How to tell if you're addicted to games?

[Codycat]

You know you're addicted to gaming when you create a thread on a gaming forum asking whether or not you are addicted

[popblanks]

Originally Posted by sinuous

There are benefits to playing games but as with anything you need to balance the positives with the negatives.

I sometimes ask myself the same question, but now that I'm a developer it makes the question even harder to answer. Obviously I need to play games (research ) as part of my career.

I'd say try and use your passion for games to help you in other ways. I started making games when I was about 13, and doing programming re-enforced my ability in math as it gave me a real world application and made me want to learn more to help my programming. If you're more creative you could do something as simple as creative writing (try and review the games you play). Alternatively if you're more musical then try learning game tunes on the Piano or making your own remixes. Artistic? Redraw your fav game characters and come up with some of your own.

Yea.. I am trying to make a game with my friend right now.. Not going as well as I thought it would.. And i am a musician and am creating some music

Originally Posted by Codycat

You know you're addicted to gaming when you create a thread on a gaming forum asking whether or not you are addicted

*sigh*

[MrAlbum]

Well, there is a phrase that I think applies here:

Be Happy.
Be Happy.
Be Happy.

If video games in whatever way are making your life harder to live, then do something else that you know will help you feel better. Thus, instead of agonizing over whether or not you're addicted, you are doing as much as you can to stay positive about your life, in a balanced and moderate way of course ^_^

It doesn't solve your specific problem, but it should help you feel motivated about your life instead of worrying that it's all going to slide down the garbage chute.

Hopefully that helps ^_^

Sincerely,

Mr. Album

[sinuous]

Originally Posted by popblanks

Yea.. I am trying to make a game with my friend right now.. Not going as well as I thought it would.. And i am a musician and am creating some music

Cool to hear, where can I check out your music? Making games is a labour of love. If you want a tip it's to try and iterate quickly and once you're happy you've got something good then work at improving it. Don't feel afraid to scrap everything and start again. If you make quick iterations then it'll be easier to let go and move onto the next prototype if it didn't turn out how you'd hoped.

[popblanks]

Originally Posted by sinuous

Cool to hear, where can I check out your music? Making games is a labour of love. If you want a tip it's to try and iterate quickly and once you're happy you've got something good then work at improving it. Don't feel afraid to scrap everything and start again. If you make quick iterations then it'll be easier to let go and move onto the next prototype if it didn't turn out how you'd hoped.

ummm...lol my music sucks right now.. trying to create some more.. I can't get the hand of garageband for the macbook.. My friend and I have to know the language first.. Thanks for the tips though

[iOSborne]

another sign of addiction is that you are still playing while your iphone/itouch/ipad is charging... T_T

[EfratBarTal]

over a dozen hundred games on your gamecenter

[sinuous]

Originally Posted by iOSborne

another sign of addiction is that you are still playing while your iphone/itouch/ipad is charging... T_T

I've got a portable battery pack, not looking good!

[subrar08]

If you feel really happy when you're playing games, but as soon as you have to stop, you get angry or upset. You think about playing when you are supposed to be focusing on other things, like doing school work or having dinner with your family. then I think you are addicted.
I would recommend, you must balance your life regarding family demands, your career and fun or entertainment. If you just focus on yourself and realize the present situation you yourself will be able to handle the affairs but patience is the central point.

[popblanks]

Thanks everyone. I'm very easily bored.. I hate boredom so much I would rather die.. Whenever I play games I do feel happy, but when I stop I still feel fine. I do think about games from time to time though.