the return of MUD...
it's frightening to think that it's about 15 years since i started playing online multiplayer games.
MUD easily sucked up many hours while i was at university, but their appeal started to fade when the internet became more popular, and more people could run their own servers - thus dropping the critical mass of players in each game.
but technology changes and now the evil timewasters are called
MMORPG...
on the positive side the main reason these games are so addictive is that you're dealing with real human beings on the other end, which gives variety and interest that scripted AI systems can't (yet) replicate. when they do there'll be a proportion of the population who will probably never leave the house.
of course, you have to make sure you work out with your friends
when you're going to play.....