Loss of sleep! Not so much lately, but I used to be quite the addict.  

Same here. I've been trying to pull my stuff together.  

Stefan mind controlled us...  

Posted by Peter5498

Stefan mind controlled us...

He had any sort of mind control abilities most of the Graal population wouldn't have left when Graal became pay-to-play and there would be no ********aal.  

My grade point average went from a 3.5 to a 2.0. I still managed to stay really active though, I mad time for friends. Although during summer I didn't really do much of anything anything with my friends. Now I've learned to control my time and make time with my friends. it probably has affected me rather hard. It's still fun though!  

I'm supposed to be studying for a major exam. Three hours that could have gone there...

Went to Graalians.  

who studies these days anyways.......  

I sometimes do, if it's important enough (borderline grades, finals, etc). Usually if I don't worry about it too much, it'll pass easily.  

I never study, but my mind can remember test things and stuff really easily.  

I can now type on my iPad keyboard at god speed!  

Graal introduced me to the big, bad world of game development.  

Posted by Pimpsy G.

Everyone has different reactions to things jazz. Its not that people have serious issues, its that sometimes people can get themselves addicted to something that is important to them. Just because you have had a positive reaction to graal, doesn't mean everyone else does. People are different, and its not really nice to assume that everyone that has been struck with negative side effects from the graal experience has serious issues.

No, i'm pretty sure if your sacrificing your social life and education for an iPod game, you should get some help...that's just not normal.
And you say people get addicted to something that is important to them...if you get addicted to the point that your obsessed and your sacrificing other parts of your life for it...you do have issues.

I was on Graal every day for hours when I used to seriously play. But I didn't sacrifice my social life, or put off studying for school or homework.
Just because you enjoy doing something doesn't mean you give up everything else for it. That's called having a problem.  

Posted by Jazz

As for me, Graal introduced me to programming, I made some really awesome friends, and even met my ex boyfriend and I spent 2 1/2 awesome years with him.
So, whats wrong with all of you?

Was he Elk?  

Posted by Jazz

No, i'm pretty sure if your sacrificing your social life and education for an iPod game, you should get some help...that's just not normal.
And you say people get addicted to something that is important to them...if you get addicted to the point that your obsessed and your sacrificing other parts of your life for it...you do have issues.

I was on Graal every day for hours when I used to seriously play. But I didn't sacrifice my social life, or put off studying for school or homework.
Just because you enjoy doing something doesn't mean you give up everything else for it. That's called having a problem.

Now, i can agree with you that children can have serious issues getting addicted to a game since they don't have the cognitive development to decide what is best for them in life yet, but please, tell me what "normal" is..?
You seem to be acting like theres a set path for people to take in life, you must have this many friends and this good of grades, and if you put other things over it, such as getting addicted to graal you have a 'serious' problem and have gone off the rails society expects of you. You weren't really getting what i was saying...
Maybe some people, given the right age to be able to make decisions for themselves, can choose what makes them happy in life. It doesn't have to be having an extremely social life and having lots of money and being successful, people can make choices. That's what life's all about right? Being happy? I mean what else is there? If this game is incredibly important to them, and it makes them happy, whats really wrong with abandoning parts of your social life for it?  

School comes first, kiddies. Seriously. The line between what you may consider a hobby and what is actually an addiction can be blurry, and hard to see... but it's there. The moment it starts effecting your life in a negative way, you should step back and start reevaluating and get your priorities straight.

It's so easy to get drawn into Graal, not as a game but as a time and social sink. But in the end the moment you start putting off other things, like going out with friends, or homework, to play Graal, there is a BIG problem.

I think the most positive thing that has come out of Graal for me is that it got me deeply invested into development, and in more fields than one. It's pretty much what got me into game art, programming, and game design.

However, the cons probably outweigh the pros. I don't know what my life would have turned out without Graal, but there's a good chance it would probably be better.