Addictiveness: the SOLUTIONS thread

Trifna · October 15, 2002, 16:52

Would anyone be agreeing to find some solutions to addictiveness? I mean, it can only be good for the ones who want to hook off when they went off-limit... (me?... naaahhh)

It's not hard, and considering the number of persons that play Civ III, we could save couples, careers and many people's mental and physical health!!

If YOU don't see any problem to play all day for 2 years, okay, but just for those who would want to get a try to see the sun once again.

So, other than a timer that limits your playing time, other ideas Firaxis could/should implement?

PS: This is coming from another thread (http://apolyton.net/forums/showthre...&threadid=64566). If you just wanna say you don't care about addiction, say nothing, we're searching solutions here. The other thread had only opinions about addictiveness and wasn't discussing solutions.

PPS: Hey Mark, would it be a good thing to put it "Top" (for some time) for humanitarian reasons? Most intelligent part of society's mental health

Up to you to judge...

ducki · October 15, 2002, 17:43

I could DEFINITELY use some sort of limiter.

HazieDaVampire · October 15, 2002, 18:08

how about eye goggles?
After 2 years indoors, the sun will blind you easily! Some free goggles or at least sun glasses would be a good idea! We don't want anybody going blind now?

Oh, and a riot sheild of bit of bodys armor, 2 years of TBS and you'll be really laid back, you'll need somthing to stop you from getting hurt if you go "I declare war on you! Now i'm just off to get some food, i'll be right back to kill you!" and then they punch you in the face of back of head!

Jaybe · October 15, 2002, 18:23

The only solution Firaxis could implement that would be foolproof would be ...
have the screen go blank for 'x' minutes every 'y' hours, with 'x' proportional to 'y'.

User settings would include:
'x' (minimum of 5) minute break per hour.
'y' would be a maximum of 4 hours, in which case there would be a default 20-minute break.

Instead of the screen going blank, there could be an option to prevent the game from being active (some window must be front) ....

Trifna · October 15, 2002, 18:32

Idea 1:
Some maximum per day/week/month could be settled.

Something like 4 hours max per day and 25 per week for exemple. So if you get to your 4 hours in the same day, it says "if you want, you have 15 minutes to finish your turn" and it'll automatically stop at the end of the turn or 15 minute timer. Same thing when you get your max for the week.

Idea 2:
Something could stop you from playing in certain times. Like you could block any playing from one in the morning to noon. It would stop questions from parents such as:
"Ready for school this morning? UH! You look like a corn flake!!!"
or simply
"Did ya slept?..."

dworkin · October 15, 2002, 18:37

The mouse could be wired to give an electric shock every hour of Civ ran.

Of course that might just end with players liking the electric shocks...

Kingof the Apes · October 15, 2002, 18:57

Yeah, you could train them like mice.
A huge shock for when they play for more than 4 hours with no break.

Abuse would be common...

dworkin · October 15, 2002, 19:23

Can see that.

Hey friend, could you just page through all the announcements while I go to the loo.

FFFFZZZZAAAACK! "Arrrrrrghhhh!"

Muwahahahaha!

miccofl · October 15, 2002, 20:41

Quote:

The mouse could be wired to give an electric shock every hour of Civ ran.

Cool!

AC or DC? Will I have to get a bigger power supply?

Tiberius · October 16, 2002, 01:47

How about this:

Every x hours an AI civ leader would come to you and say:

"I have to take a bath and eat something. I'll let you know when I'm ready. Come back in about y minutes"
or
"My internet connection is down, so I'm unable to post my moves. Give me y minutes to talk with my ISP"
...

..and the AI would make his moves so slowly, that it would take y minutes.

where y=x/10 (6 minutes every hour or 12 minutes in every 2 hours)

Maybe the break should increase with one minute after every playing hour.

Messer Niccolò · October 16, 2002, 05:40

Get a girlfriend.... you'll see that the time you used to have to play Civ will be reduced easily...

You won't regret ...

Tiberius · October 16, 2002, 06:28

Not if she plays with you (I mean she plays civ3 with you

)

bongo · October 16, 2002, 07:46

From my own experience there are very few thing that can pull me away from the computer when I'm civin'. Some work better than others

1:Hunger - Doesn't work. The amount of energy needed to play civ is so small that I can easily do without food a day or two.

2:Personal hygiene - No effect: Civ is just too big.

3:Thirst - Works but not for long. Getting a glass of water is to quick to interrupt play.

4:Sleep - takes to long before it has any effect. The good part is that when you finally goes to sleep you can keep on civin' in your dreams.

5:Phone calls - Low effect, most converations can be done simultanously with playing. You will most likely sound like an idiot though.

6

rugs/alcohol - uncertain: Doesn't work for me but there may be drugs out there I haven't tried that are stronger than civ.

7:Relatives demanding attentions - Low effect as you can safely ignore them for years, they will stay away but still be your relatives waiting for you to get sane again.

8:Friends demanding attention:Moderate effect, all depending on what they want. (Getting drunk has higher priotity than civ, saturdays only)

9:Girlfriend/spouse demanding attention - Moderate to high effect: If you ignore them long enough you may soon get more time for civin. OTH, sex may just be the right thing to drag your butt away from the screen and into bed.

10:Need to use the toilet - High:Now we're talking. When I feel pressure building up inside there is only a matter of time before I am forced to leave the computer.

So here is my recipe for ening a civ-session. Take some laxatives(you may have to experiment some to get the right dose). When the pressure gets to high to handle quickly end the game and turn of your computer(very important). Run to the toilet. Sit down with some decent literature(tom clancy, porn, cartoons, homework, shakespeare, the vcr-manual, whatever). Stay there for at least 30 minutes. When you're done you will probably remember some of the things ignored in #1-9. Do some of them before your addiction kicks back.

Good luck from a fellow civoholic.

Messer Niccolò · October 16, 2002, 08:03

LOL !

Tiberius · October 16, 2002, 08:29

Tiberius · October 16, 2002, 08:38

Taking it a bit more seriously, I've found out that the best "weapon" against civ addiction is actually tiredness.
When you go to work every day, at some point you suddenly realize that playing all night long is not anymore that easy like in your college years. You become increasingly aware of this when you repeatedly fall asleep on your keyboard

dworkin · October 16, 2002, 09:33

Girlfriends don't work. You just end up using sex as a means to subvert the other player.

This is asuming that she's learnt stuff in addition to everything you've taught her.

bongo · October 16, 2002, 09:36

Tiberius: You're right. Sleeping in class is tolerable and may even earn you some status. Slepping at work will get you fired.

I found out the hard way years ago that working is ALOT harder than studying, which were followed by a decline of 1)alcohol consumption 2)civin'

I don't know with you guys but mye biggest addiction-problem is stopping to play. Not starting(or postponing) is a lot easier.

HazieDaVampire · October 16, 2002, 14:53

mmmmmmm, i mite find electro theorpy nice on my penis!

HazieDaVampire · October 16, 2002, 14:56

I play till 4am, then get up at 7am, and i have seen no adverse effects. However i do struggle to notice signs saying "kick me" stuck on my fourhead.

jshelr · October 16, 2002, 15:04

Foolproof method is playing civ only on airplanes. You are limited to battery time. Also, drink an entire bottle of wine with dinner. It dulls your desire to restart the game after dinner.

Athitis · October 16, 2002, 16:53

Why not try the following:

1) Play on Deity

2) Play on Deity with the British

3) Play the Deity with the British, preserving random seed.

4) Play on Deity with the British, preserving random seed, enabling UU, on Pangea, against the Persians.

If still addicted (you are a tought one) try one of those:

1) Shoot the computer screen. If you do not wish to make noise, drop a big glass of water on the keyboard- Now playing without hotkeys.

2) Tell your house pet to fetch the Civ3 CD.

3) Break your hands. Rather painful but VERY effective, especially when combined with proposal number 2.

4) Drink a LOT of water. The often trips to the bathroom will end up messing with your strategy, thus losing, thus realizing how hard and bad this game is.

5) Ask an exorcist to help you fight the evil spirit of Civ3 that has settled in your soul.

6) Don't forget: the ultimate combination of wits and guts (and talent): woman+condom(s)=less civ than ever!

(j/k---> it has no effect!)

statusperfect · October 16, 2002, 18:24

Quote:

Originally posted by HazieDaVampire
mmmmmmm, i mite find electro theorpy nice on my penis!

me too.... how about you and me get togethet and...

bongo · October 17, 2002, 05:40

Maybe a software alarm clock will do. If it tells you once an hour to stand up and stretch your legs, get some food etc.

And of course the option to turn your computer off after 8 hours of gaming

Chemical Ollie · October 17, 2002, 06:37

Just give in to your temptations!

I remember the good old days when I had CIV1 installed on my Mac Powerbook 100 laptop. I played everywhere: In bed, at the breakfast table, in the TV sofa, in the passenger seat of cars, in airport lounges, at friends houses, at parties, at restuarants, and when taking a dump at the lavatory. Finally, the poor laptop broke down from moving around all the time.

Then I bought a stationary computer and installed CIV2. I did not grow bored until 3 years later when I played deity on the huge earth map and won.

I actually got bored of CIV3 when I beat my highscore with a well-played emperor game on a large map. I took a break for 2 months before playing again.

So the way to go to cure yourself might be to win a long, epic and score-milking deity or emperor game on Marla's huge Earth map (if your computer can stand up to it), where you pay close attention to optimise the micromanagement on every turn, to maximise your final score.

Or why not get a machine where you could play CIV anytime, anywhere, just like I did 8 years ago? Look:

http://my-symbian.info/9210/applicat...Auto=261&faq=3

ChrisiusMaximus · October 17, 2002, 07:31

Firstly hello Trifna I got your Emial and accept that there have been some cases of fatality where very foolish individuals IMO have expired whilst using a PC playing games.
While I feel that this is tragic I dont see why on earth the rest of us should have to have a timer of some sort built into Civ3 or for that matter why Firaxis have any responsbility to impliment one.
Every game I have purchased has always provided me with the necessary risk warnings and suggestions of how long to play and take breaks etc so I think this is more than adequate.
If such a system were to be implemented wouldnt the determined individual either just ignore it or find some way to disable it.
Ive had to post this here as my other thread was locked(BTW MarkG thanks for replying to my message I accept your reply)and I suppose you to could not reply to me on that thread.
I accept your right of opinion on this subject and hope you can likewise with my opinion.

Trifna · October 17, 2002, 09:17

Yellow Chrisius. No problem with your opinion, and I agree that most people are able to deal this without dying from hunger.

But I never said it couldn't be diseabled

It should simply be an option, for many that are hooked (quite a bunch on Apolyton hehe)

bongo · October 17, 2002, 14:44

Olaf, you have the best solution so far. Play til you puke. Now, how do I get time for that?

Chemical Ollie · October 17, 2002, 15:05

Quote:

Originally posted by bongo
Olaf, you have the best solution so far. Play til you puke. Now, how do I get time for that?

Do like Napoleon: Get used to sleep only 3-4 hours per night. I have tried it. It works if your family lets you sleep 10 hours per night in the weekends. You sometimes feel like a zombie at work, but at night when you sit down with a game of CIV, the adrenalin will keep you awake (not like Counterstrike, though).

ChrisiusMaximus · October 17, 2002, 15:10

As well as the electro shock therapy you could also be bound and gagged and maybe wear rubber