Gaming and Smoking

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Sly

Supreme [H]ardness
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I'm not a smoker so i really can't relate. But why do people have this tendency to smoke in the middle of a game?

Now i'm not saying smokers are common, like i said, i ain't one. But some of my officemates (Particularly the Koreans) who only smoke on occation, have the tendency to suddenly turn into a chainsmoker while gaming.

Even online, someone in the middle of a game, particularly if it was an intense FPS, would suddenly go for a smoke break and go AFK.

Is it a nerve thing? A relaxant? Maybe a diversion tactic? (Those imported ones make my eyes water)
 
beats me, I think half the time it's just kids/teen's trying to be "cool" and telling everyone "hey, brb gonna take a smoke" or something.

All I know is it's annoying when they decide to do it in the middle of a game.
 
This happens in games like EQ 2 all the time with adults. It is called an addiction thing. They need to get their fix.
 
As a smoker (not a kid, 35 years old, thank you, no need to act "cool") i can tell you that there a several reasons:

1. In a mmorpg it's mostly bordom. Bored? Have a smoke.

2. in a FPS game (i play DoD:S league), it's relaxation. We play 2x2 maps and usually i have a smoke in the middle, when there is a mapchange. In extremely tense wars, the cigarette helps to release the tension, it acts as a break.

BOTH of the above, of course, are a direct result of

3. addiction.
 
I like to light one up after a steamy session of hot coffee.
 
I too smoke. 34 and not a kid. Usually I do it in WoW when waiting for someone to get in transit to the instance or jusdt to get off my ass and stretch (i smoke outside, not in the house)
 
same here...i can't stand my house smelling like cold smoke. No smoking in my house.

Ditto. 32, and not a kid here either. Unfortunately, if I were to quit smoking, I could afford another game every week :(
 
I had noticed this too, but what struck me as odd was people who went to smoke, saying "brb smoke" instead of just "brb" -- After I eat some hot wings I don't go "brb fire shits" in game, I dunno. Just as observation.
 
I haven't smoked for a few years now, but when I used to I would take a smoke break once an hour or so. I never smoked during a game I was playing.
 
I had noticed this too, but what struck me as odd was people who went to smoke, saying "brb smoke" instead of just "brb" -- After I eat some hot wings I don't go "brb fire shits" in game, I dunno. Just as observation.

heh true. its like, ok guy i dont know, thanks for giving me the heads up. otherwise, i'd freak out if you left me without telling me what you're doing!
 
Maybe the reason for "brb smoke" is that it may give the other players an idea on how long they may be gone for. The average smoke takes 5-7 mins.

I guess it is not anything but that.
 
I had noticed this too, but what struck me as odd was people who went to smoke, saying "brb smoke" instead of just "brb" -- After I eat some hot wings I don't go "brb fire shits" in game, I dunno. Just as observation.

You just made my day... hahaha
 
I too smoke. 34 and not a kid. Usually I do it in WoW when waiting for someone to get in transit to the instance or jusdt to get off my ass and stretch (i smoke outside, not in the house)


yup.

I kinda hated when I got my fast flying mount. Didn't have a reason to take a gryphon anymore.

No AFK transit = no excuse to get up and smoke...
 
I've never smoked nor do I have any inclination to do so. But I think the reason that people take smoking breaks is addiction. I know I take quick breaks during gaming to run into the kitchen and start up a pot of coffee...fortunately for me coffee is a relatively inexpensive addiction. ;)
 
I am also a smoker at 17, yeh i know im a kid, but typically i only play games before bed. I will play for 1-2 hours, have a drag in between and play for 30min-1hour then hit the hay but i never brag about it. But if i wasnt playing games i would still need to step out before bed so its not like i smoke unusually more during games.
 
I'm not a smoker so i really can't relate. But why do people have this tendency to smoke in the middle of a game?

Now i'm not saying smokers are common, like i said, i ain't one. But some of my officemates (Particularly the Koreans) who only smoke on occation, have the tendency to suddenly turn into a chainsmoker while gaming.

Even online, someone in the middle of a game, particularly if it was an intense FPS, would suddenly go for a smoke break and go AFK.

Is it a nerve thing? A relaxant? Maybe a diversion tactic? (Those imported ones make my eyes water)

It's not genuine, it's just pre-pubescents and "bad kids" informing people of their habits and tastes, when nobody is actually at all interested, or impressed. That's not to say that there aren't people who're genuinely feeling cravings, but 9 times out of 10 i'm hearing some little, non-broken voice piping up to a CS server full of randoms, announcing the fact that they smoke. I think it's a bit like going on and typing "LOL FUCK IM SO STOENED/DRUNMK".
 
I don't smoke but I enjoy cigars. Not the machine rolled things you see in the liquor store...but real cigars.

On average, a decent sized smoke takes about 35 - 40 minutes, I only smoke during single player games...usually while I am playing out in my office. They are extremely expensive so I take my time with them. You can't do that playing RB6: Vegas online.

I never smoke during online games with other people (too busy talking anyway) but the only time I actually give a crap is if the person that goes AFK to smoke is the host and leaves everyone else hanging (no map change, can't start the map). If you are just another player on my team, who cares...let's roll the map and kick some ass while dude is smoking.
 
yup.

I kinda hated when I got my fast flying mount. Didn't have a reason to take a gryphon anymore.

No AFK transit = no excuse to get up and smoke...

just fly high and point your char in the general direction of your destination, and hit autorun.
 
I quit 16 months ago.

Sweet. Keep going, 5 yrs now for me and best decision ever. Most of my friends do it out of habit I have noticed. Gaming by themselves not as much but if playing CS (or other online games) then every couple of rounds it is time to light up. Same thing as if you are out at a bar and catch them lighting up every couple of minutes.
 
Same thing as if you are out at a bar and catch them lighting up every couple of minutes.

That was the hardest part, I found, in quiting smoking. The activities that you did before, that were often followed by a smoke, such as having a coffee or a beer, were the hardest part of quiting.
 
Well smoking paradoxically has both stimulant and relaxing effects, and nicotine is a nootropic, so maybe these gamers feel it will help their game out. Maybe it does.
 
That was the hardest part, I found, in quiting smoking. The activities that you did before, that were often followed by a smoke, such as having a coffee or a beer, were the hardest part of quiting.

I feel you on that one. First thing they ever tell you in any NA program is that you need to cut off the things you associate with it or else you better have really strong will power. I didn't have that level of self restraint I feel as I quit mostly out of choice. Unless you are at rock bottom (how rock bottom do you go with cigs really?) you don't have a lot of pressure to quit which makes it harder to say no to yourself in that situation where 'just one' suddenly starts to sound okay. It took my grandad until he was 60 and woke up one morning with no voice to quit smoking finally. I felt that I had a much greater need to keep myself healthy for all the other people that are a part of my life. I need to be around to take care of my parents, my own family etc when we older and make sure that I am in a position to do so with my health, finances, mentally and so on. That was my reason to quit.
 
i smoke because it's cool. ;)

*cough*

no really.... i coughed. just had my first smoke of the day.

i like to multi-task... if it's shitty outside, i'll smoke in front of the computer. if it's nice, it's a good excuse for me to stand outside for a few minutes, and not feel like i'm living in a cave.

i had actually almost quit last week... then i got into a car accident, and my deductible is fucking HUGE. stress leads to the need for an old familiar crutch. ie smoking. (or whiskey).

now i'm back up to half a pack a day.... not the once three packs a day that i was at... but its still too much. gwar.

i'm going to say mostly, if someone says "afk, smoke" they're just doing it to be cool. same as all the kids in game that are repeatedly commenting on how "dewd, i'm way too fucking stoned to be playing right now. shit, i need some cheetos" no one gives a shit. except the other kids, that are also trying to be cool.


I had noticed this too, but what struck me as odd was people who went to smoke, saying "brb smoke" instead of just "brb" -- After I eat some hot wings I don't go "brb fire shits" in game, I dunno. Just as observation.

sometimes i smoke when i have the fire shits. helps me relax.
 
My observation has been at a lot of LANs - smokers will take their breaks between rounds, rarely during. I have one on occasion, prefer a Cigar. I'll have one while taking a longer break on occasion as well.

I think the brb-smoke is that they'll be be back in 5 minutes or so. A generic "brb" is just a couple mintues (usually). Perhaps it's courtesy.

 
i smoke while gaming all the time, whether SP or MP, console or PC, doesnt matter, cause i have this thing called an ashtray that i can set my cig in to do an action in game, and then pick it back up to take a puff.

though in reality i would rather not smoke tobacco, damn addiction, and just smoke marijuana all the time instead, damn stupid laws!
 
i usually step outside to puff in between rounds of GoW. many times i've returned to find my self sitting in the spawn and people cussing me out for being afk.
 
i usually step outside to puff in between rounds of GoW. many times i've returned to find my self sitting in the spawn and people cussing me out for being afk.

It is pretty annoying. Heh.
 
I find myself smoking more often while gaming. Not really sure why exactly, but when you are a smoker you tend to do regular things with a cigarette and on occasion stuff just doesn't feel as interesting without a cigarette to go with it. Horrible habit.
 
Its like people that smoke when they drink its an idle thing to do. I find myself smoking more when I start drinking.
 
I used to smoke at work because it was relaxing. I looked forward to my break where I could go sit down and have a smoke. I knew it wasn't healthy for me, but it felt good. I eventually got addicted and it was hard to stop. I quit working there and was pretty much able to quit cold turkey due to the association being the biggest part of the addiction. For a while I still couldn't resist when people around me were smoking, but that eventually went away and I was able to quit for good. Now when I'm around people smoking it's just kind of a nice thought, but not a craving. I think i'm over it.

As for gaming, unless you are playing a really stressful game then it must just be addictive habit. If you like to point out that you are going out to smoke then you are just doing it to be cool. Having been a smoker it's easier to accept why others do it, but I still don't think it's a great idea.
 
I had noticed this too, but what struck me as odd was people who went to smoke, saying "brb smoke" instead of just "brb" -- After I eat some hot wings I don't go "brb fire shits" in game, I dunno. Just as observation.

LOL. That was friggin hilarious! I notice that too though.
 
I don't smoke but I enjoy cigars. Not the machine rolled things you see in the liquor store...but real cigars.

On average, a decent sized smoke takes about 35 - 40 minutes, I only smoke during single player games...usually while I am playing out in my office. They are extremely expensive so I take my time with them. You can't do that playing RB6: Vegas online.

See I don't smoke but now I've got this picture of Steve looking like the CVBG (CAG) in Top Gun whilst playing Q4 and that's a f'ing cool image in my head. Fragging with a big fat Monte Cristo on the go, excellent :D

Seriously though, smoking is bad and it fucks up my play time.
 
I smoke before a gaming session to "get my head str8". After that it's gaming time, most likely won't take a break for a few hours at least.

btw i used to know a guy that smoked cigs non stop at his pc. Eventually his monitor turned a nasty yellow color and I couldn't stand to go into his computer room due to the constant haze that was always in there. If you do smoke, please do it outside. Think about your PC's health :D
 
Smoking has nothing to do with gaming and everything to do with mental illness. There is no point to smoking. It's bad for you and shouldn't be legal. It ruins the lungs of those around them.
 
Smoking has nothing to do with gaming and everything to do with mental illness. There is no point to smoking. It's bad for you and shouldn't be legal. It ruins the lungs of those around them.

silly silly, trying to tell others what they can and can not do with their own bodies is lame!
 
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