Addictiveness: the SOLUTIONS thread

[Tiberius]

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]

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]

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]

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

[HazieDaVampire]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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/applications/applications.php?fldAuto=261&faq=3

[ChrisiusMaximus]

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]

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]

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

[Chemical Ollie]

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]

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