Are you guilty of ditching FL for SL?

I just realized that ever since I started playing SL I have been flaking out on my real life friends and family activites.
Maybe it's because I'm still new and have such a passion for learning everything I can in SL so I can finally relax and things can go back to normal. But I have a feeling that things will never be normal again. I will constantly be thinking of a new outfit, skin or building design. I will wonder if I just missed my chance to win 500 lindens on the blue sploder, I will kick myself for missing that certain class or event.
I have to admit the reason I made this topic is because I think I may need help. Please share your experiences with me. Is it normal to become obsessed the first month, if so does it get worse or better? Honestly, right now all I want to do is log in forever and never ever leave. If you have advice, I probably need it, lol.

All Hail Secondlife!

What you are asking is a question that I think every player of on line games should ask themselves regularly.

Firstly, a bit of background. I've been playing MMOGs for about ten years. UO, EverQuest, Anarchy Online, SW:G, DAoC, WoW, Asheron's Call 2...I've seen a few I also have a background of playing pen and paper roleplaying games that goes back another 15 years or so.

It is normal, in my experience, to go overboard and devote too much time to the game at least initially. For my personality, at least, this is true. I go through a pattern of stages: wonderment / addiction ... comfortable habit (or obligation) ... disillusionment...then some level of rejection. Depending on the social network I build up, the "habit" period can last quite some time...a year or more, easily.

When is the amount of time you spend in a game (any game, even non-computer games) unhealthy? When it starts to harm your real life- and that varies significantly.

For myself, I compare the amount of time I play MMOGs or Second Life versus how much time I might have once spent watching TV. I used to watch TV for three or four hours a day: that's perhaps 20 hours a week. I now spend about that much time playing online games, and that works for me.

If you find yourself rejecting your family and friends because they interfere with your gaming time...you might want to rethink your balance. Mind you, if your family feels a need to "intervene" just because they think games are evil, and if you'd be "wasting" that time anyway doing something like watching TV...well, maybe you're okay.

Thanks Tomas ^_^ That was a killer response. Well I think I'll be okay, it's just weird how a club in SL is ten times more fun than anything in my town in real life.

Since I started playing I hardly watch tv and I cut way back on smoking, those are things that I had been wanting to change anyway so I'm very greatfull to secondlife for that, lol, one addiction for another I guess.

It's something new, you're in awe of so much. And I know what you mean about missing out on something. Maybe miss that sploder payout, or just log in after the mate of your dreams just logs out. It will pass. Unless of course, you develop a full on addiction to the game, and completely shut yourself out from your real life obligations (friends, family, job, etc).

I get so lost in games (SL, SWG, etc) that time just passes me by. Now, calling in sick to work, or skipping out friends? Not so much, though I have been late a couple times because of the time passing, but not because I would rather be in SL than RL.

Are you guilty of ditching FL for SL?

Nope. But I have pretty much ditched WoW for SL.

welp.. my FL wasnt exactly one that was good for me.. exessive alcohol and well.. other vices.. SL helped me clean that act up a tad by doing it WAY less.. and in the time I was here I met the girl Im going to spend the rest of my life with.. so yes.. I flaked a wee bit on my FL but its worked out quite well

(this should be in general)

What a great question and perceptive answers.

I have been in SL just over a week and am totally hooked. I go to bed thinking about it, I dream about it, it sometimes wakes me up, and I wake up with it right there, central in my thoughts. I'm not too worried yet (just tired), haven't been to bed before about 5am for last few nights - ever since I met a dream partner.

There is so much that is new to me, I find the whole experience pretty incomprehensible and wish I'd found it ages ago, so that I would be more adept at using all the functions. But it is great fun learning.
Your replies have helped me, thank you.

SL is actually helping my RL. Because of all the scripting I've been doing I've gotten my old programming groove back and I'm getting creative again with finding solutions to some RL things.

what is Fl? and how much $L do they want for it?

LMAO - couldnt have put it better myself!

if you want it : im selling my FL and planning to move in SL completely after next update.

Mind you, its abit worn out and rusty , hence the low price.

It is normal. After a few months, you will take a break and log on very little until you've been gone long enough that there are plenty of new things. Considering how fast technology develops, I would normally say that the length of break time gets shorter as time progresses, but this is negated by how soon we've moved on to the next havok engine.

It's completely normal. Don't feel bad. Besides, we're better friends than your real ones. Lindens are more fun than dollars. They're not real money. They're play money. Don't feel bad about spending. Shouldn't you be in-world right now and not on the forums?

Quite so!

yeah.. i've said it before, i'll say it again.. just throw my head in a jar.. hook me up to sl and let me be.. i'll be happy

First life? I think I usedta have one. Lemme check my inventory.

Mari

Short answer:

It ebs and flows. In a few short months you will be starting threads about SL burnout... lol. It happens to us all, but we love it here and always come back.

For the most part, I'm at home all day anyhow, since I'm working on a few things to sell. And while I play SL a lot, the only thing I'm really addicted to right now on it, is DJing. I have such a blast bringing the right music to my friends its hard to stop.(And it tends to fund my AV collection)

If you manage to strike a balance between both lives, you find your self-esteem rises like 200%

Guilty. I have not even installed any IM software on my new computer (which was purchased mainly for SL).

I left Florida for my own reasons.