Rant: Remove the Babysitter

Theres nothing wrong with it. Its to stop them getting sued, and its to make sure you dont get RSI.

Does it matter that ONCE an hour, you see a little message that tells you how long you've been playing and advises you on what to do next. If you dont like it, just ignore it, its not like its gonna keep saying it, until you cant see your chatbar.

Begin Sarcastic Post:

I think everything should be turned off: update notices, HoH announcements, drops, pick-up of drops, NPC talk points, mission prompts, etc., etc.

While we're at it, turn off the annoying HP and XP numbers popping on the screen, spell effects, emotes, and those annoying allies running around, (all they do is get in my way, after all).

Oh, and the NPCs, background and terrain should be able to be turned off as well. I mean, seriously, all this stuff just distracts me from playing the game...

/end sarcasm

I love the new message. Now, I can tell the wife: "I'm going to play for two hours tonight, and the system will remind me when the two hours are up, so you don't need to!" Makes for a much better game experience.

Wow, how annoying can be a little blue message popping out once per hour?

I think some people just need to complain about random things for no reason.

Seriously...a little message...60 replies? Wow..

The notices didn't exist two days ago, and if people don't like them now they should be able to turn off. Believe it or not, a lot of people don't like having things suggested to them no matter how innocuous the suggestion, especially in America.

No no...here in the land of the free, if people are old enough to put on thier own pants, as well as drink, smoke, drive, vote, etc., they can probably decide how much computer time is "too much".

I'll tell you of a similar story up here in Canada where I live. It's called the "gun registry", the idea of which was that if all weapons in Canada were registered that it would cut violent gun crime. It cost like 10 times as much taxpayer money as it was supposed to and it didn't work because the people using guns to kill people didn't (get this) register thier guns. It turned out to be a very expensive way to make sure that people who weren't commiting crimes...uh...didn't commit any crimes.

Conclusion: Most people don't need to be told how much computer time is too much. Those who do have a problem that a little notification isn't going to fix.

Come on ANet, let us turn it off. Most people want it removed because they find it insulting to thier intelligence, and I tend to agree. I can prevent myself from dying in front of the computer TYVM.

-Jessyi

I have no problem if they add a toggle to it, but they are not telling you to do anything. Comparing this to registering guns is kinda silly. It is just letting you know how long you have been on and giving you a silly message to go along with it. You can just ignore it.

If I feel like playing 24 hours straight without a break then I'll do it whether there is a message or not. Not that I would actually do that.

Its once an hour. Once....not a big deal. No one is forcing you to do anything. Just keep playing. Ignore it.

Well, I was wrong and I will admit that, sort of. Only 3 people have ever DIRRECTLY died due to video games. And they died from heart failure from the game StarCraft and Berzerk (back in the 1980s).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._or_video_game


Wikipedia FTW!

We've all done this, or most of us have. Hey cool, I've reached a new areal, but its getting late. I'll just play a little longer because I heard there are some good drops here, and I just happen to have a Signet of Capture, maybe I can cap an Elite.

5 hours later. You've completely lost track of time. You have to wake up for work or class in 3 hours. Why didn't anyone tell me I was being stupid and staying up later than I should have?

There is absolutely nothing negative about this message. It is not insulting. Hi, you have been playing 8 hours, maybe you should consider taking a break. Yeah, you know what you're right, I should go take a break, thank you.

This message is so short and unnoticeable that I missed it the first five times it popped up. Those Hall of Heroes messages ARE annoying, they come what, every ten seconds? This is every hour. A whole hour. In that time, at least 20 Hall of Heroes messages will have popped up.

They aren't forcing you to take a break. If you don't want to take breaks every, thats fine. Ignore this. But as we can see from the articles popping up, some people do have problems knowing when to take a break. I'm sure you can handle a little message like that, if it is going to get those other people to take breaks.

I played at least 8 hours yesterday, I only noticed the 2 hour message, and that was because I was looking for it.

Ok...Ok...I'll reclarify one more time (my last post on this topic I swear)

Do I have an objection to the existence of this feature in it's entirety? No. If people WANT a reminder because they're afraid of being distracted into playing for another 5 hours, thus missing the big exam/job interview/birth of thier first born son...then good, they now have an in-game timer available. I know how horribly strenuous it is to look at your wall clock or watch if you want to know what time it is.

I'm not saying this feature should be removed, merely that it should be OPTIONAL. Just the fact that it's been as controversial as it has been should be enough cause to add a toggle for it.

This way, everyone wins. ANet covers it's butt by adding the feature (we can not be responsible for people who turn it off) and people who want/need it have it available. What's wrong with that?

I'm signing this petition the only way I should:

/signed until my pen runs out of ink

-Jessyi

/Not Signed

I can ignore it easily, just like X has won Hoh blah blah
And it helps me keep track of time.

you have been on the forums for 1 hour. please take a break.

I find the message rather hilarious. It reminds me that I haven't played enough. ^_^

They should have a message like "You've been playing for 5 hours. Do you know where your children are?" lol

"You've been playing for 24 hours. Seriously dude, get a life!"

"You've been playing for 48 hours. Isnt your computer over heating yet?"

I saw the one-hour warning for the first time last night. I didn't even know it existed... guild/town chat usually blocks it out. >_<
As a time-tracker, it works great.
As a deterrent, it fails.
If they want us to actually slow down, they need to start slowly nerfing your characters after a certain time. I know they've employed this in China for quite a while, but I daren't say more than that lest their internet censors of doom come assassinate me. >_>;

But seriously, it's fine how it is. I rarely check the clock while playing. It lets me pretend I know what's going on in reality. All else I pay attention to in the real world is politics...

I am absolutly amazed that people are complaining about a 1 line message that pops up ONCE an hour. I bet if we did an age check on the people complaining they would all have to be inside when the street lights come on.

Sadly in Amercia I could see someone dying from playing a game too long and that persons family blaming the people who made the game, like it was their fault someone was too stupid to take a break. Anet is just being smart and covering their butt. Too me thats a smart move.

I mean geez, how uptight are are these people that they get upset by a message that pops up once an hour. Take a chill pill, smoke a bowl, do something...

You should be careful with that, it could really have been 2-3 hours; the timer starts over every time you log out, even just to switch characters.

^ That's what happens to me.

I've never actually gotten the six hour wake up call, simply because I constantly either change characters or log of to have something to eat or something else. I've tried playing 4-6 hours a day, but I take breaks all the time.

why build areas in the game that take 3 hours to play(fow)if you want me to break 1 time an hour it seems kinda dumb......wouldnt a clock stamp do the same thing with less annoyance????

I don't see what the problem is.

Can you keep playing? Yes. Then why do you care again?

Or maybe, at 24 hours or something, a giant hand can come out from your monitor and slap you across the face, saying loudly "Go outside, stupid!"

It doesnt tell you to take a break until 3 hours. Even so they are not actually telling you to do anything. They are just letting you know in case you have forgotten to look at the clock.

It really is a good idea to stretch for a few mintues every hour or so and give your eyes a break from the computer screen. But it doesnt mean you have to.