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Krizaz
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Krizaz
2,399 posts
Nomad

Video Game Comas

Screw them!
Video game Comas don't exist!

Well yes, they do. And they're a problem. But more of a social problem, with other people, yes, other people exist.

This isn't a problem with flash games, as those tend to end or you get bored with them. Flash games do tend to get repetitive.

http://img.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/95148/video%20games%20sensei_qjgenth.jpg
Yes, my master

I'm sure you've played a video game where it just doesn't end, this usually deals with RTS's (Real-Time-Strategy) or FPS's (First-Person-Shooter), maybe even RPG's (Role-Playing-Game). But this can happen on any gaming console.

http://www.gameclassification.com/files/machines/GameBoy-Color.jpg
Even your Gameboy Color

My most recent video game coma was his weekend, unsurprisingly. Lets say it was 12'o clock noon. I got on the computer at 12, and by the time it was 3'o clock, I never knew that 3 hours had gone by, the only thing that peeled me off the computer was multiple calls from my dad.

What is a Video Game coma?

A video game coma is just what it sounds like, you loose all sense of time, meaning, and don't care about anything. This is common with MMORPG's (Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games).

A more common video game coma is one that involves anything online, this is actually where most comas occur. A recent statistic put out there by Starcraft 2's lead designer Dustin Browder. In an interview he commented that the average player is playing 20 games a day (About 5-6 hours), and that more experienced players were playing 50+ games a day (9-12 hours). You have to know the affect this is having on their social lives, most of the people playing Starcraft 2 are 15-30, which is millions of people, all over the world.

This is a bigger problem with online shooters, at the same time as saying killing non-americans is o.k. This is also true when watching a replay, our minds seem to be tricked into thinking the game is going extremely fast, but watching a replay of the same game reveals that the game is going insanely slow, it's just not natural!

http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/thumb_294/1217276923cgm4at.jpg
Yeah, kill those Afghans!

We need to stop playing these games so often, and start being more social, I've gone as far as not playing games during the week, what have you done?!

images?q=tbn<i class=http://consoles-de-jeux.fr/jaquette/jaquette-medal-of-honor-heroes-2-wii" alt="http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbnhttp://consoles-de-jeux.fr/jaquette/jaquette-medal-of-honor-heroes-2-wii" />
No more shall you make my mind mush!

  • 20 Replies
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,503 posts
Jester

(Starts a vote to move this to the video game forum)

Hmm...Video game comas or a form of epileptic seizure in which the player is losing his/her awareness of real time (or just awareness in general)? These sorts of occurrences haven't been as frequent back in the infant stages of gaming, but now that technology has advanced so much, so is the vastness and complexity of gaming.


We need to stop playing these games so often, and start being more social


Actually if you think about it, gaming is more social than real-life communication. The fact that we can game and communicate with people across provinces, countries, and international boundaries proves that we are being more social than just casual communication with whom we are interacting with as physically as possible. We are just doing this in a gaming way.

I see no problem with this--the only problem I see is the side effects of gaming. If there was a way for gaming to not neurologically send harmful waves to the brain to induce epileptic seizures, that'd be pretty neat. If there was a way for gaming to stop sending stimuli to the brain in which the mind keeps yearning for more, then that'd be a step in the right direction for both the individual and for society as a whole. The way in which we are communicating is no problem to me.
Graham
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Graham
8,047 posts
Nomad

I've gone as far as not playing games during the week, what have you done?!


I've not had a modern gaming system for more than 6 months. It wasn't out of choice; YLOD and not enough money to get it fixed.

I did have a recent flash game coma for 4 hours on Bloons Tower Defence 4
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,503 posts
Jester

That's a pretty strange game to have one of those with. 4 hours on a TD? Wow.

Oh man...the first time I played Morrowind....video games nowadays have so much 'stuff' in it that it's just so engrossing. I wouldn't go far as to call this phenomenon a "coma" since you are aware. It can be the same with partying or with working. Once you get in the groove of things, time just passes by.

"Time flies when you're having fun" --Proverb

(In no way at all am I saying working is fun. I'd punch myself in the gullet for that)

Moe
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Moe
1,714 posts
Farmer

A video game coma is just what it sounds like, you loose all sense of time, meaning, and don't care about anything.


Doesn't everything that people enjoy do that? I can say that I often lose sense of time while doing just about everything I enjoy doing, also that most things don't matter as I am having fun, and also that I generally stop caring about most things. This can happen when I'm playing games, hanging out with friends, eating really good food, watching a movie, listening to music, reading, and I guess thats it.
Freakenstein
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Freakenstein
9,503 posts
Jester

I can say that I often lose sense of time while doing just about everything I enjoy doing


A man can spend 5 minutes with a professor and he imagines it taking 5 hours. A man can spend 5 hours with a pretty woman and he imagines it taking 5 minutes. :P
Moe
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Moe
1,714 posts
Farmer

A man can spend 5 hours with a pretty woman and he imagines it taking 5 minutes. :P


That can also take days if you are nervous.
XVERB
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XVERB
3,137 posts
Nomad

i did that once with youtube. lol. i just mindlessly watched like 50 videos. i guess i was just really board. same concept tho.

knight_34
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knight_34
13,817 posts
Farmer

I did have a recent flash game coma for 4 hours on Bloons Tower Defence 4


Lol, I only got a two hour coma with that.

I get comas all the time, though they really aren't like comas. I've had these periods dozens of times, which seems to kill off the fun. And not only from video games.

Actually if you think about it, gaming is more social than real-life communication. The fact that we can game and communicate with people across provinces, countries, and international boundaries proves that we are being more social than just casual communication with whom we are interacting with as physically as possible. We are just doing this in a gaming way.

I see no problem with this--the only problem I see is the side effects of gaming. If there was a way for gaming to not neurologically send harmful waves to the brain to induce epileptic seizures, that'd be pretty neat. If there was a way for gaming to stop sending stimuli to the brain in which the mind keeps yearning for more, then that'd be a step in the right direction for both the individual and for society as a whole. The way in which we are communicating is no problem to me.


I agree with you completely. I also have to note that as long as someone doesn't fully rely on the internet for their social relationships, it's quite fine communicating with people online, unless there are some exceptions which are specific. Having your entire social life revolve around the internet isn't too good for you. Though it doesn't kill you.

I've not had a modern gaming system for more than 6 months. It wasn't out of choice; YLOD and not enough money to get it fixed.


Counting time ever since I've been technology aware, I've been without a computer, any gaming system and the internet for six months. September last year to February this year. The only exceptions would be the times I went to the internet cafe, which were several. Honestly, it was quite boring for I didn't have anything else to fall back on. Sure I kept on watching cable, but then that got cut off too on November. I spent the next two months keeping a journal, so I wouldn't get too bored. I wrote 300 pages.
wajor59
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wajor59
909 posts
Nomad

We need to stop playing these games so often, and start being more social, I've gone as far as not playing games during the week, what have you done?!


I'm a homemaker which means I'm constantly interrupted during the day...until I have the computer all to myself, muwah,ha,ha.
Seriously though we can discipline ourselves to limit the amount of time we think we're killing.
You know you need to cut back when your friends start asking you, "Is that all you do? Every time I call you're playing those games."

(Starts a vote to move this to the video game forum)


I second that motion.


Actually if you think about it, gaming is more social than real-life communication.


I agree Frank, I have family spread all over the US, but now I'm chatting with fellow gamers all over the globe.


I've not had a modern gaming system for more than 6 months.


Well Graham, we have something in common! The first computer I owned was an old PC my husband and I bought so I could update our
resumes. I guess I did a good job because 3 months later we were moving half way across NC, the week-end after 911. Sorry to get off track but I just have to say that I've never seen so many American flags hanging in front of homes, banks, schools, on cars, trucks,etc. and all of us were burning our headlights.
Back on track, this computer is the second computer we've owned in about 20 years of marriage! I'm having a blast and I defy anyone to tell me it's time for me to release my death-grip on the key board!

I can say that I often lose sense of time while doing just about everything I enjoy doing, also that most things don't matter as I am having fun, and also that I generally stop caring about most things. This can happen when I'm playing games, hanging out with friends, eating really good food, watching a movie, listening to music, reading, and I guess thats it.


Oh, I totally agree. If I'm visiting friends I try to start saying goodbye first, so I don't feel like I'm a social bore. When visiting family we make arrangements ahead of time so the visit is relaxing because we usually 'stay over' for 3-4 days.


Having your entire social life revolve around the internet isn't too good for you. Though it doesn't kill you.


No, it won't kill you but it might kill a relationship. My family is supportive of each others needs and we don't have a problem sharing one computer, for now.
Pixie214
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Pixie214
5,837 posts
Peasant

I'm not sure if this counts but on car racing games I'll go into a trance and drive on autopilot without realising what I'm doing lol then a few laps later I'll wake up and be confused at how I haven't crashed :O

But I could play football Manager for days and not get bored..... it's got that "one more game" "one more transfer window" "one more season" thing going on >.<

knight_34
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knight_34
13,817 posts
Farmer

That's quite funny, as if you were doing that in reality, you'd be dead fast.

football Manager for days and not get bored..... it's got that "one more game" "one more transfer window" "one more season" thing going on >.<


I get that when playing sport simulations, other than Football Manager.
Krizaz
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Krizaz
2,399 posts
Nomad

Football Manager.


Football Manager sounds as boring as the name. I get into tons of comas with SC2, my College Superstar in NCAA 2008, Rome: Total War... ect.
leo99rules
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leo99rules
2,765 posts
Nomad

*shudder* *shudders again*

Had a 10 hour one with runescape 4:00am to 2:00pm. You will be glad to know I quit that game.

knight_34
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knight_34
13,817 posts
Farmer

Rome Total War? I love that games. I had around erm, five mods of it and a few long running campaigns until my old computer broke down. I spent well around a year hooked to that game. These days I can't really play it because it lags on my PC.

Krizaz
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Krizaz
2,399 posts
Nomad

Had a 10 hour one with runescape 4:00am to 2:00pm. You will be glad to know I quit that game.


10 Hours?! What the hell is wrong with you?! I played that game until level 13 and got bored as hell... Your crazy!

Although, the longest I've ever played a game was 10 hours... Champions of Norrath... Maybe it was Star Wars BattleFront 2... But I know it was 10 hours.
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