 Runescape: Work Or Play? |
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 Oct 27 2006, 07:13 AM | Post #1 |
 
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Back up for a second. I said that RuneScape was a game, right? Technically it's supposed to be, but with every new update, every new expansion, every new skill, every new item, quest, mini-game, trail, monster, rare drop...it becomes more work than play. I hear a lot of my friends say that they have to "work to get such and such skill" or "you have to work a lot longer to do this". In truth, I fell into this mindset and begun the tedious work which is the game.
...I'm not getting paid for a second of this work. No one outside of the RuneScape community would acknowledge I got a 99 in all of my skills, or if I'm ranked #1 on the highscores, or if I had a Quest cape. But to maximise the most of this game, you have to work a little bit to get where you want to. You must work to get a Fire Cape. You must work to keep and maintain the Quest cape. You must work to get a 99.
I can barely stand it anymore. Personally, this game was meant to be nothing more than a little fun thing that my clique of friends and I did after school. Now what has it turned into? A mad race for rank 1. A mad race to have such and such skills until we're ranked the best. A race to be crowned the best of the best in a game -- yet I'm willing to bet money that your wife or girlfriend (or husband or boyfriend) doesn't give a damn about what rank you are in RS. She (or he) would probably be concerned with how much time you're spending online compared to how much time you spend with her. (Or him.)
This game also ties with it a lot of heavy emotions. I've heard tales of people committing suicide over this. People were hacked, they were pushed to the point of no more living, and they committed suicide. This is a sad yet true fact; I remember one distinct time on another forum where it was reported by this person's best friend. (The REALLY sad part comes in when it was the same best friend that hacked the poor kid.)
I have to ask the community of RuneWeb, do you still find this game "fun"? Do you have to work at it just to get where you want to be? Is this the right thing for you to do? Do your emotions still tie in heavily with this? Personally, I have to say the work factor is really getting on my nerves, and with every expansion to RuneScape (as much as we as a community enjoy it), it brings more pain than pleasure. I have played for 3 years this month, and it was always a fun game in the beginning. However, as time progressed, this "joy" was replaced with a need to do this, do that, and keep doing it until I was either satisfied or in the psych ward. Do you realise how unhealthy that is?
Now and then I force myself to take breaks from the game, find something else to do. Why is it that this "game" has seemingly consumed over three years of my life (on and off, in total I've probably played equivalent to 7 months in game hours) and I must continue because I'm anxious to look at what's in a new city, or beat a new monster? This isn't the way that RuneScape was in the past; it was a community of friends and very entertaining sprites and polygons. The older players may relate that the game should have never expanded to RS2, and I for one would love nothing more than to go back to the original version and do it all over again.
Discuss.
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Oct 27 2006, 07:50 AM | Post #2 |
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Btw Mak, I'm with you on the feelings towards the old days.
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Oct 27 2006, 09:46 AM | Post #3 |
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Anyway, I wouldn't exactly call it work, more like a commitment. It is not your daily job, but the extent to which you allow your time to be consumed. In fact, the question is not if it's work or play, but what are you playing for?
So, let me take a stab at offering an explanation. RuneScape is a virtual world, mimicking little physically, but quite a lot in the mindset used. Look around us, are you revered for making real-life achievements? Of course, but not to the extent it should be, because this is about RuneScape. What happens if we are high-leveled and rich? People everywhere (on the Internet) would be hugging you. This is pretty much real-life; we suffer to succeed, to transcend and be hailed as a great man. A deeper explanation would involve individuality, but I won't go into that.
If you are not the type to strive for success, but to be content, then you will be the ones finding it fun to play RuneScape. You could be working for hours at certain times, but you will reduce your boredom by unconsciously playing something else. We all have different goals, but RuneScape isn't all about #1. Even Zezima had said his rank only came as a little bonus in the process of his goals. Anyway, it is natural for your partners to be ignorant about what you are doing; we all give uninteresting things a little peak or a shrug.
Suicide? Well, I believe most people has already talked about this; they were people who were already considering suicide before RuneScape pushed them over the line. RuneScape is like a double-edged sword. It is not a medicine for survival, but it is not the cause of death either. In fact, it could've been the string pulling you from death. If our little kid wasn't reported and hacked, he would've stayed for a little longer. It could be enough to sort out his/her problems and then live. Greed has struck once again, in more terrible ways than before.
As for the old days, I wouldn't exactly say it was better than today. It was only a lesser version of problems today. Scamming exists, but not in such a large scale. There was a definite lack of rudeness. People were helpful. But work-wise, this is just the same as RS2. It was not all about fun.
So. No. This game isn't fun to me and I have to work for it. But there is something that keeps be going; the natural instinct to succeed. It was not fun for me in the old days and it will never be fun for me in the future. Success and acceptance is what most of us are looking for. It is definitely a 'need to do this', but we are actually looking for something else. We understand how unhealthy this is, but we are still looking for something else. The extent to which we look for 'something else', depends on personality, which will determine the commitment you have.
Time-wise, this game is a huge drain. But look at yourselves, you are different. You may be healthier and better off if you have never discovered RuneScape, but have you changed? Definitely. Remember, the world isn't all about success or health. They are all mere tools to achieve something.
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Oct 27 2006, 10:43 AM | Post #4 |
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Oct 27 2006, 01:29 PM | Post #5 |
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This post has been edited by 8o8thekiller: Oct 27 2006, 02:11 PM
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Oct 27 2006, 02:54 PM | Post #6 |
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In almost all aspects I find Runescape fun. The things that make it not fun are all of the people who don't care for anybody else, the whole reason they play is to rip-off some poor un-suspecting new player. Or to spend countless hours just to hack some 1 just so they can cheat the other person out of their work. If the game was to loose all of the people who are like that, and only keep the people who are here to hang out with firends, train, or just have fun, the game would be so much better.
I will say that 9 times out of 10 im am traning just to get to a certian level for the ability to make, wear, or do something. I can remember many late nights traning range just to try and get the fire cape, which after sevral attempts, never happened. I can remember many late nights traning combat just to be able to wear dragon, or barrows wich 9 out of 10 times I never have anyway. But there are the small times when I am doing it just for fun. Here is a good example; The other night one of my friends asked my to come to him when he was getting 55 slayer, so I went, I trained while I was there, we talked, laughed, and most all, HAD FUN. Then there are the other times where I am traning because a friend wants me to make them something, no it is indeed training, but not because I want to, but because my friends wants me to.
Now, I can say that in the last 2 years, I have spent 90% of my time in front of this computer. You could say im addicted, I say im addicted. Now, have I wasted 2 years of my life? NO, I have had many good times in the last 2 years, I have made dozens of firends In runescape and on this site(Runeweb).
When it comes to emotions, they rarly enter when I'm playing Runescape. The rare times that they are in is when I loose something that I had been working twards for a long time, or if I got a good drop( because I'm the most unluckey person ever) I'm very happy.
So to finish this up, getting a 99 or a quest cape, getting #1 or just training a skill is work for most people, but there are those people who don't consider it work, they consider it fun.
This post has been edited by ftblkd2004: Oct 27 2006, 11:33 PM
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Oct 27 2006, 03:39 PM | Post #7 |
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I quit playing Runescape sometime last May, a little over the 3.5 year mark total time. Why? The most obvious reason was because I started playing World of Warcraft, but also because I was sick of the amount of time I'd have to put in to gain..Anything really. Plus, the game had been filled with idiots, but that's another story.
Anyways.
I started playing this game a few years ago because I had about three or four friends in real life who played, and I wanted to know what they were talking about. I started playing for social reasons. As time went on, those friendships dissolved, but I continued to play the game. Though I had in-game friends, that was the point that I really started to play not for social reasons, but because I wanted to get better in the game, which was also the point that I started to get "addicted" to it. I put addicted in quotations because you really can't get addicted to it, I just didn't have the willpower to stop. Regardless, like you said, the game became more about a need to get better, rather than to be with friends. It wasn't until I joined the clan The Others, and saw a large group of people whose lives almost fully revolved around Runescape that I realised how unhealthy it was, and then took a step back, looked at myself, and realised that I was the same, and uh, got out. Anyways, I know what you're saying about people getting way too into the game. I won't say any names, though I know some of you know who I'm talking about, but I know of a grown woman (40+ years old) who cannot listen to people talk about the Fight Caves/Fire Cape because it makes her feel physically sick because she wasn't able to get the cape herself. Now, kids who are going through hormonal crap who let the game affect their real life are one thing, because like I said, their hormones are making them (at least a little bit) insane. But a seemingly mature and grown up woman, unable to hear something about a COMPUTER GAME? That's just sad. I don't really know of anyone who still plays because of friends, like I started out with, and what I feel the point of MMORPGS is. MMO anything really. I know the only reason I still play WoW is because my guild members are f***ing hilarious, and I'm always laughing and having a good time on raids etc. Not because I'm playing the game as much as I'm enjoying "spending time" (yes, I know it's a computer game, but you get the point) with my friends. Just like in Runescape, the most fun I had the entire time of playing the game was doing Agility in that skill war, and racing Jason to 85 range.
I know that whole thing was a bit jumbled and hard to pull a point out of, and I apologise because my life's a bit the same right now, but again, another story. The point is:
You're right, Runescape started as a social game, somewhere to meet people, there were the occasional few who played the game because they wanted to get better, but now that number has grown shockingly high.
Yeah I have nfi what I'm talking about.
LOLNOMODERATORREVIEWANYMORE!
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Oct 27 2006, 04:37 PM | Post #8 |
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I too started playing quite a few years ago. I quickly succumbed to the desire to complete every quest, make every top item in each category, and have a high enough combat level to go anywhere in the game.
My goals have changed mostly because the game itself has changed. Do I want it to go back to the way it was? No, I don't. The reason I don't want it to go back is very simple. I wouldn't be playing anymore if it was still the same as when I started because I would have attained my original goals and been satisfied. There would be no more desire to play.
I both like and dislike the fact that there are so many aspects to the game that I do not have the time to explore it all. Sure I wish I was on top of the pile with all the quests completed, etc., etc., etc. However, having areas of the game that I have not explored or done gives me something to look forward to.
Every time I find myself looking at it as work, I take a break. And I never have to force myself to take a break from the game. The breaks come when they will and I just accept them. I may still log in but I kind of wander around, talk to people, see what the current mindset is. When I get tired of that, I go back to whatever it was I was working on.
The biggest thing about this game is that in order for it to remain fun, one must have patience. Patience to wait for those desirable items. Patience to wait for those skills you want. The problem with so many of the players today is that they are much like Violet Beauregard in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. You can almost hear them whining, "I want it noowww!
That desire for instant gratification is why the game is riddled with macroers, scammers, and all-around cheaters. They have no patience to train or wait for drops. They want what they want and they want it immediately.
I have to disagree with Mysticallity on one point however where it was stated that, "If you are not the type to strive for success, but to be content, then you will be the ones finding it fun to play RuneScape." I do strive for success AND I find it fun to play RuneScape. Success should be as you define it for yourself and not what someone else says it should be for you.
I consider myself successful in the game because I defined what success is for me. Nobody else can dictate to me what my goals are nor can they tell me I am unsuccessful. Am I content? No, not really. If I was content, I could just walk away and be done with it.
I was content at one time and look what happened. I stopped playing for almost a year. I would just log in a couple of times a month to see if the desire to play was there and it wasn't. I was pefectly content with my character the way it was. Then JAGeX released RS2, started regular updates, and I have not been content since. There always seems to be just that little bit more that I want to attain.
If JAGeX keeps on updating the game they way they have been, I won't ever be content. I will always want more and I will always be willing to play the game to get it.
So no, it's not work for me. I might be working on a skill but it's not work. It's still fun and I still enjoy the break from real life. This is one addiction that is still very much pleasureable to me.
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Oct 27 2006, 05:11 PM | Post #9 |
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QUOTE(Baakalor @ Oct 27 2006, 04:37 PM) [snapback]76835[/snapback]
I have to disagree with Mysticallity on one point however where it was stated that, "If you are not the type to strive for success, but to be content, then you will be the ones finding it fun to play RuneScape." I do strive for success AND I find it fun to play RuneScape. Success should be as you define it for yourself and not what someone else says it should be for you.
I consider myself successful in the game because I defined what success is for me. Nobody else can dictate to me what my goals are nor can they tell me I am unsuccessful. Am I content? No, not really. If I was content, I could just walk away and be done with it.
/me needs to stop taking pessimism pills
Maybe I should've add something along the lines of general people. I tend to have a general picture of people who work hard all day to be a bit introverted. Of course, there is also a matter of opinion, personality and attitude. By striving for success, I do mean like achieving #1. It appears I forgot to be general.
By content, I don't really mean getting what you wanted all along. It's more like saying "Yes, I know I want to become X, but W has this sort of advantage too." It's like setting a line between extreme addiction (TO 99!) and conventional targeting (let's take this to 85 for this...) Maybe there was a better word to describe this, but meh.
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Oct 27 2006, 06:14 PM | Post #10 |
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QUOTE(Baakalor @ Oct 27 2006, 08:37 AM) [snapback]76835[/snapback]
Great topic Mak.
...
So no, it's not work for me. I might be working on a skill but it's not work. It's still fun and I still enjoy the break from real life. This is one addiction that is still very much pleasureable to me.
Echos my thoughts on it well. I play far more than I should and should take longer breaks.
But it is such a nice break from the frustrations of real life. The things we would like to do or to have, but are truely out of reach for us without abusing our credit.
In fact Clay called me on the subject of the time I spend in game the other night. He said I should be spending more time with my son; taking him fishing, camping or playing ball. He was lamenting the fact that he and his father don't talk much. I was actually depressed after that in-game chat with him and logged out.
Well I hate fishing and camping, - bad childhood memories -, but I understand the sentiment. Quality time together with the people we love the most. Even if it's just sitting, reading books and looking at the rain. Connecting with those in life we care about is the most important thing.
For me, I've excused this game as a reasonable alternative to TV time. It's more of an addiction than I've cared to admit as I strove for goals, achieved them and set new ones. New things, new challenges, and goals have kept me attacted to the game. But if I stopped right here and now.......this game really doesn't matter in life at all....
The 2nd definition of addiction in the American Heritage dictionary is so appropos:
To occupy (oneself) with or involve (oneself) in something habitually or compulsively: The child was addicted to video games.
I must be a big child.
This post has been edited by Arguous: Oct 27 2006, 07:08 PM
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Oct 27 2006, 07:33 PM | Post #11 |
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And again as Makoto said, RSC was a community of people who made the game completely enjoyable for the mostpart. It was sort of a cult favorite kind of thing. Now it's huge and most everyone is only focused on their levels and getting them to 99. I miss RSC maybe not so much for the graphics (they did make the game distinct which I liked), but for the fact that I could have fun on there without worrying about what update was coming next or what level my agility was. I mean, I've played off and on since '01 and I really haven't played since this summer seeing as it's not fun for me anymore. Maybe it's just another break, maybe not, who knows.
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Oct 27 2006, 07:50 PM | Post #12 |
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Though I do realize that you play forever for levels are a waste of time - RPGs mostly, especially online ones. I only really play shooters and RTS - games that can actually end and are just for fun.
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Oct 27 2006, 07:56 PM | Post #13 |
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Oct 27 2006, 08:02 PM | Post #14 |
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Oct 27 2006, 08:46 PM | Post #15 |
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