The 400,000 figure for people playing EQ, is from April 2000. The current figure is 1.5 million. Elizabeth W.
[taken from oirginal message board]
Edited by: Dervish DuKot of Tristan at: 6/27/02 5:14:34 am
—
Liz Woolley
The 400,000 figure for people playing EQ, is from April 2000. The current figure is 1.5 million. Elizabeth W.
[taken from oirginal message board]
Edited by: Dervish DuKot of Tristan at: 6/27/02 5:14:34 am
Liz Woolley
There are 420,000 subscribers, taken directly from the EQ Live website. The 1.5 million I believe is the total number of accounts that have been active at some point or other, which means 1.1 million have been cancelled.
This game has pretty much reached it's peak, it's an aging game... they haven't opened any new servers in a while, and what you should really be looking at is the upcoming games. The MMORPG audience is getting bigger and bigger, and the next generation of MMORPG's are sure to get even more subscribers than EQ has gotten.
You are absolutely right. That is why we are calling the organization On-Line Gamers Anonymous. I really wanted to call it Everquest Anonymous, because that is the game I know about, but after much soul searching, and listening to what others were saying, I broadened the title, to include all games - now and future.
I am not sure about the 420,000 figure. I was told that figure has not been updated, since April of 2000.
If you have ideas as to what we can do to be here for those, when they decide they want to leave the gemes, by all means, please contribute them.
Liz Woolley
I know for me, it took me about 18 months before I really realized there was a problem. I guess I knew before then that I was playing excessively, but it wasn't until then that I started seeing "fallout" from my play.
This 4th of July, the first in three years WITHOUT Everquest, I spent the day alone. No friends or family called. No one invited me to any parties or cookouts. No one called to say, "Happy 4th". I felt forgotten. It was a VERY sad day.
THIS is what online-gaming addiction leads to. It all starts the first time you tell your friends, "Nah, I don't really feel like going out tonight, thanks for inviting me" so you can stay at home and play. Eventually...they WILL stop calling. Trust me on this.
My point with this message is that it will probably take 6 months or so before people who switch to the new games start feeling the same old feeling of addiction. I know when Dark Ages of Camelot came out, I switched for a while because I figured this new game would take my mind off the fact that I knew I was playing too much. After about 6 months I began to realize that Camelot is the same old thing, just with different cartoons.
Star Wars Galaxies, due to the genre and popularity of Star Wars is sure to create hundreds of thousands of new addicts who will start to need some help, I'm guessing, about 6 months after the game has been out for a while.
Ron Jaffe
OLG-Anon discussion forum moderator
Everquest addict since July, 1999
Over 4,900 hours played
Edited by: Diggo McDiggity at: 7/6/02 9:56:52 am
Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002
Well you know, Diggo, you could've called someone from your family and arranged a 4th of July event if it was really that important to you. About EQ going down hill, I disagree, subscriptions are going up just like most other MMORPGs. Eventually it'll start to die out, sure....but that won't be until a half year or more after EQ 2 comes out, in my opinion.
Orniter,
It nice to see you back. I thought we had lost you.
It scares me terribly to hear that the subscriptions of EQ and the other MMORPG's are going to continue to rise. We need to get people away from their computers, and back out in the community, to buy things, to get our economy back in shape! And to volunteer, and help others, and to visit their families! To name a few.
Liz Woolley
they're all losers!
***ORNITER--THIS IS FOR YOUR COMMENT TO DIGGO:
Basically, he has lost all of his family and such from playing the game-HELLO!?!?!?! Are you blonde? Can you not understand or what. Have you ever seen Spongebob Squarepants? I picture you as someone like Squidward---all errorgant and cocky!!
Diggo:
Sorry this is a little belated but happy 4TH!!!!
Edited by: hate eq at: 7/15/02 12:20:59 pm
Thanks, Hate EQ. (For the belated happy 4th)
How about a different name for the EZBoard? You can pick anything, I just feel weird calling anyone Hate EQ.
I know my wife could relate alot to your story you told Orniter. She went to bed alone on so many nights, and instead of spending time with her in the evenings, I had my head in front of the box. I felt bad about it, but not as much as the good feeling I got from the game. I don't know what the heck I was thinking. But after I read your post, I can see now what my wife was thinking. I've got alot of trust to rebuild.
By the way, thanks for sharing your story. If you would like to write something in the family and friends section of our discussion board, I'm sure it could help other EQ Widows.
Ron
Ron Jaffe AKA Diggo McDiggity
Discussion Board Moderator
Online Gamers Anonymous
Addicted to Everquest in July, 1999
Over 4,900 Hours Played
Co-Founder of OLGA and member since 2002
I understand that Diggo has lost touch with his family, but if he is really comitted to mending his relationships then he can do so. Call a relative, let them know that you'd like to go to the next family gathering/event. Let them know about your addiction, explain yourself and ask them to accept you now that you've changed. If they hold a grudge against you for not associating with them in the past, then that's that. Family members shouldn't hold a grudge against each other though, if you're asking to be a part of things again then they *should* help you. It's never too late to change; the future is a blank page.
On to other things. Hate EQ, I am blond, my hair is dark blond and about 3 inches long. I'd like to thank you for making assumptions again, this time a correct one, but no better than the last because now you're simply stereotyping :P Do you hate black/asian people too? Homosexuals? If not, then you should word things more carefully. You seem to be the arrogant one, but maybe you're just insensitive or too lazy to criticize people well. You're arguments aren't very good; I'm reminded of kindergarten name-calling.
Orniter, why do you contradict your own philosophy?
In this thread you stated...
Quote: It's never too late to change; the future is a blank page.In another thread you stated...
Quote: In my opinion, some people won't change no matter what you try to do.
From my viewpoint, it looks as if your EQ addiction is forcing you to rally against your own beliefs. This is very harmful, and is a good indication of addiction. What you posted in this thread is very positive and caring, and I'm sure it's the *real* you. What you posted in another thread is the addiction speaking. Time to break free of your addiction and live your own life. Now is always better than later. We're all in the same boat, and will always welcome your posts.
Orniter, I am blonde too with blue eyes and a nice "rack" so I know all about stereo-typing. I apologize to you on a few things I have said to you as I was unaware of your age. When I was 17 I only had 2 really good god friends (who 10 years later I still have) and then I had some friends. I was out doing stuff-when I wasn't grounded for getting a C on my report card. I was going to the beach or the pool or the mall or just driving around with my friends. I have a very hard time understanding why someone wants to spend their time doing gaming. I guess because I am a prissy female I wouldn't understand. A great Saturday night for me is going to dinner and then getting my H to take me to the mall shopping. That is my addiction I suppose. So again I apologize. It just seems to me you are so into the game-from what I have read-that maybe you are letting the best years of your life pass you by. I wish I could be 17 again. Plus you sounded a lot older in your posts-to be so young you know so much :-)
First, let me address my seemingly contradictory statements. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that I was using these in different contexts, now bear with me a bit here and I'll explain why I'm not contradicting myself. When I said "It's never too late to change; the future is a blank page", I specifically applied this to your scenario, Diggo. Basically, you've become distanced with your family because you played EQ too much and want to get back together with them. Families are generally forgiving, and the concept of unconditional love comes into play. Usually, family members will support each other and be much more willing to forgive and forget a relative than a spouse. In conclusion, when it's inter-family issues you're dealing with, the future is a blank page.
Now, let's look at Hate EQ's case. In regard to her husband, I said that "Some people won't change no matter what you do." My parents are divorced, many of my friends parents are divorced, most male-female (romantic) relationships that I've been involved in or that friends of mine have been involved in end due to inflexibility. The two people can't agree about this or that and eventually break up as the gap between them grows. Let me take this a step further, and examine a more specific type of relationship; one with an abusive partner. For Hate EQ, her husband is being abusive by ignoring her and prefering to spend his time playing a game rather than spending it with her. My parents (both) have been in similar relationships, they always start off without problems, and then one person will start to show their differences...No matter how much one partner wants the other to change, they never do. Basically, their abusive behavior grows in cycles. They do something unacceptable but then apologize and are redeemed by their partner, then since they find they can apologize and make up for their behavoir, they take it further the next time they get abusive, then are redeemed and become complacent again (for a while). This cycle continues for months or years. Now, this is only what I myself have seen in many relationships, and I do know that it doesn't always apply. Sorry about speaking in such general terms (abusive behavoir, redeemed, etc), I really don't want to go in depth with events from my past at the moment, but if you really would like details, let me know. Many times in male-female (and perhaps male-male or female-female) relationships, the abusive person simply doesn't change their ways. It seems that Hate EQ's husband is being abusive to her (although in a different way than most), and based on what I have seen before, it is accurate to say that "Some people won't change, no matter what you try to do." Please note that, once again, this doesn't apply to all such relationships and that because of this, I said *some* people will never change.
Now, Diggo has already implied that he would like to change and do more things with his family. He said that "This 4th of July, the first in three years WITHOUT Everquest, I spent the day alone. No friends or family called. No one invited me to any parties or cookouts. No one called to say, 'Happy 4th'. I felt forgotten. It was a VERY sad day." Because Diggo expresses that he would have rather spent the day with his family, it's safe to assume that he is interested in *changing* his priorities and taking his family over EQ, at least on the holidays. Now, because we can assume that Diggo would like to change, he is not one of those people that "won't change no matter what you do". This, combined with the fact that he had issues with his family and not an abusive spouse, enables me to say that in Hate EQ's case, some people won't change while telling Diggo that his future is a blank page.
Philosophies don't have to be universal, you can have philosophies about specific situations in life. For example, a person could believe that stealing is wrong, but stealing food for your starving family is justified and not inherently unethical. Killing could be percieved as an evil act, but killing in self defense can be justified. It can also be possible to accept that a relationship with a spouse would not usually have as good of a chance of changing as a relationship with relatives would. The types of relationships are inherently different and need to be handled in unique ways. I did not contradict myself.
Finally, I'd like to say that I really appreciate what Hate EQ said. Initially, I took you for a flamer but now I see that you aren't because you listen to what other people say, instead of mindlessly insulting them. What you said was certainly very nice, I'm glad that we can both get along. We seem to have more in common than I thought, and as for friends...well, the past 3 or 4 weeks I've been seeing my friends for 5+ hours a day, for 5 or 6 days a week. 4 days ago I had a friend over for about 8 hours, 3 days ago we saw a movie (reign of fire, nice special effects...not much else), 2 days ago I went to a friends house for 23 hours (his parents are on vacation in china for a couple weeks), yesterday I slept and relaxed, and today I had a friend come over and we hung out from 12 to 10. While this is fun, I feel that I'm also missing out on time to be alone and study (as well as playing EQ, of course). However...we still have our differences because, well, about 3/4 of the time I do something with friends, they bring their computers :P We play lots of games, and well, that's just what we do (instead of shopping).
Orniter, why do you contradict your own philosophy?
In this thread you stated...
Quote:
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It's never too late to change; the future is a blank page.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In another thread you stated...
Quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In my opinion, some people won't change no matter what you try to do.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From my viewpoint, it looks as if your EQ addiction is forcing you to rally against your own beliefs. This is very harmful, and is a good indication of addiction. What you posted in this thread is very positive and caring, and I'm sure it's the *real* you. What you posted in another thread is the addiction speaking. Time to break free of your addiction and live your own life. Now is always better than later. We're all in the same boat, and will always welcome your posts.