-2008 @ 1:43PM
Matdredalia said...
A few things --- Most importantly, my condolences about your partner. :(
Secondly, Go Go Gadget Vista Eraser!!!!! (HATE that OS!)
Third....Linux games are too much fun for words.
1-05-2008 @ 1:42PM
Matdredalia said...
No. I might be able to resist the temtpation of my DS if it was for something like a bet where I would win money (which I would then go buy a DS game with), but I'd wind up playing something on my PC, my brother's Wii, or my PS2 or something.
Gaming is like...my soul.
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1-05-2008 @ 2:21PM
Eru said...
I've done it and it's horrible.
I get bored out of my mind.
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1-05-2008 @ 3:47PM
Bandaka said...
Actually I am more addicted to visiting this blog than actually playing my DS! I love this site with a passion. I don't ussualy comment on the site but I visit this site multiple times a day, constantly re-refreshing it! Every person who comments on this site with custom avatars I feel are like good friends. Like Matdredalia or that angry Pac-Man dude.
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1-06-2008 @ 2:38AM
Waffala said...
It's good to know I'm not alone, I realized the irony of that same situation a week or two ago, I actually spend more time reading about games than I do playing them. I'd rather listen to JC, Eric and Alisha talk about something than experience it myself. [No offense intended to bloggers not listed, I just thought of those off the top of my head... except David Hinkle, I'm still upset about hearing Pokemon Snap hated on.]
1-06-2008 @ 6:59PM
ArmorForVictor said...
nope couldn't do it. without video games i would actually have to spend time with family :o
to waffala
i know exactly what you mean about reading about video games and not playing them. just bought a wii zapper and im online instead of playing it :(
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1-07-2008 @ 5:04PM
RootiePatootie said...
As someone who's played video and computer games for, well, most of her 50 yrs. on this earth, I can say that, thankfully, I am able to not game whenever I want. I think that for me it's because I have many other interests so I hop from one thing to another to another to another all the time, every day in fact. I have often lost complete interest in gaming and even in my computer for days and days. Weeks even! I have had to MAKE myself check my email just so it doesn't pile up on my server or if I know there may be something important (relating to paying bills, etc.) in it. Sadly I know some folks for whatever reason have a lot of trouble with what can get near or cross over to addiction, to gaming or anything else. IMO if it messes with your life in any manner then it's a problem, whatever *it* may be. For those of you who get bored if you don't game, and want to not game so much, I suggest you be honest with yourself first of all and then find a way to get into something else. You don't have to give up your gaming entirely but I admire what my Dad has always said to me and take it to heart, "everything in moderation." Good words to live by (esp. since he's almost 90 and going strong).
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