My state of mind.

[Tymon]

I just have a question for the community. Do you have a life? Be serious.

For one, you play FFXI. For two, if you play FFXI you have to be on FFXI for at least 5 hours a day(concecutive hours mind you) to get anywhere--to have fun basically. So you sit for 5 hours in your computer(or PS2) room, playing FFXI. Okay. Five hours, possibly up to 12 for some people. Five hours in this game is a very casual player. The average player plays 8-10 hours per DAY. You spend 10 hours per day in a single room doing more than likely one thing, with only one thing on your mind. What's your state of mind?

Why do you play FFXI? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and realized that FFXI is over time, ruining your IRL life. Don't deny it. It is, if you spend 10 hours a day on a game there's absolutely no chance you're not neglecting somthing. What ARE you neglecting? Family? School? Work? Friends? Children? Personal hygene? All of the above?

Would you rather sit on a virtual reality LFG for 5 hours waiting for a party for a few hours of I guess fun, than doing somthing that can get you somewhere in life? You could go get in shape, go to a movie with friends, children. Anything. I played this game every day after school and all day on the weekends. This game was my life. One day I looked at myself and asked why I play this game and I couldn't find a reason. This caused me to break down crying and eventually get so mad at this game that I cancelled all my accounts and uninstalled every instance of this game I could find. Best decision in my life.

Goes back to the question--do you have a life? I didn't, but I do now.

 

[ultraseven]

lmao... that's why i rarely log on... 'cause i don't have time... and when i do, it's for my linkshell. and if ppl aren't online, they're on qcdn bitching about something or someone or flaming something or someone 'cause they got their pussies hurt. they have FFXI in their souls 24/7...

 

[Tymon]

lmao... that's why i rarely log on... 'cause i don't have time... and when i do, it's for my linkshell. and if ppl aren't online, they're on qcdn bitching about something or someone or flaming something or someone 'cause they got their pussies hurt. they have FFXI in their souls 24/7...

I salute you, then. You're one of the sane few. I have no problems admitting that I was not one of the sane few.

 

[Tiael]

Heh same reason I quit back in October, it was like a drug and I needed to go cold turkey, so I did, and been doing better now than I was when I was still on game. It sucked at first, but you get used to it.

 

[Svina]

Tymon, I used to be like you. I stopped going to school to try and make money before continuing. This failed miserably when I lost it. I ended up succumbing to living on FFXI for the next several months of my life, then transitioning that to WoW.

Sometime during that time I had joked with other LS members about moving away to hang with them. This of course was amongst a few of us, we all joked about it originally, until one day we all decided, hey why not? We all need change.

Well I was still living in my slump of an apartment room, locking myself in and living on MMOs... when the time came to move though, I took a look at what I was doing and realized I don't want to keep that up. I did in fact, move out here along with the rest of those who wanted to make that change.

And slowly, I'm returning to having somewhat of a life. Where I used to live depressed me to hell and back. And sitting on a computer 24/7 did too, even though I enjoyed my time spent playing those games, I think I'm ready to give them up and get back to reality. If playing games brings you enjoyment, more power to you. But if you look at yourself and despise what you are because of it, maybe you need to make a change yourself too.

 

[Sneakypants]

I just can't get that kind of time. It'll be 2 years + before I have a job at 75....And I feel like I play a lot. I can't imagine logging those kind of hours every day. I do have that kind of time here and there and I take it, but because those days are few and far between, I feel justified spending time playing.


I can see your point. It's seems like partly you got burnt out because of too much time logged. And partly it seems like you can no longer make the excuse to put of RL for the game. Let's face it...EVery minute spent playing, is a minute you'll never get back for your real life. Playing as casually as I do, that thought is always on my mind.

Once I move to my new house, I'm sure I'll be playing less because I will have access to my photography lab, my drums, my guitars...Room to breathe. Other things to do.

 

[Bogo]

Well , my experience with this is that many people seem unable to turn of thier PC and do something constructive outside of the game. I've not had a problem staying in shape ,or doing semi-social things like catching a movie or even going to a bar and irritating the "women" there.

Mostly ,much like yourself I came to a point where I realized I was burning way to much time doing jack(like running around farming for 2 weeks so I could buy an Emp Pin back in the day) and called it quits. I came back to the game later with the realization that I was the person at fault for the game taking over my life. With that in mind I set priorities (women ,work ,monnies ,edjumaction) ahead of the game and hav'nt really had a problem. I found some things in-game I could do and log off without any problem and comeplete the major things whenever the opportunity rolls by.
By the sounds of it you are in very much the same situation( a collosal wtf moment).It's good that you've reclaimed your life and hopefuly will learn from this and keep shite like this from happening in the next game you play.

Take care man

 

[Sonicboom]

Well, I quitted this game 3 times about, 10 months in total. I guess I came back the other two times because of my cousins, but I'm thinking of quitting too. I haven't been playing lately, but I think I am going to cancel the accounts. What am I accomplishing by playing this game? Nothing. I don't even do anything good on the game except walk around.

 

[Stirce]

I just have a question for the community. Do you have a life? Be serious.

For one, you play FFXI. For two, if you play FFXI you have to be on FFXI for at least 5 hours a day(concecutive hours mind you) to get anywhere--to have fun basically. So you sit for 5 hours in your computer(or PS2) room, playing FFXI. Okay. Five hours, possibly up to 12 for some people. Five hours in this game is a very casual player. The average player plays 8-10 hours per DAY. You spend 10 hours per day in a single room doing more than likely one thing, with only one thing on your mind. What's your state of mind?

Why do you play FFXI? Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and realized that FFXI is over time, ruining your IRL life. Don't deny it. It is, if you spend 10 hours a day on a game there's absolutely no chance you're not neglecting somthing. What ARE you neglecting? Family? School? Work? Friends? Children? Personal hygene? All of the above?

Would you rather sit on a virtual reality LFG for 5 hours waiting for a party for a few hours of I guess fun, than doing somthing that can get you somewhere in life? You could go get in shape, go to a movie with friends, children. Anything. I played this game every day after school and all day on the weekends. This game was my life. One day I looked at myself and asked why I play this game and I couldn't find a reason. This caused me to break down crying and eventually get so mad at this game that I cancelled all my accounts and uninstalled every instance of this game I could find. Best decision in my life.

Goes back to the question--do you have a life? I didn't, but I do now.

Do you have a life? Im thinking if you had a life would you be worried if we did or didnt? would you take the time to find out whats going on with us if your really had a life?

 

[Thnikkaman]

The game isn't really that great if you think about it- it's just really addicting. It's a game, and games are fun, but you gotta moderate yourself. That's why whenever I play FFXI, I always do something else while I play. I don't party anymore, but if I ever do, it's only for a little bit.

You see someone on the game like Xxxxxxx (not saying names), who's online all day every day, and he's actually playing, not just an AFK mule. Then he wonders why his marks suck so bad and how come whenever he gets a girlfriend, she leaves him in like 2 days. The game's fun, but Tymon and Ultraseven make a big point, if you're gonna play, play in moderation or don't play at all. Do you know how fulfilling it is to actually go outside and work and hang out with friends, and go to parties and stuff?

 

[Bustaballs]

sometimes I play that much and sometimes I dont.. it doesn't have a big effect on my life..
if I wanna play, I play.. if I dont I dont..

I don't see what the big deal is.. if you want a mmo you can play for 1-2 hours a day and get stuff done then go play guild wars

 

[Rappa]

Anything enjoyable in life can get you addicted to it. You're seeking that high you get when you get drunk / high / eat chocolate / gain a level in FFXI. Just like some people can't put the fork down, it's all about willpower. If you seriously can't control the amount of time you play this game in relation to doing other things, it's probably for your best interest that you uninstalled it.

 

[Raesvelg]

sometimes I play that much and sometimes I dont.. it doesn't have a big effect on my life..
if I wanna play, I play.. if I dont I dont..

I don't see what the big deal is.. if you want a mmo you can play for 1-2 hours a day and get stuff done then go play guild wars

Pretty much....

When I first started the game, I was reasonably addicted to it. But it never really impacted my social/professional life that much. I just skipped sleep to play. Which is something I'm rather good at, sadly.

These days, I play when I want to. Ask yourself how much TV you watch. I hardly watch any. I simply allocated that time as solitary entertainment time, and I spend it how I see fit. Better than half the time, that means FF, but either way it's simply time I'd be alone regardless.

 

[Thnikkaman]

...If you seriously can't control the amount of time you play this game in relation to doing other things, it's probably for your best interest that you uninstalled it.

I second the motion.

 

[DodgeRoadRage]

I think its the state of mind you put yourself in. I gotta be level 75 soon too hang with the big boys or I got too have so many jobs at 75 too look cool. I gotta have rank 10, oh I need too finish Zilart and COP or I'll look like a noob. I got too have the greatest, most best gear or I'll be gimp even if there is a normal quality out there that can get you by. Its competition that does it and the need too be on top then the average player.

SE has made alot of adjustments too please the casual player. Take ENM missions for example. You have a chance too get 9 K exp a week pretty fast if done right and a chance at a drop item that costs millions. You gain exp points and have a chance too make money. Thats pretty sweet. Seek a party when you can and have time like on a night where you have the next day off. Farming does not have too be time consumeing either. Just set so many hours at a time at it and log off in that spot and log back in there.

Its just the attitude most people got in this game. Eating ice cream too fast gives you a bad headache. Same differnce. Sorry if I affended anyone.

 

[Chemical_Penguin]

Yea, if I didn't have FFXI to be addicted to, I'd find something else to be addicted to.

I just have an obsessive personality, I find something fun and I feel the need to over-indulge. But I always find time to complete my obligations IRL. I still understand the priorities of things.

But I think the only thing I really neglect is sleep.

 

[Sculli]

Goes back to the question--do you have a life? I didn't, but I do now.

Congratulations!
Life is what you make it, for some it's FFXI, for some it's becoming a Rocket Scientist.

 

[Rappa]

Shit, I just had this awesome text typed up and accidentally closed the window so here's the abridged version of what I was saying.

Here's my mindset for playing FFXI.....

For the most part, I consider this game to be an interactive chat client. I hop on, sit in my moghouse or do some fishing, and I talk to friends. When a friend needs help I help them, and it's fun.

There's occasionally a time where I actually plan to do something, such as xp a or a mission or whatever. These are the specific things I feel like I'm paying my monthly fee for.

Otherwise I'm just living life normally. I live with my gf. We both play the game but we also both do other things like watch anime, hang with friends, go to movies, etc.

Basically, this game is somewhere I can go to talk to friends, occasionally do some real playing, and save a bunch of money every month on buying "on the fence" games I would buy if I weren't playing this game as my time-filler of choice. This isn't my life and I do plenty of things outside of the game. While I can understand why people get addicted to online games (see what I said before), this is my official answer to the topic title's question.

 

[random hero]

i played whenever i was home which was a lot but if i was in a pt or somthing or doing LS events and someone IRL called me up and wanted to do somthing, id just say i had to go or just pull my chord like a jackass lmao but ya i did play too much and um thats why i quit cause RL > game

 

[chpal]

This game truly sucks. I hate it yet I keep playing. Why? Cuase of the ppl, if my friends didnt play I wouldnt even touch this game. All those ppl who spend literraly hundreds of hours doing things to get items/gil/whatever realy need to stop and ask themselves if getting that God armor or a billion gil is really going to make their RL any better. No way in hell can having full AF2 pieces make your RL better.