Was Neopets ruined for me?

[Naamah D.]

I used to be really into Neopets. I took care of my pets, I bought Neocash so I could get them fancy clothes, I fed the ones on my main yummy food and took the side pets to the Soup Kitchen instead of putting them in the NeoLodge or not feeding them. I groomed them, bought them toys and create personalities for them.

 

Then I was accused of having this "misty line between fantasy and reality" and was told that I needed to remind myself that they aren't real. Even back then I knew very well that they weren't real.

 

Now as a 20 year old I feel like my love for my pets was ruined for me and am struggling to have fun on the website again. If you look back at my old posts from when I first joined under the name Starlite I was this out of control little kid in an 18 year old's body. I'm 20 now and pretend not to care about my pets and keep them under wraps when deep down inside I care about them. I've been through accounts after accounts, but I now have permanent accounts.

 

Sorry for the long post, but I just feel like Neopets was ruined for me. Has anyone else had a similar feeling?

[KyokoHateshinai]

And about the "misty line between fantasy and reality" that's just absurd. If that was true, anyone who plays games in general are delusional.

 

I think you shouldn't listen to other people's opinions of you. Of course, we are always affected by other people's words. But trust me, they don't exactly put much thought into what they're saying. They just judge you for whatever comes to their mind first. Even with your closest family members or friends.

 

Stay true to yourself and don't let others ruin your fun for you. I listened to people around how I should stop being so gloomy and it made me even more miserable. I don't even remember why I was gloomy in the first place. Please don't let go of yourself. Even if others judge you, clearly there are still a lot of people still playing Neopets. There are a lot more grown ups playing Neopets than you might think!

[rinoa812]

I agree with Kyokos post. I am one to always be hurt by others words and I have had to make my skin thick as a result. Theres npthing wrong at all with enjoying a game. Im 28 and i still enjoy it =P

[Raichi]

There's nothing wrong with creating fictional characters. If that was somehow so, then how would there be any books or writers? I understand parents just want what's best for their children, but what's best is what makes them happy. Especially if it's something creative like writing and creating characters, that's something that they should STIMULATE, not blaspheme!

 

I for one crossed that line, I was so caught up with a roleplay I wanted to do nothing more than roleplay that particular roleplay all day long. Now me and my roleplay partner at the time were both in college, and we BOTH were so addicted to our roleplay we screwed up our years, simply because we spent all day, every day, living this fictional world that we created through literature.

 

Now, as long as what happened to me doesn't happen to you, there's no problem AT ALL with having characters and stories and expressing your creativity through neopets.

[Zephyr]

Sometimes, someone will tell me something along those lines. But when I get my hands on my comp for some me-time, I'd be so happy in indulging myself that I totally forget about it (or maybe I have the typical forbidden fruit syndrome heh). They can say their piece, I'll just do my thing.

 

From my personal experience, some of the people I've encountered say such things when don't get our fascination with the subject. I love reading and some will tell me those are just fictional worlds. When I start taking an interest in Oscar Wilde and his works, people tell me they were from a different era (like I can't tell with my Android phone & all). And of course, with virtual avatars and pets, they tell me they're not real.

 

Nowadays with real cash involved, things can get slightly complicated: it stops being just pixel. This other world is now getting tangled with your current (human) world. And because of this, I agree very much with Raichi had said: some control is needed. I heard someone spent a five-figure sum at another site (within a month I think, don't quote me on this). At Neopets, I also raise my eyebrows at some spending habits. But it's their money, whatever rocks their boat; I just hope it's within their budget.

 

I always tell myself these (the pets/avatars/other mythical beings) are to make me happy; to help me de-stress and not add on to it. I think so long as it doesn't impact you negatively like getting you into debts, messing up your studies, etc, etc then go for it :)

[brynchilla]

No one can 'ruin' Neopets for you, only you can.

 

Don't let others have the privilege of making you feel bad for something that you like. You don't tell them what they can and can't like, I would hope that they would be nice enough to do the same for you.

Anybody who is making fun of you for doing something that you enjoy (and isn't illegal or immoral) is someone you don't need in your life.

 

Personally, I love creating characters. They can go on the adventures that I'll never be able to go on, and help me to better express myself.

[Duma]

Like everyone says, there is no problem in loving a game where you take care and create personalities for virtual pets as long as you still know it's virtual and they won't die if you don't feed them for a week. Other people shouldn't make a problem out of it if you're still functioning in the real world despite having a -what THEY think of as- weird hobby. It's a good thing we are all different and like different things. The world would be a dull place if we all acted and liked the same things.

 

Everything need balance but doing things you like is really important for a good mental stability! If you aren't allowed to express yourself the way you want to you'll get confused, lose yourself and get stressed out. Now THAT's unhealthy!

[2_crazyman_2]

So sorry to hear about your negative experience! I think a huge part of the experience in neopets is the engaging and immersive world that is Neopia. I too love taking care of my pets and treating them like they are real. Hope you can get your true neo experience back.