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Could you cite an example of a game design that is designed to be addicting, yet not because it's just fun? It seems like one of the roots of 'game addiction' is that the game is perhaps designed too well, and playing it appeals to a particular person more than more practical matters, like showing up at work or attending to nutrition or personal hygiene.
I guess Tamagochis (sp? the 'virtual pets' things) could fall into this realm. My niece and nephews had them at one point, and the devices would essentially nag you to pay attention to them ('feeding', 'walking them', etc.), or else dire things would happen to your virtual pet, heaping guilt via sad cartoony images onto the poor child. Basically, you can't play one "only a little" as I understand things.
If there are analogous abusive practices in MUDs, that's an interesting topic to open, and I'd like to hear more about it.
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