How Often Do You Play Ns?

TheChucksterTheChuckster Join Date: 2003-09-20 Member: 21056Members
<div class="IPBDescription">Obsessed.</div> I've got to commend Flayra for creating such an addictive game. How often do you guys play NS? Me? I find myself playing for hours on end if possible. Because rounds are so long, I can play a lot longer than other games such as Counter-strike or Warcraft III. And the other thing -- it's the most fun game I have EVER played. Considering that you are playing online against real people rather than AI or your little siblings who can't aim to save their lives, it is a lot more of a challenge, too.

Until recently, I haven't had much of a problem with playing NS. Until now. Unfortunately, my parents are angered by my "obsession" over it. They believe I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. They know what OCD is because of a relative that has it. But he does activities such as washing his hands until they bleed, not sit around and play NS. Other people watch TV or play sports just as much as I play Natural Selection, but that's "normal".

One day I put off eating lunch an hour (I woke up at 10:30 AM and just ate breakfast). <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> What an exaggeration... They say I gave up eating for it (WTH?), going to the bathroom (Oh yeah, I'll just sit and let my bladder explode</sarcasm>), studying (No wonder I have straight As), and friends (as if I had any to start with). And sure NS is fun and it's what I do in my spare time, but I haven't given up necessary tasks for living. What's next? Breathing?! Well, I imagine I won't be playing any more NS for a long time with the new rules that have been made.

Like I said, I play NS as much as I can now. Of course, it's not the only thing I do. I earn straight As in school, run 3 miles every other day (but I have to get nagged a lot because who wants to burn themselves out in 3 inches of snow?), and I do other online activities. The problem is, surfing the web has grown dull because of the lack of websites. Type Gamecube or Super Mario 3 into Google, for example. What do you see? Not the horde of fan sites that you'd expect 2 years ago before the economy died. Now you see Amazon.com shopping sites, gaming sites with expensive subscription fees, and maybe a review. If you continue to look through the results, you find more of the same along with the occasional dead fan site. Clicking cache reminds you just how wonderful the web once was sans the images or the other pages, which never seem to be cached. IRC is also pretty addicting because I can meet other programmers, but half of the people are always away or idling.

I used to program 3d games in my spare time, but without people to help with the artwork, they end up looking like trash. Also, I made the mistake of writing an Operating System. That went well up until the point of handling interrupts. My interrupt descriptor table would cause the computer to panic once the ISR was called! At least I had a memory manager, display driver, keyboard driver, and partially written floppy driver. But I could not get help. There were only 2 good books written on the subject of OS development. The one I bought was all theory! Also, the OS development message board users were stumped! I tried the web too, but it seems Microsoft bought off all of the good OS programmers and prevented them from publishing any useful information. Last, the Linux source code is just too confusing with symbols, types, and functions being defined who knows where in the million line mess of header files. So, that was it for programming and I am at an all time low for motivation as far as that's concerned. My parents did not care that I was winning contests with my programs either. Of course now they're mad that I'm not even doing that.

The other thing I do is run, of course. The problem is, I'm not fond of running in sub-freezing temperatures in three inches of snow. Who is besides that die hard runner who comes in first every race? Maybe when track season starts and my school day lasts 12 hours again, my parents will respect the fact that I have no time at all for NS, let alone homework.

You see, they want me to socialize. But I'm not a social person. People ask me, "What's up?" or "wasssssup n2m u?" in their immature AIM slang. If I answered honestly and said "Just working on a PHP content management system..." or "Playing Natural Selection..." they wouldn't know what I was talking about. It's just too far above the average middle schooler's brain. And don't even get started with girlfriends even though I am not ugly at all (no glasses, normal height, face in correct proportions <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->), I am "the smart, NICE guy" -- a curse without a doubt. Also, I may sound arrogant but you have to realize that I speak words of the truth.

All I want to know is, am I alone? Are there other people that play NS just as much as I do? And do they suffer the same or similar problems I am?
«1

Comments

  • MrMojoMrMojo Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9882Members, Constellation
    With 3.0, usually once or twice per day. Of course, that number is bigger on Saturday mornings, or , like now, Winter vacation.
  • pardzhpardzh Join Date: 2002-10-25 Member: 1601Members
    Hardly at all. Sadly NS has gotten pretty dull for me. <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo-->

    I still PT 3.0 a little bit, and I'll probably be back once it's finalized.
  • Bosnian_CowboyBosnian_Cowboy Join Date: 2003-06-07 Member: 17088Members, Constellation
    I'm starting to hate playing multiplayer games with strangers.
  • ironpancakeironpancake Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16643Members
    edited December 2003
    While ns 1.4 was out I was pulling in about 4 hours of natural selection a day. I would come home from school play till about 7 then do some hw. Right after ns 2.0 came out though my parents restricted me to NO computer use during the weekdays (not even AIM or checking my e-mail). And i was only allowed to play natural selection for 2 hours on the weekends. So basicly I was having the same problem as you. I haven't played ns in months because my parents killed all interest I had in the game.

    Have you tried talking to your parents and explaining to them what you are feeling? My parents told me that if i joined a sports team I would be able to use the computer again. They lied. I joined the crew team and I am still not allowed to use the computer. I feel for you.

    Hope you get your problems solved.
  • P-KhanP-Khan Join Date: 2003-05-27 Member: 16776Members
    Just play NS on Friday nights. That's when I'm having school and all. Also, if I have other things to do on that holy day I just don't play. Saturdays are used to hang out with my friends, rehearse with the band, and at night, studying. Sundays ONLY for studying.

    First two weeks of winter and summer vacations are strictly to playing NS (mostly NS, but I do play some other games also), organizing the computer, etc. The rest of the 4 weeks are dedicated to finishing the freaking books which I have to read (I kinda hate English or any other school subject which does not involve numbers).

    Now, forums is when I'm using the computer. Even when doing homework I check in the forum once in a while.
  • RPG_JssmfulhudRPG_Jssmfulhud Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 4006Members
    I used to play 1.0 quite a lot, basically most of my gaming time. With 1.4, I played less and with 2.0, I stopped completely. Haven't played it once after 2.0... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Speed_2_DaveSpeed_2_Dave Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8788Members
    no offense, you're screwed. Your parents will probably keep trying. My trick while I was still living at home was to make them happy with them, to always make a point to not **** them off, and then when I left they couldn't keep tabs on me anymore.

    Keep up with your coding! This will be very useful when you try to go to college, and will prepare you for school. I would recommend trying to set up a database at some point of your life (like high school) and maintaining it throughout your career there. Microsoft LOVES to sell their product to schools, and usually give a "first hit is free" for fledgeling developers (then make you buy the upgrade 2 years later, stuff like that). Try to talk your teachers into something like that later on, but for now, you're screwed.

    Stay in shape, keep doing well in school (don't let gaming interrupt your study times! Make sure you always leave time for that), and make the occasional attempts at finding friends at school. It got easier in Middle school because I wasn't with the same people every day and met more people who thought like me, enjoyed what I did, etc. In High School, clubs will help this even more, but for me, Middle School was just a nebula of boredom.
  • EpidemicEpidemic Dark Force Gorge Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17781Members
    I used to play 1.03/1.04 ALOT, and first I was completely addicted to it ( I mean really serious) I ended at 4:00 am and started up again at 10: AM for 3 days <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
    You can also use a "running machine" if you want to run indoor <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • GreyPawsGreyPaws Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8659Members
    I used to put in 2-3 hours a day, I havent played it at all in the last 4 weeks. Been busy with Homeworld 2, Max Payne 2, Hitman 2, Prince of Persia Sands of Time, and Knights of the Old Republic. (not to mention Mario Kart on GC )
  • DiablusDiablus Join Date: 2003-03-31 Member: 15080Members
    i played NS once for 3 hours straight
  • DubbilexDubbilex Chump Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9799Members
    I'll usually load up NS every day or so. Some days I'll play a game or two, and do something else - either mappin, Science & Industry, or talking with folks. Some days I don't play at at all. Basically play when the urge hits me, when my reg buddies are on the lunixmonster. As long as I do my best to keep Natural Slection fun and fresh, It's all good.

    I can remember going on hiatus at the beginning of this year (2003) for a few months. Over the summer, I got back into the community, found me a leet new server, and played in moderation. I haven't looked back since :]

    My recommendation is to try to moderate yourself - at the rate you seem to be going at, it won't be very long before you won't enjoy playing anymore at all.


    Happy gaming.
  • TheChucksterTheChuckster Join Date: 2003-09-20 Member: 21056Members
    I don't know what to do. Right now I really want to play... I heard my mom talking to someone about me on the phone saying I was yelling at people on the microphone. Maybe that is what upset her.
  • DubersDubers Pet Shop Boy Edinburgh, UK Join Date: 2002-07-25 Member: 998Members
    I play a couple of times every few months.
  • QuaunautQuaunaut The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    I stopped playing for a while, but now I'm doing about a hour a day. Back when I first played, I played for 6+ hours a day, and on weekends, 13+ hours.
  • JezpuhJezpuh Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15157Banned
    I can't game any longer then 2 hours straight, this does not mean I never did it.
    But it tends to get boring after 2 hours.

    In 2 days I play 1 or 2 games :\
  • Aries8Aries8 Join Date: 2002-12-12 Member: 10719Members
    I feel your pain!! <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> My mom hates video games with a passion. Infact, she hates computers period! Everytime she sees me playing a game she gets **** and makes up chores for me to do. Luckily, Ive convinced her I need my computer for alot of homework.

    Thats why when she leaves the house I go crazy and play the when shes gone. And I cant concentrate on my homwork if i know shes leave because of the participation of playing(it takes my mom lik 4hours to get ready, so I know shes leaving 4hours before she does).

    Unfortunately I don?t get straight As in school. Its not that I?m not smart, I just don?t excel in the way school is structured. So that?s what my mom always yells at me about, my grades, and then she blames it on the computer and video games.

    yeah...anyway...I'm pretty **** up
  • MelatoninMelatonin Babbler Join Date: 2003-03-15 Member: 14551Members, Constellation
    edited December 2003
    pfffft, your all lightweights, and/or have real lives <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->

    last year I was <i>litterally</i> playing solid all day, actually ..that was a pretty dark time looking back.

    nowadays I dont play, ever.
    between working all the time and 33bps (curse you BT internet!) I couldnt get a decent game if I tried.

    hopefully I can reconnect to the world I prefer on the 12th when my Broadband lands.

    till then, its cold hard reality for me.

    *edit* oops, i meant bps <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->.. or.. whatever..
  • DubbilexDubbilex Chump Join Date: 2002-11-24 Member: 9799Members
    Pshhh. I get 33 kb <i>with</i> my broadband. You damn muppet. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • CplDavisCplDavis I hunt the arctic Snonos Join Date: 2003-01-09 Member: 12097Members
    I played for hours on end with the early NS versions back in the days of NS_nancy. I still play quite a bit. When I play I usualy get my -TSA friends (who live on either side of my dorm room) and we go settle in for a few hours and play like 5 or 6 rounds.

    I dont play everyday though,maybe everyother day lol.

    On weekends we play a lot.
    Bewteen NS days im playing DoD or Sven Coop.

    Ill probably start up again with 3.0 and see how that is but until then Im kinda going through with one of those "Im bored with ALL my games temporarily periods".

    I beat all my single player games 2x on the harder difficulties and now im bored. Im waiting for HL2 or Doom 3 lol Then my life will dissapear all together. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->


    but...
    Cant wait for NS 3.0 <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    edited December 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Dubbilex+Dec 31 2003, 02:24 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Dubbilex @ Dec 31 2003, 02:24 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Pshhh.  I get 33 kb <i>with</i> my broadband.  You damn muppet.  <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    bauds != bytes != bits


    add: I play.. A LOT. Especially during vacation. But I also vary my games. I've been playing PoP (who didn't, GET IT) a bit of rpg'ing but mostly NS
  • ForlornForlorn Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2634Banned
    Chuckster -

    You are not alone.

    I too had the same problem of parent's who were never satisfied and looked at video games as an excuse.

    You have to come down level with your parents:

    - Tell them you like games, like you would like a sport or any other hobby.
    - Tell them that restricting you from your game in absurd rules would only lead to depression, general unhappiness.
    - Ask your parents to accept/love you for who you are.
    - Point to your grades in school, you are physically fit, why can't you play a stinking game.


    But really, the problem lies within the fact that they cannot accept you doing something outside of societies norm. I suggest you do some research on sociology (google it) and learn what happens to individuals who break away from the norm.

    You basically have an uphill battle to play games till you get out of your house, try to be smart in how you work about it. Try to get your parents to understand.

    It's not easy, but your individual happiness is always more important.

    One word of caution, don't actually try to use force with your parents if at all possible, it only complicates the process, try to work with them or just outsmart them.
  • kuperayekuperaye Join Date: 2003-03-14 Member: 14519Members, Constellation
    heh i hear that forlorn ^^


    but one thing thou is i play ns A LOT back in the day but now im basically on irc a LOT more tryign to hang with pals (shoutout Nexxus and ArcticJoe) and sometimes scrimming w/ Forlorn



    i play a total of like 3 hour days on vacation and like 20 hours on irc lol
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    I play close to never.
  • kuperayekuperaye Join Date: 2003-03-14 Member: 14519Members, Constellation
    no forumites play ns i swear to god
  • LastLast Join Date: 2003-10-06 Member: 21463Members
    I honestly havent played ns for about 2 weeks except for the occassional pug in #nspug (about 3 so far).

    as for cs, ugh, it's "quit one game, start another..."
  • hellokittyhellokitty riotkitty Join Date: 2003-04-09 Member: 15348Members
    i play like almost everday.. the hours? eh.. depends if i'm working or not. i can play hours and hours straight.
    cuz i'm a freak like that.
  • LikuLiku I, am the Somberlain. Join Date: 2003-01-10 Member: 12128Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--kuperaye+Dec 30 2003, 09:41 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (kuperaye @ Dec 30 2003, 09:41 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> no forumites play ns i swear to god <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah... one of the reason's I haven't played lately is because of Sven Co-op 3.0, it ruins NS so you can't play, I'm re-downloading the 2.01 Steam installer.

    Oh and... LUNIXMONSTER FOREVER!
  • BirdyBirdy Join Date: 2003-05-29 Member: 16825Members, Constellation
    edited December 2003
    Around 2 hours a day.

    Sometimes i fire up the game stare at the readyroom for a minute and think **** it.
    Then i log off, fire up irc and annoy esuna. <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • esunaesuna Rock Bottom Join Date: 2003-04-03 Member: 15175Members, Constellation
    edited December 2003
    <!--QuoteBegin--Birdy+Dec 31 2003, 12:59 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Birdy @ Dec 31 2003, 12:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Around 2 hours a day.

    Sometimes i fire up the game stare at the readyroom for a minute and think **** it.
    Then i log off, fire up irc and annoy esuna. <!--emo&:0--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wow.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wow.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    So so so true. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    But in the last week or two i've taken a break. Mainly because i've been doing other Real Life? things, and i probably won't be playing regulaly until after January 16th (My final deadline for this semester's uni work). But i guess after then i'll be back to my old habit of playing about 2 hours each and every day.

    Usually i dislike going a long time not playing NS, purely since before if i missed playing for a day or two, i would instantly lose whatever skill i might have. Thankfully, this trend seems to be disappearing a bit. As i've mentioned i've not played in a week or two, but i had one game yesterday and totally tore it up as a skulk. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->

    *EDIT: Dirty Birdy! Stop stalking me! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • RiceyRicey Join Date: 2003-01-04 Member: 11822Members
    I use to play non stop, but now I only really play when xen is scrimming or we're praticing.
Sign In or Register to comment.