Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: How do you deal with extended downtimes?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/09/05/the-daily-grind-how-do-you-deal-with-extended-downtimes/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Yeah, this is more important than raid night anyway.
Sometimes, games go down for maintenance, or your power goes out, or there's an internet hiccup. You have to deal with a bit of time out of the game, and it's no big deal. But other times, you have to deal with an extended hiatus from your game of choice due to massive natural disasters or other catastrophic circumstances. You might have bigger problems than just not logging in to Star Trek Online, but it doesn't change the fact that you're going to be out of circulation for a bit.

If you've been messing around exclusively with low-level characters that have nothing time-related on their plates, naturally, you won't be affected. But if you're in the midst of endgame work in RIFT or long-term roleplaying in Lord of the Rings Online, being out for a long stretch of time can cause some issues. So how do you work around it? And equally importantly, how do you manage your time when you're taking an unwanted hiatus from one of your hobbies for a while?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: How do you deal with extended downtimes? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 05 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakculturedowntimehiatusinteractionopinionserver-shutdownshutdowntdgthe-daily-grindtimeMon, 05 Sep 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: What's the longest break you've ever taken from MMOs?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-daily-grind-whats-the-longest-break-youve-ever-taken-from/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-daily-grind-whats-the-longest-break-youve-ever-taken-from/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/09/12/the-daily-grind-whats-the-longest-break-youve-ever-taken-from/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Even the most die-hard among us need a break now and then from killing ten rats. I mean, those rats, they deserve it -- don't get me wrong. They killed our families, stole Christmas, tried to blot out the sun and sold us Amway. But heroic rat-slayers need vacations from MMOs, and sometimes we have to get away for a while to recharge our batteries and check out other entertainment pleasures out there.

So what's the longest break you've ever taken from playing MMOs? Was it because you burnt out, crashed hard, and vowed not to go back (at least, not for a very long time)? Were you forced to leave MMOs behind due to a vacation or tour of duty overseas? Did you find a single-player title that sucked you in for a marathon gaming session?

We'd love to hear about your breaks -- what took you away from MMOs, and what you learned while you were away. Did it refresh your perspective and attitude?

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: What's the longest break you've ever taken from MMOs? originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 12 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>amwaybreakburn-outburnoutgriswoldskill-ten-ratsmmo-breakopiniontdgthe-daily-grindSun, 12 Sep 2010 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stop playing your favorite game]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/stop-playing-your-favorite-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/stop-playing-your-favorite-game/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/09/stop-playing-your-favorite-game/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Do we have everyone's attention? Great. Now do exactly that. Stop playing your favorite game. Not forever, just for now. Just let it rest and play something else for a while. That's the idea proposed by Bio Break in an entry about letting go. The idea, as it's put forth, is that the best way to fight burnout is to prevent it from happening in the first place. If you're really enjoying a game and are just a few days away from a major goal, why not put it down and savor that instead of pushing forward until the game has stopped being fun?

Of course, it's hard for us to behave that way -- if we're enjoying a game, our inclination is to keep playing until we aren't, at which point burnout kicks in and we start almost dreading logging in. But it's an interesting idea and a different approach to keeping ourselves engaged. It's a lot easier to go back to a game if you've just let it sit for a while and have had some time to think about it fondly without being reminded of its blemishes. Absence can indeed make the heart grow fonder, and perhaps you should let your favorite game be absent for just a little while. You'll still be almost at your next major checkpoint when you get back, after all.

MassivelyStop playing your favorite game originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academicbio-breakblogsbreakbreaksburnoutculturefighting-burnoutlogging-outopinionrestingstaying-interestedstoppingWed, 09 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST