In Vietnam, Concerns Over Online Game Addiction
In Vietnam, Concerns Over Online Game Addiction
June 18, 2008
Parents and Vietnamese government officials are concerned about addiction to online games, according to a story in the Thanhnien News.
Describing an Internet cafe in Ho Chi Minh City, the report features interviews with players who are hanging out and neglecting their schoolwork:
They play online games day and night, and many ignore their studies. The phenomenon is also growing among college students, who can access the Internet in the dorms... without the supervision of their families.
The report also notes that the government's Ministry of Information and Communications controls online gaming accounts, automatically logging players off after five hours:
Most game players have figured out surprisingly simple ways to circumvent the system. The most common way is to simply reset the playing hours, meaning that after the player completes their regulated hours he can exit and then log in again. Minh, a game player in Hanoi, says he can play 24 hours a day, seven days a week thanks to tricks that can be found on game suppliers’ websites.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ECA
SUBSCRIBE
LOGINGamePolitics ShoutBox
Posted 10/06/08 at 08:43am
Paulrus: 1up.com just reported that MadWorld may not seee release in "censor-heavy" countries like Australia, Germany, and even Japan. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170362
Paulrus: 1up.com just reported that MadWorld may not seee release in "censor-heavy" countries like Australia, Germany, and even Japan. http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3170362
Posted 10/06/08 at 07:28am
Austin_Lewis: they're all about a month old, but if they do it again, I'll be sure to post the link here
Austin_Lewis: they're all about a month old, but if they do it again, I'll be sure to post the link here
Posted 10/06/08 at 06:41am
Shadow Darkman Anti-Thesis of : Hold up, Austin. Can we have the link to that Yahoo! Story?
Shadow Darkman Anti-Thesis of : Hold up, Austin. Can we have the link to that Yahoo! Story?
Posted 10/06/08 at 12:26am
Austin_Lewis: I've been reading on yahoo things I read on here three days earlier, nearly word for word. I've insulted the writers, too.
Austin_Lewis: I've been reading on yahoo things I read on here three days earlier, nearly word for word. I've insulted the writers, too.
Posted 10/05/08 at 09:29pm
PHOENIXZERO: @Austin_Lewis Just watched the video, I like how they mention Australia banning violent games and then show a list of games that includes some that weren't violent. <_< Think they could have given GP a little more credit too.
PHOENIXZERO: @Austin_Lewis Just watched the video, I like how they mention Australia banning violent games and then show a list of games that includes some that weren't violent. <_< Think they could have given GP a little more credit too.
Posted 10/05/08 at 08:52pm
gamepolitics: Plus, with Yahoo's huge traffic, if they want to steer some peeps to GP I'm okay with that, too! ;-)
gamepolitics: Plus, with Yahoo's huge traffic, if they want to steer some peeps to GP I'm okay with that, too! ;-)
Posted 10/05/08 at 08:51pm
gamepolitics: thx, Austin, but it seems to be more along the lines of fair use.
gamepolitics: thx, Austin, but it seems to be more along the lines of fair use.
Posted 10/05/08 at 08:16pm
Austin_Lewis: My link is to yahoo's playback or whatever they're calling it, which nearly always shows a gamepolitics article and seems to
Austin_Lewis: My link is to yahoo's playback or whatever they're calling it, which nearly always shows a gamepolitics article and seems to
Posted 10/05/08 at 08:15pm
Austin_Lewis: plagarize Gamepolitics' works and use his site, maybe without his permission. I just felt he ought be informed of it.
Austin_Lewis: plagarize Gamepolitics' works and use his site, maybe without his permission. I just felt he ought be informed of it.
Posted 10/05/08 at 08:03pm
J.Alpha.Gamma: This is an interesting read: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200810/N08.1001.1532.23011.htm?Page=1
J.Alpha.Gamma: This is an interesting read: http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200810/N08.1001.1532.23011.htm?Page=1
Posted 10/05/08 at 03:34pm
Haggard: Far Cry 2 and Fallout 3 in under 3 weeks now :D :D
Haggard: Far Cry 2 and Fallout 3 in under 3 weeks now :D :D
Posted 10/05/08 at 03:09pm
Austin_Lewis: HEY DENNIS, CHECK THE LINK: http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-13/1246552
Austin_Lewis: HEY DENNIS, CHECK THE LINK: http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-13/1246552
Posted 10/05/08 at 10:19am
HarmlessBunny: @black manta: Certainly felt like I did when I had a flu earlier this week :\
HarmlessBunny: @black manta: Certainly felt like I did when I had a flu earlier this week :\
Posted 10/05/08 at 09:58am
black manta: "You have died of dysentery." ;)
black manta: "You have died of dysentery." ;)
Posted 10/04/08 at 09:06pm
DarkTetsuya: EZK: all that's missing is the 'rearview mirror' image he posted some time ago
DarkTetsuya: EZK: all that's missing is the 'rearview mirror' image he posted some time ago
Posted 10/04/08 at 07:30pm
VideolandHero: I prefer Oregon Trail.
VideolandHero: I prefer Oregon Trail.
Posted 10/04/08 at 07:08pm
Shadow Darkman Anti-Thesis of : BORING DAY IS EVIL
Shadow Darkman Anti-Thesis of : BORING DAY IS EVIL
Posted 10/04/08 at 04:07pm
King of Fiji: @Ghede: Holy crap you just brought back nostalgia by mentioning that game. T_TT
King of Fiji: @Ghede: Holy crap you just brought back nostalgia by mentioning that game. T_TT
Posted 10/04/08 at 03:19pm
Ghede: Number munchers is the only school game for me. MUNCH THOSE NUMBERS.
Ghede: Number munchers is the only school game for me. MUNCH THOSE NUMBERS.
Posted 10/04/08 at 11:21am
ZippyDSMlee: nighstalker160:an industry that lives on selling crap to witless sheeple.
ZippyDSMlee: nighstalker160:an industry that lives on selling crap to witless sheeple.
Copyright © 2007 ECA. All rights reserved.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
No mention of which game suppliers? Maybe some links to said exploits?
The more you restrict something the more someone usually wants it. Human nature last I checked.
That along with your kids are usually more educated than you are.
-Loudspeaker
"Volume helps to get a point across but sharp teeth are better."
"Ministry of Information and Communications controls online gaming accounts, automatically logging players off after five hours."
"Most game players have figured out surprisingly simple ways to circumvent the system."
I would say that by limiting the number of hours that a person can play, it is likely causing the exact opposite affect from what their government wants. It is possibly a link between the rush/thrill of 'breaking the rules' and associating that small endorphin rush with online games. Note that I'm not saying the games themselves are addicting, but that the players are getting a kick out of circumventing the orwellian laws and becoming "addicted" (such a strong word
, maybe 'inclined' is better?) to that. But that is just a theory.
My other guess would be that people want to play online longer because it is a form of escapism, and they want to enjoy their online lives as an relaxing break from their real-life duties.
Compulsion is a better word.
Isn't Vietnam a communist state
*checks*
yes it is.
I recall reading an artical on why the communist states are so concerned over MMO addiction, would love to find it again.
Yeah, I noticed their's not a lot of non-communist countries with this problem. All this proves is that people in Vietnam have escapist needs far beyond ours. As the veterans said, Nam sucks.
-If shit and bricks were candy and tits, we'd all be livin' large. For information on games and psychology, look up:
Jonathan Freedman (2002)
Block and Crain (2007)
Grand Theft Childhood, a book by Harvard Medical School researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson
Its not communism as much as culture. Ex. South Korea
Story: They lack DISCIPLINE!
JACK THOMPSON: You're an old spaz who can't seem to talk in the first person and you are about to be disbarred. Have you ever won a single goddamn case in your life? Please, just name ONE case!
-If shit and bricks were candy and tits, we'd all be livin' large. For information on games and psychology, look up:
Jonathan Freedman (2002)
Block and Crain (2007)
Grand Theft Childhood, a book by Harvard Medical School researchers Lawrence Kutner and Cheryl Olson
John Bruce has won plenty of cases. Just never any that involves the video game industry.
E. Zachary Knight
www.editorialgames.com
We should all just ignore old Whacko - as soon as September rolls by he'll become increasingly desperate for attention, so just IP ban him or delete all his comments, let him know we don't give a shit about his failed life. Only way these freaks learn.
It doesn't really work, dude. We've tried it. It just makes him scream even LOUDER and think that we're afraid of him and stuff. It's a whole 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' scenario. So we might as well stick our hands into the lion's cage when the lion inside it doesn't have any teeth or claws.
And he's already been IP banned. He's proxy-hacking (apparent from the many backslashes in his posts) to post here, and even then, Dennis only allows comments as he sees fit, so it doesn't really matter.
Maybe Dennis could implement an MMO style "ignore" list. We could all put his name on the list. Jack would be happy because he'd see all of his vitriole, and we'd all be happy because we'd never see his acidic, hate-filled comments ever again. Best of both worlds!
I know, tons of work-arounds for him that he'd no-doubt try, but hey, I'm too distracted by my gaming addictions to come up with any better ideas
.
But it's FUN to counter him! XD
I agree, I look forward to seeing his posts -_^
So the troll strikes again...
These are COLLEGE ADULTS, they are not kids anymore. What they do with their life is their problem. If they want to slack off and play games, let them.
But if they play games all day then they can't work for the state.
Communism is only as strong as its inherently flawed principles.
I've always joked with my korean friend about the steretotype that asians play these games a lot more than anyone else (he brings it up more often than I do in case anyone's wondering), I can't WAIT to show him this.
I haven't heard Jack talk about addiction, just the violence in the games.
Jack, does it ever get old pretending you're right all the time
What's up with him putting a slash in you're?
Anyway, if they aren't living by themselves yet, it should be the parent's responsibility to keep their playtime in check instead of the gov. That's pretty much the gov. saying "You suck at parenting so we'll do it for you." If they're at or out of college, that's their choice to play for more than five hours. It's a good intention to stop people from just slacking off and playing games but when they try to FORCE the player off, that's taking it too far. It's their life, and sadly some choose to spend it foolishly, but that's their choice.
And besides, isn't it just going to make people want to break the "rules"?
Getting past the checks allows them to play 24 hours a day, seven days a week? How many people did this, and for how many weeks, before they collapsed from exhaustion/starvation/thirst/burst bladder?
Typical hack journalism: Anytime doesn't mean all the time.
And who hasn't pulled an all-nighter in the past? :)
Jack...wow. Thank you for reassuring me that stupidity still reigns supreme. Yeah, I thought you were about violence, way to go on changing your crusading platform to suit the case.
ANYWAY, yeah this story is funny, and who hasn’t pulled an all nighter? I think my record is like 28 hours strait...not a world record or anything but im proud of it ^_^ And seriously, if it is their desire to waste their lives then who is anyone to stop them? Im going to quote Yukko from xxxholic. She said that if someone chooses fortune or misfortune and that is their wish, then wouldn’t they be happy in their own right? What ever anyone does in life they will have to take the outcome, in this case they are ruining a chance for a degree and their hygiene and a successful career in the real world. That is their choice and if they want to do it, they will. You cant help the helpless, it takes them actually wanting to change for the change to happen. And the gov forcing them to stop? Yeah, good idea. All anyone can do is tell and show them what will happen if they continue to neglect their duties. And some people it actually takes them screwing around before they learn their lessons, the saying that the best lessons are the hardest to learn holds true. It took me being addicted to wow for three years and still working at Wal-Mart as a college drop out before i decided it was time to move on and not play 10-12 hours a day anymore and focus more on my school and career. Just part of growing up ^_^.
Oh yeah...Jack? September is so close but not close enough. Kthxbye.
I'm curious, what is it about far east culture that seems to give rise to this sort of thing? I mean, you never hear about somebody in africa or even here playing 24x7 - 7 days a week. Was it Korea that one dude played for like a week and they found him dead in the bathroom? Never having seen these places, I honestly don't really know, but I wonder why the owners of these internet cafes don't make a couple extra bucks by selling sandwiches or something. When games are in the news here, it's usually something to do with violence or sexual behavior, not playing them too long. Wonder what that says about the various countries...
As for Jack, I don't actually want to be disparaging today, but he's just being a douche because he hasn't had a headline of his own in a couple days. I mean, looking at that post...does he even have a point or is he just trying to piss people off? It wouldn't surprise me if he didn't read the article. In short Jack, yea, it does get old being wrong often, but I try to use that as incentive to learn from my mistakes.
Wow, JT is such a child. Video game addiction is no different than TV addiction, internet addiction, or porn addiction. They all are not "physical" addictions, as in doing them will automatically hook your body on them, yet they can be pshycological addictions, as in a weak minded person can easily become hooked on them for whatever reason, yet it's not necessarily the "fault" of the product, as such people simply have addictive personalities, and thus would be addicted to peanut butter given the circumstances. Again, Jack Thompson is an idiot, the gist of my post.